10. The tenth Chapter. Of appeerings of diuels; of their answers, an (part 3)

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VVhether it be lawfull to aske counsell of the Diuell, and to vse his helpe.

30 Now must we consider of that, which we set downe in the third place; namelie, whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of ill spirits, or to vse their helpe. First indéed it séemeth to be lawfull; for God vseth the labour of diuels: why then should it not be lawfull for vs? And Paule deliuered men vnto sathan; ²⁴³ and therefore it is lawfull for vs also to vse the ministerie of spirits. Here we must make a distinction. For we vse spirits either by authoritie & commandement, as when we command them anie thing in the name of God: or else by acquaintance, felowship, couenant, obedience, or praiers. God beareth rule ouer the diuels, ²⁴⁴ and Christ and the apostles commanded that they should go out of the bodies possessed; ²⁴⁵ but to require or expect anie thing of them vpon anie couenant or bargaine, that is not lawfull; for it is idolatrie. And the diuell séeketh nothing more, than to lead vs from God, to the worshipping of him. Herevnto also tendeth customs, ceremonies, and sacrifices: by this meanes men fall from God vnto the diuell. Further, they which doo these things, doo sinne against themselues; for we neuer read that the end of these arts was good: whereof wretched Saule may be an example and instruction vnto vs. ²⁴⁶ The diuell indéed feigneth himselfe to be compelled, and to be bound by little stones or rings: howbeit the same compulsion is onelie a voluntarie and deceitfull compulsion: he feigneth, as though hée would cast out another spirit, but it is nothing. For the ill spirits doo but dallie one with another to deceiue men. None of vs would commit our dooings to a man, whom we knowe to be full of fraud and trecherie. Now the diuell is not onelie a lier, but euen the father of lies.

²⁴⁷ Truth indéed it is, that there were certeine exorcismes or adiurations in the church, wherof Irenaeus, Tertullian, Augustine, and Eusebius make mention: ²⁴⁸ but these were speciall gifts for that age, & dured but for a time: now they be taken awaie. But thou wilt saie; The Hebrues had coniurers, & Salomon wrote exorcismes. ²⁴⁹ I knowe that Iosephus in his eight booke of antiquities writeth, that Salomon did so, to driue awaie ill spirits, and to maintaine the health of man. He describeth also the meanes whereby those things might be doone; namelie, that vnder the broad part of a ring, there was a little root, and that the same being applied to the nostrils of a man possessed, the ill spirit was foorthwith expelled. But herewith he writeth, that Salomon vsed also certeine praiers and holie names; and that one Eleazar being a man skilfull in these things, made demonstration of his cunning before Vespasian, and his sonnes Titus and Domitian; and at the commandement of Vespasian wrought so, that a spirit at his comming foorth of a man, ouerthrew a basen full of water, which was there set for the purpose: and he saith, that he sawe all these things. In verie déed I dare not denie the historie, but yet I thinke good to answere one of these two waies: either that God would for a time bestowe such a benefit vpon the Israelites, (which notwithstanding we haue not read) or els that Salomon did these things when he was now departed from the true God, and had begun to worship the gods of the Gentils. That such exorcists indéed were vntill the apostles time, it appéereth by that historie of the children of S⟨…⟩eua, ²⁵⁰ which is written in the Acts.

Howbeit exorcismes must not be vsed, but onlie by them which are sure, that they be indued with that grace. But yet there be certeine, which haue the name without the grace: these doo vse inuocations by names, merits, and reliks of saints. For this dooth the diuell séeke, euen to intangle the people with superstitions. ²⁵¹ Indéed the diuels séeme as though they were delited with outward things, as herbs, little stones, and perfumes: but they are not so delighted withall, as liuing creatures are with the desire of meate; but as it were with certeine seals & sacraments. Wherefore they come quicklie when they be called, least they should not séeme to stand to their couenants. They will altogither imitate God: for little stones & rootes haue no power at all to allure diuels. Wherefore euen as God forgiueth not sinnes vnto vs by anie power of the sacraments, but onelie for his couenant and promise sake: so the diuell will séeme to deale with those that be his, to the intent he may shew himselfe to be present with them; not for the woorthines of the things offered by them, but onelie in respect of his promise and couenant. ²⁵² And verie pitifullie dooth he mocke simple and foolish men; for they which boast that they haue spirits which doo loue them, when they are afterward called into iudgment, and condemned vnto death, cannot by them be deliuered from the extremitie of execution. Somtimes indéed they are readie to obeie them, that are their owne: but that is in foule and dishonest things; namelie, in adulteries, thefts, & murthers: they neuer stir them vp vnto good. For they be sathans, that is to saie, the aduersaries of God. They will haue couenants and promises to be made, which cannot otherwise be than against God.

31 But the Schoolmen stand in doubt, ²⁵³ whether it be lawfull to vse inchantment to take awaie mischéefs; and in generall, they answere, that it is not lawfull. But yet they saie, that if we can perceiue that those couenants consist in fethers, or roots, or little stones; and we can find those things, it is lawfull to take them awaie & breake them: for otherwise they saie that one inchantment must not be taken awaie with another. For We must not doo euill, ²⁵⁴ that good may come thereof. And whie it is not lawfull we haue declared before. Also Esaie in the eight chap. saith; that We must not aske questions of the dead, ²⁵⁵ but must rather returne vnto the lawe and testimonie. And Christ saith; ²⁵⁶ that No man can serue two maisters. And Paule saith; There is no agreement betweene light & darknes, ²⁵⁷ betweene God and Belial. Elias saith; that We must not seeke Belzebub the god of Acaron, ²⁵⁸ seeing there is a God in Israel. Besides this, the ciuill lawes, the canons and councels, haue with most seuere and sharpe words forbidden these things. And Apuleius, ²⁵⁹ when he was summoned to appeare, bicause he was reported to be a sorcerer, so pleaded his cause, as he vtterlie denied that he was a sorcerer: for otherwise he might not haue defended himselfe. Augustine in his booke De diuinatione daemonum, the eight chapter saith, that The euill spirits neuer durst denie the God of Israel to be the true God, or Christ to be the sonne of God: but contrariwise Christ, the prophets and apostles denie them to be gods; and that we must by all meanes beware of them. Therefore (saith he) whether part shall we hearken vnto; to those which cannot denie God to be the true God, or rather to God which warneth vs to flie from them? Wherfore séeing both the holie scriptures, and godlie lawes, & also the euents themselues doo vtterlie forbid and condemne all kind of inchantments; we must iudge that it is not lawfull for a christian man.

²⁶⁰ 32 Last of all we will note, that the true God is woont to chase awaie false gods. Wherfore immediatlie vpon the birth of Christ, all the oracles of the gods were put to silence, which before were of great fame and renowme. ²⁶¹ For when the light it selfe (which is Christ) was come into the world, darknes should néeds vanish awaie. And Plutarch, being otherwise a verie learned writer, in séeking a cause why the oracles ceased in his time, hauing deuised manie things; yet speaketh nothing to the purpose. First he saith, that some thought that the Daemons or spirits, which gaue out oracles, were vndoubtedlie of long life; yet mortall notwithstanding: and that men reported (as he saith) that the great god Pan was dead. Wherefore he saith, that séeing the Daemons be now dead by reason of age, there are none to giue or vtter out oracles anie more. He addeth moreouer, that there were others, which thought, that those préests and diuines, by whom answeres were giuen, were inspired with certeine exhalations, which came foorth of the caues and pits; and that séeing those exhalations could not be perpetuall, they ceased at the last; and that prophesies finished togither with them. He addeth moreouer, that by others, these things were attributed to the situation of stars, which being passed from thence, had also drawne away these oracles with them. He sheweth also certeine other things like vnto these, but he yéeldeth no reason, whie all the oracles ceased at one verie time, and so ceased, as that no one of them remained.

If the exhalations be not perpetuall in one place, whie doo they not breake out in another place? And the situations of stars being passed away, euen the same doo vse to returne againe to their place: which if they doo returne, whie doo not the same oracles returne also? If so be that the Daemons, as they affirme, doo die at the length, whie doo not one succéed another? There is then another cause of this euent, which Plutarch could not perceiue; namelie, that all contrarie powers are bridled by Christ, and therefore they all ceased at his comming. And thus were Iupiter, ²⁶² Apollo, Diana, and Aesculapius put to silence. Which thing the prophets foreshewed long before; and which we sée also at this daie to come to passe in those countries, which imbrace the gospell; where not onlie idolatries, but also diuinations & feigned miracles doo straight-waie cease.

← 9. The ninth Chapter. Of Miracles; and · Contents · 11. The eleuenth Chapter. Of a good intent →

In 1 Sam. 28. at the end. ↩
Looke In 1. Cor. 12, 2. ↩
It was not whole Samuel in soule and bodie. ↩
1. Kin. 17, 22. 2. Kin. 4, 34.
↩
1. Kin. 13, 21
↩
Matth. 9, 25 ↩
Luke. 7, 14. Iohn. 11, 43 Acts. 9, 46. Acts. 20, 10. ↩
Luk. 20, 38. ↩
Heb. 6, 2. ↩
The Montanists and the Originists. ↩
It was not the dead carcase of Samuel. ↩
Whether it was the soule of Samuel. ↩
Vndoubtedly soules remaine after the deth of the bodie. Exod. 3, 6. ↩
Matt. 22, 32. ↩
Luke. 23, 43 ↩
Psal. 90, 4. 1. Pet. 3, 8. ↩
Phil. 1, 23. ↩
Luke. 16, 22. ↩
Luke. 12, 20. ↩
Apoc. 7, 14. and 14, 4. ↩
Acts. 7, 59. ↩
verse, 9. ↩
1. Cor. 12, 3.
↩
The opinions of the fathers and first of Iustinus. ↩
Luke. 16, 22. ↩
verse, 23. ↩
Tertullian. ↩
Exod 7, 1⟨…⟩. The rod of Pharao sorcerers. ↩
Origin. ↩
Ambrose held that it was Samuel. ↩
Augustine was doubtful whether it was Samuel or not. ↩
Iob. 1, 6. ↩
1. Kings. 22.
↩
The diuell can doo manie things against the godlie. Iob. 1. 12, and 2, 6. Luk. 22, 31. Matth. 4, 5. ↩
Num. 22, 12 ↩
A rule. ↩
1. Kin. 6, 23. 1. Kin. 7, 25. 1. Sam. 6, 11.
↩
1. Sa. 28, 19. The diuell sometime speaketh true things.
↩
Mark. 1, 24. ↩
Acts. 16, 17. ↩
A great distance of places between blessed soules and lost soules. Luk. 16, 26. ↩
Iohn. 12, 26. ↩
Of vbiquitie. ↩
Ierom against Vigilantius. ↩
Apoc. 14, 4. ↩
Ierom misseth concerning the vbiquitie of soules. ↩
Augustins booke of questions of the new and old testament. ↩
1. Sa. 28, 19.
↩
Augustins booke De mirabilibus scripturarum. ↩
The dead knowe not what is doone in this life. ↩
Looke In 2. Kings. 22, verse. 23. ↩
A place in Cicero expounded by Augustine in his slepe. ↩
Acts. 9, 12. ↩
A reuelatio~ by a dreme. ↩
A dead bishop appeered aliue. ↩
Matt. 17, 3. ↩
Chrysost. ↩
Luk. 16, 31. ↩
They that take holde of dreams run into deceit. Ierom. ↩
Lyra. ↩
Burgensis. ↩
Galatinus. ↩
1. King. 1, 3.
↩
Peter Martyr concludeth that it was but an imagination. Deu. 18, 11. ↩
Demons be spirits good or euill. ↩
Wherof demons take their name. ↩
The Peripatetiks denie that there be demons. ↩
Whether there be demons. ↩
The power of the Loadstone. ↩
Vespas⟨…⟩an by a secret power healed both a blind man and a lame. The power of the phantasie. ↩
The power of the celestiall bodies. ↩
Plato held that for publike co~ modities sake, it is lawfull to make a lie. ↩
The power of melancholie. ↩
Some spake in manie toongs vpon the sudden. ↩
Som thinke that soules become demons. ⟨…⟩. ↩
Som would that demons are onelie in this life. ↩
The opinion of Trismegistus. ↩
Aphrodysaeus. ↩
A similitude. ↩
The opinion of the Platonists. ↩
Apuleius. ↩
The opinion of the diuines. ↩
The summe of all these opinions. ↩
A proofe of spirits by the scriptures. ↩
Iob. 1, & 2. ↩
1. kin. 22, 22.
↩
1. Para. 21, 1
↩
Psal. 78, 49. ↩
Zachar. 3, 1. ↩
Leuit. 17, 7. ↩
Matth. 4, 1. and 13, 19. ↩
Luk. 13, 16. ↩
Matth. 8, 31 ↩
Matt. 25, 41. ↩
Iude. 9. ↩
Iam. 2, 19. ↩
Luke. 10, 18 ↩
Of good spirits. ↩
Galat. 3, 19. ↩
Thes. 4, 16. ↩
Matt. 24, 31. ↩
A confutation of contrarie opinions of the Peripatetikes. ↩
Matt. 14, 2⟨…⟩ ↩
Iosua. 10, 13 ↩
Esaie. 38, 8. ↩
Luk. 23, 44. ↩
Acts. 5, 15. ↩
1. Kin. 17, 1.
↩
Iohn. 15, 24. ↩
1. Tim. 3, 15.
↩
Trismegistus. ↩
Esaie. 44, 12. ↩
Psal. 115, 5. ↩
Aphrodisaeus. ↩
Iohn. 2, 8. ↩
Matth. 11, 5. ↩
Of the Platonists. ↩
Whether the bodies of spirits be elementarie. ↩
Ephe. 2, 2. & 6, 12. ↩
Chrysost. ↩
Demons be spirits. ↩
Luk. 24, 39. ↩
1. Kin. 22, 22
↩
Matt. 12, 43. ↩
Matt. 18, 10. ↩
Matt. 25, 41. ↩
Foure kinds of spirits. ↩
Heb. 1, 14. ↩
Two sorts of power of the spirits. ↩
Of the knoledge which they haue. ↩
Looke In 1. Cor. 12, 2. ↩
Whether they know of things to come. ↩
Heb. 4, 14. ↩
How the spirits knowe of things to come. ↩
The old age of spirits. ↩
The nimblenes of them. ↩
Tertullian. ↩
Augustine. ↩
A similitude. ↩
Spirits may foretell things commanded them by God. ↩
Psal. 78, 49. 1. Sam. 28, verse. 19. ↩
Spirits of the aire. ↩
They see the scriptures of the prophets. ↩
Ephe. 3, 10. ↩
1. Kin. 22, 22
↩
Iob. 2, 6. ↩
They gather the causes by the effects. ↩
Why the spirits are oftentimes deceiued. ↩
God can let the causes, how certeine soeuer they be. ↩
God reuoketh decred purposes. ↩
Esai. 38, 1, and 5. ↩
The diuell deceiued by ambition. ↩
The diuels double meaning. ↩
The knowledge that the diuell had of Christ. ↩
Matth. 4, 3. ↩
1. Cor. 2, 8.
↩
Luke. 22, 3. ↩
Mat. 27, 19. The dreams of Pilats wife. ↩
The diuell deceiued through his owne malice and pride. ↩
Whether the spirits see the cogitations of men. ↩
Psal. 7, 11. ↩
1. Cor. 2, 11.
↩
verse. 30. ↩
Ierem. 17, 9. ↩
Augustine De dogmatibus ecclesiasticis. ↩
verse. 4. ↩
By what meanes the spirits can giue answers. ↩
Of the power and strength of spirits. ↩
That art magike is vaine and vncerteine. ↩
That magicians can doo manie things, it is prooued by the scripture. Exo. 22, 18. Gen. 20, 6. and 27, Deut. 18, 10. ↩
verse, 5. ↩
Deut. 13, 1. ↩
verse, 24. ↩
1. Thes. 2, 9.
↩
Iob. 1 and 2. ↩
Matt. 8, 28. 31. and 32. ↩
Mat. 17, 15. ↩
The power of spirits is distinguished. ↩
They gather the principles of things, and applie them to a matter. ↩
They can doo no more than God giueth leaue. ↩
A similitude. ↩
Exod. 8, 7. and 19. ↩
Plinie an aduersarie of Christs religion. ↩
He held Moses for a magician. ↩
1. Tim. 3, 8. Exod. 7, 12.
↩
How the magicians rods were turned into serpents. ↩
The diuell is no creator, but a minister of nature to make things. A similitude. ↩
Gen. 30, 37. ↩
1. Cor. 3, 6.
↩
How they worke these things so suddenlie. ↩
A similitude. ↩
The diuell bridled two maner of waies. ↩
Iob. 1, & 2. Psal. 7, 49. ↩
Luk. 13, 16. ↩
1. kin. 19, 35.
↩
1. Sam. 25, verse. 17.
↩
The diuell can driue forward som things. ↩
Spirits put bodies on themselues. ↩
Looke after in the 12. ch. art. 5. Gen. 3, 1. Num. 22, 28 ↩
How they ioine to the~ selues bodies. ↩
What is to be anie where definitelie. ↩
Iob. 1, 18. ↩
They take to themselues airie bodies. ↩
Gen. 18, 2. ↩
Whether they be bodies, or but imaginations. ↩
Gen. 19, 1. ↩
That they were true bodies. ↩
Gen. 3, 1. Ibid. 14. ↩
Gen. 13, 21. ↩
Exo. 19, 16. ↩
Acts. 1, 10. ↩
An obiection. 2. Thess. 2, 9. ↩
Ibidem. 10, and 11. ↩
The wicked are worthie to be deceiued. ↩
1. Cor. 5, 5.
↩
How the angels and spirits doo eate. Luke. 24, 43. ↩
A similitude. ↩
Note. A lie is alwaies ioined with a mind to deceiue. ↩
Iud. 6. ↩
1. Cor. 11, 14
↩
Spirits begile the outward senses ↩
The diuell vseth to beguile by things consisting in nature. ↩
A similitude. ↩
Gen. 19, 11. ↩
1. king. 6, 18.
↩
He laieth images before the sense or phantasie. ↩
By the power of the phantasie a man may thinke he seeth that which he seeth not. ↩
The diuell and angels can call things back from the memorie to the sense. ↩
The difference in this matter betweene the good angels and the bad. ↩
1 Sam. 28, 13. and 14. ↩
They bring in no new forms. ↩
Whether we be compelled to think of the forms brought in. ↩
Of Lamiae Empusae and such like. ↩
Wherof Satyrs tooke their name. ↩
Ephialtes a disease. ↩
Of the Incubi and Succubi. ↩
Women and men sorcerers in their sleepe receiued manie pleasures of the diuels. ↩
Simon Magus. ↩
The diuell can hurt no further than God permitteth. ↩
The diuels raise vp tempests. Iob. 1. Apoc. 8, 7. ↩
A people called Lapones. ↩
A part of Athens territorie drowned. ↩
1. Cor. 5, 5.
↩
Matt. 17, 18. Acts. 16, 18. ↩
Why it is not lawfull to vse the helpe of diuels. ↩
Sam. 28, 19. ↩
Exorcismes in y e church. ↩
Looke part. 4, chap. 9, art. 7. ↩
Salomons exorcismes. ↩
Acts. 19, 13. ↩
The diuels seeme to be delighted with outwarde things. ↩
He mocketh simple men. ↩
Whether we may vse inchantment to take awaie mischiefs. ↩
Rom. 3, 8. ↩
verse. 19. ↩
Matt. 6, 24. ↩
1. Cor. 6, 14.
↩
1. Kings. 1, 3.
↩
Apuleius denied himselfe to be a sorcerer. ↩
In 1. Sam. at the beginning. ↩
At the birth of Christ all heathen oracles ceased. ↩
Mac⟨…⟩. 5, 12. ↩

← Back to the beginning of 10. The tenth Chapter. Of appeerings of diuels; of their answers, an

VVhether it be lawfull to aske counsell of the Diuell, and to vse his helpe.

Footnotes