in the battell And when the children of God stood before his presence Satan was among them Iob. 1. But they suppose he cannot come thither any more since Christ ascended vpin person and to that purpose alledge the place Luke 19.18 I saw Satan as lightening fall from heauen and Reu. 12.9 Michael expeld the Dragon from thence with his Angels their place was no more found in heauen the old Serpent that deceiueth the world was cast out into the earth and his Angels with him and therefore S. Paul calleth him Prince of the power of the Aire because his ruling is confined within that space he can goe no higher These are a vouched with great probability But sure it is Christ shooke his Kingdome in the earth being borne and sent into the world to destroy his workes that the people which sate in darkenesse before might see great light and they be deliuered which sate in the region and shaddow of death As light which shines from heauen is diffused nothing in nature hauing a power to spread it selfe more suddenly illustrating the whole Hemisphere or halfe at once so did this Sonne of righteousnesse as was sayd Psal 19. Nothing was hid from the heat thereof but beyond the regions of Iury his Apostles carried it farre and wide into many Nations This was the stronger hand of this Conquerour that by a people scorned as for superstition by others and then torne by the Romanes being the weaker side he gaue lawes vnto the mighty and cast him out of the world then strongly possest and kept as his owne house in sinne and ignorance The Oracles were put downe after his incarnation where the deuill had long time giuen aduise and answeres Augustus Caesar inquiring at Delphes who should succeede him in the Empire had this for an answere Peucerus de Oraculis pag. 251. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. An Hebrew childe King of the Gods hath commanded me to leaue this house and returne to hell therefore henceforth forsake our Altars And hee is bound for a thousand yeares Reuel 20. Which we may take from the rising of Constantine vntill the raigne of Otoman or howsoeuer in that space Christ did greatly confound his Kingdome and set vp his owne The successe we haue seene our Sauiours victory to open it more fully note the person called the stronger Man and the meanes vsed to subdue him Christ is God equall with the Father his strength is in the World and beyond it euery way infinite God is Almighty this attribute is prefixed before other Articles in the beginning of the Creed for in whō wil any beleeue but one able and potent least his confidence deceiue him Might then maketh way to all beleefe and beleefe to all performances for Faith ouercommeth the world saith S. Iohn He is called the Lord of Hosts 1. Iohn 5.4 all power being his army Let men muster plot and labour neuer so much this power commandeth them and theirs the strength of this huge World is to him but as an arrow in the hand of a Gyant aimed and shot forth by his owne direction The spirituall powers are to minister and serue in their stations ready to attend and execute his precepts And if one Angell made such a slaughter in Senacheribs army in one night what was the power of him that sent him Diuine strength as it animateth faith so is it the ground of all religion Men are made to reuerence it and the end of all actions is to acknowledge and nothing is more distasted by the Almighty God then to see arrogant presumption or negligent obseruance admire strength any other way Weake creatures liue by it and the name of a creature hath it ingrauen as the proper stampe To vse the Prophets words shall the strong man glory in his strength or the wise man in his wisdome or the rich man in his wealth or any man in any thing seeing the earth is weake and the inhabitants therein hee beareth vp the Pillars of it Is any good expected Hope for it hence Is any enioyed Giue glory to the founder all is receiued from this fulnes Psalme 68. ver 34. Ascribe yee strength vnto God his excellencie is ouer Issrael and his strength is the Clouds Euery good thing is but a gift and giuing can onely make it prosper greatest hopes doe sometimes breake in the middest because the receiuers of fruit respect not the Tree whence they fall They looke at their owne beginnings and at their owne ends and their courses in the proceeding attend their owne desires And though this strength might say vnto the foole deale not so madly and to the vngodly set not vp your horne though promotion come neither from the East nor the West nor from the South a dull desire cannot look so high as heauen neither acknowledgeth any ruler but one who leadeth by common sense Hee will sleepe at a Sermon that can wake at the discourse of a commodity or a mishap can keepe from sleeping And sleight the strict aduise of Scripture when the words of a great man in politique respect make him double diligent Generally inbusinesse of moment though liuing being and moouing be from God who will not more cheerefully rely vpon friends and strong helpers then on Gods furtherance and promised assistance By this strength vnlikely matters haue come to passe most vsually great imaginations haue beene dissolued with a blast dying hopes haue beene reuiued from the graue all which proclaime an vnconquered and inscrutable power of the Lord in working not acknowledged by rash censurers but easily discerned by the iudgement of truth Euen when vngodlinesse is grownelofty it either falleth of it selfe or by the push of a like aduersary is cast vnder foot all strength we see wearing out and this force of Diuine power breaking downe the gate that will not open that howsoeuer the beginnings goe at last the stronger man will ouercome From hence let euery prosuming enemie bee danted though fortified in his wickednes Let euery wearied seruant be encouraged to passe euen through the valley of the shaddow of death and feare no euill Iob had complained and his vncomfortable friends made him sometimes bitter at last the Lord did challenge him to answere and cald him hither Iob 38.4 Where wast thou when I layd the foundations of the Earth when I shut vp the Sea with doores Hast thou commanded the morning since thy daies and caused the day spring to know his place Nabuchodonosor in the height of his arrogance boasted of his great Palace and building but for his labour had an ill reward he was made fellow with the beasts of the field Dan. 4.25 Till he knew the most High ruled in the Kingdome of men and gaue it to whom he would S. Peter seeing Christ vnder the burthen of our sinnes laying a side his honour and ready to be apprehended went out of the way to helpe him and wounded one of the high Priests seruants
the scribe and wise man hath no share in this busines rather shut out God saith he hath chosen the foolish things of the world to condemne the wise 1 Cor. 1.27 and the weake things of the world to confound the mighty And addeth the reason that no flesh might glory in his presence Heerein then consisteth the words glory that going the more vnlikely way to worke it speedeth and where it speedeth not confusion followes immediately Let any without partiality see by what meane beginnings against what heate of persecution the strength of the Lord subdued hell and planted religion by the first conuerting of the Gentiles with the Apostles and their followers it may turne the Atheist and raise the most dull and frozen spirits into admiration In reforming religion we haue seene the like if the first hopes failed the second haue sped and by no power or policy of the earth doth the Gospell inioy prosperity If any intent of persecution or crafty dealing could haue giuen it a deadly wound the face of it had not beene left to appeare before this time to make show â—or the voice of it to speake for it selfe This must teach vs to carry a constant hope let the strong man mooue and his instruments thunder out their threatnings and where they thunder least colour their close deuises to confound all in the end a vaine expectation must be the fruit of such confidence and their owne confusion finish vp their labour This rocke cannot remooue nor the stronger side fall though it suffer many foiles 1. Esdras 4.41 and some disaduantage Let our conclusion goe with the Apocry phall History Diuers were seuerally conceited where was the greatest strength found some gaue it to Princes some to women and to wine but truth obtaind it from the rest she spake for him that spake for her so went the iudgement of the King and the cry of others Magnaest veritas praeualet great is the truth and preuaileth And so much for the first meanes whereby the stronger man subdueth the power of his word The second is his word of prouidence the mighty voice in operation at whose command all things moue and obey in Heauen and Earth The rising of some and the falling of others and in a word the falling of a sparrow the cariage of great and small meete in this gouernment Solomon will haue vs know Eccles 3.14 What he purposeth shall stand to it can no man adde and from it can none diminish that we might feare before him But heere his footesteps are hardly perceiued The strong Man swaieth so much and the worlds behauiour appeareth so strange that his presence seemeth very remote his Maiesty to keepe retyred and withdrawne As in the former word of sauing health the victory stood doubtfull in the eyes of carnall apprehension the case is heere the very same Claudian guided by vncertaine rules sheweth how they gaue him a halting opinion betweene contraries so many Eclipses doth this light suffer such thrusting there is against God and godlines such preuailing of the bad and pride withall that he meruailed the God of all things should be in the earth and giue no more proofe of his strength and victory In these termes hee openeth his doubtfull meaning When I see the glorious frame of Heauen and Earth the bounds of the Sea Summer and Winter fitly disposed in their seasons the courses of day and night so orderly to succeede I thought God had giuen these lawes by singular wisdome and adorned his gifts with such distinction But when I saw such darkenes vpon the affaires of men the proud and vngodly flourishing and the innocent vnder foote rursus labefacta cadebat religio religion beganne to faile Though his owne plaine reason did ground him well in part Yet did a Heathenish minde thus plunge him in distraction There is but a haires breadth betweene the practise of many Christians and this mans opinion if the best waies be not prosperous they are forsaken and howsoeuer men haue a meaning the double dealing is to common See then on what ground it stands Many times the Lord will not shew his might his enemie gets the vpper hand impiety will domineere no way to crosse it where is then this victory mentioned in the Text It appeareth that this obiection may be forcible because Dauid or the Author of the 73. Psalme confessed that his feete were almost gone when he beheld the prosperity of vngodlinesse But going at last into the Sanctuary hee beheld the slippery place of such doubtfull felicity and found the glory to be but small which a moment can bring to desolation or ioy in a dreame that endeth with the night when one awaketh May it not rather amaze the enemie and confound vngodlines when prosperity shall be great that destruction may be answerable Nothing can match with his wisdome that knoweth how to giue way to folly that he may plucke downe the power of it being growne ripe and defeat such aduancement in the height Aristotle truly sheweth a great man may not at all times declare himselfe among inferiours it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wrestle among the weaker or dispute among the foolish 4. Ethic. 3. the world is too weake and base to receiue this strength of God in confounding the deuill If the Almighty should striue what place were left either for good or bad to finish their owne intentions or runne out their courses If his iustice did punish euery sinne who could indure it if he did reward euery vertue where were the patience of Saints of glorious in earth or their reward so great in heauen The world would too much ingrosse the loues of men if all things did runne smoothly as they would imagine See how vainely weake desires striue to fix a rest in the confines of this present State though such small occasion be giuen and the waies thereof fild with garboils and confusion Take one that liues in a troubled place suppose he be sicke and diseased in his body his friends leaue him or faile in their comforts and age hasten on the remembrance of his departure we shall often find the loue of life will make one so qualified to sticke in this mirie place and dote vppon these transitorie shaddowes For this cause the Lord sheweth his scourges rather then his benefits reseruing the beauty of absolute gouernment in the full lustre till another season yet here beginnes and layeth the foundation of his victory His workes although the beginning and the end cannot be of one forme want not to an indifferent beholder Satan and the malice of his instruments receiue many a grieuous foile the professors of his truth many encouragements and none shall want his ayd that duly craues it Helpe was promised to S. Paul when it seemed denied and he buffeted with Satans messenger This promisefaild not 1. Cor. 12.9 being a generall stay in hardest conflicts My grace is sufficient for thee
THE BRVISING OF THE SERPENTS Head A Sermon Preached at Pauls Crosse September 9. 1621. BY ROGER LEY Maister of Arts and Minister of Gods Word in Shoreditch GEN. 3.15 I will put enmity betweene thee and the Woman and betweene thy seede and her seede it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heele LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Nicholas Bourne and are to be sold at his shop at the Royall Exchange 1622. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. ROBERT DVCIE Alderman of London peace and saluation YOur eare hath beene partaker of that I nowe present to your eye In all things vsually one sense maketh way for the other and the second perfecteth the first for hearing doth render that but farre off which seeing giueth neerer hand A speaker is then happiest in his labour when words are permanent and fixed And that either in the heart and meditation of the hearer when the Spirit and finger of God by zeale and industrious labour printeth them there as so many engrauen letters or when to helpe memory they are exposed to publique view for sounds doe passe in the aire this hath the priuiledge of a constant continuance Sermons deliuered in that audience are principally for the gouernours of this Honourable Cittie Therefore I offer it to you by dedication as I did before in speaking vnto many Many were absent you a present hearer in the time of vacation when your place being Sheriffe required residence Moreouer being for a time a labourer in your Parish as smaller riuers vse not to breake out into seuerall Chanels if one be preserued full I let this come to you among the rest as with a greater confluence Small I terme this gift in respect of the Authour and his sufficience The words eminence which may be seene in plannesse and natiue simplicity is onely worth the reckoning God the great guide of this world hath giuen the smallest starres their influence And the milky circle in Heauen so it is called consisteth of those starres that are scarce discernable they are not for that excluded from the Firmament For although the great Philosopher supposed that circle to be lower and out of the Heauens yet the fictions of vnskilfull antiquity made it the way to Paradise and the caelestiall Court My desire is that the word being forcible in the meanest instrument may moue in the Orbe by this publique passage to direct on earth and yeeld the way to Heauen For this end I hold it better to commit the prosperous successe of it to him aboue that committed the deliuerance to me then to feare the vncertaine censures of a Criticke This being the intent of the Writer I desire the Readers true practise and entertainment may make it good Your vnfained well-willer in all obseruance and due respect ROGER LEY THE BRVISING OF THE Serpents Head At Pauls Crosse September 1621. LVKE 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 22. But when a stronger then he shall come vpon him and ouercome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherin he trusted and diuideth his spoiles 23. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth IT is a fault grieuous and yet too common that good things are least esteemed but of all errours the basest is to misconster good actions and to depraue the shining worth of excellencie This as it is the basest so the last shift of men hardened against goodnesse for when the desart of others seemeth to touch and wound their insufficience then they cast blemishes vpon that which was feared to lay some blots vpon their vnworthinesse The story of our Sauiour affords vs an incomparable example He came to his owne and his owne receiued him not He came not among them empty handed without fauours nor led an vnprofitable life but all his workes were witnesses of his loue and all their wants and miseries euident declarers of an incomparable working Hauing now cast out a Deuill which made the people wonder the Pharisees swelling with enuie said he did it by the power of the chiefe Deuill so to disgrace the worke they could not hinder Against these men he directs his speech and sheweth in them their intollerable blasphemie a sinne against the holy Ghost neuer to haue pardon Our present History then setteth out a double conflict of Christ the King and Sauiour of the world against Satan the enemie of mankind the Deuill in the body and in the tongue in the body of a poore man possest in the tongue of the proud and rebellious Pharisees The one was a Deuill blind and dumbe the other a seeing and a slandering aduersary Because violence doth not make an enemie so dangerous as when craft conueyeth his enterprise by some secret vndermining the blind and dumbe man soone cured where the enemie shewed himselfe by force but these cauillers vnder whose lips lay hid the poyson of Asps were not so soone put to silence These Pharisees seemed holy men they called the chiefe Deuill Belzebub out of zeale and a deuout pretence in detestation of their ancestours idolatry who worshipped Baal and among seuerall kinds of that heathenish idoll which had many names according to the places of worship Baalzebub whose name they now abhord And because all things require gouernment they supposed Belzebub the chiefe in hel seeing withall so many miracles performed by Christ they said he did combine with the chiefe Deuill and by that power cast them out This calumnie is confuted by sundry arguments First out of the seuenteenth verse Euery Kingdome deuided against it selfe is brought to desolation and a house deuided against it selfe cannot stand If Satan also be deuided against himselfe and Belzebub the chiefe ioyne with Christ against the lesse how could that gouernment in dure The second argument we haue verse 19. Their iudgment was partiall and with respect of persons for their children cast out Deuills and had no blame He meaneth the Iewish exorcists who had a power giuen them from aboue by calling vpon Gods name to cast out these vncleane spirits It is more then probable these Iewes did cast them out by vsing the name of Christ which then was become famous S. Iohn saith to our Sauiour Marke 9.38 Maister we saw one casting out Deuills in thy name and he followeth not vs. These then escaped the Iewish hatred but Christ did not therefore hee inferreth against them they shall be your iudges to condemne you that malice the cause of slander that the mother of falsehood haue cast vpon me this iniustimputation A thirâ— argument is in these words A strong man keepeth his house and goods vntill a stronger force him out and take possession in his place I doe this expelling him with my word therefore his power is subiect vnto mine and my miracle is true yee ought then to embrace my saying and to stand to my cause confirmed with such cleere testimony or to be scattered in
your fond deuises so to reape the fruite of your owne folly In the handling of these words I meane not to stand so much vpon possession of the body and of Christ the deliuerer but that the subiect may something sute with the eminence of this place and the full scope and latitude of the words rather shew a recouering of the soule a renewing of the world and a subduing of sinne by the Gospell For the consent of interpreters extend this saying to this as the full and perfect meaning expounding pounding it not merely of a bodily dispossession but of the whole proceeding of Christ in the strength of his Kingdome The words yeeld the same of necessity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his armour the entering his palace and diuiding his spoiles cannot limit this victory to a bodily deliuerance alone Nos quondam arma eius regnique militiam in â—â—s suum redegit saith S. Hilarie Christ hath taken vs who were once the Deuills armour and force of his Kingdome and brought vs vnder his owne power The whole world is the house of Belzebub so Erasmus And Caluin quicquid corporibus praestitit Christus ad animas referri voluit whatsoeuer Christ performed to the body he would haue the same referd vnto the soule It is plainly showne from the 24. Verse of this Chapter following the Text immediately He compareth the nation of the Iewes to a man possest as the Deuills house S. Mathew maketh it more plaine Christ did driue him out and clensed the house by his Gospell but because they entertained his words with scorne and neglected him the house was empty then commeth the vncleane spirit with seauen worse then himselfe who finding the house emptie swept and garnished he maketh it his habitation and the end thereof is worse then the beginning So dangerous a sinne is Apostacy and so truly did hee threaten that wicked generation being rebels against the truth for what decayed house or miserable ruine of any building can compare with those emptie Iewes that would not acknowledge their Lord And that which Esay the Prophet spake of the soule Cap. 53. verse 4. He tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesses meaning sinne and the maladies of the mind S. Mathew chap. 8. verse 17. applieth to casting out of Deuills and curing of diseases For both are the worke of one Lord for one and the same end to make vs acknowledge him the onely redeemer As the battering of the walls of a Citty is but a preparatiue to handy strokes and the ouerthrow of the dwellers so the casting out of Satan from the body the case and outside of the soule is a signe of sauing power that cureth both soule and body and will expell the enemie from all his vsurped places Dauid reasoned from one good turne to another 1. Samuel 17.36 Thy seruant slue both the Lyon and the Beare and this vncircumcised Philistim shall be as one of them seeing he hath defied the armies of the liuing God Moreouer the Lord that deliuered me from the paw of the Lyon and the beare he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim in like manner these words of Christ take occasion from the miracle to expresse his Soueraigne might in redeeming from the paw of hell and destruction Let vs therefore take the whole world for a haunted house We find it so Iob 1.7 I come saith he from going to and fro in the earth and from walking vp and downe in it The greatest strength of it his weapons and munition the greatest wit and policy of it if it be foolishnesse with God as the Apostle calls it it cannot but sauour of the wisdome of this Serpent 1. Cor. 3. If these places be the prime of our microcosme the head and glory of all our Iland they cannot but be assaulted And if the cry of vices be not vntrue the walking of some dangerous spirit may raise vp our suspition and complaint Whose puisance to shew whose dealing to discouer and to vncase his villanie that lurketh in our presence as in it selfe is profitable so more auailable when the power of heauen is showne that ouerthrowes it In the seeing of both we may doe as the world vsually doth take part with the stronger side To one we mustioyne no staying in the middest Christ saith so in the last of these verses He that is not with me is against me That God is strongger and his quarrell safer the beginning speaketh euidently Christ entreth into the strong mans Palace Ouercommeth him taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and deuideth his spoiles I find then in this Text that which either is exprest or implyed in euery Sermon a Doctrine and a Vse the strength of our Sauiour affirmed and our obedient seruice enforced In the first of these a power of vsurpation and a power of iurisdiction In the vsurped power we find two parts the strong mans industry He is armed and keepeth his Palace and his security his goods are in peace The lawfull power hath two parts Christs victory But when a stronger then he shall come vppon him and ouercome him and his gaine he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted and deuideth his spoiles The next Verse is a reproofe of vnprofitable seruants which make no vse of this benefit Hee openeth in them two things a base negligence and a vaine confidence First the negligent stander by that is neither hot nor cold is cast out as distasted by his palate he that is not with me is against me Secondly his vaine hope Let him heape and build and frame his workes together all is to be blowne away with the breath of Gods displeasure hee that gathereth not with me scattereth Of these parts in order His industry when a strong man armed keepeth his Palace The beginning hauing dwelt longer vpon the sence of the words to free them from obscurity each part may be past ouer with better expedition These first words note vnto vs the power of our enemie called the strong Man and his diligence he is armed and keepeth his Palace Hard it is to match with one so well prouided Our Sauiour speaketh of him thus Now is the Prince of this world cast out Iohn 21.31 And to shew we might imagine something aboue the world and the reach of mortall powers because the greatest Potentate is but an arme of flesh he is called the God of the world 2. Cor. 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the eies of them that beleeue not Hee is called the Prince of the power of the aire Ephes 2.2 Sunt magnapars corum quae in imperijs geruntur fiunt saith Peucer In the busines of Kingdomes they haue a hand and a great stroke Insidiantur atrocius ijs qui ad gubernaculasedent saith the same Authour They assault them most dangerously who sit at the helme of gouernment and he addeth the reason that the disease hauing gotten and possest
strong opposer and a great defender of the truth He against all the world and all the world against him This is the decree of God and therefore his great wisdome that by bandying the truth to and fro the substance of it might be gotten out at last and others raised by the aduersary from sloth to search it to make it shine more clearely as gold in the furnace and praise him that keepeth it safe in so many hasards And if we will make the best of a bad matter we may say and not altogether vntruly we are beholden to Heretiques for a great part of the truth for they haue stird vp the pens of the learned and occasioned the holy decrees of faithfull and religious Councels To conclude this point Arguments from peace and consent are no certaine or demonstratiue proofe either of a good or a bad cause Peace among Saints vnder Christ as we consider it in the minde is a spirituall vertue as we consider it a beautifull ornament or sweete harmony when multitudes are coupled in a bond of happy society it is a temporall blessing for spirituall things are in the minde Matters of this quality doe ebbe and flow somtimes giuen and sometimes taken away from the Church When Gods heritage transgresseth breaches are often made and his owne scourged most seuerely Dauid a man neerest him is extreamely threatned after his offence The sword shall neuer depart from thy house 2. Sam. 12.10 although he was so iust and penitent with his raigne so happy and flourishing Euery Church hath in it both good and bad therefore no peace can continue long without some impediment Our Sauiour saith I came not to send peace into the world but a sword this was the reason some would imbrace him and others refuse so father would be against sonne and sonne against father and a mans enemies would be they of his owne houshold S. Paul likewise affirmeth 1. Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies among you that they which are approoued may be made manifest the light and fantasticall head to vaine deuises fit for him and the iust against him to manifest himselfe and expresse his gifts in maintaining the perfect truth The deuill as he vseth doth imitate God in part though in another intent sometime he setteth dissention among his owne yet warreth not against himselfe though his be diuided he is not For this is the difference betweene his possession and others hee keepeth his palace not to defend but to destroy it and if dissention fit his purpose hee can scourge his owne with this rod to please himselfe in their torment But when occasion requireth vnity he will not deuide against himselfe but keepeth this forces whole to doe greater mischiefe as Herode and Pylate enemies before were reconciled at the death of Christ and brethren in euill communicate their counsels This maketh him stronger and keepeth his palace in greater security because His goods are in peace Hitherto of the vsurped power The second part followeth the lawfull power first the victory When a stronger then be shall come vpon him and ouercome him The particle but noteth a coherence we must looke for some thing besides the words Consider it then as the branch of an argument He is the stronger that ouer commeth but plain it is he yeeldeth to my command therefore ascribe strength vnto me The Papists vse this argument to confirme their exercising and adiuring the deuill and from the fuccesse of their words striue to iustifie a counterfeit miracle because sometime he goeth backe and seemeth to yeeld to their holy water and the signe of the Crosse We answere the deuill doth delude them that by leauing the body he may possesse the soule and establish superstition They reply and say this is the Pharisees answere who sayd casting out and dispossession was by couenant and compact and did not approue the stronger man by his worke But this is insufficient for the Pharisees sayd Christ was not strong enough to worke these miracles of himselfe but Satan was diuided and gaue him helpe we call not the strength of Christ into question As for the aduersary he dissenteth not from his owne party but seemeth to fly that by a strategem he might deceiue them Secondly Antichrist doth worke lying wonders the Scripture doth prophecy as much but no lying wonder can be without show of a true and mighty operation therefore they must worke miracles with some notable point of dissembling Christ had power to cure diseases as well as to dispossesse vncleane spirits his miracles were beyond all exception one did helpe to confirme another and both ioyned to confirme his Doctrine Heerein they faile They cannot doe as Christ did heale diseases therefore their halting betraies their lamenesse and we may suspect their dealings are vnsound Thirdly some of their miracles are forged all the world knows it wel if then the viewing of them may helpe our iudgementin esteeming these they come both from one Fountaine for truth and false-hoode haue no fellowship To dissemble and giue out is great policy sometimes and we know they deale with a great politician who may not refuse to loose a little for the gaining of more as in Magicke he is content to subiect himselfe as if words could command him which cannot be done indeede but this counterfeit seruice maketh him a master and the commander that calleth him the greater slaue In the primitiue Church when miracles did last this exorcising had a diuine power for which there was great reason seeing in so dangerous a time the Infidels did worship these powers of darknesse Christ gaue his followers a gift to shew the truth and strength of his profession for to encourage his owne and conuert the obstinate mindes of others Lactantius speaketh of the efficacy thereof in this manner 2. Diu. inftit 16. Cuius nomine adiurati corporibus excedunt quorum verbis tanquam flagris verberati non modo daemonas se esse confitentur sed etiam nomina sua edunt Being adiured by the name of Christ they goe out of bodies by words as whips they are beaten and tormented and doe not onely confesse they ate deuils but tell their names Likewise Cyprian in his booke to Demetrianus the Christians great enemie telleth him what kind of Gods he worshipped O si audire eos velles c. O that thou wouldest heare them when they are adiured by our spirituall stripes and our tormenting words are cast out of possessed bodies feeling the power of God and confessing the iudgment to come These were testimonies of Christ the stronger man hauing all power in Heauen and Earth subiect to his word Some suppose that as a testimonie of Christs victorie ouer him he cannot come to Heauen as hee did before the incarnation In the old testament when the Angels came before the Lord a spirit came to offer his seruice to seduce King Achab 1. Kings 22.21 and make him fall before his enemies