Concerning the Truth of Christian Religion, Chapter 23
The xxiij. Chapter.
That the spirites which made themselues to be worshipped vnderunder the names of those men, were feends, that is to say, Diuels or wicked Spirites.
NOw séeing that the sayd Gods were but men, yea and not Men, but Stocks and Images of men, & that the same slocks, if they had bene any more than Stocks, should rather hauehave worshipped men: we must néedes say with Seneca, that the men which worshipped them were become worse than stocks. But herevnto it wil be answered, that they gaue answers of things to come, and that they wrought effects beyond the reache of man; which shewed that there was a lyfe and power in them, or els they had not seduced folke so long time. This is the second part which I hauehave taken in hand to prooue: namely that although all the auncient Philosophers agrée, that there are both good Spirits and bad, the one sort (whom we call Angels) Seruants and Messengers of God; and the other sort Diuels, enemies to Gods glorie and our welfare: yet notwithstanding, the Spirits which were serued in Stocks and Images as Hermes hath told vsus, were vncleane and mischeuous Spirites. These Féends therefore (to purchase themselues authoritie) did borrowe the names of men, and most commonly of the wickeddest men. Yea and when they were asked what they were, they sayd in their owne Oracles that they were so: as for exāple, he that was worshipped at Delphos, said he was the sonne of Latona, Esculapius, Porphyrius in his booke of the Answeres of the Gods. Eusebius de praeparat. euangel: lib. 3. Cap. vltimo.the sonne of Apollo, Mercurie the sonne of Iupiter and Maia; and so foorth, as we reade in Oracles rehearsed by Porphyrius. But what honest man will not refuse for neuer so greate gayne, to take vppon him the name of a wicked man? or rather abhorre both the name and the very rememberance of him? And who then will not conclude that those Deuils which [to winne themselues credite] clothed themselues after that sort with the cases of so wicked men, were worse than the men? Also they were drawne (sayth Hermes) into Images by Arte Magicke; yea and (by the reporte of Porphyrius Porphyri…s in his sayd booke of the Answers of the Goddes. Euseb. de praepart: euang. lib. 5. Cap. 6. and. 7.and Proclus) they taught men receyts wherewith to drawe them thether and to bind them there, as wee reade of Proserpyne, Hecate, and Apollo. Of whom, one commaunded to beset her Image with Wormewood, to paynt a certeyne number of Rattes about it, and to offer vntounto her Blud, Myrrhe, and Storax, to draw her thither. Another commaunded to wype out the lines and figures, to remoue the tuzzimuzzies of flowers from his féete, and to take the braunch of Olife out of his hand, that is to say, from his images hand, that he might withdrawe himselfe. Who sees not that they made themselues to bee drawne in and driuen out by things that hauehave no force at all, specially ouer Spirites?Iamblychut concerning Mysteries. cap. 27. and 31. That it say, that (as Iamblichus also perceyued full well) their whole seeking was to deceiue vsus by their comming, and to go away againe when they wist not what to say; more desirous to lye, than wee blockish to beléeue? And when they obeyed vsus or pretended to obeye vsus, let vsus see what seruice they required at our hands: verely that their Images should be wel painted and well coted, and that they might be worshipped, prayed vntounto, and senced. Now, if they were the Images of Spirites; what greater vntrueth can there be, than for a Spirit to be resembled by an Image? And if they were the Images of men; what greater beastlines (sayth Seneca) can there bee, than to offer Sacrifize to a stocke, and to make the Caruer which made it, to eate at the second table, and to knéele downe before a counterfet of his own making, or to make the Paynter thereof to stand bareheaded vntounto it? Now then, what els were they but teachers of vntrueth, whose intent was to turne men not onelyonly from God to his workes, but also to themselues, and finally into very stockes?
Apollo being asked what seruice was to be yéelded to ye Gods, declared that Sacrifize is to bee offered to them all, as well them that dwell in the Ayre and the Fire, as them that dwell in the Sea and in the Earth; to some, with white Beastes, and to some with blacke; to some vppon Altars, and to othersome vppon bankes of earth: to some the foreparts of Beastes, and to othersome the hinderparts, and such other like stuffe. And because they would néedes play the Apes with God in al things: they required this seruice after the example of the old Testament. For (as sayth Porphyrius) nothing delighteth them more,Porphyrius in his booke of answers &c. Euseb. lib. 4. Cap. 4. than to be estéemed as Gods: insomuch that the greatest of them all (whom they call Serapis and we Beelzebub) will néedes be worshipped as the souereine God. But what resemblance is there betwixt them and the true God? God requireth of vsus the firstlings of our fruites and of our Cattell. And forasmuch as he hath created them for vsus; is it not reason that wee should acknowledge our selues beholdē to him for our Corne, and for our increase of Cattell? On the contrary part, these Gods require the acknowledgement of those things to bee done to themselues & to their Images. Gods inioyning of vsus to sacrifize brute Beastes, is to witnesse the death that we deserue by our sinne: but they beare vsus on hand, that by the death of a Beast wee be discharged from all sinnes. God sayth vntounto vsus, your Sacrifizes are nothing worth, I will hauehave obedience and not Sacrifize: your Oblations loath me, and your Incence stinketh: the thing that I looke for is a broken and a lowly heart. The false Gods speake of nothing but of the sheading of blud, without telling or knowing why or wherefore, without end, without ground, without signification, and without comming any whit néere the heart. Now then, what are they els than slauish Roges and Rebelles, indeuouring to filch away the praise of our Creator?The Sacrifising of Men. Enseb. lib. 4. Cap. 7. And yet for all their disguysing of themselues for a tyme, they bee not able to conceale their owneDenis of Halycarnassus lib. 1. leaudnesse any long while. For they commaund vsus to Sacrifize Men, Maydes, and Children vntounto them. Had they ordeyned such things at their first comming in, who would not hauehave abhorred them?Diodorus of Sicilie lib. 20. Porphyrius in his booke of Abstinence. Histrus and Manethon cited by Eusebius. But when they had once wound themselues into credite by some answers delightfull to our curious eares, and by some Iugglingtricks which seemed wōderfull to the weaknesse of our eyes: we suffered them to go by little and little whithersoeuer they them selues listed, as though it had bin vnpossible that they should hauehave sayd otherwise than well, or that wee should hauehave done otherwise than well in obeying them. According whereunto wee reade, that Children were Sacrifized to Saturne, Tertullian in his booke of Apologie. Erichtho in Lucane. The godly AEnaeas in virgill.in Candy after the maner of the Curets; In Rhodomene, the sixth day of the monethmonth Geitnion; In Phenice, in tymes of Plague, Warre, and Famine: and likewise in Affrick they Sacrifized men, vntill the Uiceconsulship of Tyberius, who caused the Priestes themselues to be crucified in the same Woodes where they were wont to doe their Sacrifizes. Also they offered the like kind of Sacrifize in Cyprus to ye Nimph Agrawlis, and to Diomedes; and in the Ile of Tenedos vntounto Bacchus; and in Lacedaemon to Mars. And all these abhominations are reported by Porphyrius, who therevpon concludeth, that all such Gods were of the wickeddest sort of Deuilles. Moreouer, wee reade that Aristomenes of Messene Sacrifized thrée hundred men at once to Iupiter Ithometes, of whom Theopomp King of the Lacedemonians was one: And that the Latins Sacrifized the tenth of their owne Children to Iupiter; and that because they had discontinewed the doing thereof, they thought themselues to bee plagued with dearth and diseases. That those false Gods themselues answered the Carthaginenses, that the misfortunes which lighted vponupon them, happened for that whereas they had vsed to sacrifize the choycest of their Children, they Sacrifized none but the Rascalles, Chaungelings, Bastardes, and Bondlings. The like was done by the Druides in Gaullond, Caesar in his bookes of his Warres in Gaullond. Procopius. lib. 2. of the warres in Gothland.by the Almanes, by the Scandinauians, by the Tawricanes and others; insomuch that Chyron the Centaure had such Sacrifizes offered yéerely vntounto him. So farre and with so passing supersticious crueltie was the Deuils kingdome extended, that the Deuill & none other could be the foūder therof. Who can now doubt after al this, but that those Gods were deuils, which were workers of such things as not only goodmen mislike, but also euen wicked men cannot but abhorre? In déede wee reade that one Diphilus King of Cyprus, made the Idoll of Cyprus to bee contented with an Oxe in stead of a Man; and that Amosis King of AEgipt appoynted that in stead of the thrée youg men which were woont to bee sacrificed to Iuno in Heliople, there should bée offered thrée Calues: and that afterward Pallas of Laodicea was contented with a Hynd: and that Hercules in traueling through Italy, gaue thē men of Hay to be throwen into Tyber, but surely it had bene more to his commendation, if he had punished those Gods, thā to hauehave ouercome the great monsters for which he is so renowmed. Yet was that custome obserued still:Euseb. lib. 4. Cap. 7. Insomuch that euen in Rome, eueryevery yere the same day that men had bene wont to be sacrificed, the Altars were washed with mans blud, howbeit, about a fowerscore yeres afore comming of Christ, the Senate had condemned such sacrifices at Rome. Now séeing that (as Seneca sayth) they required such a seruice as Busyris or Phalaris durst neuer to hauehave demaunded:The yeere after the building of Rome 657. Plinie, lib. 30. Cap. 1. Quintilian in his booke of Fanaticall things. who will not conclude with Porphirius, (as greate an enemy to Christians as hee was) that they were al diuels and wicked féends? Or with Quintilian, that such Gods could not bee but witlesse and starke mad? And whereas the Senate which worshipped them, did neuerthelesse condemne and abolish their Sacrifices, was not their so dooing a condemning of the founders of them also? I meane of the wicked Féends themselues, which required those kinds of Sacrifices so instātly,Shamefull Seruices. Austin in his second booke of the Citie of God. Cap. 11. and were so sore offended at the discontinewing of them? Labeo whom men tooke for a great maister of those Misteries, sayd that the good spirits were to be discerned from the wicked by this, that this latter sort became not fauorable but by manslaughters and deadly supplications, (which was a flat condemning almost of them all: and that the other sort were pacified with Playes, Gamings, Feastes and Banquetings, Momeries and Maskings, and such other things. But if these good ones (as they terme them,) delight in such things as wyse men shunne and fooles are ashamed of, what followeth but that euen those good ones are worse than the worst men? Let vsus examine their Playes and showes, for it is the difference that Labeo setteth downe.Austin in his first booke of the Citie of God. Cap. 32. The Gods being sought vntounto in an extréeme plague, commaunded for asswaging thereof, that they should ordeine certeine Stageplaies. Contrariwise, Scipio Nasica the Highpriest of those Féends, to the intent (as hee sayd) to eschewe the Plague, forbade the setting vp of the Scaffolds. Now of this Scipio or of the Gods, which I pray you shalbe found the wiser? The Stageplayes yt were ment, were tales of louelove, of aduoutrie, and of lecherie, interlarded with a thousand filthy spéeches, insomuch that the Housebands forbade their wiues, and the Parents their Daughters to come at them. Fooles laughed at them, and wyse men blushed at them, and all men at their going away from them, did with one common consent banish the Players of those Enterludes out of all good company, and declared them to bee infamous persons by excluding them from all Offices, and by reiecting them from bearing any witnesse. Now séeing that the seruing of God is so commendable a thing; if these were Gods, why was it an infamie and reproach to serue them? The requirers of those playes, are honored; and why then are the plaiers of them reproched?Austin. lib. 2. Cap. 4. 5. 6. 13. In infinite places in the Digests. The Greekes step vp to reason against the Romanes, and say that such Gods are worthy to be worshipped, their Stageplayers deserue to be reuerenced too. This proposition of theirs is well grounded, and apparant of it selfe. But the Romanes taking another ground as sure as that, affirme it to be vnpossible for the Comedyplayers to deserue reputation, considering what they doe and say. Whervpon we are to conclude, that those Gods ought not to hauehave béen worshipped at all. And so hath Nasica gotten the better hand ageinst his owne Gods and their Playes. And yet are they the selfesame Gods that were confirmed by so many Oracles,Zosimus. lib. 2. whom Zosimus that great enemy of Christians so much bewayleth, that hee affirmeth the welfare of the Romane Empire to hauehave ended with the abolishing of them by Constātine. And what els are the misteries which he highly commendeth, but remenbrances of the whoredomes, incests, murders, and deceites committed by the men whose names those Diuelles did beare? And what man is so brazenfaced, as that he will not bee ashamed of his sinne, and blush to heare it told vntounto him? Nay who doubteth that if those men were aliue againe, they would be both ashamed and astonished at those things before the stāders by? And who then can doubt that those Gods were of the worst sort of Diuels, which not onelyonly take pleasure in ill dooing themselues, but also doe bedaube themselues with the euill which they did not? As for example, who would thinke that the goodly Gossip whom they call the Moother of the Gods, but whom the veriest kaytife in the world would bee loth to hauehave to be his Moother, could hauehave heard the vilanous spéeches wherewith hir feast was solemnised, and not hauehave hidden her selfe away for shame? And if Dame Flora could hauehave read the Floralles of Auleius, who doubteth that she would not hauehave done the lyke, and much more bene abashed to sée so great a Clerke and so graue a Senator as Cicero, caried with deuotion to ye celebrating of them? For what els, at a word, are all those misteries, but Schooles of Lecherie, Sodomie, and Incest? And if the end of Religion be (as Plotin sayth) to become like the partie that is worshipped, what els could bee the marke that those Ceremonies amed at, than to make men rype in all sortes of wickednes? and what readyer way could there bee to become Diuils in deede, than to resemble them? For whereas they say that after their spewing out of al those filthy things openly, they giuegive some precepts of vprightnes and modestie to their Schollers in secret: thereby their naughtinesse appéereth the more plainly to bee altogither diuelish, in that they first corrupt the maners of a whole people, both by their Religious Seruices and by their example, and afterward preach of modestie and temperance to two or thrée, making as it were publick Sermons of all naughtines, to lay the Brydle in eueryevery mans necke, and then (too kéepe credit with a fewe that are of more conscience then the rest) rowning them secretly in the Eare with some little talke of vertue. For who hath euer read that any of them did euer giuegive one good precept, or one good example to the people, whither it were for the withdrawing of them from vice, or for the drawing of them to true vertue? And yet notwithstanding to what end desire wee to hauehave God or his blessed Angels conuersant with vsus frayle and weake men, but that they of singular good will, should induce, leade, and guyde vsus into the way of saluation?
But their defenders reply, saying: Yet notwithstanding,The Oracles of the Gods were false, vncerteine, vayne and wicked. they prophesied and wrought great and straunge miracles. Let vsus omit that is more naturall to beléeue the partie which preacheth good things, without diuinations and miracles, than to beléeue the partie that kéepeth a Schoole of euils, though he prophesie and worke miracles. But in the ende what were the Oracles and Miracles which they so highly commend? The Oracle of Delphos was one of the greatest in reputation. The beginning therof may be an argument for the rest. A heard of Goates (sayth Diodorus) was the first meane to bring it in credit. And afterward a yoong wench was set there, to vtter foorth the Oracles which she receyued, (as they say) by her priuie partes. And for the slaunders that grewe thereof, it was ordeyned that the Wench should be a Mayd of fiftie yeres old. By these circumstances a man may gather what maner a God that could be. To Cresus therefore beeing desirous to knowe what should bee the issewe of his warres against the Persians, the Oracle answered.
King Craesus passing ouer Haty streame,
Shall ouerthrowe the proud and stately Reame.
Cresus gathered hereof that he should ouerthrowe the Empire of the Persians, but in déede he ouerthrew his owne; which thing the Oracle had prouided for aforehand, by making the answer so doutfull that it might be taken both wayes yet was there greate reason that Apollo should hauehave preserued Cresus: for of singular deuotion he had greatly inryched his Temple at Delphos. And vntounto Pyrrhus (as Ennius sayth) he answered thus.
I say the sonne of AEacus
The Romanes sure shall ouercome.
Presuming hereuppon that he should ouercome the Romanes, hée himself was ouercome of them. Also he counseled the Athenians to flée before Xerxes: and he foretold the Salaminians that they should be ouercome by the Persians either in Winter or in Sommer. Who perceyueth not by these doutfull spéeches, that Apollo knew nothing certeinly, and therefore that he euer left himself a backedoore to scapeout, at all assayes? And as for the comming of these foresayings to passe; who douteth that Themistocles perceiuing so puissant an armie to approche, déemed not as much thereof himself, specially seeing yt afore he had heard the answer of Apollo, he counseled his Countrymen to wayt for their enemyes vppon the sea? And what a number of wise Senatours and good Capteynes were there (think wee) in those frée Cities and kindomes, which would hauehave giuen their aduice more to the purpose in that cace?
Zosimus reporteth that when the Palmirenes asked couns…ll, whither they should obteyne the Empyre of the East or us; an Oracle answered them in this wyse:
Go get ye hence lyke guylfull folke and Couseners as yee be;
The things yee now do take in hand displease the Goddes I see.
And some such other dooth Zosimus report, whereof he maketh greate reckening. But what els are such wandering and generall answers, but deceytfull douts, and (as ye would say) shooes that will fitte both féete, as agréeable to folk that are furthest of, as to the parties that aske the Counsell? Therefore Oenomaus a Philosopher and Orator of Greece, hauing oftentymes (as he himself confesseth) bin beguyled by the Oracle of Delphos, gathered a Register of the lyes thereof and did set foorth a booke ag…inst it, intytled the falsehood of Oracles. And Porphyrius who lykewyse made a collection of them, euen without adding diminishing or chaunging so much as one woord; sayeth that vppon examining of them, he found them ordinarily false: and he addeth the cause thereof to be,Porphyrius in his bookes of the Answere of Oracles. That their foretelling, of things is not by foreknowledge, but by coniectures taken of naturall causes, and of the mouings and meetings of the Starres, as hath appered in many Oracles. For Apollo being asked by one whither he should hauehave a Sonne or a Daughter, answered, a Daughter; bycause (ꝙ Apollo himself) that at the tyme of the conception, Venus ouershadowed Arares. And being asked another time whither that yeere should bee vnhealthfull or no; hee anwered yea, bycause the constellation thereof was daungerous for the Loongs: and so of other things. How many wyse women and lerned Phisicions would hauehave answered that matter better, and yet for so dooing men would not hauehave offered sacrifice vntounto them? Nay, which more is, Porphyrius sayeth that vponupon a tyme, Apollo of Delphos being vnable to coniecture by the Starres, desired folk to let him alone, telling them flatly that if they were importunate vppon him, he would answer them with lyes. And that at another tyme he answered flatly, that at yt instant the course of the Starres could shewe him nothing. Now I pray you what maner of Gods are these, which learne their wisdome of the Starres? Nay, which worse is, how can they be sayd to bee good Spirits, which threaten to lye, if they be vrged too farre? And in good sooth such are the answers which the coniured Deuilles doe yéeld yet still at this day by these Sorcerers and Witches; for the doing whereof, these seruants of theirs are by all lawes condemned to be burnt, as he was that deceiued Manfred when he was to fight with Charles Duke of Aniow in the Realme of Naples, by this doubtfull construction of Grammer, Non, non Gallus superabit Appulum: which may bee Englished as doubtfully thus; No, the French man the Italian shall not ouercome. For Manfred considered not that in Latin two Negatiues may counteruayle an Affirmatiue. Many such other like trickes there are, which we may with lesse trouble reade in Histories. And if they knowe not the certeyntie of the things that are demaunded of them; why doe wee eyther woorship them or woonder at them? And if they speake that which they know not, are they not deceyuers? And if they speake against their owne knowledge, are they not lyers? And if it belong vntounto Gods to deceyue and to lye; wherefore doe wee blame our neighbours and beate our children for so doing? Nay (which more is) to lye and to deceyue in matters of such importance, where the case concerneth the blud of so many sillie Soules, and the sacking of so many poore houses; who can denye it to be the propertie of the Deuill, who euen from his first beginning hath bene found to bee doth a Murtherer and a lyer? As for Birdgazers, I hauehave touched them in a word or twaine afore. The AEgiptians obserued them after one sort, and the Affricanes after another; the Greekes on the right side, the Romanes on the left: and Aristotle skorned them because they determined not the tyme; and Plinie mocked them, because that euen by their owne doctrine, they touched not them at all which had no regarde of them. Yea and euen the greatest Birdgazers themselues, as Cato, Caesar, and Cicero made a mocke of it. And if at any tyme they happened to hit right vppon a thing; it was but after the maner of our Almanackes, the flat contrary whereof who so followeth, shall commonly come néerest the trueth. Neuerthelesse, if their Gods foresawe any Plague by naturall Coniectures, as Philosophers, Phisitions, Hunters, and Shepheards also doe; they feyned themselues to be angrie at some State or Commōweale. And for what cause? Forsooth for omitting of common Playes and Enterludes; that is to say, for shutting vp the Schooles of Lecherie and Ribaudrie: Or for that they had not made their wonted showes of Fensers and Swordplayers; that is to say, of men that slewe one another openly to please them withall, and to make a whole state giltie of manslaughter and murder. And if they iudged by the season of the yere that the Plague should ceasse; Then it was the goodly Sacrifices that had appeased them, and that made men the carefuller to continue them. Insomuch that when the Romanes had lost the bluddie battell at Cannas; it was sayd to be, because their Consul Varro had put a fayre yoong boye to the Galley. And when things went amisse in the Citie, it was eyther because some Dauncer or Gambolder had displeased them at the Gamings and Showes in the Kirke, or because some Malefactor had bin conueyed that way to the Gallowes. What a Godhead is that I beseech you, which is prouoked to anger by Modestie, and appeased by mischiefe? In the fauour whereof a man cannot stand, but by dealing wickedly; but is so straungely offended by the doing of Iustice?
But let vsus see further whether they be any better Diuines than Prophetes. The Oracle of Delphos sayth thus:
A God in sooth is Cleomede, and not a mortall wight;
The last begot of heauenly race; an Altar to him dight.
This Cleomede was one of those that pleasured these Gods, by beating one another with strokes of hand and foote; of whom we reade that he slewe his aduersarie at one blowe. But of such a one as Socrates, Plato, or Pythagoras, he would neuer hauehave sayd so much.
Againe he sayth thus.
Archilochus is a very Saint and seruant of the Gods: Yea verely of such Gods in déede; for he chose the wickeddest and leaudest subiect of whom to make his verse. But of Theognis, or of a Phocylides which had exhorted folk to good life, he would neuer hauehave sayd so much.
Of Cypselus he sayd thus.
A happie man is Cypselus and loued of the Gods. If it bee so: then what are Busyris, Phalaris, and al other Tyrants? for there neuer was a greater Tyrant than he. But the sayd Oracle sayd also, that Iupiter and Apollo had prolonged the life of Phalaris, for his wel handling of Cariton and Menalippus. Now, what fitter meane can there be to make Tyrants, (that is to say, enemies of mankind in the world) than to beare men on hande that such are beloued of the Goddes? Zosimus their great Patron, rehearseth an Oracle which answered, That for the appeasing of an Earthquake at Athens, it behoued them to honor Achilles as a God. This was a playne turning away of man from God to the creature. The same answered likewise to the mē of Methymnus, that it behoued them to worship a woodden head of Bacchus that was found by fishing in the Sea. And this was a making of them more blynd than the stocke it self. And when they were demaunded concerning the maner of woorshipping and seruing these Gods; they answered:
foreign
That is to say: Send you the heads to Iupiter, the lights vntounto his Syre.
The dubble signification of the Greeke word foreign Fos, which signifieth a man, and may also signifie a Torch or a Light, did cut off the liues of many folkes. Which doubtfulnesse of spéech the Idoll coueted, not of any intent to spare them, but to hauehave matter of excuse against such as made conscience to doe it. For being asked by the Athenians how they might make amends for their killing of Androgeus; hee willed them to sende yéerely to King Minos, seuen bodies of eyther sex chosen from among them all, to appease the wrath of God; and that kynd of Sacrifize continued still in Athens in the tyme of Socrates. Now then, what els is all their doctrine than a seruing of the Deuill and of Creatures, yea euen with a seruice which in very déede is deuilish and horrible? Al these Oracles are reported by Oenomaus a Heathen man, who sought them out: by Porphyrie our enemie, who by them would induce vsus to make great account of thē; who in the beginning of his booke, appealeth vntounto GOD that he setteth not any thing downe of his own head: by Chrysippus the Stoike in his booke of Destinie, who by those Oracles goeth about to proue it: and by Zosimus himself, who maketh so great moane to see their mouthes stopped and their Temples shut vp. And surely it is not to be marueled, though the Peripateticks putting thē to tryall, did vtter great griefes against those Oracles: and that the Platonists (which went to worke more faithfully) were driuen to cōclude, that not only the vncleane Spirites, but also euen their Goddes whom they thought to bee pure, were subiect to lying.
Let vsus come to their Myracles.False Miracles. In the Temple of Venus there was a Lamp that neuer went out; and the Image of Serapis hung vnfastened in the ayre. Diuers deceyts may be wrought in the like case; and it is well knowne that the like wonders are seene euen in naturall things, as a Fountaine to light a Torch, and a Stone to hang by yron in the ayre. And they which hauehave the skill to vse such things, and to gather together the vertues of many into one, may wonderfully bleare the eyes, euen of the wisest. As for example, it hath bene seene that some hauehave found out a deuise how to burne vp one water with another; and to breake open a strong Locke, almost without touching it. And that the Féends (which know more than wee) doe better serue their owne turnes with the wonders of Nature than we doe, it is not to be doubted: Insomuch that the Phisition which knoweth the vertues of Hearbes, maketh things of them which the Gardyner that sowed them and cherished them vp would wonder at and cannot doe. But loe here a strange case. Accius Nauius the greate Birdgazer of Rome, did cut asunder a Whetstone with a Razor in the presence of King Tarquine. What a number of Witches are dayly burned which doe much more by their familiaritie with the Deuill? For they stop a Tunne that is pearced full of holes; they hold fast a Waterspout from running; and they bynd the naturall abilities: and yet notwithstanding they confesse that their so doing is by the wicked Spirites, and the wicked Spirites discouer not themselues otherwise than so vntounto them. And in very trueth, the Angelles and the Féends differ not properly in strength and power, but in will and practise: like as among men, the good men differ not from the wicked men eyther in strength of bodie or in stoutnesse of courage, but in the applying of their bodies and mynds. Also it may bee that the Image of Feminine Fortune hath spoken, and likewise the Image of Iuno Moneta, and such others: And that Castor and Pollux hauehave wyped away the sweat from the Horses of the Romanes as they traueled: And that the Ladie Claudia drewe the Shippe wherein the Idoll of the Goddesse Bona was, which so many yoong men could not once stirre. Let vsus admit all these things to bee true, notwithstanding that Titus Liuius say that hee becommeth olde in reckoning them vp. Wee stand not to dispute whither Spirites can speake by Images or no: for wee doubt not thereof. But I say that the Spirites which speake in them be wicked Spirites, and turne vsus away to the Creature, to make vsus offend the Creator. Neither do I hold opinion that Spirites cannot take bodies vponupon them; nor that they bee vnable to doe feates farre passing the power of men: for thereof examples are to bee seene, yea moe than were requisite. But the thing that I vphold is this, that the Spirites which seeke to hauehave the praise of a victorie obteyned, or of the asswaging of a Plague, which is due but to the only one God; or which will hauehave them ascribed to Fortune, which is but an imagination; or to a Iuno, which is but a Blocke; or to a good Goddesse the mother of the Gods, a mother whom the veryest wretches in the worlde (as I sayd afore) would disclayme to be their mother, are very Deuilles. And in good sooth, whereas the Deuill which tooke vppon him the name of that Goddesse, suffered himself to be drawne by Claudia, who had so ill reporte among all men: It agréed very well to the life which the Goddesse her selfe had led, and to the miracles of the Féends, & to the marke that they shot at: namely, to giuegive the more boldnesse to Claudia to continue her leaud life, and occasion vntounto others to followe her.
Also one was counted a God because he draue away Grashoppers; another because he killed Frogges, Crickets, and Flyes. And hereof it came that the Chananites called their Belzebub, and the Greekes their Iupiter, Iupiter. foreign.by the name of Scareflye. Another (sayth Zosimus) sent Birds to deuoure the Grashoppers. Admit that all these effects hauehave not their particuler causes: yet what miracles are they to make Gods withal? For by that reckoning, why should not those also which by certeyne receyts doe kill Serpents, Rats, and Féeldmyce, or which doe moreouer driue away vermin out of mens bodies, bee counted Gods? Nay, if wee will see miracles, let vsus looke vppon the doings of the onelyonly one God, which are vtterly vnpossible, wonderfull, and vncommunicalle to any creature. He made the world, and he destroyed it. He made the Sea, and he dryeth it vp. He made the Sunne, and he causeth it to stand still. Yea and (which is yet much more) he made all these things by his word, and with a blast of his mouth he chaungeth them as he listeth. These are the miracles of the God of Israell, which hauehave not their like among the other Gods. And if they will deale vprightly in disputing, they must as well beléeue our bookes for these miracles, as we beléeue their bookes for theirs.
Also if wee looke vponupon the miracles of the good Spirites, and of the seruants of that one God; they be not castes of Legierdemame to dazle mens eyes withall; nor nimble tricks & sleyghts, nor wonders to no end, to no reason, to no instruction: but when they strike, it is to chastize men; and when they heale, it is to glorifie God. If they speake, it is to teach; and if they appeare to vsus, it is to leade vsus to welfare. If they foretell, they doe it as messengers from God; and if they worke miracles, they doe it as executers of his power. And they bee so farre of from being angrie at a Song mistuned, or at a Gambauld misbegun in the honor of them after the maner of the Heathen Gods; that (as wee reade in our Scriptures) they bée offended with nothing more,Markes wherby to knowe Diuels. than when men thank them or honor them for the things which they ought to thank and to worship the Creator.
By the tokens which the Platonists giuegive vsus thereof, wee shall percieue yet better whether those Gods were good Spirits or bad,Porphirius in his secōd book of Abstinence. In his Epistle to Anebon alledged by Eusebius. lib. 4. cap. 11. Iamblichus in his booke of Mysteries in many places. Angels or Diuelles; notwithstanding that that Sect was tootoo much ouertaken in the seruing of them. The Diuelles or wicked Spirits (saith Porphirius) delight in bludshed, in filthy and rybawdly speeche, in giuing Poyson, in furnishing folke with charmes of louelove, and in prouoking them to lechery, and to all vyces. Yea, and they beare men on hand, that all the Gods and the very Souereyne GOD himselfe, taketh pleasure in such things; either feyning themselues to bee the Sowles of some deadfolkes, or taking vppon them to be Gods. Which of all these tokens hauehave I not noted already in their Gods? Agein (saith Porphirius) They turkining themselues as much as they can into Gods, that is to say, into Angels of light, to beguile our sence and imagination with straunge vanities: Insomuch that he that is the cheefe of them, will needes bee estemed to bee the souerein God. And yet notwithstanding, their foretelling of things is but by gesse, and all of them generally bee subiect to lying and deceyuing. They be angry at eueryevery small tryfle; & are pacified againe with fond and vaine things. Neuerthelesse they hauehave beguyled some vayne Poets and Philosophers, and consequently by them hauehave drawen the silly people to the worshipping of them as Gods. What is all this but a description of the very same Gods whom hee himselfe worshipped? Likewise Iamblichus who maketh an Anatomie of them,Iamblichus in his booke of Mysteries. saith thus. They transforme themselues (saith he) into good Spirits; but in deed it is but a brag, wherby they pretend more than they be in deede. They make a galant showe, and daunt men with their words. They play the Gods, and yet are troubled with light passions. Apulcius.But the greate Witch Apuleius sayth yet more. They be pacified with gifts (saith he) and wroth with wrongs. They be pleased with Ceremonies, and angred with the want of them be it neuer so little. They take vponupon them the ruling of Birdgazers and Bowelgazers, and of the Oracles and Miracles of Witches and Wizards. To be short, they be vnkindly wights, passionate of Spirit, reasonable of vnderstanding, ayry of body, and endlesse of time. To whom can these things agree but to his owne Gods? And what remayneth then, but that they were Diuels; so much the more miserable, as they bee more vehement in their passions, and immortall in their nature.
Now is there nothing behind but their owne Confession, and thereof we shall not yet fayle. Apollo therefore as one vppon the Racke, doth in many of his Oracles acknowledge the Souereine God, and to make the most of himselfe, he termeth himselfe one of his Angels, as appéereth by this Oracle of his alledged afore.
We Angels are a parcell of the Souereine God of all.
And beeing asked vppon a tyme by what name he would be called and prayd vntounto, he answered,
Call mee the feend that knowes all things to whom belongs all skil.
And in another;
The witty Feend, the Harmony and Cresset of the World.
And ageine.
Wee Feendes which runne through Sea and Land,foreign. Austin in his ninth booke of the Citie of God. chap. 19. do tremble shrink and shake,
To see the Whip of that great God which makes the World to quake.
And yet notwithstanding, the Greeke word Demon (which is the word whereby they termed their Gods, and which in this place I english Feend) was so odious euen among the learned men themselues who knewe the originall thereof, that they would hauehave bene loth to call a Slaue so. But when as wee reade further that these Gods do quake at the naming of the Stigian marris, that is to say of Hell, insomuch that euen Iupiter himselfe sweareth thereby, and is afrayd to be forsworne: what els is to bee thought thereof, but that these Gods which feine themselues to reigne in heauen, are tormented in hell? Besides this, the miracles and Oracles of these Gods are come to an end, and their Seruices and Sacrifices are come to nought, and at length folke hauehave acknowledged the only one GOD the maker of Heauen and Earth, and ruler of the whole world, to be the same whome the Iewes hauehave worshipped. And in that respect it is that Seneca cryed out, That the Slauish Iewes had giuen lawe to the whole Earth. But who can maruell that hee which made both the worlde and man, should in the end make men to acknowledge him to be as he is? So then, let vsus conclude for these last three Chapters, That there is but onelyonly one God; That the same was worshipped, serued and called vponupon by the people of Israell: That the Gods of the Heathen were men; That vnderunder the names of those men, diuels were worshipped; and finally that our first marke whereby to knowe the true God, is not to be found elsewhere then in the Iewish Religion; wherevpon it followeth that all other Religions were Idolatrie and Uanitie. For whereas some alledge in excuse, that the seruing of many Gods may well match with the seruing of the onelyonly one; If they be Gods in deede, that is to say Angelles; they take themselues to hauehave wrong, for they seeke nothing but the honoring of God. And if they be Deuils, then are they Gods enemies; and then the woorshipping of them is a rebelling against God. To bee short, as little agréement is betwéene the seruice of the true God, & the seruice of the Heathen Gods, as is betwéene light & darknesse; the true goodnesse and vtter naughtinesse; most extreme holinesse of will, (which is in him) & extreme teaudnesse of wil (which is in thē); welfare and soulehealth, whereof we be desirous, and destruction and wretched nesse, which they hauehave purchased to themselues by their rebellion.