God doth also suffer them to be exercised with haunting of spirites, for this cause, that they should be the more humble and lowely. For in the second Epistle to the Corinth. and .xii. chap. =Paul= saith: And least I should be exalted out of mesure, through the excellencie of reuelations, ther was giuen vnto me vnquietnesse through the flesh, euen the messenger of Sathan to buffet me, because I should not be exalted out of measure. For this thing besought I the Lord thrice, that it mighte depart from me. And he said vnto me: My grace is sufficient for thée, for my strength is made perfect through weakenesse. Except God did shut vp the way before vs with certaine stops and lets, we should not know our selues, we shoulde not vnderstande whereof we stand in néed, we should not so earnestly pray vnto God, to deliuer vs from euill, to strengthen our faith, and to giue vs patience, and other necessarie things. Neither should we be touched with compassion of other mennes miserie which are vexed with spirits: but we woulde rather say, that they cannot tell what they speake, and that they imagine many vaine feares. Moreouer, if other vnderstande that godly men are for their exercise vexed by spirits, they become more patient whensoeuer they are sicke, or otherwise troubled, acknowledging their owne harmes to be but small in comparison of other mens. For nothing is more gréeuous, than when a man is tormented by the Diuel. [Sidenote: Seeing of spirites to the wicked is a punishment.] Now as touching infidells, they are constrained, will they, or nill they, to confesse, that there are diuels, for there are many which would neuer be persuaded, there are good or euill Angels or spirits, except sometimes they had experience thereof indeede. God suffereth these things to chasten them. For so muche as they will giue no place vnto truth, but are wilfully deceiued, it is good reason they be taught by diuellish illusions what they must doo, or leaue vndone, and that they be illuded by euil spirits, after some other meanes. [Sidenote: _Deut._ 13.] Thus we reade in the 13. chapter of Deuteronomie: if there arise among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreames, and giue thée a signe and wonder, and that signe or wonder that he hath saide come to passe, and then say, let vs goe after straunge Gods, which thou hast not knowne, and let vs serue them: hearkē not thou vnto the words of that prophet, or dreamer of dreames. For the Lorde thy God proueth you, to wit, whether ye loue the Lord your God with all your soule. Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him, kéepe his commandements, and hearken vnto his voice, serue him and cleaue vnto him. And he addeth further, that the same prophet or dreamer shall die the death. [Sidenote: _Iohn_ 3.] [Sidenote: _Iohn_ 5.] [Sidenote: 2. _Thessa._ 2.] [Sidenote: 2. _Timo._ 4.]