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Concerning an Old Man Who Would
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Concerning an Old Man Who Would
Have Converted Doctor Faustus
from His Godless Life
XXXII
A Christian, pious, godfearing physician, a person zealous of the honor of God, was also a neighbor of Doctor Faustus, and, seeing that many students frequented Faustus' house, he considered such a den as bad as a brothel, for he did compare Faustus to all the Jews, who, so soon as they fell away from God also became His declared enemies, dedicating themselves unto sorcery for the sake of prophecy and deceit, seeking not only the bodily harm of many a pious child whose parents have devoted much effort to his Christian rearing, but also causing him to forget the Lord's Prayer. This old neighbor of Doctor Faustus had observed his rascality in such a light for long years and no longer doubted the devilish nature of his mischief, but he also knew that the time was not yet ripe for the civil authorities to establish these facts.
Considering thus above all the weal of the young men he did in Christian zeal summon Faustus as a guest into his own lodging. Faustus came, and at table his old godfearing patron addressed him thus:
M y sweet Lord, as a friend and as a Christian I ask you not to receive my discourse in rancor or ill will, nor to despise these small victuals, but charitably to take and to be content with what our sweet Lord provideth us.
Doctor Faustus requested him to declare his purpose, saying he would, attend him obediently. His patron then commenced:
My sweet Lord and Neighbor, ye know your own actions, that ye have defied God and all the Saints, that ye have given yourself up unto the Devil, whereby ye are now come into God's greatest wrath and are changed from a Christian into a very heretic and devil. O why do ye deprave your soul! Ye must not heed the body, but your sweet soul, lest ye reside in the eternal punishment and displeasure of God. Look ye to it, my Lord, ye are not yet lost if ye will but turn from your evil way, beseech God for Grace and pardon, as ye may see in the example in Acts viii concerning Simon in Samaria, who had also traduced many. They thought him to be a god, calling him the Power of God and Simon Deus Sanctus. But he was converted when he heard a sermon of St. Philip, was baptized and did believe on our Lord Jesus Christ. It is particularly noted and praised in Acts how he did afterward much consort with Philip. Thus, my Lord, allow my sermon also to appeal to you. O, let it be a heartfelt Christian admonition! To sin no more is the penance wherewith ye must seek Grace and pardon, as ye may learn from the fine examples of the thief on the cross, as well as from St. Peter, St. Matthew and Magdalena. Yea, Christ our Lord speaketh unto all sinners: Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Or, in the Prophet Ezekiel: I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked should turn from his way and live, for his hand is not withered, that he were no longer useful. I beg you my Lord, take my plea to your heart, ask God for pardon for Christ's sake, and abjure at the same time your evil practices, for sorcery is against God and His Commandment, inasmuch as He doth sorely forbid it in both the Old and the New Testaments. He speaketh: Ye shall not allow them to live, ye shall not seek after them nor hold counsel with them, for it is an abomination unto God. Thus St. Paul called Bar-Jesus, or Elymas the Sorcerer, a child of the Devil and an enemy of all righteousness, saying that such should have no share in the Kingdom of God.
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Faustus attended him diligently and said that the speech had well pleased him. He expressed his gratitude to the Old Man for his good will and took his leave, promising to comply in so far as he was able.
When he arrived home he took the Old Man's counsel to heart, considering how he had indeed depraved his soul by yielding himself up to the accursed Devil, and at last Faustus felt a desire to do penance and to revoke his promise to the Devil.
While he was occupied in such thoughts, his spirit appeared him, groping after him as if to twist his head off his shoulders. The spirit then spake, rebuking him: What is thy purpose with thyself?
He reminded him of his motives in first consigning himself to the Devil. Having promised enmity toward God and all mankind, he was not now fulfilling that pledge but was following after this old reprobate, feeling charity toward a man and hence toward God--now, when it was already too late and when he was clearly the property of the Devil.
The Devil hath the power (he spake) to fetch thee away. I am in fact now come with the command to dispose of thee--or to obtain thy promise that thou wilt never more allow thyself to be seduced, and that thou wilt consign thyself anew with thy blood. Thou must declare immediately what thou wouldst do, or I am to slay thee.
Sore affright, Doctor Faustus consented, sat down and with his blood did write as followeth (this document being found after his death):
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