Part 33

2. To consider their power in spiritual and moral things particularly, we shall find they have no power in some things, but by their fall have utterly lost it, as is apparent in these few points. 1. They have lost that freedom of will that they had by Creation, and were partakers of before they fell, and agreeable to this is the _Thesis_ of learned _Zanchy_, which is this: “That all Devils have so far their wills made obstinate in sins, the hatred of God, Christ, and of Mankind, that from this evil they cannot will to repent, and thereby be saved;” and this he thus proveth. 1. Because in the Scriptures they are called, πονυροὺς κατ’ ἐξοχὴν, for they are now become such, that they cannot be changed from their malice and wickedness; because it is become natural unto them. 2. From whence it is manifest, that the whole time since their fall, never yet any of them hath given any sign of resipiscence. 3. If they could repent and believe in Christ, then for them and their sins Christ also should have died; for he saith, _that he prayed for those that were to believe in him_; but they neither believe in him, neither did he die for them. 4. But the chief cause of their impenitency is the just judgment of God, that hath given them up to hardness of heart, because they sinned knowingly and wilfully against the truth. And this point is sufficiently proved by _Thomas Aquinas_, the rest of the Schoolmen and many others. 2. So that as they have lost freedom of will, so they cannot at all will or act to be saved, or to repent. 3. And as they cannot will or act to repent or be saved, so the whole acts of their wills are evil, malicious and wicked, _being liars and murtherers from the beginning_.

3. The third is to consider their power in sublunary and elementary things which is the most pertinent to our present purpose, it being the thing that some have magnified even to a kind of omnipotency, and therefore we must the more narrowly ventilate and examine it, which we shall do in this order.

1. How great soever the power of the faln Angels may be supposed to be, yet neither in knowlege can they be deemed to be omniscient, or in power to be omnipotent, because they are created Beings, circumscribed, limited and finite, and consequently can perform no act that necessarily must require an omnipotent power, and so can neither create things _de novo_, annihilate or transubstantiate any Creature or substance, or pervert or put forth of order, the things that God by Creation, Decree and Providence hath set into their certain orders of Generation, alteration and corruption.

[Sidenote: _Ut supra._]

2. How great soever their power may be supposed to be, yet rationally it must be taken for a truth, that they have not the same power that they had before their fall. For as _Zanchy_ saith: _Certum est enim in universum, & in genere, hac etiam in parte illos punitos fuisse, ut non possint quicquid poterant, cum boni essent, nec etiam quicquid nunc velint_. Because the Holy Ghost beareth witness, _that they are bound in Chains_, and that Satan begged leave of God to invade _Job_, that they fought with the good Angels, but were overcome, and that they may be so resisted of believing men that they may be overthrown. _Ac væ nobis, nisi potentia Dæmonum infirmata esset, & à Domino comprimeretur, & compesceretur._

[Sidenote: _Zanch. de op. Dei ut supra._]

3. And what power soever be granted to the faln Angels, yet it is by the opinion of all the learned, restrained only to these sublunary and inferior bodies, and that they have neither power by Creation or Ordination, to work upon, move, or alter things that are Angelical, Celestial, Ethereal and Superior, but only are chained in this Caliginous Atmosphere, and impure air. For it is manifest, that superior bodies work upon those that are inferior, but not on the contrary, neither have we any examples that can prove that they do operate upon Celestial bodies, and so their power (how great soever some may suppose it to be) is only restrained to these inferior sublunary things.

[Sidenote: Gen. 19. 24.]

[Sidenote: Isai. 37. 36.]

4. The operations and actions performed by the faln Angels, may be considered, either in the simple respect of their natural and created power, and this how great soever it was before their fall, is not only lessened, but that which remains, is limited and restrained with the Adamantine Chains of the decree of divine providence: or in respect of what power they may have superadded by God, when they are Commissionated and sent by God to effect some particular actions, as for example, _Moses_ and _Aaron_ had but the ordinary strength and power that was common to other men, before they were sent upon the message to _Pharaoh_, and made Instruments to deliver the Israelites, for then were they armed and indowed with the power of working great and stupendious Miracles. So it cannot rationally be imagined that the two Angels that were sent as Instruments to destroy _Sodom_ and _Gomorrha_, did or could of their own proper, individual and created power, bring down Fire and Brimstone from Heaven to burn those two Cities, but that it was brought to pass by the Power of the Almighty, as granted and given to them for that judgment only, and not by that ordinary power that they could always exercise, for the Text saith: _Then the Lord rained upon Sodom, and upon Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord forth of heaven_. Neither can it rationally be supposed that one Angel hath by his created power, that ability, that _he can slay in one night an hundred fourscore, and five thousand_, as it is written _the Angel did in the camp of the Assyrians_, but that it was brought to pass by the power of Jehovah superadded unto him, to work the great deliverance of _Hezekiah_ and his people. Upon which place the learned Expositor _John Calvin_ saith thus: _Solus quidem dominus satis per se potest, ac certè solus nos servat: Angeli enim, manus quodammodo sunt ipsius: Unde etiam Virtutes & Potestates vocantur. Interim hæc vis soli Deo tribuenda, cujus organa tantummodo sunt Angeli, ne in superstitionem incidamus._ From whence we may note these two things. 1. That even Devils are but the organs and instruments by which God accomplisheth his will, and executeth his wrath and justice, and so are but as tormenters and executioners to act no more than what they are appointed and commanded to do. 2. We may observe that in times past they had large Commissions given and great power superadded to perform great wonders for the destruction of the wicked, which was done for great and extraordinary ends, such as in these days the Lord doth seldom or never use, and therefore there can be no reason now shewed why Devils should have any extraordinary power added unto them in working strange feats for Witches and Sorcerers.

[Sidenote: _De op. Dei_ _l._ 4. _c._ 4. _p._ 174.]

[Sidenote: 2 Pet. 2. 4.]

[Sidenote: Jude 6.]

[Sidenote: _Loc. Com._ _p._ 12.]

[Sidenote: Matth. 25. 41.]

5. It will much conduce to the clearing of this point of the power of Devils to examine into what place they are faln, or since their rebellion into what Prison they are shut, and this we shall give in the Thesis of learned _Zanchy_ who saith thus: “All the evil Angels were thrust down from Heaven, into places that are below the Celestial Orbs, to wit into this air, and below, as it were into a caliginous Prison, where they are reserved unto the Universal Judgment as bound with chains.” And this is plain from the words of S. _Peter_, who saith: _For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment_. To which accordeth that of _Jude_: _And the Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day_. For as learned _Musculus_ tells us: _Decet Christianum hominem ea modestia, & cautio, ut nihil affirmet, nec si quis alius affirmaverit, inconsideratè recipiat, quod non certo veritatis testimonio è sacris literis desumpto, confirmari queat_. To this we shall only add what the acute and learned Theologue _Amesius_ notes upon this place of _Peter_, which in English is this: “In general (he saith) we are taught, that they did not keep their first estate, that is, they did forsake righteousness and that station in which they were placed of God, and afterwards they have exercised from the beginning, envy, lies and murther against Men. Also (he saith) we are taught, that they were a great number that were partakers of this defection, and therefore the Apostle speaketh in the plural number. 1. They are said to be thrust down _in Tartarum_ into Hell by reason of the commutation of estate and condition, because that from a most high condition, which they received by creation, they were cast down to an estate most low. 2. By reason of commutation of place, because they were thrust down from a place of beatitude, where they were conversant about the Throne of God with the rest of the Angels, into an inferiour place subject to sin and misery. But that this place is in the lowest parts of the earth, as the Papists do hold, cannot be made forth from the Scriptures, but rather the contrary, for they are said to be conversant, and to rule in the air, and to walk to and fro in the earth seeking the subversion of Men. This at the least is manifest from the Scriptures, and ought to satisfie those that are not too curious. 1. That they suffer a great change of estate and condition. 2. That they are excluded and shut out from their first habitation. 3. That they are in such a place where they suffer both the pain of loss and of sense. They are said to be delivered over to darkness, partly in respect of sin, and partly in respect of misery; for darkness in Scripture doth denote both: and they are said to be delivered in chains, by a metaphor taken from facinorous persons, that are condemned and kept bound in prison with chains, and the chains are these. 1. Obfirmation or obduration in sins. 2. An utter despair of any freedom or deliverance. 3. A terrible, expectation of extream misery, and an horrid fear of being cast into the abysse or deep. 4. The Providence of God which continually watches over their custody, imprisonment, and punishment. They are said to be reserved to damnation, because they are so bound up in these evils and miseries, that they never can escape; and yet these are but the beginnings only of their miseries, for they are hereafter _to go into that everlasting fire, that is prepared for the Devil, and his Angels_.”

[Sidenote: Job 1. 7.]

[Sidenote: 1 Pet. 5. 8.]

[Sidenote: 1 Kings 22. 22.]

6. Though the Devils be said to be reserved in everlasting chains of darkness, yet are they said sometimes to be loosed, and _to go to and fro in the earth_, and to walk up and down in it, and _that Satan doth like a roaring lion walk about seeking whom he may devour_. Which must be understood (as we have shewed before) that in respect of his evil will, malice and envy, he seeketh and desireth the overthrow of all mankind, but yet is so restrained that he doth but act, what, where, when and so far only as God doth limit and order him. For though it be usually said that God doth permit him, yet it cannot be understood as a bare and nude permission, as though God should suffer him to go so loose and at liberty, that he may exert and exercise his power to the uttermost, for then all the godly should be destroyed both in Souls and Bodies, and God should only sit by as a bare spectator, not as an Orderer, Ruler and Governour, even as though an hungry fierce Lion that had been chained up in a grate, should be let loose to rage and run where he would, and to kill and devour what he could, and thus the Witchmongers do suppose of him, which is false and contrary to the testimony of Gods word. But when the Almighty maketh use of Satan or his Angels, they are only so let loose that he hath a hook in their Nostrils, and their Necks in a chain, that they can act no more nor no further than he ordereth, and gives them leave to accomplish, and thus are they limited not only by his irresistible will and decree, but they are also watched over and ruled by the good Angels that are as it were their keepers and overseers. So when the Devil is used as an instrument to afflict Holy _Job_, he is first let loose to afflict him in his Children and Goods, but not to touch his Body; and the second time he hath leave and power given him to lay his hand upon _Jobs_ Body, but not to take away his life: which do plainly shew, that he is not only and barely suffered to do what he will, but hath his limits set how far he shall act, and no farther. And when God maketh use of him for the punishment of the wicked, he giveth him power, and ordereth him how far to act or prevail. As in the case of the lying spirit in the mouth of _Ahabs_ Prophets, the evil spirit is sent forth with this commission, _And God said thou shalt perswade him and prevail also: go forth and do so_. By which it is manifest that he prevaileth more by the virtue of Gods command and commission, than by his own proper created power.

[Sidenote: _Vid. Lambert. Dan. Isagog._ _c._ 24. _p._ 68.]

[Sidenote: 1 Cor. 10. 13.]

[Sidenote: _Exages. Aphor._ 14. _p._ 133.]

7. It is manifest that as the good Angels are the Ministers of God for the Salvation of mankind, so the evil Angels are ministring spirits only seeking the destruction and damnation of Men; and though God doth use the Ministry of these that are evil and have an evil will, yet he useth them well, and to good ends, that is, as the executioners of his justice to chasten the godly, and to restrain, or destroy the wicked. Therefore God and the Devil do not afflict, tempt or do any other thing for the same ends; for God acteth to prove, preserve, and stir up to goodness, but the Devil acteth to bring into sin and evil, to destroy and to bring to despair, as is manifest in the History of _Job_. And therefore here we may consider the several ways wherein God useth the evil Angels as his instruments, and that is in these particulars. 1. God useth him generally for temptation both of the good and the bad; so he tempted _David_, Christ and the Disciples, for Satan had _desired to sift them as wheat_, and therefore he is called ὁ πειρόζων, the tempter: and these temptations are internal and spiritual, for _we fight not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness in high places_. And in these as far as concerneth the faithful, he acteth but only as God permitteth or ordereth him, as is plain in the case of _David_, where one Text saith, _Jehovah moved David to number the people_, and in another place, _and Satan stood up, and moved David to number the people_: where it is to be noted that God did it as the director and orderer, and Satan performed it as his instrument and servant. And the Apostle telleth us; _that God is faithful, and would not suffer the believing Corinthians to be tempted above what they were able, but would with the temptation also make a way to escape, that they might be able to bear it_. 2. God maketh use of him for the chastisement and affliction of the godly, as is most manifest in that of _Job_; but this only so far as he is limited, ordered and commanded from God and no further. 3. When Satan as a tormenting or punishing instrument is used of God, he hath his commission given him how far only he shall act and proceed, beyond which he cannot go one hairs breadth, as is manifest in the case of _Ahab_ and the _Gadarens_ Swine, so that we may conclude this with the learned Aphorism of _Piscator_ in these words: _Etsi autem Satan seu Diabolus cum suis Angelis Deo et filiis Dei adversatur quantum in ipso est, nimirùm voluntate et conatu: non tamen effectu; ita nimirum ut vel fidelibus perniciem afferre, vel quicquam efficere possit quod Deus nolit. Deus enim illum potentiæ suæ fræno vinctum constrictumq tenet: ut ea modò exequatur quæ ei divinitùs mandata, aut concessa fuerint._

8. Lastly, we shall now examine the particulars wherein learned _Zanchy_ doth acknowledge the faln Angels to have power over our and other sublunary bodies, and they are principally these.

[Sidenote: _De oper. Dei._ _l._ 4. _c._ 10. _p._ 186.]

[Sidenote: Acts 8. 39, 40.]

1. Upon the supposition granted that the faln Angels have permission, he holdeth that by their own proper created natural power, they can as they please move in place: as to lift a Body up from the earth on high, and then to let it fall or throw it down to the earth; that they can transfer or carry a body from one City to another in a very short space of time: Lastly, that they can move and agitate bodies with every kind of local motion that none can resist them. And that therefore all those strange transportations of Witches in the air into forraign and far distant places (he holdeth) need not be thought strange or impossible, and that they may be done with great celerity, and in a short time. And this he thinketh he proveth by the example of _Philip, who when he had instructed the Eunuch in the faith and baptized him, was caught away by the spirit of the Lord, that the Eunuch saw him no more, and that he was found at Azotus_. Upon which we must make these animadversions. 1. That upon the supposition or ground that faln Angels are simply and meerly incorporeal, this must be false, for then they cannot move in place, nor agitate any bodies, as we have sufficiently proved before. 2. And though upon the supposition that they are corporeal, they may move in place, and may move and agitate other bodies, yet that must be understood in a proportionable measure, according to their power and strength, and not in an infinite, or indefinite respect; for though one Devil may be supposed to move or lift up that which would load an Horse, yet it will not follow that he can move or lift up as much as would load a Ship of a thousand Tun; and though one Devil might remove a Millstone by his own created power, yet it will not follow that he can remove the greatest mountain that is to be found. 3. And whatsoever motion Devils may have here in the air, or power to remove and agitate bodies, yet the least of these cannot be performed but by licence and permission from God, which licence and permission is always for ends agreeable to his Wisdom and Justice; but for God to license or permit Devils to appear to Witches in the shape of Cats, Dogs, Squirrels or the like, to the end to suck upon their bodies or to have carnal copulation with them, or to transport them in the air to places far distant, to dance, revel, feast and to do homage to the Devil (as the Witchmongers alledge) is for so impure, filthy, horrid and abominable ends, as can no way agree with the Wisdom or Justice of the Almighty, and therefore must needs be false and frivolous. 4. And that which the faln Angels are in the Scriptures recorded to have performed, may be considered, whether they accomplished those things by their own created power, or by the power of God granted to them when they are sent forth to perform such or such an act: For as it may not be rationally granted that the two Angels that were instruments for the destroying of _Sodom_ and _Gomorrha_ did bring down fire and brimstone from Heaven by their own created power, nor that the destroying Angel in _Egypt_ did in one night kill all the first-born by his own power, but by the power of the Almighty granted unto him in that mission, so it is not rational to suppose, that although Satan might by internal motions and spiritual temptations prevail with the _Sabæans_ and _Chaldæans_ who were his Vassals, wherein he could work what he would, to take away the Oxen, Asses and Camels of _Job_, and to slay his Servants: though (I say) he might do this by his created power; yet that he should bring fire from Heaven to destroy the sheep, or that he by his created power could raise such a wind, as could blow down the house in which the Sons and Daughters of _Job_ were, and slay them, is not probable, but that it was performed by that assisting power that was granted him of God, to effect that affliction upon _Job_, that God had determined for the trial and manifestation of his Faith and Patience, which cannot in any reason be said to be done by Devils in their transactions with Witches, and therefore must needs be Fables and Chimeras. 5. And whereas he addeth that the Devils can perform all kind of motions with natural bodies, and that none can resist them, it is too large by far; for by that rule they might shake and remove the earth, which they cannot do, for it abideth firm according to Gods appointment in the creation: And it is absurd to think that the superior and good Angels cannot resist them, who have far greater force and might than the faln Angels have. 6. And whereas he would prove the power of Devils by that of the spirit of the Lord conveying of _Philip_ from the Ethiopian Eunuch, which supposing it to be a good Angel, it must likewise be granted to be furnished from God to have that power to carry him away, and doth not necessarily conclude that the Angel did it by its proper created power: neither is the consequence good, to argue that what a good Angel may do, that therefore a bad one may do the same or the like, for their powers and strength are not equal, the one retaining what he had by creation, the other losing much by reason of his rebellion and fall; as an outlawed person hath not in a civil respect the same power that another person hath that is under a legal capacity, and as a prisoner that is loaden with chains, gives and fetters, can neither walk, leap, or run so fast, as he that hath none, no more can the fettered Devils move with that agility and celerity that the good Angels can do that have no fetters nor chains at all.

[Sidenote: Apoc. 7. 2.]

[Sidenote: 2 Sam. 24. 16.]

[Sidenote: Acts 12. 23.]