3. The knowledge of Devils whether natural or acquisitive is spurious, erroneous, fallacious, deceitful and delusive; both in respect of themselves and others, for as saith the Scripture: He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Therefore saith learned Rollock upon this very place: Hoc est loqui ex ingenio suo, quod naturale est sibi facere; suum enim & quod ex sese deprompsit, non autem quod aliundè accepit, profert. For as all the endeavours of the faln Angels tend to the seduction and delusion of others, so are they, and were they the deceivers and deluders of themselves: For it is most manifest that their minds are so obcæcated and covered over with darkness, that although they be not altogether in general destitute of the knowledge of that which is just and unjust, good and evil, pious and impious, yet they do not acknowledge their own sin, as they ought, for they are so pertinacious in their sin and wickedness, that they do not attentively perpend and consider their own evil, and therefore are not truely sensible, or do understand that it is evil, and therefore are by the just judgment of God so absolutely obcæcated that they cannot acknowledge their own evil and sin. And as that knowledge they have is so darkned that they have deluded and deceived themselves, so all their knowledge in respect of others is erroneous, fallacious and lying, as the Text witnesseth of Antichrist: Even he whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs, and lying wonders: And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness, in them that perish. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie.
4. In regard of the words, intentions and actions of wicked Men they both know and may foretel much, because they are the Authors and devisers of those evils and wicked thoughts; as it was the Devil that pushed on the Scribes and Pharisees to accuse and put Christ to death, for it was their hour and the power of darkness, and it was Satan that had darted it into the mind of Judas Iscariot to betray his Master: And therefore the Devils might probably (if not certainly) know that his death would be brought to pass; so that they may easily foretel what themselves have projected and prepared instruments to accomplish.
5. The acquired knowledge of the faln Angels must needs be great in regard of their vast multitudes and their being dispersed in this caliginous air or Atmosphere, for the Devil is called the Prince of the air (if that be literally to be understood) and he compasseth the earth and walketh to and fro in it, and goeth about, seeking whom he may devour, and therefore by their agility of body and celerity of motion may easily know what is done and spoken, and may so very quickly convey it one to another, and so may most readily communicate things that are acted or spoken at an incredible distance one from another; but yet all this no further than Divine Providence will permit and allow of.
De ver. influ. rer. l. p. 425.
6. The Witchmongers and others do attribute a kind of omnisciency to Devils in respect of their acquired knowledge, which we by no means can allow them, and that for these reasons. 1. Though it be granted that they do grow and increase in the knowlege of sin, evil, and wickedness, therewith to hurt, devour and destroy, or gain more skill and craft to lie, cheat, delude and deceive; yet that they either gain or gather any knowlege that is good, or for any good end, is absolutely false, for they abode not in the truth, neither are they lovers of truth, but are utter Enemies to all good knowledge and verity. 2. That they may be Masters of all the arts or wayes of deceit, lying, cheating and delusion, is no way to be denied; but that they should (as many suppose) by reason of their longevity and duration, learn and be perfect in any or all of the good Arts or Sciences, is to me utterly incredible, because they are the Corruptors of all, but the perfectors of none, else should they be the greatest Philosophers in the World, which is false. And therefore most Christian and pious was that Sentence of that unjustly censured Person Paracelsus in these words: Et licèt Diabolus quidem plurima machinetur: hoc tamen cum omnibus suis legionibus præstare minimè potest, ut vel abjectam ollam frangat, nedum eandem faciat: multò is minùs quenquam occidere, aut jugulare potest, nisi id mandato, permissu jussuq; ac vi divina faciat.
The other main point that we undertake to handle in this Chapter, is, touching the power of the faln Angels, and that is to be considered in these three particulars: 1. In general in respect of their power, either in spiritual and moral things, or in things natural. 2. Or in respect of spiritual and moral things in particular. 3. Or in respect of Physical and sublunary things.
John 12. 31.
Ephes. 2. 2.
Rom. 14. 17.
Ephes. 6. 12.