CHAP. VIII.
A Confutation of their arguments, which would haue
Samuel himselfe to appeare.
WE will now come to the Confutatiō of their Arguments, which maintaine, that very Samuel himselfe appeared to the Sorcerers, for he that rightly ouerthroweth his aduersaries arguments, is supposed by the same meanes to confirme his owne cause. The chéefest arguments which our aduersaries vse, is taken out of the Eccle.46. 46. chapter of Ecclesiasticus, where these words are found. Samuel before his death made protestation before God, and before his annointed, that he tooke from no man his substance, no not so much as the value of a shoe, and no man could then reproue him. And after his death he prophesied, and tolde the King of his ende. From the earth he lift vp his voyce, and shewed that the wickednesse of the people should perish.
This place somewhat troubled S. Augustine, and other godly Fathers. For if the Diuell onely appeared, and not Samuel, howe is it there saide that he slept, that is, died, for the Diuel neyther sléepeth nor dieth. Hereunto I may shape this answere, that this booke is not to be nombred among the Canonicall bookes of the olde Testament, and that Doctrine in controuersies, cannot bee proued by the authoritie thereof, the whiche Saint Augustine, also confesseth in his booke De cura pro mortuis agenda.
But howsoeuer that be credited as true or false, I answere them plainly, that Iesus the Sonne of Syraches intent was, to alleage the Storie literally, as the wordes lye, and not by reason to debate the matter, whether Samuel truly appeared or no. Hée speaketh there according to the opinion of Saule and the Witche, which thought that Samuel himselfe was raised. Further they say, that hée which appeared vnto Saule, is sometimes expresly and in plaine words called Samuel. And an vnséemely matter it were, making much for the reproach of so great a Prophet, if his name had bene applied vnto the Diuel. If say they, it had not bene Samuel, but some wicked spirite, the scripture would in some one word or other, haue noted the same.
To this Argument first I aunswere, that euen in our common spéeche, it is an vsuall phrase by the figure Metonymia, to terme the Image by the name of the thing, that it presenteth. So we terme the Armes and Ensigne of a Noble man, by the name of that Lord himselfe, that giueth those Armes. We say, this is Iulius Cæsar, Nero, Saint Peter, Saint Paule, or here thou maist sée the Cities of Tigurine, and Argentorat, also the Duke of Saringe, whereas indéed they are only their counterfeits, or Armes, and signes of honour.
In a Comedie or Tragedie, we call this man Saule, that Samuel, an other Dauid, whereas they do but betoken and represent their personages. So saith Virgil, in his first booke of Æneidos: They wonder at Æneas gifts, and haue Iulius in admiration. And yet was it not Iulius or Ascanius, but Cupid feining himselfe to be Iulius, whereby he might the easiler pearce the heart of the ignorant Quéene, with his dart of Loue.
Sainte Augustine in his seconde Booke and ninthe chap. De mirabilibus scripturæ saieth, that holie Scripture doeth sometimes applie the verie names of thinges to the Images and similitudes of the same. Hée alleageth there this example, that the foule spirit is called Samuel, because hée did falsely beare Saule in hande, that hée was Samuell: whiche fraude of the Diuell, coulde no waies turne to Samuels reproach. For who would say, that it should be a reproach for an honest man, if some knaue would terme himselfe by his name, as if he were he himselfe.
The false prophets sayde, they were true Prophets, and Gods servauntes, yea (which is more) they feined themselues to be the verie Messias, the Sonne of God. And that Scripture dooth not so muche as in one word make mention, that this was verie Samuell in deede, but rather some spirite, we must thinke that it so came to passe, for this cause, that all men by the Lawe of God might vnderstand, that Magike and enquirie of things at the dead, did much displease God. Saule himselfe before by the counsell and motion of Samuel, slewe all the Magitians that he could any where finde. And God is not accustomed in this wise to interprete Figuratiue spéeches: for many of them are soone descried by such as giue diligent héed to them. A vaine and superfluous spéech it were, if a man woulde say that is Peter, this is the Image of Peter, whiche by a Figure, is called by the name of Peter.