the Gospel hath got footing there all vncleane spirites depart grosse Witch-craft is banished Authoritie preuaileth to the rooting out thereof the Word preuaileth to heale our infidelitie and so secure vs from their dangerous snares And yet which is to be lamented wee see the Good Witch still to get ground euen because she helpes and satisfies the flesh doth not this argue plainely what God we worship principally euen our pleasure our riches our health Is not the Good Witch respected because she supplies these And is not our belly then our god the wedge of golde our hope Doe wee not for our owne sakes respect the Blesser Is it not a plaine worship yea Idolatrie which we commit with her SECTIO IIII. It condemneth the grosse profanenesse and disobedience of the Ages present 1 IN that the Infernall spirites are more obseruant and diligent for the hurt of the soule then we are for the saluation thereof they are compassing continually omitting no base offices to serue their Mistresse turnes 2 The aboundance of Witches the horrible sottishnesse and wilfulnesse of the people which runne to these Blessers that are giuen vp by God the Lord to forsake the true meanes of their saluation and fly to diuellish helpes doth not this plainely argue the general disobedience of the people and therefore because they receiue not the loue of the truth therefore God hath left them to these strong delusions to beleeue lies as in the second epistle of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians in the second chapter and eleuen verse Surely as the Lord gaue vp Saul to a spirite of Errour to bee tormented and mis-guyded thereby because hee forsooke the euerliuing Lord and disobeyed his Prophets So is it iust with Almightie GOD to giue vp the people to be besotted with this iudgement euen because they haue detayned the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse and reproached the same by their profane and most abhominable conuersation SECTIO V. Reproofe of Hypocrisie IT reprooueth the Hypocrisie and fearefull Dissimulation that raignes euen among professors And that first as Sathan pretends subiection to the Coniurer and Sorcerer when indeede his purpose is to bee Maister of all Euen so the Hypocrite how soeuer he pretend subiection to the Lord yet his purpose is to serue his owne lusts to aduaunce himselfe aboue all that is called God to bring men into bondage to smite them on the face 2. Cor. 11. 2. Thess. 2. 12. 2 As Satan pretends many things to be done by the Witch which indeede are done by himselfe that he may bring the Witch into danger abuse others by her and conceale his wickednesse more cunningly euen so doth the Hypocrite father much vpon God which is but the deuice of his owne braine And doth not this plainely conuince the hypocrisie of the Times that whereas the Good Witch is farre more dangerous then the Bad yet because the Blesser helpes and serues turne to maintayne life c. therefore shee must escape whereas the Bad Witch because she is hurtfull therefore she must bee punished Doth not this argue that not for conscience sake but for our owne respects Iustice is executed Sathans power is oppugned And doth not Sathan when hee pretends to doe most good then doe most hurt surely so doth the hypocrite vnder colour of long prayers deuoure widowes houses Euen as the Blesser vnder pretence of Good prayers enthralleth the soule so doth the hypocrite by pretence of formall prayers and bodily worship detaine men in wil-worship and all profanenesse to the ruine of soule and body CHAP. II. A second generall vse is for Instruction That first wee would leaue to auoyd the Causes of Witch-craft Which are 1. Ignoraunee 2. Infidelitie 3. Malice 4. Coueto usnesse 5. Curiositie c. 6. Pride c. Concerning Ignorance of GOD. THat this is a cause of Witch-craft appeareth Because through the Ignorance that is in vs we are led captiue by Sathan at his pleasure as being subiect iustly to his strong delusions because we haue not receiued the Loue of the Truth because wee know not whom to worship how to worship God a right therefore doth the God of this world blind vs because the Gospel is hid from vs. 2. Cor. 4. 5 6. And doth not Witch-craft vsually preuaile when either there is no meanes for knowledge or else the Truth of God is detayned in vnrighteousnesse and so for our disobedience wee are iustly giuen vp to such Delusions remember what hath formerly beene obserued to this end The Remedie thereof is 1. To haue the word of God dwell plentifully among vs both in the Publike ordinances of the Preaching and Expounding thereof as also in the Priuate Reading conferring of the same in our Families 2. To haue the Power thereof to Rule vs in all our wayes To yeelde obedience thereunto to hearken to this voyce alone and to cleaue therevnto constantly Endeuouring so to walke as we haue receiued Christ Iesus Col. 2. 4. And to be daily cast into the mould thereof 2. Cor. 3. CHAP. III. Touching Infidelitie THat this is also a Cause of this fearefull Iudgement appeareth 1. Because by vnbeliefe we lye open to Satans power 1. Pet. 5. 8 9. 2. Through vnbeliefe in God we are brought to beleeue in him to embrace and adore him as the God of this world 2. Cor. 4 5 6. 3. Hereby wee prouoke the Iust Lord to leaue vs to his power to be insnared of him in all deceiueablenes of Error and damnable Impietie 4. This is the speciall bond whereby Satan tyes his Proselites vnto him and they that seeke help from them they must beleeue that they can helpe them c. And therefore the Remedie thereof is 1. As to learne to know God in Iesus Christ. Ioh. 17. 2. 2. To labour aboue all things to be found in Christ Iesus Psal. 3. 10. 1. By seeing our selues in our selues to be vtterly lost by the Law Rom. 7. 2. And feeling our state to be most desperate and irrecouerable 3. Groane we earnestly vnder the burden thereof Matth. 11. 28. 4. And hunger wee after Iesus Christ to be eased thereof Matth. 5. 5. Seeking vnto him in his blessed and precious promises to bee eased of our sinnes 6. Meditating seriously on the power and vertue of his Sacrifice which he hath offered for our sinne 7. And applying the same to our particular soares and diseases 8. Resting in Iesus Christ alone as our onely and sufficient Sauiour 9. And reioycing in him aboue all the treasures in the world as in the most precious Pearle Matth. 13. 10. Labouring to approue our loue vnto Iesus Christ. 1. By forsaking all things for his sake our beloued sonne yea if it be required euen life and all Matth. 19. 2. Being ready to take vp his Crosse and follow him Matth. 16. 22. 3. Denying still our owne wisedome and righteousnesse that wee may bee found in him 1. Cor. 3. 18. 4. And for thy sake louing the
SATHAN TRANSFORMED into an Angell of Light expressing his dangerous Impostures vnder glorious shewes Emplified Specially in the Doctrine of Witch-craft and such sleights of Satan as are incident thereunto Very necessary to discerne the speci-Plague raging in these dayes and so to hide our selues from the snare thereof LONDON Printed by Barnard Alsop 1622. To the right worshipfull Alderman Holiday the worthy Gouernour of the East Indian Merchants together with the prouident Treasures and graue Committees and the rest of the aduenturers in that famous trade All things pertaining to life and godlinesse RIght worthy and beloued in our Lord Iesus Christ It is the wonderfull mercy and exceeding patience of our gratious God towards vs of this sinfull Nation that in the middest of such fearfull stormes and bloody garboyles deuouring our neighbors round about vs wee of this Iland though as it were enuironed round about with such tempestuous seas do yet notwithstanding enioy such temperate seasons as not onely to eate the fruite of our owne labours but to be enabled moreouer out of our aboundance to entertaine and releeue our distressed neighbours And is not the wisedome of God admirable herein to warne vs to looke home when our neighbours house is on fire and to make it our owne case what is common to vs with others Is not his mercy vnspeakeable that seeing charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes and much is forgiuen to those that loue much therefore wee may haue hope of Gods longer forbearance indulgence towards vs so long as we regard the afflictions of Ioseph by our brotherly affections beare one anothers burthen Surely though the sickle must be put in when the haruest is ripe and there are too many signes among vs that the regions are white vnto the haruest yea that the Deere is gone out to go through the land yet euen here I haue obserued these meanes to stay the execution First when there are some remaining to stand in the gap to turne away the wrath Secondly when the Lord is iustified and approued by his word And thirdly when by our compassion and prudence wee doe communicate with the afflictions of our brethren and so voluntarily suffer with them in their distresses Wherein as we haue speciall cause to blesse our gratious God for his good hand with our worthy Nehemiah in this holy worke so are wee wisely to secure our selues in succouring others and doing good while wee haue time to the houshold of faith Shall not Sathan and his instruments herein otherwise condemne vs who if euer heretore do speedily combine them selues against the Lord and his annoynted whose maine policy it is in these latter dayes to disunite the hearts of Christians and to weaken their hands that they may more speedily and easily make prey of them Doe not his croaking frogges those infernall Iebusites compasse land and sea to this end creeping into the chambers yea into the harts of Princes both to exasperate such as are auerse against the poore mēbers of Christ and also alienate euen the well affected from the maintenance of the common faith And doe wee thinke that they haue left any stone vnrowled to compasse the same can we imagine but that these spirits of diuels haue waded into the depth of their fathers methods and as she in the Poet When heauen will affoord no helpe shee 'le moue the infernall powers so in despite of heauen these limbs of Sathan haue now failed to employ the powers of darkenesse for the more effectuall deluding of the children of disobedience And are not these the times wherein if it were possible the very elect may bee seduced and ensnared hereby Is not the wisdome and iustice of God admirable herein that when the Foole saith in his heart there is no God the Atheist dreams of no other hell but to bee in debt and affliction and so plots by all meanes to build his heauen on earth by wallowing in all excesse of riot and vanitie as hereby he reapes such wages of his error as is meet euen to be giuen vp to a reprobate sense and so not onely to all monstrous and desperate wickednesse but euen to maintaine and secure the same against all future reckonings as if he had made a couenent with hell and were at an agreement with death so is he iustly taken in his owne craftinesse and most wonderfully arrested by the power of hell to the apparant confusion of his imagined happinesse and while hee dreames of no other heauen but to doe what hee list in earth hee is not onely therein restrained by the power of heauen to the confusiō of his present hopes for the good of the Saints but also iustly caught in the snares of his owne wickednesse by the power of hell as to beginne and seale hereby vnto him eternall vengeance and to hasten him thereto so that the righteous may more wonderfully escape of our trouble when the wicked are falne into the pit they digged for them Surely as it is a righteous thing with God that they that doe not receiue the loue of the truth shall be giuen vp to strong delusions to beleeue lies so if euer satan were transformed into an Angell of light and so more effectually by his lies and subtilties did deceiue vnstable soules If euer the sure word and wonderfull workes of God were outfaced and suppressed by the sleights and forgeries of the God of this world the experience here of is most notorious in our times to instance in this particular being the subiect of our experience how mightily the Lord hath iustified his word both auouching in these dayes the truth of this doctrine of Witchcraft as also euidencing the power thereof in dissoluing the workes of Satan as experience hath made it manifest so we haue had not onely the great Patrones and friends of the Church confirming the same but euen the Churches verie enemies haue beene enforced to acknowledge no lesse And yet such hath been the efficacy of delusion that this very same most glorious truth vpon other respects as it hath found hard measure among fained friends so it hath also thereby beene traduced and peruerted by it enemies And surely we may the lesse wonder hereat if we consider wisely that as commodities are in request with many according to their diuers humours and different seasons so doth it befall the sacred truth which though it be sometimes in request when it may serue to aduance the pride of the flesh and infancie of religion yet doth it easily grow out of date when either it tends to humble the flesh or iustly challengeth lukewarmnesse and hypocrisie Which as it was the portion of the Lord and master of the Church sometimes to bee cryed vp with Hosanna eftsoones to bee cryed downe with crucifige so hath it beene the lot of the scepter of this kingdome the budding rod of Aaron sometimes to be turned into a serpent in the opinion of man as if it onely entended to
destruction and not to edification no better then a doctrine of licentiousnesse or sedition and despaire which eftoones was in esteeme as Angels foode sweeter then honey pretious aboue rubies most orient gems Which seeing it hath beene also the portion of this truth concerning witchcraft is it any maruell if what man opposeth and seeketh to suppresse the Lord himselfe hath powerfully maintaind and iustified as prouing vnto it gainesayers a sauour of death that haue refused to embrace the same as a sauour of life vnto life Surely when I discerne the efficacy of delusion preuailing in these dayes euen vpon such that haue tested of the good word of God and beene pertakens of the enlightning spirit and so haue had some kenning of the power of the life to come and yet are so falue away from conscience yea from science it selfe that they are very strangers from the life of God through their affected ignorance and being willingly ignorant of what they haue formerly beene conuinced of are growne to bee starke-mockers of all powers yet all forme of Religion and so in this their Atheisme sing a Requiem to their soules fearing no other hell then to be mooued in their slippery state and dreaming of no other heauen then to build their foundation in the sands Mee thinkes I see the foolish worldling on the pinnacle of his confidence and so in his greatest security lying open to confusion And do I not see the Iustice of God working wonderfully herein in besotting the foole in his owne wisedome Euen giuing him vp to rest vpon such broken reedes for the securing of his Babel which are the onely meanes to confound the same And hath not the God of the world by diuine permission a speciall stroke in this delusion not only to proue a lying spirit in the mouth of our false Prophets bidding to go THE Particular Contents This Treatise is digested into three Bookes In the Former whereof is contained FIrst the Occasion and scope of this Discourse in Sect. 1. pag. 1. Aud therein prooued that this Doctrine of Witch-craft is necessarie to be prosecuted and ohserued in these dayes Sect. 2. pag. 16. Chap. 1. Secondly it is proued that there haue beene are and shall be Witches to the worlds end both by sound Testimonie 1. from the Word p. 25. 2. from Antiquitie p. 26. 3. from pregnant reasons p. 27. and so snch Obiections answred as seeme to contradict this Truth page 35. Chap. 2. Thtrdly it is declared what Witch-craft properly is where both the Nature Causes and Effectes are briefely opened and applied page 47. Wherein is set downe both that Satan 1. Can worke wonders p. 52. as also 2. The difference betweene true Miracles and Satans wonderfull workes p. 54. 3. And so the diuers kinds of these wonders are discoursed page 55. 4. Together with the intent how farre and in what Cases Satan can effect them page 55 56. Chap. 3. Fourthly is layde open the policie of Satan in drawing and vniting ignorant and vnstable soules to this Art Where first the Occasions are discouered page 57. 2. Hereupon the manner of Satans working and enueighling to this Trade page 58. 3. And of his seuerall Impostures and treacheries therein against the poore soule p. 61. 4. And so of the entring his Nouices into this Schoole With the Vse thereof page 62. 5. It is further manifested by what meanes Satan now confirmeth and detaineth his Proselites in this mystery where 1. Of the Couenant which passeth betweene the Witch and Satan to this end And here first prooued that there is such a couenant p. 65. 2. Of the nature and bruticall bond of the couenant is set downe 3. The diuers kindes of the Couenants are discryed and so the policie of Satan therein further opened p. 68. 4. The ground of the Couenant is searched and therein Sathans policie also detected p. 69. 70. With the Vses thereof p. 72. 5. The Partes of this couenant distinguished 1. What Satan bindes himselfe to doe for the Witch p. 78. 2. Wherein the Witch is bound to the Diuell p. 86. And the seuerall sleights of Satan in each coniectured p. 87. Chap. 5. Sixtly is declared what Ceremonies Sathan doth accompanie this Couenant withall the better to detaine and hold his vassals to the performance thereof Whereof the secret Marke of the Witch p. 88. 2. Of conuenting them into the Church page 90. and there First To renounce their Baptisme p. 91. 2. To offer vp their blood in sacrifice to the Diuell 3. Of kissing Satans backe parts 4. Of carnall societie by Satan with Witches Together with the speciall sleights of Satan therein p. 92. and the Vse thereof page 94. Chap. 6. Seuenthly diuers other meanes are layd downe whereby Satan confirmes his Proselites as Cap. 7. page 124. Diuers kinds of Witch-craft are opened both 1. That which consists in Diuination wherein first is shawed p. 128. That Satan can foretell in some measure things to come p. 129. 2. How farre he may proceed therein page 131. Wherrin is layd downe the difference betweene Diuine and Satanicall predictions page 132. 3. The diuers meanes are discouered whereby Satan foretells things to come as by true Creatures As 1. Flight of Birds page 136. 2. The Intrals of Beasts ibid. 3. The Obseruation of the Starres and heauenly bodies condemned p. 137. with answere to Obiections to Astrologie page 138. 4. Dreames 5. Lots Wherein is set downe the right vse of these things Namely How the Doctrine of the Starres is to be vsed What Dreames are to bee heeded page 144. and so the differeuce between diuine and other dreames manifested p. 135. as also How Lets are to be vsed and heerein the peruerse abuse of these things discouered and reiected p. 149. Secondly it is declared how Satan deceiues and foretels things to come by forged meanes as answering in the shape of a Dead body p. 151. 2. Where it is prooued particularly That the Resemblance appearing to Saul was not true Samuel but Satan in his likenes p. 152. Thirdly it is prooued that Satan also vseth to foretell things to come without meanes and that either by Reall possessing of the soules bodyes of men p. 155. Or else by Obsession and inspiring them with his euill counsels Where particularly is declared the differences betweene Satanicall Reuelations Exthusiasmes And Those true and Heauenly Reuelations wherewith the true Prophets of God were furnished to declare the will of the Lord in extraordinarie times and oceasions page 156. And so the vse thereof commended to the church of Christ Iesus cha 8. It yeeldeth further to declare another kinde of Witch-craft which consists in operation p. 157. And heere first of working Wonders by Charmes that it is vnlawfull Where are answered diuers Obiections seeming to iustifie them and so all sortes of Charmes condemned page 158. c. Either by Words sacred or prophane page 160. Or by making of Characters p. 167. Images Circles Vsing of Amulets Scratching
same meanes encreaseth his prey in deceiuing such vnstable soules who depend vpon such dangerous helpe And therefore though no doubt by Diuine permission he could helpe one with the Good Witches warrant this being but his colour to deceiue her and others and so much more if she imployed him without the Faith of the parties and happily doth tender some trifling helpe without this Couenant to beleeue to tolle the simple on to seeke further to him Yet seeing he specially is all these aimes at the soules destruction and as the Diuine executioner to preuaile in the children of disobedience Therefore seeing the World generally will not receiue the knowledge of the truth shall it not bee giuen vp to beleeue lies 2. Thessalonians 2. 11. 12. Euen to seeke vnto Satan forsaking God c. so to buy his helpe with the danger of their soules In hunting after which this aduersarie is now growne so cunning as that howsoeuer heeretofore in Times of Ignorance he vsed more carnall and palpable meanes for the ensnaring of them Yet since the Gospell of Iesus Christ hath beene aduanced and the knowledge thereof hath in some good measure banished grosse ignorance in many places therefore doth Satan suite himselfe accordingly And so though he require reall couenants of some in some cases yet is he contented also with Mentall Couenants as being able to gesse at the minde by some outward inclinations and distempers and so doth more cunningly and dangerously deceiue euen the professors of this Age whom seeing they professe to beleeue in Christ therefore will he not require an open couenant to beleeue in him As contenting himselfe 1 That they allow helpe to bee sought from such meanes 2 That in case of necessitie they will not stick to seeke themselues 3 That they do not aswell further the Blesser as the Bad Witch to punishment c. All which and such like he takes as arguments of their secret confidence in him as approuing his power and iustifying the lawfulnesse of such meanes SECTIO VII Whether the good Witch can hurt and the hurting Witch helpe BY that which hath beene said before concerning the limitation of the power of these Witches it may seeme to be concluded that the Good Witch can onely help and the Bad Witch onely can hurt But yet Experience seemes to proue the contrarie not onely in Hartley that famous Coniurer of Lancashire which betwitched Mr. Starkie of Clee-worthes Children who was also a great Blesser c. And so in diuers others But especially in the Witch that was the principall occasion of this Treatise For it appeareth by her examinations that shee both vsed to forespeake as they call it that is to hurt and wearie things as also to blesse the same againe and so to helpe as well as to hurt As appeareth by the Charme heereafter set downe to this end To which wee answere That though happily by Couenant Satan binds himselfe no further but to the Blesser to helpe and to the Bad Witch to hurt because Either they desire no further or else this limitation may serue for such end as heeretofore Yet heerein also doth Satans cunning appeare notably that if vpon such composition onely to hurt or helpe he yet proue better then his bargaine as to assist such to helpe who haue done hurt c By this meanes he binds his seruants more obsequiously vnto him and yet deceiues them more grossely As giuing them occasion now to conceiue That seeing he couenanted with them onely to hurt or helpe If now it shall appeare that the Bad Witch can also helpe Is not this a notable delusion to flatter her that she hath some extraordinarie power aboue what Satan can conferre vnto her and so that the League betweene them is disanulled and broken She is now free as she thinkes and rather by some Diuine Assistance can vndo and helpe what is fore-spoken as they vse to speake And seeing Satan in all these Couenants with the Witch is no Free Agent but the Lords Executioner to run and stay at his pleasure As the Lord therefore hath speciall ends in the disposing of this Couenant to hurt or helpe so may he not haue speciall purpose in this exceeding therein that the same that hurteth may also helpe and the same that helpeth may also hurt Yea certainely The Lords purpose in permitting and wisely ordering these Compacts betweene Satan and the Witch to hurt or helpe vsing the Deuill herein as the instrument of his Diuine Iustice vpon the children of disobedience hath beene in some poore measure manifested heretofore And hereby Doth Hee wisely and gloriously make manifest that Satan is but his Vassall that all Couenants betweene the Witch and him for onely hurting and helping are subordinate to his power alterable at his pleasure that though Satan agree with the one Witch to helpe and with the other onely to hurt yet shall the hurting Witch also helpe and the helping Witch hurt that it may appeare also that these Couenants are but Iugling Trickes betweene Satan and the Witch to draw fooles to the stockes and so on eyther side to beguile more fearefully That seeing the Blesser pretendeth to helpe as she doth heereby draw more Proselites after her for good so shall she haue power to hurt them both to keepe them the more in awe and so to seeke vnto her more slauishly and depend the more constantly on her power as also when their sinne is heereby ripened to confound them more fearefully and so to execute the wrath of God vpon them And the Badde Witch also though the Couenant bee That shee must onelie hurt that so shee may execute her malice vppon the bodies of vnbeleeuers and so send them to the Blesser for the further destruction of their soules yet to spare this labour and make the delusion more effectuall to deceiue may not the GOD of Wisedome deuolue both these Faculties of hurting and helping to one person May hee not heereby giue way to Sathan to aduaunce himselfe fully in the hearts of the children of disobedience as God of this world to saue and destroy at his pleasure And as the Lord in restraining Sathan to hurt or helpe in those diuerse Instruments would giue an vnderstanding heart to consider the limited power of Sathan and so to depend vppon an higher Power of the Diuine Maiestie so seeing the naturall and desperate sinner as hee is fast bound to the power of Sathan euen so willingly would hee serue none other maister therefore that hee may serue him the more cheerefully it is the Iustice of GOD so to giue vp to Sathans delusions as that hee shall thinke hee needes serue no other maister And hence it proceedeth that the miserable soule affecting a sufficiencie in that God whom it subiects it selfe vnto able to steed at all assaies Therefore seeing Satan by these Witches labours to erect his Throne in the hearts of the disobedient It stands with great policie
a seducer of others to Idolatrie as appeareth by their common practise both vpon their friends to whom they vsually bequeath their spirits and vppon all whom they instruct to rest in charmes c. And therefore to be put to death Deuter. 13. 6. 9. 5 Nay shee is a murtherer both of soules and bodies and therefore in this respect doth also deserue death SECTIO II. Answer to Obiections against this Execution 1 ANd therefore though the diuell doe the mischiefe yet is the Witch confederate and accessarie thereto nay in her owne conceit Principall and Mistris and therefore by the Lawe of Accessories is to die the death 2 Therefore though they should repent yet die they must to iustifie God and preuent further ensnaring that though their body perish yet the soule may be saued 1. Cor. 5. 3 Though she repent not yet seeing shee must haue some time of repentance though she do not yet is Iustice to proceede without respect of persons In zeale to Gods glory and loue of sinceritie so Moses Exo. 32. 28. and Phinehas c. Num. 25. 8. And this sincerity of Iustice doth require That though death and such hurts ensue not yet for the offence done to God in combining with Sathan c. the parties are to be executed accordingly For so the word doth plainely imply and heretofore the Law hath been defectiue in this case yet blessed be God for a further perfection heerein and will not the Lord daily perfect his worke If wee beleeue shall wee not see greater things then these Well 1 Let this instruct the godly magistrate to haue an eie especially to the Blesser that raigneth among vs And to draw the people to the true and lawfull meanes of helping soule and bodie by rooting out of these Good Witches which are rife almost in euerie parish and placing in stead thereof a conscionable Minister as that the people may require the Lawe at his mouth that he may pray to the Lord for them that they may bee healed 2 Let this teach him to punish sinne of conscience not for by respects meeting with the Witch as an Idolator offending against God not so much as a murtherer sinning against man 3 Let his owne safetie mooue him heereunto who as hee hath beene euen so still by the execution of Iustice may be free from these Monsters 4 And lastly Let the glorie of God in aduauncing the Gospel especially heere preuayle which is by no kind of thing more vndermined then by Witches Is glorious in nothing more then in rooting out Antichrist the great Coniurer and deceiuer of Gods people and banishing superstition the very bedde and nursery of witch-craft The end of the second Booke THE MYSTERIE OF WITCH-CRAFT The third Booke Discouering The seuerall Vses of this Doctrine of WITCH-CRAFT LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. OF THE DIVERS VSES OF THIS DOCTRINE OF WITCH-CRAFT The third Booke CHAP. I. First it serueth for reproofe and that many wayes SECTIO I. As first of the Atheisme and Irreligion that ouerflowes in the Land DOth not Satans Policy in this trade of Witch-craft pretending to afflict and hurt but when he is seene by the Witch and then to hurt only the bodie or goods Plainely obscure and abolish out of the minds of men the Prouidence of the Almightie as if Satan were not subiect to God and sent by his prouidence that he were not countermaunded by the power of God but onely subiect to the Witches power Doth not this exalt her in the place of God prouoke the people to feare and loue her c 2 And seeing the hurt appeareth onely by his cunning to be done to the bodie doth not this nourish the people in this Atheisme that either their soules are in no danger all is well with them or they neede not trouble themselues thereabout seeing the diuel doth not trouble them nay doth not this nourish this conceit in their mindes that they haue no soules or else that they are mortall they end with this life and therefore vse all meanes for the maintenance hereof and then care is taken sufficiently 3 Doth not this conuince the Atheist that dreames of Generall Grace All shall be saued seeing by this Doctrine and Practise of Witch-craft It is now apparant That not onely naturally we are the bondslaues of Satan but that many purposely yeelde vp themselues to his cursed will renounce their saluation to become his slaues binde themselues to eternall damnation and so are made oft-times fearefull spectacles of the Diuine vengeance being carried away by the diuell and haled violently to destruction 4 Doth not this iustly confound that common delusion That there is no hell but to be in debt in prison c. Doth not this conuince such as liue in that profane and fearefull manner as if there were no God to Iudge them no diuell to torment them Do not their desperate courses plainely discouer to whom they doe belong Are they not of their father the Diuell because his workes they doe are they not running headlong to Hell by their desperate impenitencie doth their damnation sleepe that so turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Hath not the god of this world blinded them that they cannot obey the truth Are they not appoynted to perdition that thus crucifie the Lord of life Is there any more sacrifice left for sinne for such but euen violent fire to consume the aduersaries Herbrews cha 10. 26. 27. Iude verse 4. Iohn chap. 8. 44. SECTIO VIII It is a plaine conuiction of the contempt of the Word FOr as the Lord when Pharaoh would not beleeue his seruant Moses did therefore giue him vp to be deluded by his Sorcerers and Enchanters who dooing such wonders in shew as Moses did in trueth did thereby harden Pharaohs heart and so ripened his sinne and iniquity euen so it is iust with God because we despise his Word and contemne his true Prophets therefore to leaue the common people generally to bee hardned by such fained wonders as the prophets of Sathan make shew of in the world that they might bee effectuall to encrease transgressions against the Lord and so to ripen them to the day of vengeance Thus did the Lord giue vp Saul for his disobedience and contempt of the Word to seeke vnto Witchcraft 1. Sam. 28. Whereby hee ripened his sinne and drew on speedy vengeance vpon himselfe and Gods People for his sake 2. Sam. 29. Thus was Ahaziah left to seeke helpe of the god of Ekron that so he might receiue of the Lord the Sentence of his destruction 2. Reg. 2. SECTIO III. Of Reproofe IT reprooueth the Idolatrie and false worship of the Times conuincing the falshoode and abomination of Poperie and iustifying the truth and vertue of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. As that first where superstition raignes and is not yet weeded out there wee see Witch-craft to be magnified and so to abound as in the Orcades among the Heathen But where