partitions among the mightie Hereupon the ciuill vse of Lots hath his warrant in Gods word so it be lawfully vsed in case of necessitie with iâ—uocation of the name of God and with expectation of the euent from God by whose hand immeadiate prouidence it is disposed For the Lot saith Salomon is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord Pro. 16. 33. The Sporting Lot is that which is commonly vsed for some vaine and vnnecessary ende as to set vp banck-rupts or such like This hath no warrant in the word of God whereupon men should vse it and therefore is no better then an abuse of Gods ordinance to speake no more of it Now the diuining Lot performed by the opening of a booke or the casting of a die or such like thereby to declare good or bad successe cannot be done without confederacie with Satan either explicite or implicite For the plaine cast of a die or the opening of a booke without beleeuing can doe nothing for discouering of future contingents And what is there in the nature of these actions to produce such effects or where or when did God giue this vertue to them certainely to determine of things hidden from man and knowne onely to himselfe Diuination therefore by them is to be holden as a practise not onely sauouring of superstition but proceeding from the arte of Witchraft and Sorcetie And thus much of Diuination by meanes of the creatures and the seueral kinds thereof Sect. III. The second kind of Diuination is by counterfeit and forged meanes which are none of the creatures of God whereof one kind onely is mentioned in Scripture viz. when Satan is consulted with in the shape of a dead man This is commonly called Neeromaneie or the blacke arte because the Deuill being sought vnto by Witches appeares vnto them in the likenes of a dead bodie And it is expressely forbidden Deuter. 18. 11. yea condemned by the Prophet Esai 8. 19 20. who saith in plaine tearmes that Gods people ought not to goe from the liuing to the dead but to the Law and to the testimonie A memorable example hereof is recorded in 1. Sam. 28. the obseruation whereof will discouer vnto vs the chiefe points of Necromancie There Saul about to encounter the Philistiâ—s beeing forsaken of God who refused to answer him either by dreames or by Vrim or by the Prophets inquired for one that had a familiar spirit and hearing of the Pythonesse at Endor went vnto her by night and caused her to raise vp Samuel to tell him of the issue of the warre Now the Witch at his request raised vp the Deuill with whome shee was confederate in Samuels likenesse who gaue him answer concerning his owne ouerthrowe and the death of his sonnes Which example declareth plainely that there is a kind of diuination whereby Witches and Sorcerers reueale strange things by means of the deuill appearing vnto theÌ„ in the shapes or shadowes of the dead Touching the truth of this example two Questions may be mooued The first is Whether that which appeared was true Samuel or not Some say it was Samuel indeede others who hold that there are no Witches denie that it was either Samuell or the deuill and affirme it to be some other counterfeit comming in Samuels attire to deceiue Saul both which opinious are false and here to be confuted And first that their opinion which say that true Samuel appeared vnto Saul is a flat vntruth I prooue by these reasons I. Before this time God had withdrawne his spirit from Saul as himselfe confesseth and denied to answer him any more by ordinarie meanes in such sort as before he had done Hereupon I gather that it is was not probable that God would now vouchsafe him the fauour to suffer Samuel to come vnto him extraordinarily and tell him what should be the end of his warre with the Philistins and to this purpose it is affirmed twise in that chapter that God had taken his good spirit from Saul II. The soules of the faithfull departed are in the hands of God and doe rest in glorie with himselfe and their bodies are in the earth and there rest in peace So saith the voice from heauen Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works that is the reward of their workes follow them immediatly or at the heeles as the word signifieth Now suppose the deuill had power ouer Samuels bodie yet to make true Samuel he must haue his soule also But it is not in the power of the deuill to bring againe the soules that are in heauen vnto their bodies and so to cause them to appeare vnto men vpon earth and to speake vnto them The Deuills kingdome is in hell and in the hearts of wicked men on earth yea whiles the children of God are in this world he vsurpeth some authoritie ouer them by meanes of their owne corruption But heauen is the kingdome of God and his Saints where Satan hath nothing to doe considering that there is no flesh or corruption to make him entrance or yeeld him intertainement Neither can it be prooued by Scripture that the deuill can disturbe either the bodies or soules of them that die in the Lord and therefore the Witch with all her power and skill could not bring Samuels rotten bodie for so no doubt it was now and soule together III. This shape which appeared suffered Saul to adore and worshippe it where is the true Samuel would neuer haue receiued adoration from Saul the king though it had beene in ciuill manner onely Whome then did Saul adore Answ. The Deuill himselfe who beeing an enemie to the glorie of God was content to take to himselfe that honour which a King in dutie is to performe to God himselfe IV. If it had beene true Samuel he would certainly haue reproued Saul for seeking helpe at Witches contrarie to Gods commandement that doctrine which he had taught him from God in his life time But this counterfeit reproued him not and therefore it is not like to be the true Prophet of God but Satan himselfe framing by his art and skill the person and shape of Samuel But it is alleadged to the contrarie that Samuel aâ—ter his sleepe prophesied of the death of Saul Ecclesiastic 46. v. 20. Aâ—ter his sleepe also he told of the Kings death c. Answ. That booke penned by Iesus the sonne of Sirach is a very worthie description of Christian Ethicks contaming more excellent precepts for manners then all the writings of heathen Philosophers or other men But yet it is not Scripture neither did the Church euer hold and receiue it as Câ—â—onicall yea the author himselfe â—â—sinuateth so much in the beginning thereof for in the preface he disableth himselfe to interpret hard things and after a sort craues pardon for his weaknesse which is not the manner of the men of God that were pen-men of
and so behaued themselues And the Histories of men in former ages haue recorded strange testimonies of some that haue been thus turned into wolues lyons dogges birds and other creatures which could not be really in substance but onely in appearance and phantasie corrupted and so these records are true For God in his iust iudgement may suffer some men so to be bewitched by the deuill that to their conceit thâ—y may seeme to be like these bruit beaste though indeede they remaine true 〈◊〉 still For it iâ— a worke surmounting the deuills power to change the substance of any one creature into the substance of another By this kind of delusion the Church of Rome in the times of blindnesse and ignorance hath taken great aduantage and much encreased her riches and honour For there be three points of the religion of that Church to wiâ—â—e Rurgatorie Inuocation of 〈◊〉 Saints and honouring of Reliques whereby she hath notably inriched her selfe all which had their first foundation from these and such like Satanicall impostures For the onely way whereby they haue brought the common sort to yeeld vnto them both for beleefe and practise hath beene by deluding their outward senseâ— with false apparitions of ghosts and soules of men walking and ranging abroad after their departure and such likeâ— wherby simple persons ignorant of their fetches and delusions haue beene much affrighted aâ—d caused thorough extremitie of feare and dread to purchase their owne peace and securitie by many and great expenses And indeede these were the strongest arguments that euer they had and which most preuailed with the common people as is manifest in stories of all nations and ages where such deceits haue taken place though oftentimes by the iust iudgement of God they were taken in their craft and their featâ— reuealed The second kind of illusion is of the minde whereby the deuill deceiues the minde and makes a man thinke that of himselfe which is not true Thus experience teacheth that he hath deluded men both in former and latter times who haue auouched and professed themselues to be kings or the sonnes of Kings Yea some haue holden themselues to be Christ some to be Elias some to be Iohn the Baptist and some extraordinarie Prophets And the like conceiâ—s haue entred into the minds of sundrie Witches by the suggestion and perswasion of the deuill To whome when they haue wholly resigned their soules and bodies they haue beene mooued to beleeue things impossible touching themselues as that they haue indeed beene changed into other creatures as catts birds mise c. The inquisitions of Spaine other countries wherein these and such like things are recorded touching Witches really metamorphosed into such creatures cannot be true considering that it is not in the power of the deuill thus to change substaÌ„ces into other substaÌ„ces And those conuersions recorded by them were onely Satans illusions wherewith the mindes of Witches were possessed and nothing else which though they were extraordinarie as the rest of this kinde are yet they went not beyond the power of nature The second sort of the deuills wonders are reall workes that is such as are indeede that which they seeme and appeare to be These howsoeuer to men that knowe not the natures of things nor the secret and hidden causes thereof they may seeme very strange and admirable yet they are no true miracles because they are not aboue and beyond the power of nature If it be here alleadged that the deuils workes are not reall and true actions because the holy Ghost calleth them Lying wonders 2. Thes. 2. 9. I answer that they are called Lying wonders not in respect of the workes themselues for they were workes truely done and effected but in regard of the deuills end and purpose in working theÌ„ which is to lie vnto men and by them to deceiue The truth of which point will appeare in the viewe of some particular examples First we read in the historie of Iob that Satan brought downe fire from heauen which burnt vp Iobs sheep and seruants and caused a mightie winde to blowe downe the house vpon his children as they were feasting to destroy them Againe he smot the bodie of Iob with botches and boyles All these were true reall works very strange admirable and yet no miracles because they exceeded not the compasse of nature For first when he cast downe the fire from heauen he did not create the fire of nothing for that is a worke proper to God alone but applied creature to creature and therefore produced such a matter as was fit to make fire of If it be demanded how he is able to doe this we must remember that his knowledge in naturall causes is great and therefore he was not ignorant of the materiall cause of fire which beeing throughly knowne and founde out Satan brought fire vnto it and so putting fire to the matter of fire he brought it downe by his power and agilitie from heauen vpon the cattell and seruants of Iob. Againe the winde which blewe downe the house where his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking was not created by the deuill but he knowing well the matter wherof winds are generated naturally added matter to matter and thence came the winde whereunto he ioynes himselfe beeing a spirit of a swift and speedie nature and so makes it for his own purpose the more violent and forcible Thirdly he smote Iobs bodie with sore boyles from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote Now this may seeme strange that he should haue such power ouer mans body as to cause such diseases to breed in it Therefore we are further to vnderstand that his knowledge extendeth it selfe to the whole frame and disposition of mans bodie whereby it comes to passe that the causes of all diseases are well knowne vnto him and he is not ignorant hoâ—e the humours in the bodie may be putrified and what corrupt humours will breede such and such diseases and by what meanes the aire it selfe may be infected hereupon preparing his matter and applying cause to cause he practised vpon the bodie of Iob and filled him with grieuous sores Another example of Satans reall workes is this By reason of his great power and skill he is able to appeare in the forme and shape of a man and resemble any person or creature and that not by deluding the senses but by assuming to himselfe a true body His power is not so large as to create a bodie or bring againe a â—oule into a bodie yet by his dexteritie and skill in naturall causes he can worke wonderfully For he is able hauing gathered together fit matter to ioyne member to member and to make a true bodie either after the likenes of man or some other creature and hauing so done to enter into it to mooue and stirre it vp and downe and therein visibly and sensibly to appeare vnto man which though it be a strange worke and
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
Scripture For they were so guided by gods spirit in their proceedings that nothing could be hard vnto them This priuiledge no ordinarie man hath assurance of and therefore this author writing vpon his owne priuate motion was subiect to error and no doubt this speach of his beeing contrarie to that which is recorded in the Canonicall Scriptures is a flat vntruth Secondly it is obiected that the Scripture calleth him Samuel that appeared vnto Saul Ans. The scripture doth often speake of things not as they are in themselues but as they seeme to vs. So it is affirmed Gen. 1. 16. that God made two great lights the Sunne and Moone whereas the moone is lesser then many starres yet because in regard of her nearenesse to the earth shee seemeth to vs greater then the rest therefore shee is called a great light In like manner Idols in the Scripture are called Gods not that they are so indeed for an Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 8. 4. but because some men doe so conceiue of them in their mindes In a word the Scripture oftentimes doth abase it selfe to our conceit speaking of things not according as they are but after the manner of men and so in this place calleth counterfeit Samuel by the name of the true Samuel because it seemed so vnto Saul The third obiection That bodie which appeared prophecied of things that came to passe the day after as the death of Saul and of his sonnes which indeede so fel out and at the same time therefore was like to be Samuel Answ. There is nothing there said or done which the deuill might not doe For when the Lord vseth the deuill as his instrument to bring some things to passe he doth before hand reueile the same vnto him and looke what particulars the deuill learneth from God those he can foretell Now the truth is Satan was appointed by God to worke Sauls ouerthrowe and it was made knowne vnto him when the thing should be done by which meanes and by none other the deuill was enabled to Foretell the death of Saul Where by the way obserue that in this case the deuill can reueale things to come certenly to wit if he be appointed Gods immediate instrument for the execution of them or knowes them by light of former prophecies in Scripture Fourthly dead men doe often appeare and walke after they are buried Ans. It is indeede the opinion of the Church of Rome and of many ignorant persons among vs but the truth is otherwise Dead men doe neither walke nor appeare in bodie or soule after death for all that die are either Righteous or wicked The soules of the Righteous goe straight to heauen and the soules of the wicked to hell and their remaine till the last iudgement and therefore of the iust it is said that they are blessed when they die because they rest from their labours Apoc. 14. 13. But how doe they rest if after they be dead they wander vp and downe in the earth If it be said that Moses and Elias appeared when Christ was transsigured in the mount and that Lazarus rose again and at Christs resurrection many dead bodies rose againe and appeared I answer there were two times when God suffered the dead to be raised vp againe either at the planting of his Church or at the restoring and establishing of it when it was rased to the foundation Thus at the restoring of religion in Elias and Elishaes times the sonne of the Shunamitish woman 2. King 4. 34. and the widowes sonne at Sarephta 1. King 17. 21. were raised Againe when God would restore his Church which was fallen to Idolatrie about the death of Elisha he caused the like miracle to be wrought in the reuiuing of a dead man by the touching of Elishaes dead carkeise in the graue thereby to assure the people of their deliuerance and to cause them to embrace the doctrine of the Prophet after his death which in his life they had contemned In like manner at the establishing of the Gospel in the new Testament it pleased Christ to raise vp Moses and Elias and to make them knowne to his Disciples by extraordinarie reuelation that they might beleeue that the doctrine which hee preached was not newe but the same in substance with that which was recorded in the Law and the Prophets both which were represented by Moses and Elias So also he wrought the miracle vpon Lazarus the widowes sonne and lairus daughter thereby to sliewe the power of his Godhead the truth of his calling the testimonie of his Doctrine lastly to make knowne the power of his resurrection he caused some to rise and appeare to others when he himselfe rose againe But out of these two times we haue neither warrant nor example that God suffered the dead to be raised vp Wherefore those instances will not any way confirme Samuels appearing which indeed was not true but counterfeite and forged by the Deuill himselfe Now for the second Opinion of those which denie that there be any Witches and thereupon hold that this was a meere cosenage of the Witch suborning some man or woman to couÌ„terfeit the forme attire and voice of Samuel thereby to delude Saul that also is vntrue For he that spake foretolde the ruine of Saul of his sonnes and of his armie yea the time also wherein this was to come to passe whereas in likelihood no man or woman in all Israel could haue foretold such things before hand of themselues It was not then any cosenage as is affirmed but a thing effected by the deuill framing to himselfe a bodie in the likenesse of Samuel wherein he spake If therefore it be manifest that by counterfeit apparitions of the dead Witches and Sorcerers can foretell things to come hence sundrie points of Witchcraft may be obserued First that there is a league between the Witch and the deuill For this was the cause which mooued Saul to seeke to Witches because neither he himselfe nor any of his seruants could raise vp Satan in Samuels likenesse as the Witch of Endor did But Saul beeing a King might haue commanded helpe from all the wise and learned men in Israel for the effecting of such a matter why then would he rather seeke to a silly woman then to them The reason was because shee had made a compact with the deuil for the vsing of his helpe at her de â—aund by vertue whereof he was as readie to answer as she to call him whereas Saul and the learned Iewes hauing made no such league neither he by his power nor they by their skill could haue performed such a worke Secondly the deuill will be readie at the call and command of Witches and Sorcerers when they are intending any mischiefe For here the Witch of Endor no sooner spake but he appeared and therefore the text giues her a name that signifieth one hauing rule and command ouer Pytho that is the familiar spirit yet when he is commanded he yeelds not vpon
constraint but voluntarily because he builds vpon his owne greater aduantage the gaining of the soule of the Witch Where by the way let it be obserued what a pretious thing the soule of man is the purchasing wherof can make the proud spirit of Satan so farre to abase it self as to be at the command of a silly woman Againe what an inueterate malice Satan beareth to man which for the gaining of a soule will doe that which is so contrarie to his nature It may teach man what to esteeme of his soule and not to sell it for so base a price Thirdly by this the great power of the Deuill in the behalfe of the Sorcerer is made manifest For he was presently at hand to counterfeit Samuel and did it so liuely and cunningly as well in forme of bodie as in attire and voice that Saul thought verily it was the Prophet which may be a caueat vnto vs not easily to giue credit to any such apparitions For though they seeme neuer so true and euident yet such is the power and skill of the deuill that he can quite deceiue vs as he did Saul in this place Sect. IV. Hitherto I haue shewed the first kind of Diuination by meanes both true and forged Now followeth the second practised without meanes Diuination without meanes is the foretelling and reuealing of things to come by the alone and immediate assistance of a familiar spirit This kind is mentioned and expressely forbidden Leuit. 19. 31. Ye shall not regard them that worke with spirits Againe Leuit. 20. 6. If any turne after such as worke with spirits to goe a whoring after them I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people So Deut. 18. 11. Let none be found among you that consulteth with spirits In which places the holy Ghost vseth the word Ob which more properly signifieth a spirit or deuill in which sense it is taken in Leuit. 20. 27. and in 1. Sam 28. 8. And by reason of the league which is betweene the Witch and the deuill the same is also giuen to the Witch that worketh by the deuill and therefore the Pythonesse at Endor is both called Ob 1. Sam. 28. 9. and shee that ruleth Ob. v. 7 8. Now this kind of Diuination is practised two wayes either inwardly when the spirit is within the Witch or outwardly when being forth of the Witch he doth onely inspire him or her An example of the former waie the Scripture affordeth Act. 16. 16. of a woman at Philippi that had a spirit of Pytho which gather master much vantage with diuining And this spirit whereby she diuined was within her For Paul beeing molested said to the spirit I coÌ„mand thee in the name of Iesus Christ that thou come out of her and he came out the same houre v. 18. And because the deuill is wont in this kinde to speake out of the throat and brest or bellie of the Witch pâ—ssessed hereunto learned men haue thought that this name Ob is giuen to the deuill because he speaketh out of the witch as out of a bottell or hollow vessell for so the word Ob properly signifieth Secondly this may be practised when the deuill is forth of the Witch and then he either inspireth her or els casteth her into a traunce and therein reueileth vnto her such things as she would know Of this kind though we haue no example in Scripture yet the histories of the heathen doe affoard vnto vs many instances of experience therein One of the principall is the historie of the ten Sibylles of Greece who were most famous Witches and did prophesie of many things to come whereof some were true concerning Christ and his kingdome which the deuill stole out of the Bible and some other were false and all of them they receiued by reuelation from the deuill in traunces But it will be said If the deuill reueileth vnto his instruments straÌ„ge things in traunces then how shall a man discerne betweene diabolicall reuelations and the true gift of prophesie which God in traunces reueileth vnto his Prophets Answ. In this point Satan is as it were Gods ape For as he in old time raised vp holy Prophets to speake vnto the fathers for the building vp of his Church so hath Satan inspired his ministers and furnished his instruments with propheticall inspirations from time to time for the building vp of his owne kingdome and hereupon he hath notably counterfeited the true gift of prophecie receiued first from God himselfe And yet though in many things they be like there is great difference betweene them First diuine trances may come vpon Gods children either wheÌ„ the soule remaineth vnited with the bodie or else when it is seuered for a time So much Paul insinuateth when he faith of himselfe 2. Cor. 12. â— that he was rapt vp as it were in a heauenly trance into the third heauen but whether in the bodie or out of the bodie he knew not But in all diabolical ecstasies though the body and senses of the Witch be as it were bound or benummed for the time yet their soules still renâ—aine vnited to their bodies and not seuered from them For though the deuill by Gods permission may kill the bodie and so take the soule out of it for euer yet to take it from the bodie for a time and to reunite them againe is miraculous and therefore beyond the compasse of his power Secondly in diuine trances the seruants of God haue all their senses yea all the powers of soule and bodie remaining sound and perfect onely for a time the actions and operations are suspended and cease to doe their dutie but in ecstasies that be from Satan his instruments are cast into frenzies and madnesse so as reason in them is darkened vnderstanding obscured memorie weakned the braine distempered yea all the faculties are so blemished that many of them neuer recouer their former estate againe and they that scape best doe carrie their blemishes as the deuills skars euen vnto their graue So kind is Saran to his friends that he will leaue his tokens behind him where euer he comes in this sort The seruants of God receiue no such blemishes but rather a further good and a greater measure of illumination of all the powers of the soule Thirdly diuine ecstasies tend alway to the confirming of the truth of the Gospel and the furtherance of true religion and pietie Such was Peters Act. 10. 11. which serued to assure him of his calling to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles and to informe his iudgement in this truth that there was no acception of persons with God and that to them of the new Testament all things were cleane and nothing polluted But the scope of them that are from Satan is principally the suppressing and hinderance of religion the drawing of the weake into errours the ratifying and confirming of theÌ„ that are fallen thereinto and the generall vpholding of the