Christes witnesses shuld very wel vnderstand that both the Law the Prophets do bear record vnto our Sauiour Chryst that he shuld die for the world come again in the latter day to raise vp the dead bodies to glorifie them to carrie theÌ„ with him into eternal blisse And for this cause God wold haue these two excellent Prophets séene of the Apostles Lazarus soule did not only appeare but he came againe both in bodie soule as Iohn witnesseth in his 11. chap. he is as it were a sure token of our true resurrection which shall be in the last day as also others which our Sauiour Christ the Apostles in auncient time the Prophets haue raysed from the dead You shal neuer read that either Lazarus or any other haue told wher they were while they were deade or what kynde of being there is in the other world for these things are not to be learned and knowen of the dead but out of the word of God. The like may be said to that which is in the 27. chap. of S. Matthew that when Christ suffered on the Crosse the graues wer opened afterwards on the day of his resurrection many dead bodies did arise appeared to many at Hierusalem The soules of the dead did not only appeare neither did they warne the liuing or coÌ„maund them to do this or that for the deads sake to wit either to pray for theÌ„ or to go on pilgrimage to saints c. But the dead with their souls bodies togither came into the earth for héerby god would shew that he by his death hath ouercom destroyed death to the faithful that at the last day their soules bodies shall be knit togither and liue with God for euer Now what thâ—se holy men were that rose again whether they remained any time in this present life or died again or went with Christ into heauen loke the iudgement of S. Augustine in his .99 Epist. to Euodius his 3. booke De mirabilibus scrip ca. 13. To these we may ioyn that which Ruffinus writeth in his ecclesiastical historie .1 boke 5. chap. and which Socrates repeteth in his first boke 12. chap. touching Spiridion byshop of Cyprus He had a daughter called Irene with whoÌ„ a certaine friend of hirs left gorgeous apparel she being more wary than néeded hyd it in the ground within a while died Not long after coÌ„meth this man that owed the apparel hearing say the maideÌ„ was dead goeth to hir father whom somtimes he accuseth somtimes intreateth The old father supposing this maÌ„s losse to be his own calamitie coÌ„meth to his daughters graue ther calleth vpoÌ„ god beseching him that he would shew him before the time the resurrection which is promised And his hope was in vaine for the virgin being reuiued apeared to hir father shewed the place wher she had hid the aparel so departed again I will not deny this thing to be true For the like historie hath Augustine in his 137. epist. A certain yong man which had an euil name accused Boniface Augustines priest that he inticed him to filthinesse Now wheÌ„ the matter could neither be proued nor disproued by sufficient resons both of them were bid to goe to the graue of one Felix a Martyr that by a miracle the truth might be known They had not bin sent vnlesse before this time also some secrete matters had bin knowne by this meanes it may be well answeared that they were good or rather euill Angels which did appeare CHAP. XI VVhether the holy Apostles thought they savve a mans Soule vvhen Chryst sodenly appeared vnto them after his Resurrection WE reade in the 24. Chapter of S. Lukes Gospell that two Disciples which returned from Emaus to Hierusalem tolde the Apostles that they had séene Chryst aliue againe and whyles they yet spake the Lord stoode in the myddest of them and sayd vnto them peace be vnto you but they being amased and afrayd thought they sawe a spirit c. Out of this some go about to proue that the Apostles beléeued that spirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men and that they themselues did thinke they sawe the spirite of Chryst as certaine of the olde Wryters doe expounde it or else some other mannes spirit This Argument may be answered two wayes First if they thought they sawe a Soule they thought a mysse But they were no lesse deceyued with the common sorte nowe than when they thought Chryst would rayse vppe an outward and earthly kingdome in which they shoulde be chiefe Secondly it may be that they supposed they sawe an euil or good Angell for there are more kyndes of spirites than one There is a spirit that created al thyngs to wit God the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost Agayne there be spirites that be created as good and euill Angels as also the soules of men which eyther are in the body or by death seuered from the body and abyde either in euerlasting lyfe or in eternal damnation As touching the state of Soules in Purgatorie where they are prepared to the Heauenly iourney and of Limbus puerorum there is nothing extant in holie Scripture It is manifest in scripture that God appeared vnto the holy patriarches to the prophets to kings and others in diuers visions and formes and that he shewed hym selfe vnto them and spake with them Iacob sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to Heauen and God leaning on it Isaias sawe the Lord sitting vppon an high throne Daniell sawe an olde maÌ„ sitting and his sonne comming vnto him and receyuing all power of him TertulliaÌ„ and other holy fathers do teache that the sonne of God which at the appointed time shoulde take vppon him humaine fleshe didde appeare vnto the Patriarches in an angelicall shape When Iohn Baptist did baptise our sauioure in Iordan the Holy ghost was séene in the shape of a doue The holy scriptures in many places do testifie that good Angells haue oftentimes appeared to Gods ministers That euill spirits are often séene and that at this day they shewe themselues in diuers formes to inchaunters and coniurers and to other men also as well godly as wicked both histories and daily experience doth witnesse Truely we reade not that soules haue appered on this fashion By these we may easly gather that the Apostles when they thought they sawe a spirit did not beléeue they sawe a soule Could they not thinke I pray you they sawe an euill spirit Or rather that they sawe a good spirit or a good angel For it may be shewed by many examples that euen the faithfull haue bin troubled and feared at the appearing of good Angels In the eyght and tenth chapter of Daniel we read that the Prophet fel into a sicknesse at the sight of Angels The virgin Mary hirselfe was afrayde when she sawe the Angell Gabriel So was Zachary the priest
of those which lay in wayt to destroy Christ Iesus Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Acts of the apostles that saint Peter fell into a traunce saw the heauens open and saw a vessel as it were a greate shéete descende downe vnto him from heauen knit togither at the foure corners wherin were all maner of foure footed beasts of the earth and wylde beasts and créeping things and foules of the heauen And there came a voyce vnto him Rise Peter kill and eate And in the .xvj. chapter as S. Paule was yet in Asia coÌ„ming downe towardes Troada this vision appeared vnto him There stode a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come into Macedonia and help vs Hereby Paul gathered it was the will of God that he should passe the sea and should preache the Gospell in Macedonia But I purpose not to write of Spirites and visions appearing vnto men in their sléepe least my Booke growe vnto an huge volume but only of those which we sensibly sée when we are awake CHAP. XVII That there happen straunge vvonders and prognostications and that sodeyn noises and cracks and such like are hearde before the death of men before battaile and before some notable alterations and chaunges IT happeneth many times that when men lye sicke of some deadly disease there is some thing heard going in the chamber like as the sicke men were wonte when they were in good health yea the sicke parties them selues do many times hear the same and by and by gesse what wil come to passe Oftentimes a litle before they yeld vp the ghost and some time a little after their death or a good while after either their owne shapes or some other shaddowes of men are apparantly séene And diuers times it commeth to passe that wheÌ„ some of our acquaintaunce or friends lye a dying albeit they are many miles off yet there are some great stirrings or noises heard Sometimes we thinke the house will fall on our heads or that some massie and waightie thing falleth downe throughout all the house rendring and making a disordered noise and shortlie within fewe monthes after we vnderstande that those things happened the very same houre that our friends departed in There be some men of whose stocke none doth dye but that they obserue and marke some signes and tokens going before as that they heare the dores and windowes open and shut that some thing runneth vp the staires or walketh vp and downe the house or doth some one or other such like thing But here I cannot passe this in silence that there are many superstitious men which vainly persuade theÌ„selues that this cousin and this or that friend of theirs wil shortly dye For in the end the falling out of the matter it selfe sheweth it was a vayne and folishe persuasion that they vnderstod suche things by any signes Cardanus in his booke De veriâ—ate rerum writeth that there was a certeine noble familie at Parma in Jtaly out of the which so often as any one died there was séene an olde woman in the chimney corner On a certaine tyme shée appeared when a mayden of the same familie laye very sicke and therefore they cleane dispayred of hir life but soone after she recouered againe and in the meane while an other which was theÌ„ in good helth sodainly dyed There was a certaine parishe priest a very honest and godly man whom I knewe well who in the plague time could tell before hand when any of his parishe should dye For in the night time he heard a noise ouer his bed like as if one had throwne downe a sacke full of corne from his shoulders which when he heard he would say Nowe an other biddeth me farewell After it was day he vsed to inquire who died that night or who was taken with the plague to the end he might comfort and strengthen them according to the duty of a good pastour It hath bin often obserued in Guilde halles where Aldermen sit that when one of those Aldermen was at the point of death there was hearde some ratling about hys seate or some other certeine signe of death The same thing happeneth beside pewes and stalles in Churches or in other places where men are often conuersaunt or accustomed to exercise their handy labour In Abbeys the Monks seruaunts or any other falling sicke many haue heard in the night preparation of chests for them in such sorte as the coffinmakers did afterwards prepare in déede In some country villages when one is at deaths dore many times there are some heard in the Euening or in the night digging a graue in the Churcheyarde and the same the next day is so found digged as these meÌ„ did heare before There haue bin séene some in the night wheÌ„ the moone shined going solemnlie with the corps according to the custome of the people or staÌ„ding before the dores as if some bodie were to be caried to the Church to burying Many suppose they sée their owne image or as they saye theyr owne soule and of them diuers are verily persuaded that except they dye shortlie after they haue séene them selues they shall liue a very great time after But these things are superstitious Let euery man so prepare him selfe as if he shoulde dye to morrowe left by being too secure he purchase himselfe harme There happen other straunge things also For when some lye in the prison in chaynes readie to suffer punishmeÌ„t for their offeÌ„ces many times in the night season there is heard a great noise and rumbling as if some body were breaking into the gayle to deliuer the prisoners When meÌ„ come to vnderstand the matter they can neither heare nor sée any body and the prisoners likewise say they heard no manner thing Some executioners or haÌ„gmen do report that for the most part they knowe before hand whether any maÌ„ shall shortly be deliuered into their hands to suffer for their swords will moue of their owne accord And there are other that saie they can tell before after what sorte the prisoners shall suffer Many wonderfull and straunge things happen about those which wilfully cast away theÌ„selues Somtime their corpses must be caryed a great way off before they béeing thrust in a sacke can be throwne into the sea and béeing layd in a waggon or cart the horse could scant draw them downe the hill but vp the hill they néed not labour at all for the carte woulde runne very fast of his owne accorde Some men béeing slayne by théeues when the théeues come to the dead body by and by there gusheth out freshe blood or else there is declaration by other tokens that the théefe is there present Plato writeth in the firste booke of his lawes that the soules of suche as haue ben slayne doo oftentymes cruelly molest and trouble the soules of those whiche slewe them For whiche cause Marsilius Fiscinus doth thinke it chaunceth that the wounde of a man being slayn
while the carkas lyeth on the ground dooth send out bloud against him whiche wounded him if hée stand nere looking on his wounde Whiche thing bothe Lucretius affirmeth to come to passe and also Iustices haue diligently obserued Dido in Vergile thus threatneth Aeneas And when the cold of death is come and body voyde remayns Eche where my haunting spirite shal pursue thee to thy payns The like place is in Horace in other Poets As a théef sitteth at the Table a cuppe béeing ouerthrowne the wyne perceth through the whole and sounde wodde of the table to all mens admiration Touching these and other such maruellous things there might be many histories and testimonies alleaged But whosoeuer readeth this booke may call to their remembraunce that they haue séene these and suche like things them selues or that they haue heard them of their friends and acquaintaunce and of such as deserue sufficient credit Before the alterations and chaunges of kingdomes and in the time of warres seditions and other daungerous seasons ther most coÌ„monly happeÌ„ very straÌ„ge things in the aire in the earth amoÌ„gst liuing creatures clean coÌ„trary to the vsuall course of nature Which things meÌ„ cal wonders signes monsters and forewarnings of matters to come There are séene in the aire swords speares suche like innumerable there are heard and séene in the aire or vppon the earth whole armies of men encountring togither and wheÌ„ one part is forced to flye there is heard horrible cries and great clattering of armour Gunnes launces and halberdes with other kindes of weapons and artillerie do often times moue of their owne accord as they lye in the armories When as souldiers marche towards their enimies and their ensignes will not displaie abroade but folde about the stander bearers heads if the souldiours be therewith amazed they surely persuade themselues there is some greate slaughter towards It is sayde also that horses will be very sad and heauie and will not lette their masters sit on their backs before they go to the battaile wherin they shall haue the ouerthrowe but wheÌ„ they are coragious and iustilie neighing it is a sure token of victorie Suetonius writeth that the company of horses which Iulius Cesar let run at libertie neuer to be put to labour againe did wéepe aboundantly when Cesar was slayne When Miltiades addressed his people against the Persians there were heard terrible noises before the battaile and certaine spirits were séene which the Athenians afterwards affirmed to be the shaddowâ— of Pan who cast suche a feare on the Persians that they turned their backs and fled Therof Terrores Panici tooke their name being spoken of sodayn feares vnloked for and terrours suche as Lymphatici metus are which driue men out of their wits being taken therwith Before the Lacedemonians were ouerthrowne in the battaile at Leuctâ—â—s the armour moued made a great noise in the teÌ„ple of Hector At the same time the dores of Hercules temple at Thebes being fast shut with barres opened sodainly of their owne accord and the weapons and armour which hoong fastned on the wall were found lying vppon the grounde These things are to be read in Cicero his firste booke De diuinatione In the second warres of Carthage the standerd bearer of the first battaile of pykemen coulde not remoue his ensigne out of his place neither yet wheÌ„ many came to helpe they could any thing preuayle These and suche other signes of euill lucke Caius Flaminius the Consul nothing regarded but soone after his army was discomfited and he him selfe slayn Concerning which matter Titus Liuius writeth at large In the beginning of the warres waged with the people called Marsi there was heard out of secrete places certaine voices and noyse of harnesse whiche foreshewed the daunger of the warres to come Plinie writeth in his .2 booke and 59. chapter that in the warrs with the Danes and many times before there was heard the clashing of armour and the sound of trumpets out of Heauen Appianus declareth what signes and wonders went before the ciuill warres at Rome what miserable cries of men clashing of armoure running of horses were heard no man séeing any thing Valerius Maximus in his firste booke and .6 chapter of straunge wonders writeth how Câ—â—eius Pompeius hadde warning before not to fight the fielde with Iulius Cesar for as he launced off at Dirrachium his souldiours were taken with a sodayne feare and in the night likewise before the battaile their harts and courages sodaynly failed them And after the same author addeth that which Cesar him selfe reherseth in his 3. booke De bello ciuili how that the very same day wherin Cesar faught his fortunate battaile the crying of the armie and the sound of trumpets was herd at Antioche in Syria so sensibly that the whole city ranne in armour to defende their walles The very same thing he sayth happened at Ptolemais and that at Pergamus in the most priuie and secret parts of the temple where none may enter saue only priests which place the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were hearde the sounde of drummes and timbrels The historiographers reporte that Castor and Pollux haue bin often séene in battailes sitting on white horses valiaÌ„tly fighting against the enimies campe Plutarch writeth in Coriolanus life that they were seene in the battaile against Tarquinius and that immediatly after they bare tidings to Rome of the victorie The selfe same writeth Titus Liuius also in his 8. booke of his first decade We may read in the history of the siege of the noble citie of Magdâ—burge in Saxonie that the enimie which laide siege to the towne so often as the citizens issued out to skirmish with them supposed that one vpoÌ„ a white horse came riding before the citizens battaile when as the citizens them selues saw no such man. Iosephus in his bookes of the warres in Iurie recordeth what strange signes hapned before the destructioÌ„ of Ieâ—usalem which were that a brasen gate being fast rampierd with barres opened in the night time of his owne accord And that before the sunne sette there were séene chariots in the aire and armies of men well furnished enuironing the citie round about And that at Whitsontide as the priests entred the temple to celebrate diuine seruice â–ª they heard a great noise by and by a voice crying Migremus hinc Let vs departe hence He reckeneth vp â—ther like things which we neede not repeate in this place The same night that Leo of CoÌ„stantinople was slayne in the teÌ„ple the trauelers by sea heard a voice in the aire which saide that Leo had roared out euen to the same place Felix Malleolus doctor of both the laws master of Sclodor canon at TiguruÌ„ a maÌ„ of great reding as it may easily apere by his lerned writings which ar yet extaÌ„t For he liued about y time wheÌ„ the couÌ„cel of Basil was holdâ— writeth
from sinne and damnation of the true déedes of christian charitie was dayly more and more impugned and oppressed So that when men by little and little forsooke holy Scripture and cast it asyde mens traditions and preceptes began streight way to be had in great price and estimation yea they were more regarded thaÌ„ gods owne worde A great offence was it taken to be if any would presume once to breake mens traditions On those apparitions of spirits as on a sure foundation their Purgatorie is chiefly builded For by talke hadde with them Popishe writers taught that men atteined vnto saluation by their owne and by other mens merits which opinion so blinded them that they became retchlesse secure and sluggishe For if any dyd so persuade him selfe that he coulde hyre one for mony which could worke one feate or other to deliuer the dead from torments then woulde he either delay the amendment of his life or vtterly neglect it Wherfore vnto suche fellowes that happened whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish virgins of whom mention is made in the â—5 of Matthew By these apparitions of spirits masses images satisfactioÌ„ pilgrimages for religion sake relikes of saints monasticall vowes holidaies auricular confession and other kinds of worshippings and rites and to be shorte al things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture by little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation So that the matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse that many deuoute and simple soules pinched and nipped their owne bellies that they might the better haue by these meanes wherwithall to finde and mainteine idle monks and priests and to offer vnto images They founded chappels alters monasteries perpetuall lights anniuersaries frieries and suche like to release their friends out of the torments of Purgatorie And this did the walking spirits will theÌ„ to do And sometyme also by their councell mens last willes and testaments were altered Hereby priests monks increased daily their parishes colleges monasteries with yerely reuenewes got into their hands the best farmes vineyards lands medowes pondes parkes bond meÌ„ iurisdictions great lordships and the authoritie of the sword For after that this opinioÌ„ once toke firme roote in meÌ„s harts the mens soules did walke after their death appeare on the earth the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commaunded theÌ„ And that it may more plainly be perceiued how much meÌ„ estemed those visioÌ„s such like pelfe how in memorial of theÌ„ they deuised framed to theÌ„selues new kinds of worshippings I will recite vnto you one or two histories Martinus Polonus Archebishop of Consentine and the Popes PeniteÌ„tiarie writeth in his Chronicles tha Pope Clement the fourth did canonize for a saint at Viterbe one Eduergia duchesse of Polonia a widdow of great holinesse who among many notable things that are written of hir when hir canonization had bin many yeares delayed at length appeared hir selfe in a vision to hir Proctour in the courte of Rome being heauie and pensiue about this matter and certified him both of the spedy dispatching of this businesse also of the day wherin it should be dispatched Canonization amongst the Ethniks from whence it toke his originall is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deification or making of a God. Ioannes Triâ—enhemius Abbot of Spanheim a man of great authoritie in his booke of Chronicles teacheth that the memorie of all faithfull soules termed All soules day had his originall obseruation by this meanes that when a certeine Monke returned from Ierusalem and lodged in a certeine Hermits house in Sicill about the mount Aetna which flasheth forth fyre he learned of the saide Hermit that many soules of the dead were tormeÌ„ted there by fyre out of which again through the praiers of the faithful they were released as it was taught him by the testimonie euen of the spirites themselues Hereof also writeth Polydorâ— Virgill in his vj. booke and ix chapter De inuentione rerum that the feast of All hallowes had the very same originall whiche they shall finde in Petrus de natalibus his tenth booke and first chapter Wherby thou maist gather that Feastes were first ordeyned by the tales of spirites appearing vnto men The lyke fable is found in Damascene who writeth of Macharius thus When according to his maner he prayed for the dead and was desirous to vnderstande whether his prayers did profite them oughte and whether they receyued any comfort therby God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt inspired a drye scull with the worde of truth so that the deade scull brake foorth into these words When thou prayest for the dead we receyue comfort by thy prayers Of the like roote sproong the order of the Carthusian Monks which of the commoÌ„ sorte is iudged to be the most holiest and streightest order of the which the Monks them selues of this broode haue put foorth a booke For as Polydore Virgil recordeth they began vpon this occasion in the vniuersitie of Paris in the yeare of our Lord .1080 A certeine doctoure which for his learning and integritie of life was very famous chaunced to dye when he shoulde haue bin buried in a certaine Churche he cried out with an horrible voice I am by the iust iudgement of God accused Whervppon they lefte the coffin in the Churche by the space of thrée daies during which time the people flocked togither out of sundry places to behold this straunge sight The second day he cried againe By the iuste iudgement of God I am iudged The thirde day likewise he cried I am by the iust iudgement of god condemned And as Vincentius Bellonacensis saith some adde herevnto that he rose vp thrice vppon the béere which perchaunce they faine of their owne heads Now bycause no man suspected that so notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer euery man was sore astonished thereat Wherfore Bruno a doctor of diuinitie borne in Coleine foorthwith forsooke all that he had and taking to him sixe other godly companions gat him into a desert called Carthusia in the diocesse of Gratianopolis where he erected the first monasterie of that order which drawing his name of the place was called the Carthusian order For this cause also or for the like many other monasteries at the firste beginning were bothe founded and indowed with greate liuelyhode CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of the vvorde of God that neither the soules of the faithfull nor of infidels do vvalke vppon the earth after they are once parâ—ed from their bodies NOw that the soules neither of the faithful nor of infidels do waÌ„der any loÌ„ger on the earth wheÌ„ they be once seuered from the bodies I wil make it plain euident vnto you by these reasons folowing First certain it is that such as depart heÌ„ce either die in faith or in vnbeléef Touching those that go heÌ„ce in a right beléef their soules ar by by in
For wryting of Alexander the great in his booke De vitis he saythe that there happened certaine prognostications before his death which sometimes Alexander â—ared not for but contemned them and contrariwise somtimes hée tooke smal and tryfling things as signes of euil lucke He addeth further howe daungerous a thing it is to dispise tokens and signes sente from God vnto men and on the other side howe pernitious and hurtfull it is to be afrayde of euery trifle for as in all other things so is ther a measure to be obserued herein The same opinion is he of touching other wonders and miracles For ye maye read in the life of Camillus that when he being Captaine had taken and destroyed the Veians he made a solemne vowe to translate the Image of Iuno vnto Rome And therefore hée commaunded certayne men to take vppe the Image he offred sacrifice vnto the Goddesse and besought hir that shée would voutsafe to followe him and to be fauorable vnto the Romaines as other Goddes were which nowe dwelt at Rome The Image made hym answere that she would go with him He also wryteth that those men which noted and recorded these things reporte other such straunge matters as that Images dyd sweat that they gaue great groanes that they turned away their faces or hanged downe their heades he sayth that men which lyued before his time gathered many suche examples togyther and that he himselfe hath heard many maruellous things of men lyuing in his time which were not by and by to be neglected and contemned and yet mannes infirmitie is suche that it cannot attribute eyther too muche or to little vnto those things without great daunger for men obserue no mesure but are either too supersticious and attribute ouer much to suche matters or else do vtterly reiect and contemne them And therefore the safest waye is to be aduised and to kéepe a meane in suche affaires Valerius Maximus confesseth in his firste booke that the verie Gentiles themselues hadde many miracles and wonders happening among them in great suspition and that not without iust cause True wonders ought to stirre vs vp from sléepe A couragious horsse goeth well inoughe of his owne accorde and yet if you doe but make signe vnto him with a wande or put spurre vnto him hée wil be more redyer quicker Euen so must we go in the way that leadeth vnto Heauen so long as we liue but in case we sée any foretokens or some great alteration sâ—eme to hang ouer vs we ought to be the more stirred vppe to giue our selues to prayer and to exercise godlynesse The Gentiles if at any tyme such forewarnings were shewed vnto them from Heauen dyd institute certayne solemne prayers and processions to pacifie their Gods howe much rather oughte all Christian Princes and Magistrates Doctoures and Preachers of our tyme to bende themselues wholly herein when so euer plagues hang ouer our heades that all men generally and particularly shew forth true repentance Hitherto I truste we haue sufficiently shewed what we maye thinke concerning visions and appearing of spirites and other straunge things which haue greate affinitie and likenesse vnto them And that in tymes past Doctours wrote and taught farre otherwise concerning them than the verie truth it selfe was we haue also shewed the causes thereof It might be also declared in many words that the like hath happened in other poyntes of Christian doctrine yea and many excellent learned and godly men haue at large opened the same in their bookes whiche are nowe extant concerning such matters And that I maye conclude this my booke I shall beséeche all those for the glorie of God that shall happen to reade it that in case they thinke I haue strayed from the rule of the worde of God they woulde fréely and friendly admonishe me thereof but if they knowe it be agreeable to the worde of God as I trust it is that then they suffer not themselues to be ruled and mocked of iugling Monkes and Priestes but rather gyue God thankes for that greate and vnspeakable benefite whereby he dothe dayly delyuer them out of greate errours and feares and dothe continually more and more bring his truthe to lyght leâ— them not so lose the raignes to their affections that they reiect the truth which they haue once acknowledged The Senate and people of Rome as stories witnesse graunted libertie to the people of Cappadocia when the stocke and issue of their Kings was vtterly extincte to be frée and Lordes of themselues for euer after But the Nobilitie consulting on the matter refusing libertie whiche they coulde in no wise disgest desired to haue a king The Romaines wondering heereat gaue them leaue to choose whome they would to be their king Let not vs bée suche fooles but rather let vs embrace the libertie of our soules whych God doth dayly offer vnto vs by hys worde Many Noble nations fighting couragiously haue put themselues in present daunger of life to obtayne and kéepe this sweete externall libertie Howe muche more ought we Christians to fight agaynst the suttletie and deceyt of the Deuill least the libertie of our soules whyche is muche more precious than the other shoulde be oppressed by diuers errours and supersticions Men setting in darkenesse desire the light verie earnestly Let not vs therefore cast away light fréely offered vnto vs by God in his Scriptures We haue nothing here in earth more deare vnto vs than the libertie of our soules and consciences Let vs not then as Paule sayth with holâ—â— truth in vnrighteousnesse lette euery man of what age soeuer he be weigh with hymselfe howe fraile and brittle this lyfe is which God hath giuen vnto vs and that we muste depart from hence sooner then wée thinke for and render an account to the iust Iudge of our fayth wâ—rdes and déedes Glorie and prayse be vnto Almightie God for euer and euer and I beséech him to voutsafe to stretche forthe hys hande to deliuer all suche as are still entangled in superstition and errours and to graunt those whome he hath delyuered hys Heauenly grace that they be always thankful for so great a benefite least they be wrapped againe in the same mischiefe FINIS The diuision or partes of this booke â–ª The dedicaâ—â—on Spectrum Visum Visio Terriculamenta Phantasma Matth. 24. Mark. 6. Phasma Pneuma Luk. 24. Lares Praestites Hostilij Genius Penates Vmbrâ—â— Lemures Laruae Ceriti Maneâ— Maniae Mormo Lamiae Lameâ— â–ª of Hieremie â–ª chap. 4. Striges Gorgones Incubi Succubi Empusa â–ª Dicelon Hecataea Acco Alphito Telchinnes Pan. Faunuâ— Satyri Sileni Onocentaurus Onosceli Hyppocentaurus Sphinx Scilla Harpyae Triton Nereides Syrenes Portentum Ostentum Prodigium Monstrum Some men denie there are Spirits Acts. 3â— Sundrie imaginations of malancholicke persons TheatruÌ„ a place to behold plaies and paâ—â—imes in Ioannes Sertorius * See Ludouiâ— Caeliu li. 17. câ— â— antiquitat Galen de lociâ— affectis Libro de Simtomatum diff chap.
3. Paulus Aegineta Lycanthropia Augustine vppon Genesis Hydrophobia Rufus Ephialtes the 〈◊〉 Madmen Tertullian â— Pâ—t 3. Plutarche Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Simmachus Matth. 14. Luke 24. Stout and curragious men seldome se any Spiritâ— Dronken men see straunge things Euripides Prouerb 23. Some see them selues Hearing deceueth The sensâ— of feeling is deceyued Weakenesse of the sight and feare Cominaeus Kings 4. Salomon pro. Daunsing spirits Iosephus dâ— antiquitatib Paulina and Mundus Ruffinuâ— Tyrannus a wicked priest Lippis tonsoribus noâ—um Theodorus Foure moncks of Berna loaÌ„nes Stumpfius Erasmus Spectrum Georgius Buchananus Ambition Couetousnesse â–ª Paulâ— â–ª Enuie Idlenesse Loue. Popes haue fayned visions â–ª Bruno Gregorius 7. Bartholomâ—us Platina Bonifacius Sometimes Laye men beguile the priests Men walking by night Fayries of the earth Olaus magnus Echo Cardanus Things shining by night Hector Boethius Burning lights Exhalations Glasses Triton appeared to Iulius Caesar. Theseus seene in the battaile of Maratho C. Cassius sawe I. Caesar. Drusus sawe a woman excelling all mortall creatures in maiestie Plinius secundus writing of spirits The spirit of Athens Manlius Lucan Sozomâ—nus Theodorus Nicephorus Ambrose Augustine Felix appeared at Nola. Gregorie Basiliscus appeared to Chrysostome S. Seuerine Byshop of Colein Alexander Alexandro Bâ—ptista Malancthona annie Ludouicus Viues Hieronimus Cardanus Olaus Spirites requiring helpe Builders heare spirits in the night Diuells are in Mines Agricola Which are people that eate and deuoure men Cicero Augustine Marsilius Matth. 1. 2. Acts. Acts. 16. Cardanus De animorum immortalitate li. 16. cap 5. Virgill Suetonius Cicero de diuinatione Liâ—ie Plinie Appianus Valerius Max. li. 1. cap. 6. Castor and Pollux Plutarch Iosephus Felix Malleolus Luke 24. â— Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Paral. 14. 2. Reg. 6.7 â— Samuel 7. Daniel 5. 2. Macha 3. 2. Macha 10. 2. Machab 11. Some men see things whiche other men see not Actes 9. Actes 22. Socrates familiar At what time spirits appeare Apocalips In what place spirits are sene Esay 13. Monsters of the desert Esay 34. After what sort spirits appeare Olaus Daunces of spirits Saxo. Pomponius Mela. Solinus Hierome A Fable ouâ— of Hierome of a Centaure â–ª A Monster hauing the forepart like a man the hinder like a horse â–ª Plutarch De preparatione Euang. li. 5. chap. 9. Paulus Marsus Hunting of Deuils Platos opinioÌ„ Tertullian Homeâ— Virgill Plato The Iewes opinion Iob. 7. Psal 31. Eccle. 12. Wisedo 3. â—sal 49. 2. Samu. 12. Eccle 38. The Tukes opinion Papistes Iacobus de Cusa 4. places for Soules Heauen Hell. Limbus puerorum whiche is a place wher the Papistes imagin the soules of yong children to be which departed without Baptisme Purgatorie â–ª By whome Soules are tormeÌ„ted in purgatorie Papistes feigne that soules reâ—o earth againe Whether we may wishe to see spirits Howe a man ought to vse him self when spirits appeare according to the Papists Daniel 10.11 1. Samuel 3. By what tokens good spirits may be discerned from euill Luke 1. How vve may helpe and succoure soules A notable deede to releue soules Monks by their doctilâ—â— of spirits haue heaped infinite riches Martinus Polonus All soules day whens it toke originall Polidorâ— The beginning of the order of Carthusians Polidorâ— Soules go either to hell or to heauen Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. Iohn 14. Matth. 1â— â— Cor. 5. Luke â—â— Apo. 14. August Idem Idem â–ª Iustine Hillarie Dormitantij Caluin Ciprian mar Soules do not walke Tertullian Athanasius Chrisostome Cyrilluâ— â–ª The Glosse of the canon law Deut. 18. The soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the common course of nature by the omnipotent power of God. How we ought to reason of the omnipâ—tent power of God. Ambrose Hierom. Augustine Theodoret. We must leaâ—ne nothing of the dead Deut. 18 Esay 8. Luke 2â— Matth. 8. Wordes of theÌ„selues haue no force Iupiter Elicius Plinie Apoc. 19.22 Rom 1â— Actes 10. Testimonies out of the Fathers touching Samuels appearing Turtullian Augustine The Popes decrees Lyra. Eccle. 46. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 10. Iere. 10. Psal. 96. Whether the deuil for know of things to come Iohn 8. Which being doubtfully spoken may be vnderstode either of subuerting other kingdomes or losing his own Iustinus Gregorius 2. Corin. 11. 1. Reg. 22. Tertullian Lactantius Idem Ephori amongest the Lacedemonians wâ—r magistrates â–ª who in certen cases were aboue Kings vnto whome appeales were made from Kings euen as amongest the Romaines thei appealed from the Consuls to the Tribunes Math. 17 Moses and Elias appeared Lazarus came agayne on earth John. â—1 Matth. 27. At the resurection of Christe many roase agayne Augustine Spiridion raised his daughter Ruffinus Luke 24. Christs Disciples supposed they saw a ghost Many kynd of spirites Daniel 8.10 Actes 12. Matth. 18. Psalme 19. The holy fathers say that soules appeare Ambrose Augustine Gregorie Many things fabulous in Gregories dialoges Counsells approue the appearing of Soules Counsailes may erre Matth. 24. Popes haue approued the appearing of soules Many affirme they haue sene soules 1. Thessa. 4. Dilemma is a kinde of argument or reasoning which euery way conuinceth him vnto whome it is spoken Limbus puerorum Angells appeare Matth. 18. Esay 63. Daniel 10. Psal. 34. Whole armies of Angels CoÌ„stantinople preserued by the appearing of angels Augustine Paule Plinie Ambrose Why the diuel doth sometimes tell truth Acts. 16. Maâ—ke 1. Luke 4. Causes why God suffereth spirits to apere Seing of spirits to the wicked is a punishment Deut. 13. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. 2. Thessa. 2. 2. Timoth. 4. Examples of the wicked punished by delusioÌ„s of spirits Pharao Exodus Samuel 1. Cor. 10. Achab. â— Reg. 22. Roma 1. Athanasius A storie of S. Benedict seing many diuels in a monastery and fewe in the market A burnt childe dreads fire What the Gentiles did when they savve spirite Suetonius Septimae Tricessimae Anniuersaria Lilius Giraldus Cicero Ouid. Feralia Parentalia â–ª Lemuria Ouid. Touching the Iewes behauiour Luke 24. Matth. 10. Christ hath coÌ„quered the Deuill Luke 11. Iohn 12 â–ª 16. 1. Iohn 3. The diuel is conuersant among men Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 5. We must fighâ— against the diuel with good life Matth 1. God hath alwaies geuen vs teachers God hath preserued the scriptures God hath instituted the holy ministerie Psalme 119. Iohn 8. Acts. 10. S. Augustinâ—â— counâ—ell Scripture to be only beleued Chrisostomes aduise All things necessarie to saluation are conteined in the scriptures Hierom. Miracles are seales of the worde Mat. 10. Matth. â—4 1. Timo. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. The holy Virgin did not by and by beleeue the appearing of the Angell The signe of the Crosse. Tertullian Hierom. Origen c. Athanasius Whether the bare signe of the Crosse haue any force Coniurations against deuils Tertullian â–ª 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. Augustine The Aue Marie iâ— no praier Epes 1. Iohn â— 1. Timo. 2. Holy water The order of Cistertians Exorcists Roma 8. Plutarches Christian opinion Valerius Maximus The conclusioÌ„ ¶ Jmprinted at London by Richard Watkins Anno. 1572.