Some hold opinion, that spirits and soules can assume & take unto them

bodies at their pleasure, of what shape or substance they list: of

which mind all papists, and some protestants are, being more grosse

than another sort, which hold, that such bodies are made to their

hands. Howbeit, these doo varie in the elements, wherewith these

spirituall bodies are composed. For (as I have said) some affirme that

they consist of fier, some thinke of aier, and some of the starres and

other celestiall powers. But if they be celestiall, then (as _Peter

Martyr_ saith) must they follow the circular motion: and if they be

elementarie, then must they follow the motions of those elements, of

which their bodies consist. Of aier they cannot be: for aier is _Corpus

homogenium_; so as everie part of aier is aier, whereof there can be

no distinct members made. For an organicall bodie must have bones,

sinewes, veines, flesh, &c: which cannot be made of aier. Neither (as

_Peter Martyr_ affirmeth) can an aierie bodie receive or have either

shape or figure. But some ascend up into the clouds, where they find

(as they saie) diverse shapes and formes even in the aier. Unto which

objection _P. Martyr_ answereth, saieng, and that trulie, that clouds

are not altogether aier, but have a mixture of other elements mingled

with them.

♦For everie naturall motion is either circular or elemētarie.♦

The xviii. Chapter.

_Certeine popish reasons concerning spirits made of aier, of

daie divels and night divels, and why the divell loveth no salt

in his meate._

Manie affirme (upon a fable cited by _M. Mal._) that spirits are of

aier, bicause they have beene cut (as he saith) in sunder, and closed

presentlie againe; and also bicause they vanish awaie so suddenlie.

But of such apparitions I have alreadie spoken, and am shortlie to

saie more, which are rather seene in the imagination of the weake and

diseased, than in veritie and truth. Which sights and apparitions,

as they have beene common among the unfaithfull; so now, since the

preaching of the gospell they are most rare. And as among faintharted

people; namelie, women, children, and sicke folkes, they usuallie

swarmed: so among strong bodies and good stomachs they never used to

appeare; as elsewhere I have prooved: which argueth that they were

onelie phantasticall and imaginarie. Now saie they that imagine divels

and spirits to be made of aier, that it must needs be that they consist

of that element; bicause otherwise when they vanish suddenlie awaie,

they should leave some earthie substance behind them. If they were of

water, then should they moisten the place where they stand, and must

needs be shed on the floore. If they consisted of fier, then would they

burne anie thing that touched them: and yet (saie they) _Abraham_ and

_Lot_ washed their feete, and were neither scalded nor burnt.

♦Gen. 18, 19.♦

I find it not in the Bible, but in _Bodin_, that there are daie divels,

and night divels. The same fellow saith, that _Deber_ is the name of

that divell, which hurteth by night; and _Cheleb_ is he that hurteth

by daie: howbeit, he confesseth that Sathan can hurt both by daie and

by night; although it be certeine (as he saith) that he can doo more

harme by night than by daie; producing for example, how in a night

he slew the first borne of _Ægypt_. And yet it appeareth plainelie

in the text, that the Lord himselfe did it. Whereby it seemeth, that

_Bodin_ putteth no difference betweene God and the divell. For further

confirmation of this his foolish assertion, that divels are more

valiant by night than by daie, he alledgeth the 104. _Psalme_, wherein

is written, Thou makest darknesse, and it is night, wherein all the

beasts of the forrest creepe foorth, the lions rore, &c: when the sunne

riseth, they retire, &c. So as now he maketh all beasts to be divels,

or divels to be beasts. Oh barbarous blindnes! This _Bodin_ also

saith, that the divell loveth no salt in his meate, for that it is a

signe of eternitie, and used by Gods commandement in all sacrifices;

abusing the scriptures, which he is not ashamed to quote in that

behalfe. But now I will declare how the scripture teacheth our dull

capacities to conceive what maner of thing the divell is, by the verie

names appropriated unto him in the same.

♦_J. Bod. lib. de dæm. 3. ca. 4._♦

♦Exod. 12 29.♦

♦Psa. 104. 20.♦

♦_J. Bod. lib. de dæm. 3. ca. 5._♦

♦Levit. 1.♦

The xix. Chapter.

_That such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures, have in their

names their nature and qualities expressed, with instancies

thereof._

Such divels as are mentioned in the scriptures by name, have in their

names their nature and qualities expressed, being for the most part the

idols of certeine nations idolatrouslie erected, in steed, or rather in

spight of God. For _Beelzebub_, which signifieth the lord of the flies,

bicause he taketh everie simple thing in his web, was an idol or oracle

erected at _Ekron_, to whom _Ahaziah_ sent to know whether he should

recover his disease: as though there had beene no God in Israell.

This divell _Beelzebub_ was among the _Jewes_ reputed the principall

divell. The _Græcians_ called him _Pluto_, the _Latines Sumanus, quasi

summum deorum manium_, the cheefe ghost or spirit of the dead whom they

supposed to walke by night: although they absurdlie beleeved also that

the soule died with the bodie. So as they did put a difference betweene

the ghost of a man and the soule of a man: and so doo our papists;

howbeit, none otherwise, but that the soule is a ghost, when it walketh

on the earth, after the dissolution of the bodie, or appeareth to anie

man, either out of heaven, hell, or purgatorie, and not otherwise.

[a]_Nisroch_ signifieth a delicate tentation, and was worshipped by

_Senacherib_ in _Assyria_. [b]_Tarcat_[c] is in English, fettered, and

was the divell or idoll of the _Hevites_. [d]_Beelphegor_, otherwise

called _Priapus_, the gaping or naked god was worshipped among the

_Moabits_. [e]_Adramelech_, that is, the cloke or power of the king,

was an idoll at _Sepharvais_, which was a citie of the _Assyrians_.

[f]_Chamos_, that is feeling, or departing, was worshipped among the

_Moabits_. [g]_Dagon_, that is, corne or greefe, was the idoll of the

Philistines. [h]_Astarte_, that is, a fold or flocke, is the name of a

shee idoll at _Sydonia_, whom _Salomon_ worshipped: some thinke it was

_Venus_. [i]_Melchom_, that is, a king, was an idoll or divell, which

the sonnes of _Ammon_ worshipped.

♦2. Reg. 13.♦

♦Matth. 10. & 12.

Mark. 3.

Luk. 11.♦

♦[a] 2. Reg. 19.♦

♦[b] 2. Reg. 17.♦

♦[c] [Tartac]♦

♦[d] Ose. 9, 11. [10]

Num. 25.

Deut. 3. &. 4

Josu. 22.♦

♦[e] 2. Reg. 17.♦

♦[f] Numb. 21.

1. Reg. 11.

2. Reg. 23.♦

♦[g] Judg. 16.

1. Macc. 10.♦

♦[h] 1. Reg. 11.

2. Reg. 23.♦

♦[i] 2. Reg. 23.

1. Chro. 20.

Jerem. 49.♦

♦_Joseph. lib. de antiquit. Judæor. 6. cap. 14._♦

♦1. Sam. 7.

2. Reg. 23.♦

♦Psal. 96. [Vulg. vers.]♦

Sometimes also we find in the scriptures, that divels and spirits take

their names of wicked men, or of the houses or stats of abhominable

persons: as _Astaroth_, which (as _Josephus_ saith) was the idoll of

the _Philistines_, whome the _Jewes_ tooke from them at _Salomons_

commandement, and was also worshipped of _Salomon_. Which though

it signifie riches, flocks, &c: yet it was once a citie belonging

to _Og_ the king of _Basan_, where they saie the giants dwelt. In

these respects _Astaroth_ is one of the speciall divels named in

_Salomons_ conjuration, and greatlie emploied by the conjurors. I have

sufficientlie prooved in these quotations, that these idols are _Dii

gentium_, the gods of the Gentiles: and then the prophet _David_ may

satisfie you, that they are divels, who saith _Dii gentium dæmonia

sunt_, The gods of the Gentiles are divels. What a divell was the rood

of grace to be thought, but such a one as before is mentioned and

described, who tooke his name of his courteous and gratious behaviour

towards his worshippers, or rather those that offered unto him? The

idolatrous knaverie wherof being now bewraied, it is among the godlie

reputed a divell rather than a god: and so are diverse others of the

same stampe.

The xx. Chapter.

_Diverse names of the divell, whereby his nature and disposition

is manifested._

It hath also pleased GOD to informe our weake capacities, as it were

by similitudes and examples, or rather by comparisons, to understand

what manner of thing the divell is, by the verie names appropriated

and attributed unto him in the scriptures: wherein sometimes he is

called by one name, sometimes by another, by metaphors according to

his conditions. [a]_Elephas_ is called in _Job_, _Behemoth_, which

is, _Bruta_; whereby the greatnes and brutishnes of the divell is

figured. _Leviathan_ is not much different from _Elephas_; whereby

the divels great subtiltie and power is shewed unto us. [b]_Mammon_

is the covetous desire of monie, wherewith the divell overcommeth

the reprobate. [c]_Dæmon_ signifieth one that is cunning or craftie.

_Cacodæmon_ is perverslie knowing. All those which in ancient

times were worshipped as gods, were so called. [d]_Diabolus_ is

_Calumniator_, an accuser, or a slanderer. Sathan is _Adversarius_, an

adversarie, that troubleth and molesteth. [e]_Abaddon_ a destroier.

[f]_Legio_, bicause they are manie. [g]Prince of the aire. [h]Prince of

the world. [i]A king of the sonnes of pride. [k]A roring lion. [l]An

homicide or manslear, a lier, and the father of lies. The [m]author of

sinne. [n]A spirit. Yea somtimes he is called the spirit of the Lord,

as the executioner and minister of his displeasure, &c. Sometimes,

the [o]spirit of fornication, &c. And manie other like epithets or

additions are given him for his name. He is also called [p]the angell

of the Lord. [q]The cruell angell. The [r]angell of sathan. The

[s]angell of hell. The [t]great dragon, for his pride and force. The

[u]red dragon for his blouddines. A [x]serpent. An [y]owle, a [z]kite,

a satyre, a crowe, a pellicane, a hedghog, a griph, a storke, &c.

[x should reach to Isai. 27. and y Mark Isai. 13. 34.]

♦[a] Job. 40.

Job. 3.

Isai. 27.♦

♦[b] Matth. 6.

Matt. 4. &c.

Marc. 16.♦

♦[c] Jam. 2.♦

♦[d] Matth. 4.

John. 8.

Apoc. 12.♦

♦[e] Apoc. 9.♦

♦[f] Marc. 5.

Luke. 8.♦

♦[g] Eph. 2.♦

♦[h] John. 8. 12. 14. 16.♦

♦[i] Job. 41.♦

♦[k] 1. Pet. 5.♦

♦[l] John. 8.♦

♦[m] 1. John. 3.♦

♦[n] Acts. 16.v

♦[o] Ose. 4.♦

♦[p] Psal. 34.

1. Chr. 21.♦

♦[q] Prov. 17.♦

♦[r] 2. Cor. 12.♦

♦[s] Apoc. 9.♦

♦[t] Apoc. 12.♦

♦[u] Job. 41.♦

♦[x] Gen. 3.♦

♦[y] Apoc. 12.♦

♦[z] Isai. 27.

Isai. 13. 34.♦

The xxi. Chapter.

_That the idols or gods of the Gentiles are divels, their

diverse names, and in what affaires their labours and

authorities are emploied, wherein also the blind superstition

of the heathen people is discovered._

And for so much as the idols of the gentiles are called divels, and

are among the unlearned confounded and intermedled with the divels

that are named in the scriptures; I thought it convenient here to give

you a note of them, to whome the Gentiles gave names, according to the

offices unto them assigned. _Penates_ are the domesticall gods, or

rather divels that were said to make men live quietlie within doores.

But some thinke these rather to be such, as the Gentiles thought to

be set over kingdomes: and that _Lares_ are such as trouble private

houses, and are set to oversee crosse waies and cities. _Larvæ_ are

said to be spirits that walke onelie by night. _Genii_ are the two

angels, which they supposed were appointed to wait upon each man.

_Manes_ are the spirits which oppose themselves against men in the

waie. _Dæmones_ were feigned gods by poets, as _Jupiter_, _Juno_, &c.

_Virunculi terrei_ are such as was Robin good fellowe, that would

supplie the office of servants, speciallie of maids; as to make a

fier in the morning, sweepe the house, grind mustard and malt, drawe

water, &c: these also rumble in houses, drawe latches, go up and downe

staiers, &c. _Dii geniales_ are the gods that everie man did sacrifice

unto at the daie of their birth. _Tetrici_ be they that make folke

afraid, and have such ouglie shape, which manie of our divines doo

call _Subterranei_. _Cobali_ are they that followe men, and delight

to make them laugh, with tumbling, juggling, and such like toies.

_Virunculi_ are dwarfes about three handfulles long, and doo no hurt;

but seeme to dig in mineralles, and to be verie busie, and yet doo

nothing. _Guteli_ or _Trulli_ are spirits (they saie) in the likenes

of women, shewing great kindnesse to all men: & hereof it is that we

call light women, truls. _Dæmones montani_ are such as worke in the

mineralles, and further the worke of the labourers woonderfullie, who

are nothing afraid of them. _Hudgin_ is a verie familiar divell, which

will doo no bodie hurt, except he receive injurie: but he cannot abide

that, nor yet be mocked: he talketh with men freendlie, sometimes

visiblie, and sometimes invisiblie. There go as manie tales upon this

_Hudgin_, in some parts of _Germanie_, as there did in _England_

of Robin good fellowe. But this _Hudgin_ was so called, bicause he

alwaies ware a cap or a hood[†]; and therefore I thinke it was Robin

hood. Frier _Rush_ was for all the world such another fellow as this

_Hudgin_, and brought up even in the same schoole; to wit, in a

kitchen: in so much as the selfe-same tale is written of the one as of

the other, concerning the skullian, which is said to have beene slaine,

&c: for the reading whereof I referre you to Frier _Rush_ his storie,

or else to _John Wierus De præstigiis dæmonum_.

♦Psalm. 96.♦

♦Juno and Minerva.♦

♦Cousening gods or knaves.♦

♦_Terra, aqua, aer, ignis, sol, & Luna._♦

♦[*]Hudgin of Germanie, and Rush of England.♦

♦[*] [Hutgin, _Wier_.]♦

♦_J. Wier. lib. de præst. dæm. 1. cap. 23._♦

♦[†] [See note.]♦

♦Bawdie preests in Ginnie.♦

♦Looke in the word (_Ob_) lib. 7. cap. 3. pag. 132, 133.♦

There were also _Familiares dæmones_, which we call familiars: such

as _Socrates_ and _Cæsar_ were said to have; and such as _Feats_ sold

to doctor _Burcot_. _Quintus Sertorius_ had _Diana_ hir selfe for his

familiar; and _Numa Pompilius_ had _Aegeria_: but neither the one nor

the other of all these could be preserved by their familiars from being

destroied with untimelie death. _Simon Samareus_ boasted, that he had

gotten by conjuration, the soule of a little child that was slaine, to

be his familiar, and that he told him all things that were to come,

&c. I marvell what privilege soules have, which are departed from the

bodie, to know things to come more than the soules within mans bodie.

There were spirits, which they called _Albæ mulieres_, and _Albæ

Silyllæ_, which were verie familiar, and did much harme (they saie)

to women with child, and to sucking children. _Deumus_ as a divell is

worshipped among the _Indians_ in _Calecute_, who (as they thinke) hath

power given him of God to judge the earth, &c: his image is horriblie

pictured in a most ouglie shape. _Thevet_ saith, that a divell in

_America_, called _Agnan_, beareth swaie in that countrie. In _Ginnie_

one _Grigrie_ is accounted the great divell, and keepeth the woods:

these have preests called _Charoibes_, which prophesie, after they have

lien by the space of one houre prostrate upon a wench of twelve yeares

old, and all that while (saie they) he calleth upon a divell called

_Hovioulsira_, and then commeth foorth and uttereth his prophesie. For

the true successe whereof the people praie all the while that he lieth

groveling like a lecherous knave. There are a thousand other names,

which they saie are attributed unto divels; and such as they take to

themselves are more ridiculous than the names that are given by others,

which have more leasure to devise them. In litle bookes conteining the

cousening possessed, at _Maidstone_, where such a woonder was wrought,

as also in other places, you may see a number of counterfeit divels

names, and other trish trash.

The xxii. Chapter.

_Of the Romanes cheefe gods called Dii selecti, and of other

heathen gods, their names and offices._

There were among the _Romans_ twentie idolatrous gods, which were

called _Dii selecti sive electi_, chosen gods; whereof twelve were

male, and eight female, whose names doo thus followe: _Janus_,

_Saturnus_, _Jupiter_, _Genius_, _Mercurius_, _Apollo_, _Mars_,

_Vulcanus_, _Neptunus_, _Sol_, _Orcus_ and [*]_Vibar_, which were

all hee gods: _Tellus_, _Ceres_, _Juno_, _Minerva_, _Luna_, _Diana_,

_Venus_, and _Vesta_, were all she gods. No man might appropriate anie

of these unto himselfe, but they were left common and indifferent to

all men dwelling in one realme, province, or notable citie. These

heathen gentiles had also their gods, which served for sundrie

purposes; as to raise thunder, they had _Statores_, _Tonantes_,

_Feretrii_, and _Jupiter Elicius_. They had _Cantius_, to whome they

praied for wise children, who was more apt for this purpose than

_Minerva_ that issued out of _Jupiters_ owne braine. _Lucina_ was to

send them that were with child safe deliverie, and in that respect was

called the mother of childwives. _Opis_ was called the mother of the

babe new borne, whose image women with child hanged upon their girdles

before their bellies, and bare it so by the space of nine moneths; and

the midwife alwaies touched the child therewith, before she or anie

other laied hand thereon.

♦[*] [_Liber_]♦

♦A good god and goddesse for women.♦

If the child were well borne, they sacrificed therunto, although the

mother miscaried: but if the child were in any part unperfect, or dead,

&c: they used to beate the image into powder, or to burne or drowne it.

_Vagianus_ was he that kept their children from crieng, and therefore

they did alwaies hang his picture about babes necks: for they thought

much crieng in youth portended ill fortune in age. _Cuninus_, otherwise

_Cunius_, was he that preserved (as they thought) their children from

misfortune in the cradell. _Ruminus_ was to keepe their dugs from

corruption. _Volumnus_ and his wife _Volumna_ were gods, the one for

yoong men, the other for maids that desired marriage: for such as

praied devoutlie unto them, should soone be married. _Agrestis_ was the

god of the fields, and to him they praied for fertilitie. _Bellus_ was

the god of warre & warriers, and so also was _Victoria_, to whome the

greatest temple in _Rome_ was built. _Honorius_ was he that had charge

about inkeepers, that they should well intreat pilgrimes. _Berecynthia_

was the mother of all the gods. _Aesculanus_ was to discover their

mines of gold and silver, and to him they praied for good successe

in that behalfe. _Aesculapius_ was to cure the sicke, whose father

was _Apollo_, and served to keepe weeds out of the corne. _Segacia_

was to make seeds to growe. _Flora_ preserved the vines from frosts

and blasts. _Sylvanus_ was to preserve them that walked in gardens.

_Bacchus_ was for droonkards, _Pavor_ for cowherds; _Meretrix_ for

whores, to whose honour there was a temple built in _Rome_, in the

middest of fortie and foure streets, which were all inhabited with

common harlots. Finallie _Colatina, [*]alias Clotina_, was goddesse

of the stoole, the jakes, and the privie, to whome as to everie of the

rest, there was a peculiar temple edified: besides that notable temple

called _Pantheon_, wherein all the gods were placed togither; so as

everie man and woman, according to their follies and devotions, might

go thither and worship what gods they list.

♦The names of certeine heathenish gods, and their peculiar offices.♦

♦[*] [_alias_ Ital.]♦

♦A verie homelie charge.♦

The xxiii. Chapter.

_Of diverse gods in diverse countries._

The _Aegyptians_ were yet more foolish in this behalfe than the

_Romans_ (I meane the heathenish _Romans_ that then were, and not

the popish _Romans_ that now are, for no nation approcheth neere

to these in anie kind of idolatrie.) The _Aegyptians_ worshipped

_Anubis_ in the likenesse of a dog, bicause he loved dogs and hunting.

Yea they worshipped all living creatures, as namelie of beasts, a

bullocke, a dog, & a cat; of flieng fowles, Ibis (which is a bird

with a long bill, naturallie devouring up venemous things and noisome

serpents) and a sparrowhawke; of fishes they had two gods; to wit,

_Lepidotus piscis_, and _Oxyrinchus_. The _Saitans_ and _Thebans_

had to their god a sheepe. In the citie _Lycopolis_ they worshipped

a woolfe; in _Herinopolis_, the _Cynocephalus_; the _Leopolitans_,

a lion; in _Lætopolis_, a fish in _Nilus_ called _Latus_. In the

citie _Cynopolis_ they worshipped _Anubis_. At _Babylon_, besides

_Memphis_, they made an onion their god; the _Thebans_ an eagle; the

_Mændeseans_, a goate; the _Persians_, a fier called _Orimasda_;

the _Arabians_, _Bacchus_, _Venus_, and _Diasaren_; the _Bœotians_,

_Amphiaraus_; the _Aphricans_, _Mopsus_; the _Scithians_, _Minerva_;

the _Naucratits_, _Serapis_, which is a serpent; _Astartes_ (being as

_Cicero_ writeth the fourth _Venus_, who was she, as others affirme,

whom _Salomon_ worshipped at his concubines request) was the goddesse

of the _Assyrians_. At _Noricum_, being a part of _Bavaria_, they

worship _Tibilenus_; the _Moores_ worship _Juba_; the _Macedonians_,

_Gabirus_; the _Pœnians_, _Uranius_; at _Samos Juno_ was their god;

at _Paphos_, _Venus_; at _Lemnos_, _Vulcane_; at _Naxos_, _Liberus_;

at _Lampsacke_, _Priapus_ with the great genitals, who was set up

at _Hellespont_ to be adored. In the ile _Diomedea_, _Diomedes_; at

_Delphos_, _Apollo_; at _Ephesus_, _Diana_ was worshipped. And bicause

they would plaie small game rather than sit out, they had _Acharus

Cyrenaicus_, to keepe them from flies and flieblowes; _Hercules

Canopius_, to keepe them from fleas; _Apollo Parnopeius_, to keepe

their cheefes from being mouseaten. The _Greeks_ were the first, that I

can learne to have assigned to the gods their principall kingdomes and

offices: as _Jupiter_ to rule in heaven, _Pluto_ in hell, _Neptune_ in

the sea, &c. To these they joined, as assistants, divers commissioners;

as to _Jupiter_, _Saturne_, _Mars_, _Venus_, _Mercurie_, and _Minerva_:

to _Neptune_, _Nereus_, _&c. Tutilina_ was onelie a mediatrix to

_Jupiter_, not to destroie corne with thunder or tempests, before whom

they usuallie lighted candels in the temple, to appease the same,

according to the popish custome in these daies. But I may not repeate

them all by name, for the gods of the gentiles were by good record, as

_Varro_ and others report, to the number of 30. thousand, and upward.

Whereby the reasonable reader may judge their superstitious blindnesse.

♦Beasts, birds, vermine, fishes, herbs and other trumperie worshipped

as gods.♦

♦Imperiall gods and their assistants.♦

♦The number of gods among the gentiles♦

The xxiiii. Chapter.

_Of popish provinciall gods, a comparison betweene them and

heathen gods, of physicall gods, and of what occupation

everie popish god is._

Now if I thought I could make an end in anie reasonable time, I would

begin with our antichristian gods, otherwise called popish idols, which

are as ranke divels as _Dii gentium_ spoken of in the psalmes: or as

_Dii montium_ set foorth & rehearsed in the first booke of the kings;

or as _Dii terrarum_ or _Dii populorum_ mentioned in the second of

the Chronicles 32. & in the first of the Chronicles 16. or as _Dii

terræ_ in Judges 3. or as _Dii filiorum Seir_ in the second of the

Chronicles 25. or as _Dii alieni_, which are so often mentioned in the

scriptures.

♦1. Reg. 20.

2. Chr. 32.

1. Chr. 16.

Judg. 3.

2. Chr. 33.

2. Reg. 23,

&c.♦

Surelie, there were in the popish church more of these in number, more

in common, more private, more publike, more for lewd purposes, and

more for no purpose, than among all the heathen, either heretofore, or

at this present time: for I dare undertake, that for everie heathen

idoll I might produce twentie out of the popish church. For there

were proper idols of everie nation: as S. _George_ on horssebacke for

_England_ (excepting whome there is said to be no more horssemen in

heaven save onelie saint _Martine_) S. _Andrew_ for _Burgundie_ and

_Scotland_, S. _Michael_ for _France_, S. _James_ for _Spaine_, S.

_Patrike_ for _Ireland_, S. _Davie_ for _Wales_, S. _Peter_ for _Rome_,

and some part of _Italie_. Had not everie citie in all the popes

dominions his severall patrone? As _Paule_ for _London_, _Denis_ for

_Paris_, _Ambrose_ for _Millen_, _Loven_ for _Gaunt_, _Romball_ for

_Mackline_, S. _Marks_ lion for _Venice_, the three magician kings for

_Cullen_,[*] and so of other. Yea, had they not for everie small

towne, and everie village and parish,[†] (the names wherof I am not

at leisure to repeat) a severall idoll? As S. _Sepulchre_, for one; S.

_Bride_, for another; S. All halowes, All saints, and our Ladie for all

at once: which I thought meeter to rehearse, than a bedroll[‡] of

such a number as are in that predicament. Had they not hee idols and

shee idols, some for men, some for women, some for beasts, and some

for fowles, &c? Doo you not thinke that S. _Martine_ might be opposed

to _Bacchus_? If S. _Martine_ be too weake we have S. _Urbane_, S.

_Clement_, and manie other to assist him. Was _Venus_ and _Meretrix_

an advocate for whoores among the Gentiles? Behold, there were in the

Romish church to encounter with them, S. _Aphra_, S. _Aphrodite_, and

S. _Maudline_. But insomuch as long _Meg_ was as verie a whoore as the

best of them, she had wrong that she was not also canonized, and put

in as good credit as they: for she was a gentlewoman borne; whereunto

the pope hath great respect in canonizing of his saints. For (as I

have said) he canonizeth the rich for saints, and burneth the poore

for witches. But I doubt not, _Magdalen_, and manie other godlie women

are verie saints in heaven, and should have beene so, though the pope

had never canonized them: but he dooth them wrong, to make them the

patronesses of harlots and strong strumpets.

♦Popish gods of nations.♦

♦Parish gods or popish idols♦

♦[*] [= Cologne]♦

♦[†] [. in text]♦

♦[‡] [= bead—]♦

Was there such a traitor among all the heathen idols, as S. _Thomas

Becket_? Or such a whoore as S. _Bridget_? I warrant you S. _Hugh_ was

as good a huntesman as _Anubis_. Was _Vulcane_ the protector of the

heathen smithes? Yea forsooth, and S. _Euloge_ was patrone for ours.

Our painters had _Luke_, our weavers had _Steven_, our millers had

_Arnold_, our tailors had _Goodman_, our sowters had _Crispine_, our

potters had S. _Gore_ with a divell on his shoulder and a pot in his

hand. Was there a better horseleech among the gods of the Gentiles

than S. _Loy_? Or a better sowgelder than S. _Anthonie_? Or a better

toothdrawer than S. _Apolline_? I beleeve that _Apollo Parnopeius_ was

no better a ratcatcher than S. _Gertrude_, who hath the popes patent

and commendation therefore. The _Thebans_ had not a better shepherd

than S. _Wendeline_, nor a better gissard to keepe their geese than

_Gallus_. But for physicke and surgerie, our idols exceeded them all.

For S. _John_, and S. _Valentine_ excelled at the falling evill, S.

_Roch_ was good at the plague, S. _Petronill_ at the ague. As for S.

_Margaret_, she passed _Lucina_ for a midwife, and yet was but a maid:

in which respect S. _Marpurge_ is joined with hir in commission.

♦See the golden Legend for the life of S. Bridget.♦

♦He saints & shee saincts of the old stamp with their peculiar vertues

touching the curing of diseases.♦

For mad men, and such as are possessed with divels, S. _Romane_ was

excellent, & frier _Ruffine_ was also pretilie skilfull in that art.

For botches and biles, _Cosmus_ and _Damian_; S. _Clare_ for the eies,

S. _Apolline_ for teeth, S. _Job_ for the [*]pox. And for sore brests

S. _Agatha_ was as good as _Ruminus_. Whosoever served _Servatius_

well, should be sure to loose nothing: if _Servatius_ failed in his

office, S. _Vinden_ could supplie the matter with his cunning; for

he could cause all things that were lost to be restored againe. But

here laie a strawe for a while, and I will shew you the names of some,

which exceed these verie far, and might have beene canonized for

archsaints; all the other saints or idols being in comparison of them

but bunglers, and bench-whistlers. And with your leave, when all other

saints had given over the matter, and the saints utterlie forsaken of

their servitors, they repaired to these that I shall name unto you,

with the good consent of the pope, who is the fautor, or rather the

patrone of all the saints, divels, and idols living or dead, and of all

the gods save one. And whereas none other saint could cure above one

disease, in so much as it was idolatrie, follie I should have said,

to go to _Job_ for anie other maladie than the pox; nothing commeth

amisse to these. For they are good at anie thing, and never a-whit

nice of their cunning: yea greater matters are said to be in one of

their powers, than is in all the other saints. And these are they: S.

mother _Bungie_, S. mother _Paine_, S. _Feats_, S. mother _Still_, S.

mother _Dutton_, S. _Kytrell_, S. _Ursula Kempe_, S. mother _Newman_,

S. doctor _Heron_, S. _Rosimund_ a good old father, & diverse more that

deserve to be registred in the popes kalendar, or rather the divels

rubrike.

♦[*] For the Frēch pox or the cōmon kind of pox, or both? This would

be knowne.♦

♦New saints.♦

The xxv. Chapter.

_A comparison betweene the heathen and papists, touching their

excuses for idolatrie._

And bicause I know, that the papists will saie, that their idols are

saints, and no such divels as the gods of the Gentiles were: you may

tell them, that not onelie their saints, but the verie images of

them were called _Divi_. Which though it signifie gods, and so by

consequence idols or feends: yet put but an (_ll_) thereunto, and it is

_Divill_ in English. But they will saie also that I doo them wrong to

gibe at them; bicause they were holie men and holie women. I grant some

of them were so, and further from allowance of the popish idolatrie

emploied upon them, than greeved with the derision used against that

abuse. Yea even as silver and gold are made idols unto them that love

them too well, and seeke too much for them: so are these holie men and

women made idols by them that worship them, and attribute unto them

such honor, as to God onelie apperteineth.

♦_Divos vocant Grammatici eos qui ex hominibus dii facti sunt._♦

The heathen gods were for the most part good men, and profitable

members to the commonwealth wherein they lived, and deserved fame, &c:

in which respect they made gods of them when they were dead; as they

made divels of such emperors and philosophers as they hated, or as had

deserved ill among them. And is it not even so, and woorsse, in the

commonwealth and church of poperie? Dooth not the pope excommunicate,

cursse, and condemne for heretikes, and drive to the bottomlesse pit

of hell, proclaming to be verie divels, all those that either write,

speake or thinke contrarie to his idolatrous doctrine? _Cicero_, when

he derided the heathen gods, and inveied against them that yeelded

such servile honor unto them, knew the persons, unto whom such abuse

was committed, had well deserved as civill citizens; and that good fame

was due unto them, and not divine estimation. Yea the infidels that

honored those gods, as hoping to receive benefits for their devotion

emploied that waie, knew and conceived that the statues and images,

before whome with such reverence they powred foorth their praiers,

were stockes and stones, and onelie pictures of those persons whome

they resembled: yea they also knew, that the parties themselves were

creatures, and could not doo so much as the papists and witchmongers

thinke the Roode of grace, or mother _Bungie_ could doo. And yet the

papists can see the abuse of the Gentils, and may not heare of their

owne idolatrie more grosse and damnable than the others.

♦_Cic. de natur. deorum._♦

♦The papists see a moth in the eie of others, but no beame in their

owne.♦

The xxvi. Chapter.

_The conceipt of the heathen and the papists all one in

idolatrie, of the councell of Trent, a notable storie of a

hangman arraigned after he was dead and buried, &c._

But papists perchance will denie, that they attribute so much to these

idols as I report; or that they thinke it so meritorious to praie

to the images of saints as is supposed, affirming that they worship

God, and the saints themselves, under the formes of images. Which was

also the conceipt of the heathen, and their excuse in this behalfe;

whose eiesight and insight herein reached as farre as the papisticall

distinctions published by popes and their councels. Neither doo anie of

them admit so grosse idolatrie, as the councell of _Trent_ hath doone,

who alloweth that worship to the Rood that is due to Jesus Christ

himselfe, and so likewise of other images of saints. I thought it not

impertinent therfore in this place to insert an example taken out of

the Rosarie of our Ladie, in which booke doo remaine (besides this)

ninetie and eight examples to this effect: which are of such authoritie

in the church of _Rome_, that all scripture must give place unto

them. And these are either read there as their speciall homilies, or

preached by their cheefe doctors. And this is the sermon for this daie

verbatim translated out of the said Rosarie, a booke much esteemed and

reverenced among papists.

♦The idolatrous councell of Trent.♦

A certeine hangman passing by the image of our Ladie, saluted hir,

commending himselfe to hir protection. Afterwards, while he praied

before hir, he was called awaie to hang an offendor: but his enimies

intercepted him, and slew him by the waie. And lo a certeine holie

preest, which nightlie walked about everie church in the citie, rose

up that night, and was going to his ladie, I should saie to our ladie

church. And in the churchyard he saw a great manie dead men, and

some of them he knew, of whome he asked what the matter was, &c. Who

answered, that the hangman was slaine, and the divell challenged his

soule, the which our ladie said was hirs: and the judge was even at

hand comming thither to heare the cause, & therefore (said they) we

are now come togither. The preest thought he would be at the hearing

hereof, and hid himselfe behind a tree; and anon he saw the judiciall

seat readie prepared and furnished, where the judge, to wit Jesus

Christ, sate, who tooke up his mother unto him. Soone after the divels

brought in the hangman pinnioned, and prooved by good evidence, that

his soule belonged to them. On the other side, our ladie pleaded for

the hangman, prooving that he, at the houre of death, commended his

soule to hir. The judge hearing the matter so well debated on either

side, but willing to obeie (for these are his words) his mothers

desire, and loath to doo the divels anie wrong, gave sentence, that

the hangmans soule should returne to his bodie, untill he had made

sufficient satisfaction; ordeining that the pope should set foorth a

publike forme of praier for the hangmans soule. It was demanded, who

should doo the arrand to the popes holines? Marie quoth our ladie, that

shall yonder preest that lurketh behind the tree. The preest being

called foorth, and injoined to make relation hereof, and to desire the

pope to take the paines to doo according to this decree, asked by what

token he should be directed. Then was delivered unto him a rose of such

beautie, as when the pope saw it, he knew his message was true. And so,

if they doo not well, I praie God we may.

♦_Exempl. 4._♦

♦But our ladie spied him well enough: as you shal read.♦

♦The preests arse made buttons.♦

The xxvii. Chapter.

_A confutation of the fable of the hangman, of manie other feined

and ridiculous tales and apparitions, with a reproofe thereof._

By the tale above mentioned you see what it is to worship the image

of our ladie. For though we kneele to God himselfe, and make never so

humble petitions unto him, without faith and repentance, it shall doo

us no pleasure at all. Yet this hangman had great freendship shewed him

for one point of courtesie used to our ladie, having not one dramme

of faith, repentance, nor yet of honestie in him. Neverthelesse, so

credulous is the nature of man, as to beleeve this and such like

fables: yea, to discredit such stuffe, is thought among the papists

flat heresie. And though we that are protestants will not beleeve these

toies, being so apparentlie popish: yet we credit and report other

appearances, and assuming of bodies by soules and spirits; though they

be as prophane, absurd, and impious as the other. We are sure the holie

maide of _Kents_ vision was a verie cousenage: but we can credit,

imprint, and publish for a true possession or historie, the knaverie

used by a cousening varlot at _Maidstone_;[*] and manie other such as

that was. We thinke soules and spirits may come out of heaven or hell,

and assume bodies, beleeving manie absurd tales told by the schoolemen

and Romish doctors to that effect: but we discredit all the stories

that they, and as grave men as they are, tell us upon their knowledge

and credit, of soules condemned to purgatorie, wandering for succour

and release by trentals and masses said by a popish preest, &c: and yet

they in probabilitie are equall, and in number farre exceed the other.

♦Our B. ladies favor.♦

♦[*] [p. _132_.]♦

♦_Greg. 4. dialog. cap. 51.

Alexand lib. 5. cap. 23. & lib. 2. cap. 9. &c._♦

♦_Greg. lib. 4. dialog. ca. 40. idem cap. 55_, and in other places

elsewhere innumerable.♦

We thinke that to be a lie, which is written, or rather fathered upon

_Luther_; to wit, that he knew the divell, and was verie conversant

with him, and had eaten manie bushels of salt and made jollie good

cheere with him; and that he was confuted in a disputation with a

reall divell about the abolishing of private masse. Neither doo we

beleeve this report, that the divell in the likenes of a tall man,

was present at a sermon openlie made by _Carolostadius_; and from

this sermon went to his house, and told his sonne that he would fetch

him awaie after a daie or twaine: as the papists saie he did in deed,

although they lie in everie point thereof most maliciouslie. But we can

beleeve _Platina_ and others, when they tell us of the appearances of

pope _Benedict_ the eight, and also the ninth; how the one rode upon a

blacke horsse in the wildernesse, requiring a bishop (as I remember)

whome he met, that he would distribute certeine monie for him, which he

had purloined of that which was given in almes to the poore, &c: and

how the other was seene a hundred yeares after the divell had killed

him in a wood, of an heremite, in a beares skinne, and an asses head on

his shoulders, &c: himselfe saieng that he appeared in such sort as he

lived. And diverse such stuffe rehearseth _Platina_.

♦_Micha. And. thes. 151._♦

♦_Alex. ab Alexand. lib. 4. genealog. dierum. cap. 19._

_Plutarch. oratione ad Apollonium._

_Item. Basiliens. in epist._

_Platina de vitis pontificum._

_Nauclerus. 2 generat. 35._♦

Now bicause S. _Ambrose_ writeth, that S. _Anne_ appeared to

_Constance_ the daughter of _Constantine_, and to hir parents watching

at hir sepulchre: and bicause _Eusebius_ and _Nicephorus_ saie,

that the _Pontamian_ virgine, _Origins_ disciple, appeared to S.

_Basil_, and put a crowne upon his head, in token of the glorie of

his martyrdome, which should shortlie followe: and bicause _Hierome_

writeth of _Paules_ appearance; and _Theodoret_, of S. _John_ the

_Baptist_; and _Athanasius_, of _Ammons_, _&c_: manie doo beleeve the

same stories and miraculous appearances to be true. But few protestants

will give credit unto such shamefull fables, or anie like them, when

they find them written in the Legendarie, Festivall, Rosaries of our

Ladie, or anie other such popish authors. Whereby I gather, that if the

protestant beleeve some few lies, the papists beleeve a great number.

This I write, to shew the imperfection of man, how attentive our eares

are to hearken to tales. And though herein consist no great point

of faith or infidelitie; yet let us that professe the gospell take

warning of papists, not to be carried awaie with everie vaine blast of

doctrine: but let us cast awaie these prophane and old wives fables.

And although this matter have passed so long with generall credit and

authoritie: yet manie [*]grave authors have condemned long since all

those vaine visions and apparitions, except such as have beene shewed

by God, his sonne, and his angels. _Athanasius_ saith, that soules

once loosed from their bodies, have no more societie with mortall men.

_Augustine_ saith, that if soules could walke and visit their freends,

&c: or admonish them in sleepe, or otherwise, his mother that followed

him by land and by sea would shew hir selfe to him, and reveale hir

knowledge, or give him warning, &c. But most true it is that is written

in the gospell; We have _Moses_ and the prophets, who are to be

hearkened unto, and not the dead.

♦_Ambr. ser. 90 de passione Agn._♦

♦_Euseb. lib. eccles. hist. 5._♦

♦_Niceph. lib. 5 cap. 7._♦

♦_Hieronym. in vita Pau._♦

♦_Theodor. lib. hist. 5. ca. 24._♦

♦_Athan. in vita Antho._♦

♦[*] _Melancth. in Calendar. Manlii. 23. April._♦

♦_Marbach. lib. de miracul. adversus Ins._♦

♦_Johannes Rivius de veter. superstit._♦

♦_Athan. lib. 99. quæ. 11._♦

♦_August. de cura pro mortu. ca. 13._♦

♦Luk. 16.♦

The xxviii. Chapter.

_A confutation of Johannes Laurentius, and of manie others,

mainteining these fained and ridiculous tales and

apparitions, and what driveth them awaie: of Moses and Helias

appearance in mount Thabor._

Furthermore, to prosecute this matter in more words; if I saie that

these apparitions of soules are but knaveries and cousenages; they

object that _Moses_ and _Helias_ appeared in mount _Thabor_, and talked

with Christ, in the presence of the principall apostles: yea, and that

God appeared in the bush, &c. As though spirits and soules could doo

whatsoever it pleaseth the Lord to doo, or appoint to be doone for his

owne glorie, or for the manifestation of his sonne miraculouslie. And

therefore I thought good to give you a taste of the witchmongers absurd

opinions in this behalfe.

♦Matth 17. Luke. 9.♦

♦_Johan. Laur. lib. de natur. dæmon._♦

And first you shall understand, that they hold, that all the soules in

heaven may come downe and appeare to us when they list, and assume anie

bodie saving their owne: otherwise (saie they) such soules should not

be perfectlie happie. They saie that you may know the good soules from

the bad verie easilie. For a damned soule hath a verie heavie and sowre

looke; but a saints soule hath a cheerefull and a merrie countenance:

these also are white and shining, the other cole blacke. And these

damned soules also maie come up out of hell at their pleasure; although

_Abraham_ made _Dives_ beleeve the contrarie. They affirme that damned

soules walke oftenest: next unto them the soules of purgatorie; and

most seldome the soules of saints. Also they saie that in the old lawe

soules did appeare seldome; and after doomes daie they shall never

be seene more: in the time of grace they shall be most frequent. The

walking of these soules (saith _Michael Andr._) is a most excellent

argument for the proofe of purgatorie: for (saith he) those soules have

testified that which the popes have affirmed in that behalfe; to wit,

that there is not onelie such a place of punishment, but that they are

released from thence by masses, and such other satisfactorie works;

whereby the goodnes of the masse is also ratified and confirmed.

♦_Mich. Andr. thes. 222, &c_♦

♦_Idem thes. 235. &. 136._♦

♦_Idem thes. 226._♦

♦_Th. Aq. 1. pa. quæ. 89. ar. 8._♦

♦_Gregor. in dial. 4._♦

♦_Mich. And. thes. 313. 316. 317._♦

These heavenlie or purgatorie soules (saie they) appeare most commonlie

to them that are borne upon ember daies, and they also walke most

usuallie on those ember daies: bicause we are in best state at that

time to praie for the one, and to keepe companie with the other.

Also they saie, that soules appeare oftenest by night; bicause men

may then be at best leasure, and most quiet. Also they never appeare

to the whole multitude, seldome to a few, and most commonlie to one

alone: for so one may tell a lie without controlment. Also they are

oftenest seene by them that are readie to die: as _Trasilla_ sawe pope

_Fœlix_; _Ursine_, _Peter_ and _Paule_; _Galla Romana_, _S. Peter_;

and as _Musa_ the maid sawe our Ladie: which are the most certeine

appearances, credited and allowed in the church of _Rome_: also they

may be seene of some, and of some other in that presence not seene

at all; as _Ursine_ sawe _Peter_ and _Paule_, and yet manie at that

instant being present could not see anie such sight, but thought it

a lie: as I doo. _Michael Andræas_ confesseth, that papists see more

visions than protestants: he saith also, that a good soule can take

none other shape than of a man; marie a damned soule may and dooth

take the shape of a blacke moore, or of a beast, or of a serpent, or

speciallie of an heretike. The christian signes that drive awaie these

evill soules, are the crosse, the name of Jesus, and the relikes of

saints: in the number whereof are holiwater, holie bread, _Agnus Dei_,

_&c._ For _Andrew_ saith, that notwithstanding _Julianus_ was an

_Apostata_, and a betraier of christian religion: yet at an extremitie,

with the onelie signe of the crosse, he drave awaie from him manie

such evill spirits; whereby also (he saith) the greatest diseases and

sicknesses are cured, and the sorest dangers avoided.

♦_Idem thes. 346._♦

♦_Leo. serm. de jejuniis 10. mens._♦

♦_Gelas. in epistola ad episc._♦

♦_Mich. Andr. thes. 345._♦

♦_Greg. dial. 4. cap. 1. 12. 14._♦

♦_Mich. And. thes. 347._♦

♦_Greg. dial. 4. cap. 11._♦

♦_Mich. And. thes. 347._♦

♦_Mich. And. thes. 341._♦

♦_Ide. thes. 388._♦

♦_Ide. thes. 411._♦

♦_Mal. malef. J. Bod. &c._♦

♦_Mich. And. these. 412._♦

♦Idem. thes. 414.♦

The xxix. Chapter.

_A confutation of assuming of bodies, and of the serpent that

seduced Eve._

They that contend so earnestlie for the divels assuming of bodies

and visible shapes, doo thinke they have a great advantage by the

words uttered in the third of _Genesis_, where they saie, the divell

entered into a serpent or snake: and that by the cursse it appeareth,

that the whole displeasure of God lighted upon the poore snake onlie.

How those words are to be considered may appeare, in that it is of

purpose so spoken, as our weake capacities may thereby best conceive

the substance, tenor, and true meaning of the word, which is there set

downe in the manner of a tragedie, in such humane and sensible forme,

as woonderfullie informeth our understanding; though it seeme contrarie

to the spirituall course of spirits and divels, and also to the nature

and divinitie of God himselfe; who is infinite, and whome no man ever

sawe with corporall eies, and lived. And doubtles, if the serpent there

had not beene taken absolutelie, nor metaphoricallie for the divell,

the Holie-ghost would have informed us thereof in some part of that

storie. But to affirme it sometimes to be a divell, and sometimes a

snake; whereas there is no such distinction to be found or seene in the

text, is an invention and a fetch (me thinks) beyond the compasse of

all divinitie. Certeinlie the serpent was he that seduced _Eve_: now

whether it were the divell, or a snake; let anie wise man (or rather

let the word of God) judge. Doubtles the scripture in manie places

expoundeth it to be the divell. And I have (I am sure) one wiseman on

my side for the interpretation hereof, namelie _Salomon_; who saith,

Through envie[*] of the divell came death into the world: referring

that to the divell, which _Moses_ in the letter did to the serpent. But

a better expositor hereof needeth not, than the text it selfe, even in

the same place, where it is written; I will put enmitie betweene thee

and the woman, and betweene thy seed and hir seed: he shall breake

thy head, and thou shalt bruse his heele. What christian knoweth not,

that in these words the mysterie of our redemption is comprised and

promised? Wherein is not meant (as manie suppose) that the common seed

of woman shall tread upon a snakes head, and so breake it in peeces,

&c: but that speciall seed, which is Christ, should be borne of a

woman, to the utter overthrow of sathan, and to the redemption of

mankind, whose heele or flesh in his members the divell should bruse

and assault, with continuall attempts, and carnall provocations, &c.

♦Gen 3, 14, 15.♦

♦Gen. 3, 1.

1. Cor. 11. 3.♦

♦Sap. 2, 24.♦

♦[*] [= hatred]♦

The xxx. Chapter.

_The objection concerning the divels assuming of the serpents

bodie answered._

This word Serpent in holie scripture is taken for the divell: The

serpent was more subtill than all the beasts of the feeld. It likewise

signifieth such as be evill speakers, such as have slandering toongs,

also heretiks, &c: They have sharpned their toongs like serpents. It

dooth likewise betoken the death and sacrifice of Christ: As _Moses_

lifted up the serpent in the wildernesse, so must the sonne of man be

lifted up upon the crosse. Moreover, it is taken for wicked men: O yee

serpents and generation of vipers. Thereby also is signified as well

wise as a subtile man: and in that sense did Christ himselfe use it;

saieng, Be ye wise as serpents, &c. So that by this breefe collection

you see, that the word serpent, as it is equivocall, so likewise it

is sometimes taken in the good and sometimes in the evill part. But

where it is said, that the serpent was father of lies, author of death,

and the worker of deceipt: me thinks it is a ridiculous opinion to

hold, that thereby a snake is meant; which must be, if the letter be

preferred before the allegorie. Trulie _Calvines_ opinion is to be

liked and reverenced, and his example to be embraced and followed, in

that he offereth to subscribe to them that hold, that the Holie-ghost

in that place did of purpose use obscure figures, that the cleare

light thereof might be deferred, till Christs comming. He saith also

with like commendation (speaking hereof, and writing upon this place)

that _Moses_ doth accommodate and fitten for the understanding of

the common people, in a rude and grosse stile, those things which he

there delivereth; forbearing once to rehearse the name of sathan. And

further he saith, that this order may not be thought of _Moses_ his

owne devise; but to be taught him by the spirit of God: for such was

(saith he) in those daies the childish age of the church, which was

unable to receive higher or profounder doctrine. Finallie, he saith

even hereupon, that the Lord hath supplied, with the secret light of

his spirit, whatsoever wanted in plainenes and clearenes of externall

words.

♦Gen. 3, 1.♦

♦Psal. 139, 4.♦

♦Num. 8. & 9.

John. 3, 14.♦

♦Matt. 23, 33.♦

♦Matt. 10, 16.♦

♦_J. Cal. in Genes. cap. 3. 1._♦

♦_Idem ibid._♦

♦_Idem ibid._♦

♦_Idem ibid._♦

If it be said, according to experience, that certeine other beasts are

farre more subtill than the serpent: they answer, that it is not absurd

to confesse, that the same gift was taken awaie from him, by God,

bicause he brought destruction to mankind. Which is more (me thinkes)

than need be granted in that behalfe. For Christ saith not; Be yee wise

as serpents were before their transgression: but, Be wise as serpents

are. I would learne what impietie, absurditie, or offense it is to

hold, that _Moses_, under the person of the poisoning serpent or snake,

describeth the divell that poisoned _Eve_ with his deceiptfull words,

and venomous assault. Whence commeth it else, that the divell is called

so often, The viper, The serpent, &c: and that his children are called

the generation of vipers; but upon this first description of the divell

made by _Moses_? For I thinke none so grosse, as to suppose, that the

wicked are the children of snakes, according to the letter: no more

than we are to thinke and gather, that God keepeth a booke of life,

written with penne and inke upon paper; as citizens record their free

men.

♦Matt. 10, 16.♦

♦Isai. 30, 6.

Matth 3. 12. 13.

Luk. 3, &c.

Gen. 3.♦

The xxxi. Chapter.

_Of the cursse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightlie expounded,

John Calvines opinion of the divell._

The cursse rehearsed by God in that place, whereby witchmongers labour

so busilie to proove that the divell entered into the bodie of a snake,

and by consequence can take the bodie of anie other creature at his

pleasure, &c: reacheth (I thinke) further into the divels matters,

than we can comprehend, or is needfull for us to know, that understand

not the waies of the divels creeping, and is farre unlikelie to extend

to plague the generation of snakes: as though they had beene made

with legs before that time, and through this cursse were deprived

of that benefit. And yet, if the divell should have entred into the

snake, in maner and forme as they suppose; I cannot see in what degree

of sinne the poore snake should be so guiltie, as that God, who is

the most righteous judge, might be offended with him. But although

I abhorre that lewd interpretation of the familie of love, and such

other heretikes, as would reduce the whole Bible into allegories:

yet (me thinkes) the creeping there is rather metaphoricallie or

significativelie spoken, than literallie; even by that figure, which

is there prosecuted to the end. Wherein the divell is resembled to

an odious creature, who as he creepeth upon us to annoie our bodies;

so doth the divell there creepe into the conscience of _Eve_, to

abuse and deceive hir: whose seed nevertheles shall tread downe and

dissolve his power and malice. And through him, all good christians (as

_Calvine_ saith) obteine power to doo the like. For we may not imagine

such a materiall tragedie, as there is described, for the ease of our

feeble and weake capacities.

♦Familie of love.♦

♦_J. Cal. lib. instit. 1. cap. 14. sect. 18._♦

For whensoever we find in the scriptures, that the divell is called

god, the prince of the world, a strong armed man, to whome is given

the power of the aier, a roring lion, a serpent, &c: the Holie-ghost

mooved us thereby, to beware of the most subtill, strong and mightie

enimie, and to make preparation, and arme our selves with faith

against so terrible an adversarie. And this is the opinion and counsell

of _Calvine_, that we seeing our owne weakenes, & his force manifested

in such termes, may beware of the divell, and may flie to God for

spirituall aid and comfort. And as for his corporall assaults, or his

attempts upon our bodies, his nightwalkings, his visible appearings,

his dansing with witches, &c: we are neither warned in the scriptures

of them, nor willed by God or his prophets to flie them; neither is

there anie mention made of them in the scriptures. And therefore

thinke I those witchmongers and absurd writers to be as grosse on the

one side, as the _Sadduces_ are impious and fond on the other; which

saie, that spirits and divels are onlie motions and affections, and

that angels are but tokens of Gods power. I for my part confesse with

_Augustine_, that these matters are above my reach and capacitie: and

yet so farre as Gods word teacheth me, I will not sticke to saie,

that they are living creatures, ordeined to serve the Lord in their

vocation. And although they abode not in their first estate, yet that

they are the Lords ministers, and executioners of his wrath, to trie

and tempt in this world, and to punish the reprobate in hell fier in

the world to come.

♦_J. Cal. li. inst. 1. cap. 14. sect. 13._♦

♦_Aug. de cura pro mort. &c._♦

The xxxii. Chapter.

_Mine owne opinion and resolution of the nature of spirits, and of

the divell, with his properties._

But to use few words in a long matter, and plaine termes in a doubtfull

case, this is mine opinion concerning this present argument. First,

that divels are spirits, and no bodies. For (as _Peter Martyr_ saith)

spirits and bodies are by antithesis opposed one to another: so as a

bodie is no spirit, nor a spirit a bodie. And that the divell, whether

he be manie or one (for by the waie you shall understand, that he is

so spoken of in the scriptures, as though there were [a]but one, and

sometimes as though [b]one were manie legions, the sense whereof I have

alreadie declared according to _Calvins_ opinion, he is a creature

made by God, and that for vengeance, as it is [c]written in _Eccl._

39. _verse._ 28: and of himselfe naught, though emploied by God to

necessarie and good purposes. For in places, where it is written,

that [d]all the creatures of God are good; and againe, when God, in

the creation of the world, [e]sawe all that he had made was good: the

divell is not comprehended within those words of commendation. For it

is written that he was a [f]murtherer from the beginning, and abode not

in the truth, bicause there is no truth in him; but when he speaketh

a lie, he speaketh of his owne, as being a lier, and the father of

lies, and (as _John_ saith) a sinner from the beginning. Neither was

his creation (so farre as I can find) in that weeke that God made man,

and those other creatures mentioned in _Genesis_ the first; and yet

God created him purposelie to destroie. I take his substance to be

such as no man can by learning define, nor by wisedome search out. _M.

Deering_ saith, that _Paule_ himselfe, reckoning up principalities,

powers, &c: addeth, Everie name that is named in this world, or in the

world to come. A cleere sentence (saith he) of _Paules_ modestie, in

confessing a holie ignorance of the state of angels: which name is also

given to divels in other places of the scripture. His essence also and

his forme is so proper and peculiar (in mine opinion) unto himselfe,

as he himselfe cannot alter it, but must needs be content therewith,

as with that which God hath ordeined for him, and assigned unto him,

as peculiarlie as he hath given to us our substance without power to

alter the same at our pleasures. For we find not that a spirit can

make a bodie, more than a bodie can make a spirit: the spirit of God

excepted, which is omnipotent. Nevertheles, I learne that their nature

is prone to all mischeefe: for as the verie signification of an enimie

and an accuser is wrapped up in _Sathan_ and _Diabolus_; so dooth

Christ himselfe declare him to be in the thirteenth of _Matthew_. And

therefore he brooketh well his name: for he lieth dailie in wait, not

onelie to corrupt, but also to destroie mankind; being (I saie) the

verie tormentor appointed by God to afflict the wicked in this world

with wicked temptations, and in the world to come with hell fier. But

I may not here forget how _M. Mal._ and the residue of that crew doo

expound this word _Diabolus_: for _Dia_ (saie they) is _Duo_, and

_Bolus_ is _Morsellus_; whereby they gather that the divell eateth up a

man both bodie and soule at two morselles. Whereas in truth the wicked

may be said to eate up and swallowe downe the divell, rather than the

divell to eate up them; though it may well be said by a figure, that

the divell like a roring lion seeketh whome he may devoure: which

is ment of the soule and spirituall devouring, as verie novices in

religion may judge.

♦[a] 1. Sam. 22.

Luk. 8.

John. 8.

Eph. 6.

2. Tim. 2.

1. Pet. 5.♦

♦[b] Coloss. 1, verse. 16.

1. Cor. 10.

Matth. 8, & 10.

Luke. 4.♦

♦[c] Sap. 1.

Apocal. 4.♦

♦[d] 1. Tim. 4, 4♦

♦[e] Gen. 1.♦

♦[f] Gen. 8. 44.♦

♦_P. Mart. in loc. com. 9. sect. 14._♦

♦1. Joh. 3. 8.

Isai. 54. 16.♦

♦Edw. Deering, in his read. upon the Hebr. 1. reading the 6.♦

♦Eph. 6, 12.

Col. 2, 16.

Matth. 25.♦

♦1. Pet. 5.♦

♦Idem ibid.♦

♦Matt. 25. 41.♦

♦_Mal. malef. par. 1. quæ. 5._♦

♦The etymon of the word _Diabolus_.♦

The xxxiii. Chapter.

_Against fond witchmongers, and their opinions concerning

corporall divels._

Now, how _Brian Darcies_ he spirits and shee spirits, Tittie and

Tiffin, Suckin and Pidgin, Liard and Robin, &c: his white spirits and

blacke spirits, graie spirits and red spirits, divell tode and divell

lambe, divels cat and divels dam, agree herewithall, or can stand

consonant with the word of GOD, or true philosophie, let heaven and

earth judge. In the meane time, let anie man with good consideration

peruse that booke published by _W. W._ and it shall suffice to satisfie

him in all that may be required touching the vanities of the witches

examinations, confessions, and executions: where, though the tale

be told onlie of the accusers part, without anie other answer of

theirs than their adversarie setteth downe; mine assertion will be

sufficientlie prooved true. And bicause it seemeth to be performed

with some kind of authoritie, I will saie no more for the confutation

thereof, but referre you to the booke it selfe; whereto if nothing be

added that may make to their reproch, I dare warrant nothing is left

out that may serve to their condemnation. See whether the witnesses

be not single of what credit, sex and age they are; namelie lewd,

miserable, and envious poore people; most of them which speake to anie

purpose being old women, & children of the age of 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. or 9.

yeares.

♦The booke of W. W. published, &c.♦

And note how and what the witches confesse, and see of what weight and

importance the causes are; whether their confessions be not woonne

through hope of favour, and extorted by flatterie or threats, without

proofe. But in so much as there were not past seventeene or eighteene

condemned at once at S. _Osees_ in the countie of _Essex_, being a

whole parish (though of no great quantitie) I will saie the lesse:

trusting that by this time there remaine not manie in that parish. If

anie be yet behind, I doubt not, but _Brian Darcie_ will find them out;

who, if he lacke aid, _Richard Gallis_ of _Windesor_ were meete to be

associated with him; which _Gallis_ hath set foorth another booke to

that effect, of certeine witches of _Windsore_ executed at _Abington_.

But with what impudencie and dishonestie he hath finished it, with what

lies and forgeries he hath furnished it, what follie and frensie he

hath uttered in it; I am ashamed to report: and therefore being but a

two pennie booke, I had rather desire you to buie it, and so to peruse

it, than to fill my booke with such beastlie stuffe.

♦At S. Osees 17. or 18. witches cōdemned at once.♦

The xxxiiii. Chapter.

_A conclusion wherein the Spirit of spirits is described, by

the illumination of which spirit all spirits are to be tried:

with a confutation of the Pneumatomachi flatlie denieng the

divinitie of this Spirit._

Touching the manifold signification of this word [Spirit][*] I

have elsewhere in this breefe discourse told you my mind: which is a

word nothing differing in Hebrue from breath or wind. For all these

words following; to wit, _Spiritus, Ventus, Flatus, Halitus_, are

indifferentlie used by the Holie-ghost, and called by this Hebrue word

רוח in the sacred scripture. For further proofe whereof I cite unto you

the words of _Isaie_; For his spirit (or breath) is as a river that

overfloweth up to the necke, &c: in which place the prophet describeth

the comming of God in heate and indignation unto judgement, &c. I cite

also unto you the words of _Zacharie_; These are the foure spirits of

the heaven, &c. Likewise in _Genesis_; And the spirit of GOD mooved

upon the waters. Moreover, I cite unto you the words of Christ; The

spirit (or wind) bloweth where it listeth. Unto which said places

infinite more might be added out of holie writ, tending all to this

purpose; namelie, to give us this for a note, that all the saiengs

above cited, with manie more that I could alledge, where mention is

made of spirit, the Hebrue text useth no word but one; to wit, רוח

which signifieth (as I said) _Spiritum, ventum, flatum, halitum_; which

may be Englished, Spirit, wind, blast, breath.

♦[*] [[] in text.]♦

♦Isai. 30, 28.♦

♦Zach. 6, 5.♦

♦Gen. 1, 2.♦

♦Joh. 3, 8.♦

But before I enter upon the verie point of my purpose, it shall not

be amisse, to make you acquainted with the collection of a certeine

Schoole divine, who distinguisheth and divideth this word [Spirit][A]

into six significations; saieng that it is sometimes taken for the

aier, sometimes for the wind, sometimes for the bodies of the

blessed, sometimes for the soules of the blessed, sometimes for the

power imaginative or the mind of man; and sometimes for God. Againe

he saith, that of spirits there are two sorts, some created and some

uncreated.

♦_Eras. Sarcer. in dictio. Scholast. doctr. lit. S._♦

A spirit uncreated (saith he) is God himselfe, and it is essentiallie

taken, and agreeth unto the three persons notionallie, to the Father,

the Sonne, and the Holie-ghost personallie. A spirit created is a

creature, and that is likewise of two sorts; to wit, bodilie, and

bodilesse. A bodilie spirit is also of two sorts: for some kind of

spirit is so named of spiritualnes, as it is distinguished from

bodilinesse: otherwise it is called _Spiritus á spirando, id est, á

flando_, of breathing or blowing, as the wind dooth.

A bodilesse spirit is one waie so named of spiritualnes, and then it

is taken for a spirituall substance; and is of two sorts: some make a

full and complet kind, and is called complet or perfect, as a spirit

angelicall: some doo not make a full and perfect kind, and is called

incomplet or unperfect, as the soule. There is also the spirit vitall,

which is a certeine subtill or verie fine substance necessarilie

disposing and tending unto life. There be moreover spirits naturall,

which are a kind of subtill and verie fine substances, disposing and

tending unto equall complexions of bodies. Againe there be spirits

animall, which are certeine subtill and verie fine substances disposing

and tempering the bodie, that it might be animated of the forme, that

is, that it might be perfected of the reasonable soule. Thus farre

he. In whose division you see a philosophicall kind of proceeding,

though not altogether to be condemned, yet in everie point not to be

approoved.

Now to the spirit of spirits, I meane the principall and holie spirit

of God, which one defineth or rather describeth to be the third person

in trinitie issuing from the father and the sonne, no more the charitie

dilection and love of the father and the sonne, than the father is the

charitie dilection and love of the sonne and Holie-ghost. An other

treating upon the same argument, proceedeth in this reverent manner:

The holie spirit is the vertue or power of God, quickening, nourishing,

fostering and perfecting all things: by whose onlie breathing it

commeth to passe that we both know and love GOD, and become at the

length like unto him: which spirit is the pledge and earnest pennie of

grace, and beareth witnesse unto our heart, whiles wee crie _Abba_,

Father. This spirit is called the spirit of GOD, the spirit of Christ,

and the spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead.

♦_Erasm. Sar. in lib. loc. & lit. prædictis._♦

♦_Laurent. à Villavicentio in phrasib. s. script. lit. S. pag. 176._♦

♦Rom. 8, 15.

2. Cor. 6, 5.♦

Jesus Christ, for that he received not the spirit by measure, but in

fulnesse, doth call it his spirit; saieng: When the comforter shall

come, whome I will send, even the holie spirit, he shall testifie of

me. This spirit hath diverse metaphoricall names attributed thereunto

in the holie scriptures. It is called by the name of water, bicause

it washeth, comforteth, moisteneth, softeneth, and maketh fruitefull

with all godlinesse and vertues the minds of men, which otherwise would

be uncleane, comfortlesse, hard, drie, and barren of all goodnesse:

wherupon the prophet _Isaie_ saith; I will powre water upon the

thirstie, and floods upon the drie ground, &c. Wherewith-all the words

of Christ doo agree; Hee that beleeveth in me, as saith the scripture,

out of his bellie shall flowe rivers of waters of life. And else where;

Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be

more a thirst. Other places likewise there be, wherein the holie spirit

is signified by the name of water and flood: as in the 13. of _Isaie_,

the 29. of _Ezech._ the 146. _Psalme_, _&c._ The same spirit by reason

of the force and vehemencie thereof is termed fier. For it doth purifie

and cleanse the whole man from top to toe, it doth burne out the soile

and drosse of sinnes, and setteth him all in a flaming and hot burning

zeale to preferre and further God’s glorie. Which plainelie appeared in

the apostles, who when they had received the spirit, they spake fierie

words, yea such words as were uncontrollable, in so much as in none

more than in them this saieng of the prophet _Jeremie_ was verified,

_Nunquid non verba mea sunt quasi ignis?_ Are not my words even as it

were fier? This was declared and shewed by those fierie toongs, which

were seene upon the apostles after they had received the holie spirit.

♦John. 15, 26.♦

♦Isai. 44.♦

♦John. 7, 38.♦

♦John. 4, 14.♦

♦Jer. 23, 29.♦

Moreover, this spirit is called annointing, or ointment, bicause that

as in old time preests and kings were by annointing deputed to their

office and charge, and so were made fit and serviceable for the same:

even so the elect are not so much declared as renewed and made apt by

the training up of the holie spirit, both to live well and also to

glorifie God. Whereupon dependeth the saieng of _John_; And yee have

no need that anie should teach you, but as the same ointment doth

teach you. It is also called in scripture, The oile of gladnesse and

rejoising, whereof it is said in the booke of _Psalmes_; God even thy

God hath annointed thee with the oile of joy & gladnes, &c. And by

this goodlie and comfortable name of oile in the scriptures is the

mercie of God oftentimes expressed, because the nature of that doth

agree with the propertie and qualitie of this. For as oile doth flote

and swim above all other liquors, so the mercie of God doth surpasse

and overreach all his works, and the same doth most of all disclose it

selfe to miserable man.

♦1. Joh. 2, 20.♦

♦Psal. 44.♦

♦_Cyrill. in evang. Joh. lib. 3. cap. 14._♦

It is likewise called the finger of God, that is, the might and power

of God: by the vertue whereof the apostles did cast out divels; to

wit, even by the finger of God. It is called the spirit of truth,

because it maketh men true and faithfull in their vocation: and for

that it is the touchstone to trie all counterfet devises of mans

braine, and all vaine sciences, prophane practises, deceitfull arts,

and circumventing inventions; such as be in generall all sorts of

witchcrafts and inchantments, within whose number are comprehended all

those wherewith I have had some dealing in this my discoverie; to wit,

charmes or incantations, divinations, augurie, judiciall astrologie,

nativitie casting, alcumystrie, conjuration, lotshare, poperie which is

meere paltrie, with diverse other: not one wherof no nor all together

are able to stand to the triall and examination, which this spirit of

truth shall and will take of those false and evill spirits. Naie, they

shalbe found, when they are laid into the balance, to be lighter than

vanitie: verie drosse, when they once come to be tried by the fervent

heate of this spirit; and like chaffe, when this spirit bloweth upon

them, driven awaie with a violent whirlewind: such is the perfection,

integritie, and effectuall operation of this spirit, whose working as

it is manifold, so it is marvellous, and therefore may and is called

the spirit of spirits.

♦Exod. 8.♦

This spirit withdrawing it selfe from the harts of men, for that it

will not inhabit and dwell where sinne hath dominion, giveth place unto

the spirit of error and blindnesse, to the spirit of servitude and

compunction, which biteth, gnaweth, and whetteth their harts with a

deadlie hate of the gospell; in so much as it greeveth their minds and

irketh their eares either to heare or understand the truth; of which

disease properlie the phariseis of old were, and the papists even now

are sicke. Yea, the want of this good spirit is the cause that manie

fall into the spirit of perversenes and frowardnes, into the spirit of

giddinesse, lieng, drowzines, and dulnesse: according as the prophet

_Isaie_ saith; For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber,

and hath shut up your eies: and againe else-where, _Dominus miscuit in

medio, &c_: The Lord hath mingled among them the spirit of giddinesse,

and hath made _Aegypt_ to erre, as a dronken man erreth in his vomit:

as it is said by _Paule_; And their foolish hart was blinded, and God

gave them over unto their owne harts lusts. Which punishment _Moses_

threateneth unto the Jews; The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse,

with blindnesse and amazednesse of mind, and thou shalt grope at high

noone as a blind man useth to grope, &c.

♦The holie spirit can abide nothing that is carnall, and uncleane.♦

♦Isai. 29, 10.♦

♦Isai. 19, 14.♦

♦Ro. 1, 21, 23.♦

♦Deuter. 28, 28, 29.♦

In summe, this word [Spirit] dooth signifie a secret force and power,

wherewith our minds are mooved and directed; if unto holie things,

then is it the motion of the holie spirit, of the spirit of Christ and

of God: if unto evill things, then is it the suggestion of the wicked

spirit, of the divell, and of satan. Whereupon I inferre, by the waie

of a question, with what spirit we are to suppose such to be mooved, as

either practise anie of the vanities treated upon in this booke, or

through credulitie addict themselves thereunto as unto divine oracles,

or the voice of angels breakeing through the clouds? We cannot impute

this motion unto the good spirit; for then they should be able to

discerne betweene the nature of spirits, and not swarve in judgement:

it followeth therefore, that the spirit of blindnes and error dooth

seduce them; so that it is no mervell if in the alienation of their

minds they take falsehood for truth, shadowes for substances, fansies

for verities, &c: for it is likelie that the good spirit of God hath

forsaken them, or at leastwise absented it selfe from them: else would

they detest these divelish devises of men, which consist of nothing but

delusions and vaine practises, whereof (I suppose) this my booke to be

a sufficient discoverie.

♦A question.♦

♦An answer.♦

♦A great likelihood no doubt.♦

It will be said that I ought not to judge, for he that judgeth shalbe

judged. Whereto I answer, that judgement is to be understood of

three kind of actions in their proper nature; whereof the first are

secret, and the judgement of them shall apperteine to God, who in time

will disclose what so ever is done in covert, and that by his just

judgement. The second are mixed actions, taking part of hidden and part

of open, so that by reason of their uncerteintie and doubtfulnes they

are discussable and to be tried; these after due examination are to

have their competent judgement, and are incident to the magistrate. The

third are manifest and evident, and such as doo no lesse apparentlie

shew themselves than an inflammation of bloud in the bodie: and of

these actions everie private man giveth judgement, bicause they be

of such certeintie, as that of them a man may as well conclude, as

to gather, that bicause the sunne is risen in the east, _Ergo_[*] it

is morning: he is come about and is full south, _Ergo_[*] it is high

noone; he is declining and closing up in the west, _Ergo_[*] it is

evening. So that the objection is answered.

♦Judgement distinguished.♦

♦[*] [_Ital._]♦

Howbeit, letting this passe, and spirituallie to speake of this spirit,

which whiles manie have wanted, it hath come to passe that they have

prooved altogether carnall; & not savouring heavenlie divinitie have

tumbled into worsse than philosophicall barbarisme: & these be such

as of writers are called _Pneumatomachi_, a sect so injurious to the

holie spirit of God, that contemning the sentence of Christ, wherein

he foretelleth that the sinne against the holie spirit is never to be

pardoned, neither in this world nor in the world to come, they doo not

onelie denie him to be God, but also pull from him all being, and with

the _Sadduces_ mainteine there is none such; but that under and by the

name of holie spirit is ment a certeine divine force, wherewith our

minds are mooved, and the grace and favour of God whereby we are his

beloved. Against these shamelesse enimies of the holie spirit, I will

not use materiall weapons, but syllogisticall charmes. And first I will

set downe some of their paralogysmes or false arguments; and upon the

necke of them inferre fit confutations grounded upon sound reason and

certeine truth.

♦_Josias Simlerus li. 4. ca. 5. adversus veteres & novos

Antitrinitarios, &c._♦

Their first argument is knit up in this manner. The holie spirit is no

where expresselie called God in the scriptures; _Ergo_ he is not God,

or at leastwise he is not to be called God. The antecedent of this

argument is false; bicause the holie spirit hath the title or name

of God in the fift of the _Acts_. Againe, the consequent is false.

For although he were not expresselie called God, yet should it not

therupon be concluded that he is not verie God; bicause unto him are

attributed all the properties of God, which unto this doo equallie

belong. And as we denie not that the father is the true light, although

it be not directlie written of the father, but of the sonne; He was

the true light giving light to everie man that cōmeth into this world:

so likewise it is not to be denied, that the spirit is God, although

the scripture dooth not expresselie and simplie note it; sithence it

ascribeth equall things thereunto; as the properties of God, the works

of God, the service due to GOD, and that it dooth interchangeablie take

the names of Spirit and of God oftentimes. They therefore that see

these things attributed unto the holie spirit, and yet will not suffer

him to be called by the name of God; doo as it were refuse to grant

unto _Eve_ the name of _Homo_,[*] whome notwithstanding they confesse

to be a creature reasonable and mortall.

♦1. Objectiō. The scripture dooth never call the holie spirit God.♦

♦The first answer. A refutation of the antecedent, &c.♦

♦[*] [_Ital._]♦

The second reason is this. _Hilarie_ in all his twelve bookes of

the Trinitie dooth no where write that the holie spirit is to be

worshipped; he never giveth therunto the name of God, neither dares he

otherwise pronounce thereof, than that it is the spirit of God. Besides

this, there are usuall praiers of the church commonlie called the

Collects, whereof some are made to the father, some to the sonne, but

none to the holie spirit; and yet in them all mention is made of the

three persons. [*]Hereunto I answer, that although _Hilarie_ dooth

not openlie call the holie spirit, God: yet doth he constantly denie

it to be a creature. Now if any aske me why _Hilarie_ was so coie &

nice to name the holie spirit, God, whom he denieth to be a creature,

when as notwithstanding betweene God and a creature there is no meane:

I will in good sooth saie what I thinke. I suppose that _Hilarie_,

for himselfe, thought well of the godhead of the holie spirit: but

this opinion was thrust and forced upon him of the _Pneumatomachi_,

who at that time rightlie deeming of the sonne did erwhiles joine

themselves to those that were sound of judgement. There is also in the

ecclesiasticall historie a little booke which they gave _Liberius_

a bishop of _Rome_, whereinto they foisted the _Nicene_ creed. And

that _Hilarie_ was a freend of the _Pneumatomachi_, it is perceived

in his booke _De synodis_, where he writeth in this maner; _Nihil

autem mirum vobis videri debet, fratres charissimi, &c_: It ought to

seeme no wonder unto you deere brethren, &c. As for the objection of

the praiers of the church called the collects, that in them the holie

spirit is not called upon by name: we oppose and set against them the

songs of the church, wherein the said spirit is called upon. But the

collects are more ancient than the songs, hymnes, and anthems. I will

not now contend about ancientnesse, neither will I compare songs and

collects togither; but I say thus much onelie, to wit, that in the most

ancient times of the church the holie spirit hath beene openlie called

upon in the congregation. Now if I be charged to give an instance,

let this serve. In the collect upon trinitie sundaie it is thus said:

Almightie and everlasting God, which hast given unto us thy servants

grace by the confession of a truth to acknowledge the glorie of the

eternall trinitie, and in the power of the divine Majestie to worship

the unitie: we beseech thee that thorough the stedfastnesse of this

faith, we may evermore be defended from all adversitie, which livest

and reignest one God world without end. Now bicause that in this

collect, where the trinitie is expresselie called upon, the names of

persons are not expressed; but almightie and everlasting God invocated,

who abideth in trinitie and unitie; it doth easilie appeare elsewhere

also that the persons being not named, under the name of almightie and

everlasting God, not onelie the father[†] to be understood, but God

which abideth in trinitie and unitie, that is the father, the sonne,

and the Holie-ghost.

♦2. Objectiō. _Hilarie_ doth not call the spirit God, neither is he so

named in the common collects.♦

♦[*] The 2. answer.♦

♦_Hilarius lib. 12. de Triade_♦

♦The place is long, and therefore I had rather referre the reader unto

the booke than heere to insert so many lines.♦

♦_Collecta in die domin. sanctæ Trinit._♦

♦[†] [? is]♦

A third objection of theirs is this. The sonne of GOD oftentimes

praieng in the gospels, speaketh unto the father, promiseth the

holie spirit, and dooth also admonish the apostles to praie unto the

heavenlie father, but yet in the name of the sonne. Besides that, he

prescribeth them this forme of praier: Our father which art in heaven.

_Ergo_[*] the father onlie is to be called upon, and consequentlie

the father onelie is that one and verie true God, of whome it is

written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onelie shalt thou

serve.

♦3. Objectiō. The spirit is not to be praied unto but the father onlie.♦

♦[*] [_Ital._]♦

[*]Whereto I answer first by denieng the consequent; The sonne

praied to the father onelie, _Ergo_[B] the father onlie is of us also

to be praied unto. For the sonne of GOD is distinguished of us both

in person and in office: he as a mediator maketh intercession for us

to the father: and although the sonne and the holie spirit doo both

togither receive and take us into favour with God; yet is he said to

intreat the father for us; bicause the father is the fountaine of all

counsels & divine works. Furthermore, touching the forme of praieng

prescribed of Christ, it is not necessarie that the fathers name shuld

personallie be there taken, sith there is no distinction of persons

made: but by the name of father indefinitelie we understand God or the

essence of God, the father, the son, and the Holie-ghost. For this name

hath not alwaies a respect unto the generation of the sonne of God;

but God is called the father of the faithfull, bicause of his gratious

and free adopting of them, the foundation whereof is the sonne of God,

in whom we be adopted: but yet so adopted, that not the father onelie

receiveth us into his favour; but with him also the sonne and the holy

spirit dooth the same. Therefore when we in the beginning of praier doo

advertise our selves of Gods goodnesse towards us; we doo not cast an

eie to the father alone, but also to the sonne, who gave us the spirit

of adoption; and to the holie spirit, in whom we crie _Abba_, Father.

And if so be that invocation and praier were restreined to the father

alone, then had the saints doone amisse, in calling upon, invocating,

and praieng to the sonne of God, and with the sonne the holy spirit,

in baptisme, according to the forme by Christ himselfe assigned and

delivered.

♦[*] 3. Answer. The consequent is denied.♦

Another objection is out of the fourth of _Amos_, in this maner. For lo

it is I that make the thunder, and create the spirit, and shew unto

men their Christ, making the light and the clouds, and mounting above

the hie places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is his name. Now

bicause it is read in that place, Shewing unto men their Christ; the

_Pneumatomachi_ contended that these words are to be understood of the

holie spirit.

♦[Am. 4, 13.]♦

♦4. Objectiō. Amos saith that the spirit was created.♦

[*]But _Ambrose_ in his booke _De spiritu sancto, lib. 2. cap.

7._ doth rightlie answer, that by spirit in this place is ment the

wind: for if the prophets purpose and will had beene to speake of

the holie spirit, he would not have begunne with thunder, nor have

ended with light and clouds. Howbeit, the same father saith; If anie

suppose that these words are to be drawne unto the interpretation of

the holie spirit, bicause the prophet saith, Shewing unto men their

Christ; he ought also to draw these words unto the mysterie of the

Lords incarnation: and he expoundeth thunder to be the words of the

Lord, and spirit to be the reasonable and perfect soule. But the

former interpretation is certeine and convenient with the words of the

prophet, by whom there is no mention made of Christ; but the power of

God is set foorth in his works. Behold (saith the prophet) he that

formeth the mountaines, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man

what is his thought, which maketh the morning darknesse, and walketh

upon the hie places of the earth, the Lord God of hosts is his name. In

this sort _Santes_ a right skilfull man in the Hebrew toong translateth

this place of the prophet. But admit this place were written of the

holie spirit, & were not appliable either to the wind or to the

Lords incarnation: yet doth it not follow that the holie spirit is a

creature; bicause this word of Creating doth not alwaies signifie a

making of something out of nothing; as _Eusebius_ in expounding these

words (The Lord created me in the beginning of his waies) writeth thus.

The prophet in the person of God, saieng; Behold I am he that made

the thunder, and created the spirit, and shewed unto men their Christ:

this word Created is not so to be taken, as that it is to be concluded

thereby, that the same was not before. For God hath not so created the

spirit, sithence by the same he hath shewed & declared his Christ unto

all men. Neither was it a thing of late beginning under the sonne:

but it was before all beginning, and was then sent, when the apostles

were gathered togither, when a sound like thunder came from heaven,

as it had beene the comming of a mightie wind: this word Created being

used for sent downe, for appointed, ordeined, &c: and the word thunder

signifieng in another kind of maner the preaching of the gospels. The

like saieng is that of the _Psalmist_, A cleane hart create in me O

God: wherein he praied not as one having no hart, but as one that had

such a hart as needed purifieng, as needed perfecting: & this phrase

also of the scripture, That he might create two in one new man; that

is, that he might joine, couple, or gather together, &c.

♦[*] 4. Answer. Spirit in this place signifieth wind.♦

♦To create is not him to be made that was not.♦

♦_Euseb. Cæsariens. li. 3. adversus Marcellum._♦

Furthermore, the _Pneumatomachi_ by these testimonies insuing endevor

to proove the holie spirit to be a creature. Out of _John_ the 1. chap.

By this word were all things made, and without it nothing was made. Out

of 1. _Cor._ 8. Wee have one God the father, even he from whome are all

things, and we in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whome are all

things, and we by him. Out of the 1. _Coloss._ By him were all things

made, things in heaven, and things in earth, visible and invisible, &c.

Now if al things were made by the sonne, it followeth that by him the

holie spirit was also made.

♦5. Objectiō. All things were made by the son, _Ergo_ the

spirit was also made by him.♦

[*]Whereto I answer, that when all things are said to be made by

the sonne, that same universall proposition is restrained by _John_

himselfe to a certeine kind of things: Without him (saith the

evangelist) was nothing made that was made. Therefore it is first to be

shewed that the holie spirit was made, and then will we conclude out of

_John_, that if he were made, he was made of the sonne. The scripture

doth no where saie that the holie spirit was made of the father or of

the sonne, but to proceed, to come, and to be sent from them both. Now

if these universall propositions are to suffer no restraint, it shall

follow that the father was made of the sonne: than the which what is

more absurd and wicked?

♦[*] 5. Answer. Universall propositiōs or speeches are to be

restrained.♦

Againe, they object out of _Matth._ 11. None knoweth the sonne but the

father, and none the father but the sonne; to wit, of and by himselfe:

for otherwise both the angels, & to whomsoever else it shall please the

sonne to reveale the father, these doo know both the father and the

sonne. Now if so be the spirit be not equall with the father and the

sonne in knowledge, he is not onelie unequall and lesser than they, but

also no God: for ignorance is not incident unto God.

♦6. Objectiō.♦

♦The spirit knoweth not the father & the sonne.♦

[*]Whereto I answer, that where in holie scripture we doo meete with

universall propositions negative or exclusive, they are not to be

expounded of one person, so as the rest are excluded; but creatures or

false gods are to be excluded, and whatsoever else is without or beside

the essence and being of God. Reasons to proove and confirme this

interpretation, I could bring verie manie, whereof I will adde some

for example. In the seaventh of _John_ it is said; When Christ shall

come, none shall knowe from whence he is: notwithstanding which words

the Jewes thought that neither God nor his angels should be ignorant

from whence Christ should be. In the fourth to the _Galathians_; A

mans covenant or testament confirmed with authoritie no bodie dooth

abrogate, or adde anie thing thereunto. No just man dooth so; but

tyrants and truce-breakers care not for covenants. In _John_ eight;

Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the middest. And yet

it is not to be supposed that a multitude of people was not present,

and the disciples of Christ likewise; but the word _Solus_, alone, is

referred to the woman’s accusers, who withdrew themselves awaie everie

one, and departed. In the sixt of _Marke_; When it was evening, the

ship was in the middest of the sea, and he alone upon land: he was

not alone upon land or shore, for the same was not utterlie void of

dwellers: but he had not anie of his disciples with him, nor anie bodie

to carrie him a shipboord unto his disciples. Manie phrases or formes

of speeches like unto these are to be found in the sacred scriptures,

and in authors both Greeke and Latine, whereby we understand, that

neither universall negative nor exclusive particles are strictlie to

be urged, but to be explaned in such sort as the matter in hand will

beare. When as therefore the sonne alone is said to know the father,

and it is demanded whether the holie spirit is debarred from knowing

the father; out of other places of scriptures judgment is to be given

in this case. In some places the holie spirit is counted and reckoned

with the father and the sonne jointlie: wherefore he is not to be

separated. Else-where also it is attributed to the holie spirit that he

alone dooth know the things which be of God, and searcheth the deepe

secrets of God: wherefore from him the knowing of God is not to be

excluded.

♦[*] 6. Answer. How exclusive propositions or speeches are to be

interpreted.♦

They doo yet further object, that it is not convenient or fit for God

after the manner of suters to humble and cast downe himselfe: but the

holie spirit dooth so, praieng and intreating for us with unspeakeable

grones: _Rom._ 8. _Ergo_ the holie spirit is not God.

♦7. Objectiō. The spirit praieth for us.♦

[*]Whereto I answer that the holie spirit dooth praie and intreat, in

so much as he provoketh us to praie, and maketh us to grone and sigh.

Oftentimes also in the scriptures is that action or deed attributed

unto God, which we being stirred up and mooved by him doo bring to

passe. So it is said of God unto _Abraham_; Now I know that thou

fearest God: and yet before he would have sacrificed _Isaach_, God

knew the verie heart of _Abraham_: and therefore this word _Cognovi_,

I know, is as much as _Cognoscere feci_, I have made or caused to

know. And that the spirit to praie and intreat, is the same that, to

make to praie and intreat, the apostle teacheth even there, writing

that we have received the spirit of adoption, in whome we crie _Abba_

Father. Where it is manifest that it is we which crie, the Holie-ghost

provoking and forcing us thereunto.

♦[*] 7. Answer. The spirit dooth provoke us to praie.♦

Howbeit they go further, and frame this reason. Whosoever is sent,

the same is inferior and lesser than he of whome he is sent, and

furthermore he is of a comprehensible substance, bicause he passeth by

locall motion from place to place: but the holie spirit is sent of the

father and the sonne, _John._ 14, 15, & 16. It is powred foorth and

shed upon men, _Acts._ 10. _Ergo_ the holie spirit is lesser than the

Father and the Sonne, and of a comprehensible nature, and consequentlie

not verie God.

♦8. Objectiō. The spirit is sent from the father and the son.♦

[*]Whereto I answer first, that he which is sent is not alwaies

lesser than he that sendeth: to proove which position anie meane wit

may inferre manie instances. Furthermore, touching the sending of the

holie spirit, we are here to imagine no changing or shifting of place.

For if the spirit when he goeth foorth from the father and is sent,

changeth his place, then must the father also be in a place, that

he may leave it and go to another. And as for the incomprehensible

nature of the spirit, he cannot leaving his place passe unto another.

Therefore the sending of the spirit is the eternall and unvariable will

of God, to doo something by the holie spirit; and the revealing and

executing of this will by the operation and working of the spirit. The

spirit was sent to the apostles; which spirit was present with them,

sith it is present everie-where: but then according to the will of God

the father hee shewed himselfe present and powerfull.

♦[*] 8. Answer. How the spirit is sent.♦

Some man may saie; If sending be a revealing and laieng open of

presence and power, then may the father be said to be sent, bicause he

himselfe is also revealed. I answer, that when the spirit is said to be

sent, not onlie the revealing, but the order also of his revealing is

declared; bicause the will of the father and of the sonne, of whom he

is sent, going before, not in time, but in order of persons, the spirit

dooth reveale himselfe, the father, and also the sonne. The father

revealeth himselfe by others, the sonne and the holie spirit, so that

his will goeth before. Therefore sending is the common worke of all the

three persons; howbeit, for order of dooing, it is distinguished by

diverse names. The father will reveale himselfe unto men with the sonne

and the spirit, and be powerfull in them, and therefore is said to

send. The sonne and the spirit doo assent unto the will of the father,

and will that to be doone by themselves, which God will to be doone

by them; these are said to be sent. And bicause the will of the sonne

dooth go before the spirit in order of persons, he is also said to send

the spirit.

Yet for all this they allege, that if the spirit had perfection, then

would he speake of himselfe, and not stand in need alwaies of anothers

admonishment: but he speaketh not of himselfe, but speaketh what he

heareth, as Christ expresselie testifieth _John._ 16. _Ergo_ he is

unperfect, and whatsoever he hath it is by partaking, and consequentlie

he is not God.

♦9. Objectiō. The spirit speaketh not of himselfe.♦

[*]Whereto I answer, that this argument is stale: for it was objected

by heretikes long ago against them that held the true opinion, as

_Cyrill_ saith; who answereth, that by the words of Christ is rather

to be gathered, that the son and the spirit are of the same substance.

For, the spirit is named the mind of Christ. 1. _Cor._ 2: and therefore

he speaketh not of his owne proper will, or against his will in whom

and from whom he is; but hath all his will and working naturallie

proceeding from the substance as it were of him.

♦[*] The 9. answer.♦

♦_Cyrill. lib. 13. thesaur. cap. 3._♦

Lastlie they argue thus: Everie thing is either unbegotten or unborne,

or begotten and created; the spirit is not unbegotten, for then he

were the father; & so there should be two without beginning: neither is

he begotten, for then he is begotten of the father, and so there shall

be two sonnes, both brothers; or hee is begotten of the sonne, and

then shall he be Gods nephue, than the which what can be imagined more

absurd? _Ergo_ he is created.

♦10. Objection.♦

[*]Wherto I answer, that the division or distribution is unperfect:

for that member is omitted which is noted of the verie best divine that

ever was, even Jesus Christ our saviour; namelie, to have proceeded,

or proceeding: That same holie spirit (saith he) which proceedeth from

the father. Which place _Nazanzen_ dooth thus interpret. The spirit,

bicause he proceedeth from thence, is not a creature: and bicause he

is not begotten, he is not the son; but bicause he is the meane of

begotten and unbegotten, he shall be God, &c.

♦[*] 10. Ans. The spirit proceedeth♦

And thus having avoided all these cavils of the [*]_Pneumatomachi_,

a sect of heretikes too too injurious to the holie spirit, insomuch

as they seeke what they can, to rob and pull from him the right of

his divinitie; I will all Christians to take heed of their pestilent

opinions, the poison whereof though to them that be resolved in the

truth it can doo little hurt, yet to such as stand upon a wavering

point it can doo no great good. Having thus far waded against them,

and overthrowne their opinions; I must needs exhort all to whom the

reading hereof shall come, that first they consider with themselves

what a reverend mysterie all that hitherto hath beene said in this

chapter concerneth; namelie, the spirit of sanctification, and that

they so ponder places to and fro, as that they reserve unto the holie

spirit the glorious title of divinitie, which by nature is to him

appropriate: esteeming of these _Pneumatomachi_ or _Theomachi_, as of

swine, delighting more in the durtie draffe of their devises, than in

the faire fountaine water of Gods word: yea, condemning them of grosser

ignorance than the old philosophers, who though they savoured little of

heavenlie theologie, yet some illumination they had of the holie and

divine spirit, marrie it was somewhat mistie, darke, lame and limping;

neverthelesse, what it was, and how much or little soever it was, they

gave thereunto a due reverence, in that they acknowledged and intituled

it _Animam mundi_, The soule or life of the world, and (as _Nazanzen_

witnesseth) τὸν τοῦ παντος νοῦν, The mind of the universall, and the

outward breath, or the breath that commeth from without. _Porphyrie_

expounding the opinion of _Plato_, who was not utterlie blind in this

mysterie, saith that the divine substance doth proceed and extend

to three subsistencies and beings: and that God is chieflie and

principallie good, next him the second creator, and the third to be

the soule of the world: for he holdeth that the divinitie doth extend

even to this soule. As for _Hermes Trismegistus_, he saith that all

things have need of this spirit: for according to his worthinesse he

supporteth all, he quickeneth and susteineth all, and he is derived

from the holie fountaine, giving breath and life unto all, and evermore

remaineth continuall, plentifull, and unemptied.

♦[*] Such were the Arrians, Tritheits,[†] Samosatenians, &c.♦

♦[†] [Tritheists]♦

♦_Sus magis in cœno gaudet quàm fonte sereno._♦

♦The hethenish philosophers acknowledged the holie spirit.♦

♦_Cyrill. lib. 1. contra Julianum._♦

And here by the waie I give you a note woorth reading and considering;

namelie, how all nations in a manner, by a kind of heavenlie influence,

agree in writing and speaking the name of God with no more than foure

letters. As for example, the _Ægyptians_ doo call him _Theut_, the

_Persians_ call him _Syre_, the _Jewes_ expresse his unspeakable name

as well as they can by the word _Adonai_ consisting of foure vowels;

the _Arabians_ call him _Alla_, the _Mahometists_ call him _Abdi_,

the _Greekes_ call him _Theos_, the _Latines_ call him _Deus_, _&c._

This, although it be not so proper to our present purpose, yet (because

we are in hand with the holie spirits deitie) is not altogether

impertinent. But why GOD would have his name as it were universallie

bounded within the number of foure letters, I can give sundrie

reasons, which require too long a discourse of words by digression:

and therefore I will conceale them for this time. These opinions of

philosophers I have willinglie remembred, that it might appeare, that

the doctrine concerning the holie spirit is verie ancient; which they

having taken either out of _Moses_ writings, or out of the works

of the old fathers, published and set foorth in bookes, though not

wholie, fullie, and perfectlie understood and knowne: and also that

our _Pneumatomachi_ may see themselves to be more doltish in divine

matters than the heathen, who will not acknowledge that essentiall

and working power of the divinitie wherby all things are quickened:

which the heathen did after a sort see; after a sort (I saie) bicause

they separated the soule of the world (which they also call the

begotten mind) from the most sovereigne and unbegotten God, and

imagined certeine differences of degrees, and (as _Cyrill_ saith) did

Arrianize[*] in the trinitie.

♦_Marsilius Ficinus in arg. in Cratyl. Plat._♦

♦[*] [Arianize]♦

So then I conclude against these _Pneumatomachi_, that in so much

as they imitate the old giants, who piling up _Pelion_ upon _Ossa_,

and them both upon _Olympus_, attempted by scaling the heavens to

pull _Jupiter_ out of his throne of estate, & to spoile him of his

principalitie, and were notwithstanding their strength, whereby they

were able to carrie huge hilles on their shoulders, overwhelmed

with those mountaines, and squized under the weight of them even

to the death: so these _Pneumatomachi_, being enimies both to the

holie spirit, and no freends to the holie church (for then would

they confesse the trinitie in unitie, and the unitie in trinitie,

and consequentlie also the deitie of the holie spirit) deserve to be

consumed with the fier of his mouth, the heate whereof by no meanes can

be slaked, quenched, or avoided. For there is nothing more unnaturall,

nothing more monstrous, than against the person of the deitie (I meane

the spirit of sanctification) to oppose mans power, mans wit, mans

policie, &c: which was well signified by that poeticall fiction of the

giants, who were termed _Anguipedes_, Snakefooted: which as _Joachimus

Camerarius_ expoundeth of wicked counsellors, to whose filthie

persuasion tyrants doo trust as unto their feete; and _James Sadolet_

interpreteth of philosophers, who trusting overmuch unto their owne

wits, become so bold in challenging praise for their wisedome, that in

fine all turneth to follie and confusion: so I expound of heretickes

and schismatikes, who either by corrupt doctrine, or by mainteining

precise opinions, or by open violence, &c: assaie to overthrow the

true religion, to breake the unitie of the church, to denie _Cæsar_

his homage, and GOD his dutie, &c: and therefore let _Jovis fulmen_,

wherewith they were slaine, assure these that there is _Divina ultio_

due to all such, as dare in the ficklenes of their fansies arreare

themselves against the holie spirit; of whom sith they are ashamed here

upon earth (otherwise they would confidentlie and boldlie confesse

him both with mouth and pen) he will be ashamed of them in heaven,

where they are like to be so farre from having anie societie with the

saints, that their portion shalbe even in full and shaken measure with

miscreants and infidels. And therefore let us, if we will discerne

and trie the spirits whether they be of God or no, seeke for the

illumination of this inlightning spirit, which as it bringeth light

with it to discover all spirits, so it giveth such a fierie heat, as

that no false spirit can abide by it for feare of burning. Howbeit

the holie spirit must be in us, otherwise this prerogative of trieng

spirits will not fall to our lot.

♦_Ovid. lib. metamorph. 1 fab. 5. de gigantib. cœlum obsident._♦

♦_Jacob. Sadol. in lib. de laud. philosoph. inscript. Phædrus._♦

But here some will peradventure move a demand, and doo aske how

the holie spirit is in us, considering that _Infiniti ad finitum

nulla est proportio, neque loci angustia quod immensum est potest

circumscribi_: of that which is infinite, to that which is finite

there is no proportion; neither can that which is unmeasurable be

limited or bounded within anie precinct of place, &c. I answer, that

the most excellent father for Christes sake sendeth him unto us,

according as Christ promised us in the person of his apostles; The

comforter (saith he) which is the holie spirit, whome my father will

send in my name. And as for proportion of that which is infinite to

that which is finite, &c: I will in no case have it thought, that the

holie spirit is in us, as a bodie placed in a place terminablie; but to

attribute thereunto, as dulie belongeth to the deitie, an ubiquitie, or

universall presence; not corporallie and palpablie; but effectuallie,

mightilie, mysticallie, divinelie, &c. Yea, and this I may boldlie

adde, that Christ Jesus sendeth him unto us from the father: neither

is he given us for anie other end, but to inrich us abundantlie with

all good gifts and excellent graces; and (among the rest) with the

discerning of spirits aright, that we be not deceived. And here an end.

♦_Peter Mart. in loc. com. part. 2. cap. 18. sect. 33. pag. 628._♦

♦John. 14, 26.♦

♦John. 16, 14. & 14, 16.♦

_FINIS._

[APPENDIX I.]

[The nine chapters forming the beginning of the fifteenth Book in the

third edition, 1665, are numbered Ch. I, etc., and Scot’s Ch. I made

Ch. X, and so onward]

_BOOK XV._