The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 10
Of Miracles.
M…racles are workes above the strength of Nature, and can be eff…ct…d of none, but by the Authour of Nature, who only doth them either above or against the power of Nature, and such was the dividing of the Red Sea. And though it may be objected, that the Apostles, Prophets and others had a guift toExod. 14. worke Miracles, and that Ioshuah commanded the Sunne to stand still, and Elias Ioh 10.fire from Heaven, God yet never gave to any man power to worke and effect2 King. 1. 10. a Miracle, either mediately or immediately: the guift was the Faith of Miracles, the Faith was grounded upon Revelation, and the Revelation was that God himselfe would worke such or such a Miracle, when they prayed or commanded, &c.
Men therefore are properly but the mouth of God, and Messengers to signifie what he will doe.
Object. The Divell can doe Miracles?
Answ. He can worke a Wonder or thing extraordinary, in respect of ordinary causesIob 1. …6. of Nature: So he caused fire to come downe from Heaven on Iobs Cattell, but for M…racles he cannot doe any in that it exceedeth the strength of Nature:2 Sam. 28. His are but illusions and reall actions done by himselfe or his Instruments.
Miracles are wrought in the Church, partly in Mercy and partly in Judgement:Note. In Mercy on Ieroboam, whose hand being withered was restored againe▪ In Judgement1 King. 13. on the Egiptians.Exod. 14.
By the Power of God
The Heavens The earth and all the host of them were framed,Gen. 1.
Man Was created and Woman, Adam named,Chap. 2.
The Apostles Did many wonders and signes which were admired,Act. 2. 43.
The Bush Burned that God spake out of to Moses yet not consumed,Exo. 3. 2.
Di… Bones Were gathered together and they lived,Ezek. 37.
Dead Men Were to life by Christ and others raised,Ioh. 6. 2 K. 13.
The Bow And the mighty men are broken, the weake girded,1 Sam. 2. 4.
Dagon Fell downe at Gods Arke being by him seated,1 Sam 5. 3.
David Did breake through an Host and triumphed,Psal 18. 29.
Dreames Were by Daniell and Ioseph interpreted,Dan. 6. Gen. 40 12.
Disciples Healed the sicke, cast out Divells, Leape…s clensed,Mat. 10.
Eliah The waters of Iorden with his Cloake divided,2 King. 28.
Elisha Healed venemous water, made Iron swimme in water,2 King. 4 C. 6.
Elisha Procured for the King of Israel without rayne water,2 King. 6.
Elisha Made sweete the Pottage death being therein,2 King. 4.
Elisha Fed with twenty loaves of Barley a hundred men,I…em.
Elisha Prophecied at the playing of a Minstrell before him,2 King. 3.
Elisha Cleansed the Leprosie of Naaman by washing,2 King. 5.
Ezekiell Was carried by the spirit to Ierusalem,Ezek 8 3.
Fire From the Lord consumed the Sacrifices and burnt-offerings ofGen. 15. L…. 9. … 6. 11. Abraham: of the Isralites, of Gideon, of Manoah, of Elias and1 King. 18. 12. Solamon.Chro 7.
A Goard Shadowed Ionahs head and suddenly withered,Iona 4.
Henoch And Eliah were without tasting death translated,Gen 5. 2 K. 2. 11
The Hand Of Moses by putting of it into his bosome became leprousExod 4. 1 King 13. and cleane againe: the hand of Ieroboam was withered up and restored againe.
The Isralites Of Seventy persons going into Egypt, in Foure hundred yeares,Gen. 15. became Six hundred thousand men, were not touched with the Plagues brought on the Egiptians, were delivered from the Egiptians Deut. 8. 7.oppressing them: In the Wildernesle were fed with Manna from Heaven: gathering Manna more or lesse, had all oneDeut. 10. in measuring: Their apparrell and shooes in forty yeares wereDeut. 29. 5. not old with wearing: They passed on dry ground through theExod. 14. Red Sea and Iordan, having the presence of the Lord in a CloudIosh. 3. going before them.Gen. 1.
Light Was brought out of darkenesse, life out of death,2 Cor. 9. 6.
Miriam Was strucken with Leprosie, and againe cleansed,Num. 12.
Mountaines Trembled and burned, yet were not consumed,Ex. 19. Deu 4.
The Man Diseased That stepped first into the Poole Bethesda, after the Angell ofIoh. 5. the Lord had stirred it, was healed,
S. Paul Healed diverse by sending Handkercheifes unto them,Act 19. 12.
S Peter Walked on the Sea and healed by shadowing,Mat. 14. Act 5. 15.
The Rod Of Moses became a Serpent, and a Rod againe,Exo. 4.
Of Ioshuah brought forth buddes and blossomes,Numb. 17.
The Seas Are ruled, dryed, and Floudes made desart places,Isa 56. 6. Ps… 9. 6.
The Sunne Stood still, and went backe ten degrees,Iosh 10 2 Kin. 20.
Stephen Saw the Sonne of Man standing in the heavens,Acts 7.
Sampson Slew with the jaw bone of an Asse a thousand Philistines,Iudg▪ 15.
The Tongues Of Nimrod and his company were confounded,Gen. 11.
Of The Apostles by the Holy Ghost were sanctified,Acts 2.
Two Natures Were united into one, being Christ, God and Man,Heb. 2. 14.
A Virgin Brought forth a Sonne, being the Seede of Man,Isa. 7. 14.
Christ Healed all kinde of diseases, cast out Divells,Mat. ….
Christ Stilled the raging of the Wind and Seas,Mar. 4.
Christ Turned water into wine at the Marriage in Cana,Ioh. 11.
Christ Raised Lazarus and others from death to life,Ioh. 11.
Christ Cursed the Figge-tree and it withered, Fed five thousand menMat. 9. with five Loaves: and foure thousand men with seven LoavesMar. 8. and a few Fishes: Speaking to Iudas band of men that came toMat. 14. take him, they fell backward: At his death the Graves opened,Mat. 27. and divers that slept appeared: And being buried in a Tombe with souldiers watching the same, he raised himselfe againe theMat. 28. third day after they had buried him.
Cedars Of Lebanon are broken: Cloudes are ballanced,Jerem 10, 12.
Colde Commeth out of the North, Deserts are watered,Job 36. 17.
The Dust Of the Earth is in a measure comprehended,Psal. 29. 5.
Deepes Are laid up in Storehouses, by God provided,Nah. 1. 1. Isa. 40. 12. Ps. 33. 7.
The Earth Is hanged on nothing, shaken and melted,Ioh 26. 7.
Frost Is given by his breath, and like ashes scattered,Iob 9. 7.
Flames Of Fire are divided, and Flints into Fountaines turned,Psa. 147. 10.
Foundations Of the Earth were laid: and of the Heavens moved,Iob 38. 4.
Hills Are weighed, and Heaven with a span counted,2 Sam. 22. 8.
Heavens Are cloathed, and with darknesse garnished,Psal. 114 8.
Lightnings Are turned to rayne: Mountaines weighed and moved,Iob 28. 25.
The Noyse Of the Seas are st…lled, dr…ed up, and divided,Isa. 50 2. Ps. 65 6, 7
Snow Is given like Wooll: Rayne falls on the Land,Psal. 147. 16.
Waters Are gathered together, and measured in his hand,Prov. 30. 4.
Windes Come out of his Treasures, and Ice like Morsells,Psal. 147. 17.
Windes Many O Lord are thy wonderfull workes which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us wards, they cannotPsal. 40. 5. be reckoned up in order unto thee: If I would declare then▪ they are more then can be numbred.
The Lord Doth great things past finding out, yea and wonders without number:Eccles. 11. 5. Iob. 9. 10.It is the Lords doing, and it is marvelous in our Eyes: unsearcheablePsa 118. 23. are his wayes.Rom. 11. 33.
Great are his signes, mighty are his wonders, his Kingdome is everlasting,Dan 3. 33. and his Dominion is from generation to generation.
Reade: Iob 11. Chap. 37. Chap. 38. Chap. 39. Chap. 40. Hos. 13. 14 Psal. 78. 12. Ecclus. 43.Psal. 135. Psal. 140.
Use.
1. Is God so powerfull? Let us then learne to know him, whom to know isIoh 17. 3. Eternall life. If the Lyon know his strength he is proud of it: If the PeacockeGen. 18 27. her beauty shee is proud of it; but if wee once come to know Iehovah, Deut. 6. 4.we will say with Abraham, we are but dust and ashes, and with the Prophet he is God alone.
I may know with The Gramarian to Speake purely,
I may know with The Rhetorician to Pleade eloquently,
I may know with The Arithmatician to Number perfectly.
I may know with The Geomitrician to Measure exactly,
I may know with The Astronimer to Foretell probably,
But all this knowledge will not bring me to Heaven.
I may thus Speake well and Live ill.
I may thus Dispute subtilly and Not see Sathans Sophistry.
I may thus Number up accounts and Not number my dayes.
I may thus Measure the Earth and Not measure my selfe.
I may thus Have an eye upon Heaven and An heart upon earth.
These things may make me learned, not good, great not godly: but goodnesse and greatnesse goe with the knowledge of God, and therefore it is wisedome to labour for it.
2. Doe we know God to be omnipotent? Let us not despaire in any danger imminent: Doe we know him to be Simple? let us shunne Hypocrisie: To be Infinite? let him alone satisfie us. To be Al…-sufficient? let him alone sufficeIsa 59. 1. us. His hand …s not sh…rtned that it cannot save.