and so behaued themselues And the Histories of men in former ages haue recorded strange testimonies of some that haue been thus turned into wolues lyons dogges birds and other creatures which could not be really in substance but onely in appearance and phantasie corrupted and so these records are true For God in his iust iudgement may suffer some men so to be bewitched by the deuill that to their conceit thâ—y may seeme to be like these bruit beaste though indeede they remaine true 〈◊〉 still For it iâ— a worke surmounting the deuills power to change the substance of any one creature into the substance of another By this kind of delusion the Church of Rome in the times of blindnesse and ignorance hath taken great aduantage and much encreased her riches and honour For there be three points of the religion of that Church to wiâ—â—e Rurgatorie Inuocation of 〈◊〉 Saints and honouring of Reliques whereby she hath notably inriched her selfe all which had their first foundation from these and such like Satanicall impostures For the onely way whereby they haue brought the common sort to yeeld vnto them both for beleefe and practise hath beene by deluding their outward senseâ— with false apparitions of ghosts and soules of men walking and ranging abroad after their departure and such likeâ— wherby simple persons ignorant of their fetches and delusions haue beene much affrighted aâ—d caused thorough extremitie of feare and dread to purchase their owne peace and securitie by many and great expenses And indeede these were the strongest arguments that euer they had and which most preuailed with the common people as is manifest in stories of all nations and ages where such deceits haue taken place though oftentimes by the iust iudgement of God they were taken in their craft and their featâ— reuealed The second kind of illusion is of the minde whereby the deuill deceiues the minde and makes a man thinke that of himselfe which is not true Thus experience teacheth that he hath deluded men both in former and latter times who haue auouched and professed themselues to be kings or the sonnes of Kings Yea some haue holden themselues to be Christ some to be Elias some to be Iohn the Baptist and some extraordinarie Prophets And the like conceiâ—s haue entred into the minds of sundrie Witches by the suggestion and perswasion of the deuill To whome when they haue wholly resigned their soules and bodies they haue beene mooued to beleeue things impossible touching themselues as that they haue indeed beene changed into other creatures as catts birds mise c. The inquisitions of Spaine other countries wherein these and such like things are recorded touching Witches really metamorphosed into such creatures cannot be true considering that it is not in the power of the deuill thus to change substaÌ„ces into other substaÌ„ces And those conuersions recorded by them were onely Satans illusions wherewith the mindes of Witches were possessed and nothing else which though they were extraordinarie as the rest of this kinde are yet they went not beyond the power of nature The second sort of the deuills wonders are reall workes that is such as are indeede that which they seeme and appeare to be These howsoeuer to men that knowe not the natures of things nor the secret and hidden causes thereof they may seeme very strange and admirable yet they are no true miracles because they are not aboue and beyond the power of nature If it be here alleadged that the deuils workes are not reall and true actions because the holy Ghost calleth them Lying wonders 2. Thes. 2. 9. I answer that they are called Lying wonders not in respect of the workes themselues for they were workes truely done and effected but in regard of the deuills end and purpose in working theÌ„ which is to lie vnto men and by them to deceiue The truth of which point will appeare in the viewe of some particular examples First we read in the historie of Iob that Satan brought downe fire from heauen which burnt vp Iobs sheep and seruants and caused a mightie winde to blowe downe the house vpon his children as they were feasting to destroy them Againe he smot the bodie of Iob with botches and boyles All these were true reall works very strange admirable and yet no miracles because they exceeded not the compasse of nature For first when he cast downe the fire from heauen he did not create the fire of nothing for that is a worke proper to God alone but applied creature to creature and therefore produced such a matter as was fit to make fire of If it be demanded how he is able to doe this we must remember that his knowledge in naturall causes is great and therefore he was not ignorant of the materiall cause of fire which beeing throughly knowne and founde out Satan brought fire vnto it and so putting fire to the matter of fire he brought it downe by his power and agilitie from heauen vpon the cattell and seruants of Iob. Againe the winde which blewe downe the house where his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking was not created by the deuill but he knowing well the matter wherof winds are generated naturally added matter to matter and thence came the winde whereunto he ioynes himselfe beeing a spirit of a swift and speedie nature and so makes it for his own purpose the more violent and forcible Thirdly he smote Iobs bodie with sore boyles from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote Now this may seeme strange that he should haue such power ouer mans body as to cause such diseases to breed in it Therefore we are further to vnderstand that his knowledge extendeth it selfe to the whole frame and disposition of mans bodie whereby it comes to passe that the causes of all diseases are well knowne vnto him and he is not ignorant hoâ—e the humours in the bodie may be putrified and what corrupt humours will breede such and such diseases and by what meanes the aire it selfe may be infected hereupon preparing his matter and applying cause to cause he practised vpon the bodie of Iob and filled him with grieuous sores Another example of Satans reall workes is this By reason of his great power and skill he is able to appeare in the forme and shape of a man and resemble any person or creature and that not by deluding the senses but by assuming to himselfe a true body His power is not so large as to create a bodie or bring againe a â—oule into a bodie yet by his dexteritie and skill in naturall causes he can worke wonderfully For he is able hauing gathered together fit matter to ioyne member to member and to make a true bodie either after the likenes of man or some other creature and hauing so done to enter into it to mooue and stirre it vp and downe and therein visibly and sensibly to appeare vnto man which though it be a strange worke and
therefore knowing the secret meaning of the Angels wordes vnto Daniel framed out of them a true and direct answer whereas he was not able of himselfe to deâ—ine certainly of the euent of things to come in particular The second meanes whereby the deuill is furnished for his purpose is his owne exquisite knowledge of all naturall things as of the influences of the starres the constitutions of men and other creatures the kinds vertues and operations of plants rootes hearbs stones c. which knowledge of his goeth many degrees beyond the skill of all men yea euen of those that are most excellent in this kind as Philosophers and Physicians No marueile therefore though out of his experience in these and such like he is able aforehand to giue a likely gesse at the issues and euents of things which are to him so manifestly apparent in their causes A third helpe and furtherance in this point is his presence in the most places for some deuills are present at all assemblies and meetings and thereby are acquainted with the consultations and conferences both of Princes people whereby knowing the drift and purpose of mens minds when the same is manifested in their speaches and deliberations they are the fitter to foretell many things which men ordinarily cannot doe And hence it is apparent how Witches may know what is done in other countries and whether one nation intends warre against an other namely by Satans suggestion who was present at the consultation and so knew it and reuealed it vnto them But how then comes it to passe that the consultations and actions of Gods Church and children are not disclosed to their enemies euen by the vnspeakeable mercie and goodnesse of God who though for speciall causes sometimes he suffers Satan by this meanes to bring things to light yet he hath restrained this his libertie and subiected it vnto his owne will so as he keepes him out of such meetings or compels him to conceale whereas otherwise his malice is so great thaâ— not a word could be spoken but it should be carried abroad to the hurt disturbance both of Churches and common-wealths The fourth way is by putting into mens mindes wicked purposes and counsâ—ls for after the league once made he laboureth with them by suggestions and where God giues him 〈◊〉 he neuer ceaseth perswading till he hath brought his enterprise to passe Hauing therefore first brought into the minde of man a resolution to doe some euill he goes and reueales it to the Witch and by force of perswasion vpon the partie tempted he frames the action intended to the time foretold and so finally deludes the Witch his owne instrument foretelling nothing but what himselfe hath compassed and set about The fift helpe is the agilitie of Satans nature whereby he is able speedily to conuay himselfe from place to place yea to passe through the whole world in a short â—ime For God hath made him by nature a spirit who by the gift of his creation hath attained the benefit of swiftnes not onely in dispatching his affairs but also in the cariage of his person with great expedition for the present accomplishment of his owne desires Lastly God doth often vse Satan as his instrument for the effecting of his intended workes and the executing of his iudgements vpon men and in those cases manifesteth vnto him the place where the time when and the manner how such a thing should be done Now all such things as God wil haue effected by the deuill he may fortell before they come to passe because he knowes them before hand by reuelation and assignment from God Thus by the Witch of Endor he foretolde to Saul the time of his death and of his sonnes and the ruine of his kingdome saying To morow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me and the Lord shall giue the hoste of Israel into the hands of the Philistiâ—s which particular euent and circumstances appertaining he did truely define not of himselfe but because God hath drawn away his good spirit from Saul and had deliuered him to be guided by the deuill whome he also appointed as a meanes and vsed as an instrument to worke his ouerthrowe The Scripture indeede maketh not particular mention of the time of Sauls death it onely recordeth the manner thereof and that which followed vpon his death the translating of the kingdome to his neighbour Dauid after him and yet because God vsed Satan as an instrument to bring this to passe hereupon he was able to foretel the particular time when the will of God should be wrought vpon him And these be the ordinarie meanes and helpes whereby the deuill may knowe and declare strange thinges whether past present or to come Neither may this seeme strange that Satan by such meanes should attaine vnto such knowledge for euen men by their owne obseruations may giue probable coniectures of the state and condition of sundrie things to come Thus we read that some by obseruation haue found out probably and foretold the periods of familleâ— and kingdomes For example that the time and continuance of kingdomes is ordinarily determined at 500. yeares or not much aboue and that great families haue not gone beyond the sixt and seauenth generation And as for speciall and priuate things the world so runnes as it vvere in a circle that if a man should but ordinarily obserue the course of things either in the vveather or in the bodies of men or othervvise he might easily foretell before hand vvhat would come after And by these and such like instances of experiences men haue gessed at the alterations and changes of estates and things in particular Novv if men vvhich be but of short continuance and of a shallovv reach in comparison are able to doe such things hovv much more easily may the Deuill hauing so great a measure of knovvledge and experience and beeing of so long continuance hauing also marked the course of all estates be able to foretell many things vvhich are to come to passe specially considering vvhat the wise man hath set downe to this purpose that that which hath beene shall be and that which hath beene done shall be done and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Eccl. 1. 9. If it be here alledged that Diuination is a prerogatiue of God himselfe and a part of his glorie incoÌ„municable to any creature Isa. 41. 23. I answer Things to come must be considered two waies either in themselues or in their causes and signes which either go with them or before them To foretell things to come as they are in themselues without respect vnto their signes or causes is a propertie belonging to God onely and the deuill doth it not by any direct and immediate knowledge of things simply considered in themselues but onely as they are present in their signes or causes Again God foretelleth things to come certainely without the helpe of any creature or other meanes out of himselfe but the
might be all discerned yet the particular vertues of those which are seene can not be knowne because their influences in the aire and vpon the earth are confused and therefore by obseruation of them no rules can be made whereby to iudge of particular euents to come that be contingent But experience teacheth may some say that if a man addicted to this course shall practise the rules of Astrologie it will fall out that the most things he foretelleth shall be true and come to passe accordingly which beeing verified in experience it should seeme that these principles are not vncerten for how is it possible that vpoÌ„ false grounds should proceede true predictions To this obiection learned Diuines haue framed answer thus That in this there is a secret Magicke at the least if not an open league with Satan For looke what is wanting to the effect of the starrs the Deuill maketh supply of it by his owne knowledge in things that are to come to passe And this is the iudgement of them that haue knowne this arte which was also receiued for true in the daies of the Apostles The third reason The man that repaireth to the Astrologian vpoÌ„ the particular case for his helpe and counsell must beleeue that he can and will doe for him otherwise if he come doubting of his ability or in way of tempting him he can not helpe him Now in common vnderstanding if the Diuiner brings the thing to passe here must needes be more then Arte. For he that is master of a lawfull arte can worke by his rules whether a man beleeue that he can or no yea though all the men in the world should doubt his rules would be effectuall The arte therefore it selfe is the old superstitious arte of the Chaldeans which they beeing Idolaters first ferched from the deuill and his Oracles yea the practise thereof is nothing but superstitious sorcerie and the vndertakers no better then Sorcerers If any man doubt hereof their writings are sufficient testimonies and they theÌ„selues auouch it For it is a rule and maxime among them in all kind oâ— Sorcerie that the learner must come credulous and not doubting or to tempt otherwise no answer can be giuen But notwithstanding all these reasons alleadged for the proofe of this point sundrie things are opposed to the contrarie For first it is saide that the Sunne Moone and Starres were created for signes Gen. 1. 14. and therefore that it is lawfull to diuine by them seeing that in so doing we doe but vse them to the ende for which God made them Ans. The reason is of no force The starres indeede by this ordinance doe serue for signes but of what not of all things but as the text plainly sheweth of daies weekes months and yeareâ— yea of the seasons of the yeare as of Spring Summer Autumne and Winter yea further of the alterations of the weather in generall but all this maketh nothing to ratifie Diuination of particular euents in things coÌ„tingent which are to fal out in the state of kingdomes families and persons for they are not causes but Signes and that of some generall things onely not of particular Againe it is said that Moses Daniel two famous Prophets are commended for their skill in this art for of Moses it is saide Act. 7. 22. that he was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians and Daniel in all the wisdome of the Chaldeans Dan. 1. 17. 20. and we know that the Egyptians and Chaldeans were the masters of Diuination and eminent aboue all others in matter of Astrologie Ans. 1. It cannot be prooued out of those places that Moses or Daniel were trained vp in this art and though it should be granted they were yet it follows not that they were practisers of it at least continually For albeit beeing children and of tender yeares in the courts of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnetsar they had beene trained vp by their gouernours in this knowledge it may not thence be concluded that they finally submitted themselues to the practise thereof considering that a man may learne that when he is yong which afterward vpon better iudgement and consideration he may vtterly disclame And so we are to thinke of them that after God had called them they did for euer lay aside all such wicked and deuillish practises forbidden by God and yet in vse among the Egyptians and Chaldeans Thirdly it is obiected the starres are admirable creatures of God and the causes of many straunge effects in the aire in the waters and vpon the earth also in bodies of men and beasts it may seeme therefore not vnlawfull to diuine by them Ans. We graunt that the Sâ—arres and especially the Sunne and Moone haue great vertue and force vpon the creatures that are below partly by their light and partly by their heat but hence it will not follow that they are or may be lawfully vsed for Diuination for whereas it hath beene shewed that the grounds of all good arts are gathered by obseruation and experience it is not possible for any man truly and certenly to obserue all particular euents brought forth by the starres whereupon hee might ground his rules And for proofe hereof Suppose there were a heape of all kinds of hearbs growing vpon the earth gathered together which should be all strained into one vessell and the liquour brought to the most skilfull Physitian that is or euer was can we thinke him able by tasting or smelling thereof to distinguish the vertues of the hearbs and to say which is which To doe this when all were seuered each from other is a hard matter yet possible considering they haue their seuerall natures and operations but in this confused mixture to discerne the seueralls is a thing passing the skill of man The like may be said of the particular vertue of euery star for they all haue their operation in the bodies of men and other creatures but their vertues beeing all mixed together in the subiect whereon they worke can no more be knowne distinctly then the vertues of a masse of hearbs of infinite sorts beaten together For this is an vndoubted truth in nature that the vertues of Celestiall bodies in their operations are mingled with the qualities of the elements in the inferiour bodies the vertues of them all doe so concurre that neither the heate or light of the starres nor the vertue of â—he elements can be seuered one from another And therefore though there be notable vertue in the starres vet in regard of the mixture thereof in their operation no man is able to say by obseruation that this is the vertue of this starre and this of that The seauen Planets beeing more notable then the other lights of the heauen specially the Sunne and the Moone haue their operations and effects plainely and perfectly knowne as for the other there was neuer any man that could either feele their heate or certenly determine of any thing by them There being thâ— some stars
whose vertues are vnknowne how can their operations and effects be discerned in particular Therefore no rules can be made by obseruation of the vertues of the starres in their operations whereupon we may foretell particular euents of things contingent either concerning mens persons families or kingdomes A fourth reason All starres haue their worke in the qualities of heate light cold moisture and drinesse as for the secret influences which men dreame of comming from them besides the saide qualities they are but forged fancies The Scripture neuer mentioneth any such neither can it be prooued that the Sunne hath any efficacie vpon inferiour bodies but by light and heate which because they are mixt with other qualitiâ—s they affoâ—rd no matter of prediction touching particular euents For â—hat though the celestiall bodies doe â—â—use in the terrestriall heate and cold drought and moisture doth it therfore follow that these effects doe declare before hand the constitution of mans bodie the disposition of mens minds the affections of mens hearts or finally what successe they shall haue in their affaires touching wealth honour and religion Hence I conclude that diuining by them in this sort is meere superstition and a kinde of sorcerie for which cause in Scripture Astrologians are iustly numbred among Sorcerers Now that which hath beene saide touching this point may serue for speciall vse And first it giues a caueat to all Students that they haue care to spend their time and wits better then in the studie of Iudiciall Astrologie and rather imploy themselues in the searching out of such things as may most serue for the glorie of God and the good of his Church It is the subtiltie of Satan to draw men into such meditations and to make this studie so pleasant that it can hardely be left when it is once begun but let them take heede betime For assuredly these vaine and superstitious practises are not the builders and furtherers but the hinderers and destroyers of religion and the feare of God Againe this must admonish them which suffer any losses not to seeke for helpe or remedie at the hands of Astrologers commonly called Figure casters for their directions in the recouerie of thingâ— lost or stollen commeth not by the helpe of any lawfull art but from the worke of the deuill reuealing the same vnto them And beâ—ter it were to loose a thing finally and by faith to expect till God make supplie another way then in this manner to recouer it again yea the curse of God hangeth ouer the head of him that to helpe himselfe vseth diabolicall meanes For put the case 〈◊〉 thing lost of great value be againe restored by the helpe of Satan yet God in his iustice for the vse of these vnlawful meanes maâ— take from the consulter twice as much or at least his grace and so giue him vnto a reprobate sense to beleeue the deuill to his vetter perdition Thirdly it serueth to admonish vs of some other vanities that accompanie Astrologie specially of two The first is the obseruation of the signe in mans bodie wherein not onely the ignorant sort but men of knowledge doe farâ—e ouershoot themselues superstitiously holding that the signe is specially to be marked An opinion in it selfe fantasticall and vaine not grounded in nature but borrowed from Astrologie For the Astrologians for better expressing and establishing thereof haue deuised newe spheres in the heauens more then indeede there be to wit the ninth and the tenth and in the tenth commonly called the first mooueable haue placed an imaginarie sphere which they tearme the Zodiacke and in the Zodiack twelue signes Aries Taurus Gemini and the rest which they imagine to haue power ouer the twelue parts of mans bodie as Aries the head and face Taurus necke and throat c. But these are onely twelue imaginarie signes for in the heauens there is no such matter as a ramme a bull c. And how can it stand with reason that in a firmament fained by Poets and Philosophers a forged signe which indeede is nothing should haue any power or operation in the bodies of men Again the very order of the gouernment of these signes in mans bodie is fond and without shew of reason For according to this platforme when the Moone commeth into the first signe Aries shee ruleth in the head when shee commeth into the second signe Taurus in the necke and so descends downe from part to part in some part ruling two in some three daies c. Where obserue that the Moone is made then to rule in the cold and moist parts when shee is in hoate and drie signes when as in reason a more consonant order were this that when the Moone were in hoate and drie signes as Aries Leo and Sagittarius shee should rule in hoat and drie parts of the bodie and when shee is in colde and moist signes shee should rule in the colde and moist parts of the bodies and so still gouerne those parts which in temperature come nearest to the nature of the signes wherein the Moone is Besides this some learned Physitians haue vpon experience confessed that the obseruation of the signe is nothing materiall and that there is no danger in it for gelding of cattell or letting of blood Indeede it preuailes oftentimes by an old conceit and strong imagination of some vnlettered persons who thinke it to be of force and efficacie for restoring and curing and yet the vanitie of this conceit appeares in the common practise of men who commonly vpon S. Stevens day vse to let blood be the signe where it will though it be in the place where the veine is opened But the truth is the signe in it owne nature is neither way auaileable beeing but a fancie grounded vpon supposed premisses and therefore ought to be reiected as a meere vanitie The second thing belonging to Astrologie which ought to be eschewed is the choice and obseruation of daies Curious diuiners doe set apart certaine dayes whereof some are as they say luckie some vnluckie And these they appoint to be obserued for the beginning of ordinary works businesses as to take a iourney to beginne to lay the foundation of a building to plant a garden to weane a child to put on new apparell to flit into a new house to trafficke into other countries to goe about a suite to a Prince or some great man to hunt and vse exercises to pare the nayles to cut the haire in a word to attempt any thing in purpose or action which is not done euery day The effect and force of these daies is not grounded either in arte or in nature but onely in superstitious conceit and diabolicall confidence vpon a wicked custome borrowed from the practise of diuiners and the daunger of such confident conceits is this that the Deuill by them takes the vantage of fantasticall persons and brings them further into league and acquaintance with himselfe vnlesse they leaue them And all such persons as make
of Christ broken for vs And so it is in euerie creature if the effect be ordinarie and naturall it hath it by creation if extraordinarie and supernaturall it hath that by diuine ordination So that whatsoeuer comes to passe by any other meanes is by Satanicall operation Now charmes and spells standing of set words and sillables haue no power in them to worke wonders either by the gift of nature in the creation or by Gods appointment since the creation and therfore they haue in them no power at all for any such purpose This latter part of the reason beeing the assumption or application of the ground to the present instance consisteth of two parts which I will prooue in order First then I affirme that by the gift of nature no words of charmes haue power in theÌ„ to worke wonders I prooue it in this manner I. All words made and vttered by men are in their own nature but sounds framed by the tongue of the breath that commeth from the lungs And that which is onely a bare sound in all reason can haue no vertue in it to cause a reall worke much lesse to produce a wonder The sounds of bells and of many musicall instruments and the voices of many bruit creatures are fartr more strong and powerfull then the voice of a man yet who knoweth not that none of all these is auaileable to such purposes Indeede they haue power to affect the minde by their sweetnes or otherwise but they are not able to bring to passe a reall worke either by the inflicting of hurts and harmes or by the procuring of good I conclude therefore that the voice of man by nature hath no power to worke any wonders II. Againe euery thing which hurteth or affecteth another must necessarily touch the thing which it hurteth or affecteth For it is a graunted rule in nature that euery agent worketh vpon the patient by touching But words vttered in Charmes are commonly made of things absent and therefore though it should be graunted that they had the power of touching a substance which they cannot haue yet of theÌ„selues they are not auaileable to bring vpon things absent either good or euill III. Moreouer if words conceiued in charmes and spells haue any such power as is pretended why should not euery word that any man speaketh haue the same power inasmuch as all words are of the same nature beeing onely sounds framed in the breast and vttered by the tongue in letters and syllables But experience teacheth that the same word spoken by another hath not the same vertue For the charme vttered by the Charmer himselfe will take effect but beeing spoken in the same manner by another man that is no Inchanter maketh to no purpose for nothing is effected by it IV. That which is in nature nothing but a baâ—e signification cannot serue to worke a wonder and this is the nature of all wordsâ— for as they be framed of mans breath they are naturall but yet in regard of forme and articulation they are artificiall and significant and the vse of them in euery language is to signifie that which the author thereof intended for the first significations of words depeâ—â—â—d vpon the will and pleasure of man that framed and inuented them Beeing therefore inuented onely to shew or signifie some thing it remaines that neither in nature nor proper vse they can be applied to the producing of wounderfull and strange effects Thus the former part of the assumption is cleared In the second place I affirme that the words of charmers haue not this power in them by any speciall gift blessing or appoyntment of God since the creation which is the other part of the assumption And I shew it thus whatsoeuer is powerfull and effectual to any end or purpose by Gods gift blessing or appointment the same is commanded in his word to be vsed and hath also a promise of blessing annexed to the right vse therof To vse the instance before made for explanation sake The bread in the Lords supper hath this power and propertie giuen it by Christ to seale signifie vnto euery beleeuing receiuer the bodie of Christ and by this propertie giuen it it is aâ—eileable to this purpose though it be a thing aboue the common and naturall vse of bread thereupon we haue warrant from Christs owne commandement ordinance and example so to vse it But in the whole bodie of the Scripture there is not the like commandement to vse the words of Charmes for the effecting of wonders much lesse the like promise of blessing vpon the same so vsed therefore the conclusion is that God hath giuen no such power vnto them in speciall If it be asked then what they are and whereto they serue I ansvver they are no better then the deuills sacraments and vvatchvvords to cause him to doe some strange vvorke For the Inchanter hath relation in his minde to the deuil vvhose helpe he hath at hand by couenant either open or secret or at least some superstitious opinion of the force of the vvords vvhich is a preparation to a couenant The truth of this doctrine hovvsoeuer it be thus made manifest yet it findes not generall intertainement at all mens hands For there are and haue beene some learned men in all ages who maintained the contrarie both by word and writing and namely that there is great vertue power in words pronounced in time and place to effect strange things For proofe wherof they alledge these reasons First that the bare conceit and imagination of man is of great force to doe strange things and therefore words expressed much more Ans. The ground of the reason is naught Imagination is nothing els but a strong conceit of the minde touching any thing whatsoeuer it be and by reason of the communion that is betweene the bodie and soule being together it is of great force to work within the man that imagineth diuersely and to cause alteration in himselfe which may tend either to the hurt or to the good of his owne bodie but yet imagination hath no force out of a man to affect or hurt an other A man conceiuing desperately of his owne estate by the strength of imagination may kill himselfe but the same conceit be it neuer to strong can not hurt his neighbour For it is no more then Cesars image vpon his coyne which serueth onely to represent Cesar so imagination is nothing but the representation of some thing in the minde by conceit and therefore as the person of Cesar is nothing hurt though his image be defaced so when we conceiue of men in our mindes though neuer so badly and malitiously yet all is of no force to hurt or annoy them either in person or state Secondly they alleage that Witches by malitious and wrie lookes in anger and displeasure may and do hurt those vpon whom they looke whether they be men or other creatures And it is an old receiued opinion