or by subtracting therefro doe mightily forestall the verie true naturall courses thereof As for example when ouer and besides the orderly parts of nature a man hath two heads two noses and fower hands or but one eie one arme one legge and such like All these with many other such vnnaturall accidents are things directly besides nature whereof sundrie approoued writers especially Hierom himselfe and Nicephorus also haue written at large in their seuerall discourses Now sir you may not and which more is you dare not without blushing affirme that any of your matters at Mahgnitton were indeed and in truth any such monstrous or vnnatural occurrents and therefore from thence you cannot possibly conclude any actuall possession at all Or if notwithstanding you will impudently affirme that those your said matters were vndoubtedly some of them such monstrous occurrents and thereupon inferre an actuall possession it must necessarily follow that either the yoong-man at Mahgnitton was not possessed at all or else that onely the monstrous persons are actually possessed which were a verie absurd and monstrous opinion 3. Briefly the things directly aboue nature are al those matters actions whatsoeuer which beyond their owne natural force and rather in then by the verie things themselues are estsoones effected although yet not by any order and facultie of nature but by an extraordinarie and supernaturall power of God As to make yron swim fire to freese water to burne the dead to returne to life and such like Now sir if you dare flatly affirme that your maters at Mahgnitton were things vndoubtedly of this selfesame kinde then must you not only verie necessarily auouch some supernaturall power in the diuell and yoong-man possessed for the admirable effecting of all those your supposed supernaturall actions but which more is you must verie confidently conclude that such an admirable dispossessing of the yoong-man possest at Mahgnitton was vndoubtedly the miracle of miracles Exorcistes Make of it a miracle a monster or what pleaseth your selfe possessed I am certaine he was Physiologus Possessed you are certaine he was and yet cannot certainly shew in what sort Howbeit hauing hitherto searched foorth soundly the verie nature of the things themselues and finding them in effect to be things neither naturall nor not naturall and so by consequence but meere delusions Let vs notwithstanding imagine them all for such as you say and therefore now here in like manner Lay downe some certaine rule of right iudgement to examine them by Lycanthropus I pray you doe so Physiologus Content The rule of right iudgement is some certaine direction leuell or square whereby is declared vnto vs both what is true and what is false and for which onely respect it is also verie fitly termed the rule of truth Moreouer this selfesame rule of truth is either naturall or supernaturall The naturall rule of truth is that naturall direction which nature herselfe doth truely declare and verie sufficiently affoorde vnto vs. And this selfesame natural rule of truth is also twofold namely either some naturall principles or vniuersall experience The naturall principles are some certeine generall notions or vniuersall directions verie naturally engrafted and knowen vnto men by nature it selfe and which also are so necessarilie so certeinly and so vnchangeablie true as whosoeuer shall dare to call them in doubt he may iustly be termed a mad-man or foole And these naturall principles also are either theoricall or practicall The theoricall principles are all such speculatiue demonstrations as doe certeinly direct and guide the iudgement in a true vnderstanding knowledge of things As for example twise two are fowre Againe there is one onely truth Againe the whole is greater then any part thereof Againe the cause is not after the effect Againe there is one onely naturall motion of a simple bodie and so foorth The practicall principles are such certeine and infallible grounds of truth as do certeinly direct and gouerne the manners of men As for example God is to be serued Men may not be hurt Honest things are to be done Falshood is to be fledde and so foorth Now then this naturall rule I meane these natural principles whether theoricall or practicall they can be no competent Iudges to examine and trie foorth the truth of those your supposed maruels wrought at Mahgnitton First because this selfesame rule being onely but naturall in what kinde soeuer cannot possiblie extend foorth it selfe to the full compasse and reach of those your admirable actions manie of them especially being so absurd as they are so supernaturall and euerie way so impossible in nature Secondly for that manie wise men in the world no lesse wise then your selfe yea and as sufficientlie qualified with those selfesame naturall principles whatsoeuer are of a farre different iudgement to yours and therefore by force of this rule you cannot possiblie put downe vnto vs any such infallible and certeine conclusions as may possiblie perswade an actuall possession And thus much brieflie for that first rule of truth which ariseth onely from meere naturall principles Lycanthropus Shew vs in like sort I beseech you that other infallible rule of truth which proceedeth from vniuersall experience Physiologus With verie good will And because this is that verie loadstone it selfe whereunto Exorcistes attendeth for his special directions in those supernaturall accidents I will therefore first vnfold the thing it selfe and then next discouer the sundrie degrees thereof Pneumatomachus A verie excellent order I praie you proceede Physiologus Content First then for the thing it selfe the same is called in the Hebrew toong Cheker that is a diligent scrutinie inuestigation inuention inquisition or searching out of a thing to the bottome It commeth of the Radicall worde Chakar which signifieth to make diligent inquirie for a thing to the bottome to make a profound inquisition to gage verie deepely into and to search downe to the first fountaine it selfe In the Greeke toong it is called Emporia that is an experience skil specialty or proofe In the Latinâ— toong experientia that is an experiment a due triall a patterne or president And in our English toong we commonly call it a common vse example or practise Now then all these the aforesaid Etymologies so fitly consorting in one as they doe liuely portend at a blush a â—erie admirable and most certeine demonstratiue rule so doe they teach vs withall that vniuersall experience is a perpetuall vse of things wherein al men of sound iudgement howsoeuer seuered by times and places do by due experiments prooue and knowe that they haue euermore receiued one and the selfesame thing after one and the selfesame maner And that therefore it is called a catholike or common experience As for example Fire is hot life is one thing and death is another wine and pepper haue an inflaming facultie snowe is white the heauens are mooued circulerly and so foorth Lycanthropus Let this suffice for the thing
essentiall transforming of Satan into an Angel of light Lycanthropus Conclude what you please yet will I at no hand be perswaded but that the diuell can essentially transforme himselfe into the verie substance of an Angell of light Orthodoxus Euen as readily I warrant you as the priest can transubstantiate bread and wine into the very naturall bodie and bloud of Christ. If you be able throughly to prooue this transformation of diuels you may pleasure the papists with an vnanswerable argument for their popish transubstantiations and surely they should therein be highly beholding vnto you But vntil your selfe and they do sensiblie demonstrate vnto vs how two substantiall formes may possiblie be inherent togither and at once in one and the selfesame subiect and that also without confusion of substances say what you can for your matters we will beleeue you alike In the meane time let vs heare some sounder reasons concerning this point or put an end to our speech Lycanthropus Whether the reasons be sound or vnsound it makes no great matter It hath beene taught for an infallible truth from age to age that diuels can transforme themselues essentially into what substance they please and therefore for my part I vnfeinedly beleeue and subscribe to the same Orthodoxus Antiquitie how gray-headed soeuer hath no authoritie at all to priviledge errour and therefore you are ouer rashlie to resolute in setling your faith vpon such an inueterate dottage Physiologus Maister Orthodoxus do rest you a while and let me argue this point a little Come on Lycanthropus you do beleeue you say that Diuels can transforme themselues into what substance they please what is your reason hereof Lycanthropus My reason is this They can forme bodies therefore also they can transforme bodies To denie them an absolute power herein were to yeeld lesse vnto diuels then we do vnto men For a Taylour we see he is able of a peece of cloth to forme a gowne and able also to transforme the same into either a cloake or a coate Physiologus You haue forgot I perceiue what was taught you of late Namely that the worke of creation is onely proper to God and beyond the power of diuel or angel and yet now againe you wil haue the diuel if not a creatour of substances yet an Artist at least very skilfull in forming and transforming of gownes and cloakes which I beleeue would trouble both him and the Tailour if they had neither cloath nor other stuffe to forme them vpon But goe to proue that the diuels are able essentially to forme or transforme true naturall bodies Lycanthropus I prooue it thus The diuel was able by the Egiptian sorcerours to transforme their rods into serpents and therefore he is much more able to do the same by himselfe Physiologus Forbearing a while to answere directly the very point of your argument I must tel you this by the way that through such an inconsiderate reasoning you dangerously make the diuel a very free agent in forming and transforming of bodies Howbeit letting these ouersights slip doe tel me whether those your supposed serpents made by the sorcerours were true serpents in deede or serpents onelie in outward appearance Philologus They were true serpents no doubt Physiologus If serpents without doubt as you say then were they such either necessarily or contingently Pneumatomachus Nay not contingently but necessarily such or no serpents at all Physiologus If necessarily serpents in deede then tel me whether they were such by a naturall or supernaturall necessity Lycanthropus What meane you by a naturall necessity Physiologus By a naturall necessity I do here vnderstand the necessary beginning or cause of motion and rest in euery such naturall thing as nature it selfe is especially inherent in by it selfe alone and not by accident So that this naturall necessity is you see some certeine secret power not perceiueable by sense but by vnderstanding alone yea and the same is so throughly instructed of God by a secret instinct as it is able of it selfe to supply an essentiall being with other naturall faculties to euery corporall substance whether element stone hearbe tree lyon horse egle woolhe man beast or any other like naturall essence Now then doe tel me whether they were true serpents in deed by such a naturall necessity Lycanthropus Yea euen by that selfe same naturall necessity Physiologus Then vndoubtedly they were such either by the orderly or the vnorderly course of nature Lycanthropus Such they were euen by an orderly course of nature Physiologus Then did they also consist vpon true and orderly beginnigs namely vpon true matter and forme Lycanthropus They consisted of true matter and forme I warrant you Physiologus Doe you warrant me A wise man would euen blush for shame to auouch such palpable and grose absurdities Know you not that the orderly course of nature in her ordinary producing of liuing creatures is onely and altogether by generation And dare you then thus boldly affirme that a sory twig or rod of a tree was such a true naturall matter as that from thence might possibly haue been produced some naturall serpent in any orderly course of nature Againe could any true liuely forme of a naturall serpent be possibly giuen to the twig of a tree by any possible power of either angel or diuel Indeed the diuel and those his Egyptian sorcerers if they had so much spare time at that present they might then I confesse haue cunningly carued or cut out from a peece of wood some lineament all fashion figure proportion or shape of serpents and very skilfully haue cast the same into a serpentine colour howbeit such a formed kinde of serpents both for matter and forme had onelie beene artificiall and accidentarie but neither might that matter nor forme of theirs haue truely beene said to be naturall Lycanthropus Let matter and forme be whatsoeuer it will true serpents I am certeine they were Physiologus How certeine soeuer you are they could not possiblie be true serpents indeed in any orderly course of nature as you haue hitherto heard For then also they must necessarilie haue had their true matter and forme verie certeine within themselues and the same also very absolute and constant by nature Euen as we see the selfesame matter and forme of a dogge an horse a bird a man or a serpent which was at the first creation the same continueth in an orderly course of nature certeine and constant now at this present to the end of the world But these your supposed serpents they had no such true matter and forme at all in themselues and therefore no true serpents indeed in any orderly course of nature Lycanthropus Then were they such in an vnorderly course of nature for true serpents I am sure they were Physiologus True serpents you saie you are sure they were and yet can you not possiblie shew how they should be such except as
essentiall being The rather because euery creature else how contemptible soeuer being once created it hath an essentiall substance and if the basest of all then much more the Angels they being indeed such excellent creatures Pneumatomachus Well goe to how next from their effectuall operations Orthodoxus Thus their operations haue beene and now are apparantly euident to all the world whether we respect the Lord or his church So that for any to doubt of their essentiall being is to call in question the sun-shine at mid-day and as wel may he denie their operations whatsoeuer Pneumatomachus Good sir is this your substantiall proouing of Angels and Spirits I denie that the Lord God euer created any Angels at all and then to what purpose doe you vrge their supposed operations Orthodoxus Sith you so confidently denie both Spirits and Diuels tell me what you imagine those to be which we generally hold for Spirits and Angels Pneumatomachus Sir I take those your supposed spirits for none other matters at all but the good or euill motions and affections arising in men as also those your imagined Angels I hold them to bee nothing else but the sensible signes or tokens of Gods vnspeakeable power Orthodoxus You do then conclude it should seeme that our faith concerning those matters is grounded altogither vpon bare supposals and idle imaginations of wandring braines I like well your plainnes in laying open your minde although I alowe not your pestiferous opinions iumping so pat with the Parepateticall and Sadusaicall sort Who flatly denying either Angel or Spirite do confidently auouch that there is nothing immortall in man which is a verie dangerous gulph of hell that deuoureth and swaloweth vp all sound diuinitie and sincere knowledge of God For first by opposing your selfe against all the essentiall spirits and powers of the Lord what doe you else in effect but implicatiuely reiect the essentiall being of the holy Ghost and then next you do also by consequence verie flatly deny that there is any God at all for what I pray you is God but a Spirite Pneumatomachus Nay sir howsoeuer I oppose my selfe to the catholike opinion of Spirits and Diuels I do confidently auouch and confesse that there is one true euerliuing God of an incomprehensible inuisible and spirituall essence distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And moreouer concerning men and my selfe I do with like confidence verie cleerely acknowledge that euerie of vs also are essentiallie endued with spirituall and immortall soules Orthodoxus You cannot faithfully finally hold these infallible truthes from your hart but you must and will presently banish those other palpable errours from out of your brest For euen as Aaron his rodde deuoured foorthwith the counterfeite rods of all the Egyptian Sorcerers so surely these your confessed truths concerning the essentiall spirits and powers of the Lord being faithfully held from the hart will in the end I doubt not be another Aaronicall rodde to confute and confound those other Sadusaical sorceries wherewith the Diuel hath so dangerously bewitched your soule Lycanthropus Verie true if he be not to opinionate therein Pneumatomachus Sir howsoeuer I haue beene hitherto opinionate in this speciall point I am notwithstanding very loth that reason should be ouerruled by will or that the holy truth of God should giue place vnto errour and therefore proceed I beseech you in the timely vnfolding of this hidden mysterie Orthodoxus With very good will wherein also for your speedier conceiuing of that which is spoken we will first lay open the originall fountaine from whence this errour floteth abroad and then next hauing fully answered your arguments we wil directly prooue vnto you both Spirits and Diuels Exorcistes A very excellent order For there by first you shall cleere our iudgements and then next you shall the more fully confirme vs in the infallible truth Lycanthropus That is certainly so But what thinkes Pneumatomachos Pneumatomachus I acknowledge no lesse and do promise withall to giue an attentiue eare to whatsoeuer is spoken Orthodoxus Well then to proceede therein accordingly this I dare boldly affirme that your Parepatetical opinion or rather that this your Sadusaicall sorcerie concerning the non being of Spirits and Diuels proceedeth directly from a two-folde false ground Namely first from the naturall corruption of your proper minde and secondly from a carelesse misconstruing of some certeine places of Scripture Both which saide false grounds albeit I could and might well relate them my selfe yet because the first is rather Philosophical then Diuine I do purposely put ouer the prosecuting thereof as of al other like points to this my good brother if it please him to trauell therin reseruing the latter to entreate of my selfe Physiologus Sith it is your good pleasure to haue it so I will gladly giue my endeuour to satisfie the man so it seemeth him good Pneumatomachus With all my hart if first you will tell me who you are and what is your name Physiologus I am I assure you a friend to the truth and my name is Physiologos Pneâ—matomachus In very good time be it spoken But may I be bold by the way to aske you a question without offence Physiologus Propound at your pleasure and aske what you please Pneumatomachus Was not your name also purposely giuen to purport vnto vs your proper nature For Physiologus you say is your name which vnlesse I be fowly deceaued is as much to say as a babler or pratler of naturall Philosophie or it signifieth rather some notable discourser of naturall causes I hope you are none of those cogging companions of whom the Apostle doth wish vs beware who goe purposely about to spoile men with Philosophie and vaine deceit Orthodoxus Nothing lesse For the man I assure you is both a sound Philosopher and a sincere Diuine Neither would I haue you once to imagine that Paul doth there purposely oppose himselfe to all true Philosophie whether naturall or morall no but reprooueth rather that false and counterfeit Philosophie which hauing onely an appearance of truth and not the substance of truth it selfe is cunningly foisted in by cogging companions to spoile and deceiue mens mindes of the truth indeed For otherwaies all true Philosophie is the speciall gift of God and a principall helpe to Diuinitie so far foorth especially as she is made a submissiue Moderatour in naturall causes and not a commaunding Mistres ouer Diuinitie Then I assure you shee comes in her naturall kinde and thrice happie is he that hath a true insight into her according to that old accustomed saying Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas The wight that could all causes skan Might count himselfe an happie man Now then such a Philosopher is this and therefore be bold vpon my warrant to harken freely vnto him concerning the first ground of your errour Pneumatomachus I credit your words let him therefore proceede in his purpose Physiologus
The first ground of this as of all errours else whatsoeuer doth vndoubtedly arise as you heard from the naturall corruption of your proper minde And this may more plainely appeare if I first shew you what the Minde is and then tell you how the same is corrupted The Minde is that reasonable facultie or power of the soule whereby the naturall man perceiueth knoweth and discerneth all intelligible things By which wordes it is plaine that the proper ende and office of the Minde is especially to perceiue to know and discerne things And this office also it accomplisheth by the helpe of no bodily Organon but onely by it selfe alone vnlesse haply the senses doe sometime assist the intellectiue vertue therein The Minde therefore it differeth you see from the Will For the Minde onely perceiueth and knoweth a thing the Will it maketh free choice either to pursue or eschew the thing that is knowen Now then the Minde in a meere naturall man is easily corrupted by reason of the phantasie through whose onlie helpe the aforesaide knowledge of things intelligible is conueyed and offered vnto it For the phantasie it being that interiour sensitiue knowledge which by the middle ventricle of the braine receiueth into it selfe a verie deepe impression of the sundrie kinds of sensible things either present or absent and labouring also to draw foorth from those seuerall kinds of sensible things the like sensible kindes in conceit it cannot otherwise possibly be but that the said phantasie not being able to transcend beyond the seâ—sitiue knowledge of naturall and corporall substances must needes offer the minde such sensible notions as her speciall oâ—iect affoords And hereby also it commeth to passe that the minde eftsoones is deceiued in perceiuing knowing and discerning aright of euerie intelligible thing more especially if the said phantasie at any time endeuoureth to draw foorth from some sensible things an imaginarie conceit of some intelligiâ—le matter For then the vnderstanding or minde being mightily misled by the phantasie must needs be deceiued in perceiuing and discerning such a matter it being supernaturall spirituall and heauenly and surmounting the compasse of humane reason As for example The minde of a meere naturall man being at any time desirous to perceiue and discerne aright of God of Angels or Diuels it looketh foorthwith to receiue from the phantasie or interiour sensitiue knowledge some certaine notions concerning these matters Which said phantasie receiuing an impression onely of sensible things from the exteriour senses themselues and hauing in her naturally no impression at all of any the aforesaide supernaturall spirituall and heauenly matters therein shee affoordeth the minde either no notions at all or none other at least then onely such as she reeeiueth herselfe from corporall sensible and meere naturall obiects Whereupon the minde being still desirous to perceiue and discerne the aforesaid supernaturall matters and hauing thereof I say no notions at all or deceiueable notions at least shee foorthwith concludes either that there are neither God nor Angell nor Diuell or none other at least then such as shee hath notions of in an imaginarie conceite arising onely vpon a sensible knowledge from corporall sensible and naturall obiects That is the said phantasie receiuing some sensible knowledge from the sense of the eare that God is an almightie and magnificent Lord of hostes it imagineth foorthwith some sensible or corporal potentate and thereupon receiuing an impression of some such sensible thing in conceit the minde by and by from such sensible notions concludeth that God is some almightie supereminent and sensible potentate in deed hauing all princes and powers subiected vnto him Againe the said phantasie hauing receiued by the eare as before a like sensitiue knowledge that the Seraphims shadowing the throne of grace haue sixe wings apiece to flie and to couer themselues withall it foorthwith supposeth some sensible creature and thereupon receiuing as before a sensible impression of some such sensible thing in conceit the minde eftsoones resolueth that Angels if there be any are none other but firie and winged creatures To be short the phantasie hauing receiued by the eare as before that the Diuel is a terrible tormenting Termagant chayned vp vnder darkenes and taking an impression of some such sensible thing in conceit the minde straight way supposeth that infernall spirits if there be any at all are vndoubtedly some blacke grim griesly ghostes hauing goggled eies fearefull clawes with two clouen feete Thus then you see how the mind in a meere naturall man receiuing but bare phantasticall notions of sensible things in conceit is too too corrupted in iudgement and therfore hath naturally no power in it selfe to perceiue to know and discerne aright of any supernaturall spirituall or heauenly matters Pneumatomachus From hence you would seeme to inferre that the meere naturall man is vtterly vnable by naturall reason to conceiue foundly and rightly of spirituall causes Orthodoxus Verie true For as that wisedome which is from belowe is but earthly sensuall and diuellish so surely the naturall man he cannot possibly perceiue the things of the spirit of God for they are but foolishnes to him Neither can he know them at all for they are spiritually discerned And this spirituall discerning of things is no naturall but a supernaturall worke of faith which doth not arise from sensible notions but from a supernaturall knowledge infused spiritually into the enlightened soule and which also being grounded on things that are hoped for is an vndoubted true euidence of things vnseene Otherwaies faith could be no faith at all as one very fitly affirmeth saying The diuine operation if it may possibly be comprehended by reason is nothing admirable neither can that faith find any merite whereunto humane reason affoords an experiment Philologus How now Pneumatomachus what say you to these matters Pneumatomachus By that which is spoken I doe plainely perceiue the verie first ground of all grosse and palpable errours namely the grosse conceiuing of spirituall matters according to that natural knowledge which naturally ariseth from meere sensible and naturall notions Exorcistes You haue conceiued aright but how is your hart affected therewith Pneumatomachus It is affected I hope as it ought to be For surely this I must needs confesse to my shame that hetherto I haue adiudged nothing either possible in nature or credible in action which could not absolutely be comprehended by humane reason And this now I perceiue is that worldly wisedome which the word accompteth foolishnes with God But doe shewe me good Maister Orthodoxus the other ground also of these grosse opinions Orthodoxus With verie good will The other ground of your errors ariseth I assure you from a carelesse misconstruing of some such places of scripture as doe attribute to God and to spirits a corporall forme as eies eares hands feete bodies wings and such like Which said places your selfe vnderstanding them carnally do seeme to import vnto you at
his preposterous actions Physiologus Preposterous actions indeed for the diuell to appropriate to himselfe the peculiar organon of the possessed mans soule Do you imagine the Lord euer propounded any such end to himselfe in the creation of bodies Or do you suppose the Lord euer granted so large a commission or that the diuell himselfe euer receiued such an absolute power concerning the bodies of men But go to what becomes of the soule or spirit all the while the diuell himselfe is really inherent in the possessed mans bodie Remaines the soule still in that bodie as in her proper habitation appointed of God till the day of her vtter dissolution by death Or is it for the whole time of the diuell his being in that bodie vtterly exiled thrust out from the same Lycanthropus Naie the soule is not euen then secluded or shut out from the bodie at al but continueth and lieth therein like a subdued prisoner fast bound hand and foote yeelding ouer to the diuel for that present his whole interest concerning the bodie and endureth perforce his inexorable and tyrannous crueltie Physiologus But tell me I pray you is not the soule or the minde of a man an incorporall substance or a spirit equally diffused and spred throughout the whole bodie and euerie part thereof according to powers and proportion not Arithmeticall but Geometricall so as all the members of the bodie it selfe doth effectually fulfill their peculiar offices accordingly They being the proper instruments of that selfesame minde or spirituall substance furdering freely the organicall operation thereof and excecuting readily whatsoeuer the minde shall giue them in charge And that therefore this selfesame bodie being thus vtterly depriued as you say for the present of the soules organicall operation is in effect but dead to the soule because wheresoeuer is an vtter priuation of the soules operations concerning the bodie there the life of that man is for the present dissolued Hold you all this for a truth Lycanthropus Yea I may not denie any part thereof Physiologus Seeing then you doe flatly conclude that the minde or spirit of man is the first substantiall forme or action in a liuing bodie and the originall or primarie cause of all effects whatsoeuer performed duly therein as being that onlie whereby we doe liue perceiue desire are moued in place and doe also vnderstand how is it possible that the soule or mind of a man being naturally in perpetuall motion should at any time lie idle in her bodie it being the proper Organon of the soule peculiarly appointed vnto it by God yea euen vnto the very dissolution thereof Or how should the said soule or minde lie bound like a prisoner in her proper bodie and not execute effectually those selfesame operations and powers which are peculiarly appropriated vnto it for the special seruice of that selfesame bodie Lycanthropus What meane you by the proper operations of the soule or minde Physiologus I vnderstand thereby all those peculiar actions which doe necessarily succeede the powers of the minde as proper effects peculiarly appertaining vnto it Otherwaies this peculiar power of the minde it being a meane betweene the substance and operations of the minde are the only efficient cause of the said mindes operations should be vtterly in vaine and to no purpose at all vnles the peculiar effects of that selfesame power did vndoubtedly and immediatly succeede the same Howbeit these selfesame effects cannot possibly succeed the saide power of the minde so long at the least as the Diuel himselfe really possessing the bodie doth wholy and absolutely take vp the said bodie with the members thereof to accomplish his mischieuous purposes As for example all the operations of the minde are either organical or animal The organical operations they are those seuerall actions which the minde can in no wise accomplish but in the bodie it selfe and by all the seuerall members thereof as by the proper instruments for that purpose peculiarly appointed vnto it Namely the nutritiue augmentatiue and generatiue operations appertaining especially to the vegetatiue life also the facultie of seeing hearing tasting smelling handling and of common sense moreouer the imaginatiue the memoratiue the concupiscible irascible and motiue faculties being all attendant vpon the sensitiue life Now then these and euerie of these are the organical operations of the minde yea and such also as the minde cannot possibly effect but in her owne bodie and by all the partes thereof as by the peculiar instruments appointed of God And therefore how should the possessed mans minde his bodie it selfe being thoroughly surprised and taken vp as you say by the Diuel at any hand accomplish either all or any one of these organical operations Lycanthropus As the minde her selfe cannot but be in perpetuall motion so surely being forcibly restrained from these her organical operations she must for the present be faine to put in execution and to practise as she may her animal operations Physiologus The animal operations they are such speciall actions as the minde of it selfe both can and may effectually accomplish without the bodie namely those three essential powers of the reasonable soule called the vnderstanding affection and will Whereof the two last are fitly termed the intellectiue appetite whereas the organical affections arising only from out of the hart the lyuer and entralles are called the sensitiue appetite But for as much as these animal operations all the while the minde it selfe is seated in her proper bodie are by the order of God appointed to be the directours and moderatours of all the organical operations I aske you by what meanes the mind may accomplish her appointed dutie concerning the direction and moderation of those her organical actions so long as the Diuel himselfe doth really and wholy take vp the said bodie with her seuerall partes to become the vnhappie instruments of his Diuellish attempts Lycanthropus I see no possible helpe but that the minde it selfe must giue place to the Diuel for a time Physiologus Giue place for a time for how long I beseech you Put case this man be really possest of the diuell for seuen yeeres togither or more and that in the meane time he should die before the diuell be dispossest of his bodie which for any thing knowne to the diuell he may very well do for his daies are determined which he cannot possiblie passe Now then the soule it selfe being surprized by death and so seperate from the bodie it selfe before she recouer her pristinate power concerning the saide bodie or any the organicall actions appertaining vnto it to whom must those the disordered actions wrought in the bodie all the whole time of the diuell his reall possession therein be imputed I pray you Whether to the possessed mans minde or to the diuell himselfe that possesseth his bodie And whether of both must yeeld an account vnto God for those seuerall actions of the sinfull bodie Lycanthropus The verie soule it selfe is answerable
some few but euen in Adam himselfe and al his posteritie or els you must grant that that possession which the diuel hath in anie it is onlie an actual possession Howsoeuer the latter be true the first you may neuer acknowledge for shame Because if the Lord created the members of our bodies for these two onelie respects namelie that they should be for euer the liuelie organons of our owne proper soules and the expresse images of him their Lord creator it is vnlikely that satan should euer haue power through the permission of God to frustrate those former effects by assuming our bodies essentiallie vnto himselfe and by applying them so forcibly to his slauish seruice in an vnuoluntarie action whether they will themselues or not Lycanthropus Why may not the Diuel for a time essentially vsurpe the possessed mans bodie to accomplish therin his Diuelish actions Physiologus The question is not what the Diuel may doe but whether he doth so essentially vsurpe vpon the possessed mans bodie as your selfe doth absurdly imagine For if an humane soule be only made capable of an humane bodie then also an humane bodie it is only made capable of an humane soule But the first in all reason is vndoubtedly true and therefore also the latter and so by consequence there can be no essential possession of spirits and Diuels Lycanthropus Why sir the scripture saith that the strong armed man possesseth his house in peace Physiologus That must only be vnderstood of an actual and of no essential possession at all I prooue it thus Satan so possesseth as Christ inuadeth his house But Christ inuadeth only effectiuely and not essentially therefore Satan he possesseth only effectiuely and not essentially Besides that if Satan essentially and inherently dwelleth in the possessed mans bodie what then for the present becomes of the soule and who must become accomptable to God for those corporall actions which are wrought in the possessed mans bodie as was shewed you before the man or the Diuel If the man how can it stand with the iustice of God to punish those things in a man whereunto he was violently enforced and drawen against his owne will If the Diuel then should something be effected in the possessed mans bodie which nothing concerneth himselfe Briefly you cannot possibly propound to your selfe any one necessarie vse or end for such an essentiall entring of Diuels into the bodies of men Lycanthropus Oh yes sir it is needfull for this special end namely that they might thereby the more fitly afflict and torment such persons as the Lord in iudgement hath committed vnto them Physiologus All this may as fitly as fully and as effectually be effected by an only actual possession as shall be shewed hereafter in the meane time you shall neuer be able to prooue your imagined real possession of Diuels while you haue any breath For if Spirites and Diuels be in deed and in truth in the possessed mans bodie then are they so either as the part in the whole or as the whole in the part or as the special in the general or as the general in the special or as the accident in the subiect and forme in the matter or as the efficient in the effect or as the intention in the end or as the thing placed in the place at the least But he is not in the possessed mans bodie according to any of these respects therefore not essentially or personally in the possessed mans bodie at all Lycanthropus Though not according to any the former respects yet are they in the possessed mans bodie as we say autoprosopos I meane euen personally not putting any other qualitie in the bodie which it had not before but only mouing and stirring the said bodie with the seueral partes to such extraordinarie operations as by the prouident disposing of God are permitted them to accomplish thereby Physiologus He is in the possessed mans bodie you say only as a mouer and stirrer vp of the same to some extraordinarie operations this is too too absurd For then he must be in that bodie either as one hypostatically ioined with that man in his essence which hypostatical vnion is only proper to Christ or els formaliter as the Schoolemen doe call it to giue an essential forme to those the entended operations and so there should be in the selfe-same subiect two essential formes at once which is too too absurd For Diuels being incorporal spirites are also inuisible impalpable insensible yea such spirituall creatures as cannot possibly be discerned by corporall sence such a substance I meane as can neither be seene nor felt nor handled nor possiblie perceiued by corporall or sensible meanes And therefore how should your selfe be able to iudge or the possessed man certeinlie know when the diuel is really and substantially inherent within his bodie as a moouer to such operations Lycanthropus The same is verie apparantly perceiued by the diuell his violent rending and tearing and such other vnnaturall and preposterous actions Physiologus This perceiuance or knowledge is giuen neither to you nor the possessed himselfe by any meanes of the diuell his essentiall being within him but by reason of his effectuall working in the possessed mans bodie By which said effectual working that selfesame rending and tearing with other like vnnaturall and preposterous actions may effectually be wrought in the man though the diuell doth neuer essentially enter into the possessed mans bodie or any part thereof Euen as also the efficacie and heate of the sunne may effectually be perceiued and felt both outwardly and inwardly and yet the verie substance of the sunne it selfe neuer essentially inherent in anie mans bodie And thus at vnawares you do fully ouerthrowe you idle supposall of an essentiall and reall possession concluding withall that the diuell hath onely an actuall or powerfull possession whereof also hereafter we will conferre to the full Lycanthropus Staie heere a while I beseech you me thinke you are somwhat ouerswift in gathering vpon me For albeit I do freely confesse that spirits and diuels are spirituall substances and therefore not sensiblie perceiued or felt of vs by any corporall or sensible meanes yet doe I not hold them for such absolute and simple substances but that they haue also their proper bodies peculiarlie appropriate to them though of another nature and farre different also from ours And therefore the diuels entring into the possessed mans bodie with those their owne bodies they may by meanes of their said bodies so violently worke in the possessed maus bodie as that their essentiall being therein may easily be discerned of others and verie sensiblie also perceiued of the possessed himselfe Physiologus A man had need to be swift in gathering when he lighteth vpon one so lauish in laying abroad For besides your conclusion heere against your owne cause you do flatly discent a fresh from that we concluded before in our first conference concerning the
which is too too absurd as was told you before Lycanthropus I wonder you are so peremptory in denying this point I hauing not onely the Philosophers as you heard euen now but ecclesiastical fathers both old and new on my side Orthodoxus Your philosophers they shoote faire and farre off as you also haue heard euen now You say you haue fathers both old and new on your side let vs see first whether your old fathers doe come any neerer the marke Lycanthropus First Origen he flatly affirmeth that spirits and diuels are endued with their proper bodies Orthodoxus Origen if that booke be his owne is not to be regarded concerning this question because therein he doth nothing but play the Platonist iumpingfull patte with Psellus in euerie point And therefore he deserueth none other answere then that which was giuen to those other before Let vs heare more authentical fathers or end the discourse Lycanthropus Hilarie he saith there is nothing which in it owne substance and in respect of creation is not corporall And therefore spirits and diuels they hauing their substance and being created are also corporall Orthodoxus Hilarie he saith so indeed but giues no one reason of saying so It is not enough for your selfe to crie out and say Hilarie he speakes it vnlesse Hilarie also doth prooue what he speake which he doth not in the place you alleage He onely propoundeth the matter without any proofe and may easily be answered thus The soule of man it hath her substance and was also created and yet incorporall For or euer it was infused into the bodie and after the dissolution thereof it doth substantially exist and is also immortall accomplishing continually her animall operations Neither needes shee an humane bodie in any respect of her proper essentiall being but onely in regard of her organicall operations as was shewed before And therefore Hilarie he helpes you nothing at all Lycanthropus Tertullian verie plainely affirmeth Angels and spirites to haue their peculiar bodies Orthodoxus Whatsoeuer Tertullian saith there concerning this question the Schoolemen they doe excuse and qualifie his speech on this sort They say that Tertullian by the name of bodie vnderstandeth onely the spirituall substance of Angels and nothing else And this he doth saie they in an onely regard of the simplicitie of that people with whom he delt who helde that nothing coulde possibly exist in nature without a bodie Tertullian therefore in that onely regard did purposely call the substances of spirites and diuels by the name of a bodie Lycanthropus Yea but Tertullian auoucheth further that God himselfe is also a bodie and therefore much more that spirits and diuels they haue their bodies His wordes be these Who will deny God himselfe to be a bodie although God indeed be a spirit Orthodoxus This is so farre from confuting as it rather confirmes that qualification which the Schoolemen doe make Namely that by the worde bodie Tertullian vnderstandeth nothing but the spirituall and simple substance of spirits and diuels Besides that it is one thing to be a bodie and another to haue a bodie Tertullian saith onely that God is a bodie he saith not there that God hath a bodie Lycanthropus Notwithstanding all this he saith elsewhere that spirits and diuels are corporall his reason is because the soules of men are also corporall Orthodoxus Herein his pouerty bewraieth it selfe being constrained as you see to beg his cause wherin also he would proue the same by the same namely corporall spirits by corporal soules Howbeit we haue proued before do here affirm it a fresh that the soules of men they are incorporal and therefore by consequence spirits and diuels they are not corporal but spiritual substances Besides all this Augustine verie flatly affirmeth that the incorporall doe differ fully from corporall substances and denieth withall that whatsoeuer is created the same is a bodie yea he sharpely reprehendeth and derideth Tertullian for auouching the soules of men to be corporall And in the end he thinks it too too absurd to hold that a reasonable soule should be a bodie in any respect because the same is onely and altogether incorporall And thus you may plainely perceiue by Augustine how vnfitly Tertullian doth fit your turne Exorcistes But Augustine himselfe elsewhere verie flatly affirmeth that all reasonable creatures are corporall substances yea and that euen the intellectuall creatures namely Angels spirits and diuels are euerie of them also corporall powers howsoeuer they subsist not of flesh and bloud Orthodoxus How Augustine agreeth with Augustine your selfe may plainely perceiue and therein also may wisely consider what credit consists in such varietie But that your Augustine may also receiue his answere let vs heare his argument whereby he would prooue spirits and diuels to be corporall substances Lycanthropus He reasoneth thus We doe therefore affirme the intellectuall powers to be corporall substances onely because they are circumscribed with place euen as humane soules are also inclosed with bodies Orthodoxus This is his argument Whatsoeuer is circumscribed with place that same is corporall but spirits and diuels they are circumscribed with place therefore spirits and diuels they are corporall I answere the proposition is faultie and halteth downe right For the localitie of spirits and diuels doth not simply depend vpon a bodie which after it owne manner I meane circumscriptiuely and sensibly is no doubt in a place but it ariseth properly from the finitouesse and dimensiuenesse of the angelicall nature it selfe Which said angelicall nature being created of God is therefore but finite and circumscribed also with those her owne termes which are competent and proper vnto her And therefore the intellectuall powers they are in a place because they be finite substances although yet they are in a place but definitiuely or determinately So then spirites and diuels you see they are vndoubtedly in a place because they be locall but they are therefore said to be local not because they be corporall as Augustine imagineth but for that being finite they haue their muchnesse or quantity after a sort I meane no predicamental but an intelligible quantity And therefore Augustine he speaketh soundly you see against Tertullian but proueth your purpose nothing at al. Exorcistes But the author of the Ecclesiasticall opinions writeth plainely that we must beleeue nothing to be incorporall or inuisible but onely God Who alone is truely said to be incorporall because he is euery where present replenishing al things and therefore also inuisible to euery creature because he is incorporall His first argument is framed thus Whatsoeuer is incorporall that same is euery where because vbiquity is the cause of incorporality But spirits and diuels they are not euery where therefore spirits and diuels they are not incorporal Orthodoxus The proposition with his prosyllogisme halteth downe right the same being a deceaueable Elench making that the cause which is not properly the
spirits and diuels Thus you reason The Lord sent his euil Angels among the Egyptians therefore spirits and diuels they assume to themselues what bodies they please This consequent hath in it no sequel at al and it is quite contrary to the words of the text For Dauid saith not that the Lord sent his euil Angels essentially into them but among them I meane the Egyptians which proueth nothing for Satan his assuming of bodies Exorcistes But yet we haue a notable example concerning this point from the diuel his tempting of Euah in the serpent Orthodoxus Wel go to frame your argument Exorcistes I frame it thus Satan he did put vpon him the body of the serpent and spake very sensibly in that selfesame serpent therefore spirits and diuels they can and are able to do the like with any body els whatsoeuer Philologus Maister Orthodoxus this argument I beleeue will set you hard Orthodoxus Not so hard as you thinke by then the ambiguous termes are opened more plainely And therefore doe tell me here what you meane by satan his putting the serpents body vpon him Exorcistes I meane this namely that he did really and essentially enter into the very essence and substance of the serpent it selfe Orthodoxus Then it must folow by necessary consequence that the diuel himselfe did essentially become the serpent in deed or the serpent essentially the diuel at least during the whole time of that action Lycanthropus Yea what else Orthodoxus Do you aske me what else I aske you for answere whether your hart be so deeply bewitched with blindnesse as you cannot perceiue the absurdity hereof it beeing so apparantly euident to all the world For is it possible thinke you that the diuel should be able vtterly to annihilate the essētiall being either of himselfe or of any other creature vnder the heauens Or is it likely that satan can cause himsele to be a diuel or no diuel and the serpent to be a serpent or no serpent when and so oft as it pleaseth himselfe If this were certeinely so what one creature in al the world could any long time continue in that proper estate wherein it was first created of God For the diuel hath wil and malice enough to do mischiefe if he had but that absolute power to accomplish the same Moreouer from satan his assuming of the serpents body alone you doe plainely conclude an absolute power in diuels ouer all other bodies else whatsoeuer and so from one perticular example you do cunningly gather a generall conclusion thus Satan he did essentially assume the body of the serpent therefore spirits and diuels can essentially assume what bodies they please This argument is vtterly vntrue in euery part For first whereas I plainely deny that the diuel can so essentially assume a body the which thing you should proue your selfe by a pitifull begging of the cause in question do take it as graunted and thereupon would proue the same by the same attributing also to the diuel such an absolute power therein as is vtterly impertinent to any creature and thereby also you doe highly derogate from the diuinity and power of God Secondly your argument also is faulty in that it concludeth more largely then was put downe in the premisses namely from one particular practize of satan it concludes an absolute power as was said ouer al bodies whatsoeuer which is a deceiueable kind of reasoning For albeit we should grant which will neuer be proued that satan had for that once some speciall preuiledge granted from God and did thereby also essentially enter into the very essence of the serpent as your selfe suppose yet doth it not folow that therefore spirits and diuels they can also essentially assume to themselues what bodies they please Howbeit to the end we may the more directly and plainely proceed doe tell me whether it was the diuel alone or the serpent alone or the diuel and serpent together that gaue the onset vpon Euah in that temptation Philologus It could not be the diuell alone for he is not named at all in the action Orthodoxus If he be not named at all in the action how comes he then to be charged for the principall author in that selfesame action Exorcistes In other places of scripture his malice that way is mightily tainted and himselfe accused for a murderer from the beginning although in the historie of Euahs tentation he be not precisely named any author at all Orthodoxus Yea but how can those places of Scripture in anie sounde reason impose the blame of the action vpon satan himselfe if neither absolutely nor properly nor historically nor Allegorically nor metaphorically nor any waies else he be specially named in that very historie of Euahs tentation wherein the action it selfe with the seuerall circumstances is fully and plainely expressed Exorcistes Moses you know doth not set downe the story of the Bible at large but onely compiles the same in a summary abridgement Orthodoxus But that action especially being so waighty a matter was necessary to be knowen in euery point and therefore it is not to be doubted but that the history concerning the same is so exactly set forth with euery circumstance as that any man may be able to iudge of the principall actors therein at the least So then although the diuel in that history be neither absolutely nor historically nor properly expressed by name yet must we acknowledge him to be therein allegorically and metaphorically set forth at the least or otherwaies impose no blame vpon him at al concerning the action Lycanthropus Yes euen by that selfesame story he is allegorically or metaphorically set forth in the serpent Orthodoxus Then was it no natural serpent but the diuel himselfe metaphorically set forth by the name of a serpent who gaue the onset vpon Euah in that tentation For by allegories and metaphors there is euermore some other thing ment then that which is literally expressed Lycanthropus But yet for all that the serpent is said to haue tempted Euah Orthodoxus That is the diuel alone metaphorically set forth as you say by the name of a serpent was he that tempted our grandmother Euah I proue it thus If in that action the diuel himselfe be not historically and properly but allegorically and metaphorically called a serpent because he is most crafty and subtile then vndoubtedly the obiection of a serpent is very inconuenient but the antecedent is true and therefore also the consequent Exorcistes Proue your antecedent Orthodoxus I wil. First besides that which you grant your selfe it is an accustomed thing in the sacred scriptures to vse the names of other creatures in setting forth to our sense the intellectual creatures themselues Hereupon it is that in the Apocalypse the diuel by a perpetual allegory is called a dragon or serpent and therefore in this history of Euahs tentation by the like perpetuall allegory he is also called a serpent Secondly Moses in that action doth purposely
a corporall matter both may be and is also so farfoorth in the power of the diuel as appertaines to a local motion this al men do hold And therefore the diuels by their owne proper power and without any perceiuance at all to humane sense they might through some such local motion take away with a trice the sorcerers rods from the ground and put in their place true naturall serpents taken by them from else where And this vndoubtedly they might doe in a moment through the agility and nimblenesse of their owne proper nature For euen as the mind of a man it being a spirituall substance can easily accomplish her animall operations and as it were with a thought so surely the diuel he being also a spirituall essence he is able much more speedily to accomplish his spirituall actions and in far shorter time Lycanthropus As though the diuels so couertly and with such vnspeakeable speed could conuay true naturall serpents in place of the rods but some must needes haue perceiued the same Physiologus The diuel you know he is an inuisible creature Besides that this we see plaine in our owne experience that a Iuggler by meanes of such local motion and through the nimble conueiance of his onely hand he can so sleightly and so cunningly conuey one thing in place of another as the beholders themselues they do not onely not perceiue the legerdemaine but which more is they are vndoubtedly perswaded that the Iuggler he hath essentially transformed the first matter in sight into some other substantiall forme Now then if a meere mortalman by the onely nimblenesse of hand can so easily effect such admirable matters why should we imagine the same impossible for spirits and diuels Pneumatomachus Wel sir proceed in the pursute of your purpose Physiologus Lastly spirits and diuels being naturally nimble and swift as was showed before they might by a local motion apply true naturall actiues to naturall passiues vpon which application there would vndoubtedly ensue like naturall effects As for example wood fitly applied to fire by the hand of a man fire is foorthwith ingendred in the matter of wood And yet that fire so engendred is efficiently engendred by the fier it selfe as by a naturall and proper agent although yet withall that selfsame fier is also ministerially effected by the very hand applying the same And euen so without doubt the diuels they might easily apply some naturall matter preexisting in a neere disposition to the forme of true serpents and withall subiecting the said matter vnto some proper agent might by such meanes engender true naturall serpents and vnperceiueably put them in place of the rods whereas yet those said serpents so engendred were efficiently engendred by some proper agent although withall they might truely be said to be ministerially effected by the sorcerers themselues as by the verie hand of the diuell effecting the same Euen as also the husbandman by applying and mixing wheat with earth may ministerially be saide to bring foorth the said wheat himselfe Yea and these things may spirits and diuels more easily and more speedily accomplish then men may possibly doe for many respects First because they vnderstand the power of naturall causes much better then men Secondly they are much more nimble then men in gathering and applying those naturall causes Lastly for that those naturall causes so assumed of diuels may also by them be applied to farre greater and more woonderfull effects then possibly they can be by men Lycanthropus You affirme incredible things For how could the diuels possibly finde either serpents or any other matter in a neare disposition to serpents for that so sudden an ingendring and placing of true serpents in place of the rods Physiologus I speake not incredibly at al if you rightly consider as you ought that the diuels were especially assisted herein with a towfold power namely with the power of nature and with the power of obedience Lycanthropus What meane you by the power of nature Physiologus None other thing els but that diuine action of nature wherin the Lord God from the worlds beginning doth of true matter measurably compounded by a determinate agent through a local motion effected also in time euen voluntarily procreate some certeine determinate effects Nowe then the ordinarie assistance of this selfesame naturall power doth ordinarily befall to men to spirits and diuels in all ordinarie and naturall productions of formes so farre foorth especially as they by a naturall knowledge are able rightly to comprehend compound and applie the same Yea and the assistance of this selfesame naturall power was not wanting at all to the diuels in those their appearances of true naturall serpents as was shewed before Lycanthropus And what meane you by the power of obedience Physiologus I vnderstand thereby that extraordinarie subiection wherein all things without determination or repugnancie doe euen readily submit to the will of God as to the onely supereminent soueraigne ouer all causes formes and effects whatsoeuer This selfesame power of obedience not onely the Lord himselfe immediately and with no preexistence of matter almost doth exercise by himselfe alone euen from the beginning but euen howerly also by holy men and by good Angels and diuels doth administer the same So that whensoeuer the Lord commandeth any strange action surmounting the ordinarie power and course of nature to be foorthwith effected then doth he extraordinarilie take vp the aforenamed persons as the onely fitte instruments of that his diuine and supernaturall power Nowe then this power of obedience albeit the same doth not ordinarily attend vpon the pleasure and becke of men or of diuels yet the diuels vndoubtedly they had at that present by some secret priuiledge from God the extraordinarie assistance also thereof in those selfesame appearances of true naturall serpents Yea and this also according to the secret decree and counsell of God who hauing predetermined the destruction of Phaaroh did by this meanes harden his hart and so made a passage to the timely execution of his iudgements vpon Phaaroh himselfe and all the Egyptians Exorcistes Notwithstanding these two presupposed powers assisting the diuell in those your supposed appearances me thinke it is cleere by the text it selfe that the Sorcerersrods were truelie transformed to serpents and I argue it thus If those rods were no true serpents but serpents onely in an outward appearance then is not that true which is set downe in the text namelie that the sorcerers Likewise they cast downe their roddes and they were turned into serpents Physiologus I answere you thus It is vndoubtedly true whatsoeuer is set downe in the text and may verie well stand with that which I say For be it it supposed the Sorcerersrods were turned as you say into serpents yet were they not truely so turned I meane they were not existingly but appearingly turned into serpents And this distinction is verie fully borne foorth
by other words in the text which affirme that the Egyptian Sorcerers they did in like maner by their enchantments Where you may plainely perceiue the particle of likenes purposely put down to set foorth the difference as if he should say the Sorcerers they did the very like in shewe although not in substance For marke I beseech you there is in that text both the maner and meanes of their working precisely put downe The manner of their working was by a likenes of serpents in an onelie appearance the meanes of effecting that worke was the Sorcerers inchantments From which words of the text I may reason thus A like cause argueth a like effect But the Sorcerers inchantments which are altogither deceiueable false and standing onely in outward appearance were the very efficient cause of that likenes therefore the effect I meane that likenes it selfe must needs be deceiueable false and onely exist in an outward appearance Thus then the case it selfe being by all the premisses apparantly euident I will now returne at the last to answere your maine or principall argument which was this in effect Satan by the Egyptian Sorcerers transformed rods into serpents therefore he is much more able to doe the same by himselfe This I must tell you is a false and deceiueable argument For first in your antecedent you do shamefullie begge the cause in question before it be prooued and now when it comes to the triall it is not able to holde the hammering Againe your consequent also is false for therein you do make the diuell a verie free and absolute agent in transforming of bodies as well without as with meanes at his pleasure which onely is a power peculiar to God whereas the diuels can accomplish nothing in nature but by naturall causes and meanes no more then the Carpenter can frame an house without fit matter and instruments to worke withall So then both parts of your argument being apparantly false you cannot possiblie conclude from thence any power in the diuell for an essentiall transforming of bodies Lycanthropus Well sir Howsoeuer you passe ouer this argument taken from the sorcerers rods transformed to serpents and all this forsooth by a pretie distinstion of a thing in existence and of a thing in appearance yet haue I one argument more which you shall neuer be able to auoide with that cunning deuise Physiologus Let vs heare that irrefragable argument for hitherto you haue afoorded vs none that needes any great cunning in answering Lycanthropus Nebuchad-nezzar it is very well knowen was essentially transformed into an oxe therfore the diuel may easily change himselfe into any shape whatsoeuer Physiologus Or euer I come to answere directly your argument doe tell me how it is certainly knowen that Nebuchad-nezzer was essentially transformed into an oxe Lycanthropus Iosephus writing of the Iewish antiquities he flatly affirmes it so Physiologus Iosephus doth so I confesse Howbeit Iosephus he hath beene so often discredited and tainted in other points of more waightie importance as the lesse credit is to be giuen him in this especially the very words of the text being otherwaies euident and testifying plainly vnto vs that Nebuchad-nezzer he was not essentially transformed at all either in minde or in bodie Lycanthropus Neuer goe about to make vs thinke so for the very text it telleth vs plainly he did eate grasse like an oxe Physiologus It doth so in deede and what of that will you hereupon inferre that therefore he was essentially transformed into an oxe That were a mad kinde of inference So conies and geese they doe eate grasse like an oxe and yet notwithstanding they still retaine their proper essential being without any essential transformings into either oxen or asses Besides that if you will wilfully insist vpon any essentiall transformation in Nebuchad-nezzer you might with more shew of sense and better probabilitie of reason auouch that he was transformed rather into an eagle both bicause the haires of his head saith the text were growen like to an eagles feathers and for that also the very nailes of his hands and feete they were like to the clawes of a bird And therefore it would be more consonant you see to conclude that Nebuchad-nezzer was rather transformed into some fowle hauing feathers and clawes then into a beast that hath hornes and hoofes Howbeit there was in him no corporal transformation at all but only a changed minde for so saith the text Let his hart be changed from mans nature and a beastes hart be giuen vnto him Lycanthropus If you yeeld vnto him a changed hart I make no doubt at all of an altered bodie For if the minde it selfe which is the first substantial forme in man be transformed as you say to an oxe what other forme or being at all can be giuen to the bodie it being the organical partes of the minde but only the forme of an oxe Physiologus What meane you by Nebuchad-nezzer his hart transformed Lycanthropus I meane thereby that his very hart it selfe was essentially changed into the very hart of a beast for so saith the text Physiologus The text vnderstandeth there no reall transmutation or transformation of substance but only an alteration or change of qualities For there is no doubt at all but that in Nebuchad-nezzer there still remained a reasonable hart howsoeuer by the iust iudgement of God for his pride he was for the determined time euen vtterly depriued of all vse of reason Hauing his said hart for the present so plunged in beastly corruptions and so wholy ouerwhelmed with brutish affections as that thereby he differed nothing at all from a beast being more blockish and senselesse in humane knowledge then the very oxe that feedeth on grasse So that how honorable soeuer before in princely dignitie yet hauing now in him no vnderstanding at all he is not vnlike to the beastes that perish Lycanthropus If there were in his hart no substantiall change at all how could there possibly be wrought in the same such altered or changed qualities Physiologus There is nothing you knowe impossible to God By whose eternal decree the hart of Nebuchad-nezzer was so thoroughly ouertaken and tainted with such an outragious furie or madnes as that he being vtterly depriued of humane sense did presently depart the Court very wildly wandring ouer the wildernes like to a beast conuersing in brutish manner among the brute beastes themselues and leading for the time a very sauage and beastly behauiour Exorcistes If Nebuchad-nezzer was not essentially transformed at all in bodie or minde but possessed only with furie and madnes it is vnlikely his Courtiers would suffer him then to conuerse with beasts abroad in the fields but would rather haue bound him and kept him vp close in the darke and therefore for any thing hitherto heard he might be essentially transformed into a beast Physiologus That he was not essentially transformed at all it is very
apparant by all the premisses Why his owne courtiers perceiuing him plainly depriued of reason did not bind him foorthwith and keepe him vp close but permitted him to wander wildly abroade there was very great reason For first the courtiers they knew very well and all men may see by experience that the binding and keeping of a madman close is so far from appeasing as it rather doth aggrauate for the present his furious humour and therefore the courtiers forbore to bind him at all Besides that they were the more especially loth to be led to that course because by the reuelation of Daniel they plainely vnderstood before that the lord God had determined his wandring abroad with the beasts in the field and therefore they greatly feared to intercept the said purpose of God assuring themselues that after the determined time he should safely returne to his owne kingdome againe Exorcistes But sir if he was not essentially transformed at all how then is it possible he should so long lie foorth naked in the fields in frosts and deawes or liue any time with such vnnaturall diet or be preserued at least from the deuouring of beasts Physiologus If we but consider this matter by naturall reason wee may find by experience that many things in deed are impossible to a sound man which yet to a furious or mad man are not so impossible For fury is such and so headstrong an humour as it maketh a man to endure and doe many things which otherwaies he could not possibly endure As for example many madde-men we see are well able to continue in the cold dew a long time and to be sustained that while with crude and rawe meates seeming also vnto themselues that they are not men but brute beasts in deed and thereupon also they delight to conuerse with beasts and to grow into familiaritie with them although yet not essentially transformed into true naturall beasts indeed Pneumatomachus Surely this seemeth strange vnto me and I see not the reason thereof Physiologus The reason is this Furie hath so highly disordered their nature and made their minds so beastly affected as many things in that their disordered state are possible and delectable to them which yet in their sounder estate were nothing so Euen as also we see by experience that verie coales or earth to many women with child are a verie sweete and delectable diet which yet before then they did loth and abhorre and all this by reason of their disordered nature at that instant time And hereupon also it came to passe that Nebuchadnezzer did grow into such familiaritie with beasts namely euen by reason of that likenes of nature which to his owne seeming he had with brute beasts in that his disordered state Yea and this also is the verie naturall cause why at that present he was not torne and deuoured of beasts euen as also we see by experience that furious dogges they doe neuer hurt mad-men nor naturall fooles Howbeit Nebuchad-nezzer in his furious estate and melancholike passion he was more especially preserued from the outrage of beasts through a miraculous prouidence and speciall protection of God and therefore his said preseruation in that selfesame respect the lesse admirable and woonderfull to vs. Thus then the matter it selfe being manifestly apparant I will now answere your maine or principall argument which was this in effect Nebuchad-nezzer he was essentially transformed into an oxe therefore the diuell may easily change himselfe into any shape whatsoeuer This argument is many waies faultie and halteth downe right For first your antecedent is vtterly false and a meere begging of the matter in Question because Nebuchad-nezzer as you haue hitherto heard he was not essentially transformed into an oxe and therefore this prooueth nothing at all for the reall transformation of spirits and diuels Secondly if Nebuchad-nezzer had beene so transformed in deed as your selfe doth imagine yet the sequel of your argument is vtterly vnsound because it stands vpon diuers or rather contrarie efficients namely God and the diuell The one hauing of himselfe an absolute and indeterminate power and therefore able of himselfe to worke what he will where when and howsoeuer best pleaseth himselfe and so by consequence he might if it had so seemed good in his wisedome haue essentially transformed Nebuchad-nezzer into au oxe The other the diuell I meane he hath onely a finite and limited power and therefore vtterly vnable of himselfe to accomplish any one worke beyond the bounds of that power and so by consequence he cannot possibly transforme himselfe essentially into any creature whatsoeuer without a speciall power from God Lastly your consequent it standeth onely vpon may be and so concludeth no certaintie at all concerning the Question Exorcistes Well sir howsoeuer Nebuchad-nezzer was not essentiallie transformed into an oxe yet this you consesse that for seauen yeeres togither he did vtterly want all vse of reason and therefore I woonder how so renowmed a kingdome coulde continue all that time without a gouernour Physiologus This is but extrauagant and wandring speech though yet the kingdome no doubt it was all that time gouerned by the princes and nobles according to Daniels direction Who fully assuring them of the king his vndoubted returne to the kingdome after those seuen yeeres end the nobles either they durst not establish any other as king for feare of being tainted with treason at his returne or else honoring him in their harts for his former victories they resolued to expect his happie returne with patience Howsoeuer the Lord who determined the iudgement he also prepared away no doubt to the peaceable preseruation of Nebuchad-nezzer his kingly dominions And therefore muse no more of the matter but either speake to the purpose in hand or put an end to the conference Lycanthropus Sir howsoeuer I am vnable to replie vpon any thing spoken I will neuer beleeue but that spirits and diuels can essentially transforme themselues into what bodies they please Orthodoxus I haue hitherto endured your weakenes in answering to any thing vttered by maister Physiologus hoping that verie shame would haue made you ere now to giue ouer the field Howbeit perceiuing your setled pertinacie in this your opinion I cannot but speake woondring withall that you should be so resolute in that whereof you can yeeld no one reason at all but onely your will Lycanthropus Yes sir it is the generall opinion of all men that the diuell can transforme himselfe into any forme whatsoeuer Orthodoxus Howsoeuer men by tradition had receiued an errour hand ouer head for not looking throughly into it yet may you not folow a multitude to do euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrowe the truth And verie certeine I am that no one sound writer either old or new is of your mind but rather the contrarie As for my selfe I neuer could see any shew of reason tending that way For the Lord God as he hath endued
neither flesh nor bones but I haue both therefore no spirit Putting down there you see very apparant and manifest properties to seperate himselfe in shew from a spirit And therefore if spirits and diuels haue power by any possible meanes to transforme themselues but into the onely outward formes and shapes of true naturall bodies though not substantially transformed in deed yet could not that which Christ concludeth haue soundly established the disciples faith concerning the true body of Christ. Because they by reason of such supposed apparitions remaining still doubtfull might haue fitly replied thus Good sir though spirits and diuels haue not substantially flesh and bones and therefore no true and substantiall bodies yet can they truely transforme themselues into the outward shapes and formes of true naturall bodies and so notwithstanding we may be deceiued in an onely outward appearance These exceptions you see the disciples of Christ they might iustly haue made neither if these transformations be vndoubtedly true might Christ so sharply haue blamed their vnbeleefe Lycanthropus Spirits I confesse they are not palpable but only visible and therefore not the seing without the handling might wel haue satisfied Christ his disciples Orthodoxus Yea but whatsoeuer you imagine of the other disciples if you rightly way and exactly consider the text it selfe with the seuerall circumstances you may plainely perceiue that the fault of Thomas his incredulity was secondly bewraied and condemned for that the durst neither credit the vewe taken by the other disciples nor trust his owne eies concerning the truth of Christs body For saith Christ because thou hast seen not because thou hast felt thou beleeuest Also blessed are they that beleeue and see not and not they that beleeue and feele not Giuing thereby to vnderstand that our corporall eies may truely discerne betweene a spirit and a true naturall body which were not true if spirits and diuels could possibly transforme themselues into any visible shapes or formes of true bodies for thereby the sence of seeing might soone be deluded And in very deed it is very erronious for any to imagine that the eies may possibly be deceiued in discerning between spirits and diuels and true naturall bodies as appeareth by sundry scriptures Wherein Christ very sharply reprooueth his owne disciples for not crediting the iudgment of their owne eies in such a case Which could not I say be a certeine rule if spirits and diuels can truely and essentially transforme themselues into true naturall bodies or but change themselues into the true shapes and formes of such bodies And this I beleeue doth break the very neck of those your supposed transformations of spirits and diuels whatsoeuer Lycanthropus This that you say is vndoubtedly true and yet still me thinke the diuell should haue power so to transforme himselfe either in substance or appearance at least although I my selfe am vnable to render any one reason thereof Orthodoxus It is verie ridiculous saith one for a man to leaue manifest things and such as euen by naturall reason may soundly be prooued and so to seeke after vnknowen things which by no likelyhood may be conceiued nor yet tried out by any rule of reason but Good Lord how light of credit is the wauering minde of man How vnto lies and tales his eares attentiue all they can Lycanthropus Good maister Orthodoxus I am drawen by the very force of your speech into a maruelous perplexitie For when I examine the weight of your reasons propounded I am driuen to denie the transformation of spirits and diuels but so soone as I returne to the necessarie consideration of my present distressed estate then that former new-bredde conceit is cut in the necke and squashed quite Orthodoxus And why so I praie you Lycanthropus Surely sir because I my selfe am essentially transformed into a woolfe I make no question but that diuels can also substantially change themselues into any true naturall bodie Orthodoxus Verie true as you say the one is euery way as possible as is the other Lycanthropus Why then alas the Lord be mercifull to vs for what man in the world may possiblie be free from their malice Philologus How now Lycanthropus are you indeed in good earnest doe you verilie imagine you are essentially transformed into a woolfe now surely this is the oddest iest that euer I heard Lycanthropus Nay nay alas it passeth a iest for I finde it and feele it to true by experience Physiologus Well said Lycanthropus now I perceiue your name was not giuen you for nought it being so proportionablie answerable to your phantasticall nature You are called Lycanthropus that is a man transformed to a woolfe which name is verie fitlie deriued from the verie disease it selfe that disorders your braine called Lycanthropia Which worde some Physitions do translate Daemonium Lupinum that is a wooluish Demoniacke others Lupina melancholica and Lupina insania that is a wooluish melancholie or a wooluish furie and madnes And it is nothing else in effect but an infirmitie arising vpon such phantasticall imaginations as do mightâ—ly disorder and trouble the braine Lycanthropus An infirmitie say you It is a verie strange and fearefull infirmitie that can so essentially transforme a man into a verie naturall woolfe God blesse euery good man from such kinde of infirmities Physiologus Had you liued in such a time as beasts and beares woolues were supposed to speake like men it had beene an easie matter I perceiue to perswade you that you are a woolfe Lycanthropus Yea but how are you able to perswade me the contrarie Physiologus That may easily be done by describing briefly vnto you the verie true nature of that the aforesaid diseases which so fearefully affecteth your minde with these phantasticall imaginations and fond conceits Lycanthropus I praie you then describe it plainly vnto me Physiologus With verie good will Wherein you must principally consider that the verie first matter which causeth Lyâ—anthropie or this wooluish Demoniacke consisteth in the very selfesame matter or stuffe that maketh in any other man else a melancholike humour for either of both are melancholike persons Howbeit the peculiar cause it selfe which more especially procureth Lycanthropie is either that kinde of melaâ—choly which ariseth properly of choler adust or that which comes of a simple and naturall melancholie Sometimes also it proceedes of an impostume of bloud in the braine but verie seldome of bloudadust Now then that Lycanthropie which ariseth onely of the abundance of a simple melancholie as it is for the most part the verie woorst of all therefore is called Lupina insania a wooluish furie or madnes so is it commonly seated in the exteriour parts of the braine and hath an operation not vnlike to the matter of a desease called Karabitus which is a hotte impostume of the head seated in the verie ventricle of the braine it selfe causing choller adust and the melancholike matter verie much
but is vndoubtedly an extrauagant and roauing conceite nothing concludent in reason but beyond the bounds and limits thereof For howsoeuer deafenes dumbenes blindenes and such other occurrents in nature be euerie of them ordinarie and naturall diseases and are commonly cured by ordinarie medicines and other Physicall helpes as by the ordinarie and naturall remedies appointed of God the actuall possession of diuels neuer was nor is now any ordinarie or natural infirmitie but an extraordinarie torment actually inflicted vpon some by the extraordinarie power of the diuel and therefore neuer yet was nor is now anie waies curable by ordinarie or naturall meanes but by an extraordinarie and supernaturall worke of God So then howsoeuer your selfe would seeme to make the actuall possession of diuels in these daies of the Gospel but an ordinarie or naturall disease and the supposed cure thereof by fasting and praier to be now but an ordinarie and naturall remedie perpetually establisht by God in his Church yet in verie deed and in truth the disease it selfe and the cure also thereof by such meanes effected are both of them extraordinarie and supernaturall matters and so by consequence a miracle surmounting the compasse of all ordinarie and naturall causes Vnlesse haplie you imagine that the fasting and praiers performed by Exorcistes are meere naturall matters and haue in them naturally some secret naturall vigour naturally auaileable for the timely expelling of actuall possessions euen as herbes and physicall confections haue naturally in them such a naturall operation as verie fitly accordeth to the timely curing of naturall infirmites Howbeit pretermitting the further discourse of this point till we come to handle the power of dispossessing the diuell do now obiect what you can for the matter in question or giue me leaue to proceed in the rest Exorcistes Proceed I pray you and spare not Orthodoxus Wel then against the continuance of actuall possession I argue further thus Whatsoeuer in it selfe is perpetually existing that also in it selfe is ordinarie and continually working But the actuall possession of diuels in these daies of the Gospell is in it selfe neither ordinarie nor continually working therefore the actuall possession of diuels in these daies of the Gospell is in it selfe not perpetually existing Exorcistes I denie your proposition Because something may be perpetually existing which yet is neither ordinarie nor continuallie working euen as we see by experience that the brightnes and heate of the Sunne though the Sunne it selfe be perpetuallie existing yet neither is the heate thereof ordinarie nor the brightnesse continually working Not at such times especially as there is an interposition of cloudes betweene the said Sunne and the earth or when he which withdraweth his force from this our Horizon and maketh his progresse among the Antipodes Orthodoxus How certeinly or vncerteinly soeuer the Sunne may be said to continue his appointed progresse very certeine I am that the man who endeuoureth to folow your footings at euery turne shal be sure to finish his owne progresse in an endlesse laborinth For how should the actuall possession of diuels by possibly perpetuall and not be ordinary in it selfe nor continually working Sith that which is perpetually existing must needes in it selfe be ordinary and continually effecting some manner of worke Besides that you your owne selfe euen in your last answere but one did confidently conclude the actuall possession of diuels to be none other thing now but an ordinary infirmity very ordinarily inflicted vpon the church and the cure also thereof is to be ordinarily effected by fasting and praier as by the ordinary meanes appointed of God Vpon which your assertion I framed this my last argument against the perpetuitie of actuall possession whereunto you doe now verie impudently opposse your selfe by denying the very point you propounded before Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand by the way that howsoeuer you want a liers memorie your toong would be lauish enough if your teeth would but giue it the scope to be ranging abroade Exorcistes I onely opposed my selfe to your maior proposition and besides our present question concerning the perpetuitie of actuall possession I did further demonstrate the matter by giuing a fitte instance borrowed from the brightnes and heat of the sunne Orthodoxus A verie fitte instance in deed For euen by that selfesame instance wherewith your selfe would demonstrate your matter I my selfe doe also entend to remonstrate the truth of my argument Whereas therefore you doe freely acknowledge that the actuall possession of diuels may in deed be perpetually existing but yet neither ordinarie nor continually working giuing vs also an experimentall demonstration thereof as you imagine from the materiall sunne which howsoeuer the same in it selfe be perpetually existing yet neither is the heat thereof ordinarie nor the brightnes continually shining Mine answere is that euen as by taking brightnes and heat from the sunne you doe in effect denie the sunne it selfe to be perpetually existing because heat and brightnes are essentiall qualities inseparably inherent and perpetually knit with the sunne so surely by denying the ordinarie and continuall working of actuall possession you doe consequently conclude that euen the actuall possession it selfe is not perpetually existing Because the actuall possession of diuels all the while it is an actuall possession in any existence so long at the least the same must needs in it selfe be ordinarie and wil effectually performe some actuall experiment Otherwaies how may that be truely termed an actuall possession which doth not agere aliquid not accomplish I meane some one act or other Notwithstanding all this you labour to vphold the likelyhood of this your imagined instance by two speciall cautions the one taken from an interposition of cloudes the other from the sunne his conuersing among the antipodes To what purpose these cautions should serue I perceiue not as yet vnlesse as it seemes by the purporte of your speech you would giue vs a watchword thereby illustrate vnto vs that howsoeuer the actuall possession of diuels be in it owne selfe perpetually existing yet the same is in effect neither ordinary nor continually working And why so I beseech you Because the diuell forsooth at some one time or other may happily be playing bo-peepe with the partie behinde a couerled or may bid vs here in England farewell for a season while he goe and conuerse among the Cannibals Howbeit vnlesse you be able directly to demonstrate vnto vs that there may be some odde time or other wherein the sunne it selfe neither in this our horîzon nor among the antipodes hath his ordinarie course or is continually shining doe pardon vs I pray you though we in the meane while begin to imagine that your wits by roauing at random among the antipodes be turned topsie-turuie and permit vs withall to conclude as before that because the actuall possession of diuels is in it selfe neither ordinarie nor continually working therefore the same in it selfe is not perpetually existing Lycanthropus Expresse more
be no better argument I hope then common experience Physiologus Indeed as you say experience she is called the schoole-mistres of fooles and yet she is not to bee accompted a foolish schoole-mistres but such a one rather as when all other meanes faile is able to worke wisedome in the most foolish on earth Yea she is such an approoued schoole-mistres as euen the wisest of all must be subiect vnto And therefore if you haue her on your side as you saie you are not vnlike to preuaile Exorcistes Yes I haue her verie sure For the most in Mahgnitton and sundrie other besides are euerie of them able to testifie in their owne experience an actuall possession in the yoong-man there as also in many others else where Physiologus They are able to testifie thus much you say in their owne experience The question is now whether that their owne experience be a true experience Exorcistes There needes no question to be made thereof For the witnesses eftsoones did see the fellow in his fearefull fittes they viewed his wallowings his fomings his rendings and tearings they beheld his senslesnesse his bowings and bendings togither they perceiued his many outrages his swounings and dangerous falling in fires they handled his stiffenes of limbes his sundrie swellings and the Kitlings crawling vnder the couerlid as he lay in his bedde they heard his roarings his cryings with many strange knocking 's and the Diuell eftsoones speaking verie hideously within him briefly they smelt many sodaine and vnwoonted strong sauours eftsoones very sweete and sometimes more stinking then brimstone with sondrie other verie sensible signes of actuall possession yea and all these verie sensibly in their owne experience Physiologus These your supposed sensible signes they are I confesse such sensible demonstrations as may fully suffice to conclude a common experience if all were as commonly true as they are commonly reported abroad Philologus True sir why I assure you they are all extant in Print in a very authenticall narration and which more is in maister Exorcistes his Printed Apologie Physiologus I am easily drawen to beleeue your report and so much the rather for that Painters Poets do challenge a priuiledge to print what they please Howbeit this is no good argument they are all extant in printe therefore they are all vndoubtedlie true Exorcistes As you say sir. But these I assure you are all auouched for truths and that also vpon the corporall oaths of sundrie discreete and honest deponents Physiologus For truths as they tooke them at least and so neither their discretions their honesties nor oaths are any thing tainted though happily they failed in substance Howbeit many others not of the meaner or simpler sort are otherwaies fully resolued Partly in regard of the verie actions themselues and partly in an especiall respect of Satan the supposed actor of them For first cōcerning the actions themselues How strange soeuer in a seeming shew they are no way so strange in truth but that many things else as much and more strange then they are in shew may ordinarily proceed from naturall experiments and be admirably effected by actiue and ingenious persons the practise whereof would seeme in these daies if not an actuall possession yet a cosening tricke of some cogging companion at least Lycanthropus I pray you discouer some fewe of those naturall experiments Physiologus With verie good will And this I must tell you before that there is not a man in the world though neuer so little imbrued with Philosophicall skill but he verie well knoweth there be many hidden vertues of meere naturall things and those also the howerly effectours of many admirable actions which saide vertues if a man vnderstood well and could skilfully apply them to his purpose pretended he might vndoubtedly accomplish many vnwoonted experiments Yea there be many maruels in nature hitherto vnexperienced of any and to vse Plinie his words as yet wholy ouershadowed with natures maiestie which the spirit of all spirits onely knoweth how and when to implop at his pleasure Now then if any man couertly practising the experiments of these naturall causes did apparantly accomplish like admirable matters men would commonly account him a Magitian and verie hardly beleeue he could possibly effect those rare and strange feats without the power and helpe of the diuel whereas yet they are onely meere natural actions and produced wholy from meere naturall causes Of these naturall maruels hath Aristotle penned downe a most perfit treatise which notwithstanding is by some ascribed to Theophrastus Plinie also he hath some such wonderfull matters in sundry of his workes but verie many in his naturall historie as may appeare plainely to such as exactly peruseth the same Besides this Proclus he also hath penned downe many all tending directly to that selfesame purpose Yea and which more is Augustine himselfe Albertus Magnus Fracastorius and Ficinus also they are none of them inferiour herein to any of the others before To be briefe there are verie many such matters dispersed throughout Cardanus his bookes concerning the subtletie and varietie of things which I will here briefly repeat out of Plinie his works Pneumatomachus Doe so I hartily pray you for therein you shall accomplish vnto vs a singular pleasure Physiologus I will spare for no paines so far foorth especially as my memorie serues me and therefore hearken attentiuely to it Philologus Yes sir be you sure you shall find vs attentiue Athenians in hearing and reporting strange newes Physiologus Well then this first I must tell you that very neere vnto Harpasa a towne in Asia there standeth an horrible craggy rock or torre which a man may easily moue with a little touch of one of his fingers whereas if he set his whole body vnto that selfesame rock he cannot possibly stirre it the breadth of an haire Againe there are other two mountaines very nerely adioining vnto the famous riuer called Indus The nature of one mountaine is to draw iron vnto it and of the other by all meanes to reiect and put iron from it In so much as if any man come on those mountaines with nailes in his shooes he cannot with his said shooes be possibly pulled from the one nor by any meanes stand on the other Againe very nere vnto Babilon there floweth foorth from a rock some certeine naturall matter called Naphtha being a chalkie clay and of a slimy moist substance not vnlike vnto pitch This said Naphtha on which side soeuer a man shall behold it hath flames of fier ouerflowing the same which cannot possibly be quenched but with aboundance of water with vineger with alome or birdlime Againe from Nympheum the famous promontory or mountaine of Proconnesus an iland in Propontis there floweth foorth from the middest of the rock a flame which by the drops of raine is kindled and set on fire Againe in Dodona a citie of Greece Iupiter his
Because the minde it selfe being destitute of reason the will in such a case could yeeld no sound consent to the action neither could any crime be committed without a consent nor iniurie effected but with a minde to do wrong Yea which more is be it supposed the yoon gman at Mahgnitton should verie solemnly confesse he had indeed a resolute purpose to haue effected some such supernaturall actions as are by your selfe reported in Print yet for that such a purpose retained in minde al the while it is vneffected doth nothing at all to the publike or priuate hurt of any that selfesame intended purpose may not iustly be esteemed as an offensiue action in Lawe Much lesse then is an impossible purpose of a crazie weake braine to be conscionablie credited how confidently soeuer the same be reported because a sound minde purposeth nothing but what is possible Lycanthropus Why hold you manie of those reported matters impossible for satan to do Physiologus Because if diuels may possiblie bring such impossible matters to passe at their pleasure then may they also be causes or impediments to the ordinarie course of al other naturall actions and ordinances appointed by God Namely they may then cause it to hold vp when it should raine and to raine when it should hold vp they may then cause midnight at noon-day and noone-daie at midnight yea and by that meanes the diuine power it selfe should after a sori become serutle to the will of a diuell so as we should neither eate nor drinke but by the diuell his permission Howbeâ—t to presse you a little with one onely instance of many This I must tell you that whatsoeuer some men imagine concerning the diuell his supposed power for the raising of showers and tempestuous stormes it is the Lord God alone who giueth vs raine in due season For when by the power of the Sunne and force of the windes some certeine exhalations are drawen and lifted vp from the earth into the middle region of the aire the coldnes of the aire there doth so congeale and thicken those saide exhalations as foorthwith they become cloudes which cloudes being eftsoones by the heate of the sunne dissolued by the force of the winds dispersed are turned straightwaies into either raine or hayle into raine especially if by the way those drops be not frozen and so turned to hayle These circumstâ—nces conferred with the whole course of the scriptures it cannot possiblie be brought within the power of a diuell to procure either raine or faire weather Now then if there be no possible power in a diuell to raise vp and procure a tempest of raine which doth seeme to our sense the most accident all matter vnder the heauens then surely much lesse is he able by himselfe or his substitute to accoÌ„plish any of those impossible actions which your selues haue so confidently reported abroad And so by consequence all those your sensible demonstrations hitherto declared are verie insufficient to conclude vnto vs anie such approoued or common experience Exorcistes Sir notwithstanding these your Philosophicall proceedings the matters which fell foorth at Mahgnitton euen in an approoued experience of all the beholders were verie apparant signes of an actuall possession Physiologus Well sir how triflingly soeuer you trauers the matter these my Philosophicall proceedings for any thing hitherto heard might fullie suffice to put your fantasticall fooleries to a perpetuall non-sute were you not like to the rauenous Ferret which rendeth in peeces whatsoeuer poore Rabbet doth come in her reach And therefore it shall not be amisse to cope vp your lips a little by taking foorthwith so strict a course as you shall neuer be able to contradict with all your skill which may in this sort be verie fitly effected Namely first by searching foorth soundly the verie true nature of those things that were done at Mahgnitton and then next by laying downe some certeine rule of right iudgement to examine them by Lycanthropus Proceed in that course I beseech you Physiologus With very good wil First therefore concerning the things themselues it may not in reason bee denied but that vndoubtedly they were things either naturall or not naturall at least Things naturall I account all those seuerall matters to be whatsoeuer which God hath essentially enabled vnto the orderly accomplishment of that selfesame ende whereunto he created them first it being withall verie naturall and consequent in the things themselues And of this sort I esteeme all matters and actions whatsoeuer which be naturally consonant and concludent to the orderly course of nature Now sir if your matters at Mahgnitton were al vndoubtedly such then either all men in like sort are naturally tainted with Satan his actuall possession because all men in their naturall actions doe equally obserue the like naturall course either more or lesse and so the whole world besides which haue hetherto wanted your helpe of prayer and fasting should wholly remaine in Satan his actuall possession Or on the other side if all men in like sort be not naturally possessed then neither the yoong-man himselfe remaining with them in one and the selfesame naturall condition was possessed at all and so by consequence you haue kept at Mahgnitton a greater coyle about nothing then the Grecians euer kept at the conquest of Troy Exorcistes Nay sir the matters at Mahgnitton were rather things not naturall Physiologus Are you fled so soone from things naturall to things not naturall Well goe to then Things not naturall I reckon all those matters or actions whatsoeuer which haue naturally in themselues no naturall abilitie for the orderly accomplishment of nature her orderly determined courses neither yet of or in their owne selues are naturall and consequent to any such naturall purpose or ende And these not naturall things are vndoubtedly such as bee directly either against nature or besides nature or aboue nature at least 1 Things directly against nature are all those accidentall occurrents which do altogether withstand those essentiall properties this inbred facultie yea and that verie naturall disposition of the things themselues which by the operation of God were naturally engraffed in euerie of them and which more is doth violently destroy euen vtterly annihilate the proper essence or essentiall being of all those naturall things whatsoeuer Of this sort are hanging killing poysoning strangling and death also it selfe Now then your matters at Mahgnitton they may not iustly be concluded for things of this kinde both because the yoong-man himselfe is yet liuing and lustie and for that no one of those your supposed supernaturall actions were in themselues either deadly or mortall 2. To proceed 2. Things directly besides nature are all those vnnaturall declining courses of nature which notwithstanding they do not totally and wholy withstand the orderly force and operation of nature yet doe they hinder it much and by either adding thereunto
diuels for thereby also you might haue borne vs in hand that herbes in times past haue beene workers of miracles Exorcistes Well sir howsoeuer you would scoffe out the matter doe answere Iosephus Physiologus I will Iosephus he hath heretofore so often beene tainted in matters of more waightie importance as we haue the lesse cause to credit his pen in these his senseles reports Besides that let this which he writes concerning these tryfling toyes be esteemed for certeine truthes I meane that some such dipossessions were effected in some outward appearance yet Wierus he flatly affirmes that Iosephus the Iewe Vespasian the Ethnicke and Eleazar also the Hebrew were euerie of them woonderfully bewitched with the iuggling sleights of the diuell Who for the present did purposely pretend the giuing of place to an imagined vertue in ringes in rootes in herbes and in stones that by meanes of such sundrie his illusions those persons themselues might the more easily be brought to repose greater confidence in those tryfling toies then in the almighty Iehouah the onely disposer and guider of all things And for the furthering of this his diuellish endeuour the better he brought it also to passe that all those his said Exorcismes they were very confidently fathered vpon Salomon himselfe in an especiall regard of his singular wisedome that by such legerdemaines he might winne the more credit to all those his sprituall illusions But seeing it is certeinly true that these created instruments could not effectiuely extend foorth themselues to the powerfull effecting of any such supernaturall effects what man will bee so wilfully madde as once to beleeue or once to esteeme those his tryfling tales for infallible truthes Againe sith Salomon the verie mirrour it selfe of heauenly wisedome being vsually accustomed as the Hebrewes report to dispute of trees and of herbes from the Cedar of Libanon to the verie Hysope it selfe and which more is of beastes of fowles of creeping things and of fishes in the knowledge of all which there lieth hid from the world much secret Philosophie for the admirable effecting of such admirable matters by meere naturall meanes If Salomon I say disputing these matters hath left no one monument at all of any such admirable skill throughout the whole scriptures recorded what wight is so sottishly minded as once to imagine that wise Salomon himselfe was the first inuentour of anie such palpable fooleries or that he was the author of any such Magicall enchantments and superstitious Exorcismes as are so iniuriouslie or rather so blasphemouslie fathered vpon him Exorcistes How basely soeuer you esteeme of these meanes which Iosephus reportes yet what say you to that which good Tobie declareth concerning the perfume made with the fishes liuer which expelled the diuell from out of Sarah the daughter of Raguel That perfume you know it was only a created and meere naturall meanes therefore an onely created and meere naturall meanes it hath and may haue in it an actuall power for the dispossessing of spirits and diuels Physiologus The booke of Tobiah it is not Canonicall and therefore not authenticall enough to conuince or confirme any matter in controuersie But be it supposed Canonicall yet thus then I answere the same Namely that the forenamed perfume so made of the liuer it might lessen in some sort the present affliction though not vtterly expell the diuell his possession For that perfume it might be some physicall meanes to drie vp or correct some bad disposition in Sarahs braine arising naturally from the variable disposition of the moone it selfe ouer moistning her braine and making it more apt for the present apprehending of satan his entended afflictions Which saide badde humour of hers being by that meanes something alaied the affliction withall it would something abate howbeit vtterly to expell the diuell his possession it could haue no possible power at all No that supernaturall action if any such were was supernaturally effected by a supernaturall power in the Angell Who taught not Tobiah by any force of that perfume to expell the diuell but tolde him rather before that so soone as the perfume was kindled the diuell should foorthwith be expelled Not that the perfume it selfe should effectiuely procure any such supernaturall action but be rather an apparant demonstration of the admirable effecting thereof For euen as it is not vndoubtedly necessarie that the washing of my handes shoulde be an efficient cause of the moones ecclipse though the moone it selfe at the verie time of my washing be vndoubtedly ecclipsed so neither was it necessarie that the forenamed perfume should effectiuely procure of it selfe that selfesame supposed dispossession of satan howsoeuer satan at the verie instant it selfe was truelie dispossessed So then the Angell he taught by that perfume what should then come to passe not rendring any one efficient cause why it so came to passe As also the verie text you alledge it telleth vs not that the perfume expelled the power of the diuell but that it was rather the Angell himselfe who cast the diuell foorth at the verie same time the perfume was kindled Now then what was it I pray you that expelled the diuel the perfume which rose vp from the liuer no but the Angell that bound him And how did he binde him by any effectuall meanes of that perfume No but at the verie same season the liuer perfumed the Angell he bound the diuell in the vtmost borders of Egypt Giuing Tobiah that selfesame perfume as an infallible signe but no effectuall cause at all of Sarah her happie deliuerance Thus then you plainely perceiue that no created or meere naturall meanes â—ath any efficient power of it selfe for the actuall dispossessing of spirits and diuels Exorcistes Wel sir howsoeuer you may iustly challenge the authority of Tobiah for not being authenticall I haue one example from the canonicall scriptures to confirme the infallible truth of that which I hold herein Namely that admirable action of Dauid who onely but plaied with his harp and the euil spirit of the Lord departed from Saul Howbeit that harpe and that playing of Dauid thereon were onely created and meer naturall meanes therefore some onely created or meere naturall meanes may haue in it naturally an effectuall power for the dispossessing of spirits and diuels Physiologus In deed if spirits and diuels had their peculier bodies naturally vnited vnto them as Apuleius affirmeth saying that diuels are liuing creatures constituted of airy bodies of passible minds and in time also eternall then there would be no inconuenience at all to hold that spirits and diuels by a melodious sound or some other such sensible meanes might be altered in their actions and expelled from men For the Platonists they flatly affirme that diuels are a certeine meane betweene the intellectuall spirits who are of a pure spirituall substance and between men hauing bodies constituted of the foure elements Howbeit because the sacred scriptures and
catholike faith doe iointly auouch that spirits and diuels are of an Angelical nature and that howsoeuer by malice corrupted their naturall faculties doe still remaine absolute in them we may consequently conclude that therefore no sensible matter or corporall vertue is able of it selfe directly or indirectly to effect in them any such action they beeing properly of a spirituall substance So that the diuels themselues they cannot by any such created or corporall meanes be compelled to any thing much lesse may they be violently expelled from their actuall possessions in men Although yet I dare not deny but that by a diuine and supernaturall power whether immediate or mediate they may be dispossessed or driuen from their hold Exorcistes But the very text it selfe doth plainely auouch that when Dauid did play on his harpe the euill spirit of the Lord departed from Saul Physiologus My answere is this It is generally doubted and our selues do flatly deny that Saul was euer essentially possest with either spirit or diuel Howbeit because you labour with tooth and naile to prooue the dispossessing of Demoniakes by an onely created or meere naturall meanes and thereupon also would threape vpon vs a supposed essentiall possession in Saul go to let it for arguments sake be granted which will neuer be prooued that Saul in deed was so possest as your selfe do happely imagine what then infer you thereof Exorcistes I infer from thence his vndoubted dispossession and that also by the onely bare meanes of a melodious instrument For Dauid but plaid with his harpe and the euil spirit of the Lord departed from Saul Physiologus Howsoeuer your selfe may conceiue of the matter it is doubted of some whether the euil spirit did euer depart from Saul neither is any man bound to beleeue the same as a certeine truth For this is vndoubtedly true that a man may be alwaies actually possessed and yet not alwaies apprehend the violent or actuall outrage of satan Besides that if Saul had been dispossessed in deed yet that selfesame dispossession was effected neither by the inherent holinesse of Dauid himselfe nor by any supposed helpe of his harpe For a meere created nature it hath of it selfe no possible power to expel the possession of spirits or diuels as was shewed before no that is onely an extraordinary and supernaturall work of the Lord. Exorcistes Yea but the text it telleth vs plainely that when Dauid once handled his harpe the euil spirit of the Lord departed from Saul Physiologus That is the euill spirit he shewed not his outragious force as before in Saul Vnderstanding thereby that the torments of Saul through the melodious sound of Dauids harpe they might for the time be something abated though the euill spirit it selfe if any such there was not vtterly expelled from Saul himselfe and thus much also affirmeth the text Namely that when Dauid did handle his harpe king Saul was refreshed or eased Yea and the seruants also of Saul they accordingly aduised him a little before to procure to himselfe some excellent harper that when the euill spirit should vexe him the said harper might play with his harpe And wherefore I pray you to expell the diuell nay but to ease the king for the present Exorcistes How should the king be eased at all and the spirit not expelled out of his bodie Physiologus Verie well I assure you For this we may boldly auouch namely that by meanes of a melodious sound or some other like sensible matter such as are actually afflicted of Satan they may haue their afflictions for some season abated notwithstanding the actuall possession of Satan it selfe be not vtterly expelled and this also in a double respect First because the action of all actiues are euermore actuall in a predisposed patient in such a subiect I meane as is proportionably appliable and fitted before to the orderly apprehension of those selfesame intended actions For spirits or diuels they cannot essentially alter any one qualitie in a corporal matter when and so oft as it pleaseth themselues they onely may effect some such kinde of thing by meanes of some corporall actiues And for that selfe-same consideration when they would afflict any man with their actuall torments they doe eftsoones respect the naturall disposition of some corporal matter whereupon they may worke their intended effects Knowing this by experience that in euerie such matter as naturally hath in it the selfesame naturall qualities a transmutation of qualities may more easily be effected by much And hereof also it is that certaine Lunatike persons are eftsoones verie strangely and diuersly afflicted at some one time more then another according to the variable disposition of the Moone it selfe as was shewed before Because the Moone being predominant ouer all moist bodies and the braine also of man it being naturally more moist then any part else the said braine is therefore more apt at one time to receiue the actions of Satan then it is at another according to the variable dispositions of the Moone it selfe being then more effectuall in them â—uen as also we see by dayly experience that all shel-fish in the seas they are at the increase of the Moone verie full and eftsoones againe by the onely decrease thereof they become verie emptie So surely the diuell he obserueth those selfesame seasons wherein the bodies of men being weake are more subiect to sicknesses and abuseth those times to his pestilent purposes And therefore euen as by the onely obseruation of meere naturall causes the diuell he may aggrauate his actuall torments in men so surely on the other side by the onely bare meanes of a melodious harmonie or some other such sensible matter there may be procured in the bodies of men such an apt disposition as is lesse subiect by much to those the operations of Satan And so by consequence those sefesame afflictions or torments which were actually inflicted vpon them by Satan they may verie well be abated or lessened notwithstanding the diuell his actuall possession be not vtterly expelled Lycanthropus In what respect else may their said torments be abated Physiologus Secondly this said mitigation of satan his actuall torments inflicted on men it may very easily be effected also if we but consider aright as we ought that to the actuall afflicting of any there is required in the patient an apt apprehension of the intended affliction For euen as delectation or pleasure is none other thing els but the coniunction of some conuenient actiue to some conuenient passiue with an apt apprehension of the present delight in so much as where there is no such apprehension there is no delectation so surely in affliction or heauinesse which is the coniunction of some conuenient actiue to some conuenient passiue there must needs be an apt apprehension of the obiected affliction otherwise where such apprehension is wanting there the affliction is
the same is onely a meere humane exercise not hauing in it owne selfe any sanctitie or holines at all Besides all this that which you say is too to absurd For if the onely exercise of fasting be made an effectuall meanes for dispossessing the diuell then may the same in like manner be made also an effectuall meanes for the effectuall suppressing of all those actuall sinnes whatsoeuer which the diuell suggests into men Because an actiue vértue which hath an abilitie in that which is greater it hath an abilitie also in that which is lesse that lesse especially being essentially subordinate in one and the selfesame kinde as are the actuall sinnes suggested by Satan to Satan himselfe And so by consequence any other creature else onely but abstayning a time as you did from meates and drinkes it may also be made an effectuall meanes to dispossesse the diuell himselfe and withall to suppresse his diuellish suggestions Exorcistes Nay sir I make not my exercise of fasting the efficient cause of that selfesame admirable action but an assistent rather in the fruitfull performance of that forcible prayer which forced the diuell to depart Not that my said prayer had beene vnfruitfull without some such speciall assistance of fasting ioyned therewith but for that the flesh being thereby tamed the better my spirit more feruently performed that selfesame prayer which then and there dispossessed the diuell Physiologus Why were you then so fond to affirme at the first that without the ioynt exercise of fasting and prayer together your prayer it selfe had beene vtterly frustrate concerning especiallie that speciall action Well then let vs proceed It was not your exxercise of fasting then but your forcible prayer that forced the diuell to depart But tell me I pray you do you not esteeme of that selfesame actuall possession as of an extraordinarie and a meere supernaturall matter Exorcistes Yes sir I dare flatly affirme that the same was entirely and wholie a meere supernaturall matter For had the same beene anie way naturall it should then haue proceeded from some such naturall causes or wantes in the partie himselfe as might haue beene otherwaies cured by physicall helpes and meere naturall meanes Whereas this the actuall possession in the yoongman there it had as Physicions affirme somewhat Diuine or supernaturall the same also incurable by any humane or ordinarie skill and which could not otherwaies be possiblie cured but by the onely ordinarie meanes of fasting and praier Physiologus I like well your plainenes But tell me yet farther I praie you whether your said action of fasting and praier for that dispossessing of Satan was any other thing else but a created or meere naturall action Exorcistes Nay surely sir that selfesame action as it proceeded from me and was simplie performed by me it was no other thing else but a meere naturall action For how coulde I possiblie practise any vncreated or supernaturall action being my selfe but a created or meere naturall agent Physiologus Yea but the effect which folowed of that your saide naturall action I meane that extraordinarie dispossession of satan it was vndoubtedly if any at all a supernaturall effect and so you absurdly conclude that an onely created or meere naturall cause it may eftsoones â—ffect some supernaturall actions Exorcistes Do make of the matter what pleaseth your selfe very certaine I am that my prayer alone did effectually driue foorth the diuell Physiologus Well be it supposed your verie prayer alone did effectually driue foorth the diuell as you verie fondly imagine wherein I beseech you consisted the efficacie force of your prayer Whether in sound or in voice or in wordes If onely in sound why might not then a tabret or drume haue also effected that selfesame admirable action seeing as shrill and as forcible a sound might haue proceeded from them as could possiblie proceed from your selfe Againe if onely in voice why might not a lyon a bull or a beare haue effected the enterprize sith they had beene able more terriblie to haue roared bellowed or brayed foorth their voices abroad then you your own selfe Briefly if neither in sound nor in voice but onely in words why might not then some pratling Parrat haue driuen foorth that diuell sith shee also might well haue beene taught to prattle foorth words if onely bare wordes would haue borne out the busines But perhaps you would haue vs imagine that the efficacie of your prayer did onely consist in the wordes of a man then must we withal be thus much perswaded at least namely that the verie bare wordes of a mortall man albeit they vanish in the aire as they are vttered foorth yet haue they in themselues such a secret force as is able to driue foorth a diuell Oh heere is â—oughtie good stuffe if the world were once quicke Exorcistes You are highly to blame in blazing abroad as you doe such sharpe Satyricall quippes and gyrding taunts against my admirable action wrought at Mahgnitton For by disgracing that woonderfull worke of the Lord the holie exercise of fasting and praier is shamefully scorned and brought into publike disgrace Physiologus I neither disgrace the holy actions of God nor scorne at any his sacred ordinances no I more truely esteeme and more sincerely reuerence the holy exercise of fasting praier then you do your selfe by much For whereas I onely approoue of the power and practise thereof according to truth your selfe by prophaning the same in such falsly supposed actions do make the holie exercise of fasting and praier to be shamefully scorned of atheistes derided of papists yea and very shrewdly to be suspected with weakelings So that you your owne selfe by these your disordered dealings do rather bring that holy ordinance of God into publique disgrace Exorcistes Do I bring praier and fasting into publique disgrace when I vse them onely in driuing foorth diuels Physiologus Why man you confesse them but meere naturall actions as they were performed by your selfe and you haue heard it sufficiently prooued before that no created or meere naturall power may possibly extend it selfe to any such supernaturall actions as is the extraordinary expelling of spirits and diuels And therefore by abusing the holy exercise of praier and fasting about such fasly supposed possessions of diuels what do you therein in effect but bring them directly into publique disgrace as I told you before Exorcistes What you told me before it makes no matter I both know what I did and what was my purpose in dooing the same Physiologus In deed it should seeme you propounded to your selfe some speciall purpose flat opposite to the holy ordinance of God and thereupon hath followed so bad an effect Exorcistes Why sir hath not the Lord established praier and fasting as an ordinary perpetuall meanes for the powerfull expelling of spirits and diuels By vsing the same therefore as I did in that admirable action I walked therein according to the holy ordinance of God Orthodoxus I
appointed praier and fasting an onely effectuall meanes for the powerfull expelling of diuels he notwithstanding all this doth make a speciall choice of persons of places and times for the more orderly effecting of euerie such admirable enterprise Orthodoxus Your answeres without doubt are suddenly fallen to such deadly debate among themselues as the one is readie to pull out the throate of the other by reason of some bad disposition or present defect in your memorie For praier fasting ere while was the only appointed meanes to expel the power of the diuel and now the efficacie thereof is restrained to places times It was not long since a publike ordinance appointed generallie for all men and now it is imposed vpon some speciall persons Not long since it might well be effected by the partie himselfe and his parents but now the powerfull dispatch thereof is peculiar onely to preachers and pastours Not long since it was an ordinarie power incident to any godly Minister or others but no Minister now how godlie soeuer hath the good hap to hit on that matter saue onely your selfe Thus then you see that as the disease so also the cure it doth ebbe and flowe with the Moone Howbeit these doubtfull vncerteinties doe sauour verie shrewdly of some legerdemaine at the least And howsoeuer your selfe auouching that God maketh speciall choise of persons of places and times woulde cunningly shelter your cause vnder Augustines credite verie certeine I am that the same is onely a Iesuiticall iuggling deuise and therefore it deserueth the selfesame answere with theirs For be it that the Lord as Augustine saith doth make a speciall choice of persons of places and times for the orderly effecting of euery such admirable action this prooueth not that the power of working myracles continueth still to this present Onely it sheweth that whensoeuer the Lord worketh any woonderfull worke he is free to make choise of persons of places and times as seemeth best to his wisedome And therefore admitting all this for a truth do tell me withall by what meanes you are certeine that the Lord made speciall choise of your selfe for such speciall busines Exorcistes Why sir the verie effect it selfe doth fully declare the truth of the matter for I cast foorth the diuell Orthodoxus Be it that some such effect as your selfe surmizeth did forthwith succeed your saide enterprize yet forsomuch as your selfe did no more in the matter then was ordinarily incident you say to any godly preacher or others how comes it to passe that those other performing the very selfesame things you performed your selfe no such admirable effect should follow their labors Was it for that the rest of the Ministers were all but vngodly wretches in comparison of you Or was it so rather for that those Ministers fearing the Lord aright the Lord would not suffer their innocent soules to be falsly seduced by any such sleights or for that you your selfe being at that time more destitude of grace had for the present some power to effect such a false deceiueable signe to your greater condemnation without speedie repentance Exorcistes Howsoeuer I may not impure a lesse measure of godlinesse to others neither yet arrogate any more to my selfe then to any of the rest verie certeine it is that onely my selfe had then the speciall power to expell the diuell Physiologus Master Orthodoxus let me argue this point Come on Exorcistes If your owne selfe as you say had then a more speciall power to expell the diuell by prayer and fasting then any of the rest that your said power it must needs be a vocall or personall power at the least My meaning is that such a speciall power it proceeded either from your prayer or your person but not from your prayer at all for the others also they prayed and fasted as deuoutly as you did your selfe albeit in vaine and therefore your prayer of it selfe it could haue no more power then theirs vnlesse hapily you haue some speciall prayer for that speciall purpose beyond the rest of your brethren Yea and when all comes to all it was not your prayer but your preaching it should seeme that expelled the diuell Againe if such a speciall power proceeded from your person alone then surely that selfe same personall power it was either some naturall or supernaturall power at the least Howbeit a meere naturall power it might not possibly be because no created or meere naturall power may possibly extend foorth it selfe to any such supernaturall action as hath been sufficiently shewed before Exorcistes That followeth not For the body of Christ it was vndoubtedly a created or true naturall body and yet notwithstanding there went vertue or power from out of the same for the admirable curing of people And therefore if it so seemed good to the Lord for the glory of his name why might not some power in like manner proceed from my person for the timely expelling of that spirit or diuel Physiologus Besides your shamelesse pride in matching your body with the body of Christ you do monstrously mistake the very point of your purpose For do you imagine that there went any power essentially from out of the body of Christ for the admirable curing of any Exorcistes I make no question thereof And the scripture it telleth vs plainly that the whole multitude thronged to touch him for there proceeded vertue out of him and healed them all Physiologus Though it be said in the text that vertue proceeded out of Christ to the curing of many yet that must not be vnderstood as though any vertue essentially existing in the naturall body of Christ did passe foorth essentially from him vnto others in that selfesame absolute number no but this proceeding of vertue from the bodie of Christ vnto others is so farre foorth to be accounted a going foorth as the effect may be said to proceed from the cause Or it is to be interpreted according to the maner of a cause producing an effect The which are said to go foorth the one from the other in as much as the verie cause it selfe doth apparantly shine foorth in that selfesame effect which it worketh And euen after such a manner we must vnderstand this matter in question Because the Diuine vertue it selfe essentially existing in the person of Christ did effectually procure present health to the parties oppressed Otherwaies how must that text be vnderstood which telleth vs that the wisedome of God being but one the same can do all things it selfe that it renueth all and entreth eueh into the holie soules making them the friends and prophets of God Now sir because it is said he entreth into the holie soules must we therefore imagine the holie spiriâ— of God to be any where now where it was not before not so for the same of necessitie at all times and seasons is euerie where present Howbeit because the holie spirit of God doth then
possession we tolde you was ment an essentiall or personall entring in men the which we vtterlie reiected as a palpable vntruth absurd in Philosophie and vnsound in Diuinitie as by vnanswerable arguments authenticall authorities and plaine euidence of Scripture was apparantly prooued vnto you Telling you further that if such a reall possession be granted the same must be either a mentall or corporall possession The real-ment all possession we flatly denied Because else the possessed mans minde it must needs be a locall-receptacle essentially and substantially comprehending the diuell for the present which by the verie swaie of arguments the authoritie of writers and plaine euidence of Scriptures we fully confuted And this also in effect was the verie summe or scope of our second conference Exorcistes I remember it well Orthodoxus Then next concerning the reall-corporall possession that also we reiected as fond and friuolous it being a matter neuer purposed by the Lord himselfe in the first creation of bodies For else the minde it selfe must be vniustly charged to answere all those her animall and organicall operations which without any her consent and approbation are violently enforced vpon the possessed mans bodie or if the possessed himselfe being freed from those operations the diuell alone should be called to account for the guilt of those actions then something concerning the possessed himselfe should be acted by him to no purpose Besides that such a real corporall possession the diuell being onely a spirituall substance cannot possiblie be perceiued of the possessed himselfe but onely effectiuely and therefore there can be no sensible perceiuance of any such essentiall possession vnlesse we retaine the Platonists opinion concerning corporall diuels A thing directly opposite to reason to the testimonie of writers and the plaine euidence of sacred Scriptures And this also as I take it was in effect the summe of our third conference Exorcistes I may with no good conscience denie it Orthodoxus Then next because your selfe so earnestly insisted vpon the reall corporall possession it was further declared vnto you that if the same should be granted the diuels then they must necessarily haue such a kinde of possession either by assuming to themselues some true naturall bodie or by transforming themselues into some true naturall bodie at least Their assuming of true naturall bodies wee flatly reiected as an opinion too too vnreasonable absurd and most senslesse whether we vnderstand the same of bodies created before or of bodies then foorthwith to be created And that therefore the diuell his tempting of Euah by the Serpent the Angell his deliuerie of a sensible speech by Baalam his Asse the diuell his supposed assuming of Samuels bodie with such other examples and Scriptures which verie manie doe most ignorantly vrge for this matter they are too too grosly and fondly abused as we prooued vnto you by arguments by writers and by the sacred scriptures And this also if I be not fowly deceiued was in effect the summe of our fourth conference Exorcistes I dare not denie any part thereof Orthodoxus Then next for the diuell his transforming of himselfe into any true naturall bodie we declared vnto you the impossibilitie and most palpable absurditie thereof notwithstanding the Sorcerers rods transformed as you thought into true naturall serpents the supposed transfiguring of Nebuchad-nezzer into an oxe with such other examples Shewing you withall by the conference of places that that place of Scripture which speaketh of Satan his transforming of himselfe into an Angell of light was misunderstood of the most Neither may the same or any like places of scripture be litterally vnderstood of any essential transformations because that work was neuer in the power of a diuel No he cannot possibly transforme him selfe into any true forme whatsoeuer if Christ his argument concerning the non visibility and palpability of spirits and diuels be without contradiction which it could not be if the diuel was able but onely in outward appearance to transforme him selfe into any true forme whatsoeuer as wee proued by reason by fathers and by the canonicall scriptures And this also was in effect the summe of our fift conference Exorcistes I wil at no hand contradict your report Orthodoxus Hauing thus dispatched the supposed real possession of spirits and diuels we entred then into a like serious consideration of their actuall possession shewing you first what it was and then next the seuerall parts thereof Namely either a mentall afflicting and greeuing or a corporall tormenting and vexing We shewed you further that this actuall possession was onely in vse in the daies of Christ and of his disciples Howbeit the maine ends thereof namely the declaration of Christ his deity and the confirmation of his glorious Gospel being in those daies very effectually accomplished the possession also it was by our Sauiour himselfe verie fully and finallie determined Yea and the determination of this actuall possession we confidently auouched notwithstanding any one matter pretended by you for the perpetuitie thereof as was directly prooued by force of argument by the plaine testimonie of ancient writers and the ineuitable euidence of the sacred Scriptures And this in effect was the summe of our sixth conference Exorcistes It was vndoubtedly so as you say Orthodoxus And then next because you insisted still vpon the perpetuitie of actuall possession by an argument drawne from common experience in all that beheld your supposed action wrought at Mahgnitton wee prooued directly vnto you that this their supposed experiēce it could be accoūted no currant experience in deed Both because manie like admirable matters may be demonstrated from meere naturall causes effects and diseases and for that also a meere naturall experience when the same is brought to the best it may be no competent Iudge in such supernaturall matters A thing opposite to Diuinitie to Philosophie to Physicke to Nature to Lawe and to Conscience as may verie plainely appeere whether we respect the action it selfe or the manner of doing the same Then after all this we came to entreate of Satan his power of obsession which consisteth especially in an outward assaulting and circumuenting or in an inward suggesting and tempting And this also in effect was the summe of our seuenth conference Exorcistes The whole truth thereof is without contradiction Orthodoxus Hauing thus handled the power of spirits and diuels whatsoeuer we came next to entreat of that extraordinarie working power whereby their saide power was subdued Shewing you directly that the same was either immediate in Christ the stronger or mediate in some certeine speciall persons extraordinarily mooued to that selfesame busines Againe the mediate power we told you it was either Apostolicall I meane in the Apostles themselues an admirable extraordinarie good meanes to confirme their extraordinary preachings or else Ecclesiasticall that is in the seuentie Disciples and some others succeeding And that therefore this Ecclesiasticall power it was more especially to be considered againe in
diseases 206 The actions at Nottingham they were no admirable matters at all if we but respect Satan the supposed actor thereof 208 Satan can effect nothing impossible in nature or incredible in diuinity ibid. If Diuels be the creators of substances then are they also the quickeners thereof ibid. The nature of beginnings affecteth singularitie ibid. Diuels may worke strange woonders but not effect any miraculous actions 209 Satan restrained from working miracles by the bounds of nature and the will of God ibid. What is necessarilie required in the orderly accomplishment of euerie action 210 Satan his supposed actions in Sommers are opposite to Diuinitie Philosophie Physicke Nature Lawe and to Conscience 211 It is impossible for Diuels to effect impossible matters 213 The truth of Sommers his supposed actions is tried foorth by the nature of the things and by the rule of right iudgement 214 Sommers his supposed actions were either naturall or not naturall ibid. Things naturall what they properly are ibid. Things not naturall and their kindes 215 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they are ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what they import 216 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how they are to be vnderstood ibid. The rule of right iudgement with the seuerall kindes 217 The naturall cause of truth and the kindes thereof ibid. Naturall principles and the seuerall kindes ibid. Theoricall principles for the iudging of things ibid. Practicall principles for the effecting of things ibid. Vniuersall experience another naturall rule of iudgement 218 The words Cheker and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounded ibid. Experience what it is with the sundrie degrees 219 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it importeth ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it respecteth ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what the same betokeneth ibid. A supposed spirituall experience pretended to prooue the supposed natural experience 221 The holie Ghost hath giuen neither Canon nor Councell concerning the perpetuitie of actuall possession 223 Arguments against the perpetuitie thereof 225 Obsession what it is with the kindes thereof 226 Outward assaulting and vexing how 227 Inward suggesting and tempting how ibid. The meanes how Satan effecteth his power of obsession laide foorth at large ibid. The determination of actuall possession giueth no libertie to Atheisme but rather the contrarie 230 The eight Dialogue pag. 232 SAtans power of actual possession could not be subdued but by some supernaturall power 232 Etsbang Elohim and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what power they import pag. 234 The immediate power for expelling Diuels ibid. The mediate power with the kindes thereof ibid. Christ expelleth efficiently others ministerially ibid. The Apostles mediate power what it was 235 The Ecclesiasticall mediate power with the kindes ibid. The Ecclesiasticall mediate power respecting the Churches primitiue what it is ibid. The same power respecting the Churches successiue 236 Exorcizing what it is with the kindes ibid. Counterfeit Exorcizings euer in the Church ibid. Satanicall Exorcizing what it is 237 Ethnicall facultie for Exorcizing what ibid. Iudaicall facultie for Exorcizing what 238 Papisticall power for Exorcizing Spirits what 239 What kinde of Exorcizing master Darels was ibid. Whether a Diuell indeed was driuen out of Sommers 240 The pretended signes of dispossession cannot concludently prooue a possession ibid. Whether the precedent or subsequent signes do conclude the pretended dispossession 241 The reasons from the supposed signes of dispossession verie fitly retorted pag. 242 Dispossession whether effected by meanes or by miracle ibid. Whether diuels are driuen out by meere naturall meanes 243 Whether by a created or vncreated meanes 244 No created meanes may efficiently extend it selfe to the supernaturall expelling of Diuels ibid. Pretended instances of created meanes from Iosephus 245 Wierus his censure vpon Iosephus concerning the expelling of Diuels by created meanes 246 Whether the perfume made with the fishes liuer expelled the Diuell from Tobiah his wife 247 Whether Dauids harpe expelled the Diuell from Saul 248 Torments inflicted by Satan two waies abated yet not totally remooued pag. 250 Whether there may be an actiue operation of Satan without a passiue disposition in the Demoniake 251 Whether Elisha recouered the gift of prophesie by the melodious sound of an harpe 255 Whether praier alone or fasting alone or both togither are meanes for the expelling of Diuels 257 Whether fasting and praier was any other then a created or a meere naturall matter 259 Whether the efficacie of such pretended praier consisteth in sounde in voice or in wordes ibid. Whether the deniall of dispossessions by fasting and praier be any disgrace to fasting and praier 260 The ninth Dialogue pag. 263. WHether praier and fasting be an ordinance perpetually established by Christ for the powerfull expelling of Diuels 264 Whether the wordes of Math. 17. 20. doe directly prooue such an ordinance ibid. Whether an ordinance for all or some speciall persons 267 What warrant master Darell had to vndertake the execution of such a supposed ordinance 268 Whether he effected the worke as a common Christian or as a minister of Christ 269 Whether he did it as an ordinarie or an extraordinarie minister ibid. Why other Ministers could not as well do it as he 271 Whether praier and fasting be effectuall but by times and by turnes 272 If Exorcistes had that power aboue others the same must needs be a vocall or personall power 274 How vertue proceeded from Christes bodie for the curing of men 275 Whether dispossessions effected by Christ were works of his Diuinitie or humanitie or of both 276 Chrsts humanitie alone vnable to effect any miraculous actions 277 The working of miracles must be considered partly principally and partly ministerially 278 How Christ his humanitie alone and all other the seruants of God may be said to be instruments 279 God alone the efficient cause of miracles ibid. The instrument is that whereby God effecteth miracles and the same is an instrument either conioyned or seperated ibid. How those instruments haue in them a certeine different vertue ibid. Augustines opinion concerning Gods working of miraculous actions 280 Gregorie his iudgement confuted concerning mans-working of miracles principally and instrumentally 282 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verie truely interpreted ibid. Whether Peter had a principall power in the effecting of miracles 284 In all miracles we are to respect the actiue vertue effecting and the action effected 286 Respecting the actiue vertue effecting all miracles are alike and why ibid. Respecting the actions effected there is some difference whether we consider the matter of the thing effected or the manner of effecting the same ibid. Whether Exorcistes draue out the Diuell by meanes of some supernaturall power from God or whether the Lord himselfe draue him out by the Exorcistes hands 287 By what meanes Exorcistes apprehended that supernaturall power of God pag. 288 Whether by some power of praier and fasting ibid. How Diuels are distinguished by the words this kinde 291 What faith
apprehendeth that power of God 292 Whether Math. 17. 20. be to be vnderstood of the iustifying faith as able alone to expell Diuels 294 Whether Marc. 16. 25. 17. be to be properly vnderstood of the iustifying faith 296 Maister Beza his iudgement concerning the casting out of Diuels by a iustifying faith 297 The personall prerogatiues spoken of Marc. 16. 17. were but temporarie seales to establish the Gospell 299 Testimonies of writers concerning that point 300 Either no Diuell at all driuen foorth or driuen foorth by the miraculous faith 302 The tenth Dialogue pag. 340 WHether the miraculous faith be yet still continued in these daies of the Gospel 304 What a miracle is and whence it is deriued 305 The words Niphlath and Miphleoth interpreted ibid. The causes and kinds of miracles 306 The true miracles what they are ibid. The false miracles what they are ibid. False miracles effected 3. manner of waies 307 A thing effected by meanes whether a miracle 309 Meanes either naturall or artificiall 310 The distinction of mirandum and miraculum dashed 312 Sundry places expounded concerning the true sense of Oth and Mopeth pag. 314 The words Oth and Mopeth expounded 313 The words Semeion and Teras interpreted 317 Tautologies in scripture no idle repetitions 319 Many things effected by meanes are notwithstanding miraculous actions 321 How Sorcerers Satan or Antichrists effect woonders 323 Nothing a true miracle that is not truely effected or effected to a true end ibid. False miracles are commonly called Terata ibid. True miracles are properly called Semeia ibid. Exorcistesis driuen into dangerous Dilemmaes 324 Expelling of Diuels whether by meanes or without meanes as admirable now as euer ibid. Whether the working of miracles be ceased 325 The ends of miracles are ceased now ibid. That end which concernes the declaration of Christs Deity is determined Math. 12. 39. 40. ibid. That other end which respects the confirmation of the Gospel is determined by Marc. 16. 20. and Heb. 23. ibid. Miracles needlesse for the confutation of Atheists 326 Miracles friuolous for the silencing of papists 327 Praier and fasting are not graced by miracles now ibid. Dispossessions by praier and fasting not generally held of all Diuines as is pretended 329 The miraculous faith is now determined 330 The faith of hearing for euer established ibid. Reasons for the determination of miracles ibid. Testimonies of writers for that purpose 333 The faith of miracles but rash and vncerteine 337 Hippocrates opinion of miracle-mongers ibid. The eleuenth Dialogue pag. 339. A Summary recapitulation of all the premisses 339 The necessity of such a recapitulation ibid. A summary abridgement of the 1. Dialogue 340 A summary abridgement of the 2. Dialogue ibid. A summary abridgement of the 3. Dialogue 341 A summary abridgement of the 4. Dialogue 342 A summary abridgement of the 5. Dialogue ibid. A summary abridgement of the 6. Dialogue 343 A summary abridgement of the 7. Dialogue ibid. A summary abridgement of the 8. Dialogue 344 A summary abridgement of the 9. Dialogue ibid. A summarie abridgement of the 10. Dialogue 345 Certaine respects restrayning Exorcistes from submitting to the truth of this Doctrine 346 The note of inconstancie and cowardlines 347 The hardening of the aduersaries against better causes 348 The scaÌ„dalizing of zealous professors offending of great personages ibi Feare of being depriued from all ministerie 349 The depriuing of him and his from all maintenance 351 The suspicion of practizing with the counterfeits 352 How the charitable sort esteeme the action ibid. If W. Sommers then also M. Cooper counterfeited 353 How M. Cooper was cured ibid. The fixt respect vz. losse of credit for euer 354 Exorcistes is fearefully distracted 355 Pertinacie in his opinion put ouer to some other conference at his owne choise 356 FINIS Gentle Reader so many faults in the Printing as came to our remembrance we pray thee correct as followeth the rest if any arise we referre to thy godly wisedome Pag. 6. lin 28. put downe Orthodoxus for the speaker pag. 21. l. 3. for executiours read executioners pag. 106. lin 4. for visible r. visibly pag. 205. lin 31. for actuall r. effectuall pag. 307. l. 34. for and of heat r. an actiue heat Item l. 36. for an actiue r. and of an actiue Math. 5. 11. 2. Tim. 2. 17. Ier. 13. 23. 1. Cor. 4. 3. 4. Ioh. Drusij Adag 2. Haras in libro Auoth In Sanhedrin edit Basiliens cap. 10. Act. 15. 37. 38. Cicero 1. Cor. 1. 10. 11. Eccles. 1. 12. 13. Reasons for the hetherto suppressing of this present treatisâ— Psalm 141. 5. Luc. 10. 34. 2. Chro. 15. 13. 14. Reasons for the now publishing of this present treatise Tertul. in Apologetico Math. 24. 23. 24. Luc. 17. 31. 2. Thes. 2. 9. 10. Hieron de illustribus Lucianus 2. Sam. 1. 20. Aristotoleles Aristophanes 1. Cor. 3. 4. 7. Iude 22. Iude 23. Ben-Sirah in suis prouerbijs Item citatum inuenies in Medras Mesle Eccles. 10 20. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 17. Iudg. 9. 8. c. Psal. 122. 6. 7. Psal. 85. 10. 11. 1. King 21. 20. 1. King 22. 8. 1. Cor. 15. 8. 9. Luc. 18. 9. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 10. 12. Beza annotat in Math. 1. 19. 2. Sam. 16. 9. Aristophanes 2. Sam. 16. 9. 10. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 4. 4. Aristides Math. 7. 5. In Gemara cap. 6. Item in Glossa Thalmudica In Elie id est in the height of his pride At Abington id est on the gallowes that Northhamptonshire feolons are hanged vpon 1. Cor. 3. 12. 13. Iudg. 14. 18. 1. Cor. 9. 22. Queres concerning the publike priuiledge for Printing and publishing Bookes Eugubinus de perenni Philosop lib. 3. Math. 17. 21. Marc. 9. 29. Act. 17. 18. 2. Tim. 4. 3. These passions are apparant in Dorel his Apologie Act. 17. 21. Act. 23 8. Iohannis Caluini opuscula contra Libertinos c. 12. fol. 179. G. Alley in his poore mans librarie fol. 123. Maister Perkins vpon the Creede fol. 73. Iosephus de Antiquit. Iud. lib. 20. Magister in historijs Ioh. 4. 24. 1. Cor. 3. 16. Exod. 7. 12. Col. 2. 8. Gen. 17. 1. Isa. 6. 3. Isa. 6. 2. 2. Pet. 2. 4 Iude. 6. Iam. 3. 15. 1. Cor. 2. 14. Heb. 11. 1. Gregorius in Homil. 26. super Euang. 1. Cor. 1. 20. Gregorius in moraliâ—us Item in librâ— de collatione patrum Gen. 3. 1. 11. Cor. 3. 3. Math. 4. 1. 3. Luc. 4. 2. 3. Math. 8. 28. Marc. 5. 9. Luc. 8. 30. Math. 25. 41 46. Gen. 19. 13. Numb 22. 27. 28. 2. King 19. 35. Aug. de cognitione verae vitae cap. 6. Danaeus in Enchir August cap. 57. pag. 193. Gen. 1. 24. 25. Gen. 1. 7. 8. Hieron Zanchius deoperibus Dei lib. 2. cap. 5. Theodorelus quest 3. super Genes Gennadius Otho Casmannus Angelographiae part 1. cap. 5. pag. 107. Psal. 33. 6. Psal. 148. 2. 5. Col. 1. 16. Gen. 1. 1. 2. Psal. 148. 2. 3. Heb. 1. 7. Reuel 4. 11. Psal. 33. 6. Reuel