CHA P. IV. That Satan hath a great measure of Knowledg, proved, by comparing him with the knowledg of Adam in Innocen cy, and by his Titles. Of his Knowledg Natural, Experimental, and Acceffory. Of his knowledg of our Thoughts. How far he doth not know them, and how far he doth, and by what means. Of his knowledg of things future, and by what ways he doth conjecture them. The Advantages in point of Temptation that he hath by his Knowledg IN N the discovery of Satan's Knowledg, I fhall firft give Evidence evidence and Demonftration thereof. To which purpose, (1.) Let us confider the Knowledg of Adam in Innocency; which being found to be great, it will thence be easily concluded, that Satan's Knowledg is far greater: Two notable difcoveries we have of Adam's Knowledg, the one was his giving of Names to all Creatures; Gen. 2. 29. Which was not only a Sign of his Dominion, but also a notable Inftance of his Understanding, seeing the Names were given according to the natures of Creatures;, whereof Bochartus gives a 1. Part. vos large account, as the Camel is called, because it's apt to Hierozoicon, repay injuries; the Kite, from its fharpness of fight; the Pelican is named NP, from its ufual Vomiting, &c. The confideration of the aptnefs of Names impofed on Creatures, made ..vs Plato acknowledg, That it was a work above ordinary capacity. The other discovery of Adam's Knowledg, was his knowledg of the Original of Eve at firft fight; Gen. 2. 23. he faid, This is now Bone of my Bones, and Flesh of my Flesh, &c. This Inftance Luther made ufe of to prove the knowledg that we fhall have of one another in Heaven; which fhews that Adam's Understanding was then incomparably more fublime than ours, and of a nearer approach to the knowledg which a ftate of Glory fhall furnish us: withal. To this might be added a further proof from the rare Inventions, Inventions, and excellent Difcoveries that fome raised Wits have made, of things that have laid deep, and far out of the view of common Capacities. As alfo thofe views, fights, and more than ordinary comprehenfions which the Souls of Men have had,whenthey were a little freed from the clog and hinderance of the Body, cither in Extafies, or by approaching Death; all which put together, will go far to prove a very great measure of Knowledg in Satan, if we take along with us this Foundation, That in all the Works of God, we find the highest Knowledg in the nobleft Being: Living Creatures are more excellent than Stones or Trees, and therefore hath God furnifhed them with Senfes, and hath alfo diftinguifhed them by higher degrees of Sagacity, according to their excellency above others: Thus the Ape, Fox, Elephant, &c. have fuch Abilities above the Worm and Fly, &c. that fome have queftioned whether they had not fome lower degrees of Reafon: Yet as thefe are below Man,fo doth hisReafon far excel their greateft quickness of Senfe. Angels are an higher Being than Man,(for he made him lower than the Angels) and confequently their Knowledg is proportionably greater. So that if Adam in Innocency understood the Nature of Things, how much more exactly and fully muft we imagine Satan to know them? Secondly; But the Proof is more full and direct, from those Appellations and Titles which the Scripture, and the Experience quafi Aanuar. of Men, have put upon him; his ufual name Aaluar, which (in Matth.8.31. Mark 5. 12. Rev. 16. 14.) we tranflate Devil, properly fignifieth one that is wife, knowing, or skilful. And however the wickedness of that Spirit hath fo far difhonoured this word, that 'tis always (as fome think) used to fignifie Unclean Spirits; yet fill it camies an evidence of their Nature in refe-. rence to Knowledg, that though they are wicked Creatures, yet are they wife and knowing: 'tis faid, Gen. 3.1. The Serpent was more fubtil than any Beast of the Field which though it be true literally of the Serpent, whofe Wisdom and Subtilty, Naturalifts have abundantly noted, yet that expreffion hath an eye upon Sa tan, who was the principal Agents and the Serpent there is cal led fubtil, as influenced by Satan, whofe Inftrument he was: Principaliter which we may believe, not only upon the credit of Austin and ad Diabolum Lyra, but more fecurely upon the Teftimony of other Scriptures, referenda cit which name him the Old Serpent, Rev. 17 9 and impute all that calliditas. Craft in the management of that Temptation, to a particular remark remarkable skill and fubtilty of Satan; The Serpent beguiled Eve through fubtilty, 2 Cor. 11. 3. and (if Beza conjecture right) the Appellation aluev do fo fitly fuit this Hiftory of the Tree of Knowledg, that the title of Knowledg feems to be given him for this fingular Master-piece of Craft. Thirdly That Satan hath Great Knowledg, is by these Arguments difcovered; but if further inquiry be made into the -Nature of his Knowledge, we fhall be nearer to a fatisfaction in this particular; and here we may obferve a three-fold Knowledg in Satan. Matutina. Firft; A Natural Knowledg, which the School-men have di- Cognitio Veftinguifhed into these two; (1.) An Evening Knowledg, which fpertina & he received from things Created, whereby the fpecies of things Barth. Sybilla were impreffed upon his Mind, and fo received, being a Know- otium Theol. ledg à pofteriori, from the Effects of Things; which because it is P. 361. more dark and obfcure, than that which arifeth from the Caufes & civitat. Dei. Aug.inz Gen. of things, they tearmed Evening Knowledg. (2.) The other lib.11.c.29. is Morning Knowledg, which is a Knowledg of Things in the Dr. Jenifon Power and Wisdom of God, in which he faw the Idea's and Height of Ifrael's Idolatry, Images of all Things; this Knowledge they prefer before the other, as Lines and Figures are better known from Mathematical Inftruction, than by their bare tract, as written in Duft. P. 31. Ipfam crea turam melius Secondly Befides this he hath an Experimental Knowledg; ibi, hoc eft, in which is the improvement of that natural Stock, by further Ac- tanquam in arSapientia Dei quifitions and Attainments; and indeed Satan had very high Ad- te qui factaeft, vantages for an increase of Knowledg, he had a great Stock to quam in ea ipbegin withal; he hath had fit and futable Objects to work upon Civit. Dei. La fciunt. Aug. in his Contemplations, fo that by comparing things with things, Ibid. in fo large a Field of Variety, and that for fo many years together, it cannot be, but that he should be grown more experienced and fubtil than he was at firft: and the Scripture doth fairly countenance this Suppofition, by telling us of his Devices, 2 Cor. 2. 11. Non ta of his Wiles, Ephef. 6. 11. and of his Depths, Rev. 2.24. All Modeías. which Phrafes imply, That Satan hath to studied the Point of Ban. Temptation, that he hath now, from long Experience and Obfervation, digefted it into an Art and Method, and that with fuch exactness, that it is become a Mystery, and a Depth, much covered and concealed from the notice and obfervation of Men. Thirdly To both the former, may be added another Knowledg; which becaufe 'tis from another Spring, I may call it an Acceffory Νόηματα. Queft. I. Heb. 4. 13. γυμνά. TETER μένα. Answ. 2. Acceffory Knowledg, confifting in occafional Discoveries made to Rev.2.23. It's undoubtedly God's Prerogative, to know the Thoughts; he knows them intuitively, which is beyond the power of any Creature, Jer. 17.9. Who can know it? This is a Challenge to all, implying the utter impoflibility of it to any but to God alone; I the Lord fearch the Heart; he knows the most inward Thoughts. Rev. 2.23. I am he which fearcheth the Reins, and the Heart; he knows them evidently and certainly, All things are naked and open before him, with whom we have to do. Those fecret Thinkings and Intendments which are hid from others, and which we our felves cannot diftinctly read, because of their fecret intricacy or confusedness, yet the very infide and outside of them are uncafed, cut up and anatomized by his eye: in all which Expreffions, God is careful to referve this to himfelf, I the Lord do it, or I am be that fearcheth; and fignifies, that none else is able to do the like. Yet Satan can do much this way: for if we confider how he can come fo near to our Spirits, as to communicate his Injections to us, and that he often entertains a Difpute with us in this fecret way of access that he hath to our Thoughts; if we observe his Arguings, his Anfwers and Replys to our refusals, so direct, so pertinent, fo continued, we fhall be conftrained to grant that he can do more this way than is commonly imagined. That I may explain this with a due refpect to God's Prerogative of knowing the Heart, I fhall, First, Shew that there are two things which are clearly out of Satan's reach. (1.) Our future Thoughts, he cannot tell what fhall be our Thoughts for time to come, he may poflibly adven ture ture to tell what Suggestions he refolves to put into our Hearts, but what shall be our Refolves and Determinations thereupon, he knows not: This is fingled out as one part of God's Prerogative, that he knoweth the determinate Purpofes and Refolves of the Heart aforehand, because he turneth the Heart as he pleaseth, Prov. 21. 1. (2.) Our prefent formed Thoughts, the immediate and imminent Acts of the Mind he cannot directly fee into: He may tell what floating Thinkings he hath put into our Heart, but our own proper Thoughts, or formed Refolves, he cannot directly view; this is alfo particularly infifted on as proper to God alone. John 2. 24, 25. Christ knew all Men, fo directly, that he needed not that any should teftifie of Man, (this Satán ftands in need of; he fometimes knows Men and their Thoughts, but he needs a Sign or notification of thefe Thoughts, and cannot immediately look into them); the reason why Chrift needed not this, is rendred thus, for he knew what was in Man; that is, intuitively he knew Matth.1 2.25. his Thoughts, and could immediately read them. Secondly; I fhall endeavour to explain how much, or how far he can pry into our Thoughts. Several things are granted which argue Satan can go a great way toward a difcovery: As, P. 35. Firft, That he knows the Objects in our Fancy, or Phantafins, Dr. Jenifon's and this as clearly as we do behold things with our Eyes; and the height of Ifraels Idolatry, proof given hereof is this, That there are Diabolical Dreams, in which the Devil cannot create new Species, and such as our Senfes vid. Goodwin were never acquainted withal, (as to make a Blind Man dream Child of Light, of Colours) but that he can only call forth and fet in order thofe P. 65. Objects, of which our Imagination doth retain the Shadows or Impreffions; and this he could not do, if he did not visibly behold them in our fancy. Secondly, 'Tis certain he knows his own Suggestions, and Temptations darted into our Minds; upon which, he can at prefent know what our Thoughts are bufied upon. Thirdly, He knows the fecret workings of our Paffions, as Love, Defire, Fear, &c. because these depend upon, or are in a concomitancy of the motions of the Blood and Spirits, which he can eafily difcern, though their motions and workings may be kept fecret from the obfervation of all by-ftanders. Queft.pereg. i narum p. 392. Fourthly, Some go further, (as Scotus, referente Barthol.Sybilla) Dæmones cognofcunt cogitationes noftras, quantum ad fubje&tum, objectum & affectum, non autem quantum ad finem. Sciunt quid cogitamus fed ignorant ad quem finem. G fuppofing |