is vsuall to swell with indignation or to be puffed with impatience where God doth not apertly reueale and plainely as they desire and thinke needfull the subtill engines and mysticall craft of the Diuell in the Machinations of Witches and Sorcerers but soberly modestly and discreetly so faire forth be contented to pursue the try all and iust way of their Discouery as with sense with reason with Religion is iust and righteous knowing that whatsoeuer is beyond these lists is reasonlesse senselesse and impious For since God and Nature as is before said hath limited the scrutinie of all true Arts and Sciences all naturall knowledge for discouerie of controuersies and resolutions vnto the lights of Reason Sense and artificiall coniecture prudence art sagacitie and subtiltie of vnderstanding deriued from thence vnto what other barre or seate of Iustice can Witch-craft appeale or be brought It may be obiected the Art of Witch-craft being supernaturall and the practice thereof sustained by an extraordinary power that therefore the meanes and waies of discouerie must be likewise more then ordinary and supernaturall Hereto is truely answered that since the nature power of Spirits is vnknowne vnto man as things supernaturall and can be and is no otherwise knowne but by examining the workes issuing from thence and comparing them aright with that which is naturall because man in his Reason and vnderstanding cannot discerne that which is truely trascending his Nature otherwise then obseruing how far it exceedeth that which is according to Nature therefore I say the workes of the Diuell or Witches though sustained and produced by a supernaturall power yet can haue no other way for their detection by man but that which is ordinary vnto man and natural and possible vnto man for that which is aboue or beyond his power or Nature is not his owne From hence must necessarily be concluded that there is no other ordinary way vnto man who knoweth or can know nothing but that is naturall vnto the discouerie of that is supernaturall but that way which is likewise naturall Although therefore the subiect of Witch-craft require a greater measure of knowledge to discerne that which is therein really and truely supernaturall from that which in nature oft-times hath a very great likenesse and a deceiueable similitude therewith yet is the way vnto that knowledge the common high way which conducteth vnto all other knowledge whatsoeuer Let men then be perswaded and contented since God hath alotted and allowed vnto the nature and power of man no other way in this only warranted true way to seeke the discouery to finde the footing path and steppings of Witchcraft as of all other things which by the Decree of God are reuealed vnto man and subiect vnto the knowledge of man It may be here demanded whether Almightie God doth not extraordinarily and miraculously at some time discouer this so abominable sin of Witch-craft aswell as by ordinarie meanes leaue it vnto discouerie This doubt shall more fitly in more due place be hereafter at large discoursed It hath now beene here manifested that there is or can be no other ordinarie tryall of Witch-craft then that which is common vnto all other detections of truth and also that all detections subiect vnto the discouerie of man as hath beene before cleared are drawne and deriued either from Sense or Reason or likely probabilitie raised from both CHAP. IIII. Of the workes of Witches and Diuels BEfore wee proceed further to treate concerning matter of Witch-craft according to the former waies of discouerie and inuestigation it will be needfull to distinguish who is the true Author cause immediate workman of the supernaturall workes which by Sorcery and Witch-craft are compassed or brought to passe All created substances indowed with powers and vertue from God their Creator are either bodily or corporall substances or Spirituall or mixt and betweene both Bodily and corporall substances are the heauens the celestiall bodies of the Starres of the Sunne of the Moone the bodies of the elements and all elementarie substances from them deriued and composed Spirituall substances are either Angels or Diuels or soules of men after death separated from their bodies Mixed substances partly Spirituall partly bodily are mankinde compounded of a naturall body and an vnderstanding soule Hence it commeth to passe that man by his vnderstanding Spirit doth together with Angels Spirits and Diuels participate and vnderstand many things as the Scripture reuealed the History and Creation of the whole world many truths of God the grounds of Reason the principles of Nature many generall rules and obseruations and infinite particular obiects of many things past present and to come But for that this vnderstanding Soule is depressed and imprisoned in this life by the body by the passions diseases and manifold incumbrances thereof and cannot extend or inlarge it selfe further vnto any portion of knowledge then thorow the narrow windowes closures parts and organs of the body therefore must necessarily the knowledge of man be much inferiour vnto that measure of knowledge which Spirits being of a more subtill essence and free from the burden and incumbrance of an earthly tabernacle or prison doe in a more large extent inioy As is said of the difference of knowledge in Spirits beyond the power and nature of man so may be said from the same reason of the difference of the workes of Spirits farre inlarging and extending their vertue and power beyond the power and force of men The workes of men are confined within the power and nature of these sublunarie bodies vnto which they are annexed and tyed The works of Spirits are limited to no corporall substance or body but spaciously compasse the whole and vniuersall body of the sublunary or inferiour world as the Diuell dorh witnesse of himselfe Iob 1. verse 7. and are not tyed vnto any particular place but rule generally therein and in all places by the permission of God as is euident Ephe. 2. ver 2. where the Diuell is called the Prince that ruleth in the ayre euen the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience and likewise Ephes. 6. verse 12. where he is called the Prince of darknesse of this world From these vndoubted grounds it is necessarily inferred that both all knowledge exceeding the knowledge of man must needes issue from the knowledge of Spirits and also that all works exceeding and transcendent aboue the power and nature of corporall substances must necessarily be the force of Spirts It may now be demaunded how the works of good Spirits shall be knowne and distinguished from the works of euill Spirits and diuels since both their workes proceede from the same nature substance and spirituall essence common vnto them both This shall appeare by the consideration of the orders and sorts of good Spirits expressed in holy Scripture and their properties beside which all other are necessarily euill and therefore diuels like vnto whom likewise by iust consequent must be their workes
bagges or burdens of corne into a campe of Souldiers At the same time in the same manner such a like Asse as hee in dreame imagined himselfe did bring such burdens into the same campe From these examples may bee iustly drawne a plaine demonstration of the Diuels palpable iuggling and illusion which also may serue for confirmation together with the reasons before annexed vnto my former answer concerning the Diuels seeming or deceitfull presentation of the reall body of Pythagoras in two distant places at once in the same point of time And from all these conioined and conferred may be truely inferred and collected that the Diuell as hee doth many supernaturall workes really so he doth many other by illusion and beguiling the imagination These his iugglings notwithstanding are things also supernaturall and tricks onely possible to Spirits and impossible to man For it is impossible to man to frame so liuely a seeming presence of man in one place that it shall not bee discerned otherwise then the very same true presence and real substance which is really in another place as also to fasten such dreames as were before mentioned vpon men and according to those dreames to cause the things dreamed by the witnesse and testimony of other beholders to bee brought to passe in so liuely likenesse and similitude as cannot bee discerned and discouered otherwise then the very same that they were in dreame likewise beleeued From hence it doth also follow very necessarily that what man soeuer shall vndertake these supernaturall iuglings which are only possible in the power of Spirits and of the Diuell alone is therby as truly conuinced to be a Witch or Sorcerer as hee that vndertaketh any of the former reall supernaturall works or any other of the like kinde because they are both and all alike proper onely to the diuell and wherein man can haue no property or power but by and through him Let vs now then againe returne vnto the Diuels reall supernaturall performances and workes vnto Sorcerers from whence by the way of answere vnto the former doubt concerning Pythagoras his supposed realty of being at once in two places wee haue hitherto onely digressed It is written as a thing vsuall vnto many famous Magicians Sorcerers and Witches vnto the view and sight of some admitted spectators to raise resemblances of the dead which seemeth a thing vndoubted by the Witch of Endor raising Samuel the Prophet vnto Saul the King before mentioned In this kinde those famous and renowned Witches Medea and Circe in old and ancient times are reported to excell Hence among the Heathen had Necromancie the reason of the name and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is diuination by calling vp or raising the dead Later times haue not been behinde former times in the record of the like but to adde reason to inforce the truth of report herein I will answer an obiection which may be made Whether in these apparitions there be only illusion and imagination or some thing truely and really visible vnto the outward sense As touching the reall raising of the dead it is impossible vnto the limited power of the Diuell either in the substance of body or soule to reduce or bring the dead back into this world or life or sense againe because in death by the vnchangeable and vnalterable decree of God in his holy Writ the body returneth into dust from whence it came and the Soule to God who gaue it Notwithstanding since the outward shape and figure and proportion of any substance and not the substance it selfe or creature is the true and naturall obiect of the eye according to the Philosopher who truely saith Res non videntur sedrerum species that is the substances or things themselues are not offered nor come vnto the sight but onely their shape and outward figure as also for that common sense and experience doe teach vs that it is a thing absurd and impossible that all those bodies substances which in infinite number wee dayly see and behold really and materially in their corporall substances and dimensions should be contained in the small body of the eye for these causes I say it is possible according to reason that the Diuell in these supposed apparitions of the bodies and substances of dead men may present true reall and naturall obiects certaine and assured vnto the eye and sight if he can onely present thereto the outward liuely pourtraitures and shapes of the substances or bodies though the bodies themselues be away That the Diuel can doe this is no doubt For if man by Art can vsually diuide the outward shapes and figures of creatures and substances from the substances creatures themselues as is apparent by the looking glasse and the cunning Painter can in another borrowed substance separated from their true right and proper substance represent perfectly the true and liuely shape of men and other creatures euen when they are not onely absent and remoued in farre distant places but when oft-times they haue many yeares beene swallowed of the graue why should it be thought impossible vnto the Diuell who certainely is more then exquisite Apelles excellent to offer and present vnto the eye likewise any true shape whatsoeuer If he can offer the true shape as is not to be doubted he doth offer a true and perfect obiect and therefore that which is truely and certainely manifest to sense although speech and the motion thereof without another visible bodie to sustaine it being impossible vnto shapes and pourtraitures drawne by men be things supernaturall and truely spirituall which doe therefore make it a worke proper vnto the Diuell And thus it is apparent that the supposed apparitions which the Diuell doth offer of dead men may bee esteemed and reckoned among such supernaturall workes of Diuels and Sorcerers as manifestly are brought to outward sense Now let vs returne to view some other kindes of the same workes of the same Authors It is reported by some Writers of worthy credit that the bodies of Sorcerers and Witches haue beene really carried and locally remoued from one place into another by the Diuell And of later times as Bartholomaeus de Spina doth witnesse the inquisitâ—â—â— haue condemned vnto perpetual prison and there detained Witches who by their owne confession and others proofe haue by the Diuell been transported into so farre distant places in few houres that afterward it hath bin a trauell of many dayes by their owne naturall power to returne againe from whence they were manifestly by the diuell carried It is a thing likewise written and vulgarly receiued that Witches are oft-times seene bodily to haunt places fields houses graues and sepulchers in an vniuersall and miraculous manner and wondred fashion These things and infinite more whether true or no cannot be knowne but to him that doth himselfe behold and can from his owne sight auouch them really true and not imaginarie To performe some manner of asportation and locall translation of the bodies of
which vsually and for the most part is seene and obserued to come to passe If any man not rightly apprehending reason make a doubt or question of any such possible exquisitnes let him consider and behold it by an easie example In an inequalitie of one and the same Vermiculant pulse where the beginning of the same distension is quicker the next continuation or middle part is flower and the beginning of the end thereof ending almost before it begin it must needs be very difficult nay almost impossible vnto the first view of Sense or Reason or to a common iudgement or learning to diuide really and distinguish this one short small motion into two or three distinct times and parts of motion the space so very short the faculty of mouing so low and weake and the mouing it selfe almost altogether in an insensible exiguitie and an indiuisible degree of lownesse We see oft-times a common vulgar cannot in his reason conceiue it much lesse by his sense at all perceiue it Neither is it found easie to euery man though learned therein yea or educate thereto either perfectly to apprehend the general Idea of such a motion or at all in the first proofes and tryals of his sense or hand to deprehend any particular Notwithstanding the Physicion that exquisitely discerneth and iudgeth doth both in reason see that euery single smallest motion hath his diuers distinct diuision of parts and also by his discerning wary iudicious and exercised touch doth apertly detect and discouer it And thus hath been proued by seuerall instances taken in the Art of Physike in steade of all other Arts and Sciences for auoiding tediousnesse and confusion that all knowledge all Art all Science whatsoeuer giuen vnto man hath no other entrance meanes or wayes thereto but thorow Sense or Reason or prudent and artificiall coniecture sagacitie and exquisitenesse of iudging and discerning thereby And that it may the better appeare that beyond these waies and lights the Physicion cannot sinde any knowledge or discouery of Diseases let vs view some particular examples of some Diseases for this cause vndiscouerable and not to be detected and therewith consider the impossibilitie of discouerie to consist solely herein namely for that they are remoued from any capacitie of Sense or Reason and from the reach of all artificiall search scrutiny and accurate insight deriued from both which is the highest straine of humane Vnderstanding In the generall it cannot be denied except of such whose vnderstandings are extremely blinde that it is impossible that those diseases should or can bee at all so much as suspected and therefore much lesse knowne which yeeld no shew no signe no indication of themselues There needeth hereof no other nor better proofe then the enumeration of some particular diseases of this kinde Are not diuers secret and hidden Apostemations 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 exquisie 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 yeere 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 who 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 therin 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 remoued 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 stomake 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 stomake toward the bottome bruised and full of blacke iuice or humour Christophorus Sillineus opening the body of a childe after death reporteth that he 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 stomake which was impossible by any art or exquisitnesse of vnderstanding to be conceiued or suspected if nature it selfe working it out thorow the body and substance of the stomake vnto the outward view and sense had not so discouered it I will not here mention the generation of worms 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 vntil they haue proued themselues vnto the sight Many diseases of these kindes
sciences the excellencie and necessitie thereof doth brightly shine so most apertly vnto common obseruation it doth proue and manifest it selfe in the two seuerall professions of the Logician and the Oratour The Logician in his discrepations and questions concerning doubts and ambiguities by the diligence of subtill dispute from the light of probabilitie rectifieth the vnstable fluctuation of vnconstant opinion and produceth through mature disquisition and raciocination what is most safe most consonant with truth to hold affirme or bee perswaded The Oratour in his coniecturall state or questions in his pleas of doubtfull and controuersed facts or rights wherein oft-times probabilitie and likelihood seeme to stand equall and vnpartiall vnto both parts notwithstanding by mature acute and seasonable pressing and vrging that which is most like most reasonable and consonant with right with law and equitie in the end doth bring into light and discouer what is most equall vpright and worthy to be credited or respected What euictions of truth and right what conuictions of guilt and errour doe dayly issue from hence common experience doth proue and demonstrate Thus much briefely prefixed in generall concerning the necessitie light and truth of probabilities it now remaineth to consider the vse and power thereof likewise in our particular proposed subiect of Witch-craft which common sense doth not onely iustifie as in all other subiects but the word of vndoubted truth Almightie God in case of Idolatrie doth not onely publish and proclaime his detection of that great sinne it selfe but therewith doth include whatsoeuer hath any probabilitie of respect or reference thereto whether in affection and inclination or in ceremonie or superstitious shew This is euident Deut. 18. ver 9. where he first forbiddeth his people so much as to imitate or doe after the maners of the Gentiles and afterward particularizeth their making their sonnes and daughters to passe thorow the fire Likewise Leu. 19. ver 27 28. where he forbiddeth as much as the cutting of his peoples heads or the corners of their heads round or marring the tufts of their beards or marking or cutting of their flesh as was the manner of Infidels and Gentiles in their mourning and lamenting of the dead Likewise Deut. 16. verse 21. where hee forbiddeth so much as the planting of any groues of trees neere his Altar because it was the custome inuention manner and resemblance of Idolaters As in case of Idolatry so in case of Witch-craft which is likewise a kinde of Idolatry because the worship of Diuels Almighty God in those places of holy Writ where hee publisheth and proclaimeth his high displeasure against Witches and Sorcerers with that abominable sinne it selfe doth also condemne as abominable First in general all kind of shew of affection liking inclination or respect thereof Secondly any customes fashions rites ceremonies superstitions or gestures from thence deriued or belonging thereto The first is manifest Leuit. 19. verse 31. There the Prophet from their God Iehouah doth charge his people that they do not so much as turne toward or decline toward Sorcerers or South-sayers vouchsafe to aske any question or to respect them and Leuit. 20. verse 6. hee giueth iudgement and sentence of death against that soule that doth but turne or look toward them The second is likewise manifest Isaiah 8. verse 19. where Almightie God noteth the superstitious peepings whisperings and mutterings of Sorcerers and according to those gestures doth with reproch terme them whisperers mutterers and peepers and Deut. 18. verse 10 11. hee rehearseth their mumblings charmings and their superstitious marking the flying of fowles and Leuit. 19. verse 26. hee noteth their vaine and ceremonious obseruing of times If then Almightie God be so strict that hee will not endure or tolerate so much as a friendly looking toward Sorcerers the least respect giuen vnto them or so much as a demaund of a question at their hands any inclination toward them any their ceremonies rites or superstitions yea so smal a matter as their very outward gestures how can religious zeale or the duty of man toward God his Creator esteeme any of these or the like or the least of them lesse then sufficient matter of probable doubt presumption religious iealousie and suspicion against such men as doe or dare presume to imitate to practice or vse them As the holy Scripture hath pointed out some few gestures maners and rites of Sorcerers for an example and light vnto all other of the same kinde so hath the dayly obseruations of succeding times added infinite more which haue doe and still may encrease multiply and be added and newly inuented and put on new different shapes and fashions according to the fancie of the contractors therein which are the Diuel and man possessed by him in whose powers and will according to the nature qualitie conditions of their contract dependeth and consisteth the variation or innouation of ceremonious rites For this cause among Authors and records both of elder and later times we reade of such diuersities and numbers of superstitious litations dedications performances and diabolicall solemnities As therefore wee haue manifested such superstitious rites ceremonies and gestures of Sorcerers as the holy Scripture hath noted and deciphered so let vs propound some other by after-times and other Authors obserued Some haue vsed in their intention or execution of their Diabolicall workes or in the way of prelusion one kinde of ceremonious homage and some another Some do neuer attempt nor enterprise a Diabolicall execution but with mumblings whisperings and secret sounds and words heard grumbling in their mouthes as Theophrastus in his 9. booke of herbes and plants doth witnesse concerning certaine Magicians in gathering Helleborus and Mandragora and as is likewise vndoubtedly discouered by the great attributes that are by many famous Writers ascribed vnto the Caball of the Iewes and vnto letters caracters words sillables and sentences superstitiously pronounced Galen writeth that a certaine Sorcerer by vttering and muttering but one word immediately killed or cause to dye a Serpent or Scorpion Beniuenius in his booke de Abd. morb caus affirmeth that some kinde of people haue beene obserued to do hurt and to surprise others by vsing only certaine sacred and holy words It is apparant likewise that others haue accomplished their diuelish ends by apparitions shapes or figures raised or coniured into glasses as Fernelius an eye-witnesse in his booke de Abdit rer caus doth publish Some receiue power and vertue from the Diuell vnto their Diabolical preparations by certaine inchaunted herbs or medicines which they mixe and gather sometimes with brasse hooks sometimes by Moone-shine in the night sometimes with their feete bare and naked and their bodies clothed with white surplices as Pliny reporteth Some are reported to obtaine of the Diuell their desired ends or works by deliuering vnto the Diuel bonds or couenants written with their owne hands This Serres the French Chronicler doth report confessed by certaine Witches in the raigne