Diuels doo sometimes bid men doo those things which
are good, and auoide things that are euill: sometimes
they tell truth, and for what cause.

I F those spirites which sÉeke helpe at mens hands be not soules, but Diuels, many will say, why then do they perswade men vnto good things, exhort them vnto vertue, and call them from vice. For they say, Iudge vprightly, take hÉede of theft and extortion, restore goods vniustly gotten vnto their owners, beware of periurie, surfets, and drunkennesse, enuie and hatred, lying and deceit, pray earnestly, come to church often, &c.

The Diuell is not pleased when wÉe doo good, and auoide euill: nothing woulde grÉeue him more, than that we should liue accordyng to the prescript worde of God. Therefore they are not Diuels which bid vs doo good, and eschue euil.

Moreouer, those Spirites speake truthe, but the Diuell is a lyer, and is called by Christe, the father of lyes. Therefore wÉe may not say that they are diuellish Spirits.

Vnto this argument I aunswere thus: hÉe dooth this for his owne aduantage. If he should shewe himselfe so, as he is by nature, he should little profit. That whiche he doth, he doth it to this ende, that he may purchase credite vnto his words, and that he might the better thrust other things vpon men, and bring and driue them into sundry errours, whereby they forsaking the worde of God might giue care vnto Spirites. Did not the seruaunts of vncleane Spirits, I meane false Prophets, come in times past vnder shÉepes skinnes, and fayned themselues to tender the peoples commoditie, whereas in very dÉed in the meane space they sought after another thing, that is, that when they had obteined great authoritie, they might pill and poule other men, and fill their owne bags with golde and siluer? Do not all heretickes yet at this day say, they are sent from God, and that we must eschue wickednesse, and sÉeke after vertue? Didst thou neuer heare that thÉeues trauelling by the way with those on whose company they light, haue talked of liuing honestly, and of the punishment of wicked men, and the rewarde of good men, to the ende that after they might take y? aduantage of them vnawares? Whereas the Diuell hath fayned himselfe to bee otherwise than he is, it hath brought forth innumerable errors, superstitions, and false worshippings in the Churche of God. For Bishops in proces of time neglected the word of God, they would accept the Diuell and receiue him as an Angell of light, when he came not in a blacke and horrible, but a pleasaunt and acceptable forme. He speaketh some good things, that he may intermedle euil things therwith, he speaketh truth, that he may scatter abroade lyes, and roote them in mens hearts. So Simon in Virgil, mingled falshood with truth, that he might the better entrape the Troians.

Sathan doth imitate craftie gamesters, who suffer a plaine and simple yoong man to winne a while of them, that afterwards being grÉedie to play, they may lurch him of all his golde and siluer. He followeth them which once or twise iustly repaie vnto their creditors such money as they haue borrowed, kÉeping their promise duly, that afterwards they may obtaine a great summe of them, and then deceiue them.

The diuel sometimes vttereth the truth, that his words may haue the more credit, and that he may the more easily beguile them. He that would vtter euil wares, doth not only set them foorth in words, but doth also so trim and decke them, that they sÉeme excellent good, whereby they are the more saleable: this Art also the diuel knoweth, for he painteth out his stuffe that he may obtrude it vnto other men in Ambrose. the stÉede of good ware. S. Ambrose writeth in his Commentaries vpon the first Epistle to the Thessalonians, and fift chapter, expounding these words: Quench not the spirit. Despise not prophecying. Examine all things, and keepe that which is good. Euill spirites are wont to speake good things craftily, as it were by imitation, and amongst those they priuily insinuate wicked thinges, that by meanes of those things which are good, euil things may be admitted, and because they are supposed the words of one spirit, they may not be discerned asunder, but by that which is lawfull an vnlawfull thing may bee commended by authoritie of the name, and not by reason of vertue, &c.

Hereunto appertaine those words which we reade in S. Chrysostomes second sermon De Lazara. There he sheweth that many simple men haue bene in this erroure, that they haue thought the soules of those which were slaine by some violent death, did become Diuels. He saith further, that the Diuell hath perswaded many Witches, and such as serue him being in this erroure, that they should kill the tender bodies of many yong men, hoping they shuld become Diuels, and doo them seruice. And by and by he addeth: But these things are not true, no, I say, they are not. What is it then that Diuels say? I am the soule of such a Monke? Verily I belÉeue it not, euen for this, that Diuels doo auouche it: for they deceiue their auditours. Wherefore Paule also commaundeth them to silence, albeit they speake truth, lest taking occasion by truth, they mingle lyes therewith, and so purchase themselues credit. For when they had said: These men are the seruants of the most high God, shewing vnto you the way of saluation: Acts16. The Apostle not content herewith, commaunded the prophecying spirite vnto silence, and to come foorth of the mayd. And yet what harme speake they? These men are the seruantes of the most high God. But because the most parte of simple men haue not vnderstanding alwayes to iudge of those things which are vttered by diuels, he at once Marke.1. Luke.4. excludeth them from all credit. Thou art (saith he) of the number of infamous spirites, it belongeth not to thÉe to speake frÉely, hold thy peace, kÉepe silence, it is not thy office to preach. This is the authoritie of the Apostles: why takest thou vppon thÉe that which appertaineth not vnto thÉe, hold thy peace, be thou infamous. So also did Christ sharply rebuke the diuels saying vnto him: We know thÉe who thou art, therein prescribing vnto vs a lawe, that we should in no wise trust the diuel, albeit he tell the truth.

Sith we know these things, let vs in no wise belÉeue the diuel, nay rather if he say any thing that is truth, let vs flÉe from him and shunne him. For it is not lawfull exactly to learne sounde and wholesome doctrine of diuels, but out of the holy scriptures.

That you may therfore know that it can in no wise be, that a soule once departed out of the bodie can come vnder the tyrannie of the diuell, heare what S. Paule saith: For he that is dead is iustified from sinne, that is, he sinneth no more. For if the

diuil can do no hurt vnto the soule while it is in the bodie,
it is euident, he cannot hurt it when it is departed
out of the bodie. &c. By all these
things it is plaine, what manner of
things those are which are
heard and sÉene.