Part 16
There was a certaine Magistrate within the liberties of _Tigurine_, not long before I wrote this, whome certaine of his friendes tarried for to breake their fast with him before hée tooke his iourney, and thus waiting, they supposed they heard a knife falling from the vpper part, or flore of the stewe, wherein they were, yet sawe they nothing, and sodeinly as they communed togither of this straunge wonder, they thought they heard it againe. In the meane while commeth the Magistrate, vnto whome they declare what had happened, and as they had scant ended their talke, the knife fell againe the third time, in the hearing of the Magistrate, who before doubted very much of the matter. And therefore taking occasion hereby, he began to exhort them, that whereas within fewe dayes after, a great marriage should be kept in the same place, they should all endeuour to maintaine peace, and obserue sobrietie, least perchaunce through quarrelling and murther, it should bee a bloudie marriage. After he taking his iourney, and within a day or twaine dispatching his businesse, as he was returning towards his Castle, (his horse falling into a riuer, whiche was sodeinly encreased with raine) after he had long striued with the water, at the last died miserably.
And that the diuell doth delude men with straunge happes, hereof I gather, that if any be taken with gréeuous sicknesse, so that not onely the Phisitian, but also the sicke themselues dispaire of their owne health, in the night time there is heard a noyse as if one were making a coffin or chest to laie one in, or were burying a dead bodie: that suppose I to be an illusion of the diuil, for he thinketh verily the diseased will die, whom God by meanes of godly and earnest praiers, doth restore againe to his former health.
[Sidenote: Plinie.]
Where =Plinie= writeth that rauens are of such sharp senses, that they will flie thrée or foure dayes before, vnto the place where carryon will afterwardes be, it is altogither vaine and fabulous. If this were graunted, it were no absurditie to say, that the diuell hath a knowledge of things to come, yea euen where there are no naturall causes, &c. Moreouer he may by Gods permission, if warres and mutinies be towards, stirre the instruments of warre, and all other kinde of munition as it lyeth in the Armorie, he can make a noyse and reare a clamour and crie, as it were of a great Armie in the aire, and play as it were on a Drum, and do other such things, which all Historiographers affirme with one voyce, haue oftentimes chaunced.
CHAP. XVII.
That it is no hard thing for the Diuell to appeare in diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.
But it is no difficult matter for the Diuel to appeare in diuers shapes, not only of those which are aliue, but also of dead men, (whereof I spake also before, when I entreated of Samuels appearing) yea, and (which is a lesse matter) in the fourme of beasts and birds, &c. as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke Dog, a Horse, an Owle, and also to bring incredible things to passe, it is a thing most manifest: for hee may through long and great experience, vnderstand the effects and force of naturall things, as of hearbes, stones, &c. and by meanes hereof worke maruellous matters. And then he is a subtile and quicke spirite, which can readily take things in hand, which in each thing is of no small weight. By his quicknesse, and by his knowledge in naturall things, he may easily deceiue the eye sight, and other senses of man, and hide those things which are before our face, and conuey other things into their places. Whereof the holy scriptures, and histories, and continuall experience beareth record. How did the wicked spirit handle =Iob=? what did he not bring to passe in short space? What straunge workes of an euil spirit did =Bileam= bring to passe? did he not purchase a famous name by his Magicall Artes? what wonderfull great miracles did =Pharaos= Sorcerers? Did not =Simon Magus= so bewitch the _Samaritanes_ with his vnlawfull Artes, that he would say he was the great vertue of God? Touching this Coniurer, the olde Fathers write many things, as =Ireneus= in his first booke and tenth Chapter, =Eusebius= in his second booke and thirtéenth Chapter.
=Egesippus= writeth in his third booke and second Chapter, of the destruction of _Hierusalem_, that this =Symon= came to _Rome_, and there set himselfe against =Peter=, boasting that he could flie vp into heauen, and that he came at the day appointed vnto the Mount _Capitoline_, where leaping from the rocke, he flew a good while not without the great admiration of the people, who now began to credit his words, but sodeinly he fell downe and brake his leg, and after being carried vnto _Aritia_, there died.
=Iohannes Tritenhemius=, Abbot of _Spanheimium_, writeth in his Chronicles concerning the Monasterie of _Hirsgraue_ of the order of S. =Bennet=, in the yeare of our Lorde 970, that =Peter= and =Baianus=, the two sonnes of one =Simon= a Monke, ruled ouer the _Bulgarians_, wherof the one, namely =Baianus=, was throughly séene in the Arte of Necromancie, and thereby wrought many myracles. He chaunged himselfe into a Wolfe so often as he list, or into the likenesse of an another beast, or in such sort as he could not be discerned of any man, and many other straunge things hée could doo, and did, whereby he brought men into great admiration.
And after in the yeare 876. he writeth, that there was a certaine Iewe named =Sedechias=, sometimes Philosopher and Phisitian vnto =Lewes= the Emperour, who being very cunning in sorcerie, did straunge miracles and wonderfull sleights before the Princes, and before all other men. For he brought it to passe by his cunning, that he séemed to deuoure an armed man with his horse, and all his harnesse, and also a carte loaden with hay, togither with the horse and carter. He cut off mens heads, their hands and féete, which he set in a basen before all the lookers on to behold, with the bloud running about the basen: which by and by he would put againe vppon the places whence they séemed to haue bene cut off, without any hurt to the parties. He was séene and hearde of all men to exercise hunting and running, and suche like things in the aire and cloudes, as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth. He practised so many and diuers deceites, 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 Emperour against =Lewes=, as the same author witnesseth, was vanquished in a great battail betwéene _Ottinga_ and _Molndorfus_, and deliuered into the hands of =Lewes=, who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kepte: It chaunced shortly after, that a coniurer going vnto his brother =Lupoldus= in _Auctriche_, promised, that by the helpe of a spirit, 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 worthie 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 his coniurations, that he should spéedily bring vnto him into _Austriche_, Duke =Frederike=, deliuered safely out of prison. Vnto whome the spirit aunswering, said, If the captiue Duke will come with me, I will willingly obey thy commaundement. This saide, the spirite flieth awaye into _Banarie_, and taking vppon him the forme of a Pilgrime, he entreth into the prison where the Duke was kepte prisoner: whome assoone as he sawe, the Spirit whiche was sente as messenger vnto him, said: If thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie, mount thée vp vpon this horse, and I will bring thée safe and sounde without any hurte into _Auctrich_ vnto Duke =Lupoldus= thy brother. Vnto whome the Duke saide: Who art thou? The Spirite aunswered: Aske not who I am, because it appertaineth nothing to the purpose, but get thée vp on the horse which I offer thée, and I will bring thée safe and sound, and fréely deliuered into _Austrich_. Which when the Duke heard, hée was taken with a certaine horror, and feare, being otherwise a hardy knight: and when he had blessed himself with the signe of the holy crosse, the spirite sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse, which he had proffered him, and returned emptie againe vnto him that sent him: of whom being rebuked because he had not brought the prisoner, he declared all the matter vnto him in order. Duke =Frederick= 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 séene in the Chronicles of the _Heluetians_.
There are also Coniurers found euen at this day, who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse, that in a fewe houres they wil 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 Germane, which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments?
I will speake nothing at this time, of those old Sorcerers, =Apollonius=, and others, of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things. Hags, Witches, and Inchaunters, are said to hurt men and cattell, if they doo but touch them or stroake them, they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant. Iuglers and Tumblers, by nimblenesse do many things, they will bid one eate meate, which when they spit out againe, they cast forth ordure and such like. Magitians, Iuglers, Inchanters, and Necromanciers, are no other than seruants of the Diuel: do you not thinke their maister reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe?
Howbeit this is not to be dissembled, that the diuel doth glory of many things which indéede he cannot performe: as that he saith, that he raised 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 such power ouer the dead bodies.
CHAP. XVIII.
Diuels doo sometimes bid men doo those things which are good, and auoide things that are euill: sometimes they tell truth, and for what cause.
If those spirites which séeke helpe at mens hands be not soules, but Diuels, many will say, why then do they perswade men vnto good things, exhort them vnto vertue, and call them from vice. For they say, Iudge vprightly, take héede of theft and extortion, restore goods vniustly gotten vnto their owners, beware of periurie, surfets, and drunkennesse, enuie and hatred, lying and deceit, pray earnestly, come to church often, &c.
The Diuell is not pleased when wée doo good, and auoide euill: nothing woulde gréeue him more, than that we should liue accordyng to the prescript worde of God. Therefore they are not Diuels which bid vs doo good, and eschue euil.
Moreouer, those Spirites speake truthe, but the Diuell is a lyer, and is called by Christe, the father of lyes. Therefore wée may not say that they are diuellish Spirits.
Vnto this argument I aunswere thus: hée dooth this for his owne aduantage. If he should shewe himselfe so, as he is by nature, he should little profit. That whiche he doth, 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 errours, whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue care vnto Spirites. Did not the seruaunts of vncleane Spirits, I meane false Prophets, come in times past vnder shéepes skinnes, and fayned themselues to tender the peoples commoditie, whereas in very déed 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 from God, and that we must eschue wickednesse, and séeke after vertue? Didst thou neuer heare that théeues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light, haue talked of liuing honestly, and of the punishment of wicked men, and the rewarde of good men, to the ende that after they might take yͤ aduantage of them vnawares? Whereas the Diuell hath fayned himselfe to bee 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 word of God, they would accept the Diuell and receiue him as an Angell of light, when he came not in a blacke and horrible, but a pleasaunt and acceptable forme. He speaketh some good things, that he may intermedle euil things therwith, he speaketh truth, that he may scatter abroade lyes, and roote them in mens hearts. So =Simon= in =Virgil=, mingled falshood with truth, that he might the better entrape the _Troians_.
Sathan doth imitate craftie gamesters, who suffer a plaine and simple yoong man to winne a while of them, that afterwards being gréedie to play, they may lurch him of all his golde and siluer. He followeth them which once or twise iustly repaie vnto their creditors such money as they haue borrowed, kéeping their promise duly, that afterwards they may obtaine a great summe of them, and then deceiue them.
[Sidenote: Ambrose.]
The diuel sometimes vttereth the truth, that his words may haue the more credit, and that he may the more easily beguile them. He that would vtter euil wares, doth not only set them foorth in words, but doth also so trim and decke them, that they séeme excellent good, whereby they are the more saleable: this Art also the diuel knoweth, for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obtrude it vnto other men in the stéede of good ware. S. =Ambrose= writeth in his Commentaries vpon the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, and fift chapter, expounding these words: =Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophecying. Examine all things, and keepe that which is good.= Euill spirites are wont to speake good things craftily, as it were by imitation, and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked thinges, that by meanes of those things which are good, euil things may be admitted, and because they are supposed the words of one spirit, they may not be discerned asunder, but by that which is lawfull an vnlawfull thing may bee commended by authoritie of the name, and not by reason of vertue, &c.
[Sidenote: Why the diuel doth somtimes tel truth.]
[Sidenote: _Acts_16.]
[Sidenote: _Marke_.1.]
[Sidenote: _Luke_.4.]
Hereunto appertaine those words which we reade in =S. Chrysostomes= second sermon =De Lazara=. There he sheweth that many simple men haue bene in this erroure, that they haue thought the soules of those which were slaine by some violent death, did become Diuels. He saith further, that the Diuell hath perswaded many Witches, and such as serue him being in this erroure, that they should kill the tender bodies of many yong men, hoping they shuld become Diuels, and doo 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 such a Monke? Verily I beléeue it not, euen for this, that Diuels doo auouche it: for they deceiue their auditours. Wherefore =Paule= also commaundeth them to silence, albeit they speake truth, lest taking occasion by truth, they mingle lyes therewith, and so purchase themselues credit. For when they had said: These men are the seruants of the most high God, shewing vnto you the way of saluation: The Apostle not content herewith, commaunded 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 most high God. But because the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes to iudge of those things which are vttered by diuels, he at once excludeth them from all credit. Thou art (saith he) of the number of infamous spirites, it belongeth not to thée to speake fréely, hold thy peace, kéepe silence, it is not thy office to preach. This is the authoritie of the Apostles: why takest thou vppon thée that which appertaineth not vnto thée, hold thy peace, be thou infamous. So also did Christ sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him: We know thée who thou art, therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe, that we should in no wise trust the diuel, albeit he tell the truth.
Sith we know these things, let vs in no wise beléeue the diuel, nay rather if he say any thing that is truth, let vs flée from him and shunne him. For it is not lawfull exactly to learne sounde and wholesome 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 bodie can come vnder the tyrannie of the diuell, heare what S. =Paule= saith: For he that is dead is iustified from sinne, that is, he sinneth no more. For if the diuil can do no hurt vnto the soule while it is in the bodie, it is euident, he cannot hurt it when it is departed out of the bodie. &c. By all these things it is plaine, what manner of things those are which are heard and séene.
The third parte of this Booke, in which is shewed, why, or to what ende God suffereth Spirits to appeare, and other straunge thinges to happen: as also howe men ought to _behaue themselues when they meete with any suche things_.
CHAP. I.
God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull, and punish the vnbeleeuers.
It foloweth now hereafter to be intreated of, why God suffreth spirits, ghosts, and horrible sightes to appeare, &c. And also why he doth permit other straunge and miraculous things to happen: And furthermore, how men ought to behaue themselues when they sée anye suche things.
[Sidenote: Causes why God suffereth spirites to appeare.]
God doth suffer spirits to appeare vnto his elect, vnto a good ende, but vnto the reprobate they appeare as a punishment. And as all other things turne to the best vnto yͤ faithfull, euen so doo these also: for if they be good spirits, which appeare vnto men, warning, and defending them, therby do they gather the care, prouidence, and fatherly affection of God towardes them. But in case they bee euill spirites, (as for the most part they are) the faithfull are moued by occasion of them vnto true repentance. They looke diligently vnto themselues so long as they liue, least the enimie of mankinde, who is readie at all assaies, and lieth alwaies in waight, should bring them into mischiefe, and take further vauntage to vexe and hurt them. God also by these meanes doeth exercise and trie their faith and pacience, to the end they continue in his word, and receiue nothing contrary to the same, haue it neuer so faire a shewe, nor do any manner of thing against his worde, although those spirites do not straightwayes cease to vexe them.
God doth also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites, for this cause, that they should be the more humble and lowely. For in the second Epistle to the Corinth. and .xii. chap. =Paul= saith: And least I should be exalted out of mesure, through the excellencie of reuelations, ther was giuen vnto me vnquietnesse through the flesh, euen the messenger of Sathan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure. For this thing besought I the Lord thrice, that it mighte depart from me. And he said vnto me: My grace is sufficient for thée, for my strength is made perfect through weakenesse. Except God did shut vp the way before vs with certaine stops and lets, we should not know our selues, we shoulde not vnderstande whereof we stand in néed, we should not so earnestly pray vnto God, to deliuer vs from euill, to strengthen our faith, and to giue vs patience, 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 cannot tell what they speake, and that they imagine many vaine feares. Moreouer, if other vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by spirits, they become more patient whensoeuer they are sicke, or otherwise troubled, acknowledging their owne harmes to be but small in comparison of other mens. For nothing is more gréeuous, than when a man is tormented by the Diuel.
[Sidenote: Seeing of spirites to the wicked is a punishment.]
Now as touching infidells, they are constrained, 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 thereof indeede. God suffereth these things to chasten them. For so muche as they will giue no place vnto truth, but are wilfully deceiued, it is good reason they be taught by diuellish illusions what they must doo, or leaue vndone, and that they be illuded by euil spirits, after some other meanes.
[Sidenote: _Deut._ 13.]
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 goe after straunge Gods, which thou hast not knowne, and let vs serue them: hearkē 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, kéepe his commandements, and hearken vnto his voice, serue him and cleaue vnto him. And he addeth further, that the same prophet or dreamer shall die the death.
[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 3.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 5.]
[Sidenote: 2. _Thessa._ 2.]
[Sidenote: 2. _Timo._ 4.]