Seeing of spirites to the wicked is a punishment.
Now as touching infidells, they are constrained, will they, or nill they, to confesse, that there are diuels, for there are many which would neuer be persuaded, there are good or euill Angels or spirits, except sometimes they had experience thereof indeede. God suffereth these things to chasten them. For so muche as they will giue no place vnto truth, but are wilfully deceiued, it is good reason they be taught by diuellish illusions what they must doo, or leaue vndone, and that they be illuded by euil spirits, after some other meanes.
Deut. 13.
Thus we reade in the 13. chapter of Deuteronomie: if there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames, and giue thée a signe and wonder, and that signe or wonder that he hath saide come to passe, and then say, let vs goe after straunge Gods, which thou hast not knowne, and let vs serue them: hearkē not thou vnto the words of that prophet, or dreamer of dreames. For the Lorde thy God proueth you, to wit, whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your soule. Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him, kéepe his commandements, and hearken vnto his voice, serue him and cleaue vnto him. And he addeth further, that the same prophet or dreamer shall die the death.
By these words we do not only sée that God doth suffer suche lewde fellowes to worke maruellous thinges, but also to what ende and purpose he permitteth it, that is, to trie his faithfull, how constant they be, and how faithfully they would beléeue in him, if at any time spirits do come and foretell things to happen hereafter. Our Sauiour Iohn 3. Christ saith in the third Chapter of Saint Iohn: This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loued darknesse more than light, because their deedes were euill: for euery one that doth euill, hateth the light, neither commeth he to the light, least his déedes should be reproued, &c. By the which words our Sauiour sheweth the cause why the worlde is condemned, which is, because they receiue not the light of the word of God, or Christe himselfe, who is the light of the worlde, set foorth vnto vs in his word: but rather shut their eyes against the cleare light, preferring darkenesse, that is, errors, superstition, and wickednesse, before the word of God. If God then condemne and reiect the vnthankfull world, what maruell is it, if hee vexe them with spirites and vaine apparitions? Iohn 5. Christ saieth in the fifth of Iohn, I come in my Fathers name, and you receiue mée not: If an other come in his owne name, you receiue him.
Christe laboured for their health and saluation: this they would not acknowledge, but refused him: therefore was it the iust iudgement of God, that they shuld receiue others, that hunted after their owne commoditie and profit: suche as were Theudas, Iudas of Galilee, and many other false doctors, and seditious seducers. Wherefore if any refuse to giue eare to Christ and his Ministers, it is by the iust iudgement of God, that they hearken vnto spirites, and 2. Thessa. 2. suche lyke things. Sainte Paule in the seconde to the Thessalonians and second Chapter, writeth of Antichrist, that he shoulde exercise great tyrannie in the Churche of God, and sheweth against whome, and for what cause God will suffer him so to doo, saying: Among them that perish: because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued. And therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they shoulde beléeue lyes, that all they might be damned, whiche beléeue not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. And in the fourth Chapter 2. Timo. 4. of his seconde Epistle to Timothie, he earnestly beséecheth his scholler to be diligent in preaching daily. He giueth this reason: for the time will come, when they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine: but after their owne lustes shall they (whose eares itche,) get them an heape of teachers, and shall withdrawe their eares from the truth, and shalbe turned vnto fables. Now we sée the cause why god dothe suffer seducers, false teachers, and wicked spirites, to deceiue men in the place of true doctours: which is, for that eyther they vtterly despise his woorde or little estéeme it, and cannot abide godly and constant preachers.
Examples of the Wicked punished by delusions of spirits pharao. Exodus.
Touching whiche matter, wée will alleage a fewe examples. Pharao contemned God and his seruants, Moyses and Aaron, wherefore God blinded his eyes, that he gaue himselfe to be ruled by his Magi or wise men, and at the last perished miserably in the red Sea.
Samuel.
Saule would not giue eare vnto Samuell, who bare a right hart and good affection towards his king: he loued him not (as by reason he shoulde haue done) but hated him, and all other that loued him right well, for he contemnned the woorde of God. Wherefore it came to passe, that being in extreme daunger, he sought helpe of a witch to reare Samuel from the dead, yͭ he might now vse his aduise, whō he dispised beeing aliue, and disdained to heare him. This woman reareth one, who is no otherwise called Samuell, than when false gods, are called gods, when in very déede they are not gods, but wood and stones, or rather Paul 1. Cor.10. saith) .1. Corin. 10. very diuels. This counterfeit Samuel giueth him neither comfort nor Counsell, but driueth him to vtter desperation. The same hapned vnto Saule which chaunceth vnto those stubborne children, whiche despise their parents, contemne their counsel, & would gladly wish their death, and at the last grow vnto yͤ point, yͭ they would willingly take in hand a great iorney on condition it might be graunted them to heare them giue their last counsell.