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A26476
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A candle in the dark shewing the divine cause of the distractions of the whole nation of England and of the Christian world ... / by Thomas Ady ...
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Ady, Thomas.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing A673; ESTC R17625
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123,739
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172
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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
Albunar one of his Disciples to try the truth of his Doctrins and vaticiniations gave him a cup of deadly poyson which being drunk he swelled and dyed and some hoping to see his Resurrection let him lye twelve days above ground untill he stunk so intollerably that all men left him and upon the twelfth day Albunar coming to view his Corps found his bones almost bare his flesh being eaten with Doggs wherefore he gathered his bones together and buried them in a pot yet for the establishing of the Empire to his Successors they maintain still his Religion and have made him an Iron Sepulchre at Mecha So much for the Fifth description of a Witch in the text Prestigiator a Jugler A Charmer The Sixth Description THe Sixth description of a Witch in the Text is Inâ—antator or Utens incantatione that is an Inchanter or user of Charms or a Charmer A Charm as is said before in the Fifth description is only a strange composure of words to blinde the understandings of people it pretending that by vertue of words great matters were brought to pass and these Charms were used either before a Jugling Trick to busie the mindes of the Spectators to make the Trick pass the more currently without being perceived as Pharaohs Juglers used them who are said to do that which they did with their Inchantments because they seemed to do things by vertue of words spoken which were not done at all but only dissembled by the jugling craft which demonstration of a Charm or Incantation used in that kinde is also set down in the Fifth description or else otherwise these Charms were used or spoken alone without a Jugling slight and thereby was pretended that by vertue of such and such words spoken such things should come to pass as the party desired who inquired after Charmers for matters of concernment sometimes these Charms were given in writing for a man to wear about his neck or to carry in his pocket pretending that by vertue of those words his matters should be brought to pass whereas words of themselves either spoken or written have no force to bring any thing to pass neither was it the word Ephatha Mark 7.34 that opened the ears of the deaf as some inchanting Wizards would make people beleeve it was but the power of him that spake it yet such was the manner of the Idol Priests and false Prophets that whereas Gods Prophets spake words in the name of the Lord and the things they spake came to pass by Gods power those Idol Priests and false Prophets pretended that by vertue of words they could bring to pass the like and so they led the people a whoring after them to regard more their foolish deluding Charms than the power of God that bringeth all things to pass The Roman South-sayers gave their Charms in verse from whence is derived the word Charm from Carmen signifying a Verse or a Charm the manner of Charms sometimes consisted in blessing and cursing the Inchanter pretending That by vertue of a Charm he could bless and that they were blessed that carried such words about them written in a paper or that had such words spoken to them or in their behalf by the Charms and that by vertue of an Incantation pronounced against any man that man was cursed and that he that carried such a Charm with him his enemies were cursed and should fall before him Elisha indeed cursed two and forty Children in the name of the Lord and they were accursed because it was the wrath of God pronounced against them by his Prophet 2 King 2.23 but hee that imputeth it to the vertue of a Curse and useth such words as Elisha spake to bring such a thing to pass against an enemy with out warrant from God hee is an inchanting Witch and he that trusteth to such words meerly for the vertue of words either of blessing or cursing is an Idolater not discerning the power of God the Curse without cause shall not come Prov. 3.33 neither shall blessing or cursing prevail any thing if it be not from the Lord if Micaiah had Prophesied good to the King of Israel as he would have had him it had not availed but it had been a meer Charm that is a meer composure of unwarranted words 1 King 22.13 and yet his false Prophets could please him well making him beleeve that by vertue of their pretended Prophesie which was but a meer Charm all things should go well with him 1 King 22.10 11 12. A more plain demonstration of this Discourse is the History of Balaam Numb 22.6 Balac sent to Balaam to Curse the people of Israel but he concludeth Numb 23.27 there is no inchanting against Israel for had Balaam played the inchanting Witch as Balac would have had him it had availed nothing because Charms are of no force no more than Divinations which are only given by deceiving Witches to cheat Idolatrous fools of their mony And in Chap. 24. vers 1. it is said Balaam went not as formerly to fetch Inchantments or Incantations that is groundless and unwarranted Execrations which are but Charms of no force but only to delude the Hearers for it is understood in the Chapter and Verse aforesaid not that Balaam had formerly gone to fetch Incantations for it is said in Chap. 22. vers 19. and chap. 23.3 4 5. verses he went to inquire of the Lord but here in Chap. 24. 1. it is spoken according to the intention of Balak and his Princes for they desired that Balaam would but curse Israel whether he had warrant or not supposing the words being but spoken by him were sufficient as is said in Chap. 22. vers 6. and Chap 23. vers 11. which intention of theirs is here in Chap. 24. vers 1. called fetching of Incantations for it implyeth the foolish supposition of Balak and his Princes which they expressed in chap. 22. vers 6. That whomsoever Balaam cursed were accursed and whom he blessed were blessed for if a very Prophet should so farre transgress and go without warrant from God in blessing and cursing or Prophecying that Prophet were no more a Prophet but an inchanting deluding Witch and his words would not be worth regarding and this is a sufficient demonstration of a Charmer or Inchanter or user of Incantations being the Sixth term of description in the text that is that maketh any composure of words to delude the people pretending to the people any vertue in words to bring things to pass and so causeth people not to discern the power of God that bringeth all things to pass but to impute things to the power of words being but Charms or Incantations And indeed the fore-named History of Balaam if it be rightly observed is a large and a plain demonstration of the vanity of this sort of Witchcraft whereby people were commonly seduced by false Prophets or Witches by listening only to the sound of words and not to God the only disposer and bringer of all