As he that bare himſelfe not rightfully in the higheſt place, ſhould nowe by the order of righteouſneſſe holde himſelfe in the loweſt place. Therefore Saints call him Diabolus, a Diuel, as it were Deorſum ruens, falling downe.[1] And hée hath many other names, by the which his wickedneſſe is knowne by ſignification of names. Hée is called Demon, and Plato in Thimeo calleth him Cacodemon, that is to vnderſtand, knowing euill. For Demon is to vnderſtand, knowing. And he is called ſo for ſharpneſſe that hée hath of kindly wit. Hée is ſharpe in wit of kinde, and by experience of time, in knowing and vnderſtanding of Scriptures, as ſayth Beda, and alſo Damaſcene. Chap. 18. Héereof ſpeaketh Iſidore. lib. 7. chap. vltimo, and ſayth that the Gréekes call fiendes wiſe, that is, cunning. For they knowe before manye thinges that ſhall fall and come after. Therefore they bée wont to giue many aunſweres. For in them is more knowledge of things then is in men, and that is the more becauſe of ſubtilneſſe of wit, and for long continuaunce and experience, and ſomewhat they knowe by reuealations of good Angells, by the commaundement of God. Theſe fiendes bée nigh in kinde to the bodyes of the aire: For before they treſpaſſed they had heauenlye bodyes. And fithence their ſliding & fall, they be turned into qualitie of ayre. And they bée ſuffered to holde theſe ſpaces of the darke ayre, that is to them a priſon vnto the dome. Theſe bée the Angells that treſpaſſed, and their Prince is the Diuell. Alſo he is called Sathan, that is to ſay, contrarie, or an aduerſarie. For by corruption of mallice he is contrarye to God, as ſaith Hierome. By deſperate attempting hée taketh more vppon him then he may doe, as ſaith the Gloſe. Eſay. 16. Maior eſt arrogancia eius, &c. His bragge and his boaſt is more then his might. For as Hierome ſayth: He had leauer be, then not bée, becauſe hée woulde fight againſt God, though hée knowe, that his harme ſhould encreaſe thereby.
Alſo hée is called Beemoth. Iob. 40. Ecce Beemoth, Beemoth is as much to ſay, as an Oxe, or a beaſt.[2] The fiende, as an Oxe deſireth to eate heye, with the tooth of his temptaion, ſeeketh to chewe and to frette the cleane lyfe of good men. The fiende loueth fleſhlye likinges. Alſo he is called Leuiathan, that is, a thing put to. Iob. 40. For as Gregorye ſayth, hée putteth harme to harme, and ceaſeth not to put paine to paine. Alwaye as the treſpaſſe of him & of his, increaſeth, ſo the paine increaſeth alſo. Alſo hee is called Appollion in Gréeke, that is, a deſtroyer, as appeareth Apocalipſis, 15. For by mallice that ſtirreth him, he deſireth to deſtroy the goodneſſe of vertues that God planteth in the holye Church, and among good ſoules, as it is ſayde in the Pſalme,[3] Exterminauit eam aper de ſilua, &c.
Alſo hée is commonlye called Diabolus, that is, fléeting downeward, by vnderſtanding in Hebrewe. For hée diſpiſed to ſtande in peace in the highneſſe of Heauen, hée was worthy to fall downeward by the weight of his pride. And hée is called Criminator in Gréeke, a curſer and blamer, either for that hée intiſeth or inflameth vnto offences and ſinnes, or elſe for that hée infecteth innocently good men with blame and falſe accuſations, as it is ſayde Apocalipſis. 12. Proiectus eſt accuſator, &c. and as ſaith Iſidore. Ethimol. 51. 8.[4] Alſo beſide theſe names in holye writte, his mallice is many wayes noted. For hée is called a Serpent or a Dragon, for his venimous and guiſefull cruelneſſe. Apocalipſis. 12. Hée is called a Lyon for his open violence. 1. Pet. vltimo.
Tanquam Leo rugiens. And he is called a Boare, for he is obſtinate and rooted in ſhrewdeneſſe. Eſare. 25. And hée is called a crooked and waywarde Addar, for his looking in the darke ayre. And therefore Auſten rehearſeth Platoes opinion of fiendes, that hée called Cacodemones, ſuper Geneſiſliber. 8. & habet. liber. 5. ſiue diſtinctione. 8. Caput. primo. And ſayth, that Fiendes bée called ayrelye beaſtes, for they liue in bodyes that be airely.
