Part III, chapters 5–9: Hovv Christian men ought to behaue themselues vvhen they see spirites; and following chapters

CHAP. V. Hovv Christian men ought to behaue themselues vvhen they see spirites, and first that they ought to haue a good courage, and to be stedfast in fayth.

HOwe Christian men oughte to behaue themselues in this behalfe, it is fully and amply declared in the holie Scriptures, in like manner as all other things are, which appertaine vnto our saluation. To wit, that first we ought to be of good courage without feare, being assured & constante in true faith.

For if they be good Angels which shew themselues vnto vs, then are they sent vnto vs from God, to a good ende and purpose. But if they be wycked and euyll, they can do vs no harme be they neuer so desirous, excepte God giue them leaue thereto. If it be nothing but a vayne imagination that we haue, or an idle sight obiected vnto our eyes, surely it is great follie to be any thing afraid. In déed it is naturall vnto vs, to be amazed with feare when we sée suche things: for verie godly menne, as we read both in the olde and newe Testament, were stricken with excéeding feare when they sawe good Angels, but yet a man must pul vp his heart againe. When Chrystes Disciples sawe their Maister walking vpon the water, and approching neare the shippe, they thought they sawe a spirite, and they were astonished, and cryed out through feare. But the Lorde sayde vnto them, be of good comforte, it is I, be not afraide.

The lyke is reade in the foure and twentie Chapter of Saint Luke, when he appeared vnto them after hys resurrection, and saw that they were maruellously afraid. Matthew the 10. Feare not saythe Chryst, those whiche slay the body, but cannot kyll the soule, but rather stande in awe of him, who can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire. The Deuil would like it wel, if we would alwayes stand in feare of him.

Be not dismayde, although thou heare some spirit stir and make a noyse, for in case hée rumble onely to make thée afrayde, care not for him, but lette hym rumble so long as he wyll, for if hée sée thée wythout feare, hée wyll soone depart from thée. And if thou thinke good, thou mayst boldly say vnto him, get thée hencewith a myschiefe thou wicked Deuil, thou hast nothing to do with me, who haue sette my onely beléefe in Christ Iesu my Sauiour. I am owner of this house, and not thou, vnto whome ther is an other place apoynted. &c. If hée perceyue yt ther is no feare or dreade of him, and that his bustling is not estéemed, he will not continue long time. I will make thys matter manifest with a similitude, which is wel knowne. There be certaine men, whiche if they thinke other men stande in feare of them, they make wise to drawe their sworde, and sometymes too they drawe it, and strike the stones therewith, chafing and swearing lustily: But if they knowe their aduersaries haue a good courage, and that (if néede require) they will fight it out stoutly, they will quickely put vp their sworde into their skabberde. In lyke manner, if the Deuill sée thou art of a good stomacke, and wel armed with Gods worde, he wil soone seeke after others whome he may mocke with feare.

But if it please God to exercise thée by the Deuill for a certayne tyme, as hée dyd sometime Iob, thou must paciently suffer all things whiche he layeth vppon thée, and that willingly for Goddes commaundement sake. And knowe thou well, that he cannot thus much hurt, neither thy goods, nor body, nor soule without the permission and sufferaunce of Almightie God: if God giue him leaue to plague thy bodie, thinke with thy selfe howe so euer it be doone, that God hath so doone for thy profitte and commoditie, who also sendeth gréeuous sicknesses vppon other men, by other meanes and instruments, or else doth exercise them with other kyndes of calamities. Be therefore strong and constant in faythe, yet lette euery one beware of boldnesse, temeritie, and headdie rashnesse.

Let it comfort thée that thou knowest Chryst hath conquered the Deuil, as he himselfe teacheth in the eleuenth chapter of Luke, by the example of a strong mā at armes. In the 12. & .16. of Iohn he saith: the Prince of this worlde shalbe cast out of the doores, that is to say, out of the harts of them which cleaue to the word of God, and are not in loue with the worlde, wherof he is prince & ruler. For he hath power ouer such, which doo gréedily loue the worlde.

In the fyrst of Iohn the third chapter, it is sayde: The sonne of man appeared, that is, came into the worlde for that cause, that he might destroy the woorkes of the diuel. There are many miracles in the gospell which shew that Christ cast out diuels. Albeit God for a tyme do suffer the diuel in many things, yet hath he apointed him his bounds, which he may not passe. And he dooth not suffer the faythfull to be tempted any more of him than they are able to endure. He giueth his grace plentuously vnto them, vpon whome he layeth great afflictions.

Wée ought not to maruel if spirits somtymes be séen or heard. For as sainct Peter sayth: Sathan raungeth euery where, in houses, fieldes, water and fyre: and yet he is not alwayes espied of men, neyther can he so be, except God giue him leaue to shewe himselfe. In that that we doe always sée him (for he being of an inuisible nature, taketh on him diuers shapes) or heare him, wée haue to thank the goodnesse of almightie God: for otherwise we should not be in rest one moment of tyme. But if sometime wicked spirites méete with vs in a visible forme by the wil of god, or do otherwise trouble and disquiet our houses, we must not think therfore yt they were neuer in our house before.

CHAP. VI. It behoueth them vvhich are vexed vvith spirits, to pray especially, and to giue themselues to fasting, sobrietie, vvatching, and vpright and godly liuing.

NOw bicause good angels appeare vnto vs more seldome in this oure tyme (for there is a very great difference of men liuing vnder the newe testament from them that liue vnder the olde, vnto whom God many and oftentymes sente his angels) and that euill Angels very often appeare, we ought the rather to committe our selues more diligently to the tuition of almightie God, both when we go to bed, and also when we arise agayne.

Our sauioure amongst all other things taught vs to pray to this purpose: Deliuer vs from euill. And moreouer he saith in the .17. chapter of Matthew, that some kind of diuels are not driuen away by any other kind of meanes than fasting and praying. As touching those which suppose that diuels ought to be cast out with coniurations, and execrable curssings, I wil entreat in the end of this my booke. Watch & pray, least ye fall into temptation Matthew .26. And in the 22. of Luke, Christ sayth vnto Peter, Sathan hath desired to sifte you euen as corne, but I haue prayed that thy faith faile not. And euē at this present also he maketh intercession for vs sitting at the right hand of his heauenly father.

The auncient fathers in olde tyme, called vppon God in all theyr daungers and troubles, whereof it were a néedelesse matter to aduouche many examples. It is also very profytable and good to craue the Prayers of the whole congregation, when soeuer we are vexed with euill spirits and vayne fantasies. For wée knowe righte well that the prayers of the Church haue bin very proffitable and effectuall vnto others, and that the godly in their distresses haue euermore desired them.

It is Gods pleasure, that the faithfull should succoure one an other with their good prayers. Howbeit that the Saints after their departure from hence, shoulde pray for vs, or that we shoulde in any wise desire theyr prayers, surely there is no commaundement of God, or any example thereof in the holy scriptures.

Moreouer, the Apostles teache vs to withstande the crafte and subtiltie of the Diuel by this meanes. Saincte Paule to the Ephesians the 6. chapter, and Peter in hys firste Epistle and fifthe chapter saythe: Be ye sober and watche, for your aduersarie the Diuel, as a roaring Lyon walketh about, séeking whome he may deuoure: whom resiste stedfast in faith &c.

When men are secure and negligente, wholly giuen vnto pleasures, and as it were drowned in drunkennesse in surfettyng, couetousnesse, adulterie, and suche other wickednesse, then hathe the Diuell place to shewe him selfe. Wherefore we ought to giue our selues to watching, praying, fasting, and godly liuyng: we must heare the worde of God often and gladly, we must desire too reade and talke of hym contynually, that wée may thereby put from vs those diuelishe illusions and sightes.

If thou haue any publike office or charge, do it faithfully: restore thy goodes euill gotten, either vnto their true owners, or else imploy them to some good and godly ende. If men care neither for God, nor his worde, it is no maruell if vayne sightes appeare vnto them. For God suffereth such things to happen vnto them, to humble them and to make them knowe themselues.

It is an horrible thing, yt there are some which giue ouer themselues to the diuel, bicause he shold not tormēt them: they ought rather to waigh with them selues, that if they so do, they shall be perpetually tormented of euil spirits, except they truely repent and turne agayn vnto God.

CHAP. VII. That spirits vvhich vse to appeare, ought to be iustly suspected: and that vve maye not talke vvith them, nor enquire any thing of them.

WE ought not without greate cause to suspecte all Spirites, and other apparitions. For albeit God dothe vse the helpe and seruice of good Angels, for the preseruation of his electe, yet notwithstanding in these our dayes they appeare vnto vs very seldome. For things are nowe farre otherwyse since Christes comming into the worlde, than they were before in auncient tyme. Although perchaunce thou thinke thou haste séene a good aungell, yet doo not easily and vnaduisedly giue him credite. If the euent of the matter declare afterwarde, that it was a good aungell, whiche gaue thée notable warning of some matter, or deliuered thée oute of some greate daungers: giue God thankes that he hath delte so fatherly and mercyfully with thée, and hathe suche care ouer thée, and endeuour to frame thy selfe to his good will and pleasure. But if thou sée an angell whiche flattereth and speaketh thée faire, suche a one as th[…]se are whiche craue thy helpe, (as thou hast heard before) in no wise credite their words. Men which blaunche and flatter with vs, are always suspicious, why then shoulde not suche spirites be suspected? Enter into no communication with suche spirites, neither aske them what thou must giue, or what thou must doo, or what shal happen hereafter. Aske them not who they are, or why they haue presented them selues to bée séene or hearde. For if they be good, they will lyke it well, that thou wilte heare nothing but the woorde of God: but yf they be wicked, they wyll endeuour to deceyue thée with lying. When the Angell in the first chapter of Matthew instructed Ioseph in a dreame, he by and by alleaged testimonie out of the Prophet. If it be so, that we must not beléeue an angell comming from Heauen, who can iustly blame vs, if we giue no credite to spirites and suspitious dreames? Althoughe Chryste and his Apostles had the full power to shewe miracles, yet did they establishe and confirme their doctrine by the holy Scriptures.

When Almightie God himselfe had enquired of Adam in Paradyse, touching the breaking of his commaundement, and that he had layd the fault vppon his wyfe Eua, and she had put it ouer to the Serpente, whiche caused hir to eate of the forbidden fruite, God woulde not demaund of the Serpente, that is, of the Dyuell, (whiche had vsed him as instrument) why he had so doone, for he knew right well that he was a lyer. Except Eue had talked with the Serpent, she had neuer transgressed Gods commaundement.

If Spirites of their owne accorde woulde gladly tell vs many thinges: yet wée must not giue eare vnto them, muche lesse ought we to coniure them to tell vs the truth. God commaunded in his lawe, (as we haue oftentymes sayde before) that no man shoulde enquire any thing of the dead.

God himselfe sent his faithfull seruants, the Prophets, Apostles, Euangelists, and especially his only begotten sonne Christ Iesu our Lord and sauioure into the worlde, by whome he truly & plentifully taught his faithfull seruants what they ought to beleue, to do, to leaue vndone, & what kind of worshipping did best please him, with many other suche things. By them he enformed vs concerning great and weightie affaires, whiche should happen in his Churche, and in kingdomes, euen vnto that blessed day wherin Christ shall iudge the world, and shall call togither hys generall councell, and shall pronounce finall sentence vppon them who haue done well or yll, and wherein he shall make a diuision and separation betwene the good and euill.

Christe himselfe after his Resurrection did not immediatly ascende into heauen, but aboade a why[…]e in earth, appearyng vnto his Disciples and others, least we should at any tyme say: Who euer came agayne to tell vs what estate is to be looked for in the other worlde?

Moreouer, God among suche greate and long persecutions, wherin many profytable bookes haue perished, hath miraculously preserued the holy Scriptures for oure profite, euen vnto this day, and hereafter will preserue them in despite of all impious and wicked men.

He hath also ordeyned the ministerie of the worde, that vnto the ende of the worlde, there shoulde be some men, whiche bothe by lyuely voyce, and also by their writings, shoulde interprete his woorde, and enfourme others of his will and pleasure. His woorde is a shining lanterne, whiche shineth in this darke worlde, whiche is full of errours, as we reade Psalm. 119. And our sauiour sayth in the eyght chapter of saint Iohn, that he is the light of the worlde, whome if any man follow, he walketh not in darknesse.

This standeth as a sure grounde: wherfore no other reuelations are to be looked for, neyther by miracles from heauen, nor by wandring spirites or soules, as the common people mysterme them. But lette vs imagine, that they are the wandring spirites of deade bodies, then is it necessarie, that they be the soules, eyther of faithful men, or of infidels. If they be the soules of the faithful, they will say with God the father concerning his sonne Christe Iesus, Heare him. But if they be the soules of Infidels and of wicked men, who I pray you, will vouchsafe to heare them, or beléeue any thing they say? Mor[…]ouer those things whiche these counterfayte soules doo speake, eyther agrée with the holy Scriptures, or else are contrary vnto them. If they are agréeable, then are they to be receyued, not bicause spirites speake them, but bicause they are comprysed in the woorde of God. But in case they are repugnant to the woorde of God, they ought in no wyse to be receyued, albeit an angell from heauen vtter them. Thou wilt not beléeue a man of thy familiar acquaintaunce, otherwyse worthy of credite, who sounde of bodye and soule, nowe liueth togither with thée, if hée affirme any thyng whiche thou knowest to be contrary to the holy Scriptures: why then wouldest thou beléeue a spirite which thou doest not know? In ciuill causes the euidence or witnesse of deade men is reiected, why then in causes of religion shold we giue eare to the testimonie of runagate and wandring spirites.

It is no harde or difficulte matter for the Lorde oure God to sende his angels vntoo vs, whome otherwyse hée vseth for oure profite, and by them to instructe vs in the Fayth: but it hathe pleased him to appoynte the matter otherwyse.

Wée reade in the tenth chapter of the Actes, that by an angell he commaunded Cornelius to sende for Peter, that he might instruct him in the fayth. He myghte haue commaunded the Angell to teache Cornelius, but he folowed an orderly meanes. It shal be best for vs therfore to stand to the holy Scriptures simply, and that all appearing of spirites, as also all dreames and reuelations be tried by the holy scriptures, as vpon a touchstone, and so to admit nothing but that whiche is set foorthe in the holy Scriptures: for excepte wée go thus warely to woorke, there is greate daunger least wée bée deceyued. If the aunciente Fathers had so doone, they had not estrayed so farre from the Apostles simplicitie.

S. Augustine in his thirde booke and .6. chapter, writing agaynste the letters of Petilianus sayeth thus: If concerning Christe, or any other thing, whiche appertayneth to fayth and euerlasting lyfe, (I will not say, we: for comparyng with him that sayde: Albéeit that wée) but simply, where as he goyng on, sayd: If an Angell from Heauen shall teache you any thyng besydes that whiche you haue receyued in Scriptures conteyning the law and the Gospell, bée he accursed.

S. Chrysostom vpon the Epistle to the Galathians the firste chapter: Abraham (sayeth he) when he was desired to send Lazarus, sayd: They haue Moyses & the prophets, if they will not heare them, they will not giue eare vnto them which rise from the dead. And when he bringeth in Christ vttering these words, he sheweth howe he woulde haue the holy scriptures more worthy of credite than any raised from the dead. S. Paule (when I name Paule, I name likewise Christ, for he stirred vp his mind) preferreth the Scriptures before Angels descending from Heauen, and that for very iust cause. For albeit Angels are great, yet are they seruants and ministers. For all holy scriptures were not commaunded to be written and sent vnto vs by seruants, but by almightie God ye lord of all things. Thus write these two holy fathers.

What things soeuer are necessarie for vs to knowe are conteined in ye holy scriptures: those things which are not expressed in them, we muste not curiously enquire of, as things profitable for our saluation. Who wil therfore say against the commaundement of God, that these things are to be sought and learned of dead men, and by diuelishe visions? These things which are secrete and hidden, we shal thorowly sée when we come to eternall life. May not god, if we be not content with his holy word, say that vnto vs, which sometimes he spake by the mouth of Helias vnto the messangers of king Ochosias. Is there no god in Israell, that you now go to Accaron to aske councell of Belsabub? Yea Thomas Aquinas denieth that diuels are to be heard, which deceyue simple menne, feyning them selues to be the Soules of dead men: and by that coloure especially terrifie menne, whiche some tymes also happened vnto the Gentiles.

If it were certayne and sure that the Diuel coulde not appeare and deceyue menne, and also shewe greate and straunge miracles, then perchaunce some men would thinke that we shoulde giue eare vnto suche Spirits: but nowe we sée the contrary happen. An euill spirite cloaketh his erroures vnder the coloure of diuine seruice, and vnder the pretence of religiō, he endeuoreth to ouerthrowe religion. For as S. Hierom sayth, the Deuill sheweth not himself with al his deceites, that he may be known what he is. And therefore it behoueth vs to be very circumspect and warie.

Moreouer, myracles are onely testimonies and seales of the word, neither may any thing be approued by them, whiche is repugnant to the worde of God. All miracles which lead vs away from our creator vnto creatures, & do attribute that vnto our works which is only due vnto the merites of Chryste: and to be shorte, all those whiche induce vs any wayes into errour, are to be eschued. If we must néedes beléeue these appearing soules, no man could be assured of his estate: for newe things shoulde be continually deuised, as we sée playnely it happened in the olde time. Therefore we must let passe all manner of spirits, and embrace true religion, and therein constantly abide.

CHAP. VIII. Testimonies out of holie Scripture, and one example vvhereby it is proued, that such kynde of apparitions are not to be credited, and that vve ought to be verie circumspect in them.

THat wée ought not by and by to beléeue all things whiche we heare, not onely experience and many common Prouerbes, but also the holie Scriptures teach vs, especially in cases concerning our saluation, touching the which thing we wil alledge only a fewe places and examples.

When Christ first sent abroad his Disciples to preach the Gospell, he sayd vnto them. Matthew .10. Be yée wise as serpentes, and simple as Doues, beware of men: howe muche more than ought we to take héede of diuels? Christ prophecieth in the 24. of Matthew, that many false techers shall come in the latter dayes, and shall shewe straunge myracles to confirme their erroures, and therefore hée commaundeth the faythfull, to be héedefull and circumspect, and not without cause hée addeth: Beholde I haue tolde you before. Saynte Paule to the Galathians the firste Chapter, sayth in great eanest vnto them, that if an Angell come from Heauen, and preache vnto them any other Gospell, hée shoulde be accursed. Euen so, if at thys tyme spirites appeare, and doe vtter any thyng repugnant to the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes, they are to be reiected. The Apostle in hys firste Epistle and fourth Chapter to Timothie, dothe prophecie of false teachers which shoulde come, and saythe, the spirite speaketh euidently, that in the latter times some shall departe from the faythe, and shall gyue héed vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of Deuils, whiche speake lyes through hypocrisie, and haue their consciences burned with an hote yron, forbydding to marrie, and cōmaunding to absteyne from meates whiche God hath created to be receyued with gyuing thanks of them whiche beléeue, and knowe the truth. &c. By the woorde (spirite) are vnderstoode false teachers, whiche vaunt themselues of the spirite of God: But what cause is there, why it maye not be vnderstoode of suche wandring spirites, whiche haue induced men to take in hande many things? In the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians, and the seconde Chapter, when certayne affirmed the latter daye to be presente at hande, Paule foretelleth them, that there shall be a defection, and that Antichrist shall first come, saying: Nowe we beséech you brethren by the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryste, by our assembling vnto hym, that yée be not sodenly moued from your intent, nor troubled, neyther by spirite, nor by word, nor by letter as it were from vs, as though the day of Christ were at hande. Let no man deceyue you by any meanes. &c. Which wordes truely in my iudgement may also be verie aptly vnderstood of those wandering spirits. Saint Iohn sayth in hys first Epistle and fourth chapter: Dearly béeloued, beléeue not euery spirit, but trie the spirits whether they are of God: for many false Prophetes are gone out into the world. Héereby shall yée knowe the spirit of God. Euery spirit that cōfesseth yt Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God, and euery spirite whiche confesseth not, that Iesus Chryst is come in the flesh, is not of God. &c. Héere he speaketh not of spirites which falsly affirme themselues to be mens soules, but of those teachers whiche boaste of themselues that they haue the spirite of God. But in case we must not beléeue them being aliue, much lesse ought we to credite them when they are dead. And albeit that neyther Chryste nor hys Apostles, had so diligently giuen vs warning, not to suffer our selues to be seduced with myracles, and with the talke of spirites, yet notwithstanding, dayly experience teacheth vs to be circumspect and warie in these cases. For as soone as false teachers sée that they haue no testimonie of Scripture to defende themselues withall, by and by they turne themselues to spirits and visions, whereby they may confirme their Doctrine, which thing hath opened a large window to many erroures. To what inconuenience Ambition, couetounesse, & enuie hath brought many of ye clergie, it is both well knowne by many examples, and it hath also as it were by the waye béene before declared. Haue not the orders of Monkes striued amongest themselues for the preheminence? haue not they inuented newe miracles, haue they not counterfeited Gods, Pilgrimages, Saintes & spirits? The holy Uirgin is a famouse & notable exāple that we shuld not rashly beléeue euery spirit. For at what time ye Angel Gabriel apeared vnto hir in a visible shape, & saluted hir, shewing hir before of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, she thought with hir selfe, what maner of salutation yt shuld be, how this thing could come to passe, séeing she had knowen no man. Then at the last being enfourmed of the means by the Angel, she sayd: Behold ye handmayde of the Lorde, be it vnto me according to thy word. Why then should we beléeue euery spirite, especially those which teach things quite contrarie to the word of God.

CHAP. IX. After vvhat sorte the faithfull in the primitiue Churche, vsed themselues vvhen they mette vvith spirites.

I Haue declared out of the word of God, how good and godly men ought to behaue themselues, when soeuer any spirites appeare vnto thē. And truely ye auncient Christians behaued themselues after this sorte. For they were couragious & without feare, they gaue themselues to godlynesse, and all good workes, they diligently auoyded all things which were displeasing vnto God: and they were also verie circumspect, not to attribute too much vnto spirites and visions.

It was a cōmon custome amongst thē, to blesse themselues with the signe of the Crosse, when they met with these things, which many also vse at this day. Tertullian writeth in his booke De corona militis, that the auncient Christians did many times marke their foreheades with the signe of the Crosse. S. Hierom exhorteth Demetriades, that he often crosse his foreheade, least that the destroyer of Egipt finde any place therein. Origen also, Epiphanius, Chrisostome, and Augustine, write many things of the vertue of the holie Crosse. S. Athanasius writeth in hys booke de Humanitate verbi, eiusque corporali aduentu fol. 67. In times past (sayth he) the deuils by vaine shewes, and mockerie, ensnared men, abiding somtimes in wels, somtime in ryuers, in stones, and woods, and so by craftie deceytes, brought vnwise men into sottishnesse. But nowe since Gods worde hath appeared vnto vs, suche sightes and vaine fantasies haue surceased. Fol. 56. and .72. and in other places also he handleth the same matter.

Lanctantius writeth of the same in his fourth boke Diuinarum Institutionum 26. chapter, and also thorowout the 27. Chapter. He saythe that the deuill can haue no accesse vnto those, nor any wayes hurte them, whiche signe their foreheades with the crosse. He addeth moreouer, that the Christians vsed this ceremonie in olde time, in casting out deuils and healing diseases

Not for that they ascribed such efficacie and force to the externall signe of the crosse, (for that were supersticious) but vnto the crosse, that is, to the merytes of Chryste, whose worthinesse and excellencie they called withall to their remembrance. Touching the holy Apostles, or Apostolike Churches, we reade not, that they euer vsed the signe of the crosse, in expelling deuils, in curing diseases, or in any other thing. God spared the Iewes in Egipt, whiche marked the doore postes with the bloude of the Lambe: not that Lambes bloude is able to deliuer men from death, but it was a figure of the bloud and passion of Christ Iesus. And the Iewes sprinkled not bloud of their owne good deuotion, as they terme it, but by the commaū dement of God. The holy fathers by the ceremonie that they signed themselues wyth the crosse, mente to testifie their confidence in the crosse, that is, in the deth of Christ Iesus, which abandoneth all euill and mischiefe. The deuill neuer a whit feareth the crosse, wherewith we signe our selues, nor yet those pieces & fragmentes of Christes crosse, which are shewed for reliques, but he trembleth at the power and force of Chrystes death, by the whiche he was conquered and ouerthrowen. If any man attribute too muche vnto ceremonies, he cannot be excused from supersticion, which worthily deserueth blame:

We read more in the auncient wryters, that they vsed exorcismes, or coniurations in the primatiu[…] Churche against Deuils.

You may read in Tertullian in his booke De anima, that vncleane spirites haue often times deceyued men, haue taken on them the persones of others, and haue fayned themselues to be the soules of dead men, that men should not beléeue that all soules descended into Hell (what is to be vnderstood by the worde Hell, I haue shewed before) and so to bring the beleefe of the latter Iudgemente of the resurrection of the dead, into doubt and question.

Moreouer, we reade that the olde Fathers haue caste Deuils out of menne, and out of suche places wherein by their rumbling, they haue put many in horrible feare. Such an historie of S. Iohn is in Abdias Babylonius, for the holy Apostles, and many godly menne after them, were indued with this grace from God, that they coulde cast out vncleane spirites: whiche gyft continued a long season in the Church, to the great profite of the faythfull, but afterwardes it ceased as other miracles dyd also. It maketh vnto this purpose, that Tertullian writeth hys Apologetico fol. 858. and 159.

Thus we haue sufficiently séene after what sorte the holy fathers and auncient christians behaued themselues when any spirits appeared vnto them.