A Confutation of their arguments, which would haue
Samuel himselfe to appeare.

WE will now come to the Confutatio 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.

Furthermore, holie Scripture dooth vse to speake of things, rather according to the opinion and iudgement of men, than according to the substaunce and true bÉeing which they haue indÉede. So Iesus is called the Sonne of Ioseph, and Iosephe named his father, whereas notwithstanding, our Sauiour Christ Iesus, was borne of a chaste and vnspotted Virgine, without any helpe of man. And yet neuerthelesse many of the Iewes, imagined, that 1. Cor. 1. he was the Sonne of Ioseph. In the 1. Cor. 1. the Gospel it selfe is named foolishnesse, because that men did account the great wisedome of God but as mÉere foolishnesse. So in the 1. Cor. 10. first Epistle to the Corinthians, and tenth chapter, the scripture tearmeth them gods, which be nothing lesse than so Iere. 10. Psal. 96. indÉed. And that for this cause onely, for that the Heathen tooke them for gods, and so did worship them. Euen so the scripture doeth tearme the Diuell Samuel, because Saule thought him to be Samuel in very dÉed.

An other reason they vse, that Samuel foreshewed vnto Saule suche thinges as afterwardes should come to passe: as that the Philistians should in battayle ouerthrowe his Armie, and he and his sonnes togither be slaine. And all these thinges came to passe according to his Prophesie. And say they, the Diuel knoweth not, neither can he foretell of things to come, sith it is onely in Gods power so to Iohn 8. doo: But as Christ in the eight of Iohn saith, he is a lyar, and the father of lies. Hereunto a man may easily answere: The Diuell knewe howe things stoode with the Iewes, and the Philistines, he vnderstood euen the very secret consultations, priuie practises, and warlike preparation on both sides. He sawe that the Israelites were slenderly addressed vnto battaile, and vtterly daunted of courage. Besides this, Samuel had a little before threatned Saule with Gods heauie wrath and vengeance, and that Dauid should be aduaunced to the kingly throne, whereby he might easily gather what would ensue, and that Saule must nÉedes giue place to Dauid. And if the euent had bene otherwise, yet he knew that Saule with this prophesie would be quite dismaied, and driuen to dispaire: which thing must nÉedes well content and please Sathan, who laieth his baites day and night to intrappe men.

The Diuell dooth not presently vnderstand things to come, and therefore he giueth doubtfull answeres to such as sÉeke oracles of him: As when he said,

Croesus perdet Halin transgressus plurima regna.

That is, Cresus passing ouer the riuer, Halis shall ouerturne many kingdomes. And yet oftentimes he gathereth one thing no otherwise than by an other. Hereof writeth Augustine in the 26. 27. 28. Chapters of his Booke De Anima. The Diuel is one which hath bene long beaten in experience, the which thing in all affaires and matters is of very great force. For olde and practised souldiours doo by and by foresÉe to what issue things will come, but yoong men, and such as want experience, doo not forthwith espie out the euent of each enterprise. Moreouer, the Diuels are very actiue, and can soone dispatch their matters. The Marriners knowe when windes and stormes will arise. Husbandmen also are not destitute of their prognostications. The skilfull Astronomer can many yeares before exactly foretell when there will happen an Eclipse of the Sunne and Moone. The Phisitian by the criticall dayes, pulse, and vrine, can lightly iudge whether his patient shall liue or no: builders sÉe before hand when an house will fall, and a practised souldioure can straightwayes iudge who shall winne the victorie. And what maruaile then may it be, if the Diuell an olde trained souldiour, can sometimes foreshew some certain thing? Shall we be of this minde, that so many yeares experience hath broughte them no knowledge at all? Otherwhiles he telleth things which be true indÉed, and yet to no other end, but that he may thereby purchase a certaine credite vnto his lying, to seduce the ignorant.

For euen that counterfeit Samuell, made wise, as if he had taken it in very ill part, that Saule did so molest and disquiet him, and that he should be forced to talke with him: he vseth farther the words as it were of Samuel himselfe. And hereof it commeth, that many gather, he was the true Samuel indÉede. But what doth not Sathan deuise, to deceiue men, and to force them vnto desperation? Here I could alleage examples of suche as haue bin perswaded, that they sawe and heard this and that man, and moreouer knewe them perfectly by their speeche: whereas they haue afterwards had euident intelligence, that they were at that time many miles distant from them. So craftie is the Diuell, and knoweth how to worke these and many other feates.

There are farther, diuers places alleaged out of the auncient Fathers, that sÉeme to make for them, whiche affirme that true Samuell appeared vnto Saule. But these places wÉe haue before for the moste parte aunsweared. For albeit Augustine in some places mooue a doubte, whether it were the true Samuel or no, yet in certaine other places hee lyketh and beste alloweth their opinion, who denie Samuel to haue appeared at all, taking rather that kinde of spÉech, for tropicall and figuratiue.

Iustine the Martir, who is one of the most auncient Fathers, reasoning against Trypho a Iewe, writeth in his Colloquio, that the couetous Sorceresse at Saules commaundement raysed vp Samuels soule. And no man shoulde maruaile hÉereat, sith that the selfesame Author doeth by and by adde, that he is of this iudgement, that all the soules of Prophettes and iust menne are subiect vnto suche power as a man may in verie dÉed belÉeue, to haue bene on this grÉedie and subtile Witche. But this none of the Fathers will graunt him. Other GrÉeke writers also, whiche in their tender yeares applied theyr mindes to Philosophie, and not to the studie of holy Scriptures, and afterwardes were conuerted to Christianitie, doo sette foorthe in their writings certaine opinions which are not agrÉeable to the word of God. Wherefore it nÉede not sÉeme a straunge thing to any manne, that Iustine the Martire in some pointes had his errors.

The same Authour in Responsionibus ad Orthodoxos, question 52. mainteineth the contrary assertion. For, saith he, whatsoeuer things were done by that hungry Witche, were indÉede the workes of the Diuell, who did so dazle the eyes of such as beheld him, that it sÉemed vnto them, they sawe Samuel himselfe, when in verie dÉede hÉe was not there. But the truth of his words procÉeded from God, who gaue the diuel power to appeare vnto the Sorceresse, and to declare vnto her, that which should afterwards come to passe. &c.

If any man obiect that this woorke is not rightly ascribed vnto Iustine, (for so muche as hÉe doth make mention of Origen, and Ireneus the Martire, whereas notwithstanding hee him selfe was martyred before them. And farther, speaketh of the Manichees, who were in their ruffe long after this time. Hereunto we answere, that if this booke were not written by Iustine, yet (as may appeare) some other learned Clarke wrote that worke, whose authoritie might carry away as great credit as Iustines, sith that the same doth fully agrÉe with holie scripture. Furthermore we may set against Iustine, other holy Fathers, as Tertullian and Chrysostome, of whom we haue before spoken, who haue by holy scripture instructed vs, that it was not Samuell indÉede whiche appeared vnto Gregorius. Saule. We will hereafter say somewhat of Gregorie, who no doubt was a learned and godly Father, but yet too simple and light of belÉefe.

And the Fathers themselues deny, that a man should subscribe vnto their opinion in ought that they doo maintaine and auouche without the warrant of Gods word. The Popes out of Augustine written in their DecrÉes, Quest. 9. ca. Noli, that a man should credit none of the Fathers except he proued his saying out of holy Scriptures. But in these dayes many cull nothing out of their bookes but errours, and whatsoeuer they maintaine by good testimony of the holy scriptures, that they reiect and disanull: in which point they do fitly resemble those children, who only in things wicked and euil, imitate their good parents: for good men also haue their faultes.

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