He cut off mens heads their handes and féete which he set in a basyn before al the lookers on to behold with the bloud running about the basen which by and by he would put againe vpon the places whence they séemed to haue ben cut off without any hurte to the parties Hée was séene and hearde of all men to exercise huntyng and running and suche lyke things in the aire and cloudes as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth He practised so many and diuers deceytes that all men maruelled and were astonished out of measure In the yeare of our Lord .1323 when Frederike Duke of Austrich who was chosen Emperor against Lewes as the same author witnesseth was vanquished in a great battail betwéene Ottinga and Moâ—ndâ—rfus and deliuered into the handes of Lewes who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kept It chaunced shortly after that a coniurer going vnto his brother Lupoldus in Austriche promised that by the helpe of a spirite he would within the compasse of an houre deliuer Frederike safe and sounde out of captiuitie if he would promise him and giue him a worthy reward for his paines The Duke aunsweared him if thou wilt quoth he do as thou makest promise I wil worthily reward thée So the Magitian with the Duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste conuenient calleth the Spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his commaundement Whome when he appeared in the likenesse of a man he commaunded by the vertue of hys coniurations that he should spedyly bring vnto him into Austriche Duke Frederike deliuered safely out of prison Unto whome the spirit aunswearing said If the captiue Duke will come with me I will willingly obey thy commaundement This sayde the spirite flyeth awaye into Bauarie and taking vppon him the forme of a Pilgrime he entreth into the prison where the Duke was kepte prisoner whome as soone as he sawe the Spirite whyche was sente as messanger vnto him sayde If thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie mount thee vp vpon this horse and I will bring thée safe and sounde without any huâ—te into Austriche vnto Duke Lupoldus thy brother Unto whome the Duke sayde Who art thou The Spirite aunswered Aske not who I am bicause it appertayneth nothing to the purpose but get thée vp on the horse whichâ— I offer thée and I will bring thée safe and sound and fréely deliuered into Austrich Which when the Duke heard he was taken with a certaine horror and feare being otherwise a hardy knight and when he had blessed him selfe with the signe of the holy crosse the Spirit sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse whiche he had proffered him and retourned emptie agayne vnto him that sent him of whome béeing rebuked bicause he had not brought the prisoner he declared al the matter vnto him in order Duke Fredericke at the last being deliuered out of prison confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his captiuitie the very same day they named This historie is also to be sene in the Chronicles of the Heluetians There are also coniurers founde euen at this day who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse that in a fewe houres they will dispatch a very long iourney God at the last wil chasten these men with deserued punishment What straunge things are reported of one Faustus a German which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments I will speake nothing at this time of those olde sorcerers Apollonius and others of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things Hagges witches and inchaunters are sayde to hurte men and cattell if they do but touche them or stroake theÌ„ they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant Iugglers and tumblers by nimblenesse do many things they will bid one eate meatâ— which when they spit out agayne they cast forth ordure and such like Magitians iugglers inchanters and Necromanciers are no other than seruants of the Diuel do you not thinke their mayster reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe Howbeit this is not to bée dissembled that the Diuel doth glory of many things whiche in déede he cannot performe as that he saith that he raiseth the dead out of their graues c. He may in very déede by Gods sufferaunce shewe the shapes of them vnto men but he hath no suche power ouer the dead bodies CHAP. XVIII Diuels doe sometimes bid men doe those things vvhich are good and auoide things that are euill sometimes they tell truth and for vvhat cause IF those spirits whiche séeke helpe at mens hands be not soules but Diuels many will say why then do they persuade men vnto good things exhorte them vnto vertue and call them from vice For they saye Iudge vprightely take héede of thefte and extortion restore goodes vniustely gotten vnto their owners beware of periurie surfets and drunkennesse enuie and hatred lying and deceite pray earnestly come to Churche often c. The Dyuell is not pleased when wée doo good and auoide euill nothing woulde gréeue him more than that we should liue according to the prescripte woorde of god Therefore they are not Diuels which bid vs do good and eschue euill Moreouer those Spirites speake truthe but the Dyuell is a lyer and is called by Christe the father of lyes Therefore we may not say that they are diuellishe Spirits Unto this argument I aunswere thus he dothe thys for his owne aduantage If he should shewe him selfe so as he is by nature he should little proffite That whiche he dothe he doth it to this ende that he may purchase credite vnto his words and that he might the better thrust other things vpon men and bring and driue them into sundry erroures whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue eare vnto Spirits Did not the seruaunts of vncleane â—pirits I meane false Prophets come in times past vnder shéepes skinnes and fayned themselues â—o tender the peoples commoditie whereas in very déede in the meane space they sought after another thing that is that when they had obteined great authoritie they might pill and poule other men and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer Do not all heretickes yet at this day say they are sent froÌ„ God and that we must eschewe wickednesse and seeke after vertue Diddest thou neuer heare y théeues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light haue talked of liuing honestly and of the punishmeÌ„t of wicked men and the reward of good men to the ende that after they might take the aduantage of theÌ„ vnwares Whereas the Diuell hathe fayned him selfe to be otherwise than he is it hath brought forth innumerable errors superstitions and false worshippings in the Churche of god For Bishops in proces of time neglected the worde of God they would accepte the Diuell and receiue him as an Angell of light when he came not in a blacke and horrible but a plesaunt and acceptable forme He speaketh some good things that
to deliuer vs from euill to strengthen our fayth and to giue vs pacience and other necessarie things Neither should we be touched with compassion of other mennes miserie which are vexed with spirits but we woulde rather say that they can not tell what they speake and that they imagine many vayne feares Moreouer if other vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by spirits they become more pacient when soeuer they are sicke or otherwise troubled acknowledging theyr owne harmes to be but small in comparison of other mens For nothing is more greuouse than when a manne is tormented by the Diuel Nowe as touching infidells they are constrayned will they or nill they to confesse that there are diuels for there are many which would neuer be persuaded there are good or euill Angels or spirits except sometimes they had experience therof in déede God suffreth these things to chasten them For so muche as they will giue no place vnto truth but are wilfully deceyued it is good reason they be taught by diuelishe illusions what they must do or leaue vndone and that they be illuded by euill spirits after some other meanes Thus we reade in the .13 chapter of Deuteronomie if there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames and giue thée a signe and wonder and that signe or wonder that he hath saide come to passe and then say let vs go after straunge Gods which thou hast not knowne and lette vs serue them hearkeÌ„ not thou vnto the words of that prophet or dreamer of dreames For the Lorde thy God proueth you to wit whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your soule Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him kepe his commandements and hearken vnto his voice serue him and cleaue vnto him And he addeth further that the same Prophete or dreamer shall dye the death By these words we do not only sée that God doth suffer suche leude fellowes to worke maruellous things but also to what ende and purpose he permitteth it that is to trye his faithfull how constant they be and how faithfully they would beleue in him if at any time spirits do come and foretell things to happen hereafter Our sauioure Christ saith in the thirde chapter of Saincte Iohn This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse more than light bicause their déedes were euill for euery one that doth euill hateth the light neyther commeth he to the light least his déedes shoulde be reproued c. By the which woordes our Sauiour sheweth the cause why the worlde is condemned whiche is bycause they receyue not the lyght of the woorde of God or Christe himselfe who is the light of the worlde sette foorth vnto vs in his woorde but rather shut their eyes agaynst the cleare light preferring darkenesse that is errours superstition and wickednesse before the woord of god If God then condemne and reiecte the vnthankfull worlde what maruell is it if he vexe them with spirites and vayne apparitions Chryst sayth in the fyfth of Iohn I come in my Fathers name and you receyue me not yf an other come in his owne name you receyue him Christe laboured for their health and saluation this they woulde not acknowledge but refused him therfore was it the iust iudgement of God that they shold receyue others that hunted after their owne coÌ„moditie and profite suche as were Theudas Iudas of Galilee and many other false doctours and seditious seducers Wherefore if any refuse to giue eare to Christe and his ministers it is by the iust iudgemente of God that they hearken vnto Spirites and suche like things Saincte Paule in the seconde to the Thessalonians and seconde chapter writeth of Antichrist that he shoulde exercise greate tyrannie in the Churche of God and sheweth agaynst whome and for what cause God will suffer him so to do saying Among them that perishe bicause they recyued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall sende them strong delusions that they shoulde beléeue lyes that all they myght be damned whiche beléeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And in the fourth chapter of his seconde Epistle to Timothe he earnestly beséecheth his scholer to be diligent in preaching dayly He giueth this reason for the tyme will come when they shall not suffer holsome doctrine but after their owne lustes shall they whose eares itche get them an heape of teachers and shall withdraw their eares from the truth and shal be turned vnto fables Now we sée the cause why god dothe suffer seducers false teachers and wicked spirites to deceyue men in the place of true doctours which is for that eyther they vtterly despise his woorde or little esteme it and can not abide godly and constant preachers Touching which matter wée will alleage a fewe examples Pharao contemned God and his seruants Moyses and Aaron wherfore God blynded his eyes that he gaue himself to be ruled by his Magi or wyse men and at the last perished miserably in the red Sea. Saule woulde not giue eare vnto Samuell who bare a ryght hart and good affection towardes his king he loued him not as by reason he shoulde haue done but haâ—ed him and all other that loued him right wel for he contemned the woord of god Wherfore it came to passe that being in extreme daunger he sought help of a witch to reare Samuel froÌ„ the dead that he might now vse his aduise whoÌ„ he despised béeing aliue disdayned to heare him This woman reareth one who is no otherwise called Samuel than when false gods are called gods when in very déede they are not gods but wood and stones or rather as Paul sayth .1 Corin. 10. very diuels This counterfait Samuel giueth him neither comforte nor counsell but driueth him to vtter desperation The same hapned vnto Saul whiche chaunceth vnto those stubborne children whiche despise their pareÌ„ts contemne their counsel wold gladly wishe their death at the last grow vnto y point that they wold willingly take in haÌ„d a great iourney on coÌ„dition it might be graunted them to heare them giue their last counsell An other example herof Achab king of Israel Iezabel his wife had many godly prophets amoÌ„gst whoÌ„ Elias was a man indued with the gifâ—e of shewing working miracles But they did not only conteÌ„ne those prophets but also cruelly murdered so many of them as they could catche Yet amongst the rest they especially laboured to intrap Elias who was exceading zelouse The Baalamites were in greate fauoure with the king but especially with the Quéene as hir chief dearlings And when the time approched that Achab shoulde suffer due and worthye punishement for his Idolatrie and wickednesse wherein he had long time liued he entred councell with his kinsman Iosaphat that they ioyning their powers togither might recouer agayne the
Of ghostes and spirites walking by nyght and of strange noyses crackes and sundry forewarnynges whiche commonly happen before the death of menne great slaughters alterations of kyngdomes One Booke Written by Lewes Lauaterus of Tigurine And translated into Englyshe by R. H. Printed at London by Henry Benneyman for Richard VVatkyns 1572. To the Reader BEyng desirous gentle Reader to exercise my selfâ— with some translation at vacant tymes and seeyng that since the Gospel hath benne preached this one question touchyng the appearyng of spirites and soules departed hath not ben much handled amongst vs and therefore many otherwise wel affected in religion vtterly ignoraunt herein I thought it not amisse to take in hande some good and learned treatise concerning this matter VVherin as many haue both learnedly paynfully religiously traueyled so amongst others none in my iudgement hath more handsomely and eloquently with more iudgement and better methode discoursed the same then Lewes Lauaterus minister of Tigurine Others haue handled it in dede wel but yet nihil ad nostrum hunc beyng eyther to short or to long or to darke or to doubtful or otherwyse so confused that they leaue the reader more in suspeÌ„ce in the end then they founde hym in the begynnyng As for maister Lauaterus his discretion herein I wyll no otherwise commend it then to desire the reader to view iudge hym selfe For thus much at the first syght he shal see A cleare methode with a familier and easie style the matter throughly handled pro and con on both sides so that nothyng seemeth to be wantyng nor any thyng redoundyng And if it be true that Horace saith omne â—ulit punctum qui miscuit vtile dulci that is He wynneth the price that ioyneth pleasure with profite I thinke this author may also in this respect be pronounced victor adiudged to the best game For he so intreateth this serious and terrible matter of spitites that he now and then insertyng some strange story of Monkes Priestes Fryers such like counterfeyts doth both very lyuely display their falsehood and also not a litle recreate his reader and yet in the ende he so aptly concludeth to the purpose that his hystories seeme not idle tales or impertinent vagaries but very truethes naturally falling vnder the compasse of his matter And howe profitable this his work is those may best iudge which are most ignorant in this question some thinking euery small motion and noyse to be spirites and some so fondely perswaded that there are no spirites who being better enfourmed herein by this author I suppose wyl confesse his worke to haue done them some profite if knowledge be profitable and ignorance discommodious And agayne those which beyng hytherto borne in hande that mens soules returne agayne on earth crauyng helpe of the lyuyng and haue spent much of their substance on idle Monkes Fryers to relieue them wyll confesse the lyke For when they shall see they haue ben falsly taught that they were not the soules of men whiche appeared but eyther falsehood of Monkes or illusions of deuyls franticke imaginations or some other friuolous vaine perswasions they wil thinke it profitable to haue knowen the trueth aswel to auoyde error hereafter as to saue their money from such greedy caterpillers Some also whiche be otherwise well trayned vp in religion and yet not knowyng what to thynke of these matters wil not iudge their labour euyl imployed nor the worke vnprofitable wherby thei may be brought out of doubt and knowe certainly what to beleue There be many also euen nowe a dayes which are haunted and troubled with spirites and knowe not howe to vse them selues who when they shall learne howe a Christian man ought to gouerne hym selfe beyng vexed with euyl spirites wyl thynke it a very profitable poynt of doctrine that shal teache them to direct them selues Profitable therefore it is and shal be no doubt vnto many and disprofitable vnto none except perchaunce vnto popishe Monkes and Priestes who are like hereby to lose a great part of their gaynes which somtimes they gathered together in great abundance by their deceiptfull doctrine of the appearyng of dead mens soules But this their wicked and deuyllishe doctrine together with all the patches and appendices therto belongyng he so notably teareth and cutteth in peeces that I am well assured they shal neuer be hable to cobble and cloute them vp agayne And this doth he with suche a moderation of breuitie and tediousnes that I may rightly say He hath sayde well and not to much and written truely and not to litle Nowe as touchyng my translation although I haue not made hym speake with like grace in Englishe as he doth in Latine yet haue I nor changed his meanyng nor altered his matter endeuouring my selfe rather to make thee vnderstande what thou readest then to smoothe and pollishe it with fine and picked wordes which I graunt others myght haue done more exquisitely and perchaunce I my selfe also somewhat better yf I would haue made therof a study and labour and not a recreatioÌ„ exercise But howsoeuer I haue done herein verily good reader I trust thou wylt take it in good part which is al that I esteeme yf any man shal mislike therof let hym amende it I trust it be sufficient to testifie my good wil to do thee good and to let thee vnderstande the authors meanyng Fare well An aduertisement to the Reader GEntle Reader before thou enter any further I haue thought good to aduertise thee of certayne faultes escaped in the Printing whyche are sette forthe in the Page afore going desiring thee to beare with them and to pardon the Printer For thou knowest Quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus Although some of our Printers be not Homers neyther seene in Greeke nor Latine nor sometime exactly in Englishe yet can they nod and take a nap as well as any Homer Howebeit in deede they are herein pardonable bycause the Copie was somewhat obscurely written as being the first originall Fare well Faultes escaped in the Print Note that the first number signifieth the Page â—he seconde the Line Pag. 2. Lin. 24. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .6.23 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .15.14 for austerne austere .32.25 for he sayde they sayde .37.33 for Atirebatensâ—â— Atrebatensis .49.6 for bitter read bittour .60.27 for wandring read wauering .61 â— for Campana Campania eadem .23 for common reade Romaine .67.15 for talke reade taske .68.6 for Alexandria Alexandro mergine Alexander ab Alexandro .70.35 for not that reade not .84.32 for â—aught by the wall Basill reade fast by the wals of Basil. eadem for general the reade the general .88 â–ª 23. for Auguries Angaries â–ª eadem vlt. for straunge reade slaunch .93.8 for companions companies .95.9 for Tiberius by Tiberius 99.7 for mortal read immortall eadem .29 for horse reade hearse eadem .33 for horse hearse .101.3 for
to passe straunge things Chap. 17. Fo. 167. Diuels do sometymes bid menne doe those things which are good and auoyde thinges that are euill sometymes they tell truth and for what cause Chap. 18. Fol. 171. The Chapters of the thirde parte God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithful and punish the vnbeleeuers Chap. 1. Fol. 175. What the cause is that in these our dayes so fewe spirites are sene or heard Chapter 2. Fol. 183. Why God dothe suffer straunge noyses or extraordinarie rumblings to be heard before some notable alterations or otherwise Chapter 3. Fol. 186. After what sorte they shoulde behaue themselues whiche see good or euill spirites or meete with other straunge aduentures and firste howe Jewes and Gentiles behaued themselues in the like cases Chapter 4. Fol. 187. Howe Christian menne oughte to behaue themselues when they se spirits and first that they ought to haue a good courage and to be stedfast in fayth Chap. 5. Fol. 190. It behoueth them whiche are vexed with spirites to praye especiallie and to giue themselues to fasting sobrietie watching and vpright and godly lyuing Chap. 6. Fol. 193. That spirits which vse to appeare ought to be iustly suspected and that we may not talke with theÌ„ nor enquire any thing of them Chapter 7. Fol. 199. Testimonies out of the holy Scripture and one example whereby it is proued that suche kinde of apparitions are not to bee credited and that wee oughte to bee verie circumspect in them Chapter 8. Fol. 201. After what sorte the faythfull in the primatiue Churche vsed themselues when they met with spirits Cha. 9. Fol. 204. That sundrie kindes of superstition haue crepte in whereby men haue attempted to driue away spirits Cha. 10. Fol. 206. That spirites are not to bee driuen awaye by cursing and banning Chapter 11. Fol. 214. After what sorte we oughte to behaue oure selues when we heare straunge crackes or when other forewarnings happen Chapter 12. Fol. 216. FINIS ¶ The firste parte of this Booke concerning Spirites walking by night Wherein is declared that Spirites and sightes do appeare and that sundry strange and monstrous things do happen CHAP. I. Concerning certaine vvordes vvhiche are often vsed in this Treatise of Spirits and diuers other diuinations of things to come TO the intente that those men which occupie themselues in reading of this my Booke and especially in perusing of other auncient writers may the better vnderstande euerie thing I will at the firste entrance briefly expound those thinges which shall seeme to concerne the proprietie of wordes and termes vsed in this my treatise of Spirits Spectrum amongst the Latines doth signifie a shape or forme of some thing presenting it selfe vnto our sight Scaliger affirmeth that Spectrum is a thing which offereth it selfe to be séene eyther truely or by vaine imagination The diuines take it to be a substance without a body which béeing hearde or séene maketh men afrayde Visum signifieth an imagination or a certayne shewe which men being in sléepe yea and waking also séeme in their iudgemente to beholde as we reade of Brutus who sawe his owne angell Cicero in his first booke Acadaem quest writeth that Visum amongst the Grecians is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fantasie or vaine imagination Also the Latines call those things Visiones whiche the Grecians name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terriculamenta are vayn visions or sightes which make men afrayde The Latins also call it Terriculum bicause it bréedeth feare That whiche S. Math. 24. and Marke 6. call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erasmus doth translate it Spectrum â–ª but the olde interpreter vseth the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in lyke maner dothe signifie an else a sighte or vaine apparition Suidas maketh a difference betwéene Phantasma Phantasia saying that Phantasma is an imagination an apperance or sight of a thing which is not as are those sightes whiche men in their sléepe do thinke they sée but that Phantasia is the séeing of that onely which is in very déede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Luke 24. chap. for a spirite or vaine imagination Howbeit most coÌ„monly some other worde is ioyned vnto it if it be put for an euill spirite as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Gentiles as S. Augustine and other fathers doo testifie supposed that the soules of men became Daemones that is good or euill angels which if they had done wel then were they called Lares that is priuate gods but if they haue done euill then were they named Lemures or Laruâ— bugs Elues But if it were douted whether they had liued well or yll then were they called Manes Apuleius and other olde writers affirme that Genij and Lares were all one It was supposed as Festus witnesseth that Lares were the soules of men or else inâ—ernal gods Lares were called Praestites bicause they made all things safe with their eyes that is they saued and preserued all things And authors affirme they were called Hostilij for that they were supposed to driue away enimies Neither were they thought to beare rule only in priuate houses in crosse méeting ways but also to defend Cities They were lykewise worshipped priuately in houses and openly in the high wayes As touching those that were called Larâ—s you may reade more in Anthonius Constantius of Fauentia his commentaries and in Ouid. lib. 5. Fastorum Genius saye the Grammarians is the naturall god of euery place of euery thing or of euery man when we are borne as it is written we haue two Geniâ— wherof the one encourageth vs to doo well the other â—o doo euill Genius saith Censorinus is a god in whose gouernance euery man doth liue so soone as he is borne eyther bicause he taketh care for our begetting or that he is ingeÌ„dred with vs or els that he taketh charge and defence of vs when we are begotten Sure it is he is called Genius à gignendo that is of begetting Penates lykewyse are domesticall gods Macrobius affirmeth that they are gods by whom we onely breathe by whom we enioy this body by whoÌ„ we possesse the reson of our minds Nonius sayth Lemures are spirites walking by night terrors rising of pictures of men of beasts Other say that Lemures are euil hurtful shapes which appere in the night yea and that they be the soules of those that make men blacke and blew called after that name Some men call the ghosts of al dead things by the name of Lemures Thus sayeth Apuleius Of those Lemures â–ª he that hathe care of hys posteritie and inhabiteth the house with a peaceable and quiet kinde of rule was called Lar familiaris god of the house And bicause amongst the people of olde tyme as they counted Lares good so they supposed Lemures to be nought therefore to driue them away they did sacrifice vnto them Some other men affirme
those that are departed from this lyfe in the true faith of the Messias to come in suche sort that they feele no gréefe but yet are depriued of the sight of god This place they call Abrahams bosom and hell for Hell doth not always betoken a place of tormente but also generally the state that soules are in after this lyfe And that our lord Iesus Christ did visite and release them and when he ascended caried them with himselfe into heauen Albeit certain of the fathers as Ireneus Tertullian Hilarie others think that they shal at the last day ascend to heaueÌ„ Some also there be of our tyme which maintaine this fonde opinion that the soules sléep vntil the day of the last iudgement in which they shal be again coupled with their bodies but this assertion hath no grouÌ„d in holy scripture of the which point diuers haue entreated But especially Iohn Caluin that worthy seruaunt of God in a proper treatise that hée wrote of the same matter in which he doth learnedly confute their reasons that maintein the contrary opinion Wherfore sith holy scriptures as the Fathers vnderstand interprete them teache that the soules of men as soone as they departe from the bodies do ascende vp into heauen if they were godly descende into hell if they were wicked and faithlesse and that there is no thirde place in which soules should be deliuered as it were out of prison that soules caÌ„ neither â—e reclaimed out of heauen or hell Hereby it is made euident that they caÌ„not wander on the earth desire aide of meÌ„ For first the soules of the blyssed néed no aide or help y men caÌ„ giue them on the other side the damned sort can no way be releued the which S. Ciprian the martir in his oration against DemetriaÌ„ dothe plainly witnesse in these words wheÌ„ we be once departed out of this world ther is afterward no place left for repeÌ„taÌ„ce no way to make satisfactioÌ„ here life is either woon or lost so forth Albeit the testimonies alredy alleged on this point of doctrin may wel suffise those that loue the truth are desirous to come to the knowledge therof yet to increase the nuÌ„ber I wil recite other testimonies also out of the fathers to proue manifestly that the soules departed do not again return wander on the earth so that all they which haue not yet stopped their cares that the truth myght not pierce enter into them may euideÌ„tly perceiue that those ancient tymes taught a far better doctrine of those spirits ghosts than other later tymes vnder poperiâ— haue coÌ„mended allowed Tertullian a very auncient writer in the end of his booke De anima sayth the soules do not any longer abide on the earth after they be once loosed from their bodies that neither by their own accord nor other mens coÌ„mandement they do waÌ„der at all after they haue descended into hel but he sayth that euil spirits do vse this kinde of deceyt to fayne themselues to be the soules of suche as are deceassed And that Hell is not open to any soule that it should afterward at any time depart thence Christ our Lord in the parable of the poore man that was in rest and the riche glutton that was in torment doth playnely ratifie vnder the person of Abraham that there can be no maÌ„ sent back to shew or tel ought of the state of hell And albeit the fathers haue noted certain errors and scapes in Tertullian yet ther was neuer any that reproued him for this opinion Athanasius in his booke of questioÌ„s the .xiij. question doth giue a reason wherfore God wil not suffer y any soul decessed shuld return vnto vs declare what the state of things is in hel what great misery is there hereby saith he many errors wold easily spring vp among vs for many diuels might so take on them the shape of men be traÌ„sformed into the likenesse of the dead say that they arose froÌ„ the dead and so publish many lying tales false opinions of things there don therby to seduce and hurt vs Weigh these words of Athanasius I pray thée Sainct Chrysostome in his nynetéenth Homilie on the eight chapter of sainct Mathews Gospell hath in maner the same woordes for hée moueth thys question Why suche as were possessed with Spirites lyued in graues Therefore sayeth he they abode there to put this false opinion in mens heads that those persons soules whyche by violent death departed were turned into Dyuels so dyd seruice vnto witches and soothsayers The which opinion the diuell first broughte in thereby to diminishe the Martyrs prayse and glorie that so the Sorcerers mighte â—lea those persons whose wicked trauell help they vsed those matters saith he ar far from truth For he proueth by the Scripture that the spirites of the godly are not vnder the power of the Diuels nor yet do stray abroade after deathe then that they woulde retourne vnto theyr owne bodyes if they myghte wander whether they lusted And further if they dydde any seruice too theyr Murderers by that meanes they should at their handes receyue a reward for an yll déede and displeasure By natural reason also it can not come to passe that a maÌ„s body should be turned into an other body and therfore also the spirite of a man can not be chaunged into a deuill But among other things which proprely belong to our purpose he sayth If we heare a noyse that sayth I am suche a soule we muste thus thinke that thys talke procedeth of some sleight and subtiltie of the deuill and that it is not the soule of the dead body that speketh these things but the Deuill that deuiseth them to deceyue the hearers And by and by he sayeth that these are to be counted olde wiues words or rather doting fooles toyes to mocke children withall For the soule when it is parted from the body cannot walke any longer in these parties For the soules of the iust are in the hands of god And on the other side the soules of the wicked after their departure hence are straightway lead aside and withdrawne froÌ„ vs which may euidently be séene by Lazarus the rich man And in another place also the Lorde sayth This day will they take thy soule from thée wherefore the soule cannot here wander when it is departed from the body A little afterwarde he addeth that it may be proued out of many places of scripture that the soules of the iust doo not here wander after death For Steuen saide Lorde receiue my Spirit and Paule desired to be loosed and to departe hence and to be with Christ. Also the scripture as touching the patriarks death vseth this phrase he is layde vnto his fathers growen vp vnto a good olde age And that the soules of sinners and wicked men cannot after their departure here abide any longer we may
they alledge this that Christs apostles beleued that the spirit or soule either of Christ as some of the fathers vnderstand it or of some other person did appere vnto thē Besides to proue this matter they alledge places out of the fathers decrées of councels the cōmon report that hath ben bruted of those that returned frō the dead To al these resons by Gods assistance we will briefly and orderly answere As touching y first obiection that al things are possible vnto God we denie it not We graunt then that God can bring soules out of heauen or hel vse their trauaile seruice to instruct cōfort admonish rebuke men But for that no text or example is found in holy scripture that euer any soules came from the dead which did so scoole warn men or that the faithful learned or sought to vnderstande any thing of the soules deceassed we cānot allow the sequele of their reason We may not of gods almightie power inferre cōclusions to our plesure For this is a principle holdē in scholes that the reson doth not truly folow that is set frō the power of doing to the dead done For God doth nothing against himself or his word writē to warrāt their reson they shold first haue proued that it was gods wil y soules shold return into the erth for so do holy fathers intreat of gods almighty power Tertulliā against Praxias saith Truly I neuer thought that any thing was hard to be done of God we may faine of God what wée liste as if he had done the same bicause he is able to doo it But we must not beléeue that God hathe therefore done all things because he is able to doo them But first we ought to make inquirie whether he hath done them S. Ambrose in his sixte booke of epistles and 37. epistle writeth vnto Cromatius in this wise Therefore what is there vnpossible vnto him Not that thing whiche is hard to his power but that which is contrary to his nature It is vnpossible for him to lye and this impossibilite in hym procedeth not of infirmitie but of vertue and maiestie For truth receyueth no lye neither doth the vertue of God enterteine the vanitie of errour Reade farther that whiche followeth in the same place Hierom writing to Eustochia of the preseruing of hir virginitie saith I will boldly auouch this one thing that though God can do all things yet can he not restore a virgin after hir fall Augustine in the tenth chapter of his fifth booke De ciuitate dei hath That God is saide to be omnipotent in doing that he will and not in doing that he will not Againe he addeth Gods power is not herby any whit diminished when we say that god cannot die or be deceyued And immediatly therefore he cannot do some things bycause he is omnipotent c. Thodoret also teacheth vs that it may not absolutely without exception be pronounced that all things are possible vnto god For who so doth precisely affirme thys dothe in effecte say this muche that all things both good and bad are possible vnto God c. Wherefore féeble is that obiection of theirs God can sende soules vnto men to teache and admonish them therefore these spirits that praye ayde be soules that come out of Heauen or Hell. In the meane time we do not denie the power of God as some do maliciously report of vs but we wold not haue the same made a denne or couert of errours Heare what the Lorde our God in the .18 of Deuteronomie speaketh When thou shalte come into the lande whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thée doo not thou learne to doo after their abhominable rites and vsages of those nations Let none bée founde among you that maketh hys sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire nor a diuiner that dooth forshew things to come nor a Sorcerer nor a witche nor a charmer nor one that consulteth with spirits nor an inchanter nor a Magitian nor one that raiseth vp the dead For the Lorde dothe abhorre all that doo such things and bicause of these abhominations the Lord thy God hath caste them out before thée Be thou therfore sound and perfecte before the Lorde thy God and by and by he promiseth to send them that great Prophet whome they shoulde heare In the .viij. of Esay it is written If they say vnto you inquire of them which haue a spirite of diuination whiche whisper and murmure softely in youre eares to deceyue you Should not euery people or nation enquire at their God what shall they go from the liuing to the dead Let them goe vnto the lawes testimonie suche as haue no light should they not speake according to this word which who so should contemne shal be hardened and hunger c. Héereby we do vnderstand that vnder a greate penaltie God hath precisely forbidden that we shoulde learne and searche out any thing of the dead He alone woulde be taken for our sufficient schoolemaster In the Gospell wée read They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them Unto these may be added testimonies out of the Apostles writings that God doth not send vs soules hither to informe vs The common and ordinarie way whereby it pleaseth God to deale with vs is his word Therwithal should we content our selues and not wayte for newe reuelations or receyue any thing that dooth not in all pointes agrée therwith But as touching this matter we wil speake more in his proper place CHAP. VII That the true Samuell did not appeare to the vvytche in Endor NOwe touching the examples by them commonly alleaged whiche do thinke that the soules of the dead do return again vnto the liuing vpon the earth I wil first intreat of Samuels apparition of which matter now adayes there is greate contention and reasoning And as I trust I shal proue by strong argumentes that very Samuell himselfe did not appeare in soule and body neither that his body was raised vp by the sorcerers which perchaunce then was rotten consumed vnto dust in the earth neither that his soule was called vp but rather some diuelish spirite First the author of the two bookes of Samuel sayeth that Saule did aske counsell of the Lord that he would not answer him neither by visions nor by Urim nor by his Prophets Wherfore if God disdayned by his Prophetes yet liuing and other ordinarie wayes to giue answer vnto him whom he had alredy reiected we may easily coniecture that he would much lesse haue raysed a dead prophet to make him answer And the rather for that as we haue a little before sayde the law of God hathe seuerely by a greate threatening forbidden to learne oughte of the deade and woulde not haue vs to searche for the truth of them nor that any manne should vse dyuination by spyrites and suche other diuelyshe Artes. Secondly yf very Samuell in deede appeared that muste
make for them whyche affirme that true Samuell appeared vnto Saule But these places wée haue béefore for the moste parte aunsweared For albeit Augustine in some places moue a doubte whether it were the true Samuell or no yet in certeine other places he lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion who denye Samuell to haue appeared at all takyng rather that kinde of speache for tropicall and figuratiue Iustine the Martir who is one of the most aunciente fathers reasoning against Trypho a Iewe writeth in his colloquio that the couetouse sorceresse at Saules commaundement raysed vp Samuels soule And no man shoulde maruaile hereat sith that the selfe same author dothe by and by adde that he is of this iudgemente that all the soules of Prophetes and iust menne are subiecte vnto suche power as a man may in very déede beléeue to haue bin on thys gréedy and subtile Witche But this none of the fathers will graunt him Other Gréeke writers also whyche in their tender yeares applyed theyr mindes to Philosophie and not to the studie of holy Scriptures and afterwardes were conuerted to Christianitie do sette foorthe in their writings certaine opinions whyche are not agreable to the word of god Wherefore it néede not séeme a straunge thing to any manne that Iustine the Martire in some pointes hadde hys erroures The same author in Responsionibus ad Orthodoxos quest 52. mainteineth the contrary assertion For sayth he what soeuer things were done by that hungry witche were in déede the workes of the Diuell who dyd so dasell the eyes of suche as beheld him that it séemed vnto them they sawe Samuell him selfe when in very déede he was not there But the truth of his words procéeded from God who gaue the Diuell power to appeare vnto the sorceresse and to declare vnto hir that which shoulde afterwards come to passe c. If any manne obiect that thys woorke is not ryghtly ascribed vnto Iustine for so muche as he dothe make mention of Origen and Ireneus the Martire whereas notwithstanding he hym selfe was martired before them And further speaketh of the Manichees who were in their ruffe long after this tyme Herevnto wee answere that yf this booke were not written by Iustine â–ª yet as maye appeare some other learned clerke wrote that woorke whose authoritie might carie away as great credite as Iustines â—ith that the same doth fully agrée with holy Scripture Furthermore we may set agaynste Iustine other holy fathers as Tertullian and Chrysostom of whom wée haue before spoken who haue by holy scripture instructed vs that it was not Samuel in deede which appeared vnto Saule We will héereafter say somewhat of Gregorie who no doubte was a learned and godly father but yet too simple and light of beléefe And the fathers themselues denye that a man shoulde subscribe vnto their opinion in oughte that they doo mayntaine and aduouche without the warrant of Gods worde The Popes out of Augustine haue written in their Decrées Quest. 9. ca Noli that a man should credite none of the fathers except he proued his saying out of holy scriptures But in these days many cull nothing out of their bookes but erroures and whatsoeuer they maynteyn by good testimonie of the holy scriptures that they reiecte and disanull in whiche poynt they doo fitly resemble those chyldren who onely in things wicked and euill imitate their good parentes for good men also haue their faultes CHAP. IX VVhether the Diuell haue povver to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man BUt thou doest demaund whether the Diuell can represente the lykenesse of some faithfull man deceased Hereof we néede not doubt at all For in the seconde Corin. 11. Saincte Paule witnesseth that Sathan transformeth hym selfe into the shape and fashion of an Angell of light Sathan by nature is a spirit and is therefore tearmed an Angel bicause God vseth to send him to bring that thing to passe which he thinketh best So in the second of kings .22 chapter an euill Angell was sent forth to Ahabs destruction to be a lying spirit in the monthe of 400. false prophets Thys was an Angell of erroure and darknesse who yet in outward shewe could resemble a good Angell that he mighte so guide the councell of Baals worshippers who no doubt vaunted theÌ„ selues as if they had bin gathered togither by Gods holy spirit If Sathan be then so skilfull can he not counterfaite and fayne him selfe to be some holy maÌ„ by resembling his words voice gesture and suche other things Amongst the Gentiles he hath done miraculous Actes persuading them to thinke that soules by arte Magike were called vp and compelled to giue answere of secrete and hidden things that were to come And therefore not only in publike but also priuate affayres if they semed to be any thing hard vnto them they consulted with Magitians and sorcerers and had moreouer recourse somtimes vnto oracles Tertullian in hys booke De Anima mentioneth that there were some euen in his dayes whiche professed they could raise vp and reclaime soules from the hellishe habitation And he calleth arte Magike the second Idolatrie in the which the Diuells do as well fayne them selues to be dead men as they do in the other to be Gods. So do these suttle spirites lurke and do many straunge things vnder the pretence of deade men He addeth that Magike is thought to conuey soules out of Hell whiche lye there in rest and to represent them vnto our sighte by reason that it sheweth a vaine vision and counterfeiteth the shape of a bodie Neyther is it a harde matter for him to bleare and beguyle the outward eyes who can easily darken and dazell the inwarde sight of the mynde The serpents that were brought foorth by the inchaunters rods séemed to the Egiptians to be bodies but the truth of Moyses deuoured vp the Magitians lye Simon also and Elimas the Magitians did many signes and wonders against the Apostles c. Hée addeth that euen in hys tyme those heretikes named properly Symonistes of Symon the Magitian the first author of that sect did with suche greate presumption aduaunce their arte that they professed they coulde rayse from the dead euen the soules of the Prophets c. Lactantius in the .2 booke .17 chapt De origine erroris writeth that euill angels lurking vnder the names of the dead did wound and hurt the liuing that is they tooke vnto themselues the names of Iupiter and Iuno whome the heatheÌ„s tooke to be gods or as we now say they tooke vnto them the names of S. Sebastian Barbara and others In the .7 boke and .13 chap. he sayth that the Magitians with certayne inchauntmentes did call soules out of hell But this may not so be vnderstode that Lactantius was of this iudgement that they by their wicked artes did bring the soules back again into their dead bodies but that they did so vaunt and boast that they had raysed vp this
he may intermedle euil things therwith he speaketh truth that he may scatter abroade lyes and roote them in mens hearts So Sinon in Vergill mingled falsehode with truth that he might the better entrap the Troians Sathan dothe imitate craftie gamsters who suffer a plaine and simple yong man to winne a while of them that afterwards being gréedy to play they may lurche him of all his golde and siluer He followeth them which once or twise iustly repay vnto their creditoures suche money as they haue borowed kéeping their promise duely that afterwards they may obteine a great summe of them and then deceyue them The diuell sometimes vttereth the truth that his words may haue the more credite and that he may the more easely beguile them He that woulde vtter euill wares doth not only sette them foorth in wordes but doth also so trim and decke them that they seeme excellent good wherby they are the more salable this arte also the diuell knoweth for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obtâ—â—de it vnto other men in the stead of good ware S. Ambrose writeth in his CoÌ„mentaries vpon the first epistle to the Thessalonians and fift chap. expounding these words Quâ—nâ—he not the Spirit Despise not prophecying Examin all things and kepe that which is good Euill spirits are wont to speake good things craftely as it were by imitation and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked things that by means of those things which are good euill things may be admitted and bycause they are supposed the words of one spirit they may not be discerned a sunder but by that whych is lawfull an vnlawfull thing may be commended by authoritie of the name and not by reason of vertue c. Herevnto apperteine those words whiche we reade in S. Chrisostomes second sermon De Lazara There he sheweth that many simple men haue bin in this erroure that they haue thought the soules of those which were slayne by some violent death did become Diuels He sayth further that the Diuell hathe persuaded many witches and such as serue him being in this erroure that they shoulde kill the teÌ„der bodies of many yong men hoping they shold become Diuels and do them seruice And by and by he addeth But these things are not true no I say they are not What is it then that Diuels say I am the soule of suche a Monke Uerely I beleue it not euen for thys that Diuells do aduoutche it for they deceyue their auditours Wherefore Paule also commaundeth them to silence albeit they speake truth lest taking occasion by truth they mingle lyes therwith and so purchase them selues credite For when they had sayd These men are the seruants of the most high God shewing vnto you the way of saluation The Apostle not content herewith coÌ„maunded the prophecying spirite vnto silence and to come foorth of the mayd And yet what harme speake they These men are the seruantes of the moste high god But bycause the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes to iudge of those things whiche are vttered by Diuels he at once excludeth them from all credite Thou art saith he of the number of infamous spirites it belongeth not to thee to speake fréely hold thy peace kepe silence it is not thy office to preache This is the authoritie of the Apostles why takest thou vppon thée that which appertayneth not vnto thee hold thy peace be thou infamous So also did Christe sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him we knowe thée who thou art therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe that we shoulde in no wise trust the diuell albeit he tell the truth Sith we know these things let vs in no wise beléeue the diuell nay rather if he say any thyng that is truth let vs flâ—e from him and shunne him For it is not lawful exactly to learne sounde and holsome doctrine of diuels but out of the holy Scriptures That you may therfore know that it can in no wise be that a soule once departed out of the body can come vnder the tyrannie of the diuell heare what sainct Paule sayth For he that is dead is iustified from sinne that is he sinneth no more For if the diuel can do no hurt vnto the soule whyle it is in the body it is euidente hée can not hurt it when it is departed out of the body c. By all these things it is playne what manner of things those are which are heard séene ¶ The thirde part of this Booke in which is shewed why or to vvhat end God suffereth Spirits to appeare and other strange things to happen as also howe men ought to behaue them selues when they méete with any suche things CHAP. 1. God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull and punishe the vnbeleeuers IT followeth nowe hereafter to be intreated of why God suffreth spirites ghostes and horrible sightes to appeare c. also why he dothe permitte other straunge and miraculous thynges to happen And furthermore howe men oughte to behaue them selues when they sée any suche thyngs GOD doth suffer Spirites to appeare vnto his electe vnto a good ende but vnto the reprobate they appeare as a punishemente And as all other things tourne to the beste vntoo the Faythefull euen so doo these also for yf they bée good Spirites whiche appeare vnto menne warnyng and defendyng them thereby do they gather the care prouidence and Fatherly affection of GOD towardes them But in case they bée euyll Spyrites as for the most part they are the faithfull are moued by occasion of them vnto true repentaunce They looke diligently vnto themselues so long as they liue least the enimie of mankynde who is ready at all assayes and lyeth always in waight should bring them into mischiefe and take further vauntage to vexe and hurte them God also by these meanes dothe exercise and trie their faith and pacience to the end they continue in his woord receyue nothing contrary to the same haue it neuer so fayre a shewe nor do any manner of thing agaynst his worde although those spirites doe not streightwayes cease to vexe them God dothe also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites for this cause that they shold be the more humble and lowely For in the second Epistle to the Corinth and .xij. chap. Paul sayth And least I shold be exalted out of measure through the excellencie of reuelatioÌ„s ther was giuen vnto mée vnquietnesse through the fleshe euen the messanger of Sathan to buffet me bicause I shold not be exalted out of measure For this thing besought I the Lord thrice that it mighte depart from me And he sayd vnto me My grace is sufficieÌ„t for thée for my strength is made perfect through weakenesse Except God did shut vp the waye before vs with certaine stops and â—ets we shold not know our selues we shoulde not vnderstande wherof we stand in néed we shold not so earnestly pray vnto God
3. Paulus Aegineta Lycanthropia Augustine vppon Genesis Hydrophobia Rufus Ephialtes the 〈◊〉 Madmen Tertullian â— Pâ—t 3. Plutarche Theodoricus imagining that he seeth Simmachus Matth. 14. Luke 24. Stout and curragious men seldome se any Spiritâ— Dronken men see straunge things Euripides Prouerb 23. Some see them selues Hearing deceueth The sensâ— of feeling is deceyued Weakenesse of the sight and feare Cominaeus Kings 4. Salomon pro. Daunsing spirits Iosephus dâ— antiquitatib Paulina and Mundus Ruffinuâ— Tyrannus a wicked priest Lippis tonsoribus noâ—um Theodorus Foure moncks of Berna loaÌ„nes Stumpfius Erasmus Spectrum Georgius Buchananus Ambition Couetousnesse â–ª Paulâ— â–ª Enuie Idlenesse Loue. Popes haue fayned visions â–ª Bruno Gregorius 7. Bartholomâ—us Platina Bonifacius Sometimes Laye men beguile the priests Men walking by night Fayries of the earth Olaus magnus Echo Cardanus Things shining by night Hector Boethius Burning lights Exhalations Glasses Triton appeared to Iulius Caesar. Theseus seene in the battaile of Maratho C. Cassius sawe I. Caesar. Drusus sawe a woman excelling all mortall creatures in maiestie Plinius secundus writing of spirits The spirit of Athens Manlius Lucan Sozomâ—nus Theodorus Nicephorus Ambrose Augustine Felix appeared at Nola. Gregorie Basiliscus appeared to Chrysostome S. Seuerine Byshop of Colein Alexander Alexandro Bâ—ptista Malancthona annie Ludouicus Viues Hieronimus Cardanus Olaus Spirites requiring helpe Builders heare spirits in the night Diuells are in Mines Agricola Which are people that eate and deuoure men Cicero Augustine Marsilius Matth. 1. 2. Acts. Acts. 16. Cardanus De animorum immortalitate li. 16. cap 5. Virgill Suetonius Cicero de diuinatione Liâ—ie Plinie Appianus Valerius Max. li. 1. cap. 6. Castor and Pollux Plutarch Iosephus Felix Malleolus Luke 24. â— Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Paral. 14. 2. Reg. 6.7 â— Samuel 7. Daniel 5. 2. Macha 3. 2. Macha 10. 2. Machab 11. Some men see things whiche other men see not Actes 9. Actes 22. Socrates familiar At what time spirits appeare Apocalips In what place spirits are sene Esay 13. Monsters of the desert Esay 34. After what sort spirits appeare Olaus Daunces of spirits Saxo. Pomponius Mela. Solinus Hierome A Fable ouâ— of Hierome of a Centaure â–ª A Monster hauing the forepart like a man the hinder like a horse â–ª Plutarch De preparatione Euang. li. 5. chap. 9. Paulus Marsus Hunting of Deuils Platos opinioÌ„ Tertullian Homeâ— Virgill Plato The Iewes opinion Iob. 7. Psal 31. Eccle. 12. Wisedo 3. â—sal 49. 2. Samu. 12. Eccle 38. The Tukes opinion Papistes Iacobus de Cusa 4. places for Soules Heauen Hell. Limbus puerorum whiche is a place wher the Papistes imagin the soules of yong children to be which departed without Baptisme Purgatorie â–ª By whome Soules are tormeÌ„ted in purgatorie Papistes feigne that soules reâ—o earth againe Whether we may wishe to see spirits Howe a man ought to vse him self when spirits appeare according to the Papists Daniel 10.11 1. Samuel 3. By what tokens good spirits may be discerned from euill Luke 1. How vve may helpe and succoure soules A notable deede to releue soules Monks by their doctilâ—â— of spirits haue heaped infinite riches Martinus Polonus All soules day whens it toke originall Polidorâ— The beginning of the order of Carthusians Polidorâ— Soules go either to hell or to heauen Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. Iohn 14. Matth. 1â— â— Cor. 5. Luke â—â— Apo. 14. August Idem Idem â–ª Iustine Hillarie Dormitantij Caluin Ciprian mar Soules do not walke Tertullian Athanasius Chrisostome Cyrilluâ— â–ª The Glosse of the canon law Deut. 18. The soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the common course of nature by the omnipotent power of God. How we ought to reason of the omnipâ—tent power of God. Ambrose Hierom. Augustine Theodoret. We must leaâ—ne nothing of the dead Deut. 18 Esay 8. Luke 2â— Matth. 8. Wordes of theÌ„selues haue no force Iupiter Elicius Plinie Apoc. 19.22 Rom 1â— Actes 10. Testimonies out of the Fathers touching Samuels appearing Turtullian Augustine The Popes decrees Lyra. Eccle. 46. 1. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 10. Iere. 10. Psal. 96. Whether the deuil for know of things to come Iohn 8. Which being doubtfully spoken may be vnderstode either of subuerting other kingdomes or losing his own Iustinus Gregorius 2. Corin. 11. 1. Reg. 22. Tertullian Lactantius Idem Ephori amongest the Lacedemonians wâ—r magistrates â–ª who in certen cases were aboue Kings vnto whome appeales were made from Kings euen as amongest the Romaines thei appealed from the Consuls to the Tribunes Math. 17 Moses and Elias appeared Lazarus came agayne on earth John. â—1 Matth. 27. At the resurection of Christe many roase agayne Augustine Spiridion raised his daughter Ruffinus Luke 24. Christs Disciples supposed they saw a ghost Many kynd of spirites Daniel 8.10 Actes 12. Matth. 18. Psalme 19. The holy fathers say that soules appeare Ambrose Augustine Gregorie Many things fabulous in Gregories dialoges Counsells approue the appearing of Soules Counsailes may erre Matth. 24. Popes haue approued the appearing of soules Many affirme they haue sene soules 1. Thessa. 4. Dilemma is a kinde of argument or reasoning which euery way conuinceth him vnto whome it is spoken Limbus puerorum Angells appeare Matth. 18. Esay 63. Daniel 10. Psal. 34. Whole armies of Angels CoÌ„stantinople preserued by the appearing of angels Augustine Paule Plinie Ambrose Why the diuel doth sometimes tell truth Acts. 16. Maâ—ke 1. Luke 4. Causes why God suffereth spirits to apere Seing of spirits to the wicked is a punishment Deut. 13. Iohn 3. Iohn 5. 2. Thessa. 2. 2. Timoth. 4. Examples of the wicked punished by delusioÌ„s of spirits Pharao Exodus Samuel 1. Cor. 10. Achab. â— Reg. 22. Roma 1. Athanasius A storie of S. Benedict seing many diuels in a monastery and fewe in the market A burnt childe dreads fire What the Gentiles did when they savve spirite Suetonius Septimae Tricessimae Anniuersaria Lilius Giraldus Cicero Ouid. Feralia Parentalia â–ª Lemuria Ouid. Touching the Iewes behauiour Luke 24. Matth. 10. Christ hath coÌ„quered the Deuill Luke 11. Iohn 12 â–ª 16. 1. Iohn 3. The diuel is conuersant among men Ephe. 6. 1. Pet. 5. We must fighâ— against the diuel with good life Matth 1. God hath alwaies geuen vs teachers God hath preserued the scriptures God hath instituted the holy ministerie Psalme 119. Iohn 8. Acts. 10. S. Augustinâ—â— counâ—ell Scripture to be only beleued Chrisostomes aduise All things necessarie to saluation are conteined in the scriptures Hierom. Miracles are seales of the worde Mat. 10. Matth. â—4 1. Timo. 4. 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. The holy Virgin did not by and by beleeue the appearing of the Angell The signe of the Crosse. Tertullian Hierom. Origen c. Athanasius Whether the bare signe of the Crosse haue any force Coniurations against deuils Tertullian â–ª 2. Thes. 2. 1. Iohn 4. Augustine The Aue Marie iâ— no praier Epes 1. Iohn â— 1. Timo. 2. Holy water The order of Cistertians Exorcists Roma 8. Plutarches Christian opinion Valerius Maximus The conclusioÌ„ ¶ Jmprinted at London by Richard Watkins Anno. 1572.
written thys my treatise in the vulgar tong and now bicause I trust it shal be also profitable to other men I haue translated it into latine adding certayne things thereto This my booke which I haue with greate laboure and study gathered out of many mens writings I present and offer vnto you most noble consul according to the ancient fashion and custome not for that I suppose you haue any néed of my teaching touching these things which are herein haÌ„dled For I am not ignoraunt vnder what teachers you haue attained vnto true learning and how you haue and do continually reade ouer sundry good authors with perfecte knowledge in many tongs But partely that I might purchase credite and authoritie vnto this my booke with those men vnto whome your goodnesse godlines and constancie whche you haue alwayes hitherto euermore shewed and yet do shewe in setting foorth true religion and mainteyning good lawes is throughly knowen and partly that I might shewe my selfe in some respecte thaÌ„kfull vnto you For your honour hath bestowed many benefits on me whom you only knowe by sight and vppon other ministers of the Church wherby ye haue so bouÌ„d me vnto you that I shall neuer be able to make any recoÌ„pence Wherefore I most earnestly beséech you not to refuse this signe and token of my good will be it neuer so simple but rather to voutchsafe when ye haue leisure from the laboure and toile of the common welth to reade ouer this my booke for I haue good hope it will not séeme vnpleasaunt vnto you and others in the reading as well for the playne order I vse therin as also for the sundry and manyfold histories in it recited Almightie God who hath so blessed you with his heauenly gifts that for them albeit very yong you haue aâ—pired vnto the highest degrée in your noble citie and dominioÌ„ of Berna voutchesafe to preserue you in health and increase and multiply his good gifts in you My Lords and brethreÌ„ the ministers of Tigurine and also your olde coÌ„panion master George Grebelius that excellent man in lerning vertue and nobilitie hartily salute your Lordship From Tigurine in the month of Ianuary the yeare of Christs Natiuitie 1570. A TABLE OF the Chapters of the three principall partes touchyng Spirites walking by nyght Of the fyrste parte COncerning certain words which are often vsed in this Treatise of Spirites and diuers other diuinations of things to come Chapter 1. Folio 1. Melancholike persones and madde men imagining things whiche in very deede are not Chapter 2. Folio 9. Fearefull menne imagine that they see and heare straunge things Chapter 3. Fol. 14. Men whiche are dull of seing and hearing imagine many things which in very dede are not so Chapter 4. Fol. 16. Many are so feared by other menne that they suppose they haue heard or seene Spirites Chapter 5. Fol. 21. Priests and Monkes fayned themselues to be Spirites also howe Mundus vnder this coloure defiled Paulina and Tyrannus abused many noble and honest matrons Cha. 6. Fo. 23. Timotheus Aelurus counterfeating himselfe to bee an Angell obteyned a Bishoprike foure Monks of the order of prechers made many vayn apparitions at Berna Cha. 7. Fol. 28. Of a counterfaite and deceyuing spirite at Orleaunce in Fraunce Chapter 8. Fol. 37. Of a certâ—ine parish priest at Clauenna which fayned him selfe to be our Lady and of an other that counterfaited himself to be a Soule as also of a certayne disguised Jesuite Fryer Chapter 9. Fol â–ª 41. That it is no maruell if vayne sights haue ben in olde tyme neyther yet that it is to be maruelled at yf there be any at this day Chapter 10. Fol. 45. That manye naturall thyngs are taken to bee ghostes Chapter 11. Fol 49. A proofe out of the Gentiles histories that ghostes doe oftentymes appeare Chapter 12. Fol. 53. A proofe oute of the histories of the auncient Churche and of the writings of holy Fathers that there are walking Spirites Chapter 13. Fol. 62. That in the Bookes set foorth by Monkes are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions Chapter 14. Fol. 65 A profe by other sufficient writers that Spirits do sometime appeare Chapter 15. Fol. 68. Daily experience teacheth vs that Spirites do appeare to men Chapter 16. Fol. 7â— That there happen straunge wonders and prognostications and that sodayne noises and cracks and suche like are hard before the death of men before battaile and before some notable altâ—rations and chaunges Chapter â–ª 17. Fol. 77. It is proued by testimonies of holy scripture that Spirits are sometime seene and heard and that other strange matters doâ— often chaunce Chapter 18. Fol. 85 To whome when where and after what sort Spirits do appeare and what they do worke Chapter 19. Fol. 88. The Chapters of the second parte The opinion or beleefe of the Gentiles Iewes and Turkes concerning the estate of soules seperated from their bodies Chapter 1. Fol. 92. The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men and the appearing of them Chapter 2. Fol. 102. What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists concerning the appering of mens soules Chapter 3. Fol. 110. Testimonies out of the word of God that neither the soules of the faithfull nor of infidels do walke vppon the earth after they are once parted from their bodies Chapter 4. Fol. 114. Testimonies of the auncient Fathers that dead mens soules parted from their bodies doe not wander here vppon earthe Chapter 5. 116 A confutation of those mennes arguments or reasons which affirme that dead mens soules doo appeare And first that is answeared whiche certaine doo alleage to wit that God is omnipotent and therfore that he can worke contrary to the ordinarie course of nature Chapter 6. Fol. 123. That the true Samuell did not appeare to the witche in Endor Chapter 7. Fol. 127. A confutation of their arguments which would haue Samuell himselfe to appeare Chapter 8. Fol. 133. Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape of a faithfull man Chapter 9. Fol. 140. Moses and Elias appeared in the Mount vnto Chryst our Lorde many haue ben raysed from the dead both in body and soule and therfore soules after they are departed may returne on earth againe Chapter 10. Fol. 145. Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans soule when Chryste sodeynlye appeared vnto them after his Resurrection Chapter 11. Fol. 148. Concerning the holy Fathers Councels Bishops and coÌ„mon people which say that soules do visibly appeare Cha. 12. Fo. 151. Whether soules do returne agayne out of Purgatorie and the place which they call Limbus puerorum Cha. 13. Fol. 155. What those things are whiche men see and heare and firste that good angels 〈◊〉 sometimes appeare Chap. 14. Fol. 159. That sometymes yea and for the moste part euill Angels doâ— appeare Chapter 15. Fol. 163. Of wondrous monsters and suche lyke Chap. 16. Fol. 164. That it is no harde thing for the diuell to appeare in diuers shapes and to bring
spirites speake them but bicause they are comprysed in the woorde of god But in case they are repugnant to the woorde of God they ought in no wyse to be receyued albeit an angell from heauen vtter them Thou wilt not beléeue a man of thy familiar acquaintaunce otherwyse worthy of credite who sounde of bodye and soule nowe liueth togither with thée if hée affirme any thyng whiche thou knowest to be contrary to the holy Scriptures why then wouldest thou beléeue a spirite which thou doest not know In ciuill causes the euidence or witnesse of deade men is reiected why then in causes of religion shold we giue eare to the testimonie of runagate and wandring spirites It is no harde or difficulte matter for the Lorde oure God to sende his angels vntoo vs whome otherwyse hée vseth for oure profite and by them to instructe vs in the Fayth but it hathe pleased him to appoynte the matter otherwyse Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Actes that by an angell he commaunded Cornelius to sende for Peter that he might instruct him in the fayth He myghte haue commaunded the Angell to teache Cornelius but he folowed an orderly meanes It shal be best for vs therfore to stand to the holy Scriptures simply and that all appearing of spirites as also all dreames and reuelations be tried by the holy scriptures as vpon a touchstone and so to admit nothing but that whiche is set foorthe in the holy Scriptures for excepte wée go thus warely to woorke there is greate daunger least wée bée deceyued If the aunciente Fathers had so doone they had not estrayed so farre from the Apostles simplicitie S. Augustine in his thirde booke and .6 chapter writing agaynste the letters of Petilianus sayeth thus If concerning Christe or any other thing whiche appertayneth to fayth and euerlasting lyfe I will not say we for comparyng with him that sayde Albéeit that wée but simply where as he goyng on sayd If an Angell from Heauen shall teache you any thyng besydes that whiche you haue receyued in Scriptures conteyning the law and the Gospell bée he accursed S. Chrysostom vpon the Epistle to the Galathians the firste chapter Abraham sayeth he when he was desired to send Lazarus sayd They haue Moyses the prophets if they will not heare them they will not giue eare vnto them which rise from the dead And when he bringeth in Christ vttering these words he sheweth howe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite than any raised from the dead S. Paule when I name Paule I name likewise Christ for he stirred vp his mind preferreth the Scriptures before Angels descending from Heauen and that for very iust cause For albeit Angels are great yet are they seruants and ministers For all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written and sent vnto vs by seruants but by almightie God the lord of all things Thus write these two holy fathers What things soeuer are necessarie for vs to knowe are conteined in the holy scriptures those things which are not expressed in them we muste not curiously enquire of as things profitable for our saluation Who wil therfore say against the commaundement of God that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men and by diuelishe visions These things which are secrete and hidden we shal thorowly sée when we come to eternall life May not god if we be not content with his holy word say that vnto vs which sometimes he spake by the mouth of Helias vnto the messangers of king Ochosias Is there no god in Israell that you now go to Accaron to aske councell of Belsabub Yea Thomas Aquinas denieth that diuels are to be heard which deceyue simple menne feyning them selues to be the Soules of dead men and by that coloure especially terrifie menne whiche some tymes also happened vnto the Gentiles If it were certayne and sure that the Diuel coulde not appeare and deceyue menne and also shewe greate and straunge miracles then perchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue eare vnto suche Spirits but nowe we sée the contrary happen An euill spirite cloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice and vnder the pretence of religiō he endeuoreth to ouerthrowe religion For as S. Hierom sayth the Deuill sheweth not himself with al his deceites that he may be known what he is And therefore it behoueth vs to be very circumspect and warie Moreouer myracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word neither may any thing be approued by them whiche is repugnant to the worde of god All miracles which lead vs away from our creator vnto creatures do attribute that vnto our works which is only due vnto the merites of Chryste and to be shorte all those whiche induce vs any wayes into errour are to be eschued If we must néedes beléeue these appearing soules no man could be assured of his estate for newe things shoulde be continually deuised as we sée playnely it happened in the olde time Therefore we must let passe all manner of spirits and embrace true religion and therein constantly abide CHAP. VIII Testimonies out of holie Scripture and one example vvhereby it is proued that such kynde of apparitions are not to be credited and that vve ought to be verie circumspect in them THat wée ought not by and by to beléeue all things whiche we heare not onely experience and many common Prouerbes but also the holie Scriptures teach vs especially in cases concerning our saluation touching the which thing we wil alledge only a fewe places and examples When Christ first sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospell he sayd vnto them Matthew .10 Be yée wise as serpentes and simple as Doues beware of men howe muche more than ought we to take héede of diuels Christ prophecieth in the 24. of Matthew that many false techers shall come in the latter dayes and shall shewe straunge myracles to confirme their erroures and therefore hée commaundeth the faythfull to be héedefull and circumspect and not without cause hée addeth Beholde I haue tolde you before Saynte Paule to the Galathians the firste Chapter sayth in great eanest vnto them that if an Angell come from Heauen and preache vnto them any other Gospell hée shoulde be accursed Euen so if at thys tyme spirites appeare and doe vtter any thyng repugnant to the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes they are to be reiected The Apostle in hys firste Epistle and fourth Chapter to Timothie dothe prophecie of false teachers which shoulde come and saythe the spirite speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall departe from the faythe and shall gyue héed vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuils whiche speake lyes through hypocrisie and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron forbydding to marrie and cōmaunding to absteyne from meates whiche God hath created to be receyued with gyuing thanks of them whiche beléeue
and knowe the truth c. By the woorde spirite are vnderstoode false teachers whiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of God But what cause is there why it maye not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites whiche haue induced men to take in hande many things In the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians and the seconde Chapter when certayne affirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande Paule foretelleth them that there shall be a defection and that Antichrist shall first come saying Nowe we beséech you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryste by our assembling vnto hym that yée be not sodenly moued from your intent nor troubled neyther by spirite nor by word nor by letter as it were from vs as though the day of Christ were at hande Let no man deceyue you by any meanes c. Which wordes truely in my iudgement may also be verie aptly vnderstood of those wandering spirits Saint Iohn sayth in hys first Epistle and fourth chapter Dearly béeloued beléeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophetes are gone out into the world Héereby shall yée knowe the spirit of god Euery spirit that cōfesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and euery spirite whiche confesseth not that Iesus Chryst is come in the flesh is not of god c. Héere he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to be mens soules but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues that they haue the spirite of god But in case we must not beléeue them being aliue much lesse ought we to credite them when they are dead And albeit that neyther Chryste nor hys Apostles had so diligently giuen vs warning not to suffer our selues to be seduced with myracles and with the talke of spirites yet notwithstanding dayly experience teacheth vs to be circumspect and warie in these cases For as soone as false teachers sée that they haue no testimonie of Scripture to defende themselues withall by and by they turne themselues to spirits and visions whereby they may confirme their Doctrine which thing hath opened a large window to many erroures To what inconuenience Ambition couetounesse enuie hath brought many of the clergie it is both well knowne by many examples and it hath also as it were by the waye béene before declared Haue not the orders of Monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence haue not they inuented newe miracles haue they not counterfeited Gods Pilgrimages Saintes spirits The holy Uirgin is a famouse notable exāple that we shuld not rashly beléeue euery spirit For at what time the Angel Gabriel apeared vnto hir in a visible shape saluted hir shewing hir before of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God she thought with hir selfe what maner of salutation that shuld be how this thing could come to passe séeing she had knowen no man Then at the last being enfourmed of the means by the Angel she sayd Behold the handmayde of the Lorde be it vnto me according to thy word Why then should we beléeue euery spirite especially those which teach things quite contrarie to the word of God. CHAP. IX After vvhat sorte the faithfull in the primitiue Churche vsed themselues vvhen they mette vvith spirites I Haue declared out of the word of God how good and godly men ought to behaue themselues when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto thē And truely the auncient Christians behaued themselues after this sorte For they were couragious without feare they gaue themselues to godlynesse and all good workes they diligently auoyded all things which were displeasing vnto God and they were also verie circumspect not to attribute too much vnto spirites and visions It was a cōmon custome amongst thē to blesse themselues with the signe of the Crosse when they met with these things which many also vse at this day Tertullian writeth in his booke De corona militis that the auncient Christians did many times marke their foreheades with the signe of the Crosse. S. Hierom exhorteth Demetriades that he often crosse his foreheade least that the destroyer of Egipt finde any place therein Origen also Epiphanius Chrisostome and Augustine write many things of the vertue of the holie Crosse. S. Athanasius writeth in hys booke de Humanitate verbi eiusque corporali aduentu fol. 67. In times past sayth he the deuils by vaine shewes and mockerie ensnared men abiding somtimes in wels somtime in ryuers in stones and woods and so by craftie deceytes brought vnwise men into sottishnesse But nowe since Gods worde hath appeared vnto vs suche sightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased Fol. 56. and .72 and in other places also he handleth the same matter Lanctantius writeth of the same in his fourth boke Diuinarum Institutionum 26. chapter and also thorowout the 27. Chapter He saythe that the deuill can haue no accesse vnto those nor any wayes hurte them whiche signe their foreheades with the crosse He addeth moreouer that the Christians vsed this ceremonie in olde time in casting out deuils and healing diseases Not for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall signe of the crosse for that were supersticious but vnto the crosse that is to the merytes of Chryste whose worthinesse and excellencie they called withall to their remembrance Touching the holy Apostles or Apostolike Churches we reade not that they euer vsed the signe of the crosse in expelling deuils in curing diseases or in any other thing God spared the Iewes in Egipt whiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the Lambe not that Lambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death but it was a figure of the bloud and passion of Christ Iesus And the Iewes sprinkled not bloud of their owne good deuotion as they terme it but by the commaūdement of god The holy fathers by the ceremonie that they signed themselues wyth the crosse mente to testifie their confidence in the crosse that is in the deth of Christ Iesus which abandoneth all euill and mischiefe The deuill neuer a whit feareth the crosse wherewith we signe our selues nor yet those pieces fragmentes of Christes crosse which are shewed for reliques but he trembleth at the power and force of Chrystes death by the whiche he was conquered and ouerthrowen If any man attribute too muche vnto ceremonies he cannot be excused from supersticion which worthily deserueth blame We read more in the auncient wryters that they vsed exorcismes or coniurations in the primatiu◠Churche against Deuils You may read in Tertullian in his booke De anima that vncleane spirites haue often times deceyued men haue taken on them the persones of others and haue fayned themselues to be the soules of dead men that men should not beléeue that all soules descended into Hell what is to be vnderstood by the worde Hell I haue shewed before and so to bring the beleefe of the latter Iudgemente