with sickenes The which thing was very well vnderstood by Alurede king of the most part of this Realme of England who beeing a faire comely and a goodly personage was therewithall giuen to the vice of the flesh wherefore hee desired God to chastise him with some continuall sickenes whereby he might serue God the better and yet not be made vnapt to worldly busines wherefore by the ordinance of God he was taken with the disease called Ficus and was thereof sicke a long time And the good king Ezechias so long as the Lord exercised him vnder the crosse of troubles and sicknes walked before him in all dutifull humilitie but after that he was deliuered from them and restored to health againe he beganne as it were to be lifted vp in the pride of heart in the vanitie of his minde he shewed the Embassadours of the king of Babylon all his treasure and prouision as it is in the second booke of the Kings chap. 20. and the 32. chap. of the second booke of the Chronicles And what was it that made Dauid so grieuously to offend God in numbering of the children of Israell as it is in the second booke of Samuel cap 24. but onely prosperity health ease The which when he had more deepely considered and had seene that the Lord had alwaies called him home againe into the right way by aduersity and troubles he saith in the 119. psalme vers 71. that It was good for him that he was in trouble And againe in the 67. verse of the same psalme he saith that before he was troubled he went wrong but then did he keepe Gods words or commaundements So that oftentimes nay for the most part affliction whether it be in body or minde or goods is more expedient and profitable for the children of God then worldly pleasure health or prosperity For God is said to chasten his deerest children in the 12. chapter to the Hebrewes vers 6 7 8. in these words Whome the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it that the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be without correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and no sonnes And Saint Paul saith in the 9. chapter of the 1. Epist. Cor. vers 27. that he beate downe his body and brought it into subiection lest by any meanes after he had preached vnto other himselfe should be reprooued The which if it be so then no maruaile though the ministers of the diuell the sorcerers are willing to procure somtimes temporall benefits of health and riches vnto men seeing as I haue said before that oftentimes they are more hurtfull then profitable vnto them And it is the soule altogither that Satan hunteth for the which that he may obtaine he careth not so much if they enioy wordly prosperity felicity for a time For as for worldly and temporal commodities they are as well common to the wicked as to the godly nay the vngodly doe most flourish in this life as wee see it daily by experience before our eyes And it is plainely prooued by diuers places of the scripture as in the 73. psalme their prosperity is described whereat the Psalmist fretted himselfe as hee saith when hee did see the prosperity of the wicked for there are no bandes in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble like other men And againe their eyes stand out with fatnes they haue more then heart can wish Here we see that they haue not riches alone but also they are lusty and strong without diseases of the body neither are they grieued in minde as other men but all things whatsoeuer yea more then heart can wish they haue and enioy as well for their pleasure as for their profit as Iob saith in the 21. cap. Wherefore doe the wicked liue and waxe olde and growe in wealth their seede is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eyes Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rodde of God is not vpon them Their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cowe calueth and casteth not her calfe They send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce They take the tabret and harpe and reioyce in the sound of the organes They spend their daies in wealth and sodainely they goe downe to the graue As it were without any long or languishing sicknes And this happeneth not onely to themselues but euen vnto their children to whome they leaue plenty also of goods as it is in the 17. psalme where the Prophet saith that God filled their bellies with his hidde treasure and their children had enough and left the rest of their substance for their children The which prosperity of the wicked when he had set downe hee concludeth the said 17. psalme with these words saying But I will beholde thy face in righteousnes and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine image As though he should haue said Let the wicked triumph as much as they will for they haue their portion in this life but as for me howsoeuer I be troubled and afflicted I will as neere as I can with Gods assistance so liue in godlines and holines of life now in this world as I may attaine vnto eternall ioy and felicity in the world to come For truly all earthly things are but meere vanities as the spirit of God saith by Salomon in the booke of the preacher but godlines is profitable to all things as that which hath the promise of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. cap. 4. vers 8. Wherefore we neede not to doubt but that this will be good and profitable vnto all them which haue it rightly and soundly wrought in their heart by the spirit of God whereby they are renewed and regenerated vnto newnes of life by putting off the olde man with the deedes thereof and putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that made him But Satan beeing an aduersarie both to God and to all the children of men hath neuer any intent or meaning except it be in hypocrisie that either himselfe or any of his instruments the sorcerers should mooue perswade or minister any occasion vnto godlines of life whereby the soules of men might be saued in the day of the Lord but only that they should feede ford them on with temporary benefits the which by God his permission both the diuell and his seruants the sorcerers by his helpe both can and sometime will doe As the Damsell in the 16. chap. Act. vers 16. is said to bring her master great gaines by meanes of the diuellish spirit of diuination wherwith shee was possessed And Simon the sorcerer in the 8. cap. Act. is reported to haue purchased such honour by his witcherwft and magicke that the people of
riches and such like temporall benefits which soone passe away and oftentimes as I haue prooued before are cause of the vtter ruine of him that hath them What madnes is it then for vs in regard of such momentany and transitory things in going to such kind of men to procure gods iust iudgement to fall vpon owne heads vnto our eternall destruction Yea and sometimes euen in this life God layeth his punishment vpon such offenders as I haue said before and as it is manifest by the first chapter of the second booke of the King where the Lord affirmeth by the mouth of Elias that because that Abaziah had sent vnto Baalzebub the God of Ekron concerning the recouery of his health Therefore he should not come off from his bedde where he did lie but should most certainely die And we haue a most fearefull example of king Saul of the iudgement of God against this sinne The which if it be duly weighed and considered according to all the circumstances thereof it will be sufficient to ouerthrow all excuses of going vnto sorcerers as it will appeare by the history therof set downe in the scripture For whereas in the 28. cap. of the first booke of Samuel vers 3. It is said that Saul had put away the sorcerers and the south-sayers out of the land It followeth in the next two vers That the Philistims assembled themselues and came and pitched in Shunem And Saul assembled all Israel and they pitched in Giboa And when Saul saw the host of the Philistims he was afraid his heart was sore astonied Now Saul being in this miserable extremity at the first vsed gods ordinary meanes and as it is in the 6. vers he asked counsell of the Lord. And because the Lord did not answer him neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor yet by prophets The which were meanes whereby often times it pleased God to reueale his will vnto men in those daies Therefore Saul being thus beset with his enemies and seeing that God did not vouchsafe albeit he had sought vnto him in some measure as he thought to instruct him any waies what he was to doe in this case whether to yield or to ioyne battell with the Philistims neither what successe he should haue in this busines Therfore I say as one that would not or peraduenture as he thought that could not stay the Lords leisure he resolued to leaue off seeking any more vnto him but to the diuell therupon he went to Endor to aske counsell of asorceresse which dwelt there as it followeth in the same chapter But what was the end of this act of his Truly a most miserable destruction both of himselfe as also of many of the Israelites his subiects as appeareth most notably both in the 31. chapter of this booke and likewise in the 10. chapter of the first booke of the Chronicles where it is said that the Philistims compelled the Israelites to flie slue his three sonnes Ionathan Abinadab and Melchisna and draue Saul into such a streight that he killed himselfe for feare with his owne sword and the Philistims finding his body dead amongst the rest of the slaine hung it vp reprochfully vpon the wall of their city Bethsan And least any should thinke that this punishment did not happen for seeking vnto such wicked and abominable sorcerers it is said in the 13. and 14. verses of the aforesaid 10. chapt of the first booke of the Chroni that Saul dyed for his transgression that he committed against the Lord euen against the word of the Lord which he kept not And in that he sought and asked Counsell of a familiar spirit and asked not of the Lord therefore the Lord slewe him and turned the kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishay Heere in this historie we may plainely perceiue that no cause or occasion can free from punishment or make the going vnto sorcerers tollerable For then might Saul haue had some excuse who sought not for helpe of them vntill he was in such distresse and daunger both of his owne life and of his peoples that hee sawe as it seemed to him no other way or meanes of escape neither did hee goe vnto them vntill hee had first asked counsaile of the Lord and that hee had as it were refused to heare or answer him in this his extremity by any meanes allowable as it is heere said Neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor by Prophets And yet notwithstanding it is saide in this 10. chapter of the first booke of Chronicles that because he sought and asked counsaile of a familiar spirit and asked not of the Lord therefore the Lord slue him c. Where we see that verified which is spoken in the 18. cap. of Ezechiel vers 24. viz. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue all the righteousnes that he hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression that he hath committed and in the sinnes that he hath sinned in them shall hee die For albeit Saul is said in the 28. chap. of the first booke of Samuel vers 6. That Saul asked counsell of the Lord and the Lord answered him not Yet because hee left off that good course which hee had begunne and afterward went vnto a sorcerer it was all one as if he had not asked counsaile of the Lord at all He ought rather to haue repented him of his sinnes and to haue turned vnto the Lord by faithfull and heartie prayer and amendment of life and then no doubt the Lord would haue hearkened vnto him and haue graunted his petition so soone and so farre forth as he had thought it meetest and best for him at least wise in the world to come This knew king Dauid very well and that was the cause that mooued him in the 2. booke of Sam. cap. 15. when as Absolon his sonne pursued him with an host of men and brought him vnto such a distresse that he was compelled to flie for the safegard of his life to yield himselfe in all humanity vnto the meere mercy and goodnesse of God and to waite the Lords leisure as it appeareth in the 25. and 26. vers of the same chapter by the words which he spake vnto Zadok the high priest who had brought the Arke of God out of the city in that flight saying vnto him the said Zadok Carry the Arke of God againe into the citie If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee behold heere I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies So that this was his resolution to depend vpon the mercifull prouidence of God whatsoeuer it should please God to doe with him He did not as king Saul had done before him who sought for helpe and
or vnder the table but on a candle-stick that they that enter in may see the light so these men if they had an effectuall calling from God they could not but in some measure exercise the same to the glory of God and the good of his Church As the prophet Ieremy when as he saw little or no profit of his labours in so much that he was euen smitten and cast into prison for preaching of the word yet he could not forbeare but saith that the word of God was in his heart as a burning fire shut vp in his bones So that he was weary with forbearing and could not stay Ieremy the 20. cap. vers the 9. But these men of whome I speake are much vnlike to the prophet Ieremy For they are either so ignorant in the word of God and Christian religion that they know not the truth thereof and therefore how should they giue testimony vnto the same by the working of miracles Or els their life is so lewd and vaine that their witnes would rather giue offence then any wise confirme the truth of the word preached But to leaue this and come to the next note or marke whereby we may discry the working of miracles whether it be of God or not Let vs first consider the nature and difference of miracles A miracle may be defined a rare and vnwoonted thing or worke which either is or seemeth impossible to be wrought by any naturall force or meanes and thereby mooueth admiration Hence we may gather two kinds of miracles Namely right and true miracles and false or feined miracles The true miracles are those which cannot possibly be done by any naturall meanes or creature but onely by diuine vertue and power and these are of two sortes For some are so of and by themselues as was the feeding of the children of Israel with Manna in the wildernesse in the 16. cap. of Exod vers 36. The staying of the sunne in the time of Iehosuah cap. 10. vers 12. The raising of the dead Yea and the healing of diseases that by no natural meanes of any creature can be cured and a great many more such like set down in the scripture the which cannot be wrought but onely by the finger of God and therefore not by any diuilish meanes or sorcery Albeit the diuell may sometimes counterfeit the same Yet his legerdemaine is heere sooner espied then in any other kind of miracles by reason that he wanteth the ground of naturall causes to support it The second sort of right and true miracles are those which are so onely in regard of their manner of working being not effected by nor proceeding from any naturall cause but from the power of God As the curing of diseases with the onely shadow of Peter Act. cap. 5. if the said diseases were otherwise curable although hardly by naturall meanes And in this chap. ver 12. with the napkins and partletes of Saint Paul As also the raine and cloudes of Elias in the first booke of the King cap. 18. And the thunder of Samuel 1. Sam. cap. 12. In this sort of miracles the diuell doth often intermeddle his ministers the sorcerers vsing otherwhiles the same outward meanes which the seruants of God haue vsed in such like cases and the diuel vnder this veile worketh the effect intended by naturall meanes as many sorcerers in these our daies doe send cloathes vnto their patients the which being done the diuell doth secretly infuse some naturall remedy whereby the malady wherewith they are greieued is cured And when things are thus wrought they are not true but false miracles for right and true miracles as I said before are those which are effected by the diuine power of God onely of which sort were all those which were done by the Prophets Apostles and our Sauiour Christ himselfe and his disciples For the grace of working miracles is a spirituall gift and not a naturall as it is set downe in the 12. cap. of the 1. epist. Cor. And therefore the meanes of the said working must needs be supernaturall being wrought by the same spirit who is the author and distributer of the said gift For euen as the Lord God hath created heauen and earth so hath he giuen to euery thing therein in the creation a seuerall nature vertue and property to be wrought or to worke this or that effect if it be rightly vsed and applyed the which it is not possible for any creature in the world to alter or change but onely for the creator who made al things of nought at the first as the Psalmist saith He set the earth vpon hir foundations that it neuer should mooue Psal. 104. Wherefore neither man angell nor diuell can doe any thing but onely by naturall meanes for they cannot create any thing of nothing for that is proper to God alone and therefore they of themselues can doe no true and right miracles but as God himselfe by his diuine power doth supernaturally worke the said miracles by them But they may worke false and counterfeit miracles Which are those which either are not the thing that they seeme to be or els if they be so yet are they wrought by naturall meanes albeit to vs vnknowne For the diuell doth often times deceiue and delude the senses so that things do shew to be other and otherwise then they are indeede as it commeth to passe in night spells as they tearme them when as it seemeth that a wal or some great water is obiected and set against the party that is within the circle of the said spell that he cannot passe forth Which is nothing els but a meere delusion of Satan For let them goe backward and they may passe the circle without any such let with many other such like Howbeit sometimes he exhibiteth the thing it selfe which in shew appeareth as was the fire which consumed Iobs sheepe and his seruantes Iob. 1. cap. And this he doth by diuerse and sundry waies and meanes but especially by three The first is by applying the efficient or working cause vnto the matter whereof they know any thing which they intend may be effected And so it is thought that Pharaohs sorcerers made the frogges before him Exod. 8. The like wherof we may see by daily experience amongst vs when as by the blowing of flyes vpon flesh there arise wormes or maggotes And by this means partly they both bring diseases vpon men and likewise sometimes cure them by applying or infusing secretly either inwardly or outwardly to the bodie things that may hurt or heale the same Secondly by the stirring and moouing of things as in the aire when he raiseth windes and lightnings as Iob. cap. 1. vers 19. and when he maketh any to be carried aloft in the same In the waters when he causeth inundations In the body of man or beast when he mooueth the spirits or humours whereby diuers and sundrie diseases are ingendred the which it were long here to recite
history who was one that fauoured this wicked craft no man more hauing sufficient store of wealth and power and magitians sent for from all parts of the world to conferre with and yet for all that in the end left it as vaine and friuolous And common experience doth teach vs euen the very same For whosoeuer shall looke into the dealings of those persons which are accounted the onely cunning men in the world amongst vs he shall see that they vse no other outward meanes but a sort of charmes the most of them so ridiculous and foolish that a wise man must needes laugh at them and euery one that hath but a sparke of religion to loath detest them Which are either newly deuised by the diuell and his ministers or els receiued afore by tradition from one to another And if so be they vse good words and sensible which is very seldome in al points yet are they vttered with an euill intent thinking by them alone to worke such wonders as the exorcists doe heere Seeing that the words of themselues can doe nothing how glorious soeuer they appeare without further authority and power from God And yet we see that this vaine wicked craft and the practises of the same haue many fauourers in the world especially of those that are profane and want knowledge in religion The which also haue deuised many reasons to vphold the said craft whereof some of the chiefest I will heere recite And first they say that these cunning men doe vse no euill meanes and especially the diuell is not the author of this their working For fay they The diuell neither can nor will doe any good but these cunning folkes doe good and therefore they doe it not by the diuell or by any euill meanes To answer vnto this argument we must more deepely weigh and consider of the matter then it seemeth that those which framed this argument did For I thinke they vnderstood not what they meant themselues by this word good If they vnderstand thereby that which is absolutely altogether alwaies and in all respects good then we deny their assumption for in this manner there is none good but God alone as our Sauiour Christ saith in the 19. cap. of the Gospell after Saint Matth. vers 17. As for all other creatures they are good so farre forth as it pleaseth God the chiefest goodnesse to esteeme and accept of them For whereas it is said in the first chapter of Gen. vers 31. And God saw all that he had made and loe it was very good We must vnderstand by goodnesse the perfit estate of all things both generally and particularly whereby they were conformable to the will and minde of God the creator who approoued them when they were made For no creature is good of it selfe first and for that cause approoued but because God approoueth it therefore it is good Now the Lord seemeth to haue approoued these his creatures in three especiall respects First in regard of the beautie comelines and glorie of all and euery creature in their kinde Secondly in regard of the excellent vertue which God gaue to euery thing For as hee hath made nothing in vaine but euery thing to some especiall ende so hath hee furnished the same with sufficient power and vertue for the accomplishment of the same end Thirdly in respect of the exceeding benefit and profit which came by them vnto man As for the two first no man will say that in those respects these cunning folke can or doe any good by reason that they concerne the creatures themselues alone without any reference vnto man and we know that no man can make no not one haire of his head white or blacke as it is in the 5 chapter of Saint Matthewes Gospel vers 36. Therefore it must needes be in the third respect which is in regard of the profitte that redoundeth thereby vnto men so that their meaning is that whatsoeuer doth exhibite doe or procure any benefit or profit vnto any man is by their reason said to doe him good But let them consider this that albeit at the first the Lord created euery thing very good yet since the fall of Adam this goodnes of the creature is partly corrupted and partly diminished not only in the two first respects but also that especially in the last For wheras the creatures were in some measure made for mans vse so when man had transgressed the commandement of God both man himselfe fell from that integrity of nature wherein he was first created beeing now corrupted and depraued as well in all the powers faculties of the body as of the minde as it is manifest by the punishment laid vpon the man and likewise vpon the woman in the 3. chapter of Genesis in so much as Saint Paul in the 7. chapter to the Romanes vers 18. in the name or person of al men confesseth that in him that is in his flesh whereby is meant the whole man as he is now by nature consisting both of body and soule is no good Yea that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues as it is in the 2. Epist. Cor. cap. 3. vers 5. and also the Lord cursed the earth for mans sake as it is in the aforesaid 3. chapter of Genesis The whole creature beeing now subiect vnto vanity as Saint Paul speaketh to the Romanes cap. 8. So that the creatures are not now so profitable vnto him as hee is a naturall man as Saint Paul saith in the 1. chapter to Titus vers 15. That to those that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but their mindes and consciences are defiled Whereby it appeareth that before God hath purified the heart by saith nothing can doe him good nothing is pure vnto him But euen as an impure vessell defileth whatsoeuer is put into it so whatsoeuer happeneth vnto the wicked it is for ther further damnation and what doth it profit a man if he gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule as our Sauiour Christ saith in the 16. chapter of S. Matthewes Gospel And for as much as no man is altogither regenerate in this life but hath alwaies the flesh striuing and lusting against the spirit Gal. c. 5. v. 17. therefore it pleased God to the end that they might see the haynousnes of sinne and the grieuousnes of the fall of our first parents to suffer those thinges which were in their first creation ordained for their good to be euen vnto his deere children an occasion of their fall albeit not eternally So Dauid beeing a man after God his owne heart abused that goodly strong and healthfull state and temper of his body which is set downe in the 16. chapter of the first booke of Samuel to the horrible committing of adulterie with the wife of Vrias as it is the 11. cap. of the second booke of Samuel the which no doubt he would neuer haue done if he had beene a weakeling and crased
some that they cannot vse their naturall powers and faculties as we see in night-spels In so much as some of thē doe take in hand to bind the diuell himselfe by their Inchantments Wherfore those which we terme cōiurers are not vnfitly to be referred to this kind and by the same reasō the Exorcists spokē of in this text And to speak generally whosoeuer worketh any extraordinary wonder by any of the last aforesaid means of words characters amulets the like doth worke by charming and inchantment albeit he maketh no contract nor hath any conference with Satan as they haue which are spoken of in the next place which take counsel of spirits in those matters wherin they would haue them to serue their turne as the damsell in the Acts 16 16. which had a spirit of diuinatiō wherby she procured much profit vnto her master And the woman in the first booke of Sam. 28. 7. to whome king Saul went for counsell when the Philistims came against him And of these sorts are all those which haue a familiar spirit or by any meanes doe vse conference with Satan vpon any occasion or in any matter wherein they would vse him These that are heere called sooth-sayers seeme to be those which doe foretell and prognosticate things to come as are alterations of kingdomes and common wealths dearth or plenty of victuall and such like as the prophets of God were wont to doe by the speciall motion of Gods spirit so these would seeme to imitate them in this behalfe hauing no warrant for the same out of the word nor any priuate reuelation from God but are ledde thereunto by some imaginary conceit or superstition or els by the instinct of Satan as were the false prophets in the booke of God who seeme then especially to be called by that name when as they falsely vsed the name of God to confirme their predictions The next and last kind of magicke set downe in this place is of those which aske counsell of the dead not that the dead doe or can resolue them in any such doubtfull case or that they are able by these or any other meanes to raise them vp againe being once departed as it may be prooued both by reason and diuerse places of the scripture But because it was so thought and beleeued of the people both in regard that oftentimes it was vsed about the tombs of men deceased and also by reason that the diuell did appeare vnto them in the forme of those which were dead when they gaue answer to those things which they were demaunded as it is plaine by the 28. chap. of the first booke of Samuel where the holy seruant of God Samuel is said to bee raised vp by the woman to certifie king Saul what successe hee should haue in the battaile against the Philistimes Neither ought any man to maruaile at this That I haue cited this last example before when I spake of those which aske counsaile of spirits For we must not thinke that all the afore-said kindes of magicke are so strictly to be distinguished but that they do communicate otherwhiles in some points one with the other yet so as then they are rather to be tearmed compound then simple and may in diuerse respects be referred to diuers kinds of magicke as in the last alleadged example In regard that the woman did counsaile with a spirit shee may bee referred to the number of that kinde of magitians But because he appeared vnto her in the likenes of a dead man shee may bee called a necromancer that is one that asketh counsaile of the dead And if she vsed any sette forme of words or characters in this action then might shee haue beene called a charmer or inchanter Finally if she had done it to haue hurted or harmed any body we might haue placed hir among the sorcerers before spoken of And so in like manner may wee iudge of all the rest according to the circumstances to be obserued in each kinde of magick Howbeit it is manifest by the afore-said 18. chapter of Deuteronomy whereas the counsellours with spirits are reckoned for an especiall and seuerall kinde of magitians that the same doth differ from the other kindes or at least wise from some of them euen in this behalfe So that in all of them there is not alwaies a contract or personal conference with Satan as it appeareth by this present text where it is probable that these Exorcists had not the personal consent of the diuell at least wise in this action but beeing vaine and irreligious persons and hauing a desire to surpasse other men tooke vpon them to practise magicke and because they did see Saint Paul and the other Apostles to bring to passe such great miracles by the name of Iesus therfore they of their owne head tooke vpon them to doe the like and to draw the same into their magicall artes had not the Lord confounded them in their said enterprise according vnto the common custome of many men in these our daies who to winne themselues a name in the world will by all meanes possible procure what magicall bookes they can heare of and likewise if they know any man to vse any manner or forme of words or characters in curing of any disease or working of any other wonder they will presently after they haue obtained the knowledge thereof put the same in practise also especially if it carrie any colour or shew of holines in it as that of the Exorcists did thinking it no sinne so to doe Nay and because they see not an expresse couenant made with Satan herein therefore they will defend them to bee good whereas the spirit of God doth condemne this kinde of magicke for it is no better then magicke as wel as al the rest The which the Ephesians in this 19. chapter of the Actes did very well vnderstand wherefore vpon the view and sight of the iudgement of God vpon the Exorcists they are said to burne their bookes of curious artes whereby is meant not only the grossest kind of magicke wherin is a manifest compact or conference with the diuell but also al vaine superstitious deuices of diuining soothsaying charming and such like which haue no warrant out of the word of God nor any reason out of the whole course of nature to confirme them such as they vsed which in the afore said 18. chapter of Deuteronomy are said to be regarders of times markers of the flying of foules soothsayers and charmers as also they which diuined by looking into beasts intralls as many did among the heathen as it may be partly gathered out of the 21. cap. of Ezechiel v. 26. And it is manifest by histories that the Ephesians were giuen to such like superstition for it is recorded in diuers authors That in the Image Diana which was worshipped at Ephesus there were certaine obscure words or sentences not agreeing together nor depending one vpon another much like vnto riddles written
therefore say that Christians are altogether without faith God forbid that we should thinke so badly of God his people For they haue iustifying faith but that which they call the faith of miracles is alreadie ceased For seeing that the ende of working miracles was to confirme the word as Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. cap. 14. vers 22. of the miraculous gift of languages that it was a token to them that beleeue not and not to them that beleeue to prepare and mooue their mindes to the imbracing of the Gospel which Gospel beeing now a great while since sufficiently prooued and the truth therof established by miracles what needeth the continuance of the said gift amongst vs And that the gift of working miracles was but for a certaine time at the beginning onely bestowed vpon his Church as diuers other spirituall gifts were which are rehearsed in the 12. chap. of the 1. Epist. Cor. it is very manifest because that all the rest of miraculous gifts there recited are ceased out of vse at this present Wherefore the wizzards of these our daies howsoeuer they colour their legerdemaine in this behalfe yet they are farre from the true practise of working miracles giuen and accepted of God by reason that the vse thereof is ceased with the end for which it was giuen and ordained Neither are we to thinke that the hand of the Lord is shortened therby no more then it was when Manna ceased among the Israelites But the Lord knoweth and doth alwaies that which is most conuenient and profitable both for his owne glorie and for our eternall comfort Yea by his prouidence he so moderateth the particular actions of all those vpon whome hee bestoweth this grace of working miracles that they doe nothing in this behalfe but onely as he doth direct and assigne them So Moses did his miracles alwaies at God his appointment and the disciples of our Sauiour Iesus Christ could not heale the lunaticke childe in the 17. chap. of Saint Matthew Howbeit at other times they did greater wonders And the Prophet Nathan in the second booke of Samuel cap. 7. because he was not first directed by God failed in giuing counsaile vnto Dauid to build the temple Neither may wee thinke that it hath beene otherwise in this case with any other of the seruants of God For albeit it bee not expressed alwaies in the scripture yet it is out of doubt that were inwardly ledde by the spirit of God to doe euery particular miracle that they wrought euen as the disciples of our Sauiour Christ were what they should speake in the 10. chapter of Matth. where our Sauiour Christ saith vnto them Take no thought how or what ye shall speake for it shall be giuen you in that houre what ye shall say for it is not ye that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you Wherefore our Sauiour Christ in the 9. chapter of the Gospel after Saint Luke findeth fault with his disciples because they would haue had fire to come downe from heauen vpon the Samaritans as Elias did procure to fall vpon the two fifties of men and their leaders in the 2. booke of the Kings cap. 1. saying that they knew not of what spirit they were as though he should haue said If that ye did know and consider as the truth is that Elias was mooued by the spirit of God to execute his iudgement vpon those men and that ye are onely ledde by your desire of reuenge ye would neuer haue motioned this matter for now ye aske ye wot not what But those that are counted cunning men amongst vs doe at no time looke for God his direction but for the opposition and coniunction of the planets with a sort of other vaine and wicked obseruations fitter for heathen men thē for those that beare the names of Christians which God hath flatly forbidden in the 18. chapter of Deuteronomy and Leuiticus cap. 19. vers 26. and by the Prophet Ieremy he saith cap. 10. Learne not the way of the heathen and bee not afraid for the signes of heauen though the heathen bee afraid of such for the customes of the people are vaine For the right vse of the starres and the motions thereof is set downe by God himselfe in the 1. cap. of Gen. vers 14 and 15. in these wordes And God said let there be lights in the firmament of heauen to separate the day from the might and let them be for signes and for seasons and for daies and yeares and let them be for lights in the firmament of heauen to giue light vpon the earth The like impietie is to be found in these men when they appoint and set downe vnto themselues and their disciples in what place such and such wonders are to be wrought As though the power of God were tied to one place more then vnto another Wherein they are like the Aramites in the 20. cap. of the 1. booke of the King when they say that the God of Israel is God of the mountaines and not of the valleies and therefore the Lord slew them with the edge of the sword Furthermore for euery particular miracle God directeth if it be done as it should be the meanes and manner how it should be wrought either outwardly by his word or inwardly by his spirit Thus the Lord when he did send Moses to worke miracles before Pharaoh Exod. the 7 8 and 9 chapters He instructeth and telleth him after what manner he should doe them So when he ledde the children of Israel ouer Iorden by the hand of Iehosuah cap. 3. he biddeth him to command the priests that did beare the Arke of the couenant that when they came to the brinke of the waters of Iorden they should stand stil in Iorden whereby the people went ouer that riuer dry In like manner in the 6. cap. of the booke of Iehosuah the Lord declareth vnto Iehosuah what he will haue done that the walles of the citie of Iericho might fall downe before the children of Israel the which being once done the wall sell flat downe so the people went vp into the citie euery man straight before him And they tooke the city So in the 1. booke of the Kings cap. 13. assoone as the man of God had vttered the word of the Lord against the altar it claue asunder and the ashes fell out But in the 2. booke of the King cap. 4. because that Elisha did presume of himselfe without the Lord his direction to deuise a course to raise the womans child being dead to life againe by laying the staffe vpon the childes face by the hand of Gehazi his seruant therefore it tooke no effect Neither ought we to imagine by this that God is tyed to these or any other meanes of like sort For he doth the selfe same sometimes by one meanes sometimes by another as in the 4. cap. of Exod. vers 9. he biddeth Moses to powre the water of the riuer vpon the
comfort of sorcerers but as the holy man Iob saith in the 17. cap. and 15. vers That albeit the Lord did slay him yet he would put his trust in him And this hath beene the course that the Saints of God haue taken from time to time And this ought to be our course if we will arriue at the happy hauen of saluation in the world to come For it is not a thing indifferent but a matter of exceeding great moment In so much that whosoeuer doth not obserue the same he shall not without repentance enter into the kingdome of heauen These foure are the chiefe of their reasons which I haue heard The rest are either of small weight or moment or els they may be referred to the foure aforesaid wherefore I will hast to the next words which the exorcists are heere said to vse in their coniuration which are these following We adiure you by Iesus whome Paul preacheth This speech seemeth to be borrowed of the common course of iudges in their sessions and such like who when they would haue anything done exactly and diligently doe vse to sweare them vnto it Euen so in this place the Exorcists are said to vse the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is deriued of the noune 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an oath and so doth the Latine word adiuro come of iusiurandum which betokeneth the same thing As for English terme we haue none that I know that can in all points expresse the greeke or latine word wherefore we are constrained to make an English word of the Latine saying we adiure for the common vsuall word of coniuring in our language cannot well stand with the sense of this place Neither doe I know how it hath crept into our tongue in these matters seeing that it signifieth rather conspiring when diuerse haue conspired and as it were sworne together to doe any act How heit according as they are vsed now amongst vs there us little or no difference in the meaning and may be vsed for the most part the one word for the other But notwithstanding in the auncientest translations they vse this word charge which because it carieth not that emphasis with it which the greeke and latine words doe therefore it in altered heere and adiure put in for it But howsoeuer it be it is most certaine that these exorcists did mightily offend the maiesty of God in so profaning of the most holy name of Christ Iesus by making thereof a charme or inchantment and abusing it to their owne priuate fame and commodity without any such commission or authority from God For euen as all authority and power is appointed by him in ciuill causes and matters of the common wealth as it is in the 13. cap. Rom. vers 1. All power is of God the powers that be are ordeined of God So it is in gods Church wherin euery man hath his place euery man hath his especiall gift according as it pleaseth God to appoint and giue him as it is manifest by the 12. cap. of the 1. epist. Cor. And whosoeuer is not content with that measure which God by his spirit hath bestowed vpon him but presumeth of greater gifts in this behalfe then he hath is a vsurper of which sort were Corah Dathan and Abiram in the 16. cap. of the booke of Numbers with their adherents whose most fearefull punishment is set downe in that place Nay euen Vzza in the second booke of Samuel cap. 6. was stricken with present death because he touched the Arke of God to stay it least it should haue fallen or haue beene hurt which he seemed to doe of a good intent The which if it be so then no doubt the sinne of these exorcists cannot be but most horrible in abusing thus the name of Christ Iesus for God will not hold him guiltles that taketh his name in vaine as it is in the third commaundement And truely it is very much to be maruelled at that men of such place and knowledge as it may seeme that these were should fall into such grosse errours and impietie For they were the sonnes of Scena a chiefe priest of the Iewes which did this Now wee know that the priestes lippes should preserue knowledge and the law should be required at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes Malachy cap. 2. ver 7. Wherefore if it were the duty of all the Israelites to teach their children the preceptes and commandementes of the Lord as it is in the 6. cap. of Deuteronomy ver 7. 8. and cap. 11. ver 19. then much more were the priestes bound to doe it vnto whom all the rest were to resort to light their candle of knowledge But that seemeth to bee most truly verified of the people in that age which the prophet Esay in the first chapter verse 5. 6. saieth viz. The whole head is sick of one and the same disease the whole heart is heauy euen from the soale of the foote vnto the crowne of the head there is no whole part but woundes and swellinges and filthy sores For Iosephus a Iew one of their owne countrie men liuing not long after this time a most excellent historiographer in his booke De antiquitate Iudaeorum cap. 6. and in other places doth say that this most wicked art of magick was neuer more vsed then it was in his time In so much that some doe report in their writings and those of their owne nation and countrie that their 70. Senators and as they terme them in their language the Sanhedrin which were the cheife counsailours of state amongst them and were wont to sit with the king for the gouernmēt of that common wealth were infected with the poison of this art and had great skill and cunning in the same Wherefore the afore-said Iosephus in the place before alledged hath these words Erat tunc temporis Iudaea latronum praestigiatorum planorum asylum spelunca certè quia deus extrema Iudaeorum impietate offendebatur vrbemque ideò templum abominabatur Romanorum exercitum induxit vt tanquam per ignem expurgaret Quin ait si Romani vel tantillum eius excidium distulissent proculdubio aut terrae hiatu absorpti aut nouo diluvio mersi aut incendio consumpti fuissent Haec enim generatio Sodomiticâ ipsa longè sceleratior flagitiosior erat Which may bee englished thus At that time was Iudea a receptacle and denne of theeues iuglers and notable deceiuers And truly because God was offended with their exceeding great impiety therefore hee detested also the cittie and the temple he brought in the army of the Romanes that thereby he might purge them as it were by fire Yea and that more is if the Romanes had deferred the destruction thereof neuer so little a while without doubt either the earth had swallowed them vp or they had beene drowned with some straunge and