A Candle in the Dark SHEWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND and of the Christian WORLD That is the Lord doth Avenge the blood of the Innocent upon the Inhabitants of the Earth Iustitia Thronam firmat The King that faithfully judgeth the poor his Throne shall be established Prov. 29.14 This Book is profitable to bee read by all Iudges of Assizes before they passe the sentence of Condemnation against poor People who are accused for Witchcraft It is also profitable for all sorts of people to read who desire Knowledge By THOMAS ADY M. A. LONDON Printed for Robert Ibb'tson dwelling in Smithfield neer Hosier Lane End 1655. The Reason of the Book THe Grand Errour of these latter Ages is ascribing power to Witches and by foolish imagination of mens brains without grounds in the Scriptures wrongfull killing of the innocent under the name of Witches unto which Idolatry and bloud-guiltiness being as bad or worse than the Idolatry of the ancient Heathen men are led as violently by fond imagination as were the Ephesians to the worshipping of Diana and of the Image which as they blindly thought fell down from Jupiter Acts 19.35 It is reported by Travellers that some People in America do worship for a day the first living Creature they see in the morning be it but a Bird or a Worm this Idolatry is like the Idolatry of this part of the World who when they are afflicted in Body or Goods by Gods hand they have an eye to some Mouse or Bugg or Frog or other living Creature saying It is some Witches Impe that is sent to afflict them ascribing the Work of God to a Witch or any mean Creature rather than to God Mr. Scot published a Book called his Discovery of Witchcraft in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth for the instruction of all Iudges and Iustices of those times which Book did for a time take great impression in the Magistracy and also in the Clergy but since that time England hath shamefully fallen from the Truth which they began to receive wherefore here is again a necessary and illustrious discourse for the Magistracy and other People of this Age where I intreat all to take notice that many do falsly report of Mr. Scot that he held an Opinion that Witches are not for it was neither his Tenent neither is it mine but that Witches are not such as are commonly executed for Witches A Candle in the Dark The First Book shewing what Witches are in the Scripture-sence throughout the Old and New Testament The Second Book shewing how grosly the Scriptures have been mis-interpreted by Antichrist concerning Witches by which interpretation he hath made the Nations go astray With a confutation of those Errours The Third Book touching some erroneous English Writers who have upheld the same Errours which Antichrist hath broaâ—hed to the world Also the Works of a Scotch-man called The VVorks of King Iames. With an addition of fifteen Causes also a reference to Scot and also the opinion of Luther concerning Devils Also an instruction to Lawyers Errata PAge 11. line 3. for Magnus read Magus p. 15. 1. 2â— for 6 Chron. r. 2 Chro. p 22. 1. 1. for Prophâ—ts r. Prophetâ—ss p 28. 1. 23 for magis r. magi p. 30. 1. 11. for inchâ—ntation r. incantation p. 38 1. 15. for little r. liâ—he 1. 19. for tax r. tap thrice in the same page in p 48. 1. 8. for Charms â— Charmer p. 76. 1. 33. for equivocâ—ely r equivocally p. 77. 1. 8. for Scopula r. Scapula over p 79. for Oracle giver r. â—outh sayer so over p. 87. Necromancer should not be The Second Book Pag. 92. 1. 5. for drew r. grew p. 96. 1. 10 for inquisitions r. inquisitors p. 106. 1. 8. tor superstitions r. suspicions p. 122. 1. 35 for quem r. quum p. 124. 1. 15. for an r. and p 129 1. 15. or preteâ—natual r preternatural p. 136. 1. 28. for any sort r. every other sort p. 145 1. 30 for discovered r. discoursed p. 146. 1. 36. for and by them cast on câ—n cure r. and by them can cast on or inflict and cure diseases p. 147. 1. 4. for send r. teach p. 170. 1 17 for endicat r. indicat Reader take notice that most of these faults are mended with Pen and Inke already TO THE Prince of the Kings of the Earth IT is the manner of men O heavenly King to dedicate their Books to some great men thereby to have their Works protected and countenanced among men but thou only art able by thy holy Spirit of Truth to defend thy Truth and to make it take impression in the heart and understanding of men Unto thee alone do I dedicate this Work intreating thy most High Majesty to grant That whoever shall open this Book thy holy Spirit may so possess their understanding as that the spirit of errour may depart from them and that they may read and try thy Truth by the touchstone of thy Truth the holy Scriptures and finding that Truth may embrace it and forsake these darksome inventions of Antichrist that have deluded and defiled the Nations now and in former Ages Enlighten the World thou that art the Light of the World and let Darkness be no more in the World now or in any future Age but make all people to walk as Children of the Light for ever and destroy Antichrist that hath deceived the Nations and save us the residue by thy self alone and let not Satan any more delude us for the Truth is thine for ever To the Reader SIR IF you be a courteous Reader I intreat you that what weaknesse and imperfections you shall think you espie in this Book from the Author thereof you passe them by for the Truths sake whereupon this Book treateth Secondly if you be so discourteous as to carp and censure then I intreat you to carp only at me and not at the Truth lest you resist the truth Thirdly I intreat you to Read my Book thorow before you cast it by for otherwise Sir it may argue weaknesse in your self to slight the Book before you see the Argument It is one of the vanities of the World to write many Books and when a man hath taken pains to write few men will take the pains to read which Solomon intimateth Eccle. 12.12 but Sir if you find no leasure to read and consider then I pray find no leasure to gainsay or to argue against Fourthly for all places of Scripture alledged in this Book if you shall search our English Translations and not find them to carry the sense which I drive at in my discourse I intreat you either to search the Originall or else to look upon the Latin Translations of Iunius and Tremellius which carry the true sense of the Originall as it was written by the Spirit of God Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid To the more Iudicious and Wise and Discreet part
cause them to provoke God to anger and to strike them in his displeasure and this is the Doctrin we ought to learn by the History of Balaam yea this is the only Witchcraft that is summarily included in all the Nine tearms of Description Deut. 18.10 11. being the discourse of my first Book and to shew any proof of any sort of Witches in the Scriptures I challengeall Witchmongers yet some will forsake the Scriptures and confute me strongly with a repetition of some of Bodins lyes or the like Stories telling them for truth But for all such as do still labour by Objections Cavils Inventions and Imaginations to uphold the old Traditions and Errours of that grand Witch the Pope and his Train concerning Witches and their Power and not rather to cleanse the world from these Doctrins of Devils let them take heed that the saying belongeth not to them that Stephen spake to the Jews Acts 7.51 Yee stif-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears yee do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee As it is written 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. because yee received not the love of the truth that yee might be saved for this cause God hath sent you strong delusiâ—ns that you should beleeve a lye that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness A Conclusion HE that groundeth his Opinion upon Phansie and Human traditions and reports without light and rule of the Scriptures is like a man groping in the dark who for want of light rusheth his face against the door But if any man will forsake blinde imaginations and be guided by the light and rule of the Scriptures he shall finde by them that Witches are only false Prophets who used several deluding impostures to deceive the people according to the whole Discourse of the first Book of this Treatise and these were not poor men and women such as are commonly executed for that falsly-imputed Crime of Witchcraft but were open practicers of their several Witchcrafts to delude and seduce and those had not their Craft from a Familiar or by making a League with the Devil as hath been commonly imagined but were in a manner learned and used Books written for that purpose to teach them their manifold impostures whereby to gain a maintenance among the people by making them beleeve they were Prophets as wee may read Acts 19.19 many of them being converted by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel brought their Books and burnt them before the people these Books containing such subtile devices as were practised then by the false Prophets or Witches of the time to deceive the people and now adays by the Popish Rout and by our common Wizzards But now for the thousands of people that have been executed for Witches in several parts of the World by the common manner of fond false accusations at whose hands will God require their bloud but at the hands of the Whore of Rome and of those that have joyned with her in her abominations Revel 18.24 In her was found the bloud not only of Saints but of all that were slain upon the earth This doubtless must be understood of those that are unjustly slain and who are they but such as are slain by wrongful accusations which wrongful accusations are occasioned by the devillish Doctrins wherewith she hath defiled the Nations Further I say That this Doctrin of Witches power is the main strength of Antichristian policy for whereas that Romish Whore knoweth that in all Nations the Civil Magistrate will hold his power and not resign it to her to have absolute power to kill for Religion she maintaineth this damnable Doctrin to this end that under the name of Witches she may melt away all whom she feareth or suspecteth will be opposers of her Antichristian pride and herein she ingageth the Civil Magistrate by her subtill Doctrin to cut off whom she pleaseth and how can that be said to be a Government for the defence of peoples Lives and Estates where contrary to all Law these Villains can steal away both life and estate from whom they please except from such as are in places of Dignity or so well esteemed in Common-wealths or have such friendship among the potent of the Land that thereby they are able to withstand their Adversaries and these poor accused people have no redress or help at the hands of the Magistrate but he who ought to be their Defender is bewitched and ingaged against them he is taught indeed not to suffer a Witch to live but never truly taught who and what are Witches and that many times they that ingage him by their lying Doctrin are the very Witches themselves aimed at in the Scriptures that ought not to be suffered to live THE THIRD BOOK SHEWING The vanity of some English VVriters concerning VVitches BOdinus Hyperius Hemingius and other Popish Bloud-suckers mentioned before in the Second Book of this little Treatise having defiled the World with their abominable inventions contrary to the sense and truth of Gods Word their devillish Doctrins being already declared sufficiently to be wholly dissonant to the Word of God yet some of our English Writers who otherwise might seem to have been wise and learned men have defiled their Pens with these groundless Phantastical Doctrins which VVriters are briefly these The first is Iames Bishop of Winton setting forth three Books called Daemonology in the name and title of the Works of King Iames and whether the Bishop or the King were the Composer of that Work I stand not to argue which VVorks are collected out of these Popish Writers before mentioned which the Author acknowledgeth in the Preface to his Book where he alledgeth Bodinus Hyperius and Hemingius for confirmation of the truth of the matter contained in his VVorks but not a jot of Scripture is produced in all the VVork if rightly interpreted to prove it to be truth and yet the Author himself confesseth of Bodinus that his Book of Daemonomanie is collected with greater diligence than composed with judgement and truly I wish every wise man that desireth to be resolved in his judgement concerning these Opinions to observe that passage or if he be such a one as can read and search the severall Writers of this subject of Witchcraft let him observe the variety of their Opinions how few of them do agree in one tenent or in their manner of writing by which it is easily concluded that all their traditions are but Phantsies contrary to the sound of Gods Word even as a wise Judge examining several Witnesses of one thing if he findeth not their testimony to agree he concludeth that they compacted together to witness a thing false and truly although wise and learned men have been deluded by these lying inventions yet compare but their Opinions one with another and also with Holy Writ and you shall finde that all their Opinions are but one monstrous Devil striving
of Activity have they shewed either in Fayers or Markets or in publick or in private surely if they had been Condemned for Witches for any such thing doing they should not need to be found out by an Inquisitor to be tried by Biggs or privie Marks or by sinking or swimming in the water for their actions would declare them openly Also if common Juglers were Witches as he saith yet how doth this prove that a Witch is a Murtherer which is the main drift of his Book and to that end he bringeth many places of Scripture to prove that there are VVitches which thing no man doth deny Afterward he affirmeth that Witches do make a real League with the Devil which hath been a common foolish tradition and for that he alledgeth Psal. 58.5 where saith he the Original yeeldeth thus Which heareth not the Charmer or mutterer joyning societies together where saith he the Holy Ghost setteth down the effect of a Charm namely that it is able to stay the Adder from stinging those that shall touch him but mark how this fellow belyeth the Scriptures for which because many understand not the Hebrew I referre them to the Translation of Iunius and Tremellius which is this Quae non ausculâ—at voci mussitantium utentis incantation bus peritissimi which hearkeneth not to the voyce of mutterers or of the most skilful user of Charms so that there is not a word of joyning Societies together not a word of the Devil nor of any league with the Devil yet if it had been so and that he could have proved such a League or Covenant it had made nothing to prove that a Witch is a Murtherer which is his drift for a League might be made for a Deceiver as well as for a Murtherer And whereas he saith the place aforesaid proveth the effect of a Charm that it can stay the Adder from stinging it proveth the clean contrary for if the Prophet had said the Adder hearkneth to or regardeth the voyce of a Charmer it had proved that a Charm is effectual but in that he saith the Adder regardeth not or hearkneth not to the voyce of the Charmer be he never so skilful it proveth that a Charm is of no force and indeed the Prophet doth there allude deridingly to the vanity of that Idolatrous conceit of the Heathen who thought that charms had vertue in them and so were seduced by charms to put confidence in charms and conjurations according to the Sixth term of description in the First Book of this Treatise shewing the common conceit of the Heathen concerning charms appearing in their Poets Frigidus in pratis â—antando rumpitur anguis This fellow doth further contradict himself sundry ways one of his most manifest absurd contradictions is in page 85. where he confesseth that God only hath power to send Satan to torment the wicked and afflict the godly and yet he affirmeth in pag. 261. that Witches also can send Satan to possess men and torment them Who so pleaseth to read over this Author shal find that he is bold to affirm not only that the Devil doth at the command of a Witch raise storms poyson the Air blast Corn kill Cattel torment the bodies of men but also cast out Devils as in page 158. also that he sometimes enliveneth a dead childe and bringeth it to a Witch in her travelling to bring forth childe and telleth her that it is the childe born of her body begotten by himself and so saith he she is deceived with her new darling as in pag. 122. so that according to the Devilish doctrin of this Author the Devil can raise the dead as Christ raised Laezarus and Dorcas and cast out Devils as Christ did but to conclude they that shall read his blasphemous and vain imaginations and yet shall see therewithall the pretence of holy zeal in all his Discourse may plainly behold in him the Devil turning himself into an Angel of Light to deceive the World And so I leave this Cooper where I found him namely in a Stationers shop dear of taking up Master Perkins answered THere is yet another Author writing upon this subject of Witchcraft wel known to all and that is M. Perkins who because he was such a chosen instrument of preaching Gods Word in his life I blush to name him least some should think I go about to defame him so long after his death whom I honour in his Grave but yet to take away all suspicions in that kinde let every one know that the Volume of Mr. Perkins his Works in which is contained that Treatise of Witchcraft was not put in print by himself but were certain Writings found in his Study after his death most of which were taught by him in the Pulpit in his Life-time but not all and were put in presse for the benefit of his Wife who had but small means for her maintenance in her widdowhood which thing being well considered it may well bee questioned whether that treatise of Witchcraft was of his own writing or not and if it was yet it may well bee questioned whether hee wrote it with an intent to teach it for Truth openly or only with an intent to confute such Heresies as had formerly been delivered by Bodinus Hiperius and other popish writers if hee had lived for if it be well considered and compared with those Authors it is only a collection of mingled notions out of them put into another Method also it might bee foisted in among his writings by some Ignorant or Popish Heretique who desired to bolster his Errors under the name of so famous an Instrument in the Church as Mr. Perkins was also it might bee added to his works by those that were appointed by his Wife to put his works in print either for the bolstring of their own Errors or for the inlarging of the Volume to make the Book sell the better yea many wayes Mr. Perkins may bee clear from being the Author of that Treatise But yet if some will still beleeve that it is his work let them but compare it with the Scriptures and see how little consonant it is with the Scriptures hee delivereth the common Error that Witches can kill by Witchcraft have made a league with the Devill have the Devill at their call that the Devill is ready at a watch-word given him by the Witch to do mischief and many such strange inventions whereof there is not the least inckling in the Scriptures and therefore need no farther confutation Mr. Gaule answered SInce the finishing of my Book there is come to my hand the works of a fourth English Writer Mr. â—ohn Gaule a Minister of Staughton in Hunâ—ington shire whom I find in his zeal for God in his Religious hatred to the barbarous cruelty of this age in persecuting the poor and innocent much inclining to the Truth and I cannot say of him but his intentions were godly but yet hath been so swayed by the common tradition of