God gaue the gift to breede faith in the Gentiles we shall finde that the power of producing such workes was neuer actually inherent in the Apostles but dispensed by their in the Name of Christ Neither was it in their libertie to worke miracles when they would but when it pleased God vpon speciall cause to caâ—l them thereunto And iâ— neither the power nor the will was in them much lesse is it likely to be sound in any of the Saints And for their Reliques of what name soeuer so greatly magnified and resorted vnto we denie there is any such vertue in them For they may not be thought to be more effectuall then the hem of Christs garment from which the power of healing the woman did not proceede but from himselfâ— Or then the Napkin of Paul which did not cure the sicke but the power of God onely dispensed by the hands of Paul Miracles therefore auouched by them to be wrought at the Tombs Statues of Saints and by their reliques and monuments are but meere Satanicall wonders seruing to maintaine Idolatrie and superstition and are in truth no better then â—the wonders of the Donatists in S. Augustines time aut figmenta mondâ—â—cium hominum aut portâ—nta fallacium spirituum IV. That the light of the Gospel purely preached is a soueraigne meane to discoueâ— conâ—ound the power and policie of Saâ—â—n in Witch-craft and Sorcerie The woâ—d of God preached is the weapâ—n of the Christians warfare and is mightie through God to cast downe strong bolds At the dispensation of iâ— by the disciples of Christ Satan fall from heauen aâ— lightning After the ascension of Christ into Heauen in the times of Claudius Cesar the Deuill stirred vp sundrie persons who in regard of the admirable works which they did by the helpe of Magicke and Sorcerie were accounted as Gods and their Statues erected and worshipped with great reuerence Amongst the rest one Simon called by a kinde of eminencie Magus practising his trade with successe to the admiration of the multitude was holden to be the great power of God Whose dealing was first discouered by the light of the word shining in the Ministery of the Apostles and himselfe conuicted with such euidence of truth to be an Instrument of Satan that he was forced at length to flie ouâ— of Samaâ—iâ— into the Westerne parts as Eusebius recordeth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie By this Christ the true angel of the Couenant loâ—ked and bound vp Satan for a 1000. yeares after his ascension that he might not be so generally powerfull in seducing the Gentiles as he had beene before his incarnation But toward the expiration of those yeares when corruption began to creepe into the Papacie when the Bishops affected that Sea and aspired vnto it by Diabolicall arts when the Canons Decrees Sentences Synodâ—lls Deâ—râ—ialls Clemenâ—ines Extrauagants with other Laws and Constitutions preuailed aboue the Scriptures then began Satan againe to erect his kingdome and these workes of iniquitie to be set abroach Thâ—se points together with the whole work ensueing I humbâ—y commend to your Honorable patronage that vnder your protection they may freely passeth the common view of the world Wherin if I seem ouer-bold thus to presse vpon your Lordship vnknowne my answer in at hand That all by-respects 〈◊〉 part I haue beene hereunto induced many waies First vpon a reuerent opinion of those rare gifts of knowledge and pietie wherewith God hath beautified your person â—nd thereby aduanced you to high place and estimation in this Common-wealth Whereof those your graue and indicious speeches euen in the weightiest matters touching God and Cesar as also those many learned writings haue giuen large testimonie FroÌ„ which hath issued the greatnes of your Name both in the present iudgement of the world and in future expectation Next out of a resolued perswasion of your Honourable disposition as in generall to the whole house of Leui so particularly to those whose labours haue fruitfully flowed out of the Schooles of the Prophets amongst whome the Author of this booke in his time was none of the meanest Lastly by the consideration of the Argument arising out of a Law Iudiciall agreeable to the calling and qualitie of a Iudge A Law penall in regard of the offence and therefore sutable to his proceedings whose office is to heare with fauour to determine with equitie to execute iustice with moderation A law of the highest and greatest weight immediately concerning God and his Honour and therefore appertaining to him that sits in the place of God to maintane his right that he may be with him in the cause and iudgement By such Motiues I haue incouraged my 〈◊〉 vnder assurance of your Lordships pardon to present you with that wherein you are most deseruedly interessed further intreating your fauourable interpretation and acceptance both of the qualitie of the Worke and of the paines of the Publisher And thus heartily wishing to your Lordship increase of grace and honour with a daily influence of blessing and direction from heauen vpon your graue consultations and employments I humbly take my leaue and commend you to the grace of God by whome doe rule all the Iudges of the earth Finchingfield Octob. 26. 1608. Your L. in all Christian dutie to be commanded THOMAS PICKERING A Table of the Contents The entrance into the Discourse Pag. 1. CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Witchcraft in generall That VVitchcraft is an Art 4 That VVitchcraft is a wicked Art 7 The ende of VVitchraft To worke wonders 8 The grounds of working wonders discontentment and Curiositie 9 That wonders are wrought by Satans assistance 12 The sorts of wonders True wonders wrought onely by God 13 14 Lyâ—â—g wonders wrought by Satan and his instruments 18 That Satan is able to doe extraordinarie works by the helpe of Nature 19 The sorts of Lying wonders 22 1. Illusions of the Senses 22 Minde 22 2. Reall workes 27 That Satan cannot change one creature into another 33 Gods Permission of the practises of Witchcraft Why he permitteth them 38 Satan cannot go beyond his permission 39 CHAP. II. Of the Ground of all the practises of Witchcraft That there is a league betweene Satan and the Witch 42 This League is twofold Expresse or open 47 Secret and the degree thereof 51 CHAP. III. Of the Parts of Witchcraft and first of Diuination How Satan beeing a creature reuealeth things to come 56 Diuination by meanes which are the true creatures of God As By the flying and noise of Birdes 66 By the Intralls of Beasts 67 By the starres called Iudiciarie Astrologie 73 That Predictions by the Starres are vnlawfull 75. 86 Of the Obseruation of the Signe 88 Of the choise and obseruation of daies 91 By Dreames Diuine 93 Naturall 95 Diabolicall 97 Notes of Difference to know them each from other 100 By Lots Diuination by counterfeit meanes Nâ—cromancie 107 Whether that which was raised by the
Apollo at Delphos of Iupiter Trophonius in Boeotia and the rest where the Deuill gaue the answer sometimes one way and sometimes another Secondly Satan by obseruation perceiueth that man vpon a weake and ignorant minde is prone superstitiously to dote vpon the creatures attributing some diuine operation or vertue to them without any ground of Gods word or common vnderstanding and consequently disposed to worship God in some worke of man or to ioyne to the sâ—me worship the inuentions of man which he hath not commanded Vpon which ground he made the Heathen to dote vpon their wisemen to regard Soothsayers and them that wrought with Spirits The Chaldean Philosophers renowmed for their superstitions and Magicall courses to make the Heauens fatalium Legum Tabulam ascribing that to the vertue of the Starres which was knowne and done by Satanicall operation The Magicians of Persia to admit of corruptions in their auncient good learning and to giue themselues vpon reading the fabulous writings of the Chaldean Sorcerers to the sludie of vnlawfull Arts inuented by himselfe both before and after the times of Daniel the Prophet Lastly the â—ncient Romanes vpon a superstitious doâ—age neuer to vndertake any businesse of weight â—isi auspicatò vnlesse they had luckie consent and warrant from the Colledges of their Augurors erected by Romulâ—u Thirdly there is a naturall Distemper in the minde of man shewing it selfe in these particulars That he cannot endure to stand in feare of imminent daunger That he swells in an high conceit of his owne deserts specially when he is in lower estate then he would be That he will not beare a wrong done without reuenge That he rests not satisfied with the measure of knowledge receiued but affecteth the searching of things secret and not reuealed When the minde is possessed with these troubled passions with care to helpe it selfe then comes the Deuill and ministreth occasion to vse vnlawfâ—ll means in the generall and forceth the minde by continuall suggestion to determine it selfe in particular vpon his owne crafts It was the case of Saul and of Nebuchadnetsar It caused many of the Heathen Philosophers to go from Athens to Memphis from Grecia to Syria from men on earth to wicked Spirits in hell to get more illumination at the hands of the Prince of darkenesse It mooued sundrie â—â—al-contented Priests of Rome to aspire vnto the chaire of Supremacie by Diabolicall assistance yea to exercise Magicall arts when they were Popes and thereby to manifest indeed that they were not the true Successors of Simon Peter but heyres of the vertues of Simon that Magus who bewitched the people of Samaria and professed to doe that by the great power of God which he wrought by the ayde and assistance of the Deuill If any doe thinke it strange that Satan should in this sort oppose himselfe to the kingdome of God and maintaine his owne principalitie by such vngodly arts and exercises They must knowe that this and all other euills come to passe euen by the will of God who hath iustly permitted the same To punish the wicked for their horrible sinâ—es as Saul for his wickednesse To auenge himselfe vpon Man for his ingratitude who hauing the truth reuealed vnto him will not beleeue or obey it To waken and rowze vp the godly who are sleeping in any great sinnes or infirmities Lastly to trie and prooue his people whether they will cleaue to him and his word or seeke vnto Satan and wicked Spirits Now from the consideration of the premisses we conclude it a necessarie thing for the Church and people of God to be acquainted with the dealing of Satan in this kinde that knowing his subtill deuises they may learne to auoyd them For which purpose this Treatise was first framed and now exhibited to your Lordship The iust commendation whereof aboue others formerly divulged touching this Argument appeareth herein that it serueth to the full opening and declaration of Satans Methode in the ground and practises of Witchcraft Wherein among many other remarkable points it may please you to take speciall notice of these particulars I. That they doe grossely erre who either in expresse tearmes denie that there be Witches or in effect and by consequent auouching that there is no league betweene them and the Deuill or affirming they can doe no such miraculous workes as are ascribed to them The former issueth plainly our of the bodie of the Discourse And for the latter That there is a Couenant betweene them either explicite in manner and forme or implicite by degrees of superstitious proceeding in the vse of meanes insufficient in themselues is plainely taught and confirmed in the same That Witches may and doe worke wonders is euidently prooued howbeit not by an omnipotent power as the 〈…〉 hath vnlearnedly and improperly teaâ—◠〈◊〉 but by the assistance of Satan their Princâ—â—â—â—ho is a powerfull Spirit but yet a Creatuâ—â—â— well as they And the Wonders wrough◠〈◊〉 them are not properly and simply miracles but workes of wonder because they exceede the ordinarie power and capacitie of men especially such as are ignorant of Satans habilitie and the hidden causes in nature whereby things are brought to passe II. That the Witch truely conuicted is to be punished with death the highest degree of punishment and that by the Lawe of Moses the equitie whereof is perpetuall Yea euen the better Witch of the two in common reputation because both are equally enemies to God and all true religion and it is well knowne by true experience that all professed Sorcâ—rers are guiltie of many most monstrous impieties III. That the Miracles of the Popish Church at this day are indeed either no Miracles or false and deceitfull workes Touching corporall presence in the Sacrament which they affirme to be by miracle If it were true then miracles were not yet ceased but should still be as ordinarie in the Church as are the Sacraments A point not onely confuted in the latter part of this Treatise but also by the testimonie of purer Antiquitie Augustine saith That miracles were once necessarie to make the world beleeue the Gospel but he that now seekes a signe that he may beleeue is a wonder yea â— monster in nature Chrysostome conclude◠〈◊〉 on the same grounds that there is now in the Church no necessitie of working Miracles and calles him a false Prophet that now takes in hand to worke them Againe if there be a miracle in the Sacrament it is contrarie to the nature of all those that were wrought either by Moses and the Prophets or by Christ and his Apostles For they were apparent to the eye but this is insensible and therfore neither of â—orce to mooue admiration nor to conuince the minde of man and make him to beleeue As for those which are pretended to be wrought by Saints in that church if we make recourse to the Primitiue times wherein
Witch of Endor was true Samuel or no 109 Diuination without meanes by immediate assistance of a familiar Spirit 121 Practised two waies 1. When the spirit is within the Witch 122 2. When he is out of the Witch 123 The Difference betweene Traunces diuine and diabolicall 124 CHAP. IV. Of working Witchcraft The parts of it Inchantment What it is 127 What a Charme is 130 Whether the Charme be in it selfe effectual to worke wonders 133 Particular practises referred to Inchantment 148 Iugling consisting in delusion and sleight 157 That the wonders done by the Sorcerers of Egypt beforâ— Pharaoh were lrgling sleights and not true and reall works 160 CHAP. V. Of Witches What a Witch is 167 How many Sorts of Witches 173 The bad Witch 173 The good Witch the worser of the two 174 That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the 70. signifies a Witch 178. CHAP. VI. Of the punishment of Witches Why Witches are and ought to be punished with Death 182 CHAP. VII The Application of the Doctrine of Witchcraft to the present times Here foure Points are handled I. Whether the Witches of our timesâ— be the same with those which are condemned by this Law of Mâ—ses 186 Reasons proouing that they are 186 Allegations to the contrarie answered 188. 194. c. II. How we may be able in these daies to discerne and discouer a Witch 199 The Meanes of Discouerie two 200 1. Examination vpon Presumptions â—00 2. Conuiction vpon proofes lesse sufficient 205 more sufficient 211 The causes mouing Satan to further their discouerie 215 Why all Witches are not speedily detected by Satans meanes 216 217 III. What Remedie may be vsed to preuent or cure the hurts of Witchcraft 219 Remedies of two Sorts Lawfull either preseruatiue or restoratiue 219 Preseruatiue concerning Persons 219 Whether the child of God may be bewitched or no 222 Concerning places of abode 224 Restoratiue How whole countries may be cured 227 How particular persons may be cured 229 False and vnlawfull Remedies prescribed by the Church of Rome Generall The gift of casting out of Deuills 232 That there is no such gift in the church since the daies of the Apostles 232 Particâ—â—r siue The name Iesus 239 The vse of Saints Reliques 241 The Signe of the Grosse 243 Hallowing of Creatures 244 Exorcismes 245 IV. Whether the witches of our times are to be punished with death and that by vertue of this Law of Moses 246 Reasons proouing that they ought 247 Obiections answered 251 The Table of the Texts of Scripture Chap. vers Pag. Genesis 3 20. 226 12 8 226 30 37 141 37 7 94  9 94 41 25 94 44 5 69 Exodus 7 21 166  11 163  12 165 8 14 166  19 40. 164  8 165 14 21 13 22 18 1  20 182 32 28 254 9 11 164 Leuiticus 16 8 106 19 31 121 20 27 121 29 19 182 Numbers 12 6 93 22 6 129 23 23 130 25 8 254 35 31 180. 183 Deuteronom 1 17 93 13 1 38  2 103  3 93  5 182  6 250 17 3 249 18 9 220  10 67. 73. 92  11 43. 108   121. 127  18 228 20 5 225 Ioshâ—a 7 15 106 10 13 14 14 2 106 I. Samuel 10 21 106 15 23 8 28 8 126  9 122  19 62.108 I. Kings 17 21 116 22 22 40 II. Kings 2 21 245 4 34 116 13 21 242 20 11 14 II. Chron. 30 18 226 Iob. 1 16 28  21 157 33 15 94 Psalmes 58 5 42. 143 92 10 221 106 30 235 136 4 15 Proverbes 16 33 106 18 18 106 Ecclesiastes 1 9 64 9 2 223 10 11 128 Isaiah 8 19 108  20 ibid. 47 13 74 Ieremie 23 25 93 Ezekiel 21 21 67 Daniel 2 1 102  2 74 3 25 14 4 30 34 6 22 14 8 16 102 11 3 58 Matthew 1 20 94 2 13 ibid. 4 9 43 7 22 23. 35 12 27 234 14 20 14 20 34 17 Marke 5 12 41 16 17 234. 237 16 18 232  19 ibid. Luke 10 17 36  18 227 12 54 71 13 16 222 Iohn 11 43 17 Acts. 3 6 151  12 16  16 151 5 15 242 7 22 82 8 9 173 10 11 126 13 6 173  8 ibid. 16 16 122. 151 19 12 242  13 2â—5 240 Romanes 8 1 199 I. Corinth 6 5 230 12 vlt. 36 14 22 233 II. Corinth 4 4 5 11 14 147 12 2 124 Galatians 3 1 23. 158 5 20 179 Ephesians 6 12 5 Philippians 2 10 241 Colossians 2 15 198 II. Thessal 2 9 28. 238  10 39  11 ibid. I. Timoth. 1 20 230 4 4 245 II. Timoth. 3 8 160. 163 Hebrewes 10 28 182 Reuelat. 14 13 110. 115 21 8 179 22 15 ibid. Ecclesiasticus 46 20 112 Tobit 6 7 226 FINIS A Discourse of Witchcraft Exod. 22. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to liue THis text containeth one of the Iudiciall Lawes of Moses touching the punishment of Witchcraft which argument I haue chosen to intreat of for these causes First because Witchcraft is arife and common sinne in these our daies and very many are intangled with it beeing either practitioners thereof in their owne persons or at the least yeilding to seeke for helpe and counsell of such as practise it Againe there be sundrie men who receiue it for a truth that Witchcraft is nothing else but a meere illusion and Witches nothing but persons deluded by the Deuill and this opinion takes place not onely with the ignorant but is holden and maintained by such as are learned who doe auouch it by word and writing that there be no witches but as I said before Vpon these and such like considerations I haue beene mooued to vndertake the Interpretation of this Iudiciall law as a sufficient ground of the doctrine which shall be deliuered In handling whereof two things are distinctly to be considered The first what is a Witch The second what is her due and deserued punishment And both these beeing opened and handled the whole meaning of the law will the better appeare For the first To giue the true descriptioÌ„ of a Witch is a matter of great difficultie because there be many differences and diuersities of opinions touching this point and therefore that we may properly and truly define a Witch we must first pause a while in opening the nature of Witchcraft so farre forth as it is deliuered in the bookes of the Old and New Testament and may be gathered out of the true experience of learned and godly men Touching Witchcraft therefore I will consider three points I. What witchcraft is II. What is the ground of the whole practise thereof III. How many kinds and differences there be of it CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Witchcraft TO begin with the first According to the true meaning of all the places of holy Scripture which treate of this point it may be thus
described Witchcraft is a wicked Arte seruing for the working of wonders by the assistance of the Deuill so farre forth as God shall in iustice permit Sect. I. I say it is an Arte because it is commonly so called and esteemed amongst men and there is reason why it should be thus tearmed For as in all good and lawfull arts the whole practise thereof is performed by certaine rules and precepts and without them nothing can be done so Witchcraft hath certaine superstitious grounds and principles whereupon it standeth and by which alone the seats and practises thereof are commonly performed If it be demaunded what these rules be and whence they had their beginning considering that euery Arte hath reference to some author by whom it was originally taught and deliuered I answer that they weare deuised first by Satan and by him reuealed to wicked and vngodly persons of auncient times as occasion serued who receiuing them from him became afterward in the iust iudgement of God his instruments to report and conuey them to others from hand to hand For manifestation whereof it is to be considered that God is not onely in generall a Soueraigne Lord and King ouer all his creatures whether in heauen or earth none excepted no not the deuills themselues but that he exerciseth also a speciall kingdome partly of grace in the Church militant vpon earth and partly of glorie ouer the Saints and Angels members of the Church triumphant in heauen Now in like manner the Deuill hath a kingdome called in Scripture the kingdom of darknes whereof himselfe is the head and gouernour for which cause he is tearmed the Prince of darknes the God of this world ruling and effectually working in the hearts of the children of disobedience Againe as God hath enacted Laws whereby his kingdome is gouerned so hath the deuill his ordinances whereby he keepeth his subiects in awe and obedience which generally and for substance are nothing else but transgressions of the very lawe of God And amongst theÌ„ all the precepts of Witchcraft are the very chiefe and most notorious For by them especially he holds vp his kingdome and therefore more esteemeth the obedience of them then of other Neither doth he deliuer them indifferently to euery man but to his owne subiects the wicked and not to them all but to some speciall and tried ones whome he most betrusteth with his secrets as beeing the fittest to serue his turne both in respect of their willingnesse to learne and practise as also for their abilitie to become instruments of the mischiefe which he intendeth to others If it be here asked whence the deuill did fetch and conceiue his rules I answer out of the corruption and deprauation of that great measure of knowledge he once had of God and of all the duties of his seruice For that beeing quite depraued by his fall he turnes the same to the inuenting and deuising of what he is possibly able against God and his honour Hereupon well perceiuing that God hath expressely commanded to renounce and abhorre all practises of Whitchcraft he hath set abroach this art in the world as a maine pillar of his kingdome which notwithstanding is flatly and directly opposed to one of the maine principall lawes of the kingdome of God touching the seruice of himselfe in spirit and truth Againe the reason why he conueies these vngodly principles and practises from man to man is because he finds in experience that things are farre more welcome and agreeable to the common nature of mankinde which are taught by man like vnto themselues then if the deuill should personally deliuer the same to each man in speciall Hereupon he takes the course at first to instruct some fewe onely who beeing taught by him are apt to conuey that which they know to others And hence in probabilitie this deuillish trade had his first originall and continuance Sect. II. In the second place I call it a wicked art â—o distinguish it from allâ—good and lawfull aâ—â—s taught in schooles of learninâ— which 〈◊〉 they are warâ—antable by the word of God so are they no lesse profitable and necessary in the Church Againe to shewe the nature and qualiâ—ie of 〈◊〉 that it is a most vngracious and wicked art as appearâ—th by the Scriptures For when Saul had broken the expresse commandement of God in sparing Agag and the best things Samuel tells him thâ—t rebellion and disobedience is as the sinne of Witchcraft that is a most horrible and 〈…〉 like vnto that wicked capitall and 〈◊〉 sinne 1. Sam. 15. 23. Sect. III. Thirdly I â—dde teâ—â—ing to the working or producing of wonders wherein is noted the proâ—er ende of this art whereby I put a further difference betweene it and others that are godly and lawfull Now if question be mooued why man should desire 〈◊〉 Witchcraft to worke wonders 〈…〉 the true and proper cause is 〈…〉 first temptation whereby the deuill preuailed against our first parents had inclosed within it many sinnes for the eating of the forbidden fruit was no small or single offence but as some haue taught contained in it the breach of euery commandement of the Morall lawe Amongst the rest Satan laboured to bring them to the sinne of discontentment whereby they sought to become as Gods that is better then God had made them not resting content with the condition of men 〈◊〉 his sinne was then learned and could neuer since bâ— forgotten but continually is deriued from them to al their posterâ—ie and now is become so common a corruption in the whole nature of flesh and blood that there is scarce a man to be found vvho is not originally tainted therevvith as he is a man This corruption shevves it selfe principally in tvvo things both vvhich are the maine causes of the practises of Witchcraft First in mans outwardestâ—â—e for lie beeing naturally possessed with a loue of himselfe and an high conceit of his owne deseruing when he liues in base and low estate whether in regard of pouertie or want of honour and reputation which he thinkes by right is due vnto him he then growes to some measure of griefe and sorrow within himselfe Hereupon he is mooued to yeeld himselfe to the deuill to be his vassall and scholler in this wicked art supposing that by the working of some wonders he may be able in time to releeue his pouerty and to purchase to himselfe credit and countenance amongst men It were easie to shew the truth of this by examples of some persons who by these meanes haue risen from nothing to great places and preferments in the world In stead of all it appeareth in certain Popes of Rome as Syluester the second Benedict the eight Alexander the sixt Iohn the â—0 and twentie one c. who for the attayning of the Popedom as histories record gaue theÌ„selues to the deuil in the practise of witchcraft that by the working of wonders they might rise froÌ„ one step of honour to
this so farre forth as God in iustice suffereth which I adde for two causes First â—o shew that God for iust causes permiâ—teâ—h the Arts of Magicke Witchcraft and the practises thereof Now this he doth in his prouidence either for the triall of his children or for the punishment of the wicked First therefore God permits these wicked Arts in the Church to prooue whether his children wil steadfastly beleeue in him and seeke vnto his word or cleaue vnto the deuill by seeking to his wicked instruments This Moses plainely forewarned the Church of God of in his time Deuter. 13. v. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder v. 2. and the signe and wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other gods which thou hast not knowne and serue them v. 3. thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet c. Againe God suffereth them for the punishment of vnbeleeuers and wicked men for oftentimes God punisheth one sinne by an other as the antecedent sinnes by the consequent This Paul plainely sheweth speaking of the daies of Antichrist that because men receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God would send vpon them strong illusions that they should beleeue lies And we may resolue our selues that for this very cause God suffereth the practises of Witchcraft to be so rise in these our daies to punish the ingratitude of men who haue the truth reuealed vnto them and yet will not beleeue and obey the same but tread it vnder their feete that all they might be condemned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Secondly this last clause is added to shewe that in the practises of sorcerie and witchcraft the Deuill can doe so much onely as God permitts him and no more Doubtlesse his malice reacheth further and consequently his will and desire but God hath restrained his power in the execution of his malitious poses whereupon he cannot goe a whit further then God giues him leaue and libertie to goe The Magicians of Egypt did some wonders in shew like vnto the miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron and that for a time by changing a rodde into a serpent and water into blood and by bringing froggs through he sleight and power of the deuill but when it pleased God to determine their practises and giue them no further liberâ—ie they could not doe that which in likelihood was the meanest of all the rest the turning of the dust of the land into lice and themselues gaue the true reason thereof â—aving That this was the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. When the deuilâ— went out and became a false spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets to intise him to goe to fall at Ramoth Gâ—leâ—d he went not of his owne will but by the authoritie of God who commanded him to goe â—â—â—entise Ahab and suffered him to preuaile 1. King 22. 20. â—nd the act was not the act of Satan but of God whose instrument he was and therefore the holy Ghost saith by Miâ—aiah The Lord-hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets and the Lord hath appointed euill against thee v. 23. Hence also it was that the deuills beeing cast out of the man that had an vncleane spirit asked leaue of Christ to enter into the heard of swine and could not enter in till he had permited them Mark 5. 12 13. And we read oftentimes in the Gospel that our Sauiour cast out many deuills by his word onely thereby shewing that he was absolute Lord ouer them and that without his permission they could doe nothing And thus much touching the generall 〈◊〉 of this Art CHAP. II. The Ground of Witchcraft and of all the practises thereof THe Ground of all the practises of Witchcraft is a league or couenant made betweene the Witch and the Deuill wherein they doe mutually bind themselues each to other If any shall thinke it strange that man or woman should enter league with Satan their vtter enemie they are to know it for a most euident and certen truth that may not be called into question And yet to cleare the iudgement of any one in this point I will set downe some reasons in way of proofe First the holy Scripture doth intimate so much vnto vs in the 58. Psal. v. 5. where howsoeuer the coÌ„mon translation runneth in other tearmes yet the words are properly to be read thus which heareth not the voyce of the mutterer ioyning societies cunningly And in them the Psalmist layeth downe two points First the effect or worke of a charme muttered by the Inchanter namely that it is able to stay the Adder from sâ—inging those which shall lay hold on him or touch him Secondly the maine foundation of the charme societies or confederacies cunningly made not betweene man and man but as the words import betweene the Inchanter and the deuill The like we read Deuter. 18. 11. where the Lord chargeth his people when they come into the land of Canaan that amongst other abominations of the heathen they should beware least any were found amongst them that ioyned societie that is entred into league and compact with wicked spirits A second reason may be this it is the practise of the deuill to offer to make a bargaine and couenant with man Thus he dealt with our Sauiour Christ in the third temptation wherewith he assaulted him promising to giue vnto him all the kingdomes of the earth and the glorie of them which he shewed him in a vision if Christ for his part would fall downe and worshippe him The offer was passed on the behalfe of Satan and now to make a perfect compact betweene them there was nothing wanting but the free consent of our Sauiour vnto the coÌ„dition propounded Whereby it is manifest that the Deuill makes many couenants in the world because he findeth men and women in the most places fitted for his turne in this kind who will not let to worship him for a farre lesse matter then a kingdome And it is not to be doubted that thousands in the world had they been offered so faire as Christ was would haue beene as willing to haue yeelded vpon such conditions as the Deuill to haue offered Thirdly the common confession of all Witches and Soâ—cerers both before and since the comming of Christ doth yet more fully confirme the same For they haue confessed with one consent that the very ground-worke of all their practises in this wicked art is their league with the deuill And hence it appeareth how and whereupon it is that Sorcerers and Witches can bring to passe strange things by the helpe of Satan which other men ordinarily can not doe namely because they haue entred a league with him whereby he hath bound himselfe to them for the effecting of rare and extraordinarie workes which others not ioyned with him in the like