Doctor Fludds answer vnto M· Foster or, The squeesing of Parson Fosters sponge, ordained by him for the wiping away of the weapon-salue VVherein the sponge-bearers immodest carriage and behauiour towards his bretheren is detected ...

CHAP. VII.

In which this whole Subiect is in few words contracted and abbreuiated.

YEe may perceiue (courteous and well minded Reader) by this which is already told you, that although our Aduersary hath attempted, as the Iewes did vnto our Sauiour, to crucifie, or ra∣ther smoother in obliuion the truth, as well of the Weapon-Salues operating vertue, as of mine ho∣nest endeauours, on the Cacomagicall crosse of slander, and doth offer vnto vs in our Agony, namely, when our reputation lyeth a bleeding, a destructiue or abolishing Sponge, swelling with vineger and gall; I meane, with the sharp sauce of calumniation, and the bitter taste of his vncharita∣ble indignation, in stead of a Christian-like conso∣lation: yea, although (I say) the tempestuous blast of his harsh spirit, hath done his best, to make the reputation of vs both, as it were to suffer ship∣wracke, and to be cast, like another Ionas, into the troubled seas of this worlds censure, where the sourging billowes of various affections, doe stor∣mingly iustle, and as it were, shoulder and with∣stand one another. (For since the maxime is: Quot homines, tot sentontiae, how is it possible to please and

content euery man in his humour?) And though the spongie Leuiathan, or proudly swelling and in∣fulting Whale of Master Foster, did swallow for a time, into his paunch of obliuion, the honour and credit of both this Salue, and me for a season; yet (I thanke my God) he hath imparted vnto me the grace, so to squeese and crush this his prestigious Whale, or deuouring Sponge, which is also an of∣spring of the Sea, that now it is forced euen so to vomit vp againe that truth, vpon this our coast, not a little infected with the incredulity of this manner of curing, as the true Whale did in times past, the Prophet Ionas, vpon the shore of the misbeleeuing Niniuites; that the infidelity and suspition of such icalous persons, as haue beene seduced by our Ad∣uersaries Leuiathan, or spongie Monster, may the easier be abolished, by making the deuoured truth to be reuiued, and as it were, to shine forth, and rise againe, that by the light thereof, all those darke cloudes, which haue begot and fostered such incre∣dulity, namely, the religious veile of Master Fosters worldly policy, the error of his doctrine, and the healing power, which he erroneously ascribeth vn∣to the Deuill, may be discouered vnto the eyes of each wise and iudicious Reader, and that the mis∣beleeuers may with the Niniuites repēt their error, and turne from such Idolatrous inducements, as haue perswaded them, to ascribe the pious and charitable gifts of healing by the Weapon-Salue, vnto the false Prince of darknesse, who through mans error, doth vsurpe vnto himselfe, the title of Prince or Lord of this World, which of right, and

that from all eternity, belongeth vnto the true God of Light, who hath made both Heauen and Earth, and inriched them with all manner of vertues whatsoeuer. But if it shall happen hereafter, that some silly incredulous persons (the appearingly zealous, I meane, without vnderstanding, of which Saint Paul speaketh) shall, like Dogs, returne vnto their vomit: I must then say and confesse, that they doe but according vnto their kinde; and there∣fore are rather to be pittied then enuied: and con∣sequently our Sauiours Words so vnfitly applyed by our Aduersary in his Dedicatory Epistle, are most aptly to be powred out vnto God for these men: Father, forgiue them, for they know not what they * 1.1 doe. For this cause therefore, I chiefly direct this my small Pamphlet, vnto all such, as are vnder∣standingly zealous, and iudiciously learned, be∣seeching them earnestly, to take this short modell of our disputation, into their more mature or riper considerations, and to ponder euery parcell there∣of truely (all partiality being laid apart) in the bal∣lance of their most honest and pious discretions.

Let them examine, I say, in their choycest thoughts, and that seriously, whether this Cure proceedeth from that vertuous gift, which God hath imparted in the creation, vnto these his natu∣rall creatures, and continued it in them, by succes∣sion of generation and multiplication, through his all-sufficient Word, euen vnto this day, or else from the meere act and assistance of the Deuill, whose property soone after his creation, by his fall became to strike, plague, and destroy, and not to

cure, and proue so great a Benefactor vnto man∣kinde. Let them consider the words of the Apo∣stle, affirming, that God operateth all in all: and there∣fore he acteth when he pleaseth, in and by the De∣uill, onely to sicknesse, death, and destruction; but not vnto health and conseruation. Obserue the text of Dauid, auerring, that God by his Word did heale * 1.2 such as were struck with diseases, when they turned vnto him; and doth he not by the said Word cure all? yes verily. For Salomon saith: Hee extended his mi∣sericord * 1.3 vnto the afflicted with Serpents, and sent forth his Word to cure them, euen his Word that health all things. But the Deuill is neither God, nor Gods Word; wherefore I will conclude with this in∣•…•…iolable Argument:

If our mercifull God cureth all things in his benignity, and that by his Word, then the Deuill can cure no∣thing;

But our God, in his mercy and benignity, cureth all things by his Word: Ergò, the Deuill can cure nothing: and consequent∣ly, cannot prestigiously make a shew of cu∣ring, vnder the shadow and pretence of the Weapon-Salue.

The Maior is euident, because if the Word cu∣reth all, then that superior generality concludes all inferior particularities: and therefore all abso∣lute faculty of curing is exempted from the Deuill.

The Minor also is confirmed and strengthned by the foresaid words: first, of the Prophet Dauid: Hee * 1.4 sendeth his Word and healeth them, and deliuereth them from their graues, let them confesse before the Lord his

louing kindnesse, &c. Whereby it appeareth, that it was his louing kindnesse, and not his seuerity and vengeance, which by his Word did heale and cure: For he operateth vengeance in his seuerity or de∣structiue will, by the organ of the Deuill. And then, of Salomon; But the teeth of the venemous Dra∣gons * 1.5 could not ouercome thy Children: for thy mercy came to helpe them, and healed them; for neither herb, nor plaister healed them; but thy Word, O Lord, which healeth all things, for thou hast the power of life and death, and leadest downe into the gates of Hell, and brin∣gest vp againe, &c.

Now I would know, whether it ought to be any true Christians opinion, that the Deuill can com∣mand the misericord of God, and so be Master of his word at his pleasure, as to heale Gods creatures, nay, one framed after his owne Image, for any wicked stratagems cause: I meane, for the gaining of both body and soule of man, from God to him∣selfe? * 1.6 Doth not Iob say: In the hand of God is the life of euery liuing creature, and the spirit of all flesh? To conclude as Saint Iohn doth truely auerre, that in the Word was life; So it is certaine, that all healing and restoring power, is from this viuifying vertue in the Word, and not from the priuatiue power of the Deuill, in whom contrary wise is death and de∣struction. Moreouer, I would haue you to note these words of the Apostle: Now there are diuers * 1.7 gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are diuersities of ope∣rations; but God is the same which worketh all in all; but to one is giuen by the Spirit the Word of wisedome, to another the word of knowledge, to another is giuen faith, and to

another the gift of healing by the same Spirit, &c.

Can any good Christian thinke, that this one Spirit, that onely worketh these things, is the De∣uill? No verily. For in the third verse, the Apo∣stle termes it the Holy Ghost. What shall we say then? That the Deuill doth heale by the gift of the Holy Ghost? or that the holy Spirit will grant the euill spirit his good gift of healing, to deceiue man∣kinde, and to rob God of his right? God forbid: But with iustice giue that vnto God, which belon∣geth vnto God, and assigne vnto the Deuill that property, which was allotted him by his Creatour from the beginning: the first Spirit, from all crea∣tions, was ordained in his office to be a good, viui∣fying, and a quickning Spirit; the latter, a bad, a killing, and a mortifying spirit. For it is said by the Prophet in the person of God: Ego creaui de∣structorem * 1.8 ad disperdendum: I haue created the destroyer to destroy.

I will boldly therefore conclude and finish my Pamphlet, or petty discourse, as I began it, name∣ly, with this religious verse, mentioned in the di∣uine Hymne of the Royall Psalmist, to the honour of God, and disabling of either Deuill, or any o∣ther creature, to worke essentially wonders of him∣selfe, or by himselfe:

Benedictus Dominus Deus Israël, qui facit mira∣bilia * 1.9 solus: Blessed be the Lord God of Israël, who onely worketh wonders.

Or as he hath it in another place:

Confitemini Domino Dominorum, quoniam in aeter∣num * 1.10 miser•…•…or dia•…•…ius, qui facit mirabilia magna

solus: Prayse the Lord, for his mercy endureth for euer, who onely doth great wonders.

And therefore, if the Lord of Lords onely, or a∣lone; then hath he not any mortall man to helpe him: if he alone; then not any Angel of Heauen: and lastly, if it be God alone, and onely; then not any Deuill of Hell; nor Daemon or spirit of the fie∣ry, or aëry, or watry, or earthly element to assist him. For the text saith: It is the Lord of Lords alone; and therefore not any creature to helpe him, or that is able to doe this without him: it is he (I say) onely; and consequently not the Deuill, who per∣formeth wonders; But by euery mans acknow∣ledgement, this manner of cure is wonderfull, for as much as the manner of working in it, passeth the capacity of worldly mens vnderstanding: There∣fore with Dauid I will say:

Benedictus Deus, qui facit tale mirabile solus: and consequently, I may inferre thereupon (and that iustly) Maledictus homo qui diuina falsò attribuit Diabolo.

Wherefore I wish euery zealous and religious person, to haue this inuiolable Motto engrauen in his heart, that by the vertue thereof, he may fright away and banish from his thoughts, all such irreli∣gious perswasions, as would moue him to derogate one Iota or tittle from Gods power, who is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of all things, to arrogate falsly vnto the vilest of creatures, who in himselfe is nothing but what God is pleased that he shall be: of himselfe hath nothing, but what God pleaseth to bestow on him: and by himselfe

can doe nothing: but what God is pleased to act in him, and by him, that he doth, and not any thing else: and therefore, what God will not, that he cannot doe. Let this then be your Motto:

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Finis omnium & principium Deus. God is the end and beginning of all things.

And for this reason, Reuchlin in his Booke de verbo m•…•…risico saith:

Omne hominis miraculum, cuius vera & non imagi∣naria deprehenditur substantia, tum grande, tum mediocre, tum minimum, si ordo sacrorum pra∣scriptus obseruetur, referendum est semper in Deum gloriosum, cuius nomen est benedictum in aeternum. Is enim solus est, qui vel seipso, vel delegato, non sine seipso, velper substitutum exseipso, talia facit, qualia demiramur: quorum causam adaequatam scire non possumus, vel quod fiant, vel quod hoc mo∣do fiant.

Euery miracle of man, whose substance is certaine, •…•…nd not imaginary or prestigious, bee it great, or meane, or little, if the prescribed order of Holy Writ bee obserued, is alwayes to bee referred and ascribed vnto one glorious God, whose Name bee euer blessed! For it is hee alone, who either of him∣selfe, or by a delegat, with whom hee is present, or by a substitute of his owne, and from himselfe, that effecteth such things, the true or plaine grounds whereof, and by what meanes they are brought to passe, wee neither can discerne, nor comprehend. Thus farre Iohn Reuchlin.

And therefore in the period of this Treatise I may iustly put home, and allude vnto Master Foster and his Complices, the woe of Isaias, against such per∣sons, which I did mention in the beginning of it, for as much as they presuming too too much on their worldly wisedome, doe mistakingly, and through their blindnesse, ascribe the things of God, vnto the Deuill; the deeds of goodnesse, vn∣to euill; and the effects of light, vnto darknesse.

ISAIAS 5.20, 21.

Woe vnto them that speake good of euill; and euill of good: which put darknesse for light, and light for darknesse: that put bitter for sweet; and sweet for sowre. Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eyes, and prudent in their owne sight.

I leaue this (worthy and learned Reader,) as I haue said before, vnto thy best consideration, to iudge of seriously and maturely, wishing that in thy iudgement the ballance of equity may be true∣ly proportioned, and not made vnequall by cor∣rupt and vngodly partiality.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luk. 22.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 107. 20.
• * 1.3

  Wisd. 16. 10.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 107. 20, 21.
• * 1.5

  Wisd. 16. 10.
• * 1.6

  Iob 12. 11.
• * 1.7

  1 Cor. 12.
• * 1.8

  Isaias 54. 16.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 71. 18.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 135. 3.