A proofe out of the histories of the auncient Church, and
of the writings of holie Fathers, that there are walking
Spirits.

IF we read ouer the Ecclesiasticall histories, we shall finde many of these examples. Sozomenus writeth in his Ecclesiasticall historie, the sixt booke and 28. chapter, of one Apelles, a black Smyth by occupation (whose name was at that time very famous throughout Egipt, for the gift of working miracles, wherwith he was indewed) who as he was one night hard at his work, had appearing vnto him, a vision of a Diuel in the likenesse and attire of a very beautifull woma, mouing & intising him to the vice of lechery. But he sodenly catching y? iron which he wrought on, glowing hot out of the fire, thrust it in y? diuels face, and scorched his visage, wherat he fretting & crying out, in al hast fled away.

Likewise in his 7. booke and 23. chap. writing of the sedition raised at Antioche, for the immoderat action and tribute which Theodosius layd on the citie in the time of warres, whereby the people being offended, ouerthrew the images of the Emperour and his wife, dragging them in roapes about the citie, and reporting all kinde of villany and dispite against them, thus he saith. But in the night before, assoone as the rebellion began, immediatly at the breake of the day, it is certainly reported there was a straunge sight sÉene, of a woman hauing a huge stature and most horrible looke, running vp and downe the citie through the strÉetes aloft in the aire, whisking & beating the aire with a whip, rendring a fearefull sound. That as men are wont to prouoke wilde beasts to anger, which serue for publike spectacles: euen so it sÉemed, some euil angell by the craft of the diuell stirred vp that commotion amongst the people.

Theodorus Lector, in his first booke of Collectanies, out of the Ecclesiasticall historie writeth, that as Gennadius Patriarch of Constantinople, came downe to the high aultar to make praiers and orizons, there appeared vnto him a certaine vision or spirit in a most horrible shape and figure, which so soone as he had sharply rebuked, straightwaies he heard a voice crying out aloud, y? so log as he liued he would giue place & cease, but when he was once dead, he would surely ransack and spoyle the Church. Which when y? good father heard, he ernestly praied for y? preseruation of the church, & soone after departed this life. There are many things to be read in Gregori⁹ Nicephor⁹, who setteth foorth Nicephorus. Ecclesiastical matters at large, & Abdias in the liues of the Apostles, concerning visions, dreames, miracles of saints, and also appearings of spirites. For wise men iudge, they were more diligent & ready in describing such things, than in other matters, which might haue bin to greater purpose and much more profitable for the readers to vnderstand.

He that readeth ouer the Histories, which in times past haue bene written, (and that especially by Monkes) shall mÉete with an innumerable company of these sorts: Yet by the way I must nÉedes say this, that verie many things haue bin written by them, which the Readers may iustly suspect, and stand in great doubt of.

Ludouicus Viues, Beatus Rhenanus, and many other learned men of our time, in describing other things, doo finde great fault with the Chronicles written by Monkes, for that they were gathered togither by vnlearned dolts without any iudgement. But let euery man estÉeme of them as he list. For albeit there are diuers things in them very foolish and ridiculous, yet it may be well thought that many things were so in very dÉed, as they haue committed them to writing.

A man shall mÉete with many places concerning visions Ambrose. and appearings of spirits, euen in the old fathers also. S. Ambrose in his 90. Sermon, writeth of a noble Virgin named Agnes, who was crowned with martirdome for the professio of christian religion. And as her parents watched one night by her graue, they saw about midnight, a goodly company of Virgins cloathed in golden vayles, amongst whome also was their daughter, arraied like vnto the rest: who willing the other Virgins to staie awhile, turning her selfe towards her parents, willed them in any case, not to bewaile her as if she were dead, but rather to reioyce with her, for that she had obteined of God eternal life. Which assoon as she had spoken, she immediatly vanisht vanisht out of sight.

S. Augustin declareth in his booke, De cura pro mortuis agenda, that when the Citie of Nola was besieged by the Barbariens, the citizens saw Felix the martyr plainly appearing vnto them. Touching S. Gregorie, who in his Dialogues writeth many such things, we will entreate hereafter when his turne commeth.

Ye shall read of many such like, in the liues of the auncient Fathers, which al are not to be reiected as vain and fabulous, for some part of them written by graue and learned men, whereof letting the rest passe for breuitie sake, I will rehearse one short historie.

It is to be sÉene in the life of Ioannes Chrysostom, that Basiliscus Bishop of Comane (who suffered as a Martir with Lucianus the priest at Antioch, vnder Maximianus the Emperour) appeared vnto Saint Chrysostome, when hee was in exile, and sayd vnto him: Brother Iohn, be of good comfort, for to morrow we shall be togither. But first he appeared to the priest of that Church, and sayd vnto him: prepare a place for our deare brother Iohn, who will shortly come hither. Which things the euent proued afterwards to be true.

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