Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶ Of euill Angells. Chap. 19.

* 1.1 AS a good Angell is giuen to men for helpe and kéeping, so to eue∣rye man is giuen an euill Angell to as∣sailing & attempting. The head of these euill spirites and leader, is Lucifer, the which as Gregory saith, hath that same, for he was made more cléere and height then other Angells. For the first Angell was beautified as a precious stone for whilest he was aboue all the compa••••es of Angells, by comparison he was the more bright and cléere then they. But he waring proud against his Creator, lost light and cléerenesse, and fairenesse:* 1.2 and as he was worthy, he gate him a foule darke shape of Apostacie. Thereof spea∣keth Damas. li. 1. Chap. 18. Of these ver∣tues of Angelles, he that was aboue other, and to whome God had commit∣ted the charge of the earth, was not made euill by kind, but good, and of the maker, no fire of maltice in himselfe, not suffe∣ring the illumination and worship, that the maker had giuen him: by election and choise of his owne frée aduisement, hée turned out of kinde into a thing that is aboue kinde: and became a rebel against God, and failing of the first good, came in∣to euill. Et infra. He was of the creator made light, and by his owne will he be∣came darknesse. Also with him was sent out an endlesse multitude of Angels, that followed him, and were ordeined vnder him, and wilfullye became euill, and fell out of good into euill. Also it is sayd, that they haue no power neither vertue a∣gainst men, except it be graunted by the disposition and sufferaunce of God: But by sufferance of God they disguise them∣selues, and take what manner Image, fi∣gure, or shape them liketh. Then it see∣meth that all mallice and vncleane thoughts come of their dooing, the which they may put in mans thought: But they may not doe to: men by violence & strength. Also that death of men is a chaunge of life, the alterations of Angels losse of son. After fliding, Angels lack the cléere prosēce of God, as after death men lacke life. Hetherto be Damascenes words. Also Gregory saith, that grace hath forsaken him, and he abideth obsti∣nate in mallice, so that by his will, hee will nothing that is good. He hath frée aduisement, but it is borne downe, and bendeth alway to euill, without ceasing: So that alway he forsaketh the good and chooseth the euill. Therefore it happened as Cassidore sayth, he willed and coue∣ted to vsurp ouer the Godhead; and ther∣by lost prosperitie: also because he in an vndue manner coueted highnesse, that belonged not to him, therefore by a right decrée he fell downe into a lowe place.

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 De∣orsum ruens, falling downe.* 1.3 And hée hath many other names, by the which his wickednesse is knowne by significa∣tion of names. Hée is called Demon, and Plato in Thimeo calleth him Ca∣codemon, that is to vnderstand, know∣ing euill. For Demon is to vnder∣stand, 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 vn∣derstanding of Scriptures, as sayth Be∣da, and also Damascene. Chap. 18. Héere∣of 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 conti∣nuaunce and experience, and somewhat they knowe by reuealations of good An∣gells, by the commaundement of God. These fiendes bée nigh in kinde to the bodyes of the aire: For before they tres∣passed they had heauenlye bodyes. And fithence their sliding & fall, they be tur∣ned 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 Di∣uell. 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. E∣say. 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.* 1.4 The fiende, as an Oxe desireth to ••a••e 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 in∣creaseth also. Also hee is called Appolli∣on in Gréeke, that is, a destroyer, as appeareth Apocalipsis. 15. For by mal∣lice that stirreth him, he desireth to de∣stroy the goodnesse of vertues that God planteth in the holye Church, and a∣mong good soules, as it is sayde in the Psalme,* 1.5 Exterminauit eam aper de sil∣ua, &c.

Also hée is commonlye called Diabolus, that is, fléeting downeward, by vnderstanding in Hebrewe. For hée dispised to stande in peace in the high∣nesse 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 in∣nocently good men with blame and false accusations, as it is sayde Apocalip∣sis. 12. Proiectus est accusator, &c. and as saith Isidore. Ethimol. ••••. 8.* 1.6 Also be∣side 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 Ca∣codemones, super Genesisliber. 8. & habet. liber. 5. siue distinctio∣ne. 8. Caput. primo. And sayth, that Fiendes bée called ayrelye beastes, for they liue in bodyes that be airely.

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, * 1.7Demones, fiends be beasts that suffer in the hidden intelligence, reasonable in thought, euerlasting in during, airely in body. Austen saith in this manner, re∣hearsing 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 suffe∣reth 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 assay∣ling, 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 ma∣ny other, by the which his venemous woodnesse is shewed. Beda in the glose vpon this place. 1. Pe. vlti. Circuit que∣rens quem deuoret. He goeth about & seeketh whom he may deuour & eate, sayth: He goeth about as an enimie be∣sieging 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 re∣buke and soule reproch. And to take re∣uenge, hée tempteth the hande of them that suffereth wrong, and stirreth there∣to, he promiseth worldly worship, that he might cause the honour due to Hea∣uen 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, He∣therto he the wordes of the Glose.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of this go¦uernmēt of Angels manye haue disli∣ked, but seing that bodies he guided by spirits, & spirite by Angels, & Angels
• * 1.2

  by God, it is a rare question.
• * 1.3

  Deorsum rucus.
• * 1.4

  Of some taken for the ••••••∣uncerot & Ele∣phant, beasts of gret force & hignes. signifieng the whale or furious dragon.
• * 1.5

  Psa. 80. 13
• * 1.6

  Tobie ••. The accu¦ser of mē is cast dovvne.
• * 1.7

  That is, by signi∣fication, as vvhen a man in consciēce is greued, & cannot vtter the ag••nie of his mind.