Demonology -- Early works to 1800; Magic -- Early works to 1800; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800
What need manie words to confute this fable? For if _Gregorie_ had
beene an honest man, he would never have willinglie permitted, that the
people should have beene further cousened with such a lieng spirit:
or if he had beene halfe so holie as _Eusebius_ maketh him, he would
not have consented or yeelded to so lewd a request of the priest,
nor have written such an impious letter, no not though good might
have come thereof. And therefore as well by the impossibilitie and
follie conteined therein, as of the impietie (whereof I dare excuse
_Gregorie_) you maie perceive it to be a lie. Me thinks they which
still mainteine that the divell made answer in the idoll of _Apollo_,
&c: maie have sufficient persuasion to revoke their erronious opinions:
in that it appeareth in record, that such men as were skilfull in
augurie, did take upon them to give oracles at _Delphos_, in the place
of _Apollo_: of which number _Tisanius_ the sonne of _Antiochus_
was one. But vaine is the answer of idols. Our Rood of grace, with
the helpe of little S. _Rumball_, was not inferior to the idoll of
_Apollo_: for these could not onlie worke externall miracles, but
manifest the internall thoughts of the hart, I beleeve with more
livelie shew, both of humanitie and also of divinitie, than the other.
As if you read M. _Lamberts_ booke of the perambulation of _Kent_,
it shall partlie appeare. But if you talke with them that have beene
beholders thereof, you will be satisfied herein. And yet in the blind
time of poperie, no man might (under paine of damnation) nor without
danger of death, suspect the fraud. Naie, what papists will yet
confesse they were idols, though the wiers that made their eies gogle,
the pins that fastened them to the postes to make them seeme heavie,
were seene and burnt together with the images themselves, the knaverie
of the priests bewraied, and everie circumstance thereof detected and
manifested?
♦Zach. 10.♦
♦_W. Lambert in titulo Boxley._♦
The seventh Chapter.
_How diverse great clarkes and good authors have beene abused
in this matter of spirits through false reports, and by meanes
of their credulitie have published lies, which are confuted by
Aristotle and the scriptures._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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