Christes witnesses shuld very wel vnderstand that both the Law the Prophets do bear record vnto our Sauiour Chryst that he shuld die for the world come again in the latter day to raise vp the dead bodies to glorifie them to carrie theÌ„ with him into eternal blisse And for this cause God wold haue these two excellent Prophets séene of the Apostles Lazarus soule did not only appeare but he came againe both in bodie soule as Iohn witnesseth in his 11. chap. he is as it were a sure token of our true resurrection which shall be in the last day as also others which our Sauiour Christ the Apostles in auncient time the Prophets haue raysed from the dead You shal neuer read that either Lazarus or any other haue told wher they were while they were deade or what kynde of being there is in the other world for these things are not to be learned and knowen of the dead but out of the word of God. The like may be said to that which is in the 27. chap. of S. Matthew that when Christ suffered on the Crosse the graues wer opened afterwards on the day of his resurrection many dead bodies did arise appeared to many at Hierusalem The soules of the dead did not only appeare neither did they warne the liuing or coÌ„maund them to do this or that for the deads sake to wit either to pray for theÌ„ or to go on pilgrimage to saints c. But the dead with their souls bodies togither came into the earth for héerby god would shew that he by his death hath ouercom destroyed death to the faithful that at the last day their soules bodies shall be knit togither and liue with God for euer Now what thâ—se holy men were that rose again whether they remained any time in this present life or died again or went with Christ into heauen loke the iudgement of S. Augustine in his .99 Epist. to Euodius his 3. booke De mirabilibus scrip ca. 13. To these we may ioyn that which Ruffinus writeth in his ecclesiastical historie .1 boke 5. chap. and which Socrates repeteth in his first boke 12. chap. touching Spiridion byshop of Cyprus He had a daughter called Irene with whoÌ„ a certaine friend of hirs left gorgeous apparel she being more wary than néeded hyd it in the ground within a while died Not long after coÌ„meth this man that owed the apparel hearing say the maideÌ„ was dead goeth to hir father whom somtimes he accuseth somtimes intreateth The old father supposing this maÌ„s losse to be his own calamitie coÌ„meth to his daughters graue ther calleth vpoÌ„ god beseching him that he would shew him before the time the resurrection which is promised And his hope was in vaine for the virgin being reuiued apeared to hir father shewed the place wher she had hid the aparel so departed again I will not deny this thing to be true For the like historie hath Augustine in his 137. epist. A certain yong man which had an euil name accused Boniface Augustines priest that he inticed him to filthinesse Now wheÌ„ the matter could neither be proued nor disproued by sufficient resons both of them were bid to goe to the graue of one Felix a Martyr that by a miracle the truth might be known They had not bin sent vnlesse before this time also some secrete matters had bin knowne by this meanes it may be well answeared that they were good or rather euill Angels which did appeare CHAP. XI VVhether the holy Apostles thought they savve a mans Soule vvhen Chryst sodenly appeared vnto them after his Resurrection WE reade in the 24. Chapter of S. Lukes Gospell that two Disciples which returned from Emaus to Hierusalem tolde the Apostles that they had séene Chryst aliue againe and whyles they yet spake the Lord stoode in the myddest of them and sayd vnto them peace be vnto you but they being amased and afrayd thought they sawe a spirit c. Out of this some go about to proue that the Apostles beléeued that spirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men and that they themselues did thinke they sawe the spirite of Chryst as certaine of the olde Wryters doe expounde it or else some other mannes spirit This Argument may be answered two wayes First if they thought they sawe a Soule they thought a mysse But they were no lesse deceyued with the common sorte nowe than when they thought Chryst would rayse vppe an outward and earthly kingdome in which they shoulde be chiefe Secondly it may be that they supposed they sawe an euil or good Angell for there are more kyndes of spirites than one There is a spirit that created al thyngs to wit God the Father the Sonne and the Holie Ghost Agayne there be spirites that be created as good and euill Angels as also the soules of men which eyther are in the body or by death seuered from the body and abyde either in euerlasting lyfe or in eternal damnation As touching the state of Soules in Purgatorie where they are prepared to the Heauenly iourney and of Limbus puerorum there is nothing extant in holie Scripture It is manifest in scripture that God appeared vnto the holy patriarches to the prophets to kings and others in diuers visions and formes and that he shewed hym selfe vnto them and spake with them Iacob sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to Heauen and God leaning on it Isaias sawe the Lord sitting vppon an high throne Daniell sawe an olde maÌ„ sitting and his sonne comming vnto him and receyuing all power of him TertulliaÌ„ and other holy fathers do teache that the sonne of God which at the appointed time shoulde take vppon him humaine fleshe didde appeare vnto the Patriarches in an angelicall shape When Iohn Baptist did baptise our sauioure in Iordan the Holy ghost was séene in the shape of a doue The holy scriptures in many places do testifie that good Angells haue oftentimes appeared to Gods ministers That euill spirits are often séene and that at this day they shewe themselues in diuers formes to inchaunters and coniurers and to other men also as well godly as wicked both histories and daily experience doth witnesse Truely we reade not that soules haue appered on this fashion By these we may easly gather that the Apostles when they thought they sawe a spirit did not beléeue they sawe a soule Could they not thinke I pray you they sawe an euill spirit Or rather that they sawe a good spirit or a good angel For it may be shewed by many examples that euen the faithfull haue bin troubled and feared at the appearing of good Angels In the eyght and tenth chapter of Daniel we read that the Prophet fel into a sicknesse at the sight of Angels The virgin Mary hirselfe was afrayde when she sawe the Angell Gabriel So was Zachary the priest
Mary full of grace the Lord be with me c. The Frier knowing the Priors voyce caught a knyfe and wounded him therwith and when he defended himselfe the Fryer stoutly resisted and draue him backe These things thus done the Supprior béeing in good hope to restore all that they had lost appeared againe to the Frier saying that he was S. Catherin of Sena and therwith begun to chide him for that he so discurteously had intreated the holy Uirgin adding moreouer I am sent quod he to shewe thée that the wounds which thou hast in thy body are the very true woundes of Christ whiche neyther I nor yet S. Francis hath and that he enlarged with many wordes Yet notwithstanding the Frier so entertayned him that he was glad to saue himselfe with running away Nowe bicause the Fryer wold no longer be mocked at their hands they maruellously troubled and almost at their wits ende taking aduise among them selues brake the matter vnto him and tolde him that in very déede they fréely confessed many of those apparitions which he had séen to be fayned and that for no other cause but to the ende he should perseuere in his profession and Religion howbeit the very effect of the matter was most true and that he ought not to doubt but that he bare the wounds of Chryst in his body And forsomuch as the matter was nowe knowen abroad they ernestly besought him that he would not refuse to go on in the matter for otherwise their order should incurre open shame and bothe he and they fall into present daunger but in case he woulde persist in his enterprised purpose the thing woulde fall out to his and their great aduauntage And so with fairer wordes they persuaded him to make promise to be ruled by them hereafter After long instruction and teaching they placed him on the altar of our Lady knéeling on his knées within a chappell before the image of the holy virgine Where one of the Monkes standing behinde a cloath spake thorough a cane réede as if it were Christ talking with his mother in this wise Mother why dost thou wéep haue I not promised thée that whatsoeuer thou willest shal be done Wherto the image made answere Therfore I wéepe bicause this businesse findeth no end Then sayd the image of Christ Beléeue me mother this matter shall be made manyfest This doone the Monke priuely departing the chappell dores were shut As soone as these things were scattered about the citie by by ther was a great thronging of people Amongst whom also came foure monks dissembling and fayning that they knewe not what was there doone and therfore they commauÌ„ded the doores to be opened and after asked the Frier howe and after what sorte he came there He answered them that he was caried by a spirite And moreouer â—old them what woords the image had spoken and that he could by no means moue out of that place before that four of the chéefest Aldermen were come vnto him vnto whom he had certaine things to be declared he also desired to receyue the holy sacrameÌ„t The Aldermen were foorthwith called and then the Frier declared vnto them how the Uirgin Mary lamented and sorrowed for that the citie of Berna shold be shortly destroyed for receiuing yerely pensions of the French king Also for that thei droue not the Franciscans out of their citie who honoured her with the fayned title of vndefiled coÌ„ception Unto this his talke the Aldermen answered very little By and by the other Monkes gaue him the host infected with poyson which when he refused to receyue they brought him an other which he tooke then they led him with great pompe into the quire for so they call the vppermost parte of the churche The Frier the other foure Monkes were soone after called before the Aldermen to testifie the truth whether those things were so or not But the foure fearing excéedingly least he should bewray some thing bicause they knew he suspected them endeuored by al means to do him some priuie mischief by poyson giuen in his meat therfore they gaue him the sacrament dipped in poyson which he presently cast vp againe by vomite finally they so vexed and tormented him by so many wayes that in the end he left the Colledge and ran away and opened the whole matter to diuers and sundry men In the meane tyme the Monkes dispatched two legates or messangers to Rome to obteyne a confirmation of these thyngs of the Pope that hereafter it should be vtterly vnlawfull for any man to contrary or mislike the same And when these messengers were returned and as the Prouerbe is thoughte them selues in a safe hauen the noble Senate hadde commaunded the foure Monkes to be fast kept in prison for they had learned the whole circumstance of the matter before of the Frier whom they had committed to ward And sparing neither labour nor money sent also vnto Rome that they might perfectly knowe what they shoulde do in this matter In the ende both the Frier the foure Monks were all put to torments and there confessed all the matter And when they had bin openly conuicte of so many guiles and horrible déedes by the Popes permission they were firste putte from the orders which they commonly call degradation and afterwardes burned in the fâ—er It was commonly reported that in case the noble Senate of Berna hadde not prosecuted the matter with great constancie and courage the Cleargie woulde haue cloaked all the knauerie and haue sette the authours at libertie For they had greate cause to doubte as it after came to passe lest they should léese their credit and authoritie amongst many of the orders of Monkes that these things wheron the Popedome resteth as it were vppon pillers should now be had in great suspition with al men For it is most euident that after the impietie deceyt and wickednesse of these Monks began to be knowne abroade the opinion of the cleargie began to decay and to be suspected more and more euery day of good and godly men when as they sayd this or that soule required their helpe that tapers lighted of their owne accorde that this or that image spake wept or moued it selfe from place to place that this or that Sainct endowed their monasterie with precious reliques or that Crosses were sprinkeled with the bloud of Christ yea and although they had obteyned coÌ„firmation of these matters from the Pope yet notwithstanding many afterwards would in no wise belèeue it to be so Likewise they woulde not be persuaded that this holy father fallyng into a traunce sawe any miraculous thyngs or that Frauncis and Catherin of Sena bare the markes of Chrystes fyue woundes in their body Furthermore not without great cause men began to doubte of transubstantiation of bread into the bodye of Christ sith they had so often poysoned the sacrament and also of those things which they chaunted vpon with open mouth touching pardons vigilies orders purgatorie
mountaine floud or valley where it hath committed the offence that these are particuler Purgatories assigned vnto them for some special cause before the day of Iudgement after which time all maner of Purgatories aswell general as particuler shal cease Some of them say that the paine of Purgatorie is al one with the punishment of hel that they differ only in this that the on hath an end the other no ende and that it is far more easie to endure all the paynes of this worlde which al men since Adams time haue susteined euen vnto the day of the last Iudgement than to beare one dayes space the least of those two punishmentes Further they holde that our fire if it be compared with the fire of Purgatorie doth resemble only a painted fire Séeke their Doctours in this poynte on the fourth booke of Sentences the â—0 distinction This question also they moue by whome the Soules in Purgatorie are tormented Wherefore their opinion are very diuers and disagréeable among themselues Richardus de Media villa a Franciscan frier writeth vpon the Maister of Sentences sayth he verily beléeueth that soules are caried by good Angels into the places of torment but yet that they themselues do not torment them bycause they shall become at length fellow citizens with them Neyther yet are they punished by Deuils who after this life do no longer tempte men but only by the méere iustice of god And yet saith he it may so come to passe that the Deuils be present at the doing thereof and reioyce at their tortures I thought good to repeate these things of Purgatorie somewhat at large the rather for that the reader might sée that their Doctours do disagrée in a matter of great weight by which they haue both robbed men of their wealth and plunged them into very great myserie Héervnto they adde that the spirites aswel of the good as the yl do come and are sent vnto men lyuing from hel And that by the common lawe of iustice all men at the day of Iudgement shall come to their trial from hell and that none before that time can come from thence Farther they teach that by Gods licence dispensation certaine yea before the day of Iudgement are permitted to come out of hell and that not for euer but only for a season for the instructing and terrifying of the lyuing Héervppon they recite diuers kinde of visions that certaine Clarkes and Laye persons being damned bothe men and women haue appeared to their ghostly fathers and others and haue opened vnto them the causes of their daÌ„nation all which to rehearse héere were lost laboure And that the soules which be in euerlasting ioye or in Purgatorie do often appeare it may be séene in Gregories Homelies Gregories Dialogues who writeth that Peter and Paule and other Saintes dyd not onely appeare vnto holie men but dyd also conducte theyr Soules vnto Celestiall ioye Moreouer that God dothe licencâ— soules to returne from those two places partely for the comfort and warning of the liuing and partly to pray aide of them And yet that those soules doo not here represent themselues to be séene of men when and how often soeuer they list themselues No doubt these men shew them selues to haue a sharpe wit and profounde knowledge These doctours moreouer moue this question whether we may request without offence that the soules of suche as are departed may shewe themselues to be behelde and séene of the liuing To ryue asunder this crabbed knotte they bring thys wedge that if this request procéede of some good intent without the spot of lightnesse and vanitie that a maÌ„ might vnderstand the state of some frend neighbor benefactour or of his parents or some other therby to help relieue them spéedily of their torments it is no offence at all bicause dead mens soules doo of their owne accorde shewe themselues vnto the lyuyng to receyue helpe of them and therfore nothing can let vs to aske this thing at gods hande Of this opinion is Thomas of Aquine But as concernyng the tyme and place when and where Spirites doe proffer them selues to bée séene they saye no certayne rule can be giuen for this standeth wholly in Gods pleasure who if he list to deliuer any suffereth him to make his appearaunce foorthwith euen in such places as he may be well heard in And that spirits do not alwaies appeare vnder a visible shape but sometimes inuisibly in so much that sometime nothing els is heard of them but snéesing spitting syghing clapping of hands c. Of which point I haue noted somewhat before when I spake generally of ghosts bycause they appeare in sundry sorts And whersoeuer these spirits be they say that they endure punishment Besides that soules do not appeare nor answeare vnto euery mans interrogatories but that of a great number they scantlie appeare vnto one And therefore they teache Whensoeuer suche visions of spirits are shewed men should vse fasting and prayer or euer they demaund any question of them which say they in the x. and xj chapters of Daniell is read to haue ben done by Daniell him selfe Besides this shrift and massing shoulde bée vsed ere we question with them farther that we should not giue credite assoone as we heare but one signe but waite to heare the same thrice repeated whiche in the first booke of Samuel and 3. chapter is reade to haue bin done by Samuell being yet a childe for otherwise the Diuell may delude and deceyue vs as he doth very often And so soone as these things are dispatched and performed that foure or fiue deuoute priests are to be sent for whych should come to the place where the spirite was woont to shewe him selfe and that they should vse certeine ceremonies as to take a candle that hath bin halowed on Candlemasse day light it also holy water the signe of the crosse a censor in their hande and when they light their candle should pray ouer it as I remember the seuen penitential psalmes or reade the gospell of S. Iohn And when they come to the place they shoulde sprinkle it with holy water pâ—rfume it with Frankincense casting about their neckes a holy stoale and then that one of them knéelyng on his knées should reherse this prayer folowing O Lord Iesu Christ the sercher of al secrets which art always woont to reueale healthfull and profitable things vnto thy faithful people little ones which haste permitted some certain spirite to shew himselfe in this place wée humbly beséech thée of thy great mercy by thy death passion and by the sheding of thy most precious bloud for our sinnes that thou wilt vouchesafe to giue in charge to this spirite that he may declare and open what he is without any fraying or hurting of vs or of any other creature besides shewing vnto vs thy seruaunts or to other sinners as we be who he is why he is come and
of necessitie haue come to passe eyther by the will of God or by the worke of arte Magike But Gods will was not that Samuel should retourne For he hath condemned Necromancie and would not haue vs to aske counsell at the dead that the spirit of God did that which was contrary herevnto or did permitte the saints to do it or was present with them that did ought contrary thereto it may not be graunted And that those things were done by the force and operation of Arte Magike wée can not affirme For the wicked spirit hath no rule or power ouer the soules of the faithfull to bring them out of their places when he lust sith they be in the hand of God and the bosome of Abraham nay which is lesse he hath no power ouer filthy and vncleane swine for he was driuen as we reade in the viij chapter of Matthew to beg leaue before he could enter into the heard of swine and how thē should he haue any power ouer the soule of mā yet can it not be denied that God somtimes for certein causes doth giue the Diuell and his seruants Magitians Necromancers power to do many things as to hurte and lame man beast and to worke other straunge things But that God dothe giue the Diuell leaue to raise dead bodies or to call bring forth or driue away soules especially out of Heauen it hathe no grounde at all in Scripture neither can there be any reasonable cause alledged wherefore God would or should giue the Diuell licence to do these things contrary to the vsuall and common order yea and against his owne expresse commaundement For vayne and childishe is the cause hereof that is giuen of some men that Samuell shoulde appeare to certifie and astonishe Saule as if God coulde not haue feared hym by other wayes and meanes Was he not before vtterly abashed dismayed Thirdly if Samuel were brought backe the same was done either by his will and consent or without the same but that he did fréely and of his owne accorde obey the sorcerers no man I thinke is so blinde to imagin For that were vtterly repugnaunt to the Lawe of God that he should confirme Witchcraft and Sorcerie by hys example If the Witch had called for Samuell whilest he liued doutles he would not haue approched vnto hir And how then can we beléeue that he came to hir after his death We may not so say that the Witch compelled him to resort to hir agaynst his wil for the Deuil hath no power ouer the Soules of the godly and Magike of it self is of no force Heathnish superstition no doute it is that wordes vttered by Magitians after their peculiar manner or figures drawne should haue such a secret and hidden operation For the Hethens beléeued that they could with a certen set stile number of words bring and draw down Iupiter out of Heauen Wherfore they termed him Iupiter Elycius There are also certain superstitious persons in these our dayes which go about to cure diseases by certaine rites of blessings and by coniurings Some hang aboute their neckes certayne scrolles of Paper in which ther are written diuers straunge words but whether wordes of themselues haue any force at al reade Plinie in his 28. booke and 2. chapter and Caelius Rhodiginus in his 16. booke and 16. chapter of Antiquities Fourthely if very Samuel himselfe had appeared hée would not haue ben worshipped of Saule For we reade in the 19. and 22. chapter of the Reuelation that Iohn woulde haue worshipped the Angell whiche had opened vnto him great mysteries but the Angell of God forbad him so to do Some héere aunswere that Saule ment not to giue vnto the Prophet the honor that was due vnto God but onely a certaine outward and ciuil worship such as we are wonte to yéeld vnto honest men and suche as haue well deserued of the Churche and common weale For they say that the Hebrue word Schachah there vsed doth signifie to bend the knée and to fall down at a mans féete which kynd of worship we reade that Abigael and Nathan the the Prophet gaue vnto King Dauid And Paule also in the 12. chapter of his Epistle to the Rom. teacheth that we should honour one another Thomas of Aquine entreating of those two places that I euen nowe recited out of the Reuelation sayth that Iohn meant not to worship the Angell with the worship properly called Latria but with an other kynd of worship termed Dulia that is to say that Iohns wil was not to withdraw from God the honor due vnto him but to worship the Angell that was sent from God only with a ciuil outward homage and yet the Angell would not so far condiscend vnto him In the new Testament the 10. chap of the Acts of the Apostles we read that Cornelius met with Peter fel down at his féet worshipped him yet so as he had ben an Embassadour from God not God himselfe yet Peter lifted him vp said arise for I my self am a man also He said not to Cornelius thou dost wel herein nor as his worthie Uicare with a mischiefe is wont to do proffered hys foote vnto him to kysse We may read also that Elias disciples worshipped Elizeus that succeded into his office in which place the worde to bowe the knée or fal downe is vsed But whether the Prophet did accepte and alowe this kinde of reuerence or no there is no expresse mention Bréefly it is not lykely that the Prophet would haue suffered the King to fall downe at his féete Fiftly if he had ben the true Samuel he would no dout haue exhorted Saule to repentance willed him to wayt for ayde from God to put his whole confidence in him or at least way to haue giuen him some comforte or counselled him to fight againste his enimies with more courage For though the Prophetes do often beat threaten men yet do they agayne reuiue solace them Nowe bycause this Samuel doth beat no other thing into his heade but that God was displeased with him had alredy forsaken him we may not beleue that he was the true but a méere counterfet Samuel Sixtly the auncient Fathers write that the true Samuel was not seene Tertullian in his booke De anima sayth that the Deuill dyd there represent Samuels soule God forbid sayth hée that we should beléeue that the deuil can drawe the soule of any Saint muche lesse a Prophete out of his proper place syth we are taught that Sathan doth transfourme himselfe into an Angel of lyght much soner into a man of lyght who also will auouch himselfe to be God and do notable signes and wonders to seduce if it were possible the very elect S. Augustine is not alwayes of one iudgement touching this apparition in his second boke to Simplician Byshop of Millane and the third question therof he
He cut off mens heads their handes and féete which he set in a basyn before al the lookers on to behold with the bloud running about the basen which by and by he would put againe vpon the places whence they séemed to haue ben cut off without any hurte to the parties Hée was séene and hearde of all men to exercise huntyng and running and suche lyke things in the aire and cloudes as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth He practised so many and diuers deceytes that all men maruelled and were astonished out of measure In the yeare of our Lord .1323 when Frederike Duke of Austrich who was chosen Emperor against Lewes as the same author witnesseth was vanquished in a great battail betwéene Ottinga and Moâ—ndâ—rfus and deliuered into the handes of Lewes who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kept It chaunced shortly after that a coniurer going vnto his brother Lupoldus in Austriche promised that by the helpe of a spirite he would within the compasse of an houre deliuer Frederike safe and sounde out of captiuitie if he would promise him and giue him a worthy reward for his paines The Duke aunsweared him if thou wilt quoth he do as thou makest promise I wil worthily reward thée So the Magitian with the Duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste conuenient calleth the Spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his commaundement Whome when he appeared in the likenesse of a man he commaunded by the vertue of hys coniurations that he should spedyly bring vnto him into Austriche Duke Frederike deliuered safely out of prison Unto whome the spirit aunswearing said If the captiue Duke will come with me I will willingly obey thy commaundement This sayde the spirite flyeth awaye into Bauarie and taking vppon him the forme of a Pilgrime he entreth into the prison where the Duke was kepte prisoner whome as soone as he sawe the Spirite whyche was sente as messanger vnto him sayde If thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie mount thee vp vpon this horse and I will bring thée safe and sounde without any huâ—te into Austriche vnto Duke Lupoldus thy brother Unto whome the Duke sayde Who art thou The Spirite aunswered Aske not who I am bicause it appertayneth nothing to the purpose but get thée vp on the horse whichâ— I offer thée and I will bring thée safe and sound and fréely deliuered into Austrich Which when the Duke heard he was taken with a certaine horror and feare being otherwise a hardy knight and when he had blessed him selfe with the signe of the holy crosse the Spirit sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse whiche he had proffered him and retourned emptie agayne vnto him that sent him of whome béeing rebuked bicause he had not brought the prisoner he declared al the matter vnto him in order Duke Fredericke at the last being deliuered out of prison confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his captiuitie the very same day they named This historie is also to be sene in the Chronicles of the Heluetians There are also coniurers founde euen at this day who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse that in a fewe houres they will dispatch a very long iourney God at the last wil chasten these men with deserued punishment What straunge things are reported of one Faustus a German which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments I will speake nothing at this time of those olde sorcerers Apollonius and others of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things Hagges witches and inchaunters are sayde to hurte men and cattell if they do but touche them or stroake theÌ„ they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant Iugglers and tumblers by nimblenesse do many things they will bid one eate meatâ— which when they spit out agayne they cast forth ordure and such like Magitians iugglers inchanters and Necromanciers are no other than seruants of the Diuel do you not thinke their mayster reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe Howbeit this is not to bée dissembled that the Diuel doth glory of many things whiche in déede he cannot performe as that he saith that he raiseth the dead out of their graues c. He may in very déede by Gods sufferaunce shewe the shapes of them vnto men but he hath no suche power ouer the dead bodies CHAP. XVIII Diuels doe sometimes bid men doe those things vvhich are good and auoide things that are euill sometimes they tell truth and for vvhat cause IF those spirits whiche séeke helpe at mens hands be not soules but Diuels many will say why then do they persuade men vnto good things exhorte them vnto vertue and call them from vice For they saye Iudge vprightely take héede of thefte and extortion restore goodes vniustely gotten vnto their owners beware of periurie surfets and drunkennesse enuie and hatred lying and deceite pray earnestly come to Churche often c. The Dyuell is not pleased when wée doo good and auoide euill nothing woulde gréeue him more than that we should liue according to the prescripte woorde of god Therefore they are not Diuels which bid vs do good and eschue euill Moreouer those Spirites speake truthe but the Dyuell is a lyer and is called by Christe the father of lyes Therefore we may not say that they are diuellishe Spirits Unto this argument I aunswere thus he dothe thys for his owne aduantage If he should shewe him selfe so as he is by nature he should little proffite That whiche he dothe he doth it to this ende that he may purchase credite vnto his words and that he might the better thrust other things vpon men and bring and driue them into sundry erroures whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue eare vnto Spirits Did not the seruaunts of vncleane â—pirits I meane false Prophets come in times past vnder shéepes skinnes and fayned themselues â—o tender the peoples commoditie whereas in very déede in the meane space they sought after another thing that is that when they had obteined great authoritie they might pill and poule other men and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer Do not all heretickes yet at this day say they are sent froÌ„ God and that we must eschewe wickednesse and seeke after vertue Diddest thou neuer heare y théeues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light haue talked of liuing honestly and of the punishmeÌ„t of wicked men and the reward of good men to the ende that after they might take the aduantage of theÌ„ vnwares Whereas the Diuell hathe fayned him selfe to be otherwise than he is it hath brought forth innumerable errors superstitions and false worshippings in the Churche of god For Bishops in proces of time neglected the worde of God they would accepte the Diuell and receiue him as an Angell of light when he came not in a blacke and horrible but a plesaunt and acceptable forme He speaketh some good things that
that Lemures are soules which tarrie about the bodies Porphyrius calleâ—h them the wandring soules of men departed before their tyme as it were Remures taking their name of Remus whose soule folowed his brother Romulus who to the intent he mighte pacifie them instituted feastes called Lemuria Seruius writeth that Vmbrae were called Laruae and they called dead mens soules by the name of Vmbrae Of Laruae men are called Laruatâ— that is to say frantike men and suche as are vexed with spirites Who also as Nonius witnesseth are called Ceriti Seruius sayeth that mennes soules are called Manes at suche tyme as departyng from their bodies they are not yet passed into other bodies And he iudgeth that they are so called by the fygure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is when one speaketh by contraries of the olde adiectiue Manus that is good bicause they were nothing lesse than good For the auncient people supposed that Manes were infernall gods and therfore did they number them amongst theyr euil gods and pacified them with sacrifice least they should hurt them Some affirme that Manes are in déede infernall gods but yet good whereof commeth Mane whiche signifieth good and Dij Manes as if you would say good prosperous gods therof also is said Jmmanes for not good Some other suppose that soules separated from the bobodies were called after this name Whereby we sée the auncient monuments of tumbes haue ben dedicated to Dijs Manibuâ— to the infernal gods In the which opinion Apuleius was as we sayd a little before There are some that iudge Manes to be the very same that the olde people called Genij â–ª and that there were two of these Manes assigned vnto mens bodies euen immediatly after their begetting which forsake them not wheÌ„ they are dead but continue in the graues after the bodies are consumeâ— â—or the whiche cause those men who defaced Monumentes were thoughte to doo wrong vnto the gods called Manes The soothsayers called as well the celestiall as the infernall gods by the name of Manes and that bicause they beleued as Festus doth write that all things did manare that is were deriued from them Other thinke they were so called â— manandopunc of â—lowing bicause the places betwéene the circle of the Moone and the earth from whence they come are full of soules Maniâ— are deformed creatures as Festus saythe and also vgly shapes wherwith nursses make children afrayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a woman with a face almost of a moÌ„strous fashion hereof it is taken for a heg as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a terrible sight a spirit or an elfe Nicephorus sayeth in his Ecclesiasticall historie that a woman vsing to walke by night is called by the name of Gilo Lamiae were supposed of the aunciente people to be women hauing eyes to put out or in at their plesure or rather certaine shapes of diuels which taking on them the shew of beautifull women deuoured children and yong men allured vnto them with swéete inticementes Philostratus in his booke Appollonio writeth a maruellous historie or fable of one Menippus beloued of an heg The same authour writeth that Lamiae are called of some men Laruae spirites walkyng by nighte and Lemures nighte spirites of horrible shapes and of many Empusa ghosts of variable fashion and that nursses so named them to make their children afrayde Chrysostomus Dion writeth that in the inmost parte of Affrike are certayn wylde beasts hauing the countenance of a woman whiche in lyke maner are called Lamiae and he sayth that they haue their pappes and al the rest of their breast so fayre as any paynters witte can deuise which being vncouered they disceytfully allure men vnto them and when they haue taken them doo foorthwith deuoure them In the fourth chapter of the Lamentations of Hieremie it is sayde Lamiae nudauerunâ— mammas suas c. Apuleius writeth that Lamiae are things that make Children afrayde Lamiae are also called Striges Striges as they saye are vnluckie birdes whiche sucke out the bloud of infants lying in their cradles And hereof some men will haue witches take their name who also are called Volaticae as Festus writeth The name of Gorgon was inuented to make childreÌ„ afraid for they say these Gorgons are rauening spirites such as men faine Lamiae to be Ephialtae Hyphialtae that is Jncubi and Succubi which we cal Maares are night spirits or rather Diuells which leape vpon men in their sleepe The phisitians do affirme that these are nothing else but a disease Empusa is an apparition of the Diuel or a spirit which sheweth it selfe vnto such as are in misery chaunging hys shape into diuers formes and for the most parte appeareth at noone time Read more hereof in Suidas Dicelon is so called bicause it is sente to make men afraid those kinds of terrors the Grecians cal Hecataea as Apollonius writeth bicause Hecate or Proserpina is the cause of them who therfore is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of terrifying and that by reason that terrours by night were thought to be stirred vp by hir Plutarchus writeth that Acco and Alphito were monstrous women by naming of whome mothers kepte their children in awe and made them feare to do euill Cardanus calleth these Diuels whiche kepe vnder the earth many times kill men as they are vndermining by the name of Telchinnes Men vsing witchecrafte and such as are possessed with a Spirite and out of their wits are called amongst the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of these sorte are those monsters halfe lyke men and halfe like beastes which men saye are founde in woods and oftentimes haue appéered vnto men It is sayde that Panes and Faâ—ni are all one hauing their nether partes lyke vnto Gaotes féete And menne saye that Satyri are almoste lyke vntoo menne And those whiche are of full age are called Sileni Onocentaurus is a beaste of a straunge fashion whiche is reported to be lyke a man in the vpper parte and downwarde lyke an asse Onosceli as it is written in Plutarche are Diuels hauyng legges like vnto asses The olde people imagined that Hippocentauri were creatures who before were lyke to men but the hinder partes had the similitude of horses And they doo fayne that Sphinx is Animal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beast of the similitude of a man. Scilla and Harpyae are rauening Dyuels with faces lyke vnto maydens As touchyng menne lyuing in the Sea as Tritones Nereides and Syrenes who as the auncient people affirmed had faces lyke vnto menne Reade Gesnerus in Historia Aquatilium where hée intreateth of them For he proueth oute of many authoures that there are founde Monsters in the sea hauyng shapes and countenaunces somewhat lyke vnto men Some of these monsters whiche are in déede bée of the kynde of Apes and
from sinne and damnation of the true déedes of christian charitie was dayly more and more impugned and oppressed So that when men by little and little forsooke holy Scripture and cast it asyde mens traditions and preceptes began streight way to be had in great price and estimation yea they were more regarded thaÌ„ gods owne worde A great offence was it taken to be if any would presume once to breake mens traditions On those apparitions of spirits as on a sure foundation their Purgatorie is chiefly builded For by talke hadde with them Popishe writers taught that men atteined vnto saluation by their owne and by other mens merits which opinion so blinded them that they became retchlesse secure and sluggishe For if any dyd so persuade him selfe that he coulde hyre one for mony which could worke one feate or other to deliuer the dead from torments then woulde he either delay the amendment of his life or vtterly neglect it Wherfore vnto suche fellowes that happened whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish virgins of whom mention is made in the â—5 of Matthew By these apparitions of spirits masses images satisfactioÌ„ pilgrimages for religion sake relikes of saints monasticall vowes holidaies auricular confession and other kinds of worshippings and rites and to be shorte al things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture by little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation So that the matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse that many deuoute and simple soules pinched and nipped their owne bellies that they might the better haue by these meanes wherwithall to finde and mainteine idle monks and priests and to offer vnto images They founded chappels alters monasteries perpetuall lights anniuersaries frieries and suche like to release their friends out of the torments of Purgatorie And this did the walking spirits will theÌ„ to do And sometyme also by their councell mens last willes and testaments were altered Hereby priests monks increased daily their parishes colleges monasteries with yerely reuenewes got into their hands the best farmes vineyards lands medowes pondes parkes bond meÌ„ iurisdictions great lordships and the authoritie of the sword For after that this opinioÌ„ once toke firme roote in meÌ„s harts the mens soules did walke after their death appeare on the earth the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commaunded theÌ„ And that it may more plainly be perceiued how much meÌ„ estemed those visioÌ„s such like pelfe how in memorial of theÌ„ they deuised framed to theÌ„selues new kinds of worshippings I will recite vnto you one or two histories Martinus Polonus Archebishop of Consentine and the Popes PeniteÌ„tiarie writeth in his Chronicles tha Pope Clement the fourth did canonize for a saint at Viterbe one Eduergia duchesse of Polonia a widdow of great holinesse who among many notable things that are written of hir when hir canonization had bin many yeares delayed at length appeared hir selfe in a vision to hir Proctour in the courte of Rome being heauie and pensiue about this matter and certified him both of the spedy dispatching of this businesse also of the day wherin it should be dispatched Canonization amongst the Ethniks from whence it toke his originall is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is deification or making of a God. Ioannes Triâ—enhemius Abbot of Spanheim a man of great authoritie in his booke of Chronicles teacheth that the memorie of all faithfull soules termed All soules day had his originall obseruation by this meanes that when a certeine Monke returned from Ierusalem and lodged in a certeine Hermits house in Sicill about the mount Aetna which flasheth forth fyre he learned of the saide Hermit that many soules of the dead were tormeÌ„ted there by fyre out of which again through the praiers of the faithful they were released as it was taught him by the testimonie euen of the spirites themselues Hereof also writeth Polydorâ— Virgill in his vj. booke and ix chapter De inuentione rerum that the feast of All hallowes had the very same originall whiche they shall finde in Petrus de natalibus his tenth booke and first chapter Wherby thou maist gather that Feastes were first ordeyned by the tales of spirites appearing vnto men The lyke fable is found in Damascene who writeth of Macharius thus When according to his maner he prayed for the dead and was desirous to vnderstande whether his prayers did profite them oughte and whether they receyued any comfort therby God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt inspired a drye scull with the worde of truth so that the deade scull brake foorth into these words When thou prayest for the dead we receyue comfort by thy prayers Of the like roote sproong the order of the Carthusian Monks which of the commoÌ„ sorte is iudged to be the most holiest and streightest order of the which the Monks them selues of this broode haue put foorth a booke For as Polydore Virgil recordeth they began vpon this occasion in the vniuersitie of Paris in the yeare of our Lord .1080 A certeine doctoure which for his learning and integritie of life was very famous chaunced to dye when he shoulde haue bin buried in a certaine Churche he cried out with an horrible voice I am by the iust iudgement of God accused Whervppon they lefte the coffin in the Churche by the space of thrée daies during which time the people flocked togither out of sundry places to behold this straunge sight The second day he cried againe By the iuste iudgement of God I am iudged The thirde day likewise he cried I am by the iust iudgement of god condemned And as Vincentius Bellonacensis saith some adde herevnto that he rose vp thrice vppon the béere which perchaunce they faine of their owne heads Now bycause no man suspected that so notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer euery man was sore astonished thereat Wherfore Bruno a doctor of diuinitie borne in Coleine foorthwith forsooke all that he had and taking to him sixe other godly companions gat him into a desert called Carthusia in the diocesse of Gratianopolis where he erected the first monasterie of that order which drawing his name of the place was called the Carthusian order For this cause also or for the like many other monasteries at the firste beginning were bothe founded and indowed with greate liuelyhode CHAP. IIII. Testimonies out of the vvorde of God that neither the soules of the faithfull nor of infidels do vvalke vppon the earth after they are once parâ—ed from their bodies NOw that the soules neither of the faithful nor of infidels do waÌ„der any loÌ„ger on the earth wheÌ„ they be once seuered from the bodies I wil make it plain euident vnto you by these reasons folowing First certain it is that such as depart heÌ„ce either die in faith or in vnbeléef Touching those that go heÌ„ce in a right beléef their soules ar by by in
expedient for them to doe for their sake to wit that they should do sacrifices for their soules obserue their obsequies burie their bodies erect Temples make holydayes and such like stuffe Suetonius writeth that the Emperor Caligule his body was priuily coÌ„ueyed into the gardens called Lamiam and there with a hastie fire being but halfe consumed was cast into a pit and couered with a little earth But afterwards wheÌ„ his sisters returned froÌ„ exile it was taken vp thorowly burnt afterward solemnly buried But before they had so doon the gardeÌ„ kéepers were very much troubled with appearing of spirits And moreouer no man could passe any night in the same house where he was slayne without some great feare vntil such time as the house was vtterly destroyed with fire We read also in other writers that the ghostes of them which wer not orderly buried or whose accustomed rites and ceremonies in the time of warres were omitted dyd appeare eyther to their friendes or vnto others complayning intreating that their funerals all other ceremonies mighte be obserued for their sake whereof came the hearses wéekemyndes monthmindes and anniuersaries whereof we reade many things in the Ethnike writers and many things are recyted out of the olde Poets and in Lilius Giraldus in his booke De sepultura and also in Polid. Virgilius de Inuentione rerum lib. 6 cap. 10. We haue shewed before in the seconde parte and first Chapter that some haue desired others that they might be buried after that they were dead Cicero writeth in his 1. boke De legibus that Romulus the first founder of Rome walking after his death not farre from Atticus house appeared vnto Iulius Proculus and tolde him that hée was nowe a god and that his name was Quirinus and therewith commaunded that there shoulde be a Temple erected and dedicated vnto him in the same place Ouide writeth lib. 4. Fastorum that Remus apeared in the night time vnto Faustulus and to his wife Accia Laurentia somtime his Nurse complayning vnto them of his miserable death and desiring them to make laboure that the same day wherein he was slayne might be accounted amongst their holydayes The people of Rome as Ouide witnesseth lib. 2. Fastorum kept a feast in the moneth of Februarie called Feralia in the whiche they did sacrifice vnto the infernall Goddes and those whose duties it was to celebrate the funerals of their Auncesters carried dishes of meat to their sepulchers Wherof Festus and Varro called the same feast by the name of Feralia These dishes of meate were set vpon a stone at the time of these sacrifices for the which cause as Seruius sayth they were called Silicernium by the whiche worde some will haue a certaine feast signified which is bestowed vpon old men Donatus sayth that Silicernium is a supper which is made to the infernall Gods bycause Eam silentes cernant that is the deade soules do receyue it or bycause those that doe serue it do onely cernere see it and not tast thereof c. There were also certaine holie feastes called Parâ—ntalia in the which meate was caried to the Sepulchers for the soules of Parents and Auncestours before deceased And albeit they suppose that soules were pleased with small gyftes as of mylke wyne and suche like whereof mention is made in Ouid yet notwithstanding they also kylled sacrifices wherof some suppose that Feralia toke their name à feriendis pecudibus of killing shéepe Unto their sacrifices they also added prayers and kindled lights WheÌ„ in tymes past the Romains being troubled with warres had let passe the feast of Parentalia they therefore supposed that the infernall Goddes being for the same cause angrie there arose storms and pestilence and that soules rysing out of their graues did wander with pittifull complaintes about the graues and by the highway sides and in the fieldes This feaste endured by the space of fiftéene dayes in the whiche maried women lay not with their husbandes neyther those whiche were mariageable dyd marrie and the Images of their Goddes were couered The soules of them that were deade when they came too the meate they wandred about the graues and were fed as they thought with the banquet In the Moneth of May there was holden a feast in the night time which at the beginning they called Remuria and afterwardes Lemuria This did not differ much from the feast called Feralia whiche was instituted to pacifie soules Touching the originall of them and the rytes belonging therto looke Ouid in his lib. 5. fastorum One who tooke on him to pacifie the soules arose in the night verie late he went barefooted and washed himselfe ouer wyth fresh springing water and then taking beanes whiche he had rolled in his mouth he threw them behind his backe and saide that with them he dyd redéeme himselfe and after beating on a péece of brasse he prayed the soules to depart from thence which thing if they had done nine times they thought they hadde ended their holie seruice These were celebrated by the space of thrée dayes The sacrifices which are done for the infernall Gods are called Jnferiae We read in Lucan of the soules of Sylla and Marius which were purged by sacrifice We shewed before how Athanagoras coÌ„maunded the bones which wer digged vp in the entrie of his house at Athens to be orderly buried agayne c. The auncient Iewes had an expresse commaundemeÌ„t of God not to be any thing moued with the miracles of false Prophetes and God in plaine wordes forbad them not to seeke couÌ„cel of dead bodies Saule in the beginning of hys raigne while he yet gaue himself vnto godlinesse vtterly destroyed all coniurers and witches I doe not remember that I haue euer heard or read howe the Iewes behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto theÌ„ yet I doubt not but that they are supersticious aswell in these things as in all others CHAP. V. Hovv Christian men ought to behaue themselues vvhen they see spirites and first that they ought to haue a good courage and to be stedfast in fayth HOwe Christian men oughte to behaue themselues in this behalfe it is fully and amply declared in the holie Scriptures in like manner as all other things are which appertaine vnto our saluation To wit that first we ought to be of good courage without feare being assured constante in true faith For if they be good Angels which shew themselues vnto vs then are they sent vnto vs from God to a good ende and purpose But if they be wycked and euyll they can do vs no harme be they neuer so desirous excepte God giue them leaue thereto If it be nothing but a vayne imagination that we haue or an idle sight obiected vnto our eyes surely it is great follie to be any thing afraid In déed it is naturall vnto vs to be amazed with feare when we sée suche things for
spirites speake them but bicause they are comprysed in the woorde of god But in case they are repugnant to the woorde of God they ought in no wyse to be receyued albeit an angell from heauen vtter them Thou wilt not beléeue a man of thy familiar acquaintaunce otherwyse worthy of credite who sounde of bodye and soule nowe liueth togither with thée if hée affirme any thyng whiche thou knowest to be contrary to the holy Scriptures why then wouldest thou beléeue a spirite which thou doest not know In ciuill causes the euidence or witnesse of deade men is reiected why then in causes of religion shold we giue eare to the testimonie of runagate and wandring spirites It is no harde or difficulte matter for the Lorde oure God to sende his angels vntoo vs whome otherwyse hée vseth for oure profite and by them to instructe vs in the Fayth but it hathe pleased him to appoynte the matter otherwyse Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Actes that by an angell he commaunded Cornelius to sende for Peter that he might instruct him in the fayth He myghte haue commaunded the Angell to teache Cornelius but he folowed an orderly meanes It shal be best for vs therfore to stand to the holy Scriptures simply and that all appearing of spirites as also all dreames and reuelations be tried by the holy scriptures as vpon a touchstone and so to admit nothing but that whiche is set foorthe in the holy Scriptures for excepte wée go thus warely to woorke there is greate daunger least wée bée deceyued If the aunciente Fathers had so doone they had not estrayed so farre from the Apostles simplicitie S. Augustine in his thirde booke and .6 chapter writing agaynste the letters of Petilianus sayeth thus If concerning Christe or any other thing whiche appertayneth to fayth and euerlasting lyfe I will not say we for comparyng with him that sayde Albéeit that wée but simply where as he goyng on sayd If an Angell from Heauen shall teache you any thyng besydes that whiche you haue receyued in Scriptures conteyning the law and the Gospell bée he accursed S. Chrysostom vpon the Epistle to the Galathians the firste chapter Abraham sayeth he when he was desired to send Lazarus sayd They haue Moyses the prophets if they will not heare them they will not giue eare vnto them which rise from the dead And when he bringeth in Christ vttering these words he sheweth howe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite than any raised from the dead S. Paule when I name Paule I name likewise Christ for he stirred vp his mind preferreth the Scriptures before Angels descending from Heauen and that for very iust cause For albeit Angels are great yet are they seruants and ministers For all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written and sent vnto vs by seruants but by almightie God the lord of all things Thus write these two holy fathers What things soeuer are necessarie for vs to knowe are conteined in the holy scriptures those things which are not expressed in them we muste not curiously enquire of as things profitable for our saluation Who wil therfore say against the commaundement of God that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men and by diuelishe visions These things which are secrete and hidden we shal thorowly sée when we come to eternall life May not god if we be not content with his holy word say that vnto vs which sometimes he spake by the mouth of Helias vnto the messangers of king Ochosias Is there no god in Israell that you now go to Accaron to aske councell of Belsabub Yea Thomas Aquinas denieth that diuels are to be heard which deceyue simple menne feyning them selues to be the Soules of dead men and by that coloure especially terrifie menne whiche some tymes also happened vnto the Gentiles If it were certayne and sure that the Diuel coulde not appeare and deceyue menne and also shewe greate and straunge miracles then perchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue eare vnto suche Spirits but nowe we sée the contrary happen An euill spirite cloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice and vnder the pretence of religiō he endeuoreth to ouerthrowe religion For as S. Hierom sayth the Deuill sheweth not himself with al his deceites that he may be known what he is And therefore it behoueth vs to be very circumspect and warie Moreouer myracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word neither may any thing be approued by them whiche is repugnant to the worde of god All miracles which lead vs away from our creator vnto creatures do attribute that vnto our works which is only due vnto the merites of Chryste and to be shorte all those whiche induce vs any wayes into errour are to be eschued If we must néedes beléeue these appearing soules no man could be assured of his estate for newe things shoulde be continually deuised as we sée playnely it happened in the olde time Therefore we must let passe all manner of spirits and embrace true religion and therein constantly abide CHAP. VIII Testimonies out of holie Scripture and one example vvhereby it is proued that such kynde of apparitions are not to be credited and that vve ought to be verie circumspect in them THat wée ought not by and by to beléeue all things whiche we heare not onely experience and many common Prouerbes but also the holie Scriptures teach vs especially in cases concerning our saluation touching the which thing we wil alledge only a fewe places and examples When Christ first sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospell he sayd vnto them Matthew .10 Be yée wise as serpentes and simple as Doues beware of men howe muche more than ought we to take héede of diuels Christ prophecieth in the 24. of Matthew that many false techers shall come in the latter dayes and shall shewe straunge myracles to confirme their erroures and therefore hée commaundeth the faythfull to be héedefull and circumspect and not without cause hée addeth Beholde I haue tolde you before Saynte Paule to the Galathians the firste Chapter sayth in great eanest vnto them that if an Angell come from Heauen and preache vnto them any other Gospell hée shoulde be accursed Euen so if at thys tyme spirites appeare and doe vtter any thyng repugnant to the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes they are to be reiected The Apostle in hys firste Epistle and fourth Chapter to Timothie dothe prophecie of false teachers which shoulde come and saythe the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall departe from the faythe and shall gyue héed vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuils whiche speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron forbydding to marrie and cōmaunding to absteyne from meates whiche God hath created to be receyued with gyuing thanks of them whiche beléeue
that soule He also confuteth the opinion of the Ethnikes prouing by the testimonie of the very Magitians whom they highly reuerenced that the soule was immortall These men affirmed and taught that they did call vp soules from the dead the which poynt euen those of the Gentiles beleeued who notwithstanding thought that the soule did streightway die with the bodie Iustine the Martyr in the seconde Apologie whiche he wrote in the defence of Christians hath these wordes I will sayth he say the truth In times past wicked angels through vayn visions deceyued women and children and with straunge and monstrous sightes made men afrayde by whiche meanes they often wroong that oute of foolishe and rude persons whiche by reason they coulde neuer get of them And therefore not knowyng that these were the Diuels engins and policies tendyng to delude them they by one consente termed the workers of these slye conueyances by the name of Gods assignyng to eache of them their propre names as best pleased themselues c. Afterwardes in the same Apologie hée exhorteth the heathens that they would not deny mens soules after this lyfe to be indued with sense but at the least way woulde giue credite to their owne Necromancers who teach that they call vp mens soules Also let them beléeue those that affirm they haue ben vexed with spirits of dead men which persons the coÌ„mon people term furious frantike bodies In Augustin de ciuitate dei many such things be coÌ„teined Now what dreadfull strange and maruellous ceremonies they vsed when they went aboute by their Magicall artes to call vp the soules of the deade a man may sée in the first booke of Lucan the Poet where he setteth foorth howe Erictho a famous Wytche in Thessalye reuiued and restored a souldioure to lyfe againe who was lately slayne before Whiche acte he did at the requeste of Sextus Pompeius that so he myght by him learne what wold be the issue of the battayle fought at Pharsalia This kind of Magike they proprely terme Necromancie or Psycomancie which is wrought by raising vp the spirites and soules of the dead Of whiche there were dyuerse sortes For sometyme appeared vnto menne the whole bodies of the dead but at an other time onely ghostes and spirites and often nothing was hearde sauyng onely a certayne obscure voyce Plutarche in the lyfe of Cimon as hée is translated by Ioachimus Camerarius in the Preface on Plutarches bookes De oraculis quae defecerint de conseruata figura Delphis writeth that Pausanias when he had taken the Citie of Bizance sente for Cleonice a mayden of noble parentage to haue vnhoneste companie with hir Whome hir parentes partely by necessitie and partely for feare sente vnto him But after that the Uirgin had once obtayned so muche of his wayghters in hys priuie chamber that they shoulde at hir fyrst entraunce put out the lyghtes shâ—e in the darke goyng softly towards Pausanias bedde by the waye stumbled on the candlesticke and ouerthrew it agaynste hir will as hée laye asléepe in his bedde who béeing troubled wyth the sodayne noyse drewe a swoorde that laye by hym and therewith slewe the virgin as she had bin his enimie whiche went priuily to sette vppon hym But shée béeing thus slayne wyth that deadly stroake woulde neuer after suffer Pausanias to take his quiet reste but in a vision appearing vnto him in the nyghte season denounced sentence of hatred against this noble captayn in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Answere to the lawe for wrong is an euill thing vntoo all men This heynous déede of Pausanias was very gréeuously taken of all his companions who therfore vnder the conduction of captayne Cymo â–ª sette on him and chased him out of Thracia And thus hauyng lost the citie of Bizâ—nce when as it is reported the sight continued in troubling him hée fledde vnto Necyomantium at Heraclea where the soule of Cleonices béeing called vp hée by intreatie pacified hir displeasure Shée didde there bothe present hir self vntoo hys syght and also told hym it shold shortly come to passe that the euill towards him shold cease as soone as he came to Sparta Héereby priuily intimating his death c. This Pausanias did at the first soberly and discreatly demeane him selfe but afterwardes béeing puffed vp with such victories as he had obteined he ruled and raigned lyke a very Tyraunt Wherefore when the Magistrates called Ephori would haue committed him to pryson he tooke Sanctuarie in a Temple where he was shutte vp vntill he famished through hunger I might héere heap togither many such like Hystories to proue euidently what this Samuel was In other matters also if God licence him the Deuill is not destitute of power and howe craftie and ready he is for all assayes experience doth well declare Furthermore graunt that wherein the pith strength of the question doth consist which can neuer be proued by Scripture that God did permit Samuel to return and to Prophesie of things to come after hys death yet will it not thereof followe that suche visions shoulde nowe be shewed also or that those thyngs shoulde be out of hande credited and done which they commaund God in tymes past did often in visible shape sende his Angels vnto men but nowe we heare not that many are sent vnto men neither in déed is the same necessarie WheÌ„ the Apostles lyued héere many notable miracles were doone but nowe for certaine good causes they cease and fal away for whatsoeuer is necessarie for our Saluation is expresly conteyned in the worde of god These notes touching Samuels appearing may suffise CHAP. X. Moyses and Elias appeared in the Mounte vnto Chryst our Lorde many haue ben raised from the dead both in body and soule and therefore Soules after they are departed may returne on earth againe IN like manner they obiecte vnto vs out of the 17. of Matthew that Moses and Helias were séene in the Mount whiche is called by the olde Wryters Tabor with our Lord Iesus by the Apostles whom he had chosen for the same purpose and that they dyd speake with him Luke telleth of what matters they coÌ„muned with him to wit of his deth that is the deth of the crosse Thereupon they gather that the soules of dead men may come againe into the earth appeare vnto men we haue grauÌ„ted before the God is able to send soules again into the earth but that it is his will so to do or that it is necessary especially at these days is not yet proued Moses Helias apered not to al the Apostles but only to thrée neither did they speake to those thrée they brought no new Doctrine they coÌ„maunded them not to build Churches in their honor or to do any such like thing whether that their soules came alone or their bodies also sure it is they were not sente to the Apostles but to Chryst only It was very necessarie that they which shuld be