of God which is nothing else but his power By this argument doth Christ prooue that his miracles were not done by the power of Belzebub If I by the finger of God cast out Diuils by whom doe your children cast them out Lastly this may also appeare by the consideration of the meanes which the Lord vseth in working of miracles As the shadow of Peter to cure diseases Can any mans shadow cure another No but the Lord would haue that this meanes should shew that the things were wrought by his power So the Handkercher of Paul did cure diseases not that there were any such vertue in it but that it came from the Lord So also did the hem of Christs garment is there any power in the hem of a mans garment to cure diseases Surely no but the Lord vseth that meanes to teach vs thereby that his power onely doth worke it Here then we must acknowledge that miracles are wrought only by the Lord and serue greatly to the aduancing of his glory Lastly we must consider that a miracle is contrary to the instinct of Nature Nature had neuer any such inclination as to bring to passe any miracle as when the water stood on two parts nature had a desire to make the waters runne when as then the waters stoode it was contrarie to nature The vse The vse that we must make hereof is to giue to God that which is his owne that wee should acknowledge him to be the sole author and worker of miracles that either haue béene or shall be in the world If thou giue them to Satan then doest thou constitute him instéed of the Lord himselfe Art thou the Lords then know that neither Sathan nor any creature is able to worke any miracle against thée If thou be his rather then his name should be dishonoured by thée hee will worke miraculously for thy good and preseruation Further this serueth to ratifie our faith in the power of God The Diuill is his seruant whether he will or not he can do nothing but that which the Lord willeth And hereby we hold that our bodies shall be raised againe at the last day For God is able to worke all miracles although there be neither bone skin nor flesh left yet hee is able to ioyne flesh to flesh sinew to sinew and raise vs vp againe with the same bodies we had before The second part of this Sermon Now remaineth some-thing to be spoken more plainely and particularly of miracles For as in all other things so also in miracles the Lord vseth diuerse and sundry wayes of working For eyther himselfe alone and of himselfe alone or else he vseth some creature in the working of the same As in the creation of the world hee vsed not any thing out of himselfe but in himselfe by himselfe and of himselfe alone he created all things of nothing So likewise in the working of some miracles it pleaseth him not to admit the vse of any creature whatsoeuer As when hée stayed the sunne in the firmament hee did it of himselfe without the helpe of any other So also he turned back the shadow of the Dyall of Azah by himselfe alone without the vse of any other But neuerthelesse in working some miracles he vseth meanes but especially man for the meanes thereof As in all the myracles wrought in Egipt the Lord did worke them indéed but by the hand of Moses and Aaron He deuided the redde Sea so that Israel passed through on drye foote but it was done by Moses So also hee wrought many miracles in the wildernesse before the Isralites but by the hands of Moses and Aaron So some miracles were done by Judges some by Elizaeus and others of the Prophets So also God wrought miracles afterward not only by his sonne but also by the hands of the Apostles So that it is a true point of religion to holde that the Lord in working of miracles doth oftentimes vse the meanes of man therin In this doctrine wee are to take héede of these two dangerous points First that we derogate nothing from the Maiestie of God although hee vse meanes in the working of many miracles Secondly that we do not magnifie the Creature which the Lord vseth aboue that which is conuenient Into which many haue fallen heretofore For the auoyding therefore of them it is necessary to hold these two points of Religion first to beléeue and know that the omnipotent power of God cannot be communicated to any creature For the Lord saith as of his wisedome iustice and mercy so also of his power I will not giue my glory to another We are therefore to hold that the power of God cannot beséeme any creature whatsoeuer no though it bee an Angell of Heauen Secondly that wee must know remember and constantly beléeue that albeit the power of GOD could be communicated to any creature either in heauen or in earth yet that there is no creature capeable thereof no creature is able to beare it This is euident in the example of Peter before whome when CHRIST had wrought a miracle and hee had séene some small sight of his glory he sayd Depart from mee Lord for I am a sinfull man If Peter could not abide the glimmering of his glory and if it brought his sinnes to memory insomuch that hee thought himselfe vnworthy of his presence how much more vnable had hee béene to bears the weight thereof But may some say if this bee so why then doth the Lord vse meanes in working of miracles why doth hee vse men Prophets Apostles yea and those also which haue no iustifying faith and also other creatures I answer the Lord vseth them not because he stands in néed of them for he can worke all things of himselfe neither vseth he them that men should ascribe lesse to him and more to the creatures which he vseth but for to teach vs these thrée things First to teach vs how his Maiestie doth approoue the meanes whereby things are brought to passe for if the Lord vseth meanes when as they be of lesse vse much more wil he approoue when the meanes are vsed which haue some power to bring things to passe This then is the first cause why the Lord vseth meanes to shew that he would haue vs kept maintained and liue in this world but so as by vsing such meanes as his Maiestie shall appoint Therefore no man ought to neglect and contemne the meanes least hee oppose himselfe against the Lord Secondly the Lord vseth creatures in working miracles to support and vphold mans weaknesse who is not able to looke on his Maiestie when hee worketh himselfe This is plaine in the example of the Israelites Exod. 19. when they came to Mount Sinai to heare the Lord there was such thunder and lightning and the sound of a Trumpet excéeding lowd and the Mount all of a smoake because the Lord came downe by fire they were so bereft of their sences and were so afraide that afterward they
desired the Lord not to speake to them himselfe any more but that they might haue Moses to speake vnto them and they would heare him Thirdly the Lord vseth meanes for the tryall of our faith of our religion and conscience whether wee will ascribe the worke that is wrought to the worker thereof or to the meanes or partly to the worker and partly to the meanes or as some doe all to the meanes and none to the worker The Lord tryeth whether we will be constant to ascribe the power that is in miracles vnto his Maiestie for in the miracles of Christ we sée how diuersly they were expounded albeit they were effected by the finger of God yet the Pharisees would not ascribe them to the worker but sayd that hee wrought miracles by Belzebub the Prince of Deuils This is the corruption of man and want of faith they are ready to ascribe though not all yet at the least some part of the miracle to creatures which are but the meanes and not wholy to the Lord who is the onely worker of miracles for these causes the Lord vseth meanes in working miracles to teach vs these things thereby for all miracles are wrought not for him but for our cause The meanes which the Lord vseth are of diuers sorts but especially thrée First some meanes which the Lord vseth in working of miracles are such as may séeme to men to haue some power in them for the working of the miracle As when Moses came to the red Sea he lift vp his Rod and stretched out his hand ouer the waters So when he came to the Rocke to get water for the people he strooke the Rocke with his staffe which séemed to haue some power in it to make the water gush out of the Rock as afterward it did The second sort of meanes which the Lord vseth are such as haue not so much as an appearance of any force or power or vse in the working of the miracle Such was the hem of Christs garment the hem of a garment hath not so much as an appearance that it should heale any that are diseased Such was the handkercher of Paule to cure diseases what are handkerchers or swadling cloutes as we may aswell say for the curing of diseases such was the shadow of Peter where vnto some comming were healed of their diseases These were wrought when the Apostles were ignorant thereof and when they were occupied about other matters But yet it pleaseth the Lord to vse such means although they haue not any appearance of any power in the working of a miracle Thirdly the Lord vseth such meanes as are not auaileable for the worke but séeme to hinder it as in curing of the blinde man the claye which was made and layde vpon his eyes this CHRIST who was God and man vsed though it séemed to containe in it a naturall hinderance to the Miracle These thrée sorts of meanes the Lord vseth to teach vs thrée notable points First he vseth the first meanes to trie the trueth of our faith to sée whether we be so firme in faith and whether we will so wholy relie vpon him as that hée will giue all glory to him for the working of the miracle though the meanes vsed doe séeme to haue some power of bringing it to passe wee must therefore learne to giue all glory to the Lord whatsoeuer Secondly the second sort of meanes that the Lord vseth is to teache vs that it is he alone that worketh miracles and not the creature which is vsed his sole omnipotent power doth worke it Let the meanes doe or bee what it will whether it be any creature what-so-euer or no creature as was the shadowe of Peter which was nothing but the absence of light Let vs acknowledge the LORD to bee the onely cause and worker of the miracle Thirdly the third sort of meanes teacheth vs to giue nothing to the creature it selfe which is vsed which is contrary to the opinion of many superstitious people and contrarie to all Coniurers Sorcerers or casters of Figures Sathan maketh them to thinke that the miracle is brought to passe by him or the meanes which hee appointeth and not by the power of GOD. But wee must acknowlegde that all Creatures what-so-euer that albeit the power of Angels be great yet if all these were ioyned together yet they were not able to worke the least miracle that could be This doctrine hath singular vse First it teacheth vs what a miracle is Secondly what a miracle is not as all manner of appearances are no miracles whether they bee illusions of Sathan or procéed from the deceipt subtilty and agilitie of man none of them are miracles So the preseruation of mankind albeit it bee a true worke wrought by God onely yet because it is a true vsuall and ordinary worke it is no miracle for euery miracle is a rare worke of God Thirdly it teacheth vs that no worke is a miracle which cannot bee felt smelled or perceiued by some of the senses when men therefore hold vs in hand that there is a myracle yet if wee cannot sée any thing feele smell or taste any thing contrary to the ordinary manner there is no miracle wrought Therefore let the malignant Church of Rome teach write and decrée in their counsels that there is a miracle wrought in the Sacrifice of their Altar yet because I can neyther sée touch smell nor taste any thing but the same that was before it cannot bee any Miracle Fourthly euery miracle is wrought by the sole omnipotent power of GOD. If any worke bee done by the power of Sathan or of any man or any thing bee done wonderfully by the power of Nature it is no miracle If Sathan hath power to doe any strange thing it is a naturall worke and therefore no miracle So also of the good Angels So likewise if we sée strange things come to passe in the Heauens by Naturall causes wee are not to thinke they are any miracles Last of all if any thing fall out according to the rare strength and power of some Waters or other creatures if it fall out by Nature or if partlye by Arte and partlye by Nature it is no miracle Whatsoeuer therefore is not brought to passe by the sole omnipotent power of God and that is not contrary to Nature it is no miracle It followeth now to sée how many sorts and kinds of miracles there be I meane not how many sorts there be in Nature for so there is but onely one true miracle but in name and as they are called for so there may be diuerse and this I gather out of the words of these Pharisees How can a man that is a sinner doe such miracles insinuating thereby that there bee some miracles which sinners may doe yet not such as CHRIST had done Out of this place then wee gather that in name there bee two sorts of miracles One is a true and diuine miracle which is that whereof
wee haue spoken before which is an vnbeceaueable miracle for it is not done to deceiue any but to magnifie the worke thereof and for the good of them for whom it is wrought and for the profit of those which behold it it is called diuine because it is wrought by the soule omnipotent power of God Besides this there is a false vaine and deceiueable miracle false I say because it is not this for whatsoeuer is not this is a false Miracle and vaine because it cannot haue any good Godly profitable and holy vse to the conscience of man and deceiueable because it deludeth men that are to discerne and iudge of it This is the miracle which the Pharisees here speake of the which is granted to bee done by the wicked Elsewhere in the scriptures wee read who are the workers of this miracle as namely Sathan himselfe doth often-times worke it So also his Ministers do often-times worke the same for the holy Ghost teacheth vs Math. 24. 24. That in the latter dayes there shall come false Christs and false Prophets and shewe great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect. Wée must not imagine that the false Christs shall worke true miracles but they shall worke such strange and wonderfull things that they should carry away many after them nay if the Lord had not decréed in his secret counsell to saue them that they should neuer fall away they would also deceiue them Whereby wee may bee admonished that séeing wee are in the last age of the world that fearefull times are at hand wherein false Christs shall arise and deceiue many And is not Satan now strong in the hearts of the reprobates that they will teach false doctrines Now what if Heretickes and Scismatickes should haue power to confirme their doctrine by miracles and strange wonders would not many beléeue in them Let vs therefore as Paule taught the Galathians prepare our hearts that if an Angell from Heauen teach vs any other doctrine then that which wee haue receiued in the written word of GOD let him bee accursed The Holy Ghost also foretelleth vs 2 Thes 2. 9. That before the comming of CHRIST to iudgement shall appeare Antichrist with all power with signes and lying wonders The Holy Ghost doth before admonish vs hereof That wee should not wauer at euery motion nor fall away at euery tryall but bee constant and hold fast the Doctrine which wee haue receiued from the Lord by his Prophets his Sonne and his Apostles then although wee bee tryed with Hereticks and Scismatickes and séeme to ourselues and to others to be lost yet wee shall bee reserued to eternall saluation But some man may say If Sathan can worke such miracles and the Lord would haue false Christs to arise and worke wonders how shall wee iudge of a miracle that is done whether it proceed from the Lord or from Sathan and his Ministers from a good cause and worker or from an euill and what wee are to holde and thinke of the power of Sathan how farre it reacheth and what it is able to doe I answer that this is a very necessary point to bee knowne and séeing wee haue entred into the handling of miracles wee will shew what miracles can bée wrought by Sathan what is his power where it beginneth and where it endeth The third part of this Sermon Now therfore it remaineth to speake of the power of Sathan Certaine it is and wee are to beléeue it by faith that the power of Sathan is not equall to the power of GOD it is not so strong so large and so wide it is euery way infinitly lesse there is no comparison betwéene that which is infinite and that which is finite If wée compare it with good Angels it will be lesse then some and greater then other some as afterward we shall more plainely sée but if wee compare it with the power of man it is farre greater euery way but yet wee must know that is a finite and naturall power not supernaturall for then none could bee saued it is mightie but yet not Almightie but that we may better conceiue of it let vs lée wherein it lyeth All the power that Sathan hath consisteth in two points First in his knowledge or vnderstanding Secondly in his déed action or worke For according as a mans knowledge is such is his déed so is Sathans as his knowledge is great so also his worke great For his knowledge it is to bee considered whence it ariseth and how hee commeth by it so shall wee better iudge of the greatnesse thereof Hee hath his knowledge by these meanes that follow First from his spirituall Nature for by Nature hee is a spirit and therfore by nature hath the measure of knowledge giuen by GOD to a spirit which is great Wee know that there is a greater measure of knowledge in man then is in a brute beast by reason of that nature which the Lord hath giuen to man aboue beasts So the Diuill is made of a spirituall substance and of that onely so that hee hath not a body which might hinder him to sée into the nature quality and operation of a spirite and therefore being a spirit he hath the knowledge of a spirit In that therefore he is a spirit hee hath a greater famili aritic with our spirites then otherwise hee could haue In regarde therefore of his Nature his knowledge is great Secondarily the measure of his knowledge may bee discerned by his creation GOD created him a good Angell and gaue him the same measure of knowledge that hee gaue to other Angels Looke therefore what knowledge is in a good Angell by creation the same knowledge is in Sathan by his creation It may bee that hee retaineth still that measure of knowledge which hee then receiued albeit as it may bee thought that as man by his fall lost a great measure of that knowledge which hee had by his creation so the Diuill lost a great measure of his knowledge by his Apostacie from the Lord. Further it is to be knowne that the diuil being now fallen is not of the consultation of the Lord as the good Angels are for they stand alwaies before his face ready to doe any thing that hee shall command them for the good of the Elect and therefore they are of the consultations of the Lord but Sathan is not so and therefore hee cannot haue so great knowledge as they haue which is a great comfort to those that be the true children of GOD that the good Angels by the measure of their knowledge are more able to saue and defend vs then the Diuill is by the measure of his knowledge to harme vs. Thirdly the Diuill since his fall hath increased his knowledge both on the things on earth and of the wayes of God by long obseruations and continuall experience who hath alwayes had experimentall knowledge of the nature of man for he is well acquainted