be by a witch made corporal being by God ordained to a spiritual proportion The cause of this grosse conceipt is that we hearken more diligently to old wives and rather give credit to their fables than to the word of God imagining by the tales they tell us that the divel is such a bulbegger as I have before described For whatsoever is proposed in scripture to us by parable or spoken figuratively or significatively or framed to our grosse capacities c. is by them so considered and expounded as though the bare letter or rather their grosse imaginations thereupon were to be preferred before the true sense and meaning of the word For I dare say that when these blockheads read Iothans parable in the ninth of Judges to the men of Sichem to wit that the trees went out to annoint a king over them saying to the olive tree Reigne thou over us who answered and said Should I leave my fatnesse c. they imagine that the wooden trees walked and spake with a mans voice or else that some spirit entred into the trees and answered as is imagined they did in the idols and oracles of Apollo and such like who indeed have eyes and see not ears and hear not mouthes and speak not c. CHAP. XIII The equivocation of this word spirit how diversly it is taken in the scriptures where by the way is taught that the scripture is not alwayes literally to be interpreted nor yet allegorically to be understood SUch as search with the spirit of wisdome and understanding shal finde that spirits as well good as bad are in scriptures diversly taken yea they shal well perceive that the divel is no horned beast For sometimes in the scriptures spirits and divels are taken for infirmities of the body sometimes for the vices of the minde sometimes also for the gifts of either of them Sometimes a man is called a divel as Iudas in the sixt of Iohn and Peter in the xvi of Matthew Sometimes a spirit is put for the Gospel sometimes for the mind or soul of man sometimes for the will of man his minde and counsell sometimes for teachers and prophets sometimes for zeal towards God sometimes for joy in the Holy-ghost c. And to interpret unto us the nature and signification of spirits we find these words written in the scripture to wit The spirit of the Lord shal rest upon him The spirit of counsel and strength The spirit of wisdome and understanding The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Again I will pour out my spirit upon the house of David c. The spirit of grace and compassion Again Ye have not received the spirit of bondage but the spirit of adoption And therefore Paul saith To one is given by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another the gift of healing to another the gift of faith by the same spirit to another the gift of prophesie to another the operation of great works to another the discerning of spirits to another the diversity of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues and all these things worketh one and the self same spirit Thus farre the words of Paul And finally Esay saith that the Lord mingled among them the spirit of errour And in another place The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber As for the spirits of divination spoken of in the scripture they are such as was in the woman of Endor the Philippian woman the wench of Westwell and the holy maid of Kent who were indued with spirits or gifts of divination whereby they could make shift to gain money and abuse the people by sleights and crafty inventions But these are possessed of borrowed spirits as it is written in the book of Wisdome and spirits of meer cousenage and deceipt as I have sufficiently proved elsewhere I deny not therefore that there are spirits and divels of such substance as it hath pleased God to create them But in what place soever it be found or read in the scriptures a spirit or divel is to be understood spiritually and is neither a corporall nor a visible thing Where it is written that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Sichem we are to understand that he sent the spirit of hatred and not a bulbegger Also where it is said If the spirit of jealousie come upon him it is as much to say as If he be moved with a jealous minde and not that a corporal divel assaulteth him It is said in the Gospel There was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity 18. years who was bowed together c. whom Christ by laying his hand upon her delivered of her disease Whereby it is to be seen that although it be said that satan had bound her c. yet that it was a sicknesse or disease of body that troubled her for Christs own words expound it Neither is there any word of witchcraft mentioned which some sâ—y was the cause thereof There were seven divels cast out of Mary Magdalen Which is not so grossely understood by the learned as that there were in her just seven corporal divels such as I described before elsewhere but that by the number of seven divels a great multitude and an uncertain number of vices is signified which figure is usual in divers places of the scripture And this interpretation is more agreeable with Gods word than the papisticall paraphrase which is that Christ under the name of the seven divels recounteth the seven deadly sins only Others allow neither of these expositions because they suppose that the efficacy of Christs miracle should this way be confounded as though it were not as difficult a matter with a touch to make a good Christian of a vicious person as with a word to cure the ague or any other disease of a sick body I think not but any of both these cures may be wrought by means in processe of time without miracle the one by the preacher the other by the physitian But I say that Christs work in both was apparently miraculous for with power and authority even with a touch of his finger and a word of his mouth he made the blinde to see the halt to goe the lepers clean the deaf to hear the dead to rise again and the poor to receive the Gospel out of whom I say he cast divels and miraculously conformed them to become good Christians which before were dissolute livers to whom he said Go your wayes and sin no more CHAP. XIV That it pleased God to manifest the power of his Sonne and not of witches by miracles JEsus Christ to manifest his divine power rebuked the winds and they ceased and the waves of water and it was calme which if neither our divines nor physicians can do much
is expressely called upon the names of persons are not expressed but almighty and everlasting God invocated who abideth in trinity and unity it doth easily appear elsewhere also that the persons being not named under the name of almighty everlasting God not only the father to be understood but God which abideth in trinity and unity that is the father the sonne and the Holy-ghost A third objection of theirs is this The sonne of God oftentimes praying in the gospels speaking unto the father promiseth the holy spirit and doth also admonish the apostles to pray unto the heavenly father but yet in the name of the sonne Besides that he prescribeth them this forme of prayer Our father which art in heaven Ergo the father only is to be called upon and consequently the father only is that one and very true God of whom it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Whereto I answer first by denying the consequent The son prayed to the father only Ergo the father only is of us also to be prayed unto For the sonne of God is distinguished of us both in person and in office he as a mediator maketh intercession for us to the father and although the sonne and the holy spirit do both together receive and take us into favour with God yet is he said to intreat the father for us because the father is the fountain of all counsels and divine works Furthermore touching the forme of praying described of Christ it is not necessary that the fathers name should personally be there taken sith there is no distinction of persons made but by the name of father indefinitely wee understand God or the essence of God the father the sonne and the Holy-ghost For this name hath not alwaies a respect unto the generation of the sonne of God but God is called the father of the faithfull because of his gracious and free adopting of them the foundation whereof is the son of God in whom we be adopted but yet so adopted that not the father only receiveth us into his favour but with him also the sonne and the holy spirit doth the same Therefore when we in the beginning of prayer do advertise our selves of Gods goodnesse towards us we doe not cast an eye to the father alone but also to the sonne who gave us the spirit of adoption and to the holy spirit in whom we cry Abba Father And if so be that invocation and prayer were restrained to the father alone then had the saints done amisse in calling upon invocating and praying to the son of God and with the son the holy spirit in baptisme according to the forme by Christ himselfe assigned and delivered Another objection is out of the fourth of Amos in this manner For lo it is I that make the thunder and create the spirit and shew unto men their Christ making the light and the clouds and mounting above the high places of the earth the Lord God of hosts is his name Now because it is read in that place shewing unto men their Christ the Pneumatomachi contended that these words are to be understood of the holy spirit But Ambrose in his book De spiritu sancto lib. 2. cap. 7. doth rightly answer that by spirit in this place is meant the wind for if the prophets purpose and will had been to speak of the holy spirit he would not have begunne with thunder nor have ended with light and clouds Howbeit the same father saith If any suppose that these words are to be drawn unto the interpretation of the holy spirit because the prophet saith Shewing unto men their Christ he ought also to draw these words unto the mystery of the Lords incarnation and he expoundeth thunder to be the words of the Lord and spirit to be the reasonable and perfect soul. But the former interpretation is certain and convenient with the words of the prophet by whom there is no mention made of Christ but the power of God is set forth in his works Behold saith the prophet he that formeth the mountains and createth the wind and declareth unto man what is his thought which maketh the morning darknesse and walketh upon the high places of the earth the Lord God of hosts is his name In this sort Santes a right skilfull man in the Hebrew tongue translateth this place of the prophet But admit this place were written of the holy spirit and were not appliable either to the wind or to the Lords incarnation yet doth it not follow that the holy spirit is a creature because this word of Creating doth not alwaies signifie a making of something out of nothing 〈◊〉 Eusebius in expounding these words The Lord created me in the beginning of his wayes writeth thus The prophet in the person of God saying Behold I am he that made the thunder and created the spirit and shewed unto men their Christ this word created is not so to be taken as that it is to be concluded thereby that the same was not before For God hath not so created the spirit sithence by the same he hath shewed and declared his Christ unto all men Neither was it a thing of late beginning under the sonne but it was before all beginning and was then sent when the apostles were gathered together when a sound like thunder came from heaven as it had been the comming of a mighty wind this word Created being used for sent downe for appointed ordained c. and the word thunder signifying in another kind of manner the preaching of the gospels The like saying is that of the Psalmist A clean heart create in me O God wherein he prayed not as one having no heart but as one that had such a heart as needed purifying as needed perfecting and this phrase also of the scripture that he might create two in one new man that is that he might join couple or gather together c. Furthermore the Pneumaâ—omachi by these testimonies insuing endeavour to prove the holy spirit to be a creature Out of Iohn the 1. cha By this word were all things made and without it nothing was made Out of the 1 Cor. 8. We have one God the father even he from whom are all things c we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things and we by him Out of the 1. Coloss. By him were all things made things in heaven and things in earth visible and invisible c. Now if all things were made by the sonne it followeth that by him the holy spirit was also made Whereto I answer that when all things are said to be made by the sonne that same universall proposition is restrained by Iohn himself to a certain kind of things Without him saith the evangelist was nothing made that was made Therefore it is first to be shewed that the holy spirit was made and then will we conclude out
profession The words of the prophet Zacharie are plaine touching the ceasing both of the good and bad prophets to wit I will cause the prophets uncleane spirits to depart out of the land when any shall yet prophesie his parents shall say to him Thou shalt not live for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord and his parents shall thrust him through when he prophesieth c. No no the foretelling of things to come is the onely worke of God who disposeth all things sweetly of whose counsel there hath never yet been any man And to know our labours the times and moments God hoth placed in his owne power Also Phavorinus saith that if these cold prophets or oraclers tell thee of prosperity and deceiv thee thou art made a miser through vain expectation if they tell thee of adversity c. and ly thou art made a miser through vaine fear And therefore I say we may as well look to heare prophesies at the tabernacle in the bush of the cherubin among the clouds from the angels within the arke or out of the flame c. as to expect an oracle of a prophet in these dayes But put the case that one in our Common-wealth should step up and say he were a prophet as many frantick persons do who would beleeve him or not think rather that he were a lewd person See the statutes Elizab. 5. whether there be not laws made against them condemning their arrogancy and cousenage so also the canon lawes to the same effect CHAP. III. That Oracles are ceased TOuching oracles which for the most part were Idols of silver gold wood stones c. within whose bodies some say uncleane spirits hid themselves and gave answers as some others say that exhalations rising out of the ground inspire their minds whereby their priests gave out oracles so as spirits and winds rose up out of that soile and indued those men with the gift of prophesie of things to come though in truth they were all devises to cousen the people and for the profit of priests who received the idols answers over night and delivered them back to the idolaters the next morning you shall understand that although it had been so as it is supposed yet by reasons and proofes before rehearsed they should now cease and whatsoever hath affinity with such miraculous actions as witehcraft conjuration c. is knocked on the head and nailed on the crosse with Christ who hath broken the power of devils and satisfied Gods justice who also hath troden them under his feet and subdued them c. At whose coming the prophet Zacharie saith that the Lord will cut the names of idols out of the land and they shall be no more remembred and he will then cause the prophets and uncleâ—ne spirits to depart out of the land It is also written I will cut off thine inchanters out of thine hand and thou shalt have no more soothsayers And indeed the gospel of Christ hath so laid open their knavery c. that since the preaching thereof their combes are cut and â—ew that are wise regard them And if ever these prophesies came to take effect it must be upon the coming of Christ whereat you see the devils were troubled and fainted when they met him saying or rather exclaming upon 〈◊〉 on this wise Fili Dei cur venisti nos cruciare ante tempus O thou son of God why comest thou to molest us or confound us before our timâ— appointed Which he indeed prevented and now remaineth he our defender and keeper from his clawes So as now you see here is no roome left for such guests Howbeit you shall heare the opinion of others that have beene â— much deceived as your selves in this matter and yet are driven to confesse that GOD hath constituted his sonne to beat down the powerâ— of devils and to satisfie Gods justice and to heale our wound received by the fall of Adam according to Gods promise in Genesis 3. The seed of the woman shall tread downe the serpent or the devil Eusebius in his first booke De praedicatione Evangelij the title whereof is this that the poâ—â—â— of devils is taken away by the coming of Christ saith All answers made by devils all soothsayings and divinations of men are gone and vanished away Item he ciâ—eth Porphyrie in his booke against christian religion wherein these words are rehearsed It is no marvel though the plague be so hot in this city for ever since Jesus hath beene worshipped we can obtaine nothing that good is at the hands of our Gods And of this defection and ceasing of oracles writeth Cicero long before and that to have happened also before his time Howbeit Chrysostome living long since Cicero saith that Apollo was forced to grant that so long as any relike of a martyr was held to his nose he could not make any answer or oracle So as one may perceive that the heathen were wiser in this behalfe than many christians who in times past were called Oppugnatores incantamentorum as the English Princes are called Defensâ—â—es fidei Plutarch calleth Poeoâ—ia as we call bablers by the name of many words because of the multitude of oracles there which now saith he are like to a spring or fountaine which is dried up If any one remained I would ride five hundred miles to see it but in the whole world there is not one to be seene at this hour popish cousenages excepted But Plutarch saith that the cause of this defection of oracles was the devils death whose life he held to be determinable and mortal saying they died for very age and that the divining priests were blown up with a whirle-winde and sunke with an earthquake Others imputed it to be the sight or the place of the planets which when they passed over them carried away that art with them and by revolution may returne c. Eusebius also citeth out of him the story of Pan which because it is to this purpose I will insert the same and since it mentioneth the devils death you may beleeve it if you list for I will not as being assured that he is reserved alive to punish the wicked and such as impute unto those idols the power of Almighty God CHAP. IIII. A tale written by many grave authors and beleeved by many wise men of the devils death Another story written by papists and beleeved of all catholikes approving the devils honesty conscience and courtesie PLutarch saith that his countrey-man Epotherses told him that as he passed by sea into Italy many passengers being in his boate in an evening when they were about the islands Echinadae the wind quite ceased and the ship driving with the tide was brought at last to Paxe And whilest some slept and others quaft and othersome were awake perhaps in as ill case as the rest after supper suddainly a voice was heard calling Thamus in such sort as every man marvelled
they are the breath of living creatures some that one of them begat another some that they were created of the least part of the masse whereof the earth was made and some that they are substances betweene God and man and that of them some are terrestriall some celestiall some watery some airy some firy some starry and some of each and every part of the elements and that they know our thoughts and carry our good works and prayers to God and returne his benefits backe unto us and that they are to be worshipped wherein they meete and agree iumpe with the papists as if you read the notes upon the second chapter to the Colossians in the Seminaries testament printed at Rhemes you shall manifestly see though as contrary to the word of God as blacke to white as apppeareth in the Apocalypse where the angell expresly forbad Iohn to worship him Againe some say that they are meane betwixt terrestiall and celestiall bodies communicating part of each nature and that although they be eternall yet that they are moved with affections and as there are birds in the aire fishes in the water and wormes in the earth so in the fourth element which is the fire is the habitation of spirits and divels And lest we should thinke them idle they say they have charge over men and government in all countries and nations Some say that they are onely imaginations in the mind of man Tertullian saith they are birds and fly faster then any sowle of the aire Some say that divels are not but when they are sent and therefore are called evill angels Some thinke that the divell sendeth his angels abroad and â—e himselfe maketh his continuall abode in hell his mansion place CHAP. III. The opinion of Psellus touching spirits of their severall orders and a confutation of his errors therein PSellus being of authority in the church of Rome and not impugnable by any catholike being also instructed in these supernaturall or rather diabolicall matters by a monke called Marcus who had been familiarly conversant a long time as he said with a certaine divell reporteth upon the same divels owne word which must needs understand best the state of this question that the bodyes of angels and divels consist not now of all one element though perhaps it were otherwise before the fall of Lucifer and that the bodyes of spirits and divels can feele and be felt do hurt and be hurt in so much as they lamenâ— when they are stricken and being put to the fire are burnt and yet that they themselves burne continnually in such sort as they leave ashes behind them in places where they have beeâ—e as manifest tryall thereof hath been if he say truly in the borders of Italy He also saith upon like credit and assurance that divels and spirits do avoid and shed from out of their bodyes such seed or nature as whereby certaine vermine are ingendered and that they are nourished with food as we are saving that they receive it not into their mouthes but sucke it up into their bodies in such sort as sponges soke up water Also he saith they have names shapes and dwelling places as indeed they have though not in temporall and corporâ—â— sort Furthermore he saith that there are six princiall kind of divels which are not only corporall but temporall and worldly The first sort consist of fire wandering in the region neere to the moone but have no power to go into the moone The second sort consisting of aire have their habitation more low and neere unto us these saith he are proud and great boasters very wise and deceitfull and when they come downe are seene with streames of fire at their taile He saith that these are commonly conjured up to make images laugh and lamps burne of their owne accord and that in Assyria they use much to prophesie in a bason of water Which kinde of incantation is usuall among our conjurors but it is here commonly performed in a pitcher or pot of water or else in a viall of glasse filled with water wherein they say at the first a little sound is heard without a voice which is a token of the divels comming Anon the water seemeth to be troubled and then there are heard small voyces wherewith they give their answers speaking so softly as no man can well heare them because saith Cardane they would not be argued or rebuked of lies But this I have else-where more largely described and confuted The third sort of divels Psellus saith are earthly the fourth watery or of the sea the fift under the earth the sixt sort are Lucifugi that is such as delight in darkenes and are scant indued with sense and so dull as they can scarse be moved with charmes or conjurations The same man saith that some divels are worse than other but yet that they all hate God and are enemies to man But the worser moity of divels are Aquei Subterranei and Lucifugi that is watery under the earth and shunners of light because saith he these hurt not the soules of men but destroy mens bodies like mad and ravening beasts molesting both the inward and outward parts thereof Aquei are they that raise tempests and drowne seafaring men and do all other mischiefes on the water Subterranei and Lucifugi enter into the bowels of men and torment them that they possesse with the phrensie and the falling evill They also assault them that are miners or pioners which use to worke in deepe and darke holes under the earth Such divels as are earthy and aiery he saith enter by subtilty into the minds of men to deceive them provoking men to absurd and unlawfull affections But herein his philosophy is very unprobable for if the divell be earthy he must needs be palpable if he be palpable he must needs kill them into whose bodies he entereth Item if he be of 〈…〉 then must he also be visible and untransformable in that 〈…〉 God 's creation cannot be annihilated by the creature So as though it were granted that they might adde to their substance matter and forme c. yet it is most certaine that they cannot diminish or alter the substance whereof they consist as not to be when they liâ—t spirituall or to relinquish and leave earth water fire aire or this and that element whereof they are created But howsoever they imagine of water aire or fire I am sure earth must always be visible and palpable yea and aire must alwayes be invisible and fire must be hot add water must be moist And of these three latter bodies specially of water and aire no forme nor shape can be exhibited to mortall eye naturally or by the power of any creature CHAP. IIII. More absurd assertions of Psellus and such others concerning the actions and passions of spirits his definition of them and of his experience therein MOreover the same author saith that
quiet Also they never appear to the whole multitude seldome to a few and most commonly to one alone for so one may tell a lie without controlment Also they are oftenest seen by them that are ready to dye as Trasilla saw pope Foelix Vrsine Peter and Paul Galta Romana S. Peter and as Musa the maid saw our Lady which are the most certain appearances credited and allowed in the church of Rome also they may be seen of some and of some other in that presence not seen at all as Vrsine saw Peter and Paul and yet many at that instant being present could not see any such sight but thought it a lie as I doe Michael Andraeas confesseth that papists see more visions than protestants he saith also that a good soul can take none other shape than of a man marry a damned soul may and doth take the shape of a black moor or of a beast or of a serpent or specially of an heretick The christian signs that drive away these evill souls are the crosse the name of Jesus and the relickâ— of saints in the number whereof are holiwater holy bread Agnus Dei c. For Andrew saith that notwithstanding Iulian was an Apostate and a betrayer of a christian religion yet at an extremity with the only sign of the crosse he drave away from him many such evill spirits whereby also he saith the greatest diseases and sicknesses are cured and the forest dangers avoided CHAP. XXIX A confutation of assuming of bodies and of the serpent that seduced Eve THey that contend so earnestly for the divels assuming of bodies and visible shapes do think they have a great advantage by the words uttered in the third of Genesis where they say the divell entered into a serpent or snake and that by the curse it appeareth that the whole displeasure of God lighted upon the poor snake only How those words are to be considered may appear in that it is of purpose so spoken as our weak capacities may thereby best conceive the substance tenor and true meaning of the word which is there set downe in the manner of a tragedie in such humane and sensible forme as wonderfully informeth our understanding though it seem contrary to the spirituall course of spirits and divels and also to the nature and divinity of God himself who is infinite and whom no man ever saw with corporall eyes and lived And doubtlesse if the serpent there had not been taken absolutely nor metaphorically for the divell the Holy-ghost would have informed us thereof in some part of that story But to affirme it sometimes to be a divell and sometimes a snake whereas there is no such distinction to be found or seen in the text is an invention and a fetch me thinks beyond the compasse of all divinity Certainly the serpent was he that seduced Eve now whether it were the divell or a snake let any wise man or rather let the word of God judge Doubtlesse the scripture in many places expoundeth it to be the divell And I have I am sure one wiseman on my side for the interpretation hereof namely Solomon who saith Through envie of the divell came death into the world referring that to the divell which Moses in the letter did to the serpent But a better expositor hereof needeth not than the text it self even in the same place where it is written I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed he shall break thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel What christian knoweth not that in these words the mystery of our redemption is comprised and promised Wherein is not meant as many suppose that the common seed of women shall tread upon a sâ—akes head and so break it in pieces c. but that speciall seed which is Christ should be borne of a woman to the utter overthrow of satan and in the redemption of mankinde whose heel or flesh in his members the divell should bruise and assault with continuall attempts and carnall provocations c. CHAP. XXX The objection concerning the divels assuming of the serpents body answered THis word serpent in holy scripture is taken for the divell The serpent was more subtill than all the beasts of the field It likewise signifieth such as be evill speakers such as have slandering tongues also hereticks c. They have sharpned their tongues like serpents It doth likewise betoken the death and sacrifice of Christ as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse so must the son of man be lifted up upon the crosse Moreover it is taken for wicked men O ye serpents and generation of vipers Thereby also is signified as well a wise as a subtill man and in that sense did Christ himself use it saying Be ye wise as serpents c. So that by this brief collection you see that the word serpent as it is equivocall so likewise it is sometimes taken in the good and sometimes in the evill part But where it is said that the serpent was father of lies author of death and the worker of deceipt me thinks it is a ridiculous opinion to hold that thereby a snake is meant which must be if the letter be preferred before the allegory Truly Calvines opinion is to be liked and reverenced and his example to be embraced and followed in that he offereth to subscribe to them that hold that the Holy-ghost in that place did of purpose use obscure figures that the clear light thereof might be deferred till Christs comming He saith also with like commendation speaking hereof and writing upon this place that Moses doth accommodate and fitten for the understanding of the common people in a rude and grosse stile those things which be there delivereth forbearing once to rehearse the name of satan And further he saith that this order may not be thought of Moses his owne device but to be taught him by the spirit of God for such was saith he in those dayes the childish age of the church which was unable to receive higher or profounder doctrine Finally he saith even hereupon that the Lord hath supplyed with the secret light of his spirit whatsoever wanted in plainnesse and clearnesse of eternall words If it be said according to experience that certain other beasts are farre more subtill than the serpent they answer that it is not absurd to confesse that the same gift was taken away from him by God because he brought destruction to mankind Which is more me thinks than need be granted in that behalfe For Christ saith not Be ye wise as serpents were before their transgression but Be wise as serpents are I would learn what impiety absurdity or offense it is to hold that Moses under the person of poysoning serpent or snake describeth the divell that poysoned Eve with his deceiptfull words and venomous assault Whence cometh it else that the divell is called
Ghost Another treating upon the 〈◊〉 argument proceedeth in this reverent manner The holy spirit is the vertue or power of God quickning nourishing fostering and perfecting all things by whose only breathing it cometh to pass that we both know and love God and become at the length like unto him which spirit is the pledge and earnest penny of grace and beareth witness unto our heartâ— whiles wee cry Abba Father This spirit is called the spirit of God the spirit of Christ and the spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead Jesus Christ for that he received not the spirit by measure but in fulness doth call it his spirit saying When the comforter shall come whom I will send even the holy spirit he shall testifie of me This spirit hath divers metaphoricall names attributed thereunto in the Holy Scriptures It is called by the name of water because it washeth comforteth moiestneth softeneth and maketh fruitfull with all godliness and vertues the mindes of men which otherwise would be unclean comfortless hard dry and barren of all goodness whereupon the prophet Isay saith â— I will powre water upon the thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground c. Wherewithall the words of Christ doe agree He that beleeveth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shall flow rivers of waters of life And elsewhere Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never be more a thirst Other places likewise there be wherein the holy spirit is signified by the name of water and floud as in the 13. of Isay the 29. of Ezech. the 146. Psalme c. The same spirit by reason of the force and vehemency thereof is termed fire For it doth purifie and cleanse the whole man from top to toe it doth burn out the soil and dross of sins and setteth him all in a flaming and hot burning zeal to prefer and further Gods glory Which plainly appeared in the Apostles who when they had received the spirit they spake fiery words yea such words as were uncontrollable in so much as in none â—oâ—e than in them this saying of this prophet Ieremy was verified Nunquid non verba mâ—a sunt quasi ignis Are not my words even as it were fire This was dâ—clared and shewed by those fiery tongues which were seen upon the Apostles after they had reâ—ivâ—d â—â—e holy spirit Moreover this spirit is called annointing or ointment because that as in old time priests and kings were by annointing deputed to their office and charge and so were made fit and serviceable for the same even so the elect are not so much declared as renewed and made apt by the training up of the holy spirit both to live well and also to glorifie God Whereupon dependeth the saying of Iohn And ye have no need that any should teach you but as the same ointment doth teach you It is also called in Scripture The oil of gladness and rejoycing wheâ—eof it is said in the book of Psalmes God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of joy and gladness c. And by this goodly and comfortable name of oil in the Scriptures is the mercy of God oftentimes expressed because the nature of that doth agree with the property and quality of this For as oil doth flote and swim above all other liquors so the mercy of God doth surpass and overreach all his works and the same doth most of al disclose it self to miserable man It is likewise called the finger of God that is the might and power of God by the vertue whereof the Apostles did cast out divels to wit even by the finger of God It is called the spirit of truth because it maketh men true and faithfull in their vocation and for that it is the touchstone to try all counterfeit devices of mans braine and all vain sciences prophane practises deceitfull arts and circumventing inventions such as be in generall all sorts of witchcrafts and inchantments within whose number are comprehended all those wherewith I have had some dealing in this my discovery to wit charmes or incantations divinations augury judiciall astrology nativity casting alcumystery conjuration lotshare popery which is meer paltry with diverse other not one whereof no nor all together are able to stand to the triall and examination which this spirit of truth shall and will take of those false and evill spirits Nay they shall be found when they are laid into the balance to be lighter than vanity very drosse when they once come to be tryed by the fervent heat of this spirit and like chaffe when this spirit bloweth upon them driven away with a violent whirlewind such is the perfection integrity and effectuall operation of this spirit whose working as it is manifold so it is marvellous and therefore may and is called the spirit of spirits This spirit withdrawing it selfe from the hearts of men for that it will not inhabit and dwell where sinne hath dominion giveth place unto the spirit of errour and blindnesse to the spirit of servitude and compunction which bireth gnaweth and whetteth their hearts with a deadly hate of the gospell in so much as it grieveth their minds and irketh their ears either to hear or understand the truth of which disease properly the Pharises of old were and the papists even now are sick Yea the want of this good spirit is the cause that many fall into the spirit of perversenesse and frowardnesse into the spirit of giddinesse lying drowâ—â—nesse and dulnesse according as the prophet Isay saith For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes and again elsewhere Dominus miscuit in medio c. The Lord hath mingled among them the spirit of giddinesse and hath made Egypt to erre as a drunken man erreth in his vomit as it is said by Paul And their foolish heart was blinded and God gave them over unto their owne hearts lusts Which punishment Moses threatneth unto the Jewes The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse with blindnesse and amazednesse of mind and thou shalt grope at high noon as a blinde man useth to grope c. In some this word Spirit doth signifie a secret force and power wherewith our minds are moved and directed if unto holy things then is it the motion of the holy spirit of the spirit of Christ and of God if unto evill things then is it the suggestion of the wicked spirit of the divell and of satan Whereupon I inferre by the way of a question with what spirit we are to suppose such to be moved as either practise any of the vanities treated upon in this book or through credulity addict themselves thereunto as unto divine oracles or the voice of angels breaking through the clouds We cannot impute this motion unto the good spirit for then they should be able to discerne between the nature of
of Iohn that if he were made he was made of the sonne The scripture doth no where say that the holy spirit was made of the father or of the sonne but to proceed to come and to be sent from them both Now if these universall proposition are to suffer no restraint it shall follow that the father was made of the son than the which what is more absurd and wicked Again they object out of Matth. 11. None knoweth the sonne but the father and none the father but the sonne to wit of and by himself for otherwise both the angels and to whomsoever else it shall please the sonne to reveal the father these do know doth the father and the son Now if so be the spirit be not equall with the father and the sonne in knowledge he is not only unequall and lesser than they but also no God for ignorance is not incident unto God Where to I answer that where in holy scripture we do meet with universall propositions negative or exclusive they are not to be expounded of one person so as the rest are excluded but creatures or false gods are to be excluded and whatsoever else is without or beside the essence and being of God Reasons to prove and confirme this interpretation I could bring very many whereof I will adde some for example In the seventh of Iohn it is said When Christ shall come none shall know from whence he is notwithstanding which words the Jewes thought that neither God nor his angels should be ignorant from whence Christ should be In the fourth to the Galatians A mans covenant or testament confirmed with authority no body doth abrogate or adde any thing thereunto No just man doth so but tyrants and truce-breakers care not for covenants In Iohn eight Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst And yet it is not to be supposed that a multitude of people was not present and the disciples of Christ likewise but the word Solus alone is referred to the womans accusers who withdrew themselves away every one and departed In the sixt of Mark when it was evening the ship was in the midst of the sea and he alone upon land he was not alone upon land or shore for the same was not utterly void of dwellers but he had not any of his disciples with him nor any body to carry him a shipboard unto his disciples Many phrases or for 〈◊〉 speeches like unto these are to be found in the sacred scriptures and 〈◊〉 â—â—thors both Greek and Latine whereby we understand that neither universall negative nor exclusive particles are strictly to be urged but to be explained in such sort as the matter in hand will bear When as therefore the son alone is said to know the father and it is demanded whether the holy spirit is debarred from knowing the father out of other places of scriptures judgement is to be given in this case In some places the holy spirit is counted and reckoned with the father and the son jointly wherefore he is not to be separated Elsewhere also it is attributed to the holy spirit that he alone doth know the things which be of God and seattheth the deep secrets of God wherefore from him the knowing of God is not to be excluded They do yet further object that it is not convenient or fit for God after the manner of suters to humble and cast downe himself but the holy spirit doth so praying and intreating for us with unspeakable groans Rom. 8. Ergo the holy spirit is not God Whereunto I answer that the holy spirit doth pray and intreat insomuch as he provoketh us to pray and maketh us to groan and sigh Oftentimes also in the scriptures is that action or deed attributed unto God which we being stirred up and moved by him doe bring to passe So it is said of God unto Abraham Now I know that thou fearest God and yet before he would have sacrificed Isaac God knew the very heart of Abraham and therefore this word Cognovi I know is as much as Cognoscere feci I have made or caused to know And that the spirit to pray and intreat is the same that to make to pray and intreat the apostle teacheth even there writing that we have received the spirit of adoption in whom we cry Abba Father Where it is manifest that it is we which cry the Holy-ghost provoking and forcing us thereunto Howbeit they goe further and frame this reason Whosoever is sent the sache is inferior and lesser than he of whom he is sent and furthermore he is of a comprehensible substance because he passeth by locall motion from place to â—lace but the holy spirit is foot of the father and the sonne Iohn 14.15 16. It is powred forth and shed upon men Acts 10. Ergo the holy spirit is lesser than the Father and the Sonne and of a comprehensible nature and consequently not very God Whereto I answer first that he which is sent is not alwayes lesser than he that sendeth to prove which position any mean wit may inferre many instances Furthermore touching the sending of the holy spirit we are here to imagin no changing or shifting of place For if the spirit when he goeth from the Father and is sent changeth his place then must the Father also be in a place that he may leave it and goe to another And as for the incomprehensible nature of the spirit hee cannot leaving his place passe unto another Therefore the sending of the spirit is the eternall and unvariable will of God to doe something by the holy spirit and the revealing and executing of this will by the operation and working of the spirit The spirit was sent to the Apostles which spirit was present with them sith it is present every-where but then according to the will of God the Father hee shewed himselfe present and powerfull Some man may say if sending be a revealing and laying open of presence and power then may the Father be said to be sent because hee himself is also revealed I answer that when the spirit is said to be sent not only the revealing but the order also of his revealing is declared because the will of the Father and of the Son of whom he is sent going before not in time but in order of persons the spirit doth reveal himself the father and also the Son The Father revealeth himself by others the Son and the Holy Spirit so that his will goeth before Therefore sending is the common work of all the three persons howbeit for order of doing it is distinguished by diverse names The Father will reveal himself unto men with the son and the spirit and be powerfull in them and therefore is said to send The sonne doth assent unto the will of the Father and will that to bee done by themselves which God will to be done by them these are said to be sent And because