may be concluded rightly that Naturall Magicke is a part of the most vnserched and hidden Philophie which were it come to knowledge of the ignorant and practise of the learned it should quickly leaue the name of Magicke and loose no title amongst all other confirmed sciences when therefore our eies behold or our sences be affected with any such extraordinarie conclusions we are not straightwaies to condemne them as erronious but tò learn to know and censure them the better to increase our iudgements Touching the Diabolicall which consisteth on no naturall causes or forces but is effected by some immateriall and seperable vertue and power It is approued to be by these reasons First because certaine actions thereof are neither subiect to naturall causes nor may be referred to celestiall bodies as for example the oracles and answers of Magitians either for finding treasure discouering hidden things or declosing thefts next because there were some statues of Magitians which gaue answer to diuers questions thirdlie it is apparant that by personall assist or murmuring of exorcisme certaine locks haue béene opened and other such like kind of workes which being neither subiect to the power of nature nor disposed by celestiall influence we must néedlie confesse that such sort of Magicke is relying onlie on vertue immateriall and not on causes naturall If Diabolicall Magicke then in his wonders be so manifold why doth God intending the saluation of man permit and suffer it to seduce him or if there be wonders wrought thereby whether is it by true effects or illusion of the eies and sences said Frumentarius I wil answer thée brieflie my freind to thy present demands said Anthonie first God permitteth Magicke to the end that men weakened in faith should be proued and those who are depraued in manners and credulous in lies should be seduced by their owne desires next touching the effects and works therof I say the most is done by illusion and deceipt of the sences being both false and fained in themselues and done by the vanitie and error of wicked men The proofe whereof and the confirmation of the premisses though it be apparant in the transformation of Circes and Medea so famous and memorable in Poets and others as also in Diomedes men transformed into birds Vlisses companions into beasts and such like yet relie I on this conclusion That whereas of all arts whatsoeuer there remaineth some token work or method worthie memorie as statues Images goodlie buildings and such like yet of Magicke there is neither any Image ring to be heard of principles to be read of only the most is writtē of Zoroastes the inuenter as Aristotle writeth is that he drew many thousand verses but how true he speaketh not so that in truth it séemeth to be a fained thing for the most part building more on illusion then truth although in truth vnlawfull Magicke hath his actuall working How proue you that quoth Metrodorus By scripture answered Anthonie where it appeareth that Pharoahs Magitians conuerted their rods into Serpents Exod. 7. Not as Rauclinus and Rabanus thinke by prestigious and deceitfull illusion but as both schoolemen and fathers anow by true and vntained conuersion Resolue vs yet in this conclusion quoth Asterius whether all works of Magicke be méerlie naturall without relation or dependance on seperate substances And decide vs that opinion of the Peripatetiques and Trismegistus who stronglie maintaine that all works of Magicke are done either by naturall vertue or celestiall influence neither that any argument of seperable substances should be taken from their workings I confesse said Anthonie that some magicall works are méerlie naturall because I haue heretofore confest there is a Magicke naturall knowing it an assured principle in Philosophie that there cannot be a cause without his effects Besides if I should denie it it is confirmed For to effect these wonderful works the Magicians commonlie vse vnknown hearbes which conteine present and forcible remedies against all diseases as it appeareth in the hearbs Corisesia and Calicia which as Plyny in his second booke 17 chapter confesseth doth fréese water and in Meniades whose Iuice healeth the biting of Serpents many other he alleageth which they vse to inforce and expel sicknesses which because they are vnknowne and of swift operation they are for that cause estéemed miraculous of all men And these magitians may know the vertues of these hearbes aboue named either by the tradition of the most famed and renowned Phisitions Pithagoras Democritus Empedocles and others or by reuelation of the deuils which once discouered vnto them and in secret deliuered to their posteritie they may vse them naturally without concourse or assistance of any good or euill spirit There are likewise other works of magitians which are brought to passe by some one Immateriall and seperated vertue and the reason is because ther are certain operations of art Magick which as it is said before are effected by some immateriall seperated vertue power for whereas these kind of works excéed naturall facultie cannot as it shal be made manifest be referred to good spirits it must necessarilie follow that they must haue relation to wicked this sentence is confirmed by the fathers concluded by the schoolemen and made positiue by the lawes How then shall the said work be vnderstood to be done by the vertue of the deuils quoth Metrodorus If works be done excéeding natural facultie they are magicall if otherwise Diabolicall saith Anthony againe those works that are done by ministerie of vnknown words or certaine characters or by such wordes as are both impertinent and immateriall in respect of the operation which is sought or expected they may truly be concluded by the Deuill Againe if there be any rites or peculiar and determinate obseruances as certaine houres a certaine scite of stars or such things as are done by a certain number of crosses or candles although the words be sacred the maner ceremonious yet is the work to be estéemed both magical and diuelish Againe if in their actions or works they vse any thing dissident from their effects their works are not of God but of the deuill Superstitious suffumigations by haire absurd sacrifice by nailes all these in expelling deuils are impious and in inuocating them magicall For if such ceremonies were good Christ and his Apostles had vsed them if they were effectuall Diuels could not be expulsed but by them because they submit to betray and are soly commanded to deceiue Should I suffer you to vrge questions they would grow to infinite and he thus said thus he answered doe quicklie wax tedious I will therefore preuent your doubts by my knowledge and satisfie you by reason in more then you inspect There growes a doubt because selfe like works are wrought by Magicke as by the gifts of especiall grace whether God or good angels he the authors of the same or the Diuell and his erorcists the fautors and furtherers For Apostles haue cast out
detestation of such like impieties But here may you say lieth there a déepe question because I impose the name of miracle both to the works of God and the prestigious illusion of the deuill confounding them in name which are different in nature To which I answer not without authoritie that the deuils actions are vnproperly miracles Gods trulie the one done by preparation the other sodainly the one to delude the other to confirme the one to hinder the other to profit man Those then that worke by the diuell do miracles vnproperlie and herein are the true confounded with the false in denomination because we cannot distinguish of the sodainnes in performance or the spéedinesse in execution Some suppose and define a miracle to be an vnaccustomed action wrought aboue the power of nature wherin there are two things to be considered one that it excéed the abilitie of nature the other that it surpasse common custome Where vpon it followeth that the creation of a humane soule is not properlie a miracle for although the creation thereof excéed the power of nature yet since it is a thing accustomed and God createth souls daily it may not rightly be called a miracle Againe a child borne with seuen fingers a man with two heads a woman with soure armes and such like cannot in right bée held miraculous for although such creations are vnaccustomed yet excéed they not the power of nature because from naturall causes there may follow such like effects to conclude therefore positiuelie of miracles and their natures I assure you that things done sodainly by assistance of Diuine vertue for confirmation of truth and demonstration of Gods power and wisdome for erudition of the faithfull and conuersion of the reprobat are rightlie miracles but matters wrought with intention of deceit fruits of subtile insinuation these are the improper miracles of magicians who contended with Moises and Aaron before Pharao done secundum rem as the schoolemen say but not secundum modum There is a question likewise what magicians do in performing their miracles namely whether they prepare the matter only or induce the form likewise to which may be answered that they prepare the matter only haue no power to inform for as fathers are not held the creators of their childreÌ„ nor husbandmeÌ„ the makers of their fruit though in creating of these gods power inwardly works by admission and sufferáce of their exterior motioÌ„s so neither is it lawful to think that good or euill angels create or magicians the ministers of them informe but to him only may creation be ascribed by whose power and word allthinges were created Again in working things miraculous this is to be noted that the impious only worketh by permission the vertuons by impression and assistance the good are enabled by God to performe the bad induced by the diuell to deceiue God only likewise is said to do miracles by authoritie angels and holy men dispositiuely bad men and magicians permissiuely neither is it to be wondered that magicians raise stormes choak an increase procure abortion and such like things which the blessed do not because this power is restrained in the saints for feare least weakened by pernicious error they should be deceiued supposing there were greater gifts in such like effects then in the works of Iustice wherby the soule is enlightned and eternal life gained And therefore Christ said to his Disciples Luke 10. Reioice not in this because spirits are subiect vnto you but reioice because your names are written in heauen There is likewise a controuersie among the learned debated by many arguments whether magicians by the power of the deuill may locally chaunge or spéedily transfer the bodies of men or beasts and the rather because it hath beene deliuered by tradition and confirmed by the mistaken that old women hath béene transported by spirits from place to place magiciaÌ„s from countrey to countrey and scholers from Paris to Rome on these grounds there are many opinions some ascribing these works to the illusion of the sences other vtterly denieng any such abilities notwithstanding the reformed opinions are that both Deuils and Magicians their Ministers may remoue and transfer the bodies of men from place to place because it is manifest in Iobs children where euill spirits ouerthrow the house on their heads againe hauing power to adhibit corporall séeds to produce some certaine effects it followeth they haue power to remoue bodies because rightly effects cannot be produced except locall motion be made admitted There is likewise a question why women are soonest troubled and more oftentimes deceiued by the Diuell then men be To which the answer is for two causes First by reason of their credulitie next because of their frailtie and infirmity Their credultie appeareth in that they were first and soonest tempted their fragility in that they are more prone to lust and therefore Peter called women the weaker vessels because they are soonest wrought And because carnall desire is the aime of Magicians and women by nature are more flexible it commonly falleth out that there are more women witches thaÌ„ men Beside for their credulities sake Paul permitteth them not to teach least being themselues deceiued they should peruert others and therefore a father said Quia semel mulier virum edocuit cuncta peruertit idcuco nequaquaÌ„ haec habeat velum docendi de caeteris potestatem Father quoth Frumentarius it is happie that women are absent for should they heare what you speake you might perhaps féele more then you wish You deceiue your selfe quoth Anthony for should they heare their infirmitie they would take little cause to presume so much on their excellencie This is beside the teâ—â— said Asterius Let vs returne to our purpose and resolue vs good Hermit whether Diuels or inchanters may alterate bodies in respect of their qualities procure sicknesse inflict infirmities and restore health By their owne vertue answered Anthony neither can Diuels or Magicians either in naturall or materiall things immeadiatly induce any forme either by procuring health or inducing sicknesse by vrging heat or increasing cold and the reason is because if they could induce one forme they might induce all and by that meanes both nature and the whole world should be subiect vnto them but since it is manifest that God hath not subiected the whole world to the good and blessed angels It followeth that by no meanes or reason it may be thought that the matter of these visible things in the world and of the world should be subiect to the beck and seruice of the transgressiue and accursed angels Another conclusion is that magicians can miraculously change both the matter and natures of bodies applying the séeds of things and ioining actiue with passiue and the reason is that euen as art which imitateth nature can effect diuers things which nature it selfe cannot so deuils can do many things which are beyond mans reach aboue al art and besides the accustomed course
agent who hauing power to finish the affaire in good sort would notwithstanding misdoe the same For he that requireth an oth from an infidel wil not that he sweare by false Gods for then he should sinne but he only requireth him to sweare and if the choice were in him he rather would haue him sweare by the true God then draw the false to testimony In like sort also may it be answered of the curat for without sinne may he minister if he repent himselfe before the administration Touching your third question I hold it wholy vnlawful for this cause and reason induced by Augustine vpon Genesis because the Diuell as it oftentimes falleth out in such like superstitious rites and ceremonies insinuateth himselfe into mens actions contrarie to their knowledge and oftentimes against their will for men and fond women especially vse these rites words and remedies in cure of infirmities and doubtlesse the Diuels are assistant in their working to the end they may deceaue and persuade them to trust in vain and superstitious things and this is that faedus tacitum or secret league which is said to be had with Diuels Thus briefly haue I resolued thée Asterius setting little by my labor so I may profit thée greatlie Thou séest now the vanitie scope and issue of this bodie of curiòsitie here is nothing in it but deceit nothing but blasphemie no meanes but wicked flie it therefore and be rather glad that thou knowest how bad it is then sorrie to haue forsaken that which is preiudiciall to thy soule Thou mouest me Anthonie quoth Asterius for whom authoritie and reason cannot moue his sicknes is desperate and iudgement peruerted and I begin to loath Magicke onlie the delights of Astrologie secrets of Astronomy if they in thy iudgements be permissible are the marks I shoot at and the studies I would be exercised in Astronomy and Astrologie quoth Metrodorus Why these are but customes of antiquitie and apparances of Idolatrie fruits of presumption instructions of vaineglorie supererogating deceits the bug-beares of the simple For the professors hereof are waxt so peremptorie as they ascribe more to the Sunne the Moone the Stars and plannets and their owne astronomicall calculations then either to the blessed angels or to Gods maiestie That is true said Frumentarius for they faine to pull God from his kingdome defraud him of his Maiestie and make him more bound to the starres then euer were creatures to man For they will be Gods priuie counsailers dispose of his doomes determine his works and by their corrupt wits and course of the planets presume more then man should practise They say that all sicknesse or health riches or pouertie good or bad wisdome or follie wholie depend on celestiall influences They ascribe faire weather or soul to the reuolutions of the heauens presume so much on their foreknowledge that no dissolution of Commonweale no mortalitie of sicknesse no tiranny of war can fall out but by their wits and the celestiall bodies For as they say the bodies aboue rule all things heare beneath Thus make they by their owne imaginations God more thrall and subiect then any Prince in his soueraigntie For a king in his authoritie hath power of a page to make a Prince of a poore man a Lord without leaue of the plannets Again if a man trespasse against him and be conuict of treason he hath power to attach him authoritie to iudge him and means to execute him he can depriue his heires of their heritage and from their prosperities condemne them to pouertie This power and fréedome hath a King wheresoeuer the planets be or in what signe aspect or constellation without either leaue of the planets or license of Astronomers much more then the King of heauen that made the Sun the Moone and all things of nought ruleth and guideth them by his wil and rewardeth punisheth euery creature after his deseruing may peremptorilie do what he list without either assistance of planet or councell of Astronomie That is true said Anthonie and I delight to heare it your reasons Frumentarius show your reading Metrodorus allegations his iudgement now therefore that Asterius may make one with vs in this resolution I will thus brieflie prosecute this subiect We find in Genesis 10. At the beginning of the world whē God made all things of nought the fourth day he made the Sun the Moone and stars and set them in the firmament to giue light to creatures here beneath Ordaining the Sun principally to illumine the day the moone and stars the night ordering them to distinguish the one from the other and to bée as tokens oftimes daies years He likewise placed them as marks and tokens how to deuide yeares from moneths months from daies and daies from houres aduising man when to sléepe and when to wake when to rest and when to trauel whē to plant and when to sow where to eare and when to reape and therefore saw Solomon that all things haue their times and all things passe away vnder heauen by the pace and space of time and so God made the firmament aboue with those bright bodies that are therein to serue mankind and all creatures in their kind and of light and time of light as a lanterne which may not be quenched of time as a clocke that may neuer faile he made them likewise for man and not man to serue them he gaue them also not to gouerne man but he gaue man and woman wit and discretion to gouerne themselues by that light and knowledge of time which he hath of the bodies aboue that by their light they may sée to work and by their stirring and their course they may know what time it is wherein they ought to labour and therefore saith the law 2. q. v. Non licet in gloss That the bodies aboue are tokens and not causes of things here beneath and as a lampe or clocke are necessarie for scholers by night to rule raise and guide them in their studies so do the bodies aboue serue men on earth that they may be enlightned by them and by their mouing know their times to serue God according to their degrées and his dignities and as the lampe or clocke in the colledge ruleth not the scholer but the scholers rule and order themselues by the clocke and candle the one aduising them when to rise the other fréely lighting them to read euen so man and woman beast and bied and al liuing creatures rule them by the bodies aboue and yet the celestiall and superior bodies rule them not they should not therefore be called gouernors of this world because they gouerne not the world but serue only as instruments of Gods power and gouernance For it fareth by God and the celestiall bodies aboue as it doth by the smith and his grindstone the carpenter his ax the clockmaker and his clocke Good Anthonie quoth Asterius explaine me these comparisons Thou séest apparantlie quoth Anthonie that
and wanting faith to assist the report of heauenlie things they want power to conceiue ought but earthlie thinges men choaked by the world are drowned in the world the obscure man holds his countrie a Paradise because he knowes no other and Mopsa with hir bleared eie is as déere to Nisus as Phillis with her faire face to Amintas world lie mens delight is tied to their knowledge and what they sée they commend what they heare they suspect They onlie that know the world trulie trust it not in well knowing it by faith they apprehend things vnséene and by the spirit are assured of their vncertainties Christ by becomming man prooueth that nothing is vnpossible to God by partaking infirmity nourisheth our saiths we that know his sufferance excéedeth our senses must cōclude that onlie faith must apprehend his Deitie To them that beléeue he maketh all things possible the holie Ghost helpeth them who bréedeth charitie their charitie inflameth them which norisheth faith their faith assureth them being grounded in charitie To them that beléeue not that which they sée not he giueth ouer to trust in that which they should not in blindnes they liue in obstinacie they continue desperat they die O Metrodorus beléeue antiquitie for as by many discents our progenies are maintained so by memorable reports the truth retaineth his perfection To beléeue onlie that which we haue séene is to condemne al that which our fathers haue obserued and to tie all thinges to our sences is to confesse we haue no liuing and reasonable souls Thus far prosecuted old Anthonie his persuasions and so fruitfully listened Metrodorus to his sound reasons that the one reioiced to sée the others conformitie and the other applauded the Hermits zeale and industrie Thus he that came to obiect was taught to learn and he that presumed too much on his owne power was learnt to know his weakenesse Meane while Asterius inflamed with the selfe same fire willing to disconer his wound to the end he might recouer medicine Thus kindlie saluted Anthonie who as willingly listened Father qd he since desperate cures assure the Phisitions cunning and fruitfull persuasion shewes the orators forcible eloquence I will cast off feare and become forward knowing thy perfection by experience and disclose the infirmities of my mind that they may be healed with the happie cordials of thy counsailes Do so my sonne said Anthonie and let me heare thée that I may know thée Asterius thus incouraged after a déepe sigh began this solemne discourse Those that haue heard of Asterius O Hermit haue either named him with feare or followed him with admiration for that Magitian am I who by my charmes haue tied the cloudes restrained showers enchanted trées made barren women tired the fish in the sea bound the birds in the aire forcing nature to submit to my art and all science to be subiect to my incantations in Rome the learned fauoured me the Senators winckt at me the commons presēted me the maidens visited me none durst prouoke me For which causes waxing prowd and by pride foolish obstinate it chanced that some strise grew betwixt me and Sixtus then Bishop of Rome whom the Romans honoured for his holinesse and I hated for his vertues His contention with me was to dissuade from magicke my arguments against him were fatall exorcismes his purpose to reclaime me from sinne My practise to desraud him of life Thus his zeale working one way my enuie another way at last wée met in an appointed place where he falling to praiers and I to practise if I troubled the aire with clouds he cléered the skie with orisons brieflie coniuring vp a Deuill vnder purpose that violently he should driue him away Sixtus by his praiers bound him on his authoritie exiled me My banishment confirmed by Senate allowed by the people desired by the godlie I came into Egypt purposing to find thée out that by some debate of learning I might know the dignities of magicke for so delightfull is the emperie ouer nature the knowledge of the stars the commanding of spirits the manner of exorcisme that in stéed of forsaking them men rather earnestlie affect them if therefore thou hold it pietie O Anthonie and these gentlemen estéeme it wonne time that bewraieth truths let vs sit and confer first of the nature of diuels then consequently of the inclination of the stars the workes of Astrologie and the power of Magicke That I may be either bettered in my knowledge or no more bewitched with these calamities What quoth Frumentarius the Indian is it possible there should be diuels where neither Aristotle the maister nor the Peripateticks his scholers euer knew them for they ascribe to the planets that which we attribute to the seinds to the celestiall bodies what you to the infernall spirits to causes naturall what you to miraculous Tis true my friend quoth Anthonie that philosophers thought so but since we know there are effects aboue nature as to recite verses scite authority and repeat latine in a ignorant demoniaque it followeth that their allegations are found and our foundations sound neither was the Stragerite only more ignorant in this point but some Christians haue shewed lesse iudgement for confessing there are deuils they yet differ in this that not taking diuels as we mean they suppose them to be the souls of men to whom it may be answered according to corrected doctrin that the soule being a bodilesse substance cannot be translated into the substance of the diuell being incorporeate other errors there be rather to be wincked at then be written suffered by diuine pollicie to take head first to extinguish mane presumption next to confirme truths authoritie Upon what conclusion then shall our faith rest said Frumentarius where authorities are so different reasons so dissident Upon truth quoth Anthonie which being it selfe is neuer deceiued What proueth more there are diuels then the prohibition to sacrifice to them Leuit. 17 What sheweth their sacrifice to be more impious thē the impiety vrged against the Israelites in that practise Deut. 32. Hieroboam sacrificed to Deuils in Iob in Tobie in the Euangelists the proofes are manifest in that cause that therefore which is manifest by demonstration néedeth no proofe blind Philosophie confirmes them and shall we suspect them Oracles approue them shall we denie them That there are deuils O Hermit said Metrodorus no man suspecteth it but respect of the authoritie of their names and the prescript of their power therein lieth our question And I shall resolue thée Metrodoius qd Anthonie in these difficulties The Diuel hath diuers denominations according to his diuers workings he is called Diabolos of Dia which is Duo and Bolos which is Morcellus as he that desireth to swallow two morcels the body and soule The Hebrewes terme him Diabolus quasi deorsum sluens The Gréeks a calumner or accuser the Latines Angelus malus for his bad tidings He is likewise called Sathan because an
diuels and so haue Apostatas Moses turned his rod into a serpent and so did the magirtans of Pharau Peter healed so did the vnbeléeuing in Christs name the Sinode of the Saints speake in vnknowne toungs and su do the possessed this doubt is waightie and thus in two conclusions resolued Some works are done by magistans which are not done by grace some other accomplished by grace which excéed the power of Magicke and the reason is because magitians worke many inchantments which are altogether opposite to their course that worke by infused grace I meane grace not deseruedly gotten but gratias gratis datas gratefully infused contrariwise prophecie is receiued amongst the graces which magicians by no meanes can attaine vnto as magitians for if deuils according to their owne defects cannot know things subsequent which is proper to prophecie magitians cannot attaine that misterie who are but Magickes and their ministers Againe magicians worke nothing by Diuine or Angelicall power for then both Gods law were faultie in reproouing them for bad and humane policy should be condemned that wholie disanuls them and their industries for euil angels inuented sorceries where God doth nothing neither angels indeuour any thing but for pittie goodnesse and grace where the diuels work nothing but by subtile art foolish discipline and craftie pollicie You may like wise ask me if there be any lawfull and godlie Magicke patronized by angels and furthered by them And this difficultie may both haue reason to defend it and authoritie to countenance it you may ask me how and thus I must resolue you Good angels you know haue no lesse power if not more then the euill but the euill communicat their power with euill men why therefore should not good angels be as forward in furthering the good The cōclusion of this argument is cōceiued in these few words which if they be markt as they be meant may doubtles giue light to the industrious Good angels communicat to good men for charitie diuels to bad men for worship and ostentation the one that God may haue the praise only the other that they may deceiue wholy The difference then of good and euill works twirt good and euill angels is this that the one worketh in charitie the other in hatred consequently no magick can be termed holie because good angels are not prouoked thereby but worke all things in charitie Againe this is a certaine proofe in the angels working that often times and orderlie they worke obscurely and very sildome visibly the reason therof is because they would not be adored For men doe very easily arrogate Diuinitie vnto them whom they perceiue efficacious in anie kind of wonder for example when Paul at Listra in Licaonia had healed lame men in the name of Iesus the people would haue sacrificed vnto him as to a God And this mistaking is more dangerous in respect of angels because they most approximate God in dignitie and excéed man in puritie and for this cause are angels héedfull to giue occasion to men of Idolatrie because they know their presence is a ready obiect of wonder For this cause in the ninetéenth of the Apocalips when Iohn had séene the angell and fallen down and worshipped him Beware saith the angel least thou doe it inducing this reason Conseruus enim tuus sum fratrū tuorum Hereupon like wise it may be concluded that since the angels are holie and of the number of the blessed perhaps they neuer meddle with terrene and humane affairs except by Gods speciall commandement and therefore all those benefits which man receiueth immediatly from God or by the ministerie of the angels séeming to excéed his hope and surpasse our naturall facultie must be peculiarly and properly ascribed to God as the onlie author Another doubt may arise To what cause we should attribute the sascination and charming of children by witches or infants by inchanters which may be thus resolued that either the witches soule infected with mallice corrupteth the aire by her sight and by y t means infecteth yong infants especially such who haue tender bodies capable of impression or otherwise such fascination ought to be attributed to the mallice of deuils with whom the foresaid witches are confederat which commeth to passe either by hidden fate or Gods permission For deuils cannot delude men except God suffereth them Furthermore whereas the conseruation of bodies after death from corruption the increase of hair beard and nailes in the dead the fresh bléeding of a slaughtered bodie at the presence of the murtherer séeme matters of wonder and are doubtfull whether they are to be ascribed to diuine miracle or to natures power or to deuils working and the rather because the debate thereof according to many wise mens opinions hath sorted to different conclusion I will explaine the same in these following propositions All miraculous works and apparitions in their kind ought to be ascribed to these foure To God to angels to Diuels and to holie men or to their spirits Sometimes likewise such wonders may bée done by men possessed by the diuell or by Magitians or otherwhiles by mans fallacious subsiltie That such admirable things may be wrought by the subtiltie of the diuell and illusion of wicked men it appeareth in the example of that Demoniack who when he would could counterfeit to bée dead faine blindnesse séeme lame or resemble a man troubled with the dropsie Miracles likewise may be reduced to naturall causes which are done about the bodies of the dead as for example the preseruation of dead bodies from putrifaction which according to some learning may either be reduced to the vertue of the place the nature of the ointment or some other corporall thing wherein the bodie is inclosed by whose vertues the dead bodie is preserued from corruption and inciueration There may a naturall reason likewise be giuen of the growth of nailes and increase of haires in the dead drawne either from the complexion of the dead bodie in which some unperfect vegetatiue forme may be induced or to the effects of nature which dilateth and extendeth all thing when she beginneth to suffer any violence Sometimes likewise the preseruation to dead bodies may be ascribed to diuine miracles the reason is because God somtimes conserueth the dead bodies of the saints incorruptible to expresse their singular sanctitie true innocence and integritie of mind which they insoled in life Some bodies likewise are maintained and cōtinued incorruptible for vengeance sake as that of Charles king of Hungarie the excommunicate sometimes the bodies of bad men are kept without corruption by the subtiltie of the deuill to the end that this miracle might be ascribed to their merit in life and men who detested their conuersation should admire and wonder at their conseruation As for the bubling of blood from the wound of the murthered at the presence of the blood sucker this solie is to be ascribed to Gods miracle inforced to bréed horror of that crime and
of nature as likewise because celestiall influence is very auailable and actiue in natural effects hence in planting and husbanding in phisicke and curing and such like the obseruation and consideration of the motion and course of both Sun and Moone are very necessary and Diuels because they are expert and cunning Astrologers can better iudge and make choice of their houres to worke in and this perhap is one especiall cause why magicians in their inuocation of Diuels obserue the face of heauen and the scite of the stars The last conclusion is that Diuels except restrained by Gods power or preuented by good angels can afflict mortall men with gréeuous calamities as appeareth in Lot whome Sathan strooke hereon a schooleman saith Tho. 3. p. q. 29. Art 1. ad 3. Clementissimus deus non permittit eos vti sua quam naturaliter habent potestati ab bonis angelis presertim quibus orbis hominum custodia commissa est impediantur Our mercifull God saith he suffereth them not to vse their naturall power which they haue and they are especially let by good angels who haue the world and men in their custodie A decideable subiect may likewise be raised on this whether Diuels can cure all diseases and draw the line of our life to the extent and vtterance of many years For by proofe we know experiēce find that many by touch of hand many by repetition of words many by vse and bearing of characters haue béene healed being sickly refreshed being old and recured in desperate estate To this I answer that in many cures aboue the vse of arts the Diuels haue power but in all they haue not the reason is because their power extendeth no further then the application of naturall canses and naturall supplements whereas some excéed the power of nature being fatall other the benefits and causes of nature as age Neither can they peculiarly procrastinate and lengthen mans life as to a thousand or fiue hundred years as in the infancie of the world men inioied and the reason is that mans intemperance and méere ignorance hath made nature so corrupt and sickly that neither hir sufficient supplements whatsoeuer may restore mans former integrity neither are the heauenly influences so propitious neither retaine the earthly aliments their former and effectuall valure For God by his Diuine prouidence hath so disposed that informer times the naturall constellations were more healthy the meats more auaileable the medicines more working the aire more temperate the other elements more affectuall in protracting and continuing life then now they be Many more questions there are and as subtile as many induced by the Diuell of whom we argue and furthered by his ministers whō we impugn What a folly is this for man to hope on his owne strength without the Diuels assistance to attaine the art to forme a true humane bodie by the only vertue of naturall forces As it appeareth in Virgill subtillie deceiued by the Diuel where he is not able to make either gold or siluer a homogenicall bodie by any colour or force of art Nay what a mischief is in man to trust so much to a relaps as he looseth the mercie of a reléeuer It is a common fault likewise in this science or rather sinne for men to suppose that by some art or extraordinary means or mans cunning Diuels may be circumscribed and shut in determinate and certaine places as Christals vials or such like or that they may be tied there by exorcismes commanded to yéeld answers or expelled vpon mislikes For except Gods helpe doe immediatly further angels or holie men doe immediatly commaund Deuils by no meanes may be inforced and compelled That God may commaund Diuels it is euident in that he had authoritie to make power to glorifie and iustice to condemne them as where Christ suffered thē to enter the Heard of Swine Luk 12. 72. Gaue power to his Apostles to expel them briefly limited thē as in the Apocalips That angels may command them it must be confest because as superiours by naturall power they may that holy men can God hath shewed by miracles angels likewise as superiors may compell because by law of order and course of concord inferior should not resist superiors Besides as in all pollices in gouerning Cities in constituting Commonweales magistrats are set to represse multitudes and iudges to correct disorders so God in the pollicy of celestiall and infernall Hierarchies hath set angels in loue to corred angels in hate and by their order without contrarietie to reforme the confusion of the Diuels peruerted monarchie Briefly as to superior motions inferior are subiect as to the planets our bodies are dispositiuely subiugated so by Diuine ordinance good command bad to preuent corruption and are restrained by good to correct their malice and insolence There are many likewise that suppose the Diuell is inclosed in a ring ready to giue them answer taxed to submit to their curiosities alwaies subiect to their commands wherein they expresse their folly and their miscrie Their folly in supposing him tied that willingly answereth and appeareth to deceiue Their miserie who thinke they hold the Diuell tied in fetters where be kéepeth them fettered in follies Tell me O Asterius if man by his owne natural forces can restraine or imprison a Deuil If thou say yea thou errest for the weaker is subiect to the stronger If thou confesse No then either ascribe the power to God that truly worketh it or say the Diuell hath deceiued thée that submits to be thy superior briefly thinke him neuer well tied vnto thée except restrained by God least he deceiue thée I pray thée tel me quoth Metrodorus whether magicians may cōpell the Deuil Not by himselfe I told him and so assure thée Metrodorus quoth Anthonie examin thy selfe apply hearbs outwardly speake incantations orderly and tell me truely thy faith being strong if they can moue thée If thou say they cannot then boldly auow they cannot moue the Diuel who is thy superior in power and seducer by kind Onlie that power which magicians haue ouer spirits is this by couenant and league not by authoritie and command They may draw the prince of Diuels to charge his inferior and without such cōtract they can no way inforce thē I pray you what command is this where failing in any right wanting one ceremonie mistaking due houres we neither may intreat nor forwardly command them Princes in Common-weales are tied to performe couenants by bonds and may breake them by prerogatiues or may disannull them by convictions or frustate them by displeasures So in this worlds kingdome the Diuell is condicionate by permission not force and sufferance not power Whence then was the art inuented said Frumentarius to restraine Diuels from themselues it cannot be since they affect superiority and from men it cannot be because they deceiue them That Art said Anthony which Asterius taught to shut spirits in vials and include them in Christals is not properly
an art but a conuention or secret or publicke contract betwéene fraudfull feinds and bewitched men the one affecting singularitie the other Diuine honour to which if men shall adhibit trust and suppose them able to helpe or mightie to harme and vnder such trust make any image of man or creature and consecrate the same with such figures charactors words suffumigations and actions as are by them thought requisit then doubtlesse such consecration ended some spirit shal enter the image and giue answers such as will deceiue not such as can comfort such as shall eternally destroy and not reléeue brieflie such as shall flatter an Apostata like Iulian to deceiue him with Iulian. To conclude art Magick is the inuention and tradition of euill angels who therfore O Asterius faine themselsues to be taken by thée that they may take thée bound by thée that they may bewitch thée subiect to thine emperie y t they may subdue thée inclosed by thée that they may confound thée eternally and séeme to be tied to thy mirror or christall to the end that fastened in the chaines of thy sinne they may beare thée to the prison of eternall obscurities There is likewise a prestigious deceit in Diuels whereby they faine to dispossesse bodies possessed either by force of Musicke power of hearbe vertue of stone or any other sensible thing whatsoeuer for such means as these being subiect and passiue the other superior and agent it is impossible that any such sensible thing should inforce them for hearbes stones and such other are bodies sensible but Diuels whatsoeuer are spirits seperate so that except some supernaturall helpe from God assist these creatures it is against reason they should inforce the Diuels where then Sathan faineth to yéeld to incantations or to be expelled by musicke as in Saule or driuen backe by the liuer of fish as in Tobie his expulsion is to be ascribed not to the harmonie of the Harpe but Gods power and Dauids praier neither the other to the smoke of the liuer but to Tobies earnest intercessiō By your leaue sir said Metrodorus it is not lawful to make vse of the Deuils helpe without sinne It is possible and permissible quoth Anthony by Gods authoritie For in the primatiue church excommunicants haue béen deliuered to the power of the deuill and by Paules example it is sufferable since he deliuered an incestious man to the hand of Sathan to be punished ad interitum carnis as the glosse saith But on our owne authoritie we neither may nor should not as appeareth Leuit. 20. Where it is said vir siue mulier in quibus phyonicus vel diuinationis fuerit spiritus morte moriatur and in the ninetéenth Follow not magicians neither aske councell of Southsayers So that hereby it appeareth that they sin mortally who either for things lost either for treasure hidden or such like vanities require the aduice of coniurers or search out the assistance of Astrologers Thrée only questions remaine holy Anthony which thorowly decided I am fully satisfied What are they Asterius quoth Anthony The first is whether witches or inchanters ministring remedies either for harmes done by themselues or practised by others do offend The second is whether it be lawfull to vse the helpe of a magitian in any thing The last is whether it be permissible in good sooth to practise any adiurations or incantations whatsoeuer I wil answer these questions said Anthony as succinctly as I may and as truly as I ought For the first they not only sinne gréeuously that hurt by Magicke but such also as séeke by it to cure their owne defaults or the infirmities in other And the reason is because that they which so worke although they profit their harmed neighbor Yet as Saint Paul saith Non sunt facienda mala vt vnde eueniant bona Euils are not to be done that good consequences may follow of them and whereas it is a most pernicious thing to inuocate the Diuel or to make any expresse or priuat contract with him so likewise the remedies induced therby are most wicked pernicious For what is euill of it selfe is not bettered by any good circumstance Neither can any good intention reforme that which is naturally euil So thē although it be a thing of much goodnes to preuent our neighbors incommodities yet must it be held unlawfull to extinguish their harms by practise of diuelish sorceries Yet least you hold me precise I must moderat this conclusion for my opinion in this is not so peremptorie but that I admit any lawful defraudatiō of Magick as breaking an instrument burning an exorcisme and pulling out a needle out of a picture of wax all which actions wanting the due circumstances of ceremonies and diuelish obseruations are rather passible in all men then reproouable in any Touching the second the difficultie is of no small moment yet as ambiguous is shortly decided Look as saith Augustine it is lawfull for me to vse the oth of an infidell although I know he sweareth by those false Gods whome he worshippeth for mine owne profit or as saith the schoolemen I may vse the Sacrament from a sinfull ministers hand so may I take profit of another mans peruersenesse to mine owne commoditie you are silent hearing this holding it vere dixit because ipse dixit but least I should deceiue those whom I wish should conceit I wil thus explaine this difficulty in a certain conclusion How may you say What will you induce Nothing but truth and because truth certaine and being certain irreproouable In a word therfore all works and cōuersing with witches is wicked their counsailes reprobate and their works damned and the reason is that since the inchanter séeking to make frustrate another mans increase by Diabolicall meanes doth himselfe gréeuously sinne It is impossible likewise but that he who demandeth the same question should in like sort be faulty For he that requireth a man to do that which without sinne he cannot do is gréeuously guiltie For by that demand he consenteth to another mans iniquity and besides his own sinne induceth him to offence and euen as like paine so like guiltinesse bindeth both the agent and the consenter so Paul testified Rom. 10. where he saith They are worthy of death not onlie who do such things but they also who consent to the déed or the doer the demander likewise was the approximate and next cause of sinne for although the inchanter were ready and prepared to the sin yet had he not wrought the peculiar inchantments had it not béene demanded at his hands Touching the example also of the infidel the curate they are altogether vnfit impertinent to the cause we handle for what so is demanded in these foresaid examples are not euill in themselues whereas those that are to doe them if they list may rightfully finish them and if they misdoe them it is not by reason of the error in the thing it selfe but the default of the
when the smith grindeth a knife or a sword on his grindstone the stone kéepeth and continueth in one course and whirling circularlie about doth so grind any thing as the smith that sitteth aboue ordereth and disposeth it if he will grind sharpe it shall be sharpe if blunt it grindeth blunt if square it grindeth square so as the maner dependeth not on the stone in turning but on his hand in gouerning If he take away the sword or ax the stone grindeth not although it turne and if the smith applie not some instrument it worketh nothing Why euen so fareth it with God and the bodies aboue For the planets are celestiall sphears obserue one circuler course not in their owne direction but as from the beginning God ordered them and as God will so they worke If he will they grind sharpe and cause plagues sicknesse tempests wars and such like they do so and if his pleasure be that they produce plenty worke increase stir calmes and yéeld peace they effect it So God may do with the planets what he will and without the planets what he list yet are they so tied to him that they onlie worke by his ordinance Since God then saith Asterius doth with the celestiall bodies what he will and disposeth them when he will and since he is frée in his doing and vnconstrained by the planets how should man know his secret doomes by celestial influence or determine of his works by y t ordinarierourse of the planets Asterius quoth Anthonie since thou canst not know by the axe when the carpenter will worke nor iudge by the clocke when the clarke will set it nor guesse by the grindstone when or how the smith will grind so neither by celestiall bodies or influence of planets canst thou censure the procéedings of God or iudge what he will ordaine of man or how dispose of kingdomes or when dispeople countries For the planets are Gods instruments and to them is prefixed one certaine and determinate motion from which they may not varie and which they cannot change For frée election haue they none in their doings but God is the soueraigne iudge most rightfull most mercifull most frée and most able to punish to spare to correct and forbeare For his might excéedeth mans reach and nothing may withstand him and for that cause his works and wisdome is not limitted by the planets but as men change their liuing so God disposeth his louing as they flie frō their follies so poureth he down his graces For example we haue Niniuie which for sinne was threatened with distruction within fortie daies and for repentance dismissed from the hand of displeasure yet in this breach of determination the planets altered not their course neither was there any prescience of Gods purpose by influence of celestial bodies We read also in the fourth of the Kings That God sent Esay the Prophet to Ezechias the King because he had sinned cōmanding him to make his testament because he should die We find also written that he trembled at his summons repented him sore wept bitterlie and askt mercie and consequentlie it appeareth by the Prophet Esay Gods messenger to the king that he had receiued his repentance and heard his praiers and that he should not die but liue fiftéene years further Now in this exchange of Gods wrath to mercie what can Astrologie say either of Gods purpose changed or the planets courses altered But that it is apparant quoth Asterius that sodainly the Sun hereon changed his course turned againe to the East and renued the day againe Oh sir quoth Anthony the turning againe of the Sun was not the cause of the mercie of God neither a testimony of his iudgement changed for he altered his doome before the Sun turned againe So that the turning of the Sun was nought els but a token of mercie to the king For right as the Sun changed his course vpon the repentance of Ezechias so God altereth his sentence so soone as man repenteth him of his sinne and therefore the law saith 〈◊〉 deus mutare sententiam si tu noueris emendare delictum God altereth the perill as soone as he knoweth that thou art repentant for thy trespasse It was also a token to the king that Gods behest should bée fulfilled Now sir all the Astronomers that euer were could not foretell that wonderfull returne of the sun because it excéedeth the course of nature and the law of kind and therefore that token proueth sufficiently that God is not ruled by the course of the planets but that the planets are ruled by him Neither that his iudgements are tied to them but their motion directed and ordered by him S. Paul considering this cries out Quis congnouit sensū domini aut quis consiliarius eius fuit Who saith he knoweth the iudgement of God or who was his counsellor Forsooth not vaine Astronomers fantasticke Astrologers cursed inchanters and such like For they are lighter as the French man saith by ten degrées and graines of wit then Triboulet the king foole and thrust furthest from Gods counsaile as men whome he most hateth and therefore Paul saith The iudgements of God are incomprehensible and no man may know them Neither may any man tract his waies or trie his-secrets For they be so medled with mercie and mixt with righteousnesse that they passe mans wit and all humane capacitie Vniuersa vire domini veritas vita Iudicia domini abissus multa The Iudgements of God be of a great depth the waies of our Lord are mercie truth yea so déepe are they as no mans wit may sound them so darke as weak consideration cannot attain them therfore such Astronomers and Astrologers that so much intermeddle with Gods works and so déeply insinuate themselues into his secrets are fond in their diuination diuelish in their intention and condemned in their enterprise You are too strict quoth Asterius old Hermit in reproouing Astronomy and inforce more against Astrologie thē you haue reason for they are not so peremptorie as you iudge but cōclude nothing for certain and determinate onlie this they say That they can measure inclinations of men and dispositions of creatures by the motion of the heauens yet so as by vertue they conclude that both man and woman may ouer come the planets alleaging in this the authoritie of Ptolemey their arch maister who with the Poet saith Sapiens domina bitur astris They concord likewise that by Astronomy they may know when men or women are enclined to war or peace and when by common course of kind tempest should arise famine increase warres take head yet so restrain they themselues y t they confes that both praier may preuent such euill mishaps by course likewise it happeneth y t though the constellations take no effect in one countrie yet in another they may be forcible Well said Anthonie since they can tell me nothing that shall happen but ambiguouslie and doubtfully since their demonstrations
are fallible and their positions vncertaine It is inconuenient either to trust them or to put affiance in their follies for so may euery foole tell what he will and excuse his error Their manner of spéech then is but a coppie and coulor of subtiltie and vntruth a net to catch mens soules a sinfull excusation of sinne and a chaine to draw men from God and to tie them to fantasies wise they would be thought and are prooued ignorant secret and skilfull but they are known deceiuers and faine would they be thought of Gods counsaile but neither wot they how neither can they because they are so false For the better proofe whereof you shall vnderstand that there is but one sunne one moone and other fiue stars Saturne Iupiter Mars Uenus and Mercurie which with other stars whirle about the earth with the firmament euerie day naturall passing ouer all climats and countries water aire in foure and twentie houres which is called a day naturall from midday to midday and make no more abode ouer one then ouer another how should they then more incline in one land then in another Dispose one person more to vice or vertue then another or threaten one countrie more with warre or peace then another Because quoth Metrodorus to help Asterius some what amased some constellation or some coniunction some aspect or some influence in their swift passage and motion falleth vpon one land more then another as men are born vnder diuers constellations coniunctions aspects signs so are they inclined in diuors manners hauing their affections more appropriate to vice or vertue war or peace That is false quoth Anthony and thus I proue it when the kings sonne is born at one instant with the bondmans soune the time is one the constellations the sunne the aspects sighes and planets alike yet haue they not one inclination and disposition for the kings sonne is disposed by inheritance to be a king after his father and the bondmands sonne is disposed by his birth to bée a bondman all his life time as his father was a hundreth yeares before his creation no planet then could auoid this bondage or depriue the kings sonne of his right and inheritance In the same time with the same aspects vnder the same planets when one child is brought forth many other are borne yet haue they not all one inclination neither are they subiect to one dispositions For some of them are inclined to goodnesse and some to wickednesse some to sicknesse and some to health some to be wrathfull some to be mercifull some to be wise some to be fooles some foule some faire some rich some poore some long liuing some soone dying Esau and Iacob had both one mother and one father Isaac and Rebecca and both were begotten at once and yet were they diffident in manners for Iacob was a good man and Esau a bad Iacob beloued of God Esau hated for his wickednesse Iacob was smooth of bodie Esay full of haire Iacob was a true simple man Esau a prowd and malicious son so then it appeareth that such diuers inclinations of men and women depend neither on the planets or the time of their births What then are the causes of the diuersities said Frumentarius Forsooth quoth Anthony Adams originall sinne wherein we are conceiued and being so conceiued are to sin inclined and therefore God saith that mans heart thought is prone to euill euen from his youth Sensus cogitatio cordis generis humani in malum prona sunt ab adolescentia sua no man therefore may say of himself my heart is clean as who should say I am pure and cleane without sinne Some likewise are disposed to sicknesse some more and some lesse and that for diuers causes Sometimes for wicked sufferance because children are not chastised in their youth For as Salomon saith the child that is suffered to haue his will shameth his mother and his kinsfolke Some for wicked company they be in and wicked example of their elders and misinformation For as Salomon saith A man in his ould age hardly forsaketh the depraued customes of his youth And yet it is a prouerb qd Metrodorus Yong saint old deuil It is a sinfull prouerbe said Anthonie to draw men from science to sinne from vertue to vice and from God to the Diuell for Scripture saith Bonum est homini cum portauerit iugum suum ab adolescentia sua Happie is the man saith he that hath borne the yoake of our Lord from his youth And as the Poet saith Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit Such as the vessell taketh when it is new such it sauoureth when it is old and therefore Saint Iohn Baptist Tobie Ieremy Sampson and Samuel with many others are praysed in sacred Scripture for their holinesse in youth For commonly they that are good in their young yeares in their reretired age make a happie end according to the Prouerbe Qualis vita finis ita And although for a time they be subiect to sinne and vanitie God suffereth them to fall therein least they should be prowd of their own goodnes take disdaine at others sinfull wretchednesse Some also is more enclined to sinne then another because he was gotten and conceiued in sinne more then another although they were both borne in wedlocke For husband and wife may sinne gréeuouslie together in misuse of their bodies or in distemperance if they either exceed measure or manner or default in time as in sicknesse or otherwise The sinne notwithstanding is in the asker net in the giuer They may like wise sinne by wicked intention or fulfilling the iusts of the flesh not to the intent to the wicked fornication nor to yéeld the debt of their bodies nor to bring forth children to the worship of God but only to their owne lust men also are enclined to sinne by their excesse meats and drinks and by the misgouernance of their fiue sences and for these causes one is inclined to sicknesse more then another For sinne oftentimes is a cause of bodely sicknesse and by misdiet of the mother when she is with child or by indisposition of the father or mother or both when the child is gotten and by miskéeping of the child in youth many sicknesses are fallen into for children in youth are apt to haue all things and by that meanes do oftentimes receiue that inwardly which altereth their complexions and peruerteth their natures God likewise smiteth them sometime with sicknesses and mischiefe for that their fathers and mothers sinne in too vnséemly cockering and affection Knowing their parents corrupt desires to be so great that to instruct their sonnes they will hazard their soules Sometime also he smiteth with sicknesse to shew his might and power as he did in him that was borne blind that the power of God might be showne in him in restoring his sight many other causes likewise there be which passe mans wit and are not subiect to our
and stars were Gods and gouernors of the world whereas gouernance doth only and truly belong to wittie and reasonable thinges as to God who is soueraigne wisdome To angels as the wisest of his creation to men as illuminated by his spirits But vnreasonable bodies aboue are only instruments of Gods gouernance and therefore cannot but indirectly be called guides and disposers Such iudiciall Astronomy also is comdemned by the law 26. q. 6. Igitur and in many other places of scripture also S. Paule likewise misliketh such practicke in Aronomy where he saith You kéep holy daies and yeares as heathen people do I am therefore affraid quoth he that I haue trauailed about you in vaine to conuert you all and on the same place the glosse reprehendeth the craft of Astronomie very earnestly Such sciences likewise are reproued in Pauls Epistle to the Corin. 10. I shall saith God destroy the wise man and the slight of the subtill and of them that trust so much in their cunning Where also Saint Paule saith Where is now the wise man that setteth so much by his owne wit Where is now the man of law with all his slights Where is now the searcher of nature and the course of kind God saith he hath turned the wisdome of the world into folly I count said Metrodorus that this deuining of things to come which onely depend on the wil of God and mans industries are méere and great follies For no Astronomer by his cunning can tell me my thoughts nor resolue me in succéeding purposes nor how I shal lead my life they know not my counsailes although they sée and speake with me how should they then know Gods will since they neither sée him nor speake with him Themselues cannot foretell or beware of their owne mischiefes and how may he rightly know a star so farre oft that cannot warely escape a pit hard at hand so that as far as I sée the more they worke by their craft the worser they spéed Now trust me said Anthony I like thy present reasons to shew their further arrogance I will thus prosecute my purpose wherby you shall espy their wonderous folly and find that the more they trust in their secrets the lesse they trust in God There will no wiseman as you know write his hid secrets and yéerely busines in the roofe of his hal nor about the wals therof least al men might read them and know them no more will God write what he thinketh to doe in the firmament that therein all fooles might discerne his secrets and forepointments For Christ hid many things from his apostles and said to them Non est vestra nosce tempora vel momenta quae pater posui in sua potestate It longeth not to you to know the times and moments which the father of heauen hath receiued into his power and by the Prophet Esay he said Secreta meū mihi secretum meum mihi I kéepe my secrets to my selfe and since he kéepeth such counsails from his friends much more obscureth he his secrets from his enemies They say that by the secrets of Astronomy they may lawfully tell and deuiue of faire and drie wether of raine and of tempests for they fall by common course of nature quoth Asterius and therefore they may be foreknowne and foretold Asterius answered Anthony as I haue said before the course and kind of planets dependeth on Gods will only and are méerely at his owne disposition as the instrument stands on the workemans hand and in his will to doe there with what he will So that Astronomers by their cunning cannot certainely foretell either drought raine or succéeding tempest neither censure the same by stars as the materiall causes of the same but by the celestiall bodies as by tokens they may know the successe of frost haile snow wet drought and such other things and that knowledge hath the shéepheard in the field the shipman on the sea the bird in the aire the fish in the water and the beasts in the wood far better then all the Astronomers in the world How then may bodies aboue bée tokens of things and not causes said Asterius The falling of soot quoth Anthony in the chimney is a token of succéeding raine but not the cause of raine but the raine rather is cause of the soot falling For when the aire wareth moist then doth the soot through the moisture thereof wax heauie and so falleth downe and in so falling is a token of the moisture of the aire So swetting of water out of the stone is a token of raine yet is it no cause thereof but the raine moisture of the aire is cause of the swetting of the same The melting also of salt when it turneth to water is a token of raine but not the cause Smoake in the house when it passeth not out readily is a token of raine and the blew glowing of fire a token of frost but none of both causes of either The Halo likewise about the Moone a token of wind but no cause al such tokens showing the disposition of the aire but not the cause and in like manner superiour constellations by their light and manner of shining are tokens of wet and drought and such like And as the light of the Sun sheweth the disposition of glasse when it shines vpon it whether it be white or blacke red or gréene and yet is not the cense of the same colors and the Moone in one lunacion and in the same time sheweth in one countrie great tokens of raine and 20 miles off showeth great tokens of drought and so it falleth out yet it is the same Moone and the same lunacion and therefore the same cause in diuersitie is not in the Moone but in the aire In one countrie sheweth wind and tempests in another far otherwise some is made whote by the reuerberation of the sun in another countrie not so but far different In one day also it gloweth in another it fréezeth The sunne showeth his light one time of the day another time it doth not which diuersities stand not on the sunne but on the aire and other causes For the sun of it selfe as Philosophers say is alwaies of one certaintie and shineth euer alike It is not whoter one time then it is at another time But such diuersitie falleth by the diuersitie of the aire and other meanes and causes surpassing mans capacitie Sometimes such aduentures of hunger pestilence tempests drought and inundacions fall out by the ordinance of God for mans sinne and to expresse his might and power Sometime without meane only at his will Sometime by the working of good or euill angels at Gods bidding Sometime by the working of the supernaturall bodies at his bidding For as I first said he may doe with the planets what he will and he may doe without them what he list And therefore by the course of the planets we may know such aduentures and casualties not as being causes thereof
in retaining and constant in obseruing That thou oughtest to take counsaile request it at Gods hand Iames teacheth thée where he saith If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it of God Iacob 10. and Paule in his Epistle to the Colossians saith Whatsoeuer you doe either in word or déed doe it in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ giuing thanks to God the father For as Iames saith Euery best gift and euery perfect gift is from aboue descending from the father of lights with whom is no transmutation nor shadowing of alteration in demanding counsaile therefore at Gods hands thou must both be deuout and prouident to the end thou maist desire nothing at his hands but y t which shall stand with iustice and be correspondent to honestie and if so thou doe doubtlesse whatsoeuer thou wilt thou shalt obtaine For Christ faith whatsoeuer you shall aske of my father in my name he shal giue it you which thou maist thus vnderstand if thou be iust and demand iustly otherwise if thou desire vnlawfull things the iudgement shal light on thy selfe and the peruerse counsaile destroy thine own soule for as Iesus the sonne of Sirac saith he that worketh vngodly counsailes they shall returne and ouer whelme himself neither shall he know from whence they happen vnto him For if in the law of common freindship it be held both iniustice and iniurie either to request dishonest things or accomplish them being demanded much more in Gods cause who is our perfect friend and only kéeper of our soules ought we to be respectiue and therefore as Cato saith Quod iustum estpetito vel quod videatur honestum Nam stultum est petere quod possit iure negari Since therefore mans counsaile without Gods helpe is both weake and fruitlesse by reason that without him we may not do any thing let vs first of all séeke from him our counsaile and his iustice and all other goods shal bée annexed and tied vnto vs. Next of all thou must aske counsaile and examine it in thy selfe namely whether thy will peruert not thy reason thy superstition thy deuotion thy selfe loue thy iudgement briefly thou must chiefest of all so draw counsaile from thy selfe that thy moderation be not peruerted by rage nor thy discretion by light beliefe First take héed that neither thou thy selfe be irefull nor thy counsellor be wrothfull and that for many reasons First because the ireful man thinketh his abilitie to excéed his power and by that means he ouercommeth his owne abilitie for it is a true law that he who thineketh he can more then his nature ministers in excéeding his owne power thinketh himselfe to be imbaced secondly because the wrothfull man speaketh not according as iustice directs him but as the spléene peruerteth him Thirdly because wroth hindereth the mind whereupon the Poet saith Wroth lets the mind for feare it spie the truth In counsailes therefore and in other things thou must restraine the disturbed motions of thy soule and make thy desires obedient to the rules of loue and reason for so Tullie counsaileth when he saith Gouerne thy wrath because whē it hath power nothing may either be done rightly or consideratly for those thinges which are wrought with any perturbation can neither be done with constancie nor approoued by those that are absent wroth hath no meane neither doth interrupted furie admit any moderation For the irefull man accounteth al counsaile inconsiderat he that ouercommeth his wroth ouercommeth a great enemie and he can neuer be considerat that is sildome moderat in counsell likewise thou must auoid pleasure or cupidity least either y e one or other ouercome the sence and iudgement of either thée or thy chosen counsaile First because desire and couetousnesse is the root of all euils Paul ad Cor. Secondly because the voluptuousnes of the heart extinguisheth the light of the mind and containeth in it selfe all kind of inconuenience For Tully in his booke de Senectute saith That nature hath not giuen man more capitall or fatall enemies then the desires and pleasures of the bodie for from it spring rash and vnrefrained lusts inciting and peruerting the mind and after many enormities reckoned vp he concludeth that there is no place for vertue in the kingdome of pleasure For which cause there is nothing so detestable or pestilerous as to folow pleasure for where it taketh most head and roote there is all the light of the soule extinguished And truly pleasure is so bad that it neuer springeth except griefe forego it for as Alphonsus saith no man is delighted with drinking except he be foregréeued with thirst neither taketh any man pleasure in eating except he hath béene plagued with hunger neither affecteth any man rest except he hath béene agréeued and agrauated by labor beside this is to be noted that in euery and the least danger there is some imminent perill wherevpon the Philosopher said thus Whosoeuer is voluptuous cannot want vice Thirdly in thy counsailes other things thou must auoid and remoue couetous desire quia parat peccatum generat mortem as Iames saith Fourthly thou must auoid desire both in thy selfe and thy counsailers because all desires are the gates of hell by which we haue recourse vnto death Fiftly in thine actions and counsailes whatsoeuer thou must expell desire because it loueth nothing els but that which is vnlawsul therfore Seneca saith Ferocissima cupiditas pestis est quis solet egenos facere quos capit quia finemquerendi non inuenit alia enim cupiditas ex fine alterius nascitur Desire quoth he is a fierce plague which not only maketh thée poore when it surpriseth because it findeth no end in séeking for one desire is begotten by the issue and end of another and therefore in another place he saith he is stronger that ouercommeth his desire then hée which mastereth his enemie Sixthly desire in all affaires and actions is to be both remoued and reproued especiall to the end that infirmities may be auoided for if as it is prooued desire hath no end it deserueth and that worthily to bée dispised whereupon a father saith follow not infinit things for where is no end there can be no rest and where there is no rest there can be no peace and where there is no peace God cannot dwell for as Dauid saith His place is in peace and his habitation in Sion In counsailes likewise thou must auoid all hast and rashnesse for as in iudgement celerilie is condemned wherevpon it is wont to be said that hée is the best iudge that quickly apprehendeth and slowly iudgeth and againe he hasteth to repent him that swiftly censureth so is it written of counsaile in thy counsailes the longer thou hast deliberated thinke thou hast the righter done for the swiftest counsails are soonest repented Thou must not therefore either giue or take counsaile hastely or sodainly but with aduised deliberation and competent delay for as Seneca saith Lib de For.
thy selfe by thy selfe whereupon Seneca in his Epistles writeth Consider thy selfe inwardly and beléeue not other what thou art it more concerneth thée to know what thou séemest to thy selfe then what thou art estéemed by others For it is a wise mans part rather to iudge himselfe than his neighbour And touching acceptance in taking counsaile in time of prosperitie thus saith Seneca in his book de formula honestas vitas Then when thou art in prosperitie ask counsaile as if in danger and rather feare faire spéech then bitter good counsailes For an euill man that speaketh faire is the net of the innocent and there are none so secret treasons as those that are coloured with the office of dissimulation or vnder the name of friendship It is therefore better to receiue the stripes of a freind then the kisses of a flatterer Be not therefore moued with the faire swéet and choice words of a flatterer but regard thine owne affaires and examine their discourses A wise man respecteth the matter not the oratorie for he that speaketh truth his spéech is plaine and vnpolished And although thou thinke thy selfe a wise man yet trust not thine owne purpose but with deliberate iudgement séeke wisdome from another man For Cassiodorus councelleth to séeke wisdome in another man in whom is greatnesse of science for to doubt and to aske councell of the wise is neither vnprofitable nor immodest The counsaile likewise of those men is to be eschewed who in times past were thine enemies and are afterwards reconciled for no man safelie returneth into fauor with his enemie For which cause Esope said neither trust or discouer your secrets to those with whom you haue béene at debate and contention Nulla fides hosti tibi sit qui talia noste Prorsus hostilis tibi sit persuatio vilis For as where fire bath béen long time there neuer wanteth vapour so where ancient enmities haue béene continued there cannot be true loue neither may there euer bée default of suspect Thine enemie will wéepe in thy presence and when he spies his time be imbrued with thy blood associat thée not therefore with thine enemies when thou maist find other friends for the euils thou hast done them they will not forget and the fauours thou offerest them they will suspect Their counsaile like wise is to be eschewed who not for loue but feare shew loue and dilection for they are not friends but odious enemies For Tully saith in his Offices amongst all things there is nothing more apt to maintaine riches and retaine them being compassed then loue neither any thing more fond then to be feared For men deadly hate those whom they feare and whatsoeuer a man earnestly hateth he desireth to sée perished And y t no wealth may withstand many mens hate though before it were vnknowne yet now is it manifest doc not therefore think that either counsailor or freind may be gotten by feare for no man is faithfull to him he feareth and therefore Martiall long Inuitas vero nemo coactus amat And good counsel and friendship is not only not retained or attained by feare and terror but euery kingdome likewise maintained by feare doth soone come to perdition For as the Philosopher saith he ought to feare many when manie feare and as Seneca concludeth No terrible man can bée secure in his monarchie The riotous mans counsaile also must be eschewed for how can he be trustie in thy secrets who is a traitor to his owne bodie They likewise that pretend one thing priuately and protest another openly are to be reiected for it is a certaine kind of harme and iniustice to speake one thing secretly and make shew of another thing openly Flie likewise the councell of the euill and suspected For he that is euill in himselfe neuer deliuereth good counsaile from himselfe and where the heart is fraught with impietie the tongue vttereth nothing but dissimulation and subtilty young men in counsaile likewise are déepely to bée suspected for they haue ripe wits and yong desires Woe saith the wise man to that land whose king is a child and whose Princes eat early It followeth now in what sort how thou oughtest to examine counsaile For in it there needeth great circumspection and discretion that both the beginning progresse and end be very diligently examined First therefore in discerning counsaile both generally suppresse in thy selfe and remoue from thy counsailers ire pleasure desire hast the arch enemies of all deltheration Secondly respect the beginning of thy affairs for the law tieth a man to circumspection in nothing more then the entrance and therefore the Prouerbe saith He that hath begun well hath halfe happily finshed For all examples haue had their springs from good beginnings and in al good things thou shalt continually find a double euill in the beginning therefore thou oughtest to feare because of the double euils which accompany euery thing For if in good beginnings there is a doubt of double harme much more in things badly begun and improuidently disposed is there danger For they sildom or neuer haue good ends which haue badly begun The beginnings are in our owne powers but the euents in fortunes hands wisely therefore and with great discretion examine thou thy counsailes for it is the propertie of a prudent man to prie into euery thing to auoid credulitie and to preuent falshood In examining thy counsaile likewise obserue these circumstances that in euery thing thou respect that which is true and sincere what conuenience or consequent and whence matters take head and what is the cause and reason of euery thing Thou must therefore be respectiue to the truth because truth is only to be regarded which only maketh men like to God because God in himselfe is perfect truth as appeareth by Christs words Ego sum via veritas vita I am the way the truth and the life and therefore require I sincerity as Tully did in counsaile because pure and sincere veritie is to be respected and mendacious and subtill lying is earnestly to be auoided For as the Philosopher saith veritie is perfect when it is not intermedled with falshood and the wise man saith Rather is a theefe to be beléeued then an assiduous and common lier to be heard And where I annex a cōuenient regard in affairs it is for this cause because in all thy counsailes thou must haue this regard that they be conuenient and agréeable with reason Thou must likewise respect who they be that consent to the affairs wil and counsails and who contradict the same that by this thou maist know whether thy businesse or determination will sort to good or no Thou must likewise examine and foresee whether thy purpose consent or stand with possibilitie and in all the foresaid be so prouident in examining y t thine appetite may agrée with reason vtility and possibility Touching consequence also haue diligent care in examining whether thou shalt obtain good or euil hate fear or
loue by thy counsailes and whether either domage or vtilitie iustice or iniurie and many such like which haue correspondence with the consequence and may not fitly bée numbred in this place in all which good is to be chosen and profit to be taken hate feare iniurie and all such other euils generally omitted and remooued Touching the circumstance whence matters are deriued thou must be very thoughtfull in examining euery word of the counsaile and carefull to consider whether they spring from vertue or vice or from any thing that deseruedly ought to be auoided or from which profit or commoditie may be drawne Touching examination of the cause thou must be very prouident in pondering the reasons thereof and earnestly séeking out the grounds of matters For so Seneca counsailed when hée said search out the cause of euery action and when thou hast found out the beginning bethinke thée of the end not slightly but iudicially dispose thy mind into thrée parts ordinat the present foresée the future and remember that is past for he rightly looseth his life that bethinketh him not of y t which hath past him who neuer premeditates on things to come manageth all things improuidently Propose therfore in thy mind both the good and euill fortunes that may chance that thou maist sustain the one and moderat the other Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be examined consider likewise how it is to be taken and approued For then is counsaile chiefly to be taken and approued when it is both examined and found to be good and profitable And although the counsaile séemeth good it is not presently to be executed but thou must diligently looke into it how thou canst effect the same For he that commeth to the gouernement of a Commonweale and the management of affairs must not only take consideration that the thing is honest but he must likewise ponder with himselfe if he haue power to effect it In which it is likewise to be considered that he dispaire not rashly for sloth sake or grow lesse considerate through desire and couetousnesse so that in all affairs before they be enterprised thou must imploy a diligent preparation Consider therefore that thou take not too much for as the Prouerbe saith Qui nimis capit parum stringit So that rightly thou oughtest to begin nothing but y t which reasonably thou maist bring to effect Search not quoth Seneca things aboue thy reach only séek y t which may be found learn that which may be knowne desire that which may be wisht for He that desireth to flie before he get him wings is assured to fal before he expecteth it for if thou shouldest only take respect to the goodnesse profit and honor of the affaire only without the consideration of the facilitie possibilitie and conuenience of the same that would fall out which the poet saith Qui plus posse putat sua quem natura ministrat Posse suum superans seminus esse potest And if the counsaile be doubtfull in déed or word thou must rather conceale it then execute it leaue it then take it For it becommeth a wise man rather to be silent by himselfe then to speake against himselfe because it is apparant that many haue béene ouertaken by their talke but few men circumuented by their silence for words are like to arrows which are easily shot out but hardly got in againe In doubtfull matters therefore silence is requisit and actions vncertaine are better left vndone then vnfortunatly hazarded To conclude in al the forenamed so be thou stil instructed by thy selfe and others that all other contraries let slip thou only build and make choice of that which is good true profitable iust and reasonable Now since thou knowest how counsaile is to be taken consider likewise how and in what sort it is to bée retained which is euen then when by proofe and experience it is knowne profitable For proue all saith S. Paule and kéepe only that which is good and that with great constancie for so counsaileth Seneca whē he saith Be thou moouable not light constant but not obstinate It now remaineth that thou learne when thy counsailes or promises may be changed the alteration whereof is approued for many causes for the first cause ceasing and a new succéeding counsaile or promise may be changed and that according to Philosophie which saith that the causes ceasing the effects likewise cease counsaile also can and may be changed it either by error or any other cause it proue vndecent for as Seneca saith Certaine things there be that séem good and are not and certaine other which seeme and are so for verie oftentimes the truth beareth show of a lie and oftentimes a lie hideth the hope of truth Counsaile likewise is to be changed if it depend on dishonest causes or in it selfe be vnlawfull For according to the law and generally all vnlawfull pronuses are of no regard Counsel likewise is to be altered if it be sinfull or pertaine thereto for there is no counsaile against God and of no lesse worth is a promise vnpossible then an assumpsit vnreasonable A wise man lieth not when he changeth his purpose for the better and it is alwaies held a rule among the learned that the counsaile cannot be good which cannot be changed Good father Anthonie quoth Frumentarius I am resolued in all points touching the course of counsel I pray you therfore descend to the discourse of wars for the world being so much giuen to contention there is nothing that should be sooner learned Frumentanus quoth Anthonie I will fit thée in this likewise The discourse of war requireth a long Treatise because it includeth great dangers that must aduisedly be spoken of which rashly followed is ruinous and fatall War in one sort is the mother of inconuenience for it indangereth those too often that hope in it and helpeth those too fondly that should fall by it It is likewise an arme of iustice for were there not armes to reuenge iustice the authoritie of princedome would be too forward in iniuries warre likewise is an effect of vengeance for God sendeth the that are too secure in their peace a mighty sword to confound them in their securitie By war the wicked war rich and the poore fortunat and the effects thereof are such as the hungrie are filled with good things and the rich are sent empty away To conclude war is the Mistresse of confusion making pollicie of confusions and confusions pollicies They that vndertake it must serue the necessities thereof and they that wish for it are the discontented who in affecting innouation in hope to be bettered doe fall on the sword by vntimely death Briefly war is not to be wished for for as Tully saith All libertie is restrained therein and those profits that procéed therof are as well ruins as raisings of a Commonweale The conqueror what winneth he Who to reléeue a few colonies that are inuaded looseth many thousand subiects
whose equals cannot be found out Should I discourse at full of this subiect define deuide subdeuide and examine particulars it would rather require a volume then a discourse such as I can yéeld thée I will therefore only touch things necessarie and leaue the rest to thine own reading instructing thée only in those things which are lawfull and prescribing thée certaine rules when it is lawfull to enter fight and admit contention which may be referred to these eight causes Thou maist lawfully fight first of all for the maintainance of thy faith next for iustice sake Thirdly to maintaine peace Fourthly to conserue liberty Fiftly to auoid dishonestie and turpitude Sixtly to repell violence Seuenthly for the defence of a mans owne bodie Eightly for a necessarie cause First touching war to be vndertaken for faith there is nothing more iust nothing more reasonable neither anie thing more honest for faith is our buckler where vnder we gard all vertues our seale of inheritance our linck of Christianity our aliance with God rather is death to be suffered then religion to be forsaken we ought likewise to fight for Iustice sake euen to the vtterance of our liues for except iustice be maintained Common-weales are ruinated for peace likewise war is lawfull because by peace iustice and communities are maintained war likewise is lawful for the maintainance of liberty and auoidance of seruitude for as Tully saith When time and necessitie require man may fight and a valiant death is to be preferred before a seruile and obscure life for happily is he killed who ignominiously serueth Thou maist also fight to auoid Turpitude for no death is so odious as the indurance of dishonestie Thou maist likewise fight to repell violence for all laws rights permit this to repell force by force In thine owne defence likewise maist thou war for the law saith that what man doth in his owne defence is lawfully done And law of nature likewise teacheth vs to detest iniuries for it is better to withstand in time then reuenge after wrongs Resist thou therefore bouldly iniustice violence and iniurie done vnto thée for as greatly is he in fault saith Tully that resisteth not if he can as he that being of abilitie leaueth both his friends and his countrie Thou maist rightly war also vpon a iust cause as being sommoned by denuntiation and generall proclamation For assuredly that enemie thinketh himselfe strong or in effect is rash and vnaduised that calleth his equall to combate and maketh open profession of displeasure Againe touching war these few notes are to be considered That God hath therefore ordained and commaunded the law of the sword to bring them in peace by the sword that will not otherwise obay the lawes of right and charitie That war likewise is held lawfull it appeareth because God himselfe vouchsafeth the name of the Lord of hostes To conclude battaile according to other is only lawfull in thrée causes First when the cause is rightfull Next the intention good Thirdly if it be done by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince It is néedfull first of all that the cause bée rightfull and that men fight only for the right and to maintaine right and for the preseruation of the communaltie and those that are guiltlesse and would haue peace for as Augustine saith the end of battaile should be peace Their intention also must be rightfull not that they fight for ambition to get the authority or for couetousnesse to get riches or for malice to be reuenged of grutches or for cruelty to murther men For if their intention be wicked though their cause be iust they sinne in manslaughter and for their wicked intention God suffereth them to be ouercome in a rightfull cause it must likewise be executed by the authoritie of a lawfull Prince not raised by iniustice but made by common custome by authority of law by rightfull election for although a man gather a multitude against his prince and by the rebels his followers is made their head yet is he neither to command neither ought they vniustly to obay for both their election in him is vnlawfull and obedience towards him vniust This sufficeth quoth Frumentarius only good Anthony discourse of iustice and thou leauest me well resolued Frumentarius quoth Anthony iustice hath best execucion where there foregoeth good election for a prince that chooseth good iudges is sure his laws shall be well executed First therefore in choice of thy iudges out of many chuse few out of few the wisest out of the wisest the expertest out of the expertest y e most prudent of the most prudent the most quietest of the quietest the eldest for the true and worthie iudge without all doubt must be of a generous noble blood old in years of life honest of little follie much experience in spéech resolute and in knowledge profound The true iudge must not relent by praiers nor be corrupted with gifts nor deceiued with words nor disturbed with threatnings or misseled with money nor ouercome with pittie The good iudge must haue alwaies one hand readie to sustaine the good and the other to punish the wicked A good iudge is hée that dealeth in truth speaketh truth and is a friend of truth and an enemy to liers A good iudge must be wise in that hée commandeth iust in his iudgements and moderat in his executions and that which is more then all that in matters of iustice the determination thereof he shew neither passion nor affection No man in this world is so perfect but there is in him to be amended neither any man so euill that hath not in him to be praised The historie writers doe note Homer of vaine spéech taske Alexander for fury Caesar for ambition Pompey for pride Demetrius for vices Hanniball for periurie Vespatian for couetousnesse Traian for a winebibber Aurelius for amorous Amongst men so great glorious and famous as these Iudges may wel think to be noted of faults and therefore ought to be very carefull to direct a circumspect and warie course in their liues that they may auoid scandalizers and slanderers Iudges likewise ought to bée good Christians and not weake in patience For there is no vertue more requisit in a Common-weale then patience for the iudge that is measured in that he speaketh and dissembleth the iniuries done vnto him he may not lightly fall Those that gouerne people and determin causes much more then other men ought to liue warely and be of more sufferance for as they iudge so are they regarded measured and considered There is nothing in this world more sure as I haue said before then that he which is feared of many ought also to feare many and therefore it commeth to passe that many times the iudge is more damnified in his fame then the sutor in his goods I mean this of iudges who are proud and melancholie But such as are mild and gentle in suffering the people examine not the liues they