And therefore not to be ouercome by death. For the element that is more able to ſuffer then to work, hath the maſterie in thoſe manner of bodyes. Alſo Auſten in the worke De ciuitale Dei. li. 8. ſaith, [1]Demones, fiends be beaſts that ſuffer in the hidden intelligence, reaſonable in thought, euerlaſting in during, airely in body. Auſten ſaith in this manner, rehearſing the opinion, and meaneth, how the fiend was put out of the place that is called Coelum Imperium. Bleſſed heauen, out of the bright place of lyght, into this darke ayre, & is priſoned therin to ſuffer w• & ſorrow: when God ſuffereth him, hée taketh a bodie of the aire, that the lyfe of men be haunted & ſtirred to buſineſſe by his dooing or tempting. Therefore Eſaye calleth him a Smith blowing coales, and ſhaping veſſel to his worke. For by his haunting and aſſayling, the life of good men, that be veſſels of grace, are aſſaied and proued. Eſa. 54. 16.17. I haue made a Smith, &c. Thus he is called by theſe names, and by many other, by the which his venemous woodneſſe is ſhewed. Beda in the gloſe vpon this place. 1. Pe. vlti. Circuit querens quem deuoret. He goeth about & ſeeketh whom he may deuour & eate, ſayth: He goeth about as an enimie beſieging cloſed walls, and ſpieth where he may enter and come in by the féebleſt ſide. He ſheweth vnlawfull ſhapes to the eien: to the intent that by the ſight hée might deſtroy chaſtitie. He tempteth the cares by ſong and melodie, that he might make the chriſtian ſtrength féeble and faint: he prouoketh the tongue by rebuke and ſoule reproch. And to take reuenge, hée tempteth the hande of them that ſuffereth wrong, and ſtirreth thereto, he promiſeth worldly worſhip, that he might cauſe the honour due to Heauen to be ſette at naught. If he may not deceiue with ſlow temptings, he putteth too feareful appearaunces and doubting. He is g•ilefull and deceiuable in peace, & violent in perſecution. Therefore the wit ſhould be as redy prepared to withſtand him, as he is to impugne and aſſaile, Hetherto be the wordes of the Gloſe.
¶ Of peruerſe Angells. Chap. 20.
Euill Angells conſenting to the will of Lucifer, that fell downe, he cloſed in this darke ayre, as it were in priſon without recouerie. They fell out of light into darkneſſe, out of loue into hate and enuie, out of moſt high health into wretchedneſſe, as ſaith Gregorye. Alſo fiends, as they haue more perſeuerance or leſſe, ſome be ſouereignes ouer fiends, & ſome be ſubiects to other fiends, as ſaith Ambroſe vppon Luke. For though fiends be obſtinate in euill, yet they are not ſpoiled vtterly of ſharp wit. For as Iſidore ſaith, they haue thrée māner of ſharpneſſe. For ſome things they knowe by the ſubtiltie of kinde, & ſome by experience and during of times, and ſome things they know by reuealation, and ſhewing of holy ſpirits. Alſo ye fiends as Auſten ſaith, by ſharpneſſe of witte know vertues ſeruiall of things, that we knowe not. The which ſéedes they ſowe by couenable and temporate commixtions of Elements, and ſo they bring forth things of diuerſe kinde. For what that kinde may do by it ſelfe in due time, the ſame the diuell may do ſodeinly by ſwift haſting of the worke of kinde. So by craft of fiends Pharaos witches made ſodeinly ſerpents and frogs, as ſayth the Gloſe, ſuper Exod.
Alſo all the intent of fiends is to do euill, and to moleſt & diſquiet good men. Ath Gregorye. Alſo fiends, as they haue more perſeuerance or leſſe, ſome be ſouereignes ouer fiends, & ſome be ſubiects to other fiends, as ſaith Ambroſe vppon Luke. For though fiends be obſtinate in euill, yet they are not ſpoiled vtterly of ſharp wit. For as Iſidore ſaith, they haue thrée māner of ſharpneſſe. For ſome things they knowe by the ſubtiltie of kinde, & ſome by experience and during of times, and ſome things they know by reuealation, and ſhewing of holy ſpirits. Alſo ye fiends as Auſten ſaith, by ſharpneſſe of witte know vertues ſeruiall of things, that we knowe not. The which ſéedes they ſowe by couenable and temporate commixtions of Elements, and ſo they bring forth things of diuerſe kinde. For what that kinde may do by it ſelfe in due time, the ſame the diuell may do ſodeinly by ſwift haſting of the worke of kinde. So by craft of fiends Pharaos witches made ſodeinly ſerpents and frogs, as ſayth the Gloſe, ſuper Exod.
Alſo all the intent of fiends is to do euill, and to moleſt & diſquiet good men. And therefore oft they trouble the Elements, and make tempeſts in the Sea, & in the aire. They corrupt and deſtroy the fruit of the earth, as appereth Apoc. 7. And much more hnd therefore oft they trouble the Elements, and make tempeſts in the Sea, & in the aire. They corrupt and deſtroy the fruit of the earth, as appereth Apoc. 7. And much more harme wold they do, wer it not the good Angels ye withſtand their mallice: and therefore becauſe they treſpaſſe continuallye whereſoeuer they goe, they beare alwaie with them their pain, as ſaith Gregorie. Alſo Gregory. li. Mo. 32. ſaith, Fiends deſire alway ye wo & ſorrow of good men. But if they haue no power of God, they be not[2] ſufficient to the article of temptation. Therfore when they haue done one hurt or euill, they ſodeinly make them ready to doe another.
