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
their Art But have they not read that Cicero derided Spurina as well as Caesar did And if they compare Authors they shall read that Caesar himselfe had noted that the Ides of March would be ferall to him because of Scorpio's declining So then it is easie to be observed that the effect followed because of his superstition rather then his derision It is well noted of the same Caesar that for no religion that is fatidicall superstition he could be deterred or retarded from any enterprize When the hoste escaped from the Immolator a direfull omen for the sacrifice to avoid the Altar he notwithstanding would not deferre his expedition against Scipio and Iuba In his profection into Africa as he went out of the ship he chanced to fall slat upon the ground an ill omen yet he presumed it for the best sign and said I now hold thee fast O Africa Yea he carried a Baffoon Jester along with him on purpose to elude the invincible name of the Scipio's in that province and though he went on against the admonitions of the greatest Augurs yet he the rather prospered for his own resolution Pyrrhus was wont to say merrily that he conceived himselfe to be born under Hercules his Star because the more victories he had gotten against the Romans the more sharply they still rose up against him Cato used to say he wondred how one Astrologicall diviner could look upon another and not laugh sc that they had so neatly agreed together to delude all others But the world is turn'd since Catos time and they must now give it leave to laugh at them and their delusions A certaine Astrologer telling it in or to an Assembly that he had there drawn in a Table the erratulae or wandring Stars Lie not friend quoth Diogenes for the Starres erre not nor wander at all but they that sit or stand here to no purpose I adde but they that study and practise an art to as little The same Cynick askt another talking familiarly of the Stars when the came from Heaven Thales as he went on looking up to the Starres fell into a ditch of water whereupon besides the jest his mayd made of him at the present others said of him afterwards that if he had lookt down into the water he might have seen the Stars but looking up to the Stars he could not see the water Bion said the Astrologers were very ridiculous who boasted they could see the Fish afarre off in the Heavens and yet could not see the Fishes hard by swimming in the River Dion one of Plato's Scholars and friends an Ecclipse of the Moon chancing at the same time that he was waighing up his Anchors to saile from Zacynthe to make warre with the Tyrant Dionysius disregarded the vaticinall portent set to saile notwithstanding came to Syracuse and prevailed to drive out the Tyrant One shewed Vespasian a strange hayry Comet thinking to put him in some feare of the portent whereat he merrily replie plyed that prodigie betokened nothing contrary to him but the King of the Parthians his enemy who wore a bushy head of haire After the death of Iulian the Autiochenians even in their sports thus derided Maximus the greatest Magician and chiefe of those that had seduced him by their predictions and praestigious operations where are now thy divinations O foolish Maximus God and his Church have now overcome viz. the Divell and Magicians St. Augustine confesses his Nebridius would often deride his study of Judiciary Astrologie and he was ready to deride him again for ignorant in that art till at length convinced of his own ignorance he prevented the others smiling by his own bewayling Nearchus admirall to Alexander arriving neere the Isle of Nosala consecrated to the Sunne was told of a prophecy that no mortall man might land there but at the instant he should vanish away and be no more seen This made the Marriners refuse butthe Admirall forced them to goe ashore and landed there himselfe to let them see how vaine and contemptible were all such predictions Cato observing one to have consulted a Soothsayer upon a Rat gnawing his hose what an ominous portent said he would the man have suspected if his hose had gnawne the Rat When one wondred at the Snakes winding about his doore bar what a wonder said another would it have been if the bar had twisted about the snake Polydamus conjecturing an ill omen to the Trojanes from the flight of an Eagle holding a Serpent in his talons Tush quoth Hercules the best augurizing is to fight valiantly for our Countrey Prusias refusing to fight because the Diviners had signified to him that the inspected intrailes forbad it as unlucky What said an Athenian Captaine wilt thou give more credit to a piece of calses flesh then to an old Commander Cicero reciting the Diviners prediction of some dreadfull portent from the Mice gnawing the Souldiers Targets or Belts then quoth he may I feare the decay of the Common-wealth because the Mice gnaw'd Plato's politie in my study And if they should likewise gnaw Epicures book of riot and voluptuousnesse might we not thence dread a presage of dearth and famine At Pericles his setting out to the Peloponnesian war the master of the ship being somewhat dismayed because of an ecclipse of the Sun at that instant Pericles cast his cloak over his eyes and askt him what hurt that did him save onely hinder his sight for a little space Alphonsus King of Arragon honouring all learned men and making liberall provision for the masters of all good arts onely ha past by or sleighted the Astrologers The reason of it being asked it was answered by a pleasant wit That the Stars rule fooles but wise men govern the Stars It was therefore for foolish princes to respect and entertain such and not for the wise such as Alphonsus was Scaliger makes himselfe merry with a Fly-driving Configurator who having made a Talismannicall plate for this very purpose he had no sooner set it up but a Fly comes presently and as saith my Translator shites upon it for handsell or in contempt of all such figures Alarielus having besieged Rome some heathenish people had sent for certaine Tusoane Magicians who confidently promised by their art to make him raise his siege and so free the City But Innocentius then Bishop there drave them out thence judging it better and safer for the City to be taken then to be delivered by such divellish means Frederick of Austria being imprisoned by Lewis of Bavaria a Magician promised Leopoldus his brother if he would reward him well for his paines that he would by his art set Frederick at liberty and bring him safe out of Bavaria home to Austria within an houres space And upon a liberall promise his divell hyed to the prison and appeared to Frederick in the shape of a stranger presenting there a horse before him and bad him get upon him and he should presently carry him home into
and ashes Hamilear the Carthaginian Captaine led on by the Ariolists sacrificed all the while he was in fight in hope of better successe but finding it in the discomfiture of his party to fall out on the contrary he cast himselfe as a desperate sacrifice into the fire to quench it with his blood that had put him in so great hopes and stood him in so little stead Rhadagusus a King of the Gothes in warring against the Romans did nothing almost but immolate or sacrifice for auspication or divinations sake so that they began boastingly to spread abroad Rhadagusus who had reconciled to himselfe the protection and assistance of such Gods was sure to overcome But nevertheless he was taken and slain with above 100000. of his army Papyrius Cursor oppugning Aquilonia the Pullarian Auspicator would needs be presaging clean contrary to his tokens whose fallacie being found out the Consul praesumed a good omen notwithstanding and beginning the fight caused the lying Augur to be placed in the front and the first dart that was cast by the enemy struck him stark dead Eudemus being foretold by a cunning dream-speller that although he was now in exile yet he should return to his own Land within five yeares within which space he notwithstanding dyed in â—â—racusa but to make his prediction good he said he meant his grave which is every mans own land Constantia an honourable dame of Rome having received assurance from Astrologers of a long healthfull and most happy life fell sick within sive daies after of a burning feaver and finding that there was no way but death she strained her husbands hand and concluded both her speech and life with these complaining words Behold what truth is in the vain pregnosticates of fond Astrologers Ninus who detested all Astrologers with their deceipts suppressed Zoroastes who would deale in nothing without their encouragement Pompey with his guard of prophets lost his head and Caesar by contempt of Oracles subdued his enemies Iustinian exiling all sorts of false Prophets with their bag and baggage did flourish as a Conquerour whereas Iulian admitting them with all their packs of falshoods and blasphemous lies did perish as a castaway At such time as Brittanicus waited for the great lot of the Roman Empire by the comfort and encouragement of a vaine Astrologer he lost both life and all by the rigour of a bloody Tyrant Thrasillus the Mathematician whom Tiberius had taken into familiarity presaging good things upon the sight of a ship but things falling out contrary to what he predicted Tiberius was purposed as they walked together to cast him down a praecipice for a falsary and an intruder into his secrets Seneca by a pretty fancy bringeth in Mercury perswading with the Gods that they would abridge the life of Claudius if not for any other cause yet even for pitty and compassion of the poore Astrologers who had already been taken with so many lies from yeare to yeere about this point as if the destinies were not more favourable then their grounds were sure the credit of Astrology would decay for ever St. Ambrose telleth of one that prognosticated great store of raine to fall after an exceeding drought but none was seen till it was obtained by the prayers of the Church Galen writeth that none of all those Prophets and Astrologers whose skill was commended and their depth admired in his time at Rome gave any perfect judgement either as touching the disease the continuance or cure thereof Manfredus a rare Doctor of Astrology assured Ordelaphius a Prince in Italy that that very yeere wherein he died if there were any certain knowledge by his art he should not end his life before extremity of age had made him lame and unweldy Paulus Florentinus lived till 85 yeeres of age and yet he would assure his friends in private that he never found one comfort that might promise long life in the figure of his birth but sudden death with many tragicall and most lamentable accidents The great dearth of Cattle which was so certainly expected by the Calculators Anno 1558. turned to a wonderfull encrease of all kinds of sustenance At the same time that the fond Bohemians were affraid to be consumed with sudden sire that should come down from Heaven as some preachers gave warning they were almost drowned with a second Flood by means of excessive showres spring-tides and store of land-waters that ranne down with immoderate abundance as if God had resolved to descry the falshood of their jugling At another time the people were so scared with an universall feare of waters scattered aboad by prophets of this kind as a certain Abbot seeking to prevent the worst built him a Tabernacle upon the top of Harrow on the Hill but the conclusion is that before Summer was halfe spent all the ditches were drawn dry and the castle perished for lack of water Paul Flerent noting two constellations under which the State of Florence was refreshed after long and bloudy warres findeth them so crosse and opposite one to another as himselfe is forced to confesse that small light of assurance may be taken from the blaze of this Beacon Pencer prognosticated upon the last Comet that our bodies should be parched and burned up with heat but how fell it out Forsooth we had not a more unkindly Summer for many yeeres in respect of extraordinary cold 25. Of the Heavens calculating their own purport without the helpe of an Artist and the suspition of Magastromancers predicting rather by diabolicall instinct or the suggestion of their own Familiars then from any vertue of the starres THe day before Iulian died one and he an heathen watching over night saw a conjunction or compact of the Stars expressing thus much in legible characters To day is Julian slain in Persia Also Didymus Alexandrinus had a vision of white horses running in the ayre and they that rode upon them said tell Didymus in this very houre Iulian is slain and bid him tell it to Athanasius the Bishop Constantine in his holy meditations calling up his eyes Eastward towards Heaven saw the similitude of a Crosse wherein were stars as letters so placed that visibly might be read this sentence in Greek In this thou shalt overcome At what time Caesar was in the battell of Pharsalia one Caius Cornelius a notable prognosticator in Padua beholding the flying of Birds cryed out Now they give the onset on both sides and a little after as a man possessed with some spirit cryed out again O Caesar the victory is thine Such was that of Apollonius concerning Domitian of which before Numa Pompilius a Magician or Sortiary not inferior to any had frequent and familiar company confabulation and congression with Aegeria a Nymphish devill Simon Magus had a dogge they say could speak and doe many prodigious pranks Quintus Sertorius had an Hart which he consulted withall Pope Sylvester the second had a dogge which he held more deare then the Kingdom of Naples
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
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
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
thus to do 35. Moreover the Magicians when they made any confection either natural or artificial belonging to any star this did they afterward religiously offer and sacrifice to the same star receiving not so much a natural vertue from the influence thereof being opportunely received as by that religious oblation receiving it divinely confirmed and stronger c. Moreover to the coelestial and aetherical Gods white sacrifices were offered but to the terrestrial or infernal black c. 36. Moreover we must petition for and to the effectors of the thing desired viz. Such an Angel Star or Heror on whom the office lies but observing that our invocation on them must be made with due number weight and measure and according to the rules delivered concerning inchantments 37. Consecration is a lifting up of experiments by which a spiritual soul being drawn by proportion and conformity is infused into the matter of our works according to the tradition of Magical Art rightly and lawfully prepared and our work is vivified by the spirit of understanding So in the consecration of water fire oyle places paper swords c. Let there be commemoration made c. 38. Whosoever therefore thou art who desirest to operate in this faculty in the first place implore God the Father being one that thou also maiest be one worthy of his favour bee cleane within and without in a cleane place Wash your selves oft and at the daies appointed according to the mysteries of number put on cleane cloaths and abstaine from all uncleannesse pollution and lust Be not thou coupled to a polluted or menstruous woman neither to her who hath the Hemachoides touch not an uncleane thing nor a carkase Thou shalt wash and annoint and perfume thy selfe and shalt offer sacrifices Further perfumes sacrifice and unction penetrate all things and open the gates of the elements and of the heavens that through them a man may see the secrets of God heavenly things and those things which are above the heavens and also those which descend from the heavens as Angels and Spirits of deep pits and profound places apparitions of desert places and doth make them to come to you to appeare visibly and obey you 39. Moreover whatsoever thou operatest do it with an earnest affection and hearty desire that the goodnesse of the heavens and heavenly bodies may favour thee whose favour that thou mayest the more easily obtaine the fitnesse of the place time profession or custome diet habit exercise and name also do wonderfully conduce for by these the power of nature is not onely changed but also overcome For a fortunate place conduceth much to favour What place is congruous to each one must be found out by his nativity c. 40. Make election also of houres daies for thy operations For not without cause our Saviour spake Are there not twelve houres in the day and so forth For the Astrologers teach that times can give a certaine fortune to our businesses The Magicians likewise have observed and to conclude all the antient verse men consent in this that it is of very great concernment that in what moment of time and disposition of the heavens every thing whether naturall or artificiall hath received its being in this world for they have delivered that the first moment hath so great power that all the course of fortune dependeth thereon and may be foretold thereby All these are not ashamed to shew themselves in English ere this I have onely now collected them here and there with a running hand to the intent that at one view it might be discerned at least by comparison examined whether these dignifications qualifications dispositions preparations of Magick and Astrologie be not onely so superstitious as of Magick and Astrologie be not onely so superstitious as for conscience and religion to abhor them but so ridiculous as for reason and sense to deride them And whether these their preparations be not meer pollutions in themselves and these their dignifications very vilisications to natural and moral men and these their consecrations be not utter abominations to God and all good men Nay and whether the most damnable witches have not been initiated by such kind of preparative solemnities and their most execrable witchcrafts operated by such effectual ceremonies as these yea and they more fair seeming then the fairest of them CHAP. XXV From the folly of Interrogations and Elections WHether besides the superstition and vain curiosity it be not extreme folly and madnesse to make observation inquisition election of dayes and hours from a mans geniture and the disposition of the stars wherein to auspicate a businesse be it greater or lesse Especially seeing the directing Art it self is not onely depraved commentitiously as themselves confesse by the arrogance ambition vainglory covetousnesse and deceitfulnesse of the Artists but how are they able to vindicate it from a more commentitious invention and idle speculation or inspection according to such numbers additions substractions such days hours minutes scruples c. of such a star or planet in such a positure or aspect such a conjunction constellation configuration such a house such a Lord of the Ascendant such a Lord of the Horoscope such a significator such a Promissor such a Peregrinator such an ambulator such a prerogator such a dispositor such an Emissary c. with such motions congressions profections fortifications oppositions corrections rectifications directions elections c. And how do they prove that such fictions not onely of things but of names at least such disorderly confusions of both should not onely be the Rulers ordaining and ordering but the rules of foreknowing and foretelling mens fates and fortunes manners actions businesses successes fortunate or unfortunate c. Is it not great imprudence then for any to be here onquiring And as great impudence for them to undertake to be here resolving 1. As concerning Fortune in general If you would know whether your fortunatenesse or infortunity prosperity or adversity shall be more or lesse in the beginning middle or end of your life in body minde name goods relations c. 2. As concerning Religion If you would know whether you shall be of any Religion or none whether of a true or of a false Religion whether heretical schismatical hypocritical whether constant or wavering in Religion c. 3. As concerning marriage If you would know whether you shall ever marry or not when or about what age you shal marry how many wives or husbands you shall have whether you shall get a wise easily or after long and hard suit which shall love first or most sc the husband the wife or the wife the husband whether you two shall live long together and love mutually equally and constantly whether your wife shall be a virgin a widdow or an harlot be noble or base beautiful or deformed rich or poor faithful or disloyal vertuous or vitious wise or foolish sullen or cheerful frugal or lavish subject or imperious modest and
of the world of nativities of questions of elections of intentions and cogitations of vertues or powers for the foretelling casting up eschuing or repelling the events of all things future even of the secret dispositions of divine providence it selfe Hereupon the Astrologers doe mart or vent the effects of the Heavens and the Stars from yeers most remote and before all memory of things or the times of Prometheus or as they say from the great conjunctions before the Flood And they affirm that the effects forces motions of all living creatures stones metals herbs and whatsoever things in these inferiours doe flow from these same Heavens and Starres and doe altogether depend upon them and may be searched out by them Verely these are incredulous men and not lesse impious in not acknowledging this one thing that God had already made the Herbs Plants and Trees even before the Heavens and Stars Moreover the most grave Philosophers as Pythagoras Democritus Bion Favorinus Panaetius Carneades Possidonius Timaeus Aristoteles Plato Plotinus Porphyrius Avicenna Averroes Hippocrates Galenus Alexander Aphrodisaeus Cicero Seneca Plutarch and many more who have searched the causes of things from every Art and Science yet never remit us to these Astrologicall causes which although they were causes yet because they plainly knew not the courses of the Stars and their forces which is a thing most known to all wise men they therefore cannot give a certain judgement of their effects Neither are there wanting among them as Eudoxus Archelaus Cassandrus Hoychilax Halicarnassaeus most skilfull Mathematicians and many other modern and most grave Authors which confesse that it is impossible that any thing certain should be found out concerning the science of such judgements both because of innumerable other causes cooperating together with the Heavens which must be attended together for so Ptolomy bids as also because very many occasions doe hinder them as namely customes manners education shame command place geniture blood meat liberty of mind and discipline seeing these influxes compell not as they say but incline Furthermore they who have prescribed the rules of judgements doe for the most part determine such diverse and repugnant things of the same matter that it is impossible for a prognosticator to pronounce any thing certaine from so many and so various and dissonant opinions unlesse there be in him some intrinsicall sense of things future and occult or some instinct of presage or rather occult and latent inspiration of the Devill by which among these he may be able to discerne or may be induced by some other way to adhere now to this now to that opinion which instinct whosoever wanteth he as Haly saith cannot be a Tel-troth in Astrologicall judgements Wherefore now Astrologicall prediction must consist not so much of Art as by a kind of obscure lot or chance of things And as in the books or games of Lottery sometimes such an one is drawn forth as speaks truth and hits right yet not by art but by chance so it is by chance and not by art that vaticinations come forth truely either from the mind or the mouth of an Astrologer To which Ptolomy attests saying the science of the Stars is from thee and from them meaning that the prediction of things future and occult is not so much from the observation of the Stars as from the affections of the mind Therefore is there no certainty of this Art but it is convertible to all things according to the opinion which is collected by conjectures or imagination or an imperceptible suggestion of Devils or some superstitious lot or chance This art therefore is no other then a fallacious conjecture of superstitious men who through the use of long time have made a science of uncertain things in which for the beguiling men of their money they may deceive the unskilfull and may also be deceived themselves And if the Art of these men be true and be understood by themselves whence then bubble out so many and so great errors in their prognostications But if it be not so doe they not vainly and foolishly and impiously to professe a science of things that are not or not understood But the more cautelous of them pronounce not upon futures save obscurely and such as may be applied to every thing and time and Prince and Nation Out of a versatile artifice doe they feyne ambiguous prognosticks and after that any of them shall happen then doe they gather the causes thereof and after the fact or effect then doe they establish old vaticinations with new reasons to the intent they may seem to have foreseen Just as the interpreters of dreames who when they have a dream understand nothing of it for certain but after that something is hapned unto them then doe they adopt the dream to that which hapned Furthermore seeing it is impossible in such a variety of Stars but to finde some of them well some of them ill posited hereupon they take occasion of speaking what they please and to whom they will they predict life health honours riches power victory soundnesse off-spring marriage Priesthood Magistracy and the like but if they be ill affected to any to them they denounce deaths hangings reproaches destructions banishments barrennesse desolation calamities c. not so much out of a wicked art as out of wicked affections drawing on to destruction those men that are credulous to these impious curiosities and oft times committing among themselves both Princes and people in deadly seditions and warres If that Fortune fall in with their prognosticks and among so many ambiguous things if that one or other of them happen to be true it is a wonder then to behold how they bristle being crest-swolne and how most insolently they predicate their own predictions But though they lie daily and be convinced of lying then they excuse it by blasphemy or cover one lie with another saying a wise man ruleth over the Stars when as in truth neither doth a wise man overrule the Stars nor the Stars a wise man but it is God that ruleth over them both or else they say that some ineptitude or incapacity of the receiver hindred the celestiall influxes And they are angry at them who require any further faith or proofe Notwithstanding these circulators finde Princes and Magistrates that believe them in all things and adorn them with publique stipends when as indeed there is no kind of men more pestilent to a Commonwealth then those that spread vaticinations and promise things future from the Stars and inspected Ghosts from dreams and such like artifices of divination Besides they are men alwaies offensive or abominable to Christ and to all that truly believe in him Of whom Cornelius Tacitus complaineth saying The Mathematicians for so they vulgarly named them are a kind of men trecherous to Princes and deceitfull to those that give credit to them they have alwaies been prohibited our City and yet we could never have them expelled thence Yea and
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
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
the Sun a new Eclipse at his death Such a star and such an Eclipse as were miracles in their nature site motion portent to all other stars and Eclipses Such a star and such an Eclipse as were the mysteries of all other stars and Eclipses Set apart to signifie his power in Heaven at the greatest instants of his infirmity upon earth Thus they testified of him and yet was not among these Miracles nor mighty works that were wrought by him 10 Whether Miracles may be wrought out of the Church Although we make not the power of working miracles to be the perpetual note of Gods Church yet we determine the Church to be the proper seat of them And in determining we do thus distinguish That God may be pleased to work miracles all the world over and that by his Angles as his Ministers in the Government thereof but employs not men to that purpose save onely within his Church And do distinguish again that privative miracles or those of wrath and judgment may be wrought out of the Church but not positive or those of Grace and mercy And our reasons are 1. Because the main end of working Miracles is for the plantation and confirmation of the Gospel the truth of Gods word and that cannot be without the Church 2. The power of working Miracles is from a promise and that belongs to the Church alone 3. In a Miracle is considerable not so much the evident effect as the secret intent and this consideration is onely for the faithful in the Church 4. The truth of the word is not to be measured by miracles but the truth of miracles by the Word and where is that but in the Church 5. Miracles tend as to the glory of God so to the edification of the Godly and who looks for that or them out of Gods Church 6. Satans stupendous prodigies are mostly wrought out of the Church but Gods wonderful miracles within it 7. Though it hath been said that miracles were intended for Infidels yet were they not effected but by believers and by believers either to convince or to convert those Infidels 11. Whether wicked men and reprobates may be workers of miracles Not by Angelical assistance not by diabolical confederation not by the secret of Nature not by the study of Art but by divine dispensation they may 1. Because God may be pleased to employ them to this purpose and yet give them no more but a faith of miracles which is common to reprobates 2. Because that of miracles is a gift not simply making accepted but may be given onely for others sakes 3. God hath wrought miracles by dead instruments and why not by men of a dead faith and dead in trespasses and sinnes 4. Wicked men may be used in the working of miracles for a testimony of Gods truth yet not in a manifestation of their own graces 5. Bad men have been imployed in working of miracles that good men might not be proud or overweening of common gifts 6. The working of miracles is not appropriated to godly men lest ordinary Graces might be undervalued and weak Christians might take scandal and despair in their defect of the extraordinary gift 12. Wherein differ true and false miracles or divine and diabolical Theological and magical 1. The one kind are wrought by God by Angels Prophets Apostles and sometimes by the Saints the other not but by devils magicians Juglers ungodly men 2. The one are solid and real in effect the other are phantasmatical and praestigiously deceiveing the sense 3. The one God freely calls to do the other are not done but by tempting both God and the Devil 4. The one are serious and upon occasions of importance the other are ludicrous and serve to make vain men sport 5. The one tend to confirm the Church the other to seduce from it 6. The one are liberal the other mercenary 7. The one profitable the other pernicious 8. The one make humble and modest the other arrogant and full of ostentation 9. The one serves to instruct the other onely to astonish 10. The one are wrought with devout Prayer Supplication Thanksgiving the other by superstitious imprecation adjuration incantation with many ridiculous signes and execrable ceremonies nothing pertaining to the producing of the effect And thus they differ in their Authors instruments dignity quality duration utility end and effect 13. Whether Magicians Conjurers Inchanters Witches c work not their miracles or rather signes wonders prodigies portents by the devils means It is affirmed that they do so for these reasons 1. Because they do them not by God Angels Nature or Art as appears sufficiently by what hath been said already and therefore they must needs do them by the devil 2. Because they operate upon a compact which is evident in that invocation adoration sacrifice immolation c. is hereunto required 3. Because they operate by idolatrous superstitious sorcerous execrable ridiculous signes rites and ceremonies 4. Because they secretly invoke although they outwardly would seem to command which imploration and imperiousnesse yea and dissimulation between both these is to God and good Angels abominable 5. Because their Prayers and preparations are blaspheming railing execrating threatning prophane superstitious absurd ridiculous which neither God nor good Angel can indure 6. Because they seek either to allure or compel their operating power by things sensible 7. Because the fact exceeding Natures order and Arts efficacy yet there can be no reasonable cause why such an effect should be ascribed either to God or good Angels 8. Because the effect is by them ascribed to times places figures characters rites ceremonies c. 9. Because there are used hereunto words besides names of God and Angels barbarous unknown insignificant incoherent apocryphal superstitious sorcerous detorted absurd ridiculous c. 10. Because they make use of means unlawful unapt and not ordained to such a purpose 11. Because they do their feats upon vain and light occasions 12. Because they effect that or seem so to do at a distance which the causes themselves could not naturally do were they proximately applyed 13. Because their miracles or wonders are not wrought but at certain times in certain places and by certain means as under such constellations by such configurations by such animal parts stones herbs preparations confections c. 14. Because they seem to make many cautions in the preparation which they violate in the execution As they caution to cleannesse chastity temperance sobriety justice charity c. yet the exercise is wholly of and to the contrary 15. Because they are not onely ungodly men that do them but they do them for wicked ends As idolatry murder theft covetousnesse lusts pride ambition vain-glory c. 16. Because if there be any truth or reality of extraordinary effect either through natures secret disposition or Arts studious operation yet diabolical suggestion intervenes and prompts the instruments to mingle many vanities and fallacies of signes and ceremonies