and who vpon the knowledge of their true causes doeth found the right method of their curation That the Diuell doeth both know the causes of diseases and also how by them to procure and produce diseases is manifest by the History of Iob vpon whom he brought that grieuous generall bâ—ch and byle ouer all his body Iob chap. 2. verse 7. That hee did this by the force of causes in nature must needes bee euident First because hee is a creature and subiect and limited by nature vnto and within heâ— liâ— and therefore is not able absolutely and simply without causes and meanes in nature to produce any effects in nature although our ignorance of his power and knowledge because it so farre excelleth our power or nature doeth call all his workes iustly supernaturall Secondly for that by â—es and dotches are knowne naturall diseases and therefore had naturall causes although haply vnknowne to any man and beyond the nature of knowledge or skill in man These reasons of the Diuels impossibilitie to worke those effects without nature are thus yet more briefly and cleerely made infallible Of nothing simply to produce any thing vnto a true being and existence is the sole and proper worke of any infinite Creator and impossible vnto any creature Therefore the Diuell being a creature could not bring those diseases vpon Job but by created meanes preexisting in created nature in which he is contained and limited And thus much concerning that kinde of Witch and Sorcerer which is enquired at concerning the curing and issue of diseases which we will conclude with this note that all learned men of the best experience haue obserued that in those cures by Witches and Sorcerers the Diuell hath neuer perfectly healed but for a time or else where hee hath seemed most perfectly to cure it hath beene for a reseruation of the body by him cured vnto a greater and further mischiefe in time to succcede Besides this kinde of Witch by meanes vnknowne to man or by a supernaturall vertue in knowne meanes aboue and beyond their nature vndertaking to cure the sicke or to foretell the euent and issues of diseases there is also another kind which doeth vndertake to bee enquired at for extraordinary reuelation of such diseased persons as are bewitched or possessed by the Diuell This kinde is not obscure at this day swarming in the Kingdome whereof no man can bee ignorant who lusteth to obserue the vncontrouled libertie and license of open and ordinary resort in all places vnto wise-men and wise-women so vulgarly termed for their reputed knowledge concerning such diseased persons as are supposed to be bewitched But it may bee obiected that many of these two last mentioned forts are rather deceiuers and Impostors onely who by an opinion of this power and not by any reall power herein doe deceiue seduce and beguile the people This cannot in some be denied notwithstanding least impious imposture bee still tolerated to bee a couert to hide the manifest diuellish practise of Witches vnder pretense thereof whereby it shall euer continue in this shape neglected or vnspied I will both briefely giue satisfaction how the one may bee distinguished from the other and also declare how men ceasing to enquire at Diuels and Witches or Impostors may learne to enquire of their God alone and by the light of nature and reason which hee hath giuen vnto them in his feare with his allowance and approbation more truely and certainely informe themselues CHAP. IX Of Wizards and Impostors how they differ from Witches HOw Witch-craft in diuers kinds may according to euidence of reason be detected hath beene before made manifest How imposture may be discouered sense there is so good vse and necessitie of the distinction thereof for the more perfect separating and setting a part of Witch-craft by it selfe wee will likewise briefly make manifest The Impostor is he who pretendeth truth but intendeth falshood For this cause sometimes vnder an holy pretense he maketh God the Author of his vnholy prestigiation and slandereth God vnto his face sometimes to be reputed an Angell of light he maketh himselfe a license to counterfeit the Diuell He proposeth it his trade to seduce and liueth by lying Sometimes in shew and pollicitation he is a Witch but in the performance of the greater sinne hee is lesse iust and in the personate resemblance solely a Iugler For as the Witch performeth that which in true and infallible reason is transcendent and aboue nature so the Impostor performeth that which in false and fallible reason and opinion onely seemeth parallel Hence as Witches doe strange and supernaturall workes and truely vnto reason worthy of wonder so the Impostor doth things voide of accomptable reason in shadow shew and seeming onely supernaturall wondred and admired And hence it commeth to passe that with vndiscerning mindes they are sometimes mistaken and confounded on for another From hence it is also necessarily concluded that as Witch-craft is discouered by a supernaturall worke aboue reason whereto the Witches consent if accessary so an Impostor is detected by a worke voide of accomptable reason but in a deceiuing false Visar or shew wherewith the purpose and intention of the Deceiuer or Impostor doth concurre As therefore the suspected Witch is tyed to answere vnto any iust doubt which may bee directly vrged against his or her manifest voluntary action that is prooued supernaturall so is a truely doubted Impostor bound to giue satisfaction for such his ambiguous actions as doe in likely reason appeare fraudulent vaine prestigious iuggling couzening or deceiuing And thus shall each appeare in his owne true shape apart of diuers kindes of Witch-craft I haue before produced examples I am here likewise very pertinently for further illustration propose some examples of Imposture in generall that the odiousnesse of this foule sinne may appeare more foule and the ougly face thereof may be more fully discoured Among multitude of examples I will recite onely some few whereof some consist in lewd and guilefull contriuement of action other in the bewitching power of false prophecies reuelations predictions and prognostications Concerning the first who can be ignorant of the impious Example 1 and infamous Impostures of Mahomet who by guilefull counterfeit miracles and pretended angelicall illuminated workes first magnified and set vp that heathenish Empire and Religion of the blasphemous Turkes The History of Sebastian the pretended Portugall King Example 2 as it is set forth by Iohn de Serres according to Master Crimstones translation thereof if he were a true Impostor indeed and were not iniuriously traduced and blurred with vndeserued reproch is an incomparable example aboue and beyond many other I will referre my Reader to to the Author himselfe If we desire more neere or domesticall examples herein Example 3 behold in the raigne of Henry the seuenth a boy of meane parentage through imposturous machinations opposed set vp and crowned King in
be wonders aboue nature Let vs I say compare them together the one with the other Their exceeding neere neighbour-hood and likenesse no common vnderstanding as they are described truely and liuely can chuse but acknowledge To confound or mistake the one for the other is very easie but yet dangerous and pernicious I will not denie against due testimonies and the free confessions of the Witches themselues that such markes may bee by the Diuell vpon couenant made in way of an hellish sacrament betweene the Diuell and the Witch but where the confession of the Witch her selfe being free from iust exception doeth not appeare nor the Diuell to any spectatours doeth shew himselfe in the act of sucking which hee neuer doeth as my incredulous thoughts perswade my selfe where I say these appeare not to be manifest without fraude there it is requisite and necessary that either wee discharge the Diuell and acquit him of the slander or else discouer it by some other signe or note which may iustly be appropriated vnto the Diuell that his finger or guilt hath beene therein This is reason without which ought bee no perswasion Euery tree is to be knowen by his owne fruit saith our Sauiour Therefore the diuell is to be knowne by the workes and fruites of a Diuell proper and belonging vnto him Trie and discerne the Spirits saith the Scripture whether they be of God or no. And how can they bee discerned if there were not some notes or properties knowne vnto holy discerning mindes whereby they may be discerned It is madnesse therefore to suppose it possible to know that which is done by a Spirit wherein is no euidence impression signe shew or propertie of a Spirit For as a naturall cause cannot bee knowne but by his naturall effect so is it impossible that a spirituall cause should be knowne but by some supernaturall effect For this cause in all places of Scripture where are set forth the outward workes or actions of the Diuell they doe there likewise all appeare to be his in some extraordinary supernaturall note or maner The casting the bodies of the possessed in the Gospel into the middest of the people was a thing extraordinary impossible and vnusuall vnto the voluntary motion of men alone The bringing of fire from Heauen to deuoure so many of Iobs sheepe was in the manner beyond the nature vsuall and ordinary force or custome of fire The carriage of the heards of Swine headlong into the Sea was manifestly beyond the nature of their naturall motion yea against their nature Here may be obiected that the Diuell doeth ordinarily worke and produce things of seeming wonder and strange consequence wherein notwithstanding doeth not appeare any signe or impression of any supernaturall cause or authour as is seene in many things produced in men and issuing from his vsuall tentations of men The answere is that the Diuell doeth worke vpon man two wayes The first is immediately by the temptings and soliciting only of man vnto workes which properly are affected by man himselfe in the vsuall course and power of mans nature The second is immediately by his owne proper action as hee is a Spirit and immediately worketh in himselfe the worke of a Spirit In the first the Diuell is not properly said to worke in himselfe but rather to giue and offer occasion vnto the disposition and affections of man thereby exciting and tempting man vnto that worke which therefore onely carrieth the stampe of a worke proper vnto a man In the second the Diuell worketh immediately himselfe as he is a Spirit and in that worke therefore must necessarily likewise bee seene and appeare the stampe of a Spirit since in the course and order of all things created whatsoeuer the true and immediate cause his immediate true and proper effect is the sole true infallible stampe euidence and proofe thereof The workes therefore which are called or esteemed the Diuels in regard of his tentations and incitations of man vnto foolish wicked and oft wondered mischieuous actions are onely and truely called diuelish as proceeding from the Diuels instigation onely but are not truely or properly or immediately any workes of the Diuell and therefore it is not requisite that in such workes of the Diuell vnproperly called his there should appeare any signes proper vnto the workes of a Spirit or Diuell Since then it is infallible that there can bee no possible discouery of any cause whatsoeuer naturall or supernaturall but by such accidents effects or properties as properly belong or issue from that cause and since proper effects appearing doe onely discouer their causes more cleerely where they appeare more cleere and more obscurely where they doe appeare more obscure and nothing at all where they appeare not all Since I say this is true and neuer to be infringed those supposed Witches markes before they can iustly and truely bee iudged to bee by the Diuell effected or vsed must by some stampe or signe proper to himselfe or to his workes or to his vse or propertie therein be so determined and conuinced to be The wonder indeed of their strange shapes forme and manner is sufficient to amaze such as are not iudiciously read or are vnlearned but the Phisition who knoweth such diseases to bee in nature by that knowledge of their nature knowing likewise that they doe not exceede nature doeth iustly stand apart and diuide himselfe from the vulgar errour and opinion that they are any markes to be appropriate vnto the Diuell And hence appeareth the necessitie of conuincing the forementioned Witches markes to bee supernaturall before vpon their shape or appearance onely it can bee esteemed iust either to impute vnto the Diuell or to call any man into question Before they can bee truely iudged or determined whether supernaturall or no the necessitie of consulting with the learned Phisition is likewise demonstrated Of which wee may yet againe giue another demonstration within the same instance It hath beene sometimes by oath confirmed and deposed that these forementioned markes of Witches haue immediately after they haue beene seene sudainely vanished to bee no more seene The question may bee whether their sudaine disparence after their manifest appearance bee in nature possible vnto such like diseases or no. It is knowne vnto the Phisition that many diseases doe insensibly grow and insensibly also weare and vanish away without any knowledge or notice thereof taken by the diseased This therefore solely can bee no note of a supernaturall marke whatsoeuer passionate ignorants fondly dispute to maintaine their owne wils and preiudicate resolutions I doe grant if those materiall excrescencies doe in a moment vanish away without any precedent preparation or alteration tending thereto or doe in an instant appeare and in the same moment without any mutation or proportion of time instantly vanish then must this bee granted supernaturall Quia nihil fit in momento that is no naturall being hath desinence or being without proportined time beyond which nothing
secret and hidden Apostemations and other inward collections of vicious matter in the body dayly Seminaries of vnexpected and wondred shapes of corruption and putrifaction which lying long hidden in the body and by an insensible growth taking deepe roote in the end sodainely breake forth beyond all possible expectation or thought of the most excellent exquisite and subtill circumspection and disquisition For a briefe confirmation hereof Hollerius doth mention a man the cause of whose disease while he liued being vnknowne to Physicions and Art after his decease his guts were found gangrened and perished and therein things viewed like vnto Water-snakes and his Liuer full of schirrose knots There happened vnto my selfe this yeare last past a Patient a very worthy Gentleman who being extremely vexed with the Strangury Disurie and Ischurie together with pissing of blood in great abundance and the stone by the vse and accommodation of remedies found much ease mitigation of paines and qualification of the extremitie of all the former accidents Notwithstanding for that there were certaine indications of an Vlcer in the body or capacitie of the Bladder his recouerie was not expected but after his decease in the dissection of his body his Bladder was found rotten broken and black without any manifest matter therein as cause thereof or so much as one stone although hee had formerly and immediately before auoided many stones at seuerall times This I produce being fresh in memory as an instance of impossibilitie of knowledge vnto a Physicion in many and frequent cases For how could the fracture or colour of his Bladder while the Patient was liuing by any exquisitenesse of Art or vnderstanding be knowne in any possibilitie meanes or power of man although all the other accidents aboue mentioned were vndoubtedly by certaine indications and signes discouered I might here deliuer many other like Examples out of mine owne knowledge I will onely call to remembrance one more I was of late yeares Physicion vnto a right Noble Lady the cause of whose apparent dangerous estate diuers learned and famous Physicions conioyned with my selfe could neuer discouer In the dissection of her body after her decease her heart was found inclosed with a shining rotten gelly and the very substance of the heart of the same colour In the same Lady an intolerable paine about the bottome of her stomack by fits depriued her of all ease by day and of rest by night and could neuer be either knowne in the cause or remooued in the accident by any meane or remedy but after death in the dissection of her body before mentioned a black round gelly as bigge as a Tenice ball did manifest it selfe in that place where in her life the intolerable paine was seated and fixed Of this euill discoloration of her heart of the matter and euill colour of that matter wherewith her heart was inuironed as also of that collected gelly in her stomacke what possible knowledge thinke you or exquisite vnderstanding or art of man could euer in her life time giue any notice or information Like vnto this is that which Hollerius in the 21. of his rare obseruations doth mention In a sicke man perplexed in a strange manner from an vnknowne cause in his life after his death his liuer and epiploon did appeare corrupted and putrified his stomacke toward the bottome bruised and full of blacke iuice or humour Christophorus Schillincus opening the body of a childe after death reporteth that hee saw in the small veines running thorow the substance of the liuer many small scrauling wormes then liuing Beniuenius doth make mention of a woman tormented grieuously by a needle in her stomack which was impossible by any art or exquisitnesse of vnderstanding to bee conceiued or suspected if nature it selfe working it out thorow the body and substance of the stomacke vnto the outward view and Sense had not so discouered it I will not here mention the generation of wormes stones and the like in the guts gall heart longs and other parts of which no Art or excellence of knowledge can possibly take notice vntill they haue prooued themselues vnto the sight Many diseases of these kindes being fearefull and terrible accidents and afflictions vnto the body yet for the most part are neuer detected because they haue not onely no proper tâ—ue certaine likely but no possible meanes or way of indication or notice at all in any reason or vnderstanding of humane Art or Science without which the most exquisite and Scientificall Clarkes are altogether disabled and must necessarily bee ignorant Thus hath beene at large manifested that nothing can bee vnto the Physician in his Art and Science knowne which either by outward Sense or inward is not apparent or by likely and artificiall coniecture from both is not detected or discerned The like might bee vrged concerning the trials of Lawe and Iustice and inquisitions of offences and errors against the Law which are the diseases of a Common-weale as the former of the body of man Many offences against the Lawe are apparent vnto the outward Sense as sight or hearing and therefore being witnessed by hearers or beholders are without doubt or difficultie immediately dispatched sentensed and adiudged Many also are euident to reason which therefore are held and reputed inuincibly and infallibly to conuince Many offences also there are neither manifest to Sense nor euident to reason against which onely likelihood and presumptions doe arise in iudgement whereby notwithstanding through narrow search and sifting strict examination circumspect curious view of euery circumstance together with euery materiall moment and oddes thorowly and vnto the depth and bottome by subtill disquisition fadomed the learned prudent and discerning Iudge doeth oft detect and bring vnto light many hidden intestine and secret mischiefes which vnsensibly and vnobseruedly would otherwise oppresse and subuert the Common-weale When by none of these wayes of extrication the trueth can possibly be gained the wise and vpright Iudge vnto necessitie in want of due warrant vnto iust proceeding doeth with patience and sobrietie submit For this cause as may be seene vpon records many cases iustly necessarily and vnauoidably stand perpetually inscrutable vndecided and neuer determined as certaine proofes euidences of the limitation and annihilation of mans knowledge in many things of this life Almightie God oft-times decreeing to hide some trueth from the fight of man and detaining it in his owne secret will and pleasure CHAP. III. Whether Witch-craft haue any other wayes or meanes of inuestigation then these before mentioned and what is the true inuestigation IT hath beene at large before declared how God and Nature haue limited and confined all knowledge of man within certaine wayes and bounds out of which and beyond which it cannot passe as also for that cause that no iustifiable Art or true Science whatsoeuer doeth or can exceed those restraints There haue bin also diuers examples produced of the necessitie of mans ignorance in the impossibilitie of much
wanteth so much true iudgement as to distinguish when he doth see a certaine true obiect offered vnto his sight from without and when he is incountred onely with a resemblance thereof from within his fancie and imagination is diseased in body or minde or both and therefore is no competent Iudge or witnesse in these or any other weighty affaires For that is in health of body and in the outward organes and instruments of sense and sound in his reason iudgement and vnderstanding though sometime the fogge and mist of deceiued sense or fancy ouershadow the brightnesse of true and vndeceiued reason for a short time in him yet it cannot so perpetually eclipse it but it wil recouer his light and true splendor againe and truth will shine more excellently in the end out of that darknesse This is very liuely seene in the example of S. Peter Acts 12. verse 10.12 who at first did thinke he had onely seene the Angell which God sent vnto him to deliuer him out of bonds in a dreame or vision but when afterward he was come to himselfe and his true sense and reason hee then perfectly discerned and knew that he was reaâ—y deliuered out of prison by an Angel of God If men could not certainly discerne betweene that which they doe really see and that they falsely imagine in visions dreames and fancie then were the life of man most miserable there could be no certainty of truth no excelling in knowledge or vnderstanding All men should be a like vnable to distinguish whether we liue in dreames onely or in wakeful deed But the certaine knowledge which God hath giuen vnto mankinde in so infinite kindes and measures doth prooue the eminence of reason and vnderstanding aboue the intanglements and depression of sense and fancie There remaineth as yet another doubt which is how those things which before were mentioned to be spirituall and supernaturall can be subiect in reason vnto outward sense or be knowne thereby howsoeuer by the former examples it doth so seeme It is true that a Spirit and a Spirituall worke simply in it selfe in the owne nature and substance cannot be seene by any bodily eyes or be deprehended by any outward sense Notwithstanding as they doe mixe themselues with bodily * substances which are subiect to sense by accident Spirits and spirituall operations are certainly tryed and discouered euen vnto sense For how is it possible that a Spirit should mixe it selfe in corporall things but the discrepant nature thereof and mighty difference must produce and beget some great apparent alteration which alteration being beyond the wonted nature of the one doth prooue another superiour nature in the other For illustration hereof let vs borrow an instance from one of the forenamed manifest Sorceries Water is turned into blood by a Spirituall power The eye doth manifestly see the water and as apparently after see the blood and is a true and vndeceiued witnesse of both Reason and common sense doe know the transmutation to proceede from an inuisible power which appearing in visible bodies is by them apart seene and doth detect an inuisible Author because an immediate effect manifested to sense doth necessarily in nature prooue the immediate cause though hidden and vnknowne to sense That inuisible and spirituall things may by those things which are visible and bodily be conceiued and discerned the holy Scripture doth witnesse in these words of Saint Paul Rom. 1.20 The inuisible things of God saith he are seene by the visible things or by his workes in the creation of the world which are visible It may be here demanded since it is the propertie of the Diuell in his seeming miraculous contriuements and actions though a limited and finite obiect creature of God yet to indeauour to counterfeit and imitate the most high and mightiest workes of wonder of the infinite Creator thereby to magnifie deifie and equall himselfe vnto God in vnbeleeuing and seduced hearts Since I say this is his property how shall the fraile vnderstanding and capacitie of man distinguish the maruailes of the diuell so liuely resembled thereto from the true miracles and truly miraculous workes of God that thereby with more facility and lesse confusion industrious mindes may discouer the proper workes and acts of the Diuell and his associates Enchaunters Witches and Sorcerers First the true miracles of God being transcendent aboue all created power and the immediate effects only of a creating vertue Almighty God for his sole good will and pleasure doth vsually and euer dispense by the hands and through the administration of holy men Prophets and Apostles manifestly called of God Secondly the end and scope of Gods miracles directly and mainely ayme and are bent at the glory of God and the benefit of his people not vnto any priuate end any particular vaine end tending to satisfaction of priuate lusts and curiositie For this cause the holy Apostles vsed the gift of miracles not vnto any other ends then vnto the confirmation of that holy Gospel which they preached and published from God neither did they therein ascribe ought vnto their own praise or glory but solely vnto the praise and glory of God and the good of his Church That this was their true end and ought to be the scope and end of all that receiue the power of miracles from God Saint Paul doth witnesse and teach 1. Cor. chap. 12. verse 4 5 6 7. Now there are saith he diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit and there are diuersities of administrations but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but God is the same which worketh all in all But the manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall It is from hence manifest that if any miracles proceede from God as Author they are dispensed by men sanctified by God and who can and are able to prooue and iustifie their warrant from God as also that these men of God doe solely professe and bend them vnto the glory of God and the weale of his Church This then is the square and infallible rule by which all miracles doe stand or fall and are approoued either to be of God or conuinced to be of Diuels Let vs then conclude this point with that excellent and diuine saying of Theophilact vpon the 9. chap. of S. Luke Praedicatio miraculis miracula praedicatione sanciuntur Multi enim saepe miracula ediderunt per Daemones sed ecrum doctrina non erat sana quamobrem earum miracula non extiterunt a Deo That is the word of God doth establish and confirme the truth of miracles and miracles ratifie and confirme the authoritie and truth of the word For many haue done miracles by the power of the Diuell but their doctrine was corrupt and not found and therefore their miracles were not of God Wheresoeuer therefore miracles or supernaturall workes shall dare to shew their heads not contained within those limits or compasse that is neither prooued
immediately from God himselfe nor mediately by him reuealed in his writ word of truth they are iustly to be suspected to issue from the enemies of God the Diuell and euill Spirits and therefore their Authors ought to be accomptant therein vnto Iustice and all religious Ministers and seruants of God and Iustice in the most strict and seuere extent of Law And thus much concerning the manifestation of the supernaturall workes of Witches and Sorcerers vnto or through the outward Sense CHAP. VII The workes of the Diuell or Witches manifest to Reason or consequence of Reason and how detected ALl doubts being cleared it hath vndoubtedly appeared how supernaturall and spirituall workes are apparent to sense It now followeth to declare how likewise they are euident to Reason or necessary to consequence of Reason Those things are said to be proper obiects of Reason and vnderstanding which being remote from the immediate view or notice of the outward senses are grounded vpon vniuersall and intellectuall knowne positions propositions and certaine vndoubted generall notions by necessary collections or raciocinations That we may build the foundation of this our Reason or Raciocination vpon the infallible truth of Gods holy Word which shall neuer be shaken let vs for the detection of Witches and Sorcerers by reason and consequence of reason syllogise directly and immediately from God himselfe Thus saith Almighty God Isaiah chap. 8. verse 19. And when they shall say vnto you Enquire of those that haue a Spirit of Diuination and at the South-sayers which murmure and whisper should not a people enquire of their God Vnder this interrogatiue should not a people inquire of their God is vnderstood this affirmatiue A people should enquire of no other Spirit but of their God alone From this holy text and writ reason doth assume and collect necessarily and truly First that many things are hidden from the knowledge of man which are reuealed vnto the science and knowledge of Spirits Otherwise neither would man aske or enquire of Spirits as hath beene vsuall in all ages neither should God haue occasion here to forbid the enquiring at Spirits That the ignorance also of man in things knowne to Spirits is the true first and originall motiue or reason for enquiring at Spirits is very plaine by the words of King Saul 1. Sam. 28.15 God is departed from me saith he vnto the vision of Samuel raised by the Diuell and answereth me no more neither by Prophets neither by dreames therefore haue I called thee that thou maist tell mee what I should doe Here is a manifest grant of knowledge in Spirits aboue men Secondly reason doth hence collect that all Spirits that doe suffer themselues to be enquired at are euill Spirits and therefore Diuels because Almighty God hath here expressely forbidden the enquiring at any other Spirit beside himselfe and therefore good and holy Spirits will not nor can not disobey the commandement of God nor countenance or assist men in so doing Thirdly reason doeth necessarily hence conclude that such men as are enquired at for reuelations of things hidden from the skill and possibilitie of knowledge in man are Sorcerers Witches and South-sayers if promising and performing according thereto really and yet not warranted by God his word nor assisted by nature The consequence and inference of this reason is iust for that to promise those things or to vndertake those things which are out of their own knowledge and solely and properly in the knowledge of Spirits and Diuels doeth manifestly proue in the performance their interest societie and contract with Spirits and Diuels which is Sorcery and Witch-craft It may bee here obiected that there are some men who affect to bee resorted vnto and to bee enquired at in things supposed hidden from the knowledge of man and to be reputed able vnto such Reuelations though haply they practise to deceiue vnder the colour of pretence of such abilitie It is iustly hereto answered that this their presumption ought to be seuerely enquired into whether it doe taste of ought that is diabolicall of the Diuell or supernaturall and if nothing so doe yet in this Grand cause of God himselfe the religious iealousie of the prudent Magistrate ought to punish their presumption which dare affect to vndertake the name or note of a sinne so odious and abominable vnto Almightie God Let vs for better impression againe repeate and iterate those things which were collected out of the propounded text First that there is knowledge in Spirits of things hidden and separated from the knowledge of man Secondly that such Spirits as are enquired at and doe reueale such knowledge vnto man are Diuels Thirdly that men which doe practise to be enquired at for such supposed Reuelations ought not onely to be iustly suspected and inquired into but that if they be found therewithall to know and reueale those things which are indeed and really aboue and beyond the knowledge of man and are properly and onely in the power of Spirits that then this doth infallibly prooue their interest power and societie with Diuels which is certaine and assured Sorcery and Witch-craft And thus hath reason drawne a demonstration out of the booke of God of a certaine Witch and manifest Sorcerer Let vs now exercise our selues in the consideration examination and tryall of some particulars herein It is said of Apollonius that he foretold the day the houre of the day the moment of the houre wherein Coccius Nerra the Emperour should die long before the time and being in farre distant places remooued from him It is reported of the same Apollonius that being consulted by one who for that purpose came vnto him how he might grow rich Apollonius appointed him to buy a certaine field or ground and to be carefull in tilling and plowing thereof which after he had done a while he found in the end a great treasure and so became rich It is written of the same Apollonius also He made knowne vnto Titus Vespatian the time and manner of his death enquiring it at his hands These things with many other the like Ianus Iacobus Boissardus relateth in the life of Apollonius Who hath not heard of the name and mention of that famous and renowmed British Wizard Merlin and of his high and great esteeme among Princes for his prophesies Vnto his fore-sight and predictions from many foregoing ages the successes and euents of diuers Princes affaires in their seuerall raignes haue beene vsually by diuers times and histories referred For this cause Master Camden in the description of Caermarden-shire doth terme him the Tages of the Britans Speede in his tractate of the ancient Inhabitants of great Britane as also of the life of Aurelius Ambrosius and of the raigne of King John and of Henry the fourth doth out of Malmesbury and others recite diuers accidents and euents in seuerall succeeding ages vnto his oraculous and miraculous illuminations ascribed to haue beene foresâ—ene foretold and knowne If there be