Part 10
And here we may in no wise ouerpasse in silence, that notable historie which =Plutarch= in his booke _De fectu oraculorum_, (translated by that learned man =Adrianus Turnebus=) reciteth in these words. Touching the death of diuels, I haue heard a certaine historie of one who was neither foolish, nor accustomed to lye. For it was =Epitherces=, my countreyman, a professour of Grammer, father vnto =Æmilianus= the Rhethoritian, of whome some of you also haue heard the same: He told me, that when he once tooke ship, meaning to go into _Italie_, because he carried with him not only great store of marchandise, but also very many passengers, in the euening when they were about the Islands =Echinadæ=, the wind quite ceased, and that the shippe driuing in the Sea, being brought at the last vnto _Paxe_, many then waking, and many also quaffing after they had supped, sodeinly there was heard a voyce of one which called =Thamus=, in such sort that euery man maruelled. This =Thamus= was a Pilotte borne in _Egipt_, vnknowne vnto many which were in the ship. Wherefore being twice called, he held his peace, and the third time answered: then the other with a louder voyce commaunded him, that when he came vnto =Palodes=, hée should tell them that the great God =Pan= was departed. When this was heard, euery man was amazed with feare, as =Epitherces= affirmed vnto vs: And being in consultation whether they should do as was commaunded or not, =Thamus= thus iudged of the matter: that if the winde did blowe, they must passe by with silence, but if it were calme without winde, he must vtter that which we had heard. When therefore they were come to _Palodes_, and no wind stirred, nor waue moued, =Thamus= looking out of the sterne towards the lande, cryed out as he had heard, that the great God =Pan= was deceased: Hée had scant ended those words, when immediatly there followed a great groning, not of one man, but of many, being admixt as it were with great admiration. And because many were present in the ship, (they said) the same hereof was spéedely spred abroad at _Rome_, and =Thamus= sent by =Tiberius= yͤ Emperour, who gaue so much credit vnto the matter, that he diligently enquired, and asked who that =Pan= was. The learned men whome he had in great number about him, supposed that =Pan= was he, who was the sonne of =Mercurie= and =Penelope=, &c.
[Sidenote: De preparatione Euang. li.5.chap.9.]
[Sidenote: Paulus Marsus.]
These and such like things, (=Eusebius= who also reciteth this historie) affirmeth to haue chaunced in that time of =Tiberius=, in the which Christ being conuersant amongst men, expelled all maner of diuels from the societie of them. Other most godly professours of our Religion, affirme, (as namely =Paulus Marsus=, in his Annotations vppon the first of =Ouids Fasti=) that this voyce was heard out of _Paxe_, the very same night ensuing the day wherein our Lorde suffered, in the 19. yeare of =Tiberius=, which was the same yeare that Christ was crucified in: by the whiche voyce being vttered in a wildernesse of solitary rockes, it was declared that our Lord and God had suffered for vs. For the word =Pan= in Greeke, signifieth all: and then the Lord of al the world was crucified.
He addeth moreouer, that =Theodosius= doth say, that the _Archadians_ doo worship this God, calling him τὸν τῆς ὔλης κύριον, meaning thereby to signifie a Lorde and Ruler, not of words, but of all manner of materiall substances: whose power is suche, that it is able to create the essence and substaunce of all bodies, whether that they be heauenly, or earthly. And albeit he referre this vnto the Sunne, yet if a man marke diligently, his mysteries haue a higher meaning, &c.
[Sidenote: Hunting of Diuels.]
Hereunto belongeth those thinges which are reported touching the chasing or hunting of diuels, and also of the daunces of dead men, which are of sundry sortes. I haue heard of some which haue auouched, that they haue séene them.
No man is able to rehearse all the shapes wherein spirits haue appeared, for the diuell, who for the most part is the worker of these things, can (as the Poets faine of =Proteus=) chaunge himselfe into all shapes and fashions.
These walking spirites sometimes stoppe the way before men as they trauell, and leade them out of their way, and put them in suche great feare, that sometimes they become grayheaded in one night. I remember I haue heard the like historie of my olde friende =Iohn Willing=, a godly and learned man, of one in the Countie of _Hannow_, who not many yeares ago, méeting with a walkyng spirite in the night season, was so much altered, that at his returning home, his owne Daughters knewe him not.
Spirites oftentimes awake men out of their sléepe, and cause many to forsake their owne houses, so that they cannot hire them out to any other. Sometimes they ouerthrow somewhat, or strike men, or cast stones at them, and hurt them either in their bodies or in their goods: yea and sometime God doth suffer them to bereaue men of their liues. It often chaunceth that those mens faces and heads do swel, which haue séene or heard spirits, or haue bene blasted with them: and some are taken mad, as we sée by experience. I remember well it hath happened, that some supposing they haue séene armed men, who were ready to take them, haue therefore assaied to slaie themselues: which thing may be by craft of the diuel. Spirites do also trouble cattell in the night time, in the pastures.
Thus much concerning the first part of this worke, wherein (I trust) I haue proued, and made it euident, that albeit there be many which vainely perswade themselues they haue séene wandring spirits, or haue beheld one instéed of an other: yet notwithstanding that there are walking spirits, and that other strange things so sometime happen.
I haue also shewed vnto whome they appeare especially, and where, when, after what sort, or in what fourmes they shewe themselues, and what things they worke and bring to passe.
Whosoeuer dare flatly deny these manifold and agréeable testimonies of the olde and new writers, he séemeth vnworthie in my iudgement, of any credit, whatsoeuer he say. For as it is a great token of lightnesse, if one by and by beleeue euery man which saith, he hath seene spirits: so on the other side, it is great impudency, if a man rashly and impudently contemne all things which are aduouched, of so many, and so credible Historiographers, and auncient Fathers, and other graue men of greate authoritie.
The seconde parte of this Booke doth shewe, that those Spirits and other straunge sights, be not the soules of men, but either _good or euil Angels, or else some secret and hid operations_.
CHAP. I.
The opinion or beliefe of the Gentiles, Iewes, and Turkes, concerning the estate of Soules seperated from their bodies.
In the second part of this booke we haue to consider, what those things be which (as wee haue before shewed) are both heard and séene, in the day time and in the night, whether they be the soules of dead men or no: also what the olde writers haue iudged of them, and what the holy scriptures, do teach vs herein.
[Sidenote: Platos opinion.]
=Plato= doth think, that Heroicall and excellent soules, as being of the pure sort, do mount aloft: but that other base and viler soules, that are defiled with the pleasures & lustes of the bodie, do wander below on the ground, and the same he déemeth to be those spirits which are eftsoones séene.
[Sidenote: Tertullian.]
Also other heathen and prophane writers say, they are heereby mooued to thinke that the soules of men doo liue after death, for that it is most cleare and euident, that many spirits wander and raunge hither and thither, and are oft times heard and séene, and founde to talke with men: for they suppose that most of these are mens soules. =Tertullian= a very auncient writer, in his booke _De anima_, saith, that the wise Heathens, which did define the soule to be immortall, (for some of them, as namely the Epicures, thought that the soules died with their bodies) thought that the soules of the wise, if they departed from their bodies, hadde their abiding on high: but the rest were throwne downe into Hell.
[Sidenote: Homer.]
[Sidenote: Virgil.]
Furthermore, the Heathen thought the Soules should stray continually abroade before they founde rest, vnlesse the bodies from which they were seuered, were rightly buried in the earth. Wherefore (as we may reade in Poets) it was a gréeuous crime to caste foorth any bodie vnburied. =Hector= in =Homere=, besought =Achilles= that he woulde not cast foorth his carcasse to be deuoured of Dogs and birds, but that he would deliuer the same to be enterred by olde =Priamus= his father, and =Hecuba= his mother. =Patroclus= appeared in a vision by night after his deathe vnto =Achilles=, and requested him to bestowe vppon him all funeral solemnities. For otherwise he saide the soules of those that were buried, woulde thrust him backe, that he should not be able once to enter in at Hell gates. Which example =Tertullian= aledgeth, and therwithal cōfuteth this vaine opinion of the heathen. =Palinurus= in =Virgill=, besought =Æneas=, that he woulde cast earth on him, when he was dead, and erect vnto him an hearse, for so did they call those Monuments of the deade, in whiche albeit no man was layde, yet were they vsed in the honour of the deceassed. =Virgill= writeth, that =Deiphobus= his Ghost wandred abroade, vnto the whiche =Æneas= erected an Horse.
[Sidenote: Plato.]
For the Gentiles were of suche an opinion in those dayes, that they thought an emptie and counterfeyted buriall profitted very much. Moreouer the heathen were perswaded that the soules which dyed before their naturall time (especially of those whiche perished by violent death, whom they call βιοθανάτους, as by hanging, drowning, or beheading, &c.) did straie abroade so long time as they should haue liued, if they had not bin slain by violent death. Which opinion =Tertullian= also confuteth. =Plato= in his ninth booke _De legibus_, writeth, that the soules of those which are slain, do pursue their murtherers so farre, that they do hurt them: the which, except it be vnderstood by way of a Metaphor, is likewise to be reiected.
[Sidenote: The Iewes opinion.]
[Sidenote: _Iob_.7.]
The Catholike faith amongst the Iewes was, that the soules of the dead did not returne into this earth, but either were at rest, which was when they died in the faith of the promised =Messias=, or were cōdemned if they departed hence in their sinnes without repentance. For =Iob= in his seuenth Chapter saith: Euen as the cloude vanisheth and fadeth away, so he that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more, nor returne into his house, &c.
[Sidenote: _Psal._31.]
[Sidenote: _Eccle._12.]
[Sidenote: _Wisd._3.]
[Sidenote: _Psal._49.]
But if thou wilt say that =Iob= was an Ethnicke, it may be alleaged of =Dauid=, that when he was in very great danger, and death euen present before his eyes, he praied in the 31. Psalme. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit. The Preacher also in his 12. Chapter saith: The spirite shall returne to God that giueth it. In the booke of Wisedome (which of olde writers is attributed to =Philo Iudeus=) the third Chapter thereof, it is written: the soules of the righteous are in the hande of God, and no torment shall touch them. And on the other side, the soules of the wicked go downe into hell. In the 49. Psalm it is written of those wealthie worldlings, which for lucres sake, depart from God and his Commaundements: They are laid as shéepe in Hell, Death shall consume them, and Hell is their habitation, &c.
[Sidenote: 2. _Samu._ 12.]
[Sidenote: _Eccle._ 38.]
If the Iewes had beléeued, that the soules after this life were tormented in Purgatorie, no doubt amongst so many diuers kinds of sacrifices, which they offered for the sinnes of the liuing, they would at least haue some one kind of sacrifice whereby to redéeme soules, or in some part to assuage and mitigate their paines. And that soules do returne after death, do offer themselues to be séene and beheld of men, and require aide of them, we finde no where in the old Testament, but rather the contrary. In the 2. of =Samuel= 12. =Dauid= speaketh this of his yoong childe, that he begat by =Bersaba=, that he could not bring him into life againe, that hee would go to him, and the childe should neuer returne vnto him againe. And Iesus the sonne of =Syrach=, in his 38. chapter saith: There is no returning from death. Of the vision which was shewed to =Samuel=, we will straightway speake in his proper place.
And that in latter ages, long after Christ came in flesh, there were some amongst the Iewes, who thought that the soules separated from their bodies, did straie and raunge abroad: it may hereby be gathered, for that certaine of the Rabbines write, that the soule of =Naboth= (which was slain, because he would not sell his Vineyard to =Achab=) was that spirit that promised his helpe to seduce =Achab=, being as it were one that coueted his death.
[Sidenote: The Turkes opinion.]
The Turkes also beléeue that the soule is immortall, and that assoone as they are loosed from the bodie, they come either into a place of rest, or of torment. But whether that they did thinke, that soules returned againe into the earth, and roue there too and fro, I could finde no plaine mention thereof in their _Alcaron_.
CHAP. II.
The Papists doctrine touching the soules of dead men, and the appearing of them.
[Sidenote: Papists.]
[Sidenote: Iacobus de Cusa.]
The Papists in former times haue publikely both taught and written, that those spirites which men somtime sée and heare, be either good or bad angels, or els the soules of those which either liue in euerlasting blisse, or in Purgatory, or in the place of damned persons. And that diuers of them are those soules that craue aide and deliuerance of men. But that this doctrine of theirs, and the whole state therof may be the more euidently perceiued, we will more largely repeate the same out of their owne bookes. =Iacobus de Cusa=, a _Carthusian_ Friar, and Doctor of diuinitie, wrote a booke of yͤ Apparition of soules, after they were seperated fro the bodies: which worke of his, hath in it many superstitious toyes, and was Printed in a Towne belonging to the dominion of _Berna_, named _Burgdrofe_, in the yeare of our Lord, 1475.
[Sidenote: Foure places for soules.]
Popish writers commenting on the 4. booke of the Maister of Sentences, do appoint foure places to receiue soules, after they are departed from the bodies. Thrée of the which places they say are perpetuall, and one which lasteth but for a time already limitted.
[Sidenote: Heauen.]
[Sidenote: Hell.]
[Sidenote: Limbus puerorum which is a place wher the Papistes imagine the soules of yong childrē to be, which departed without Baptisme.]
[Sidenote: Purgatorie.]
The first place or receptacle is _Cælum Empireum_, the firie heauen, so termed of his passing great brightnesse and glory, which they say is the seate ordeined for yͤ blissed sort: this place by an other name in scripture is called =Paradise=. The second place is Hell vnder the earth, being the Mansion of Diuels and Infidels, departing hence in deadly sinne, without repentance. The third place they tearme _Limbus puerorum_, which is prouided as well for the children of the faithfull, as of the vnfaithfull: who (they say) shall continually abyde there without any sense of payne, being only depriued from the fruition of Gods presence. And therefore they say, that after their death, they ought not to be buried in holy buriall. The fourth place is Purgatorie, which is prepared for them that departe hence without deadly sinne, or if they committed any such sinnes, did some penance for them, but yet made not full satisfaction for them, or else went hence only stained with venial sin.
Of this place, to wit, Purgatorie, Popish writers teach maruellous things. Some of them say, that Purgatorie is also vnder the earth as Hell is. Some say that Hell and Purgatorie are both one place, albeit the paines be diuers according to the deserts of soules. Furthermore they say, that vnder the earth there are more places of punishment in which the soules of the deade may be purged. For they say, that this or that soule hath bin seene in this or that mountaine, cloud, or valley, where it hath committed the offence: and that these are particuler Purgatories, assigned vnto them for some speciall cause, before the day of Iudgement, after which time all manner of Purgatories, as well general as particuler shall cease. Some of them say, that the paine of Purgatorie is all one with the punishment of hel, and that they differ only in this, that the one hath an end, the other no ende: and that it is far more easie to endure all the paynes of this worlde, whiche all men since =Adams= time haue susteined, euen vnto the day of the last Iudgement, than to beare one dayes space the least of these two punishmentes.
Further they holde that our fire, if it be compared with the fire of Purgatorie, doth resemble only a painted fire. Séeke their Doctours in this pointe, on the fourth booke of Sentences, the 20. distinction.
[Sidenote: By whome Soules are tormented in purgatorie.]
This question also they moue, by whome the Soules in Purgatorie are tormented. Wherfore their opinions are very diuers, and disagréeable among themselues.
=Richardus de Media Villa= a _Franciscan_ Frier, writeth vpon the Maister of Sentences, and saith, he verily beléeueth that soules are caried by good Angels, into the places of torment, but yet that they themselues do not torment them, because they shall become at length fellow citizens with them. Neyther yet are they punished by Deuils (who after this life do no longer tempte men) but only by the méere iustice of God. And yet (saith he) it may so come to passe, that the Deuils be present at the doing thereof, and reioyce at their tortures. I thought good to repeate these things of Purgatorie somewhat at large, the rather for that the reader might sée, that their Doctours do disagrée in a matter of great weight, by which they haue both robbed men of their wealth, and plunged them into very great miserie.
[Sidenote: Papists feigne that soules returne to earth againe.]
Héervnto they adde, that the spirits, as well of the good, as the ill, do come and are sent vnto men liuing, from hell. And that by the common lawe of iustice, all men at the day of Iudgement shall come to their trial from hell: and that none before that time can come from thence. Farther they teache, that by Gods licence and dispensation, certaine, yea before the day of Iudgement, are permitted to come out of hell, and that not for euer, but only for a season, for the instructing and terrifying of the liuing. Héervppon they recite diuers kindes of visions, that certaine Clarkes, and Laye persons being damned, bothe men and women, haue appeared to their ghostly fathers, and others, and haue opened vnto them the causes of their damnation: all which to rehearse héere were lost laboure. And that the soules which be in euerlasting ioye, or in Purgatorie, do often appeare, it may be séene in =Gregories= Homelies and =Gregories= Dialogues, who writeth that =Peter= and =Paule=, and other Saintes, did not onely appeare vnto holie men, but did also conducte their Soules vnto Celestiall ioye. Moreouer that God doth licence soules to return from those two places, partly for the comfort and warning of the liuing, and partly to pray aide of them. And yet that those soules doo not here represent themselues to be séene of men, when, and how often soeuer they list themselues. No doubt these men shewe themselues to haue a sharpe wit and profound knowledge.
[Sidenote: VVhether we may wish to see spirits.]
These Doctors moreouer moue this question, whether we may request without offence, that the soules of such as are departed, may shewe themselues to be beheld and séene of the liuing.
To riue asunder this crabbed knotte, they bring this wedge: that if this request proceede of some good intent, without the spot of lightnesse & vanitie, that a man might vnderstand the state of some friend, neighbour, benefactour, or of his parents, or some other, therby to helpe and relieue them speedily of their torments, it is no offence at all: because dead mens soules doo of their owne accord shew them selues vnto the liuing, to receiue helpe of them, and therefore nothing can let vs to aske this thing at Gods hand. Of this opinion is =Thomas= of =Aquine=.
But as concernyng the time and place, when and where Spirites doo proffer themselues to be séene, they say, no certaine rule can be giuen: for this standeth wholly in Gods pleasure, who if he list to deliuer any, suffereth him to make his appearaunce foorthwith, euen in such places as he may be well heard in. And that spirits do not alwayes appeare vnder a visible shape, but sometimes inuisibly, in so much that sometime nothing else is heard of them but snéesing, spitting, sighing, and clapping of hands &c. Of which point I haue noted somewhat before, when I spake generally of ghostes, because they appeare in sundry sorts. And wheresoeuer these spirits be, they say, that they endure punishment. Besides that soules doo not appeare, nor answere vnto euery mans interrogatories, but that of a great number they scantly appeare vnto one.
[Sidenote: How a man ought to vse himself when spirits appeare according to the Papists.]
[Sidenote: _Dan._10.11.]
[Sidenote: 1._Samu._3.]
And therefore they teache. Whensoeuer such visions of spirits are shewed, men should vse fasting and praier or euer they demaunde any question of them: which (say they) in the tenth and eleuenth Chapters of =Daniell=, is read to haue bene done by =Daniell= himself. Besides this, shrift, and massing should be vsed ere we question with them: farther, that we should not giue credit assoone as we heare but one sign, but waite to heare the same thrice repeated, which in the first booke of =Samuel= and third Chapter, is read to haue bin done by =Samuel= being yet a childe: for otherwise the diuell may delude and deceiue vs, as he doth very often. And so soone as these thinges are dispatched and performed, that foure or fiue deuout priests are to be sent for, which should come to the place where the spirit was wont to shew himselfe, and that they should vse certaine ceremonies, as to take a candle that hath bene halowed on Candlemasse day, and light it: also holy water, the signe of the Crosse, a censor in their hand, and when they light their candle, should pray ouer it (as I remember) the seuen penitential psalms, or read the Gospell of S. =Iohn=. And when they come to the place, they should sprinkle it with holy water, and perfume it with Frankincense, casting about their neckes a holy stoale, and then that one of them kneeling on his knées, should rehearse this praier following.
O Lord Iesu Christ, the searcher of all secrets, which art alwaies wont to reueale healthfull and profitable things vnto thy faithful people and litle ones, which hast permitted some certaine spirit to shew himselfe in this place: we humbly beséech thee of thy great mercy, by thy death & passion, and by the sheading of thy most precious bloud for our sinnes, that thou wilt vouchsafe to giue in charge to this spirite, that he may declare and open what he is, without any fraying or hurting of vs, or of any other creature besides: shewing vnto vs thy seruants, or to other sinners as we be, who he is, why he is come, and what he desireth, so that hereby thou maist be honoured, he comforted, and thy faithfull people also holpen and succoured. In the name of the father, the sonne, and the holy ghost. Amen.