and experience thereof is from the best and soundest part of men We are therefore to diue into the causes which when we once shall steddily comprehend it will easily bow and incline our vnderstandings to the beleefe of those things and make vs conceiue them not only to be possible but of a more ordinarie frequencie then hath hitherto bin beleeued And in regard that Spirits are the cause of these euents wee are first to know whither there are Spirits or no. There are three sorts of men that haue denied Spirits the first are Philosophers the second are the Sadduces and the third are Atheists Touching Aristotle the prince of Philosophers hee is of opinion that there is one supreme cause not tyed to the pressure and incumbrance of a bodie And he sets downe 47. Spirits subordinate to that supreme cause according to the number of motions which he obserued in the celestiall Orbes of heauen thinking with himselfe that those heauenly bodies could not so ordinately moue vnlesse they were animated and quickened thereunto by some Spirits of life Now whither hee had stolne this out of the holie Scripture or at the least had borrowed it from his Master Plato who might take it from thence because it is said in Ezekiel speaking of the celestiall bodies which are there called wheeles Spiritus vitae erat in rotis or whether hee had inuented the same by the collections which his experience had made from his frequent obseruing of them I cannot tell but surely he said truth except where hee seemeth by exclusion to shut out the rest as if there were no more then those that he recited Wherein he might consider that if those Spirits were necessarie for the vniforme and vncessant motions of the Spheares and by a consequent for the seruice of man Qui est quodammodo finis omnium much more is it conuenient that this first and supreme cause whom hee calleth the alone Prince of all things should be waited on with an infinite number of them for his owne vse and seruice Whereunto agreeth that of Daniel who teacheth vs that Millia millium ministrabant ei decies centena millia assistebant ei Thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand times tenne thousand stood before him Whereof Dauid giueth the naturall reason saying Ministrieius vt faciant voluntatem eius and this doth tacitely agree with the saying of Ezechiel Spiritus vitae erat in rotis Mercurius Trismegistus as S. Thomas recites him doth determinately denie that there are good Spirits except those who wheele about the heauens And in this he agreeth with Aristotle although hee was a better Diuine then the other because he yeeldeth that God did make and create them which Aristotle seemed to deny who frameth to himselfe an eternitie euen of thistles and butter-flyes but touching the number of Spirits they are both of one opinion Aristotle doth deny that there are wicked Spirits whose authoritie Physitians did follow and adhere vnto as Psellus witnesseth intending those that were not Christians or which had apostated from the true Religion This sort of men doth ordinarily fall into two grosse errors the one against the immortalitie of the soule as it is recited in the 2. of Wisedome saying that the soule doth altogether resemble the flame that is nourished from the lampe the other is against Spirits for when they are shewed the effects wrought really by the Diuell in the bodies of those hee doth possesse they do adiudge of it more meanely then Aristotle did and affirme that these incongruities doe happen through the indisposition and depraued temper of humours and vitall spirits And thus as they doe by the immortalitie of the soule so heere also they change an immortall and incorruptible spirit into a spirit more earthly and which they would haue to bee quintessented from the temperament of naturall qualities which indeed is nothing else but a blast or smoake Hence it is that S. Augustine doth to this purpose fitly alleage the historie of a Physitian who saith hee was constrained to confesse the immortalitie of soules by a vision which hee had when he lay asleepe wherein hee saw although the casements of his eyes were shut vp and heard although his sense of hearing was tied vp and possessed by sleepe his good Angell speaking vnto him and making him to consider that his soule of it selfe without the aide or seruice of the bodie or any of the organs thereof did see and heare And this is the reason why such kinde of people doe relie and leane too much vpon Philosophie and causes in nature The Sadduces also may be ranked with them because they also denie Spirits as it is recited in the Acts of the Apostles from thence they fall into another inconuenience and that is to deny the immortality of the soule whereupon it followeth of necessitie that they must deny the resurrection of the body which three points are common vnto Atheists and all those that deny Spirits Others there are that are not so frontlesse and grosse in their opinions as the former but grant that as there are good Spirits for the motion of the heauen doth force from them that confession in that so good and necessarie a worke cannot proceed but from a good agent so there are also bad Spirits and that from them many actiōs of villany and naughtinesse doe proceed Of these Porphiry maketh mention in Epistola ad Anebuntem cited by S. Thomas saying that these are the Masters of Sorcerers and of all that vse witchcraft and that they neuer direct any man in a course of goodnesse but giue all passage and furtherance vnto those who haue any propension to doe mischiefe Plato also and his sect doe grant that there is a great number of Spirits whose residence is in the highest region of the aire as birds haue their abiding place in the low and middle region and fishes in the water but they doe heere intermingle many absurdities as wee will declare heereafter To conclude none haue euer perfectly knowen the nature of Spirits but those that haue receiued and vnderstood the holy Scripture Now against Philosophers and Painims wee haue experience against the Saduces who are hereticks amongst the Iewes as Tertullian saith wee haue the fiue bookes of Moses which they themselues admit and for Catholicks and Christians wee haue the consent of all the holy Scriptures both of the old and new Testament S. Thomas in his third booke against the Gentiles doth solidly and learnedly dispute against all the arguments of the Philosophers who affirmed that when any prodigie in nature did happen it was to be attributed to the influence of celestiall bodies which are able to bring forth many things that are hidden and buried from our knowledge It is true saith hee that nature is able to doe much yet notwithstanding it is bounded in and limited so strongly that for
if the Diuels did represent serpents froggs and the like before Pharaoh and all the people it is not to be wondred if he shew him selfe vnto a man in a manly semblance for thus he presented himselfe before Iob during the time of his temptation as Saint Chrysostome doth well declare saying That the messengers who came to bring him newes so suddenly one vpon the necke of another were Diuels in the disguise of men for otherwise it cannot wel be reconciled how a man being in a house which in an instant was vtterly ouerthrowne and demolished could scape the ruine of this house nor how these losses being acted so farre one from the other as the sheepe which were consumed by the fire that fell from heauen the Camels that were carried away by the Chaldeans the house which was rooted vp from the foundations could bee so timed in the relations of them that as soone as one had deliuered his newes another should come at his heeles and tell what detriment Iob had receiued in other places And since Satan had liberty to kill not onely the sheepe but the sheepheards and not to ouerwhelme the house alone but to wrap vp also those that were within it in those ruines it is not probable that he who is bloodily minded a murtherer of men and a rauening wolfe that deuoureth whatsoeuer commeth in his way would let any one of them escape to bring the newes especially since it was in his power as well to deliuer the message as to commit the riotts and murther and since he had leaue to do vnto Iob whatsoeuer hee would except one onely thing Tantum saith God ne tang as animam eius So that these newes tempting him most it were no absurditie to say that the Diuell was the bringer of them neither doth the text in reciting these crosses make mention of any one that did escape but onely that he who brought the newes-said thus and thus although as the Amalechite told Dauid that he had slaine Saul although the truth was that hee had slaine himselfe Irruit super gladium suum so might this father of lyes mis-report one thing for another Therefore Saint Chrysostome doth not thinke it strange to say that the Diuell appeared vnto Iob in the habite of a messenger or seruant or to be of the age as it is to bee presumed that such and so swift messengers were of 25. or 30. yeeres Saint Augustine doth not onely say that this might be but also giueth the reason why it might be and that is by the application of naturall causes by which he shapeth vnto himselfe what body soeuer he desireth to assume especially for the quantity and quality which are meere accidents And this body the Diuell can mooue by a kind of locall motion yet doth he not viuificate and operate in the same as the reasonable soule doth in a mans body for this body is not a liue body but is onely clothed with externall accidents and seemeth to haue life by the secret working of these Spirits euen as the celestiall bodies are turned about by a locall motion which proceedeth from the Angels and yet cannot such bodies be properly said to liue This is Saint Augustines resolution Diabolus optat sibi corpus aliquod tanquam vestem and in this sort did hee oftentimes visibly appeare vnto Saint Anthony as Saint Athanasius reporteth and once to Saint Martin as Seuerus Sulpitius writeth To conclude neuer did any father of the Christian Church deny but that this either might be or hath bin really practised The Marcionites and Manicheans who thought strange that the Deuill should touch Christ Iesus denied not that the Deuill did visibly and corporally appeare vnto him but they rather held that Christ Iesus was not clothed with true flesh but had a body of the same condition as those are which are formed by Spirits Saint Paul teacheth vs that Satan transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light the meaning is that he sometime taketh a comely humane shape as good Angels vse to do to familiarise himselfe vnto men as we see in the Gospell that the good Angels who appeared vnto those godly women that sought Christ Iesus in his sepulcher were like yong men of 18. or 20. yeeres of age so that this point is cleere and without controuersie both in the Scripture and amongst the Doctors of the Church It would therefore appeare to be an ignorance and rashnesse too too grosse to make doubt of the truth hereof since there is such a cloud of Histories to giue confirmation of the same vnto vs as for example the History recited by Gregory Nazianzen of a Magician vnto whom the Diuell spake familiarly and the like But that we may not exceede the iust limits of Annotations it shall suffice that we obserue that among other predictions of the end of the world Saint Hippolytus writeth that a great number of Diuels shall appeare vnto men in humane shapes and being thus disguised in borrowed formes they shall assemble themselues in mountaines dennes and desert places all which predictions do fitly agree vnto the depositions of Sorcerers It will not be amisse to note the antiquity and authority of this glorious Martyr for the better resolution of diuers passages in the fore-cited place which by some might be offensiuely taken He was more ancient then Origen at the least he liued in the same time with him for Saint Ierome telleth in his Homilies how he preached and how Origen was present at his Sermons It is then to be presumed that since he tooke vpon him to speake of things to come which were not expresly comprehended in the Scriptures he had either the gift of prophesie wherewith all many were indued in the Primitiue Church as Saint Paul teacheth and which endured downe vnto the times of Saint Ireneus or hee had learned these things from the Disciples of the Apostles as Saint Irâ—neus telleth how he writ many things which he hâ— learned from the Disciples of Iohn the Euangelist and that it happened vnto him as it did vnto diuers others who liued neere vnto the Apostles time who hauing faithfully treasured vp those things which the most familiar Disciples of the Apostles did reueale vnto them yet there were some that would adde thereunto certaine conceits of their owne braine which they themselues did coniecture might be deliuered by the Apostles But in this they notably abused themselues as wee may plainely see in Ireneus Papias and others The same happened vnto this holy man in whom wee may obserue many tracts directly flowing from the Spirit of prophesie and other vsefull instructions proceeding from his owne iudgement Amongst this later sort of Reuelations from the Apostles wee are to place that which he speaketh of Antichrist whom hee saith shall be a Deuill taking vpon him the shape of a man And this we may easily see to be his drift for
and with a rage and fiercenesse beyond ordinarie and spake these words fiue seuerall times For euer for euer for euer for euer for euer alas shall the damned soules be depriued of the vision of God You will tell mee perchance that as yet I haue tolde you no great newes it may be so notwithstanding it is strange newes as I haue said formerly to heare a Diuell speake for God and for the saluation of your soules All the assembly were so affrighted with these and the like words and at the dreadfull passages which Verrine had touching the paines of hell that there gushed from their eyes abundance of teares when they called to remembrance their offences which they had committed After this discourse Belzebub who was in the body of Magdalene cried out very hideously Hola I will acquaint you with the repose and contentation which the soules of the damned haue in hell And then taking Magdalene he rudely and without intermission tossed her from one side of the Church of S. Baume to the other and presently from that side backe againe and so continued in tormenting of her without any cessation so that if it had not ended as it did she would surely haue died Thus said hee doe wee torture the soules of the damned without allotting vnto them the least moment of relaxation Besides this that hath beene said Verrine added that God was so beautifull that the Diuels would be content to vndergoe all the torments of the world and all the paines of hell so they might but once haue a sight of his beauty The same day after dinner Magdalene wrote a letter to the blessed S. Magdalene the tenour whereof ensueth Most holy glorious and beloued sister I heartily beseech you to compassionate the deplored estate of your poore and worthlesse sister Take me by the hand and leade mee to my dearest and louely spouse And with all my soule I doe entreate you to indow me with those fiue goodly qualities where with you were able to prostrate your selfe at his blessed feete and which induced him to receiue you with such speed for his best-be loued friend The first is humility that I may vnder-value and set at naught all things with you The second is perfect contrition that I may bewaile and euer abominate all my sinnes The third is perfect faith that I may beleeue that the almighty can pardon me The fourth is perfect hope that I may assuredly expect his mercy The fifth is feruent charity and loue that I may affect and cleaue to him as to my dearest spouse and disingage my selfe from those incongruous desires which may thwart or giue impeachment vnto the same I instantly pray you dearest sister to begge for mee these fiue louely vertues that I may be confident through them to present my selfe to my most glorious Spouse and so to receiue from him the blessings and grace of heauen that together with you I may praise and blesse him for euer My most blessed and glorious sister Your most humble obedient vnworthie and meanest sister and seruant the wretched slaue and forlorne creature Magdalene of Iesus The Acts of the 11. of December VPon that day the Dominican father began to consider with himselfe whither it were not expedient to force the Diuell to dictate the words and discourses which he affirmed did come from God and so to submit them to the censure of the Church to the end that the wilinesse and subtilties of Sathan might be detected and to make knowne whither hee spake from his owne motion and scope or no that so both those that saw it not and those that were present at it and also those that are to come after vs might be partakers of this history to the encreasing of the glory of God of his blessed mother of S. Mary Magdalene and of all other Saints to the extirpation of all heresies and to the conuersion of mis-led and wandering soules Conceiuing for a certainty that whither the pitcher fall vpon the stone or the stone vpon the pitcher it is still the pitcher that is broken and all shall turne to the confusion of the Diuell be it this or that way Since that in strange and new occurrences it is lawfull to vse and search forth new remedies prouided that nothing bee done against God and his Church This was for certaine daies put in execution when as he Exorcist not being able to write downe all for hast Verrine did dictate vnto him word after word that which hee had formerly discoursed and that for eight daies after And this was done by the vertue of the Exorcismes Afterwards hee had liberty to speake as hee would which he also did The same day came the reuerend father Francis Billet Priest of the Christian Doctrine And in the morning Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by the Dominican father who saying Masse to the honour of the blessed mother of God Belzebub vpon these words ecce Ancilla Domini began to crye O accursed words for vs. O would they had neuer beene spoken And a little before the beginning of the said masse Belzebub lifted himselfe vp with great arrogancy and vnusuall fury howling and crying with a loud voice Should I adore thee Christ Should I adore thee No no I am as mighty as thy selfe See how vn-stoupingly and vpright I stand In all this hee made the body of the girle serue his turne as his instrument Then Verrine who was in the body of Louyse said vnto him Ha! Belzebub wretched spirit as thou art thou wilt bee lasht and punished for this Belzebub answered I regard not I had rather be punished then adore him After Masse the Priest holding the blessed Hoast that Louyse and Magdalene might communicate and saying Ecce Agnus Dei Belzebub began to cry yes yes yes hee is a Lambe for others but vnto vs a roaring Lyon Then the Dominican father said vnto him Adora Deum tuum To which Belzebub replied Why should I worship this God I will not doe it I will not doe it Ha God! in despight of thee in despight of Mary in despight of Magdalene this Magdalene is mine Then said Verrine Ha thou cursed and as abominable as my selfe thou hast nought to do with Magdalene thou shalt come short of thy reckoning Magdalene this is but to fright thee feare not be confident and take God for thy husband Then answered Belzebub No no shee is married to mee I will make demonstration vnto you shee is mine I haue the Bondes I haue the Seales Vpon these words the Exorcist said to Magdalene beleeue not this deceiuer and father of lies Your God calleth himselfe your spouse the Virgin Mary stiles her selfe your mother and Saint Magdalene your deare sister Then said Belzebub No I will make it appeare that in all equity she is mine Verrine answered No more then I am thou diddest not create her neither diddest thou redeeme her and if thou hast lost
Princes in this body The Diuels would haue laid diuers foule aspersions and disgraces vpon the Companies of the Doctrine and of Saint Vrsula but God is pleased to exalt them as it were by Pismires and leaues of trees Labour therefore for the glory of God Then hee swore that whatsoeuer had beene by him deliuered of hell and of the mercie of God and of those that were obstinate was all true by the obstinate he tacitly meant those that were negligent in their deuotions to Saint Martha and Lazarus Afterwards the Priest saying Fecit potentiam Verrine thus discoursed All things are the workes of the hands of the Almighty It is strange that they say euerie where there is nothing that withstandeth God or the Church I say that many Christians are Gods friends at his Table but fewe followed him to Mount Caluary your Redeemer was forced to bee there almost alone Some will be contented to be present at a Masse and then desire that within halfe a quarter of an houre it should all be ended Try your selues and bee regardfull of your soules for you haue but one and let that be surrendred vp to him that gaue it Wee could be contented that there were none but rockes and trees to heare vs. This is it that pusheth vs on to despaire that neuer any Preacher did deliuer so much and that this fact of ours will bee diuulged all abroad Then he spake to the sister Catherine and said Catherine thou art entangled with many encumbrances thou must suffer thy selfe to be instructed and to say Gods will be done Cursed be that word that hath cost me so deere whereby the Diuell doth lesson others against the Diuell Catherine suffer it to bee done for thou art yet vnexperienced Then Verrine spake to the Diuels that were in the body of sister Catherine saying Speake accursed Spirits come into the field Belzebub also said There is no meanes to hide thy selfe thy Prince is humbled therefore take not thou in scorne to humble thy selfe Let vs goe and disclose our selues Obedi Deo Mariae Virgini Mariae Magdalenae Obedi maledicte maledictio Dei omnipotentis sit super te superbe Obedi Deo confundatur superbia I command thee by almighty God tell mee thy name I command thee by the Virgine Mary by Saint Vrsula cum socijs confundatur superbia Wilt thou yet make head against thy Captaine I wil make thee speak and fall vnder my feete for since that I haue humbled my selfe I will haue thee humbled also Surge augeo tibi poenas thou art but a proud Spirit I regard not whither thou speakest or no for I will tell that thou art a Spirit called Sabathon And speaking to the Exorcist he said Encrease his paines seeing he will not tell his name Verrine said We are of the ranke of Thrones and doe yet yeeld our obedience but here the men would be better then their Masters That time is not yet come Physitians are contented to giue Physicke and wee must giue both Physicke and restoratiues You that are heere present will testifie and say that you haue seene three women possessed for the glory of God and for the estimation of the two Companies of Saint Vrsula and of the Doctrine and that the Diuell neuer met with such an affront and encounter for all hell is amazed at it Cursed be the Charme cursed be hee that aduised to giue it O what a great reparation will this make in the breach that was caused by sinne Louyse thou art but a poore wench and of base condition yet could we wish thou hadst been a Queene a Saint or skilled in Philosophie Thou doest but lend thy tongue in the vtterance of these things and hast now deliuered twelue seuerall discourses by the which thou art much confirmed Be content with this You haue seene the beginning the progresse and issue of this matter O Michaelis thou art now preaching and hast said many things and that truly but hast gained verie little by the same Louyse neuer studied and yet hath in a summarie comprehended all manner of perfection Then he said that vpon a Tuesday was the birth-day of Louyse being the feast of Anthony of Padua and vpon that day he entred into the Order of Saint Vrsula vpon a Tuesday was the day of Saint Maximin where we were discouered and vpon that day wee departed from Aix to come hither Vpon a Tuesday Louyse made her generall confession and was borne about midnight on a Tuesday the same houre that your Lord was born being the thirteene of Iune and it is about thirtie yeeres agoe since she was borne The same day Belzebub and Verrine began to curse in the chamber where they were saying Cursed be him who first began to write these euents Cursed bee the Printer that shall put them foorth Cursed be the Doctors that shall examine them and cursed be those that shall compile the contents hereof in a volume Cursed be the Pope that shall giue his approbation thereunto Cursed be the Cardinals Arch-bishops and Bishops that shall giue any passage or assistance vnto the same For since the beginning of the world vntil the day of iudgement there neuer hapned nor euer shall happen an accident of a semblable nature The Acts of the 15. of December VPon which day in the morning Louyse and Magdalene were exorcised by the Dominican Father And at the beginning of the Exorcismes Verrine tooke occasion to speake of Saints in this manner Gods pleasure is that I speake of the Saints which are in Paradise my mortall enemies I would haue here resisted God and the blessed Trinitie but they doe constraine me to speake Belzebub thou art but as a Pismire in comparison of God How strange a thing it is that deuils must bee faine to discourse of the glory of Saints whose mortall enemies they are and would if it lay in their power pluck them from thence and carry them headlong to hell Frauncis is in heauen and Lucifer lost his splendor by his excessiue pride to the attainement of which Frauncis hath aspired by his humilitie If a Michaelis a father Lawrence or some great learned personage should preach this I would not be abashed at it but that a deuill should speake it by the mouth of a Pismire there lyeth the wonder But the God of the Christians wil haue it so and he which lyeth in the blessed Sacrament at S. Baume commandeth it Mortifications are by them that are vnacquainted with their vertues accounted yrksome Iohn Baptist with all his repentance was contemned but is now high in glory in Paradise he is sanctified and is one of the great familiars and friends of God who to shew to sinners the way vnto repentance tooke vpon him repentance when he had not sinned Wee are therefore to passe through mortification if we would attaine vnto the place of blisse and glory Is it not strange that the deuils should teach men mortification and
doth dislike and abhorre these abominations yet being an excellent painter he is able when he pleaseth to correct any deformitie in this his portraicture Thou knowest Leuiathan that this is true and that I am here by the appointment of God but am tied and bound from revealing of sinnes Leuiathan said Thou lyest for thou hast divulged them and art now convicted of a manifest vntruth It is true said Verrine but this is done for the good of these sinners neither could the miracle be manifested if the sinnes were not divulged Then turning himselfe to Saint Magdalene hee said these words It is true Magdalene thou wert a sinner neither doth it redound vnto the dishonor of God or lay any disreputation vpon thee that thou wert so nor is there any diminution of thy happinesse because thou diddest formerly offend That is true said Leuiathan but there is a great difference betweene this and that Magdalen she needed no Divels to convert her but was reclaimed by her owne care and industry and therefore it is not probable that God hath sent thee into this body for the conversion of these two soules since there be many other meanes to bring this to passe without thy helpe who art the father of lies and whom no man will scarce beleeve Hold thy peace said Verrine accursed spirit as thou art and give me audience It is true I am in this body God having suted and fitted his pleasure to the desire of this creature I am here expresselie from Almightie God for his glory and particularliâ— for the conversion of these two soules and miserable shall they bee if they bee not converted Thou tellest me that Saint Magdalene was not converted by the Divell it is true but wee live not now in that time when God came downe from heaven and with his Humanitie and Devinitie did labour the conversion of soules but I say withall that he is still the same God and therefore is able to give birth vnto those works whose greatnesse may equall the former It is a truth said Leuiathan that God is not in the world as in times past yet hath he bequeathed vnto his Church his Sacraments Preachers and many other remedies which were not practised in those daies But none did euer reade that God made Divels his instruments to convert soules since they are the fathers of lies and stuffed with all kind of malice and falsehood Who without great difficultie would give credite vnto them there is no man but would be readie to object that God hath many other meanes to gaine soules vnto him without taking the service and furtherance of the Divels It may be so said Verrine but tell me Leuiathan are there not oathes whereby a truth may be averred Leuiathan answered Knowest thou not that we never sticke to take a false oath I am sure thou knowest it witnesse the oath that was lately taken amongst the Capuchins you know my meaning To this Verrine said Either make it appeare vnto mee that there is no oath that may bind and stand in full strength or else thou art vanquished For I say that an oath taken according to the meaning of God and his Church with all other due ceremonies and circumstances requisit thereunto doth bind and is in force and whosoever will deny this must deny the omnipotencie of God all the authoritie of the Church and all the bookes of Exorcismes To what purpose doe men exorcise and make interrogatories vnto diuels if their replies be never consonant vnto truth It were an idlenesse to be prodigall of so much time and to wast so many yeeres if this were so It were much better that Exorcists should spend their time otherwise and take vpon them some other course of study To this Leuiathan answered I have affirmed that all oathes are not true because of the sinister and perverse meaning and reservations of the Divels I confesse said Verrine all are not true because when the Exorcists are not heedy and well advised of what they goe about wee are so mischeevous that wee reserve some secret and sinister intention but when we are enforced like gally-slaves by the power of God I tel thee wee must obey his pleasure and therefore Leuiathan thou art consounded For I my selfe not from my owne will but vpon constraint from God haue lessoned and warned the Exorcists to apprehend aright all the intentions and ceremonies whatsoever that are requisite in the making vp of a true oath Then said Leuiathan How darest thou speake thus in my presence knowest thou not that I am mightier then thy selfe I grant it said Verrine thou art mightier then I to do a mischiefe for thou hast more knowledge to doe it thou being of the order of Seraphins and I onely of the order of Throanes I am one of your slaves but let me tell you I doe not now respect any of you meaning the princes that were in the body of Magdalen every one of whom hee braved one after another What said he answere you nothing Are you such gallant doctors and can you make no reply Ha you would answere now if you knew what Come on speake speake Leuiathan replied knowest thou not that when sinners are obstinate they are vncapable of conversion nay God himselfe is not able to winne them vnto him witnesse Iudas whom our Lord could not convert How canst thou then conceive that a Divel should bring this to passe when God himselfe by the practise of all his art and cunning cannot accomplish the same Verrine said I have affirmed that God is omnipotent and may make an alteration in the free will of man and change it from evill to good Knowest thou not that God is a cunning Painter who can fashion and make vp a picture when it seemeth good vnto him and is contented if they doe but leave him the table to worke vpon It is true said Leuiathan if the creature doe not hinder it for God hath created man without his aide but cannot save him vnlesse he co-operate and give assistance vnto it Verrine answered If the body and soule doe remaine together it is all that God desireth who well knowes when to take his pencels to correct and perfect vp this table I affirme further that if he will he is able to make it more beautifull and more goodly then ever it was before which he may easily doe by laying on colours of more freshnesse and luster Knowest thou not that hee is the father of the prodigall child If the fathers of this world be thus loving towards their children and doe cherish them and yet doe sometimes threaten them not to hurt them thereby but to make them wiser and better advised how much more shall hee shake the rodde of his iudgements over them to preserve them from the hands of Iustice. And when the child of God shall acknowledge his fault then shall he returne vnto his father and humble himselfe before him for as the prodigall child did
quickly for Belzebub calleth for thee and forthwith Carreau flew forth from her like lightening She also said that Belzebub was departed from her body all that day and had neuer stayed from her so long And that she saw Belzebub to returne while she was reading a letter that made mention of the mother of God The same day also father d'Ambruc sub Prior of the Couent of S. Maximin came to S. Baume to informe himselfe touching Louyse because many gaue out that she was not possessed And the same day towards euening were the two women exorcised by Father Francis Billet whereupon Verrine began to speake in this manner What Belzebub art thou returned Belzebub answered whence had'st thou notice of my returne Verrine said the seruant knoweth his master and added The head draweth after it the whole body so that if it fall into a pit the body must of necessity follow after The flocke of sheepe goeth after the shepheard witnesse vs accursed spirits who haue beleeued Lucifer as our head and as our shepheard I haue been desirous to gaine thus much vpon the beleefe of Louyse that shee would conceit her selfe not to be possessed and that I am heere by the appointment of Lucifer for this day haue wee compassed her in with these tentations telling her that shee of her selfe gaue life to all these actions and gestures and that a woman might of her selfe deliuer all such discourses as these There are those that say put case that God would conuert a soule or reueale some truth vnto his Church is it probable that hee would make the Diuell his agent in an employment of so high a nature But I auerre that the Church hath receiued the Inuestiture of authority from God whereby it is enabled to command Diuels and to enforce them in the vertue of Exorcismes to deliuer truth and that the Diuell by his oath may giue assurance of the truth if so be hee bee forced thereunto by the power of God communicated vnto his Church and by the vertue of Exorcismes and that all the conditions and ceremonies of a solemne oath be performed yet for all this there is a religious person who faith that I am not able to speake a truth I answere him that as I am a Diuell I cannot speake truth indeed but am herein of his opinion yet as I am sent from God who is able to draw good out of euill I am constrained to deliuer truth and to take an oath for the further ratification thereof He must deny the first Article of his faith and in stead of Credo say Non credo if it be false that the Diuell may be forced to vtter a truth for God hath giuen all his authority to the Church to command Diuels and to constraine them to obey the charge which is laid vpon them But I am not a whit abashed if this woman stand doubtfull whether shee bee possessed or no when the religious persons themselues make question of the same Then he spake to God and said I could endure with more ease the torments of hell 50 yeeres together then to pronounce thy name onely one time yet doest thou force from my mouth speeches of reuerence vnto thy Saints which is much against the nature and custome of Diuels Giue this charge to thy children who looke for a share in thy heritage and expect a recompence for their obedience vnto thee They haue so many famous and notable Preachers and many bookes furnished and fraught with al variety of learnings and wilt thou haue me then to speake to men of all sorts both wise and foolish who waite for no other retribution but the torments of hell It is no wonder if the Diuels seeke to withstand God when his very children who haue a portion in Paradise declare themselues heady and refractary against him Was it euer knowne that Diuels should aduise men to inuocate the Saints yet am I constrained to perswade you to pray vnto them especially vnto S. Dominicke Cursed be thy deuotion Dominicke which thou diddest beare towards the Virgin Mary the mother of God Cursed bee those religious persons that haue entred into thy Order I would rather be tortured in hell then to found forth thy praises and the commendations of Bernard Let me possesse you with this truth that the Saints make intercession for you and that Dominicke is one of the intimate friends to the Virgin as also is Bernard It is thou great God that constrainest me to exalt Dominicke my greatest enemy and wouldest make it cleere vnto all how blessed and good a thing it is to honour and loue thy mother and hast enforced me to make thus much familiar vnto men that they may with the greater feruency of deuotion serue her Dominicke I hate thee as I doe the plague and I should take more contentment in that externall darkenesse of the bottomlesse pit of hell then in these discourses which I lauish thus vpon thy praises Thou wert euer very deuout vnto the Virgin as were also Bernarnardus Stanislaus Anselmus and thou Stephanus who hast contracted great familiarity with her He that will bee beloued by the blessed mother of God must serue Dominicke in feruency of spirit you are first to craue the mediation of the mother and then to make your redresse vnto the Sonne There are many who are deuout to their Creator but few vnto the Virgine yea there are not many amongst women themselues that consecrate their deuotions vnto her and yet hee that will gaine eternall life must make his approch vnto this Mary Mary is the ladder of heauen the Saints are the steps of this ladder so that hee who will enter into the Pallace of the King must first ascend by these staires You are all guilty of high treason and there is not any that can coniecture what will bee the state and issue of your cause but God onely therefore present your selues before Mary with all humble and submissiue behauiour before you approch vnto her Sonne and first take the aduise of Dominicke before you prostrate your selues to the mother of God For it would sauour of intrusion and much presumption to thrust into the conference of a Queene and not to prepare her vnto the same by a Mediatour Bee you therefore regardfull to gaine the good opinion of some one of her familiars and fauourites by meanes of whom you may more confidently get accesse and admittance into her chamber and haue spaedier audience when you are presented vnto her whereby your request shall bee with greater expedition granted vnto you for this is the will of him who is the fountaine of all grace Dominicke though thou be my sworne enemy aboue all that are in heauen yet am I compelled to depainâ— thy praises and haue already made worthy mention of thy Order vpon the day of the conception of the Virgin and it is Gods pleasure that men should now bee more deuout addicted vnto thy
the proueth hath it they that neglect to doe good are at length oâ—ertaken with euill and hee who doth not chuse Christ Iesus for his host shall haue the Diuell to be his companion Christ Iesus is the good sheep-heard that leadeth his sheepe into pastures fatned by his body and blood hee is a sheepe-heard and a lambe together and was offered vp as a sacrifice for your sinnes giue him the staffe of your will and leaue the guide and gouernement of your selues vnto him for he will preserue you from the fury of rauening wolues Cursed be the sheepe that doth not suffer it selfe to be guided by him it doth well deserue to be deuoured The sheepe doth graze and chew the cudde so saith Christ Iesus must you take and eate not flesh that is dead but the liuing and celestiall foode of his body there is no dainty in the world comparable to this viande Paul in his extasie of spirit had an essay thereof so had also some others after him yet is there stil plenty of this food and the treasure of Gods mercies is so infinite that the Seraphins themselues cannot found the depth or know the end of his riches for they doe euer see new and vndiscouered perfections in God maruell not therefore if hee bestow a new rePsent vpon his Church Then he turned to the image of S. Magdalene and said O Magdalene thou wer 't abiding in this Baume where thou diddest repent neither is it lawfull for any man to enter into the litle caue where thou diddest lye but vpon his bare feete and I Verrine am of opinion that God will hardly giue way to a man hardened in his sin to passe into that sacred place God spake to Moses from the â—iery bush Put off thy shooes for the place whereon thou treadest is holy ground and I also affirme that this place is no lesse sacred then that because the Sacrament resteth here which is the Saint of Saints and Christ Iesus himselfe in his diuinity humanity came downe from heauen to visite Magdalene in this Baume Consider therefore seriouslie you that approach vnto the Communion how pretious a foode it is which is administred vnto you to the seruing in of which the Angels themselues are assistant as the seruants and pages of God O Marie sacred mother of God thou wer 't the first that diddest taste of this meate and wer ' more familiar there withal then any other creature whatsoeuer for thou diddest humble thy selfe at the comming and salutation of the Angell and diddest repute thy selfe vnworthy to be the seruant of seruants of the Lord. It is the custome of God where hee bestowes other vertues to circle them in all with perfect humility to the end that the soule bee not stayned with the spots or pollutions of ingratitude but may acknowledge those benefits which it hath receaued For the grace of God is a waight by which a man sinketh into the gulfe of his nothing and is drawne vp againe on high to make a coniunction and concurrence of the creatures will to the good pleasure of the Creator by this meanes also doth he vnderstand how slauish and fearefull his condition were if that God did not wing and protect him from all danger Mary thou art shee that like a waight diddest draw downe thy Sonne from heauen to earth not for thy owne sake alone but for all other distressed sinners so that he who will enioy euerlasting life must haue recourse vnto thee God indeed is that fertile cloud from whence all vertues drop downe vpon men Thy sonne doth indeed present his wounds before his father and thou art a remembrancer vnto thy sonne of all the seruices and offices which thou hast done vnto him not by way of ostentation but out of loue and to the end thou maiest obtaine mercy and forgiuenesse for comfortlesse sinners Whilest thou liued'st in this world thou wer 't fired with zeale and charity how much more now when thou art so neere vnto the furnace of loue and the fountaine of mercy Then hee said Lewes hath committed an infinite number of sacrileges against God and hath caused a thousand and a thousand persons to deny their Sauiour but God is desirous to expect a litle longer the euent of things Magick is the most pernitious and diabolicall art that may be France hath taken a strong spreading infection of the same and at Paris the schooles of Magick are more frequented then the diuinity lectures in Auignon God hath oftentimes offered himselfe and as it were way-laid the soule of Lewes sometimes by preaching and sometimes by other inspirations but he would not giue him a drop of drinke Belzebub drew him on to practise Magick and inchantments the schedules are now in his hand he hath been the occasion that many haue died very strange and sudden deathes and although God doth labour his conuersion yet doth hee thrust away and reiect the same All that which hath beene aboue spoken began vpon the day of the conception of the Virgine in the very place of pennance to figure out vnto you that you are first to receiue into your embracements repentance represented vnto you in Mary Magdalene and then innocence pointed out by Mary the mother of God When hee had thus said hee tooke his oath as hee was accustomed The same day in the euening were these two possessed women Exorcised whereupon Belzebub said I am assured that about this time they hold their synod and assembly will he relinquish this charge to come hither I must goe see Then Asmodee issued forth to giue aduertisement vnto the Magicians and witches as he said The same time which was about nine of the clocke at night father Michaelis came to S. Baume from Aix whence hee came with his companion father Anthony Boilletot and the master of the Chapter-house at Aix hauing finished his sermons for the Aduent Vpon whose arriuall there was inquiry made after Lewes for father Michaelis did imagine that Lewes was come because hee set forth from Aix the day before in the company of two Capuchin fathers but hee was not as then arriued The Acts of the 31. of December 1610. THis day in the morning were the two possessed women exorcised by father Domptius the Dominican and Verrine began to speake in this manner Blessed mother of God Veni Maria veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancta Maria Magdalena veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancte Ioannes Euangelista veni in adiutorium Lodouico Sancta Martha veni in adiutorium Lodouico Then he said Most sacred mother of God thou knowest those insupportable paines which thy Sonne suffered on the Crosse Verrine also did inuocate many other Saints that were assistant vnto Christ at his passion on mount Caluary Afterwards he added O sacred humanity I adiure and charge thee in the name of thy eternall father that thou offer thy wounds for Lewes I charge thee that thou present before him all the
for your credits sake to bring backe the Magician and to giue out that hee is a holy and innocent man retire your selues retire your selues you shall see the end The silke-worme doth but now begin to weaue the materials but the tapistry that must bee made thereof is not yet finished The Acts of the 15. and 16. of Ianuary being Saturday and Sunday VPon the Saturday which was the day wherein the friends and fauourers of Lewes did lead him to Marseille that hee might there iustifie and cleere himselfe all was in an vprore at Saint Baume Verrine did nothing but cry as loud as Louyses forces would permit that the Prince of Magicians was like to bee declared guiltlesse saying O my Lord of Marseille why haue you licensed these men to carry Lewes away with them you do not rightly vnderstand the businesse but do offend through ignorance There were also many men on this day tempted to distemperatnesse and much impatiency for the Deuill had been sowing his tares amongst those that were at S. Baume although through the prouidence and grace of God they were quickly choaked The Sunday morning Belzebub spake not except when the Exorcist did reckon vp all the parts and members of her that was possessed saying A capite a collo ab oculis a naribus ab arterys a pulmone a spatulis a corde c. Whereupon Belzebub said expressing a sensible gesture in euery part of the body iust when it came to bee named as stamping with the feete when they were named and lifting vp the knees when they were pronounced and so of the rest There are charmes in euery part of her he that wanteth any let him come to Palud for shee hath them in abundance At the same Exorcisme Verrine cryed and tooke on very terribly when the Exorcist set his hand on Louyses head saying take of this hand which hee repeated diuers times you should torture rebels such as Belzebub is and not mee And added I onely am tormented and not my two companions Gresill and Sonneillon Being exorcised and adiured to speake why he was tormented he said that the last night he was exceedingly importuned by Lucifer to take his part which hee had promised to do He had also tempted Louyse to pray no more for Magdalene and had made her fall into a mortall sinne by procuring her consent hee also had made Louyse to say that one of the fathers was a proud fellow and shee had deceiued her Confessour with a confession which himselfe counterfeited and was not made by Louyse for all which delinquencies said hee Dominicke my aduersary hath procured from God that I should receiue due chastisement Being commanded by Exorcismes to sweare as abouesaid hee answered with all my heart I will take mine oath for Dominicke hath also obtained this fauour from God Then the Exorcist commanded him to put both his hands vpon the words of the consecration of the Chalice and presented vnto him the Canon of the Masse in folio Louyse who was altogether vnlearned did neuerthelesse put both her hands vpon the said wordes Then did the Exorcist command him againe to put them vpon the second prayer which the Preist had said before the Communion which he accordingly did and withall added what art thou yet satisfied and so beginning his oath he said I sweare vnto thee by the power of the Father by the wisedome of the Sonne and by the goodnesse of the holy Ghost according to the intention of the Church triumphant militant and according to thy meaning and the meaning of all these heere without reseruation of any sinister intention whatsoeuer that what I haue now said is true to witt c. repeating that which hee had before deliuered The same day at the Euening Exorcismes Belzebub did shake Magdalene as hee was accustomed alwaies drawing backe her head when the Exorcist would make the signe of the Crosse and snatching the booke of Exorcismes out of the Exorcists hands he threw it to the ground and cryed get you gone and open the doore for Romillon for he would come in which indeed they found to be true Being asked which of them two was the greater and of most authority himselfe or Verrine hee answered It is a friuolous question and sauoureth of nothing but of impertinency and is not worth an answere When the Exorcist was naming all the parts of her body as is already declared mentioning the reines the Deuill did strangely shake and stirre the same saying That the day before Blanche a Witche of Marseille had laide a charme made of golde and siluer and other ingredients vpon Magdalen's reines and had cast another through a trunke vpon her eyes that vpon whomsoeuer Magdalene should looke he should appeare to her to be the Magician Lewes And Magdalen being at her good times questioned vpon the same confessed that it was the greatest torment vnto her that could be to haue that obiect and apparition of Lewes euer before her eyes when any one came in her sight although it were her Confessour or the Priest at Masse But this charme wrought not on her aboue 8. dayes through the assistance of God and by the efficacy of her frequent receiuing of the Communion which they ministred vnto her euery day for this is the soueraigne remedy to scape or to take away the force of charmes as the Deuils themselues in the vertue of Exorcismes would not sticke to confesse and did further affirme that the Priests which did celebrate the Communion euery day could not be charmed The same day Verrine said wee vnderstand and know God better then you but in loue vnto him I must confesse you do out-strippe vs but if you knew God as well as wee you would be fond of him We tempt euery body and albeit they thereby fall into mortall sinne yet are not wee punished for the same if we exceed not our limits or the expresse commandement of God intimated vnto vs by his Angels because it is in their owne choice whether they will sinne or no but we are sure to pay for it when we are the cause that they are exorcised and stirre vp rebellion in them and these paines are accidentall and do indure but for a season as for an hower or a day c. Being asked whether hee had borne the name of Verrine from the beginning he answered that the Deuils haue no names for they know one another perfectly well but they then take a name vpon them when they enter into a body and it is for distinctions sake they do also change their names as they please when as they enter into other bodies To conclude said hee I am a spirit of the aire and therefore lesse malicious then those that are lower in hell the most malicious of vs all is Lucifer who although hee be chained vp in hell yet hath he aduertisements from all the quarters of the Earth and commandeth and giueth directions vnto
yoake of obedience His aduersary in heauen is Bernard a great friend of the Virgin 's and indeed an imitator of her in her obedience Fiat mihi c. 14. Belias Prince of the order of Vertues tempteth men with arrogancy His aduersary is Francis de Paule for his great and doue-like humility He also tempteth gentle-women to pranke vp themselues with new fangled attires to make wantons of their children and to prattle vnto them whiles Masse is saying and so to diuert them from the seruice of God 15. Oliuier Prince of the Arch-angels tempteth men with cruelty and mercilesnesse towards the poore His aduersary in heauen is Laurence Qui dispersit dedit pauperibus 16. Iuuart is Prince of Angels but hee is in another body and hath not his aboade heere This euening Balberith was coniured by the vertue of exorcismes to name all the Diuels which were in the body of Magdalene who answered I will name the chiefe of them but not the whole rabble who are heere in great number and are as pettie lackies who deserue not to be named Besides the twelue which I haue already named to be in this body there are also Carton Arangier Bladier Baal Agrotier Raher Coustelier Perdiguier the two Planchers Potier Stone-strong Hard-hart Stop-mouth Fire-stone There you haue seauen and twenty of them and adding vnto them the three which are in Louyse they make vp the number of thirty I will reckon vp no more Being coniured to say what their temptations were and what Saints were their aduersaries he constrainedly made answere Carton doth tempt men with vanity and pride His aduersary is Iames the Hermite who held all the vanities pompe and preferment of the world in misprision Arangier doth tempt men with pleasures His aduersary is Sebastion who did shun the allurements of earthly contentations and liued in great continency Bladier was the ninth in the order of Cherubins hee tempteth men against their vocation and maketh them weary of Inspirations and Confessions His aduersary is Ioseph the husband of Mary who was very constant in his vocation sweetly reposing himselfe in good inspirations and was very diligent in his charge without grudging at the same Baal was the 50. in the order of Thrones He tempteth men to commit murther His aduersary is Raymond of Capua confessor vnto Catherine of Sienna who was of your order vpon whom wee could neuer gaine or fasten any of our purposes for hee loued euery body with all his heart Agrotier tempteth men with a thirst of honor Hee is of the order of dominations and his aduersary is Ierome who contemned all the honors of the world Raher was the third Arch-angell Hee tempteth men to hardnesse of heart as Carreau doth his aduersary is Vincent Ferrier who continually remained penitent and was of your order Coustelier was of the order of Vertues he tempteth men with contentions wranglings and making of processes His aduersary is Peter the Martyr one of your order also who was of an admirable sweete and clement disposition and frankly forgaue all iniuries Perdiguier was of the order of Powers he tempteth men also with impurity for one cannot be euery where with those of his troope His aduersary is Bennet for his great purity Plancher was of the order of Arch-angels hee tempteth men with disobedience His aduersary is Iames that was of your order who in writing left the letter O imperfect thereby to shew his obedience Potier is the second in the order of Cherubins hee hardneth mens hearts that they should not pray to God nor meditate vpon his mercies His aduersary is Victor the Martyr who is euer praying or meditating Stone-strong was the eight in the order of Thrones he tempteth men with the difficulties and molestations which they must meete withall in the attainement of vertues especially of humility His aduersary is Iohn Chrysostome which euer practised himselfe in all sorts of vertues Hard-hart is the 15. in the order of Arch-angels he impeacheth men from lifting vp their harts vnto God His aduersary is William of the order of Augustine who euen at his time of meales did euer lift vp his heart vnto God Stop-mouth is the second in the order of Angels hee tempteth men with friuolous and impertinent speaches breeding a disgust in men that would speake of God and endeauouring to interrupt the current of all vertuous language His aduersary is Cyprian the Martyr and Doctor who was euer talking and meditating vpon God Plancher is the 15. in the order of Powers who together with the other Plancher the order of Archangels doth tempt men to doe good workes for sinister and reserued intentions His aduersary is Markâ— the Euangelist whose intention in all things was euer vpright and pure Fire-stone is the 20. of the order of vertues he tempteth men to choller and anger His aduersary is Alexus who practised his patience in the house of his father by his meekenes and by the sufferance of those insolencies which his seruants offered vnto him Belzebub in his discourse to the other Diuels which were with him in the body of Magdalene named the two familiar spirits of Lewes the Magician to wit Candelier and Ferrier The Acts of the 18. of Ianuary being Tewsday AS soone as the two that were possessed had kneeled vpon the ground before the Altar at S Baume Belzebub turning towards Louyse said vnto Verrine Behold our learned Preacher that doth so much boast of his sufficiency in making of sermons Whereunto Verrine replyed Thou lyest I neuer said that I made sermons or that I was a Preacher Goe to thou cursed lyar remember that I euer maintained that I was sent from God to publish and disclose a truth and to dismaske thy knauery Diddest not thou said Belzebub affirme that God hath promised Paradise vnto thee Thou lyest answered Verrine I neuer said so onely I did auow thus much that God by his absolute and boundlesse power hath granted vnto me diminution of my torments Then he said to Magdalene be of good cheere for God hath hyred thee and the three faculties of thy soule to be imployed about his seruice No said Belzebub shee is hyred by me Verrine answered thou lyest and shalt not gaine that for which thou now pretendest And if it were not for feare of Michaelis master of this place I would lay open such a throate as the whole frame of this house should tremble Thou bearest Magdalene in hand that thou wilt cure her I pray thee take thou no thought for her health for shee is sufficiently prouided of good Phisitians of her owne let her a Gods name beleeue her Confessours It was obserued by some that shee vsed a particular kinde of gesture and motion with the finger of her hand on which shee did weare a ring of siluer and thereupon Verrine said Take away that ring from her for it is charmed but when they endeauoured to pluck it from her finger they were not able by reason that
good Angell of Magdalene and after many refusals and punishments imposed on him he answered farther that he had reuealed vnto him from God that the Almighty had decreed that the Magician should be discouered with all his Complices if they repented not and that all his Synagogue should be dissolued that by one of these three meanes either that Belzebub when the Magician was at Aix should crie alowde by the mouth of Magdalene in the presence of an honorable company and some Iudges of the Parliament giuing them to vnderstand that Lewes Gaufridy was prince of the Magicians and he would be so lowde that they should be very deafe if they heard him not Or if he escaped from them that then whiles the forenamed Lewes was saying Masse at Acoules in Marseille when hee should turne himselfe to the people and should say orate fratres Belzebub by his mouth would crie alowd Lewes Gaufridy Priest of Acoules in Marseille is the cheife of the Magicians Or lastly Belzebub going foorth of Magdalene would take vpon him the shape of a man because that function belongs not to women and going vp into the pulpit would preach publiquely in the Church of Acoules where the said Gaufridy abode that Lewes Preist of Acoules was the Prince of Magicians and would withall lay open all his knaueries and inchantments which hee had practised since the time he first tooke that profession vpon him Being demanded when that would come to passe hee answered that it was onely reuealed to him He farther said and swore that Fortitudo holding a sword in his hand forbad him on Gods behalfe to tempt Magdalene any more to vnchast behauiour by making the inchantment to worke in her for that purpose and in this said hee I could not resist the will of God intimated vnto mee by Fortitudo and howbeit the Magician hath sollicited me to do so threatning me in the name of his Master Lucifer yet I answered him that I could not and that God hindred me telling him farther that if he knew that which was reuealed vnto mee it would astonish him yet did I not tell him that which I knew though now I haue vttered it being forced by the vertue of Exorcismes He farther said and swore vpon the Canon of the Masse laying his hands being first commanded thereunto vpon the prayer made after the offering howbeit the Exorcist shewed him another to trie what he would doe that the last night as the Magician was saying Masse to the assemblie of the Witches Magdalene looked on but was not able to moue her selfe or to crie out that her assistants might take notice of it And he brought and presented vnto her the consecrated host to receiue it at his hand which shee refused to do or any way to yeeld consent vnto it and as the said Magician continued instantly to importune her shee saw within the Host a little infant marueilous faire shining and casting forth very pleasant beames and saying vnto her I will not my daughter that thou receiue mee from the hands of mine enemies but onely from the hands of my seruants with which shee was exceedingly comforted and strengthened This did Belzebub when hee went out of her report to the Magician and to his adherents who sawe not the miracle which as soone as they heard they began to weepe foreseeing their ruine notwithstanding they came againe to Magdalene and prayed her to receiue the Host in as much as shee was conuerted and that it might be shee had some vision which was but an illusion yet she still refused it and though the diuell opened her mouth by force yet had not the Magician the power to put the Host into it But after that shee had long resisted at length the foresaid child shut her lippes After this the Magician desired an haire of her head which she refused to giue knowing that that were to do homage to the Deuill if any thing were giuen him after that againe he demanded halfe an haire which when shee refused to doe he then caused her to suffer grieuous punishments in so much as she rested not all that night nor fiue dayes after during the Exorcismes which notwithstanding shee indured with great patience for the loue of God and the remission of her sinnes The assistants who watched with her all the night witnessed that shee lay still as one in a dreame not able to speake so much as one word and Magdalene her selfe confessed that it was all true which hath bin deliuered of the Host. The Acts of the 5. of February being Saturday AT the morning Exorcisme there being a Frier of the order of S Francis come thither and bringing with him some Reliques which a Cardinall had giuen him at Rome hee laid them softly and secretly on Magdalenes back at which the Diuell began to cry out that they should take that away for it burned him Being adiured to tell what it was he answered there are two things which I specially feare the wood of the Crosse and a bone of S. Lawrence the others I feare not much and it was indeed found to bee true which he had said The same day after dinner father Michaelis with his companion father Frier Anthony Boilletot parted from S. Baume to goe to S. Maximin and from thence to Aix to preach there the Lent following and being arriued at Aix he went presently to salute Monsieur du Vair chiefe President of the court of Parliament giuing him to vnderstand what had passed at S. Baume from the first of Ianuary 1611. to the fifth of February touching the trial whether those two maides of whom there was so much talke in all the Country were indeed possessed or not and vpon triall hee found that they were in very truth possessed and to that purpose he had discouered three reall tokens in Magdalene the first that shee was truely possessed as appeared by sundry vndoubted effects the second that being of the age of nineteene yeares she was found to be dâ—floured as her selfe confessed the third that shee had the markes of the Diuell vpon her bodie which were depriued of sense and feeling as himselfe had discouered at S. Baume and that besides this the wicked spirits which possessed both Louyse and Magdalene protested that all this hapned by the inchantments of one Lewes Gaufridy chiefe of the Magicians and dwelling at Marseille Which as soone as the forenamed President vnderstood he thought good to send for the two maides to Aix who arriued there the 16. of the same moneth of February The acts of the 17. day of February being Thursday and the day after Ashwednesday THis day after dinner Monsieur du Vair chief President came to the Arch-bishops palace where Magdalene was there being also come thether Garandeau Vicar to the Lord Arch-bishop of Aix and some others and began to put Magdalene to certaine interrogatories assuring her shee should finde fauour and escape vnpunished if she
said father Michaelis Come hither when the soule is diuorced from the body it is as pure a spirit as are your selues doth God euer take pitty vpon them then To which the Diuell answered He doth not and so presently held his peace and Magdalene had liberty to confesse her selfe and receiue the Communion The Acts from the 27. of March being Palm-Sunday till Good-fryday being the 1. of Aprill VPon Sunday at morning Masse there came a wicked spirit sent from the Magician and entered into the body of Magdalene his name was Aurey and he said that hee was the sixth in the order of Seraphins who laughingly and in ieasting manner told them that he would not leaue her tongue vntill hee had executed his commission Being adiured to tell why hee laughed so immoderatly because said he yesterday about 12. of the clock it is iust 15. yeares agoe since Lewes gaue himselfe vnto the Diuell and to day this very houre it is so long agoe since hee made vnto vs his first schedule written with his bloud drawing the same from the fingar of his left hand where the veynes of his hart do lye This being done hee began to make his renunciations in the name of Lewes as hath formerly beene declared crying aloud so that hee was heard a great way off and when they applyed vnto her back a crosse of gold he said take away this there is a crosse behind me and touched one of the nayles of the feete in the said crosse After dinner there was a man brought to Marseille who was much doubted to be possessed And as soone as he entred into the chamber the Diuels that were in Magdalene began to bussell a litle and at last fell a bellowing one of them saying this man hath 15. Diuels within him and a legion that watch him without if he bee not looked vnto he will within these 15. dayes bee vtterly vndone Hee was possessed vpon the feast of S. Michael 1610 they that gouerne and are the cheefe within are two Garanier and Sandrié It is to be noted and we haue had experiment of the same that the Diuels who are in diuers bodies cannot indure to be together if they doe they grumble one against the other and seeme to be ready to deuoure one another like wolues and hogs Hence was it that wee were forced to separate Magdalene and Louyse which proceeded from their pride and malice Vpon holy Munday in the morning Magdalene was shrewdly tempted to deny Confession vnto her owne Confessor father Francis Billet and this temptation continued from the morning till eleuen of the clock when the Diuell-being ouercome by the patience and perseuerance of the said Priest did giue ouer his assault and shee acknowledging her fault confessed her selfe vnto the said father although shee had before protested that she would more willingly confesse her selfe to any other Where by the way wee may note that to change our Confessors is many times a temptation of the Diuell About this time he of Marseille that was possessed was brought vnto the chapel where-upon the Diuels that were in Magdalene began to bellow so hideously that they were forced to constraine him to goe out of the Chapell Heerein the Diuell behaueth himselfe like vnto a tyrant who cannot indure to haue a great Lord dwell neere him so high is his heart swollen with malice and arrogancy After dinner Belzebub made Magdalene take a knife and set it against her breast tempting her to kill her selfe with her owne hand When the knife was taken away hee caused her to lay hold on her owne throate and would haue strangled her if they had not hindered him About two of the clock in the after-noone Belzebub cryed so hideously that father Michaelis and his companion heard it into their lodging which was on the other side of the Arch-bishops house a great way off which when they heard they ranne thither and being adiured by the said father to tell what the reason of this so terrible an out-cry was he answered I cannot but bee mad that Magdalene doth thus surrender vp and make resignation of her owne will Vpon this day Monsier Thoron the Commissary did relate vnto vs that the Saturday last past beeing Palme-Sunday eue the court as their manner is went in visitation of the prisoners where Lewes Gaufridy to excuse himselfe said vnto them that hee did giue himselfe wholy to the Diuell if hee were not innocent which is agreeable vnto that which Aurey said on Palme-Sunday when he laughed and was so merry that the Magician had giuen himselfe vnto the Diuell Then the said Monsieur Thoron said vnto him Speake not after this manner for hereby you doe but settle and confirme your sin with greater assurednes Vpon holy Tewsday in the morning Carreau whose imployment is to harden mens hearts did withhold Magdalen from confession so that the combate continued till twelue a clock against him and when the Exorcist did impose more punishâ—ents vpon him he said he was a torturer and a hangman but in conclusion they remained with the victory against Satan Vpon holy Wednesday in the morning Monsieur de Segoyer one of the Counsellors of the Kâ—ng seing the strange gestures and torments which Magdalene according to her custome did suffer during the time of Masse hee being on his knees did pâ—â—uatly and a-part powre out his prayers to God in behalfe of her that was possessed which hee did very heartily and with much affection Then Belzebub turned himselfe towards him and said Pray for thy selfe and let her alone Whereat this Counsellor was much abashed for hee prayed with great silence On this day Magdalene was asked by the two aboue named charitable Capuchin fathers who tooke the paines to remaine all night in prison with the Magician to see if they could conuert him what the reason was that the Magician did so often fix his eies vpon the ground when they spake vnto him Where-unto she answered a Magician may be knowen by his eies when hee looketh fixedly vpon the earth and cannot endure to settle his eies vpon those that looke vpon him They are also knowen said she when they stoope downe to the ground and take vp a straw for then they aske aduice of the Diuell and doe homage vnto him by bowing for this straw Which being once obserued by the said Capuchin fathers they found that the Magicians custome was to doe so Vpon holy Thursday the Diuels did torment and vex themselues during the time of Exorcismes tossing the woman that was possessed heere and there to her great disquiet After the Communion was ended shee presently sound ease The Acts of the first and second of Aprill being holy Fryday and Saterday VPon holy Fryday in the morning the Magician by diuine grace and the particular influence of that celestiall light began to confesse his sinne to the two Capuchin Fathers who had watched with him in prison after they had all the
afflicted and disfauoured by those that were neerest of her blood by reason that shee thus debased her selfe They farther aduertised that Verrine began already to be wray the coÌ„plices and asfoclats in Magick by their names and sur-names and amongst others a woman called Honoria that was blind of both her eies who being apprehended had the markes found vpon her and was conuicted of witch-craft and so burnt although she died with great contrition and sense of her sinnes Let vs therefore pray vnto God that all may redound to his glory and the good of the Church and to the vtter ruine and desolation of the kingdome of Satan Amen THE CONCLVSION THe end and scope of this History which is the discouery of a Magician by the Diuell and his execution which followed there-upon doth cleerly demonstrate the vndoubtable truth contained in the same since there was nothing in the world more secret and incogitable then that the said Gaufridy was a Magician but contrariwise hee stood fauoured and well esteemed of by gentle-men and others of his owne quality the Diuel infusing into him an insinuating and well fashioned deportment of himselfe with so winning a manner of conuersation that hee was wel-be-loued and well entertained by all men But God would not suffer such hypocrites to lurke in his Church vndiscouered and vnpunished as wretched Iudas gaue the first proofe thereof be it spoken without offence and preiudice to S. Peter and the rest of the Apostles God be blessed and praised for euer for all those miracles which he hath been pleased in his good time to worke amongst vs for his glory and the further instruction of his Church Amen The whole is submitted to the iudgement of the Church THE APPROBATION WE the vnder-written Doctors in the sacred facultie of Diuinity at Paris doe certifie that we haue fully and diligently suruayed and read this present treatise intituled The admiâ—able History of the possession and conuersion of a penitent woman seduced by a Magician The collections whereof were gathered by the reuerend father Michaelis Doctor Preacher and Inquisitour of the Catholicke Apostolicke and Romane faith established by our holy father the Pope In which treatise and collections wee finde nothing which is not orthodox and conformable vnto the decrees and orders of our holy mother the Church Yea wee haue therein obserued many notable things that may tend to the great comfort and edification of all faithfull Christians as well Temporall as Spirituall and may induce and spurre vs on to repentance and to the practise of vertue From our Studies in Paris this present Tewsday the 10. of Iuly in the yeare of grace 1612. G Froger Fr. P. Dum. A DISCOVRSE OF SPIRITS CONTAINING WHATSOEVER is necessarie for the more full vnderstanding and resolution of the difficult Argument of Sorcerers WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY the reuerend Father Frier Sebastian Michaëlis Doctor of Diuinitie of the Order of Preaching Friers and Prior of the Couent Royall of S. Maximin in Prouence BY WISDOM PEACE BY PEACE PLENTY AT LONDON Imprinted for VVilliam Aspley THE PREFACE FRiendly Reader I doe protest with Tertullian that in the Argument of Sorcery which is the subiect of this discourse I neuer was so farre transported with curiosity as to plunge my selfe into an ouer-diligent intelligence of the same because it is a Science that serueth for nothing but to disseason and perplex my spirit as being an enemy vnto my soule and therefore the vnderstanding thereof distastfull to mee The consideration whereof is common to all those who leuell their actions to godly purposes whereof that holy and ancient Father doth draw a learned and generall deduction in these notable words Nos spiritualia nequitiae non quidem socia Conscientia sed inimica scientia nouimus nec invitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione tractamus multiformem luem mentis humanae totius erroris artificem salutis pariter animaeque vastatorem In which he hath spoken a certaine truth for what other thing can a man gaine by this vnnecessary yet dangerous knowledge but a true plague of man-kind a palpable blindnesse in all sorts of error and last of all an ir-recouerable slide and downe-fall both of body and soule into the pit of Hell Notwithstanding the Theorick and contemplation of these things is not vnnecessary vnto vs that are Clergy-men because we are expresly commanded by Christ Iesus in the persons of his Apostles to cast out and chase away all wicked and vncleane spirits by the powerfulnesse of his name for his pleasure is that wee should be in direct opposition against Magicians who doe call vpon them and wooe them to appeare vnto them by their softest and sweetest supplications But we as is already said Non inuitatoria operatione sed expugnatoria dominatione ipsos tractamus So that the admirable effects which doe continually flow from so high and weighty a charge may giue full answere and solution to the obiection of Paynâ—â—s who were wont by way of réproch to aske the Primitiue Christians wherein their knowledge of wicked spirits did excell and surmount other mens Vnto whom the same good father Tertullian answereth that it was necessary that Christians should haue a greater knowledge of Diuels because as experience did well witnesse none but Christians had authority and power to cast them out with violence and in despite of them For as a Lord or Master who is euer labouring to tame his slaue that is refractary and rebellious against him hath occasion to know his peruersues more thorowly then other men euen so fareth it with Christians in respect of vncleane spirits Daemonia itaque affirmamus esse inquit sane quasinon probemus qui ea soli de corpore exigimus Hence wee may make this deduction that for the readier way to dissipate and ouerthrowe the kingdome of Satan this kinde of Science is necessarily required in Church-men as the knowledge of Heresies is necessary vnto Catholick Doctors that they may the better confute them and those diseases that are pestilentiall must be vnderstood by Phisitians if they hope to expell them I doe heere desire that in a subiect of this nature there might bee a methode obserued in our manner of speaking as the Stoicks anciently did in their discourses of the world esteeming it as a great abuse to call things that in themselues were odious and filthy by honest names or things that were vertuous and honest by filthy names but insteed thereof euery thing was to be expressed by words and appellations apt and proper to figure out the same For vertuous actions were to bee expressed by termes that should breath and sound forth nothing but a decent and equall commendation but vicious and discommendable actions were to be set forth with such fit and conuenient epithetes as might breed an â—orrour and detestation of their filthinesse Neither doe I desire this without iust cause since that the malice of our times hath mis-applied
which words hee seemeth to preuent the argument which might be obiected against this his assertion touching Demoniaks and possessed which is a cleare and vnresistable experience against all the Philosophers of the world for it is infallible that before Aristotles time there was possession since Salomon himselfe did teach men exorcismes to cast out Dinels from mens bodies as Iosophus and others doe wituesse How then can all this be attributed to a melancholick humour But will Aristotle dare to auow that this grosse and earthy humour is more excellent in a man then his vnderstanding and reason Now if reason can by no meanes whatsoeuer discouer those things which it hath neuer learned nor speake any other language then that which for a long time it hath been vsed vnto nor diuine of future euents nor alleage or interprete sentences which it hath neuer conceiued how is it possible that this muddy and grosse humour should bee so cleared as to doe all these thinges especially when they are the proper effects that flow from reason And if a man should require from them the cause why such an humour should comprehend that which is farre remote from vs both by distance of place and time rather then reason they could make no answere thereunto To which may be added that they are things which doe as vsually happen vnto those that are of a different complexion as vnto melancholick men For it is probable that the Corinthian fornicatour who was possessed with a Diuell was of no melancholick and lupmish constitution but rather of a more pleasant and iouiall behauiour which is not barely coniecturall because S. Paul reprooueth the Corinthians for that they laughed and were merry with him before he was possessed which may make vs to conceiue that he was witty and pleasant as also all the Epicures were who were wont to say Comedamus bibamus cras enim moriemur post mortem nulla volupt as In like manner were Alexander and Hymenâ—us possessed who were much like vnto the former Moreouer it were a ridiculous thing to say that when the Diuels were cast out of an humane body and entered into the swine the melancholy of the man did descend into the hogs so that it doth fully appeare that these experieÌ„ces aforesaid are sufficiently powerfull to confute all Philosophers that there are Spirits who doe secretly conuerse with men and doe many times visibly appeare vnto them which Aristotle could not deny to haue happened vnto Socrates Platoes master who from his infancy had a Spirit that did at times appeare vnto him as Tertullian hath obserued lib. de anima in these words Socratem Puerum adhuc Spiritus demoniclus inuenit Let vs now come to the Saduces of the which sect there is yet a great multitude of Iewes in Constantinople and in the kingdome of Persia where almost all the Iewes doe adhere to their opinion It is strange in them that they should deny Spirits wheÌ„ in the fiue bookes of Moses which they onely admit of as the sacred writ there is nothing more common then the mention of Spirits and there is more spoken of that argument in those bookes then in the whole Scripture besides Wee will anone yeeld the reason why Moses did not mention their creation or fall although in the beginning as it were of his booke hee bringeth in the Serpent speaking and discoursing with such craftinesse and cunning as that hee made a conquest vpon the vnderstanding and perswades the will both of the woman and the man Now there is nothing more discerneable then that this was no vnreasonable beast that spake from his owne braine and apprehension because nothing is more disproportionable and auerse from beastes then speach and reason Heereupon it is that Orators doe properly tearme them Animalia muta because speech is the expresser and interpreter of inward reason and can proceed from no cause but from thence But put the case they should bee so stupide as to say that in those times beastes could speake as Plutarch seemeth to intimate in his booke which is intituled That beasts are not deuoide of reason and as some grosse capacities conceiue of Aesops fables and the like being it may be drawne to beleeue it from S. Basils opinion who holdeth that before the temptation the Serpent had feete and did goe vpon his legs as other foure footed beastes vse to doe and that as soone as it was told him supra a pectus tuum gradieris the vse of feete was taken away from him and all his kinde because that curse did descend downe to all posterity and succession as it is said Inter semen tuum semen illius But where doe wee finde I pray that God saith vnto the Serpent thou shalt speake no more but shalt bee mute and vtterly depriued of discourse and reason which hee might in reason haue said since it was not the outward forme and shape of the Serpent that beguiled our first fathers but the reasons that he alleaged the promises which he made vnto them But touching this the Scripture speaketh nothing for besides the ridiculousnesse of such a conceite it would breed a manifest repugnancy in the Scripture which saith that God created liuing creatures but hee afterwards made man after his owne image and likenesse which similitude lyeth onely in this pointe that hee framed him with the indowment and vse of reason whereby hee might direct himselfe and euery other thing as God doth guide and gouerne all things by his wisedome and prouidence And this is it as S. Augustine hath notably obserued which is presently there added vt praesit piscibus maris volatilibus coeli uniuersis animantibus quae mouentur super terram It must needs therefore be an intellectuall substance that made the Serpent to speake for it was neither man nor woman because there were none but Adam and Eue as the text saith Erunt autem ambo nudi Moreouer there is mention made of a Cherubin who was appointed to keepe the doore of Paradise for feare least man should returne back againe and should eate of the fruit of life and in his hand he held a bright flaming sword to strike a terrour into man if hee should be so presumptuous This could not be a man as we haue declared and must therefore be a Spirit There is also frequent mention made of the Angels of God who appeared vnto men as vnto Abraham Lot Iacob and others foretelling them of things which was beyond the compasse of mans knowledge as that an olde barren woman should conceiue that Sodome and Gomorra should be destroied and the like As also that the people of Israel should be led through the wildernesse by a cloud and by a pillar of fire there could no other reason be giuen heereof but that they were Spirits sent as guides by God vnto them Praesedet te said God to Moses Angelus meus and
Moses replyed saying Nisi tu ipse praecedas nos so that it appeareth that these spirits were the messengers of God The ex perience also of those that are possessed is a sufficient argument to confute the Saduces Heere upon it came saith Iansenius that Christ Iesus did permit the Diuels in his time to inuade not onely men but swine also for conuiction saith hee of the errour of the Saduces whom Christ Iesus was saine to traine vp by such rutourage as knowing that if a man did once apprehend there were Spirits hee would forth-with beleeue that there is another world where they make their abode and from thence would easily bee induced to admit the immortality of the soule and the resurrection of the body Whereas contrariwise hee who doth not beleeue that there are Spirits can hardly conceiue that there is another world or that the soule is immortall or that it is possible for God himselfe to call men vnto him by resurrection from the dead Heereupon S. Luke reciting the principal errours of the Saduces doth ioyne these three points together Concerning Christians and Catholicks besides the aboue named bookes they haue S. Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles and S. Paul in the 3. to the Galathians to witnes that the Law was giuen to Moses and the people by the ministery of Angels that God hath appointed good Angels to guard vs from the perrills of this world and from the attempts of wicked Spirits against vs in the 90. Psalme Moreouer that they ayde and succour vs so farre as to combate for vs none said an Angel to Daniel did aide me in the people of Israels deliuerance but Michael Prince of this people and that the number of them is exceeding great doth clearly appeare by the history of Helizeus when he opened the eies of his disciple made him see the great multitude of Angels at what time he was afraide of the huge army of the Assirians Plures saith he nobiscum sunt quaÌ„ cum illis The same spake Iacob who saw himselfe circled in with an heauenly army when hee stood in feare of his brother Esau Castra inquit Dei sunt haec Their office is to praise God vncessantly as Esay and Ezechiel doe declare the one speaking of Seraphins the other of Cherubins He that shall â—ound the trumpet to raise the dead shall bee an Arch angell and presently there shall come a great troope of Angels to collect and gather in the elect from all quarters of the world and to assemble them in one place Touching wicked Spirits it is declared in the history of Achab that a spirit did offer himselfe to be a spirit of lyes and Satan tempted Dauid to number his people in the pride of his heart and did much mischiefe in Egypt as being there the hang-man of God Immissiones saith Dauid per Angelos malos God also frequently forbiddeth in the law to sacrifice vnto Diuels which hee would not doe but that there were Diuels It was the Diuell that did afflict Iob in his body goods children and seruants It was he that dared to tempt Christ Iesus and did exact adoration from him as if he were a God it is hee that by his commandement and by the prayers of the Apostles hath beene so often cast out from mens bodies and for conclusion for the places that may heere bee brought are numberlesse God will say at the last day to the reprobate Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum qui paratus est Diabolo Angelis eius Being then ascertained that there are Spirits both good and bad as well from the grounds of naturall reason as from inuincible experiences and especially from the authority of the holy Scripture we are in the next place to know whether they haue bodies or no. CHAP. II. Whether Spirits haue bodies THis question beareth with it more difficultie then any other either in Philosophy or Diuinity next after the question of the Diuine nature first because Spirits do approch neerer vnto the nature of God then any other creature as also because it is impossible to see or comprehend them but onely by their effects as by the print of the foote which is left in the sand wee know that a man hath passed that way yet haue we not a possibility to conceiue of his vertue knowledge force beauty or constitution thereby and hence it ariseth that so many ingenuous Spirits as haue laboured in this argument haue almost all of them missed their scope and run into some errour For if as Saint Augustine teacheth it bee one of the most difficult things in the world to know the essence of the soule which Aristotle also toucheth in his first booke of the soule where he reciteth an infinitie of opinions together with their seuerall mistakes and exorbitances from the truth much more shall this argument of Spirits be incumbred with many difficulties since there is no man who hath not daily experience of the nature of soules euen in their very dreames Which maketh me say with Saint Thomas of Aquin that Themistius the Philosopher hath more grossely ouer shot himselfe in this point then any others For he did not onely teach it for a truth that in this mortall life we might attaine vnto the full and complete knowledge of Angels but also that this kinde of knowledge was more facile then any other by reason of their constancy and naturall stabilitie whereby it commeth to passe that they are not so obnoxious vnto change as all other elementary bodies are Against this Saint Thomas doth learnedly oppose himselfe laying downe demonstratiuely that whatsoeuer knowledge a man might attaine vnto in this mortall life for after this life our knowledge shall without comparison be farre more excellent by the contemplation of that great Myrrour that comprehendeth all things it doth all necessarily proceed and flow from the outward senses and in the intermission of their working a man doth afterward apprehend a conception of that which was offered and imprinted into his sense The truth of this may be obserued in a man that is blind and deafe from his natiuitie who hath no knowledge of any thing whatsoeuer Since then Spirits haue no bodies they cannot be seene by the eye nor receaued into any externall sense and thereupon it ariseth that a man cannot forme them in his imagination vnlesse it bee because we see them dimly by their effects Saint Augustine himselfe confesseth that it is one of the hardest questions in the world and is not ashamed to vse these words Fateor excedere vires intentionis meae and Aristotle as it were to preuent Themistius doth declare that this obscurity doth not proceede from Spirits but from the imbecility both of our senses and vnderstanding which as he prettily noteth resembleth the eye of an Oule that cannot endure the brightnesse of the Sunne although it be the
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
left vnto posterity they haue stolne or borrowed the same from the customs of the people of Israel S. Chrysostome commendeth the inuention of Poets in describing the sonne drawne in a burning Chariot by foure horses running at full speede this is not a meere fable saith he if it be rightly vnderstood because the Sunne in Greeke is called Helios For finding that Helias was carried to heauen in a firy Chariot drawne with foure horses they applied this vnto the Sunne conceiting that the Scripture spake metaphorically and by Helias meant Helion that is the Sunne The Cherubins also are said to be drawne in a Chariot and Abacuc calleth them the horses of God saying Qui ascendis super equos tuos This the Poets would expresse when they say that the heauens are wheeled and rowled about by Angels as if they were drawne by swift horses Moreouer whereas the Iewes had within their Temple two manner of Oracles the one vocall the other mute and without a voyce the first was when God spake out of the midle of the Tabernacle to Moyses the other when from the precious stones of the high Priests Ephod their beamed forth a certaine splendor that betokned good fortune which is mentioned in the 1. of Kings The Gentiles herein endeauoured to imitate the Iewes and had also two manner of Oracles the one which spake and was called Oraculum Dodoneum the other which spake not and was called Oraculum Hammonium which word Oracle signifieth in the Hebrew nothing else but a place of speaking and where answeres are commonly giuen for it is called Debir in Greeke it may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Loquuterium as Saint Ierome hath obserued And as it is commanded in the Law that they should offer cakes vnto God in their sacrifices but that no sacrifice should be without salt so doth Pliny also note of the Gentiles omnibus sacrificijs adhiberi solitam molam salsam which is also witnessed by Ouid Ante deos homini quod conciliare valebat far erat puri lucida mica salis Hence haue the customes of the Gentiles there beginning and this Plato hath more excellently and accurately followed then any other whereupon he gained the surname of Diuine being commonly styled Diuinus Plato We are not then to wonder though Plato do affirme that Angels haue bodies of fire or ayre since that the Scripture doth so cleerely and frequently make repetition of the same and it may be that he vnderstood those speeches according to the sense and meaning of the Scripture that is to say metaphorically because either they are not so grosse and heauy as humane bodies which indure wearinesse in their motion or rather because they are like birds or clouds in the ayre or else because they appeare to men in such formes and fashions For if it bee lawfull for Moyses to say that God is a fire Deus noster inquit ignis consumens est because he was thus represented vnto him in the bush and vpon the mountaine why may it not be lawfull for vs to say that Spirits are made of aire or fire because in their apparitions they euer take an airie or a firie body vpon them And thus wee are to vnderstand S. Augustine when he seemeth to affirme that spirits haue bodies and thus S Bernard also is to bee interpreted that is that spirits are then said to haue bodies when they would appeare vnto vs for they can haue no other meaning since our eye hath no proportion with spirituall substances It may well be that some haue thus spoken of them thereby to intimate that spirits are not pure qualities but essences subsisting of themselues which maketh much against the error of the Sadduces who reduced all the apparitions recited in the fiue bookes of Moyses to the imaginations and fancies of men whereas indeed Angels doe vnderstand conferre and direct men managing and gouerning Prouinces and kingdomes and as our Sauiour saith they doe alwaies behold the face of God the Father which is in heauen Thus ought Tertullian to be vnderstood when he saith that God hath a bodie not that he hath the least composition of matter but he is a body that is to say a thing really subsisting accommodating his manner of speaking to the weakenes of ruder apprehensions and it may bee to the vnderstandings of certaine Anthropomorphites who as Cassianus saith by reason of their great dulnesse and simplicitie could not conceiue that any thing could bee reallie subsisting vnlesse it had a body not being able as wee are vsed to say to iudge further then their nose Notwithstanding the experieÌ„ce of the soules working may be sufficient to sublime mens thoughts from such earthie conceptions touching Spirits since the soule doth discourse and worke although the body be fallen into a sound sleepe Adam when he sleeped very profoundly saw God when he tooke from him one of his ribbes thereof to make the woman and when the soule at the houre of death is diuorsed from the body it cannot bee seene by any because it is a spirit as Christ himselfe vpon such an occasion did say Pater in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum and afterward inclinate capite emisit spiritum That we may vse these phrases of speaking in a good sense it appeareth by that which wee haue formerly said for wee cannot doe amisse in vsing Scripture-phrases if so bee they bee taken according to the meaning of the Scripture as Christ Iesus himselfe declareth in S. Iohn chap. 10. where he argueth against the Pharisies who in those daies stood nicely vpon words as wee haue many of that captious bâ—ood amongst vs in these times Againe it is not to be conceiued that so great and learned personages should be so ignorant as not to be conuersant in the texts of the new Testament which doe cleerely declare that they haue no bodies In the third place they doe for the most part expresse and interpret themselues as S. Atbanasius amongst the rest who in his definition of Angels doth briefly say Angelus est animal rationale but because the word Animal doth signifie a bodily substance he doth therefore afterwards explane himselfe and say Est autem expers materia Wherein although he seemes to contradict himselfe yet his meaning is that since the holy Scripture doth stile these spirits Animalia in Exodus and Abacuc In medio duorum animalium it is no absurditie to giue vnto them the same appellations but these places are to bee vnderstood metaphorically and then there can be no inference of bodily substance fastened vpon them Thus doth Didymus S. Ieromes Master say that an Angell can bee but in one place at one time and lest any man should misconceiue him as though he should maintaine them to be corporeall because it is the propertie of a body to be circumscribed in a place hee addeth in that very passage that they
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
into that from whence they were exhaled and drawne faith Tertullian Eadem ratione species illa intercepta est qua edita fuerat si non fuit initium visibile nec finis By which it appeareth that the Doue that descended from heauen and lighted vpon Christ Iesus was fashioned of aire and not of earth for it is said Descendit spiritus sanctus corporali specie sicut columba in ipsum The like may be said of the firy tongues that sate vpon the Apostles at the feast of Whitsontide Factus est repente de coelo sonus tanquam aduenientis spiritus vehementis So that it is cleere that these apparances are framed of aire as the cloud out of which God the Father spake to his Sonne in his transfiguration which vanished into aire as did Moyses also whose body in that apparition was composed of the same element and whiles the Apostles eyes were fixed on these obiects it vanished and they saw none but Christ Iesus alone So when the Angell appeared to Manoah the father of Samson he mounted vp into heauen in a flame of fire and in his ascent was visibly seene of him but by little and little Manoah and his wife lost the sight of him because his body began to dissolue into the first matter whereof it was framed Thus did the Angell that accompanied Tobias in his iourney It is now time said hee for me to returne to him that sent me and presently hee vanished from them And for addition vnto the truth hereof some alleage experience saying that if a man should cut such airie bodies it would fare with them as it doth with the Sun-beame which doth runne together and presently vnite it selfe without any signe of such separation which very well agreeth with the nature of aire and is fit to confute the error of Psellus who in the seuenth chapter of his booke maintaineth that they haue a naturall body yet in the 23. chapter he granteth that such bodies being smit asunder doe ioyne againe as doth the aire when it is diuided whence he might easily haue collected that these bodies must bee made of aire and not proper vnto Angels For touching the reason which he bringeth that if they had not bodies they could not be tormented with fire it is certaine that the diuine prouidence may easily bring to passe that a body may really worke vpon a spirit and likewise the contrary which no Christian can deny to bee by diuine prouidence wrought in the Sacrament of Baptisme where the water as the instrument of the diuine bountie doth really and truly wash and purge the soule that is a spirit and experience teacheth vs this truth in nature for imaginations which are corporall things doe depresse the soule and make it heauie euen vnto death as Christ Iesus himselfe said Besides by this reason we should say that the soules of the damned being departed from this world are not cast into hell-fire because they haue no bodies and must therefore bee impassible And so wee shal fall into their heresie that maintaine that the soules lie sleeping till the day of iudgement which doth directly oppose the holy Scriptures which shew vnto vs that the soules of good men returne vnto God who hath created them to be at quiet in his hands and vnder his protection as S. Stephen saith Domine suscipe spiritum meum and S Paul wished for death to no other end but to be with Christ Cupio inquit dissolui esse cum Christo which is confirmed by S. Iohn in the Reuelation saying Henceforth doe the soules rest from their labours for their good workes follow them and death saith S. Paul shall be a gaine vnto me on the other side they teach that the soules of the reprobate are tormented in the flames of hell as appeareth in the Gospell by the rich Glutton and by the saying of Saint Iohn Baptist who told the Pharisies that the axe was alreadie applied vnto the roote of the tree and euery tree that brought not foorth good fruite should bee hewen downe and cast into the fire This S. Iude affirmeth is already happened to the Sodomites as also to Chorah Dathan and Abiron with their complices and that they went quicke downe to hell But here may an obiection be made how Spirits are able to frame vnto themselues such bodies at their own pleasure S. Augustine answereth that Spirits by a certaine agilitie and naturall power can bring to passe whatsoeuer may be done in nature for they doe perfectly know not onely the effects of nature but the causes also which proceedeth from the refinednesse and subtilitie of spirit wherewith they are indowed which they so well know how to manage and applie that whatsoeuer nature maketh successiuely and at leisure they doe the same in an instant We see the aire diuers times being disposed thereunto by certaine causes is variously depainted with colours and diuers semblances and in the sommer wee sometimes see toades and frogs fall with the raine which proceedeth frō the corruption of the aire from whence also butter-flyes and catterpillers and the like vermine are ingendred all which is produced from the successiue operations of nature The like effects may bee produced by Spirits by vniting of causes whereupon the effects doe necessarily follow Thus we reade that the Diuell tooke vpon him the forme of a Serpent which cannot be denied as also that Pharaohs Magicians by the assistance of Satan did make serpents and frogs appeare before the people and surely they may in the like manner shape and counterfeit any other figure yea of a man himselfe as is cleere by the apparitions recited in the book of Genesis From whence we must draw this necessarie conclusion that it is contrary both to naturall reason and to Scrip that Spirits should haue bodies but that they are incorporeall and inuisible The resolution of all this discourse may bee had in the booke intituled De Ecclesiastic is dog matibus which is amongst the workes of S. Augustine where in the 11. chapter he saith We beleeue that God is inuisible and incorporeall because hee is euery where and is present in all places yet not bounded in by any place but we beleeue that intellectuall substances are corporeall because they are circumscribed in a place as the soule within the body and hence it is that they are called corporeall because they are limited in their substances It remaineth that wee endeuour to know when they were created since Moyses maketh no mention of it and from whence it proceedeth that there is a difference betwixt Spirits so that some are good and some bad CHAP. III. Of the Creation goodnesse or maliciousnesse of Angels SAint Athanasius when he was to giue his full resolution and opinion concerning Spirits vnto Prince Antiochus demandeth in the first place whether Angels were created or no for Moses maketh no mention thereof in the first chap. of Genesis
discharge his ful malice vpon maÌ„ whom he capitally hateth he leaueth it to be executed by those that are his members and it giueth some satisfaction vnto his sanguinary nature that he may wreake his anger vpon the dead And therefore hee is often called in the Reuelation the red Dragon to expresse how furious outragious and blood-thirsty he is being as Christ Iesus himselfe saith a murtherer from the beginning And as God is called by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a louer of men so by a contrary the Diuell is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say a man-hater THE EIGHTH ANNOTATION Whether Witches goe in the ayre PEr aëra ad locum constitutum c. Some do doubt whether the Deuill can make a humane body to goe in the ayre or no. But this doubtfulnesse of theirs doth argue a defect and maime in their knowledge not vnderstanding aright the nature and property of Spirits nay they are conuinced to be ignorant of the Scriptures themselues for a Spirit is of a more excellent and noble composition then any body whatsoeuer and therefore he hath a power in his nature to mooue according as himselfe will It is certaine that man is sheltred particularly vnder the safegarde and protection of Gods prouidence yet doth not this hinder but that God may sometimes suffer this to be done as it is cleere by Christ Iesus himselfe who was carried by the Deuill vnto a desert from thence vnto a pinacle of the Temple and thence vnto a mountaine If the Deuill did this to Christ how much more shall hee be able to effect the same wheÌ„ miserable men do quitte the seruice of God to adore the Deuill The Deuill also in the wildernesse of Aegypt did bring before Pharaoh and the people many great Serpents for S. Augustine and after him S. Thomas do agree and conclude that they were true Serpents We are also to call vnto remembrance that which we haue before alleaged out of Apuleius and which he saith that hee beheld with his owne eyes and wee are to obserue the points which we haue handled in the sixth Chapter of this booke For why should any man conceite strangely of this point since Simon Magus himselfe was carried in the ayre by Diuels and least any might apprehend that this was meerely fancied and not really done the History saith that he brake his necke being forsaken by the commandement of God and his good Angels by the Deuils who were about him for his supportation Semblable hereunto is that which Saint Hippolytus reporteth saying that Antichrist shall cause himselfe to bee carried in the ayre by Deuils whereof there is some probability in the Scriptures And to descend vnto more moderne Authors certaine Chroniclers and Historiographers do report that Berengarius who was a great Sorcerer was at Rome at night and yet the very same night he was found reading of a Lecture at Tours in Touraine whereunto may bee added that which wee haue noted in the sixth Annotationof the yong man who leaped in the aire after a woman THE NINTH ANNOTATION Whether Witches doe eate drinke and dance in their Synagogue SAltationes compotationes comessationes c. The workes of Satan or of the flesh are as Saint Paul saith gluttony drunkennes and whoredome and this was the people of Israels case when they danced beâ—ore their calfe as our Sorcerers do before their Deuill for it is said of them comederunt biberunt surrexerunt ludere id est fornicari euen so the Deuill doth make his seruants leape and dance and afterward he causeth them to banquet and make merry and at last as we shall see to commit fornication and all vncleannesse And this is Saint Ieroms obseruation when hee writeth these very words Nam barbara quaedam nomina corum esse dicuntur vt saepe confessi sunt hi quos verè vulgus maleficos vocat incantationes preces colores varâ—â— diuersa velmetallorum velciborum ad quae inuocati assistere daemones infelices animas capere memorantur Now whereas S. Ierome saith that the Deuils do agree vpon a set place to receiue certaine victuals which are promised vnto them this is to be vnderstood of the dead bodies which the Witches do dedicate and set before them in a place that shall be designed for that purpose where they cause them to be sodd and afterward eaten by the whole assembly after an abhominable kind of Anthropophagy and in all likelie-hood this is done to shake the Article of the Resurrection For as Pliny doth atheistically argue how can those bodies rise againe in their owne substance although God put his finger thereunto when as now the flesh is eaten by others and is changed into the substance of those who haue deuoured the same Besides by this barbarous and brutish manner of seeding he maketh them to transgresse the very law of nature and so indeede maketh them like vnto beasts so that when Saint Ierome writeth that the Deuils are very seruiceable vnto those that will promise vnto him such kind of victuals it is not to bee conceiued that they do eate any thing for they are Spirits but that they induce perswade others to eate of these diabolicall viands because they know the impiety and wickednes of such an execrable diet for it is directly against the first commandement which God gaue vnto man after the flood to re-establish the law of nature which by Giants and other wicked people had been much violated and prophaned I giue you leaue saith he to eate of all liuing creatures vpon the face of the earth but I forbid you to spill the blood of man that is to eate and deuoure mans flesh For in this passage of Genesis as the text it selfe declareth it there was no question or mention of murther but onely touching the diuersity and vse of meates So that by this text Anthropophagy or eating of mans flesh is expresly forbidden and therefore the Deuill hath brought vp the practise thereof amongst his people because it is a thing against humanity and reason and this is the cause why hee gathereth them together and inciteth them to those abominable banquets and meriments Touching other victuals and refreshments which hee causeth them to take although in the eating of them they please and giue contentment vnto their tast yet when these poore wretches returne vnto their owne homes they are then as much or more hungry then they were before Conformable hereunto is the obseruation of Saint Thomas who saith that although all naturall bodies in respect of motion and quality are vnder the command of Spirits yet can they not change the substances of them of which God is the sole creator but are onely powerfull to make an alteration or change in the accidents And therefore the Deuill cannot make a stone bread so that we may hence conclude that this is out of the compasse
not therefore say I am not able to beare it for God commandeth nothing that is impossible It is a truth that hee indeed was loaden with a yoake that was very combersome and with a burthen exceedingly heauy for his Crosse did ouerlay him with an intollerable pressure yet did hee not call vnto you behold my Crosse carry you it as I haue done No hee saith not so because hee knoweth your debilitie will easily sinke vnder the same but hee saith carry my yoake because the burthen thereof is very portable to those that loue God and serue him as they ought God hath his troopes of Angels and Saints about him neither is it to bee wondred that Angels obey him and that men put his will in execution but that Deuils who are already condemned to the Gallies of Hell should yeeld him their obedience heere is it that doth amaze vs with astonishment and admiration Great God why doest thou not cause these things to be deliuered by some Seraphin or some learned Preacher and not to bee divulged by the mouth of this silly woman Or why should I bee constrained to disclose my name in an action that is directly preiudiciall vnto Hell and to my great griefe that am forced to pronounce it Then he said many beleeue not this but I answere them they haue not seene God nor Paradise and yet they beleeue both the one and the other Certainly Thomas thy God vnto whom it is impossible that hee should tell a lie hath said that hee would rise the third day and what did hee not rise the third day Certainly hee did but because thou diddest not see it thou wouldest not beleeue it but diddest say I will not beleeue it except I may touch the prints of the nayles There is none among you that euer saw him die in person yet doe you beleeue that he suffered death for you Know you not what God said to Thomas blessed are they that shall not see these things that thou seest and shall beleeue There is no neede of faith in those things which wee manifestly and plainly see as if I should tell you that this Priest is standing at the Altar I imagine you would beleeue mee neither should this faith of yours containe any great matter of merite because you see this together with mee All the fruitlesse sciences and speculations of Cicero Plato and the other Heathen Philosophers to what purpose serue they but to trauell and consume the spirits of a man by imaginary contemplations These waters cannot appease the thirstinesse of the soule and by consequence are not powerfull to yeeld due and conuenient refreshments but the smallest delights of a spirit indued with vertue doth surpasse all worldly delectations and cursed may they bee who for the fruition of momentary pleasures heere hazard the losse of that eternall felicity Your God is a cunning Surgeon and of the choisest esteeme amongst those that are most famous hee well knowes when to serch the wound and forecasteth how it may be healed and apprehending the meanes he presently commeth furnished with such salues and medicaments as hee conceiueth most proper for the cure God is Father vnto two daughters Mercy and Iustice but mercy obtained the right of eldership in the house of God and you know those that are the elder haue a kinde of prerogatiue ouer the other Mercy is sister vnto Christ Iesus and shee it was that said vnto him that it was fit that he should suffer al those torturings and contempts which afterward he subiected himselfe vnto in his Passion And although both these sisters proceeded from the same father and mother yet is it a certainty that the one is in more grace and neerenesse then the other For God the Father was more indulgent vnto mercy then iustice yet are they sisters and both daughters vnto him because he is no lesse iust in exercising his iustice then he is gracious in declaring his mercy It is no argument of imperfection in God that he powreth down the viols of his wrath vpon the wicked and rewardeth the good endeauours of the iust it is rather a demonstration of his omnipotency to render vnto euery man according to his workes Of a truth thy inward parts O mother of God are as the shop of an Apothecary full of fragrant and aromaticall odours which the holy Ghost hath furnished with all varieties of perfumes and spices that is to say with his fruits and with the adundance of vertues and graces I further say that Mary is an inclosed garden and the holy Ghost is the gardener who could well tell how to manure this blessed plot of earth sowing therein all kinds of beautifull flowers and ingraffing goodly and vernant trees charged with excellent flowers and fruits Thou Mary art also a tree thy holy cogitations are the leaues thy seruent desires are the flowers and thy little Iesus is the fruit that was brought forth for your saluation The nature of this fruit is admirable so that it was accounted worthy to bee made a Present for the eternall Father on the tree of the Crosse for the expiation of your sinnes Let your memory recall into your remembrance these blessings of your God and let Ioseph who signifieth your vnderstanding bow his knees in a corner of the stable and take in so high a mystery with his most attentiue contemplation Mary as hauing a greater portion of light is of more neerenesse and figureth vnto vs the will the vnderstanding laboureth to comprehend him but the will shunneth such wild conceptions and demeaneth it selfe like vnto the mother of Christ Iesus who dared not at the first to touch him but at length Mary who is the will taketh him in her armes and beareth him vp and downe for loue at the last ouercommeth feare Take therefore the Child Iesus play with him and wrap him charily in his swathling bands hee is but a little one and therefore very tractable endeauour then to bee diligent about him bring with you little bands to roule him in and to be breefe prouide your selues of whatsoeuer may bee needfull for him Hee is a little child and yet a great God as it is written Vnto you a child is borne and vnto you a sonne is giuen Hee is young and tender his hands are swathled vp so that hee cannot strike come therefore and draw neere vnto him but withall consider that he is also a seuere Iudge to those that refuse to obey his will If Abraham should haue reasoned the case with God when hee commanded him to sacrifice his well-beloued sonne Isaac and should haue said how or in what manner is this possible to bee done I tell you he had not merited to bee the father of the faithfull Bee you humbled therefore before this God and beleeue that he is yonder in the blessed Sacrament for his body is a glorified body and taketh vp no place I say further that it is not enough to haue this child Iesus wrapped
vp and swathed in his clours but you must warme him with the milde heate of perfect deuotion which is a permanent and standing seruency of the blessed spirit He also spake many other things to wit that those that were most humble are most high in Paradise as Christ Iesus and Mary doe well exemplifie vnto vs that loue allayeth and extenuateth labour for the Diuels failing in the point of loue are more grieued and extremely cruciated in saying an Aue Maria then in suffering the torments of ten thousand yeeres in hell It standeth also with reason said hee that if Princes bee forced vnto obedience the inferiour seruants doe not stand out in defiance Hee further said that if a man could but see the soule that standeth in the state of grace and haue a full view of the totall beauty thereof he would sinke downe and die for ioy and admiration thinking that he beheld the glorious Deity but this is a request not fit to be demanded If thy body complaine of thy hard vsage say vnto thy soule Soule thou must not groane and sinke vnder this burthen take notice of thy owne worth how thou art created to sway and haue dominion be thankfull therefore vnto him that hath framed thee God is not like vnto men for a man doth many times omit to doe a good turne to him that hath deserued it from him and is ingratefull for those benefits which hee hath receiued but your God foresaw the ingratitude of men and heard with his eares their sinnes that cried loud for vengeance yet for all this his resolution was firme to giue his Sonne vnto you Your Redeemer was borne at midnight receiue him in to you your body is the stable your soule the cratch to entertaine him and although hee bee a King yet doth hee not disdaine so meane a place as a stable There is no man therefore that can excuse himselfe You are to warme this little child and doe not say I haue no fier to warme him by for the holy Ghost is a burning furnace and will let you haue fier enough if you will but lend him fuell that is to say your sinnes whom hee will cast and consume in the neuer-dying flames of his loue After all these and many other discourses in a great rage and violent agitation hee made this abiuration as followeth I Verrine in the name of all Magicians of both sexes forcerers and forceresses doe renounce and disclaime all the abiurations which they haue made against the power of the Father the wisedome of the Sonne and the goodnesse of the holy Ghost I do further renounce all the abiurations by which they haue disclaimed and forsaken the blessed Virgin all the Angels and all the Saints in Paradise I also renounce all their abominable impieties through which they haue made choice of hell for their eternall habitation and haue told God that they did not regard his inspirations and graces but desired an euerlasting sequestration from him and his Angels Then in the name and right of all Hell hee cried I disclaime all donations and schedules which they haue made vnto the Diuell Afterwards he said Beleeue me God is so powerfull that hee is able to cause the Diuels to bring together in this Church the bodies of all Sorcerers and witches that they may heare their sentence and iudgement pronounced against them I speake in generall not in particular Then he added that therefore God would not vse the ministerie of an Angell because if hee should come inuisibly men would say that hee was a Diuell but if hee should appeare in the forme of a man they would say This is but a man and would not regard his message God herein resembleth a King who hauing many Princes subiects and seruants waiting on him taketh one of a more ordinary and cheape condition to bee employed in his ambassage and this hee doth not so much to honour this seruant of his but rather to manifest and magnifie his greatnesse for he needeth not the countenance or authority of his Ambassadour because all the power and splendour where withall hee goeth is deriued vnto him from the King So God would not chuse any Prince or great subiect of his Court but was pleased to serue his turne with the most sordide and base slaues hee could thinke vpon who are the Diuels not thereby to honour them with the same of his employments but to publish the more his greatnesse and absolute command vnto to the world For God compelleth the diuell to bee the instrument of effecting his will and giueth him authority to bring that to passe which hee shall adiudge fit to his greater glory and to the vtter confusion of all hell Hence it ariseth that God is pleased to make experience of a new remedy for the conuersion of soules and for the more ample expression of his bounty When Verrine bad done Gresill his companion made the like abiuration as afore-said that was also made by the mouth of Louyse whom he possessed After him the third Diuell that was in the same body and was called Sonneillon made his renunciation like vnto the former and added that when the Magicians and witches were there present they were mightily dismayed to see and heare these things and that this would turne either to their greater condemnation or else to their conuersion if they would apply their wills thereunto Then did they all three confirme that which they had auowed by a solemne oath and added that something or other they were to discourse of at the celebration of euery Masse At the morning Masse the Dominican father began to exorcise and Verrine spake in this manner Man is the head and chiefe of his family it is a thing vnsightly and full of indecency that the gouernment should bee put into the hands of a woman for women are to bee subiect vnto their husbands It therefore is proper vnto the head to gouerne and vnto the master to command the soule is the head the body but the woman the soule is the mistrisse and the body but the chambermaid yet doth the body euer grudge and grumble against the soule saying Why doe we disquiet our selues with this early rising we should now take our repose and make vse of the creatures for our pleasures and contentments while wee haue time to doe it and in the declination and setting of our age wee may haue leisure enough to thinke of our conuersion If the mistrisse bee discreet and well aduised shee will keepe this chambermaid no longer that taketh thus vpon her to prescribe and giue directions but will turne her out of her house Thus ought the soule to demeane it selfe towards the body when it complaineth and ought to say Flesh thou art but the chambermaid and not the mistrisse it is thy duty to serue not to command I tell thee if thou wilt eate hereafter with me of those choice and rare delicacies whose plenty knoweth no satiety thou