others Being demanded how Lucifer could vnderstand all the occurences of things if he bee thus chained vp hee began to laugh and said you are deuoid of sense and ordinary apprehension doth not a King that abideth in his Palace know whatsoeuer passeth in his kingdome by meanes of Ambassadors messengers and Postes So the Deuils go to hell for they are there very speedily and take instructions from Lucifer who is more knowing and of greater command then them all The Acts of the 17. of Ianaary which was Munday being the Feast of S. Anthony WHiles Masse was saying there grew a great contestation betweene Belzebub and Verrine Belzebub did intellectually and by an intrinsicke conference with Verrine make impression in his vnderstanding standing to desire him to go with his associates to Marseille and to lend him his helping hand to harden the Magicians and Witches that were now at a stand and very shreudly shaken in their former resolutions because their Prince was detected and named Vnto whom Verrine audibly made answere that hee would not go saying that hee had sworne alleageance vnto God and did not therefore feare the paines which they threatned him withall that hee might go thither himselfe if hee had any fancy thereunto and that since hee would needs boast his greatnesse and command hee should do well to try his forces But as for mee and my companions said hee God hath hired vs yesterday morning as a man will hire a labouring man to dresse and trimme his Vineyard so that thou commest to late to hire vs to thy seruice thou wert lazy and diddest slip thy time I do not meane to worke at thy request for when I haue industriously wrought for thee what reward canst thou giue me but the paines of hell thou hast no other thing to bestow But God hath promised vnto me an asswagement and lessening of my paines and therefore I will labour for him in this businesse tempt not mee nor my companions any more O what braue Princes you are that do neither defend nor gouerne your people any better It is very obseruable that Verrine being the night before tempted in the same nature tooke on and plained himselfe like a child saying They will force me to go to Marseille to strengthen the Magician God will punish mee if I do it And after some distances he would often repeate these words no no so that it seemed that God had restored some part of his former force to Belzebub that hee might labour Verrine and almost constraine him to his pleasure and he did once in a manner consent vnto him as wee haue formerly obserued for the which he was well beaten After Masse Belzebub being departed from the body of Magdalene as it seemed to go to Marseille for the aboue named purposes the Exorcist demanded which of the Deuils did then beare sway in her body One of them answered that it was Balberith And being asked of what order he was he made very dainty to vtter it yet at last he spake these words I am constrained by God vpon the intercessions of the Virgin Mary of Magdalene of Michael and of Francis to declare this and other things of the like nature vnto you 1. Belzebub was Prince of the Seraphins and next vnto Lucifer for all the Princes that is to say all the cheefe of the nine quiers of Angels are fallen and of the quire of Seraphins there fell the three first to witt Lucifer Belzebub and Leuiathan who did all reuolt but the fourth who was Michael was the first that resisted Lucifer and all the rest of those good Angels followed him so that now hee is the cheefest amongst them all Lucifer when Christ descended into hell was there chained vp where hee commandeth all and euery one of them knoweth how to traficke in his owne trade Belzebub tempteth men with pride And as Iohn Baptist holdeth Lucifers place in Paradise because hee was the greatest amongst men and had obtained this great fauour by his singular humility opposite vnto the pride of Lucifer so Belzebub hath Frauncis for his aduersary in heauen who was father and founder of the Friars minorites and a great example of humility 2. Leuiathan is a Prince of the same order and is the ring-leader of the Hereticks tempting men with sins that are directly repugnant vnto faith hee hath Peter the Apostle who is Vicar of Christ Iesus and chiefe Bishop in the Church for his aduersary vnto whom the promise was made Portae inferi non praeualebunt 3. Asmodee is of the same order hee continueth a Seraphin to this day that is he burneth with the desire to tempt men with his sinne of luxuriousnesse and is the Prince of wantons Iohn Baptist is his aduersary in heauen who liued and died a perfect Virgin 4. Balberith is Prince of the Cherubins hee tempteth men to commit homicides and to be quarrelsome contentious and blasphemous His enemy in heauen is Barnabas the Apostle because of his great modesty 5. Astaroth Prince of the Thrones is alwaies desirous to sit idle and bee at ease hee tempteth men with idlenesse and slouth Bartholomew the Apostle is his enemy in heauen who prayed to God a hundred times a day and a hundred times a night kneeling in great humility vpon the earth Hee did also vanquish that idole Astaroth 6. Verrine is also one of the Thrones next in place vnto Astaroth and tempteth men with impatience His aduersary in heauen is Dominick your father who was singularly patient in all iniuries and aduersities 7. Grâ—ssib is the third in the order of Thrones and tempteth men with impurity and vncleannesse and his aduersary in heauen is Bernard whose conuersation was vnblameable and full of purity 8. Sonneillon is the fourth in the order of Thrones and tempteth men with hatred against their enemies His aduersary in heauen is Stephen who prayed for his enemies 9. Carreau Prince of Powers tempteth men with hardnesse of hart his aduersaries in heauen are the two Vincents the ouâ— a Martyr the other surnamed Ferrier of the order of preaching Friers whose hearts were full of tendernesse and softnesse And this Diuell is euer about Magdalene laying the nets of his temptations to make her obstinate 10. Carniueau is also a Prince of Powers and doth tempt men to obscenitie and shamelesnesse His aduersary in heauen is Iohn the Euangelist who was a virgin 11. Oeillet is a Prince of Dominations he tempteth men to break the vow of pouerty His aduersary in heauen is Martin who gaue halfe his cloake to a begger 12. Rosier is the second in the order of Dominations and by his sweet sugered words he tempteth men to fall in loue His aduersary in heauen is Basil who would not listen to amorous and inchanting language 13. Verrier is Prince of Principalities and tempteth men against the vow of obedience and maketh the neck stiffe and hard as iron and vncapeable to stoope vnder the
Iesus which two last points are comprehended in these words In nomine meo Daemonia eijcient But Sorcerers and Magicians doe not vse to resist the Diuell and bruse his head but they flatter him and call him vnto them by a certaine bargaine or agreement which directly importeth a subiection and dependancy and to be briefe they doe first worship him before hee will come vnto them Againe in steed of repelling him they come vnto him for aduise aide or fauour whereas Christ Iesus would not so much as suffer him to speake and this is not as Origen obserueth to force the Diuell by inuocation vpon the name of God it rather argueth a familiarity and intercourse which they haue together So that if wee doe seriously consider all circumstances they doe crosse and goe a contrary course vnto Christ Iesus and the Apostles It cannot bee gaine-said but that sometimes they will make a semblance as if they wept although in truth it be nothing so S. Augustine reciteth the history of a certaine Magician who boasted much what a command hee had ouer Diuels saying that when they were lasie to doe that he commanded them he threatned to pull the heauens with such violence that they should fall vpon the earth and thereupon the Diuels would readily execute what he had enioyned them for feare least they should be brused betweene heauen and earth as corne is brused betweene two milstones But who seeth not that this is the craft and counterfaite weeping of Crocodiles that is to say Diabolical fictions framed for deceit and cousonage For first it is not the power of Angels to make the heauen descend and touch the earth because vnto them as S. Paul saith God hath not subiected the round frame of the world Non enim saith he Angelis suis subiecit Deus orbem Nay it is so farre from being so that it is not in the naturall power of all wicked spirits that are to wheele about the orbe of the Moone which is the least of all the rest for as God hath appropriated the natural operations of mans body vnto a reasonable soule so that it is not in the power of an Angell to make this body to liue the life of plants the life of beasts or the life of man although he can enter at his pleasure into the same as we see by experience in those that are possessed euen so God hath limited the passiue power of the motions of the heauens vnto certaine Angels whom hee hath destinated thereunto so that it is a ridiculous thing to conceiue that Spirits may be brused or crushed in peeces But they doe herein take the aduantage of mens simplicity and their owne craft by infusing these fables into them wherein they resemble naughty seruants that wait for an occasion to cut their masters throates The fifth error that blindeth those Sorcerers is because they haue a conceite that the Diuell is very ready to doe them seruice but how is it possible that the Diuell should inuassall himselfe vnto man that is but a worm of the earth since that thorow the excessiiuenes of his pride which brooketh no equals hee scorneth to bee the seruant of God whom he knoweth to be his Creator How can he debase himselfe to be mans Lackey when hee did rather choose to relinquish his portion in Paradise and to burne euerlastingly in hell fire then he would acknowledge Christ Iesus for his better For when it was laid before him that hee should become man the Diuel said in his heart no before I will acknowledge a man and a worme of the earth I will first be damned as that deuoute and auncient father S. Bernard hath well expressed it He doth indeed make shew of seruice vnto man but to this end that he may be his master for if hee be delighted corporally to possesse a man when hee hath gotten the mastery of his body how much more is hee pleased when by his subtilties and by taking from him the knowledge of God hee getteth possession of his soule For when hee possesseth the body this affliction is many times the instrument of saluation as S. Paul saith Traedidi huiu smodi Sathanae vt spiritus eius saluus fiat But when hee possesseth the soule and withdraweth it from the grace of God hee is then the instrument of damnation And therefore the Scripture doth euer figure out Satan vnto vs by things that are both dangerous and dreadfull vnto men as by a Serpent by a Dragon and by a roaring Lyon for feare least wee should say as Athiests doe that the Diuell is not so black as men doe paint him whereas contrariwise he is so terrible and so dangerous that all the comparisons of Centaures doggs with three heads and the like monsters described vnto vs by Poets fall farre short of his vglinesse If then any one should be familiar with such furious beasts might hee not well bee accounted mad and depriued of common sense Yet Witches and Magicians do ordinarily expose themselues to these things And this horridnesse of Diuels was declared vnto Iob who had partly experimented the rage and bloody malice of Satan but hee tryed not all his forces because God suffered him not to doe all that he was willing to inflict vpon Iob. God then described Satan vnto him by the similitude of the most great and horrible monster of the world called Behemoth This beast saith God is the most fearfull and cruell monster of the world his body is armed as it were with iron his flesh is harder then stone so that hee cannot be crushed or hurt by the violent strokes of hammers neither can the sharpest launces enter into him nor pierce him more then so many strawes if men should goe about to strike him downe with tumbling vpon him great stones from a rock it would be but lost labour and hee would be no more endāgered thereby then if they threw balls of flax against him God further speaketh vnto Iob of this monster dost thou thinke to put a hooke into his nostrills as men take fishes or when hee is before thee dost thou conceiue that he is affraide of thee Nunquid multiplicabit tibi preces aut loquetur tibi mollia Will he behaue himselfe like a dogg that flattereth his master and lyeth at his feet for feare of being beaten or if hee come to some agreement with thee doest thou imagine that he doth it to any other end then to deuoure thee Nunquid feriet tecum pactum accipies eum quasi seruum sempiternum Wilt thou play with him as a bird and tye a thread about his legg to keep him in or to let him fly at thy pleasure Nunquid illudes ei quasi aui Last of all God saith Memento belli nec vltra addas loqui remember that hee is a murtherer from the beginning that hee is thy arch-enemy and doth continually wage warre against thee Doe not hurt thy selfe by these foolish speeches
to reiect thee afterwards Be confident that the gate of his mercy is opened vnto thee and that his hand is stretched out to receiue thee Magdalene resist not his motions any longer but ponder well vpon them for in them God doth offer vnto thee the remission of thy sinnes and such abundance of grace that if thou be willing thou maist proue another Magdalene What inducement leadeth thee to be distrustfull of the bountie and mercie of thy Redeemer To which she said I am as it were swallowed vp in the immense sea of my offences and with the soulnesse of my transgressions Then did Verrine lay hold on those words and said I haue not spoken this vnto thee to occasion thee to despaire no no Magdalene although any other sinner should commit a million of impieties more then thy selfe Magdalene it is true God would pardon him vpon his comming home vnto him God cannot lie he hath said it In quacunque hora He hath made no sessement of the number or enormitie of sinnes he desireth only vnsained repentance and it is most true God receiueth a sinner as the prodigall childe was receiued These and the like words were vttered by Verrine so that the whole assemblie was possessed with more amazement then on the day before The same day after Euening-song were Louyse and Magdalene exorcised by the same Dominican Father before the great Altar at S. Baume where there remaineth a pourtrait or picture of the blessed Mother of God with her sonne Iesus in her armes hauing on one side of her the blessed S. Magdalene and on the other side S. Dominicke At the beginning of the Exorcismes â—he said Father demanded of Magdalene Doe you acknowledge your selfe to be a proud vngratefull and refractorie woman and to be the most miserable creature â—hat did euer tread on earth Doe you renounce with your whole heart Belzebub and his adherents Are you â—eadie to set open your heart to God who hath created â—ou To which she answered yes and in contempt of â—athan she spit three seuerall times vpon the earth Then presently spake Verrine and said Magdalene true 〈◊〉 is that this is the first time thou spakest from thy â—eart Magdalene now doth the whole host of heauen â—â—ioyce for thee and all hell is in great sorrow and conâ—â—sion the Almightie compelleth mee to speake it Magdalene take now vnto thee thy God and thy Creaâ—or for thy Father and husband Loue him and him aâ—â—ne with all thy heart and let neither men nor women â—or any other creature whatsoeuer share or haue felâ—â—wship herein but for his sake Magdalene deliuer vp â—â—e key of the three faculties of thy soule vnto him for he now begins to take affection vnto thee Magdalene thou doest affect beautie thy spouse is the comeliest amongst men Hadst thou but once seene him as hath that other Magdalene thou wouldest nothing but languish after him It is true said he turning to those that were present you know not this but we know it well yet neuer saw we him in his glorious beautie although wee would endure whole millions of torments to gaine the fruition of the same I say Magdalene thy spouse is most louely most gracious most perfect He would yet be readie to die for thee and for all those that are here he hath hands of iron for vs and feete of wooll for you He that knew the greatnesse of his beautie would suffer millions of torments to haue only a glance of him as he passed by yea the very diuels confesse that he is beautie goodnes and perfection it selfe Thou louest riches and pleasures Magdalene thy Spouse is powerfull to bestow vpon thee Paradise and Heauen which are replenished with all riches and pleasures that may be Fie on diuels fie on Belzebub fie on all hell True it is Magdalene that we Diuels promise mountaines and maruels but the wages wee giue to those that serue and pleasure vs is meerely hell But with thy Spouse there are a thousand millions of pleasures which doe neuer decrease nor will euer haue end The delights there are so infinite the contentation so numberlesse the ioyes so exquisite and immense withall that though I should discourse thereof vntill the day of iudgement yet could I not set foorth their vndescribeable greatnesse and excellencie Magdalene thou louest noblenesse of blood Thy Spouse shall ennoble thee and place thee in the ranke and condition of a Queene and Princesse onely loue him with all thy heart sithence he loueth thee so much and will inuest thee with so much honour Thou art also to take the most blessed Mother of God for thy mother For thy naturall mother heere wisheth thee much good but hath not abilitie of performance but the sacred Mother of God hath all power to satisfie thy desires all knowledge to vnderstand what is meete for thee all goodnesse to grant thy requests vnto thee Magdalene she is so amiable that she is not to be paragond by any we Diuels neither haue seene her nor shall see her but it is in thee to behold her if thou wilt Magdalene the Diuels will assault thee againe and againe euen vntill they tempt thee to despaire but bee of good cheere be of good cheere God will yeeld thee his assistance if thou wilt but permit him to discipline and gouerne thy soule And take thou no thought for any thing for the victorie will remaine with thee True it is Magdalene that to enter into Paradise thou oughtest to tread in the paths of simplicitie Thou hast read many bookes but art little aduantaged by them The gate of Paradise is so narrow that there can enter in but one at once neither can you passe so but you must be forced to creepe vpon your belly Thou art to thanke Magdalene a thousand million of times for she hath done much in thy behalfe and will hereafter be thy aduocate yea euen thy sister to be assistant vnto thee in all perils and dangers Thou oughtest also to render thankes vnto S. Dominicke a great enemie of mine he is for he hath mediated much in thy behalfe Thou must doe the same vnto the Angell that is thy Gardian who hath begged thee of his Lord saying Lord leaue Magdalene to me suffer her to be a day longer in my custodie and she will be conuerted she will â—epent she will readily relinquish all the blandishments â—nd inticings of hell Courage then Magdalene for â—hou hast gracious and diligent Aduocates for thee vnâ—o God Then shewing her Father Romillon and the Faâ—her the Exorcist he said vnto her Magdalene behold thy Gods on earth thou art yet as a childe suffer thy selfe to be gouerned humble thy selfe be obseruant of them and follow their aduice and counsell Verrine added Magdalene tell me didst thou neuer see the Diuels Whereunto she answered that she had Then said Verrine And knowest thou not that the inferiour Diuell dareth not to speake
Verrine Afterward she read the letter which she had formerly the day before her conuersion directed to the blessed Mother of God by the order and aduice of the Father Romillon in reading of which Verrine rebuked her and taxed her of pride saying that Pelagia being conuerted by a sermon Nonnus refused to baptize her but she threw her selfe downe at his feete and said that she would demaund satisfaction of him at the day of iudgement whereupon he did baptize her Then hee said Take courage Magdalene for God will giue assistance vnto thee but beware thou neglectest not the fiue counsels and instructions which were giuen to Louyse this morning to wit a good intention puritie of affection puritie of conscience faith and humilitie Francis for his simplicitie and humblenesse is in Paradise hee suffered himselfe to bee accounted a foole yet was hee garnished with all sorts of excellent vertues for God giueth grace to the humble and resisteth the proud He was also indowed with the gift of obedience for without obedience there is no going to Paradise yea the Sonne of God himselfe said to his Father in the garden of Oliuet Fiat voluntas tua and finally resignation is to be made of all worldly desires After this hee caused the tenour of the letter to bee changed saying that it sented of nothing but of pride and nicenesse and he made it to be mended in manner as followeth My most deare glorious worthie and vnspotted Mother of God and the most louely Mother of my Spouse I salute you in the heartiest manner and present my selfe before you as a wretched malefactor before his Iudge to the end that you would be pleased to intercede for me to your best beloued Sonne and to offer vnto him your holy and chast wombe that bare him and your blessed breasts that gaue him sucke As also to pray your dearest Sonne to present his fiue wounds vnto his Father that so I may haue remission of all the sinnes which I haue committed in my fiue senses I am a poore miserable creature vnworthie to lift vp mine eyes to heauen or once to name of my Creator But I will say like another Thais he who hath created me and framed me of nothing take pitie vpon me who am not worthie to tread on the earth or to lift vp my spirit and voyce to pray no not to S. Magdalene S. Dominicke my good Angel and all the Saints of heauen or other reasonable creatures as well absent as present I Magdalene of Demandouls haue written this letter to the most sacred and worthie Mother of God who doe not merit as much as to name her deliuered by a Diuell called Verrine that spake by the mouth of Louyse because I haue not made those instructions vsefull vnto mee which by so many learned personages whom I little esteemed of were recommended to my practise I haue rather hearkened vnto Lucifer then to them and doe now make my protestation before God that I shall neuer hereafter giue eare to Belzebub nor to his adherents by the assistance of his grace and through the prayers of the Virgin Mary the sinners Aduocate and specially of S. Mary Magdalene of all Angels and of all Saints Protesting in despite of Belzebub the chiefe of the Diuels which are in my bodie and of al hell I will heedfully obserue those fiue points which were recommended vnto me to wit a good intention a pure affection puritie of conscience simplicitie humilitie as also obedience and resignation of the world All this I doe here promise by the aide and grace of my God The subscriptioÌ„ of the said letter was dated in manner as followeth Verrine saying that the subscription of letters that were to be sent to great personages ought to be no lesse polite and elegant then the bodie of the letters themselues Your most humble and prostrate hand-maid replenished with all presumption in that she hath been so hardie as to write vnto so great a Queene although my great and compelling necessities haue pressed me vnto it and I saw that you were the Sanctuarie and refuge of those that were forlorne as also I was transported thereunto by reason of the great and violent assaults of temptations which Belzebub and all his complices did force vpon me And hauing vnderstood such wonders spoken of your greatnesse I was emboldâ—â—d to take you for my Mother and Aduocate and will remaine all my life long vntill the last houre of my death by the helpe of my God your most forlorne and worthlesse slaue Magdalene of Demandouls The superscription was thus To the most sacred worthie pretious and glorious Mother of my God and Aduocate for sinners The acts of the 13. of December 1610. being the feast of S. Luke THat day in the morning the Dominican Father came to conferre of the discourse of the day past that he might orderly couch and set downe in writing what he had obserued And seeing that hee could not conceiue where to begin hee remained a little sad that it should bee thus in hazard to bee forgotten At the length he was resolued to take the Stole and to adiure the Diuell Verrine that if it were the good pleasure of God that this should bee written to the end that the Church might take knowledge of the same it was then his part and dutie to repeate and dictate what hee had spoken to the confusion of the Diuell and to the glorie of God Presently did the Diuell begin to dictate in the presence of the fathers of the congregation as is aforesaid The Diuell protesting that he was now inforced to â—he repetition thereof but would hereafter dictate all â—nto the Church so leasureably that a man might haue â—he opportunity to write after him The same day in the morning Louyse and Magdaâ—ene were exorcised by the Dominican father and at the â—eginning of the exorcismes Verrine began to dictate â—hat which here followeth in the hearing of many taâ—ing the subiect of his discourse from the Gospell In â—rincipio which the Priest read after Masse Hee cried â—ut Cursed be In principio If I were able to smother â—t how willingly would I doe it These last words â—lunge vs into despaire Verbum caro factum est haâ—itauit The beginning speaketh of your redemption â—he conclusion of your glorie there is no habitauitâ—or â—or vs it is for others And this habitauit is it that â—addeth vs. The miracle doth not consist in this that Iohn the Euangelist wrote it but the wonder is that â— Diuell doth auow it and is constrained to his inâ—nite sorrow to annunciate this truth vnto you The â—iuels are compelled to speake the truth when God alâ—ighty doth expresse and wring it from them and are â—s Gally-slaues forced vnto it This is that God whom â—e Christians worship After Masse was finished hee began to speake after â—is sort touching the great Counsell of the most saâ—ed Trinitie about the reparation of mankinde When
peace coÌ„mest thou here to preach lies Thou saiest that thou art sent from God to preach the Gospell wee haue Preachers enow without thee To this Verrine replied thou lyest and doest misvnderstand me I said not so thou knowest not the bottome of this businesse and that maketh thee to speake so foolishly as thou doest It is most true I neuer so much as said that I was sent from God to preach the Gospell I should lye to say it I said that I was here in the bodie of this vnhappie woman who hath begged from God that shee might bee humbled euen to the paines of Hell for the saluation of her neighbours I said that God had permitted me to enter into this body for his glorie and the conuersion of many soules and in particular of these two which thou curious fellow knowest not Thou art a proud arrogant fellow and worse then a Diuell except thou humble thy selfe and I will proue it vnto thee that thou beleeuest not thy God to be omnipotent Thou art worse then an Hereticke except thou repent and beleeue what I haue spoken Get thee gon get thee gon accursed spirit said the Frier I will not beleeue the Diuell Then said Verrine I doe adiure thee by the liuing God to come with me and sweare that all which I haue said is true For thou deseruest to bee burnt aliue if thou doest not beleeue thy God to be omnipotent Why saiest thou thy Credo if thou beleeuest not what I haue spoken It is not to bee auoided thou must either denie the puissance of God or confesse that this is true To this the Frier replied that there was a woman in Paris much resembling the condition of this woman in whom was discouered a great deale of knauerie and iugling and that she did deceiue much people Verrine told him that it was true shee did indeede cousen many but Louyse was trulie possessed Let her life belooked into and let her be turned ouer to the Examinations of the sharpest vnderstandings Shee would bee readie euen to suffer Martyrdome to maintaine this auerment if need did so require because it would redowne vnto the glorie of her God Then Verrine ingeminated that speech to goâ— and sweare with him and that Louyse could not communicate till they were both sworne The Frier made great resistance hereunto and would by no meanes obey it saying that hee would not bee commanded by a Diuell Hereunto Verrine answered it standeth not with reason to obey the Diuell I command thee not from my selfe but say vnto thee on Gods behalfe that thou â—ome along and sweare with mee it waxeth late and Louyse is to communicate Then the Frier said vnto the Priest which held the blessed Sacrament Father doe â—ou commaund me for I will not obey the Diuell Whereupon the Priest commanding him he came and wore vpon the Te igitur and then vpon the blessed â—acrament Verrine also taking such an oath the like whereof hee had neuer taken before said thus I doe weare by the liuing God that whatsoeuer I haue said I â—aue been constrained to vtter the same vnto you It is â—rue O God who art here really and truly with thy boâ—ie and blood with thy diuinitie power wisdome and â—ountie The said Frier was present when hee swore â—hus to whom he said I doe sweare by the God of Isâ—ael and by the God of the Christians that all which I â—aue spoken is true I sweare vnto thee according to â—he meaning of God and his Church and according to â—he Exorcists intention also that when wee are inforâ—ed thereunto by God we must put his good pleasure 〈◊〉 execution keeping all the solemnities that are requiâ—te in taking a true and perfect oath Then the Frier submitted himselfe and said that hee â—ad spoken nothing against God or his Church and beâ—eeued that God was Omnipotent and was able to â—orce the Deuill to deliuer a truth when it pleased him â—nd so submitting himselfe he rested satisfied The Deuill thereupon told him Thou art exceeding â—roud learne to humble thy selfe and bee not so ouer-â—urious for the curious fall into a pit from whence â—hey cannot free themselues when they will alleaging Caluin Beza Luther Iulian the Apostata Simon Maâ—us and saying doe not thou boast thy strength aboue heirs for there haue been Priests and religious perâ—ons that afterwards became heretikes as Caluin Beza Luther Verrine further said vnto him And of what religion art thou Doth thy Order command thee to bee proud I will proue vnto thee that thou art arrogant and selfe-opinioned and wouldest circle in the omnipotencie of God within thy narrow vnderstanding Humble thy selfe for it ill beseemeth one of thy coate to bee thus drenched in curiositie The supremest Seraphins doe euery day make new discoueries of great perfections in God the same doth his Mother and all the Angels Salomon when hee dedicated his Temple said Hee that created heauen and earth whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe and wilt not thou that art but a worme which crauleth on the earth submit thy selfe but wouldest hoope in the omnipotencie bountie and wisedome of thy God within the cancels of thine owne memorie and braine Vpon this the Frier rested satisfied and submitted himselfe with many words of humiliation Verrine also discoursed touching the reason of these present writings in forme of a letter missiue the tenour whereof here ensueth The men of these times are so curious that God must bee as a Gardener vnto them witnesse Magdalen to whom he appeared in the semblance of a Gardener and fit diuers sorts of sallets vnto their palats lest they should be disrelished wherein he resembleth a good father who doth so affectionately loue his child that he is euer asking him What wilt thou eate childe And if the childe chance to say I haue no appetite I see nothing I can eate the father will cause daintie and exquisite meate to bee set before him the best that may bee gotten If then the childe should say nothing heere pleaseth me the fault is not in the victuals but in him that is sicke and hath his tafte ill-affected What doth the father then doth he fall a beating of him doth he threaten and chide him no but goeth about and searcheth after other strange victuals which may chance to please them for their noueltie as being such which hee had neuer seene tasted or heard talke of Euen so doth your God by you for he is an hundred times more carefull then all the naturall fathers that are This father both of your soules and bodies when he obserueth that the soule hath no appetite vnto such varietie of good meates which as a father hee hath solicitously prouided such as is the holy Scripture it is true euery one doth not vnderstand this which is a meat too lushious too delicious too precious and all cannot rellish and like the same especially women and fooles it is too hot for them and
no reason that shee should goe to Paradise without humbling her selfe vnder the burthen of repentance I tell thee Magdalene thou must bee repentant and must with all lowlinesse and debasement of thy selfe make resignation of whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto thee into the hands of thy God thou art to suffer him to do with thee whatsoeuer shall seeme good vnto him thou art to obey thy superiour as if he were a God on earth for it is said honour the Priests because of their dignity and calling which in regard the Angels themselues cannot paragon or equall it standeth with reason that you should haue them in good esteeme and veneration O Magdalene these are thy Gods on earth honour them and doe all that which they shall command thee agreeable to God his Church and their authority obey Magdalene and humble thy selfe craue pardon of all and beseech euery one to say a Miserere for thee fall downe groueling vpon the ground and bid all come and put their feet vpon thee to the vtter confusion of Belzebub Lucifer and of all hell yea of Verrine himselfe that doth command it After this he began to say take all this as spoken to thy shame and thou shalt reape profit by it it will minister vnto thee occasion of contrition and of satisfaction it will asswage and lessen the paines which thy sinnes haue deserued Then he cried aloud as one beside himselfe It is true Magdalen thou hast been buffitâ—ed thou hast been spit vpon and hast borne a thousand disgraces and disparagements but bee of good cheere Magdalene all shall turne to thy aduantage Hee further made great exclamation saying O great goodnesse of your God! how wretched shall you be if you doe not serue him with all fidelity for a little affliction which you endure in this world you shall bee clothed with robes of honour in Paradise Your God is so gracious that for a little paine which a man here endureth for his sake yea for a glasse of water giuen for his loue or for a little mortification in this world hee will esteeme more of these then of a long and languishing durance of the flames in Purgatorie and turning againe to Magdalene hee said Bee of good cheere Magdalene and be glad and take into thy possession and vse those two wings wherby mens soules doe soare vp to heauen that is loue and feare the one toucheth the earth the other climbeth heauen The two wings that carried Magdalene to S. Pilon were the loue which shee did beare towards her God and that filiall feare which kept her back from offending against him The same day did those that were sent to Marseille with a purpose to giue the letter vnto Lewes returne from thence hauing effected nothing in the businesse For it seemed strange vnto the Capuchin fathers that they should be actors in reclaiming of him and would by no meanes proceed in the same till they had taken aduice and direction from father Michaelis vnto whom they sent certaine fragments of this their brotherly resolution and one of their reasons against this was because at that very time there was in the City of Aix one possessed in the couent of the Capuchins where the Diuell swore crosse and opposite to that vpon which the correction and pretended reformation of Lewes was founded saying that Lewes the Priest was no Magician neither was Magdalene bewitched This being thus related in the presence of Verrine and Belzebub Verrine said that this Dâ—uell was sent from Lucifer to stagger and make doubtfull the truth of these things and that he had taken a falâ—e oath for the Exorcist did not deale with that circumspection as hee should in exacting this oath with those solemnities that are requisite vnto the same that is to say hee was not made to sweare according to the meaning of God of his Church c. Yea Belzebub himselfe contrary to his wont and custome for hee did alwaies stand in opposition against Verrine said in great choller and fury yes that which Verrine tels you is most true for that Diuell was expresly sent from hell to say that Lewes was no Magician and that Magdalene was not bewitched but hee spake not truth in saying so neither did he sweare according to the meaning of God and of his Church and that hee was now grieuously punished for the same All which hee confirmed with a solemne oath vnto the which hee was enforced as Magdalene did afterwards testifie to haue inwardly felt in her selfe The same day I receiued a letter from father Michaelis dated the 16. of December 1610. in this teâ—our Reuerend father Pax Christi vobiscum I was well pleased to heare such good newes from you and to vnderstand that your labour towards those poore soules was not idle and without fruit of the which I doe so well approue that I delegate ouer vnto you all my authority as well of Inquisitour and Priour as of Vicar generall Cudgell these Diuels lustily who are Gods and our sworne enemies The manage of these affaires I wholly leaue vnto your selfe as being well practiâ—ed and dextrous in things of this kind and by Gods assistance hope to see you after Christmas So recommending me vnto the praiers of your reuerend selfe of the father Vicar and of father Gadrij saluting you and desiring you to tell Frier Simon from me that hee bestirre himselfe lustely herein I rest Yours most affectionate in the Lord Fr. Sebastianus Michaelis Vicarius generalis Prior Inquisitor fidei From Aix the 16. of December 1610. The same day after dinner Magdalene seemed to be much changed being full of spirituall ioy and ready to doe and leaue all for the loue of God She said that the day before shee had receiued many blowes and much disgrace without any feare or trembling in her heart although Lucifer endeauoured at the same time to make it appeare otherwise in outward shew and that she had receiued and taken in good part those instructions and disâ—ourses which in S. Baume were proposed vnto her She said that in the said place shee did for the space of 3. or 4. howres sensibly feele a kind of gentle sweetnesse softly distilling and dropping vpon her heart with a quiet internall silence so admirablie pleasing that in all her life she had not knowne nor seene nor heard the like She was also that day shut vp within S. Baume and confessed that the Sabbath and assembly of Witches was kept in S. Baume In the euening they were Exorcised by father Francis and Verrine after his accustomed manner began to say They that make difficulty to beleeue that the Diuell constrained by Exorcismes may auow and sweare a truth are worse then Hereticks because they must deny the vertue of Exorcismes the authority of the Church and the Omnipotency of God I could tell you all the villanies and sins you haue committed but I am tyed vp from doing mischiefe Wee that are Diuels can
are to bow your knees as oft as you shall heare the name of Iesus wee are a great deale better then you for although wee obey not God for loue yet doe wee yeeld vnto his pleasure by constraint and in the vertue of Exorcismes If a Harbinger of Court should come and tell thee behold the King is desirous to come and lodge in thy house thou wouldest make many excuses because thou dost esteeme thy selfe vnworthie of such honour and wouldest labour to garnish thy house with whatsoeuer might be pleasing or might adde any beawty vnto thy habitation So should you take the broome of true contrition and repentance to brush and sweepe the chambers and roomes of your soule that when the King shall come to reside there hee may make it his Palace You that are poore and ignorant people you must not say when you kneele to the Priest in Confession Father declare vnto me my sinnes this is no good forme of proceeding for if in matters of slight importance concerning the body euery man hath his vnderstanding quick and able much more should their conceptions bee free from dulnesse and earthinesse in those things that appertaine vnto the benefite of their soules and which are of a higher consequence yet contrariwise men for the most part are insensible and dull in the apprehension of them There are those that doe daily confesse themselues and doe yet forget many of their offences how then shall they giue an exact account of them that confesse themselues but from yeare to yeare or from six moneths to six moneths Thou wilt not shame to say Father I doe not remember my sinnes let me heare you to aske and examine mee O deafe and blinde caitife art thou able to giue audience vnto the Diuell and to fall into those sinnes which hee inticeth thee to plunge into and dost thou refuse to harken vnto the voice of God who desireth to breath into thee the remembrance of thy misdeeds Others say To what purpose should I confesse my selfe Is not the Priest a sinner as I am Haue I nothing to doe but to expose my sinnes to his knowledge Beware of these contempts I tell you they are instigations of Sathan framed purposely to bring Priest-hood into disgrace which is a calling more high and noble then is the dignity of Angels for the Angels doe indeed contemplate the face of their God but he discendeth from Heauen vpon the Altar at the consecration made by a Priest Your processe that is entred in the high Court of Heauen is full of difficultie and doubt so that the euent thereof is not knowne to the Saints themselues yet is the Mother of God a party with you who together with your guide-Angels is euer pleading on your behalfe and saying Lord take compassion on them Before the time of Confession prooue your selues examine your owne consciences pray vnto God with teares and make your intercessions vnto Peter Magdalene and the good theefe The good theefe of his owne accord confessed his sinne and reproued his companion What hast thou no feare of God He was also pricked in heart by contrition saying Domine memento mei Lord remember me he also did in a sort satistisfie by dying for hee linked and mingled his death and torments with the death and torments of Christ Iesus Your God doth endeuour to draw you vnto him by many admirable meanes he will diuide the contrition and acknowledgment of your sinnes amongst you and will stirre you vp to recall them into remembrance if you will giue eare vnto him You should be patient in whatsoeuer aduersity may befall you you should euer stand before your iudge like vnto men that are guilty of high treason and should thinke that the paines of Hell are not of equall proportion vnto your demerits and that you are not worthy to suffer them God is better knowne vnto them that cast downe their eies on the earth then to those that stare vp to heauen For what are you but a compound of dust and ashes meate for wormes and a pitcher of hansome earth apt to breake and subiect to a thousand miseries and mischances You are therefore to abstract your cogitations and to place them aboue vpon the goodnesse of God who for your sakes hath created the Heauens and filled vp the number of Angels yet are you still hardned in your iniquities God pardoneth mans offences easily if so bee that hee lendeth his helpe and forwardnesse vnto it for God is hee that doth operate and man doth co-operate with him If you should dwell in a darksome house and would faine enioy the benefit of the light you ought to open the doore vnto him that bringeth his torch lighted vnto you for hee is not worthie to bee enlightned by the torch that will refuse to open the doore to him that bringeth it And if hee should afterwards complaine that hee sitteth in darknesse and by meanes of being depriued of this light hee is not able to worke hee will bee answered that himselfe is the cause of his owne misery and that hee iustly looseth the light of the day because he shutteth his doores against it Thus when God speaketh to the soule that is ouercast with mists and darknesse open thou poore blinde soule open the gates of thy will vnto mee I am that Sunne of Iustice which will illuminate and shine vpon thee yet will not the soule open vnto mee but chuseth rather to bee wrapped vp in darknesse And why because if I should enter in I should discouer by the cleernesse of my light whatsoeuer lieth buried in obscurity and should chase thence that palpable darksomnesse wherein the soule is so dangerously muffled But alas it rather laboureth to be shadowed with darknes and to wallow stil in voluptuousnesse and delights which are lost in their very fruition then by paines and industry to bee blest with the full possession of a perfect light Confession followeth contrition and before Confession euery one ought to examine himselfe and say O my God! what am I that I should receiue such manifold blessings at thy hands Thou hast redeemed mee from the clawes of Sathan and hast retired mee vnder the couerture of thy wings Good God I esteemed my selfe a malefactour waiting to heare the sentence of death pronounced against mee and yet hast thou in goodnesse repriued mee from this prison which is narrow darke and full of horrour and besides the free donation of my life thou hast infranchised mee with the seruants of God Good God I was a malefactour and stood conuicted of grieuous and master-sinnes yet was it thy good pleasure to remit them vnto mee After Confession euery one is to looke vnto satisfaction but how many are there that hold not themselues endebted to God but that God is a debtour vnto them Who so demeaneth himselfe in this sort let him know that Heauen is barred against him except hee labour to strengthen himselfe
them they warme not themselues when they are benummed with colde and doe trauaile a fresh when they are already tyred and wearied Wherein they doe like faithfull children who are not allured by the promises of Heauen nor yet affrighted with the threats of Hell But as a dutifull childe obeyeth his father not out of any second respect but meerely out of affection so the true children of God respect not their particular interests neither do they decline those laborious courses which they haue vndertaken but discharge that duty whereunto God by a sanctified vocation hath called them And of this number are Preists Religious persons and Preachers One signe and infallible argument of eternall predestination is to heare the word of God with willingnes and alacritie to make a free confession of himselfe to communicate and to serue Mary the Mother of God with all submissiuenesse and deuotion Then he said it standeth with good reason that he who was to be the Guardian vnto the Virgin should be inuested with a prerogatiue of greater excellency then all other Saints and was to haue precedency of Iohn Baptist and the Prophet Ieremy For hee was to bee the Spouse vnto the Mother of God and was to be the maintainer and putatiue Father of her son Mary was indeed thy sister Ioseph and thou doest alwaies shew thy selfe a deare and trusty associate vnto her He said further that Ioseph had for a space a touch of feare and iealousie vpon him not vnderstanding the mistery which lay vailed ouer in silence neither doe I wonder at it said he for Mary was not of the humour of the women of these times who doe blab and disclose vnto their husbands all they know shee was of a contrary straine and did commit all that was reuealed vnto her by Gabriell the Archangell who came from that supreme Counsell of the blessed Trinity vnto the close custody and guard of secrecy and silence Al her words that came from her were full of waight and wisedome for Mary was not like vnto Eue a multiplyer of words and impertinent discourses At dinner also Verrine spake of sundry subiects tending much to edification and amongst the rest he discoursed that the soules in blisse did more thirst after the saluation of our soules and the enioying of our company with them in Paradise then Hell and all the Diuels together could after their ouer-throw and perdition for the power and efficacy of the Saints in Heauen farre surmounted the impiety and malice of the damned He further said When you sit downe to eate imagine that those blessings which are set before you doe point out vnto you three things Accipe Redde Time Accipe take thy refection Redde giue thanks vnto God and Time beware how thou bee found vngratefull for such manifold blessings In the meane space some or other had giuen part of a honny-combe to these two women which they had found lying on the ground and was blowne downe from a tree by the winde And Verrine from this honny-combe tooke occasion to discourse and to say vnto Magdalene Magdalene thou shouldest propose the Bee vnto thy imitation which silently flieth vp and downe and gathereth the extraction of whatsoeuer iuice is most precious among the flowers by this I meane vertues Magdalene goe thou likewise to Saint Vrsula and from euery one of thy sisters pluck a vertue from one gather Humility from another Patience from another an vpright intention from another Charity from another Obedience for thus Magdalene doth that industrious honny-fly demeane himselfe sometimes dieth through his laboriousnes and trauell for hee was framed to take paines You are to doe the like and should die after the same manner Then he spake further of the blessed Virgin saying O immense God! Mary did beare thee according to thy humanity and thou diddest support her according to thy diuinity for of a truth thou wer 't at one time a litle Childe and a mighty God God would haue the creature to co-operate with him as is verified in thee O Mary vnto whom although God did inlarge his bounty and did garnish thy minde with rare and inestimable indowments yet diddest thou still appeare more humble and shouldest not indeed be the Mother of God vnlesse thou haddest contributed some-what of thine owne vnto his working it being his good pleasure that his creatures should euer make contribution of some-thing You haue nothing to bestow vpon him but your will from which no man is to exempt himselfe giue him therefore your body and soule for that will content him The same day Verrine compared himselfe to a barren and withered tree and although said he God hath spouted such sappe into mee that by the power of it I doe bring foorth sweete and wholesome fruite yet am I still a barren and an accursed tree and shall neuer behold the face of God but shall alwaies remaine a Diuell yet thus much I may say that there was neuer any Deuill raised to the like honour as to laud the Name of God and to accomplish his pleasure as I now am And he further said that he had promised vnto him a diminution and abatement of some degrees of his punishment if he did his duty with faithfulnesse The Acts of the 25 of December being Christmas day ON Christmas day towards midnight the three Diuels which were in Louyse were commanded to goe to Marseille to labour the conuersion of Lewes the Magician At that time was Magdalene lulled and as it were benummed with a heauy slumber which proceeded from the Diuell and indured all the time that Masse was saying and the Masse once ended shee returned againe to her accustomed temper The same day and houre aforesaid the Dominican Father did exorcise Louyse and Magdalene and then Verrine began to speake in this manner Hee that will come to the knowledge of his God must looke for him vpon the earth and make inquiry after the litle childe which lieth in the stable as hee is your Iudge you must looke vp to Heauen and tremble at his Diuinity but as hee is a litle childe you must intertaine him in your affections According to his Humanity he is but litle but according to his Diuinity hee is a great God and worthy to be praised Euery one may if hee will dedicate his seruice vnto this litle childe neither can any excuse himselfe from the same for there is no man but hath an Oxe and an Asse the Asse signifieth the body the Oxe the soule for the soule resembleth the Oxe that easily knoweth his masters cribb This Oxe and this Asse must vngrudgingly beare the yoak that their master laieth on them that is to say all mortifications afflictions and troubles and whatsoeuer else hapeneth vnto a man by the will of God all which may bee said to be the yoake of the Lord. This yoake is sweete and this burthen light to all those that doe perfectly loue him you must
most conspicuous thing that is Hence it is that as many as haue laboured to discouer the intricacy of these subtilties do resemble those that by a mathematicall demonstration would prooue quadraturam circuii for being not able to reach vnto it they haue an infinity of false hypotheses and suppositions Among these the two Arabicke Philosophers may be numbred Aben Rois whom some by corruption of speech cal Auerrois and Aben Pace whose opinions are largely confuted by Saint Thomas But to come to those who haue drawne neerer vnto the truth Aristotle doth affirme and prooue that those few Spirits whom he had knowledge of were certainely free from any Masse or pressure of bodies and were substances separated and abstracted from all composition of elements for he well knew that a corporeall forme ought to be proportioned vnto the body wherein it doth act and produce motion If then the Intelligences who moue the heauens were corporeall it must needs be that their bodies should be proportionable vnto the quantity of the heauenly bodies which is so great that it comprehendeth and compasseth in all the world and as touching the outward superficies it is contained in no place If then these Spirits should be fashioned to such greatnes they would be exceeding monstrous and hideous to looke vnto which is not to be conceited of these substances which are the most noble and excellent of all others They moue then the heauens as the reasonable soule doth our bodies that is meerely by their will which the body in his corporall motions cannot possibly resist if so be it be furnished with Organs proper for the same mouet voluntate non tactu which manner of working is strange and incomprehensible because it is a spirituall kind of working and not a corporall Many other reasons are alleaged by Aristotle but because they are drawne from naturall Philosophy and cannot easily be vnderstood but by those that are well versed in the Maximes of that science it shal be sufficieÌ„t that we haue alleadged these few Plato seemeth to himselfe to haue soared higher in his Philosophy but he is not without this errours for hauing got the sight of the holy Scriptures and taking the words according to the rigor of the letter he affirmeth that these excellent Spirits haue a thinne and subtile kinde of body made of fire or ayre wherein he followeth the Scriptures which seeme to say that they are made of winde or of a flame of fire and do alwayes mention their appearing to be clothed in such materiall shapes as when they speake of the Angell that conducted the people in the wildernesse it is said that hee was as a pillar of fire vnto them in the night and as a cloud in the day Besides in the mountaine of Sinay there were seene lightnings lampes and flames of fier as also the two Cherubins of the Mercies seate resembled two yong boyes with winges and Helias his taking vp to heauen was by Horses of fire But Plaeto vnderstood not that it is an vsuall thing with the holy Scripture to set before vs the highest mysteries by metaphors borrowed from things that are more vile so they be more familiar vnto vs. In like manner are the fowre Elements the seauen Planets and that supreame heauen of all where God and his Saints do dwell blessed for euermore are represented vnto vs in the Mercies seate by artificiall things the seauen Planets by the seauen Lampes in the middest of whom one was more bright and conspicuous then the rest and that represented the Sunne the like may be said of other things as that in the garments of Auron the High Priest there was representation made of the whole world and a kinde of expression of the Maiesty of God as the wise man saith In veste Aaron erat descriptus orbis terrarum The linen breeches did betoken the earth not onely because the earth bringeth forth flaxe and linnen but also because it is one of the worst stuffes that is there described the large girdle wherewithall the Priest did engirt himselfe represented the Ocean sea that compasseth all the earth the coate of blew veluet with the little bells of pomegranets the aire which is of the same colour and is the shopp where all thunders and lightnings are hammered the Rochet that was vpon his shoulders beautified with all variety of precious colours the heauen where all the Starres do like spangles beautifie that place the twelue precious stones that were set into this garment the twelue signes of the Zodiacke the Miter vpon his head the highest heauen and the plate of gold in which the ineffable name of God was ingrauen and which was vpon all the rest did represent the Maiâ—sty of God In the like manner God is shadowed out vnto vs with eyes eares and hands that is to say seeing hearing and doing all things which these Anthropomorphites not vnderstanding did maintaine wherein they fell into Platoes errour that God had also a body but how monstrous a body must this be since God himselfe is euery where They may as well say that he is a Lambe a Lyon or a Beare and the like then which borrowed speeches nothing is more frequent in Scripture So that when Angels are figured out with winges and are said to be clothed with winde or fire it signifieth nothing else vnto vs but that they are swift and ready to execute the will of God as the Psalmist doth explaine it speaking of Angels and saying Potentes robore seu virtute ad audiendam vocem sermonum eius The Ethnicks also hauing stolue the same from the Iewish antiquities as Iosephas calleth them that is to say from the holy Scripture doth set forth Mercury with winges and describe the winde in the shape of a man hauing winges thereby to expresse the swiftnesse and celerity which they conceiued and saw in these things And Hamer when he would speake of Gods descent vpon the earth whom he alwayes calleth Iupiter hee bringeth him downe couered and wrapped in a cloud which he stole from the bookes of Moyses where God is alwayes said to come downe in a cloud Descendebat columna nubis ad ostium Tabernaculi and as King Dauid saith Descendit dominus caligo sub pedibus eius The winde also is figured out to be a man with winges which is drawne from that place Qui ambulas super pennas ventorum And that we may more fully vnderstand the Maiesty and antiquity of the holy Scripture from whence the opinions of Plato had their first ground and originall and which the most famous Philosophers and Diuines haue followed in part as we will by and by demonstrate it is expedient to obserue breefely that which the ancients haue more largely expressed vnto vs especially Clemens Alexandrinus Origen Eusebius and Tertullian and that is that whatsoeuer Poets and Philosophers whether they were Greekes or Latines haue truly and excellently
are not properly inuironed or bounded in by any place thereby letting vs vnderstand that his meaning was not to attribute any bodily substance vnto them The like may be obserued out of S. Ierome who saith with Saint Paul that Angels and soules doe bow their knees before God yet are wee not here saith he to conceiue that they haue their members and dimensions like vnto vs. Before wee descend to the proofes out of Scriptures wee shall doe well to examine whether the opinion of those that take the Scripture-phrase according to the rigour of the letter may bee defended S. Thomas dispureth against it and saith that it cannot be defended For first if they had bodies made of aire as Apuleius dreamed they could not bee immortall but would in the end fall into corruption as we doe because whatsoeuer is compounded of elementarie qualities must of necessitie be framed of contrary and repugnant natures which in the end by their perpetuall opposition and fight do ruine one the other and this truth is beyond exception Secondly the aire is a body which the Philosophers terme homogeneall that is whose least part is of the same nature and condition with the whole as euery drop of water is water as well as whole riuers or the sea from whence this absurditie would follow their opinion that the whole bodie of the aire must be one immense Angelicall substance Thirdly the men bers of a liuing bodie must haue seuerall organes fit for the performance of those functions whereunto nature doth ordaine them which cannot be true of the aire and if they were made of aire they may thē be dissolued and melted into water as the clouds are they should also be hot moist like vnto the aire as if they were cōposed of fire then must they burne All which absurdities doe euidently shew that they are said to bee airie only because they abide for the most part in the aire And therfore Saint Paul writing vnto the Ephesians who were great Philosophers and much addicted vnto Magicke as S. Ierome obserueth giueth them to vnderstand that this opinion was not repugnant vnto Christianitie but that they were to hold it for a truth that there are a great number of Spirits in the airie region against whom they were to combat insinuating thereby that they may in this sense bee called airie if thereby wee meane that they are Spirits without flesh and bones Non est nobis saith he colluctatio aduersus carnem sanguinem sed aduersus principes potestates aeris huius he also calleth them Spiritalia nequitiae in coelestibus Wee may safely saith that Father call them airie or heauenly but wee must alwaies suppose them to be Spirits In this sense doe the Hebrewes call birds the fowles of the heauen and of the aire and men are by them stiled terrestriall not that birds haue bodies of aire or men of earth but because they doe inhabite in the aire and dwell vpon the earth For conclusion of this point let vs hearken what the holy Scriptures say and for the old Testament King Dauid calleth them Spirits where he faith Qui facis angelos tuos spiritus as if he should haue said Lord thou hast ordained that those whom wee call Angels should be Spirits Now there is a contradiction and Antithesis betweene a bodie and a spirit so that the consequence by negation doth necessarily follow one vpon the other as if such a thing be a bodie it will be negatiuely inferred then is it not a spirit and contrariwise if it be a spirit then is it not a bodie which conclusion Christ himselfe maketh vnto his Apostles when after his resurrection they conceiued him to be a spirit Touch me said he and looke what I am being risen with my true bodie for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones as you see I haue So that this were sufficient to proue that a spirit hath no body although there should bee no other place or text to strengthen the same And lest wee should fall into the opinions of certaine Stoicks who maintained diuersities of kindes in Angels and that some had bodies and others had not S. Paul doth direct vs vnto this generall Maxime which is without exception when hee pronounceth this sentence Omnes sunt administratorij spiritus and in another place he saith that amongst Gods creatures there are some visible and some inuisible such as are Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers for confirmation whereof wee may adde that which we haue alreadie alleaged out of the Epistle vnto the Ephesians where there is an opposition expressed between the things that appertaine to flesh and blood and the things that belong vnto the spirit Touching Diuels they are also called Spirits but to put a difference betweene the good and them there is euer subioyned some restriction as in the historie of Achab one of them speaketh in this manner Ero spiritus mendax in ore prophetarum Christ Iesus often calleth them vncleane spirits or the Diuels angels conformable whereunto S. Paul termeth them the angels of Satan which must be vnderstood to proceed from their imitation not from their creation But it may be obiected that they haue a body and are tyed so really vnto the same that Abraham washed their feete they tooke Lot by the arme and by strong hand drew him forth out of Sodome and Iacob wrestled a whole day with them It is true indeed they are supported sometimes by a body for otherwise they could not be seene because of themselues as S. Paul saith they are inuisible yet wee are not to detract from the authoritie of Scriptures that do cleerely teach vs that they haue no bodies of their owne for wee must affirme with Tertullian Habere corpora peregrina sed non sua They haue bodies saith he which they borrow but haue none in their owne nature Wee know that a Spirit did appeare vnto our grandmother Eue in the forme of a Serpent yet was there neuer any of so blunt earthy an apprehension that would affirme that this body of a Serpent was the body of an Angell Wee are then to say that this body was framed of one of the foure elements not of fire for it would burne nor of water for such a body would easily fleet away and be dissolued nor of earth for that would remaine sollid vnto the view and should afterward also bee found it must therefore necessarily bee framed of aire both because Spirits haue their places of abode from aboue the good Spirits dwelling in heauen and the bad in the aire as also for that this element doth easily take the impression of all colours formes as we see what great variety of colours are in the rainebow and what diuersities of shapes and semblances bearing the formes of Dragons Serpents and the like are represented vnto vs in the clowds And these formes are dissolued
where hee purposely laboureth to magnifie the power and goodnesse of God in the worke of Creation And in good reason doth he take his beginning from this question since the weightiest argument that Saduces and Atheists can alleage for themselues is that Moses speaking of all the creatures of God and of the heauens themselues doth yet make no mention of Angels whereupon the ancients haue endeauoured to giue a satisfying resolution heereunto as S. Chrysostome S. Athanasius Theodoret and others S. Chrysostome particularly in two passages doth determine this point I know well saith hee speaking vnto the people that you are accustomed to demand why it is not said In principio creauit Deus Angelos Archangelos as well as it is written In principio creauit Deus coelum terram especially since Angels and Archangels are vndoubtedly compositions of more noblenesse and puritie then heauen or earth You are to know saith hee that the holy Scripture is nothing else but a letter missiue which God by his Ministers doth send vnto vs no lesse then when wee read that Helias was sent from God vnto Ioram king of Israell with a letter missiue to reclaime him from his faults and to instruct him in the will of God Now when a great Lord writeth his letters missiue hee doth accommodate the stile and matter of them vnto the qualitie and capacitie of the person vnto whom he doth addresse them for hee must write to a Prince after one fashion and after another fashion vnto a Philosopher and in a different maner from these when hee writeth to his wife or to his children Now the first letter missiue which God in his goodnes sent vnto man was the fiue bookes of Moses which hee directed to the people of Israel This people of Israel vnto whom the letter was addressed was a rude and an ignorant people because they were newly infranchised from the slauery and seruitude of Egypt where they had been for the space of 400 yeares very cruelly oppressed being all of them constrained to apply themselues to manuall trades and workes as to gather straw and clay to carry great baskets vpō their shoulders ful of such stuffe wherof they were afterwards to make bricks and then to carry them where the Cities and Pyramides of Aegypt were a building and this they daily did not hauing leasure to breath or to serue their God one day as may be easily seene in the beginning of Exodus so that whatsoeuer was said of Ioseph may very appositly be applied vnto this people Diuertit ab oneribus dorsum eius manus eius in cophino seruierunt Which was the cause that they were a rude nation altogether vnacquainted with good literature And this is the peculiar slight of tyrants as Aristotle writeth in his Politicks who will not permit their subiects to study and attaine vnto learning which was the practise of Iulian the Apostata against the Christians They were all then very ignorant except Moses who was exempted from such rudenesse because he had his education in the Kings Palace and was the adopted sonne of King Pharaoes daughter and this S. Stephen well obserueth saying Erat Moses doctus in omni scientia Aegyptiorum for he had skill in Astronomy Geometry and the Mathematicks but the rest of the people were exceedingly ignorant and could not conceiue of any thing but what they could see with their eyes which is the ordinary fashion of illiterate people who are not able to eleuate their spirites higher then the earth and laugh at Philosophers when they dispute of the roundnesse of the Sunne of the height of heauen and of the sphericall forme of the sea and earth and heereupon it is that Moses saith to God alas Lord I assure my selfe that they will not beleeue that which I shall say vnto them for when I shall speak of thee Lord what fashion shall I hold in my discourse to make thy Maiesty knowen vnto them since their apprehensions doe sauour so much of earth and dulnesse But God answered him it shall be sufficient for thee to tell them that hee who is hath spoken vnto thee for hee would not that hee should speake vnto them in a higher straine then of his being onely which is a thing common and agreeable to the least creature of the world although if these words bee vnderstood by nature not by participation they haue a high and mysterious meaning but this distinction was not mentioned vnto them because he would fit his discourse to their vnderstandings And this is the very opinion of S. Dydimus who sheweth that according to the diuersitie of tymes and persons there came Prophets and others in the name of God some with the name of him that was Almighty others with the name of him that was replenished with all goodnes and others with the name of vnappeasable rigour and iustice And thus saith hee was Moses sent vnto this rude people with the name of him That is for God would at that time exact nothing from them but that they should vnderstand that the God of their fathers is and was not like the false Gods of Egypt who indeed were not because they had not so much as an existence which is the least that any thing may haue In like manner when Christ Iesus did addresse himselfe vnto the seauen Churches of Asia hee set downe diuers attributes of his Maiestie in the beginning of those letters according to the diuersitie of persons And S. Paul preaching at Athens among the Philosophers did purposely decline to make particular mention of the Trinity but thought it sufficient to expresse vnto them that there was a God who created heauen and earth Deus inquit qui fecit mundum omniae quae in eo sunt coeli terrae ' Dominus non in manu factis Templis habitat S. Peter also in his first sermon to the Iewes doth not at the first cast plainely expresse that Christ Iesus was the true God but accommodating himselfe vnto them hee is contented if at the first he may winne thus much vpon their beleefe that Christ Iesus was a holy and innocent man sent from God Iesum inquit Nazarenum virum approbatum a Deo signis virtutibus but afterwards he speaketh vnto them in a higher straine hauing once prepared them for more diuine instructions And so heere likewise in processe of time did God manifest vnto this people that there were Angels and that they had their creation from him as wee shall presently see Which is also more expresly vnfoulded in the new Testament at what time men grew more familiar and better acquainted with the secrets of God This is S. Chrysostoms reason which is very probable and fit to be admitted S. Athanasius yeeldeth another reason saying that this people was exceeding ready to beleeue and admit plurality of Gods which in processe of time they tooke from the superstitions of the Egyptians
qui facitis verbum eius ad audiendani vocem sermonum eius Thus were the euill Spirits thrust out of heauen for their pride whereas the good Spirits were still made blessed in the participation of the vision and presence of God This did Christ signifie vnto his Apostles when out of pride they demanded of him who among them should bee the greatest in the kingdome of heauen hee tooke a litle childe by the hand saying if you become not like vnto this litle childe yee cannot enter into that kingdome and beware how you offend one of these litle ones for their Angels doe alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heauen whereby he giueth to vnderstand that children by reason of their naturall humility are like vnto Angels which Angels by this meanes doe see the face of God Since this great reuolte in heauen there hath euer been a contrariety and warre betweene the will 's of good and bad spirits and betweene good and bad men also as between Abel and Cain Isaac and Ismael Iacob and Esau. And this is it which S. Iohn speaketh of in the Apocalypse that there was a great battell in heauen between Michael and his Angels the Dragon with his Angels and S. Iude bringeth in the same Michael disputing and chiding with Satan Since therefore hee is full of wickednesse and altogether depriued of the grace of God he can doe nothing but what is naught and because hee cannot wreake his malice vpon the Saints in Paradise hee conuerteth his fury against man that is made after the image of God and is heere seated vpon the earth that hee may worship his Creator and acknowledge and serue him with his whole heart that so he may at length participate of that diuine glory and felicity which the Diuell by reason of his pride is vtterly depriued of as we haue already alleaged And this is the next pointe which offereth it selfe to consideration in the ensueing chapter CHAP. IIII. The meanes which Diuels haue to appeare and come vnto vs in what part of the world they reside how they are bound and their sundrie waies to tempt men TOuching the meanes which Spirits haue to performe this the scripture teacheth vs that in their downe-fall from heauen some remained in the middle region of the aire which is darksome obscure because the Sun-beames passe through the same without refraction of any solid body which by repercussion might double their force and light and without which they shine not at all as is euidently seene in a caue where there is no light at all perceiued but in the place where the sunne-beame doth fall And although we had no other proofe then that generall rule of Saint Ierome it might sufficiently euince the same for these are his very words Omnium doctorum opinio est quod aër iste qui coelum terram medius diuidens inane appellatur plenus sit contrarys fortitudinibus Since then there was neuer any Doctor of the Church which made scruple of the truth hereof wee must thinke that they had good warrant for the same from the Scripture They did no doubt consider that our Lord in the parable of the seede did by the birds of heauen which deuoured the corne vnderstand and also interpret it to be the Diuels whom he calleth the birds of heauen thereby meaning the aire according to the vsuall Hebrew phrase and agreeable vnto our maner of speech also who commonly say the raine falleth from heauen when the meaning is from the aire For as S. Ierome hath well obserued all Philosophers doe agree in their opinions that the clouds by the dissoluing of which the raine is engendred are not drawne vp aboue two miles at the most from the earth whereas the distance betwixt heauen and earth is incomparably greater And this is S. Pauls meaning when hee telleth the Ephesians that our fight is not chiefly against men but against the princes of this world which are the wicked spirits that haue their abode aboue in high places and as himselfe explaneth all these authorities in the second chapter of the same Epistle by these high places he meaneth the aire Secundum seculum mundi huius saith hee secundum principem potestatis aëris huius spiritus qui nunc operaetur in filios diffidentiae Which is also declared by S. Iude in his Canonicall epistle shewing that these wicked spirits are abiding in that darksome aire are there reserued for the day of iudgement when they shall heare these words Goe yee cursed into hell fire which is from the beginning prepared for the Diuell and his angels His words are these Angelos qui non seruauerunt suum principatum sed dereliquerunt suum domicilium in indicium magni diei vinculis aeternis sub caligine reseruauit And here may be fitly alleaged that which is written in S. Luke where it is related that the Diuels besought Christ Iesus not to send them out into the deepe but rather into the heard of swine and they doe likewise complaine vnto our Sauiour saying Vt quid venisti ante tempus torquere nos As if they should haue said we are assured of our totall and vtter damnation but the time thereof is not yet come for this shall bee put in execution at the last day of iudgement which being not yet present thou maist doe well to leaue vs in these parts vntill that time approch The like may be said of that place in the Reuelation Vah mari terrae quia descendit diabolus ad vos habens iram magnam and it is againe declared in the same booke that our aduersarie the diuell was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone And that wee may resolue what the difference is betweene the diuels that are in hell and those whose abode is in the aire although S. Ierome maketh daintie to meddle with it because he conceiued it to be from the matter whereof he intreated as also for that hee feared as himselfe excuseth it lest hee should trespasse too farre vpon the readers patience in dwelling so long vpon this argument yet will we speake somewhat of the same because this present discourse doth demaund it It is an infallible truth that there are great multitudes of wicked spirits who abide in that gloomie region of the aire and come also lower and neerer vnto vs which God in his prouidence hath and doth permit First because himselfe imployeth these his creatures although it be in base and seruile offices as a King or ciuill Iustice are accustomed to condemne certaine malefactors not vnto death but vnto the performance of some worke which aduantageth these offenders nothing at all but is onely charged with laboriousnesse and toyle and tendeth meerely to the publike good Thus were many in times past banished or confined to some Isle or mountaine to labour and digge in the Quarries of Marble for the Princes
Scripture where it is oft-ten said that God descēded on earth or the Word came from Heauen as also the same phrase is giuen to the holy ghost although they stirre not frō thence neither moue they by a natural locall motion but they are here often in the truth l That is to say they are worthy of a higher punishment that to indure them is a fauour in respect of their deseruings as a Parricide is not worthy of whipping * The example of the Publican and the Pharisie in S. Luke 18. cap. m Dilexerunt homines magis tenebras quam lucem n Satisfaction o By intelligence and reuelation See the following Act. This is also a discourse of the blessed Sacrament but hauing mentioned by compulsion the same things formerly he was vnwilling to begin another discourse of an argument to full of disgust vnto him and touching which he had as yet no commission to speake of p God leauing him to his naturall disposition and not employing his absolute force against him q Of the blessed Sacrament r Of the holy Communion Qui manducat indigne c s The Divels and the damned are witnesses of this t A consultation of this businesse with sundry religious persons u A Dialogue betweene Verrine and Leuiathan x See the answere to the first obiection after the Epistle to the Reader y Obserue the maner of speaking when God will discouer any thing to Spirits or will keepe any thing close from them Dicta facta sunt a God is neuer a witnesse vnto falsehood b Verrine in all his discourses confessed himselfe to bee a Diuell c Obserue that it is by intelligence d There is nothing repugnant hereunto why this should not be so e S. Dominick an enemie to Verrine f Verrine denieth that he is a preacher See the answere to the first obiection after the Epistle to the Reader g The distinct offices which Diuels haue in tentations h Touching the blessed Trinitie i Verrine constrained to speake k Touching S. Dominicke l The Saints who are most deuoted to the Virgine m Scala Coeli so Fulgentius calleth her in his Sermon of the Virgins praises for without the fruit which she carried there had been no ladder for vs to mount vp into heauen and the tree was as a ladder whereby we were enabled to plucke this fruit n Touching the Angels that are guardians vnto men o S. Dominick an aduersary vnto Verrine p It is a great perfection not to omitt to doe wel◠because omission doth not necessarily imply a mortal sinne q It is an allusion to the constraint which was forced vpon him by the Exorcismes As if hee should haue said that he was compelled three manner of waies by the will of God by the merits of the Virgin and by the intercessions of S. Dominick all this being acted in a church of his Order r This for the most part falleth out to be so s Original actuall and veniall t Touching the conception of the Virgin u By his eternal knowledge foresight into things x By his intimate graces which are communicable vnto a creature And it is a metaphore borrowed from the ribbe of Adam y Thus did Magdalene afterward report z He speaketh of Lewes the Magitian a See the answere vnto the 5. doubt after the epistle to the Reader b They that were thus possessed felt thēselues much lighter and in greater ease when the euill spirits departed from them c An inuectiue against the Magician d A prediction that the Magician should be burned e That is with the eye of his grace f Because of his dignity g An inuective against the Magician h See the Apology vnto the 5. doubt i The soule compared to a Common-wealth k See the Apology vnto the 5. doubt there is further mention made hereof in the pag. A discourse touching the late King Mounsieur Boutereau Aduocate in the Counsell doth elegantly as his manner is expresse this Saint in the life of Henry the 4 lately deceased which was composed by him who did expresly send into Flanders to father Francis Domptius that faithfully collected this history to be informed of that which is heere spoken which for the better assurance and attestation of the truth hee sent vnto him word for word Although there be also other witnesses thereof The two discourses in Latine and French did containe this relation heere word for word so that we dared not to change one title hereof as we haue for borne the like alteration through the whole frame and body of this history God turne it all to his Glory l He is called Seruus seruorum m A mauellous Apostrophe vnto the Magician n He meaneth the Crosse set vp in S. Baume o Verrine confesseth himselfe to be damned p A discourse vpon the natiuity of Christ Iesus very obseruable worth the reading q S. Gregory in his 26. Homily maketh a comparison between Ioseph S. Thomas for both of them were scrupulous doubtful of the truth for a season God permitting such staggerings sometimes in our vnderstādings to the end that our assurance may bee the stronger r The doubt that some haue of this History s Touching the labours and paines taken by Preachers t A signe of predestination u Gerson and some others hold this Tenent that he was sanctified from his mothers wombe x Acquisition of vertues y The co-operation of the creature with God z See the answere vnto the doubts the 10. obiection a A pious discourse vpon the feast of Christmas b Spirits doe goe and come with incredible celerity c As a man that being obstinately set and bent on a thing will rather be plucked asunder in peeces then be beaten off the same d Why a Diuell was employed in this worke he being but a contemptible and slauish caitise e Belzebub constrained to make an abjuration f Before the tribunall of God all things are so exactly waighed in al the circumstances that the Diuels haue nothing to reply against it g The temptation vsuall against Nobility h The temptation vsuall against Hereticks i Temptations to single combats k Temptations against youth l Temptations to hardnesse of heart m A breefe discourse touching the feast of Christmas b Diuers iudgements touching this history see the pag. 27. 28. m Diuers iudgments touching this History see the p. 15. n He did examine this two seueral times first at S. Baume in the moneth of Ianuarie then next ensuing where he looked into the verification of all these discourses and tooke knowledge of the witnesses that had been present at the acts In the second place hee did read with great aduisednes and attention this whole cōposure written in the Latine French copies There is a likelihoode also that the whole body of this history wil be re-examined at Rome by the authority of the supreme Inquisition o After the Angel had once