VPon this day of S. Michaell the Archangel , hath the gospell béene accustomed to bée read and expounded in the Churches , which is extant in the 18. Chap. of S. Mathew , by occasion taken out of these wordes : The Angels of them in heauen doe alwayes see the face of my Father which is in heauen . Math. 18. Séeing then the sacred Scriptures of the olde and new Testament do teach many things touching holy Angels , and séeing they are before God , our fellowe seruauntes and coheyres of eternall saluation , yea our faythfull and continuall kéepers or watchmen . The other part of this dayes gospel being reserued , & deferred til an other time , now for this howre ( by Gods helpe and grace ) we will onely intreate of Angels : which haue largelye the 24. of S. Luke , when his Apostles had séene him after he was risen againe , and did thinke that they had séene a spi●rite , the lord said vnto them . Beholde my handes and my feete , I am euen he Handle mee and looke vpon mee : For , a spi●rit hath not fleshe and blood , as yee see me haue : And he shewed them his hand● and his feete .

Difference betwene spirits and bodily cretures . Héere Christ teacheth vs , a difference betwene spirites , and bodily creatures ▪ For , God hath framed a two folde kind of substaunces in creatures , certaine cor●porall and visible creatures , such as men are : also as brut beastes and other bodyes are , which may bée touched and seene● certaine spirituall , which bee called spi●rites , whose substaunce is not corporall , or compact and framed of elements . Such spirituall creatures are the reasonable soules of men , and Angelicall natures , which haue in them neither bones nor flesh . An Angel in his substance can no● eyther be felt , handled , or holden , with han●des , or seene wyth carnall eyes . These spiritual creatures hath God our creator ( in respecte of other creatures , The excellency of spiritual creatures . excellentlye aduaunced ) wyth moste precellen● ●iftes , moste profounde singular and no●able wisdome , and vnderstanding , with merueylous force and strength and with other speciall vertues , and giftes , adorned and inritched . And hath vsed theyr ●iligence and ministrye to accomplishe and spéedely to bring to passe euen grea●est affaires . And so dooth S. Paule vnto ●he Hebrues , call Angels , spirites : Heb. 1. For in ●eede the nature of them is very & highly ●oble , excellent , and wonderful . By these ●t appereth plainly and may be gathered , ●hat good Angels are spirituall creatures which for this purpose also are made and ●reated vnto the similitude of God , that ●hey may extoll hym with perpetuall ●raise , and honour or worship him : con●erning whom I will afterward speake .

Secondly wée must also learne , whe●her there be moe kindes of Angels then ●ne . Héere , wée knowe out of gods word ●hat there are bothe good and euill An●elles . Good Angels God calleth his chil●ren : Iob. 38. But euill Angelles are Deuils . Good and Euill Angels .

But peraduenture some man woulde merueill and aske thys of mee : from ●hence haue deuils theyr originall ? ●eing that Moyses , sayeth in Genesys . 1. in the beginning of Genesis , mencion is made of this battaile , and most greuous conflict , betwene the sonne of God , and these deuils : where wee reade thus , That the seed of the Woman shall breke in sunder the Serpents head . Genes 3. And that the serpent burning with infinite lust of reuenge , by endlesse and vnsaciable hatred in al that he can , shal with excéeding beastly rage & cruelty persecute the same seede .

But , that Angels by theyr owne wyll and luste became disobedient , Angels degenerate . and haue lost theyr brightnesse and sincertie : The Epistle of S. Iude witnesseth , where hee clearely and profoundly sayth . The Angels obserued not their Originall : That is to saye , Iude. 1. they were in the beginning made pure and vndefiled , but afterwards they became disobedient like as S. Peter , sayth . 2. Pet. 2. They transgressed , and therefore were they plagued . And Christ saith , that the Deuill continewed not in truth : Iohn . 8. signifying by the wordes : Hee was indeede created in truth , but hee aboade not in the truth , but fell from the truth , and perished . And in an other place hee sayeth . That the deuil speakes lies of his owne . That is , hee speaketh lyes of that , Ibidem . which hée receiued not from God , but what hee of his owne will , liberty and luste tooke & chose vnto himselfe , this is sinne . This doctrine is néedefull to bée knowen , and to know this , maketh much for our purpose , least wée doo fall into that filthy herisie of the Manichees , and that wée may be fortified against the same : And this doctryne did these auncient Fathers of sound iudgment diligentlye teach , and beate into mens eares . Contrarie wise , good Angels béeing corroborate or strengthened by the sonne of God , through hys holy spirite continued still in obedyence & were confirmed , that so the son of God might continue and abide there lord and head .

Thirdlye also the Ministerye of good Angels and theyr office , Ministerie of good Angels and of euill . let vs sée out of the worde of God . And first héere euen thys is speciallye necessary , that we may learne suffcientlye to knowe the will and practyses of the euyll spyrit agaynst vs .

Of the Hebrues , Sathan is called that euil Spirit , ( that is to say . ) The aduersary . For al deuils be perpetual dedly vnreclaimable vnto him . For so is hee made , that he feareth no man .

A man may see a certaine image of Sathan in the Turkes , which are the most deerest and most diligentest vessels and instrumentes of Sathan to the accomplishment of all his will , The Turke a right image of Sathan . lust , and desires . In these may you haue a certayn image not obscure , of that malicious & most cruell splrit , to beholde , with such outrage of minde , with so great bitternesse of crueltye are the Turkes enflamed againste Christians : with so deadly and beastlye cruell hatred , are they swolne against them , that they aduenture and suffer at full , all manner of gréefes , miseries , and calamities , hunger , thirst , most gréeuous labours , scourges , stripes , woundes , yea and also death it selfe : So that they may hurt and worke extreame iniurye towardes the bodyes and goods of Christes true beléeuers . And where they preuaile in strength , hauing obtained some one victorie ouer the Christians , they are not contented with the ritches and substaunce , nor wyth the obedyence and seruilitye of Christians , but wyth beastlye , and horryble crueltye they kill and slaie as well young as olde , men and women , with the sword ripping the bellyes of women great with childe , they hange vp babes and silly infantes vppon hedges or stakes , they dismember and butcherly mangle in péeces their captiues with their hooked and bowed fawchins , none other wise then Butchers doo Oxen : Neither are they touched with any neuer so sclender motion , of mercye towardes them or their so great calamitye : That I may in meane time let passe with silence theyr mischéeuous filthy dealinges , bothe horrible to héere , and to repeate , as also theyr abhominable sinnes shamelesse crimes and reproches wherewith they punnish & torment those silly Christians , whome they haue captiued .

Wée can not sée Sathan , Sathan vnuisible in substaunce . in his substaunce , because hée is a spirit , as Paule sayth Ephes. 2. And againe in the 6. Cha. thus : We fight not against blod & flesh : But Sathans most malicious & murdering will , cogitations , hatred , craftie dealings practises & councels against vs , after a sort wee may know & see in his members That is , in vngodly persons , who be voide of the feare of God & indued are with what force of body and minde , and with what strength hée is indued : what weapons or defences hee will vse , what are his determinations , what thinges he practiseth , and with what pollicies & subtilties he is instructed . These when thou hast diligentlie searched out , then much better furnished , and much more boldlie maiest thou marche on to set vpon him , thereby more busilie maist thou defend thy selfe , so much more circumspectlie maiest thou inuade him , and thereby more assured , and more greater hope maiest thou haue to obtaine the victorie , and beare the prize away . And that same our heauenlie Father hath opened and disclosed vnto vs his children , by good credit in his worde , all this enimies thoughts , determinations , practises , enterprises , will , power , and warlike provision of this our horible and mightie enimie : to the ende that we may well and stronglie defend our selues against hys violence , practise and snares : to the ende wée might goe against him , easilie abide the brunt of his assault , & be able to quench and vanquish all his firie dartes . If so be that wée at no time through great and filthie ingratitude and foolishnes despise and reiect the doctrine of God , and his admonitions : nor as faithlesse vngratious , vngodly , trucebreakers , forsworne , fearefull and fainthearted souldiors casting away our weapons , dispairing in minde , without any resisting ( which the most mercifull God turne from vs ) yéeld our selues into perpetuall and wretched seruitude , nor deliuer ouer our selues vnto so filthy , so horrible and so beastly cruell enemie .

Therefore nowe hearken ye and giue eare , After what maner Sathan inuadeth mankinde . how that changeling our most diligent and most craftie deceitfull enemye inuadeth and tempteth mankinde , with what subtill sleightes he rusheth in vppon vs , with what bandes of power hée fighteth against vs , with what garboiles he besturres him , and what subtilties and fraudes he vseth to circumuent vs . He is not ignorant that we shal be made partakers of eternall righteousnes and saluation , and that we shall attaine thether from whence his vile corruption fell , if we doe constantly & by al meanes sticke to the trueth of the Gospell , embracing the same with both armes , and the wordes of God , preferring his lyes before them , inducing them against the worde of God , and disanulling the words of God , preferred he his craftie lyes in place of them . This false tale was the beginning , the well spring the roote and cause of all our miserie and calamitie . This most filthie and deadlye did Sathan notably decke with collours and set to sale for his aduauntage : when he saide It should come so to passe ▪ if they did eate of that tree , Genes. 3. that they should knowe both good and euill , and that they should be euen as Gods . Héere the policie and practises of that old Serpent fell out euen as he himselfe wished them , Sathans first victory ouer mankinde . whereby he purposed to cast mankinde headlong into the same disobedience , ( whereunto he himselfe was fallen down ) that they should not continue in the truth . This was the first victory of this our enimie ouer vs : which hée obtained , not by any good or iust means , but onely by meere murthering falshood and treacheries . By this victorie gotten ouer vs also he so held vs altogether and euerie one of vs drawen , enthralled bound and made his owne bondslaue , yea he so chained vs together & brought vs into that bondage , that not one of vs in deede could escape or start from him : had not afterwards the truth , wisedome & power of God himselfe that is to say , Christes greatest benefites towardes vs . the onely begotten and naturall sonne of God bin made man to the end he might encounter in a wonderfull battell with that most craftie Serpent : and foile him with his owne weapons , yea ouerthrow and vtterly vanquished him : so that not onely by fine force and power , but also by good right , he assailed with strong hand hereby to deliuer al mankind out of Sathans power and iurisdiction .

If then at the beginning his lyings , deadly practises , and mischéeuous enterprises against mankind ( of all creatures so perfectly framed ) so wishfullie and so notably by and by came to passe as hée would haue it , Sathans subtil deceites . As he is a soule slaier . that he could cast down our first parentes into this farre most wretched , most gréeuous most sorowful and most horrible calamitie of all other : when as yet they were frée from sinne , when they were of firme , and vpright of liuely and florishing , of sound and vndefiled conuersation : If ( I say ) he could seduced , corrupted and besotted mankinde with so horrible so manifolde falshoodes , deuilish deceites and errours , ( as Moses witnesseth in the 6. of Gene. ) that , All the earth was wicked and corrupt in the sight of God , and was filled with iniquitie : And al flesh vpon earth had corrupted their former waies wherin they were prescribed of God to continue , So , that God ( in respect of his Iustice ) coulde no longer suffer that huge , farre spred and infinite mallis of Sathan , & that abundance of wickednes & sinnes so raging ▪ But therfore destroied he with an vniuersall deluge all that first age of the world , sauing viii . persons onelie . And when that Noah & his ofspring or kinred in the same new world began a fresh to be planted and somewhat to increase , by and by Sathan againe brocheth and practiseth his subtil sleights , when there were a feaw persons , and as it were desolate soiourneis which truely feared & knew God , Genes. 7. as Noah & his kinsfolke did . Then filleth hee the earth with Idolatries and all kinde of errours brought in by his false and vngodly doctrines .

But , God ( not vnmindefull of his mercie ) chose vnto him againe a certaine man and his séede , namely Abraham : The mercy of god in stirring vp Abraham . with whome the truth of Gods woorde was founde . And yet notwithstanding there was an Innumerable multitude of Gentils vppon earth voyde of all knoweldge of God . Genes. 12. In Israell doubtlesse the name of God was onelie knowen , there the knowledge of him florished : The nations ( as Paule witnesseth ) in the worlde not trusting in God : Rom. 1. But were without all knowledge of him . And I pray you what a handfull and a very little portion of people were the Iewes in respect of the Gentils ? But what other thing did the Gentils being enthralled and seduced with the illusions and diuelishe deceites of Sathan , then that they serued him and worshipped him , with diuers & infinite manifolde Idolatries ? Did hée not with so horrible and detestable blindenesse béesotte infatuate and bewitch them that they adored and worshiped , Cats Dogges Curlewes , also other filthie and vile liuing Creatures , as Serpentes and Crocodiles , by the testimonie of manie and diuers Histories ? of their errours amongst them , they might infect & corrupt others with their maladie .

Of this man came the sect of Nicholataines Such one was Nicholas one of the seuen Deacons in the Citie of Antioche the enemie of Chast Matrimonie . Actes ▪ 6. But in very déede not long after and whyles certaine of the Apostles were yet liuing , hee began by his false Apostles to preach lyes , and to sowe abroade his horrible errours , most vngodly opinions , and most false doctrines : namely , That there is no resurrection of the flesh Again , That righteousnes or saluation before God , commeth by the worke of the Law . Thirdly , That Christ is not a true God , but man only . But when the Apostles of Christ had slept in the Lorde , and that lying & false forsworne Spirit thought he had a time giuen him in the world ▪ to sowe his leasings and lyes ( when , the Apostles were gone to God ) then and not before ( like as wee may sée the same in Egesippus ) began hee to turmoyle himself and stirre vp discordes in the Church , by his lyings , by his corrupting the scriptures , and eftsoones planting and bringing in Heresies against the Creation , against the diuinitie and humanitie of Christ , also fayning a certaine corporall kingdome of Christ vppon earth ▪ before the latter day , Diuers Herisies . wherein wee shoulde abound with , and inioy all kinde of most exquisite pleasures : which was the opinion of Cerinthus the Heretike , Cerinthus . lyke as Eusebius himselfe witnesseth in his 3. booke . There were diuers heresies against Christ : This Heretike was not perswaded that the naturall man was God . Another beleeued not that God was natural man . And heare good Lord , howe much calamitie and what horrible errours brought he in , howe many blasphemies belched hee ought against Christ , by the Montanists , Montanists . Mar●ionists Manichies . Nestorians . Pelagians . the Marcionists , the Manicheys , the Arrians , the Nestorians , & lastly by Pelagius , who coulde not abyde that Christ should be our Redeemer , but woulde néedes haue saluation to be merited by workes . This Pelagius was a Moncke , and left behind him a filthy and noysome stincke , of whome those begging Monckes first began their order . How then ? Did he not I pray you establish in the Popedome horrible and Sathans workemanship , with all hys power , of whome Paule wryteth vnto the Thessalonians . 2. Epistle . 2. Chap.

I pray you what troubles and calamities hath not the same spirit of lying and murder , stirred in this our so greatly vnquiet time in the country of Westphalia Munsteri .

What subtil sleightes Sathan did worke in Westphalia . Beleeue mee hée is a wonderfull and notable craftes maister in deceiuing the worlde , he is most absolutely furnished with all kynde of subtill sleight , deceipts and mischéefes to beguile vs , and euen to worke wonders is hée taught and exercised in this wrestling place : where he findeth auditories & schollers docible & tractable . Whom by and by he so besotteth and blindeth their mindes , that of some errours hee breedeth moe : was it not a most great and horrible , bewitching dementation or dooting , and blinding of theyr sences , when as incontinently the cittizens of Munster were driuen awaye from the symplicitye of Gods woorde , touchyng the Sacramentes , by wonderfull and subtyll sleyghtes iuglynges and deceiptes ? when it caried those whome it would , and cast downe headlonge such persons eftsons out of moste greeuous errours , into more greeuous , more heinous and more horrible errour .

First , The errors of the Munsterians . Sathan besotted them with this error , that they baptised children twice , & so most gréeuously dishonored this honorable Sacrament . This was the first step vnto theyr distructtion . After that with a certaine incredible and most fained hipocrisie did he blind them , so that the most godly and most honest person was reputed for a most wicked and most lewdest of others , except he would baptise children twise . The hearts also of certaine persons hée so bewitched and blinded , that they thought themselues to be , very Prophets . When as therefore hée had called and drawen them away , from the woorde of God , vnto those theyr dreames , hée might for certainty promise himselfe the conquest ouer them nay hée had all ready conquered them . And indéede thus far had that wolfe leared and lurked , béeing clad in a shéepes skinne , boasting himselfe to be a sheepe : But when those errours which hee had were not these horrible thinges ? is not Sathan here a merueilous , a guileful insnarer , a notable craftes maister in lies ? That by his illucions casteth mankind into so great troubles , Sathan holdeth Papists fast bound in errors . and so great calamities ? Dooth hee not also dayly in most horrible manner make blynde our aduersaries the most cruel and most spight full Papists ? Dooth he not amongst them norrish & confirme horrible blasphemies against god ? Dooth he not mightily hold fast and beesot them with his errours , that they can not by any meanes abide to heare the true and sinceare gospell , and that they had rather héere the most vile , most filthy and most fabulus toies , then the scriptures of God ? And yet they suffer whoredomes and other lustes and mischéefes to escape vnpunished : But in the meane tyme such as beleeue the gospell ▪ and endeuour to direct theyr lyfe after the rule & prescription thereof , those do they extremely persecut , hate , persue , teare in péeces with reproches & sclaunders , yea spoile them of theyr substance and with deuised torments do they vexe them . Is not this a worke of the deuill and a blindnesse of him that the most manifest & cleare scriptures are set before the Papistes and by all meanes so expounded , No truth can make them yeeld . euen as the true Catholique Doctors and Christians haue vnderstood the same from the beginning , that they are compelled to confesse it to bee the woorde of God : And yet Sathan holdes them so Captiued and bounde in the chaines of mannes tradicions , that they are not afraied fréelye and openlye to saye , that they can not imbrace that doctrine of God , except fyrst the Pope and his Bishoppes doe like thereof and alowe the same . As if we laye against them , both kindes of the reuerende Sacrament touching the body & blood of Christ , to be both ministred vnto the laye people , and also that Christ so ordeyned the same : and that the Apostles in like maner deliuered and vsed the same : and that it was so administred from the Apostles time , vntill the Counsell kept at Constance , 120. yeares agone . When these thinges are layd against them , when they are vrged with these matters , so that they can bring forth nothing against them . nor deny any of them : yet notwythstandynge to they beare rule in the worlde . That thing euidently appeared by his workes and mischeuous practizes . A man may see in the Euangelicall history euery where , how wretchedly he turmoyled , vexed and tormented them , whose bodyes hee possessed : with what violence hee holdes them , and how hee driueth them whether soeuer hée will . A man may sée how great tyranny he exercysed in Iudea , how many he inuaded , & how he bereft them of theyr wits and sences . Wée reade in the 13. of S. Lukes gospell , that a woman had the spirit of infirmitie 18 , yeares and howe shee was so shronke together , that shee could not holde vppe her head at all . This woman ( said Christ vnto her when hee had healed her ) had Sathan bounde so many yeares . Sathans power permitted by God . Hee is able to sende diseases vnto mennes bodyes , hee is able also to stirre vppe and bringe amongst mankynde plagues , and other dyscommodities and calamityes , as also fyrye impressions , hurtfull tempestes , battelles , sedicyons , spoylinges of countryes and citties , with all maner of mischéefes .