God laieth to their charge that they woorshipped diuels What victories the diuell hath gotten at other times in the world doth sufficiently appeare by this that he is described with seuen crownes He hath raised vp all kinds of heretikes he hath stirred vp sore persecutions against the Church and caused the seruants of God to be cruelâ—…ie murthered Thus much touching Diuels Deuils haue no power to hurt mens bodies or goods but vpon speciall leaue giuen vnto them The 5. Chapter THe reprobat angels are mightie fierce and subtill as we haue brieflie noted They be instrumentes of Gods vengance and executioners of his wrath they doe not exercise power and authoritie which is absolute and at their owne will and appointment but so farre as God letteth foorth the chaine to giue them scope Touching the reprobat which despise the waies of God and are disobedient we are taught that God in righteous vengeance giueth theÌ„ ouer into their hands for they would not loue his lawes nor honour him as their God therfore they come vnder the tirannie of wicked diuels which worke in them with power their harts do they harden their eies euen the eies of their minds do they blind they kindle and stir vp in them all filthie lusts and carrie them headlong into foule and abhominable sinnes Here is their throne and kingdome not that they be able to carrie these so far as they would but as euery one doth more grieuously prouoke God so are they plunged y â— deeper either into monstrous heresies or abhominable wickednesse for God giueth them ouer into a reprobat mind some indeed are caried further thaÌ„ other into the depth of impietie because God letteth him more stronglie inuade them and taketh away his graces and gifts but yet he raigneth in them all in as much as they be void of the power of grace to resist him and are caried captiues by him vnto eternall damnation These wicked fiends doe also set vpon the faithfull and elect people of God for God vseth them also as instruments for their triall they tempt and trie them they doe wrestle and fight against them they buffet them euery way seeking to annoy and molest them both in bodie and soule God indeed turneth all vnto the good of these Hee letteth him haue power and scope no further vpon them than he giueth strength and power of grace to resist at the least so farre that the wicked one can not cause them to sinne vnto death This then being out of al controuersie that his power euen in that wherein it is greatest and where he seemeth to haue his chiefe right is limited how shall it be deemed but that touching the bodies of both men and beasts or of anie other creature he can doe nothing but vpon speciall leaue and commission graunted vnto him He can not doe violence to the bodie of a poore swine naie he can not at his pleasure kill so much as a seelie flie When God will haue him to touch anie creature either man beast fish foule tree corne or whatsoeuer he flieth vpon it and maketh the greatest shew that he can These things are we plainlie taught in the holie scriptures not onelie by those which were possessed with diuels and were greeuouslie tormented in bodie but also by destroying both men and cattell In the booke of Iob the first chapter we are plainely taught first that the diuell could not touch Iob nor any thing that was his then that hauing leaue he slew his children destroied his seruants and cattell and plagued him in his bodie with sores the holie ghost doth so manifestlie teach that the diuell did this that to denie it is flat impietie and the vaine and friuolous cautls to prooue the contrarie not woorth the answering The holie ghost doth applie himselfe in that place to our rude capacitie It is very true and so doth he in manie places of the holy scriptures doth it follow therefore that the things were not We are not capable of things spirituall and therefore they be set forth vnder the forme of things corporall and visible We may not imagine that deuils thrust in themselues amongst the holie angels into the glorious presence of God in heauen Neither must we suppose that GOD talketh with the diuell and he with him but these and such like things are borrowed to set before vs things inuisible God vseth the diuels by his prouidence to accomplish the woorke which he determineth eyther in wrath vpon the wicked or for chastisement and tryall of his Children What could more fitly expresse the same then to liken him to a king which hath seruants officers for euery purpose who came before him to giue an account what they haue done and to receiue commaundement what they shall doe God limitteth their boundes he restraineth he enlargeth them at his good pleasure But how Satan doth knowe where leaue is giuen him we cannot conceiue For as it is sayd God tolde him all that he hath is in thy hand for vs hee is brought in speaking in this wise thou hast hedged about him and about all that he hath Yea but Iob saith God did all And Iob saith very true but Iob did knowe God did it by appointing the Diuell to doe it He knew that the theeues and murtherers which slewe his seruaunts and draue away his cattell were stirred vp by the Deuill he stayeth not aboute them nor yet about the Deuill but looketh and addresseth himselfe vnto him which hath rule ouer men and Deuils shall we say then God did it therefore the Deuill did it not It may be obiected that if the Deuill did those thinges then is hee able to raise vp mighty windes tempestes lightning and thunders If hee sent that mighty winde which did throwe downe the house vpon Iobs Children if he cast downe that fire vppon the Cattell and Seruauntes Why may not men thinke that vpon leaue he can do the other I answere that the scripture ascribeth the Windes the Tempests the Haile and the mighty Thunders and Lightnings vnto God euen as works peculier to his Maiestie by which he doth set forth his magnificence and glory Because he alone hath created them the deuils are not able to create any thing though neuer so smal much lesse those greate thinges He seeth right well the matter whereof they consiste and how they are by the naturall course which God hath set brought foorth vpon leaue graunted vnto him he is able in some sorte to collect the matter of them or being prepared by the Lorde to make them more violent he doth couet also in the darkest tempestes in the moste raging windes and terrible crackes of thunder to conuey himselfe into the storme to come with it and to shew some terrour of his presence 〈◊〉 if 〈◊〉 graunted he appeareth vnto some in an vglye shape or renteth vp trees And this he doth to bring men in beliefe that all those terrible thinges wherein there is so
after a sort caried vp hard to it and see those things which common sense doth not attaine It is verifyed vppon all which the Prophet sayth the heauens declare the glory of God For what minde is so blunt but doth conceiue that the diuine power is great and glorious which made set in order and susteineth such a worke The rudest sort do find that the course of the Sunne and the Mone do order the dayes and the nightes moneths and yeares Winter and Sommer Who perceiueth not what great power the Sunne hath with his cherishing heate to cause thinges to grow the Mone beareth a great sway in the waters Diuers other thinges there be which are manifest to the simple But how farre beyond al these goe the learned Astronomers which do come nigh to gather the distance and withall the wonderfull greatnes of the celestiall bodies and their incomprehensible swiftnesse incomprehensible I say vnto man When from these they turne their cies towardes the Creator How can they but bee amazed at the consideration of his greatnes they see the seuerall courses of planets and their motions and the same fixed by an â—…changeable decree how can they cease wondring at the wisedome of God who hath so skilfully fashioned them all that which is secrete vnto others as the influences powers is apparant in some measure vnto them Mens death eather for the time or for the maner is not subiect to the stares much lesse vertue or vice 〈◊〉 ingendred in mens myndes by them The Astronomers do very grosly erre in these predictions about windes showrs but yet no doubt there bee many thinges which depend much vpon the course of the heauens which is no derogation to the prouidence of God who hath ordayned and doth vse them as instruments for the same Great operations in the bodies of men and beasts as al skilful phisitions do find come from the planets And no doubt the deuil tooke occasion hereby for to lead men further in these thinges then they should haue gone The third is called Menachesh Nachash signifyeth to coniecture from whence the same is deriued Laban when he intreated Iacob to abide still with him doth vse that woord I haue saith he coniectured or found by experiments that God hath blessed me for thy sake For hee felt that his cattle did increase and thriue vnder his hand Ioseph when hee had caused his siluer cup to be put into the sacke of his brother Beniamin and vpon search being found in the same speaketh after the same maner and sayth he did deuine or coniecture by that cup what manner of men they were It seemeth that the word was vsed indifferently and often times taken in good part When it is taken in euill part it semeth to note such as in Latine are called Augures A kind of sooth sayiers which did coniecture and prophesie by the voices and by the flying of Birdes by the intrals of beasts other like obseruations These were common among the heatheÌ„ had in great estimation For the wiser sort did beleeue that the Gods as they vse to say did vse the tonges of birdes as theire interpreters to make thinges knowen vnto men The like for the flying of birds which they did obserue when they went about any matter Hereupon some were accompted luckie and some vnlucky birds And how the deuil did play to delâ—… men by the intrals of beasts who knoweth the thing is not now in practise but yet some reliques dregs of this kind of witch craft if I may so cal it do remaine among vs. For some wil gather by the chattring of pyes that they shal haue gestes come vnto them The rauen he sitteth vpon the steeple and cryeth which way doth he looke sayth one from thence ye shal haue an eie ere it be long Another goeth abrode early in the morning a hare crosseth his way a very vnlucky signe he taketh it to be and looketh not to speede well that day Frends meet together make mery some one at vnwares doth turn down the salt the man or the woman towards whom it falleth doth blush and take litle comfort of the dainty banquet For that is taken to be a grieuous euil sign of mishap that will follow Heauy newes is brought vnto some that her father or her mother or her brother is dead I did euen looke for such a matter saith she for my nose this day did sodainly break forth a bleeding Thus hath the deuill crept into the mindes of vnbeleeuing people and causeth them to turne their eies from God These things must we condemne but we must take heed that we do not withal disalow those things which are to be approued For no doubt as we see by experience fowls beasts do foreshew some things but yet by a natural cause The goose and the ducke diuers other water fowles do diue and wash them and make a great sturre against raine The crow he cryeth otherwise then ordinary Other fowles there be which do flocke together and come vp from the sea when a cold blast is toward The cow though shee bee not very nimble nor taketh great pride in her running yet setâ—…eth vp her taile about shee goeth the fields The litle gnat foundeth her trompet giueth warning of a shower What shall wee say to these a number such like that they be as the heathen said the interprters of the gods no verely but there is a natural cause and that is this the disposition of the ayre is changed that do these fowles beasts feel in their bodies which maketh them so to deale that ther is such a change in the disposition of the aire though common sense in men do not perceiue it yet many things do shew What maketh the salt to bee wet but that the moysture of the ayre doth dissolue it what maketh the marble stone to sweat against raine but euen the moisture of the aire which it draweth to it what maketh the soot to fal downe by lumps gobs out of the chimney but the moist ayre against rayne doth loosen it If any man wil yet doubt how the sowls or beasts should feele the change of the ayre in their bodies hee may see it is not a thing strange For a man whose arme or his leg hath bene broken or that hath had some mayme or sore bruse in his bodye doth feel a great ache against rayne this doth come of the alteration of the air And thus wee see it behoueth men to discerne betweene such things as haue a natural cause therby do after a sort foreshew things those which haue no cause in nature but are to be reiected The 4 is called Mechashshepha It is deriued from Cashaph which is found in the holy scriptures that is 2 cron 33. 6. what the word doth properly signify or from whence it is drawen can no man tel More then this that it is vsed for a kind of
glory is not regarded For if the people did regard Gods glory they would hate witchchraft shew their vehemency against it because his dishonor is much procured thereby as when men go for help vnto his enimy but we sée they hate not that But if a man or child be sick they run vnto a witch they hate not y â— ioyning in compact with deuils when as they runne for help vnto them they haue somewhat lost or stole they doo by by fly vnto deuils they make account that those be good witches do no harme But in very déed they be as euill as other witches for they haue felowship with deuills which is the chiefe fault for those daÌ„mages which they ascribe vnto witches are not in their hand to giue power to the deuill for to doo Then if they did it for loue of God they would hate these also but we sée they doo not only alow them but make of them God coÌ„mandeth in his law that all that haue familier spirits should be put to death yet I say the faithles people doo make much of them alow of them Moreouer there be none more extreme haters of witches then such as be infected with a kinde of witchcraft them selues for what are they but witches if a man looke well into y â— matter which haue their night spell and so many charmes deuises to auoide the daungers of witchcraft or to vnwitch none are more furious agaynst witches then these such as of all others are y â— readiest to run for help vnto the deuill therefore I may boldly affirme that it is of a mad rage and not of a good zeale that the most are carried withall against witches which ought to teach men wisedome discreation warines when they be for to deale in such matters especially when as it doth concerne life or death What manner of persons are fittest for the deuill to make his instruments in witchcraft sorceries and who are subiect vnto his harmes Chapt. 11. WHen Satan at the first enterprised the ruine and destruction of man he did not vnaduisedly set vp on the worke but in great subtilty chose him a fit instrument for the purpose euen the serpent who was more subtill then any beast of the field He is now an old serpent long practised and hath increased his subtilty by much approoued experience He doth not nowe attempt his wicked worke but 〈◊〉 all y â— fittest waies meanes that hée can hée doth obserue time place with all other circumstances and looke of what sort soeuer his worke shalbe he séeketh coÌ„uenient persons as matter to work vpon he chuseth out fit instruments to worke withall when he raiseth vp some heresie to destroy y â— true faith which is with subtill shew to be defended he suggesteth not the same into the minde of a blunt vnlearned foole which is able to say litle but if it be possible he espieth out a subtil minde which is also proud vaine glorious stiffe to maintain any purpose Likewise when he will séeme by witchcraft he doth not hope to draw a godly man well instructed in Gods word into his net to make him a witch for he is not subiect vnto his illusions there is light in him which the darknes can not smother What then he séeketh for vngodly persons which are blind full of infidelity ouerwhelmed drowned in dark ignorance If there be aboue all these a melancholike constitution of body his impressions print the déeper in the minde If they be fell and giuen to anger ready to reuenge they be so much the fitter pouerty also will help in some respect When such a person is mooued with furie shee curseth biddeth a vengeance light vpon him with whom she is displeased she biddeth the deuill all the deuills in hell take him the wicked spirit who inflamed her heart is ready at hand and if he haue power to hurt y â— party giuen him of God or sée any probability that he shal haue or know any disease ready to breake forth in some likenes or w t some voice doth demauÌ„d what he shall doo it may the woman doth think it very strange at the first is a fraid to heare a thing like a cat speak but this feare in time is remooued The coÌ„iurer is one that hath a mind addicted vnto curiosity vaine estimation he taketh him selfe by déep skill power to rule ouer deuils therfore though he appeare fierce terrible before him it is not amisse nay it confirmeth him y â— more Now for conuenient matter to work vpon I coÌ„fesse y â— the deuils are instrumeÌ„ts which God vseth not only to be executioners of vengeance vpon the reprobate to plague y â— wicked but also to assault to teÌ„pt to vex to chastise his déere children and therefore they haue sometimes leaue to afflict some of these in body or substance but y â— is rare when it is so Gods holy seruaunts doo looke vp vnto him confesse their sinnes with humble hearts séeking fauour and release at his hands as Iob did they turne not their eyes vnto witches they cry not out vpon them as if they were the cause you heare not these wish they were rooted out because they feare hurt by theÌ„ but they abhor the sin and in zeale of Gods glory desire that due execution may be done vpon them The deuil then by his witches coniurers preuaileth not amonge these hee doth preuaile among an other sort of men greatly he hath power giuen him to plague to vex many of them they haue no power of true liuely faith to withstand him they bee full of all darknes ignorance the heauenly light power of Gods holy word is not abiding in them marke it who will he shall finde this most true that y â— greatest part of those which cry out y t they are bewitched that run vnto witches for help that vse their charmes séeke so many waies to vnwitch are euen as ignorant as far from zeale loue of y â— gospel as full of vices as the very witches them selues so that y â— deuil doth euen with as much ease seduce lead these men into errors by witches coniurers finding them in y â— dark as he doth allure the poore siley old woman to be a witch and the Idolatroâ—…s adulterous masse-priest to be a coniurer Thus much may suffice to shew what persons y â— deuil doth make choise of to be his instruments and what maner of persons he deceiueth hurteth by them The true remedy whereby men are deliuered from all feare and daunger of witchcraft Chapt. 12. MEn are glad to finde a medicine that will driue away rid them off an ague how much gladder would they bee to finde a present remedy to preserue them safe frée from the feare off all imagined hurt and danger which cometh