by witchcraft but it is a merueilous thing to sée in what feare men are and yet will not imbrace y â— wholsome remedy which the Lord hath prescribed they séeke many meanes that with cost and trauell but yet they are neuer the better for if they finde some ease vnto the body it is with the losse of y â— soule the deuill himselfe did inuent those medicines which they fly vnto for God neuer appointed them is he so foolishe as to make weapons against himself if they be vexed or hanted with a spirit as they vse to say a witch driue him out it is the deuil y t driueth him out if he be indéede driuen out But the trueth is he is not for Satan doth not driue out Satan Put the case that one deuill did expell another what comfort could it be vnto the possessed more then this that a weaker deuill is driuen out of him to giue place to a stronger For the stronger deuill would neuer expell the weaker vnlesse it were to enter there himselfe To let this passe it will be demaunded where there is any remedie prescribed by the Lord against witcherie The Lord saith he would raise vp a Prophet vnto the people Deut. 18. Those which giue eare vnto him shalbe safe Some man will say that is but in this one poynt that he shall not be deceiued by such as wrought by the deuil nor led into error But where is there any remedie mentioned to preserue a man from the bodily harmes done by Witches I aunswer that it were a straunge thing for the holy Scriptures to appoynt a medicine for such a disease as it neuer mentioneth The word of the Lord doth neuer mention that Witches can hurt the bodie at all therfore it doth no where prescribe any remedie for that which is not The malignant spirits or wicked deuils doe hurt both bodies and soules and therefore there is a way taught how to be frée from theÌ„ They haue no increase of power by a Witch but only thus much that for the iust vengeaunce of God vpon the vngodly the is glad to bee sent and obteyneth power but he that is armed against them alone is armed against both witch and them Against them there is no power can preuaile but the power of God Therefore when the holy Apostle doth set men in battell against deuils he willeth them to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might This mightie power of God is made ours onely by faith For which cause S. Iohn saith that faith is our victorie He that beléeueth doth ouercome the world which cannot bee vnlesse he doe ouercome the prince of the world This faith is the free gift of God but yet because he hath ordeyned outward meanes to come vnto it we are willed to take vnto vs all the whole armour of God wherein this might consisteth And to the end that the exhortation may the more affect vs Saint Paule doth expresse the whole matter vnder the likenesse and termes of warre For thereby appeareth that there is néede of Gods power that we may escape out of the great perrill The Apostle as a chiefe Captaine in the Lords Armie doth stirre vp and prepare all Christian souldiers He sheweth who be the enemies He declareth their terror in sundrie respects But yet vndoubted victorie vnto all those which followe his prescript All the power of God wherewith wee resist and ouercome the deuill is conueyed into vs by faith alone But because he speaketh as of a souldier in his compleat armour he applieth but one part vnto faith and the rest vnto those things which doe goe vnseperably with faith The souldier had his head and all parts of his bodie with his legges and feete armed then had he his sword in his right hand and his shield in the left Euen so in this spirituall armour applyed by similitude vnto the soule here is armour for the head for the feet and legges and for al the whole bodie and then the shield of faith to hold foorth in the one hand and the spirituall sword which is the word of God in the other hand The summe of the whole is that by faith in the Gospell of Iesus Christ we are armed with power of grace with true knowledge and light with sincere integritie of heart and with a godly life with zeale with patience and with all other heauenly vertues so that the fierie darts of the deuill neither in tempting vnto filthie sinnes nor yet in damnable heresies and opinions can fasten vpon vs. If wee want the true faith wee want grace we be not in Christ we haue not his spirit This faith is grounded vpon the word of God for the word is sent to bee preached that men may heare and beléeue If men bée ignorant in the word of God they cannot haue power to resist the deuill they haue no sword to fight with him Christ our great Captaine hath left vnto vs an example which we ought to follow when he resisted the deuill For at euery temptation he draweth foorth this same spirituall sworde and saith it is written and so woundeth Satan therewith that he taketh the foyle Moreouer as men are to bee armed with the power of GOD so are they continually to pray for by faithfull prayer they shall obtaine a continuall supplie of grace to ouercome the new and fresh assalts of the deuill We are to giue thanks also vnto God at all tymes for his benefites to depend vppon his prouidence to commend vnto his keeping both our soules and bodies and all that we possesse Thus shall the deuill haue no power for to hunt vs but if the Lord doe giue him leaue to afflict vs yet shal it be no further then may tend vnto our good For all things worke together for good vnto those which doe loue God Let it mooue vs to seeke increase of faith by often hearing of Gods word taught let it driue vs vnto continuall meditation in the same and vnto a godly life For all those which despise the glorious Gospell of Christ or the publishing of the same and most especially such as fight against it doe to their power set vp the kingdome of the deuill and bring in all witcherie The light of the Gospell doth beate him downe and therefore when Christ sent foorth his Disciples at the first to preach and they returning reioyced that euen the deuilles were made subiect vnto them he saith I saw Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning The Lord send abroad the light of his truth to throw downe Satan and to driue away darknes from the mindes of the people Amen FINIS Deut. 18. â—… Thes. 2. Geu 6. Icch â—…3 6 Mich. 3. Psalm 8. Psalm 19 Gen. 30. Eccl. 10. I Sam. 28 Esay 29. 2 Pet. 2. Iude. Ephes. Psalm 34. Heb. 1. Reuel 21. 1. Pet. 5. Mat. 12. Mat. 12. Gen. 3. 2. Cor. 4. â—… Cor. 10. Reuel 20. 2. Thes. 2. Reuel 1â—… Reuel 12. Ephes. 2. Rom. â—… Ephes. 6. 2. Cor. 12. Iohn 5. Psal. 29. Luke 24. â—… Sam. 28. 1. Cro. 10. 2. Cor. 12. Gen. 3. Exod. 8. Act. 16. Gen. 3. 〈◊〉 19. Iohn 20. Luke 24. Epheâ—… 2. â—… Cor 4. Rom. 8.
to plague such as she is offended withall Alas what an horrible state hath the feind brought her into who seemeth to be her seruant and yet commaundeth her and r◅leth in her heart euen as her God What greater victorie then that which he hath gotten ouersuch The charmer often times knoeth no deuil but with his charme of words he can catch rattes and burst snakes take away the paine of the tooth a◅he with a paire of sheares and a siue find out a theife Many other pretie knackes hee glorieth in as if he had attayned great wisedome The art is deuillish when any thing is done the deuil worketh it he is the instructer of the enchaunter and so indeed his Lord. What should I speake of al the rest one word may suffice they bee horrible deluded by the subtil serpent and made his bondslaues This were much though Satan could obtayne no more but euen to draw those miserable caitifs into so deepe a degree of wickednes But this is not the chiefe thing he seeketh by meanes of these to plunge the blind world headlong in the gulfe of wicked apostasie And how he hath preuailed were a great and long trauell to set forth only a tast may suffice In old tyme among the heathen and prophane nations he preuailed so farre that hee was taken to be God His illusions were esteemed to bee by a deuine power for so S. Luke reporteth Act. 8. where hee sheweth that Simon Magus had long tyme by Magike astonished the Samaritans and they sayd hee was the great power of God vntill the power of God did appeare indeed by the woonders which Phillip wrought for then his were disclosed to be but illusions sleights and shewes of wonders For though the deuill can do thinges which are strange and wonderful vnto man as he did by Simon make the Samaritans woonder yet in very deede they bee no true miracles neither can he worke any though God should giue him leaue to shew all his power Further also among the heathen his answers were taken for the very oracles of God From hence sprong the f◅lthy maner of woorshipping deuils abhominable idolatry and superstitions Therfore the Lord commaundeth his people when hee had brought them out of Egipt that they should not geue eare vnto such as the heathen did Hee promiseth for to rayse vp alwayes vnto them a Prophet as whose mouth they should learne to know his will vnto whom they should harken Deuteron 18. We see then it is very manifest that while Satan stood in reputation to bee God He applyed himselfe by witches and enchaūters to set vp a religion where hee might bee most deuoutly worshipped The most of all his practises tended to that purpose At the comming of Christ by the light of Christ by the light of the Gospel he was disclosed and could couer himselfe no longer vnder so goodly a couering but was knowen indeed to be a Deuil Now he must walke as a Deuil and seeke to deceiue after an other sort And herein his subtilties haue also excelled to the great increase of wickednes among the people For when the light of Gods word was suppressed as it was in the popery then was a way made for him to worke all his feates Then did coninrers and witches and enchanters abond Then were al manner of charmes rife and common Then were a thousand magicall inuentions and toyes To set forth all particulers were infiuite therfore some few shall serue for all the rest Satan hath a throne and a kingdome in the hart of euerie man vntil such time as hee bee regenerate by the holy word of God and that the power thereof be in him He holdeth the hart in blindnes aud infidelitie and filleth it full of all filthie lusts of sinne He knoweth well that if he be espied men could not but with horror abhorre there miserable estate and seeke after some remedy Hee doth therefore seeke to deale ◅losly Hee would make men beleeue that he is not nigh them What redier way hath he to bring men into that opinion then that they may suppose he is not abrode vnles he be fetched vp by coniurers and breake away from them If there be any terrible tempestes and mighty thunders which set foorth the glory of God then is he abroad If hee can then get leaue of God as the wicked world is worthy that God should giue him power to deceiue them hee will shew himselfe by some likelines in the middest of the storme or else declare his presence by rending vp some trees or shewing some terror one way or other Now there is great feare for many beleeue that the deuil is abrode indeede and hath raysed vp the windes and brought the thunders Then tales flie and rumors are spred abrode that there haue bene coniurers They be taken say some and the matter confessed Three deuils are broken loose and others say fiue thus is Satan magnifyed when as the great woorkes of God are ascrybed vnto him Hee carieth away the glorie which the almighty should haue How vile a thing is this most miserable in this behalfe was the state of popery for the great prelates graue fathers did beleeue this and led the people vnto it And see what deuise they had When any violent tempest came they had the hollowed bell in euery steeple to bee rung which did repell and keepe him backe For hee could not come within the sound of that They had coniured water to sprincle in euery corner of their houses they had holy bread and crosses that he could rest no where These were his owne inuentions for to mocke the people for he made them beleeue hee was ◅riuen away by these when as in the meane time he ruled in their hartes To come now to the witch what hurt doth shee If yee aske the common people yee shall haue this answere shee is the very pestilence of the earth all calamity is brought vpon men by her Shee killeth men and beastes Shee tormenteth men she destroyeth mens goods No man can be in safety so long as shee liueth Woe bee vnto him which doth displease her thrise happy are they which do not meddle with her Is not this foule hauocke trow yee which the witches do make Yea but how is it possible that poore old women should do such thinges O syr they do it not by themselues They haue their spirites which they keepe at home in a corner some of them twoo some three some fiue these they send when they be displeased and wi◅ them for to plague a man in his body or in his cattle This matter hath bene tryed for diuers well disposed men euen for very pity to see what hurt witches do by sending their spirites haue seriously taken the matter in hande and haue hunted those puckrils out of their neaites And what haue they found they haue found that some one woman hath had three They haue found where shee kept them in wooll What meate
maister to seeke vnto a cunning man The self same deuil knoweth best where the cup lieth hid and who stale it He therfore is y e most fit doth giue the directioÌ„ But what hath y â— deuil gained by this he hath gained euen his desire for God letting him loose for to tempt here followe great sinnes First there is theft then seeking vnto deuils But because men are blind and suppose that such a seeking is no great offence I will shew what the Lord speaketh thereof in the holy scriptures I will first referre men vnto that which the holy Ghost saith of King Saule 1. Cronic 10. For there we may see that there are two sinnes meÌ„tioned for which the Lord did destroy Saule The one that he spared Agag The other that he enquired 〈◊〉 â—…ho The Lord hath giuen an expresse commandement Dâ—… 18. that his people shall not seeke vnto such The Prophet Esay chap. 8. ver 20. affirmeth that there is no spark of light in those which doe enquire at those which haue familiar spirites It is as much as if he should say they haue no sound knowledge of God at all in them This is a thing to be woondred at that in places where the Gospell hath bene many yéeres taught there should bee men found that are ignorant of God But indéede they haue not reuerenced but despised the light in their hearts The Lord doth threaten sharply Liuiti 20. vers 6. that person which shall seeke vnto those that worke with the deuill The words bee these The soule which shall turne it selfe vnto Oboth that is to the Spirites of â—…ytho or to the Soothsayers to goe a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from among his people God saith here that such persons as seeke vnto Coniurers and Witches doe goe a whoring after deuilles The soule of man should be kept pure and chast vnto God as a wife vnto her only husband They should not commit spirituall whoredome with deuilles as the Lord doth here charge those which seeke vnto deuilles What a foule thing is this that such as haue made a solemne vowe in baptisme to forsake the deuill and all his workes should now séeke vnto deuilles for helpe Hee that committeth adulterie in the flesh is not to bee suffered Then how much more are these worthie to bee rooted out which haue so vnfaithfully broken their vowe made vnto GOD and haue committed whoredome with deuills If there were no other hurt but this by witchcraft you sée the deuill hath gained much when many giue counsell and many doo seeke vnto such as haue familiare spirits and so in effect fall from the liuing God I might stay here and procéede no further to shew what doth mooue the deuill to doo such things by Witches as he could doo as well without them and what doth mooue him to heale such as are hurt to reueale things which are lost or stolen and as it were to doo good But I goe a litle further and shew great and generall mischiefes What greater aduauntage vnto the deuill then to hold men from turning vnto God by repentaunce And this hee doth bring to passe by Witches All chastisements come from God whether they be such as hee doth with his owne hand inflict or such as hee giueth the deuill point to lay vppon men So that whether the Lord God doo it with his owne hand or by the diuell as hee did vnto Iob or whether the deuill doo it without a Witch or by a Witch all is one in this respect that it commeth from God shold humble men and bring them vnto true repentance But men looke no further theÌ„ vnto y e witch they fret rage against her they neuer looke so high as vnto God they looke not to the cause why y â— deuil hath power ouer them they seeke not to appease Gods wrath But they fly vpon y â— witch they think if shee were not they should doo well enough shee is made the cause of all plagues mischiefes whereas in very deede she is but an Instrument which the deuill vseth for a colour their owne wickednesse hath prouoked God to anger to giue the deuill power ouer them It is their own infidelity which hath bewitched them they should now turne vnto God and they runne after the deuill For some fall vpon the Witch and beate her or clawe her to fetch blood that so her spirite may haue no power These are well after for the deuill is glad to make them Witches For when as they ascribe power vnto such things to driue out deuils what are they but Witches Some runne vnto the Witch when any friend of theirs is bewitched and threaten her that if she doe not take home her spirite and if that he come any more they will cause her to bée hanged They should runne only vnto God by a liuely faith true repentance and hartie prayer to haue the deuill remooued and they runne vnto the Witch ascribe vnto her that which doth belong only vnto God for they thinke that she hath power to send the deuill and to take him off Alas is there any true faith in these men The deuill hath bewitched them to kéepe them out of the way of repentaunce and to make them his bondslaues Others there bee which haue their Hogges distragely or some other cattell It may be they be so blind and so wicked that God hath giuen power vnto the deuill to make hauocke indéede He mooueth the Witch and she sendeth him Their sinnes they looke not vpon but how to ouercome the power of the Witch as they imagine And what doe they They take a Hogge or some other beast and burne it aliue Doth this driue away the deuill Sure if it doe it is not because it doth ouercome him but because he is delighted with their burnt offring which they offer vnto him What should I stand to reckon vp all the deuises which they haue to driue away the deuill if he haue begunne to hurt them to vnwitch as they call it or to keepe him off with their charmes or with their night-spell which they haue learned What neede is there to rehearse the knackes which they haue to driue away the ague the Tooth-ach to make the Whay Curd to make Butter come to make Cheese runne They bee all very witcheries wrought by the deuill For it is by 〈◊〉 naturall meanes and to tye the extraordinary power of GOD vnto such things is verye blasphemous These bee the fruites of Poperie which hath remooued away the light and left the people in the dark to be deluded by the deuill which remooued away the spirituall armour wherewith the soule should bee defended and taught the people verie witcheries Wee see then or at the least all may easely see that while men are thus blinded with wicked errours about witches they are so farre from the way of repentance that they are carried