confusion Againe for others the Lord may in iustice and anger suffer them not to be disclosed that liuing vnder the meanes where they might be reclaimed and wilfully contemning the same they may liue to fill vp the measure of their iniquities and thereby be made finally inexcusable that they may receiue their iuster condemnation Secondly tho deuill suffereth some to liue long vndisclosed that they may exercise the greater measure of his malice in the world specially if they be parties malitiously bent to doe hurt to men and other creatures Thirdly some Witches doe warily agree with the deuill for a certaine tearme of yeares dâ—ring which time he bindeth himselfe not to hurt them but to be at their command And Satan is carefull specially in case of his owne aduantage to keepe touch with them that they may the more strongly cleaâ—e vnto him on their parts But if the case so stand that neither the partie suspected confesseth nor yet sufficient vvitnesses can be produced vvhich are able to conuict him or her either of these two waies we haue no warrant out of the word either in generall or in speciall to put such a one to death For though presumptions be neuer so strong yet they are not proofes sufficient for conuiction but onely for examination I would therefore with and aduise all Iurers who giue their Verdict vpon life and death in courts of Assises to take good heâ—de that as they he diligent in zeale of Gods glorie and the good of his Church in derecting of Witches by all sufficient and lawfull meanes so likewise they would be carefull what they doe and not to condemne any partie suspected vpon bare presumptions without sound and sufficient proofes hat they be not guiltie through their owne 〈◊〉 of shedding innocent blood Sect. III. Quest. III. Whether a man may preuent the danger of Witchcraft and if he may than what Remedies he may lawfully and effectually vse against it To this Question we answer affirmatiuely that a man may And for the manifestation of this point the Remedies of Witch craft are to be considered In the haâ—dling whereof I will proceede in this order First to set down the true lawfull and 〈…〉 allowed and prescribed in the word Secondly the vnlawfull superstitions meanes prescribed and practised in the Romish Church Lawfull Remedies of Witchcraft be of two sorts Preseruatiue and Restoratiue Preseruatiue are those which keep a man from the hurt of Witchcraft And these be of two sorts either such as keepe safe the persons of men or such as preserue the places of mens aboad For the persons of men there is one soueraigne preseruatiue And that is to be within the couenant of grace made and confirmed in the Gospel by the blood of Christ and that not outwardly in profession onelyâ— as all those be which are within the compasse of the Church but truly and indeede as all the elect are And a man is then in the couenant when God of his grace in the vse of the meanes giues him a true knowledge of the nature of it and of conditions required in the same on both parts and withall giues him a true and liuely faith to apprehend and apply to himselfe the promise of God in Christ touching remission of sinnes and life euerlasting yet further to shew forth his faith by the fruits of true repentance and new obedience When a man in this manner comes to be brought within the couenant and is in Christ he then receiues assurance of Gods â—auour and to him belong the promises depending thereupon to wit not onely of the comfortable presence of Gods spirit but of the presence and speciall protection of his holy Angels to pitch their tents about him to keepe him safe in soule and bodie from the power and malicious practises of Satan and his members The ground of this assistance is laide downe in the word Psalm 92. 10. He shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee c. And the speach of Balaam confirmeth the same who when he was hired of Balac to curse Gods people and had oftentimes assayed to doe it but could not at last he brake out into this confession There is no witchcraft against Iacob nor sorcerie against Israel for so the words are to be read according to the true meaning and circumstances of the text As if he should haue said I was of thine opinion O Balac that Israel might be cursed but after triall made I found by good experience that I could doe that people of God no hurt by mine Inchantments Howbeit we must here remember that the promise of protection made vnto Gods children is not absolute but admitteth exception as all other promises of temporall blessing doe and that in this manner Thou shalt be partaker of this or that blessing and this or that curse shall be remooued if it be expedient for thee but if for speciall causes to tâ—â—e thy faith and to exercise thy patience I make deniall thou must rest thy selfe 〈◊〉 in my good will and pleasure By warrant of this doctrine a question commonly mooued may be resolued Whether the seruant and child of God may be bewitched or nor Out of that which hath beene said I answer he may and that is plaine by the word For by Gods permission the holy bodie of Christ himselfe was by Satan transported from place to place Matth. 4. Righteous Iob was miserably afflicted in his bodie by the power of the deuill and his children who no doubt were Gods seruants and brought vp in his feare as their father was were slaine by the same power Yea Christ himselfe testifieth Luk. 13. 16. That a daughter of Abraham that is of the faith of Abraham had beene troubled eighteene yeares with a spirit of infirmitie which the deuill caused by bowing her bodie together so as she could not lift her selfe vp v. 11. And therefore whereas some men are of this minde that their faith is so strong that all the Witches in the world and all the deuills in hell cannot hurt them they are much deceiued This their faith is but a fond presumption and no true faith For no man in the earth can absolutely assure himselfe of safetie and protection from the Deuillâ— and if any could it were the child of God but Salomon saith that all outward things may come alike both to the good and to the bad Eccle. 9. 2. Howbeit in this case there is great difference between the seruant of God and an vnrepentant sinner Though the godly man be not exempted from Witchcraft yet he is a thousand folde more free from the power thereof then other men are For there is onely one case and no more wherein the Deuill hath any way power to hurt him and that is wheÌ„ it pleaseth God by that kind of crosse to make triall of his faith and patience and out of this case he is alwaies free from the annoyance of the vilest Witches in the world If then this be
that in malitious and ill disposed persons there proceed out of the eye with the beams noysome and malignant spirits which infect the ayre and doe poison or kill not onely them with whome they are daily conuersant but others also whose companie they frequent of what age strength and complexion so euer they be Ans. But the opinion is as fond as it is old for it is as much against nature that such vertue should proceede out of the eye or such spirits breake out of the nerves to the partie hated as it is for the blood of the bodie of it selfe to gush out of the veines Yet for the ratifying of this opinion they alleadge that which is written in Gen. 30. 37. where Iacob laide speâ—kled â—oddes before the sheepe in their watering troughes that by Gods appointment for this ende that they might bring forth partie coloured lambs I answer that was not a worke of sight but a speciall and exâ—raordinarie worke of Gods prouidence vpon Iacob in his necessitie as we may plainely see in the chapter next following v. 9. 11. yea it was taught Iacob by God himselfe and â—f it had been an ordinarie work doubtlesse the gaâ—â—es thereof beeing so good Iacob would haue done it againe afterward but we neuer read that he did it againe And be it granted it were a naturall worke yet it cannot prooue witching by sight because the sheepe receiued into their eyes the species and resemblance of the rodds which is according to nature whereas in fasâ—ination or bewitching by sight malignant spirits should not be receiued in but sent forth of the eye which is against nature Yea but the Basiliske or Cockatrice doth kill man and beast with his breath and sight yea the wolfe takes away the voyce of such as he suddenly meetes withall and beholds and why may not wicked men or women doe the like An. Indeede it is a thing receiued by common errour and held of some for a truth but no experience of any man hath yet beene brought for the proofe thereof and therefore it is to be reputed as fabulous Thus much in probabilitie may be thought if the allegatioÌ„ should be true that the Basilisâ—e beeing possessed of a thicke poyson may by his breath send forth some grosse venemoâ—s vapours and thereby infect the ayre and poison the thing that is neere vnto him And that the soddaine and vnexpected beholding of the venemous Cockâ—trice or the ravenous wolfe beeing creatures in their kind fearefull especiâ—llâ— to those that are not acquainted with them may cause present astonishment and consequently perill of death But that this should be done by the eiâ—s of these creatures only in maÌ„ner aforesaid it is not credible and therefore Aâ—thors haue vpon good ground denied iâ— as beeing confirmed neither by reason nor experience Thirdly they reason thus â—nchanters by whispering of words in charmes can stay the stinging and poisoning of serpents for so Dauid in effect speaketh that the voice of the Charmer charmeth the serpent Psal. 58. 5. It may seeme therefore that there is no small force in words for the effecting of strange works Ans. It must be granted that the charmer may inchant the serpent but how not by vertue of the words in the Charme but by the power of the deuill who then is stirred vp when the charme is repeated to doe the thing intended The truth of this answer appeares by the words of the text as they are read in the originall that the Inchanter ioyneth societies very cunningly namely with the deuill Now these sâ—ciâ—ties betweene Satan and the Charmer are the very ground of the worke vpon the serpent which worke vpon confederacie formerly made is done by the deuill and the words of the Charme are no more but the Inchanters Item or watchword to occasion him thereunto And let any other man reapeat the same words a thousand times that either is not thus confederate with Satan or hath not a superstitious opinion of Charmes and al his labour will be in vaine Fourthly the word of God is of great force in the hearts of men to conâ—ert and change them as it is vttered by the mouth of mortall man and this force is not in the man by whomâ— it is spoken where then should it be but in the 〈◊〉 and if in the words why may not other words be of like 〈◊〉 beeing vttered by man Ans. 1. The power of Gods word commeâ—â— not from this that it is a word and barely vttered out of the mouth of a man for so it is a dâ—ad letter but it proceedeth from the powerfull operation of the spirit annexed by Gods promise thereunto when it is vttered read and conceiued which operation if it were taken away the word might be preached a thousand yeares together without any fruit or effect either to saluation or condemnation 2. The word of God is powerfull by the concurrence of the worke of the spirit not in all things as for example in raising winds and tempests in infecting the ayre in killing and annoying men or other creatures but in the conuersion of sinners in gathering the Elect and in confirming those that be called and this power it hath also by his speciall blessing and appointment 3. Furthermore the same word is not of power when it is barely read heard or spoken vnlesse it be also conceiued in the vnderstanding receiued with reuerence treasured vp in the memorie and mingled with faith in the heart whereas the bare reading and muttering ouer the words of a Charme by an Inchanter though in an vnknowne toâ—gue in â—ude and barbarous words is sufficient to procure the working of wonders Now though the word of God be in it selfe pure and serue to excellent purpose as hath beene saide yet by the way we may remember That as it is with all things that are most pretious nothing is so excellent in it kind which may not be abused so it is with this heauenly word for it is and may be made a Charme two waies First when some part of it is indeede vsed for a charme Thus many Texts of Scripture both in Latin and other languages haue beene abused by Inchanters as might easily be shewed Secondly when it is heard read recited or made a matter of praier without vnderstanding And thus the ignorant man as much as in him lyeth makes it a Charme For in his ordinarie vse thereof he neither conceiueth nor taketh care to vnderstand it as lamentable experience teacheth Yet in neither of these is the very bare repeating of the word effectuall For as when a man heares or reades it vnlesse the Spirit of God inlighteneth his heart it is to no purpose so when it is made the matter of a Spell nothing will be effected vnlesse the deuill either by confâ—deracie or superstitious conceit be drawne to conferre his helpe in the point for his owne aduantage Howbeit of all Inchantments these are the most dishonorable to God most acceptable to
Apollo at Delphos of Iupiter Trophonius in Boeotia and the rest where the Deuill gaue the answer sometimes one way and sometimes another Secondly Satan by obseruation perceiueth that man vpon a weake and ignorant minde is prone superstitiously to dote vpon the creatures attributing some diuine operation or vertue to them without any ground of Gods word or common vnderstanding and consequently disposed to worship God in some worke of man or to ioyne to the sâ—me worship the inuentions of man which he hath not commanded Vpon which ground he made the Heathen to dote vpon their wisemen to regard Soothsayers and them that wrought with Spirits The Chaldean Philosophers renowmed for their superstitions and Magicall courses to make the Heauens fatalium Legum Tabulam ascribing that to the vertue of the Starres which was knowne and done by Satanicall operation The Magicians of Persia to admit of corruptions in their auncient good learning and to giue themselues vpon reading the fabulous writings of the Chaldean Sorcerers to the sludie of vnlawfull Arts inuented by himselfe both before and after the times of Daniel the Prophet Lastly the â—ncient Romanes vpon a superstitious doâ—age neuer to vndertake any businesse of weight â—isi auspicatò vnlesse they had luckie consent and warrant from the Colledges of their Augurors erected by Romulâ—u Thirdly there is a naturall Distemper in the minde of man shewing it selfe in these particulars That he cannot endure to stand in feare of imminent daunger That he swells in an high conceit of his owne deserts specially when he is in lower estate then he would be That he will not beare a wrong done without reuenge That he rests not satisfied with the measure of knowledge receiued but affecteth the searching of things secret and not reuealed When the minde is possessed with these troubled passions with care to helpe it selfe then comes the Deuill and ministreth occasion to vse vnlawfâ—ll means in the generall and forceth the minde by continuall suggestion to determine it selfe in particular vpon his owne crafts It was the case of Saul and of Nebuchadnetsar It caused many of the Heathen Philosophers to go from Athens to Memphis from Grecia to Syria from men on earth to wicked Spirits in hell to get more illumination at the hands of the Prince of darkenesse It mooued sundrie â—â—al-contented Priests of Rome to aspire vnto the chaire of Supremacie by Diabolicall assistance yea to exercise Magicall arts when they were Popes and thereby to manifest indeed that they were not the true Successors of Simon Peter but heyres of the vertues of Simon that Magus who bewitched the people of Samaria and professed to doe that by the great power of God which he wrought by the ayde and assistance of the Deuill If any doe thinke it strange that Satan should in this sort oppose himselfe to the kingdome of God and maintaine his owne principalitie by such vngodly arts and exercises They must knowe that this and all other euills come to passe euen by the will of God who hath iustly permitted the same To punish the wicked for their horrible sinâ—es as Saul for his wickednesse To auenge himselfe vpon Man for his ingratitude who hauing the truth reuealed vnto him will not beleeue or obey it To waken and rowze vp the godly who are sleeping in any great sinnes or infirmities Lastly to trie and prooue his people whether they will cleaue to him and his word or seeke vnto Satan and wicked Spirits Now from the consideration of the premisses we conclude it a necessarie thing for the Church and people of God to be acquainted with the dealing of Satan in this kinde that knowing his subtill deuises they may learne to auoyd them For which purpose this Treatise was first framed and now exhibited to your Lordship The iust commendation whereof aboue others formerly divulged touching this Argument appeareth herein that it serueth to the full opening and declaration of Satans Methode in the ground and practises of Witchcraft Wherein among many other remarkable points it may please you to take speciall notice of these particulars I. That they doe grossely erre who either in expresse tearmes denie that there be Witches or in effect and by consequent auouching that there is no league betweene them and the Deuill or affirming they can doe no such miraculous workes as are ascribed to them The former issueth plainly our of the bodie of the Discourse And for the latter That there is a Couenant betweene them either explicite in manner and forme or implicite by degrees of superstitious proceeding in the vse of meanes insufficient in themselues is plainely taught and confirmed in the same That Witches may and doe worke wonders is euidently prooued howbeit not by an omnipotent power as the 〈…〉 hath vnlearnedly and improperly teaâ—◠〈◊〉 but by the assistance of Satan their Princâ—â—â—â—ho is a powerfull Spirit but yet a Creatuâ—â—â— well as they And the Wonders wrough◠〈◊〉 them are not properly and simply miracles but workes of wonder because they exceede the ordinarie power and capacitie of men especially such as are ignorant of Satans habilitie and the hidden causes in nature whereby things are brought to passe II. That the Witch truely conuicted is to be punished with death the highest degree of punishment and that by the Lawe of Moses the equitie whereof is perpetuall Yea euen the better Witch of the two in common reputation because both are equally enemies to God and all true religion and it is well knowne by true experience that all professed Sorcâ—rers are guiltie of many most monstrous impieties III. That the Miracles of the Popish Church at this day are indeed either no Miracles or false and deceitfull workes Touching corporall presence in the Sacrament which they affirme to be by miracle If it were true then miracles were not yet ceased but should still be as ordinarie in the Church as are the Sacraments A point not onely confuted in the latter part of this Treatise but also by the testimonie of purer Antiquitie Augustine saith That miracles were once necessarie to make the world beleeue the Gospel but he that now seekes a signe that he may beleeue is a wonder yea â— monster in nature Chrysostome conclude◠〈◊〉 on the same grounds that there is now in the Church no necessitie of working Miracles and calles him a false Prophet that now takes in hand to worke them Againe if there be a miracle in the Sacrament it is contrarie to the nature of all those that were wrought either by Moses and the Prophets or by Christ and his Apostles For they were apparent to the eye but this is insensible and therfore neither of â—orce to mooue admiration nor to conuince the minde of man and make him to beleeue As for those which are pretended to be wrought by Saints in that church if we make recourse to the Primitiue times wherein
besides the ordinarie course of nature yet it is not simply aboue the power thereof For a third instance The deuill is able to vtter a voice in plaine words and speach answerable to mans vnderstanding in any language Not that he can take vnto himselfe beeing a spirit an immeadiate power to speake or frame a voyce of nothing without meanes but knowing the naturall and proper causes and meanes by which men doe speake by them he frames in himselfe the voyce of a man and plainely vtters the same in a knowne language In this manner he abused the tongue and mouth of the serpent when in plaine words he tempted Eue to eate the forbidden fruit Now it is to be remembred here that when the deuill speakes in a creature it must be such a creature as hath the instruments of speach or such whereby speach may be framed and vttered not otherwise for it was neuer heard that he spake in a stocke or a stone or any created entity that had not the meanes and power of vttering a voice at least in some sort it beeing a worke peculiar to the Creator to giue power of vtterance where it is not by creation Againe when he frameth a voice in a creature he doth it not by giuing immediate power to speake for that he cannot doe and the creature abused by him remaineth in that regard as it was before But it beeing naturally fitted and disposed to vtter a voice though not perfectly to speake as a man he furthereth and helpeth nature in it and addeth to the facultie thereof a present vse of words by ordering and ruling the instruments to his intended purposes And to conclude this point looke what strange workes and wonders may be truely effected by the power of nature though they be not ordinarily brought to passe in the course of nature those the deuill can do so farre forth as the power of nature will permit he is able to worke true wonders though for a false and euill ende Here a question is mooued by some whether the deuil can change one creature into another as a man or woman into a beast for some notwithstanding the doctrine alreadie taught are of opinion that he can turne the bodies of Witches into other creatures as hares cattes and such like Ans. The transmutaâ—ion of the substance of one creature into another as of a man into a beast of what kind soeuer is a worke simply aboue the power of nature and therefore cannot be done by the deuil or any creature For it is the proper worke of God alone as I haue said to create to change or abolish nature It is obiected that such chaÌ„ges haue beene made For Lots wiâ—e was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. 26. Ans. It is true but that was done by the mightie power of God neither can it be proued that any creature Angel or other was euer able to doe the like But it is further said that king Nabuchadnezzar was turned inâ—o a beast and did eate grasse with the beasts of the field Dan. 4. 30. Ans. There is no such matter his substance was not changed so as his bodie became the bodie of a beast indeede but his condicions onely were altered by the iudgement of God vpon his minde whereby he was so farre forth bereaued of humane sense and vnderstanding Againe for his behauiour and kinde of life he became altogether bruitish for the time and excepting onely his outward forme and shape no part of humanitie could appeare in him but that he retained his humane bodie still it is euident by his owne words vers 31. when he saith And mine vnderstanding was restored to me which argueth plainly that the hand of God was vpon him in some kind of madnesse and furie and therefore that there was not a change of his bodie and substance but a strange and fearefull alteration in his minde and outward behauiour And though such a transmutation should be granted yet it makes nothing for the purpose considering it was the worke of God onely and not of the deull And thus we see what kind of wonders the deuil can bring to passe The meditation of which point may teach vs tvvo things First that the working of wonders is not a thing that will commend man vnto God for the deuill himselfe a wicked spirit can worke them And many shall alledge this in the day of iudgement that they haue by the name of God cast out deuils and done many great woâ—ks to whome notwithstanding the Lord will say I neuer knewe you depart from me yee workers of inâ—quitie Matth. 7. 22. 23. It behooueth vs rather to get vnto our selues the precious gifts of faith repentance and the feare of God yea to go before others in a godly life and vpright conuersâ—tion then to excell in effecting of strange workes When the seauentie Disciples came to our Sauiour Christ with ioy and tolde him that euen the deuills were subdued vnto them through his name Luk. 10. 17. he counsells them not to reioyce in this that wicked spirits were sâ—bdued vnto them but rather because their names were written in heauen vers 20. Indeed to be able to worke a wonder is an excellent gift of God and may minister matter of reioycing when it proceedeth from God but seeing the deuill receiued this power by the gift of creation our speciall ioy must not be therein but rather in this that we are the adopted sonnes of God in which priuiledge the deuill hath no part with vs. And therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. making a comparison of the gifts of the spirit as of speaking diuers tongues of prophecying and working miracles with loue in the end wisheth men to labour for the best gifts which are faith hope and loue because by these we are made partakers of Christ on whom we ought to set our hearts and in whome we are commanded â—lwaies to reioyce Phil. 4. 4. Secondly we learne from hence not to beleeue or receiue a doctrine now or at any time because it is confirmed by wonders For the deuill himselfe is able to confirme his errours and Idolatrous seruices by strange and extraordinarie signes by which vsually he laboureth to auouch and verisie the grossest points of falshood in matter of religion On the contrarie we must not reiect or contemne a doctrine because it is not thus confirmed This was a maine fault in the Iewes who would not receiue the word preached by Christ vnlesse he shewed them a signe from heauen Indeed in the primitiue Church it pleased God to confirme that doctrine which the Apostles taught by great signes and miracles but now that gift is ceased and the Church hath no warrant to expect any further euidence of the religion it professeth and enioyeth by arguments of that kinde yea rather it hath cause to suspect a doctrine taught for the wonders sake whereby men labour to auouch it Sect. V. The last clause in the description is
this so farre forth as God in iustice suffereth which I adde for two causes First â—o shew that God for iust causes permiâ—teâ—h the Arts of Magicke Witchcraft and the practises thereof Now this he doth in his prouidence either for the triall of his children or for the punishment of the wicked First therefore God permits these wicked Arts in the Church to prooue whether his children wil steadfastly beleeue in him and seeke vnto his word or cleaue vnto the deuill by seeking to his wicked instruments This Moses plainely forewarned the Church of God of in his time Deuter. 13. v. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder v. 2. and the signe and wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other gods which thou hast not knowne and serue them v. 3. thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet c. Againe God suffereth them for the punishment of vnbeleeuers and wicked men for oftentimes God punisheth one sinne by an other as the antecedent sinnes by the consequent This Paul plainely sheweth speaking of the daies of Antichrist that because men receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God would send vpon them strong illusions that they should beleeue lies And we may resolue our selues that for this very cause God suffereth the practises of Witchcraft to be so rise in these our daies to punish the ingratitude of men who haue the truth reuealed vnto them and yet will not beleeue and obey the same but tread it vnder their feete that all they might be condemned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Secondly this last clause is added to shewe that in the practises of sorcerie and witchcraft the Deuill can doe so much onely as God permitts him and no more Doubtlesse his malice reacheth further and consequently his will and desire but God hath restrained his power in the execution of his malitious poses whereupon he cannot goe a whit further then God giues him leaue and libertie to goe The Magicians of Egypt did some wonders in shew like vnto the miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron and that for a time by changing a rodde into a serpent and water into blood and by bringing froggs through he sleight and power of the deuill but when it pleased God to determine their practises and giue them no further liberâ—ie they could not doe that which in likelihood was the meanest of all the rest the turning of the dust of the land into lice and themselues gaue the true reason thereof â—aving That this was the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. When the deuilâ— went out and became a false spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets to intise him to goe to fall at Ramoth Gâ—leâ—d he went not of his owne will but by the authoritie of God who commanded him to goe â—â—â—entise Ahab and suffered him to preuaile 1. King 22. 20. â—nd the act was not the act of Satan but of God whose instrument he was and therefore the holy Ghost saith by Miâ—aiah The Lord-hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets and the Lord hath appointed euill against thee v. 23. Hence also it was that the deuills beeing cast out of the man that had an vncleane spirit asked leaue of Christ to enter into the heard of swine and could not enter in till he had permited them Mark 5. 12 13. And we read oftentimes in the Gospel that our Sauiour cast out many deuills by his word onely thereby shewing that he was absolute Lord ouer them and that without his permission they could doe nothing And thus much touching the generall 〈◊〉 of this Art CHAP. II. The Ground of Witchcraft and of all the practises thereof THe Ground of all the practises of Witchcraft is a league or couenant made betweene the Witch and the Deuill wherein they doe mutually bind themselues each to other If any shall thinke it strange that man or woman should enter league with Satan their vtter enemie they are to know it for a most euident and certen truth that may not be called into question And yet to cleare the iudgement of any one in this point I will set downe some reasons in way of proofe First the holy Scripture doth intimate so much vnto vs in the 58. Psal. v. 5. where howsoeuer the coÌ„mon translation runneth in other tearmes yet the words are properly to be read thus which heareth not the voyce of the mutterer ioyning societies cunningly And in them the Psalmist layeth downe two points First the effect or worke of a charme muttered by the Inchanter namely that it is able to stay the Adder from sâ—inging those which shall lay hold on him or touch him Secondly the maine foundation of the charme societies or confederacies cunningly made not betweene man and man but as the words import betweene the Inchanter and the deuill The like we read Deuter. 18. 11. where the Lord chargeth his people when they come into the land of Canaan that amongst other abominations of the heathen they should beware least any were found amongst them that ioyned societie that is entred into league and compact with wicked spirits A second reason may be this it is the practise of the deuill to offer to make a bargaine and couenant with man Thus he dealt with our Sauiour Christ in the third temptation wherewith he assaulted him promising to giue vnto him all the kingdomes of the earth and the glorie of them which he shewed him in a vision if Christ for his part would fall downe and worshippe him The offer was passed on the behalfe of Satan and now to make a perfect compact betweene them there was nothing wanting but the free consent of our Sauiour vnto the coÌ„dition propounded Whereby it is manifest that the Deuill makes many couenants in the world because he findeth men and women in the most places fitted for his turne in this kind who will not let to worship him for a farre lesse matter then a kingdome And it is not to be doubted that thousands in the world had they been offered so faire as Christ was would haue beene as willing to haue yeelded vpon such conditions as the Deuill to haue offered Thirdly the common confession of all Witches and Soâ—cerers both before and since the comming of Christ doth yet more fully confirme the same For they haue confessed with one consent that the very ground-worke of all their practises in this wicked art is their league with the deuill And hence it appeareth how and whereupon it is that Sorcerers and Witches can bring to passe strange things by the helpe of Satan which other men ordinarily can not doe namely because they haue entred a league with him whereby he hath bound himselfe to them for the effecting of rare and extraordinarie workes which others not ioyned with him in the like
constraint but voluntarily because he builds vpon his owne greater aduantage the gaining of the soule of the Witch Where by the way let it be obserued what a pretious thing the soule of man is the purchasing wherof can make the proud spirit of Satan so farre to abase it self as to be at the command of a silly woman Againe what an inueterate malice Satan beareth to man which for the gaining of a soule will doe that which is so contrarie to his nature It may teach man what to esteeme of his soule and not to sell it for so base a price Thirdly by this the great power of the Deuill in the behalfe of the Sorcerer is made manifest For he was presently at hand to counterfeit Samuel and did it so liuely and cunningly as well in forme of bodie as in attire and voice that Saul thought verily it was the Prophet which may be a caueat vnto vs not easily to giue credit to any such apparitions For though they seeme neuer so true and euident yet such is the power and skill of the deuill that he can quite deceiue vs as he did Saul in this place Sect. IV. Hitherto I haue shewed the first kind of Diuination by meanes both true and forged Now followeth the second practised without meanes Diuination without meanes is the foretelling and reuealing of things to come by the alone and immediate assistance of a familiar spirit This kind is mentioned and expressely forbidden Leuit. 19. 31. Ye shall not regard them that worke with spirits Againe Leuit. 20. 6. If any turne after such as worke with spirits to goe a whoring after them I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people So Deut. 18. 11. Let none be found among you that consulteth with spirits In which places the holy Ghost vseth the word Ob which more properly signifieth a spirit or deuill in which sense it is taken in Leuit. 20. 27. and in 1. Sam 28. 8. And by reason of the league which is betweene the Witch and the deuill the same is also giuen to the Witch that worketh by the deuill and therefore the Pythonesse at Endor is both called Ob 1. Sam. 28. 9. and shee that ruleth Ob. v. 7 8. Now this kind of Diuination is practised two wayes either inwardly when the spirit is within the Witch or outwardly when being forth of the Witch he doth onely inspire him or her An example of the former waie the Scripture affordeth Act. 16. 16. of a woman at Philippi that had a spirit of Pytho which gather master much vantage with diuining And this spirit whereby she diuined was within her For Paul beeing molested said to the spirit I coÌ„mand thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her and he came out the same houre v. 18. And because the deuill is wont in this kinde to speake out of the throat and brest or bellie of the Witch pâ—ssessed hereunto learned men haue thought that this name Ob is giuen to the deuill because he speaketh out of the witch as out of a bottell or hollow vessell for so the word Ob properly signifieth Secondly this may be practised when the deuill is forth of the Witch and then he either inspireth her or els casteth her into a traunce and therein reueileth vnto her such things as she would know Of this kind though we haue no example in Scripture yet the histories of the heathen doe affoard vnto vs many instances of experience therein One of the principall is the historie of the ten Sibylles of Greece who were most famous Witches and did prophesie of many things to come whereof some were true concerning Christ and his kingdome which the deuill stole out of the Bible and some other were false and all of them they receiued by reuelation from the deuill in traunces But it will be said If the deuill reueileth vnto his instruments straÌ„ge things in traunces then how shall a man discerne betweene diabolicall reuelations and the true gift of prophesie which God in traunces reueileth vnto his Prophets Answ. In this point Satan is as it were Gods ape For as he in old time raised vp holy Prophets to speake vnto the fathers for the building vp of his Church so hath Satan inspired his ministers and furnished his instruments with propheticall inspirations from time to time for the building vp of his owne kingdome and hereupon he hath notably counterfeited the true gift of prophecie receiued first from God himselfe And yet though in many things they be like there is great difference betweene them First diuine trances may come vpon Gods children either wheÌ„ the soule remaineth vnited with the bodie or else when it is seuered for a time So much Paul insinuateth when he faith of himselfe 2. Cor. 12. â— that he was rapt vp as it were in a heauenly trance into the third heauen but whether in the bodie or out of the bodie he knew not But in all diabolical ecstasies though the body and senses of the Witch be as it were bound or benummed for the time yet their soules still renâ—aine vnited to their bodies and not seuered from them For though the deuill by Gods permission may kill the bodie and so take the soule out of it for euer yet to take it from the bodie for a time and to reunite them againe is miraculous and therefore beyond the compasse of his power Secondly in diuine trances the seruants of God haue all their senses yea all the powers of soule and bodie remaining sound and perfect onely for a time the actions and operations are suspended and cease to doe their dutie but in ecstasies that be from Satan his instruments are cast into frenzies and madnesse so as reason in them is darkened vnderstanding obscured memorie weakned the braine distempered yea all the faculties are so blemished that many of them neuer recouer their former estate againe and they that scape best doe carrie their blemishes as the deuills skars euen vnto their graue So kind is Saran to his friends that he will leaue his tokens behind him where euer he comes in this sort The seruants of God receiue no such blemishes but rather a further good and a greater measure of illumination of all the powers of the soule Thirdly diuine ecstasies tend alway to the confirming of the truth of the Gospel and the furtherance of true religion and pietie Such was Peters Act. 10. 11. which serued to assure him of his calling to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and to informe his iudgement in this truth that there was no acception of persons with God and that to them of the new Testament all things were cleane and nothing polluted But the scope of them that are from Satan is principally the suppressing and hinderance of religion the drawing of the weake into errours the ratifying and confirming of theÌ„ that are fallen thereinto and the generall vpholding of the
Satan and most hurtfull to the charmer which are made of the Scriptures For beside the sinne of Witchcraft in the Charming this inconuenience 〈◊〉 that Satan procureth more credite to one of thâ—se then to twentie other because the words are Scripture hereby cloâ—ing his mischieâ—ous practises vnder the colour of holynes and so confirming the truth of that which the holy Ghost saith that when he worketh most deceitfully he transformes himselfe into an Angell of lâ—hgt â— Cor. 11. 14. He knoweth well that ordinarie words seeme nothing to some men therfore he teacheth and suggesteth phrases and sentences out of the word for such vngodly ends that euen the grace of them fetâ—hed from the Scriptures may make them sâ—â—mefull Wherefore let euery one that is indued with grace and knowledge dâ—ely consider this with himselfe Cannot Gods word be effectuall when it is vsed to edification vnlesse the worke of his owne Spirit accompany the same then surely it is impossible that the same which is holy beeing vsed to an euill ende should be powerfull except the deuill affordeth his helpe for the effecting thereof To conclude therefore let men say what they will the truth is this that words of Inchantment be they neuer so holy or prophane either by way of cursing or blessing haue no power of themselues to the producing of strange workes but are as hath beene said onely diabolicall signes admonishing the Deuill of some wickednes intended and desired which he through his power must cause to be done And thus much of Inchantment standing vpon the practise of wonders by a Charme To this head of Inchantment sundry other practises of Witches are to be referred the chiefe whereof are these First the vsing and making of Characters Images or Figures specially the framing of Circles for this end to work wonders by them As to draw the picture of a child or maÌ„ or other creature in clay or waxe and to burie the same in the ground or to hide it in some secret place or to burn it in the fire therby intending to hurt or kill the partie resembled Againe to make an impression into the saide picture by pricking or gashing the heart or any other place with intent to procure dangerous or deadly pains to the same parts This is a meere practise of Inchantment the making of the image and vsing of it to this end is in vertue a Charme though no words be vsed For the bare picture hath no more power of it selfe to hurt the bodie represented then bare words All that is done commeth by the worke of the deuill who alone by the vsing of the picture in that sort is occasioned so or so to worke the parties destruction Secondly hither we may referre the vsing of Amulets that is remedies and preseruatiues against inchantments â—orceries and bewitchings made of herbes or some such things and hanged about the necke for that ende Thirdly the vsing of Exorcismes that is certaine set formes of words vsed in way of adâ—uration for some extraordinarie ende A practise vsuall in the Church of Rome whereby the priest coâ—iures the salt holy-water creame â—pittle oyle palâ—es c. all which are in truth meere inchantements For howsoeuer the Councell of Trent hath ratified theÌ„ by their decrees so commended them to general vse within the compasse of the Popish Church yet they haue in them no power or abiliâ—ie of blessing or cursing either by nature or Gods appoyntment Fourthly In this number we reckon the vsing of the name Iesus to dâ—iue away the deuill or to pâ—euent Witchcraft a common practise among the ignorant Wherein the wonderfull malice of Satan bewâ—aies it selfe in making the ignorant people thinke that Christ is a coniurer and that there is vertue in the naming oâ— his name to doe some strange thing Whereas the truth is he careth neither for this name nor for all the names of God if a man goes no further theÌ„ the bare repeating of them but rather delighteth to see them so abused and disgraced And hereupon it is that in all coniurations when he is raised by the Sorcerer he is willing to be adiâ—red by all the holy names of God that are in the Scripture to the ende that he may the more deepely seduce his owne instruments and make them to thinke that these holy names will bind him force him to yeeld vnto their desires in the particular when indeede there is no such matter Which point throughly considered may admonish vs to take speciall heede of these cunning glozes and deuillish insinuations whereby he intendeth to delude vs alway remembring that the Apostles themselues to whom the power of working miracles was giuen did neuer acknowledge the worke to be done by the name of Iesus but as S. Peter affirmeth through faith in his name Act. 3. 6. 16. Fiftly The crossing of the bodie to this ende that we may be blessed from the deuill A thing vsuall euen of latter times specially in Popery wherein the crosse carrieth the very nature of a Charme and the vse of it in this maÌ„ner a practise of Inchantment For God hath giuen no such vertue to a crosse either by creation or speciall priuiledge and appointment Sixâ—ly the Scratching â—f a Witch to discouer the Witch For it is a means which hath no warrant or power thereunto either by the word of God or froÌ„ nature but onely from the deuill who if he yeeldeth either at crossing or scratâ—hing he doth it willingly and not by compulsion that he may feede his instrument with a false faith and a superstitious coÌ„ceit to the dishonor of God and their owne ouerthrowe In a word looke whatsoeuer actions gestures signes rites and ceremonies are vsed by men or women to worke wonders hauing no power to effect the same either by creation and nature or by speciall appointment from God they must all be referred to this head and reckoned for Charmes The vse Now considering that all kinds of Charmes are the deuills watch-words to cause him to worke the wonder and haue no vertue in them be the words wherein they are conceiued neuer so good hereby we must be admoâ—â—shed to take heede of the vse of them and all other vnlawful ceremonies both in respect of their formes be they praises or praiers or imprecations as also in regard of their endes be they neuer so good in outward appearance But alas the more lamentable is the case Charming is in as great request as Physicke and Charmers more sought vnto then Physicians in time of neede There be charmes for all conditions and ages of men for diuers kinds of creatures yea for euery disease as for head-ach tooth-ach stitches and such like Neuerthelesse howsoeuer some haue subiected themselues to such base and vngodly meanes yet the vse hereof by the mercie of God hath not beene vniuersall And those that haue sought for helpe are to be aduised in the feare of God to repent of this their sinne and to take
a better course Let them rightly consider that they haue hither to depended vpon Satan for helpe and consequently haue dishonoured God and renounced lawfull meanes sanctified by him which should not haue beene done in case of the greatest worldly gaine For no man may doe euill that good may come of it But they that vse the helpe of Charmers and consult with Wisemen are wont to alleadge something in defence or excuse of their practise First that they for their part meane no hurt they know no euill by the man whome they seeke to they onely send to him and he does them good how and in what manner they regard not Ans. 1. Indeed many be ignorant of the Inchanters courses But in cases of losse and hindrance men ought not onely to inquire the meanes but to waigh and consider the warrantablenes thereof otherwise they doe not that they doe of faith and so are guiltie of sinne before God Rom. 14. last vers 2. Put the case they themselues meane no hurt yet in this action they doe hurt to themselues by reposing trust in things which vpon better consideration they shall finde to be dishonourable and therefore hatefull to God Secondly they alledge we goe to the Physician for counsell we take his Recipe but we know not what it meaneth yet we vse it and finde benefite if this be lawfull why may we not as well take benefit by the Wiseman whose courses we be ignorant of Ans. 1. Physick vsed in time and place is a worthy ordinance of God and therefore beeing rightly vsed God giues his blessing to it But for inchantment it was neuer sanctified by God and therefore cannot be vsed in any assurance of his blessing 2. The Physicians receit being a composition and mixture of naturall things though a man knowes it not yet he takes it into his stomake or applies it to his bodie and sensibly perceiues the vertue and effâ—cacie thereof in the working whereas the Charmers course consisteth of words which neither are knowne in themselues nor are manifest in their vse to sense or vnderstanding And hereby it is plaine there is not the same reason of Physicke and charmes the one hauing a sensible operation by vertue giuen it of God the other insensible and wrought aboue ordinaric meanes by the worke of Satan Thirdly they alleadge God is mercifull and he hath prouided a salue for euery sore they haue vsed other means but they haue not succeeded and what should they doe more may they not in extremitie repaire to the Inchaunter and see what he can doe for them rather then their goods and cattell should be lost and spoyled Ans. 1. It were better for you to bide by the losse yea to liue and die in any sickenes then to tempt God by seeking help at charmers hands for their helpe is dangerous and commeth from the deuill whereupon if ye rest your selues ye ioyne league with him and so hazzard eternally the safetie both of bodies and soules 2. Vse good meanes allowed of God and when they haue beene vsed often without successe proceede not to other courses but referre your selues to God and say with Iob The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blassed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21. And thus much of Inchanting the first part of Operatiue Witchcraft Sect. II. The second part is Iugling Iugling is the deluding of the eye with some strange sleight done aboue the or linarâ—e course of nature In this description there are two points necessarily required in the point of Iugling Delusion of the eye and extraordinarie Sleight Delusion is then performed when a man is made to thinke he sees that which indeede he sees not And this is done by the operation of the deuill diuersly but especially three waies First by corrupting the humour of the eye which is the next instrument of sight Secondly by altering the ayre which is the meane by which the obiect or species is carried to the eye Thirdly by altering and changing the obiect that is the thing seene or whereon a man looketh This deluding of the sense is noted by Paul Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galâ—tians who hath bewitched you where the spirit of God â—eth a word borrowed from this kind of sorcerers which in full meaning signifieth thus much who hath deluded your eyes and caused you to thinke you see that which you see not As if he should haue said Looke as the Iugler by his deuillish art deludeth the outward eye and maketh men thinke they see that which indeede they doe not Euen so the false Apostles by their erroneous doctrine haue deluded the eies of your minds and haue caused you Galatians to iudge that to be the word of God which is not and that to be truth which is error and falshood Paul giues vs to vnderstand by the very phrase vsed that there is such a kind of Iugling as is able to deceiue the eye For otherwise his comparison would not hold The second thing required in Iugling is a Sleight done aboue the order and course of nature This is the point which maketh those conueiances to be Witchcraft For if they were within the compasse of nature they could not be rightly â—earmed and reputed Sorceries considering that diuerse men by reason of the agilitie of their bodies sleight of their hands are able to worke diuers feats which seeme strange to the beholders and yet not meddle with Witchcraft Againe some by the lawfull art of the Optiks may shew strange admirable things by meanes of light and darknesso and yet may be free from impution of Magicall workeâ— because they keepe themselues wholly within the power and practise of nature But sleights done 〈◊〉 ouer and aboue delusioÌ„ must passe the ordinarie bounds and precincts of nature and so are made points of Witchcraft One memorable example for the clearer manifestation of this point we haue in the Scripture by name in the 7 8 and 9 Chapters of Exodus where Moses and Aaron wrought wonders before Pharaoh turning the rodde into a serpent and water into blood with many other such like Now Iannes and Iambres for so Paul calleth them 2. Tim 3. 8. the Magicians of Egypt did worke the same miracles which Moses and Aaron had done But here was the differenceâ— Moses made true creatures and wrought true miracles whereas they did all in appearance and outward shew For theirs were not true reall actions but onely Magicall illusions wrought by the sleight subtilty of the deuil in the practise of lugling And because some thinke that the serpents and froggs caused by the Magitians were true creatures and all their other workes as really and truely done as those which Moses and Aaron did I will here stand a little to shewe and prooue the contrarie that they were onely in shew and appearance and not in deede and truth First then if the frogs and serpents caused by Iannes and Iambres were true
must be absolutely for the pardon of their sinnes and then for deliuerance from the hurts and torments of diabolicall persons yet not absolutely as for the other but with this condition so farre forth as it stands with Gods glorie and their owne good For these are the bounds and limits of all temporall good things of them the Lord makes no absolute promise but with these conditions qualifications Thirdly the parties bewitched must patiently beare the present annoyance comforting themselues with this that it is the Lords own hand by whose speciall prouidence it comes to passe and who turneth all things to the good of his chosen Againe they are to remember that he beeing a most wise God and louing father in Christ will not suffer them to be tried aboue that they are able to beare but in his good time will grant a ioyfull issue Now when the bewitched shall thus submit themselues vnto God in the crosse be it that he vpon some causes deferre their deliuerance yet they shall not finally be deceiued of their hope For either in this life at the appointed time or in the end of this life by death they shall be eternally deliuered and put in present possession of euerlasting case and happines Thus much of the true remedies against Witchcraft In the next place we are a little to examine the false and superstitious Remedies prescribed and vsed by them of the popish Church The most learned Papists of this age doe teach and auouch that there is in Gods Church an ordinarie gift power whereby some men may cast out deuills and helpe annoyances that come by Witches The Protestant is of a contrarie iudgement and holdeth according to truth that there is now no such ordinary gift left to the Church of God since the daies of the Apostles Reasons of this opinioÌ„ may be these First casting out of deuills and curing such annoyances are extraordinarie and miraculous workes For Christ accounteth handling of serpents without hurt speaking with newe tongues curing of diseases by imposition of hands all which are things of lesse moment to be miracles Mark 16. 18 19. but all these lesser works yea the ordinarie power of working them is ceased for it was onely giuen to the Apostles in the Primitiue Church as a meanes to confirme the doctrine of the Gospel to vnbeleeuers that neuer heard of Christ before So Paul saith Strange tongues that is the gift of speaking strange languages without ordinarie teaching are for asigne not to them that beleeue but to them that beleeue not 1. Cor. 14. â—2 And for the same ende were all extraordinarie gifts then giuen Seeing therefore the doctrine of the Gospell hath beene alreadie established and the truth thereof sufficiently confirmed by miracles in the Primitiue Church the same gift must needes cease vnto vs. For if it should still continue it would call into question the effect of the Apostolicall preaching and implie thus much that the Gospel was not well established nor sufficiently confirmed by their extraordinarie Ministerie and miracles accompanying the same Againe if the gift of working miracles should remaine then the promise of God for his speciall and extraordinarie assistance therein should yet continue for the gift and promise goe together so long as the promise is in force so long is the gift also but the promise made by Christ In my name shall they cast out deuills and speake with new tongues Mark 16. was in force onely in the persons and Ministerie of the Apostles and those that had extraordinarie and immediate calling from God and it ceased when they and their calling ceased Therefore if Ministers now should lay their hands on the sicke they should not recouer them if they should annoint them with Oyle it should doe them no good because they haue no promise Howbeit the Papists stand stiffely in defending the continuance of these gifts First they say the Church of the New Testament is nothing inferiour to that of the Old The Iewish Church before the comming of Christ was the Church of the Old Testament and had the power and gift of casting our Deuills So saith our Sauiour himselfe Matth. 12. 27. If I through Beelzebub cast out Deuills then by whome doe your children cast them out In which words he ascribeth this gift vnto the Iewes therefore it should seeme the same remaineth still in the Church Ans. That place of Scripture is diuersly expounded Some by children there mentioned vnderstand the Apostles who were Iewes borne and had receiued from Christ this gift power to cast out deuills Which if it be so it maketh not for them because they had it extraordinarily But I rather thinke that by children are meant the Exorcising Iewes before Christs time who did cast out deuills among them pretending an abilitie to doe this worke in the name of God whereas in truth they were all flat Sorcerers and did it by vertue of a league compact made with the Deuill Which practise hath been of long continuance and is at this day common and vsuall among the Popish sort And that there were such Exorcists among the Iewes it is euident For such were those Vagabonds which came to Ephesus and tooke vpon them to cast out deuills by the name of Iesus and Paul Act. 19. 13. but the man in whome the euill spirit was so soone as they 〈◊〉 adjuced the spirit ranne vpon them and mightily preuailed against them v. 16. Now if they had done this great worke by the power of God as they pretended the holy Ghost would not haue called them Eâ—orcists and Vagabonds â— neither could the euill spirit possibly haue ouercome them as he did Againe in the histories of the Iewes are recorded many practises of stich as exercised this power among them Raphael the angel telleth Tobias that a perfume made of the heart and liuer of a fish will helpe a man vexed with an euill spirit Tob. 6. 7. which counsell is flaâ— Magicke for there is no such vertue in the liuer of a fish And in other histories we readâ— that one Bliazâ—r a Iew by the smell of a certaine roote put to the nose of a man possessed with a deuill caused the deuill to come out of his nâ—strills and forsake him which thing was done in publike place before Vâ—spasian and others This also was effected by meere conjuration For what vertue can there be in any roote or hearb in the world a â—aileable to command and enforce Satan to depart from a man possessedâ— And yet such feaâ—es were plaied by sundrie Magiciâ—ns among the Iewesâ— Whereupon I conclude that the meaning of our Sauionr in the place alleadged is in effect thus much If 〈◊〉 the power of Beelzebub c. that is you haue among you sundrie Magicians and Exorcists who pretend and exercise the gift of casting out deuills and you thinke they doe it by the power of God why then do you not carie the same opinion of me also Their second