the truth of God contained in the Scripture and this is the cause why men a long time have been deceived by the Man of Sin who still prevaileth to lead the World in darkness because they love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Tâ—es 2.10 11 12. for this man of sin that Whore of Rome being the grand Witch of the Christian world pointed at Revel 18.23 that hee might still have freedom to deceive the Nations hath broached this Doctrin wherewith he hath defiled the world that a Witch is not a false Prophet or a Deceiver but one that can send the Devil to kill men and women and children and to make the ground barren and men and women barren in Generation and kill the children in the Wombe and can with looks kill Lambs and Cattel and can fly in the Air and can do many things by the help of the Devil which things are not possible to be done by any power but by the mighty power of God We may read of the Priests of the Idol Astaroth that were indeed real Witches in the Scripture sense who professed to do such things by the power of their Idol but were discovered by Bartholomaeus the Apostle to be deceivers of the people by the Devils subtil delusions who ruled in their hearts so they with their Idol were destroyed and many people converted to the Christian Faith Hendorfius in the fifth page of his Theater of History his words are these Bartholomâ—eus Idolum Astaroth evertit fraudes Satanae qui miraculis homines effacinatos morbis jam premebat jam pressos levabat detexit c. And where do we read in Holy Writ or common History that saver of truth that men by Devils could do such things really and to uphold such errours contrary to Scripture what is this but meer prevarication with the truth and resisting Gods holy Spirit of truth Where do we finde any such thing in Scriptures or any such description of a VVitch or that a VVitch was such a one as hath made a League with the Devil and sealed it with his bloud or hath Imps sucking him or Biggs or privie Marks or that lyeth with Incubus or Succubus or any such phrase or expression in all the Scriptures VVhat least inkling have we of these things in all the Scriptures VVhence received the Church of England this Doctrin O foolish England who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth Surely it was the Pope This groundless impious and fantastical Doctrin was never taught by Gods Prophets but that VVitch the Pope knowing in his Conscience that he is the very VVitch the Deceiver of the Nations pointed at in the Revelations and that the Scriptures were so plain that by the light thereof his devillish delusions must needs come to light if the VVorld should have true insight into the Scriptures and so that by that means all Nations would rise up on him and destroy him he not only laboured to hide the Scriptures from the common people which he did for a long time but also hath been so bold as to prevaricate with the Scriptures and to publish through the Nations that VVitches were to be understood no Deceivers but such as practised such wonderful things as the Scripture teacheth us that the doing thereof ought to be attributed to no Creature but only to the Creator as Pope Innocent the eighth to the Inquisitors of Almain and Pope Iulius the second to the Inquisitors of Bergoman sent those words It is come to our ears that many lewd persons of both kinds as well male as female using the company of the Devils Incubus and Succubus with Incantations and Conjurations do destroy the birth of VVomen with childe the young of all Cattel the Corn of the field the Grapes of the Vine the fruit of the Trees Men and VVomen and all kinde of Cattel and beasts of the field and with their said Inchantments do wholly extinguish suffocate and spoyl all Vine-yards Orchyards Meadows Pastures Grass green Corn ripe Corn and all other provisions men and women are by their imprecatioâ—s so afflicted with external and inward pains and diseases that men cannot beget nor women bring forth nor accomplish the duty of VVedlock denying the faith which in Baptism they profess to the destruction of their souls Our pleasure therefore is That all inpediments that may hinder the Inquisitors Office be removed from among the people lest this blot of Heresie proceed to defile them that be yet innocent and therefore we do ordain by vertue of the Apostical authority that our Inquisitors of high Almain may execute the Office of Inquisition by all Tortures and Afflictions in all places and upon all persons VVhat Scripture had the Pope for this we read indeed of such Fictions in the Poets as in Ovids Metamorph. 7. Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In foâ—tes redire suos concussaque sisto Stantia concutio cantu freta nubila pello Nubilaque induco ventos abigoque vocoque Vipereas rumpo verbis carmine fauces Vivaque saxa sua convulsaque roboraterra Et sylvaâ—â—ovea â—ubeoque tremiscere montes Et â—â—ngire solum manesque exire Sepulchris Te quoque Luna trabo The Rivers I can make retire into the Fountains whence they flow Whereat the banks themselves admire I can make standâ—ng waters go With Charms I drive both Sea and Cloud I make it calm and blow aloud The Vipers jaws the rockie stone with Word and Charm I break in twain The force of earth congeal'd in one I move the Woods th' Hills tremble plain I make the souls of men arise I pluck the Moon out of the skies Also Ovid de Medea Epist. 4. Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus She sticketh also Needles fine In livers whereby men do pine Also Virgil Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos I know not whence some fierce bewitching eye With looks doth kill my Lambkins as they lye These are the Popes Scriptures whereon he groundeth his groundless inventions to torment the Christian VVorld and upon these grounds being inventions and pastimes of Poets hath he sent out Inquisitors in all places to torment from thence is the Spanish Inquisition which maketh search for Hereticks and VVitches all as one and now lest the world should take notice that his daily practice is to torment and kill Reformists and so his Villany ring the more in the ears of the world he hath joyned as equivocal with the word Heretiques VVitches a more ignominious name thereby to instigate people the more against them and so by this means will not be seen to kill men for matter of Religion for then men would resist and help one another but under the name of VVitches he melteth away every one that hath but a smell of the reformed Religion and the world perceiveth it not this is that Grand Witch the VVhore of Rome the Pope and his train And these
their Confessions are not from themselves but from the Devil that so he might delude them that love not the truth but do urge and seek such Confessions against the truth as it is said in the eleventh verse For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye c. Ninthly Some will object and say They have helped search and have found Biggs and privie Marks upon such as have been accused to be Witches but I demand of them Where doth the Scriptures teach us that a Witch is known by Biggs or privie Marks I also answer That very few people in the World are without privie Marks upon their bodies as Moles or stains even such as Witchmongers call The Devils privie Marks which Marks Astrologians do affirm to be the characters of the Stars variously fixed upon men according to their Nativity and many an honest man or woman have such excrescences growing upon their bodies as these Witchmongers do call the Devils Biggs as for example There is a Disease often found in men or women in the seat of people called Hemorroids or Piles or the swelling of the Hemorroids veins a Disease well known to Physicians many times swelling forth in the seat of people that are ful of Melancholy bloud and are often found in fashion like Biggs and sometimes issuing forth bloud and for this Disease many have been accused by ignorant people and put to death for Witches this was part of the Evidence that was brought against Master Lewis a Minister executed at Berry in the year 1645. There are also found often times Excrescences upon the Bodies of men and women called Verrucae pensiles by the Physicians as we may read in Leonartus Fuchsius in the third Book of his Institutions of Physick chap. 26. where he reckoneth up the several preter-natural tumors of mens Bodies these are a certain kind of long fleshie Warts in fashion of Biggs or Teats and do grow commonly on honest people or any sort of people and upon Beasts and yet for these Excrescences being but outward tumors of the Body many innocent people have been condemned and executed Another Tumor is found by the Physicians called Thymion both in Greek and Latine rising on several parts of the body like Biggs or Teats these and other kindes of preternatural Tumors of which we may read in Physick Authors which sometimes being fell and full of pain by reason of the rankness of bloud that feedeth them and therefore issuing forth bloud are called of ignorant Witchmongers Devils Biggs There be also some Natural parts of the Body called by a general name Glandulae and by a particular name Tonsillae in the jaws of people and in some people do plainly appear under the Tongue like little Biggs which some ignorant Witchmongers having found in people have taken them as a great evidence against poor innocent people and for these have many been executed but let any wise man consider what body of whatsoever constitution especially of poor people that commonly want food can spare a daily exhausting of bloud to nourish Imps sucking them without an exhausting and over-throwing of their own Natural lives whâ—reas few poor or old people but through want of nourishment and weakness of nature have rather want of bloud than an overpluss of bloud There be also often found in Women with Childe and in Women that do Nurse children with their Breasts and in Women that by any accidental cause do want their menstruous courses certain spots black and blew as if they were pinched or beaten which some common ignorant people call Fairy-nips which notwithstanding do come from the causes aforesaid and yet for these have many ignorant Searchers given Evidence against poor innocent people But if any man will yet further cavil against Philosophy and Physick Rules then let him shew me any such description of a Witch in all the Scriptures as Biggs or Teats or privie Marks or Imps sucking them or kept by them and further I say that for any kinde of Biggs or any things like Biggs more than hath been found by Physicians to be preternatural Tumors or Diseases of the Body or else Natural parts to beleeve is folly and madness and to affirm is a phantastick Lye invented by the Devil and the Pope Tenthly Some men will Object and say If Witches have not power to afflict and torment and kill People and Cattel how cometh it to pass that after the angring of such an old man or woman or such a lamâ— man or woman that came to my House and desired relief and I rated her away and gave her no relief or did not give her that which she desired such and such crosses and losses came upon me or such a Childe was taken in such a manner with such a Sickness presently after or within few days after his or her coming to my door To this I answer They that make this Objection must dwell very remote from Neighbours or else must be known to give very little or no relief to the poor if it can be said at any time when a cross cometh upon them that one poor body or other hath not been at their door that day or not many days before let it happen at any time whatsoever shall this then be laid to the charge of him or her that came last begging to their door then by that reason no man in England can at any time be afflicted but he must accuse some poor body or other to have bewitched him for Christ saith The poor ye shall have always and I think no man of ability is long free from poor coming to his door Secondly I answer God hath given it as a strict Command to all men to relieve the poor Levit. 25.35 and in the next Chapter it followeth vers 14 15. Whosoever hearkneth not to all the Commandements of the Lord to do them whereof relieving the poor is one the Lord will send several crosses and afflictions and diseases upon them as followeth in the Chapter and therefore men should look into the Scriptures and search what sins bring afflictions from Gods hand and not say presently what old man or woman was last at my door that I may hang him or her for a Witch yea we should rather say Because I did not relieve such a poor body that was lately at my door but gave him harsh and bitter words therefore God hath laid this affliction upon me for God saith Exod. 22.23.24 If thou any way afflict widdows and fatherless and they at all cry unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot against thee Thirdly I answer as Aesop saith in a Fable Volunt homines ut plurimum quando suâ culpâ aliquid sibi acciderit adversi infortunam vel daemonem culpam conferre ut se crimine exuant and in his Moral he saith Homâ—nes minâ—me veniâ dâ—gni sunt qui cum liberè peâ—cent fortunam vel dâ—emonem accusant
of the Clergie of ENGLAND Ioshua 7.11 THese words Israel hath sinned are not so to be understood as if Israel had been free from all other sins but only that of Achan and yet that sinne of Achan was the sinne that kindled the anger of God against Israel so likewise 2 Sam. 21.1 David had been an adulterer Ioab was a murderer Shimei a rayler Sheba a wicked man of Belial and many sins were in Israel at that time and yet the sinne that kindled Gods wrath and brought the famine was the blood-guiltiness of Saul as appeareth in the Chapter and verse aforesaid so likewise 1 Kings 16.30 Ahab was more wicked than all that were before him yet the sin that cost him his life and his crown was murthering of Naboth Chapter 21.19 so that it is easily gathered that some one abominable sinne doth sometimes more provoke God to anger against any particular man or against a Nation than all other sinnes that are commonly committed Then you that should be as messengers from God in that you cry against sinne in generall yee do well but in that yee seek not out this cursed Achans wedg that hath defiled England and the Christian world look to it betimes lest it be laid to your charge if the Nations perish for lack of knowledg Your Friend T. A. Non quis sed quid A PREFACE SInce the time that I have tryed to bring truth upon the stage of the world to be censured by all men I being acquainted with but few in comparison of all and some of them knowing my intent to put this discourse in Print I have neerly guessed by common discourse amongst them what the censure of this book will be that is it will be the same among many that it is among few for among few I find some so reasonable in their discourse that when they find by argumentation that there is reason and grounds in the Scripture for what I write they upon second cogitations and deliberate musings have yeelded to this truth and some of them very learned Some again after some serious argumentation being fully convinced that this is the very truth yet doe still suspend their censure till they see how it will be approved of by others by which they shew they are ready at all times to beleeve as the Church beleeves and to pin their opinion upon the sleeve of other mens judgements A third sort there are who at the first onset of discourse do think themselves so surely grounded and this truth so groundlesse and vain an opinion as that they cannot speak without disdain as great Goliah spake to little David and thus they beginne in fury O grosse what madnesse is this what will you deny the Scriptures what answer you to this Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live but when they are so suddenly answered and suddenly convinced that this place of Scripture maketh nothing for them and that this their great Champion-argument hath so soon received a stone in the forehead they either let their discourse fall to the ground like Goliah and slight this as a new opinion or else they runne away cowardly like the host of the Philistines and forsake the Scriptures which they first pretended should be their only weapon to fight withall and betake themselves to their leggs runing into some vain story taken out of Bodinus or Bat. Spineus or some such popish vain writer and report that it was done in Lancashier or in Westmerland or in some remote place farre off and that they heard it credibly reported from men of worth and quality and so they ingage me to answer to a story which they would compell me to beleeve or else to goe see where it was done but if it happeneth as often it doth that I make it appear by Scripture that it is absurd or impossible not to be reported by a Christian or that I shew them the story in any of the aforesaid Authors who have been the Authors of many vain fables then they presently fly to another story as vain and absurd as the former and that being answered they fly to another saying Sir what do you answer to this in which manner of disputes I have heard sometimes such monstrous impossibilities reported and affirmed to be true for they had it by credible report as would make the Angells in Heaven blush to hear them Therefore setting aside all such unscholar-like way of arguing I desire all to argue by the Scriptures and I will answer or to answer by the Scriptures and I will argue by the Scriptures as followeth in this Dilemma A DILEMMA THAT Cannot bee answered by VVITCH-MONGERS Luke 4.4 8 12. CHrist who is our forerunner Heb. 6.20 by whose holy Spirit the holy Scriptures were written whose words were of equall truth and authority with the Scriptures Yet when he was to conquer the father of lies the Prince of darknesse not for his own sake but for our example although hee was able to have argued by common reason beyond the wisedome of Solomon yet being tempted would not answer any one temptation without Scriptum est it is written because the Scriptures are the only rule of righteousnesse whosoever then will take example by him to try the Truth by Scriptures and to argue by them as he did in this place of Luke and not by strange reports which are the objects of vain credulity let them answer me by Scriptum est 1 Where is it written in all the old and new Testament that a Witch is a murtherer or hath power to kill by Witchcraft or to afflict with any disease or infirmity 2 Where is it written that Witches have Imps sucking of their bodies 3 Where is it written that Witches have biggs for Imps to suck on 4 Where is it written that the Devill setteth privy marks upon Witches whereby they should be known or searched out or that any man or woman hath any mark upon their body any more than natural or by some disease or hurt which is preternatural 5 Where is it written that the tryall of a Witch should be by sinking or swimming in the water or by biggs or privy marks or suspition of people to be signes of a Witch 6 Where is it written that Witches can hurt corn or cattell or transport corn by Witchcraft or can fly in the aire and do many such strange wonders 7 Where is it written that a Witch is such a man or woman that maketh a league with the Devill written with his or her blood and by vertue of that covenant to have the Devill at command 8 Where is it written that any man or woman was called in the Scripture strix or lamia or where is any word of such signification or importance either in the Hebrew text or in the Latin translation where is a Witch said in the Scriptures to be any such kind of person 9 What is a witch in the scripture sense according to Deu. 18.10 11 where all