are not able to make the greatest signes in Heaven to confirm their Prognostications Why did Christ refuse to shew a signe from Heaven in proof of his Messiahship Matt. 16.1 4. Because they sought it and sought it temptingly and sought it for themselves They would have signes among signes and miracles among miracles and such signes and miracles as they themselves fancyed and such as might assimilate their own prognosticating superstition and vain observation and such a signe as was not prophecyed that the Messiah should do and such as had neither just cause necessity nor end for which they should desire it Besides that the Prophets revealed nothing from the stars and Christ denyed to make any such demonstration of himself his doctrine and miracles because it was not prophecyed of him and therefore he refers them onely to a prophecyed sign the signe of the prophet Jonas enough to signifie of how little necessity all sydereal observation or operation is to pure Prophecy But I demand further if there were any congruity or consistency betwixt Prophecy and mag-astro-mancy why then was the one a singular extraordinary and temporary gift to Gods people and the other made a common Art or Trade to Idolators Infidels and men prophane 9. Whether Prophecy be natural Or yet of any artificial preparation The Occult Philosophizers Magical Mirabilaries and astral Fabricators are for both yea besides the seed of the soul and the humours of the body they pretend the parts of beasts stones herbs and outward ceremonies all to be effectually disposing to Prophecie But the truth is for neither For Prophecy indeed is not natural but supernatural not artificial or acquisite but infused or inspired Prophecy is immediate sudden momentany the disposition at one instant infused together with the act yea and the very particular disposition ceasing when the particular act ceaseth It never finds it subject capable to receive it but makes it so neither leaves it in the least capacity to acquire or expect it presently again But if it please to return it still makes its own way oft times another a new way for it self What inclination of nature or preparation of Art doth it require when it can take the ignorant as well as the learned the Idiot as well as the Artist yea a corrupt heart and a false mouth and neverthelesse make it forespeak its own infallible truth No nature or essence is prophetical of it self but that which is incomprehensible and comprehending all things If our nature had any such inclination in it self why should we not all prophesie And alwayes prophesie And prophesie when we please And prophesie of one thing as well as another And one prophesie as well as another To whom then should we prophesie And how should our pronuntiating be of those things which are hidden to the common sense and ordinary apprehension of men among whom we are conversant How should Prophecy be said to exceed all natural cognition if it may proceed from any natural inclination And how shall we distinguish betwixt Prophecie which hath revealed and reveals things as they are in themselves and prognostication which at most can but predict some things as they are in their natural causes and dispositions What praevious disposition to prophesie either naturally or artificially was there in Ames when he said I was no prophet neither was I a prophets son but I was an heardman and a gatherer of sycomore fruit And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophecy Amos 7.14 15. As for Elisha's calling for a Minstrel 2 King 3.15 This was not to procure or excite prophesie but to sedate passions and affections and so make himself fitter for contemplation and devotion Not as if according to the Rabbinical conceit the spirit of Prophecie had now made its recesse from him because of some perturbation of his in being so exasperated against Jehoram For that was a true zeal of God and that is never inordinate neither serves it to abate but promote Gods gifts But say he had been somewhat disquieted and distracted from the spirit of Prophecie how was it in the force and vertue of Musick to restore it Musick could do that neither naturally nor artificially if it did it at all it must do it miraculously The prophets very calling for Musick was a prophesie Signifying that the spirit of Prophecie rests not in turbulent distracted factious seditious minds but in harmonious unanimous appeased and peaceable hearts But let them contend Prophecie to be of natural disposition and artificial preparation that would so take off theirs from being thought diabolical what need we do so that hold Prophecie to be wholly divine Nature and Art cannot so much credit the Astrological as they prejudice the Theological prophesie 10. Whether Prophesie be not now ceast It was never intended to be perpetual Even while it was it was an act not an habit not permanent but transient The Spirit now in the illapse and again upon the recesse It was a gift or grace not so much personal as vocational pertaining not to ordinary duty so much as extraordinary occasion Nor was it so necessary that men should be taught to look after things future as how to use the present time aright The prophets were but types of that great Prophet and all prophesie had its main end and completion in Christ It was therefore meet that the shadow should recede now that the substance came in place Prophecy was necessary for the Church of the Old-Testament because Christ was not yet come but not so in this of the New because Christ is come already We have an Evangelical prophesie abundantly recompencing that lack of the legal being a gift or grace not extraordinary but ordinary not temporary but perpetual not singular but universal not vocational onely but personal not an act common to reprobates but an habit peculiar to the Saints Not of propounding things of future times but of expounding the future things of eternity Be it in heaven or earth Prophecies shall fail when that which is perfect is come 1 Cor. 13.8 In heaven they must needs fail because there 's no future to be contemplated or expected all is an eternal present And in the Church of Christ they must needs fail because there is no future truth not another Gospel to be expected the present truth is eternal Prophecie failed in the Church as did the other extraordinary and temporary gifts viz. Working of miracles and speaking with Tongues Neverthelesse I conceive God hath absolutely denyed his Church none of all these but that the Spirit may be pleased to stir up some men at some times and to some particulars to act in any of them if just cause and necessity be Yet though a man should be raised to prophesie now and that by the same Spirit I cannot think it to be by the same degree or authority of the Spirit as the former Prophets were Because the authority
their own Now this prestigiousnesse or illusion whether freely from themselves or as it were forced by others is a signe of their impotency as well as their fallacy and either of them are a sufficient argument to exclude them utterly from a power of working Miracles And therefore if they will needs be contending for the devils power in and by Magicians Astrologers Necromancers Conjurers Witches c. We leave both them theirs to their lyingwonders 6. Whether there be any such secrets in Nature as whereby to work Miracles Although it be confest that there are sundry admirable secrets hidden in Natures bosome yet we must professe that her hand is here shortned Because it is the nature of a Miracle to exceed Natures power It must be above besides against Nature and not particular onely but universal or whole created Nature Though a Miracle be wrought in Nature yet it must be quite beyond Natures principles law order Nature of it self must not so much as incline or dispose to it Yea it must be in the very nature of the thing to be otherwise then the Miracle hath made it Alwayes the more alien the effect is to Nature and the more remore from Natures order the greater is the Miracle and the more to be admired Wherefore we conclude against those Mirions who would make themselves to be Natures Apes that not onely any particular nature is not able to worke a Miracle besides or against the order of whole Nature but the vertue even of whole Nature is not able to worke a Miracle upon any particular nature whatsoever 7. Whether Miracles may be wrought by Art The flat Negative is to be concluded upon these Arguments 1. Art cannot exceed Nature Now Nature in all her mirables is but Miracles Ape and Art is but Natures Ape what then are the Magical Mirabilaries at most but Apes of Art 2. The strength of Art is acquisite the vertue of Miracles is infused 3. An Art operates onely according to reason and knowledge but a Miracle altogether above them 4. Art effects nothing but according to ordinary rules observations experiments customs but a Miracle is so extraordinary that it were no Miracle except it were effected contrary to all these 5. Art for the most part is of necessaries a Miracle for the most part is of contingents 6. If Art served to worke Miracles then were the power of them acquisite arbitrary of mans will and industry yea one man might do Miracles as well as another 7. None of Gods servants ever wrought Miracles by Art 8. If it were in the Artists power it should be a Miracle to one man and not to another 9. Prophane men and the greatest tempters of God the Devil and Nature should so do most Miracles 10. Art rather serves to prevent many things for seeming Miraculous because it helps to finde out the suddain cause For either it lets to understand the cause or not if it doth not then it is no Art if it doth then it is no Miracle 8. Whether it be lawful necessary convenient not onely for the working of Miracles but for the finding out of Mirables to operate either by Art or violence against the order plac't in Nature Doubtlesse it is no further lawful then it may be either necessary or convenient That is probably and directly tending to some publike or private use or benefit Nature may have many pretty mirables which they title Admired Auditions Natural history Mirables of the world Occult Miracles of Nature Occult Philosophie subtilities and varieties of things secrets mysteries memorables unheard of curiosities c. Yet for all that are they not such as Magicians fain or fable in animals plants herbs stones c. Nor are they a many of them so mirable in themselves as either to mens fancies or ignorances Her actives and passives simpathies and antipathies are so occult and profound as who can tell where to finde them or how to apply them so as to urge Nature by the help of Art to worke wonders Who can do such a thing especially make it his trade profession ostentation so to do and not be subject to or guilty of tempting God provoking the Devil tormenting Nature abusing the creature losing time disparaging himself and deluding the world It is for none but God to worke absolutely against the order of whole created Nature because he could have instituted another order of Nature And all things are subject to him not so much from a necessity of Nature and second causes as according to the absolutenesse of his own power and liberty of his own will And it is for none to undertake to alter the order of particular Nature but in by under and for God yea I may say according to God and not otherwise As. 1. God acteth not against the order of nature in any particular of it save onely upon just and weighty causes how then dare prophane men offer to do such a thing joculatorily jugglingly to make sport and pastime or yet for no other end or use but vain and idle experiments sake or onely to feed or satisfie vain and presumptuous curiosity 2. God though he may act against that order which one creature hath to another yet acts he not against that order which the creature hath to himself For should he act against the order of nature as it depends upon himself he should so act against himself in like manner neither ought man to act against the order of nature or of the creature so far forth as it depends upon God nor yet so far forth as it is not intended by God to be serviceable and useful unto men 3. God acts not against the law and course of nature so as to violate his own great Law so that of his wisdome goodnesse justice in disposing the creature neither ought men so to do beyond the great Law of using the creature aright and to those very ends for which God ordained it For it can never be lawful or warrantable so to transgresse natures order as to abuse the creature in any kinde Now do they not know that the creature may as well be spiritually and speculatively abused by superstition and curiosity as practically and carnally by violence or sensuality 9. Why amongst all the Miracles that Christ wrought against the Devils among men and in the other creatures he did work none at all from or by the heavenly bodies the stars Besides the reason above mentioned why he refused to shew a signe from heaven this may now be added above all the rest It was because there now was a greater Miracle wrought upon the earth then ever was wrought in the Heavens Even the mysterious Miracle or miraculous Mystery of God and Man Doing such works upon earth as whereat the Angels and whole powers of heaven might well stand amazed with admiration Indeed there was a wonder in Heaven a star a new star at his birth and another wonder in Heaven an Eclipse of
turning himself round about thrust the Magician down the precipice at unawares where he was so dashed and sore bruised in the fall that his death must necessarily follow Then complaining of Alexanders rash act Alexander replyed thou oughtest rather to complain of thine own Art that busies thee in the searching the things of the Heavens and lets thee not foresee what impends thee on earth Alas quoth he what mortal man can avoid his own fate I foreknew while I was in Aegypt that mine own son should be the occasion of mine own death What am I thy son said Alexander To whom Nectanebus confesses the whole truth and dies A certain Aegyptian burning in lust towards another mans wife consults with a Magician or Sorcerer how he might obtain his desire He answered nothing hindred but the mutual love that was between the husband and the wife whereupon he hired the impostor to stir up a dislike betwixt them which he laboured after this praestigious manner making the woman appear to the man as if he had a shagg'd Mare in his bed A paganish young man in Gaza extreamly loved a Virgin that was a Christian and when all his dalliance availed not to his end he went to Memphis thinking to bring it about by Magical Art Where after a yeers attendance he was instructed by Aesculapius his vaticinators to put a certain plate of brasse with a portentous figure under the threshold where the maid dwelt and to recite certain torments or charmes of words over it Whereupon the Virgin grew mad in love with him and did nothing but call for the young man nightand day But her parents had her to Hillarion who presently by his wisdom and piety dispossessed her of that magical and constellational fury Turbula a Martyr in Persia being falsly accused and condemned by the Magicians one of them fell greatly enamoured with her excellent beauty would have corrupted her with promise of safety to her and her followers and other great rewards but all would not prevail Vter Pendragon coming into Gornwall cast his eyes upon fair Igrene wife to the Duke of that Province whom he very importunately solicits but all to little purpose the constant wife that so dearly loved her Lord would by no means be won to do him that dishonour Merlin therefore is consulted who to bring her to his bow scorns to use any petty magical Philters but he new moulds the shape of the King and prints upon his face the very feature of Gonlois her own Lord by which means he soon violated this Ladies chastity in the bed of praestigious delusion A Magical Monk in Spain or some Fryer Praedicant was familiar with a Nobleman that had a fair wife He tempts her chastity and is repulsed upon his unsatisfied importunity she acquaints her husband it is consented to admit him again and watched to entrap him At the time appointed he comes in a secular habit and equipage she is resolute still and refusing but the night gave boldnesse to the attempt and now what he cannot perswade he seeks to enforce She resists it and cries out to give the watchword to her husband and those that lay in wait but all in vain for he by his effascinating Art had charmed them all into a dead sleep As they strugled together she spyed a dagger at his back and therewithal stabbed him to the death And running into the room where her husband and the rest were she found them so fast asleep that all she could do could not awake them now having none in her family either to hear or help her she suspected some malefice and went stoutly and cast the dead carcase into the street Where passers by lighting upon it the businesse is brought before the Corrigidor and the dead party is discerned The next day the Prior of the Covent is desired to summon all his fellows together who all came onely this party is absent they then knock at his chamber door but no body makes answer at last they break open the door and there they espie a Torch in the Chimney burning very dimly Now neither the husband nor any of the family could be awaked till that Torch was extinct A certain souldier that by Magical Philters had sought to procure the love of such a woman one night imagined that he enjoyed her in his dream but he awaking found himself cast into a filthy myry ditch and there embracing in his arms a carcase or carrion of a dead beast In Misnia a young man using the Art or means of a Magician to enjoy her whom he loved was brought into a by-room by malefical incantations there was brought in to him the spectrene apparition of her whom he loved the besotted youth taking it for real put forth his hand to embrace her at which his brains were violently dasht out against the walls the carcase so beaten upon the Magician that he himself lay half dead a long time after The Oracles themselves ordained scenical and Floralian enterludes The Magical Philosophers had their notorious Harlots and professed not onely a necessity but a lawfulnesse of having them The Persians and Chaldeans were burning mad upon their own sisters daughters mothers Both their Magical Religion and Laws were for wrong and lusts Romulus whose birth life and death was praestigious is thought to be begot upon a Vestal by Mars by Amulius her Uncle by the Genius of the place by a divining Priest by a common souldier The things to be chiefly noted in him are the Magical lusts of his birth wrongs of his life and judgements of his death Simon Magus had his Helena and take Helena's for Harlots so had Nicolaus of Antioch so had Marcus so had Marcion so had Apelles so had Montanus so had Priscillian All Hereticks most or all Mag-astro-mancers And it is a question whether they made more use of their women in their Magick their heresies or their lusts Gallirrhoe a noble Virgin and already betrothed to an husband bathing in the River and according to a Magical instance with odes and incantations imploring Scamander to take her maiden-head Simon the Athenian praestigiously faigning himself to be Scamander did vitiate her by that means Echerates the Thessalian coming to consult Apollo at Delphos and there seeing Pythia a Virgin of exceeding beauty violently ravished her upon which it was decreed that no Virgin or young woman should after that be set over the Oracle but some old Crone of fifty at least yet in a virgins habit Aristocrates King of the Messenians in as much as he could not allure the Priestesse of Diana Hymnia to his lusts and to avoid his importunity flying to the Altar he forceably ravished her there For which he was stoned by the Arcadians and the Priesthood was afterwards transferred from a Virgin to a marryed wife Decius Mundus a young man of dignity and wealth falling desperately in love with Paulina the faire and yet chaste wife of Saturninus offered her twenty
as our English word founds aptest or her apish and accidental sports by confusedly shadowing one kinde of creature in another And causing them to rise and fall in their own mud like the imperfect animals in Nilus without any further hurt or help to the whole universe save that men may consider that He who made all things of nothing can make any thing resemble every thing and that Christians might learn to blesse their Creator for their more perfect formation But idle-witted and fantastical men have fancied figures and faces in stones and roots like as we have done of late on Tobacco-box lids and therewith have fraught their studies as Papists have done their Sacraries with Reliques or as women have deckt their closets with shells Neither is the vanity all but they have superstitiously nay and forcerously made these umbrages of creatures to be the tutilaries of Kingdoms Nations Countries Cities persons from devils thunders tempests shipwracks pestilences poysons serpents vermine and who knows what 12. Whether a diabolical compact and familiarity may not justly be there suspected where praestigious things are apparent and yet miracles are denyed the Law affords no precept the Gospel hath made no promise Nature hath no power Art hath no principles the means have no warrant and the end hath no profit no profit neither to Church nor Common-wealth 13. What is the difference betwixt those that call themselves Magicians Mathematicians Astrologers Prognosticators Diviners and those that are called Soothsayers Necromancers Conjurers Inchanters Sorcerers Wizzards and Witches Is this all the difference that the one is guilty of a compact or covenant the other not Why there is an implicite covenant as well as an explicite and one leading to the other and by how many of both parties hath even an explicite covenant been confessed Or that one is arted the other unlearned What good of an art without a gift the more learned in an evil art the more to be abhorred Let them both see to it whether the main of their learning be not of a delusive suggestion rather then of a diligent acquisition Or that one is imperious over the Devil wheras the other is his supplyant The Devil smiles alike at the pride and at the humility of a superstition And can no more be enjoyned then he can be entreated And will yield that either of them shall openly command so they will but secretly implore Or that the one operates by the celestial the other by terrestrial imps Hath not idolatry and superstition and why not witchcraft been committed by things in Heaven as well as things on earth Me thinks a Magician operates by the baser imp of the two For a Witch works by a living dog cat mouse rat c. But he by a dead one configured constellated written painted ingraven Or that Witches are for the most part female but they male Oh! the nobler sexe abusing it self is alwayes the viler Or that Witches are poor and envious to the infesting of women children cattel c How proud are they then that dare do the like to Nations Kingdoms Princes Magistrates c. Or that Witches are violent and revengeful in their practices but Magicians are pleasant and merry in their pranks Certainly it is good neither to play with Saints nor Devils such their sports are Satans earnest Doth not the one thus act with more reluctancy and the other with more complacency For such passions may have more of enforcement and such pleasures more of assent 14. Whether the appellations of Magicians Mathematicians Astrologers Genethliaks Planetarians to say nothing of the old Chaldeans Aegyptians Gazarens Samanaeans Hierophants Beachmans Gymnosophists Thessalians Hetrurians the Cabalistical Rabbins the Greek Arithmeticks the Roman Augurizers the French Druids the English Bards c. as also Necromancers Conjurers Inchanters Charmers Wizzards Witches Sorcerers Soothsayers Sophisters Impostors Circulators loculators Juglers Gipsies Physiognomists Fortune-tellers Prognosticators Praedictors Diviners c. be not terms of a promiscuous usage And whether the community of words argue not some community of things Nay have not the holy Scriptures condemned them under these tearms or names indifferently Do not the Fathers Councells Schoolemen Casuists Divines Historians and Poets thus speak of them indiscriminately Have not the Ecclesiastical Imperial Provincial Municipal Lawes under these mixt notions and nominations decreed and doomed them alike to penalty 15. Why the Devil chuseth to have both his most solemn confederation as also the most stupendious operations that follow thereupon to be made and done under certain constellations Is it not because he would have the Starres worshipped for Gods who himself is worshipped in any thing that is not God Or that he would thus have all the malefice devolved upon heavenly bodies For what mischief he is permitted to do upon earth he would make men believe it comes from Heaven Or indeed that he would thus delude the Sorcerers themselves in perswading them that what they do they do not by fraud but by an innocent nay an exquisite Planetary Art For how many rank wharsicks have laboured to excuse their execrable Arts by accusing the malefick Stars 16. How many Magicians Astrologers and Planetary Prognosticators have had their Paredrials their Assessors and Obsessors their Consiliaries and Auxiliaries their Martinists Maisterels and Ministrels their Imps and Familiars as well as other Witches And whether have not they made the same use and employment of them as the other have done 17. Whether the Artists in Magick and Astrology denying exclaiming and cautioning against Idolatry Superstition Sorcery Witchcraft be sufficient to purge their Art and quit themselves of the same When as their very speculations are expressely coinquinated with much in all these and their practises palpably guilty of much more and that to all mens judgements but theirs that use them Therefore rather whether are not their intermingled negations and affirmations disclaimings and acclaimings vowings and disavowings cautions and concessions distinctions and confusions an Argument of a consciousnesse or conviction of something in this kinde to be greatly suspected and censured 18. How many of them that have pretended nothing but nature and natural causes and boasted Art altogether and principles of mysterious Art yet when the mystery of delusion and iniquity hath been discovered and themselves straightly examined by prudent and careful Magistrates or the day of their disastrous and unfortunate ends or execution approaching I say how many of them have then confest and cryed out upon compacts confederacies Devils delusions perdition damnation 19. Whether the superstitions of Sorcery and Witchcraft be not taught and promoted countenanced and encouraged by the Printing and permitting such multitudes of Magical books Especially the translating of them by way of Vindication and Apologie into the vulgar tongue 20. Whether such books may be read unlesse with an inimical Science not a social Conscience not with an invitatory operation but an expugnatory refutation And whether their signes and ceremonies may be used
of the stars Eclipses conjunctions c. But if they be not necessary although falling out for the most part but may have some other natural causes hindring them those he can foretel but probably and by conjecture as showers storms tempests c. He can certainly foretel those malefices which by Gods permission he intends to act either by himself or by his sworn instruments He can disclose such corrupt cogitations as himself hath injected especially so far forth as he observed them to take impression with complacency And for secret lusts manners and actions such as himself hath been an intimate witnesse of he can reveal them to his Magical instruments and make them if God will permit object them to mens faces and bewray them to the world He is continually so going to and fro in the earth that he can tel what is doing even in remotest places and such is his agility can suddenly convey it to his absent instruments or Artists and make them relate it as if they were present Hidden treasures lost goods thefts murders secretly committed these because done in his presence and kept in his remembrance he can disclose to and by his Agents if men will consult and God give leave Yea he can presage many things from the prophecies of the Word whose historicall part he understands better then men 5. Why God permits the devil and Diviners oft times to predict things future Is it not to distinguish betwixt his special spiritual and saving graces and his extraordinary temporary and transient gifts That none might presume of an inlightened minde or a conformed will because of such acts as may be without the least touch either of the one or the other Nor arrogate to themselves a likeness to Angels for such presagitions as wherein the beasts may surpass them Is it not that ungodly men and profane may thus so much the more be given over to their own superstitions and diabolical delusions And to teach the faithful and godly not to covet affect admire or undiscreetly approve of those gifts which are no perpetual and infallible tokens of Gods grace and favour Especially neither to be acting in nor attending to those vain curiosities which Satan may suggest and wicked men and infidels may attain unto 6. Whether the devil or divining predictors ought to be believed should they foretel truth The Devil abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it Joh. 8.44 Eve ought not to have believed him because he spake of his own Gen. 3. Ahab was not bound to be perswaded by him 1 King 22.20 21 22. Because though he had a Commission or permission from God yet he exceeded it and spake of his own But I make a question whether Saul ought not to have believed him 1 Sam. 28.19 Because he now spake not of his own God is to be believed even in the Devil himself But then it might be evident that he not onely speaks the things of God but from God that is both the truth and by a special warrant Otherwise there 's no accepting of his Testimony be it never so true if he take it up of his own Authority And therefore our Saviour Christ would neither assent to nor approve of the Devils although they spake the truth Mark 7.24 25. 3.11 12. No more did St. Paul to the truth that was spoken by the Spirit of Divination Act. 16.16 17 18. We are taught that Satan may transform himself into an Angel of light and so may his Ministers likewise And therefore we held our selves not obliged simply to believe either the one or the other even in the best they can say Because they may lye in telling truth may tell truth to deceive may prejudice a greater in uttering a lesser truth may usurp it of themselves may arrogate it to themselves When did God send the devil on a message to instruct his Church in the truth or to promise good unto his children If he be sent extraordinarily to pronuntiate to the wicked and reprobates their destinated judgements and deserts they may be so conscious within themselves as to have cause to believe them But as for holy men and elect if they be not tyed to believe their truth how much rather ought they to take heed of their strong delusions as not to believe their lyes 7. Whether a wicked man may prophesie or a godly man divine Although godly men are more subject to wicked mens sins then wicked men are capable of godly mens graces Yet godly men as godly men cannot be infected with wicked mens divining neither can wicked men as wicked men be endowed with godly mens prophecying Joseph is pretended to divine yet is it but a pretence of a pretence if it be taken in the worst sense as hath been said before Balaam took up his parable a dark saying which he himself understood not and God put a word in his mouth which never affected his heart But Balaam had no more the gift and spirit of prophesying then his Asse had the gift and spirit of speaking May we not then determine it thus God may be pleased so to dispense prophecying as sometimes to prompt a wicked man with the act sound or prolation of it but inspires or indues godly men alone with the gift sense and spirit of prophecy For the spirit of prophecy delights in sanctity and purity And to perfect prophecy is required not onely the illumination of the minde but the assent also of the will as to Gods revelation authority pleasure message truth glory which indeed cannot be in an ungodly man In Scripture a good man and a Prophet are Synonyma's and a man of God and a Prophet convertible terms And a bad man is never so called but with some epithete betokening the abusive appellation Goodness of manners though it necessarily prepares not of it self to the acquisition of prophecy because it is a free sudden extraordinary insult or illapse Yet badnesse of manners is alwayes of it self an utter impediment Onely God may be pleased in such singular acts so to abalienate or suspend corruptions for the present as sometimes to make good use of ill instruments for others sakes but not often or for their own as he hath been been pleased to act with those whose hearts he hath changed and renewed 8. How chance the Prophets that prophecyed not onely by words but by Facts and by Signes also and by so many and ordinary Signes yet none of them once prophecyed from the stars or their constellations Was not that vertue in them Or was it not observed in them in their time Were they fain to make use of terrestrial signes because the coelestials were out of their reach Nay was it not to let us understand That God and his Prophets could make the meanest signes upon earth to confirm their Prophecies whereas the devil and diviners
shalt be able by praying consecrating sacrificing invocating to attract spiritual and coelestial Poems and to imprint them on those things thou pleasest and by it to vivifie every magical work 24. Sacred words have not their power in Magical operations from themselves as they are words but from the occult divine powers working by them in the mindes of those who by faith adhere to them by which words the secret power of God as it were through Conduit pipes is transmitted into them who have eares purged by Faith and by most pure conversation and invocation of the divine Names are made the habitation of God and capable of these divine influences whosoever therefore useth rightly these words or Names of God with that purity of minde in that manner and order as they were delivered shall both obtain and do many wonderful things 25. To work Miracles by divine names words seales characters all must be done in most pure gold or virgin parchment pure clean and unspotted also with Inke made for this purpose of the smoak of consecrated waxe lights or incense and holy water The actor also must be purifyed and cleansed by sacrifice and have an infallible hope a constant Faith and his minde lifted up to the most high God if he would surely obtain this divine power 26. There are four kinds of divine phrenzy proceeding from several Deities viz. from the Muses from Dyonisius from Apollo and from Venus The first phrenzy therefore proceeding from the Muses stirs up and tempers the minde and makes it divine by drawing superiour things to inferiour things by things natural Of which there are nine degrees c. The second phrenzie proceeds from Dionysius this doth by expiations exteriour and interiour and by conjurations by mysteries by solemnities rites temples and observations divert the soul into the minde the supreme part of it self and makes it a fit and pure temple of the Gods in which the divine spirits may dwell which the soul then possessing as the associate of life is filled by them with felicity wisdome and oracles not in signes and marks and in conjectures but in a certain concitation of the minde and free motion c. The third kinde of phrenzy proceeds from Apollo viz From the minde of the world this doth by certain sacred mysteries vowes sacrifices adorations invocations and certain sacred Arts or certain secret confections by which the spirit of their God did infuse vertue make the soul rise above the minde by joyning it with Deities and Daemons c. The fourth kind of phrenzie proceeds from Venus and it doth by a fervent love convert and trans-unite the minde to God and makes it altogether like to God as it were the proper image of God The soul therefore being converted and made like to God is so formed of God that it doth above all intellect know all things by a certain essential contract of divinity Doth besides that it hath by its integrity obtained the spirit of prophecy sometimes work wonderful things and greater then the nature of the world can do which works are called Miracles 27. It was a custome amongst the Ancients that they who should receive Answers certain expiations and sacrifices being first celebrated and divine worship ended did religiously lye down even in a consecrated chamber or at least on the shrines of sacrifices c. 28. Whosoever would receive divine Dreams let him be well disposed in body his brain free from vapours and his mind from perturbations and let him that day abstain from supper neither let him drink that which will inebriate let him have a clean and neat chamber also exorcized or consecrated in the which a perfume being made his temples annointed things causing dreams being put on his fingers and the representation of the heavens being put under his head and paper being consecrated his Prayers being said let him go to bed earnestly meditating on that thing which he desireth to know so shall he see most true and certain dreams with the true illumination of his intellect c. 29. Every one that works by Lots must go about it with a minde well disposed not troubled not distracted and with a strong desire firm deliberation and constant intention of knowing that which shall be desired Moreover he must being qualified with purity chastity and holinesse towards God and the coelestials with an undoubted hope firm faith and sacred Orations invocate them that he may be made worthy of receiving the divine spirits and knowing the divine pleasure For if thou shalt be qualified they will discover to thee most great secrets by vertue of Lots and thou shalt become a true Prophet and able to speak truth concerning things past present and to come of which thou shalt be demanded 30. Whosoever being desirous to come to the supreme state of the soul goeth to receive Oracles must go to them being chastely and devoutly disposed being pure and clean to go to them so that his soul be polluted with no filthinesse and free from all guilt He must also so purifie his Minde and Body as much as he may from all diseases and passions and all irrational conditions which adhere to it as rust to iron by rightly composing and disposing those things which belong to the tranquility of the minde for by this means he shall receive the truer and more efficacious Oracles 31 We must therefore first observe cleanness in food in works in affections and to put away all filthinesse and perturbations of the minde and whatsoever sense or spirit that offends and whatsoever things are in the mind unlike to the heavens not only if they be in minde and spirit but also if they be in the body or about the body for such an external cleannesse is believed not to help a little to the purity of the minde c. 32 They that desire to have this spirit pure and potent let them use dryer meats and extenuate this grosse body with fastings and they make it easily penetrable and lest by the weight thereof the spirit should either become thick or be suffocated let them preserve the body clean by Lotions Frictions exercises and cloathings and corroborate their spirits by lights and fumes and bring it to be a pure and thin finenesse 33. We must acquit and avert our mindes from all multitudes and such like passions that we may attain to the simple truth which indeed many Philosophers are said to have attained to in the solitude of a long time For the minde by solitude being loosed from all care of humane affairs is at leasure and prepared to receive the gifts of the coelestial deities 34. It is believed and it is delivered by them that are skilful in sacred things that the minde also may be expiated with certain institutions and sacraments ministred outwardly as by Sacrifices Baptisms and Adjurations Benedictions Consecrations sprinklings of Holy water by annointings and fumes not so much consecrated to this as having a natural power
silent or light and loquacious which of you twain shall die first or the one bury the other c. 4. As concerning children If you would know whether your wife shall be fruitful or barren whether she shall bring forth twins or monsters whether boys or girls when and under what constellations to lie with your wife for the begetting of children male or female tall or low of stature fair or deformed healthful or sickly dull or witty wise or foolish rude or mannerly long lived or short lived whether your children shall be many or few dutiful or ungracious thriving or prodigal c. 5. As concerning friendship If you would know whether your friend shall be true faithful useful constant or on the contrary whether your enemies shall be potent or impotent noble or base secret or open reconcileable or implacable whether you shall have more enemies then friends and your enemies more ready and able to hurt then your friends to help whether your greatest friends or enemies shall be aliens or allies c. 6 As concerning honours If you would know whether you shall be honourable or despised preferred or disgraced abroad or at home whether you shall attain to honour and preferment by the Princes favour by wealth by the mediation of friends or by your own deserts whether your honours shall last and how long c. 7. As concerning Magistery and Magistracy If you would know what course of life you shall lead publick or private military or civil liberal or mechanick when under what constellation and with what election to auspicate or enter upon your Science Art Trade Occupation Profession Office Place Calling what shall be your advantage or prejudice hereby c. 8. As concerning servants Whether you shall live or die a servant whether you shall serve a good or a bad master when and under what planetary elections to go to service that so it may be both more easie and beneficial c. 9. As concerning building when or according to what electional houses of the heavens to build your house on earth so as it may stand firm against wind and rain escape fire and be freed from rats mice c. 10. As concerning husbandry If you would know according to what sydereal elections to hire let plant improve plow sow reap c. 11. As concerning commerce If you would know when and under what fortunate position of the starres to buy and sell and gain by the bargain what commodities will be cheap or dear and when c. 12. As concerning Riches If you would know whether you shall waxe rich by inheritance acquisition dead mens goods merchandizing other mens mony by mines woods cattle husbandry finding of hidden treasures by offices places executorship feoffeship c. Whether you shall get goods lawfully or unlawfully with ease or industry when your wealth will grow upon you to what measure or value they wil amount and how long they shall last And whether you shall become poor by suertiship compartnership contention idlenesse luxuriousnesse unprudence fire water winds rots murrains thieves robbers plunderings and whether your riches or poverty shall be first or last 13. As concerning Laws and Lawings If you would know on what lucky day or electional hour to enter your suit whether your advocate will be faithful and diligent in pleading your cause and the Judge just and whether win the day or get the better of your adversary c. 14. As concerning travelling If you would know under what aspects to begin your jurney prosperously whether it is safest to go by sea or by land by night or by day with company or without on horseback or on foot whether your journey shall be long or short your travel pleasant or tedious your return safe and advantagious c. 15. As concerning wars If you would know under what happy conjunction to raise your men whether they shall be trusty and couragious what weapons to make choice of what fortunate day to appoint for the battle where to take your ground when to give the onset when to retreat how to get the victory c. 17. As concerning things lost or stoln If you would know where they are who is the thief whether you shall recover your goods and how improved or impaired c. 18. As concerning sports and recreations If you would know whether it is best to take your pleasure within doors or without when to goe on hunting with sport and successe whether you shall win or lose in playing at cards dice c. 19. As concerning the minutest matters If you would know with what auspication and election to wash your hands kemb your head cut your hair pair your nails put on new cloaths greet a man or meet a beast that is coming towards you c. 20. As concerning health or sicknesse If you would know which of these shall be first or last whether natural or accidental what degree of malignity is to be gathered from the hour of decumbency whether the sicknesse or disease be curable and recoverable yea or no c. 21. As concerning death If you would know whether it shall be natural or violent honourable or shameful abroad or at home suddain or after long languishing sooner or later whether you shall die by justice cruelty treachery and casualty by poyson pestilence sword famine thunder shipwrack fire water beasts thieves robbers servants children neighbours strangers by open or secret enemies c. Besides all these and infinite such like speculative interrogations as touching auspicating elections common both to prescribers and consulters there are together with these constellations certain practical configurations as the fabrications of Images statues pictures Talismanus idols painted molten graven under certain sydereal conjunctions for the repelling of things hurtful from you and procuring of things helpful to you viz. If you would drive away any venemous serpent or noysom beast make the figure thereof in some certain matter under some convenient constellation and inscribe thereupon the name of the signe ascending and the name of the thing you would expell c. And for the contrary effect do it after a contrary constellation c. And observe the like in alluring to love or in provoking to hatred in curing of diseases and procuring of health c. But by no means so conscientious or cautious they are ascribe the effect to the Image for that 's say they idolatry superstition witchcraft but to the constellation and I pray what 's that But I am weary with reckoning up in part things of so great folly and of greater impiety Onely I ask not them but the sound and sober if indeed they be not so I mean if the businesse and folly of the world brought and sought to be directed by the businesse and folly of an Art be not very much repugnant to humane prudence and to divine providence much more CHAP. XXVI From the conviction of Confession WHether Magicians and Astrologers themselves have
not plainly and plentifully discovered and acknowledged the vanity and impiety of Magick and Astrology And whether it be not an Argument irrefragable against an Art or operation whenas the Arch-Artists are so far convinc't as to confesse the pravity and obliquity thereof themselves For who can more truly and fully set them forth then they that have given themselves over to study and practise them How many things of old and of late have been spoken either through a spirit of recantation a conscience of conviction or a sury of exclamation by magicians against Magick and by Astrologers against Astrology Hear what one of them saith both against himself and all the rest of what kind or sort soever Whatsoever things have here already and shall afterward be said by me I would not have any one assent to them nor shal I my self any further then they shall be approved of by the unit versal Church and the Congregation of the faithful Magicians and those who were the authors of this Art amongst the Antients have been Chaldeans Aegyptians Assyrians Persians and Arabians all whose Religion was perverse and polluted idolatry We must very much take heed lest we should permit their errors to war against the grounds of the Catholike Religion For this was blasphemous and subject to the curse and I also should be a blasphemer if I should not admonish you of these things in this science Wheresoever therefore you shall find these things written by us know that these things are onely related out of other Authors and not put down by us for truth but for a probable conjecture which is allyed to truth and an instruction for imitation in those things that are true Of Magick I wrote whilst I was very young three large books which I called Of Occult Philosophie in which what was then through the curiosity of my youth erroneous I now being more advised am willing to have retracted by this Recantation For I have heretofore spent very much time and cost in these vanities At length I grew so wise as to understand how and by what reasons I was bound to dehort others from this destruction For whosoever do not in the truth nor in the power of God but in the delusions of Devils according to the operation of theevil spirits presume to divine and prophecy and by magical vanilies exorcisms inchantments love-potions allurements and other devilish works and deceits of Idolatry exorcising prestigious things and making ostentation of phantasms boasting themselves to work miracles presently vanishing all these with Jannes and Iambres and Simon Magus shall be destinated to the torments of eternal fire The antient Philosophers teach us to know the nature of the genius of every man by stars their influx and aspects which are potent in the nativity of any one but with instructions so diverse and differing amongst themselves that it is much disficult to understand the mysteries of the Heavens by their directions c. Cicers following the stoicks affirms that the foreknowing of future things belongs onely to the Gods And Ptolomie the Astrologer saith that they onely that are inspired with a deity foretel particular things To them Peter the Apostle consents saying Prophesying is not made according to the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Take heed that you be not deceived by them that are deceived Neither can the great reading of books direct you here since they are but as riddles How great writings are there made of the irresistible power of magical Art of the Prodigious Images of Astrologers of the monstrous transmutations of Alchimists of the blessed stone by which Mydas-like all mettals that were touched were presently transmuted into Gold or Silver All which are found vain fictitious and false c. Whatsoever the monstrous Mathematicians the prodigious magicians the envious Alchymists and bewitching Necremancers can do by spirits See where their Faith is placed where their hope is reposed who endeavour to subject the Elements Heavens Fate Nature Providence God and all things to the command of one Magician and seek for the preservation of a kingdom from Devils the enemies of publike preservation Saying in their heart with Ochozias there is not a God in Israel let us go and consult Beelzebub the God of Achron c. Are they not delivered over to a reprobate sense who desire the certainty of secret counsels from the Devil the father of lies and hope for victory elsewhere then from the Lord of Hosts All these ungodly follies are wont to bring destruction to the admirers thereof to which truly they who especially confide are made the most unfortunate of all men Surely it is unknown to these Fools and Slaves of the Devil for to finde out things to come and to pronounce truth concerning those things which hang over our heads and are occult and from heaven portended unto men and to effect things which exceed the common course of Nature c. O Fools and wicked Who by these Arts would establish a kingdom by which formerly most potent Empires have fallen and have been utterly overthrown It is now time to speak of the Mathematical disciplines which are reputed to be the most certain of all other and yet they all consist not but in the opinions of their own Doctors to whom much faith is given who also have erred in them not a little Which Alhumasar one of them attests to us saying that the Antients even since Aristotles time have not plainly known the Mathematicks For seeing all these Arts are chiefly conversant about the spherical or round whether figure or number or motion they are forced at length to confesse that a perfect round or spherical is no where to be found neither according to Art nor according to Nature And these disciplines although they have caused heresies in the Church few or none yet as Augustine saith they nothing pertain to salvation but rather induce to errour and recall from God and as Hierome saith are not sciences of piety This Arithmetick vaine and superstitious hath brought forth Geomancy and divination and cogging dicing or chancing and whatsoever is of that sort of sortilegious numerals Although almost all doe adopt Geomancy to Astrologie because of the like judiciall way and because they draw the power thereof not so much from number as motion Of this there have written among the Antients Haly among the moderne Gerardus Cremonensis Bartholomeus Parmensis and one Tundinus I also have written a certaine Geomancy farre different from that of others and yet not lesse superstitions and fallacious or if you will let me say not lesse lying then all the rest Neither do I think that to be passed over which the Pythagoricks did assert and which others think that Aristotle himselfe believed sc that the elements of Letters doe possesse their certain numbers out of which they did divine by the proper names of men the numbers of the letters of every one being collected
Varro a grave Author testifieth that the vanities of all superstitions have issued from the bosome of Astrologie There was in Alexandria a Tribute which the Astrologers used to pay called Blacenominon for the folly of it because by an ingenuous folly they got their gain and because that none but fooles and rash men used to consult them For if from the Stars be mens lives and fortunes why feare we why are we troubled Rather let us leave these to God and the Heavens who neither can erre nor doe evill And since we are but men let us not be over wise in high matters and more then is meet and above our powers but only so far forth as behooveth humane creatures And moreover in as much as we are Christians let us leave to Christ the houres and to God the Father the moments which he hath put in his own power But if our life and fortune be not from the Starres then doth not every Astrologer run in vaine But there is a kind of men so timerous and credulous which like as children doe their Goblin tales more believe and are more affraid of those things that are not then those that are and by how much a thing is lesse possible they feare it the more and by how much it is lesse like to truth so much the more firmly doe they believe it who truely if there were no Astrologers and Diviners would die for hunger And the foolish credulity of these men forgetfull of things past and negligent of things present and head-strong upon things future doth so favour these deceivers that whereas in other men the faith of the speaker is rendred or suspected by one lie that all the rest of truths are thereby obscured on the contrary as concerning these lying Masters one fortuitous truth must get credit even to notorious lies To which truely they who trust most are rendred of all men the most unhappy As these superstitious vanities are wont to bring destruction to their observers which antiquity witnesseth in Zoroastes Pharaoh Nebuchadonosor Caesar Crassus Pompey Diotherus Nero and Julian the Apostate who as they were most addicted to these toyes so they perished most miserably in the confidence of them And to whom the Astrologers had promised all things fortunate and joyfull all things fell out most dolefull and unfortunate as to Pompey Crassus and Caesar to none of whom they promised other then that they should die old at home and with glory and yet every one of them perished miserably and untimely Verily this is a pertinacious and preposterous kind of men who professe themselves to foreknow things future and yet are ignorant of things past and present and while they professe themselves to all men that they can declare all things although most occult yet very often they know not what is done in their own houses in their own beds Such an Astrologer More the Englishman taxes in this handsome Epigram Thou aery Prophet to whom every Starre Opens it selfe and straight way makes a warre Of each mans future Fate Thou hast a wife That ope's herselfe to all she is so rife This the Sunne sees and all the Stars and yet Not one of them forewarneth thee of it Saturn's aloofe as blind as e're nor can Though nigh discerne betwixt a stone and a man The beauteous Moon can with her bashful eye Being a virgin a virgin onely spie Jove heeds Europa Mars Venus Venus Mars Sol looks to Daphne and Mercury to Heres Hence thy wifes Loves to thee they make not known They have enough to do to tend their own Moreover it is known to all how the Jewes Chaldeans Aegyptians Persians Arabians do dissent in the very rules of the Judiciary way and how Ptolomie rejecteth the whole Astrologie of the Antients and as Avenrodam defends him so Albumasar inveighs against him And all these doth Abraham Avenezra the Hebrew lash To conclude Dorothaeus Paulus Alexandrinus Ephestion Maternus Homer Tebith Alchiudus Zahel Messahalla and almost all the rest conceive and think otherwise And since what they say they cannot prove to be true they only defend themselves by way of experiment neither do they all of â—â—em unanimously agree even about that Neither do they differ lesse about the proprieties of the houses out of which they prole the predictions of all events which Ptolomie assignes one way Heliodorus another Paulus another Manlius another Maternus another Porphyrius another Abentagel another the Egyptians another the Arabians another the Greeks and Latines another the Antients another the Modern another And for as much as it is not evident amongst them after what manner they ought to constitute the beginnings and the ends of those houses since the Antients fabricate them after one fashion Ptolomie after another Campanus after another Johannes Regiomontanus after another whence it comes to pass that they themselves by their own observations do diminish all faith and credit to themselves in that divers of them do ascribe divers properties to the same places and not only so but beginnings also and ends An impious kind of men who attribute those things to the stars the stars that are belonging to God alone and do make us free-born to be the stars born slaves And whereas we know that God created all things good they deliver that there are certain stars malevolous and authors of wickednesses and of evil influxes not without the greatest injury of God and the heavens that may be defining that in those coelestials and in that divine Senate evils and wickednesses are decreed to be done And impute wholly to the stars whatsoever is committed by us through the fault of our own will and what may fall out against order in nature through the fault of the matter Yea they fear not to teach most pernicious heresies and infidelities namely while they prophesse with impious temerity that the gift of Prophecy the power of Religion the secrets of Conscience the command over devils the vertue of miracles the efficacy of supplications and the state of the life to come do all depend upon the stars are vouchsafed by them and may be known from them For they say that the star of the Twins ascending with Saturn and Mercury joyned under Aquarius in the ninth coast of heaven a Prophet must be born and that therfore the Lord Christ was excellent in so many mighty works because in the same place he had Saturn in Gemini Also the sects of Religion over which they place Jupiter as chief patron they distribute by commixtion of other stars so as Jupiter with Saturn should make the Religion of the Jews with Mars of the Chaldeans with Sol of the Egyptians with Venus of the Saracens with Mercury of the Christians with Luna that of Antichrist which they say is yet to come And that Moses from Astrological rules and reasons instituted the Sabbath of the Jews to be observed as a Religious day and that the Christians therefore do erre in not resting from
him that more acutely looks into them and into the canon of their precepts the custome of rites the kind of words and characters the order of extruction and the insulsate phrase doe openly bewray themselves to containe nothing else but mere toyes and impostures and to be pulcht up in latin Hims by the forlorne artificers of perdition ignorant of all ancient Magick out of certain profane observations mixt with the ceremonies of our religion many unknown names and seales inserted that they might terrifie the rude and simple and be an amazement to the sencelesse and such as know not good Letters But this is the reason why these Goeticks onely make use of evill spirits because good Angels will hardly appeare for they expect the command of God and assemble not but with men of clean heart and holy life but the evill ones easily exhibite themselves to be invoked falsly favouring and belying a divinity are alwaies at hand to deceive by their subtilty to the intent they may be worshipped and adored Many think that Theurgie is not unlawfull as if this were governed by good Angels and a divine power when as very often under the names of God and Angels it is obstringed with the fallacies of evill spirits Of this schoole are the art Almadel the art Noterie the Pauline art the art of Revelations and many more of the same superstition which are so much the more pernicious as to the unskilfull they seem the more divine The Cabalie is an art as is reported very ancient and yet the name hath not been known among Christians but of later times This art of Cabalie which the Hebrews so boast of I sometimes have searched with much labour and I finde and confesse it to be nothing else but a meer rapsodie of superstition a certain theurgicall magick but if proceeding from God as the Jews boast it any whit conduced to the perfection of life to the salvation of men to the worship of God to the understanding of the truth verily that Spirit of truth which the Synagogue rejected came unto us to teach us all truth would not have concealed it from his Church until these last times which truly knoweth all things that are of God But that we try and see that by the revolutions as they call them of this art wonderful sentences of great mysteries are wrested out of sacred Letters the whole is nothing else but a certain playing upon Allegories which idle men busied in every letter point and number which this tongue and the manner of writing easily suffer do feign refeigne at their pleasure Therefore this Cabalie of the Iewes is nothing else but a certaine pernicious superstition which collecteth divideth transferreth words and names and letters scatteringly placed in the Scripture and as they list making one thing of another they dissolve the parts of truth the speeches the inductions and making parables here and there of their own fictions they would adopt unto them the words of God defaming the Scriptures saying that their figments do consist of them they calumniate the Law of God by their impudently extorted supputations of dictions syllables letters numbers they attempt to inferre violent and blasphemous proofe of their perfidiousnesse Furthermore being puft up with these trifles they boast themselves to finde out and to know the ineffable mysteries of God and secrets that are above the Scriptures by which they are not ashamed to lie with great boldnesse and without blushing that they themselves can prophecy and work miracles and mighty works But let us return unto Magick parcell whereof is the artifice of prestigious things that is of illusions which are only done according to appearance by which Magicians shew phantasms play many miracles by circulatory frauds and cause dreams which is done not so much by Goeticall incantations imprecations and deceits of devils as also by certain vapors of perfumes lights phyltres collyries alligations and suspensions and besides by rings images glasses and such like drugs and instruments of magicall art and by a naturall and celestiall vertue Also many things are done by a prompt subtlety and industry of hand of which sort we see some are done daily by Stageplayers and juglers which therefore we call Chirosophists that is slight-handed And now by what hath been said it is plaine that Magick is nothing else but a collection or compact of idolatry Astrologie and superstitious Medicine And now also there is by Magicians a great company of Hereticks risen up in the Church who as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses so have they resisted the Apostolicall truth All this is uttered against them by our Arch magician I mean Cornelius Agrippa not a little to the like affect might be collectâ—d out of another of them namely Johannes Trithemius yea undoubtedly he that had but the opportunity to peruse their Authors old and of late needs for their confutation to urge them with no more then their own confession Onely I would aske of them this one thing what doe they think of this one Magician for this one act of his Whether doe they conceive him in charity to have thus confessed retracted recanted repented returned c. or doe they uncharitably account him for it to be humorous cynicall satyricall invective distracted mad malecontent c And whether for this one undertaking of his will they have him called a Philosopher a Daemon an Heroe a God all things or nothing Does not he himselfe tell us what kind of censure he suspects from all kinds of Mag-astro-mancers Alas quoth he with how many of their machinations will they oppugne me with how many devices will they assaile me with what ignominies will they persecute me The impious Mathematician will prescribe me both earth and heaven The sortilegious Pythagorist will suppute for me unlucky numbers The pointing Geomantick will cast unhappy figures and project for me a prison and sorrow The Fatall Astrologers will threaten any hanging and by a slippery turning of the heavens inhibit my ascent to the Gods above The menacing Diviner will ominate all manner of evill to me The importunate Physiognomist will defame me for frigide and insufficient The doting Metoposcopist will pronounce me for a brainsick Asse The fatidicall Chiromantist will divine all things sinisterly of me The presaging Aruspex will exaugurate me with all manner of ill luck The portentous Speculator wil send revengefull flames of Iupiter and fires of presaging thunder The dusky Oniropolist or Dream-teller will affright me with nocturnall Ghosts and Goblins The furious Vaticinator wil deceive me with an ambiguous Oracle The prodigious Magicians wil transform me as another Apuleius or Lucian not into a golden but peradventure into a dirty Asse The black Goeticke wil persecute me with Spectres and Spirits The sacrilegious Theurgist wil consecrate my head to the Crows or perhaps to the Jakes The circumcised Cabalists wil imprecate their curse upon me The old doting praestigator will represent me as an headlesse Eunuch c. To conclude therefore in a word since this is the suspition of one of their own what then must another expect from them But God be blessed we are taugh to discover their madnesse and despise their malice by a better light and strength then all their own confessions can afford us