light by degrees is cleane peruerted and extinguished And the bands of common honestie beeing wholy cast off and violated the bridle is giuen to all desperate and presumptuous sins and that the wicked may more securely reuell therein religion is made a scorne of and God is forgotten and the knowledge of his wayes vtterly reiected whereby the Lord in iustice is prouoked to execute his fierce wrath and to powre out the most bitter viall thereof vpon the soules of the wicked yeelding them vp wholly to the power of Sathan whereby they are left to these desperate extremities as to make reall couenants with him to yeelde him vp their soules and all at his deuotion to consecrate themselues to his seruice and homage and so to become spectacles heerein of the certainetie of damnation for the confusion of the Atheist that thinkes there is no hell and the warning of the Christian to auoyd the danger thereof 3 And seeing it is the Iustice of Almightie God to punish extraordinarie and monstrous sinnes with strange and vnwonted plagues Therefore seeing the wicked caÌ„not content themselues with common and naturall sins but must further deuise sins against nature as being iustly giueÌ„ vp hereto by the diuine Iustice punishing their carnall Wisedome in their strange and monstrous Idolatrie and Will-worship by those monstrous and vnnaturall Impieties Is it not yet further iust with the Lord to leaue them to be tormented by Satan the god of this world whom they haue consecrated themselues vnto and that with strange and fearefull conuulsions and horrible tortures likelie to rend the bodie from the soule but that the mightie hand of GOD ouer-ruleth Sathan and sustaineth Nature to the further aduancing of his diuine Iustice and admirable power And yet all this in shew by the ministerie of a poore weake and miserable woman to the increase of their rage and confusion of carnall wisedome to the nourishment of Infidelitie and so to the sealing vp in these bodily torments of eternal vengeaÌ„ce 1 And therefore as this reproueth such as seeme to elude all with a conceit of melancholy as if these diuellish practises and combinations betwixt the Witch and Satan were but fancies and vaine dreames of a melancholy braine seeing the symptomes of melancholie doe no whit agree with the persons of these Witches 2 As these being â—at mery delighting in coÌ„pany all which are contrary where melancholy raignes so this is also a Plaine condemnation of the Atheist of these Times who doth therefore willingly entertaine this errour That there are no Witches that so he may therehence conclude to his soule That there is no Hell no Diuells c. 3 This reproueth those thaâ— because many things are done by the delusion of Satan as hath bin manifested heeretofore do therefore conclude that al is but Illusion and so would illude the maine ground of Witchcraft namely that reall couenant that is betweene Sathan and the Witch for the effecting of such things as on both sides are couenanted 4 But especially they are heere iustly to be taxed that howsoeuer they will acknowledge the Badde Witch to worke with and by Satan because shee hurteth yet at no hand will yeeld that the Blesser and wise Witch as they doe terme her hath any thing to do with the diuell by vertue of such compact but rather conceiue that it is some extraordinarie gift of God giuen to such speciall persons whereby they haue power to dissolue the Witches of the diuel seeing it is manifest that such extraordinarie gifts now ceasing and this being proper onely to the Word in the mouth of a skilfull and approoued good workeman to that end If any such thing fall out it necessarily proceedeth from Satans power permitted iustly by the Lord to preuaile thus with his dearest seruants to deceiue and ensnare vnstable soules that forsaking the God of their saluation runne to Sathan for helpe for the bodie to the destruction of the soule And therefore howsoeuer Satan could without the ministerie of Witches do happily as great hurt to the bodie and therefore it may seeme that to vse them were needlesse yet seeing it is the soule that he principally hunts after so by hurting the body entendeth also the further 〈◊〉 thereof Hence is it that he employeth these instruments to accomplish his will by not onely ensnaring their soules by satisfying their desires to hurt and helpe whom they list But hereby also endangering the soules of others Both those that are hurt in prouâ—king them hereby both to seeke for reuenge abroade against the Witch whenas they should beginne at hoâ—â— to be auenged of their owne sins as also to seek for remedy of their hurt by diuellish meanes and so they vsually buy this helpe with the hazard of their soules And so also enthralling their soules yet more fearefully vnto Sathan In that receiuing help from such means as are tendered out of his schoole heereby it comes to passe that Satan is adored and aduaunced aboue all that is called God The holie and lawfull meanes of helpe are reiected and despised Ignorance and Atheisme is nourished in the world Infidelitie and all excesse of sinne maintained and increased and so iniquitie ripened vnto the day of vengeance And yet If here the cunning of Sathan be to keepe these Witches poore and therefore it may seeme that they should haue but a little list to follow this miserable trade Obserue we wisely the admirable Iustice and Wisedome of Almightie God herein both in ouer-ruling Satan that hee shall not minister to the Witch according to her desire that so she may be confounded in her dâ—sperate bargaine that hath parted with her soule for enioying of that whereof she is disappoynted As also Heereby the desires of the Witch being disappoynted are more enflamed and so eternall damnation hereby sealed vp vnto her And withall shee more abiected to the lust of Sathan renewing her couenant and multiplying her sacrifices that shee may compasse her desires That so beeing still 〈◊〉 short and confounded in her expâ—…ctation shee may breake out 〈◊〉 more desperate attempts to the ripâ—ning of sinne and hastening of veâ—geance Which shall with greater confusion light vpon her in that being once arrested and conuicted by Authoâ—… tie she shall find her maister whom she hath serued not onely to be the meanes of her discouerie and haling to Iudgement as heereafter shall be manifest but now he hath discouered her to forsake her vtterly in regard of helping out of this brake that so shee may be yet further confounded in her desperate choice that hath forsaken a faithfull GOD to serue such a maister as will forsake her in her neede and that to such a fearefull end as heereby to sincke her in horrible despaire and so to exclude her al hope of mercy and compassion from the Lord and thereby to expose her vnauoydably to his mercilesse tyranny And â—o thiâ—â—nd serueth further thâ—â— the
euerlastingly 3 Lastly seeing Sathan by these Inspirations and Exorcismes deceiueth the simple and vnstable soules causing them to beleeue that such trances and inspirations are from God therefore learne we to distâ—… guish betweene Diabolicall Reuelatiâ—… and the true gift of Prophecie which God in Trances reuealeth vnto his seruants As first Diuine Trances may bee where the soule for a time is seâ—… from the bodie 2. Cor. 12. 2. But in these Diabolicall though the senses may bee bound or benummed for a time yet the soule is neuer seuered from the body because this is a worke miraculous to take the soule out of the body and revnite it again 2 In Diuine Trances the poures and faculties of soule and bodie though their operations cease for a time yet remaine sound and perfect but in Satanicall Extasies the parties being cast into phrensies and madnesse the very faculties of nature are empaired and and so distempered as that they seldome recouer the right vse againe At the best they cary some skarre of Satan to their graues whereas the Saints receiue a further measure of Illumination and encrease of grace in all their powers and faculties 3 Diuine trances do alwayes tend to the good of the Church confirmation of the Gospel and aduauncement of Pietie Acts 10. 11. those of Sathan to the contrary And thus farre of Witch-craft by Diuination CHAP. IX Of Witch-craft consisting in Operation COnsider we now of Witch-craft in operation which really worketh strange things This is done first by Enchantment namely when by some Charme wonderous workes are wrought Which is not onely expresly forbidden Deuter. chapter 18. verse 11. but is also manifest by the thinâ—â— wrought hereby As 1 Raising of Stormts 2 Poysoning of the aire 3 Blasting of Corne. 4 Killing of Cattell 5 Breeding strange torments in the bodies of men 6 Casting out of Diuells c. All which and such like workes beloÌ„ging to the diuine power iustâ—… If therefore they shall be imitated 〈◊〉 in any measure effected by the creature It is a plaine vsurpation of the diuine office and a flat peruersion disgracing of the diuine ProuideÌ„ce as being accomplished by indirect meanes Now that these and such are the effects of Witch-craft It is not onely apparant by the Confession of Witches themselues but further cleared by the testimonie of the word who ascribeth this power vnto the Charmer Eccles. 10. 11. where the Originall yeelds thus If the Serpent bite before he be charmed what profâ—… hath the maister of the tongue thereby that is the Charmer signifying therein that if the Charmer come in time he might preuent by his charme the Serpents stinging And what else I pray you doth Balaams words implie when being crossed by the power and mercie of God hee is forced to confesse that ther is no sorcery against Iacob nor sooth saying against Israel Doeth hee not therein acknowledge That whereas hee was hired by King Balaac by some charme to hurt Gods People as being by Trade no better then a Coniurer though in the reputation of the ignorant and superstitious people hee was esteemed a Prophet his Charmes could not preuaile the Lord disappointed him And surely if wee should consider the nature of a Charme it will euidently appeare that it is but a colourable and counterfeit meanes vnder which Sathan shrowdeth his power and malice to diuine withall and so to destroy both bodie and soule Seeing a Charme is no other then a spell consisting of strange words wherein is pretended some secret efficacie to bring forth some extraordinarie worke It necessarily followeth 1 that by the very nature of the words and 2 qualitie of the parties that vse them they are no better then Sathans cloaks to conuey his mischiefes more closely for the endangering of the soule The words are either barbarous vnknowne as were such which in times of Ignorance and Infidelitie were vsed And that these could work no such effect it appeareth 1 because this was no ordinance of God to this end as hauing neither any power thereto by right of creation or by any new institution and gift from God That they haue no power by vertue of creation it is manifest I because words are but sounds and so passe into the aire without any further effect 2 If they had power to hurt or do good it must needes be by some contiguitie and presence with the thing it works vpon therfore seeing these words are spoken concerning parties and things absent and farre distant and therefore they haue no power as is pretended And if some words should be effectuall of themselues why then not all words of all sorts tending to blessing or cursing but this is presumed that onely words proceeding from such cunning men and women are auaileable and therfore it is not the words themselues but some other secret Magicall compact with such persons that effect the same If it be replyed that these wordes haue signification and happily be vnderstood of the parties that vse them reciprocally Yet seeing they haue in themselues no further vse then for what they signifie and though they be vnderstoode as the charmes are now as being of knowne names and yet still can they not of themselues further auayle then to the Ends they were appoynted And therefore it followeth that they are no better then Signes and Watch-wordes to Satan to worke his wonders by For though the name of the Trinitie and Sacrament serue to that end they were appoynted namely to norish the soule yet to effect wonders by these seeing it is contrary to their Institution c. that blessing of God especially accompanying them it foloweth that when they are abused to other ends as in charmes c. they are the diuells sacraments to effect his trickes by vertue of the compact betweene the witch and him whereby he seemes to be bound and compelled to serue hir turn the rather hereby to colour the wickednesse as if now it were done by the power of God resembled in these words and not by the illusion cunning of Satan As for the power of Imagination in this case which is preteÌ„ded to be the occasioÌ„ of those strange effects surely though it cannot be denyed but that our imaginatioÌ„ may hurt our selues yet that the imagination of the Wâ—… should hurt others or that these words poceeding from her conceit should so preuaile on the bodies and minds of such as are afarre off it is contrary to reason common sense And therefore though it be conceited that the Witch by her lookes may effect these things or hauing some poysonous qualitie in them to infect the ayre so the bodies of men though this be a meere dotage fitter for such bedlams then to be corrected by any sound Iudgement yet how can this hurt those which are absent Neither wil it further this dotage that either Iacobs sheep by looking vpon the roddes speckled
raise tempests as hath beene proued before and 4 So to breed madnesse and 5 To haunt men and places with spirits and so by a kinde of obsession to vexe and torment them 6 Yea he can hinder the operations of nature and so may be a means to hinder copulation and so procreation and that not onely in general 1 As corrupting naturall heate that the generating member may not execute accordingly 2 That though it should pierce into the wombe yet the seede being colde may take no effect Or else he may steale away the seed that it shal not passe into the womb But particularly also though the party may haue ability to others yet to serue one for the like reasons he may be impotent not able to performe the worke of Generation and so deny that duety of marriage and so happily produce a nullity thereof vnlesse by Phisicke or some spirituall means his power may be ouerruled for which some time is to be graunted and meanes vsed 7 Lastly it cannot be denyed howsoeuer the world wold obscure the worke of God herein that euen by the meanes of witch-craft Sathan may be sent euen into bodies of men really to possesse them As of olde it was vsuall in the Primitiue Church and the like punishment continuing for sinne the like meanes remayning to remoue the scourge I see not but now it is vsuall in these later times as hath appeared euidently by many instances the Papists themselues acknowledging as much and the Gospel herein powerfull to confound Poperie and to iustifie the truth hereof SECTIO VII Of Sathans Policies in the execution of this Power ANd first that he vseth Naturall medicines both for helping and hurting giuing the Badde Witches secret powders and poysons to doe mischiefe withall and directing his White Diuells I meane the Blessers to salues and such like medicines to helpe their Patients withall This he doth Partly to make the Blesser beleeue that it is not Sathans power but rather some vertue in these things that accomplish such rare euents and that so they may be more secure and forget the couenant and thereby accomplish their mischiefes with more delight and greedinesse Partly also to deceiue such as seeke vnto the Witches And that by securing them in the lawfulnesse of this businesse seeing they receiue nothing but lawfull meanes 2 By causing them to put confidence in the meanes seeing through their infidelitie they proue vsually effectuall 3 Thereby to deiect them from lawfull meanes as Phisicke c. 4 And so to nourish them in blasphemie contempt of God and all diuine assistance to abolish all trust in GOD and dependancie vppon him SECTIO VIII He vseth also Prayers for the helping of diseases ANd this as to colour the secret compact more dangerously So To countenance the vaine bablings and repetitions of profane and ignorant persons As also to shew his high malice and derision of these diuine ordinances and so also To mocke and confound the lip-labor and bodily seruice of the carnal christian And so to inferre that all second meanes as Phisicke c. are needlesse and vnprofitable seeing it may bee done by good prayers and this is a maine Ground in the ignorant people to reiect all lawfull helps hence that speech of theirs God hath sent it and he can take it away Wherein Satans meaning is to aduaunce himselfe in their hearts to draw them to his deuotiō by the vse of such praiers c. as being pretended to be from God are therefore in this respect more greedily intertained Especially heerein to coosin the Blesser the more desperately eyther by prouoking her to robbe GOD of his glorie and so to ascribe these Prayers vnto Sathan conceiting heereby some Diuine power not so much in Sathan who instructs her as in her selfe that by these meanes is able to doe such wonderfull things especially seeing to the doing thereof a more strong and certaine Faith is arrogated As being yeelded for the reason why the Blesser can doe that by prayer which another vsing the same prayer cannot doe because he cannot beleeue And so by this presumption of Faith deluding her in the safetie of her estate that shee is at least in high fauour with God in no danger of damnation whereby she is confirmed in her Practise and so makes sure her condemnation SECTIO IX ¶ Satan shrowds his power vnder naturall diseases ANd doth not Satan also shrowd his power sometimes verie cunningly and dangerously vnder naturall diseases As both being able to iudge of the nature and criseis of them and so to adioine his power thereto to the hastening of death by preuenting the helpe of Physicke or infatuating the same As also hereby being able to assimilate his malicious and desperate afflictions of the bodies and soules of men to some such like naturall diseases that so his power may bee shrowded vnder Natures distempers Certainely Experience makes this manifest vnto vs And the Policie of Satan herein is manifold And that first to hide his owne secret compact vnder such naturall infirmitie that so he may both deceiue the Witch as imagining that by her naturall medicines she cures only a naturall disease and so that her compact with Satan was either conceited onely or else is now dissolued But especially that he may deceiue others hereby and that both the parties afflicted as detayning them by this meanes from the searching of their hearts and yeelding themselues vnder the mightie hand of God by vnfained repentance laboring to make peace with him that so they may be soundly cured and so sending onely to naturall meanes as if it were but some ordinarie and common infirmitie incident to nature and so if it be cured by such meanes as many times the Lord giues successe to the meanes to punish our security and satisfie carnall wisedome then Satans power is lesse feared lesse regarded whereby he preuailes yet further on the soule by nouzeling it in selfe-conceit of the goodnesse of it estate and so the meanes are aduanced Gods holy and ouer-ruling hand abased and reiected And the Witch set in the place of God and so heereby she preuailes more fearefully not onely in the hearts of those that are holpen to put confidence in her but in others also who are desirous to bee holpen at so easie a rate And so the skilfull Physition That Ordinance of God appointed hereto is neglected and despised and so in the issue the whole glorie and Crowne redounds to the Diuell His power is aduanced his kingdome enlarged the Gospell and Scepter of Iesus Christ condemned or neglected and Atheisme yea grosse Idolatrie encreased and confirmed But if these seeming naturall diseases be not cured by these meanes yet the Credit of the Witch and Satans in her is yet notwithstanding saued 1. Either they sought too late 2. Or else they did not apply the medicine well 3. Or else they did not beleeue it could
it selfe 1 By selfe loue and high conceipt of our owne deseruing which being not answered but rather crossed herein that he that hath most is neuer cōtēted he that hath lesse enuies him that hath more heerevpon Satan laies the foundation of this Art in the heart of man as heereby being perswaded that hee shall worke wonders both to relieue his pouertie and aduance his credit as exceeding all in this though hee come short in other things and hereby compassing the height of his desire Thus did many Popes aduance themselues as Syluester 2. Benedict 8. and Hildebrand This selfe conceit staies not here but as outwardly it affects to bee as a God among men by honour and promotions so doth it also inwardly affect and desire some such meanes whereby it may raigne in the consciences of men And to this end knowing men to affect nouelties doth it therefore in Curiositie search after knowledge and hidden Mysteries which being not supplyed by nature and ordinary meanes are therfore not vnwillingly sought by this forbidden skill And that the rather because hereby being enabled to confirme such new-found knowledge with strange wonderful euents by this meanes doth more strongly bind the conscience detaine in obedience Although all is done by no other meanes but 2 The assistance of the deuill wherby it is further distinguished from all other Arts which produce their effects by vertue of their owne ground not any outward helpe As also especially seuering heereby the wonders that are wrought by this Art those True Miracles that are wrought by Diuine Power These are such as are wrought by the power of God simply either aboue or contrary to nature as Exod. 14. 21. Exod. 6. 7. 8. those miracles done before Pharaoh by Moses and Iosh. 10. 13. The causing of the Sunne to stand in the firmament The preseruation of the Three Children in the fierie furnace Dan. 3. 20. Daniel in the Lyons Den Dan 6. 23. Math. 14. Ioh. 9. these haue God truely to bee their Authour As being the onely Creator of Nature 1 And therefore to God alone belongs to restraine or extend the power thereof 2 Especially seeing this is a kind of creation whereby that is to bee made which was not before Ps. 136. 4. And therefore if the Prophets and Apostles haue done any such wonders It hath beene 1 Not by their owne power or in their owne name but by the Name and power of God 3 Hauing an especiall and extraordinarie calling thereunto Act. 3. 12. Nay though the Son of God in his Man-hood did many miracles yet this was not by the Manhood wholy though thereby the worke being wrought was dispensed acted in such such a visible manner yet the work it selfe being cōtrary to nature was effected only by the power of the God-head as in the raysing vp of the dead the man-hood vttered the voyce but the God-head fetched the soule from heauen and put it in againe vnto the body yea giues life and power to heare the voyce vttered to rise come forth Ioh. 11. Math. 10. And therefore seeing Christ as man onely could not work these miracles It followeth that whatsoeuer are wrought by men are deceitfull and counterfait And being wonders and strange effects are therefore effected by the subtiltie of Satan as being able to doe strange things aboue the ordinarie course of nature though not simply contrarie thereto which ordinarily the wit of man cannot possibly produce And that 1 Because he being a spirit is of extraordinarie knowledge and capacitie to search into the secrets of nature and there to frame strange and wonderfull things And that the rather because 2 He is ancient and full of experience and so hath encreased his knowledge and profited his practise which man by reason of his ignorance and forgetfulnesse want of opportunitie cannot possibly compasse And this 3 The rather because Satan to his knowledge and experience hath great power sufficient euen to confound all inferiour creatures if the Lord did not restraine And withall 4 Is exceeding nimble and readie in exequution being able to conuey himselfe and other creatures in a trice euen from farre distaut places 1 And so by vertue of skill being able to apply Creature to creature and the efficient causes to the matter 2 And that speedily aboue the ordinary course of nature how can he but effect admirable things 3 Especially if we consider that the Lord permitting it is possible for Satan to conuey himselfe into the substance of the creature without any penetration of dimensions and being in the creature although it bee neuer so solide he can worke therein not onely according to the Principle of the nature thereof but as farre as the strength and abilitie of those principles will possibly reach and extend themselues By this it is manifest that Satan can worke wonders and these according to his seuerall Qualities are of two sorts 1 Illusions or Reall actions Satan deceiueth 1 The senses 2 The mind The Senses are deceiued when wee thinke that wee see heare feele and what indeed wee feele not How Satan doth this see heereafter in the Sect of Iugling Galatians 3. 1. 1. Sam. 25. The Mind is deceiued when a man thinkes that of himselfe which is not true as when men thinke they are Kings or Christ Elias c. Now Reall Workes are such as are indeed what they seeme to bee which though to men that know not natures secrets may seeme strange and admirable yet are they no true Miracles but Lying Wonders in regard of the end for which they are wrought as to maintaine errour though not in respect of the worke it selfe Such were those Iob 1. So can Satan appeare in the shape of a man not deluding the sense but by assuming a true body and therein vtter a true voyce And yet he cannot Change one creature into another As a Witch into an Hare and Cat This is a meere delusion of the sense though the like was done by the mightie power of God Genesis 19. 26. Lots wife As for that of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. It was no change of his substance but onely of his condition and qualities of his minde Verse 31. The Lord inflicting madnesse c. vpon him to punish his Pride And Thus may Satan worke wonders but yet with this limitation So farre forth as God in Iustice suffereth Implying thereby 1 That God suffereth this Trade to trie his children and to Punish the wicked 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 2 That Sathan can goe no further herein then the Lord permitteth though his malice be infinite yet his power is limited Exodus 7. 8. 1. Reg. 22. 23. And this the Lord doth 1 to confound Satan in the toppe of his Pride and restraint of his malice 2 to preserue his children from his power and crueltie 3 to humble the wicked that are his Prentices in this Art as if by their power and
dangerous Instruments and to giue way vnto the Gospel to cut them downe 3 It is a Caueat to the people to take heede of these snares to seeke after knowledge and submit to holie meanes that so the Lord may haue mercy on their soules that being within his protection they may bee better secured concerning their bodies The end of the first Booke THE MYSTERIE OF WITCH-CRAFT The second Booke Describing 1 The Power and Effects thereof 2 The Detection of Witches with the meanes thereto 3 The remedies against Witchcraft 4 The Punishment of Witches with the nature and lawfulnes thereof AT LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1617. THE MYSTERIE OF WITC H-CRAFT The second Booke CHAP. I. Of the Power of Witches what they are able to doe and of Satans cunning sleights and stratagems herein THe maine thing whereby Sathan fetcheth ouer these monsters and holdes them in his obeisance is that great power which he deuolueth vnto thē Whereby being able in shew to do what they list they are so transported with Pride and wholy blinded therewith that either they are hereby secured in their estates seeing they can do such Feates or else carelesse altogether thereof for the intending and prosecuting of wonderfull things It shall not therefore be amisse in the next place hauing proued 1 That there are Witches 2 How they attayne to this high mysterie and 3 What seuerall kindes there are of them To adde now somewhat concerning this their extraordinary power That so we may be rightly informed how farre they are able to preuaile and withal may discerne how notably they are abused by Satan making them beleeue that their power is farre greater then indeed it is To this purpose consider we these two things First wherein this power of Witches is restrained and Secondly wherein it is enlarged and particularly aduaunceth it selfe Concerning the first SECTIO I. That the Witches Power is lesse then it seemeth as appeareth FIrst because she is restrained by the Lord that shee can not hurt when she would As not the children of God alwayes whom she maliceth Neyther these so farre as she would as not at all to hurt their soules finally No not vsually to take away life Nor vpon each occasion as shee is prouoked The Lord restraining her in loue vnto his Children and for the glorie of his great name Defending his Seruants by the attendance of his holie Angells Psalme 91. That the euill one shall not doe them any violence Neither wicked men so farre as she would and intendeth As not all at all times whom she maliceth The Lord in his Iustice brideling her 1 for the further confusion of the Witch 2 for the aduancement of his patience to the wicked 3 for the fatting of them vp heereby to the day of slaughter and to harden them in their Atheisme that there are no Witches no Diuels no Hell no Heauen but what is in this life Neyther to take life from those whom shee afflicteth at all times that so they may still enioy greater Patience and thereby eyther bee brought to repentance by the distemper of the chasticement or be made inexcusable And this so is disposed 1 Both for the encrease of her malice and so ripening of her sinne being disappoynted and restrained it raging more within the more it is outwardly curbed and so fretting against God when she cannot haue her will of men yea raging and many times tearing her selfe when she is brideled from hurting others 2 As also for the confusion of her skill and conceited kingdome as being now enthralled and iustly brideled that so horrour of conscience hereby increasing she may haue her condēnation sealed vp and hereby be prouoked to renue her couenant with Satan to obtain a greter measure of power to make him more seruiceable to hir 3 And the Lord hath an especiall aime heerein for the more orderly and comely gouernement of the world which is thus graciously preserued and aduaunced whereas if Witches might haue their wills to hurt whom and how far they list neither good Magistrate nor Minister should stand none should be mightier then they to controule them none holier to confound thē their rage enuy couetousnesse would make confusion desolation euery where and so the prouidence of God would be hardned and the workes of his gouernment hindered and disgraced in the world SECTIO II. Her Power is lesse then it seemeth 1 Because Satan doth many things by diuine dispēsatiō imediatly which yet notwithstanding he fathereth on the Witch and seemeth to doe at her sending which yet he doth by his skill in Naturall Temperatures of the bodies of Creatures and their diseased estates And so being able to guesse at the times when they will come to their Crisis and are like to speed then speeds he to the witch prouoks her to malice the parties so offers to be sent to execute that malice which falling out at the time when the Witch sendeth shee thereupon conceiues that shee is the Authour of the hurt Shee confesseth it a often on the gallowes whereas all this is but Sathans immediate worke and yet she iustly punished for dealing with Sathan who thus deceiues 1 To hasten her to iudgement 2 To satisfie the rage of the world against her thereby either to make them guiltie of shedding innocent bloud and so to increase their sinne 3 To obtaine his prey of her soule more speedily 4 And so to seeke a new maister or dame to increase his kingdome 5 But his especiall policie herein is by fathering it on the Witch to make worke for the good Witch Now they must runne to her help must be had and what more ready then the cunning woman especially seeing she doth it with so little cost and doth it with so good prayers at the least procures ease which Nature is satisfied with though it is bought at a deare rate euen with horrible and blasphemous abuses of Gods name cursed confidence in Satan c. 6 And seeing we are many times conceited suspitious of our neighbors ready to iudge vncharitably rashly of them doth not Sathan further the conceit by deluding the Witch as to thinke that Sathan did such things at her sending which also Sathan in his policy must haue published to confirme vs in our vncharitable and cruell conceit and so thereby prouoke vs further to shed innocent bloud Secondly Sathan doth also many things by deluding her senses making her to beleeue that which is not and so deceiueth her in the conceit of her power As that shee is transformed into a Cat and Hare and so can enter into places the doores being fast which is contrary to a naturall bodie c. For though Peter came out of prison and the doores all locked yet was this done First by the mightie power of God Secondly nothing was done but what might stand with the condition of a naturall body The doores by the power of