1. By pretence of Miracles, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders: These three words signify the same thing, and are often ⟨p. 156⟩joined, when true Miracles are spoken of, as 2 Cor. 12.12. Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all places, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds, [Greek or Hebrew], [Greek or Hebrew]: So Acts 2.22. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, wonders and signs: So Heb. 2.4. God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles: Rom. 15.19. Through. mighty signs and wonders, through the power of the spirit of God: Powers they are called, because they issue from Power divine and extraordinary: Signs, from their use, because they served to seal and signify the Doctrine to which they are applied: Wonders, from their effect, because they breed astonishment in the minds of the beholders; These were the true Miracles. Now Antichrist, to countenance his false Doctrines and Superstitions, would ape and imitate Christ; and pretendeth to Powers, Signs, and Wonders; as Jannes and Jambres sought to imitate Moses, God permitting it in some degree; so Antichrist seeks to promote his Kingdom the same way which Christ took to promote Evangelical truth. But they are called Powers, and Signs, and lying Wonders; i.e. lying Powers, lying Signs, and lying Wonders; for it agreeth to all the words, though affixed to one of them. But why lying wonders? partly because the greatest number of them are mere. Fables, notorious ⟨p. 157⟩Impostures, and Forgeries: partly, because others are Diabolical illusions, things beyond humane, but not Angelical Power; if they are [Greek or Hebrew], Wonders, they are not [Greek or Hebrew], as Chrysostom distinguisheth, fit signs to signify the truth of the Doctrines: partly from the end and scope, for that must also be regarded; God cautioneth his People, that if they gave them a sign and wonder, though it came to pass,. if it were to draw them to other Gods, it was to be rejected, Deut. 13.1, 2, 3. the Spirits must be tried, whether they be of God, 1 John 4.1.1 Cor. 12.3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: If a wonder be wrought, or pretended to be wrought, to draw us off from Christ, or to promote things clearly forbidden by the word of God, it is a lying wonder as all Antichrist's are;
1. By pretence of Miracles, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders: These three words signifie the same thing, and are often ⟨p. 156⟩joined, when true Miracles are spoken of, as 2 Cor. 12.12. Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all places, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉: So Acts 2.22. Iesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, wonders and signs: So Heb. 2.4. God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles: Rom. 15.19. Through. mighty signs and wonders, through the power of the spirit of God: Powers they are called, because they issue from Power divine and extraordinary: Signs, from their use, because they served to seal and signifie the Doctrine to which they are applied: Wonders, from their effect, because they breed astonishment in the minds of the beholders; These were the true Miracles. Now Antichrist, to countenance his false Doctrines and Superstitions, would ape and imitate Christ; and pretendeth to Powers, Signs, and Wonders; as Iannes and Iambres sought to imitate Moses, God permitting it in some degree; so Antichrist seeks to promote his Kingdom the same way which Christ took to promote Evangelical truth. But they are called Powers, and Signs, and lying Wonders; i.e. lying Powers, lying Signs, and lying Wonders; for it agreeth to all the words, though affixed to one of them. But why lying wonders? partly because the greatest number of them are meer. Fables, notorious ⟨p. 157⟩Impostures, and Forgeries: partly, because others are Diabolical illusions, things beyond humane, but not Angelical Power; if they are 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Wonders, they are not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as Chrysostome distinguisheth, fit signs to signifie the truth of the Doctrines: partly from the end and scope, for that must also be regarded; God cautioneth his People, that if they gave them a sign and wonder, though it came to pass,. if it were to draw them to other Gods, it was to be rejected,
