the more easily drawne into the same consederacy wherewith they theÌ„selues are vnited to Satan I might here alleadge that they deserue death because many of them be murtherers but I stand not vpon that instance because I hold in the generall that Witches are not to be suffered to liue though they doe no hurt either to man or other creatures and that by vertue of Moses Law onely for their leagues sake whereby they become rebells to God Idolaters and seducers as now hath beene shewed Notwithstanding all that hath beene said many things are brought in defence of them by such as be their friends and welâ—illers First it is saide that the hurt that is done comes not from the Witch but from the deuill he deserues the blame because it is his worke and she is not to die for his sinne Ans. Let it be granted that the Witch is not the author of the euill that is done yet shee is a confederate and partner with the Deuill in the fact and so the law takes hold on her See it in a familiar comparison A companie of men conspire together in a robberie by common consent some stand in open place to espie out the bootie and to giue the watchword others are set about the passage priuily to rush vpon the man and to spoile him of his goods In this case what saith the Law The parties that gaue the watchword though they did nothing to the man yet beeing accessories and abettors to the robberie by consent they are theeues and liable to condemnation and exequution as well as the principalls Euen so stands the case with the Witch In the working of wonders and in all mischieous practises he or she is partaker with the deuill by consent of couenant the Witch onely vseth the watchword in some charme or otherwise and doth no more the deuill vpon notice giuen by the charme takes his opportunitie and works the mischeife He is the principall agent but the other yeeldeth helpe and is rightly liable to punishment The reason is because if the deuill were not stirred vp and prouoked by the Witch he would neuer do so much hurt as he doth He had neuer appeared in Samuels likenes had he not beene solicited by the Witch of Endor He would not haue caused counterfeit serpents and frogges to appeare in Egypt but for Ianâ—es and Iambres and other Inchanters And in this age there would not in likelihood be so much hurt hinderance procured vnto men and other creatures by his meanes but for the instigation of ill disposed persons that haue fellowship and societie with him Againe they obiect that Witches conuicted either repent or repent not If they repent then God pardoneth their sinne and why should not the Magistrate as well saue their bodies let them liue as God doth their soules If they doe not repent then it is a dangerous thing for the Magistrate to put them to death for by this meanes he kills the bodie casts the soule to hell Ans. All Witches iudicially lawfully conuicted ought to haue space of repentance granted vnto them wherein they may be instructed and exhorted and then afterward executed For it is possible for theÌ„ to be saued by Gods mercie though they haue denied him Secondly the Magistrate must execute iustice vpon malefactors lawfully conuicted whether they repent or not For God approoueth the iust execution of iudgement vpon men without respect to their repentance neither must their impenitencie hinder the execution of iustice When the people of Israel had committed Idolatrie in worshipping the golden calfe Moses did not expect their repentance in the meane while forbeare the punishment but he and the Leuites presently tooke their swords and slue them and the Lord approoued their course of proceeding Exod. 32. 28. When Zimri an Israelite had committed fornication with Cozbi a Midianitish woman Phineas in zeale of Gods glorie executed iudgment vpon them both without any respect vnto their repentance Numb 25. 8. and is therefore commended Psalm 106. 30. Warres are a worthie ordinance of God and yet no Prince could euer attempt the same lawfully if euery souldier in the field should stay the killing of his enemie vpon expectation of his repentance And whereas they say that by executing an impenitent Witch the Magistrate casteth away the soule we must know that the â—nde of execution by the Magistrate is not the damnation of the malefactors soule but that sinne might be punished that others may beware of the like crimes and offences and that the wicked may be taken away from among Gods people But some Witches there be that can not be conuicted of killing any what shall become of them Ans. As the killing Witch must die by another Lawe though he were no Witch so the healing and harmelesse Witch must die by this Law though he kill not onely for couenant made with Satan For this must alwaies be remembred as a conclusion that by Witches we vnderstand not those onely which kill and torment but all Diuiners Charmers Iuglers all VVizzards commonly called wise men and wise women yea whosoeuer doe any thing knowing what they doe which cannot be effected by nature or art and in the same number we reckon all good VVitches which doe no hurt but good which doe not spoile and destroy but saue and deliuer All these come vnder this sentence of Moses because they deny God and are consederates with Satan By the lawes of England the thiefe is executed for stealing and we thinke it iust and profitable but it were a thousand times better for the land if all VViâ—ches but specially the blessing Witch might suffer death For the theife by his stealing and the hurtfull Inchanter by charming bring hinderance and hurt to the bodies and goods of meni but these are the right hand of the deuill by which he taketh and destroyeth the soules of men Men doe commonly hate and spit at the damnifying Sorcerer as vnworthie to liue among them whereas the other is so deare vnto them that they hold themselues and their country blessed that haue him among them they flie vnto him in necessitie they depend vpon him as their God and by this meanes thousands are caried away to their finall confusion Death therefore is the iust and deserued portion of the good Witch FINIS a Ioh. 12. 11. b Ioh. 8. 44 c 1. Pet 5. 8. d 2. Cor. 2. 11. e Eph. 6. 11. f Ioh. 8. 4â— a Gen. 18. 17. b Num. 1â—6 c Amos 3. 7. d Act. 10. 10. e Exod 25. 22. Nâ—mb 7. 89. Herodot Euterpe 1. Cor. 2. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g 2. king 17. 29. Iâ—h 4. 21. h Act. 17. â—3 i 1. Cor. 10. 20. k Diog. Laert lib. 1 in Thalâ—tis epist ad Pherecid l. 3. Strabo Geogr l. 17. l 2. Tim. 3. 8. m bâ—a 8. 19 20. n Diod. Sic. l. 17. Plin. l. 5. c. 5. o Herodot Euterpe Strabo Geogr l. 16. ex Hom. Odyss 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p Paâ—san in Phocicis Herodot Euterpe Str Geogr. lib. 9. l. 16. q Paâ—san in Hoeoticis Strabo Geogr lib. 9. * Omnâ—â— superstitiâ— iâ—becilli animi atque a nilis est Cic. de Divin h Levit. 19. 31. i Cleâ—â— Al. 〈◊〉 lib. 6. Strabo Geogr l. 15. Dan â— 2. Matth. 2. 1. k 1. Sam 28. l Dan. 2. 1 2. Platina in Sylv. 2. c. Fascie temporum b Benno Cardinal de Sylvest â— Gregor 6. Act. 8 9. August Enchirid cap. 95. 96. 1. Sam. 28. 2 Thess. 2. 10 11 12. Deut. 13. 3. â— Reignald Scot epist. 〈…〉 Miravel mirandâ— non Miracula Lib. de civ Dei 22. c. 8. Homil. 19. opeâ— imperfect Act. 3. 12. 16. Luk. 8. 46. Act. 19. 1â— 11. Aug. lib de vnital eccl cap. 16. 2. Cor. 4. 4. 2. Cor. 10. 4. Luk. 10. 18. * Iust. Mart. Apol. ad Anton Act. â— 10. Euseb. Eccl. hist. lib. 2. cap. 12. Rev. 20. 2. Deâ—t 1. 16. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Prov. 8. 16. a 〈◊〉 12. b 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 Ioh. 4. â—4 〈◊〉 Plaâ—â—â—a de vit Poâ—t in vita Silâ— 2. â—aleus in Act. Rom. Pont lib. 5. lib. 6. August confess l. 10. c. 35 August de 〈…〉 c. 18. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 1. 16. â—er 19. August de Trin l. 3. c. 7. 2. Thess. 2. 10 11. â— 12. Math. 4. 9. Pâ—â—tarch in vita Alex 1. Sam. 28. 19. * 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Omneagenâ— per conâ—aetâ—â—◠〈…〉 Iugling * 〈◊〉 Iust. Mart. Apolog. ad Anton. Pium * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 10. * Ioan. Fr. Pie Mâ—â—and de praenot l 1. c. 2. Nicol. Remigius Daemonolaâ—â— c. 1. c. 5. * Homer 〈◊〉 lib 10. 12. * Sub tit de intur alâ—â—sque deliâ—t c. 9. Sence lib Nat 〈◊〉 est 4. 〈…〉 c. Ioseph 〈…〉 1. 8. c. 2.
a better course Let them rightly consider that they haue hither to depended vpon Satan for helpe and consequently haue dishonoured God and renounced lawfull meanes sanctified by him which should not haue beene done in case of the greatest worldly gaine For no man may doe euill that good may come of it But they that vse the helpe of Charmers and consult with Wisemen are wont to alleadge something in defence or excuse of their practise First that they for their part meane no hurt they know no euill by the man whome they seeke to they onely send to him and he does them good how and in what manner they regard not Ans. 1. Indeed many be ignorant of the Inchanters courses But in cases of losse and hindrance men ought not onely to inquire the meanes but to waigh and consider the warrantablenes thereof otherwise they doe not that they doe of faith and so are guiltie of sinne before God Rom. 14. last vers 2. Put the case they themselues meane no hurt yet in this action they doe hurt to themselues by reposing trust in things which vpon better consideration they shall finde to be dishonourable and therefore hatefull to God Secondly they alledge we goe to the Physician for counsell we take his Recipe but we know not what it meaneth yet we vse it and finde benefite if this be lawfull why may we not as well take benefit by the Wiseman whose courses we be ignorant of Ans. 1. Physick vsed in time and place is a worthy ordinance of God and therefore beeing rightly vsed God giues his blessing to it But for inchantment it was neuer sanctified by God and therefore cannot be vsed in any assurance of his blessing 2. The Physicians receit being a composition and mixture of naturall things though a man knowes it not yet he takes it into his stomake or applies it to his bodie and sensibly perceiues the vertue and effâ—cacie thereof in the working whereas the Charmers course consisteth of words which neither are knowne in themselues nor are manifest in their vse to sense or vnderstanding And hereby it is plaine there is not the same reason of Physicke and charmes the one hauing a sensible operation by vertue giuen it of God the other insensible and wrought aboue ordinaric meanes by the worke of Satan Thirdly they alleadge God is mercifull and he hath prouided a salue for euery sore they haue vsed other means but they haue not succeeded and what should they doe more may they not in extremitie repaire to the Inchaunter and see what he can doe for them rather then their goods and cattell should be lost and spoyled Ans. 1. It were better for you to bide by the losse yea to liue and die in any sickenes then to tempt God by seeking help at charmers hands for their helpe is dangerous and commeth from the deuill whereupon if ye rest your selues ye ioyne league with him and so hazzard eternally the safetie both of bodies and soules 2. Vse good meanes allowed of God and when they haue beene vsed often without successe proceede not to other courses but referre your selues to God and say with Iob The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blassed be the name of the Lord Iob 1. 21. And thus much of Inchanting the first part of Operatiue Witchcraft Sect. II. The second part is Iugling Iugling is the deluding of the eye with some strange sleight done aboue the or linarâ—e course of nature In this description there are two points necessarily required in the point of Iugling Delusion of the eye and extraordinarie Sleight Delusion is then performed when a man is made to thinke he sees that which indeede he sees not And this is done by the operation of the deuill diuersly but especially three waies First by corrupting the humour of the eye which is the next instrument of sight Secondly by altering the ayre which is the meane by which the obiect or species is carried to the eye Thirdly by altering and changing the obiect that is the thing seene or whereon a man looketh This deluding of the sense is noted by Paul Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galâ—tians who hath bewitched you where the spirit of God â—eth a word borrowed from this kind of sorcerers which in full meaning signifieth thus much who hath deluded your eyes and caused you to thinke you see that which you see not As if he should haue said Looke as the Iugler by his deuillish art deludeth the outward eye and maketh men thinke they see that which indeede they doe not Euen so the false Apostles by their erroneous doctrine haue deluded the eies of your minds and haue caused you Galatians to iudge that to be the word of God which is not and that to be truth which is error and falshood Paul giues vs to vnderstand by the very phrase vsed that there is such a kind of Iugling as is able to deceiue the eye For otherwise his comparison would not hold The second thing required in Iugling is a Sleight done aboue the order and course of nature This is the point which maketh those conueiances to be Witchcraft For if they were within the compasse of nature they could not be rightly â—earmed and reputed Sorceries considering that diuerse men by reason of the agilitie of their bodies sleight of their hands are able to worke diuers feats which seeme strange to the beholders and yet not meddle with Witchcraft Againe some by the lawfull art of the Optiks may shew strange admirable things by meanes of light and darknesso and yet may be free from impution of Magicall workeâ— because they keepe themselues wholly within the power and practise of nature But sleights done 〈◊〉 ouer and aboue delusioÌ„ must passe the ordinarie bounds and precincts of nature and so are made points of Witchcraft One memorable example for the clearer manifestation of this point we haue in the Scripture by name in the 7 8 and 9 Chapters of Exodus where Moses and Aaron wrought wonders before Pharaoh turning the rodde into a serpent and water into blood with many other such like Now Iannes and Iambres for so Paul calleth them 2. Tim 3. 8. the Magicians of Egypt did worke the same miracles which Moses and Aaron had done But here was the differenceâ— Moses made true creatures and wrought true miracles whereas they did all in appearance and outward shew For theirs were not true reall actions but onely Magicall illusions wrought by the sleight subtilty of the deuil in the practise of lugling And because some thinke that the serpents and froggs caused by the Magitians were true creatures and all their other workes as really and truely done as those which Moses and Aaron did I will here stand a little to shewe and prooue the contrarie that they were onely in shew and appearance and not in deede and truth First then if the frogs and serpents caused by Iannes and Iambres were true
another vntill they had seated themselues in the chaire of the Papacie So great was their desire of eminencie in the Church that it caused them to dislike meaner conditions of life and neuer to cease aspiring though they incurred thereby the hazard of good conscience and the losse of their soules The scond degree of discontentment is in the minde and inward man and that is curiositie when a man resteth not satisfied with the measure of inward gifts receiued as of knowledge wit vnderstanding memorie and such like but aspires to search out such things as God would haue kept secret and hence he is mooued to attempt the cursed art of Magicke and witchcraft as a way to get further knowledge in matters secret and not reueiled that by working of wonders he may purchase fame in the world and consequently reape more benefit by such vnlawfull courses then in likelihood he could haue done by ordinarie and lawfull meanes Sect. IV. Fourthly it is affirmed in the description that Witchcraft is practised by the assistance of the Deuill yet the more fully to distinguish it from all good lawfull and commendable arts For in them experience teacheth that the Arts-master is able by himselfe to practise his art to doe things belonging thereunto without the help of another But in this it is otherwise for here the worke is done by the helpe of another namely the Deuill who is confederate with the Witch The power of effecting such strange works is not in the art neither doth it flow from the skill of the sorcerer man-or-woman but is deriued wholly from Satan and is brought into execution by vertue of mutuall consederacie betweene him and the Magician Now that this part of the description may be more clearely manifested 〈…〉 procede to a further point 〈…〉 kind of wonders they be which are ordinarily wrought by the ministerie and power of the deuill § 1. Wonders therefore be of two sorts either true and plaine or lying and deceitfull A true wonder is a rare worke done by the power of God simply either aboue or against the power of nature and it is properly called a miracle The Scripture is plentifull in examples of this kind Of this sort was the deuiding of the redde sea and making it drie land by a mighty east wind that the children of Israel might passe through it Exod. 14. 21. For though the East wind be naturall of great force to mooue the waters and to drie the earth yet to part the sea asunder and to make the waters to stand as walls on each side and the bottome of the sea as a pauement this is a worke simply aboue the naturall power of any wind and therefore is a miracle Again such were the wonders done by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh in Egypt one whereof in stead of many was the turning of Aarons rodde into a serpent a worke truely miraculous For it is aboue the power of naturall generation that the substance of on creature should be really turned into the substance of another as the substance of a roode into the substance of a serpent Of the like kinde were the standing of the Sunne in the firmament without moouing in his course for a whole day losh 10. 13. the going backe of the Sunne in the firmament tenne degrees 2. King 20. 11. the preseruation of the three men Shadrach Meshach and Abednego in the midst of the hoat fierie fornace Dan. 3. 25. and of Daniel in the lyons den Dan. 6. 22. the feeding of fiue thousand men beside women and children with fiue loaues and two fishes Matth. 14. 20. 21. the curing of the eyes of the bling man with spittle and clay tempered together Ioh. 9. 6. 7. c. Now the effecting of a miracle in this kind is a work proper to God onely and no creature man or Angel can doe any thing either aboue or contrarie to nature but he alone which is the Creator For as God in the beginning made all things of nothing so he hath reserued to himselfe as a peculiar work of his almightie power to change or abolish the substance propertie motion and vse of any creature The reason is because he is the author and creator of nature and therefore at his pleasure is perfectly able to command restraine enlarge or extend the power streÌ„gth thereof without the helpe or assistance of the creature Againe the working of a miracle is a kind of creation for therein a thing is made to be which was not before And this must needs be proper to God alon by whose power things that are were once produced out of things that did not appeare The conclusion therefore must needs be this which Dauid confesseth in the Psalme God onely doth wondrous things Psalme 136. 4. that is works simply wonderfull But it is alleadged to the contrarie that the Prophets in the old Testament and the Apostles in the new did worke miracles I answer they did so but how not by their owne power but by the power of God beeing onely his instruments whom he vsed for some speciall purpose in those works and such as did not themselues cause the miracle but God in and by them The same doth Peter and Iohn acknowledge when they had restored the lame man to the perfect vse of his limmes that by their power and godlinesse they had not made the man to goe Act. 3. 13. Againe it is obiected that our Sauiour Christ in his manhood wrought many miracles as those before mentioned and many more Ans. Christ as he was man did something in the working of miracles but not all For in euery miraculous worke there be two things the worke it selâ—e and the acting or dispensing of the work the work it selfe being for nature and substance miraculous considering it was aboue or against the order of natural causes did not proceed â—rom Christ as man but from him as God but the dispensation of the same in this or that visible mannerâ— to the viewe of men was done and performed by his manhood For example The raising vp of Lazarus out of the graue hauing beene dead foure daies was a miracleâ— to the effecting whereof both the Godhead the manhood of Christ â—oÌ„curred by their seueral distinct actioÌ„s The manhood onely vttered the voice and bad Lazarus come forth but it was the godhead of Christ that fetched his soule from heauen and put it againe into his bodie yea which gaue life and power to Lazarus to heare the voice vttered to rise and come forth Ioh. 11. 43. In like manner when he gaue sight to the blinde Matth. 20. 34. he touched their eyes with the hands of his manhood but the power of opening them and making them to see came from his Godhead whereby he was able to doe all things And in all other miraculous workes which he did the miracle was alwaies wrought by his diuine power onely the outward actions and circumstances that accompanied the same proceeded
besides the ordinarie course of nature yet it is not simply aboue the power thereof For a third instance The deuill is able to vtter a voice in plaine words and speach answerable to mans vnderstanding in any language Not that he can take vnto himselfe beeing a spirit an immeadiate power to speake or frame a voyce of nothing without meanes but knowing the naturall and proper causes and meanes by which men doe speake by them he frames in himselfe the voyce of a man and plainely vtters the same in a knowne language In this manner he abused the tongue and mouth of the serpent when in plaine words he tempted Eue to eate the forbidden fruit Now it is to be remembred here that when the deuill speakes in a creature it must be such a creature as hath the instruments of speach or such whereby speach may be framed and vttered not otherwise for it was neuer heard that he spake in a stocke or a stone or any created entity that had not the meanes and power of vttering a voice at least in some sort it beeing a worke peculiar to the Creator to giue power of vtterance where it is not by creation Againe when he frameth a voice in a creature he doth it not by giuing immediate power to speake for that he cannot doe and the creature abused by him remaineth in that regard as it was before But it beeing naturally fitted and disposed to vtter a voice though not perfectly to speake as a man he furthereth and helpeth nature in it and addeth to the facultie thereof a present vse of words by ordering and ruling the instruments to his intended purposes And to conclude this point looke what strange workes and wonders may be truely effected by the power of nature though they be not ordinarily brought to passe in the course of nature those the deuill can do so farre forth as the power of nature will permit he is able to worke true wonders though for a false and euill ende Here a question is mooued by some whether the deuil can change one creature into another as a man or woman into a beast for some notwithstanding the doctrine alreadie taught are of opinion that he can turne the bodies of Witches into other creatures as hares cattes and such like Ans. The transmutaâ—ion of the substance of one creature into another as of a man into a beast of what kind soeuer is a worke simply aboue the power of nature and therefore cannot be done by the deuil or any creature For it is the proper worke of God alone as I haue said to create to change or abolish nature It is obiected that such chaÌ„ges haue beene made For Lots wiâ—e was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19. 26. Ans. It is true but that was done by the mightie power of God neither can it be proued that any creature Angel or other was euer able to doe the like But it is further said that king Nabuchadnezzar was turned inâ—o a beast and did eate grasse with the beasts of the field Dan. 4. 30. Ans. There is no such matter his substance was not changed so as his bodie became the bodie of a beast indeede but his condicions onely were altered by the iudgement of God vpon his minde whereby he was so farre forth bereaued of humane sense and vnderstanding Againe for his behauiour and kinde of life he became altogether bruitish for the time and excepting onely his outward forme and shape no part of humanitie could appeare in him but that he retained his humane bodie still it is euident by his owne words vers 31. when he saith And mine vnderstanding was restored to me which argueth plainly that the hand of God was vpon him in some kind of madnesse and furie and therefore that there was not a change of his bodie and substance but a strange and fearefull alteration in his minde and outward behauiour And though such a transmutation should be granted yet it makes nothing for the purpose considering it was the worke of God onely and not of the deull And thus we see what kind of wonders the deuil can bring to passe The meditation of which point may teach vs tvvo things First that the working of wonders is not a thing that will commend man vnto God for the deuill himselfe a wicked spirit can worke them And many shall alledge this in the day of iudgement that they haue by the name of God cast out deuils and done many great woâ—ks to whome notwithstanding the Lord will say I neuer knewe you depart from me yee workers of inâ—quitie Matth. 7. 22. 23. It behooueth vs rather to get vnto our selues the precious gifts of faith repentance and the feare of God yea to go before others in a godly life and vpright conuersâ—tion then to excell in effecting of strange workes When the seauentie Disciples came to our Sauiour Christ with ioy and tolde him that euen the deuills were subdued vnto them through his name Luk. 10. 17. he counsells them not to reioyce in this that wicked spirits were sâ—bdued vnto them but rather because their names were written in heauen vers 20. Indeed to be able to worke a wonder is an excellent gift of God and may minister matter of reioycing when it proceedeth from God but seeing the deuill receiued this power by the gift of creation our speciall ioy must not be therein but rather in this that we are the adopted sonnes of God in which priuiledge the deuill hath no part with vs. And therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. making a comparison of the gifts of the spirit as of speaking diuers tongues of prophecying and working miracles with loue in the end wisheth men to labour for the best gifts which are faith hope and loue because by these we are made partakers of Christ on whom we ought to set our hearts and in whome we are commanded â—lwaies to reioyce Phil. 4. 4. Secondly we learne from hence not to beleeue or receiue a doctrine now or at any time because it is confirmed by wonders For the deuill himselfe is able to confirme his errours and Idolatrous seruices by strange and extraordinarie signes by which vsually he laboureth to auouch and verisie the grossest points of falshood in matter of religion On the contrarie we must not reiect or contemne a doctrine because it is not thus confirmed This was a maine fault in the Iewes who would not receiue the word preached by Christ vnlesse he shewed them a signe from heauen Indeed in the primitiue Church it pleased God to confirme that doctrine which the Apostles taught by great signes and miracles but now that gift is ceased and the Church hath no warrant to expect any further euidence of the religion it professeth and enioyeth by arguments of that kinde yea rather it hath cause to suspect a doctrine taught for the wonders sake whereby men labour to auouch it Sect. V. The last clause in the description is
therefore knowing the secret meaning of the Angels wordes vnto Daniel framed out of them a true and direct answer whereas he was not able of himselfe to deâ—ine certainly of the euent of things to come in particular The second meanes whereby the deuill is furnished for his purpose is his owne exquisite knowledge of all naturall things as of the influences of the starres the constitutions of men and other creatures the kinds vertues and operations of plants rootes hearbs stones c. which knowledge of his goeth many degrees beyond the skill of all men yea euen of those that are most excellent in this kind as Philosophers and Physicians No marueile therefore though out of his experience in these and such like he is able aforehand to giue a likely gesse at the issues and euents of things which are to him so manifestly apparent in their causes A third helpe and furtherance in this point is his presence in the most places for some deuills are present at all assemblies and meetings and thereby are acquainted with the consultations and conferences both of Princes people whereby knowing the drift and purpose of mens minds when the same is manifested in their speaches and deliberations they are the fitter to foretell many things which men ordinarily cannot doe And hence it is apparent how Witches may know what is done in other countries and whether one nation intends warre against an other namely by Satans suggestion who was present at the consultation and so knew it and reuealed it vnto them But how then comes it to passe that the consultations and actions of Gods Church and children are not disclosed to their enemies euen by the vnspeakeable mercie and goodnesse of God who though for speciall causes sometimes he suffers Satan by this meanes to bring things to light yet he hath restrained this his libertie and subiected it vnto his owne will so as he keepes him out of such meetings or compels him to conceale whereas otherwise his malice is so great thaâ— not a word could be spoken but it should be carried abroad to the hurt disturbance both of Churches and common-wealths The fourth way is by putting into mens mindes wicked purposes and counsâ—ls for after the league once made he laboureth with them by suggestions and where God giues him 〈◊〉 he neuer ceaseth perswading till he hath brought his enterprise to passe Hauing therefore first brought into the minde of man a resolution to doe some euill he goes and reueales it to the Witch and by force of perswasion vpon the partie tempted he frames the action intended to the time foretold and so finally deludes the Witch his owne instrument foretelling nothing but what himselfe hath compassed and set about The fift helpe is the agilitie of Satans nature whereby he is able speedily to conuay himselfe from place to place yea to passe through the whole world in a short â—ime For God hath made him by nature a spirit who by the gift of his creation hath attained the benefit of swiftnes not onely in dispatching his affairs but also in the cariage of his person with great expedition for the present accomplishment of his owne desires Lastly God doth often vse Satan as his instrument for the effecting of his intended workes and the executing of his iudgements vpon men and in those cases manifesteth vnto him the place where the time when and the manner how such a thing should be done Now all such things as God wil haue effected by the deuill he may fortell before they come to passe because he knowes them before hand by reuelation and assignment from God Thus by the Witch of Endor he foretolde to Saul the time of his death and of his sonnes and the ruine of his kingdome saying To morow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me and the Lord shall giue the hoste of Israel into the hands of the Philistiâ—s which particular euent and circumstances appertaining he did truely define not of himselfe but because God hath drawn away his good spirit from Saul and had deliuered him to be guided by the deuill whome he also appointed as a meanes and vsed as an instrument to worke his ouerthrowe The Scripture indeede maketh not particular mention of the time of Sauls death it onely recordeth the manner thereof and that which followed vpon his death the translating of the kingdome to his neighbour Dauid after him and yet because God vsed Satan as an instrument to bring this to passe hereupon he was able to foretel the particular time when the will of God should be wrought vpon him And these be the ordinarie meanes and helpes whereby the deuill may knowe and declare strange thinges whether past present or to come Neither may this seeme strange that Satan by such meanes should attaine vnto such knowledge for euen men by their owne obseruations may giue probable coniectures of the state and condition of sundrie things to come Thus we read that some by obseruation haue found out probably and foretold the periods of familleâ— and kingdomes For example that the time and continuance of kingdomes is ordinarily determined at 500. yeares or not much aboue and that great families haue not gone beyond the sixt and seauenth generation And as for speciall and priuate things the world so runnes as it vvere in a circle that if a man should but ordinarily obserue the course of things either in the vveather or in the bodies of men or othervvise he might easily foretell before hand vvhat would come after And by these and such like instances of experiences men haue gessed at the alterations and changes of estates and things in particular Novv if men vvhich be but of short continuance and of a shallovv reach in comparison are able to doe such things hovv much more easily may the Deuill hauing so great a measure of knovvledge and experience and beeing of so long continuance hauing also marked the course of all estates be able to foretell many things vvhich are to come to passe specially considering vvhat the wise man hath set downe to this purpose that that which hath beene shall be and that which hath beene done shall be done and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Eccl. 1. 9. If it be here alledged that Diuination is a prerogatiue of God himselfe and a part of his glorie incoÌ„municable to any creature Isa. 41. 23. I answer Things to come must be considered two waies either in themselues or in their causes and signes which either go with them or before them To foretell things to come as they are in themselues without respect vnto their signes or causes is a propertie belonging to God onely and the deuill doth it not by any direct and immediate knowledge of things simply considered in themselues but onely as they are present in their signes or causes Again God foretelleth things to come certainely without the helpe of any creature or other meanes out of himselfe but the
whose vertues are vnknowne how can their operations and effects be discerned in particular Therefore no rules can be made by obseruation of the vertues of the starres in their operations whereupon we may foretell particular euents of things contingent either concerning mens persons families or kingdomes A fourth reason All starres haue their worke in the qualities of heate light cold moisture and drinesse as for the secret influences which men dreame of comming from them besides the saide qualities they are but forged fancies The Scripture neuer mentioneth any such neither can it be prooued that the Sunne hath any efficacie vpon inferiour bodies but by light and heate which because they are mixt with other qualitiâ—s they affoâ—rd no matter of prediction touching particular euents For â—hat though the celestiall bodies doe â—â—use in the terrestriall heate and cold drought and moisture doth it therfore follow that these effects doe declare before hand the constitution of mans bodie the disposition of mens minds the affections of mens hearts or finally what successe they shall haue in their affaires touching wealth honour and religion Hence I conclude that diuining by them in this sort is meere superstition and a kinde of sorcerie for which cause in Scripture Astrologians are iustly numbred among Sorcerers Now that which hath beene saide touching this point may serue for speciall vse And first it giues a caueat to all Students that they haue care to spend their time and wits better then in the studie of Iudiciall Astrologie and rather imploy themselues in the searching out of such things as may most serue for the glorie of God and the good of his Church It is the subtiltie of Satan to draw men into such meditations and to make this studie so pleasant that it can hardely be left when it is once begun but let them take heede betime For assuredly these vaine and superstitious practises are not the builders and furtherers but the hinderers and destroyers of religion and the feare of God Againe this must admonish them which suffer any losses not to seeke for helpe or remedie at the hands of Astrologers commonly called Figure casters for their directions in the recouerie of thingâ— lost or stollen commeth not by the helpe of any lawfull art but from the worke of the deuill reuealing the same vnto them And beâ—ter it were to loose a thing finally and by faith to expect till God make supplie another way then in this manner to recouer it again yea the curse of God hangeth ouer the head of him that to helpe himselfe vseth diabolicall meanes For put the case 〈◊〉 thing lost of great value be againe restored by the helpe of Satan yet God in his iustice for the vse of these vnlawful meanes maâ— take from the consulter twice as much or at least his grace and so giue him vnto a reprobate sense to beleeue the deuill to his vetter perdition Thirdly it serueth to admonish vs of some other vanities that accompanie Astrologie specially of two The first is the obseruation of the signe in mans bodie wherein not onely the ignorant sort but men of knowledge doe farâ—e ouershoot themselues superstitiously holding that the signe is specially to be marked An opinion in it selfe fantasticall and vaine not grounded in nature but borrowed from Astrologie For the Astrologians for better expressing and establishing thereof haue deuised newe spheres in the heauens more then indeede there be to wit the ninth and the tenth and in the tenth commonly called the first mooueable haue placed an imaginarie sphere which they tearme the Zodiacke and in the Zodiack twelue signes Aries Taurus Gemini and the rest which they imagine to haue power ouer the twelue parts of mans bodie as Aries the head and face Taurus necke and throat c. But these are onely twelue imaginarie signes for in the heauens there is no such matter as a ramme a bull c. And how can it stand with reason that in a firmament fained by Poets and Philosophers a forged signe which indeede is nothing should haue any power or operation in the bodies of men Again the very order of the gouernment of these signes in mans bodie is fond and without shew of reason For according to this platforme when the Moone commeth into the first signe Aries shee ruleth in the head when shee commeth into the second signe Taurus in the necke and so descends downe from part to part in some part ruling two in some three daies c. Where obserue that the Moone is made then to rule in the cold and moist parts when shee is in hoate and drie signes when as in reason a more consonant order were this that when the Moone were in hoate and drie signes as Aries Leo and Sagittarius shee should rule in hoat and drie parts of the bodie and when shee is in colde and moist signes shee should rule in the colde and moist parts of the bodies and so still gouerne those parts which in temperature come nearest to the nature of the signes wherein the Moone is Besides this some learned Physitians haue vpon experience confessed that the obseruation of the signe is nothing materiall and that there is no danger in it for gelding of cattell or letting of blood Indeede it preuailes oftentimes by an old conceit and strong imagination of some vnlettered persons who thinke it to be of force and efficacie for restoring and curing and yet the vanitie of this conceit appeares in the common practise of men who commonly vpon S. Stevens day vse to let blood be the signe where it will though it be in the place where the veine is opened But the truth is the signe in it owne nature is neither way auaileable beeing but a fancie grounded vpon supposed premisses and therefore ought to be reiected as a meere vanitie The second thing belonging to Astrologie which ought to be eschewed is the choice and obseruation of daies Curious diuiners doe set apart certaine dayes whereof some are as they say luckie some vnluckie And these they appoint to be obserued for the beginning of ordinary works businesses as to take a iourney to beginne to lay the foundation of a building to plant a garden to weane a child to put on new apparell to flit into a new house to trafficke into other countries to goe about a suite to a Prince or some great man to hunt and vse exercises to pare the nayles to cut the haire in a word to attempt any thing in purpose or action which is not done euery day The effect and force of these daies is not grounded either in arte or in nature but onely in superstitious conceit and diabolicall confidence vpon a wicked custome borrowed from the practise of diuiners and the daunger of such confident conceits is this that the Deuill by them takes the vantage of fantasticall persons and brings them further into league and acquaintance with himselfe vnlesse they leaue them And all such persons as make
the lawfulnes of the images of Saints as of Peter Paul and others yea of Christ himselfe because they were not knowne in the daies of Moses and therefore could not be condemned in the second Commandement Whereas contrarily the spirit of God hath so framed and penned the lawes Morall and Iudiciall which concerne man as that they fetch within their compasse all sinnes of all ages and condemne them And therefore whatsoeuer is against the Law of God written by Moses though it were not knowne nor heard of either when the Law was made or afterward is yet condemned by the same Law Againe I answer that our Witches are the same that were in Moses time and therfore by their owne reason must needes be condemned by this Iudiciall lawe For by the records of auncient writers it is prooued that about a 1200. yeares before Christs birth shortly after the Troian warre which was 100. yeare and vpward before the building of the Temple by Salomon there were the same VVitches that are now as the Circes and Syrenes and such like mentioned in the narration of that warre as is manifest to them that knowe the storie Againe 500. yeares before Christ when the Romans made their twelue Tables which comprised all the lawes whereby that famons Commonvvealth vvas gouerned they made one expressely against Witches euen the same vvith these of our time for practising the same things as blasting of corne hurting of cattell mer vvomen and children c. And for the time of Christ though there be no particular mention made of any such Witches yet thence it followeth not that there were none for all things that then happened were not recorded and I would faine know of the chiefe patrons of them whether those parties possessed with the deuill and troubled with strange diseases whom Christ healed and out of whom he cast deuills were not bewitched with some such people as our Witches are if they say no let them if they can prooue the contrarie The third last reason is this Christ at his comming abolished all sinne and therfore miracles witchcraft theÌ„ ceased also The Apostle saith that he spoiled principalities and powers and triumphed ouer them vpon the crosse Coloss. 2. 15. Ans. This argument is friuolous seruing as well to iustifie the traytor the theefe and the murtherer as the witch For whereas it is alleadged that Christ abolished all sinne we must vnderstand how not simply so as sinne should be no more but onely in part in this life reseruing the final destruction thereof to the last iudgement Againe sinne is not abolished no not in part vnto all but onely to the members of Christ. Whereupon the Apostle saâ—h There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. because no sinne is imputed vnto them But vnto Witches and all the enemies of Christ sinne is imputed and not abolished To conclude howsoeuer much is said in their defence yet the first part is cleare affirmatiuely that the Witches of our time are the same with the Witches that were in Moses time in truth and substance And so much for the first Question Sect. II. II. Quest. How we may be able in these our daies to discerne and discouer a Witch Ans. The discouerie of a Witch is a matter Iudiciall as is also the discouerie of a theefe and a murtherer and belongeth not to euerie man but is to be done Iudicially by the Magistrate according to the forme and order of Law who therefore is set apart for such ends and hath authoritie both to discouer and to punish the enemies of God and his Church Now for the Magistrates directioÌ„ in this busines we are to know that in the discouerie of a VVitch two things are required Examination and Conuiction § 1. Examination is an action of the Magistrate making speciall enquirie of the crime of Witchcraft This action must haue the beginning from occasions and presumptions For the Magistrate though he be a publike person and stand in the roome of God for the execution of iustice yet he may not take vpon him to examine whom and how himselfe willeth of any crime neither ought he to proceed vpon sleight causes as to shewe his authoritie ouer others or vpon sinister respects as to renenge his malice or to bring parties into danger or suspition but he must proceede vpon speciall presumptions Those I call presumptions which doe at least probably and coniectutally note one to be a VVitch and these are certaine signes whereby the partie may be discouered I will touch some few of them The first in order is this If any person man or woman be notoriously defamed for such a partie Notorious desamation is a common report of the greater sort of people with whom the partie suspected dwelleth that he or she is a Witch This yeeldeth a strong suspition Yet the Magistrate must be warie in receiuing such a report For it falls our oftentimes that the innocent may be suspected and some of the better sort notoriously desamed Therfore the wise and prudent Iudge ought carefully to looke that the report be made by men of honestie and credit which if it be he may then proceede to make further inquirie or the fact The second is if a fellow-witch or Magician giue testimonie of any person to be a Witch either voluntarily or at his or her examination or at his or her death This is not sufficient for conuiction or condemnation but onely a fit presumption to 〈◊〉 strait examination of the partie to be made Thirdly if after cursing there followeth death or at least some mischiefe For VVitches are wont to practise their mischieuous facts by cursing and banning This also is a sufficient matter of Examination not of Conuiction Fourthly if after enmitie quarelling or threatning a present mischiefe doth follow For parties deuillishly disposed after corsings doe vse threatnings and that also is a great presumption Fiftly if the partie suspected be the sonne or daughter the manseruant or maidseruant the familiar friend â—eere neighbour or old coÌ„panion of a known and conuicted witch This may be likewise a presumption For witchcraft is an art that may be learned and conueied from man to man and often it falleth out that a VVitch dying leaueth some of the forenamed heires of her witchcraft Sixtly some doe adde this for a presumption If the partie suspected be found to haue the deuills marke for it is commonly thought when the Deuill maketh his couenant with then he alwaies leaueth his marke behinde him whereby he knowes them for his owne Now if by some casuall meanes such a marke be descried on the bodie of the partie suspected whereof no euident reason in nature can be giuen the Magistrate in this case may cause such to be examined or take the matter into his owne hand that the truth may appeare Lastly if the partie examined be vnconstant or contrarie to himselfe in his deliberate answers it argueth a guiltie minde and