The third parte of this
Booke, in which is shewed, why, or to what ende
God suffereth Spirits to appeare, and other straunge
thinges to happen: as also howe men ought to
behaue themselues when they meete with any
suche things.
CHAP. I.
God by the appearing of Spirits doth exercise the faithfull,
and punish the vnbeleeuers.
T foloweth now hereafter to be intreated of, why God suffreth spirits, ghosts, and horrible sightes to appeare, &c. And also why he doth permit other straunge and miraculous things to happen: And furthermore, how men ought to behaue themselues when they sée anye suche things.
Causes why God suffereth spirites to appeare.
God doth suffer spirits to appeare vnto his elect, vnto a good ende, but vnto the reprobate they appeare as a punishment. And as all other things turne to the best vnto yͤ faithfull, euen so doo these also: for if they be good spirits, which appeare vnto men, warning, and defending them, therby do they gather the care, prouidence, and fatherly affection of God towardes them. But in case they bee euill spirites, (as for the most part they are) the faithfull are moued by occasion of them vnto true repentance. They looke diligently vnto themselues so long as they liue, least the enimie of mankinde, who is readie at all assaies, and lieth alwaies in waight, should bring them into mischiefe, and take further vauntage to vexe and hurt them. God also by these meanes doeth exercise and trie their faith and pacience, to the end they continue in his word, and receiue nothing contrary to the same, haue it neuer so faire a shewe, nor do any manner of thing against his worde, although those spirites do not straightwayes cease to vexe them.
God doth also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites, for this cause, that they should be the more humble and lowely. For in the second Epistle to the Corinth. and .xii. chap. Paul saith: And least I should be exalted out of mesure, through the excellencie of reuelations, ther was giuen vnto me vnquietnesse through the flesh, euen the messenger of Sathan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure. For this thing besought I the Lord thrice, that it mighte depart from me. And he said vnto me: My grace is sufficient for thée, for my strength is made perfect through weakenesse. Except God did shut vp the way before vs with certaine stops and lets, we should not know our selues, we shoulde not vnderstande whereof we stand in néed, we should not so earnestly pray vnto God, to deliuer vs from euill, to strengthen our faith, and to giue vs patience, and other necessarie things. Neither should we be touched with compassion of other mennes miserie which are vexed with spirits: but we woulde rather say, that they cannot tell what they speake, and that they imagine many vaine feares. Moreouer, if other vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by spirits, they become more patient whensoeuer they are sicke, or otherwise troubled, acknowledging their owne harmes to be but small in comparison of other mens. For nothing is more gréeuous, than when a man is tormented by the Diuel.