to the saying of the prophet to those gods and idols which took on them the power of God Do either good or ill if you can c. So as the prophet knew and taught thereby that none but God could worke miracles Infinite places for this purpose might be brought out of the scripture which for brevity I omit and oveâ—slip S. Augustine among other reasons whereby he proveth the ceasing of miracles saith Now blinde flesh doth not open the eyes of the blinde â—y the miracle of God but the eyes of our heart are opened by the word â—f God Now is not our dead carcase raised any more up by miracle but our dead bodies be still in the gâ—ave and our soules are raised to life by â—hrist Now the eares of the deafe are not opened by miracle but they â—hich had their ears shut before have them now opened to their salvation The miraculous healing of the sick by anointing spoken of by S. Iames is â—bjected by many specially by the papists for the maintenance of their â—â—crament of extreame unction which is apishly and vainly used in the â—â—omish church as though that miraculous gift had continuance till this â—ay herein you shall see what Calvine speaketh in his institutions â—he grace of healing saith he spoken of by Saint Iames is â—â—nished away as also the other miracles which the Lord would have â—â—ewed onely for a time that he might make the new preaching of the â—ospel mervellous for ever Why saith he do not these meaning miraâ—â—e-mongers appoint some Siloah to swim in whereinto at certaine orâ—â—nary recourses of times sicke folke may plunge themselves Why do â—â—ey nor lie along upon the dead because Paul raised up a dead child 〈◊〉 that meanes Verily saith he James in the miracle to anoint spake â—â—r that time whiles the church still enjoyed such blessings of God Item 〈◊〉 saith that the Lord is present with his in all ages and so often as need 〈◊〉 he helpeth their sicknesses no lesse than in old time But he doth 〈◊〉 so utter his manifest powers nor distributeth miracles as by the hands 〈◊〉 the Apostles because the gift was but for a time Calvine even their â—ncludeth thus They say such vertues or miracles remaine but experâ—â—â—ce saies nay And see how they agree among themselves Danaeus saith at neither witch nor devil can worke miracles Giles Alley saith directly that witches worke miracles Calvine saith they are all ceased All witchmongers say they continue But some affirme that popish miracles are vanished and gone away howbeit witches miracles remaine in full force So as S. Loy is out of credit for a horseleach Master T. and mother Bâ—â—gy remaine in estimation for prophets nay Hobgoblin and Robin 〈◊〉 fellow are contemned among young children and mother Alice and another Bungy are feaâ—ed among old fooles The estimation of these continue because the matter hath not been called in question the credit 〈◊〉 the other decayeth because the matter hath been looked into Where I say no more but that S. Anthonies blisse will helpe your pig where ever mother Bungy doth hurt it with her curse And therefore we 〈◊〉 warned by the word of God in any wise not to feare their curses â—e let all the witchmongers and specially the miracle-mongers in the 〈◊〉 answer me to this supposition Put case that a woman of credit 〈◊〉 a woman-witch should say unto them that she is a true prophet of 〈◊〉 Lord and that he revealeth those secret mysteries unto her whereby â—â— detecteth the lewd acts and imaginations of the wicked and thâ—◠〈◊〉 him she worketh miracles and prophesieth c. I think they must 〈◊〉 yeeld or confesse that miracles are ceased But such thing saith Câ—â—dane as seeme miraculous are chiefly done by deceipt legierdemaâ— or confederacy or else they may be done and yet seeme unpossible else things are said to be done and never were nor can be done CHAP. II. The gift of prophesie is ceased THat witches nor the woman of Endor nor yet her familiar or devil can tell what is to come may plainly appear by the words of 〈◊〉 prophet who saith Shew what things are to come and we will say 〈◊〉 are gods indeed According to that which Solomon saith who 〈◊〉 a man what shall happen him under the sun Marry that can I saith witch of Endor to Saul But I will rather beleeve Paul and Peters 〈◊〉 say that prophesie is the gift of God and no worldly thing Thâ— cousening queane that taketh upon her to do all things and can do thing but beguile men up steppeth also mother Bungy and she 〈◊〉 you where your horse or your asse is bestowed or any-thing that you 〈◊〉 lost is become as Samuel could and what you have done in all 〈◊〉 age past as Christ did to the woman of Sichar at Iacobs well yea 〈◊〉 what your errand is before you speak as Elizeus did Peter Martyr saith that onely God and man knoweth the heart of 〈◊〉 and therefore that the devil must be secluded alledging these place Solus Deus est scrutator cordium Onely God is the searcher of hearts 〈◊〉 Nemo scit quae sunt hominis nisi spiritus hominis qui est in eo None â—oâ—â—eth the thigs of man but the spirit of man which is within him Soâ—â—mon saith Tu solus nosti cogitationes hominum Thou onely knowest 〈◊〉 thoughts of men And Jeremy saith in the person of God Ego 〈◊〉 scrutans corda renes I am God searching hearts and reines Also 〈◊〉 thew faith of Christ Iesus autem videus cogitationes eorum And 〈◊〉 seeing their thoughts who in Scripture is called the searcher and 〈◊〉 of the thoughts in the heart as appeareth in Acts 1. 15. Rom. 8. Matth. 9.12 22. Marke 2. Luke 6. 7. 11. John 1.2.6 13. Apoc. 2. 3. and in other places infinite The same Peter Martyr also saith that the devil may suspect but not know our thoughts for if he should know our thoughts he should understand our faith which if he did he would never assault us with one temptation Indeed we reade that Samuel could tell where things lost were straied c. but we see that gift also ceased by the coming of Christ according to the saying of Paul at sundry times and in diverse manners God spâ—ke in the old times by our fathers the prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken unto us by his sonne c. And therefore I say that gift of prophesie wherewith God in times past endued his people is also ceased and counterfeits and coufeners are come in their places according to this saying of Peter There were false prophets among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you c. And think not that so notable a gift should be taken from the beloved and the elect people of God and committed to mother Bungy and such like of her
episcopi ex con acquir c. His shape was in the woods where else should it be Mal. malef par 1. quae 2. In my discourse of spirits and devils being the 17. book of this volume Dan. in dialog cap. 3. August lib. de civit Dei cap. 17.18 Hermer Trismeg in suo Periandro Jam. 2.26 Phili. 1.23 1. Cor. 15.44 1 Cor. 15.39 Psal. 119. 1 Cor. 6.19 verse 15. c. vâ—rse 2. verse 13. Psalm 8. â—â— verses 5 6 7 8. Their ground-work is as sure as to hold a quicke eele by the tale Dan. 4. Cor. Agrip. de vanit scient cap. 44. Paul Aeginet li. 3. c. 16. Aetins lib. 6. cap. 11. I. Wier de praest dem lib. 4. cap. 23. Math. 4.8 Luk. 3.9 Answered to the former objection Mat. 26.53 Job 1.11 Job 2.5 I. Calvine in harmon Evang in Math. 4. Luk. 4. Ezec. 3.12 and 14. Mal. malef I. Bod. lib. de dem 3. cap. 5. In Mal. mal Job 1.14 verse 15. verse 16. verse 17. verse 18. verse 19. Ibid. ca. 2. verse 7. I. Calvin in Iob cap. 1.21 I. Calvin in Iob. cap. 2. Sermon 8. Muscul. in loc comm Idem ibidem I. Calvine in his sermon upon Iob. I. Calvine in Iob. cap. 1. sermon 5. Mal. malef pa. 1. quaest 1. Idem part 1. quaest 4. Note what is said touching the booke of Job In legends aurea 1 Praestigiatores Pharaonis 2 Mecasapha 3 Kasam Onen Ob. Idoni 4. Habar Note 1. Sa. 15.23 2. Re. 9.22 Gal. 3.1 Math. 2.1 Daniel 4. Dan. 2.8 Acts. 19. Gen. 4.18 Exod. 7.13 c. Acts 13. Exod. 22. c Acts 13. Acts 19. Canticles of Solomon chap. 4. versep Deut. 18.2 Ierem. 27. Acts 8. Ioseph in Iudeorum antiquitâ—â— Gal. 3.1 Job 15.12 Acts 8.9 Acts 8 11. 1 Reg. 8.39 Math. 9.4.12.25.22 Acts 1 24. 15.8 Rom. 8.27 Mark 2. Luk. 6.17 11. 9. Joh. 1. 2. 6. 13. Apoc. 2. 3. Luk 11.29 Eccl. 34.5 Eccl. 348. Levi. 19.31 Deut. 18.11.10 Esay 42.8 Ps. 24.8.10 Deut. 18.14 Sap. 3.1 Luk 16.23 Joh 14.12 Psml. 88.10 Deut. 18.11 Luke 16.29.31 Luke 16.22 John 5.21 Ose. 6. Act. 17.25.28 1 Tim. 6.13 26 quae 7. non obser fact 1398. act 17. August de spirit anima cap. 28. Plin. lib. 25. cap. 2. Ovid metamo lib. 1. a Englished by Abraham Fleming Aeneid 4. lib. 4. Veneficae in Italy Veneficae Genua and Millen Of a butcher a right veneficall which Levit. 19.33 Ovid. lib. 2 â—e arte amandi Englished by Abraham Fleming Philtra slibbersawes to procure love Ovib. lib. de remedio amoris 1. Ab. Fleming Hierenym in Ruff. Plin. lib. 25. ca. 3. Ioseph lib. 11. de Iudeorum antiquit Aristet lib. 8. de natura animal cap. 24. Io. Wier denef cap. 40. Toies to mocke apes Dioscorid de materia medicin L. Vairus de fafcin lib. 2. caq. 11. prope finem I. bodin the holy maid of Kent a ventriloqua An Do. 1574. October 13. Confer this story with the woman of Endor 1 Sam. 28. and see whether the same might not be accomplished by this devise Mat. 24.44 The ventriloqua of Westwel discovered The Pythonist of vvestvvel â—â—victed by her ovvn coâ—â—ession I. Bodin lib. de daemon 3. cap. 2. The amphibologies of oracles The subtilty of our oracles Joh. 20.9 John 20.29 Erast. fol. 62. Luk. 24.37 Mark 16.14 Mat. 14.26 Matth. 20. Matt. 16.11 Euseb. lib 7. cap. 25. Note the cosenage of oracles Zach. 10. W. Lambert in titulo Boxley Esai 8.19 1 Sam. 28. Sap. 3. Ps. 92 97. Chrysost. homilia 21. in Math. Luke 16. August lib. quae vet et novi testam quaest 27. item part 2. cap. 26. item quae 5. nec mirum ad Simplician lib. 2. 93. ad Dulciâ—iâ—â—m quae 6. item lib. 2. de doct â—hri Deut. 18. Exodus 20. I. Bod. lib. de daem 2. cap. 3. 1. Samu. 28. 1. Cor. 5. â— Martyr in colloquio cum Triphoon Iudeo Lact. lib. 7. cap. 13. Jud. vers 9. Pompanacius lib. de incant cap. 2. I. Bod. lib. de daem 2. cap. 3 P. Martyr in comment in 1 Sam. 28. ver 9. Isai 42. 1. Sam. 28. 1 Sam. 28.7 S. Cicilies familiar D. Burcot Feats 1 Sam. 28 8. 1 Sam. 10.13 Ibidem Ibidem 1 Sam. 28.9 1 Sam. 28.12 Isa. 93.15 16. The manner of the witch of Endors cosening of Saul 1 Sam. 28.13 1 Sam. 28.21 1 Sam. 28 14. 1 Sam. 28.12 1 Sam. 28.15 Ibidem 1 Sam. 13.15 1. Sam. 13.15 1 Sam 28.16.17 1 Sa. 15.28 1 Sam. 28.18.19 2 Reg. 4. Canon 26. quaest cap. 5. nec mirum Right Ventriloquie I. Bod. and L. Vairus differ herein A bold discreet and faithful challenge At Canterbury by Rich. Lee esquire others anno 1573. At Rie by master Gaymor other anno 1577. I. Wier lib. 3. cap. 8. Theodor. Bizantius Lavat de spect lemurib Cardan de var. rerum Pencer c. Lavat despect Car. de var. rerum l. Wier de praest daemo c. Athanas. de humanitate verbi The true end of miracles Iohn 2. Act 2.22 Iohn 5. An ironical collation Mal. malef par 2. quae 1. cap. 14. Acts. 17. 1 Tim. 6.13 Col. 1.16 Athanas. symbol Apollo Pytho uncased Psal. 136.4 Psal. 72.18 Psal 88.10 Isay. 42. John 3.2 Ibid. 7.16 In annotat in Iohan. 3. Isa. 45. August de verbis Dom. secundum Mat. sermone 18. Iames 5.14 I. Calvin Institute lib. 4. ca. 19. sect 18. Idem ibid. sect 19. Isay. 9.7 Acts 20.10 Idem ibid. nempe I. Cal. Prov. 5.1 H. Card. de miracul Isai. 41. 1 Sam. 28. Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. 1 Pet. 1 Iohn 4. P. Martyr loc com 9. sect 17. P. Martyr in loc com Heb. 1.8 2. 2 Pet. 2.1 Zach. 13. â— I. Chrysost. in evang Iohan hom 18. Pet. Blest epist. 49. Canon de malef mathemat Thucidid lib. 2 Cicer. de divin lib. 2. Zach. 13.2 Mich. 5.12 Gen. 3. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 1. Idem Ibid. Porphyr in lib. contra christ relig Cic. de divin lib. 2. I. Chrysost. de laud. Paul hom 4. Porphyr writeth verses iâ— Apollos name of the death of Apollo cited by l. Bod. fol. 6. Thamus having little to do thought to play with his company whom he might easily overtake with such a jest A detection of Thamus his knavery Legend aur in vita sancti Andreae fol. 39. A gentle a godly devil Athanas de human verbi fol. 55 64. Strabo Geog. lib. 16. I. Wier lib. 1. de praest daem cap. 12. H. Haw in his defensative against prophesies In whose daies oracles ceased in England Zach. 10. Isay. 44. I. Wier lib. de praest daemon All divinations are not condemnable Colebrasus erroneus impious opinion Psalm 13. Ierem. 54. Gen. 1. Ezech 1. Gen. 9. Ecclus. 43. Ps. 19. and 50 Ecclus. 43. Baruch 3. Luk. 12.24 Matt. 16.2 3. Lactant contra astrologos Peâ—cer de astrol pag. 383 The ridiculous art of nativity-casting Iulius Maternus
into mans shape and that thereby witch-craft was naturally ingraffed into this child as a disease â—at commeth by inheritance C. Agrippa replying against the inquisitors folly and superstitious blindnesse said O thou wicked Priest Is this thy divinity Dost thou use to draw poor guiltlesse women to the rack by these forged devises Dost thou with such sentences judge others to be heretikes thou being a more heretike than either Faustus or Donatus Be it as thou sayest doest thou not frustrate the grace of Gods ordinance namely baptisme Are the words in baptisme spoken in vaine Or shall the devill remaine in the child or it in the power of the devill being there and then consecrated to Christ Jesus in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost And if thou defend their false opinions which affirme that spirits accompanying with women can ingender yet dotest thou more than any of them which never beleeved that any of those devils together with their stolne seed do put part of that their seed or nature into the creature But though indeed we be borne the children of the devill and damnation yet in baptisme through grace in Christ Satan is cast out and we are made new creatures in the Lord from whom none can be separated by another mans deed The inquisitor being hereat offended threatned the advocate to proceed against him as a supporter of hereticks or witches yet neverthelesse he ceased not to defend the silly woman and through the power of the law he delivered her from the clawes of the bloody monke who with her accusers were condemned in a great summe of money to the charter of the church of Meniz and remained infamous after that time almost to all men But by the way you must understand that this was but a petty inquisitor and had not so large a commission as Cumanus Sprenger and such other had nor yet as the Spanish inquisitors at this day have For these will admit no advocate now unto the poor soules except the tormentor or hangman may be called an advocate You may read the summe of this inquisition in few words set out by M. Iohn Fox in the acts and monuments For witches and hereticks are among the inquisitors of like reputation saving that the extremity is greater against witches because through their simplicity they may the more boldly tyrannize upon them and triumph over them CHAP. XII What the fear of death and feeling of torments may force one to do and that it is no marvell though witches condemne themselves by their own confessions so tyrannically extorted HE that readeth the ecclesiasticall histories or remembreth the persecutions in Qeen Maries time shall find that many good men have fallen for fear of persecution and returned unto the Lord again What marvell then though a poor woman such a one as is described elsewhere and tormented as is declared in these latter leaves be made to confesse such absurd and false impossibilities when flesh and bloud is unable to endure such triall Or how can she in the middest of such horrible tortures and torments promise unto her selfe constancy or forbeare to confesse any thing Or what availeth it her to persevere in the deniall of such matters as are laid to her charge unjustly when on the one side there is never any end of her torments on the other side if she continue in her assertion they say she hath charmes for taciturnity or silence Peter the Apostle renounced cursed and forsware his master and our Saviour Jesus Christ for fear of a wenches menaces or rather at a question demanded by her wherein he was not so circumvented as these poor witches are which be not examined by girles but by cunning inquisitors who having the spoile of their goods and bringing with them into the place of judgement minds to maintain their bloody purpose spare no manner of allurements threatnings nor torments untill they have wrung out of them all that which either maketh to their own desire or serveth to the others destruction Peter I say in the presence of his Lord and master Christ who had instructed him in true knowledge many years being forewarned noâ— passing four or five houres before and having made a reall league and â— faithfull promise to the contrary without any other compulsion than as hath been said by a question proposed by a girle against his conscience forsooke thrice denyed and abandoned his said Master and yet he was a man illuminated and placed in dignity aloft and neerer to Christ by many degrees than the witch whose fall could not be so great as Peters because she never ascended halfe so many steps A pastors declination is much more abominable than the going astray of any of his sheepâ— as an ambassadors conspiracy is more odious than the falshood of a common person or as a captains treason is more mischeevous than a private souldiers mutiny If you say Peter repented I answer that the witch doth so likewise sometimes and I see not in that case but mercy may be imployed upon her It were a mighty temptation to a silly old woman that a visible devill being in shape so ugly as Danaeus and others say her is should assault her in manner and forme as is supposed oâ— rather avowed specially when there is promise made that none shall be tempted above their strength The poor old witch is commonly uâ—â—learned unwarned and unprovided of counsell and friend-ship void 〈◊〉 judgement and discretion to moderate her life and communication heâ— kind and gender more weak and fraile than the masculine and mucâ— more subject to melancholy her bringing up and company is so baâ—â— that nothing is to be looked for in her specially of these extraordinary qualities her age also is commonly such as maketh her decrepite which is a disease that moveth them to these follyes Finally Christ did cleerly remit Peter though his offence were committed both against his divine and humane nature yea afterwards he 〈◊〉 put him in trust to feed his sheep and shewed great countenance friendship and love unto him And therefore I see not but we may shew compassion upon these poor soules if they shew themselves sorrowful for their misâ—â—ceipts and wicked imaginations The thrid Book CHAP. I. The witches bargain with the devill according to M. Mal. Bodin Nider Danaeus Psellus Erastus Hemingius Cumanus Aquinas Bartholomaeus Spineus c. THat which in this matter of witch-craft hath abused so many and seemeth both so horrible and intolerable is a plain bargain that they say is made betwixt the devil and the witch And many of great learning conceive it to be a matter of truth and in their wiritings publish it accordingly the which by God grace shall be proved as vaine and false as the rest The order of their bargain or profession is double the one solemne and publike the other secret and private That which is called solemne or publike is where witches
in opinion when he saith Scientiâ—m foeminarum in veneficiis praevalere To be short Augustine Livie Vaâ—erius Diodorus and many other agree that women were the first inventers and practisers of the art of poisoning As for the rest of their cunning in what estimation it was had may appear by these verses of Horace wherein he doth not onely declare the vanity of witch-craft but also expoundeth the other words wherewithall we are now in hand Somnie terrores mugicos miracula sagas Nocturnos lemures portentaque Thessala rider These dreames and terrors magicall These miracles and witches Night-walking sprites or Thessal bugs Esteem them not two rushes Here Horace you see contemneth as ridiculous all our witches turning marry herein he comprehendeth not their poisoning art which hereby he onely seemed to think hurtfull Pythagoras and Democriâ—â—â— give us the names of a great many magicall herbes and stones whereas now both the vertue and the things themselves also are unknown 〈◊〉 Marmaritin whereby spirits might be raised Archimedon which would make one bewray in his sleep all the secrets in his heart Adincanâ—iâ—â— Calicia Mevais Chirocineta c. which had all their severall vertues or rather poisons But all these now are worne out of knowledge mary in their stead we have hogs-turd and chervil as the onely thing wherby our witches work miracles Truly this poisoning art called Veneficium of all others is most abâ—â—minable as whereby murthers may be committed where no suspition may be gathered nor any resistance can be made the strong cannot avoid the weak the wise cannot prevent the foolish the godly cannot 〈◊〉 preserved from the hands of the wicked children may hereby kill the parents the servant the master the wife her husband so privily 〈◊〉 unevitably and so incurably that of all other it hath been thought 〈◊〉 most odious kind of murther according to the saying of Ovid. non bospes ab hospite tutus Non socer à genero fratrum quoque gratia rara est Imminet exitio vir conjugis illa mariti Lurida terribiles miscent aconita novercae Filius ante diem patrios inquirit in annos The travelling guest opprest Doth stand in danger of his host The host eke of his guest The father of his son-in-law Yea rare is seen to rest 'Twixt brethren love and amity And kindnesse void of strife The husband seeks the goodwifes death And his again the wife Ungentle stepdames grizly poi son temper and do give The son too soon doth aske how long His father is to live The monk that poisoned king Iohn was a tight Veneficus toâ— both a witch and a murtherer for he killed the king with poison 〈◊〉 perswade the people with lies that he had done a good and a meritorious act and doubtlesse many were so bewitched as they thought he did very well therein Antonius Sabellicus writeth of a horrible poisoning murther commited by women at Rome where were executed after due conjunction 170. women at one time besides 20. women of that consort who were poison with that poisoned which they had prepared for others CHAP. IIII. Of divers poisoning practises otherwise called veneficia committed in Italy Genua Millen Wittenberge alse how they were discovered and executed ANother practise not unlike to that mentioned in the former chapter was done in Cassalis at Salassia in Italie Anno 1536. where 40. Veneficae or witches being of one confederacy renewed a plague which was then almost ceased besmeering with an ointment and a pouder the posts and doors of mens houses so as thereby whole families were poisoned and of that stuffe they had prepared above 40. crocks for that purpose Herewithall they conveied inheritances as it pleased them till at length they killed the brother and onely sonne of one Necus as lightly none died in the house but the masters and their children which was much noted and therewithal that one Androgina haunted the houses specially of them that died and she being suspected apprehended and examined confessed the fact conspiracy and circumstance as hath been shewed The like villany was afterwards practised at Genua and execution was done upon the offenders At Millen there was another like attempt that took none effect This art consisteth as well in poisoning of cattell as men and that which is done by poisons unto cattell towards their destruction is as commonly attributed to witches charmes as the other And I â—â—ubt not but some that would be thought cunning in incantations and to do miracles have experience in this behalfe For it is written by divers authors that if wolves dung be hidden in the mangers racks or else in the hedges about the pastures where cattel go through the antipathy of the nature of the wolfe and other cattel all the beasts that savour the same do not only forbear to eat but run about as though they were mad or as they say bewitched But Wierus telleth a notable story of a Veneficus or destroyer of cattel which I thought meet here to repeat There was saith he in the dukedome of Wittneberge not farre from Tubing a butcher anno 1564. that bargained with a towne for all their hides which were of sterven cattell called in these parts Morts He with poison privily killed in great numbers their bullocks sheep swine c. and by his bargain of the hides and â—allow he grew infinitely rich And at last being suspected was examined confessed the matter and manner thereof and was put to death with hot tongs wherewith his flesh was pulled from his bones We for our parts would have killed five poor women before we would suspect 〈◊〉 rich butcher CHAP. V. A great objection answered concerning this kinde of witchcraft called Veneficium IT is objected that if Veneficium were comprehended under the title man-slaughter it had been a vain repetition and a disordered 〈◊〉 undertaken by Moses te set forth a law against Veneficâ—s severally But 〈◊〉 might suffice to answer any reasonable christian that such was the 〈◊〉 of the Holy Ghost to institute a particular article hereof as of a 〈◊〉 more odious wicked and dangerous then any other kinde of murther But he that shall read the law of Moses or the Testament of Christ himself shall finde this kind of repetition and reiteration of the law most comâ—â—â— For as it is written Exod. 22.21 Thou shalt not grieve nor affect stranger for thou wast a stranger in the land of Aegypt so are the 〈◊〉 words found repeated in Levit. 19.33 polling and shaving of heads 〈◊〉 beards is forbidden in Duet 27. which was before prohibited in 22. 〈◊〉 is written in Exodus the 20. Thou shalt not stealâ— and it is repeated 〈◊〉 Leviticus 19. and in Duet 5. Murther is generally forbidden in Exodus and likewise in 22. and repeated in Num. 35. But the aprest example that magick is forbidden in three severall places to wit once in 〈◊〉 19. and twice in Levit. 20. For the which a
of Iohn that if he were made he was made of the sonne The scripture doth no where say that the holy spirit was made of the father or of the sonne but to proceed to come and to be sent from them both Now if these universall proposition are to suffer no restraint it shall follow that the father was made of the son than the which what is more absurd and wicked Again they object out of Matth. 11. None knoweth the sonne but the father and none the father but the sonne to wit of and by himself for otherwise both the angels and to whomsoever else it shall please the sonne to reveal the father these do know doth the father and the son Now if so be the spirit be not equall with the father and the sonne in knowledge he is not only unequall and lesser than they but also no God for ignorance is not incident unto God Where to I answer that where in holy scripture we do meet with universall propositions negative or exclusive they are not to be expounded of one person so as the rest are excluded but creatures or false gods are to be excluded and whatsoever else is without or beside the essence and being of God Reasons to prove and confirme this interpretation I could bring very many whereof I will adde some for example In the seventh of Iohn it is said When Christ shall come none shall know from whence he is notwithstanding which words the Jewes thought that neither God nor his angels should be ignorant from whence Christ should be In the fourth to the Galatians A mans covenant or testament confirmed with authority no body doth abrogate or adde any thing thereunto No just man doth so but tyrants and truce-breakers care not for covenants In Iohn eight Jesus was left alone and the woman standing in the midst And yet it is not to be supposed that a multitude of people was not present and the disciples of Christ likewise but the word Solus alone is referred to the womans accusers who withdrew themselves away every one and departed In the sixt of Mark when it was evening the ship was in the midst of the sea and he alone upon land he was not alone upon land or shore for the same was not utterly void of dwellers but he had not any of his disciples with him nor any body to carry him a shipboard unto his disciples Many phrases or for 〈◊〉 speeches like unto these are to be found in the sacred scriptures and 〈◊〉 â—â—thors both Greek and Latine whereby we understand that neither universall negative nor exclusive particles are strictly to be urged but to be explained in such sort as the matter in hand will bear When as therefore the son alone is said to know the father and it is demanded whether the holy spirit is debarred from knowing the father out of other places of scriptures judgement is to be given in this case In some places the holy spirit is counted and reckoned with the father and the son jointly wherefore he is not to be separated Elsewhere also it is attributed to the holy spirit that he alone doth know the things which be of God and seattheth the deep secrets of God wherefore from him the knowing of God is not to be excluded They do yet further object that it is not convenient or fit for God after the manner of suters to humble and cast downe himself but the holy spirit doth so praying and intreating for us with unspeakable groans Rom. 8. Ergo the holy spirit is not God Whereunto I answer that the holy spirit doth pray and intreat insomuch as he provoketh us to pray and maketh us to groan and sigh Oftentimes also in the scriptures is that action or deed attributed unto God which we being stirred up and moved by him doe bring to passe So it is said of God unto Abraham Now I know that thou fearest God and yet before he would have sacrificed Isaac God knew the very heart of Abraham and therefore this word Cognovi I know is as much as Cognoscere feci I have made or caused to know And that the spirit to pray and intreat is the same that to make to pray and intreat the apostle teacheth even there writing that we have received the spirit of adoption in whom we cry Abba Father Where it is manifest that it is we which cry the Holy-ghost provoking and forcing us thereunto Howbeit they goe further and frame this reason Whosoever is sent the sache is inferior and lesser than he of whom he is sent and furthermore he is of a comprehensible substance because he passeth by locall motion from place to â—lace but the holy spirit is foot of the father and the sonne Iohn 14.15 16. It is powred forth and shed upon men Acts 10. Ergo the holy spirit is lesser than the Father and the Sonne and of a comprehensible nature and consequently not very God Whereto I answer first that he which is sent is not alwayes lesser than he that sendeth to prove which position any mean wit may inferre many instances Furthermore touching the sending of the holy spirit we are here to imagin no changing or shifting of place For if the spirit when he goeth from the Father and is sent changeth his place then must the Father also be in a place that he may leave it and goe to another And as for the incomprehensible nature of the spirit hee cannot leaving his place passe unto another Therefore the sending of the spirit is the eternall and unvariable will of God to doe something by the holy spirit and the revealing and executing of this will by the operation and working of the spirit The spirit was sent to the Apostles which spirit was present with them sith it is present every-where but then according to the will of God the Father hee shewed himselfe present and powerfull Some man may say if sending be a revealing and laying open of presence and power then may the Father be said to be sent because hee himself is also revealed I answer that when the spirit is said to be sent not only the revealing but the order also of his revealing is declared because the will of the Father and of the Son of whom he is sent going before not in time but in order of persons the spirit doth reveal himself the father and also the Son The Father revealeth himself by others the Son and the Holy Spirit so that his will goeth before Therefore sending is the common work of all the three persons howbeit for order of doing it is distinguished by diverse names The Father will reveal himself unto men with the son and the spirit and be powerfull in them and therefore is said to send The sonne doth assent unto the will of the Father and will that to bee done by themselves which God will to be done by them these are said to be sent And because
pag. 376. Of popish provinciall gods a comparison between them and heathen gods of physicall gods and of what occupation every popish god is pag. 377. A comparison between the heathen and papists touching their excuses for idolatry pag. 379. The conceipt of the heathen and the papists all one in idolatry of the councell of Trent a notable story of a hangman arraigned after he was dead and buryed c. pag. 380. A confutation of the fable of the hangman of many other feigned and ridiculous tales and apparitions with a reproof thereof pag. 381. A confutation of Johannes Laurentius and of many others maintaining these sained and ridiculous tales and apparitions and what driveth them away of Moses and Helias appearance in mount Thabor pag. 383. A confutation of assuming of bodies and of the serpent that seduced Eve pag. 384. The objection concerning the divels assuming of the serpents body answered pag. 385. Of the curse rehearsed Genes 3. and that place rightly expounded John Calvines opinion of the divell pag. 386. Mine owne opinion and resolution of the nature of spirits and of the divell with his properties pag. 387. Against fond witchmongers and their opinions concerning corporall divels pag. 388. A conclusion wherin the Spirit of spirits is described by the illumination of which spirit all spirits are to be tryed with a confutation of the Pneumatomachi flatly denying the divinity of this Spirit pag. 389. FINIS Apo. 4.11 Rom 8. Acts 5. Apo. 2. Luk. 16. Dan. 2. 28. 47. Psalme 72. 136. Jeremy 5. Job 5. 36. Samuel 12. 1 Reg. 8. 2 Reg 3. Isaiah 5. Zac. 10. 14. Amos. 4.7 Job 1. Isaith 42.8 Proverbs 5. Insti lib. 5. cap. 8. sect 6. Item upon Deu. c. 18. Lib. de lamiis page 5. Isaiah 59.7 Rom. 3.15 Eccles. 27.5 Prov. 1.16 Jeremy 2.34 Psal. 39.15 Isaiah 33.15 In epistola aâ— Jo. Wier John 5. Prov. 15.1 Acts 3. Proverbs 9. Matth. 25. Matthew 5. Luke 8. Rom. 2.27 2. Cor. 3.6 Isa. 11. Proverbs 1â— Mal. malef par 2. quae 2. 1 Pet. 4.1 Danaeus in suo prologo Lam. Jer. 3. 4. cap. verse 10. 1 Cor. 11.9 Ibid vers 7. Ge. 2.22.18 Arist. lib. problem 2.9 Virg Georg. Eccl. 35.15 Lib. 15. cap. 18. de varietatiâ— rerum Amos 3.6 La. Ier. 3 38. Isai. 45.9 Rom. 9.20 Job 5. Mat. 12. In concione * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. * Psal. 25. Psal 83. Eccles. 43. Luke 8. Math 8. Mark 4.41 Luk. 8.14 Psal. 107. Job 38.22 Eccles. 43. Leviti 26. verse 3 4. Psa 78.23 Nahum 1. Job 26.8 Job 37. Psalme 135. Jer. 10. 15. Ose. 13. Job 26.8 Job 37. Psalme 135. Jer. 10. 15. Ose. 13. Psa. 39. c. In â—epist ad 10. Wierum Exod. 13. Isai. 66. Ps. 18 11.19 August 3. de sancta Trinit Mar. 4.41 ‖ Joh. 10.21 * Psal. 72. 136. Ieremie 5. †Hag. 2.28 * Idem ca 1. * Joel 1. Leviti 26. 2 Tim. 4.34 1 Tim. 4.1 A story of Margaret Simons a supposed witch Cardan de varâ—rerum I. Bodin li. 2. de daemon cap. 8. Mal. Malef. par 2. quaest 1. cap. 2. Ovid. lib. metamorphoseon 7. Danaeus in dialog Psellus in Operatione daem Virg. in Damone Hor a epod 5. Tibul. de fascinat lib. 1. eleg 2. Ovid. Epist. 4. Lex 12. Tabularum Mal. Malef. Lucan de bello civili lib. 6 Virg. eclog. 8. Ovid de remedio amoris lib. 1. Hyperius Erastus Rich. Gal. in his horrible treatise Hemingius Bar. Spineus Bryan Darcy Confessio Windesor Virgil. Aeneid 4. C. Manlius astrol lib. 1. Mal. Malef. part 2. quaest 1. cap. 14. 1 Cor. 9.9 John 5 6. Mark 5.34 To go to witches c. is idolatry Aristot. de anima lib. 2. Acts. 8. Why should not the devill be as ready to helpe theef really as a witch L. mulfum â—siquis alteri vel libi An objection answered Miracles are ceased The opinions of people concerning witchcraft are diverse and inconstant Car. de var. rerum lib. 15. cap. 80. An obejection answered W. W. his book printed in Anno Dom. 1582. Mal. Malef. quaest 5. pa. 3. â— Bod lib. 4. cap. 2. de daemon Arch. in C. alle accusatus in S. lz super verba I. Bod. lib. 4. cap. 1. de daemon Mal. Malef. quaest 56. pa. 3. quae 5. part 3. Ibidem The Scottish custome of accusing a witch I. Bod. lib. de daemon 4. cap. 4. L parentes de testibus K. Childeberts cruel devise P. Grillandus A subtill and devilish devise Bar. Spineus I. Bod. de daemon lib. 2. cap. 2. Alexander L. ubi numerus de testibus I. Bod. de daemon lib. 2. cap. 2. Par. in L. post lenoâ—um 9. bis de iis quibus ut indig Alex. cap. 72. L. 2. c. In his foolish pamphlet of the execution of Windsor-witches I. Bod. lib. 4. cap. 3. Is there any probability that such would continue witches Idem ibid. Ioan. An. ad speculat tit de litis â—â—ntest part 2. non alienem eodem L. de aet at 5. nihil eodem c. I. Bod. de daemon lib. 4. cap. 3. I. Bod de daemon lib. 4. cap. 4. I. Bod de daemon lib. 4. cap. 4. L. decurionem de panis Panorm Felin in C. venient 1. de testibus parsi causa 15.4 Lib 4 numero 12. usque 18. L. 5. de adult S. gl Bart. c. venerabilis de electio c. I. Bod. de daemon lib. 4. cap. 4. Idem Ibid. Cap. preterea cum glos extra de test Panormit in C. vener col 2. oedem c Mal. malef super interreg Seneca in tragoed Mal. malef part 3. quaest 15. act 10. Num. 11.4 1 Sam 11 4. 2 Sam 15 23. Mar 8 13. 22. 24. 25. Luke 3 c. Seneca in tragoed Eccl. 35.15 Tryall of teares Mal. malef quae 15. pa. 3. Ia. Sprenger H. Institor Mal. malef pa. 3. quae 15. Prolepsis or Preoccupation Mal. Malef. Iohn Bod. Anno. 1485. a knave inquisitor Q. 16. de tempore modo â—errog Blasphemous Pope July of that name the third Mal. Malef. par 3. quae 16. Mal. malef par 3. quae 16. act 11. The question or matter in controversie that is to say the proposition or theme A generall error The onely way for wiâ—ches to avoid the inquisitors hands A bitter invective against a cruell inquisitor John Fox in the acts and monuments Peters apostasie renouncing of Christ. Danaeus in dialog 2 Cor. 10. The double bargain of 〈◊〉 with the devill