may we thinke the forme giuen by our â—auiour is any thing defectiue as if some part of our necessity were omitted If then praier be a meanes to defend and preserue from aâ—tuall possession it is also a meanes to deliuer from the â—ame if at any time we be ouertaken with it And seeing also possession is still remaining in the church as hath beene proued bâ— vnanswerable arguments it must needes be also the remedy of praier is stil remayning and warranted from hence Againe Math. 17.21 This kâ—nde goeth â—ot forth saith he but by fasting and praier To this place you answer That our Sauiour onely makes knowne the impediment in that action but puts downe no commaundement pag. 264 And here you condemne me of grosse ignorance that could not see this I contrariâ—ise admire your superaboundant skill that is able to make two thinges iustle out one an other without any opposition I pray your great learning teach me for of my selfe I can not conceaue How the presence of that thing should not be a meanes an helpe a furtherance the absence whereof is a let an hindrance an impediment Or how a defect can be reproued but that a supply of the same defect should withall be commaunded And how an euill can be perpetuall as I haue shewed aâ—tuall possession is that the remedy should not also be perpetuall considering the Lord is mor ample in mercy towards vs then in iustice Beesides if neither we are to haue anâ— vse of fasting and prayer in theâ—e a tions nor the Apostles euer vseâ— them in casting out diuels at least we neuer reade that they did how might the Church reape profit of this instruction Did our Sauiour giue precepts that were vaine and superfluous Or was this instruâ—â—ion proper to that one aâ—tion and neuer to come in vse afterwarâ—s I beseech you make not dainty of your skill but lighten my ignorance in these points page 265 Moreouer whereas you require some testimony for this ordinance in Paul his epistles and for want of such doe therevpon conclâ—de that there is no such ordinance I answer it is not necessary we should proue this ordinance out of the epistles of S. Paul May not warrant for it out of the gospel suffice And cannons rulâ—s thence for our direction therein If you can proue that all the ordinances of God whatsoeuer be conteyned in Paules epistles I will eyther from thence proue this ordinance or confesse that there is no such ordinance Yet notwithstanding know ye that where the Apostle speaking of the compleat armour of Christians against the diuel requireth that we pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit Ephe. 6 18. that from thence this ordinance hath confirmation Let this then be a third place And where you adde that the Apâ—stle in the epistles to Timothy and Titus handles at large all Church offices and officers I haue already shewed that expelling of diuels is no peculyar duty of any Church officer and therefore you haue no reason to looke for this precept amongst the aduertisements of their charge Againe you obiect S. Peter that laying opâ—n the perpetuall vaâ—aries of Sathan to kill deuour he maketh nâ— mention of prayer fasting but only of a strong faith I answer The reason of this was because S. Peter was not aware of that variance betwene faith prayer which your Eagle eyes haue espyed who as it seemeth can haue a faith without prayer and prayer without faith He thought symply as he had learned that where â—e spake of faith men would also haue vnderstood all the helpes and furtherances of faith not by the name of faith destroy whatsoeuer might giue maintenance to it But because you stand so strictly vpon the word prayer take this for a fourth place Is any among you afflâ—cted let him pray Shall we thinke that possession is no affliction Iames 5 13 Or that in this affliction onely we are barred from praier Or if we doe pray that it shall be to no effect Now then you may see that you casting your net and for all your dragginge findinge nothing in all the canonicall scripture for this ordinance it was not for want of stoare whereof I haue giuen you but a tast that you drew vp empty to land but because you had so manâ— floters in the top and wanted leade to sinke it a conuenient depth VVhereas therefore you chalenge me for proofes of this institution these places may suffice for authority of scriptures And might not those testimonies of antiquity and of present praâ—tise with the godly now aâ—aies content you which I haue alleadged in the Doctrin but that you must blazon me for a Braver in wordes page 265 which neither had brought any thing to purpose nor possibly coulde bring Say youâ— wâ— wonder yâ—u blush not to braue out the matter by pretending the authority of Scriptures the testimony of fathers olde and nâ—w the practise of the church and the good successe thereof to mannage the matter it sâ—lfe I beesech thee good Reader let me by thy patieÌ„ce remember some part of that already set downe in the Doctrine page 55. whereby thou maist better behould these mens vnhonest dealings and whether I meerely pretend these things as they tell thee First therefore I haue cited Origen speaking to this effect Orig. in mat 17 21. Tertul. in apolog ad Scapul cap 3. Cypâ—ian ad Demetri Chrysost tom 50. de incompre Dei natura homil 3. If at any time wee shall deale about the curing of the pâ—ssâ—ssed we continuing in prayer fasting may obteyne helpe from God for them shall driue forth the wicked spirit by fasting and prayer Next Tertullian who saith We expell diuels out of men as is knowne to many Then Cyprian saying diuels are bâ— vs cast out of bodies possessed Fourthly Chrisostome out of whose testimony there cited at large these wordes be part So the fathers haue appointed that men vexâ—d by the diuel shoulde be brought forth that the people and all the citty being present publique prayers might be made for them that all with one accord might intreat the Lord in their behalf and might striuâ— with strong crye that the Lord would haue mercy vpon thâ—m c Fiftly Peter Martyr concerning men possessed vsing these wordes We wil vse for them faithfull prayerâ— I say Peter Matter pâ—â—t 4 cap. 9 sect 13. chemnis de sacra ordiniâ— prayers most vehement supplications for thâ—ir recouery In a w rd this should be the m st laudâ—ble wise course that exorcismes at this day be turned into prayers Sixtly Chemnisius who saith That in the timâ— of Chrisostome and Prosper the possessed were brought into the Church and were oft deliuered by the common supplications of the assembly Seauenthly Philip Melancthon making mention of diuers which were possessed and namely of a damsel in Mantua Phil. Melanct lib. epistol that had
bene healed of that disease by the prayers of the godly of whome he saith Et adhuc viuite sana and yet she liueth and continueth sound which was 17. yeares after the cuâ—e Vsing further these wordes Neither indeede doe I doubt but that euil may be taken away and the diuels expelled by the prayer of the godly And a few lynes after I know many examples a herein it is certaine the prayers of the godly preuayled Beza homil 26 In histor pass edit 2. page 656. Eightly Theod. Beza writing thus I know a certaine houshoulder in France indued with the knâ—wledg of the gospel and which had embraced the same who when in anger he had giuen one of his children to the diuâ—l haâ— his sonâ—e presently pâ—ssessed of the diuel Vogell in theâ—aur then log â—ag 980 out of whome after he was cast by the feruent and vncessant praiers of the church Nynthly Vogellius affirming that for casting out of diuels there is not a better and more godly way at this day then that Christ sitting at the râ—ght hand of the father be called vâ—on not onely by the kinsfolk of the possâ—ssed but also of the whâ—le church with a feruent hart be put in minde of his omnipotency mercy whereby onely at this day the vncleane spirits are cast forth â—enthly Danaeus saying wâ—erefore by fasting and prayer which he that prayeth doth dâ—uels may be cast forth that is Danâ—quest 38 in Marc. with the long continuall feruent prayers of the posessed man Chass in loc com lib. 1 cap. 17 and also the church as are thâ—se which are ioyned with â—asting c. Lastly Chassanion auouching thus This onely remedy remayneth to vs whereby we ought to helpe these kiâ—de of me viz. possessâ—d worthy of commiseration to wit that with feruent prayers we â—ray for their deliuerancâ— Sâ— I heard that a Dâ—mâ—niack was deliuered in a certaine towne within the Dolphyns prouince These testimonies haue I alleadged in the Doctrine and vnto tâ—ese can adioyne more But to what purpose these remayning vnanswered Now then you Diâ—coursers whereas I affirmed that both the auncient Doctors the lights of our owne time did witnesse with me in this poâ—nt was this nothing but a Thrasonicall vaunt as you tearme it Or hugâ— braviÌ„g barrels that would nâ—uer be set on broach and proofes that did haeâ—ere in calamâ— cleaue so cloâ—e to the pen that they could prâ—cure no publique passage page 166 Are most plaine and euident testimonies of truth to be shifted of in this manner you are like the malefaâ—tors which knowing themselues sure to be cast by the Iury refuse the ordinarye tryall by God the country and will be tryed by no other meanes but by God and the Queene So you in a desperate case woulde gaine some time and daily of the verdict ready to condemne you by requiring some other course which you thinke is not present To the end therefore your notorious impudency may be had in remembrance let there be a publique instrument drawne to this effect Be it knowen vnto all men by these presents that Iohn Deacon and Iohn Walker vnworthely reputed Ministers hauing had the câ—eare euidence of truth passed against them and being neither able to answer one word nor induring to submit themselues thereunto as they ought are two shamelesse beastes which with branded consciences and whorish forheades haue soulde them selues to face out a lye to deceiue the simple with In witnesse whereof all the learned of this land which shall consider the allegations against you and your paltry answers will in consent of mindes subscribe to these presentes that they are true Let this then suffice for the proofe of that I haue brought and so I will proceede to examine yours You cite M. Caluin against actuall fasting alone pag 226 as an effectuall counterpoyson for the expelling of Sathan as it is mainteyned by the Papists What is this to me you Discoursers Haue I any where said it or shewed it by practise that the very worke of fasting and prayer without faith is sufficient in this businesse Or doth M. Caluin speake against fasting and prayer being ioyned with faith What impudent men are these that dare offer such a thing so palpable to the view of the world The hare is neere driuen that is faine for refuge to run betwene the hunters leggs and your case is desperate that seekes releife at such a testimonie Then you cite M. Bullinger as if he also should say that praier fasting is not here prescribed as a perpetuall canon I graunt as M. Bullinger vnderstandeth it that is It is not prescribed as a perpetuall cannon to exorcists Our sauiour doth not here instistute a new office in the Church but this makes nothinge against the common duty of christians that they in their assemblies whether greater or lesse should vse prayer fasting in this behalf So likewise D. Fulke is to be vnderstood Rhem. tâ—â—â— Math. 17.11 out of whome you cannot shew one sillable against these holy exercises of the congregation but as they are appropriated to the persons of Exorcists After this dispute you fall a jangling against me condemning me as a busie bâ—die for intermedling in this action at Nottingham page 26â— But you might vnderstand if malice would let you that I pressed not into this businesse but was drawne into it I tooke vpon me no facultie aboue others but was willinge after much intreaty to ioyne with my bretheren in so charitable a worke I disordered no ecclesiasticall gouernment of our Church but being allowed a Minister of the Gospell I did no more then my place would warrant What meane you then vpon this occasioÌ„ to let flie at Christ his sacred discipline See pag 270. Is the disgracing of his ordinance that which must win you your spurs I know the shadow of discipline is terrible vnto you But it were happy for you if you might tast of her seueritie that you might escape his which accounts not mans negligence his winking at our crimes for payment I will not presse you further this way The Lord giue you harts of flesh that the works of flesh being destroyed in you your soules bodies may be safe in the day of his iudgment Whereas you cauill against prayer and fasting that it is no meanes to expel Sathan pag 271 because the effect doth not presently follow what ignorance or proud presumption is this when the Lord himselfe praieth Not my will but thine be done the seruant should absolutely and presently exact the thing he craues without respect of the lord his pleasure at all When thou askest saith Basil that which is meete to aske at the Lord his hands de vita solit cap. 2 cease not till thou hast receaued it perhaps for that cause be giues thee not preseÌ„tly that he may teach thee perseuerance and that thou maist learne what the guift of God is and
of them wrought by a miraculous faith apprehending the extraordinary reuealed will of God concerning some straÌ„ge worke what when how it is to be performed All which Peter Martyr distinguisheth by their natures by their effects loc com clas 1 cap 8 sect 4 and by the speciall manner how they are done By their natures for that some of them are admirable for the very thing done being so strange and great as the like is not to be found in all nature Such was the staying of the Sunne in the time of Iosua and the turning back of the shaddow to confirme Ezekiah and such others Some are not maruelous for the greatnesse of the thing done but for the manner vsed in doing as was the cloud and rayne of Elyas the thundering of Samuell and of the like sort For such things are done naturally but at that time were miracles in regard of the manner by which they were effected that is not by naturall causes but at the commaund and wil of the Saints In respect of the effects some onely cause admiration and feare as the burning lampes and thunders in mount Sinai c. some haue a deeper impression partly for benefit as the sick that were healed by Christ and his Apostles partly in punishment as wheÌ„ Annanias and Saphyra were strooke dead at the wordes of Peter In regarde of speciall manner of workinge some were done by praier as the dead childe restored to life by Elisha Some by commaund as Peter bid the lame man in the name of Ieâ—us Christ arise and walk Some neither by prayer nor commaund but of their owne accorde the Saints themselues occupied in som other matter as when the shadow of Peter as he walked by did heale the sick and the kercheâ—s handkercheifs carried from S. Paul his body All these done by the ministery of men are now ceased for that the miraculous faith by which they were done neither is at this present nor hath bene these many ages imparted to any Thus then we see what a true miracle is what be the diuers kindes and which be remayning in the Church and shall continew to the ende of the world which at this time are cealed Now to come to the other poynt whether casting forth of diuels in these times by fasting prayer be a miraclâ— or no To this I answer Chrysost in epist 1. ad cor cap 2 hom 6 Aug. de ver relig cap. 25 it is not Chrisâ—stome â—aith That Miracles were not done in his time And Augustine affirmeth That Miracles were not permitted to continew to his daies least the minde should alwayes l oke after viâ—â—ble things and mankinde should grâ—w cold through the custome 〈◊〉 these matters by the nouelty wh reof informes time tâ—ey dâ—d burâ—e But what neede I cite authors for this when as your selues mainteâ—ne strong lie that Miracles ceased togither with the Apostles Wel then â—eâ— vs â—oyne heerevnto That caâ—ting forth of diuels by fastiâ—g praier weâ—e vsed in the times of Chrisâ—stom Augustâ—ne as we haue shewed before by theiâ— owne wordes which haue taught vs that their pâ—ssâ—ssâ—d were brought to the publique assemblies deliuered by the prayers of the congregation Wherevpon it must needes follow that this manner of deliuerance in Chrisostomes and Augustines iudgments so of the Church in their time was no miracle And the reasâ—n of this may be apparant by that description of miracles already set down First because dispossession of diuels was very frequent common in their daies But things common are no miracles For a Miracle saith Augustine August de vtilitate cred â—d Honorat cap 16 is an vnwonted thing And therefore â—aith he they are not done in these daies Because they wâ—lde not moue except they were maruelous neither would they be maruelous if they were vsuall Secondly for that the worke it selfe doth not make a miracle in respect of mans ministery but the manner of doing as hath bene shewed in the second distinction of Miracles As for example The cloud and the rayne sent at Elyas prayer was a miracle because the Lord had reuealed it vnto him and he had embraced the same by faith knowing when and how it should be sent Yet when the Church of God in the time of drought and famyne shall by publique praier obtaine cloudes rayne this is no miracle As when Salomon saith 1 Kings 8 35 when heauen shall be shut vp and there shall be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee and shall pray in this place and confesse thy name turn from their sinne when thou doest afflict them Then heare thou in heauen and giue raine vpon the earth c. Doth he here pray they might be releeued by miracle Nay but sheweth what the ordinary course of the Church is in this case So when the Disciples cast forth diuels by their myraculous faith and the Church now a daies by fasting prayer the same worke in substance is done by both but the manner of doing is much differing S. Doctrine pag. 35 which makes a difference also in the Action and causeth that theire worke was miraculous the same done by the Church in these times not to be miraculous This little may suffice for distinct vnderstanding of this doctrine which diligently obserued will preserue vs from those horrible down-fals into which these blinde Discoursers tvmble themselues Now then to examine theirs First we haue a definition of a Miracle in generall to be an extraordinary worke of God pag. 306. c. highly surmounting the whole faculty of euery created nature to worke admiration in the beholders and to confirme their faith in the truth of Gods word Next we haue it deuided into the seuerall kindes whereof the one is a True miracle the other a false From whence it must needs follow that the generall definitioÌ„ must also agree to a false miracle And that therefore a false miracle is an extraordinary worke of God highly surmounting the whole faculty of euery created nature to confirme the saith of the beholders in the truth of the worde But this is a thing most absurd once to dreame of Seing then to make a Generall whose definition can not agree to the Specialls is a worke aboue nature and that M. Deacon M. Walker haue created such a Generall pag. 309. etc. I doe demonstratiuely therevpon coÌ„clude That miracles are not yet ceased Againe whereas I affirme That casting forth of diuels in these times by fasting prayer is no miracle because it is done by ordinary meanes without the miraculous faith in which sence onely I vnderstand meanes the vse whereof maketh a worke to be no miracle you keepe a foolish iangling about this in three pages togither without either head or foote page 311 Onely when in one place you began to conclude according to your absurd manner you oppose the supernatural power of God to his appointed meanes as
in the Mother in Convulsions c. I answer I neither make these the onely nor the necessary signes of dispossession for I know diuers haue bene wrought without them but I frame my reasoÌ„ thus Where these signes be a present deliuerance doth follow from those former vexations by Sathan vpon the request of God his people that there is a disposs ssion I confesse these signes particulerly may be in diuers diseases but they are not from the diuel neither is there a present restoring of the parties diseased in naturall sicknes vpon the vsing of earnest prayer Those meanes for dispossession which you stand vpon pag 244 etâ— I allow not They be not Rings Rootes nor Hearbes that be of any auayle in this worke Neither doe we vrge the fishes liuer nor Dauids harp nor the musick wherewith Elishas spirit was calmed and therfore all this as supeâ—fluous talke nothing perteyninge to this cause I omit But we cleaue onely to God his owne ordinance of prayer holpen forward by the Exercise of fasting which according to his gratious promise mercy we haue proued to be effectuall Against which before you encounter with your full strength you sporte your selues with a prophane scoffing in the end of this dialogue in page 26â— And first you wil needes wring from me whether I wil or no that the worke done at Nottingham was done onely by fasting You are able to wring Hercules his club out of his fist You haue proued your selues such exceeding sharp Logicians in the former Discourses that I staÌ„d in great feare of you yet now I must endure the brunt of it come what wil. Go to then bring forth your wringer This then is it That which made the prayer more forcible the spirit more apt pag 257. 258 was the onli efficient cause of the supposed action But your fasting made your praier more forcible c. theâ—efore was the efficient cause of the action This is a wringer indeede If Cardane were aliue he would register this Practicall Theoreme in the booke of his Subtiltyes What a profit would this proposition well vnderstood bring to many artificers It would ease them of great expence in prouiding many tooles The Carpenter might spare his axe and chisels and goe to fell timber square loggs and doe his other workes with his onely whetstone For that which makes the axe and chisell more forcible is the onely efficient of the worke And so by this vnanswerable reason I am made a Montanist a Papist pag 257 â— one that makes fasting a sufficieÌ„t meanes in it selfe for suppressing of all suggested actuall sinnes whatsoeuer which opinion though I am far from yet if you wil follow my counsaile M. Deacon for some things that I know you should fast more then you doe page 259 Againe you are instant to know If prayer be a meanes in what order of meanes I woulde place it Not in that sure which you foolishly fancy to your selues For what childe would esteeme of praier as a meere naturall action page 260 But this is suteable to your other blinde ignorances Further you argue that prayer can be no meanes whether we respect the Sound the Voyce or the wordes wherein you shew your selues no lesse voyd of piety then you haue bene hither to of wit and learning Can you not be content to reproch me but you must needes open your movthes against the holy worship of God Can you finde no other causes wherefore prayer shoulde be effectuall but onely for a noyse that is made or for some distinct voice or else for certaine charming words In which of these respects coÌ„sisteth the power of ordinarie prayer you must needes answer It consisteth in none of them Conclude then that ordinary praier is but lip labour Your audatiousnes is in tollerable In this 260. page you carry your selues more like Athiests then Preachers It is a shaÌ„e your booke was not better examined before it was allowed to the presse But thus hauing brandished your sword about your eares you make an end of this foolish talke and prepare your selues to other as good A Survey of the Ninth Dialogue This Dialogue aymes at two poynts That Prayer fastinge be not established by Christ pag 263 as a perpetuall ordinary meanes for powerfull expelling of diuels That Iustifying faith apprehending some supernaturall power of God doth not effect that worke For the first the Reader must take heede he vnderstand not prayer and fasting as I meane it and we all vsually doe for an effectuall ordinaunce of God to quicken faith by which is our onely apprehender of God his mercies in these and all other actions but for a bare and meere naked performance of these workes of Fasting Prayer For so these Trifelers expound themselues page 292. some fifteene leaues after Which disputation might haue had some vse against Papists that mainteine their Opus operatum an efficacy of the worke done for the onely workes sake but in what stead can it serue against me It may be they intended it against Papists these Discoursers propounding to themselues the generall doctrine of Spirits but neither doe their arguments presse them at all besides they apply their whoâ—e couâ—â—e of speech against that done at Nottingham So then they dispute against me in worde but not indeede therby labouring to deceiue the Reader not able as they thought to di tinguish betweene these two If you had ment plainly you would haue shewed in what sence you had dealt in this place but it was shameâ—ull to expresse it for so you should haue appeared to all worthy to be hissed at And therefore you deferd your explication til some thirty pages after where no man would looke for it that in the meane sea son you might seeme to be talking and yet at last haue a runninge knot on your iugling stick to pray fast and looâ—e with at your pleasure Should any man bestow time against persons of such peruerse trade that are corrupted in their mindes 1 Tim. 6.5 and are depriued of the truth I assure thee good Reader euery lyne seemes a page vnto me yet least thou shouldst be deceaued by these Huâ—sters dealing I put my self to these paines Wel then to comâ— to the first poynt If you can say any thing wherefore fastiâ—g a d prayer accompaâ—yed with â—râ—e t stifying faith is not a perpetuall meanes ordeyned by Christ for expelling â—f diuels let vs heare what it is There is no commaundment ay you or cannon any where exstaÌ„t in all the Scriptures for tâ—e apprâ—bation of it page 264. Because it seemes you haue bene seeking and can finde none I will shew you some Our Sauiour teaching vs to pray And leade vâ— nâ—t into temptation but dâ—liuer vs fr m euil doth therein teach vs to pray against actuall possession It was an euil you confesse where with many in his time and after were troubled Neither
when it is giuen thee thou maist keepe it with feare Hither to goeth the proofe of the first generall argument against prayer and fasting The second is That prayer fasting haue no power proceedinge from them page 274 as praier is either vocall or personall that whether we respect the natural guift or supernatural this being also either principall or instrumentall and therefore prayer fasting haue no power at all For proofe of the assumption we haue a long discourse of six or seauen leaues to no purpose but onely to spend time of the cause of miraculous operations a thinge knowne to all but entred into Diuinity and I thanke the lord not doubted of by me To let goe therefore all your needelesse talke I answer breifly that the power proceeding from our praiers was personall if yov take personall as you ought and as learned men doe for an acceptation of our persons and not for the principall inherency of this power in our persons not of my selfe onely but of all his faithfull people then assembled together accepted by god the father in the person of Iesus Christ Secondly that this personall power was supernaturall depending onely vpon god his institution and promise made to praier not vpon any naturall efficacie whatsoeuer Thirdly that this power was instrumentall not principall Fourthly that you most absurdly conclude of the premisses That because this power is instrumental therfore it is not personal which both may stand together and doe in all the children of god But if you will take personal according to a peculiar fancie of your owne brayne for a primary being of this power in our persons then is your first distribution childiâ—h not comprehending all the kindes of power and so what soeuer is built therevpon not worth a rush But is not this a worthy argument thinke you which would as well ouerthrow all efficacie of prayer whatsoeuer as that action at Nottingham Surely you dispute as if you were Atheists For admit all power of praier shold be either vocall or personall and that it is effectual by neither meanes it must needes bee it should haue no effect at all O intollerable impietie Like stuffe it is when you oppose the power of God and the meanes whereas both vsually concurre in all actions You goe on page 288 and will disproue that prayer and fasting is not a meanes of apprehending the supernaturall power of God But spare your labour who hath affirmed it I know no meanes of apprehending either his power or other his graces but onely faith If you can disproue that this hand layeth not hold vpon the power of God strengthned by his promise whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in my name that he will giue vnto you proceede on I pray you Thus then you say page 289. That this promise containeth not an absolute warrant for euery extraordinary enterprise And herein I accord with you That only those things are asked in the name of Christ which are asked according to the wil of God for his sonnes sake But it is according to his will that in all vexations of Sathan wee should call vpon him for helpe in the mediation of his sonne Call vpon me saith he in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Psal 50 16 And our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray But deliuer vs from euill Whereupon if it had pleased you you might haue easily seene wee did nothing in this businesse this way but for which we haue apparant warrant from the word Yea further we haue the plaine words of Christ for confirmation where he telleth vs pag 291 Math 17 21. That this kind goeth not forth but by prayer and fasting But because these words are oft alleaged and being truly vnderstood make much for this cause I will open the meaning of them as I now vpon more deliberation conceiue them Something I differ from that which hitherto I haue followed but I take it this which I shall now remember is most agreable to our Sauiours meaning And I wil neuer be ashamed to reforme my iudgment where I see truth doth ouersway me Thus then I doe interpret them Whereas the Disciples demaunded why they could not caste forth that diuel Our Sauiour doth answer to this effect Because saith he you are destitute of that faith confidence which once you had Math. 10. when I sent you forth to preach by two and by two vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Isâ—ael At that time I gaue you power ouer vncleane spirits to cast them out and you proued the authority I gaue you not to be in vaine but after that embassage was ended as if your commission had expired with that charge you now doubted whether you might exercise the saÌ„e power stiâ—l or no whether I would be assistant vnto you in the like worke Iames 1.6.7 by which wauering you could not receaue this thing at my handes but depriued your selues of that confidence which you should haue had in this cause which if it had remained firme and stable in you though in quantity no more then a grayne of mustard leede there should haue bene nothing vnpossible vnto you this deuil should haue gone forthe at your first commaunde This then was your first errour Secondly you failed in this that whereas your extraordinary guift wanted notwithstanding you set vpon this worke extraordinarily whereas in this case you should onely haue betaken your selues to the ordinary course which is fastinge and prayer for this kinde of divel wherewith the childe is possessed goeth forth by no other meanes then the vsuall and common way of humbling your selues and intreating the same with al earnestnes at the Lordes handes vnderstandinge me of the ordinary meanes This interpretation ariseth most properly out of the wordes without any violence wherein the failing of faith in the disciples is an vtter defect of miraculous faith the vse of fasting and prayer is not an helpe to weake miraculous faith which now in the disciples was none at all but the ordinary meanes where miraculous faith fayleth These be the friuolous arguments whereby you would disproue the efficacie of Gods ordinance for the castinge forth of Sathan by fastinge and prayer as the meanes of wakening strengthening of faith to which the Lord graunteth all behouefull requests to his children Now followes the second parte whether Iustifyinge faith doth effect that worke To which I answer It doth if you meaâ—e It effecteth by obteyning For what shall we not receaue by Iustifying faith so long as it craueth nothing but that is waranted by the worde It is our faith that ouercommeth the wâ—rld 1 Iohn 5 4 2.14 Rom. 8 32. yea by which we ouercome that wicked one that is the diuel He that spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Doth not our Sauiour ascribe many of his great workes he did