make for them whyche affirme that true Samuell appeared vnto Saule But these places wée haue béefore for the moste parte aunsweared For albeit Augustine in some places moue a doubte whether it were the true Samuell or no yet in certeine other places he lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion who denye Samuell to haue appeared at all takyng rather that kinde of speache for tropicall and figuratiue Iustine the Martir who is one of the most aunciente fathers reasoning against Trypho a Iewe writeth in his colloquio that the couetouse sorceresse at Saules commaundement raysed vp Samuels soule And no man shoulde maruaile hereat sith that the selfe same author dothe by and by adde that he is of this iudgemente that all the soules of Prophetes and iust menne are subiecte vnto suche power as a man may in very déede beléeue to haue bin on thys gréedy and subtile Witche But this none of the fathers will graunt him Other Gréeke writers also whyche in their tender yeares applyed theyr mindes to Philosophie and not to the studie of holy Scriptures and afterwardes were conuerted to Christianitie do sette foorthe in their writings certaine opinions whyche are not agreable to the word of god Wherefore it néede not séeme a straunge thing to any manne that Iustine the Martire in some pointes hadde hys erroures The same author in Responsionibus ad Orthodoxos quest 52. mainteineth the contrary assertion For sayth he what soeuer things were done by that hungry witche were in déede the workes of the Diuell who dyd so dasell the eyes of suche as beheld him that it séemed vnto them they sawe Samuell him selfe when in very déede he was not there But the truth of his words procéeded from God who gaue the Diuell power to appeare vnto the sorceresse and to declare vnto hir that which shoulde afterwards come to passe c. If any manne obiect that thys woorke is not ryghtly ascribed vnto Iustine for so muche as he dothe make mention of Origen and Ireneus the Martire whereas notwithstanding he hym selfe was martired before them And further speaketh of the Manichees who were in their ruffe long after this tyme Herevnto wee answere that yf this booke were not written by Iustine â–ª yet as maye appeare some other learned clerke wrote that woorke whose authoritie might carie away as great credite as Iustines â—ith that the same doth fully agrée with holy Scripture Furthermore we may set agaynste Iustine other holy fathers as Tertullian and Chrysostom of whom wée haue before spoken who haue by holy scripture instructed vs that it was not Samuel in deede which appeared vnto Saule We will héereafter say somewhat of Gregorie who no doubte was a learned and godly father but yet too simple and light of beléefe And the fathers themselues denye that a man shoulde subscribe vnto their opinion in oughte that they doo mayntaine and aduouche without the warrant of Gods worde The Popes out of Augustine haue written in their Decrées Quest. 9. ca Noli that a man should credite none of the fathers except he proued his saying out of holy scriptures But in these days many cull nothing out of their bookes but erroures and whatsoeuer they maynteyn by good testimonie of the holy scriptures that they reiecte and disanull in whiche poynt they doo fitly resemble those chyldren who onely in things wicked and euill imitate their good parentes for good men also haue their faultes CHAP. IX VVhether the Diuell haue povver to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man BUt thou doest demaund whether the Diuell can represente the lykenesse of some faithfull man deceased Hereof we néede not doubt at all For in the seconde Corin. 11. Saincte Paule witnesseth that Sathan transformeth hym selfe into the shape and fashion of an Angell of light Sathan by nature is a spirit and is therefore tearmed an Angel bicause God vseth to send him to bring that thing to passe which he thinketh best So in the second of kings .22 chapter an euill Angell was sent forth to Ahabs destruction to be a lying spirit in the monthe of 400. false prophets Thys was an Angell of erroure and darknesse who yet in outward shewe could resemble a good Angell that he mighte so guide the councell of Baals worshippers who no doubt vaunted theÌ„ selues as if they had bin gathered togither by Gods holy spirit If Sathan be then so skilfull can he not counterfaite and fayne him selfe to be some holy maÌ„ by resembling his words voice gesture and suche other things Amongst the Gentiles he hath done miraculous Actes persuading them to thinke that soules by arte Magike were called vp and compelled to giue answere of secrete and hidden things that were to come And therefore not only in publike but also priuate affayres if they semed to be any thing hard vnto them they consulted with Magitians and sorcerers and had moreouer recourse somtimes vnto oracles Tertullian in hys booke De Anima mentioneth that there were some euen in his dayes whiche professed they could raise vp and reclaime soules from the hellishe habitation And he calleth arte Magike the second Idolatrie in the which the Diuells do as well fayne them selues to be dead men as they do in the other to be Gods. So do these suttle spirites lurke and do many straunge things vnder the pretence of deade men He addeth that Magike is thought to conuey soules out of Hell whiche lye there in rest and to represent them vnto our sighte by reason that it sheweth a vaine vision and counterfeiteth the shape of a bodie Neyther is it a harde matter for him to bleare and beguyle the outward eyes who can easily darken and dazell the inwarde sight of the mynde The serpents that were brought foorth by the inchaunters rods séemed to the Egiptians to be bodies but the truth of Moyses deuoured vp the Magitians lye Simon also and Elimas the Magitians did many signes and wonders against the Apostles c. Hée addeth that euen in hys tyme those heretikes named properly Symonistes of Symon the Magitian the first author of that sect did with suche greate presumption aduaunce their arte that they professed they coulde rayse from the dead euen the soules of the Prophets c. Lactantius in the .2 booke .17 chapt De origine erroris writeth that euill angels lurking vnder the names of the dead did wound and hurt the liuing that is they tooke vnto themselues the names of Iupiter and Iuno whome the heatheÌ„s tooke to be gods or as we now say they tooke vnto them the names of S. Sebastian Barbara and others In the .7 boke and .13 chap. he sayth that the Magitians with certayne inchauntmentes did call soules out of hell But this may not so be vnderstode that Lactantius was of this iudgement that they by their wicked artes did bring the soules back again into their dead bodies but that they did so vaunt and boast that they had raysed vp this
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
written thys my treatise in the vulgar tong and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men I haue translated it into latine adding certayne things thereto This my booke which I haue with greate laboure and study gathered out of many mens writings I present and offer vnto you most noble consul according to the ancient fashion and custome not for that I suppose you haue any néed of my teaching touching these things which are herein haÌ„dled For I am not ignoraunt vnder what teachers you haue attained vnto true learning and how you haue and do continually reade ouer sundry good authors with perfecte knowledge in many tongs But partely that I might purchase credite and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men vnto whome your goodnesse godlines and constancie whche you haue alwayes hitherto euermore shewed and yet do shewe in setting foorth true religion and mainteyning good lawes is throughly knowen and partly that I might shewe my selfe in some respecte thaÌ„kfull vnto you For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me whom you only knowe by sight and vppon other ministers of the Church wherby ye haue so bouÌ„d me vnto you that I shall neuer be able to make any recoÌ„pence Wherefore I most earnestly beséech you not to refuse this signe and token of my good will be it neuer so simple but rather to voutchsafe when ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common welth to reade ouer this my booke for I haue good hope it will not séeme vnpleasaunt vnto you and others in the reading as well for the playne order I vse therin as also for the sundry and manyfold histories in it recited Almightie God who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts that for them albeit very yong you haue aâ—pired vnto the highest degrée in your noble citie and dominioÌ„ of Berna voutchesafe to preserue you in health and increase and multiply his good gifts in you My Lords and brethreÌ„ the ministers of Tigurine and also your olde coÌ„panion master George Grebelius that excellent man in lerning vertue and nobilitie hartily salute your Lordship From Tigurine in the month of Ianuary the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 1570. A TABLE OF the Chapters of the three principall partes touchyng Spirites walking by nyght Of the fyrste parte COncerning certain words which are often vsed in this Treatise of Spirites and diuers other diuinations of things to come Chapter 1. Folio 1. Melancholike persones and madde men imagining things whiche in very deede are not Chapter 2. Folio 9. Fearefull menne imagine that they see and heare straunge things Chapter 3. Fol. 14. Men whiche are dull of seing and hearing imagine many things which in very dede are not so Chapter 4. Fol. 16. Many are so feared by other menne that they suppose they haue heard or seene Spirites Chapter 5. Fol. 21. Priests and Monkes fayned themselues to be Spirites also howe Mundus vnder this coloure defiled Paulina and Tyrannus abused many noble and honest matrons Cha. 6. Fo. 23. Timotheus Aelurus counterfeating himselfe to bee an Angell obteyned a Bishoprike foure Monks of the order of prechers made many vayn apparitions at Berna Cha. 7. Fol. 28. Of a counterfaite and deceyuing spirite at Orleaunce in Fraunce Chapter 8. Fol. 37. Of a certâ—ine parish priest at Clauenna which fayned him selfe to be our Lady and of an other that counterfaited himself to be a Soule as also of a certayne disguised Jesuite Fryer Chapter 9. Fol â–ª 41. That it is no maruell if vayne sights haue ben in olde tyme neyther yet that it is to be maruelled at yf there be any at this day Chapter 10. Fol. 45. That manye naturall thyngs are taken to bee ghostes Chapter 11. Fol 49. A proofe out of the Gentiles histories that ghostes doe oftentymes appeare Chapter 12. Fol. 53. A proofe oute of the histories of the auncient Churche and of the writings of holy Fathers that there are walking Spirites Chapter 13. Fol. 62. That in the Bookes set foorth by Monkes are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions Chapter 14. Fol. 65 A profe by other sufficient writers that Spirits do sometime appeare Chapter 15. Fol. 68. Daily experience teacheth vs that Spirites do appeare to men Chapter 16. Fol. 7â— That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications and that sodayne noises and cracks and suche like are hard before the death of men before battaile and before some notable altâ—rations and chaunges Chapter â–ª 17. Fol. 77. It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture that Spirits are sometime seene and heard and that other strange matters doâ— often chaunce Chapter 18. Fol. 85 To whome when where and after what sort Spirits do appeare and what they do worke Chapter 19. Fol. 88. The Chapters of the second parte The opinion or beleefe of the Gentiles Iewes and Turkes concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies Chapter 1. Fol. 92. The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men and the appearing of them Chapter 2. Fol. 102. What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists concerning the appering of mens soules Chapter 3. Fol. 110. Testimonies out of the word of God that neither the soules of the faithfull nor of infidels do walke vppon the earth after they are once parted from their bodies Chapter 4. Fol. 114. Testimonies of the auncient Fathers that dead mens soules parted from their bodies doe not wander here vppon earthe Chapter 5. 116 A confutation of those mennes arguments or reasons which affirme that dead mens soules doo appeare And first that is answeared whiche certaine doo alleage to wit that God is omnipotent and therfore that he can worke contrary to the ordinarie course of nature Chapter 6. Fol. 123. That the true Samuell did not appeare to the witche in Endor Chapter 7. Fol. 127. A confutation of their arguments which would haue Samuell himselfe to appeare Chapter 8. Fol. 133. Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man Chapter 9. Fol. 140. Moses and Elias appeared in the Mount vnto Chryst our Lorde many haue ben raysed from the dead both in body and soule and therfore soules after they are departed may returne on earth againe Chapter 10. Fol. 145. Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans soule when Chryste sodeynlye appeared vnto them after his Resurrection Chapter 11. Fol. 148. Concerning the holy Fathers Councels Bishops and coÌ„mon people which say that soules do visibly appeare Cha. 12. Fo. 151. Whether soules do returne agayne out of Purgatorie and the place which they call Limbus puerorum Cha. 13. Fol. 155. What those things are whiche men see and heare and firste that good angels 〈◊〉 sometimes appeare Chap. 14. Fol. 159. That sometymes yea and for the moste part euill Angels doâ— appeare Chapter 15. Fol. 163. Of wondrous monsters and suche lyke Chap. 16. Fol. 164. That it is no harde thing for the diuell to appeare in diuers shapes and to bring
died as he sate writing in the tents following the example of Iulius Cesar he saw the image of the publicke Genius or God of the place which was woont to be painted with Amaltheas horne in his hande departing from him more deformed and ill fauoured than when it began to mount vp to the narrowe top of the tent Lucanus as well an excellent historiographer as also a most learned Poet reckneth vp many forwarnings in his first booke of the battaile of Pharsalia which chaunsed before the great conflict betwéen Iulius Cesar and great Pompeius and amongst other things he writeth thus The trumpets blew and looke euen as the battaile ioynd apace â–ª So did the night with silent shaades increase hir darkishe face And then the ghosts of Sylla fierce were plainly sâ—ene in field Therby declaring euill signes of bloud that should be spilde And by the flud of Anien the husbandmen did spye Great Marius out of broken graue his head aduauncing hiye CHAP. XIII A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Churche and of the vvritings of holie Fathers that there are vvalking Spirits YF we reade ouer the Ecclesiasticall histories we shall finde many of these examples Sozomenus writeth in his ecclesiasticall historie the sixt booke and 28. chapter of one Apelles a blacke Smyth by occupation whose name was at that time very famous throughout Egipâ—e for the gifte of working miracles wherewith he was indewed who as he was one night hard at his work had appering vnto him a vision of a Diuel in the likenesse attire of a very beautiful woman mouing intising him to the vice of lechery But he sodenly catching the yron which he wrought on glowing hot out of the fire thrust it in the Diuels face scorched his visage wherat he fretting crying out in al hast fled away Likewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedition raised at Antioche for the immoderate exactioÌ„ and tribute which Theodosius layd on the citie in the time of warrs wherby the people being offended ouerthrewe the images of the Emperour and his wife dragging them in roapes about the citie and reporting al kinde of villanie and dispite ageinst theÌ„ thus he saith But in the night before assoone as the rebellion began immediatly at the breake of the day it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight séene of a womaÌ„ hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke running vp and downe the cittie through the streats alâ—ft in the aire whisking â—eating the aire with a whip rendring a fearfull sound That as men are wont to prouoke wild beasts to anger whiche serue for publike spectacles euen so it séemed some euil angell by the crafte of the Diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people Theodorus Lector in his first booke of collectanies out of the ecclesiasticall historie writeth that as Gennadius patriarch of Constantinople came downe to the high aultar to make prayers and orizons there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and figure which so soone as he had sharplie rebuked straightways he herd a voice crying out aloud that so loÌ„g as he liued he wold giue place cease but wheÌ„ he was once dead he would surely ransack spoyle the Church Which when the good father heard he ernestly prayed for the preseruatioÌ„ of the Church soone after departed this life There are many things to be read in Gregoâ—iê° Nicephorê° â–ª who setteth foorth â—â—clesiasticall matters at larâ—â— Abdias in the liues of the Apostles concerning visions dreames miracles of saints and also appearings of spirites For wise men iudge they were more diligent redie in describing such things than in other maters which might haue beÌ„ to greater purpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand Hée that readeth ouer the Hystories whiche in tymes paste haue ben written and that especially by Monkes shall méete with an innumerable company of these sorte Yet by the waye I must néedes say this that very many things haue bene written by them whych the Readers maye iustly suspecte and stande in greate doubte of Ludouicus Viues Beatus Rhenanus and many other learned men of our tyme in describing other things do fynde greate faulte with the Chronicles written by Monkes for that they were gathered togyther by vnlearned â—â—ltes without any iudgement But let euery man esteme of them as hée lâ—st For albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish ridiculous yet it may be wel thought that many things â—ere so in very déed as they haue committed them to writing A man shall méete with many places concerning visions appearingâ— of Spirits euen in the old fatherâ— also S. Ambrose in his .90 Sermon writeth of a noble Uirgin named Agnes who was crowned with martirdom for the profession of christian religion And as hir pareÌ„ts watched oâ—e night by hir graue they saw about midnight a goodly companiâ— of Uirgins clothed in golden vayles amongst whom also was their â—aughter arayed like vnto the rest who willing the other virgins to stay a while turning hir self towards hir parentes willed them in any case not to bewayle hir as if she were dead but rather to reioyce with hir â–ª for that she had obteined of god eternal life Which as soon as she had spokeÌ„ she immediatly vanisht out of sight S. Augustin deâ—lareth in his booke De cura pro mortuis agenda that when the Citie of Nola was besieged by the Barbaruus the citizens saw Felix the martyr playnly â—ppearing vnto them Touching S. Gregorie who in his Dialogues writeth many suche things we will in 〈◊〉 hereafter when his turne commeth Yée shall reade of many suche lyke in the liues of the auncient fathers which all are not to be reiected as vaine and fabulous for some parte of them were written by graue and learned men whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake I will héere rehearse one short historie It is to be séene in the life of Ioannes Chrysostom that Basiliscus Byshoppe of Comane who suffered as a Martir with Lucianus the Priest at Antioch vnder Maximianus the Emperor appéered vnto Sainte Chrysostome when he was in exile and sayde vnto him Brother Iohn be of good comforte for to morrowe we shall be togither But first he appéered to the Priest of that Churche and saide vnto him prepare a place for our deare brother Iohn who wyll shortly come hither Which things the euent proued afterwardes to be true CHAP. XIIII That in the Bookes set foorthe by Monkes are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions WE made mention a litle before of Chronicles written by Monkes Nowe as touching their legendes of Saintes as they terme their storehouses of examples and liues of auncient Fathers in the whiche are many apparitions of Deuils and Spyrits verily there is no cause at all why we shoulde ascribe much vnto them for the most
in his book de nobilitate c. 30. that it is to be séen in the historie of Rodulphus king of the Romains that when the sayde Rodulphus had vanquished Othotarus King of Boemia continuing on the place all nyght where tho battell was fought about mydnight certain spirites or Deuils with horrible noyse and tumulte troubled and disordered his whole armie And that those were spirites walkyng by night it appeared hereby that they sodeynly vanyshed away lyke smoake The same Author writeth in his .xxvj. chapter That in the yeare of our Lorde .1280 as one of the Plâ—bans as they call them belonging to the churche of Tigurine preaâ—hed to the people the graue stone of the tumbe or sepulchre of the two martyrs Felix and Regula patrones of the same place violently brake a sunder no man mouyng or touching it giuing a horrible sound lyke vnto thunder so that the people were no lesse astonished and afrayde than yf the vaute of the Churche had fallen downe And he sayth that the same yeare the third day of October the greater part of the citie of Tigurum was brent with fire and more ouer that sedition was moued amongest the Citizens for certaine Ecclesiasticall disciplines and for the Imperiall Banne as they terme it In the yere of our Lord .1440 the twelfth day of December at the dedicatioÌ„ of the foresayd churche about midnight there was the like noyse hearde and immediatly after followed ciuill warres whiche the Tigurins held with vncertaine successe against the other Heluetians for the space of seuen yeares and more The same writer in the .33 Chap. hath that at the same tyme in the yeare of our Lorde .1444 before that valiaunt battayle whiche a fewe Heluetians fought agaynst the innumerable companye of Lewes Dolphine of Fraunce faught by the wall Basill in the tyme of generall the Councell there was hearde certayne nyghtes about those places the alarme of Souldiours the clattering of harneys and the noyse of menne encountring togyther c. Here I purposely omitte many suche lyke examples for there are many Bookes bothe of auncient and also of newe writers touchyng straunge signes and wonders wherin these may be redde CHAP. XVIII It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture that spirits are sometime seene and heard and that other straunge matters do often chaunce YEt perchaunce it wil be obiected vnto vs that wée bring no testimonie oute of holy Scripture touchyng this matter especially to proue that Spirites doo oftentymes appeare vnto menne I aunswere that truthe it is There are fewe things hereof in the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding somewhat is to be redde in them It is read in Saincte Mathewe his fourtéenth chapter of Christes Disciples that when in the night season by reason of a contrary wind they were in greate daunger of drownyng in the lake of Genazareth and that in the dawnyng of the daye the Lorde walked on the water they béeyng afrayde cryed out supposyng they sawe a Spirite Héereof we gather that they knewe well ynoughe that Spirites appeared vnto men vpon sea and lande Lykewise when the Lorde being rysen from death appeared vnto his disciples meaning to assure them of his Resurrection they thought at the firste that they sawe a Spirit In the which place Chryst denieth not but there are Spirits and straunge sightes and that they are sometimes séene but he rather confirmeth the same by putting a difference betwene him selfe spirits or vaine apparitions But as touching these two testimonies we wil speake more in another place It is a notable historie whiche we reade in the seconde Booke of Samuel concerning Saule who at what tyme the Philistians warred vpon hym and that he was in very great daunger of them he came to a woman who was a witche and desired hir to rayse Samuel from deathe that he might knowe his counsell touching the successe of the warres Shée raysed hym vp one whome Saule tooke to be Samuel in déede who also tolde him what euents shoulde come of the warres But whether hée were a true Samuel or a counterfait wée will dispute the matter more at large in his conuenient place As concerning other maruellous things there is somewhat to be read in the Scriptures In the seconde of Samuel the fifth chap. Also in the first of Paralipomenon and the .xiiij â–ª chap. we reade that the Philistins wente vp the seconde tyme into Iurie to make warres on Dauid Hée went vnto the Lord and shewed him the matter who commaunded him that he shoulde embushe himselfe behynde the wood with his armie and when he heard a rustling or noyse in the toppes of the trées he should immediatly sette vpon them This sounde they say was a strange and supernaturall sounde It is written in the second book of the Kings the .vj. and vij chapters that God deliuered the citie of Samariâ— from great famine when it was fiercely besieged by Benhadad king of the Assyrians â–ª for in the night season their enimies dyd heare the noyse of chariots the neyghing of horsses and shréeching of a huge armie as it were in their owne pauillions and tentes supposing therefore that the kyng of Israel had gathered togyther his footemen and horssemen and had nowe sette vpon them they soughte to saue themselues by â—lyghte leauyng theyr victuall and other prouision behynde them in their tentes In the fyrst of Samuel and the seuenth chapter God caused a wonderfull greate noyse to sounde ouer the Philistians and so destroyed them I meane they were so affrighted with a kynde of straunge feare that it was an easy matter to vanquishe them In the fifthe Chapter of Daniell yée may reade that king Balthasar in his roisting banquet espyed ryghte agaynste the candle a hande wryting vpon the wall what his ende shoulde bée It is read in the thirde Chapter of the seconde of the Machabées that there appeared a horsse vnto Heliodorus seruaunt vnto Seleucus Kyng of Asia as hee was aboute to destroye the temple at Hierusalem and vppon the horsse séemed to sitte a terrible man whiche made towardes him to ouerrunne hym On eche syde of hym were two yong men of excellent beautie whyche wyth whippes scourged Heliodorus The seconde of the Machabées and tenth chapter Iudas Machabeus encountred wyth hys enimies and when the battayle was hotte there appeared vnto the enimie oute of heauen fyue men sytting on horsses rayned with notable brydles of golde who ledde the Iewes hoste and two of them defended Machabeus from all his enimies And vnto Machabeus appeared a horsseman in a shinyng garment his Armour all of gold and shaking his speare Whereby it was signified that he shoulde obtayne a notable and famous victorie .2 Macha 11. I alleage not these examples for that I adiudge the bookes of Machabées of as good authoritie as the Canonicall Bookes of the newe and olde Testament but only for that they are ioyned together with them and may be read of euery
from sinne and damnation of the true déedes of christian charitie was dayly more and more impugned and oppressed So that when men by little and little forsooke holy Scripture and cast it asyde mens traditions and preceptes began streight way to be had in great price and estimation yea they were more regarded thaÌ„ gods owne worde A great offence was it taken to be if any would presume once to breake mens traditions On those apparitions of spirits as on a sure foundation their Purgatorie is chiefly builded For by talke hadde with them Popishe writers taught that men atteined vnto saluation by their owne and by other mens merits which opinion so blinded them that they became retchlesse secure and sluggishe For if any dyd so persuade him selfe that he coulde hyre one for mony which could worke one feate or other to deliuer the dead from torments then woulde he either delay the amendment of his life or vtterly neglect it Wherfore vnto suche fellowes that happened whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish virgins of whom mention is made in the â—5 of Matthew By these apparitions of spirits masses images satisfactioÌ„ pilgrimages for religion sake relikes of saints monasticall vowes holidaies auricular confession and other kinds of worshippings and rites and to be shorte al things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture by little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation So that the matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse that many deuoute and simple soules pinched and nipped their owne bellies that they might the better haue by these meanes wherwithall to finde and mainteine idle monks and priests and to offer vnto images They founded chappels alters monasteries perpetuall lights anniuersaries frieries and suche like to release their friends out of the torments of Purgatorie And this did the walking spirits will theÌ„ to do And sometyme also by their councell mens last willes and testaments were altered Hereby priests monks increased daily their parishes colleges monasteries with yerely reuenewes got into their hands the best farmes vineyards lands medowes pondes parkes bond meÌ„ iurisdictions great lordships and the authoritie of the sword For after that this opinioÌ„ once toke firme roote in meÌ„s harts the mens soules did walke after their death appeare on the earth the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commaunded theÌ„ And that it may more plainly be perceiued how much meÌ„ estemed those visioÌ„s such like pelfe how in memorial of theÌ„ they deuised framed to theÌ„selues new kinds of worshippings I will recite vnto you one or two histories Martinus Polonus Archebishop of Consentine and the Popes PeniteÌ„tiarie writeth in his Chronicles tha Pope Clement the fourth did canonize for a saint at Viterbe one Eduergia duchesse of Polonia a widdow of great holinesse who among many notable things that are written of hir when hir canonization had bin many yeares delayed at length appeared hir selfe in a vision to hir Proctour in the courte of Rome being heauie and pensiue about this matter and certified him both of the spedy dispatching of this businesse also of the day wherin it should be dispatched Canonization amongst the Ethniks from whence it toke his originall is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deification or making of a God. Ioannes Triâ—enhemius Abbot of Spanheim a man of great authoritie in his booke of Chronicles teacheth that the memorie of all faithfull soules termed All soules day had his originall obseruation by this meanes that when a certeine Monke returned from Ierusalem and lodged in a certeine Hermits house in Sicill about the mount Aetna which flasheth forth fyre he learned of the saide Hermit that many soules of the dead were tormeÌ„ted there by fyre out of which again through the praiers of the faithful they were released as it was taught him by the testimonie euen of the spirites themselues Hereof also writeth Polydorâ— Virgill in his vj. booke and ix chapter De inuentione rerum that the feast of All hallowes had the very same originall whiche they shall finde in Petrus de natalibus his tenth booke and first chapter Wherby thou maist gather that Feastes were first ordeyned by the tales of spirites appearing vnto men The lyke fable is found in Damascene who writeth of Macharius thus When according to his maner he prayed for the dead and was desirous to vnderstande whether his prayers did profite them oughte and whether they receyued any comfort therby God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt inspired a drye scull with the worde of truth so that the deade scull brake foorth into these words When thou prayest for the dead we receyue comfort by thy prayers Of the like roote sproong the order of the Carthusian Monks which of the commoÌ„ sorte is iudged to be the most holiest and streightest order of the which the Monks them selues of this broode haue put foorth a booke For as Polydore Virgil recordeth they began vpon this occasion in the vniuersitie of Paris in the yeare of our Lord .1080 A certeine doctoure which for his learning and integritie of life was very famous chaunced to dye when he shoulde haue bin buried in a certaine Churche he cried out with an horrible voice I am by the iust iudgement of God accused Whervppon they lefte the coffin in the Churche by the space of thrée daies during which time the people flocked togither out of sundry places to behold this straunge sight The second day he cried againe By the iuste iudgement of God I am iudged The thirde day likewise he cried I am by the iust iudgement of god condemned And as Vincentius Bellonacensis saith some adde herevnto that he rose vp thrice vppon the béere which perchaunce they faine of their owne heads Now bycause no man suspected that so notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer euery man was sore astonished thereat Wherfore Bruno a doctor of diuinitie borne in Coleine foorthwith forsooke all that he had and taking to him sixe other godly companions gat him into a desert called Carthusia in the diocesse of Gratianopolis where he erected the first monasterie of that order which drawing his name of the place was called the Carthusian order For this cause also or for the like many other monasteries at the firste beginning were bothe founded and indowed with greate liuelyhode CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of the vvorde of God that neither the soules of the faithfull nor of infidels do vvalke vppon the earth after they are once parâ—ed from their bodies NOw that the soules neither of the faithful nor of infidels do waÌ„der any loÌ„ger on the earth wheÌ„ they be once seuered from the bodies I wil make it plain euident vnto you by these reasons folowing First certain it is that such as depart heÌ„ce either die in faith or in vnbeléef Touching those that go heÌ„ce in a right beléef their soules ar by by in
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
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
Christes witnesses shuld very wel vnderstand that both the Law the Prophets do bear record vnto our Sauiour Chryst that he shuld die for the world come again in the latter day to raise vp the dead bodies to glorifie them to carrie theÌ„ with him into eternal blisse And for this cause God wold haue these two excellent Prophets séene of the Apostles Lazarus soule did not only appeare but he came againe both in bodie soule as Iohn witnesseth in his 11. chap. he is as it were a sure token of our true resurrection which shall be in the last day as also others which our Sauiour Christ the Apostles in auncient time the Prophets haue raysed from the dead You shal neuer read that either Lazarus or any other haue told wher they were while they were deade or what kynde of being there is in the other world for these things are not to be learned and knowen of the dead but out of the word of God. The like may be said to that which is in the 27. chap. of S. Matthew that when Christ suffered on the Crosse the graues wer opened afterwards on the day of his resurrection many dead bodies did arise appeared to many at Hierusalem The soules of the dead did not only appeare neither did they warne the liuing or coÌ„maund them to do this or that for the deads sake to wit either to pray for theÌ„ or to go on pilgrimage to saints c. But the dead with their souls bodies togither came into the earth for héerby god would shew that he by his death hath ouercom destroyed death to the faithful that at the last day their soules bodies shall be knit togither and liue with God for euer Now what thâ—se holy men were that rose again whether they remained any time in this present life or died again or went with Christ into heauen loke the iudgement of S. Augustine in his .99 Epist. to Euodius his 3. booke De mirabilibus scrip ca. 13. To these we may ioyn that which Ruffinus writeth in his ecclesiastical historie .1 boke 5. chap. and which Socrates repeteth in his first boke 12. chap. touching Spiridion byshop of Cyprus He had a daughter called Irene with whoÌ„ a certaine friend of hirs left gorgeous apparel she being more wary than néeded hyd it in the ground within a while died Not long after coÌ„meth this man that owed the apparel hearing say the maideÌ„ was dead goeth to hir father whom somtimes he accuseth somtimes intreateth The old father supposing this maÌ„s losse to be his own calamitie coÌ„meth to his daughters graue ther calleth vpoÌ„ god beseching him that he would shew him before the time the resurrection which is promised And his hope was in vaine for the virgin being reuiued apeared to hir father shewed the place wher she had hid the aparel so departed again I will not deny this thing to be true For the like historie hath Augustine in his 137. epist. A certain yong man which had an euil name accused Boniface Augustines priest that he inticed him to filthinesse Now wheÌ„ the matter could neither be proued nor disproued by sufficient resons both of them were bid to goe to the graue of one Felix a Martyr that by a miracle the truth might be known They had not bin sent vnlesse before this time also some secrete matters had bin knowne by this meanes it may be well answeared that they were good or rather euill Angels which did appeare CHAP. XI VVhether the holy Apostles thought they savve a mans Soule vvhen Chryst sodenly appeared vnto them after his Resurrection WE reade in the 24. Chapter of S. Lukes Gospell that two Disciples which returned from Emaus to Hierusalem tolde the Apostles that they had séene Chryst aliue againe and whyles they yet spake the Lord stoode in the myddest of them and sayd vnto them peace be vnto you but they being amased and afrayd thought they sawe a spirit c. Out of this some go about to proue that the Apostles beléeued that spirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men and that they themselues did thinke they sawe the spirite of Chryst as certaine of the olde Wryters doe expounde it or else some other mannes spirit This Argument may be answered two wayes First if they thought they sawe a Soule they thought a mysse But they were no lesse deceyued with the common sorte nowe than when they thought Chryst would rayse vppe an outward and earthly kingdome in which they shoulde be chiefe Secondly it may be that they supposed they sawe an euil or good Angell for there are more kyndes of spirites than one There is a spirit that created al thyngs to wit God the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost Agayne there be spirites that be created as good and euill Angels as also the soules of men which eyther are in the body or by death seuered from the body and abyde either in euerlasting lyfe or in eternal damnation As touching the state of Soules in Purgatorie where they are prepared to the Heauenly iourney and of Limbus puerorum there is nothing extant in holie Scripture It is manifest in scripture that God appeared vnto the holy patriarches to the prophets to kings and others in diuers visions and formes and that he shewed hym selfe vnto them and spake with them Iacob sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to Heauen and God leaning on it Isaias sawe the Lord sitting vppon an high throne Daniell sawe an olde maÌ„ sitting and his sonne comming vnto him and receyuing all power of him TertulliaÌ„ and other holy fathers do teache that the sonne of God which at the appointed time shoulde take vppon him humaine fleshe didde appeare vnto the Patriarches in an angelicall shape When Iohn Baptist did baptise our sauioure in Iordan the Holy ghost was séene in the shape of a doue The holy scriptures in many places do testifie that good Angells haue oftentimes appeared to Gods ministers That euill spirits are often séene and that at this day they shewe themselues in diuers formes to inchaunters and coniurers and to other men also as well godly as wicked both histories and daily experience doth witnesse Truely we reade not that soules haue appered on this fashion By these we may easly gather that the Apostles when they thought they sawe a spirit did not beléeue they sawe a soule Could they not thinke I pray you they sawe an euill spirit Or rather that they sawe a good spirit or a good angel For it may be shewed by many examples that euen the faithfull haue bin troubled and feared at the appearing of good Angels In the eyght and tenth chapter of Daniel we read that the Prophet fel into a sicknesse at the sight of Angels The virgin Mary hirselfe was afrayde when she sawe the Angell Gabriel So was Zachary the priest
many others In the 12. of the Acts we reade that Herode killed Iames the Apostle with the sword and whē he sawe that it pleased the Iewes he caught Peter also and when he hadde put him in pryson hée deliuered him to .16 Souldioures to be kepte entending after the feast of Passeouer to kyll him But the Angell of the Lorde led S. Peter out of the prison by night through the Souldiours watch and sette him in the right way to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn whose surname was Marke where many were gathered togither and prayed And when he had knocked at the entrie doore a maid came forth to harken named Rhode But when she knew Peters voice she opened not the entrie doore for gladnesse but ran in and tolde howe Peter stood before the entrie but they said vnto hir thou art mad yet she affirmed constantly that it was so Then said they it is his Angel but Peter continued knocking and when they had opened and saw him they were astonied In like maner now also when the Apostles saw Christ peraduēture they thought they sawe a good Angel. For there are Angels giuen of God vnto men to keepe them Of this matter ther is somwhat red in the .18 of S. Matthew in the 19. Psal. we wil note somwhat more of it hereafter The Gentiles also beléeued as maye be gathered by their writings that euery mā had a good an euil Angel and that the good Angel did stir men vp to vertue defend them but that the euil Angell did hurt men wheresoeuer he could and did prouoke them to wickednesse If our Elders when they haue séen or heard any thing of one that hath ben traueling or dead did say it is his spirit it may be they ment not his soule but his Angel for if when as spirits were seen now in this place and by and by in an other place they did thinke them to be soules as in these latter tymes all men haue beléeued in this they were deceiued as they haue ben in many other things also for soules are by by receyued eyther into euerlasting ioye or into eternall damnation If the Preachers and Teachers had done their duties and had in this and other pointes of Christian Doctrine rightly instructed the people committed to their charge or at the least if they had not forbidden them to reade the holy Scriptures they would haue thought a right both of this other things which at this day are in controuersie CHAP XII Concerning the holie Fathers Councels Bishops and cōmon people vvhich say that soules do visibly appere THe authoritie of the holy fathers is obiected against vs as that which S. Ambrose wryteth of S. Agnes S. Augustine of S. Felix of which we haue spoken before And that whiche Abdias hath in the life of the Apostles that Thomas appeared after his deth preched S. Gregorie in his Dialogues doth write diuers and wonderous things among others he rehearseth many examples of the beade whiche appeared and desired helpe of certayne Saintes yea and of the Apostles themselues which haue visited some vpon their death beddes a little before they departed and many other suche like matters which they that lyst may reade themselues It is sayde that Hierome appeared to S. Augustine I will not in this place accuse the holie Fathers of vanitie yet this we must note they say not they haue beléeued that they whiche appeared were the soules of deade men but they spake after the common manner As touching S. Gregories Dialogues I can not hyde this which many haue noted before me that many things are conteined in them that ar nothing tru but altogether like old wiues tales Not bicause the holy father hath written these things of malice but for that he being too too credulous hath put many things into his bookes rather vpon other mens report than that he himselfe knew them certainely to be true At this day also there are many honest and godlie men which haue this faulte that they are too quicke of beléefe and altogither ruled by others They iudge other men by themselues they would be ashamed to reporte any thing that were false and thinke suche men in like manner to be affectioned which doe abuse their simplicitie and goodnesse Often times these men through their too muche lightnesse of beleefe fall into great daungers Moreouer in that age wherin Gregorie liued men began to attribute muche to those apparances and visions And at that time the true and sincere Doctrine began greatly to decay Truly the time in which a man happens to lyue is much to be regarded he himselfe confessed that hys time was the latter tymes Therefore the Scriptures shoulde haue béene more diligently haue lent vnto neither should any thing haue béen retained that was not agreable vnto them Some going about to excuse him for that he hath stuffed his Dialogues full of myracles and wonders say he dyd it to mollifie by those examples the peruerse and hard heartes of the Longobardes to the end they might embrace the true Religion which they had so gréeuously persecuted But that it is in no wise profitable to make knowen the true fayth by these helpes which are nothyng else but vayne tales euen Viues himselfe in his first booke De tradendis disciplinis doth acknowledge Some vrge vs with the authoritie of counsels whiche haue allowed certain apparances of soules and haue suffered some bookes whiche are extant of such apparitions to be read for the edifying of the simple and some agayne together with their visions they haue cleane reiected It is reported that the Counsell of Constance hath allowed this vision A certaine Deane when he had giuen ouer his Deanrie went into the Wildernesse to doe penaunce after his deathe he appeared to his Byshop and tolde him that the same houre in which he departed this life there dyed thirty thousande men among whome only his soule and S. Bernarde were made partakers of eternall saluation and three went into purgatorie and all the rest into endlesse damnation c. They say that Councels the churche cannot erre bycause they are guided by the holy Ghost Also in the 24. of Matthew the Lord doth saye in the late dayes there shal be signes and wonders that the very elect if it were possible might be seduced therefore they cōclude those things which councels do say of suche apparitions are to be beleued Christs words ar not so to be vnderstode that the chosen can neuer be broughte into errors for the contrary may be shewed by many examples but that they do not abide in erroure albeit some do very hardly get out of the same agayne Tell me I pray you who they were that came togither in auncient Councels were they not holy fathers It is manifest that in many points they were at variaunce among themselues and that they haue shewed by their contrary writings yea
and knowe the truth c. By the woorde spirite are vnderstoode false teachers whiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of God But what cause is there why it maye not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites whiche haue induced men to take in hande many things In the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians and the seconde Chapter when certayne affirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande Paule foretelleth them that there shall be a defection and that Antichrist shall first come saying Nowe we beséech you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryste by our assembling vnto hym that yée be not sodenly moued from your intent nor troubled neyther by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of Christ were at hande Let no man deceyue you by any meanes c. Which wordes truely in my iudgement may also be verie aptly vnderstood of those wandering spirits Saint Iohn sayth in hys first Epistle and fourth chapter Dearly béeloued beléeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophetes are gone out into the world Héereby shall yée knowe the spirit of god Euery spirit that cōfesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Chryst is come in the flesh is not of god c. Héere he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to be mens soules but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues that they haue the spirite of god But in case we must not beléeue them being aliue much lesse ought we to credite them when they are dead And albeit that neyther Chryste nor hys Apostles had so diligently giuen vs warning not to suffer our selues to be seduced with myracles and with the talke of spirites yet notwithstanding dayly experience teacheth vs to be circumspect and warie in these cases For as soone as false teachers sée that they haue no testimonie of Scripture to defende themselues withall by and by they turne themselues to spirits and visions whereby they may confirme their Doctrine which thing hath opened a large window to many erroures To what inconuenience Ambition couetounesse enuie hath brought many of the clergie it is both well knowne by many examples and it hath also as it were by the waye béene before declared Haue not the orders of Monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence haue not they inuented newe miracles haue they not counterfeited Gods Pilgrimages Saintes spirits The holy Uirgin is a famouse notable exāple that we shuld not rashly beléeue euery spirit For at what time the Angel Gabriel apeared vnto hir in a visible shape saluted hir shewing hir before of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God she thought with hir selfe what maner of salutation that shuld be how this thing could come to passe séeing she had knowen no man Then at the last being enfourmed of the means by the Angel she sayd Behold the handmayde of the Lorde be it vnto me according to thy word Why then should we beléeue euery spirite especially those which teach things quite contrarie to the word of God. CHAP. IX After vvhat sorte the faithfull in the primitiue Churche vsed themselues vvhen they mette vvith spirites I Haue declared out of the word of God how good and godly men ought to behaue themselues when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto thē And truely the auncient Christians behaued themselues after this sorte For they were couragious without feare they gaue themselues to godlynesse and all good workes they diligently auoyded all things which were displeasing vnto God and they were also verie circumspect not to attribute too much vnto spirites and visions It was a cōmon custome amongst thē to blesse themselues with the signe of the Crosse when they met with these things which many also vse at this day Tertullian writeth in his booke De corona militis that the auncient Christians did many times marke their foreheades with the signe of the Crosse. S. Hierom exhorteth Demetriades that he often crosse his foreheade least that the destroyer of Egipt finde any place therein Origen also Epiphanius Chrisostome and Augustine write many things of the vertue of the holie Crosse. S. Athanasius writeth in hys booke de Humanitate verbi eiusque corporali aduentu fol. 67. In times past sayth he the deuils by vaine shewes and mockerie ensnared men abiding somtimes in wels somtime in ryuers in stones and woods and so by craftie deceytes brought vnwise men into sottishnesse But nowe since Gods worde hath appeared vnto vs suche sightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased Fol. 56. and .72 and in other places also he handleth the same matter Lanctantius writeth of the same in his fourth boke Diuinarum Institutionum 26. chapter and also thorowout the 27. Chapter He saythe that the deuill can haue no accesse vnto those nor any wayes hurte them whiche signe their foreheades with the crosse He addeth moreouer that the Christians vsed this ceremonie in olde time in casting out deuils and healing diseases Not for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall signe of the crosse for that were supersticious but vnto the crosse that is to the merytes of Chryste whose worthinesse and excellencie they called withall to their remembrance Touching the holy Apostles or Apostolike Churches we reade not that they euer vsed the signe of the crosse in expelling deuils in curing diseases or in any other thing God spared the Iewes in Egipt whiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the Lambe not that Lambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death but it was a figure of the bloud and passion of Christ Iesus And the Iewes sprinkled not bloud of their owne good deuotion as they terme it but by the commaūdement of god The holy fathers by the ceremonie that they signed themselues wyth the crosse mente to testifie their confidence in the crosse that is in the deth of Christ Iesus which abandoneth all euill and mischiefe The deuill neuer a whit feareth the crosse wherewith we signe our selues nor yet those pieces fragmentes of Christes crosse which are shewed for reliques but he trembleth at the power and force of Chrystes death by the whiche he was conquered and ouerthrowen If any man attribute too muche vnto ceremonies he cannot be excused from supersticion which worthily deserueth blame We read more in the auncient wryters that they vsed exorcismes or coniurations in the primatiu◠Churche against Deuils You may read in Tertullian in his booke De anima that vncleane spirites haue often times deceyued men haue taken on them the persones of others and haue fayned themselues to be the soules of dead men that men should not beléeue that all soules descended into Hell what is to be vnderstood by the worde Hell I haue shewed before and so to bring the beleefe of the latter Iudgemente