it to attest the truth of such things by any real miracles For so it would invalidate the great force of the evidences of the truth of Christianity if the same argument should be used for the proving of that which in the judgement of any impartial person was not delivered when the truth of the doctriâ—e of Christ was confirmed by so many and uncontrouled miracles But hereby we see what unconceivable prejudice hath been done to the true primitive doctrine of the Gospel and what stumbling-blocks have been laid in the way of considerative persons to keep them from embracing the truly Christian faith by those who would be thought the infallible directors of men in it by making use of the broad-seal of Heaven set only to the truth of the Scriptures to confirm their unwritten and superstitious ways of worship For if I once see that which I looked on as an undoubted evidence of divine power brought to attest any thing directly contrary to divine revelation I must either conclude that God may contradict himself by sealing both parts of a contradiction which is both blasphemous and impossible or that that society of men which own such things is not at all tender of the honour of Christain doctrine but seeks to set up an interest contrary to it and matters not what disadvantage is done to the grounds of Râ—ligion by such unworthy pretences and which of these two is more rational and true let every ones conscience judge And therefore it is much the interest of the Christian world to have all such frauds and impostures discovered which do so much disservice to the Christian faith and are such secret fomenters of Atheism and Infidelity But how far that promise of our Saviour that they which believe in his name shall cast out Devils and do many miracles may extend even in these last ages of the world to such generous and primitive-spirited Christians who out of a great and deep sense of the truth of Christianity and tenderness to the souls of men should go among Heathens and Infidels to convert them only to Christ and not to a secular interest under pretence of an infallible head is not here a place fully to enquire I confess I cannot see any reason why God may not yet for the conviction of Infidels employ such a power of miracles although there be not such necessity of it as there was in the first propagation of the Gospel there being some evidences of the power of Christianity now which were not so clear then as the overthrowing the Kingdom of Satan in the world the prevailing of Christianity notwithstanding force used against it the recovâ—ry of it from amidst all the corruptions which were mixed with it the consent of those parties in the common foundations of Christianity which yet disagreâ— froâ— each other with great bitternâ—ss of spirit though I say it be not of that necessity now when the Scriptures are convâ—yed to us in a certain uninterrupted manner yet God may please out of his abundant provision for the satisfaction of the minds of men concerning the truth of Christian doctrine to employ good men to do something which may manifest the power of Christ to be above the Dâ—vils whom they worship And therefore I should far sooner believe the relation of the miracles of Xaverius and his Brethren employed in the conversion of Infidels then Lipsius his Virgo Hallensis and Asprecollis could it but be made evident to me that the design of those persons had more of Christianity then Popery in it that is that they went more upon a design to bring the souls of the Infidels to heaven then to enlarge the authority and jurisdiction of the Roman Church But whatever the truth of those miracles or the design of those persons were we have certain and undoubted evidence of the truth of those miracles whereby Christianity was first propagated and the Kingdom of Satan overthrown in the world Christ thereby making it appear that his power was greater then the Devils who had possession because he overcame him took from him all his armour wherein he trusted and divided his spoils i. e. dispossâ—ssed him of mens bodies and his Idolatrous Temples silenced his Oracles nonplust his Magicians and at last when Christianity had overcome by suffering wrested the worldly power and Empire out of the Devils hands and employed it against himself Neither may we think because since that time the Devil hath got some ground in the world again by the large spread of Mahometism the general corruptions in the Christian world that therefore the other was no argument of divine power because the truth of Christianity is not tyed to any particular places because such a falling away hath been foretold in Scripture and therefore the truth of them is proved by it and because God himself hath threatned that those who will not receive the truth in the love of it shall be given up to strong de'usions Doth not this then in stead of abating the strength of the argument confirm it more and that nothing is fallen out in the Christian world but what was foretold by those whom God employed in the converting of it But we are neither without some fair hopes even from that divine revelation which was sealed by uncontrouled evidence that there may be yet a time to come when Christ will recover his Churches to their pristine purity and simplicity but withall I think we are not to measure the future felicity of the Church by outward splendor and greatness which too many so strongly fancy but by a recovery of that true spirit of Christianity which breathed in the first ages of the Church whatever the outward condition of the Church may be For if worldly greatness and ease and riches were the first impairers of the purity of Christian Religion it is hard to conceive how the restoring of the Church of Christ to its true glory can be by the advancing of that which gives so great an occasion to pride and sensuality which are so contrary to the design of Christian Religion unless we suppose men free from those corruptions which continual experience still tells the world the Rulers as well as members of the Christian society are subject to Neither may that be wonderd at when such uneveness of parts is now discovered in the great Luminaries of the world and the Sun himself is found to have his maculae as though the Sun had a purple feaver or as Kiroher expresseth it Ipse Phoebus qui rerum omnium in universo naturae Theatro aspectabilium longè pulcherrimus omnium opinione est habitus hoc seculo tandem fumosa facie ac infecto vultu maculis prodiit diceres eum variolis laborare senescentem I speak not this as though an outward flourishing condition of the Church were inconsistent with its purity for then the way to refine it were to throw it into the flames of persecution but that
them that believe In my name shall they cast out Devils c. This power then in the Primitive Church had a twofold argument in it both as it was a manifestation of the truth of the predictions of our Saviour and as it was an evidence of the Divine power of Christ when his name so long after his ascension had so great a command over all the infernal spirits and that so evidently that at that time when the Christians did as it were Tyrannize over Satan so in his own territories yet then the greatest of his Magicians had no power to hurt the bodyes of the Christians which is a thing Origen takes much notice of For when Celsus saith from Diogenes Aegyptius that Magick could only hurt ignorant and wicked men and had no power over Philosophers Origen replies first that Philosophy was no such charm against the power of Magick as appears by Maeragenes who writ the story of Apollonius Tyaneus the famous Magician and Philosopher who therein mentions how Euphrates and an Epicurean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no vulgar Philosophers were catched by the Magick of Apollonius and although Philostratus disowns this History of Maeragenes as fabulous yet he that thinks Philostratus for that to be of any greater credit is much deceived of whom Lud. Vives gives this true character that he doth magna Homeri mendacia majoribus mendaciis corrigere mend one hole and make three but saith Origen as to the Christians this is undoubtedly true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This saith he we are most certain of and have found it by experience true that those who according to the principles of Christianity do worship God over all through Iesus and do live according to the Gospel being constant in their solemn prayers night and day are not obnoxious to the power of any Magick or Devils whatsoever Now then if the Devil who had then so much power over others had none upon the true followers of Christ and if in stead of that they had so great a commanding power over the Devil even in things which tended most to his disadvantage not only dislodging him out of bodies â—â—t out of his Idolatrous Temples what can be more evident then that this power which was so efficacious for the overthrowing the Kingdom of Satan must needs be far greater then the power of Satan is For it is an undoubted Maxime in natural reason that whatever is put out of its former place by force and violence is extruded by something stronger then its self for if the force on either side were equal there could be no disposses sing of either if any thing then be cast out of its former possession unwillingly it is an undenyable proof there was some power greater then his who was dispossessed Now we cannot conceive if there be such malignant spirits as by many undeniable proofs it is evident there are that they should willingly quit their possessions to such a doctrine which tends to the unavoydable ruine of their interest in the world if then the power of this doctrine hath overthrown the Devils Kingdom in the world whereever it hath been truly entertained it must necessarily follow that this power is far above the power of any damned spirits Now what folly and madness was it in the Heathens to worship those for Gods which they could not but see if they would open their eyes were under so great slavery to a power above them which could make them confess what was most to their disadvantage in the presence of their great adorers Neither ought the many counterfeits and impostures which have been in the world in this kind since the establishment of Christian Religion among the advancers of particular interests and designs make us suspect the truth of those things which were done in the first Ages of the Church of Christ. For first it stands to the greatest reason that the strongest arguments for the truth of a Religion ought to be fetched from the ages of its first appearance in the world if then the evidence be undoubted as to those first times we ought to embrace our Religion as true whatever the impostures have been among those who have apparently gone aside from that purity and simplicity of the Gospel which had so great power Then secondly if all that hath been done in this kind of ejecting Devils where Christianity is owned be acknowledged for impostures one of these two things must be supposed as the ground of it either that there was no such thing as a real possession by the Devil or else there was no such thing as a dispossessing him If the first then hereby will be seen a confirmation of our former argument that where Christianity is owned by the power of that the Devil is more curbed and restrained then where it is not or else is much over-run with ignorance and superstition Of the latter the ages of the Christian Church from the 10. Century to the beginning of the 16. current are a clear evidence Of the first all those who have been conversant in the places where Paganism or gross Idolatry do yet reign will bring in their creditable testimonies how tyrannical the power of the Devil is yet among them If it be not so then where careful endeavours have been used for retriving the ancient pâ—rity of Christian doctrine and worship we ought to impute it to the power of him who is stronger then Satan who whereever he comes to dwell doth dispossess him of his former habitations If the second then be entertained as the ground of concluding all things as impostures which are accounted dispossessions of Satan viz. that he never is really dispossessed then it must either be said that where he is once seized there is no possibility of ejecting him which is to say that the Devil hath an absolute and infinite power and that there is no power greater then his which is to own him for God or else that God suffers him to tyrannize where and how he will which is contrary to divine providence and the care God takes of the world and of the good of mankind or else lastly that those persons who pretend to do it are not such persons who are armed so much with the power of Christ nor possessed with such a due spirit of the Gospel which hath command over these infernal spirits And this in the cases pretended by the great Iuglers and Impostors of the Christian world the Popish Priests have been so notorious that none of their own party of any great faith or credit would stand to vouch them And we have this impregnable argument against all such Impostures that the matters which they by such actions would give an evidence to being so vastly different from if not in some things diametrically opposite to the first delivery and design of the Christian faith it is inconsistent with the way used for the confirmation of Christian Religion in the first publishing of
this God may do for the tryal of means faith whether they will forsake the true doctrine confirmed by greater miracles for the sake of such doctrines which are contrary thereto and are confirmed by false Prophets by signs and wonders Now in this case our rule of tryal must not be so much the wonders considered in themselves whether real or no as the comparing them with the miracles which were wrought in confirmation of that doctrine which is contrary to this which these wonders tend to the proving of Therefore Gods people under the Law were to examine the scope and drift of the miracles if they were intended to bring them to Idolatry whatever they were they were not to hearken to those who did them So now under the Gospel as the worship of the true God was then the standard whereby to judge of miracles by the Law of Moses so the worship of the true God through Iesus Christ and by the doctrine revealed by him is the standard whereby we ought to judge of all pretenders to work miracles So that let the miracles be what they will if they contradict that doctrine which Christ revealed to the world we are to look upon them as only tryals of our faith in Christ to see whether we Love him with our whole hearts or no. And therefore I think it needless to examine all the particulars of Lipsius his relations of miracles wrought by his Diva Virgo Hallensis and Asprecollis for if I see that their intention and scope is to set up the worship of Daemons or a middle sort of Deities between God and us which the Scripture is ignorant of on that very account I am bound to reject them all Although I think it very possible to find out the difference between true miracles and them in the manner and circumstances of their operation but this as it is of more curiosity so of less necessity for if the doctrine of the Scriptures was confirmed by miracles infinitely above these I am bound to adhere to that and not to believe any other doctrine though an Angel from heaven should preach it much less although some Popish Priests may boast much of miracles to confirm a doctrine opposite to the Gospel which I know not how far God may in judgement give those images power to work or others faith to believe because they would not receive the truth in the love of it and these are now those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lying wonders which the Scripture forewarns us that we should not believe viz. such as lead men to the belief of lyes or of doctrines contrary to that of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Where miracles are true and Divine there the effects which follow them upon the minds of those who believe them are true and Divine i. e. the effect of believing of them is the drawing of men from sin unto God This the Primitive Christians insisted much upon as an undoubted evidence that the miracles of Christ were wrought by a Divine power because the effect which followed them was the work of conversion of souls from sin and Idols to God and Christ and all true piety and vertue As the effect of the miracles of Moses was the drawing a people off from Superstition and Idolatry to the worship of the true God so the effect which followed the belief of the miracles of Christ in the world was the purging mens souls from all sin and wickedness to make them new creatures and to live in all exactness and holiness of conversation And thereby Origen discovers the great difference between the miracles of Christ and Antichrist that the intent of all Antichrists wonders was to bring men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the deceivableness of unrighteousness whereby to destroy them but the intent of the miracles of Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the deceiving but the saving of the souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can with any probability say that reformation of life and dayly progress from evil to good should be the effect of meer deceit And therefore he saith Christ told his Disciples that they should do greater works then he had done because by their Preaching and miracles the eyes of blind souls are opened and the ears of such as were deaf to all goodness are opened so far as to hearken to the Precepts and Promises of the Gospel and the feet of those who were lame in their inward man are so healed as to delight to run in the way of Gods Commandments Now is it possible that these should be the effects of any evil spirit But on the contrary we see the effects of all impostures and pretended miracles wrought by Diabolical power was to bring men off from God to sin and to dissolve that strict obligation to duty which was laid upon men by the Gospel of Christ. Thus it was in that early ape of the Apostles Simon Magus who far out-went Apollonius Tyaneus or any other Heathen in his pretended miracles according to the report which is given of him by the Primitive Christians but we see the intent of his miracles was to raise an admiration of himself and to bring men off from all holiness of conversation by afferting among other damnable heresies that God did not at all regard what men did but only what they believed wherein the Gnosticks were his followers Now when miracles are wrought to be Patrons of sin we may easily know from whom they come Those miracles are wrought by a Divine power which tend to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Satan in the world This is evident from hence because all such things as are out of mans power to effect must either be done by a power Divine or Diabolical For as our Saviour argues Every Kingdom divided against its self is brought to desolation and every City or house divided against its self cannot stand and if Satan cast out Satan he is divided against himself how shall then his Kingdom stand Now Christ by his miracles did not only dispossess Satan out of mens bodyes but out of his Temples too as hath been shewn already And besides the doctrine of Christ which was confirmed by those miracles was in every thing directly contrary to the Devils design in the world For 1. The Devils design was to conceal himself among those who worshipped him the design of the Gospel was to discover him whom the Gentiles worshipped to be an evil and malignant spirit that designed nothing but their ruine Now it appears in the whole history of Gentilism the grand mystery of State which the Devil used among the Heathens was to make himself to be â—â—en and worshippâ—d for God and to make them believ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ns were very good and benigne spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—â—onists and other Philosopherâ—â—o â—o much 〈◊〉 against the Primitiâ—â— Christians when thâ—◠〈◊〉 their Daemons to be nothing â—he but inâ—â—â—al and wicked spirits which sought the
will unto the true Prophets The grand question propounded how it may be known when predictions express Gods decrees and when only the series of causes For the first several rules laid down 1. When the prediction is confirmed by a present miracle 2. When the things foretold exceed the probability of second causes 3. When confirmed by Gods oath 4. When the blâ—ssings fore-told are purely spiritual Three rules for interpreting the Prophâ—cyes which respect the state of things under the Gâ—spel 5. When all circumstances are foretold 6. When many Prophets in several ages agree in the same predictions Predictions do not express Gods unalterable purposes when they only contain comminations of judgments or are predictions of temporal blâ—ssings The case of the Ninivites Hezekiah and others opened Of repentance in God what it implyes The jewish objâ—ctions â—bout predictions of temporal blâ—ssings answered In what cases miracles were expected from the Prophets when they were to confirm the truth of their religion Instanced in the Prophet at Bethel Elijah Elishah and of Moses himself Whose divine authority that it was proved by miracles is demonstrated against the modern Iews and their pretences answered p. 177 CHAP. VII The eternity of the Law of Moses discussed The second case wherein miracles may be expected when a Divine positive Law is to be repealed and another way of worship established in stead of it The possibility in general of a repeal of a Divine Law asserted the particular case of the Law of Moses disputed against the Iews the matter of that Law proved not to be immutably obligatory because the ceremonial precepts were required not for themselves but for some further end that proved from Maimonides his confession the precepts of the Ceremonial Law frequently dispensed with while the Law was in force Of the Passover of Hezekiah and several other instances It is not inconsistent with the wisdom of God to repeal such an established Law Abravanels arguments answered Of the perfection of the Law of Moses compared with the Gospel Whether God hath ever declared he would never repeal the Law of Moses Of adding to the precepts Of the expressions seeming to imply the perpetuity of the Law of Moses Reasons assigned why those expressions are used though perpetuity be not implyed The Law of Moses not built upon immutable reason because many particular precepts were founded upon particular occasions as the customs of the Zabii many ceremonial precepts thence deduced out of Maimonides and because such a state of things was foretold with which the observation of the Ceremonial Law would be inconsistent That largely discovered from the Prophecies of the old Testament CHAP. VIII General Hypotheses concerning the Truth of the Doctrine of Christ. The great prejudice against our Saviour among Iews and Heathens was the meaness of his appearance The difference of the miracles at the delivery of the Law and Gospel Some general Hypotheses to clear the subserviency of miracles to the Doctrine of Christ. 1. That where the truth of a doctrine depends not on evidence but authority the only way to prove the truth of the Doctrine is to prove the Testimony of the revealer to be infallible Things may be true which depend not on evidence of the things What that is and on what it depends The uncertainty of natural knowledge The existence of God the foundation of all certainty The certainty of matters of faith proved from the same principle Our knowledge of any thing supposeth something incomprehensible The certainty of faith as great as that of knowledge the grounds of it stronger The consistency of rational evidence with faith Yet objects of faith exceed reason the absurdities following the contrary opinion The uncertainty of that which is called reason Philosophical dictates no standard of reason Of transubstantiation and ubiquity c. why rejected as contrary to reason The foundation of faith in matters above reason Which is infallible Testimony that there are wayes to know which is infallible proved 2. Hypoth A Divine Testimony the most infallible The resolution of faith into Gods veracity as its formal object 3. Hypoth A Divine Testimony may be known though God speak not immediatly Of inspiration among the Iews and Divination among the Heathens 4. Hyp. The evidences of a Divine Testimony must be clear and certain Of the common motives of faith and the obligation to faith arising from them The original of Infidelity CHAP. IX The rational evidence of the Truth of Christian Religion from Miracles The possibility of miracles appears from God and providence the evidence of a Divine Testimony by them God alone can really alter the course of nature The Devils power of working miracles considered Of Simon Magus Apollonius The cures in the Temple of Aeseulapius at Rome c. God never works miracles but for some particular end The particular reasons of the miracles of Christ. The repealing the Law of Moses which had been setled by miracles Why Christ checked the Pharisees for demanding a sign when himself appeals to his miracles The power of Christs miracles on many who did not throughly believâ— Christs miracles made it evident that he was the Messias because the predictions were fulfilled in him Why John Baptist wrought no miracles Christs miracles necessary for the everthrow of the Devils Kingdom Of the Daemoniaeks and Lunaticks in the Gospel and in the Primitive Church The power of the name of Christ over them largely proved by several Testimonies The evidence thence of a Divine power in Christ. Of counterfeit dispossessions Of miracles wrought among Infidels Of the future state of the Church The necessity of the miracles of Christ as to the propagation of Christian Religion that proved from the condition of the publishers and the success of the Doctrine The Apostles knew the hazard of their imployment before they entred on it The boldness and resolution of the Apostles notwithstanding this compared with heathen Philosophers No motive could carry the Apostles through their imployment but the truth of their Doctrine not seeking the honour profit or pleasure of the world The Apostles evidence of the truth of their doctrine lay in being eye-witnesses of our Saviours miracles and resurrâ—ction That attested by themselves their sufficiency thence for preaching the Gospel Of the nature of the doctrine of the Gospel contrariety of it to natural inclinations Strange success of it notwithstanding it came not with humane power No Christian Emperour till the Gospel universally preached The weakness and simplicity of the instruments which preached the Gospel From all which the great evidence of the power of miracles is proved pag. 252 CHAP. X. The difference of true miracles from false The unreasonableness of rejecting the evidence from miracles because of impostures That there are certain rules of distinguishing true miracles from false and Divine from diabolical proved from Gods intention in giving a power of miracles and the providence of God in the world The inconvenience of taking
of the spirit upon the soul it cheerfully embraceth that Truth which is revealed and cordially yields up its self in obedience to it This is the Divine faith which the Scripture acquaints us with and not such a one as meerly believes the truth of a Divine Testimony and as to the production of this faith I acknowledge meer rational evidence to be insufficient because they proceed in 2â— very different ways the one is to satisfie mens minds of the truth of the doctrine the other is to bring them effectually to adhere unto it The asserting of the one therefore doth no more tend to destroy the other then the saying that a Telescope will help us to discover very much of the heavenly bodies doth imply that a blind man may see them if he makes but use of them Although therefore the natural man cannot savingly apprehend the things of God yet there may be so much rational evidence going along with Divine revelation that supposing reason to be pure and not corrupted and steeped in sense as now it is it would discover spiritual evidence to be the most real and convincing evidence Thus far we have proved that where there is any infallible Testimony there is sufficient rational evidence going along with it to make it appear that it is from God CHAP. IX The rational evidence of the truth of Christian Religion from Miracles The possibility of miracles appears from God and providence the evidence of a Divine Testimony by them God alone can really alter the course of nature The Devils power of working miracles considered Of Simon Magus Apollonius The cures in the Temple of Aesculapius at Rome c. God never works miracles but for some particular end The particular reasons of the miracles of Christ. The repealing the Law of Moses which had been setled by miracles Why Christ checked the Pharisees for demanding a sign when himself appeals to his miracles The power of Christs miracles on many who did not throughly believe Christs miracles made it evident that he was the Messias because the predictions were fulfilled in him Why John Baptist wrought no miracles Christs miracles necessary for the overthrow of the Devils Kingdom Of the Daemoniacks and Lunaticks in the Gospel and in the Primitivâ— Church The power of the name of Christ over them largely proved by several Testimonies The evidence thence of a Divine power in Christ. Of counterfeit dispossessions Of miracles wrought among Infidels Of the future state of the Church The necessity of the miracles of Christ as to the propagation of Christian Religion that proved from the condition of the publishers and the success of the Doctrine The Apostles knew the hazard of their imployment before they entred on it The boldness and resolution of the Apostles notwithstanding this compared with heathen Philosophers No motive could carry the Apostles through their imployment but the truth of their Doctrine not seeking the honour profit or pleasure of the world The Apostles evidence of the truth of their doctrine lay in being eye-witnesses of our Saviours miracles and resurrection That attested by themselves their sufficiency thence for preaching the Gospel Of the nature of the doctrine of the Gospel contrariety of it to natural inclinations Strange success of it notwithstanding it came not with humane power No Christian Emperour till the Gospel universally preached The weakness and simplicity of the instruments which preached the Gospel From all which the great evidence of the power of miracles is proved OF all rational evidences which tend to confirm the truth of a Divine Testimony there can be none greater then a power of working miracles for confirmation that the Testimony which is revealed is infallible The possibility of a power of miracles cannot be questiond by any who assert a Deity and a Providence for by the same power that things were either at first produced or are still conserved which is equivalent to the other the course of nature may be altered and things caused which are beyond the power of inferiour causes For though that be an immutable Law of nature as to Physical beings that every thing remains in the course and order wherein it was set at the Creation yet that only holds till the same power which set it in that order shall otherwise dispose of it granting then the possibility of miracles the subject of this Hypothesis is that a power of miracles is the clearest evidence of a Divine Testimony which will appear from these following considerations God alone can really alter the course of nature I speak not of such things which are apt only to raise admiration in us because of our unacquaintedness with the causes of them or manner of their production which are thence called wonders much less of meer juggles and impostures whereby the eyes of men are deceived but I speak of such things as are in themselves either contrary to or above the course of nature i. e. that order which is established in the universe The Devil no question may and doth often deceive the world and may by the subtilty and agility of his nature perform such things as may amuse the minds of men and sometimes put them to it to find a difference between them and real miracles if they only make their sâ—nses judges of them And such kind of wonders though they are but spaâ—ingly done and with a kind of secrecy as though they were consulting with Catiline about the burning Rome yet the Devil would have some especially when Ignorance and Superstition are Ascendents to keep up his interest in the world Or else when he is like to be dispossessed and thrown out of all he then tryes his utmost to keep as many to him as may be thus when the Spirit of God appeared in the miracles of our Saviour and his Apostles and the Primitive Church he then conjured up all the infernal powers to do something parallel to keep possession of his Idolatrous Temples as long as he could Thus we find Simon Magus dogging the Apostles as it were at the heels that by his Magick he might stagger the faith of people concerning the miracles wrought by the Apostles after him Apollonius appeared upon the Stage but his wonders are such pittifull things compared with those wrought by Christ or his Apostles that it could be nothing but malice in Hierocles to mention him in competition with Christ. But those things which seem a great deal more considerable then either of these were the cure of a blind man by Vespasian in Egypt mentioned by Tacitus and Suetonius wherein there was a palpable imitation of our Saviours curing the blind man in the Gospel for the man told Vespasian restituturum oculos si inspuisset that he should receive his sight by his spittle so Spartianus tells us of a woman that was cured of her blindness by kissing the knees of the Emperour Adrian and Boxhornius hath produced an old Fable in the Temple of
ignes Theophylact is of opinion that the Iews in the time of our Saviour supposed that the souls of dead men became Daemons and thence we read in Scripture of the Daemoniacks among the Tombs but it is far more probable which Grotius conceives that the Iews were of opinion that the souls of dead men did hover up and down about their bodies and that these were so long under the Devils power which many of the Iews to this day believe and make use of the instance of the Pythonisse raising Samuel on which account the Devils to favour an opinion so advantagious to their interest might appear with greater terror and fury about their burying places as we see they did in those possessed persons But on whatever account it was we finde it evident that about the time of our Saviours appearance and some time after the truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were very frequent whether it were that the Devil by such frequent possessions of persons and making them do such strange things might thereby endeavour to invalidate the evidence of our Saviours miracles from whence it is probable the Pharisees raised their calumny that Christ did miracles by Belzebub because they saw so many strange appearances caused by possessed persons or whether it were through the admirable providence of God which might give Satan the greater liberty at that time on purpose to heighten the glory of our Saviour in dispossessing of him and thereby to give the highest rational evidence that his power was of God which tended so much to the destruction of the Kingdom of Satan And hence the Primitive Christians did so much triumph and as it were insult over the Devil where ever they found him making him to remove his lodgings from possessed persons by a writ of ejection from the name of Christ. Thence Origen rationally concludes that Christ had his power given him from above because at his very name the Devils forsook the bodies which they had possessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he elsewhere tells us that even the meanest sort of Christians without any ceremony but meerly by their prayers did ordinarily eject the Devil out of mens bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordinary Christians saith he most commonly do this the grace of Christ by its word thereby discovering the contemptibleness and infirmity of the Devils that in order to their ejection they did not so much as want any learned or experienced Christian. And for this they appeal to the Heathens themselves as appears not only by the challenge of Tertullian already mentioned but by the Testimony of almost all of them who have writ against the Heathens in vindication of the Christian religion Thence Minutius Felix Haec omnia sciunt plerique Pars vestrum ipsos daemonas de semetipsis confiteri quoties à nobis torment is verborum orationis incendiis de coâ—poribus exiguntur Ipse Saturnus Serapis et Iupiter et quiequid daemonum colitis victi dolore quod sunt eloquuntur nec utique in turpitudinem sui nonnullis praesertim vestrum assistentibâ—s mentiuntur Ipsis testibus eos esse Daemonas de se verum confitentibus credite adjuratienim per Deum verum et solum inviti miseri corporibus inhorrescunt et vel exiliunt statim vel evanesount gradatim prout fides patientis adjuvat aut gratia curantis aspirat Can we now think the Devil should not only forsake his Tyranny over the bodyes of men but let go so advantagious a pillar of his tyranny over the consciences of men in Idolatroius worship as the concealing himself was had he not been forced to it by a power far greater then his own So Cyprian ad Demetrianum appeals to him being the Proconsul of Africa about the same thing who had written sharply against the Christians for speaking of the Devils whom they worshipped in their Idols O si audire eos velles et videre quando à nobis adjurantur et torquentur Spiritualibus flagris et verborum tormentis de obsessis corporibus ejiciuntur quando ejulantes et gementes voce humana et potestate divina flagella et verbera sentientes venturum judicium confitentur veni et cognosce vera esse quae dicimus and a little after videbis sub manu nostra stare vinctos et tremere captivos quos tu suspicis et veneraris ut Dominos Did ever any of the Heathen Magicians of which there were good store extort such things from the Devils as the Christians did meerly by their prayers and invocations of the name of God and Christ did they ever make them confess to be what they were not only in possessed bodyes but in their Temples too that was beyond the power of their Ephesian letters or any of their Magical incantations Did the Devils ever dread so much the name of Socrates or Aristides as they did that of God and of Christ Of which Lactantius thus speaks Quo audito tremunt exclamant et urise verberarique testantur et interrogati qui sint quando venerint quando in hominem irrepserint confitentur sic extorti et excruciati virtate divininuminis exulant propter haec verbera et minas sanctos et justos viros semper oderunt And even Apollo himself at the name of Christ trembled as much as ever the Pythian Prophetess did in her greatest furies so Prudentius tells us Torquetur Apollo Nomine percussus Christi nec fulmina verbi Ferre potest agitant miserum tot verbera linguae Quot laudata Dei resonant miracula Christi To these we may add what Firmicus saith to the same purpose Ecce Daemon est quem colis cum Dei et Christi ejus nomen audierit contremiseit et ut interrogantibus nob is respondeat trepidantia verba vix se colligit adhaerens homini laceratur uritur vapulat et statim de commissis sceleribus confitetur By which Testimonies it appears what power over Satan when he was in his Kingdom the Christians by the power of Christ had not as though the bare name of Christ had so great an efficacy in the ejection of Devils as Origen seemâ— to be of opinion in a discourse about the efficacy of names unworthy of so great a Philosopher but that God might manifest to the world the truth that was contained in that name he did give a power to such as made use of it of working miracles by it And thence we read in Scripture that some who were not throughly Christians but yet professed the truth of the Gospel and that what they did was for the honour of Christ had a power of casting out Devils and doing many wonderful things through his name By these and many other testimonies which might be produced out of the Primitive Church we finde an exact accomplishment of our Saviours promise to his Disciples when he took his leave of them And these signs shall follow