Part II, chapters 13–18: VVhether soules do returne agayne out of Purgatorie and the place vvhich they…; and following chapters

CHAP. XIII. VVhether soules do returne agayne out of Purgatorie and the place vvhich they call Limbus puerorum.

THat soules, whiche are gon either to Heauen or to Hell, returne not thence, nor appeare agayne before the latter daye, perchaunce some menne woulde easely graunte: but they imagine there is a thirde place, whych is Purgatorie) oute of the whiche soules doe retourne vppon earthe. For as yet the laste sentence hath not passed on them, and therfore as yet they maye bée helped, and therefore also they doe craue helpe, and shewe themselues vnto men. But wée haue proued before at large, bothe out of the scriptures, and also out of the writings of the auncient fathers, that the soules of the faithful are saued, and that the soules of the vnbeleeuers are damned immediatly without delay, and therefore there is no Purgatorie. Agaynst this, they alledge sundry argumentes amongst the whiche thys, albeit it be very common, yet is it the chéefest, when they say, that no man is saued excepte he be purged from all his sinnes, and that sinne cleaueth vnto vs euen vnto the graue. If wée saye that puritie and cleannesse consisteth not in our woorkes, or in the paynes which we endure, but that God through faith in his sonne Iesus Christe (who is our only redemption, iustification, satisfaction, and raunsom for our sinnes) doth iustifie vs: they streyght aunsweare, that our faith is vnperfecte, and that the moste godly men complayne when they departe hence, of the weakenesse of their fayth. And therefore that God dothe not take vp suche kynde of men straightwayes into heauen, nor yet bycause they are not vtterly voyde of fayth, thrust them presently downe into hell. And therfore, that there is a middle place betwene bothe, whiche is called Purgatorie, in which the soules are purified from the imperfection whiche remayned in them at the time of their death, and out of the which they are deliuered by the merits of the liuing, and by large pardons. Is not this as muche as to attribute that vnto our owne paines and to external fyre, whiche ought only to be ascribed vnto the death of Christ? Doth not Christe teache vs yt if at any time we féele any weakenesse of faith, we shold crye out with the Apostles: Lorde increase our faith? Doth God disdaine to heare the prayers of his faithfull people in the extremitie of death? Christ sayth, he that is washed hath no néede saue to washe his féete, but he is cleane euery whitte: Hée wyll saue vs, not for the woorthinesse of our faythe, but by his méere grace onely. He dooth bestow these things amongst vs, as if some ryche man did fréely giue meate and drinke vnto others, wherof some of them receyueth it in woodden, some in earthen, and some in siluer or golden vessels: or as if a Prince did distribute vnto euery one a piece of golde, and some receyue it with a féeble hande, and some with a strong and lustie hande. He that hath the weake hande receyueth money as wel as he that hath the strong hande. Saincte Paule exhorteth the Thessalonians in his firste Epistle and fourthe Chapter, that they mourne not for the dead as the Gentiles doo. If there had bene a fyer of Purgatorie, as they haue falsely imagined, hée coulde not haue bene angrie with them, although they had taken their frendes departure somewhat impaciently. &c. Other argumentes whiche are broughte for the confirmation of Purgatorie, are of late so confuted by many godly and learned men, that it is maruel our aduersaries will so often repete them.

But before I leaue this matter, I will here insert this historie folowing. A certaine Germain béeing accused by the Inquisitours of heresie (as they terme it) that amongest his companions he denyed Purgatorie, contrarie to the common consent of the Catholike Churche, made his answeare thus: If our parishe Priest (quod he) whome I credite very muche, preache vnto vs true doctrine in the Pulpet, eyther there is no Purgatorie at all, or else it is cleane emptie. For he oftentymes sayeth, that Turkes, Iewes, heretikes, and wicked men goe not into Purgatorie, but straight into Hell fyer, from whence they shall neuer bée delyuered: Then that by Pardons whyche are euery where solde for money, many soules are restored to their first perfection: And moreouer, that the Masse is of suche force, that there is not one soong in al the world by whiche one soule at the least is not deliuered out of the flames of Purgatorie. If these things (quod he) be true, (for I wil not go about to refell that whiche master Parson hath sayde) I will stande in this my opinion. For you do all complayne, that the number of the Catholykes is very small, the greater parte of men béeing deuided into sundry se[…]tes, and the multitude of Epicures dayly increasing. Then are all mennes pursses many times drawne drie by pardoners, which for money sell their indulgences, that by them the soules of men may be deliuered out of the torments of purgatorie. Furthermore, there is no village but there are a great many Masses soong in it, before any one husbandeman dyeth. What followeth then, but that there is eyther no Purgatorie, or one vtterly voyde and emptie? When the Inquisitours (who knewe very well that their men commonly taught such doctrine) herd these things, they were amazed, and taking aduise togither, they all berated him for occupying his heade aboute questions nothing appertaining vnto him, which they commaunded him to leaue vnto diuines, and to folow his owne busines.

There was in our countrey an honest and sober man, who before the light of the Gospel began to appeare, vsed this dilemma: The bishop of Rome either hath authoritie to bring soules out of the paynes of Purgatorie, or else he hath no authoritie: If he haue that power, and will not vse it, excepte hee receyue money, hée can not escape the faulte of crueltie and couetousenesse: But if hée haue no suche authoritie, surely it is great villanie to robbe so manye widdowes and fatherlesse chyldren, and so arrogantly to boast hymselfe of aucthoritie whyche hée hathe not. And if there be no Purgatorie (as by the holy Scriptures it is playnly gathered there is not) surely then mennes soules can neyther returne from thence, nor offer themselues to be séene of men.

Nowe as touching the fourthe place, namely Limbus puerorum, (in the which innocent chyldren, as they call them, are sayde to bée) Papistes themselues scante dare affirme, that they return again and appeare vnto men, and craue their helpe: for they teache, that if they depart without baptisme, they shall neuer enioy the sight of God, and for that cause they may not be buried in the same churchyard with other christians. Merciful God! how many godly matrones hath this false deuise miserably vexed? I call it a false deuise, for that they bring nothing out of the holy Scriptures wherby to proue this poynt of doctrine. The Scriptures do not attribute so muche vnto externall baptisme, whiche is by water. Was the condition of infants better in the olde testament than in the new? You do not reade that the olde fathers, supposed that infantes whych dyed before the eyght day, and therefore were not circumcised, should be separated from the sight of God for euer. Dauid the king and prophet said he shold folow his sonne, whome God had called out of this lyfe before he was circumcised. But it was not Dauids meaning that he should go into a place where he should be depriued of the sight of God for euer. But it appertaineth not much vnto our purpose to dispute any further hereof. Thus haue I nowe answered the chéefest argumentes of our aduersaries, whereby they woulde proue the soules of good and euill men, to offer them selues to be séene sometimes of them that liue, after their departure by death from their bodies.

CHAP. XIIII. VVhat those things are vvhiche men see and heare: and fyrst that good Angels do somtimes appeare.

BUt thou wilte saye, I doe not yet clearely and plainly vnderstand what maner of things those are, (wherof (as it is sayd before) Historiographers, holy fathers, and others make mention: as that holy Apostles, bishopps, martires, confessors, virgins, and many other which died long ago, appered vnto certeine men lying at the point of death, gaue them warning, aunsweared vnto certeine questions, commaunded them to do this or that thing: and that some thing is seene and heard at certeine times, whiche not only affirmeth it selfe to be this or that soule, but also sheweth howe it may be succored, and afterwardes retourning agayne, giueth great thanks vnto them of whome it hath receyued such a benefite: that the husband being dead, came in the nighte vnto his wife nowe a widdowe, and that seldome times any notable thing hathe happened, whiche was not foreshewed vnto some man by certain signes and tokens. You will say, I heare and vnderstād very wel that these things are not mens soules, which continually remayne in theyr appoynted places, I pray you then what are they? To conclude in fewe words: If it be not a vayne persuasion procéeding through weakenesse of the senses through feare, or some suche like cause, or if it be not deceyte of men, or some naturall thing, wherof we haue spoken much in the firste parte, it is either a good or euill Angell, or some other forewarning sent by God, concerning the which we will speake more orderly and fully hereafter. Our sauioure witnesseth in the gospell, that children haue their good angells: and we reade in the 18. of Matthew, that the Lorde sayde: Take héede ye contemne not one of these litle ones: for I saye vnto you, that their Angels in Heauen do alwayes behold the face of my father whiche is in Heauen. Which words are not so to be taken, as though they were neuer sent downe into the earth, but the Lorde here speaketh after the manner of men. For as seruaunts stande before their maisters to fulfill their commaundement, euen so are the Angels prest and ready to serue God. Esay the 63. The Angell of his face, that is, whiche standeth ready in his sight, preserued them. And further they which often stand in presence of their lorde, are acceptable vnto them and priuy to their secrets. Out of this place of Math. Saincte Herome in his Cōmentaries, and other fathers do conclude, that God doth assigne vnto euery soule assoone as he createth him his peculiar Angell, which taketh care of him. But whether that euery one of the elect haue hys proper Angell, or many Angels be appoynted vnto him, it is not expresly sette foorth, yet this is most sure and certayne, that God hath giuen his Angels in charge to haue regard and care ouer vs. Daniel witnesseth in his tenth chapter, that Angels haue also charge of Kingdomes, by whom God kéepeth and protecteth them, and hindreth the wicked counsels of the deuill. It may be proued by many places of the Scripture, that all Christian men haue not only one Angell, but also many, whome God imployeth to their seruice. In the .34. Psalm it is sayde, the Angell of the Lorde pitcheth his tentes rounde about them whiche feare the Lorde, and helpeth them: which ought not to be doubted but that it is also at this daye, albeit we sée them not. We reade that they appearing in sundrye shapes, haue admonished menne, haue comforted them, defended them, deliuered them from daunger, and also punished the wicked. Touching this matter, there are plentifull examples, whiche are not néedefull to be repeated in this place. Somtimes they haue eyther appeared in sléep, or in manner of visions, and sometimes they haue perfourmed their office, by some internall operations: as when a mans mynde foresheweth him, that a thing shall so happen, and after it happeneth so in d[…]ede, which thyng I suppose is doone by God, through the ministerie of Angels. Angels for the most part take vpon them the shapes of men, wherein they appeare. And so it may be, that saint Felix, and Sainte Agnes, and other whiche haue appeared vnto honest and godly men, were the Angels of God. Angels haue appeared not only one at a time, but also whole Armies & Hostes, of them, as vnto Iacob the Patriarch, and Heliseus the Prophete. It is read in the Ecclesiasticall historie written by Socrates and Sozomenus, that Archadius the Emperor receyued Gaina, with all his Armie of Souldiours into the Citie of Constantinople, to defende it, but this traitour went about to get the rule of the Citie into his owne handes, and therefore he sente a bande of men to fire the Emperours Pallace, whiche sodenly espied a great Host of Angels, of large stature, armed like vnto Souldiours, wherevppon they gaue ouer their enterpryse offiering. Then sent he others who reported the verie same: At the last he went himself, & saw it to be so, and so left his purpose: and thus God by a miraculous meanes, preserued the Citie and Churche of Constantinople from the craftie suttletie of the tyrant.

Whereas Saynte Augustine in hys booke De cura pro mortuis agenda, Chapter .10. writeth, that deade men, haue appeared vnto the lyuing in dreames, or any other meanes whatsoeuer, shewing them where their bodies lay vnburied, and requiring them to burie them. There hée supposeth, that these are the woorkes of Angels by the dispensation of Goddes prouidence, vsing vnto good purpose, bothe good and euill Angels, according to the vnsearchable depthe of his iudgementes. He saythe not that soules appeare in sléepe, but the similitude of soules. Hée addeth further, if the soules of the deade had any thing to do with matters of the lyuing, & that we myght talke with them as often as wée lyst in our sléepe, hys mother no nyght woulde leaue him, who to lyue with him followed him both by Sea and by land, suche loue bare she towards hir Sonne.

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

COntrarywise euil Angels are hurtful and enimies vnto men, they follow them euerie where, to the ende they may withdraw them from true worshipping of God, and from faythe in hys onely Sonne Iesu Chryst, vnto sundrie other thyngs. These appeare in diuers shapes: for if the Deuill (as Paule doth witnesse) transfourmeth hymselfe into an Angel of light, no lesse may he take the shape of a Prophete, an Apostle, Euangeliste, Byshoppe, and Martyr, and appeare in their lykenesse: or so bewitche vs, that wée verily suppose we heare or sée them in verie déede. Hée taketh on hym to tell of things to come, whether hée hit them ryghte or wrong. Hée affirmeth that he is this or that soule, that he maye be delyuered by this or that meanes, that by these means he may purchase credite and authoritie, vnto those things whiche haue no grounde of Scripture.

By meanes of false myracles, he decréeth newe Hollydayes, Pilgrimages, Chappels, and Aulters: by coniurations, blessings, and enchauntmentes, he attempteth to cure the Sicke, to make his dooings haue authoritie.

You shal reade maruellous straunge things in Arnobius, Lactantius, and other holie Fathers, who wrote agaynst the Gentiles and their supersticion, after what sorte Deuils haue deluded the myserable Gentiles, and haue entrapped them in many errors. He ioyned and hid himselfe in their Idols, he spake thorough them from one place to an other, he made them to moue, and dyd such straunge miracles, that verie lame menne leauing their stilts wheron they leaned in the Temples of their Idols, returned home to their houses, without any helpe or stay of them, but especially in the Temple of Aesculapius (who was counted the Patron of Phisicke) many of these kynd of myracles are reported to haue happened. Wherfore there is no cause, why the Papistes at thys daye, shoulde so insolently glorie of the lyke myracles, by the which they go about to proue their intercessiō of Saints, and such like trumperie.

CHAP. XVI. Of vvondrous Monsters, and suche like.

NOw as concerning other straunge things, wée must hereafter searche what nature they are of: as when one dieth that ther is somewhat séene, or some great noyse is sodenly hearde, but especially ye many signes and wonders happen before the deathe of greate Princes. It is wel knowen by histories, what signes went before the deathe of Iulius Caesar, amongest the whiche, a greate noyse was hearde in the night time, in very many places farre and néere.

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

I say flatly, euen as I sayde before concerning spirits: if they be not vayne persuasions, or naturall thyngs, then are they forewarnings of God, whiche are sent, eyther by good Angels, or by some other meanes vnknowen vnto vs, that we might vnderstande that all these things happen not by aduenture, without the wil & pleasure of God, but that life and deathe, peace and warre, the alteration of Religion, the exchaunge of Empires, and of other things, are in his power, that we might thereby learne to feare him, and to call vppon his name. In the meane season Sathan also fayneth and worketh many thyngs to terryfie men, and to plant superstition in their hartes. But that all thyngs are not doone by Sathan, héereby we maye vnderstande: It chaunceth that one is thrust thorowe and slayne by one wyth whome hée neuer was at variance, but hath euer vsed him as hys friende, some man is drowned, or falleth down from some highe place, or otherwise is miserably slayne, an euill spirite can haue no foreknowledge héereof (for there are no naturall signes, or coniectures going before them, as there are in diseases) yet notwithstanding, some signes and rare casualties fall out before. Héereof doe I gather, that these things are wrought by God, who onely knoweth that they shal come to passe, and they are not onely admonishmentes vnto them, whome they especially concerne, but also vnto them whiche heare them, and are present at the doing of them.

There was a certayne Magistrate within the liberties of Tigurine, not long before I wrote this, whom certaine of his friendes taried for to breake their fast with him before he tooke his iourney, and thus waighting, they supposed they heard a knyfe falling from the vpper parte, or floore of the stewe, wherein they were, yet sawe they nothing, and sodenly as they cōmuned togither of this straunge wonder, they thought they heard it agayne. In the meane while commeth the Magistrate, vnto whome they declare what had happened, and as they had skant ended their talke, the knyfe fell agayne the thirde time, in the hearing of the Magistrate, who before doubted very much of the matter. And therefore taking occasion héereby, hée began to exhorte them, that whereas within fewe dayes after a greate mariage shoulde be kepte in the same place, they should all endeuoure to maintayne peace, & obserue sobrietie, least perchaunce through quarelling & murther, it should be a bloudy mariage. After he taking his iourney & within a day or twayne dispatching his businesse, as he was returning towards his Castle, (his horsse falling into a ryuer, which was sodenly encreased with rayne) after hée had long striued with the water, at the last died myserably.

And that the Deuill dothe delude men wyth straunge happes, héereof I gather, that if any be taken with gréeuous sickenesse, so that not onely the Phisition, but also the sicke themselues dispaire of their owne healthe, in the nighte tym[…] there is heard a noyse as if one were making a coffin or chest to lay one in, or were burying a dead body: that suppose I to be an illusion of the Deuil, for hée thinketh verily the diseased wil die, whom God by means of godly and earnest prayers, dothe restore agayne to his former health.

Where as Plinie writeth that rauens are of such sharp senses, that they wil flye thrée or foure dayes before, vnto the place where carryon wil afterwardes be, it is altogyther vaine & fabulous. If this were graunted, it were no obsurditie to say, that ye deuil hath a knowledge of things to come, yea euen where there are no naturall causes. &c. Moreouer he may by Gods permission, if warres and mutinies be towardes, stirre the instrumentes of warre, and al other kynde of munition as it lyeth in the Armorie, he can make a noyse & reare a clamour & crie, as it were of a great Armie in the ayre, and play as it were on a Drum, and do other such things, whiche al Hystoriographers affirme with one voyce, haue oftentimes chaunced.

CHAP. XVII. That it is no hard thing for the Deuill to appeare in diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things.

BUt it is no difficult matter for the deuil to appeare in diuers shapes, not only of those which are aliue, but also of deade m[…]nne, (whereof I spake also before, when I entreated of Samuels appearing) yea, and (whiche is a lesse matter) in the fourme of beastes and birdes. &c. as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke Dog, a horsse, an Owle, and also to bring incredible things to passe, it is a thing most manifest: for he may through long and great experience, vnderstande the effectes & force of naturall things, as of herbes, stones. &c. and by meanes héereof woorke maruellous matters. And then he is a suttle and quick spirit, which can redyly take things in hande, whiche in eache thing is of no small weight. By his quicknesse, & by his knowledge in naturall things, he may easily deceyue the eye sight, and other senses of man, and hide those things which are before our face, and conuey other things into their places. Whereof the holy Scriptures, and histories, & continual experience beareth record. Howe dyd the wicked spirit handle Iob? what dyd he not bring to passe in shorte space? What strange workes of an euil spirit did Bileam bring to passe? did he not purchase a famouse name by his Magical arts? what wonderful great miracles dyd Pharaos Sorcerers? Did not Simon Magus so be witch the Samaritanes wyth his vnlawfull Artes, that he would say he was the great vertue of God? Touching this coniurer, the olde Fathers write many things, as Iereneus in his first book and tenth chapter. Eusebius in his second booke & thirtéenth chapter. Egesipppus writeth in his third booke and second chapter of the destruction of Hierusalem, that this Symon came to Rome, and there set himselfe against Peter, boasting that he could flye vp into Heauen, and that hée came at the day appoynted vnto the Mounte Capitoline, where leaping from the rocke, he flew a good while not without the gret admiration of the people, who nowe began to credite his wordes, but sodenly he fell downe and brake his leg, and after being carried vnto Aritia, there died.

Iohannes Tritenhemius Abbot of Spanheimium, writeth in his Cronicles concerning the Monasterie of Hirsgraue of the order of S. Bennet, in the yeare of our Lorde .970. that Peter and Baianus, the two Sonnes of one Simon a Monke, ruled ouer the Bulgarians, wherof the one namely Baianus was throughly séen in the Arte of Necromancie, and thereby wrought many myracles. He chaunged himselfe into a Wolfe so often as he list, or into the likenesse of an other beast, or in such sorte as he could not be discerned of any man, and many other straunge things he could do, and dyd, whereby he brought men into great admiration.

And after in the yeare .876. he writeth, that there was a certaine Iewe named Sedechias, sometimes philosopher and physition vnto Lewes the Emperour, who being very cunning in sorcerie, did straunge miracles and wonderfull sleyghts before the Princes, and before all other men. For he brought it to passe by his cunning, that he séemed to deuoure an armed man with his horsse, and all his harnesse, and also a carte loaden with hay, together with the horsse and carter. He cut off mens heads, their handes and féete, which he set in a basyn before al the lookers on to behold, with the bloud running about the basen: which by and by he would put againe vpon the places whence they séemed to haue ben cut off, without any hurte to the parties. Hée was séene and hearde of all men to exercise huntyng and running, and suche lyke things in the aire and cloudes, as men are accustomed to exercise vpon the earth. He practised so many and diuers deceytes, that all men maruelled and were astonished out of measure.

In the yeare of our Lord .1323. when Frederike Duke of Austrich who was chosen Emperor against Lewes, as the same author witnesseth, was vanquished in a great battail betwéene Ottinga and Mo[…]nd[…]rfus, and deliuered into the handes of Lewes, who sent him away into a strong castell to be safely kept: It chaunced shortly after, that a coniurer going vnto his brother Lupoldus in Austriche, promised, that by the helpe of a spirite, he would within the compasse of an houre, deliuer Frederike safe and sounde out of captiuitie, if he would promise him and giue him a worthy reward for his paines. The Duke aunsweared him: if thou wilt (quoth he) do as thou makest promise, I wil worthily reward thée. So ye Magitian with the Duke entring his circle of coniuration in an houre moste conuenient, calleth the Spirit whiche was accustomed to obey his commaundement. Whome, when he appeared in the likenesse of a man, he commaunded by the vertue of hys coniurations, that he should spedyly bring vnto him into Austriche Duke Frederike deliuered safely out of prison. Unto whome the spirit aunswearing, said, If the captiue Duke will come with me, I will willingly obey thy commaundement. This sayde, the spirite flyeth awaye into Bauarie, and taking vppon him the forme of a Pilgrime, he entreth into the prison where the Duke was kepte prisoner: whome as soone as he sawe, the Spirite whyche was sente as messanger vnto him, sayde: If thou wilt be deliuered out of captiuitie, mount thee vp vpon this horse, and I will bring thée safe and sounde without any hu[…]te into Austriche vnto Duke Lupoldus thy brother. Unto whome the Duke sayde: Who art thou? The Spirite aunswered: Aske not who I am, bicause it appertayneth nothing to the purpose, but get thée vp on the horse which[…] I offer thée, and I will bring thée safe and sound, and fréely deliuered into Austrich. Which when the Duke heard, he was taken with a certaine horror, and feare, being otherwise a hardy knight: and when he had blessed him selfe with the signe of the holy crosse, the Spirit sodainly vanished away with the blacke horse, whiche he had proffered him, and retourned emptie agayne vnto him that sent him: of whome béeing rebuked bicause he had not brought the prisoner, he declared al ye matter vnto him in order. Duke Fredericke at the last being deliuered out of prison, confessed that it had so happened vnto him in his captiuitie the very same day they named. This historie is also to be sene in the Chronicles of the Heluetians.

There are also coniurers founde euen at this day, who bragge of themselues that they can so by inchauntments saddle an horse, that in a fewe houres they will dispatch a very long iourney. God at the last wil chasten these men with deserued punishment. What straunge things are reported of one Faustus a German, which he did in these our dayes by inchauntments?

I will speake nothing at this time, of those olde sorcerers, Apollonius and others, of whom the histories report straunge and incredible things. Hagges, witches and inchaunters are sayde to hurte men and cattell, if they do but touche them or stroake thē, they do horrible things wherof there are whole bookes extant. Iugglers and tumblers, by nimblenesse do many things, they will bid one eate meat[…], which when they spit out agayne, they cast forth ordure and such like. Magitians, iugglers, inchanters, and Necromanciers, are no other than seruants of the Diuel: do you not thinke their mayster reserueth some cunning vnto him selfe?

Howbeit this is not to bée dissembled, yt the Diuel doth glory of many things whiche in déede he cannot performe: as that he saith, that he raiseth ye dead out of their graues. &c. He may in very déede by Gods sufferaunce, shewe the shapes of them vnto men, but he hath no suche power ouer the dead bodies.

CHAP. XVIII. Diuels doe sometimes bid men doe those things vvhich are good, and auoide things that are euill: sometimes they tell truth, and for vvhat cause.

IF those spirits whiche séeke helpe at mens hands be not soules, but Diuels, many will say, why then do they persuade men vnto good things, exhorte them vnto vertue, and call them from vice. For they saye, Iudge vprightely, take héede of thefte and extortion, restore goodes vniustely gotten vnto their owners, beware of periurie, surfets, and drunkennesse, enuie and hatred, lying and deceite, pray earnestly, come to Churche often &c.

The Dyuell is not pleased when wée doo good, and auoide euill: nothing woulde gréeue him more, than that we should liue according to the prescripte woorde of God. Therefore they are not Diuels which bid vs do good, and eschue euill.

Moreouer, those Spirites speake truthe, but the Dyuell is a lyer, and is called by Christe, the father of lyes. Therefore we may not say that they are diuellishe Spirits.

Unto this argument I aunswere thus: he dothe thys for his owne aduantage. If he should shewe him selfe so, as he is by nature, he should little proffite. That whiche he dothe, he doth it to this ende, that he may purchase credite vnto his words, and that he might the better thrust other things vpon men, and bring and driue them into sundry erroures, whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue eare vnto Spirits. Did not the seruaunts of vncleane […]pirits, I meane false Prophets, come in times past vnder shéepes skinnes, and fayned themselues […]o tender the peoples commoditie, whereas in very déede in the meane space they sought after another thing, that is, that when they had obteined great authoritie, they might pill and poule other men, and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer? Do not all heretickes yet at this day say, they are sent frō God, and that we must eschewe wickednesse, and seeke after vertue. Diddest thou neuer heare y[…] théeues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light, haue talked of liuing honestly, and of the punishmēt of wicked men, and the reward of good men, to the ende that after they might take the aduantage of thē vnwares? Whereas the Diuell hathe fayned him selfe to be otherwise than he is, it hath brought forth innumerable errors, superstitions, and false worshippings in the Churche of God. For Bishops in proces of time neglected the worde of God, they would accepte the Diuell and receiue him as an Angell of light, when he came not in a blacke and horrible, but a plesaunt and acceptable forme. He speaketh some good things, that he may intermedle euil things therwith, he speaketh truth, that he may scatter abroade lyes, and roote them in mens hearts. So Sinon in Vergill mingled falsehode with truth, that he might the better entrap the Troians.

Sathan dothe imitate craftie gamsters, who suffer a plaine and simple yong man to winne a while of them, that afterwards being gréedy to play, they may lurche him of all his golde and siluer. He followeth them which once or twise iustly repay vnto their creditoures suche money as they haue borowed, kéeping their promise duely, that afterwards they may obteine a great summe of them, and then deceyue them.

The diuell sometimes vttereth ye truth, that his words may haue the more credite, and that he may the more easely beguile them. He that woulde vtter euill wares, doth not only sette them foorth in wordes, but doth also so trim and decke them, that they seeme excellent good, wherby they are the more salable: this arte also the diuell knoweth, for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obt[…]de it vnto other men in the stead of good ware. S. Ambrose writeth in his Cōmentaries vpon the first epistle to the Thessalonians, and fift chap. expounding these words: Qu[…]n[…]he not the Spirit. Despise not prophecying. Examin all things, and kepe that which is good. Euill spirits are wont to speake good things craftely, as it were by imitation, and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked things, that by means of those things which are good, euill things may be admitted, and bycause they are supposed the words of one spirit, they may not be discerned a sunder, but by that whych is lawfull, an vnlawfull thing may be commended by authoritie of the name, and not by reason of vertue &c.

Herevnto apperteine those words whiche we reade in S. Chrisostomes second sermon De Lazara. There he sheweth that many simple men haue bin in this erroure, that they haue thought the soules of those which were slayne by some violent death did become Diuels. He sayth further that the Diuell hathe persuaded many witches, and such as serue him being in this erroure, that they shoulde kill the tēder bodies of many yong men, hoping they shold become Diuels, and do them seruice. And by and by he addeth: But these things are not true, no, I say, they are not. What is it then that Diuels say? I am the soule of suche a Monke? Uerely I beleue it not, euen for thys, that Diuells do aduoutche it: for they deceyue their auditours. Wherefore Paule also commaundeth them to silence albeit they speake truth, lest taking occasion by truth, they mingle lyes therwith, and so purchase them selues credite. For when they had sayd: These men are the seruants of the most high God, shewing vnto you the way of saluation: The Apostle not content herewith, cōmaunded the prophecying spirite vnto silence, and to come foorth of the mayd. And yet what harme speake they? These men are the seruantes of the moste high God. But bycause the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes to iudge of those things whiche are vttered by Diuels, he at once excludeth them from all credite. Thou art (saith he) of the number of infamous spirites, it belongeth not to thee to speake fréely, hold thy peace, kepe silence, it is not thy office to preache. This is the authoritie of the Apostles: why takest thou vppon thée that which appertayneth not vnto thee, hold thy peace, be thou infamous. So also did Christe sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him: we knowe thée who thou art, therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe, that we shoulde in no wise trust the diuell, albeit he tell the truth.

Sith we know these things, let vs in no wise beléeue the diuell, nay rather if he say any thyng that is truth, let vs fl[…]e from him and shunne him. For it is not lawful exactly to learne sounde and holsome doctrine of diuels, but out of the holy Scriptures.

That you may therfore know that it can in no wise be, that a soule once departed out of the body can come vnder the tyrannie of the diuell, heare what sainct Paule sayth: For he that is dead is iustified from sinne, that is, he sinneth no more. For if the diuel can do no hurt vnto the soule whyle it is in the body, it is euidente, hée can not hurt it when it is departed out of the body. &c. By all these things it is playne, what manner of things those are which are heard & séene.