followeth that all the rest might bee cast vpon him as when Salomon desired wisdome before honour God gaue him wisdome and honour too because he sought the best first There was a poole in Iurie where the sicke and Leprous laye for at one time of the daye the Angell came and stirred the water and then he which stept in first was healed of his disease hee which stept in first was healed saith Iohn none but hee which stept in first so he which taketh time is sure but he which foresloweth time oftener faileth then speedeth For when golden opportunitie is past no time will fit for her If Elias would bee serued before the widdow when shee had but a little cruse of Oyle which was not enough to serue her selfe will God be serued after Elias will God bee serued after thee Nay after the flesh and after the diuell Thou maist reade in the 19. of Leuit. and the 13. that GOD would not haue the labourers hire staie in thy hands all night but would haue thee pay him before thou sleepe If God would not haue the labourers due stay in thy hands one night how darest thou keepe his due from him day and night so many dayes and nights and weekes and moneths and yeares together where is the morning sacrifice which God requireth nay where is the euening sacrifice which God requireth the glomy morning hath ouercast the whole day doest thou thinke it enough if thou do not sit in the chaire of scorners or if thou do not staÌ„d in the waie of sinners hee which standeth stayeth not he which sitteth taketh his ease but he which walketh goeth his way Yet he which walketh in the way of sinners though hee neither sit nor stand is not of the blessed number But hee which neither sitteth nor standeth nor walketh is blessed saith Dauid Psalm 1. ver 1. Alas then why doe we sit if they which stande are accurssed and they which walke are not blessed Christ saieth First seeke the kingdome of God and wee say first let mee burie my father first let me bid my friendes farewell and so many things first So long in burying our Father and bidding our friends farewell that is the riches and honours and pleasures of this worlde that there is no time left to seeke the kingdome but followe mee is turned to followe vs Christ must followe our sinnes and come after our pleasures or else he shall not be serued at al. When we were Children we deferred tyll we were men when we are men we deferre tyll wee bee olde men when wee are olde men wee deferre tyll death in all our lyfe wee finde no leasure to liue well but flit from sinne to sin from wicked thoughts to wicked speeches from wicked speeches to wicked deedes as the flie skippeth from scab to scab vntill wee bee cast so farre behinde that we haue no courage to goe forward or else straied so far out of our way that wee care not to seeke it againe Therefore I cannot say to you as Christ saide First seeke the kingdome of heauen for then you should haue sought it long agoe but now I must say with the Apostle Redeeme the time and at last Seeke the kingdome of heauen For it is to be feared that as little flies when many came together plagued and destroyed the Egyptians so short houres but many in sinne and securitie will steale away our whole life and deceiue our repentance while wee liue like beasts longer then Nabuchadnezzar There be not many Lots but many linger like Lot loth to depart vntill they see the fire burne If the Angell had not snatched him awaie Lot had perished with Sodome for his delaye There be not fiue foolish Virgins and fiue wise but fiue for one knock when the doore is shut There bee not many Simeons but many as old as Simeon which neuer yet imbraced Christ in their hearts They thought to repent before they were so olde yet now they doate for age they are not olde enough to repent yet Naye I answere many Masters of Israell Maiors Aldermen Sheriffes Iustices Baâ—liffes Constables Gentlemen know no more what it is to be borne againe than Nicodemus which came by night line after line sermon after sermon and the Black more like himselfe All their tearms are vacations all their religion promises and all their promises hypocrises In stead of catechising their children as Salomon teacheth them they catechise them to hunt hawke to ride and vaute to ruffle sweare to game and daunce as they were catechised themselues least the childe should prooue better than his father and then he is qualified like a Gentleman Is this to seeke the kingdome of heauen first or last or not at all Woe to the securitie woe to the stubbornnesse woe to the drousinesse of this age The theefe commeth at midnight and we sleep till the dawning of the day we let in sathan before wee bid him auoyd we sell our birthright before it come to our hands we seek for oyle when our lampes should burne this daye passeth like yesterday and to morrowe we will spend like this day So hee which should haue the first fruites can get no fruites because we mar the ground before we sowe it Consider this ye which might haue known a thousand things more than yee doo if yee had begun when Salomon taught you God will not alway knocke at the doore Christ will not alway clocke like an Henne Iohn will not alway crie in the wildernesse but mercy is in the foreward and iudgement in the rereward They which can saye now We haue a prophet shall say We had a prophet but wee entertained him like the Gergesites so God sent him awaie from vs like Ionah to the Niniuites when the Israelites despised him Yet Wisedome cryeth in the streetes Let euerie Ioseph store vp before the famine come for he which promiseth thee pardon when thou doost returne dooth not promise that to morrowe thou shalt returne Repentance is a gift and a gift must be taken when it is offered The time past is gone and thou canst not recall that to repent in the time to com is vncertaine thou canst not assure that to repent in the present time is onely thine and thou maiest repent in that but anone that will be gone too Therefore as Samuell began to serue God in his minoritie as Timothie read the Scriptures in his childhood and Iohn grewe in spirit as hee rypened in yeares so whether thou be olde or yong thy repentance caÌ„not come too soone because thy sinne is gone before If thou lackest a spurre to make thee runne see how euerie day runneth awaye with thy life youth commeth vpon childhood age commeth vpon youth death commeth vpon age with such a swift saile that if all our minutes were spent in mortifying our selues yet our glasse would bee runne out before wee had purged halfe our corruptions All these examples sentences and Prouerbs and
then before seeing the daye of his death was so neere But you will say Whatsoeuer it was it seemes that he could prophecie of things to come for hee foretold Sauls death Can the diuell prophecie This was an easie matter for the diuell to prophecie because he knew that Dauid was annoynted before and therefore Saul must be remooued that he might reigne as he was annoynted Secondly he knew that Samuel had prophecied his confusion and therefore hee must bee degraded that the Prophecie might bee fulfilled Thirdly hee did see the Philistins comming against him and therefore no meruaile if he did aime that his death was neere at hand seeing a man might prophecie the same If any man bee not satisfied with this to beleeue that the soules of the dead doe not walke after their dissolution let mee reason with him thus Is it a soule which thou seest Why a soule is a spirit and cannot bee scene no more then a voyce or an Eccho diddest thou euer see thine own soule though it hath been euer with thee since thou was borne Doest thou thinke it is a bodie Why a bodie cannot walke without a soule for the soule is the life which mooueth the bodie If thou say it is a bodie and soule too then why doth Paul call death a dissolution It is a separation of the soule from the bodie if the bodie and soule bee not dissolued then the man is not dead but liuing still If thou say the soule is come to the bodie and the bodie is risen to the soule for that time then I can say no more to thee but beleeue thine owne eyes If thou thinkest that it is such a mans bodie which thou seest looke in the graue and open the ground and there thou shalt see the bodie where it was laide euen while this vizard walkes in thy sight therefore apparitions are no other then that which appeared to Saul Thus the Diuel hath many wayes to deceiue and this is one a dangerous one to draw vs from the word of God to visions dreames and apparitions vpon which many of the doctrines of the Papists are grounded They had neuer heard of Purgatorie but for these spirites which walked in the night and tolde them they were the soules of such and such which suffered in fire till their masses and almes and pilgrimages did raunsome them out So these night spirits begate Purgatorie and Purgatorie begate trentalles as one Serpent hatcheth another Yet a third question riseth out of these wordes and that is this Whether a Christian may wish for death As Paul desired so may wee desire if wee haue Pauls spirit As Christ told his Disciples when they asked him whether they should pray for fire from heauen as Elias did Christ answered that they knewe not of what spirit they were as if he should say If you were of Elias spirit and did praye with the same mind and to the same end that he did then you might pray as he prayed The wicked wish to die because they would bee rid of the crosse and suffer no more for God as Cain so soone as he was cursed and knew that his life should be a torment he sought to dye to preuent the iust iudgement of God spight him as it were which shuld punish sinnes So doe the people oftentimes which haue not to satisfie hunger the sicke which saint of an incurable disease and the wearie captiues in prison galleis and bonds As for the faithfull if they at any time wish to die they pray for death as the last remedy against sinne and Sathan euen as they pray in the Reuelation for the hastening of Christs comming to iudgement Come Lord Iesus come quickly for the shortening of the daies of sinne least all flesh should perish But they which wish for death in this sorte would dye as the will of God hath ordained and mortifie their flesh to abide these troubles and still by fayth suppresse the doloruos griefe of sin by frequent meditation of inward ioy receiued by grace in Christ and therein reuiue themselues as with the earnest pennie of their inheritance which they shall receiue at the fit time when it shall comfort them much to haue suffered so long Much therefore haue they to answere which are not contented to die in peace and stay till they bee dissolued but as though themselues were the authors of life death from cruell heart giue wrongfull commission to the bloodie hand to cut asunder that which God hath ioyned the louing soule and their body as Iudas Achitophel Saul and Pilate did not one of these was good in life or death Yet the Author of the Macchabees commendeth Raz is most of all for that which was the greatest sinne that euer he did for killing himselfe Man was not borne of his owne pleasure neither must hee die at his owne lust or else it had been good for Iob which suffered more than any Saint except Christ to make away himselfe as Iudas did But why is it commanded then thou shall nor kill If thou maist not kill another much lesse maist thou kill thy selfe As for the example of Sampson Iud. 16. 30. which may seeme to oppose against this in that he killed himselfe when as he pulled the house vpon his owne head and all that were with him vnderstand that hee was a figure of Christ which vanquished moe in his death than in all his life and it appeareth that he had warrant from God in that his strength being taken from him was for the acte in a moment restored to him vpon his prayer And the Epistle to the Hebr. 11. 13. to cleere that fact saith that he did it of faith that is knowing that he had deserued to die and that by these meanes the enemies of God should bee destroyed he submitted himselfe to the good will of GGD like a good Captaine which ventured his life to kill his enemies therefore we must not looke to particultr examples but to the generall law Wherfore let no man doe this euill that any good may come of it but rather follow the aduise of the holy Apostle as it becommeth vs with patience let vs runne out the race which is set before vs. Here I might shew you that they are guiltie of their owne death that kill themselues with surfetting intemperance drunkennesse c. although they loue their life too deare yet they take all meanes to hasten their deaths Thus much of Purgatorie night spirits and praying for death Nowe it remaneth that as the Leuites sanctified their brethren before they did eate the Passeouer so I would prepare you before yee eate this holy Sacrament of which the passeouer was but a signe The Iewes were taught of God before they did eate the Passeouer to put away leauen out of their houses the daie before Exod. 12. 15. Hath God care of leauen No this is it which the Apostle teacheth 1. Corinth 5.
before ye come to the Lords Supper Purge the olde leauen of maliciousnes and wickednesse out of your hearts that is the leauen which you should purge out of your houses Therefore marke what the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. I beleeue it is a matter which you did neuer consider For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe or die For what cause Because they receiued this holy Sacrament vnworthily and vnreuerently before they were prepared with faith and hope and repentance for this cause many are weak and sicke among you and many die Who did euer thinke that his sicknes or his wants or his infirmities did grow for that he receiued the Lords supper vnworthilie Many causes haue bin supposed but this cause was neuer thoght of Haue any of you said in distresses of bodie or minde This is come vnto me because I did receiue the blessed Sacrament of Christ vnworthilie because I came not prepared with that minde as they which beleeue and know God Yet the Apostle which by his diuine spirit knewe the cause of these calamities among the Corinthians dooth depute their strange diseases sodain death to none other cause but to their vnworthie and vnreuerent receiuing of this holy Sacrament Nay hee saith further That hee which eateth and drinketh this Sacrament vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his owne damnation that is he taketh possession of death hell and damnation euen while he eates as the diuell entred into Iudas while he receiued Nowe if your Phisitian should warne you of such a thing that you take it in season in measure or els it is poison wil kil you I suppose you wold obserue the season and measure and take it in such order as he prescribeth as neere as you could if you beleeue him so if yee beleeue the Apostle that you receiue the Sacrament to your damnation if you receiue it vnworthilie I am sure you will not take it vnreuerently or rashly for all the world If I had the words of motion to speak that which might be spoken of this matter it would fright Iudas himselfe that no man would come to this holy banquet without his wedding garment Consider but this how you would come into the presence of God how would you prepare your selues to come before the maker of heauen and earth which searcheth the reynes knoweth euery corner of the heart If euer ye did approach vnto God if euer yee came neere vnto the Lord you neuer came so neere as now when you come to receiue his bodie and blood and are vnited vnto him in one spirituall body and yet peraduenture many come not so prepared so clensed so dressed so trimmed into the presence of God as Hester did into the presence of Assuerus What doe you thinke of these elements what doe you imagine of this bread and wine They are seales What seales Seales of his word seales of Gods promise seales of your adoption If euer you were instructed or comforted out of this book that instruction comfort is confirmed and ratified vnto you now by Christs seale Christ hath not ordained Sacraments in his church for a fashion or dumb shew that you should feele or see or tast but as the woman which had a bloodie flix when she touched the hem of Christs garment hee said that vertue was gone out of him that is all the graces which these signes represent that is all the blessings that Christ Iesus hath purchased vnto man by his death Now because if you receiue this Sacrament rightly you are vnited vnto Christ as the members with the head if euer you did beleeue or loue or repent before this requireth you to beleeue and loue and repent more because now you are Christs body which shewes that ye must obey Christ the head like members of the bodie for the bodie is ruled by the head What haue you now to receiue al these blessings If ye haue not faith how can you lay hold of any promises or merits of Christ to say this is mine If you had a hand to take and a fayth to apprehend now you might eat of that bread which is better then Manna which he that tasteth doth not hunger again after any pleasure in the worlde Heere is enough for Abraham and Abrahams seede Come vnto it all that thirst and it will refresh you Happiâ—r is that man nowe that hath his wedding garment than the rich glutton that fareth deliciously and goeth in purple euerie day Now you are the Lords guests and the Lord himselfe is your feast and this feaste is before you the holiest meat that euer you did eate and the comfortablest meate that euer ye did eate and yet the dangeroust meate that euer you did eate you stand vpon life or death you eate to saluation or damnation there is nothing in this world which you can receiue with greater benefite or with greater perill Adam did not eate the forbidden fruite with greater danger Adam could not tast the tree of life with greater fruite than you may taste and receiue this Sacrament The Arke was a signe of mercie yet Vzziah was slaine for touching the Arke vnreuerentlie Circumcision was a good thing yet Circumcision did not profite the Sichemites but was away to make their enemies slaie them because they were not circumcised for Religion but for lucre so if ye receiue for custome and not for deuotion this Sacrament shall bee to you as Circumcision was to them Therefore take heede how you receiue as they receiued least you meere with a curse when you looke for a blessing If thou remembrest any sin against God or against thy neighbour leaue thine offering at the Altar and be reconciled before thou come into his presence for if stubble come to fire there is no waie but burne now beloued let faith and loue and repentance haue their perfect worke that you may receiue this Sacrament as Christ would haue you rceiue it God grant you as much profit by it as is offered in it so much comfort of it as it hath brought to any whosoeuer haue receiued it faithfully reuerently and worthily before you FINIS THE GODLIE MANS REQVEST PSALM 90. 12. Teach vs O Lord to number our daies that wee may applie our hearts to wisedome THis Psalme was compyled by Moses as ye may see by the title at what time the Spies returned from the land of Canaan and God for the murmuring of the people pronounced that al which were aboue twentie yeares old should die in the wildernes except Caleb and Iosua that encouraged their brethren to goe to Canaan Now when Moses heard the sentence of death pronounced against himselfe and all the Iewes which came out of Egypt except only two Caleb and Iosua that all should die before they came to the land which they sought he prayeth thus for himselfe and the rest Teach vs O Lord to number our daies
what passion expelled what sin repented what good performed since we began to receiue thy benefites this day wee must confesse against our selues that all our works words thoughts haue been the seruice of the world the flesh and the diuell we haue offended thee and contemned thee all the day and at night wee pray vnto thee Father forgiue vs all our sins which haue dishonored thee while thou diddest serue vs run from thee while thou didst call vs and forgotten thee whilest thou didst feede vs so thou sparest vs so we sleepe and to morrow we sinne againe this is the course of al our pilgrimage to leaue that which thou commandest and doe that which thou forbiddest Therefore thou mightest iustly forsake vs as we forsake thee and condemne vs whose conscience condemnes our selues but who can measure thy goodnesse which giuest all and forgiuest all Though we are sinfull yet thou louest vs though wee knocke not yet thou openest though we aske not yet thou giuest what should wee haue if wee did serue thee which hast done all these things for thine enemies Therefore thou which hast giuen vs al things for thy seruice O Lord giue vs a heart to serue thee let this be the houre of our conuersion let not euill ouercome good let not thine enemie haue his will but giue vs strength to resist patience to endure and constancie to perseuere vnto the end Instruct vs by thy word guide vs by thy spirite mollifie vs by thy grace humble vs by thy corrections winne vs by thy benefites reconcile our nature to thy will and teach vs to make profite of euery thing that wee may see thee in all things and all things in thee because O most mercifull father we walk between thy mercie and iustice through many temptations gouerne our steps with such discretion that the hope of mercie may preuent dispaire the feare of iustice may keepe vs from presumption that in mirth wee bee not vaine in knowledge we be not proude in zeale we bee not bitter but as the tree bringeth foorth first leaues then blossomes and then fruit so first wee may bring foorth good thoughts then good speeches and after a good life to the honor of thy name the good of thy children the saluation of our soules remembring the time when we shall sleepe in the graue and the day when wee shall awake to iudgement Now the time is come O Lord which thou hast appointed for rest and without thee wee can neither wake nor sleepe which hast made the day and night and rulest both therefore into thy hands we commend our soules and bodies that thou hast bought that they may serue thee restore them O Lorde to their first Image and keepe them to thy seruice and resigne vs not to our selues againe but finish thy work that we may euery day come neerer and neerer to thy kingdome till we hate the way to hell as much as hell it selfe and euery cogitation and speech and action be so many steps to heauen For thy names sake for thy promise sake for thy sonnes sake O Lord wee lift vp our hearts hands voyce vnto thee in his name which suffered for sinne and sinned not Our Father c. A Prayer for a sicke man ALmightie God and all mercifull Father which art the Phisition of our bodies and soules in thy hands are life and death thou bringest to the graue and pullest backe againe we came into this world vpon condition to forsake it whensoeuer thou wouldest call vs and now the Somners are come thy â—etters hold me and none can loose me but he which bound me I am sicke in bodie and soule but he hath stroken me which in iudgment sheweth mercie I deserued to dye so soone as I came to life but thou hast preserued me till now and shall this mercie bee in vaine as though wee were preserued for nothing Who can praise thee in the graue I haue done thee no seruice since I was borne but my goodnesse is to come and shall I dye before I begin to liue but Lord thou knowest what is best of all and if thou conuert me I shall be conuerted in an houre and as thou acceptedst the will of Dauid as well as the act of Salomon so thou wilt accept my desire to serue thee as well as if I did liue to glorifie thee The spirit is willing but the flesh is fraile and as I did liue sinfullie whensoeuer thy spirite was from mee so I shall dye vnwillingly vnlesse thy spirite prepare mee therefore deare father giue mee that minde which a sicke man should haue and increase my patience with my payne and call vnto my remembrance all which I haue heard or read or felt or meditated to strengthen mee in this houre of my triall that I which neuer taught any good while I liued maye nowe teach other how to dye and to beare theyr sicknes patiently apply vnto me all the mercies and merites of thy beloued sonne as if he had dyed for me alone Be not from me when the enemie comes but when the tempter is busiest let thy spirite bee busiest too and if it please thee to loose me out of this prison wheÌ„ I shal leaue my earth to earth let thine Angel carrie vp my soule to heauen as they did Lazarus and place me in one of those mansions which thy sonne is gone to prepare for me This is my mediator which hath reconciled me and thee when thou didst abhorre mee for my sinnes and thou didst send him from heauen to vs to shew that thou art bound to heare him for vs. Therfore in him I come vnto thee in him I call vpon thee O my redeemer my preseruer and my sauiour to thee be all prayse with thy father and the holy spirite for euer Amen What shall stay me from my Father my brother and my Comforter A comfortable speech taken from a godly Preacher lying vpon his death-bed written for the sicke I Owe to God a death as his Sonne died for me Euer since I was borne I haue been sailing to this hauen and gathering patience to comfort this houre therefore shal I be one of those guestes nowe that would not come to the banquet wheÌ„ they were inuited what hurt is in going to Paradise I shal loose nothing but the sence of euil and anon I shall haue greater ioyes then I feele paines For my head is in heauen already to assure mee that my soule and body shall follow after O death where is thy sting why should I feare that which I would not escape because my chiefest happinesse is behinde and I cannot haue it vnles I go vnto it I would go through hell to heauen and therefore If I martch but through death I suffer lesse then I would suffer for God My paines doe not dismay mee because I trauaile to bring forth eternall life my sinnes doe not fright me because I haue Christ my redeemer the iudge doth not
that day when Christ shall say vnto him as he said to the penitent theefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Thus you haue heard the difference betweene the faithfull and the wicked how the one lotheth this life and the other longeth after it Now wee come to our questions Simeon said Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace so Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ they doubted not as the Papists doe what should become of them after death for one saith that he goes to Christ the other saith that he goes to peace therefore it seemes that Purgatorie was not yet found when the iust men went to peace This is one of the fruits of a godly life it hath hope saith Salomon in the end in death it warranteth a man of life when the flesh saith feare and the serpent despaire it makes the flesh crouch and the serpent flye the soule reioyce while death is opening the prison doore that she may flie to her countrey from whence she came Therefore what shall I say to Purgatorie if Paul go to Christ Simeon goe to peace Some say that it is in the ayre some say that it is in the earth some vnder the earth some a little aboue hell Thus Nabuchadnezzar cannot assoile his owne dreame You must vnderstand that Purgatorie is like your paynted Sepulchers which are framed more for the liuing then for the dead for you know that the locusts of Rome liue by Trentals and Dirges and Masses for the dead as the Siluersmiths in Ephesus liued by Images and therefore as they were loth that Images should goe downe so they are loth that their Purgatorie should bee quenched for it is the gainfullest lye in all Poperie for out of this lake issue their Masses and Dirges and Trentals for the dead They are sayd for the dead but they make for the liuing For the dead haue no portion of al that is done vnder the sun doe what you will say what you can Masses Dirges or Trentals they haue no portion in it for they haue receiued their reward alreadie and the tree lieth where it fell yet these foolish virgins hope for oyle of the wise virgins and thinke they shall be paied for other mens labours and almes and trentals pilgrimages and Masses as though they neuer read that the iust shall liue by his owne faith that he which beleeueth shal not go to iudgement but passe from death to life that they that die in the Lord rest from their labours how doe they goe presently into Paradise if they stay at Purgatorie and fire torments Hath Christ satisfied for vs must wee now make satisfaction for our selues Whither the glutton and the beggar are gone thither must we all that is to Abrahams bosome or hell fire there are but two kindes of men and therefore but two waies and where then is Purgatorie which the best of the fathers confesseth that he could neuer finde in Scripture Therefore take heed of hell for Purgatorie is but a scarre babe Furthermore when Paul sayth that he shall goe to Christ this seemes to resolue the old question often debated among the simple people once deluded whether the soules of men departed walke after death and appeare vnto men exhorting them to this or that as Gregorie or some counterfeit reporteth in his Dialogues The Apostles before their full groweth might seeme to bee incumbred with this errour because when they saw Christ walking vpon the waters they sayd It is a spirite and when Peter knocked at the doore in the night they sayd to Rhode a Damsell It is his Angel Act. 12. 15. Which errour was drawen from the elusion of Sathan and vulgar opinion receiued from Pythagoras which taught that the soules of men departed did returne into the bodies of other men after death either for correction or for reward if they were good soules then they were preferred to better men if they had been badde soules then they were cast into worse bodies then they had before a fine Philosophicall dreame This deluded Herod when hee heard of Christ he supposed that Iohn Baptist was risen againe whom he had beheaded and the better sort of the people as we reade in Mat. 16. 14. dreamed that Christ was Elias or Iohn Baptist or Ieremie or some of the Prophets risen againe But touching the soule once departed from the body that it returnes not nor can returne into the world many examples and testimonies and reasons the order of our resurrection declareth The soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord no man or diuell can take them out of his hands the soules of the wicked are in the hands of the diuell and God will not take them out of his hands and therefore Abraham sayth He which is here cannot come from hence and they which be there cannot come frō thence for then the paines of hell were not euerlasting paynes not the ioyes of heauen euerlasting ioyes but temporal like the paynes and ioyes of this world Therefore it is no soule which walks about How then What is this which I see in the night like such a man and such a man The Diuell which chaungeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue can change himself into the likenes of a man much more that is it which thou seest as Saul sawe Samuel 1. Sam. 28. 8. not Samuel himselfe For could the Witch raise Samuel out of the graue which could not keepe her selfe out of the graue or could the diuell disturbe the Prophet after death Then he should neuer be quiet if the diuell could disturbe him because hee disquieteth the godlie so much while they liue If this apparation bee called Samuel how doth he call it Samuell if it be not Samuel As the Bookes of Caluine are called Caluine as the picture of Beza is called Beza as he which playeth the King vpon a stage is called a King as the golden Myce and Hemerodes which the Philistines layd in the Arke were called Myce and Hemerodes although they were but meere shapes and figures of them so this likenesse of Samuel is called Samuell though it was not Samuel in deede but a counterfeit shape of Samuel For GOD would not answere Saul before by Oracle nor by Priest nor by Prophet and would hee aunswere him by the dead which dooth forbid to aske counsell of the dead No sayth Abraham they haue Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. As if hee should say let them learne of the bookes of the dead for the dead shall not returne vnto them Againe if it had been Samuel himselfe which had taught Saul to worship GOD woulde that holie Prophet haue receiued worship himselfe as this spirit did Againe If it had been Samuel Sauls Schoolemaster which taught him alwayes to repent while hee liued hee would rather haue exhorted him to repentance now