3. That upon the ceasing of Miracles or their growing to be unnecessary, we have the more cause to suspect them, who will revive this pretence, of a power to work Miracles; especially after we are cautioned against these delusions, as here in the Text against the lying wonders of Antichrist, and elsewhere, Mat. 24.24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, in so much, that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very Elect ▪ and again, Rev. 13.13. He doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from Heaven upon Earth, in the sight of men. But herein they triumph, when did they ever pretend to do so? Ans. This is not to be taken literally, for the whole Chapter is mystical; none can be so ignorant, that Antichrist shall arise as a Beast out of the Sea, with ⟨p. 173⟩with seven Heads and ten Horns; therefore to fetch fire from Heaven, is only an allusion to Elijah, that he should pretend to work Miracles, as did Elijah, who brought fire from Heaven, 1 Kings 18.24. and yet in the Letter it was fulfilled in Pope Hildebrand, or Gregory the VII. as one Paulus, who wrote his Life, testifieth, who mentioneth divers wonders of fire wrought by him, and sundry times resembles him to Elijah; the meaning is, he shall make his followers as confident of their errors, as if they saw fire come from heaven to confirm them. But to return. We being thus cautioned and forewarned, Miracles thus performed are deceitful. But you will say, though Miracles are not necessary to confirm the Faith; yet they are necessary to convince the falsehood of Heresies? Ans. Heresies being a corruption of the Faith once received, are to be confuted by Arguments, not Miracles; by evidence of Doctrine, not wonders; partly, left the people be deceived by magical Impostures, for it requireth some skill to distinguish true Miracles from those that are deceitful, and done by the power of the Devil: partly, because Verum est Index sui & obliqui, Faith •tated and confirmed, showeth what is Error; so that to confute Error by Miracles, is nothing but to confirm Truth by Miracles.
3. That upon the ceasing of Miracles or their growing to be unnecessary, we have the more cause to suspect them, who will revive this pretence, of a power to work Miracles; especially after we are cautioned against these delusions, as here in the Text against the lying wonders of Antichrist, and elsewhere, Mat. 24.24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets, and shall shew great s•gns and wonders, in so much, that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very Elect ▪ and again, Rev. 13.13. He doth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from Heaven upon Earth, in the sight of men. But herein they triumph, when did they ever pretend to do so? Ans. This is not to be taken literally, for the whole Chapter is mystical; none can be so ignorant, that Antichrist shall arise as a Beast out of the Sea, with ⟨p. 173⟩with seven Heads and ten Horns; therefore to fetch fire from Heaven, is only an allusion to Elias, that he should pretend to work Miracles, as did Elias, who brought fire from Heaven, 1 Kings 18.24. and yet in the Letter it was fulfilled in Pope Hildebrand, or Gregory the VII. as one Paulus, who wrote his Life, testifieth, who mentioneth divers wonders of fire wrought by him, and sundry times resembles him to Elias; the meaning is, he shall make his followers as confident of their errors, as if they saw fire come from heaven to confirm them. But to return. We being thus cautioned and forewarned, Miracles thus performed are deceitful. But you will say, though Miracles are not necessary to confirm the Faith; yet they are necessary to convince the falsehood of Heresies? Ans. Heresies being a corruption of the Faith once received, are to be confuted by Arguments, not Miracles; by evidence of Doctrine, not wonders; partly, left the people be deceived by magical Impostures, for it requireth some skill to di•tinguish true Miracles from those that are deceitful, and done by the power of the Devil: partly, because Verum est Index sui & obliqui, Faith •tated and confirmed, sheweth what is Error; so that to confute Error by Miracles, is nothing but to confirm Truth by Miracles.
