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
God gaue the gift to breede faith in the Gentiles we shall finde that the power of producing such workes was neuer actually inherent in the Apostles but dispensed by their in the Name of Christ Neither was it in their libertie to worke miracles when they would but when it pleased God vpon speciall cause to caâ—l them thereunto And iâ— neither the power nor the will was in them much lesse is it likely to be sound in any of the Saints And for their Reliques of what name soeuer so greatly magnified and resorted vnto we denie there is any such vertue in them For they may not be thought to be more effectuall then the hem of Christs garment from which the power of healing the woman did not proceede but from himselfâ— Or then the Napkin of Paul which did not cure the sicke but the power of God onely dispensed by the hands of Paul Miracles therefore auouched by them to be wrought at the Tombs Statues of Saints and by their reliques and monuments are but meere Satanicall wonders seruing to maintaine Idolatrie and superstition and are in truth no better then â—the wonders of the Donatists in S. Augustines time aut figmenta mondâ—â—cium hominum aut portâ—nta fallacium spirituum IV. That the light of the Gospel purely preached is a soueraigne meane to discoueâ— conâ—ound the power and policie of Saâ—â—n in Witch-craft and Sorcerie The woâ—d of God preached is the weapâ—n of the Christians warfare and is mightie through God to cast downe strong bolds At the dispensation of iâ— by the disciples of Christ Satan fall from heauen aâ— lightning After the ascension of Christ into Heauen in the times of Claudius Cesar the Deuill stirred vp sundrie persons who in regard of the admirable works which they did by the helpe of Magicke and Sorcerie were accounted as Gods and their Statues erected and worshipped with great reuerence Amongst the rest one Simon called by a kinde of eminencie Magus practising his trade with successe to the admiration of the multitude was holden to be the great power of God Whose dealing was first discouered by the light of the word shining in the Ministery of the Apostles and himselfe conuicted with such euidence of truth to be an Instrument of Satan that he was forced at length to flie ouâ— of Samaâ—iâ— into the Westerne parts as Eusebius recordeth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie By this Christ the true angel of the Couenant loâ—ked and bound vp Satan for a 1000. yeares after his ascension that he might not be so generally powerfull in seducing the Gentiles as he had beene before his incarnation But toward the expiration of those yeares when corruption began to creepe into the Papacie when the Bishops affected that Sea and aspired vnto it by Diabolicall arts when the Canons Decrees Sentences Synodâ—lls Deâ—râ—ialls Clemenâ—ines Extrauagants with other Laws and Constitutions preuailed aboue the Scriptures then began Satan againe to erect his kingdome and these workes of iniquitie to be set abroach Thâ—se points together with the whole work ensueing I humbâ—y commend to your Honorable patronage that vnder your protection they may freely passeth the common view of the world Wherin if I seem ouer-bold thus to presse vpon your Lordship vnknowne my answer in at hand That all by-respects 〈◊〉 part I haue beene hereunto induced many waies First vpon a reuerent opinion of those rare gifts of knowledge and pietie wherewith God hath beautified your person â—nd thereby aduanced you to high place and estimation in this Common-wealth Whereof those your graue and indicious speeches euen in the weightiest matters touching God and Cesar as also those many learned writings haue giuen large testimonie FroÌ„ which hath issued the greatnes of your Name both in the present iudgement of the world and in future expectation Next out of a resolued perswasion of your Honourable disposition as in generall to the whole house of Leui so particularly to those whose labours haue fruitfully flowed out of the Schooles of the Prophets amongst whome the Author of this booke in his time was none of the meanest Lastly by the consideration of the Argument arising out of a Law Iudiciall agreeable to the calling and qualitie of a Iudge A Law penall in regard of the offence and therefore sutable to his proceedings whose office is to heare with fauour to determine with equitie to execute iustice with moderation A law of the highest and greatest weight immediately concerning God and his Honour and therefore appertaining to him that sits in the place of God to maintane his right that he may be with him in the cause and iudgement By such Motiues I haue incouraged my 〈◊〉 vnder assurance of your Lordships pardon to present you with that wherein you are most deseruedly interessed further intreating your fauourable interpretation and acceptance both of the qualitie of the Worke and of the paines of the Publisher And thus heartily wishing to your Lordship increase of grace and honour with a daily influence of blessing and direction from heauen vpon your graue consultations and employments I humbly take my leaue and commend you to the grace of God by whome doe rule all the Iudges of the earth Finchingfield Octob. 26. 1608. Your L. in all Christian dutie to be commanded THOMAS PICKERING A Table of the Contents The entrance into the Discourse Pag. 1. CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Witchcraft in generall That VVitchcraft is an Art 4 That VVitchcraft is a wicked Art 7 The ende of VVitchraft To worke wonders 8 The grounds of working wonders discontentment and Curiositie 9 That wonders are wrought by Satans assistance 12 The sorts of wonders True wonders wrought onely by God 13 14 Lyâ—â—g wonders wrought by Satan and his instruments 18 That Satan is able to doe extraordinarie works by the helpe of Nature 19 The sorts of Lying wonders 22 1. Illusions of the Senses 22 Minde 22 2. Reall workes 27 That Satan cannot change one creature into another 33 Gods Permission of the practises of Witchcraft Why he permitteth them 38 Satan cannot go beyond his permission 39 CHAP. II. Of the Ground of all the practises of Witchcraft That there is a league betweene Satan and the Witch 42 This League is twofold Expresse or open 47 Secret and the degree thereof 51 CHAP. III. Of the Parts of Witchcraft and first of Diuination How Satan beeing a creature reuealeth things to come 56 Diuination by meanes which are the true creatures of God As By the flying and noise of Birdes 66 By the Intralls of Beasts 67 By the starres called Iudiciarie Astrologie 73 That Predictions by the Starres are vnlawfull 75. 86 Of the Obseruation of the Signe 88 Of the choise and obseruation of daies 91 By Dreames Diuine 93 Naturall 95 Diabolicall 97 Notes of Difference to know them each from other 100 By Lots Diuination by counterfeit meanes Nâ—cromancie 107 Whether that which was raised by the
difference of daies for this or that purpose are in expresse words plainly condemned Deut. 18. 10 11. § 4. The fourth kind of Diuination by true meanes is the prediction of things to come by dreames In the old Testament we read thaâ— Sorcerers and false Prophets vsed to foretell strange euents by reuelations which they had in their dreames Such diuiners were among the Iewes and for that cause the people of God were expressely forbidden to harken vnto Dreamers of dreames Deut. 13. 3. And the Lord himselfe by the Prophet Ieremie taxeth the false Prophets who broached false doctrine in his name by this deuillish meanes saying I haue dreamed I haue dreamed Ier. 23. 25. Yet here it is to be remembred that foretelling of future things by dreames is not simply to be condemned but onely in part For of dreames there be three sorts Diuine Naturall and Diabolicall Diuine are those which come from God Naturall which proceede from a mans owne nature and arise from the qualitie and constitution of the bodie Diabolicall which are caused by the suggestion of the deuill Touching Diuine dreames that there are or at least haue beene such it is euident For these be the words of God Numb 12. 6. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne vnto him by a vision and will speake vnto him by a dreame And Iob saith that God speaketh in dreames and visions of the night when sleepe falleth vpon men and they sleepe vpon their beds Iob. 33. 15. Now these diuine dreames were caused in men either immediately by God himselfe as the former places shew or by meanes of some good Angel In this latter kind was Ioseph ofâ—en admonished in dreames what to doe by the ministerie of an Angel as Matth. 1. 20. and chap. 2. 13. 19. and diuining by such dreames is not condemned for by them the most worthie Prophets of God haue reueiled Gods will in many things to his Church Thus Ioseph by dreame had notice giuen him of his owne aduancement Gen. 37. 7. 9. and by Pharaohs dreames which were sent from God he also foretold the state of the kingdome of Egypt touching prouision for seauen years dearth Gen. 41. 25. By the same meanes the Prophet Daniel prophesied of the flourishing fading of the chiefe Monarchies of the world from his time to the comming of Christ Dan. 9. c. these therefore beeing one of the extraordinary means whereby God hath manifested his will vnto man in times past more or lesse diuination by them is not to be censured as vnlawfull but rather to be honoured and esteemed as the ordinance of God For the second sort which be Naturall arising either from the thoughts of the mind or the affections of the heart or the constitution of the bodie as they are ordinarie in all meÌ„ in some more in some lesse so they vary according to the diuersitie of mens thoughts affections and constitutions and by them a man may probably coniecture of sundrie things concerning the state and disposition partly of his bodie and partly of his minde As first he may gesse in likelihood what is his constitution as the learned in all ages doe constantly auouch For when his mind in dreaming runnes vpon warrs and contentions fire and such like it argueth his complexion is cholerick When he dreames of waters and 〈◊〉 it betokeneth abundance of phlegme When his phantasie conceiueth heauie and dolefull things full of griefe feare and horrour it bewraieth a melancholike constitution When his dreames be ioyfull and pleasant as of mirth pastimes and delightful newes his complexion is iudged to be sangâ—iâ—â— â— Againe by naturall dreames a man may gessâ—ar the corruption of his owne heartâ— and know to what sinnes he is most naturally inclined For looke what mon doe ordinarily in the day time conceiue and imagine in their corrupt hearts of the same for the most part they dâ—e corruptly dreame in the night And this is the rather to be obserued because though the wicked man shut his eyes and stoppe his eares and harden his heart and will not take notice of his enormities by the light of the Law yet euen by his owne dreames in the night his wickednes shall be in part discouered and his conscience thereby conuinced and he himselfe left in the end inexcusable before God Now albeit a man may giue a probable coniecture of the premisses by natural drems yet no diuination of things to come whether publike or priuate good or bad can be made by them either concerning persons families or kingdoms Therefore the common obseruations of dreames in the world whereby men imagine things to come to passe accordingly foretel them by those means are vaine and superstitious and iustly so condemned in the places before named Deut. 13. Ier. 23. Concerning the thirde kinde of dreames which are caused by the deuil It hath beene granted in all ages for a truth that Satan can frame dreames in the brayne of man and by them reueale his diuiâ—ations And it is plainly manifested by the continuall obseruation of the Gentiles before the comming of Christ. For when Oracles that is answers from the deuill were in force men that vsed to consult with them and desired to be resolued in matters of doubt were to lay them downe and sleepe beside the altar of Apollo where they had offred their gift and sleeping they receiued in a dreame the answer for which they came and this dreame was framed in the braine of him that slept by the deuill and in it the answer was deliuered by him speaking at or in the Oracle So likewise in the Primitiue Church since the comming of Christ though Oracles then ceased which were the greatest and strongest delusions that euer Satan had yet he hath by dreames and visions wrought in the heads of many men most strange and curious conceiâ—s for the raising vp of heresies to the great disturbance of the peace of the Church For we read in Ecclesiasticall storiâ—s that the Maniches had their damnable opinions first inspired into them and then confirmed by dreames And in this age the first authors of the sect of the Anabaptists had their curious conceits of reuelation partly in dreames partly in visions Likewise the Familie of loue haue their reuelations in dreames For he that desires to become one of that sect must ascend thereunto by degrees before he can come to perfection to be an elder illuminate or a man deified to which estate when he is once come he hath for his confirmation strong Illusions both waking and sleeping in visions and dreames Histories of latter times and wofull experience sheweth this to be true the deuill preuailing so strongly that many haue fallen away by this meanes beeing corrupted by a doctrin meerely carnall howsoeuer maintained with pretense of great holynes Againe as the good Angels may cause diuine dreames from God and thereiâ— reuile vnto men his will and pleasure concerning things to come
partitions among the mightie Hereupon the ciuill vse of Lots hath his warrant in Gods word so it be lawfully vsed in case of necessitie with iâ—uocation of the name of God and with expectation of the euent from God by whose hand immeadiate prouidence it is disposed For the Lot saith Salomon is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord Pro. 16. 33. The Sporting Lot is that which is commonly vsed for some vaine and vnnecessary ende as to set vp banck-rupts or such like This hath no warrant in the word of God whereupon men should vse it and therefore is no better then an abuse of Gods ordinance to speake no more of it Now the diuining Lot performed by the opening of a booke or the casting of a die or such like thereby to declare good or bad successe cannot be done without confederacie with Satan either explicite or implicite For the plaine cast of a die or the opening of a booke without beleeuing can doe nothing for discouering of future contingents And what is there in the nature of these actions to produce such effects or where or when did God giue this vertue to them certainely to determine of things hidden from man and knowne onely to himselfe Diuination therefore by them is to be holden as a practise not onely sauouring of superstition but proceeding from the arte of Witchraft and Sorcetie And thus much of Diuination by meanes of the creatures and the seueral kinds thereof Sect. III. The second kind of Diuination is by counterfeit and forged meanes which are none of the creatures of God whereof one kind onely is mentioned in Scripture viz. when Satan is consulted with in the shape of a dead man This is commonly called Neeromaneie or the blacke arte because the Deuill being sought vnto by Witches appeares vnto them in the likenes of a dead bodie And it is expressely forbidden Deuter. 18. 11. yea condemned by the Prophet Esai 8. 19 20. who saith in plaine tearmes that Gods people ought not to goe from the liuing to the dead but to the Law and to the testimonie A memorable example hereof is recorded in 1. Sam. 28. the obseruation whereof will discouer vnto vs the chiefe points of Necromancie There Saul about to encounter the Philistiâ—s beeing forsaken of God who refused to answer him either by dreames or by Vrim or by the Prophets inquired for one that had a familiar spirit and hearing of the Pythonesse at Endor went vnto her by night and caused her to raise vp Samuel to tell him of the issue of the warre Now the Witch at his request raised vp the Deuill with whome shee was confederate in Samuels likenesse who gaue him answer concerning his owne ouerthrowe and the death of his sonnes Which example declareth plainely that there is a kind of diuination whereby Witches and Sorcerers reueale strange things by means of the deuill appearing vnto theÌ„ in the shapes or shadowes of the dead Touching the truth of this example two Questions may be mooued The first is Whether that which appeared was true Samuel or not Some say it was Samuel indeede others who hold that there are no Witches denie that it was either Samuell or the deuill and affirme it to be some other counterfeit comming in Samuels attire to deceiue Saul both which opinious are false and here to be confuted And first that their opinion which say that true Samuel appeared vnto Saul is a flat vntruth I prooue by these reasons I. Before this time God had withdrawne his spirit from Saul as himselfe confesseth and denied to answer him any more by ordinarie meanes in such sort as before he had done Hereupon I gather that it is was not probable that God would now vouchsafe him the fauour to suffer Samuel to come vnto him extraordinarily and tell him what should be the end of his warre with the Philistins and to this purpose it is affirmed twise in that chapter that God had taken his good spirit from Saul II. The soules of the faithfull departed are in the hands of God and doe rest in glorie with himselfe and their bodies are in the earth and there rest in peace So saith the voice from heauen Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works that is the reward of their workes follow them immediatly or at the heeles as the word signifieth Now suppose the deuill had power ouer Samuels bodie yet to make true Samuel he must haue his soule also But it is not in the power of the deuill to bring againe the soules that are in heauen vnto their bodies and so to cause them to appeare vnto men vpon earth and to speake vnto them The Deuills kingdome is in hell and in the hearts of wicked men on earth yea whiles the children of God are in this world he vsurpeth some authoritie ouer them by meanes of their owne corruption But heauen is the kingdome of God and his Saints where Satan hath nothing to doe considering that there is no flesh or corruption to make him entrance or yeeld him intertainement Neither can it be prooued by Scripture that the deuill can disturbe either the bodies or soules of them that die in the Lord and therefore the Witch with all her power and skill could not bring Samuels rotten bodie for so no doubt it was now and soule together III. This shape which appeared suffered Saul to adore and worshippe it where is the true Samuel would neuer haue receiued adoration from Saul the king though it had beene in ciuill manner onely Whome then did Saul adore Answ. The Deuill himselfe who beeing an enemie to the glorie of God was content to take to himselfe that honour which a King in dutie is to performe to God himselfe IV. If it had beene true Samuel he would certainly haue reproued Saul for seeking helpe at Witches contrarie to Gods commandement that doctrine which he had taught him from God in his life time But this counterfeit reproued him not and therefore it is not like to be the true Prophet of God but Satan himselfe framing by his art and skill the person and shape of Samuel But it is alleadged to the contrarie that Samuel aâ—ter his sleepe prophesied of the death of Saul Ecclesiastic 46. v. 20. Aâ—ter his sleepe also he told of the Kings death c. Answ. That booke penned by Iesus the sonne of Sirach is a very worthie description of Christian Ethicks contaming more excellent precepts for manners then all the writings of heathen Philosophers or other men But yet it is not Scripture neither did the Church euer hold and receiue it as Câ—â—onicall yea the author himselfe â—â—sinuateth so much in the beginning thereof for in the preface he disableth himselfe to interpret hard things and after a sort craues pardon for his weaknesse which is not the manner of the men of God that were pen-men of
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
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
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
creatures indeede and their other sleights true and reall works then they were made and caused either by the deuill or by God himselfe for no man of himselfe can make a rod to become a true serpent But this was done neither by the deuill nor by God as shall appeaâ—e in the sequelâ— They were not done by the Deuill because the deuill cannot make a true creature either serpent or frogge Hovv doth that appeare Ans. To make a true creature of any sort by producing the same out of the causes is a vvork seruing to continue the creation and is indeede a kinde of creation Now the deuill as he cannot create a thing at the first so he is not able to continue the same by a new creation that beeing a propertie belonging to God onely For better conceiuing hereof we must know that God creaâ—eth two waies either primarily in the beginning wheÌ„ he made all things of nothing Gen. 1. 1. or secoÌ„darily in the gouernment of the world when he produceth a true creature in a true miracle yet not making it of nothing as he did in the beginning but producing it by ministring and in forming the matter immediately by himselfe without the aide of ordinarie meanes and instruments appointed after the creation The former is creation properly called the latter a continuance thereof Both these God hath reserued to himselfe as incommunicable to any creature As for the succession and propagation of creatures in their kinds as of men beasts birds fishes c. it is onely a continuation of the creatures in their kindes and is wrought by ordinarie meanes of generation but is no continuance of the worke of creation And the deuill by his power may make counterfeits of the true creatures of God but neither by creating them nor by continuing their creation these two beeing workes peculiar and proper to the Deitie alone Againe if the deuill could turne a rodde into a true serpent and water into blood indeed then his power should be equall to the power of the sonne of God himselfe For the first miracle that he wrought was the turning of water into wine loh. 2. And that was no greater a worke then the turning of water into blood or a rod into a serpent But this were most horrible blasphemic to match the deuill with the Son of God and his finite power with the power of the Godhead by which miracles are wrought And the truth is Satan can worke no true miracles neither doth the text import that the Magicians did that which they did by miracle but by Inchantment and Sorcerie Exod. 7. 11. 22. 8. 7. In the second place I affirme that God did not create these creatures or cause the works of the Magicians to be effected And this is prooued by the words of Paul 2. Tim. 3. 8. who saith that Iannes and Iambres which did these workes withstood Moses and Aaron whom God had sent and by whom he wrought If then God had wrought with the Magicians also he should haue beene against himselfe yea he should haue wrought both waies for himselfe and against himselfe and consequently should haue impeached his ovvne glorie for the manifestation vvhereof he wrought miracles by Moses and Aaron which vve may not once thinke of God Seeing therefore that these serpents if they were true creatures were not created either by Satan because he could not or by God himselfe because he would not it must needes remaine that they all other the Magicians works were meere illusions not otherwise Yet for the further clearing of the matter in hand the text it selfe yeeldeth sundrie reasons to prooue that these acts of the Sorcerers were but appearances and not things really produced First they that caÌ„ not do a lesser thing can not possibly do a greater Now Moses shewes that the Egyptian InchaÌ„ters could not do a lesser thing then the turning of rodds into true serpents or waters into blood For they could not by all their power skill preserue themselues from the plagues of Egypt as the botch other iudgements Exod. 9. 11. which was a more easie thing then to make or change a creature Nay they were not able to bring forth lice by their inchantment which seemed to be the least miracle but acknowledged that to be the â—inger of God Ex. 8. 18 19. Secondly the text saith that Aarons serpent deuoured their serpents Exod. 7. v. 12. hence it followeth that theirs could not be true creatures For in all likelihood they were all of the same kind and of like quantitie at least in shew And it was neuer seene that one creature should receiue into it selfe an other creature of equall bignesse with preseruation of it selfe Neither hath it been obserued ordinarily that one creature shold deuoure another of the same kind It was therefore a worke of Gods secret power in the true serpent wherby he would shew that the other were not true and real but formall imaginarie Thirdly if the Magicians had beene able to haue made true frogges and serpents then by the same power they might have remooued those which Moses brought for the like abilitie is required in both yet this they could not doe but were faine to intreat Moses to pray for their remooueall So saith the text Then pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Pray c. Exod. 8. 8. Lastly the frogges which Moses caused when they were remooued beeing gathered on â—eapes caused great corruption and the whole land stanke of them Exod. 8. 14. Againe the water turned into blood made the fish in the riuer to die and the water to stinko so that the Egyptians could not drinke of the water of the riuer Exod. 7. 21. But we read of no such effect of the frogges and waters of the Inchanters which doubtlesse would haue followed as well as the other if both had beene true and reall creatures It remaines therefore that these were but meere appearances and Iugling trickes and the Sorcerers themselues Iuglers yea all their works but sleights caused by the power and subtiltie of Satan and no true works as hath beene said Thus I haue declared the whole nature grounds and kinds of this damnable Art CHAP. V. What Witches be and of how many sorts HAuing in the former part of this Treatise opened the nature of Witchcraft and thereby made way for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of this Iudiciall Lawe of Moses I come now to shew who is the practiser hereof whome the Text principally aimeth at namely the Witch whether man or woman A witch is a Magician who either by open or secret league wittingly and willingly consenteth to vse the aide and assistance of the Deuill in the working of wonders First I call the Witch a Magician to shew what kind of person this is to wit such a one as doth professe and practise Witchcraft For a Magician is a professor and practiser of this arte as may appeare Act. 8. 9. where Simon a