The xxxi. Chapter. 539.
Of the cursse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightlie expounded, John Calvines opinion of the divell.
THE cursse rehearsed by God in that place, whereby witchmongers labour so busilie to proove that the divell entered into the bodie of a snake, and by consequence can take the bodie of anie other creature at his pleasure, &c: reacheth (I thinke) further into the divels matters, than we can comprehend, or is needfull for us to know, that understand not the waies of the divels creeping, and is farre unlikelie to extend to plague the generation of snakes: as though they had beene made with legs before that time, and through this cursse were deprived of that benefit. And yet, if the divell should have entred into the snake, in maner and forme as they suppose; I cannot see in what degree of sinne the poore snake should be so guiltie, as that God, who is the most righteous judge, might be offended with him. But although I abhorre that lewd interpretation of the familie of love,Familie of love. and such other heretikes, as would reduce the whole Bible into allegories: yet (me thinkes) the creeping there is rather metaphoricallie or significativelie spoken, than literallie; even by that figure, which is there prosecuted to the end. Wherein the divell is resembled to an odious creature, who as he creepeth upon us to annoie our bodies; so doth the divell there creepe into the conscience of Eve, to abuse and deceive hir: whose seed nevertheles shall tread downe and dissolve his power and malice. And through him, all good christians (as CalvineJ. Cal. lib. instit. 1. cap. 14. sect. 18. saith) obteine power to doo the like. For we may not imagine such a materiall tragedie, as there is described, for the ease of our feeble and weake capacities.
For whensoever we find in the scriptures, that the divell is called god, the prince of the world, a strong armed man, to whome is given the power of the aier, a roring lion, a serpent, &c: the Holie-ghost mooved us thereby, to beware of the most subtill, strong and mightie enimie, and to make prepara/tion,540. and arme our selves with faith against so terrible an adversarie. And this is the opinion and counsell of Calvine,J. Cal. li. inst. 1. cap. 14. sect. 13. that we seeing our owne weakenes, & his force manifested in such termes, may beware of/387. the divell, and may flie to God for spirituall aid and comfort. And as for his corporall assaults, or his attempts upon our bodies, his nightwalkings, his visible appearings, his dansing with witches, &c: we are neither warned in the scriptures of them, nor willed by God or his prophets to flie them; neither is there anie mention made of them in the scriptures. And therefore thinke I those witchmongers and absurd writers to be as grosse on the one side, as the Sadduces are impious and fond on the other; which saie, that spirits and divels are onlie motions and affections, and that angels are but tokens of Gods power. I for my part confesse with Augustine,Aug. de cura pro mort. &c. that these matters are above my reach and capacitie: and yet so farre as Gods word teacheth me, I will not sticke to saie, that they are living creatures, ordeined to serve the Lord in their vocation. And although they abode not in their first estate, yet that they are the Lords ministers, and executioners of his wrath, to trie and tempt in this world, and to punish the reprobate in hell fier in the world to come.