before the day of Execution came thus do they make the Devil able to determine and limit the life of Man as God did the life of Moses It is said in Isa. 41.23 Shew what is to come after that we may know yee are gods They say a Witch can truly foretel things to come by her spirit of Divination which they call a Familiar and can by the same familiar tell what is done in another Town or House or Country and can tell a man where are his Goods that are lost as well as Samuel could tell Saul of his Fathers Asses when they were lost and such they call good Witches Also in the same Verse Esa. 41.23 it followeth in the end of the verse do good or do evil that we may be dismayed and behold it together these words have relation to the former words That we may know that ye are gods that is shew what is to come hereafter or do good or do evil that we may know ye are gods and be dismayed at your doings even as when God sendeth the evil of punishment or affliction upon a people then they are dismayed at the sight and apprehension of it as in Iob 40.11 And here when we read that God claimeth the doing thereof as his own Prerogative inferring as much as to say They are gods that can do this I think that after the reading of this verse in Isaiah and Iob no man should be so grosly Idolatrous still as to ascribe to a Witch the sending of any affliction those words also Do good or do evil the whole verse having relation to the seventh verse were spoken to the Idol Priests of the Heathen who were the Witches mentioned in the Scriptures and had as great a share in the Devil as any Witch can have and yet God challengeth them to do either good or evil and yet when any evil of affliction cometh upon Men or Beast these Idolaters will still ascribe it to a Witch saying still God permits it God sent an evil spirit upon Saul to vexe him 1 Sam. 16.14 they say a Witch can send an evil spirit upon men or women to vex or torment them Elisha cursed two and forty children in the name of the Lord and they were destroyed of Bears 2 King 2.24 they say a Witch can curse men and women in the name of the Devil and Death or some other Evil shall betide them Pharaohs Magicians though they were themselves Witches yet when they saw Lice creeping upon Men and Beast they acknowledged the finger of God They if they see a man smitten with a lousie disease as Herod was say presently he is bewitched It was a great Miracle that Christ made the Wind and the Sea obey him Mark 4.41 they say Witches can do the same and raise Winds and Tempests and make it calm at their pleasure Was not this one accusation that was brought against Mr. Lewis a Minister executed at Berry Assizes that he had raised a Tempest and cast away two Ships at sea by Witchcraft Christ by his Almighty power walked upon the waters Mat. 14.25 they say cast a Witch into the waters and she will not sink and what hath been more reported and beleeved than this Jugling delusion before spoken of God claimeth it as his own Prerogative to send Lightnings and Thunders Iob 38.25 35. but they say when it Thundereth or Lighteneth that Witches do sometimes cause it especially if it be at an Assize time when many Witches are condemned and what hath been a more common report than this when God hath sent thundring voyces from Heaven at an Assize time among the people to warn them instead of discerning that God was angry they say the Witches and the Devil was angry and have caused that thunder God teacheth us in Levit. 26. that he himself sendeth Barrenness and Famine Sword and Pestilence and all Diseases and all Adversities as the punishment of Sin but which of these have not been ascribed to Witches and if the several accusations of people that have been condemned for Witches but only here in England within the memory of man were Registred we might read such a hotch potch of impossibilities as he that beleeveth that they have been justly put to death must not beleeve the Scriptures nor ascribe any thing to Gods mighty Providence but he may also ascribe it to the will and pleasure of a Witch when Christ did by the Spirit of God cast out Devils and the Pharisees ascribed that work to Beelzebub Christ chargeth them with the sin against the Holy Ghost Matth. 12.28 31. but alas how common a thing is it to ascribe to the Devil and Witches the works that God telleth us in the holy Scriptures are his own Works and cannot be done by any other power but by the Spirit of God me thinks this should scare all obstinate VVitchmongers I heard a Suffolk Minister whose habit and garb might seem to claim the title of Rabbi Rabbi affirm that one of the poor women that was hanged for a VVitch at Berry Assizes in the year 1645. did send her Imps into the Army to kill the Parliaments Souldiers and another sent her Imps into the Army to kill the Kings Souldiers and another caused a mans crop of Corn to fail and caused that Corn which he had to be blasted and tipt or crockt and this Minister did verily affirm that those things were true for the VVitches said he confessed those things but when I came to argue with him and to tell him that these things in the Scripture-sense were Gods Prerogatives he could answer nothing he was not so well skilled in the Scriptures but he replied Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live I demanded of him what was the signification of the Hebrew text or of the Latine translation and what was meant by a VVitch in that place he could not tell thus hath the salt of the earth lost its savour and whereas those should season people with wholsome Doctrin some teach Doctrins of Devils and the invenâ—ions of Antichrist to defile the Nations And people are now so infected with this damnable Heresie of ascribing to the power of VVitches that seldom hath a man the hand of God against him in his estate or health of body or any way but presently he cryeth out of some poor innocent Neighbour that he or she hath bewitched him for saith he such an old man or woman came lately to my door and desired some relief and I denied it and God forgive me my heart did rise against her at that time my mind gave me she looked like a VVitch and presently my Child my VVite my Self my Horse my Cow my Sheep my Sow my Hogge my Dogge my Cat or somewhat was thus and thus handled in such a strange manner as I dare swear she is a VVitch or else how should those things be or come to pass seldom goeth any man or woman to a Physician for cure of any Disease but one
A Candle in the Dark SHEWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND and of the Christian WORLD That is the Lord doth Avenge the blood of the Innocent upon the Inhabitants of the Earth Iustitia Thronam firmat The King that faithfully judgeth the poor his Throne shall be established Prov. 29.14 This Book is profitable to bee read by all Iudges of Assizes before they passe the sentence of Condemnation against poor People who are accused for Witchcraft It is also profitable for all sorts of people to read who desire Knowledge By THOMAS ADY M. A. LONDON Printed for Robert Ibb'tson dwelling in Smithfield neer Hosier Lane End 1655. The Reason of the Book THe Grand Errour of these latter Ages is ascribing power to Witches and by foolish imagination of mens brains without grounds in the Scriptures wrongfull killing of the innocent under the name of Witches unto which Idolatry and bloud-guiltiness being as bad or worse than the Idolatry of the ancient Heathen men are led as violently by fond imagination as were the Ephesians to the worshipping of Diana and of the Image which as they blindly thought fell down from Jupiter Acts 19.35 It is reported by Travellers that some People in America do worship for a day the first living Creature they see in the morning be it but a Bird or a Worm this Idolatry is like the Idolatry of this part of the World who when they are afflicted in Body or Goods by Gods hand they have an eye to some Mouse or Bugg or Frog or other living Creature saying It is some Witches Impe that is sent to afflict them ascribing the Work of God to a Witch or any mean Creature rather than to God Mr. Scot published a Book called his Discovery of Witchcraft in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth for the instruction of all Iudges and Iustices of those times which Book did for a time take great impression in the Magistracy and also in the Clergy but since that time England hath shamefully fallen from the Truth which they began to receive wherefore here is again a necessary and illustrious discourse for the Magistracy and other People of this Age where I intreat all to take notice that many do falsly report of Mr. Scot that he held an Opinion that Witches are not for it was neither his Tenent neither is it mine but that Witches are not such as are commonly executed for Witches A Candle in the Dark The First Book shewing what Witches are in the Scripture-sence throughout the Old and New Testament The Second Book shewing how grosly the Scriptures have been mis-interpreted by Antichrist concerning Witches by which interpretation he hath made the Nations go astray With a confutation of those Errours The Third Book touching some erroneous English Writers who have upheld the same Errours which Antichrist hath broaâ—hed to the world Also the Works of a Scotch-man called The VVorks of King Iames. With an addition of fifteen Causes also a reference to Scot and also the opinion of Luther concerning Devils Also an instruction to Lawyers Errata PAge 11. line 3. for Magnus read Magus p. 15. 1. 2â— for 6 Chron. r. 2 Chro. p 22. 1. 1. for Prophâ—ts r. Prophetâ—ss p 28. 1. 23 for magis r. magi p. 30. 1. 11. for inchâ—ntation r. incantation p. 38 1. 15. for little r. liâ—he 1. 19. for tax r. tap thrice in the same page in p 48. 1. 8. for Charms â— Charmer p. 76. 1. 33. for equivocâ—ely r equivocally p. 77. 1. 8. for Scopula r. Scapula over p 79. for Oracle giver r. â—outh sayer so over p. 87. Necromancer should not be The Second Book Pag. 92. 1. 5. for drew r. grew p. 96. 1. 10 for inquisitions r. inquisitors p. 106. 1. 8. tor superstitions r. suspicions p. 122. 1. 35 for quem r. quum p. 124. 1. 15. for an r. and p 129 1. 15. or preteâ—natual r preternatural p. 136. 1. 28. for any sort r. every other sort p. 145 1. 30 for discovered r. discoursed p. 146. 1. 36. for and by them cast on câ—n cure r. and by them can cast on or inflict and cure diseases p. 147. 1. 4. for send r. teach p. 170. 1 17 for endicat r. indicat Reader take notice that most of these faults are mended with Pen and Inke already TO THE Prince of the Kings of the Earth IT is the manner of men O heavenly King to dedicate their Books to some great men thereby to have their Works protected and countenanced among men but thou only art able by thy holy Spirit of Truth to defend thy Truth and to make it take impression in the heart and understanding of men Unto thee alone do I dedicate this Work intreating thy most High Majesty to grant That whoever shall open this Book thy holy Spirit may so possess their understanding as that the spirit of errour may depart from them and that they may read and try thy Truth by the touchstone of thy Truth the holy Scriptures and finding that Truth may embrace it and forsake these darksome inventions of Antichrist that have deluded and defiled the Nations now and in former Ages Enlighten the World thou that art the Light of the World and let Darkness be no more in the World now or in any future Age but make all people to walk as Children of the Light for ever and destroy Antichrist that hath deceived the Nations and save us the residue by thy self alone and let not Satan any more delude us for the Truth is thine for ever To the Reader SIR IF you be a courteous Reader I intreat you that what weaknesse and imperfections you shall think you espie in this Book from the Author thereof you passe them by for the Truths sake whereupon this Book treateth Secondly if you be so discourteous as to carp and censure then I intreat you to carp only at me and not at the Truth lest you resist the truth Thirdly I intreat you to Read my Book thorow before you cast it by for otherwise Sir it may argue weaknesse in your self to slight the Book before you see the Argument It is one of the vanities of the World to write many Books and when a man hath taken pains to write few men will take the pains to read which Solomon intimateth Eccle. 12.12 but Sir if you find no leasure to read and consider then I pray find no leasure to gainsay or to argue against Fourthly for all places of Scripture alledged in this Book if you shall search our English Translations and not find them to carry the sense which I drive at in my discourse I intreat you either to search the Originall or else to look upon the Latin Translations of Iunius and Tremellius which carry the true sense of the Originall as it was written by the Spirit of God Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid To the more Iudicious and Wise and Discreet part
of the Clergie of ENGLAND Ioshua 7.11 THese words Israel hath sinned are not so to be understood as if Israel had been free from all other sins but only that of Achan and yet that sinne of Achan was the sinne that kindled the anger of God against Israel so likewise 2 Sam. 21.1 David had been an adulterer Ioab was a murderer Shimei a rayler Sheba a wicked man of Belial and many sins were in Israel at that time and yet the sinne that kindled Gods wrath and brought the famine was the blood-guiltiness of Saul as appeareth in the Chapter and verse aforesaid so likewise 1 Kings 16.30 Ahab was more wicked than all that were before him yet the sin that cost him his life and his crown was murthering of Naboth Chapter 21.19 so that it is easily gathered that some one abominable sinne doth sometimes more provoke God to anger against any particular man or against a Nation than all other sinnes that are commonly committed Then you that should be as messengers from God in that you cry against sinne in generall yee do well but in that yee seek not out this cursed Achans wedg that hath defiled England and the Christian world look to it betimes lest it be laid to your charge if the Nations perish for lack of knowledg Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid A PREFACE SInce the time that I have tryed to bring truth upon the stage of the world to be censured by all men I being acquainted with but few in comparison of all and some of them knowing my intent to put this discourse in Print I have neerly guessed by common discourse amongst them what the censure of this book will be that is it will be the same among many that it is among few for among few I find some so reasonable in their discourse that when they find by argumentation that there is reason and grounds in the Scripture for what I write they upon second cogitations and deliberate musings have yeelded to this truth and some of them very learned Some again after some serious argumentation being fully convinced that this is the very truth yet doe still suspend their censure till they see how it will be approved of by others by which they shew they are ready at all times to beleeve as the Church beleeves and to pin their opinion upon the sleeve of other mens judgements A third sort there are who at the first onset of discourse do think themselves so surely grounded and this truth so groundlesse and vain an opinion as that they cannot speak without disdain as great Goliah spake to little David and thus they beginne in fury O grosse what madnesse is this what will you deny the Scriptures what answer you to this Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live but when they are so suddenly answered and suddenly convinced that this place of Scripture maketh nothing for them and that this their great Champion-argument hath so soon received a stone in the forehead they either let their discourse fall to the ground like Goliah and slight this as a new opinion or else they runne away cowardly like the host of the Philistines and forsake the Scriptures which they first pretended should be their only weapon to fight withall and betake themselves to their leggs runing into some vain story taken out of Bodinus or Bat. Spineus or some such popish vain writer and report that it was done in Lancashier or in Westmerland or in some remote place farre off and that they heard it credibly reported from men of worth and quality and so they ingage me to answer to a story which they would compell me to beleeve or else to goe see where it was done but if it happeneth as often it doth that I make it appear by Scripture that it is absurd or impossible not to be reported by a Christian or that I shew them the story in any of the aforesaid Authors who have been the Authors of many vain fables then they presently fly to another story as vain and absurd as the former and that being answered they fly to another saying Sir what do you answer to this in which manner of disputes I have heard sometimes such monstrous impossibilities reported and affirmed to be true for they had it by credible report as would make the Angells in Heaven blush to hear them Therefore setting aside all such unscholar-like way of arguing I desire all to argue by the Scriptures and I will answer or to answer by the Scriptures and I will argue by the Scriptures as followeth in this Dilemma A DILEMMA THAT Cannot bee answered by VVITCH-MONGERS Luke 4.4 8 12. CHrist who is our forerunner Heb. 6.20 by whose holy Spirit the holy Scriptures were written whose words were of equall truth and authority with the Scriptures Yet when he was to conquer the father of lies the Prince of darknesse not for his own sake but for our example although hee was able to have argued by common reason beyond the wisedome of Solomon yet being tempted would not answer any one temptation without Scriptum est it is written because the Scriptures are the only rule of righteousnesse whosoever then will take example by him to try the Truth by Scriptures and to argue by them as he did in this place of Luke and not by strange reports which are the objects of vain credulity let them answer me by Scriptum est 1 Where is it written in all the old and new Testament that a Witch is a murtherer or hath power to kill by Witchcraft or to afflict with any disease or infirmity 2 Where is it written that Witches have Imps sucking of their bodies 3 Where is it written that Witches have biggs for Imps to suck on 4 Where is it written that the Devill setteth privy marks upon Witches whereby they should be known or searched out or that any man or woman hath any mark upon their body any more than natural or by some disease or hurt which is preternatural 5 Where is it written that the tryall of a Witch should be by sinking or swimming in the water or by biggs or privy marks or suspition of people to be signes of a Witch 6 Where is it written that Witches can hurt corn or cattell or transport corn by Witchcraft or can fly in the aire and do many such strange wonders 7 Where is it written that a Witch is such a man or woman that maketh a league with the Devill written with his or her blood and by vertue of that covenant to have the Devill at command 8 Where is it written that any man or woman was called in the Scripture strix or lamia or where is any word of such signification or importance either in the Hebrew text or in the Latin translation where is a Witch said in the Scriptures to be any such kind of person 9 What is a witch in the scripture sense according to Deu. 18.10 11 where all
more certain probabilities there they gave more certain answers Now what was more certain than that the Kingdom should be rent from Saul Samuel had Prophesied of it and all Israel knew it and what was more probable than that the time was at hand when so mighty an Host of his enemies were come against him when his heart and spirit failed him and when God had forsaken him and if it had not come to pass such Oraclers did use to have evasions the fault might have been laid upon Samuels Ghost and further cousenage might still have been wrought to blinde Sauls eyes and had it happened how it could so that the Witch had come off blewly and her imposture been afterward known to Saul yet she had the Oath of the King to save her harmless Further it is the opinion of some learned men that there was no certainty at all in the answer given to Saul and that it was meerly conjectural and though happening some way true yet it failed in the day prefixed for whereas it was said Tomorrow shalt thou and thy Sons be with me vers 9. it was very false for when the Philistims went up to Battel David returning was three days marching back to Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.1 and one day pursuing his enemies vers 17. and the third day after that tidings was brought to David from the Camp of Saul that Saul and his Sons were dead 2 Sam. 1 2 3 4. which made in all seven days and therefore it was not likely that Saul and his Sons were slain upon the morrow which was the scope of the Oracle or answer that was given to Saul this I say is the opinion of a learned Writer So much by the way Further if it had not been a meer delusion to blinde the eyes of Saul why must Samuel bee described an old man cloathed in a mantle That indeed was the fashion of living Samuel but after he was dead and buried had Samuel appeared as she pretended or had the Devil appeared in his likeness as some fond Readers suppose he did it must have been like Samuel in a Winding-sheet but indeed had she described him by his Winding-sheet that might have been any man else as well as Samuel and Saul had not been so easily deluded in his fond credulity and Idolatrous way If you think it an incredible thing that Saul should be so easily deluded look Isaiah 8.20 in the Latine translation which carrieth the true sense of the Original how odly soevâ—r our English Translators run where the Prophet speaking of such as would counsel men to seek to Oraclers and Southsayers he saith in Tremelius An non loquuntur in sententiam illam cuicunque nulla est lucis scintilla do they not give this counsel to such as have not the least spark of light or understanding and this was Sauls case Saul indeed had been a wise man formerly when the Spirit of God was upon him when it was said Is Saul also among the Prophets but then when God had forsaken him his wisdom his courage and his victoriousness went all away together and then and never till then was he deceived by a Witch And however many erroneous Readers when they read this History of the Witch of Endor do suppose she did such things really as are set down only according to the apprehension of the Spectators namely Saul and his Servants yet let them but consider the nature of impostures and they may easily conceive how such a cheating imposture might easily and still may be brought to pass to delude fools by an ordinary Jugling confederacy according to the manner afore described as well and as really as ever she did it and that without a familiar Devil as is foolishly supposed she had only a Devil ruling in the heart of them that do it to the like end to delude and lead people from God as she did the Devil being the Father of all lying delusions and ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience Such a Devil was in the heart of Ahabs Prophets 1 King 22.23 But for such as will not allow of that exposition that the Witch of Endor did all by a confederate I say she might do it also by the imposture of Hariolating as may be seen in the latter end of the Eighth term of description following And truly for such as will still beleeve the common foolish errour that Python was such a Witch as had a familiar spirit except they mean such a lying spirit of Oracling Divination I wonder how farre they will stretch the sense and coherence of the Scriptures to make any such interpretation Look but Tremelius Translation 2 Chron 33.6 it is said of Manasseh among the Witchcrafts which he used or rather that the Idolatrous Priests under him used Instituitque Pythonem What is that Did he set up a familiar Spirit one that had a familiar Spirit or did he set up an Oracle Which is best sense but the common conceit of Readers is because their Dictionary saith Python signifieth a Devillish spirit of Divination or one that hath such a Spirit therefore that must needs be a familiar Spirit and indeed the common abuse of words may make words signifie any thing but let such as trust only to their Latine Dictionaries or Greek Lexicon shew me in them or any authentique Writer but especially in the Scriptures where Python is taken in any such sense as a familiar Spirit especially where it is taken for a killing spirit of a Witch according to the common doctrin of Devils that hath defiled the Nations but only for a spirit of lying Prophecie or one that hath such a Spirit or Devil in his heart and in the text it is taken for the Oracle of the Devil and if any carp at words yet they must examine as well the sense of the Original and the sense and coherence of the Scriptures from place to place as what words may by abuse and ill custom signifie yet I say where do we read of a Familiar Spirit in all the Scriptures if they be truly translated especially where do we read of a killing spirit of a Witch So much for the Seventh term of description Requirens Pythonem The Eighth term of Description THe Eighth term of Description of a Witch in the text is Ariolus for the most part written Hariolus and is by all men taken for a South-sayer but a South-sayer differeth not from Utens Divinationibus being the Second term of description for what difference is there between South-saying and using of Divinations or lying Prophecies so then it might seem to be a Tautologie in the text but as it hath been said before that these Nine terms of appellation in the text are not terms of distinction but several terms of description so if Moses had set here down a hundred several terms of description signifying one and the same thing it had not been a tautologie in the worst sense but a more full expression
manner pass through the fire did become Priests or at least Servants to the Idol for the work of the Burnt-offerings in this sence is Iesabel called a Witch 2 King 9.22 Why was it said the Witch-crafts of Iesabel Because shee was an upholder of Baal and his Prophets who were jugling Seducers of the people to Idolatry Why in the same verse is it said the Whoredoms of Iesabel Because Spiritual Whoredom or Idolatry and Witch-craft are inseparable companions therefore it is said Scortationes praestigiae Iezebelae the Whoredoms and juglings or Witch-crafts of Iesabel in this sence is Maâ—asses truly said to use Witch-craft â— Chron. 33. and the first eight verses almost all that is spoken of in Deut. 18.10 11. Manasses is said to be guilty of in this place of Chronicles First he set up several Idols and immediatly follows the inseparable companions that is the Witches or Priests of Idols called here South-sayers with their several Witch-crafts in the sixth verse of the same Chapter of the Chronicles Why do Idols and Witch-crafts and Witches come in rolling together so thick in this place The first Reason is because as the setting up of an Idol is Witch-craft so where Idols are there must needs bee Witches namely South-sayers or Idol Priests or else the Idol of it self can do nothing as when it is said in 2 King 1 2. Ahaziah sent to inquire of the god of Ekron it is not to be supposed that there could be an answer given by the bare Idol being but a stock but the answer or Divination must come from the Priests and South-sayers that were there belonging to that Idol and upholding it The second Reason is because as I have said before of the nine several appellations of Witches in Deut. 18.10 11. that they are not terms of distinction but of description so here in the 2 Chron. 33. all that is said of Manasses in the seven first Verses of the Chapter is not to be understood as expressions of several distinct things done by Manasses but a full expression of one thing by several terms of description expressing fully that one act of Manasses that is first he set up several Idols as in the third fourth and fifth and the beginning of the sixt verse of the Chapter doth appear and then it followeth that he used those things that did necessarily belong to the Idol without which the Idol could be of no force or request among the people and that was as appeareth in the sixth verse he used Divinations and Conjecturings and Juglings and set up an Oracle and South-sayers the Latine translation is Et divinationibus conjectationibus prestigiis usus est instituitque pythonem ariolos so all that Manasses did was setting up of Idols with their adjuncts and though the Idols indeed were several and various yet all was one act tending only to the making up of one compleat Idol-house that was the House of God verse the fourth and seventh he abusing it and making it an House of Idols this one act produced one effect that was he made Iudah and Ierusalem go astray to Idolatry as appeareth verse nine but Iosiah destroyed the Idols with their Adjuncts Oracles and South-sayers 2 King 23 24. being Idol Priests So much for the first and grand description of a Witch in the text that is a Ring-leader to Idolatry intimated in these words Let there not be found among you any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire this first description being rightly understood the other eight will bee the more easily expounded being but appurtenances to the first or rather Monsters in the belly of the first Now followeth the second description or appellation of a Witch that is Let there not be found among you any that useth Divinations To use Divinations was to take upon them to tell things to come and things hidden which things could not be done by any but by God and his Prophets as appeareth Isa. 41.23 Shew what is to come after that we may know that yee are gods yet as Gods Prophets could tell things to come so in the second of Kings 6.12 Elisha the Prophet could tell the King of Israel what was spoken in the secret Chamber of the King of Aram and although God would have his people know that none could do these things truly but himself by his Prophets and therefore hee would have his people to hearken after none but his Prophets in enquiring of things to come or things hidden yet many false Prophets did take upon them to tell such things meerly to seduce the people for gain pretending that they could do it either by vertue of their Idol and so led the people a whoring after them as in 2 King 1.2 Ahaziah sent to enquire of the god of Ekron and Ieremiah 23.13 they Prophesied by Baal and seduced my people Or else falsly pretending themselves to be Gods Prophets and so in a fair pretence to pervert the people from the truth to lyes as Micha 3.11 Quorum Prophetae pecunia divinant whose Prophets do give Divinations for money and Ier. 23.21 I have not spoken to them and yet they have Prophesied saith the Lord. In this sence Samuel said to Saul Rebellio est sicut peccatum divinationis Rebellion is as the sin of divination or according to our English translations is as the sin of Witch-craft 1 Sam. 15.23 and for these divinations and false Prophesies they had this colour That whereas God did usually speak to his Prophets in Dreams and Visions of the night as appeareth Numb 12.6 these Witches or false Prophets pretended that they had also Dreamed and had seen Visions that so they might bewitch and seduce the people from Gods way Deut. 13.1.5 and also Ier. 23.25 They prophesie lyes in my name saying I have dreamed I have dreamed and vers 27. Think they to cause my people so to forget my Name by their Dreams which they tell every one to his neighbour as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal not but that Dreams were to be declared and regarded if it were truly done without deceit for it followeth in the twenty eighth verse He that hath a Dream let him tell a dream and he that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully but these Dreamers or Witches did falsly pretend Dreams and Visions that they might seduce the people vers 32. these were the right Enthusiasts of the Heathen this was one great practise of the Priests of the great Idol Apollo that was called the Oracle of Apollo they would lye down behind the Altar and sleep for a time and then make people beleeve they had seen a Vision whereby they could determine their matters and accordingly gave their Divinations or Oracles many other colours or pretences had their Diviners for their cheating Witch-craft or Divinations as they would make the people beleeve they could talk with the spirit departed of the dead and so
restrain the sweet influence of the Pleiades or canst thou loose the bonds of Orion c. And whereas some have said That the Star that shewed the birth of Christ Mat. 2.2 was Miraculous and not any Natural Star how then could the Wise men or Astrologians see the signification of that Star by their Science of Astrologie whereas if it reacheth not to the knowledge of future contingensies then much less to the knowledge of things supernatural or miraculous and yet they saw that the Stars appearance did signifie the birth of that great King although I deny not that the motion of the star in the ninth verse might bee miraculous And to come farther Iudg. 5.20 the Stars in their Rampires fought against Sisera it is not spoken of any thing beyond nature but the Prophets did observe that the stars in their natural places â—ought against Sisera also Gen. 1.14 God made the Lights of Heaven to be signs for seasons and for days and for years it seemeth then that judicial Astrology is not condemned in the Scripture if it be not abused what then was a Planetarian in the sence of the text and why were they forbidden by God and set in the Catalogue of Witches To this it is answered That under the colour of Astrologie these Planetarians that are here forbidden did harbour themselves that because there was somewhat in that Science for the knowledge of some future things therefore in the pretence of their knowledge in that Science they did take upon them to compare themselves with the Prophets and to draw the people after their uncertain Predictions as if they had been equal with the Prophets and many of them having no knowledge at all in that Science yet did under the colour thereof harbour their deceitful Oracles or Divinations ascribing a Deity to the Planets calling them gods as Mars the god of Warre Venus the goddess of Beauty c. and did also ascribe so much to their influence as they beleeved no power above them and so drew the people a whoring after them to make them forget God the Author of all things and to Deifie the Creature and these Planetarians being meer Naturalists and beleeving no power above the Planets would bear a breast against the Prophets and undertake to do those things that were only proper to the Prophets to do and could be done by no other power but by the Spirit of God Dan. 2.2 3 4. they would undertake the interpretation of Dreams if the dreams were related to them nevertheless the expounding of dreams is of God only vers 27 28. and Gen. 41.16 and 40.8 And whereas God did put into the heart of Nebuchadnezzar to put them to difficult task they said no man upon earth was able to do it Dan. 2.10 inferring that the Prophets themselves could do no more than they yea so did they deifie the Planets that they ascribed to them to be the gods of the seven Days of the Week and caused the people to worship them and bring their daily oblations to them and to keep Holy days to them from the names of which Planets the days do take their nominations as Sunday from the Sun Monday from the Moon c. and in other Tongues is more manifest for every day which if it be true that the Planets have their several influences upon the several days of the Week yet their wickedness was in denying God that made the Heavens and their Host and in deiâ—ying the Creature and for this they are described among Witches or seducers of the people to Idolatry and this Idolatry God warneth his people to avoyd Deut. 4.19 Take heed when thou liftest up thine eyes to Heaven and seest the Sun and the Moon and Stars with all the Host of Heaven shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them which the Lord thy God hath distributed to all people under heaven Although God had given and distributed their influence to all people under Heaven yet men may not worship them but worship God that madethem So likewise Deut. 17.3 also this Idolatry part of the Israelites were defiled with Ier. 44 17. they burnt Incense and poured Drink-offerings to the Queen of Heaven or as it is in the Original to the works of Heaven that is to the Planets of this Idolatry Iob cleareth himself Iob 31.26 If I did behold the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in her brightness that is if I did behold them with adoration this had been iniquity for I had denied the God above as followeth vers 28. also 2 Chron. 33.5 This was part of Manasses Witchcraft he built Altars to all the Host of Heaven and made the people go astray vers 9. And so for this Third description of a Witch in the text a Planetarian that is that under the colour of Astrologie seduceth the people to lying vanities or Divinations and causeth them to deifie and Idolize the Planets or that boasteth himself in his Predictions against the Prophets crying peace when the Prophets Prophesie destruction Isa. 47.13 Let thy Astrologians stand up that do view the Stars and do make known their monthly Predictions and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee I might quote also some prophane Writers of this sort who are seducing Witches because under pretence of Astrologie they teach things beyond the intent and scope of that or any lawful Science As Iulius Maternus hath devillishly written That he that is born when Saturn is in Leone shall live long and go to Heaven when he dyeth and so Albumazar saith Who so prayeth to God when the Moon is in Capite draconis shall obtain his prayer These Planetarians for these and the like impious devices in pretence of a lawful Science are described in the text among Witches Astrologians have also annexed to their Science of Astrologic Palmistrie and Physiognomie the Caelestial Bodies as they say having fixed their Characters upon the inferiour Bodies of men as he that readeth their Books may see with the reason thereof and therefore these Arts together with Astrologie do serve them to make their Prognosticks concerning the strength health disposition and several events of any mans life which Prognosticks do often happen true because Natures course may be probably conjectured by the course and character of the Planets although these Arts are much abused by wandring Gypsies who under colour of such knowledge do commonly cheat silly people and also rob their pockets when they are viewing their hands and face to tell them their Fortunes now herein was one difference between Planetarians or Astrologians lawful or unlawful in the Scripture sence the lawful Astrologian foretelling probable events fore-seen by Natural causes upon any person or Nation as Deborah observed the Stars concerning Sicera and his Army although she knew what should come to pass more certainly by the Spirit of Prophesie than by the Stars The unlawful Astrologian or Planetarian foretelling things not only probably but certain
shewed how easily men are deceived by Iugling Confederacy in Conjuration IT happened that a Minister being remote from his dwelling lodged in an Inne and because he wanted company fit for him he sent for a young Cambŕidge Schollar to keep him company who being of his acquaintance and dwelling in the Town came to him and after some discourse they fell into a dispute about Witches and their Power the Minister affirming That Witches do truly conjure up the Devil in several shapes as they list for said he I know some that stood privately behind a Hedge when a Conjurer raised up the Devil in the shape of a Cock and then again in the shape of a Horse and heard the Cock crow and the Horse neigh but being very dark they could not see him but the Scholar holding the contrary opinion said I will undertake to demonstrate the same thing to you in this Chamber so as you shall verily think that I Conjure up the Devil in such shapes Come on said the Minister if you can do that then also will I acknowledge these things to be but delusions Now mark how strangely it happened There was a Tapsters Boy in the Inne at that time who had by wanton custom gotten a faculty of imitating the crowing of a Cock the neighing of a Horse the barking of a Dogge the quacking of Ducks and the noyse of many several Beasts in a very wonderful manner the Scholar therefore for the lively acting of the foresaid Delusion went down and instructed this Boy to bring up a Jugge of Beer and to set it down by the fire and then to convey himself under the Bed and withall to act the part of all several Creatures as the Scholar should call for them by Conjuration now when this Boy had so conveyed himself under the Bed the Scholar did put out the Candle and left no light in the Chamber but the obscure light of a dim fire the reliques of an Ostree Faggot and said to the Minister Now will I make you beleeve that I Conjure up the Devil Come Pluto I have a Letter to be sent with all speed to the Pope therefore I conjure and command thee to come speedily to me from the lowest pit in the shape of a swift running Horse that may carry this Letter with speed and bring me an answer then began the Boy to snort and neigh and stamp very much resembling a wilde marwood Horse in so lively a resemblance as it made the Minister begin to look sad and amazed then said the Scholar Now I have well considered the matter thou art not a Creature swift enough for this business therefore I conjure thee down again and I command Pluto to come to me in the shape of a Grey-hound Praesto vade jubeo celeriter then the Boy under the Bed barked and howled so like a Dogge as the Minister did more and more creep close to the corner of the Chimney sighing very sadly Then said the Scholar I consider that thou art not swift enough for my purpose therefore I command thee to return to thy place and send me up a Cock then the Boy crowed so like a Cock as no ear should distinguish it from a natural Cock then said the Scholar Thou art not a Creature swift enough for my purpose therefore I command Pluto to send me up a Duck at that command the Boy did so lively act the quacking of Ducks as a man would have thought that many Ducks had been in the room Then began the Minister seriously to exhort and admonish the Scholar saying Verily thou art farre gone certainly thou art farre gone in this craft and many more words at which so sad discourse the Boy under the Bed burst out in laughter and came forth and acted his part again openly and made the Minister ashamed Yet here it may be noted that the Ministers phantasie was so farre deluded that he would not be perswaded but that he saw real Ducks squirming about the room as he expressed I say then how little credit ought Ministers or other men to give to flying Reports when they themselves may so easily be deluded The setting of Spels is referred to this description and is done only by confederacy with him that is spelled who feigneth himself so Charmed or spelled that others who would be in like action of Theevery might fear to come into that place to steal because of the Spel. So much for the Sixth term of description in the text Vtens incantatione that is an Inchanter or Charmer THe Seventh term of description of a Witch in the text is Requirens Pythonem that is Pythonicus Sacerdos according to the sense of Plutarch De defect Orac. one that seeketh out an Oracle as did the Priests of the Idol Apollo which was called the Oracle of Apollo the same practice was common to the Priests of all Idols that were in request before the Idol Apollo although indeed Apollo being the most famous of the latest Idols hath more Histories and reports still extant concerning their practice than all former Idols have as Plutarch witnesseth that in Boeotia there had been many Oracles some whereof grew silent when their Priests dyed and some grew out of request for want of subtilty in giving answers and because the impostures grew so common that people knew them and would not be deluded by them any more We read there of the Lebadian Oracle and the Amphiaran Oracle and also of an Oracle of Mopsi and at Amphilochi and many more these had their several terms of appellation according to the Language of the people adjacent as the Lebadian Oracle was given in the Aeolic Tongue and had its peculiar appellation in that Language and to the Oracle at Delphos was called by such appellations as came from the Greek and also from the Roman Language as Pytho and Python and Oraculum and Oracles used by the ancient Heathen were by the Hebrews in their Language called Ob which Oracles were only giving Divinations to the peoples inquiries as when Ahasia sent to inquire of the god of Eckron 2 King 1.2 save only this word Ob in the text which is translated Python implieth the imposture whereupon these deceivers upheld their Divinations as followeth by and by This is not to be understood that they that did seek to such Witches as gave Oracles that they also were Witches for these were only bewitched Idolaters but they only were Witches in this term of description that being sought unto by these deluded Idolaters used such deluding impostures whereby they made the people beleeve they fought out an Oracle that is an answer to the inquiry of those Idolaters either directly from their Idols or else that they sought out an Oracle from the spirits of the dead as did the Pythonist of Endor in which sense also they were called Necromantists that is such as asked counsel of the dead being the Ninth term of description 1 Chron. 10.13 Saulus consulere Pythonem
quaesusset Saul had sought to ask counsel of the Oracle there Saul was an Idolater and not a Witch but she that sought out that Oracle for him from the dead she was a deluding Witch This description or term of description of a Witch hath a various manner of expression in the Scriptures which is needful to be noted by the Reader for in this text Deut. 18. 1◠11. such a Witch is called Pythonem requirens one that seeketh out an Oracle and in Levit. 20.6 there such ae Witch is called Python an Oracle-giver in these words Anima quae converterit se ad Pythones Arioles ut scortando sectetur eos c. That soul that turneth himself after Oracles and South-sayers to commit Idolatry in following them shall be cut off and in vers 27. of the same Chapter Viri autem aut mulieres si erit ex eis ` Pytho aut ariolus omnina morte afficiuntor If there shall be found either man or woman that is an Oracler or a South-sayer they shall be put to death There is also a Marginal note of Tremellius worth noting in these words Qui Diabolicis artibus reliquos à Dei cultu sui sanctificatione avocant Those Oraclers and South-sayers saith he are such as by their Devilish deluding craft do lead others from the true Worship of God and living holily People so mis-led to Idolatry are spoken of in vers 6. chap. 20. of Leviticus afore noted And further look 1 Sam. 28.7 there such a Witch being of the female kinde is called Mulier Pythone praedita A woman that hath the craft of Oracling or seeking out an Oracle And Acts 16.16 there such a Witch is said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Oracling Where Beza in his Latine translation saith in his marginal notes that that spirit of Oracling was only an expression altnding to the Idol Apollo which was called Python and gave answers unto them that asked namely by the Priests that belonged unto it of which Idol the Poets feigned many things so they that had the imposture of Divination were said by the Heathen to be inspired by the spirit of Apollo Plutarch de def Orac. and in this place of the Acts St. Luke speaketh after the common phrase of the Heathen because he delivereth the error of the common people but not by what instinct the Maid gave Divinations for it is certain that under the mask of that Idol the Devil played his deluding pranks and this spirit of Apollo was nothing but as much as to say an imposture or deluding trick of the Devil practised by the Priests of Apollo So much saith Beza who plainly expoundeth that that spirit of Divination or Oracling was only a Devillish deluding imposture and not a familiar Devil as many do fondly imagine And whereas it is said in the verse following that Paul did cast that Spirit out of the Maid it was that he by the power of the Gospel of Iesus rebuked her wickedness so that her Conscience being terrified she was either converted or else at the least dared not to follow that deluding craft of Divination any longer as when Christ did cast out seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen it is to be understood that he did convert her from many Devillish sinful courses in which she had walked Luke 8.2 and 7.47 But if any be still so obstinate as to follow the common fond tradition that Python or spiritus Pythonis was a real familiar visible discoursing Devil yet I hope none are so mad as to say upon serious consideration that it was any thing but a spirit of lying Prophecie or Divination or Oracling in all the discourse of the Scripture no man can shew in all the Scriptures be they never so grosly expounded that any man or woman had a killing or a murdering Devil whereby to bewitch any man to death nor the least colour of any such Devillish exposition This Seventh term in the text namely Requirens Pythonem one that seeketh out an Oracle differeth not from the second term of description that is Utens Divinationibus one that useth Divinations or false Prophecies save only in this that that second term of description implieth only bare Predictions of future things and telling of hidden things by which the Witch was described but this Seventh term of description implieth some particular impostures whereupon the Witches grounded their Predictions according to which impostures they are called Oraclers or seekers out of Oracles the Hebrew word is Ob and is translated Python Ob signifieth properly a Bottle or any such like hollow thing and here in the text and in all other Scripture-sense it implieth the imposture of speaking with their mouthes in a Bottle from a hollow Cave in the earth out of which came a voyce spoken by some confederate with the Impostor or Witch which confederate was upon such occasion to go into a secret conveyance and to make answer to the inquiry with a hollow sounding voyce caused by the Bottle and so it seemed to the silly deluded people that the voyce came out of the firm ground as an answer sent by the gods by the departed soul of some Prophet or other man that had formerly died in which sense also they were called Necromantists from asking counsel of the dead being the Ninth term of description for which imposture all Idol houses and houses of all such other Witches as practised the same imposture that the Idol-Priests did practice were built and contrived on purpose with a room called Manteum in which the said Cave and hollow passage was in which room some fond Writers do say that the Devil spake but had it been so that a real familiar Devil had answered as is fondly imagined why then did he answer only in that room Surely if their Devil was so familiar and at command he might as well have answered in any room as in that but a confederate man or woman could not bring to pass the imposture in any room but in that This imposture is alluded unto by the Prophet Isaiah 29.4 Sitque quasi Pythonis è terra vox tua è pulvere serma tuus pipiat and thy voyce shall be as an Oracler out of the earth and thy speech shall be whispering out of the dust because they used cheating impostures to seduce the people making them beleeve they could call the departed Ghosts of their friends to give them Oracles or answers to their inquiry out of the earth this imposture the Prophet Isaiah warneth the people to avoyd the delusion of it Isaiah 8.19 in Tremellius translation Quum enim edicum vobis consulite Pythones ariobos qui pipiunt mussitant nonne populus Deum suum consulturas est◠pro viventibus mortuos consulat for when they say unto you Ask counsel of Oraclers and South-sayers that whisper and mutter should not a people ask counsel of their God Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are
same thing over again before the said Magistrates and many other Gentlemen and Gentlewomen to the shame of those Ministers who had taken the testimony of the Devil against poor people in writing and were credulous therein beleeving and teaching such Doctrins that a Witch can send a Devil to possesse and torment people and another Witch can cast him out but if they and all Ministers were led by the Spirit of truth they should know that this deluding Hagge was the Witch and not they whom she accused for what difference was there between her imposture and a spirit of Divination like the Maid in Acts 16.16 formerly mentioned whose spirit of Divination or Oracling was only a Devillish cousening imposture saith Beza and such ought to be put to death by the Law of Moses because they use Divinations pretending the discovery of Witches it being manifest therein that they are the Witches and because they by false accusâ—tion murther others such a Maid was lately at Brantree in Essex who practised the same imposture to the astonishment of many and gained mony from the deceived beholders until the report thereof grew stale and fools had done wondering and the concourse of people ceased and her gains came not in and then the Devil did easily leave her and the business almost forgotten and yet no men so ready to put in execution the Law of God against her or any such as against poor people that are accused by such and by fools and hanged up without ground or warrant or possibility of truth This imposture hath wrought strange delusions among the ancient Heathen and the actors thereof did by this imposture delude the people one way very notable was by their speaking in the Belly in the manâ—â—r aforesaid they would make it seem to the standers by that a voyce came from afar off or from some secret place that that voyce was the voyce of some of the gods and then they would report abroad that in such a place a voyce was heard declaring or commanding such and such matters and the poor deluded standers by would witness and report the same to be true whereas the voyce came only from the deluding Witch that was among them when they heard the voyce as we may read in Plutarch de defec Orac. A certain ship sayling by the Island of Paxis in which ship were some Aegyptians the manner of which Nation was to practise the several impostures of Witchcraft for their advantage and fame among the people there was heard from the shore of Paxis a voyce calling thrice to Thamus by name he being an Aegyptian in the ship Thamus when thou comest to Palos report that great Pan is dead which thing he did When he came near Palos he looked toward the shore and cryed aloud Great Pan is dead then there was heard a terrible sighing and groaning which much affrighted the people in the ship the report of this was speedily testified at Rome in so much that this Thamus was sent for by Tyberius Caesar and so was much taken notice of in the Emperours Court and although many were deluded by that voyce which was so heard by the men in the ship and did much dispute about it what it should signifie yet they that do rightly understand the imposture of Hariolating or speaking in the belly may easily conceive that Thamus himself was the man or some confederate with him that spake the voyce and made that mighty groaning at the last thereby to delude the people and to make himself famous as some great Man to whom some of the gods had spoken and whereas it was about the time that Christ was Crucified And some would have it that that voyce was really spoken by some strange Spirit and might signifie Christ I yeeld thus farre that Thamus himself might have heard the fame of the passages of the Life and Death and Resurrection of Christ and might speak of and concerning Christ not that he beleeved in Christ but would tell some notable thing in his own deluding way for the magnifying of himself among the people implying that he was the man to whom such a voyce should come from the gods and whereas he said Great Pan is dead it was because the Iews were the â—osterity of Shepherds and the Heathen had feigned Pan to be the god of Shephâ—â—ds thus might he mean Christ as the Maid in the Acts ch 16.16 acknowledged Paul and his Doctrin not by belief but thereby to uphold and countenance her imposture among the people for her own fame and gain so might this Impostor mean Christ although nor he nor any other did ever conclude any thing fully concerning the meaning of that voyce but lest it doubtful as all Oracles of the Heathen were insomuch that some told Tiberius that it was spoken from the gods of one that was risen up between Mercury and Penelopa Thus did Thamus by his imposture get himself fame at the Emperours Court which was the thing he aimed at and left superstitious fools disputing of an ambiguous Oracle It hath been credibly reported that there was a man in the Court in King Iames his days that could act this imposture so lively that he could call the King by name and cause the King to look round about him wondring who it was that called him whereas he that called him stood before him in his presence with his face toward him but after this imposture was known the King in his merriment would sometimes take occasion by this Impostor to make sport upon some of his Courtiers as for instance There was a Knight belonging to the Court whom the King caused to come before him in his private room where no man was but the King and this Knight and the Impostor and feigned some occasion of serious discourse with the Knight but when the King began to speak and the Knight bending his attention to the King suddenly there came a voyce as out of another room calling the Knight by name Sir Iohn Sir Iohn come away Sir Iohn at which the Knight began to frown that any man should be so unmannerly as to molest the King and him and still listning to the Kings discourse the voyce came again Sir Iohn Sir Iohn come away and drink off your Sack at that Sir Iohn began to swell with anger and looked into the next rooms to see who it was that dared to call him so importunately and could not finde out who it was and having chid 〈◊〉 whomsoever he found he returned again to the King the King again had no sooner began to speak as formerly but the voyce came again Sir Iohn come away your Sack stayeth for you at that Sir Iohn begun to stamp with madness and looked out and returned several times to the King but could not be quiet in his discourse with the King because of the voyce that so often troubled him till the King had sported enough So much for this Eighth term of
the truth of God contained in the Scripture and this is the cause why men a long time have been deceived by the Man of Sin who still prevaileth to lead the World in darkness because they love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Tâ—es 2.10 11 12. for this man of sin that Whore of Rome being the grand Witch of the Christian world pointed at Revel 18.23 that hee might still have freedom to deceive the Nations hath broached this Doctrin wherewith he hath defiled the world that a Witch is not a false Prophet or a Deceiver but one that can send the Devil to kill men and women and children and to make the ground barren and men and women barren in Generation and kill the children in the Wombe and can with looks kill Lambs and Cattel and can fly in the Air and can do many things by the help of the Devil which things are not possible to be done by any power but by the mighty power of God We may read of the Priests of the Idol Astaroth that were indeed real Witches in the Scripture sense who professed to do such things by the power of their Idol but were discovered by Bartholomaeus the Apostle to be deceivers of the people by the Devils subtil delusions who ruled in their hearts so they with their Idol were destroyed and many people converted to the Christian Faith Hendorfius in the fifth page of his Theater of History his words are these Bartholomâ—eus Idolum Astaroth evertit fraudes Satanae qui miraculis homines effacinatos morbis jam premebat jam pressos levabat detexit c. And where do we read in Holy Writ or common History that saver of truth that men by Devils could do such things really and to uphold such errours contrary to Scripture what is this but meer prevarication with the truth and resisting Gods holy Spirit of truth Where do we finde any such thing in Scriptures or any such description of a VVitch or that a VVitch was such a one as hath made a League with the Devil and sealed it with his bloud or hath Imps sucking him or Biggs or privie Marks or that lyeth with Incubus or Succubus or any such phrase or expression in all the Scriptures VVhat least inkling have we of these things in all the Scriptures VVhence received the Church of England this Doctrin O foolish England who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Surely it was the Pope This groundless impious and fantastical Doctrin was never taught by Gods Prophets but that VVitch the Pope knowing in his Conscience that he is the very VVitch the Deceiver of the Nations pointed at in the Revelations and that the Scriptures were so plain that by the light thereof his devillish delusions must needs come to light if the VVorld should have true insight into the Scriptures and so that by that means all Nations would rise up on him and destroy him he not only laboured to hide the Scriptures from the common people which he did for a long time but also hath been so bold as to prevaricate with the Scriptures and to publish through the Nations that VVitches were to be understood no Deceivers but such as practised such wonderful things as the Scripture teacheth us that the doing thereof ought to be attributed to no Creature but only to the Creator as Pope Innocent the eighth to the Inquisitors of Almain and Pope Iulius the second to the Inquisitors of Bergoman sent those words It is come to our ears that many lewd persons of both kinds as well male as female using the company of the Devils Incubus and Succubus with Incantations and Conjurations do destroy the birth of VVomen with childe the young of all Cattel the Corn of the field the Grapes of the Vine the fruit of the Trees Men and VVomen and all kinde of Cattel and beasts of the field and with their said Inchantments do wholly extinguish suffocate and spoyl all Vine-yards Orchyards Meadows Pastures Grass green Corn ripe Corn and all other provisions men and women are by their imprecatioâ—s so afflicted with external and inward pains and diseases that men cannot beget nor women bring forth nor accomplish the duty of VVedlock denying the faith which in Baptism they profess to the destruction of their souls Our pleasure therefore is That all inpediments that may hinder the Inquisitors Office be removed from among the people lest this blot of Heresie proceed to defile them that be yet innocent and therefore we do ordain by vertue of the Apostical authority that our Inquisitors of high Almain may execute the Office of Inquisition by all Tortures and Afflictions in all places and upon all persons VVhat Scripture had the Pope for this we read indeed of such Fictions in the Poets as in Ovids Metamorph. 7. Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In foâ—tes redire suos concussaque sisto Stantia concutio cantu freta nubila pello Nubilaque induco ventos abigoque vocoque Vipereas rumpo verbis carmine fauces Vivaque saxa sua convulsaque roboraterra Et sylvaâ—â—ovea â—ubeoque tremiscere montes Et â—â—ngire solum manesque exire Sepulchris Te quoque Luna trabo The Rivers I can make retire into the Fountains whence they flow Whereat the banks themselves admire I can make standâ—ng waters go With Charms I drive both Sea and Cloud I make it calm and blow aloud The Vipers jaws the rockie stone with Word and Charm I break in twain The force of earth congeal'd in one I move the Woods th' Hills tremble plain I make the souls of men arise I pluck the Moon out of the skies Also Ovid de Medea Epist. 4. Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus She sticketh also Needles fine In livers whereby men do pine Also Virgil Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos I know not whence some fierce bewitching eye With looks doth kill my Lambkins as they lye These are the Popes Scriptures whereon he groundeth his groundless inventions to torment the Christian VVorld and upon these grounds being inventions and pastimes of Poets hath he sent out Inquisitors in all places to torment from thence is the Spanish Inquisition which maketh search for Hereticks and VVitches all as one and now lest the world should take notice that his daily practice is to torment and kill Reformists and so his Villany ring the more in the ears of the world he hath joyned as equivocal with the word Heretiques VVitches a more ignominious name thereby to instigate people the more against them and so by this means will not be seen to kill men for matter of Religion for then men would resist and help one another but under the name of VVitches he melteth away every one that hath but a smell of the reformed Religion and the world perceiveth it not this is that Grand Witch the VVhore of Rome the Pope and his train And these
a familiar spirit by whose help they kill and act strange Wonders tell me where is a place in all the Scripture that saith so shew me in all the Scriptures such a word as Striges lamiae Incubus and Succubus or any word of such signification or importance what were Pharaoh his Magicians but deluders of Pharaoh and the People could they by the help of Satan do any thing truly were they real Miracles did not their madness come to light 2 Tim. 3.9 what spirit had the Maid that followed Paul Act. 16.16 which is said to have the spirit of Python was it more than a cousening spirit of Divination for gain yet still you will say the word Python hath been interpreted by many one that had a familiar spirit imagine they had a familiar spirit although it is but a weak Argument to ground an opinion upon the bare signification of a word except you will have it a seducing lying spirit such a one as was in Ahabs Prophets yet I say answer me these Four Questions First Tell we where a Witch did or could kill a man in Scripture What did Saul go to the Pythonist of Endor for was it that she might help him kill the Philistians or meerly for Augury or Divination what did Pharaoh call his Witches the Magicians before him for was it to kill any Man or Beast by their cunning or meerly to work lying Wonders and dissemble the Miracles that God wrought by Moses so that they might withstand Moses and the truth and blinde Pharaohs eyes because God would harden his heart tell me where you finde in all the Scriptures that a Witch did or could kill a man by Witchcraft shew me in all the Law of Moses concerning the condemning of men or women for Murther that a Murtherer was called a Witch or a Witch a Murtherer Deut. 19. and other places of Scripture are there not several Rules set down for the trying of Murther shew me one that intimateth the Witching of Men or Cattel to death Secondly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witches are spoken of that a Witch was a secret person or unknown to the World that should need to be tried by blinde circumstances and presumptions and suspicious or by privie Marks or by Teats or Biggs by sinking or swimming or by confessions were not Pharaohs Witches called Praestigiatores magi openly known did not Pharaoh call them together without privie search or inquiry did not Saul banish all the Witches as people openly known and professing the Art of Augury and their several cousening practices when Saul inquired for a Witch did not his servants presently tell him there was one at Endor was she not known without privie search or prime marks Did not the Maid in the Acts that was said to have the spirit of Python or to be a Pythonist follow Paul crying openly did not Simon Magus act his Delusions openly to seduce the people as likewise Elimas the Sorcerer were not the Witchcrafts of Iezabel known to be her delusions that she wrought by the Priests of Baal to seduce the people were not the Witchcrafts of Manasses open actions that made Iuda and Ierusalem to go astray where then do we read of a Witch by suspicion or to be tried by presumptions or suspicions or privie marks or other signs that are mans invention whence came this darkness and blinde errour but from the Pope that grand Witch that hath bewitched all Nations we search for Witchcrafts and abominations in a poor womans wooden dish and Christ telleth us they are all in a cup of Gold in the hand of the great Whore Revel 17.4 Thirdly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witchcraft went without Idolatry Isa. 19.3 and had not a necessary dependance on Idolatry Nahum 3.4 Look again Deut. 18.10 11. where all sorts of Witches are spoken of why were they to be cut off and destroyed the reason is immediatly given vers 14. because they defiled the Nations in seducing them unto Spiritual VVhoredom and the Nations were destroyed for seeking and making inquiry after their Divinations or South-sayings or Oracles whereas inquiries ought to be to Gods Prophets vers 15. Was not this Sauls Idolatry when he sought to the Witch of Endor 1 Chro. 10. 13 14. was not this the sin of Manasses where he is blamed for using Witchcrafts when he made Iuda and Ierusalem go astray to Idols 2 Chron. 33.9 were not the Witchcrafts and VVhoredoms of Iesabel set down as two inseparable companions her Witchcraft being the upholding of the Idol Priests of Baal that by Witchcraft seduced the people to Idolatry were not Pharaohs Magicians seducers of Pharaoh and the people from God was not Simon Magus the like but alas how and where have those poor souls that are commonly hanged for Witches seduced the people to Idolatry who hath been led after them for Divinations and Southsayings many indeed have been led after Southsayers but they are termed good Witches and whereas they as Witches ought to dye many have been put to death by their devillish false accusations and if the Witch of Endor were now living amongst us we should call her a good VVitch so blinde are the times Fourthly Shew me in all the Law of God against Adulterous uncleaneness where Moses writeth of several kindes of uncleaneness as man with man man with beast woman with beast and many more the least intimation of uncleanness by Incubus or Succubus what did Moses forget this Yet because this opinion hath been so upheld by reports and imaginations and by the extorted confession of people that have been condemned in that kinde and sometime by the voluntary confession of despairing melancholly people that have been troubled in minde and wish rather to dye than to live although Volenti mori non est adhibenda fides Yet I intreat you to run over these several places of Scripture with me a little and see how his opinion of VVitches power agreeth with the Scriptures yea how flat contrary it is to Gods Word and the grounds of our Christian faith Yet first because some men will not understand the Scriptures in any other sense than as their own Expositors have done be it right or wrong therefore I refer them that will seek farther than the Scriptures to the words of a general Counsel which Mr. Scot in his Discovery hath alleged as followeth Concil Acqui in decret 26. the words of the Council It may not be omitted that certain wicked VVomen following Satans provocations being seduced by the illusion of the Devil beleeve and profess that in the night time they ride abroad with Diana the Goddess of the Pagans or else with Herodias with an innumerable multitude upon certain Beasts and pass over many Countries and Nations in the silence of the night and do whatsoever these Ladies or Fairies command c. let all Ministers therefore in their several Cures preach to Gods people so as they may know all those things to
and Flouds acting as a man and so in Mat. 4. Luke 4. the Devil tempting of Christ is introduced in the story as speaking like a man this is used sometimes in Parables as in Iob from the seventh verse of the first Chapter to the twelfth also Chap. 2. the six first verses and in Gen. 3.1 1 King 22.21 in these and many places by this Figure speaking and discoursing verbally and Human action is ascribed to such as it doth not properly belong so that it appeareth to those that rightly understand that this objection also is of no force but yet still for those that are obstinate I say let them prove a League or Covenant by the Scriptures between the Devil and a Witch or that the Devil hath power or permission to perform such a Covenant if made Eighthly Some again will object and say If Witches cannot kill and do many strange things by Witchcraft why have many confessed that they have done sucâ— Murthâ—rs and other strange matters whereof they have been accused To this I answer If Adam and Eve in their innocency were so easily overcome and tempted to sin how much more may poor Creatures now after the Fail by perswasions promises and threatnings by keeping from sleep and continual torture be brought to confess that which is false and impossible and contrary to the faith of a Christian to beleeve Some indeed have in a melancholly distraction of minde confessed voluntarily yea and accused themselves to bee Witches that could do and had done such strange things and wonders by the help of the Devil but mark well their distemper and you shall finde that they are deeply gone by infirmity of body affecting the minde whereby they conceit such things as never were or can be as is often proved by experience among Physicians many of those dying in a very short time although they be not put to death except they be cured by the Physician and truly if such Doctrins had not been taught to such people formerly their melancholly distempers had not had any such objects to work upon but who shall at last answer for their confession but they that have infected the mindes of common people with such devillish doctrins whereby some are instigated to accuse their poor Neighbours of impossibilities contrary to the Scriptures and some drawn to confess lyes and impossibilities contrary to Christian light And indeed vain and fickle are the mindes of such disputants who do first of all father their vain opinions upon the Scriptures pretending that they are undoubted truths grounded upon the Scriptures saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live but being shewed their errours how they wrest the Scriptures will rather forsake the Scriptures which are the rule of righteousness then forsake their Opinions and will beleeve confession against the Scriptures Some men will yet yeeld thus farre that these Confessions of poor accused people do many times extend to impossibilities and that they verily beleeve that the Devil deludeth these people making them beleeve that he bringeth to pass such things as they require him to do which yet would come to pass by Divine providence Some again do so Idolize the Devil as that they affirm that these things are real and do withall cry out Great is the power of the Devil and yet for any of these Opinions can produce no Scriptures to prove them but only Confessions and although those Confessions are sometimes â—xtorted sometimes voluntary in poor melancholy or distracted people sometimes in wicked people who delight to make the world wonder at lyes or impossibilities though it be to their own confusion they being given over by God and so the Devil seeing his opportunity instigateth them to be his Instruments to uphold all lying Diabolical Doctrins so that no true beleeving Christian but may discern that all theâ—e Confessions are from the Devil the Father of lyes yet I say Suppose with these Confession-mongers that these Confessors are deluded by Satan to think they do such things by the help of the Devil yet where do we read in Scripture that such are Witches who are deluded by Satan or that such should be slain or put to death we read indeed that Witches were all sorts of deluding false Prophets but not such as were deluded by Satan Secondly If you will still affirm that their Confessions are real truths and not delusions but that they do indeed bid the Devil do such things which as yee say he doth yet how can yee prove it by Scripture where is any such description of a Witch in the Scripture but surely it is most horrible devillish forsaking of the Scriptures to beleeve that there is any truth at all in these Confessions and such people as are thus seduced by Satan to lying Confession ought rather to be taught better knowledge than to be slain in their ignorance and perish altogether for lack of knowledge but it is and hath been the manner of these latter Ages for a Minister to go to such and instead of instructing them whereby they might become instruments of saving their souls they urge them to lying Confessions and so do as much as they can to send the spirit of errour into them to their confusion yea and for the most part these men who uphold their errours by the Confessions of these poor accused people do altogether mis-interpret their Confessions for the upholding of such lyes for the broaching whereof they have formerly mis-interpreted and belyed the Scriptures for let but any man that is wise and free from prejudice go and hear but the Confessions which are so commonly alleged and he may see with what catching and cavelling what thwarting and lying what flat and plain Knavery these Confessions are wrung from poor innocent people and what monstrous additions and multiplications are afterward invented to make the matter seem true which yet is most damnably false and flat against Christian light and human reason to beleeve And for such as can hardly beleeve that Melancholy or distemper of body and troubled phantasie can cause people to imagine things so really as to confess them to their own destruction though most false and impossible set them but consider the late example of a grave Minister about the Isle of Ely who by a troubled phantasie was so deluded or rather did so delude himself by weakness of Phantasie and imagination as he reported that an Angel told him that the Judgement Day should be upon the next Friday by which report many of the Inhabitants were much troubled till the day was over if then a grave Minister may be mis-led by Phantasie and distempered minde how much more plain common people who have such Accusations brought against them as are sufficient to break their brains Further I say that if the man of sin spoken of in the second to the Thessalonians chap. 2. had not broached these errours to the world these Confessors had had no such lying imaginations to confess for
to get the mastery of the Spirit of truth and whether this Work was either composed by King Iames or by the Bishop may be very well suspected or rather by some Scotish man blinded by some Scotish Mist who desired to set forth his own Tenents for the upholding of Popish errours and Popish Writers sufficiently confuted before by Scot in his Discovery of Witchcraft he not being able any whit to answer Scot in his Discourse laboureth to uphold false Tenents and Doctrins by the authority of a King because he could not finde any thing in the Scriptures to uphold them or to answer Scot as wee may read in the Preface that his whole aime is at Scot whom he falsly chargeth with the Tenent and Affirmation That there is no such thing as Witchcraft whereas Scot in all his whole Book saith no such thing but only that Witchcraft is a craft of deceiving and seducing the people and not of killing and making barren and raising Winds and such like Inventions he that readeth that Preface and seeth how Scot is first and chiefly aimed at in the whole Work might presently expect that in the Work he should finde Scot notably confuted or at the least in some way answered but reading over the VVork he shall finde not one thing or other answered at all but only a bare affirmation of such Tenents without any ground or warrant of the Scripture which Tenents were confuted by Scot by the Scriptures so that for any man to answer that Work of the Author at large were only to do that which Scot hath already done in confuting Bodinus and others and whereas this Author pretendeth a refutation of Scot he hath done nothing else but written again the same Tenents that Bodinus and others had before written and were by Scot confuted like an obstinate Disputant that rather than he will not hold his Argument though never so foolish he will deny the Conclusion One Disputant wisely and plainly proveth that a thing is and the other foolishly saith still it is not or one proveth that a thing is not and the other foolishly still saith it is by which way of arguing a childe may hold an Argument against a learned Doctor though never so false Yet for the answering of the Tenents of this Author in that Work First he saith in his first Book as also in the Preface That Witches can by the help of the Devil cause to be brought unto them all kindes of dainty Dishes for their delicious maintenance and yet say I how many poor lean starved people have been executed in several places for Witches and for the truth of this Doctrin he bringeth no place of Scripture to prove it but only affirmeth it to bee true for these reasons First The Devil is a Thief and delighteth to steal Secondly He is a Spirit and therefore can subtilly and suddenly transport the same from whence and whither hee will by which way of argument rejecting the Scriptures a man may affirm for truth any vain imagination be it as absurd as this former as that the Devil is a Thief and therefore hath a Mountain of Gold which he hath taken out of every mans Purse and heaped up in Hell which he being a Spirit hath easily transported from the earth and therefore are so many men hastening to Hell because there is abundance of Gold But if such foolish Arguments as these were of any force what need then any Scripture to teach us the truth But if we examine the truth of this Doctrin by the Scriptures it will prove for want of ground in Scripture very phantastical and in opposition to the truth of the Scriptures very blasphemous for hereby we should yeeld still that what was done by the Angel of God in miraculous manner bringing food to Elijah 1 King 19.6 may be done by the Devil bringing variety of food to them that serve him and whereas God by a Miraculous hand brought his people through a barren Wilderness and fed them in that Wilderness the same thing might as well have been done by the Devil who saith he can bring his servants all manner of dainty dishes This that is already written were enough to disable and make voyd all the three Books of Daemonologie written by this Author but yet for the satisfaction of such as will expect a Methodical answer I will begin with his Works in order as they stand and in brief shew the vanity of them as for example he saith in his Epistle to the Reader Sorcery and VVitchcraft are different from Magick and Necromancy and yet in the first Chapter of the Second Book he saith the Maid spoken of in the sixteenth of the Acts was a VVitch because she had the spirit of Python and yet we finde in the Scripture that they that had the spirit of Python were also Necromancers how then can this distinction hold that VVitchcraft differeth from Necromancy for by that distinction a Pythonist were a VVitch and a Necromancer not a VVitch yet what was the Pythonist of Endor but a Necromancer pretending to consult with the dead and Necromancy was the pretence of all that were said to have the spirit of Python that was that they consulted with the Souls of the dead as in Plutarch and also in holy VVrit as in Isa. 8.19 it is manifest in any Tongue but our English which in Tremellius translation is to this sense for when they shall say unto you Ask counsel of those that have the spirit of Python or the imposture of Oracling and of South-sayers should not a people ask counsel of their God Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living so then it is plain this distinction is wholly dissonant from Scripture and that this Author wrote not according to Scripture but by phantasy and imagination And now for his First Book and the whole discourse of it he layeth this foundation he produceth these places of Scripture to prove that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches Exod. 22.18 1 Sam. 15.23 Acts 8. Acts 16. and here he never searcheth the sense and meaning of these Scriptures but proveth that Witches are which thing no man denyeth and yet mark but his proofs Exod. 22.18 which is taken for a Jugler or one that worketh false Miracles to deceive and seduce in the same sense is to be understood Acts 8.9 10. concerning Simon Magus who was a Jugler and Magician Jugling being one main part of Magick in the Scripture discourse such were Pharaohs Magicians which Magicians this Author distinguisheth from Witches and yet would prove by these places that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches so likewise 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of Divination from hence hee would prove Witchcraft also and yet his distinction denieth that Necromancers whose main drift was to give Divinations by consulting with the dead are Witches and this is the sum of his first Chapter where any wise man
there and Night-birds shall hop there and a Dragon shall cry in their desolate Palaces and the Serpent in their pleasant· Temples Tremellius in his Marginal Notes saith Terrisicum animal id est draco Those were all only such Creatures as do commonly inhabit desolate places The Prophet speaking in the former verse of desolation that should come upon the Land and indeed the Devil hath least to do in desolate places and is most busied where people are most but had Zim and Iim been the proper names of Devils it had not made any thing to the purpose to prove that the Devil walketh up and down in corporal appearance for it is said Revel 2.13 that the Devil dwelt at Pergamus and yet it is not meant that he was there seen at all to appear in any shape but was there in the hearts and works of wicked men but such is the manner of all that are tainted with Popish Tenents that they would have people conceive of the Devil that he is some ugly terrible Creature to look upon some black man with a pair of Horns on his head and a Cloven Foot and a long Tayl or some monstrous Beast that inhabiteth in Woods and walketh about in the night to scare people and this doctrin is maintained by Popish Writers least people should discern that the Devil is in all their Popish Doctrins and actions and in the hearts of all Popish seducers and deceivers of the world Further in this his Third Book he talketh of Incubus and Succubus as if it were an undoubted truth that the Devil lyeth commonly with Witches of both Sexes having copulation with them but for this he hath not the least Scripture nor the least seeming Argument but only constrained extorted belyed nullified Confession of poor condemned people which is the only Argument for all the devillish Tenents of all Writers of this sort and yet they begin with Scripture saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live and upon this they raise a long discourse contrary to all Scripture and truth and possibility all which they will father upon the Scriptures and yet when they are pinched by dispute to prove their Tenents by Scripture they fly off to confession this confession I say is in all the discourse of this Author his only Argument which is no Argument and yet he pretendeth his discourse to be grounded on the Scriptures and in that pretence in his last Chapter he concludeth his whole discourse with the Law of God saying Therefore these people ought to be put to death according to the Law of God whereas yet in all his discourse he could not produce the least jot or tittle of the Law against any such kinde of supposed Witches as he talketh of nor the least colour of argument to prove his supposals in all the Law or all the Scriptures without misconstruing the Law of God and the Scriptures So much for this Author Cooper answered THe second English Writer upon this subject is one Thomas Cooper a Minister who himself being infected with the common Popish tenent sent forth by Pope Innocent the Eighth and Pope Iulius the Second and affirmed by Bodinus and other bloudy Inquisitors mentioned in my Second Book that Witches are Murtherers and such as can raise Winds and do things impossible by the help of the Devil This Cooper instead of being himself a Minister to instruct and teach the people in Gods Truth grounded in Scriptures he became a bloudy Inquisitor to finde out Witches that is a bloudy Persecutor of the poor and an accuser of them to be Witches who by his blinde zeal in this kinde did cause many to be executed for Witches as he confesseth in his first Book the first Chapter and sixteenth Page and after this he reading Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft which he was no way able to confute by Scripture nor to answer him truly hee being galled in his Conscience and netled in his minde concerning his reputation in the World which he feared he should loose if his wickedness should be convicted and laid open instead of humbling his Soul before God and begging pardon for his sin he wrot a Book in defence of his errours called the mystey of Witchcraft wherein he hath as others have done pretended to confute Scot and to that end hath writ down many Popish inventions adding thereunto many of his own foolish imaginations without one jot of Scripture to prove or ground any of his Tenents and after long discourse of meer lyes and imaginations in a pretence of holy Zeal yet quite contrary to Gods truth yea I may say imaginations resisting Gods holy Spirit of Truth hath thought it a sufficient confutation of Scot to fetch him over with an use of reproof as appeareth in his first Book the eighteenth page just as if a man should preach contrary to the Scriptures that Idols are gods and labour to prove it by experience as this Cooper laboureth to prove his Tenents concerning Witches or to prove it by the example of such as have been slain because they would not fall down before an Idol and worship it as this Cooper laboureth to prove his errours concerning Witches from the example of many that have been executed for Witches and then should fetch them over with an use of reproof that say Idols are no gods and after this groundless use of reproof this Cooper goeth on still in a frivolous discourse without any Scripture to prove his Doctrin and at last laboureth to shew that Juglers are Witches which no man yet did ever deny if they were such as wrought false Miracles to seduce the people as Iannes and Iambres and Simon Magus and Elimas the Sorcerer but he laboureth to prove that common Juglers are Witches that do work their Tricks of Activity saith he by a Familiar which yet saith he are no real Miracles but they hurt the Eye and thicken the Air saith he whereby they make things seem to be really done that are not done which thing for a Jugler to do that is to hurt the eye and touch it not and to thicken the Air were a Miracle it self but to clear these vain Fancies who knoweth not that Juglers do play their Tricks only by the slight of hand called Cleanly Conveyance or Legerdemain and what common Jugler that hath gone about to Fairs or Markets to shew his Tricks of Activity to get Mony will not in private for a shilling shew any Trick that he hath acted openly and shew how it is done to the satisfaction of any man that desireth it and that without a Familiar or the least appearance of any such vain Phantsy as fools imagine But yet if I should take it for granted that these common Juglers are Witches and do work their Feats by a Familiar Devil as he affirmeth yet what doth that make towards the proving of these poor and aged and lame people to be Witches that have so commonly been said to be Witches What Tricks
men and the impetuousnesse of the times and the authority of such Writers as hee calleth the learned as that although hee hath writen some Truths in preaching also whereof hee hath done much good in Gods Vineyard in labouring to stay that bloody persecution on foot against the poor and Innocent yet he hath much swerved from the Truth of this subject of Witches and Witchcraft in that hee yeildeth at all to the common contagion of Error that hath defiled the World not that Witches are for that were my Error to deny seeing the Scriptures do manifestly condemn them but that Witches in the Scripture sence are such as have made a familier compact with the Devill and receive power from him to kill and the like I wonder but that the hour of darknesse is not yet fully past that so many Ministers should still wander in this darksome imagination what least intimation or description of such a kind of Witch hath God given us in the Scriptures or of Devills in the corporall shape of Imps making a familier compact with any of mankind or any ground for such imaginary whimses of mans brain what consequence is there in Logicall dispute or in Theologicall Principles that hee that denieth these phantasies denieth that there is a Devill and so finally that there is a God the Scripture teacheth us that there is a God and likewise a Devill or Devills but what Scripture speaketh of a familiar Devill or Jmp or that a Witch can kill by Witchcraft or hurt either body or goods by Witchcraft by the Devills help either by Gods permission or without I rather think that this forsaking of the Scriptures and delivering for Doctrin the traditions of Antichristian Popish Writers is a forsaking of God and consequently a denying of God hee saith hee could instance from story how many have had no Faith of Witches being till their bewitched body or goods hath served to unwitch them of their opinions and conceit is this a Theologicall way of Argument to ground a Doctrin upon vain reports and phantasmes without Scriptures yea flat contrary to the Scriptures Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 7. dare any man contrary to those and many places of Scripture when hee is afflicted in body or goods ascribe â— a Witch upon vain Phantasie and carnal reason â—â—perstitious imaginations and foolish traditions withâ—riptures which by the Scriptures we are taught to 〈◊〉 only to God yes men dare do so and Ministers dare 〈◊〉 so And this is the condemnation that light is come into â—â—rld and men love darkness rather than light But now to 〈◊〉 to the man himself of whom I have written sparingly 〈◊〉 Gaule if this work of mine shall come to your hand as 〈◊〉 hath come to mine be not angry with me for writing 〈◊〉 Truth I am sure you shall get more estimation among 〈◊〉 Beleevers more favour with God and do more good in â—rists Vine-yard by acknowledging your error and by emâ—cing Gods Truth than by being carried away with the â—ams of these fâ—ouds of iniquity that have over-flowed the â—istian world You say in your second case pag. 24. It is 〈◊〉 to observe any specifique difference of Witches in 〈◊〉 you acknowledge the subject to be difficult to write 〈◊〉 Sir I have given you full specifical descriptions of â—em according to the Scriptures then although Sir you be â—arned in other things disdain not to learn of me the truth 〈◊〉 this subject I doubt not but if you had first read my Book â—ur own Book had been more perfect Suffer not a Witch to 〈◊〉 Prestigiatricem a Jugling person that worketh false Miracles to seduce the people to Idolatry Exod. 22.18 Ioâ—is destroying of Witches 2 King 23 24. what was it but â—â—lling down the Idols with their Adjuncts Oraclers and â—uth-sayers that were the Idol Priests that seduced the peoâ—â—e Examine the places which are your own quotations 〈◊〉 Sir I intreat you in Christs name that as you have â—â—en fervent for Gods Cause with Apollos Act. 18.25 so learn 〈◊〉 me the way of God more perfectly as he did of the Diâ—iples vers 26. fare-well Sir the Spirit of God be your faâ—â—iliar Spirit to guide you in the truth Non quiâ— Sed quid Master Ciffard answered THere is yet another Book come to my hand written by Mr. George Giffard an able Minister of Gods Word in Maldon which because the common way of some mans arguing is by questioning what say you to this and what say you to that Author therefore I will give a brief description of his Tenents which are chiefly three the first is That a VVitch can not by a Familiar or by any craft any way hurt or weaken the life health or estate of any man by bewitching with disease or infirmity either Man or Beast or hurting his Goods and this he proveth plainly by Scripture and Reason as I have also done in my Second Book of this Discourse The second Tenent is That VVitches have Imps and Familiars The third Tenent is That these Familiars do nothing really but only do deceive the VVitch by making her beleeve they do that which cometh to pass upon Man or Beast by Divine providence but for these two last Tenents he doth not prove by Scripture as he did the first nor yet affirm for truth but only being overcome by the strength of common report grounded upon the Confession of such as have been executed he only yeeldeth to those strong delusions which have deceived many Hypothetically arguing if Witches have such Imps or Familiars they are only deceived by them but herein is he not confident and therefore these two last Tenents being not confirmed by him do confirm nothing and for the first of the two That VVitches have Imps is susficiently disproved in my Second Book and that all their Confessions are no argument then for the last Tenent having reference to the first it is in like manner nullified for if they have no Imps nor no Familiar then they are not deceived by them nor do beleeve or confess any such thing wherein they seem to him to be deceived any further than Confession is wrung from them by them who are the deceivers of themselves and others by the Deceiver of the VVorld that dwelleth in them except sometimes by the depth of Melancholly or distemâ—ered brain as I have formerly demonstrated in my Second Book and therefore need no further answer So much for this Author who I beleeve had more of the Spirit of truth in him than many of his profession Now for all that have written in that kinde I summon all VVitch-mongers to shew me in the Old or New Testament which are given as a rule of truth the least inference of any such Doctrin as is delivered by them Also I desire any man of right understanding to compare them with the Scriptures and so compare also this my Book with the Scriptures and to see which of them is most consonant with the Scriptures
and which is most dissonant from the Scriptures and so to try them by Gods touch-stone of truth The Conclusion TO conclude you that are convicted of your Errors and yet do make a light matter of it and lay it not to heart was Cain and Ahab accursed for murthering of each of them one man and do yee make it a light matter to have murthered thousands by your ignorant doctrin VVhat will it avail at the latter day that yee have preached and prayed and spread forth your hands and made great stir in pretence of Religion If Christ shall say Depart from me yee workers of iniquity and shâ—dders of innocent bloud if thousands that are wrongfully slain shall rise up in Judgement against you if it shall be said to many Ministers and Preachers of the VVord in that yee have not taught against these abominations yee are partakers in them Causes of upholding the damnable Doctrin of Witches power IF I did not aime at brevity I might enlarge this Volume upon these particulars following which I will only name and leave them being the causes of upholding the opinion of Witches power 1 Some Ministers for want of due examining of the Scriptures have taught in the Pulpits unwarily and inconsiderately the Doctrin of Witches Power as also some have published their Works in print 2 Many Ministers although they are of the contrary opinion yet have neglected to beat down the common phantastical conceit of people concerning Witches power 3 The common hatred that all men do bear to a Witch so that if any poor Creature hath the report of being a Witch they joyn their hand with the rest in persecuting blindly without due consideration 4 The false reports that are commonly raised in that kinde concerning Witches whereby men lead one another like wandring lost Sheep to beleeve lyes it is certain it was done in such a place I have credibly heard it 5 Vain credulity which all men are naturally prone unto ever since Adams Fall that is a Vice whereby men are subject to beleeve every lying report being the ground of infidelity Credula mens hominis erectae fabulis aures 6 Infidelity or not beleeving the Scriptures to be the only perfect rule of righteousness and touch-stone of truth 7 Ignorance of the Scriptures either by wresting them or by neglecting to search them or want of being able to read them or whâ—n they are read want of ability to understand them all such men may be led away with any opinion 8 Generality of opinion maketh weak people and ignorant to argue sure it is safest to say and think as others do 9 Obstinacy in opinion in such as have some weak knowledge let such be beaten from one Argument they will fly to another and beat them from all Arguments yet at last thâ—y will still hold their opinion 10 Melancholly which frameth much representation in the minde of any terrible report or doctrin though it bee groundless and false and causeth it to take great impression in the deluded understanding 11 Timerousness whereby men like little Children and Women especially are afraid of every idle fantastical report that they hear of Witches power especially if they be alone in the dark 12 Crackt Phantasie whereby many a man or woman specially in Sickness have strange Apparitions either in bed or abroad which they report to silly people and are beleeved whereas it is nothing but their broken and hurt fancy occasioned in some by sickness or distemper in some by much Drunkenness in some by a blow on the head and in Scholars sometimes by over-much study whereby they presently conceit and are judged by others to be bewitched or at least to be pursued by a Witch or by a Witches Imps and judge so themselves 13 People that are handled by strange Diseases as Children in Convulsion Fits or Women in Fits of the Mother and the like are by ignorant beholders and sometimes by ignorant Physitians said to be bewitched as were Frogmortens Children said to be falsely 14 Old Wives Fables who sit talking and chatting of many false old Stories of Witches and Fairies and Robin Good-fellow and walking Spirits and the Dead walking again all which lying fancies people are more naturally inclined to listen after than to the Scriptures 15 Another abominable cause is the suffering of Impostors to live such as silly people call Cunning men who will undertake to tell them who hath bewitched them who and which of their Neighbours it was by the delusions of such Impostors many poor innocent people are branded with a report of being Witches by reason of which report coming first from a Witch they are in process of time suspected accused arreigned and hanged A Reference to Mr. Scots Treatise of Spirits and also the Opinion of Luther concerning Devils I Might further enlarge this Volume with a Treatise of Spirits or the nature of Devils concerning which people have much abused themselves for want of knowledge in the Scriptures but for brevity I refer the Reader to Mr. Scot who hath excellently written in the latter end of his Discovery of Witchcraft a Discourse called A Treatise of Spirits also I thought good to adde in brief the words of Luther concerning Devils which are these De phreneticis sic sentio omnes moriones qui usu ratâ—onâ—s privantur à daemonibus vexari non quod ideo damnati sunt sed quod variis modis Satan homines tentat alios gravius alios lenius alios longius quod medici multa ajusmodi tribuunt naturalibus causis remediis aliquando mitigant fit quod ignorant quanta sit potentia jus daemonum Christ us non dubitat curvam illam anum in Evangelio vinctam a Satana dicere Petrus Actorum decimo oppressos a Diabolo dicit quos Christ us sanarat ita etiam multos surdos claudos malitia Satanae tales esse Deo tamen premittente denique pestes febres atque alios graves morbos opera daemoniorum esse qui tempestates incendia frugum calamitates operantur vere affirmamus Summa mali sunt Angeli quid miâ—um si omnia faciunt mala humano generi noxia pericula intentent quatinus Deus premittit etiamsi plurima talia herbis aliis remediis naturalibus curari possunt volente Deo miserente nostri exemplum Iobi endicat quae passus sit a Satana quae medicus omnia naturaliter fieri curari assereret sciendum est igitur phreneticos a Satana tentari saltem temporaliter an Satan non faceret phreneticos qui corda replet fornicatione coede rapinae omnibus pravis affectibus summa Satan proprior nobis est quam ullus credere possit cum sanctissimis sit propinquissimus adeo ut ipsum Paulum colaphizare Christum vehere possit quorsum libet These are the words of Luther and where he saith at the last that the Devil could carry Christ whither he listed it is his errour for
his testimony was partly of impossibilities partly meer prevarications and lyes to the dis-honour of Gods Majesty and the shedding of innocent bloud But seeing then this miserable Massacre of people throughout the Christian World hath been but a trick of Antichrist to blinde the World that thereby he might the more easily and quietly destroy the Church under the name of Witches Surely if good Christians have been destroyed in this impious way then thousands of the Souls of such are now under the Altar Revel 6.9 10. crying How long Lord holy and true will it be ere thou avenge our bloud upon them that dwell upon the earth being some of them the very people that have been destroyed for the Word of God and for the testimony of the truth and therefore have been brought into these murderous Inquisitors hands And although it may be said These in England have not been slain for the testimony of the truth yet I answer The Church standeth for the testimony of the truth and this persecution was invented against the Church and so they as Members of the Church have been slain by the enemies invention for had they been of that Popish crew and fighters against the Church those wrongful accusations had not been brought against them by them But it may be said Some of these were Scoulds and Brawlers therefore their Souls are not under the Altar I answer yea and many honest Livers that have been executed in that kinde lately and in times past but whatsoever they were if they were unjustly slain know that if God would avenge the bloud of Cain will he not avenge the bloud of these Before the destruction of Germany that Nation was so deluded by these Popish errours that they put to death thousands in that kinde of all sorts and that Nation was so carried away with that darksome Idolatrous opinion of Witches power that seldom came any thing cross but some were accused to have occasioned it as Witches and at last God sent destroying Plagues among them and their hearts were so hardened that they digged the dead out of the Graves to cut off their Heads to stay the Plague so blinde were they and so given over that rather than they would acknowledge Gods hand in all things they would say the dead in their Graves by the Devils help brought the plague and some Physicians among them were so bold to affirm it for truth who although they might be some way approved in Physick yet besides their horrible Atheism they shewed their silliness and it may be said of them as of many ignorant Physicians Inscitiae pallium maleficium incantatio A Cloak for a Physicians ignorance when he cannot finde the reason and the nature of the Disease he saith the Party is bewitched this hath indeed been written of by some worthy Authors but how and in what manner Senertus Lib. 4. de febribus cap. 2. he being loath to defile his pen with such an impious opinion saith I had rather refer the Reader to the writing of another man Hercul Saxoniae Lib. de plica cap. 11. than bring my self upon the Stage for broaching of such an opinion where also you may read the words of Herc. Saxon. aforesaid and hee shuffleth it off to Ioh. Vesino Leopoliensi as an opinion of his and he like an Atheist did indeed own that opinion That in Pelonia and Germany Witches after their execution and burial did commonly send destroying pestilence I think indeed the executing of so many innocent poor people did bring the Pestilence and the Sword and Famine all against them because they provoked God with their own inventions tending not only to Idolatry in imputing the Work of the Creator to a Creature but also to the shedding of innocent bloud Master Scot in his Discovery telleth us That our English people in Ireland whose posterity were lately barbarously cut off were much given to this Idolatry in the Queens time insomuch that there being a Disease amongst their Cattel that grew blinde being a common Disease in that Country they did commonly execute people for it calling them eye-biting Witches Great Britain hath been much infected with that Atheism and many people both in England and Scotland have been by foolish false accusations put to death for doing such things as are not in the power of men or of Devils to do but only of the Creator And before these Wars began what Atheistical reports were published of certain Lancashire people that they could transform themselves into Grey-hounds and into Men and Women again and pull down Butter and other provision from the Air or from whence any crack-brained accuser would imagine When King Chaerls went last to Scotland before these Wars as he came back again sayling over the River Humber the Vessel in which his Plate was carried was reported to be cast away and then was that Atheism so great even at the very Court of England that they reported Witches had done it instead of observing Gods supream Providence whereas Christ saith A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without Gods providence since which we have had bloudy Wars and where is the Court now and now of late hath been in the year one thousand six hundred forty five that great slaughter of Men and Women called Witches at the Assizes at â—erry and at Chelmsford those poor accused people were watched day and night and kept from sleep with much cruelty till their Fancies being hurt they would confess what their Inquisitors would have them although it were a thing impossible and flat contrary to sense and Christian understanding to beleeve where for the removing of Objections it is to be noted That a Fancy so hurt with watching cannot afterward of a long time recant or deny that which they have confessed no more than a Hawk throughly tamed by watching can grow speedily wilde again although you give them their full sleep this manner of extorting confession and seeming to convict them being but ameer Jugling Trick invented by the Pope and their Trial in that kinde being Jugling Witchcraft it self that may make the wisest man confess any thing though never so false What troubles have followed this Slaughter blinde men may see A little before the Conquest of Scotland as is reported upon good intelligence the Presbytery of Scotland did by their own pretended authority take upon them to Summon Convent Censure and Condemn people to cruel death for Witches and as is credibly reported they caused four thousand to be executed by Fire and Halter and had as many in prison to be tried by them when God sent his conquering Sword to suppress them by occasion of which Wars there were many Ministers whereof many were Presbyters slain What is become of their Presbyterian Authority now Yet because there are some that slighting these observations will hardly be beaten from this conceit of Witches power which they have so long beleeved and will not yet think but that Witches have