Of the Nature of Spirits

Castor.

THE Greeks do report, that Castor and Pollux have both proceeded from one Egg; but this I scarcely credit, by reason of the difference of your minds; for thou affectest the heavens, but she meditates upon the earth and slaughters.

Pollux.

And from thence perhaps was derived that argument, That liberty of lying was always assigned to the Greeks.

Castor.

Principally.

Pollux.

But it is not to be supposed that the Greeks are vain in all things; but as many others, when they speak out of a three-footed thing; whereof also the Poet Ovid speaks in verse, — Nec singunt omnia Graeci.

Castor.

In this proverb I protest they are most true, without any exception, that is, one Man to another is a Devil.

Pollux.

Wherefore believest thou this to be most true, Castor?

Castor.

Truly, that man to man is a devil and a ravening wolf, daily events do most certainly prove, if we do but note the treacheries that one man invents daily against another, the roberies, thefts, plunderings, rapes▪ slaughters, deceits, adulteries, and an hundred vipers of this nature; the fathers persecutes the son, with a serpentine and poisonous biting; one friend seeks to devour another, neither can the guest be safe with his host.

Pollux.

I confess it is truth thou speakest; but for ought I hear, thou dost misunderstand the Etymology of the word compared in this Proverb; for Daemon here it is not an horrible or odious name, but the name of one that doth administer help or succour unto another, and whom Pliny calls a God.

Castor.

Therefore dost thou affirm the word Daemon in this Proverb to signify any other than a cunning and malicious accuser?

Pollux.

Thou hast not shot besides the mark: for, that there are more Daemons than that sublunary one which thou understandest, every one may easily perceive; who hath not negligently read the opinions of the most excellent Plato.

Castor.

I desire therefore, that thou wouldst not conce[•]l such his writings; but that I may apprehend the marrow thereof.

Pollux.

I will embrace such thy desire, for truly I do delight to treat with thee concerning this subject; mark therefore and give attention.

Plato divided the order of Devils or Spirits into three degrees, which as they are distinct in the greatness of their dignity, so also they are different in the distance and holding of their places. And the first order he ascribeth to those spirits whose bodies are nourished of the most pure element of air, wrought and joined together, in a manner, as it were with splended threads, not having so much reference to the element of fire, that they may be perspicuous to the sight; neither do they so much participate of the earth, that they may be touched or felt; and they do inhabit the Coelestial theatre attending and waiting on their Prince, not to be declared by any human tongue, or beyond the commands of the most wise God.

But the other degree is derived from those Spirits which Apuleius termeth rational animals, passive in their mind, and eternal in their time, understanding the apostate spirits spread abroad from the bounds and borders of the Moon, unto us under the dominion of their Prince Beelzebub, which before the fall of Lucifer had pure clarified bodies; and now, like unto the former, do wander up and down, after their transgression, in the form of an airy quallity.

Castor.

These I do not conceive are understood in the Greek Proverb: for these do hurt, and are the accusers and betrayers of men, But proceed.

Pollux.

The third degree of spirits is of a divine deity, which is called by Hermes, a divine miracle to man, if he do not degenerate from the Kingly habit of his first form; whom therefore of this kind the Greeks and Plato have called Daemons, that is, God; and that man may be like unto God, and profitable and commodious one to another; and so also (the Syrian being witness) we have known Plato himself to have been called Daemon, because he had set forth very many things of very high matters, for the good of the commmon wealth; and so likewise Aristotle, because he very largely disputed of sublunaries, and all such things as are subject to motion and sense. Homer calleth good and evil Spirits, Daemons, without putting a discrimination.

Castor.

Thou hast committed the ship to the waves Pollux; therefore cease not to proceed, and declare something more concerning the Office and imployment of these Spirits, to whom Plato attributeth the second degree, and calleth them Lunaries.

Pollux.

What shall I say?

Castor.

In the first place, declare wherefore thou hast before termed these spirits cunning and much knowing accusers.

Pollux.

St. Augustine unfoldeth this difficulty, and saith, that a Devil doth so far signify the cunning and much knowing quickness and vivacity of his deceitful wit, that by the congruent and agreeable seminal mixture of elements, he doth so know the secret and unknown virtues of men, as those things which may be effected and wrought by themselves successively and leisurely according to the course of nature, he by a speedy hasting or forcing of the works of nature, or by his own art, sooner bringeth the same to pass. An example hereof he giveth in the wise men of Pharoah, who immediately brought forth frogs and serpents at the commandment of the King, which nature more slowly and leisurely procreateth.

Castor.

Thou hast excellently answered to the question, Pollux; but add something concerning the original of those Spirits which do resist and refuse virtue; for oftentimes doubting, I have been persuaded that such Erynnes as are from God, do not appear out of the earth.

Pollux.

The Ecclesiastical Scripture every where maketh mention of the rising of them; but I will unfold such a doubt: and there do arise many and various opinions of writers, but more commonly Peter Lombardus in his book of Sentences, draweth his Allegations out of St. Augustine upon Genesis; to wit, that the Devil was before his fall an Archangel, and had a fine tender body, composed by God, out of the serenity and purest matter of the sky and air, but then after his fall from an Archangel, he was made an Apostate, and his body no more fine and subtil; but his body was made that it might suffer the effect of a more gross substance, from the quality of the more obscure, dark, and spissious air, which body also was stricken and astonished with the raging madness of pride, did draw away very many which were then Angels with him into his service and bondage, that they might be made Devils, who in this troublesome world do exercise their servile courses for him, and they do compel the inhabitants therein, or rather entice them; and to this purpose they undertake various endeavours, and do attempt various and manifold horrible studies, that are abominable unto God, and they serve in slavery and thraldom to Beelzebub their Prince, and are held in most strong captivity.

Castor.

What? have we the fall of this Archangel no where else in holy writ, but in the writings of St. Augustine.

Pollux.

We have also the fall of other Angels.

Cast[•]r.

Where?

Pollux.

In Esaias, to whom thou shalt give the honour of an Evangelist, rather than a Prophet, because he so fully and plainly foretold of Christ and his kingdom: he maketh mention here of in his 14 Chapter. And we have them also spoken of by the Apostle Peter, when he saith, God sp[•]red not his Angels which sinned. 2 Epist. 2.

Castor.

Have the Devils a select place appointed them by God, which they inhabit?

Pollux.

Peter the head of the Church, in the place before quoted, affirmeth them to be c[•]st headlong into [•]ell, reserved in t[•]e c[•]ains of hell, from whence (as Cortesius [••]ith [〈…〉] go out, unless it be to tempt, provok[•] and [〈◊〉] m[•]n. But St. Augustine the ch[••]pion [•]f Christ, in his book of the ago[•]y [〈…〉], teach[•]th, That these kin[•] [〈…〉] sublunar[•] r[•]gion. And in his 4[•] Epist. he [•]et[•] f[•]rth, That the most dark an[•] [〈…〉], is predestin[•]ted [〈…〉] may the more nearly [〈◊〉] the[•]r [〈◊〉] of [〈◊〉] and detaining.

Castor.

Origen hath taught, that the p[••]ishment of the Devils are appointed for a time; what sayst thou to this?

Pollux.

What shall I say? unless I should bewail and deplore the opinion of so great a man.

Castor.

Wherefore shouldst thou do so?

Pollux.

Truly if they have hardened themselves in wickedness, time cannot purge nor cleanse them; or if they never so much desire it, they can never be able to accomplish it; for there is no space of repentance, nor time to recall what is past, given unto them.

Castor.

Thou hast now declared that the Archangel that became an Apostate, did draw away very many other Angels with him in his fall, that they might become Devils: could not he of his own proper inseperate mallice after his fall sufficiently rule over his own Province, without the Angels that fell with him?

Pollux.

He could: but being allured by that pride, which made him so arrogantly affect the Majesty of God, he did so far strive to be like unto God, that he chose very many Ministers, unto himself, to which in general he doth not commit all things he would have effected, but divers things to divers Ministers, as may be gathered from the Hebrew Astronomers. Those which we call Jovii & Antemeridianii, which are false Gods, that is, lyers, which desire to be esteemed and adored for Gods, and they are appointed as Servants and slaves to the Devil their Prince, that they might allure the people of the earth into a common love of themselves, which Plato saith, Is the fountain of all wickedness, that they may aspire to authority and greatness, covet to be gorgeously clothed, to be called Monarchs of the earth in perpetual power, and Gods upon earth. It is said, that it was one of these that spoke to our Saviour, shewing him all the Kingdoms of the earth, saying, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Castor.

Certainly these Meridiani, I have almost declared to appear a madness in Libieus Sapho and Dioclesian the Emperor, who accounted, it the utmost degree of blessedness was, to be reputed for Gods.

Pollux.

Truly, this is a certain natural foolishness of the mind, and of human nature: he began, having taken certain little birds, to teach them by little and little to pronounce human words, and say, Sapho is a great God. Which birds when they could pronounce the words perfectly, he sent them abroad for this end and purpose, that flying every where abroad, they might repeat those words; and the people which were ignorant of his deceitful invention, were drawn to believe, that those words were spoken by divine instinct, and thereupon adore and worship him for a God. The other would compel his Subjects hereunto, that prostrating themselves down, and lifting up their hands, they should worship him as Almighty.

Castor.

But are not they the captives of the Devil, who s[•]ir up wars, which are called bloody-men in Scripture?

Pollux.

The Martialists of the north part of the world, are called executioners of vengeance authors of devastations, and sowers of evil, wor[•]ing and executing judgment with Asmod[•]us, for their King Abadaon or Applyon, whom St. John in his Rvelations, mentioneth to be ban[••]hed and expelled; for these Spirits h[•]ve committed to them rapines, hatred, envy, robberies, wrath, anger, the excitements and provocations to sin, war and fury; sometimes making the Meridional Spirits their M[•]ssengers. And Arioch the Spirit of vengence, whose work is to cause discord among brethren, to break wedlock, and disolve conjugal love, that it's impossible to be renewed; of these mention is made in the 39 Chapter of Ecclesiast[•]c[•]s. And Esaias the heavenly Prophet speaketh of other Spirits sent from God to the Aegyptians to make them err, which were spirits of darkness, that is, of lies: and this kind of spirit they call Bolichim.

Castor.

Is unlawful venery, and excessive gluttony, also to be imputed to the Devils?

Pollux.

Yes chiefly; for Iamblicus doth assert, That the Spirits of the the water of the western part of the world, and some meridional Spirits, are pred[•]stinated to this purpose; such as Nisrach and Kollen, that do so frame and contrive unlawful loves which produce shame and dishonesty, revellings and gr[••]andizings, surfeitings, with excessive drunken[•]ss, wanton dances, gluttony and vomiting, t[•]ey [〈◊〉] about lakes, fish-ponds and rivers, a[••] [〈◊〉] are the worst, soul and most fraudulent kind [•]f Spiri[•]s: an[•] by Al[•]inach an occidental spir[••]; [•]e [〈◊〉] se[•]k s[•]ipwrecks, tempests, earthquakes, [〈…〉] and frequ[•]ntly subverteth and over-[〈◊〉] ships; and if he will appear visible, he [〈…〉] and is seen in the shape of a woman. The [〈◊〉] Astronomers before spoken of, do say, [〈…〉] spirits of the air, do cause thunders, [〈…〉] and t[•]underbolts, that so they might [〈…〉] and infect the air, and produce pestilence [〈…〉]. Of such kind of spirits St. John [〈…〉] in the 9 Chapter of the Revela[••••], [〈◊〉] Meceris for their tutelar, which is a spirit causing heat in the time of noon. St. Paul calle[•]h him, The prince of the power of the air, and the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience.

Castor.

Are there so many monsters in phlegeton, Pollux?

Pollux.

And many more; for the same Hebrew Assertors do declare and maintain, that there are are spirits of the fiery element, raging about like the fierce Panthers, which are conversant under the lunary regions, that whatsoever is committed to them, they forthwith execute the same. And there are spirits of the earth, which inhabit in groves, woods and wildernesses, and are the plague and mischief of hunters; and sometimes they frequent open fields, endeavouring to seduce travellers and passengers out of their right way, or to deceive them with false and wicked illusions; or else they seek to afflict men with a hurtful melancholy, to make them furious or mad, that they may hurt them, and sometimes almost kill them. The chief of these are Sanyaab and Achimael, which are oriental spirits, a kind unapt for wickedness, by reason of the constancy of their dispositions. There are also subterranean spirits which do inhabit in dens and caverns of the earth, and in remote concavities of mountains, that they might invade deep pits, and the bowels of the earth; these do dig up metals, and keep treasures, which oftentimes they do transport from one place to another, lest any man should make use thereof: they stir up winds with flashing flames of fires: they smite the foundations of buildings, acting frightful dances in the night, from which they suddenly vanish away, with making a noise and sound of bells, thereby causing fear in the beholders; and sometimes dissembling, and faining themselves to be the souls of the dead: notwithstanding they are ignorant in compassing their deceits upon women; of which company the Negromancers do say, is Gazael, Fegor and Anarazol, Meridian spirits.

Castor.

How warily ought a man to walk Pollux, amongst so many gins and snares?

Pollux.

A man never walketh safely, unless he fortify and strengthen himself with the armour of God, which is, that his loins be girt about him with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness, let him walk with his feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, and let him take the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation, whereby he shall dash in pieces all the darts of his adversaries. But hear further: there are also besides these, other lying spirits (although they are all lyars) yet these are more apt to lie; they are called Pythons, from whence Apollo is called Pythius. They have a Prince, of whom mention is made in the book of the Kings, where it is said, I will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all thy prophets; from whom the spirits of iniquity do but a little differ, which also are called vessels of wrath. Belial, whom they have interpreted to be without any equal, and Paul calleth him an apostate or transgressor, is filthily inserviant for the worst inventions. Plato affirmeth Theut to have have been such a one, who was the first that found out and invented plays and dice: to whom we will join the Monk, who invented the use of Gunpowder, in his Engins of war. Of these Jacob makes mention in Genesis. where he blessed his Sons: he saith, Simeon, and Levi are bloody vessels of iniquity; Oh my soul, come not thou into their counsels. The Psalmist termeth these Spirits, vessels of death; Jeremiah, ves[•]els of wrath; Ezekiel, calleth them, vessels of death and destruction. The N[•]gromancers do call the said Belial, Chodar, an oriental spirit, which hath under him also the spirits of Juglers, who do imitate and endeavour to act miracles, that they may seduce false Magicians and wicked persons. It is apparently manifest, that the serpent which deceived Eve, was such a seducer, and Satan is his Prince, of whom it is spoken in the Revelations, that he should deceive the whole world. And such a one was he, that at Tubinga, in the sight of many people devoured a whole Chariot and some horses.

Castor.

And what shall be the end of these false Prophets and workers of wickedness? I can scarce believe that there is any angle or corner in the whole fabrick of the world, that is free from them.

Poll.

Scarce the smallest mite that may be seen.

Castor.

Therefore thou dost truly call the world the receptacle of those f[•]lse lights.

Poll.

If it were not mor[•] s[•]fely purged with the Sword of the word of God, it would forthwith be worse.

Castor.

Without doubt.

Pollux.

Nevertheless I have seen many that remain, whom I have not yet inscribed in this frantique Catalogue.

Castor.

Who are they?

Pollux.

False accusers and spies, obedient to Astaroth, who is called a devil among the Greeks; and John calleth him the accuser of the brethren. Also there are tempters and deceivers that lie in wait to deceive, who are present with every man; and these we term evil Angels, which have Mammon for their King, and they do affect men with an insatiable avarice and thirsty desire after authority and dominion. There are others called Lucifugi, which fly from the light, never appearing in the day, but delighting in darkness, maliciously vexing and troubling men, and sometimes by Gods permission, either by some touching, breathing or inspiration, do hurt to them: but truly they are a kind which are unapt for to do much wickedness, because they eschew and fly from any communication with men, Pliny the 2d. relates, that there was such a one at Athens, in a certain spacious house, which Anthenodorus the Philosopher happened to purchase. And Suetonius in his sixth book of Caesar, makes mention of another to have long continued in the garden of Lamianus.

Castor.

I desire, if it be not too Irksom to thee, declare unto me what Pliny speaketh concerning this spirit of Anthenodorus.

Pollux.

The story is something long and prolixious, yet it shall not much trouble me to relate it. It is thus: Pliny in the seventh book of his Epistles writeth, of a certain large spacious house at Athens, which no body would inhabit by reason of the nocturnal incursions of spirits, which were so formidable to the inhabitants, that sometimes in the day-time, and when they were watching, they would cast them into dreams, so always, that the shapes and forms which they then saw, were ever present in their memory. Where at length a certain Philosopher named Anthenodorus happened to purchase that house, and prepared and furnished the same for himself to dwell in; and because all men had an evil suspicion of that house, he forthwith commanded his servants to provide him a bed and tables, that after he had completed and finished his study he might go to bed. He therefore (saith Pliny) when he went in (in the evening) and applied himself to his study, suddenly heard the locks to shake open, and the chains to be moved; nevertheless he did not lift up his eyes, nor stirred from his book, but stopped his ears with his fingers, lest that furious tumult might work a vain fear upon him; but the noise still approaching nearer unto him, at length he looked up, and saw an effiges like unto a finger beckening and calling unto him; which he little regarded, until it had touched him three times, and the noise drew near unto the table; and then he looked up, and took a light, beheld the spirit, as it were an old man worn away with withered leaness and deformity, his beard hanging down long, horrible and deformed hair, his legs and feet were as it were laden with chains and fetters: he went towards a gate which was bolted, and there left the Philosopher, and vanished away.

Castor.

What fearful things thou relatest, Pollux! but what was the event of this sad spectacle?

Pollux.

The next day he related the whole matter to the Magistrates in order, as he had seen the same, admonishing them that they should dig diligently about the threshold of the door; for there it was probable they might find something, which might cause the house to be quiet and habitable.

Castor.

What did they find?

Pollux.

Having digged up the earth, Pliny saith, they found a dead carcase, bound and intangled in chains and fetters, his flesh being consumed with devouring time, which without delay they caused to be buried, according to the Christian ceremonies.

Castor.

But this being performed, did the house afterwards become quiet and habitable?

Pollux.

Yes, very well.

Castor.

What madness therefore possesseth them who prophane and destroy Church-yards, where the sacred organs of the holy and blessed spirit do rest; and do give the bones of the dead for meat to the spirit Zazelus, of whom mention is made in the 3 of the Kings; and we read in Pausanias, amongst the histories of Delphos, that he was called Eurynomus.

Poll.

Thou shalt find, that the Governors of Cities that were of the opinion and judgment of Christians, did subvert, destroy and prophane these holy places, that herein the youth might dance their mocking interludes, after the furious sound of the drum or tabor, and sing Iopaeen; or, there the poor inferior old women did sell base trumpery or Lupines, which God would have to be purged with holy prayer, for the salvation of souls, or breaking of bread to the hungry.

Castor.

But it is an impious and heathenish thing so to have touched the anointed of God.

Pollux.

And worse than heathenish; for the heathens did highly esteem the rites and ceremonies of burials, as Elpinor is witness in Homer, where he yeildeth up his life; and in Homer he speaketh to Ulysses, I intreat thee, O Ulysses, to be mindful of me, and not depart away hence and leave me uninterred, lest that, not being ritely buried, I shall be made the wrath of the Gods. And Achita the Philosopher in Flaccus, thus speaketh to the Mariner.

And Polinurus to Aeneas in his sixth book of Virgils Aeneids.

Castor.

Have the Gentiles so greatly esteemed the ceremony of burials?

Pollux.

Yes, very much, for their religion did hold that the soul of a body which was uninterred, was void of any intelligible essence, and left to the power and command of a raging furious phansie, and subject to the torment and affliction of corporal qualities; so that it being an airy body, sometimes the departed shadow would speak unto his remaining friends, and sometimes evilly vex and torment his enemies with revenge, as in the Poet, Dido threathneth Aeneas, saying,

Omnibus umbra locis adero dabis improbe penas.

My ghost shall every where attend thee, Villian

I will torment thee.—

Suetonius, as we have shewn before, addeth the like concerning the dead body of C. Caligula the Emperor in the Garden of Lamius, being not duly buried; for this body because it was only covered with a light turf, did very much disquiet and trouble the possessors of the Garden, with violent incursions in the night; until by his sisters, who were returned from banishment, it was taken up again and ritely and duly by them buried.

Castor.

And the house wherein the same Emperor died, could by no other way or means be freed from the fury of these shadows or spirits, as history makes mention, but by burning thereof.

Pollux.

Aristotle speaking of miracles, mentioneth a certain mountain in Norway, named Hechelberg, environed about with the Sea, that continually sent forth such lamentable voices, like the yelling and howling of infernal devils, insomuch that the noise and clamour of their terrible roaring might be heard almost a mile; and the flocking together of great ravens and vultures near it, did prohibit any access thereunto. And he reported that in Lyppora near about the Aeolian Islands, there was a certain hill from whence in the night there was heard Cymbals, and sounds of tinkling instruments of brass, with certain secret and hidden screechings, laughings and roarings of spirits. But even now, Castor, thou didst make mention of Zazelus, whom also thou didst assert to have have been called Eurynomus by Pausania; I desire the to shew me something more largely concerning this spirit.

Castor.

They do declare that he lives altogether by the flesh of the dead; so as sometimes he doth not leave the bones.

Pollux.

Saxo Grammaticus, in the fifth book of his Danish history, doth most truly subscribe their consents and agreements to this thy assertion; for there he sets before our eyes an admirable history of one Asuitus and Asmundus, which easily proveth all thy sayings.

Castor.

I beseech thee declare this unto me, Pollux.

Pollux.

Give attention; it is thus: Asuitus and Asmundus had sworn with mutual vows each to other, that he which should live longest of them would entomb himself alive. Now sickness did consume away Asuitus before Asmundus; whereupon Asmundus for his oath of friendship sake, with his dog and his horse entombed himself alive in a vast deep den, having carried with him some meat, whereupon a long time he fed. And at length Ericus the King of Succia came into that place with an Army, and broke open the tomb of Asuitus; (supposing their had been treasure hid therein) but when the cave was opened, he drew out Asmundus. and brought him into the light, who was covered with a deformed sharp countenance, a deadly deformity, and gored with blood flowing from his fresh wounds.

Castor.

But this story pertaineth not to our purpose.

Pollux.

Truly it doth, if you diligently mark these verses, which set forth the cause of his wounds.

Castor.

Shew me those verses if thou hast them.

Pollux.

They are these which follow.

Castor.

I observe here, that Asmundus did cut the head of the spirit Zazelus or Eurynomus, and struck and pierced his body with a club; what? have spirits bodies, that may be seen and handled by men?

Pollux.

Cortesius doth not deny, but that their natures may receive the habit and covering of vegitable bodies, and be transformed in several kinds of shapes, whereby they can the more craftily and subtilly delude and deceive the improvident wits of men. Basilius Magnus also testifieth the same, and witnesseth, that they have bodies appropriated to themselves, as likewise also have the pure Angels. Psellus a Necroman[•]er doth also report the same; and he also teacheth, That sometimes they sleep or rest, and do change their places, and shew themselves visible to the senses of men. Socrates asserteth, that a Spirit did speak with him, which also sometimes he saw and felt; but their bodies cannot be discerned to be different in sex. But Marcus Cherronesus, an excellent searcher into the natures of Spirits, writeth, that they have simple bodies and that there doth belong a difference of sex to compound bodies: yet their bodies are easily drawn to motion and flexibility, and naturally apt to receive every configuration. For, saith he, even as the clouds do shew forth the apparition and resemblance sometimes of men, and sometimes of every thing you conceive; so likewise do the bodies of Spirits receive various shapes, as they please, by reason whereof they transform themselves into the forms sometimes of men, and sometimes of women. Nevertheless this is not free to them all, but only to the fiery and airy Spirits. For he teacheth, that the Spirits of the water have more slow and less active bodies, which by reason of the slowness and softness of that element, they do most especially resemble birds and women; of which kind the Naiades and Nereides are, celebrated by the Poets. Trimetius testifies, that the Devils do desire to assume the shapes of men rather than any other form; but when they cannot find the matter of the air convenient and befitting for that purpose. And he saith, that they frame such kind of appearances to themselves. as the contrary humour or vapour will afford; and so they are seen sometimes in the form and shape of a Lion, a Wolf, a Sow, an Ass, a Centaure, of a Man horned, having feet like a Goat: such as it is reported were seen in the mountain of Thrungia, where there was heard a terrible roaring,

Castor, Porphyrius in Eusebius, in his fourth book of Evangelical preparations, teacheth, that some of these are good spirits, and some bad; but I have counted them to be all, evil, Pollux.

Pollux.

Then it seemeth that thou art not seduced with the assertions either of Porphyrius, or Apuieus, or Proclus, or of some other Platonicks, which are mentioned in St. Augustines book of the City of God, 1, 2, and 3, chapter, who also do affirm that there are some of these Spirits good; for Eusebius in the said book and 6 Chapter; and St. Augustine concerning the same in his book of The City of God, the 9 Chapter and the 8, with very great and strong arguments do convince the Platonicks, that none of these Daemons are good, but all evil; and that we do also approve of from their names, which are every where set forth in holy Scripture; for the Devil is called Diabolus, that is, flowing downwards: that he which swelling with pride, determined to reign in high places, fell flowing downwards to the lowest parts, like the torrent of a violent stream, as Cassiodorus writeth. And he is called Sathan, that is, an adversary; who as St. Jerome testifieth, by reason of the corruption of his own malice, he continually resisteth, and is an adversary against God, who is the chiefest good. He is called Behemoth in the 40 Chapter of Job, which signifieth an Ox; for even as an Ox desireth hay, so he with the teeth of his suggestions, coveteth to destroy the upright lives of spiritual men. And Leviathan in the same place, which signifies an addition, because the Devil always endeavours to add evil to evil, and punishment to punishment. He is also called in Revelation 15. Apollion, signifying a rooter out, for he rooteth out the virtues which God planteth in the soul. He is called a Serpent in the 12 of the Revelation, by reason of his virulency. A Lion in the 1 Epist. Peter and the last chapter, which roareth about seeking whom he may devour. He is called a cunning workman Is. 55. because by his malice the vessels that are elected and approved. He is called Isa. 34. Onocentaurus Erynus, Pilosus, Syren, Lamia Ulula, Struthio. And by David in the 90 Psalm, an Aspe, Basilisk and Dragon. In the Gospel Mammon, the Prince of this world, and Ruler of darkness.

Castor.

Why therefore have the Divines declared, that the Almighty hath given two kinds of Spirits unto men; the one good, the keeper and preserver of their lives, the other evil, resisting the good: if they are all evil?

Pollux.

The holy Doctors do understand by the good Spirit a good Angel, such as we read Raphael was to Tobias, who bound the evil spirit Asmodeus in the wilderness of the furthest parts of Egypt, that he might be the more safe.

Castor.

It had been more safe for every man to have been without the evil spirits; what therefore was the will of the heavenly Father concerning them?

Pollux.

That by the assistance of the good spirits, we might courageously wage continual war against the evil spirits; but being cloathed with the harness of righteousness, like valiant Soldiers we may gird our loins with truth, and with the shield of faith resist and fight against all his darts.

Castor.

If we condescend unto this warfare of Spirits, it seemeth good to enquire whether the Devils have power of doing hurt, granted them by God; or whether of themselves they can hurt as much as they please?

Pollux.

If the last where true, who could compare the end of their hurtings? but it is manifest, that their authority from on high is of so great existancy, that John the Evangelist doubteth not to name the Devils the princes of the earth.

Castor.

In what manner therefore do they hurt?

Pollux.

Although they be most mighty and powerful spirits, yet they can do no hurt unless it be by permission; or as Damacenus saith, by dispensation. And Chrysostome saith, they have a limited power; for truely without the will of God, they cannot touch a hair of any mans head. The Devil could not have deceived the Prophets of Ahab, if he had not received power from God; neither could he have brought any detriment upon Job, either unto his body or his goods, but by the power God had given him. In the 7 of Exodus the Magicians made frogs and serpents by the power of the Devil permissively: but lice they could not bring forth, by reason of the greater power of God prohibiting them, Neither in the Gospel could the Devils hurt the swine until Christ had given them leave.

Castor.

Therefore the Devil is not so much to be feared, but the Lord our God, that either he would not suffer him to rage against us; or if at any time by his own determinate counsel he let loose his chains, that then he would defend and mercifully preserve us.

Pollux.

Thou sayest well; for even as a wild boar is not to be feared if he be bound, and held with a strong chain by a powerful strong man, & who is able by his strength to restrain the fierceness of the boar; but the man is to be feared, and requested, that he would not let loose the boar: so also Satan is not to be feared, being bound with the cords of the Almighty; but the Almighty rather, who holdeth him with a cord, lest at any time he should let loose his cord, for to execute his will against us.

Castor.

We know that the Devils, after the incarnation of the word, were called the Lords of the earth; but I wonder, where the word is not yet incarnate, whether they have power also over men.

Pollux.

If it pleaseth God, they have very much; but take a demonstration thereof Castor, from the Caldeans, amongst whom the Devil raged with so much power and dominion, that they made no esteem of the true God, but worshiped the elements. There needeth not [•] demonstration of the Greeks; for the fury of the Devil did so much reign amongst them, that by his arguments, they accounted Saturn for a very great God, devouring their own proper children; and Jupiter, an adulterer and father of all filthiness, they named to be the father of Gods and men; Bacchus, the most wicked example of all servitude and bondage, they called a free father: Venus a strumpet, they termed a pure virgin: and they worshiped Flora an harlot, as a type or example of virginity. There is no man that is ignorant, that the Egyptians have been worse than the Greeks, when they made peculiar Gods to themselves, by the inanimate perswasions of the Devil; for one worshiped a sheep, another a goat, another a calf, very many did worship hogs, crows, hawks, vultures, eagles, crocodiles, cats, dogs, wolves, asses, dragons; and things growing also, as onions, garlick, and thorns: as every one that is coveteous of reading, shall find in Damascenus, in his history of Josaphat and Barlaas, and in Eusebius, in the fourth book, and first Chapter of Evangelical Preparations; neither do I account the [〈◊〉] (who glory in being the off-spring of their f[•]ther Abraham) to have been better than the former, when also by the instinct of the devil, after their coming up out of Egypt, with cruel hands they violently assaulted the Prophets and holy men of God, whom at length they also slew: that I may hold my peace, how diligently they have brought into their religion the Gods, or rather devils of the Gentiles.

Castor.

I perceive by these thy assertions, that one Devil, and another Devil, hath been adored for Gods; for thou hast now said, that the Greeks, by the madness wherewith the Devil possessed them, have made unto themselves, Saturn, Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus and Flora, for Gods; which Lactantius in his fourth book De vera Sapientia, also accounted for Devils.

Pol.

Declare I pray thee the words of Lactantius.

Castor.

Mark them; they are thus: The same Devils are the Gods of the Gentiles; but if any one will not believe these things of me; then let him credit Homer, who joineth the great Jupiter to the great Devils; and the other Poets and Philosophers do call them sometimes Gods, and sometimes Devils whereof there is one true, and another false: for the most wicked spirits when they are conjured, do confess themselves to be Devils; but where they are worshiped, they declare themselves to be Gods, that they may thrust men into errors, and draw them from the worship of the true God; through whom alone eternal death can be escaped.

Pollux.

It is expedient for me now to be more inquisitive in this discourse; whether there be power given to the Devils to foretell things to come? concerning which thing hitherto I have not been able to dart at the right mark; for this question seemeth sufficiently doubtful unto me.

Castor.

St. Augustine in his book De Natura Daemonum, dissolveth this Gordoneus knot, & saith, that the damned spirits being filled full of all manner of impiety and wickedness, do sometimes challenge to themselves power of foreseeing things to come, because in the sense of their airy bodies, they have a far more strong & prevalent power of foreknowing, than men of earthly bodies can have; or because of the incomparable swiftness of their airy bodies, which wonderfully exceedeth not only the celerity of men and wild beasts, but also the flying of birds: by which means, they are able to declare things long before they come to be known; which we, by reason of the earthly slowness of our sense, cease not to wonder at and admire: or because of the benefit of their continual life, they obtain this wonderful experience of things, which we cannot attain to, because of the shortness of our momentaneous life, which is but as it were a bubble.

Poll.

This last assertion of St. Augustine seemeth unto me to be more true than the rest, because the series of many years doth cause great experience.

Cast.

If any one shall deny these opinions of Augustine, as erroneous, Damascenus setteth a greater witnes[•] of these things, without all exception, before our eyes; who in his second book of Orthodox faith saith thus: That the devils cannot foreknow things to come, for that belongs only unto God: but so much as they are able to know, they have from the disposition of the celestial and inferior bodies.

Poll.

Why therefore do the Devils so willingly and of their own accord undertake Prophecies, and to answer Oracles? what benefit have they from hence?

Cast.

Nothing, but that hereby they seek to get great estimation, and covet to be counted worthy of admiration, and to be adored instead of Gods.

Poll.

We know that the devil is the father of lyes, Castor: from whence we are piously to believe, that those things which he foretelleth, he extracteth from his own lyes.

Cast.

Furthermore the Prophet Esaias saith thus, Shew the things that are to come hereafter, and tell us, that we may know that ye are Gods. And the Apostle Peter also saith, The prophecie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost.

Poll.

No man therefore will deny that they do sometimes fortel things to come.

Cast.

No man certainly; but for what cause that it attained to, Crysostome doth most clearly teach, in these words: It is granted, he saith, that sometimes the devil doth speak truth, that he might commend his own lying with verity: whereas, if he should never tell the truth, he could deceive no man, neither would his lying suffice him to tempt with. Thus far Chrysostome. Notwithstanding, If he understand that he hath not grace granted unto him of himself to foretel the truth, he fortelleth things nevertheless, but so obscurely, saith St. Augustine, that he always layeth the blame of the things by him so foretold, upon the interpreter thereof. Porphyrius, in his book of Oracles, although he be the greatest maintainer of Devils, and the most expert teacher of diabolical Arts, nevertheless he saith with the aforesaid Doctors, that the foreknowledge of things to come, is not only intricate to men, but uncertain to the gods; and full of many obscurities.

Poll.

Thou hast said, that the predictions of the devils are done in this manner, that they may gain authority to themselves amongst the credulous people, and be worshiped instead of Gods, for what end do the evil spirits work miracles?

Cast.

What is a Miracle, Pollux?

Poll.

A new and unwonted accident, which cometh to pass contrary to its course and custom and draweth men into admiration thereof.

Cast.

But do they work Miracles?

Poll.

They do: for whereby dost thou believe that Aesculapius was honoured in his consecration for a God, but only by the means of a miracle, when he conveyed a serpent from Epidaurus to Rome,? What gave so great authority to Juno, but only the working of a miracle? when her Image of wood was asked by Furius Camillu[•] whether it would be carried to Rome, and it answered with a human voice, It would. Also from thence Fortune was made a Goddess, because her Statua, in the way of Latium, in the hearing of many people, not once, but oftentimes spoke with a human voice. In the 8 Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we read of miracles done by Simon the son of Rachel; and in Exod. 8. of the Magicians of Pharaoh, who in the sight of many people brought forth frogs and serpents, and turned the waters into blood. Apuleus doth testify the power of men to be so great in Inchantments, that the Devils do not only work miracles by the means of men, but they are able also to subvert nature, and, with a Demoniacal Incantation, make violent streams to stay their course to turn the winds, to make the sun stand still, to break the course of the moon, to lay impediments upon the stars, to prolong the day, and to shorten the night; as Lucanus excellently sheweth.

Cessaverre vices rerum, dilataque longa,

Haesit nocte dies, legi non paruit aether,

Torruit & praeceps audito Carmine mundus.

The course of things did cease, obstructed light

Opprest, stuck fast in dusky shades of night:

Amazed skies their usual laws forbear,

The world was scorch'd when it her charms did hear.

And Tibullus of a certain Demoniacal Charm.

Cast.

I do not any more wonder that Moses called God Wonderful, that he doth so connive at this sink of wickedness, and most wicked seducers, that he granteth them power to act such things so freely.

Poll.

Firmianus excellently sheweth why God doth so, in his last book but one of the works of God, De opificio Dei: for he saith, that virtue is not virtue, unless it have some like, in ruling whereof it may shew and exercise its power: for he saith, As Victory cannot stand without virtue, so neither can virtue subsist without an Enemy; which virtue no sooner had the Almighty indued man withal, but he forthwith added unto him an enemy, lest that virtue should lose its nature, being stupified with idleness. He saith, that a man cannot otherwise attain to the highest step, unless he have always an active hand; and that he shall establish and build up his salvation with a continual warfare and contention: for God will not that mortal men shall come to immortal blessedness with an easy journey, but he must wrestle and strive with sails and oars against the author and inventor of all evils and errors, who causeth and worketh execrable things and miracles.

Cast.

But sometimes it cometh to pass, that by reason of the subtil snares and stratagems of the devil, which he so craftily prepareth against us, and especially against simple persons, whom he intangleth with vain religions, so that we cannot resist him; or if we suppose our selves to be very able to withstand him, yet nevertheless we shall be very much deceived by him; as we read he oftentimes did to the good, but almost foolish pastor, of whom Tritemius maketh men[•]ion.

Poll.

But what happened to this good Pastor, and whom thou termest simple?

Cast.

Tritemius saith, Insomuch that he was not strong in faith, therefore he made more account of the name of Saint Blaze, and attributed more power and custody unto it. than unto the name of God, the best and greatest good.

Poll.

In what manner?

Cast.

He had in his walking staff, or pastoral crook, a Schedule inscribed with the name of St. Blaze; by the power and virtue of which staff, he did believe his swine were safely defended from the ravening of the wolves: and he did attribute so great a deity to this Schedule, that he would leave his herd of swine to feed in the fields alone: notwithstanding, a certain time coming when the pastor was absent from his flock, and a certain man coming in the mean time, saw the devil keeping them; and he asked him what he kept here, who is the worst persecutor of the salvation of men? he answered, I keep these swine. The other replied By whose command? the devil saith, By the foolish confidence of the pastor: for he included a certain Schedule in his staff, unto which he ascribeth divine virtue, or to the inscription of the name of St. Blaze; and now, contrary to his own law, he believeth that his hogs are thereby defended from the injury of wolves; inhering to me with a false superstition; where when he hath been by me called again and again, and hath not appeared, I have taken this custody upon myself instead of St. Blaze: for I always freely stand instead of God and his saints: so also now most freely do I keep his swine for St. Blaze, that I may magnify and confirm the foolish man in his vain confidence; and thereby I may seduce him so, that he may esteem this Schedule more than God.

Poll.

This is a pleasant story: but I do not wonder that the devil should impose so much upon so simple a pastor, when he doth in many things prevail over the more wise, if they do fit themselves to his opportunities; which the Church contradicteth.

Poll.

But are all things wrought and brought to pass by means of the devil which men call miracles?

Cast.

No: for we must give unto nature that which seemeth to belong unto her, who is said to be the greatest worker of miracles; as that which we have experienced in the stone Asbestos, which as Solinus witnesseth, being once set on fire, cannot be quenched: and the root Baara, described by Josephus in the history of Jerusalem, which he testified to be the colour of a flame of fire, splendent & shining in the night; but so difficult to be taken, that it always flies from under the hand of him that would take it, and deceiveth his eyes so long, until it be sprinkled with the urine of a menstruous woman; and when it is retained by this means, it may not be gathered or plucked up without danger; for present death followeth him that gathereth or plucketh it up, unless he shall be for[•]ifi[•]d with a pres[•]rvative about his neck, of the sam[•] root. For which cause, they who want the same root, do scarify it round about; and having bound the root about with a bond, they tye the [•]ame to a dog, and sudenly depart away. Whereupon, the dog, too much endeavouring to follow after him, draw[•]th up the root, and, as if the dog where to perform the turn of his master, he forthwith dies; and afterward[•] the same root may be taken and handled without any danger to any man. And the same Josephus teacheth, that the same root is of such present force for expiations, that also those who are vexed and tormented with unclean spirits, are immediately delivered, if they carry this root about them Notwithstanding there is nothing hindereth, but that art also may imitate nature in the working of miracles; as we may read in Aristotle, of the Greek fire that would burn in water: of which the said author, in his singular treatise concerning this, hath described very many compositions. And concerning the fire which is extinguished with oil, and kindled with cold water, when it is besprinkled over therewith.

Poll.

It sometimes happened that the devils do cloath themselves, sometimes in more slender, and sometimes in more gross habits, that thereby they may very much affright and molest men with horrible phantasies, and terrible sights; with ghosts appearing in divers and several shapes & aspects. What, cannot we be fortified with any thing to force and compel them to fly from us?

Cast.

Origen, in his book against Celsus, saith, that there is no way more certain, than the naming of JESUS the true God. For he saith he hath oftentimes seen innumerable spirits so driven away, both from the souls and bodies of men, St. Athanasius, in his book de variis Quaestion, testifieth, that the most present remedy against the insultations of evil spirits, is the begining of the 67 Psalm, Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered. Cyprian, in his book Quod idola dii non sint, commandeth that the devils should be conjured away by the true God. Some men have declared, that fire, which is the most holy of all elements, and the creed, and also the instrument whereon the fire was carried, were very profitable for this purpose: from whence, in their sacrifices about the sepulchers of the dead they diligently observed the use of lights: or else from thence that Pythagoras did determine, that God could in no wise be truly worshipped without lights burning. Some others do bind swords for this intent and purpose, taking the same out of the 11 Ode of Homer, where he writeth, that Ulysses, when he offered a sacrifice to his mother, had a sword drawn present by him, wherewith he expelled and drove away the spirits from the blood of his sacrifice. And in the sixth of Virgil, when the Sybil led Aeneas into hell, she saith thus.

Philostratus writeth, that he compelled Apollonius, a spirit, obvious to him & his companions, to flight, with contumelies and direful imprecations; that the vision making a noise, and with great horror vanished away from them. Very many do much commend a perfume of Calamint, Piony, mint, Palma Christi, & Parsley, to be used in this case. Many do keep present with them red coral, mugwort, hypericon, rue, or vervin, for this purpose. Some do use for this business the tinkling of keys, sounding of consecrated bells or the terrible rattling of Armour.

Poll.

I have sometimes heard from our Elders, that they made them Sigils inscribed with Pentapentagones; by virtue whereof, the spirits might be expelled and driven away. What sayst thou to these?

Cast.

Averrois writeth against Algazelus, affirmed such things to be almost nothing worth unless to them that have confederated with the spirits. If therefore Averrois saith the truth, how then can the d[•]vils kingdom stand, divided against itself?

Poll.

But we read that Solomom, a singular man with God, did make such Sigils.

Cast.

We do read truly that Solomon did make them; but it was at such time when he worshiped Idols, and not when he was in the state of salvation. Tertullian offered a more certain antidote than all the former, and exhorteth us, as Job, the most strong champion of God, to fight against all the assaults of temptation: he admonisheth us to be cloathed with the silken garment of honesty, the purple robe of modesty and shame-facedness, and the cloak of patience: and he perswadeth us to meditate upon all those things which the devil doth devise and invent, to overthrow our integrity; that his falling may be proved the glory of our constancy, and that we be willing constantly to war against all machinations, which are permitted by God for this end. And the Prophet Jeremiah teacheth the same, in these words: The Lord of hosts is the approver of the just.

D. Maximus, in his book de charitate, commandeth us to bind and kill the devils. He saith we do then bind them, when by diligent observation of the Commandments of God, we do diminish and quash those affections that do boil up in us: and we are said to kill them, when we so truly mortify our lusts, that we cut him off from all occasions of accusing; saying with the Prophet, Depart, O homicide, the Lord the strong warrior is with me: thou shalt fall, and shalt be vanquished from me for ever. Olympiadorus, 10 cap. when he interpreteth the Ecclesiastical history, saith, that all sensual appetites are to be shut out and excluded, so that the devil may not be admitted, neither by the allurements of the eyes, nor by itching ears, nor by the petulancy and frowardness of an hurtful tongue: for this he accounteth to be the most absolute seal against the power of the devils. Some do admonish us, in our going forth to war against the devil, to use two sorts of weapons: the one is pure prayer, which may raise up our affections unto heaven; and true and perfect knowledge, which may communicate and fill our understandings with wholesome doctrines, and may suggest unto us what we are to pray for, that we may pray ardently, according to St. James, and not doubtingly. In the Prophecy of Isaiah, and the Epistles of St. Paul, we may find the same things; Isai. 59. Eph. 6. and 1 Thess. 5. which may be as a remedy against vain Ghosts that they may be expelled.

Poll.

For a remedy against Ghosts? dost thou conceive that a Ghost is diverse and different from a spirit?

Cast.

I know not truly what I may think hereof: for flowing in so spacious a sea of many opinions, I am so led in doubt, that I cannot easily attain to a certain Port of judgment: for there are some which do suppose that these Ghosts are devils, by reason of the great fear and terror wherewith they ragingly molest men by night in their houses; and sometimes for their innate nature to do hurt. There are others that do believe these spirits are deceitful fantasies, deceiving those that are of evil belief: who by their fallacious visions and Imaginations do deceive and frighten the Inhabitants in their houses and do deny that they are spirits indeed, because the spirits have a body without hands or feet; wherefore they can hurt no man, nor make any tumult: being ignorant that the Angel (who also hath a body without hands and feet) did carry Habakkuk with his whole dinner, by the hair of his head, into Babylon, and afterwards brought him back again, and set him in his own place: neither considering that the spirit of the Lord, also without a body, snatched up Philip, and carried him to Azotus: that I may forbear to speak concerning a certain incorporeal spirit, which did so disquiet the house of my grandfather, that by the space of almost thirty years he caused it to be uninhabitable, unless it were when a lamp was burning therein; neither did that then sufficiently quiet the same: for going out of the house, they did so molest them with stones from above in the streets, that the would cast out of their hands the hearts of Pine-trees, which they used for torches. Concerning the Ghost that haunted the house of Anthenodorus the Philosopher, and the tumultuous spirit of C. Caligula, there may more be spoken: but thou hast understood the relations of them already in the foregoing discourse. From all which, we may easily convince the opinions of those, who deny that the spirits can walk, or make any motion: but of how much truth we may hold the assertions of them, who do suppose that these tumultuous spirits are neither devils, nor phantasms, but the souls of the dead, now hearken unto.

Poll.

Are there they who are of that opinion?

Cast.

There are they who are of both opinions: for they do declare that these are the souls of them who have departed from their bodies laden & clogged in their sins; which are therefore heard to be more or less turbulent in houses, according as they have any sensible ardent spark of that sin more or less; so that except in the mean time they are expelled and driven away from thence, or expiated by Alms or intercessions, they are compelled to a certain bound or liberty, wandering thereabouts in expectation of the last Judgment.

Poll.

Wherefore?

Cast.

Because I believe that the souls of them which sleep in Christ, do live with Christ, & do not wander about the earth; and the souls of them who are oppressed and burthened with the grievous weight of their Sins, since they are the members of Satan, are bound with Satan in the chains of darkness, expecting judgment in hell.

Poll.

But Firmianus, a Writer of no mean judgment, thinketh the contrary, in his Book which he hath written de devino premio.

Cast.

How is that?

Poll.

These are his words: Let not any man conceive that the souls of the dead are judged immediately after death: for they are all detained in one common custody until the time shall come, wherein the Almighty Judge shall make examination and inquisition of their deeds. Then they who shall be found righteous, shall receive the reward of immortality; but they whose sins and wickedness shall then be detected, shall not arise again, but shall be inclosed with the wicked in darkness, and destined to eternal punishments.

Cast.

St. Augustine subscribeth to Lactantius in his Enchiridion, saying, that the time which is interposed between the death of mankind and the last resurrection, containeth the souls in secret hidden receptacles, where every soul receiveth condign rest or misery, for the good or evil which he did in the body while he lived.

Poll.

Neither doth St. Ambrose disagree from this: in his second book of Cain and Abel, he saith, that the soul is loosed from the body, and after the end of this life, is suspended to the ambiguous time of the last judgment.

.Cast.

So also some have declared, that the soul of Trajanus Caesar did wander about; but the soul of St. George was freed from such suffrage.

Poll.

Thou hast even now spoke, and that truly, that spacious is the sea of various opinions concerning these spirits; for so indeed it is: but what Port thou toutchest at, I desire thee it may not seem troublesome to thee to tell me: for I am not as yet satisfied of the certainty hereof by our discourse.

Cast.

That which thou desirest, I conceive to be this: I hold that these tumultuous spirits are meer images of Satan; which are not to be feared, neither is their any credit to be given to their answers: and are in no wise the souls of the dead, which either live with Christ, if they have done well; or else are bound in chains with Satan if they have done evil.

Poll.

It remaineth that we fift out this, Castor: for it happeneth now sometimes, that my Father appeareth to me in my sleep; perhaps that may also seem unto thee to be a Spirit.

Cast.

It may seem so: but I will not in any thing contradict thee beyond reason: of myself I will add nothing; but at leastwise I will annihilate thy opinion with the assertions of St. Augustine.

Poll.

What assertions are those?

.Cast

In his 11 book, which he intitleth De mortuorum cura, he offereth them as a means, saying, Human infirmaty doth so believe of himself, that when he seeth any one that is dead, in his sleep, he supposeth that he seeth the soul of that dead person; but when he dreameth of any one that is alive, he then is out of doubt, that neither his soul nor his body, but the similitude of the man appeared unto him: as if they could be ignorant, that the souls of dead men do not appear unto them in dreams, but only the similitudes of the persons deceased. And he proveth both these to be done, by two examples which were as Mediolanus; whereof the first he sheweth to have been the image of a certain father that was dead, who appeared to his son, admonishing him that he should not pay again a debt to an unjust creditor, which the father had paid him before: for he saith the case was thus: the father had paid a debt to a certain creditor, which after the death of the father, the creditor endeavoured by force to recover the same again of his son, who was ignorant of the payment thereof: to whom the image of his father appeared when he was sleeping, and shewed him where the writing was hid. Whereupon, the son awaking from his sleep, sought for the paper in the place he was directed, and found it, and thereby overthrew the malice of his deceitful creditor. The second example is, whereby the same St. Augustine sheweth that the living do appear to the living, in their sleep: for he saith, that Eurologius the Rhetorician, professing the Rhetorick of Cicero at Carthage, he found a difficult and obscure place that was not declared unto him; so that waking and sleeping he vexed himself by reason of his ignorance; but, in a certain night, the image of Aurelius Augustine appeared to him, and taught him in what manner the dark and difficult place was to be understood.

Poll.

Augustine doth therefore conclude, without doubt, that they are not souls.

Cast.

He doth so conclude: and the greater to strengthen such his judgment, he addeth, that if the souls of the dead have any interest or council in the affairs of the living, he undoubtedly knew, that his own pious mother did not desert him not for one night, but when she was living, followed him both by sea and land: neither did he at any time sustain any anguish of heart but comforted his sorrows. And that this may not seem too hard a speech, the president of Christ teacheth, that they do not err, who affirm that the good Angels, by the appointment of God, and divine dispensation, do sometimes come to, and visit men, both living and sleeping, and sometimes to the place where souls endure punishment: notwithstanding, it is not unto all, but only unto those who have so lived, that God shall judge them worthy of his mercy: or unto those upon whom, without any respect unto their deserts, God will be pleased to glorify his unspeakable mercy; that by the prayers of the living they may obtain pardon of their sins, and deliverance from the prison of torments.

Poll.

I have sometimes read, that the same St. Augustine did write, that it is better for a man to doubt of secret things, than to contend about things uncertain.

Cast.

That is certainly true; neither doth he declare himself to be an offence to those who do leave all these things to the unsearchable judgments of God, and labour not to find out the secrets thereof.

Poll.

Because I have easily understood thy answers hitherto, I will not desist till thou hast fully resolved me concerning this subject. I desire therefore to know whether all miracles which the devils perform, are done really, or imaginary phant[•]sies.

Cast.

That they perform many things really, and many things only seemingly, we have already manifested out of the writings of St. Augustine. For that great prelate of the Christian Church, writeth, in the 11 chapter of his book de Trinitate, that it is a very easy thing for the wicked Spirits, through the airy substance of their bodies, to perform many things which seem wonderful (to the souls that are oppressed with earthly bodies) to be done. He also saith, that earthly bodies may be so qualified with art and exercise, that in public Theatres they may perform such wonderful things, that those who never have seen them will not believe them, but that they were done by the assistance of the devil and his ministers, to make their bodies of such an airy element, that the flesh wonders at. Or else which is much, he saith also, that they do contrive with occult inspirations, forms, and fantasies of images, to delude human sense: wherewith, waking or sleeping, they may be deceived. Thus far Augustine, But, if thou wilt, I will produce also another witness without exception, Pollux.

Poll.

I would have thee tell me who that is.

Cast.

Abbas Tritemius, in his third Question to St. Maximus Emilianus, which is spoken of before, saith thus: The devils, amongst unfaithful people, do seem to raise up the dead to life, and to shew miracles to curious men, that they might as it were swallow them up with error instead of miracles; and are altogether pertinatious and obstinate: but they cannot truly and realy raise up the dead, but do variously deceive the senses of men, shewing them feigned resemblances of the dead, For it is certainly manifest, that the devils can do all things but only in a false similitude of holy miracles in truth.

Poll.

Some say that the devils are obedient to wicked men, because of the similitude of their malice. How seemeth that to thee?

Cast.

It seemeth to me, that they are obedient to evil men, but not to all men.

Poll.

But to whom?

Cast.

To those certainly with whom they have contracted and made compacts & covenants; as those women which they call Pythonists are accounted, who have vowed themselves by promise unto him.

Poll.

But although they are compelled to be so serviceable unto them, yet is this service true or feigned?

Cast.

It is feigned, certainly: for they are subservient unto men of their own accord, and genuine work, that they may deceive them, and allure them to themselves. Although we do not deny that their service is sometimes true, but only towards those men, whose faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the merit of his holiness, hath caused them to be acceptable, and friends unto him, And that Lactantius also testifies, in these words, in his second book De origine Erroris, & 16 Chap. That the devils do fear the just, that is, those that worship God, in whose Name they are conjured [•]o depart out of bodies, and with whose words they are beaten with scourges, and they do not only confess that they are devils, but do declare their names: neither can they lye unto the just. And the same Lactantius in his fourth book De vera Sapientia, Chapter 27. saith, It is necessary that they who are of the true Christian Religion, should know the course and order of the devils, and understand their subtily, and restrain their force, and conquer and subdue them with Spiritual weapons, and force them to obey him.

Poll.

I am now by thee sufficiently informed of all things which I have hitherto desired to know; wherefore I shall not any further trouble thee with my questions, or rather riddles, but leave thee to thy own occasions.

Cast.

Neither have I counted myself idle in answering thee: but let the use thereof yield us each to other an equal recompence. Farewel therefore.

Poll.

And thee also.