his preposterous actions Physiologus Preposterous actions indeed for the diuell to appropriate to himselfe the peculiar organon of the possessed mans soule Do you imagine the Lord euer propounded any such end to himselfe in the creation of bodies Or do you suppose the Lord euer granted so large a commission or that the diuell himselfe euer receiued such an absolute power concerning the bodies of men But go to what becomes of the soule or spirit all the while the diuell himselfe is really inherent in the possessed mans bodie Remaines the soule still in that bodie as in her proper habitation appointed of God till the day of her vtter dissolution by death Or is it for the whole time of the diuell his being in that bodie vtterly exiled thrust out from the same Lycanthropus Naie the soule is not euen then secluded or shut out from the bodie at al but continueth and lieth therein like a subdued prisoner fast bound hand and foote yeelding ouer to the diuel for that present his whole interest concerning the bodie and endureth perforce his inexorable and tyrannous crueltie Physiologus But tell me I pray you is not the soule or the minde of a man an incorporall substance or a spirit equally diffused and spred throughout the whole bodie and euerie part thereof according to powers and proportion not Arithmeticall but Geometricall so as all the members of the bodie it selfe doth effectually fulfill their peculiar offices accordingly They being the proper instruments of that selfesame minde or spirituall substance furdering freely the organicall operation thereof and excecuting readily whatsoeuer the minde shall giue them in charge And that therefore this selfesame bodie being thus vtterly depriued as you say for the present of the soules organicall operation is in effect but dead to the soule because wheresoeuer is an vtter priuation of the soules operations concerning the bodie there the life of that man is for the present dissolued Hold you all this for a truth Lycanthropus Yea I may not denie any part thereof Physiologus Seeing then you doe flatly conclude that the minde or spirit of man is the first substantiall forme or action in a liuing bodie and the originall or primarie cause of all effects whatsoeuer performed duly therein as being that onlie whereby we doe liue perceiue desire are moued in place and doe also vnderstand how is it possible that the soule or mind of a man being naturally in perpetuall motion should at any time lie idle in her bodie it being the proper Organon of the soule peculiarly appointed vnto it by God yea euen vnto the very dissolution thereof Or how should the said soule or minde lie bound like a prisoner in her proper bodie and not execute effectually those selfesame operations and powers which are peculiarly appropriated vnto it for the special seruice of that selfesame bodie Lycanthropus What meane you by the proper operations of the soule or minde Physiologus I vnderstand thereby all those peculiar actions which doe necessarily succeede the powers of the minde as proper effects peculiarly appertaining vnto it Otherwaies this peculiar power of the minde it being a meane betweene the substance and operations of the minde are the only efficient cause of the said mindes operations should be vtterly in vaine and to no purpose at all vnles the peculiar effects of that selfesame power did vndoubtedly and immediatly succeede the same Howbeit these selfesame effects cannot possibly succeed the saide power of the minde so long at the least as the Diuel himselfe really possessing the bodie doth wholy and absolutely take vp the said bodie with the members thereof to accomplish his mischieuous purposes As for example all the operations of the minde are either organical or animal The organical operations they are those seuerall actions which the minde can in no wise accomplish but in the bodie it selfe and by all the seuerall members thereof as by the proper instruments for that purpose peculiarly appointed vnto it Namely the nutritiue augmentatiue and generatiue operations appertaining especially to the vegetatiue life also the facultie of seeing hearing tasting smelling handling and of common sense moreouer the imaginatiue the memoratiue the concupiscible irascible and motiue faculties being all attendant vpon the sensitiue life Now then these and euerie of these are the organical operations of the minde yea and such also as the minde cannot possibly effect but in her owne bodie and by all the partes thereof as by the peculiar instruments appointed of God And therefore how should the possessed mans minde his bodie it selfe being thoroughly surprised and taken vp as you say by the Diuel at any hand accomplish either all or any one of these organical operations Lycanthropus As the minde her selfe cannot but be in perpetuall motion so surely being forcibly restrained from these her organical operations she must for the present be faine to put in execution and to practise as she may her animal operations Physiologus The animal operations they are such speciall actions as the minde of it selfe both can and may effectually accomplish without the bodie namely those three essential powers of the reasonable soule called the vnderstanding affection and will Whereof the two last are fitly termed the intellectiue appetite whereas the organical affections arising only from out of the hart the lyuer and entralles are called the sensitiue appetite But for as much as these animal operations all the while the minde it selfe is seated in her proper bodie are by the order of God appointed to be the directours and moderatours of all the organical operations I aske you by what meanes the mind may accomplish her appointed dutie concerning the direction and moderation of those her organical actions so long as the Diuel himselfe doth really and wholy take vp the said bodie with her seuerall partes to become the vnhappie instruments of his Diuellish attempts Lycanthropus I see no possible helpe but that the minde it selfe must giue place to the Diuel for a time Physiologus Giue place for a time for how long I beseech you Put case this man be really possest of the diuell for seuen yeeres togither or more and that in the meane time he should die before the diuell be dispossest of his bodie which for any thing knowne to the diuell he may very well do for his daies are determined which he cannot possiblie passe Now then the soule it selfe being surprized by death and so seperate from the bodie it selfe before she recouer her pristinate power concerning the saide bodie or any the organicall actions appertaining vnto it to whom must those the disordered actions wrought in the bodie all the whole time of the diuell his reall possession therein be imputed I pray you Whether to the possessed mans minde or to the diuell himselfe that possesseth his bodie And whether of both must yeeld an account vnto God for those seuerall actions of the sinfull bodie Lycanthropus The verie soule it selfe is answerable
assuming of bodies to the transforming of bodies your store then I perceiue is not great and it seemes you are almost drawen dry Howbeit because the handling of this point will craue a large discourse Let vs therefore breake off for the present And hauing with some small pittance refreshed our selues then wil we conferre hereof to the full til dinner be readie if you like of the offer Pneumatomachus Sir we like whatsoeuer you feele best for your selfe and therefore respect your owne health and we three in the meane time will repaire to our Innes and after will meet you afresh Orthodoxus Nay surely as we haue iointly ioyned together in spirituall repast so will we not sunder our selues in our corporall sustenance all the while our controuersie continueth And therefore if you doe like the thinne diet of schollers let vs in Gods name goe all together Philologus It is much to troublesome vnto you and chargeable both but sith you wil haue it so we will all iontly attend on your person Orthodoxus Let vs then arise and depart The end of the fourth Dialogue The fifth Dialogue THE ARGVMENT Whether Spirits and Diuels can essentially transforme themselues into any true naturall bodie And how those places of Scripture are to be taken which manie produce for that purpose The speakers names PHILOLOGVS LYCANTHROPVS PNEVMATOMACHVS PHYSIOLOGVS ORTHODOXVS EXORCISTES Orthodoxus SIth nature by the good blessing of God is something refreshed let vs now for a while keepe close in my parlour with ful purpose to proceede in our conference till dinner be ready and then after walke forth in the aire to recreate our spirits Physiologus With very good will and therefore linger not the time but go an end in your purpose Orthodoxus Goe to then Lycanthropus repeate your argument Lycanthropus I repeate it thus Spirits and diuels they can essentially transforme themselues into any true naturall body therefore they can also essentially enter into the possessed mans body Orthodoxus Proue your antecedent Lycanthropus What sir do you flatly denie that the diuell can essentially transforme himselfe into what bodie he please I am fully resolued to hold this point whatsoeuer be said to the contrarie Orthodoxus Your vnreasonable resolution is vnto vs no reasonable conclusion neither is the question betweene vs what you wil hold but what you are able to prooue concerning this point And albeit I doubt nothing at al but that you for your owne part will hold verie much till it comes to the pinch yet we hope you will change your purpose if once you be made to perceiue that none but your selfe are of this opinion Lycanthropus Yes sir all the world I am sure iumpes pat with me in this point and verie certeine I am I shall gaine your consent to the same in the end Orthodoxus Howsoeuer you seeme confident in the common consent of the world your gaine I assure you is not like to be great by any such a supposed grant as you haplie imagine from me Lycanthropus Will you not grant that diuels may essentially transforme themselues into what bodies they please Physiologus Master Orthodoxus let me answere this point if you please Come on Lycanthropus what is the thing you would haue granted vnto you Lycanthropus Why this namely that diuels may essentially transforme themselues into a true naturall bodie Physiologus Such a grant we may yeeld you at no hand because euen Philosophie her selfe is flat opposite to it who will neuer admit any such a confused participation of essentiall formes For as essence it selfe is impartible and vndeuidable or rather a certaine incommunicable and singular matter so surely the essence and vnitie of things being preserued intier essentiall formes they cannot possiblie be cnumōicated transferred or passed ouer from that substance it selfe whereof they are formes into any other substance or matter to giue the same also an essentiall forme Because not onely the constituting forming or framing but euen also the destruction of substances doth essentially arise from the forme it selfe And looke whereunto there is giuen a forme conuenient and proportionable to one onely essence thereunto also must necessarily be giuen an vndoubted true essence Because a proper forme is the principall part of essence yea and as some learned Philosophers doe flatly affirme it is the whole essence or nature of the thing it selfe And therefore if spirits and diuels be at any time essentially transformed into men then do they foorthwith cease for that time to be spirits and diuels and may truely be said to be men Lycanthropus I doe not well conceiue your meaning Physiologus I will further explaine it thus If there be any such essentiall transforming of spirits and diuels into men as your selfe doth imagine then vndoubtedly that selfe same essentiall transformation it is either according to the body alone or according to the body and soule together If according to the body alone then that selfe same transformed body it should at one and the selfe same time become both the body of a man and the body of a diuell which were to to absurde to imagine If according to the body and soule together then either the whole man both body soule must be essentially transformed into the very essence and nature of a diuell or the diuell he must needes be essentially transformed into the very naturall body and soule of a man at the least which none but mad-men will euer affirme Againe if that essentiall transformation be effected according to the body alone then howsoeuer that selfe same body be not for the present the body of a man but is wholy transformed into the very essence and nature of a diuell yet the soule of that man must either be forced to forsake his owne body and so bring present death to the body it selfe because death is nothing else but the dissolution of soule and bodie or else the same soule it must necessarily passe from out of it owne body into the very essence of a diuell and so by consequence there must needes be a meere confusion of spirituall substances or two essentiall formes in one and the selfe same body at once which were absurde to auouch and vtterly impossible by any created power to be euer effected Lycanthropus Let Phylosophie be opposite or what she will very certaine I am the diuell can essentially transforme him selfe into any true naturall body Physiologus What man will you in deed oppose your selfe to true Phylosophie then I perceiue you respect not at all the operations and powers of nature But goe to let master Orthodoxus heare what one reason you haue in true diuinitie to mannage your said resolution Lycanthropus What one reason quoth you why man the diuell he can essentially transforme him selfe into an Angell of light therefore how much more into any true naturall body Orthodoxus You are mightily mis-led herein by mistaking the word metaschemarizetai That is to say he transmuted transfashioned
sir we also our selues would gladly see that same Iesus whom the world so egerly affecteth and followeth Andrew no sooner perceiued their sute but he acquainted Phillip therewith and they both together propounded the whole matter to Iesus Now then Iesus considering in the zeale of those greekes how all nations affected his preaching and miracles and came flocking vnto him he answered Andrew and Philip thus I perceiue by all signes that the very hower it selfe is now come wherein the sonne of man must be glorified in the actuall manifestation of his effectuall power vpon satan by his sufferings and death Which his said death I assure you must now necessarily succeed to the actuall accomplishment of that actuall conquest a very liuely resemblance whereof you may plainely behold in the wheate corne Which vnlesse it doth fall into the ground and die abideth alone but if it doe die it bringeth foorth abundance of fruit And euen so if this body of mine were once wrapped within the bowels of the earth by the dart of death there would vndoutedly spring many moe branches from thence as from that liuing roote which quickneth many to eternall life Neither let any be so dismaied with the sight of my death as that therefore they themselues would not gladly vndeâ—goe the like shame of the crosse For whosoeuer is so taken vp with the loue of this life as he would not for my sake be throughly willing to put ouer the same to the extreamest aduentures of all that man without question shall loose his life Whereas they that for my sake doe make themselues ready to forgoe if neede so require their very life in this world they shal be sure to preserue the same to eternall life Yea and euen you also your selues whom I haue especially chosen my ministers to declare my said death to the world if in your said ministery you desire to serue me aright you likewise must willingly follow me your Lord and Maister now leading this dance vnto death For wheresoeuer I am there must my ministers willingly be Neither haue I any other purpose in suffering death for you but to giue you an example to follow my steps Wherein if you readily serue me assure your selues that then my father in heauen will honour you highly In deed this corporall death I confesse is extreamely fearefull to flesh and bloud For euen my very soule I assure you is so intollerably tormented with the terrours thereof as I would earnestly entreate my father that the approching hower of this my death might presently passe away were it not that euen therefore I came vnto this hower In consideration of which my determined death I will the more earnestly endeuour my selfe to vndergoe with patience the whole bickering whatsoeuer by crying incessantly vnto my father and saying Oh father glorifie thy owne name in these my appointed sufferings Moreouer to the end you may plainely perceiue the fruits of my praier you your selues shal be eare witnesses of my father his answere from heauen saying My son I haue both glorified it before in thy conception thy birth thy baptisme thy fasting thy preaching and miracles and I will now glorify it againe in thy death and resurrection because therein shal be actually effected the finall ouerthrow of satan his kingdom And howsoeuer the people here present may happely imagine this sound from heauen to be but a thunder or some voice of an Angel at the most yet I assure you it is the very thundring speech of my father himselfe Neither came this voice onely because of my selfe but for your sakes especially To teach you assuredly that euen now is the iudgement and reformation of this world because euen now must the prince of this world be actually cast foorth from thence as touching his actuall possession Yea and this so glorious a conquest ouer satan must euen now be actually effected by the power of my death wherein if I were once lift vp from the earth and fastned withall vpon the crosse I would then actually determine the actuall dominion of the diuel yea and would effectually draw his captiuated prisoners vnder my princely regiment Now all this haue I purposely spoken vnto you to shew you before hand what death I must die that so soone as you perceiue me to giue vp the ghost you may then certeinely assure your selues that the whole worke of your redemption from satan from death and from hell is actually effected finished Thus much for analysing the text it selfe Wherin you haue heard the occasion coherence proceeding and the orderly conclusion of all the premisses Lycanthropus The exposition is plaine in my simple conceite let vs therefore now heare the testimonie of writers for further confirmation thereof Orthodoxus You shall And first to begin with Augustine he saith that by the iudgement of the world we must there vnderstand not the iudgement of damnation which is reserued to the last day but the iudgement of discretion which consisteth wholie in reforming the worlde by the expelling of Satan For the diuell saith he possessed mankinde and held them guiltie of punishment through the handwriting of sinne He did dominier in the harts of Infidels and drewe them being deceiued and captiuated to worship the creature by forsaking the Creator Howbeit through that selfesame faith of Christ which by his death and resurrection was actually established and through his precious bloud which was shedde for remission of sinnes a thousand beleeuers being then actually freed from the power of the diuell were effectually coupled to the bodie of Christ and by the operation of his spirit became liuely members of his mysticall bodie For so Christ expounds himselfe in the very next words saying Now is the prince of this worlde cast foorth Vnderstanding by the particle now that which was then to bee done at his death not that which he was finally to accomplish at the generall iudgement The Lord therefore foresawe that worke which he knewe should be effected after his death and glorification namely that many thousands throughout the world should faithfully beleeue in his death From whose harts the diuel who worketh effectually in theÌ„ before should actually be driuen out by Christs death and finally be subdued through faith in his name Exorcistes The diuell then it should seeme by your speech was neuer driuen foorth from the patriarkes before the passion of Christ. Orthodoxus Not so For Christ was the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Neither speake we in this place of the effectual but of the actuall conquest which he made ouer Satan Yea and this I further auouch that euen as the particle now in an especiall regard of Christes actuall conquest respecteth especially the verie hower of his death so surely in some consideration also of Christs effectuall eonquest the said particle now may likewise haue a more speeiall reference to
to answere Augustine by Augustine himselfe both in the very same booke and else where besides Wherein he flatly affirmeth that the angels do outwardly helpe vs by certaine visible apparitions or sights which they propose offer before our eies Those selfesame apparitions hauing not onely an apt resemblance of naturall bodies but which also are subiected vnder their Angelicall auctoritie and power Thus the Augustine you see is so variable in himselfe concerning this point as no certaintie can be concluded of that which he speakes Lycanthropus By this one shift you may easily shift ouer what truth soeuer the holy fathers affirme Ortâ—odoxus I neuer yet sought to shake of any truth by shifts Neither doe I preiudice Augustine or any of the fathers by viewing and reiecting their variable opinions for so Augustine in his latter Retractions oft times reiecteth himselfe And howsoeuer Augustine or your selfe doe dreame in this point very certaine I am as was shewed before that the good Angels of God in their orderly execution of any peculiar office appointed by God were neuer essentially mingled with the minds of the godly No verely but in all their ambassages they doe either manifest themselues by seeing and hearing or assist vs eftsoones by some other sensible meanes howbeit they at no hand do helpe vs by any reall commixture of their proper substances together with ours No that God of order who ordereth all things in number in waight and in measure hauing decreed no such course at all would at no hand permit such confusion of substances nor endure such shamefull disorder among anie his creatures in heauen or in earth Lycanthropus Tell me then by what meanes they do hurt men Orthodoxus Not by any essentiall possession or reall commixture of themselues with mens mindes but by that selfesame effectuall power which euen now worketh mightily in the disobedient children By the efficacie also of which working power they become lying spirites in the mouthes of false prophets they worke lying woonders in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes they buffet mens mindes with fearefull tentations they endeuour to sifte and to winnowe mens soules as men winnow wheate they circumuent them with wiles they make men vncleane they possesse them by deafenes they strike them with blindenes they subdue them through dumbnes they ouercome them by lamenesse yea and euen binde them as it were with diseases a long time togither Brieflie the diuel hauing power ouer death by the efficacie of that power he doth vexe and torment men within and without compassing ouer the earth running like a ramping roaring lyon continually about to deuoure Lycanthropus Yea but how should they possiblie either hurt or deuoure hauing in men no reall possession Orthodoxus You do ouer-grosly conceiue of the matter and with as good reason might aske me howe an enimie should possiblie hurt the captaine which keepeth an hold he hauing in the saide captaine no reall possession Howbeit this me thinke you might know by experience that notwithstanding the want of reall possession the enimie may many waies hurt the said captaine as by giuing him bribes to betray the hold by assaulting by battring by undermyning by pyning by wounding yea and by slaying some of his souldiers before his face All these and many moe annoiances the enimie may offer the captaine though not essentially inherent in the captaine himselfe yea and by the dispatching of these he cannot choose but vexe and torment the captaine himselfe euen as if he had really and substantially possessed his person After the selfe-same maner dealeth Satan with such as he is said to possesse For albeit he doth not substantially enter into the possessed mans minde which is as it were a grand-captaine ouer the bodie yet for all this the diuell that sworne aduersarie of man by deuising procuring applying and by ministring many strange sicknesses diseases and deathes to the bodie he doth no lesse violently vexe and torment the minde it selfe then if he were essentially entred therein Yea and all these the forenamed annoiances he effecteth at his owne will and pleasure Partly for that he is of long experience in mischief hauing bin a practitioner therein from the beginning of the world Partly thorough a more easie maner of knowing things he being very sharpe sighted throughly acute not needing those meanes which earthlie men neede to vnderstand and to find forth the natures effects and causes of things And partlie also by reason of the excellencie of their proper nature they being most speedelie caried from place to place being of infinite power in comparison of vs and being also of such an exquisite knowledge as eftsoones they vndertake by obseruing euents and by conferring of causes to coniecture the timelie successe of manie their mischeiuous enterprises By al the premisses then it is verie apparant that the diuel he hath such an effectuall power permitted vnto him as he needes not essentiallie enter mans mind to accomplish any his diuellish enterprises Lycanthropus If diuels enter not essentiallie into the possessed mans mind how should they possiblie encline or bow his saied mind to their purpose Orthodoxus Touching the enclining of mindes if we speake herein according to truth God alone is properlie said to worke in the minds of men and to encline their wils which waies he please although yet spirites and diuels they may also be considered as helpers herein howbeit such helpers no doubt as doe rather moue by external reasons then encline at al by internal actions And euen so the lying spirite in the mouth of Ahab his prophets was after a sort an helper to God Concerning therefore the enclining of minds we must here distinguish betweene the interiour efficient who onlie is God and the exteriour agent namelie spirites and diuels Againe the meanes whereby the exteriour agent doth worke is twofold The first is the external obiect of the mind it being apprehended of the vnderstanding for good and effectuallie offered also vnto the wil. For euerie facultie of the mind is especiallie moued by his proper obiect not only offered but apprehended also effectually The other external meanes enclining the mind is seated in those affections and passions that are placed in the sensitiue appetite namely lust anger loue and such like by which also the wil after a sort is inclined to something Now then spirites and diuels they are able by external obiects to stirre vp affections and passions in the sensitiue appetite Howbeit not simplie and absolutelie as God who is said to haue the hearts of kings in his hand and who also is able alone to encline mans wil effectuallie to whatsoeuer he please but after a sort and so far forth also as they by external reasons are able like councellours to perswade the wil vnto something For they cannot possiblie compel the wil the same
together that man may not truely be termed a liuing man And which more is the soule and body are so inseparably conioyned by the creation of God as no one creature in heauen or in earth may possibly disioyne them before the finall separation of life according to the determinate councell appointment of God Briefly be it supposed that the diuell could in deed assume to himselfe some liuing mans bodie and could also for the present extenuate the same and transforme the substance thereof into spirituall congellations as Tatianus affirmeth yet this is verie certaine and a generall rule that two substantiall formes cannot possibly be inherent together and at once in one and the selfe same subiect And therefore to bring the substantiall forme of a diuell without feeling into the substantiall body of a man without either killing or hurting and which more is to transforme the same into such a slender and impalpable substance as cannot of the possessed him selfe be sensibly perceiued or felt no not at the first entrance into him it may well be vnlikely but very certaine I am the same is vtterly impossible for all the diuels in hell to accomplish such hard hap they haue in assuming a liuing mans body Pneumatomachus For my part I rather suppose that the Diuel doth assume to himselfe some deads mans bodie Physiologus This your supposall is no lesse absurd then the orher before For first if that bodie which the Diuel doth assume be the body of a dead man departed long since then surely it is an hundred to one that that selfesame assumed bodie is either eaten with wormes and so vnfit for the seruice or is else so putrified with filthie corruption as the Diuel by entring into any therwith must needes poyson the possessed man vnto death Againe if that assumed bodie be the bodie of a dead man but lately departed this life the Diuel then by assuming such a newly departed bodie must be supposed to appeere in a white winding sheete as he was heretofore thought to appeere vnto Saul in Samuels supposed bodie with a mantel about him must so for the present forsake that his supposed forme which the Poets and Painters doe hold to be griesly and blacke Besides that in supposing the Diuel can assume to himselfe the bodie of a man you doe therein very grosly oppose your selfe to the blessed Apostle who saith most confidently that mens bodies are created for the Lord himselfe and not for infernall Spirits That they are the members of Christ not the mansions of Belial the temples of the holy Ghost not a dungeon for Diuels a stie for Satan not an habitation for Helhounds Briefly if the Diuel doth assume to himselfe some dead mans bodie whether long since or but lately departed we must by this your supposall imagine a resurrection of bodies before to the generall iudgement and therein also must attribute to the Diuel that absolute power of raising the dead which only is due and proper to God and so by consequence conclude that the Diuel can accomplish and worke true miracles Whereas the Lord only is able to take life from the dead and to restore them againe vnto life which is such a miraculous worke of the omnipotent God as by an infallible consequence approoueth the Deitie Seeing therefore that by this your supposal you doe in effect but Deifie the Diuel bee foorthwith ashamed to hold that Spirits haue power to assume to themselues the bodie of a man alreadie created whether dead or aliue Lycanthropus You grant then that the Diuels doe assume to themselues some vncreated bodie Physiologus I grant no such thing For how is it possible either Diuel or Angel should assume that which is not at all or that they should take to themselues a bodie not yet existing in nature Philologus Very true But after the creation of such an essentiall bodie you doe then confesse the Diuel may assume such a bodie Physiologus I confesse no such matter vnlesse you first shew me by whom those selfesame supposed bodies should be essentially created whether by God or the Diuel Exorcistes They are surely created by God or not at all for the Lord onely alone is the creator of all things Physiologus Though the Lord in deed be the Creator of all things yet doth it not necessarily folow and your selfe shal neuer be able to proue that he is also the Creator of these things And how dare you then so confidently auouch that these your supposed bodies for the seruice of diuels are essentially created by God Exorcistes God is of infinite power and therefore may doe it Physiologus Your may be concludeth nothing at all Neither doe we dispute what God either may or is able to doe but what in deed and in truth he doth certainly accomplish And albeit the Lord I confesse be of infinit power yet is his said power restrainde to his will for whatsoeuer the Lord willeth that doth he in heauen and in earth So then vnlesse you can shew the Lords word to witnesse his will concerning such extraordinarie creation of bodies for the seruice of Satan whatsoeuer your selfe shall haplie imagine that God may doe therein you must yet giue vs leaue to doubt of the doing there of in deed Lycanthropus But why may not the Lord for the execution of iustice create them such bodies Physiologus First because the Lord hath infinite meanes besides and those also of more excellent maiestie for the execution of iustice and therefore he stands in no maner of neede to haue such a patched supplie Secondly for that the Lord will neuer do that which may any waies witnes against himselfe But for him to create such essential bodies afresh at the pleasure of the diuell and so oft as he pleaseth doth derogate greatly from the certaintie of that sacred truth which sealeth vnto vs the certaine accomplishment of all his workes whatsoeuer in sixe daies space and the vndoubted ceasing from all his labors the folowing day Moreouer to hold for infallible truth that those your supposed bodies for the seruice of Satan must in any case be created of God what doe you else in effect but thereby conclude the Lord him selfe to be slauishly subiect vnto Satan his accursed commaund in creating him bodies afresh and so oft as seemeth him good Briefly sith the glory of God is the maine end of all his creation what one glory may possibly redounde to the Lord by creating such your supposed bodies as being altogether by Satan abused are prepared neither to destruction nor glorie And therefore it is grosse impietie or rather an horrible blasphemie for any to hold that the Lord alone must be the Creator of any such essentiall bodies as your selfe and some others suppose the diuell doth assume to his seruice Lycanthropus It is certaine then that those assumed bodies are created by Satan him selfe Physiologus It is euen as
deliuered by the Angel at al but only by the immediate power of the Lord who himselfe alone did open the mouth of the asse as was shewed before Howbeit you your selfe foysting in here by the way this cunning conceite do couertly goe about I perceiue to alter the state of our question which consisteth onely of the diuel his essentiall assuming and entring into bodies Pretermitting therefore to discourse here of the diuel his sensible speaking by the meanes of a true naturall body vntil we come to entreate of actuall possession Do now say what you can for the question in hand or presently giue ouer the same Lycanthropus Satan he essentially assumed the dead body of Samuel departed yea and appeared and spake sensibly in that selfesame body therefore spirits and diuels they can also assume to themselues some naturall bodies and performe in them such natural actions Philologus Well said Lycanthropus this argument I verely suppose will hold Maister Orthodoxus very hard to his pinnes Those other before were drawen from the good angels of God who are able to do more then the diuels by much and therefore no sound reason may be concluded from them to the diuels who wanting like priuiledges are also far vnequal to them in wisedome and power But this argument which you make now from the person of satan himselfe I beleeue is a toucher and such a one as is able to driue Maister Orthodoxus to al his shifts Pneumatomachus Beleeue me sir it is a soaker in deed and therefore what say you vnto it Orthodoxus Beeing such a toucher as Philologus affirmeth I would not willingly touch it for feare of being defiled with the follie thereof And therefore letting it lie soaking a while in the suddes of your idle conceites til the maine force thereof be wasted away with the wetting I doe here tel you by the way for an answere It is generally and iudicially determined by the whole church of God yea and the marginall note in your bible doth likewise auouch that it was not Samuel himselfe that appeared but the diuel forsooth in Samuels likenesse Which being certeinely so do now tel me what substantiall consequent can possibly arise from your antecedent it beeing so false and vnsound Lycanthropus Let the church and marginall notes conclude what they please I haue the plaine text on my side which saith it was Samuel and vnto that wil I stick Orthodoxus You say you wil stick to the text Very wel said hold you fast to the words of the text and then tel me which way you wil proue it the diuel himselfe essentially in Samuels body who appeared to Saul There is no mention of the diuel in all that story neither doth the text say it was Samuels body but Samuel himselfe that appeared Exorcistes Though the diuel be not nominally exprest in the story yet there be many things in the story it self which do implicatiuely vnfold his nature vnto vs and which can haue relation to none but himselfe Namely first the Lord hauing refused before to giue answere to Saul by liuing Prophets it is vnlikely he would answere him now by the dead hauing especially forbidden the same by his word And therefore not Samuel himselfe but the diuel in Samuels body appeared to Saul Againe he that appeared did suffer himselfe to be worshipped of Saul which thing neither Samuel nor any good Angel in heauen would haue permitted and therefore it was the diuel in Samuels body Moreouer he which appeared told Saul that the next day being slaine he should be with him but Saul was a reprobate and could not be with Samuel in heauen and therefore by all the premisses it is very apparant that it could not be Samuel himselfe but must needs be the diuel in Samuels body who appeared to Saul Orthodoxus As though because some things in the storie are hardly correspondent to Samuel therefore forsooth it must needes be the Diuel and none other There be as many other things in that storie which at no hand may be applied to the Diuel but doe more fitly accord vnto Samuel and yet dare I not from thence so confidently conclude that therefore it was Samuel himselfe that appeered As first the scriptures throughout that whole storie doe say it was Samuel himselfe not the Diuel in Samuels bodie but if it were not Samuel in deede the text should report an vntruth and offer great iniurie to Samuel in naming the Diuel so oft by his name Againe he that appeered complaines vnto Saul for being wakened but Diuels being spirits doe neuer sleepe and therefore not the Diuel but Samuel himselfe appeered to Saul Againe he that appeered did truly prophesie the death of Saul and his sonnes the very next day but this the Diuel could not doe he hauing no sound foreknowledge of things neither would he haue done it for he is a lier and the father of lying and therefore not the Diuel but Samuel himselfe did appeere Briefly he that appeered tolde such a tale vnto Saul as the Diuel himselfe vnlesse he were mad or had purposed vtterly to ouerthrowe his owne kingdome would neuer haue told and therefore by all the premisses it is very apparant that it was not the Diuel but must needes be Samuel that appeered to Saul Exorcistes Notwithstanding all this some of the old fathers suppose it was the Diuel that appeered to Saul Orthodoxus They doe so but let them or some of you shew me how he appeered to Saul Lycanthropus He appeered essentially in Samuels bodie Orthodoxus The text declareth no such thing at all and it tels vs plainly it was Samuel himselfe not the Diuel in Samuels bodie Lycanthropus You your selfe alledged euen now the consent of the Church and the marginall note to prooue it the Diuel in Samuels likenes Orthodoxus The likenes of a thing is not the thing it selfe and therefore if it was the Diuel only in the likenes of Samuel then not the Diuel essentially in Samuel his bodie And so this example you see concludeth no essentiall assuming of bodies by either spirites or Diuels which was the very maine point for the which you produced the same Lycanthropus Howsoeuer you presse me with the sway of reason I doe yet confidently hold it to be the very diuel himselfe in Samuels body Orthodoxus I wonder you wil be so confident in impossibilities For Samuel he died in the yeere of the worlds creation three thousand sixty eight and Saul he was slaine in the yeere three thousand and seauenty so that there were ful two yeeres and better betweene Samuels death and these desperate dealings of Saul Now then if Lazarus body lying but foure daies dead in the graue was subiect to stinking the body of Samuel lying dead three hundred and thirty daies at the least must much more be subiect to corruption and rottennesse And therefore how is it possible the
diuel should essentially assume to himselfe the bodie of Samuell it being before consumde in the earth Surely this your opinion as it auoucheth a resurrection of bodies before the generall iudgement so it ascribes to the diuell an absolute power of raising dead bodies which onely is proper to God as was shewed before and the marginall note may tell you withall that the diuell hath no power ouer the dead Besides that if it were Samuels body in deed then it was so either with or against the Lords will Against the Lords will it could not be because he is omnipotent and able euen to tread downe satan vnder our feete and with his will it would neuer be for it is vnlikely the Lord should suffer the body of so blessed a Saint to be defiled at all by the diuell especially after his death Moreouer how should the death of the godly be iustly termed that long lasting sleepe wherein by the ordinance of God their bodies must rest till the generall iudgement if the diuell hath power to awaken and to raise them vp at his pleasure yea and how can the faith of the godly concerning the continuance of their bodies in the dust of the earth be a certaine faith if the diuell can essentially assume their said bodies from the earth at his pleasure Briefly how is it certaine that death doth dissolue our bodies from sâ—ne and corruption and that the blessed which die in the Lord do cease from their labours if the diuel hath power to raise vp our bodies at pleasure and can cause them to labour afresh and vse them as fit instruments in his diuellish and sinfull proceedings And therefore doe cease for shame to hold any longer that it was the diuell in Samuels body who appeared to Saul Lycanthropus If it was not the very true and essentiall body of Samuell in deed what was it I pray you that appeared to Saul Orthodoxus I will tell you what some fathers affirme concerning this matter lesus Syrach lustinus Martyr Tertullian Ambrose and Ierome they do euery of them very confidently conclude that it was not the very true body of Samuell in deed which appeared to Saul but onely a meere phantasie deceite and illusion of satan for the better effecting of his tyrannous purpose intended to Saul whom he knew the Lord had reiected Yea the very decretals also doe flatly determine that it was not Samuels body at all but some ghost or fantasie deceitfully offered to Saule by satan his diuellish deuise There be others againe who doe as considently hold that it was Samuell himselfe miraculously raised vp by the power of God of very purpose to intercept the witches entent who went about to raise vp a diuell in Samuels likenesse by such meanes to satisfie Saul his importunate and earnest desire But this her purpose say they was preuented by God who refusing to haue the truth of that accident deliuered by satan did therefore extra ordinarily and miraculously raise vp Samuel to discouer the truth of the matter to Saul Briefly there be others who doe verily thinke it was neither the diuell alone nor Samuel alone neither yet the diuell and Samuel together nor any phantasie ghost or other illusion of Satan but a meere cosinage and a cosining tricke of the witch at Endor Who pretending an absolute power to haue raised vp whomsoeuer Saul should haue named vnto her neither did nor possible could cause any visible apparition at all but onely iuggled with Saul him selfe he being without and she close in her Cel or playing some legerdemaine at the least behinde a cloth no sensible vision appearing at all to the King Thus then hauing briefely deliuered mens seuerall opinions concerning this point you may deliberately conferre them with that which is spoken before and thereupon imbrace which pleaseth you best Pneumatomachus Good sir giue vs your owne censure concerning these sundrie opinions of men Orthodoxus I neither dare nor will vndertake the censuring of anie Onely if you simplie desire to heare what my selfe in an onely regard of our question do esteeme of their iudgements then this I must tell you concerning the first opinion Namely that howsoeuer it be granted for truth it serues not your turne for it denies the apparition to be Samuell in deed but rather a meere illusion of Satan Touching the second it is that you know which I argue against and therefore by their leaues I dissent from the same till that which I haue said be considerately answered As for the last howsoeuer it be new and therefore may haply seeme strange vnto some yet if your selues without preiudice and with a single respect to the truth would but deliberately peruse that priuileged discourse to the full you might happily perceiue it a verie probable opinion how pregnant soeuer in proofe Philologus Nay that opinion I disclaime aboue all the rest for it denieth there was any apparition at all whereas the text saith plainely that Saul knew it was Samuell and bowed himselfe Is it likelie that Saul would bowe vnto nothing Orthodoxus He bowed to as much as he sawe which was nothing at all as may easely appeere if you but carefully examine the confused conference betweene him and the Witch For saith shee being labouring alone in her Cell oh thou hast surely deceiued me for thou art Saul which she might and did know verie well howsoeuer she dissembled the same for the present Well go to saith Saul be not afraid for what seest thou As if he should say I my selfe do see nothing as yet that thou needest to feare O yes saith the Witch I see Gods ascending vp out of the earth as though she had brought vp a number of dead saints I do not yet behold any saith Saul but go to what fashion is he of for I my selfe see no fashion of any appearance Yes saith the Witch an old man commeth vp lapt in a mantell As though either Samuel had beene buried before in his mantel or the diuell he had had his Weauers and Tailers at hand to haue wrought him a new one vpon the sodaine Well nowe saith the text Saul knew it was Samuel that is by this her description he thought Samuel had appeared to her although he sawe nothing himselfe and thereupon he bowed to a phantasied Samuel Lycanthropus But sir if nothing appeared in truth how then was the conference afterwards performed to Saul Orthodoxus That was cunningly deliuered by the Witch alone in her Cell she being a cunning Ventriloquist as all Pythonistes are who can very hideously speake in the bottome of their bellies with an hollow counterfeit voice and therein by practise she was verie expert Philologus Lycanthropus we verily thought this last reason would haue striken all dead but now being come to the rifling I perceiue
a like power be eftsoones permitted vnto them for the working of miracles it beeing a faculty inferiour to the other by much yea and such a power also as the very wicked may haue Physiologus The soundnesse of this reason consisteth in vnsoundnesse altogether and therefore the supposed soundnesse thereof for the proofe of your purpose is nothing else in effect but a festured incurable corruption concerning both matter and forme For first that it is faulty in matter your selfe may plainely perceiue in that it wholely relieth vpon a very false exposition concerning the word Exousia For whereas your Gregory or your selfe in his name do translate it a power the whole coherence and circumstance of the text doth plainely declare that it ought rather to be termed a right or prerogatiue Yea and which makes me to merueile sith that selfesame word is diuersly translated according to the diuerse occasions thereof namely sometimes a power sometimes a faculty sometimes a liberty sometimes an authority sometimes a care a procuration a right or prerogatiue It is too too strange that your selfe quite contrary to the true scope of the text should so confidently cleaue to the word power alone aboue all the other rehearsed before Neither may I possibly perceiue your purpose therein vnlesse happely you would iumpe with Castalio and the papists in their free-will opinion a thing directly opposite to the holy ghost himselfe as you may plainely perceiue both in that and the verse immediately following Where the Euangelist acknowledgeth onely such as are borne of God to haue the right or prerogatiue to be made the sonnes of God Not vnderstanding by the word Exousia as your selfe would falsly beare vs in hand any power of electing but a power of apprehending the adoption of God by faith Attributing wholy therein the effectuall working power of that selfesame adoption to the almighty alone and the power of apprehending that priuiledge vnto the sauing faith of the adopted sonnes of God in Iesus Christ. Yea and thus much also your selfe at vnwares doe flatly confesse in your very assumption saying that they haue power to be made the adopted sonnes of God making them plainely you see very passiues and no actiues at all in the work of adoption And so your owne reason concludeth directly the contrary of that which you labour to prooue namely that those good men of God they had onely a passiue power in the working of miracles that is they had none other but an instrumentall power therein as we shewed before Secondly your reason it is faulty also in forme For besides that the same is in no good forme it concludeth only a may be from a bare or naked supposall telling vs by a pittifull begging of the cause in question that if the Saints haue an actuall power in the greater there needes be no merueile at all if sometimes they haue also a like power in that which is lesse Very true as you say if the Saints of God haue in deed an actuall power in that which is greater then the sequel of your speech might happely haue in it some more probability But whether they haue in them such a power or no your Gregory he hath not concluded as yet Exorcistes Yea but he illustrates the matter by a plaine example Physiologus How could he illustrate the thing that is not at all For it is not yet concluded you see that the Saints of God had euer in themselues any actuall power for the working of miracles and therefore he cannot possibly illustrate the same by any example Notwithstanding propound your example that so we may see whether it be any sounder then the reason produced before Exorcistes That sundrie deuout and religious persons did effect many miracles sometimes instrumentally and sometimes principallie I meane sometimes by prayer alone apprehending the power of Christ and sometimes also by an actual power permitted vnto them it is verie apparant saith Gregorie by these folowing examples First the Apostle Peter instrumentally by praier alone apprehending the power of Christ restored Tabitha againe to her life On the otherside the selfesame Apostle more principallie and by an actuall power in himselfe and without anie inuocation or praier at all did actually deliuer Ananias to death By both which it is verie apparant that the holy men of God they had in themselues not onely instrumentally but which more is euen princâ—pally also an actuall power for the powerfull expelling of spirits and diuels Physiologus That some holie men of God haue had an especiall power permitted vnto them for the admirable effecting of miracles no wise man will euer denie because the Scripture it selfe doth plainely auouch that vnto some there was giuen the operations of great workes by the spirit of God Howbeit this we must hold withall that such a power whatsoeuer it was onely an instrumentall and no principall power at all For seeing the sacred Scriptures do flatly affirme that Iehouah alone doth woondrous things we must therefore verie conscionable confesse and acknowledge that Iehouah alone is the author and man but the instrument of all those admirable actions whatsoeuer which he by their hands doth so powerfully accomplish Touching therefore your vaine surmize of Peter his principall power in the actuall deliuerie of Ananias to death the Euangelist Luke a little after doth flatly auouch that Peter was onely the hand whereby the Lord himselfe with his scepter or two edged sworde did wound Ananias his soule vnto death Yea and it is verie apparant by the storie it selfe that Peter he had onely a Ministeriall power in that action he being but a Minister and no Master of that selfesame worde of the Lord which is vndoubtedly a sauour of death vnto death in them that perish Howbeit because that selfe same death of the soule cannot possiblie be discerned by our corporall eies the Lord therefore he sawe it exceedingly good euen by the Ministerie of Peter therein to giue an extraordinarie visible token thereof on Ananias his bodie To the end that so many as then beheld or should from thencefoorth but heare of the same might tremble at the maiesticall power of the word and humble themselues to the auctoritie of God Who hauing plainely foretold by the mouth of his prophet that he would smite the earth with the rodde of his mouth and with the breath of his lippes destroy the vngodly did euen then by the Ministerie of Peter exhibite vnto vs an experimented triall thereof So then howsoeuer Peter himselfe he being the speciall instrument of Iehouah in that most admirable matter might by vertue of the principall agent it selfe attaine to the admirable acting of that which highly surmounted the whole facultie or power of his owne proper person euen as we also may see that a naturall heate by a power in the soule begetteth flesh yet had Peter as hath that naturall heate
withstand the creator and Lord of nature Come on therefore Exorcistes let vs goe strictly to worke Either you wrought no woonder at all or you wrought a wonder at least in the yoongman at Mahgnitton If no woonder at all then did you grossely delude the world by making them to stand gazing and woondring so long at a matter of nothing On the other side if you wrought a woonder at least then was the same either a false or true woonder If onely a false woonder then you effected the same either as a false Christ to draw sillie soules into a falsely conceited holines concerning your person or as a minister of Antichrist to establish vnderhand some pretended deuise of your owne besides the authoritie of Christ. Howbeit if that which you wrought at Mahgnitton was in deed and in truth a true woonder such I meane as the Scriptures doe vnderstand by signes and woonders then surely whether the same was effected by meanes or without meanes it was an vndoubted true miracle And therefore you are now perforce constrained to confesse that either you did nothing at all but iuggle with men in that your pretended action or must flatly acknowledge that you wrought a true miracle Because the expelling of spirits and diuels whether with meanes or without meanes is no lesse admirable now then it was in the primitiue Church Exorcistes Nay sir the miraculous curing of feuers palsies leprosies and other diseases by Christ his Apostles in those daies gaue credit to the Gospell but if God by prayer and fasting should heale the falling sicknes or phrensie or should graunt raine drought victorie or such like requests were this a miracle Physiologus If I should but imagine the contrarie men might verie well thinke I were not well in my wittes for what hath prayer in it selfe for the orderly effecting of any such action without the extraordinary working power of the Lord which was euer reputed miraculous Howbeit a miracle you may neuer auouch it to be both because you disclaimed the same before and for that the working of miracles is ceased long since Exorcistes Howsoeuer you vrge the ceasing of miracles there is no determination thereof in the holy scripture Physiologus Why man the two maine causes of working miracles namely the testification of Christ his Deitie and the confirmation of the Gospell are long since determined by the sacred scriptures and therefore the working of miracles are thereby also determined The first it was vndoubtedly determined by Christ himselfe where he saith that the euill and adulterous generation require a signe Howbeit no signe shall be giuen them but the signe of Ionah the Prophet For as Ionah was three daies and three nights in the Whales belly so shall the sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the hart of the earth Christ there declareth vnto vs that his death and resurrection should be the last signe wherewith he would testifie to the world the truth of his Deitie The other I meane the confirmation of the Gospell it also was long since determined by the spirit of God in the sacred scriptures as may verie plainely appeare by conferring the sixeteene of Marke with the second to the Hebrewes For first in the sixeteene of Marke he speaketh of a power from the Lord for confirming the word with miracles following Putting downe in that place the confirmation of the Gospell in the present time saying thus The Lord Bebaiountos that is confirming the word as if the said confirmation had euen then beene in working Howbeit in the second to the hebrewes he speakes thereof as in the preter time telling vs plaine the Gospel was ebebaioothei that is confirmed vnto vs. Declaring thereby that the confirmation of the Gospel by miracles was then so fully accomplished and so finally determined as now to let slip the certeinty of that truth which they had heard before for want of a further confirmation thereof by miracles they could not possibly escape the iust recompence of such a preposterous negligence By the premisses then you may plainely perceiue that those two maine ends of miraculous actions being long since determined the working of miracles was euen then also determined And therefore although you had wrought a true miracle at Mahgnitton in deede yet had the same beene merely superfluous Exorcistes This I suppose is your argument The Gospel it was fully and finally confirmed before by miracles therefore the further confirmation thereof by miracles now is meerelie superfluous Physiologus It is euen the very same Exorcistes Then the sequel I suppose is vnsound For why may there not be as much neede of such a miraculous confirmation in these daies of atheisme as euer before Sure we are that the scripture the deity and al religion is by some among vs no lesse called in question now then it was in any the former ages as the ecclesiasticall courts can testifie and daily experience approoueth vnto vs. Physiologus This your irreligious insinuation concerning some supposed necessity of miracles now in these daies of the Gospel as it doth very blasphemously derogate from the absolute wisedome of God in not foreseeing as it ought the future necessity of miraculous actions in euery age so doth it dangerously vndermine the certeinety of that sauing faith which was onely confirmed vnto vs by former miracles For that faith could neuer be fully nor finally confirmed before if any future necessity of confirming the same afresh be eftsoones admitted euen as that princes broade seale may at no hand he accounted authentically currant which needeth eftsoones to be iterated or imprinted afresh Besides that this pestiferous insinuation of yours it doth open a wide gap to all manner of iuggling knaueries and crafty legerdemaines For if vpon euery such insinuation the working of miracles be once freely permitted then euery cogging companion vnder an holy pretence of miracles may foist into the church at his pleasure whatsoeuer best pleaseth his phantasie and so the certeine truth of our hoped saluation should neuer be certeine vnto vs. And therefore tel me plainely I pray you whether you hold the continuance of miracles in these daies of the Gospel Exorcistes Whether I hold or not hold the continuance thereof it makes no great matter because that article in this action is not to be controuersed at all Physiologus If not in this then in no one action whatsoeuer Howbeit because you are very loath I perceiue to acknowledge that truth which you must needes be enforced at length either openly to confesse or else vtterly to disclaime your admirable action wrought at Mahgnitton let me here what one apparant reason or end you are able to propound for the continuance of miracles in these daies of the Gospel Exorcistes Alas sir an vrgent necessity in these daies of atheisme requireth the same Physiologus Oh then I perceiue your iudgment concerning
to abound Whose vaporous humors vitiating and corrupting the braine doe procure the patient vnto a verie deepe sleepe Wherein his phantasie is fearefully troubled with the dailie impression of such fearefull and strange imaginations as do cause the interiour spirits of the braine to waxe verie wilde and fearefull by reason of those blacke and cloudie representations which were receiued before in the phantasie And heereof it is that some vnskilfull Physitions do so rashly ascribe this humorous disease to the operation of the diuell and that the ignorant people do absurdly imagine the partie thus affected to be vndoubtedly possessed of diuels Howbeit they should certeinly know that a cholerike humour so soone as an extreme adustion affecteth the same is foorthwith conuerted to furie or madnes neither is it then satisfied with an onely simple melancholike affection This disease it hapneth to men especially in Autumne through the malitiousnes of the humors abounding and eftsoones is encreased in the spring in summer yea it is then the extreamest of all when the north-winde blowes by reason of the drines thereof The signes that commonly fall foorth in the beginning of this disease are these namely strange conceits and feares a pronesse to anger the partie affecting solitarinesse hauing a fearefull swimming and turning about of the braine Howbeit when the disease is once growne to perfection then there folowes verie fearfull and strange effects For some are afraide the heauens will ouerwhelme them forthwith some feare the earth will swallow them quicke some stand in continuall dread of theeues and others againe that woolues will enter into them Some imagine themselues to be diuels birds and vessels of earth yea and that they be truely transformed into woolues and therefore they do counterfeit their voices wander about in the fields This vndoubtedly is your present disease this is that which makes you so resolute concerning the supposed possession of spirits and diuels All which you may plainely perceiue is nothing else in effect but a phantasticall conceit occasioned only vpon those disordered humours which hurt and trouble your braine That which any further concerneth the nature the causes the circumstances and cure of Lycanthropie you may see more at large in Wierus his workes Lycanthropus This is very strange I assure you and more then euer I heard albeit I haue felt the experience thereof in my selfe Physiologus Not so strange as true and therefore forsake your folly in time Orthodoxus I pray you hartely doe so and that so much the rather by how much the diuel in working vpon that disordered humour will be ready eftsoones to abuse you afresh In consideration whereof I will shew you what the Ancyran councell aâ—d others haue carefully decreed against such humerous persons saying thus Whereas certeine gracelesse women seduced wholly by satans illusions doe verely imagine themselues for certeine howers in the night to be riding vpon woolues and beasts with Diana the pagane Goddesse and to passe through sundry countries through which erronious conceite they being grosly abused doe verely beleeue those things to be true yea and in beleeuing the same do fearefully straggle from the true sauing faith It appertaineth therefore to the ministers in euery their seuerall churches to publish and confute the falshood hereof and withall to strengthen the minds of their people against euery such phantasticall and fond illusion of satan Who eftsoones assailing the minds of humerous women and through infidelity conpling them sure to himselfe deludes their said minds with dreames and visions making them sometimes mery and sometimes sad shewing them sundry persons both knowne and vnknown yea and leading them dangerous bie-waies to their owne destruction Thus you see the councels decree against these rouing conceites wherewith your selfe at this present is fearefullie tainted and therefore forethinke you thereof in time Lycanthropus Are there then no essentiall transformations at all Orthodoxus No verily whatsoeuer they seeme in shewe they are but illusions and sleights of the diuel to deceiue and therefore I aduise you to winde your selfe from them with speede for feare of a further mischiefe And because you shall not imagine this councell I giue to be but a dreaming deuise of my owne therefore besides that which was spoken before I will yet further make knowen vnto you how generall councels many good writers yea and the Popes owne canons do all iointly condemne and pronounce this peeuish opinion concerning the supposed transformation of diuels to be impious absurd and diuellish and the maintainers thereof to be woorse then Infidels saying thus Whosoeuer beleeueth that any one creature can be made or changed into better or woorse or to be transformed into any other shape or into any other similitude by any other then by God himselfe the creator of all things without doubt he is but an Infidell and woorse then a Pagane And therewithall this reason is rendred Because say they they doe therein attribute that power to a creature which onely belongeth to God the creator of all things By this you may plainely perceiue of what reckoning these your supposed transformations haue beene in former times Philologus Lycanthropus your opinion it appeareth is plainely condemned of all and therefore forsake it for shame Lycanthropus So I do I assure you praising the Lord with all my hart for bringing me thus to behold the folly thereof yea and am hartely sory for being bewitched therewith so long being also ashamed now of my odious name Physiologus The Lords name be blessed for this your happy illumination in Iesus Christ. Pneumatomachus Yea and the Lord grant the like happy successe to our further proceedings Lycanthropus So be it But good Master Orthodoxus I remember full wel how that in the beginning of our conference where we handled the power of spirits aud diuels you spake of a twofold possession the one reall the other actuall The first you haue fully confuted notwithstanding any thing spoken to the contrary Howbeit of the other the question is ordinary in euery mans mouth and therefore I pray you hartely shew vs your iudgement also therein Orthodoxus What I pray you is the common opinion of men concerning the same Lycanthropus I here of none that make any doubt of actuall possession yea and the Exorcist also who cast out the diuel at Magnitton howsoeuer he faggeth with me now concerning his first conceite of real possessions he is very confident in the very title of his apology to auouch the yong man to haue been actually possessed of satan Exorcistes I doe so in deed and I make no doubt thereof at all being able I hope to mannage the same against all men yea euen to the death Orthodoxus What are you able to mannage against all to the death Exorcistes That the diuel hath and may haue now euen in these daies of the gospel an actuall or powerfull possession in men Orthodoxus What man are
you now fled from your idle conceit of essentiall possessions to the supposed actuall possessions of spirits and diuels this as it argueth euidently great want of munition to mannage that matter so it haleth vs perforce to follow your footings awhile in these your wandring vagaries that so being forcibly beaten from all hope of recouering your former hold you may be forced at the lenght to yeeld vp the conquest in the open field Howbeit this question I perceiue doth craue a larger discourse then the present time will afoord especially our dinner being now in a readinesse and staying vpon vs. Let vs therefore for the present put an ende to our speech till we haue refreshed our selues with the good blessings of God and then afterwards walke foorth and conferre of this point to the full Pneumatomachus Sir you may account vs for bold and impudent guests that are thus troublesome and chargeable to you Orthodoxus My ministerie is allotted to these kinde of troubles and my cheare I account well bestowed vpon such sort of guests therefore make no more strangenes but arise and goe with me Philologus We praise God for your kindnes and care concerning our bodies and soules and therefore doe thankfully accept of your offer and dutifully attend on your person Orthodoxus Let vs then arise and depart The end of the fifth Dialogue The sixth Dialogue THE ARGVMENT Of actuall possession what it is And whether the diuels now in these dates of the Gospell do actually possesse either the minde or the bodie by an extraordinarie afflicting or vexing The speakers names PHILOLOGVS LYCANTHROPVS PNEVMATOMACHVS PHYSIOLOGVS ORTHODOXVS EXORCISTES Orthodoxus HAuing blessed the Lord for his benefits the choice shal be yours whether you will walke foorth abroad or keepe close in my Parlour and conferre there of the question for one or two howers Physiologus Sir you remember the Prouerbe After dinner sit a while and after supper walke a mile The which as it accordeth verie fitly with the rules of Physicke so will it be a furtherance to the maine purpose it selfe which we haue in hand Orthodoxus You say verie well Goe to therefore Exorcistes proceed in your purpose and tell vs what you hold concerning this point Exorcistes This I haue hitherto and yet still doe confidently holde That the diuell euen in these daies of the Gospell hath an actuall possession in men Orthodoxus Well then before you produce your proofes let vs first put downe the question it selfe in it proper termes that so we may the better perceiue the verie point of your purpose Lycanthropus I pray you proceed in that course Orthodoxus With verie good will For so the matter controuersed betweene vs may more fitly be comprehended within the true bounds of an orderly conference Philologus A verie conuenient course in my proper conceit Pneumatomachus I am iust of your minde Exorcistes Neither know I of any one that dissents from the same Tell vs therefore I praie you what is actuall possession Orthodoxus The actuall possession is that effectuall working power wherewith the diuels by an operatiue permission of God doe extraordinarily and in most woonderfull manner afflict molest torment and vexe some speciall persons in a speciall iudgement of God put ouer vnto them for that speciall purpose Wherein we haue first to obserue the primarie efficient cause namely the speciall purpose and iudgement of God Then next the secondary efficient cause I meane the effectuall working power of the diuell Thirdly the materiall cause that is to say the affliction the torment and vexation it selfe Fourthly the formall cause namely an extraordinarie manner of working And lastly the finall cause I meane some speciall purpose of God best knowen to his wisedome Lycanthropus How manifold I pray you is this actuall possession Orthodoxus It is twofold namely either mentall or corporall Lycanthropus What meane you by the mental-actuall possession Orthodoxus My meaning is not that the diuell doth really enter and essentially or inherently dwel in the possessed mans minde which we denied before when we conferred of the real-mentall possession but that he doth onely actually afflict and effectiuelie torment the possessed mans minde Lycanthropus What meane you by actually afflicting the possessed mans minde Orthodoxus By actually afflicting I vnderstand the effectuall and powerfull operation wherewith the diuell for the present doth so fearefully molest and so strangely depriue the possessed mans minde it selfe from the present vse of all reason as he makes him euen senseles and woode verie violently to rush headlong into fire and water and outragiouslie to runne vpon desperate aduentures Lycanthropus And what call you the corporall actuall possession Orthodoxus I call the corporall actuall possession that ineuitable working power whereby the diuels doe actually torment and vexe the whole or some speciall part of the possessed mans bodie Lycanthropus What meane you by actually tormenting the whole or some part of the bodie Orthodoxus My meaning is that the diuels for the present doe either powerfully disable the whole or some part of the possessed mans bodie from the orderly accomplishment of their peculiar and ordinarie operations appointed of God by depriuing the said body foorthwith of seeing of hearing of speaking of walking by bowing and bending togither or do otherwaies verie effectually enable the saide bodie or the seuerall parts thereof with some extraordinarie and vnnaturall force for the fearefull effecting of many outragious and most mischieuous practises Namely the remaining day night among graues the knapping in sunder of chaines a violent rending and tearing a tumbling headlong into fiers and waters a scriking a wallowing a foaming and leauing for dead Pneumatomachus These actuall possessions are fearefull possessions Orthodoxus They are so I confesse But what saith Exorcistes to those things that be spoken Exorcistes Sir the description which you haue made of actuall possession with those her seuerall kindes I approoue in euery point But tell me in good earnest do you absolutely denie euery such actuall possession Orthodoxus I doe freely acknowledge that the same was vndoubtedly in vse in the daies of Christ howbeit I do flatly deny any further continuance thereof now in this time of the Gospell Exorcistes Men may denie the sunne-shine at mid-daie if they coulde beare vs in hand we were blinde Orthodoxus And men may affirme the moone to be made of a greene cheese if they could make vs beleeue what they list Howbeit affirme what you will we are commanded to search the scriptures and to trie out your spirit before we beleeue you Licanthropus Good maister Orthodoxus resolue vs I praie you in this so intricate and doubtfull a matter for al men do acknowledge and my selfe hath hitherto euer held the actuall possession of diuels Orthodoxus I do neither respect what the most men acknowledge nor greatly regard what your selfe do hold so long as I haue truth on my side We must not runne after a