In the 8. of Esay, it is written: If they say vnto you, enquire of them which haue a spirite of diuination, which whisper and murmure softely in youre eares to deceiue you. Should not euery people or nation enquire at their God? what shall they go from the liuing to the dead? Let them goe vnto the lawes testimonie, suche as haue no light, should they not speake according to this word, which who so should contemne, shall be hardened and hunger, &c. Heereby we doo vnderstand, that vnder a great penaltie God hath precisely forbidden, that we shoulde learne and searche out any thing of the dead. He alone woulde be taken for our sufficient schoolemaister. In the Gospell we Luke .22. read: They haue Moses and the Prophets, let them heare them. Vnto these may be added testimonies out of the Apostles writings, that God doth not send vs soules hither to informe vs. The common and ordinarie way whereby it pleaseth God to deale with vs, is his word. Therwithall should we content our selues, and not wait for new reuelations, or receiue any thing that doth not in all points agrée therewith. But as touching this matter, we wil speak more in his proper place.
CHAP. VII.
That the true Samuell did not appeare to the Witch in
Endor.
Ow touching yͤ examples by them commonly alleaged, which do think that the souls of yͤ dead do return again vnto the liuing vpō the earth: I wil first intreat of Samuels apparition, of which matter now adaies there is great contentiō and reasoning. And (as I trust) I shall proue by strong arguments, that very Samuell himself did not appeare in soule and bodie, neither that his bodie was raised vp by the sorcerers, which perchance then was rotten & consumed vnto dust in the earth, neither yͭ his soule was called vp, but rather some diuellish spirit. First the author of the two bookes of Samuel, saith: that Saule did aske counsell of the Lord, and that he would not answere him, neither by Visions, nor by Vrim, nor by his Prophets. Wherefore if God disdained by his Prophets yet liuing, and other ordinary wayes to giue answer vnto him, whom he had alreadie reiected, we may easily coniecture, that he would much lesse haue raised a dead Prophet to make him answere. And the rather, for that as we haue a little before said, the lawe of God hath seuerely by a great threatening, forbidden to learne ought of the dead, and would not haue vs to searche for the trueth of them, nor that any man vse diuination by Spirites, and suche other diuellishe Artes. Secondly, if verie Samuell indéede appeared, that muste of necessitie haue come to passe, either by the will of God, or by the worke of arte Magike. But Gods will was not that Samuel should retourne. For he hath condemned Necromancie, and would not haue vs to aske counsel at the dead: and that the spirit of God did that which was contrary herevnto, or did permit the Saints to do it, or was present with them that did ought contrary thereto, it may not be graunted. And that those things were done by the force and operation of Art Magike, wée can not affirme. For the wicked spirit hath no rule or power ouer the soules of the faithfull to bring them out of their places when he lust, sith they be in the hand of God, and the bosome of Abraham, nay (which is lesse) he hath no power ouer filthy and vncleane swine, for he was driuen (as we Matth.8. reade in the viii. chapter of Mathew) to beg leaue, before he could enter into the heard of swine: and how then should he haue any power ouer the soule of man? yet can it not be denied, that God somtimes for certain causes doth giue the Diuell and his seruants, Magitians & Necromancers, power to do many things, as to hurt and lame man and beast, and to worke other straunge things. But that God dooth giue the Diuell leaue to raise dead bodies, or to call, bring foorth, or driue away soules especially out of Heauen, it hath no grounde at all in Scripture, neither can there be any reasonable cause alledged, wherefore God would or should giue the Diuell licence to doo these things contrary to the vsuall and common order, yea and againe his owne expresse commaundement. For vayne and childishe is the cause heereof that is giuen of some men, that Samuell shoulde appeare to terrifie and astonishe Saule: as if God coulde not haue feared him by other waies and meanes. Was he not before vtterly abashed and dismayed? Thirdly, if Samuell were brought backe, the same was done either by his will and consent, or without the same, but that he did fréely and of his owne accord obey the sorcerers, no man I thinke is so blinde to imagine.
For that were vtterly repugnant to the Lawe of God, that hee shoulde confirme Witchcraft and Sorcerie by his example. If the Witch had called for Samuell, whilest he liued, doubtlesse he would haue not approached vnto hir. And how then can we beléeue that he came to hir after his death? We may not so say, that the Witch compelled him to resort to hir against his will: for the Diuel hath no power ouer the soules of the godly, and Magike of it selfe Wordes of thēselues haue no force. is of no force. Heathenish superstition no doubt it is, that wordes vttered by Magitians, after their peculiar manner, or figures drawne, should haue suche a secret and hidden operation. For the Heathens beléeued that they could with a certain set stile & number of words, bring and draw downe Iupiter out of Heauen. Iupiter Elicius. Wherfore they termed him Iupiter Elicius. There are also certaine superstitious persons in these our daies, which go about to cure diseases by certaine rites of blessings, and by coniurings. Some hang aboute their neckes certaine scrolles of Paper, in which ther are written diuers strange words, but whether Plinie. wordes of themselues haue any force at all, reade Plinie in his 28. booke, and 2. chapter, and Cælius Rhodiginus in his 16. booke and 16. chapter of Antiquities.
Apoc.19.21.