PROPHECYING, CASTING OVT OF Deuils, &c. The first Sermon.

AT such times as our Blessed SAVIOVR was oppressed with multi­tudes of people fol­lowing him, his manner was to [Page 2] retire himselfe into one of these three places: either into a ship, or into some solitary and desert place, or into some mountaine. Now at a certaine time, Saint Matthew the Euangelist writes,Cap. 5. ver. 25. There followed him great multi­tudes out of Galile, and Decapolis, and Ierusalem, and Iudea, and from beyond Iordane. And in the begin­ning of the nextCap. 5. ver. 1. Chapter it is sayd, When he saw the multitude, he went vp into a mountaine, and there he made that famous and excellent Sermon, called by the ancient Fathers, Sermo Domini in monte, the Sermon of our Lord in the mountaine, a part whereof are these two verses which I haue reade vnto you; wherein Christ sheweth two things: First, What will be the vaine-glorying of cer­taine Hypocrites in the last day, Manie will say vnto mee in [Page 3] that day, Lord, Lord, &c. as ver. 22.

Secondly, Wat censure hee will giue of them:The first Passage to the cir­cumstāce of the time. And then I will professe vnto them, as verse 23. When as the number of Gods elect shalbe accomplished, when this generation of Christi­ans, which now groweth old and passeth away, shall haue an end, then shall the heauens being on fire be dissolued, then shal the ele­ments melt with heate, then shall be the Day of the Lord, the day of Iudgement, the last day, when the Sonne of man shall come in the clouds in the maiestie of his Father; When all kindreds and tongues shall bee gathered vnto him; and no man shall dare to contend in words or defend a lie, or contradict the truth; When all mens workes shall be reuealed, & none shal intercede one for ano­ther, but al shal feare: Euen then, In [Page 4] die illa in that day, many shall say vnto Christ, Lord, Lord, &c.

The se­cond pas­sage: The number of the Hy­pocrites.II. The number of the right [...]ous who are few, is small, in comparison of the Hypocrites and vniust who are many; there is but a litle wheate amongst a great deale of Chaffe; a little pure gold amids a great deale of dross.Esd. 2.8, 3. Many are created, but few shalbe saued: and our Sauiour saith,Mat. 20.16. Many be called, but few chosen. Of six hundred and odde thou­sands that came out of Egypt, on­ly two, Caleb and Iosuah, entred into the Land of Canaan. There are few good, few righteous, but many euil, many Hypocrites; and of these Christ sayth, Many will say vnto mee, &c. And what will they say vnto Christ? They will not call him by a name of Loue, as the Elect doe, who cry Abba Father; but they will call [Page 5] him by a name of Power, by a title of Feare, saying not once, but twice, Lord, Lord. Chrysost. op. imp. s [...]per Mat. hom. 19. Non enim semel sufficit illi dicere, Domine, quem necessitas timoris astringit, sayth Saint Chrysostom: for it is not suf­ficient for him whom necessity of feare doth enforce, to say once Lord. Therefore they will say vnto him in that day, Lord, Lord.

Now come wee to the vaine­glorying of certaine famous Hy­pocrites, who will boast of three things: First, that they haue pro­phecyed. Secondly, that they haue cast out deuils. Thirdly, that they haue done many wonderfull workes; and all these in the name of Christ.

III.The third Passage: Of Pro­phecying. Men haue in all times and ages had in great reuerence and esteeme, such as were accoun­ted Prophets. But let vs not de­ceiue our selues; let the blessed [Page 6] Apostle Saint Iohn aduise vs,1. Iohn 4.1. Be­loued, beleeue not euery spirit, but trie the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false pro­phets are gone out into the World. It is necessary therefore that wee distinguish of Prophecying, Foure kinds of Prophesy­ing. which in the holy Scriptures is vsed in foure senses. First, it is taken for reuealing things done long agoe, whereof there is no mention, no sufficient report or record: this, as SaintSee D. Field 5. booke of the Church, cap. 8. Gregorie fitly noteth, is of as great difficultie, as to foretel things to come long before. So Moses Prophetically described the creation of the world, which was 2370. yeeres before hee was borne.Perkins Chron. Secondly, Prophecying is taken for reuealing things done in the present a farre off, or in secret, or things but contriued, or resolued on in the purpose of the heart:2. Kings. 6.12. so it is written, that Elisha [Page 7] the Prophet in Israel told the king of Israel the words that the king of Syria spake in his bedchā­ber. Thirdly, Prophecying is ta­ken for reuealing things to come long before, in which sence it is cōmonly taken, because the Greek word [...] (whence the Latine word Propheta, and the English word Prophet is deriued) so sig­nifieth. And thus many prophe­sied before Christ, as Moses, Enoch, Samuel and Eliah, &c. and many since Christ, as Saint Peter, Saint Paul, S. Iohn, &c. Of these three precedent kinds of Prophesying I take it, it is thatKeck. first Theol. lib. 3. cap. 3. Bartholomeus Keckermannus saith it is probable which many of the learneder sort doe affirme, that the gift of Pro­phecying flourished vnto the times of Iustin Martyr, whoAbrah. Buchol­cerin Chronol. li­ued about 140. yeeres after Christ But how long the gift of Prophe­cying [Page 8] lasted in the Church of the new Testament, it doth not, saith Keckerman, euidently e­nough appeare, out of the Histo­ries.Peter Mart. loc. com. Clas. 1. c. 3. sect. 13. Peter Martyr Virmilius, lesse then an hundred yeeres a­goe, writes thus: In my iudgement it is not to be denied, but that there be yet in the Church, Prophets, but not so famous and eminent as they of old were: but this is but his priuate opinion.Prophecy­ing, in the fourth sense. Fourthly, Prophecying is taken for Preach­ing, or expounding the doctrine of the Prophets: so it is taken, 1. Th. 5. Despise not prophecyings. Quasi dicat, Non spernatis ver­ba Dei & praedicationes: as if he should say, Despise not the Word of God & preachings, saith Aquin. Exponentes enim diuinam doctri­nam, dicuntur Prophetae: for they, saith he, that expound the diuine doctrine, are called Prophets: and [Page 9] so it is also taken in the 1. Cor. 14. where the Apostle saith, He that prophecyeth, edifieth the Church. The gift of Prophecying in this sense, is perpetual in the Church, and must not faile. Therefore in the time of the Law the Lord or­dayned and prouided, that there should be schooles of Prophets among the Iewes, as there was one in Iericho, another at Naioth in Ramah, and another at Ramoth Gilead. And now in the time of the Gospel, we haue Vniuersities and Colledges throughout Chri­stendome, to traine vp such as shal expound the doctrine of the Pro­phets; and Christ hath appointed a continual succession of Pastors and Doctors, to whom hee hath promised his gracious presence and assistance vnto the end, as it is written in the two last verses of Saint Mathew, Mat. 28.19, 20. Goe yee therefore [Page 10] and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost.

Teaching them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue comman­ded you; and lo, I am with you euen vnto the end of the World.

The fourth Passage.IIII. As in the time of the Law there were false prophets, who prophecied in the name of the Lord, vsing this glorious pre­face, Sic dicit Dominus, Thus saith the Lord: who neuerthelesse prophecied lyes, asIer. 5.30, 31. Ieremiah saith, A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the Land, Prophets prophesie falsly.

Such were those 400. who be­ing seduced by an euil spirit, enti­sed Achab the King of Israel, to go vp & fight against Ramoth Gi­lead, 1. King. 22.6. saying, Go vp: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the [Page 11] King. Such haue not wanted in the time of the Gospel, who haue prophecyedChrys. [...]p imp. super Matt. hom. 19. In nomine Christi, in the name of Christ, but In spiritu Diaboli, by the spirit of Satan, as S. Chrysostom speaketh. Such, I suppose, were Prisca & Maximil­la, the false prophetesses (who did veras prophetias adseuerare, Vinc. Lyrin.) the followers of the blas­phemous Heretike Montanus, mentioned inEuseb. Eccl. hist. l. 5. c. 13. Eusebius. And in­deed they that professe outward­ly the name of Christ, (which is a knot combining al the Articles of the Faith, as saith Saint Augustine) may either prophecy false things, which shall neuer come to passe: or foreshew true euents with an euill intention, to seduce and draw men away from God. And such in the last Day shal say vnto Christ, Nonne prophetauimus in nomine tuo? Haue we not prophe­cyed [Page 12] by thy Name? The gift of prophecy is not alwayes ioyned with a iustifying faith: It was not in Balaam, it was not in Saul, it was not in Caiphas, when they prophecied: for it is Gratia gratis data, a cōmon grace, cōferd som­time vpon the reprobate aswel as the Elect, vpon Saul the euil king, as well as Paul the great Apostle.

The fift Passage.V. Euill and vngodly men and women, may foreshew things to come, but in spiritu Diaboli, by the spirit of Satan: For, Satan foreseeth things to come two wayes: First, in their causes: Se­condly, by reuelation from God.

The causes whereby hee fore­seeth, are either necessary, and so by Mathematicall rules hee fore­tells the opposition and coniun­ction of the Celestiall Orbes, and such like; or else they are con­tingent, which may bee so or o­therwise: [Page 13] so he foresees Dearths, Droughts, Pestilences, Warres, Victories, Subuersions of King­domes and Common Weales, and such vncertayne euents, wherein hee is many times decei­ued. Sometimes againe he fore­telleth things to come, because God hath reuealed them vnto him as his seruant, ready to exe­cute vengeance, as is gathered out of Lactantius, Lact. diuin. instit. l. 2. c. 17. in the second Booke of his diuine Institutions, and the seuenteenth Chapter. And so it is written inIob 2.1. IOB, There was a day when the sonnes of God came, to present themselues before the Lord, and Satan came also amongst them, to present him­selfe before the Lord. By this meanes the Witch of Endor v­sing Necromancy, raysed vp the Deuill in the habit of Samuel, who declared before-hand to [Page 14] King Saul, his death, saying,1. Sam. 28.19. To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with mee: The Lord also shall deliuer the Host of Israel into the hand of the Philistims. Sometime the Deuill foretells things, either because they are resolued on to be speedily put in execution, or alreadie do [...], but in remote pla­ces far off. [...]o Lactantius writes, that Castor and Pollux meeting P. Vatinius (or Vatienus, as the Orator hath it) going to Rome, told him, that Perses the King of Macedonia was taken and con­quered that day: which by let­ters was verified within a few dayesLactan. diu. institut. l. 2. c. 8. after. And this the euill angell did by celeritie and swift­nesse of motion; for both the good and euill Angels can doe much, quoad motum localem, by locall motion, gliding presently from East to West like the light­ning.

Many haue pretended Religi­on, and the Name of Christ in foretelling, but haply by such meanes as I haue formerly men­tioned: and it is not vnlike but they may bee in the number of those, who will say vnto Christ in the last Day, Lord, Lord, haue we not prophecyed by thy Name? But and if wee take prophecying here, for expounding and expla­ning the Predictions of the Pro­phets: then, no doubt, as there was Balaam amongst the old Pro­phets, and Iudas amongst the twelue Apostles; so amongst ma­ny thousands, since the Ascensi­on of Christ, many perhaps haue beene, who haue taught the Do­ctrine and Faith of Christ, but haue not liued the life of Faith, haue not liued the life of the sonnes of God, haue not brought forth the fruits of the Gospell, [Page 16] Deum praedicantes lingua, sed bla­sphemantes vita, as SaintAu [...]ust vpon the Psalmes. Au­stin speaketh, Praysing or preach­ing God with their tongues, but blaspheming him by their wicked liues. And these are like to come to our Sauiour in the last Day, saying, Lord, Lord, haue not we prophecyed by thy Name?

The sixth Passage: Os casting out deuils.VI. The second thing the vain­glorious Hypocrites wil boast of, is the casting out of Deuils out of the possessed, And in thy Name cast out Deuils? Almightie God in iudging sinne, sometimes per­mitteth Satan to enter into men or women, to vexe and torment them, as appeareth in the Gospel. But because he is a God of mer­cy, he still in Iudgement euer re­membreth mercy, and so proui­deth meanes to cast out the euill and vncleane spirits, that they may no longer afflict his Crea­tures, [Page 17] then hee in his wisedome thinketh necessary, and behooue­full for his owne Glorie, and the good of his Church.

There are three meanes, wher­by Satan is cast out: First, Iussu, By command. Secondly, Oratio­ne & ieiunio, By prayer and fa­sting. Thirdly, Consensu, By con­sent.

VII.The seuēth Passage. Almighty God the supreme Lord, who alone is his owne Be­ing, and the Being of all other things, asBern. de cons. ad Eng. l. 5. cap. 3. Saint Bernard saith; by his Word created Men and Angels; yea, by his Word hee created all things, Dixit, Psa. 148.5. & facta sunt; Hee commanded, and they were created: by the same soue­raigne power and authoritie, hee cōmandeth Deuils to enter into men, and they willingly obey; againe, hee commands them to come forth, and they cannot but [Page 18] obey. So our Sauiour, meeting one possessed in the Synagogue at Capernaum, said vnto the vn­cleane spirit, Come out of him, Mark. 1.25.Mark. 1.25. And the Text saith, hee came out of him. And in the first Chapter of that Gospell, being in the countrie of the Ga­darens, Mark. 5.8. he commanded a Legion of Deuils to come out of a man: and they came out.

And this power Christ Iesus did not onely exercise himselfe, but gaue it to his Apostles, Neque tantùm ipse Daemonijs imperauit, sed etiam Apostolis hoc munus e­largitus est, saithLocorum com. clas. 4. c. 9. sect. 10. Peter Martyr. Thus S^t. Paul cast out a spirit of diuination out of a Maid at Thya­tira, saying to the spirit,Act. 16.18 I com­mand thee in the Name of Iesus Christ, to come out of her: and he came out the same houre.

Wee reade of one in the ninth [Page 19] Chapter of Saint Lukes Gospell, the forty-ninth Verse, who nei­ther had receiued power to doe Miracles with Christs Disciples, neither had the Lord Iesus sent him, neither did he follow Christ; who notwithstanding cast out de­uils in the Name of Christ; so that the Apostles disdained and enuied at him: yet our Sauiour forbade him not: neuerthelesse, as Saint Ambrose noteth, to such our Sauiour saith in my Text,Ambros. apud [...]ho. Aquin. in a [...]reo up. sup. Euang. in Luc. 9. Non noui vos, I know you not. There were also certaine vaga­bond Iewes,Act. 19.13 who tooke vpon them to call ouer them, which had euill spirits, the Name of the Lord Iesus; saying, Wee adiure you by Iesus whom PAVL preach­eth. These vsed exorcisme, and adiured the euill spirits by the Name of Iesus, but not by the Spirit of Iesus; and therefore Sa­tan [Page 20] preuayled against them: forAct. 19.16. he lept on them, and ouercame them, and preuailed against them, so that they fled out of the house naked, and wounded.

ExorcismeThis charging of vncleane spirits to come out of men pos­sessed, was a speciall kinde of ad­iuration or exorcisme, whereof there is no example in the old Testament: but in the Gospell was begunne by Christ himselfe, and continued in his Name by his Apostles and their Successors in the Church, vnto the time of Iustine Martyr & Tertullian, and after; forRuff. hist. Eccles. l. 1. cap. 4. Ruffinus reporteth of that holy man Paphnutius, that he did Daemones verbo tantùm fu­gare; only by word driue away De­uils. AndSoz. l. 4. cap. 15. Sozomen writeth of Arsacius the Persian Confessor, that meeting a man possessed, Christum nominauit, hee but na­med [Page 21] Christ, and the Deuill was cast out. But this miraculous and singular gift of the holy Ghost, as it seemeth to the most iudici­ous and learned, is now ceased; and so the office cum dono mira­culorum desijt: is ceased with the gift of miracles, saithBucan. loc. com. 42. Bucanus: which particular time of ceasing of miracles, I shall speake of here­after. As for that order of Exor­cists, which is yet retayned in the Church in some parts of Chri­stendome by a perpetual successi­on, it seemes to haue humane in­stitution, for the author and foun­der of it; superstitious custom for the nourisher and preseruer of it. For is it not, asCalu. in Act. c. 19. M^r. Caluin writes, Inanis titulus sine effectu? a vaine and emptie title, without any pro­fitable fruit or true correspondent effect? Thus much of the first way of casting out Deuils.

[Page 22] The eighth Passage. The se­cond way to cast out Deuils.VIII. The second way of casting out of Deuils, is by Praier and Fasting. The feruent Prayer of the faithfull is of great force and efficacie.Ionah 2.2 Ionah the Prophet prayed, De profundo, out of the Deepe of the Sea, out of the bel­ly of Hell, or the Graue, and he was heard: and SaintAug. in Psal. 2 [...]. Austin saith of his Prayer, Penetrauit omnia, dirupit omnia, peruenit ad aures Dei, It pierced all, it brake tho­row all, it came to the eares of God. And the blessed Apostle Saint Iames saith, thatIames 4.17, 1 [...]. ELIAS prayed earnestly that it might not raine: and it rained not on the Earth by the space of three yeeres, and six moneths. And hee prayed againe, and the Heauen gaue raine, and the Earth brought forth her fruit. This was a strange and miraculous effect, to restraine the Clouds that they might not giue [Page 23] the early and the latter raine for three yeeres and six moneths, so long to make the Heauens as Brasse, and the Earth as Iron. It was admirable that the Pro­phet should open and shut the Heauens by Prayer. And why may not feruent and faithfull Prayer in the Name of Christ, be of power to eiect and cast out Deuils?Sozom. Eccl. hist. lib. 4. cap. 17 Sozomen writing of Arsacius before mentioned, saith, There was a Dragon or Serpent lurking in an hole by the high-way side, who with his breath slew the Passengers, be­fore they could see him: but Ar­sacius, comming to that place, prayed: and the Serpent of his owne accord came out, and dash­ing his head twice against the Earth, killed himselfe. And why may not feruent and faithfull Prayer bee of as great force to [Page 24] cast out the old Serpent, the vn­clean spirit? seeing it is not onely, Deo sacrificium, a sacrifice to God, but Daemonibus flagellū, a scourge to Deuils. And to put all out of doubt,Mat. 17.21. Christ the Truth it selfe, saith in the Gospell, There is a kinde of Deuils which goeth not out but by Prayer and Fa­sting.S. Chry­sostome. Fasting addeth much wis­dome, maketh a man like an Angell from Heauen, and en­countreth the incorporeall pow­ers, Sed & Oratione opus [...]st quasi principaliori, but yet, saith Chrys. Prayer is necessarie as the more principall. And Fasting is auaile­able, as one of the two wings, that must make our Prayers flye vp vnto God, as SaintAustin. in Psal. 42. Austin writes: for indeed it doth, Oratio­ni deuotionem & fiduciam donare, saith SaintBer. Ser. 4. de Quadr. BERNARD, It makes vs more deuoute and confident. [Page 25] This way of casting out Deuils [...]y Praier and Fasting, in as much [...]s it is done by ordinary meanes, may be in a true sense said to bee [...]rdinarie.

IX.The ninth Passage. The third way of ca­ [...]ing out of Deuils, is consensu, [...]y consent, or rather collusione, by [...]ollusion. The first way was mira­ [...]ulous, the second, though in [...]ome respect extraordinary in re­ [...]ard of the effect which is not [...]rdinary, yet is not properly mi­ [...]aculous. This third is altogether [...]mpious, Diabolicall, and vnlaw­ [...]ull, and since the plentifull working of Miracles ceased, more vsuall and ordinary. For [...]ome not indued with any singu­ [...]ar gift of working Miracles, [...]aue taken vpon them very im­ [...]eriously to adiure Deuils with [...]rieuous Comminations, implo­ [...]ing the ayde of the Saints de­parted, [Page 26] to driue euill spirits out of the possessed: and if the euill spirits vpon such adiuration de­part, they doe it not vnwillingly, but fayne Obedience, to establish Superstition and Idolatry. For i [...] pleaseth them, as well to possess [...] the soules of men, as to cruciate and torment their bodies.

They make shew, as if they were afraid of certaine friuolous and ridiculous Exorcismes, and so they goe forth, but it is by conuention or compact; Quum ex pacto facile possit pati Satan, se ex corporibus eijci, vt in animi [...] facilius regnet: Seing Satan can easily suffer himselfe, asBeza in Mat. cap. 12. 16. Master Beza notes, to bee cast out of the bodies, that hee may the bette [...] rule and raigne in the minds.

This kinde of casting ou [...] Deuils was well knowne to the Iewes in the dayes of our blessed [Page 27] Sauiour: for when as he by the finger of God had cast a Deuill out of a Dumbe man possessed; the enuious and blasphemous Pharises charged him with Ma­gicall arte and collusion, saying,Mat. 9.34 He casteth out the Deuils through the prince of the Deuils. Such was the malice and enuie of the Pharises, as Rabanus obserueth, that they would either denie the works of Christ, or if they could not deny them, they would la­bour to peruert them by sinister interpretation; as if hee had not done them by Diuine Power, but by the helpe of the euill an­gell. This their monstrous, in­solent blasphemie, our Lord Ie­sus mightily reprooued, cleering himselfe fully of that horrible im­putatiō, as we reade in Mat. 12.25 To cast out Deuils, by consent, is proper to Satan and his Vassals, [Page 28] who haue no iustifying Faith, no sauing Grace, no hope of eternall Life, to whom the Kingdome of Heauen doth not appertain: these the deuil vseth as his instruments, to expell his fellow-Angels, and all to this end; that Diuine Ho­nour may bee giuen to him, and hee worshipped as God: and these pretend the Name of Iesu [...] and will seeme to doe it in th [...] Name of Christ. But what saith SaintChrys. o­pus imp. in Mat. hom. 19. CHRYSOSTOME? Dae­monia autem eijciunt in nomin [...] Christi, habentes spiritum inimici [...] They cast out Deuils in the Nam [...] of Christ, hauing the spirit of th [...] Enemie. Magis autem non eijciunt [...] sed eijcere videntur, colludentibu [...] sibi Daemonibus ipsis: Or rather [...] saith he, they doe not cast them ou [...] but seeme so to do, the Deuils vsin [...] collusion among themselues. Th [...] end is to seduce ignorant men, t [...] [Page 29] blinde and harden the Repro­bate. These Hypocriticall Ex­ [...]rcists are such, as will say vnto our Lord Iesus, in the Day of Doome, Nonne in nomine tuo [...]iecimus Daemonia? Haue wee [...]ot by thy Name cast out De­ [...]ils?

X.The tenth passage to applicatiō. Out of the precedent [...]assages of this Sermon, we may [...]asily collect and conclude thus [...]uch, that the gift of prophe­ [...]ying and the power of casting [...]ut Deuils, are not infallible [...]arkes of a right Catholike, doe [...]ot necessarily argue the child of God: for they may be seuered [...]om sauing Grace, from Faith, [...]nd good workes; seeing they [...]re ranked amongst common Graces, which are sometimes [...]ound in the Reprobate, as well [...]s the Elect; Quoniam aliquando [...]er malos homines fiunt, Because [Page 30] sometimes they are done by euill men, Lyran. in Mat. c. 7. as Lyran writeth.

Therefore, to conclude for this time, let vs neuer admire and dote vpon these common graces in wicked men; but let vs firmely beleeue in Iesus Christ crucified, and bring forth the fruits of tru [...] Christian Faith. Let vs continu [...] fruitfull and zealous in goo [...] workes vnto death. So will ou [...] Lord and Sauiour know vs i [...] the last Day, so shall we be saued so shall wee enter into the Kingdome of Glory. Amen.

Tri-uni Gloria.

A DISCOVRSE OF MIRACLES, &c. The second Sermon.

THE third vaunt of those vaine-glorious Hypocrites (mentio­ned in the former Ser­mon) in the Day of fierie Try­all, [Page 36] will be this, Nonne per nomen tuum fecimus multas virtutes? Haue wee not by thy Name done many wonderfull workes? That is, many workes of power and great vertue, yea, of extraordinarie power and vertue, produced be­sides or aboue the order of Na­ture, and so arguing the infinite Power of God: this the Greeke word [...], and the Latine word virtutes, are taught to sig­nifie.

When our blessed Sauiour was in his owne Countrie, Saint Marke saith, [...], hee could doe there no mightie Worke, that is, no Miracle, by a Metonymie, taken from the efficient, as Ma­ster Beza expounds it. S.Theoph. Lyranus, and Ferus, vpon this Text. Theo­philact, Lyranus, and Ferus, in their Cōmentaries vpō this place, where the same word [...] [Page 37] is vsed, expound it of the Mira­cles of these hypocrites. But what Miracles were they? S.Chrys. [...] ­pus imp. in Mat [...]h [...]. 19. Chry­sostome will tell you, Non vtilia & necessaria, sed inutilia & vacua: Not profitable and necessarie, but vnprofitable and vaine, saith that holy Father.

I.The first passage. The Prophets in the time of the Law, wrought many wonderfull Workes, many Mi­racles: our Lord Iesus, and his Apostles and Seruants wrought also mightie Works or Miracles, and that very many; and here the Hypocrites also boast of their miracles, of their wonderfull workes, Haue we not in thy Name done many wonderfull workes? All were called miracula (in a large acception of the word) a mirando, Miracles or wonder­full Workes, because men admi­red and wondred at them. But [Page 38] wee must obserue a notable and remarkable difference betwixt the Miracles of Christ, the Pro­phets, and Apostles, and the mi­racles of these boasting Sinners. The first were true Miracles, the latter deceitfull, false and lying wonders. The first profitable and necessary, the latter vaine and fruitlesse.

It is a matter of some difficul­tie to discerne true Miracles from false, seeing our blessed Sauiour saith,Ma [...]. 3.22. False christs and false pro­phets shall rise, and shall shew Signes and Wonders to seduce, if it were possible, euen the Elect. And Saint Paul saith, that2. Th [...]s. 3. [...]. Anti­christ shall come after the wor­king of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders.

It stands vs then vpon, to take heed [...] that wee bee not seduced and deceiued, and to learne to di­stinguish [Page 39] aright betwixt true and false miracles; which that wee may the better doe, I thinke it shall not bee amisse to follow the direction ofTh. Aqui. in 2. Thess. cap. 2. Thomas Aquinas, who teacheth vs, that three things must concurre to a true Miracle. First, Vera ratio facti. Secondly, Vera ratio Miraculi. Thirdly, Debitus finis. First, It must be truly done. Secondly, It must be truly miraculous. Third­ly, It must haue the due and pro­per end of a Miracle. From hence Hieronymus Zanchius seemes to haue borrowed his definition,Zanch. tom. 3. l. 4. cap. 12. or rather description of a true Mi­racle, who saith, It is a true visi­ble outward worke simply admira­ble, done for excellent ends, espe­cially for the saluation of men, and the glorie of God.

II.The secōd passage. The first propertie of a true Miracle, is to be truly done, [Page 40] not in shew and appearance one­ly. The want of this makes the deceits, the impostures, and slightie conueyances of Satan (whereby things seeme to bee that which they are not) no true miracles. For hee can by Gods permission, mooue and trouble the spirits, the bloud and humors of mans bodie, and so cause strange imaginations and phan­tasmes in the phantasie; whereby it comes to passe, that men and women thinke they see many strange & vncouth things, which indeed they see not. For hee will so strongly delude the inward phantasie, as that hee will euen palpably deceiue the outward sense.

He may by Gods permission, ei­ther assume a true body, or make of the Ayre and other Elements, fayned, counterfeited bodies, as [Page 41] of Men or Women, of Birds, or Beasts, and other liuing Crea­tures; so per fascinum, hee hides and clokes that thing which is present, and makes another thing seeme to be there, which indeed is not present. By this meanes,Aqu. in 2. Thess. 2. Simon Magus caused a Ramme to bee beheaded, but afterward the Ramme appeared aliue, and a man beheaded; and presently after, the man, who was thought to be beheaded, was seene aliue, and so supposed to bee raysed a­gaine from death. Thus the De­uill either assuming a true bodie, or hiding himselfe in a counter­feit body, like to2. Sa. 28. Samuel the Pro­phets bodie, deceiued Saul the King, who thought it was Sa­muel indeed. And it seemes, that this errour did possesse the Iewes long after vnto the dayes of Sy­racides, as is easily gathered out [Page 42] of the 46. Chapter of Ecclesiasti­cus the 20. Verse.

The third Passage.III. The second propertie of a true Miracle is, that it al­wayes be truely miraculous. And that worke is properly and truly miraculous, whose immediate cause and manner of working is secret and hid; not knowne to some Creature, but absolutely and simply vnknowne to any. This goes beyond and aboue the whole order of nature, & there­fore is properly the worke of the right hand of the most High, Qui solus facit mirabilia, Who only produceth miraculous effects, and therefore blessed is Hee, ac­cording to that Elogie of the Kingly Prophet.Ps. 72.18. Blessed be the Lord God, euen the God of Israel, which onely doth wondrous works. Hereupon it is supposed, that the Deuill cannot of himselfe pro­duce [Page 43] the least true Miracle; soZanch. tom. 3. l. 4. cap. 12. Hieronymus Zanchius resolueth, and DoctorWhit. 2. Contro. de Eccl. quaest. 5. cap. 12. Whitaker saith, Ego non existimo Daemones posse vel paruum miraculum facere, quia hoc omnem vim creaturae superat. I doe not thinke that the Deuill can worke the least miracle, be­cause it exceeds all the power of the Creature: his meaning (I take it) is, that hee cannot doe it by his own power: for it is gran­ted, that both euill angels and euill men may worke true Mira­cles, Dei ipsius virtute, By the power of God himselfe, vsing them as his instruments. And our Sauiour tells vs here, that in the last Day many will say to him, Lord, Lord, haue wee not by thy Name done many wonderfull works? Neuerthelesse, he will pro­fesse vnto them, I neuer knew you: Depart from me, you that worke iniquitie.

[Page 44] The fourth Passage.IIII. Satan and his instru­ments the Magicians, can by the concurrence of naturall causes worke strange effects. They can (as some seeme to dispute) not only produce or bring in an acci­dentall, but euen a substantiall forme to matter, per naturalium virium copulationem: By conioy­ning naturall powers. Pet. Mart. com. loc. clas. 1. ca. 8. sect. 2. They know that Wormes, and Frogs, and Serpents, are bred and gene­rated of putrified matter, if so be that heate bee applyed in such a degree. And this, as some thinke, is not hard for them to doe, appli­cando actiua naturalia passiuis: by applying naturall agents to na­turall patients. They that thus dispute, argue Philosophicè magis quàm Theologicè: more like Phi­losophers then Diuines; greatly magnifying the power and pre­rogatiue of nature: for, surely, [Page 45] this would seeme a wonderfull worke, supra spem & facultatem mirantis: aboue the expectation and facultie of the admirer. But as for those Serpents which the Magicians of Egypt shewed be­fore Pharaoh the King, it is moreZanch. tom. 3. l. 4. cap. 12. probable, that they conueyed them suddenly out of some place where they were, and put them in the roome of the rods cun­ningly, deceiuing the eyes, and deluding the sences of the Be­holders.

No doubt, many strange works haue beene effected by the force and concurrence of natural causes, the reason whereof, be­cause men vnderstand not, there­fore they are astonisht, they stand agast, they admire and wonder at them:Aristot. Metaph. lib. 1. cap. 2. for as the Philosopher teacheth, [...], hee that doubts and [Page 46] wonders, seemes to be ignorant, seeing Ignorance breedeth won­derment and admiration.

The fift Passage.V. Other rare effects are wrought, euen contrary to Na­ture, that is, Gods order set down in nature, preseruing the course of nature: and these cannot pro­perly be called Miracles, in Saint Augustines iudgement; for as hee saith,Aug. in sent. Prosp. sent. 283. Naturarum conditor Deus, nihil in miraculis contra naturam facit: God the Creator of nature, doth nothing in Miracles against nature. So then, Simon of Sama­ria flying by the helpe of the De­uill in the ayre, contrary to the nature of man, did not in that a true Miracle. They which cure diseases by words, by charmes, and inchantments (whereof ma­ny examples are reported in Plin. l. 28. 2. in Franc. Vales. de sacr. Phil. c. 3. in Fernel. de abdit. rer. [Page 47] caus. l. 2. c. 16.) doe it not indeede miraculously, but against the na­ture of those meanes, by some o­ther euill vnlawfull meanes. Peruse the Writers Humane and Diuine, and, I thinke, they will almost all (except Trallianus and Galen, as he is reported by Tral­lianus, lib. 9. cap. 4.) accord, that words, whether written or pro­nounced, haue in, and of them­selues, no such vertue or efficacy: Falsum est prorsus & ab omni ra­tione alienum, vim esse per se vl­lam verbis, aut aliam, quam signi­ficandi ex hominum placito, Fra. Vales. de sacr. Philo. cap. 3. It is altogether false and disagreeing from reason, that there should bee any vertue in words of themselues or other, then to signifie as men please. The HeathenPlin. Nat. hist. l. 28. cap. 2. Plinie can say, Viritim cuius{que} sapientis­simi respuit fides: No wise man [Page 48] whatsoeuer doth beleeue it. But indeed, as Almightie God suffe­reth Satan and his instruments to inflict strange and vnnaturall dis­eases, so hee permits them some­times by euill meanes to take the same away. Such diseases are trans naturam, Fern. de abd. rerum caus. l. 2. cap. 16. beyond nature (as the learned Phisician Ferne­lius calls them) and therefore are not obedient to the rules of his Arte; whereupon it commeth to passe, that men and women, ei­ther through ignorance, or diffi­dence in God, forsaking him, seeke vnto his enemie the Deuill, and his Charmers, and Enchan­ters, rather then they will haue themselues, or their friends, or their cattell any longer afflicted: But such courses are altogether vnlawfull; the Lord our God ha­teth and abhorreth them; for, wheresoeuer such charmes either [Page 49] pronounced or written, are vsed, ibi semper vel apertè vel tacitè inuocantur Daemones: There De­uils are alwayes, either openly or secretly called vpon, saithZanch. tom. 3. l. 4. cap. 15. Zan­chy: and so one great euill is re­medied and taken away by ano­ther that is greater. But they that purposely doe euill, that good may ensue, are such as the blessedRom. 3.8. Apostle speakes of, Quorum damnatio iusta est: whose damnation is iust. It is the euill of punishment to suffer bodily affliction: this may befall Gods children,H [...]b. 12.6. for hee scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth. But it is the euill of sinne, yea a most haynous sinne to commit Idola­trie, to goe to Charmers and En­chanters, that they may take a­way the euill they haue inflicted. Wherefore, howsoeuer Trallia­nus thinks it honest, omni machina [Page 50] aegris succurrere: by all meanes and deuices to releeue the sicke; yetPet. Mar. loc. comm. clas. 1. c. 9. sect. 31. Peter Martyr saith well▪ Excan­tatione tollenda non est excanta­tio: One inchantment or witche­ry must not bee taken away by ano­ther. And what writes Fernelius of such like cures? take his iudge­ment;F [...]rn. de a [...]d rerum caus lib. 2. cap. 16. his words are these, Nec certa, nec tuta, sed fallax, captiosa & periculosa est sanatio: The cure is neither safe, nor certayne, but deceitfull, captious, and dan­gerous; yet by that meanes the Deuill makes men admire and wonder at such cures, that they may giue vnto him diuine ho­nour. I haue heretofore disswa­ded you of this Parish of Lan­gar, from running to them that vse charmes, and are good at words (as they call them here in the Valley) I haue forbidden you to resort to such. But how [Page 51] comes it to passe, that you wil not obey? Do you thinke that Gods hand is shortned, that he cannot saue, as in times past? or his eare heauy, that he will not heare, as in former times? is it because there is no God in Israel, that you goe to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron? haue yee not read it? hath it not beene told you? haue yee not heard it ma­ny times? did you neuer yet vn­derstand, what the Lord our God commandeth in his Law?Leuit. 19.31. You shall not regard them that worke with spirits, nor Sooth-say­ers: yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. And in another place,Deut. 18.10, 11, &c. Let none bee found among you that vseth witchcraft, or a Re­garder of times, or a Marker of flying of Fowles, or a Sorcerer, or a Charmer, or that counselleth [Page 52] with a Spirit, or a Sooth-sayer, or that asketh counsell at the dead; for all that doe such, are abomina­tion to the Lord: and Christ in the last Day will professe to them, I neuer knew you: Depart from me, yee that worke iniquitie.

The sixth Passage.VI. The third propertie of a true miracle is, it must haue debi­tum finem miraculi: the due end of a miracle, saith Aquinas: it must euer ayme at Gods Glorie and man saluation, saith Zanchie. Many rare and strange things are and haue beene wrought by the Magicall illusions and con­ueyances of Satan, and his vas­sals, working diuersly, as I haue shewed, aboue the ordinary con­ceit and expectation of men; and also besides, if not against the ordinary course of nature: All which are done to an euill end, namely, to deceiue, and to de­lude, [Page 53] to draw men away from the true God, to deuoure and destroy soules: As for the Magici­ans themselues, the Deuils instru­ments, by whom hee vseth to worke wonders,Lact. diu. Inst. lib. 2. cap. 17. Lactantius words may well bee verified of them, Et vita, & salus eorum, qui haec fecerint, immolantur: Both the life and saluation of them which doe these things, are sacrificed. But vnto whom? euen vnto Satan. Our Sauiour fore­told, that false christs and false prophets should arise, and shew signes and wonders; But to what end? to seduce, if it were possible, Mark. 13.22. euen the Elect. Saint Paul also foretold, that Antichrist should come with all power, signes, and lying wonders, and with all2. The. 2.2. de­ceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perish. Such signes, such powers and wonders, by [Page 54] Gods permission may bee truely done, and participate much of the nature of a true miracle. Yet, because they are done to an euill end, to deceiue, to destroy soules, to nourish idolatrie, they are false miracles, In quantum deficiunt a debito fine, In as much as they faile & come short of the due end: for true miracles must euer bee destined and directed to the sal­uation of mankinde, and the glo­rie of the eternall God, as it is written;1. Cor. 10.3. Whatsoeuer yee doe, doe all to the glorie of God.

The seuēth Passage. Obiect.VII. But here some will say, What shall wee thinke of those, almost innumerable miracles, re­ported in the Ecclesiasticall Hi­stories, in the ancient Fathers, & Doctors of the Church? what, are they all true?

Answ. To this I answere; They that writ them (howsoeuer indued [Page 55] with rare gifts, and worthie In­struments of Gods Glorie) were men, and so might erre in that, as well as points of greater con­sequence, matters of faith; and somuch the rather, because they receiued many of them by report from others. Againe, they that did them, were men, & so might erre, quoad finem & intentionem, in regard of the end and intenti­on; for who knowes whether in euery particular miracle they did intend and ayme at a right and due end? Surely, me thinks, Sene­ca's morall rule vsed in another case, may here not vnfitly bee applyed,Sen. Ep. 3. ad Lucil. Vtrumque vitium est, & omnibus credere & nulli: to be­leeue all and to beleeue none, is nei­ther of them good; it is neither safe to beleeue all, nor pious to beleeue none: To beleeue all, many will thinke were too rash; [Page 56] but to beleeue none, I am sure were too irreligious. Therefore, as the blessed Apostle speaketh of Doctrines, so say I of those Miracles,1. Thes. 5.21. Prooue all things, hold fast that which is good: proue them ex ratione facti, ex ratione miraculi, ex ratione finis; proue them (if it may be) whether they were truely done, whether truely miraculous, whether destined to a true end: and then, quod bonum est retinete: hold fast and approue that which is good.

The eight Passage.VIII. As touching the time whē true visible Miracles should cease, which I promised to speake of in the former Sermon, I finde that Saint Chrysostome disputing the matter, why they were done in the Disciples time, and not in his,Chrys. in 1. Cor. 2. Hom. 6. saith, [...], Then they were profitably done, that is, in the [Page 57] Apostles time, and now they are profitably left vndone, speaking of his owne time. And hee giues the reason of it, Because if men did relie vpon visible miracles, Faith would be lesse. And SaintAug. de vera Relig. cap. 25. Austine in his 25. Chapter of true Religion, saith, The Catho­like Church being planted and dis­persed thorow the whole world, Miracles were not permitted to last vnto his time: his reason is, Ne animus semper visibilia quaere­ret, & eorum consuetudine friges­ceret genus humanum, quorum nouitate flagrauit: Lest the minde should alwaies seeke visible things, and mankinde grow cold through the custome of those things, by the noueltie whereof it was hot and feruent. But thisAugust. Retract. l. 1. c. 13. Saint Augu­stine did afterwards retract in these words, Sed non sic accipien­dum est quod dixi, vt nunc in [Page 58] Christi Nomine fieri nulla mira­cula credantur: But that which I haue said, is not so to be taken, as that no Miracles should bee belee­ued to bee done now-a-daies in the Name of Christ. And then hee relates what was miraculously done, euen at that time when he wrote his Retractations. So it seemes, that Saint Chrysostome and Saint Augustine spoke of the ceasing in their time, of such plentifull and ordinarie working of visible miracles, as was in the Apostles time, and after. But when, and at what particular pe­riod of time the working of vi­sible Miracles since should whol­ly cease, I cannot affirme any thing: but leaue it to the deter­mination and resolution of the Church, whose directions I am alwayes readie to follow, in whose iudgment I willingly rest. [Page 59] This only I am sure of, that inuisible Miracles are wrought daily and plentifully in the vi­sible Church: for to conuert a sinner, is a miracle. It is a greater worke, saith SaintSee Ma­ster Copley in his Doctr. and Morall obser. c. 1. AVGVSTINE, for a sinner to bee made righteous, then to create Heauen and Earth. Prosp. de Promis. & Praed. part. 2. c. 30. Saint Prosper saith; It is more to iustifie a sinner, then to raise one from the dead. To make a pro­phane Vnbeleeuer, a true Belee­uer, is a Miracle; nay, to vnite Faith and a mans heart in one, is omni miraculo mirabilius, saith Saint BERNARD, more miracu­lous then any Miracle, and is one of those three mixtures or vni­ons, whichBern. in Vigil. Nat. Dom. ser. 3. Saint Bernard cal­leth singularly admirable, and ad­mirably singular. But many, who haue by the preaching of the Gospell conuerted sinners vnto God (they themselues being a­uerse [Page 60] from grace) will come in the last Day, and say vnto Christ, Haue wee not by thy Name done many wonderfull works? conuer­ted many monstrous, horrible, peruerse sinners? And what will our LORD then professe vnto them? I neuer knew you: Depart from me, yee that worke iniquitie.

Tri-vni Gloria.