And ſo when fiends ſhuld be put out of that men that they were in, they praied that they might enter into ſwine. For to the end they might fulfill theyr mallice, they deſire alſo to grieue brute beaſts, when the might of God letteth them, that they may not moleſt men: alſo li. 14. after the diuers complections of ſundry men, they ordeine guiles of temtation to catch them. For they tempt light conceited men to lechery, and euill diſpoſed men to diſcorde and ſtrife, and fearefull men to vaine hope, and proude men to take too much vpon them: Alſo in li. 22. Firſt the olde enemie tempteth, as it were counſailing, he entiſeth liking attempts and vnlawfull, after he draweth to delectation, & at the laſt to conſent: and when he hath a man in, he ouerſetteth him with a violent vſage & cuſtome: wherfore of him it is ſaid: Iob. 41. Stringit caudam, &c. Alſo Gregory ſaith, li. 32. The guilefull enimie ouercommeth no man by might, but by guile of venimous perſwaſions, and by the guilfull counſells he ſlaieth. For while liking things appeare or ſéeme pleaſantly, they bend the heart to euill. Item. li. 25. Now he appeareth to men as he is loſt. And now as an Angell of light, he ſheweth himſelfe, Item. li. 34. In the ende of the world, he ſhall be ſo much the more feruent to madneſſe, through malice, that he is ſo nigh to ye dome, & to pain infernal. Item. ibidem. Then the falſe enemie ſhal ſéeke and bethinke wickedly all that hée will, then will hee aduaunce thē proude folke an high: and by him man ſhall be dampned by his owne déeds, and he ſhal wickedly ſhew all the euill that he can. Item ibidem. li. 34. When all the companie of heauen cōmeth to iudgement, then ye old enimy the diuell, the griſly beaſt & ſtrong, ſhall be brought forth before the dome as a priſoner. And he ſhall be put into the fire of hell without end, and his adherents with him: Where ſhall bee a wonderfull ſight when this huge griſlye beaſt ſhal be ſhewed to ye eyen of good men. Theſe fewe of full manye properties of euill ſpirits, & of the effect of them ſpoken, ſhall ſuffice for to paſſe ſhortly. And who that deſireth to knowe the properties, workes, and priue falſe accuſations of this Sathanas, let him throughly read Gregories booke vppon Iob. And ſpecially the two laſt Chapters. 40. and. 41.
FINIS SECVNDI LIBRI.
¶ INCIPIT LIBER TERTIVS
¶ Of the properties of the ſoule reaſonable.
By the help of Ieſu Chriſt, in the foreſaid bookes, we haue brought in brieflye ſome properties of bodileſſe ſubſtance, of ye eſſence of God, & qualitie of Angels: Now with his helpe we ſhal turne our ſtile to bodily creatures, and we ſhal begin at the worthieſt of creatures, that to man, that hath kinde and propertie as well of bodies as of ſpirits.
¶ Of the deſcription of man. Chap. 1.
A man is of all other creatures néereſt in likeneſſe vnto God,[1] milde after kinde by the lawe of reaſon, receiuing doctrine and ſkills, hauing the Image of God by the might of knowledge, and the likeneſſe in power of louing. Farther to the intent the properties of men ſhuld be the more openly known to vnlearned men & ſimple, of his parties, of yt which he is made & compoſed, we ſhal ſhortly begin to intreat: and firſt of ye worthier kind, yt
- ↑ Iſidorus.
