possessioÌ„ of life euerlasting they that depart in vnbeléef do streight way becoÌ„ partakers of eternal damnation The souls do not vanish away die with the body as the Epicures opinion is neither yet be in euery place as som do imagin touching this matter I wil allege pithie manifold testimonies out of the holy scripture out of which alone this question may ought to be tried discussed Our sauior Christ Iesus which could well iudge of these misteries in the .3 of Iohn saith So God loued the world that he wold giue his only begotteÌ„ son that who so beleueth on him shold not perish but haue life euerlastiÌ„g For god seÌ„t not his son into the world to coÌ„demn the world but that the world by him might be saued He that beleueth in him is not coÌ„demned he that beleueth not is coÌ„demned alredy bicause he beleued not in the name of the only begotteÌ„ son of god And in the .5 of Iohn he saith Uerily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word beleueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life shal not come into iugemeÌ„t or coÌ„demnation but hath passed alredy froÌ„ deth to life he doth not say that his sins shold first be purged in purgatorie And in the .6 cha he saith This is the wil of him that sent me that euery one that séeth the son and beléeueth on him should haue life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last day againe verily I say vnto you he that beleueth on me hathe life euerlasting In the .14 of Iohn also our Lord sauior Christ Iesus saith that he wil take vs vp to himself that where he is there shuld we be also c. When Christe sent forth his disciples to publish his gospel in the .x. of Math. he said vnto theÌ„ Go ye into the whole world preach the gospel to euery creature he that beleueth is baptized shal be saued and he that beleueth not shal be coÌ„demned in the 5. ch of the 2. to the Corin. the apostle S. Paule saith we knowe that if the earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed we haue a building of god that is a house not made with haÌ„ds but eternal in the heaueÌ„s c. By these places it may be euidently gathered that the soules of the faithfull are taken vp into eternall ioy the soules of the vnfaithfull assoone as they are departed froÌ„ their bodies are condeÌ„ned to perpetual tormeÌ„t And that this is done streightway after death may be perceyued by the words that Christ spake to the théefe on the crosse when he hoong on his right hand This day shalt thou be with me in paradise And in the 14 chap. of the apocalips it is writteÌ„ I hard a voice that said vnto me write blessed are the dead that dye in the lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .i. amodo as the old traÌ„slatioÌ„ redeth that is by by out of haÌ„d without delay SteueÌ„ in the very point wheÌ„ he loked to be stoned cried lord Iesu receiue my spirit He douted nothing but was assuredly persuaded that his soul shold straightway be traÌ„slated to eternal ioy Paule in the .j. chap. of his epist. to the Philip. sayth I desire to be losed or I couet to depart hence to be with christ Here is no meÌ„tioÌ„ at al made of purgatory in which the soules shold be first purged If thou wilt here obiect that the persons afore aleged wer saints martirs we say farther the Paradyse was opened also to the théef assoone as he became repentant And that the soules both of the faithfull vnfaithful which presently after their death are translated to heaueÌ„ or hel do not returne thence into the earth before the day of the last iudgement may wel be perceiued by the parable of the rich man clothed in purple Lazarus as we read in the .xvj. of Luke For wheÌ„ the rich man prayed Abraham that he would sende Lazarus vnto him to cooâ—e his tong Abraham gaue him this aunswer Betwixt thée and vs there is a great gulfe set so that they which wold goe hence from Abrahams bosome to you in Hell can not neyther can they come from thence to vs And when he be sought him that he would sende Lazarus to his fathers house to admonishe his fiue brethren least they also should come into that place of torment he sayd vnto him They haue Moses and the Prophets let them hear them And again If they heare not Moyses the Prophets neither wil they beleue though one rose agayne froÌ„ the dead CHAP. V. Testimonies of the auncient fathers that deade mens soules parted from theyr bodyes dooe not vvander here vpon earth THis matter was also thus vnderstoode by the holy and auncient Fathers For Augustine in his .xviij. Sermon De verbis Apostoli hathe that there bée two mansions the one in euerlasting fyre the other in the euerlasting kyngdome And in his .xxviij. chapter of his first booke De peccatorum meriâ—is remissione contra Pelagianos in the seueÌ„th tome of his works he sayth Neyther can any man haue any middle or meane place so that he maye be any other where than with the diuell who is not with Christ. And in his notable worke de ciuitate Dei the .xiij. booke and .viij. chapter he sayth The soules of the godly so soone as they be seuered from their bodies be in rest the soules of the wicked in torment vntill the bodies of the one bée raysed vnto lyfe and the other vnto euerlastyng deathe which in scripture is called the second death Iustine also an auncient father writeth in Responsione ad Orthodoxos quest 75. that the difference of the iust vniust doth appeare euen as soone as the soule is departed from the body For they are caried by the angels into such places as are fit for them that is the soules of the iust are brought vnto Paradyse where they haue the fruition of the sighte and presence of Angels and Archangels and moreouer the â—ight of our sauior Christ as it is conteined in that saying whiles we are straungers from the body we are at home with god And the soules of the vnrighteous on the other side are caried to Hell as it is sayde of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon Hell is troubled vnder thée being ready to méete thée c. And so till the day of resurrection and rewarde are ethy reserued in suche places as are méetest for them Saint Hillarie in the ende of his exposition of the second Psalme writeth that mens soules are straight way after death made partakers of rewards or punishments And touching the soules of the old Patriarks that dyed before the natiuitie of Christ Austin Hierom Nazianzen and other holy Fathers teache that God in certain places by him chosen out for that purpose hath preserued the soules of all
the crafte and subtiltie of the Diuel by this meanes Saincte Paule to the Ephesians the 6. chapter and Peter in hys firste Epistle and fifthe chapter saythe Be ye sober and watche for your aduersarie the Diuel as a roaring Lyon walketh about séeking whome he may deuoure whom resiste stedfast in faith c. When men are secure and negligente wholly giuen vnto pleasures and as it were drowned in drunkennesse in surfettyng couetousnesse adulterie and suche other wickednesse then hathe the Diuell place to shewe him selfe Wherefore we ought to giue our selues to watching praying fasting and godly liuyng we must heare the worde of God often and gladly we must desire too reade and talke of hym contynually that wée may thereby put from vs those diuelishe illusions and sightes If thou haue any publike office or charge do it faithfully restore thy goodes euill gotten either vnto their true owners or else imploy them to some good and godly ende If men care neither for God nor his worde it is no maruell if vayne sightes appeare vnto them For God suffereth such things to happen vnto them to humble them and to make them knowe themselues It is an horrible thing that there are some which giue ouer themselues to the diuel bicause he shold not tormeÌ„t them they ought rather to waigh with them selues that if they so do they shall be perpetually tormented of euil spirits except they truely repent and turne agayn vnto God. CHAP. VII That spirits vvhich vse to appeare ought to be iustly suspected and that vve maye not talke vvith them nor enquire any thing of them WE ought not without greate cause to suspecte all Spirites and other apparitions For albeit God dothe vse the helpe and seruice of good Angels for the preseruation of his electe yet notwithstanding in these our dayes they appeare vnto vs very seldome For things are nowe farre otherwyse since Christes comming into the worlde than they were before in auncient tyme Although perchaunce thou thinke thou haste séene a good aungell yet doo not easily and vnaduisedly giue him credite If the euent of the matter declare afterwarde that it was a good aungell whiche gaue thée notable warning of some matter or deliuered thée oute of some greate daungers giue God thankes that he hath delte so fatherly and mercyfully with thée and hathe suche care ouer thée and endeuour to frame thy selfe to his good will and pleasure But if thou sée an angell whiche flattereth and speaketh thée faire suche a one as thâ—se are whiche craue thy helpe as thou hast heard before in no wise credite their words Men which blaunche and flatter with vs are always suspicious why then shoulde not suche spirites be suspected Enter into no communication with suche spirites neither aske them what thou must giue or what thou must doo or what shal happen hereafter Aske them not who they are or why they haue presented them selues to bée séene or hearde For if they be good they will lyke it well that thou wilte heare nothing but the woorde of God but yf they be wicked they wyll endeuour to deceyue thée with lying When the Angell in the first chapter of Matthew instructed Ioseph in a dreame he by and by alleaged testimonie out of the Prophet If it be so that we must not beléeue an angell comming from Heauen who can iustly blame vs if we giue no credite to spirites and suspitious dreames Althoughe Chryste and his Apostles had the full power to shewe miracles yet did they establishe and confirme their doctrine by the holy Scriptures When Almightie God himselfe had enquired of Adam in Paradyse touching the breaking of his commaundement and that he had layd the fault vppon his wyfe Eua and she had put it ouer to the Serpente whiche caused hir to eate of the forbidden fruite God woulde not demaund of the Serpente that is of the Dyuell whiche had vsed him as instrument why he had so doone for he knew right well that he was a lyer Except Eue had talked with the Serpent she had neuer transgressed Gods commaundement If Spirites of their owne accorde woulde gladly tell vs many thinges yet wée must not giue eare vnto them muche lesse ought we to coniure them to tell vs the truth God commaunded in his lawe as we haue oftentymes sayde before that no man shoulde enquire any thing of the dead God himselfe sent his faithfull seruants the Prophets Apostles Euangelists and especially his only begotten sonne Christ Iesu our Lord and sauioure into the worlde by whome he truly plentifully taught his faithfull seruants what they ought to beleue to do to leaue vndone what kind of worshipping did best please him with many other suche things By them he enformed vs concerning great and weightie affaires whiche should happen in his Churche and in kingdomes euen vnto that blessed day wherin Christ shall iudge the world and shall call togither hys generall councell and shall pronounce finall sentence vppon them who haue done well or yll and wherein he shall make a diuision and separation betwene the good and euill Christe himselfe after his Resurrection did not immediatly ascende into heauen but aboade a whyâ—e in earth appearyng vnto his Disciples and others least we should at any tyme say Who euer came agayne to tell vs what estate is to be looked for in the other worlde Moreouer God among suche greate and long persecutions wherin many profytable bookes haue perished hath miraculously preserued the holy Scriptures for oure profite euen vnto this day and hereafter will preserue them in despite of all impious and wicked men He hath also ordeyned the ministerie of the worde that vnto the ende of the worlde there shoulde be some men whiche bothe by lyuely voyce and also by their writings shoulde interprete his woorde and enfourme others of his will and pleasure His woorde is a shining lanterne whiche shineth in this darke worlde whiche is full of errours as we reade Psalm 119. And our sauiour sayth in the eyght chapter of saint Iohn that he is the light of the worlde whome if any man follow he walketh not in darknesse This standeth as a sure grounde wherfore no other reuelations are to be looked for neyther by miracles from heauen nor by wandring spirites or soules as the common people mysterme them But lette vs imagine that they are the wandring spirites of deade bodies then is it necessarie that they be the soules eyther of faithful men or of infidels If they be the soules of the faithful they will say with God the father concerning his sonne Christe Iesus Heare him But if they be the soules of Infidels and of wicked men who I pray you will vouchsafe to heare them or beléeue any thing they say Morâ—ouer those things whiche these counterfayte soules doo speake eyther agrée with the holy Scriptures or else are contrary vnto them If they are agréeable then are they to be receyued not bicause
some are onely fabulous or false yet notwithstandyng it maye bée that the Dyuell doothe deceyue men vnder the formes of them Thus muche concerning tearmes whiche wée muste vse in this oure Treatyse of Spirites or Uisions Herevntoo haue I adioyned straunge happes and foretokens whyche for the moste parte chaunce before greate matters And therefore I knitte them vnto these bycause they haue greate resemblaunce vnto them For vayne imaginations also appéere vnto our sights armed men as it were are séene on earth or in the aire and other suche lyke shapes voyces noyses crackes and suche lyke But as touching the very wordes Portentum is that which forsheweth some thing to come as when straunge bodies appere in the ayre or blazing starres or thunder in fayre weather or whirlewindes do chaunce Festus sayth that albeit Portentum be a naturall thing yet it happeneth seldome and doth betoken some thing to come to passe after a certaine season Ostentum is some straunge thing whiche sheweth some thing to come to effecte spéedily They giue the lyke examples of them bothe Prodigium is a thing which albeit it often chaunce by course of nature yet notwithstanding it doth always betoken some euill thing being called Prodigium as it were of porro agendum to bée doone afterwarde Monstrum is that whiche hapneth agaynst nature as when any thing is brought foorthe hauyng membres béelonging to an other kynde the whiche is also called Promonstrum as who should saye Porro aliquid monstrans siue monens that is shewing or warnyng some thyng to happen afterward NotwithstaÌ„ding these termes are many tymes confounded togither taken in one signification and that bicause they respect one ende that is to tell before or giue warning of things to come The vayne visions wheron we here intreate appertayne nothing to natural philosophers neyther yet these things which we haue ioyned with them For if a sodaine cracke or sound or groning or rumbling as though the house would fall or if any other thing chauÌ„ce whiche standeth by natural reason it doth not proprely belong vnto this matter which we haue in hand But letting these things passe we will by Gods helpe and ayde come néerer to the matter it selfe â–ª CHAP. II. Melancholike persons and madde men imagin many things vvhich in verie deede are not THere haue ben very many in al ages which haue vtterly denied that there be any spirites or straunge sightes The Philosophers of Epicurus sect did iest and laugh at al those things whiche were reported of them and counted them as fayned and counterfeat by the whiche only children and fooles and playne simple men were made afrayd When Cassius who was an Epicurian vnderstoode by Brutus that he had séene a certain vision he as Plutarche doth testifie indeuored to attribute the matter vnto naturall causes We reade in the .23 chap. of the Actes of the Apostles that the Sadduceys did not beléeue there shoulde be any Resurrection of the dead and that they denyed there were any spirites or angels Yea and at thys day many good and godly men beleue those things to be but tales which are talked of â—o and fro concerning those imagined visions partly bicause in all their lyfe they neuer sawe any suche and partly or rather especially bicause in time past men haue bin so often deceiued with apparitioÌ„s visions and false miracles done by Monkes and Priests that nowe they take things that are true to bée as vtterly false What soeuer the cause is it may be proued by witnesse oâ— many writers by dayly experience also that spirites and straunge sightes doo sometyme appeare and that in verye déede many straunge and maruellous things doo happen True it is that many men doo falsly perâ—uade themselues that they sée or heare ghostes for that which they imagin they see or heare procéedeth eyther of melancholie madnesse weaknesse of the senses feare or of some other perturbation or else when they sée or heare beasts vapors or some other naturall things then they vaynly suppose they haue séene sightes I wote not what as héereafter I will shewe particularly by many and notable examples There is no doute but that almost al those things which the common people iudge to be wonderfull sightes are nothing lesse than so But in the meane season it can not be denied but that straunge sightes and many other suche lyke things are sometymes hearde and also séene And fyrste it can not be denyed but that some menne whiche eyther by dispositions of nature or for that they haue susteyned greate miserie are nowe become heauie and full of melancholie imagine many tymes with them selues being alone miraculous and straunge things Sometimes they affirme in greate soothe that they verily heare and sée this or that thing whiche notwithstanding neyther they nor yet any other man dyd once sée or heare Which thing we sometimes sée by experience to bâ—e true in those men whiche be troubled with greate headache or subiect to other diseases of the body or cannot take rest in the night or are distraughted of their wittes Those whiche dwell with suche kinde of men when they héere them tell such obsurde tales such straunge things and suche maruelous visions albeit they pittie their vnfortunate estate yet can they not many tymes conteyn themselues from laughing Aristotle in his booke de rebuâ— mirandis writeth of a certaine man distraught of his wittes who going into the Theatre of Abydos a Citie of Asia when no man was therein and there setting alone by clapping of his handes signified that he liked as well euery thing there as if some commedie or tragedie had ben notablie sette forth on stage The verie like Historie hath Horace in his seconde booke of Epistles of a certain man who comming into the Theatre at Argos behaued him selfe euen as the other man did And when his Kinsfolke through the helpe of good Phisitians hadde restored him to his ryght wittes againe he was verie angrie with them saying that he neuer liued more pleasantly than while he was beside him selfe Atheneus lib. 12. writeth of one Tresilaus whose braines were so distempered that he verily supposed all the ships whiche aryued at Porte Piraeus to be his owne he would numbre them he commaunded the Mariners to launch from shore and when they returned after their voyage home againe he as much reioyced as if he had ben owner of all wherewith they were laden The same man affirmed that in al the time of his madnesse he liued a verie pleasant life vntill the Phisitian hadde cured him of his disease I my selfe haue séene a man Iohannes Leonardus Sertorius by name whom verie honest and graue men which knewe him wel would testifie to be a godly man which was throughly perswaded with him selfe that he coulde proue our Religion which we nowe professe to be true and catholicke euen by a miracle from heauen as somtime Helias did He
citie how they had séene dead men daunce and that there was greate daunger least there should shortly ensue some plague or pestilence Moreouer it is well knowen to all men that harlots and whooremongers haue practised their wickednesse a long season vnder this cloake and pretence persuading their family that walking Spirites haunt the house least they shoulde be taken with the déede dooing and that they might enioy their desired loue Many times such bugges haue ben caught by the magistrats and put to open shame Theues likewise vnder this colour haue many times robbed their neighboures in the night time who supposing they heard the noyse of walking Spirites neuer went about to driue the théeues away Touching this point that an euill Spirit by meanes of naturall things which haue straunge vertues can do maruellous things by deceyuing mens senses I will at this present speake nothing CHAP. VI. Preestes and Monckes fained themselues to be Spirites also hovve Mundus vnder this colour defiled Paulina and Tyrannus abused many noble and honest matrones TO these things may be added that ther haue bene in al ages certain priests which practising straunge deuises giuing themselues to Necromancie haue bewitched foolishe men that highlie estéemed them to the ende they might thereby encrease their riches and followe their lustful pleasures Touching which matter to the ende godly disposed men may be the more heedfull I will rehearse a fewe histories Iosephus a writer of histories in his 18 booke and 4. chap. of Antiquities remembreth a notorious déede which hapned at Rome in the tyme of Tyberius Cesaâ— vnder the pretence of sacrificing to the goddesse Isis. I will recorde the historie as it is translated by Galenius a very learned maÌ„ There dwelled at Rome a woman named Paulina no lesse renoumed for honestie of lyfe than for the nobilitie of parentage She was also very riche and excéeding beautiful as one that was now in the floure of hir age especially adorned with the great vertue of chastitie and maried she was to one Saturnius a man worthie of such a wyfe It chaunced that Decius Mundus a famous yong knight became very muche enamored with hir bicause she was a woman of greater welth thaÌ„ that she might be won with rewardes and money so muche the more was this louers madnesse inflamed in so much that he stuck not to proffer hir for one night .200000 groates The Atticke groate the Romain penie are by coÌ„mon valuation all one â—udeus accouÌ„teth one of them worth .viij Crusados so this summe according to his reckening amounteth to .26000 Florens And yet not being able by these meanes to moue hir coÌ„stant mind bicause he could not endure the rage of his loue he determined by abstinence and hunger to make an ende both of lyfe and loue together This determination was not vnknowen to Ide Mundus Fathers bondseruant a mayde cunning in many artes but suche as were not to bée lyked She maruellously gréeued with the yong mans wilfulnesse in absteining froÌ„ meat talking with hym by swéet flattering words began to encourage him assuring him that she would bring to passe that he should at his pleasure embrace Paulina After that he had gladly condiscended to hir entreatie she telleth him she must néedes haue fiftie thousande groates to ouerthrowe the Gentlewomans chastitie So putting the yong man in good hope and receyuing asmuch money as she required bycause she well knewe Paulina coulde not be wonne with money she deuiseth a newe way to deceiue hir Understanding therfore that she was maruellously addicted to the worshipping of Isis she inuenteth these meanes She talketh with some of Isis Priestes and hauing receyued sure promise of them to kéepe all things secrete and which is most effectuall hauing shewed their rewarde promising presentlye 25000. groats and when they had done the déede other 25000. she openeth vnto them the yong mans loue beséeching them to helpe by all meanes possible that she mighte enioy the same They touched at the harte with desire of the money gently promised their helpe Wherefore the eldest of them speedelie goeth to Paulina and being admitted to hir spéech after he had obtained to talke with hir in secrete he declareth that he is come vnto hir being sent by the greate God Anubis this Anubis hauing a heade lyke to a Dogge was worshipped togither in one Temple with Isis who is maruellously in loue with hir beautie and doth coÌ„maund hir to repaire vnto him She ioyfully receyued the message and forthwith vaunteth among hir familiar acquainâ—aunce that the God Anubis hath vouchsaued to loue hir And she telleth hir husbande that she must suppe and lye with him Which thing was so muche the more easelye graunted vnto hir for that hir husbande had had good experience and knowledge of hir chastitie Whervpon she goeth to the temple and after supper when time of rest drew néere being shut in by the priest she méeteth with Mundus who had priuilye hidden himselfe there the darkenesse bringing them together without any suspition And so all that night she satisfied the yong mans desire supposing she had done pleasure vnto the god Afterwards he departing from hir Paulina early in the morning before the priests who were priuie to this deceyt were stirring returned home to hir husband to whome she recounteth hir méeting with Anubis also with great words setteth out the same amongst hir gossips and friends They could not beléeue hir considering the nature of the thing and yet could they not chuse but maruell waying the greate chastitie of the woman Thrée dayes after the déede done Mundus méeting by chaunce with his beloued saide vnto hir O well done Paulina thou hast saued me 200000 groats wherewith thou mightest haue encreased thy riches and yet notwithstanding thou hast fulfilled my desire for I way it not that thou hast despised Mundus sith vnder the title of Anubis â–ª I haue enioyed my disired lust which words sayde he departed But the woman then first perceiuing this villany began to teare hir garments and opening the whole matter vnto hir husband beséecheth him that he suffer not such a notorious mockerie to go vnpunished Hir husbande then declareth the whole matter to the Emperoure Tiberius who after he had learned all things by diligent examination trusseth vp these iugling priests on the gallowes togither with Ide the authour of al this mischiefe by whose meanes chiefly the chastitie of this noble gentlewoman was defiled and ouerthrowing their temple he commaunded the Image of Isis to be sunk in the riuer Tibris But iâ— pleased him to chasten Mundus with banishment a more gentle kynd of punishmeÌ„t ascribing his fault to the weaknes of his immoderat loue By this history it may easily be gathered how Sathan in times past be witcht the Gentils how their priests persuaded them that their Gods appearing in visible form spake this or that vnto them which notwithstaÌ„ding were very false Under the preteÌ„ce of
only in the nighte as some precious stones doo the eyes of certaine beastes a Gloewoorme or gloebearde as also some kynd of rotten wood wherewith many times children so terrifie their playfellowes that they imagine with themselues to sée euil spirits or men al burning with fire Hector Boethius writeth that a certain king of Scots caused some of his men to be disguised in garments with brighte shyning scales hauing in their hands rotten wood in stede of sâ—aues and so to appeare to his nobilitie and lordes in the night exhorting them to fight couragiously with their enimies and promising them to obtein victorie Wherby the noble men supposing they had séene angels behaued themselues valiantly and atchieued the victorie Many tymes candles and small fiers appeare in the night and séeme to run vp and downe And as the yong men in Heluetia who with their firebrands whiche they light at the bonfires in Shroftide somtime gather them selues together and then scatter abrode and agayne méeting togither march in a long ranke euen so do those fâ—ers sometime séeme to come togither and by and by to be seuered run abroade and at the last to vanish clean away Somtime these fâ—ers go alone in the night season and put such as sée them as they trauel by night in great fear But these things and many suche lyke haue their natural causes and yet I will not denye but that many tymes Dyuels delude men in this manner Natural Phylosophers wryte that thicke exhalations aryse out of the earthe and are kyndled Mynes full of sulphur and brimstone if the ayre enter vnto it as it lyeth in the holes and veines of the earth will kindle on fier and striue to get out Sometimes fier bursteth out of the earth as high as a tall trée and is soddenly put out agayne Whiche thing is to be thought to procéede of fierie matter séeking a vent to gushe out at We reade of the mount Aetna in Cicilie that in times past it burnte continually day night casting forth flames of fier fiery stones and ashes in great abundaunce The like is read also at Vesunius a hill in Campaine about a Germaine mile from Naples The same hill in the time of Titus the Emperour as S. Hierom reporteth cast foorth of it so much fier that it burnt the countrie and cities and people rounde about it and filled the fieldes adioyning full of cinders and ashes These two hilles euen in our dayes boyling with greate heate haue very muche indamaged the people inhabiting thereabout In Iseland as Olaus Magnus witnesseth are found fiers which breake out of the earth And as whole hilles and mountaines may burne euen so may a little fier be kindled in the earth yet wander very large They whiche trauelling by the way or by some other meanes chaunce to sée these things and know not the naturall causes of them imagin by reason of feare that they haue sene men burning like fier or some other straunge thing which they haue heard other men talk of And by meanes of their great feare often times they fall into greate daungerous diseases The arte perspectiue doth also worke this wonderfull feate that diuers and sundrie shapes will appeare in glasses made and sette togither after a certeyne artificiall sorte some times they will séeme to go out of the dores and resemble menne of oure familiar acquayntaunce Many things in very déede are naturall althoughe wée can not fynde any naturall reason for them And yet by the way they shewe them selues too foolishe which labour to bring al things to natural causes Here I will say nothing of those men which can beare plain and rude people in hande that they or some other of their acquaintance haue séen strange things which they earnestly auouche to be true when as in déede there was no such â–ª thing Howe often I pray you do we heare things affirmed as true which afterwarde proue moste false as that one was caryed away body and soule that an other was put to death and an infinite number of suche like reports CHAP. XII A proofe out of the Gentiles histories that Spirits and ghosts do often times appeare ALbeit many melancholike mad fearefull and weake sensed men doo oftentimes imagine many things whiche in very déede are not and are lykewyse deceyued somtyme by men or by brute beasts and moreouer mistake things whiche procéede of naturall causes to bée bugs and spirits as I haue hitherto declared by many examples yet it is most certayne sure that all those things which appeare vnto men are not alwayes naturall things nor alwayes vayne terrors to affray men but that spirits do often appeare many straunge and maruellous things do sundry times chaunce For many suche things of thys sorte are to be red in diuers graue and auncient historiographers and many men of no small credite haue affirmed that they haue séene spirits both in the day and in the night also And here I will orderly declare a fewe histories out of diuers allowed authors touching spirits which haue appeared and shewed them selues Suetonius Tranquillus writeth that when Iulius Cesar marching out of Fraunce into Italie with his army and comming to the riuer Rubico which deuideth Italie from the hether Fraunce staying there a while and reuoluing with him selfe how great an enterprise he hadde taken in hand as he was wauering in mind whether he shold passe the water or not sodenly there appeared a man of excelling stature and shape sitting hard by piping on a reede Melancthon in his phisicks calleth him â—â—iton vnto whom when not only shepherds but also very many souldiors from the camp and amongst them diuers trumpetters had flocked to heare him he sodenly snatched a trumpet from one of them and leaped to the riuer and with a lustie breath blowing vp the alarum went to the farther side Then sayd Caesar good lucke mates let vs go whether the gods warnings leade vs and whether our enimies iniquitie calleth vs The dice are throwne And so he transported ouer Plutarke writeth in Theseus life that many whiche were in the battaile of Marathonia against the Medians did affirme that they sawe the soule of Theseus armed who long time before died of a fall before the vauntgard of the Grecians running and setting on the barbarous Medians For which cause the AtheniaÌ„s afterward were moued to honour him as a demigod Pausanias writeth in Atticis That in the field of Maratho 400. yeres after the battaile there foughten there was hard the neying of horses and the incountring of souldiours as it were fighting euery night And that they which of purpose came to heare these things could hear nothing but those that by chaunce came that way hearde it very sensibly The same Plutarke writeth in the life of Cimon that when the citizens of Cheronesus had by fayre words called home their captaine Damon who before for diuers murthers departed the citie afterwards
they cruelly sleâ— him in a hotehouse as he was bathing him selfe from that time foorth there were many strange sightes seene in the same place many times also most greuous gronings were there heard in so much that they wer euer after constreyned to stop vp the hotehouse dores Also in the life of Dion he reporteth that the saide Dion being a stout a couragious man without any feare sawe notwithstanding a greate and maruellous horible sight For when he chaunced to sit alone in the entry of his house in the euening those are Plutarks owne words as Xiliander interpreteth them musing discoursing many things with him selfe being sodenly moued with a greate noyse he arose and loked backe to the other side of the gallâ—rie and there he espied a monstrous great woman who in apparell and countenaunce nothing differing from a Tragicall furie swept the house with a broome With the which â—ight being amazed terribly afraide he called his friends and acquaintance vnto him and declaring vnto theÌ„ what he had séene desired theÌ„ to remaine with him al that night for béeing as it were stricken dead with feare he doubted least it would appeare vnto him againe if he were alone which in déede neuer hapned after But a fewe dayes after his sonne threwe him selfe hedlong from the top of the house and died and he him selfe being stabbed through the body ended his miserable life The same author writeth in the life of Decius Brutus how when Brutus was determined to transporte his army out of Asia into Europe being in his tent about midnight the candle burning dimly and all the host quiet and silent as he was mâ—â—ing and reuoluing with him selfe he séemed that he hearde one entring the Tente into him and looking backe vnto the doore hée sawe a terrible and monstrous shape of a bodye whiche farre excéeded the common stature of men standing faste by him without any words wherewith he was sore afrayde and yet he ventured to aske it thys question What arte thou sayeth hée eyther a God or a man and why commest thou vnto me Whereto the image aunswered I am quod he O Brutus thy euill ghoste at Philippos thou shalt sée mée Then sayth Brutus being nothing amazed I wil see thée When the sight was vanished he called his seruants who told him that they neyther sawe any suche thing neither heard any voyce at all All that nighte Brutus coulde not sléepe one winke In the morning very early hée goeth vnto Cassius and sheweth him his straunge vision Cassius who despised all suche things for he was an Epicure ascribed the whole matter to natural causes For his disputation hereof is yet extant in Plutarke Afterward Brutus being vanguished by Augustus and Anthony in the field of Philippi slue himselfe bicause he would not be deliuered into the handes of his enimies Valerius Maximus in his first booke .vj. chap. writeth that Caius Cassius saw Iulius Cesar in the battayle of Philippi in a shape of greater maiestie than any man hath setting spurres to his horse and running on him with a terrible threatning countenaunce whiche when Cassius sawe he turned his backe to the enimie and fled shortly after murthered himselfe Dio Cassius Nicaeus in his Roman historie from the beginning of his 55. booke writeth of Drusus who by spoiling Germanie far néer on euery side came euen to the riuer Albis where when he could not get ouer erecting monuments of victorie departed back againe For he there saw a woman excéeding the state of mortall creatures which met him and sayd vnto him Drusus which canst fynd nâ— end of the gréedie desire whether goest thou It is not laufull for thée to sée al these things but rather get thée hence for the end both of thy lyfe and woorthie déedes is nowe at hand When Drusus heard these things he sodenly changed his course and being in his iorney before he came to the riuer of Rein he sickned and dyed Other like foretokens the same author reporteth to haue hapned before his death all the whiche notwithstanding he nothing regarded For two yong men appeared on horsebacke vpon the rampiers and the shryking of women was also hearde with many other suche lyke c. Plinius secundus citizen of Nouocomensis hath an Epistle of Spirits appearings written vnto his friend Sura in the .vij. booke of his Epistles whiche we haue thought good to set downe whole in this place Leysure sayth he graunteth mée libertie to learne and giueth thée leaue to teache Therfore I am very desirous to knowe whether thou thynke fantasyes are any thyng and whether they haue any proper figure of their owne and be some kynde of diuine power or else whether they take vppon them â—ome vayn variable shape according to the feare whiche we haue of them That I should so beléeue I am especially moued thereto by that which I heare saye happened to Curtius Rufus who was as then companion to the â—â—â—consyl of Affrica â–ª bothe poore and also of small reputation And as he walked one day in a Gallerie towardes the euening ther méeteth with him the shape of a woman more great beautifull than any liuing creature Wherat he béeing amazed she telleth him that she is Affrica and is come vnto him to foretell him of good happe to followe First that he should go to Rome and there take on him the state of great honour and afterwarde that he shoulde returne into the same prouince with full and high authoritie and there end his dayes Which things came all to passe And moreouer the same figure as it is sayd mette with him agayn on the shoare side as he entred out of the 〈◊〉 and came towardes Carthage â–ª to take his charge and regiment in hande Afterwards falling sick when no man dispayâ—ed of his healthe coniecturing things to come by those that had passed and comparing aduersitie with his former prosperitie he vtterly cast awaye all hope of recouerie Is not this also more terrible and no lesse maruellous whiche I wyll nowe repeate as I haue hearde it tolde There was in Athens a goodly and a very large house but euill reported and counted as an infortunate and vnluckie house For about mydnight there was hearde the noyse of iron and if one marked it wel the ratling of chaines as it were a farre off at the firste and so neerer and néerer shortly ther appéered an image or shape as it were an olde man leane and lothsome to beholde with a long beard and staring haire on his legs he had fetters and in his hands caryed chaines which he always raâ—led togither By meanes wherof thâ—se that inhabited the house by reason of their fear watched many heauie and pitifull nights after their watching folowed sicknesse and soon after as feare increased ensued death For in the day tyme also albâ—it the image were departed yet the remembraÌ„ce therof was euer presente before their eyes so that
that he shuld not be able once to enter in at Hel gates Which example Tertullian aledgeth therwithal confuteth this vain opinion of the heathen Palinurus in Virgill besought Aeneas that he woulde cast earth on him when he was dead and erect vnto him an horsse for so did they call those Monuments of the deade in whiche albeit no man was layde yet were they vsed in the honour of the deceassed Vergill writeth that Deiphobus his Ghost wandred abroade vnto the whiche Aeneas erected an Horse For the Gentiles were of suche opinion in those dayes that they thoughte an emptie and counterfeyted buriall profited very much Moreouer the heathen were persuaded that the soules which dyed before their naturall time especially of those which perished by violent death whome they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as by hanging drowning or beheading c. dyd strap abroade so long time as they should haue liued if they had not ben slaine by violent death Which opinion Tertullian also confuteth Plato in his 9. booke De legibus writeth that the soules of those which are slayne do pursue their murtherers so far that they do hurt them the which except it be vnderstoode by way of a Metaphor is likewise to be reiected The Catholik faith amongst the Iewes was that the soules of the dead did not return into this erth but either were at rest which was when they dyed in the faythe of the promised Messias or were condemned if they departed hence in their sinnes withoute repentaunce For Iob in his 7. chapter sayth Euen as the cloude vanisheth and fadeth away so he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more nor returne into his house c. But if thou wilt say that Iob was an Ethnick it may be alleaged of Dauid that when he was in very greate daunger and death euen present before his eyes he prayed in the 31. Psalm Into thy handes O Lord I commend my spirite The Preacher also in his 12. chapter sayth The spirit shall returne to God that giueth it In the boke of Wisedome which of old wryters is attributed to Philo Iudeus the third chapter therof it is written the soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and no torment shal touch them And on the other side the soules of the wicked go downe into hell In the 49. Psalm it is written of those welthy worldlings whiche for lucres sake departe from God and his commaundements They are layd as shéepe in Hel death shal consume them and Hell is their habitation c. If the Iewes had beléeued that the soules after this life were tormented in Purgatorie no doubt amongst so many diuers kyndes of sacrifices whiche they offered for the sinnes of the lyuing they woulde at laste haue some one kynd of sacrifice wherby to redéeme souls or in some part to assuage and mitigate their paines And that soules do returne after deathe do offer themselues to be séene and beheld of men and require ayde of them we find no wher in the old Testament but rather the contrary In the 2. of Samuel 12. Dauid speaketh this of his yong childe that he begat by Bersaba that he could not bring him into life againe that he would go to him and the chyld should neuer returne vnto him againe And Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his .38 chapter sayth there is no returning from death Of the vision whiche was shewed to Samuel we will straightway speake in his proper place And that in latter ages long after Christ came in flesh there were some amongest the Iewes who thought that the soules seperated from their bodies dyd straye and raunge a broade it may hereby be gathered for that certaine of the Rabbines write that the soule of Naboth which was slayne bycause he woulde not sell his Uyneyarde to Achab was that Spirite that promised his helpe to seduce Achab béeing as it were one that coueted his death The Turkes also beléeue that the soule is immortall and that assoone as they are loosed from the body they come eyther into a place of rest or of torment But whether that they dyd think that soules returned agayn into the earth and roue there too and fro I could find no playn mention thereof in their Alcaron CHAP. II. The Papistes doctrine touching the soules of dead men and the appearing of them THe Papists in former times haue publikely both taught written that those spirits which men somtime sée and hear be either good or bad angels or els the soules of those which either liue in euerlasting blisse or in Purgatorie or in the place of damned persons And that diuers of theÌ„ are those soules that craue ayde and deliueraunce of men But that this doctrine of theirs and the whole state therof may be the more euideÌ„tly perceiued we wil more largely repete the same out of their owne bokes Iacobus de Cusa a Carthusian Frier Doctor of diuinitie wrote a book of the Apparition of soules after they were seperated fro the bodies which work of his hath in it many supersticious toyes and was Printed in a town belonging to the dominion of Berna named Burgdroâ—e in the yeare of our Lorde 1475. Popish writers commenting on the 4. boke of the Maister of Sentences do appoint foure places to receyue soules after they are departed from the bodies Thrée of the which places they say are perpetuall one which lasteth but for a tyme already lymitted The first place or receptacle is Caelum Empireum the firie heauen so termed of his passing gret brightnesse and glorie which they say is the seate ordeined for the blyssed sort this place by an other in Scripture is called Paradise The second place is Hel vnder the earth being the Mansion of Deuils and Infidels departing hence in deadely sinne without repentance The third place they tearme Limbus puerorum whiche is prouided as wel for the Children of the faythful as of the vnfaythfull who they say shal continually abyde there without any sense of payne being only depriued from the fruition of Gods presence And therefore they say that after their death they ought not to be buried in holy buriall The fourth place is Purgatorie whiche is prepared for them that departe hence without deadly sin or if they committed any such sinnes dyd some penance for them but yet made full satisfaction for theÌ„ or else went hence only stayned with venial sinne Of this place to wit Purgatorie Popish writers teach maruellous things Some of them say that Purgatorie is also vnder the earth as Hel is Some say that Hell and Purgatorie are both one place albeit the paines be diuers according to the deserts of soules Furthermore they say that vnder the earth there are more places of punishment in which the soules of the dead may be purged For they say that this or that soule hath ben séene in this or that
mountaine floud or valley where it hath committed the offence that these are particuler Purgatories assigned vnto them for some special cause before the day of Iudgement after which time all maner of Purgatories aswell general as particuler shal cease Some of them say that the paine of Purgatorie is al one with the punishment of hel that they differ only in this that the on hath an end the other no ende and that it is far more easie to endure all the paynes of this worlde which al men since Adams time haue susteined euen vnto the day of the last Iudgement than to beare one dayes space the least of those two punishmentes Further they holde that our fire if it be compared with the fire of Purgatorie doth resemble only a painted fire Séeke their Doctours in this poynte on the fourth booke of Sentences the â—0 distinction This question also they moue by whome the Soules in Purgatorie are tormented Wherefore their opinion are very diuers and disagréeable among themselues Richardus de Media villa a Franciscan frier writeth vpon the Maister of Sentences sayth he verily beléeueth that soules are caried by good Angels into the places of torment but yet that they themselues do not torment them bycause they shall become at length fellow citizens with them Neyther yet are they punished by Deuils who after this life do no longer tempte men but only by the méere iustice of god And yet saith he it may so come to passe that the Deuils be present at the doing thereof and reioyce at their tortures I thought good to repeate these things of Purgatorie somewhat at large the rather for that the reader might sée that their Doctours do disagrée in a matter of great weight by which they haue both robbed men of their wealth and plunged them into very great myserie Héervnto they adde that the spirites aswel of the good as the yl do come and are sent vnto men lyuing from hel And that by the common lawe of iustice all men at the day of Iudgement shall come to their trial from hell and that none before that time can come from thence Farther they teach that by Gods licence dispensation certaine yea before the day of Iudgement are permitted to come out of hell and that not for euer but only for a season for the instructing and terrifying of the lyuing Héervppon they recite diuers kinde of visions that certaine Clarkes and Laye persons being damned bothe men and women haue appeared to their ghostly fathers and others and haue opened vnto them the causes of their daÌ„nation all which to rehearse héere were lost laboure And that the soules which be in euerlasting ioye or in Purgatorie do often appeare it may be séene in Gregories Homelies Gregories Dialogues who writeth that Peter and Paule and other Saintes dyd not onely appeare vnto holie men but dyd also conducte theyr Soules vnto Celestiall ioye Moreouer that God dothe licencâ— soules to returne from those two places partely for the comfort and warning of the liuing and partly to pray aide of them And yet that those soules doo not here represent themselues to be séene of men when and how often soeuer they list themselues No doubt these men shew them selues to haue a sharpe wit and profounde knowledge These doctours moreouer moue this question whether we may request without offence that the soules of suche as are departed may shewe themselues to be behelde and séene of the liuing To ryue asunder this crabbed knotte they bring thys wedge that if this request procéede of some good intent without the spot of lightnesse and vanitie that a maÌ„ might vnderstand the state of some frend neighbor benefactour or of his parents or some other therby to help relieue them spéedily of their torments it is no offence at all bicause dead mens soules doo of their owne accorde shewe themselues vnto the lyuyng to receyue helpe of them and therfore nothing can let vs to aske this thing at gods hande Of this opinion is Thomas of Aquine But as concernyng the tyme and place when and where Spirites doe proffer them selues to bée séene they saye no certayne rule can be giuen for this standeth wholly in Gods pleasure who if he list to deliuer any suffereth him to make his appearaunce foorthwith euen in such places as he may be well heard in And that spirits do not alwaies appeare vnder a visible shape but sometimes inuisibly in so much that sometime nothing els is heard of them but snéesing spitting syghing clapping of hands c. Of which point I haue noted somewhat before when I spake generally of ghosts bycause they appeare in sundry sorts And whersoeuer these spirits be they say that they endure punishment Besides that soules do not appeare nor answeare vnto euery mans interrogatories but that of a great number they scantlie appeare vnto one And therefore they teache Whensoeuer suche visions of spirits are shewed men should vse fasting and prayer or euer they demaund any question of them which say they in the x. and xj chapters of Daniell is read to haue ben done by Daniell him selfe Besides this shrift and massing shoulde bée vsed ere we question with them farther that we should not giue credite assoone as we heare but one signe but waite to heare the same thrice repeated whiche in the first booke of Samuel and 3. chapter is reade to haue bin done by Samuell being yet a childe for otherwise the Diuell may delude and deceyue vs as he doth very often And so soone as these things are dispatched and performed that foure or fiue deuoute priests are to be sent for whych should come to the place where the spirite was woont to shewe him selfe and that they should vse certeine ceremonies as to take a candle that hath bin halowed on Candlemasse day light it also holy water the signe of the crosse a censor in their hande and when they light their candle should pray ouer it as I remember the seuen penitential psalmes or reade the gospell of S. Iohn And when they come to the place they shoulde sprinkle it with holy water pâ—rfume it with Frankincense casting about their neckes a holy stoale and then that one of them knéelyng on his knées should reherse this prayer folowing O Lord Iesu Christ the sercher of al secrets which art always woont to reueale healthfull and profitable things vnto thy faithful people little ones which haste permitted some certain spirite to shew himselfe in this place wée humbly beséech thée of thy great mercy by thy death passion and by the sheding of thy most precious bloud for our sinnes that thou wilt vouchesafe to giue in charge to this spirite that he may declare and open what he is without any fraying or hurting of vs or of any other creature besides shewing vnto vs thy seruaunts or to other sinners as we be who he is why he is come and
graunteth that by the dispensation of Gods will it might so come to passe that the spirit of some holie Prophete shoulde consent to present it selfe in the sight of the King to come out of his owne place to speake with him but not to do this by constrainte or by the vertue of Arte Magike which might haue any power ouer it but therby to shew it self obedient to the secret dispensation of God yet he doth not dissemble â–ª that a better answere may bée giuen to wit that the spirit of Samuel was not truely in déed raysed vp from his rest but rather some vayne vision counterfet illusion that should be brought to passe by the deuils practise which the Scripture therefore doth terme by the name of Samuel bycause the same is woont to call the Images similitudes of things by the names of the things themselues For who is he saith Augustine that wil be afraid to cal a man painted a man considering that without staggering we are acustomed to giue eache thing his proper name as soon as we behold the picture of the same as when we take the viewe of a painted table or wall we say straight waye this is Tullie this is Salust hée Achilles that other Hector thys is the floude called Symois that place tearmed Rome whereof these things be ended no other than painted Images of those things whose names they beare Sith thys is so he sayth it is not to be maruelled that Scripture sayth Samuell was séene when perchaunce Samuels Image séemed to appeare thorow the crafty pollicie of hym that transformed himselfe into an Angell of lyght and fashioneth hys Ministers like vnto the Ministers of righteousnesse In his booke De octo Dulcitij questionibuâ— the 6. question therof he vttereth al this in as many words in his booke De cura pro mortuis gerenda he writeth that some are sent from the deade to the lyuing as on the other side Paule was rapt vp from the lyuing vnto Paradise he addeth ther the example of Samuel being dead which dyd foreshewe to Saule things that afterwardes should come to passe He sayth further that this place may otherwise be vnderstanded and that certaine faythful men haue ben of this Iudgement that it was not Samuel but that some spirit fit for such wicked practises had taken vpon him his shape and similitude And in other places as we wil shew héereafter he affirmeth that there is a fygure contayned in those wordes bycause the name of the thing is giuen vnto the Image that dothe but represent the same and that it was not Samuel that appeared but some deuilysh spirit Other Fathers of the Church haue written nothing particularly of this storie so far as I know but in certen places of their workes they teache generally that good spirites are not pulled backe into the earth by Magicall Art. Of Iustine and Gregorie I wil speake anone In the very Papall decrées 26. question 5. chapter Nec mirum it is written that it was not Samuell but rather some wicked spirit that appeared to Saule And that it were a great offence that a man should beléeue the playne words of the storie without some farther meaning for how saith he could it come to passe that a man from his byrth holie and iust in conuersation of life should by Art Magicke be pulled out of his place And if he were not so drawen against his will then he must needes agree thereto bothe whiche are alike absurde to be imagined of a iust man This is the Diuells legerdâ—mayne to make shewe as though he had power ouer good men thereby the rather to deceyue many He there farther addeth that the Hystoriographers do sette foorth both Saules mynde and Samuels state and also those things whiche were sayde and séene omytting this whether they were true or false And other wordes followe whiche who so lyst to sée more of that matter may there reade But héer Nicolas Lyras iudgement which in his commentaries on the books of the Kings mainteineth the contrarie opinion shoulde be little weighed and regarded of vs Where he noteth that the place by vs euen now alleged is not written according to the censure of the Church though it be found in the Popes lawe for otherwise saith he they whiche ensued in latter tymes woulde not haue written contrary to the same for many of those thyngs concerning which men haue written otherwise in latter tymes were neuerthelesse set foorth to the worlde to be beléeued as the very expresse and sound iudgement of the whole Christian Churche bycause they were put in the Popes booke of Decretals CHAP. VIII A Confutation of their argumentes vvhich vvould haue Samuell himselfe to appeare WE wil now come to the Confutation of their Arguments which mainteine that very Samuel himselfe appeared to the Sorcersse for he that rightly ouerthroweth his aduersaries arguments is supposed by the same meanes to confirme his own cause The chéefest arguments which our aduersaries vse is taken out of the 46. chapter of Ecclesiasticus where these words are fouÌ„d Samuel before his death made protestation before God before his anoynted that he tooke from no man his substance no not so much as the value of a shoe and no man could then reproue him And after his deth he Prophesied and tolde the King of his ende From the earth he lifte vp his voyce and shewed that the wickednesse of the people should perish This place somewhat troubled S. Augustine and other Godly Fathers For if the Deuill onely appeared and not Samuell howe is it there sayde that he slept that is dyed for the Deuill neyther sléepeth nor dieth Héerevnto I maye shape thys aunswere that this booke is not to be numbred among the Canonical bokes of the olde Testament and that Doctrine in controuersies cannot bée proued by the authoritie thereof the whych Saincte Augustine also confesseth in hys booke De cura pro mortuis agenda But howesoeuer that be credited as true or false I answere them playnly that Iesus the Sonne of Syraches intente was to alleage the Storie literally as the woordes lye and not by reason to debate the matter whether Samuell truely appeared or no. Hée speaketh there according too the opynion of Saule and the Witche whiche thought that Samuell hymselfe was raysed Further they say that hée whiche appeared vnto Saule is sometymes expresly and in playne woordes called Samuell And an vnséemely matter it were making muche for the reproche of so greate a Prophete if hys name hadde béene applyed vnto the Deuill If say they it hadde not béene Samuell but some wicked Spirite the Scripture woulde in some one woorde or other haue noted the same To this Argument fyrst I aunswere that euen in our common speache it is an vsuall phrase by the figure Metonymia to terme the Image by the name of the thyng that it presenteth So wée terme the Armes and Ensigne of a Noble man by
spirites speake them but bicause they are comprysed in the woorde of god But in case they are repugnant to the woorde of God they ought in no wyse to be receyued albeit an angell from heauen vtter them Thou wilt not beléeue a man of thy familiar acquaintaunce otherwyse worthy of credite who sounde of bodye and soule nowe liueth togither with thée if hée affirme any thyng whiche thou knowest to be contrary to the holy Scriptures why then wouldest thou beléeue a spirite which thou doest not know In ciuill causes the euidence or witnesse of deade men is reiected why then in causes of religion shold we giue eare to the testimonie of runagate and wandring spirites It is no harde or difficulte matter for the Lorde oure God to sende his angels vntoo vs whome otherwyse hée vseth for oure profite and by them to instructe vs in the Fayth but it hathe pleased him to appoynte the matter otherwyse Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Actes that by an angell he commaunded Cornelius to sende for Peter that he might instruct him in the fayth He myghte haue commaunded the Angell to teache Cornelius but he folowed an orderly meanes It shal be best for vs therfore to stand to the holy Scriptures simply and that all appearing of spirites as also all dreames and reuelations be tried by the holy scriptures as vpon a touchstone and so to admit nothing but that whiche is set foorthe in the holy Scriptures for excepte wée go thus warely to woorke there is greate daunger least wée bée deceyued If the aunciente Fathers had so doone they had not estrayed so farre from the Apostles simplicitie S. Augustine in his thirde booke and .6 chapter writing agaynste the letters of Petilianus sayeth thus If concerning Christe or any other thing whiche appertayneth to fayth and euerlasting lyfe I will not say we for comparyng with him that sayde Albéeit that wée but simply where as he goyng on sayd If an Angell from Heauen shall teache you any thyng besydes that whiche you haue receyued in Scriptures conteyning the law and the Gospell bée he accursed S. Chrysostom vpon the Epistle to the Galathians the firste chapter Abraham sayeth he when he was desired to send Lazarus sayd They haue Moyses the prophets if they will not heare them they will not giue eare vnto them which rise from the dead And when he bringeth in Christ vttering these words he sheweth howe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite than any raised from the dead S. Paule when I name Paule I name likewise Christ for he stirred vp his mind preferreth the Scriptures before Angels descending from Heauen and that for very iust cause For albeit Angels are great yet are they seruants and ministers For all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written and sent vnto vs by seruants but by almightie God the lord of all things Thus write these two holy fathers What things soeuer are necessarie for vs to knowe are conteined in the holy scriptures those things which are not expressed in them we muste not curiously enquire of as things profitable for our saluation Who wil therfore say against the commaundement of God that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men and by diuelishe visions These things which are secrete and hidden we shal thorowly sée when we come to eternall life May not god if we be not content with his holy word say that vnto vs which sometimes he spake by the mouth of Helias vnto the messangers of king Ochosias Is there no god in Israell that you now go to Accaron to aske councell of Belsabub Yea Thomas Aquinas denieth that diuels are to be heard which deceyue simple menne feyning them selues to be the Soules of dead men and by that coloure especially terrifie menne whiche some tymes also happened vnto the Gentiles If it were certayne and sure that the Diuel coulde not appeare and deceyue menne and also shewe greate and straunge miracles then perchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue eare vnto suche Spirits but nowe we sée the contrary happen An euill spirite cloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice and vnder the pretence of religiō he endeuoreth to ouerthrowe religion For as S. Hierom sayth the Deuill sheweth not himself with al his deceites that he may be known what he is And therefore it behoueth vs to be very circumspect and warie Moreouer myracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word neither may any thing be approued by them whiche is repugnant to the worde of god All miracles which lead vs away from our creator vnto creatures do attribute that vnto our works which is only due vnto the merites of Chryste and to be shorte all those whiche induce vs any wayes into errour are to be eschued If we must néedes beléeue these appearing soules no man could be assured of his estate for newe things shoulde be continually deuised as we sée playnely it happened in the olde time Therefore we must let passe all manner of spirits and embrace true religion and therein constantly abide CHAP. VIII Testimonies out of holie Scripture and one example vvhereby it is proued that such kynde of apparitions are not to be credited and that vve ought to be verie circumspect in them THat wée ought not by and by to beléeue all things whiche we heare not onely experience and many common Prouerbes but also the holie Scriptures teach vs especially in cases concerning our saluation touching the which thing we wil alledge only a fewe places and examples When Christ first sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospell he sayd vnto them Matthew .10 Be yée wise as serpentes and simple as Doues beware of men howe muche more than ought we to take héede of diuels Christ prophecieth in the 24. of Matthew that many false techers shall come in the latter dayes and shall shewe straunge myracles to confirme their erroures and therefore hée commaundeth the faythfull to be héedefull and circumspect and not without cause hée addeth Beholde I haue tolde you before Saynte Paule to the Galathians the firste Chapter sayth in great eanest vnto them that if an Angell come from Heauen and preache vnto them any other Gospell hée shoulde be accursed Euen so if at thys tyme spirites appeare and doe vtter any thyng repugnant to the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes they are to be reiected The Apostle in hys firste Epistle and fourth Chapter to Timothie dothe prophecie of false teachers which shoulde come and saythe the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall departe from the faythe and shall gyue héed vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuils whiche speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron forbydding to marrie and cōmaunding to absteyne from meates whiche God hath created to be receyued with gyuing thanks of them whiche beléeue