lowly, sober, sorrowfull, or otherwise terrible and full of reproach,
for so they terme it.
Thirdly we must note, whether the spirit teache ought that doth varie
from the doctrine of the Apostles, and other Doctors approoued by the
Churches censure: or whether he vtter any thing that doth dissent
from the faith, good maners, and ceremonies of the Church, according
to the Canonical rites or decrées of Councels, and against the lawes
of the holy church of _Rome_.
Fourthly, we must take diligent héede whether in his words, déeds,
and iestures, he do shewe forth any humilitie, acknowledging or
confessing of his sinnes & punishments, or whether we heare of him
any groning, wéeping, complaint, boasting, threatning, slaunder or
blasphemie. For as the beggar doth rehearse his owne miserie, so
likewise doo good spirits that desire any helpe or deliueraunce.
Other signes also they haue to trie the good Angels from the bad: but
these are the chiefe.
[Sidenote: How we may helpe and succoure soules.]
Now touching the suffrages or waies of succour, wherby soules are
dispatched out of Purgatorie, Popish doctors appoint foure meanes:
That is, the healthfull offering of the sacrifice in the Sacrament of
the aultar, almes giuing, prayer, fasting. And vnder these members,
they comprise all other, as vowed pilgrimages, visiting of Churches,
helping of the poore, and the furthering of Gods worship and glory,
&c. But aboue all, they extoll their Masse, as a thing of greatest
force to redéeme soules out of misery: of whose wonderfull effect,
and of the rest euen now recited by vs, they alleage many straunge
examples.
Of these things they moue many questions, the which who so lust to
sée, let him search their bookes which haue bin written and published
of this matter.
[Sidenote: A notable deede to relieue soules.]
Neither only in their writings, but in open pulpit also they haue
taught, how excellent and noble an act it is, for men touched with
compassion, with these foresaid workes to ridde the soule that
appeareth vnto them and craueth their help, out of the paines of
purgatorie: or if they cannot so doo, yet to ease and asswage their
torture. For say they, the soules after their deliuerance, ceasse not
in moste earnest maner to pray for their benefactors, and helpers.
On the other side, they teach that it is an horrible and heynous
offence, if a man giue no succoure to suche as séeke it at his
hands, especially if it be the soule of his parents, brethren and
sisters. For except by them they might conueniently be released of so
manifolde miseries, they woulde not so earnestly craue their helpe.
Wherefore say they, no man should be so voyd of naturall affection,
so cruell and outragious, that he should at any time deny to bestowe
some small wealth, to benefit those, by whom he hath before by diuers
and sundry waies bene pleasured.
If they were not the soules of the dead which craue helpe and
succour, but diuellish spirits, they would not will them to pray,
fast, or giue almes for their sakes: for that the diuels doo hate
those, as also all other good workes.
CHAP. III.
What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists,
concerning the appearing of mens soules.
[Sidenote: Monkes by their doctrine of spirits haue heaped infinit
riches.]
By these means it came to passe, that the common sort were of opiniō,
that those spirits which wer séen and heard, were the soules of the
dead, and yͭ whatsoeuer they did say, was without gainsaying to
be beléeued. And so the true, simple, and sincere doctrine of yͤ
calling vpō God in the name of Christ Iesus only: of the confidence
in Christs merits, and redemption from sin and damnation: of yͤ
true déeds of Christian charitie, was daily more and more impugned
and oppressed. So that when men by litle and litle, forsooke holy
scripture, and cast it aside, mens traditions and precepts began
straightway to be had in great price and estimation, yea, they were
more regarded than Gods owne word. A great offence was it taken to
be, if any would presume once to breake mens traditions. On those
apparitions of spirits, as on a sure foundatiō of their Purgatory is
chiefly builded. For by talke had with them, Popish writers taught
that men atteined vnto saluation, by their owne, and by other mens
merits: which opinion so blinded them, that they became retchlesse,
secure, and sluggish. For if any dyd so perswade himselfe, that he
coulde hyre one for mony, which could worke one feate or other to
deliuer the deade from torments, then woulde he either delay the
amendment of his life, or vtterly neglect it. Wherfore vnto suche
fellowes, that happened, whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish
virgins, of whom mention is made in the .25. of Matthew. By these
apparitions of spirits, masses, images, satisfaction, pilgrimages
for religion sake, relikes of saints, monasticall vowes, holidaies,
auricular confession, and other kinds of worshippings and rites, and
to be short, all things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture, by
little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation. So that the
matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse, that many
deuoute, and simple soules, pinched and nipped their owne bellies,
that they might yͤ better haue by these meanes, wherewithall to
finde and mainteine idle monks and priests, and to offer vnto images.
They founded chappels, alters, monasteries, perpetuall lights,
anniuersaries, frieries, and such like, to release their friends out
of the torments of Purgatorie. And this did the walking spirits will
them to do. And sometime also by their councell, mens last willes &
testaments were altered. Hereby priests and monks increased daily,
their parishes, colleges & monasteries with yerely reuenewes, & got
into their hands yͤ best farmes, vineyards, lands, medowes, pondes,
parkes, bond men, iurisdictions, great lordships, and the authoritie
of the sword. For after yͭ this opiniō once tooke firme roote in
mēs harts, yͭ mens soules did walke after their death, & appeare
on yͤ earth, the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commanded thē.
And yͭ it may more plainly be perceiued how much mē estéemed those
visions & such like pelf, & how in memorial of thē they deuised &
framed to thēselues new kinds of worshippings, I will recite vnto you
one or two histories.
[Sidenote: Martinus Polonus.]
=Martinus Polonus= Archebishop Of =Consentine=, and the Popes
Penitētiarie, writeth in his Chronicles, that Pope =Clement= the
fourth did canonize for a Saint at _Viterbe_, one =Eduergia=,
Duchesse of _Polonia_, a widdow of great holinesse, who (among many
notable things that are written of her) when her canonization had
bene many yeares delaied, at length appeared her selfe in a Vision to
her Proctor in the Court of _Rome_, being heauie and pensiue about
this matter, and certified him, both of the spéedie dispatching of
this businesse, and also of the day wherin it should be dispatched.
Canonization amongst the Ethnicks, from whence it tooke his
originall, is named ἁποθἑοσις, that is, deification, or
making of a God.
[Sidenote: All soules day whēce it took originall.]
[Sidenote: Polydore.]
=Ioannes Tritenhemius= Abbotte of _Spanheim_, a man of great
authoritie, in his booke of Chronicles teacheth, that the memorie
of all faithfull soules, termed All soules day, had his originall
obseruation by this meanes: that when a certaine Monke returned from
_Ierusalem_, and lodged in a certaine Hermits house in _Sicill_,
about the mount _Aetna_, which flasheth foorth fire, hée learned of
the saide Hermit, that many soules of the dead were tormented there
by fire, out of which again through the praiers of the faithful,
they were released, as it was taught him by the testimony euen of
the spirites themselues. Hereof also writeth =Polydore Virgil=, in
his sixt booke, and 9. Chapter, _De inuentione rerum_, that the
feast of All hallowes had the very same originall, whiche they shall
finde in _Petrus de natalibus_ his tenth booke, and first Chapter.
Wherby thou maist gather, that Feastes were first ordeyned by the
tales of spirites appearing vnto men. The like fable is founde in
=Damascene=, who writeth of =Macharius= thus: When according to his
maner he prayed for the dead, and was desirous to vnderstande whether
his prayers did profitte them ought, and whether they receiued any
comfort thereby, God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt,
inspired a drie scull with the word of truth, so that the dead scull
brake forth into these words: When thou praiest for the dead, we
receiue comfort by thy praiers.
[Sidenote: The beginning of the order of Carthusians.]
[Sidenote: Polydore.]
Of the like roote sprung the order of the =Carthusian= Monkes, which
of the common sort is iudged to be the most holiest and straightest
order of the which the Monks themselues of this broode haue put
foorth a booke. For as =Polydore Virgil= recordeth, they began vpon
this occasion in the Vniuersitie of _Paris_, in the yeare of our Lord
1080. A certaine Doctor which for his learning and integritie of life
was very famous, chaunced to die, when he should haue bene buried
in a certaine Church, he cried out with an horrible voyce: I am by
the iust iudgement of God accused. Wherupon they left the Coffin in
the Church by the space of thrée dayes, during which time the people
flocked togither out of sundry places, to behold this straunge sight.
The second day he cried againe: By the iust iudgement of God I am
iudged. The third day likewise he cried: I am by the iust iudgement
of God condemned. And as =Vincentius Bellonacensis= saith, some adde
hereunto, that he rose vp thrice vpon the béere, which perchaunce
they faine of their owne heads. Now because no man suspected that so
notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer, euery man
was sore astonished thereat.
Wherfore =Bruno=, a Doctor of diuinitie borne in _Coleine_,
foorthwith forsooke all that he had, and taking to him sixe other
godly companions, gat him into a desart called _Carthusia_, in the
diocesse of _Grationopolis_: where he erected the first monasterie
of that order, which drawing his name of the place, was called the
=Carthusian= order. For this cause also, or for the like, many other
monasteries at the first beginning, were both founded and endowed
with great liuelihood.
CHAP. IIII.
Testimonies out of the word of God, that neither the
soules of the faithfull, nor infidels, do walke vpon the
earth after they are once parted from their bodies.
[Sidenote: Soules go either to hell or to heauen.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn 3._]
[Sidenote: _Iohn 5._]
[Sidenote: _Iohn 6._]
[Sidenote: _Iohn 14._]
[Sidenote: _Mat.10._]
[Sidenote: _2.Cor.5._]
[Sidenote: _Luke 23._]
[Sidenote: _Apo.14._]
Now that the soules neither of the faithfull nor of infidels do
wander any longer on the earth, when they be once seuered from the
bodies, I wil make it plaine and euident vnto you by these reasons
following. First, certaine it is, that such as depart hence, either
die in faith, or in vnbeliefe. Touching those that go hence in a
right beliefe, their soules are by and by in possessiō of life
euerlasting, and they that depart in vnbelief, do straightway becom
partakers of eternal damnatiō. The souls do not vanish away & die
with the bodie, as yͤ Epicures opinion is, neither yet be in euery
place, as som do imagin: touching this matter I wil alleage pithie &
manifold testimonies out of the holy scripture, out of which alone
this questiō may and ought to be tried & discussed. Our Sauiour
Christ Iesus which could well iudge of these misteries, in the 3.
of =Iohn= saith: So God loued the world, yͭ he wold giue his only
begotten son, yͭ who so beléeueth on him, shuld not perish, but haue
life euerlasting. For god sent not his son into yͤ world to cōdemn
yͤ world: but that yͤ world by him might be saued. He yͭ beléeueth
in him is not cōdemned, & he yͭ beléeueth not, is cōdemned alredy,
because he beléeued not in yͤ name of yͤ only begotten son of god.
And in yͤ 5. of =Iohn= he saith: Verily verily I say vnto you: he
that heareth my word, & beléeueth on him yͭ sent me, hath euerlasting
life, & shall not come into iudgemēt or cōdemnation, but hath passed
alredy frō death to life: he doth not say yͭ his sins shuld first be
purged in purgatorie. And in the 6. cha. he saith: This is yͤ wil
of him yͭ sent me, that euery one yͭ seeth the son, and beleeueth
on him, should haue life euerlasting, and I will raise him vp at
the last day againe: verily I say vnto you, he that beléeueth on me
hath life euerlasting. In the 14. of =Iohn=, also our Sauior Christ
Iesus saith, that he wil take vs vp to himselfe, that where he is,
there should we be also. &c. When Christ sent forth his disciples
to publish his gospel in yͤ 10. of =Mat.= he said vnto them: Go ye
into the whole world, and preach yͤ gospel to euery creature: he yͭ
beléeueth and is baptized, shalbe saued, and he yͭ beleeueth not
shalbe cōdemned: & in the 5. cha. of yͤ 2. to yͤ =Cor.= yͤ apostle
S. =Paul= saith: we know yͭ if the earthly house of this tabernacle
be destroied, we haue a building of God, yͭ is, a house not made
[tw] hands, but eternal in yͤ heuens, &c. By these places it may be
euidently gathered, yͭ the soules of the faithful are takē vp into
eternal ioy: and the soules of the vnfaithful assoone as they are
departed frō their bodies are condemned to perpetual torment. And
yͭ this is done straightway after death, may be perceiued by the
words yͭ Christ spake to the théefe on the crosse, when he hoong
on his right hand: This day shalt thou be with me in paradice. And
in the 14. cha. of the =Apoc.= it is written, And I heard a voice
yͭ said vnto me, write, Blessed ar yͤ dead yͭ die in the lord,
ἁπαρτἱ =amodo=, as the old trāslatiō redeth, yͭ is by & by, out of
hand, without delaie. Steuē in the very point whē he looked to be
stoned, cried lord Iesu receiue my spirit. He douted nothing, but
was assuredly persuaded yͭ his soul shold straitway be translated
to eternal ioy. Paul in the 1. chap. of his epist. to the =Philip.=
saith: I desire to be losed, or I couet to depart hence, and to be
with Christ. Here is no mentiō at all of purgatory, in which the
soules should be first purged. If thou wilt here obiect that the
persons afore alleaged were saints and martirs, we say farther, that
paradice was opened also to the théef assoone as he became repentant.
And that the soules both of the faithful & vnfaithful, which
presently after their death are translated to heauē or hel, do not
return thence into the earth before the day of the last iudgement,
may wel be perceiued by the parable of the rich man cloathed in
purple, and =Lazarus=, as we read in the 16. of =Luke=. For when the
rich man praised =Abraham= that he would send =Lazarus= vnto him, to
coole his toong, =Abraham= gaue him this answere: Betwixt this and
vs, there is a great gulfe set, so that they which would go hence
(from =Abrahams= bosome) to you (in Hell) cannot: neither can they
come from thence to vs. And when he besought him, that he would send
=Lazarus= to his fathers house to admonish his fiue brethren, least
they also should come into that place of torment: he saide vnto him;
They haue =Moses= and the Prophets, let them heare them. And again:
If they heare not =Moses= and the Prophets, neither will they beléeue
though one rose againe from the dead.
CHAP. V.
Testimonies of the auncient Fathers, that dead mens
soules parted from their bodies, doo not wander heere
vppon earth.
[Sidenote: August.]
This matter was also thus vnderstood by the holy and auncient
Fathers. For =Augustine= in his 18. Sermon _De verbis Apostoli_,
hath, that there be two mansions, the one in euerlasting fire, the
other in the euerlasting kingdome.
[Sidenote: Idem.]
And in his 28. Chapter of his first booke, _De peccatorum meritis &
remissione contra Pelagianos_, in the seuenth tome of his workes, he
saith: Neither can any man haue any middle or meane place, so that he
may be any other where than with the diuel, who is not with Christ.
[Sidenote: Idem.]
And in his notable worke _De ciuitate Dei_, the 13. booke and 8.
Chapter, he saith: The soules of the godly so soone as they be
seuered from their bodies be in rest, and the soules of the wicked
in torment, vntil the bodies of the one be raised vnto life, and the
other vnto euerlasting death, which in scripture is called the second
death.
[Sidenote: Iustine.]
=Iustine= also an auncient Father, writeth in _Responsione ad
Orthodoxos, quest. 75._ that the difference of the iust and vniust,
both appeare euen assoone as the soule is departed from the body.
For they are carried by the angels into such places as are fit for
them: that is, the soules of the iust are brought vnto Paradice,
where they haue the fruition of the sight and presence of Angels, and
Archangels: and moreouer the sight of our Sauiour Christ, as it is
conteined in that saying, whiles we are straungers from the bodie,
we are at home with God. And the soules of the vnrighteous on the
other side, are carried to Hell, as it said of =Nabuchodonozor= the
king of _Babylon_: Hell is troubled vnder thée, being readie to méete
thée, &c. And so till to the day of resurrection and reward, are they
reserued in such places as are méetest for them.
[Sidenote: Hillarie.]
Saint =Hillarie= in the ende of his exposition of the second Psalme,
writeth: that mens soules are straightway after death, made partakers
of rewards or punishments.
[Sidenote: Dormitantii.]
[Sidenote: Caluin.]
And touching the soules of the old Patriarkes, that died before the
natiuitie of Christ, =Austin=, =Hierom=, =Nazianzen=, and other holy
Fathers teache, that God in certaine places by him chosen out for
that purpose, hath preserued the soules of al those that are departed
from this life in the true faith of the =Messias= to come, in such
sort that they féele no griefe, but yet are depriued of the sight of
God. This place they call =Abrahams= bosome, and Hell (for Hell doth
not alwaies betoken a place of torment, but also generally the state
that soules are in after this life.) And that our Lord Iesus Christ
did visit and release them, and when he ascended, carried them with
himselfe into heauen. Albeit certain of the Fathers, as =Ireneus=,
=Tertullian=, =Hilarie=, & others, think that they shall at the last
day ascend to heauen. Some also there be of our time which maintaine
this fonde opinion, that the soules sléep, vntil the day of the last
iudgement, in which they shall be again coupled with their bodies:
but this assertion hath no ground in holy scripture, of the which
point diuers haue entreated. But especially =Iohn Caluin=, that
worthie seruant of God, in a proper Treatise that he wrote of the
same matter, in which he doth learnedly confute their reasons that
maintein the contrary opinion.
[Sidenote: Ciprian mar.]
[Sidenote: Soules do not walke.]
[Sidenote: Tertullian.]
[Sidenote: Athanasius.]
Wherefore sith holy scriptures, as the Fathers vnderstand and
interpret 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 their is no thirde place in which soules should be deliuered,
as it were out of prison, & that soules can neither be reclaimed out
of heauen or hel. Hereby it is made euident, that they cannot wander
on the earth, and desire aide of men. For first the soules of the
blessed néed no aid or help that men cā giue them: & on the other
side, the damned sort can no way be reléeued: the which S. =Ciprian=
the martir in his oration against =Demetrian=, doth plainly witnesse
in these words: when we be once departed out of this world, there is
afterward no place left for repentance, no way to make satisfactiō:
here life is either woon or lost, & so forth. Albeit the testimonies
alredy alleged on this point of doctrine, may well suffise those that
loue the truth, and are desirous to come to the knowledge thereof:
yet to increase the number, I wil recite other testimonies also out
of yͤ fathers, to proue manifestly, yͭ the soules departed, do
not againe return & wander on the earth, so that all they which
haue not yet stopped their eares that the truth might not pierce &
enter into them, may euidently perceiue, that those anciēt times
taught a far better doctrine of those spirits and ghosts, than other
latter times vnder poperie haue cōmended and allowed. =Tertullian=
a very auncient writer, in the end of his booke =De anima=, saith,
the soules do not any longer abide on the earth, after they be once
loosed from their bodies: & that neither by their owne accord,
nor other mens cōmandement, they do wander at all after they haue
descended into hell, but he saith, that euil spirits do vse this
kinde of deceyt, to faine themselues to be the soules of suche as
are deceased. And that Hell is not open to any soule, that it should
afterward at any time depart thence, Christ our Lorde in the parable
of the poore man that was in rest, and the rich glutton that was in
torment, doth plainely ratifie vnder the person of =Abraham=, that
there can be no man sent backe to shewe or tel ought of the state of
hel. And albeit the fathers haue noted certaine errours and scapes
in =Tertullian=, yet there was neuer any that reproued him for this
opinion. =Athanasius= in his booke of questions, the xiii. questiō,
doth giue a reason wherfore God will not suffer that any soule
deceased, shuld returne vnto vs, and declare what the state of things
is in hel, and what great misery is there: hereby (saith he) many
errors wold easily spring vp among vs: for many diuels might so take
on thē the shape of men, and be transformed into yͤ likenesse of
the dead, and say, that they arose frō the dead, and so publish many
lying tales, and false opinions of things there don, therby to seduce
and hurt vs. Weigh these wordes of =Athanasius=, I pray thée.
[Sidenote: Chrisostome.]
Sainct Chrysostome in his nyneteenth Homilie on the eight chapter of
sainct Matthewes Gospell, hath in maner the same woordes, for hee
moueth this question: Why suche as were possessed with Spirites,
liued in graues? Therefore (sayeth he) they abode there, to put this
false opinion in mens heads, that those persons soules whiche by
violent death departed, were turned into Diuels, and so did 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 might slea those persons, whose wicked trauell and
help they vsed, and those matters saith he, are far from truth. For
he proueth by the Scripture, that the spirits of the godly are not
vnder the power of the Diuels, nor yet do stray abroade after death:
then that they woulde retourne vnto theyr owne bodies, if they mighte
wander whether they lusted. And further if they didde any seruice too
theyr Murtherers, by that meanes they should at their handes receiue
a reward for an ill déed and displeasure. By naturall reason also
it cannot come to passe, that a mans bodie should be turned into an
other bodie, and therefore also the spirit of a man cannot be changed
into a diuel.
But among other things which properly belong to our purpose, he
saith: If we heare a noyse that saith, I am such a soule, we must
thus thinke, that this talke proceedeth of some sleight and subtiltie
of the diuel, and that it is not the soule of the dead bodie that
speaketh these things, but the diuell that deuiseth them to deceiue
the hearers. And by and by he saith, that there are to be counted
old wiues words, or rather doting fooles toyes to mocke children
withall. For the soule when it is parted from the bodie 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 ledde aside and withdrawne
from vs, which may euidently be séene by Lazarus and the rich man.
And in another place also the Lord saith: This day will they take thy
soule from thée; wherefore the soule cannot heere wander when it is
departed from the bodie.
A little afterward he addeth, that it may be proued out of many
places of scripture, that the soules of the iust do not here wander
after death. For =Steuen= said, Lord receiue my spirit, and =Paule=
desired to be loosed and to depart hence, and to be with Christ.
Also the scripture, as touching the Patriarks death, vseth this
phrase, he is laide vnto his fathers, growne 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 learne by the riche
mans words, if we will weigh and confider with our selues what be
demannded and could not obtaine. For if after death mens soules might
any longer haue their conuersation heere on earth, no doubt the riche
man himselfe woulde haue returned as his desire was, and certified
his friendes of hell torments. Out of which place of scripture it
is most cleare, that soules immediatly vpon their departure from
their body, are carried vnto a certaine place, whence they cannot of
themselues returne, but néedes must waite there for that terrible day
of iudgement.
Also in his second Homily of =Lazarus=, amōg other things, he saith;
It is most plaine, not only by that we haue before rehearsed, but
also by this parable, that soules parted from the bodie, haue their
abiding here no longer, but are forthwith lead away. For it came to
passe (saith he) that he died, and was carried away by the Angels.
And not onely the soules of the iust, but of the vniust and wicked,
are hence led away, and carried to their proper places, which doth
euidently appeare, by another rich man, of which mention is made in
the 12. of =Luke=, to whom the Lord said: Thou foole this night will
they take thy soule from thée.
And in his fourth Homily of =Lazarus=, he plainly teacheth, that we
should giue more credite to holy scripture, than to one that came
from the dead, or an Angell from Heauen. Herewithall he also sheweth,
that the dead doo not only make no appearance vnto men liuing, but
yeldeth reasons wherefore they do not returne hither, in these words.
If God had knowne that the dead being raised might haue profited
the liuing, he would neuer haue let passe so great a benefit, who
otherwise doth giue and prouide vs al things profitable.
Furthermore he addeth, that if it were requisite still to raise vp
dead men, to make relation vnto vs of such things as there are done,
this no doubt in continuaunce of time would haue bene neglected: and
so the Diuell very easily would haue broached and brought in damnable
opinions into the world. For he might often haue made counterfeit
sightes, or suborne suche as should faine their selues to be dead and
buried, and by and by to present themselues before men, as if they
had bin in déede raised from death, and by suche manner of persons
might so haue bewitched simple soules, that they would beléeue
whatsoeuer he would haue. For if now when there is indéed no such
thing, the vaine dreames as it were of men deceased, that haue bin
shewed to men in sléepe, haue deceiued, peruerted & distroied many:
surely much sooner would the same haue fallen out, if it had bin a
thing truly don, & this opinion had preuailed in mens heads. For
if many dead persons had retourned backe again into this life, the
wicked spirit the diuell would easily haue deuised many sleights and
wiles, and brought in much deceit into the life of man. And therfore
God hath clean shut vp this dore of deceit, and not permitted any
dead man to returne hither & shew what things be don in yͤ other
life, least the diuel might gréedily catch this occasiō to plant his
fraudulent policies. For when the prophets were, he raised vp false
prophets: when the Apostles were, he stirred vp false Apostles:
and when Christ apeared in flesh, he sent thither false Christs or
antechrists: And when sincere & sound doctrine was taught, he brought
into the world corrupt & damnable opiniōs, sowing tares whersoeuer he
came. And therfore although it had come to passe, yͤ dead mē shold
return again, yet would he haue counterfeited yͤ same also by his
instruments, by some fained raising of the dead through the blinding
and bewitching of mens eyes: or otherwise by subborning of some which
should feine themselues to be dead (as I said before) he would haue
turned all things topsituruie and vtterly haue confounded them. But
God who knoweth all things, hath stopped his way, that he should
not thus deceiue vs, and of his great mercie towards vs, hath not
permitted that at any time any shuld return from thēce and tel vnto
mē liuing, such things as there are don, hereby to instruct vs that
we should be of this opinion & iudgment, that the scriptures ought to
be beleeued before other things whatsoeuer, because that God in them
hath most clearly taught vs the doctrine of the last resurrection.
Further, by them he hath conuerted the whole world, banished error,
brought in truth, and compassed all these things by vile and base
fishers, and finally in them hath giuen vs euery where plentifull
arguments of his diuine prouidence, &c.
[Sidenote: Cyrillus.]
S. =Cyril= in his 11. booke & 36. cha. vpon S. =Iohns= gospell saith:
We ought to beleeue, that when yͤ soules of holy men are gone away
from the bodies, they are commended vnto the goodnesse of God, as
into the handes of a most deare father, and yͭ they do not abide
in yͤ earth, as some of the Heathens beleeued, vntill such time
as they abhorred their graues: neither that they are carried as the
soules of wicked men, vnto a place of excéeding torment, which is
hel, Christ hauing first prepared this iourney for vs, but that they
rather mount vp aloft into their heauenly fathers hands, &c.
[Sidenote: The Glosse of the canō law.]
[Sidenote: _Deut._ 18.]
And in the Popes canon law, _Causa._ 13. _quæst._ 2. _Fatendum_,
we read, that many do beléeue that some come from yͤ dead to the
liuing: euen as on the other side holy Scripture doth witnesse that
=Paule= was caught vp from the liuing into Paradice. Vpon these words
the glose saith, that some doo indéed so beleeue, but falsly, sith
they be but fansies and vain imaginations, as it is in _Causa_.26.
_quæstione_.5. _Episcopi_.
What farther may bee saide to those men that knowe these things, and
neuerthelesse do beléeue that soules straie on the earth, I know not:
and yet that I may laie out all thinges plainly, I will heere confute
their chiefest arguments.
CHAP. VI.
A confutation of those mennes arguments or reasons, which
affirme, that dead mens soules doo appeare: And first
that is aunswered whiche certaine doo alleage, to witte,
that God is omnipotent, and therfore that he can worke
contrary to the ordinary course of nature.
First our aduersaries do laie against vs, that by the vsuall and
common course of things, the soules of the godly abide in heauen, and
the soules of the wicked in hell, vntill the last day, and do not
walke at all: but yet that God may dispence with them to appear here
sometimes, therby to instruct and admonish vs: And then =Samuel= did
appeare after his death vnto king =Saule=, and =Moses= also which
forsooke this life many yeres before: Likewise =Elias=, who was taken
vp in to heauen in a firie charet, appeared vnto Christ our sauior &
his thrée disciples, whom he tooke with him at his transfiguration
in the mount. =Lazarus= also of _Bethanie_, returned from death into
yͤ earth, and many other also were raised from death by Christ, his
Apostles, and Prophets.
Farther they alledge this, yͭ Christs Apostles beléeued, that yͤ
spirit or soule either of Christ, (as som of the fathers vnderstand
it) or of som other person did appear vnto them. Besides to proue
this matter, they alledge places out of the fathers, decrées of
councels, & the common report yͭ hath bin bruted of those yͭ
returned frō the dead. To al these reasons by Gods assistance, we
will briefly and orderly answere.
[Sidenote: The soules do returne to instruct men contrary to the
common course of nature, by the omnipotent power of god.]
As touching yͤ first obiection, yͭ al things are possible vnto
God, we deny it not. We graunt then, that God can bring soules out of
heauen or hel, and vse their trauell & seruice to instruct, comfort,
admonish, & rebuke men. But for yͭ no text or example is found
in holy scripture, that euer any soule came from yͤ dead, which
did so scoole & warn men: or yͭ the faithfull learned or sought
to vnderstand any thing of the soules deceased, we cannot allow
yͤ sequele of their reason. We may not of Gods almightie power
inferre conclusions to our pleasure. For this is a principle holdē
in schooles, yͭ the reason doth not truly folow, yͭ is set from
yͤ power of doing, to the déed done. For God doth nothing against
himself, or his word writen, to warrāt their reson: they shuld first
haue proued, that it was gods wil, yͭ soules shuld return into the
erth: for so do holy fathers intreat of gods almightie power.
[Sidenote: How we oght to reason of the omnipotent power of God.]
=Tertullian= against =Praxias= saith: Truly I neuer thought that any
thing was hard to bee done of God, we may faine of God what we list,
as if he had done the same, because he is able to doo it. But we must
not beléeue that God hath therefore done all things, because he is
able to doo them. But first wee ought to make enquirie whether hee
hath done them.
[Sidenote: Ambrose.]
S. =Ambrose= in his sixt booke of epistles, and 37. epistle, writeth
vnto =Cromatius= in this wise: Therefore what is there vnpossible
vnto him? Not that thing which is harde to his power, but that which
is contrary to his nature. It is vnpossible for him to lye, and this
impossibilitie in him, procéedeth not of infirmitie, but of vertue
and maiestie. For truth receiueth no lye, neither doth the vertue
of God entertaine the vanitie of errour. Reade farther that which
followeth in the same place.
[Sidenote: Hierome.]
=Hierome= writing to =Eustochia=, of the preseruing of her
virginitie, saith: I will boldly auouch this one thing, that though
God can do all things, yet can he not restore a virgin after her fall.
[Sidenote: Augustine.]
=Augustine= in the tenth chapter of his fifth booke _De ciuitate
dei_ hath: That God is sayd to be omnipotent in dooing that he will,
and not in doing that he will not. Againe he addeth: Gods power is
not hereby any whit diminished, when we say, that God cannot die or
be deceiued. And immediately, therefore he cannot doo some things
because he is omnipotent, &c.
[Sidenote: Theodoret.]
=Theodoret= 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 this, dooth in effect say this
much, 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 spirites that
praye ayde, bee 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 errors.
[Sidenote: VVee must learn nothing of the dead. _Deut._18.]
Heare what the Lorde our God in the 18. of =Deuteronomie= speaketh:
When thou shalt 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 bee founde among you, that maketh
his sonne or his daughter to passe through the fire: nor a diuiner
that doth foreshew 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 doeth
abhorre all that doo such things: and because of these abhominations,
the Lord thy God hath cast them out before thée. Be thou therfore
sound and perfect before the Lord thy God: and by and by he promiseth
to send them that great Prophet whom they should heare.
[Sidenote: _Esay_ .8.]
[Sidenote: _Luke_ .22.]
In the 8. of =Esay=, it is written: If they say vnto you, enquire of
them which haue a spirite of diuination, which whisper and murmure
softely in youre eares to deceiue 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, shall be hardened and hunger, &c. Heereby
we doo vnderstand, that vnder a great 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 schoolemaister. In
the Gospell we read: They haue =Moses= and the Prophets, let them
heare them. Vnto 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. Therwithall should we content our selues, and not wait
for new reuelations, or receiue any thing that doth not in all points
agrée therewith. But as touching this matter, we wil speak more in
his proper place.
CHAP. VII.
That the true Samuell did not appeare to the Witch in
Endor.
[Sidenote: _Matth._8.]
Now touching yͤ examples by them commonly alleaged, which do think
that the souls of yͤ dead do return again vnto the liuing vpō the
earth: I wil first intreat of =Samuels= apparition, of which matter
now adaies there is great contentiō and reasoning. And (as I trust) I
shall proue by strong arguments, that very =Samuell= himself did not
appeare in soule and bodie, neither that his bodie was raised vp by
the sorcerers, which perchance then was rotten & consumed vnto dust
in the earth, neither yͭ his soule was called vp, but rather some
diuellish spirit. First the author of the two bookes of =Samuel=,
saith: that =Saule= did aske counsell of the Lord, and that he would
not answere him, neither by Visions, nor by =Vrim=, nor by his
Prophets. Wherefore if God disdained by his Prophets yet liuing, and
other ordinary wayes to giue answer vnto him, whom he had alreadie
reiected, we may easily coniecture, that he would much lesse haue
raised a dead Prophet to make him answere. And the rather, for that
as we haue a little before said, the lawe of God hath seuerely by a
great threatening, forbidden to learne ought of the dead, and would
not haue vs to searche for the trueth of them, nor that any man vse
diuination by Spirites, and suche other diuellishe Artes. Secondly,
if verie =Samuell= indéede appeared, that muste of necessitie haue
come to passe, either by the will of God, or by the worke of arte
Magike. But Gods will was not that =Samuel= should retourne. For he
hath condemned Necromancie, and would not haue vs to aske counsel
at the dead: and that the spirit of God did that which was contrary
herevnto, or did permit the Saints to do it, or was present with them
that did ought contrary thereto, it may not be graunted. And that
those things were done by the force and operation of Art Magike, wée
can not affirme. For the wicked spirit hath no rule or power ouer the
soules of the faithfull to bring them out of their places when he
lust, sith they be in the hand of God, and the bosome of =Abraham=,
nay (which is lesse) he hath no power ouer filthy and vncleane swine,
for he was driuen (as we reade in the viii. chapter of Mathew) to beg
leaue, before he could enter into the heard of swine: and how then
should he haue any power ouer the soule of man? yet can it not be
denied, that God somtimes for certain causes doth giue the Diuell and
his seruants, Magitians & Necromancers, power to do many things, as
to hurt and lame man and beast, and to worke other straunge things.
But that God dooth giue the Diuell leaue to raise dead bodies, or to
call, bring foorth, or driue away soules especially out of Heauen,
it hath no grounde at all in Scripture, neither can there be any
reasonable cause alledged, wherefore God would or should giue the
Diuell licence to doo these things contrary to the vsuall and common
order, yea and againe his owne expresse commaundement. For vayne
and childishe is the cause heereof that is giuen of some men, that
=Samuell= shoulde appeare to terrifie and astonishe =Saule=: as if
God coulde not haue feared him by other waies and meanes. Was he
not before vtterly abashed and dismayed? Thirdly, if =Samuell= were
brought backe, the same was done either by his will and consent, or
without the same, but that he did fréely and of his owne accord obey
the sorcerers, no man I thinke is so blinde to imagine.
[Sidenote: Wordes of thēselues haue no force.]
[Sidenote: Iupiter Elicius.]
[Sidenote: Plinie.]
For that were vtterly repugnant to the Lawe of God, that hee shoulde
confirme Witchcraft and Sorcerie by his example. If the Witch had
called for =Samuell=, whilest he liued, doubtlesse he would haue
not approached vnto hir. And how then can we beléeue that he came
to hir after his death? We may not so say, that the Witch compelled
him to resort to hir against his will: for the Diuel hath no power
ouer the soules of the godly, and Magike of it selfe is of no force.
Heathenish superstition no doubt it is, that wordes vttered by
Magitians, after their peculiar manner, or figures drawne, should
haue suche a secret and hidden operation. For the Heathens beléeued
that they could with a certain set stile & number of words, bring
and draw downe =Iupiter= out of Heauen. Wherfore they termed him
=Iupiter Elicius=. There are also certaine superstitious persons in
these our daies, which go about to cure diseases by certaine rites
of blessings, and by coniurings. Some hang aboute their neckes
certaine scrolles of Paper, in which ther are written diuers strange
words, but whether wordes of themselues haue any force at all, reade
=Plinie= in his 28. booke, and 2. chapter, and =Cælius Rhodiginus= in
his 16. booke and 16. chapter of Antiquities.
[Sidenote: _Apoc._19.21.]
[Sidenote: _Rom._12.]
[Sidenote: _Actes_.12.]
Fourthely, if very =Samuel= himselfe had appeared, hée would not haue
bene worshipped of =Saule=. For we reade in the 19. and 22. chapter
of the Reuelation, that =Iohn= would haue worshipped the angell,
whiche had opened vnto him great misteries, but the Angell of God
forbad him so to do. Some héere aunswere, that =Saule= ment not to
giue vnto the Prophet, the honor that was due vnto God, but onely a
certeine outward and euill worship, such as we are wont to yéelde
vnto honest men, and suche as haue well deserued of the Churche and
common weale. For they say, that the Hebrue word =Schachah= there
vsed, doth signifie to bend the knée, and to fall downe at a mans
feete: which kinde of worship we reade, that =Abigael= and =Nathan=
the Prophet gaue vnto King =Dauid=. And =Paule= also in the 12.
Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes teacheth, that we should honour
one another. =Thomas= of =Aquine= intreating of those two places
that I euen nowe recited out of the Reuelation, saieth, that =Iohn=
ment not to worship the Angell, with the worship properly called
=Latria=, but with an other kind of worship termed =Dulia=, that is
to say, that =Iohns= will was not to withdrawe from God, the honor
due vnto him, but to worship the Angell that was sent from God, only
with a ciuill and outward homage: and yet the Angell would not so
far condiscend vnto him. In the new Testament the 10. chap. of the
Acts of the Apostles, we read that =Cornelius= met with =Peter=,
fell downe at his féet and worshipped him, yet, so as he had bene an
embassadour from God and not God himselfe, and yet =Peter= lifted
him vp & said, Arise for I my selfe am a man also. He said not to
=Cornelius= thou doest well herein: nor as his worthie Vicare (with
a mischiefe) is wont to do, proffered his foote vnto him to kisse.
We may read also that =Elias= disciples worshipped =Elizeus= that
succéeded into his office, to which place the word to bowe the knée,
or fall downe, is vsed. But whether the Prophet did except and allowe
this kind of reuerence or no, there is no expresse mention. Bréefly,
it is not likely that the Prophet would haue suffered the King to
fall downe at his féete.
[Sidenote: Testimonies out of the Fathers touching Samuels appearing.]
[Sidenote: Samuels appearing.]
Fiftly, if he had bin the true =Samuel=, he would no doubt haue
exhorted =Saule= to repentance, and willed him to wait for aide from
God, to put his whole confidence in him, or at least way, to haue
giuen him some comforte, or counselled him to fight againste his
enimies with more courage. For though the Prophets do often chide
and threaten men, yet do they againe reuiue and solace them. Now
because this =Samuel= doth beate no other thing into his heade, but
that God was displeased with him, and had alredy forsaken him, we may
not beléeue that he was the true, but a meere counterfeit =Samuel=.
Sixtly, the auncient Fathers write, that the true =Samuel= was not
séene.
[Sidenote: Tertullian.]
[Sidenote: Augustine.]
=Tertullian= in his booke _De anima_ saith, that the Diuill did there
represent =Samuels= soule, God forbid (saith he) that we should
beléeue that the diuel can drawe the soule of any Saint, much lesse
a Prophet, out of his proper place, sith we are taught that Sathan
dooth transfourme himselfe into an Angel of light, and much sooner
into a man of light: who also will auouch himselfe to be God, and
doo notable signes and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, the
very elect. S. =Augustine= is not alwaies of one iudgement touching
this apparition: in his second booke to =Simplician= Bishop of
_Millaine_, and the third question thereof, hée graunteth that by
the dispensation of Gods will, it might so come to passe, that the
spirite of some holy Prophet, should consent to present it selfe in
the sight of the King, to come out of his owne place, and to speak
with him, but not to doo this by constrainte, or by the vertue of
Arte Magike, which might haue any power ouer it: but thereby to
shew it selfe obedient to the secret dispensation of God: and yet
he doth not dissemble, that a better answer may be giuen, to witte,
that the spirite of =Samuel= was not truly and indéed raised vp from
his rest, but rather some vain vision and counterfeit illusion,
that should be brought to passe by the diuels practise, which the
Scripture therefore doth tearme by the name of =Samuel=, because the
same is woont to call the images and similitudes of things, by the
names of the things themselues. For who is he (saith =Augustine=)
that will be afraid to call a man painted, a man, considering that
without staggering, we are accustomed to giue eache thing his proper
name, assoone as we behold the picture of the same: as when we take
the viewe of a painted table, or wall, we say straightway, this is
=Tullie=, this is =Salust=, hée =Achilles=, that other =Hector=, this
is the floud called _Symois_, that place tearmed _Rome_, whereof
these things be indéede no other than painted Images, of those things
whose names they beare. Sith this is so, he saith, it is not to be
maruelled that scripture saith =Samuel= was seen, when perchance
=Samuels= image séemed to appeare, through the craftie pollicie
of him, that transformed himselfe into an Angell of light, and
fashioneth his ministers like vnto the Ministers of righteousnesse.
In his booke _De octo Dulcitij questionibus_, the 6. question
thereof, he vttereth all this in as many words, & in his booke _De
cura pro mortuis gerenda_, he writeth that some are sent, from the
deade to the liuing: as on the other side, =Paule= was rapt vp from
the liuing vnto Paradice: hée addeth there the example of =Samuel=
being dead, which did foreshewe to =Saule=, things, that afterwardes
should come to passe. He saith further, that this place may otherwise
be vnderstanded, and that certaine faithful men haue bene of this
iudgement, that it was not =Samuel=, but that some spirit fit for
such wicked practises, had taken vpon him his shape and similitude.
And in other places, as we will shew hereafter, he affirmeth, that
there is a figure conteined in those wordes, because the name of the
thing is giuen vnto the Image that dooth but represent the same: and
that it was not =Samuel= that appeared, but some diuellish spirit.
[Sidenote: The Popes decrees.]
Other Fathers of the Churche haue written nothing particularly of
this storie, so far as I know, but in certaine places of their
workes, they teache generally that good spirites are not pulled
backe into the earth by Magicall Art. Of =Iustine= and =Gregorie=
I will speake anone. In the very Papall decrées, 26. question 5.
chapter, _Nec mirum_, it is written that it was not =Samuel=, but
rather some wicked spirite that appeared to =Saule=: And that it were
a great offence that a man should beléeue the plaine words of the
storie without some farther meaning, for how saith he could it come
to passe, that a man from his byrth holie and iust in conuersation
of life, should by Art Magicke be pulled out of his place? And if
he were not so drawne against his will, then he must néedes agrée
thereto: both whiche are like absurde, to bee imagined of a iust
man. This is the Diuels legerdimaine, to make shewe, as though he
had power ouer good men, thereby the rather to deceiue many. He
there farther addeth, that the Historiographers doo set foorth both
=Saules= minde, and =Samuels= state, and also those things which were
sayd and séene, omitting this, whether they were true or false. And
other words followe, whiche who so list to sée more of that matter,
may there reade.
[Sidenote: Lyra.]
But here =Nicolas Lyras= iudgement (which in his Commentaries on the
bookes of the Kings, mainteineth the contrary opinion) should bee
little weighed and regarded of vs. Where he noteth, that the place by
vs euen now alleaged, is not written according to the censure of the
Church, though it be found in the Popes lawe, for otherwise saith he,
they which ensued in latter times, wold not haue written contrary to
yͤ same, for many of those things concerning which men haue written
otherwise in latter times, were neuerthelesse set foorth to the
world, to be beleeued, as the very expresse and sound iudgement of
the whole Christian Church, because they were put in the Popes booke
of =Decretalls=.
CHAP. VIII.
A Confutation of their arguments, which would haue Samuel
himselfe to appeare.
[Sidenote: _Eccle._46.]
We will now come to the Confutatiō of their Arguments, which
maintaine, that very =Samuel= himselfe appeared to the Sorcerers,
for he that rightly ouerthroweth his aduersaries arguments, is
supposed by the same meanes to confirme his owne cause. The chéefest
arguments which our aduersaries vse, is taken out of the 46. chapter
of =Ecclesiasticus=, where these words are found. =Samuel= before his
death made protestation before God, and before his annointed, that
he tooke from no man his substance, no not so much as the value of
a shoe, and no man could then reproue him. And after his death he
prophesied, and tolde the King of his ende. From the earth he lift
vp his voyce, and shewed that the wickednesse of the people should
perish.
This place somewhat troubled S. _Augustine_, and other godly Fathers.
For if the Diuell onely appeared, and not =Samuel=, howe is it there
saide that he slept, that is, died, for the Diuel neyther sléepeth
nor dieth. Hereunto I may shape this answere, that this booke is not
to be nombred among the Canonicall bookes of the olde Testament, and
that Doctrine in controuersies, cannot bee proued by the authoritie
thereof, the whiche Saint =Augustine=, also confesseth in his booke
_De cura pro mortuis agenda_.
But howsoeuer that be credited as true or false, I answere them
plainly, that Iesus the Sonne of =Syraches= intent was, to alleage
the Storie literally, as the wordes lye, and not by reason to debate
the matter, whether =Samuel= truly appeared or no. Hée speaketh there
according to the opinion of =Saule= and the Witche, which thought
that =Samuel= himselfe was raised. Further they say, that hée which
appeared vnto =Saule=, is sometimes expresly and in plaine words
called =Samuel=. And an vnséemely matter it were, making much for the
reproach of so great a Prophet, if his name had bene applied vnto
the Diuel. If say they, it had not bene =Samuel=, but some wicked
spirite, the scripture would in some one word or other, haue noted
the same.
To this Argument first I aunswere, that euen in our common spéeche,
it is an vsuall phrase by the figure _Metonymia_, to terme the Image
by the name of the thing, that it presenteth. So we terme the Armes
and Ensigne of a Noble man, by the name of that Lord himselfe,
that giueth those Armes. We say, this is =Iulius Cæsar=, =Nero=,
Saint =Peter=, Saint =Paule=, or here thou maist sée the Cities of
_Tigurine_, and _Argentorat_, also the Duke of _Saringe_, whereas
indéed they are only their counterfeits, or Armes, and signes of
honour.
In a Comedie or Tragedie, we call this man =Saule=, that =Samuel=,
an other =Dauid=, whereas they do but betoken and represent their
personages. So saith =Virgil=, in his first booke of =Æneidos=: They
wonder at =Æneas= gifts, and haue =Iulius= in admiration. And yet
was it not =Iulius= or =Ascanius=, but =Cupid= feining himselfe to
be =Iulius=, whereby he might the easiler pearce the heart of the
ignorant Quéene, with his dart of Loue.
Sainte =Augustine= in his seconde Booke and ninthe chap. _De
mirabilibus scripturæ_ saieth, that holie Scripture doeth sometimes
applie the verie names of thinges to the Images and similitudes of
the same. Hée alleageth there this example, that the foule spirit
is called =Samuel=, because hée did falsely beare =Saule= in hande,
that hée was =Samuell=: whiche fraude of the Diuell, coulde no waies
turne to =Samuels= reproach. For who would say, that it should be a
reproach for an honest man, if some knaue would terme himselfe by his
name, as if he were he himselfe.
The false prophets sayde, they were true Prophets, and Gods
servauntes, yea (which is more) they feined themselues to be the
verie =Messias=, the Sonne of God. And that Scripture dooth not so
muche as in one word make mention, that this was verie =Samuell=
in deede, but rather some spirite, we must thinke that it so came
to passe, for this cause, that all men by the Lawe of God might
vnderstand, that Magike and enquirie of things at the dead, did much
displease God. =Saule= himselfe before by the counsell and motion of
=Samuel=, slewe all the Magitians that he could any where finde. And
God is not accustomed in this wise to interprete Figuratiue spéeches:
for many of them are soone descried by such as giue diligent héed to
them. A vaine and superfluous spéech it were, if a man woulde say
that is =Peter=, this is the Image of =Peter=, whiche by a Figure, is
called by the name of =Peter=.
[Sidenote: 1. _Cor._ 1.]
[Sidenote: 1. _Cor._ 10.]
[Sidenote: _Iere._ 10.]
[Sidenote: _Psal._ 96.]
Furthermore, holie Scripture dooth vse to speake of things, rather
according to the opinion and iudgement of men, than according to
the substaunce and true béeing which they haue indéede. So Iesus is
called the Sonne of =Ioseph=, and =Iosephe= named his father, whereas
notwithstanding, our Sauiour Christ Iesus, was borne of a chaste and
vnspotted Virgine, without any helpe of man. And yet neuerthelesse
many of the Iewes, imagined, that he was the Sonne of =Ioseph=.
In the =1.Cor. 1.= the Gospel it selfe is named foolishnesse,
because that men did account the great wisedome of God but as méere
foolishnesse. So in the first Epistle to the =Corinthians=, and tenth
chapter, the scripture tearmeth them gods, which be nothing lesse
than so indéed. And that for this cause onely, for that the Heathen
tooke them for gods, and so did worship them. Euen so the scripture
doeth tearme the Diuell =Samuel=, because =Saule= thought him to be
=Samuel= in very déed.
[Sidenote: VVhether the diuel forknow of thinges to come.]
[Sidenote: _Iohn_ 8.]
An other reason they vse, that =Samuel= foreshewed vnto =Saule= suche
thinges as afterwardes should come to passe: as that the Philistians
should in battayle ouerthrowe his Armie, and he and his sonnes
togither be slaine. And all these thinges came to passe according to
his Prophesie. And say they, the Diuel knoweth not, neither can he
foretell of things to come, sith it is onely in Gods power so to doo:
But as Christ in the eight of =Iohn= saith, he is a lyar, and the
father of lies. Hereunto a man may easily answere: The Diuell knewe
howe things stoode with the Iewes, and the Philistines, he vnderstood
euen the very secret consultations, priuie practises, and warlike
preparation on both sides. He sawe that the Israelites were slenderly
addressed vnto battaile, and vtterly daunted of courage. Besides
this, =Samuel= had a little before threatned =Saule= with Gods heauie
wrath and vengeance, and that =Dauid= should be aduaunced to the
kingly throne, whereby he might easily gather what would ensue, and
that =Saule= must néedes giue place to =Dauid=. And if the euent had
bene otherwise, yet he knew that =Saule= with this prophesie would be
quite dismaied, and driuen to dispaire: which thing must néedes well
content and please Sathan, who laieth his baites day and night to
intrappe men.
[Sidenote: Which being doubtfully spoken, may be vnderstood either of
subuerting other kingdomes, or loosing his owne.]
The Diuell dooth not presently vnderstand things to come, and
therefore he giueth doubtfull answeres to such as séeke oracles of
him: As when he said,
=Crœsus perdet Halin transgressus plurima regna=.
That is, =Cresus= passing ouer the riuer, =Halis= shall ouerturne
many kingdomes. And yet oftentimes he gathereth one thing no
otherwise than by an other. Hereof writeth =Augustine= in the 26. 27.
28. Chapters of his Booke _De Anima_. The Diuel is one which hath
bene long beaten in experience, the which thing in all affaires and
matters is of very great force. For olde and practised souldiours
doo by and by foresée to what issue things will come, but yoong
men, and such as want experience, doo not forthwith espie out the
euent of each enterprise. Moreouer, the Diuels are very actiue, and
can soone dispatch their matters. The Marriners knowe when windes
and stormes will arise. Husbandmen also are not destitute of their
prognostications. The skilfull Astronomer can many yeares before
exactly foretell when there will happen an Eclipse of the Sunne and
Moone. The Phisitian by the criticall dayes, pulse, and vrine, can
lightly iudge whether his patient shall liue or no: builders sée
before hand when an house will fall, and a practised souldioure
can straightwayes iudge who shall winne the victorie. And what
maruaile then may it be, if the Diuell an olde trained souldiour, can
sometimes foreshew some certain thing? Shall we be of this minde,
that so many yeares experience hath broughte them no knowledge at
all? Otherwhiles he telleth things which be true indéed, and yet to
no other end, but that he may thereby purchase a certaine credite
vnto his lying, to seduce the ignorant.
For euen that counterfeit =Samuell=, made wise, as if he had taken
it in very ill part, that =Saule= did so molest and disquiet him,
and that he should be forced to talke with him: he vseth farther the
words as it were of =Samuel= himselfe. And hereof it commeth, that
many gather, he was the true =Samuel= indéede. But what doth not
Sathan deuise, to deceiue men, and to force them vnto desperation?
Here I could alleage examples of suche as haue bin perswaded, that
they sawe and heard this and that man, and moreouer knewe them
perfectly by their speeche: whereas they haue afterwards had euident
intelligence, that they were at that time many miles distant from
them. So craftie is the Diuell, and knoweth how to worke these and
many other feates.
There are farther, diuers places alleaged out of the auncient
Fathers, that séeme to make for them, whiche affirme that true
=Samuell= appeared vnto =Saule=. But these places wée haue before for
the moste parte aunsweared. For albeit =Augustine= in some places
mooue a doubte, whether it were the true =Samuel= or no, yet in
certaine other places hee lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion,
who denie =Samuel= to haue appeared at all, taking rather that kinde
of spéech, for tropicall and figuratiue.
[Sidenote: Iustinus.]
=Iustine= the Martir, who is one of the most auncient Fathers,
reasoning against =Trypho= a Iewe, writeth in his _Colloquio_, that
the couetous Sorceresse at =Saules= commaundement raysed vp =Samuels=
soule. And no man shoulde maruaile héereat, sith that the selfesame
Author doeth by and by adde, that he is of this iudgement, that all
the soules of Prophettes and iust menne are subiect vnto suche power
as a man may in verie déed beléeue, to haue bene on this gréedie and
subtile Witche. But this none of the Fathers will graunt him. Other
Gréeke writers also, whiche in their tender yeares applied theyr
mindes to Philosophie, and not to the studie of holy Scriptures, and
afterwardes were conuerted to Christianitie, doo sette foorthe in
their writings certaine opinions which are not agréeable to the word
of God. Wherefore it néede not séeme a straunge thing to any manne,
that =Iustine= the Martire in some pointes had his errors.
The same Authour in _Responsionibus ad Orthodoxos_, question 52.
mainteineth the contrary assertion. For, saith he, whatsoeuer things
were done by that hungry Witche, were indéede the workes of the
Diuell, who did so dazle the eyes of such as beheld him, that it
séemed vnto them, they sawe =Samuel= himselfe, when in verie déede
hée was not there. But the truth of his words procéeded from God, who
gaue the diuel power to appeare vnto the Sorceresse, and to declare
vnto her, that which should afterwards come to passe. &c.
[Sidenote: Gregorius.]
If any man obiect that this woorke is not rightly ascribed vnto
=Iustine=, (for so muche as hée doth make mention of =Origen=, and
=Ireneus= the Martire, whereas notwithstanding hee him selfe was
martyred before them. And farther, speaketh of the =Manichees=, who
were in their ruffe long after this time. Hereunto we answere, that
if this booke were not written by =Iustine=, yet (as may appeare)
some other learned Clarke wrote that worke, whose authoritie might
carry away as great credit as =Iustines=, sith that the same doth
fully agrée with holie scripture. Furthermore we may set against
=Iustine=, other holy Fathers, as =Tertullian= and =Chrysostome=, of
whom we haue before spoken, who haue by holy scripture instructed vs,
that it was not =Samuell= indéede whiche appeared vnto =Saule=. We
will hereafter say somewhat of =Gregorie=, who no doubt was a learned
and godly Father, but yet too simple and light of beléefe.
And the Fathers themselues deny, that a man should subscribe vnto
their opinion in ought that they doo maintaine and auouche without
the warrant of Gods word. The Popes out of =Augustine= written in
their Decrées, =Quest. 9. ca. Noli=, that a man should credit none of
the Fathers except he proued his saying out of holy Scriptures. But
in these dayes many cull nothing out of their bookes but errours, and
whatsoeuer they maintaine by good testimony of the holy scriptures,
that they reiect and disanull: in which point they do fitly resemble
those children, who only in things wicked and euil, imitate their
good parents: for good men also haue their faultes.
CHAP. IX.
Whether the Diuell haue power to appeare vnder the shape
of a faithfull man?
[Sidenote: 2. _Cor._ 11.]
[Sidenote: 2. _Reg._ 22.]
But thou doest demand whether the Diuill can represent the likenesse
of some faithfull man deceased? Hereof we néed not doubt at all. For
in the =2.Cor.11.= S. =Paul= witnesseth, that sathan transformeth
himselfe into the shape & fashion of an Angell of light. Sathan by
nature is a spirit, and is therefore tearmed an Angel, because God
vseth to send him to bring that thing to passe which he thinketh
best. So in the second of =Kings= .22. Chapter, an euil angell was
sent foorth to =Ahabs= destruction, to be a lying spirit in the mouth
of 400. false prophets. This was an angell of errour and darkenesse:
who yet in outwarde shewe could resemble a good Angell, that he might
so guide the counsell of =Baalls= worshippers, who no doubt vaunted
themselues, as if they had bene gathered togither by Gods holy
spirit. If sathan be then so skilfull, can he not counterfait and
faine himselfe to be some holy man, by resembling his words, voyce,
iesture, and such other things?
Amongst the Gentiles he hath done miraculous Actes, perswading them
to thinke, that soules by Arte Magicke 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 affaires, if they
séemed to be any thing hard vnto them, they consulted with Magitians
and Sorcerers, and had moreouer recourse sometimes vnto Oracles.
[Sidenote: Tertullian.]
=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:
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.