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Show 3:35 em 3.‘ OF A CHRISTIAN 01419.37. Part. 3. C0 MMO N-WE A L TH. - C/J/zp. 37, Expat; ii. ing calt on the ground became a Serpent , the Magicians of Egypt long a bufinefle, to reckon up the feverall forts oftliofe men , which did t/Jclxke by their Enrhmtmmtr; and that alter Mofes had turned the Greeks called lenumamrgi, that is to fay, workers ofthings wonderfull; and yet thefe do all they do, by their own fin le dexterity. the waters ofthe Egyptian Streams, Rivers, Ponds, and Pooles of 3'0‘1-7-32- water intoblood, t/Ie Magician: ongypt dldfi} likem{_/e, wit/1 their Enchantments; and that after Molts had by the power or God brought ["0‘1'8'7' frogs upon the land, t/Jei'l/tzgicizms 41/?) did fa wit/1 t/Jrir 5mm:mczzlr, and brought upfragr 15pm tire [and of' Egypt; will not a man be apt to attribute Miracles to Enchantments; that is to lay, to the efficacy ofthe found of Words; and think the lame very well pro- ved out" ofthis, and other fuch placesc' and yet there‘is no place of Scripture, that telleth us what an Enchantment is: It therefore En- chantment be not, as many think it, a working or ltrange effeéts by l'pells, and words; but Impolture, and delulion, wrought by ordinarvmeans; and {0 far from lupernaturall, as the Iinpoltorsneed not‘the Rudy (0 much as ol‘naturall, caules, but the ordinary ign0_ rance, fiupidity,and fuperfiition or mankind,to doe them-,thofe texts that teem to countenance the power ofl\ .agiek, Witcheratt, and hue But if we looke upon the Impol'tures wrought by Con ederacy,there is nothing how impoflible foever to be done, that is impolfible to bee beleeved. For two men confpiring, one to feem lame , the other to cute him with acharme, will deceive many :7 but many confpiring, one to feem lame, another {0 to curel‘him, and all the relt to bear Witnellemill deceive many more. ‘ _In this aptitude ofinankind, to give too hafty beleefe to pretended Caution; a. Miracles, there can be no better, nor I think any other caution,then £4,7sz M 1mthat which God hath prefcribed, firlt by Mofes, ( as Ihave faid be- poflm‘eofMie fore in the precedent chapter,) in the beginning ofthe I 3. and end of r401"- tlie 18. of Deuterommy; That wee take not any for Prophets , thatteach any other Religion, then that which Gods Lieutenant, (which at that time was Moles, ) hath eltablilhed; nor any, (though he teach the fame Religion,) whole Prtediétion we doe not fee come to palle. chantment, mufi needs have another fenl'e, than at firlt fight they Moles therefore in his time, and Aaron, and his fuccellors in their , feem to bear. TM "'9" m For it is evident enough,that Words have no efieét,but on thoie that times, and the Soveraign Governour of Gods people , next under God him felt, that is to lay, the Head ofthe Church in all times , are "Fm‘l‘ "ml; underfland them; and thenthey have no other,but to iignifie the in- to be conlizlted, what doctrine he hath efiabliflied , before wee give 3%?"I«I; C tentions, or palfions ofthem that (peak; and thereby produce, hope, credittoapretended Miracle,or Prophet. And when that is done, the thing they pretend to be a Miracle,ive muft both fee it done, and ulc all means polliblc to confider, whether it be really done; and not onely in, but whether it be l‘uch, as no man can do the like by his naturall power, but that it requires the immediate hand of God.And " ' fear, or other palfions, or conceptions in the hearer. Therelore when a Rod feemeth a Serpent, or the Waters Blond, or any other Miracle lbemeth clone by Enchantment; ifit be not to the edineanon ofGods people, not the Rod, northe Water , nor any other thing is enchanted; that is to lay, wrought upon bythe Words, but tle Spectator. So that all the Miracle eoniilteth in this, that the linchan ter has deceived :1 man; which is no Miracle, buta very ealie matter to doc. For l‘uch is the ignorance,and aptitude to error generally ofall men, but eipeeially of them that have not much knowledge or naturall caufes, and of the nature, and interelis or men, as by innumerable and ealie tricks to be abul‘ed. \‘V'hat opinion or miraculous power, before it was known there was a Science of the comic of the Stars, inthis alto we mull liat'ei'ecorirfe to Gods Lieutenant; to whom in all doubttiill cares, wee have firbmitted our private judgments. For example; an man pretend ,thatafter certain words fpoken over a. peet‘e or brezd, that prel‘ently God hath made it not bread, but a God, or a man, or both , and neverthekefke it looketh {till as like bread as ever it‘did; there is no reafon for any man to think it really done7 nor eonlequently to fear him, till he enquire of'God , by his treat, or Lieutenant, whether it be done, or not. Ifhe l'ay not,their lollmveththat which MoiEs faith, ( Dem. 18. 22 ) be 1mm [pa/em it might a man have gained, that lhould have told the people , 'l‘lizs hour, or day the Sunlhould be darkned‘.' A juggler by thehand ling or his goblets , and other trinkets, lid! were not now ordinaniu 1'):‘jltmfrlwlit'?y,t/i0/t_/}h1/! Wift'ar lu'm. Ii‘he lay 'tis done , then he is practiledprould be thought to do his wonders by the power at leaii « it the Devil. A man that hathpraetii'ed to {peak by drawing in or is» Head theit-ol,liow tar we are to give credit to the relators of it. And this is ehiefiy the cafe otmenahar in thefe days live under Chrifiian breath, ( \\ hich kind oi‘men in antient time were ealled l't'blfY/oilfir‘) and to make the weakntlle oiihis voice item to proceed, not lroin t! e weakimpullionot‘theorgansotSpeeclnbut from diliante of plan, is able to make very many men beleeve it is a voice from He'.i\.ll. whatl‘oeverhepleale totell them. And toraeratty man, that hart enquiredinto the teerets,and familiar eonl'tliions that one man ore,narily maketh to another ot‘hisaetions and aditntures palt , to ":1 them him again is no hard matter; and yet there be m;ln_\',tll.lt l‘.‘ it.» A Soverargns.l70r in there tiines,I do not know one man, that ever (an; any lueh wondrous work,done by the charm,or at the word,or prayer means as that,ob:ain the reputation ot‘being Conjurers. But it 1\ IN loili! no: In contradict it. So allbif‘wee fee not, but onely hear tell of a, Mir;:ele,we are to confult the Lawful Church-,that is to fay,the lawful Ola man, that a man endqu but with a mediocrity of reafon, would tlimitiupernatuiall: andthe queltion is no more, whether what wee ifsdp‘ns‘, be a Miracle; whether the Miracle we hear, or read of,were first, "bile, and not the Act ofa tongue, or pen 3 but in plain terms, ataerthe report be true, or a lye. In whichqueltion we are not l'itibliiuilfliito make ourown private Realon, or ‘Conl‘cience, but the Ills Cation, that is, the realon of Gods Supreme Lieutenant, lUdge; and indeed We have made him judge already , if wee have 1 2 giVCIl |