Part 15

A certaine Deane when he had giuen ouer his Deanrie, went into the Wildernesse to doe penaunce: after his deathe he appeared to his Bishop, and tolde him that the same houre in which he departed this life, there died thirtie thousand men, among whome only his soule and S. Barnarde were made partakers of eternall saluation, and thrée went into Purgatorie, and all the rest into endlesse damnation. &c. They say that Councels & the churche cannot erre, because they are guided by the holy Ghost. Also in the 24. of Matthew, the Lord doth say in the later dayes there shalbe signes and wonders, that the very elect if it were possible might be seduced, therefore they conclude those things which Councels do saye of such apparitions, are to be beléeued. Christs words are not so to be vnderstood that the chosen can neuer be broughte into errors (for the contrary may be shewed by many examples) but that they do not abide in erroure, albeit some do very hardly get out of the same againe. Tell me, I pray you, who they were that came togither in auncient Councels? were they not holy fathers? It is manifest that in many points they were at variaunce among themselues, and that they haue shewed by their contrary writings: yea and many times they are contrary to themselues, and therfore they haue not alwaies thought aright. Sometime they send vs to the word of God, as to the most certaine rule and leauell of faith. There are examples inough, by which it may be shewed, that the old Councelles haue erred in some of their determinations. The Councell of =Ariminum= hath allowed the Arrians doctrine. The second Ephesin councell did subscribe to =Eutiches=. The Councell holden at _Carthage_, which =Cipriā= gathered, pronounced flatly against the scriptures, &c. What shall we say was done in latter times? It is well inough knowen by histories who hath resisted Councels, and ruled them, and what hath bene chiefly handled in them for certaine hundred yeares: And what for the most parte hath by and by followed after them, euen cruel warres and bloudy slaughters. If nowe those auncient Councels coulde erre, who will maruaile that they which haue assembled since haue erred? But as touching the apparitions, that I may (all other things omitted) talke only of them, tell me I pray you who should certifie the Councels, whether this or that vision were true or false? Certainly no Councels can bring to passe that the lyes which haue bene scattered abroade, shall now begin to be true tales, although they of the Councel haue saide they are true.

[Sidenote: Popes haue approued the appearing of soules.]

It is euen as foolishe to say, the Pope (who wil be counted aboue all Councels) hath confirmed this or that miracle to be true, which they say was wrought in some one monasterie or other. How can the bishop of =Rome= being so far off, knowe any thing better than they which dwell in the same places? If the bishop hauing no other assuraunce than out of their words or writings, which perhaps go about to erecte newe pilgrimages, and newe deuises to get money, confirme once that this or that soule was séene, it must straight way without any gaynsaying be beléeued. But if any other men who haue with diligence sought out the truth of the matter, do testifie the contrary: al that they say must not be regarded. Consider (I beséeche you) of this matter. Before, all haue doubted whether the thing were so or no, but assoone as the Pope doth giue his verdicte, or some Church man do in his dreame sée it to be so, it is a heynouse matter afterwards to doubt of it. O time! O manners!

[Sidenote: Many affirme they haue seen soules.]

As touching other common and lay men as they terme them, which say they haue séene one after his death, and haue heard and knowne him, and haue spoken with him: I easily graunt they haue séene and heard some thing, and haue thought verily they were soules, and that they did speake with them. But it followeth not therfore, that they were soules indéede, much lesse that any dead man hath appeared in bodie & soule vnto them. For at doomes day only, the soules shall returne to their bodies againe. Soules are spirits, but spirits are inuisible, wherefore they cannot so be séene, vnlesse they take some outward shape vpon them. But it can neuer be proued by the testimony of holy scripture, that as good and euil Angels, so soules take som shapes vpon them. Besides this, it is most true that oftentimes the shapes and formes of them whose soules are not yet sundred from their bodies by death (as when one lieth vpon his death bed) are no lesse séene than theirs which are already dead. Therfore it is not necessary that we beléeue yͤ ghostes which are séene, to be soules. By these things you vnderstand what is to be thought of the tale of =Platina=, =Nauclerus=, and others, which write that a certaine Bishop sawe Pope =Benedict= the eight (lately dead) in a solitary place sitting on a blacke horse, and being demaunded why he was so carried about with the blacke horse, he warned the Bishop that he should distribute the money which was giuen to the vse of the poore (but now wickedly kept to other purposes) vnto those poore folkes to whom of right it belonged. Other tales of like stampe are rife euery where.

CHAP. XIII.

Whether soules do returne againe out of Purgatorie, and the place which they call _Limbus puerorum_.

[Sidenote: 1. _Thess._ 4.]

That soules, which are gone either to heauen or to hell, returne not thence, nor appeare againe before the latter day, perchaunce some men would easily graunt: but they imagine there is a third place, (which is Purgatorie) out of the which soules do returne vpon earth. For as yet the last sentence hath not passed on them, and therfore as yet they may be helped, and therfore also they do craue help, and shewe themselues vnto men. But we haue proued before at large, both out of the scriptures, and also out yͤ writings of the auncient Fathers, that the soules of the faithfull are saued, and that the soules of the vnbeléeuers are damned immediatly without delay, and therefore there is no Purgatorie. Against this, they alledge sundrie arguments, amongst the which this, albeit it be very common, yet is it the chéefest, when they say, that no man is saued except he bee purged from all his sinnes, and that sinne cleaueth vnto vs euen vnto the graue. If we say that puritie and cleannesse consisteth not in our workes, or in the paines which wee endure, but that God through faith in his sonne Iesus Christ (who is our onely redemption, iustification, satisfaction, and raunsome for our sinnes) dooth iustifie vs: they straight aunswere, that our faith is vnperfect, and that the moste godly men complaine when they depart hence, of the weakenesse of their faith. And therefore that God dooth not take vp suche kinde of men straightwayes into heauen, nor yet because they are not vtterly voyde of faith, thrust them presently downe into hell. And therefore, that there is a middle place betwéene both, which is called Purgatorie, in which the soules are purified from the imperfection whiche remained in them at the time of their death, and out of the which they are deliuered by the merits of the liuing, and by large pardons. Is not this as much as to attribute that vnto our owne paines and to externall fire, which ought only to be ascribed vnto the death of Christ? Dooth not Christ teache vs, that if at any time we féele any weaknesse of faith, we shuld crie out with the Apostles, Lord increase our faith? Dooth God disdaine to heare the prayers of his faithfull people in the extremitie of death? Christ saith, he that is washed hath no néede saue to washe his féete, but he is cleane euery whitte: Hée will saue vs, not for the woorthinesse of our faith, but by his méere grace onely. He dooth bestow these things amongst vs, as if some riche man did fréely giue meate and drinke vnto others, whereof some of them receiueth it in woodden, some in earthen, and some in siluer or golden vessels: or as if a Prince did distribute vnto euery one a piece of golde, and some receiue it with a féeble hand, and some with a strong and lustie hand. He that hath the [weake] hand, receiueth money as well as he that hath the strong hande. Saint =Paule= exhorteth the Thessalonians in his first Epistle and fourth Chapter, that they mourne not for the dead as the Gentiles doo. If there had bene a fire of Purgatorie, as they haue falsely imagined, he could not haue bene angry with them, although they had taken their friendes departure somewhat impatiently, &c. Other arguments which are brought for the confirmation of purgatorie, are of late so confuted by many godly and learned men, that it is maruaile our aduersaries will so often repeate them.

But before I leaue this matter, I will here insert this historie following. A certaine Germain being accused by the Inquisitours of heresie (as they terme it) that amongest his companions he denied Purgatorie, contrarie to the common consent of the Catholike Churche, made his answeare thus: If our parish Priest (quoth he) whome I credite very much, preach vnto vs true doctrine in the Pulpet, either there is no Purgatorie at all, or else it is cleane emptie. For hée oftentimes saieth, that Turkes, Iewes, heretikes, and wicked men, goe not into Purgatorie, but straight into Hell fire, from whence they shall neuer bee deliuered: Then that by Pardons whiche are euery where solde for money, many soules are restored to their first perfection. And moreouer, that the Masse is of such force, that there is not one sung in all the world, by whiche one soule at the least is not deliuered out of the flames of Purgatorie. If these things (quoth he) be true, (for I will not go about to refell that which maister Parson hath saide) I will stande in this my opinion. For you doo all complaine, that the nomber of the Catholikes is verie small, the greater part of men being diuided into sundry sectes, and the multitude of Epicures daily increasing. Then are all mens pursses many times drawne drie by pardoners, which for mony sell their indulgences, that by them the soules of men may bee deliuered out of the torments of Purgatorie. Furthermore, there is no village but there are a great many Masses sung in it, before any one husbandman dieth. What followeth then, but that there is either no Purgatorie, or one vtterly voyde and emptie? When the Inquisitors (who knew very well that their men commonly taught such doctrine) heard these things, they were amazed, and taking aduise togither, they all berated him for occupying his head about questions nothing appertaining vnto him, which they commaunded him to leaue vnto Diuines, and to follow his owne businesse.

[Sidenote: Dilemma, is a kind of argument or reasoning, which euery way cōuinceth him vnto whome it is spoken.]

There was in our Countrey an honest and sober man, who before the light of the Gospell began to appeare, vsed this =Dilemma=: The Bishop of _Rome_ either hath authoritie to bring soules out of the paines of Purgatorie, or else he hath no authoritie: If he haue that power, and will not vse it, except he receiue money, he cannot escape the fault of crueltie and couetousnesse: But if hée haue no such authoritie, surely it is great villainie to robbe so many widowes and fatherlesse children, and so arrogantly to boast himselfe of authoritie whiche hée hath not. And if there bee no Purgatorie (as by the holy Scriptures it plainly gathered there is not) surely then mennes soules can neyther returne from thence, nor offer themselues to be séene of men.

[Sidenote: Limbus puerorum.]

Nowe as touching the fourth place, namely =Limbus puerorum=, (in the which innocent children, as they call them, are saide to be) Papistes themselues scant dare affirme, that they returne againe and appeare vnto men, and craue their helpe: for they teache, that if they depart without baptisme, they shall neuer enioy the sight of God, and for that cause they may not be buried in the same Churchyard with other Christians. Merciful God! how many godly matrones hath this false deuise miserably vexed? I call it a false deuise, for that they bring nothing out of the holie scriptures whereby to proue this poynt of doctrine. The scriptures do not attribute so much vnto external baptisme, which is by water. Was the condition of infants better in the olde Testament than in the new? You do not reade that the olde Fathers, supposed that infants which died before the eight day, and therfore were not circumcised, should be separated from the sight of God for euer. =Dauid= the king and prophet, said he should follow his sonne, whom God had called out of this life before he was circumcised. But it was not =Dauids= meaning that hee should goe into a place where he should bee depriued of the sight of God for euer. But it appertaineth not much vnto our purpose to dispute any further hereof. Thus haue I now answered the cheefest arguments of our aduersaries, whereby they would proue the soules of good and euil men, to offer themselues to be séene sometimes of them that liue, after their departure by death from their bodies.

CHAP. XIIII.

What those things are which men see and heare: and first that good Angels do sometimes appeare.

[Sidenote: Angells appeare. _Matth._18.]

[Sidenote: _Esay_.63.]

[Sidenote: _Dani._10.]

[Sidenote: _Psal._34.]

[Sidenote: Whole armies of Angels.]

[Sidenote: Cōstantinople preserued by the appearing of Angels.]

But thou wilt say, I doo not yet clearely and plainly vnderstand what manner of things those are, whereof (as it is sayd before) Historiographers, holy Fathers, and others, make mention: as that holie Apostles, Bishoppes, Martyres, Confessours, Virgines, and manie other which dyed long agoe, appeared vnto certaine men lying at the poynt of death, gaue them warnyng, aunsweared vnto certaine questions, commaunded them to doe this or that thyng: and that some thing is séene and heard at certeine times, whiche not only affirmeth it selfe to be this or that soule, but also sheweth howe it may be succoured, and afterwardes returning againe, giueth great thankes vnto them of whome it hath receiued such a benefite: that the husband being dead, came in the nighte vnto his wife nowe a widowe, and that seldome times any notable thing hathe happened, whiche was not foreshewed vnto some man by certaine signes and tokens. You wil say, I heare and vnderstand very wel that these things are not mens soules, which continually remaine in their appointed places, I pray you then what are they? To conclude in fewe words, If it be not a vaine persuasion procéeding through weakenesse of the senses through feare, or some suche like cause, or if it be not deceit of men, or some naturall thing, wherof we haue spoken muche in the firste part, it is either a good or euill Angell, or some other forewarning sent by God, concerning the which we will speake more orderly and fully hereafter. Our sauioure witnesseth in the Gospell, that children haue their good Angells: and we reade in the 18. of Matthew, that the Lorde saide: Take héede ye contemne not one of these litle ones: for I saye vnto you, that their Angels in Heauen do alwayes behold the face of my father whiche is in Heauen. Which words are not so to be taken, as though they were neuer sent downe into the earth, but the Lord here speaketh after the manner of men. For as seruaunts stande before their maisters to fulfill their commaundement, euen so are the Angels prest and ready to serue God. =Esay= the 63. The Angell of his face, that is, which standeth ready in his sight, preserued them. And further they which often stand in presence of their Lorde, are acceptable vnto them and priuy to their secrets. Out of this place of Math. Saincte =Herome= in his commentaries, and other fathers do conclude, that God doth assigne vnto euery soule assoone as he createth him his peculiar Angell, which taketh care of him. But whether that euerie one of the elect haue his proper Angell, or many Angels be appointed vnto him, it is not expresly set foorth, yet this is most sure and certaine, that God hath giuen his Angels in charge to haue regarde and care ouer vs. =Daniel= witnesseth in his tenth Chapter, that Angels haue also charge of kingdomes, by whom God kéepeth and protecteth them, and hindreth the wicked counsels of the diuell. It may be proued by many places of scripture, that all Christian men haue not only one Angell, but also many, whome God imployeth to their seruice. In the 34. Psalme it is sayd, the Angell of the Lord pitcheth his tentes round about them which feare the Lord, and helpeth them: which ought not to bee doubted but that it is also at this day, albeit we sée them not. We reade that they appearing in sundry shapes, haue admonished men, haue comforted them, defended them, deliuered them from daunger, and also punished the wicked. Touching this matter, there are plentifull examples, which are not néedfull to be repeated in this place. Sometimes they haue either appeared in sléepe, or in maner of visions, and sometimes they haue performed their office, by some internall operations: as when a mans minde foresheweth him, that a thing shall so happen, and after it happeneth so indéed, which thing I suppose is done by God, through the ministrie of Angels. Angels for the most part take vpon them the shapes of men, wherein they appeare. And so it may be, that S. =Felix=, and Saint =Agnes=, and other which haue appeared vnto honest and godly men, were the Angels of God. Angels haue appeared not only one at a time, but also whole Armies and Hostes, of them, as vnto =Iacob= the patriarch, and =Heliseus= the Prophet. It is read in the Ecclesiasticall history written by =Socrates= and =Sozomenus=, that =Archadius= the Emperour receiued =Gaina=, with all his Armie of souldiers, into the Citie of _Constantinople_, to defend it, but this traitor went about to get the rule of the Citie into his owne hands, and therefore he sent a band of men to fire the Emperours Pallace, which sodeinly espied a great hoste of Angels, of large stature, armed like vnto souldiers, whereupon they gaue ouer their enterprise of fiering. Then sent he others who reported the very same: At the last he went himselfe, and sawe it to be so, and so left his purpose: and thus God by a miraculous meanes, preserued the Cittie and Church of _Constantinople_ from the craftie subtiltie of the tyrant.

[Sidenote: Augustine.]

Whereas S. =Augustine= in his booke _De cura pro mortuis agenda_, Chapter 10. writeth, that dead men, haue appeared vnto the liuing in dreames, or any other meanes whatsoeuer, shewing them where their bodies laie vnburied, and requiring them to burie them. There he supposeth, that these are the workes of Angels by the dispensation of Gods prouidence, vsing vnto good purpose, both good and euil Angels, according to the vnsearchable depth of his iudgements. He saith not that such soules appeare in sléepe, but the similitude of soules. He addeth further, if the soules of the dead had any thing to do with matters of the liuing, and that we might talke with them as often as we list in our sléepe, his mother no night would leaue him, who to liue with him, followed him both by sea and by lande, suche loue bare she towards her sonne.

CHAP. XV.

That sometimes, yea and for the most part, euill Angels do appeare.

[Sidenote: Paule.]

Contrariwise, euill angels are hurtfull and enemies vnto men, they followe them euery where, to the ende they may withdrawe them from true worshipping of God, and from faith in his onely sonne Iesu Christ, vnto sundry other things. These appeare in diuers shapes: for in the diuell (as =Paule= doth witnesse) transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light, no lesse may he take the shape of a Prophet, an Apostle, Euangelist, Bishop, and Martyr, and appeare in their likenesse: or to bewitch vs, that we verily suppose we heare or sée them in very déede. He taketh on him to tell of thinges to come, whether hée hit them right or wrong. Hée affirmeth that hée is this or that soule, that he may bee deliuered by this or that meanes, that by these meanes he may purchase credite and authoritie, vnto those things which haue no ground of scripture.

By meanes of false myracles, he decreeth new Hollydayes, Pilgrimages, Chappels, and Aultars: by Coniurations, blessings, enchauntments, he attempteth to cure the sicke, to make his doings haue authoritie.

You shall reade maruellous straunge things in =Arnobius=, =Lactantius=, and other holie Fathers, who wrote against the Gentiles and their superstition, after what sorte Diuels haue deluded the miserable Gentiles, and haue entrapped them in many errors. He ioyned and hid himselfe in their Idolles, he spake through them from one place to an other, he made them to moue, and did such straunge myracles, that verie lame men leauing their stilts whereon they leaned in the Temples of their Idols, returned home to their houses, without any helpe or stay of them, but especially in the temple of =Æsculapius= (who was counted the Patron of Phisicke) many of these kinde of miracles are reported to haue happened. Wherefore there is no cause, why the Papistes at this day, shoulde so insolently glorie of the like myracles, by the which they goe about to proue their intercession of Saints, and such lyke trumperie.

CHAP. XVI.

Of wondrous Monsters, and such like.

Nowe as concerning other straunge things, we must hereafter search what nature they are of: as when one dieth that there is somewhat séene, or some great noyse is sodeinly heard, but especially that many signes and wonders happen before the death of great Princes. It is well knowne by Histories, what signes went before the death of =Iulius Cæsar=, amongst the which, a great noyse was heard in the night time, in very many places farre and neare.

As concerning other Emperors, and Kings, and other great mens deathes, we reade that some certaine forewarnings were heard or séene, we must also consider what those straunge things are, which for the most part happen before the innouations of kingdomes, before battailes, seditions, and subuersions of Cities.

I say flatly, euen as I sayde before concerning spirits: if they be not vaine perswasions, or naturall things, then are they forewarnings of God, which are sent, eyther by good Angels, or by some other meanes vnknowne vnto vs, that we might vnderstand that all these things happen not by aduenture, without the wil and pleasure of God, but that life and deathe, peace and warre, the alteration of Religion, the exchaunge of Empires, and of other things, are in his power, that we might thereby learne to feare him, and to call vppon his name. In the meane season, Sathan also fayneth and worketh many things to terrifie men, and to plant superstition in their hearts. But that all things are done by Sathan, hereby we may vnderstand: It chaunceth that one is thrust thorow and slaine by one with whome he neuer was at variance, but hath euer vsed him as his friende, some man is drowned, or falleth from some high place, or otherwise is miserably slaine, an euill spirit can haue no foreknowledge hereof (for there are no naturall signes, or coniectures going before them, as there are in diseases) yet notwithstanding, some signes and rare casualties fall out before. Hereof do I gather, that these things are wrought by God, who onely knoweth that they shall come to passe, and they are not onely admonishments vnto them, whom they especially concerne, but also vnto them which heare them, and are present at the doing of them.