CHAP. XI.

_Of the Knowledge, and Power of faln Angels._

These evil Angels of which we treat, did doubtless, before they left

their habitation and did not keep their first estate, participate of the

same knowledge and power, that those Angels still retain that did not

fall into that defection and rebellion; so that our disquisition must

be, what knowledge and power they have lost, and what they still do

retain, and this we may consider in these particulars. 1. That there are

many things of which they are totally ignorant and nescient. 2. The

knowledge that they have is dark and confused.

[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 2. 11.]

[Sidenote: 2 Chron. 6. 30.]

[Sidenote: Jer. 17. 9, 10.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 41. 21, 22, 23.]

[Sidenote: Matth. 2. 13.]

1. Concerning the first, this must of necessity be a certain rule that

what the holy and elect Angels do not know, the evil and faln Angels

must much more ignore, except the knowledge of evil and guilt, from

which the good Angels are free; and these may be reduced to these few

points. 1. We here may consider that the knowledge of Angels, is to be

restrained into these three ranks; first either their innate and

congenerate knowledge, or secondly their infused or revealed knowledge

by God in his Son Jesus Christ, or thirdly their experimental knowledge

that they gain by observation and experience, and it is of the first

only that we speak in this Paragraph, and the rest we shall handle anon.

2. That our cogitations, desires and affections are not known to the

Angels, unless they manifest themselves either by external signs, or

effects, or be revealed from God; And these ways they may be known, but

not otherwise; for it is manifest that Satan had darted it, or put it

into the mind of _Judas_ to betray Christ, yet had he so cunningly

carried himself, that neither by any effect nor sign did the Disciples

know it until our Saviour did reveal it unto them. So that the

Scriptures do plainly inform us of the truth in this particular, as,

_For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which

is in him?_ For this is only proper to God to search the heart, and to

understand the cogitations, as saith the Text: _For thou only knowest

the hearts of the children of men_, he only knoweth them, and neither

Angels nor men: and though the heart be deceitful and desperately

wicked, yet _God doth search the heart, and try the reins_. So that if

the good Angels do not know the cogitations, desires and affections of

Mens hearts, except God either reveal them unto them, or they be made

manifest by signs and effects, much less must the bad Angels know or

understand them. 3. Those things that are meerly contingent, and those

which depend upon free will, cannot be known of the Angels, unless they

be revealed by God, as is manifest by the Text. _Produce your cause,

saith the Lord, bring forth your strong Idols, or Diviners, saith the

King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen:

let them shew the former things what they be, that we may consider them,

and know the later end of them, or declare us things for to come. Shew

the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are

Gods: yea, do good, or evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it

together._ And as the good Angels know not contingent things, or those

that depend upon free will, much less do the faln Angels understand

them, as is manifest in these examples. The Angel that was sent of God

to warn _Joseph to take the child Jesus, and fly into Ægypt_, did not of

his own innate knowledge, either in it self, or in its cause (as the

Schoolmen speak) know that _Herod_ would seek the child to destroy him,

because it was truly a contingent thing, and did only depend upon the

free act of _Herods_ will, and therefore by Divine Goodness and

Providence it was revealed to the Angel, thereby to preserve the life of

the child, and to fulfil the Scriptures. Neither do the faln Angels know

future events that are contingent, or depend upon the free will of men,

as is manifest in Satans tempting and afflicting of _Job_, which he

intended to have been his destruction, and therefore did falsly divine

and foretel that _Job would curse God to his face_, but the event was

not according to his lying conjecture, but to the manifestation of

_Jobs_ Faith and Patience, and produced his glorious restoration. So the

lying spirit in the mouth of _Ahabs_ Prophets, did not know that _Ahab_

would go up to _Ramoth Gilead_, or that he should be slain there, but

that God did reveal it unto him, and sent him forth with a powerful

commission to prevail. So that all the predictions and Divinations of

the Devil or his Angels are nothing but lying guesses and uncertain

conjectures; for what can be expected from him _who was a liar from the

beginning, and the father of lies_? Neither were his Idol-priests,

Wizzards, Diviners or Prophets any better but meer conjecturers and

lyars, as was most manifest in all those Oracles that were amongst the

Grecians, which uttered nothing but cheats, lies, equivocations and

ambiguous responsions. And those amongst the Jews were no better, who

took upon them to foretel and divine for others, but could not or did

not foresee their own destruction, as is manifest in _Ahabs_ Prophets

slain by _Elijah_, and the Priests of _Baal_ slain by _Jehu_, and

therefore must all those needs be deceived that run to Divining Witches

and Wizzards, of which sort of couzeners we have too many.

[Sidenote: _Object._]

And if against this it be objected that the Devils did know and confess

that Jesus was the Son of God, and therefore if they could tell this

that was so great a mystery, much more easily may they know other

inferior things, and so may foretel future contingencies, to which we

give this responsion.

1. We only affirm that Devils did not know Christ by their innate or

inbred knowledge, but they might know him by the revelation of the

Father, and by the things that were written of him by the Prophets, and

by the observation of those things that were manifested at his birth,

and shewed and done in his life time.

[Sidenote: Matth. 8. 29.]

[Sidenote: Luke 8. 31.]

2. And it is manifest that God did not altogether intend to have him

hidden from the knowledge of Devils, because he ordered that _the spirit

should lead him into the wilderness, that he might be tempted_, that his

power and victory might be shown over the Prince of darkness. And the

end that the wisdom of God had in this, was that the Devils to their

greater terror and horror might know their Conquerour, and by whose

power they should be tormented and thrown into the Abyss or bottomless

pit, and this made them cry out saying, _Art thou come to torment us

before the time_, and also _force us not into the Abyss or deep_.

[Sidenote: Luk. 2. 11.]

[Sidenote: Math. 3. 17.]

3. The Devils might know this because the Angels had proclaimed his

birth to the Shepherds, and told them, that _unto them was born that

day, in the City of David, a Saviour which was Christ the Lord_: And

they might know it from the appearing of the Holy Ghost in the form of a

Dove, and resting upon him, and by the voice which said from Heaven,

_this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased_. And they might know

it by the conquest that Christ had over the Devil, and by _their daily

being cast out by the power of his word_, and command, as by the finger

of God.

[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 2. 11.]

4. The mysteries of Salvation cannot be known unto the good Angels, but

by Divine Revelation, much less unto the bad ones, as witnesseth the

Text: _For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man

which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the

spirit of God._ The mysteries therefore of Salvation, as they have been

decreed by himself in his eternal counsel, are not known unto the

Angels, but by the revelation of the spirit of God and the complement

and fulfilling of his promises. So concerning the restauration or

precise day and hour of the coming of Christ, do not the Angels in

Heaven know, though their knowledge be vast and great, and therefore

much less those faln and rebellious Angels that are _chained in

everlasting darkness, untill the judgment of the great day_.

[Sidenote: Math. 18. 10.]

[Sidenote: Revel. 12. 9.]

[Sidenote: 2 Pet. 2. 4.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 1. 14.]

[Sidenote: Josh. 5. 13.]

[Sidenote: Acts 12. 7.]

5. And as that which is not understood of the blessed and elect Angels

must needs be unknown unto the faln Angels, so likewise there are many

things known to the good Angels, that are hidden or but conjectured at

by the bad ones, as may be manifest in these instances. 1. The blessed

Angels know and see the face of the Father in beatifical vision, as

saith the Text: _Take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones;

for I say unto you, that in heaven their Angels do alwayes behold the

face of my father, which is in heaven_. Upon which _Beza_ hath this

note: _Loquitur more seculi hujus, ubi consistere in conspectu regis

faciemq; ejus perpetuò videre posse, signum est domesticæ intimæq;

familiaritatis_. But the faln Angels are totally deprived of this

blessed Vision, being cast forth of Heaven, as saith the Text. _And the

great Dragon was cast out, that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan,

which deceiveth the world: he was cast out into the earth, and his

Angels were cast out with him._ And S. _Peter_ tells us, _that God

spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and

delivered them into chains of darkness_. 2. And as they have lost the

vision and fruition of the mercies of God, so they have utterly lost the

knowledge of his will, concerning his Covenant of Grace and mercy to the

elect, for they are only ministring spirits sent forth to tempt to sin,

to afflict and punish, and have still enough for the advancing of the

Kingdom of darkness, but have no knowledge of saving grace nor the

mysteries of the Gospel, but are all enemies and adversaries to God and

the Kingdom of Christ, and _goeth about seeking_ continually _whom he

may devour_. But it is the blessed elect Angels that are _ministring

spirits, sent forth for to minister to them, who shall be heirs of

Salvation_. 3. The good Angels have the blessed messages revealed unto

them for the assisting and delivering of the godly. So an Angel did

comfort _Joshua_, and another warned _Joseph_ to take the child _Jesus_,

and to fly into _Ægypt_, thereby to preserve the childs life; and an

Angel delivered the Apostles forth of prison, and many such happy

errands are made manifest unto them, and they imployed about them, of

all which the faln Angels are utterly ignorant, and they are concealed

from them.

6. There are some things that the evil Angels know of, which the blessed

ones have no sensibility of, that is the knowledge of their own guilt,

and the experimental sense of the loss of Gods Favour, Love, Grace and

Mercy.

[Sidenote: Jude 6.]

[Sidenote: _De Civitat. Dei_, _l._ 9.]

2. The second thing that we proposed to handle, is, that the knowledge

that the faln Angels have is dark and confused, which is plain because

_they are reserved in chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the

great day_. Now those that are kept or reserved in darkness, must of

necessity have their knowledge dark, and consequently confused; and he

also that is the Prince of darkness, and the Father and Author of the

works of darkness, must needs like his children have his understanding

darkned also. And therefore we will conclude this point with the opinion

of S. _Augustine_ who speaking both of the Angels that stood, and those

that fell, saith thus: _Ante peccatum autem tam isti quam illi perfectè

omnia intelligebant. Accessit igitur istis propter peccatum aliquid

tenebrarum. Proindè etiam tenebræ appellantur, & in tenebris esse

dicuntur, cœlesti illa luce destituti, & in locum caliginosum

præcipitati. Ut indè intelligamus nonnihil tenebrarum naturali etiam

illorum menti accessisse, in pœnam admissi peccati in Deum, Deiq;

filium._ But we shall only here speak of their knowledge in reference to

things acted in this elementary and sublunary world, and that in these

particulars.

1. Though they retain the same faculty of understanding that they had

before their fall, of the generation, motion and mutation of natural

things here below, yet is it much darkned, and far inferior to the

knowledge of the good Angels in natural things, the one sort living and

abiding in light, and the other being shut up in darkness.

2. What knowledge soever they have by their natural faculties, or that

they may be supposed to gain by acquisition, is by them gotten or

learned for no other end, but for the hurt and destruction of mankind,

and not as the good Angels who make use of theirs for the benefit of

those that shall be heirs of Salvation. For as a good Physician labours

and studies to know the nature and virtues of Animals, Vegetables and

Minerals, and their parts and products, for the good and benefit of

mankind, but a Witch or poysoner laboureth to know their virtues thereby

to destroy and kill; even so do the evil Angels, and not otherwise.

[Sidenote: John 8.44.]

[Sidenote: 2 Thes. 2. 9, 10, 11.]

3. The knowledge of Devils whether natural or acquisitive is spurious,

erroneous, fallacious, deceitful and delusive; both in respect of

themselves and others, for as saith the Scripture: _He was a murderer

from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no

truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is

a liar, and the father of it._ Therefore saith learned _Rollock_ upon

this very place: _Hoc est loqui ex ingenio suo, quod naturale est sibi

facere; suum enim & quod ex sese deprompsit, non autem quod aliundè

accepit, profert_. For as all the endeavours of the faln Angels tend to

the seduction and delusion of others, so are they, and were they the

deceivers and deluders of themselves: For it is most manifest that their

minds are so obcæcated and covered over with darkness, that although

they be not altogether in general destitute of the knowledge of that

which is just and unjust, good and evil, pious and impious, yet they do

not acknowledge their own sin, as they ought, for they are so

pertinacious in their sin and wickedness, that they do not attentively

perpend and consider their own evil, and therefore are not truely

sensible, or do understand that it is evil, and therefore are by the

just judgment of God so absolutely obcæcated that they cannot

acknowledge their own evil and sin. And as that knowledge they have is

so darkned that they have deluded and deceived themselves, so all their

knowledge in respect of others is erroneous, fallacious and lying, as

the Text witnesseth of Antichrist: _Even he whose coming is after the

working of Satan, with all power and signs, and lying wonders: And with

all deceiveableness of unrighteousness, in them that perish. And for

this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should

believe a lie._

4. In regard of the words, intentions and actions of wicked Men they

both know and may foretel much, because they are the Authors and

devisers of those evils and wicked thoughts; as it was the Devil that

pushed on the Scribes and Pharisees to accuse and put Christ to death,

for it was _their hour and the power of darkness_, and it was Satan that

had darted it into the mind of _Judas Iscariot_ to betray his Master:

And therefore the Devils might probably (if not certainly) know that his

death would be brought to pass; so that they may easily foretel what

themselves have projected and prepared instruments to accomplish.

5. The acquired knowledge of the faln Angels must needs be great in

regard of their vast multitudes and their being dispersed in this

caliginous air or Atmosphere, for the Devil is called the Prince of the

air (if that be literally to be understood) and he compasseth the earth

and walketh to and fro in it, and _goeth about, seeking whom he may

devour_, and therefore by their agility of body and celerity of motion

may easily know what is done and spoken, and may so very quickly convey

it one to another, and so may most readily communicate things that are

acted or spoken at an incredible distance one from another; but yet all

this no further than Divine Providence will permit and allow of.

[Sidenote: _De ver. influ. rer._ _l._ _p._ 425.]

6. The Witchmongers and others do attribute a kind of omnisciency to

Devils in respect of their acquired knowledge, which we by no means can

allow them, and that for these reasons. 1. Though it be granted that

they do grow and increase in the knowlege of sin, evil, and wickedness,

therewith to hurt, devour and destroy, or gain more skill and craft to

lie, cheat, delude and deceive; yet that they either gain or gather any

knowlege that is good, or for any good end, is absolutely false, for

_they abode not in the truth_, neither are they lovers of truth, but are

utter Enemies to all good knowledge and verity. 2. That they may be

Masters of all the arts or wayes of deceit, lying, cheating and

delusion, is no way to be denied; but that they should (as many suppose)

by reason of their longevity and duration, learn and be perfect in any

or all of the good Arts or Sciences, is to me utterly incredible,

because they are the Corruptors of all, but the perfectors of none, else

should they be the greatest Philosophers in the World, which is false.

And therefore most Christian and pious was that Sentence of that

unjustly censured Person _Paracelsus_ in these words: _Et licèt Diabolus

quidem plurima machinetur: hoc tamen cum omnibus suis legionibus

præstare minimè potest, ut vel abjectam ollam frangat, nedum eandem

faciat: multò is minùs quenquam occidere, aut jugulare potest, nisi id

mandato, permissu jussuq; ac vi divina faciat_.

The other main point that we undertake to handle in this Chapter, is,

touching the power of the faln Angels, and that is to be considered in

these three particulars: 1. In general in respect of their power, either

in spiritual and moral things, or in things natural. 2. Or in respect of

spiritual and moral things in particular. 3. Or in respect of Physical

and sublunary things.

[Sidenote: John 12. 31.]

[Sidenote: Ephes. 2. 2.]

[Sidenote: Rom. 14. 17.]

[Sidenote: Ephes. 6. 12.]

[Sidenote: Heb. 2. 14.]

[Sidenote: _Vid. Caten. Aur. Tho. Aquin._]

[Sidenote: Psal. 119. 89.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 147. 8. 16, 17, 18.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 148. 8.]

[Sidenote: Ephes. 6. 12.]

[Sidenote: _Homil._ 22. _p._ 257.]

[Sidenote: Jo. 8.]

1. And for the first it must of necessity be granted, that their power

since their fall is much diminished, or at least restrained and chained

and fettered up. For they becoming Rebels against the Almighty, and not

keeping their first Estate, but having left their own habitation, it was

most agreeable to the wisdom and justice of God to take away from them

the greatest part of that power and authority that he formerly had given

them, and so to imprison and chain them up, that they might never be

able to attempt or perform the like Rebellion again; otherwise the

Almighty should not have used that wisdom that is ordinary with earthly

Princes, who haveing overcome those that rebelled against them, do not

only disarm them, but also confine or imprison them. And to this very

thing do the Scriptures allude, when they say, that _they are delivered

into chains of darkness_, and that _they are reserved in everlasting

chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day_. So that

though the Devils still retain their cruel, wicked and devouring will

and mind; yet they are but like the Lyon within the Bars of Iron, or

_Bajazet_ in the Cage of Iron led about by _Tamberlan_, and so though

they be never so cruelly bent to do mischief, yet they are under the

Chains and cooped up in the Grates of Darkness, and kept in Everlasting

Chains that they are never able to break or unloose. And though he be

called the God of this World and the Prince of it, yet that is not to be

understood, that he is the Prince and Ruler of the Creatures of the

World, or that he giveth riches, health, honour or the like, for those

are the gift of God only and not of the Devil; but he is the God and

Prince of the evil and wickedness that is in the World, for in that, and

by that, he reigneth and ruleth; and to this purpose saith _Rollock_:

_Damnatio est Satanæ, qui peccati author est. Nam vita hujus mundi est

secundum principem cui potestas est aeris, &c. Dicitur autem Princeps

hujus mundi, quia per peccatum, & mortem regnat in mundo: ut enim teste

Paulo, Regnum Dei positum est in justitiâ, & pace, & gaudio per spiritum

sanctum, sic regnum Satanæ positum est in injustitia, & morte. Vnde ipse

propter peccatum per quod regnat, dicitur rector tenebrarum. Propter

mortem per quam regnat, dicitur imperium mortis habere._ And upon this

place St. _Augustin_ saith thus: _Nunc Princeps hujus mundi ejicietur

foras, absit ut Diabolum principem mundi ita dictum existimemus, ut eum

Cœli & terræ dominari posse credamus: sed mundus appellatur in malis

hominibus, qui toto orbe terrarum diffusi sunt. Sic ergò dictum est:

Princeps hujus mundi, id est princeps malorum hominum qui habitant in

mundo. Appellatur etiam mundus in bonis, qui similiter per totum orbem

terrarum diffusi sunt: Ideò dicit Apostolus, Deus erat in Christo mundum

reconcilians sibi: Hi sunt ex quorum cordibus principes mundi ejicientur

foras._ And whereas also Satan is called _the Prince of the power of the

air, that worketh in the Children of disobedience_, it is not literally

so to be understood, as though he had the natural power of ruling the

air, and causing of winds, hail, snow, frost, rain, thunder and

lightning, for these are all ordered according to the will of divine

providence and the causes that he hath established in the Elements: So

_David_ speaking of the Heavens, the Earth, and the Elements, doth

conclude thus; _They continue this day according to thine ordinances,

for all thy servants_: And it is he that ordereth all these, as saith

the Text: _Who covereth the Heavens with Clouds, who prepareth rain for

the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth snow

like wool, he scattereth the hoary frost like ashes. He casteth forth

his ice like morsels: Who can stand before his Cold? He sendeth forth

his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters

flow._ And all these fulfil the will and command of God, and not the

will of the faln Angels; for the Text saith: _Fire and hail, snow and

vapour, stormy wind fulfilling his word_; so that if they have any thing

to do in the sublunary changes or motions of Meteors, it is but only as

instrumental and organical Causes, working meerly as they are ordered

and acted by the first cause that worketh all in all, as the Christian

Philosopher Doctor _Fludd_ hath most learnedly proved in his Treatise of

Cosmical Meteors, which I seriously commend to those that desire full

satisfaction in this particular. But the Devil is chiefly called _the

Prince of the power of the air_, because he is the proud, high, airy and

spiritual Prince and Ruler of wickedness in high or super-cœlestial

places, by which proud, airy, and spiritual wickedness, _he worketh in

the Children of disobedience. For we wrestle not against flesh and

blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of

the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high

places_, ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις. Upon which learned _Beza_ saith thus:

_Homines quorum fragilis & caduca est natura, cui opponuntur versutiæ

spirituales, infinitis partibus potentiores_. And again, _Ista nomina

tribuit Angelis malis, propter effectus, non quod eos suâ vi possint

præstare, sed quia illis Deus laxat habenas_. And therefore S.

_Chrysostom_ upon this place saith thus: _Mundi verò dominos eos vocat,

non quod mundum gubernent, sed solet scriptura malos actus hunc mundum

vocare, ut quando Christus dicit, vos non estis ex hoc mundo quemadmodum

ego non sum ex mundo_.

[Sidenote: _De operib. Dei_ _l._ 4. _c._ 6. _p._ 175.]

[Sidenote: Jo. 17.]

2. To consider their power in spiritual and moral things particularly,

we shall find they have no power in some things, but by their fall have

utterly lost it, as is apparent in these few points. 1. They have lost

that freedom of will that they had by Creation, and were partakers of

before they fell, and agreeable to this is the _Thesis_ of learned

_Zanchy_, which is this: “That all Devils have so far their wills made

obstinate in sins, the hatred of God, Christ, and of Mankind, that from

this evil they cannot will to repent, and thereby be saved;” and this he

thus proveth. 1. Because in the Scriptures they are called, πονυροὺς

κατ’ ἐξοχὴν, for they are now become such, that they cannot be changed

from their malice and wickedness; because it is become natural unto

them. 2. From whence it is manifest, that the whole time since their

fall, never yet any of them hath given any sign of resipiscence. 3. If

they could repent and believe in Christ, then for them and their sins

Christ also should have died; for he saith, _that he prayed for those

that were to believe in him_; but they neither believe in him, neither

did he die for them. 4. But the chief cause of their impenitency is the

just judgment of God, that hath given them up to hardness of heart,

because they sinned knowingly and wilfully against the truth. And this

point is sufficiently proved by _Thomas Aquinas_, the rest of the

Schoolmen and many others. 2. So that as they have lost freedom of will,

so they cannot at all will or act to be saved, or to repent. 3. And as

they cannot will or act to repent or be saved, so the whole acts of

their wills are evil, malicious and wicked, _being liars and murtherers

from the beginning_.

3. The third is to consider their power in sublunary and elementary

things which is the most pertinent to our present purpose, it being the

thing that some have magnified even to a kind of omnipotency, and

therefore we must the more narrowly ventilate and examine it, which we

shall do in this order.

1. How great soever the power of the faln Angels may be supposed to be,

yet neither in knowlege can they be deemed to be omniscient, or in power

to be omnipotent, because they are created Beings, circumscribed,

limited and finite, and consequently can perform no act that necessarily

must require an omnipotent power, and so can neither create things _de

novo_, annihilate or transubstantiate any Creature or substance, or

pervert or put forth of order, the things that God by Creation, Decree

and Providence hath set into their certain orders of Generation,

alteration and corruption.

[Sidenote: _Ut supra._]

2. How great soever their power may be supposed to be, yet rationally it

must be taken for a truth, that they have not the same power that they

had before their fall. For as _Zanchy_ saith: _Certum est enim in

universum, & in genere, hac etiam in parte illos punitos fuisse, ut non

possint quicquid poterant, cum boni essent, nec etiam quicquid nunc

velint_. Because the Holy Ghost beareth witness, _that they are bound in

Chains_, and that Satan begged leave of God to invade _Job_, that they

fought with the good Angels, but were overcome, and that they may be so

resisted of believing men that they may be overthrown. _Ac væ nobis,

nisi potentia Dæmonum infirmata esset, & à Domino comprimeretur, &

compesceretur._

[Sidenote: _Zanch. de op. Dei ut supra._]

3. And what power soever be granted to the faln Angels, yet it is by the

opinion of all the learned, restrained only to these sublunary and

inferior bodies, and that they have neither power by Creation or

Ordination, to work upon, move, or alter things that are Angelical,

Celestial, Ethereal and Superior, but only are chained in this

Caliginous Atmosphere, and impure air. For it is manifest, that superior

bodies work upon those that are inferior, but not on the contrary,

neither have we any examples that can prove that they do operate upon

Celestial bodies, and so their power (how great soever some may suppose

it to be) is only restrained to these inferior sublunary things.

[Sidenote: Gen. 19. 24.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 37. 36.]

4. The operations and actions performed by the faln Angels, may be

considered, either in the simple respect of their natural and created

power, and this how great soever it was before their fall, is not only

lessened, but that which remains, is limited and restrained with the

Adamantine Chains of the decree of divine providence: or in respect of

what power they may have superadded by God, when they are Commissionated

and sent by God to effect some particular actions, as for example,

_Moses_ and _Aaron_ had but the ordinary strength and power that was

common to other men, before they were sent upon the message to

_Pharaoh_, and made Instruments to deliver the Israelites, for then were

they armed and indowed with the power of working great and stupendious

Miracles. So it cannot rationally be imagined that the two Angels that

were sent as Instruments to destroy _Sodom_ and _Gomorrha_, did or could

of their own proper, individual and created power, bring down Fire and

Brimstone from Heaven to burn those two Cities, but that it was brought

to pass by the Power of the Almighty, as granted and given to them for

that judgment only, and not by that ordinary power that they could

always exercise, for the Text saith: _Then the Lord rained upon Sodom,

and upon Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord forth of heaven_.

Neither can it rationally be supposed that one Angel hath by his created

power, that ability, that _he can slay in one night an hundred

fourscore, and five thousand_, as it is written _the Angel did in the

camp of the Assyrians_, but that it was brought to pass by the power of

Jehovah superadded unto him, to work the great deliverance of _Hezekiah_

and his people. Upon which place the learned Expositor _John Calvin_

saith thus: _Solus quidem dominus satis per se potest, ac certè solus

nos servat: Angeli enim, manus quodammodo sunt ipsius: Unde etiam

Virtutes & Potestates vocantur. Interim hæc vis soli Deo tribuenda,

cujus organa tantummodo sunt Angeli, ne in superstitionem incidamus._

From whence we may note these two things. 1. That even Devils are but

the organs and instruments by which God accomplisheth his will, and

executeth his wrath and justice, and so are but as tormenters and

executioners to act no more than what they are appointed and commanded

to do. 2. We may observe that in times past they had large Commissions

given and great power superadded to perform great wonders for the

destruction of the wicked, which was done for great and extraordinary

ends, such as in these days the Lord doth seldom or never use, and

therefore there can be no reason now shewed why Devils should have any

extraordinary power added unto them in working strange feats for Witches

and Sorcerers.

[Sidenote: _De op. Dei_ _l._ 4. _c._ 4. _p._ 174.]

[Sidenote: 2 Pet. 2. 4.]

[Sidenote: Jude 6.]

[Sidenote: _Loc. Com._ _p._ 12.]

[Sidenote: Matth. 25. 41.]

5. It will much conduce to the clearing of this point of the power of

Devils to examine into what place they are faln, or since their

rebellion into what Prison they are shut, and this we shall give in the

Thesis of learned _Zanchy_ who saith thus: “All the evil Angels were

thrust down from Heaven, into places that are below the Celestial Orbs,

to wit into this air, and below, as it were into a caliginous Prison,

where they are reserved unto the Universal Judgment as bound with

chains.” And this is plain from the words of S. _Peter_, who saith: _For

if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell,

and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto

judgment_. To which accordeth that of _Jude_: _And the Angels that kept

not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved

in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great

day_. For as learned _Musculus_ tells us: _Decet Christianum hominem ea

modestia, & cautio, ut nihil affirmet, nec si quis alius affirmaverit,

inconsideratè recipiat, quod non certo veritatis testimonio è sacris

literis desumpto, confirmari queat_. To this we shall only add what the

acute and learned Theologue _Amesius_ notes upon this place of _Peter_,

which in English is this: “In general (he saith) we are taught, that

they did not keep their first estate, that is, they did forsake

righteousness and that station in which they were placed of God, and

afterwards they have exercised from the beginning, envy, lies and

murther against Men. Also (he saith) we are taught, that they were a

great number that were partakers of this defection, and therefore the

Apostle speaketh in the plural number. 1. They are said to be thrust

down _in Tartarum_ into Hell by reason of the commutation of estate and

condition, because that from a most high condition, which they received

by creation, they were cast down to an estate most low. 2. By reason of

commutation of place, because they were thrust down from a place of

beatitude, where they were conversant about the Throne of God with the

rest of the Angels, into an inferiour place subject to sin and misery.

But that this place is in the lowest parts of the earth, as the Papists

do hold, cannot be made forth from the Scriptures, but rather the

contrary, for they are said to be conversant, and to rule in the air,

and to walk to and fro in the earth seeking the subversion of Men. This

at the least is manifest from the Scriptures, and ought to satisfie

those that are not too curious. 1. That they suffer a great change of

estate and condition. 2. That they are excluded and shut out from their

first habitation. 3. That they are in such a place where they suffer

both the pain of loss and of sense. They are said to be delivered over

to darkness, partly in respect of sin, and partly in respect of misery;

for darkness in Scripture doth denote both: and they are said to be

delivered in chains, by a metaphor taken from facinorous persons, that

are condemned and kept bound in prison with chains, and the chains are

these. 1. Obfirmation or obduration in sins. 2. An utter despair of any

freedom or deliverance. 3. A terrible, expectation of extream misery,

and an horrid fear of being cast into the abysse or deep. 4. The

Providence of God which continually watches over their custody,

imprisonment, and punishment. They are said to be reserved to damnation,

because they are so bound up in these evils and miseries, that they

never can escape; and yet these are but the beginnings only of their

miseries, for they are hereafter _to go into that everlasting fire, that

is prepared for the Devil, and his Angels_.”

[Sidenote: Job 1. 7.]

[Sidenote: 1 Pet. 5. 8.]

[Sidenote: 1 Kings 22. 22.]

6. Though the Devils be said to be reserved in everlasting chains of

darkness, yet are they said sometimes to be loosed, and _to go to and

fro in the earth_, and to walk up and down in it, and _that Satan doth

like a roaring lion walk about seeking whom he may devour_. Which must

be understood (as we have shewed before) that in respect of his evil

will, malice and envy, he seeketh and desireth the overthrow of all

mankind, but yet is so restrained that he doth but act, what, where,

when and so far only as God doth limit and order him. For though it be

usually said that God doth permit him, yet it cannot be understood as a

bare and nude permission, as though God should suffer him to go so loose

and at liberty, that he may exert and exercise his power to the

uttermost, for then all the godly should be destroyed both in Souls and

Bodies, and God should only sit by as a bare spectator, not as an

Orderer, Ruler and Governour, even as though an hungry fierce Lion that

had been chained up in a grate, should be let loose to rage and run

where he would, and to kill and devour what he could, and thus the

Witchmongers do suppose of him, which is false and contrary to the

testimony of Gods word. But when the Almighty maketh use of Satan or his

Angels, they are only so let loose that he hath a hook in their

Nostrils, and their Necks in a chain, that they can act no more nor no

further than he ordereth, and gives them leave to accomplish, and thus

are they limited not only by his irresistible will and decree, but they

are also watched over and ruled by the good Angels that are as it were

their keepers and overseers. So when the Devil is used as an instrument

to afflict Holy _Job_, he is first let loose to afflict him in his

Children and Goods, but not to touch his Body; and the second time he

hath leave and power given him to lay his hand upon _Jobs_ Body, but not

to take away his life: which do plainly shew, that he is not only and

barely suffered to do what he will, but hath his limits set how far he

shall act, and no farther. And when God maketh use of him for the

punishment of the wicked, he giveth him power, and ordereth him how far

to act or prevail. As in the case of the lying spirit in the mouth of

_Ahabs_ Prophets, the evil spirit is sent forth with this commission,

_And God said thou shalt perswade him and prevail also: go forth and do

so_. By which it is manifest that he prevaileth more by the virtue of

Gods command and commission, than by his own proper created power.

[Sidenote: _Vid. Lambert. Dan. Isagog._ _c._ 24. _p._ 68.]

[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 10. 13.]

[Sidenote: _Exages. Aphor._ 14. _p._ 133.]

7. It is manifest that as the good Angels are the Ministers of God for

the Salvation of mankind, so the evil Angels are ministring spirits only

seeking the destruction and damnation of Men; and though God doth use

the Ministry of these that are evil and have an evil will, yet he useth

them well, and to good ends, that is, as the executioners of his justice

to chasten the godly, and to restrain, or destroy the wicked. Therefore

God and the Devil do not afflict, tempt or do any other thing for the

same ends; for God acteth to prove, preserve, and stir up to goodness,

but the Devil acteth to bring into sin and evil, to destroy and to bring

to despair, as is manifest in the History of _Job_. And therefore here

we may consider the several ways wherein God useth the evil Angels as

his instruments, and that is in these particulars. 1. God useth him

generally for temptation both of the good and the bad; so he tempted

_David_, Christ and the Disciples, for Satan had _desired to sift them

as wheat_, and therefore he is called ὁ πειρόζων, the tempter: and these

temptations are internal and spiritual, for _we fight not against flesh

and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places_. And in

these as far as concerneth the faithful, he acteth but only as God

permitteth or ordereth him, as is plain in the case of _David_, where

one Text saith, _Jehovah moved David to number the people_, and in

another place, _and Satan stood up, and moved David to number the

people_: where it is to be noted that God did it as the director and

orderer, and Satan performed it as his instrument and servant. And the

Apostle telleth us; _that God is faithful, and would not suffer the

believing Corinthians to be tempted above what they were able, but would

with the temptation also make a way to escape, that they might be able

to bear it_. 2. God maketh use of him for the chastisement and

affliction of the godly, as is most manifest in that of _Job_; but this

only so far as he is limited, ordered and commanded from God and no

further. 3. When Satan as a tormenting or punishing instrument is used

of God, he hath his commission given him how far only he shall act and

proceed, beyond which he cannot go one hairs breadth, as is manifest in

the case of _Ahab_ and the _Gadarens_ Swine, so that we may conclude

this with the learned Aphorism of _Piscator_ in these words: _Etsi autem

Satan seu Diabolus cum suis Angelis Deo et filiis Dei adversatur quantum

in ipso est, nimirùm voluntate et conatu: non tamen effectu; ita nimirum

ut vel fidelibus perniciem afferre, vel quicquam efficere possit quod

Deus nolit. Deus enim illum potentiæ suæ fræno vinctum constrictumq

tenet: ut ea modò exequatur quæ ei divinitùs mandata, aut concessa

fuerint._

8. Lastly, we shall now examine the particulars wherein learned _Zanchy_

doth acknowledge the faln Angels to have power over our and other

sublunary bodies, and they are principally these.

[Sidenote: _De oper. Dei._ _l._ 4. _c._ 10. _p._ 186.]

[Sidenote: Acts 8. 39, 40.]

1. Upon the supposition granted that the faln Angels have permission, he

holdeth that by their own proper created natural power, they can as they

please move in place: as to lift a Body up from the earth on high, and

then to let it fall or throw it down to the earth; that they can

transfer or carry a body from one City to another in a very short space

of time: Lastly, that they can move and agitate bodies with every kind

of local motion that none can resist them. And that therefore all those

strange transportations of Witches in the air into forraign and far

distant places (he holdeth) need not be thought strange or impossible,

and that they may be done with great celerity, and in a short time. And

this he thinketh he proveth by the example of _Philip, who when he had

instructed the Eunuch in the faith and baptized him, was caught away by

the spirit of the Lord, that the Eunuch saw him no more, and that he was

found at Azotus_. Upon which we must make these animadversions. 1. That

upon the supposition or ground that faln Angels are simply and meerly

incorporeal, this must be false, for then they cannot move in place, nor

agitate any bodies, as we have sufficiently proved before. 2. And though

upon the supposition that they are corporeal, they may move in place,

and may move and agitate other bodies, yet that must be understood in a

proportionable measure, according to their power and strength, and not

in an infinite, or indefinite respect; for though one Devil may be

supposed to move or lift up that which would load an Horse, yet it will

not follow that he can move or lift up as much as would load a Ship of a

thousand Tun; and though one Devil might remove a Millstone by his own

created power, yet it will not follow that he can remove the greatest

mountain that is to be found. 3. And whatsoever motion Devils may have

here in the air, or power to remove and agitate bodies, yet the least of

these cannot be performed but by licence and permission from God, which

licence and permission is always for ends agreeable to his Wisdom and

Justice; but for God to license or permit Devils to appear to Witches in

the shape of Cats, Dogs, Squirrels or the like, to the end to suck upon

their bodies or to have carnal copulation with them, or to transport

them in the air to places far distant, to dance, revel, feast and to do

homage to the Devil (as the Witchmongers alledge) is for so impure,

filthy, horrid and abominable ends, as can no way agree with the Wisdom

or Justice of the Almighty, and therefore must needs be false and

frivolous. 4. And that which the faln Angels are in the Scriptures

recorded to have performed, may be considered, whether they accomplished

those things by their own created power, or by the power of God granted

to them when they are sent forth to perform such or such an act: For as

it may not be rationally granted that the two Angels that were

instruments for the destroying of _Sodom_ and _Gomorrha_ did bring down

fire and brimstone from Heaven by their own created power, nor that the

destroying Angel in _Egypt_ did in one night kill all the first-born by

his own power, but by the power of the Almighty granted unto him in that

mission, so it is not rational to suppose, that although Satan might by

internal motions and spiritual temptations prevail with the _Sabæans_

and _Chaldæans_ who were his Vassals, wherein he could work what he

would, to take away the Oxen, Asses and Camels of _Job_, and to slay his

Servants: though (I say) he might do this by his created power; yet that

he should bring fire from Heaven to destroy the sheep, or that he by his

created power could raise such a wind, as could blow down the house in

which the Sons and Daughters of _Job_ were, and slay them, is not

probable, but that it was performed by that assisting power that was

granted him of God, to effect that affliction upon _Job_, that God had

determined for the trial and manifestation of his Faith and Patience,

which cannot in any reason be said to be done by Devils in their

transactions with Witches, and therefore must needs be Fables and

Chimeras. 5. And whereas he addeth that the Devils can perform all kind

of motions with natural bodies, and that none can resist them, it is too

large by far; for by that rule they might shake and remove the earth,

which they cannot do, for it abideth firm according to Gods appointment

in the creation: And it is absurd to think that the superior and good

Angels cannot resist them, who have far greater force and might than the

faln Angels have. 6. And whereas he would prove the power of Devils by

that of the spirit of the Lord conveying of _Philip_ from the Ethiopian

Eunuch, which supposing it to be a good Angel, it must likewise be

granted to be furnished from God to have that power to carry him away,

and doth not necessarily conclude that the Angel did it by its proper

created power: neither is the consequence good, to argue that what a

good Angel may do, that therefore a bad one may do the same or the like,

for their powers and strength are not equal, the one retaining what he

had by creation, the other losing much by reason of his rebellion and

fall; as an outlawed person hath not in a civil respect the same power

that another person hath that is under a legal capacity, and as a

prisoner that is loaden with chains, gives and fetters, can neither

walk, leap, or run so fast, as he that hath none, no more can the

fettered Devils move with that agility and celerity that the good Angels

can do that have no fetters nor chains at all.

[Sidenote: Apoc. 7. 2.]

[Sidenote: 2 Sam. 24. 16.]

[Sidenote: Acts 12. 23.]

2. A second kind of actions that he assigneth unto Devils is, that they

cannot only move bodies locally, but also can alter them diverse and

sundry ways, as to make hot things of cold, and so on the contrary,

white things of black, and black of white, and can make of fair things

deformed ones, and so on the contrary, and can make sound bodies sick,

and sick bodies sound, affecting them with various qualities. But these

particulars he leaves altogether without proof, except one Text in these

words: _And he cried with a loud voice unto the four Angels to whom it

was given to hurt the earth and the seas_. From whence we shall observe

these things. 1. It is granted that God doth make use of evil Angels to

punish the wicked, and to chastise and afflict the godly, and in the

effecting of these things that they have a power given them to hurt the

earth and the Sea and things therein, as to bring tempests, thunder,

lightning, plague, dearth, drought and the like; but that in the

effecting these things, they have a dative power above what they had in

Creation, and that they are commissioned and sent by God upon purpose to

fulfil and effect these things, and so are as the organs and instruments

to perform the will of God in his justice, and are always for such ends

as tend to the Glory of the Creator: But for Devils to be sent to play

such ludicrous, filthy and wicked tricks with Witches, as is commonly

affirmed, suits not at all with the Wisdom and Justice or Glory of God,

neither have we any such examples in holy Writ, no further, but that

Devils only are Gods Executioners or Hangmen. 2. It doth no where appear

that the Devils can alter, or change the shape or qualities of things at

his own will and pleasure, but the contrary is manifest in the Priests

of _Baal_ in the time of _Elijah_ upon the Mount _Carmel_, where their

Idols or Gods were to shew their power by firing the Sacrifice, a thing

which if Satan could have done for them with all his power, it had been

most advantagious for his Kingdom; but it is evident that he neither did

nor could procure as much fire as would burn the Sacrifice, though

earnestly called upon by his best Servants the Idolatrous Priests. But

thou wilt say, his power was then restrained and withholden at that time

from effecting any such thing. Well, grant it were so, what was the end

that God used that restriction upon him at that time for? was it not

because God would not contribute to magnifie the Devils Kingdom? nor to

suffer him any longer to deceive his people? But to discover the

weakness of his power, who is not able of his own created power, to

bring forth fire where there is none, not able to break a paper window,

unless he have leave and power given him from God. And therefore much

less can, for the magnifying of his own power, and to dishonour the

Creator, appear as a Cat, Dog, Squirrel or the like to Witches, suck

upon their bodies, have carnal copulation with them, or transport them

in the air, for this were to advance his credit too much, and utterly

derogatory to the Glory of God. 3. Concerning Satans being an instrument

and means to bring and cause diseases, it may be considered these two

ways. 1. In an ordinary way he seduceth and draweth men to gluttony and

drunkenness, by which way of ingurgitation and excess they draw and

contract to themselves diverse Diseases, as Coughs, Catarrhs, Dropsies,

Scorbutick Distempers and the like. Others he draweth to insatiable lust

and concupiscence, that thereby they fall into the _Lues Venerea_, and

the whole troop of those dire and horrid Symptomes that accompany it,

whereby Men and Women undergo great misery, pains, sickness, and

sometimes death. Sometimes he pusheth Men on so far in malice, wrath,

choler and passion, and many other such like ways, that they wound, lame

and sometimes kill one another; and in this sense he may be said to

cause diseases diverse ways. 2. But there is another way more

extraordinary wherein as an instrument he may be said to cause diseases

and sometimes death, as in that case of _Davids_ numbring of the people,

where there died of the Pestilence seventy thousand, and though this

Pestilence was sent by Jehovah, yet was a destroying Angel the

instrument and minister in the execution of it, for the Text saith: _And

when the Angel of the Lord stretched forth his hand upon Jerusalem to

destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the Angel

that destroyed the people, It is enough: now stay thy hand_. And _Herod_

for assuming to himself that honour that was only proper to God, _was

immediately smitten by the Angel of the Lord, and was eaten up of worms,

and gave up the Ghost_. And the Psalmist saith: _He cast upon them the

fierceness of his anger, wrath, indignation and trouble by sending evil

Angels among them_, the Hebrew giveth it, the emission or sending out of

evil Angels. From whence it is manifest that evil Angels are the organs

and instruments of Gods wrath, and as Ministers cause Plague, Pestilence

and other diseases. 3. Thirdly, there is another great question whether

or not the Devil by his vassals, to wit, Sorcerers and Witches doth not

cause diseases and death, as is believed by those vomiting up of strange

things exceeding the bigness of the Gullet to get either up or down, of

which we shall speak largely where we handle the opinion of _Van

Helmont_ concerning the actions of Witches: Here only we shall say thus

much, that the Devil is author and causer of that hatred, malice,

revenge and envy, that is often abounding in those that are accounted

Witches, which desire of revenge doth stimulate them to seek for all

means by which they may accomplish their intended wickedness, and so

they learn all the wicked and secret wayes of hurting, poysoning &

killing, but yet we affirm, that what evil soever they perform, it is by

causes and means that work naturally, and so the evil is only in the use

and application, and not in the efficients or means.

[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 12. 8, 9.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 107. 18, 20.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 54. 16.]

[Sidenote: _De inject. material._ _p._ 598.]

And whereas he holdeth that Devils as they can cause Diseases, so they

can cure them and take them away, we must crave to be excused if we

cannot subscribe to his opinion, and that for these reasons. 1. Because

of their causing of Diseases we have sufficient evidence in the

Scriptures, but of their curing of any, we have not any mention at all;

and though some will think this but weak because it is negative, yet it

is not probable, but as it expresseth the one fully, so it would have

given some hint of the other, if there had been any such matter. 2. But

the Scriptures do inform us, that the gift of healing or curing

Diseases, is not in the power of Devils by their Creation, much less

since as a gift bestowed upon them, but floweth solely from God by the

Ministry of good Angels, of whom _Raphael_ (that is, the Medicine or

health of God) is the chief. And that it is reckoned amongst the gifts

of the Holy Ghost is most plain: _For to one is given by the spirit the

word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit. To

another faith by the same spirit: to another the gifts of healing by the

same spirit_; but these gifts of healing are not given to Devils, but to

the chosen ones of God. And the Psalmist where he is speaking how God

afflicted and brought low the people of _Israel_ by reason of their

sins, saith: _Their soul abhorred all manner of meat, and they drew near

unto the gates of death, but he sent his word and healed them_. And God

declareth, that if his people _Israel_ would keep his Statutes, he would

bring none of those Diseases upon them that he had threatned, for (he

saith) _I am the Lord that healeth thee_, and this he doth by the

ministry of good Angels, or by natural means, and not by Devils. 3. That

Devils are no causers or instruments in curing Diseases is manifest,

because that were to make him act contrary to his original destination

after his fall, wherein in his own propriety, _he is a murderer from the

beginning_, and that both of souls and bodies, and never did, nor doth

any good to mankind, either spiritual or natural, either real or

apparent; for that were to act contrary to his will, nature and

disposition, and contrary to the Ordinance and appointment of God who

hath Created the destroyer to destroy. Therefore Satan after his fall

was not ordained of God to be an healer, preserver, or sanator of

diseases, but to be a destroyer, a wounder and murderer; for his nature

is become so wicked and malignant, that his whole endeavour is the

destruction of mankind, both in souls and bodies, and so no healer, no

not of the least infirmity. 4. But he is that grand Impostor, that by

lying, cheating and delusion, laboureth to make his Vassals and others

believe that he can cure and heal Diseases, when he can do no such

thing, and therefore hath and still doth amongst the Pagans, by the

wicked Priests his Slaves, make the people believe, that if the sick

persons be brought before their Idols, and there worship and pray, that

they shall be Cured, when there is not any jot performed in the way of

sanation, but what is by natural means, fancy, and imagination, or what

is pretended to be done so, by cheating, counterfeiting and imposture.

And the very same thing is practised by the Papists unto this day, in

the pretence of their false and lying Miracles, fathered upon their

Saints and Images, which are nothing else but lying cheats and

Impostures, as we shall fully make manifest hereafter. 5. The Devil

internally deludeth the minds of men, in making them believe, that

Pictures, Charms, Amulets, and such other inefficacious and ridiculous

means, have power to Cure these and these Diseases, when indeed they are

meerly inoperative, and effect nothing at all; but yet the Witchmongers

will needs have them to be _media operativa_, when they are utterly

inefficacious, and are only means of seduction and delusion, to alter,

change, or fortifie the imagination, by which alone the Cures (if any

such be effected) are brought to pass, and not by any power of the Devil

at all; and he operateth nothing at all in them, except a mental and

internal delusion, in making the Witchmongers and others believe, that

those things are wrought by a Diabolical Power, which are only performed

by the force of imagination, and a natural agency and virtue. 6. Again,

where there are many occult and wonderful effects wrought by natural

causes and agents, as by appensions of vegetables, animals, or their

parts, and minerals, by magnetism, as the Hoplochrism, Sympathetic

Powder, by Transplantation and many other very abstruse and secret wayes

and means, the Devil laboureth to take away the glory of these sanative

effects, both from God and his Instrument which is Nature, and to have

it ascribed unto himself; and in this the Witchmongers do him no small

service, in giving that power and honour unto the most wicked and

wretched of all Gods Creatures, that is only due to the Creator, and to

his instrument Nature. And to conclude this, I cannot but repeat that

excellent and Christian Sentence of _Helmont_: _Pigritiæ saltem enim

immensæ inventum fuit, omnia in Diabolum retulisse quæ non capimus_.

3. A third kind of power that he ascribeth unto Devils, is their

changing and transmuting of bodies, which is either in regard of

substantial transformations, or of those that are but in the external

figure or shape, or in the qualities, accidents and adjuncts only. Of

real transubstantiations, after a long dispute, he granteth, that they

cannot be brought to pass but by a Divine and Omnipotent Power, which we

have sufficiently proved before, and therefore shall forbear to say any

further of it here. And for what other portents, prodigies, or lying

wonders he can perform, we shall here examine and discuss them to the

full in this order.

[Sidenote: Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3, 5.]

[Sidenote: Deut. 18. 20, 21, 22.]

1. We shall pass by what may be thought of the strange feats the

Magicians of _Pharaoh_, or _Simon Magus_ did perform, as fully examined

and concluded before, and shall give those Texts of Scripture that

mention the signs and wonders that Antichrist and false prophets, that

are Satans Instruments, can or do work, and they are these. _If there

arise among you a Prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a

sign, or a wonder: And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he

spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods (which thou hast not

known) and let us serve them: Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of

that Prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth

you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart, and

with all your soul. And that Prophet, or dreamer of dreams, shall be put

to death, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your

God._—Another place is this: _But the Prophet which shall presume to

speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or

that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that Prophet shall die.

And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the

Lord hath not spoken? When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord,

if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the

Lord hath not spoken, but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:

thou shalt not be afraid of him._ From whence we may take these

Observations.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

[Sidenote: Jonah 3. 4.]

[Sidenote: _Orig. Sacr._ _l._ 2. _c._ 6. _p._ 193.]

1. That we may know he is a false Prophet, that speaketh a thing in the

name of the Lord, if the thing do not come to pass: But yet this must be

understood with limitation, where God sendeth a Message by a true

Prophet, where the thing is spoken positively, but the condition is

concealed, and not expressed, as in the Message of _Jonah_ to _Nineveh_:

_yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown_: which was intended if

they repented not, but implicitely was understood (as the event shewed)

if they did repent, the Lord would spare them: of which Learned D^r

_Stillingfleet_ hath this Proposition: “Comminations of judgments to

come do not in themselves speak the absolute futurity of the event, but

do only declare what the persons to whom they are made are to expect,

and what shall certainly come to pass, unless God by his mercy interpose

between the threatning and the event. So that Comminations do speak only

the _debitum pœnæ_, and the necessary obligation to punishment; but

therein God doth not bind up himself as he doth in absolute promises;

the reason is, because Comminations confer no right to any, which

absolute promises do, and therefore God is not bound to necessary

performance of what he threatens.”

[Sidenote: _Observ. 2._]

2. That there are those that do foretel, or shew signs and wonders, that

do come to pass, and yet those that foretel them are false Prophets,

because sometimes God sendeth false Prophets with power to work signs

and wonders, thereby to try his people, whether or no they will cleave

unto him with all their hearts and souls, or turn to other strange gods,

or Idols; and this is ordered by the Providence of God for the trial of

the faithful, as was in the Case of _Job_. But though these may be great

signs and wonders to amaze and amuse men, and likewise come to pass, yet

are they no true miracles, but are distinguished in this, that true

miracles are alwayes for the establishing and confirmation of the true

Doctrine and Worship of Christ, but the other are lying wonders, wrought

only to try the godly, or for the deluding and punishing of those that

received not the knowledge of the truth. And though there are, and may

be signs and wonders that are wrought by Antichrist and false Prophets,

by and in the power of Satan, yet these are all ordered by the Wisdom

and Providence of the Almighty, and Satan is no more but an organ and

instrument in the performance of them.

[Sidenote: Matth. 24. 24.]

[Sidenote: 2 Thess. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12.]

There are two other remarkable places of Scripture concerning the Devils

power in working signs and wonders, the first of which is this: _For

there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets, and shall shew great

signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they shall

deceive the very elect_. The other is this: _Even him whose coming is

after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying

wonders: And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness, in them that

perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might

be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that

they should believe a lie. That they all might be damned, who believed

not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness._ From whence we may

take these remarkable observations.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 1._]

1. Though there arise false Christs, and false Prophets, and even the

Antichrist himself, working after the power of Satan, with signs and

lying wonders; yet though Satan be the organ and instrument in

performing these lying wonders, God is the Author and efficient cause

that doth inflict them, because they are _mala pœnæ_, and come not by a

bare permissive power, but are inflicted by him as punishments upon the

wicked, even those that received not the love of the truth, and

therefore these lying wonders cannot possibly deceive the elect, but

prove all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; and

the reason why they are thus punished with the deceits and delusions of

Satan, is because they received not the love of the truth, and therefore

God doth send such strong delusion, that they might believe a lie, and

this he doth rightly and justly, that as _Beza_ notes, _Ita tamen ut

soli increduli sint illius fraude perituri_. Upon which place learned

_Rollock_ tells us this: “We are (he saith) to observe that Antichrist

is nothing else, but Gods Executioner by whom he punisheth those, by his

just judgment, who have not received the love of the truth, but have

contemned the Gospel: which is so far forth true, that if there had not

been, and now were a contempt of the truth, then altogether Antichrist

had not been, that is, the Executioner had not been, whom God sendeth to

execute his just judgment upon those that despise the truth of his

Gospel. So that it is manifest that God doth make a just, and good use

of the very malice, and lying nature of Devils, in punishing those that

did not receive the love of the truth, but deceiving them by strong

delusions that they might believe a lie; and this he doth as sent and

commanded of God, and so cannot go one jot further than his Commission,

or as far as he is limited by God.”

[Sidenote: _Observ. 2._]

2. We may observe that how great soever these signs and wonders be, yet

they are but lying ones, both in regard of the end for which they are

done, and in respect of their substance. And therefore how great soever

the signs and wonders be that evil Angels do perform, yet they are

totally different from true miracles, those being alwayes wrought for

the confirming of the true Doctrine and Worship of God, but these have

their end only to establish false doctrine, lies and erroneous opinions,

or Idolatrous Worships. So they differ in their substance, for those

miracles that God sheweth for the confirmation of his truth, are alwayes

true and real, being against and above the whole power and course of

nature, but those wonders wrought by Satan are but delusions, cheats,

juglings and impostures, which though they may seem strange to those

that are ignorant of their causes, yet do but all arise from natural

causes, or from artificial cunning, confederacy and the like. And

therefore we may conclude that what miracles soever are wrought by a

Divine Power, tend to the overthrow of Satans power in the world, but

all false miracles are wrought to uphold the power of Satans Kingdom in

the world, and following delusions, lies and false doctrines.

[Sidenote: _Observ. 3._]

[Sidenote: _Oreg. Sacr._ _l._ 2. _c._ 8. _p._ 253.]

[Sidenote: Psal. 72. 18.]

[Sidenote: _Id._ 77. 14.]

[Sidenote: Rom. 4. 17.]

3. Therefore what signs and wonders soever Satan doth work, they are no

real and true miracles, for as Dr. _Stillingfleet_ saith: “God alone can

really alter the course of nature. I speak not (he saith) of such things

which are apt 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.” And this cannot be

altered by any diabolical power, but only by that which is Divine and

Omnipotent, which never doth it but for considerable ends and important

causes, as may be manifest from these unshaken grounds. 1. That Devils

can work no true miracles is manifest from the definition of a miracle

which is this: _Verum miraculum est opus, quod fit præter, et contra

naturam et secundas causas, cujus nulla Physica ratio potest reddi_. But

Satan cannot alter or change the order and course of nature. Therefore

Satan cannot work or effect a true miracle. The proposition may be

illustrated by an induction made of many great miracles, of which there

is mention made in the Old and New Testament, all which are of that

sort, that are repugnant to the order and course of nature, and of which

no natural or physical reason can be rendered and given. Such were the

taking of _Enoch_ and _Elias_ into Heaven, the conserving of _Noah_ and

his Family in the Ark, the confusion of tongues at the building of

_Babel_, the fecundity of _Sarah_ being old and barren, the passage of

the children of _Israel_ over the red Sea and over _Jordan_, the

standing still of the Sun in the battel of _Joshuah_, its going back in

the dial of _Ahaz_, its eclipse at our Saviours suffering, the

preservation of _Daniel_ in the Den of the Lions, and of the three

companions of _Daniel_ in the fiery furnace, the preserving _Jonas_ in

the belly of the Whale, the raising up of the dead, and the curing of

the Man born blind, and all the rest of those most true and wonderful

miracles wrought by our blessed Saviour and his Apostles. 2. The

assumption of the Syllogism is thus proved. It is the part of the same

power to change the order of nature, and to create things that were not

existent, and so the mutation of the order of nature is a certain kind

of new creation. But Satan hath not power, by which he can create things

that as yet had no existence, as all persons of reason must needs

confess. From whence it must follow that Satan hath not power to change

the order of nature, and consequently that he cannot work true and real

miracles. 3. The working of true miracles is only a proper attribute of

God, and incommunicable to any creaturely power, for the Text saith:

_Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous

things_. And again, _thou art the God that dost wonders_. And these two

things the changing of the order of nature, and creation S. _Paul_

attributeth to God as only proper to him: _God who quickeneth the dead,

and calleth those things that be not, as though they were_. Upon which

_Beza_ gives this note: _Eo qui vitæ restituit. Apud quem jam sint quæ

alioqui reipsa non sunt, ut qui vel uno verbo quidvis possit ex nihilo

efficere._

[Sidenote: _Vid. Rolloc. in Thess._ 2.]

But if it be objected that though Satan and his Angels of themselves,

and by their own proper power, do not work true miracles, yet may not

God work real miracles by them, as he did by the Prophets, Apostles and

his Ministers? It is answered: That the wonders which are wrought by

Satan, do tend to that end, that they might confirm lies against God and

his glory. But God doth not accommodate his power, to confirm lies,

contrary to his glory, and against himself. Therefore Satan by the power

of God, as his Minister, doth not work true miracles, for God doth use

the faln Angels as executioners of his wrath and judgments, for the

afflicting and punishing of men, but when God worketh any thing for the

good of mankind, either in Soul or Body, he doth not use Devils as his

Ministers, but the good and blessed Angels, who are ministring spirits

sent forth for the good of those that shall be heirs of Salvation.

And if it be queried, what things and of what sort and kind, are those

wonders that are wrought by Satan and Antichrist? I answer, that either

they are indeed nothing but prestigious juglings and illusions: or if

they be any thing, they are not brought to pass contrary to the order of

nature and second causes, although they may seem so to us, who do not

know the causes that are in nature, so well as that old serpent: neither

do we apprehend the manner by which he worketh and acteth his tricks.

From which ignorance it proceedeth, that those wonders, that in

themselves are no true miracles, nor done contrary to the order of

nature, are by us taken to be true miracles.

[Sidenote: _De Oper. Dei_, _l._ 4 _c._ 12. _p._ 191.]

But we will draw towards a conclusion of this point, with that

definition and corollaries that learned _Zanchy_ gives us in these

particulars. _Miraculum (ait) igitur est externum & visibile, verum &

simpliciter mirabile factum, ad optimos fines atq; imprimis ad salutem

hominum, & ad Dei gloriam promovendam editum._ From whence these points

are to be observed.

1. That a Miracle is external and made visible. For so (he saith) are

all those things that we read of in Scripture that are taken to be true

miracles: And therefore that the pretended invisible miracle of

Transubstantiation (as they call it) in the ordinance of the Lords

Supper, is a meer figment, because no such thing was ever made visible,

or truely witnessed. But let us press this his argument a little

further. If it be (as indeed it must be) a certain property of a true

miracle that it be external and visible, that there may be witnesses of

it, otherwise that which none ever saw or knew may be the property of a

miracle: Then those great wonders that Witchmongers do affirm that the

Devil worketh with and for Witches, as having carnal copulation with

them, sucking upon their bodies, making a corporeal and oral league with

them, carrying them in the air, changing them into Cats or Dogs, must of

necessity be a meer figment and an impossibility: Because never yet

seen, witnessed, or proved by any that were of sound judgment, right

understanding or of clear reason, but are meerly the works of darkness,

having existence no where, but in the minds and brains of the

Witchmongers, who are ruled by the Prince of darkness.

2. A miracle ought to be really and truly done, that is, that indeed it

be such a thing as it appeareth, as the water that Christ changed into

Wine, was really such, that is, it was truely Wine to the sight and

taste of all those that drank of it. Therefore those things that are

brought to pass by the prestigious juglings of Devils and Magicians, are

indeed no true miracles. And to apply this to our present purpose, it is

manifest that those things that Witchmongers do believe that the Witches

do or suffer, as to fly in the air, to be present at dancings and

banqueting, and yet to remain empty and hungry, and the like, are but

meer delusory dreams and cheating fancies in their brains, and if any

thing be done _ad extra_, it is but meerly as Juglers do by drawing the

eyes from observing the manner of their conveyances, by substituting one

thing in the stead of another, and the like. So that at the best Satan

in respect of what he performeth in these aforesaid actions, is but as a

chief _Hocus Pocus_ fellow, or Jugler, and one that acteth to a worse

end, than our common Juglers do, who act but to move sport and delight,

and thereby to get something to be a livelihood, but Satan works his

tricks to blind and delude the Soul, and to lead it to error and

destruction.

3. A true miracle ought to be simply miraculous and wonderful, that is

with and unto all. And such are those miracles, whose causes are hid

from all, and therefore are those things that are done contrary to the

order of nature, by the only virtue and power of the Almighty God.

Therefore those things that are done by natural causes, though occult to

many, as are oftentimes done by Devils, are no true miracles. From

whence therefore we may conclude, that whatsoever is performed in

Physical actions, by natural causes, (and it is the general Tenent of

all, that Devils in these cases can work nothing but by natural causes,)

are no miracles, and that as they are agents, are not evil, but only

become so in the use and application.

4. Every true miracle is wrought above all for most good ends, and

especially for the Salvation of Men, and the true Glory of God. By this

particular therefore all those signs and wonders that are wrought by

Devils, are excluded from the name of true miracles, because they are

all wrought for evil ends, and contrary to the Glory of God, and for the

deceiving and perdition of Men. And therefore all prodigies wrought by

Devils, are called lies.

4. The fourth and last particular that he setteth down, that the Devils

have power in, and operate here below, is, that they can insinuate

themselves into and penetrate our bodies, and so move Men diverse ways,

driving them into the solitary places and Monuments, and by throwing

them into the fire or water, by strange tearing and tormenting of them,

and by many other ways, of which we shall only note these few things.

1. It is manifest that in the times of our Saviours being here upon

earth, and his Disciples, that there were many Demoniacks or Men

possessed with Devils, or Men that were devillished, or over whom the

Devil exercised an effective and ruling power, and the reason was plain

and manifest, for our blessed Saviour being to establish the Doctrine of

the Gospel, by great and true miracles, it was necessary that there

might be fitting subjects for the effecting of such stupendious miracles

in and by, and therefore the Father in his providence had prepared and

provided Lunaticks, Demoniacks, those that were born blind, and other

strange Diseases that the power of Christ and his Apostles might be

manifest in their miraculous cures. But whether or no that Devils have

at all times the same power over mens bodies is much to be doubted,

there being not the same causes or ends for permitting the same now that

was at that season, as we perhaps shall shew hereafter.

2. The manner of the Devils possessing of the minds and bodies of Men,

he laboureth to prove, to be essential and personal, and not virtual and

effective, which he thinketh he sufficiently proveth by the words _to

enter_, and _to dwell_, of which we shall only say this.

1. That upon the supposition that Devils are corporeal and have thin,

pure and etherial bodies, it may be granted that they may really and

substantially enter into bodies, for he saith: _Dæmones autem habent

corpora aerea, et aere etiam subtiliora et tenuiora. Deindè, ut

Tertullianus ait, Dæmones sua hæc corpora contrahunt, et dilatant, ut

volunt, sicut etiam lumbrici, et alia quædam insecta. Ita difficile

illis non est penetrare in nostra corpora._

[Sidenote: _Vid. Dialog. disc. of Spir. and Devils_, _Dialog._ 2. _p._

34. _&c._]

2. But secondly, there is none of those places that he citeth, nor any

other that signifieth a local, or personal possession, or any such local

inherency in the bodies of Men, but only a spiritual rule, _he_ (that is

Satan) _worketh in the children of disobedience_, or an effective

dominion over them, by which he doth actually afflict, vex and torment

Men sundry and diverse ways. Neither is the word _Dæmonizomenos_

translated or understood by learned Men of an essential, or personal

possession of Devils to be inherently in men, but only of an effective

dominion in afflicting and tormenting of them.

[Sidenote: Ephes. 3. 17.]

[Sidenote: John 13. 2. 27.]

[Sidenote: Acts 5. 3.]

[Sidenote: Luke 8. 33.]

[Sidenote: Mark 5. 13.]

[Sidenote: Matth. 8. 32.]

3. And this is most manifest, that as the Text saith, _that Christ may

dwell in your hearts by Faith_, where it were absurd to understand by

Christs dwelling in the hearts of the faithful, a personal, essential or

substantial dwelling, but only an effective one, because he worketh

effectually in them by his spirit: Even so were it absurd to take the

other places of entring into, and dwelling there, in so gross, and

literal a sense, as personally to inhabite, but only effective by his

power and dominion. For though the Text saith; that _after the sop,

Satan entred into Judas_, yet in the same Chapter the Evangelist

expoundeth what manner of entrance it was; not a personal one, but an

effective one by putting, or darting it, βεβληκότος, into _Judas_ heart

to betray his Master. And whereas it is said that Satan had filled the

heart of _Ananias_ to lie to the Holy Ghost, no man can rationally

understand it of a personal and essential repletion, but only of an

effective one, having by his power seduced the heart of _Ananias_, and

filled it with deceit by his effectual operation, and not otherwise. And

whereas it is said by S. _Luke_ and S. _Mark_, of the legion of Devils

that our Saviour did cast out, that they entred into the swine, εἰ

σῆλθεν εὶς τοὺς χοίθους S. _Matthew_ makes it clear, saying, _they went

into the herd of swine_, εὶς τιὼ ἀγέλιω τῶν χοίρων, _in gregem_, or as

_Tremellius_ renders it _ad gregem porcorum_, by which it is manifest

that they did go amongst, or into the herd of Swine, and put them into

such a fright or fury, by an effective power working upon them, that

they ran down a steep place into the Sea, and perished in the waters;

but not that they did personally and essentially enter into the bodies

of the Swine, for that were absurd and needless, for the Swineherd can

with his Horn and Whip drive them without creeping into their bellies,

and much more might the Devils drive them into the Sea (according to the

Proverb, They must needs run whom the Devil drives) without a personal

and local being in their bellies as though a Piper cannot effectively

play several tunes upon his Pipes, except he creep into them.