cause them to provoke God to anger and to strike them in his displeasure and this is the Doctrin we ought to learn by the History of Balaam yea this is the only Witchcraft that is summarily included in all the Nine tearms of Description Deut. 18.10 11. being the discourse of my first Book and to shew any proof of any sort of Witches in the Scriptures I challengeall Witchmongers yet some will forsake the Scriptures and confute me strongly with a repetition of some of Bodins lyes or the like Stories telling them for truth But for all such as do still labour by Objections Cavils Inventions and Imaginations to uphold the old Traditions and Errours of that grand Witch the Pope and his Train concerning Witches and their Power and not rather to cleanse the world from these Doctrins of Devils let them take heed that the saying belongeth not to them that Stephen spake to the Jews Acts 7.51 Yee stif-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears yee do always resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee As it is written 2 Thes. 2.10 11 12. because yee received not the love of the truth that yee might be saved for this cause God hath sent you strong delusiâ—ns that you should beleeve a lye that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness A Conclusion HE that groundeth his Opinion upon Phansie and Human traditions and reports without light and rule of the Scriptures is like a man groping in the dark who for want of light rusheth his face against the door But if any man will forsake blinde imaginations and be guided by the light and rule of the Scriptures he shall finde by them that Witches are only false Prophets who used several deluding impostures to deceive the people according to the whole Discourse of the first Book of this Treatise and these were not poor men and women such as are commonly executed for that falsly-imputed Crime of Witchcraft but were open practicers of their several Witchcrafts to delude and seduce and those had not their Craft from a Familiar or by making a League with the Devil as hath been commonly imagined but were in a manner learned and used Books written for that purpose to teach them their manifold impostures whereby to gain a maintenance among the people by making them beleeve they were Prophets as wee may read Acts 19.19 many of them being converted by the powerfull preaching of the Gospel brought their Books and burnt them before the people these Books containing such subtile devices as were practised then by the false Prophets or Witches of the time to deceive the people and now adays by the Popish Rout and by our common Wizzards But now for the thousands of people that have been executed for Witches in several parts of the World by the common manner of fond false accusations at whose hands will God require their bloud but at the hands of the Whore of Rome and of those that have joyned with her in her abominations Revel 18.24 In her was found the bloud not only of Saints but of all that were slain upon the earth This doubtless must be understood of those that are unjustly slain and who are they but such as are slain by wrongful accusations which wrongful accusations are occasioned by the devillish Doctrins wherewith she hath defiled the Nations Further I say That this Doctrin of Witches power is the main strength of Antichristian policy for whereas that Romish Whore knoweth that in all Nations the Civil Magistrate will hold his power and not resign it to her to have absolute power to kill for Religion she maintaineth this damnable Doctrin to this end that under the name of Witches she may melt away all whom she feareth or suspecteth will be opposers of her Antichristian pride and herein she ingageth the Civil Magistrate by her subtill Doctrin to cut off whom she pleaseth and how can that be said to be a Government for the defence of peoples Lives and Estates where contrary to all Law these Villains can steal away both life and estate from whom they please except from such as are in places of Dignity or so well esteemed in Common-wealths or have such friendship among the potent of the Land that thereby they are able to withstand their Adversaries and these poor accused people have no redress or help at the hands of the Magistrate but he who ought to be their Defender is bewitched and ingaged against them he is taught indeed not to suffer a Witch to live but never truly taught who and what are Witches and that many times they that ingage him by their lying Doctrin are the very Witches themselves aimed at in the Scriptures that ought not to be suffered to live THE THIRD BOOK SHEWING The vanity of some English VVriters concerning VVitches BOdinus Hyperius Hemingius and other Popish Bloud-suckers mentioned before in the Second Book of this little Treatise having defiled the World with their abominable inventions contrary to the sense and truth of Gods Word their devillish Doctrins being already declared sufficiently to be wholly dissonant to the Word of God yet some of our English Writers who otherwise might seem to have been wise and learned men have defiled their Pens with these groundless Phantastical Doctrins which VVriters are briefly these The first is Iames Bishop of Winton setting forth three Books called Daemonology in the name and title of the Works of King Iames and whether the Bishop or the King were the Composer of that Work I stand not to argue which VVorks are collected out of these Popish Writers before mentioned which the Author acknowledgeth in the Preface to his Book where he alledgeth Bodinus Hyperius and Hemingius for confirmation of the truth of the matter contained in his VVorks but not a jot of Scripture is produced in all the VVork if rightly interpreted to prove it to be truth and yet the Author himself confesseth of Bodinus that his Book of Daemonomanie is collected with greater diligence than composed with judgement and truly I wish every wise man that desireth to be resolved in his judgement concerning these Opinions to observe that passage or if he be such a one as can read and search the severall Writers of this subject of Witchcraft let him observe the variety of their Opinions how few of them do agree in one tenent or in their manner of writing by which it is easily concluded that all their traditions are but Phantsies contrary to the sound of Gods Word even as a wise Judge examining several Witnesses of one thing if he findeth not their testimony to agree he concludeth that they compacted together to witness a thing false and truly although wise and learned men have been deluded by these lying inventions yet compare but their Opinions one with another and also with Holy Writ and you shall finde that all their Opinions are but one monstrous Devil striving
of Activity have they shewed either in Fayers or Markets or in publick or in private surely if they had been Condemned for Witches for any such thing doing they should not need to be found out by an Inquisitor to be tried by Biggs or privie Marks or by sinking or swimming in the water for their actions would declare them openly Also if common Juglers were Witches as he saith yet how doth this prove that a Witch is a Murtherer which is the main drift of his Book and to that end he bringeth many places of Scripture to prove that there are VVitches which thing no man doth deny Afterward he affirmeth that Witches do make a real League with the Devil which hath been a common foolish tradition and for that he alledgeth Psal. 58.5 where saith he the Original yeeldeth thus Which heareth not the Charmer or mutterer joyning societies together where saith he the Holy Ghost setteth down the effect of a Charm namely that it is able to stay the Adder from stinging those that shall touch him but mark how this fellow belyeth the Scriptures for which because many understand not the Hebrew I referre them to the Translation of Iunius and Tremellius which is this Quae non ausculâ—at voci mussitantium utentis incantation bus peritissimi which hearkeneth not to the voyce of mutterers or of the most skilful user of Charms so that there is not a word of joyning Societies together not a word of the Devil nor of any league with the Devil yet if it had been so and that he could have proved such a League or Covenant it had made nothing to prove that a Witch is a Murtherer which is his drift for a League might be made for a Deceiver as well as for a Murtherer And whereas he saith the place aforesaid proveth the effect of a Charm that it can stay the Adder from stinging it proveth the clean contrary for if the Prophet had said the Adder hearkneth to or regardeth the voyce of a Charmer it had proved that a Charm is effectual but in that he saith the Adder regardeth not or hearkneth not to the voyce of the Charmer be he never so skilful it proveth that a Charm is of no force and indeed the Prophet doth there allude deridingly to the vanity of that Idolatrous conceit of the Heathen who thought that charms had vertue in them and so were seduced by charms to put confidence in charms and conjurations according to the Sixth term of description in the First Book of this Treatise shewing the common conceit of the Heathen concerning charms appearing in their Poets Frigidus in pratis â—antando rumpitur anguis This fellow doth further contradict himself sundry ways one of his most manifest absurd contradictions is in page 85. where he confesseth that God only hath power to send Satan to torment the wicked and afflict the godly and yet he affirmeth in pag. 261. that Witches also can send Satan to possess men and torment them Who so pleaseth to read over this Author shal find that he is bold to affirm not only that the Devil doth at the command of a Witch raise storms poyson the Air blast Corn kill Cattel torment the bodies of men but also cast out Devils as in page 158. also that he sometimes enliveneth a dead childe and bringeth it to a Witch in her travelling to bring forth childe and telleth her that it is the childe born of her body begotten by himself and so saith he she is deceived with her new darling as in pag. 122. so that according to the Devilish doctrin of this Author the Devil can raise the dead as Christ raised Laezarus and Dorcas and cast out Devils as Christ did but to conclude they that shall read his blasphemous and vain imaginations and yet shall see therewithall the pretence of holy zeal in all his Discourse may plainly behold in him the Devil turning himself into an Angel of Light to deceive the World And so I leave this Cooper where I found him namely in a Stationers shop dear of taking up Master Perkins answered THere is yet another Author writing upon this subject of Witchcraft wel known to all and that is M. Perkins who because he was such a chosen instrument of preaching Gods Word in his life I blush to name him least some should think I go about to defame him so long after his death whom I honour in his Grave but yet to take away all suspicions in that kinde let every one know that the Volume of Mr. Perkins his Works in which is contained that Treatise of Witchcraft was not put in print by himself but were certain Writings found in his Study after his death most of which were taught by him in the Pulpit in his Life-time but not all and were put in presse for the benefit of his Wife who had but small means for her maintenance in her widdowhood which thing being well considered it may well bee questioned whether that treatise of Witchcraft was of his own writing or not and if it was yet it may well bee questioned whether hee wrote it with an intent to teach it for Truth openly or only with an intent to confute such Heresies as had formerly been delivered by Bodinus Hiperius and other popish writers if hee had lived for if it be well considered and compared with those Authors it is only a collection of mingled notions out of them put into another Method also it might bee foisted in among his writings by some Ignorant or Popish Heretique who desired to bolster his Errors under the name of so famous an Instrument in the Church as Mr. Perkins was also it might bee added to his works by those that were appointed by his Wife to put his works in print either for the bolstring of their own Errors or for the inlarging of the Volume to make the Book sell the better yea many wayes Mr. Perkins may bee clear from being the Author of that Treatise But yet if some will still beleeve that it is his work let them but compare it with the Scriptures and see how little consonant it is with the Scriptures hee delivereth the common Error that Witches can kill by Witchcraft have made a league with the Devill have the Devill at their call that the Devill is ready at a watch-word given him by the Witch to do mischief and many such strange inventions whereof there is not the least inckling in the Scriptures and therefore need no farther confutation Mr. Gaule answered SInce the finishing of my Book there is come to my hand the works of a fourth English Writer Mr. â—ohn Gaule a Minister of Staughton in Hunâ—ington shire whom I find in his zeal for God in his Religious hatred to the barbarous cruelty of this age in persecuting the poor and innocent much inclining to the Truth and I cannot say of him but his intentions were godly but yet hath been so swayed by the common tradition of
men and the impetuousnesse of the times and the authority of such Writers as hee calleth the learned as that although hee hath writen some Truths in preaching also whereof hee hath done much good in Gods Vineyard in labouring to stay that bloody persecution on foot against the poor and Innocent yet he hath much swerved from the Truth of this subject of Witches and Witchcraft in that hee yeildeth at all to the common contagion of Error that hath defiled the World not that Witches are for that were my Error to deny seeing the Scriptures do manifestly condemn them but that Witches in the Scripture sence are such as have made a familier compact with the Devill and receive power from him to kill and the like I wonder but that the hour of darknesse is not yet fully past that so many Ministers should still wander in this darksome imagination what least intimation or description of such a kind of Witch hath God given us in the Scriptures or of Devills in the corporall shape of Imps making a familier compact with any of mankind or any ground for such imaginary whimses of mans brain what consequence is there in Logicall dispute or in Theologicall Principles that hee that denieth these phantasies denieth that there is a Devill and so finally that there is a God the Scripture teacheth us that there is a God and likewise a Devill or Devills but what Scripture speaketh of a familiar Devill or Jmp or that a Witch can kill by Witchcraft or hurt either body or goods by Witchcraft by the Devills help either by Gods permission or without I rather think that this forsaking of the Scriptures and delivering for Doctrin the traditions of Antichristian Popish Writers is a forsaking of God and consequently a denying of God hee saith hee could instance from story how many have had no Faith of Witches being till their bewitched body or goods hath served to unwitch them of their opinions and conceit is this a Theologicall way of Argument to ground a Doctrin upon vain reports and phantasmes without Scriptures yea flat contrary to the Scriptures Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 7. dare any man contrary to those and many places of Scripture when hee is afflicted in body or goods ascribe â— a Witch upon vain Phantasie and carnal reason â—â—perstitious imaginations and foolish traditions withâ—riptures which by the Scriptures we are taught to 〈◊〉 only to God yes men dare do so and Ministers dare 〈◊〉 so And this is the condemnation that light is come into â—â—rld and men love darkness rather than light But now to 〈◊〉 to the man himself of whom I have written sparingly 〈◊〉 Gaule if this work of mine shall come to your hand as 〈◊〉 hath come to mine be not angry with me for writing 〈◊〉 Truth I am sure you shall get more estimation among 〈◊〉 Beleevers more favour with God and do more good in â—rists Vine-yard by acknowledging your error and by emâ—cing Gods Truth than by being carried away with the â—ams of these fâ—ouds of iniquity that have over-flowed the â—istian world You say in your second case pag. 24. It is 〈◊〉 to observe any specifique difference of Witches in 〈◊〉 you acknowledge the subject to be difficult to write 〈◊〉 Sir I have given you full specifical descriptions of â—em according to the Scriptures then although Sir you be â—arned in other things disdain not to learn of me the truth 〈◊〉 this subject I doubt not but if you had first read my Book â—ur own Book had been more perfect Suffer not a Witch to 〈◊〉 Prestigiatricem a Jugling person that worketh false Miracles to seduce the people to Idolatry Exod. 22.18 Ioâ—is destroying of Witches 2 King 23 24. what was it but â—â—lling down the Idols with their Adjuncts Oraclers and â—uth-sayers that were the Idol Priests that seduced the peoâ—â—e Examine the places which are your own quotations 〈◊〉 Sir I intreat you in Christs name that as you have â—â—en fervent for Gods Cause with Apollos Act. 18.25 so learn 〈◊〉 me the way of God more perfectly as he did of the Diâ—iples vers 26. fare-well Sir the Spirit of God be your faâ—â—iliar Spirit to guide you in the truth Non quiâ— Sed quid Master Ciffard answered THere is yet another Book come to my hand written by Mr. George Giffard an able Minister of Gods Word in Maldon which because the common way of some mans arguing is by questioning what say you to this and what say you to that Author therefore I will give a brief description of his Tenents which are chiefly three the first is That a VVitch can not by a Familiar or by any craft any way hurt or weaken the life health or estate of any man by bewitching with disease or infirmity either Man or Beast or hurting his Goods and this he proveth plainly by Scripture and Reason as I have also done in my Second Book of this Discourse The second Tenent is That VVitches have Imps and Familiars The third Tenent is That these Familiars do nothing really but only do deceive the VVitch by making her beleeve they do that which cometh to pass upon Man or Beast by Divine providence but for these two last Tenents he doth not prove by Scripture as he did the first nor yet affirm for truth but only being overcome by the strength of common report grounded upon the Confession of such as have been executed he only yeeldeth to those strong delusions which have deceived many Hypothetically arguing if Witches have such Imps or Familiars they are only deceived by them but herein is he not confident and therefore these two last Tenents being not confirmed by him do confirm nothing and for the first of the two That VVitches have Imps is susficiently disproved in my Second Book and that all their Confessions are no argument then for the last Tenent having reference to the first it is in like manner nullified for if they have no Imps nor no Familiar then they are not deceived by them nor do beleeve or confess any such thing wherein they seem to him to be deceived any further than Confession is wrung from them by them who are the deceivers of themselves and others by the Deceiver of the VVorld that dwelleth in them except sometimes by the depth of Melancholly or distemâ—ered brain as I have formerly demonstrated in my Second Book and therefore need no further answer So much for this Author who I beleeve had more of the Spirit of truth in him than many of his profession Now for all that have written in that kinde I summon all VVitch-mongers to shew me in the Old or New Testament which are given as a rule of truth the least inference of any such Doctrin as is delivered by them Also I desire any man of right understanding to compare them with the Scriptures and so compare also this my Book with the Scriptures and to see which of them is most consonant with the Scriptures
A Candle in the Dark SHEWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND and of the Christian WORLD That is the Lord doth Avenge the blood of the Innocent upon the Inhabitants of the Earth Iustitia Thronam firmat The King that faithfully judgeth the poor his Throne shall be established Prov. 29.14 This Book is profitable to bee read by all Iudges of Assizes before they passe the sentence of Condemnation against poor People who are accused for Witchcraft It is also profitable for all sorts of people to read who desire Knowledge By THOMAS ADY M. A. LONDON Printed for Robert Ibb'tson dwelling in Smithfield neer Hosier Lane End 1655. The Reason of the Book THe Grand Errour of these latter Ages is ascribing power to Witches and by foolish imagination of mens brains without grounds in the Scriptures wrongfull killing of the innocent under the name of Witches unto which Idolatry and bloud-guiltiness being as bad or worse than the Idolatry of the ancient Heathen men are led as violently by fond imagination as were the Ephesians to the worshipping of Diana and of the Image which as they blindly thought fell down from Jupiter Acts 19.35 It is reported by Travellers that some People in America do worship for a day the first living Creature they see in the morning be it but a Bird or a Worm this Idolatry is like the Idolatry of this part of the World who when they are afflicted in Body or Goods by Gods hand they have an eye to some Mouse or Bugg or Frog or other living Creature saying It is some Witches Impe that is sent to afflict them ascribing the Work of God to a Witch or any mean Creature rather than to God Mr. Scot published a Book called his Discovery of Witchcraft in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth for the instruction of all Iudges and Iustices of those times which Book did for a time take great impression in the Magistracy and also in the Clergy but since that time England hath shamefully fallen from the Truth which they began to receive wherefore here is again a necessary and illustrious discourse for the Magistracy and other People of this Age where I intreat all to take notice that many do falsly report of Mr. Scot that he held an Opinion that Witches are not for it was neither his Tenent neither is it mine but that Witches are not such as are commonly executed for Witches A Candle in the Dark The First Book shewing what Witches are in the Scripture-sence throughout the Old and New Testament The Second Book shewing how grosly the Scriptures have been mis-interpreted by Antichrist concerning Witches by which interpretation he hath made the Nations go astray With a confutation of those Errours The Third Book touching some erroneous English Writers who have upheld the same Errours which Antichrist hath broaâ—hed to the world Also the Works of a Scotch-man called The VVorks of King Iames. With an addition of fifteen Causes also a reference to Scot and also the opinion of Luther concerning Devils Also an instruction to Lawyers Errata PAge 11. line 3. for Magnus read Magus p. 15. 1. 2â— for 6 Chron. r. 2 Chro. p 22. 1. 1. for Prophâ—ts r. Prophetâ—ss p 28. 1. 23 for magis r. magi p. 30. 1. 11. for inchâ—ntation r. incantation p. 38 1. 15. for little r. liâ—he 1. 19. for tax r. tap thrice in the same page in p 48. 1. 8. for Charms â— Charmer p. 76. 1. 33. for equivocâ—ely r equivocally p. 77. 1. 8. for Scopula r. Scapula over p 79. for Oracle giver r. â—outh sayer so over p. 87. Necromancer should not be The Second Book Pag. 92. 1. 5. for drew r. grew p. 96. 1. 10 for inquisitions r. inquisitors p. 106. 1. 8. tor superstitions r. suspicions p. 122. 1. 35 for quem r. quum p. 124. 1. 15. for an r. and p 129 1. 15. or preteâ—natual r preternatural p. 136. 1. 28. for any sort r. every other sort p. 145 1. 30 for discovered r. discoursed p. 146. 1. 36. for and by them cast on câ—n cure r. and by them can cast on or inflict and cure diseases p. 147. 1. 4. for send r. teach p. 170. 1 17 for endicat r. indicat Reader take notice that most of these faults are mended with Pen and Inke already TO THE Prince of the Kings of the Earth IT is the manner of men O heavenly King to dedicate their Books to some great men thereby to have their Works protected and countenanced among men but thou only art able by thy holy Spirit of Truth to defend thy Truth and to make it take impression in the heart and understanding of men Unto thee alone do I dedicate this Work intreating thy most High Majesty to grant That whoever shall open this Book thy holy Spirit may so possess their understanding as that the spirit of errour may depart from them and that they may read and try thy Truth by the touchstone of thy Truth the holy Scriptures and finding that Truth may embrace it and forsake these darksome inventions of Antichrist that have deluded and defiled the Nations now and in former Ages Enlighten the World thou that art the Light of the World and let Darkness be no more in the World now or in any future Age but make all people to walk as Children of the Light for ever and destroy Antichrist that hath deceived the Nations and save us the residue by thy self alone and let not Satan any more delude us for the Truth is thine for ever To the Reader SIR IF you be a courteous Reader I intreat you that what weaknesse and imperfections you shall think you espie in this Book from the Author thereof you passe them by for the Truths sake whereupon this Book treateth Secondly if you be so discourteous as to carp and censure then I intreat you to carp only at me and not at the Truth lest you resist the truth Thirdly I intreat you to Read my Book thorow before you cast it by for otherwise Sir it may argue weaknesse in your self to slight the Book before you see the Argument It is one of the vanities of the World to write many Books and when a man hath taken pains to write few men will take the pains to read which Solomon intimateth Eccle. 12.12 but Sir if you find no leasure to read and consider then I pray find no leasure to gainsay or to argue against Fourthly for all places of Scripture alledged in this Book if you shall search our English Translations and not find them to carry the sense which I drive at in my discourse I intreat you either to search the Originall or else to look upon the Latin Translations of Iunius and Tremellius which carry the true sense of the Originall as it was written by the Spirit of God Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid To the more Iudicious and Wise and Discreet part
can do such impossibilities one of the most devillish cruelties that hath been devised among men and that is to keep the poor accused party from sleep many nights and days thereby to distemper their brains and hurt their fancies at length to extort confession from them and then to bring their own confession as an evidence against them and if they cannot make them confess they torture one of their little Children to make it accuse their Parents and that they call confession this trick will tame any wilde Beast and make it tractable or any wilde Hawk and make it tame and come to your fist how much more may it make men or women yeeld to confess Lyes and impossibilities And if that device will not serve then they shave them and search narrowly all parts of their bodies where they think modest men will not be forward to look to see the truth of the matter and there they report that they have found the Devils privie Marks and Biggs for the Devil to suck them a most devillish Lye and invention unless they can shew me Scripture for it but I can shew them Scripture against it Iob. 1.3 Without God was nothing made that was made who then made those Biggs or Teats and who made the bodies of those Devils called Imps Also what Scripture saith that Biggs or privie Marks are signs or trials of Witches yet I deny not but sometimes are found fleshy Warts and other preter-natural tumours written of by Physick Authors as diseases of the body and among other devices as Master Scot in his discovery affirmeth who was zealous for Gods truth and took more pains than ordinary to search and confute those impious Writers they have set down certain signs whereby to suspect and apprehend Witches which are these First If they will not fast on Fridays Secondly If they fast on Sundays Thirdly If they spettle at the time of Elevation Fourthly If they refuse Holy Water Fifthly If they despise Crosses Sixthly If they deny any of the seven Sacraments These are great suspicions that they are Witches for the Devil say they chooseth them by these signs being steps to the reformed Religion apprehend them bring them to the Tormentor but if they see any of these signs they will easily finde other holes enough in their Coates to condemn them Then they cast them into the water to see whether they will sink or swim a meer Jugling delusion to blinde peoples eyes for he that hath been used to the Art of Swimming may know that few men or women being tied hand and feet together can sink quite away till they be drowned or if he lay them flat on their back and hold up their feet with a string their fore-part will not sink and therein they can use Jugling to blinde the peoples eyes for difference sake for when they will save any man or woman they will let loose the string which they hold in their hand and let their feet sink first and then all their body will sink then they cry out to the people Look you now and see the difference betwixt an honest man or woman and a Witch take her out she is an honest woman yea verily for sometimes she is one of their own confederates Yet whereas some may object that some of them that are cast fairly into the water without holding up their feet with a string do sink more than others and some again do swim more than others although none do sink quite away without any part appearing above water The reason of this difference is easie to conceive to men of knowledge for First There is difference of constitution in peoples bodies some are heavie of temper and they sink most some again are more light of temper fuller of vital spirits and they sink not so much Secondly we must observe the Systole and Diastole of breathing some happen to fall into the water when their bodies are full of breath and they swim most some happen to fall into the water when their breath is out of their bodies before they can draw it up again and they sink most Some are kept long fasting in watching and torment and then are cast into the water when their bowels and veins are empty of food and filled with Wind and these swim more than those that are filled with nourishment or perhaps they are kept fasting so long that they have scarce any life left and then they happen to sink most but if they do it must not serve their turn for the cruel Inquisitor will still torment them till he extort confession if the party live long enough for his cruelty to take place Some again are Women cast into the water with their Coates tied close toward their feet and Men with their apparrel on and for this they pretend modesty but who knoweth not that their apparrel will carry them above water for a time Some again are Women whose bodies are dilated with bearing of Children and do always after remain spongiously hollow more apt to swim than to sink especially tied hands and feet together to bring their bodies into a round and apt fashion to swim They that are used to the Art of swimming in the water might easily discover these to be but Delusions and Juglings if they were not too credulous and yet with these hath poor England been bewitched and deceived as also with the former of keeping the accused from sleep till they confess and these delusions have been impiously acted here in England of late in Essex and Suffolk by a wicked Inquisitor pretending authority for it to the cutting off of fourteen innocent people at Chelmâ—ford Assizes and about an hundred at Berry Assizes whereof one was a Minister neer Fremingham of about fourscore years age wherein this Inquisitor hath laid such a president for the Popes Inquisition if times of Popish Tyranny should again come in from which God in his mercy defend us as would not easily be removed when although we have no Laws in England to try people upon Life and Death by any Inquisition or Inquisitor in that manner yet it may then bee said was it Law then when the Law was in your hands and is it not Law now but if such times of tyrannous Inquisition come do they that have had a hand in this president think they shall escape it or their Posterity There is already a president for killing of Ministers for Witches Also some credulous people hearing of the Condemnation of those people have published a Book wherein they report such impossibilities to be done by them as I hope no wise man will beleeve wherein also Hoy the Gaoler is brought in for a Witness a fellow that is not fit to bear the Office of a Gaoler nor any other Office in a Christian Common-wealth who also wanted Vails and thought the more Prisoners were executed the more he should gain and yet it is reported his Testimony was taken as an Evidence against them although
to get the mastery of the Spirit of truth and whether this Work was either composed by King Iames or by the Bishop may be very well suspected or rather by some Scotish man blinded by some Scotish Mist who desired to set forth his own Tenents for the upholding of Popish errours and Popish Writers sufficiently confuted before by Scot in his Discovery of Witchcraft he not being able any whit to answer Scot in his Discourse laboureth to uphold false Tenents and Doctrins by the authority of a King because he could not finde any thing in the Scriptures to uphold them or to answer Scot as wee may read in the Preface that his whole aime is at Scot whom he falsly chargeth with the Tenent and Affirmation That there is no such thing as Witchcraft whereas Scot in all his whole Book saith no such thing but only that Witchcraft is a craft of deceiving and seducing the people and not of killing and making barren and raising Winds and such like Inventions he that readeth that Preface and seeth how Scot is first and chiefly aimed at in the whole Work might presently expect that in the Work he should finde Scot notably confuted or at the least in some way answered but reading over the VVork he shall finde not one thing or other answered at all but only a bare affirmation of such Tenents without any ground or warrant of the Scripture which Tenents were confuted by Scot by the Scriptures so that for any man to answer that Work of the Author at large were only to do that which Scot hath already done in confuting Bodinus and others and whereas this Author pretendeth a refutation of Scot he hath done nothing else but written again the same Tenents that Bodinus and others had before written and were by Scot confuted like an obstinate Disputant that rather than he will not hold his Argument though never so foolish he will deny the Conclusion One Disputant wisely and plainly proveth that a thing is and the other foolishly saith still it is not or one proveth that a thing is not and the other foolishly still saith it is by which way of arguing a childe may hold an Argument against a learned Doctor though never so false Yet for the answering of the Tenents of this Author in that Work First he saith in his first Book as also in the Preface That Witches can by the help of the Devil cause to be brought unto them all kindes of dainty Dishes for their delicious maintenance and yet say I how many poor lean starved people have been executed in several places for Witches and for the truth of this Doctrin he bringeth no place of Scripture to prove it but only affirmeth it to bee true for these reasons First The Devil is a Thief and delighteth to steal Secondly He is a Spirit and therefore can subtilly and suddenly transport the same from whence and whither hee will by which way of argument rejecting the Scriptures a man may affirm for truth any vain imagination be it as absurd as this former as that the Devil is a Thief and therefore hath a Mountain of Gold which he hath taken out of every mans Purse and heaped up in Hell which he being a Spirit hath easily transported from the earth and therefore are so many men hastening to Hell because there is abundance of Gold But if such foolish Arguments as these were of any force what need then any Scripture to teach us the truth But if we examine the truth of this Doctrin by the Scriptures it will prove for want of ground in Scripture very phantastical and in opposition to the truth of the Scriptures very blasphemous for hereby we should yeeld still that what was done by the Angel of God in miraculous manner bringing food to Elijah 1 King 19.6 may be done by the Devil bringing variety of food to them that serve him and whereas God by a Miraculous hand brought his people through a barren Wilderness and fed them in that Wilderness the same thing might as well have been done by the Devil who saith he can bring his servants all manner of dainty dishes This that is already written were enough to disable and make voyd all the three Books of Daemonologie written by this Author but yet for the satisfaction of such as will expect a Methodical answer I will begin with his Works in order as they stand and in brief shew the vanity of them as for example he saith in his Epistle to the Reader Sorcery and VVitchcraft are different from Magick and Necromancy and yet in the first Chapter of the Second Book he saith the Maid spoken of in the sixteenth of the Acts was a VVitch because she had the spirit of Python and yet we finde in the Scripture that they that had the spirit of Python were also Necromancers how then can this distinction hold that VVitchcraft differeth from Necromancy for by that distinction a Pythonist were a VVitch and a Necromancer not a VVitch yet what was the Pythonist of Endor but a Necromancer pretending to consult with the dead and Necromancy was the pretence of all that were said to have the spirit of Python that was that they consulted with the Souls of the dead as in Plutarch and also in holy VVrit as in Isa. 8.19 it is manifest in any Tongue but our English which in Tremellius translation is to this sense for when they shall say unto you Ask counsel of those that have the spirit of Python or the imposture of Oracling and of South-sayers should not a people ask counsel of their God Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living so then it is plain this distinction is wholly dissonant from Scripture and that this Author wrote not according to Scripture but by phantasy and imagination And now for his First Book and the whole discourse of it he layeth this foundation he produceth these places of Scripture to prove that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches Exod. 22.18 1 Sam. 15.23 Acts 8. Acts 16. and here he never searcheth the sense and meaning of these Scriptures but proveth that Witches are which thing no man denyeth and yet mark but his proofs Exod. 22.18 which is taken for a Jugler or one that worketh false Miracles to deceive and seduce in the same sense is to be understood Acts 8.9 10. concerning Simon Magus who was a Jugler and Magician Jugling being one main part of Magick in the Scripture discourse such were Pharaohs Magicians which Magicians this Author distinguisheth from Witches and yet would prove by these places that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches so likewise 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of Divination from hence hee would prove Witchcraft also and yet his distinction denieth that Necromancers whose main drift was to give Divinations by consulting with the dead are Witches and this is the sum of his first Chapter where any wise man
may see how he hath lost himself in proving and not able to prove that which is easily proved and that which no man denieth That there is such a thing as Witches and Witchcraft for all the rest of his Discourse in his first Book it is to prove that there are Magicians and Necromancers which thing no man denieth according to the Scriptures but though this be a true Conclusion yet it ariseth not from his proofs before mentioned according to his own distinctions for he produceth those proofs only to prove that there are Witches which yet he distinguisheth from Magicians and Necromancers how vainly then doth he raise from these proofs a discourse of Magicians and Necromancers And furthe r in all this Discourse he writing only according to his own imaginations without grounds in the Scriptures or in Arts and Sciences he runneth into gross absurdities as in the third Chapter that Judicial Astrologie is attained by Circles and Conjurations raising of Spirits to resolve their doubts which sheweth how little reading he had in that Science and in the fourth Chapter he bringeth in healing by Charms and Stones and Herbs as if by his method they were a part of Astrologie and not only in that hath he shewed his weakness but in reckoning Stones and Herbs among Magick Charms In the Fifth Chapter he saith Magicians conjure the Devil in a Circle and if they miss the least circumstance the Devil breaketh into the Circle and carrieth quite away Body and Soul and yet saith a little before in the same Chapter that the Devil having prescribed that form of doing that he may seem to be commanded thereby will not pass the bounds of those injunctions Circles In the sixth Chapter he talketh That they make a League with the Devil written with their bloud and so learn of him to play Jugling Tricks and Tricks upon the Cards and Dice in which also he sheweth himself but a silly Gamester in thinking such Tricks cannot be played without a League with the Devil and yet by his distinctions and by his whole Discourse he saith these Magicians though in league with the Devil are no Witches which is contrary to the general Tenent that ever was of his own Sect that is where such a League was made it made a Witch but to speak the truth the ill coherence of the Writings of his and all other Writers of that sort sheweth that they have no ground but Phantsy and Fiction for any league or transaction with the Devil either by Magician or Witch to use his own distinction though senceless either in Scripture or Human reason guided by the Scripture and this is the whole scope of his first Book In the First Chapter of his Second Book he refuteth himself and plainly confesseth though dully that all his former proofs of Scripture concerning Witches were to bee understood only of Magicians and not of Witches but saith he Though that be true yet the Law of God speaketh of Magicians Inchanters Diviners Sorcerers and Witches and whatsoever of that kinde that consult with the Devil but doth not say where the Law speaketh so nor where such are said to consult with the Devil but letteth it pass for granted which yet I will grant thus farre the Law of God speaketh of Magicians Inchanters Diviners and Sorcerers but not of Witches distinct from these for these were Witches in all the Scripture-sence and Diviners were Magicians and Magicians were Sorcerers and Inchanters were Witches and so were all the rest but still mark how he laboureth to produce some proofs beyond all this whereby he would make a Witch somewhat he cannot tell what distinct from Magicians Diviners Inchanters and Necromancers for saith he the Maid that followed Paul crying Acts 16. was a Witch whose spirit of Divination was put to silence saith he and she was a Witch because she did not raise the Devil but hee spake by her tongue publickly and privately and that by her consent and this is his ultimate proof of a Witch which I grant she was a Witch but why distinct from the rest what was she more than a Diviner and the Scripture saith she had the spirit of Python which was a spirit of lying Prophecie or Divination and saith he she was a Witch because the Devil spake by her tongue and that by her consent as if he spake not by the tongue of all Diviners Inchanters Pythonists South-sayers Necromancers and all false Prophets and that by their consent she was a Witch saith he because she raised not the Devil but yet say other Writers of his Sect they are Witches that raise the Devil and she had been a Witch if she had raised the Devil and he himself in his seventh Chapter saith Devils are made commonly to appear by Witchcraft from these grounds in Scripture which are all spoken of Deceivers and false Prophets according to the whole discourse of my first Book which indeed were Witches in the Scripture-sense though weakly discovered by this Author he goeth on presumptuously in the second and third Chapters to say that Witches are such as do compact with the Devil and in great number meet in Houses and Churches and adore the Devil in Pulpits and learn of him to do mischief and do render account at their several meetings what mischief they have done for his service and to kisse his hinder parts for adoration and this is all the scope of his second and third Chapters without any tittle of proof from Scripture but only confession of Condemned people which is no proof being contrary to Scripture and reason and all Circumstances considered is no Confession for as he dully argueth in his first Chapter that because they are loath to confess without Torture therefore they are guilty we may argue the contrary they therefore are not guilty their Confession being extorted which Confession yet he would argue to be true because saith he the Devil was worshipped among the Heathen and gave Oracles and Responses and was honoured with bloudy Sacrifice and gave Divinations by the intrals of Beasts But although these things were done by Heathen people that worshipped Idols and had Oracles and Responses from their Idol Priests which were the Witches and false Prophets of the times and in that sence might be said to worship the Devil as in 1 Cor. 10.19 20. because the Devil was in the Idols or rather in their Priests and so by them wrought delusions under the mask of Idols yet what consequence is here that because the Devil was in this sence worshipped publickly by Idolaters that therefore he is now privately worshipped by the great Conventions and Assemblies of Witches or where do we read in Scripture that Witches were such as did meet to worship the Devil they were indeed such as seduced people to worshipping of Idols by the delusions of the Devil ruling in their hearts And in the fourth Chapter he saith that VVitches can be transported in the Air by the Devils help
there and Night-birds shall hop there and a Dragon shall cry in their desolate Palaces and the Serpent in their pleasant· Temples Tremellius in his Marginal Notes saith Terrisicum animal id est draco Those were all only such Creatures as do commonly inhabit desolate places The Prophet speaking in the former verse of desolation that should come upon the Land and indeed the Devil hath least to do in desolate places and is most busied where people are most but had Zim and Iim been the proper names of Devils it had not made any thing to the purpose to prove that the Devil walketh up and down in corporal appearance for it is said Revel 2.13 that the Devil dwelt at Pergamus and yet it is not meant that he was there seen at all to appear in any shape but was there in the hearts and works of wicked men but such is the manner of all that are tainted with Popish Tenents that they would have people conceive of the Devil that he is some ugly terrible Creature to look upon some black man with a pair of Horns on his head and a Cloven Foot and a long Tayl or some monstrous Beast that inhabiteth in Woods and walketh about in the night to scare people and this doctrin is maintained by Popish Writers least people should discern that the Devil is in all their Popish Doctrins and actions and in the hearts of all Popish seducers and deceivers of the world Further in this his Third Book he talketh of Incubus and Succubus as if it were an undoubted truth that the Devil lyeth commonly with Witches of both Sexes having copulation with them but for this he hath not the least Scripture nor the least seeming Argument but only constrained extorted belyed nullified Confession of poor condemned people which is the only Argument for all the devillish Tenents of all Writers of this sort and yet they begin with Scripture saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live and upon this they raise a long discourse contrary to all Scripture and truth and possibility all which they will father upon the Scriptures and yet when they are pinched by dispute to prove their Tenents by Scripture they fly off to confession this confession I say is in all the discourse of this Author his only Argument which is no Argument and yet he pretendeth his discourse to be grounded on the Scriptures and in that pretence in his last Chapter he concludeth his whole discourse with the Law of God saying Therefore these people ought to be put to death according to the Law of God whereas yet in all his discourse he could not produce the least jot or tittle of the Law against any such kinde of supposed Witches as he talketh of nor the least colour of argument to prove his supposals in all the Law or all the Scriptures without misconstruing the Law of God and the Scriptures So much for this Author Cooper answered THe second English Writer upon this subject is one Thomas Cooper a Minister who himself being infected with the common Popish tenent sent forth by Pope Innocent the Eighth and Pope Iulius the Second and affirmed by Bodinus and other bloudy Inquisitors mentioned in my Second Book that Witches are Murtherers and such as can raise Winds and do things impossible by the help of the Devil This Cooper instead of being himself a Minister to instruct and teach the people in Gods Truth grounded in Scriptures he became a bloudy Inquisitor to finde out Witches that is a bloudy Persecutor of the poor and an accuser of them to be Witches who by his blinde zeal in this kinde did cause many to be executed for Witches as he confesseth in his first Book the first Chapter and sixteenth Page and after this he reading Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft which he was no way able to confute by Scripture nor to answer him truly hee being galled in his Conscience and netled in his minde concerning his reputation in the World which he feared he should loose if his wickedness should be convicted and laid open instead of humbling his Soul before God and begging pardon for his sin he wrot a Book in defence of his errours called the mystey of Witchcraft wherein he hath as others have done pretended to confute Scot and to that end hath writ down many Popish inventions adding thereunto many of his own foolish imaginations without one jot of Scripture to prove or ground any of his Tenents and after long discourse of meer lyes and imaginations in a pretence of holy Zeal yet quite contrary to Gods truth yea I may say imaginations resisting Gods holy Spirit of Truth hath thought it a sufficient confutation of Scot to fetch him over with an use of reproof as appeareth in his first Book the eighteenth page just as if a man should preach contrary to the Scriptures that Idols are gods and labour to prove it by experience as this Cooper laboureth to prove his Tenents concerning Witches or to prove it by the example of such as have been slain because they would not fall down before an Idol and worship it as this Cooper laboureth to prove his errours concerning Witches from the example of many that have been executed for Witches and then should fetch them over with an use of reproof that say Idols are no gods and after this groundless use of reproof this Cooper goeth on still in a frivolous discourse without any Scripture to prove his Doctrin and at last laboureth to shew that Juglers are Witches which no man yet did ever deny if they were such as wrought false Miracles to seduce the people as Iannes and Iambres and Simon Magus and Elimas the Sorcerer but he laboureth to prove that common Juglers are Witches that do work their Tricks of Activity saith he by a Familiar which yet saith he are no real Miracles but they hurt the Eye and thicken the Air saith he whereby they make things seem to be really done that are not done which thing for a Jugler to do that is to hurt the eye and touch it not and to thicken the Air were a Miracle it self but to clear these vain Fancies who knoweth not that Juglers do play their Tricks only by the slight of hand called Cleanly Conveyance or Legerdemain and what common Jugler that hath gone about to Fairs or Markets to shew his Tricks of Activity to get Mony will not in private for a shilling shew any Trick that he hath acted openly and shew how it is done to the satisfaction of any man that desireth it and that without a Familiar or the least appearance of any such vain Phantsy as fools imagine But yet if I should take it for granted that these common Juglers are Witches and do work their Feats by a Familiar Devil as he affirmeth yet what doth that make towards the proving of these poor and aged and lame people to be Witches that have so commonly been said to be Witches What Tricks