S. Ambrose in his sixt booke of epistles, and 37. epistle, writeth vnto Cromatius in this wise: Therefore what is there vnpossible vnto him? Not that thing which is harde to his power, but that which is contrary to his nature. It is vnpossible for him to lye, and this impossibilitie in him, procéedeth not of infirmitie, but of vertue and maiestie. For truth receiueth no lye, neither doth the vertue of God entertaine the vanitie of errour. Reade farther that which followeth in the same place.
Hierome.
Hierome writing to Eustochia, of the preseruing of her virginitie, saith: I will boldly auouch this one thing, that though God can do all things, yet can he not restore a virgin after her fall.
Augustine.
Augustine in the tenth chapter of his fifth booke De ciuitate dei hath: That God is sayd to be omnipotent in dooing that he will, and not in doing that he will not. Againe he addeth: Gods power is not hereby any whit diminished, when we say, that God cannot die or be deceiued. And immediately, therefore he cannot doo some things because he is omnipotent, &c.
Theodoret.
Theodoret also teacheth vs, that it may not absolutely without exception be pronounced, that all things are possible vnto God. For who so doth precisely affirme this, dooth in effect say this much, that all things both good and bad are possible vnto God, &c. Wherefore féeble is that obiection of theirs: God can sende soules vnto men, to teache and admonish them; therefore these spirites that praye ayde, bee soules that come out of Heauen or Hell. In the meane time we do not denie the power of God, as some do maliciously report of vs: but we wold not haue the same made a denne or couert of errors.
VVee must learn nothing of the dead. Deut.18.
Heare what the Lorde our God in the 18. of Deuteronomie speaketh: When thou shalt come into the lande whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thée, doo not thou learne to doo after their abhominable rites, and vsages of those nations. Let none bee founde among you, that maketh his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire: nor a diuiner that doth foreshew things to come, nor a sorcerer, nor a witche, nor a charmer, nor one that consulteth with spirits, nor an inchanter, nor a Magitian, nor one that raiseth vp the dead. For the Lorde doeth abhorre all that doo such things: and because of these abhominations, the Lord thy God hath cast them out before thée. Be thou therfore sound and perfect before the Lord thy God: and by and by he promiseth to send them that great Prophet whom they should heare.
Esay .8.