CHAP. XVI.
That we being not throughly informed of the nature of divels and spirits, must satisfie our selves with that which is delivered us in the Scriptures touching the same, how this word divell is to be understood both in the singular and plurall number, of the spirit of God and the spirit of the divell, of tame spirits, of Ahab.
THe nature therefore and substance of divels and spirits, because in the scripture it is not so set down, as we may certainly know the same; we ought to content and frame our selves faithfully to beleeve the words and sense there delivered unto us by the high spirit, which is the Holy Ghost, who is Lord of all spirits; alwayes considering, that evermore spirits are spoken of in scripture, as of things spirituall, though for the help os our capacities they are there sometime more grossely and corpo∣rally expressed, either in parables or by metaphors, than indeed they are. As for example (and to omit the history of Iob, which elsewhere I han∣dle) it is written; The Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab, that hee may fall at Ramoth Gilead, &c. Then came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said; I will goe entise him. And the Lord said, Where∣with? And he said; I will goe and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. Then he said; Goe forth, thou shalt prevaile, &c.
This story is here set forth in this wise, to bear with our capacities, and specially with the capacity of that age, that could not otherwise conceive of spirituall things, than by such corporall demonstrations. And yet here is to be noted, that one spirit, and not many or diverse, did possesse all the false prophets at once. Even as in another place, many thousand divels are said to possesse one man; and yet it is also said even in the self same place, that the same man was possessed only with one divell. For it is there said that Christ met a man, which had a divell, and hoe com∣manded the foul spirit to come forth of the man, &c. But Calvine saith, Where satan or the divell is named in the singular number, thereby is meant that power of wickednesse, that standeth against the kingdome of justice. And where many divels are named in the scriptures, we are there∣by taught, that we must fight with an infinite multitude of enemies, lest despising the fewnesse of them, we should be more flack to enter into barrell, and so fall into security and idlenesse.
On the other side, it is as plainly set down in the scripture, that some