De Civitat. Dei lib. 13. c. 21. p. 404.
Ut supra l. 15. c. 27. p. 475.
6. As for an Allegory, which is a continuation of a Metaphor, and properly signifies a figure expressing one thing by another, from ἄλλος, and ἀγορέω, enuntio, and this is very frequently used in the Scriptures, as when the Apostle speaking of the two Sons of Abraham, the one from Hagar a bond-woman, the other from Sarah a free woman, saith: These things are an Allegorie, ἅτενα ἀλληγορόυμενα, which things do express one thing by another; From whence we may note, 1. That Allegories that tend to edification, keeping the Analogie of Faith, and not perverting or overthrowing the literal sense, ought not to be so much cried down nor condemned, as some have done both against Origen and others. “For the Apostle here, as Beza hath noted, made it manifest, that he had followed the footsteps of the Prophet Isaiah, who did foretel that the Church was to be constituted of the Children of Sarah that was barren, that is to say of those who meerly and spiritually were by Faith to be made the Sons of Abraham, rather than of Hagar that was fruitful, even then foretelling the rejection of the Jews, and the vocation of the Gentiles.” 2. Allegories may be used, and the literal sense nevertheless preserved also for the History is literally true that Sarah and Hagar were two living Women, the one Abrahams Wife a free Woman, the other his Servant, and a bond-woman, and yet this did not hinder but that thereby an Allegory might be used, and they might, and did signifie and express another thing than what was meerly contained in the letter. 3. We cannot here but add the grave and learned opinion of S. Augustin upon this very point, who rejecting the tenent of some that made Paradise and the things therein contained, meerly corporal, and of some that made it only spiritual and intelligible, doth run a middle course betwixt these two extreams, saying thus: “As though Paradise could not be corporal, because also it might be understood to be spiritual: As though therefore there were not two Women Agar and Sarah, and of them two Sons of Abraham, one of the bond-woman, the other of the free woman, because the Apostle saith that the two Testaments were prefigured in them; or therefore that water had flowed from no rock Moses smiting, because there by a figurative signification Christ also may be understood, the Apostle saying, and the rock was Christ.” And after concludeth thus: “These and some others may be spoken of understanding Paradise spiritually, and may be spoken without contradiction, while notwithstanding the most faithful verity of that History may be believed in the commendable narration of the things done or performed.” This same opinion this learned Father doth maintain in another place, where he is speaking of the Ark of Noah.
Having premised these rules for the right expounding of the Scriptures, we shall now come to the main things that we purpose to handle in this Chapter. And those that would uphold a kind of omnipotency in Devils, and maintain their great power in Elementary and Sublunary things, the better to defend the great power of Witches, do alledge divers places of Scripture, and expound them in favour of their gross tenents, which now we shall examine and confute in order as they lie.
1. The first colourable argument that they produce, is from the Devils or the Serpents tempting and seducing of Eve, where labouring to prove the Devils power, and his visible apparition to Witches, and making a compact with them, they pretend that in the seducing of Eve he did visibly appear unto her and vocally discourse with her, and to that purpose that he essentially entred into the Body of the Serpent, and spoke through its Organs, or that he assumed the visible and corporeal shape of a Serpent, and so discoursed, and had collocution with her. To answer which (that we may proceed methodically,) we shall lay down and labour to prove these two positions. 1. That if it were granted that he did it either way, it would be no advantage, thereby to prove the ordinary power of Devils or Witches.
2. That that place of Scripture, if rightly weighed and considered, will no way make it rationally appear, that the Devil performed that temptation any other way but only mentally; and that the History there in the manner and circumstances of it, is only to be Allegorically and Metaphorically expounded. And as to the first, if it were granted it proves nothing to the purpose, for the power of Devils or Witches, as these two Arguments will sufficiently evince.
Argum. 1.
1. From no single instance or particular proposition, can ever a general conclusion be rightly drawn by any known and certain rules of Reason or Logick; for Syllogizari non est ex particulari, is known to any Tyronist in that Art. But if Satan for that once should have entred into the natural Serpent, or assumed his shape, it is a deceivable and vitious way of arguing, that therefore he hath such a power over all Bodies at all times when he pleaseth, or that he can assume what shape he please, and therefore it certainly and rationally concludeth nothing of validity.
Argum. 2.
1 Cor. 10. 13.