Although there be some good sayings in the Talmud which may serve us to cleare some places of Scripture yet they should not dote up on it and neglect the holy Scriptures R. Eleazer said well Calefacias te ad ignem sapientum sed cave a prunis earum ne forte adâ—raris warme thy selfe at the fire of wise men but take heede that thou be not burnt with the coales so malegranatum invenisti meditullio ejus vescere at putameâ— secerne thou hast found a pomgranate eate the kernell but take heede of the shell The seventh impediment is this The seventh let of the conversion of the Iewes they will not suffer their children to be brought up in humane learning and humane sciences but they accurst him qui â—luerit suâ—m aut didicerit sapientiam Graecorum Vide secundam prefationem Eliâ— in Mazoreth that is who feedes a Sow and learnes the artes and sciences which the Greekes professe and therefore Omnis exotica lingua est illis Barbara all other tongues are barbarous to them and they accurse him as Anathema descendit ad inferâ—s qui docet discipulum quem non deberet that is who teaches a schollar who is a Gentile Elias Levita was greatly hated amongst his countrie men because he taught the Cardinall of Viterbia and some other Italians the Hebrew tongue Reasons proceeding from others which let the Iewes conversion There are other lets hindering the conversion of the Iewes which proceede not from themselves but from others As first the prophane conversation of the Christians is a great let to their conversion The Lord objected to the Iewes that his name was evill spoken of amongst the Gentiles for their cause so the Lord may justly now object to the Christians that they make his name to be evill spoken of amongst the Iewes The second reason of hindering their conversion is the Idolatrie of the Christians when they see Images set up and worshipped in their temples they call their temples Beth turphan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domum turpitudinis and when they see the Popish priests they call them heathenish priests or Camilli The heathen brought in the abomination of desolation in the temple Cassiodorus in chronico suo of purpose to offend the Iewes So Elias Hadrianus the Emperour when he built Ierusalem againe and called it Elium that he might offend the Iewes the more hee set in the frontispice of the temple a sow graven out in marbell stone Lastly the Papists offend the Iewes when they paint Moses with hornes as wee see him painted so in some of their Popish churches the reason why they paint him so was the mistaking of the word Keren which signifieth both a horne and splendor or brightnesse SECT 8. Of the third estate of the Jewes when they shall be Ruchama and first of their calling againe THings that are impossible with men are possible with God Ruchama Matth. 19.26 When the children of Israel were in captivitie in Babylon who would have thought that ever they should have returned out of it againe It seemed like a dreame unto themselves and yet by that we may be led to consider the estate of the captivitie of the Iewes now Types shewing to the Iewes their restitution from the captivitie of Babylon When the Iewes were to goe to the captivitie of Babylon there was little hope of their returne out of the captivitie and farre lesse when they lay so long in the captivitie yet the Lord did shew them their restitution by sundry types First by Ieremie The type shewne to Ieremie when they were to goe to the captivitie Ieremie bought a field in Anathoth from his Vncles sonne Hananeel Ier. 32. because the right of the inheritance was his and the redemption of the land he subscribed the evidences he sealed them and tooke witnesses weighed to him the mony in ballances he took also the evidences of the purchase both that which was sealed according to the Law and custome and that which was open first he tooke that which was sealed according to the Law that is the letters in the which the commandement of God given to the Prophet was set down and a particular description of all the cautions which concerned the right then there was an open contract which was confirmed by the Magistrate Then he gave the evidents of the purchases to Baruch the son of Merajah in the sight of Hananeel his Vncles sonne and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the booke of purchase and before all the Iewes that sate in the court of the prison after that he charged Baruch before them all in the name of the Lord of Hostes and put them in an earthen vessell that they might continue for many dayes Now when they had remained long in the captivity and Ieremie and Hananeel his Vncles son were dead the Iewes who sate in the court of the prison who would ever have thought that any should have come home to have possessed the land of Anathoth againe but yet the contract was extant which was kept in an earthen vessell all this time and some of Ieremies posterity came home and inherited that peece of ground in Anathoth So although the Iewes now have lien long under the captivity and Abraham Isaac and Iacob with many thousands of men are all gone yet because the covenant stands and the contract of purchase therefore they shall be restored to be spirituall heires of the covenant for Gods mercy extends it selfe to a thousand generations The second type shewed to Ieremiah The second type whereby the Lord shewed to the Iewes that they were to be called backe againe from the captivity of Babylon was Ier. 24. the two baskets of figges which the Lord shewed unto him the good figges and the badde figges the good figges signified the Iewes that were to be called home againe from Babylon and the evill figges that could not be eaten signified Zedekiah king of Iudah and his princes and the residue of Ierusalem which remained in the land and these that dwelt in Egypt whom the Lord was to deliver to bee removed from all the kingdomes of the earth for their hurt to bee a reproach and a proverbe a taunt and a curse in all places as the Lord had badde figges then that were to bee destroyed so the Lord hath of this captivity now many whom he hath destroyed and made of them a proverbe a taunt and a curse amongst the nations But as all the figges of the first captivity were not badde but some were very good figges like the figges that are first ripe so in this captivity now the Lord hath reserved himselfe whom he mindes to build and not to pull downe againe and to plant and not to pull up The third type of the calling of the Iewes from the captivity of Babylon was shewne to Ezekiel The third type shewed to Ezekiel chap. 37. a field full of dead bones
Sorcerers are more dangerous instruments than witches 139. what sorcerers should be put to death 160 Soule whether it goeth out of the body and returneth or not 73. what the Hebrews doe meane by gathering of the soule 243 Spirit foure illapses of the spirit 219. to he cloathed with the spirit what 220 Saints what duties are to be performed to the dead bodies of the Saints 206. Of the care that God hath of his Saints in their birth in their death and after they are dead 207 Starres whether they produce alteration in religion or not 56. why they are called Mozalim and Meshartim 58. what use we are to make of them ib. Superstition is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 17 Superstition the mother of ignorance 18. a comparison betwixt the superstitious and religious ibid. Symmachus from what religion he fell 302. Synedrion when it was removed out of Ierusalem 308 T Tentation two fold 71 Teraphim how they were made 88. it is taken three wayes in the Scripture ibid. what sort of Teraphim was kept in Davids house ibid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 118 Tephilim whence it comes 152 Theodosius it is fabulous that he sent a letter to Chrysostome after his death 36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 133 Thunder is the voyce of God the Lord used to speake in the thunder 247 Tophet a resemblance betwixt tophet and hell 290 Transportation twofold 105 Some deny reall transportation 107 Tradition of the tradition of the house of Elias 310 Tunica molesta what 144 Tympanum what ibid. Types of the calling of the Iewes 353. types shewing to the Iewes their restitution from the captivity of Babylon 351 Tzijanacke what it is 124 V Verbum sublatum and verbum Absolutum what 215 Vitia creationis and vitia accidentis 107 Vivicomburium what 124 FINIS A TREATISE OF THE FOVRE DEGENERATE SONNES The ATHEIST the MAGITIAN the IDOLATER and the IEVV ISA. 1.2 I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me IT is very well knowne and miserable experience teacheth us that many who are anciently descended and come of Noble parents fall into vile sinnes and degenerate from their antecessors not following their footsteps Not unlike unto those are the degenerate children of God Ephes 1.15 Of whom the whole family of heaven and earth is named who are fallen from that first estate in the which they were created and are not to bee reckoned as his genuine and naturall children but as unnaturall not worthy to be called his sonnes These degenerate children are foure There rests the fift sonne who is Gods naturall sonne who worships God in purity and sincerity The Atheist denies his Father The first disobedient and degenerate sonne is the Atheist who denieth God his father The second is the Magitian or Sorcerer The Magitian renounceth his Father who after that he had solemnly vowed himselfe to God in baptisme yet after hee renounceth the true God The Idolater misknows his Fa her and giveth himselfe over to Sathan and enters into covenant with him The third ungracious and degenerate sonne is the Idolater who gives the creature that worship which is due onely to God The Iew killed his Father The fourth lewd sonne is the Iew who cruelly murthered the Lord of life The fifth sonne is the Christian The Christian acknowledgeth and worshippeth his father sincerely who feares God and worships him sincerely And from these comes Atheisme Magick Idolatry Iudaisme and Christianity which are the subject of this Treatise following Of the first degenerate sonne the ATHEIST SAthan that crooked Serpent turning himselfe into diverse shapes hating alwayes that which is good he studies alwaies to turne men out of the right way Now to draw them into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is unto superstition Sometimes againe he perswades them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to Atheisme but he never drawes them to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the true worship and the golden mediocritie The Hebrewes call the Atheist Acharon because he is altogether alienate from God And the Poets in their Mytheologies call him the sonne of the earth And this Atheisme they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fight of the Gyants SECT 1. Of the causes which leades men into Atheisme VVHen the shallow braine of man cannot comprehend the infinite God The first cause that moves men to be Atheists because he cannot comprehend him with his poore understanding he beginnes by and by to despise him and so Sathan leades the poore wretch to Atheisme Thou canst not comprehend him therefore reject him That which should most diswade man from Atheisme and lead him most to worship the true God Sathan uses it as a snare to draw him from God for if we could comprehend God he could not bee God And if our minde could comprehend God we should not be finite but infinite and so consequently we should be Gods We doe not comprehend God but apprehend him onely as the Schoolemen speakes The second cause Secondly when men commit wickednesse they study by all meanes to escape the punishment He lyeth in waite to catch the poore and sayes in his minde God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it Psal 10.9 And even as rebels after they have conspired against their soveraigne being guilty of Laesmajestie they study to destroy all the rolles and registers and that the King himselfe bee put from his throne that they may escape all punishment which they are liable unto And as those who are addebted to others wishes all the bonds and obligations whereby they are bound to repay were burnt So Atheists and those who despise God casting off the yoke of obedience that they may worke sinne with greedinesse denies altogether God and his scriptures The third cause Thirdly if it fall out that sometimes the Atheist bee stirred up from this his Lethargy and beginne to seeke any thing at the hand of God hee doth it but coldly and faintly And if the Lord grant not to him his desire according to his minde either he denieth God altogether or doubts at least whether there be a God or not Iob 22.15 What is the Almighty that wee should serve him and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him So when the Israelites wanted water in the wildernesse Exod. 17.7 they beganne to say Is the Lord amongst us or not The fourth cause Fourthly the constant course of nature and the wheeles mooving one within another and turning about in the selfe same manner mooves the Atheist to Atheisme 2 Pet. 3.4 Where is the promise of his comming for since the Fathers fel asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation But to those who lookes more neerely to the works of Gods providence and to the connexion of causes It is manifest that the second causes are alwaies mooved by the first cause And those who acknowledged
to God This Iudiciall astrologie is first iniurious to God for it takes away Gods providence and ties all things to a fatall necessitie Secondly it ascribes to the starres the foretelling of things contingent by them which is onely proper to God Esay 41.23 for when there concurres a number of causes about one effect which are not subordinate to ascribe the effect to any one of these causes more than to any of the other it is to ascribe a contingent effect to a cause which it cannot be ascribed to for when there is no dependance betwixt the effect and the cause then it is meere contingencie God only knows such things which are contingent a child is born at such an houre under such a constelation therfore such such things will befal him to ascribe these effects to his birth because he was borne under such a planet that is follie for there is no dependence here betwixt the effect and the cause And here they had neede to looke to a nearer cause than to his birth as to the constitution of the parents who begat the child and to the nurse who nourished him and to his foode and they had neede more to looke to the time of his conception than to the time of his birth for the starres workes more in the time of the conception of the child and when he is in his mothers bellie than in his birth Obj. But they will say when they find the houre of the birth they can easily know the time of the conception Answ Are all that are conceived at the same moment borne at the same time I hope they will not say so for some are borne in the seventh moneth some in the tenth month therfore this their observation wil not hold And let them looke rather to his education both by nature and by grace than to the starres for these will change him more than Mercurie or Venus They make the starres in their conjunctions to be the causes of mens actions both naturall and morall And they goe further that they are these which produces alterations in religion This Iudiciall astrologie ascribes the alterations and changes of religion to the starres They say when Iupiter is joyned with diverse planets he produces diverse religions when he was joyned with Saturne that conjunction bred the Iewish religion when he was joyned with Mars then he bred the Chaldeans religion when he was joyned with the Sun that bred the Egyptian religion and when he was joyned with Venus that brought on the Mahumets religion and when he was joyned with Mercurie that bred the Christian Religion and when hee was joyned with the Moone that bred the Antichrists religion But it is strange to see how these men ascribes more to the climates in the heavens and to the starres then they doe to the ground wherein they live or to the aire wherein they breath or to the foode whereby they were nourished And if we should demand of these men what is the reason that it hath fallen out that in these countries where Venus Mercurie and Saturne were of old worshipped the signes remaining the same still yet it hath fallen out that their gods hath beene expelled and cast out of these nations againe although the signes remaine So we may demand of them what is the reason although the Iewes be banished wandering through the world and changing so many climates yet never altered their religion and what is the reason that the Mahumets religion is professed now where the Christian was professed of old and wee see sundrie religions professed in one place under the same conjunction therefore this conjunction of Iupiter with the Sunne or any other starre cannot produce this effect of religion Thirdly if religion depend upon the vertue of the starres when the vertue in that conjunction ceaseth whether will the religion cease or not or ceaseth soone after as the light ceaseth when the Sunne is gone from us wâ—â—â—ce commeth it then that the Heathenish religion and the Iewish religion hath endured so long Vide Euseb lib. 6. c. 18. praeparatione evangelica when as none of the astrologues can say that the conjunction of the starres or the vertue of that conjunction hath indured so long and what conjunction can they shew when the Christian Religion arose to produce such an effect or what conjunction made this when the Mahumetan religion arose And we see contrary religions professed where there is but little difference of place This iudiciall astrology is iniurious to man As this Iudiciall astrologie dishonours God so it is injurious to man for it takes away from him liberty of will in civill things which he hath by nature and in religious matters which he hath by grace and brings him within the compasse of such a necessity Quando astra non necessitant sed inclinant They bring no fatall necessity with them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but inclines onely a little The starres they have their influxes into the bodies of men therefore they are called Mozalim by the Hebrewes a Nazal influere 2 King 23. And the Rabbines call them Meshartim a Sharat ministrare and therefore they serve somewhat to foretell mans inclination and manners for they commonly follow the temperature of the body But simply to foretell by the starres what manner of men they will be that cannot be foretold by the starres Sapiens dominabitur astris As to say such a woman will be an whoore because she was borne under such a constellation But onely thus much they might say her inclination would have led her to have beene such a woman but good education good company and most of all grace may restraine her from that sinne So this Iudiciall astrologie brings men under a continuall feare As the Lord threatned Isa 66.4 because when the Lord called upon them they would not answer him Therefore hee would choose their delusions and bring their feares upon thâ—â— What use we may make of the starres The Lord when he made the Sunne the Moone and the Starres he made them for signes and for seasons we may observe times by them It is the commendation of Issachar 1 Chro. 12.32 that he could marke the times So we may observe the starres to be signes of spirituall events As sometimes of Gods anger in the comets for although they have a naturall cause in them yet sometimes they signify great changes to happen in the Common-wealth as warre famine and other Iudgements Christ foretold that before his last comming there should be signes in the sunne the moone and the starres which should be most fearefull signes to the wicked as they should be comfortable to the children of God but wee can never tell things contingent by them This Iudiciall astrology is injurious to other sciences This iudicall astrology wrongs other sciences Let us consider what is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is such a
when it was stirred When the Physitian stirres his potion heere hee useth his skill and there is a naturall power in the potion but when the Angell stirred the water it was neither the skill of the Angell nor the power of the water that healed the sicke person The Lord communicates not his power no not with the humanitie of Christ Christ as man did not worke these miracles Christ as man wrought not miracles The fathers disputing against the Arrians and Nestorians shewes us this Gregorie Nyssen writing against Eunomius sayes Non vivificat Lazarum humanitas nec deflet in latibulis jacentem potentia The humanitie raised not Lazarus neither did the divinitie weepe for him God then did not communicate this his power of working miracles to any creature Ob. If it be said Marke 16.20 that the Apostles did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ in working of the miracles How the Apostles are said to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ A difference between Christs working of miracles and the Apostles then they might seeme to be coworking causes with Christ in the miracles Answ this is onely spoken in respect of the end when as God onely did worke the miracle so men are said to helpe God Iudg. 5.23 Christ in working of his miracles differed farre from the Apostles and Prophets when they wrought the miracles When Christ wrought his miracles he wrought far greater workes then any other could doe Ioh. 15.24 If I had not done amongst them the workes which no other man did they had not had sinne which saying is to bee understood If he had not wrought mo e miracles greater miracles and more frequent Mark 1.32 they brought unto him all that were diseased Mat. 15.30 they brought to him those that were lame blinde dumbe maimed and many others and they cast them at Iesus feet and he healed them but when the Apostles and Prophets cured the diseases the vertue went not from them as it did from Christ Mar. 5.30 they ascribed never this vertue to theÌ„selves but reserved the honour to Christ Luke 10.17 as Ioab reserved the honour to David when he was about to take the citâ—e of Rabbah 2 Sam. 12.28 Secondly they could not cure when and where they pleased as Christ could as Saint Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum 2 Tim. 4.20 Thirdly Christs miracles were greater then theirs yea when they wrought one and the selfe same miracle Peter cured Aneas who was eight yeares sicke of a Palsie Acts. 9.33 but Christ healed a man who was thirtie eight yeares impotent Iohn 5.5 So Peter raised up Dorcas who was newly dead Act. 9.37 But Christ raised Lazarus when he had layne foure dayes dead in the grave Iohn 11. Fourthly Christ cured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the imfirmities of the stomake by miracle Mat. 5.23 But Saint Paul used onely the ordinary remedie to cure this disease in Timothie drinke a little wine for the weakenesse of thy stomacke 1 Tim. 5.23 Miraculous workes farre exceed the workes of Nature as the sight restored to the blind by Christ farre exceeded the ordinarie sight the wine miraculous in the Marriage of Cana far exceeded the naturall wine So Christ cure here exceeded farre Saint Pauls Lastly none of the Apostles confirmed themselves to be the messias by their miracles as Christ did Mat. 9. that ye may know that the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes I say unto thee take up thy bed Mat. 9. The witch is concausa into the worke and not causa sine qua non But when the devill works by witches and sorcerers he workes by them as by coworking causes They are not causae sine quibus non for Causa sine qua non is not reckoned amongst causes neither by the divines nor by the Philosophers for that is properly called a cause which concurres to the producing of the effect When a man sets fire to a house the setting of the fire to the house is not the cause why the house burnes but it is causa sine qua non So when I open the window that I may see the light the opening of the window is but causa sine qua non that I see the light when Satan useth the witch in his malicious and devillish inchantments the witch is not causa sine qua non here but she is concausa and helpes all that she can to the destruction of the creature The miracles which the Apostles wrought differed farre from the miracles which Satan wrought which was not miracles indeed but had a show of miracles and therefore they are called lying wonders And first they are lying wonders ratione causae The difference betwixt the miracles of the Apostles and the miracles of Sathan as proceeding from the devill who is the father of lies Secondly ratione formae in the manner of their working they are but delusions And thirdly in respect of the end for they serve onely to confirme lies 2 Thes 2.9 But the Apostles miracles were true miracles wrought by the spirit of God they were no delusions when Aeneas was healed he arose presently and made his bed and all that were at Lydea and Saron saw it Act. 9.35 So when Peters mother in law was healed of a feaver shee arose and ministred to Christ Marke 1.31 and as many as hee touched were made perfectly whole Matth. 14.36 Lastly in respect of the end the Lord cured their bodies to make way for the curing of their soules as Mar. 2.5 when he had cured the man of the palsie he said unto him Thy sins are forgiven thee So Ioh. 5.14 when he cured the man of the palsie he said unto him Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee But Elimas the sorcerer sought to turne away Sergius Paulus the deputie from the faith Act. 13.8 The Apostles ascribed all the power to God but sorcerers and witches ascribe the power to themselves Simon Magus said he was the great power of God Act. 8. So the witches will have the sicke to beleeve in them and that they have power to heale or to hurt as they say otherwayes they can doe them no good Quest Whether can the devill doe more with the helpe of the witch than he can doe himselfe alone Wherefore the devill can doe more by the helpe of the Witches than he can doe alone Answ Some holds that he can doe more by the service of the witch than hee can doe alone Mirum est inquit mysterium Fransciscus de victoria rel 1. de arte magica sub finem quod cum daemones nocere per se non permittantur tamen non adeo impediuntur nocere per homines ut magos lainas alias maleficas It is a strange thing saith he and a great mysterie seeing the devils oftentimes are hindered to worke by themselves yet notwithstanding they are not so hindered to hurt by men as by sorcerers and by witches and oftentimes
to the first mover the more they are carried about with the motion of the first mover and the lesse they follow their owne motion and those that are farther from the first mover followes more their owne motion and lesse the motion of the first mover and they that are farthest of all from the first mover most swiftly perfects their owne motion And yet for all that they follow the motion of the first mover also Saturne that is nearest to the firs◠mover followeth his owne motion verie slowlie and finishes both his owne course in thirty yeares The sunne that is farthest from the first mover then Saturne finisheth his owne course more swiftly in a yeare then Saturne doth But the Moone although she bee the lowest of all the planets and finisheth her course in twenty eight dayes yet shee followes the course of the first mover and is carried from the East to the West The Angels and the glorified spirits are most carried and directed by God the first mover and followeth not their owne motion The regenerate in this life they are too much busied about their owne motion and yet they are ruled and guided by the spirit of God But the devilles who are farthest of all from him and followeth their owne motion most yet they are inforced to follow the Lord and his will When Balaam would have cursed the people of God Num. 23.23 he was inforced to say that there was no inchantment against Israel When the Lyon had killed the Prophet yet hee tared not his flesh nor broke his bones Beth here is contra and not in 1 King 13.24 So the Lord restraines this raging Lyon the devill that hee make not altogether havocke of his Church Pro. 30.31 there be foure things which are comely in going A Lyon which is the strongest amongst beasts and turneth not away for any a horse girt in the loynes a hee goat also and fourthly a King against whom there is no rising up Satan is a strong Lyon who turneth not away for any hee is that strong horse girt in the Loyres which rusheth into the battell and none is able to withstand him Ier. 8.6 hee is also that hee goat Alexander was called Hircus caprarum Dominus duorum cornuum Dan. 8.6 The strength of a beast lies in his hornes Quando animaeli cuipiam additur Gen. Plur. foemin tunc significatur animal illud tenerum esse Gen. 38.17 Psal 113.4 Eze. 45.23 and Dan. 8.21 Hee was called Hircus caprarum to signifie that hee was but a young goat when hee pushed the world and none was able to withstand him what strength then hath this old hee goat to push the children of men And he is that King against whom there is no rising Therefore we should bee affraid of his strength alwaies But this is our comfort that hell and destruction are before the Lord Prov. 15.11 to be before the Lord signifieth not onely that things are knowne to him but also that they are under his power and subjection Gen. 13.9 Is not the whole land before thee Coram aliquo quid significat so Cant. 8.12 my vineyard which is mine is before mee that is it is in my power and belongs to me So hell and perdition are before the Lord That is hell and the devilles who are tortured there howsoever they resist yet they are subject to the Lord. These spirits must alwayes be at the Lords command and subject unto him The Apostle saith Heb. 2.8 That he hath put all things under his feete but wee see them not as yet put under him sed tandem proferet victoriam injudicum and then his enemies shall be quite trode under his feete Mat. 12.20 SECT 12. Of the knowledge of the devils and of their predictions of things to come THe devils hath great knowledge The devils have great knowlegde and therefore they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Foure things make them to have great knowledge Foure things makes them to have great knowledge The devils know things uno intuitu First they know things uno intuitu and they are intelligentes creaturae sed non ratiocinantes they know not as the Schoolemen saith Hoc ex hoc they reason not as we do gathering this of this but because they know not all things together therefore they learne hoc post hoc this after this When we behold the face of a man whom we know here we rest without any reasoning to enquire who he is but if we have forgotten the man whom we have seene before then wee beginne to recollect and bring our selves to a particular knowledge of the man as where wee have seene him before how they call him The first sort of knowledge which we have of the face is minus universalis magis distincta but the second is magis universalis magis confusa When the devil lookes upon things he knoweth them uno intuitu as when we looke upon a knowne face Our knowledge againe is more confused and therefore we come to it by reasoning this and that way Satan when he lookes upon the effects and the cause he doth not abstract and separate them as we doe when we foretell by the causes the effects following neither lookes hee by the effects unto the cause Our sight is quicker than our hearing and therefore we see the lightning before wee heare the clappe of the thunder but the devill takes them up both at one time A comparison betwixt man and man how far one exceeds another and how far the devill exceedes man The devill being a spirit knowes many things which man knowes not and he apprehends them sooner than man both for the impediment of his senses and dulnesse of his wit when we consider how farre one man differeth from another in quicknesse and understanding and how dull another is in conception and understanding by this wee may be led to take up what difference there is betwixt the knowledge of the devil and the knowledge of man and that he farre surpasseth man in understanding Vitruvius lib. 9. de architec cap. 3. compare but Archimedes his quicknesse of wit with Croesus his dulnesse and then ye may see what difference there is betwixt mans knowledge and the devills Archimedes could find out to tell how much base mettell was in the King of Siracuses crowne which was made to him although he brake not the crowne This was an admirable and great skill Croesus againe was as dull in his conception when hee caused to take the flesh of Testudo the shell crabbe and the flesh of a lambe and boyle them in one vessell to trie which of them should be soonest boyled and whether the shell crabbe would be as slow in boiling as in going and come as farre behinde the lambe now as before therefore Tyrius said of him Caelua pag. 51. that he was Regum stultissimus coquorum infaelicissimus of all kings the most foolish and
know that yee are gods that is if yee can foretell things contingent Therefore Iames Chap. 4. because all contingent events depend upon the Lord willeth us to say wee will doe such and such things if the Lord will A man and a maid are married together to foretell that they will have children this is easie to doe because it is contingens natum for usually young folkes beget children but to foretell how many children they will have whether ten or twelve The devill more hardely can foretell this because it is contingens rarum But lastly whether they will prove wise men or fooles that is contingens indefinitum Salomon himselfe could not foretell that Eccles 2.19 and the devill himselfe cannot foretell this The Prophets understood things past present and to come 1 Sam. 1.9 The Prophets illuminate by the Spirit of God understood things past present and to come for hee revealeth his secrets to his servants Amos 3. therefore the Prophets were called Chozin videntes The Prophets understood things past Satan may understand things well enough ab exordâ—o temporis from the beginning of time and remember them very well But he cannot know exordium rerum the beginning of things for God hath them onely written in his booke Satan can understand things ab exordio temporis but not ab exordiâ— rerum Psal 139.16 In thy book are all my members written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them So hee hath the booke of life in the which mens names were written before the foundation of the world Rev. 3.5 and these whose names are written in this booke he revealeth to his servants the Prophets Phil. 4.3 I intreate you to helpe these my fellow labourers whose names are in the booke of life but all this knowledge is hidde from Satan Secondly the Prophets know things present How the Prophets knew things present when they were absent although they were absent from those places where they were done 2 King 5.26 Was not my Spirit with thee when the man in his charet turned to meete thee So Elisha knew well enough the secrets of the King of Syria and what was done in his secret chamber 2 King 6.12 although he was absent So Paul although he was at Ephesus in Asia yet his spirit informed him what was done a farre off in Corinth 1 Cor. 5.3 yet the Prophets could not foretell such things Prophecie is not habitus sed actus transiens when the Lord revealed not himself unto them as 2 King 4.27 Her soule is vexed within her and the Lord hath hid it from me for prophesie was not habitus sed actus transiens and as the lute ceaseth to give a sound when hee that playeth ceaseth to play so they could not prophesie when the Lord illuminate them not But Satan and his sorcerers cannot foretell things when they are absent unlesse they be informed by other spirits or see the effects in the cause as Satan can foretell that the river of Nilus will overflow when he seeth the raine in Ethiopia like to fall Thirdly The Prophets foretold things that were alwayes hidden from man the Prophets being illuminate by the spirit of God foretold things that were alwayes hidden and which no wayes depended upon any naturall cause such as was the incarnation of Christ and his resurrection and such like which mysteries the Angels themselves desire to looke into 1 Pet. 1.12 But they understood them not before they were revealed to them farre lesse could the devills understand them So the Prophet foretold three hundred yeares before the birth of Iosias 1 King 13.2 that he should offer upon the altar the bones of the Priests that burnt incense at Bethel And Elias foretold the death of Ioram and what disease hee should die of to wit of a disease in his bowells 2 Chron. 21. These things Satan and his sorcerers could not foretell How did the prophets foretell things which never tooke effect Object But the Prophets of God foretold many things which never tooke effect Esaias foretold Ezekias that he should shortly die and yet he lived fifteene yeares So Ionah foretold the Ninevites that within fortie dayes Nineveh should be destroyed and yet Nineveh was not destroyed as Ionah foretold Two sorts of prophecies Independens absoluta prophetia Ans There were two sorts of prophesies the first was independens absoluta prophetia which was called the prophesie of prescience and this alwayes tooke effect Comminationis prophetia The second sort of prophesie was the prophecie of commination or threatning which was conditional and respected alwayes the second causes and this tooke not alwayes effect If this sort of prophecie be considered in the second causes it may be said to take effect as Set thy house in order for thou shalt die if ye will respect the disease it selfe or the constitution of Ezekias body Ezekias shall die but looke into the first cause to Gods will who appointed to prolong Ezekias his life he shall not die Quest Whence hath the devils this their knowledge to foretell things to come Ans They have not this knowledge by experience and observation of naturall things only but they learne also many things from the Scriptures for although the Scriptures be a sealed booke to them in respect of the spirituall knowledge of it The devils have the knowledge of the Scripture but not the spirituall yet they have a literall knowledge of the Scripture The good Angels learne from the Church daily Eph. 3.6 and they desire to looke to the mysterie of the incarnation with our stretched neckes 1 Pet. 1.12 they grow daily in the spirituall knowledge But the devills who are bound in chaines of darkenesse Iud. 6. are more and more darkened in spirituall knowledge dayly when a man comes out of a great light into a darke place that weakens his sight much but take him out of a darke place and put him in a cleare place againe then it will make him quite blind Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicily above his prison built a very lyghtsome and white chamber which he whitened over with lyme and when hee had a long time detained his prisoners in a darke dungeon he suddenly brought them into this bright place wherein instantly they became blind because their eyes were not able to beare so sudden a change The devills are more and more blinded in spirituall knowledge So the Devills were in a place of great light in the Heavens then they were cast down into the low helles and there they were fettered with the chaines of darkenesse But when the light of the Gospel was revealed It made them more more blinde that they have eyes now and sees none and they have no spirituall understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel But when they see the Scriptures they may have the literall knowledge of them well enough and foretell things to come