If our Elders, when they haue séene or heard any thing of one that hath bene trauelling or dead, did say it is his spirit, it may be, they ment not his soule, but his Angel: for if when as spirits were séene now in this place, and by and by in an other place, they did thinke them to be soules (as in these latter times all men haue beléeued:) in this they were deceiued, as they haue bene in many other things also, for soules are by and by receiued, eyther into euerlasting ioy, or into eternall damnation. If the Preachers and Teachers had done their duties, and had in this and other pointes of Christian Doctrine, rightly instructed the people committed to their charge, or at the least, if they had not forbidden them to reade the holy scriptures, they would haue thought aright both of this, and other things which at this day are in controuersie. CHAP. XII. Concerning the holy Fathers, Councels, Bishops, and common people, which say that soules do visibly appeare. [Sidenote: The holy Fathers say that soules appear.] [Sidenote: Ambrose.] [Sidenote: Augustine.] [Sidenote: Gregorie.] The authoritie of the holie Fathers is obiected against vs, as that which Saint =Ambrose= writeth of Saint =Agnes=, and Saint =Augustine= of Saint =Felix=, of which we haue spoken before. And that which =Abdias= hath in the life of the Apostles, that =Thomas= appeared after his death and preached. Saint =Gregorie= in his Dialogues, doth write diuerse and wondrous things, among others he rehearseth many examples of the dead which appeared, and desired helpe of certaine Saintes, yea and of the Apostles themselues, whiche haue visited some vppon their death beddes, a little before they departed, and many other suche lyke matters, which they that list may read themselues. It is saide that =Hierome= appeared to Saint =Augustine=. [Sidenote: Many things fabulous in Gregories Dialogues.] I will not in this place accuse the holie Fathers of vanitie, yet this we must note, they say not they haue beléeued that they whiche appeared, were the soules of dead men, but they spake after the common manner. As touching S. =Gregories= Dialogues, I cannot hide, this (which many haue noted before mee) that many things are conteined in them that are nothing true, but altogither like old wives tales. Not because the holie Father hath written these things of malice, but for that he being too too credulous, hath put many things into his bookes, rather vppon other mens report, than that he himselfe knew them certainly to be true. At this day also there are many honest and godlie men which haue this faulte, that they are too quicke of beléefe, and altogither ruled by others. They iudge other men by themselues, they would be ashamed to reporte any thing that were false, and thinke suche men in like manner to be affectioned, which doe abuse their simplicitie and goodnesse. Oftentimes these men, through their too muche lightnesse of beléefe, fall into great daungers.