Common Places — Peter Martyr Vermigli

Common Places · Peter Martyr Vermigli

The tenth Chapter. Of appeerings of diuels; of their anſwers, and ſundrie illuſions.

In 1 Sam. 28. at the end.HEere I may not paſſe ouer certeine obſcure places, which we find in the hiſtorie of Samuel. Looke In 1. Cor. 12, 2.But that they may bée the better vnderſtood, wée will in the expounding of them followe this order. Firſt to inquire who it was that appéered at the call of the witch; ſecondlie, if it ſhall manifeſtlie fall out, that it was the diuell, whether he can ſo appéere, and knowe things to come; laſtlie, if he can doo this, whether it be lawfull to aſke counſell of him.

Who was that which appeered at the call of the witch? As concerning this firſt queſtion, it is of neceſſitie, that either the ſame was Samuel… or the diuell: but if we affirme that it was Samuel, then will it be doubtfull, whether he came wholie both in bodie and ſoule, or in his bodie alone, or elſe in his ſoule alone. If he came wholie in bodie and ſoule, It was not whole Samuel in ſoule and bodie.then muſt it néeds be, that he roſe from the dead. But this being an excellent great miracle, cannot be attributed either to the witch, or to the diuell; yea and there be ſome, which doo not attribute that, no not to God. But thoſe peſtilent opinions are eaſilie confuted by the verie hiſtorie of the holie ſcriptures. For we reade of thrée in the old teſtament, which were reſtored from death to life; 1. Kin. 17, 22▪ 2. Kin. 4, 34.one by Elias, another by Elizeus being yet aliue, 2. Kin. 13, 21and the third by the bones of Elizeus, when he was dead. Matth. 9, 25In the new teſtament we read of the chéefe ruler of the ſynagog his daughter, of the widowes ſonne, Luke. 7, 14▪ Iohn. 11, 43 Acts. 9, 46. Acts. 20, 10.of Lazarus, Eutyches, and Dorcas. Wherefore if we denie that Samuel returned vntounto life, we doo not therefore denie, that GOD could not bring it to paſſe. For Chriſt prooued the reſurrection: and ſaid, that God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing: Luk. 20, 38.and Paule in the 15. of the firſt epiſtle to the Corinthians, by manie reaſons of purpoſe confirmeth the reſurrection of the dead; and in the epiſtle to the Hebrues he reckoneth it among the grounds of our religion. It is an article of our faith. Heb. 6, 2.And vndoubtedlie, neither the Turks nor Iewes denie, that the dead ſhall riſe againe. But the Montaniſts, Originiſts, and ſuch other furies, The Montaniſts and the Originiſts.which denie the reſurrection, are plainlie confuted out of Iob, out of the pſalms, out of Eſaie, out of Daniel, and euerie-where out of the new teſtament. We doo not (I ſaie) denie that it was doone, bicauſe it could not be doone; but bicauſe ſuch miracles, whereas they ought to be teſtimonies of the truth, would here be teſtimonies of lies, and magicall wickednes; and bicauſe it is not likelie, that God would permit it. For ſo notable a thing may not be attributed vntounto the power of the diuell; bicauſe to be able to raiſe the dead, belongeth onlie vntounto God. But Apollonius Tyaneus raiſed a maid. Indéed ſo it is written in his life; howbeit the ſame in verie déed was but a phantaſie, and not a thing doone; and that is alſo to be affirmed as touching Simon Magus. And now that it was the carcaſe of Samuel, It was not the dead carcaſe of Samuel.it is not likelie. Neither doo anie of the interpretours, ſauing onelie Burgenſis, ſaie that it was ſo. And vndoubtedlie a dead carcaſe is of it ſelfe ſenſeleſſe, and void of life: neither could it hauehave anſwered anie thing, vnleſſe the diuell had put on the ſame. But the diuell could doo theſe things euen without a dead carcaſe; for hée might hauehave taken vponupon him the forme and figure thereof.

2 Wherefore let vsus ſée, Whether it was the ſoule of Samuel.whether it were the ſoule of Samuel, or the diuell. For the interpretours ſéeme to write diuerſ…ie of that matter. Some ſay that it could not be his ſoule, bicauſe they thinke that the ſoules of men remaine not after death. But theſe be wicked, mad, and doting opinions. For out of all doubt, Vndoubtedly ſoules remaine after the deth of the bodie. Exod. 3, 6.the ſoules of the godlie are extant, and doo liue before God. For ſo God himſelfe ſaith; I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſa…, and the God of Iacob. And Chriſt addeth therevnto, He is not the GOD of the dead, but of the liuing. Matt. 22, 32.And Chriſt ſaid to the théefe; To daie thou ſhalt be with me in paradiſe. Certeinlie, To daie, Luke. 23, 43had béene a verie long time, if he had commanded him to wait till the generall reſurrection. But A thouſand yeeres (ſaie they) with the Lord are but as one daie. Pſal. 90, 4. 1. Pet. 3, 8.I grant; howbeit that aduerbe Hodie (To daie) is not alwaies to be vnderſtood after that ſort. Yea, and Auguſtine in his epiſtle to Dardanus, vnderſtanding that aduerbe properlie, ſaith; that The bodie of Chriſt was that daie in the ſepulchre, and his ſoule in hell; and that therefore of neceſſitie the théefe was preſent with the Godhead of Chriſt in paradiſe. For he granteth not, that either the ſoule or the bodie of the Lord could be in ſundrie places at one time. And Paule ſaith to the Philippians; I deſire to be looſed from hence: he ſaith not, Phil. 1, 23.And to ſleepe, and to be extinguiſhed; but To be with Chriſt. And it had béene better to hauehave continued liuing, than to hauehave departed into ſléepe; for here wée acknowledge and praiſe the Lord.

Luke. 16, 22.Moreouer, we read that Lazarus was caried into felicitie, and the rich glutton was caſt into hell. And to that other rich man, which decréed with himſelfe to inlarge his barnes, (and to laie vp for manie yéeres to come) it is ſaid; Thou foole, Luke. 12, 20.this night ſhall they take thy ſoule from thee. Alſo Chryſoſtome in his ſecond homilie of Lazarus, The ſoules of men (ſaith he) are not taken awaie al in one maner of eſtate: for ſome depart hence vntounto paine, and others béeing garded with angels, are taken vp into heauen. Apoc. 7, 14. and 14, 4.In the Apocalypſe, the ſoules of the bleſſed receiue long garments, they ſtand before the throne, and followe the lambe whereſoeuer he goeth. Acts. 7, 59.When Steeuen was dieng, he ſaid, Lord Ieſus receiue my ſpirit, If the ſoule ſhould hauehave died vtterlie, why did he rather commend that than his bodie? doubtleſſe it cannot be found in anie place, that the godlie commended their bodies vntounto the Lord. And in the ſecond to the Corinthians the 5. chap. For we knowe, verſe, 9.that if the earthlie manſion of this our tabernacle be diſſolued, we hauehave a building giuen of God; euen an houſe not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens. Theſe words are not to be vnderſtood of our ſtate after the reſurrection (for there we ſhall be clothed with our bodies alſo;) and therefore they are ment of the ſtate betwéene our departure hence and the reſurrection. Wherefore ſoules doo remaine after this life. And in the ſame epiſtle Paule ſaith; Whether in the bodie, or out of the bodie, 2. Cor. 12, 3.I knowe not, &c. Which prooueth, that the ſoule may be ſeuered from the bodie. For he putteth a poſſibilitie both of the one waie & the other. In this place therefore the queſtion is not, as touching the bodie, but as touching the ſoule of Samuel.

3 But the controuerſie is, whether this were Samuel or the diuell? About which matter, not onlie the Rabbins, but alſo the chriſtian fathers hauehave diſagréeed among themſelues. The opinions of the fathers and firſt of Iuſtinus.Yea and among the latter writers Burgenſis thinketh one waie, and Lyra another. Iuſtinus Martyr againſt Triphon ſaith, that It was Samuel. In which place he hath certeine things which may not well be granted. For he ſaith, that all ſouls before Chriſt, euen of the godlie, were after a ſort vnderunder the power of the diuell; ſo that he might bring them backe when he would. But Chriſt ſaith, Luke. 16, 22.that Lazarus was in the boſome of Abraham, and not in the power of the diuell. But that (thou wilt ſaie) is a parable. I grant it; yet is it drawne from things likelie to be true, and which might be. Yea and Tertullian ſo accounted that narration to be doone indéed, as he thinketh that Lazarus was Iohn Baptiſt, and the rich glutton was Herod; and that Chriſt would forbeare their names. verſe, 23.In the 46. of Eccleſiaſticus is ſet foorth the praiſe of Samuel; where among other things it is ſaid, that he propheſied after that he was dead, and foreſhewed to the king the daie of his death.

Contrariwiſe Tertullian in his booke De anima, Tertullian.hath manie things moſt worthie to be marked. For he calleth the arts of magicke, a ſecond idolatrie. For euen as in the former the diuell faineth himſelfe to be God; ſo in the latter he faineth himſelfe to be an angel, or a dead man, & ſéeketh both waies to be worſhipped. And it is no maruell, if he dazell the outward eies of men, when as he before occupied the eies of the mind. For ſo (ſaith he) did the rods of Pharaos ſorcerers ſéem to be ſerpents, Exod 7, 1…. The rod of Pharao ſorcerers.but yet afterward falſhood was deuoured vp of the truth. And wheras the Symonians ſay that they can with their inchantments call vp the dead vntounto life, that was onlie a méere imagination and a mocke. And euen ſo the diuell in this place mocked both the witch and Saule, and deceiued both the eies of the one, and the eares of the other. In Lybia (ſaith he) there be Naſomons, which lie at the toombs of their parents, and in Europe French men, which lie watching at the ſepulchers of mightie men, to the intent they may receiue oracles frō them after they are dead: but he ſaith that in thoſe things there is no certeintie or ſoundnes; and that they be onlie vaine lies and phantaſies. Origin writeth nothing purpoſelie of this matter; and yet in the hiſtorie of Balaam he ſaith, Origin.that good ſpirits doo not obeie magicall incantations. Contrariwiſe Ambroſe vponupon Luke, Ambroſe held that it was Samuel.in the firſt booke and firſt chapter ſaith, that Samuel propheſied euen when he was dead. But without doubt he alludeth vntounto that place of the 46. chapter of Eccleſiaſticus. As touching Chryſoſtome and Ierom I will ſpeake afterward.

Auguſtine was doubtful whether it was Samuel or not.4 Auguſtine did not alwaies write of this thing after one maner. In the ſecond booke to Simplicianus the third queſtion, he ſaith, that both may be defended; yet as touching the firſt opinion he ſéemeth to doubt, how Saule béeing a man now reiected by God, could talke with Samuel béeing a prophet and holie man. But he anſwereth, that this is no new thing; for in Iob, Iob. 1, 6.the euill ſpirits talked with God himſelfe. And in the hiſtorie of Achab, the lieng ſpirit offered his ſeruice vntounto the Lord: 1. Kings. 22.yea and that princes doo ſometimes talke with théeues, (yet to the intent they may puniſh them) whereas in the meane time they ſpeake not with honeſt men, The diuell can doo manie things againſt the godlie. Iob. 1. 12, and 2, 6. Luk. 22, 31. Matth. 4, 5.whom they looue and meane to defend. But what power (ſaith he) had the diuell ouer Samuel, that he was able to bring him? He anſwereth, that he had power to torment Iob, and that he coueted to ſift his diſciples, that he ſet Chriſt vponupon the pinacle; and furder, that if Chriſt without anie diminiſhing of his honour might be hanged vponupon the croſſe, and afflicted with torments; it is likelie that Samuel alſo might be raiſed againe without anie impairing of his felicitie: doubtleſſe not by anie ſtrength or power of the diuell, but by the permiſſion of God, that he might terrifie Saule. So doo ſome vnderſtand that which was doone in Balaam; Num. 22, 12for he was a ſoothſaier, and tooke his iournie, to the intent that by magicall charms he might curſe the Iewes: but God preuented the cunning of the diuell. Howbeit of this matter I affirme nothing.

But Auguſtine demandeth further, how Samuel being ſo good a man, did come vntounto an euill man? And he anſwereth, that in this life alſo good men doo come vntounto euill men. But this is a weake argument; for men doo it in this life, either of dutie, or elſe of fréendſhip, or familiaritie. Now Samuel was out of this life, and was called by a witch, whom he ought not to hauehave obeied. But Auguſtine thinketh, that it may be more eaſilie anſwered, if we ſaie that it was not Samuel, but onelie a vaine imagination and phantaſie: A rule.howbeit he cannot but grant, that two things are againſt this opinion; one is, that the ſcriptures doo alwaies ſo ſpeake, as if it had béene verie Samuel. But he anſwereth, that it is the vſuall maner of the ſcriptures, to call ſimilitudes by the names of thoſe things which they repreſent. For ſo the woodden images were called cherubims; and Salomon made braſen oxen, 1. Kin. 6, 23. 1. Kin. 7, 25. 1. Sam. 6, 11.and the Philiſtines gaue ſiluer mice. Neither doo the holie ſcriptures lie, when they ſpeake after that ſort. For men are woont commonlie ſo to ſpeake, and it pleaſed God to applie himſelfe to the ſenſe and capacitie of man. Another thing is, that he trulie fore-ſhewed what would come to paſſe; namelie, 1. Sa. 28, 19. The diuell ſometime ſpeaketh true things.that Saule with his ſonnes ſhould be ſlaine, and that the hoſt of Iſrael ſhould be ouerthrowne. But he anſwereth, that this alſo is no new or woonderfull thing; for the diuels confeſſed Chriſt to be the ſonne of God. Mark. 1, 24.And in the Acts of the apoſtles, they gaue a verie goodlie teſtimonie of Paules doctrine. Acts. 16, 17.Euen ſo in this place, God vſeth the ſeruice of the diuell, to the intent he might terrifie Saule; that he, which had taken counſell of euill ſpirits, might be afflicted with an euill anſwere. But he addeth; how might Saule be with Samuel; a wicked man with an holie prophet. A great diſtance of places between bleſſed ſoules and loſt ſoules. Luk. 16, 26.Such he ſaith is the ſubtiltie of the diuell, alwaies to mingle ſome truth with falſhood. For aſſuredlie (ſaith he) there is great diſtance of place betwéene the bleſſed ſoules and the reprobate. And this he prooueth out of the hiſtorie of the rich man and Lazarus.

This I make mention of, forſomuch as I ſée, that they which affirme the bodie of Chriſt to be in euerie place, hauehave no reaſon ſo to ſaie. For if that were true, then the ſoules of the godlie ſhould be in euerie place alſo. For Chriſt ſaith; Whereſoeuer I am, Iohn. 12, 26.there alſo my miniſter ſhall be. And by this meanes there ſhould be no differences betwéene ſoules; Of vbiquitie.for all ſhould be in all places. But they ſaie, Ierom againſt Vigilantius.that Ierom writeth thus againſt Vigilantins. For Vigilantius denied, that we ſhould call vponupon dead men; for they are in the boſome of Abraham, and doo not wander about their ſepulchres and aſhes. Then are they not (ſaith Ierom) in anie ſtinking priſon, but in a pleaſant and large cuſtodie, like certeine fathers of the order of ſenatours. But (ſaith he) They followe the Lambe whereſoeuer he goeth; now the Lambe is euerie-where. Apoc. 14, 4.Further (ſaith he) ſhall we grant this vntounto diuels, that they can wander vp and downe thoroughout the whole world; & ſhall we denie the ſame vntounto the bleſſed ſoules of godlie men? Here Ierom (by his good leaue may it be ſpoken) is ſomwhat out of the waie, Ierom miſſeth concerning the vbiquitie of ſoules.and yet he hath not ſpoken of that, whereof theſe men did meane. He erreth, in ſaieng that the ſoules of dead men are conuerſant about their ſepulchres, and that they are to be inuocated; yet dooth he not ſaie, that they be euerie-where. He compareth them with ſpirits, which (he ſaith) doo wander euerie where; that is, they be ſometimes here, and ſometimes there. But if they were eueryevery-where, they could not wander héer and there, and change places: and therefore Ierom ſaith, that neither the lambe, nor the ſoules departed, nor diuels be in euerie place; but that they in ſuch ſort wander at large, as they may be whereſoeuer they liſt. Theſe things I hauehave touched by the waie. But Auguſtine anſwereth, that that ſaieng of Samuel may be vnderſtood of the generall ſtate of death, and not of the equalitie of happines. In the latter end he addeth; that whereas there be but theſe two waies onlie, the former may not be admitted, vnles it be prooued to be poſſible, that ſoules departed, may by magicall charms be called againe, and beare the proportion of mens bodies. And therefore of neceſſitie the other waie remaineth; namelie, that it was doone by the counſell and will of God. But by the power of incantation that could not be doone; and yet by the purpoſe and commandement of God, it might be brought to paſſe. And to this opinion I willinglie agrée. For if God will, I ſée not what ſhould hinder it.

Auguſtins booke of queſtions of the new and old teſtament.5 In the ſixt queſtion to Dulcitius, he hath in a maner the ſame that he hath to Simplicianus. But in the queſtions of the old and new teſtament, (if that be Auguſtines booke) which I ſpeake, bicauſe of the cenſure and iudgement of Eraſmus, who hath ſeparated that booke from the works of Auguſtine) he accounteth it deteſtable for anie man to thinke, that it was Samuel whom the witch raiſed vp: for it was onlie a deluſion and an imagination. For the diuell did this to bring himſelfe vntounto honour, and to perſuade men, that the ſoules of the dead be in his power, and that they ſhall not eſcape from his hands after death. But if the hiſtorie be well diſcuſſed, we ſhall not find anie thing at all to prooue, that it was Samuel; but that Saule indéed, when he had heard the deſcription of his apparell, and the faſhion of his bodie, thought that it had béene ſo: that the ſcripture applied it ſelfe to his mind and opinion: that Saule fell downe and worſhipped, and thereby the diuell had that which he ſought for: that Samuel would neuer hauehave ſuffered it, but that he ſaid Saule ſhould be with him the next daie, bicauſe he was wicked, and ſhould periſh euerlaſtinglie. But what ſhall we anſwere as touching Ionathas, 1. Sa. 28, 19.who was well knowne to be a iuſt man? Wherefore this anſwere of Auguſtine ſéemeth to be féeble. In his ſecond booke De doctrina christiana, Auguſtins booke De mirabilibus ſcripturarum.the 26. chapter, he ſaith, It was an image raiſed vp by ſacriledge. In another booke De mirabilibus ſacrae ſcripturae, (if the ſame be Auguſtines booke) he likewiſe denieth that it was Samuel indéed.

Alſo in his little booke De cura pro mortuis agenda, he hath manie excellent things; but in the end he concludeth, The dead knowe not what is doone in this life.that it ſéemeth vntounto him, the ſoules of thoſe which are departed, be ignorant what is doone in this life. For wheras they oftentimes appéere, and preſent themſelues to liuing men, ſomtimes waking, and ſomtimes ſléeping: Looke In 2. Kings. 22, verſe. 23.that may be doone by angels, either good or bad. And he ſaith that we our ſelues doo oftentimes preſent our ſelues to our fréends in our ſléepe, when as we our ſelues thinke nothing thereof. A place in Cicero expounded by Auguſtine in his ſlepe.And that he himſelfe being at Millan, expounded a hard place of Cicero to his ſcholler Eulogius being aſléepe in Aphrica. And vponupon the Acts of the apoſtles, he ſaith, that Saule being come néere vntounto Damaſcus, Acts. 9, 12.God foreſhewed vntounto Ananias, that Saule in a dreme had ſéen him put his hands vponupon him, and cure his eies; A reuelatiō by a dreme.and yet Ananias himſelfe did not perceiue the ſame. In like maner he ſaith, that at Millan, when a certeine citizen was dead, there came a creditor, to whom he had ſometime béene indebted, and demanded his monie: and when the ſonne knew the creditor to be ſatiſfied by his father while he liued, but yet hauing no quittance or diſcharge to ſhew, his father afterward ſhewed him in his ſléepe, in what place the acquittance was laid. This thing Auguſtine thinketh, not to be doone by his father being dead, but by ſome angel. For if ſo be that the dead might be preſent in our affaires, they would not (ſaith he) forſake vsus in this ſort; eſpeciallie (ſaith he) my mother Monica, who in hir life time could neuer be without me, would not now being dead thus leaue me. Wherfore he concludeth at the length, that they knowe nothing of our dooings, more than it ſhall pleaſe God himſelfe to reueale vntounto them; or elſe that angels or ſoules departing hence ſhal ſhew vntounto them: which notwithſtanding (ſaith he) ſhew not vntounto them all things, but onlie ſuch things as God ſhal permit them.

But yet he ſaith, it may be that God ſometimes extraordinarilie ſendeth ſome man againe into this life. For he ſaith, A dead biſhop appeered aliue.that in the ſiege of the citie of Nola, Felix the biſhop of Nola being dead, was by manie men ſéene defending the citie: and that as Paule being taken vp into the third heauen, might be among the angels; ſo may ſoules likewiſe extraordinarilie returne againe vntounto men: and that euen ſo Moſes and Elias were ſéene vponupon the mount with Chriſt But if thou wilt ſay that Elias then liued, yet it is manifeſt that Moſes was dead. Matt. 17, 3.This is therein the opinion of Auguſtine. In which place he by the waie toucheth in a maner the ſame things as concerning Samuel, which he did vntounto Simplicianus; namelie, that it may be, that God either by an extraordinarie waie ſendeth againe the ſoules of the dead vntounto their ſepulchres; or elſe that it pleaſeth him to hauehave theſe things doone by angels. But he neuer ſaid that ſoules are in manie places at one time.

6 Chryſoſtome (ſo far as I knowe) hath written nothing expreſlie of Samuel; Chryſoſt.but yet in his 29. homilie vponupon Matthew, he ſaith, that It muſt in no wiſe be beléeued, that the ſoules of dead men be conuerſant vponupon the earth. The rich man (ſaith he) deſired that Lazarus might be ſent backe; Luk. 16, 31.but he obtained it not. Herevnto I ad; by what meanes then could the witch obtaine this concerning Samuel? For the conſideration was alike on both ſides. The ſoules (ſaith Chryſoſtome) be in a certeine place waiting for the iudgement, neither can they remooue themſelues from thence. And in his ſecond homilie of Lazarus; If the diuell (ſaith he) hauehave no power ouer them that be aliue, how can he hauehave anie power ouer the ſoules of them that be dead? And in the fourth homilie he ſaith, If it ſhould be ſo, there would be a great gap open for the diuell to beguile and deceiue. For vnderunder that ſhew, he would returne, and teach errors. Howbeit that ſéemeth not to be of anie force; for ſo God alſo, when he raiſed vp the dead, and called backe Elias and Moſes, might ſéeme to hauehave opened a waie vntounto errors. For vnderunder that ſhew alſo the diuell might inſinuate himſelfe, and deceiue men. But it ſéemeth, that Chryſoſtome reſtraineth this vntounto ſecret things, and vntounto the ſtate of dead men. Certeinlie, they whom Chriſt and his apoſtles raiſed, neuer taught what was doone in the other life.

They that take holde of dreams run into deceit. Ierom.They (ſaith Chryſoſtome) that laie hold of dreames, run into deceit. The ſame thing (ſaith he) would come to paſſe, if vnderunder this colour of the dead, it ſhould be lawfull to aſke counſell of diuels. Ierom hath nothing of this matter; but that vponupon the ſeuenth chapter of Eſaie he ſaith, that Manie thought Saule to hauehave had receiued a ſigne out of the earth, and from the depth of hell, when it ſéemed that Samuel did riſe vp. This he ſaith, is the opinion of others, not his. Further he ſaith, that it ſéemed to be Samuel; but yet that it was not he. And vponupon the 12. of Ieremie he writeth thus; God heareth them not in the time of neceſſitie & diſtreſſe, bicauſe they alſo would not heare the voice of the Lord. And this did Saule alſo ſuffer; for when as he béeing ſore afraid of the Philiſtines armie, was not woorthie to receiue the word of the Lord, he turned himſelfe to the witch, to the intent he might learne that of idols, which by earneſt praier and teares he ſhould hauehave obtained of the Lord. By which words we learne, that although the Lord will not fauourablie heare vsus; yet we muſt not leaue praieng, neither muſt we run to diuels, who cannot helpe the worſhippers of them, but muſt craue the helpe of the Lord. But by theſe words he defineth not, whether the diuell by himſelfe, or by the ſoule of Samuel brought againe, anſwered to the queſtions of inchantment. Lyra.Lyra thinketh that it was verie Samuel; which he gathered partlie by the text it ſelfe, and partlie by that place of Eccleſiaſticus. And as when Balaam would hauehave raiſed the diuell, God intermedled his owne ſelfe: euen ſo when this witch called vntounto hir an euill ſpirit, God ſent Samuel. And by this meanes (ſaith he) we doo not confirme, but we doo quite ouerthrowe magicall arts.

Howbeit all theſe arguments be weake. Firſt, bicauſe Eccleſiaſticus is not of the canonicall ſcriptures: ſecondly, it might be called Samuel; bicauſe it ſéemed to be Samuel. Now by this meanes art magike might hauehave gotten authoritie. For albeit thou wilt ſaie, that Samuel obeied not the charmes, yet he might ſéeme to hauehave obeied them: but iniurie (he ſaith) had béene doone vntounto Samuel, if the diuell had ſuborned himſelfe vnderunder his perſon. But this maketh no matter; for the diuell dooth oftentimes put on the perſon of God: and the prophets of the diuell behaue themſelues as if they were the apoſtles and prophets of God. Paulus Burgenſis thinketh, Burgenſis.by reaſon of that place in Eccleſiaſticus, that the ſpirit of Samuel was not brought; but his carcaſe onlie, and yet that in anie wiſe it was Samuel: for thus it is written in Eccleſiaſticus, And when he was fallen aſleepe: but the diuell he ſaith dooth not ſléepe. And he ſaith alſo that he complained, bicauſe the woman had troubled him, ſéeing his bodie was now at reſt: but neither is this indéed of anie great importance. For firſt it ſéemeth not credible, that a mangled and rotten carcaſe could be brought into that place. Secondlie, if it had béene ſo, Saule himſelfe might hauehave ſéene the ſame. Galatinus.Galatinus thinketh that it was the verie ſpirit of Samuel. But in that he ſuffered himſelfe to be worſhipped, he ſaith, that either it was a ciuill kind of worſhip onlie; or elſe that Saule worſhipped God himſelfe. Howbeit, theſe alſo are but weake and vaine arguments. For if Saule would hauehave worſhipped God, why dooth he it then at the laſt, when he heard that Samuel was come? And as touching the ciuill worſhipping, Saule was a king, and forſomuch as he had no ſuperiour magiſtrate, he could ciuilie worſhip no man. But he addeth, that ſuch a like thing was doone vnderunder Ochoſias the king. 4. King. 1, 3.For when he had ſent a meſſenger, to aſke counſell of Belzebub, the god of Acaron; God withſtood it by Elias his prophet, & gaue anſwere (and one of the captains of Ochoſias fell downe and worſhipped Elias.) Howbeit this ſimilitude is altogither vnlike; for Elias was then liuing, and was ſéene of the meſſengers.

7 But to ſhew at the laſt, Peter Martyr concludeth that it was but an imagination. Deu. 18, 11.what mine opinion is, I am mooued by theſe reaſons to think, that it was but an imagination. Firſt, ſéeing God would not giuegive anſwere vntounto Saule, neither by prophets, nor by préeſts, nor by dreams; it is not credible, that he would anſwere him by the dead, and eſpeciallie ſéeing he had expreſſelie forbidden that by the lawe. Further, it muſt néeds be doone, either by the will of God, or by the power of art. By the will of God it could not be doone, bicauſe he forbad it: neither by the power of art; for witches hauehave no power ouer the godlie. Moreouer, Samuel muſt hauehave come, either willinglie, or conſtrained: willinglie he could not, for then he ſhould hauehave conſented vntounto witchcraft: and to ſaie that he came againſt his will, that were not fit. I knowe, theſe reaſons are not ſo ſtrong, that they can perſuade an obſtinate man. But yet if we conſider what belongeth vntounto God, and what ſhould reuoke vsus from euill arts, they be effectuall inough. In the decretals, the 26. queſtion, in the chapter, Nec mirum, it is written; that It was onlie a ſhew and a phantaſie. Theſe words be out of Iſidorus, but in the end Auguſtine is added.

VVhether the diuell can appeare, and knowe things to come, and giuegive anſwers.

Demons be ſpirits good or euill.8 Now we muſt ſée, whether the diuell can appeare, and giuegive anſweres. There hath béene alwais a great queſtion as touching Daemons not onlie among the Ethniks; but alſo among the chriſtians. They take their name of knowledge, Wherof demons take their name.as though they were named foreign, that is, skilfull; wherevpon excellent men hauehave béene called Daemonij. And we read, that this difference was put betwéene Plato and Ariſtotle, that the one was foreign, that is, Diuine and the other foreign, that is, Skilfull. The word is to be taken on both parts; for it ſignifieth ſpirits both euill and good. Yea, and God himſelfe is ſometime by the Ethnikes called Daemon, There hauehave béene ſome, which thought that there were no ſuch ſpirits at all. For the Peripatetiks thought, that betwéene the Intelligencies (which driue about the ſpheres) & our ſoules, The Peripatetiks denie that there be demons.there is put no ſubſtance indued with reaſon; and that whatſoeuer may be knowne of theſe things, we knowe it onlie by effects. For by the continuall and ordinarie motion of the ſpheres, Whether there be demons.we vnderſtand that there be ſpirits, which doo gouerne them; and that there is a prouidence. Howbeit the maruellous things which are reported of Daemons or ſpirits, cannot procure vsus a knowledge of them. For that which doth not happen commonlie & publikelie; but is ſhewed ſometime by this man, and ſomtime by that, cannot be knowne but by ſuppoſition; if thoſe things be true which are reported. But ſéeing it ſhould be an impudent part to denie thoſe things, which by ſo manie hiſtoriographers and credible authours are put in writing, they hauehave found an other ſhift. For they ſaie, that there may be other cauſes; and in déed they inuent manie, whereby common nature may ſéeme to be ouercome, & that woonderfull & incredible things may be brought to paſſe: & that the power and ſtrength of things is ſecret and vnknowne to the common ſort, and is vnderſtood of ſuch onlie as be learned and induſtrious. For (ſaie they) the rude and ignorant man will maruell at the Loadſtone, The power of the Loadſtone.that ſo ſenſeles and dead a thing ſhould drawe iron vntounto it, and will crie out that it is doone by art magicke.

Further they ſaie, that man is the chéefeſt among worldlie things; and that he, by a certeine power and indiuiſible propertie, bringeth maruellous things to paſſe. Veſpaſ…an by a ſecret power healed both a blind man and a lame. The power of the phantaſie.Such as that of Veſpaſian, who with his ſpittle healed a blind man; and by touching of a lame man with his foote, reſtored his lims. They adde further, that ſuch is the power of mans phantaſie, that it oftentimes ſhaketh and maketh to tremble the whole bodie, and changeth it either vntounto cold or vntounto heate; as it commeth to paſſe commonlie in feare and anger. And Auicenna ſaith, if a man walke aloft vponupon a beame, he dooth eaſilie fall; bicauſe his phantaſie is greatly mooued, and bicauſe he verelie thinketh with himſelfe that he ſhall fall, and therefore réeleth and falleth downe. Neither doo ſuch phantaſies mooue only our owne bodies, but the bodies of others alſo. For ſo doo women ſorcerers infect thoſe, whom they ſtedfaſtlie behold with fixed eies. Wherefore (ſaith he) ſeeing theſe things may be doone by naturall reaſons, there is no néede of ſpirits. But they adde, that all the things which we doo ſée happen ſtrange and woonderfull, The power of the celeſtiall bodies.may be referred to the celeſtiall bodies. For they ſaie, that God & the Intelligencies may bring theſe things to paſſe; yet not without ſome meane, but by the heauenlie ſpheres and ſtars: & therfore no néed of Daemons or ſpirits. Howbeit they grant, that there be ſome things which cannot be doone by naturall reaſon; as, to raiſe the dead to life, and many mo ſuch like things. Plato held that for publike cō modities ſake, it is lawfull to make a lie.But yet if you vrge thoſe things alſo, they will ſay that they be falſe woonders deuiſed by men. Plato in his booke De republica ſaith, that it is lawfull for men to make a lie for publike commodities ſake.

There be others doo referre theſe things vntounto the humors of mans bodie, The power of melancholie.and eſpeciallie vntounto melancholie. For Ariſtotle in his Problems the 30 ſextion ſaith, that the Sibyls, and the excellent Emperours and famous philoſophers were melancholike: and that there were ſome, which béeing affected with that humour, ſpake ſuddenlie manie languages, Some ſpake in manie toongs vponupon the ſudden.which they had neuer learned; and that they afterward béeing healed by phyſicians, left off ſpeaking in that manner. Thus much for their part. But forſomuch as they ſée, that by the moſt learned men, there is mention made of ſpirits; and that they cannot denie it without bluſhing: while they would confeſſe ſomewhat, they are diuided into twoo ſundrie ſects. Som thinke that ſoules become demons. foreign.For they which thinke that mans ſoule is immortall, doo ſaie that thoſe which die after they hauehave liued well and honeſtlie, are made foreign: but euill and wicked liuers become foreign, and ſo perpetuallie remaine. For ſéeing they cannot now worke contrarie actions, it muſt néeds be, that thoſe habits which they carried with them, Som would that demons are onelie in this life.ſhould indure for euer. But they which would hauehave the ſoule to be mortall, doo allow of ſpirits, but onelie in this life. So that they which applie all their ſenſes, as much as in them lieth, to vnderſtanding, be foreign, and good ſpirits: but they which turne vnderſtanding into ſenſualitie, be foreign, and diſturbe all things. So the former opinion dooth affirme, that one kind paſſeth into another; which ſéemes no more poſſible to bée brought to paſſe, than that a man ſhould be changed into a woolfe. But if there be anie certeine nature of ſpirits, no doubt the ſame muſt be firme and ſtedfaſt. But if the latter opinion were true: then man, bicauſe he is mutable, might be ſometimes a ſpirit, and ſometimes an angel. But theſe men would hauehave angels and ſpirits to be nothing elſe, but mens affections.

The opinion of Triſmegiſtus.Mercurius Triſmegiſtus (as Auguſtine ſaith in his eight booke De ciuitate Dei, the 23. chapter) denieth that there be indéed anie ſpirits at all. For he ſaith, that God made gods & Intelligences ſeparated from all matter; by which the ſpheres of the world are mooued: further, that men alſo did make to themſelues gods. Aſclepius anſwereth; I thinke thou ſpeakeſt of images. Indéed ſo I doo (ſaith Mercurius) but I meane ſuch images as be ſo applied to certeine aſpects of the ſtars, that they can ſpeake, and heale men, and afflict with ſicknes, and worke miracles; and which be indued with mind, ſenſe, and ſpirit. Aphrodyſaeus.Alexander Aphrodyſaeus ſaith, that there is a certeine diuine power ſpred through the whole world, which can worke all things; but that it is requiſite the ſame ſhould be wiſelie drawne to particular effects. A ſimilitude.For euen as we ſée it commeth to paſſe in the ſunne, that although the heate thereof be the generall life of all things; yet out of it being diuerſlie applied, there are brought foorth diuers and ſundrie things; (for out of the vine it bringeth foorth grapes, and out of the trée, apples:) ſo if that power, which is ſo ſpred vniuerſallie, be fitlie drawn by wiſe men through herbs and ſtones, there doo followe maruellous effects. And thus much hitherto, as touching thoſe, which vtterlie denie, that there is anie certeine nature of Daemons or ſpirits.

9 The Platoniſts grant, The opinion of the Platoniſts.that ſpirits be certeine ſubſtances betwéene gods and men; and that of them ſome be earthie, ſom waterie, ſom airie, ſome fierie, and ſome ſtarrie: and to euerie one of the ſpheres ſeuerallie, there be attributed ſeuerall ſpirits; as ſome be of Saturne, ſome of Iupiter, and ſome of the Sunne. And they were led thus to ſaie, chéeflie by this reaſon: That betwéene two extreames, there muſt of neceſſitie be placed a meane: for that heauenlie bodies are eternall and incorruptible; but ours are mortall and fraile: and therefore betwéene both muſt be the bodies of ſpirits, as certeine meane things, which may ſomewhat communicate with both the extreames. For they, notwithſtanding that, in time, they be eternall, yet are ſtirred with affects and motions. And further, that as there be birds in the aire, and fiſhes in the water; euen ſo in the higheſt region of the aire, and in the fire, there be ſpirits. And leaſt we ſhould thinke them altogither idle, partlie they are tutors of men, and partlie rulers of prouinces: that they both bring mens praiers vntounto God, and alſo carrie the benefits of God vntounto men: that of ſom they be called Meane-gods, of ſome Natiuitie-ſpirits, and of other ſome Houſe-gods. Apuleius.Apuleius not the leaſt among the Platoniſts defineth ſpirits on this wiſe. He ſaith that by nature, they are liuing creatures; by wit, reaſonable; by bodie, airie; by time, eternall; and by mind, paſſiue: for that they be affected euen as men be. Howbeit, all they doo not ſéeme to agrée in this, that the bodies of ſpirits are eternall. For Plutarch writing of oracles, ſaith it was reported, that Pan the great god once died. The opinion of the diuines.But the diuines & fathers of ſound religion doo affirme that there be ſpirits; and not onelie thoſe by whom the celeſtiall ſpheres are driuen about: but others alſo. And ſome of them ſaie, that they hauehave no bodies, proper I meane, and of their owne, whervnto they be ſo ioined, as they can quicken them: and yet they may ioine vntounto themſelues bodies, which be none of their owne.

10 So all theſe men doo confeſſe, The ſumme of all theſe opinions.that woonderfull things are doone by ſpirits. The Peripateticks, by celeſtiall bodies; the Platoniſts, by bodies proper vntounto ſpirits; and our diuines by ſpirits, ſometime taking bodies to them, and ſometimes without bodies. Theſe thrée opinions confeſſe that there be magicians. But the firſt vnderſtand by magicians, good and wiſe men, which fitlie can applie things that worke, vntounto things that ſuffer; ſuch as are philoſophers and phyſicians. The Platoniſts doo not alwaies take the name of magicians in euill part; but ſuch as hauehave familiaritie with ſpirits. And chriſtians, and the true profeſſors, vnderſtand them onelie to be magicians, which hauehave made anie league with diuels, and conſpire with them againſt God. For there be ſome ſpirits good, and ſome bad; for ſome fell at the beginning, & ſome remained as they were; which thing Homer ſéemeth to ſignifie in Ate, and others in Ophionaeus. And it may be, that theſe things came vntounto them by tradition from the fathers, although darkened with ſhadowes and fables. A proofe of ſpirits by the ſcriptures.Wherefore we affirme out of the holie ſcriptures, that there be ſpirits: and a few places of the ſcriptures I will rehearſe. For it would be infinite and troubleſome to recite all.

Iob. 1, & 2.The diuell vexed Iob, ouerthrew his houſes, and deſtroied his cattell and ſeruants. In the hiſtorie of Achab, 1. kin. 22, 22.a lieng ſpirit was in the mouths of the prophets. Satan put into Dauids hart to number the people. 1. Para. 21, 1And Dauid himſelfe in the pſalme ſaith, that God plagued the Aegyptians by euill ſpirits. Pſal. 78, 49.In the prophet Zacharie, Zachar. 3, 1.ſathan ſtood to let Ieſus the préeſt, that the people might not returne out of captiuitie. God forbiddeth ſacrifices to be doone vntounto diuels: Leuit. 17, 7.which he would not forbid, if there were no diuels at all. Matth. 4, 1. and 13, 19.Sathan tempted Chriſt; hée plucketh the good ſéed out of mens harts, & had bound the daughter of Abraham for manie yéeres. Luk. 13, 16.The diuell praied Chriſt that he might go into the herd of ſwine. Matth. 8, 31Chriſt at the latter daie ſhall ſaie vntounto the vngodlie; Go ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, Matt. 25, 41.prepared for the diuell and his angels: by which words the diuels are moſt plainlie diſtinguiſhed from men. Iude the apoſtle ſaith, Iude. 9.that Michaël ſtroue againſt the diuell for the bodie of Moſes. And Iames ſaith, that The diuels beleeue and tremble. Iam. 2, 19.Chriſt ſaith, that He ſawe ſathan falling downe from heauen, Luke. 10, 18and that he ſtood not faſt in the truth.

Of good ſpirits.Of good ſpirits alſo I will onelie ſpeake a word. They be the miniſters of God. For as it is written to the Galathians; The lawe was giuen by the miniſtration of angels. Galat. 3, 19.And as it is in the epiſtle to the Theſſalonians; In the ſound of a trumpet, Theſ. 4, 16.and voice of an archangel, the dead bodies ſhall ariſe. And Chriſt ſaith, that God wil ſend his angels, Matt. 24, 31.to gather togither his elect, from the foure quarters of the earth. And therefore we rightlie and trulie affirme that there be ſpirits.

A confutation of contrarie opinions of the Peripatetikes.11 But now we muſt confute thoſe reaſons, which are woont to be alledged by others. Theſe things (ſaie they) may be doone by naturall cauſes. I grant indéed, that naturall cauſes are oftentimes great and ſecret; and doo bring manie woonderfull things to paſſe. But theſe effects, which we ſpeake of; as images to ſpeake and giuegive anſwers, and to vtter the diſtinct voices of men; alſo to foretell things to come, and thoſe not common, but hidden and ſecret matters; an ignorant man to hauehave ſuddenlie learned arts & ſciences; and he to ſpeake Gréeke, Hebrue, and the Syrian toong, and to recite the ſentences of philoſophers and poets, which neuer learned thoſe toongs, nor euer handled poets or philoſophers; a man to walke inuiſiblie; to ſtir things that are a farre off; to put out a torch far diſtant from vsus; an oxe or an aſſe to ſpeake like a man: theſe things I ſaie doo far excéed all force of nature. The magicians alſo, which worke theſe things, doo ioine therewithall praiers, inchantments, coniurings & commandements: wherein certeinlie, there is no naturall power of working at all. Herevnto they ad alſo their lines, characters, and circles; which things be within the compas of quantitie. But quantities be neuer reckoned of the philoſophers among things that worke. The temperature of mans bodie (I grant) hath great force, but yet not ſo great; and beſides it muſt néeds worke by touching. Imagination can doo much. True it is: but euerie one in his owne bodie. Howbeit no man, no not in his owne proper bodie, how ſtronglie ſoeuer he imagine, can worke all things. For if a man hauehave a withered arme, and ſo ſtopt, as the pores cannot hauehave their paſſage; let him vſe as great imagination as he will, he ſhall not cure the ſame.

As for bewitching, it is not ſo great a maruell; for in old women the humors are corrupted, and being drawne into the eies, doo eaſilie infect, eſpeciallie children and infants, whoſe bodies be as it were of waxe. But there be other things, which go beyond all power of bewitchings; as that was, when Chriſt fed fiue thouſand men with fiue loaues; Matt. 14, 2…when Ioſua commanded the ſunne to ſtand ſtill, Ioſua. 10, 13(whereas Ariſtotle in his eight booke of phyſicks, and in his treatiſe De coelo & mundo ſaith, that Thoſe intelligencies which mooue the ſpheres, cannot ceaſe at anie time from their worke; and that they ſhould mooue the ſpheres more ſlowelie, if but one ſtar more ſhould be added therevnto;) when Eſaie called backe the ſunne; Eſaie. 38, 8.when at the death of Chriſt, the Sunne ſuffered an eclipſe, the moone being then in oppoſition. Luk. 23, 44.Of which thing Dionyſius writeth in an epiſtle vntounto Apollophanes, and ſaith, that he had conſideratelie beheld the ſame, while he was in Aegypt; and that it is extant in the hiſtorie of Phlegon & Aphricanus. Hervnto adde, that the ſhadowe of Peter healed the ſicke; Acts. 5, 15.& that Elias ſhut vp the heauens, 1. Kin. 17, 1.ſo that it did not raine for the ſpace of thrée yéeres and an halfe.

12 But humors in mans bodie can doo much. I grant. But yet Chriſt ſaith; The works which I doo, Iohn. 15, 24.no man can doo: and he muſt ſooner be beléeued than all the ſort of Peripatetikes. Others ſaie, that theſe things are onlie terrifiengs, deuiſed by prudent men to containe the people in their dutie. But we doo knowe, that nothing in the ſcriptures is feigned or deuiſed; for They be the pillers and ſure foundation of the truth. 1. Tim. 3, 15.And whereas they ſaie, that the ſoules of men doo paſſe and be changed into ſpirits; that was ſufficientlie confuted before, when the ſame was obiected. Triſmegiſtus.Triſmegiſtus ſaith, that Men doo make vntounto themſelues gods; namelie, images made and applied vntounto certeine aſpects of the heauen, that they can ſpeake, and giuegive out oracles. But a fooliſh thing it is to thinke, that men can make themſelues gods; and yet if they can, why doo they ſubmit & humble themſelues vntounto them? whie doo they worſhip them, whom they themſelues made? For it is a ridiculous thing, to imagine that the cauſe of anie thing is inferiour to the effect thereof. This dooth Eſaie verie well deride and taunt; Eſaie. 44, 12.A man (ſaith he) taketh a peece of wood, & with the one part he warmeth himſelfe, and baketh him bread; and with the other part, he frameth himſelfe a god. But they can ſpeake and giuegive out oracles. Naie rather Dauid ſaith much more trulie; They hauehave eies, and ſee not; they hauehave eares, Pſal. 115, 5.and heare not; they hauehave mouthes, and yet ſpeake not. And if they be able to make gods, why doo they not rather make themſelues [to be] gods? For doubtles, they ſhuld be much better aduiſed, if they would make gods of their owne ſelues, than to make them of ſtones and ſtocks. Further, if they be gods, whie doo they not defend themſelues? For thoſe idols were a good while a go throwen downe, and aboliſhed. And although other idols are brought in by the naughtie practiſe of the papiſts; yet ſhall thoſe alſo by the helpe of God be one daie taken quite awaie: but if they were gods indéed, they would ſurelie defend themſelues. Aphrodiſaeus.Aphrodiſaeus ſaith, that There is a certeine generall power, which by the properties of things (ſuch as be herbes, ſtones, and metals) muſt be drawne vntounto euerie particular thing. I admit it be ſo; yet no ſuch thing can be brought to paſſe vponupon the ſudden: for the works of nature hauehave their time & courſe. But Chriſt vponupon the ſudden turned water into wine; Iohn. 2, 8.& vponupon the ſudden reſtored the blind and lame.Matth. 11, 5.

Of the Platoniſts.13 Indéed the Platoniſts grant, that there be ſpirits; but they ſaie that they hauehave bodies either waterie, or aierie, or fierie. Theſe things doubtleſſe they ſpeake; howbeit they ſpeake ſuch things as will not agrée one with another. For if the bodies of ſpirits be elementarie, Whether the bodies of ſpirits be elementarie.how commeth it to paſſe, that they be eternall? For the elements hauehave both cold and heate, qualities both actiue and paſſiue, and ſometime they ſtriue one with another, and ſometime they periſh. Others reaſon after this ſort; Forſomuch as there be extremities, we muſt alſo grant that there is a meane: but heauen is eternal, and mens bodies are fraile and mortall; wherefore of neceſſitie, ſomething muſt be put betwéene theſe two, that may be partaker of both. This is no neceſſarie argument. For firſt we grant, that certeine minds there be void of bodies; ſuch as are the angels, and thoſe intelligencies, which driue the celeſtiall ſpheres; & further, that the ſoules of our bodies are the other extreame. Of other meane things there is no néed. But they ſaie, that as fiſhes be in the ſea, and foules in the aire; ſo there muſt be ſpirits cōuerſant in the fier. This is of no neceſſitie. For liuing creatures are not made for the elements; but the elements for liuing creatures: and liuing creatures were made for mans ſake. Now what vſe can there come vntounto man by thoſe liuing creaturs, which abide in the fier?

Howbeit, if theſe men will vrge further, concerning the vpper region of the aire, we will not denie, but that there be ſpirits there. For ſo Paule to the Epheſians ſaith, Ephe. 2, 2. & 6, 12.After the prince that ruleth in the aire: and afterward in the ſame epiſtle; We wreſtle not againſt fleſh and bloud, but againſt principalities & powers of this aire. Chryſoſt.Alſo Chryſoſtom in his 11. homilie vponupon the firſt epiſtle to the Theſſalonians ſaith; that the whole aire is full of ſpirits. But let vsus conſider of the bodies of theſe ſpirits; for they can be no aierie bodies, ſéeing the aire is a bodie of one kind. For euerie part of the aire is aire; and there can be no reaſon giuen, whie one part thereof ſhould be a ſpirit more than another: and by that meanes the whole vniuerſall aire ſhould be one continued bodie of ſpirits. Moreouer, the bodie of a liuing creature muſt be inſtrumentall, and hauehave bones, ſinewes, parts, and ſeuerall members: but theſe things cannot be made of the aire. Furthermore, a bodie muſt hauehave faſhions & forms; which things cannot ſo much as be imagined in the aire. But there be (you will ſaie) faſhions, and diſtinct formes in the clouds. I grant it; but they conſiſt not of aire onelie, or alone. And yet this argument is not firme; for ſpirits may take vntounto them the bodies of other things. Wherefore ſome doo rather argue on this ſort; Spirits hauehave bodies, either celeſtiall, or elementarie: if celeſtiall, then their moouing muſt be round or circle-wiſe; as the moouing of the heauens is: if elementarie, they muſt of neceſſitie followe the motion of that element, whereof they had their bodies.

Demons be ſpirits.14 But to let theſe things paſſe. The ſcriptures doo not make Daemons to hauehave bodies, but to be ſpirits onlie. Now ſpirits & bodies, by an Antitheſis are put as contraries. For euen as a ſpirit is no bodie, ſo likewiſe a bodie is no ſpirit. Luk. 24, 39.And Chriſt ſaith; A ſpirit hath no fleſh nor bones. And that Daemons be ſpirits, is prooued by infinit teſtimonies of the ſcriptures. In the hiſtorie of Achab, thus the diuell ſpeaketh; I wil be a lieng ſpirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab. 1. Kin. 22, 22And Chriſt caſt out an vncleane ſpirit; Matt. 12, 43.& the vncleane ſpirit wandered through drie and deſert places; afterward he tooke to himſelfe ſeuen other ſpirits, woorſe than himſelfe. Naie verilie (will you ſaie) theſe ſpirits are but onlie certeine impulſions of the minds, ſuch as be the ſpirits of wiſedome, and the ſpirits of knowledge: yes in verie déed they be ſubſtances. Matt. 18, 10.For Chriſt ſaith, that They behold the face of his father: and he ſhall pronounce at the latter daie; Matt. 25, 41.Go ye curſed into euerlaſting fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels. Wherefore, ſéeing the holie ſcriptures doo call Daemons, by the name of ſpirits; I ſée no cauſe why anie ſhould attribute bodies vntounto them. But I ſpeake not here of bodies, which are aſſumed and are come vntounto them; but of ſuch as be proper to them, and of their owne.

I knowe there be other men, ſomewhat ſharpe witted indéed, which ſaie, that Daemons be ſpirits in compariſon of vsus; euen as on the other ſide, angels in compariſon of God, may be ſaid to hauehave bodies: and after this maner they ſaie, that Auguſtine affirmeth Daemons to hauehave bodies. And they ſaie alſo, that Barnard was of the ſame opinion, both in his treatiſe to Eugenius, and alſo vponupon the Canticles; howbeit, there be ſome, which interpret Barnard to ſpeake of bodies aſſumed. But ſéeing the holie ſcriptures (as I ſaid) doo call Daemons, ſpirits; I ſée no cauſe why we ſhould imagine them to hauehave bodies. Foure kinds of ſpirits.For in the ſcriptures we ſée, that there are foure kinds of ſpirits. Firſt in verie déed, GOD himſelfe is a ſpirit; for he hath no néed of a bodie, either for his being, or for his doing of anie maner of thing. The next be angels, as well good as bad; neither doubtles hauehave they néed of bodies, as touching their owne proper actions; but to communicate in actions with vsus, they hauehave néed of bodies: for as we read in the epiſtle to the Hebrues, Heb. 1, 14.They be adminiſtring ſpirits. The third ſort are the ſpirits of men, which doubtles that they might hauehave their being, hauehave no néed of bodies; for they hauehave their being, and doo liue, euen when they are ſeparated from their bodies: yet about their owne proper actions, as to hauehave ſenſe, or to growe, they cannot be without bodies. The laſt be the ſpirits of brute beaſts, which neither can hauehave their being, nor doo anie thing without bodies. By this diuiſion we ſée, that there is no néed at all for Daemons to hauehave bodies: for euen without them, both they may hauehave their being, and alſo may exerciſe their owne actions. For they louelove, they deſire, they vnderſtand euen without bodies.

15 Now we muſt ſée what they can doo. Two ſorts of power of the ſpirits.Their power is of two ſorts, one in vnderſtanding; another in working. But we will ſée what is to be attributed vntounto them in both kinds. Of the knoledge which they hauehave.That ſpirits doo knowe manie things, we hauehave no doubt: for after the opinion of Lactantius, Tertullian, Capella, Looke In 1. Cor. 12, 2.and Plato in his booke intituled Cratylus, they be called Daemones, quaſi foreign, à ſciéndo, that is, of knowing. Whether they know of things to come.But peraduenture you will demand, whether they alſo knowe things to come; for the which things chéeflie their counſell is demanded I anſwere, that things to come are not alwaies knowne after one maner. Firſt things to come, are not knowne as things preſent, but of God onelie: for he within his compaſſe comprehendeth all the differences of times. For (as Paule ſaith) All things are naked, & laid before his eies. Heb. 4, 14.Others doo not preſentlie ſée the effects of things, but by reaſons they gather of things to come; and that manie waies. For firſt they ſée the cauſes of things, and by them gather of the effects, which ſhall afterward followe. But of cauſes ſome are neceſſarie, and ſome not neceſſarie: of neceſſarie are ſuch as be contained in the mathematikes, and in the oppoſition or coniunction of the heauenlie ſpheres. So doo men, which be ſkilfull in the ſtars, foretell manie yéeres before hand, what time eclipſes ſhall happen afterward. Other cauſes ſometime are not neceſſarie or certeine: for their effects may be hindered, and ſuch are thoſe, which are called things ſeldome happening, or things that may happen this waie or that waie. So the mariner pronounceth of the tempeſt, and the phyſician of the pulſe.

16 Then if there be ſuch knowledge granted vntounto man, How the ſpirits knowe of things to come.much rather muſt the ſame be granted vntounto ſpirits. For they are not let by the heauines and lumpe of the fleſh, as men be: beſides this, continuance and experience is a furtherance vntounto them. For if that old men doo ſée manie more things than yoong men doo, The old age of ſpirits.then is it credible that ſpirits, which liue for euer, doo knowe verie manie things: and if they hauehave bodies proper and of their owne (as ſome thinke) they hauehave ſuch as are nimble and readie, The nimblenes of them.ſo that in a verie ſhort ſpace they can flie to and fro ouer all places of the world, and make relation what is doone euerie-where. And for that cauſe Tertullian calleth them, Tertullian.Flieng ſpirits. When they doo theſe things, they may ſéeme to be prophets; bicauſe they foreſhew ſuch things as are afterward declared vntounto vsus in writing. And Auguſtine De ciuitate Dei ſaith, Auguſtine.that They foreſhew theſe things, that they might be accounted for prophets. And in his booke De geneſi ad litteram, he reciteth an hiſtorie of a certeine man, who (as he ſaith) would take meate at no mans hands, but at the hands of a certeine préeſt; and that whereas the préeſt dwelled far off, about the ſpace of fiue mile from him, he was woont to tell before hand: Now is he comming out of his houſe, now is he onward in the waie, now is he in the tauerne, now is he come to the field, now is he at the doore. But Auguſtine denieth that this kind of foretelling is propheſie: for if a troope of ſoldiers ſhould come from ſome place, A ſimilitude.& the watchman from the top of a tower ſpieng them comming, ſhould declare that within ſhort ſpace they would be there; he ſaith that he neuertheleſſe cannot ſéeme to be a prophet. Moreouer ſpirits may foretell thoſe things which God commandeth them to doo; Spirits may foretell things commanded them by God.as oftentimes it happeneth: for God dooth oftentimes command them to waſt and deſtroie countries. And (as Dauid ſaith) He deſtroied Egypt by euill angels. So in Samuel, Pſal. 78, 49. 1. Sam. 28, verſe. 19.the diuell foretold that Saule the next daie after ſhould die; for he was then in the bondage and poſſeſſion of the diuell. Further, when they ſée that they hauehave a bound preſcribed them, they promiſe (ſo they may hauehave ſome little gift giuen them) that they will rage no longer.

Spirits of the aire.An other reaſon is, for that they be placed in the aire, and from that region, as out of a watch tower, they perceiue the influences and euents of things much more eaſilie than we can. They ſee the ſcriptures of the prophets.Beſides this alſo, they ſée the ſcriptures of the prophets, and whatſoeuer is doone in the church: and although otherwiſe they knowe manie things, yet are they much better learned, both by meanes of the ſcriptures, and alſo for bicauſe they ſée what is doone in the church. Wherefore Paule vntounto the Epheſians ſaith; Ephe. 3, 10.that The hidden myſterie of Chriſt is made manifeſt vntounto principalities and powers in the heauenlie places. And whereas Hermes Triſmegiſtus foreſhewed vntounto Aſclepius, that there would be a fall and deſolation of idols, and lamented the ſame; Auguſtine ſaith in his booke De ciuitate Dei, that he might vnderſtand that by the predictions of the holie prophets. Manie times alſo doo they knowe, for that they be preſent at the counſels of God, and are called to execute his commandements. For ſo, when GOD was taking counſell to deceiue Achab, the diuell ſtood foorth, and promiſed, that he would be A lieng ſpirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab▪ 1. Kin. 22, 22and a certeine other ſpirit obtained of God, to forment & trouble Iob. And it is no maruell; Iob. 2, 6.for the diuell is the miniſter of God to doo execution. Howbeit, when they be thus called to the counſels of God, they ſée what he hath appointed to doo. They gather the cauſes by the effects.Oftentimes alſo, by effects, they gather the cauſes of things; as if they ſée a man liue well and godlie, they ſuſpect that he is a choſen of God; for good déeds be the fruits and effects of election: in like maner, if they ſée a man to frame himſelfe well vntounto religion, and to knéele deuoutlie, they thinke he praieth, although they cannot deſcend into his mind.

17 But although they can by ſo manie waies and meanes knowe things to come, Why the ſpirits are oftentimes deceiued.yet are they oftentimes deceiued; and that for manie cauſes: firſt bicauſe God can let the cauſes of things, God can let the cauſes, how certeine ſoeuer they be.though they be neuer ſo certeine or neceſſarie. When the children were caſt into the burning fornace, it was certeine that they ſhould be burned; but God did miraculouſlie put himſelfe betwéene them and their deſtruction, and did hinder the cauſe: but this could not the diuell foreſée. For God ſometime preſerueth thoſe that be his, and ſometime he leaueth them, ſo that they die: and ſo doth it oftentimes come to paſſe in things that may happen, either this waie, or that waie. For although the experience of ſpirits be verie great, yet is it not ſo great, but that they maie be deceiued. Vndoubtedlie the nimblenes of ſpirits is verie great, ſo that they can eaſilie perceiue and report what is doone in regions verie farre diſtant one from another: God reuoketh decred purpoſes.but yet oftentimes God reuoketh his purpoſed decrées. And if perhaps God command the diuell to waſt and deſtroie ſome region, and the people in the meane time doo repent; if the diuell foretell that the deſtruction ſhall come vponupon them, it muſt néeds be that he maketh a lie: for oftentimes when men begin to repent from their hart, God forgetteth all his threatenings. Theſe ſpirits doubtleſſe doo ſée and knowe the predictions of the prophets: but yet thoſe purpoſes, which God doth reueale by his prophets, may ſometimes be mitigated or changed. Eſaie propheſied that Ezechias ſhould die; Eſai. 38, 1, and 5.but yet when he humbled himſelfe, and earneſtlie repented, his life was prolonged for 15. yéeres: but that this ſhould come to paſſe, the diuell could neuer hauehave ſuſpected. Wherefore they may be deceiued; partlie bicauſe they knowe not the will of God, and partlie alſo bicauſe they cannot throughlie looke into our minds. But the good angels are not deceiued, bicauſe they referre all things to the will of God.

The diuell deceiued by ambition.Beſides this alſo, the diuell is oftentimes deceiued through ambition: for he will ſéeme to be ignorant of nothing; & therefore he doubteth not to foreſhew thoſe things which are far beyond his reach. For which cauſe he mingleth therewith colorable deceits & wiles, that whatſoeuer ſhould happen, he might ſéeme to hauehave ſpoken the truth. For he is a craftie and double dealing fellowe, as appeareth by theſe two oracles of his; The diuels double meaning.I ſaie that thou Aeacides the Romans conquer may. Againe, Craeſus being paſt ouer Halis floud, ſhall bring great riches vntounto naught. Rightlie therefore ſaid Eſaie in the 41. chapter; Let them tell vsus what ſhall happen, & we will ſaie that they be gods: not as though they tell not the truth ſometimes, but bicauſe they are oftentimes deceiued: Wherefore this doth Eſaie ſaie; Let them anſwere vsus certeinelie, and truelie, and alwaies, and without error, what ſhall come to paſſe; and we will account them for gods. But how fowlie the diuell may be deceiued, it chéefelie appeareth in Chriſt our ſauiour. Auguſtine in the ninth booke De ciuitate Dei, The knowledge that the diuell had of Chriſt.the 21. chapter ſaith, that The diuell knew and ſawe manie things to be woondered at in Chriſt, but he knew not with that holſome and quickening light, wherewith reaſonable ſpirits are clenſed; but onlie, by certeine experiments and temporall ſignes: & yet did he know him far better than men did. For he ſawe better and more néerelie, than any ſight of man can diſcerne, how much the acts of Chriſt did ſurpaſſe the power of nature. And yet that knowledge in the diuell did God repreſſe and darken, when it pleaſed him. And therefore the diuell doubted not to tempt Chriſt, which certeinlie he would not hauehave doone, Matth. 4, 3.if he had knowne Chriſt indéed. For that knowledge depended vponupon certeine temporall ſignes, which oftentimes may trouble a man. 1. Cor. 2, 8.Therefore Paule ſaid, If they had knowne the Lord of glorie, they would neuer hauehave crucified him.

But theſe words (you will ſaie) were ſpoken of Pilate, and of the chéefe préeſts. But that maketh no matter; for they were the organs and inſtruments of the diuell. And Iohn ſaith, that The diuell put into Iudas hart to betraie Chriſt. Luke. 22, 3.But what did let him (you wil ſay) that he might not perceiue the Godhead of Chriſt? I will tell you. Euen manie things, which in Chriſt ſéemed to be but poore, abiect and vile. For he ſuſpected, that he, which ſuffered ſuch infamous things, could not be God: and ſo it was but a ſuſpicion, and not a knowledge. But wherefore then did he perſecute Chriſt vntounto death? Bicauſe he did not think, that his kingdome ſhould by that meanes hauehave a fall: yet on the other ſide, when he ſaw that his tyrannie began to decline, & that his ouerthrowe was at hand, he thought to preuent it in time; and for that cauſe he ſent thoſe dreames vntounto Pilats wife, Mat. 27, 19. The dreams of Pilats wife.bicauſe he now ſuſpected that it was Chriſt. I might ſhew by other examples, how the diuell is woont to be deceiued; but I thought this one to be ſufficient for our purpoſe at this time. In déed he knoweth naturall things redilie inough, vnleſſe perhaps God will ſometimes blind him, and turne him awaie. For though he be ſtubborne and rebellious, yet is he in the hand and power of God. Moreouer, he is manie times let, The diuell deceiued through his owne malice and pride.through hatred, enuie, malice, and pride. And we hauehave experience in our owne ſelues, how much reaſon is woont to be obſcured by ſuch troubleſom affections, Herevnto alſo may be added the greatnes of torments, and the ſharpenes of puniſhments [wherwith he is vexed:] wherefore the angels are leſſe deceiued, bicauſe they ſée al things with a quiet mind.

18 But you will demand, Whether the ſpirits ſee the cogitations of men.whether they ſée the thoughts and cogitations of men? Here they that anſwere, are woont to make a double diſtinction. If we vnderſtand the mind to be, as it ſheweth it ſelfe by ſignes, and by ſome moouing & geſture of the bodie; ſo diuels can ſée the minds of men. For they which be in an anger, are hot; they which are afraid, are cold and pale. And Auguſtine ſaith, that All the cogitations of the mind hauehave ſome impreſſions in the bodie: by them the diuell can make his cōiecture, what we caſt in our mind. Now our eies are not ſo ſharp ſighted that they can ſée theſe things: yet the ſame Auguſtine in his booke of retractations, dooth after a ſort moderate this ſentence; and denieth that anie impreſſions ariſe in the bodie by quiet cogitations. But if we vnderſtand the verie mind, as it is of it ſelfe, the diuel cannot reach ſo far, as that he can vnderſtand what we deſire or thinke. But you will ſaie; Séeing mans vnderſtanding dependeth of phantaſies and forms, cannot the diuell perceiue them? Yes verelie; but whether our vnderſtanding be occupied in them, that he cannot ſée, much leſſe can he ſée what the will dooth determine of them. For the will dooth not followe thoſe forms & figures, but it followeth the vnderſtanding. Now if we will aſke counſell of the holie ſcriptures, they anſwere moſt plainelie, that the diuell cannot knowe mans cogitations. For they call God, The knower of harts; and ſaie, that He alone is the ſearcher of the harts & reines. Pſal. 7, 11.And they adde that None knoweth the ſecrets of man, 1. Cor. 2, 11.but the ſpirit of man that is within him; and that The ſpirit ſearcheth out euen the deepe myſteries of God. Séeing onlie God and man can ſée mans hart, the diuell muſt néeds be excluded.

And Salomon in the ſecond booke of Chronicles, the ſixt chap. in thoſe ſolemne praiers, verſe. 30.which he made after the finiſhing of the temple, ſpeaketh thus vntounto God; Thou onlie ô Lord knoweſt the thoughts of mans heart. As if he had ſaid, No man, no angels, nor any other thing created. And Ieremie; Ierem. 17, 9.Peruerſe (ſaith he) and very deepe is the hart of man: who is able to ſearch the bottome thereof? And of the perſon of God he addeth, I am God, which ſearcheth the heart and reines. Further, God will not worke togither with the diuell, ſo that the diuell alſo ſhould be able to ſée the cogitations and minds of men. And this is thought of ſome to be doone through the merciemercy of God. For if he could looke into the ſecret counſels of our harts, he would tempt vsus much more vehementlie. The author of the book De dogmatibus eccleſiasticis affirmeth for certeintie, Auguſtine De dogmatibus eccleſiasticis.that the diuell cannot knowe the thoughts of men. And Ierom vponupon the ninth chapter of Matthew expounding theſe words; verſe. 4.And Ieſus perceiuing their thoughts; by this (ſaith he) it is euident inough, that Chriſt is God; ſéeing he can reach euen vntounto the harts of men. By ſignes therefore, and outward tokens the diuell maie geſſe what we caſt in our minds; but to what end and purpoſe, and what we thinke, he cannot for certeintie vnderſtand. And out of doubt if he were ſure of the faith & conſtancie of holie men, he would neuer tempt them, leaſt he ſhould be ſhamefullie reiected, as it fell out in Iob.

19 Touching the knowledge which the diuell hath, By what meanes the ſpirits can giuegive anſwers.we hauehave ſpoken ſufficientlie. Now we muſt ſée by what meanes he is able to declare thoſe things, which he foreſéeth will com to paſſe; & there be diuers waies therof. For he hath oracles; fore-ſpeakings, dreams, ſuperſtitions, working by circles and pricks in the earth, diuinations on the water, necromancie, lots, ſoothſaiengs by birds & beaſts, and a number ſuch like. And theſe things he ſheweth vntounto men for no other end, but to obteine of them ſome offering & ſeruice. Which thing Seneca not vnderſtanding, in the fourth booke of his naturall queſtions ieſteth at certeine things, which ſéeme to ſerue for our purpoſe. For he ſaith, that Among the Cleons there was a cuſtome, that when they which were the obſeruers [of the comming] of haile, had perceiued by ſome cloud, that haile was readie to fall vponupon their vines, they ſhould diligentlie warne the people of the ſame: now they fled neither to cloke nor couer, but to ſacrifice. For they which were of ſome welth, killed either a cocke, or a white lambe: & thoſe of the poorer ſort which had neither cock nor lambe, vſed violence on themſelues, & with a very ſharp pointed knife let themſelues blood out of the thumb; as though forſooth (ſaith Seneca) that ſillie little bloud could rech vntounto the clouds. Theſe are his words; but (as I ſaie) he vnderſtood not the ambition of euill ſpirits.

20 Now we muſt conſider of the power of ſpirits, as touching thoſe works, Of the power and ſtrength of ſpirits.which ſéeme to be aboue nature. Some ieſt at all this matter, and thinke that nothing at all can be doone either by magicians or by ſpirits. And of this mind is Plinie in the thirtie book of his naturall hiſtorie, and the firſt chapter: for he ſaith, That art magike is vaine and vncerteine.that It is found by moſt euident reaſons, that all art magike is vaine, and hath neither any certeintie nor ſoundnes. For he ſheweth that Nero being a prince, as he gaue himſelfe to the ſtudie of ſinging and ruling of chariots; ſo he was deſirous of art magike, and that he wanted neither wit nor power, nor inſtructor. For that Tyridatis the king of Armenia, receiued his kingdome from him, and by his commandement brought verie learned magicians out of the eaſt; that Nero alſo as he was very diligent ſuffered himſelfe to be inſtructed, but that at the length all came to nothing. And this alſo may be ſaid of Iulian the apoſtata; for after that he had begun to giuegive himſelfe vntounto magicians, all things began to fall to ruine. If theſe ſo great princes, and (as it were) rulers of the world, could bring nothing to paſſe; what may we geſſe of other men? And yet the diuels muſt néeds hauehave obeied theſe two men moſt of all: for they were the moſt malicious enimies of chriſtian religion. But howſoeuer it be, there is no doubt but the diuels can doo manie things: howbeit, whie they would doo nothing for Nero and Iulians ſake, God onlie knoweth. For he will not hauehave the diuell to doo more, than he himſelfe permitteth and willeth him to doo; for the ſtrength of ſpirits, and their power of working, dependeth no leſſe vponupon God, than dooth their knowledge.

21 But that magicians can doo much, That magicians can doo manie things, it is prooued by the ſcripture. Exo. 22, 18. Gen. 20, 6. and 27, Deut. 18, 10.it may be prooued out of Gods lawe. For in the 42. chapter of Exodus, the 20. of Leuiticus, & in the 18. of Deuteronomie, it is commanded that The magicians, ſoothſaiers, and witches ſhould be puniſhed with extreamitie. The ſame thing alſo is decréed by mans lawe. For there is a caueat in the twelue tables, that none ſhould charme other mens fruits. Whereof Plinie likewiſe maketh mention; and ſo dooth Seneca in his booke of naturall queſtions. But lawes are not made but of things that be, and doo vſuallie come to paſſe. In the code De maleficis & mathematicis, there be many lawes extant concerning this thing: and eſpeciallie the lawe of Conſtantius; who without doubt was fellowe in the empire with Iulianus, & peraduenture his naughtines (for it is certeine that Iulian attributed much to ſuch follies) was touched in thoſe lawes, wherin it is thus decréed; If anie magician ſhall repaire to another mans houſe, let him be burned; he that brought him thither, let him be baniſhed into the ylands; let them be ſtriken with the ſword; let them be caſt vntounto the wild beaſts: they being ſuch as will diſturbe mankind. In the decrées, cauſ. 26. queſt. 5. beginning Nihil aliud agitur, among the Extrauagants, there is a ſpeciall title of ſorcerers: ſo manie lawes ſhould neuer hauehave béene made, vnleſſe it had béene knowen for certeintie, that magicians and witches are able to doo ſomewhat. And Dauid in the 58. pſalme, verſe, 5.ſaith, that The poiſon of them is like the poiſon of a ſerpent, and as [the venom] of a deafe adder ſtopping hir eare, which refuſeth to heare the voice of the inchanter or charmer, charme he neuer ſo wiſelie. Dauid by theſe words commendeth not inchantment; but yet vndoubtedlie he ſheweth, that there is a certeine power of inchanting.

In the 13. of Deuteronomium; If anie prophet ſhall doo ſignes and woonders, Deut. 13, 1.and would lead thee awaie to ſtrange gods: thou ſhalt not ſpare him, thy hand ſhall be vponupon him. And in the 24. chapter of Matthew; verſe, 24.There ſhall come falſe prophets, and falſe chriſts, and ſhall giuegive out ſignes, to turne, if it were poſſible, the verie elect into error. And Paule ſaith in the ſecond epiſtle to the Theſſalonians, that The comming of antichriſt ſhall be in power, 2. Theſ. 2, 9.in ſignes, and in lieng woonders. Alſo the hiſtories, as well holie as prophane, doo teach vsus this thing. In the hiſtorie of Iob, Iob. 1 and 2.the diuell brought downe fire from heauen, and deſtroied the heards of cattell. He raiſed vp the winds, and ſhooke the foure corners of the houſe, and cruſhed Iobs children in péeces. Matt. 8, 28. 31. and 32.In the goſpell we read, that manie were taken with diuels, throwne downe on the ground, tormented, and caſt into the fire. Other diuels, when they were manie, and yet poſſeſſed but one man, ſaid that They were a legion, and obteined leaue to be ſent into a heard of ſwine, Mat. 17, 15.which they droue headlong into the ſea. In the hiſtories of the Ethniks we read, that the image of fortune ſpake at two ſeuerall times; firſt that it was well or rightlie ſet vp; and ſecondlie that it was well worſhipped: that Tuccia the veſtall virgin, to cléere hir ſelfe from ſuſpicion of whoordome, caried water in a ſiue: that Claudia, for the ſame cauſe, when the ſhip (wherein the goddeſſe called Bona dea was carried) ſtacke ſo faſt in the ſands, that by any ſtrength of man it could not be mooued, ſhe with hir girdle onlie remooued and drew it to the ſhore: that a ſerpent followed Aeſculapius euen vntounto Rome. And Plini ſaith, that the oliue garden of Vectius Marcellus ſtarted ouer the high waie: & that growing corne did oftentimes by art magik flit from one place to another. Actius Nauius did cut a whetſtone in ſunder with a barbours raſor. What néedeth manie words? It were an infinit thing to ſhew all that might be ſaid of this matter. And to ſaie that all theſe things are but fables, (eſpeciallie ſéeing ſome ſuch things appeare vntounto vsus out of the holie ſcriptures) it ſhould be too impudent a part.

22 But to the intent we may kéepe ſome method, we will thus diſtinguiſh this power. The power of ſpirits is diſtinguiſhed.Thoſe things which ſéeme to be doone, be either doone indéed; or elſe they are but feigned by illuſion. In thoſe things which be doon in verie déed, as they ſéeme to be; there are thrée things attributed vntounto ſpirits. Firſt, that they can gather togither the principles & beginnings of things, out of which they know ſomthing may be made; and then can compound one with an other, and ioine togither things that worke, with things that ſuffer: further, that they can mooue & driue ſome things: laſtlie, that they can put on bodies, & in them be familiarlie conuerſant with men. Firſt, that they doo gather togither the principles of things, and applie them vntounto a matter; They gather the principles of things, and applie them to a matter.Auguſtine teſtifieth, both in his booke De ciuitate Dei, and alſo in his third booke De trinitate, the ſeuenth and eight chapters. By this meanes they worke things of great woonder and admiration; and yet we ſée onlie the effects: for the way and meanes whereby they are doone, we cannot perceiue. But thoſe miracles, which be doone by God, or by godlie men, in the name of Chriſt, hauehave no néed of anie ſuch labour. No verelie, nor yet thoſe things which be doone by euill men, in the name and power of Chriſt, néed anie ſuch means: onlie the diuell ſéeketh thoſe waies. They can doo no more than God giueth leaue.And yet, euen in thoſe things he can doo nothing, more than God giueth him leaue: for he cannot doo all things at his owne libertie.

To make this matter plaine, Auguſtine (mée thinketh) dooth vſe an apt ſimilitude; A ſimilitude.We ſée that euill and wicked men, and ſuch as are condemned to worke in the mines, hauehave the vſe of fire and hammers; and yet not to the end they ſhould mar them, but that they might applie them to ſome vſe: euen ſo, the diuell cannot doo ſo much as he would, but ſo much as God giueth him libertie to doo. The ſelfe-ſame muſt we thinke concerning that power, wherby the diuell driueth and mooueth anie thing. For if he might be ſuffered to hauehave his owne will, he would diſturbe the whole earth & the heauens. And therefore thoſe magicians of Pharao, Exod. 8, 7. and 19.when they had brought foorth frogs, and had turned the water into bloud; yet afterward they failed in bringing foorth lice. Not that it was ſo hard a thing to make lice, but bicauſe God did hinder them; and therefore they were conſtrained to crie out; This is the finger of God. Thoſe men were called magicians, and therefore they vſed ſuch kind of meanes. But Moſes néeded no ſuch meanes, although he brought to paſſe much greater and more maruellous things; Plinie an aduerſarie of Chriſts religion.for he was no magician: although that Plinie the perpetuall aduerſarie of religion thought him ſo to be. For in his 30. booke the ſecond chapter, He held Moſes for a magician.when he had ſaid that there be diuers waies & kinds of magike, he ſaith that there was one kind proper vntounto the Iewes, & that the ſame was firſt begun by Moſes, Iambes, & Iatopas. In which place I thinke that Plinie not onelie erred in the thing, but alſo in the name; 2. Tim. 3, 8. Exod. 7, 12.and that he called him Iatopas, whom Paule to Timothie named Iambres.

How the rods of the magicians were changed into ſerpents, it is not throughlie agréed vponupon among the fathers. Strabus and Tertullian in his booke De anima, How the magicians rods were turned into ſerpents.thinke that it was nothing but a deceiuing of the ſight; the rods being priuilie conueied awaie, and ſerpents put in their places. Euen as the poets faine, that Iphigenia being readie to be ſacrificed, was taken frō the ſight of men, and a hind put in hir place: but in very déed it is credible, that they were ſerpents; bicauſe the diuels were not ignorant of what beginnings & principles ſerpents might be made: & that they could preſently bring to pas thoſe things, which otherwiſe would hauehave required a long time. For although we (ſaith Auguſtine) cannot ſée that ſtrength and power, which remaineth in the originall of euerie thing; yet the diuels doo ſée it. For he ſaith that in Epyrus there is a well, wherein torches lighted are put foorth, and vnlight torches are lighted: the principles and beginnings of that effect are in that well, The diuell is no creator, but a miniſter of nature to make things. A ſimilitude.although we cannot ſée them. And yet we ſaie not here, that the diuell dooth either create or make ſuch things; but onlie that he is a miniſter ſeruing vntounto nature. Euen ſo the huſbandman, when he tilleth and ſoweth the ground; and the gardener, when he pruneth and delueth a vine, doo not create the corne or wine, but onlie doo helpe nature. Gen. 30, 37.So Auguſtine ſaith, that Iacob did not bring foorth the colour vponupon the ſhéepe; but did onlie rightlie applie the forms & ſhapes. And to take an exāple euen of ſpirituall things, the miniſters of the church doo not iuſtifie anie man, or forgiue anie man his ſinnes; but are onlie miniſters, by whoſe indeuour God bringeth theſe things to paſſe; I planted (ſaith Paule) and Apollo watered, 1. Cor. 3, 6.but God it is that gaue the increaſe.

23 But it ſéemeth woonderfull, how they can ſo ſpéedilie bring theſe things to paſſe. How they worke theſe things ſo ſuddenlie.For whether they hauehave ſwift bodies, or no bodies at all; yet to bring foorth anie naturall thing, it would ſéeme to require a time. Howbeit, we muſt conſider, that theſe [ſéeds or] beginnings of naturall things, be as it were inſtruments; and they hauehave ſome power of their owne nature. A ſimilitude.But it maketh a great matter into whoſe hands they doo happen; for a ſkilfull artificer will worke anie thing both handſomlie and ſpéedilie: but giuegive the ſame inſtruments vntounto an ignorant and vnſkilfull man, and he will doo it neither redilie nor yet verie handſomelie: euen ſo anie ſpirit, as a ſkilfull artificer, will bring more to pas in one minut, than by the accuſtomed order of nature can be wrought in a long time. For thoſe chéefe originals are not to be weighed in their owne nature; although that euen by nature we ſée ſome things to be made in a manner vponupon the ſudden. As in the ſummer time, of a ſhower of raine, little frogs doo ſuddenlie ariſe: but yet therein indéed, there is admitted ſome ſpace of time though it be but ſhort. So theſe vagabond iuglers ſéeme to deuoure bread, and immediatlie to ſpit out meale; and when they hauehave droonke wine, they ſéeme preſentlie to powre the ſame againe out of the middeſt of their forehed. And if there can be ſuch a readines and dexteritie of dooing in man, why ſhall it not much rather be attributed vntounto ſpirits? For in a ſpirit there is much more nimblenes than in a man. Wherefore the ſpirits doo not bring foorth theſe things of themſelues: for ſo ſhould they beget a kind like vntounto themſelues; as of a man is brought foorth a man; of a horſe, is brought foorth a horſe. But a ſpirit dooth not bring foorth a ſpirit: but as I ſaid, dooth take the principal originals of things, and applieth them vntounto a matter, and ſo bringeth woonderfull things to paſſe.

But how far the nature of things may procéed, it is hard to iudge. The diuell bridled two maner of waies.Wherefore the diuell is bridled two waies: the firſt is, by the bounds of nature; the ſecond is, by the will of God. So the diuell may bring in plague, famine, and ſores: for he knoweth of what cauſes and beginnings theſe things be made. For he afflicted Iob, Iob. 1, & 2. Pſal. 7, 49.and brought plagues and puniſhments by euill angels. And Chriſt ſaith, that the diuell bound the daughter of Abraham by the ſpace of fortie yéeres. Luk. 13, 16.And this alſo the good angels doo ſometimes; for the angel of the Lord in one night ouerthrew the hoſt of Senacherib, 2. kin. 19, 35.and brought in a plague in the time of king Dauid: 2. Sam. 25, verſe. 17.& Dauid himſelfe ſawe the angel of God ſtriking the people in [the threſhing flower of] Areuna. But thoſe things, which go altogither beyond nature, as to raiſe the dead, to change men into beaſts, are onelie deluſions, of which we are to ſpeake afterward.

24 Now, as touching the other parts; The diuell can driue forward ſom things.namelie that the diuell can mooue and driue foreward ſome things, there is no doubt thereof. For ſéeing the ſoule, which is tied much more vntounto the bodie, than a ſpirit is, can mooue & gouerne the bodie; aſſuredlie the diuell can much rather doo it. This appeareth ſufficientlie by fiers, and tempeſts ſo often raiſed by the diuell: and by that ſhip of Claudia, and by the flitting of the oliue garden and féeld of corne; of which things we ſpake before. It is ſaid, that when Aſcanius had caried awaie the houſhold gods from Lauinium vntounto Alba, they returned backe againe of themſelues into their owne chappell at Lauinium. Beſides this, ſpirits doo ſomtimes hurle ſtones. And theſe magicians, which ſéeme to ride on a cane in the aire, are kept or held aloft by a ſecret power of diuels; and by the ſame power Simon Magus did flie in the aire.

Spirits put bodies on themſelues.25 Laſtlie, they alſo put bodies on themſelues. Neither is it to be doubted, but that the diuell being a ſpirit, can perſe through the ſoundeſt and maſſieſt bodies. Looke after in the 12. ch. art. 5. Gen. 3, 1. Num. 22, 28By this meanes he dooth oftentimes conueigh himſelfe into images; he ſpake in the ſerpent, he looſed the toong of the aſſe. Hée alſo taketh vponupon him euen the bodies of men, either liuing or dead; he vexeth and tormenteth them, How they ioine to thē ſelues bodies.and hindereth their naturall works. He obſerueth oftentimes the courſe of the moone, to the intent (as Ierom ſaith) that he may ſlander that planet, or rather to watch for the abounding of humors, whereby he may the more gréeuouſlie diſquiet the bodie. Somtimes he putteth on an airie bodie; but that he dooth not forme or quicken, as the ſoule dooth our bodie: neither dooth he make it to paſſe into one ſubſtance with himſelfe, as did the word of GOD with an humane bodie: for diuels can put off thoſe bodies when they will, for they be in them (as the Schoolmen ſpeake) definitelie; What is to be anie where definitelie.that is, they be in them, ſo that they be not anie where elſe. God in verie déed in the old teſtament, preſented himſelfe ſomtime to be ſéene in ſome forme; but hée was not definitelie in the ſame: for he was ſo preſent there, as he notwithſtanding in the meane time was euerie-where elſe. But the diuell (as ſaith Auguſtine) fitteth vntounto himſelfe ſome bodie as it were a garment. And Chryſoſtome writing of the patience of Iob, ſaith, that He which brought tidings of the fall of the houſe, Iob. 1, 18.and deſtruction of his familie and cattell, was not a man, but a ſpirit. For if thou wert a man (ſaith he) how diddeſt thou knowe that the wind came from the wilderneſſe? Or if thou wert there, how happeneth it, that thou wert not deſtroied with the reſt?

They take to themſelues airie bodies.A good part of the writers thinke, that the ſpirits doo frame themſelues bodies of the aire: for that there muſt be a certeine Sympathia, or mutuall agréement betwéene the place and the inhabitants thereof, and that the diuels (as wée hauehave ſaid before) hauehave their habitation in the aire: wherfore it is credible, that they applie vntounto themſelues fit bodies of the aire. Further they adde, that it behooueth that the bodies of them ſhould be light and nimble; for ſpirits (as Tertullian ſaith) be as it were fowles, and doo moſt ſwiftlie flie ouer all places. Beſides this they adde, that experience teacheth, that thoſe bodies be airie; for that there had béene ſome men, which indeuoured ſometime to cut and wound them, but yet they could not preuaile: for they gaue place to the blowes, and ſtraitway came togither againe. Wherefore the poet Virgil trimlie pronounced [of Anchyſes, which miſſing his wife in the flight of Troie, ſéeming to him that he ſawe hir ſpirit, ſaid;]

Three times about hir necke I ſought mine armes to ſet, and thriſe

In vaine hir likenes fast I held: for through my hands ſhe flies,

Like wauering wind; or like to dreames, that men full ſwift espies.

Moreouer, theſe bodies doo ſoone vaniſh from the ſight; but and if they were earthie, there would remaine ſome maſſie ſubſtance; if they were waterie, they would run abroad; if they were of fire, they would burne, and might not be handeled. But the ſpirits doo thicken and engroſſe theſe bodies, by ſtrait truſſing of the parts togither; for otherwiſe they might not be ſéene or touched. Abraham ſawe angels, Gen. 18, 2.and waſhed their féete, ſet meate before them, and they alſo did eate.

26 Howbeit, Whether they be bodies, or but imaginations.ſome thinke that thoſe are no bodies, but are onlie certeine imaginations in the minds of men. But others anſwer, that that cannot generallie be true; for that they, which be mocked by ſuch viſions, are depriued of their ſenſes. But neither is this certeine; for they that hauehave the phrenſie, are ſo deceiued manie times, and yet they can vſe their ſenſes. For they feare, they run awaie, they be troubled in ſpirit, and they crie out. Others ſaie, that they be no phantaſies, bicauſe they be ſéene of a great multitude of men togither; now it is hard to deceiue a great manie togither. For angels were ſéene of the whole houſholds of Lot and Abraham. Gen. 19, 1.But the holie ſcriptures prooue, That they were true bodies.without all doubt, that theſe were not vaine imaginations onlie: for the diuell did in verie déed enter into the ſerpent, to the intent he might entice Eue to be deceiued. Which thing the curſe, Gen. 3, 1. Ibid. 14.wherewith the ſerpent was curſed, dooth ſufficientlie declare; VponUpon thy bellie ſhalt thou crall, and the ſeed of the woman ſhall tread downe thy head. For that is true, not onlie as touching Chriſt and the diuell; but alſo as touching men and the ſerpent. And further (as I ſaid before) the angels offered themſelues to be ſéene of Abraham and of Lot.

Neither were theſe anie phantaſies, for the angels were handled with the hands: and when Lot made ſome delaie of departing out of Sodom, Gen. 13, 21.they in a manner drew him out of the citie by force. The Iewes in the daie-time ſawe a ſmoke, and in the night-time a flame. So often as they were to take their iournie, there entred in a ſpirit which moued thoſe things. For as the light of the ſunne doth pearſe the water, the clouds, and the aire: ſo a ſpirit pearſeth through all things. Exo. 19, 16.When the lawe was giuen vponupon Sina, there were ſéene both lightenings, ſmokes, vapours, and fires: alſo, the land was ſhaken with earthquakes. When Chriſt aſcended into heauen, the angels accompanied him: for they both offered themſelues to be ſéene, and ſpake alſo vntounto the diſciples; Acts. 1, 10.Yee men of Galile, why ſtand yee gazing vp vntounto heauen? Wherefore it were an impudent part to ſaie, that all theſe things were onlie imaginations, and deceiuings of the mind. Yea, and the Peripatetiks did neuer ſo ſaie, that theſe are onlie vaine images, and fained ſhewes in mans imagination. They rather inuented other reaſons; namelie, [that they be] humors, ſecret powers of nature, and celeſtiall bodies. An obiection. 2. Theſſ. 2, 9.Why then (thou wilt alledge) doth Paule ſaie to the Theſſalonians, that Antichriſt ſhall come in power, in woonders, and ſignes of lieng? For if they be true things, how commeth it to paſſe then, that they be ſignes of lieng? I anſwere, that they may be called lies, either of the cauſe (for the diuell being authour of them, is a lier:) Ibidem. 10, and 11.or elſe of the end, for he ſhall make them, to the end he may deceiue men. And aſſuredlie, the wicked are woorthie ſo to be deceiued and mocked. The wicked are worthie to be deceiued.For euen as Paule ſaith, Bicauſe they receiued not the louelove of the truth, God ſhall ſend them ſtrong deluſions. Euen ſo in the apoſtles time, 1. Cor. 5, 5.men were deliuered to ſathan. But ſometimes theſe things be done, to ſhew the mightie power of God, for ſéeing the power of the diuell is ſo great; it is requiſit that the power of God, whereby he is brideled and ruled, ſhould be much greater. But it is our part to giuegive God continuall thanks, by whoſe onlie benefit we are defended from the diuell. Wherefore theſe bodies, which the ſpirits doo applie vntounto themſelues, be airie. For euen as water is congealed into yſe, and ſometime hardneth till it become chriſtall: euen ſo the aire, wherwith ſpirits doo cloth themſelues, is thickned, ſo that it becommeth a viſible bodie; but if it may ſéeme, that the aire alone is not ſufficient, they can alſo mingle ſome vapour or water withall, whereof colours may be had. For this we ſée to be done in the rainbowe, as ſaith Virgil;

The rainebowe downe did come with ſiluer wings of dropping ſhowers,

Whoſe face a thouſand ſundrie hewes against the ſunne deuoures.

27 There is no néed at all to attribute vntounto diuels and angels thoſe vitall parts; namelie, the lungs, hart, and liuer: for they doo not therefore put on bodies, to the end they may quicken them, but onlie that they may be ſéene, and therefore they vſe them as inſtruments. How the angels and ſpirits doo eate. Luke. 24, 43.But thou wilt ſaie that they doo eate, and that Chriſt, when he was riſen from death, did eate with his diſciples. Auguſtine in his 94 epiſtle Ad Deo gratias, quaest. 1. ſaith, that In Chriſt that eating was of no neceſſitie, but of power, and he vſeth this ſimilitude. For in one ſort (ſaith he) doth the earth ſucke vp waters, and in another ſort the ſunne-beames; A ſimilitude.the earth of neceſſitie, but the ſunne by a certaine ſtrength and power: euen ſo (ſaith he) the bodies raiſed vp from death, if they could not take meate, they ſhould not be perfectlie happie. Againe alſo, if they ſhould hauehave néed of it, they ſhould be vnperfect: wherefore in that Chriſt did eate, it was not of neceſſitie, but of power; and he did eate with his diſciples, leaſt they ſhould hauehave thought that their eies were deceiued: and ſo we ſaie, that the angels alſo and ſpirits do eate.

Yea but (thou wilt ſaie) euen this is a deceipt, when as they will ſéeme to be men, being no men. I anſwere; Good ſpirits doo not deceiue, for they come not to prooue themſelues to be men, but to declare the commandements of God. *Note. A lie is alwaies ioined with a mind to deceiue.Now a lie is alwaies ioined with a mind to deceiue: but in the end, they ſufficientlie ſhew themſelues by ſome token, to be angels; for they vaniſh awaie, and ſuddenlie withdrawe themſelues out of ſight. Wherefore, they inſtruct men two manner of waies; firſt, in that they ſhew the commandements of God; ſecondlie, bicauſe they declare their owne nature. And this we knowe was done by thoſe angels which were ſéene of Gedeon and Manoah. Iud. 6.But euill ſpirits firſt doo teach falſe things, and doo leade vsus from God; ſecondlie, they will alſo ſéeme to be terrible, and of far greater power, than they be indéed, and promiſe that they will either giuegive or doo manie things: neither doo they onelie change themſelues into men, 2. Cor. 11, 14but alſo into angels of light. And thus hauehave we ſpoken ſufficientlie of theſe thrée parts [cōcerning the power of ſpirits.]

28 Now fourthlie there remaineth to ſpeake of the illuſion of the ſenſes. Spirits begile the outward ſenſesAnd the ſenſes may be deceiued many waies; firſt by a certeine nimblenes and dexteritie, which we ſée to be doone of them, whom we commonlie call iugglers. For they find the meanes that one thing ſéemes to be an other thing, and that without anie helpe of ſpirits. Secondlie, they deceiue alſo by vſing of certeine natural things; as metals or perfumes, wherby it is brought to paſſe, that a parlour may ſéeme to be ſtrowed ouer with ſerpents, or that men ſéeme to hauehave dogs heads, or aſſes heads. Of theſe waies or means of illuſions we doo not ſpeake now in this place. But the diuell, to beguile the ſenſes, The diuell vſeth to beguile by things conſiſting in nature.ſometime vſeth things conſiſting in nature; namelie, to mingle colours or forms, and to alter the quantities of things: for ſo things doo ſéeme far otherwiſe than they be. Otherwhile he putteth ſome bodie vponupon him, and ſo ſetteth himſelfe before mens eies. Otherwhile he darkeneth the meane, ſo that a thing may ſéeme greater than it is: or elſe he putteth a cloud or miſt betwéene, that it may not be ſéene at all. And ſuch a like thing that ſéemeth to be, which Plato mentioneth of Gyges; and Virgil of Aeneas. Sometime he altereth the inſtrument of the ſenſes, caſting ouer the eies bloudie humors, A ſimilitude.that all things may ſéeme bloudie. So in ſick men, when choler aboundeth in the toong, all things ſéeme bitter. Sometime he dazeleth the eieſight, and ſtriketh men with ſuch blindnes, that they cannot ſée one whit; as once he did by the Sodomits, Gen. 19, 11.when they would hauehave broken perforce into the houſe of Lot. So Elizeus blinded the aduerſaries hoſt, when he led the ſame into Samaria.2. king. 6, 18.

Alſo he can beguile the ſenſes after another ſort; which that we may vnderſtand, we muſt know that of thoſe things, which by ſenſe are conceiued, He laieth images before the ſenſe or phantaſie.there ariſe certeine images, and doo come vntounto the ſenſes, afterward are receiued vntounto the common ſenſe; then after that, vntounto the phantaſie; laſt of all vntounto the memorie; and there are preſerued: and that they be imprinted and grauen in euerie of theſe parts, as it were in waxe. Wherefore when theſe images are called backe from the memorie vntounto the phantaſie, or vntounto the ſenſes; they beare backe with them the verie ſame ſeales, and doo ſo ſtronglie ſtrike & mooue affection, that thoſe things ſéeme euen now to be ſenſible perceiued, and to be preſent. For ſo great may the power of the phantaſie be, (as Ariſtotle teacheth in his booke De ſomno & vigilia) that thoſe things which be far off, a man may thinke that he dooth moſt certeinlie ſée and touch them. By the power of the phantaſie a man may thinke he ſeeth that which he ſeeth not.Theſe things doo ſometime happen vntounto men that be awake; as for example, vntounto men poſſeſſed, and vntounto the frantike; and ſomtimes alſo vntounto men that be aſléepe. Wherefore that which is doone by naturall meanes, the ſame alſo may be doone by the diuell. For he can call backe the images of things from the memorie vntounto the phantaſie, The diuell and angels can call things back from the memorie to the ſenſe.or vntounto the ſenſe, and ſo deceiue the eies of men.

And this thing not onlie can the euill ſpirits doo, but alſo the good angels. For it is likelie, that they did ingraue in the phantaſies of the prophets, thoſe things which God would reueale. But betwéene the good angels and the bad there is much difference. The difference in this matter betweene the good angels and the bad.For when as anie thing is imprinted by good angels, the light of nature is confirmed: but if it be doone by euill ſpirits, it is troubled and confounded. The difference is partlie in the end, & partlie in the things themſelues. For as touching the end, a good angel wil rightlie inſtruct men, and propoundeth things that be pure and vncorrupt but euil angels doo not teach but deceiue, and doo laie before vsus counterfeit, vnpure, and corrupt things. Theſe things we ſée happened in the hiſtorie of Saule. 1 Sam. 28, 13. and 14.For the diuell by his art called backe the humors from the memorie to the phantaſie and ſenſe; ſo that the ſéelie witch thought ſhe ſaw Samuel himſelfe; & Saule thought that he had heard him ſpeake. For that action was not naturall, neither was it directed either by temeritie or by chance. For there was no reaſon at all whie Samuel, rather than anie other man, ſhould fall into the imaginatiō of that witch. He muſt néeds be his crafts-maiſter, or verie cunning that framed theſe things in hir phantaſie and ſenſes.

And vndoubtedlie, there is no néed whie we ſhould thinke, that there be brought in by the diuell or by an angell freſh and new forms, They bring in no new forms.for they vſe ſuch as be preſent. While we ſléepe, we fall into dreames: which ſometime the good angels, ſometime the bad doo ioine and couple one with another, that ſomething may be ſignified by them. They cannot bring to paſſe by any power, that he which is borne blind ſhould dreame of colours, or he which is borne deafe ſhould dreame of ſounds: for there be no ſuch images in their minds. But it may be doubted, that when the ſpirits doo laie theſe images before vsus, whether we be conſtrained of neceſſitie to thinke vponupon them or no. Thoſe that be awake, Whether we be compelled to think of the forms brought in.are not conſtrained therevnto; for the exerciſe of the mind dependeth on the will, and that cannot be compelled. Wherefore the ſafeſt waie is, continuallie to exerciſe our ſelues either in the holie ſcriptures, or in praiers; neither is there anie thing better, than to reuoke the mind dailie from humane affaires vntounto diuine things; that whenſoeuer the diuel approcheth vntounto vsus, he may (as Ierom ſaith) find vsus alwaies occupied.

29 With illuſions, old women ſpeciallie can doo verie much. Such as are Canidia in Horace, and Gratidia in Iuuenal. Of the Grecians they were called Empuſae, Lamiae, Mormolyciae, Scriges. Of the Lamiae writeth Duris, Of Lamiae Empuſae and ſuch like.in his ſecond booke of the matters of Lybia; he ſaith that Lamia was an excéeding faire woman, and the concubine of Iupiter; which thing Iuno taking verie gréeuouſlie, ſhe both killed the ſonne, which Iupiter had by hir, and alſo diſfigured hir in moſt ſhamefull guiſe: now ſhée being not able to abide or beare ſo great an iniurie, firſt began to be furious; and ſecondlie to kill other mens children alſo. Further he ſaith, that there be of thoſe kinde of women in the gulfe of the ſandie ſea in Lybia, and that thoſe which hauehave ſuffered ſhipwracke, ſticking faſt in the quick-ſands, are foorthwith taken, and deuoured by them.

Ieremie in the fourth chapter of his lamentations ſaith, that the Lamiae diſcouered their breaſts, for they hauehave verie faire breaſts. Albeit in the Hebrue it is written Lilith, about which word the Rabbins doo verie much trifle. Of the Empuſae, Lamiae, and Mormolyciae, Philoſtratus writeth in the life of Apollonius Tyanaeus; for he duplicate page duplicate page ſaith, that whereas a certeine yoong man was allured to marriage by a woman (as ſhe ſéemed) both verie faire and rich, and who alreadie ſo burned in the louelove of hir, that he would in anie wiſe take hir to his wife; Apollonius being inuited to the wedding ſupper, did foorthwith vnderſtand the deceipt, and ſaid: This is one of thoſe Empuſae, which manie men take to be the Lamiae and Mormolyciae, and ſo conſtreined hir to confeſſe what ſhe was, and foorthwith all that gorgeouſnes of gold and ſiluer vaniſhed into coles. Now all ſuch, as well men as women, doo excéedinglie follow fleſhlie luſts. Wherefore the Satyri are ſo called of Sati, Wherof Satyrs tooke their name.that is to ſaie, of the priuie members. And Incubi and Succubi, and Ephialtes of Inſiliendo. Although with the phyſicians Ephialtes is a diſeaſe, Ephialtes a diſeaſe.procéeding of the cruditie of the ſtomach, and the troubling of the head, whereby men thinke themſelues to be preſſed with an intollerable burthen, and to be in a maner choked, and therefore the Grecians call it foreign, that is, A choking ſpirit [and we, the mare] but of the diſeaſe we doo not now ſpeake.

Of the Incubi and Succubi.Of the Incubi and Succubi, Auguſtine writeth manie things in his 80. booke De ciuitate Dei. There were certaine nations which fetched their originall from them. Alſo the poets write of their gods, that they were wanton, and ſuch as ſometime vſed the companie of men. But women witches, Women and men ſorcerers in their ſleepe receiued manie pleaſures of the diuels.and men ſorcerers, to the intent they might allure theſe ſpirits vntounto them, were woont to annoint themſelues all ouer with ſome ointment, which had the propertie to bring in a dead ſléepe: afterward, they would laie themſelues downe vponupon their bed, where they ſlept ſo ſoundlie, that they could not be awaked, neither with the pricking of pinnes, nor yet with fires. In the meane time, while they thus ſlept, the diuels ſet before them manie pleaſant bankets, danſes, and all kind of voluptuous pleaſures. And ſéeing the power of ſpirits is ſo great, as I hauehave before deſcribed; there is no let, but that they may ſometimes take vp men, and carie them into groues, and there ſet ſuch ſights before them. Simon Magus.For Simon Magus could flie in the aire, but at the praier of Peter, he ſuddenlie fell downe from aloft. And the Cardinall De Turre Cremata, in the decrées, 26. queſtion 5, in the Chapter Epiſcopi ſaith, that both may be done.

And if hapned once, that a certaine man, which delighted very much in the ſtudie of ſuch things, being ſuddenlie taken from his houſe, was ſet in a verie delectable place, where after he had all the night beheld pleaſant danſes, and had his fill of daintie fare, the next morning, when all theſe things were vaniſhed awaie, he ſawe himſelfe to ſticke faſt in the thornes among moſt thicke buſhes and briers: and although it ſéemed vntounto him before, that he had eaten, yet the miſerable wretch died then for hunger. And theſe ſpirits are mooued not onlie vntounto fleſhlie luſt, but alſo vntounto crueltie; for they come into houſes in the likenes of cats and dogs, and doo either kill, or elſe deſpoile children, and therefore Horace ſaith; Or elſe he plucketh a liue child out of the bellie of the Lamia, when ſhe hath dined. The diuell therefore can thus beguile men, either when they be in a ſound ſléepe, or elſe he can put ſome bodie vponupon him, and ſo bring theſe things to paſſe: howbeit hurt he cannot, The diuell can hurt no further than God permitteth.but onlie ſo much as God permitteth, who ſometimes permitteth children to be ſlaine for ſome grieuous ſin of the parents. Some are brought vntounto that crueltie, that they kill children, bicauſe they thinke that their ſoules ſhall paſſe into ſpirits, and that they ſhall be ſubiect vntounto them. So we reade in the Commentaries of Clement, that Simon Magus killed men, and vſed their ſoules as his ſeruants. Sometime diuels ſhew themſelues like giants, or as ſome mightie warriors; and it is no maruell, for they can faſhion themſelues bodies of the aire, and ſo beguile mens ſenſes. They can raiſe vp tempeſts and deſtroie all things: The diuels raiſe vp tempeſts. Iob. 1. Apoc. 8, 7.and this doo we read to be done in the hiſtorie of Iob. And in the Apocalypſe, power is giuen vntounto the ſpirits, to deſtroie corne and trées; but afterward, they be reſtrained, that they ſhould not hurt.

It is reported that certaine people called Lapones in Norwaie, A people called Lapones.hauehave great familiaritie with ſpirits, and that whereas they hauehave thrée knots tied vponupon their beards, if they vnloſe one, there will follow a great tempeſt vponupon the ſea; if another, the waues will ariſe yet more vehementlie; if they vndoo the third, it will fare as heauen and earth ſhould go together, and an vndoubted ſhipwracke doth followe. Auguſtine in his 18. booke De ciuitate Dei, the ninth chapter, when he had rehearſed that fable, how there had bin once a controuerſie betwéene Pallas and Neptune, which of them ſhould giuegive name vntounto the citie of Athens, and that when the men were on Neptunes ſide; and the women with their Pallas, and that the women had ouercome the men by one voice, Neptune being angrie, cauſed the waues to ariſe, A part of Athens territorie drowned.and drowne a great part of the territorie of Athens. This (I ſaie) when Auguſtine had recited, he added, that the diuell might doo the ſame, and that ſometime he can raiſe vp the flouds, and ſometime repreſſe them. If I would reckon vp all [that might be ſpoken hereof] it ſhould be infinite, let it be ſufficient that I hauehave thus ſhortlie touched the generall things themſelues.

VVhether it be lawfull to aske counſell of the Diuell, and to vſe his helpe.

30 Now muſt we conſider of that, which we ſet downe in the third place; namelie, whether it be lawfull to aſke counſell of ill ſpirits, or to vſe their helpe. Firſt indéed it ſéemeth to be lawfull; for God vſeth the labour of diuels: why then ſhould it not be lawfull for vsus? And Paule deliuered men vntounto ſathan; 1. Cor. 5, 5.and therefore it is lawfull for vsus alſo to vſe the miniſterie of ſpirits. Here we muſt make a diſtinction. For we vſe ſpirits either by authoritie & commandement, as when we command them anie thing in the name of God: or elſe by acquaintance, felowſhip, couenant, obedience, or praiers. God beareth rule ouer the diuels, Matt. 17, 18. Acts. 16, 18.and Chriſt and the apoſtles commanded that they ſhould go out of the bodies poſſeſſed; Why it is not lawfull to vſe the helpe of diuels.but to require or expect anie thing of them vponupon anie couenant or bargaine, that is not lawfull; for it is idolatrie. And the diuell ſéeketh nothing more, than to lead vsus from God, to the worſhipping of him. Herevnto alſo tendeth cuſtoms, ceremonies, and ſacrifices: by this meanes men fall from God vntounto the diuell. Further, they which doo theſe things, doo ſinne againſt themſelues; for we neuer read that the end of theſe arts was good: whereof wretched Saule may be an example and inſtruction vntounto vsus. Sam. 28, 19.The diuell indéed feigneth himſelfe to be compelled, and to be bound by little ſtones or rings: howbeit the ſame compulſion is onelie a voluntarie and deceitfull compulſion: he feigneth, as though hée would caſt out another ſpirit, but it is nothing. For the ill ſpirits doo but dallie one with another to deceiue men. None of vsus would commit our dooings to a man, whom we knowe to be full of fraud and trecherie. Now the diuell is not onelie a lier, but euen the father of lies.

Exorciſmes in y^e church.Truth indéed it is, that there were certeine exorciſmes or adiurations in the church, wherof Irenaeus, Tertullian, Auguſtine, and Euſebius make mention: Looke part. 4, chap. 9, art. 7.but theſe were ſpeciall gifts for that age, & dured but for a time: now they be taken awaie. But thou wilt ſaie; The Hebrues had coniurers, & Salomon wrote exorciſmes. Salomons exorciſmes.I knowe that Ioſephus in his eight booke of antiquities writeth, that Salomon did ſo, to driue awaie ill ſpirits, and to maintaine the health of man. He deſcribeth alſo the meanes whereby thoſe things might be doone; namelie, that vnderunder the broad part of a ring, there was a little root, and that the ſame being applied to the noſtrils of a man poſſeſſed, the ill ſpirit was foorthwith expelled. But herewith he writeth, that Salomon vſed alſo certeine praiers and holie names; and that one Eleazar being a man ſkilfull in theſe things, made demonſtration of his cunning before Veſpaſian, and his ſonnes Titus and Domitian; and at the commandement of Veſpaſian wrought ſo, that a ſpirit at his comming foorth of a man, ouerthrew a baſen full of water, which was there ſet for the purpoſe: and he ſaith, that he ſawe all theſe things. In verie déed I dare not denie the hiſtorie, but yet I thinke good to anſwere one of theſe two waies: either that God would for a time beſtowe ſuch a benefit vponupon the Iſraelites, (which notwithſtanding we hauehave not read) or els that Salomon did theſe things when he was now departed from the true God, and had begun to worſhip the gods of the Gentils. That ſuch exorciſts indéed were vntill the apoſtles time, it appéereth by that hiſtorie of the children of S…eua, Acts. 19, 13.which is written in the Acts.

Howbeit exorciſmes muſt not be vſed, but onlie by them which are ſure, that they be indued with that grace. But yet there be certeine, which hauehave the name without the grace: theſe doo vſe inuocations by names, merits, and reliks of ſaints. For this dooth the diuell ſéeke, euen to intangle the people with ſuperſtitions. The diuels ſeeme to be delighted with outwarde things.Indéed the diuels ſéeme as though they were delited with outward things, as herbs, little ſtones, and perfumes: but they are not ſo delighted withall, as liuing creatures are with the deſire of meate; but as it were with certeine ſeals & ſacraments. Wherefore they come quicklie when they be called, leaſt they ſhould not ſéeme to ſtand to their couenants. They will altogither imitate God: for little ſtones & rootes hauehave no power at all to allure diuels. Wherefore euen as God forgiueth not ſinnes vntounto vsus by anie power of the ſacraments, but onelie for his couenant and promiſe ſake: ſo the diuell will ſéeme to deale with thoſe that be his, to the intent he may ſhew himſelfe to be preſent with them; not for the woorthines of the things offered by them, but onelie in reſpect of his promiſe and couenant. He mocketh ſimple men.And verie pitifullie dooth he mocke ſimple and fooliſh men; for they which boaſt that they hauehave ſpirits which doo louelove them, when they are afterward called into iudgment, and condemned vntounto death, cannot by them be deliuered from the extremitie of execution. Somtimes indéed they are readie to obeie them, that are their owne: but that is in foule and diſhoneſt things; namelie, in adulteries, thefts, & murthers: they neuer ſtir them vp vntounto good. For they be ſathans, that is to ſaie, the aduerſaries of God. They will hauehave couenants and promiſes to be made, which cannot otherwiſe be than againſt God.

31 But the Schoolmen ſtand in doubt, Whether we may vſe inchantment to take awaie miſchiefs.whether it be lawfull to vſe inchantment to take awaie miſchéefs; and in generall, they anſwere, that it is not lawfull. But yet they ſaie, that if we can perceiue that thoſe couenants conſiſt in fethers, or roots, or little ſtones; and we can find thoſe things, it is lawfull to take them awaie & breake them: for otherwiſe they ſaie that one inchantment muſt not be taken awaie with another. For We muſt not doo euill, Rom. 3, 8.that good may come thereof. And whie it is not lawfull we hauehave declared before. Alſo Eſaie in the eight chap. ſaith; that We muſt not aſke queſtions of the dead, verſe. 19.but muſt rather returne vntounto the lawe and teſtimonie. And Chriſt ſaith; Matt. 6, 24.that No man can ſerue two maiſters. And Paule ſaith; There is no agreement betweene light & darknes, 2. Cor. 6, 14.betweene God and Belial. Elias ſaith; that We muſt not ſeeke Belzebub the god of Acaron, 2. Kings. 1, 3.ſeeing there is a God in Iſrael. Beſides this, the ciuill lawes, the canons and councels, hauehave with moſt ſeuere and ſharpe words forbidden theſe things. And Apuleius, Apuleius denied himſelfe to be a ſorcerer.when he was ſummoned to appeare, bicauſe he was reported to be a ſorcerer, ſo pleaded his cauſe, as he vtterlie denied that he was a ſorcerer: for otherwiſe he might not hauehave defended himſelfe. Auguſtine in his booke De diuinatione daemonum, the eight chapter ſaith, that The euill ſpirits neuer durſt denie the God of Iſrael to be the true God, or Chriſt to be the ſonne of God: but contrariwiſe Chriſt, the prophets and apoſtles denie them to be gods; and that we muſt by all meanes beware of them. Therefore (ſaith he) whether part ſhall we hearken vntounto; to thoſe which cannot denie God to be the true God, or rather to God which warneth vsus to flie from them? Wherfore ſéeing both the holie ſcriptures, and godlie lawes, & alſo the euents themſelues doo vtterlie forbid and condemne all kind of inchantments; we muſt iudge that it is not lawfull for a chriſtian man.

In 1. Sam. at the beginning.32 Laſt of all we will note, that the true God is woont to chaſe awaie falſe gods. Wherfore immediatlie vponupon the birth of Chriſt, all the oracles of the gods were put to ſilence, which before were of great fame and renowme. At the birth of Chriſt all heathen oracles ceaſed.For when the light it ſelfe (which is Chriſt) was come into the world, darknes ſhould néeds vaniſh awaie. And Plutarch, being otherwiſe a verie learned writer, in ſéeking a cauſe why the oracles ceaſed in his time, hauing deuiſed manie things; yet ſpeaketh nothing to the purpoſe. Firſt he ſaith, that ſome thought that the Daemons or ſpirits, which gaue out oracles, were vndoubtedlie of long life; yet mortall notwithſtanding: and that men reported (as he ſaith) that the great god Pan was dead. Wherefore he ſaith, that ſéeing the Daemons be now dead by reaſon of age, there are none to giuegive or vtter out oracles anie more. He addeth moreouer, that there were others, which thought, that thoſe préeſts and diuines, by whom anſweres were giuen, were inſpired with certeine exhalations, which came foorth of the caues and pits; and that ſéeing thoſe exhalations could not be perpetuall, they ceaſed at the laſt; and that propheſies finiſhed togither with them. He addeth moreouer, that by others, theſe things were attributed to the ſituation of ſtars, which being paſſed from thence, had alſo drawne away theſe oracles with them. He ſheweth alſo certeine other things like vntounto theſe, but he yéeldeth no reaſon, whie all the oracles ceaſed at one verie time, and ſo ceaſed, as that no one of them remained.

If the exhalations be not perpetuall in one place, whie doo they not breake out in another place? And the ſituations of ſtars being paſſed away, euen the ſame doo vſe to returne againe to their place: which if they doo returne, whie doo not the ſame oracles returne alſo? If ſo be that the Daemons, as they affirme, doo die at the length, whie doo not one ſuccéed another? There is then another cauſe of this euent, which Plutarch could not perceiue; namelie, that all contrarie powers are bridled by Chriſt, and therefore they all ceaſed at his comming. And thus were Iupiter, Mac…. 5, 12.Apollo, Diana, and Aeſculapius put to ſilence. Which thing the prophets foreſhewed long before; and which we ſée alſo at this daie to come to paſſe in thoſe countries, which imbrace the goſpell; where not onlie idolatries, but alſo diuinations & feigned miracles doo ſtraight-waie ceaſe.

Common Places, Part 1 · Chapter 10

p. 72The tenth Chapter. Of appeerings of diuels; of their anſwers, and ſundrie illuſions.

VVhether the diuell can appeare, and knowe things to come, and giuegive anſwers.

VVhether it be lawfull to aske counſell of the Diuell, and to vſe his helpe.

The tenth Chapter. Of appeerings of diuels; of their anſwers, and ſundrie illuſions.