largenesse by the Christians whoÌ„ he called GalileaÌ„s in despite and mockerie because Christe and his Apostles came out of the countrie of Galile whiche was the moste despised euen emongest the Iewes as it appeareth by diuers places of the Gospell and specially by S. Ihon. And therefore he named Iesus Christ with the same name callyng hym Galilean in despite and mockerie Tobie For ought that I caÌ„ perceiue al this liberalitie of Iulian y t thou hast talked of proceaded not of true liberalitie nor true charitie that he gaue to the poore and needy but for enuie of the Christians and spite that he had that their charitie and liberalitie did so muche honor their religioÌ„ drewe men to it and dishonor the Painims religion And therefore he would not that their religioÌ„ should be lesse honored in this matter then the Christian religioÌ„ And by that I perceiue that the christians in those daies had to doe with a subtle Deuill who could cunnyngly chaunge hymself from a blacke Deuill into a white But I would wishe if we can now haue Angels in stede of deuills that at least we had many suche deuills in that point but principally emoÌ„gest you that brag so muche of the reformatioÌ„ of the Gospel For seing y t you hate the Pope prelates of the Churche Priestes Monkes and all the Religion whiche you call Popishe and that ye crie so muche against them I would ye would in spite of theÌ„ and in shame of theÌ„ become more liberall and charitable then ye bee and that ye had more care for the poore that are emoÌ„gst you then ye haue and y t ye would so honor your religion that ye might keepe it from blame and that those whiche you call Papistes should not surmount you in liberalitie and charitie as Iulian did to honor his religion in despite of Christ and the Christian religion For if liberalitie charitie were as greate in these daies emong you as in old tyme it was emoÌ„g auncient christians ye should haue as greate a vantage ouer your enemies as those good Christians had ouer the Gentiles But you care not for any suche honour How saiest thou Eustace is not this true Eust. Though thei brag neuer so muche of their religion and shewe theÌ„selues very well affected to it and desire greately the aduauncyng and exaltyng thereof and the abolishyng of ours neuerthelesse their deuotioÌ„ is not so great that thei become one penie y e more liberall for it neither is their charitie so great that thei forget any iotte of their coueteousnesse whiche is greater more gredy and insaciably in them then euer it was or is emong vs whom thei call Papistes or emongest our Priestes Monkes and Prelates against whom thei crie out as though all charitie were quenched in them and that there were no coueteousnesse in all the worlde but theirs For so far are these newe Christians froÌ„ giuyng any thing of theirs to y e relief of the poore that thei euen take awaie that whiche others haue giuen theÌ„ heretofore Yea so far are thei froÌ„ erectyng or giuyng any thyng to Hospitalls that thei will not maintaine those whiche were founded by their predecessors to their haÌ„des There are many hospitals whiche heretofore haue bin gouerned by priestes whiche were muche better gouerned then then thei bee now by these newe Churche reformers For maisters of Hospitals are many tymes made as Bailiffes and other officers bee made not so muche to minister Iustice to execute the office coÌ„mitted to them as to fill their purses and to make theim riche Is not this a godly reformation to make maisters of hospitalles not suche as are mete to gouerne the goodes of y e poore but suche as caÌ„ shift for themselues and make the poore faste Tobie What answerest y u to that Theophast me thinkes Eustace speaketh reasoÌ„ Theo. I would he had lesse reason so to saie but yet he taketh euery thyng at the worst For he loketh so muche at those that dooe not their duetie that he forgetteth to looke on those that doe it But put the case that there wer greater disorder in this matter on our behalfe then there is I would y e Papistes whom Eustace now defendeth would so enuie vs that in spite of vs thei would become more charitable and honest then either thei or we bee yet and that thei would surmounte vs in all vertues But though thei be holden for neuer so zealous in their Religion yet I feare not that thei will so dishonor vs as I haue wished Tobie I think that neither thei nor you are so spitefully bent to goe about to dishonor one an other after this sort how spitful so euer ye be one against an otâ—er in other thinges But we will leaue suche occasioÌ„s in whiche some will whiten themselues in blackyng other and talke we again of Iulian the Apostata whose storie thou haste not yet ended Thou hast already told how he transfigured hymself into a white deuil diuers waies but thou haste not yet declared how the white Deuill become blacke Theo. WheÌ„ he saw that by all the meanes that he could deuise he could not abolishe the Christian Religion and establish and augument the Heathen Religion but that contrariwise it increased more and more he was merueilous angrie and in suche rage as he could not forbeare but in the ende manifestly to open it And here vpon he forbad the Christians the reading of the Heathen Poetes Orators and Philosophers to the ende that thei might not alledge thelm for aucthoritie againste the Heathens For he vsed to saie the Christians dooe pricke vs and thruste vs through with our owne Fathers because thei did confounde the Heathens with their owne bookes And whipped theÌ„ with their owne Roddes as the faithfull at this daie dooe whipp the Papistes For if we had none other bookes but their own we should haue sufficient to condemne them all of false religion and abuse Wherefore if thei would doe well thei should rather forbid the faithful to read their bookes then the holy scripture For the dishonor is the greater vnto them if thei bee condemned by their owne writinges by suche bookes as thei make of greater aucthoritie then the scripture it self for that thei will rule y â— doctrine therof according to y e conteÌ„tes of thesame bokes Tobie But did not Iulian the Apostata otherwise persecute the christians then to forbid them the readyng of these bookes Theo. He could not wholy forbeare persecutyng of theÌ„ and would haue vsed more crueltie if he had durst But his deuil was sore troubled in this For when he would haue plaied the black deuill and haue spewed out his swellyng venim two thinges hindered hym The one was that whereof I spake before that is that he sawe that it profited little or nothyng to retourne to that first furie wherewith he vsed of olde tyme to stirre and enflame auncient Tyrauntes to suche cruell persecutioÌ„
THE WORLDE possessed with Deuils conteinyng three Dialogues 1. Of the Deuill let loose 2. Of Blacke Deuils 3. Of White Deuils And of the commyng of Iesus Christe to Iudgement a verie necessarie and comfortable discourse for these miserable and daungerous daies Luke xxi Watche ye therefore at all tymes and praie that ye maie bee worthie to escape all these thynges that shall come And that ye maie stande before the Sonne of man ¶ Imprinted at London for Ihon Perin and are t◠be sold in Paules Churchyard a◠the Signe of the Angell 1583. To the Reader I Haue intituled this Booke the world possessed with Deuilles for twoo causes The one because I shewe there how the Deuill ruleth the worlde he guideth gouerneth worldly and carnall men as if thei were possessed with Deuills and giuen ouer by Gods iust iudgemēt the other because that in holie Scripture the worlde is many tymes taken for suche as are not lead by the Spirit of God but serue the deuill as their prince and God in stead of their true God and acknowledge him for their Creator Father and Sauiour ¶ The title and somme of the first Dialogue This Dialogue is called the Deuill lett loose bothe for the reason before mentioned and also because of fitt matter seruyng to the same purpose Firste there is talke of the greate couetousnesse that now raigneth in the worlde and specially of the couetousnesse of old mē afterward of the old age and dotage of the worlde and the diuision of the ages of the same whiche is set forthe in the last booke fathered vpon Esdras in the Apocripha conference of the contentes of that book with that whiche Hesiodus hath written touchyng that matter Of the decaye of vertue and increase of vice the Prophetes of Iesus Christ S. Paule thervpon touchyng the latter daies Of the franticke and decaied worlde whiche can not abide to bee molten againe and restored to the first estate Of the worlde wholie possessed with the Deuill Of the Deuill lett loose in the Apocalips and of the red Dragon Of the Parable and similitude of the wicked spirite wandryng in the desertes Of the iudgement of God vpon the Iewes and of the example thereby giuen to Christians Of the comming of Iesus Christ of Mahomet and of the Pope The true Phisicke for the diseased frantike and possessed worlde The faultes of worldly Phisitions and of their drags and the cause why thei can not caste out Deuilles nor appease the windes and tempest that bluster on the Sea of this worlde Of the true meane to appease them and to driue the Deuill out of the worlde and the power of the Gospell Of the state of the worlde and namely of the course of Kynges and Princes Of the complaintes of the Prophets for the wickednesse vnrightousnesse and theft that is emongest men Of the Anatomie that the Prophetes haue made of man and of the worlde Of the greatest crime and daunger that is now in the worlde and how daungerous a thyng it is to be a good man ¶ The firste Dialogue of the worlde possessed with Deuilles called the deuill lette Loose Tobie Theophrast Ierome Eustace WHen we laste commoned together Theophrastus touchyng the state of this present world thou tookest occasion to talke of the age of thesame And because thou waste then interrupted I would thou wouldest now go foreward with that that thou haste to saie therein Theo. Wee spake before of the greate coueteousnesse that raigneth now a daies emong men There are certain commentaries vpon the booke of Iob whiche some saie are Origens notwithstanding that the stile of the same is nothyng like Origens stile And therefore learned men whiche are able to iudge of suche thynges take not Origen to be the aucthor thereof But whosoeuer bee aucthor he bringeth in certaine reasons by whiche he doeth shewe the cause of that greate coueteousnesse of whiche we spake Tobie What saieth he Theo. He firste saieth that this worlde draweth to an ende And therefore maie be likened to a man that seeketh toward his ende as fast as he can and this is the cause that he giueth his whole minde and study to dead thynges that is to saie to yearthly thynges whiche are as it were dead in cōparison of heauenly thynges For as thei neither can deliuer men from corporall or spirituall deathe So can thei not followe them after this deathe but die with them Tobie Hereby then thou meanest that the more y t men drawe to the yearthward and the nearer thei are to their graue the more desirous are thei of yearthly riches whiche is but yearth as thei are And so the lesse thei haue of it the more thei desire it how saiest thou Ierome Ierome Thou puttest mee in remembrance of that that Cicero saieth touching this matter of old men Tobie Why what saieth he Ierom. He compareth them to a warfaryng man whiche hath a iourney to goe Tobie The comparison is very proper For all this life is nothyng but a voyage whiche we haue to goe whilest we liue Ierom. Now thou knowest that thei whiche haue a iourney to goe make firste prouision of all suche thinges as thei must carry with them and suche thinges as are necessarie for them whether it be victuals or money Tobie If thei did not so thei might seme to want discretion Ierom. But if thei be wise and discrete thei will burthen thē selues with no more then thei needes must but will make their preparation and prouision accordyng to the iourney and waie that thei haue to go Tobie It is certaine that thei whiche haue a hundreth or two hundreth miles to goe haue neede of greater prouision then thei whiche haue but fiue or sixe miles Ierom. What wouldest thou saie then if a man whiche hath but a mile or twoo to go would be more carefull for his charge make greater preparation for his voiage then if he had fiue or sixe C. miles to goe Tobie I would take hym to be a verie fond and vndescrete man for what nedeth he to trouble hym self more then that the necessitie of his voyage requireth Ierom. Yet the moste parte of old men doe so For the elder that men waxe the more couetous and niggishe thei are Tobie Then the lesse tyme thei haue to liue the more feare thei haue to want Ierom. Therfore Cicero saith that these old dotards that are so nere and couetous and are so afraied to want the lesse waie thei haue to goe on their voiage the more care thei haue for charges and make the greater prouision Tobie In good sooth that is greate follie and madnesse Ierom. Therefore it is not said without good reason that where as all other vices waxe old as men doe coueteousnesse waxeth yong againe in age Tobie Then to our former talke wee maie well saie the like of the worlde and of his age euen as Theophrastus did putte vs in mynde and therefore goe
Schoole of the woorde of God For there are such a number of Poeticall braynes so learned in the tongues and in humayne Philosophy that they doe not onely make smal accompt of the books of the holy Scriptures in comparison of their Heathenishe volumes as that which is of all other the moste vyle they esteeme of them no better then of the Dreames of olde doatyng fooles and of doating olde wyues tales And as for mine own part let them haue as great knowledge as they will vntill they burst with all I wil esteem of thē no whit y ◠more if they be not honest men and haue the feare of God before their eyes Theo. Thou touchest now a disease which at this day raygneth more then euer it did yea and that amongst such as beare the name of Christians which is the cause that we haue so many Libertine Atheistes who scorne and laughe at all Religions And although they are not in trueth setled in any Religion yet forsooth they woulde not hee thought to be vtterly voyde of Religion And therefore because they are of no religion they are neuerthelesse of all Religions in what Countries soeuer they come vnto For they shoote at none other marke but temporizing or seruing of times with euery man a Papist amongst Papistes an Epicure with Epicures an Atheist with Atheistes and to be shorte a Diuel amongst Diuels for they wil not be disquieted eyther in body or mynd neyther yet hazarde eyther bodye or goodes And therefore they will not greatly frame them selues neyther after Iesus Christe nor after the Pope neyther after the Gospell nor after the Masse nor yet after any controuersie that is at this day for Religion amōgst Christians without perhaps some of them sustaine some particular losse therby For if eyther gayne or losse fall out vnto them on eyther side they will counterfayte zeale in that Religion whiche they thinke will bee moste for their profite and whiche they suppose will beste agree with that which they desire to haue heere in this life as wee haue a manifest example chiefly in the Prelates and Beneficed men of the Popishe Churche For if they did beleeue that there were a GOD in heauen and anye true religion whereby their life and conuersation ought to bee gouerned and that they shoulde render an accounte thereof in the day of Iudgement they woulde surely be other maner of men then in deede they are Howebeit they right well shew as wel by their doctrine as also by their life and conuersation that they haue as much mynde of God as haue bruite beastes and doe as muche esteeme of the immortality of their soules as of the soules of their horses and moyles And therfore all the zeale which they haue to their Religion proceedeth not from any loue whiche they beare thereunto but onelye to the honours and greate wealth whiche commeth vnto them thereby And therefore when they see them selues in danger to loose thē they eyther become manifest blacke diuels and beginne openlye to persecute or if they haue anye knowledge and eloquence they straight way playe the iollye Balaamites For they commend themselues vnto Antichrist to resist the trueth of God and mainteyne his false doctrine against their owne consciences For they themselues laugh him to scorne in their heartes and doe no more beleeue him then those against whom they oppose them selues But I feare mee I haue doone them greate wrong to compare them vnto Balaam because they haue not so muche fayth vnto the true Religion as Balaam hadde vnto the Religion of the auncient Churche of GOD neyther haue they so greate a regarde to God as he had But they are as like him in all other poyntes as like may bee as in desire of honours and worldly possessions And therfore although they are in part black Diuels yet are they in nature more like vnto white and Familiar Diuels where the rest shew them selues to bee altogether blacke Diuelles Howebeit whatsoeuer vizers they put on they are alwayes in trueth very Libertine Atheistes notwithstandyng that they seeme outwardely the Followers of Popishe Religion And there are others also who are almost like them euen of those which follow the Gospel if they knew they might any way gayne thereby But the most of that sort serue in Kings and Princes Courtes For if Kinges and Princes fauour the Gospell then they know that if they fauour it as he doeth that they shal come to greater dignity or at least be the better and more firmely establyshed in that degree and honour wherein they stand for as they can court it well so will they also be the first that shall make court to the Gospell and will bee come fayre whyte and familiar Diuels amongst the very angels But if a man shoulde iudge them by theyr woorkes fruites and life what Gospell it is that they professe it woulde be soone iudged that they are very Libertine Atheistes For a man shall neuer finde any reformation of life in them which is the chief cause of the preaching of the Gospell and the principal marke to be marked and knowen by in those who haue receiued the true faith in the true feare of GOD and in a good conscience And so by that meane all their Gospel wil be come a thing where with to scorne the Pope his Priests Friars and the rest of his shorne Balaamites and all the abuses of the Popishe Churche and to make sporte and pleasauntly talke of them especially in the companies of Ladies and Gentlewomen And if the Gospel wil giue them any such libertye whereby they may abuse it into carnal lybertie they will be sure to laye fast holde thereon and not sticke to saye that they are not like vnto those superstitious hypocriticall Papistes whom they laugh to scorne Howbeyt further they will not but as for the rest of their life it shal be as dissolute as the most dissolute Papistes from whom they differ in nothing but in this that they haue put on a vizar of the Gospel that they might therewith the better couer theyr Atheisme Tob. Thou hast hitherto spoken of Libertine Atheistes who dissemble their Atheisme vnder the colour of hauinge some Religion in them so farre foorth as it tendeth either to their commodity or discōmodity But there are some others who be cause they cānot find any such occasiō becō as it were newters beeing of neyther side as thou hast oftentimes sayde And the chiefe men whiche marche vnder this Ensigne and that are of this Bande are they which are puffed vp with eloquence knowledge and are dronken in their own wit and vnderstanding As Saynt Augustine confessed him selfe to bee before suche tyme as GOD had touched his heart with his holye spirite whiche is the spyrite of humilitie But although Saynt Augustine presumed thus of him selfe by reason he was of so fine and quicke witted a spirite and of so verie a sharpe vnderstanding and
Deuilles in the possessed Matth. 8. Luks 8. The errours of the Papists touchyng Mary Magdaline Luke 7. Ihon. 12. Luke 7. 8. The number of mortall sinnes The differeÌ„ce betweene mortall and veniall sinnes The seuen Deuils which were in Mary Magdaline The differeÌ„ce betwixt the possessed and those that the Deuill dwelleth in by sin In what sence the wicked maie be holden for possessed Of the garde and ministery of Angelles Psalm 91. Hebru 1. Math. 4. 18. Psalm 34. Daniel 10. 2. Kyng 5. Wakefulnesse against snares assaults of Sathan 1. Peter 5. To teÌ„pt God Dan. 6. Math. 4. Luke 4. Psal 95. Heb. 4. 4. 1. Cor. 10. The Deuilles diligent to hurter Iob. 1. 2. Math. 12. The power that the Deuill hath to torment men Math 8. Marke 5. Luke 8. The abidyng â—f the possesâ—ed in graues â—nd desertes â—uke 8. Torment of the body and mynde Fonde imaginations of franticke men Nider in formicar Lib. 5. cap. 12. The feare of death The torment of those that are giuen ouer to Satan Matth. 26. The iudgement of God on the wicked Prouer. 16. The Image of the hell of the wicked Esaie 48. Thei that hate and are wearie of all men Math 8. Mark 5. The Deuille power brideled Iude. 15. 16. Tyrauntes possessed The crowneâ— and hornes of the redd Dragon Apoc. 12. Psal 32. Dan. 7. Blacke Deuils The Prince of darknesse his liuerie Math. 28. Mark 16. Luk. 24. Ihon. 20. Actes 1. 10. Ihon. 12. 15. 2. Cor. 3. Luke 22. Ephe. 2. White Deuils 2. Cor. 11. Auncient blacke Diuels and white Deuilles A Deuil both white and blacke Iulians deuill conuerted into a white deuill Tripart hist lib. 6. Alluringes of Iulian to deceiue Christians Christians in Iulians Court Another subtilty of Iulian to make men haue the better deuotion to the heathen religion The offence of the euill life of Pastors Hypocrisie in stead of holy life A reformatioÌ„ of Iulian in the heathens Priestes Tripart hist lib. 6. cap. 28. Popish reformation The Philosophicall life of Iulian. Tripart hist lib. 6. Iulians court Tripart hist lib. 6. The Monkish bringyng vp of Iulian. The dissimulation of Iulian The continence of Iulian The foundation of Hospitalles by Iulian. The charitie of the auncient Christians Ihon. 1. 7. Christians called Galileans The example of Iulian to the shame of Christians Charitie required in those that brag of the Gospell Marke 5. Luke 8. Matth. 8. The Deuilles worshippyng and coÌ„fessing Iesus Christ Ihon. 6. Matth. 8. Marke 1. Luke 8. Ihon. 17. Actes 16. The Soothsayer of Philip The confessioÌ„ and constrained praiers of Deuilles The coÌ„plaint of Deuilles Math. 8. Mark 5. Luk. 8. Marke 5. Luke 8. The Deuilles desire attonement Good Deuils when thei could do no more harme The Gospell manifesteth Deuilles The wicked accusing of the Gospell Luke 23. Actes 27. The coÌ„plaint of the newe possessed The maner of gettyng of goodes by Priestes and Monkes To whom the goodes of the Churche belong The cloake wherewith the Prophetes of Antichrist couer them The colour that the Deuilles complaint hath against Iesus Christ What is first to be considered in all controuersie 1. Cor. 14. Phil. 4. Ihon. 8. The coÌ„plainâ— of those that doe wrong against those that receiue wrong The cause why the wicked complain of the Gospel Thei whiche abuse the Gospell makyng it serue to their owne gaine and affection Thei that can not suffer to be reproued by the Ministers of the Gospell Hirelinges good sheepeheardes A slaunder on the good Ministers of the Gospell touchyng the administration of the Churche goodes Flatteryng Ministers The enemies af the discipline of the Churche Lack of good Ministers of the Gospell The coÌ„tempt of the Ministers of the Gospell Thei that are content with outwarde shewe of religion onely Chaunge of Popedome Temporall Pope The diuision among those that brag of the reformation of the Gospell Magistrates which vsurpe authoritie ouer the Churche Mans traditions chaunged into other as ill Condemnation without iudgyng the cause Perpetuall strife betwene God and the Deuill and his seruaunts The euill and the good mingled together in the Churche The Churche persecuted by her owne â—eroboam Ahaz Ozia Achab. Iesabell Hely 2. Kyng 18. Achabs reproche to Hely The rebellion of the Magistrates and people against the Ministers of the Lorde â—ypocrites aâ—ong the â—â—ithfull in 〈◊〉 Churche Math. 13. Marke 4. Matth. 13. Rom. 6. 7. 8. Imperfections in the perfectest Roma 7. The foundation of the spiritual Pope Euill reforming of the Churche The declaration of the Ministers to the Magistrates Magistrates abusing the Gospell aud their office Popedome chaunged not abolished A Popedome more daungerous then the first Good Ministers preuent the newe Popedome Priestes and Monkes transformed True reformation of the Churche The ignoraÌ„ce of many Ignoraunce worthie of blame Fault in the Ministers False detractours to hinder the discipline of the Churche â—ow the true Ministers of â—he Lorde are â—â—dges of the â—icked â—zech 22. â—â—on 16. The wicked will neuer finde tyme to heare the condemnation The reasons of those thaâ— are conuinced by the word of God 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 profite is â—â—ungerous Dogges and swine turne against the seruauntes of God Matth. 7. The punishment of God for too long bearyng with abuse The reproche of the Papists for pollutyng the sacrameÌ„ts in reformed Churches Math. 7. Thei that wil deferre the tyme with God The hypocrisie of those whiche seeke excuses Psalm 2. The obedieÌ„ce whiche we owe to God Desire to doe mischiefe The Genezarianâ— The true meane to driue awaie the Deuill Esa 11. 2â— Luke 8. Feare of the power of god without taste of the goodnesse thereof Matth. 8. Marke 5. Luke 8. Diuers knowledge of the Gospell Feare of God without any loue towards hym The cause that letteth many from followyng the Gospell Suche swinâ— as bothe reiect Christ themselues and cause oâ—ther to doe the like â—ath 2. MeÌ„ troub at the bâ— of Iesus Christ Luke â— â—e vaine â—re that tyâ—â—nts haue 〈◊〉 the Goâ—â—ll should â—â—der their â—â—gdome â—â—th 18. 〈◊〉 6. 18. Worldly quietnesse preferred before the quietnesse oâ— the conscieÌ„câ— â—â—ei that reâ—â—â— the disciâ—â—ne of the â—â—urche to â—â—oyd trouâ—â—â— â—he yoke of â—hrist and â—â—e yoke of â—athan â—ath 11. Iesus Christ is schoolemaister to the humble and not to the proude Math. 11. Isaiah 66. 〈…〉 1. Pet. 5. Rom. 12. Philip. 2. S. Aug. in his 3. Booke 5. Chap. of Confess The confession of S. Aug. as concerning the pride whiche hindred him froÌ„ profiting in thâ— holy scriptures There are manye that will counterfeit S. Augustines pride but they will not follow his humilitie Libertine Atheists Libertine Balaamites Libertine Courtiers Libertine newters 1. Cor. 1. What it is to conteÌ„ne prayer Psal 19. 119. 2. Pet. 1. Iohn 16. Psal 16. 1 Psal 50. Mat. 7. 18. The iudgment of God against the contempt and hating of his word Deut. 13. A preseruatiue against errors Of Lunatique deaf dumb and blind Demoniacques Mat.