Theophilus. It is not now need, that they take such pains, for to drive away the devils or the sorcerers from them. For their was never sorcerer, conjurer nor enchanter, that abused more vile and shamefully the bodies of men, nor to the greater dishonour of God and hurt of all the Christianity, then the Priests and Monks, who in stead of the conjuring, that is to say, divination by the dead that the Paynims and Infidels have exercised and used, they have set up & erected a necrolatry, that is to say, an 1adoration and worshipping of the dead, and the most greatest Idolatry that ever was upon the earth: And have made the bodies of men to serve the devil, & have made him to be worshipped, under the name and title of them, even as Saul worshipped him under the name of Samuel, by the 2means of his old witch. Is not that a great blasphemy and sacrilege, to offer & consecrate unto the devil the bodies of men, whom Jesus Christ hath dedicated and consecrated 3to God through his blood, for to be the Temple of the holy Ghost, not for to be Idols, that men should worship them, in stead of God? we may very well say, that ⟨p. 105⟩these bodies of which Satan is served under the title 4of the relics of saints, after the manner as he was jerued before of the Images and Idols of the paynims, have not been well conjured by the charms, witchings, cross, candles, incense and holy water for to drive the Devil from them: or else ye all those things were nothing worth sith that Satan hath had such power upon them, that he hath letted them to return unto the place which God hath assigned them, to wit, into the earth out of which 5they came, and that he hath done that that he pretended to do about the body of Moses, the which he desired to set up for an Idol among the people of Israel, knowing that 6God hath forbidden Images and Idols. And there is no doubt, but that he had brought it to pass, if God by the ministering of his Angels, had not letted him, and showed 7his virtue and power, not through material crosses, holy water, candles and torches, incense and lights, and other like superstitions, the which Moses had not at his burial nor all the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, nor yet of Prayers, Suffrages, nor Sacrifices, after their death, and yet they were nevertheless delivered from the power of the serpent.
Theophilus. It is not now néede, that they take such paines, for to driue awaye the diuels or the socerers from them. For their was neuer forcerer, coniurer nor enchauntor, that abused more vile and shamefully the bodies of men, nor to the greater dishonoure of God and hurte of all the Christianitie, then the Priestes and Moonks, who in steade of the coniuring, that is to say, diuination by ye dead that the Panyms and Infidels haue exercised and vsed, they haue set vp & erected a necrolatrie, that is to say, an 1adoration and worshipping of the dead, and the most greatest Idolatrie that euer was vpon the earth: And haue made the bodies of men to serue ye diuell, & haue made him to be worshiped, vnder the name and title of them, euen as Saul worshiped him vnder the name of Samuel, by the 2meanes of his old witche. Is not that a great blasphemy and sacriledge, to offer & consecrate vnto the diuell the bodies of men, whom Iesus Christ hath dedicated and consecrated 3to God thorow his bloud, for to bee the Temple of the holy Ghost, not for to be Idols, that men shoulde worship them, in stede of God? we may very well say, that ⟨p. 105⟩these bodyes of which Sathan is serued vnder the tytle 4of the relyckes of saints, after the manner as he was ierued before of the Images and Idolls of the panims, haue not bene well coniured by the charmes, witchings, crosse, candells, encense and holy water for to driue the Diuell from them: or els ye all those things were nothing worth sith that Sathan hath had such power vpon them, that hée hath letted them to retourne vnto the place which God hath assigned them, to wyt, into the earthe out of which 5they came, and that he hath done that that hée pretended to do about the body of Moses, the which he desired to set vp for an Idoll among the people of Israel, knowing that 6God hath forbidden Images and Idolls. And there is no doubt, but that he had brought it to passe, if God by the ministring of his Angells, had not letted him, and shewed 7his vertue and power, not thorow materiall crosses, holy water, candells and torches, encense and lyghts, and other like supersticions, the which Moses had not at his buryall nor all the Patriarches, Pruphetes, and Apostles, nor yet of Prayers, Suffrages, nor Sacrifices, after their death, and yet they were neuerthelesse delyuered from the power of the serpent.
- 1Conjuring.Coniuring.
- 2Necrolatrie
- 3Saul. 1. Reg. 18. a. 7. A witchSaul. 1. Reg. 18. a. 7. A vvitch
- 4The bodies of dead men in the stead of the Idols of the PaynimsThe bodyes of dead men in the steede of the Idolls of the Panims
- 5Genes. 3 d, 19 Epist. Jude. b. 9.Genes. 3 d, 19 Epist. Iude. b. 9.
- 6Exo. 20. a, 4 Deut. 5, a. 6
- 7The burial of the SaintsThe buriall of the Saints
