Part 14

=Tertullian= in his booke _De Anima_ mentioneth, that there were some euen in his dayes, which professed they could raise vp and reclaime soules from the hellishe habitation. And he calleth Arte Magike, the second Idolatrie, in the whiche the diuels doo as well fayne themselues to bee dead men, as they doo in the other to bee Gods. So doo these subtle spirites lurke, and doo many straunge things vnder the pretence of deade men. He addeth, that Magike is thought to conuey soules out of Hell which 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. Neither is it a harde matter for him to bleare and beguile the outward eyes, who can easily darken and dazell the inwarde sighte of the minde. The Serpents that were brought foorth by the inchaunters rods, séemed to the _Egiptians_ to be bodies, but the truth of =Moises= 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 his time those heretikes named properly Simonistes of =Simon= 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.

[Sidenote: Lactantius.]

=Lactantius= in the .2. booke & 17. chap. =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 heathens tooke to be gods, or as we now say, they tooke vnto them the names of S. =Sebastian=, =Barbara=, and others.

[Sidenote: Idem.]

In the 7. booke and 13. chap. he saith, that the Magitians with certaine inchauntmentes did call soules out of hell. But this may not so be vnderstood, that =Lactantius= was of this iudgement, that they by their wicked arts did bring the soules back again into their dead bodies: but that they did so vaunt and boast that they had raised vp this and that soule. He also confuteth the opinion of the Ethnikes, prouing by the testimonie of the very Magitians, whom they highly reuerenced, that the soule was immortall. These men affirmed and taught, that they did call vp soules from the dead, the which point, euen those of the Gentiles beléeued, who notwithstanding thought, that the soule did straightway die with the bodie.

=Iustine= the Martire, in the second Apologie which he wrote in the defence of Christians, hath these wordes: I will (saith he) say the truth: In times past wicked angels through vain visions deceiued women, and children, and with straunge and monstrous sightes made man afraide, by whiche meanes they often wroong that oute of foolishe and rude persons, which by reason they coulde neuer get of them. And therefore not knowing that these were the Diuels engines and policies tending to delude them, they by one consent termed the workers of these slie conueyances, by the name of Gods, assigning to eache of them their proper names, as best pleased themselues. &c.

Afterwardes in the same Apologie hée exhorteth the Heathens, that they would not deny mens soules after this life to be endued with sense, but at the least way, would giue credit to their owne Necromancers, who teach that they call vp mens soules. Also let them beléeue those yͭ affirme they haue bin vexed with spirits of dead men, which persons the common people term furious & frantike bodies. In =Augustin= _De ciuitate dei_, many such things be cōteined.

Now what dreadfull, strange, and maruellous ceremonies they vsed when they went about by their Magicall Artes to call vp the soules of the dead, a man may sée in the sixth booke of =Lucan= the Poet: where he setteth foorth how =Erictho=, a famous Witche in _Thessaly_, reuiued and restored a souldiour to life againe, who was lately slaine before. Which act he did at the request of =Sextus Pompeius=, that so he might by him learne what woulde be the issue of the battaile fought at _Pharsalia_.

This kind of Magike they properly terme =Necromancie=, or =Phycomancie=, which is wrought by raising vp the spirits and soules of the dead. Of which there were diuerse sorts. For sometime appeared vnto men the whole bodies of the dead, but at an other time onely ghostes and spirits: and often nothing was heard, sauing onely a certaine obscure voyce.

=Plutarch= in the life of =Cimon=, (as hée is translated by =Ioachimus Camerarius=, in the Preface on =Plutarches= bookes, _De oraculis quæ defecerint_, & _de conseruata figura, Ei, Delphis_ writeth, that =Pausanias=, when he had taken the Citie of _Bizance_, sent for =Cleonice=, a mayden of noble parentage, to haue vnhonest company with her. Whom her parents partly by necessitie, and partly for fear, sent vnto him. But after that the virgin had once obteined so much of his waiters in his priuie Chamber, that they should at her first entrance, put out the lightes, she in the darke going softly towardes =Pausanias= bedde, by the way stumbled on the candlesticke, and ouerthrew it against her will, as he laie a sléepe in his bedde, who being troubled with the sodaine noyse, drew a swoord that laie by him, and therewith slewe the virgine, as she had bene his enemie, which went priuily to set vpon him. But she being thus slaine with that deadly stroake, would neuer suffer =Pausanias= to take his quiet rest, but in a vision appearing vnto him in the night season, denounced sentence of hatred against this noble captaine, in these words.

[Sidenote: Ephori amōgest the Lacedemonians were Magistrates, who in certaine cases were aboue kings, vnto whom appeales were made from kings: euen as amongst the Romans, they appealed from the Consuls to the Tribunes.]

Στεῖχε δἱχες ἆσσον μάλα τοι χαχὸν άνδράσιν ὕβρις which is, Answere to the lawe, for wrong is an euill thing vnto all men. This heinous déede of =Pausanias= was verie gréeuously taken of all his companions, who therefore vnder the conduction of captaine =Cymo= sette on him, and chased him out of _Thracia_. And thus hauing lost the Cities of _Bizance_, when (as it is reported) the fight continued in troubling him, he fledde vnto _Necyomantium_, at _Heraclea_, where the soule of =Cleonices= being called vp, hée by intreatie pacified her displeasure. Shée did there both present her selfe vnto his sight, and also told him, it should shortly come to passe, that the euill towardes him should cease, assoone as he came to _Sparta_. Hereby priuily intimating his death, &c. This =Pausanias= did at the first soberly and discréetely demeane himselfe, but afterwardes béeing puffed vp with such victories as he had obteined, he ruled and raigned lyke a verie Tyraunt. Wherefore when the Magistrates called =Ephori=, would haue committed him to prison, he tooke Sanctuarie in a Temple, where he was shut vp vntill he famished through hunger.

I might here heape togither many such like Histories, to proue euidently what this =Samuel= was. In other matters also, if God licence him, the Diuel is not destitute of power, and how craftie and readie he is for all assaies, experience doth well declare.

Furthermore graunt that, wherin the pith and strength of the question doth consist (which can neuer be proued by scripture) that God did permit =Samuell= to returne and to prophesie things to come after his death, yet will it not thereof follow, that such visions should now be shewed also, or that those things should be out of hand credited and done which they commaund.

God in times past, did often in visible shape send his Angels vnto men, but now we heare not that many are sent vnto men, neither indéed is the same necessary. When the Apostles liued here, many notable miracles were done, but now for certaine good causes, they cease and fall away, for whatsoeuer is necessary for our saluation, is expresly conteined in the word of God. These notes touching =Samuels= appearing, may suffise.

CHAP. X.

Moyses and Elias appeared in the Mounte vnto Christ our Lord: many haue bene raised from the dead both in bodie and soule, and therefore soules after they are departed, may returne on earth againe.

[Sidenote: _Mat.17._ Moses & Elias appeared.]

In like manner they obiect vnto vs, out of the 17. of =Matthew=, that =Moses= and =Helias= were séene in the Mount, (which is called by the olde Writers _Tabor_,) with our Lord Iesus, by the Apostles whom he had chosen for the same purpose, and that they did speake with him. =Luke= telleth of what matters they communed with him, to wit of his death, that is yͤ death of the crosse. Thereupon they gather, that the soules of dead men may come againe into earth & appeare vnto men: we haue graunted before that God is able to send soules again into the earth, but that it is his will so to do, or that it is necessary especially at these dayes, is not yet proued. =Moses= and =Helias= appeared appeared not to al the Apostles but only to thrée, neither did they speake to those thrée, they brought no new Doctrine, they commanded them not to build Churches in their honor, or to do any such like thing, whether that their soules came alone, or their bodies: also sure it is, they were not sent to the Apostles, but to Christ onely.

It was very necessary, that they which should be Christs witnesses, shuld very wel vnderstand, that both yͤ Law and the Prophets, do beare record vnto our Sauior Christ, that he shuld die for the world, and come again in the latter day, to raise vp the dead bodies, to glorifie them, & to carry them with him, into eternal blisse. And for this cause, God would haue these two excellent Prophets séene of the Apostles.

[Sidenote: Lazarus came againe on earth. _Iohn 11._]

=Lazarus= soule did not only appeare, but he came againe both in bodie & soule, as =Iohn= witnesseth in his 11. chap. he is as it were a sure token, of our true resurrection, which shall be in the last day, as also others, which our Sauiour Christ, the Apostles, and in auncient time, the Prophets haue raised from the dead. You shall neuer read that either =Lazarus=, or any other haue tolde where they were while they were dead, or what kind of being there is in the other world, for these things are not to be learned and knowne of the dead, but out of the word of God.

[Sidenote: _Matth.27._ At the resurrectiō of christ many rose againe.]

[Sidenote: Augustine.]

The like may be said to that which is in the 27. chap. of S. =Matthew=, that when Christ suffered on the Crosse, the graues were opened, & afterwards on the day of his resurrection, many dead bodies did arise, & appeared to many at _Hierusalem_. The soules of the dead did not only appeare, neither did they warne the liuing, or command them to doo this or that for yͤ deads sake, to wit, either to pray for them, or to go on pilgrimage to saints, &c. But yͤ dead with their soules and bodies togither, came into the earth: for héereby God would shewe, that he by his death hath ouercome and destroyed death to the faithfull, and that at the last day their soules and bodies shall be knit togither, and liue with God for euer. Now what these holy men were that rose againe, and whether they remained any time in this present life, or died againe, or went with Christ into heauen, looke the iudgement of =S. Augustine= in his 99. Epist. to =Euodius=, and his 3. booke _De mirabilibus. cap.13._

[Sidenote: Spiridion raised his daughter.]

[Sidenote: Ruffinus.]

To these we may ioyne that which =Ruffinus= writeth in his ecclesiastical history, 1. booke, 5. chap. and which =Socrates= repeateth in his first booke & 12. chap. touching =Spiridion= Bishop of _Cyprus_. He had a daughter called =Irene=, with whome a certaine friend of hers left gorgious apparrell, she being more wary than néeded, hid it in the ground, and within a while died. Not long after cōmeth this man yͭ owned the apparel, & hearing say yͤ maiden was dead, goeth to her father whom sometimes he accuseth, & sometimes intreateth. The old father supposing this mans losse to be his owne calamitie, cōmeth to his daughters graue, & there calleth vpō god, beseeching him yͭ he wold shew him before yͤ time, the resurrection which is promised. And his hope was not in vaine, for the virgin being reuiued, apeared to her father, & shewed the place wher she had hid the apparel, & so departed again.

I wil not deny this thing to be true. For the like historie hath =Augustine= in his 137. epist. A certain yong man which had an euill name accused =Boniface=, =Augustines= priest, yͭ he inticed him to filthinesse. Now whē yͤ matter could neither be proued, nor disproued by sufficient reasons: both of them were bid to go to the graue of one =Felix= a Martyr, that by a miracle the truth might be known. They had not bin sent, vnlesse before this time also some secrete matters had bene knowne by this meanes: it may be wel answered, that they were good, or rather euil angels which did appeare.

CHAP. XI.

Whether the holy Apostles thought they sawe a mans soule, when Christ sodeinly appeared vnto them after his Resurrection.

[Sidenote: _Luke 24._]

We reade in the 24. Chapter of Saint =Lukes= Gospell, that two Disciples whiche returned from _Emaus_ to _Hierusalem_, told the Apostles, that they had séene Christ aliue againe, and whiles they yet spake, the Lorde stood in the midst of them, and saide vnto them, Peace be vnto you: but they being amazed & afraid, thought they sawe a spirit. &c.

[Sidenote: Christs Disciples supposed they sawe a ghost.]

Out of this some go about to proue, that the Apostles beléeued that spirits or soules did walke and appeare vnto men, and that they themselues did thinke they sawe the spirit of Christ (as certaine of the old Writers do expound it) or else some other mans spirit.

[Sidenote: Many kindes of spirites.]

This argument may be answered two wayes. First if they thought they sawe a soule, they thought a misse. But they were no lesse deceiued with the common sorte now, that when they thought Christ would raise vp an outward and earthly kingdome, in which they should be chiefe. Secondly, it may be, that they supposed they sawe an euill or good Angell, for there are more kindes of spirites than one. There is a spirit that created all things, to wit, God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost. Againe there be spirits that be created, as good and euil Angels, as also the soules of men, which either are in the bodie, or by death seuered from the bodie, and abide either in euerlasting life, or in eternall damnation. As touching the state of soules in Purgatorie, where they are prepared to the heauenly iourney, and of _Limbus puerorum_, there is nothing extant in holy scripture.

It is manifest in scripture, that God appeared vnto the holy Patriarches, to the Prophets, to Kings and others, in diuers visions and formes, and that he shewed himself vnto them and spake with them. =Iacob= sawe a ladder reache from the earth vp to heauen, and God leaning on it. =Isaias= sawe the Lord sitting vpon an high throne. =Daniel= sawe an olde man sitting, and his sonne comming vnto him and receiuing all power of him.

=Tertullian= and other holy Fathers do teach, that the son of God, which at the appointed time should take vpon him humaine flesh, did appear vnto the Patriarches in an angelicall shape.

When =Iohn Baptist= did baptise our Sauiour in _Iordan_, the holy Ghost was séene in the shape of a Doue. The holy scriptures in many places do testifie, that good Angels haue oftentimes appeared to Gods Ministers.

That euill spirits are often séene, and that at this day they shewe themselues in diuers formes, to Inchaunters and Coniurers, and to other men also, as wel godly as wicked, both histories and daily experience doth witnesse.

Truly we reade not, that soules haue appeared on this fashion. By these we may easily gather, that the Apostles, when they thought they sawe a spirit, did not beléeue they sawe a soule. Could they not thinke I pray you, they sawe an euill spirit? Or rather that they sawe a good spirit, or a good Angel? For it may be shewed by many examples, that euen the faithfull haue bene troubled, and feared at the appearing of good Angels.

[Sidenote: _Dan.8.10._]

In the eight and tenth Chapter of =Daniel=, we read that the Prophet fel into a sicknesse at the sight of Angels. The Virgin =Mary= her selfe was afraide when she sawe the Angell =Gabriel=. So was =Zachary= the Priest, & many others.

[Sidenote: _Acts 12._]

[Sidenote: _Mat.18._]

[Sidenote: _Psal.19._]

In the 12. of yͤ Acts, we reade, that =Herode= killed =Iames= the Apostle with the sword, and when he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, hée caught =Peter= also, and when hée had put him in prison, hée deliuered him to .16. Souldioures to be kepte, entending after the feast of Passeouer to kill him. But the Angell of the Lorde led S. =Peter= out of the prison by night through the Souldiours watch, and sette him in the right way to the house of =Mary=, the mother of =Iohn=, whose surname was =Marke= (where many were gathered togither and prayed.) And when he had knocked at yͤ entrie doore, a maid came forth to harken, named =Rhode=. But when she knew =Peters= voice, she opened not the entrie doore for gladness, but ran in and tolde howe =Peter= stood before the entrie, but they said vnto hir thou art mad: yet she affirmed constantly that it was so. Then said they it is his Angell, but =Peter= continued knocking, and when they had opened and saw him they were astonied. In like maner, now also when the Apostles saw Christ, peraduenture they thought they sawe a good Angel. For there are Angels giuen of God vnto men to kéepe them. Of this matter there is somwhat red in the .18. of S. Matthew, & in the 19. Psal. & we will note somwhat more of it hereafter.

The Gentiles also beléeued (as may bee gathered by their writings) that euery man had a good & an euil Angel, and that the good Angel did stir men vp to vertue, & defend them, but that the euil Angell did hurt men wheresoeuer he could, and did prouoke them to wickednesse.

If our Elders, when they haue séene or heard any thing of one that hath bene trauelling or dead, did say it is his spirit, it may be, they ment not his soule, but his Angel: for if when as spirits were séene now in this place, and by and by in an other place, they did thinke them to be soules (as in these latter times all men haue beléeued:) in this they were deceiued, as they haue bene in many other things also, for soules are by and by receiued, eyther into euerlasting ioy, or into eternall damnation.

If the Preachers and Teachers had done their duties, and had in this and other pointes of Christian Doctrine, rightly instructed the people committed to their charge, or at the least, if they had not forbidden them to reade the holy scriptures, they would haue thought aright both of this, and other things which at this day are in controuersie.

CHAP. XII.

Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishops, and common people, which say that soules do visibly appeare.

[Sidenote: The holy Fathers say that soules appear.]

[Sidenote: Ambrose.]

[Sidenote: Augustine.]

[Sidenote: Gregorie.]

The authoritie of the holie Fathers is obiected against vs, as that which Saint =Ambrose= writeth of Saint =Agnes=, and Saint =Augustine= of Saint =Felix=, of which we haue spoken before. And that which =Abdias= hath in the life of the Apostles, that =Thomas= appeared after his death and preached. Saint =Gregorie= in his Dialogues, doth write diuerse and wondrous things, among others he rehearseth many examples of the dead which appeared, and desired helpe of certaine Saintes, yea and of the Apostles themselues, whiche haue visited some vppon their death beddes, a little before they departed, and many other suche lyke matters, which they that list may read themselues. It is saide that =Hierome= appeared to Saint =Augustine=.

[Sidenote: Many things fabulous in Gregories Dialogues.]

I will not in this place accuse the holie Fathers of vanitie, yet this we must note, they say not they haue beléeued that they whiche appeared, were the soules of dead men, but they spake after the common manner. As touching S. =Gregories= Dialogues, I cannot hide, this (which many haue noted before mee) that many things are conteined in them that are nothing true, but altogither like old wives tales. Not because the holie Father hath written these things of malice, but for that he being too too credulous, hath put many things into his bookes, rather vppon other mens report, than that he himselfe knew them certainly to be true.

At this day also there are many honest and godlie men which haue this faulte, that they are too quicke of beléefe, and altogither ruled by others. They iudge other men by themselues, they would be ashamed to reporte any thing that were false, and thinke suche men in like manner to be affectioned, which doe abuse their simplicitie and goodnesse. Oftentimes these men, through their too muche lightnesse of beléefe, fall into great daungers.

Moreouer, in that age wherin =Gregorie= liued, men began to attribute much to those apparances and visions. And at that time the true and sincere Doctrine began greatly to decay. Truly the time in which a man happens to liue, is much to be regarded: he himselfe confessed that his times was the latter times. Therefore the Scriptures shoulde haue béene more diligently lent vnto, neither should any thing haue bene retained that was not agréeable vnto them. Some going about to excuse him, for that he hath stuffed his Dialogues ful of miracles and wonders, say he did it to mollifie by those examples, the peruerse and hard hearts of the =Longobardes=, to the end they might embrace the true Religion, which they had so greeuously persecuted. But that it is in no wise profitable to make knowen the true faith, by these helpes which are nothing else but vaine tales, euen =Viues= himselfe, in his first booke _De tradendis disciplinis_ doth acknowledge.

[Sidenote: Counsells approue the appearing of Soules.]

Some vrge vs with the authoritie of counsels, which haue allowed certain apparances of soules, and haue suffered some bookes, whiche are extant of such apparitions, to be read for the edifying of the simple, and some againe togither with their visions, they haue cleane reiected.

[Sidenote: Councels may erre.]

[Sidenote: _Matth.24._]

It is reported that the Counsell of _Constance_, hath allowed this vision: