wrought by Figures Characters Spells Ligatures Circles Numbers Barbarismes Images of wax or clay Crystalls looking-glasses Basoâ—s of waters herbs powders urguments sawes knives pins needles Candles rings garters gloves c. I feare I have even cloyd while I talked but of giving a Tast A wise Christian and Conscientious wil leave the faith of all or most of these matters with the Authors No prodigious Acts though avouched and attested by hundreds and Thousands must impose upon his Beleife If they utterly thwart his eternall and infallible Rules of Truth which are 1. To beleve that all the Devills stupendous Actions in this kind are praestigious Delusions That is either meerly Delusive where all else is impossible but the Delusion it selfe or mixtly delusive where peradventure amongst some reality of meanes matter event there is nothing but praestigiousnesse of Forme End Effect 2. To believe nothing of all these that in the least do usurp or trench upon the divine Attributes omniscience omnipotence c. For though Devills be intelligential creatures and of admirable Ingeny and sagacity in comparison to reasonable Souls yet while their Intellect was unobscured by their Fall all their perspicacity never reached to a shadow of Omniscience much lesse can all their long Experience Observation or Revelation now attain to it And therfore if they foresee of theÌ„selves or foretel some kind of Futures it is but as they are contain'd in their natural causes or dispositions And if they ghess at some secret intentions or affectioÌ„s of the heart it is no more then from certaine outward motions So that wee may well conclude they are ignorant and erre in very many things whereof the Ambiguity of their propositions and predictions are a sufficient Confession Likewise though Devils be called Principalities and powers that no power on earth may be compared to them yet was all their power ere debilitated by their fall of no force to that power that belongeth unto God Wonders they may worke but those lying ones Deut. 3. 2. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 9. And yet not those but as permitted by God not Impedited by Angels and having the matter hereunto somwhat praedisposed And even then it is for the most part praestigious too Illuding humane senses abusing their Fancies and which is worse deceiving their hearts Their utmost is but to produce phantasmaticall or false species of things and if any thing bee now verily done it is but by applying Actives to Passives which if wee were as cunning in as they we might also doe without them and need never be beholding to them But as for Miracles of a true name and thing they are as strange and as admirable to them as they are to us And indeede neither for them nor us nor for Angells to do but for God alone Psal. 72. 18. He only can work miracles to whom nothing is a Miracle And it were easie were it not too long to distinguish betwixt divine Miracles and Diabolical Prodigies both from the dignity and vertue of the doere the Quality Excellency of the thing done with the admirable and advantagious manner and end of doing 3. To believe nothing of these that being granted must of necessity work the universall disorder and confusion of nature For though the Devill may haply bee able to perturbe some particular course of Nature yet Devils themselves being part of the Universe have no power to worke to the Confusion and destruction of the whole 4. To beleeve nothing of them that utterly impugn the dictates of right Reason For that would directly imply contradictions and then impossibilities are necessarily to be concluded 5. Not to beleeve any thing of these contrary to the infallible Rules of Gods word For what Faith can bee of those things that crosse the grounds of Faith Against which eternall Rules of truth whether of precept promise or practise Devills and men in all their Operations or Testimonies must needes bee found Lyars 6. Nothing must be believed of all these as tending to truth or to God For the Devill is false and can speak no trueth but to deceive and the Devil is naught and will do nothing like to Good but to hurt and endamage so much the more 9. Case Whether the power of a Witch be such as is ordinarily supposed IF we would be ledde by the terrible Traditions Opinions and apprehensions of the vulgar they are mostly ready to imagine the power of a Witch to be more like the power of a Devill then of a Witch and so the power of a Devill to be more like the power of a God then of a Devil And are eftsoones affrayd of the power of the Devill more then of GOD And of the WITCH more then of the DEVILL yea and out of that feare are readyer to serve and please the Devill and the Witch then God himselfe But to be better informed let us here inquire 1. Whence have Witches all their power And I say firs Not of God For this is it chiefely that makes the Act to be forcerous and prodigious that the wounder is wrought but not by the power of God Yet I dare not say this power of theirs what ever it is is not from God For the evil Spirit was from the Lord that troubled terrified Saul 2 Sam. 16. 14. Neither did Satanltouch Iob body or goods but as God gave him once and againe into his hands Iob. 1. and 2. Nor had all the Devills power to enter into or infest the swine but as Christ was pleased to permitt Mar. 5. 12. whence I conclude that God hath even here also a working power viz. of permission Limitation Direction yea of Cooperation and yet all this without the least approbation of the power abused by the Devill or the Witch 2. Not from good Angells For good Angells and Witches never worke one with another Because Witches work by vertue of a Compact to adore the Power that they work by and that the Good Angells can in no wise indure Revel. 19. 10. Neither though they may be Instruments of Gods just judgements can they be assistant to the malice and iniquity of the Creature Neither yet will the Excellency and Ingenuity of good Angels suffer them to condescend upon any tearms between them or dissemble a being bound at a vile wretches beck How much deceived then through Satans transformation of himself are those Witches that have imagined their Familiars to be no other then good Angels 3. Not from Nature For they take her un-aptest means and apply them to the wrongest ends 4. Not from Art or Science Because they are indeed ignorant of all such grounds and principles rules reasons 5. Al their power therefore must needes bee from the devil only who conveys unto them what power is permitted him in that particular by vertue of a cursed Contract or confederation In the execution wherof he himselfe nevertheless is the sole agent and they but the wretched InInstruments For as the
SELECT Cases of Conscience TOUCHING VVitches and VVitchcrafts By IOHN GAVLE Preacher of the Word at Great Staughton in the County of Huntington Deur 18. 10 11 12. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his Son or his Daughter to passe through the fire or that useth Divination or an observer of Times or an Enchanter or a Witch Or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizard or a Nocromancer For all that do these things are an Abomination unto the Lord and because of these Abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee London Printed by W. Wilson for Richard Clutterbuck and are to be sold at his House in Noblestreet 1646. May 29. 1646. I Have with much satisfaction and content perused this learned judicious discourse intituled Select Cases of Conscience concerning Witches and Witchcrafts And finding it to bee very solide and seasonable I allow it to bee Printed and published JOHN DOWNAME To his ever honoured Valentine VVauton Esquire Colonell and one of the Honorable House of Commons As also to the other worthy Gentlemen together with all the good people of the Parish of Great Staughton in the County of Huntington SIR YOU heresee what the the rest of the Parish heard under one moneths occasionall paines in my place I am forced to make it publique partly because I suffered some opposition affront in my preaching from one I never saw before and partly because some opinions of it are spread since by and among those that know me not But chiefely to answer the expectation of those amongst whom I am knowne I hope what I here tender you will speake the Trueth of an honest Conscience to the World the Affection of a carefull Pastor to the rest and to you Sir the gratefull because much ingaged mind of Your humble Servant JOHN GAULE To the Iudicious Reader Reader I present thee here with a Letter on occasion of this publishing It were but lost labour to glosse upon it Thou mayest easily reade him in his Letter and mee in my Booke M. N. MY service to your Worship presented I have this day received a Letter c. to come to a Towne called Great Staughton to search for evill disposed persons called Witches though I heare your Minister is farre against us through ignorance I intend to come God willing the sooner to heare his singular Judgment on the behalfe of such parties I have known a Minister in Suffolke preach as much against their discovery in a Pulpit and forc'd to recant it by the Committee in the fame place I much marvaile such evill Members should have any much more any of the Clergy who should daily preach Terrour to convince such Offenders stand up to take their parts against such as are Complainants for the King and sufferers themselves with their Families and Estates I intend to give your Towne a Visite suddenly I am to come to Kimbolton this weeke and it shall bee tenne to one but I will come to your Town first but I would certainely know afore whether your Town affords many Sticklers for such Cattell or willing to give and afford us good welcome and entertainement as other where I have beene else I shall wave your Shire not as yet beginning in any part of it my selfe And betake me to such places where I doe and may persist without controle but with thankes and recompence So I humbly take my leave and rest Your Servant to be commanded Matthew Hopkins The Contents 1 Case WHether it ought to bee beleeved that there are any Witches 2. How many kinds of Witches may there be conceived 3. Whether there bee not sundry degrees of Witches and Witchcrafts to be considered 4. What it is that makes a Witch to be a Witch and one that may justly bee so called and accounted 5. What are the signes and marks of a Witch whereby such an one may bee rightly discerned and so Censured 6. Whether Witch-seeking or witch-finding be an Art Vocation Profession Office Occupation or Trade of Life allowable in a Christian Church or State 7. Whether all such Feats trickeâ— prankes and Exploits as Witches arâ— said to play be credible to prudent Christians 8. Whether the power of a Witch be such as is ordinarily supposed 9. How the power and malice of Witches may be prevented or redressed witâ— a good Conscience 10. Whether it be lawfull to consulâ— with a Witch upon any occasion 11. What punishment are Witcheâ— worthy of or may justly be inflicted on them 12. VVhether a VVitch may repent and so be saved SELECT Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcrafts 1. Case Whether it ought to be beleeved that there are any Witches HEe that will needs perswade himself that there are no Witches would as faine be perswaded that there is no Devill and hee that can already beleeve that there is no Devill will ere long beleeve that there is no God For there are much what the same grounds or motives both for the Atheist and the Adiabolist Both are errours and evills issuing not only from a fond presuming folly but also from a carnall dispensing security Psal. 14. 1. And therefore when I consider that opinion of the Sadduces Acts 23. 8. I cannot but wonder at the received ground for it Who are said to deny all there citâ—â— onely for this end that so they might serve God more sincerely and for himselfes sake blessing him even for a present beeing and not doing his wil out of any expepectation of a future reward Whereas our late leaners and lingerers after such a kinde of sect could be content to deny all these meerly for this intent that so they might serve themselves wholly sin more greedily live now more securely and feare no future penalty But as doating sleepes or dreams awaken to greater distractions so doe false opinions to the more fearfull Convictions Especially all fond perswasions touching God or the Divel if not otherwise recanted are confuted by their own sad experience at the last And as to the point in hand I could instance from Story but that I resolve against all such dilatations in this Epitome how many have had no faith of witches being til they have had a sense of them and then their bewitched body or goods has served to unbewitch them of their opinion Conceit But there are also a sect or sort that on the other hand are as superstitious in this point as these can be infidelious They conclude peremptorily not from reason but indiscretion that witches not only are but are in every place and Parish with them every old woman with a wrinkled face a furr'd brow a hairy lip a gobber tooth a squint eye a squeaking voyce or a scolding tongue having a rugged coate on her back a skullcap on her head a spindle in her hand and a Dog or Cat by her side is not only suspected but pronounced for a witch Every new disease
Proverbs Practises Occupations and Conversations of the Vulgar Lord how many are the sorcerous superstitions of the Many As they are too too notorious in observing of seasons for lucky or unlucky in foretelling of Fortunes and destinies in marking of Contingences and Casualties in casting of Lots in regarding of dreams in making of meales in using of sports in securing of feares in promoting of hopes in curing of diseases in making of Marriages in taking of Journeys and the like All which in truth are grand superstitions or petty kinds of witchcrafts Yet are not to bee neglected neither for without Gods good Grace and great mercie they easily grow to a higher measure or degree of that kind of malignity 2. The Consummation and Completion of witch-craft is in the Witches absolute Pact and reall Fact whereby it is covenanted consented to work not by God not by nature not by Art not by reason but by diabolicall delusions alone Likewise of reall and absolute Witches there are several degrees to bee considered according to severall kindes of them As the good Witch is to bee judged and esteemed worse then the bad the Idolatrously pacted worse then the Cunningly Arted the pernitiously operative worse then the fondly speculative the mischievously Active worse then the abused Passive For if among very Divels one may be found worse then another Lu. 11. 26. how much more among Witches nay even among Witches of the same kind there are also considerable degrees or aggravations to guide a Conscience either as touching private Estimation or publike Censure viz. 1. From the Time as the inveterate Witch is to bee thought worse then the Novice 2. Place As a Witch at Court is worse then a Witch in the Countrey and a Witch in the Church worse then a Witch in her own Cell 3. Sexe As the Male witch is worse then the Female For though she may be more envious and malicious yet he has abused the Abler and Nobler Sexe 4. Degree or Quality as Jezabel was worse then the Witch of Endor 5. Profession As the Christian Witch is worse then the Pagan 6. Office As the Clericall is worse then the Layicke Witch 7. Object As to practise witch-craft on Men is worse then if on Beasts only 8. Malicious intent As to have made one Witch is worse then to have bewitched many 4. Case What it is that makes a Witch to be a Witch and one that may justly be so called and accounted IT is safe to believe that there are Witches and that those also are of severall kindes and degrees But very unsafe to pronounce peremptorily upon such and such for Witches and that upon false grounds as vulgar report bare suspition suspected Ancestors decrepit age froward affection an ill tongue or any casual accident or Event Right effects are only censured with a safe Conscience by those that are able to discerne them in their proper Causes Now therfore 4. Causes are to be observed al concurring to the making up of an absolute Witch viz. God utterly deserting the Devill delusively invading speciall sins hereunto disposing and the Compact throughly Compleating 1. God the deficient Cause His desertion was enough to make an Angell become a Devill how much more then for a man to become a Witch Yet all this is no adding to the Creatures malice but onely to give it up to its owne power that it may be knowne how evill it is if his goodnesse bee once substracted Nay God is here not only a permissive but a directive cause For what forbids that God should not as justly and wisely concur in this Act as in all other evills of sinne Yea great Reasons are to bee given both for his permission and direction herein As 1. for the manifestation of his owne Glory As hee did the first Witches we read of Exod. 7. 12. and 8. 18 19. 2. For the tryall of the faith patience of his Saints and Servants Deu. 13. 1 2 3. 3. For the hardning of the wicked in their wilfull delusions Exod. 7. 22. 2. Thes. 2. 9. 11. 4. For to make the Witches themselves examples of his justice both here and hereafter Exo. 9. 12. Isa. 19. 3 4. 44. 25. Act. 13. 11. Revel. 21. 8. 5. For the more confusion of the Devill himselfe both in his frustration and ejection Isa. 44. 25. Mic. 3. 6 7. Matth. 12. 28 29. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Acts 16. 18. 2. The principall Efficient of a Witch is the Devill who indeed is the father of all such and they his chiefely begotten Children I meane it not by way of Incubus which I cannot believe to be other then the height of all phantasticall Delusions though the Patrons of it never so earnestly instance in those hairy ones or shaggy ones for so the word sounds being either way pronounced Lev. 17. 7. Isa. 13. 21. By which are to bee understood not devills Brats but Devills themselves that appeared to Witches in such shapes when they worshipped them Or in the Fawnes Satyrs Sylvaries or Syrens that the Poets sing of Or in the Legendary Stories of our Merlin or their Magdalen Or in the Plebeian-traditions of Fairies Elfes and Changelings Or in the old or latter Stories of such like Indian races All these are not enough to move my beliefe and so much the lesse because they have impudently blasphemed Divum Lutherum to be one of this brood But when I say the Devill is the Father of Witches I meane it after no other manner then as hee is of all the wicked John 8. 44. by the seduction of sinne not any production of nature Yet I grant them his Children by a more speciall and mutuall adoption and of all others most bearing his Image and similitude And thus he goes about his worke in their forming framing All Witcherafts for their Originall Invention Operation and use being primarlly in the Devill as the Issues of his depraved knowledge onely he perceives that hee wants fit instruments for their execution And therefore finding a faithlesse heart a froward nature a feeble Sex an impotent age an illiterate Education a melancholy constitution and a discontented condition hee now workes further and for his speciall purpose to blinde the understanding more and more to deprave the will to inordinate the affections to perturb the passions to possesse the interiour and delude the exteriour senses and so infusing execrable suggestions of murmuring against God and desire of Revenge against Man he thus though not absolutely inforces them yet efficaciously inclines them to become Witches And it is further to be observed that the fittest subject or matter for him here to worke upon are women commonly And therefore in Hebrew a Witch is for the most part rendred in the Foeminine gender and there are many proverbs like that of the Rabines More women more Witches The reason hereof is rendred variously from the Sexes Infirmity Ignorance Impotence of passions and Affections melancholy solitarinesse timorousnesse credulity