Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Book 2 · Chapter 7 · Questions 1

Commentary on Genesis and Exodus · Book 2 · Chapter 7 · Questions 1

p. 603. The explanation of difficult questions.

QUEST. I. Of the divers appellations of the name of God.

Vers. 1. I Have made thee Pharaohs God. This name and title of God is used and applied foure wayes in Scripture. 1. essentially, and so it is given onelyonly unto the blessed Trinitie, and is not communicable unto any creature: 2. personally, and so it agreeth onelyonly unto Christ as man: 3. according to the vaine opinion and estimation of men: so the Idols of the Gentiles are caelled gods, as 1 Cor. 8.5. Though there be that are called gods, &c. 4. by way of similitude, as Princes and Magistrates in respect of their authoritie, wherein they represent God in earth, are called gods: so also Prophets, in respect of their divine knowledge, holy men for their sanctitie, and Angels for the excellencie of creation, and the ministers in regard of their divine function and calling, have that name and title given them: Perer. 2. To this agreeth also the distinction of Gregorie, that some are called gods nuncupativè, that is, by a kinde of title and appellation, as Moses is here called Pharaohs God: but the Lord is called God essentially: The God of Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, Exod. 3. Gregor. hom. 8. in Ezechiel. 3.

QUEST. II. In what sense Moses is called Pharaohs God.

MOses is called Pharaohs God: 1. not onelyonly for that from God, and in Gods name he declared his will unto him, for the delivering of his people, as Vatab. 2. nor yet, that he was as a Prince onelyonly to Pharaoh, as being mightier than he, and of greater power: as the Chalde readeth, and Simlerus consenteth: 3. but he is so called in respect of the divine authoritie given unto him, in bringing those great plagues upon Egypt, which made Pharaoh to feare him as God, and the Magitians afterward acknowledged, that he wrought by the finger of God: Perer. 4. Augustines note also is not here to be omitted, that otherwise Moses is said to be in Gods stead to Aaron, Exod. 4. that is, a director of him in things belonging to God: otherwise here he is said to be Pharaohs God, that is, to execute judgement upon him, Augustine much to his purpose quaest. 17. in Exod.

QUEST. III. In what sense Aaron is called Moses Prophet.

AAron thy brother shall be thy Prophet. 1. This word Prophet is taken five wayes. First, it signified such as did prophesie and foretell things to come, which in old time were called Seers, and in this sense this name also was given unto false Prophets, that tooke upon them to declare things to come, as also S. Paul calleth Epimenides the Cretensian Prophet, because he truly prophesied of the manners of the people, Tit. 1. 2. They are said to prophesie, which had a speciall gift to sing and play upon instruments, as Asaph, and Heman, are said to prophesie upon their harpes, 1 Chron. 25. 3. They also had the name of prophesying given them, which onelyonly in the outward behaviour were like unto Prophets, that is, as p. 61men ravished for the time and beside themselves, as Saul is said to prophesie, when the evill spirit came upon him, 1. Sam. 18.10. that is, he was as a man beside himselfe. 4. To prophesie is taken for the doing of any strange and miraculous worke, as the dead body of Elisha, is said to prophesie, Eccl. 48. because by the vertue thereof, one was restored to life. 5. To prophesie is to expound and interpret, as S. Paul useth this word, 1. Cor. 14. comparing prophesying and the gift of tongues together: and in this sense is Aaron Moses Prophet, that is, his interpreter and spokesman to Pharaoh. Pererius.

QUEST. IV. Why the tribes of Israel are called armies.

Vers. 4. ANd bring forth mine armies. 1. The Israelites are so called in respect of their numbers, because every tribe of them by it selfe was able to make an army: for if the summe of 600000. be divided into 12. partes, each part will make. 50000. Simler. 2. Beside, this sheweth that they should goe forth of Egypt, not as men afraid, or fleeing, but with courage and strength: as chap. 13.18. it is said, they went up armed or well appointed out of Egypt. 3. Hereby mystically is signified the great numbers of servants and people of God: Borrh. 4. They came up by their armies, that is, by troupes and companies, for as yet their commonwealth was not constituted, nor distributed into tribes. Iunius.

QUEST. V Of Moses age.

Vers. 7. NOw Moses was 80. yeere old. 1. To this agreeth S. Stephens narration that Moses was forty yeere old when he fled out of Egypt, and that forty yeere more was expired before he returned into Egypt, Act. 7.23.30. 2. This is inserted concerning Moses and Aarons age, for the further evidence of the story, and to serve for the chronology of the Scripture and computations of times. 3. And in that Moses and Aaron were called to place of governement being now aged, it sheweth that it is not safe, that the publike administration of offices should be committed to young men, especially such as are but young in gifts necessary for governement.

QUEST. VI. Whether Pharaoh asked a signe: and whether a signe may be required.

Vers. 9 IF Pharaoh speake unto you, saying, shew a miracle, &c. 1. Though it be not expressed afterward, that Pharaoh asked a miracle, yet it is not to be doubted, but that according to Gods direction to Moses, he first shewed not this signe till Pharaoh had called for it, because it is said, vers. 10. that they did, as the Lord commanded. 2. But to aske a miracle, is not alwayes peculiar to the wicked: sometime the godly may require a miracle for the confirmation of their faith, as Gedion did. But Pharaoh here asketh a signe of a captious minde, that if Moses could not have warranted his calling by a signe, hee might … have rejected him: and yet after that the signe was shewed, he would not give place, but seeketh … evasions. 3. This is the third time that this signe was shewed, once in mount Horeb, where the Lord g…ve this signe to Moses, and afterward before the people to assure them of Moses calling, Exod. 4. and now here before Pharaoh. Ex Simler.

QUEST. VII. Of the divers names of the Egyptian Magicians here used.

Vers. 10. THen Pharaoh called for the Wisemen and Sorcerers. 1. Here are foure words used to describe the Magicians of Egypt, the first is chacamim or chacam to be wise: which Simlerus taketh to be a generall name of that superstitious sect of Magicians, that challenged unto themselves the onelyonly opinion of wisdome, being full of sophistry and deceit, (as the Septuagint read (foreign) rather than of true wisdome. Vatablus saith, the next word Sorcerers, is an exposition of the former. But I thinke rather it was a peculiar kinde of Magicke, whereof there are set downe 8. severall professions, Deut. 18.10. and the same that is there called jidghoni, a wisard, of jadagh, to know: the Septuagint readeth foreign, a marker or observer of signes, such as by the intrals of beasts and such other observations gave conjecture, as Gen 41.8. they are taken for those which were cunning in the interpreting of dreames.

The next word is mecasphim, praestigiatores, whom we call Juglers, which deceived mens senses: the Septuagint read foreign, veneficos, or as the Latine, maleficos, such as by sorcery bewitched men or beasts.

The third sort are chartumim, which are taken to be the Genethliaci, the casters of mens nativities. The Septuagint call them foreign, enchanters: R. Levi taketh them to be those which by naturall meanes seeme to doe strange things, while their craft is not perceived, as here they seeme to make serpents of rods. R. Saadias would derive it of chor and atam, which signifieth an hole, and secret, because they did hide in secret holes and places, as in graves, those whom they consulted with, and which gave answer unto them: but this seemeth to be curious.

The fourth word is lahate of lahat, which signifieth fire, or the blade of a sword, as Gen. 3.24. because Magicians use not onelyonly words to enchant with, but other instruments: Aben Ezra. But their enchantments are rather so called because they deceive men, making them to take one thing for another, as the fight is easily deceived in shaking of a bright sword: Borrh.

QUEST. VIII. Of the divers kindes of magick.

BEsides these here named, there were other kindes of Magick, as Plinie rehearseth divers, as how they divined by water, by the aire, by the starres, by basons, shadowes, talke with the dead, lib. 30. c. 11.2.August. lib. 10. de civitat. Dei▪ cap. 9. Augustine out of Proclus and Porphyrius, sheweth, that they made two kindes of Magick, the one was thourgia, which by certaine sacrifices, and a fained purity of the body, and by other rites, did invocate, as they thought, the good spirits: the other was called goetia, because they used mourning in invocating p. 62of spirits; and Necromantia, because they consulted with the dead. 3. Suidas maketh three sorts: M… gia, art Magicke, which was by invocating of the spirits, for the effecting of some good worke, as they were made to beleeve. Goetia, which by mourning called upon the spirits of the dead: Pharmacia, when they used or applied any venomous or poysoned thing. Ex Perer. 4. But to know the divers devilish devices which Magicians used, we can have no better direction than from the Scripture it selfe, Deut. 18.10. Where beside these two kindes before rehearsed, of jidgeni the wisard, and casheph, the Jugler or deceiver, there are six more magicall practices set downe: The first is Kasam, the diviner, foreign, Septuagint, such as tooke upon them to tell of things which were lost, and to declare hid matters and things to come, such as divined by visions, as Micah. 3.6.

The next is meghonen, an observer of times, Planetarius, a Planetary, such as by the aspect of the starres, moving of the cloudes, and by such like tooke upon them to prognosticate, not of naturall things, but of civill and humane affaires: so is the word used, Isai. 2.6. They are Southsayers, as the Philistims: and what the Philistims were we may read, 1. Sam. 6. who by the going of the cart, and by the way it tooke, did take upon them to finde out the author of the plagues, that were sent upon them: the Septuagint reade foreign, such as observe words and use spels.

The third is nachash, an Augur or Conjecturer, foreign, such as by the flying of birds, or such like, doe make conjectures: as they that count the crossing of a hare the way, ominous, and such like.

The fourth is casheph, the plurall whereof is cashphim, deceivers, touched before.

The fift is chober, chaber: the Inchanter, foreign, Septuagint, that useth inchantment, as it is expounded by another word, Psal. 58.6. lachash, which signifieth to mutter or whisper, such as take upon them to charme Serpents, and adjure Devils, and to doe great cures by hanging inchanted things about the necke, or such like: the word chabar signifieth to joyne, because such have a league and conjunction with evill spirits.

The sixt is shoel obh, that asketh of familiars, foreign; ventriloquus, Septuagint, that give answers, as though a spirit or familiar spake within them: for obh signifieth a bottle, or the belly swelling and puffed up, and ready to brast, as Iob. 22.20.

The seventh is j…dgoni, the Wisard, spoken of before.

The eight is doresh el hamethim: foreign, that inquireth of the dead, such as make men beleeve they can raise up the dead to consult with them: whereas it is the Devill in their likenesse: as the witch of Endor brought up the Devill in likenesse of Samuel, 1. Sam. 28.

QUEST. IX. Of the first author and inventor of art Magick.

Vers. 11. THese Charmers of Egypt. Though Egypt was much given to this devilish invention of Magicke, yet neither were they the first founders, nor the onelyonly professors of it. 1. Most Writers doe make Zoroastres of Persia the author of it, as Plinie and Diogenes Laertius, Iustinus: Plinie writeth of him, that hee only of all men that ever were laughed the same day hee was borne, and his braine so moved up and downe, that it would remove or put off the hand laid upon it, which, they say, was a signe of his great and mysticall knowledge: the author of the Scholasticall history saith, that this Zoroastres was Ninus, who wrote this art Magicke, and the seven liberall Arts in fourteene pillars, seven of brasse, and seven of bricke, to preserve them from the destruction of the world, one by water, the other by fire. 2. Concerning the antiquity of Zoroastres, hee was neither so ancient, as some write, that hee was 600. yeeres elder than Plato. or five thousand yeeres before the battell of Troy, as Hermippus, (as Laertius citeth him) nor yet was he so late, as Xantus Lydius maketh him to be, but six hundred yeeres before Xerxes expedition into Greece. For Zoroastres was in the time of Ninus when Abraham lived, from whose birth to the first Olympiad are counted 1268. yeeres: and the battell of Troy was 407. yeeres before the beginning of the Olympiades. But Xerxes passage into Greece followeth in the 75. Olympiade, and Plato his death in the 108 Olympiade: by this it is evident, that Zoroastres was neither so many yeeres before the first, nor so few as the rest imagine. 3. But Cassianus deriveth the first invention of Magicke, from before the floud: for whereas Adam having the knowledge of the celestiall bodies and elements, taught the same unto Seth: which kinde of knowledge continued uncorrupt in the righteous seed, till they joyned in marriage with the posterity of Cain, then they abused and prophaned the same to the finding out of superstitious and Magicall devices: which wicked inventions they say were preserved by Cain, and by him graven in certaine plates of mettall: sic Cassianus collat. 8. cap. 21. So these devilish practises continued along, and were dispersed in the world: they were rice in Canaan in Moses time, as may appeare by the Lawes made against such in divers places, but especially Deut. 18.10. And afterward about the time of the Trojane warre these Magicall studies were much followed, as Homers fable of Circes sheweth. Orpheus among the Thessalians, and Osthanes, that accompanied Xerxes in his warre against Greece, were famous in this kind. Pythagoras, and after him Empedocles, Democritus, Plato seemed to make great account of them. In the Apostles times, Iarchas among the Indian Drachmanes, Tespesion among the Gymnosophists of Aethiopia excelled in this kinde, and Simon Magus was in that time. But Apollonius Tyaneus in Domitians time went beyond them all.Plin. 1. cap. lib. 30. 5. And what might be the cause, that these Diabolicall studies received such liking in the world, Plinie declareth: because this Magicall profession borroweth of three notable Arts, Physicke or Medicine, the Mathematikes, and a colour or shew of Religion is the third: and thus mens mindes were bewitched therewith. But whosoever was the minister and instrument to set abroach these impious Arts, Satan was the author and inspirer of them: for he was a lier from the beginning, and when hee telleth a lye hee speaketh of his owne, as our Saviour saith, Ioh. 8.44. p. 63Porphyri… also confesseth as much, that the mysticall knowledge of these things came first from the spirits themselves: Quibus rebus gaud…ant, quibus alligantur d…i hominibus significarunt: ad haec quibus reb…s ipsi cogantur, qua illi offerenda sint, &c. The Gods (hee meaneth such Gods as Magicians worship) themselves signified unto men, what things they were pleased with, and with what they are bound; Ex. Eusebio lib. 5. cap. 7. de praeparat. Evangel.and further wherewith they are forced, and what is to bee offered unto them. Ex Perer. Which testimonie of Porphyrie by the way sheweth what we are to thinke of those usuall receits against witchcraft, as in scratching the Witch, burning of some part, or seething of the urine, and such like: that these were Satans owne revelations at the first in making carnall men beleeve that he is bound with such things.

QUEST. X. Who were the ringleaders and chiefe of the Egyptian Magitians.

BUt if further it be inquired, who these Magicians were; 1. Saint Paul sheweth that the principall of them were Iannes and Iambres, 2. Tim. 3. which Paul had either by some certaine tradition, or by inspiration, for in Scripture their names are not found; so thinketh Chrysostome, Theodoret, and Theophylact upon that place. It seemeth that some Heretikes afterward, by occasion of these names framed a booke of Iannes and Iambres, which Origen and Ambrose count among the Apocryphall bookes,Orig. Tract. 35. in Matth. Ambros…n hunc librum. Euseb. lib. 9. de praepar. Evang. and of hid authority, 2. Other forren Writers also have made mention of these two, Iannes and Iambres, as Nu…enius Pythagoricus (as Eusebius reporteth) writeth that these two resisted Moses, whom he calleth Musius, the Captaine of the Jewes: Plinie also calleth them Iamne and Iotape, whom hee saith, were many thousand yeeres after Zoroastres, wherein he is deceived, for from Abrahams birth, which was in the time of Ninus, when Zoroastres flourished were not above 500. yeeres. 3. But that seemeth to bee very strange which Palladius reporteth in the life of Macarius, if it be true:A strange report if true, of the place where Iannes and Iambres were buried. that whereas Iannes and Iambres in their life had made them a sepulchre, in a pleasant place, set with all manner of fruitfull trees, and therein made a fountaine of water, which place was kept by evill spirits: Macarius having a desire to see this place, and approaching thither, was met with 70. Devils in divers shapes, gnashing their teeth, and running upon him: but he not affraid passed along, and came to the sepulchre, where the great Devill appeared unto him, with a naked sword, shaking it at him, and there he saw a brasen bucket, with an iron chaine, wasted and consumed, and pomegranates dried, having nothing in them. Wee may worthily suspect that some Friers finger hath beene tempering with this fable, as in other reports of the Saints lives, to get credit unto them with fained miracles.

QUEST. XI. Whether things done by magicall enchantment are in shew or in truth.

NOw it followeth to shew by occasion of this conversion of rods into serpents wrought by these Egyptian Magitians, whether such things done by magicall inchantment are verily so effected, or but in shew and appearance only. 1. It cannot bee denied, but that many apparitions brought forth by sorcery, are meere illusions, as the transforming of Vlysses companions into divers shapes of beasts: so the Arcadians are said by swimming over a certaine river to bee turned into wolves.August. lib. 18. de civit. Dei. cap. 18. Augustine writeth of certaine women in Italy, that by giving certaine inchanted cheese unto passengers, changed them into beasts, and used them to carry their burdens for a time. The like Philostratus reporteth of Apollonius, that as he sat at the table, brasen men served them with drinke, and filled the cups like butlers: and how the image of Memnon in Egypt, as soone as the Sunne rising shined upon the mouth, began to speake: and how Vespesion the chiefe of the Gymnosophists in Aethiopia caused an elme with a low and soft voice to salute Apollonius. So to this purpose in the Cannons mention is made of certaine women,Causa 6. qu. …. cap. Episcop. that were so deluded of Satan, that they thought they did ride in the aire in the night, and were brought unto a pleasant place, where they did feast with Diana, and Herodias. 2. These and such like were but done in conceit and imagination: for the Devill cannot in truth bring forth the substance of Lions and such other beasts, which cannot come without generation and not at once but in continuance of time they come to their growth: and seeing to speake and worke are actions incident to man, they cannot bee performed in truth by images and dead things: And whereas they have seemed by Magike to raise up the dead, as is also written of Apollonius, that is beyond the Devils power, for the soule being immortall, the Devill hath no command over it, it is in Gods hand: and though he had, yet can he not prepare the body, being without naturall heate and life to bee a fit and apt instrument againe for the soule. 3. Yet notwithstanding, that some workes of Magicians are counterfeit, it followeth not that all should bee so: the Scripture sheweth that a false Prophet may shew a signe or wonder, that may come to passe, Deut. 13.1. Apollonius principles and receipts were currant through the world, whereby they used to stay the inundation of waters, and incursion of wild beasts, which Iustinus Martyr thinketh might bee done,Iustin. respon…. ad. 24. qu▪ Orthodox. by the great skill which hee had in naturall things. The Roman histories remember, how Claudia Vestalis, to prove her chastity did move a ship her selfe alone, tying her girdle to it, that many men and oxen could not stirre. So Tucia another vestall Virgin, for the triall of her chastity, carried water in a fieve from the River Tibris unto the Capitoll, Plin. lib. 28. cap. 2. These things seeme verily to have beene so done, but by the operation rather of Satan, to keepe the prophane Gentiles still in blindnesse and unbeleefe, than by the ministry of the good Angels, as thinketh Thomas Aquinas, ex Perer. 4. Now that many such things may be truly effected by Sorcerers through the power of Satan, it is evident by these two reasons: first, because Satan by the subtility of his nature, and long experience hath great knowledge of naturall things, he knoweth their sympathies, and Antypathies, their qualities and operations, he can apply and temper the causes together, and so is able to worke wonders, though not true miracles, which are beside p. 64the order and course of nature, which Satan cannot invert. As to put this for an example, the small fish which is called Echinus, or Remora, is able by applying himselfe to the ship to stay it, though it bee under saile,Plin. lib. 32. cap. 1. and have both the sea and winde with it: which Plinie sheweth to have beene found by experience, how that Antonius his ship at one time, and Caius at another were stayed by this fish: Now if a Magitian should secretly apply this fish to a ship, hee might bee thought to worke a great wonder, and yet it should bee naturall. The other reason is, that beside the knowledge of nature, Satan is skilfull of all humane arts and sciences, by the benefit whereof even men doe worke wonders: as Archimedes was able to stirre a ship with his hand by certaine engines which he had prepared, which a great number of men by strength could not doe: He also devised such kinde of instruments, when Marcellus the Romane Captaine besieged Syracusa,Wond…full things wrought by air. whereby they so annoyed their enimies and made such havock, and slaughter of the Romanes, that Marcellus himselfe said, they fought not against men, but against the Gods. Architas the Pythagorean, by Mechanick art, made a dove of wood to flie. Severinus Boetius made serpentes of brasse to hisse, and bird… of brasse to sing: If men can make such admirable things by art, it need not seeme strange, if by the power of Satan wonderfull matters are sometime compassed. Ex Perer.

QUEST. XII. What things are permitted unto Satan to doe.

THe next point to be shewed here is, what things, which seeme to us to be miraculous, the Devill may doe by himselfe, or his ministers, the Magitians. First in generall, wee are here to consider a twofold action of spirits, the one is immediate; as they can themselves passe speedily from place to place, as Iob. 1. Satan came from compassing the whole earth: for if the Sunne being of a bodily substance, can compasse the heavens of such a huge circuit, many hundred thousand miles about, in the space of 24. houres, the spirits can doe it with greater agility: they have also power to transport bodies from place to place, a… our Saviour yeelded his body to be transported of Satan, to the tempters further confusion. The other action is mediate, as Satan can transport, and bring together the causes of things, which being tempered and qualified, may bring forth divers naturall effects, which are wrought immediatly by those naturall cause…, yet mediately by Satan which bringeth them together. Secondly, in particular these things are permitted to Satans power, he can transport bodies and carry them from place to place, as th… Ecclesiasticall stories make mention, how Simon Magus was lift up on high in the aire by the … of Satan, but by the prayer of Peter was violently throwne downe: so sometime serpents, and … have beene seene flie in the aire: Albertus Magnus saith, that oxen have rained and fallen out of the aire; all which may be wrought by the conveyance of Satan. 2. The Devill can suddenly convey things out of ones sight, as Apollonius from the presence of Domitian. Thus it may be that Gyges, if that report be true, not by the vertue of a ring, but by the power of Satan became invisible. 3. They can make images to speake and walke, as before wee heard of Apollonius brasen butlers, and the image of Memnon; so the image of Iuno Moneta, being asked if she would remove to Rome, answered, se velle, that she would: and the image of fortune being set up, said, ritè me consecrastis, yee have consecrated mee aright. Valer. Maxim. lib. 1. cap. ultim. de simulachris. But the Devill cannot give power unto these things being dead, to performe any action of life, but that hee moveth and speaketh in them: as the Angell caused Balaams Asse to speake.Divers particulars of strange workes which Satan hath power to doe i… God permit. 4. The Devill can cause divers shapes and formes to appeare, as of men, Lions, and other things in the aire, or on the ground, as in the life of Antonie the Devill appeared unto him in the shape of terrible beasts. 5. And as he can counterfeit the shape of living things, so also of other things both naturall, as of gold, silver, meat, and artificiall, as of pots, glasses, cuppes: for if cunning artificers by their skill can make things so lively as that they can hardly bee discerned from that which they resemble, as Plinie writeth of Zeuxis grapes, lib. 35. cap. 11. much more can Satan coyne such formes and figures, as Philostratus▪ lib. 4. of the life of Appolonius maketh mention, how a certaine Lamia pretending marriage to one Menippus a young man, shewed him a banquet furnished with all kinde of meat and precious vessels, and ornaments: which Appolonius discovered to be but imaginarie things, and shee confessed her selfe to bee a Lamia. Lamia is taken for a spirit in the shape of a woman.6. The Devill by his subtile nature can so affect the sensitive spirits, and imaginary faculty, as that they shall represent unto the inward sense, the phantasie of some things past, or to come, and cause them to appeare to the outward sense, as wee see that franticke persons imagine many times that they see things which are not, and there is no doubt but that the Devill can effect that, which a naturall disease worketh. 7. Hee can also conforme the fantasies of those that are asleep, to represent unto them things, which the Devill knoweth shall come to passe, and by this meanes to bring credit unto dreames. 8. In some things the Devill can interpose himselfe, and helpe forward those superstitious meanes which are used to prognosticate; as the Augurs by the flying and chirping of birds, by looking into the intrals of beasts, by casting of lots, tooke upon them to divine, and the Devill by his mysticall operation concurred with them, more strongly to deceive. 9. The Devill can stirre up in naturall men the affections of love, anger, hatred, feare and such like: as he entred into the heart of Iudas, Iohn 13.1. and this he doth two wayes, either by propounding such externall objects, as helpe to inflame, and set on fire such affections, and by conforming the inward phantasie to apprehend them: Hierome in the life of Hilerius, sheweth how a certaine virgin by Magicall ench…ntments was so ravished with the love of a young man, that shee was mad therewith.

p. 65QUEST. XIII. How divers wayes Satans power is limited.

THese things before recited, Satan by his spirituall power is able to doe, yet with this limitation, that his power is restrained of God, that he cannot doe what he would: but sometime the Lord letteth him loose, and permitteth him to worke, either for the triall and probation of his faithfull servants, as is evident in Iob, or for the punishment of the wicked, as hee was a lying spirit in the mouthes of Ahabs false Prophets: for if Satan had free libertie to exercise his power, like as hee ran upon the heard of swine, and cast them all headlong into the sea, so hee were able to force men into many dangers, both of their bodies and soules: Ex Perer. Beside this absolute limitation and restraint of Satan when God doth stay him from working; there are two other kindes of inhibiting,God divers wayes limiteth the power of Satan. for neither hath Satan such free scope, to exercise his rage upon the faithfull, as hee hath power to worke upon the children of disobedience: for they are his proper subjects: and in them the God of this world blindeth their mindes, 1. Cor. 4.4. and they are taken in the snares of Satan at his pleasure, 2. Tim. 2.26. But over the faithfull hee hath no command, to delude, deceive, or seduce them, neither to invade them at all without speciall lice…ce from God, as Iobs tentation sheweth And againe though the Lord for some causes best knowne to himselfe doe give him leave to trie his children, yet God so qualifieth his assaults and tentations, as that they effect not that which Satan intendeth, but are disposed of to that end, which the Lord propoundeth: as Satan desired to winnow Peter as wheate, and thorowly to have sifted him, but Christ upheld him that his faith failed not, Luk. 22.31, 32. and that his tentation tended not to his subversion.

Concerning this threefold limitation of Satan, I thinke it not amisse here to adde the sentence of Augustine. For the first, that Satan cannot doe what he would, but his power is restrained, he thus writeth: Si tantum posset nocere diabolus, quantum vult, non aliquis justorum remaneret: If the Devill might hurt, August. in Psal. 61.Ps 61as much as he would, not any of the just should remaine For the second, that Satans power is more free and absolute over the wicked, he thus saith: In fili is diffidentiae tanquam in suis mancipus operatur, quemadmodum homines in pecoribus: In the sonnes of unbeliefs he worketh, as in his owne vessels, as men upon their cattel. Againe: Sicut homo de pecore suo facit quod vult, de alien… pecore ut faciat, August. in Psal. 77.Ps 77expectat sibi dari potestatem ab eo cujus est: As a man doth what hee will with his owne cattell, but with another mans he cannot doe any thing, but expecteth first that leave be given him of the owner. For the third, that when the Lord permitteth Satan to assault his owne servants, yet he moderateth the action, that Satan worketh not his will upon him, but what he intendeth for their destruction, the Lord directeth to be onelyonly for their probation, Augustine also thus inferreth: Vtitur Deus Angelis malis, non tantùm ad puniendos malos, ut in Achab, August. ibid.sed etiam ad probandos & manifestandos bonos, sicut fecit in Iob: God useth evill Angels not only to punish the wicked, as in Achab, but to prove and make knowne the good, as he did in Iob. Thus then is this point determined: 1. The Devill hath not now such power as before his fall: as Augustine saith:August. cont. Epist. Second. Cap. 10. Sunt nobis potentiores, neque tamen tam firmi nunc sunt ac si in pristino statu permansissent: They are mightier than wee are, but yet not so strong as if they had remained in their former estate. 2. The good Angels have greater power in working upon the creatures than the evill. Augustine: In haec Angelis longe amplior potestas est bonis & mal… quamvis & major bonis: August. in Psal. 77.Ps 77The Angels both good and bad have greater power than man over these inferiour creatures, and yet the good have greater power than the evill. 3. Satans power is limited, he doth not what hee will. 4. The Devill hath more command over the wicked, than power over the righteous. 5. When hee practiseth against the righteous, yet his malice is restrained, God turneth the tentation to that end which shall be to his glory and the good of his children.

From hence may bee inferred two conclusions: first, that righteous and faithfull men are not altogether freed from the assaults and invasions of Satan: as S. Paul felt in himselfe the pricke of the flesh, the messenger of Satan, sent to buffet him, 2. Cor. 12. And as hee may trie them with spirituall tentations, so also he may, if God permit, torment them with corporall vexations, as Iobs example sheweth: and to this purpose Augustine concludeth well: Contra mul…iformes daemonum incursus, quis sua innocentia fidit, &c. Lib. 22. De civit. Dei c. 22.Who can trust upon his innocencie to be defended against so many incursions of the Devill seeing that they many times vex infants, then whom nothing is more innocent?

The other conclusion is, that although Satan may set upon the members of Christ, yet hee cannot hurt them: he may enter into the lists with them, but not overcome them: the Serpent may bite the heele, but Christ hath broken his head: and as our blessed Saviour saith of himselfe, The Prince of this world commeth and hath nought in me, Ioh. 14.30. So neither by Gods grace hath he any part in us, that are the members of Christ. Augustine doth notably touch this point in this manner: Fortior quis est aut corpore, &c. One may be said to be stronger either in body, as an horse is stronger than a man; or in minde, August. l…b. cont. Secund.as the reasonable creatures than the unreasonable; and in affection and disposition, as the just man more than the unjust; or in power and authority, as the Captaine stronger than the souldier: by the first of these wayes, potestas datur deterioribus, in meliores, the worse may have power given them over the better, for the proofe of their patience: and so he concludeth: Principes illi in re inferiore superant, in potentiore superantur: fideles enim mente firmiores sunt, infirmiores corpore: Those principalities (he meaneth the spirituall powers) are superiours to us in things inferiour, but they are in things superiour weaker; the faithfull are stronger in minde and more infirme in body.

p. 66QUEST. XIV. Whether the Devill by his owne power can raise thunder and lightning.

HItherto it hath beene shewed what Satan is able to doe in that immediate action of moving and transporting himselfe and other creatures from place to place: it followeth to shew w…at power he hath in the other mediate action, which is done by the meanes and instrument of the cre…ures. But here ariseth a question fit to bee discussed, whether the Devill by his owne power can raise tempests, windes, thunder, lightning, as Pererius thinketh he can by warrant of the story of Iob, where Satan brought downe lightning upon Iobs sheepe and raised winde, whereby the house was overwhelmed upon Iobs children: Perer. in 4. disput. in cap. 7. Num. 34. But herein I must needs dissent from Pererius, though I finde that Augustine inclineth to the same opinion:August, in Psal. 77.Ps 77 for thus he writeth: In libro fidelissimo legimus diabolum potuisse ignem de coelo demittere: We reade in a most faithfull booke that the Devill could bring downe fire from heaven. But how is it then called the fire of God, if it were of Satans sending? therefore the text it selfe is against that opinion: some take it to bee called a fire of God, that is, a great and most vehement lightning, as things of excellencie are so called, as the wrestlings of God. Gen. 30.8. and the mountaines of God, Psal 36.7. Iunius. But this sense in that place seemeth to be improper: for as here the lightning is called the fire of God, so Psal. 29. thunder is called the voice of God: I thinke that it will not be said, that here also it is so called because the thunder giveth a mighty voice, for this is there beside expressed, The voice of the Lord is mighty: but there the reason is shewed why it is called the voice of the Lord: because the God of glorie maketh it to thunder, vers. 3. Againe, every where the Scripture maketh God the author of thunder and lightning and windes, as Psal. 107.25. Hee commandeth and raiseth the stormie winde: and Psal. 147.15. Hee sendeth forth his commandement upon the earth, and his word runneth very swiftly: he giveth snow like wooll. Psal. 148.7, 8. Praise the Lord &c. fire, and haile, snow, and stormy winde which execute his word: they execute Gods word and commandement onelyonly: but if they might bee raised by the power of Satan, then should they execute his word. Further, the Lord saith, Iob. 38.25. Who hath divided the spoutes for the raine, as the way for the lightning of the thunders? and vers. 28. the Lord is said to bee the father of raine, and so consequently of the other meteors: If the Devill can cause raine, thunder, lightning, then he might be said to bee the father of it. Hence it is that the people of God have used to pray unto him, as the only author and giver of raine, and weather: as Samuel saith, Is it not wheate harvest, Ambros. Hierom. lib. 4.7.I will call unto the Lord and he shall send thunder and raine, 1. Sam. 12.17. So Ambrose saith: Cum pluvia expeteretur ab omnibus quidam dixit neomenia dabit eam, &c. When raine was desired of all, one said, the new Moone will bring raine, although we were very greedy of raine, yet I would not such assertions to bee true, yea and I was much delighted that no raine was powred: donec precibus ecclesiae datus, manifestaret, non de initiis lunae sperandum esse, sed providentia & misericordia creatoris: untill it being at the prayers of the Church, did manifestly shew, that raine is not to be hoped for by the renewing of the Moone, but by the providence and mercy of the Creator.

Some thinke that the fire which came upon Iobs flocke did not come downe from heaven, but was otherwise kindled by Satan: but that the Devill made as though it came from Heaven, the more to terrific Iob, when hee should see that even the heavens and God himselfe were set against him: Of this opinion seemeth to bee the author of the Commentary upon Iob under Origens name. Non de coelo cecidit ignis ille, sed ita finxit nequissimus, &c. Non à Deo missus est sed tua iniquita … miserrime omnium diabole succensus est: Origen. in librum Iob.That fire came not downe from heaven, but so the wicked one fained: it was not sent of God, but kindled by thy wicked meanes, O thou Devill of all most miserable. And afterward hee sheweth that Satan cannot bring fire from heaven: Dic ergo infoelix tunc super oves Iob ignem de coelo potuisti adducere? & cur non potuisti revocare illum ignem, quem advocavit Helias? Say then, couldest thou, O wretched one, bring fire upon Iobs sheepe, and why couldest thou not then keepe backe the fire which Helias called for upon the fifties, for they were thy ministers and servants? This authors judgement in this latter point wee willingly imbrace, but his first conceit seemeth not to bee agreeable to the text, which saith it was the fire of God, then not kindled by Satan.

Neither yet is it to be thought, that Satan had no hand in it, but that it was wholly Gods worke: for so God should be Satans Minister, in serving his turne and not Satan his. Wherefore my opinion is this, that this tempest of fire and winde were in respect of the naturall generation of them of the working and sending of the Creator. But Satan was Minister dejecti ignis: the minister of the fire cast downe, as Osiander saith, not the author, but the minister, yet not Gods minister in the originall worke, which proceeded of naturall causes, but in the execution: God caused the fire, but Satan brought it upon Iobs flocke: God raised the winde, but Satan drave it upon the foure corners of the house: for this we doubt not of, but that thunder and lightning and winde being once raised, that Satan hath power by Gods permission to carry and transport it from place to place: if the winde blow one way, he can turne it to another: but of himselfe by his spirituall power I deny that he can raise windes and tempests where none are, upon the reasons before alleaged. And therefore we may hold that to bee a fable, which Philostratus reporteth: how Apollonius saw two tunnes among the Indians, which being opened did send out the windes, and being shut they were restrained. So I conclude this place with that decree of the Councell, Braca…ens. 1. c. 8.Philo strat. lib. 3. de vita Appo…. cap. 3. Si quis credit, quòd diabolus tonitrua, fulgura, tempestates, siccitates sua authoritate facit, sicut Priscillianus docet, anathema sit: If any man beleeve, that the Devill by his owne authority can make thunder, lightning, tempests, drought, as Priscillanus holdeth, let him be accursed.

p. 67QUEST. XV. Of the power of spirits in naturall workes.

NOw concerning the other actions of spirits, which is called mediate, they by applying, tempering and qualifying naturall causes, may bring forth strange effects: for the vertues and properties of herbes, plants, precious stones, mettals, m…nerals, are exactly knowne unto them, and but in part unto us. 1. As we see man by art, by composing things together, can effect rare and strange workes, as is evident in the graffing and incision of trees, in distilling of waters, compounding of medicines; so much more can spirits by aportioning and applying divers naturall causes together, produce strange things. 2. Againe, many times the excellencie of the artificer or workeman, addeth to the perfection of the worke beyond the vertue of the instrumen… as an axe serveth but to cut, but the cunning workeman, can therewith doe more than cut, as frame a bed, or table, and such like: so these spirituall powers by their great skill, can by naturall instruments and meanes, bring forth more excellent and strange works, than their naturall force serveth unto, because they are the instruments of Angels and spirits. Sic Thom. Aqui. cont. Gent. c. 103. 3. Augustine giveth instance of divers strange and admirable workes in nature,Divers strange and admirable workes in nature. as the naturall burning of certaine mountaines, as of Aetna in Cicilia, Vesuvius in Campania. It is found by experience, that certaine things putrifie not, as the flesh of a Peacoke, as Augustine saith, and coales, upon the which for the same cause Chersiphron founded the temple of Diana: lime boyleth with water and is quenched with oile: the adamant is so hard, that it cannot bee broken upon a smithes anvill: the Agrigentine salt melteth in the fire, and sparkleth in the water: there is said to bee a fountaine among the Garamants, that boileth in the night and freezeth in the day: the stone Asbestus burneth continually, being once set on fire, and is never extinct: the wood of a certaine figge tree in Egypt, sinketh in the water: in the Isle Tilo, the trees cast no leaves: in the Temple of Venus. there was a lampe that no tempest could put out: and Lodovicus Vives there reporteth, that a certaine lampe was found in a grave, that had burned above 1050. yeeres. At Alexandria in the Temple of Serapis, a certaine image of iron did hang in the top by reason of a certaine loadstone, which was inclosed in the roofe. These and other such like strange things in nature Augustine remembreth. Some wee have knowledge of, but many secrets of nature are hid from us, but knowne unto the spirits who by this meanes doe worke wonders, only producing extraordinarie effects of nature. 4. Augustine further in another place sheweth the reason thereof in this manner: Sunt occulta quaedam semina, arborum, plantarum, &c. in elementis, &c. There are certaine hid seeds, Augustin. lib. 3. de Trin. c…p. 6. ad cap. 10.of trees, plants in the elements: for as there are visible seeds, so there are hid seeds, which give unto the other their vertue: like as then the husbandman doth not create corne, but bringeth it out by his labour, so the evill Angels doe not create things but only doe draw forth those seeds which are unknowne to us, but well knowne to them: As Iacob did not create that variety of colour in the sheep, but by applying of particoloured rods brought it forth: sicut ergo matres gravidae sunt foetibus, it… mundus gravidus est causis & seminibus nascentium. Then as mothers that are great with child, so the world is full of such seeds and causes of the beginning of things, which causes they better knowing then we, doe worke wonders: yea wee see that men, by the pounding of certaine herbes, and by such like meanes can cause wormes and other like small creatures to come forth. To this purpose Augustine.

QUEST. XVI. What workes in naturall things are forbidden unto spirits to doe.

IT followeth now to shew, as wee have seene what things are possible to bee done by spirits, so what things are out of their reach, and beyond their power. 1. Touching the immediate action of spirits, which is by locall motion, the Devill cannot destroy the world, or any principall part thereof, nor subvert the order and course of nature: he cannot change the course of the heavens, or put the starres out of their place, neither although he may work some alteration in some part of the earth, the whole he cannot remove: these and such great workes he cannot doe: Perer. ex Aquinat. the reason is this, because this were to crosse the Creator, who by his providence, as by his power hee created the world, and all that is therein, so he preserveth the same, in that order which he hath appointed: as the Psalmist saith, The earth is the Lords and all that therein is: hee hath founded it upon the sea, and established it upon the flouds, Psalm 24.1, 2.

Secondly, concerning the other mediate action of spirits by the instrument and mediation of the creatures: these things are denied unto spirits. 1. They cannot create any thing of nothing, for that argueth an infinite power, and is peculiar unto God 2. The Devill being himselfe spirituall and without a bodily substance, cannot immediatly change or transforme any materiall or corporall substance, without some other naturall cause comming betweene. 3. Neither can these spirits change any naturall thing, into an other naturall thing immediatly, without that subordination of nature, and preparation and disposition of the matter, which is observed in the generation of things: therefore hee cannot bring forth a beast without seed, nor a perfect beast all at once, because naturally both the generation of such things is by seed, and they receive their increase and growth not all at once, but by degrees and in time: therefore, when by the operation of Satan, lions and beares and such like creatures have beene made to appeare, either they were but phantasies, and no such things indeed, or were transported from some other place; and by this reason he cannot restore dead bodies to life, because the body being void of naturall heat and spirits, is not fit to entertaine the soule. 4. Neither can Satan hinder the operation of naturall things, if nothing be wanting, which is necess…ry for their working: And generally whatsoever alteration may be made by naturall causes, as wormes, and frogs and such like may come of p…refaction, these things may be atchieved and compassed by spirits: but such changes and transmutations, as cannot be done by naturall p. 68meanes,Satan two wayes maketh things to appeare that are not. as to turne a man into a beast, are not within the limits of Devils power. But when such things seeme to be done, they are in shew rather than truth, which may be done two wayes: either by so binding and blinding the inward phantasie and sense, as that may seeme to be which is not: or by fashioning some such shape and forme outwardly, and objecting it to the sense. Perer. Ex Aquinat.

QUEST. XVII. Whether Satan can raise the spirits and soules of the dead.

AMong other things which exceed the power of spirits, it is affirmed before, that they cannot raise the soules of men departed, as Necromancers doe take upon them to talke with the dead. 1. Let us see the vaine opinion of the heathen of this devilish Necromancy. Porphyrius writeth that the soules of wicked men are turned into Devils, and doe appeare in divers shapes, and the soules of them that want buriall doe wander about their bodies, and sometimes are compelled to resume their bodies: Likewise Hosthanes did professe and promise to raise what dead soever, and to bring them to talke with the living: as Plinie writeth, lib. 30. cap. 2. who in the same place reporteth a farre more strange, or rather fabulous thing, that Appion the Grammarian should tell of a certaine herb called Cynocephalia, and of the Egyptians Osirites, which hath power to raise the dead, and that thereby he called Homers ghost, to inquire of him touching his countrie and parents.Fabulous reportes of the heathen of the imagined force of Necromancie. There were among the Gentiles certaine places famous for Necromancie where they received oracles from the dead, as they were made to beleeve: such was the Cymmerian oracle at the lake Avernam in Campania; such was Ericthone the Thessalian that raised up the dead to declare to Sextus Pompeius, the successe of the Pharsaliam battell. Tertullian writeth that the Nasomannae and Celtae used to consult with the dead at the tumbes of their parents, and of warlike men, lib. de anima. Such was the vaine opinion which the heathen had of this magicall art: which Plinie himselfe derideth as vaine and foolish, because Nero that wicked and bestiall Emperour, who was given over to all lewdnesse, yet could not be induced by Tyridaetes (whom he greatly advanced and gave him a Kingdome) solliciting him thereunto, and bringing Magitians unto him, to give any credite unto Necromancie, Plin. lib, 30. cap. 2.

Reasons against Necromancie.2. Now this vaine, or rather prophane profession of summoning of the dead and consulting with them, may evidently be convinced, to be nothing else but the Devils sophistry and forgery, for first the soule being separated from the body, hath no power to move or exercise any body, but that which it did give life unto, being the forme thereof: which being now dead, is an unapt organ or instrument for the soule: and therefore such soule being once departed from the body, can neither assume it, nor any other body. Secondly, the soules that are departed, are either in heaven at rest: and over the soules of the holy and righteous, which are in the hands of God, the Devill hath no command: or they are in hell, and from thence there is no returning againe; as is manifest in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, where it was denied unto the rich man, that any could goe from thence to be a messenger to the living.

In what cases the dead have beene raised and appeared.3. True it is, that the Lord by his power hath called againe into the bodies, and caused to appeare some that were departed: of the which we finde three sorts, some were restored to life, and their soules joyned againe to their bodies, as the daughter of Iairus, the widdow of Nains sonne, and Lazarus: others appeared in their true bodies, and came out of the graves, yet not to converse among the living, but to bee witnesses of the resurrection of Christ, Matth. 27.53. And yet wee reade of a more strange apparition of Moses and Helias in mount Tabor, where our blessed Saviour was transfigured, who appeared not out of their graves, but from heaven in their glorious persons. We deny not but that God hath and can at his pleasure cause the Saints departed to appeare unto men: but not out of purgatory, as Pererius imagineth, or to the end to bee patrons and helpers to his Church, for wee have alwayes the presence of Christ and of his Angels: neither yet can we beleeve, that so many Martyrs have appeared at their Tombes, as some Ecclesiasticall histories make mention: for as Christ is gone out of the world not to returne, till the day of judgement; so because he saith, where I am, there shall my minister bee, Ioh. 12.26. so wee cannot but thinke, that the Saints departed attending upon Christ, are not now to bee seene in the world. This then being granted, that the Lord hath power over the soules of men departed to command them to their bodies for a time, for some speciall service, and to send them into the world at his pleasure: yet this is no warrant at all to thinke, that Satan or his ministers can doe the like: for seeing this is as great a miracle, for the spirits of the dead to appeare, as to raise the dead, to cause the borne blinde to see, or to doe any such great worke: and God being the only worker of miracles, this cannot fall under Satans jurisdiction. Such visions then and apparitions, when dead men appeare in their bodily shape, though not with true bodies, and in their wonted apparell, counterfeiting their voice and behaviour while they lived, are to bee held meere illusions of Satan, that can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light: so I conclude this point with that saying of Tertullian: Et si quosdam revocavit Dei virtus in documentum juris sui, non id circo communicabitur fidei & audaeciae Magorum, & falaciae somniorum, & licentiae Poetarum, &c. Although the power of God hath called some againe, Tertullian. lib. de anima.to shew his dominion, yet this power is not communicated to the confidence and boldnesse of Magicians, to the deceitfulnesse of dreames, or to the libertie of Poets.

QUEST. XVIII. Why Satan doth counterfeit the spirits of the dead.

THe Devils then doe counterfeit the spirits and soules of the dead, as Chrysostome sheweth, Homil. 29. in Matth. and August. lib. 10. de civit. Dei cap. 12. for these causes: 1. By this meanes the Devill more strongly deceiveth, seeing men are ready to heare their parents and friends departed. 2. By this subtilty the Devill perswadeth men, that hell is not so fearfull a place, nor so enclosed, but that there may bee a respite and going forth. 3. Thus that opinion is nourished of the passing of soules from one body to p. 69another, as Pythagoras taught. 4. And it commeth also to passe, that the living are afraid of the dead, whom they imagine doe appeare unto them, and so to please and reconcile them, they superstitiously worship them, and offer unto them. Ex Perer. 5. Tertullian addeth further, that these apparitions bred a conceit, that all wicked men goe not to hell, but their spirits wander up and downe. 6. Et judicii & resurrectionis fidem turbant: And they doe hinder the faith of the last judgement and of the resurrection: if they could assume their bodies being dead, which the Christian faith holdeth to sleepe in the grave untill the resurrection.

QUEST. XIX. Of the divers kindes of miracles.

NOw to proceed and draw neere to the principall question in hand concerning these wonders wrought by the Egyptian Magicians, two things in generall are briefly to be touched: first concerning the divers kindes of miracles, then of the difference betweene true miracles and false. Concerning the first: A miracle is taken three wayes, first simply and absolutely in respect of any nature whatsoever: so there is no miracle: for unto God the author and framer of nature, to whom all things are possible, there is nothing strange or miraculous: that is called a miracle, which either excelleth ones power or understanding: but God both knoweth all things and can doe all things. 2. A miracle is called in respect of men: those things which are unusuall, and whose causes they are ignorant of, men use to wonder at: and in this sense, not only spirits, and their ministers the Sorcerers, but wise and cunning men may doe miraculous and strange workes. 3. But properly that is a miracle which exceedeth the nature and power of things created, and is beside the ordinary course of naturall things.

And this kinde of miracle last spoken of is effected three wayes: 1. The miracle is either in the thing, that is made or done, which nature can by no meanes bring forth: as for the body of man to bee made immortall, and to remaine in the heavens: and this is the highest degree of miracles. 2. Or else the miracle is in that, out of the which a thing is made or brought forth, as to make a thing of nothing, to give fight unto a man that is borne blind, and such like: and this is the next degree of miracles. 3. Or the miracle is seene in the manner: as a Physitian may heale a man, but not of a sudden, or without m…dicine: so the spirits may bring forth Serpents, or other vermine out of wood, but not immediatly. Now the wonders wrought by Magicians are not properly of any of these sorts of miracles: but they are either cousening and counterfeit trickes, or procured by naturall meanes. Ex Pererio.

QUEST. XX. Of the difference betweene true miracles and false.

FOr the second: true miracles differ from false these five wayes: 1. In respect of the power whereby they are wrought, for true miracles are wrought by the power of God, in whose name the Prophets and Apostles and other servants of God did shew forth signes: but Magicians doe bring forth their wonders, either by the force of naturall things, or by the helpe of Satan. 2. They differ in the qualitie of their persons that are the agents and ministers: for they which worke in Gods name are holy and vertuous men, and if any of them doe sometime effect any miraculous thing, they doe it for the confirming of the faith, or to some other good end: but Magicians and Sorcerers are most wicked and impure men. 3. The third difference is in the worke it selfe: for the signes and wonders of Magicians, are either counterfeit, or unprofitable, but true miracles are done in truth and upon great necessity and utility. 4. They differ in the manner of working: for true miracles are done by lawfull, holy and godly meanes, as by fasting, prayer, invocation of the name of God: but Magicians worke by inchantment, by words and signes and other superstitious rites, 5. The end also is divers: for Sorcerers worke wonders, either for their profit and honour, to make the people seeke unto them, as Simon Magus did in Samaria, Acts 8. or to confirme the people in errour and superstition: but the end of true miracles is to seeke the glory of God, the edifying of his Church, and the propagation of the faith. Ex Perer. 6. Hereunto may be added the sentence and judgement of Augustine: Aliter miracula faciunt magi, aliter boni Christiani, August. lib. 38. quaest. 79.aliter mali Christiani: Magi per privatos quosdam contractus, boni Christiani per publicam justitiam, mali Christiani per signa publicae justitiae, &c. Magicians doe worke miracles one way, good Christians another, and evill Christians another: Magicians by private contracts (with the spirits) good Christians by publike justice (that is, by the power and authority of God) evill Christians, by the signes of publike justice: As divers that followed not Christ, nor yet beleeved in him, yet in the name of Christ wrought miracles: as evill and disordered and discarded souldiers may use the ensignes and banner of the Captaine to terrifie their enemies.

QUEST. XXI. Whether the sorcerers brought forth true serpents.

IT followeth now to shew, whether these serpents, which the Magicians made, were true serpents, or only counterfeited for the time: 1. Some thinke that it was a true and reall conversion of the Magicians rods into serpents, and that it was done by the power of God, and that Satan did craftily challenge unto himselfe Gods worke: Simler. but the text is against this conjecture: they are said to doe the like by their enchantments, vers. 11. but the power of God giveth no place to enchantments. 2. Others thinke that they were true serpents so converted by the power of Satan: so August. lib. 3. de Trinitat. cap. 7. and in other places: and Theodoret quaest ▪ 18. in Exod. Thom. Aquin. Lyranus, Thostatus, Burgens. Cajetane: of the same opinion seemeth Philo to be, lib. de vita Moses: their reasons are these: 1. Because the Magicians are said to doe in like manner with their rods, and in the same phrase their rods are said to be turned into serpents, as Aarons rod is. 2. And againe, afterward the Sorcerers could not bring p. 70out lice, as they had serpents and frogs before: their impotencie was not, in not shewing shapes or shewes, but in not being able to bring forth the things themselves. sic Cajetan: and Moses serpents devoured their serpents, they were therefore true serpents; if they had beene otherwise, it is like Moses would have discovered their counterfeit dealing: sic Perer.

Contra. 1. They did the like in outward shew and appearance: and the same phrase is used of both, because to the sight and view they were so changed: and the Scripture useth to speake of things as they appeare, not as they are: as he that appeared unto the witch at Endor is called Samuel, yet being the Devill in his likenesse and habit, 1. Sam. 28. and Daniel saith, the man Gabriel, chap. 9. because hee appeared in the shape of a man. 2. The Sorcerers were restrained in their counterfeit dealing, that they should not be able any more to deceive by their phantasticall and imaginary shapes. 3. Rupertus doth gather the contrary, that the devouring of the Sorcerers serpents by Aarons serpent, sheweth that they were but counterfeit: devorari ergo & devorare non po…nerunt: because they could not devoure, but were devoured. 4. And in this sufficiently Moses discovereth their sleights, in that his serpent devoureth theirs.

Now further against this opinion, this speciall argument may be urged, that God only hath power to change and convert one substance into another,God only can transforme and change one substance into another. especially a dead thing into a living body, a peece of wood into a serpent: as it was decreed in the Avansicane Councell, in this manner; Quisquis credit aliquid posse fieri, aut aliam creaturam in melius aut deterius mutari aut transformari in aliam speciem vel similitudinem, nisi ab ipso creatore, qui omnia fecit, proculdubio infidelis est & pagano deterior: Whosoever beleeveth that any thing can be made, or any creature to be changed into the better or worse, or transformed into any shape or likenesse, but by the creator, which hath made all things, is undoubtedly an infidell, and worse than a Pagan. To this argument divers answers are framed. 1. Cajetane saith that the Devill might use some naturall meanes secretly, by the which serpents might be made out of those rods, and all the time, while the Sorcerers were called together, Satan made a way for that worke and prepared the matter. Contra. There is no naturall meanes to make a rod a serpent immediatly, and especially to bring forth serpents at once, of perfect bignesse, neither was there any such preparation of matter, for they were rods in the Sorcerers hands, not changed into any other preparative matter fit to engender serpents. 2. Cajetane answereth againe, that although the rod of it selfe was no fit matter for such a worke, yet by the excellencie of the agent and worker, which were the spirits, it might bring forth serpents of a sudden. Contra. The excellency of the agent, doth adde to the manner of the worke, as to doe it sooner, or better, it addeth no… to the matter: Angels working by naturall meanes doe it more admirably, than nature can worke it of it selfe, but beyond the strength of nature, or against the course of nature they can doe nothing. 3. Pererius misliking both these answers of Cajetane, yet consenting to his opinion, for the truth of this miracle, addeth a third: that Satan fetched those serpents, and suddenly transported them into this place, and suborned them in stead of the rods. Cont. But the text saith the rods were turned into serpents, the serpents then were not brought from any other place, but there changed, or seemed so to be. Againe, as here they turne their rods into serpents, so afterward did they change water into bloud, but that was not by transportation: for from whence could Satan convey such abundance of true lively bloud which is not ingendred but in the body, neither have they power to alter substances: it was therefore done by collusion, and so was this▪ 3. Wherefore the founder opinion is, that those serpents which the Egyptian Sorcerers brought forth, were only such in shew not indeed, or in truth: so Iosephus writeth, that the Magicians serpents, In speciem ac similitudinem verorum serpentium reptasse, did creepe in shew and likenesse of true serpents, lib. 2. antiquit. cap. 15. And Iustinus Martyr, Those things which the Magicians did by the helpe of the Devill, spectantium oculis praestigias offundebant: did dazle and deceive, and as it were cast … mist before the eyes of the beholders. quaest. Orthodox. 16. Tertullian, Mosis veritas mendacium Magorum devoravit, Moses trueth devoured their lie. lib. de anima. Gregor. Nyssenus saith, they were visus deceptione serpentes: serpentes onelyonly in the mistaking of the fight. Ambrose calleth it, commentitiam emulationem: a fained emulation, in cap. 3.2. Epist. ad Timoth. Hierome saith, imitabantur signa quae faciebat Moses, sed non erant in veritate. They did imitate the signes which Moses did, but they were not in truth. lib. 2. advers. Iovin. The reasons of this opinion before alleaged are these; 1. because solius divinae potestatis est: It belongeth onelyonly to the power of God, to convert a dead substance into a living creature: Rupert. 2. Moses true serpents devoureth the other, which Iosephus and Ferus urge as an argument that they were imaginary. 3. Other signes which they did, were only imaginary, as the turning of water into bloud, as is before shewed, and so this also.

QUEST. XXII. By what meanes Satan deluded Pharaoh with a shew of serpents.

THis being then thus resolved upon, that those were but serpents in shew, and to the outward sense: this counterfeit signe might be wrought two wayes by the operation of Satan: 1. Either by the confounding the inward sense and phantasie of the beholders, that they imagined to see that which was not: as sicke men of phrensie doe conceive they see strange sights: and there is no question, but that the Devill can effect, whatsoever by diseases or other naturall meanes may be wrought. 2. Or else, which is more like, Satan did forme such a shape and shew of spirits: as before is shewed, that the Devill hath such power by illusions, apparations and phantasies to deceive: as the Apostles seeing Christ walking upon the seas, supposed it had beene a spirit, Phantasma, that is, a phantasticall apparition, Mark. 6.49. Ex Perer▪ which sheweth that such illusions were usuall.

p. 71QUEST. XXIII. Why the Lord suffered the Sorcerers of Egypt to shew such contrary signes.

NOw the Lord suffered the Magitians thus by their lying signes to contend with Moses, for divers weighty causes. 1. That by this meanes Moses the faithfull servant of God, and true Prophet, might be the better knowne, as darkenesse maketh the light more glorious, and sicknesse health: Chrysostome. So Saint Paul saith, There must bee Heresies, that they which are approved among you might bee knowne. 1. Cor. 11.29. 2. That Moses might be freed from the imputation of being a Sorcerer, which thing some have not beene affraid to object: and a difference might appeare betweene his working by the power, and in the name of God, and of the Sorcerers working by the power of Satan: Rupert. 3. That thereby it might be made manifest, how the truth hath alwayes gainesayers, and is never without contradictions and oppositions, as Lucifer opposed himselfe to God in heaven, Cain to Abel in earth, Ismael was against Isaack: the true Prophets were molested by the false. Thus Saint Paul collecteth that as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses, so these also resist the truth, 2. Tim. 3.8. Perer. 4. Hereby also it is manifest, how according to the common saying, the Devill is Gods ape; that he taketh upon him to imitate and counterfeit Gods workes: that therefore wee should examine such workes and signes, whether they be of God, that wee be not deceived, and as the Apostle saith, cry every spirit, 1. Ioh. 4.1. 5. Another reason is, that seeing the Devill by his ministers can doe such strange things; that the servants of God bee not offended, when thy see wonders and signes to be done in the false Church by Heretikes, or Idolaters, the instruments of Satan. 6. This was permitted for the triall of the faith and constancie of Moses and Aaron, and the rest of the Hebrewes, whether because of the contrary signes, they would doubt of the truth of Gods promises: Perer. 7. And for the further hardning of Pharaohs heart, as hee had deserved by his former sinnes, that God might take occasion thereby to worke all his wonders in Egypt: Simler. Ferus, Borrh.

QUEST. XXIV. Whether Pharaoh being deceived by the Magicians false signes, be thereby excusable.

BUt seeing these Magicians by their Satanicall craft, doe so strongly deceive, whether is Pharaoh to be excused, that he doth not acknowledge Moses to be the Minister and Prophet of God? To this the answer is, that this notwithstanding Pharaoh is not to be held excusable, because there are evident signes to have discerned betweene the working of the one, and of the other, so that Pharaoh could not plead ignorance. To omit the differences before noted, Quest. 20. how that true miracles differ from false, in the power of working, in the quality of persons that worke, the worke it selfe, the manner and the end: which differences are not so easie to be discerned of all; there were besides most notorious workes that discovered the hypocrisie and weaknesse of those Sorcerers. 1. Moses serpent devoured theirs, which required a greater power. 2. They could counterfeit the like plagues, but they could not remove the true plagues, as Moses did. 3. They faile in their working, they could not bring forth lice, nor counterfeit any of the plagues following. 4. The plagues doe fall upon the Sorcerers themselves, chap. 9.11. 5. Lastly, they themselves doe give way, and confesse it was the finger of God. By all these arguments Pharaoh might well have perceived, that they were but counterfeit workers: and that Moses onelyonly was the true Prophet, and they imposters and deceivers. Perer. In the next place, the plagues which were sent upon Egypt come to be handled, and first certaine generall questions are to be premitted.