SECT. 1. Of the causes which leades men into Atheisme.

VVHen the shallow braine of man cannot com­prehend the infinite God,The first cause that moves men to be A­theists. because he cannot comprehend him with his poore understanding, he be­ginnes by and by to despise him: and so Sathan leades the poore wretch to Atheisme, Thou canst not compre­hend him, therefore reject him. That which should most diswade man from Atheisme, and lead him most to wor­ship the true God: Sathan uses it as a snare to draw him [Page 4] from God; for if we could comprehend God, he could not bee God: And if our minde could comprehend God, we should not be finite but infinite; and so conse­quently we should be Gods. We doe not comprehend God, but apprehend him onely, as the Schoolemen speakes.

The second cause.Secondly, when men commit wickednesse, they stu­dy by all meanes to escape the punishment, He lyeth in waite to catch the poore, and sayes in his minde, God hath forgotten, he hideth his face he will never see it. Psal. 10.9. And even as rebels after they have conspired a­gainst their soveraigne being guilty of Laesmajestie, they study to destroy all the rolles and registers, and that the King himselfe bee put from his throne, that they may escape all punishment which they are liable unto. And as those who are addebted to others, wishes all the bonds and obligations, (whereby they are bound to re­pay) were burnt. So Atheists, and those who despise God, casting off the yoke of obedience, that they may worke sinne with greedinesse, denies altogether God and his scriptures.

The third cause.Thirdly, if it fall out that sometimes the Atheist bee stirred up from this his Lethargy, and beginne to seeke any thing at the hand of God, hee doth it but coldly and faintly. And if the Lord grant not to him his de­sire according to his minde; either he denieth God al­together, or doubts at least whether there be a God or not. Iob 22.15. What is the Almighty that wee should serve him, and what profit shall we have if we pray unto him. So when the Israelites wanted water in the wildernesse, Exod. 17.7. they beganne to say, Is the Lord amongst us or not.

The fourth cause.Fourthly, the constant course of nature, and the wheeles mooving one within another, and turning a­bout in the selfe same manner, mooves the Atheist to [Page 5] Atheisme, 2 Pet. 3.4. Where is the promise of his com­ming, for since the Fathers fel asleepe all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. But to those who lookes more neerely to the works of Gods provi­dence, and to the connexion of causes; It is manifest, that the second causes are alwaies mooved by the first cause. And those who acknowledged the world to bee crea­ted (as they did) must acknowledge also that hee hath power to dissolve it.

SECT. 2. Of the diverse wayes how the word Atheist is taken; and of the sundrie sort of Atheists.

FIrst, this word Atheist is taken for him who wor­ships not the true God, Ephes. 2.12. Having no hope, How many wayes this word atheist is taken. and without God in the world. Secondly, those who worships the true God, and false gods; are Atheists, as the Samaritans. Thirdly, those who worships the true God, by false meanes are Atheists, as the Iewes, and Turkes. But those properly are Atheists, who hath no God at all, and there are sundry sorts of them.

First, some Atheists, who denyes altogether that there is a God, as Diagoras. Secondly, others doubted whether there was a God or not, as Protagoras. Who said, Si Deus est unde prodeunt mala, si non est unde bona. That is, if there be a God, whence commeth evill, and if there be not a God, whence commeth good things. Thirdly, those who granted that there was a God, but denyed that he had any care of things below here. But enjoyed himselfe quietly in the Heavens, Such was Epicurus. Fourthly, Democratus, and Leueippus, and [Page 6] those who held that all things were ruled by a fatall ne­cessity.

The contradicting A­theist.Those Atheists againe are divided into the contra­dicting Atheist, who denies God and all religion. The second is the scepticke Atheist,The scepticke atheist. The physicall atheist. The stupide atheist. disputing by way of Probleme, whether there be a God or not. The third is the Physicall Atheist, who measures all things by the law of nature. The last is the stupide or blockish A­theist.

The first sort of Atheist denying God altogether, are directly opposite to the Christian, and in part onely to the Physicall Atheist. The Physicall Atheist, and con­tradicting Atheist, are semiantipodes, halfe opposite: but the Christian is directly opposite to him, and they are very antipodes.

The second Atheist is the disputing Atheist, or scep­ticke, he propones whether there be a God or not, and while he hanges in aequilibrio, betweene the two, yet he inclines more to the negative than to the affirmative part; and him we call dubitabundum Atheum, the doub­ting Atheist, and he is in the middest as it were betwixt the contradicting Atheist, and the Physicall Atheist.

The third is the Physicall Atheist, who is so taken up with those things which he perceives by sense, that hee never lifts up his minde to those things which savours of metaphysicks, and far lesse to those things which sa­vours of divinitie, and he is so drowned in natura natu­rata, that he never thinks of natura naturans; that is, he is so drowned in nature below here, that he never lookes up to God, who is the God of nature. And the common saying may be applied well to him, Where there is three Physitians there are two Atheists. And as those who are borne in the bordering Country, ye can hardly discerne by their language what country men they are. So it is hard to tell whether this Physicall Atheist comes [Page 7] neerer to the scepticke or contradicting Atheist.

The fourth is the stupid Atheist, who by stupidity and blockishnesse quenches that light of nature, which is inbred in all men. And if it fall out at any time (which seldome happeneth) that he stirre up this in­bred light, then it befalleth him as it doth those who hath some Lucida intervalla, that is, some cleare inter­missions, in the midst of their madnesse, but afterward they are more madde then they were before. So those Atheists, after they have quenched those sparkes of light, they are more stupide then ever they were. This Atheist is a midst as it were, betwixt the disputing A­theist, and the Physicall Atheist.

Men are most discerned by their tongue,The atheists are descer­ned by their language. what coun­try men they are, and whence they fetch their pede­grees. The Christian man is [...], who speakes the language of Canaan, who prayses God, and worships him, and the Atheist is opposite to him, who is [...], and of a strange language. Although the Atheists be [...] inter se, of one language amongst themselves. The contradicting Atheist is [...]. Who setteth his mouth against the Heavens, Psal. 73.9. Such as was that beast Diagoras.

The second is the Physicall Atheist, who is [...], sive impeditae linguae, who lispes sometimes, and stammers, that there is not a God.

The third is the scepticke Atheist, and he is, [...] disputing, pro & contra, on both sides.

The fourth is the Stupide Atheist, who is [...] scarce having a tongue, and dumbe when hee should praise God.By what arguments a­theists are to be reluted onely by reason.

All these Atheists which we have reckoned up, must be refuted by the principles of nature onely, for all o­ther arguments they scorne. When we dispute against a Turke, we may bring the Alkoron against him, when [Page 8] we dispute against a Iew, we may bring the old Testa­ment, and the Thalmud against him, when we dispute against a Saducee, or a Samaritane, wee may bring the five bookes of Moses against them, When we dispute against a Pagan, we may bring the wise sayings of the heathen against him. But nothing will serve against the Atheist, but onely to bring him to the barre of Reason, and God hath left this reason within him to con­vince him, and make him inexcusable.

How Atheists denies the first principle, that there is a God. Object. But wee cannot dispute against him who de­nies the first principles, the Atheist denies the first prin­ciple, that there is a God: Therefore we cannot dis­pute against him.

Answ. The Atheist denies this first principle, onely in his Iollity, and wantonnesse; But when he is put to it in distresse, and God beginnes to frowne upon him, then he is forced to confesse, that there is a God. The foole saith in his heart that there is not a God, Psal. 14.1. The heart is taken three wayes in the Scriptures, first, for the reasonable faculty of the soule, The Lord is said to give Salamon a heart like the sand of the sea, 1 King. 4.29. that is, a heart that could understand and apprehend all things, the foole labours to obscure this principle, in his understanding: Secondly, the heart is taken for the will and affections, Psal. 119.36. Incline mine heart to thy law, and not to covetousnesse, that is my will and af­fections; So 2 Cor. 6.11. My heart is enlarged to you Co­rinthians, that is my will and affections. And in this sense the foole wishes in his heart that there were not a God to punish him, and to take order with him for his offences. Thirdly, the heart is taken for the conscience, Davids heart is said to smite him, 1 Sam. 24.5. that is, his conscience smote him. The foole can never get this principle, blotted out of his conscience. But still he must be inforced to grant that there is a God, when his con­science is wakened.

The conscience in the Syriack is called Tira, Tara [...] consci­entia from [...] figu­ravit. Rom. 2. forma mentibus impressa, there are some lineaments drawne in the conscience which cannot be blotted out, which Iamlicus de mysterijs, chap. 11. calls a touch of the dietie.

Things are not hidden in the conscience, as in sinking paper, where the letters can never be reade, but they are written in the conscience, as letters are written with the juyce of an Onyon, where the letters at the first are not legible, but hold them to the fire a little, and then they beginne peece and peece to be legible; So the things written in the conscience, although at the first they seeme not legible, yet hold them a little to the fire of Gods wrath, they beginne presently to be legible: as the letters which were written upon the wall with a finger to Belthasar; there sinne is written with the point of a Diamont, and with a pen of iron, Ier. 17.1. Salo­mon sayes, Prov. 26.3. that the whip is for the fooles backe: when God beginnes to whip these fooles, the Atheistes, then they confesse that there is a God. In their jollity amongst their companions they can pro­pound this question, whether there be a God or not? but when they are brought to the gallowes, and the rope about their necks, then they beginne to cry pec­cavi, and confesse that there is a God indeede. There was controversie betwixt the Stoickes, and Peripate­tickes; The Stoicke held that man had no passions in him, and that he was [...]; the Peripatetickes held the contrarie: Now, it fell out upon a time, that a Stoicke and an peripateticke were sailing together in one shippe; there arose upon a sudden a great tempest upon the sea, the Stoicke began to looke pale, the Peripateticke mar­ked this, and reasons this wayes against the Stoicke, thou lookes pale Stoicke, therefore thou art not [...], without passions. He could not free himselfe of feare [Page 10] when he was in danger to be cast away. So, although A­theistes given to their lusts, belch forth sometimes that there is not a God, yet in their distresses they are infor­ced to grant it. And as Tertullian writing against the Gen­tile. (who worshipped many gods) observeth well in sport, yee worship many Gods, but when ye are in di­stresse yee looke not to the capitall, where your many gods are, but ye looke up to the heavens, where the one­ly true God dwels. So Atheistes are inforced to grant, that in their perplexities, which they denied in sport.

Object. But how can we prove by reason against A­theistes, that there is a God, seeing to beleeve that God is, is an article of our faith; and that which we be­leeve, is not taken up by reason, but by faith?

Ans. Some articles of our faith are onely beleeved; as the mystery of the Trinity, and the Incarnation of Christ: reason hath never place in these: There are other articles of our faith againe, that are both belee­ved and taken up by reason; as the creation of the world, and the immortalitie of the soule, these may be proved by reason, and that there is a God.

Quest. When we dispute against an Atheist proving that there is a God; whether dispute we against him as Divines; or as Physitians doe, who brings their proofes from nature onely?

Answ. We dispute against them as Divines, although we use natural midses to this purpose,Some articles of our faith are both beleeved and taken up by reason. we dispute not as Physitians: Round wounds or circular are hardlier cu­red then long wounds, although the Chirurgian prove this by principles of Geometrie, yet he cures not the wound as a Geometritian, but as a Chyrurgian: So al­though the Divine proves there is a God by midses taken from nature, yet hee concludes not as a Physitian, but as a Divine.

There are devils, there­fore there must be a God. Argu. 1. Atheistes cannot denie, but that there are [Page 11] devils, and if they grant that there are devils, they must grant also that there is a God. But perhaps they will denie that there are devils, what will they say then to the Demoniackes that are possessed, and in strength sur­passes many men; and sometimes they speake both Greeke and Hebrew, being Idiots, and unlearned, and if there were not such a spirit in them, how could they doe these things, and the devils being of such power, and so malicious and cruell, if there were not a superiour power to bridell them, and to restraine their wickednesse, they would presently turne all things upside downe. Socrates being accused of Atheisme, answered, that he beleeved alwayes that there were ge­nij, both good and evill.

Argu. 2.The conscience of man proves that there is a God. The second reason to prove that there is a God, is taken from the conscience of man; when a man commits a secret sinne, which none is privie to, Iustice requires that this sinne be punished, and punished it cannot be unlesse there be both a witnesse, a Iudge, and a sentence given out. This witnesse beares record, but before whom? not before man, for no man knowes the fact. This witnesse then must testifie before a higher Iudge, before whom all things are knowne. Darius made a decree, Ezr. 6.11. that whosoever should alter his word, that the timber should be pulled downe from his house, and being set up, that hee should be hanged thereon. So the great King of Kings, ordaines, that men should be tried by their owne conscience, and the timber of their owne house to torture them before him, who is the great Iudge.Bernard de interiore domo, cap. 14. It was well said by Ber­nard, In domo propria, & propria familia, habeo accusato­res, testes, judices & tortores, accusat me conscientia, testes est memoria; Iudex substitutus est ratio, voluptas est carcer: Timor tortor, oblectamentum tormentum, quotquot enim fuerunt oblectamenta mala, tot erunt tormenta dira in paena [Page 12] nam inde puniuntur, inde delectantur, In my owne house, and at home, I have the accusers, witnesses, Iudges, and torturers, my conscience accuseth me, my memorie is the witnesse, my reason is the subordinate Iudge, plea­sure is the prison, feare is the torturer, delight is the tor­ment; for in whatsoever pleasure a man hath taken de­light in, with as many torments shall hee be punished. The Lord the great Iudge hath appoinied this consci­ence as his deputie, to testifie for him, and to convict the evill doers.

Argu. 3. The diversitie of the faces of men proves that there is a God against the Atheist,The diversitie of the fa­ces of men proves that there is a God. for looke upon a company where there are tenne thousand men, yee will see them all distinguished by their faces, this distinction of the faces of men is most necessary for the preserva­tion of the societie of men. The diversitie of tongues was a great judgement to the world, Gen. 11. that one of them could not understand another. But this distin­ction of faces is a great blessing to the world, for with­out it no societie could stand; then the husband should not know his wife from another woman, neither should the father know his children from other men, and if the malefactor were not taken in the very fact he needed not to be afraid.S. Austine cap. 8. ad­versus paganos. Saint Augustine writing against the Panims, calles this diversitie of faces a great miracle: Men are distinguished from other, sometimes by some marke, as the Iewes who lives amongst Christians. But these markes may alter and be changed: So men are distinguished by their languages, and by their dialects, as amongst the Iewes, some said Shibboleth, and others said Sibboleth, Iudg. 12.6. So these about Ierusalem had a proper dialect to themselves [...], Act. 2.8. So Peter was knowne to be a Galilean, by his speech, Matth. 26.73. and so the Levite, Iudg. 18.3. was knowne by his dialect, but these may soone varie, and so doth [Page 13] not the faces of men.Many things distin­guisheth man from man but the face above all. This diversitie of the faces of men, proves that there is a God, for this diversitie of fa­ces comes, either from nature, from chance, or from God; here is not a fourth. This diversitie of faces comes not from nature, for nature endeavours alwayes to bring forth things alike, as in a bushell of barley,This diversitie of faces comes neither from na­ture, nor from chance, but onely from God. or wheate, wee see all the graines alike: This diversitie of faces, proceedes not from chance; If a man throw a die, and desire alwayes a diverse number to fall out to him, yet not withstanding, the same number shall oc­curre to him often, which argues that this diversitie of faces, comes not from chance. It rests then that this diversitie of faces comes onely from God, who hath onely distinguished the faces of men, for the preserva­tion of societie amongst men.

Object. But if they say that this diversitie of faces comes from phansie; then I would aske them, seeing phansie is seene more in beasts than in men? what is the reason that there is no such diversitie amongst beasts, as there is amongst the faces of men; therefore it rests, that it is onely God who makes this diversitie of faces.

Argu. 4. Non datur progressus in infinitum, We cannot be led from Iudicatorie to Iudica­torie, therefore at last wee must stay at the barre of the Iudgement of God. wee can­not make an infinit progresse in things, but we must rest in one chiefe and supreme cause. If a man be condem­ned by an inferior Iudge, and the sentence be just, then it is altogether unlawfull for him to appeale; but if he be wrongfully judged by an inferiour Iudge, he may appeale to his superior, as Saint Paul did to Ce­sar, Act. 25. Nam appellatio est defensio justa & innocen­tiae praesidium: An appeale is a just defence and a safetie of ones innocencie; and the law of nature teacheth us this, that a man is bound to stand in defence of his owne life, as farre as he can by lawfull meanes, neither doth he wrong to any, when hee stands thus in his owne de­fence; and as in naturall causes, the inferiour causes, are [Page 14] subordinate to the influx of the superiour. So in cases morall, the inferiour Iudges, are subject to the superiour, and if they proceede not aright in judging, then they are not their deputies, and the partie wronged may seeke for redresse at the superiours hands; and because men should not be led from judicatorie to judicatorie, there are in all well constitute common wealths, some supreme judicatorie, from the which men may not ap­peale, as in Iudea the great Synedrion, in Athens, Areo­pagus, and in Rome, the Senate; but because all men may doe wrong and erre in judgement; the last and su­preme Iudge is God himselfe, to whom men appeales. He is the judge of the whole earth, who cannot but judge rightly, Gen. 18.25. Hee when he enquires for bloud, forgets not the bloud of the poore, Psal. 9. Who sayes, Bene appellatum sed male Iudicatum: He approves the appeale, but dislikes the wrong judgement. By this the Atheist may understand that there is a God, who is the Iudge of all.

A comparison betwixt the Christian, the De­vill, and the Atheist.Let us make a comparison betwixt the Christian, the Devill, and the Atheist: The Christian by a justi­fying faith, beleeves that there is a God, and he workes out his salvation with feare and trembling: The devill by an historicall faith, beleeves, that there is a God, Iam. 2.19. and feares and trembles, but hopes not for salvation; but the Atheist he trembles onely, neither beleeves he by a justifying faith as the Christian doth, neither by an historicall faith, as the devils doth, there­fore he is worse than the devill in this point.

A comparison betwixt Balaam and the Atheist.Secondly, let us compare the worst of men, and the Atheist together, let us compare the Atheist and Balaam the Diviner; Balaam said, Num. 23.10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his. Ba­laam beleeved the immortalitie of the soule, and the happinesse of the life to come; but the Atheist beleeves [Page 15] neither of these two; therefore the Atheist is worse than Balaam the Diviner.

Thirdly,A comparison betwixt the Saducee and the A­theist. let us compare the Atheist with the Sadu­cee; the Saducees beleeved not the immortality of the soule, neither the resurrection of the body, yet when they were demanded, Why then study ye to keepe the com­mandements of God, they answered, That it might goe well with them in this life; they admitted also the five Bookes of Moses: but the Atheists, they acknowledge not the immortalitie of the soule, nether study they to observe the commandements of God, that it may goe well with them in this life; neither admit they any Scripture, therefore they are worse than the Sa­duces.

Fourthly,A comparison btwixt the Epicure and the A­theist. let us compare the Epicure and the A­theist: the Epicure denies all Religion, that hee may prove the soule to be mortall; as Lucretius did, follow­ing Epicurus: Therefore he falls upon this conclusion, 1 Cor. 15. Let us eate, let us drinke for to morrow we die; That is, we shal be quite extinguished in soule and body, and there shall be no more of us than of beasts when they are knockt in the head: But the Atheist gos further than the Epicure; for he denies all Religion, and the im­mortalitie of the soule, that he may come to his conclu­sion that there is not a God; these three go alwayes in­separable together. If the soule be immortall, then there must be a Religion, and if there be Religion, there must be a God.

Lastly,A comparison betwixt the d [...]vill alone and the Atheist. let us compare the Atheist and the devill a­lone, the devill acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of the most high God, Mark. 5.7. Secondly, he wor­shipped, vers. 6. Thirdly, adjures Christ, v. 7. and ac­knowledged, that an oath is the bond of the soule, Num. 30.2. Lastly, he knowes that there is a day ap­pointed, when God shall come to judge the world, [Page 16] Matth. 8.29. but the Atheist, neither acknowledge Christ to be the Sonne of the most high God, neither worships he Christ. He cares not for an oath, which is the bond of the soule, neither expects hee the last day of Iudgement; therefore in these he is worse then the devill.

The Atheist should die the death.These Atheists should die the death; Whosoever wor­shipped strange Gods should die the death, Deut. 13.9. And Asa, 2 Chro. 15.15. enlarges this threatning; Whosoever would not seeke to the Lord God of Israel, should die the death: Much more then should these die the death, who denies the true God. And the Heathens judged that A­theists should die the death, as Laertius witnesseth of that wicked Theodorus, who was condemned in Areo­pago propter [...]. he was condemned for Atheisme: and Socrates (as this same Laertius witnesseth) quod non eosdem, atque civitas deos pictaret, & quod nova numina inveheret, hee because hee beleeves not in these gods which the rest of the citie beleeved in, and studied to bring in new gods amongst them.

When there was no king in Israel, every man did that which seemed good in his owne eyes, Iudg. 17.6. So when men beleeve that there is no good, what marvell is it that they runne not into all sinnes and abomina­tions?Atheisme is the center of all sinnes. This Atheism, is the center of all sinnes; and the Atheist is the vilest of all creatures, wherefore let us abhorre Atheisme above all other sinnes, and shunne the company of these damnable Atheistes, who are ap­pointed for hell and damnation.

SECT. 3. Of Superstition.

THe ignorance of God hath two rivers proceeding from it; the one is Atheisme,The ignorance of God breeds Atheisme and superstition. and the other is Superstition; and as seed sowne in some hard ground, brings forth no fruit at all, but in other ground it grows so ranke and luxurian, that the labourer reapes no pro­fit of it. The Atheist is like unto hard ground where no corne growes; the Superstitious againe exceedes in his worship, and runnes as farre unto the other extre­mitie.

This superstition is called [...], from [...], timeo, metuo, & [...] numen.

It is a good observation of Tertullian, Verity in the midst suf­fereth betweene two extreames. that as Christ suffered betwixt two theeves; so veritie suffereth be­twixt the two extremes. The Heathen held a multitude of gods to be worshipped, and they denied unitie. The Iews again holds unitie worshipping one God, but denies the Trinity of persons: Here trinitie and unitie suffereth in the middest betwixt the two extremes as Christ did in the middest betwixt two theeves. So Eu­tiches confounded the persons; and Nestorius divided Christ into two persons, veritie suffered in the midst here: so in the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.12. Some held that they were onely Christs, others called them­selves after Apollo, and others Cephas; veritie suffered in the midst here; for we must fo [...] [...]nour Christ, that we despise not his Ministers; and wee must so respect his Ministers,Atheisme and supersti­tion are the two ex­treames, and true reli­gion suffereth in the midst. that we depend not upon them in matters of salvation, and so here [...], and [...], Atheisme and Superstition are the two extremes, and [...], the true worship of God suffers in the midst.

This Superstition exceedes in worship, and offers more to God than he requires at their hand, Esa. 1.12. and as the Lord forbids to be too just, Eccles. 7.16. so he forbids men to exceede this way, and to runne into superstition.

Quest. How can a man exceede in the worship of God?

Answ. in theogicall vertues, as they are theologicall, a man cannot exceede but onely in the circumstances, as when a man hopes hee must take heede what hee hopes for, how he hopes, and when; so a man cannot exceede in justice, in respect of justice it selfe, but in re­spect of the circumstances. This justice may degene­rate, and may exceed; as when the Iudge considers not where or whom he should judge, or how hee should judge.

No theologicall nor morall vertue can ex­ceede in it selfe but onely in respect of circumstances men does exceede.This superstition the mother of it is ignorance, Ioh. 4. Yee worship yee know not what; the companion of it is hypocrisies, the daughters of it are [...], will wor­worship, and idolatrey; and it is found more in women then in men, Act. 13.50. and in the ignorant more than the learned; and it is like wine which runnes into a mans head, and makes him giddy, whereas true worship is like wine which goes to the heart and cheares it.

What are the mother and daughters of super­stition.This superstition is hardly rooted out, jelousie, fren­sie, and heresie, and superstition are hardly rooted out; take but the example of the Iewes, who will not eate of the hollow of the thigh never since Iacob halted upon his thigh, saith Moses, untill this day, Gen. 32.32. and it continues amongst the Iewes untill this day now, for they will not eate of that at all, but sels it to the Chri­stians,Superstition is hardly rooted out of the heart The superstitious are si­nistrous in their con­clusions. and if the Christians will not buy it, they throw it to the dogges.

The superstitious are most sinistrous in their conclu­sions, because the nailes pierced the Lords hands, and [Page 19] feete, and the whip whipped him, therefore they will worship them. The Philistims will not set their foote upon the thresholds of the doore, 1 Sam. 5.5. because Dagon fell and brake his necke upon the threshold of the doore; but they should rather have set their foote upon the necke of Dagon, and treade upon him, because that Dagon could not preserve himselfe, that he breake not his necke.

Let us compare the religious,A comparison betwixt the religious and super­stitious. Plutarch de supersti­tione. and the superstitious to­gether; the superstitious finds no comfort in his Religi­on, as the religious doth. The Church to the religious is a place of pleasure, but to the superstitious, it is a place of torment; and therefore their Idols are called terri­culamenta, Ier. 50.38. & tormina, in the temple hee is punished and vexed, there he holds up his trembling hands, and he goes no otherwayes to the temple, than if hee were going to the den of Beares or Lyons.

The labourer after his labour findes his sleepe com­fortable unto him, Eccles. 5.12. but the superstitious is as much troubled, when hee sleepeth,The superstitious is troubled as well in his sleepe as when he a­wakes. as when hee wa­keth. Heraclitus was wont to say, that there was one common world for all men, and that men when they sleepe, they goe every one into their severall world; but the superstitious, when he sleepeth is still in the common world, because hee is not freed from that which troubled him when he was awaked, dormit ratio sed vigilat semper metus, his reason is asleepe, but his feare alwayes waketh. It is a terrible thing to live un­der the power of a tyrant, but to live under a good king, or free common wealth, this is most comfortable: but those who feare God as though he were a tyrant; whe­ther shall they flie from him? If they take the winges of the morning, and flie a farre off, yet hee is before them, and where shall they hide them from him? The Law grants this to servants, when they are desperate [Page 20] and out of hope of libertie, they may begge that they may be sold and changed from a harder master to a more gentle; but the superstitious can finde no such change, neither shall hee finde a God whom he shall not feare servilly, and from whose service hee may ex­empt himselfe:Let us not flye supersti­tion so that we fall in­to Atheisme. Let us therefore flie superstition, but not as some men use to doe, who when they are flying from robbers and wilde beasts, they fall inconsiderat­ly into some dangerous wayes, where there are steepe rockes, or dangerous pooles, wherein they may be drowned; so some men flying superstition, they passe by plentie, which is the midst, and fall into damnable A­theisme and impietie.

SECT. 1. How Satan hath abused the most part of the world by his Magicke and Sorcerie.

VVHen the Lord had planted a Church in Iudea, How Sathan hath abu­sed the most part of the world by his Magicke. and chosen Israel for his inheritance; Sathan envying this; first hee infected Syria with Sorcerie and Witchcraft, and from thence the people of God learned it. Esay 2.6. because they be replenished from the East, that is, of the sorcerie of the Syrians; such as Ba­laam was, who dwelt in Syria. Secondly, they learned [Page 24] this Magicke, from those who lay upon the West, as from the Philistims, Esay 2.6. So this Magicke aboun­ded amongst the Ammorites; therefore the Hebrewes saith, In quocunque est aliquid de medicina & nihil est de via ammoriorum hoc licitum est: that is, when men use naturall meanes; there is no sorcerie then as was a­mongst the Amorites. T [...]dly, this Magicke aboun­ded in the South of Canaan in Egypt, as we see in Iannes and Iambres who resisted Moses, 2 Tim. 3.8. they used a proverbe or taunt unto Moses (as it is written in the Tal­mud) Tu stramen portas in Afra. Afra was a place in Egypt where straw abounded most; their meaning was, that there was magicke enough in Egypt already, and there­fore it was needlesse for them to practise their magicke in Egypt. So they said, In urbem oleribus abundantem ole­ra, venalia importas; Thou carries hearbes to sell to a towne that abounds with hearbes. So this magicke a­bounded in Samaria, where Simon abused the people by witchcraft, Act. 9. To whom all gave heede from the least to the greatest, and they called him the great power of God. So this sorcerie abounded in Ephesus, Act. 19.19. Therefore they were called [...]. This ma­gicke was professed there, and they had Libraries of great price there, which afterward they burnt. So this sorcerie is very farre spread in these parts of the world where we live now, and where the Gospel is preached. The Prophet Esay speaking of the calling of the Gen­tiles, saith, Esay 43.5. I will bring thy seede from the East, and gather thee from the West, I will say to the North give up, and to the South keepe not backe: so we may say now, that neither the North, nor the South withholds, but they runne from all parts of the world to the devill, and hee hath his synagogue where the Gospel is prea­ched, and there he sets up his throne; Look to Lapland, Findland, and to the mountaines of Savoy, and here a­mongst [Page 25] our selves how they abound: Is not this a just judgement for the contempt of the Gospel?

SECT. 2. How fearefull a sinne it is to enter in covenant with the devill.

VVhen men binde themselves one unto another,What a sinne it is to covenant with the de­vill. they binde themselves either by promise, or by an oath, or by a covenant.

They binde themselves by a promise: A promise is ob­ligatio fidei, and here they paune their fidelitie and ho­nestie, but in an oath, there is obligatio animae & salutis, In it they paund their fidelitie, honesty, and soule, and then by covenant which is confirmed by write, by oath, and by some solemne rites, as when they confir­med their covenants of old, they vsed to divide a beast in two: and those who entred into the covenant used to passe betwixt the parts of the beast divided, Gen. 15.10. Ier. 34.18. and they wished, that if they brake that co­venant; they might be parted and cutte as that beast was into peices: And the Hebrewes say, scindere faedus; David saith, scissores faederis mei, Psal. 50.5. that is, who made a covenant with me because a beast was cut, when the covenant was made; and this covenant they called Berith. To promise to the devill is a great sinne, but to binde our selves by an oath to him is a greater sinne; but to enter in covenant, with him is the greatest sinne of all, to deliver up to him soule and body to be tormented and cut by him at his pleasure.

Secondly, in all covenants fidelitie is most to be re­spected: There are foure great liars with whom a man [Page 26] must not covenant, hell, death, the world, and the devill.

These who covenants with death, with hell, and the world, makes lies their refuge.These who covenants with death and hell: as the Pro­phet Esaiah speakes, Esay 28.15. They make lies, their refuge, and under falshood they shadow themselves. There are two things that secure sinners are most afraid of, the Iayle, and the Iayler, first of the Iayle hell, and next of the Iayler death.

The deceitfull heart of man promiseth to the secure sinner immunitie from both these, and makes an imagi­nary covenant with man, and promiseth to secure him from them both; first, that hee shall be free from hell, and promiseth to him peace, when his destruction is at hand: when a man makes this kinde of covenant with his deceitfull heart, hee makes lies for his refuge, and his covenant is nothing.

Secondly, hee is afraid of death the Iayler, and in comes the deceitfull heart of man, and makes this ima­ginarie covenant, and puts the evill day farre from him, and so he makes lies his refuge. Hagag said, 1 Sam. 15.32. when he flattered himselfe that the bitternesse of death was past, when as Samuels sword was hanging over his head. Secure sinners when death is neare to them, they put it farre from them, both in respect of preparation and expectation, and upon a sudden it surprises them, and in a sudden they goe downe to hell, wherefore we should never covenant with them.

The third lier that we should not covenant with is the world: The world is like that Olive tree, which Hab­bacuck speakes of, Hab. 3.17. mentita est oliva; the Olive tree made a lie. It promised faire in the spring when it blossomed, but it brought nothing to perfection. So the world promiseth much, but performes nothing re­ally to men; and it is like Ionah his Gourd, when hee thought to have sheltred himselfe under it, a worme did [Page 27] consume it. So it fareth with the world, when men thinkes to shelter themselves under it, then it vanish­eth; therefore we must never covenant with this liar, the world.

But above all to covenant with the devill,To covenant with the divell the father of lies, that is a fearefull cove­nant. who is the father of lies, Ioh. 8.44. This is the greatest madnesse of all, who can trust him? or what fidelitie is in his pro­mises? he is [...] and [...], who promiseth much in words, but performes nothing, Magis blandus quam benignus: so he is [...], ready to praise and flat­ter us, when hee mindes no such things, he holds out bread to us, but hee gives us a stone, he presents a fish to us, but he gives us a Scorpion, therefore wee should never covenant with him, hee is ready to intice us to sinne, and the first to accuse us: Hee is like unto Ioab who would have perswaded the man to have killed Absalom the Kings sonne, and if he had killed him, hee would have set himselfe first against him, 2 Sam. 13.18. therefore we should never covenant with him.

Thirdly,It is not lawful to make a covenant of peace with the devill, where God hath proclaimed warre. God hath put an enmitie betwixt the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent; he hath not put anger betwixt them, for those who are angry one with another, they may be reconciled again, but he hath put this enmitie and deadly hatred betwixt them therefore they should never be reconciled. It is an un­lawfull thing to make a league of peace where God hath proclaimed perpetuall warre. This warre is a most lawfull warre:Two sorts of warre a­mongst the Iewes. The warres amongst the Iewes were either bell [...] spontanea, or bella praecepti: Bella sponta­nea were these, which they undertooke willingly at their owne hand, but bella praecepti were those which they undertooke at the commandement of God: This warre is bellum praecepti, and not spontaneum; It is bellum praecepti. Therefore the Lord saith, Iam. 4.7. Resist the devill and he will flie from you: A warre may be unlaw­full [Page 28] three manner of wayes;A Warre may be under­taken three manner of wayes unlawfully. first, when it is rashly un­dertaken, without authoritie or command. Secondly, when it is prosecuted cruelly, & cum medicina excedit modum, when the physicke exceedes measure. And thirdly, when the end is unlawfull, when men respects onely vaine glorie, gaine, or revenge. But this warre is lawfull, both in respect of the commander, secondly in respect of the manner; we cannot be too eager in pro­secuting this warre against this enemie, And cursed is who doth this worke of the Lord negligently, Ier. 48.10. The Lord proclaimed a perpetuall warre betwixt Israel and Amalecke, Exod. 17.16. and he caused him to write a booke of this for a memoriall; and the reason was, because the Amalekites cut off the taile of the host of the Israelites, that is, the faint and the sicke, and the straggling that came behinde. The Chaldee paraphrast paraphraseth this place after this maner:Targum Ionath. cap. 25. v. 18. the Amalekites cut of from the Iewes that part in which they were cir­cumcised, and wherin they bare the marke of the Cove­nant of God, & threw it up in despight against the Lord. And doth not this Amalekite Satan, hate the badge of Gods Covenant in Gods children, and in contempt ex­poses the bodies of the Saints baptized to all shame and ignominie. Therefore the Lord hath registred this in his Booke, that there shall be perpetuall warre, with this Amalekite the devill; and herein wee should be [...], implacable, never to be reconciled, or to make a covenant with him.

God hath promised us the victorie against Sa­tan; therefore wee should never take peace with him.Fourthly, God in this warre hath promised us the victory, Rom. 16. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feete. And shall wee be so base minded then, as to yeeld to Satan, when God hath promised us the victo­rie. In other warres the event is doubtfull; and there­fore the Scripture saith, Ne glorietur induens arma sed exuens, 1 King. 20.11. but in this fight we are sure of the [Page 29] victory when wee strive earnestly against the devill. And here we may rejoyce when we put on our armour, and when we lay them not aside, and preferre Iustissi­mum bellum injustissimae paci.

Fiftly,We contend for an e­verlasting inheritance, therefore we should be earnest in this fight a­gainst Satan. the thing which we contend for should move us to be earnest in this fight. Non controvertitur de li­mitibus sedde ipsa haereditate, wee contend not here for the landmarkes, but for the inheritance it selfe. When Themistocles was to fight againg the Barbarians, he saw two Cockes fighting most keenely, and then he tooke occasion to speake to his Souldiers after this manner; Hi neque pro patria neque pro paenatibus nec pro sepulchris majorum, neque pro libertate aut filiispugnant; sed tantum ne vincantur neuter cedit alteri. His ergo dictis Athenien­sibus ingentes animos fecit. These poore creatures neither strives for their countrey nor for their gods, nor for heir fathers sepulchres, nor for thet liberty of their chil­dren; but they strive onely for the victorie. In this com­bate with the devill wee strive not for an earthly king­dome, nor for our parents, nor for the sepulchres of our antecessors, nor for our libertie, or for our children, but for an immortall inheritance and incorruptible; and should we not then be most eager in this fight.

Sixtly, when people who hath beene long at variance,If we take truce with Satan, nothing will serve in hostage, but our soules, what can we offer to him then in a finall peace. mindes to make peace first, they make inducias seu treu­gas; and here they use to give in hostage their children which are called filii oppignorationis, 1 King. 1.14. When we enter in parly of peace with the devill, what can we lay in hostage to him, will we offer him rivers of oyle? that will not content him, Mic. 6.7. if we offer him our first borne, that will not content him, untill we offer to him unicam nostram, or our darling, Psal. 22. and what can he seeke more of us. Therefore these who concludes a finall peace with him, are most despe­rate.

It is well said by Cajetan, the conversing with the Angels in this life, is the beginning of eternall happi­nesse; so the conversing with the devils in this life is the beginning of eternall damnation.

SECT. 3. Of the sorts of Covenants made with the devill, first of the direct covenant, and then of the indirect.

THese who enters into the direct covenant with the devill; first, they expresly renounce God. Our bap­tisme saith S. Peter, 1 Pet. 3.21. Est stipulatio bonae consci­entiae; These who expresly co­venant with the devill renounces God. The answer of a good conscience towards God: where the Apostle aludes, to the custome that was in the Pri­mitive Church, for these who were catechized were demanded of the catechist after this manner, Credisne, beleevest thou? And they answered Credo, I beleeve. So abrenunciasne, dost thou not renounce the devill? And they answered, abrenuncio, I doe renounce him. Therefore Tertullian in his booke de resurrectione, saith, Anima non lavatione sed responsione sancitur; the soule is not established by washing but by answering: And the devill being Gods Ape, when he drawes his slaves after him, he initiates them this wayes. Dost thou renounce the true God: They answer, I renounce him. His second demand to them is this, Beleeves thou in me? They answer, I beleeve: this is called [...], when one promises, and the other restipulates.

These who enters into the direct covenant with him kisses him.Secondly, these who enter into this direct covenant with Satan, they give him the kisse of homage; as the children of God are bidden to kisse the sonne, Psal. 2.12.

Thirdly, they offer gifts to him.Thirdly, they who enter into this direct covenant with Satan, offer gifts to him; as the three wise men [Page 31] offered gold, incense and myrre to Christ, Num. 22.The Iewes used to offer to their new crowned kings gifts. 1 Sam. 10.27. And his divination was in his hand, that is, the gift which he offe­red to the devill when he was divining. So Ezech. 22.7. his divination was in his right hand. And as we may offer nothing to the devill, so wee may take nothing from him. The Targum of Ierusalem Paraphrasing this place, Eccles. 2.5. [I planted mee Orchards, and trees in them of all kindes] is most injurious to Salomon; para­phrasing the place this wayes; I planted me trees which the Ptolomei, and the devils brought me out of India: This pharaphrase is most false; for although Salomon fell from the Lord, yet he fell never to covenant with the devill, either to offer any thing to him, or to re­ceive any thing from him: and when he repents him of all the vanities, he never reckons up Magicke amongst them.

Fourthly,Fourthly, they take his marke upon them. these who enters into a direct covenant with the devill takes his marke upon them. And as God set his marke of circumcision in the flesh of his children; so the devill sets his marke upon witches. When the false apostles perswaded the Galatians to be circum­cised, then S. Paul saith, That they gloried in the flesh of the Galatians, because they were circumcised, Gal. 6.13. So when Satan hath set his marke upon his slaves he glories in their flesh.

Markes are imposed for foure ends, first,Markes are imposed for foure ends. they are notes of propertie to discerne on mans goods from an­other to whom they belong. Secondly, they are notes of distinction. Therefore neatheardes and shepheards are called punctatores, Amos 1.1. [...] punctatores. The words of Amos who was amongst the heardm [...]n of Tekoa, inter puncta­tores; this was not a note of propertie, but a note of di­stinction which they set upon their beasts. Thirdly, for homage, as the marke of the beast, Rev. 16.2. Fourth­ly, for ignominie and shame. Such was the markes [Page 32] which S. Paul bare about in his body, which hee calls [...], Christi, Gal. 6.17. they inflicted them for his shame, but he thought them to be his greatest honour and credit. These markes of Satan are markes of shame, of propertie, and of homage, they are commonly in some secret place of the bodie, and not sensible in that place, although ye thrust a bodkin in the place which is marked; and when he markes them, they have intolle­rable paine, as they confesse, untill Satan appeare to them the second time, and then the place marked is past feeling, and hath no paine at all. It is true that there may be some naturall cause why the part affected is not so sensible. But when this marke, and other presumpti­ons concurres together, it should not be lightly reje­cted; and it may be Semiplena probatio.

Fiftly they eate and drinke with him.Fiftly, they enter into such familiaritie with him, that they sit downe to eate and drinke with him, and rise to play. The Apostle forbiddes the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 5.11. If a man be called a brother and be a fornicator, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, not to eate with such a one; farre lesse to eate with him who is without, whom God himselfe Iudges onely, and whom the Church medles not with. To eate with the devill who is judged already, who lies under that feare­full Anathema maranatha, 1 Cor. 13.22. and under that eternall curse and malediction of God.

Lastly, they lie with him.And lastly, these who lies with the devill. If a man commit incest it is a greater sin then adultery, because he observes not the degrees of consanguinitie, Levit: 18.6. If a male lie with a ma [...]e, this is a greater sinne than in­cest, Quia hic non observatur sexus; because the sexe is not observed here. If a man lie with a beast, this is a greater sinne, this is confusion, Lev. 18.23. quia hic non observatur species. It was a greater sin in Anah, Gen. 36.24. to set beasts of divers kindes to engender together, [Page] [Page] [Page 33] as the horse and the asse, who beget a mule, a mon­strous generation. And the Prophet alludes to this sort of generation, Hos. 4.4. [For they themselves are separate with harlots, [...] mulus. cum merciricibus separationem faciunt] lipa­redum]; they shall beget bastards such as the mule is, Pered is a mule; or they shall be unfruitfull as the mule; much more monstrous is that generation when a man lies with a beast. When all the beasts were brought be­fore Adam, there was not one of them a match for A­dam; to teach man that he should never match with a beast. When the Prophet Ieremie would expresse the filthinesse of the Iewes in their whooredomes, Ier. 5.8. he saith, Every man neighed after his neighbours wife. This adultery made them like stoned horses running af­ter a mare. So he compares them to salt bitches, or fil­thy dogges. The price of a dogge shall not come unto the house of the Lord thy God, Deut. 23.17. That is, of a whore or whoremonger, who are filthy as dogges; what is it then for a man to lie with a beast? But if one­ly with the devill, this is abomination of abominati­ons: Quia hic non observatur genus.

Quest. An chobher chobharim, [...] Deut. 18.11. Psal. 58.6. be meant here of the expresse covenant with the de­vill, because it is said there ligant ligaturas?

Answ. They are not said there ligare ligaturas, be­cause they enter in a direct covenant with the devill, the 70. translates it [...], for the serpents when they are enchanted runnes together in a knot, and wimples themselves one within another.

SECT. 4. In what manner Satan appeares to those with whom he enters into the direct covenant.

SAtan appeares to his confederates, three manner of wayes;Satan appeares three manner of wayes to these with whom hee enters in the direct co­venant. First by some visible body in show. First, per apparentiam. Secondly, per assi­stentiam, and thirdly, per in existentiam.

First, Satan appeares to his confederates, per appa­rentiam, when hee takes some visible shape of a body upon him, which is not a body indeede, but a body in show, and this is called [...], because a body it selfe is not presented to the eyes, but onely a body in show; this is called spectrum umbra [...], and by the heathen idolum, Lev. 17.7. Neither sacrifice your children here­after Lashegnirim hirsutis. [...] The devils are called hoarie ones, because they appeared in the likenesse of Satyres; hence afterward came this word Satyre, and hee ap­peares commonly to them in some terrible and feare­full shape. In the Syriacke there is but one word which signifies both the devill and Inke, because commonly he appeares to men in some blacke and terrible shape. The word in the Syriacke is daiiva, which signifies both the devill and inke; [...] chal. debija atra­mentum. [...] diabolus Syriace. but yet this subtill Protheus can change himself into any forme, he can transforme him­selfe in an Angell of light, as he appeared to Saul in the likenesse of Samuel.

Whether it was the true Samuel or Samuel in shew which appea­red to Saul.The question may be moved here, whether Samuel himselfe appeared to Saul? or was it [...], onely in show.

Answ. the most of the Church of Rome holds that it was Samuel himselfe who appeared to Saul, as Bellar­mine, Seir, Lessius, and not Samuel in shew. Bellarmine goes about to prove that it was Samuel himselfe, who [Page 35] appeared to Saul by the testimony of a Iew,Rabbi, David, Kim­chi. 1 Sam. 28.12. for if it had beene counterfeit Samuel which appeared to Saul, hee would have come up with his feete foremost. This proofe is as uncertaine as the thing which is in question, and this is but a begging of the question, when a thing uncertaine is proved by that which is as uncertaine. The Iewes held many absurd things concerning these appa­ritions; first,The foolish dreames of the Iewes how spi­rits doth appeare. they say when wicked spirits are raised up, and called for by witches, their manner is to ascend with their feete upward, and their head downeward, and that the spirit raised by the witch of Endor, came up with his head first contrary to the custome, and that thereby the witch knew him to be the King. Secondly, that the witch saw Samuel but heard him not, and that Saul heard, but saw not, and these that stood by, as A­masa and Abner, neither saw, nor heard. Lastly, they say that men shall rise in the resurrection in the same ha­bite that they were buried in, because Samuel came up with his mantle about him; but these fables are to be rejected.

If it had beene Samuel himselfe who appeared unto Saul, then they charge Samuel with a lie;It was not Samuel him­selfe who appeared to Saul but counterfeit Samuel. for this Sa­muel saith that it was Saul who raised him, and that hee was not raised at the commandement of God, and it is cleare, that it was this counterfeit Samuel who speakes here; for this Samuel saith, why hast thou troubled me? had it beene any trouble for the true Samuel, to have beene raised up by the Lord to reprove Saul. Se­condly, God never used the ministrie of the Prophets after that they were translated to another life to instruct or reprove the people, but onely when they were li­ving. Elias when he was yet alive would not reprove Ioram face to face, but left a letter to be given to him after his death to reprove him, 2 Chron. 21.12. but hee never appeared to him visibly after his death; and as [Page 36] Christ when he left this world never intended to re­turne before the day of judgement: so neither will his servants, Ioh. 21.26. Where I am, there my servants are? There is no intercourse betwixt the living & the dead, neither sending letters from them to us or speaking to us,Nicephorus, lib. 14. cap. 43. or from us to them, Luk 16. Therefore that which Nicephorus writes, seemes to be fabulous; That the Em­perour Thedosius after his death, sent a letter to Chry­sostome. So for men to have written to to devill, as Gre­gory Thaunaturgus sent a letter to the devill, wherein he commanded him to remove out of such a place, (as Gregorie Nyssen writes) This seemes very ridiculous. And is it likely that the Lord (who would not answer to Saul, neither by the Prophets, nor by Vrim and Thummim) would appeare to him after his death; Last­ly it appeares that it was not the true Samuel, but the counterfeit, because he accepted of that religious wor­ship which Saul gave to him in bowing himselfe to the ground, which the Saints of God would not have ac­cepted; as the Angel who would not accept of that religious worship which Iohn would have given to him, Revel. 22.

The Scriptures speakes of things as they ap­peare to us, or as we conceive of them. Object. But the Scripture calls him Samuel which appeared here?

Answ. The Scripture speakes of things as they ap­peare to us, as we take up things, either by sense or in our conception; the Scripture calls the Sunne and the Moone great lights, Gen. 1. The Sunne is more than a­ny of the Starres; but the Moone is lesse than any of the Starres except Mercurie; and yet the Scripture calls them great lights, because they seeme so to us: so the Scripture saith, the starres shall fall from heaven, Matth. 24.29. Rev. 6.13. because they seeme so to us. So Christ speakes of the Publicans according to the estimation of the Iewes, Mat. 18.17. because the Iewes thought them [Page 37] more vile than other men; so Gal. 2.15. Wee who are Iewes by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles. The Gen­tiles were not greater sinners by nature then the Iewes, but the Apostle speakes here according to the opinion of the Iewes, who thought the Gentles greater sinners than themselves. These things are spoken, as the He­brewes saith gnal derech haganne, per vim turpitudinis, because they speake this of them in contempt; so three men came to Abraham; [...] the Scripture calls the Angels men here, because they appeared in the likenesse of men; and Iohn interprets this forme of speech, Rev. 21. saying [the measure of a man which is an Angel] that is, he was truly an Angel, but because he appeared in the likenesse of a man, therefore it was said [the measure of a man.]

Quest. But seemes not this a lie to call an Angell a man.

Answ. If the Scripture should bring in the Angels calling themselves men, that should not want some show of a lie.The Scripture never brings in Angels cal­ling themselves men. When the Scriptures brings in some apo­logues, as Iudg. 9. 2 King. 14.8. The Scriptures brings not in the trees speaking there, but onely Iothan said this, or Ioaz said that: But Esops Fables, and the Pro­verbes of the Foxes, (which the Hebrewes useth) bring in the beast speaking, which although they be not lies, if we looke to the [...], or a thing signified by them, yet they have some shew of lies: wherefore the Scrip­ture which is free from all show of lies, faith onely, that Iothan spake this, and Ioaz spake that. The Scriptures call the Angels men, because they appeared in the shape of men: But wee never reade in the Scriptures, that the Angels called themselves men: If the three men which appeared to Abraham, whom he lodged all night, Gen. 18.2. should have said to Abraham, we are three men, I pray thee lodge us all night, how could [Page 38] they have beene excused from a lie?

Satan appeares to his confederates when hee spake beside the Idoll, by the Priest, but not out of the Idols.Secondly, Satan appeares to his confederates per as­sistentiam, Zach. 10.2. The Idols speake lies: How did the Idoll speake lies? Sathan did not speake out of the Idols here, but it was the devill that spake be­sides the Idoll; so the Priests, when they lay upon the skins of the beasts (which they had sacrificed) and slee­ped there, Sathan blasted them, to belch forth their o­racles; Therefore Virgil saith; ‘Pellibus incubuit stratis, somnosque petivit.’

God himself is said to speak by Vrim and Thummim; and yet it was the Priests who gave the answers; so Gen. 41.16. God shall give Pharoah an answer; how gave he him an answer? by Ioseph: so 1 Tim. 1.17. false doctrine is called the doctrine of devils: when as the devil himselfe speake not, but onely the false apostles by the devill.

Thirdly, he appeared to his confederates when he spake out of the bellies of the Pi­thonies and Witches. [...]Thirdly, he appeares to his confederates, per inex­istentiam; as when hee spake to Eva out of the serpent: These in the Scripture are called obhoth, Levit. 20. as you would say, bottles or bladders, because their bellies were extended like bladders, and the seventy translate them [...], ventriloqui; because the de­vil spak out of their bellies, and in the Syriack spiritus tumoris, Act. 16.16. because hee gave his answer out of the bellies of those Pythones, which were swelled up.

Here let us marke a difference betwixt these who were blasted by the devill,A difference betwixt the Prophets of God when they prophesied and those who were blasted by the devill when they prophesied. and the Prophets of God when they prophesied: the Prophets of God when they prophesied, fuerunt in spiritu, Rev. they were altogether taken up by the spirit, neither were they any wayes distracted, or out of their wits: when they prophesied, they were sometimes weakened in body at the sight of the vision, as Daniel, and Ezechiel were, but still they were setled in minde, and free from [Page 39] these passions which might perturbe the minde at that time; but when the devil blasted his prophets, as Bar Ie­sus, (Syriace) Bar Shuma-filius inflamationis, they were mad, and distracted; they foamed at the mouth,Hos invasit [...]. & their neckes wried about, and oftentimes they gave their an­swers out of those parts of the body which modestie wills us to conceale Therfore the Hebrewes saith, that spiritus ascendebat per zacuro, & per necebhah; per zacuro, [...] Oraculum delphicum edidit responsa per pu­denda puellae. They differed from the true Prophets in the manner of their speech. by that part which shewes us to be men; per nekebhah, by that part which shewes a woman to be a woman.

Secondly, they differed from the true Prophets, in forma vocis, in the forme of their voyce; for the unclean spirit when he gave his answers, hee peeped out of the earth, Esay 8.19. and whispered out of the earth, whereas the Prophets of God lifted up their voyce like a trumpet, Esay 58.1. and spake distinctly when they prophesied.

Qu. How are true apparitions distinguished from false?

Answ. Gershon in his booke intituled, De probatione spirituum, of the triall of the spirits, saith,How are true appariti­ons distinguished from false. that no trans­figuration is to be admitted, but where Moses and Elias are present; where he alludes to the transfiguration of Christ upon the mount, where Moses and Elias were present. When the disciples saw Christ walking upon the sea, they tooke him to be a spirit, Matth. 14.26. but when hee spake to them and said, [I am he] then they were no more afraid: It is the word that distin­guishes the true apparitions from the false.

Man is very ready to be deceived by these revelati­ons. When the Lord spake to Samuel, and called him once, twise, he tooke it to be the voyce of Eli, and not of God, 1 Sam. 3.5. So 1 King. 13. the young Prophet was deceived by the old Prophet: What marvell is it then, if these impure spirits deceive? When Satan by his suggestions would have perswaded Augustine to [Page 40] seeke some signe from God,Aug. lib. 2. confessionum de vera religione. because he saw many de­luded that way by false apparitions; therefore he often warned us, that we should not trust such follies or delusi­ons. And Gershon in his Booke De probatione spirituum, of the triall of spirits, tells how Satan upon a time ap­peared to a holy man in a most glorious manner, pro­fessing himselfe to be Christ, and because the man was a religious man, and worthy to be respected above ma­nie others, therefore he appeared unto him; But what answered the old man unto him, I desire not to see my Saviour here in this desert, it shall suffice me to see him in the heavens, and he said, Sit in alio soeculo, non in hoc, visio tua merces mea: O Lord let thy fight be my re­ward in another life, and not in this.

SECT. 5. What is Magicke, and who are Magitians.

A Magitian is he who useth midses which are onely proper to God, either in curing of diseases or wor­king other strange effects.

These are magicians who usurpes any of Gods priviledges in curing or acting of their fates.Things appropriate to God, are first to worke by his word onely: Secondly, to cure by number. Thirdly, by order. Fourthly, he workes sometimes onely by the situation of the body. Fiftly, he workes sometimes by figure and character; Gods sixt priviledge is to use one midse to cure all diseases. Gods seventh priviledge is to use naturall meanes, which notwithstanding hath no force in working of the miracle. Gods eight priviledge is when he useth one midse to produce contrary effects; so he useth artificiall midses, as the brasen serpent, Pauls girdle.

Gods first priviledge to cure by word.First, God useth sometimes onely words, when hee [Page] [Page] [Page 41] restoreth the sicke to their health: as when he said to the man sicke of the palsie, arise and take up thy bed, Iohn 5.8. When the Magitian useth words onely to cure the sicke, this is Magicke, usurping that prerogative which onely belongs to the Lord.

Object. It may be said, that Satan useth the words of the Scripture in curing of diseases, as when one is trou­bled with the tooth-ach, they bring these words of Scripture, a bone of him shall not be broken?

Answ. It is well said by one, in nomine domini fit omne malum; that is, they abuse the name of God, when they are about their Magicke trickes: the Scripture useth these words to another sense, and therefore it is but a wreasting of the Scripture; fraus dicitur fieri con­tra legem, vel ipsi legi, Against the Law, when they doe a thing which is forbidden in the Law, and studies not to hide the fact with any colour; but fraus dicitur fieri legi, when they doe a thing contrary to the mea­ning of the Law, and yet seemes not directly to doe a­gainst the Law; when Magitians use words of the Law, they use them to another sense than the Spirit of God meanes, then faciunt fraudem legi.

Quest. When the devill hath the chiefe hand in wor­king these strange things, what is the Magitians part in working here?

Answ. The Magitian useth these signes which Satan and he had agreed upon, and this makes him guilty of that same fact with the devill. Two robbers lies in waite by the way for a mans life, the one gives the signe, and the other kills, they are both guiltie of murther here: So the Magitian useth the signe appointed by the de­vill, either to kill or to heale, and here both are guilty of the fact.

Quest. If there be no force in words, what meanes that, Psal. 58.5. the deafe Adder stoppes her eare, and [Page 42] hearkens not to the voyce of the enchanter? Here there may seeme to be some force in words to enchant?

Answ. Some saith that these words are spoken onely by way of apologue, as Iudg. 9. The trees spake and chose them a King, which cannot be understood literally. So the serpent is said to stoppe her eare, but one thing is said here, another meant, that the craftie courtiers of Saul would not hearken to Davids good admoni­tions but stopped their eares; But the rule of Quin­tilian is true,All comparisons must be taken from things that are true, but not examples. that examples may be true or false, but all comparisons are taken from things which are true indeede, Gen. 49.27. Benjamin is like a Woolfe, who kills his prey in the morning, and in the evening parts the spoile: If the woolfe used not to doe this, it were not a fit comparison: So if the Adder stopped not her eare, it were not a fit comparison.

Quest. How doth the words then enchant the Ser­pent?

Answ. The Serpent by nature, so soone as she heares the enchanter stoppes her eare, as the chicken new hatched is afraid of the Kite. Satan in the meane time joynes himselfe with the second cause that hee be­nummes the serpent that she cannot sting: And this we may perceive also in the Lunatickes, whose braines are swelled up in the full Moone. Satan marking the second cause here, takes occasion to worke upon the braines of poore Lunatickes and makes them madde: so Satan concurres here with the second cause and benummes, the serpent so that she cannot sting; therefore the Psal­mist, Psal. 58.6. useth the same words which are set downe in the Law, Deut. 18.11. chobher chobharim; but when the serpent becomes old once & fit regulus, [...] then he will not be enchanted.

Gods second priviledge to worke by number.The second priviledge properly onely to God is to worke his miracles by observing number, 2 King. 5.10. [Page 43] Goe and wash thy selfe seven times in Iordan, and thy flesh shall be made whole, 2 Kin. 18.43. Eliah said to his ser­vant, goe againe seven times; so Iosh. 6.7. but upon the se­venth day thou shalt compasse the walls of Iericho seven times. This number of seven could doe nothing of it selfe; but it was a meanes appointed by God to worke those miracles, when witches in their sorceries useth this number of seven, they usurpe that which is onely proper to God, therefore it is Magicke. Some calls this Magicke Magiam geometricam; such was the Ma­gicke of Balaam, Num, 23.5. when he caused seven al­tars to be built: so when the witch bids the sicke partie to dippe his shirt seven times in south running water, this is plaine witchcraft using that midse of number which is due onely to God. Physitians in curing of dis­eases which they call chronicke diseases, as in curing their tertian agues, or quartan agues, they observe num­ber, as the third day, fourth day, but here there is a na­turall cause; but when the Lord commanded Gideon, Iudg. 6.25. to take the second yong bullocke of seaven yeares old and offer it, there was another reason that moved him, here hee respected not the bare number; Here he commands him to offer the bullocke of seven yeares old, because it was borne that same yeare that the Madianites began to oppresse the people of God.

The third priviledge of God in working his miracles is by order,Gods third priviledge to worke by order. Ioh. 5. whosoever went downe first into the poole, after that the Angell had troubled the water, was whole and none other: If he had not gone downe first and kept this order, he had not beene healed; so witches in hurting or curing they observe order. A man is lying sicke in his bed, they use usually to take the sicknesse and lay upon him who comes first in at the doore, hee dies, and the sicke man is cured: this is witchcraft observing order which is onely proper to God.

Gods fourth priviledge to worke by situation of the body.The fourth priviledge of God in working his miracles, is the situation of the body, 2 King. 13.17. Elisha commanded Ioaz King of Israel, and said unto him, o­pen the window Eastward and shoot. This situation of the body was a meanes appointed by God in working this miracle. Daniel when he was in Babylon, he opened his window and looked towards Ierusalem when hee prayed, but this was a part of the ceremoniall worship commanded under the Law; for the Iewes when they were in a strange countrey were bound alwayes to turne their faces towards the Temple when they pray­ed, 1 King. 8. And when they were in the temple they turned their faces alwayes to the West when they prayed, because the propitiatory was placed in the West end of the Temple contrary to the worship of the Heathen, who turned their faces alwayes to the East when they worshipped, Ezech. 8.16. Here they respected not the situation of the body, but the manner of the worshipping, but God in working of this miracle would have the situation of the body observed as the situation onely. Balaam when he would curse the peo­ple of God, Num. 24.19. turned his face towards the Is­raelites, and his hinder parts to the Moabites, and to the Amonites; therefore they are called Bene Sheth, that is, filij natum, because they were behind Balaams backe or posteriour parts.

Gods fift priviledge is to worke by figure or character.The fift priviledge of God in working his miracles is by figure or character. When the Lord God appointed to destroy Ierusalem, these whom he minded to save in this destruction, he caused to marke them in their fore­heads with this signe. Ezech. 9.4. The signe of it selfe had no force, yet it pleased the Lord to use this signe for the preservation of his owne. The Magitians in their conjurations and exorcismes useth oftentimes cha­racters and figures. Therefore the Scripture calls them [Page 45] chartumim a charat insculpere, because they engraved their charecters. Elimas the sorcerer, Act. 16.8. In the Arabicke is called Chartom, [...] because he used figures and circles in his conjurations, See Dan. 2.2. So the Teraphim were made to the likenesse of a man, and en­graven with divers characters and figures. Therefore Aquila translates them [...], when Magitians useth circles and figures in their conjurations, they usurpe one of Gods priviledges, and this is Magicke.

This is also one of the singular priviledges of God when he useth one meanes to cure all diseases,Gods sixt priviledge to use one meanes to cure all diseases. Ioh. 5. Whosoever entred into the poole after the water was trou­bled by the Angel, he was cured of whatsoever disease he had: This was Gods panaceum or [...], to cure all diseases. When sorcerers and witches useth one remedie for all diseases, this is plaine magicke and an usurpation of the priviledge which is due onely to God.

Gods seaventh priviledge in working of miracles,Gods seventh priviledge when he useth meanes to cure, which hath no force in them. is when hee used salt, spittle, meale, oyle, dust, these midses had no force in working these miracles, and they were not as the Schoolemen speakes, media operantia sed deferentia, and God did not here [...], that is, he wrought by these meanes, but not in these meanes: When a Fisher is fishing he catches upon the hooke the crimpe fish; the crimpe fish-transmits a be­numdnesse, first, to the hooke, then to the line, then to the goad, and last it benumes the fishers arme, now be­cause the line and the goad are not capable of benumd­nesse; therefore they are but media deferentia. And these mides were of three sorts which the Lord used; first, he used some midses as seemed to have some natu­rall force in them, yet had none. Secondly, hee used midses which had no power in them, and seemed to have no power. And thirdly, he used midses which had a contrary power in them. First, he used midses which [Page 46] seemed to have a naturall power in them,Why God useth meanes which hath no power in them, nor seemes to have no power. yet had none at all, 2 King. 4.34. And he went up into the bed and stretched himselfe upon the child, and laied his mouth to his mouth, and his eyes to his eyes, so that the flesh of the child began to grow warme; he did this, non aliquo ritu sed af­fectus vehementia; and so Paul fell upon Eutichus. A­gaine, he went up and downe the house, now this way, now that way, and went up the second time, and stret­ched himselfe upon the child, and the child neesed se­ven times. The heat of the Prophets bodie here might have seemed to have had some naturall cause to have made the childs flesh warme, and to have brought life to him againe; but there was no naturall cause here to helpe the child to live, but onely the power of God. So when the Lord commanded to lay a lumpe of figges to Ezekias his sore, Esay 38. Figges of themselves would matured the boyle: One would have thought that there were some naturall power in the midse here to produce this effect to make the boyle ripe, but there was no force at all in the midse here when it was applied to the sore, but the hand of the Lord did it onely.

Quest. Ye will say then, why used God these meanes if they had no force at all to produce the effect?

Answ. God used such meanes to obscure his power a little in working of the miracle, he cast a vaile over his miracle covering it as it were with nature, and by his ex­ample taught us, that we should not neglect the second causes and ordinary meanes.Why God useth meanes which hath no power in them, nor seemes to have no power. Therefore Christ having wrought the miracle of the loaves, he cōmanded to ga­ther up the broken meat, Mark. 8.8. Secondly, the Lord used means which had no power at al to effectuate these miracles, neither seemed they to have any power in them, as the staffe of Elisha, 2 King. 4.29. the girdle of Paul, and Peters shadow, Act. 15.15. And the Lord used such meanes as these that his glory might appeare the [Page 47] more, and that we should no sticke too much to the se­cond causes, as Asa did to the Physitians. Thirdly,Why God useth means which have a contrary power in them. God useth meanes sometimes which have a contrary effect, and these means he useth that his glorie might most ap­peare. And in these miracles the Hebrewes saith, that there was miraculum in medio miraculi, that is, there was a miracle within a miracle, 2 King. 2. To make the bitter waters sweet, was a miracle, but to make them sweet by salt, that was a miracle within a miracle; So Num. 17. Aarons rod brought forth first leaves, and then it blossomed, to bring forth leaves was a miracle, but then to blossome was a miracle within a miracle: for all stonefruites blossomes first, and then brings forth leaves. So to restore the sight to the blinde was a mira­cle, Ioh. 9. but to cure him by puting clay to his eyes, this was a miracle within a miracle. So 1 King 18.35. to send a fire from the heaven to burne the burnt offering was a miracle, but that the burnt offering should burne when water was powred upon it, and the ditch round about the altar powred full of water, then for the sacri­fice to burne, that was a miracle within a miracle; when the sorcerer or witch useth such meanes in which there is no power to heale, this is Magicke, and an usurpation of Gods prerogative. Therefore the Hebrewes saith, In quocunque est aliquid de medicina in eo nihil est de via Am­moreorum, Lev. 18.3. That there is no witchcraft where we see naturall reason or physicke to appeare; when witches useth meanes to cure, which hath no naturall helpe in them; this is magicke usurping one of Gods priviledges.

God useth sometime one meanes to produce contra­rie effects;Gods eight priviledge when hee useth one meanes to procure con­trary effects. as the bitter waters made the guiltie wo­mans bellie to rot and consume, but it made the honest woman to conceive, Num. 5.28. When witches useth one meanes to produce contrary effects, it is the usurpa­tion [Page 48] of Gods priviledge, and then it is witchcraft.

God useth artificiall meanes in curing of dis­eases.God useth also artificiall meanes in curing of diseases, as the brasen Serpent, Pauls girdle; and here the He­brewes saith, Deus aufert noxam per eum qui noxam in­fert; as the looking upon the brasen serpent cured these who were stung with serpents, Num. 31.9. In naturall things it is the forme that workes more than the mater, in artificiall things it is the mater that workes more than the forme, but here neither the mater nor the forme workes. The Magitians useth sometimes artificiall meanes in working strange things; as Giges made him­selfe invisible by his ring.

Signes are of foure sorts.The Magitians also observe signes. Signes are of foure sorts; first, there are divine signes; secondly, there are naturall signes; thirdly, superstitious signes, and fourthly diabolicall signes.

Divine signes.First, divine signes Ezech. 37.16. Sonne of man take thee one sticke and write upon it for Iudah, and for the chil­dren of Israel his companions; Then take another sticke and write upon it for Ioseph the sticke of Ephraim, and they shall be one in thy hand. Here the joyning of the two stickes in the Prophets hand, was a signe of the joyning of the tribes together. So when Agabus tooke his girdle and bound himselfe with it, it was a signe to Paul that he should be bound at Rome, Act. 21.11.

Naturall signes.Secondly, we may observe signes naturall, and make use of them as the Physitians doth in a mans sickenesse; and the Iewes saith that there are sixe signes which are good to know when they are found in a sicke man; the first is gnatush stermutatio, [...] neesing; the second is Seignir, sudor, swetting; the third is Shilshul, sedes sive egestio, when he hath the benefite of the stoole; the fourth is, Keri pellatio nocturna gonorea, the sheding of his seede; the fifth is Shena somnus, sleepe; the sixt is chalom som­nium, a dreame. We may observe these naturall signes.

The third are superstitious signes,Superstitious signes. as if one meete a hare first in the morning, they take that for an evill signe, and people are much taken with these supersti­ous signes.

The last are diabolicall signes; when Zoroastes was borne he presently laught; they gathered by that, that he would prove afterward a great Magitian: this was a signe from the divill and not from God.

The devill useth sundry diabolicall signes with his witches: They take a belt in their hand,Diabolicall signes. and measure how many inches long the belt is; If ye name to them the name of the person who is sicke, they will tell you presently whether the person will live or die; if the per­son will die then the belt growes a great deale shorter by so many inches then it was before; but if the person be to live then it is a great deale longer then it was be­fore; this is the common practise of witches. To breake off or to dissolve this covenant with the devill is a very hard thing; Simon Magus desired S. Peter to pray for him, but he could not pray for himselfe, and unlesse the stronger man come in, and bind Satan and dispossesse him, he can never be dispossessed, Luke 11.

He that hath a desire to come out of these snares of the divel,How men must breake off this direct covenant with the devill. first he must know in what a dangerous estate he stands in, without repentance he cannot enter within the holy citie. Secondly, he must know, that upon re­pentance he may be received into the kingdome of God againe, as Manasses, 2 King. 21.6. and those of Ephe­sus. Act. 19.19. And such was Cyprian, who after­ward proved a martyr; then they must confesse their sinnes. Act. 19. and shew their deedes, and last burne their magicke bookes, although they were of never so great a price, it is not lawfull to keepe such bookes but to burne them, Act. 19.20. We may read the bookes of Heretickes and keep them, but these books we may not keepe.

Whether it is lawfull to remove the signe put by the devill or not?A question may be moved here in breaking this direct covenant with the devill, whether it is lawfull to re­move that signe which the devill hath put for the hur­ting of man or beast. Example, the devill bids take a toad, and put it under the threshold of such a mans doore, and when the man or any that belongs to him comes over that doore, then they shall die; Whether is it lawfull to remove the signe, or not, when we know it is put there. This question is disputed by the Casuists sundry wayes. Some holds that they may use the helpe of a witch to remove the signe. If it be lawfull for one (say they) to borrow money of an usurer if he be wil­ling to lend it; and if it be lawfull to take an oath of him who sweares by his Idols, why may we not, say they, use the helpe of a witch to remove the signe?

Answ. There are great oddes betwixt these, because witchcraft is intrinsece mala, it is evill of it selfe; there­fore wee must never have any medling with a witch, Rom. 1. They who doe such things are worthy of death, and not onely they who doe them, but also they who consent unto them; but when one takes an oath of him whom hee knowes will sweare by his Idoll onely, or to borrow money from him whom hee knowes is an usurer: these are not evill of themselves to take an oath and borrow money: and if they were well affected they would sweare religiously by the true God, and lend their money freely; so that these two are but evill as they abuse them, but are not evill in themselves as Ma­gicke is.

Any Christian man may safely remove the signe which is put by the devill.

Object. To remove the signe which Satan hath pla­ced, seemes to be an implicite calling upon the devill and a minding of him to performe his promise?

Answ. Hee that removes the signe calls not upon [Page 51] the devill here for his helpe, neither doth hee covenant with the devill that hee should cease to hurt, when hee removes the signe. If a traytor should make a cove­nant with the enemie, and confederate after this manner with him; when I hold up this signe, or put up these colours, then yee shall come and scale the walles; now if any good citizen should know this, and should remove the signe, hee would no wayes be thought to consent to their treacherous covenant, but rather to hate and dissolve it.

Object. Hee who removes the signe that the devill may hurt no more, medles he not here with the cove­nant which the devill made with the witch, which was this: So long as the signe lies here it shall have power to hurt, but when it is removed, it shall have no power at all to hurt?

Answ. Although hee that removes the signe should know that the covenant was thus made betwixt the de­vill and the witch, yet it would not follow that hee consented to this covenant, for he desires not the devill here to keepe his promise, when he removes the signe, neither enters he in a new covenant with the devill here, but by that means he breakes the covenant which the devill and the witch made, and takes away occasion to call upon the devill hereafter.

Object. But when hee removes the signe, and hopes that Satan shall not hurt hereafter, either he expects this event from a naturall cause, or from the will of man, or from God by a miracle; but he expects none of these wayes; therefore he lookes to have the event from the devill; and it is all one as if he should say to the devill; thou promisedst so soone as this signe was removed to cease to hurt any more, I remove the signe, therefore performe thou that which thou hast promised?

Answ. He who removes the signe expects not here [Page 52] from the devill an positive effect, but onely an privi­tive when wee call upon God by faith to save us from the devill, then we know the devill hath no power to hurt us, we expect no positive effect here from him but only that he hurt us not, and the man when he removes the signe he expects nothing by reason of the covenant made betwixt the witch and the devill, but by breaking this signe he breaks the covenant betwixt Satan and the witch. Therefore when he expects that the devil should hurt no more, he doth not: as if he should say, performe thou that which thou promised, seeing I have plaid my part, but rather thus, I breake off the covenant which thou madest with the witch, and hath removed this signe which thou appointedst for hurt, therefore thou must hurt no more.

SECT. 6. Of the indirect covenant with the devill.

What is the indirect covenant with the de­vill.HEe makes the indirect covenant with the devill who useth foolish signes, or write, or words, trusting in them, although he hath not made a covenant directly with the devill: When the Idolaters offered cakes to the queene of heaven, they who offered the cakes made a direct covenant with the Idoll, but the little children who gathered the stickes, Ier. 7.18. made but an indirect covenant with the Idoll. So the witnes­ses that stoned Stephen, Act. 7. directly killed him, but Saul who kept the cloathes of those who stoned him was indirectly guilty of his death; but as Saul became a most cruell wolfe and persecuted the Church, Act. 26.10. So these who enters into the implicit or indirect covenant with the devill, may afterward easily enter [Page 53] into the direct covenant with him; he who enters into di­rect covenant with the devil takes his marke in his fore­head; and hee who enters into the indirect covenant with him, takes but his marke in his hand. The Casuists of the Romane Church doth not condemne this indi­rect covenant altogether, for if any use these signes which they use of probable ignorance, they take this to be but a veniall sinne.

SECT. 7. Of the diverse sorts of divination.

VVHen God forbiddes his Church to commit a­ny sort of Idolatry, or to worship any crea­ture, he forbids all creatures to be worshipped either which are in heaven or in earth, or under the earth: In heaven, as the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres; in earth, as men, beasts, foules; neither under the earth, in the waters. So the Lord forbids all sort of divination in the heaven, and this is [...],Iudiciall astrologie is forbidden. or Iudiciall Astrolo­gie: So in the earth when men observe dreames, and this is called [...]; So when they observed the in­trales of beasts, and this was called extispitium; so when they marked the flying of the foules, and this was cal­led Augurium: So when hee gave his answers by lot, and this was called Sortilegium: And lastly when hee gave his answers by those who are under the earth by the dead, and this was called [...]; and sometimes he gave his answers by the skull of a dead man, and this was called [...].

The Scripture gives diverse names to these Astrolo­gers and condemnes them:What names are given to these Iudiciall astro­logues in the Scripture. F rst they are called Meg­gnonenin, [Page 54] Mic. 5.1. [...] agnanan, which signifieth a cloud, because they give their answers under pretext of the clouds. Secondly, this Iudiciall astrologie is called haiidgnoni, [...] Lev. 20.27. and the 70. translate him [...], and he is joyned with obh, which signifieth ventriloqui­ous, him or her who gave their answer out of the bellie, and he is joyned often with the Pithonise, and with the Magitian, therefore they called this judiciall Astrolo­gie clavim magiae, the key that openeth the way to all Magick. [...] Thirdly, they are called hachozim bakokebhim, intuentes stellas, beholders of the starres, Esay 47.13. chaza signifieth not onely to see, but also to foretell things contingent; and therefore the Prophets were called chozim videntes, 1 Sam. 9.9. Fourthly they were called modignim lachodashim monethly prognostica­tors, [...] Esay 47.13. they made their predictions by the moneths. They reduced all things which they had to doe to severall monethes, observing their Epimerides, and so Haman cast his lot to fall in the twelfe moneth in the thirteenth day of the moneth for the destruction of the Iewes, Esth. 9.1. And they tooke nothing in hand before they observed those monethly prognostications. These the Chaldees called Astagnine, [...]. and these were they who said this day is an unluckie day to undergoe any businesse, and this day is a good day; so they said, we will not take a businesse in hand, but in the first day of the moneth, or the Kalends. Fiftly, they are called Asaphim, Dan. 2.2. and they were so called because in the twilight they marked the heavens most, Nasaph signifies the twilight.

Iudiciall astrologie came first from Idola­trie.This Iudiciall Astrologie came first from Idolatrie, for Idolaters worshiping the Sun, the Moone and the Starres, as gods, they ascribed more to them then na­turall influx, that by them things contingent might be foretold. The religion of the Babylonians was no other [Page 55] thing then the science of the Chaldeans; and they gave the selfesame names to the starres which they gave to their gods. The Babylonian priests in their sacrifices,Vide valesium, pag. 211 said these same things of their Gods, which the astrolo­ger said of the stars: When the Priests were asked who had stolen the oxe, they said it was Mercurie that had sto­len him; and the Astrologue said that he was born under Mercurie who had stolne the oxe. Therefore Ier. 10.2. the Idolater and the Astrologue are joyned together; Learne not the way of the heathen, and be not afraid of the signes of heaven; here he puts the way of the heathen, their Idolatry with the feare of the starres.

As this Iudiciall astrologie came from Idolatry;Who enlarged this Iu­diciall astrologie. so it was inlarged much afterward by the Chaldeans, there­fore a Chaldean is put for a Genethliacke, Dan. 2.10. He sent for the Chaldeans, that is, the Genethliackes, as an Arabian is put for a theefe, Ier. 3.2. Thou lay like a Arabian by the way, that is, like a theefe; as a Cananite is put for a merchant, or one that tradeth, Hos. 12.7. and the Iewes learned much of their Iudiciall Astrolo­gie from the Chaldeans, Iudg. 5. the Starres fight a­gainst Sisera. Vide Michol in radice Maschah. They say that these Starres were unluckie Starres to him. And that the Astrologues foresaw his ruine in the Starres and forbade him to goe out to bat­tell that day; but the Lord they say hardened his heart and drew him to the river Kison, where he was killed. And lastly, the wicked Mahumitans have much more enlarged this Iudiciall astrologie.

This devilish art is first injurious to God,This Iudiciall astrolo­gie is first iniurious to God. for it takes away Gods providence and ties all things to a fatall ne­cessitie. Secondly, it ascribes to the starres the fore­telling of things contingent by them which is onely proper to God, Esay 41.23. for when there concurres a number of causes about one effect, which are not sub­ordinate to ascribe the effect to any one of these causes [Page 56] more than to any of the other, it is to ascribe a contin­gent effect to a cause which it cannot be ascribed to, for when there is no dependance betwixt the effect and the cause, then it is meere contingencie; & God only knows such things which are contingent: a child is born at such an houre under such a constelation, therfore such & such things will befal him, to ascribe these effects to his birth because he was borne under such a planet, that is follie, for there is no dependence here betwixt the effect and the cause: And here they had neede to looke to a nea­rer cause than to his birth, as to the constitution of the parents who begat the child, and to the nurse who nou­rished him, and to his foode, and they had neede more to looke to the time of his conception than to the time of his birth; for the starres workes more in the time of the conception of the child, and when he is in his mo­thers bellie, than in his birth.

Obj. But they will say when they find the houre of the birth, they can easily know the time of the conception.

Answ. Are all that are conceived at the same mo­ment borne at the same time? I hope they will not say so, for some are borne in the seventh moneth, & some in the tenth month; therfore this their observation wil not hold: And let them looke rather to his education, both by nature and by grace, than to the starres; for these will change him more than Mercurie or Venus.

They make the starres in their conjunctions to be the causes of mens actions, both naturall and morall. And they goe further, that they are these which produces alterations in religion.This Iudiciall astrolo­gie ascribes the alterati­ons and changes of re­ligion to the starres. They say when Iupiter is joyned with diverse planets he produces diverse religions; when he was joyned with Saturne, that conjunction bred the Iewish religion, & when he was joyned with Mars, then he bred the Chaldeans religion, & when he was joyned with the Sun that bred the Egyptian religion, and when [Page 57] he was joyned with Venus that brought on the Mahu­mets religion, and when he was joyned with Mercurie that bred the Christian Religion; and when hee was joyned with the Moone, that bred the Antichrists re­ligion. But it is strange to see how these men ascribes more to the climates in the heavens and to the starres then they doe to the ground wherein they live, or to the aire wherein they breath, or to the foode whereby they were nourished: And if we should demand of these men what is the reason that it hath fallen out that in these countries where Venus, Mercurie, and Saturne were of old worshipped the signes remaining the same still, yet it hath fallen out that their gods hath beene expelled, and cast out of these nations againe, although the signes remaine: So we may demand of them what is the rea­son although the Iewes be banished, wandering through the world, and changing so many climates, yet never altered their religion; and what is the rea­son that the Mahumets religion is professed now, where the Christian was professed of old; and wee see sundrie religions professed in one place under the same conjun­ction; therefore this conjunction of Iupiter with the Sunne, or any other starre cannot produce this effect of religion. Thirdly, if religion depend upon the vertue of the starres, when the vertue in that conjunction ceaseth, whether will the religion cease or not, or ceaseth soone after, as the light ceaseth when the Sunne is gone from us; w [...]ce commeth it then that the Heathenish reli­gion, and the Iewish religion hath endured so long,Ʋide Euseb. lib. 6. c. 18. praeparatione evange­lica. when as none of the astrologues can say, that the con­junction of the starres, or the vertue of that conjunction hath indured so long, and what conjunction can they shew when the Christian Religion arose to produce such an effect, or what conjunction made this, when the Mahumetan religion arose. And we see contrary reli­gions [Page 58] professed where there is but little difference of place.

This iudiciall astrology is iniurious to man.As this Iudiciall astrologie dishonours God, so it is injurious to man, for it takes away from him, liberty of will in civill things, which he hath by nature, and in religious matters, which he hath by grace, and brings him within the compasse of such a necessity. Quando astra non necessitant, sed inclinant; They bring no fatall necessity with them, [...] but inclines onely a little. The starres they have their influxes, into the bodies of men: therefore they are called Mozalim by the Hebrewes, a Nazal. influere. 2 King. 23. And the Rabbines call them Meshartim, a Sharat ministrare, and therefore they serve somewhat to foretell mans inclination, and manners, for they commonly follow the temperature of the body. But simply to foretell by the starres, what manner of men they will be, that cannot be foretold by the starres Sapiens dominabitur astris: As to say, such a woman will be an whoore because she was borne un­der such a constellation. But onely thus much they might say, her inclination would have led her to have beene such a woman, but good education, good com­pany, and most of all grace, may restraine her from that sinne. So this Iudiciall astrologie, brings men under a continuall feare. As the Lord threatned, Isa. 66.4. because when the Lord called upon them they would not answer him. Therefore hee would choose their delusions, and bring their feares upon th [...].

What use we may make of the starres.The Lord when he made the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres he made them for signes, and for seasons, we may observe times by them. It is the commendation of Issachar, 1 Chro. 12.32. that he could marke the times So we may observe the starres to be signes of spirituall events. As sometimes of Gods anger in the comets, for although they have a naturall cause in them, yet [Page 59] sometimes they signify great changes to happen in the Common-wealth, as warre, famine, and other Iudge­ments. Christ foretold that before his last comming there should be signes, in the sunne, the moone, and the starres, which should be most fearefull signes to the wicked, as they should be comfortable to the children of God, but wee can never tell things contingent by them.

This Iudiciall astrology is injurious to other sciences.This iudicall astrology wrongs other sciences. Let us consider what is [...] and [...] is such a sort of art, or science, which is foo­lish and altogether vaine to leane to, as physiognomy and palmistry, [...] is a liberall science or art, which is profitable to man. And [...] is that which is hurtfull to a man. As Iudiciall Astrology, and Ma­gicke.

We are to put a difference betwixt, Magiam divinam, A difference betwixt divine Magicke, the Magicke of the Mathe­matician, the physicall Magicke, and the diabo­licall Magicke. Magiam mathematicam, Magiam Physicam, & Magiam doemoniacam, divine Magicke, was that which the Ma­gitians of the East learned from the Scriptures. As from Balaam his prophesie of the starre, Num. 24.17. and was confirmed to them by the Mathematickes, observing the course of that starre, and here the Lord takes them in their owne trade because they studied the Mathema­tickes. And this starre, they called his starre, Mat. 2.2. This was Salutare sidus, for other comets pretended some unlucky thing, but this starre led them to Christ. This knowledge of the starres was lawfull, the Ara­bickes, call such an astrologue Cachin, which comes from Cohen, Sacerdos, and the Egyptian Priests, who might study n [...] other arts, yet were permitted to study this sort of Astrology.

The second sort of Magicke was Magia Mathematica, Mathematecal Magick. which considers the diverse aspects and properties of the stars and this is a lawfull knowledge.

Physicall Magicke.The third sort is Magia Physica, or ars medendi, and this is lawfull.

Diabolicall Magicke.The last is, Magia doemoniaca, sive diabolica, to fore­tell the events of things contingent by the stars, and this is altogether unlawfull.

All profitable sciences furthers a man to the knowledge of God, but this drawes a man from God.All profitable sciences furthers a man to the know­ledge of God, but this drawes a man from God. The Mathematickes prepares the minde (by abstracting of things,) and makes a way for the minde, to consider things, more separate from the materiall, and grosse bo­dies. And Moses was bred in this sort of science, Act. 7. When he was learned in all the sciences of Egypt. Se­condly, Physicke elevates the minde further. As when Salomon wrote of trees and plants, he was led here to the consideration of Gods power, and wisdome by them. Thirdly, Metaphysica magis clevat, Metaphisick lifts the minde higher to God; Sed non nectit postremo fini, It tyes not the minde to the last end, it considers God as Ens and affectiones entis are vnum verum & bo­num. This is all that Metaphysicke considereth, but this is nothing, untill the soule ascend higher: By divini­ty, it is led to the highest degree to know God. vnum per vnionem, & vnum per vnitatem, one by unity to know the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, one in es­sence; and one by union, to know Christ, God, and Man, to be one person, to know him Ithiel and Veall, This knowledge of God tyes the soule to the last end, to God himselfe▪ for all the knowledge which Agur had, before he came to this knowledge, he confessed that he was more brutish then any man, and had not the understanding of a man, he had neither learned wise­dome, nor had the knowledge of the Holy. That is, of salvation, and life eternall, which onely the holy attaines unto: This knowledge elevates the minde to the last end, then how brutish is that knowledge, that drawes [Page 61] away the minde from the last end.

This science is subordinate to no other science, for all subordination is either directa subordinatio, or else subordinatio ratione finis: Directa subordinatio, is this, when one borrowes all from the superiour science, as the Apothecary doth from the Physitian, for hee must know of the Physitian, what hot things and what cold, what drammes, and what scruples, he must put in the physicke which he is to give unto the patient. The se­cond subordination, or indirect subordination, is this which is subordinate onely in respect of the end. Ex­ample, a Cooke is not directly subordinate to the doctor of Physicke, therefore hee askes not of the doctour, what hearbes hee should put into a broath, because hee is not directly subordinate to the doctour, but aske him the end why hee makes the broath, hee will answer for the safety of man, here he is subordinate to the doctour in regard of the end, for the doctour gives Physicke for the safety of the man, and so doth the Cooke, who makes the broath. This devillish art is not subordinate, ratione finis, for the supreame and last science, Divinity serves for the good of man, to lead him to his last end, and to save him, but this science is not subordinate, to this supreame and last end, but it leades a man to his destruction and damna­tion.

This Astrology borrowes from other sciences and hath nothing of its owne. Vt format ostentiones suas: that is, as he makes his houses in the heavens, he is di­rectly subordinate to the Mathematitian here, and bor­rowes his principles from him: as he foretels naturall things, he is subordinate to physicke. But when he fore­tels contingent things (which he ascribes as proper to himselfe,) then he is subordinate to the devill. The Persian Priests were called Chobharim astrologi progno­stici [Page 62] from Chabhar. Isa. 47.5.

There is no science into this devillish art; for all scien­ces are resolved into principles knowne by themselves, or demonstrate into some other science or knowne by experience, or revealed by the first Verity. But none of these are found, in judiciall astrologie, therefore it cannot be a science, that these principles are not knowne by themselves, or demonstrate in some superior science these two they will grant, but some will perhaps say this skill was revealed by an Angel to Adam, or to E­noch, but who told them this, or out of what Scripture have they learned it. It rests then that they say they know this onely by experience, The Chaldees that they might perswade this their art to the Greekes, and to the Romans, said that they had experience of these things; for so many hundred thousand yeares (as Cicero testifies in his booke, de divinatione) And so they said truely, for there is need of many more yeares then these for to observe the figures, situations and oppositions, of every one of these in particular, before the heavens shall be turned about to the same point againe. And all the particular events, which they would demonstrate, by them shal never fall out, although the heavens should be in a perpetuall motion for ever.

Quest. How could Daniel, be made Master of the Magicians, Astrologers, Chaldeans, and Soothsay­ers, Dan. 5.11. seeing these were damnable arts?

Answ. Daniel, was set over these as they were gaz [...] ­rim, Astrologers, foretelling naturall things, and not as they were Soothsayers, foretelling things contingent, but these curious and damnable arts, no doubt he con­demned altogether, as unlawfull.

These iudiciall astrolo­gers were excommuni­cate out of the Church and banished out of the commonwealth.For this damnable art Aquila (who translated the Bible,) was excommunicate, and cast out of the Church. It hath beene condemned by the decrees of Emper­ours. [Page 63] As Cornelius Tacitus witnesseth, lib. 17. they ba­nished them out of Italy.

SECT. 8. Of divination of things on Earth, and first of dreames.

THere are foure sorts of dreames. The first is a na­turall or a Physicall dreame. The second is a mo­rall dreame. The third is [...], a dreame sent from God. The fourth is [...], a devillish dreame.

A naturall dreame is that which ariseth from a natu­rall cause,What is a naturall dreame. as these who dreame that they are eating sweete things, they may gather by this that they are subject to Pituit or fleame. Those againe who dreame of fire, chollor abounds most in them. And those who dreame of darkenesse, melancholy abounds most in them, and their dreames are sometimes praesagientia, foretelling things to come, as Galen in his progno­stickes, tels that a man dreamed that his thigh was bro­ken, and was turned into a stone, and shortly afterward he was taken with a dead palsy. So he tels of another who dreamed that he was wallowing in a cesterne of blood, He gathered that this man abounded in blood. But if a Physition leaning to such prognostickes, should open a veine, and let blood, hee should be holden for an rash and unskilfull Physition, for hee should use such cures, not by dreames, but by the symtome of the disease.

The second sort of dreames are morall dreames which ariseth from the multitude of cares and busines­ses, Eccles. 5.3.What is a moral dreame Gregorie Nissen de opi­ficio hominis. and Gregorie Nissen hath a fit compari­son [Page 64] to expresse the nature of these dreames, like as hee that plaieth upon an instrument after that he ceaseth to play, yet the strings trembleth for a while: So our acti­ons in the day time leaves some motions behind them when we are a sleepe.

These sort of dreames wee are to make little use of them, for in the multitude of dreames are diverse vani­ties, Eccles. 5.7. but if wee often dreame of one thing, wee may gather by this what is our predominant sinne,When we dreame of­ten of one and the selfesame thing, wee may know by it what is our predominate sin. for that sinne recurres oftenest unto us which wee are most given to, and shewes it selfe more in our sleepe than when wee are awake, for when we are awake our reason watches more over our corruption, and restrai­neth it that it burst not forth; and this Plutarch illustra­tes by a fit comparison: A Schoolemaster as long as he is present with his schollers, then they seeme to keepe good order, but if he withdraw himselfe a little, to trie how they will carrie themselves, then they beginne to play the wagges; So when reason watches our passions they seeme to be more setled and quiet, but if reason withdraw her selfe a little as she doth in our sleepe, then our passions beginnes to be more unruly.

What is a divine dreame.The third sort of dreames are divine dreames, and these comes onely from the Lord; Ioseph by his bre­thren is called bagnal hachalmoth, [...] Gen. 37.19. which some interprets, Dominus somniorum, the Lord of dreames; but they interpret not rightly this Hebraisme, as though Ioseph were Lord of dreames,God is onely Lord of dreames. for God him­selfe is onely Lord of dreames, therefore dominus som­niorum here, is a man who dreames often, or [...] as the 70. interprets it.

A difference of Gods revelation by dreames and by vision.There is a difference when God reveales himselfe to men in a dreame, when he spake to them in a vision, and when he spake to them in prophecie, when he revealed himselfe to them in a dreame, he revealed himselfe to [Page 65] their phantasie, when he revealed himselfe to them in a vision, he revealed himselfe to their sight, and then pro­phesie was more intellectuall.

When he revealed himselfe to their phantasie and not to their understanding,Sometimes God re­vealeth himselfe to the phantasie, but not to the understanding, to his children he revea­leth himselfe in both. that was an imperfect sort of revelation; so he revealed himselfe to Pharaoh, he saw the vision in his dreame, but he understood it not; but when he revealed himselfe to his children, he revealed himselfe both to their phantasie and to their understan­ding, and he makes them to understand their dreame, Iob 33.15. In a dreame in a vision in the night when a deepe sleepe falleth upon men, in a slumbering upon the bed, then he openeth the eares of men and sealeth their instruction. So likewise he revealeth himself in vision to their sight, but this vision came sometime to the sight onely, but not the understanding: So Balthasar when he was awake saw a hand writing upon the wall before him, but he understood not what it meant; but Ieremie when he saw the vision of the seething pot, and the mouth of it towards the North, Ier. 1.13. he understood the meaning of the vision, that the armie of the King of Babel should come against the citie of Ierusalem and burne it: So when Peter saw a sheete let downe from heaven with cleane and uncleane beasts in it; the Lord revealed the meaning of the dreame to him.

Thirdly,The highest degree of revelation was to their understanding. when God revealed himselfe to the un­derstanding of the Prophets, it was more intellectuall, and the most perfect sort of prophecie; and as vision was a more perfect sort of revelation than dreames [Ioel 2.28. Your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dreame dreames] so this intellectuall prophesie is a higher degree than vision, when God speakes to our eare by his Word in this life, and by his Sacra­ments to our senses; this is not the perfectest sort of re­velation, but that is reserved to us in the heavens which [Page 66] shall be more intellectuall and divine.

As these divine dreames was from the Lord, so the interpretation of these dreames was from the Lord, Dan. 2.28. and some of them were harder to be inter­preted than others, and were like aenigmata or ridles which had neede of much unfolding.

Divine dreames were either allegoricall or theorematicall.The divine dreames sometimes they were allegorica, and sometimes they were theorematica; these were cal­led allegorical dreames, which were not to be interpre­ted literally, but had some mysticall signification in them, as Pharaoh his dreame, and Ioseph his dreame; and Philo holds that Abraham was the first who ex­pounded these allegoricall dreames.

Theorematicall dreames were these when things fall out plainely without any allegorie, as they were foretold in the dreame, as when Ioseph was bidden in a dreame to flie to Egypt.

Sometime the dreame was from the Lord, but not the exposition of the dreame, as when Ioseph dreamed that his brethrens sheaves fell downe and worshipped his; so when hee dreamed that the Sunne, the Moone and the Starres bowed downe unto him, wee must not think that Ioseph had the interpretation of these dreames (as he had of the Butlers and Bakers) but when he was exalted in Egypt and saw the event, then he remembe­red the dreame.

Secondly, sometimes the Lord revealed the dreame to one, and the exposition of the dreame to another; as the dreame was revealed to Pharaoh, and the interpre­tation of it to Ioseph; so he revealed the dreame to the Midianite, and the interpretation of it to his fellow, Iudg. 7.13.14. And this interpretation of the dreame is called, [...] vers. 15. fractura somnii, the breaking of the dreame, a speech borrowed from the breaking of a nut, for unlesse the shell be broken, we cannot come to the [Page 67] kernell; so unlesse the dreame be interpreted,Dreames without the interpretation to no use. wee can­not understand it: But Daniel exceeded all in dreames, and in the interpretation of dreames, therfore Ezechiel calls him wise Daniel, Ezec. 28.3. who told Nebuchad­nezar both his dreame (when he forgot it) and the inter­pretation of it. It was a great skill in Apelles when they were enquiring for a malefactor who was fugitive and could not know him, Apelles having seene him once be­fore drew him so vively, although he had no examplar before him, that so soone as they saw the picture they found out the malefactor; but for Daniel to finde out this dreame which he never dreamed of before, nor thought of, this was the Spirit of the most high God who taught him.

Quest. It is said, 1 King. 3.6.How the Lord bade Salomon aske any thing when he was drea­ming. that the Lord appeared to Salomon in a dreame, and said unto him, Aske of me and I shall give thee: How could Salomon aske any thing of God in his sleepe, or pray to him, seeing oratio est actus humanus cuius principium est ratio libera, prayer is an action of man which hath the beginning from reason and not from phansie, for it is the Spirit of God who moves our reasonable facultie to call upon him, and not our phansie?

Answ. Some answer that it was before his sleepe when hee was offering sacrifices that then he sought this, and that, after that hee awoke againe, he begged for this wisedome. Others answer, that he verily pray­ed in his sleepe, because of the earnest desire that hee had for wisedome, made him to thinke of it in his sleepe; and it was actus rationis ratione causae. Tom. 2.2. qu. 95. art. 6.

Quest. What was the reason that the Lord revealed himselfe in dreames to heathen Kings and Princes, as to Pharoah, and to Nebuchadnezar?

Answ. There may be three reasons given of this; [Page 68] first, for his owne glory, hee did this to shew that his providence did reach as well to the highest as to the lowest, not onely in the Church but also without the Church. And this was the reason why he sent his Prophets sometimes even to the heathen, as Ezechiel to Babylon, and Ionah to Nineveh, and all to shew them that all their good came from him if they feared him, but if they did not, then they should feele his punishing hand. Secondly, the Lord did this both for their tem­porall and eternall good; for the Lord delights in the conversion of sinners; wherefore hee doth not onely make his Sunne to shine upon the good and upon the bad, and calls them that wayes to repentance, but of­tentimes by his word and by dreames, and his other benefites he invited them to repentance. And thirdly, he revealed himselfe thus to the heathen for the good of his Church, Psal. 105.14. He reproved kings for their sake. And thus he revealed himselfe in a dreame to Pha­raoh and to Nebuchadnezer for the Churches good. So Dan. 2.30. But as for me this secret is not revealed to me for any wisedome that I have more than any living, but for their sake that shall make the interpretation knowne to the King; that is, both for the Iewes and the whole Churches cause, who by their prayers obtained from the Lord to me the interpretation of this dreame; so that the dreame and the interpretation of the dreame were both given for the Churches cause. So he revea­led himselfe to Pilats wife in a dreame for Christs cause. So the Lord sent a Prophet to wicked Ahab, promising him victory against the Aramites for the comfort of his Church: So Elisha prophecied to Iehoram for Iosa­phats sake, 2 King. 3.14.

Whether Pilates Wife her dream was a divine dreame or not? Quest. What are we to Iudge of this dreame of Pi­lates wife?

Answ. This dreame came from the Lord to admo­nish [Page 69] her and her husband Pilate. Some dreames are from the spirit of God, but not with the spirit of sanctificati­on, as Pharaoh his dreame, and the dreame of Pilates Wife. Secondly, some dreames are both from the spirit, and with the spirit; as Iosephs dreame. Thirdly, some dreames are with the spirit, but not from the spirit; As a common dreame of the child of God, comes not from the spirit of God, but from the complection of his body or from the multitude of businesses, and yet it may be with the spirit of sanctification. Fourthly, some dreames are neither from the spirit of God, nor with the spirit of God, as diabolicall dreames.How shall we know whether our dreames be of God or not?

Quest. How shall we know whether our dreames be from the Lord or not?

Answ. We must not take them to be from God, be­cause we have often dreamed them. Secondly, we must not try them by the event, because they fall out as we have dreamed. For God often tryeth us this wayes Deut. 13. Neither must we take them to be from God, because the mind is more setled after the dreame, then before. For Satan can transforme himselfe into an an­gell of light. But the dreames which are from God, have some markes to discerne them, if so be that they are from him, for there is some internall instinct, where­by men are stirred up to enquire what these dreames meane; as Pharaoh did; and it is the part of the chil­dren of God, to pray earnestly to the Lord, to reveale to them, those things which hath beene showne to them in a dreame, for God openeth the eares of men in a dreame, and sealeth their instruction, that hee might withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man, Iob 33.15. God giveth warning to his children, somtimes of those things which are to befal them. Such was that dreame, which Theodosius dreamed, that the Bishop set a Crowne upon his head; when as he never [Page 70] thought of that businesse before.Theodoret. ecclesiastica historia. lib. 5. cap. 6. So that dreame of Policarp, who dreamed that the pillow under his head was burning, which foretold him of his martyrdome.

Of devillish dreames.The fourth sort of dreames are devillish dreames, when Satan moves men to superstitious and false things, Ier. 23.25. I heare what those prophets sayes, who pro­phesie in my name, false things; saying, they have drea­med a dream, Ier. 29.8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Let not your Prophets, nor your Diviners that be in the midst of you, deceive you; neither hearken to your dreames, which ye cause to be dreamed. Such a decei­ver was Semaiah the Nehelamite, or dreamer, Ier. 29.32. The Poets fained that there were two gates, by the which dreames went. The one was cornea, and the o­ther Eburneavia. Homer. odyss. 19. The one of horne, and the other of Ivory gate. The true dreames went by the gate of horne. And the false dreames by the Ivory gate. And they say more dreames passeth by the Ivory gate, then by the horne gate. And therefore they should for the most part not be regarded.

Whether all impure dreames be from the devill or not. Quest. Whether may all impure dreames, be called diabolicall dreames, or not?

Answ. in this sense they may be called diabolicall dreames, because they come from the devill, but they come not all immediately from the devill, for out of the heart of man, comes murthers, and adulteries, Mat. 15.19. There are some thoughts immissae, and there are thoughts emissae, these which are cast in, into the heart, come immediatly from the devill, but those that come out of the heart, come but mediately from the devill. And Bernard sayes well, Est morsus mentis, & morsus serpentis, & est malum innatum eque ac semina­tum, & est partus cordis preter seminarium hostis. That is, we are bitten with the corruption of our owne heart within, as well as we are bitten with the biting of the [Page 71] serpent without. And wee have inbred evill into us, as well as that which is sowen into us. When Satan put it in the heart of Iudas, to betray Christ, This was ten­tatio immissa, a tentation cast in by the devill. So when the devill moved David to number the people, this is immissa tentatio, a tentation cast into his mind. 2 Sam. 21.1. So when he filled the heart of Ananias, Act. 3. But when Christ said to Peter, goe behinde me Satan. This tentation of Peter, came out of his heart, and was not cast in into his heart. So impure dreames for the most part come out of the corruption of the heart, and are not put in into the heart.

Our dreames for the most part are uncleane dreames,We had need to pray to God, to pardon us the impurity of our dreames. therefore we had need to pray to God to pardon them. And to pray as the Iew did, Heale them O Lord, heale them, as thou didst the waters of Marah, by the hand of Moses; and the waters of Iericho, by the hand of Elisha. Arba turim. lib. orach chanic cephillah. 130. And as thou healedst Miriam from her Leprosy, and Naaman from his Leprosie.

Seeing the devill is so malicious and so crafty,When we are going to rest then we should e­specially begge the Lord to save us and to guard us. that he labours to tempt us in our dreames, when we are a sleepe. Our greatest care should be when we goe to sleepe, to begge of God, that he would keepe us under the protection of his wings. And to send his Angels to protect us against all the assaults of the devill, Philip. 4.7. The peace of God which passeth all understanding, keepe your hearts, [...] a speech borrowed from Kings, who being guarded by their guard, are safe from the assaults of their enemies, So we being guar­ded by the protection of the Angels, are safe from the tentations of the devill. Alexander was asked upon a time how it came that he sleeped so soundly, the ene­mie being hard by. Hee answered because Antipater waketh. He who keepes Israel neither sleepes nor slumbers. Psal. 141.4. Therefore we may lye downe safely, nei­ther [Page 72] can Satan hurt us at all. We have also gnirim, the watchfull Angels. Dan- 4.10. Pitching their tents about us, and we may be more secure then Salomon was, who when hee went to bed, had 70. valient men to watch him, Cant. 2.8.

Quest. How shall we know dreames to be from the devill?How we should know those dreames which are from the devill.

Answ. If they be contrary to the word of God, then they are from the devill. Such was Semajah his dreame contrary to Ieremies prophecy, Ier. 29.32. So if they move men to filthinesse, or uncleanenesse, they are uncleane dreames, so if their dreames be one con­trary to another, ye may know they are from the devil. Catarina Senensis said, that in her sleepe it was revealed unto her, that the Virgin Mary, was conceived in ori­ginall sinne. But Brigitta said, that it was revealed to her in her sleepe,Petrus Laiserius. lib. 4. de spectris. that she was not conceived in originall sin. This contradiction shewes that these dreames was from the devill.

In libro de probatione spirituum.It is a good observation of Gershon, that men the elder that they grow, they are the more subject to dreames; so sayes he, when the world is now fallen into the do­ting, and old age, they are the more given to follow dreames and false illusions then they were before.

Two sorts of trances, divine and diabolicall. Extasis or a trance, was a higher degree of revelation then a dreame, and there were two sorts of them, first, a divine trance, or extasis, secondly, a diabolicall.

A divine trance was this, when as the Servants of God were taken up in spirit,A divine trance. separate as it were from the bo­dy, and out of the body, that they might see some hea­venly mysteries, revealed unto them, as St. Peter was in such a trance, when a sheete was let downe to him from the heaven, and all cleane things, and uncleane things in it, and he was bidden eate of them. But S. Iohn was taken up in a higher measure, when he was taken up in [Page 73] the spirit upon the Lords day, Revelat. 4.2. and saw so many heavenly visions, of those things which should be­fal to the Church afterward. But S. Paul was in the high­est degree of al when he was taken up into the third hea­ven, and saw and heard, such things which he could not utter, and whether he was in the body or out of the body then he could not know.

Quest. Whether goes the soules out of the body at any time,The soules goes not out of the body in a trance. and returnes to them againe in this mortall Life?

Answ. If the soule be once a glorified soule, It comes never backe againe to a sinfull body, to dwell in it againe, I say to a sinfull body, To put a difference betwixt the glorifyed soules, which hath returned to their bodyes againe, and those soules which hath not beene glorified, and hath returned to their sinfull bo­dyes againe. The glorified soules,Glorified soules when they come to the body againe, they come to a body without sinne. when they returned to their bodyes againe, they returned not to those bo­dyes as sinfull and impure bodyes, as Moses when he was in the transfiguration, and those who rose when Christ suffered; their soules came not into impure bo­dyes againe, Those bodyes were corpora non pura, Soules not glorified comes to a sinfull bo­dy againe. but they were not impura. They were like to our bodyes when they lye in the grave,Corpus purum impurum non purum. They are not sinfull bodies any more, but yet they lye under the consequents of sinne, corruption, and mortality, and they were not to abide in those bodies, but shortly to returne to glory a­gaine. But those soules that returned to their bodies a­gaine, and were to abide there, were not glorifyed soules, they entered againe into sinfull bodies, Such as was the soule of Lazarus, Eutichus, Act. 20.9. and the soule of the widowes sonne of Naum, These soules came againe into sinfull bodyes, for that hypostaticall union betwixt the soule and the body, was not perfectly dissolved, as our soules and bodies are separate by [Page 74] death, neither were the soules glorified then in hea­ven.

A diabolicall trance is that which Witches and Sor­cerers falls into when they lie dead and senselesse for a time, and their soules seemes for a time to be out of their bodies, yet this union betwixt the soule and the body is not dissolved now as they beleeve, but the act of vivification is onely suspended for a time; Satan can­not bring a soule into a body againe as the Lord doth. So Sorodemones or Larvae sepulchrales haunts about the graves, to make men beleeve that their ghosts walkes here after they be dead.

SECT. 9. Of Lots.

THe Lord who is the righteous judge of the world, Gen. 18.25. and would every man to enjoy his owne, amongst other meanes hee hath appointed lots to cause strife to cease amongst men, Proverbes 16.33.

Quest. But lots are cast into the lappe, and moderated by the Lord, Prov. 16.33. then what needes any other meanes to decide controversies but lots?

A twofold providence of God, a generall and a particular. Answ. There is a twofold providence of God; first, a generall providence, and then a more particular pro­vidence; Possessions and inheritance are from the parents, but an understanding wife is from the Lord, Prov. 19.14. A good wife is given by the speciall providence of God, where we may see the ruling hand of God, more than when he bestowes inheritance by his generall pro­vidence; [Page 75] hath God regard of oxen, 1 Cor. 9.9. that is, he hath not this speciall care of them as he hath of men.The lot was reckoned among the inferiour sort of manifestation of Gods will. This distribution by lot was reckoned amongst the in­feriour sorts of manifestation of Gods will. Therefore when Ioshua divided the land by lot, Iosh. 19.51. he divi­ded it in Shilo before the Lord, at the doore of the ta­bernacle of the congregation where Eliazar the Priest was present: They rested not here in a lot, but they consulted also with the Lord by Eleazar the Priest concerning this division; Sauls election was by lot, but not Davids: Matthias his election was by lot, but not Saint Pauls; the lot was but an inferiour degree of the manifestation of the will of God, 1 Chro. 23.5. the Lord speake by lots, Num. 26.56. secundum es sortis, according to the mouth of the lot, but this was but an inferiour de­termination by his mouth. These lots were of three sorts, either they served for division, or consultation,Lots were of three sorts. or divination:A divisorie lot. This divisorie lot served for to divide pos­sessions inheritances and goods amongst men by this di­visorie lot, the tribes got their possessions in the land of Canaan: And others got their possessions by this sort of lot, and therefore a lot is put for an inheritance, Psal. 16.5. Psal. 125.3.

In these divisorie lots these caveats must be looked unto; first,What caveats must be kept in a divisorie lot. when lots are cast to divide controversies betwixt men, then they must have equall right to the things that are to be divided; In Israel if the question had beene amongst brethren for the dividing of their fathers goods, this could not have beene divided by lot, for the eldest should have had a double portion; and the lot keepes medium rei & non personae, a lot might have beene cast for deciding amongst the rest of the brethren, because they had all alike right to their fa­thers goods. When the two Goates were presented before the Lord, Lev. 16.8. (they were just alike in all [Page 76] things) which of them should be killed, and which of them should escape, here the Lord bids cast a lot for them: So who should dwell in Ierusalem and who not, Ezr. 2.11. and so the priests service was by a divisorie lot. Secondly, in these divisorie lots this caveat must be observed, that the lots be not cast on things unlawfully gotten by robbery (See Ioel 3.3. Naum. 3.10. & Obadiah 11.) or theft; such was the lot that the souldiers did cast upon the coat of Christ. Thirdly, in these diviso­rie lots, men must take heede that this be not their chiefe end to know the will o God (for then they are not divisorie lots, but consultory lots) but their chie e end must be in casting the lots that stri e may cease a­mongst brethren.

Consultory lots.The second sort of lots are consultorie lots, when men consults with the Lord by lots, what should be done in such and such cases. This lot differeth much from a divisorie lot, for a divisorie lot was onely about division of inheritances, and deviding of goods, but a consultory lot was used in higher matters, as who shold live and who should die: Such was the lot which was cast for the triall of him who had the excommunicate thing, and it fell upon Achan, Iosh 7.18. this was com­manded by God himselfe. This lot observes medium personae, as the divisorie lot observes medium rei.

Quest. Whether is it lawfull now to enquire for a guiltie man by lot or not?

Answ. It is not lawfull, for Iudges now are bound to judge per scrutinium, per teste, by confession and such, and not by lot. But if in a campe all the souldiers should transgresse the kings Edict, and should commit a thing worthy of death, yet the King willing to show mercy, might he not cause a lot to be cast to trie who should live and who should die, this the king may safely do, be­cause all are guilty alike here; and so of old they used [Page 77] decimare exercitum (when all were alike in the trans­gression) that some might live and some might die.

When the mariners caused the lot to be cast to trie who was guilty in the ship, this was an extraordinary triall which is not lawfull for Iudges to follow.

Quest. Whether may wee call this a divine lot or a di­abolicall lot which they did cast here for finding out the guilty man?Whether the lot which was cast for Ionas was a divine lot or not.

Answ. Although the marriners when they did cast the lot, did it not by inspiration from God, but ex­pected the event from the devill and not from God, yet the Lord moderate the lot that it fell upon Ionas.

Quest. What are we to thinke of the lot that fell up­on Ionathan, 1 Sam. 14.42. was it a divine lot or not,Whether the lot which fell upon Ionathan was a divine lot or not, see­ing it fell upon an innocent man?

Answ. It was a divine lot directed by the hand of God, to show how much hee respected an oath, and would not have it violated; and although Saul exacted this oath rashly of the people; yet he would have it ob­served as he would have the oath made to the Gibeonites kept, although it was procured by their deceit, be­cause his holy name was interposed there.

Object. But Ionathan knew nothing of the oath which the people had made to Saul, 1 Sam. 14.28.The representative oath bindes all, but not a personall oath.

Answ. When an oath is exacted of a multitude, it bindes every one in particular if it be a representative oath, as we see in the Gibeonites, therefore many yeares afterward Sauls sonnes were hanged for the breach of of this representative oath. So the Iewes tooke upon them, and bound not onely themselves, but their poste­ritie to keepe the feast of Purim, Est. 9 29. So the Israelites were bound to carrie away Iosephs bones out of Egypt, because their father Iacob had sworne it, Gen. 49.29. So Ionathan was bound for to keepe this repre­sentative oath which the people had made, although he [Page 78] was not present when the oath was made.

Here we may observe first how much the Lord re­gards an oath. Secondly, how Princes edicts and com­mands should be observed, although they seeme strict and hard to us. And thirdly, it is a fearefull thing to meddle with things devoted or anathematized, whe­ther wittingly as Achan did, or ignorantly as Ionathan did. Secondly, consultorie lots served to decide who were fittest for callings in the Church, as when Ioseph called Barsabas and Mathias stood for the Apostleship. It was decided by lot; the Apostles calling were im­mediatly from God, therefore this was decided by lot which was immediatly from God.

Why the Apostles at the first were chosen by lot, and why not af­terward. Object. But the rest of the Apostles were not chosen by lot?

Answ. Beda upon the first of the acts gives the rea­son of that, why Mathias was chosen by lot, and not the rest, because the holy Ghost was not come downe upon them before the Pentecost, but the seven deacons were chosen afterward, not by lot, but by consent. The canons hath condemned all Ecclesiasticall election by lot;Men are to be admit­ted neither to Eccle­siasticall callings, nor civill offices by lot. Capite fin. de sortelegis, tit. 21. lib. 5. & can. non statim. therefore Zeno the Emperour tempted the Lord in this case, for when the Bishop of Constantinople died, the Emperour was carefull that another should suc­ceede in his place: And what doth he? Hee caused a write to be layed upon the altar, having these words written in it, Si quem domine censes dignum hoc mini­sterio inscribe nomen ejus in hac charta, Lord write the name of him whom thou thinkest fit for this Bishopricke into this paper; and hee caused to shut the gates of the temple,Neciphorus lib. 16. c. 18. leaving the paper upon the altar: On Flavitias corrupting the Sexton of the Church with money, caused him to open the gates of the temple in the night and went in and wrote his name upon the paper and shut the doore againe, and so was chosen Bishop of Con­stantinople. [Page 79] But men are not to be admitted to any ec­clesiasticall calling, but for the fitnesse of their gifts. This election was as bad as if it had beene by a consulto­ry Lot and worse, and it was a tempting of God.

So men are now not to be admitted to civill callings by a consultory Lot, but onely for the fitnesse of their gifts, and by the sole choise of the Prince, or by the suffrages and voyces of the people, as the Athenians gave their voyces of old per Petalismum, by holding up of an Olive branch. So per ostracismum, by holding up an Oyster shell, when they would have any banish­ed, and sometimes per [...], by holding up of their hands, but they made not their choise by a Lot, The reason why they should not be chosen by a Lot is, be­cause Lots are uncertaine and casuall.

Object. And if it be said, that Prov. 16.33. The Lot is cast into the lap, but the disposing thereof is from the Lord.

Answ. When a man hath other meanes to try by, then it is a tempting of God to use Lots, Salomon wils not men here to use Lots, because they are directed by the hand of God, but rather he wils this, if men be for­ced to use a Lot, then God should be called upon, by earnest prayer, that he would direct the casuality of the Lot, and moderate it.

Quest. How were the seventy Elders of Israel chosen, Num. 11.26.27?Of the conceit of the Iewes how the 70. el­ders of Israel were chosen by lot.

Answ. The Hebrewes in Pesikta, sayes that they were chosen by a consultory Lot, after this manner. That day that God said to Moses, gather me seventy men of the tribes of Israel. that I may choose of them for to be Elders. Moses said, how can I doe this, If I shall chuse sixe out of every tribe, then there shall be two more then seventy, and if I shall choose five out of every tribe, then there shall be ten wanting of the se­venty. [Page 80] And if I shall choose sixe out of this tribe, and five out of another tribe, that will make but strife a­mongst the tribes, what doth Moses in such a case, he chooses sixe out of every tribe, and brings out seventy two papers, and upon seventy of the papers, he writes Zaken (Elder) and upon two of the papers, he writes cheleck (part) and he putting them all in a boxe, [...] he saith to them, come ye and draw forth your Lots. And he who drew forth Zaken Elder, Moses said unto him, the Lord hath sanctified thee for this calling, to be an El­der. [...] but he who drew out cheleck (part,) he said unto him, thou hast no part in this businesse, Therefore the Hebrewes sayes that Eldad and Medad, were inter con­scriptos, but they were not those which were written, they got cheleck onely (part,) and not Zaken Elder, but this seemes to be but a Rabbinicall dreame.

A lot for divination, is a diabolicall lot.The last sort of Lots is a Lot for divination, to fore­tell things to come, and this lot is diabolicall and alto­gether unlawfull. Such was the Lot that Haman did cast for the subversion of the Iewes First, he enquired by Lot what day of the moneth was fit for this. And se­condly, what moneth of the yeare, whether the second, third, or fourth moneth. And the Lot shewed that the twelfth moneth, and the thirteenth day of the moneth, was the fittest time for this execution. Here wee may observe the great providence of God, who overruled this Lot, and made it serve for the good of his Church, that he would have the Lot to fall, neither in the ninth, tenth or eleventh moneth, but in the twelfth moneth, that the Iewes might get leasure to gather themselves together to stand for their lives, and to send letters through all the provinces for the retreating of those wicked letters, which were given out for murthering of all the Iewes, And most of all they had this leasure granted to them, as Rupertus saith, that they might send [Page 83] to a farre countrey to the heavens, their legats, their prayers, their fasting, their teares, to cry for helpe from heaven in such a distresse. Haman did cast purim, in the translation of the 70. the supplement is, God made two lots, one for his owne people, and another for the wicked; and so the rod of the wicked rested not upon the lot of the righteous, Psal. 125.3.

Such a lot of divination was that which Nebuchadne­zar used, Ezech. 21.21. when hee stood at the parting of the way at the head of two wayes to use divination, he made his arrows bright, and he consulted with Ima­ges, Saint Ierome shewes the way how he divined by his arrowes, he wrote upon the arrowes the names of Ierusalem and Rabba; and when he pulled forth the ar­row on the which the name was written, that towne he began first to besiege; and because Rabba came forth first, therefore he began to besiege Rabba first, Cabbhal here signifieth expolire to polish. The Hebrewes holds that he made the heads of the arrowes bright and the names Rabba and Ierusalem did appeare in them, as in a looking glasse. The Prophet Hosea saith consulunt lig­num which they applied to this sort of divination, this they called [...].

SECT. 9. De augurio, or of the divining by soules.

THis divining by foules the Lord forbids in his Law, [...]. Num. 24.1. Such as Balaam practised, he went not as at other times to seeke for enchantments; the 70. translate it, [...], id est, [...] augures. in occursum avi­bus, that is, to take a divination by the fleeing of the [Page 84] foules by their chirping, by their feeding, by their num­ber, and such like: Such was the diviners amongst the Philistimes, 2 Sam. 6.2.

What things the foules can foretell.Although the foules be not domini actionum suarum, cannot command their own actions as man doth, yet by a secret instinct they can foretell these things which are agreeable most to their nature as sensitive things, for their bodies being subject to the influx of the superiour elements, and exercised onely about organicke thinges, therefore by the influx of the superiour bodies they can foretell raine, tempests, and such like, which man can­not doe by the constitution of his body so well, because mans phantasie is carried to more sublime and high things, for mans sense is not governed by externall things, as the beasts and foules are. Hence it is that wee see that these who are fooles and stupid, who are not so much ruled by reason as by sense, are apter to divine of naturall things than the wise, and they who sleepe, rather than they who walke, because their bodies are not onely more affected with these externall changes, but also in these the phantasie is stronger than in wiser men.

The foules by a naturall instinct and temperature of their bodies foretell stormes to come, and Summer and Winter: We compare things three manner of wayes; first, we compare things singular to make up the univer­sall;How many wayes we compare things. the foules cannot doe this. Secondly, we compare on thing with another; the foules cannot doe this. Thirdly, wee compare things and time distinctly toge­ther in our minde, I say distinctly, because the foules confusedly can take up the times and seasons of the yeare, but they cannot distinctly discerne the time from the thing it selfe, as we doe: These naturall inclinations we may observe and make use of them.

God hath appointed the foules to teach us, as to [Page 85] learne the time of our visitation, Ier. 8.7.What we should learne of the foules. The Storke in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow know the time of their comming, but my people know not the judgement of the Lord: So the Lord sets downe the example of the Storke, which is called Ghasida, or pitie, Levit. 11.19. and [...], because the young ones feedes the old; so should children learne from these [...], to feede their old parents, and sometimes by their example, hee teaches us, what we should decline, and shunne, Ier. 17.11. as the Partrich sitteth on egges, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes, and at his end shall be a foole, the Partrich many times sitteth upon the egges, which she gathered, but never hatcheth them: So covetous men enjoyes not the fruit of that which they toyle for. Thus farre wee have a warrant to make use of the foules.

Quest. What use are wee to make of these foules which are called inauspicatae aves, as the Owle, and the Skrich-owle? Esay 13.21.

An. We may only make this use of them when they dwell in such places which are desolate, that th [...]se pla­ces carries the marke of Gods wrath upon them, when the inhabitants of them are spued out for their sinnes.

But to take up the contingent event of things by them is altogether devilish, as to marke their number,We must not take up contingent events by the foules. their fleeing, eating, or chirping: to foretell contingent things by these, that the Lord forbiddes altogether, Deut. 18. and they are joyned with Augures coeli, Esay 46. Because of the great affinitie which was betwixt them; the one observeth the starrie heaven, the other observeth the nether region of the ayre, and the foules that flies in it, augures, the 70. translates [...], the heathen called the foules nuncios deorum; and first, they [Page 86] observed their number, as Calcas foretold Aga­memnon by the number of the Sparrowes which did flie before him; how many yeares the Trojan warre should last: So they marked the crying, and eating of the foules; If they refused to eate, they tooke that for an unluckie signe; so they marked their terrae pavium or trepudium, their tripping upon the ground. There are signes given from God to man, as the Lord bade Ioash smite the ground so often, and he should have victory against the Syrians, so from man to man, as Ionathan his arrow shot to David, and Iudas kisse to the Iewes, whomsoever I kisse, Matth. 26.48. so from the devill to man; as when they foretell by the flying of the foules, the events of things, and things con­tingent; and so when they called upon the Flie, dominus muscae, the devill answered them, 2 King. 1.4. There was one sort of divination by the foules very strange a­mongst them; they caused to write twenty foure letters in the ground, and layed a graine of barley upon every letter, and the Magitian set forth a cocke, using certaine conjurations in verses, and marking what graine the cocke did picke up,Pecerus pag 322. these letters they joyned together; The master of Iamlicus Proclus by this sort of divination would know who should be Emperour after Valence, and when as the cocke had picked up onely the graines of the foure letters, [...] it was uncertaine, whether this was Theodosius, Theodotus, Theodorus, or Theode­ctes; Valence being uncertain who was meant, caused to put to death many who were named by these names, fearing that some of them should surprise him in his Empire, and Iamlicus fearing the Emperours wrath, dranke poyson and made himselfe away.

There was something naturall in this action, as for the cocke to eate, something casuall, as to picke up such a graine, and something ex instituto humano, by mans [Page 87] appointment, that the letters being joyned together should signifie such a name; and something diabolicall, as who should be Emperour.

This kinde of divination hath beene derided by sun­dry; It is memorable which is reported by Herateus of Mausellanus, how hee mocked these diviners by the foules; for when he was travelling towards the red sea with Alexander the great,Vide Petrum Cunaeum. pag. a Diviner seeing a bird sit­ting by the way, desired the armie to stay for a while, and hee should shortly tell them what successe they should have in the warre; Mausellanus being skilfull in archerie, bends his bow, and killed the bird, and this way mocked the Diviner, saying, how could this poore bird foretell what should become of the armie, when it could not foretell its owne death: Cato was wont to say, that he marvelled when one of these diviners met ano­ther, that they could abstaine from laughing, who so deluded and mocked the people.

This kinde of divination by the foules,When the divination ceased. ceased most when the Roman Empire ceased, the Romans were much given to it.

So to divine by the intrales of beasts good or bad successe is unlawfull, Ezech. 21.26.To divine by the in­trals of beastes is un­lawfull. he looked into the liver; this is extispitium: the Priests of the Lord when they were to sacrifice a beast, they looked first whether it was whole and sound or not: Secondly, whether it wanted hornes and hoofes or not, Psal. 69.21. if it wan­ted these, they would not sacrifice it. Thirdly, if it was not found within, they would not offer it: And lastly, when it was burnt they observed whether it was whole­ly burnt to ashes or not, then they tooke this for a good signe, therefore David prayes, Psal. 20.3. Re­member all the offerings, and turne thy sacrifice to ashes: So the heathen counterfeiting them, looked to the in­trals of beasts, and to try the events of things contin­gent by them.

The last sort of divination forbidden is [...] when they asked counsell of the dead, or did divine by the skull of a dead mans head, [...] which was called [...], and this the Hebrews cals Begolgola, and by Tera­phim; Elias in Tishbi tels, the manner how these Tera­phim were made, they tooke a child uncircumcised, whose head they pinched off with their nailes, and they put a little plate of gold under his tongue, and wrote up­on the plate the name of the spirit which they called upon.How many wayes this Teraphim is taken in the Scripture.

This word Teraphim is taken three manner of wayes in the Scripture; first, univoce; for the Teraphimes, which the Magitians used, such was Labans Teraphim, which he consulted with, Gen. 31.19. Secondly, this word Teraphim is taken Analogice, for the Idols which the Idolaters worshipped, Iudg. 18.14. These were not like Labans Teraphim, [...] but by way of analogie, they are called Teraphim, for the worshipping of idols, is the worshipping of devils, 1 Cor. 10.21. Thirdly, the word Teraphim is taken aequivoce; Such was the Teraphim which Michol kept in her house, 1 Sam. 19.13. made on­ly to the forme of a man; for it is not likely that David, who had a care to purge his house of all abominations, Psa. 101. would have suffered his house to have bin pol­luted with Teraphim, either in the first or second sense: Theodoret turns it [...] which seemes to containe the corps of the dead man, and yet the corps is not there: So this Teraphim was like unto a man, yet there was no­thing within it to resemble a man:This word devill is ta­ken three wayes in the Scripture. So this word devill is taken three wayes in Scripture; first, univoce, as the de­vill put it in the heart of Iudas, Ioh. 13.2. Secondly, Ana­logice, Ioh. 6.70. Iudas analogice is called a devill there, And thirdly, aequivoce, when Christ calls Peter Satan, Math. 16.23.

SECT. 10. Of the power of the devill, what Satan can doe by himselfe, and by his instruments.

THere is a twofold power, an absolute power,There is an absolute and a limitate power. and a limitate power: Gods power is an absolute power, therefore power is put for God, Matth. 26.64. At the right hadn of the power, that is, at the right hand of God; and Satans power is a limitate power:How Gods power is limitate, and the de­vils power is limitate. God limitates his owne power, sometimes ad intra, as Gen. 19.22. hee saith hee could doe nothing while Lot came to Zoa [...]: God by his absolute power might have destroyed Lot in Sodome, but by his limitate power hee could not, because it made more for the glory of God to save Lot, then to destroy him; but the devils power is a limitate power from without, for God who is more strong and mighty than hee, linitates and bindes him, and farre exceedes the devill in power.

First, God can onely create things of nothing,God can onely create things of nothing. Satan cannot doe this; God when by his mighty power hee doth create, presupposeth nothing to worke upon, and his action in creation depends upon no other thing, for if he presupposed any other thing, then hee should not create absolutely by himselfe;How God, Nature, and Art worketh. This his action must be answerable to his infinite power: Art, when it worketh, must have some subject actually to worke upon; nature must have some thing potentially to worke upon, but God when he worketh, needeth nothing; either actual­ly or potentially to worke upon. The Serpents which were brought before Pharaoh by the Magitians, either they were but serpents in shew onely, as Tertullian holdeth when he saith, Moses veritas devoravit Ma­gorum [Page 90] mendacia, or els they were serpents brought there by the slight of the devill, but they were not serpents newly created. There is as great distance, inter ens, & non ens, betwixt that which is, and that which is not, as there is inter non ens & ens, betwixt that which is not, and that which is, but, the devill cannot change a body which is, unto that which is not at all, he can dissolve a body into the foure elements, but he cannot turne it to nothing, because he cannot abolish the foure elements: and as the devill cannot reduce that which is, to no­thing: so he cannot create a thing and make it of no­thing to be some thing. God onely then, who is the cause of causes can create: There is in all the elements some seedes or seminarie vertues, and when fit time and opportunitie serves, they shew themselves in their owne kindes: Now when the devill drawes forth these, hee cannot be said to be the creator of them, no more than the husband man, who although hee observe the fit times and occasions of sowing the corne that it may grow, yet he cannot be called the creator of the corne; so neither can the devill be called the creator, when he drawes out any thing out of the elements which is virtually in them.

God onely can change one substance into an­other.So God likewise by his power can onely change the substances of things, as he changed Lots wife into a pil­lar of salt, Gen. 19. and water into wine, Ioh. 2. God onely can change one essence into another, but he can­not change one substance into another, so long as the forme and substance of the first indureth: Therefore the devill when he would take a proofe of Christ, whe­ther he were God or not; hee bids him change stones into bread, Matth. 4. Satan may delude our senses, and shew us counterfeit shewes for true, but he can­not change one substance into another;S. Augustine lib. 18. de civitate Dei. therefore Saint Augustine proveth well, that Iphyginia was not turned [Page 91] into a hare, neither was the companions of Diomedes tur­ned into fowles; As Satan would have had the people beleeve.

God onely can worke miracles, Psal. 135.God onely can worke miracles. Thou Lord onely workes marvellous things: Satan cannot worke a miracle, for a part of nature cannot exceede na­ture; Satan is but a part of nature, and a miracle is above nature: Therefore Satan cannot worke a miracle, & quod est totaliter sub-ordine constitutum, non potest ultra istius Ns. [...]rae ordinem agere, Mira operatur Satan, sed non miracula, and the Angell did wonderouslie, Iudg. 13.19. So satan can doe wonders, but no miracles.

There are Three sorts of miracles,Miracles are of three sorts. Miracles in the highest degree, and Miracles in the second de­gree, and miracles in the lowest degree.

Miracles in the highest degree are these in which nature had never a hand, nor never could have,Miracles in the highest degree. as to make the Sunne stand still in the firmament, or to goe backe so many degrees.

Miracles in the second degree, are those,Miracles in the second degree. when nature had once a hand in producing of such things, But when they faile, nature cannot helpe them againe: Example, nature bringeth forth a man seeing, but when hee be­comes blinde, nature cannot restore him to his sight a­gaine: And therefore when Christ restored the blinde to their sight, it was a miracle in the second degree.Miracles in the lowest degree. A Miracle in the third degree is this, when nature in time could doe such a thing, but when it is done in an instant, then it is a miracle in the third degree. When Peters Mother in Law was sicke of a feaver, Mat. 8.13. nature in time could have evicted this malignant humour, and cured her, but because upon a sudden Christ cured her of this feaver, therefore it was a miracle in the third degree▪ So when Ezekias lay sicke, God bids lay a l [...]pe of figges to the sore: figges in time would have [Page 92] matured the boyle, but Ezechias being cured in a sudden by the Lord, this was a miracle in the third degree.

The Devill cannot worke miracles in the highest de­gree: Therefore it is false which they write of the witches of Thessalie, that they could stay the course of the Sunne by their enchantments, and bring the Moone out of the firmament.

Satan can worke no miracles in the second degree▪ Christ proved himselfe to be the Saviour of the world by this, because he restored sight to the blin [...] ▪ and the lame to their limmes, and the deafe to their hearing, and cleansed the Lepers, Mat. 11.5. But Satan cannot restore sight to the blinde, Iohn 10.21. Can a devill open the eyes of the blinde.

Satan can worke no miracles in the third degree; Such as was the curing of Peters Mother in Law upon a sudden; Satan hath more skill then a Physitian hath to give soveraigne physicke to a Patient, and so to cure him the sooner; but this he cannot doe upon an instant as Christ did.

The Hebrewes markes a twofold worke of God, opus Beresheth, A twofold worke of God opus beresheth and opus Merkebha. [...] and opus Merkebha; They call gods ordinary working in nature, opus Beresheth, from the first words of Genesis; They call Gods miraculous workes, opus Merkebha, from Ezekiels chariot, Eze. 1. [...]

God in ruling naturall causes he rules from the high­est to the Lowest, and from the top of the Lather to the foot,When God workes in naturall causes he rules from the highest to the lowest. Hos. 2.21. I will heare the heavens, and the heavens shall heare the earth, the earth shall heare the corne, and the corne and the wine, shall heare Iezreell. Here God rules from the highest to the lowest.

Some of the Schoolemen maintained that God touched onely the first cause, the Heavens, and the Heavens sent downe the influence to the earth, and so to the rest: As when the crimp fish toucheth the fishers [Page 93] hooke, It sends a benummednes to the hooke, and the hooke transmitts it to the line, and the line to the goad, and the goad sends it to the fishers arme: Here the crimpe fish workes not immediately upon all these, but onely upon the hooke: but God doth not worke so upon these subordinate causes, but is immediately with every one of them.

Quest. Whether then doth God concurre as a medi­ate or immediate cause with every effect.Whether God con­curres as a mediat or in immediate cause with every effects.

Ans. That is called a remote cause which is farthest distant from the effect, and which touches not immedi­atelie the effect by the vertue of it: God is called a re­mote and mediate cause if yee will respect the order of causes; as he is nearer to the Heavens then to the corne or Iezreell: But if ye will consider distance from the effect▪ If wee respect the cau­ses God workes medi­ately, but if ye respect his blessing he workes immediately. by his vertue, God is immediately with every offect.

But here wee must take heede that wee say not as some say, The sunne shines not, but God in the sunne, the fire burnes not, but God in the fire, for then wee should ascribe many things to God which should bee unworthy to be spoken of him, and wee should take a­way the subordination of causes.

But when Satan worketh, he never worketh immedi­ately, but by some second cause, but when God works,Satan never workes immediately. sometimes he works nullo mediante supposito, no meanes intervening, as when Christ cured the woman of the bloody flux by vertue which went out of him, Mar. 5.30. Sometims againe he worketh mediante supposito & immedietate virtutis, that is by a meane which inter­venes immediatly by his power, as when he feeds us with bread, when wee looke that all the vertue is in God, then wee say that man lives not by bread onely, but by every word that commeth out of the mouth of God, Mat. 4.4. but when wee looke to the bread, as to a second cause, feeding us, then we say, that [Page 94] bread strengthens man, Psal. 104.15. and wine cheares his heart.

God onely worketh from the highest cause to the lowest, It is he onely that sends raine, Acts 14.17. He left not himselfe without witnesse, in that hee did good, and gave us raine from Heaven, and fruitfull seasons▪ It is he who gives the first and the latter raine, and it is he that can hasten the raine, 2 Kinges 18.44. And it is hee that can send a generall raine to destroy the world; but Satan can doe none of these, for Satans power goes no higher then the aire: Hee is called the Prince of the aire, and can raise stormes in the aire, haile, and fire, and so can the Witches at Gods permission. He can applica­re hic activa passivis, as we, (when we make pouder) use to put brimstone and salt-peter together: So can Satan raise stormes by applying contraries one to another, but hee cannot bring downe fire from Heaven as Elias did, 2 King. 1.10.

Quest. Seeing Satan workes only by natural causes, by touch and influx▪ how is it said that the evill eye of the Witch doth bewitch,How doth the evill eye of the witch bewitch? Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you: [...], here is properly spoken of those who bewitcheth by the eye?

Ans. It is not the eye heere which doth the hurt, but Satan; As hee hurteth sometime under the pretext of the enchanting word, so here hee hurts under the pre­text of the eye, and makes the witch beleeve, that it is her eye which hurts, when as it is satan in the meane time, who doth the hurt.

What are wee to judge when a murtherer is brought before a dead corps and bleedes. Quest. What are wee to thinke of that sort of tryall; when a man is killed and the murtherer is not knowne, if the murtherer come before the dead man, the corpes bleedes▪ Heere there is neither a physicall touch nor a naturall cause▪ and God worketh not mira­culously now?

Answ. Some hold, as there is a secret antipathie be­twixt some living creatures, as the Elephant, when he is madde, beholding a lambe becommeth tame; and the Lyon is afraid of the cock, so there may bee an antipa­thie betwixt the living and the dead, and the blood is moved when the murtherer is presented before it; but this seemes to carry but little reason with it, when a man was killed in Israel and no man knew who had murthe­red him, If this tryall had beene a lawfull tryall, why would not the Lord have set it downe for the discove­ry of the murtherer?Ʋide Lessium. pag. 384 Iun [...] writing upon this place hold [...] this tryall altogether to be unlawfull.

God when he workes upon the subordinate causes, he workes ordinarilie [...], according to nature, and sometimes [...], pra [...]r n [...]tur [...]m, as when he directs the creature another way, then their naturall instinct would carrie them, as when the kin [...] of the Phylistines were yoked in a cart, 1 Sam. 6.7. they carried straight, (leaving their calves) the arke to Bethsh [...]sh: So when the Raven brought daylie flesh to Eliah, This was pr [...]ter naturam, besides nature; for the Raven is cruell to her owne young ones, and will scarcelie feede them, see Iob 48.41.

Satan cannot move the creatures against their proper instinct, to doe any thing, but he may hinder their natu­rall instinct by some naturall meanes, by an antipathie.Plutarch in Sympor. The wild bull if hee bee tyed to the figg tree it calmes him: The devill by such meanes can hinder the crea­tures.

God never workes contrary to naturall meanes,God never workes con­trarie to the superiour course of nature. for the God of nature is never contrarie to nature; And al­though the Lord sometimes seems to be contrarie to the second institution of nature, yet he is never contrarie to the first institution of nature▪ This is the supreame course of nature, that all things should obey the first [Page 96] cause, and God never workes contrary to this first in­stitution of nature. I will cleare this by this similitude. The inferiour course of nature appoints every heavie thing to goe to the center, yet lest there be any vacuum in rerum natura, an emptinesse in nature, the superiour course of nature draws heavie things upward to supplie this emptienes: Others expresseth the matter thus. There is a common nature, and a particular nature, and the particular gives way to the common: the water by its owne proper course runnes downe, but by the com­mon course; the water of the sea flowes and ebbes, and this it hath from the common course; Satan cannot stoppe the inferiour course of nature, farlesse the supe­riour course of nature.

Gods miraculous sorts of working.Gods second manner of working is opus Merkebha, when hee worketh miraculously; God in working of his miracles useth instruments, but it is he alone who wroght the miracles;When God workes his miracles by instru­ments, it is he onely who does the worke. he cōmunicateth not this his pow­er with any, when the dead man was cast into the grave of Elisha, and touched his bones. 2 King. 13.21. there was no power in the dead bones to quicken the man a­gaine; so there was no power in the apostles girdle, or shadow, to cure diseases, neither into the Apostles themselves was this power, they were morall meanes here, but they were not Physicall causes, they prayed to God, and told that all was done in his name; but there naturall skill helped nothing here in producing the effect. So Iohn 5.4. when the Angell stirred the waters, and they that stepped in first were healed, the power was neither in the Angell here to heale, nor in the water when it was stirred: When the Physitian stirres his potion, heere hee useth his skill, and there is a naturall power in the potion; but when the Angell stirred the water, it was neither the skill of the Angell, nor the power of the water that healed the sicke person. [Page 97] The Lord communicates not his power, no not with the humanitie of Christ: Christ as man did not worke these miracles:Christ as man wrought not miracles. The fathers disputing a­gainst the Arrians, and Nestorians shewes us this: Grego­rie Nyssen writing against Eunomius sayes, Non vivi­ficat Lazarum humanitas, nec deflet in latibulis jacentem potentia▪ The humanitie raised not Lazarus, neither did the divinitie weepe for him. God then did not communi­cate this his power of working miracles to any creature.

Ob. If it be said Marke 16.20. that the Apostles did [...], with Christ in working of the miracles,How the Apostles are said to [...] with Christ. A difference be­tween Christs working of miracles and the Apostles. then they might seeme to be coworking causes with Christ in the miracles.

Answ. this is onely spoken in respect of the end, when as God onely did worke the miracle; so men are said to helpe God, Iudg. 5.23.

Christ in working of his miracles, differed farre from the Apostles and Prophets, when they wrought the miracles.

When Christ wrought his miracles, he wrought far greater workes then any other could doe, Ioh. 15.24. If I had not done amongst them the workes which no other man did, they had not had sinne, which saying is to bee understood; If he had not wrought mo e mira­cles, greater miracles, and more frequent, Mark. 1.32. they brought unto him all that were diseased, Mat. 15.30. they brought to him those that were lame, blinde, dumbe, maimed, and many others, and they cast them at Iesus feet, and he healed them; but when the Apo­stles and Prophets cured the diseases, the vertue went not from them, as it did from Christ, Mar. 5.30. they ascribed never this vertue to thēselves, but reserved the honour to Christ, Luke 10.17. as Ioab reserved the ho­nour to David, when he was about to take the cit [...]e of Rabbah, 2 Sam. 12.28. Secondly, they could not cure [Page 98] when and where they pleased, as Christ could, as Saint Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum, 2 Tim. 4.20. Third­ly Christs miracles were greater then theirs, yea when they wrought one and the selfe same miracle: Peter cured Aneas who was eight yeares sicke of a Palsie▪ Acts. 9.33. but Christ healed a man who was thirtie eight yeares impotent. Iohn 5.5. So Peter raised up Dorcas who was newly dead, Act. 9.37. But Christ raised Lazarus when he had layne foure dayes dead in the grave, Iohn 11. Fourthly, Christ cured [...]. the imfirmities of the stomake by miracle, Mat. 5.23. But Saint Paul used onely the ordinary remedie to cure this disease in Timothie, drinke a little wine for the weakenesse of thy stomacke, 1 Tim. 5.23. Miraculous workes farre exceed the workes of Nature, as the sight restored to the blind by Christ, farre exceeded the or­dinarie sight, & the wine miraculous in the Marriage of Cana, far exceeded the naturall wine. So Christ cure here exceeded farre Saint Pauls. Lastly, none of the A­postles confirmed themselves to be the messias by their miracles, as Christ did Mat. 9. that ye may know that the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes, I say un­to thee, take up thy bed, Mat. 9.

The witch is concausa into the worke, and not causa sine qua non.But when the devill works by witches and sorcerers, he workes by them as by coworking causes, They are not causae sine quibus non, for Causa sine qua non, is not re­ckoned amongst causes, neither by the divines nor by the Philosophers; for that is properly called a cause w^ch concurres to the producing of the effect. When a man sets fire to a house, the setting of the fire to the house, is not the cause why the house burnes, but it is causa sine qua non: So when I open the window that I may see the light; the opening of the window is but causa sine qua non, that I see the light; when Satan useth the witch in his malicious and devillish inchantments, the witch is [Page 99] not causa sine qua non here, but she is concausa, and helpes all that she can to the destruction of the creature.

The miracles which the Apostles wrought differed farre from the miracles which Satan wrought, which was not miracles indeed, but had a show of miracles, and therefore they are called lying wonders; And first, they are lying wonders, ratione causae, The difference betwixt the miracles of the A­postles and the miracles of Sathan. as proceeding from the devill who is the father of lies. Secondly, ra­tione formae, in the manner of their working, they are but delusions. And thirdly, in respect of the end, for they serve onely to confirme lies, 2 Thes. 2.9. But the Apostles miracles were true miracles wrought by the spirit of God, they were no delusions, when Aeneas was healed, he arose presently, and made his bed; and all that were at Lydea and Saron saw it, Act. 9.35. So when Peters mother in law was healed of a feaver, shee arose and ministred to Christ, Marke 1.31. and as many as hee touched were made perfectly whole, Matth. 14.36. Last­ly, in respect of the end, the Lord cured their bodies, to make way for the curing of their soules, as Mar. 2.5. when he had cured the man of the palsie, he said unto him, Thy sins are forgiven thee. So Ioh. 5.14. when he cu­red the man of the palsie, he said unto him, Sin no more least a worse thing come unto thee; But Elimas the sorcerer sought to turne away Sergius Paulus the deputie from the faith, Act. 13.8. The Apostles ascribed all the power to God; but sorcerers and witches, ascribe the power to themselves, Simon Magus said, he was the great power of God, Act. 8. So the witches will have the sicke to beleeve in them, and that they have power to heale or to hurt (as they say) otherwayes, they can doe them no good?

Quest. Whether can the devill doe more with the helpe of the witch, than he can doe himselfe alone.Wherefore the devill can doe more by the helpe of the Witches than he can doe alone. Answ. Some holds that he can doe more by the ser­vice [Page 102] of the witch, than hee can doe alone, Mirum est (inquit) & mysterium, Fransciscus de victoria rel. 1. de arte magica sub finem. quod cum daemones nocere per se non permittantur, tamen, non adeo impediuntur no­cere per homines, ut magos, lainas, & alias maleficas; It is a strange thing (saith he) and a great mysterie, seeing the devils oftentimes are hindered to worke by them­selves, yet notwithstanding they are not so hindered to hurt by men, as by sorcerers and by witches; and of­tentimes he saith, the devill cannot worke, unlesse the malice of man concurre to the helping forward of his devillish practise. God himselfe saith, I was angry with my people, Zach. 1.15. but ye helped forward mine anger; much more may wee say, that the witches with their malice helpes forward the malice of the devill, and makes the fire to kindle the faster; for the devill is but a finite creature, and his power is not infinite; therefore the more that concurres to helpe him forward his worke is the more.

Let us compare Art, the Devill, nature, and God to­gether;A comparison betwixt Art, Nature, the De­vill, and God. Art can doe strange things, yet it doth onely imitate nature: Architas Tarentinus made a Dove so cunningly, that hee mnde it flie in the aire, as if it had been a living dove; and the Egyptians made their gods so cunningly, that they seemed to laugh, to smile, and to frowne: And Xeuxes painted grapes so vively, that he made the birds come and flie upon them:Vide Cael [...]um pag. 54. and Apelles painted a horse so vively, that he made the horses pas­sing by, to ney, and the dogges so vively, that he made the dogges passing by to barke, when they saw the pain­ted dogge: but Archimedes surpassed all, he made a hea­ven of brasse so curiously, that one might have seene in it the seven planets, and all the motions: but the devill can farre exceede Art; and all the skill of man, yet the secrets of nature can farre exceede Art or the Devill: The stone Carystius of old erat [...] sive netelis, Caelium pag. 305. fit to [Page 101] be spun as wooll or flax, and they made napkins of it; which when they were unclcane, they cast into the fire, and then they became as white as they were be­fore, and yet the fire burnt them not: when the Ro­mans burnt the bodies of the dead to ashes;Regum funera in ejus­modi adurebantur tuni­cis ne corporis favilla cam reliquo miscer [...]tur cinere Plin. l. 19. cap. 1. & ha [...]mortu [...]les vocabant quib [...]s cadavera indue­bantur. how pre­served they the ashes of the burnt bodies, from the ashes of the wood which burnt the bodies? they had this sort of linnin which they called Asbestinum, which they did wrap the bodies into, which cloath burnt not, but transmitted the fire to the bodies, and preserved the ashes of the bodies by themselves; this was a great force in nature; so the haire of the Salmander cast into the fire will not burne, but when the haires of Servius Lucullus were cast into the fire, the devill could not pre­serve them from burning, without some naturall meanes: and here nature exceedes Satan farre, but God the chiefe and supreame cause farre exceeds Art, Satan, and Nature: When the three children were cast into the fire, by faith they quenched the flames of it, Heb. 11.34. and their bodies were not burnt which were combustable in themselves, neither was there any meanes to hinder the fire not to burne them, but onely Gods power: So the bush burnt but consumed not, Exod. 3.3. by this power of God▪

There is conjunctum instrumentum, & remotum instru­mentum: When the Phisitian cures by physicke,The devill can exceede remotum instrumentum the physition, but not conunctum instrumen­tum the Physicke. the phisicke is conjunctum instrumentum of the cure, and the Phisitian is onely remotum instrumeneum of the cure: Satan cannot cure as the phisicke doth, yet he can farre exceede the Physitian.

Now followes to shew how Satan can worke in a bo­die and upon our bodies.

When Satan takes a body upon him, the spirit here is not united to this body; to make up one person with it,How Sathan worketh in a body, and upon a body. and to dwell in it, as our soules doth in our bodies. Se­condly, [Page 102] this spirit is not united to this body, ut forma in­formans, which is tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte corporis, which is all in the whole body, and all in eve­ry part of the body; but he is there onely ut forma as­sistens, Cum angelus sit completa substantia & integra non est alterius rei pars substantialis non, igitur est, forma in formans quia effectus causae for­malis sine causa formali fieri non potest, corpus autem informanre est effectus causae infor­man [...]is, ergo non po­est fieri ab angelo qui naturae sua est sub­stantia, completa non forma informans & na­turae unita non sunt hic analogae. he moves and directs that body onely, but hee informes not that body, he is but in that body, as a Pilate is in the shippe, or the Coachman in the coach. Wee have three sort of spirits, Animales, Vitales, and Natu­rales; Our animall spirits come from the braine, as to move, to see, and to heare; our vitall spirits from the heart, as our breathing, beating of the pulse, and such like; our naturall spirits proceed from the liver, as our concoction, degestion, generation, and such like: Sa­tan hath these, secundum substantiam actionis, but not secundum modum actionis, because they proceede not, a principio vi [...]ente & informante: so he can lie with a wo­man, as these Incubi doth, but he cannot beget a child, because he hath not this principium vivens; and if arti­ficiall things, can give a sound, and be made to move, to laugh and to smile, what marvell is it, that the devill can doe such things in a body, which comes a principio communi; these are common to things without life, and when the devill eates, assuming a body, his meate is not turned into bloud, nor nourisheth his body, this meat is resolved but into the aire againe, as the Sunne resolves the vapoures of the earth into aire againe, and converts them not into it selfe:Thomas 1. part. questione 51. art. 2. ad. 5. So Christ after his resurrection did eate, yet that meate did not nourish his body, but was resolved into the aire; so their meat which they eate,Angelorum species ser­vatur in singulis indi­viduis, ut species solis & lunae, sed hominum species servatur in multis & ob corruptionem singulorum similium compensant ge­neratione. was not turned into seede for generation and pre­servation of their kinde, f [...]r they are immortall spirits and beget not; daemones nullam habent individi, vel speciei mulciplicationem.

The Philosopher marks that three things concur inge­neration. The common cause, the proper cause, and the [Page 106] materiall cause; the common cause is the heaven; Sol & homo generant hominem, the proper cause is the father who begets, begets, and the materiall cause is the seede. Satan cannot be called the father of the child as the pro­per cause; for every thing that is begotten, is either be­gotten a simili genere, or a simili specie: a simile genere, Sathan cannot be cal­led the proper cause of generation. as the Mule which is begotten betwixt the horse and the asse; a simili specie, as a child begotten by a man, but if Sa­tan could beget a child, he shold neither be a simili gene­re, nec a simili specie; for Satan is a spirit, and hath but an assumed body; but the child hath a body that is begot­ten of the father; and therfore our fathers are called the fathers of our flesh, Heb. 12.9. This is proper to a natural father; and Satan cannot be called a father in this sense; If Sathan could beget a child, then this child were bound to honour his father, but no creature is bound to honour the devill;Sathan cannont be cal­led the materiall cause of generation. neither is there any materiall cause of generation here; for all generation is [...], Heb 11. ex commixtione seminum, Ier. 31.27. I will sow the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah, with the seed of men; but Satan hath no seede.

The Scripture acknowledgeth onely two sorts of conception, first,Two sorts of concepti­on onely spoken of in the Scripture. when a woman conceives by her husband, this is naturall generation [...], that is borne of a woman, and begotten of a man; and the se­cond was that miraculous conception of the manhood of Christ in the wombe of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the holy Ghost: Another kinde of conception the Scripture acknowledgeth not.

Object. But they say that Satan may steale the seede of a man, and that will be a fit matter for generation.The devills seede is not a fit matter of genera­tion.

Answ. How can Satan keepe in the vitall spirits in the seede, when it is not in the proper place of genera­tion? If a mans bloud be let out of his veines, can Satan keepe in the vitall spirits in the bloud, when it is out of [Page 104] the vessels of it, the divell when he lies with a witch his nature is cold, as they confesse, therefore his seede is not a fit mater for generation, and is the mother able to nourish such a conception nine moneths in her bellie?

Object. And if it be said that the devill hath begotten a child upon a woman, as Merling.

Answ. If there was such a one as Merling, the devill beget him not by generation; but it is more probable, which Serarius holds, writing upon Tobias, that Satan can first make a womans bellie to swell, as though shee were with child: Secondly, in the time of her delivery, when she appeares to be delivered, Satan can by slight present a child, and make the people beleeve that the woman hath brought forth this child, as hee brought serpents, and layed them before Pharaoh, making him beleeve that they were newly created serpents, and the devill bringing the matter thus farre to passe, then some evill spirit takes a body upon him; and that body he di­rects and guides, non ut forma informans, sedut forma assistens, and he doth strange things in this body.

Manie of old were deceived by this, thinking that Satan lay with women, and begat children, and they misapplied that place of Gen. 6.2. The sonnes of God saw the daughters of men faire, and they went in to them, and begat gyants upon them: and the Poets from thence fabuled also, that Hercules was the sonne of Iupiter, and his mother was Thetis the goddesse of the water; and Alexander the sonne of Iupiter Hammon.

Now let us consider what Satan can doe upon the body of man,What Sathan can doe upon the bodies of men. and upon the soule when it is in the bo­by, and upon the soule when it is out of the body

First, upon the body, he can transport the bodies of men out of one place to another,Sathan transports bodies. and he can strike the body with diverse diseases.

He can transport the bodies;Transportation is two-old imaginarie and reall. transportation is two­fold, first, imaginarie transportation; and then reall. Imaginarie transportation is, when one is onely trans­ported in mind. When Ieremie was in Ierusalem, he was bidden goe, and hide his girdle at Euphrates in Babylon, Ier. 13.4. this was but an Imaginarie transportation. So when the Lord caried Ezekiel from Babylon to Ie­rusalem, that he might see there the vile abhominati­ons, and Idolatry, which they were committing in the temple of Ierusalem, Ezech. 8.1. this was an imaginary transportation, and not a reall.

A reall transportation is this, when a man is locally removed from one place to another, by a good spirit or by a bad: by a good spirit, as when the Angel transpor­ted Philip to Azotus, Act. 8.40. and 1 King. 18.12. When I am gone from thee, the spirit shal carrie thee to some place that I doe not know: by a bad spirit; as the devill transported Christ out of the wildernesse, to the pinacle of the temple, Matth. 4. And in this sort of transporta­tion, this is to be observed, that Satan in an instant canot transport a body out of one place to another,Psal. 14.4. Non de ventis sed de Christo loquitur propter a [...]tic ulum gracum qui affigi solet subjecto, non praedicato. the spirits of themselves flies nimbly as the windes doth, Psal. 18. compared with Heb. 1.7. sheweth this. And as the light­ning goeth from the East to the West in a sudden, so doth the spirits quickly: but when they carrie bodies, they must fit themselves to the condition of the bodies, for bodies cannot be carried but more slowly, by reason of their weight and heavinesse;How Sathan applyes himselfe to the con­dition of the bodyes when he transports them. and so the spirits must f [...]t them­selves to their condition, and carrie them the more slowly: so when the Angel wrestled with Iacob, he fitted his strength to Iacobs strength. The fire upon a sudden flies, yet in greene wood we see it burnes but slowly; so Satan must but slowly move the bodies when hee transports them.

There are many who denies such transportation of [Page 107] witches from place to place;Those who denies reall transportation are in­jurous both to Eccle­siasticall Iudicatories and civill. and they hold that it is onely an Imaginarie transportation, and that Satan onely represents to their phantasies such imaginations: but this opinion is most false, and hurtfull to the com­mon wealth, and it is contrary to experience, and in­numerable, examples of those who have beene really transported: and then it is contrary to reason, for what lets, but that one evill angell may transport bodies from one place to another, as well as good Angels may doe; when as the evill angels have lost nothing by their fall, either of their strength or nimblenesse. And this opinion of theirs, is contrary both to the Iudgement of the Church and the commonwealth, and it favours to much this horrible and great sinne, that it is not pu­nished condignely as it deserveth; for the Iudges who are of this minde, either they punish not the witches at all, or else but lightly, sparing their lives, and so they spare those, whom the Law of God commands to be ta­ken away. And this opinion brings a blot upon Chri­stian Iudicatories, both Ecclesiasticall, and civill, accu­sing them both of ignorance and rashnesse, as though they could not discerne what were done indeede, and what by imagination, and to accuse them of cruelty and injustice, as though they should condemne harmelesse and innocent persons to death for such things, which they never committed, but onely being deluded by Satan, they seeme onely to have done such things, yet in judging of other crimes, there we presume there is no delusion, when they have the guilty persons confessing their faults, if they be in their right wits, and stand to their confessions made before. Moreover, these also may be put to death, who are deluded by Satan in their sleepe, for when they were awake they made the co­venant with the devill, as also because they desire most earnestly these things to be done, which they seeme to [Page 107] doe in their dreames: and they are most glad when they see these things performed.

Secondly,Satan can strike the bodies of men with divers diseases the devill can strike the bodies of men with diverse diseases; hee can strike them both vitijs creationis, and vitijs accidentis. Vitia creationis are such, which men have from their conception; as to be crooke backed. So with such diseases as befall men after they are borne, which are called vitia accidentis: so he strooke Iob with botches and boyles: so he bowed downe a daughter of Abrahams eighteene yeares, and we reade in the Gospel of a dumbe devill, Mat. 8.23. So of a deafe devill, Mar. 9.25. and of a blinde devill Matt. 12.22. Hee may hurt all the senses and the tongue.

Here we must put a difference betweene the hurting of the good Angels and the bad.How the good Angels differ from the badde Angels in hurting. The good Angels doth hurt the wicked and preserveth the godly: the good Angels were sent to Egypt to kill the Egyptians, but to save the Israelites: but the evill Angels doe hurt the godlie as the devill hurt the body of Iob, and the Angel of satan buffeted Saint Paul.

Ob. But it may be said that David called the Angels who hurt the Egyptians evill Angels, Psal. 78.49. and he sent evill Angels amongst them.

Ans. We must put a difference betwixt Angelus mali, [...] Angelus mali in regi­mine, They were An­gels of evill, but not evill Angels, who smote the Egyptians, and saved the Israelites and angelus malus; they were Angels of evill, but not evill Angels, they were Angels of evill, because they inflicted punishments upon the Egyptians, but they were good Angels protecting, and sparing the Isra­elites.

Quest. What Angel was that which buffeted Saint Paul?

Answ. Some hold that it was concupiscence and lust, against the which Saint Paul strove. Others hold, that it was some great enemie of Saint Pauls; such as was [Page 108] Alexander the Coper-smith: And some that it was a disease in his body which vexed him; But it seemes more probable, that Saint Paul was beaten and buffeted by some Angel of the Devill: for Saint Paul describes here such a sort of affliction, that might diminish some­thing of that pride, and high conceit which he had with the many revelations made unto him by God. This pricke was given him in the flesh, to diminish those high conceits. Now neither the calumnies of the adversaries nor the diseases of the body were fit to do this; and least of all concupiscence was fit to diminish those high con­ceits, for one vice cannot be cured by another: S. Paul glories in this infirmitie; therefore it was not a vice, and if there was such a power granted to the devill over the body of Christ, that he might transport it here and there; why might not the devill have power over the body of Saint Paul to buffet it, seeing he had such pow­er over the body of Iob, to strike it with botches and sores.

Quest. How are those diseases which are sent from God, discerned from those which proceede from the Devill or from naturall causes?How we are to dis­cerne those diseases that come from God, from those that come from the Devill and from naturall causes.

Answ. It is more easie to discerne those which are sent from God, then those which are from the Devill at Gods permission. When diseases are sent upon men in the very time of their sinning, then wee may thinke that the disease proceeds from no naturall cause, 2 Cron. 26.19. When Vzziah had his censer in his hand, to offer incense, and was stricken with a Leprosie in the meane time; there was nothing naturall in this Leprosie. So when the Kings hand dryed up upon a sudden; when he stretched it out to take the Prophet; this was a punish­ment inflicted immediately from God. So wee may know by the long indurance of the plague, that it is from God; As when the Iewes carried the Leprosie [Page 109] out of Egypt with them to the Desert, and to Canan, it might be known also by the colour that it was not natu­rall; sometimes it appeared red, Levit. 14.36. some­times halfe red, sometimes greene; and sometimes in the flesh of man, and in their cloathes, and in the walls of their houses. This variety of colours shewes that it hath been from God immediately. Last it was remitted to the Priest to try this disease, and not to the Physiti­ans: which argues that it was sent from God, and not from nature. So when he smote the Egyptians in their hinder parts to their perpetuall shame, Psal. 78.66. this disease came not from nature, but immediatly from God. But sometimes the Lord inflicts a disease which proceeds from a naturall cause; As when he smote Ie­horam with an incurable disease in his bowels, 2 Cron. 21.18. This disease the Physitians call Diarrhaea, when the Liver and the Lungues rottes, and are disolved peece and peece, and so are evacuate: This disease had a naturall cause, and a morall;Valesius de sacrae. Phil. pag. 238. The naturall cause of it was evill dyet, which corrupted both the Liver and the Lungues: therefore the text saith, his bowels fell out, by reason of the sicknesse day by day, for this dis­ease peece and peece consumes the Liver and the Lungues, and ver. 19. it was two yeares before he died of this disease. The Morall cause of his disease was this, because hee made Iudah to goe a whoring after Idols, ver. 13. if he had not committed those sinnes he had not so erred in his dyet, neither would it have hurt him so (for it is the Lord that woundes and the Lord that heales.) Gods will is the first cause preceeding all other causes, yet it takes not away naturall and subor­dinate causes.

But those diseases which are inflicted by satan, at the permission of God, it is hard to know them. All the Physitians could not tell what it was that bowed down [Page 110] the daughter of Abraham eighteene yeares, Luke 13.11. Therefore in such cases, when the diseases are not knowne whence they proceede, wee should ever looke up to the first cause: When Iob was robbed of his goods by the Chaldaeans, he looked up to the first cause, and he said, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken; So no doubt when satan strook him with such sores, he said, The Lord woundeth, and the Lord healeth: people commonly when they are stricken with some diseases they say, some witch hath done this, but they never looke up to the first cause, the hand of God, but the greatest witch that bewitches them is their owne infi­delitie.

The Iewes markes two sorts of spirits which hurts men. [...]The Iewes for the most part ascribes all sudden disea­ses to evill spirits, and they make two sorts of spirits, one sort that killes in the night; And this they call Debher; And another which killes in the day time, and this they call Ketebh: and all the ground which they have for this is that which they take out of Psal. 91.6. hee will deliver thee from the pestilence which walkes in the darknesse, and from the destruction which wastes in the day time; And the Targum following the Iewes opinion Paraphraseth it thus. A caetu daemonum perdentium in meridie, that is, from the company of the devills who destroyeth in the noonetyme of the day; a [...]d the 70. translates i [...], [...], & daemonio meridiano; that is, from a devill that flies in the day tyme.

As Satan can hurt the bodies of men, so hee can hurt the soule,Satan can hurt the soule when it is in the bodie. To strike the soule with madnesse. when it is in the bodie; as the evill spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and strooke him with madnes and this is called [...] and opposite to this is, [...] Mar. 5.15.

So hee can strike the heart with blindnesse, and hard­nesse; but for the will of man it is moved by no exter­nall cause, but only by God himselfe: The Lord per­swaded [Page 111] Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9.27. It is the Lord onely who can peswade the will:Satan cannot perswade the will, God onely doth this. satan propounds and suggests tentations to the will, but can­not enforce the will. Hence it followeth that the devill cannot be said to be the cause of sinne, directlie moving the will, as God moveth the will to good: the will is a free working cause, and determinates it selfe to sinne: therefore the Devill cannot necessitate the will to sinne, unlesse the will give its owne consent, non cogendo, sed suadendo nocet, non extorquet consensum, sed petit: Ther­fore it is, that the scripture so often exhorts us to resist the devill, Ephes. 6. and Iames 4. Resist the devill, and he will flie from you: And if the devill should draw men necessarily to sinne, then it should bee the devills sinne onely; and not mans, when as all sinne is willingly com­mitted: Therefore he is but indirectly the cause of sin,Satan is indirectly the cause of sinne by the will. propounding and suggesting such objects which may affect the senses, and draw the will at last to give con­sent willingly to the sinne.

When the soule is out of the bodie, the devill can doe nothing to the soules of the children of God,What Satan can doe to the soule when it is out of the bodie. for they are bound up in the bundell of life, 1. Sam. 25. but hee can punish the soules of the wicked, according to that power which is granted unto him; and so much the more as the soule is the more immateriall then the bo­die: So the punishments of the soule are more fearefull then the punishments of the bodie▪ and although the bodies bee more passible then the soule, yet the spi­rit hath more understanding; and when there is more understanding, there the paine and the griefe is the greater; And there is the greater harmony betwixt spirits and their delights, then betwixt the senses and their pleasures, and consequently there is more griefe in the soule then in the body.Reasons moving us to acknowledge the pow­er of the Devill.

If wee would consider either the number, strength, [Page 112] order, or agreement of the devills amongst themselves, we must acknowledge their great power.

[...]The order of the devils. First, there order: There is Belzebub the prince of the divels; & there are also infe­riour divels, as Rev. 12. the Dragō fought & his Angels, and Ashmodeus Lucifer princeps daemoniorū: Augustinus Nyphus in his book de daemonibus, cap. 17. saith Omnis mul­titudo dictat ordinem, & maxime in perpetuis substantijs; Every multitude requireth order, but especially those immortall substances; for as it is ordained (saith he) that men may live the more quietlie and peaceably, that there be superiors to rule, and inferiors to obey: So a­mongst the devills that they may hurt & annoy man the more, there are some superiors, and others inferiors; which power and superioritie of theirs shal cease, when they can hinder no more the salvation of man: And as all principalities shall bee given up then, 1 Cor. 15. So shall also (saith hee) this principalitie of the devill cease then.When wee consider their number.

If we consider then there nūber we may see what great power they have; A Legion possessed one poore man.

[...] They are called Gib­borim potestatés.Thirdly, consider that they are called Gibborim; potestates, strong ones, Psal. 78.25. hee fed them with the bread of the strong ones, that is with the bread of Angells.

There agreement.And lastly, consider their agreement: It is not Reg­num divisum, a divided kingdome, they all conspire to­gether for the overthrow of man: by all this wee may understand what power the devill hath to trouble and molest poore man.

Now to conclude this point concerning the power of the devils, this is our comfort, that there power is a li­mitate power, and that they can goe no further then God permits them, 1 Sam. 18.10. It is said that the evill spirit from God came upon Saul; why is hee called [Page 113] the evill spirit that came from God, because hee was sent by him, and restrained by him at his pleasure. The Lord can rule the devills at his pleasure, he cannot only restraine them that they hurt us not; but can make them instruments to serve for the good of his Saints. 1 Cor. 5. the Lord biddes deliver the incestuous Corin­thian over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit might bee saved in the day of the Lord Iesus; The Lord makes the devill here his instrument for the mortifying of the corruption of the incestuous Corinthi­an, 1 Cor. 5.5. So hee used the messenger of Satan to buffet Paul, that hee might humble him, 2 Cor. 12.7.The Lord can make Satan an instrument for the good of his Saints. The planets the nearer that they are to the first mover, the more they are carried about with the motion of the first mover; and the lesse they follow their owne motion, and those that are farther from the first mover, followes more their owne motion, and lesse the motion of the first mover: and they that are farthest of all from the first mover, most swiftly perfects their owne motion; And yet for all that, they follow the motion of the first mover also: Saturne that is nearest to the firs [...] mover, followeth his owne motion verie slowlie, and finishes both his owne course in thirty yeares. The sunne that is farthest from the first mover then Saturne, finisheth his owne course more swiftly (in a yeare) then Saturne doth: But the Moone although she bee the lowest of all the planets, and fini­sheth her course in twenty eight dayes, yet shee followes the course of the first mover, and is carried from the East to the West. The Angels and the glorifi­ed spirits, are most carried and directed by God the first mover, and followeth not their owne motion: The regenerate in this life they are too much busied a­bout their owne motion, and yet they are ruled and guided by the spirit of God; But the devilles who are [Page 114] farthest of all from him, and followeth their owne mo­tion most, yet they are inforced to follow the Lord and his will.

When Balaam would have cursed the people of God Num. 23.23. he was inforced to say that there was no inchantment against Israel; When the Lyon had killed the Prophet, yet hee tared not his flesh, nor broke his bones.Beth here is (contra) and not (in) 1 King. 13.24. So the Lord restraines this raging Lyon the devill, that hee make not altogether havocke of his Church, Pro. 30.31. there be foure things which are comely in going, A Lyon which is the strongest amongst beasts, and turneth not away for any: a horse girt in the loynes: a hee goat also: and fourthly a King, against whom there is no rising up: Satan is a strong Ly­on, who turneth not away for any, hee is that strong horse girt in the Loyres, which rusheth into the battell, and none is able to withstand him. Ier. 8.6. hee is also that hee goat; Alexander was called Hircus caprarum Dominus duorum cornuum, Dan. 8.6. The strength of a beast lies in his hornes,Quando animaeli cuipiam additur Gen. Plur. foe­min, tunc significatur animal illud tenerum esse, Gen. 38.17 Psal. 113.4. Eze. 45.23. and Dan. 8.21. Hee was called Hircus caprarum, to signifie, that hee was but a young goat when hee pushed the world, and none was able to withstand him: what strength then hath this old hee goat, to push the children of men: And he is that King against whom there is no rising: There­fore we should bee affraid of his strength alwaies: But this is our comfort, that hell and destruction are before the Lord, Prov. 15.11. to be before the Lord signifieth not onely that things are knowne to him; but also that they are under his power and subjection, Gen. 13.9. Is not the whole land before thee?Coram aliquo quid sig­nificat. so Cant. 8.12. my vine­yard which is mine is before mee; that is, it is in my power, and belongs to me; So hell and perdition are before the Lord: That is hell, and the devilles who are tortured there, howsoever they resist, yet they are subject to the Lord.

These spirits must alwayes be at the Lords com­mand, and subject unto him. The Apostle saith, Heb. 2.8. That he hath put all things under his feete; but wee see them not as yet put under him; sed tandem proferet victoriam injudicum, and then his enemies shall be quite trode under his feete, Mat. 12.20.

SECT. 12. Of the knowledge of the devils, and of their predicti­ons of things to come.

THe devils hath great knowledge,The devils have great knowlegde. and therefore they are called [...].

Foure things make them to have great knowledge.Foure things makes them to have great knowledge. The devils know things uno intuitu. First, they know things, uno intuitu, and they are intel­ligentes creaturae, sed non ratiocinantes, they know not, as the Schoolemen saith, Hoc ex hoc; they reason not as we do, gathering this of this, but because they know not all things together, therefore they learne, hoc post hoc, this after this. When we behold the face of a man whom we know, here we rest without any reasoning to enquire who he is; but if we have forgotten the man whom we have seene before, then wee beginne to recollect, and bring our selves to a particular knowledge of the man, as where wee have seene him before, how they call him: The first sort of knowledge which we have of the face, is, minus universalis, & magis distincta, but the se­cond is magis universalis, & magis confusa. When the devil lookes upon things he knoweth them, uno intuitu, as when we looke upon a knowne face. Our knowledge againe is more confused, and therefore we come to it by reasoning this and that way.

Satan when he lookes upon the effects, and the cause, he doth not abstract and separate them as we doe when we foretell by the causes, the effects following, neither lookes hee by the effects unto the cause. Our sight is quicker than our hearing, and therefore we see the lightning before wee heare the clappe of the thunder; but the devill takes them up both at one time.A comparison betwixt man and man how far one exceeds another, and how far the devill exceedes man. The de­vill being a spirit knowes many things which man knowes not, and he apprehends them sooner than man, both for the impediment of his senses, and dulnesse of his wit, when we consider how farre one man differeth from another in quicknesse and understanding; and how dull another is in conception and understanding; by this wee may be led to take up what difference there is betwixt the knowledge of the devil, and the knowledge of man; and that he farre surpasseth man in understan­ding:Vitruvius lib. 9. de ar­chitec. cap. 3. compare but Archimedes his quicknesse of wit, with Croesus his dulnesse, and then ye may see what dif­ference there is betwixt mans knowledge, and the de­vills: Archimedes could find out to tell how much base mettell was in the King of Siracuses crowne, which was made to him, although he brake not the crowne. This was an admirable and great skill: Croesus againe was as dull in his conception, when hee caused to take the flesh of Testudo the shell crabbe, and the flesh of a lambe, and boyle them in one vessell to trie which of them should be soonest boyled, and whether the shell crabbe would be as slow in boiling as in going, and come as farre behinde the lambe now, as before; there­fore Tyrius said of him,Caelua pag. 51. that he was Regum stultissimus, & coquorum infaelicissimus, of all kings the most foolish, and of all cookes the most unskilfull; Archimedes his skill farre surpasseth Croesus his dulnesse, so the wit of the devill farre surpasseth man.

The Angles knoweth not this by this, as wee doe; [Page 117] when the doores was sprinkled with the bloud, they reason not after this manner as we doe, this is the signe, therefore such a man dwelleth here; but the bloud was sprinkled upon the doores, for to assure the Israelites, that none of their houses should be killed.

Object. But ye will say,How the Angels take up things. if the Angels compone not things, but apprehend onely simple things, they have the basest sort of knowledge, for children appre­hend first simple things, then they compone things; and thirdly, they reason; and thus they proceed from the imperfect to the more perfect, & posteriora origine, sunt dignitate prima; and these things which are last ta­ken up, are most excellent; now the Angels taking up things onely simply, they seeme to have the basest sort of knowledge.

Answ. The Angels by their simple essence know things, and not by passion, as wee apprehend in our minde.

Secondly, the Angels when they apprehend sim­ple things, it is without any kinde of imperfection (as it is when we apprehend them) & eminenter includunt perfectionem compositionis, & discursus. Secondly,The long life of the devill makes him to have great skill. their long life makes them to have great skill: Satan is an old Serpent, therefore his skill must be very great. Let a man live but Nestors days, and have good wit, together with long experience, he cannot choose but to be wise: Satan saw from the creation of the world, and shall see to the last Iudgement; he saw the first world drowned with water, and shall see the second destroyed with fire, therefore he must understand much. It is a long time ere a man come to knowledge, and he spends a great time in folly, and if he live long he forgets as fast and faster than ever he learned: But Satan Nescit quid sit oblivisci, and therefore great must be his knowledge.

Thirdly,The great imployment of Satan breeds him kill. the great imploiment of Satan hath bred [Page 118] him great knowledge: he saw the rising, the height, and the fall of the foure Monarchies, hee had a hand in them all, & quorum pars magna fuit. He was at the con­sultations of all the tyrants against the Church, and no wicked deede was ever atchieved, but Satan was at the plotting-of it: and therefore great must be his skill.

Fourthly, his great intelligence that he hath abroad; makes him to understand much;His great imployment abroad makes him to have skill. for the evill spirits from all parts give intelligence one to another; and as the Cherubims were painted in the temple with their faces one to another, signifying that their is a corres­pondencie amongst the good Angels, for the propaga­ting of the Kingdome of God; so the devills agree one with another, to give mutuall intelligence for the uphol­ding of their kingdome, & Regnum non est divisum, Mat. 12.25. The Lord knowes onely the secrets of the heart;God onely knoweth the secrets of the heart. as when Sarah laughed within her selfe, Gen. 18.12. and the Pharisees reasoned within themselves, Luk. 6.8. 2. King. 8.26. Ioh. 2.25. Heb. 4. all things are naked before him, [...] a speech borrowed from the Priests under the Law, who when they killed the beast, all things that were within the beast were layed naked before the Priest, and he saw what was found, and wh [...]t was corrupted: so all our thoughts are naked be­fore the Lord, he knoweth which are good, and which are bad; and therfore the Arabians say, Tu solus domine, nosti substantiam pectoris; and thus they call upon him; O thou who knowest the thoughts of men, when they hold their peace; that knowledge is the most excellent knowledge, which we attaine to by knowing the cause: but God knoweth all things as they are in their causes, originally, but our thoughts are in the heart, as causes: and therefore it is most fit that God should know them, who is rather said to understand intelligible things then visible, because they come nearer to his nature, & magis [Page 119] sunt in actu, & ille est purus actus. This knowledge of the heart Satan hath not, but onely by effects,Satan knoweth what is in the heart onely by the effects and here he knoweth this of this, and this after this, because hee hath no knowledge of the cause but by the effect here; he conjectures what is in the heart, as the Physitians by the pulse can tell the disease.Valerius lib. 7. Erasistratus the Physitian was much commended, who perceived by the counte­nance of Antiochus King of Seleucia his sonne, that he was taken in love with his mother in law; if a Physitian by the beating of the pulse, and countenance can take up this, much more can the devill doe; and if the Fisher by stirring of the corke, knoweth that there are fishes in the net, much more may the devill know what is in the heart by signes.

The Lord knoweth the thoughts of our heart a farre off, which the devill doth not,The Lord knowes the thoughts of our heart a farre off. Psal. 139.17. and as the Gardiner in the Winter foretels, that this roote will bring forth such an hearbe, and this tree such a fruite long before the Spring. So the Lord seeth the thoughts of the wicked a farre off. When the Prophet foretold Hazael▪ that he should be King of Israel; and foretold also▪ what cruelty hee should exercise upon their wo­men and children, that he should rippe up the bellies of the women with child, what man or Angell could have foreseene this? When it was told Hazael, hee wept, and said, Am I a dogge, 2 King. 8.13. that I should prove such a cruell monster, but yet he proved such a monster, as the Lord foretold; because from the wicked comes wickednesse, 1 Sam. 24.13.

The Lord can foretell contingent things.The Lord onely can foretell contingent things. There are three sort of contingent things. Contingens natum. There are three sorts of contingent things, as the Schoolemen ob­serves: the first is contingens natum, the second is con­tingens rarum; the third is, contingens indefinitum. Contingens natum, they make to be that which usually falleth out, as a man when hee is old to have white [Page 120] haires.Contingens rarum. Secondly, there is contingens rarum which fal­leth out very seldome; as when a man is digging the ground, hee findeth a treasure: Satan can hardly fore­tell this, because he knoweth not perhaps where the treasure is hidden, no more than he knew where the bo­dy of Moses was buried, Deut. 34.6. Thirdly, there is contingens indefinitum; Contingens indefini­tum. as whether Peter will runne the morrow or not? This Satan cannot fortell. These con­tingent things God onely can foretell, Tell us what is to come, that we may know that yee are gods; that is, if yee can foretell things contingent: Therefore Iames Chap. 4. (because all contingent events depend upon the Lord) willeth us to say, wee will doe such and such things, if the Lord will.

A man and a maid are married together, to foretell that they will have children, this is easie to doe, be­cause it is contingens natum; for usually young folkes beget children: but to foretell how many children they will have, whether ten, or twelve: The devill more hardely can foretell this, because it is contingens rarum. But lastly, whether they will prove wise men or fooles, that is, contingens indefinitum: Salomon himselfe could not foretell that, Eccles. 2.19. and the devill himselfe cannot foretell this.

The Prophets under­stood things past, pre­sent, and to come. 1 Sam. 1.9. The Prophets illuminate by the Spirit of God, un­derstood things, past, present, and to come, for hee re­vealeth his secrets to his servants, Amos 3. therefore the Prophets were called Chozin videntes. The Pro­phets understood things past. Satan may understand things well enough, ab exord [...]o temporis, from the be­ginning of time, and remember them very well. But he cannot know exordium rerum, the beginning of things; for God hath them onely written in his booke,Satan can understand things ab exordio tem­poris but not ab exordi [...] rerum. Psal. 139.16. In thy book are all my members written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was [Page 121] none of them: So hee hath the booke of life, in the which mens names were written before the foundation of the world, Rev. 3.5. and these whose names are writ­ten in this booke, he revealeth to his servants the Pro­phets, Phil. 4.3. I intreate you to helpe these my fellow la­bourers, whose names are in the booke of life; but all this knowledge is hidde from Satan.

Secondly, the Prophets know things present,How the Prophets knew things present when they were absent al­though they were absent from those places where they were done, 2 King. 5.26. Was not my Spirit with thee, when the man in his charet turned to meete thee. So Elisha knew well enough the secrets of the King of Syria, and what was done in his secret chamber, 2 King. 6.12. al­though he was absent. So Paul, although he was at E­phesus in Asia, yet his spirit informed him what was done a farre off in Corinth, 1 Cor. 5.3. yet the Prophets could not foretell such things,Prophecie is not habi­tus sed actus transiens. when the Lord revealed not himself unto them, as 2 King. 4.27. Her soule is vex­ed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me; for pro­phesie was not habitus sed actus transiens; and as the lute ceaseth to give a sound when hee that playeth cea­seth to play; so they could not prophesie when the Lord illuminate them not. But Satan and his sorcerers cannot foretell things when they are absent, unlesse they be in­formed by other spirits, or see the effects in the cause; as Satan can foretell that the river of Nilus will overflow, when he seeth the raine in Ethiopia like to fall.

Thirdly,The Prophets fore­told things that were alwayes hidden from man. the Prophets being illuminate by the spirit of God, foretold things that were alwayes hidden, and which no wayes depended upon any naturall cause, such as was the incarnation of Christ, and his resurre­ction, and such like: which mysteries the Angels them­selves desire to looke into, 1 Pet. 1.12. But they under­stood them not, before they were revealed to them; farre lesse could the devills understand them: So the [Page 122] Prophet foretold three hundred yeares before the birth of Iosias, 1 King. 13.2. that he should offer upon the al­tar the bones of the Priests that burnt incense at Bethel. And Elias foretold the death of Ioram, and what disease hee should die of, to wit, of a disease in his bowells, 2 Chron. 21. These things Satan and his sorcerers could not foretell.

How did the prophets foretell things which never tooke effect. Object. But the Prophets of God foretold many things which never tooke effect, Esaias foretold Eze­kias that he should shortly die, and yet he lived fifteene yeares: So Ionah foretold the Ninevites, that within fortie dayes Nineveh should be destroyed, and yet Nineveh was not destroyed, as Ionah foretold?

Two sorts of prophe­cies. Independens & abso­luta prophetia. Ans. There were two sorts of prophesies: the first was independens & absoluta prophetia; which was cal­led the prophesie of prescience; and this alwayes tooke effect.Comminationis prophe­tia. The second sort of prophesie was the prophecie of commination or threatning, which was conditional, and respected alwayes the second causes, and this tooke not alwayes effect. If this sort of prophecie be conside­red in the second causes, it may be said to take effect, as, Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die; if ye will re­spect the disease it selfe, or the constitution of Ezekias body, Ezekias shall die, but looke into the first cause, to Gods will, who appointed to prolong Ezekias his life, he shall not die.

Quest. Whence hath the devils this their knowledge to foretell things to come?

Ans. They have not this knowledge by experience and observation of naturall things only, but they learne also many things from the Scriptures; for although the Scriptures be a sealed booke to them, in respect of the spirituall knowledge of it,The devils have the knowledge of the Scripture, but not the spirituall. yet they have a literall know­ledge of the Scripture: The good Angels learne from the Church daily, Eph. 3.6. and they desire to looke [Page 123] to the mysterie of the incarnation with our stretched neckes, 1 Pet. 1.12. they grow daily in the spirituall knowledge: But the devills who are bound in chaines of darkenesse, Iud. 6. are more and more darkened in spirituall knowledge dayly: when a man comes out of a great light into a darke place, that weakens his sight much, but take him out of a darke place, and put him in a cleare place againe, then it will make him quite blind: Dionysius the Tyrant of Sicily, above his prison built a very lyghtsome and white chamber, which he whitened over with lyme, and when hee had a long time detained his prisoners in a darke dungeon, he sud­denly brought them into this bright place, wherein in­stantly they became blind, because their eyes were not able to beare so sudden a change:The devills are more and more blinded in spirituall knowledge. So the Devills were in a place of great light in the Heavens, then they were cast down into the low helles, and there they were fet­tered with the chaines of darkenesse; But when the light of the Gospel was revealed, It made them more & more blinde, that they have eyes now and sees none, and they have no spirituall understanding of the mysteries of the Gospel; But when they see the Scriptures, they may have the literall knowledge of them well enough, and foretell things to come by them; and many things which should befall to the Church; they might fore­know the rising and the falling of the mornarchies out of Daniel, and they might foretell the nativitie of Christ by searching the Scriptures, and many things which should befall the Church in their latter times, by obser­ving the booke of the Revelation. The Oracle of Del­phos gave this answer to Alexander, Invictus eris A­lexander; This was easie for the devill to foretell, be­cause Daniel foretold the fall of the Medes and Persi­ans by the Greekes: So the Oracle of Delphos foretold to Craesus, that his Kingdome in the fift generation [Page 124] should perish: This the Devill might easily learne out of the Scriptures; for God visits the sinnes of the father upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation, and the children filling up the measure of their fathers iniquitie, then his Kingdome was shortly to come to an end. A man murthers another and escapeth. It is easie for Satan to foretell what death he should die out of the Scriptures; he who killes by the sword, shall be killed by the sword: and sometimes the Lord useth the devill as his executioner and hangman; It was easie for the devill to say to Saul, to morrow thou shall bee with me; because the Lord used him as his executioner in this Iudgement.

Satan when he foretelles things to come, he speakes with a low voyce, and out of the ground; and he pipes as chickins doe when they are new hatched, Isa. 8.19. sometimes hee flatters the partie who expects the re­velation of him; and therefore Demosthenes said that the Oracle of Apollo did but [...], that is flatter Philip of Macedon: So when Alexander came into the temple of Iupiter Hammon, the priest called him [...],Plutarch in vita Alex­andri. faire child, which Alexander tooke to bee [...], Iupiter his sonne.

But when the Devill was doubtfull of the events of his prophesies, then hee gave his answers doubtfullie, that they might admit a double sense; Such was those answers which he gave by his false Prophets to Ahab King of Israel, when hee was going to besiege Ramoth Gilead, They demanded of him who should prevaile? He answered the King should prevaile, but he telles not which King, whether Syria or Israel. 2 Cro. 18.11.

Satans responses were very doubtfull.His responses were so doubtfull, that the wisest a­mongst the heathen could not tell what to make of them.

All his responses were doubtfull, therefore hee was [Page 125] called [...] Apollo; Satan is a great Sophis­ter in his answers. Hee being asked how the gods should bee worshipped, gave this answer, [...] Mittite capita Iovi, hominem vero Saturno.

The falacie lay here in the accent, for [...] being accented (accentu gravi) signifieth a man, but [...] be­ing accented (accentu circumflexo) signifieth a torch or a light; but they mistaking the word [...] they sacrificed a number of men to him in stead of setting of lights be­fore him.

When the plague was verie hot at Athens, Plutarch de Ei apud delphos. they as­ked the Oracle of Apollo how it might bee remedied: the Oracle answered and bade them duplare aram, which neither Plato nor Aristotle understood; Plato by Geometrie, went about to finde out how the Altar might be doubled; But the Oracle meant, that they should double their sacrifices to the gods, and then the plague should cease.

Example the third.

Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse, the words imply a double sense heere, either that the Romans might o­vercome, or that they might overcome the Romans.

Some hold, that by the placing of the negative parti­cle, the devill deceived Eve, as when he laid unto her, non moriendo morieris; for they say, when the nega­tive with the Hebrewes is placed before the finite and the infinite verbe, then it neither certainely affirmeth, nor denyeth, but leaves the matter in doubt.

This (say they) is the affirmative.

Non moriendo morieris; perhaps ye may die, and per­haps not:Ʋide grammaticum [...]unij. Thus Satan deceived Eve (say they) when [Page 126] he saw her beginne to doubt, perhaps we shall not die: But this rule holds not; for (non) being set before the finite and the infinite, doth flatly denie, Psal. 49.7. Non redimendo, redimet fratremsuum, that is, he can no waies redeeme his brother from death. And so when this particle (non) is set betwixt the finite and the infi­nite, it denieth only in part, Ier. 46.28. I will chastise thee in Iudgement, Sed evacuando non evacuabo te, that is, I will chastise thee in judgement, but not destroy thee, here the particle (non) being set betwixt the finite and the infinite denieth not flatlie, but onely in part, yet be­ing placed here before the finite and the infinite, it is al­together negative; wherefore non moriendo morieris, flatlie denieth here, and not doutfully.

Hee hath likewise deceived some, by doubling the negative particle: when Manfredus did contend with Charles, about the Kingdome of Naples, he got this an­swere from the devill, Non non gallus superabit.

Fiftly, he manifested his deceit by the similitude of words: Such was the Oracle which Thusidides makes mention of.

[...], Here they reade [...], and some [...], and they could hardly discerne, whether to prepare themselves against the warre, or to use remedies against the sicknesse.

Sixtlie, the deceit lay in the words themselves, which suffer a double interpretation, Gen. 3. That day that ye shall eate of this fruit, your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall know good and evill: Wee know good and evill two manner of waies, first in theorie, and then by mise­rable experience; they knew good and evill in the first sense before their fall, but by miserable experience, when they did eate of the forbidden fruit.

Vide Morne ꝑlcsse. pag. 389.These Oracles hath very often deceived men: Therefore Oenomaus the Phylosopher wrote a booke [Page 127] against them, which had this inscription, De oraculorum falsitate; As Plutarch wrote a booke de oraculorum de­fectu; And Porphyre testifieth, when as the Oracle of Delphos could not divine by the starres, what should be­fall them, the Oracle desired them, that they would aske him nothing at all, and hee told them that if they ceased not to aske him, he would tell them lies.

Object. But the Lord seemeth by the Prophet Eli­sha, to give a doubtfull answer to Hazael, 2 King. 8.10. To whom Elisha said, go tell him that he shall not reco­ver at al, for the Lord hath told me that he shal certain­ly die, The words seeme also to carry another sense; Go tell him that hee shall recover, although the Lord said that he shall die: Hee shall recover, because the sick­nesse of it selfe is not deadly, hee shall not recover, because Hazael dipped a cloath in water, and layed it on his face that he died.There is but one sense in the prophets answe­re to Hazael.

Answ. There is but one meaning of the Prophet here answering to Hazael; but the Critickes amongst the Iewes found out another sense, [...] ei. [...] non. reading in the mar­gine, Lo ei, for Lo non; So they would show a diverse reading of the prophets words.

Ob. Ezekiel 12.14. The Lord threatened Zedekiah with a Iudgment, w^ch might seeme to be given out very doubt­ully; I will bring him to Babylon, to the land of the Chal­deans, and yet he shal never see it, although he die there.

Answ. Because this perfidious King,Why the Lord gave a doubtfull answer to Zedekias. would not be­leeve the Prophets of God, who told him so plaine that hee should bee carried to Babel; therefore the Lord tells him this closelie, which soone after he understood, when his eyes were pickt out of his head at Riblah, and he carried to Babell.

Quest. What are we to thinke of Balaam, Whether Balaam was a Prophet of God or Diviner. whether was he a Prophet of God or a Diviner only?

Answ. First he was a Diviner onely, but afterward [Page 128] the Lord put a parable in his mouth,Moses Gerundensis 162.2. Balaam primum divinus postea prophetes, deinde rediit ad primum. ponere sermonem in illis, 2 Cor. 15.19. caryeth a notable Emphasis with it, whereby is signified, that the Lord ruled their tongues, directed them what they should speake, and sanctified them: So the Lord guided the tongue of Balaam, and opened his eyes to Prophesie; Thus farre the Lord put this parable in his mouth; but he sanctified him not, for he following the wages of iniquity, returned to bee a diviner againe: And the Iewes applyeth this proverb to him, Camelus cornua quaerens aures amisit; That is, Baalam hunting for honour and seeking after riches, lost the gift of Prophecie; and amongst the rest who were killed in the battell, it is said, that Baalam the Di­viner was killed. Ios. 13. This gift which Baalam had was onely from the spirit of illumination; And there was a great difference betwixt him and the holy Pro­phets of God,A difference betwixt these, the Lord appeared to Balaam, and the word of the Lord was to Ieremie. Luke 1.70. and the Hebrewes observe, when it is said the Lord appeared to Laban, to Balaam, and to Abimelech, there is lesse meant here, then when it is said, the word of the Lord was unto Isay, to Ieremie, to Ezekiel, for that implyed that the oracles of God were concredit to them, as to faithfull witnesses, but he did not concredit his word this way to Baalam, hee was but like a trunke, through the which the Lord spake.

Quest. How differ the predictions of the Prophets, from the Predictions of Satan and his instruments?

The differences be­tweene the predictions of the Prophets, and the predictions of Sa­tan and his instru­ments. Answ. The predictions of the Prophets were for the most part of spirituall things, and they prophesied but of temporarie things in the second place; but the pre­dictions of the devils, were never of spiritual things. Se­condly, whē the Prophets of God foretold good things, they added alwaies conditionem crucis, that is, some temporarie crosses to be added to them; they shall re­ceive a hundred fold, but with persecutions, Marke 10. [Page 129] 30. but the false Prophets prophesied alwaies placentia, pleasant things. Thirdly, when the Prophets foretold Iudgements to come, this condition was alwaies reser­ved; if the people repented not, this Iudgement shall come; but the false prophets foretold all things to fall out by a fatall necessity. Fourthly, when the Prophets foretold Iudgements to come, although they tooke not effect, yet they were not holden for false Prophets, such was the Prophesie of Ionah to the Ninevites, and of Isaiah to Ezekias; for God is mercifull when men re­pent; But the false Prophets when they prophecied good things to come, and they came not to passe, then they were holden for false prophets: So Ieremiah convinced Hananiah that he was a false Prophet, Ier. 28. when hee promised to Icconiah his returne out of Babell.

The Prophets had certaine signes by which they demonstrated to the people what should befall them, as when the Prophet Isay went naked and bare­footed; This was called Siman [...], this was a note to discerne the Prophets by, but it was not [...], [...] for the false Prophets used also these signes, as Zedekiah made him hornes of iron, and said, thus saith the Lord, with these shalt thou push the Aramites, 1 King. 22.11.

The Prophets of God were distinguished from the false Prophets; for the false Prophets wrought some­times marvellous things before the people, but they could not work miracles: These miracles in show were called ostenta, mopheth: [...] they were miracles in show but they were not true miracles: If there arise a Pro­phet amongst you, and give you a signe or a wonder, Deut. 13.1. These were but lying wonders, but the Prophets of God they gave Oath, [...] from [...] venit. a true signe 2 King. 20.9. this signe shalt thou have of the Lord: This [Page 130] Oath comes from atha venit; As I am a true Prophet this shall verilie come to passe: So Moses confirmed himselfe to be a Prophet by his true miracles which he wrought before Pharaoh. And last the true Prophets alwaies prophecied according to the law, and never a­gainst it Isa. 8.20. If they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

The knowledg of the devill serves onely to the disho­nour of God, & to hurt poore man. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 13.1. sheweth if a man could speake with the tongue of men and Angels, and have the gift of prophecie, and un­derstand all mysteries, and had all knowledge & faith; so that he could remove mountaines, and have not charity it profiteth nothing. Although Satan speake all langua­ges, foretell things to come, & have the knowledg of all mysteries, and could remove mountaines, yet this is all nothing, because he wants charity: All this his skill he imployes onely to the destruction of man, Therfore his knowledge serves but as a barrell of pitch to cause him to burne the faster in hell fyre: his knowledge wants charity and nothing which hee knowes is profitable to man, untill he reveale it unto him: he is compared un­to Stellio which every yeare casts the skin of it (as Ari­stotle and Plinie testifieth) & this skin being drunke in a little wine is a soveraigne remedie against the falling sicknes; but this envious creature presently eates it up againe, least man should reape any benifit by it, so the envious devill hides from man all that can profit him.

Satans knowledge is most hurtfull to us; When a Physitian studieth physicke, onely to know his science, that is Curiositas, when he studieth to know his science, onely that he may bee knowne, this is ambitio. When hee studies his science that hee may cure others, this is Charitas; but if hee should studie his science to poyson others, this were Crudelitas. All the studie of Satan is [Page 131] under faire pretences to destroy man, Revel. 17.4. The whore is said to have in her hand a cup of gold, full of abhominations, [...] 1. Plenum philtris impu­ris, for these philtra and pocula amatoria, were mixed commonly with most impure and filthy things, tending to bewitch men. So when Satan presents a gilded cup to us, wherein he promiseth most wholesome Physicke to us, and most skilfully tempered, yet mors est in olla.

SECT. 13. Of the craft of the Devill.

THe Scripture saith, Let no man deceive you in sub­lime discourse, touching the worshipping of Angels pressing to that he knoweth not, Col. 2.18. Here is for­bidden the adoration of Angels, and an opinion Phan­tasticall of them, either to extoll them further then ap­pertaineth to the degree of a creature, or to extoll a mans knowledg of them further than he hath a ground, but to enquire so far as the Scriptures teacheth us, or na­ture it selfe, either of the good angels, or of these re­volted Devils, that is not forbidden: To converse with them, to imploy them, to covenant with them, or to worship them that is forbidden, but the contem­plation of their nature, their power, their illusions, ei­ther by scripture or reason, is a part of spirituall wise­dome; for the Apostle sayes wee are not ignorant of his stratagems,We may enquire of the nature of the devills, although we may not covenant with them, or worship them. and it is no more unlawfull to enquire the nature of evil spirits, then it is to enquire the force of poyson in nature, or the nature of sinne and vice in mo­ralitie.

First let us consider what instruments Satan made [Page 132] choise of, to deceive the woman by; he made choise of the Serpent, the craftiest beast in the field: As Ioab made choise of the wise woman of Tecga, and put a Pa­rable in her mouth, for to begge pardon for Absolon at the Kings hand, he is [...]; this [...] is sometimes ta­ken in a good sense gnarum, Prov. 27.12. the crafty see­eth the Plague, and hideth him: and sometimes in a bad sense Ier. 4.22. they are crafty to doe evill. Sathan is crafty in this sense.

Sathan makes choise of the subtillest heads to be his instruments:Satan makes choise of the subtilest heads to be his instruments. And as the moath breeds in finest cloath, so Sathan commonly imployes the craftiest and best wittes, to be his instruments to trouble and vexe the Church of God; As he choosed Vlpian that great Law­yer to write bookes against the Christians; so he made choise of Porphir that great philosopher, to write against the Christians; and Galen the Physitian, and Lucian the scoffer, and Iulian the Apostate: But God makes choise of the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; the Angell spake out of the mouth of Baalam's Asse, these crafty tentations of Sathan are called his snares. 1 Tim. 3.7.

Satan observes the hu­mours of the body.Satan in his tentations he observes the humors of the body of man, and that humour which predominates most in the body, that humor he observes and takes oc­casion to tempt men by it. When God converts a man to grace, he doth not take away the naturall humors of the body, but onely rectifies them; But Satan per­verts the humors of the body, that by them he may worke mans destruction, and especially he workes by melancholy upon the body; and therefore melancholy is called esca diaboli by the Fathers; such was the me­lancholy of Saul, the devill wrought upon his constitu­tion, and troubled him sundry times, and Math. 17.15. this melancholicke in the Syriacke is called Bar Agara, [Page 133] and they translate it commonly filium agri, [...] Extra tectum. the sonne of the field, but not rightly, for filius agri signifieth properly an husband man, as filius civitatis signifieth a Citizen, Luke 15.15. Therefore they translate it better, who translate it Bar extra, & agar a domum; because the uncleane spirits made the melancholious man flye out of the houses; and to live amongst the graves. These devils they call Sorodaemones, that is sepulchrales larvae, who drove the melancholickes to live amongst the graves, Math. 8.29. and tombes of the de [...]. These sometimes are called [...]: and [...]: and the Greeke Physitians call this disease [...]; Nebuchadne­zer was vexed with this.

When Satan possesseth these melancholickes there is some naturall thing in this disease, and some spirituall,When Satan possesses the melancholicke the naturall cause would be helped by physicke, and the de­vill cast out by prayer. and both would be removed, both the next cause, and the remote cause: A man is taken with a feaver; the cheefe cause, is the abundance of choller, and the se­cond cause is, because hee hath walked too much in the heate of the sunne; first his choller must bee purged, and then he must be removed to a place where there is more shadow, and not so much heate: These melancho­lickes are not cured but by prayer, and fasting, as by a spirituall Antidote; There must also Physicke bee used for the purging of this melancholy, which is the Devills bait; An evill spirit came upon Saul, and David played upon his Harpe, and then the evill spirit left him,Vtimur musica vel pro disciplina, vel pro de­lectatione, vel pro aenimi purgatione, vel pro se­dandis affectionibus & morum composit one. 2 King. 3.15. 1 Sam. 16.24. David used a double remedy heere to helpe this trouble of Saul; first the sweete singer of Is­rael sang Psalmes, 2 Sam. 23.1. by his calling upon the name of the Lord, he cast out this devill. Second­ly by his musicke he setled his melancholy;Tarantula i [...]ti quam primum audiuntur in­strumenta musica leva­tur dolor; Mathiolus in Dioscoridem, lib. 1. 57. when the Physitian prescribed to the melancholean, to absteine from such and such meates, because they either increase or at least doth irritat this humour of melancholy; They [Page 134] may doe this, not onely because it is wholesome to the body; but also because it is the Devils baite; therefore they prescribe abstinence from such; No sort of dyet displeaseth or pleaseth Satan, but by accident, because by them the humour is increased, which makes way for his tentation.

Satan observes the full moone, and then vexeth the Lunatickes: The second sort were those whom Satan vexed not monethly as he did the Lunatickes, but of­tentimes whensoever it taketh him, it castes him into the fire, Mark. 9.18.22.

Those whom he vexed in the full moone, were called Lunatici or Siderati.

A difference betwixt [...] and [...].We must put a difference betwixt these, [...], and [...] were those who any wayes were possessed by the devill, they were called also arrepticij, [...] were those whom Sa­than possessed in the full moone [...] were those who were Christians, but for their abuse of the holy mysteries of God, they were possessed by Sathan for a time, and [...] was a naturall disease which wee call madnesse. Those Daemoniackes and Lunatickes were onely cured by the Lord himselfe, and his power. Those who were [...] were cured by the ex­orcistes in the Primitive Church; and [...] madnesse was cured by Physicke and naturall meanes.

Heat and moist makes the braine to swell Sa­than observing this vexes the Lunatickes.Satan knowing well the naturall cause of things, and that the moone is hote and moist: it is hote as the sunne although not in so high a degree. Psal. 121.6. [...] sunne shall not burne thee by day, nor the moone by night. He knew also that she was humide and moist and fit to nourish things. Therefore the Scriptures call herbes protrusiones lunares the pretious things brought foorth by the moone, Deut. 33.14. Because the moone is humide and hot, she workes upon our braines and [Page 135] makes them to swell up: heate and moysture causes things to swell up as wee see in leaven. Therefore the scripture cals pedom fermentatum a swelling foote Deut. 8.4. neither was thy foote fermented, that is, it was not swelled, so heate and moisture causeth the braine to swell in the full moone, and Satan observing this, trou­bleth the braine of the Lunaticke then.

Every one that is Lunaticke is not a doemoniacke, or possessed by a devill.All Lunatickes are not doemoniackes neither are all Lunatickes up­on whom the moone shines in her bright­nesse. If this disease depended simply upon the moone, then all men should be doemoniackes. Therefore to make them doemoniackes, it was necessa­rie that the body should bee affected thus and thus, so that the moone might afterward produce in the body this disease; The moone workes nor so upon bodies, that she produceth this effect upon them, unlesse they be so affected before, that the moone may produce this effect upon them; and when the devill affects the body, so that he makes it subject to such an operation of the moone; then hee that is Lunaticke is arreptitius and possessed by the devill.

The secohd sort were those whom Satan vexed not monethly, but whensoever the fit tooke him,There were others that Satan vexed at sundrie times but not monethly. hee threw him in the fire, or in the water.

Observe here first the devill vexed him who was pos­sessed from his infancie: secondly, he vexed him both within and without; without he threw him into the wa­ter, and into the fire; within wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he fometh, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away, Marke 9.18.

He vexeth him from his infancie: as the devill vexed this miserable creature from his infancie, so the Lord hath his good Angels waiting upon infants to preserve them in their infancie, Math. 18.10. Take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels doe alwayes behold the face of God. [Page 136] Angells have a care of all Gods little ones, but especi­ally of his little ones in age, whom he sets downe as examples of imitation to all his little ones, Math. 19.

Secondly, he threw him into the fire, and into the water, fire and water are the two elemens which are most necessarie for the use of man, therefore those who were proscripti of old, interdicibantur▪ igne & aqua; Sa­than abuses these two elements to the hurt of man, ei­ther when he throwes him into the fire, or into the wa­ter: and the good Angels have a speciall care over young ones that they fall not into the fire or water, this is a speciall part of their charge to preserve the sonnes of men. Angels have a threefold motion; first, motum circularum, their circular motion: secondly, they have motum rectum, a straight motion up and downe: and thirdly, they have their reflexe motion. Their circular motion they make to be this,Dionysius areopagita de divinis, nominibus. cap. 4. when they are alwayes taken up in beholding the face of God who is Alpha and Omega without beginning and ending: their direct motion they hold to be this, when the An­gels comes up and downe upon the Lord Iesus Christ to be the ministring spirits unto the Saint, Iohn 1.51. And their reflex motion they make to bee this, when one of the Angels cries to another and sayes, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts, Esay 6.3.

The devill threw him into the fire and water, Ithiel. Pro. 30.4. Who gathereth the wind into his fists, who binds the waters in a garment, and puts a bridle in the mouth of the sea [...] Marke 4.39. It is he that can bridle and restraine the Devils that they cannot hurt when and where it pleaseth them. The Devill made him foame at the mouth, and gnash with his teeth, Marke 9. and teare himselfe, if Satan can vexe so poore creatures when they are but as warders, what will he doe to them when he hath them close prisoners in hell. And if he hath so [Page 137] vexed the greene tree (as Iob, and the daughter of A­braham and this young child) what will he doe to the withered trees; and if his little finger have beene so heavie on poore creatures on earth here, how heavie will his loynes be on them in hell, where there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth, Math. 13.42.

This [...] or veterator labours to deceive our sight, and that three manner of wayes;The Devill deceives our sight three man­ner of wayes. first by the ob­ject; secondly by the mids, and thirdly when he vitiates the organ it selfe: first by the object, when he shewed to Christ the glory of the whole world, he thought to have deceived him by the object, Math. 4. When the Moabites tooke the water to have beene blood, when the sunne shined upon it, 2 Kings 3.22. here the deceit was in the object, secondly the deceit is in the mids, when we put an oare in the water, that part which is in the water seemes to be broken, and that out of the wa­ter seemes to be whole, the deceit is in the mids, when we see a fish in the water, the fish seemes more to us and nearer, by reason that the thinner and rarer midse is next to our eye, but the remote midse from our eye, the water is more thicke and grosse, but if a man were in the water, and beheld another standing upon the brinke of the River, he should seeme to the beholder much lesse than he is; The reason is, because the next midse to the eye is thicker and grosser, and the remote midse is rarer and thinner: When Simon Magus seemed to flye in the ayre, Here the deception was in the midse; for the devill put some false midse betwixt their eye and the object, that hee seemed to flye. Thirdly the sight is vitiat when the orgaine is vitiat;Satan can deceive when the organ is vitiat. as when one hath the yellow-jaundies, then all things seeme yellow to him: So when the humours are grosse, and hinders the sight from being carried to the Nerve opticke; then the impediment is in the Organe: When Satan pos­sessed [Page 138] a man with a dumb and a blind devill, then the or­gane it selfe was corrupted, Math. 12.22.

The Devill can deceive the sight, therefore these Iuglers who delude the senses, should not be suffered in a Christian Common-wealth; for it is the first de­gree to witchcraft.

Satan deludes the phantasie.Fourthly, as this crafty Satan deludes our senses, so doth he our phantasie: The phantasie is a midse be­twixt sense and understanding: Therefore the devill troubleth our phantasie more than our sense; and because phantasie is the next gate to understanding, there­fore he troubleth it most.

Satan deceives the un­derstanding.Fifthly, this crafty devill deceiveth our understanding 2 Cor. 11.13. But I feare least by any meanes, as the Ser­pent deceived Eve through his subtiltie, so your mindes should be corrupted. Mentem hominis per substantiam nihil im­plere potest praeter crea­tricem trinitatam, implet vero Satanas cor non quidem illud ingressus, sed callida deceptione in malitiae affectum animam trahens per cogitationes vitiorumque incentiva. The evill angels can put into the heart evill thoughts, stirre up evill passions, to obscure the understanding, to deprave the will, and trouble the phantasie: they can oppose themselves to the good Angels, when they are about to illuminate the phanta­sie, and represent good thoughts to it: but they cannot directly enter into the understanding. This Serpent hath yet more dangerous tentations, which are called Profunda Satanae, the depthes of Satan. Revel. 2.24. who can finde them out, and what have we to oppose a­gainst them. Prov. 21. There is no counsell against the Lord; Achitophel his counsell was like the Oracle of God. 2 Sam. 16.23. and yet the Lord turned it all to foolishnesse. 2 Sam. 15.31. So all these depths of Sa­tan which he plots against the Church, the Lord can turne them to folly.

Sixtly, Satan in his subtill tentations pursueth the weaker first.He observes the Sex. The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. sets downe a hea­venly order; God is Christs head, Christ is the mans head, and man is the womans head; Satan in his tenta­tions [Page 139] began with the woman first; Secondly, he temp­ted man the womans head; Thirdly, he tempted Christ the mans head; But he d [...]stonever assay to tempt God Christs head; because no uncleane thing enters into the heavens, Revel. 21.

Hee tempted the woman first, and then the man: Hence we may learne, that sorcerers, and magitians are more dangerous instruments of the devill then witches are.

Satan tempted the woman first, therefore he prevai­les most with that sexe; yet Exod. 22. ye shall not suf­fer a woman witch to live.Mekashpa in the femi­nine gender. so Lev. 20.27. and as Sa­tan deceived the woman first; So his instruments are readiest to deceive silly captive women loaden with sinns, 2 Tim. 3.6. when they creepe into their houses▪ in the Syriacke it is damchaldin. Chalda signifieth pro­perly mustellam or viverram, a wee fill or a ferret, for as a ferret seeketh out all the corners of the clapper, so the Heretickes craftily creepe into silly womens houses, and deceive them. And as the devill tempted the wo­man first and deceived her, and made her the instru­ment to deceive the man: so hee moved Iobs wife to tempt him, and Miriam to move Aaron to murmure a­gainst Moses; Therfore the text saies, obl [...]cutae sunt Miri­am & Aaron, Num. 12.1. Shee was placed first, be­cause she was chiefe in the transgression, and drew Aa­ron to it; [...] So the Jewes stirred up devour women to per­secute Paul. Act. 13.50.

Seventhly in his tentations hee observes our predo­minant sinnes, and what wee are most inclined into,Satan observes our predominante sinnes. there hee layeth the baite before us, o [...] taken from us these things which hee knowes the heart is most set up­on. As he layed the Babylonish ga [...]e [...] t [...]wedge of gold before Achan, Iosh. 7.21. And [...]e presented Ta [...]ar in a whoorish buske before [...], Gen. 38.15. [Page 140] and the Moabitish women before the Israelites to in­snare them, and to draw them to whoredome, Numb. 25.1. So he promiseth to the base witches some gaine, but to high spirits; as to Iannes, and Iambres, to Elimas the sorcerer, and to Faustus; to these he promises the gift of miracles, as it were to make them men renow­ned: So hee takes from them the thing that they love best, as the Gergesites swine from them.

Eightly, hee observes our ages, our young yeares, middle yeares, and old yeares, and hath a several temp­tation for every time, in our younger yeares, he tempts us to lust. 1. Tim. 2.22.

In our middle age, hee tempts us ad [...] to the love of honour, and preferment as sundry of the popes sought by Necromancy to come to the Pope­dome as Silvester the second, and many others of them; And in our old age hee tempts us to [...] to the love of money, and this makes many in their old age to fall to the Devill: And hee tempts us in all our ages ad [...] to selfe love.Satan observes our worldly estate, and fits his tentations to it.

Lastly, he observes our temporarie estate, whether we bee poore or rich; If wee bee poore, then hee per­swades us to steale, and to take the name of God in vaine, Pro. 30.9. this is to turne stones into bread, Mat. 4. And if we be rich, then he hath another temptation for us, to deny God, and to say, who is the Lord; The rich men then fall to oppression; and to the grinding of the faces of the poore; And then they turne bread into stones, Prov. 20.17. This is the devills Alchimy, and as the poore turnes stones into bread;Satan hurts more by his craft, then by his strength. so the rich turnes bread into stones.

Satan hurts more by his craft, then by his strength, when he comes hissing as a Serpent, then when hee comes roaring as a Lyon: The Egyptians hurt the Isra­elites more with their wiles, then with their strength, [Page 141] Exod. 1.10. & the Midianites with their wiles vexed the people of God, Num. 25.18. more then all the Moabites and Ammonites did with their strength; and Iulian the Apostate hurt more the Christian Church with his craft, then all the ten persecuters did with their perse­cutions: Therefore wee should bee more afraid of his craft then of his power or malice.

Seeing we have so craftie and so subtile an enemie, we should learne to bee wise, to defend our selves against this his craft. Our forefathers at the first thought it e­nough to arme themselves against the wild beasts, that they might not hurt them: but afterward they learned to eate their flesh, and to cloath themselves with their skinnes; So should wee not onely seeke to defend our selves from the Devill, but also to learne by this his craft and subtilitie to be wise as serpents and simple as Doves, Mat. 10.16. and this is a great point; of wisdome de utilitate capienda ex inimicis, as Plutarch speaketh.

SECT. 14. Of the crueltie and malice of the devill.

THere are three things which moves us to revenge, Anger, Envie, and Hatred.

Anger seekes to bee revenged for the wrong done, but with a certaine measure that the punishment be an­swerable to the offence, and it resembles somewhat Iustice.

The envious is grieved at the good which they see in others, and they think that it overshadowes and dimini­shes their good, therefore it does not so much en­vie the good of others, as the obscuring and oversha­dowing [Page 142] of their owne gifts: But hatred lookes onely to the destruction of others,The Devill is not said to be angry with man. The Devill envies the state of man. The devill is not said to be angry with us, but either to envie, or to har [...] us: Hee envies the estate of man, and his eye is evill, because he is good, Mat. 20.15. and the reasons why he envies man is, because hee hath fallen as a lightening from the Heaven, and hath no hope to be restored thither againe, but he seeing God to have mercy upon man, although he fell from his first blessed and happie estate, yet not­withstanding the Lord brings him backe againe by de­grees to a better estate: This grieves Satan to the heart, and he seekes by all meanes to draw man into that same pit of destruction which hee hath fallen into: but most of all he hates man deadly, wishing him all evill. Hee cannot be revenged upon the Lord, therefore he seekes to be revenged upon man: but this redounds backe a­gaine to the Lord,Iustin. institut. lib. 4. cap. de iniuriis. nam Domino per servos laesos fit in­juria.

There are found in man severity, cruelty & savagenes.

Asperitas crudelitas & feritas, these are found in man.This severitie is when a man pardons nothing of the punishment which is to be infficted by the law, and cle­mencie is opposite to this, which is a sort of pardoning, but not a free pardoning,What is severity. it secludes not all sort of pu­nishment, but onely mitigates the severity: This seve­rity is found in the devill, for hee is most severe in ex­acting punishment, and mitigates nothing of the rigour. God who is clement is said, Citra condignum punire, & ultra condignum praemiare; That is God punishes not to the full, but he rewards above our deserts.

What is crueltie.Againe, there is in man crueltie, which punishes a­bove measure, this crueltie pretends some sort of Iu­stice, and presupposeth some power to punish, either by a power indeed, or by an usurped power. This power of the devill is an usurped power, and no marvell if hee exercise it upon men out of measure.

The last is savagenes,Savagenesse is worst of all. when men delights as beasts in crueltie, not for any justice; but onely to satisfie their crueltie; and these were called Savi, Such was that devill, Mar. 9.20. this savagenes makes men lyke un­to beasts, and worse then beasts: The Lyon when hee hath killed a man, is not content to eate his flesh, and breake his bones, and sucke his marrow; but hee will tare his [...], or claustrum cordis, that he may come to the heart; and that is the sweetest morsell of all in the man to him; yet if the Beare fall downe before the Lyon and submit himselfe to him, the Lyon hath that generositie in him, that he will spare the Beare: But if man submit himselfe to Satan; hee will treade upon him, insult over him, and teare him most fearefully. Beasts may be somewhat excused, when they kill men, for they are moved to it to satisfie their hunger; but these cursed creatures, such as are serpents, and hornets, and waspes which stinges men, and after they have kil­led them, they can make no use neither of their flesh, nor of their blood to feede upon them; these are worst of all. Such is the hatred of Satan against man, who reapes no benefit by the killing of man: the Iewes call the devills Pur-gnanijoth, that is furies, [...] or revenging devills. These malicious spirits seeke alwaies the de­struction of man, and they thinke all to little which be­falls man: when the Chaldeans had robbed Iob of his goods, and when fire came downe and killed his sheepe, and servants, and when the house fell upon his children and smothered them, and when he had stricken Iob with botches and sores from the head to the foote; when he had done all this (by Gods permission) to Iob, hee counts it all but a touch of his finger, Iob 1.11. But when hee shall have full power upon the wicked, how heavie shall his Loynes be upon them; the eye hath not seene, the eare hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the [Page 144] heart of man, what the devills have prepared for the vessells of wrath.

[...] ex [...] nabis et [...] sugere in act [...]xerxe. Plutarchus.This savagenesse of the devill exceedes all the cruel­tie of the Tyrants of the world: it exceedes Tzijanack navis sugentis, Ier. 29.26. which the greekes called [...], when they inclosed a man betwixt two boards, his head beeing free, and giving him by a cane a little honey and milke to sucke, to keepe in his life, and annoynting his face with honey, & turning him alwaies to the sunne, that the flies might molest and sting him the more; and within he was eaten with wormes which bred of his owne corruption and filth. His crueltie ex­ceedes vivicomburium, Ier. 29.3. when men were put quicke into the fire and burnt:Ʋivicomburium. it exceedes the crueltie of Manasseh who caused Esau to bee sawed with a saw, Heb. 11.37. It surpasseth the crueltie of Antiochus when he put the Iewes ad tympanum, Tympanum. 2 Maccab. 19. It exceeds the crueltie of Nero, when he caused the Christians to be put into a coate layed over with pitch and brimstone and burne all the night that they might show light to those that passed by; Hence is that of Iuvenal. Satyr. 8.

It exceedes Vngulam, that sort of torment which Cyprian, Eusebius, and Tertulia: often makes mention of. It exceedes the crueltie of Cyclops, of Bufiris, of Phaleris, of Pyrillus, of Schiron: No crueltie can come neare to the crueltie of the Devill, Luk. 22.31. Satanas [...], is deposcere ad supplicium vel questionem, that is, hee desired that they might bee put upon the racke.

There is no cre [...]ture that the Devill studieth to hurt but man or for mans cause, which argues his inveterate hatred against man.

Man hath a threefold life.A man hath a threefold life; first his naturall life, secondly hee hath a civill life, and thirdly a spirituall [Page 145] life. Satan hates all these three, and studies to bereave us of them.

First, his naturall life,He hath a naturall life. Mar. 9.18. [...] which is to tare and rent as the dogge doth, Mat. 7.6. Marke 9.20. discerpit eum, and Luk. 8.29. [...] hee made him runne violently, as the horse when hee is spurred, and made him teare and cut his owne flesh with stones Mar. 5.5.

The worship which the devills affected,The worship which the devills affected to have man sacrificed to them, shewes the great hatred which the devill hath against the naturall life of man. showes their great hatred against the naturall life of man; of all the sacrifices which was offered unto him, he delighted in none so much as in the blood of men; as when the Iewes offered their children to him, Psal. 106.37. and in Creete they sacrificed men to him: So did the Phoe­nitianes: and the Lacedemonians did offer 300. men to him at one time: This kinde of sacrifice was abhor­red by the heathen.Eusebius de praeparatione evangelica, lib. 4. Vide Morne Pless. pagi­na 385. The King of Cyprus changed this sort of sacrifice, and in stead of men he would have oxen offered to the gods; and Hercules travelling through Italie, caused to make so many men of straw to bee cast into Tiber, when as before they used to cast men into it, and hee is more commended for that, then for dan­ting all the monsters, which he overcame.

Satan hateth this our naturall life, therefore they are mightily deluded, who runne to a witch for their health. As Ahaziah sent to Baalzebub the god of Ek­ren for his health, 2 King. 1.2. the tender mercie of the wicked are cruell (saies Salomon, Prov. 12.10.) when satan heales the bodie, and destroyes the soule; that is a cruell mercie, wilt thou preferre the vile bodie, Phil. 3.21. to the precious soule. Pro. 6.26. The soule is called unica mea, Psal. 22.20. my darling, which is farre to be preferred to the body, wilt thou lose thy darling for to save thy poore body? propter vitam ho­rae, wilt thou lose vitam saeculi, thy eternall life.

Therefore those who hold that there is some devills milder, which they call [...], a milder sort of de­vills (that hurts not, but takes away evill) are deceived; and likewise that there are some witches which the common people calles the Loosing witches, who does no hurt at all, but removes onely that hurt which the binding witch layes on the sicke person: But they are most of all deceived, who thinke that they can com­mand this malicious and cruell devill, for he will never bee commanded with one of his slaves. One blamed Aristippus, that he haunted too much the company of the harlot Thais, & more then became a man of his pro­fession; Aristippus answered to him, who reproved him; This is the difference betwixt me & my corrivalls, that shee commands all the rest, but I command her; but what replyed the man to him? Thou art (saith he) so much the more taken in the Net of Thais: So these who bragge that they can command the devill are so much the more his slaves, and they are twofold more the children of hell.

The devill is a maliciovs and subtill spirit: There­fore if a man be possessed, it were not lawfull for us to aske any questions of the devill, as Christ posed him, Mark. 5. what was his name? how many was there of them, and why he entred into the man? Christ having absolute power over the devills, might aske him these questions; But wee have no such power over them: Therefore we may not oppose them this way; for by this meanes wee might bee brought in familiarity with the devills. 1 Cor. 10 20. I would not that ye should have fellowship with the devills and by these meanes hee more easily insnares us, we should not be ignorant of his deceits, 2 Cor. 2.11. The Casuist Lessius holds, that it is lawfull to aske such questions of him,Lessius lib 2. cap. 42. note 70. providing that they be asked Sine ullo sign [...] benevolentiae, without any [Page 147] signe of good will:Naevarrus cap. 11. not 28. And Navarrus the casuist addes further, that if of curiosity men demand of the devill such questions, it is no mortall sinne.

So it is not lawfull either to seeke health of him, or of his instruments the witches, and sorcerers; the casu­ist Lessius holds, If a witch by certaine magicall signes given by the devill, hath hurt a man,Lessius lib. 2. cap. 9. not. 48. In this case (if there be no other remedy) he may compell her by beating & scratching of her, to remove this hurt or sicknes, which she hath layd upon him; but withall he addes, that she must not remove this evill by another charme, which is as evill; neither must he expect a positive effect from the devill, but onely that he cease from hurting of him any more. But we answere, that to seeke a cure by scratching of the witch, and shedding of her blood, is a breach of the sixt commandement, and we are onely to seeke of the Lord that he would remove these evills; for it is he that woundeth, and he that healeth: The Lord Commanded when the Israelites were numbred that every one should pay a ransome to the Lord, halfe a shekell, Exod. 30.12. that there be no plague amongst them: by this the Lord taught them that it was he who was Lord of their lives.

As Satan envies our naturall life, so he envies our ci­vill life: when he takes away first our goods,Satan envies our civill life. and then our good name; Mans goods are called his life, Luke 8.43. consumpsit [...] she spent her whole life, that is, the goods which maintained her life.Vivere est secundis re­bus uti Iob 21.7. So Prov. 27.27. Thou shalt have life for thy maydes, that is, thou shalt have maintenance for thy maydes; and because our goods are the meanes to entertaine our life, therefore, Deut. 20.19. Ye shall not cut downe the tree of the field, Quia homo est arbor agri, because man is the tree of the field, that is, the tree entertaines the life of man; and therefore it is called a man. So Deut. 24.6. the over [Page 148] and the nether milstones are called a mans life; because they are the meanes by the which the life of man is en­tertained. The Devill tooke these helpes from Iobs life; and the witches commonly kills mens cattle, hor­ses, and sheepe, when they cannot hurt the men them­selves.

So he envies our good name: The devill in the Sy­riacke, Vide Buxtor. in radice gnug. Math. 4. is called A kal Kartza, commedens ac­cusationes; and the reason of the name was this, because they gave these Sycophantes and accusers, pasties ba­ked with honie that they might accuse and caluminat the more freely. It was hee who objected to the Chri­ans, Thiestaeas caenas, incestus Oedipodeas, promiscuas libidi­nes, & conjurationes in principes. And therfore he is a most impudent accuser. Satan stood at the right hand of Ioshua to accuse him Zach. 3.1. (for the accusers stood at the right hand of him whom they accused Ps. 106) The devil is Ptyas, Tertul & quiquid publice utilitati infa­mis erat. that spitting serpent Psa. 144 who spits his venome a far off; Tam absentes laedit, quam praesentes pungit; And therefore he is called [...],He is called [...] [...]rim [...]nator, criminatio non sit sine ve [...]bis, sed Satan ad [...]er­sotur & verbis & factis a [...], which proper­ly signifies, traijcere; because with his venemous dart he peirces the children of God: he is not [...], Susurro, who whispers privately against the children of God; but he is an open calumniator; who markes the wants and defects of the children of God; when Ioshua stood with soule cloaths before the Lord, Satan was ready to accuse him. Zach. 3.3. when he was new come out of the Captivity, like a firebrand new taken out of the fire: Satan hath no pitty on him, but he is then ready to ac­cuse him; if Ioshua's cloathes be sulled, he is ready to marke that, so he watches for our halting Ier. 20.10. and is glad when he sees us halt Psal. 35.15. and if there be a hole in our coate, he will say, we are ragged, and if we halt but a little, he will say wee are creeples. There­fore we had neede to pray, Psalme 120.2. Deliver my [Page 149] soule O Lord from lying lips; and from a deceitfull tongue. So he envies our life in the policie, an evill spirit of dis­cention came betwixt Abimelech, and the men of Se­chem, Iudge 9.23.

But above all he envies our spirituall life:Satan above all envies our Spirituall life. There­fore it was that hee let Saint Paul that he might not come to the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. 2.18. for he knew well, that where there is no vision, the people are naked, Pro. 29.18. and this was the reason why he was a lying spi­rit, in the mouthes of the false Prophets; And when the pastors are present with their flockes, and sowing their good seede, Satan comes in, and pickes up the good seede which is sowne Math. 13.19. and when they have sowne their good seede, then the wicked one comes and sowes his kockell and his darnell; and when the seede hath taken roote, Satan leaves not off here; he sought to winnow Peters faith Luke 22.31. so he la­bours to corrupt the pastors, to teach hereticall do­ctrine, and this is called a doctrine of Devils, 1 Tim.

Satan envies our spirituall life, as our hearing of the Word; he possesseth a man with a deafe devill, Marke 9.25. The Lord takes the greatest paines about our eares, more than any of the rest of all our senses to open our eare, Esay. 50.5. to uncover our eare. Iob 33.16. To circumcise our eare, Ierem. 6.10. To unstop the eare. Esay 35.5. To boare our eare Psal. 40.6. So stillare in au­rem, to drope into our eare, Ezeck. 21.2. Deut. 32. Hence it is that so often it is repeated in the Scripture, He that hath eares to heare let him heare. But the Devill shutes the eare, he possessed a man with a deafe devill, Marke 9.25. The eare is Ianua vitae, the gate of life; Faith com­meth by hearing; he stoppeth this sense that he might not heare and so get faith.

He temptes us in our faith. 1 Thes. 3.5. I sent to know your faith, least by some meanes the tempter should [Page 150] have tempted you. Sometimes he drawes us to [...] that we have no faith, when hee pickes up the seede when it is new sowne, Math. 13. here there can be no faith: sometimes he drawes us ad [...] to little faith, O thou of little faith, Math. 14.31. and sometimes hee drawes us ad [...] to wavering when the ballance goes, [...] up and downe, and keepes not an equall measure: when Peter said to Christ Math. 26.35. If all should leave thee yet would not I, here the ballance goes up; and when he denied him at the voice of a Dam­sell, Math. 26.69. here the ballance goes downe. So when he said to Christ, Iohn 13.6. Thou shalt never wash my feete, here the ballance goes downe, and when he said unto him, wash head feete and all, Iohn 13.9. here the ballance goes up: So when he said Master bid mee come to thee on the water, Math. 14.28. here the ballance goes up, but when he said I sinke Master, Math. 14.30. here the ballance goes downe. But he suffers few to come to this [...] great faith, Christ gives that commendation but to two, and they were both stran­gers: to the Cananitish woman, Math. 15.28. and to the Centurion, Math. 8.10.

And how earnest he is against our spirituall life, we may see it by his often tempting of Christ; He left him for a season, Luke 4.13. Yet he tempted him againe by the Pharisees and Saduces, and by Peter, Math. 16.23. And when Christ was about to offer himselfe a sacri­fice to God his Father, then came the Prince of this world to discourage him, Iohn 14.13.

actantius in Alen.So Satan hates the Christians, and the Christian re­ligion above all religion; Lactantius. saith, when the heathen were sacrificing to their gods, if a Christian had beene present they facrificed not: Hence was that saying brought in into their mysteries (exeant Christiani) let the Christians goe forth; he hated so the Christians, [Page 151] that he could not abide them, nor their religion.

The Scripture gives Satan many strange and terri­ble names, first he is called Satan;The Scripture gives Satan many terrible names. because intestino odio homines prosequitur, he hates man with a deadly ha­tred: he is [...] a hater of men; but we have to oppose to him Christ, who is [...], a Lover of men. Secondly, he is called [...], the accuser of the brethten. Revel. 12.10. This [...] signifies not any sort of accuser, but such an accuser who accuses before a King. In the Revel. 12.10. hee is called the accuser before the Lord; So he accused Ioshua before the Lord Zach. 3.3. and opposite to him, we have [...] and [...], who interceeds with the King for us. Christ is our [...]; or advocate 1 Ioh. 2.1. Thirdly the devill is called Abaddon, and Apollyon, Revel. 9.12. and the Devils are called Sheddim, Deut. 32.17. Psal. 105.37. from Shadad, evertere, praedari, [...] daemon. vastare. Esay 16.22.23. And in the Historie of Tobias, [...] vastabit. the devill is cald Ashmodeus, from Shamad, vastare; be­cause he makes havocke, and wastes all; and opposit to him is Christ, who is our Saviour and saves us. [...] dominus muscae. Fourth­ly, the devill is called Beelzebub, dominus muscarum, lord of flies; the Legions of the devills flies in the mid­dle Region of the aire: But the Lord of Hostes is op­posit to him, who hath commandment over all the creatures. Fiftly, he is that old Serpent, Revel. 12.19. And the Serpent opposit to him, is Christ lift up in the wildernesse. Ioh. 3.14. Last Satan is a roaring Lyon; and Christ the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah is opposite to him. Revel. 15.15. When Zacharie saw foure hornes lifted up to scatter Israel, he saw foure Carpenters rea­dy to beate them downe, Zach. 1.10. So whatsoever hornes Satan lifts up against the Church, The Lord is ready to beate them downe, and if there be poyson in the Serpent, Christ is our Antidote.

In every fight it is most fit that wee know our owne weakenesse, and the strength of our adversarie: It was of old a most fearefull thing [...], to fight with beasts, 1 Cor. 15.32. we have to fight with a roaring Lyon, and an old serpent, qui [...] est, who useth both craft and malice in his fight against us: Therefore seeing we are not able to withstand him in this fight, we should pray to the Lord God who is Ish milthama, vir belli, that hee would stand for us least wee fall in this combat.

SECT. 15. By what meanes Satan is to be resisted.

THe weapons wherewith Satan is to be resisted, are not carnall weapons, 2 Cor. 10.4. for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holdes.

First wee will handle here the counterfeit and false weapons, by which men have gone about to resist Sa­tan, and next the true weapons by which he is to bee resisted.

The counterfeit wea­pons which have beene used to resist the devill.The counterfeite weapons by which men have gone about to resist Satan, were either in the Iewish synagogue or Christian Church.

The counterfeit wea­pons in the Iewish sy­nagogue.In the Iewish synagogue, God commanded the Iewes to weare Phylacteries, to put them in remembrance to observe the Law of God, out they abused these Tephi­lim, or Phylacteries, they made them [...] or helps to prayer; as though they were derived from Palal, precari to pray, and not from Taphal, apponere, which is the right root; and the 70. translate them [...], if as ye [Page 153] would say immobilia, things that could not be removed, but afterward they abused them to bee [...], re­medies against enchantments, which varro called Praebia, quasi brevia; hence comes our word briefe which Satan gives to men for to save themselves from hurts. Therefore it was altogether prohibited in the Councill of Laodicea to make Phylacteries. The Chaldee paraphrast paraphrasing upon Cant. 3.8. brings in the synagogue of the Iewes, speaking after this manner, I am beloved above all people, because I binde my Tephilim upon my left hand, and the paper is affixed to my right side, and the third part of it looks towards my bed, that there may be no power in the Devils to hurt me. Here they abuse their phylicteries as a remedy against Ma­gicke.

Secondly, they abused their circumcision, making it a remedy against Satan, the Chaldee paraphrast para­phrasing upon the words of Soloman Cant. 3.8. (Every one hath his sword upon his thigh for the feare of the night) he notes this word upon the thigh to be the seale of cir­cumcision in the flesh, whereby they prevaile and doe not feare the devils that walke abroad in the night.

Thirdly, they abused incense, making it a meanes to banish the devill, Cant. 4.6. (I will get me to the hill of incense) The Chaldee paraphrast pharaphrasing upon this place, saith, Omni tempore quo populus domus Israel tenebat manibus suis artem patrum suorū justorū, fugiebant daemones nocentes, tenebriones, & matutini, & meridiani; eo quod majestas gloriae domini residebat in domo sanctu­arij, quae aedificata est in monte Moriah, & omnes daemones & spiritus nocentes sugiebant ab odore incensi aromatum; that is, all the time that the house of Israel kept the Art of their holy Fathers, the devils fled away, both the morning devils, and those of the midde day; because the majestie of God dwelt in the sanctuarie, which was [Page 154] built upon mount Moriah, and all the devils fled away when they smelled the smell of this incense.

Fourthly, they held that rootes and hearbes had power to expell the devill. Iosephus lib. 7. cap. 23. Radix quae bara dicitur, [...] statim expellit daemonia; The roote called Bara presently drives out the devill. And the same Iosephus in his book 8. of Antiquity cap. 7. shewes, that Salomon had skill in exorcising, and conju­ring of spirits; which he got from the Lord, as the rest of his knowledge; and that he used to hold these rootes to the nostrells of the possessed, that by the smell or smoake of these, the devils might bee driven out. Thus we see how the Iewes in these times were too much given to magicke.

Fiftly, they tooke the Liver of a fish whereby they might cast out Satan. Tob. 7. but these are carnall weapons, and the devill doth no more care for such weapons, than the Leviathan doth, who esteemeth Iron as straw, and brasse as rotten wood, Iob 41.27. The arrow cannot make him flie, slingstones are turned with him into stubble, and he laugheth at the shaking of a speare.

Object. But they say, because the Angels assume bo­dies upon them; therefore bodily things may affect them, and please them, or displease them.

Answ. The bodies which they tooke upon them were not the bodies of flesh and blood, as ours are. Luk 24. a Spirit hath not flesh and bones, Ephes. 6.12. Wee wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers: when the spirits assumed bodies they were but Aeriall bodies, they could neither bee drowned, burned, nor hurt, they were onely dissolved againe into the Element; No bodily thing could hurt them: when the Seraphin tooke a coale from the Altar with a paire of tongs, the Seraphin did not this for feare of burning [Page 155] Esay 6. But onely to shew that he would use the ordina­ry meanes which were appointed for the Altar, when he tooke the coale from it: So the Angell when hee appeared in a bodie to Manoah he went up in the fire, but was not burnt by it, Iudge 13.20.

No externall thing can affect the devill, as we are af­fected with such: beauty affects not his sight; musicke affects not his hearing; nor odours his smell, for he be­ing a spirit, nothing affects him but similitude of man­ners: Therefore that is fabulous which is set downe in Tobit 6.14. That the devill was in love with S [...]ah for her beauty; he loved her not for the gifts of her mind, for then he should have loved them best who exceede most in graces; but he hated Christ above all others: Therefore he doth not love any for the graces of their minde, but hates them more: when the devill beholds the goodnesse of the creatures, as their beauty, comeli­nesse, honesty, &c. although in the generall hee see them to be good; yet he is so carried with his habituall malice, that he cannot like the good that is in any crea­ture; And even as these wretches, who make them­selves away, have a generall liking of their life by the very instinct of nature; yet through griefe and de­spaire they put often hands on themselves: so the habi­tuall malice of the devils suffers them not to like any good that is in the creature.The counterfeit wea­pons in the Christian Church.

So the Christian Church useth false meanes to expell the devils, as the Church of Rome useth salt, spittle, holy water, and consecrate oyle; the primitive Church first used this oyle in working of miracles, then the fa­thers afterward used it by imitation; and last the Papists use it as viaticum to further them to heaven.

So they use exorcising of devils, Christ himselfe cast out devils by the power of the spirit, and so he left this power of exorcising for a while in the Church, for the [Page 156] establishing of the Gospell when it was new planted; he doth otherwayes in constituenda ecclesia, than hee doth in constituta ecclesia: And even as a Gardiner when he removes a tree out of one ground to another, he sets so many stayes to it to hold it up, and he powres water against the roote of it daily, but when it hath once ta­ken roote, hee pulls away the stayes from it, and leaves it to the ordinary course of growing, as other trees; So the Lord bestoweth at the first in the infancie of the Church these miracles, as stayes to confirme, and up­hold l [...]er; but now when shee is setled, he takes away these helpes, and makes her to grow by the ordinary course of grace; and if these miracles should have indu­red still in the Church, of extraordinary things they should have become ordinary and nothing regar­ded.

In the Primitive Church these gifts lasted for a while; but now to use this exorcising in the Church, is to use that which is out of date, and it is now but a carnall weapon which Satan cares not for; Vrim and Thummim were two precious stones set in the breast plate of Aaron, by the which hee answered the people when hee asked him of matters doubtfull; these two stones were not in the second temple; now if the priest should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breast plate, and had given his answers to the people By them (when as the Lord answered not by Vrim and Thummim) would he not have beene holden for a de­ceiver? So he who professes himselfe now to be an ex­orcist, when as the gift ceaseth in the Church now, hee is to be accounted an imposter and deceiver.

There were three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church; some simply necessary, as the Word and Sacraments: some were necessary for her in statu legali, when she was under the rudiments of the Law, which [Page 157] are not necessary now under the Gospell, as the cere­monies of the Law: Thirdly some gifts were bestowed upon the Church in the infancie of the Gospel, such as were the gift of tongues, of healing, and of exorcising, and these now are abolished. The matter may be illu­strate by this comparison: The Prince when hee is a child, he hath a tutor to teach him, and a regent or ad­ministrator to rule and governe him, and thirdly, hee hath his counsellers, but when he comes to majority, he hath no master any more; he hath not a regent or administrator any more,Exoreismus fuit apud [...]udae osante Christi ad ventum sed postea una cum religione desiit a­pud ipsos & translata est, ad ecclesiam Chri­sti, Act. 19. but onely his counsellers who abides with him: So the Church in her infancie, was under Moses law, as under [...] pedagogue: And when the Gospel was first planted, the Church had these ex­traordinary gifts, as a time for a regent or administrator; but she hath the Word and Sacraments to remaine with her as her counsellers perpetually.The true meanes to resist Satan.

The true meanes to resist Satan, are; first, the shield of faith, Ephes. 6.16. Above all taking the shield of faith, whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked; where the Apostle alludes to the custome of old, for when they dipped the heads of their arrowes in poyson, and shot them at their enemies, they fired their flesh: So Satans tentations are fiery darts, and the shield of faith is said to quench them. The souldiers of old had their shields made of raw neates leather, (as Polibius testifies, and Vigetius writing de re militari) and when the fiery darts lighted upon them, they were presently quenched; so these fierie tentations of the de­vill, when they hit the shield of faith, they are present­ly quenched, & abiunt in spicas, Psa.

The next true meanes for the casting out of the devill, is prayer and fasting, Mat. 7.21. This kinde of devill is not cast out but by prayer and fasting.

Fasting and prayer are two excellent meanes to ba­nish [Page 158] Satan; therefore it is that the Lord alloweth the husband and the wife for a time to goe asunder, that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer, and then come together againe, that Satan tempt them not to incontinencie; and the Lord (Ioel 2.16. wills the bridegroome and the bride to goe forth of their bed-chamber to sanctifie a fast.

Quest. How did Christ, Math. Chap. 9. ver. 14. take the defence of his disciples when they fasted not, as the Pharisees and Iohns disciples did, seeing fasting is such an excellent meane for to banish Satan? How excuseth hee them for intermitting this dutie?

Answ. Christ takes the defence of his disciples here, because it was not time for them to fast, so long as the bridegroome was with them; but elsewhere he re­proves them for not fasting. It is a good rule of the Schoolemen, that affirmativa ligant semper, sed non ad semper, that is, affirmative precepts bind us; but not alwayes and at all times. The Lord commands them to fast; but not when the bridegroome was with them, See Nehe. 8.10.

Paul prayed thrice against the temptations of Satan, and Christ blamed his disciples because they had not joyned fasting and prayer together to cast out the de­vill; and where it is said, that the Pharisees and Iohns disciples fasted, but not Christs disciples; the meaning is, they fasted not usually as Iohns disciples and the Pharisees did, but yet they fasted.

The third weapon to beate the devill, is the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6.16. take the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, Cant. 2.8. It is called the sword of the spirit, because it is directed immediately by the spirit, and because this sword pierceth to the heart.

This sword differeth from the magistrates sword; this sword proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, Rev. 1.10. and it is called the rod of his mouth, Esay 11. but the magistrate carries his sword onely in his hand.

Thirdly, this sword is called [...] and [...], a two edged sword, it can both kill and save: The Magistrates sword can onely kill, but never quicken to restore a man to life; Sauls sword never returned emptie from the bloud of the slaine, 2 Sam. 1.20. It alwayes killed, but it could never quicken, but this sword can doe both; therefore it hath not beene unfitly compared to the bit­ter waters; when the woman that was guiltie of adulte­rie dranke them, her thigh rotted, and she died; but if shee had beene an honest woman, then having dranke of these bitter waters, she conceived, and brought forth a child; so this sword both killeth and quickneth.

This sword divides betwixt the soule and the spirit; but the Magistrates sword divides onely the head from the body.

This sword is of greatest force against the devils ten­tations; It was by this sword that Christ beat Satan and all his tentations, Mat. 4. when the disciples re­turned backe from the preaching of the Gospel, then Christ saith, Luke 10.18. I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven: the preaching of the Gospel is the speciall meane to make Satan fall; when David gat the sword of Goliah in his hand, having experience of it, before he said, there is no sword like that, 1 Sam. 21.10. so there is no sword like this sword in the spirituall combate a­gainst the devill.

Quest. What if the Lord should suffer Satan to ap­peare to us in a visible shape? whether might wee use the sword of the word against him or not?

Answ. We may not, Satan is a very subtill enemie, [Page 160] and can easily circumvent us; therefore wee should not reason with him, did hee not deceive Eva in her best estate, when she reasoned with him? how shall wee be able then to resist him: Our part onely then in such a case is this, to turne about our faces to the Lord, and weepe upon him, and desire the Lord to rebuke him.

Object. If it be said, why may wee not use this sword against Satan, if he should visilby appeare to us, as wel as when wee are commanded to use it against his tentati­ons?

Answ. His tentations are not so subtill when hee tempts us, as when hee appeares visibly to us face to face; for his tentations are mixed with our corruptions, which are not as subtill as Satan himselfe is, and there­fore it is easier to resist these tentations by the word, than to resist Satan himselfe.

SECT. 16. That Sorcerers and Witches should be put to death.

THere are three sorts of people whom Satan tempts; first, those whom he tempts contrary to their will; as those who were possessed in the primitive Church, called [...]; those should not be put to death; those they pittied and placed inter Catechumenos, a­mongst those who were catechized in the Church.

The second sort are those who enter in an indirect covenant with the devill; those were not put to death, sed admonebantur tantum, they were onely admonished.

Those who enter in di­rect covenant with the devill should die the death.The third sort were those who entred into the direct covenant with the devill, and those were to die the death, Deut. 18.11. For all that doe these things are abo­mination to the Lord. So Lev. 20.27.

The Iewes in their thirteene rules of expounding of the Scripture, this is the eight rule; when a precept is set downe, it is not set downe, ut doceat de se non exivit, sed ut docrat de toto univers [...] exivit: Their meaning is, if a thing be spoken generally elsewhere, and then be explained more plainely, this clearer explanation is to be referred to the generall: Example, the Magitians in­definitely are commanded to die the death, Exo. 22.18. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But Lev. 20.27. A man also or a woman that had a familiar spirit, or that is a wizzard shall be surely put to death, they shall stone them with stones, and their bloud shall be upon them. Hence they conclude that all sort of Magitians should die the death.

The diviners (they hold) should not die the death; first, they say that Kesem, who is a diviner, and who takes upon him onely to foretell things to come, hee should not die the death, but be admonished onely.

Secondly, they say that Menaches, Maimonides hujusmodi artium sectatores vel lapidibus obruendi erunt, ut lidgnom, Bagnal, O [...]h, & Mekasheph, vel mitiori poena mulctandi ut Cosem, Menaches, & Megnonan. who markes the flying of the foules ought not to die the death, hee is to be admonished, and other wayes censured.

Thirdly, incantator, the charmer is not to die the death, non facit opus peccatoris, as they say in phesikta, that is, they doe not any thing that deserves death.

Fourthly, Hamegronen, qui observat nubes, he is not to die the death, and they say of him, Non moritur & est liber etiam a plagis; that is, hee should not die, and he is free from stripes.

And lastly, they say, Qui perstringit [...]o [...]l [...]s, who deceives the sight, as Inglers, non moritur, sed admonetur, he is not to die the death, but onely to be admonished.

But these three were alwayes to be put to death, first, Mekasheph malefitus, or pharmacus, they are called ve­neficae, Exod. 22.18.

Secondly, Obh, those who had a familiar spirit.

Thirdly, Iidgnoni, [...], qui multa novit & praedi­cit: Targum translates him Ariolus, these were al­wayes put to death, as in Sauls dayes, he cut off the wizzards, and those who had familiar spirits 1 Sam. 28.9. and Iosias tooke away the workers with familiar spi­rits and wizzards, 2 King. 23.24. Saul, who caused be­fore familiar spirits and wizzards to be taken away; now because he falls to consult with them againe, there­fore justly he falls into the hands of the Philistines and is killed.

When Tiberius was Emperor hee caused to hang up those sorcerers, and put them to death, ad sacros lucos suspendebantur.

Magitians should lose their temporary estate.As the Magitians should be put to death, so should they lose their temporall estate and inheritance; the Canaa­nites for their same was cast out of Canaan, Deut. 18.12. Because of these abhominations, the Lord thy God did drive out the Canaanites before thee, Although children should not be put to death for their fathers offences, 2 King. 14.6. yet they may be other wayes punished for their fa­thers offences, as to be forfeited, and to lose their fathers inheritance,Lessius pag. 53. not. 66. as the imperiall lawes have ordai­ned: the Casuists adde, that if a Magitian should find a treasure hid in the ground (whereas a third part of it should fall to the finder) yet neither the Magitian nor his children should have any part of it, & ea pars quae in­ventoris fuit adjudicatur fisco, that is, that part which should have befallen to the finder, is adjudged to the common treasure, and besides all these temporary evils, Sorcerers and Witches should not enter within the ho­ly city, Rev. 21.27. And there shall in no wayes enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abho­mination [...] the greatest abhomination that God abhor­red,Magitians are excluded from the kingdome of God. is witchcraft, D [...]t. 18.12. therefore they shall ne­ver enter within the holy citie.

SECT. 1. Of the beginning of Idolatry.

IT is most probable that this Idolatrie tooke the be­ginning from the love which men carie to their dead parents, to set up images and statues to them in remem­brance of them, which Satan afterward moved them to worship: and then they began to say to the stocke thou art my father, Ier. 2.27. and to the stone that thou hast brought mee forth;Men set up first images in remembrance of their fathers, and af­terward fell to wor­ship them. and hence it was that they were commanded to forget their fathers house when they were to leave Idolatrie, Psal. 45.10. That is the religi­on which they had from their parents, and which was continued amongst them in remembrance of their fa­thers: And those Idolaters are more blamed who chose new Gods which their fathers knew not, Deut. 32.17.

The devill made them beleeve that images were sent downe from God.Secondly, the subtill devill deluded people; and made them beleeve that the gods sent downe images from Heaven, which they called [...] comming downe from Iupiter, Act. 19.35. So hee made them beleeve that gods came downe to them in the likenesse of men,The devill made men beleeve that images made with mens hands had some divine power assisting them. Act. 14.11. and so they worshipped them. Thirdly, hee made them beleeve that those images which were made with mens hands had some divine power assisting them, and that they were not lyke other workes of mens hands; Acts 19.26. It is naturall for all men to have some god or other; and men according to their severall inclinations found gods to themselves, [Page 165] some one way, and some another;Men fained gods to themselves according to their severall incli­nations. Those who were inclined to warre made Mars for their God, and the Scythians a belicouse people worshipped their sword; and those who inclined to filthinesse or lust, made Venus for their godesse; And the Iewes worshipped Tammuz, Ezech. 8.14. with their [...], and from hence sprang all their fabulous theologie (as Varro calles it) of the incests, adulteries, and rapts of their Gods: So men inclining to coveteousnesse made their gods accordingly, as the Philistines made Dagon a fish their god, because they lay neare the sea coast and used fishing; So some worshipped a sheepe, as the Syri­ans worshiped gnashtoroth a sheepe, So in Egypt they worshiped an oxe; an oxe was a signe to them of plenie of corne, Pro. 14.4. where no oxen are the crib is cleane, but much increase is by the strength of the oxe; and those who were given to drunkennesse made Bacchus their god;Vide Amianum dego es de rebus ethiopicis, lib. 3 And even as the Ethiopians because they are blacke themselves, paint the good Angels blacke like themselves, and the devills white; So did men imagine of their gods, and made them like unto themselves, and that which they affected most, foolish man imagine that God is like unto him, Psal. 50. because I held my peace thou thoughtest I was like unto thee.

When men beheld the starres, first they observed the influx of the starres, and that bred Physicke: se­condly they observed the course of the starres, and that bred Astronomie. Thirdly, they used predictions by the starres, and that bred Astrologie: Fourthly, they worshipped the starres, and that was Idolatry.

They worshipped their gods of gold; silver, yron, wood, and stone, Dan. 5.4. they represented Iupiter, by gold, Venus, or Diana, by silver, they made silver shrines to Diana; They represented Caeres, by wood, and Pluto and the infernall gods, by stone.

To these Idols they gave all honour which was due to God, they called them their husbandes, Hos. 2.7. they called them their kings, Zeph. 1.5. and their gods, and their kings and their great men tooke names from those Idoles, as Nebuchadnezer, and Nebuch palassar tooke their names from their Idoll Nebo, Isa. 46.1. So Balthasar, Hanniball, Hasdruball, tooke their names from Baal, so the King of the Sidonians was called Eth­baal, 1 Sam. 6.31. and others tooke their names from Bell, which is the contraction of Baal; So they bestow­ed their goods upon their Idoles, they sacrificed their children unto them, and powred out all their affections upon them, and they held that all which they did pos­sesse they possessed it by their Idols, Iud. 11.24.

SECT. 2. How great a sinne this sinne of Idolatrie is.

GOd who is the supreame and independant cause, from whom are all things, by whom are all things, and for whom are all thinges, who is Alpha and Ome­ga,God hath reserved three things to him­selfe which he will not communicace to creatures. is worthy of greatest honour; and he hath reserved three things to himselfe, which he will not communi­cate with any creature. The first is absolute and su­preme power in judging mans standing and falling; Who art thou that Iudgest another mans servant Rom. 14.4. there is a great wrong done to this supreme Lord, when man takes upon him to sit in his judicatorie, which onely belongeth to God.

The second thing, which God hath reserved to him­selfe is vengeance, Rom. 12.19. Vengeance is mine, I will [Page 167] repay (saith the Lord) when any creature takes upon him that which the Lord hath reserved for himselfe, then he dishonoureth God.God hath reserved his glory for himselfe.

The third and greatest of all, is his glory and wor­ship; which he hath reserved for himselfe; and that he will communicate to no creature. God is liberall enough otherwaies to man; he communicates to him his goodnesse, his mercy, and bountifulnesse; but hee hath reserved his worship for himselfe: He gave Adam liberty to eate of all the trees of the garden, but he re­served to himselfe the tree of knowledge of good and evill; and even as in the eucharisticall sacrifices, the Priest got a part, and the people got a part, but the Lord reserved the fat for himselfe, Levit. 3.3. So the Lord hath reserved his worship for himselfe, there­fore when Idolaters bestow this divine worship upon creatures, this is a horrible and a fearefull sinne.

In every sinne there concurre two things, first aversio a Deo, a turning from God, and conversio ad creaturam, In every sinne there is an a version from God and a turning to the creature. a turning to the creature; and the baser and vilder that the creatures be which a man turnes himselfe to, the sinne is the greater; when Demas imbraced this pre­sent world, here was a great aversion from God, and a turning to the creature; but in Idolatry there is a greater aversion from God & a turning to the creature, for here he turnes himself to the Devill, who is most opposite to God; for the worshipping of Idols is the worshipping of Devils, Deut. 32.17. Psal. 106.7. 1 Cor. 10.21.

To refuse the most excellent, and to choose the vilest,Idolaters refuse the most excellent and choose the vilest. this is great madnesse: when the trees of the field de­spised the vine tree Iudges 9. which cheered both God and man, and the Olive tree for all his fatnesse, and the Figge tree for all his sweetnesse, and made choise of the bramble to raigne over them, what a miserable choise was this; there came a fire from the bramble [Page 168] and burnt the trees of the field: So for a man to refuse the living God, and to make choise of a base Idoll, and worship it, what a bad choise was this: And what mar­veile is it that there comes not a fire of the wrath of God, and consume these Idolaters.

The Angels have al­wayes refused divine worship.The most excellent creatures in heaven, the Angels have alwayes refused to accept of this divine worship, Rev. 19.10. If thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it to the Lord, Iudg. 13.16. but the devils have ta­ken this worship unto themselves, and by all meanes sought it: The devill accepted of this spirituall worship at Sauls hand, when he bowed himselfe before him: so he sought it of Christ, Mat. 4. It must be a horrible sinne then to commit this Idolatry; the good Angels and glorified spirits are set downe to us for imitation, and not the devills.

Idolatrie dissolves the marriage betwixt Christ & his Church.This Idolatrie is the greatest sinne, because it dissolves the marriage betwixt Christ and his Church: This ido­latry is spirituall adultery; for the which the Lord re­pudiates his Church: This sinne of Idolatry blots the children, and gives them place to plead against their whoorish mother, Hos. 2.2. Plead with your mother, pleade with your mother, for ye are the children of forni­cation.

Foure things are con­sidered in Religion.In Religion there are foure things which we ought to consider: first, wee ought to consider the infinite maje­stie of God, and that all things depend on him. Se­condly, we should consider our own basenesse and vile­nesse, and that we are nothing, and have nothing of our selves. Thirdly, there must be an earnest and true sub­mission of the mind to God, which the mind must ac­knowledge within it selfe. Fourthly, there are exter­nall signes, and bodily gestures and actions required, testifying this inward reverence which wee carrie to God. The Angels having no bodies, testifie this their [Page 169] reverence by internall and spirituall submission to God; and when the Angels appeared in visible shapes, they covered their faces before the Lord, in token of their submission to him: and man must testifie this his obedi­ence both in minde and body. Now when man consi­ders not the great and high majestie of God, then hee beginnes to resemble God to a creature, and hee gives the creatures that worship which is due onely to God,When men consider not the great majestie of God, and their own basenesse they fall into Idolatrie. and this is Idolatry. Secondly, when hee considers not his owne basenesse and vilenesse, but [...]ve, [...]s himselfe above his owne condition, then he comm [...]s Idolatrie; take for an example the King of Tyre, who elevated himselfe farre above his owne condition, Ezech. 28.3. who thought himselfe wiser than Daniel, and that there was no secrets hid from him; his contempt led him yet higher; hee thought himselfe more glorious than the high-priest for all the precious stones in his breast-plate; he thought himselfe wiser than Adam when he was in Eden, ver. 13. and yet he ascends more, hee thought himselfe like a Cherub, or an Angell of God, vers. 14. and lastly, when hee can goe no higher, hee thinkes himselfe not inferiour to God himselfe, verse 2. And so Antichrist takes that honour to him which is due onely to God,This sinne is called [...], Mark. 7.21. ab [...], & [...] ostendo, quasi digit is pedum insistens supra caeteros caput extollit se­que conspiciendum prae­bet; Sic metitur se perse, 2 Cor. 10.12. 1 Thes. 2.4. when he sits in the house of God as God; when men consider not the majestie of God, but beginnes to resemble him to a creature, than the ballance goes downe, and they will give his worship to the very creeping things; but when man forgets himselfe; and elevates himselfe above his con­dition, then the ballance goes up, and he never makes a stay untill he equall himselfe with God.

The Lord tanted and mocked those Idolaters,The Lord mocked and tanted Idolaters and Idols. shew­ing their madnesse, how with one peece of the tree hee warmed himselfe, and of another peece of the tree hee made a God, and worshipped; and so the heathen [Page 166] [...] [Page 167] [...] [Page 168] [...] [Page 169] [...] [Page 170] mocked these worshippers of Idols; Seneca, Quid (inquit) brutalius est, quam statuis sacrifices, statu­arium vero mensa tua excludas, apud statuam ge­nua tua flectis, pictorem aperto capite coram te stantem despicis & negligis, what is more senslesse and brutish (saith Seneca) then for thee to sacrifice to an Idoll, and yet thou will not suffer him who made the Image to come to thy table; thou bowest thy knee before the Image, and yet thou suffers him who made the Image to stand ba [...]ded before thee, and him thou despi­sest and [...]g [...]cts. So Diagoras jested at the Idolls of old, and when he saw the Image of Hercules, he pulled it downe, and threw it into the fire, and said, this shall be the thirteenth labour of Hercules: Thus we see every man a beast in his owne knowledge,No sinne hath so many shifts for it as Idolatry hath. Ier. 10.14.

There is no sinne that hath so many shiftes for it selfe as this sinne hath, as the whore wiped her mouth, and said, she did it not, Prov. 30.20. So they denie, extenuate, and cover this sinne; therefore it is that the Lord when he describes this spirituall whoredome;Why the Lord describes Idolatry in such plaine tearmes. hee de­scribes it in more plaine and open termes, then he doth bodily whoredome, Ezech. 16.15. Thou powrest out thy fornications upon every one that passeth by, his it was; and verse 25. Thou hast opened thy feete to every one that pas­seth by; and verse 26. Thou hast committed fornications with thy neighbour, great of flesh; and Chap. 23.30. Shee doted upon their paramoures, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose Issue is as the issue of horses; but when the Lord speakes of bodily adultery, he speakes in more covered termes, as Prov. 9.17. Stolen waters are sweet. So hee describeth by eating, She eateth and wipeth her mouth, Prov. 30.20. and the reason is, because men are more sensselesse in taking up this spirituall adultery, and they use moe shifts to hide it; and therefore the Lord sets it downe in such plaine termes.

The Lord saith,What signifies to set up an image before God. Yee shall not make to thy selfe any gra­ven image, gnal pani before me, gnal panai signifieth ei­ther continuance of time, or noteth a place. [...]

First continuance of time, that so long as I am,So long as the Lord lives no image must set up before him. ye shall not choose another god, Num. 3.4. And Elea­zar and Ithamar ministered in the Priests office, in the sight of Aaron their father, gnal peni Aharon, vivente adhuc Aarone. So 1 Sam. 31, 1. and the child Samuel ministred unto the Lord before Eli, lipne gneli ante Eli, that is while Eli was alive, Deut. 21.16. [...] yee may not make the sonne of the beloved first borne, before the sonne of the hated, gnal peni ben, juxta faciem filij exosae, that is, so long as the sonne of the ha­ted liveth. So Exod. 20. Ye shall have no other Gods be­fore me, gnal panai, ante seu coram me; that is, so long as I live.

So it is taken for a place;In no place an image must be set up before him. ye shall neither set up an Idoll before me, either privately or publickely, for Gods face is every where privately: the Lord forbid­deth them, Deut. 27.15.Neither privately. Cursed be he that maketh any graven or molten image an abhomination of the Lord, the worke of the hand of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. So the Lord abhored the chamber of their imagerie Ezek. 8.12.Neither publickely. and he forbids them publickely to commit that Idolatry in the visible Church; Cain fled from the face of the Lord Genes. 4.16. That is from the visible Church; So the propitiatorie in the Church of Ierusalem was called the face of God Exod. 25. they were called panes facierum, because they stood before the propitiatory the face of the Lord; therefore the Lord forbids to set up an Idol before him: It was a great malapertnesse in the Iewes to set up their Idoles in mount Olivet, just under the Lords nose; therefore it was called 2 Kings 23.23. not mens Oliverum hamishka unctionis, but chamishceth perditionis, Elegans paranomafia. God never loo­ked [Page 172] out of the holiest of all, but he saw this vile Idola­try: to set up this image of jealousie in the sight of the Lord, was a vile abhomination Ezek. 18.

Before my face; the lawes of men at the first comman­ded, if the husband should apprehend the adulterer with his wife, then he should kill them both; as Solon and Draco his Lawes ordained;Plutarch in the life of Solon. Codice titulo. l. Grac­chus Covaruvius de matrimonio. 2. p. c. 7 7. but the Law of the twelve tables mitigates this afterward, Maechum in a­dulterio deprehensum necato, si vilis est, the husband might kill the adulterer with the adulteresse, if he was a base person. So when the Lord apprehends his Church committing abhomination with these Idols, and apprehends her in [...], may he not justly kill the adultresse?

Before my face, the Schoolemen have a good axiome, Bonum nisi ex causa integra, malū vero ex quocun (que) defectu pessimum vero ex defectu maximo. Circumstances doe much exaggerat a sin, for as in man it is not enough that the body have all the compleate parts to make up the perfection of it; but there is requisite likewise propor­tion, colour, situation of partes, and if any of these be wanting, then a man is thought an uncomely man, Bo­num hic ex integra causa nascitur; but if any thing bee wanting, then that breedes defect, but the greatest de­fect ariseth of the greatest want, and which is farthest from the good: It was a great sinne in Absalon to lye with his fathers concubines in any place, but to lye with them in the sight of the sunne, before all the people, this was a double sinne and a deformitie 2 Sam. 16.23. So for Cozbi and Zimri to commit their wickednesse in any place, was a great sinne, but to commit this sinne in the sight of Moses and of all the congregation, when all the people were weeping before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, Num. 25.6. this was a fearefull sinne: So to commit this Idolatry in a private place was a [Page 173] great sinne, but for the Israelites to have committed this sinne before the Lord in the sight of the whole Congregation, this was a sinne committed with a high hand against the Lord.

SECT. 3. Of the division of Idolaters.

AN Idolater is either a formall Idolater,A formall Idolater and a materiall Idolater. or a mate­riall Idolater; the formall Idolater is he who hath a false conception of God, and worshippes him false­ly.

The conception of God is either verus, analogicus, The conception of God is verus analogicus or falsus. or falsus. Wee have either a true conception of God; or a conception of God by way of Analogie;God onely hath a true conception of himself. or a false conception of God. The true conception of God is that which God hath onely of himselfe; for he onely con­ceives himselfe as he is;A conception of God by way of analogie is not a false conception. we take him up onely by way of analogie: this conception is not a false conception of God, for wee being but finite creatures, cannot com­prehend the infinite God but finitely, and although our conception answere not to the infinite God, yet we conceive not here any Idoll; for this conception is judged here after the manner of him who conceives, and not after the manner of him who is conceived: Our eye when it beholds the fire it receives into it the image of the fire, but not the essence of the fire; So we conceive of God according to our conception: When the Cherubims represented the angels in the Temple, this representation was rather of their qualities and acti­ons, then of their persons; they were painted with the faces of children to signifie their mildnesse; and with [Page 174] wings, to signifie their agilitie, and with the crist of a Lyon, to signifie their strength: So when God is descri­bed to us by way of analogie in the Scripture; the essence of God is not described to us, but onely his actions, that we may take him up by way of analogie.

What is a false con­ception of God.The false conception of God is this, when the Idola­ter thinkes he may resemble God, by a creature, and so worship the creature, or him by the creature, Psal. 106.20. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an Oxe that eateth grasse; and this is a false con­ception of God, as when these heretickes called [...] thought that God had a body indeed as men have.

To set Christ God and man before us is the way to keepe us from a false conception.But least our mindes should erre in conceiving of God, who is infinite, and we take him up but finitely, therefore let us set Christ God and man, as the object of our mind when we worship; He that seeth the Sonne seeth the Father Iohn 14.10. If a man should behold him­selfe in a Cristall glasse, he should not see his face in it, but if we put steele in the backe of the glasse (as we see in looking glasses) then we behold the reflexe of our face perfectly in the glasse: So when we behold the divinitie by it selfe, our mindes waver, and there comes no comfortable reflex from it; but God assuming the hu­manitie, this makes a comfortable reflexe as the steele does to the glasse, and this helpes our conception, when we looke this wayes upon God made man.

The formall Idolater worships the image. The materiall Idola­ter makes the image.The formall Idolater is he who worships the image, and the materiall Idolater is he who makes the image; the Israelites said to Aaron, make Gods to us who may goe before us; Aaron made the Calfe and he was the material Idolater: but the Israelites who worshipped the Calfe, they were the formall Idolaters: If one had come into the shop of Demetrius the silver smith, and had asked what he was doing, if he should have answered that he [Page 175] was making gods, he should not have answered rightlie heere; for he that worships and adores the image pro­perly makes a God of it.

SECT. 4. Of the effects of Idolatry.

SVndry are the effects of Idolatrie;Idols have sundry names in Scripture. wherefore in the scripture the Idolls get sundry names, they are called gelilim, gods of dung, because they are loathsome, and defile the conscience of men proceeding as dung and excrements out of mans corrupt heart, Shickutsim, [...] that is loathsome things, Ezeck. 20.8. and they are called Zirim, Isa. 45.16. as yee would say Tor­mina, such as a woman hath in childbirth: [...] And they are called gnazthamini sorrowes, Psal. 115.4. 1 Sam. 31.9. which brings nothing to a man but sorrow, Psal. 16.4. So they are bosheth pudor, Ier. 5.19. and 11.13. [...] the same name which is given to a mans privie parts, Deut. 25.11. So they are called Miphlezeth horrenda Statua. 1 Kings 15.13. and Isa. 65.4. [...] they are called custodita in contempt, because they cannot keep themselves, see Isa. 46.1.2. And Emim terriculamenta, 1 Chro. 15.16. Ier. 50.38. because they terrifie their worshippers, and they get no comfort by them, Apoc. 14.11. and they are called vanities and lies, Ier. 14.24. and 16.19. and Aven Iniqui­tas, Hos. 10.8. and 4.15. And the people who worships them are called a foolish people, Deut. 32.11. and no people Hos. 2.23. and 1 Pet. 2.10. And their Idolatrie [Page 176] is not onely called foolishnesse, but Summa malitia, Hos. 10.15. and Idolaters are said to eate the bread of lies, Hos. 10.13. that is a lie it self, such is that forme of speech Prov. 4.17. to eate the bread of sluggishnesse, that is to be a sluggard; So Ephraim is said to feede upon the wind, Hos. 12. that is to deceive himselfe, with vaine hopes, depending upon Idols: So he is said to follow the east winde; The east winde is the worst sort of any wind, for it brake their shipps; so the Idoles are cal­led the spiders cobwebbes, which are easily swept away, Hos. 8.10. and 1 Pet. 4.3. they are called abhominable Idoles: this Epithite is added to them, not for distinction sake, as though there were some I­dols which were not abhominable, but it is Adiecti­vum perpetuum (as the Hebrewes call it) Such is that phrase he descended into the low graves; This distin­guishes not one grave from another, but onely signifies a deepe grave, see Levit. 11. the creeping thing which is uncleane,Adiectivum perpetuum and adiectivum distin­ctionis. [...] & [...]. here the adjectivum is adjectivum perpetu­um, and not a note of distinction, Isa. 37.36. they are called dead corps, which makes not a distinction heere, but is adjectivum perpetuum: So Idols are called abho­minatio stupenda, Dan. 9.27. and [...] abhomina­tiones, Mat. 24.15. so the wife that lies in thy bo­some Mic. 7.5. this Epithite is not a note of distin­ction.Idoles are nothing pri­vative but not negative

These Idols are nothing, 1. Cor. 8.4. They are no­thing, not negative, but privative; they can neither hurt those who abhorre them, nor helpe those who worship them: therefore Psal. 106.28. they are called Dii mortui, dead gods, who could neither helpe their friends nor hurt their foes.

SECT. 5. Of the progresse of Idolatrie.

EPiphanius reckons up twentie heresies, which were before Christs comming in the flesh,Lib. 1. panariae. Epiphanius reduces, the periods of Idolatry into foure. which hee re­duceth unto foure heads, Barbarisme, Schythisme, Hellenisme, and Samaritanisme.

First Barbarisme, which comes from Bar, and in the Syriack, signifieth extra, but being doubled makes barbar, as if yee would say, those who are altogether without the Church, and at this period of tyme there were but few gathered into the Church;How long Barbarisme indured. Hee makes Barbarisme to have lasted from the creation of the world, to the dayes of Noah for ten generations: This first period of Idolatrie was before the flood, then they beganne to prophane the name of the Lord, Gen. 6.5. but seeing this time is tempus [...],Of Barbarisme and Schythisme. See Col. 3.2. and 2.11. and few things are set downe by Moses of the progresse of the Church at this time, and the heathen historie be­ginnes long after this time, therefore we will rest here, and enquire no further of it.How long Scythisme indured.

Secondly, he makes Schythisme to have indured from Noah to the building of the tower of Babell.

Thirdly,How long Hellenisme indured. Why the Syriackes put alwaies an Ara­mite for an Idolater. he makes Hellenisme to have indured from Abraham to the carring away of the ten tribes.

This Grecian by the Syriack is called an Aramite, Col. 3.11. and so elsewhere an Aramite is put for a gentile, or an Idolater still in the Syriack; and the reason why they were so called is this; because the first Idolaters who are named in the scripture were Syrians, or Aramites, as Terah the father of Abraham was a Syrian, and Baalam was a Syrian, Deut. 25.5. and Naaman was a Syrian; all these were Idolaters.

How long Samarita­nisme indured.Fourthly, hee makes Samaritanisme to have indured from the captivity of the ten Tribes, unto the dayes of Christ.

The pure worship of God (so long as this Grecisme, or Aramites Idolatrous worshippe lasted) was in the family of Abraham, Melchisedecke, and a few others.The Church was first in a familie.

The Church hath beene divided, first as shee lived in a familie, and then shee is called an oeconomicall Church.Secondly, dispersed through a nation. Secondly, when she was dispersed through a nation, and then shee was called a nationall Church. And thirdly when shee was scattered through the world,Thirdly, scattered through the world. and then shee was called the Catholike Church.When the Church was in a family.

First, the Church was in a familie, as in Abrahams family, Isaackes familie, secondly in a nation, as when the Church was spread through Iudea: The Church when shee was in Egypt she was not a nationall Church, because the Church lived then but in a part of Egypt: So when she was in the wildernesse, she was not a nationall Church, but when the Church came to Canaan, and ex­pelled the Cananites, then she was a nationall Church.

The people of God were ruled three waies.The people of God were ruled three wayes, by Pa­triarches, by Iudges, and by Kings: first wee will con­sider how Idolatrie increased or decreased under the Patriarkes; Secondly, under the Iudges, and Thirdly under the Kings.

When Idolatrie spreads it selfe over the face of the earth, then it pleased the Lord to have pittie upon Abraham, and Sara, who lived in Chaldea, and worship­ped the Moone, the Sunne, and the starres, to call them out of Caldea to Charran, and there hee taught them the true worship of God; They were first Idolaters as well as Terah was, & Nahor: Therfore Iosua saith Iosua 24.2. Your fathers dwelt beyond the flood of old time, even Te­rah [Page 179] the father of Abraham, and of Nahor, and they served other Gods, Amos 2.4. Their lies caused them to erre af­ter the which their fathers have walked; that is, the I­dols which their fathers worshipped: Abraham was an Idolater as well as Terah was, and as Nahor: therefore, Rom. 4.5. when the Lord justified him, he found him [...], an ungodly man; and Rembam testifies,Lib. 1. Halach. 4. cap. 1. that first he was a worshipper of the starres.

Abraham left not his Idolatrie, when he was in Meso­potamia, when he dwelt in Vr, of the Chaldeans; but when he came to Carran; therefore the Lord brought him out of Mesopotamia, that he might leave that Idoll service; but as concerning Terah, and Nahor, they re­tained something of their old Idolatrie, as Rachel did af­terward, who although she was taught by her husband to renounce Idolatrie, yet she stoll her fathers Idols; & so there was some of this leaven of Idolatry in Iacobs fa­mily, which he caused to be purged out, Ge. 15.2. Terah and Nahor got some knowledge of the truth, and they acknowledged Iehovah to be the true God, but they re­tained with all their Idolls, and worshipped him in their Idolls: And Abraham when hee was to provide a wife for his sonne of the best that he could finde (abhorring the Canaanites altogether) hee made choise to send to his kinred of Nahors house, who (although hee was not free altogether of this Idolatry and superstition) yet he reckons him not as an infidell, and rather wills his sonne to marrie with him than with the vile Canaa­nites. It is said, Gen. 11.31. that Terah the father of A­braham went out of Vr of the Chaldees, to goe unto the land of Canaan, and they came to Haran and dwelt there, and yet it is said, Gen. 12.1. Now the Lord said to Abraham, Get thee out of thy countrey, and from thy kin­red, into a land that I shall shew thee; but God comman­ded this before Terah went out of Vr, to Haran as it is [Page 180] cleare out of Act. 7.4. The rule of the Hebrewes holds here, Non esse prius & posterius in Scriptura; So Gen. 1.27. Male and female created he them, and Gen. 2.22. The rib which the Lord had taken from man made he a woman.

He called Abraham and Sarai out of Chaldea, that I­dolatrous countrie; and commanded his people to flee out of Babylon, lest they should have beene partakers of her punishments, Ier. 51.6. Rev. 18.4.

Quest. For what sinnes should we leave a Church?

Two sorts of defects in a Church, defects in manners, and defects in doctrine. We are not to leave a Church for corruption of manners. Answ. There are two sorts of defects in a Church: The first is, defects in manners: The second in doctrine; for corruption of manners, a man should not separate himselfe from a Church, for then they might have left the Church of Ephesus, the Church of Pergamus, the Church of Thyatira, the Church of Laodicea; for the Lord laid something to the charge of all these Churches: But in this case men should separate them­selves from their corruptions, and not defile their gar­ments, but walke in white, Rev. 3.4. As for errors in doctrine they are three-fold;Errors of doctrine are, 1 Praeter fundamentum. first, those which are prae­ter fundamentum; and a man ought not to leave a Church for these. Secondly, there are errours in do­ctrine,2 Circa fundamentum. circa fundamentum, which weakens the founda­tion, although they overthrow it not; and for these, men should not leave a Church.3 Contra fundamentum. Thirdly, there are errors, contra fundamentum, and raseth the foundation, for these a man shold not leave a Church, if the Church be not wholly infected with them & totally. There were amongst the Galathians some who maintained the do­ctrin of Iustification by works, but because all maintai­ned it not, therefore they were not to leave the Church for that error. So in the Church of Corinth there were who maintained, that there was no resurrection from the dead, but because this was not holden by all, there­fore [Page 181] the Church was not to be left for this. So there were in the Church of Pergamus, who held the doctrine of Balaam, yet all held it not; therefore the Church was not to be left for that: The whole head may be sicke, and the whole heart faint, Esay 1.5. and yet may recover againe; as the Church of Thyatira was ready to die, yet the Lord exhorts her to repent, and to watch, Rev. 3.3. and to strengthen the things which remaine, that are ready to die; but when once shee is dead, and no life to be found in her, then men are to se­parate themselves from her. Hence it was that the Priests and Levites in this case, left Israel and came to Iudah, 2 Cor. 11.13. because shee was a dead Church, and not a decaying: Therefore the Lords soule hath no delight in those who separate themselves from the Church, and make a rent, finding but small blemish in her.

Quest. But was not this against nature for Abraham to leave his countrey and old parents.

Answ. This is onely against corrupt nature,Abraham left his father and countrey for Gods cause. Primum vinculum est fortius secundo. which preferreth it selfe to God; but hee that loves father or mother better than God, is not worthy of him. The nearest conjunction of all is betwixt God and man; and therefore he should leave all for God. It is said of Levi, Deut. 33.9. That he said unto his father, and to his mother, I have not seene him, neither did hee acknowledge his bre­thren, nor knew his owne children, for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant. So the disciples, Matth. 4.23. When Christ called them, left their fathers, and the ship, and followed Christ. When Hanna wept, because shee had no children, her husband comforted her, saying, Am I not better to thee than ten sonnes, 1 Sam. 1.8. A man should love his wife better, nor his father, or his mother, yea than tenne sonnes: what love then should we carrie to God, who should be dea­ter [Page 182] to us than tenne fathers, tenne wives, twentie sonnes, and all the world.

God can chuse out of any societie some to himselfe, except out of hell.He called him from the Idolaters; there is no socie­tie so bad; but the Lord can choose out some from a­mongst them, except onely out of hell: As in Nero's court, hee had some, Phil. 4.22. Salute them of Cesars house: And in Creete, although they were slow bellies, and wilde beasts there, yet the Lord planted a Church there; and in Ahabs house, he had Obadiah, who feared the Lord greatly, 1 King. 18.3. And amongst the Pha­risees, the Lord had Nicodemus; and in superstitious Athens, he had Dionisius, Areopagita, and Damaris, Act. 17.34. By this we may see that the Lord reignes e­ven amongst the midst of his enemies, Psal. 110.2.

He called Abraham and Sarai out of Chaldea, when they were Idolaters,When God would teach his people thank­fulnesse, he wills them to looke backe first to their naturall estate. Iosh. 24.2. The Lord when hee would teach his people thankefulnesse, bids them looke backe to their former estate; first, how hee multiplied them out of a drie stocke, Esa. 51.2. Looke unto Abraham your father, and to Sarai who bare you, and hee called him alone and blessed him, and encreased him: Looke to the rocke whence ye are hewen, and to the hole of the pit whence yee are digged:Secondly to their poore estate. So he willeth them to looke backe to their poore estate, that they may be thankefull to pay their first fruites, Deut. 26.4. And the Priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it downe before the altar of the Lord thy God; and thou shalt speake and say before the Lorh thy God, Iacob was called a Sy­rian, not that he was borne there, but be­cause he dwelt there with Laban; So Christ is called a Nazaret, be­cause he dwelt there. I professe this day unto the Lord, a Syrian ready to perish was my father, Syrus perdi­tionis, non Syrus perdens, meaning Iacob that served in Syria under Laban; and then he brought him downe to Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a mighty and a great people; for this the Lord would have him to be thankefull.And thirdly, to re­member their Idolatry. And lastly, hee calls them backe to remember their Idolatrie, how their fa­thers [Page 183] were Idolaters, and served Idols beyond the flood, Ios. 24.2. So the Apostle wills the Corinthians to looke backe to their former estate, how they were Idolaters, 1 Cor. 12.2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles car­ried away unto dumbe Idols, even as ye were led.

SECT. 6. Of the increase and decrease of Idolatrie in the family of Jacob.

THis Idolatry tooke increase in the family of Iacob, The increase. when Rachel stole her fathers Idolls, Gen. 31.19. and in his retinue was polluted with these strange gods, the Idolls that shee brought from her father Labans house; shee was not free of Idolatry, yet neither was her sister Leah, and her handmaid Zilpah free of that I­dolatrie, Gen. 30.11. Bagad is read two wayes; first, bagad, venit turma, vel exercitus. Secondly, it is reade, conjunctim, bagad, i.e. fortuna vel fortunate: and Rabbi; Salomon reades it, Venit sidus bonum, seu planeta bo­nus; and she acknowledged this her child, fortunae in­fluentis donum, a good gift from fortune, Esa. [...]5.11. gad, they interpret fortunam; and the Arabians (as Abenezra witnesseth) cald God, Gad, or Mars, & hence come this word God, and Leah called this her sonne Gad, or good fortune, because in Labans family they worshipped Gad or Fortune as a God.

Rachel brought these Idols from her father Labans house,Idols are a dangerous treasure to carrie about. which was a dangerous treasure for her to carrie about with her. Saint Iohn saith in his first Epistle, Chap. 5. vers. 21. Little children keepe your selves from Idolls, they are soone insnared with them; and as children de­lights [Page 184] much to play with puppets, so Idolaters are much delighted with their Idols.

Q. But did she not wel in taking away her fathers Idols?

Answ. She was but a private woman and had no authority to doe this;Rachel being a private woman should not have taken away her fathers god. for a good action when it is done by these who have not a calling to doe it, be­comes sinne. Theodoret tels us how one Abdas, in a pre­posterous zeale threw downe [...],Hist. tripart. lib. 10. cap. 30. or the chappell, which the Persians kept their fire in, and which they worshipped as a God; and he being commanded to build it up againe, he altogether refused: whereupon Iazdigard the Emperour being highly incensed, caused first to cast downe the Churches of the Christians, and search to be made for the Christians, whom he caused to be put to exquisite torments, which Theodoret de­scribes most pathetically there, and shewes that it was a most foolish enterprise of Abdas to have cast downe this [...], and to give occasion this way to torment the poore Christians. Saint Paul when he saw the Ido­latrous altar in Athens, Act. 17. he brake not downe the Altar, but reasoned against it out of the inscription that he reade into it.

Againe ye may marke here the vanity of these Ido­laters, Laban cryed out that she had stollen his gods; if they were gods had they not power to save themselves; If Baal be God let him plead for himselfe, Iudge 6.21. Zephan. 1.13. Their Gods shall become a booty. But Idola­ters are wondrous foolish in this case, as Amaziah when he had killed the Edomites, and taken their gods, yet he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed downe himselfe be­fore them, and burnt incense unto them: These gods who could not defend themselves how could hee wor­ship them? Although Dagon brake his necke upon the threshold of the doore, yet the Philistines would never [Page 185] treade upon the threshold of the doore thereafter. Zeph. 1.9. I will punish all those that leape on the threshold But what respect should they have carried to that Idoll who brake his necke there? the Romans when they overcame any people, they tooke their gods and put them in [...]. But for them to have worshipped these gods whom they had taken captive, this was great madnesse.The decrease.

The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Iacob tooke their strange gods, and their earings, and hid them under an Oake which was by Sechem Gen. 35.4.

Iacob was a good father of a familie, he purged his house from all Idolatry: so should Christian magi­strates purge the Church from Idolatrie.

When Ezekiah had removed the high places, Rab­sakeh cryed out against him, and said that hee removed the Lords high places, and the Lords altars Esay 36.7. and because he said to Iudah and Ierusalem, ye shall worship before this Altar, Rabsakeh seemes here to plead for the Lord, as though the high places and the Idolatrous altars were instituted by the Lord, and not the altar of Ierusalem, and he blames Ezekiah for removing these, and he shewes v. 10. that he had a commandement from the Lord to come up and destroy this Land, because the high places were removed: So Papists plead against Christian magistrates, who have removed Idols out of the Church, crying that they have taken away the Lords holy images, and defaced his worship, and threaten judgements to come upon them, for defacing those high places of theirs.The second increase of Idolatrie.

The next increase of Idolatry was, when the Church was in Egypt, for then the Israelites did secretly com­mit Idolatry, Ezek. 23.3. and they committed whore­dome in the land of Egypt; they committed whoredome, and had the teates of their virginity bruised.

Because they polluted themselves in Egypt, and lost their virginitie there: therefore the Lord was wroth with Idolatrous Egypt, and lifted up his hand to bring his people from amongst them, and to execute Iudge­ment both upon their gods, and upon their first borne, Num. 33.4.

The Lord reckons this as one of his greatest favours to his people, that he brought them out of Egypt.The Lord reckoned it as one of his greatest favours showne to his Church that he delivered them out of Egypt, tenne times he reckoned up this great benefit, first in giving of the Law, Exod. 20.2. secondly when he instituted the sacrifices, Levit. 22.33. thirdly, when he makes the promise of blessings to them, Levit. 26.13. fourthly in reckoning up of his great workes, which he had done for them: fiftly he rockons this for the great signe of his love, Deut. 7.8. sixtly, when he disswades them from ingratitude, Deut. 8.14. seventhly, when he instituted the Paschall lambe, Deut. 16.6. eightly, when the Angell reproved the people, Iudg. 2.1. ninth­ly, in hope of the victory against the Madianites, Iudg. 6.10. tenthly, when they were about to set up a King, 1 Sam. 10.18.

But see how forgetfull they were of this great bene­fit, and how they longed to goe backe againe to Egypt, Exod. 14.11. Exod. 16.3. Exod. 17.3. Num. 11.3. and 14.4. and 20.3.

The Lord commanded them expressely that they should never goe backe againe to Egypt, Exod. 14.13. Deut. 28.68. Deut. 17.16.

Quest. Was it not lawfull for the people to goe into Egypt againe?

In what sense it was forbidden to the peo­ple to goe backe againe to Egypt. Answ. Some of the Iewes (as Rabbi Bechai) affirme that it was not lawfull for them to goe into Eypt a­gaine: Ye shall not henceforth returne any more that way to Egypt againe, Deut. 17.16. that is (saith he) ye shall not goe the same way againe which ye came out [Page 187] of Egypt, but ye may goe out of other Countries to Egypt; but this interpretation is foolish, secondly May­monides saith, that it was lawfull for them to dwell in Egypt, and to trade there, when they subdued the Egyptians, thirdly, others say that it was praeceptum ho­rarium, which indured but for a while, but the prohibi­tion seemes to forbid the whole body of the people to goe backe againe to Egypt, Num. 14.4. And they said one to another, let us make a Captaine, and let us returne to Egypt, this way they might not returne to Egypt. Deut. 17.16. The King shall not multiply horses unto himself, nor cause the people returne to Egypt, the King might not by his Princely authority send many of the people to Egypt, nor give occasion to the people of much trading there with the Egyptians; for this continuall intercourse with the Egyptians had beene all one as if they should have gone backe to Egypt againe to dwell.

But for private men to dwell there it was not simply unlawfull; Vriah the Prophet fled to Egypt Ier. 26.21. and Ieremiah himselfe was carried to Egypt, Ier. 43.6. and there were many famous schooles and Synagogues of the Iewes in Egypt, which the wise men of God would not have suffered, if it had beene simply unlaw­full to dwell there: they might dwell there if they were not partakers of the unfruitfull workes of the darkenesse of the Egyptians Levit. 18.3. after the doings of the Land of Egypt ye shall not doe. The next increase of Idolatry in the Wil­dernesse.

The next increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse was when they set up a golden calf to worship there, because they saw the oxe worshipped in Egypt, Ezec. 23.19. Yet she multiplyed her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth, wherein she played the harlot in the Land of Egypt. The Idolatry of Egypt was a baser sort of Ido­latry, then the Idola­try of the Assirians.

Many were the plagues which they got out of Egypt, first they brought out of Egypt the filthy leprosie or [Page 188] scab, which lasted so long amongst them in the land of Canaan. Secondly, they forgat their circumcision for fourty yeares in the wildernesse; and this they lear­ned from the Egyptians who circumcised not: There­fore when they came to Gilgall, and were circumcised; the Lord said, Ios. 3.9. this day have Irolled away the reproach of the Egyptians from you. Thirdly the blasphemer who cursed the Lord, Levit. 24. his mo­ther was an Egyptian; Fourthly, the greatest part of that Miscellanea turba (of whom they learned to speake with open mouth against the Lord) came out of Egypt, Exod, 12.38. Fiftly, they gate the patterne of this gol­den calfe out of Egypt, and the second time Ieroboam brought the patterne of the golden calfes, which he fet up out of Egypt, and Sheshak King of Egypt was the first who robbed the temple of God, 1 King. 14.26.

The Lord objects to his people, Ier. 2.18. what hast thou to doe in the way of Egypt to drinke the waters of Sihor? Sihor was a river in Egypt, and to drinke the water of Sihor, was to commit whoredome, and spiri­tuall Adulterie: So Salomon calles bodily Adultery wa­ter, stolen waters are sweete, Prov. 9.7. and they say Abstine ab aqua aliena: This water was called Sihor, which signifieth blackenesse; when they dranke this water they committed a baser sort of Idolatrie,The Idolatrie of Egypt was a baser sort of Ido­latry then the Idolatry of the Assirians. then when they dranke the water of the river Euphrates: for when they followed the Idolatrie of the Egyptians, they worshipped oxen, but when they dranke of the ri­ver Euphrates and followed their Idolatrie, they wor­shiped the Sunne, the Moone, and the starres: The E­gyptians were the basest Idolaters, and Sihor was the blackest water; Therefore the Lord abhors Egypt and calles it the land of Cham, Psal. 105. Cham was ac­cursed, so was the land of Egypt.

Now let us consider who made this Idoll; secondly [Page 189] whereof they made it. And thirdly, how great a sinne this was in setting up this Idoll to worship it.

First, it was Aaron who made the calfe:Aaron made the gol­den calfe. It was nei­ther ignorance nor complsiō that moved him to make this calfe, but feare onely, Metus gravis (say they) po­test cadere in virum constantem, a great feare may over­take a couragious man; But Aaron heere was overta­ken with a small feare; Aaron saw not the people ston­ning him, therefore his feare arose onely upon his owne apprehension.

Aaron was the man who committed this sinne;Aaron sinned not of ignorance. the high Priests lippes should preserve knowledge, Mal. 2.7. he had knowledge enough to resist the sinne; the ser­vant that knowes his masters will and doth it not, is worthie of many stripes, Mat. 12. When a Prince doth against Iustice who should maintaine Iustice, there is a speciall repugnancie betwixt his act and his calling: So when Aaron to whom was concredit the puritie of Gods worship, committed Idolatrie, then there was a speciall repugnancie betwixt him and his profession: how scandalous then was Aarons fall to the whole peo­ple, In exemplum culpa vehementer extenditur, quando pro reverentia peccator honoratur, The fault is much agra­vated by the example, when the sinner is much re­spected and honored.The greatnesse of Aarons sinne may be taken up by the great­nesse of the sacrifice of the high Priest which was to expiate the sin.

Againe, consider the greatnesse of Aarons sinne by the greatnesse of the sacrifice of the High Priest. Moses, Lev. 4. distinguishes sinnes according to the difference of persons, if a common man sinned, hee was to bring for one oblation a Kid of the goates, a female without blemish, ver. 28. but if a Prince of the people sinned he shall bring a Kid of the goates; a male without ble­mish, ver. 23. and if the whole congregation sinned, then they shall bring a young bullocke for their sinne, ver. 14. and if the Priest who was annoynted sinne, (that [Page 190] is the high Priest, for none was annoynted after the first institution as the high Priest was but he alone) hee was to bring a young bullocke; here the sacrifice of the Priest, was as great as the sacrifice of the whole people. If the eye be evill, the whole body is full of darkenesse, Matth. 6.23. and such Priests such people.

By Aarons committing this sinne wee are taught the infirmities of the Leviticall Priesthood. Aaron made the calfe, hence wee may learne, what infirmitie was in the legall ceremonies, that they could bring nothing to perfection, Heb. 9.9. And this we may see in the ingresse, progresse, and ending of the Priest­hood: Aaron when the Priesthood was first instituted hee committed Idolatrie, and Vrias in the progresse of the Priesthood hee committs Idolatrie; And Caja­phas about the ending of the priesthood, hee con­demnes the Lord Iesus: therefore Iesus Christ is our onely High Priest that must expiate our sinnes.

Secondly, consider whereof this Idoll was made; the people brought their Iewells and earings to Aaron, Exod. 32.3. and of these the Idoll was made. Idolaters are very profuse in the bestowing upon their Idoles all sort of cost,Idolaters are very pro­digall in bestowing things of great cost upon the Idoles. Ier. 10.9. they brought the most pretious gold from Vphaz or Ophir to make their images of; so from Tarshis they brought their most excellent silver, they spared noe cost. Nabuchadnezzer set up an Imag of gold, Da. 3.1. whose hight was threescore cubits, and the breadth therof sixe cubits; And that is it which the Lord layes to the charge of the whorish Church Israel, Ezech. 16.34. other whoores take gifts; but thou givest gifts.

The three ages of the Church of the Iewes, the golden are, the silver age, and the yron age.In the Church of Israel there were three ages, the golden age, the silver age, and the iron age.

The golden age they make to be that time when Da­vid gathered all materialles for the building of the temple, and when Salomon built it. The silver age they hold begunne in Iohash his tyme, 2 King. 12. when he [Page 191] repaired the temple, howbeit there was not made for the house of the Lord boules of silver, Snuffers, Bas­sens, Trumpets, or vesselles of gold, or vesselles of sil­ver, that was brought into the house of the Lord; this was but a silver age in respect of the former golden age, and now they had but shieldes of brasse in the temple, whereas in the first age they had shields of gold, 1 King. 14.27. The third age was the yron age, when they stole out of the house of God the sieling & sieled their own houses with it, Ier. 22.14. so when they dwelt in houses of Cedar, but the Lords house lay wast, Hagg. 1.4. and when they robbed him of his tithes, Mal. 3.8. wee live now under this yron age; If any man bestow any cost now for the maintenance of the worship of God misers cry out with Iudas Marke 14.4. what needes this wast, and they thinke it like bread cast upon the waters, Eccles. 11.1. But the Lord meetes with those who robs his Church, for when they have sowne much they find but little encrease, because they defraud him. Rabbi Al­sack writing upon Malachi, telles us of a certaine man who had a peece of ground which brought forth yeare­ly a thousand measures of graine, and when the time of paying his tythe to the Priests came, he payed but nintie bushels where he ought to have payed a hundred. The next yeare his increase was not so great, wherefore hee withdrew so much from the Priests: at last his increase came but to an hundreth, which was the first tenth that he was bound to pay the Priests: an old man by chance meeting with him, said unto him, that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his house, how that God had gotten the increase, and he became the Priest of his familie to get the tenths;Idolatrie is a great sin, because it is committed immediately against God. at which words he was ashamed and repented him of his former sacriledge.

The greatnesse of this sinne of Idolatry which they committed heere may be considered by the worthines [Page 192] of the person against whom it is committed, for as in bodily diseases, those are most hurtfull that doe an­noy the originall of our life most, as the heart; so in sinnes, those are the greatest which are committed a­gainst God the fountaine of life.

There are some carnall sins, and some spirituall sinnes.Againe we may know the greatnesse of this sinne by the nature of the sinne it selfe: There are some sinnes that are carnall sinnes; and some spirituall, Ephes. 6.12. and these are greater then carnall sinnes; Idolatrie is a spirituall sinne, and adulterie is a carnall sinne; The spirit being delighted with Idolatrie is a greater sinne, then when the flesh is delighted with Adultery, and there is a greater aversion from God in Idolatry,Where there is a grea­ter motive to sinne, the sinne is the lesse. then the conversion and adhaering to sinne in Adulterie. A­gaine, where there is a greater motive to sinne, the sin is the lesse. But these carnall sinnes hath Concupiscence which drawes them away, and moves them to sinne; but in spirituall wickednesse there is no such concupi­scence to draw men to sinne, their sinne resembles the sin of the devill more, who is not led with lust or concu­piscence to sin: He that killes a man in passion, he sinnes not so fearefull, as hee who killes him in cold blood: therefore those sinnes must bee the greatest which men are not led to by Concupiscence.

Notwithstanding Aaron committed Idolatrie in setting up this calfe, yet the Lord spared him, & alwaies shew­ed great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi; as to Aaron, Deut. 9.29. to the posterity of Corah. Numb. 26.11. and to Abiathar, 1. King. 2.26. and so Iosias, when the Priests had committed Idolatrie in sacrificing in the high places, hee did not kill them, as hee did the Idola­trous Priests, who were not called by the Lord, 1 King. 23.20. but onely commanded that they should eate of the unleavened bread amongst their brethren, 2 King. 23.9. which was injoyned to those that had any ble­mish [Page 197] in their bodie, and they were forbidden to eate the bread of their God, Levit. 21.17.

They worshipped the calfe. The oxe was a signe of plenty, where the oxe is wanting the cribbe is emptie, but much increase is by the strength of the oxe, Prov. 4.4. Ioseph who provided corne in the time of famine is called Gods oxe, Deut. 33.17.Lib. 1. Sacrae scripturae chap. 15. which booke is holden, to be Augu­stines. His glorie is like the firstling of a bullocke, because he provided for the Egyp­tians, and for his fathers family in the time of famine; therefore it is said, that the Egyptians placed the simi­litude of an oxe hard by Iosephes buriall place.Whether the Idoll which they worshipped was a calfe or an oxe.

It may be asked whether this Idol which was set up, was made in the forme of a calfe or an oxe? And the rea­son of the doubt is, because somtimes this Idol is called an oxe, Ps. 106.20. And they changed their glorie into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse; And sometimes it is called a calfe, vers. 14. they made a calfe in Horeb.

Answ. [...] This word gnegel vitulus with the He­brewes signifies, either vitulum subrumum, that is, a sucking calfe, or it signifies vitulam tertiam, Ier. 48.34. when it is three yeares old, and then it is called indifferently, Shor, or gnegel bos, or vitulus; but when it is seven yeare old, then it is onely called Shor, [...] and not gnegel, that is an oxe, and not a calfe, Iudg. 6.4.6.

Againe, it may be asked whether it was a cow, calfe or an oxe calfe, which they worshipped: The reason of the doubt, is because, Hos. 10.5. he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender, which they worshipped in Dan and Bethel, and they were made after the forme of this calfe which they worshipped in the wildernesse?

Answ. David, Esal. 106.20. calls this calfe Shor, an oxe calfe which they worshipped, and the 70. con­vertes it, [...], which signifies an oxe calfe, and they plowed with oxen and not with kine: And whereas [Page 198] Hos. 10.5. puts them in the feminine gender, calling them gnegloth, this was spoken per Ligragnon, per contemptum (as the Iewes speak) that is in contempt. [...] So Tob. 1.5. this calfe is put in the feminine gender, sacrificantes, [...], sacrificing to the Cow; it should not be reade [...], seu potestati, for what power is in an Idoll. In contempt this calfe is called a cow calfe, and not an oxe; So Rom. 9.5. I have reserved to me, 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal, [...], in the feminine gender; and he understands, [...] noting the infirmitie of the sexe. So Virgil in his 9. booke, when hee expro­brates to the Trojans their cowardlinesse, he calls them not Phryges, but Phrygias. So Homer calls them not [...], to signifie how farre degenerate and effeminate they were.

Whether it was the head of a calfe which they worshipped or not?Thirdly, it may be asked whether they worshipped the head of the calfe here, or the whole calfe, and the reason of the doubt is, because S. Cyprian in his book, De bona conscientia sub finem: S. Ambrose Epist. 6. La­ctantius, lib. 4.10. S. Augustine in Psal. 73. hold that it was not an oxe, but caput bubuli which they worship­ped: But this seemes not to be probable, seeing the Scripture every where calles it a calfe; and hee resem­bleth him to an oxe eating grasse, Psal. 106.20. The head of an oxe alone cannot eate grasse; and they re­sembled an oxe as neare as they could.

This oxe which they worshipped in Egypt, was mar­ked with strange spots; Bos (inquit) in Egypto numinis vice colitur, Apin vocant, insigne ei in dextro latere candicans macula, similis cornibus Lunae crescere incipientis, nodus sub lingua quem cantbarum appellant; There is an oxe in Egypt which is worshipped as a God, and they call him Apis, he hath upon his right side a white spot, which is like the hornes of the Moone when shee beginneth to grow, and he hath under his tongue a knot which they [Page 195] call Cantharus; By what slight the de­vill continued this I­dolatry in Egypt to worship the calfe. And S. Augustine holdes that the de­vill (whereby this Idolatrie might be continued in E­gypt) used this slight, Phantasiam talis tauri vaccae con­cipienti ostendere, ut libido ejus attraheret quod in ejus fae­tujam corporaliter appareret, that is, he presented before the Cow, when she was ingendering, and in her heat,August. de civit. dei. lib. 18. cap. 5. a Bull marked after the same manner that the oxe of Egypt was; which markes the Cow apprehending in her phantasie, transmitted to the calfe, and by that meanes the calfe was marked after the same manner that the oxe was; and so the divill by his slight and cunning, continued this Idolatry in Egypt. But marke the foo­lishnesse of these Idolaters; this oxe which they wor­shipped, when hee grew old, they used to drowne him in some lake or poole, and then they lamented for his death in mourning apparel, knocking upon their breasts, and renting their cloathes; but when they had found annother marked after the same manner, then they re­joyced exceedingly; this was great madnesse.Peucerus de divinatione. pag. 223. One je­sted at the gods of Egypt, when he saw them lament for their gods, Si dii sunt cur plangitis, si mortui cur ado­ratis, if they be gods, what neede you to lament, if they be dead, why doe you worship them.The decrease of this Idolatrie.

This Idolatrous worship decreased, when Moses caused the calfe to be beaten to powder, and given to the people to drinke, Exod. 32.20. thus hee would let them see when this Idoll was turned to excrements; It was but a god of dung, Lev. 26.30. Deut. 29.17. and because these Idolls were but gods of dung, therefore the Lord commanded that Baals house should be turned into a privie, 2 King. 10.27. and so when the Levites consecrated their hands to kill their neighbours and brethren, Exod. 32.29. that were Idolaters, their hands were consecrated with the bloud of their brethren; as that day when they were ordained priestes, and the [Page 196] bloud of the sacrifice was sprinkled upon the thumbe of their right hand, Exod. 29.20. and this was as accepta­ble a consecration to the Lord, as that day when they were consecrated priests unto him.

The second increase of Idolatrie in the wildernesse.The second increase of Idolatrie in the wildernes was, when God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the booke of the Prophets; O ye house of Israel, have ye offered unto me slaine beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of fortie yeares in the wilder­nesse; yea yee tooke up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the starre of your god Rempham, figures which yee made to worship them.

How are the Israelites charged by Amos, and by Stephen to have worshipped the host of heaven in the wil­dernesse, when there is no mention made of this by Moses.Here first wee are to enquire how the Israelites are charged by the Prophet Amos, Chap. 5. vers. 25. and by Stephen, Acts 7. that they worshipped the host of heaven in the wildernesse; when as the Lord never charged them with this sort of Idolatry in the bookes of Moses. Secondly, how they are said never to have sa­crificed all the time that they were in the wildernesse, when as they sacrificed to the Lord in the wildernesse? Exo. 24.5. and Levit. 8.21. and 9.2. Thirdly, what these Idolls were which they worshipped and sacrificed to in the wildernesse?

As to the first, How can they be said by the Prophet, and by Stephen, to offer to the host of heaven, seeing the Lord blames them not for that; and we read no­thing in the historie of Moses of it?

An. Rabbi Salomon reades it in the future tense, porta­bitis, ye shall beare, as though the Lord were threatning a judgement against them for the time to come, but this is neither the meaning of the Prophet, nor of S. Stephen for they charged the Israelites with that Idolatry which they cōmitted whiles they were in the wildernes. Beza upon the 7. Act. holds that the Israelites committed not this Idolatrie while they were in the wildernesse; but [Page 197] the Prophet blames them that they worshipped God, but hypocritically, and not sincerely in the wildernesse; and so David blames them, Psal. 95. and Psal. 106. and therefore the Lord gave them up after­ward to this open Idolatrie, to worship the host of hea­ven: But the Prophet Amos expresly saith, Amos 5.25. that they worshipped the host of heaven [...], which signifies a particular wildernesse; the wildernesse of Arabian, where they wandered fortie yeares.

Object. But if it be said that there is no mention of this Idolatrie in the history of Exodus, neither are they charged with it as with other Idolatrie?

I answer, that the Scripture,The Scripture sets downe in some places that which is omitted in others, and that makes up the full sense of the Scriptures. sometimes sets downe in one place, that which is omitted in another: Example, it is set downe in Exodus how the Magitians were called who resisted Moses, and yet the Apostle calls them Iannes and Iambres, 2 Tim. 3.8. So the strife which was betwixt the devill and Michael about the body of Mo­ses, the Apostle Iude sets it downe, ver. 9. So it is set not downe in the history of Genesis, that Ioseph when he was in prison, his feete were put into the stockes, and Iron entred into his soule, and yet David sets it downe, Psal. 105.18. So the Israelites worshipping of the Hoste of heaven in the wildernesse, although it be not mentio­ned by Moses; yet it is set downe by Amos, and by Saint Stephen Act. 7. and many things are omitted in some places of Scriptures, which are clearely set downe in other places, which being conferred together makes up the full sense of the Scripture.

The second thing to be required here is,In what sense the Isra­elites are said not to have sacrificed to the Lord all the time they were in the wilder­nesse. how it can be said that they sacrificed not 40 yeares in the wilder­nesse, seeing they sacrificed at mount Sinai, Exod. 24.4.5. and Levit. 8.21 and 9.2.

Answ. The scripture when it speakes of numbers, sometimes expresseth the full number (after the manner [Page 198] of men) although there be moe or lesse then is set down, as Iudg. 16.27. they were about 3000 on the roofe of the Temple. So Iohn 6.10. there sate downe about 5000 upon the grasse, and Act. 1.15. there was about 120 that is few, more or lesse. Secondly, although there be some wanting in the number, yet the Scripture expres­seth the full number; and this is called rotundatio numeri, as Gen. Eederech ketzera. 35.26. these are the 12 children that were borne to Iacob in Padan Aram, that is almost 12 children, for Benjamin was not borne there, but in the way as they returned from Syria. So Gen. 42.13. we are the 12 sonnes of Iacob, that is almost 12 sonnes, for they thought Ioseph had bin dead then. So Iudg. 9.5. Abimeleth killed, the 70 brethren; they were not all killed, for Iothan escaped. So Numb. 14.34. ye shall carrie your iniquities 40 yeares in the wildernesse, that is, almost 40 yeares; for this judgement was pronounced against them the se­cond yeare that they came out of Egypt: and 1 Cor. 15.5. Christ appeared to the 12, that is, almost to 12 for Iudas was hanged then. So 2 Sam. 5.5. David raig­ned over Iudah 7 yeares and sixe monethes, and in Ieru­salem 33 yeares, he raigned but 32 yeares and 6 months yet to make the number round, it is said that hee did raigne 33 yeares. Thirdly the Scripture sometimes sets downe the greater number and leaves out the lesser ob rotundationē numeri as Iudg. 20.46. all those that fel that day of Benjamin were 25 thousand, the whole number that fell were 25 thousand, and one hundred, but when the Scripture sums them up, it sets downe the greater number and leaves out the hundreth: so 2 Sam. 5.4. David raigned 40 yeares; he raigned 40 yeares and sixe moneths, but to make the number round, the 6 moneths are left out. Fourthly when the thing numbred comes farre short of the number, then the Scripture draweth it not that aed rotundationem numeri, but acknowledgeth [Page 199] it in effect to be nothing, because it hath bin so seldome done: as ye sacrificed not unto me 40 yeares in the wil­dernes, because they sacrificed so seldome unto him in the wildernes, therfore the Scripture saith, ye sacrificed not to me in the wildernes. Some reckons this time that they sacrificed not in the wildernesse, to be from the time that the spyes returned from the searching of the Land of Canaan; and all that time they sacrificed not: as Theodoret and Ribera upon Amos affirme.

The third thing to bee inquired here is this: what these Idols were which they worshipped in the wilder­nesse Amos 5.26. But ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chium your images, the starre of your god which you made to your selves, ver. 27. Therefore I will cause you to goe into captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord. But Acts 7.42. Yea ye tooke up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them, and I will carry you beyond Babylon.

First it is to be considered, that the Lord gave them up to worship the Hoste of heaven. Secondly, what they worshipped. Thirdly, the punishment, they shall be carried beyond Babylon for their Idolatry.

First the Lord gave them up to worship the Hoste of heaven, that is, as they turned to the Idolatry of Egypt so the Lord turned to give them up to serve the Hoste of heaven.Their Idolatry.

Ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch, or Regis vestri, of your King. The Israelites at this time had no earthly King, but by King here is meant the sunne which those in the East called Bagnal and in the Syriack Begnel and Beel Bel their Lord,Seldon de dijs Syriis. and their Melech King or Molech, and Amos saith Regis vestri. Luke reades it Moloch and Succoth he turnes it [...] Taberna­culum, because they carried their Gods about with them in a tent or Tabernacle. Succoth is Tabernaculum, [Page 200] and Succoth was the proper name of the Idoll, these he calls imagines vestras, figures which ye made to wor­ship them, because they carried about with them in a Tabernacle their Succoth or Moloch the image of the heaven in the which the Sunne or Moloch (that great King over all the starres, and having dominion over all sublunary things) was placed in his Tabernacle. The Lord hath set a Tabernacle for the sunne in the heavens Psal. 19.4. So they carried Moloch the sunne in a Taber­nacle.

For Chiun Saint Luke reades it the starre of your god Remphan, all grant Remphan to be put for Chiun or Che­van, but what this Remphan was here is the doubt; Lodo­vicus de deiu shewes us learnedly out of Acts the 7 that this Cheven was Saturnus, where hee reckons up the names of the planets ex lexico Arabico, this Saturnus was Moloch also, therefore they sacrificed men both to Saturne and to Moloch, and therefore Moloch and Chiun Saturnus are fitly joyned together by Amos. And next he shewes why Saturnus is called Chiun, from Cunstabi­lire, disponere, and Keina quae a Syris, natura dicitur quae vivificat omnia which is called by the Syrians, nature it selfe that quickneth all things. Then he addes Remphan or Rephan, which in the Egyptian tongue signifieth that which we cal Saturne, and this (he saith) Claudius Salma­tius did first cleare unto him that in the Egyptian tongue [...] signifieth Saturne, and for proofe of this he brought forth the Egyptiacke Alphabet sent from Rome to him, where the Planets are set downe after this manner, the first is [...] Sol, [...] Luna, [...] Saturnus, [...] Iupiter, & sic de caete­ris. The seventy when they Translated the Bible into Greeke, they made choise of a knowne word to the Egyptians, Rephan in place of Chiun, a word which was not knowne to them, he addes the starre of your god, stella Saturni, idest, Saturnus as Fluvius Euphratis, id est, Euphrates.

Stephen. addes figures which they made to themselves; the Lord made them not, but they made them to them­selves.

God was onely the God of Iacob, and he chooseth Israel onely for his inheritance, but so soone as they choosed gods to themselves, and set up the golden Calfe to worship it, Exod. 32.9. He will be their God no more. Then he said to Moses, thy people have corrupted themselves, they are no more my people, neither will I be their God any more.

Their punishment followeth, Amos 5.27. There­fore I will cause you to goe into captivity beyond Damascus, and Stephan. addes beyond Babylon, for here he is spea­king of the tenne Tribes, which were carried captive by Salmanazar beyond Babylon into Media, and the reason which mooved Amos to say beyond Damascus, was because Hasael the King of Damascus had plagued Israel, or the tenne tribes fearefully, many of them hee killed, many of them he carried captives away to Syria, and yet the stiffe necked people were never a whit the better, and therefore he threatens that shortly after they shall be carried a great way beyond Damascus, e­ven to Babylon when they were transported to Media and Armenia: and so Saint Stephen expressed that cleare­ly which the Prophet aimed at.

The third increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse was,The third increase of Idolatry in the wilder­nesse. when Balaam perswaded Balack to take the daughters of the Madianites, and set them before the Israelites: first they committed whoredome with them; And then they committed a trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor, Num. 31.16. 2 Pet. 5.15. He cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel to eate and to sacrifice, Rev. 2.14. Psal. 106.28.

The Israelites beholding the Madianitish women with their adulterous eyes, they committed fornication with [Page 202] them: The eyes have beene well resembled to the moone; and the heart to the sunne: and as in an ecclipse when the moone is interposed betwixt our sight and the sunne; then there is an ecclipse in the sunne: So when the Adulterous eye is interposed betwixt the heart and us, that makes the ecclipse of the heart.

Secondly, they stumbled in eating these things which were sacrificed to Baal Peor.

Heere we may learne how easie a thing it is for men to fall from bodily whoredome to spirituall, and what great affinity is betwixt these two,It is an easie thing for men to fall from spiri­tuall adultery to cor­porall. & contra. the breaking of the seventh Commandement by bodily adultery, and the second, by spirituall adultery. When a man commits sin (saith Saint Gregory) he breakes all the commands, Iam. 2.10. But there is some more affinitie betwixt the breach of some commands then of others: And he illustrates the matter by this comparison; As he who playes upon a Lute; when he touches one of the strings, all the rest tremble, but that string onely which is upon the same note gives the sound with the string which is touched: So every sinne touches as it were all the com­mandements, and makes them to tremble, but these who stand upon the same concord, sinne toucheth them most, and men fall easily from Idolatry to whoredome, and from whoredome to Idolatry, Romans 1.24. because Idolaters changed the glory of God into corruptible things; Therefore the Lord gave them up to uncleannesse, and to the lusts of their owne heart, and to defile their bodies: here bodily whoredome is the punishment of Idolatry, which is spiritual whoredome. Great is the affinity betwixt these two sorts of whoredomes; and therefore it is, that Antichrists seate, Rev. 11.8. is called spirituall Sodome: and because of the resemblance betwixt these two sins Ezechiel compared Idolaters of Israel, Ezeh. 23.2.3.5. [Page 203] to a woman inflamed with love to a godly young man, on whom she had cast her eyes, and fixed her affections upon, and forgetting all modesty sendeth messengers for him. ver. 16. and bringeth him unto her, ver. 17. into the bed of Love, ver. 18. And abstinence from Idolatry is called virginity, Rev. 14.4. and not defiling themselves with women.

The Lord by the Prophet Micah willes the people to remember, Mic. 6.5. what Balack the king of Moab consulted against them, and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Shitim to Gilgall, that they might know the righteousnes of the Lord: The meaning of the place is, that Baalam endeavoured by all meanes (when the people of God were travelling through the wildernesse) to corrupt them; therefore he strove first to corrupt them, and he prevailed with them at Shit­tim, when they committed whoredome with the daughters of Moab, Num. 25.1. and there the Lord plagued them for their offence, & then they repented & wept bitterly for their offence at Abel Shittim (Abell is called mourning) & then they came to Gilgal where the Lord renewed the covenant with them, & last to Canaan

This pilgrimage of theirs through the wildernesse is a lively type of a poore Christians pilgrimage through the world, first hee is baptized;The Israelites pilgri­mage through the wil­dernesse, fitly resembles the estate of a Chri­stian mans life here. then hee is at the red sea with the Israelites, 1 Cor. 10. They were baptized in the red sea; then through the tentations of the devill he falles, and is whipt, and chastised for his offences; then hee is in Shittim with the Israelites. Thirdly hee laments and weepes for his offences, and then hee is in Abell Shittim a place of mourning with the Israelites. Fourthly, hee renues the covenant with God, and then he is in Gilgall with the Israelites: and at the last he is brought to heaven, and then hee is in Ca­naan with the Israelites.

The decrease.When the Lord commanded the Israelites to re­venge themselves on the Madianites, Num. 30.2.3. and they slew all the males and the Kings of Midian, and Baalam, also the sonne of Peor slew they with the sword vers. 8. and they killed all the males amongst the litle ones, and all the women that had knowne a man; and thus the Idolatrie of worshiping of Baal Peor decreased amongst the people.The fourth increase of Idolatry in the wilder­nesse.

The fourth increase of Idolatrie in the wildernesse was when the devill would have set up the bodie of Moses to have beene worshipped, Iude 9. Some hold that this strife which was betwixt Michael and the de­vill about the bodie of Moses was about the ceremoni­all law,Iunius upon Iude. which they call Moses his bodie; But that place, Deut. 34.4.6. shewes that the strife was about Moses naturall bodie, for Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of the Moabites, according to the appoint­ment of the Lord, & he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, in a place where no man knowes unto this day.

After that Moses died, before he was buried, the de­vill would have taken his body and made an Idoll of it, But Michael resisted him, and would not suffer his body to be made an Idoll. Doctrine. Great hath beene the strife alwaies about religion.

Great hath beene the strife alwaies about religion: the first strife that ever was in the world was about re­ligion, as betwixt Cain and Abel, Gen. 4. so betwixt Ierubbaal and the men of Sechem for casting downe Ba­als altar, Iud. 6.28. and betwixt Michael and the devill, for the worshiping of Moses his body: so betwixt Christ and the devill about Gods worship, Mat. 4. So betwixt the image of the beast which was wounded by the sword, by revived againe, and the saints who would not take the marke of the beast neither in their hand, nor in their forehead, Rev. 13. This strife about reli­gion will set the fathers against the children, and the [Page 205] children against the parents.

Satan would have set up Moses his body to have made an Idoll of it.The bodies of the saints may bee made Idols both living and dead. The bodies of the saints may bee made Idoles both when they are dead as heere of the body of Moses, & when they are alive, as when Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and worshipped him, Peter re­fused that worship, Act. 10.26, 27. and said, stand up, for I my selfe am a man, Peter refused this worship, be­cause it was divine worship or inclining too farre to it: So when the Priests would have sacrificed to the Apo­stles, Act. 14. they rent their cloathes, and ran in amongst the people, crying, and saying, why doe ye these things? we are men of like passions with you, preaching to you, that yee should turne from these vanities. They would have made the Apostles to bee in the number of these Idoll vanities, when they would have given him divine wor­ship.Satan goes from an ex­te [...]mitie to another.

Againe yee may observe heere how Satan goes from one extremitie to another; when Moses was alive, how often moved he the people to have stoned him: but now when he is dead, hee would have him to make an Idoll of his body, so the Iewes in die Palmarum, did sing, Ho­sanna to Christ; and the next day they cried Crucifi­ge. So when the viper lept on Pauls hand, they said he was a murtherer; but when he shooke it off, and it hurt him not, they said he was a God, and those are unstable in all their waies, Iam. 1.8.

He would have set up Moses his body to have beene worshipped, if the Lord had suffered this body to have remained in the Church, how would the devill after­ward have made up a ground for the continuance of I­dolatrie in the Church? then hee would have said, If all sort of worship be denied to the bodies of the saints, why would the Lord have suffered the body of Moses the man of God, to stand this way in the Church as a [Page 206] stocke without all honour to be given to it? would hee not rather have throwne it downe, as hee did the Idoll Dagon? The Lord forbad onely this divine worship to be given to the heathen gods, as to Iupiter, Mars, Ve­nus: But it was never his minde that the divine worship should not bee given to the bodies of the saints depar­ted; and if Moses himselfe were redivivus, hee would explaine himselfe in this point, that it was forbidden onely to give this worship to heathen Idoles, but not to saints, which is forbidden in the Law; for hee com­municating so many dignities with the saints, would not refuse to communicate with them a part of his honour.

Michael resisted the devill, and would not suffer him to take the bodie of Moses and make an Idoll thereof: The Apostle Iude 5. borrows from the Apocripha book called, [...] Origenes [...] Libro 3. cap. 2. Pethirath moshe dimissio mosis [...]; This strife which was betwixt Michael and the devill about the body of Moses.

What duties wee are bound to perfore to the dead. Quest. What duties are wee bound to performe to the bodies of the Saints when they are dead?

Answ. We are to use them with comlinesse, Acts 9.37. they washed the bodie of Dorcas, and layed her in an upper chamber; and to wrap them in linnen, as Christs bodie was; and to bury them in an honest bu­riall place: we ought to esteeme reverendly of their bo­dies, because they are the members of Christs mysti­call bodie, and they waite for the blessed resurection: and to suffer them to rest in peace in their graves, 2 Kin. 22.20. But we are never to worship them or their reliques; if we follow the example of Michael, who would not suffer Moses his body to bee worship­ped.The decrease of this Idolatrie.

The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Michaell buried the body of Moses where no man knew.

Great is the care which the Lord hath over his chil­dren [Page 207] in their infancie, in their old age, in their death, and after they are dead; and as the eyes of the Lord was upon Canaan from the beginning of the yeare to the end, Deut. 11.12. so are the eyes of the Lord upon his children from their infancie, to their old age, from their old age to their death, and after they are dead; and first from their infancie to their old age, Esay 46.3. Heare O house of Iacob, and the remnant of the house of Is­rael, which are borne by me from the wombe; and brought up with me from the birth, therefore untill thy old age, I the same, even I, will carrie you to your hoarie heades; the Prophet points at these two times of our life especially; because these two periods are most weake in all our life; our infancie, and decrepit age; then the death of his Saints is precious in the fight of the Lord, Psal. 116.18. and then after they are dead, the Lord hath a singular care of them: What a care had the Lord of Moses in his birth when hee was cast out to be drow­ned? The Lord preserved him and drew him out of many waters: therefore he was called Moshe from Ma­sha, extrahere; and David alludes to this, Psal. 18.16. Thou hast drawne me out of many waters: Hence the Poets from this faine, that some were [...], borne in the waters because Moses was drawne out of the wa­ters; and in his death the Lord shewes his singular love toIt is said of Moses, D [...]ut. 34.7. that he dy­ed ad osculum oris dei, which Salomon Iarchi paraphraseth, at a kisse: of the mouth of God: Death was a kisse of the mouth of God to him. him; and here after he is dead, the Lord suffers not his body to be made an Idoll of: Good King Iosias when hee was killed in the battell, a man might have thought that the Lord had little respect unto him, who made him fall before his enemies: but see what respect the Lord carried unto him, when he saith, Thou shalt be gathered in peace to thy fathers, 2 King. 22.20. Who would have thought that the Lord had such a care of him; and yet his soule was bound up in the bundell of life, and he was gathered in peace to his fathers; So he [Page 208] had a great care of the body of Iacob; he promised to goe downe to Egypt with him, and to bring him backe again, Gen. 46.4. But how is it said that he brought him backe againe then, seeing he died in Egypt? The Lord attended his very corpes, when he brought it backe, and saw it buried in Machpelah, in the place which A­braham, bought for a buriall place, Gen. 50.13.

The Lord buried Moses his body. It is most proba­ble which Iosephus holds, that Ioshua, Eleazar, and some of the elders of Israel, went up with Moses to the mount Nebo; but after his death; that the Angells carried his body to the valley of Moab, and then it was buried where no man knoweth.

The Angels buried Moses his bodie: The Angels are ministring spirits to the godly in this life, and at their death they carrie their soules to heaven, but they carry not their bodies to the grave. This was a singular favour showne to Moses, that the Lord buried him by the ministrie of Angels: They attended Christs grave; but yet they buried him not as they did the body of Moses.

Not to be buried is a great judgement, Eccles. 6.3. An untimely birth is better, than he that gets no buriall. It was a great judgement upon Iehojakim, Ier. 22.18. who got insepultam sepulturam, and no man lamented his death, saying, Ah my brother, ah my sister, or ah my Lord, ah my glorie. vers. 18. The Iewes pray to deliver them from foure things, first, from the circumcision of the Seche­mites, Gen. 34.26. Secondly from the Religion of the Samaritans. Thirdly from the death of the uncircum­cised, Ezech. 28.10. And fourthly, from the buriall of Iehojakim; that they get not the buriall of an asse, Ierem. 22.19.

Moses his buriall was the most honourable buriall that ever was; it was more honourable than their bu­riall, [Page 209] who got the burning of their fathers, 2 Chro. 21.19. 1 Chro. 16.14. And more honourable than the burial of Gamaliel, for whom Onkelos burnt an hundreth pound of frankincense, for the honour of the dead.: It was a more honourable buriall, than the buriall of those who were buried in the garden of their fathers buriall, 2 Kin. 21.18. It was more honourable, then these who were buried in the citie of David. But consider the attendants who attended his buriall: Abner his buriall was an ho­nourable buriall, when all the people mourned for him, and the King himselfe followed the hearse, and wept, 2 Sam. 3.31. But here the Angels waited upon his buri­all, and God himselfe attended the hearse to the buri­all, and was the chiefe mourner there: When a private man died, lamentation was made but seven dayes for him, Syrac. 22.13. but they lamented for Moses thirtie dayes; and they cryed out, ah our brother, ah our Lord; ah our glorie, Ier. 22.18. thus God honoureth them who honour him.

He buried him in a place where no man knew,He buried his body Where no man knew, ad [...] for the abo­lishing of Idolatry. yet Mo­ses was present with Christ at the transfiguration, Mat. 17.3. So these who are buried in the sea, blowne in the aire, and burnt to ashes, and no man knoweth what is become of their bodies; yet they shall appeare before the Lord in the day of the resurrection.

Michael buried the body of Moses: What if the Church of Rome had the body of Moses now, and knew it to be his body, would they burie it or not? Whether would they stand for Michael or the devill? They might say that it was a fit thing to burie it at that time, because the people was an ignorant people then, and Satan was ready to move them to Idolatrie: But now seeing they would give no worship to it but [...], they might safe­ly set it up to be worshipped.

In the time of Ioshua Idolatrie did not so increase; the [Page 210] elders who out lived Ioshua, and who were in age, when they came out of Egypt, and remembred what the Lord had done for Israel; the iniquitie of Baalpeor did not cleave unto them, but the rest were not cleansed from the iniquitie of Baalpeor, Iosh. 22.17. Is the iniqui­tie of Baalpeor to little for us from which we are not clean­sed unto this day: they committed no new Idolatrie, but the filthinesse of Baalpeor clave unto them, because they repented not of that iniquitie. In every sinne there are foure things to be considered; first, [...], that is, the transgression of the Law: secondly, reatus, the guilt which obligeth the partie who sinneth to undergoe the punishment. Thirdly, macula, the blot which defileth the soule; and lastly, the punishment it selfe.

The first is, [...], the transgression of the Law; and the consequents of the transgression are the guilt, the blot, and the punishment.

The guilt of sinne bindes a man to answer for the transgression of the Law, and it stands in the middest betwixt the sinne and the punishment, and goeth imme­diately before the punishment, and it is more terrible than the punishment:Cap. 4. de divinis nomi nibus part. 4. Therefore Dionysius said well, non est malum puniri, sed fieri poena dignum, that is, it is not evill to be punished, but to deserve punishment; yet wretched sinners are affraid of the punishment, but not of the guilt; but the martyres of God chose rather to indure the greatest torments, then to incurre the guilt of sinne. If we would escape the punishment, we must first looke that the guilt be removed. Manie thinke when the sinne is past and forgotten in their mindes, then there is no more punishment to follow, but if the guilt lie still unpardoned, the sinne remaineth still: Iosephs brethrens sinne lay over twenty yeares, and this sinne which they committed at Baalpeor lay over a long time unrepented of, but as long as the guilt remained, so [Page 213] long were they subject to punishment; the punishment alwaies followeth the guilt, as the shadow doth the bo­dy. The Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. faith ye shal be guiltie of the bo­dy and bloud of Christ; that is, of the punishment which he deserveth, who abuseth the body & bloud of our Lord.

The third thing considerable in sinne is the blot or staine of sinne in the soule. This staine blots the soule, as Inke cast upon a Laune cloath defileth it; and even as in bodily things, spots taketh away that nitor and brightnesse which is in the body, so doth sinne deprive the soule of grace, and makes it deformed; Saul was as comely and proper a man as was in all Israel and he was Tobh bonus id est pulcher, Tobh 2 Sam. 9.2. Yet this blot of sinne so defiled him, that he was no more the sonne of Kish the Benjamite, Kish. Kush. but the sonne of Kush the Blacke-more or Ethiopian, Psal. 7. in the inscription.

The Lord that he may take away this guilt, and this blot, he opened a fountaine in the house of David, for sinne and uncleannesse, Zach. 13.1. for sinne, to take away the guilt, and for uncleannesse to take away the blot, Christ was not onely [...] the price of our redemption, Math. 20.28. but also [...] a Laver of regeneration to wash away these spots Ephes. 5.26. Tit. 3.5. He came not by blood onely nor by water onely, but both by blood and water; by blood, for our justification, and by wa­ter for our sanctification; He that is washed (saith Christ) hath no neede but that his feete be washed, that is, he who is washed in the blood of Christ, hath no neede to bee washed over againe, but yet he hath neede that his feete be washen, [...]hat is, the remnants of sinne which cleaves dayly unto us, hath neede to be washed away by the water of sanctification; and here he alludes to the cu­stome of those who went into a bath to bee washed, when their bodies were washed the filth ranne downe to their feete, and they were last washed.

The fourth is the punishment which is dew for the transgression of the Law:The fourth is the pu­nishment. every sinner violates an order set downe; and therefore is justly punished by him whose ordinance he breakes. The will of man is subject to three superiors.Gershon par. 3. First it is subject to reason. Secondly, it is subject to the magistrate, and lastly and above all to God: Therfore man is justly punished by al those three: and first he is punished by the sting of conscience, be­cause he transgressed against reason: Secondly, he is pu­nished by the magistrate, because he disobeyed him; and thirdly by God himselfe, in tormenting him in the hels; Nam quaecun que res aberratab uno ordine impel­litur in alterum, ut quod aberrat ab ordine misericordiae re­ponitur in ordine justitiae: unde non minus ordinate colloca­tur damnatus in inferno quam beatus in paradiso: i. e. that which declines from one order is brought into ano­ther, as that which declines from mercy is reduced to justice, and therefore the damned are as justly placed in the hels, as the blessed in the heavens.

The Israelites in Ioshua his time were guilty of the sin which their fathers committed with Baal Peor; because they did not begge pardon for it: therefore the Saints pray Ps. 97.8. Remēber not against us the faults of our pre­decessors, that is, which we have allowed and not repen­ted of, being taught by the example of our predecessors

Of the increase of Ido­latry in the time of the Iudges.When they forgat the great workes of the Lord, they served Baalim and the groves, Iudg. 3.7.

All their Idols were called Baalim and it was nomen transcendens amongst them; and sometimes it was con­tracted into Bel, All their Idols were Baalim and some had a proper name for di­stinction sake. Esay 46.1. and for distinction sake some of the particular idols were called Baal Peor; some Baal berith; and some Baal zebub.

Baal signifieth him who hath power and dominion over one. Man was made a free creature, onely to serve the Lord; and for him to become a slave to an Idoll [Page 115] what a base subjection was this?

This word Baal so displeased the Lord, that hee refused to be called any more Baal, but Ishi. The Lord refused to be called Baal. Hos. 2.16. 17. The first was nomen dominii; the second famili­aritatis: Names that are degenerate,Verbum sublatum. men will not be content to be called by them: Magus was a good name at the first, but now it is degenerate, and no man will be content to be called a magitian. So Idiota at the first signified a private man, 1 Cor. 14.23. If there come in the unlearned. In the greeke it is [...] Idiots, but now this word [...] is degenerate, and taken for a foole; and no man will be content to be called an Idiot: The Christians at the first were called Nazarets Acts 24.5. but because this name did degenerate into a sect there­fore it was changed, and they were called Christians Act. 11.26.

So words that were exoleta and out of use,Verbum exoletum. may now be used, being come in use againe: there was no name more hated of old, then to be called wise, Rom. 1.22. Professing themselves to be wise: The most ex­cellent men of old, would not be called wise men, but Philosophers Lovers of wisedome, they shunned that name of wisdome, they took not that title to themselves nor would be content that others should give them it: but now it is come in use; So this word mysterium, was at the first a heathenish word, used in their heathenish worship; But now the Lord hath sanctified it, and it is come in use.

This word Baal was so degenerate, that God would not be called after it any more,God charges his Church not to take this name Baal in their mouth. and as God would not be called by this name Baal; So he charges his Church not to take the name of their heathenish gods in her mouth, Exod. 23.13. Psa. 16.4. I will not take their names in my mouth; To take their names in her mouth signifieth the naming and retaining of their names, as they condu­ced [Page 216] any way to the upholding of their superstition: even as on the contrary by Putting of the true Gods name unto a place, Deut. 12.5. signifieth, the placing of his religion and ordinances there; and his name is said to be forgotten, when false worship is set up, Psal. 44.20.

To name the names of Idols for distinction sake and for a civill use is no sinne.To name the names of Idols for civill use, and distin­ction; but not for religion; that was a thing lawfull, and not forbidden; as Daniel named often the name of Baal­thasar, although he had his name from Baal: So Nabu­chadnezzer although he had his name from Nebo that Idoll, Esay 46.1. and Paul himselfe named Areopagus, Mars streete, Acts 17.19. for distinction sake in a civill use; as he sailed in a ship, which had the badge of Castor & Pollux, Act. 28.11. when Rabsekah called God Iehovah. Esay 36.7. he honoured not God: So they dishonored not God when they used these names for a civill distin­ction.

Why the tribe of Reu­ben changed the names of Neb and Baalmeon. Ob. But the tribe of Reuben changed those Idolatrous names of Nebo and Baal meon, Num. 32.38. why did they not retaine those names, and keepe them for a ci­vill use and distinction.

Answ. This they did, because now they had made a new conquest of the Land, and the ancient inhabi­tants were to be cast out of it: they gave these names now as if it had never beene possessed before. It is not unlawfull to call a man Balthasar for distinction sake; but if a man were to baptize his child, and should call him Balthasar, that were to Initiate him to Baal, and to use this name not in a civill use, but in a religious: And thus he should honour Baal.

The Lord would not communicate in any thing with Idols.The Lord would not be named by the Idoll Baal: He would not communicate with Idolls in any thing. First in the name, as he refused to be called Baal. Secondly, he would not be worshipped in the same [Page 217] place with the Idoll: therefore when Dagon was set up beside the Arke, he threw it downe and brake the necke of it. Thirdly, he will not be worshipped with the same sacrifice 1 Cor. 10.21. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. When the whore would intice the young ma [...] to commit folly with her, Prov. 7.14. she saies I have peace offerings with me, and this day have I payed my vowes: In the peace offerings; God got a part, the Priest got a part, and the offe­rer got a part, and to this part of the offering which belonged to her she invites this foo [...]e; the whore and the whoremonger, shall they have a part of Gods peace offerings? the Lord will not have a share in such a sacrifice: So the Lord will not have a share in a sacrifice where this spirituall adultery is committed. Fourthly he will not be served with the same Priests: The Lord would never accept of the Levites (that went backe from the Lord, when Israel went astray after their Idols) to slay the burnt offerings, and sacrifice for the people: but onely to keepe the gates of his house, and minister in these base offices, Ezech. 44.10. And as Ioshua, when he fought against the Cana­nites, Iosh. 11.6. tooke their horses, and did hough them, that they might not serve the enemie for warre any more, yet they might serve for baser uses, as to car­ry loades. So the Lord would not have those Priests who had dishonoured him in serving Idolls, to serve at his altar any more but to serve in base offices, as to keep the gates in the house of God.

So they served the Groves, Iudges 3.7. they are called there Ashera; because they thought themselves happie,Why the groves are: called Ashera. [...] when they worshipped their Idols there: but the groves may bee called happie per [...], because they were unhappie who worshipped there: So it is called Lucus, quod minime Luceat: So Iob 39. [Page 218] Struthio camelus is called Chasida, per antiphrasin, be­cause she hatches not her egges as other foules doe, but leave them in the sand.

It is said they served the groves; that is, their Idoles in the groves: There was a tree also amongst the midest of the trees of the grove which they worshipped, Isa. 66.17. they that sanctifie and purifie themselves in the garden behind one tree in the midst. This tree in the midst they worshipped, as they did the other Idoles; and they esteemed it as the tree of knowledg of good and evill that was in the midst of the garden.

They planted groves for their Idoles. These Idola­ters alleadged Abrahams example; Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and worshiped there, Gen. 21.33. So when they would sacrifice their children to Molech, they alledged the example of Abraham, The Idolaters preten­ded the example of the saints for their Ido­latrie. who would have offered his sonne Isaake to the Lord: So when Ie­roboam set up his Idoll at Bethel, he alledged the exam­ple of Iacob, who worshiped in Bethel: So when the Pro­phet rebuked the prophane musicke of the Iewes, Amos 6.5. they alledged the example of David, why might not they play on instruments as well as David. These vile Idolaters did still pretend the example of the saints of God, and laboured to shelter themselves under them.

They planted groves that they might worship their Idoles there, Deut. 16.21. Iudg. 6.25. The Rabbines tell us in Zonorenna, that Salomones throne of Ivorie, was gilded,P. Shophet. and had sixe steppes, by the which hee as­cended into it, as we see 1 King. 10.9. And when the King stood in the lowest steppe, the Herauld cried unto him; Iudicium ne inclinato, wrest not iudgement: when hee stood upon the second steppe, hee cryed unto him, accept not persons in Iudgement: when hee stood upon the third step, he cryed unto him, take no gifts: when hee ascended to the fourth steppe, hee said unto him, [Page 219] Noli plantare Lucum, plant no groves for Idols: and when he stood upon the fift steppe he cryed unto him, Noli erigere statuam, erect not any piller to an Idoll: and when hee stood upon the highest steppe, hee said unto him, noli mactare bovem, that is, take not the priests part upon thee, to offer sacrifice. And so the King was admonished heere both to have a care of Iustice and Religion, and these may be fitly called admonitio­nes graduum; as they were called Psalmes of degrees, which the Priests sang when they ascended by staires into the Temple.

The decrease of this Idolatry; the children of Israel cryed to the Lord;The decrease of this Idolatry. then the spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he delivered them, Judg. 3.10. So the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, Iudg. 6.34. so 2 Chro. 24. the spirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah, and we say indifferently either he put on the spirit, Act. 1.8. or the spirit came upon him. So hee put on Iustice, or the spirit of Iustice came upon him. This spirit which came upon him was the spirit of Iudgement, and the spirit of strength; the spirit of Iudgement, Iudge the people a­right, and the spirit of strength, to defend them; Be­cause those Iudges were but extraordinarie, and for a time, therefore the Lord sent his spirit upon them in a singular manner, for the deliverance of his people.

The spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel. Five illapses of the spi­rit. There are foure illapses of the spirit noted in the scripture which hath fallen upon men. The first is illapsus spiritus robo­ris, the illaps of the spirit of strength; So the spirit came upon the Iudges, and upon Amasa, Davids chiefe captaine, 1 Chro. 12.18. The second is illapsus spiritus regiminis, illaps of the spirit of governement which came upon Saul and David when they became to be Kings, 1 Sam. 16.13. The third illapse is spiritus illu­minationis, of the spirit of illumination, as the spirit of [Page 220] the Lord came upon Baalam, when his eyes were shut, were opened, Num. 24.3. And the fourth is illapsus spiritus sanctificationis & illuminationis, the illapse of sanctification and illumination, as when the spirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the sonne of Iehoiada the priest, when he said unto the people, Why transgresse ye the commandement of the Lord, 2 Chro. 24.20.

When the spirit came upon them then they were said to be cloathed with the spirit, 1 Chron. 12.18. The spirit of the Lord cloathed Amasai; so Christ bids his Disciples stay at Ierusalem, donec induamini virtute ex alto, Luke 24.49. Tarry yee at Ierusalem till ye bee indued with power from on high, or untill ye bee cloathed from on high.

The second increase of Idolatrie.The second increase of Idolatry under the Iudges was, Iudg. 3.12. And the children Israel committed evill againe in the sight of the Lord. It is not specified in particular, what Idolatrie they committed at this time; but onely it is sayd, that they committed evill, which is meant of Idolatrie; for in a speciall manner it is called evill: So Ieroboam caused Israel to sinne; that is, to commit Idolatry.

The decrease of this Idolatrie, Iud. 3.15. then they cryed to the Lord, The decrease. and the Lord sent Ehud a man left handed to deliver them: In the originall it is Ittar Iad, [...] shut of the right hand, It is not well translated Am­bidexter, a man who could use both the hands; he was not like those who could hurle stones both with the right hand and with the left, 1 Chron. 12.2. he had the use of the left hand onely, but he was lame in his right hand, or his right hand was shut together, and hee only used his left hand, the strok whereof is most dangerous.

God in delivering of his owne chooseth often times weake meanes, that his glory may appeare the more, as heere: when Gideon was to fight against the [Page 221] Madianites he cashired two and twenty thousand, and then there remained ten thousand, and they were too many, therefore hee made onely choise of three hun­dreth, and the Lord said I will trie them, [...] Iud. 7.4. He­braice, constabo eos, that is I will separate the drosse from the gold, that is the weake from the strong, and I will choose the drosse that al the glory may returne to me in the victorie; for the fewer there was in number, the greater was the Lords glory. So when hee delivered his Church by Gideon that barley cake: and when hee overthrew the enemie by Samgars oxe goad, Iudg. 3.31. & by Deborah a woman, when there was neither speare, nor shield seene in Israel, Iudg. 5.8. and when there was no smith in Israel to make sword or speare, yet they overthrew the Philistines, who were in number like the sand of the sea, 1. Sam. 13.5.

The third increase of Idolatrie was in Deborah her time, Iud. 5.8. when they chose new gods,The third increase of Idolatry. A difference betweene nest gods and strange gods. that is strange gods: So new tongues are called strange tongues, Mar. 16.17. Acts 2.4. They may be called strange gods, which are not new gods, for the Idoles which their fathers worshipped cannot be called new gods, yet they were strange gods, what ever god they fained to themselves, that was a strange god.

The Iewes who worshipped Idoles were of three sorts.The Iewes who wor­shipped Idols were of three sorts. First, those who wor­shipped Iebovah by their Idods. First, those who worshipped Iehovah the true God by the Idoles, Iudg. 17.13. Then said Micha, now know I that the Lord will doe me good, seeing I have a Levite to my Priest, so 2 King. 17.28. One of the Priests whom they carried out of Samaria, came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should feare the Lord; That is how to worship the calfe, whom they thought represented the Lord. So when they set up the calfe in the wildernes, they said, to morrow shall be afeast to the Lord, Exod. 32.5. they thought they worshipped the Lord by that calfe.

The second were those who worshipped strange Gods, but not the gods of their fa­thers.The second sort of Idolaters amongst the Iewes, were those who worshipped strange gods, but not the gods of their fathers, Deut. 32.17. they sacrificed to new gods whom their fathers knew not.

Thirdly, those who willingly chose new gods and not by the perswasion of others.The third sort were those who willingly made choise of new gods; they were worse than those who choose new gods by the perswasion of others, as Amazia [...] who tooke the gods of the King of Edom, and wor­shipped them, after he had come from the killing of the Edomites, and carried away their gods, 2 Chron. 25.14. he did this freely, and of his owne choise; but Sa­lomon when he fell to Idolatrie, he did it by the perswa­sion of others, 1 King. 9.48. Chron. 25.4.

Whether those sinned more, who worsh [...]pped the true God by false meanes, or those who worshipped false gods by false meanes? Quest. Whether sinned they more who worshipped the true God Iehovah by false meanes, then those who worshipped the false gods by false meanes?

Ans. In one respect they sinned more, who worship­ped the true. God by false meanes, because they had a greater knowledge of the true God, that made their sinne the greater; but in those againe who worshipped false gods by false meanes, there was a double sinne, first in respect of the object, because they worshipped a false god. Secondly, in respect of the meanes, because they chose false meanes to worship their God by.

Quest. If one man should sweare a falsehood by the true God, and another should sweare a truth by a false God, which of these two sinnes were the greater?

Answ. The sin of him who sweares a truth by the false god is greater than his sin, who sweares a falsehood by the true God; the reason is because Idolatrie is a greater sin than perjurie;The sinne of him who sweare: a truth by a false god is greater than his sinne who sweares a falsehood by the true god. Perjurie is but a sin against the third command, and Idolatry is a sin against the second com­mandement which is greater than perjurie: He that sweares a falsehood by the true God denieth but the verity of God, but he that sweares the truth by false [Page 223] gods, he doth wrong to the very essence of God; for he gives to a creature that which is true only to God. The Lord objects to his people, Ier. 5. that they sweare by false Gods, they that sweare by false gods professe that their Idols know all things, and cannot be deceived, which is onely proper to God: if we respect perjurie, it is a greater evill to sweare a falsehood by the true God, then to sweare a truth by the false gods; But I­dolatrie is alwayes a greater sinne then perjury; there­fore to sweare the truth by a false god, must be a greatter sin then to sweare a falsehood by the true God.The decrease.

The decrease of this Idolatry; When the children of Israel cried unto the Lord for the oppression of Iabin King of Canaan, the Lord sent Deborah and Baracke to deliver them, Iudg. 4.

The fourth increase of Idolatry under the Iudges,The fourth increase of Idolatry. was when the children of Israel did evill in the sight of the Lord, Iudg. 6. And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven yeares.

The decrease,The decrease. ver. 7. And it came to passe when the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord, because of the Midi­anites, that the Lord sent the Prophet Gideon to the chil­dren of Israel to deliver them.

Gideon cast down Baals altar, and sets up an altar to the Lord, and calls it Iehovah Shalom, that is, the Lord send peace, Iudg. 7. [...]4. He would not suffer the altar of peace to stand with the alter of strife; no more than the Lord would suffer Dagon to stand with the arke of God, what communion hath light with darknesse; and what com­munion hath the temple of God with Idols, 2 Cor. 6.14.

Gideon strove with the men of Sechem, and his fa­thers house against Baal, and therefore he was called Ie­rubbaal, and Ierubasheth, 2 Sam. 9.21. because hee put Baal to shame and disgrace.

When they fell from the Lord and worshipped Idols [Page 224] at this time, they were sore oppressed by the Madia­nites; then the Lord sendes Gideon to deliver them; Gideon desired a signe of the Lord to confirme him, when he was to goe against the Madianites.

Whether Gideon tempted the Lord when he asked a signe of him. Quest. Was not this a tempting of the Lord to aske a signe of him so often.

An. God is tempted two maner of waies, by men; first, when they seeke not a signe directly of God, but when they mistrust his power, then they are said to tempt the Lord: he tempted him ten times in the wildernes, Num. 14.22. which Rabbi Salomon reckons up this way;The Israelites tempt­ed the Lord tenne times in the wilder­nesse through unbe­liefe. first they tempted him at the red sea, Exo. 1 [...]. Secondly, in Marah, Exo. 15. Thirdly, in the desert of Sin. Enod. 16. Fourthly, when they left Manna while the morrow, Exo. 16. Fiftly, when they sought Manna upon the se­venth day, and found it not. Sixtly, at [...]ap [...]dim, at the waters of contradiction, Nu. 21. Seventhly, at Herob, by the golden calfe, Exo. 32. Eightly, at Habara, Num. 11. Ninthly, at the graves of concupiscence. Tenthly, at Pharon, which the spies made when they went to spiē the land. Secondly, God is tempted when we desire of him a signe for curiositie, as doubting of his power, so the devill desired Christ to turne stones into bread,Wee tempt God when wee desire of him a signe for cu­riositie. Matth. 4. And they of Nazaret would have had a signe of him, when they said; Whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, doe also here in thy owne countrie, Luke 4.23. So the Pharisees and Saduces would have had a signe of him from heaven, Matth. 16.1. But Gideon who had a singular warrant from the Lord to aske a signe, tempted him not through doubting or curiositie; neither Zacharie when he said, whereby shall I know this, Luke 1.18. Neither Marie when shee said, how can this be, Luke 1.34. when the Angell gave her a signe of her conception, that shee should conceive: This (how) in Marie was admirantes, not dubitantes: In Zacharie it [Page 225] was mixed with doubting, but it was not of infidelitie, as the doubting of the Pharisees and Saducees was.The first increase of Idolatrie.

The first increase of Idolatrie was when the Seche­mites tooke the Ephod which Gideon had made, and set it up for an Idoll in the house of Baal berith in Sechem, Iudg. 9.4. and 46.

Quest. Gideon made this E­phod not to be an I­doll, but to be a re­membrance of thanks­giving for their deli­verance as the Reube­nites set up an altar in the other side Iordan. Whether did Gideon purpose to make an I­doll of this Ephod or not?

Answ. Gideon caused not a new Ephod to be made, neither minded he to have set it up as an Idoll, but as a remembrance to the Lord; when the Rubenites and Gadites erected and attar on the other side of Iordan, Iosh. 22.9. they did it not of that minde to sacrifice upon that altar, but onely they set it up for a memoriall of thanksgiving to the Lord. And it is cleare that the Isra­elites went a whooring after this Ephod but after the death of Gideon, verse 27. therefore they interpret not well this place, who interpret it thus, fornicatu [...] est omnis populus post eum, all the people went a whoring after him, as though they followed Gideon in this Idola­trie; but Iunius translates it better, fornicatus est post e­um, scilicet Ephodem, seu in eo Ephode, that is, they went a whoring after the Ephod.

The reasons which proves that Gideon intended no such thing, as to erect an Idoll in Ophrah are these.

First, Iudg. 8.32. Gideon dyed in a good old age; To die in a good old age comprehends foure things. a good old age comprehends foure things in it, first, fulnesse of dayes, secondly, peace of conscience, thirdly, a good name, fourthly, when one dyes in the favour of God; neither is this phrase found in the Scripture, but of such who dyed the death of the righteous: So Abraham is said to have died in a good old age, Gen. 25.15. So David, 1 Chror. 29.28.

The second Reason, it is objected of the Israelites, ver. 35. that they shewed no kindnesse to the house of Gideon [Page 226] according to all the goodnesse which he had shewed to Israel? But if Gideon had erected this Idoll of purpose, that the people might goe a whoring after it how should they bee bound to have shewed any favour to him; they should rather have hated him, if he had set up any Idoll to have beene their ruine.

Ob. Burn this Idoll became a snare to Gideon and to his house, Then it might seeme that Gideon himselfe was insnared by this Idoll.

Answ. By Gideon heere is understood Gideons chil­dren and posterity, as 1 King. 12.16. what portion have we in David, that is in the posterity of David, so 2 Chron. 13.1. it is said that Ieroboam made warre a­gainst Rehoboam; Rehoboam was dead, Chap. 12. And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David: it was against his sonne Abija. So Act. 7.16. Abraham bought a buriall from the father of Se­chem, it was not Abraham himselfe who bought it, but the posterity of Abraham. So this Idoll became a snare to Gideon; that is to Gideons children; and to his house, that is, to his friends.

Gideon his Ephod was afterward made an Idoll.This Ephod which Gideon appointed for an holy use, was afterward abused, and turned to an Idoll; as the best wine is turned into vinegar; so the brasen serpent was erected in the wildernesse for an holy use; yet the people afterward made an Idoll of it, and burnt incense to it. So the first institution of the love feasts of the Christians were commendable, and for a good end; but afterward they were turned into abuse, so the co­memoration of the saints departed, was afterward turned to invocation.

Gideon his house was insnared by this ephod. Salomon sayes, Eccles. 7.26. And I found more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is fordres and [...]ettes, and her hands as bands. Whose pleaseth God, shall escape from her, but [Page 227] the sinner shall be taken by her. This leud woman had snares to insnare men, as the not takes the Fowle and the Fish: Shee leades the foolish men captive, and none without the speciall grace of God is safe from her: So the Idolls lay snares and ginnes to catch men, and it is hard to escape the snares of the Idoll; but he who plea­seth the Lord shall escape from them.

This Baal berith was the Idoll of the Sechemites, and they bound themselves by a solemne stipulation to serve this Baal berith,

They made a covenant with Baal berith, yet they covenant with Abimelech to kill his to. brethren. A false religion hath no more power to bind men long to them, then ropes of sand. The Kings of Syria and E­gypt made many covenants together, and mingled them­selves with the seede of men, Dan. 2.43: that is, they mar­ried together, yet these covenants could no more hold then iron and clay when they are mixed together.

Religion is called a religande; But a false Religion hath no power to bind, but true Religion hath power indeede to bind people one to another: Where there is one Lord, one faith, one Baptisme, Ephe. 4.5. that makes the multitude of beleevers to be of one heart and of one soule.

A good conscience when it stipulates with god,Foure singular privi­ledges of a good conscience when it stipulates with God which an evill con­science hath not, when it stipulates with Idols. 1 Pet. 3.21. hath foure singular priviledges which a bad conscience hath not when it stipulates with an Idoll. First it hath a priviledge suptase, when it tookes up to God, 1 Pet. 2.19. Secondly, it hath this priviledge in se. It hath the peace of God within it, and is a pure conscience and undefiled, 2 Tim. 1.3. Thirdly, Iuxta se; a good conscience shewes it selfe towards men, Act. 24.16. and fourthly infra se: I am perswaded that neither height nor depth shall separate me, Rom. 8.38. depth, that is, the divells who dwell in the depth: But an Idola­trous [Page 228] conscience when it lookes above, it findes no comfort: for it worships dead Gods, Ps. 106.28. & within it selfe it is defiled, Tit. 1.15. and I [...]ntase those Idola­ters cared not to murther the 70. brethren of Abimelech and infra se, it is alwayes in feare of the internall spi­rits.

Abimelech killed his 70. brethren, and poore Iona­than escaped onely: The Iewes have a proverbe, esto canda leonum, & nesiscaput vulpium, that is, it is better to have a meane place amongst the righteous, than to be a ringleades amongst the wicked, it was better to be in Ioas place then Abimelechs.

They robd their God Baal berith and tooke out 70. peeces of silver to hire vaine and light braind men, Re­kim, light braind men; Hence comes Raka, which is a word of disgrace in the Gospel, Matth. 5. and hence comes this word Saracenis, because they lived upon ex­curtions and robberies, and men of light fashions: The treasures of the Church have beene opened to helpe captives,Perkiavoth cap. 4. and those that were in prison; but these opened their treasure here to hire light and vaine per­sons.

What a judgement be­fell Abimelech for rob­bing of his Idoll. They robbed their god Baal berith and gave Abimelech 70. pieces of silver. See what a Iudgement befell Abi­melech for robbing of his Idoll; he perished miserablie, not onlie for murthering of his brethren, but also for robbing Baal, whom hee tooke to bee his God, Iudg. 9.53. We have anotable example of this that men should not robbe their Idoles;Caelius Rodoginum. pag. 298. Amiande Marcellinus testifi­eth, that in the dayes of Marcus Antonius and Verus the emperours, that the souldiers spoyled the temple of Apollo, and brought his image to Rome; There was a little chest of gold which stood in the temple of Apol­lo, that had a little hole in it, which the Caldee sooth-sayers had shut up before, the souldiers through cove­tousnesse [Page 229] opened this hole, thinking to have found a treasure in this chest, but there came out such a vile and deadly smell out of it, that it raised a plague from the bounds of Persia, even unto France, and went into Parthia and Media also, and killed thousand of thousands there. See what it is for the Idolater to robbe his [...] ­doll.

Quest. Whether he commits Sacriledge who robes an Idolls Whether doth hee commit Sacriledge who robbes a false god or not?

Answ. An erronious conscience (as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 14.35. and by the consent of all di­vines) bindes a man, for hee that doth contrarie to the Law given by the superiour (holding in his conscience that it is the Law of the superiour) despiseth his supe­riour in his conscience, and is guiltly of that same sinne, whereof he is, who transgresseth the Law of him who is the magistrate indeede. If the Kings Herauld should give out the Law otherwaies, then it was first ordained by the King, the people are bound to obey this Law, and they who contemne it are justly to be punished; which obligation is taken away, when the Kings mind is rightly understood; not that this obligation was any thing before in it selfe; but onely in the minde of the people who beleeved, that that law was truely promul­gated, as it was given out by the King, which apprehen­sion of the people bindes them to obey the Law: So he who maketh a promise and sweares by a false god, is more strictly bound to performe it, then hee who simply promiseth onely, without an oath; for although this oath considered in it selfe, bindes no wayes a man more than he had simply promised; for this is not an oath when one sweares simply by a god who cannot te­stifie the truth, yet notwithstanding because in his erronious conscience, he takes the Idoll to be a god, if he performe not that which he promised by an oath, [Page 230] then he is perjur'd for although this [...]th be nothing [...] parte r [...] yet as he esteemes of it, it is a sinne not to per­forme it: A good conscience and an erronious consci­ence bind, but after a diverse manner: A good consci­ence simply bindes, but an erronious conscience onely upon supposition, because it takes that to be the Law of God, which indeede is not; Hence we see that the Se­chemites were guilty of Sacriledge, robbing their Idoll Baal berith, whom they tooke to be a god; and the tribe of Dan was in the same case, Iudg. 18. when they tooke away the Idoll of Micah.

If Abimelech perished miserably for robbing of his Idoll, what marvell is it then that these perish miserably who rob the true God, as Iehoiakim who cut out the Lords windowes and sealed his owne house with Ce­dar, and painted it with Vermilion; Ier. 22.14. He got the buriall of an asse for it. v. 19. Athaliah was worse, she brake up the house of the Lord, and bestowed all things dedicated to the Lord, upon [...]aalim; She was slaine by the guard, 2 Chron. 23.15. But Balthasar was most Sa­crilegious of all, who tooke the vessel of the house of the Lord, and dedicated them to his Idols; and when he was in all his jollitie the Medes and the Persians came and killed him that same night, Dan. 5.30.

The sixt increase.The sixt increase of Idolatry, Iudg. 10.6. Then the children of Israel did evill againe in the sight of the Lord, and they served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidan, the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and they forsooke the Lord, and served [...] him.

Now their Idolatry was mightily increased, when they served the gods of all the nations round about them: It is a question in the Ethickes, whether a man may keepe intire and true friendship with many or not? So [Page 231] we may aske what [...] of worship could the Iewes per­forme to all these gods?

They served Baalim and Ashtaroth: When the Hebrewes joynes the masculine and the faeminine to­gether then they signi­fie many. it is usuall w [...] the Hebrewes (when they joyne the masculine and the faeminine together) to comprehend the whole, o [...] ve­ry many of the kind which they speake of; as Gen. 5.7. He begat sonnes and daughters, that is many children: So Eccles. 2.8. I got me men fingers and women fingers, than is, diverse sorts of Musitians: So they worshipped Baal and Ashtaroth, that is sundry sorts of Idols.

They served gnashteroth the gods of Syria 1 King. 9.5. and they are put in the faeminine gender, [...]. because they fained to themselves, as well women gods, as men gods diverse fe [...]s are onely for preservation of mortall kindes, but they held their gods to be immortall, why then should they imagine male and female amongst them? Yet the Platonickes held, that there were male and female amongst them; and Trismogish [...] faemini [...].

They worshipped the gods of Syria: There were many gods in Syria according to the severall divisions of it. There were many of the gods of Syria, according as it was diversly divi­ded. Syria interam [...], or Mesopotamia: So Syria Se­ba; and Syria Macha, and Syria Damascena: These had all sundry gods 2 Chro. 23.

They worshipped the gods of the Philistines and of the Ammonites, and yet the Ammonites and Philistines op­pressed them eighteene yeares, Iudges 10.8.

Marke a difference betwixt the true religion and the false:A difference betweene the true religion and the false. when they came to serve the gods of the Phili­stines, and the Ammonites they were their deadly ene­mies; but when they turned from the false religion to the true, then they cherished and loved them. When men came from Gentilisme to Judaisme, they were cal­led proselytes, and the Iewes shewed them all the fa­vours that they did to any Iew: So when they were [Page 232] converted from Iudaisme to Christianitie, they called them fratres Iudai Act. 15. accounted of them as their brethren. So when men were converted from Genti­lisme to Christianitie then they were called [...], 1 Tim. 3.6. and they cherished them as young plants; therefore the Lord saith to Ieremie 15.19. Goe not thou to them, but let them come to thee.

When they cryed unto the Lord in this trespasse, the Lord answered them with a bitter tant, Iudges 10.14. Goe and cry unto your Gods whom ye have chosen, let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation: Bernard saith well, Quod deus dicit cum risu, tu debes audire cum lu­ctu.

The decrease.The decrease, Iudges 10.15. when the children of Israel said unto the Lord; We have sinned, doe thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee, onely deliver us we pray thee this day, and ver. 16. And they put away the strange gods from amongst them, and served the Lord, and his soule was grived for the misery of Israel. In the ori­ginall it is, Anima ejus fuit contracta, and opposit to this is 2 Cor. 6.11. Our heart is inlarged.

Verbum kum conti [...] alteri verbo absque copu­la praemissum agilitatem & expeditionem notat atta takum:Heere is the nature of our gratious God showne to us, who is slow to anger, and soone pacified, and at what­soever time a sinner repents him, hee will put away all his sinnes out of his minde; then the Lord arose and had mercie upon Sion, Psal. 102.13.

The seventh increase.The seventh increase of Idolatry Iudg. 17.4. when Micah sets up molten gods and graven gods to be wor­shipped.

Rabbi David observes that this word (God) in all this part of Scripture, which entreates of Micah his Ido­latry, is alwayes prophanum nomen, a prophane name, taken for Idols, except onely in two places: The first in these words (all the time that the house of the Lord was in Shilo) The second is Iudges 18.10. The Lord [Page 233] hath given the Land into your hands.

Micah consecrated one of his sonnes to be a Priest to him, Many irregularities in this, when Micah con­secrated his sonne to be a Priest. verse 5. Here concurres many irregularities contrary to the Law, in the consecration of this his sonne. The first irregularity is in him who consecrates. The second in him who was consecrated. The third in making an Ephod to him to serve, who was consecrate. The fourth in the place where he served after he was conse­crated, and that was in a private house.

The first irregularitie was this,The first irregularitie. that hee tooke upon him to consecrate his sonne: No man takes this ho­nour upon him, but he that is called of God as Aa­ron.

Que. How could Moses consecrate Aaron and his sons, Levit. 8.12, 13. seeing he was not of the sonnes of Aa­ron? Moses was first a Priest and consecrated the Priestes to the Lord.

The common Answere here is this, that he did it at the commandment of God extraordinarily, at the first establishing of the Priesthood; But there is more in it then this, for Moses was a Priest of God, Psal. 99.6. Moses and Aaron amongst the Priests: Heere David tearmes Moses a Priest as well as Aaron; and Moses Gerundensis saith, that he was a Priest, and therfore offe­red incense first; and the Hebrewes call him, Sacerdo­tem Sacerdotum the greatest Priest, and that Moses offe­red a burnt offering on the Altar, it is cleare Lev. 8.28. and Hiscuini saith, that all the seven dayes Moses offe­red, and in the eight day, he said to Aaron from hence­forth come thou, and serve in this ministrie, after that Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sonnes, Moses chil­dren are not reckoned amongst the Priests, but amongst the Levites, 1 Chron. 23.14.

Qu [...]st. 1. Aaron and his sonnes were those who conse­crate: who was it then that consecrate when the Priest­hood was out of the right line, from the time of Eli [Page 234] (who descended from Ithamar and not from Eleazar) [...] Chron. 24.3.) to the time of Sadock, who was restored by Salomon to the Priesthood?The Priesthood in the wrong line in Eli his time, in Ahitob his time, in Ahi [...] his time, and his brother Abimelech, his time, in Abiather, his time, and the restored to the right line in Sa­dock. The Priests who came of Ithamar and did consecrate, being in the wrong line, pecca­runt usurpatione tituli, yet there consecration was valid.

Answ. These Priests although they were not in the right line, when they entered into the preisthood and although there entrie was by usurpation, yet being en­tred their consecration was lawfull, for even as a tyrant Peccat usurpatione tituli, yet he sinnes not in Iudging and giving out sentence; and the subjects are bound to obey him, and untill he bee devested of those usurped titles, his edicts have strength to bind the subjects; so long as the tyrant stands they are to obey him, and implicit [...] he hath the approbation of the subjects, that is, they wish that hee may doe Iustice so long as he rules: The Romans subdued the Iewes and made them their cap­tives, and the Iewes by their tacite consent acknowledg­ed them as their Lords and masters: therefore Christ bidds them, gave tribute to Caesar, Mat. 22. So when they were carried captives to Babylon, the Lord bidds them pray for the peace of Babylon, Ier. 29.7. the people gave there tacite consent to the Babylonians, and al­though they led them captive, yet they were to pray for them as there superiors; so the Priests although they sinned in usurpation of the priesthood, as not being descended of Aaron, yet durante tali statu, so long as they continued, their consecration was valide, and they had gotten the tacite consent of the people by prescription of tyme.

Quest. 3. Who consecrated the high Priest after his fathers death?

Answ. An inferiour Priest did consecrate him; see Exod. 29.29. Num. 20.26.28.

Quest. 4. When the Idolatrous Priests hand was filled and a peece of flesh put therein, whether had bee right to sacrifice and consecrate or not?

Answ. None at [...]ll; for out of the Church there is no consecration, therfore Ionathan in his [...] Para­phrase, calles him, not Cohen, but Cumer, that is,No consecration [...] of the Church. [...] a hea­then then Priest, Iud. 18.30. the same phrase of sitting of the hand is used in consecrating of Ieroboams Priests, a Chro. 13.9. and yet Ieroboam had no power to consecrate them; & the water which came out of the rocke, 3 Cor. 10. was a sacrament to the Israelites when they dranke of it, but when the beasts dranke of it, it was no Sacra­ment to them: so this consecration was no consecration to them, who were out of the true Church. And as Ishmael although hee was truly circumcised by Abra­ham, yet to his posteritie who left the true Church; and used circumcision still, it was no Sacrament. So this con­secration out of the Church, was no consecration to them, and they had no more right to it, then the theefe hath to the true mans purse, when he takes it.

The third irregularitie in this consecration was this; that he made an Ephod. for his sonne to serve this Idoll with.

There were three sorts of Ephods, the first was a re­ligious Ephod, such was the Ephod of the Priests.Three sorts of Ephod. The second sort of Ephod was a politicke, or civill Ephod, which David wore when he danced before the arke, and that which Gid [...]on made, and left at Ophrah. The third was an Idolatrous Ephod, which is joyned here with Teraphim, and not with Vri [...] and Tha [...], as the Lords Ephod was.

The fourth irregularitie was this when hee were con­secrate, he sacrificed in a private place, his fathers house, and not in Shilo, in the place where the worship of God was performed at that time, and this was as badde as if hee had sacrificed in the high places, or in the groves.

Then it was added, they did this because there was no king in Israel.

Kingly governement of the best governement.Observe here first that Kingly governement is the best governement, and a King here is put for a best ma­gistrate; because the Lord was to bring in this kingly governement amongst them; Therefore they were cal­led Kings, before the institution of Kings, as Moses is called a King, Gen. 36.31. Deut. 33.5. And because Kingly governement was the most excellent governe­ment, therfore it is that sundry things take their denomi­nation from a King, at the King, lawes, Iam. 2.8. so the Kings highway, Num. 20.17. so the shout of a King, Num. 23.22, that is a joyfull shout, as when they were choosing a King.

A magistrate must have a care both for maintenance of religi­on and Iustice.They committed this Idolatrie, because there was no King in Israel: so they abused the Levites wife, be­cause there was no King in Israel, Iudg. 19.1. Here wee see th [...] the magistrate is custos utrinsque tabulae, and it belongs to him to vindicate the worship of God. Ido­latrie is iniquit [...]s Iudicum, Iob 31.28. That is, it is to bee punished by the Iudge, and to punish wrongs done by men to men: there are two pillars strong like Iakin, and Bag [...]as, 1 King 7.21. Iustice and religion, when these two faile; then the land [...]elts, Psal. 75.3. the He­brewes say the world is upholden by three things, Super lege, super cultusacro, & super retributione benificiorum, when these three faile, then the world goes to de­coy.

Now Micah will have another Priest then his sonne, a Levite of Iudah to be his Priest.

Quest: How could he be a Levite, and of Iudah, for the Levites were not of the tribe of Iudah.

Answ: Hee hath beene of the tribe of Levi by his mother, for women of one tribe might marie with men of another tribe; providing that they were not here­tickes, then they were alwaies bound to marrie within their owne tribe, to keepe the inheritance distinct.

Micah chused this Levit to sacrifice; but the Levites might not sacrifice, nor inquire any thing of the Lord,The Levites might not sacrifice. but by the priests. When the Tabernacle was to be ta­ken up, or set downe, no stranger might come neare it; here all are called strangers, who are not priests or Le­vites, Num. 1.51. But when they were to sacrifice, no stranger might sacrifice, that is, neither Israelite, nor Levite, Num. 3.10. Therfore when he chose a Levite to sacrifice, here there was a great irregularitie: their cal­lings were two distinct callings:The calling of the Le­vites and the priests were two distinct cal­lings. the Levites did some things which the priests might not doe, as to carry the Arke: therefore Vzza was killed who touched the Arke being a priest; and the Levites might not sacri­fice under the paine of death, Num. 3.10.

This wandering Levite was redacted to great mise­rie, and he was content with a poore portion: It was a great curse upon the posterity of Eli, when they should come and crouch for a peece of silver, and a morsell of bread, and should say, Put me I pray thee into one of the priests offices, that I may eate a peece of bread, 1 Sam. 2.36. So when this base Levite sought to be a priest, and was content with ten shekells of silver a yeare, and a suite of apparell, and his victuals, Iudg. 17.10. then he came and crouched downe for a peece of silver and a morsell of bread.

None that served in the temple or tabernacle in the basest office did it for nought, as they that shut the doores, and kindled the fire, Mal. 1.10. or the Nethi­nims, Iosh. 9.27. who hewed the wood for the sacrifices, and drew water for the temple, or the Levites that flead the beasts, or the Priests that offered the sacrifices; all had plenty enough, there was bread enough in their fa­thers house: but this miserable man contents himselfe in his Idoll service, with a sute of apparell, his victualls, and tenne peeces of silver.

Hee desires to be a priest that he might eate bread, 1 Sam. 2.26. When they desired to be in this holy cal­ling onely to eate, and not to serve God in it, then they were mercenaries. The Moralists observe, that some games and recreations are honest, when men use them onely for recreation, as to fish, and to hunt; but if a man doe fish onely for gaine, or goe a hunting onely to make profit by it, then it becomes ignoble, & questus est sordidus, it is base gaine: much more if a man turne this high calling to gaine, it becomes a base calling: When these greedy dogges, Esay 56.11. cannot be sa­tisfied; and when they seeke the peoples goods, but not themselves, 2 Cor. 13.14. and fleece the flocke, but feede it not; Ezech. 34.3. tunc mercantur animas, they sell the foules of men, 2 Pet. 2.3. and sell the soules of the people for handfulls of barley, and peeces of bread, Ezech. 13.19. then they feed the flocke for filthy lucre, 1 Pet. 5.2.

The eight increase.The eight increase of Idolatry; when the whole tribe of Dan fell to Idolatry, Iudg. 18. and went a whoring after those Teraphims. Ionathan who was a priest to a poore family before; now he becomes a priest to the whole family of Dan. This Ionathan was the grand child of Moses, Moses begat Gershon, and Gershon begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Ionathan, Iudg. 18.30. This Menasseth was the father of Ionathan, but because he and his son Ionathan were so unlike to Moses; there­fore they write him in the text Manasseh, but in the margine they write him Moshe, [...] Manasses studio, & imitatione impietatis, Mosis silius prosapia. elevating the Nun; they write him Manasseth, because they held him to be an I­dolater like Manasseh; and they write him in the mar­gine Moshe, because hee was naturally descended of Moses.

This might seeme strange that Moses, (who was such a faithfull servant in all the house of God, Heb. 3.5. and [Page 239] alwayes hated Idolatrie) should have a grandchild who is such an apostate and open Idolater: this a man might thinke should breed great discouragement in the hearts of faithfull men, when they see their poste­ritie so degenerate from the truth:The faithfull who are within the covenant, must comfort them­selves by looking up to their good prede­cessors, and not to their bad posterity. but men who are faithfull, and stand within the covenant, must comfort themselves, not by looking downe to those who come of them, but by looking up, and marking their anteces­sors of whom they are descended: And even as in the right succession of the inheritance in Israel, they recko­ned upward alwayes; So must we doe in the spirituall covenant. The Iewes saith, if a man died and had no children, then the inheritance came to the father, both the inheritance of the male and the female, unlesse there came in one who married his brothers wife after his death; and they make the dead father as though he were alive, that the right order of succession might be known, and so the male children succeeded; and if there were no males, then the females succeeded, and if they fai­led, then the inheritance ascended to the grandfather, and to his other children if he had any moe, and they ascended still up to Adam: therefore the Iewes say that there is not a man in Israel, who wants an heire, but he may reckon it up to Adam.

• Abraham.
• Isaac.
• Iacob. Esau.
• Levi, Dina a daughter.
• Noah. Gershon, Merari. Ccohebed a daughter.
• Amram. Izzar. Hebron. Vzziel.
• Moses. Aaron. Miriam a daughter.

Now in this genealogie Amram dying, the question is, who shall be his heire: If Moses and Aaron be alive; first,Ʋide Sheldan de suc­successione haebreorum. Moses succeeds, and if he die, Aaron; and if both die, then Miram; but if all the three die without posteritie; [Page 240] then from him it descends to the sonnes of Amram, Izzar, Hebron and Vzziel, and so at last ascends to A­braham. So here in this spirituall reckoning we must as­cend upward; although Manasseh be an Idolater, and his sonne Ionathan, Iudg. 18.30. yet Moses will not want an heire; Let him looke to his faithfull predeces­sors, they are his heires, and hee may reckon up to them.

This will minister great comfort to the faithfull pa­rents,Verna domus quid. who have bad children, that they are descended of godly parents: This was Davids comfort (who had leud children) Psal. 86.16. Have mercy upon me, and give strength unto thy servant, and save the sonne of thy handmaid. The children of the handmaid were their masters, and David alludes to this. This was his comfort, that he was the sonne of the Lords handmaid; for they that were the children of the handmaides were their masters, Exod. 21.4. and they were said to be home borne, Ier. 2.14. So David being borne within the Church of the Lords handmaid, rejoyceth that hee is Gods child; and al­though these pedegrees in our ascending be often bro­ken off, yet the covenant is valid and of force still, in re­spect of the first promise, Esay 64.3. Thou art our father, although Abraham hath forgotten us, and Israel doth not know us; that is, although we have broken the covenant and have not followed the footsteeps of our faithfull predecessors Abram and Isaac, who (if they were alive) would not acknowledge us for their children, neither doe we thinke ourselves worthy so to be reckoned; we leane only on the free promise of God in Christ Iesus, which we know to be most sure, as God himselfe is con­stant.

Ianathan descending of Moses fell to Idolatry; All fathers transmit to their children originall sinne, Gen. 5.Fathers transmits to their children origi­nall sinne onely. It is said of Adam, that he begat a sonne to his owne Image, that is, to his corrupt Image; but other things [Page 241] parents cannot trasmit to their children, as a seeing fa­ther sometimes begets a blind sonne, Iohn 9. neither can he transmit those things which hee hath acquired by Art to his child; as a Musitian begets not a Musitian; So he cannot transmit his infused gifts to his child; as Salomon could not transmit his wisedome to his foolish sonne Rehoboam, far lesse can he transmit grace unto his posterity, as Abraham could not transmit grace to Ishmael, neither could Moses to his grandchild Iona­than; but God only can beget children to his owne Image: Therefore the Lord saith; Be ye holy as your heavenly Father is holy, 1 Pet. 1.16.

In this last increase of Idolatry under the Iudges, it is to be considered that first the Danites commit sin in ta­king away Micahs Idols, and by seducing his Priest. Secondly, that Ionathan and his sonnes become Priests to the tribe. And lastly how long this Idoll remained in Dan.

First they take away Micah his Idols by violence Iudg. 18.18. they stole them not away secretly, but tooke them by violence, sixe hundred men came to take them away: these were called aggressores, who came by force to take a thing.

They steale his gods;The Idolaters prefer­red their Idols to all that which was most deare to them. the gods which they affected so much, and loved so dearely. See how Laban expo­stulates with Rachel for stealing his gods: The Idola­ters preferred their Idoll gods to all their ornaments and comelinesse: when the Gaulles beseiged the Capi­toll, because they had no strings to their crosebowes,Caelius pag. 689. the women caused to shave off their haire to make strings thereof, in defence of their Palladium, and their gods. And they preferred their Idols to their deare parents; When the Grecians burnt Troy, pittying their captive enemies, they gave every one their choise to carry away that which they liked best, Aeneas made [Page 242] choise to carry away his gods, before his old father, and therefore he was called Pius Aeneas: they prefer­red not onely their gods to their Parents, but also to their lives; As Metellus when he saw the temple of Ve­sta burning,Seneca declamationum. 4 he ranne into the fire to save the Palladi­um, and very hardly he escaped with his life, yet he lost his eyes and his Priesthood; for no man who wan­ted a member might be a Priest in the temple of Ve­sta.

They tooke away his gods: If a Christian should steale the Idols of an Idolater, that were but theft, but for an Idolater (who holds Idols to be gods) to steale Idols were sacrilegious theft; And they being men of the same profession and zealous as it might seeme in their profession, this aggravates their sinne; for the unitie of profession should bind men one to another.

In Israel they had sun­dry dialects whereby they were discerned. They knew the Levites voyce. In Israel they had sun­dry dialects, as some said Shibboleth, and others said Sibboleth; The Ephraimites were discerned by their lisping: and Peter was knowne to be a Galilaean by his speech: And so they had about Ierusalem a peculiar dialect of their owne Act. 2.8. some of them said Acel­dama, and others Akaldama, so here they knew the Le­vite by his peculiar dialect.

They desire this Priest to aske couns [...]ll of God for them, And he answers them according to their humour: Goe in peace, for the Lord is in your way where ye goe, hee will goe before you and assist you: flattering Prophets spake alwayes placentia, as the false Prophets did to Ahab. These are bad Physitians who give alwayes phisick according to the patients humour.

Next they perswade him to goe with them, and to leave Micah his house.

Micah and his family follow tO restore their gods, and Micah seeing that he was not able to recover them, [Page 243] he falles out into this pitifull speech; Ye have taken away my gods, and my priest, and what have I move.

We may learne of this Idolater Micah to esteeme more of God and his worship then of all things beside: Eli his daughter in law, when the Arke of God was ta­ken, called her sonne Ichabod no glory: That is, [...] when the Arke was taken, all glory was gone from Israel; She was more sorry for the taking of the Arke, then for the death of her father in law, and of her husband.

They disswade Micah from following of them for feare of his life verse 25. Least thou lose thy life with the lives of thy houshould. In the originall it is,What the Hebrewes meane by gathering of the soule. Ne colligas animam tuam, & animam domus tuae, that is, least thou dye and thy houshold: (to gather) is usually put for (to dye) in the Scripture; as Gen. 49.33. [...] Iacob is said to bee gathered unto his people. So Psal. 26.9. Gather not my soule with sinners, neither my life with bloody men. So. Num. 20.24 Aaron shall be gathered to his people. So Hosea 4.3. fishes shall be gathered, that is, they shall be taken away. This phrase to be gathered to their fathers, is as well spoken of the wicked as of the godly; as Ish­mael was as wel gathered to his fathers as Abraham, Gen. 25.17. Therefore this will not follow, such a man was gathered to his fathers; therefore he was elect and cho­sen of God: this is meant onely of death, which is com­mon both to the good and the bad.

Ionathan and his sones become Priests to this tribe of Dan. This tribe fell first to Idolatry;The Tribe of Dan fell first to Idolatry, and therefore were carried away first to captivity. and therefore was first carried away to the captivitie, Ier. 8.16. the snorting of the horses is heard in Dan, that is of Salma­nassar who carried away this tribe first: So that when all the tribes were sealed in the forehead,This Idolatry of the tribe of Dan laffed to the captivitie. Dan is omitted, Revelation 7. which wants not a myste­rie.

Lastly this Idolatry lasted in the tribe of Dan, unto [Page 244] the day of the Captivity of the Land, and verse 31. all the time that the house of God was in Shilo: By the day of the captivity of the Land, here is meant, that time when the Philistimes oppressed Israel mightily: it must not be taken here for captivity, which was in the time of Senacherib; By the day of the cap­tivity is meant the cap­tivity of the Phistimes when the Arke was ta­ken. for David would not have suffered this Idoll to have beene in Dan all this time; it must bee taken then for this captivitie of the Philistimes, and all the time that the house of God was in Shilo; then the scourge of the Philistimes came upon Israel: conferre 1 Sam. 4.3. with Psal. 78.60. and ye will see this clearely Psal. 78.58. He gave his strength to the cap­tivity, and they provoked him with their high places, and mooved him to Iealousie with their graven Images. This Micah his image was one of them that moved the Lord to Iealousie most.

The Arke of the Lord was in Gilgal, Shilo, Nob, Gi­beon: It was in Gilgal all the time that they were sub­duing the Land, and dividing of it for foure and twenty yeares: it was in Shilo till the death of Eli three hundred sixty and nine yeares: after the death of Eli, Shilo was destroyed, and the Arke was carried to Nob, where it remained to the death of Saul thir­teene yeeres, and it stayed in Gibeon untill the Temple of Salomon was builded; fifty yeares after Eli his death, fell this captivity of the Land, the Arke was ta­ken; then the Lord forsooke the habitation of Shilo; and delivered his power and strength to the captivity, Psal. 78.

The greatest Iudgment befell them when the Arke was taken away.Greater was the judgement which fell upon Israel for this Idolatry, then for all the former: for this Idolatry he left Shilo, the Arke was taken captive, and the people; Eli brake his necke, and his sonnes were kil [...]ed.

Idolaters thinke that they have all happinesse [Page 245] and prosperity by their Idols, Ier. 44.18. Since wee left off to burne incense to the queene of heaven, wee have wanted all things; But marke what the Lord sayes of these Idols, and makes the Israelites confesse the same, Ier. 3.24. Shame hath devoured the labour of your fathers from your youth, (that is, from your Idols) their flockes and their heards, their sonnes and their daughters. Micah when he set up his Idols flattered himselfe, Iudg. 17.13. Now I know that the Lord will doe me good. But the Lord sayes Deut. 27.15. Cursed bee the man that maketh any graven or molten Image an abomination unto the Lord, and all the people shall say Amen. But happie is the Church when she sayes, Hos. 2. I will goe and returne to my first husband, for then it was better with me then now.

At this time there fell out a filthy fact in Gibeah in the tribe of Beniamin; A filthy fact commit­ted in Gibeah at this time. for there the men of Gibeah abused the Levites concubine, so that she died by the violence done unto her: there the ten tribes made warre against the Beniamites, The Beniamines pre­vaile against the Israe­lites because of their Idolatrie. & although Beniamin were the children of iniquitie, yet they prevailed against the ten tribes, because the ten tribes at this time were infected with Micha his Idolatrie.

Idolatrie is a viler sin then the sin of Gibeah, Ho. 10.9.Idolatry exceedes the sinne of Gibeah and the sinne of Sodom, and matcheth bestialitie. It is a viler sin then the sin of Sodome, Eze 16.46. It is a sin like unto beastialitie, when a man lyes with a beast, Eze. 23.20. what sinne then can be greater then Idolatrie.

And thus they committed Idolatry from age to age, while the Iudges ruled them, untill God was wroth and greatlie abhorred Israel, Psal. 78.

In Samuels dayes they worshipped Baal, Of the increase of Ido­latry under Somuel. and Ashta- 1. Sam. 7.

The decrease of this Idolatry was 1 Sam. 7.6. when the people gathered themselves together to Mizpeh and drew water, and powred it out before the Lord, and fasted [Page 246] on that day and said there, What is signified by powring out water before the Lord. we have sinned against the Lord: to powre out water in the Scripture signifies to powre out a thing abundantly, Deut. 12.16. ye shall not eate the blood, but powre it out upon the ground like water. So Gen. 49. Reuben is powred forth lik water; that is, he hath given himselfe over altogether to lust; And the Scripture ex­presseth this their repentance by powring out of water ra­ther then by powring out of any other liquor; for al­though ye should powre out oyle, or honey out of a ves­sel, yet some of the liquor would still remaine in the ves­sell, & the smell also, But when water is powred out of a vessell, nothing remaines, no not the smell. By this pow­ring out of water, they signifie that they would altoge­ther renounce their Idolatrie, and that not so much as the tangue or smell of it should remaine among them.

Samuel reprooves them for choosing of a King; then they are terrified with thunder in the time of the wheate harvest: Lastly, hee diswades them from Idolatrie, 1 Sam. 12.12. and 17.21.

Hee rebukes them for choosing of a King. Kingly go­vernment, was the government which God was min­ded to erect amongst them, they had three commande­ments given to them, when they were to enter into Canaan, first to cast out the Canaanites, the se­cond to choose a King; and the third to build the tem­ple. The Lord was minded then to give them a King, but hee was angry with them, because they would have had a King; such as the nations had. Againe hee was angry with them, because they were weary of Samuels governement, and likewise for anti­cipating the time, the Iewes said of them comederunt immaturum avam, they eate the grape before it was ripe.

He terrifies the people, calling upon the Lord to send [Page 247] thunder in the wheate harvest, when it was the most cleare and faire season of the whole yeare, at the Pen­tecost, or about the Pentecost, therefore it is called festum messis. If it had beene in the time of the Barley harvest, at the Pascha, it had not seemed so strange a thing to the people to have heard thunder, for then the clouds abounded more, and Iordan did over flow the bankes thereof by the melting of the snow upon the mountaines.

The Lord caused it to thunder, God hath two sorts of voyces by which he speakes to men. The first by his voyce in the thunder, Psal. 29. secondly by his voyce in the Temple, Psal. 26.9. The first is an inarticulate voyce, the other is articulate; sometimes he both thun­dred and spake at once; and when they came together, then his articulate voyce was called hath col filia vocis He gave his law with thunder, Exod. 19. and in sundry of the Revelations shewen to Iohn, with the voyce there was thunder Chapter 4.5. and 6.1. and 10.3. there­fore we reade, Iohn 12.18. when there came a voyce from heaven, the people who stood by, some of them said it thundereth, and others of them said, an Angel speaketh un­to him, the reason of this was because the Lord usually spake to them in the thunder, but here when the people were terrified, hee spoke not to them in the thunder, but terrified them and comforted them by Samuel.

Lastly, he prayeth for the people, & diswadeth them to turne aside; for then they should goe after vaine things which cannot profit nor deliver, 1 Sam. 12.21.

This Idolatrie spread more in the time of the Kings, then it did under the Iudges; all the Kings of Iudah com­mitted Idolatrie, or else by their oversight tolera­ted it.

All the Kings of Iudah sinned except three, Syrac. 49. David, Ezekias, and Iosias, There were three kings of Iudah most excel­lent Kings. that is all committed Idola­trie [Page 248] or did tollerate it, except these three Iehosaphat he did not tollerate Idolatrie, yet because he made affinitie with Ahab, 2 Chro. 18.2. and joyned himselfe with A­haziah King of Israel, who did verie wickedly, 2 Chron. 20.36. because he did these things, hee is not reckoned amongst the first three of the Lords worthies, amongst the Kings of Iudah, David was most zealous for the glorie of God, and is set downe as a paterne to other Kings, 2 Chron. 29.2. Ezekias did uprightly as his fa­ther David did, therefore Ecclesiasticus 47.2. David is compared to the fatt of the peace offerings; All the peace offerings was the Lords, but the fat was his after a speciall manner, because it was wholly burnt to him; So David exceeded all the rest of the Kings in zeale; Therfore the zeale of Gods house did eate him up, Ps. 69.9

Amongst the Kings of Egypt or Pharaohes, some of them were [...] minime mali; they favoured the peo­ple of God,A collation betwixt the Kings of Egypt, the kings of Israel, and the kings of Iudah. as Abrahams, Pharaoh, Iacobs Pharaoh, and Iosephes Pharaoh. Others of them were [...] badde, as Pharaoh Ophrah, Ier. 44. and Pharaoh Neco, Ier. 46. and some of them were [...], as Moses his Pharaoh.

Among the Kings of Israel there were none good, they were either [...], they were either bad, or very bad, none of them were [...] not evill; They suckt the milke of Idolatrous superstition in the daies of Ieroboam, whereunto they were addicted alwaies, so long as the common wealth indured even the reigne of ninteene Kings.

But amongst the Kings of Iudah some were [...] op­timi, as David, Ezekias and Iosias; some of them were [...] boni, as Iehosaphat, Asa, and Manasseh. Manasseh is reckoned amongst the good kings; because his end was good Eze. 18. Some of them were [...] as Vzziah was, who began well, but his heart was lifted up and he fell away from the Lord afterward, and some [Page 249] of them were [...] most wicked, as Ammon and Ahaz but there were none of them [...] minime mali.

Object. But it may be said of Iosias, that the remnants of Baal were not taken away in his tyme, Zepha. 1.4. why then should he be reckoned amongst the best Kings?

Answ. He studies to cut away the remnants of Ba­al, which he could not finde out at the first, because I­dolaters are very subject to cover their Idolatry.

The first increase of Idolatry under the Kings was in Salomons dayes, 1 Kings 11.5.The first increase of I­dolatry amongst the kings was in Salomon time. When Salomon went af­ter Ashtaroth the goddesse of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abhomination of the Ammonites. The Lord gave Salomon wisedome above any, he exceelled the wisedome of the East country,What great blessings the Lord bestowed up­on Salomon before hee fell. and all the wisedome of Egypt in naturall wisedome; The Lord gave him a heart as large as the sand of the sea, 1 Kin. 4.29. the Lord loved him and called his name Iedidiah, 2 Sam. 12.25. The Lord appeared twice to him, 1 King. 9.10. The Lord made choise of him to be one of his secretaries to write a part of the holy scriptures: It was hee who builded the temple, and bestowed infinite charges upon buil­ding of it; It was he who consecrated the Temple; It was he who offered when the Temple was consecrated [...]0000. oxen, 1 King. 8.63. and 120000. sheepe; It was he who prayed for the people and blessed them, 1. King. 8.55. It was hee who was a speciall type of Christ: It was hee who fell not away untill his old age, and although the Lord threatned him, that hee would rent his Kingdome for this his Idolatrie, yet hee continued still in it, 1 King. 9.11. and was not a whit bettered by the threatnings of the prophet, and herein he seemes to be worse then his foolish sonne Rehoboam, for when the Prophet Semajah came to diswade him, for to fight against Ieroboam, hee left off his purpose, and went backe againe, but Salomon lay long in a Le­thargie, [Page 250] before he awoke; who would have thought that the dragon with his taile could have pulled downe so farre this shining starre; and when we see such a great Cedar of Lebanon as this to have fallen, Let us with feare and reverence worke out our salvation.

The decrease of this Idolatry when Salo­mon wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes.The decrease of this Idolatry was, when Salomon wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes in a publike testimony of his repentance. Salomon wrote three bookes: the first is his Proverbes, and it is intituled, The Proverbs of Sa­lomon the sonne of David King of Israel; a fit booke of morall instructions for a King to write to his subjects: then he wrote his booke of Ecclesiastes to the Church after his fall, when he was gathered to the Church a­gaine,Cohe [...]eth from Cabal congregare. and he beginnes this booke thus, Vanity of vani­ties; and by vanities here he meanes especially Idola­trie; for Idolls are the Gentiles vanities, Ionah 2. and [...], Act. 14.15. and he shuts up this booke thus, feare God and keepe, his commandements; which shewes that Salomon renounced the vanities of those Idols: And the last booke which he wrote, was, the Song of Songs, which is the most excellent of all songs, yea, and of all Salomons Songs, wherein his heart is elevated in descri­bing this spirituall conjunction betweene Christ and his Church, under the termes of a marriage made with his queene, when he married Pharaos daughter.

Reasons proving that Salomon wrote this booke after his repen­tance.It is cleare that Salomon wrote his booke after his re­pentance, and after that hee had tried all sorts of vani­ties, and not before his fall: for in this booke hee de­scribes his wisedome, his power, the buildings, and the glory of his house, which answers to that which is spo­ken of him, 1 King. 7.9, 10. at the least he spent twentie yeares before all these things were done; then he spent thirteene yeares in building of his house; then adde to these five or sixe in repairing the citie, and in building of the cities in the desert so that by this time hee had [Page 251] beene fortie or fiftie yeares old; and adde to these the sending of the ships to Ophir, which hee sent to fetch home gold, Eccles. 2. then hee tells how much hee was given to women (J found a woman more bitter than death, Eccles. 7.26.) and of a thousand wives and concubines which he had, there was not one which he could trust, Eccles. 7 and these all he found but vanities. Hee could not doe all those things, and have experience of all these vanities; but in a long time.

Bellarmine goes about to prove out of the text, that this booke was written before Salomons fall, because he saith, my wisedome remained with me, Eccles. 2.9. but his wisedome could not remaine with him, when he fell so filthily: therefore (saith hee) this booke was writ­ten before his fall.

Answ. The wisedome which remained with him, so long as he went astray from the Lord, was his carnall wisedome; and his spirituall wisedome was buried all this while untill the time that he repented.

The reasons in particular which shewes Salomon his repentance, are those.

First, Salomon was a Prophet of God,Salomon was a holy Prophet of God, there­fore he was not a re­probate. and a Pen man of holy Scriptures; now all the Prophets of God were holy men, Luke 1.70. therefore Salomon was a holy man, although he was overtaken with those vanities for a while.

The second reason is taken from the promise of God,The second reason that hee was not a repro­bate is taken from the promise of God made to him. 2 Sam. 7.14. I will be his father (saith the Lord) and hee shall be my sonne; if he commit iniquitie, I will chastise him with the rods of men, and with the stripes of the children of men (that is, with stripes that men are able to beare) but [...] mercy shall not depart away from him, The third reason be­cause Salomon is set down for an exam­ple of imitation, and he is commended who followed him. as I tooke it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

The third reason, Salomon is set downe for an example of imitation, and he is commended who followeth him; [Page 252] Rehoboam walked in the way of David and Salomon, the first three yeares, 2 Chro. 11.17. Hence it followeth, that Salomon hath repented him of his former vanities, and died a sonne reconciled to his God: and as the evill beginning of Manasseh shewes the bad end of Am­mon; So the good beginnings of Rehoboam shewes the good end of Salomon.

What things are to be observed when the Kings of Israel and Iudah are set downe for examples.When the Kings of Iudah and Israel are set downe for examples; these things are to be observed. First, if the wicked sonne follow his fathers wicked footesteppes, without repentance, then both perish, 2. King. 15.9. Secondly, if the wicked king repent him of his sinne, and his sonne be said to follow his fathers footsteppes; then he is said to follow his fathers footsteppes onely in the time of his vanities. It is said of Ammon, 2 King. 21.21. that he followed his father, and he worshipped those Idols which his father worshipped: This is to be understood that hee followed his father in his badde dayes, and not in his last dayes, when he repented him of his sinnes. Thirdly, when the King repents him of his former leud life, and his son is commended for fol­lowing his fathers footsteppes; then it is to be under­stood, that the sonne followed his fathers footsteppes in the end of his life, and not in his former wicked dayes; and thus Rehoboam is said to have walked in the wayes of David and Salomon, 2 Chron. 11.17. that is, he fol­lowed Salomon his father in his last yeares when he re­pented. Fourthly, if the King carrie himselfe well in the beginning of his reigne, and fall afterward, then his sonne is said not to follow his footsteppes; and the reason of this is given Ezech. 16.24.The second in crease of Idolatry.

The second increase of Idolatrie under the Kings, was after the dayes of Salomon, when the tenne tribes fell away from the house of David; and Ieroboam erected golden calves to be worshipped in Dan and Bethel.

After that, the ten tribes separated themselves from the house of David: The tenne tribes are called the house of Israel; and those that cleaved to David, are called the house of Iudah: So the ten tribes are called Ephraim, and Ioseph; they are called Ephraim, Psal. 80.2. be­cause their first king was of Ephraim.

Ieroboam changed foure things in the worship of God at this time; and therefore it is said,Ieroboam changed foure things in the worship of God. he drove away Israel from the Lord, and made them to sinne a great sinne, 2 Kin. 17.21. or fecit Ieroboam Israel avolare a domino; he made them to flie away from the Lord.

He changed first the place,The text reading, and the marginall reading. 2 Chron. 7.16. 1 King. 12.14. Hee placed those calves in Bethel, and Dan. The name of this Bethel (because the Idoll was erected there) was changed, and it was called Bethhaven, the house of vanitie, and not [...]thel the house of God, 1 Kin. 12.30. And this thing became a sinne; for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan; Ieroboam pretended the ease of the people, when hee set up those calves; he would not have them to goe up to Ierusalem to worship. Therefore he set up one Idol in Bethel, in the South side of the country, and an other in Dan, in the North side of the countrie, that they might goe there the more commodiously to worship; yet notwithstanding they were carried after their Idols, as with a whirlewinde, 1 Cor. 12.2. that they would runne from the South to the North, for the worship­ping of those Idolls, and would not be content with their Idoll which they had neare hand in Bethel, but they would runne to Dan also and worship.

Secondly,He changed the signe of Gods presence. Ieroboam changed the signes of Gods presence, and put in two golden calves in their place.

Thirdly, hee changed the time of Gods worship,He changed the time of Gods worship. 1 King. 12.32. he offered on the altar which hee made [Page 254] in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eight moneth which he had devised of his owne heart.

He made the basest of the people priests.Fourthly, hee made the basest of the people priests, 1 King. 12.31. And Iosephus holds that Ieroboam him­selfe played the part of the highpriest, 1 King. 12.33. It is said in the originall, that he went up upon the Altar sacrificing to the calves that he had made.

Whether the sinne of the ten tribes, or the sinne of Iudah was greater. Quest. Whether was the sinne of the ten tribes, or the sinne of Iudah greater when they committed Idola­trie.

Answ. The Idolatry of the tenne tribes was grea­ter extensive: It was further extended and dured longer than the Idolatry of Judah, but intensive, Iudah his Ido­latry was greater, The sinne of Judah was written with a pen of iron, and with a point of a diamond, it was graven upon the table of their heart [...]nd upon the hornes of their altar, Ier. 17.1. and Ierusalem Aholibah was more cor­rupted in her fornications than Aholah or Samaria, Ezech 23.11. The promise of the Messias was made more clearely to Iudah than to Israel; Iudah had some verie good Kings, who were types of Christ; Israel had none; Judah had the temple, which Israel had not at all; Iudah had many prophets, Israel few; Iudah saw Israel carried away, and plagued for their I­dolatrie, and yet Iudah repented not; therefore Iudah's sinne was greater than Israels; shee exceeded Samaria and Sodome in her filthinesse, Ezechiel chapter 16. verse 46.Whether the Kings of Israel or the Kings of Iudah who were Ido­laters were the viler.

The Kings of Israel were viler than the Kings of Iu­dah: Therefore when the wicked Kings of Iudah are blamed they are said to walke in the wayes of the Kings of Israel, 2 King. 16.1. [...], 3. The Kings of Israel were worse than the Kings of Iudah, because all of them were badde, and some of them as bad or badder than any of the Kings of Iudah; as wicked Ahab.

The pride of the ten tribes was greater, than the pride of Iudah, they compare themselves to the Cedar of Lebanon; and they compare Iudah but to the thistle, 2 King. 14.9.

Object. But God gave an expresse commandment to the tenne tribes that they would separate themselves from Iudah.

Answ. But hee never commanded them to separate themselves from the worship of Iudah.

Because Ieroboam drew away the people to this fearefull Idolatry; therefore the Lord threatens that none of his posterity shall succeede.

The Lord punisheth the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children. There is a personall sinne,The Lord punishes the Idolatry of the fathers upon the children in haereditarie sinnes, but not in personall. and there is an haereditary sinne. A personall sinne is that which the fa­ther is onely guilty of, and not the sonne: an haeredi­tary sinne is that which both the father and the chil­dren are guilty of; but in a personall sinne the posterity followes not the father: it is said of Zelophehad, Num. 27 3. That he dyed in his owne sinne, that is, in a sinne which his posterity was not guilty of, it was not that common sinne in murmuring against God through misbeleefe, for the which none of them entered into Canaan; but it was a peculiar sinne of his owne; which his posterity was not guilty of; but if they doe follow the foote steppes of their wicked fathers, then it is an haereditary sinne, and it is imputed to them.

If the Idolatrous sonne follow the Idolatrous father, then he is guilty of his fathers sin; as Ammon was guil­ty of Manasseh his sinne: So if they follow the foote­steppes of their Idolatrous mother, then they are guil­ry of her Idolatry: when the mothers baked the cakes to the Queene of heaven, Ier. 7.18. The children gathe­red the stickes to kindle the fire, here they were guilty of [Page 256] their mothers Idolatry: it is a terrible imprecation of David Psal. 109.14. Let the iniquitie of his father be re­membred, and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out: when the Idolaters have to answere both for their fa­thers Idolatry, and for their mothers, this is a fearefull case; [...] then they receive Kephalaiim Esay 40. double for all their sinnes, that is, both for their owne sinnes, and for the sinnes of their parents.

Although the Idolater repent him of his Ido­latry yet his sonne may be punished for it.And it is to be marked that although the Idolater re­pent him of his Idolatry; yet the Lord may charge his posterity with that sinne: Manasseh was a great Idola­ter, and shed innocent blood; these sinnes were pardo­ned in Manasseh; yet his posterity were punished (accor­ding to all that he did) that is, both for his Idolatry, and for shedding of innocent blood: and these sinnes were not pardoned in his posterity.

There was never any decrease of Idolatry in the ten tribes, but it overspread all their Kings, as a Lepro­sie.

The Kings of Israel all of them successively for nine­teene generations were Idolaters, yet amongst them all, there was none like Ahab who did sell himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, 1 King. chap. 21. ver. 25:

Of the sinnes of Ahab the wickedest King in Israel.This Ahab persecuted the Prophets of God, and killed them. Secondly, hee threw downe the Altars of the Lord. Thirdly, hee intertained foure hundred Priests of Baal at his table: and fourthly he worshipped Baal.

Ahab persecuted the Prophets and killed them.First he persecuted the Prophets of God, and killed them: Those who are most deare to the Lord, whom the Lord expresly forbad to meddle with, Psal. 105 15. Touch not mine annointed, and doe my Prophets no harme. And they that touched them touched the Aple of his eye, Zach. 2.8. He that receiveth a Prophet (saith Christ [Page 257] Math. 10.41) in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophets reward, Then Ahab who killed the Pro­phets knowing that they were Prophets, what reward got he? The Prophets of God most resemble the great Prophet the Lord Iesus Christ, who did two things for us: first the things which he did from God to us, in re­vealing Gods will to us: The second is which he did from us to god, interceding at his hands for us. So the Prophets of God, first they revealed the will of God to us, and secondly they interceded for us Gen. 20.7. He is a Prophet and he will pray for thee: therefore the Prophets were called the strength and the Chariots of Is­rael, 2 King. 13.14. and where prophecie was wanting there the people were naked, Prov. 20.12.

Secondly Ahab threw downe the Altars of God. 1 King. 19.10.

Quest. What Altars of God were in Israel at this time?

Answ. 1 King. 18.30. And Elijah repaired the Al­tar of the Lord that was broken downe, which Altar Elijah erected in Carmell.

There were many that were injurious to the Lords Altars; Ahab, threw downe the Lords Altar;Whosoever medled with the Altar of the Lord, the Lord plagued them. Achaz caused to remove the Lords Altar: Vzziah went a­bout to offer incense at the Lords golden Altar: Vriah the high priest offered upon the Altar of Damascus in place of the Altar of the Lord: Nadab and Abihu that brought strange fire to the Lords Altar; and there was never one of these who medled with the Lords Al­tar, but the Lord plagued them for it The Altar of God was called Arriel. Ezch. 43.15. the Lyon of god; [...] and whosoever medled with this Lyon, he devoured them: when Esaiah was called to be a Prophet, Esay 6. there came an Angell flying from the Altar, with a paire of tongs in his hand, and a living coale in it, and tou­ched [Page 258] the lippes of the Prophet, and sanctified him: But when God was wroth with those for medling with his Altar, there came a messenger of Gods wrath from the altar and plagued them; as the leprosie came flying from the Altar and smote Vzzia, and fire came from the Al­tar and burnt Nadab and Abihu; and so upon the rest who medled with this Altar, who ever threw it downe or polluted it. Ahaz medled with the brasen Altar a type of Christs death, and Vzziah medled with the gol­den Altar a type of Christs intercession, therefore God poured out his wrath upon them & plagued them both.

Marke a difference betwixt the Prophets of the Lord and Baals Priests;A difference betwixt the Lords Prophets and the Priests of Baal. if ye will respect their number, they are eight hundreth and fifty, The prophets of the Lord were but few in respect of them, Obadiah tooke an hun­dreth Prophets and hidde them by fifties in a cave, 1 King 18.4. If yee will respect their fare; there was a great difference also, the poore Prophets were fed onely with bread and water; but the Priests of the groves were fed at the court. 1 King. 18.19. Thirdly, if ye will respect their apparell, and the places where they lived; yee shall see great difference, the Prophets of God went in sheepe skinnes, and goate skinnes, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy of, they wandred in deserts, and in mountaines, and in dennes and caves of the earth, Heb. 11.37.38. But Baals priests lived daintily in all plenty: But if wee shall looke to their end; and how they were miserably killed, and how the Pro­phets of God were delivered, how they were separate for the day of slaughter, and all killed in one day; then wee would make choise rather with Moses to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the plea­sures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11.25. and with David rather to be a doorekeeper in the house of God, then to dwell [Page 259] in the tents of wickednesse, Psal. 84.10.

Fourthly, Achab worshiped Baall: In the scripture wee reade of three sorts that were diversly affected to Baal, Three sorts that were diversly affected to­wards Baal. first those who pleaded against Baal, as Gideon called Ie­rubaal, of Ierubash [...]th, 2 Sam. 9.23. and Elijah; secondly those who stoop for Baal, as Ahab and Iezebell, and the Priests of Baal. And thirdly those who halted betwixt God & Baal, in the politickes they were said [...] as Dion said of Cicero, because he now clave to the peo­ple, and now to the Senate, and Homer called such a one [...], that is he who cleaves to this point, and now to that, and this was called [...] when the mind is car­ried now this way now that way.

Quest. Which of those two was worst?

An: Those who halted betwixt God & Baal; therfore the Lord sayes, Reve. 3. I would thou wert hot or cold, but because thou art lukewarme, I wil spue thee out of my mouth; lukewarmenes here is not the midst betwixt hotte and cold, as it is in Physicall things, but it is farthest from the vertue, heate, & the Lord detests more the lukewarme then the cold; The Phylosopher Ethic. 7. markes foure sorts of men, the first is continens & temperans, The worst sort of all were those, who halted betwixt God and Baal. the se­cond is incontinens & intemperans, the third is, temperans & incontinens, the fourth is, continens & intemperans. Continens & temperans is hee who bridles his passions, & suffers them not to burst forth into action. Incontinens & intēperans, is he who rules not his passions, but suffers them to burst forth into action. Incontinens & tēperans, is he who rules not his passion, but yet suffers not his pas­sion to burst forth into action, as hee that suffers not the sun to goe down upon his wrath, Psal. 4. Be angry, but sin not, as if hee should say, when ye are angry (for to this passion of anger all men are prone) sin not, that is, execut not this your anger with a deliberate purpose; the fourth is, continens & intemperans, and he refraines his passion, [Page 260] and bridles it, yet executes it in action, as he who killes in cold blood.

Quest. Which of these foure sorts are worst?

Answ. A man would thinke that hee were worst, who were both incontinent and temperate, but yet it is not so, for hee that is continent and bridles his passions and intemperate and refraines not from the action hee is the worst sort of men, for hee does deliberately sinne, and not miscarried by his passion: so hee that is luke­warme in the service of God, is farther from the vertue, then he that is cold, and hee that halts betwixt God and Baal, is by the Lord more abhorred then he who direct­ly stands for Baal: The people that were brought from strange nations to Samaria, they are said to have feared the Lord, and worshipped their owne Gods, 2 King. 17.33. yet because they worshipped both, it is said, ver. 34. that they feared not the Lord, for the Lord detests those most of all; so those lukewarme people are most hated of him: and as the stomacke cannot brooke lukewarme things, so well as it does hot or cold, for hot or cold things do contract the stomack, and make it keepe things the better; but lukewarme things delates the stomacke, and makes it spew them out; so the Lord spewes out these lukewarme people, and cannot brooke them by any people.

Elijah reproved Ahab to his face.Now Elijah, who opposeth himselfe to Baal and to Ahab the maintainer of Baal, comes and reprooves A­hab to his face, and says that it was hee that troubled Israel; So Paul came and withstood Peter to his face: These are called the faithfull woundes of a friend; The Physitians call the woundes opposit to these [...] un­faithfull; Those that are given behind a mans backe, as detraction or backbiting are most dangerous wounds.Elijah contesteth with the Pristes of Baal, for the worship of God.