And that the diuell doth delude men with straunge happes, hereof I gather, that if any be taken with gréeuous sicknesse, so that not onely the Phisitian, but also the sicke themselues dispaire of their owne health, in the night time there is heard a noyse as if one were making a coffin or chest to laie one in, or were burying a dead bodie: that suppose I to be an illusion of the diuil, for he thinketh verily the diseased will die, whom God by meanes of godly and earnest praiers, doth restore againe to his former health. [Sidenote: Plinie.] Where =Plinie= writeth that rauens are of such sharp senses, that they will flie thrée or foure dayes before, vnto the place where carryon will afterwardes be, it is altogither vaine and fabulous. If this were graunted, it were no absurditie to say, that the diuell hath a knowledge of things to come, yea euen where there are no naturall causes, &c. Moreouer he may by Gods permission, if warres and mutinies be towards, stirre the instruments of warre, and all other kinde of munition as it lyeth in the Armorie, he can make a noyse and reare a clamour and crie, as it were of a great Armie in the aire, and play as it were on a Drum, and do other such things, which all Historiographers affirme with one voyce, haue oftentimes chaunced. CHAP. XVII. That it is no hard thing for the Diuell to appeare in diuers shapes, and to bring to passe straunge things. But it is no difficult matter for the Diuel to appeare in diuers shapes, not only of those which are aliue, but also of dead men, (whereof I spake also before, when I entreated of Samuels appearing) yea, and (which is a lesse matter) in the fourme of beasts and birds, &c. as to appeare in the likenesse of a blacke Dog, a Horse, an Owle, and also to bring incredible things to passe, it is a thing most manifest: for hee may through long and great experience, vnderstand the effects and force of naturall things, as of hearbes, stones, &c. and by meanes hereof worke maruellous matters. And then he is a subtile and quicke spirite, which can readily take things in hand, which in each thing is of no small weight. By his quicknesse, and by his knowledge in naturall things, he may easily deceiue the eye sight, and other senses of man, and hide those things which are before our face, and conuey other things into their places. Whereof the holy scriptures, and histories, and continuall experience beareth record. How did the wicked spirit handle =Iob=? what did he not bring to passe in short space? What straunge workes of an euil spirit did =Bileam= bring to passe? did he not purchase a famous name by his Magicall Artes? what wonderfull great miracles did =Pharaos= Sorcerers? Did not =Simon Magus= so bewitch the _Samaritanes_ with his vnlawfull Artes, that he would say he was the great vertue of God? Touching this Coniurer, the olde Fathers write many things, as =Ireneus= in his first booke and tenth Chapter, =Eusebius= in his second booke and thirtéenth Chapter.