The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise

Theophilus. But Elisha did not cast the salt into the ¹water, for to conjure the Devils there with, but hath done it for to purge and make it clean, because that it was infected and poisoned, so much y• none could drink of it. And notwithstanding that Elisha did put salt in it, yet nevertheless the salt of his nature had not the property to correct and amend the corruption of the Water, if the virtue of God had not wrought and done it nuraculously: As it is declared by the applications of the things, which Jesus ²Christ used, as in putting the spittle upon the tongues of those that were dumb, for to make them speak: or upon the eyes of the blind, for to make them see: or within ³the ears of those that were deaf for to make them hear: not because that he could not do that without such applications, as he hath very well declared in a ⁴great many other of his works: For how oftentimes hath he healed them in touching them only, either by ⁵the hand, as the lepers, or by y• gown, as y• woman which ⟨p. 35⟩was diseased with the issue of blood, and others, without either seeing or touching them, as the son of y• Centurion: ⁶But even as thereby he would declare that all proceeded from his virtue and power, & not of the creatures. Also sometime he used them for to let us to understand, that when he would they should serve, he gave them such virtue and property as it pleaseth him, & for to learn us that we ought not to despise the means that he hath ⁷given unto us, how vile soever our reason judgeth them to be. For whatsoever they may be, so that he hath ordained them, and that we have his promise, we must not doubt but by them he doth that which he hath promised. Therefore he hath taken things, which had not of their own nature the virtue to bring to pass those effects, to which they have been applied, that all men might know, that from him only proceeded the virtue, and not of any ordinary or natural cause. But these miraculous works, are nothing at all like unto those which our Priests do: and their ceremonies, have not such promises. If by that they could remedy she corrupt waters, as Elisha did, we will acknowledge the gift to work miracles to be in them which was in Elisha. But to what end serveth the salt in the water?