A Discourse of the subtill Practises of Deuilles by VVitches and Sorcerers By which men are and haue bin greatly deluded the antiquitie of them their diuers sorts and Names With an Aunswer vnto diuers friuolous Reasons which some doe make to prooue that the Deuils did not make those Aperations in any bodily shape By G. Gyfford Imprinted at London for Toby Cooke 1587. ¶ To the right woorshipfull Maister Richard Martin Alderman and VVarden of her Maiesties Mint THE sacred Scriptures right worshipful both of the olde and new Testament do speake in sundrieplaces of Witches Coniurers Sorcerers and that such doings are in high detestation before God but what these can do few of the vulgar sort do rightly vnderstand For the most part do ascribe vnto them very foolishly such power and efficacie in working as in deede the deuill is not able to perfourme though God should enlarge his chaine giue him full scope to doe all that he desireth Againe some few are of the minde that whatsoeuer is spoken in the holy Scriptures or in other writers concerning things wrought by such kinde of people it was not done by the deuill but was a meere craft and cosenage of the deceiptfull men and women which haue taken vpon them such matters That the holy scriptures haue no meaning to teach that deuils euer did any thing that way And that all other writers haue erred which maintaine the same power of deuils The opinion of these latter is grosse and in some sort contumelious being against the direct testimonies of Gods word The vaine conceipt of those former that is to say of the multitude which imagine that Witches can worke at their pleasure so are the comon plague of the earth breedeth so innumerable sins that it is as a monster with many heads It is no meruaile that ignoraunt men which despise the light of the gospel are deceiued by the crafty illusions of Satan but this may seeme strange that men instructed in the truth should be abused and erre though not in the grossest maner yet grosly but in deed the things are sildome handled by the preachers of the holy word at the least in such full maner as might cut downe all false opinions conceiued in mens mindes about the same I haue therefore bin mooued vppon such consideration to take some trauell and set forth somewhat to conuince mens vaine opinions therein I had not this minde to set forth any large discourse what hath bin Iudged and deemed in former times by learned men and what they testifie concerning the slights of deuills by oracles diuinations and such vaine deceipt but onely to giue a taste to the simpler sorte euen from the doctrine of the bible vnto which I doo only leaâ—…e It may be some which haue lofty mindes whom nothing can content but that which is to their thincking absolutely perfect will say it is slender and to no purpose It is that which I am able not written for those which knowe more neather to seeke the coÌ„mendation of a learned worke but in very deede to apply that small measure of knowledge which God in mercy hath giuen me to the benefit of those that want it If any with deeper skill shal reueale that which I haue not attained vnto I will be right glad not onely for my selfe but also for our countrimen which greatly neede instruction in the same I present it vnto your worship not for the greatnes of the worke but to testifie my hearty good-will which in respect of that louing fauour and friendship which your worship hath for certaine yeares shewed towards me is great but farre greater because that your zeale hath bin shewed towards the gospell and loue towards al those that publish and professe it I trust your worship will take in good part this poore gift considering from what minde it coÌ„meth there bee some things handled in it which are vsually committed both in the city and in the country that are horrible before God and to be seuerely punished by such as are placed in authority and therfore not vnfit to be perused by them The Lord which hath inriched your worship diuers waies with his good gyfts increase and double the same to his honor and your eternall comfort Amen Your worships to commaund George Gyfford A BRIEFE DISCOVRSE wherein is declared the subtil practise of deuils by witches and sorcerers by which men are and haue bene greatly seduced The 1 Chapter I Am not ignorant touching this one point that the discouery and laying open of Satans wylines which hee practiseth by witchcraft is a matter of no small difficulty the reason is manifest and without all controuersie to bee admitted which doth proue the same for if politike wise men can dig so deepe to hide theyr counsels and intents that no man can espie them how shall wee discry the practise of deuils who are far more deepe and subtil and can couer their sleights and false conueiances more craftily then men let no man therefore suppose that I take vpon me or professe so great skil as to vncouer and make manifest as it were the groundworke of those treacheries which he practiseth by Sorcerers and Witches The very truth is I haue not curiously serched them out nether do I accompt it the labour â—…est spent I only purpose so far to open Satans packe and to make shew of so many of his false and counterfait wares as may instruct the simple sort to discerne the better and to iudge of all the rest which I trust euery modest and sober mynd wil allow to bee in some measure sufficient Seing we haue this aduantage that wee are most sure that al his finest stuffe is no better then his coursest wares because that all his doings are for naughty and wicked purpose howsoeuer they may seeme to bee profitable Whereas then the light of Gods word doth dispell the thicke darknes wherwith this slie enemie hydeth himselfe and manifesteth his most pestiferous and deadly poison in some thinges let it bee a sufficient warning for all his doinges without further examination I am moued to deale with this matter and I wish it were dealt throughly in by such as are fully able for this consideration that I see many through ignorance of such things are greatly ouerreached by Satan and so entangled and snared with errors that they fal into very foule and horrible sinnes those that vnderstand the Latine tonge may very wel satisfy themselues with that which wearines with great iudgement and trauell hath written touching this argument I haue not seene any that haue written in our tong which lead not into error on the one side or the other for there be extremities on both sides into which men do fall The most part haue bene besotted euen such as did take themselues to be very wise for they haue verely beleued that witches could do great wonders ascribing such power vnto deuils as belongeth onely to God Others there bee which
named Iiddegnoni Iadang is to know from wheÌ„ce this word semeth to be deriued For such as deale with deuils do know many things which other men can not know so far as God doth permit vnto the deuil to reueale this kind is commonly ioyned with Shoel Ob and therefore thought to differ litle from the same For they both wrought with the Deuill as doe the Witches and also the Coniurers Either of them no doubt may verie wel set forth both our Witches and Coniurers though there seem to be great difference betweene them which is no more in déed but the craft of the deuill His auntient manner of practise with Shoelob and Iiddegnoni haue bene detected and therefore he hath turned thinges into an other forme but the matter is the same Coniurer goeth one way to work the witch an other the one as it seemeth for on purpose the other for an other but yet the cheife end is all one The eyght and last is called Doresh el hammethim that is as much as to say on which enquireth at the dead This kind of witch was called of the grecians Necromantes that is one which vseth diuinations by the dead And the art it self was called Necromancia I sée not how this could much differ froÌ„ Bagnalath Ob which tooke vpon her to fetch vp the soules of dead men These were so called not that they were able by any meanes to featch vp the soule of any man either good or bad But the deuill feined him selfe to be the soule of such or such a body and handled the matter so that they could perceiue none other Thus much may suffice for the names vsed in the holy scriptures There be other but no doubt the same indeed with some of these Now to proceed forward and to shew what any of these did or could doe by soceries it is requisit in the first place to speake of the cheife doeâ—… which is the deuill The nature of deuils described with there operations and effectes The 4 Chapter THe Deuils being the principall agents chiefe practisers in witchcrafts and sorceryes It is much to the purpose to descrybe and set theÌ„ for wheree by we shall bee the better instructed to see what he is able to do in what maner and to what ende purpose At y â— beginning as Gods word doth teach vs they were createdholy Angels full of power glory They sinned they were cast downe from heauen they were vtterly depriued of glory and â—…reserued for iudgement This therfore this change of theirs did not destroy nor take away their former faculties but vtterly corrupt peruert and depraue the same the essence of spirits remayned not onely but also power vnderstanding such as is in Angels y â— heaueÌ„ly Angels are very mighty strong far aboue all earthly creatures in the whole world The infernall angels are for their strength called principalityes powers those blessed ones applye all their might to set vp aduaunce the glgry of God to defend succour his children the deuils bend all their force against God agaynst his glory his truth his people And this is done with such fiercenes rage cruelty that the holy ghost paynteth them out vnder the figure of a great red or fiery dragon roaring lyon in very deed any thing comparable to theÌ„ He hath such power and autority indeede that hee is called the God of the world His kingdome is bound and inclosed within certayne limits for he is y e prince but of darknes but yet within his sayd dominion which is in ignorance of God he exerciseth a mighty tyrany our Sauiour compareth him to a strong man armed which kepeth his castle And what shall we saie for the wisedome and vnderstanding of Angels which was giuen them in their creatioÌ„ was it not far aboue that which men can reach vnto When they became diuels euen those reprobate angels their vnderstanding was not taken awaie but turned into malicious craft and subtiltie He neuer doth any thing but of an euill purpose and yet he can set such a colour that the Apostle saith he doth change himselfe into the likenesse of an angell of light For the same cause he is called the old serpent he was subtill at the beginning but he is now growne much more subtill vp long experience and continuall practise he hath searched out and knoweth all the waies that may be to deceiue So that if God should not chaine him vp as it is set forth Reuel 20. his power and subtiltie ioined together would ouercome and seduce the whole world There be great multitudes of infernall spirits as the holy scriptures doe euerie where shew but yet they doe so ioine together inone that they be called the diuell in the singular number They doe all ioine together as our sauiour teacheth to vphold one kingdome For though they can not loue one another indeede yet the hatred they beare against God is as a band that doth tye them together The holie angels are ministring spirits sent foorth for their sakes which shall inherit the promise They haue no bodilie shape of themselues but to set foorth their speedinesse the scripture applieth it selfe vnto our rude capacitie and painteth them out with wings When they are to rescue and succour the seruants of God they can straight waie from the high heauens which are thousands of thousands of miles distant from the earth bee present with them Such quicknesse is also in the diuels for their nature being spirituall and not loden with any heauie matter as our bodies are doth affoord vnto them such a nimbleues as we can not conceiue By this they flie through the world ouer sea and land and espie out al aduantages and occasions to doe euill Now to declare what these malignant wicked diuels haue effected brought to passe or what great successe they haue attained would be a long and tedious piece of worke A few short sentences of the word of God onely to note the same may suffise in this behalfe he preuailed by his great craft against our first parents he is called the prince of this world and the God of this world The Gentiles did worship diuels since the comming of our Sauiour Christ when hee was bound for a thousand yeares being let loose againe hee seduced the world yea he was the means and it was by the efficacie of his power that Antichrist the Pope and his false religion was set vp And so all the world woondered and followed the beast for so the holy ghost termeth Antichrist and they worshipped the beast and they woorshipped the dragon which gaue power to the beast This seemeth horrible and monstrous that all nations of the world should worship the diuell doubtlesse they neuer meant it but when they forsooke the true worship prescribed in the holie word and imbraced idolatrie and woorship deuised by man whatsoeuer intent they had
make one body to beare the likenes of another it is but a colour But some man wil say what reason is there to shew that they can doe so much being of an essence inuisible We may not staye heere within the limites of our owne reason which is not able to reach vnto or to comprehend what way Deuils should be able to haue such operations We may not I say measure their nimblenes power subtilties in working by our owne vnderstanding or capacitie But we must looke what the holy scripture doth testifie in this behalfe and therin rest and stay our selues We haue a manifest proofe Exod. 7. that the Deuill can take a bâ—…dily shape For when Aaron had cast downe his staffe and it was turned into a Serpent the Enchaunters of Egypt cast downe their staues and they became Serpents which was indeede but in shewe and appearance which the Deuil made for he deluded the senses both in hiding the forme of the staues which indeede were not any way changed and also in making a shewe of such bodies as were not this was done openly in y â— cleare light for otherwise it might be thought to be a meere illusion For we see that men in extreame sickenes thinke they heare a voyce and see a shape which none other in presence eyther heareth or seeth some are so melancholike that they imagin they heare and see that which they doe not for Sathan deludeth the phantasie so â—…ore that the partye doth suppose that his very outward senses do perceaue the matter but here was no such thing but all which were with Pharao thinke theâ—…e 〈◊〉 very Serpents indeede sauing that Moses and Aaron did knowe it was the iugling of the Deuill King Saule when God had forsaken him and being in distresse sought vnto a Witch He is desirous to talke with Samuell which was dead for he annainted him to be king ouer Israell He requesteth of the witch that she would bring him vp she taketh the matter vpon her there commeth vp one which taketh vpon him to be Samuell and the Scripture calleth him so Saul and the witch take it to be so He appeareth in a bodily shape vseth goodly plaine speeche It was not the true but a false and counterfeit Samuel euen a wicked Deuill For he handleth the matter very cunningly but yet in diuers things bewrayeth himselfe He was content that Saull should fall downe and worship him which the true Samuell would neuer haue suffered He doth not rebuke him for seeking vnto a witch which the scripture condemneth And the Lord imputeth it vnto Saull for one of the sinnes for which he did destroy him In which place the Lord saith he sought to consult with Ob. This is out of doubt that the holy Ghost is far from calling the soul of Samuel Ob. and as for the woman she is not called Ob but Bagnalath Ob on which possesseth Ob. Nowe let vs consider his speeche why saith he hast thou disquieted me by calling me vp Marke what subtilty there is in these fewe wordes This is most certaine that the soules of righteous men are not subiect to the call of a witch but the crafty Deuil would make men belieue that they be and euen drawen foorth and troubled or disquieted For his speeche is Lammah Hirgaztanâ—… which is as much as to say wherefore hast thou caused me to shake or be disquieted with feare It is deriued of Ragaz which is to shake and tremble Would the true Samuell make men belieue that the witch with her Ob. had such power to fetch him vp If it were Samuel indeed why did he not rather say that God sent him Againe the common error was that the soules of the righteous were in some place beneath in the earth where the witches familier spirite could come and bring them vp and for this cause also this counterfeite Samuell saith he had made him come vp Abrahams bosome was Paradise and S. Paule was taken vp into the thirde heauen and that he saith was Paradise Then Samuell must haue come downe and not haue come vp We see then that his speeche â—…endeth to confirme wicked and abhominable errors which may suffice to prooue that it was a Deuill Furthermore Moses doth shew that at the beginning the Deuill did talke with Eua vsing the serpent for his instrument If he could then immediately after his fall vse speech shall we doubt that he cannot now Is it not apparaÌ„tly set forth in the gospell that Deuils came out of many crying and saying what haue we to do with Iesus c. S. Luke Act. 19. doth shew that certain did take vpon them to name ouer those which had vncleane spirites the name of the Lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesus whom Paule preacheth and he saith that the euill spirite made answere and said Iesus I know and Paule I knowe but who are yee I conclude therfore out of these places of scripture that Deuils can take a bodily shape and vse speeche An answere vnto certaine friuolous reasons which some doe make to proue that the Deuils did not make those apparitions that he cannot appeare in any bodily shape The 7. Chapter THere is nothing almost so plaine but that there may be cauils made against it and some probable shewe of reason such therfore as take vpon them to maintaine that Witches and coniurers doe nothing by the helpe of Deuils and that spyrites can take no visible shape deuise all the shiftes which they are able to auoid those testimonies of scripture which I haue alleaged It is necessary therfore that ere I proceede any further 〈◊〉 the futility and vanity be shewed of the chiefe reasons which are brought for that purpose First touching the Enchaunters of Egypt might it not be that they made Serpents indeede by naturall Magicke for they which do know the secretes of nature may do things straunge meruellous To this I answere that if Iannes and Iambres did by their skil in the secrete power of nature turne their staues into very serpents I know few of the miracles of Christ which they might not eyther doe or as greate Christ turned water into Wine If those Enchaunters had bene there and by naturall Magicke had turned their staues into serpents who woulde not or might not iustly haue affirmed their miracle to be the greater The workes which Christ did beare witnes of him as he saith to declare that he was the sonne of god How could this testimonie bee infallible if so greate thinges might bee wrought by the power of nature we see then it is against pietie to bring such a thing in question any way to beate it into mens heads Againe if those Magicians had such skill to worke by nature they must needs go beyond nature her selfe which were a foule absurdity to bee anye way graunted for they could bring forth serpents at an instant and she can not bring forth the least
after a sort caried vp hard to it and see those things which common sense doth not attaine It is verifyed vppon all which the Prophet sayth the heauens declare the glory of God For what minde is so blunt but doth conceiue that the diuine power is great and glorious which made set in order and susteineth such a worke The rudest sort do find that the course of the Sunne and the Mone do order the dayes and the nightes moneths and yeares Winter and Sommer Who perceiueth not what great power the Sunne hath with his cherishing heate to cause thinges to grow the Mone beareth a great sway in the waters Diuers other thinges there be which are manifest to the simple But how farre beyond al these goe the learned Astronomers which do come nigh to gather the distance and withall the wonderfull greatnes of the celestiall bodies and their incomprehensible swiftnesse incomprehensible I say vnto man When from these they turne their cies towardes the Creator How can they but bee amazed at the consideration of his greatnes they see the seuerall courses of planets and their motions and the same fixed by an â—…changeable decree how can they cease wondring at the wisedome of God who hath so skilfully fashioned them all that which is secrete vnto others as the influences powers is apparant in some measure vnto them Mens death eather for the time or for the maner is not subiect to the stares much lesse vertue or vice 〈◊〉 ingendred in mens myndes by them The Astronomers do very grosly erre in these predictions about windes showrs but yet no doubt there bee many thinges which depend much vpon the course of the heauens which is no derogation to the prouidence of God who hath ordayned and doth vse them as instruments for the same Great operations in the bodies of men and beasts as al skilful phisitions do find come from the planets And no doubt the deuil tooke occasion hereby for to lead men further in these thinges then they should haue gone The third is called Menachesh Nachash signifyeth to coniecture from whence the same is deriued Laban when he intreated Iacob to abide still with him doth vse that woord I haue saith he coniectured or found by experiments that God hath blessed me for thy sake For hee felt that his cattle did increase and thriue vnder his hand Ioseph when hee had caused his siluer cup to be put into the sacke of his brother Beniamin and vpon search being found in the same speaketh after the same maner and sayth he did deuine or coniecture by that cup what manner of men they were It seemeth that the word was vsed indifferently and often times taken in good part When it is taken in euill part it semeth to note such as in Latine are called Augures A kind of sooth sayiers which did coniecture and prophesie by the voices and by the flying of Birdes by the intrals of beasts other like obseruations These were common among the heatheÌ„ had in great estimation For the wiser sort did beleeue that the Gods as they vse to say did vse the tonges of birdes as theire interpreters to make thinges knowen vnto men The like for the flying of birds which they did obserue when they went about any matter Hereupon some were accompted luckie and some vnlucky birds And how the deuil did play to delâ—… men by the intrals of beasts who knoweth the thing is not now in practise but yet some reliques dregs of this kind of witch craft if I may so cal it do remaine among vs. For some wil gather by the chattring of pyes that they shal haue gestes come vnto them The rauen he sitteth vpon the steeple and cryeth which way doth he looke sayth one from thence ye shal haue an eie ere it be long Another goeth abrode early in the morning a hare crosseth his way a very vnlucky signe he taketh it to be and looketh not to speede well that day Frends meet together make mery some one at vnwares doth turn down the salt the man or the woman towards whom it falleth doth blush and take litle comfort of the dainty banquet For that is taken to be a grieuous euil sign of mishap that will follow Heauy newes is brought vnto some that her father or her mother or her brother is dead I did euen looke for such a matter saith she for my nose this day did sodainly break forth a bleeding Thus hath the deuill crept into the mindes of vnbeleeuing people and causeth them to turne their eies from God These things must we condemne but we must take heed that we do not withal disalow those things which are to be approued For no doubt as we see by experience fowls beasts do foreshew some things but yet by a natural cause The goose and the ducke diuers other water fowles do diue and wash them and make a great sturre against raine The crow he cryeth otherwise then ordinary Other fowles there be which do flocke together and come vp from the sea when a cold blast is toward The cow though shee bee not very nimble nor taketh great pride in her running yet setâ—…eth vp her taile about shee goeth the fields The litle gnat foundeth her trompet giueth warning of a shower What shall wee say to these a number such like that they be as the heathen said the interprters of the gods no verely but there is a natural cause and that is this the disposition of the ayre is changed that do these fowles beasts feel in their bodies which maketh them so to deale that ther is such a change in the disposition of the aire though common sense in men do not perceiue it yet many things do shew What maketh the salt to bee wet but that the moysture of the ayre doth dissolue it what maketh the marble stone to sweat against raine but euen the moisture of the aire which it draweth to it what maketh the soot to fal downe by lumps gobs out of the chimney but the moist ayre against rayne doth loosen it If any man wil yet doubt how the sowls or beasts should feele the change of the ayre in their bodies hee may see it is not a thing strange For a man whose arme or his leg hath bene broken or that hath had some mayme or sore bruse in his bodye doth feel a great ache against rayne this doth come of the alteration of the air And thus wee see it behoueth men to discerne betweene such things as haue a natural cause therby do after a sort foreshew things those which haue no cause in nature but are to be reiected The 4 is called Mechashshepha It is deriued from Cashaph which is found in the holy scriptures that is 2 cron 33. 6. what the word doth properly signify or from whence it is drawen can no man tel More then this that it is vsed for a kind of
by witchcraft but it is a merueilous thing to sée in what feare men are and yet will not imbrace y â— wholsome remedy which the Lord hath prescribed they séeke many meanes that with cost and trauell but yet they are neuer the better for if they finde some ease vnto the body it is with the losse of y â— soule the deuill himselfe did inuent those medicines which they fly vnto for God neuer appointed them is he so foolishe as to make weapons against himself if they be vexed or hanted with a spirit as they vse to say a witch driue him out it is the deuil y t driueth him out if he be indéede driuen out But the trueth is he is not for Satan doth not driue out Satan Put the case that one deuill did expell another what comfort could it be vnto the possessed more then this that a weaker deuill is driuen out of him to giue place to a stronger For the stronger deuill would neuer expell the weaker vnlesse it were to enter there himselfe To let this passe it will be demaunded where there is any remedie prescribed by the Lord against witcherie The Lord saith he would raise vp a Prophet vnto the people Deut. 18. Those which giue eare vnto him shalbe safe Some man will say that is but in this one poynt that he shall not be deceiued by such as wrought by the deuil nor led into error But where is there any remedie mentioned to preserue a man from the bodily harmes done by Witches I aunswer that it were a straunge thing for the holy Scriptures to appoynt a medicine for such a disease as it neuer mentioneth The word of the Lord doth neuer mention that Witches can hurt the bodie at all therfore it doth no where prescribe any remedie for that which is not The malignant spirits or wicked deuils doe hurt both bodies and soules and therefore there is a way taught how to be frée from theÌ„ They haue no increase of power by a Witch but only thus much that for the iust vengeaunce of God vpon the vngodly the is glad to bee sent and obteyneth power but he that is armed against them alone is armed against both witch and them Against them there is no power can preuaile but the power of God Therefore when the holy Apostle doth set men in battell against deuils he willeth them to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might This mightie power of God is made ours onely by faith For which cause S. Iohn saith that faith is our victorie He that beléeueth doth ouercome the world which cannot bee vnlesse he doe ouercome the prince of the world This faith is the free gift of God but yet because he hath ordeyned outward meanes to come vnto it we are willed to take vnto vs all the whole armour of God wherein this might consisteth And to the end that the exhortation may the more affect vs Saint Paule doth expresse the whole matter vnder the likenesse and termes of warre For thereby appeareth that there is néede of Gods power that we may escape out of the great perrill The Apostle as a chiefe Captaine in the Lords Armie doth stirre vp and prepare all Christian souldiers He sheweth who be the enemies He declareth their terror in sundrie respects But yet vndoubted victorie vnto all those which followe his prescript All the power of God wherewith wee resist and ouercome the deuill is conueyed into vs by faith alone But because he speaketh as of a souldier in his compleat armour he applieth but one part vnto faith and the rest vnto those things which doe goe vnseperably with faith The souldier had his head and all parts of his bodie with his legges and feete armed then had he his sword in his right hand and his shield in the left Euen so in this spirituall armour applyed by similitude vnto the soule here is armour for the head for the feet and legges and for al the whole bodie and then the shield of faith to hold foorth in the one hand and the spirituall sword which is the word of God in the other hand The summe of the whole is that by faith in the Gospell of Iesus Christ we are armed with power of grace with true knowledge and light with sincere integritie of heart and with a godly life with zeale with patience and with all other heauenly vertues so that the fierie darts of the deuill neither in tempting vnto filthie sinnes nor yet in damnable heresies and opinions can fasten vpon vs. If wee want the true faith wee want grace we be not in Christ we haue not his spirit This faith is grounded vpon the word of God for the word is sent to bee preached that men may heare and beléeue If men bée ignorant in the word of God they cannot haue power to resist the deuill they haue no sword to fight with him Christ our great Captaine hath left vnto vs an example which we ought to follow when he resisted the deuill For at euery temptation he draweth foorth this same spirituall sworde and saith it is written and so woundeth Satan therewith that he taketh the foyle Moreouer as men are to bee armed with the power of GOD so are they continually to pray for by faithfull prayer they shall obtaine a continuall supplie of grace to ouercome the new and fresh assalts of the deuill We are to giue thanks also vnto God at all tymes for his benefites to depend vppon his prouidence to commend vnto his keeping both our soules and bodies and all that we possesse Thus shall the deuill haue no power for to hunt vs but if the Lord doe giue him leaue to afflict vs yet shal it be no further then may tend vnto our good For all things worke together for good vnto those which doe loue God Let it mooue vs to seeke increase of faith by often hearing of Gods word taught let it driue vs vnto continuall meditation in the same and vnto a godly life For all those which despise the glorious Gospell of Christ or the publishing of the same and most especially such as fight against it doe to their power set vp the kingdome of the deuill and bring in all witcherie The light of the Gospell doth beate him downe and therefore when Christ sent foorth his Disciples at the first to preach and they returning reioyced that euen the deuilles were made subiect vnto them he saith I saw Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning The Lord send abroad the light of his truth to throw downe Satan and to driue away darknes from the mindes of the people Amen FINIS Deut. 18. â—… Thes. 2. Geu 6. Icch â—…3 6 Mich. 3. Psalm 8. Psalm 19 Gen. 30. Eccl. 10. I Sam. 28 Esay 29. 2 Pet. 2. Iude. Ephes. Psalm 34. Heb. 1. Reuel 21. 1. Pet. 5. Mat. 12. Mat. 12. Gen. 3. 2. Cor. 4. â—… Cor. 10. Reuel 20. 2. Thes. 2. Reuel 1â—… Reuel 12. Ephes. 2. Rom. â—… Ephes. 6. 2. Cor. 12. Iohn 5. Psal. 29. Luke 24. â—… Sam. 28. 1. Cro. 10. 2. Cor. 12. Gen. 3. Exod. 8. Act. 16. Gen. 3. 〈◊〉 19. Iohn 20. Luke 24. Epheâ—… 2. â—… Cor 4. Rom. 8.