The True Catholic, Tract · Section 3 · Chapter 12 – Chapter 13
12. Of Miracles.
FErus of this matter writes thus: Vnleſſe you ſee you will not beleeue. In 4. cap. Io.This word condemneth vsus, for we alſo require ſignes: That is, we will be otherwiſe certified then by the word: For when as we heare the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes and other promiſes of God; then we think we would beleeue, if we were aſſured by any ſenſible ſignes. But if thou be one of the faithfull, the word of God ought to ſuffice thee, without any ſignes: for God hath ſufficiently yeelded to our infirmitie, that in the beginning of the law and goſpell, he adioyned to his word certaine ſignes, as ſeales, by which we might be aſſured, that they were the word of God. But now he will not at our pleaſure, giuegive any more ſignes: but he will hauehave vsus beleeue his word. For we walke not by ſight, but by faith. And hereupon he ſaith to Thomas, Bleſſed are they which hauehave not ſeene, and yet hauehave beleeued. Therefore not without cauſe he condemnes thoſe, which as yet ſeeke for ſignes. For firſt not to beleeue without ſignes, is againſt the nature of faith: For faith is a ſubſtance of thoſe things which are not ſeene: but are hoped for. Secondly, not to beleeue without ſignes, is iniurious to God; as though he could either deceiue or be deceiued. Thirdly, it is daungerous to giuegive more heed to ſignes, then to the word of God it ſelfe: for the diuell can ſhew ſignes, the which thing we ſee in the enchaunters of Egypt. Hereof alſo Moſes forbiddeth that no credit ſhould be giuen to the Prophet doing miracles, and in the meane while teaching againſt the law: becauſe miracles cannot make the falſe word true, but ſeduce rather; but if they be annexed to the true word, they confirme and ſeale vsus the more in the truth. Laſtly, faith conceiued by miracles is not ſo conſtant; for they which beleeue not, becauſe of the word but by reaſon of miracles, oftentimes fall into incredulitie in the time of tribulation, neither continue ſtedfaſt in faith; as we may ſee in the Iſraelites, who verie often, when as the miracles ceaſed, fell a doubting.
Againe he writes thus: Then we may ſafely beleeue miracles if the doctrine agree with the word of God which they teach, that they are done in Chriſt.
And againe, of the ends of miracles he writes thus: God hath annexed miracles to his word,Fer. in 3 ca. act as it were certaine ſeales, by which we ſhould be aſſured, that they were not the words of man but of God, which we ſee confirmed with ſuch great ſignes, which belong onelyonly to God to doe: for which cauſe Chriſt did not onelyonly miracles himſelfe; but gaue his Apoſtles alſo power to do the ſame; as alſo in times paſt to Moſes and the Prophets. Thus much Ferus. Therefore miracles of themſelues (if they be ſeparated from the word) are of no force to eſtabliſh anie doctrine.
13. Of Apparitions of ſpirits.
AGainſt Appearing of ſpirits, Ierome writeth thus: Ierom. in 8. ca. Eſai.This you ought to know, that euerie nation asketh counſell of their owne Gods, and enquires of the dead for the liuing, but to you he hath giuen his law for to helpe you, that you may ſay: The diuination of the heathen is not ſuch; which often deceiueth the worſhippers: And not like ours which without any gift is drawen out of the law of God. And after. No maruell if you follow your traditions, when as euerie nation asketh counſell of their Idols (ſpeaking of the Scribes and Phariſées following the traditions of their fathers:) Therefore we will not aske counſell of you being as it were dead, concerning the liuing; God hath rather giuen you a law, and the teſtimonie of the Scriptures, which if ye will not follow, you ſhall hauehave no light: but euer darknes ſhall oppreſſe you. May we not ſay the like of the Papiſts, who followed the apparitions of ſpirits and the traditions of the elders?
Saint Bernard alſo aſketh a queſtion of the bleſſed Virgine, of whom it is ſaid that ſhe caſt in her mind what that ſalutation ſhould meane: Oleaſt in 2. ca. Gen.And why ſhe ſhould ſuſpect, talking with an Angell; and he anſwereth: wilt thou (O man) be in daunger, without care? feare then ſecuritie it ſelfe. Wilt thou be ſafe and ſure from the diuell? then feare Angels from heauen: Thou haſt heard that Sathan hath transformed himſelfe into an Angell of light, that he might deceiue man. Thus much Oleaſter alleadgeth out of Bernard. I would to God they themſelues had followed this holy fact of the bleſſed virgin, who at the firſt ſuſpected the Angell that appeared to her; and that they had not giuen credit to the apparitions of Angels, nor of the Saints: No nor to the bleſſed virgin her ſelfe, or of the ſoules of any departed; of whom they hauehave learned moſt part of their religion. Sathan may ſeeme a ſaint, the bleſſed virgine; nay euen an Angell of God. Beware therefore how thou at all beléeueſt ſuch apparitions, leaſt thou be deceiued. Looke rather to Moſes and the prophets; according to thy Sauiours counſell, then to theſe doubtfull apparitions. And after: Why (O woman) doſt thou lie, ſaying God hath forbidden, both to eate and touch the tree, when as God onelyonly forbad the eating thereof? Note heere, that he calleth it a lie to adde to the commaundement of God, though it ſeeme religious; as not ſo much as to touch the trée. This Eue might ſeeme to hauehave ſaid of a deuotion that ſhe bare to the commaundement; that ſhe would not ſo much as touch the trée: But that had béene ſuperſtition, that had béene more then God commanded: ſhe might lawfully hauehave touched the tree. And many ſuch ſuperſtitions, beſide the word, Eue the mother Church of Rome, vponupon a good intent for deuotion, bringeth now into the Church.
Stella alſo of Reuelations writes thus: Simeon beleeued the ſcriptures, which ſpake of Meſſias, and after he had Reuelations.Stell. in 2. Luc. Hereby we are taught that they are worthy to hauehave Reuelations ſhewed them, which beleeuing the ſcriptures obtaine thoſe things which they beleeue, and doe them. Secondly, that thoſe Reuelations are certaine which doe not diſſent from the Scriptures: Thus farre Stella. I would to God they had examined all their reuelations, and apparitions by this rule of the ſcriptures: then the papiſts by lying ſpirits had not béene ſo often deceiued, as they hauehave béene.
Of the nature and ſleights of the diuell, In orat. dom.Ludouicus Viues hath verie excellently writen thus: Thou (O Lord) art onelyonly good, and whatſoeuer thou haſt created are good, becauſe thou art the creator of them. But he that is thy continuall enemie the diuell is naught and wicked: He is thy enemie, and therefore alſo ours; becauſe thou accounteſt vsus for thy children. He can hurt thee by no manner of meanes, but he can and is willing to hurt vsus diuerſly, and he is euer readie to deſtroy vsus, neuer ſleeping his opportunitie. And which of vsus in any reſpect is able to reſiſt him? for if we deale with him in ſtrength, he is moſt ſtrong; neither is there any power found vponupon earth (as Iob ſaith) that may be compared vntounto him. If by pollicie, he is moſt craftie, he will counterfait louelove & fauor to thee, whoſe deſtruction aboue all others he longeth for; and to whom eueryevery minute he imagineth miſchiefe: Nay alſo he will ſeeme to beare a faire ſhew, as that he alloweth truth and vertue, which he hates moſt deadly; and he will profeſſe himſelfe a ſchoolmaiſter of good dealing and integritie, condemning all euill actions, whereof he himſelfe is the author and principall actor. That thing which he greatlieſt deſireth, he will make a ſhew as that he could in no wiſe abide it; and that thing which he abhors and deteſts, he will ſeeme greatly to long for and deſire, that he may more eaſily take vsus at his pleaſure. This is another point of his cunning, by vrging thy iuſtice, to make the mind ſorrowfull, and to perſwade deſperation: and againe, by ſhewing thy merciemercy and clemencie, to make the mind preſumptuous and ſlothfull. Againe, of the conſideration of euerie ones dignitie, to make them proude and arrogant. Againe, he will procure hatred againſt thy law, that is, euen againſt thine owne ſelfe, as though thou waſt an enemie to the lawful deſires of the fleſh. It were to be wiſhed that theſe ſleights of ſathan were knowne to all Chriſtians: It would make coniurers take héed how they truſted Sathan: It would make ſimple chriſtians alſo take heed how they beléeued any apparition of ſpirits, or vaine fables, although it had a ſmocke or ſome ſauour of truth or vertue. For this is one of ſathans ſleights, as here we may learne, to ſeaſon his lies ſometimes with ſome ſhew of vertue and goodnes, that he may beguile ſimple ſoules, and draw them on, and ſo cauſe them to beleeue lies. But here all thoſe that are wiſe in Ieſus Chriſt, muſt know that all is not gold that gliſtereth: And no doubt this was the root of that golden Legend, which the Papiſtes make ſo great account of, and wherein are manie fables tending to vertue and religion: but they are but ſathans lies, burniſhed ouer with a ſhew of truth and vertue: As Ludouicus Viues here teacheth all Chriſtians, that ſathan can do cunningly. 2 Cor. 2.11.And ſaint Paul alſo ſaith: We are not ignorant of his ſleights or deuiſes.
Of Apparitions and Reuelations, Granatenſis writes thus: Gra. de Deu. lib. 1. cap. 53.If we ought not (ſaith he) to ſeeke for ſpiritual comforts & delights that we may wholy giuegive our ſelues vntounto them, and delight in them, much leſſe are reuelations, viſions, inſpirations, and ſuch like to be deſired: for they truly are the beginnings of diuelliſh illuſions, neither let any man fear that herein he is diſobedient to God, if he ſhut all his gates againſt theſe. For God knoweth if he mind to reueale any thing to man to finde an entrie to come in at, and to open the gates ſo, that men need not doubt, but know aſſuredly that God is there. So he dealt with Samuel being yet a child, whenas he called once and twiſe, and the third time, and he told him all things which he would that he ſhould know, ſo plainly, that there now was no cauſe of doubting left, nor the Prophet now ſhould doubt of his embaſſage.
Granatenſis here ſuſpects reuelations, and he plainly affirms, that they are the verie beginnings of ſathans illuſions. Therefore true Chriſtians muſt not eaſily giuegive credit to ſuch, but examine them alwaies by Gods word. If he agrée not with that, it is ſathan which appeares, though he appeare like an Angell of light.