vpon the feete girdle and crowne of the said Diana the which if a man did vse hauing written them out and carrying them about him hee should haue good lucke in all his businesses and hereof sprung the prouerbe Ephesiae literae where one vseth any thing which bringeth good successe And it is very likely that a great part of those bookes which are said to be burned in this 19 chapter of the Actes were filled with such like vaine and friuolous deuices Of which sort we haue an infinite number also vsed amongst vs as namely in Palmestry where mens fortunes are tolde by looking on the palmes of the hands and also by foredeeming of euill lucke by pulling on the shooe awry or by the falling of salt toward one and likewise of good lucke if drinke be spilled vpon a man or if he finde olde iron And furthermore by erecting of a figure to tell of stolne goods By the turning of a sieue to shew who hath bewitched one By curing diseases with certaine words or characters or such like with many more foolish and superstitious vanities needles heere to recite seeing that by these fewe we may easily iudge of the rest All which are an abomination vnto the Lord in so much as hee ouerthroweth and rooteth out whole countries because of the same as hee did the Chananites before the children of Israel according as it is set downe in the afore-said 18. cap. of Deuteronomy vers 13. 14. And afterward when the Israelites had committed the like offence the Lord laid the like punishment vpon them as it is manifest in the second booke of the Kings cap. 17 vers 17. where it is said that they made their sonnes and their daughters to passe through the fire and vsed witchcraft and inchauntment yea solde themselues to doe euill in the sight of the Lord to anger him wherefore the Lord was exceeding wroth with Israel and put them out of his sight And if he deale so with whole nations yea with his owne peculiar people among whom no doubt some were godly and religious and abhorred the aforesaid sinnes what shall those particular men look for which do practise the same and take pleasure therein truely nothing else but the heauie and iust iudgement and vengeance of God to be laid vpon them for this their wickednes yea sometimes euen in this world either vpon themselues or vpon their posterity but especially eternall damnation in the world to come with the diuell whome they serue as it appeareth in the 21. chapter of the Apoc. vers 8. where it is said that the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Neither let those which goe and seeke to such vaine wizzards and superstitious sorcerers for counsaile helpe thinke to escape the like punishment For the Lord in the 19. chapter of Leuiticus vers 31. forbiddeth the going vnto such in these words You shall not regard them that worke with spirits neither soothsayers ye shall not seeke to them to be defiled by them I am the Lord your God As if hee should haue said see that ye make no account of magitians inchaunters soothsayers or any such like vaine persons and much lesse goe and seeke vnto them for helpe or counsaile lest ye be defiled therewith for it is no better then spirituall fornication for I am the Lord your God which doe abhorre all such vncleanenes who also am able and will surely punish the same And therefore hee saith in the 20. chapter of Leuiticus vers 6. If any turne after such as worke with spirits and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person will cut him off from among his people The which place albeit it seemeth to be meant of earthly punishment only when as God doth root them so out that there remaineth no memoriall of them as it were in this world that may sound to the good credit of them or theirs Yet it may be vnderstood also of their eternall destruction For euen as Abraham Isaac and Iacob are said Genesis cap. 25. vers 8. cap. 35. vers 29. cap. 49. vers 33. to be gathered vnto their people when they departed this life that is to be receiued into the fellowship of the Saints of God which were gone before them into heauen So those which seeke vnto sorcerers inchanters and such like when they are said to be cut off from among their people may thereby be vnderstood to be for euer separated from the company of the faithfull and to be cast out into hell with the diuel his angels And no maruel though this heauie iudgement bee laid vpon them for there seemeth to be no more difference in effect betwixt them that seeke to the afore-said sorcerers and other such like superstitious practisers then is betwixt a thiefe and him that is accessarie vnto his felony or a traytour and him that consenteth thereunto For although they bee not chiefe and principall actours in this wicked busines yet by seeking vnto such persons they shew their loue and liking of those means which the afore-said persons dovse and that they doe giue their consent thereunto and doe allowe of the same But what of that will some say Indeede if so be that we knew those whome wee seeke vnto to be such as you would beare vs in hand they were then your comparison might well holde But seeing that we are ignorant thereof nay we doe rather take them to be contrarie and their meanes which they vse to be good and lawfull and therfore we are of this opinion that wee may goe vnto them without offence to God albeit vnto others which are not so perswaded of them wee thinke that they doe amisse if they goe vnto such for whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne To these I answer That herein their knowledge and iudgement is very shallow for the principle and ground which they would seeme to stand vpon in this point is taken out of the 14. chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes and is to bee vnderstood of things indifferent onely as the circumstance of that whole chapter doth set downe vnto vs of which sort are meates and drinkes and the obseruation of festiuall daies The which things albeit of themselues they be neither good nor bad yet in regard of the person and the minde or intent of him that vseth them they may sometimes bee otherwise For he that in vsing them is not fully setled in conscience but is in doubt whether the vse thereof be lawfull or not doth greatly offend and the reason is alleadged in the 23. verse of the same chapter where it is said that Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Now it is certaine by the 10. chapter of this Epistle that true faith is grounded vpon
THE ANATOMIE OF SORCERIE VVHEREIN THE WICKED IMPIEtie of Charmers Inchanters and such like is discouered and confuted BY IAMES MASON Master of Artes. Printed at London by IOHN LEGATTE Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1612. And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson To the Reader THou maiest maruaile gentle reader what hath moooued mee after so many zealous and learned Diuines to take in hand this treatise against sorcery Wherfore I haue thought it good to certifie thee in some measure of my meaning herein It was my chance to fall into communication with a notable supporter of those wicked vanities which are spoken against in this booke who not contented to practise the same himselfe went about to perswade others thereunto and to that end had framed reasons and arguments to vphold his assertion Which when I heard and vnderstood considering that he was a man of place and some learning and therefore might preuaile the more in this mischieuous deuise I determined to search out what authors had written concerning that matter But finding them all that I could hit vpon to be more occupied in making inuectiues against sorcerie in generall then in particular setting downe what it was or wherein it consisted thereby leauing a dare open to these vaine and wicked men to creepe out at by reason the chiefe grounds were not taken away whereon they stand Therefore I resolued to make some treatise of mine own And because I thought I should haue thereby fit occasion both to answer his arguments and also to speake of other matters very meete and necessarie in this case I made choice of this text in the Actes of the Apostles and so much the rather for that it was a place alleadged by the aforesaid partie himselfe that so I might as it were vna fidelia duos parietes dealbare That is as we say stoppe two gappes with one bush both answering to the aduersaries reasons and likewise opening the meaning of the said place to all such simple and true meaning Christians as should heare or reade the same Howbeit at the first I had no such purpose as to make it common to all but onely to such of my friends and acquaintance to whom I meant to commit it and my selfe should thinke good Notwithstanding afterward at my aforesaid friends request who did beare me in hand that it would be profitable to the Church of God if it should come abroad into the open view of the world at the last I yielded as thou seest God graunt that it may worke that effect which I wish for the which if I shall perceiue it shall encourage me to imploy my studies hereafter for thy further benefit In the meane while I commit thee to the tuition of him who is able to doe more then we can wish or desire And so I bid thee heartily farewell Iames Mason Act. cap. 19. the 11 12 13 14 15 and 16. verses 11. And God wrought no small miracles by the hand of Paul 12. So that from his bodie were brought vnto the sicke napkins or hand-kerchefes and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirits went out of them 13. Then certaine of the vagabond Iewes exorcists tooke in hand to name ouer them which had euill spirits the name of the Lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesus whome Paul preacheth 14. And there were certaine sonnes of Sceua a chiefe priest of the Iewes about seauen which did this 15. And the euill spirit answered and said Iesus I acknowledge and Paul I know but who are ye 16. And the man in whome the euill spirit was ranne on them and ouer came them and preuailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded WHen our Sauiour Christ Iesus was to depart out of this world as pertaining to his bodily presence and to ascend vp into heauen he commaunded his Apostles to preach the Gospel promising that he would ratifie the same with signes and wonders as appeareth cap. 16. of Marke The fulfilling of which promise as in many other places so in this chapter it is most notably set downe For wheras before the spirit of God had shewed the preaching of Saint Paul as also his confutation of the aduersaries of the Gospel in disputation in these words hee declareth how God confirmed the same by miracles especially in the 11. and 12. verses Then followeth the peruerse emulation thereof by the wicked coniurers in the 13. and 14. verses And lastly the effect or punishment of this their practise in the 15. and 16. verses For the first The miracles which Saint Paul is here said to worke are set downe first generally in the 11. verse and afterward in the 12. verse the same is amplified by particulars In the generall we must obserue two things viz. The chiefe efficient cause of miracles which is God And the instrumentall cause which in this place is the Apostle Saint Paul But before we enter into the particular discourse of these points we must consider the coherence of these words with those which went before and that is insinuated by this word and in greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a copulatiue coniunction ioyneth these words with the former as if he should haue said that not only the Gospel was preached by the Apostle Saint Paul but also the same was ratified and confirmed of God by miracles And truly if we looke throughout the whole booke of God we shall finde the working of miracles alwaies annexed vnto the word to giue credit and authoritie thereunto and to confirme the vocation of those that are setters forth of the same So the Lord furnished Moses with a most excellent gift of working miracles but hee first appointed him to deliuer his will vnto Pharaoh for the bringing of the children of Israel out of Egypt The like may be said of Iehosuah and Samuel and also of all the rest of the Prophets in the olde Testament which for breuity sake I omit to name leauing them to your owne consideration to examine the truth in this case As for the Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ I thinke no man wil denie but that they were indued with the gift of working miracles to this end that thereby their calling might the better be confirmed and the Gospel of Christ magnified Neither can the contrarie bee prooued in any of the holy men of God which haue wrought miracles And Saint Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians cap. 12. vers 7. saith that this gift of working miracles is giuen to profit and edifie the Church and not for any mans priuate vse as it may be necessarily gathered out of the circumstance of that place The which if it be so thē most abominable are the dealings of those most cursed blessers commonly called wise cunning men and women who hauing no publike calling either ordinarie or extraordinarie whereby
with sickenes The which thing was very well vnderstood by Alurede king of the most part of this Realme of England who beeing a faire comely and a goodly personage was therewithall giuen to the vice of the flesh wherefore hee desired God to chastise him with some continuall sickenes whereby he might serue God the better and yet not be made vnapt to worldly busines wherefore by the ordinance of God he was taken with the disease called Ficus and was thereof sicke a long time And the good king Ezechias so long as the Lord exercised him vnder the crosse of troubles and sicknes walked before him in all dutifull humilitie but after that he was deliuered from them and restored to health againe he beganne as it were to be lifted vp in the pride of heart in the vanitie of his minde he shewed the Embassadours of the king of Babylon all his treasure and prouision as it is in the second booke of the Kings chap. 20. and the 32. chap. of the second booke of the Chronicles And what was it that made Dauid so grieuously to offend God in numbering of the children of Israell as it is in the second booke of Samuel cap 24. but onely prosperity health ease The which when he had more deepely considered and had seene that the Lord had alwaies called him home againe into the right way by aduersity and troubles he saith in the 119. psalme vers 71. that It was good for him that he was in trouble And againe in the 67. verse of the same psalme he saith that before he was troubled he went wrong but then did he keepe Gods words or commaundements So that oftentimes nay for the most part affliction whether it be in body or minde or goods is more expedient and profitable for the children of God then worldly pleasure health or prosperity For God is said to chasten his deerest children in the 12. chapter to the Hebrewes vers 6 7 8. in these words Whome the Lord loueth he chasteneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes for what sonne is it that the father chasteneth not If therefore ye be without correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and no sonnes And Saint Paul saith in the 9. chapter of the 1. Epist. Cor. vers 27. that he beate downe his body and brought it into subiection lest by any meanes after he had preached vnto other himselfe should be reprooued The which if it be so then no maruaile though the ministers of the diuell the sorcerers are willing to procure somtimes temporall benefits of health and riches vnto men seeing as I haue said before that oftentimes they are more hurtfull then profitable vnto them And it is the soule altogither that Satan hunteth for the which that he may obtaine he careth not so much if they enioy wordly prosperity felicity for a time For as for worldly and temporal commodities they are as well common to the wicked as to the godly nay the vngodly doe most flourish in this life as wee see it daily by experience before our eyes And it is plainely prooued by diuers places of the scripture as in the 73. psalme their prosperity is described whereat the Psalmist fretted himselfe as hee saith when hee did see the prosperity of the wicked for there are no bandes in their death but they are lustie and strong they are not in trouble like other men And againe their eyes stand out with fatnes they haue more then heart can wish Here we see that they haue not riches alone but also they are lusty and strong without diseases of the body neither are they grieued in minde as other men but all things whatsoeuer yea more then heart can wish they haue and enioy as well for their pleasure as for their profit as Iob saith in the 21. cap. Wherefore doe the wicked liue and waxe olde and growe in wealth their seede is established in their sight with them and their generation before their eyes Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rodde of God is not vpon them Their bullocke gendreth and faileth not their cowe calueth and casteth not her calfe They send forth their children like sheepe and their sonnes daunce They take the tabret and harpe and reioyce in the sound of the organes They spend their daies in wealth and sodainely they goe downe to the graue As it were without any long or languishing sicknes And this happeneth not onely to themselues but euen vnto their children to whome they leaue plenty also of goods as it is in the 17. psalme where the Prophet saith that God filled their bellies with his hidde treasure and their children had enough and left the rest of their substance for their children The which prosperity of the wicked when he had set downe hee concludeth the said 17. psalme with these words saying But I will beholde thy face in righteousnes and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thine image As though he should haue said Let the wicked triumph as much as they will for they haue their portion in this life but as for me howsoeuer I be troubled and afflicted I will as neere as I can with Gods assistance so liue in godlines and holines of life now in this world as I may attaine vnto eternall ioy and felicity in the world to come For truly all earthly things are but meere vanities as the spirit of God saith by Salomon in the booke of the preacher but godlines is profitable to all things as that which hath the promise of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. cap. 4. vers 8. Wherefore we neede not to doubt but that this will be good and profitable vnto all them which haue it rightly and soundly wrought in their heart by the spirit of God whereby they are renewed and regenerated vnto newnes of life by putting off the olde man with the deedes thereof and putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that made him But Satan beeing an aduersarie both to God and to all the children of men hath neuer any intent or meaning except it be in hypocrisie that either himselfe or any of his instruments the sorcerers should mooue perswade or minister any occasion vnto godlines of life whereby the soules of men might be saued in the day of the Lord but only that they should feede ford them on with temporary benefits the which by God his permission both the diuell and his seruants the sorcerers by his helpe both can and sometime will doe As the Damsell in the 16. chap. Act. vers 16. is said to bring her master great gaines by meanes of the diuellish spirit of diuination wherwith shee was possessed And Simon the sorcerer in the 8. cap. Act. is reported to haue purchased such honour by his witcherwft and magicke that the people of
riches and such like temporall benefits which soone passe away and oftentimes as I haue prooued before are cause of the vtter ruine of him that hath them What madnes is it then for vs in regard of such momentany and transitory things in going to such kind of men to procure gods iust iudgement to fall vpon owne heads vnto our eternall destruction Yea and sometimes euen in this life God layeth his punishment vpon such offenders as I haue said before and as it is manifest by the first chapter of the second booke of the King where the Lord affirmeth by the mouth of Elias that because that Abaziah had sent vnto Baalzebub the God of Ekron concerning the recouery of his health Therefore he should not come off from his bedde where he did lie but should most certainely die And we haue a most fearefull example of king Saul of the iudgement of God against this sinne The which if it be duly weighed and considered according to all the circumstances thereof it will be sufficient to ouerthrow all excuses of going vnto sorcerers as it will appeare by the history therof set downe in the scripture For whereas in the 28. cap. of the first booke of Samuel vers 3. It is said that Saul had put away the sorcerers and the south-sayers out of the land It followeth in the next two vers That the Philistims assembled themselues and came and pitched in Shunem And Saul assembled all Israel and they pitched in Giboa And when Saul saw the host of the Philistims he was afraid his heart was sore astonied Now Saul being in this miserable extremity at the first vsed gods ordinary meanes and as it is in the 6. vers he asked counsell of the Lord. And because the Lord did not answer him neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor yet by prophets The which were meanes whereby often times it pleased God to reueale his will vnto men in those daies Therefore Saul being thus beset with his enemies and seeing that God did not vouchsafe albeit he had sought vnto him in some measure as he thought to instruct him any waies what he was to doe in this case whether to yield or to ioyne battell with the Philistims neither what successe he should haue in this busines Therfore I say as one that would not or peraduenture as he thought that could not stay the Lords leisure he resolued to leaue off seeking any more vnto him but to the diuell therupon he went to Endor to aske counsell of asorceresse which dwelt there as it followeth in the same chapter But what was the end of this act of his Truly a most miserable destruction both of himselfe as also of many of the Israelites his subiects as appeareth most notably both in the 31. chapter of this booke and likewise in the 10. chapter of the first booke of the Chronicles where it is said that the Philistims compelled the Israelites to flie slue his three sonnes Ionathan Abinadab and Melchisna and draue Saul into such a streight that he killed himselfe for feare with his owne sword and the Philistims finding his body dead amongst the rest of the slaine hung it vp reprochfully vpon the wall of their city Bethsan And least any should thinke that this punishment did not happen for seeking vnto such wicked and abominable sorcerers it is said in the 13. and 14. verses of the aforesaid 10. chapt of the first booke of the Chroni that Saul dyed for his transgression that he committed against the Lord euen against the word of the Lord which he kept not And in that he sought and asked Counsell of a familiar spirit and asked not of the Lord therefore the Lord slewe him and turned the kingdome vnto Dauid the sonne of Ishay Heere in this historie we may plainely perceiue that no cause or occasion can free from punishment or make the going vnto sorcerers tollerable For then might Saul haue had some excuse who sought not for helpe of them vntill he was in such distresse and daunger both of his owne life and of his peoples that hee sawe as it seemed to him no other way or meanes of escape neither did hee goe vnto them vntill hee had first asked counsaile of the Lord and that hee had as it were refused to heare or answer him in this his extremity by any meanes allowable as it is heere said Neither by dreames nor by Vrim nor by Prophets And yet notwithstanding it is saide in this 10. chapter of the first booke of Chronicles that because he sought and asked counsaile of a familiar spirit and asked not of the Lord therefore the Lord slue him c. Where we see that verified which is spoken in the 18. cap. of Ezechiel vers 24. viz. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnes and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth shall he liue all the righteousnes that he hath done shall not be mentioned but in his transgression that he hath committed and in the sinnes that he hath sinned in them shall hee die For albeit Saul is said in the 28. chap. of the first booke of Samuel vers 6. That Saul asked counsell of the Lord and the Lord answered him not Yet because hee left off that good course which hee had begunne and afterward went vnto a sorcerer it was all one as if he had not asked counsaile of the Lord at all He ought rather to haue repented him of his sinnes and to haue turned vnto the Lord by faithfull and heartie prayer and amendment of life and then no doubt the Lord would haue hearkened vnto him and haue graunted his petition so soone and so farre forth as he had thought it meetest and best for him at least wise in the world to come This knew king Dauid very well and that was the cause that mooued him in the 2. booke of Sam. cap. 15. when as Absolon his sonne pursued him with an host of men and brought him vnto such a distresse that he was compelled to flie for the safegard of his life to yield himselfe in all humanity vnto the meere mercy and goodnesse of God and to waite the Lords leisure as it appeareth in the 25. and 26. vers of the same chapter by the words which he spake vnto Zadok the high priest who had brought the Arke of God out of the city in that flight saying vnto him the said Zadok Carry the Arke of God againe into the citie If I shall finde fauour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee behold heere I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eies So that this was his resolution to depend vpon the mercifull prouidence of God whatsoeuer it should please God to doe with him He did not as king Saul had done before him who sought for helpe and
nay it is most certaine if they be not renewed by faith and repentance they shall fall both the sorts of them into the pit of euerlasting destruction By all this it is plaine that if we transgresse the commaundements of God in committing of any sinne it is not ignorance that shall excuse For then would not the Lord haue commanded sacrifice to be offered for the same as he doth in the 4. cap. of Leuit. ver 2 and 3. in these words Speake vnto the children of Israel saying if any shall sinne through ignorance in any of the commandements of the Lord which ought not to be done but shall doe contrary to any of them If the priest that is annointed doe sinne according to the sinne of the people then shall he offer for his sinne which he hath sinned a young bullocke without blemish vnto the Lord for a sinne offering The which law is repeated also in the Epistle to the Heb. cap. 9. vers 7. And the prophet Abacuck maketh a solemne prayer for ignorances in the 3. cap. of his prophesie Furthermore the same is manifest in the whole course of the scriptures by the punishment that hath beene laid vpon such like offenders as we may perceiue by the 17. cap. of the second booke of the King where when the Lord had cast out the ten tribes of Israell with their king out of their owne country for their wicked abominations that Shalmaneser had caried them away captiue with him he sent other of his own natiue people to supply their roome in ludea who because they were Gentiles and had not beene brought vp in true religion therefore it is said in the 25 and 26. verses of the same chapter That at the beginning of their dwelling there they feared not the Lord therefore the Lord sent lyons among them which slew them wherefore they came to the king of Ashur saying the nations which thou hast remooued and placed in the cities of Samaria know not the manner of the God of the land whereupon the king commaunded to send vnto them a priest of the Israelites to instruct them as it followeth in the next vers of the same chapter And in the prophet Esa. cap. 5. vers 13. the Lord hath these words Therefore my people goeth into captiuity because they haue no knowledge Out of which two places we may note that the Lord doth not onely not hold guiltles those offendours which haue the greatest meanes of knowledge in religion as were the Israelites in times past as it appeareth by the 13. cap. of the Epistle to the Rom. where it is said by Saint Paul that to them were committed the oracles of God euen as the Gospel of Christ Iesus is now vnto vs Gentiles but also doth punish those to whome it is not graunted to haue such oportunity to learne And truely no maruaile For if we account it lawfull for an earthly prince to punish those whosoeuer which doe dwell within his dominion if they offend against his lawes being once set forth though they doe it of ignorance why should not the king of kings and Lord of Lords exact the like obedience vnto his lawes set downe in his holy word of all those whome it pleaseth him to place in his visible church and kingdome heere vpon earth For the Lord hath giuen vs his word as a law wherein he hath set down whatsoeuer he would haue done learned or beleeued and likewise what he would haue vs to eschew as the Apostle Saint Paul doth say in the 1. epistle to Tim. cap. 3. vers 16. 17. that the whole scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes So that whatsoeuer God would haue vs to know or doe it is contained in the same Howbeit we must as our Sauiour Christ saith Iob. 5. cap. v. 39. search the scriptures It is not enough for vs negligently and carelesly and as it were superficially to read them but we must with all diligence reuerence humility study them and as the prophet Dauid did meditating therein day and night conferring of one place with another and considering the drift of the holy Ghost in euery of them and aboue all things vsing humble and hearty prayer vnto God that he would graunt vs his holy spirit which may so enlighten vs that we may see those wonderfull things which are contained in his lawes that we may conceiue aright of the truth in his sacred word For as Saint Peter 2. epist. cap. 1. vers 20. saith no prophesie in the scripture is of any priuate interpretation that a man may expound it according to his owne mind and imagination but holy men of God did speake as they were directed and ledde by the holy Ghost as it followeth there in the next vers who as he is the onely author and inditer of the Scripture so he is the onely interpreter of the same as being alone priuie to his owne meaning And therefore the Euangelist Saint Iohn in his first epistle cap. 4. vers 1. doth bidde vs not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God or not as if he should haue said There are many which will make a great shew of religion and godlinesse and will seeme as though they had warrant from God for all their dealings when as it is nothing so Wherefore beleeue note uery one vntill you haue first madetriall and examined their actions by the touch-stone of the scriptures whether God be the author of them or not The which precept if the prophet spoken of in the 13. cap. of the first booke of the King had obserued he had done well but because he did not so but beleeued the false tale of the old Prophet and came backe again contrary to the cōmandement of God and did eate and drinke in Bethel by his procuremēt when as the Lord had said vnto him that he should neither eate bread nor drinke water there Therefore the Lord said that his body should not come into the sepulchre of his fathers which came to passe presently for he was slaine of a lyon in the way as he returned home and so was brought againe to Bethel and there buried Whereas if hee had first examined the truth of the olde Prophets speech he had no doubt neuer fallen into that daunger For he had a sufficient warrant from God afore for that which he did vpon the which he might safely haue relyed if hee would haue gone forward according vnto the same and not haue hearkened to the deceitfull words of the said olde Prophet vnlesse the Lord himself had giuen him another contrary commaundement as otherwhiles he doth in particular cases as it may appeare by Genesis chap. 22. where after that God had giuen Abraham in charge to sacrifice his sonne Isaacke in the 2. verse of the same chapter afterward it is said that the angel of the Lord did bidde him not to doe it when he had prooued his faith and obedience therein till which time he could by no meanes be drawne from executing the former commaundement of God Euen so wee seeing that we are forbidden by the word of God to goe or seeke vnto any witches inchaunters charmers or any such like vaine and superstitious practisers and seeing that ignorance will not excuse vs as hath beene before declared it behooueth vs to trie and examine the dealings of euery one in this case whether they be of God or not by their calling in this behalfe by their meanes they vse and by the ende whereat they aime and by all other waies and meanes which it shall please God to minister by his holy spirit out of his word before wee giue credite vnto them whatsoeuer shew they make of religion and godlines in this point lest the Lord in his wrath lay vpon vs all those plagues punishments threatned in his word as hath beene said before against such persons There are many other things which might be fitly and profitably gathered noted out of this text which I haue willingly omitted both because they haue beene sufficiently handled at large by other men and also because it was my only purpose at the beginning to vtter that which I thought meetest concerning sorcery and such other like wicked vaine and diuellish abominations before spoken of It remaineth therefore now to exhort euery good Christian to consider diligently to make vse of it and to desire almighty God that he would make it profitable which hath beene said both to his owne glorie and to our eternall comfort in Christ Iesus to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all honour praise and thanksgiuing now and euermore Amen FINIS