The Magical-Astrological-Diviner Posed and Puzzled, Treatise · Chapter 27 · Section 10
10. Of the inveterate malice, and envy of Magicall operators, and Aſtrologicall diviners, in maligning, defaming, oppoſing and perſecuting the Church; and more eſpecially the Miniſters of Chriſt.
BEſides the canonicall hiſtory of Jannes and Iambres reſiſting Moſes; and of Simon Magus, and Elymas withſtanding St. Peter and St. Paul: Eccleſiaſticall ſtory makes this relation betwixt St. Peter and Simon Magus. Ner… being captivated with the effaſcinating allurements of Simon Magus, who had gotten his heart, by promiſing him (through his wicked arts) victory, dominion, health, long life, ſafety, &c. all which he believed, that knew not how to prove the truth of things: ſo that he held the chiefe place in his friendſhip; for he took him to be the overſeer, and guardian of his life, and health. But after that Peter had detected his flagitious vanities; and had demonſtrated how that he onelyonly belyed the ſpecies and appearances of things; and that he effected no true ſolid thing at all: then was he had in ſcorn, and therefore conſumed himſelfe with griefe and envy. And although he had experience of Peters power in other parts (for under Claudius Caeſar he was ſtricken with madneſſe, after that he was found to have dealt ſo maliciouſly againſt the Apoſtle Peter in Iudaea, he wandred from Eaſt to Weſt) and comming to Rome firſt, he boaſted that he could raiſe the dead. It ſo fell out, that a Noble young man, a kinſman of Caeſars, died about that time, to the griefe of all. Moſt of them adviſed that an experiment ſhould be made, whether he could be raiſed again from the dead. Now Peter was accounted very famous for ſuch mighty works: but as yet the Gentiles had no faith, as touching any ſuch fact of his. Yet their griefe requiring remedy, to Peter they went: and ſome of them thought it meet that Simon Magus ſhould be called alſo. Both of them being preſent, Peter bad Simon begin firſt to raiſe the dead if he could: and if he could not, then he himſelfe would not be wanting to the raiſing of the dead by the help of Chriſt. Simon ſuppoſing that his art would avayle much in a City of the Gentiles, propoſed this condition: that if he raiſed the dead, then Peter ſhould be ſlaine, who injuriouſly provoked ſo great a power (for ſo he was called) but if Peter prevailed in the fact, he ſhould in like manner be avenged of Simon. Peter is content and Simon begins: and drawing to the dead mans bed, ſo ſoon as he began to inchant, and murmurre his charms, the dead corps ſeemed to move the head, thereupon great was the cry of the Gentiles, that he was alive already, and ſpake with Simon: and a greater indignation againſt Peter, that he durſt offer to compare himſelfe to ſuch a power. The holy Apoſtle deſiring ſilence, ſaid, if the dead be raiſed indeed, and live, let him riſe, walke, ſpeake: all this is but a phantaſme, and no reality: call but Simon away from the bed ſide, and then ſhall ye ſee not ſo much as the leaſt ſhew of it. Well, Simon was brought from the bed, and there remained not ſo much as a ſigne of any motion in the dead man. Then Peter intent on prayer a while within himſelfe, and ſtanding aloofe off from the corps, cryed with a loud voyce, Young man ariſe, the Lord Jeſus healeth thee: and ſtraight way he aroſe, and ſpake, and walked, and received meat, and he delivered him to his mother, who deſired him, that he would not depart from him: to whom he ſaid, he ſhall not be forſaken of him who hath made him to riſe again, whoſe ſervants we are: and thou mother, be ſecure of thy ſonne, and feare not, for he hath his keeper. Then the people ariſing up to ſtone Simon, Peter ſaid, let this ſuffice for his puniſhment now, that he underſtand his arts are nothing available; let him live yet, and ſee the Kingdome of Chriſt increaſe even againſt his will. The Magician was much tormented in himſelfe at this glory of the Apoſtle; and collecting himſelfe, and ſummoning up all the force of his charmes, he gathers the people together, and complaines, that he had been greatly offended by the Galilaeans, and therefore would now leave the City, which he was wont ſo to defend. And appoints a day, on which he would goe flie, and ſo would aſcend into thoſe ſupernall ſeats; for the heavens was open to him when he pleaſed: upon the ſaid day he gets up the Capitoline Mount, and ſo caſting himſelf from the top of a Rock, began to flye. Thereat began the people to wonder and worſhip; many of them ſaying, it was the power of God, and not of men, to flye with a body; and that Chriſt himſelf did no ſuch thing. Whereupon, Peter praying Chriſt to magnifie his own power, by detecting the vanity of ſuch tempting arts, and ſo to undeceive the people: Simons wings were forthwith clipt, and he fell down headlong, and died either in the place, or ſoon after. Now Nero indigne in the fall and loſſe of ſo neceſſary a friend and familiar, took occaſion againſt Peter, and perſecuted him to his martyrdome.
Cynops a great Magician, and adverſary to St. Iohn, inveighed againſt his doctrine, detracted from the miracles which he wrought in the name of Chriſt, and defamed his perſon, through the falſe criminations of Apollos Prieſts. And provoking him to behold and admire his power, in raiſing the dead out of the ſea (which was no other then divels appearing in forms of men) where he himſelfe diving (to fetch up more dead men) with a great noyſe of the Sea, and acclamation of the ſuperſtitious bewitched people; at the prayers of St. Iohn the ſea roared indeed, and ſwallowed up Cynops among the dead, ſo that he never appeared above water any more. Then commanded he thoſe divels to depart that place, and get them againe to their cave. Yea, he made the divels to confeſſe the mutuall compact or covenant that was betwixt them and Cynops. And likewiſe expelled devils out of divers places: for which Domitian commanded that he ſhould be baniſhed into the Iſle of Pathmos.
Wardacheus King of Babylon, being foretold by his Diviners, of the great danger and loſſe, which he ſhould ſuffer in his warre againſt the Indians; at which he being dejected, the Apoſtles Simon and Jude (then preſent) ſmiling ſaid, they had brought peace with them into his kingdome, and therefore bad him not feare, for the Indians ſhould be glad to make peace with him on the morrow. But the Magicians derided both this and them, and bad him not believe thoſe vaine men, for it ſhould ſo be as they had ſaid. But they proved the vain men; for the event fell out contrary to theirs, and according to the Apoſtles prediction. Thoſe two Apoſtles alſo were mocked and derided by Zaroes and Arphaxat, two Magicians: but at the very houre of the martyrdome of the two Apoſtles, the two Magicians were ſtricken dead with Thunder and Lightning.
Maruthas Biſhop of Meſopotamia, being ſent in embaſſage to Iſdigerdes King of Perſia; he much honoured the man for his …ingular piety, and began to attend unto his doctrine. Now the Perſian Magicians, fearing leſt he might perſwade the King to receive the Chriſtian faith; and envying the man, be cauſe he had (by his prayers) cured the King of that paine in his head; whereunto all their ſpels and charms were nothing available: they began (whereby to deſpite this Religious man) to play this impoſture, namely, they cauſed one to be hidden under the ground, and to preſage, or proclaime in this wiſe, as the King was at his devotions; that the King ſhould be caſt out of his Kingdome for giving heed to a Chriſtian Prieſt. Hearing this voyce, though he much reverenced Maruthas, yet was he minded to remove him, rather then runne ſo great a hazzard. But Maruthas (by his wiſdome and diligence) detecting the circulatory and praeſtigious fallacy: the King cauſed every tenth Magician to be beheaded. Maruthas after this departed Perſia: and yet returning thither again after a while, then began the Magicians to play their impoſturous prankes afreſh. For they cauſed a noyſome and poyſonous ſtinke in the place ſtill when the King and Maruthas met together: and this they …oyſted upon the Chriſtians; and preſaged how perilous it was to the Kings health. But they being formerly ſuſpected, were the more eaſily diſcovered, and puniſhed accordingly. After the death of Iſdigerdes, his ſonne Baratanes was ſtirred up by the Magicians to bitter perſecution againſt the Chriſtians; Sapores alſo bitterly perſecuted the Chriſtians, and eſpecially Simeon the Biſhop and the Miniſters, becauſe they refuſed to worſhip (the Planetarian god) the Sun, in which perſecution, the Magicians were the onelyonly inſtigators and actors.
The perſecution under Decius, was not begun by any imperiall edict; but firſt ſet on foot by an impoſterous Diviner: who ſtirred up the multitude of the Heathens, to promote their own ſuperſtition, and oppreſſe the Chriſtian profeſſion.
Olerian was very clement and favourable to the Chriſtians, till the Magicians put him upon the perſecution; as the greateſt enemies to and impediments of their acts and operations.
All the Philoſophers, Sophiſters, Magicians, Aruſpices, Augurs, Negromancers, gathered themſelves together againſt Athanaſius, alledging nothing could ſucceed in their art, or to them by their Art, till Athanaſius was firſt taken out of the way. Therefore they greatly excited Iulian againſt him. Another time they moſt calumniouſly accuſed him of the ſame devilliſh art, that they themſelves were guilty of.
Iulian, Maxentius, and Maximinus, were great divining Magicians, and great favourers and promoters of divining Magicians; and as ſuch, and by ſuch, great tyrants, and perſecutors; and ſuch as eſpecially laboured to deſtroy not onelyonly the Prieſts, but the Prieſthood.
Henry the third purpoſing to ayde his brother againſt Lewis the French King, was diſſwaded therefrom by the diſaſtrous predictions of William de Perepond, a great Aſtrologer, and his counſellour. But the main intent of the divination was from the Popes Oracle; …eſt Lewis might ſo be interrupted in his perſecuting enterprize againſt the Albigenſes.
The Magicians (as the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorians relate it) purſued Daniel with envy, calumny, and treachery, before Cambyſes, or Cyaxares, till they brought him to the Lyons denne▪ till the Prince repented that he was led ſo farre by the Magicians, and delivered Daniel from the denne, and caſt them into it.
The Magicians of Perſia by falſe calumny, and barbarous cruelty, raiſed and maintained thirty yeeres perſecution againſt the Chriſtians: deviſing and inflicting horrid tortures upon Abdas or Audas, a Biſhop; upon Benjamin a Deacon; and alſo upon Hormiſda, a Nobleman.
Theoteclinus a Magician of Antioch, under Maximinus, by magicall force cauſed an Image of Iupiter to poure forth Oracles; and ſuch they were as ſerved to whet on the Emperours perſecution, and to exaſperate the hatred of the Citizens againſt the Chriſtians.