SATHAN TRANSFORMED into an Angell of Light expressing his dangerous Impostures vnder glorious shewes Emplified Specially in the Doctrine of Witch-craft and such sleights of Satan as are incident thereunto Very necessary to discerne the speci-Plague raging in these dayes and so to hide our selues from the snare thereof LONDON Printed by Barnard Alsop 1622. To the right worshipfull Alderman Holiday the worthy Gouernour of the East Indian Merchants together with the prouident Treasures and graue Committees and the rest of the aduenturers in that famous trade All things pertaining to life and godlinesse RIght worthy and beloued in our Lord Iesus Christ It is the wonderfull mercy and exceeding patience of our gratious God towards vs of this sinfull Nation that in the middest of such fearfull stormes and bloody garboyles deuouring our neighbors round about vs wee of this Iland though as it were enuironed round about with such tempestuous seas do yet notwithstanding enioy such temperate seasons as not onely to eate the fruite of our owne labours but to be enabled moreouer out of our aboundance to entertaine and releeue our distressed neighbours And is not the wisedome of God admirable herein to warne vs to looke home when our neighbours house is on fire and to make it our owne case what is common to vs with others Is not his mercy vnspeakeable that seeing charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes and much is forgiuen to those that loue much therefore wee may haue hope of Gods longer forbearance indulgence towards vs so long as we regard the afflictions of Ioseph by our brotherly affections beare one anothers burthen Surely though the sickle must be put in when the haruest is ripe and there are too many signes among vs that the regions are white vnto the haruest yea that the Deere is gone out to go through the land yet euen here I haue obserued these meanes to stay the execution First when there are some remaining to stand in the gap to turne away the wrath Secondly when the Lord is iustified and approued by his word And thirdly when by our compassion and prudence wee doe communicate with the afflictions of our brethren and so voluntarily suffer with them in their distresses Wherein as we haue speciall cause to blesse our gratious God for his good hand with our worthy Nehemiah in this holy worke so are wee wisely to secure our selues in succouring others and doing good while wee haue time to the houshold of faith Shall not Sathan and his instruments herein otherwise condemne vs who if euer heretore do speedily combine them selues against the Lord and his annoynted whose maine policy it is in these latter dayes to disunite the hearts of Christians and to weaken their hands that they may more speedily and easily make prey of them Doe not his croaking frogges those infernall Iebusites compasse land and sea to this end creeping into the chambers yea into the harts of Princes both to exasperate such as are auerse against the poore mēbers of Christ and also alienate euen the well affected from the maintenance of the common faith And doe wee thinke that they haue left any stone vnrowled to compasse the same can we imagine but that these spirits of diuels haue waded into the depth of their fathers methods and as she in the Poet When heauen will affoord no helpe shee 'le moue the infernall powers so in despite of heauen these limbs of Sathan haue now failed to employ the powers of darkenesse for the more effectuall deluding of the children of disobedience And are not these the times wherein if it were possible the very elect may bee seduced and ensnared hereby Is not the wisdome and iustice of God admirable herein that when the Foole saith in his heart there is no God the Atheist dreams of no other hell but to bee in debt and affliction and so plots by all meanes to build his heauen on earth by wallowing in all excesse of riot and vanitie as hereby he reapes such wages of his error as is meet euen to be giuen vp to a reprobate sense and so not onely to all monstrous and desperate wickednesse but euen to maintaine and secure the same against all future reckonings as if he had made a couenent with hell and were at an agreement with death so is he iustly taken in his owne craftinesse and most wonderfully arrested by the power of hell to the apparant confusion of his imagined happinesse and while hee dreames of no other heauen but to doe what hee list in earth hee is not onely therein restrained by the power of heauen to the confusiō of his present hopes for the good of the Saints but also iustly caught in the snares of his owne wickednesse by the power of hell as to beginne and seale hereby vnto him eternall vengeance and to hasten him thereto so that the righteous may more wonderfully escape of our trouble when the wicked are falne into the pit they digged for them Surely as it is a righteous thing with God that they that doe not receiue the loue of the truth shall be giuen vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies so if euer satan were transformed into an Angell of light and so more effectually by his lies and subtilties did deceiue vnstable soules If euer the sure word and wonderfull workes of God were outfaced and suppressed by the sleights and forgeries of the God of this world the experience here of is most notorious in our times to instance in this particular being the subiect of our experience how mightily the Lord hath iustified his word both auouching in these dayes the truth of this doctrine of Witchcraft as also euidencing the power thereof in dissoluing the workes of Satan as experience hath made it manifest so we haue had not onely the great Patrones and friends of the Church confirming the same but euen the Churches verie enemies haue beene enforced to acknowledge no lesse And yet such hath been the efficacy of delusion that this very same most glorious truth vpon other respects as it hath found hard measure among fained friends so it hath also thereby beene traduced and peruerted by it enemies And surely we may the lesse wonder hereat if we consider wisely that as commodities are in request with many according to their diuers humours and different seasons so doth it befall the sacred truth which though it be sometimes in request when it may serue to aduance the pride of the flesh and infancie of religion yet doth it easily grow out of date when either it tends to humble the flesh or iustly challengeth lukewarmnesse and hypocrisie Which as it was the portion of the Lord and master of the Church sometimes to bee cryed vp with Hosanna eftsoones to bee cryed downe with crucifige so hath it beene the lot of the scepter of this kingdome the budding rod of Aaron sometimes to be turned into a serpent in the opinion of man as if it onely entended to
malice both against God in disgracing his prouidence and against man in furthering his destruction And therefore as God hath his couenant with man so will Satan haue a speciall couenant also with his seruants As the Lord hath his Ministers to execute his wrath vpon the disobedient namely the Magistrate so Sathan will haue his badde Witches to execute against the sonnes of men Yea As the Lord hath his Prophets and faithfull ministers to relieue and comfort his distressed people so Sathan will haue his good Witches to minister helpe to such as seeke vnto him c. And as the wise and mercifull God because wee are not able to heare him if he should himself speak vnto vs doeth therefore conuey his will into earthen vessells 2. Corinthians 4. 7. causing men like our selues subiect to the same infirmities with vs to deliuer his councell and prepare vs to the obedience thereof euen so dealeth Sathan the god of this world with the children of disobedience That whereas by reason of Natures guilt and infirmitie they could not endure his terrible and personall presence therefore hee tendereth his will vnto them by certaine delightfull and Familiar charmes yea by Witches his vassales insinuateth himselfe into vs colouring his presence and sleights by some shew of outward holinesse as by abusing of holie Names Prayers Reliques c. that so hee may the better winne from vs an approbation of his help and so the more dangerously ensnare vs in his cruell pawes Thirdly also this is manifest from the consideration of our owne cursed nature And that not onely because wee are Sathans slaues naturally and so are led captiue at his will euen to further our owne condemnation and the condemnation of others But especially in regard of those Remaynders of originall goodnesse As some naturall light some conscience of good and euill c. whereby wee being vsually puffed vp and so laboring to encrease these gifts seeing wee know not the right meanes heereunto namely to seeke them of the Lord Is it any maruell if we fall to chaffer with Satan for the obtaining thereof especially seeing hee will not faile to offer his helpe and that vpon very faire and seemingly equal termes Now if wee consider on the other side that corruption wherewith we are infected euen from the mothers wombe Two things there are herein that further this compact with Satan The one is The earnest and vnsatiable desire to accomplish our lusts which seeing we cannot compasse by lawfull meanes will we sticke at any thing though it be the hazard of the soule to attaine our desires Math. 16. 25. Especially seeing as wee desire to commit sinne with greedinesse so either for credite wee would not be seene therein and indeed it is Satans policy to blind the eies of our minds that so walking in darkenes we may not know whither we go but euen like fooles be led to the Stockes and oxen to the shambles And hath not this Practise of Witch-craft many cunning sleights and colours to hide and cloke sin to illude and peruert our iudgemēts that we may not discern whereabout we are Consider to this end that which follows God giue vs vnderstanding in all things Adde we hereunto That as sin encreaseth and ripeneth to vengeance so naturall light by degrees is cleane peruerted and extinguished And the bands of common honestie beeing wholy cast off and violated the bridle is giuen to all desperate and presumptuous sins and that the wicked may more securely reuell therein religion is made a scorne of and God is forgotten and the knowledge of his wayes vtterly reiected whereby the Lord in iustice is prouoked to execute his fierce wrath and to powre out the most bitter viall thereof vpon the soules of the wicked yeelding them vp wholly to the power of Sathan whereby they are left to these desperate extremities as to make reall couenants with him to yeelde him vp their soules and all at his deuotion to consecrate themselues to his seruice and homage and so to become spectacles heerein of the certainetie of damnation for the confusion of the Atheist that thinkes there is no hell and the warning of the Christian to auoyd the danger thereof 3 And seeing it is the Iustice of Almightie God to punish extraordinarie and monstrous sinnes with strange and vnwonted plagues Therefore seeing the wicked cānot content them selues with common and naturall sins but must further deuise sins against nature as being iustly giuē vp hereto by the diuine Iustice punishing their carnall Wisedome in their strange and monstrous Idolatrie and Will-worship by those monstrous and vnnaturall Impieties Is it not yet further iust with the Lord to leaue them to be tormented by Satan the god of this world whom they haue consecrated themselues vnto and that with strange and fearefull conuulsions and horrible tortures likelie to rend the bodie from the soule but that the mightie hand of GOD ouer-ruleth Sathan and sustaineth Nature to the further aduancing of his diuine Iustice and admirable power And yet all this in shew by the ministerie of a poore weake and miserable woman to the increase of their rage and confusion of carnall wisedome to the nourishment of Infidelitie and so to the sealing vp in these bodily torments of eternal vengeāce 1 And therefore as this reproueth such as seeme to elude all with a conceit of melancholy as if these diuellish practises and combinations betwixt the Witch and Satan were but fancies and vaine dreames of a melancholy braine seeing the symptomes of melancholie doe no whit agree with the persons of these Witches 2 As these being fat mery delighting in cōpany all which are contrary where melancholy raignes so this is also a Plaine condemnation of the Atheist of these Times who doth therefore willingly entertaine this errour That there are no Witches that so he may therehence conclude to his soule That there is no Hell no Diuells c. 3 This reproueth those that because many things are done by the delusion of Satan as hath bin manifested heeretofore do therefore conclude that al is but Illusion and so would illude the maine ground of Witchcraft namely that reall couenant that is betweene Sathan and the Witch for the effecting of such things as on both sides are couenanted 4 But especially they are heere iustly to be taxed that howsoeuer they will acknowledge the Badde Witch to worke with and by Satan because shee hurteth yet at no hand will yeeld that the Blesser and wise Witch as they doe terme her hath any thing to do with the diuell by vertue of such compact but rather conceiue that it is some extraordinarie gift of God giuen to such speciall persons whereby they haue power to dissolue the Witches of the diuel seeing it is manifest that such extraordinarie gifts now ceasing and this being proper onely to the Word in the mouth of a skilfull and approoued good workeman to that end If
them with the presence of his power And so to keepe them by terrour from starting backe and yet to giue them hope by this resemblance of his power that he is able to do for them what they may desire able to confound their enemies and defend their friends And so happily for that time also hee doth proceede no further with them It is not long but he meetes with them againe and then proceedeth to binde them to his allegeance by entring into a solemne league and couenant with them But before we do come to speake heereof let vs make some vse of Satans former Policies Surely howsoeuer it be common to all 1 To sinne of Infirmitie yet let vs take heede of presumptuous sinnes 2 Though wee sinne yet let vs not reiect the meanes which may bring vs to repentance 3 Let vs learne in all things to cleere God and condemne our selues that so Sathan may not preuayle against us 4 Take wee heede likewise of Ignorance and wilfull resting thereon lest hereby Sathan preuayle against vs. 5 And learne wee to Moderate our desires and to get the victorie ouer them lest heereby Sathan take aduantage to drawe vs to vnlawfull courses 6 Obserue wee the admirable iustice of Almightie God that Presumptuous sinnes shall reape no better comfort then despaire and so by despaire betray themselues to Solitarinesse And therefore to preuent despaire let vs daily renue our repentance 1 Renouncing our selues by seeking to the mercie of our God 2 And take we heed of discontens and murmuring against the Lord lest the Lord leaue vs to Sathans power 3 And though we must daily distrust our selues yet let vs not neglect the Testimonies to take the surer hold on GOD lest Sathan by degrees steale vpon vs obseruing his Cunning 4 That first he worketh vpon the soule secretly and afarre off and so commeth neerer to open contracts And therefore labour we to resist in the beginning vsing societie gratiously and following our callings CHAP. V. Satans Policies in confirming his Nouices in this their Trade THis is discouered eyther in the Couenants that passe betweene Sathan and the Witch to this purpose or else Such other Stratagems and deuices That are vsed to this end of which in their Places to make them sticke to their couenant and so to performe the bargaine Concerning the couenant certaine it is that though as you haue heard Sathan dallies for a time to draw vs on yet at length he will not faile to make sure of his Prentice by binding him in some solemne Bond to faithfull seruice and performance of what hath formerly beene promised Now in the Couenant wee are to consider First the Nature and Qualitie of the Couenant Secondly the seuerall ceremonies enterchangeably concurring to the solemnizing thereof SECTIO I. COncerning the Couenant certaine it is That there passeth such a Couenant betwixt the Witch and Satan as appeareth 1 By the Testimony of the Word as Psa. 58. v. 5. where the originall yeeldeth thus which heareth not the voyce of the Charmer or Mutterer ioyning societies together wherein the holie-Ghost both setteth downe the effect of a Charme namely that it is able to stay the Adder from stinging those that shall touch him As also the Ground of the Charme wherein it hath it power Namely Societies or Confederacies cunningly made not betweene man and man but as the word importeth betweene the Inchanter and the Diuell So Deuteronomie 18. ve 11. The Lord charges the people when they come into the Land of Canaan that they should beware lest any ioyned society that is entred league with wicked spirites 2 The practise of Sathan proueth no lesse who is ready to offer conditions of agreement as appeareth not onely in the proffer to our Sauiour Christ but in these daily offers hee makes vnto men to giue them this to do that for them 3 The euent and successe of Witch-craft makes it plaine which being sometimes wonderfull alwayes aboue the power of the silly Witch It must needes follow that this effect proceedes from some such compact with Sathan who is hereby bound vnto the Witch to do such things which shee of her selfe were neuer able to doe The End of this Couenaut is To make sure of his Prey which by vertue here of he seizeth on The Lord leauing rebellious man hereby to his power as by this Couenant with Sathan wilfully forsaking God and submitting vnto Sathan as his Soueraigne Lord. But heere it is replyed in the defence of Witch-craft that both the Diuell doth many things and yet not at the Witches command and also that the Witch wisheth and performeth much euill eyther by some cunning poysons by outward violence c. or at least though they may be done by Sathan yet shee is not so much as priuie thereto nay many times shee seemeth to be against the same and therefore it may seeme there is no such Couenant To which we answer that though Sathan doth some things beyond authoritie yet he doth other things at the commaund of the Sorceresse and those which she commands not though Satan doth them these shall be put to the Witches score yea though happily shee should seeme to be vnwilling because eyther the Diuell answeres heerein in some measure the generall malice of her heart which is to do more hurt then she can or apprehends some secret inckling though there be no expresse commaund or else exceedes his Commission to the confusion of the Sorceresse when she now shall discerne how her seruant is her maister doing what hee list though he would seeme to be at her becke To this end consider we further SECTIO II. Of the kindes of Couenants which are made betweene Sathan and the Diuell THese are of two sorts The first expressed and man fist because it is performed by solemne words Satan appearing in some visible forme and the Witch answering really by some forme of speach tending to this end To admit of the Diuell as her soueraigne lord to renounce God Baptisme Christ and all to yeeld him all seruice both of body and soule while shee liues and so to leaue him bodie and soule to dispose of at his pleasure after death 1 The occasion of this reall Couenant is eyther the vnsatiablenesse of mans desires which to enioy he careth not what he parts with and so expressing those desires by some intemperate and violent passion giues occasion hereby to Sathan to tender this seruice 2 Or else some extreamitie of affliction so oppresseth him that being not able to vndergoe the burden he cares not vpon what termes he promise his ease and so is contented for present release to aduenture a future casualtie Or 3 Some matter of discontent prouokes to reuengo and rather then his spleene may not be satisfied he will satisfie the Diuells request And so by these and such like preuayling corruptions is at length brought to this fearefull issue as to engage his soule to the bondage of Sathan
destruction and not to edification no better then a doctrine of licentiousnesse or sedition and despaire which eftoones was in esteeme as Angels foode sweeter then honey pretious aboue rubies most orient gems Which seeing it hath beene also the portion of this truth concerning witchcraft is it any maruell if what man opposeth and seeketh to suppresse the Lord himselfe hath powerfully maintaind and iustified as prouing vnto it gainesayers a sauour of death that haue refused to embrace the same as a sauour of life vnto life Surely when I discerne the efficacy of delusion preuailing in these dayes euen vpon such that haue tested of the good word of God and beene pertakens of the enlightning spirit and so haue had some kenning of the power of the life to come and yet are so falue away from conscience yea from science it selfe that they are very strangers from the life of God through their affected ignorance and being willingly ignorant of what they haue formerly beene conuinced of are growne to bee starke-mockers of all powers yet all forme of Religion and so in this their Atheisme sing a Requiem to their soules fearing no other hell then to be mooued in their slippery state and dreaming of no other heauen then to build their foundation in the sands Mee thinkes I see the foolish worldling on the pinnacle of his confidence and so in his greatest security lying open to confusion And do I not see the Iustice of God working wonderfully herein in besotting the foole in his owne wisedome Euen giuing him vp to rest vpon such broken reedes for the securing of his Babel which are the onely meanes to confound the same And hath not the God of the world by diuine permission a speciall stroke in this delusion not only to proue a lying spirit in the mouth of our false Prophets bidding to go THE Particular Contents This Treatise is digested into three Bookes In the Former whereof is contained FIrst the Occasion and scope of this Discourse in Sect. 1. pag. 1. Aud therein prooued that this Doctrine of Witch-craft is necessarie to be prosecuted and ohserued in these dayes Sect. 2. pag. 16. Chap. 1. Secondly it is proued that there haue beene are and shall be Witches to the worlds end both by sound Testimonie 1. from the Word p. 25. 2. from Antiquitie p. 26. 3. from pregnant reasons p. 27. and so snch Obiections answred as seeme to contradict this Truth page 35. Chap. 2. Thtrdly it is declared what Witch-craft properly is where both the Nature Causes and Effectes are briefely opened and applied page 47. Wherein is set downe both that Satan 1. Can worke wonders p. 52. as also 2. The difference betweene true Miracles and Satans wonderfull workes p. 54. 3. And so the diuers kinds of these wonders are discoursed page 55. 4. Together with the intent how farre and in what Cases Satan can effect them page 55 56. Chap. 3. Fourthly is layde open the policie of Satan in drawing and vniting ignorant and vnstable soules to this Art Where first the Occasions are discouered page 57. 2. Hereupon the manner of Satans working and enueighling to this Trade page 58. 3. And of his seuerall Impostures and treacheries therein against the poore soule p. 61. 4. And so of the entring his Nouices into this Schoole With the Vse thereof page 62. 5. It is further manifested by what meanes Satan now confirmeth and detaineth his Proselites in this mystery where 1. Of the Couenant which passeth betweene the Witch and Satan to this end And here first prooued that there is such a couenant p. 65. 2. Of the nature and bruticall bond of the couenant is set downe 3. The diuers kindes of the Couenants are discryed and so the policie of Satan therein further opened p. 68. 4. The ground of the Couenant is searched and therein Sathans policie also detected p. 69. 70. With the Vses thereof p. 72. 5. The Partes of this couenant distinguished 1. What Satan bindes himselfe to doe for the Witch p. 78. 2. Wherein the Witch is bound to the Diuell p. 86. And the seuerall sleights of Satan in each coniectured p. 87. Chap. 5. Sixtly is declared what Ceremonies Sathan doth accompanie this Couenant withall the better to detaine and hold his vassals to the performance thereof Whereof the secret Marke of the Witch p. 88. 2. Of conuenting them into the Church page 90. and there First To renounce their Baptisme p. 91. 2. To offer vp their blood in sacrifice to the Diuell 3. Of kissing Satans backe parts 4. Of carnall societie by Satan with Witches Together with the speciall sleights of Satan therein p. 92. and the Vse thereof page 94. Chap. 6. Seuenthly diuers other meanes are layd downe whereby Satan confirmes his Proselites as Cap. 7. page 124. Diuers kinds of Witch-craft are opened both 1. That which consists in Diuination wherein first is shawed p. 128. That Satan can foretell in some measure things to come p. 129. 2. How farre he may proceed therein page 131. Wherrin is layd downe the difference betweene Diuine and Satanicall predictions page 132. 3. The diuers meanes are discouered whereby Satan foretells things to come as by true Creatures As 1. Flight of Birds page 136. 2. The Intrals of Beasts ibid. 3. The Obseruation of the Starres and heauenly bodies condemned p. 137. with answere to Obiections to Astrologie page 138. 4. Dreames 5. Lots Wherein is set downe the right vse of these things Namely How the Doctrine of the Starres is to be vsed What Dreames are to bee heeded page 144. and so the differeuce between diuine and other dreames manifested p. 135. as also How Lets are to be vsed and heerein the peruerse abuse of these things discouered and reiected p. 149. Secondly it is declared how Satan deceiues and foretels things to come by forged meanes as answering in the shape of a Dead body p. 151. 2. Where it is prooued particularly That the Resemblance appearing to Saul was not true Samuel but Satan in his likenes p. 152. Thirdly it is prooued that Satan also vseth to foretell things to come without meanes and that either by Reall possessing of the soules bodyes of men p. 155. Or else by Obsession and inspiring them with his euill counsels Where particularly is declared the differences betweene Satanicall Reuelations Exthusiasmes And Those true and Heauenly Reuelations wherewith the true Prophets of God were furnished to declare the will of the Lord in extraordinarie times and oceasions page 156. And so the vse thereof commended to the church of Christ Iesus cha 8. It yeeldeth further to declare another kinde of Witch-craft which consists in operation p. 157. And heere first of working Wonders by Charmes that it is vnlawfull Where are answered diuers Obiections seeming to iustifie them and so all sortes of Charmes condemned page 158. c. Either by Words sacred or prophane page 160. Or by making of Characters p. 167. Images Circles Vsing of Amulets Scratching
strong eord being faster bound vnder the power of darkenesse binding hereby iniquitie as with Cart-ropes while they adde drunkennesse vnto thirst confirming Ignorance and Infidelitie by this palpable Idolatry in seeking helpe of Satan And so being confounded in their vaine confidence of will-worship vnto God As now being iustly convinced to offer sacrifice to the deuill might either by this shame bee brought to repentance or else being made vtterly inexcusable might so bee giuen ouer to the fearefull expectation of the vengeance to come Certainely if these accursed people yet seeke for signes and shadowes to confirme them in their superstition or reforme them to the Truth Haue they not a signe from heauen euen the signe of the Sonne of Man Daily crucified vnto them in the powerfull Preaching of the Gospell And yet behold their fearefull obstinacie Doe they not still dote after stockes and stones Doe they not runne from the liuing to the dead Doe not they renue their Idolatrous Crosses to encrease their stony hearts Do they not say vnto the stockes thou art my Sauiour and to the stone thou hast redeemed mee Oh Adulterous and faithlesse Generation how long will they prouoke the Lord Shall not his iealousie burne like fire to consume them and all their stubble with vnquenchable torments And seeing they boast that they haue made a Couenant with hell and are at an agreement with death as pretending that by their Keyes they haue the power to open and shut hell at their pleasure and yet intending and discouering plainely heerein their horrible Athiesme that they haue made Falsehood their Refuge and are Hid vnder Vanitie making the Pleasures of sinne their chiefe God and happines and resting in their Visible Monarchie as their Soueraigne and supreme Kingdome Hath not the Lord mightily reiected their confidence by giuing them another Signe euen from the bowels of the earth By letting Satan loose to torment and delude them to vexe their bodies and yet also to deceiue their soules Surely the Iustice of GOD is admirable heerein to bee laid to heart of all those that doe hate the Whore and desire her desolation that so they may lift vp their heads because their saluation draweth neere in that they may discerne in this glasse of his prouidence the confusion of Anti-christs approachings And so may take the oportunity to hasten the same in their seuerall places and meanes which yet the Lord in mercy affoords vnto them And blessed bee God that giues some measure of wisedome to redeeme the time and declare the wonders of the Lord to the Generation to come Shall not this make for the confirmation of our faith that the Lord will tread Satan vtterly ynder our feete CHAP. II. First prooueth that there are Witches and that 1 By testimonie from the Word 2 By testimony from all antiquitie 3 By sound Reason and that drawne First from the Power Iustice and Wisedome of the Lord. Secondly from the Pride and Policie of Satan Thirdly from the damnable estate and desperate condition and corruption of man Secondly it reprooueth 1 Those that impute this to melancholy 2 The Atheist that denies Witchcraft 3 That would haue all to be but Illusion 4 That iustifie bad Witches 5 And so answereth to all obiections that may bee iustly made against this Doctrine THat there are Witches first this appeareth by the testimonie of the Word which witnesseth 1 That there were such Sorcerers that preached this skill as 1. Sam. 19. The Witch of Endor Simon Magus Acts. 8. and Pythonesse in the Acts 19. c. 2 The Iudgements of God are denounced against such by the Prophets as Esay 44. 25. 47. 12. 3 The Magistrates by seuere Lawes interdicted the practize of Witchcraft as Saul 1. Sam. 10. 3. 9. 4 The sentence of death is pronounced against this by the Law of God as Exodus 22. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to liue Secondly the whole streame of Antiquity also auoucheth the same As appeareth by that which is declared heereafter concerning the entertainement and practize of Sercerie By all nations 2 By the Lawes of each nation against this Mysterie 3 By the generall experience of all Ages wherein eyther through ignorance this wickednesse hath appeared in open face among the Gentiles or else for abuse of knowledge euen hypocrites haue beene giuen vp to this Iudgement of Witchcraft because they detaine the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse and sacrifice to their Art yea to Sathan himselfe euen wherein they pretend to serue God as appeareth afterward in the vse heereof This also is manifest by sound Reason and Induction And that from the Power Wisedome and Iustice of God Gods Power is manifest as his yeelding vp the mightiest to the power of Sathan as Gods executioner so in brideling Satan to hurt cut where it pleaseth him Iob 1 2. 2. Corin. 4. Matth. 8. His Wisedome admirable in this That giuing the wicked their desire for the satisfying of the flesh 1 They are willingly giuen vp to submit their soules to the power of Satan and so to be the executioners of their owne damnation 2 And whereas Satan if he should appeare in his owne likenes would not so easily be intertained could not do so conueniently the will of God in deceiuing the wicked yet beeing now disposed by the Lord of glory in this wise and glorious manner that by the ministerie of men women subiect to our infirmities and therefore more likelie by reason of natures bonds to preuaile with their like Satan shal tender his seruice vnto vs doth hee not conuey his poyson into our soules more easily doth hee not preuaile more effectually to our ensnaring and destruction The Iustice of God shineth also most gloriously in this mysterie of Witchcraft As first In making it a Punishment to such as will not obey the truth that they might be deluded and ensnared thereby And so in sealing vp in this strange terrible affliction by Witchcraft the desperate couenant that is therein euen eternall vengeance and those intolerable paines of the damned that the Atheist may be vtterly confounded and the desperate sinner may be vtterly without excuse As preaching to the rebellious world by these prophets of Satan the certaintie of their damnation who refuse to embrace the glad tydings of their saluation from the Messengers of the Lord. And is not the Iustice of God admirable heerein that the wicked are now the choosers and executioners of their owne damnation in beeing willingly ignorant of the trueth In their best wisedome heaping vp teachers according to their owne lusts purposely submitting themselues to these prophets of the diuell that so they may be turned to their ineuitable condemnation Secondly It is manifest from the Pride and Cunning of Satan Who although hee naturally hate God yet in the Pride of his heart he seekes to imitate him in all his actions that so he may more desperately execute his
shed innocent bloud in accusing wrongfully Or at the best though the Law may bee satisfied yet God is not glorified nor themselues truely releiued Seeing by vsing vnlawfull meanes for helpe though the body may finde ease yet the soule thereby is more dangerously ensnared And hath not Satan another dangerous fetch in this subiection That whereas many diseases come of naturall causes which are well knowne to Satan though the simple people are vtterly ignorant thereof Yet seeing the Witch in malice intends the hurt of her neighbour and to this end sets Satan on worke heerevpon it is concluded that all diseases proceeds from Sorcerie and so heereby all sober and wise meanes are neglected to preserue health the bridle is giuen to all ryot and excesse and if any thing fall out the Witch is blamed and not our distempers SECTIO VIII THus we haue heard one part of the couenant What Satan must do for the Witch Now let vs consider on the other side What the Witch must doe for him againe The maine matter is that she must giue her selfe vnto him bodie and soule But this is coloured first by the Time he will not haue it presently because yet she hath not made vp the measure of her sinne And therein he deceiues her that she may repent of her bargaine God may change her minde c. and so drownes in securitie And to this end he hath another colour that is the condition if he performe faithfull seruice And therefore he will of purpose faile her sometimes that so she may hope her selfe free yea he doth vsually leaue her when Authority arrests to bring her to confusion that so now she may shame the deuill as wee say and so performe some hypocriticall repentance And yet for all this obserue I pray you his Deepenesse in making her sure Namely to preuent after repentance or at least to deceiue thereby CHAP. VI. Of the Ceremonies of the Couenant HE hath further diuerse ceremonies accompanying this couenant which tend very fearefully to the confirmation thereof And these are First As the Lord hath a speciall Seale to bind his seruants vnto his obedience namely the seale of Baptisme Rom. 4. So when Satan hath once obtained this absolute promise of his Prentices to yeeld themselues wholy to his deuotion then his manner is to set his seale vpon them thereby to appropriate them vnto him And this is commonly some sure marke vpon some secret place of their bodies which shall remaine sore and vnhealed vntill his next meeting with them and then for afterwards proue euer insensible howsoeuer it be pinched by any To assure them thereby that as therein he could hurt or heale them so all their ill and well-doing must depend wholy vpon him And that the Intollerable griefe they feele in that place may both serue to seale vp vnto them their eternall damnation And so to awaken and giue them no rest till the next meeting againe that so they may hasten the vengeance that now they haue tasted of This shall appeare the better if wee consider the next meeting and such circumstances of place and actions that are performed therein SECTIO I. Of the Place where the Witch is summoned for further confirmation and binding of her to Satan When Satan the Prince of darknesse that ruleth in the children of disobedience hath once entangled this Nouice within his snares and set his Priuie Marke vpon her thereby to bind her vnto him more surely That she may bee yet further giuen vp by the fierce wrath of the Almightie to his power he hath yet many other Policies to effect the same As first She must bee conuented solemnly into the house of God there to make open testimony of her subiection vnto him by renouncing all former couenants with the Lord. And heere Vsually these things are performed in their order First Satan blasphemously occupying the Place whence the holy Oracles are deliuered doth thence First require of his Proselite an acknowledgement of her couenant causing her vsually in her owne person to repeate the forme thereof As IN. do here acknowledge that vpon such condition I haue giuen my selfe vnto Satan to bee disposed of him at his pleasure And Secondly when this acknowledgement is made in testimoniall of this subiection Satan offers his back-parts to bee kissed of his vassall Thirdly this being done he then deliuers vnto his Proselite and so to the rest for many are conuened at this meeting the Rules of his Art instructing them in the manner of hurting and helping acquainting them with such medicines and poysons as are vsuall herevnto Fourthly Taking also account of the proceedings of his other Schollers and so approuing or condemning accordingly Fifthly for their further confirmation he yet enioynes them another ceremonie Namely to compasse about the Fount diuers times there solemnely to Renounce the Trinitie especially their saluation by Iesus Christ and in token thereof to disclaime their Baptisme Sixthly and in further token of their subiection vnto Satan in yeelding vp themselues wholy vnto his deuotion behold yet another ceremony heere vsually is performed namely to let themselues bloud in some apparant place of the body yeelding the same to be sucked by Satan as a sacrifice vnto him and testifying thereby the full subiection of their liues and soules to his deuotion Lastly to gratifie them somewhat for this their dutifull seruice it pleaseth their new Maister oftentimes to offer himselfe familiarly vnto them to dally and lye with them in token of their more neere coniunction and as it were marriage vnto him These are vsually the ceremonies wherby Satan binds his Proselites to keep couenant with him And his Policies heerein are manifold both in regard of the Witches themselues as also in regard of others that shall take notice thereof Concerning the Witches His Policie in conuening them into the Church is 1 Partly to procure in them a conceit of the lawfulnesse of the businesse as being done in so holy a place thereby to make them secure in continuing therein 2 As also to encourage thē the rather to hold out by reason of the companie where-with they meete ready to hearten by presence and example 3 And doth not Satan by this convening them into the house of God and there presenting himselfe vnto them procure in their minds a conceit of his Deitie and soueraigne Power that so they may yet better conceiue of their dealing with him and more willingly performe all couenants seeing as God he requires nothing but his due as God he will performe with them to the full and therfore they must not flinch from him 4 And surely if wee shall looke vp vnto the ouer-ruling hand of God heerein in giuing Satan his enemie leaue to Prophane the place of his worship and thus to appeare there vnto his Proselites for their further condemnation May not the Lord haue these ends herein in respect of
smart of their priuie match or by such continuall tampering with them sometimes by vgly apparitions to terrifie them eftsoones to keepe them watchfull by continuall employments Is there not I say more hope euen of the recouerie of such then of many thousands in the world who are lulled asleepe in securitie and fatted vp without all sense of danger euen to vtter destruction Oh that we were wise to vnderstand these things to Trie the spirites and choose the good and perfect way Is not the Prophet a snare vpon Mispath and profound to deceiue Is it not iust with God that because wee haue not receiued the trueth therefore to giue vs vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies 2. Thess. 2. 11. 12. Well this we may learne by this impudencie of Sathan in abusing the place of Gods worship and drawing his Proselites hither for their further confirmation in their subiection vnto him And are we not yet further taught hereby to make a profession to our God of our subiection to him and that publikely when wee shall be called hereunto further by the magistrate to giue an account of our hope or by the Minister to approue our profiting by the word or by our Christian brother to confirme him therein nay ought we not to stop the mouthes of the wicked by acknowledging our soueraigne Lord the great God of heauen and earth seeing the wicked are not ashamed to honour their master the diuel glorying in this that they are the damned crue c. shall not euen these silly deceiued soules rise vp in iudgement against such monsters that are drawne to that through feare or ignorance or hope of present release seeing these wittingly and malitiously as it were defie God with an high hand blaspheme and treade vnder foot the blood of the couenant acknowledging willingly and with great applause their subiection to Satan Nay shall not our Politike and State-christians bee condemned by these poore and base creatures who vpon necessitie and through faire promises onely are brought to this subiection Surely when I obserue the wisedome of the flesh in many great mightie of the world that eyther come to the house of God only to receiue honor to maintaine credit and outward esteem or else to hedge in some profit and suck some aduantage hereby or else rather to honour the word by their presence for this is vsually the best end then to be humbled and reformed thereby rather I say to controule the ordinaunces of the mightie God then to be brought in subiection vnder the power thereof may I not conclude that heerein they rather publish their homage unto Sathan then testifie any obedience vnto the Lord Are not these the very stratagems of Satan to ensnare vnstable soules by causing them thus to abase the word thus to peruert the holie ends therof are not the wicked hereby iustly giuen vp to the illusions of Satan for the profaning of Gods ordinance do they not by these abuses testifie their obeisance vnto the Diuell while they pretēd the honor of god doe they not in seeking their owne honor abase that which belongs to the Lord approue themselues to be imps of that king of Feare who in all things seeketh to robbe God of his glorie And what else may wee deeme of the high mysterie of carnall wisedome chalenging Preheminence ouer the word of God in determining Lawes besides or contrary to it confining suiting it to it crooked Rules binding and loosing it for the satisfying of it lusts Is not this a plaine badge of of that man of sinne that some of perdition Is not this an apparant euidence of it subiection to Satan And if wee shall scanne the mystery of that sublimated policie that nowadayes he is not a wise man who is not a seruant vnto men submitting himselfe to be new moulded fashioned according to the lust of his Patron This blasphemously chalēging him as his proper creature the creature reioicing as in his soueraigne creator conforming heart and hand simply to his deuotions May we not see Satan here aduāced as god of this world in the children of disobedience May wee not conclude that such absolute subiection as is giuen vnto man is wholy taken from God and giuen to the Diuell And what may wee deeme of the common Idolatrie of all sorts One makes the wedge of golde his hope An other makes his mistris the soueraigne of his heart this makes his belly his god the other sacrifices to his net c. Are not all these in effect sacrificers vnto the Diuell Is not subiection and homage performed vnto him euen in them all What shall we thinke of the generall and ordinarie seruice of God in these dayes the most feare him with their Lippes but their hearts are far from him the best vsually serue him but by halfes they cannot be Saints God must beare with thē in some sin they must liue therefore they must strain a litle they are but flesh and blood they do what they can God must be mercifull to them in this c. Do they not in all these shew themselues seruants to him whom yet they obey euen the prince of darkenes the great deceiuer of their soules Is not Satan the lord of their harts while they serue God but with their lips doth he not hereby hold their hearts faster bound vnto him in that hee giueth way to their bodily seruice nay will he not haue their tongues also at his deuotion at a pinch to curse the same God whom they seeme to blesse or to slaunder their brethren and condemne thē of hypocrisie because they labor to serue God in spirit truth And is not Sathans cunning the more dangerous in that he is content to hold the wicked but by one string Is not their state more dāgerous that while they seem to haue escaped the pollutions of the world to make a faire shew in the flesh as if they were good Christians glorious sepulchres yet eyther inwardly they are full of rotten bones or else one dead flie will be sufficient to corrupt all the ointment of the Apothecarie easily may Satan recouer his full possession againe euen by reason of that one traitor which they shall nourish in their bosomes Shall he not reenter with seuen worse spirits and so the later end of that man shall be worse then the beginning The dog shall returne to his vomite and the swine vnto the mire of which he was cleansed and so become twice dead and pluckt vp by the roots euen two-fold more the child of perdition then euer he was before O that wee were wise to discerne our selues whose we are and whom we serue how long shall we halt betweene two opinions If God be Lord deseruing all seruice at our hands inabling vs by his spirit to offer vp our bodies and soules
constitutions of men the kindes and vertues of plants rootes hearbs c. may out of this experience giue a probable guesse at euents of things out of the certainety of their canses 3 The presence of Sathan and the euill Angells in most places and communicating their knowledge together where-through they are acquainted with the secret consultations of Princes may giue also furtherance to this knowledge of things to come as hereby being able to inform their Agents hereof who acquainting by this means the world withall gaine this reputatiō to foretell things to come 4 Adde we hereunto the power of Satan in putting into mens minds wicked councels and purposes which he discerning to be apprehended resolued on doth thereby acquaint his Proctors herewith and so they become to foretell of the same 5 Consider we the agility of Satans nature wherby being able to conuay himself in a trice from place to place hee comes by this meanes to the notice of many strange and hidden things to the vulgar and ignorant and so communicates them to serue his turne to his Proselites and Creatures 6 Fspecially consider we that Satan being Gods instrument to execute his iudgements in the world hath therefore euen from the Lord reuealed vnto him many things as the place time and manner how such things should be done which Sathan being no blab can publish to serue his turne so farre as shall tend to the triall of the Church and stumbling of the vnbeleeuing world thus he came to reueale vnto Saul his end as being informed thereof by the Lord who had taken his good Spirit from Saul left him to Sathan and so informed Satan in the meanes to execute his wrath vpon him 1. Sam. chapter 28. verses 20. 21. Thus may Satan attaine to some knowledge of things to come If we would know how farre 1 Surely wee are to vnderstand that to the Lord only belongeth this absolute prerogatiue as to know things to come certainely c. 2 In The nature of the things themselues without respect to their causes and signes But Sathan onely knoweth them probably and by their signes causes This ground being laid we may hence gather that the good Witches being informed by Satan know no further then their Tutor that is probably doubtfully and deceitfully and therefore must needes deceiue themselues and others This shal appeare the rather if we consider the meanes whereby they attaine to this knowledge which being no ordinance of God to reueale secrets nor any instinct of Nature yeelding directly such effects it must needs follow That the knowledge contriued there-from proceedeth from Satans cunning shrowding his familiaritie and intelligence vnder the rule of these creatures that so it may not be discernd to come from him but rather from the prediction of the Rule of Nature as also if it prooue doubtfull and contrary yet Sathans credite may be saued seeing he can post it off to the vncertainety of the Creatures or some accident altering the former prediction It being most certaine that as the knowledge of Satan of himselfe is at the best doubtful coniecturall in many things so it becomes hereby much more intricate and deceitfull when it is shrowded vnder the maske of Natures infolded varietie What this varietie of Nature is appears by the ancient practise of the heathen among whom by these such like means Satan raigned as the vnknowne God These were the Flight of Birds 2 The Intrailes of beasts 3 The obseruation of the Stars and those celestiall bodies Esay 44. 4 Dreames Dan. 4. 5 Lottes Hest. 3. Of all which we may thus conclude That seeing 1 these were not ordained constantly to fore-tell things to come 2 neyther haue any naturall propertie inherent in them yeelding such knowledge or any likelihoode thereto neither indeed was it necessarie that men should be acquainted with what is afterward otherwise then may concerne their Saluation seeing the word is sufficient for this therefore it followeth necessarily 1 That these are but Satans cloaks to conceale his immediate and dangerous Couenants with men 2 That by these Satan withdraws men from embracing of the word 3 That for the contempt of the word the Lord in iustice giues vp to be deceiued by these so farre forth as not only to rest in these predictions and so by the vncertaintie thereof to bee confounded thereby but as if so be the reason of this vncertainety and fayling in the successe of these predictions proceeded rather from want of our obsequiousnes and diligence in attending these predictions then of anie reall improbability and absurdity in them hereby Satan maketh way for his further aduancing in our hearts aboue all that is called God by procuring vs to a more base subiection and bondage to the Lawe of the Creatures toyling vs with a more painefull studie and inquisition into the bookes of the Creatures And so prouoking vs to a worship of the Creature by confidence therein aboue the Creator blessed for euermore And so in the Creature to worshippe the Diuell especially And that 1 By obeying his councell in leading vs to know what concernes vs not 2 By vsing his meanes for the compassing of this knowledge 3 And by resting still in the meanes though yet they doe deceiue vs. 4 Embracing his intelligence clouded vnder the vaile of naturall causes 6 Referring the successe of things not to the prouidence of God but to the power of satā ordering the same therby For our further information heerein examine we in few words these kinds in particular that so the vanitie of them as they are vsed in Witchcraft may the more liuely appeare to vs. First concerning the flight of Birds and the noise they make in the same this as it is plainely condemned in Deut. 18. 10. 11. so is there great reason hereof seeing by no ordinance of God or secret of Nature the flying high or lowe on the right hand or on the left the diuersitie of noise c. can prognosticate of things to come As for the entrailes of beasts Ezech. 21. 11. whereby Nehuchadnezzar is resolued in a doubtfull case whether to attempt first eyther the Iewes or Amonites this also is a plaine colour of Satans deceit cōiecturing hereby because neither by vertue of Creatures nor by any speciall ordinance of God afterward haue these Inwards of the Creatures any such power cōferred into them to fore-tell things to come Indeed there is some prediction naturally arising out of obseruation of the seasons alterations of weather accruing to the Phisition Mariner Husbandman And this according to that order God hath set in nature from the beginning but this is only probable as to guesse of faire or foule wether Which though they allow some predictions by these Creatures yet are they no warrant for others that are not ordained of God thereto And therefore whereas it is ordinarie to diuine of future
things by some such like as by finding a peece of iron signifying good lucke but if siluer be found then it is euill to haue a Hare crosse the way to haue the salt fall towards him c. these hauing no such vertue from Nature and diuine ordinatiō it must needs follow that they are diabolical or at least superstitious no way warrantable Concerning diuination by Stars the matter seemes more difficult For although the word seemeth to condemne the same Deut. 18. 10. 11. according to the iudgement of the best Diuines who though they differ about the Notation of the word yet they agree all in this that diuination by Stars is directly forbidden And the Scriptures also in allotting the same Punishment to the starre-gazer as to the Magician doe confirme the same Yet hath this skill gained great authoritie and account in the world and doth much deceiue the followers thereof And that for these respects First because the Starres are causes of many things heere below and therefore it may seeme lawful to conclude and coniecture from such causes And surely if they were particular causes of these lower things I see not but wee might coniecture some what in particular from them If these Starres had power to communicate the knowledge thereof in particular vnto vs Or if it were needfull that wee should know such particular euents Or there were no other meanes to communicate what is necessarie vnto vs But Seeing 1. the Starres are onely generall causes of things in the world and that not certaine and infallible but variable and subordinate to the will of the Creator who can for his Churches good alter their particular effects 2. Seeing they are no ordinance of God to reueale such things vnto vs as hauing no vertue from their generall influence to dispose and determine of particulars 3. Seeing it is is not needfull wee should know of such particulars any otherwise then the Word doth supply And if this bee sufficient what neede wee other It must needs follow that these predictions are vnlawfull 4. As reiected of the Lord and therefore proceeding from the deuill 5. As presuming to fore-tell particular euents of things which onely belong vnto the all-seeing and most wise God 2 If it be alleaged that What is fore-told by Astrologie vsually fals out true and therefore why may we not be informed hence We answer 1. That though it fell out true yet were we not to enquire from hence seeing the Word forbiddeth the vse of such meanes 2 That things fal out true in particular proceeds not frō the necessary influence of the heauēly bodies but from the cunning of that infernall spirit who supplieth by his knowledge what is vncertain in that Art Insinuating himselfe into the minde of the Stargazer being now puffed vp with his knowledge and desiring successe therein to satisfie his pride what art cannot make good he yet desireth may be accomplished And so is giuē vp to Satan in a iust punishment of this his presumption to be lessoned by him in such further Euents and yet most fearfully to be deceiued by him to as shrowding his diuellish inspirations vnder the cloake of that otherwise lawfull knowledge For not to deny that which the euidence of things doth auouch in this case True it is that the Sunne and the Moone were created for signes Genesis 1. 14. and so so farre as they are ordained for signes namely to distinguish Times and Seasons as Sommer Winter Spring c. Alterations of weathers in generall they are to be obserued of vs but that hence we may gather any demonstration for the knowledge of particulars to fall out in the world seeing their grounds are vncertain and the meere fictions of mans braine exalting himselfe heerein in his Pride and Curiositie aboue all that is called God It must needes follow that this is but a cloake of Sathans forgerie and not any Art allowable from the Lord. That thé grounds are vncertaine and most deceitfull is apparent 1 First Because the Rules of this Art haue no Foundation in Experience Seeing both the position of the heauens and the course of the Starres is mutable and therefore can be no Rule of certayne and immutable grounds such as the Principles of Art must be 2 And secondly there can be no certaine Rules giuen of those things which are not knowne Now who knoweth the particular estate of all the Starres or if he know them is there any yet able to discerne the particular vertues of them seeing there influences in the Aire and vpon the earth are confused and vncertaine 3 But the speciall Reason of the vnlawfulnesse of this Art is because it requireth confidence in the same nay in the Author therof They must beleeue he can resolue them otherwise if he come doubting of his abilitie or in way of tempting him he cannot helpe him Now in common vnderstanding if the Diuiner bring the thing to passe here must needs be more then Art For he that is Maister of a lawfull Art can worke by his Rules whether a man beleeue he can or no And therefore it necessarily followeth that this Art is Diabolicall as requiring that seruice which is due onely to God and so thereby entending the bondage of the soule as is apparant by the Rules and Confessions of the Chaldeans themselues If here it shall be questioned how Moses and Daniel can then be said to haue skill in all the wisedome of Egyptians and Chaldeans Act. 7. 22. Dan. 1. 17 The Answere is plaine either they might haue skill so far as was lawfull or though they vnderstood the mysterie of these deuillish Arts yet it was not to practise but rather to condemne the same and so to dehort from the studie thereof Well let this lesson Students that they be not bewitched with the glory skil which this Art pretendeth Let it aduice vs not to run to Figerflingers to recouer things lost Let it admonish vs that it is deuillish to obserue the Signe for letting of bloud whose ground is meere superstitious and diabolicall seeing the ground is a meere Figment namely that there is a Zodiacke and twelue Signes therein being a deuice of Poetrie and vaine Philosophie nature yeelding no such Ramme or Bull. c. as they foolishly imagine And the Deuice confounds it selfe as is plaine by the absurd relation and proportion betweene the Rule and the thing ruled as that the Moone should rule in the cold and moist parts when shee is in hot and dry Signes whereas rather when it is in hot Signes it should rule the hot parts and so contrarie So that now the Learned Physition hath disclaimed this Bug-beare and therefore if it preuaile it rather proceeds from our strong imagination and Gods diuine Iustice in punishing our infidelitie then from any power in that Poeticall Fiction 4 Let this also reforme in vs That
true Samuel would haue reproued Saul for running to Witches hee would haue exhorted him to repentance 1 And therefore though the Word call him Samuel yet this was according to that which seemed to delude Saul 2 And though Saul might bee told by the Appearance what should befall him yet might this bee done by Satan as being either acquainted by the Lord with his purpose heerein or coniecturing by Sauls case what was like to come to him for his disobedience to God As for that which the Church of Rome doates concerning the walking of dead men howsoeuer the Lord gaue power vnto his Prophets to raise the dead yet neither had this Witch any such power neither was the case necessarie why it should be at this time neither needed Satan to vse this meanes seeing he might doe the feat as well by himselfe counterfeting the shape and person of Samuel Neither may extraordinarie and miraculous working vpon speciall occasion bee traduced to warrant the ordinarie walking of persons after their deaths whose soules the Holy Ghost witnesseth to bee at rest and can their bodies walke without their soules Indeed when the Lord was either to plant or restore a Church out of it ruine and desolation wee finde in the Word this power of raysing from the dead to haue bene exercised profitably and therefore seeing now there was no such cause for this miraculous worke it followeth to bee the delusion of Satan and not the finger of God But here me thinkes I heere some reply that if this were but a collusion of Satan blinding and deceiuing Saul why might he not also deeceiue the Witch as pretending to bee raysed vp by her that she had power of him when it might bee but some iugling trick to bleare her eyes she raised vp no deuill in Samuels likenesse but rather was meerely deluded with a conceit heereof Surely howsoeuer the Patrones of Witch-craft would gladly thus cōclude to condemne the truth of the Word that there are Witches which worke by Familiar spirits yet doth the circumstance of the Historie plainely confound them Howsoeuer they also imply further that the Witch might suborne some man or woman in the likenesse of Samuel to giue this answere seeing no meere humane vnderstanding could attaine to that knowledge And therefore it necessarily followeth that the Witch by vertue of the couenant with Satan raised him vp He by his power and skill counterfeited Samuel at an ynch by his experience and office was able to acquaint him with Gods wil and so as an instrument of Diuine vengeance to hasten him to his destruction And as Satan thus foretells things by meanes eyther true or counterfeit so doth hee also Diuine without meanes either possessing those that are his oracles Acts the sixteene chapter and sixteene verse or inspiring them by outward obsession with his will and councells whereby they become counterfeit prophets and reuealers of things to come such as were the Sybills c. Of all which wee are to make this vse 1 As to iudge wisely of the power and manifold cunning of Sathan 2 So to consider of the preciousnesse of the soule for which Satan takes such paines becomes such a drudge c. and to preuent the Diuell by our care and diligence not so much for the bodie and the meate that perisheth but for the poore soule that it may be saued euerlastingly 3 Lastly seeing Sathan by these Inspirations and Exorcismes deceiueth the simple and vnstable soules causing them to beleeue that such trances and inspirations are from God therefore learne we to distinguish betweene Diabolicall Reuelations and the true gift of Prophecie which God in Trances reuealeth vnto his seruants As first Diuine Trances may bee where the soule for a time is seuered from the bodie 2. Cor. 12. 2. But in these Diabolicall though the senses may bee bound or benummed for a time yet the soule is neuer seuered from the body because this is a worke miraculous to take the soule out of the body and revnite it again 2 In Diuine Trances the poures and faculties of soule and bodie though their operations cease for a time yet remaine sound and perfect but in Satanicall Extasies the parties being cast into phrensies and madnesse the very faculties of nature are empaired and and so distempercd as that they seldome recouer the right vse againe At the best they cary some skarre of Satan to their graues whereas the Saints receiue a further measure of Illumination and encrease of grace in all their powers and faculties 3 Diuine trances do alwayes tend to the good of the Church confirmation of the Gospel and aduauncement of Pietie Acts 10. 11. those of Sathan to the contrary And thus farre of Witch-craft by Diuination CHAP. IX Of Witch-craft consisting in Operation COnsider we now of Witch-craft in operation which really worketh strange things This is done first by Enchantment namely when by some Charme wonderous workes are wrought Which is not onely expresly forbidden Deuter. chapter 18. verse 11. but is also manifest by the things wrought hereby As 1 Raising of Stormts 2 Poysoning of the aire 3 Blasting of Corne. 4 Killing of Cattell 5 Breeding strange torments in the bodies of men 6 Casting out of Diuells c. All which and such like workes belōging to the diuine power iustice If therefore they shall be imitated or in any measure effected by the creature It is a plaine vsurpation of the diuine office and a flat peruersion disgracing of the diuine Prouidēce as being accomplished by indirect meanes Now that these and such are the effects of Witch-craft It is not onely apparant by the Confession of Witches themselues but further cleared by the testimonie of the word who ascribeth this power vnto the Charmer Eccles. 10. 11. where the Originall yeelds thus If the Serpent bite before he be charmed what profite hath the maister of the tongue thereby that is the Charmer signifying therein that if the Charmer come in time he might preuent by his charme the Serpents stinging And what else I pray you doth Balaams words implie when being crossed by the power and mercie of God hee is forced to confesse that ther is no sercery against Iacob nor sooth saying against Israel Doeth hee not therein acknowledge That whereas hee was hired by King Balaac by some charme to hurt Gods People as being by Trade no better then a Coniurer though in the reputation of the ignorant and superstitious people hee was esteemed a Prophet his Charmes could not preuaile the Lord disappointed him And surely if wee should consider the nature of a Charme it will euidently appeare that it is but a colourable and counterfeit meanes vnder which Sathan shrowdeth his power and malice to diuine withall and so to destroy both bodie and soule Seeing a Charme is no other then a spell consisting of strange words wherin is pretended some secret
Satans bondage so are they heereby both subiect the rather to the power of witch craft not onelie to be obnoxious to the hurts thereof in their bodies goods c. but especially to be ensnared with the miserie thereof vpon anie occasion to become nouices factors in this diuellish trade it being iust with the glorious Lord to giue vp such as will not obey the truth to the efficacie and depth of these strong delusions not only to be deceiued thēselues but to become Sathans chiefe Schoolmaisters to deceiue others The like may be concluded of such other means whereby Witches vse to performe their Charmes As making of Characters Images and Signes in Wax or Clay framing of Circles vsing of Amulets Exorcismes an ordinarie Practize of the Apostata Church coniuring thereby their Creame Salt Spittle holy Water Oyle Palmes c. vsing of the Name of Iesus with such often repetitions and Crosses annexed All which such like being no secret operation of Nature nor ordinance of God to such ends What other can they be but the Visors of Satan whereby hee maskes it more securely and dangerously in his Magicall practises as heereby bearing the simple people in hand that Christ is a Coniurer that he is bound by those from doing hurt to do good c. And shall we thinke that crossing of the body is of any other stamp surely it is of all other a most dangerous charme by how much it caries a shew of loue and deuotion So may wee iudge of scratching of the Witch vnto which if the Diuell seeme to stoope that the bodie is eased it is to seize more deeply on the soule by withdrawing it from the right meanes and resting it securely in these diuelish charmes Which as it may seeme to admonish vs frō the vse of them so it may prouoke such to repentance hauing done these of ignorance not contenting themselues with this excuse that they meant no hurt they conceiued the persons to bee honest of whom they sought helpe c. Seeing because they had no certaine warrant therefore good meaning without faith is sinne before God Rom. 14. nay while they meane well they trust in these things and so doe robbe God of his glorie and themselues asmuch as lyeth in them of their saluation Neither is there the like reason betweene Physicke and these meanes That is ordained of God This condemned of him and therefore though we are ignorant of the Physitions Receipt yet we are to relye vpon his skill and commend the successe to God whereas wee may not vse these charmes being ignorant of of the vertue of them seeing there can no blessing follow where God leads not where confidence is put in the meanes to thrust out God As for the Case of necessitie which is heere pretended wee can haue helpe no where else The Physitian will not meddle the Paine is intolerable the case desperate and God is mercifull though we do amisse yet may wee not seeke ease surely The Lord will not bee mercifull to presumptuous sinners If hee purpose to try thy faith and patience in the enduring of the extremitie if hee entend heereby to fit thee for himselfe and to ease thee of thy sinnes and this miserable world Is it not good wayting his leasure to prepare thy selfe vnto him Insteed of going to the Wise-man is it not now time to make vp thy accounts to make thy peace with him Certainely when all lawfull meanes faile what doth this argue but that either this is a signe of the end of thy daies or that the Lord will helpe thee by his immediate hand And therefore either way thou must now cast thy selfe vpon him If the Lord cannot helpe thee much lesse shall the deuill and the Lord will helpe thee as shall bee best for his glorie and thy good and therefore in all thy waies acknowledge him Prouerb 3. And though hee should kill thee yet trust thou in him Iob. 13. 15. Hee shall bee vnto thee both in life and death aduantage Phil. 1. Hitherto of that part of operatiue Witch-craft which is performed by charmes Besides this there is another worke of Sorcerie vsually practised by Satans instruments which is commonly called Iugling When strange Feats are performed not by reall charmes but onely by deluding of the eye and some extraordinarie sleight Not that any such thing is effected in Truth but onely in Appearance to the deceiued iudgement being peruerted by such delusions as the eye falsely apprehends Now the Eye may be deluded First by corrupting the humour of the eye being the next instrument of sight 2 By Altring the Aire whereby the obiect is conueyed to the eye 3 By changing the obiect which is discerned That there may be such delusion not onely the Holy Ghost witnesseth of the Galatians and others who were then bewitched and made beleeue that they saw that which indeed they saw not but experience doth daily make it manifest Concerning the sleight done aboue the course of Nature As this maketh this Trade to be plaine Sorcery because it exceeds Natures compas so it necessarily followeth that some skill of Satan is concurring heerein As being by compact with the Iugler to colour and further him herein either by corrupting the humour of the eye or colouring the aire c. which are things possible for Satan to do For howsoeuer some strange things may bee done by bodily sleights and by Opticke Arts yet these are kept within the compasse of nature But the Iuggler vndertakes things impossible and contrarie to Nature as to transforme one creature into an other or else to create and offer things that are not and so seemeth to arrogate diuine power in such workes of Creation and therefore must needes delude onlie the eye with the appearance of such things seeing he cannot possibly do the things indeed Such were the wonders wrought by the Egyptian Enchanters in imitation of Moses when they turned the Rodde into a Serpent and waters into bloud which that it was a plaine delusion of the eye by Sathans forgerie is manifest because they could not be any reall creatures seeing the Lord did not make them and the diuell could not the workes of ordinarie Creation ceasing and no speciall reason now to be giuen whie myraculously anie such Creation should be renued by those seruants of Pharaoh but rather plaine reason for the contrarie seeing this they did tended to the disgrace of Gods worke by his seruants Moses and Aaron and therefore though they could haue done such a worke yet the Lord at this time would not haue endured it at their hands But it is most apparant that Satan can doe no such thing seeing the effecting of the like belongs onely to God Ioh. 2. And the Word is plaine that this their fained miracle was done by Sorcery Exod. 7. 11. 22. 8. 7. And therefore that the Lord should do them against
the prouidence of God appeare in the diuers dispensation of his iudgements by these instruments of his fierce wrath Who in these daies are for the most part women 1 Both because these are commonly more ignorant and therefore fitter to be ensnared 2 And also vsually more ambitious and desirous of Soueraignety the rather because they are bound to subiection 3 And are also more obstinate where they take and so fitter to stick to it 4 And by reason of their sex and simplicitie haue more meanes to hide this sinne or else to escape punishment as being more capable of compassion in regard of necessary occasions of child-bearing c. SECTIO I. Of the Bad Witch THus she is so called because she hath onely power from Satan to doe hurt and that by speciall league and conenant with Satan And this is also called the binding Witch in a blasphemous imitation of that Diuine power of binding and afflicting which peculiarly belongeth vnto the glorious Lord Ose. 6. 1. Her power extendeth in shew euen as her Maisters Satan doth not onely vpon the dumbe and senselesse creatures to breed terrour and inconuenience to man but euen vpon man himselfe Both vpon his bodie to strike it with all kindes of diseases yea with death it selfe Iob. 1. 17. As also vpon the soule to afflict with Madnesse security c. And yet her power is restrained onely to doe hurt and that in diuerse respects as you haue partly heard especially 1 That heereby Satans power and gouernement may bee more aduanced in this diuerse dispensation of his gifts 2 That the Bad Witch may bee confouaded in her power seeing it is not paramount she cannot helpe what is hurt 3 That way heereby may be made for ber detection by the Blesser 4 That the Good Witch may by this meanes vent all his cousening waies of spels charmes c. to helpe withall SECT III. Of an ordinarie meanes whereby these Bad Witches seeme to effect their mischiefes namely by cursing where of Satans policie in colouring his assistance heereby and deceiuing and hardening the Witch in her sin AS the Bad Witch hath power to hurt so as it is obserued doth shee vsually execute this power 1 By horrible fearfull cursings and execerations of those Parties whom she malignes Inuocating vpon her bare knees for so the manner is the vengeance of God vpon them And if she can conueniently to their faces breathing out these fearefull curses and direfull execrations against them So not to vse further instance is it confessed that this condemned captiue vsed ordinarily to curse her neighbours and thereby as shee vaunted to get the vpper hand of them And this in an Apish and blasphemous imitation of the Diuine Iustice which by such maner of execrations is denounced against the wicked Deuteron 28. Leuiticus 26. Iudges 5. Curse ye Meros c. Now the Policie of Sathan in prouoking to these execrations is manifold As not onelie 1 Hereby to encrease the Witches sinne by enraging her soule through these cursings to malice and reuenge But heereby also the Lord in his Iustice Returneth her cursings on her owne pate though she may hurt the bodies of others thereby yet the chief hurt shall rebound vpon her owne soule The wrath of God like a riuer of Brimstone inflaming those Execrations which the accursed caitife sendeth vp to Heauen and so returning them backe vpon the Author thereof and is to seale vp hereby vnto her eternall vengeance yet so as that it is very fearefully cloaked euen by these cursings For heereby Satan not onelie perswades the Witch that whatsoeuer euill ensues proceeds from the vertue of that curse and not from his secret helpe But in that the name of God is inuocated to take vengeance on these parties thereby also the power of Satan is further concealed as if now the Lord did answere the desires of these Monsters And so in that hee doth answere them therefore they are in great request with him yea in that things succeede according to their cursings heereby is arrogated the power of almightie God and so the Witch puffed vp with conceit of diuine authoritie SECTIO IV. ¶ Of Good Witches or Blessers as wee tearme them Heere first of their Nature and Condition AS the Badde Witch hath onelie power to hurt So the Good Witch or Blesser hath onely facultie to doe good to helpe c. And that also by consent in a league with the diuell And is therefore blasphemously termed The Vnbinding Witch as being able to vndoe what the other hath done And this Satan disposeth in notable Policie not onelie that some order may appeare in his kingdome of Darkenesse whereupon it may the rather be obeyed but especially aduancing hereby his imaginarie power in the hearts of his Proselites that he is as God able to doe all things to hurt and helpe c. and thereby secretly to delude his Schollers that if they can vnbinde others why may they not vndoe their owne bonds what reckoning to be made of anie Couenant with Sathan seeing hee will thus bee content to haue his workes dissolued c. And this the rather because he so diuides his gifts as may be thought not to one all but to each seuerall whereby he I both blasphemously imitates the diuine prouidence 2 ties the Witches more obsequiously vnto him 3 makes shew of absolute libertie in his dispensation 4 and hereby sitteth his instruments to doe more mischiefe 5 and yet secureth them in their damnable estate as being by this meanes more seruiceable to each other SECTIO IIII. ¶ That their skill in helping to things that are stollen and healing diseases is not a gift of GOD whereuppon they are accounted Good but rather they doe it certainely by the helpe of Sathan THat it is not of God appearth 1 By the Qualitie of their persons because they are generally ignorant prophane abhominable and therefore the Lord will not reueale such secrets vnto them Psalme 25. But vnto them that feare him 2 By the Consideration of the time wherein these Reuelations are pretended which being the time of the Gospell established when an ordinarie meanes of reuealing Gods will is on foote therefore now wee hauing the Word as we may not expect such Reuelations so they are not granted to vs from the Lord our God Especially if we consider the matter pretēded to be reuealed which is not any necessarie thing concerning Saluation but onelie some particular accidentall matter concerning the present estate of this life for which we find not that there were any Reuelations from the Lord but onelie concerning the generall state of Kingdomes and as it concerned the Spirituall good of the Church Besides if we consider the manner of the Reuelation which is neyther by Gods spirit immediatly nor by an Angell from heauen not by the soule of some man that is formerly dead and that in some Dreame or Vision for
such were the Reuelations from the Lord but by seeing in the picture of men in a Glasse c. which may easily and must necessarily be done by Sathan as both prouoking the thiefe to steale and being able to represent his Image in the Glasse as personating him before the Glasse and so the Reflexion must needes returne the like resemblance And this must necessarily follow if we consider the end of this Reuelation which is to haue goods restored which being vtterly vnlawfull because we should rest contented with this losse as a chasticement for sinne and so rather goe to God to enquire the cause of the losse and to haue sinne pardoned then to runne to the wise woman to haue the losse restored So that the thing being vnlawfull it is iust with GOD to leaue vs to seeke vnlawfull meanes that so one sinne may be the punishment of another Lastly seeing whatsoeuer helpe is lawfully to be vsed in any extremity is plainely commended to vs in the word Therefore seeing the word doth directly condemne all these indirect and diu ellish helpes and commandeth 1 to seeke helpe principally from the Prophets of the Lord and 2 so to vse meanes of Physicke as the diseases require Therefore it plainly folows that seeing these blessers are neither acquainted with Gods word nor skilfull in Phisicke the help that they minister must needes come from Satan whose Creatures and vassals they now are who coloureth his diuellish helpe both with some formall prayers and other medicins that so hee may more dangerously beguile vnstable soules This shal appeare yet more clearly vnto vs if we consider further That although these Wisards pretend to helpe by holy meanes yet were there no other euidence to prooue their affistance from Sathan this one were sufficient That these Blessers are not onlie strangely tormented while they are performing this cure but are euen afflicted with the same diseases which for the present they seeke to remoue from others Now that this is the worke of Sathan is manifest 1 Because the olde Sybills and other Witches were vsually so tormented when they gaue their Oracles who are generally concluded to bee Sathans prophets 2 This their strange tormenting in this pretended good act argueth that it is not of God who would not so requite his seruants whom hee sets on worke especially doing his will But rather of Satan who by these torments convinceth them of the euill of their work and confoundeth hereby the vnbeleeuing world that will seeke to such for helpe Especially if we consider further That whereas there is a reciprocall couenant betweene Satan and the Blesser as hath beene declared that as the Deuill must doe what the Witch would haue him so the Witch must endure what Satan will impose If now it fals out that the Disease which the Witch would haue remoued from another shall be transported vpon her selfe as a pledge of further torments to confound her in her present power and yet to deceiue her withall as if by this strange alteration and torment she descrued to obtaine this preheminence as to helpe others she hath bought it deerely And so yet further to deceiue as if because she hath her paine here therefore she shall auoid further reckoning Is not the iustice of God admirable here Is not his wisedome wonderfull to take the wise in their owne craftinesse SECTIO V. ¶ Of the Couenant whereby these Blessers binde themselues to doe good namely the Beleefe of men whether they can benefite any that doe not bleeue in them and why they are beneficiall to such And so consequently of the danger of these Good Witches and that they are farre more dangerous then the Bad. As Satan binds his seruants vnto his obeysance by a speciall contract and couenant as hath beene shewed throughly before so the good Witch being lessoned by her accursed Maister doth hereby endeuor to performe truest seruice vnto him euen by hunting after and ensnaring the precious soules of men And to this purpose she hath no more dangerous snare then this condition of Faith that those who will haue helpe or succour at her hands must beleeue shee can doe them good For whereas Faith is the onely Bond whereby God is knit vnto man and man vnto God If therefore Satan can but once breake this bond as he doth heereby First exelude vs the especiall prouidence of the Almighty Secondly so doth he make way hereby for the full possessing and preuailing ouer vs. Thirdly and hence it is that there must bee no helpe without this Beleefe in the Witches abilitie heerevnto That so the Blesser also being puffed vp with a conceipt of some Diuine Power might so therein not onely Intrude into the Office of the Messiah and thereby to depriue her selfe vtterly of the benefite of his sacrifice but also euen make a mocke of the Sonne of God by translating that precious gift of Faith which onely entends saluation to the attaining of euery base and vnfit trifle and horrible wickednesse yea offering vp heereby the deceiued soule as a Sacrifice vnto Satan which cost the precious bloud of the Sonne of God Fourthly especially heerein doth appeare the desperate pride and malice of Satan against Iesus Christ and his members 1 As aduancing himselfe heereby in Christs steed in the deceiued hearts of the vnbeleeuers 2 And robbing him not onely of that proper homage which is due from the creature namely to depend on it Sauiour 3 But also of the soules of those that are thus ensnared 4 As detaining them thereby in Atheisme and contempt of Gods Ordinances for saluation 5 And emboldening them to all desperate and outragious courses vpon presumption of helpe from these incarnate deuils 6 And soripening thereby vnto eternall vengeance And this the rather because by this condition of Faith thus required for helpe 7 It is thereby the rather warranted to come from God 8 And so both the Witches authority and power iustified to this end as Diuine euen a speciall Gift of God to such purposes 9 As also the peoples seeking to such meanes is coloured 10 And so in that helpe heereby is procured for many wicked ends therefore fearefull and blaspemous conceipts are heereby nourished in the mindes of vnbeleeuers concerning the Diuine Nature As if the Lord should approue of sinne that hee furthers and giues successe thereto And when this gappe is once opened how is sinne committed with greedinesse How is the deceiued soule drunkē in security How by this security prepared to suddaine destructiō And therefore though it were enough for Satan to doe good at the command of the Blesser to hold her surer vnto him by these deuotions Yet seeing he is a roaring Lyon geing about seeking whom he may deuoure doth he also yet both further heereby the damnation of the Sorceresse in making her an instrument by this condition of Faith to ensnare the soules of men and so by the
so by sympathy with the bodie the soule may be afflicted yea Sathan 2 may further afflict the soule by reason that it cannot brooke so well the bodily misery by working vpon the impatiencie thereof and so forcing it to murmuring yea to a kinde of despaire the rather because the children of God through ignorance or extremitie of paines may by themselues or others vse such vnlawfull meanes or though they vse Phisicke and some such subordinate lawfull helpes yet the principall is neglected Repentance for sinne and Prayer vnto God And seeing all things are alike to all men may not Sathan worke so vpon the minde as by such or the like disposition to bring it to many and such like raging fittes eyther tampering with the complexion as melancholie c. or furthering those passions of discontent and despaire by leading them heereto And the Prouidence of God in vsing Sathan as an instrument to inflict by Witch-craft these chasticements vpon his children is manifold As first to humble his children that they shall not escape this scourge as well as others so I remember the Lady Hales complained What could I haue no other affliction but this I could haue endured any so it had not beene by this c. 2 To comfort his seruants that seeing they shall in this greatest affliction haue a comfortable issue to conquer Satan therefore heerevpon they may build the certainety of their saluation As also 3 To instruct them that seeing Satan may haue power to take away life and yet not to hurt the soule finally therefore heere is the triall of their Faith though the Lord should kill them yet to trust in him heere the triall of their obedience to yeeld vp life into Gods hands heere also their Wisedome tried not to measure Gods fauour by outward things not to set by this life which Satan may preuaile against And hath not the Lord in this affliction of his Saints some further vse for the stumbling blocke of an vnbeleeuing Generation Yea surely and that many waies 1 Both to flatter them that their estate is good seeing the godly fare as bad as they do 2 And also to stagger them that their estate is euill seeing if Gods children are thus afflicted for al their knowledge and holinesse in this life what shall become of them that haue no knowledge hate holinesse c. 3 And heerein yet most dangerously to stumble them that seeing the knowledge and holinesse of the Saints cannot free them from the power of Satan therefore away with knowledge wel-fare ignorance what boots it to bee precise Let vs liue as wee list Nay seeing these meanes cannot preserue Why may we not seeke to other and so a gap is open to all vnlawfull meanes Especially if wee obserue Satans policie heerein who vsually being sent to afflict some holy one returnes as confounded he cannot doe it because they haue Faith thereby intending that none that haue Faith are subiect to his power and so puffing vp euen the best with securitie and thereby preparing them through vaine confidence to his malice So perswading the world that he can touch any that hath not faith and so still robbing God of his glorie as if the let were not in his free prouidence but in the goodnesse of man As if the Lord did not freely execute his prouidence but was bounded therein by somewhat in man And then he must be sent to the childe of the faithfull father and preuaile there as if the Faith of the Parents did not hold Gods protection ouer their tender Infants aswell as ouer themselues or the Childe because he hath power ouer him is excluded Gods protection hath not Faith is not of the faithfull feed And if now at the length it shall appeare that Sathan though hee haue returned as disappoynted by the Faith of the Saints yet shall preuaile ouer anie to afflict and torment them Beholde then the dangerous delusions Eyther this matter of Faith is but a mockerie seeing it cannot resist Sathan why should it not repell him on the one side as well as on the other If there were any such thing or it had anie such power Or else the Saints may loose their Faith and so if Sathan preuayle against life he must then also preuaile against Faith for the vtter abolishing of the power thereof And what difference then between the wicked and godlie Thus may the Saints be subiect to this affliction and thus may the world stumble thereat SECTIO V. And yet in all these afflictions much differ from the wicked 1 AS both in the cause of the affliction 2 In the measure of it 3 In the issue thereof For the cause If the Lord afflict his children with this scourge neither is it in anger or simply as a punishment of sin though the Lord may intend the chasticement of the sinner heereby But especially 1. To Try their faith 2. To prouoke to repentance 3. And so to take them heereby out of this miserable world But in the wicked it is otherwise The Lord is angry when hee leaues them to Satan hee entends the discouerie of their Infidelitie and vnmasking of their hypocrisie By this sharpe affliction hee awakens heereby their drowsie conscience and so in the horror thereof seales vp vnto them eternall vengeance and leauing them to be releiued by carnall meanes subiects them thereby more surely to the power of Satan by whom making vp in this renuing of their daies the measure of their sin they are ripened and hastened to the day of vengeance Thus they differ in the cause 2 As for the measure the affliction either reacheth onely to touch the bodie or else if the soule beare a part still the hand of the Lord is put vnder Psal. 37. 24. comforts are supplyed according to the affliction or the sharper affliction prepares to more sound and heauenly consolation But for the wicked it is not so with them The soule is especially aimed at by the malice of Satan and therefore either the body is so smitten to driue the soule to despaire or else by sending it to vnlawfull meanes the soule is more fearefully ensnared by confidence in Satan and so hastened to it iust vnauoidable confusion And thus they differ in regard of the measure 3 For the Issue The Saints If they escape out this affliction 1 are more experienced in Satans subtiltie 2 more enabled to comfort and relieue others 3 more purged of carnall confidence 4 more humbled and cast vpon the mightie power of God 5 more quickned in faith 6 more weaned from the loue of the world 7 more warie to keepe themselues within Gods protection more patient vnder the crosse 8 more prepared to death 9 more readie for the Lord. And therefore If they are translated heereby they make an happie exchange of sinne for perfect holinesse of miserie for eternitie of transitorie for eternall happinesse of deceitfull
these indirect meanes for discouerie they shall yet deeplier engage their soules vnto the power and malice of Satan And therefore though the Bad Witch may bee detected by these meanes yet neither is the wise Christian to vse these meanes for the discouery of this Monster neither is the Magistrate to admit of this detection as a sufficient euidence for the certaine discerning and iudging of the Witch It will then be demanded What detections and presumptions lawful wee may haue to discouer a Witch To which wee answere That as the Lord hath ordained the Punishment of these offenders so no doubt hee hath also disposed the meanes whereby they may be detected that so they may be iustly punished SECTIO II. Of lawfull meanes of detection And I of Presumptions THe meanes of these Detections are Principally Two Examination and Conuiction Touching Examination This is when the Magistrate makes enquiry concerning this crime and that not vpon euery corrupt passion or sleight occasion but vpon weightie Presumptions probably coniecturing of the Witch These are 1 Notorious defamation of this crime by the most of neighbours which are of the best report 2 The Accusation of a fellow Witch either at examination or at the day of death is not to bee neglected because now Authoritie hauing seized on hit though she may lie before she be discouered yet now hauing confessed herselfe she is an Instrument of the Lords Iustice to satisfie Authoritie and cleare the innocent by speaking truth c. though otherwise shee would not to accuse the delinquent 3 A third presumption is from the effect of cursing For when a bad tongued woman shall curse a partie and death shortly follow this is a shrewd token that shee is a Witch because Witches are accustomed to execute their mischeuous practises by cursing and banning this may be sufficient for examinatiō thogh not of cōuiction 4 If after Enmity quarreling or threatning a present mischief do folow 5 If the partie suspected be anie kim or of Special acquaintance with a cōuicted Witch because it is the manner of them to conuey their Trades and Spirits one to another and especially to those that are nearest about and most familiar with them 6 It is obserued that the Witch receiues som mark from Satan to owne her by in some priuy place which is vsually raw whence the spirit draws bloud c. and this if there be no other reason in Nature is a shrewd presumption to examine at least 7 And so if in examination wee find the partie contrarie and in diuers Tales not onely Fearefull for this may be in a good case but Doubtfull and Different this may bee a Presumption to argue a guiltie conscience Thus of Presumptions 2. Of Examination Now concerning Examination this may either be made by Question from the Magistrate by certaine wise and crosse Interrogations to this end Or else by Torture when together with words some violent meanes are vsed by paine to extort confession which may haue necessarie place when the partie is obstinate 3 Of Conuiction Hauing vsed the best meanes by Examination the next is Conuiction whereby after iust examination the Witch is discouered To this must concurre not bare presumptions but sufficient Proofes Not such as heeretofore haue beene reckoned or like to those As scratching the suspected party c. The confession of a partie dying that such a one hath bewitched him But for manifest conviction these Proofes are to be esteemed sufficient 1 The Free confession of the crime by the party suspected after due examination being found in diuers tales I but say the Partie will not confesse Here then the testimonie of two sufficient witnesses is currant prouing one of these two things either That the party accused hath made a league with Satan or hath done some knowne practise of Witch-craft producing likely arguments for the confirmation thereof As 1 That the Witch hath called vpon the deuill for helpe 2 That she entertaines a familiar spirit and had conference with it in any Forme or likenesse 3 That she hath shewed ones face in a glasse being absent 4 That they haue fore-told things to come 5 Holpen to things lost whereof they haue had no ordinary meanes of knowledge 6 That they haue healed by Prayers Spells Amulets And so howsoeuer the League with Satan be secret and therefore not able to be discouered yet is both Satan willing to haue it knowne by effects for the increase of his kingdom hastning the cōfusion of his slaues and so by such like effects hee doth discouer them 1 To haue speedier possession of them lest afterward by remorce they might bee brought to repentance 2 as hating so detestably euen all mankinde that he cannot endure they should inioy the world or the benefits thereof no not an houre 3 but especially the Policie of Satan in this discouerie is 1 to satisfie the rage of the people who now hauing found the Witch instead of being auenged of their sinnes doe intend nothing more then the satisfying of their malice in destruction of the Witch 2 and so therein to procure credite and estimation to the good Witch to make more worke for her by whose meanes this enemy to mankind this badde Witch hath beene discouered And yet we may obserue the ouer-ruling hand of God herein that though Satan do hasten the speedie discouerie of the Witch yet the Lord in his holy wisedome oft-times disposeth that such shall liue long yea die vndetected Eyther because some of them may belong to the Election and therefore may repent of this great sinne by holy meanes and so bee freed both from temporall and eternall punishment Or some remaine longer vndisclosed to execute greater mischiefe in the world as they are more cruelly bent thereto Or else there may be some Couenant with Sathan by the Wach for some terme of yeares which hee is contented to binde himselfe to to haue her more sure and secure thereby And thus of the proofes to discouer the Witch without which shee may not safely be condemned CHAP. III. Of the True Remedies against Witchcraft HItherto of the meanes to Discouer Witch-craft Now let vs consider of the meanes whereby we may preuent and be deliuered from the same SECTIO I. VVHEREVNTO seeing the Lord hath gratiously afforded the blessing of Gouernement as a speciall means to discouer witchcraft and so by cutting off the offender by the Law very mercifully also to preuent the same Therefore let vs acknowledge vnfainedly the goodnesse of God heerein Pray we for the Magistrate that the Lord may giue him a discerning spirit herein and yeeld we al conscionable obedience to him vnder God that for our sins he may not be giuen vp to security such strong delusiōs as either to neglect the prosecuting of this sin or to iustifie the same Surely as we haue great cause to be thankefull to our God for that which our Gracious Soueraigne hath
a seducer of others to Idolatrie as appeareth by their common practise both vpon their friends to whom they vsually bequeath their spirits and vppon all whom they instruct to rest in charmes c. And therefore to be put to death Deuter. 13. 6. 9. 5 Nay shee is a murtherer both of soules and bodies and therefore in this respect doth also deserue death SECTIO II. Answer to Obiections against this Execution 1 ANd therefore though the diuell doe the mischiefe yet is the Witch confederate and accessarie thereto nay in her owne conceit Principall and Mistris and therefore by the Lawe of Accessories is to die the death 2 Therefore though they should repent yet die they must to iustifie God and preuent further ensnaring that though their body perish yet the soule may be saued 1. Cor. 5. 3 Though she repent not yet seeing shee must haue some time of repentance though she do not yet is Iustice to proceede without respect of persons In zeale to Gods glory and loue of sinceritie so Moses Exo. 32. 28. and Phinehas c. Num. 25. 8. And this sincerity of Iustice doth require That though death and such hurts ensue not yet for the offence done to God in combining with Sathan c. the parties are to be executed accordingly For so the word doth plainely imply and heretofore the Law hath been defectiue in this case yet blessed be God for a further perfection heerein and will not the Lord daily perfect his worke If wee beleeue shall wee not see greater things then these Well 1 Let this instruct the godly magistrate to haue an eie especially to the Blesser that raigneth among vs And to draw the people to the true and lawfull meanes of helping soule and bodie by rooting out of these Good Witches which are rife almost in euerie parish and placing in stead thereof a conscionable Minister as that the people may require the Lawe at his mouth that he may pray to the Lord for them that they may bee healed 2 Let this teach him to punish sinne of conscience not for by respects meeting with the Witch as an Idolator offending against God not so much as a murtherer sinning against man 3 Let his owne safetie mooue him heereunto who as hee hath beene euen so still by the execution of Iustice may be free from these Monsters 4 And lastly Let the glorie of God in aduauncing the Gospel especially heere preuayle which is by no kind of thing more vndermined then by Witches Is glorious in nothing more then in rooting out Antichrist the great Coniurer and deceiuer of Gods people and banishing superstition the very bedde and nursery of witch-craft The end of the second Booke THE MYSTERIE OF WITCH-CRAFT The third Booke Discouering The seuerall Vses of this Doctrine of WITCH-CRAFT LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. OF THE DIVERS VSES OF THIS DOCTRINE OF WITCH-CRAFT The third Booke CHAP. I. First it serueth for reproofe and that many wayes SECTIO I. As first of the Atheisme and Irreligion that ouerflowes in the Land DOth not Satans Policy in this trade of Witch-craft pretending to afflict and hurt but when he is seene by the Witch and then to hurt only the bodie or goods Plainely obscure and abolish out of the minds of men the Prouidence of the Almightie as if Satan were not subiect to God and sent by his prouidence that he were not countermaunded by the power of God but onely subiect to the Witches power Doth not this exalt her in the place of God prouoke the people to feare and loue her c 2 And seeing the hurt appeareth onely by his cunning to be done to the bodie doth not this nourish the people in this Atheisme that either their soules are in no danger all is well with them or they neede not trouble themselues thereabout seeing the diuel doth not trouble them nay doth not this nourish this conceit in their mindes that they haue no soules or else that they are mortall they end with this life and therefore vse all meanes for the maintenance hereof and then care is taken sufficiently 3 Doth not this conuince the Atheist that dreames of Generall Grace All shall be saued seeing by this Doctrine and Practise of Witch-craft It is now apparant That not onely naturally we are the bondslaues of Satan but that many purposely yeelde vp themselues to his cursed will renounce their saluation to become his slaues binde themselues to eternall damnation and so are made oft-times fearefull spectacles of the Diuine vengeance being carried away by the diuell and haled violently to destruction 4 Doth not this iustly confound that common delusion That there is no hell but to be in debt in prison c. Doth not this conuince such as liue in that profane and fearefull manner as if there were no God to Iudge them no diuell to torment them Do not their desperate courses plainely discouer to whom they doe belong Are they not of their father the Diuell because his workes they doe are they not running headlong to Hell by their desperate impenitencie doth their damnation sleepe that so turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Hath not the god of this world blinded them that they cannot obey the truth Are they not appoynted to perdition that thus crucifie the Lord of life Is there any more sacrifice left for sinne for such but euen violent fire to consume the aduersaries Herbrews cha 10. 26. 27. Iude verse 4. Iohn chap. 8. 44. SECTIO VIII It is a plaine conuiction of the contempt of the Word FOr as the Lord when Pharaoh would not beleeue his seruant Moses did therefore giue him vp to be deluded by his Sorcerers and Enchanters who dooing such wonders in shew as Moses did in trueth did thereby harden Pharaohs heart and so ripened his sinne and iniquity euen so it is iust with God because we despise his Word and contemne his true Prophets therefore to leaue the common people generally to bee hardned by such fained wonders as the prophets of Sathan make shew of in the world that they might bee effectuall to encrease transgressions against the Lord and so to ripen them to the day of vengeance Thus did the Lord giue vp Saul for his disobedience and contempt of the Word to seeke vnto Witchcraft 1. Sam. 28. Whereby hee ripened his sinne and drew on speedy vengeance vpon himselfe and Gods People for his sake 2. Sam. 29. Thus was Ahaziah left to seeke helpe of the god of Ekron that so he might receiue of the Lord the Sentence of his destruction 2. Reg. 2. SECTIO III. Of Reproofe IT reprooueth the Idolatrie and false worship of the Times conuincing the falshoode and abomination of Poperie and iustifying the truth and vertue of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. As that first where superstition raignes and is not yet weeded out there wee see Witch-craft to be magnified and so to abound as in the Orcades among the Heathen But where
drawne on to this diuellish compact therefore let vs learne also to preuent this fearefull league To this end Let vs take heed of liuing in grosse and wilfull ignorance And while wee haue the light let vs embrace it conscionably lest we be giuen vp for our disobedience to these strong delusions 2 Let vs be thorowly perswaded of the prouidence of God not onely in generall ruling and disposing all things so that euery creature is at his cōmand not so much as an haire of our heads can be touched vnlesse the Lord dispose 3 But specially apprehend we that prouidence of the Almightie whereby he hath taken the soule of man into his especiall protection as hauing elected vs to saluation before the foundations of the world were laid and that in Iesus Christ to the praise of his glorious grace that so we may neither thinke our soules to bee at our owne dispose much lesse may giue way vnto Santhans suggestion as to haue them disposed at his pleasure especially seeing hee hath no right thereto nay is the maine enemie and murtherer thereof from the beginning chap. 8. of Saint Iohn 4 And so let vs learne to resigne vp our soules daily into the hands of our God by casting our care vpon him and 1. Pet. 5. Daily making euen with him by vnfained repentance Submitting daily to his blessed will in all things and Making our requests daily manifest vnto him Contenting our selues with his gracious dispensation and yet still hungring continually after his glorious presence Psalme 42. Philip. 1. 23. 24. 2. Corint 5. 1. 2. And so committing our selues in well-doing into the hands of our faithful Creator 1. Pet. 4. 5 Make we conscience especially of holie duties as to do them 1 of knowledge 2 with all holie preparation 3 with all reuerence and intention 4 with all humilitie and obedience 5 especially being well perswaded of what we doe 6 and principally of the acceptance of our persons therein c. aboue the same Seeing as whatsoeuer is done ignorantly or prophanely is no better then a sacrifice to the diuell so it is iust with God for this prophaning of his ordinance to yeelde vs vp to strong delusions euen 1 to rest in the worke done 2 to flatter our selues that the doing thereof may excuse vs for any grose filthinesse 3 to thinke that God will be pleased with any Idoll seruice 4 so to make a mocke of God and his ordinances 5 and therefore iustly to be giuen vp to the power of Satan to the satisfying of our lusts 6 to abuse holy titles and prayers to the effecting hereof and so by degrees to be brought to this execrable skill in steed of seruing God to submit wholy to Satan intertaining any colourable and accursed meanes for the compassing hereof And thus of the Vses for Instruction CHAP. XVII A third generall vse is for consolation And that Eyther in generall to the Church of God 1. THat Sathans power is limited by the Lord for the Triall of the Elect and purging out of hypocrites and prophane persons out of the Church and therfore comfort we our selues in the supreame Power of our God Tread wee Satan vnder our feete as a Captiue layd bound to our hands by our Captaine Iesus Christ. 2. Assure we our selues that the power that is now so curbed shall once for euer bee destroyed The Lord shall tread Satan vnder our feet Rom. 16. 1. Cor. 15. 54 55 c. Secondly here is exceeding comfort That Satan cannot preuaile effectually vpon any to their condemnation vnlesse with full consent they yeelde themselues wholy to his subiectiō And if Otherwise he afflict them against their wils it shall howsoeuer turne to their good Christ wil be vnto them both in life death an aduantage and therfore here is matter of exceeding comfort vnto the Saints that seeing they are not their owne but are bought with a price therefore none can take them out of the handes of Christ. If Satan therefore shall mooue them to close with him to giue way to him their answere is ready They are not their owne let him aske their master leaue they cannot giue way to him he comes too late they haue couenanted with Christ Iesus already he hath deserued all seruice at their handes hee is sufficient to requite them nay hee hath prouided their wages alreadie no lesse then a Kingdom is prepared for them yea a Kingdom immortall and vndefiled which fadeth not And if Satan should take aduantage of our weakenesse and corruption and therupon challenge vs to belong vnto him to yeelde subiection to him our answere is ready We are not our owne It is not I but sinne dwelleth in me Let Satan therefore take my sinne for that indeed is of him yea he shal answere for my infirmitie because his malice prouoked it his cunning allured me to it As for me wherein I am now my selfe I delight in the Law of God concerning my Inward man I hate the euill that I do euen worse then the Diuel and I shall desire to be found in Iesus Christ that my sinne may bee pardoned and my corrupt Nature healed That Satans power may bee abolished and corruption may bee swallowed vp of glory CHAP. XVIII Conclusion to the Wise and Humble Reader THus hast thou at length Deare Christiā some Part of my poore Obseruations concerning this Mysterie of Witch-craft Wherein for thy better satisfaction and mine owne greater humiliation As I am not ashamed to acknowledge that which thou canst not but discerne That I haue borrowed most of my Grounds For the Proofe Discouerie of the Doctrine of Witch-craft from the Painefull and profitable Labours of the Worthies of our Times that haue waded before mee heerein to confirme the Authoritie thereof against the Atheisme of these euill dayes that so each might haue the perfect honour of their owne Paines So haue I thought good to ad such experiences and collections of mine owne partly gathered out of such Treatises as to this purpose haue bene published frō time to time touching the Discouery and Conuiction of Witches And partly digested from particular obseruation of the hand of God vpon Parties afflicted that so the Doctrine may be made more profitable for the edification of the Church Wherein I haue spared the seueral Allegations and particular testimonies herein least the Volume might swell too much and so proue tedious triuial Referring thee and my selfe for warrant herein vnto those manifold Treatises which haue bin frequently published to this purpose and are vsually to be had vpon the Stationers Stalles And if any thing ouer besides hath bene added out of my particular obseruations from such generall Passages and priuate Meditations for the further fastning of this Doctrine vpon the conscience of the wise Christian that he may not dwel in the generall speculation thereof to increase curiosity so nourish Atheisme but rather may bee prouoked to a more holy vse
any such thing fall out it necessarily proceedeth from Satans power permitted iustly by the Lord to preuaile thus with his dearest seruants to deceiue and ensnare vnstable soules that forsaking the God of their saluation runne to Sathan for helpe for the bodie to the destruction of the soule And therefore howsoeuer Satan could without the ministerie of Witches do happily as great hurt to the bodie and therefore it may seeme that to vse them were needlesse yet seeing it is the soule that he principally hunts after so by hurting the body entendeth also the further ensnaring thereof Hence is it that he employeth these instruments to accomplish his will by not onely ensnaring their soules by satisfying their desires to hurt and helpe whom they list But hereby also endangering the soules of others Both those that are hurt in prouoking them hereby both to seeke for reuenge abroade against the Witch when as they should beginne at home to be auenged of their owne sins as also to seek for remedy of their hurt by diuellish meanes and so they vsually buy this helpe with the hazard of their soules And so also enthralling their soules yet more fearefully vnto Sathan In that receiuing help from such means as are tendered out of his schoole heereby it comes to passe that Satan is adored and aduaunced aboue all that is called God The holie and lawfull meanes of helpe are reiected and despised Ignorance and Atheisme is nourished in the world Infidelitie and all excesse of sinne maintained and increased and so iniquitie ripened vnto the day of vengeance And yet If here the cunning of Sathan be to keepe these Witches poore and therefore it may seeme that they should haue but a little list to follow this miserable trade Obserue we wisely the admirable Iustice and Wisedome of Almightie God herein both in ouer-ruling Satan that hee shall not minister to the Witch according to her desire that so she may be confounded in her dtsperate bargaine that hath parted with her soule for enioying of that whereof she is disappoynted As also Heereby the desires of the Witch being disappoynted are more enflamed and so eternall damnation hereby sealed vp vnto her And withall shee more abiected to the lust of Sathan renewing her couenant and multiplying her sacrifices that shee may compasse her desires That so beeing still kept short and confounded in her expectation shee may breake out into more desperate attempts to the ripening of sinne and hastening of vengeance Which shall with greater confusion light vpon her in that being once arrested and conuicted by Authoritie she shall find her master whom she hath serued not onely to be the meanes of her discouerie and haling to Iudgement as heereafter shall be manifest but now he hath discouered her to forsake her vtterly in regard of helping out of this brake that so shee may be yet further confounded in her desperate choice that hath forsaken a faithfull GOD to serue such a maister as will forsake her in her neede and that to such a fearefull end as heereby to sincke her in horrible despaire and so to exclude her al hope of mercy and compassion from the Lord and thereby to expose her vnauoydably to his mercilesse tyranny And to this end serueth further that the bad Witches power being so limited as hauing hurt shee cannot helpe againe howsoeuer it may seeme to imply a unllotie in this Trade or at least challenge the power and perfection of it yet indeed this restraint of the bad Witches power tendeth much to aduance the Mysterie of this iniquitie as hereafter is made manifest and so to make good the wisedome of this Art Especially seeing this both for the present proues a great confusion to the Witches power as also giues occasion of her discouerie from the Blesser who in this case is sought to for helpe and so detecting the bad Witch makes way for her riddance that her Maister Satan may haue more worke And howsoeuer when the Witch is punished the partie afflicted hath no ease yet this doth not argue that his affliction came not by that meanes But herein appeareth first the absolute power of God who ties not the outward blessing simply to the vse of holy meanes Though the Magistrate haue done his duetie in punishing the Witch yet the party afflicted must still abide Gods leasure The Lord is not simply subiect to man Or else though that outward meanes may bee vsed for the punishment of the offender yet seeing the affliction must bee sanctified before it shall bee remoued from the Saints And this proceeding hitherto may happily bee a meanes for the good of the Witch as being staid from further hurting and so happily as shee belongs to the Lord by this temporall punishment may bee brought to true repentance But it cannot simply and necessarily auaile the party afflicted therefore it is the great wisedome and bountie of the Lord not to cease the affliction vpon the punishment of the Witch but rather to linger it vpon his Saints vntill by more effectuall meanes of prayer and vnfained repentance they shall make an holy vse of the present chasticement And so in it due season it shall bee remoued from them And may not the wise and gracious GOD heerby meete with our Confidence in the meanes not remouing the correction though wee haue done the will of God for the further Triall of our faith and aduancement of his absolute power in preseruing vs in this extremity And so thereby not onely confounding Satan and his instruments which thirst for bloud but preparing vs heereby to a more glorious deliuerance And what if it please our mercifull God to take vs to himselfe by this strange affliction doth not his exceeding mercie shine heerein Not onely in sanctifying this grieuous affliction to his Saints though hee do not vtterly remoue it but further also in deliuering them by this affliction from this miserable world or at least leading them by the continuance of the rod to sound repentance that so they may howsoeuer be bettered by it And therefore seeing the Lord can raise light of darkenesse and these outward things are common to all though the deere Seruants of God should bee chasticed with this scourge may not this stand with the wise prouidence of the Almighty may it not come within the compasse of this Art to haue euen Gods children afflicted by Witch-craft Shall not euen all things turne to their good And what though the Word seeme to condemne such as by poyson take away the life of man yet seeing these poysons are deliuered from Satan vnto the Witch by vertue of the Couenant betweene them and though some hurt bee done by poysons yet much more is done by forcerie and imployment of Satan personally to that end seeing the Word doth as well condemne these Witches Is it not manifest that such there are to be condemned And though happily they may speake many things falsly