Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons, Treatise · Part 2 · Section 10
SECT. 10. Of the power of the devill, what Satan can doe by himſelfe, and by his inſtruments.
THere is a twofold power, an abſolute power,There is an abſolute and a limitate power. and a limitate power: Gods power is an abſolute power, therefore power is put for God, Matth. 26.64. At the right hadn of the power, that is, at the right hand of God; and Satans power is a limitate power:How Gods power is limitate, and the devils power is limitate. God limitates his owne power, ſometimes ad intra, as Gen. 19.22. hee ſaith hee could doe nothing while Lot came to Zoa…: God by his abſolute power might have deſtroyed Lot in Sodome, but by his limitate power hee could not, becauſe it made more for the glory of God to ſave Lot, then to deſtroy him; but the devils power is a limitate power from without, for God who is more ſtrong and mighty than hee, linitates and bindes him, and farre exceedes the devill in power.
Firſt, God can onelyonly create things of nothing,God can onelyonly create things of nothing. Satan cannot doe this; God when by his mighty power hee doth create, preſuppoſeth nothing to worke upon, and his action in creation depends upon no other thing, for if he preſuppoſed any other thing, then hee ſhould not create abſolutely by himſelfe;How God, Nature, and Art worketh. This his action muſt be anſwerable to his infinite power: Art, when it worketh, muſt have ſome ſubject actually to worke upon; nature muſt have ſome thing potentially to worke upon, but God when he worketh, needeth nothing; either actually or potentially to worke upon. The Serpents which were brought before Pharaoh by the Magitians, either they were but ſerpents in ſhew onelyonly, as Tertullian holdeth when he ſaith, Moſes veritas devoravit Magorum mendacia, or els they were ſerpents brought there by the ſlight of the devill, but they were not ſerpents newly created. There is as great diſtance, inter ens, & non ens, betwixt that which is, and that which is not, as there is inter non ens & ens, betwixt that which is not, and that which is, but, the devill cannot change a body which is, unto that which is not at all, he can diſſolve a body into the foure elements, but he cannot turne it to nothing, becauſe he cannot aboliſh the foure elements: and as the devill cannot reduce that which is, to nothing: ſo he cannot create a thing and make it of nothing to be ſome thing. God onelyonly then, who is the cauſe of cauſes can create: There is in all the elements ſome ſeedes or ſeminarie vertues, and when fit time and opportunitie ſerves, they ſhew themſelves in their owne kindes: Now when the devill drawes forth theſe, hee cannot be ſaid to be the creator of them, no more than the husband man, who although hee obſerve the fit times and occaſions of ſowing the corne that it may grow, yet he cannot be called the creator of the corne; ſo neither can the devill be called the creator, when he drawes out any thing out of the elements which is virtually in them.
God onelyonly can change one ſubſtance into another.So God likewiſe by his power can onelyonly change the ſubſtances of things, as he changed Lots wife into a pillar of ſalt, Gen. 19. and water into wine, Ioh. 2. God onelyonly can change one eſſence into another, but he cannot change one ſubſtance into another, ſo long as the forme and ſubſtance of the firſt indureth: Therefore the devill when he would take a proofe of Chriſt, whether he were God or not; hee bids him change ſtones into bread, Matth. 4. Satan may delude our ſenſes, and ſhew us counterfeit ſhewes for true, but he cannot change one ſubſtance into another;S. Auguſtine lib. 18. de civitate Dei. therefore Saint Auguſtine proveth well, that Iphyginia was not turned into a hare, neither was the companions of Diomedes turned into fowles; As Satan would have had the people beleeve.
God onelyonly can worke miracles, Pſal. 135.God onelyonly can worke miracles. Thou Lord onelyonly workes marvellous things: Satan cannot worke a miracle, for a part of nature cannot exceede nature; Satan is but a part of nature, and a miracle is above nature: Therefore Satan cannot worke a miracle, & quod eſt totaliter ſub-ordine conſtitutum, non poteſt ultra iſtius Nſ. …rae ordinem agere, Mira operatur Satan, ſed non miracula, and the Angell did wonderouſlie, Iudg. 13.19. So ſatan can doe wonders, but no miracles.
There are Three ſorts of miracles,Miracles are of three ſorts. Miracles in the higheſt degree, and Miracles in the ſecond degree, and miracles in the loweſt degree.
Miracles in the higheſt degree are theſe in which nature had never a hand, nor never could have,Miracles in the higheſt degree. as to make the Sunne ſtand ſtill in the firmament, or to goe backe ſo many degrees.
Miracles in the ſecond degree, are thoſe,Miracles in the ſecond degree. when nature had once a hand in producing of ſuch things, But when they faile, nature cannot helpe them againe: Example, nature bringeth forth a man ſeeing, but when hee becomes blinde, nature cannot reſtore him to his ſight againe: And therefore when Chriſt reſtored the blinde to their ſight, it was a miracle in the ſecond degree.Miracles in the loweſt degree. A Miracle in the third degree is this, when nature in time could doe ſuch a thing, but when it is done in an inſtant, then it is a miracle in the third degree. When Peters Mother in Law was ſicke of a feaver, Mat. 8.13. nature in time could have evicted this malignant humour, and cured her, but becauſe upon a ſudden Chriſt cured her of this feaver, therefore it was a miracle in the third degree▪ So when Ezekias lay ſicke, God bids lay a l…pe of figges to the ſore: figges in time would have matured the boyle, but Ezechias being cured in a ſudden by the Lord, this was a miracle in the third degree.
The Devill cannot worke miracles in the higheſt degree: Therefore it is falſe which they write of the witches of Theſsalie, that they could ſtay the courſe of the Sunne by their enchantments, and bring the Moone out of the firmament.
Satan can worke no miracles in the ſecond degree▪ Chriſt proved himſelfe to be the Saviour of the world by this, becauſe he reſtored ſight to the blin… ▪ and the lame to their limmes, and the deafe to their hearing, and cleanſed the Lepers, Mat. 11.5. But Satan cannot reſtore ſight to the blinde, Iohn 10.21. Can a devill open the eyes of the blinde.
Satan can worke no miracles in the third degree; Such as was the curing of Peters Mother in Law upon a ſudden; Satan hath more skill then a Phyſitian hath to give ſoveraigne phyſicke to a Patient, and ſo to cure him the ſooner; but this he cannot doe upon an inſtant as Chriſt did.
The Hebrewes markes a twofold worke of God, opus Bereſheth, A twofold worke of God opus bereſheth and opus Merkebha. foreignand opus Merkebha; They call gods ordinary working in nature, opus Bereſheth, from the firſt words of Geneſis; They call Gods miraculous workes, opus Merkebha, from Ezekiels chariot, Eze. 1.…
God in ruling naturall cauſes he rules from the higheſt to the Loweſt, and from the top of the Lather to the foot,When God workes in naturall cauſes he rules from the higheſt to the loweſt. Hoſ. 2.21. I will heare the heavens, and the heavens ſhall heare the earth, the earth ſhall heare the corne, and the corne and the wine, ſhall heare Iezreell. Here God rules from the higheſt to the loweſt.
Some of the Schoolemen maintained that God touched onelyonly the firſt cauſe, the Heavens, and the Heavens ſent downe the influence to the earth, and ſo to the reſt: As when the crimp fiſh toucheth the fiſhers hooke, It ſends a benummednes to the hooke, and the hooke tranſmitts it to the line, and the line to the goad, and the goad ſends it to the fiſhers arme: Here the crimpe fiſh workes not immediately upon all theſe, but onelyonly upon the hooke: but God doth not worke ſo upon theſe ſubordinate cauſes, but is immediately with every one of them.
Quest. Whether then doth God concurre as a mediate or immediate cauſe with every effect.Whether God concurres as a mediat or in immediate cauſe with every effects.
Anſ. That is called a remote cauſe which is fartheſt diſtant from the effect, and which touches not immediatelie the effect by the vertue of it: God is called a remote and mediate cauſe if yee will reſpect the order of cauſes; as he is nearer to the Heavens then to the corne or Iezreell: But if ye will conſider diſtance from the effect▪ If wee reſpect the cauſes God workes mediately, but if ye reſpect his bleſſing he workes immediately.by his vertue, God is immediately with every offect.
But here wee muſt take heede that wee ſay not as ſome ſay, The ſunne ſhines not, but God in the ſunne, the fire burnes not, but God in the fire, for then wee ſhould aſcribe many things to God which ſhould bee unworthy to be ſpoken of him, and wee ſhould take away the ſubordination of cauſes.
But when Satan worketh, he never worketh immediately, but by ſome ſecond cauſe, but when God works,Satan never workes immediately. ſometimes he works nullo mediante ſuppoſito, no meanes intervening, as when Chriſt cured the woman of the bloody flux by vertue which went out of him, Mar. 5.30. Sometims againe he worketh mediante ſuppoſito & immedietate virtutis, that is by a meane which intervenes immediatly by his power, as when he feeds us with bread, when wee looke that all the vertue is in God, then wee ſay that man lives not by bread onelyonly, but by every word that commeth out of the mouth of God, Mat. 4.4. but when wee looke to the bread, as to a ſecond cauſe, feeding us, then we ſay, that bread ſtrengthens man, Pſal. 104.15. and wine cheares his heart.
God onelyonly worketh from the higheſt cauſe to the loweſt, It is he onelyonly that ſends raine, Acts 14.17. He left not himſelfe without witneſſe, in that hee did good, and gave us raine from Heaven, and fruitfull ſeaſons▪ It is he who gives the firſt and the latter raine, and it is he that can haſten the raine, 2 Kinges 18.44. And it is hee that can ſend a generall raine to deſtroy the world; but Satan can doe none of theſe, for Satans power goes no higher then the aire: Hee is called the Prince of the aire, and can raiſe ſtormes in the aire, haile, and fire, and ſo can the Witches at Gods permiſſion. He can applicare hic activa paſsivis, as we, (when we make pouder) uſe to put brimſtone and ſalt-peter together: So can Satan raiſe ſtormes by applying contraries one to another, but hee cannot bring downe fire from Heaven as Elias did, 2 King. 1.10.
Queſt. Seeing Satan workes only by natural cauſes, by touch and influx▪ how is it ſaid that the evill eye of the Witch doth bewitch,How doth the evill eye of the witch bewitch? Gal. 3.1. O fooliſh Galathians who hath bewitched you: foreign, here is properly ſpoken of thoſe who bewitcheth by the eye?
Anſ. It is not the eye heere which doth the hurt, but Satan; As hee hurteth ſometime under the pretext of the enchanting word, ſo here hee hurts under the pretext of the eye, and makes the witch beleeve, that it is her eye which hurts, when as it is ſatan in the meane time, who doth the hurt.
What are wee to judge when a murtherer is brought before a dead corps and bleedes.Queſt. What are wee to thinke of that ſort of tryall; when a man is killed and the murtherer is not knowne, if the murtherer come before the dead man, the corpes bleedes▪ Heere there is neither a phyſicall touch nor a naturall cauſe▪ and God worketh not miraculouſly now?
Anſw. Some hold, as there is a ſecret antipathie betwixt ſome living creatures, as the Elephant, when he is madde, beholding a lambe becommeth tame; and the Lyon is afraid of the cock, ſo there may bee an antipathie betwixt the living and the dead, and the blood is moved when the murtherer is preſented before it; but this ſeemes to carry but little reaſon with it, when a man was killed in Iſrael and no man knew who had murthered him, If this tryall had beene a lawfull tryall, why would not the Lord have ſet it downe for the diſcovery of the murtherer?Ʋide Leſsium. pag. 384 Iun… writing upon this place hold… this tryall altogether to be unlawfull.
God when he workes upon the ſubordinate cauſes, he workes ordinarilie foreign, according to nature, and ſometimes foreign, pra…r n…tur…m, as when he directs the creature another way, then their naturall inſtinct would carrie them, as when the kin… of the Phyliſtines were yoked in a cart, 1 Sam. 6.7. they carried ſtraight, (leaving their calves) the arke to Bethſh…ſh: So when the Raven brought daylie fleſh to Eliah, This was pr…ter naturam, beſides nature; for the Raven is cruell to her owne young ones, and will ſcarcelie feede them, ſee Iob 48.41.
Satan cannot move the creatures againſt their proper inſtinct, to doe any thing, but he may hinder their naturall inſtinct by ſome naturall meanes, by an antipathie.Plutarch in Sympor. The wild bull if hee bee tyed to the figg tree it calmes him: The devill by ſuch meanes can hinder the creatures.
God never workes contrary to naturall meanes,God never workes contrarie to the ſuperiour courſe of nature. for the God of nature is never contrarie to nature; And although the Lord ſometimes ſeems to be contrarie to the ſecond inſtitution of nature, yet he is never contrarie to the firſt inſtitution of nature▪ This is the ſupreame courſe of nature, that all things ſhould obey the firſt cauſe, and God never workes contrary to this firſt inſtitution of nature. I will cleare this by this ſimilitude. The inferiour courſe of nature appoints every heavie thing to goe to the center, yet leſt there be any vacuum in rerum natura, an emptineſſe in nature, the ſuperiour courſe of nature draws heavie things upward to ſupplie this emptienes: Others expreſſeth the matter thus. There is a common nature, and a particular nature, and the particular gives way to the common: the water by its owne proper courſe runnes downe, but by the common courſe; the water of the ſea flowes and ebbes, and this it hath from the common courſe; Satan cannot ſtoppe the inferiour courſe of nature, farleſſe the ſuperiour courſe of nature.
Gods miraculous ſorts of working.Gods ſecond manner of working is opus Merkebha, when hee worketh miraculouſly; God in working of his miracles uſeth inſtruments, but it is he alone who wroght the miracles;When God workes his miracles by inſtruments, it is he onelyonly who does the worke. he cōmunicateth not this his power with any, when the dead man was caſt into the grave of Eliſha, and touched his bones. 2 King. 13.21. there was no power in the dead bones to quicken the man againe; ſo there was no power in the apoſtles girdle, or ſhadow, to cure diſeaſes, neither into the Apoſtles themſelves was this power, they were morall meanes here, but they were not Phyſicall cauſes, they prayed to God, and told that all was done in his name; but there naturall skill helped nothing here in producing the effect. So Iohn 5.4. when the Angell ſtirred the waters, and they that ſtepped in firſt were healed, the power was neither in the Angell here to heale, nor in the water when it was ſtirred: When the Phyſitian ſtirres his potion, heere hee uſeth his skill, and there is a naturall power in the potion; but when the Angell ſtirred the water, it was neither the skill of the Angell, nor the power of the water that healed the ſicke perſon. The Lord communicates not his power, no not with the humanitie of Chriſt: Chriſt as man did not worke theſe miracles:Chriſt as man wrought not miracles. The fathers diſputing againſt the Arrians, and Neſtorians ſhewes us this: Gregorie Nyſſen writing againſt Eunomius ſayes, Non vivificat Lazarum humanitas, nec deflet in latibulis jacentem potentia▪ The humanitie raiſed not Lazarus, neither did the divinitie weepe for him. God then did not communicate this his power of working miracles to any creature.
Ob. If it be ſaid Marke 16.20. that the Apoſtles did foreign, with Chriſt in working of the miracles,How the Apoſtles are ſaid to foreign with Chriſt. A difference between Chriſts working of miracles and the Apoſtles. then they might ſeeme to be coworking cauſes with Chriſt in the miracles.
Anſw. this is onelyonly ſpoken in reſpect of the end, when as God onelyonly did worke the miracle; ſo men are ſaid to helpe God, Iudg. 5.23.
Chriſt in working of his miracles, differed farre from the Apoſtles and Prophets, when they wrought the miracles.
When Chriſt wrought his miracles, he wrought far greater workes then any other could doe, Ioh. 15.24. If I had not done amongſt them the workes which no other man did, they had not had ſinne, which ſaying is to bee underſtood; If he had not wrought mo e miracles, greater miracles, and more frequent, Mark. 1.32. they brought unto him all that were diſeaſed, Mat. 15.30. they brought to him thoſe that were lame, blinde, dumbe, maimed, and many others, and they caſt them at Ieſus feet, and he healed them; but when the Apoſtles and Prophets cured the diſeaſes, the vertue went not from them, as it did from Chriſt, Mar. 5.30. they aſcribed never this vertue to thēſelves, but reſerved the honour to Chriſt, Luke 10.17. as Ioab reſerved the honour to David, when he was about to take the cit…e of Rabbah, 2 Sam. 12.28. Secondly, they could not cure when and where they pleaſed, as Chriſt could, as Saint Paul left Trophimus ſick at Miletum, 2 Tim. 4.20. Thirdly Chriſts miracles were greater then theirs, yea when they wrought one and the ſelfe ſame miracle: Peter cured Aneas who was eight yeares ſicke of a Palſie▪ Acts. 9.33. but Chriſt healed a man who was thirtie eight yeares impotent. Iohn 5.5. So Peter raiſed up Dorcas who was newly dead, Act. 9.37. But Chriſt raiſed Lazarus when he had layne foure dayes dead in the grave, Iohn 11. Fourthly, Chriſt cured foreign. the imfirmities of the ſtomake by miracle, Mat. 5.23. But Saint Paul uſed onelyonly the ordinary remedie to cure this diſeaſe in Timothie, drinke a little wine for the weakeneſſe of thy ſtomacke, 1 Tim. 5.23. Miraculous workes farre exceed the workes of Nature, as the ſight reſtored to the blind by Chriſt, farre exceeded the ordinarie ſight, & the wine miraculous in the Marriage of Cana, far exceeded the naturall wine. So Chriſt cure here exceeded farre Saint Pauls. Laſtly, none of the Apoſtles confirmed themſelves to be the meſſias by their miracles, as Chriſt did Mat. 9. that ye may know that the ſonne of man hath power to remit ſinnes, I ſay unto thee, take up thy bed, Mat. 9.
The witch is concauſa into the worke, and not cauſa ſine qua non.But when the devill works by witches and ſorcerers, he workes by them as by coworking cauſes, They are not cauſae ſine quibus non, for Cauſa ſine qua non, is not reckoned amongſt cauſes, neither by the divines nor by the Philoſophers; for that is properly called a cauſe wch concurres to the producing of the effect. When a man ſets fire to a houſe, the ſetting of the fire to the houſe, is not the cauſe why the houſe burnes, but it is cauſa ſine qua non: So when I open the window that I may ſee the light; the opening of the window is but cauſa ſine qua non, that I ſee the light; when Satan uſeth the witch in his malicious and devilliſh inchantments, the witch is not cauſa ſine qua non here, but ſhe is concauſa, and helpes all that ſhe can to the deſtruction of the creature.
The miracles which the Apoſtles wrought differed farre from the miracles which Satan wrought, which was not miracles indeed, but had a ſhow of miracles, and therefore they are called lying wonders; And firſt, they are lying wonders, ratione cauſae, The difference betwixt the miracles of the Apoſtles and the miracles of Sathan.as proceeding from the devill who is the father of lies. Secondly, ratione formae, in the manner of their working, they are but deluſions. And thirdly, in reſpect of the end, for they ſerve onelyonly to confirme lies, 2 Theſ. 2.9. But the Apoſtles miracles were true miracles wrought by the ſpirit of God, they were no deluſions, when Aeneas was healed, he aroſe preſently, and made his bed; and all that were at Lydea and Saron ſaw it, Act. 9.35. So when Peters mother in law was healed of a feaver, ſhee aroſe and miniſtred to Chriſt, Marke 1.31. and as many as hee touched were made perfectly whole, Matth. 14.36. Laſtly, in reſpect of the end, the Lord cured their bodies, to make way for the curing of their ſoules, as Mar. 2.5. when he had cured the man of the palſie, he ſaid unto him, Thy ſins are forgiven thee. So Ioh. 5.14. when he cured the man of the palſie, he ſaid unto him, Sin no more least a worſe thing come unto thee; But Elimas the ſorcerer ſought to turne away Sergius Paulus the deputie from the faith, Act. 13.8. The Apoſtles aſcribed all the power to God; but ſorcerers and witches, aſcribe the power to themſelves, Simon Magus ſaid, he was the great power of God, Act. 8. So the witches will have the ſicke to beleeve in them, and that they have power to heale or to hurt (as they ſay) otherwayes, they can doe them no good?
Queſt. Whether can the devill doe more with the helpe of the witch, than he can doe himſelfe alone.Wherefore the devill can doe more by the helpe of the Witches than he can doe alone. Anſw. Some holds that he can doe more by the ſervice of the witch, than hee can doe alone, Mirum est (inquit) & myſterium, Franſciſcus de victoria rel. 1. de arte magica ſub finem.quod cum daemones nocere per ſe non permittantur, tamen, non adeo impediuntur nocere per homines, ut magos, lainas, & alias maleficas; It is a ſtrange thing (ſaith he) and a great myſterie, ſeeing the devils oftentimes are hindered to worke by themſelves, yet notwithſtanding they are not ſo hindered to hurt by men, as by ſorcerers and by witches; and oftentimes he ſaith, the devill cannot worke, unleſſe the malice of man concurre to the helping forward of his devilliſh practiſe. God himſelfe ſaith, I was angry with my people, Zach. 1.15. but ye helped forward mine anger; much more may wee ſay, that the witches with their malice helpes forward the malice of the devill, and makes the fire to kindle the faſter; for the devill is but a finite creature, and his power is not infinite; therefore the more that concurres to helpe him forward his worke is the more.
Let us compare Art, the Devill, nature, and God together;A compariſon betwixt Art, Nature, the Devill, and God. Art can doe ſtrange things, yet it doth onelyonly imitate nature: Architas Tarentinus made a Dove ſo cunningly, that hee mnde it flie in the aire, as if it had been a living dove; and the Egyptians made their gods ſo cunningly, that they ſeemed to laugh, to ſmile, and to frowne: And Xeuxes painted grapes ſo vively, that he made the birds come and flie upon them:Vide Cael…um pag. 54. and Apelles painted a horſe ſo vively, that he made the horſes paſſing by, to ney, and the dogges ſo vively, that he made the dogges paſſing by to barke, when they ſaw the painted dogge: but Archimedes ſurpaſſed all, he made a heaven of braſſe ſo curiouſly, that one might have ſeene in it the ſeven planets, and all the motions: but the devill can farre exceede Art; and all the skill of man, yet the ſecrets of nature can farre exceede Art or the Devill: The ſtone Caryſtius of old erat foreign ſive netelis, Caelium pag. 305.fit to be ſpun as wooll or flax, and they made napkins of it; which when they were unclcane, they caſt into the fire, and then they became as white as they were before, and yet the fire burnt them not: when the Romans burnt the bodies of the dead to aſhes;Regum funera in ejuſmodi adurebantur tunicis ne corporis favilla cam reliquo miſcer…tur cinere Plin. l. 19. cap. 1. & ha…mortu…les vocabant quib…s cadavera induebantur. how preſerved they the aſhes of the burnt bodies, from the aſhes of the wood which burnt the bodies? they had this ſort of linnin which they called Asbeſtinum, which they did wrap the bodies into, which cloath burnt not, but tranſmitted the fire to the bodies, and preſerved the aſhes of the bodies by themſelves; this was a great force in nature; ſo the haire of the Salmander caſt into the fire will not burne, but when the haires of Servius Lucullus were caſt into the fire, the devill could not preſerve them from burning, without ſome naturall meanes: and here nature exceedes Satan farre, but God the chiefe and ſupreame cauſe farre exceeds Art, Satan, and Nature: When the three children were caſt into the fire, by faith they quenched the flames of it, Heb. 11.34. and their bodies were not burnt which were combuſtable in themſelves, neither was there any meanes to hinder the fire not to burne them, but onelyonly Gods power: So the buſh burnt but conſumed not, Exod. 3.3. by this power of God▪
There is conjunctum inſtrumentum, & remotum inſtrumentum: When the Phiſitian cures by phyſicke,The devill can exceede remotum inſtrumentum the phyſition, but not conunctum inſtrumentum the Phyſicke. the phiſicke is conjunctum inſtrumentum of the cure, and the Phiſitian is onelyonly remotum instrumeneum of the cure: Satan cannot cure as the phiſicke doth, yet he can farre exceede the Phyſitian.
Now followes to ſhew how Satan can worke in a bodie and upon our bodies.
When Satan takes a body upon him, the ſpirit here is not united to this body; to make up one perſon with it,How Sathan worketh in a body, and upon a body. and to dwell in it, as our ſoules doth in our bodies. Secondly, this ſpirit is not united to this body, ut forma informans, which is tota in toto, & tota in qualibet parte corporis, which is all in the whole body, and all in every part of the body; but he is there onelyonly ut forma aſſistens, Cum angelus ſit completa ſubſtantia & integra non eſt alterius rei pars ſubſtantialis non, igitur eſt, forma in formans quia effectus cauſae formalis ſine cauſa formali fieri non poteſt, corpus autem informanre eſt effectus cauſae informan…is, ergo non poeſt fieri ab angelo qui naturae ſua eſt ſubſtantia, completa non forma informans & naturae unita non ſunt hic analogae.he moves and directs that body onelyonly, but hee informes not that body, he is but in that body, as a Pilate is in the ſhippe, or the Coachman in the coach. Wee have three ſort of ſpirits, Animales, Vitales, and Naturales; Our animall ſpirits come from the braine, as to move, to ſee, and to heare; our vitall ſpirits from the heart, as our breathing, beating of the pulſe, and ſuch like; our naturall ſpirits proceed from the liver, as our concoction, degeſtion, generation, and ſuch like: Satan hath theſe, ſecundum ſubstantiam actionis, but not ſecundum modum actionis, becauſe they proceede not, a principio vi…ente & informante: ſo he can lie with a woman, as theſe Incubi doth, but he cannot beget a child, becauſe he hath not this principium vivens; and if artificiall things, can give a ſound, and be made to move, to laugh and to ſmile, what marvell is it, that the devill can doe ſuch things in a body, which comes a principio communi; theſe are common to things without life, and when the devill eates, aſſuming a body, his meate is not turned into bloud, nor nouriſheth his body, this meat is reſolved but into the aire againe, as the Sunne reſolves the vapoures of the earth into aire againe, and converts them not into it ſelfe:Thomas 1. part. queſtione 51. art. 2. ad. 5. So Chriſt after his reſurrection did eate, yet that meate did not nouriſh his body, but was reſolved into the aire; ſo their meat which they eate,Angelorum ſpecies ſervatur in ſingulis individuis, ut ſpecies ſolis & lunae, ſed hominum ſpecies ſervatur in multis & ob corruptionem ſingulorum ſimilium compenſant generatione. was not turned into ſeede for generation and preſervation of their kinde, f…r they are immortall ſpirits and beget not; daemones nullam habent individi, vel ſpeciei mulciplicationem.
The Philoſopher marks that three things concur ingeneration. The common cauſe, the proper cauſe, and the materiall cauſe; the common cauſe is the heaven; Sol & homo generant hominem, the proper cauſe is the father who begets, begets, and the materiall cauſe is the ſeede. Satan cannot be called the father of the child as the proper cauſe; for every thing that is begotten, is either begotten a ſimili genere, or a ſimili ſpecie: a ſimile genere, Sathan cannot be called the proper cauſe of generation.as the Mule which is begotten betwixt the horſe and the aſſe; a ſimili ſpecie, as a child begotten by a man, but if Satan could beget a child, he ſhold neither be a ſimili genere, nec a ſimili ſpecie; for Satan is a ſpirit, and hath but an aſſumed body; but the child hath a body that is begotten of the father; and therfore our fathers are called the fathers of our fleſh, Heb. 12.9. This is proper to a natural father; and Satan cannot be called a father in this ſenſe; If Sathan could beget a child, then this child were bound to honour his father, but no creature is bound to honour the devill;Sathan cannont be called the materiall cauſe of generation. neither is there any materiall cauſe of generation here; for all generation is foreign, Heb 11. ex commixtione ſeminum, Ier. 31.27. I will ſow the houſe of Iſrael, and the houſe of Iudah, with the ſeed of men; but Satan hath no ſeede.
The Scripture acknowledgeth onelyonly two ſorts of conception, firſt,Two ſorts of conception onelyonly ſpoken of in the Scripture. when a woman conceives by her husband, this is naturall generation foreign, that is borne of a woman, and begotten of a man; and the ſecond was that miraculous conception of the manhood of Chriſt in the wombe of the Virgin Mary, conceived by the holy Ghoſt: Another kinde of conception the Scripture acknowledgeth not.
Object. But they ſay that Satan may ſteale the ſeede of a man, and that will be a fit matter for generation.The devills ſeede is not a fit matter of generation.
Anſw. How can Satan keepe in the vitall ſpirits in the ſeede, when it is not in the proper place of generation? If a mans bloud be let out of his veines, can Satan keepe in the vitall ſpirits in the bloud, when it is out of the veſſels of it, the divell when he lies with a witch his nature is cold, as they confeſſe, therefore his ſeede is not a fit mater for generation, and is the mother able to nouriſh ſuch a conception nine moneths in her bellie?
Object. And if it be ſaid that the devill hath begotten a child upon a woman, as Merling.
Anſw. If there was ſuch a one as Merling, the devill beget him not by generation; but it is more probable, which Serarius holds, writing upon Tobias, that Satan can firſt make a womans bellie to ſwell, as though ſhee were with child: Secondly, in the time of her delivery, when ſhe appeares to be delivered, Satan can by ſlight preſent a child, and make the people beleeve that the woman hath brought forth this child, as hee brought ſerpents, and layed them before Pharaoh, making him beleeve that they were newly created ſerpents, and the devill bringing the matter thus farre to paſſe, then ſome evill ſpirit takes a body upon him; and that body he directs and guides, non ut forma informans, ſedut forma aſſiſtens, and he doth ſtrange things in this body.
Manie of old were deceived by this, thinking that Satan lay with women, and begat children, and they miſapplied that place of Gen. 6.2. The ſonnes of God ſaw the daughters of men faire, and they went in to them, and begat gyants upon them: and the Poets from thence fabuled alſo, that Hercules was the ſonne of Iupiter, and his mother was Thetis the goddeſſe of the water; and Alexander the ſonne of Iupiter Hammon.
Now let us conſider what Satan can doe upon the body of man,What Sathan can doe upon the bodies of men. and upon the ſoule when it is in the boby, and upon the ſoule when it is out of the body
Firſt, upon the body, he can tranſport the bodies of men out of one place to another,Sathan tranſports bodies. and he can ſtrike the body with diverſe diſeaſes.
He can tranſport the bodies;Tranſportation is two-old imaginarie and reall. tranſportation is twofold, firſt, imaginarie tranſportation; and then reall. Imaginarie tranſportation is, when one is onelyonly tranſported in mind. When Ieremie was in Ieruſalem, he was bidden goe, and hide his girdle at Euphrates in Babylon, Ier. 13.4. this was but an Imaginarie tranſportation. So when the Lord caried Ezekiel from Babylon to Ieruſalem, that he might ſee there the vile abhominations, and Idolatry, which they were committing in the temple of Ieruſalem, Ezech. 8.1. this was an imaginary tranſportation, and not a reall.
A reall tranſportation is this, when a man is locally removed from one place to another, by a good ſpirit or by a bad: by a good ſpirit, as when the Angel tranſported Philip to Azotus, Act. 8.40. and 1 King. 18.12. When I am gone from thee, the ſpirit ſhal carrie thee to ſome place that I doe not know: by a bad ſpirit; as the devill tranſported Chriſt out of the wilderneſſe, to the pinacle of the temple, Matth. 4. And in this ſort of tranſportation, this is to be obſerved, that Satan in an inſtant canot tranſport a body out of one place to another,Pſal. 14.4. Non de ventis ſed de Chriſto loquitur propter a…tic ulum gracum qui affigi ſolet ſubjecto, non praedicato. the ſpirits of themſelves flies nimbly as the windes doth, Pſal. 18. compared with Heb. 1.7. ſheweth this. And as the lightning goeth from the Eaſt to the West in a ſudden, ſo doth the ſpirits quickly: but when they carrie bodies, they muſt fit themſelves to the condition of the bodies, for bodies cannot be carried but more ſlowly, by reaſon of their weight and heavineſſe;How Sathan applyes himſelfe to the condition of the bodyes when he tranſports them. and ſo the ſpirits muſt f…t themſelves to their condition, and carrie them the more ſlowly: ſo when the Angel wreſtled with Iacob, he fitted his ſtrength to Iacobs ſtrength. The fire upon a ſudden flies, yet in greene wood we ſee it burnes but ſlowly; ſo Satan muſt but ſlowly move the bodies when hee tranſports them.
There are many who denies ſuch tranſportation of witches from place to place;Thoſe who denies reall tranſportation are injurous both to Eccleſiaſticall Iudicatories and civill. and they hold that it is onelyonly an Imaginarie tranſportation, and that Satan onelyonly repreſents to their phantaſies ſuch imaginations: but this opinion is moſt falſe, and hurtfull to the common wealth, and it is contrary to experience, and innumerable, examples of thoſe who have beene really tranſported: and then it is contrary to reaſon, for what lets, but that one evill angell may tranſport bodies from one place to another, as well as good Angels may doe; when as the evill angels have loſt nothing by their fall, either of their ſtrength or nimbleneſſe. And this opinion of theirs, is contrary both to the Iudgement of the Church and the commonwealth, and it favours to much this horrible and great ſinne, that it is not puniſhed condignely as it deſerveth; for the Iudges who are of this minde, either they puniſh not the witches at all, or elſe but lightly, ſparing their lives, and ſo they ſpare thoſe, whom the Law of God commands to be taken away. And this opinion brings a blot upon Chriſtian Iudicatories, both Eccleſiaſticall, and civill, accuſing them both of ignorance and raſhneſſe, as though they could not diſcerne what were done indeede, and what by imagination, and to accuſe them of cruelty and injuſtice, as though they ſhould condemne harmeleſſe and innocent perſons to death for ſuch things, which they never committed, but onelyonly being deluded by Satan, they ſeeme onelyonly to have done ſuch things, yet in judging of other crimes, there we preſume there is no deluſion, when they have the guilty perſons confeſſing their faults, if they be in their right wits, and ſtand to their confeſſions made before. Moreover, theſe alſo may be put to death, who are deluded by Satan in their ſleepe, for when they were awake they made the covenant with the devill, as alſo becauſe they deſire moſt earneſtly theſe things to be done, which they ſeeme to doe in their dreames: and they are moſt glad when they ſee theſe things performed.
Secondly,Satan can ſtrike the bodies of men with divers diſeaſes the devill can ſtrike the bodies of men with diverſe diſeaſes; hee can ſtrike them both vitijs creationis, and vitijs accidentis. Vitia creationis are ſuch, which men have from their conception; as to be crooke backed. So with ſuch diſeaſes as befall men after they are borne, which are called vitia accidentis: ſo he ſtrooke Iob with botches and boyles: ſo he bowed downe a daughter of Abrahams eighteene yeares, and we reade in the Goſpel of a dumbe devill, Mat. 8.23. So of a deafe devill, Mar. 9.25. and of a blinde devill Matt. 12.22. Hee may hurt all the ſenſes and the tongue.
Here we muſt put a difference betweene the hurting of the good Angels and the bad.How the good Angels differ from the badde Angels in hurting. The good Angels doth hurt the wicked and preſerveth the godly: the good Angels were ſent to Egypt to kill the Egyptians, but to ſave the Iſraelites: but the evill Angels doe hurt the godlie as the devill hurt the body of Iob, and the Angel of ſatan buffeted Saint Paul.
Ob. But it may be ſaid that David called the Angels who hurt the Egyptians evill Angels, Pſal. 78.49. and he ſent evill Angels amongſt them.
Anſ. We muſt put a difference betwixt Angelus mali, foreign Angelus mali in regimine, They were Angels of evill, but not evill Angels, who ſmote the Egyptians, and ſaved the Iſraelitesand angelus malus; they were Angels of evill, but not evill Angels, they were Angels of evill, becauſe they inflicted puniſhments upon the Egyptians, but they were good Angels protecting, and ſparing the Iſraelites.
Queſt. What Angel was that which buffeted Saint Paul?
Anſw. Some hold that it was concupiſcence and luſt, againſt the which Saint Paul ſtrove. Others hold, that it was ſome great enemie of Saint Pauls; ſuch as was Alexander the Coper-ſmith: And ſome that it was a diſeaſe in his body which vexed him; But it ſeemes more probable, that Saint Paul was beaten and buffeted by ſome Angel of the Devill: for Saint Paul deſcribes here ſuch a ſort of affliction, that might diminiſh ſomething of that pride, and high conceit which he had with the many revelations made unto him by God. This pricke was given him in the fleſh, to diminiſh thoſe high conceits. Now neither the calumnies of the adverſaries nor the diſeaſes of the body were fit to do this; and leaſt of all concupiſcence was fit to diminiſh thoſe high conceits, for one vice cannot be cured by another: S. Paul glories in this infirmitie; therefore it was not a vice, and if there was ſuch a power granted to the devill over the body of Chriſt, that he might tranſport it here and there; why might not the devill have power over the body of Saint Paul to buffet it, ſeeing he had ſuch power over the body of Iob, to ſtrike it with botches and ſores.
Queſt. How are thoſe diſeaſes which are ſent from God, diſcerned from thoſe which proceede from the Devill or from naturall cauſes?How we are to diſcerne thoſe diſeaſes that come from God, from thoſe that come from the Devill and from naturall cauſes.
Anſw. It is more eaſie to diſcerne thoſe which are ſent from God, then thoſe which are from the Devill at Gods permiſſion. When diſeaſes are ſent upon men in the very time of their ſinning, then wee may thinke that the diſeaſe proceeds from no naturall cauſe, 2 Cron. 26.19. When Vzziah had his cenſer in his hand, to offer incenſe, and was ſtricken with a Leproſie in the meane time; there was nothing naturall in this Leproſie. So when the Kings hand dryed up upon a ſudden; when he ſtretched it out to take the Prophet; this was a puniſhment inflicted immediately from God. So wee may know by the long indurance of the plague, that it is from God; As when the Iewes carried the Leproſie out of Egypt with them to the Deſert, and to Canan, it might be known alſo by the colour that it was not naturall; ſometimes it appeared red, Levit. 14.36. ſometimes halfe red, ſometimes greene; and ſometimes in the fleſh of man, and in their cloathes, and in the walls of their houſes. This variety of colours ſhewes that it hath been from God immediately. Laſt it was remitted to the Prieſt to try this diſeaſe, and not to the Phyſitians: which argues that it was ſent from God, and not from nature. So when he ſmote the Egyptians in their hinder parts to their perpetuall ſhame, Pſal. 78.66. this diſeaſe came not from nature, but immediatly from God. But ſometimes the Lord inflicts a diſeaſe which proceeds from a naturall cauſe; As when he ſmote Iehoram with an incurable diſeaſe in his bowels, 2 Cron. 21.18. This diſeaſe the Phyſitians call Diarrhaea, when the Liver and the Lungues rottes, and are diſolved peece and peece, and ſo are evacuate: This diſeaſe had a naturall cauſe, and a morall;Valeſius de ſacrae. Phil. pag. 238. The naturall cauſe of it was evill dyet, which corrupted both the Liver and the Lungues: therefore the text ſaith, his bowels fell out, by reaſon of the ſickneſſe day by day, for this diſeaſe peece and peece conſumes the Liver and the Lungues, and ver. 19. it was two yeares before he died of this diſeaſe. The Morall cauſe of his diſeaſe was this, becauſe hee made Iudah to goe a whoring after Idols, ver. 13. if he had not committed thoſe ſinnes he had not ſo erred in his dyet, neither would it have hurt him ſo (for it is the Lord that woundes and the Lord that heales.) Gods will is the firſt cauſe preceeding all other cauſes, yet it takes not away naturall and ſubordinate cauſes.
But thoſe diſeaſes which are inflicted by ſatan, at the permiſſion of God, it is hard to know them. All the Phyſitians could not tell what it was that bowed down the daughter of Abraham eighteene yeares, Luke 13.11. Therefore in ſuch caſes, when the diſeaſes are not knowne whence they proceede, wee ſhould ever looke up to the firſt cauſe: When Iob was robbed of his goods by the Chaldaeans, he looked up to the firſt cauſe, and he ſaid, the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken; So no doubt when ſatan ſtrook him with ſuch ſores, he ſaid, The Lord woundeth, and the Lord healeth: people commonly when they are ſtricken with ſome diſeaſes they ſay, ſome witch hath done this, but they never looke up to the firſt cauſe, the hand of God, but the greateſt witch that bewitches them is their owne infidelitie.
The Iewes markes two ſorts of ſpirits which hurts men. foreignThe Iewes for the moſt part aſcribes all ſudden diſeaſes to evill ſpirits, and they make two ſorts of ſpirits, one ſort that killes in the night; And this they call Debher; And another which killes in the day time, and this they call Ketebh: and all the ground which they have for this is that which they take out of Pſal. 91.6. hee will deliver thee from the peſtilence which walkes in the darkneſſe, and from the deſtruction which waſtes in the day time; And the Targum following the Iewes opinion Paraphraſeth it thus. A caetu daemonum perdentium in meridie, that is, from the company of the devills who deſtroyeth in the noonetyme of the day; a…d the 70. tranſlates i…, foreign, & daemonio meridiano; that is, from a devill that flies in the day tyme.
As Satan can hurt the bodies of men, ſo hee can hurt the ſoule,Satan can hurt the ſoule when it is in the bodie. To ſtrike the ſoule with madneſſe. when it is in the bodie; as the evill ſpirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and ſtrooke him with madnes and this is called foreign and oppoſite to this is, foreign Mar. 5.15.
So hee can ſtrike the heart with blindneſſe, and hardneſſe; but for the will of man it is moved by no externall cauſe, but only by God himſelfe: The Lord perſwaded Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem, Gen. 9.27. It is the Lord onelyonly who can peſwade the will:Satan cannot perſwade the will, God onelyonly doth this. ſatan propounds and ſuggeſts tentations to the will, but cannot enforce the will. Hence it followeth that the devill cannot be ſaid to be the cauſe of ſinne, directlie moving the will, as God moveth the will to good: the will is a free working cauſe, and determinates it ſelfe to ſinne: therefore the Devill cannot neceſſitate the will to ſinne, unleſſe the will give its owne conſent, non cogendo, ſed ſuadendo nocet, non extorquet conſenſum, ſed petit: Therfore it is, that the ſcripture ſo often exhorts us to reſiſt the devill, Epheſ. 6. and Iames 4. Reſiſt the devill, and he will flie from you: And if the devill ſhould draw men neceſſarily to ſinne, then it ſhould bee the devills ſinne onelyonly; and not mans, when as all ſinne is willingly committed: Therefore he is but indirectly the cauſe of ſin,Satan is indirectly the cauſe of ſinne by the will. propounding and ſuggeſting ſuch objects which may affect the ſenſes, and draw the will at laſt to give conſent willingly to the ſinne.
When the ſoule is out of the bodie, the devill can doe nothing to the ſoules of the children of God,What Satan can doe to the ſoule when it is out of the bodie. for they are bound up in the bundell of life, 1. Sam. 25. but hee can puniſh the ſoules of the wicked, according to that power which is granted unto him; and ſo much the more as the ſoule is the more immateriall then the bodie: So the puniſhments of the ſoule are more fearefull then the puniſhments of the bodie▪ and although the bodies bee more paſſible then the ſoule, yet the ſpirit hath more underſtanding; and when there is more underſtanding, there the paine and the griefe is the greater; And there is the greater harmony betwixt ſpirits and their delights, then betwixt the ſenſes and their pleaſures, and conſequently there is more griefe in the ſoule then in the body.Reaſons moving us to acknowledge the power of the Devill.
If wee would conſider either the number, ſtrength, order, or agreement of the devills amongſt themſelves, we muſt acknowledge their great power.
foreignThe order of the devils. Firſt, there order: There is Belzebub the prince of the divels; & there are alſo inferiour divels, as Rev. 12. the Dragō fought & his Angels, and Aſhmodeus Lucifer princeps daemoniorū: Auguſtinus Nyphus in his book de daemonibus, cap. 17. ſaith Omnis multitudo dictat ordinem, & maxime in perpetuis ſubſtantijs; Every multitude requireth order, but eſpecially thoſe immortall ſubſtances; for as it is ordained (ſaith he) that men may live the more quietlie and peaceably, that there be ſuperiors to rule, and inferiors to obey: So amongſt the devills that they may hurt & annoy man the more, there are ſome ſuperiors, and others inferiors; which power and ſuperioritie of theirs ſhal ceaſe, when they can hinder no more the ſalvation of man: And as all principalities ſhall bee given up then, 1 Cor. 15. So ſhall alſo (ſaith hee) this principalitie of the devill ceaſe then.When wee conſider their number.
If we conſider then there nūber we may ſee what great power they have; A Legion poſſeſſed one poore man.
foreign They are called Gibborim poteſtatés.Thirdly, conſider that they are called Gibborim; poteſtates, ſtrong ones, Pſal. 78.25. hee fed them with the bread of the ſtrong ones, that is with the bread of Angells.
There agreement.And laſtly, conſider their agreement: It is not Regnum diviſum, a divided kingdome, they all conſpire together for the overthrow of man: by all this wee may underſtand what power the devill hath to trouble and moleſt poore man.
Now to conclude this point concerning the power of the devils, this is our comfort, that there power is a limitate power, and that they can goe no further then God permits them, 1 Sam. 18.10. It is ſaid that the evill ſpirit from God came upon Saul; why is hee called the evill ſpirit that came from God, becauſe hee was ſent by him, and reſtrained by him at his pleaſure. The Lord can rule the devills at his pleaſure, he cannot only reſtraine them that they hurt us not; but can make them inſtruments to ſerve for the good of his Saints. 1 Cor. 5. the Lord biddes deliver the inceſtuous Corinthian over to Satan for the deſtruction of his fleſh, that his ſpirit might bee ſaved in the day of the Lord Ieſus; The Lord makes the devill here his inſtrument for the mortifying of the corruption of the inceſtuous Corinthian, 1 Cor. 5.5. So hee uſed the meſſenger of Satan to buffet Paul, that hee might humble him, 2 Cor. 12.7.The Lord can make Satan an inſtrument for the good of his Saints. The planets the nearer that they are to the firſt mover, the more they are carried about with the motion of the firſt mover; and the leſſe they follow their owne motion, and thoſe that are farther from the firſt mover, followes more their owne motion, and leſſe the motion of the firſt mover: and they that are fartheſt of all from the firſt mover, moſt ſwiftly perfects their owne motion; And yet for all that, they follow the motion of the firſt mover alſo: Saturne that is neareſt to the firſ… mover, followeth his owne motion verie ſlowlie, and finiſhes both his owne courſe in thirty yeares. The ſunne that is fartheſt from the firſt mover then Saturne, finiſheth his owne courſe more ſwiftly (in a yeare) then Saturne doth: But the Moone although ſhe bee the loweſt of all the planets, and finiſheth her courſe in twenty eight dayes, yet ſhee followes the courſe of the firſt mover, and is carried from the Eaſt to the Weſt. The Angels and the glorified ſpirits, are moſt carried and directed by God the firſt mover, and followeth not their owne motion: The regenerate in this life they are too much buſied about their owne motion, and yet they are ruled and guided by the ſpirit of God; But the devilles who are fartheſt of all from him, and followeth their owne motion moſt, yet they are inforced to follow the Lord and his will.
When Balaam would have curſed the people of God Num. 23.23. he was inforced to ſay that there was no inchantment againſt Iſrael; When the Lyon had killed the Prophet, yet hee tared not his fleſh, nor broke his bones.Beth here is (contra) and not (in) 1 King. 13.24. So the Lord reſtraines this raging Lyon the devill, that hee make not altogether havocke of his Church, Pro. 30.31. there be foure things which are comely in going, A Lyon which is the ſtrongeſt amongſt beaſts, and turneth not away for any: a horſe girt in the loynes: a hee goat alſo: and fourthly a King, againſt whom there is no riſing up: Satan is a ſtrong Lyon, who turneth not away for any, hee is that ſtrong horſe girt in the Loyres, which ruſheth into the battell, and none is able to withſtand him. Ier. 8.6. hee is alſo that hee goat; Alexander was called Hircus caprarum Dominus duorum cornuum, Dan. 8.6. The ſtrength of a beaſt lies in his hornes,Quando animaeli cuipiam additur Gen. Plur. foemin, tunc ſignificatur animal illud tenerum eſſe, Gen. 38.17 Pſal. 113.4. Eze. 45.23. and Dan. 8.21. Hee was called Hircus caprarum, to ſignifie, that hee was but a young goat when hee puſhed the world, and none was able to withſtand him: what ſtrength then hath this old hee goat, to puſh the children of men: And he is that King againſt whom there is no riſing: Therefore we ſhould bee affraid of his ſtrength alwaies: But this is our comfort, that hell and deſtruction are before the Lord, Prov. 15.11. to be before the Lord ſignifieth not onelyonly that things are knowne to him; but alſo that they are under his power and ſubjection, Gen. 13.9. Is not the whole land before thee?Coram aliquo quid ſignificat. ſo Cant. 8.12. my vineyard which is mine is before mee; that is, it is in my power, and belongs to me; So hell and perdition are before the Lord: That is hell, and the devilles who are tortured there, howſoever they reſiſt, yet they are ſubject to the Lord.
Theſe ſpirits muſt alwayes be at the Lords command, and ſubject unto him. The Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 2.8. That he hath put all things under his feete; but wee ſee them not as yet put under him; ſed tandem proferet victoriam injudicum, and then his enemies ſhall be quite trode under his feete, Mat. 12.20.