try their Prophets by who notwithstanding were Impostors and false Prophets So much for the Fourth term of description of a Witch in the text Conjector a Conjecturer The Fifth Description The Fifth Appellation or term of description of a Witch in the Text is Prestigiator that is a Jugler THe interpretation of this word is plain in the Scriptures that is one that worketh false or lying Wonders or lying Miracles in opposition of the true Miracles that were wrought by God by his Prophets such were Iannes and Iambres 2 Tim. 3.8 9. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so also do these resist the truth now how Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses it appeareth Exod. 7.5.8.9 God would have his Prophets Moses and Aaron to be known by their Miracles that the people might beleeve that God had sent them they wrought the Miracles that God had commanded them Exod. 7.13 but it appeareth in vers 14. that these Juglers withstood them and when the Messengers of God wrought true Miracles those Witches wrought lying Miracles in opposition of them Fecerunt similiter they did the like The Latin translation is thus Tum vocavit Pharo sapientes Prestigiatores ut facerent ipsi quoque magi Aegyptii suis incantationâ—bus similiter and Pharoah called the Wise men and Juglers that the Magicians of Aegypt might also do the like with their inchantments so likewise vers 25. Fecerunt similtier magis suis incantationibus the Magicians did the like with their Inchantments this word Similiter the like or in like manner is of great importance least some ignorant reader of the Scriptures should suppose that the Magicians did the same Miracles that the Prophets did whereas those acts of the Magicians were only delusions although enough to blind Pharaohs eyes because God would harden his heart And as it appeareth in 2 Tim. 3.9 their actions were only mad fooleries that came to light and were proved ridiculous as the words import for the craft of Jugling to them that are not acquainted with it breedeth great admiration in the beholders and seemeth to silly people to bâ— miraculous and yet being known is but deceit and foolery so that the beholder himself cannot but blush and be ashamed to think he was so easily cousened and did so much admire a ridiculous Imposture that craft of Jugling consisteth First In slight of hand or cleanly conveyance Secondly In confederacy and Thirdly In the abuse of Natural Magick The first is profitably seen in our common Juglers that go up and down to play their Tricks in Fayrs and Markets I will speak of one man more excelling in that craft than others that went about in King Iames his time and long since who called himself The Kings Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus and so was he called because that at the playing of every Trick he used to say Hocâ—â— pocus tontus talontus vade celeriter jubeo a dark composure of words to blinde the eyes of the beholders to make his Trick pass the more currantly without discovery because when the eye and the ear of the beholder are both earnestly busied the Trick is not so easily discovered nor the Imposture discerned the going about of this Fellow was very useful to the wise to see how easily people among the ancient Heathen were deceived in times and places of ignorance for in these times many silly people yea and some also that think themselves wise will stand like Pharaoh and his Servants and admire a Jugling Imposture or like the silly Samaritans Acts 8.10 who did so much admire a seducing Jugler as they said He was the great power of God until they saw the true and real Miracles of Philip vers 6. And others again on the contrary will stand affrighted or run out of the room scared like fools saying The Devil is in the room and helpeth him to do such Tricks and some saying absolutely He is a Witch and ought to be hanged when as he did only act the part of a Witch to enlighten and not to deceive that people might see and discern the Impostures by which the Idols of the Heathen were made famous by their jugling Priests and might laugh at their vanities they that would see the manner of this part of Jugling or cleanly conveyance more fully may read Master Scots discovery of Witchcraft where it is set down at large to the satisfaction of all those that are not wilfully ignorant as also briefly afterward in this Fifth description after pag. 34. And now for illustrating of the History of Pharaohs Magicians I will parallel this Hocus Pocus or English Jugler a little with them they are called Prestigiatores Juglers Exod. 7.14 and yet in the same verse and also in vers 25. it is said they did in like manner by their inchantments Why with their Inchantments Not that Jugling and Inchanting are one and the same imposture but the reason is because when they wrought a Jugling Trick or lying Miracle they always spake a Charm or Inchantation immediately before it like to that of our English Jugler aforesaid to make the delusion the stronger by busying the senses of Hearing and Seeing in the Spectator both at once for a Charm or Inchantation was only a composure of words to delude people who thought that words spoken in a strange manner had vertue and efficacy in them as may be seen more fully in the Sixth description following therefore are they said to work their false Miracles by their Inchantments because they seemed to silly beholders to do them by their inchantations or words when as indeed they did them only by slight of hand or cleanly conveyance called Legerdemain and they that are well acquainted with this craft of Jugling may easily conceive how these Magicians did their Feats without so much admiring them when they read the History as if they had done great Wonders which were only delusions The second and third Miracle that they dissembled do plainly appear in the letter of the History Exod. 7.2 they seemed to 〈◊〉 water into bloud Focerunt similiter and yet mark well the History and yee shall see there was no water in Aegypt for Moses had turned it all into bloud before vers 20.21 24. 25. so then they could finde no River or Pond to do that feat in it must needs follow then that they sent for water where it was to be had which was no nearer than Gosheâ— and so shewed a petty Jugling Trick before Pharaoh in a room with a Bowl or Tray of water setting it upon the ground and by slight of hand conveying bloud into it to colour it so likewise for the Third Miracle which they dissembled Chap. 8.7 it was necessarily done by a such vessel of water for they could not finde any other water free in all Aegypt which were not already full of the abundance of Frogs vers 3.5 and what common Jugler might not easily dissemble that Miracle by setting a bowl of water down
a familiar spirit by whose help they kill and act strange Wonders tell me where is a place in all the Scripture that saith so shew me in all the Scriptures such a word as Striges lamiae Incubus and Succubus or any word of such signification or importance what were Pharaoh his Magicians but deluders of Pharaoh and the People could they by the help of Satan do any thing truly were they real Miracles did not their madness come to light 2 Tim. 3.9 what spirit had the Maid that followed Paul Act. 16.16 which is said to have the spirit of Python was it more than a cousening spirit of Divination for gain yet still you will say the word Python hath been interpreted by many one that had a familiar spirit imagine they had a familiar spirit although it is but a weak Argument to ground an opinion upon the bare signification of a word except you will have it a seducing lying spirit such a one as was in Ahabs Prophets yet I say answer me these Four Questions First Tell we where a Witch did or could kill a man in Scripture What did Saul go to the Pythonist of Endor for was it that she might help him kill the Philistians or meerly for Augury or Divination what did Pharaoh call his Witches the Magicians before him for was it to kill any Man or Beast by their cunning or meerly to work lying Wonders and dissemble the Miracles that God wrought by Moses so that they might withstand Moses and the truth and blinde Pharaohs eyes because God would harden his heart tell me where you finde in all the Scriptures that a Witch did or could kill a man by Witchcraft shew me in all the Law of Moses concerning the condemning of men or women for Murther that a Murtherer was called a Witch or a Witch a Murtherer Deut. 19. and other places of Scripture are there not several Rules set down for the trying of Murther shew me one that intimateth the Witching of Men or Cattel to death Secondly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witches are spoken of that a Witch was a secret person or unknown to the World that should need to be tried by blinde circumstances and presumptions and suspicious or by privie Marks or by Teats or Biggs by sinking or swimming or by confessions were not Pharaohs Witches called Praestigiatores magi openly known did not Pharaoh call them together without privie search or inquiry did not Saul banish all the Witches as people openly known and professing the Art of Augury and their several cousening practices when Saul inquired for a Witch did not his servants presently tell him there was one at Endor was she not known without privie search or prime marks Did not the Maid in the Acts that was said to have the spirit of Python or to be a Pythonist follow Paul crying openly did not Simon Magus act his Delusions openly to seduce the people as likewise Elimas the Sorcerer were not the Witchcrafts of Iezabel known to be her delusions that she wrought by the Priests of Baal to seduce the people were not the Witchcrafts of Manasses open actions that made Iuda and Ierusalem to go astray where then do we read of a Witch by suspicion or to be tried by presumptions or suspicions or privie marks or other signs that are mans invention whence came this darkness and blinde errour but from the Pope that grand Witch that hath bewitched all Nations we search for Witchcrafts and abominations in a poor womans wooden dish and Christ telleth us they are all in a cup of Gold in the hand of the great Whore Revel 17.4 Thirdly Shew me in all the Scriptures where Witchcraft went without Idolatry Isa. 19.3 and had not a necessary dependance on Idolatry Nahum 3.4 Look again Deut. 18.10 11. where all sorts of Witches are spoken of why were they to be cut off and destroyed the reason is immediatly given vers 14. because they defiled the Nations in seducing them unto Spiritual VVhoredom and the Nations were destroyed for seeking and making inquiry after their Divinations or South-sayings or Oracles whereas inquiries ought to be to Gods Prophets vers 15. Was not this Sauls Idolatry when he sought to the Witch of Endor 1 Chro. 10. 13 14. was not this the sin of Manasses where he is blamed for using Witchcrafts when he made Iuda and Ierusalem go astray to Idols 2 Chron. 33.9 were not the Witchcrafts and VVhoredoms of Iesabel set down as two inseparable companions her Witchcraft being the upholding of the Idol Priests of Baal that by Witchcraft seduced the people to Idolatry were not Pharaohs Magicians seducers of Pharaoh and the people from God was not Simon Magus the like but alas how and where have those poor souls that are commonly hanged for Witches seduced the people to Idolatry who hath been led after them for Divinations and Southsayings many indeed have been led after Southsayers but they are termed good Witches and whereas they as Witches ought to dye many have been put to death by their devillish false accusations and if the Witch of Endor were now living amongst us we should call her a good VVitch so blinde are the times Fourthly Shew me in all the Law of God against Adulterous uncleaneness where Moses writeth of several kindes of uncleaneness as man with man man with beast woman with beast and many more the least intimation of uncleanness by Incubus or Succubus what did Moses forget this Yet because this opinion hath been so upheld by reports and imaginations and by the extorted confession of people that have been condemned in that kinde and sometime by the voluntary confession of despairing melancholly people that have been troubled in minde and wish rather to dye than to live although Volenti mori non est adhibenda fides Yet I intreat you to run over these several places of Scripture with me a little and see how his opinion of VVitches power agreeth with the Scriptures yea how flat contrary it is to Gods Word and the grounds of our Christian faith Yet first because some men will not understand the Scriptures in any other sense than as their own Expositors have done be it right or wrong therefore I refer them that will seek farther than the Scriptures to the words of a general Counsel which Mr. Scot in his Discovery hath alleged as followeth Concil Acqui in decret 26. the words of the Council It may not be omitted that certain wicked VVomen following Satans provocations being seduced by the illusion of the Devil beleeve and profess that in the night time they ride abroad with Diana the Goddess of the Pagans or else with Herodias with an innumerable multitude upon certain Beasts and pass over many Countries and Nations in the silence of the night and do whatsoever these Ladies or Fairies command c. let all Ministers therefore in their several Cures preach to Gods people so as they may know all those things to
living And here in Isaiah 29.4 the Prophet alludeth not to all the impostures of such Oracling Idols which were many but only to this one imposture from whence they had their description or term of appellation from speaking in a Bottle out of the earth In this sense the Pythonist of Endor was called Mulier pythone praedita a Woman indued with an Oracle or with the imposture of Oracling because she made it seem by the foresaid imposture to silly deluded or bewitched people that the dead spake out of the earth by which imposture she deluded Saul 1 Sam. 28. And because that History of the Witch of Endor hath been commonly mis-interpreted and many unwary Readers do beleeve that that which she did was somewhat more than a cousening imposture and that she did either raise up Samuel or the Devil in the likeness of Samuel or assuming the body of Samuel and speaking in it where by the way it is to be noted that if any such things were it maketh nothing to prove the common error that a Witch is any where at all taken for a Murtherer for the scope of all that she did was only at last to give an Oracle or Divination to Saul yet let but such a Reader as thinketh she did any thing really examine well the Chapter and he shall finde it was only a deluding cheating imposture by a confederate in the ground and he that will not beleeve this let him but gather up his Objections and I will lay down my Answers as followeth The first Objection or ground of mistake is the twelfth verse of the Chapter 1 Sam. 28. And when the woman saw Samuel c. Here perhaps you wil say it is plain she saw Samuel Ans. It is not here to be understood according to the letter of the History neither did yet any Expositor so understand it for it may not be supposed that any Devillish Craft can call a Saint from Heaven no but you will say It was the Devil in the likeness of Samuel I answer If you hold to the letter of the History you must say it was real Samuel but if you vary from the letter whence then can you gather that it was the Devil And why is not this Exposition true that she only pretended that she saw Samuel to bring about her cousening imposture for I have made it plain in all the discourse of this Book by the current of the Scriptures that all Witchcraft was only a delusion and to say that it was the body of Samuel raised up by the Devil is to make the Devil able to work the same Miracle that was wrought by Christ upon the Cross who by the power of his God-head raised up the Bodies of the Saints for a time who appeared unto many from whence the Centurion concluded that Christ was the Son of God knowing that no other power was able to do it Mat. 27. 52 53 54. The second Objection may be the learned of Samuel that it was Saul as in the twelfth verse And when the woman saw Samuel she said unto Saul why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul therefore she saw him Answ. The seeing of Samuel could instruct her nothing if living Samuel had been there much less dead Samuel nor seeing the Devil in Samuels likeness for neither the body of Samuel nor the Devil was a Looking-glass to see Saul in but it was her subtill pretence and colour that she had seen Samuel and so found out Saul by her craft whom she knew before think you that this subtill Wizard did not know the King when she dwelt nigh the Kings Court as appeareth in the Chapter for he went thither and stayed while she acted her part and after a while she prepared meat and he and his Servants did eat and returned the same night But you may say he was disguised Ans. He was taller than all the men in Israel by the head and shoulders and without making himself so much the shorter he could not but be known by a subtill Wizard Also I answer That the Servants of Saul that could so readily tell him where he should finde such a woman at Endor could not but be intimate with her and so warn her of Sauls coming or give her some discovery of the present occasion at their coming along with Saul or else how could they have concealed her and kept her counsel in the time a little before when Saul had made strict proclamation that all Wizards should be banished the Land as they were and doubtless had not those servants concealed her she had also been banished Again Saul could not but discover himself to her by his Oath that he sware to her immediately before for who was able to save her from punishment but the King Another Objection is Saul himself saw Samuel or the Devil in his likeness Ans. It is plain in the History he saw neither Samuel nor his likeness for he said to the woman in vers 13 14. What sawest thou and what form and fashion is he of where it is plain he was only too credulous and beleeved that she had seen some apparition for if he had seen any thing himself why did he say What sawest thou She answered I saw an old man cloathed in a mantle making a true description of Samuel because she knew that he was the man that Saul desired then Saul acknowledged that it was Samuel only from her describing of him vers 14. and therefore bowed himself with his face to the ground in honour to Samuel whom he expected should answer him out of the earth Another Objection is But Samuel talked with Saul Ans. It is proved before that Saul saw no body therefore Saul only heard a voyce which he imagined came from Samuel but was only the voyce of a Confederate under the ground But you will say that the Scripture saith Samuel said unto Saul Why hast thou disquieted me Ans. If you hold me to the letter of the History why do you not hold your self to it but say it was the Devil in the likeness of Samuel as that it was real Samuel you will not say why not a Confederate then and here indeed the History is set down only according to the apprehension of Saul not discovering the imposture But how should she describe a man so like Samuel that is an old man cloathed in a mantle Ans. The only noted Prophet in Israel was known to all and could not be unknown to a subtil Wizard whose practice was to be acquainted with all things of note the better to help her craft of Oracling Divinations upon any occasion for gain Another Objection But if it were not Samuel nor the Devil what Confederate was able to tell Saul so right and give so true an Oracle of what should betide Saul the next day in the battel Ans. All such Oraclers and Wizards did give Oracles two ways First In doubtful things they gave doubtful answers Secondly Where were
before Pharaoh and his Servants and by slight of hand conveying in three or four Frogs and so holding up their staffe and speaking certain words to make it seem to silly spectators that the waters brought forth those Frogs The first Miracle indeed seemeth more difficult to dissemble and yet not so difficult if you saw it acted for what is easier than for a cunning Jugler to hold up a staffe as if he would throw it down and then to speak a lofty inchantation to busie the intention of the Spectators and then with slight of hand to throw down an artificial Serpent instead of his staffe and convey away his staffe that so they might think his staffe was turned into a Serpent for these Histories are set down according to the apprehension of the deceived beholders and not that the Magicians did them really for then we must beleeve that they wrought real Miracles as the Prophets did which were an ignorant and absurd tenent whereas the Scriptures do manifest that they were only mad fooleries and were disâ—overed and came to light 2 Tim. 3.9 yet many are so stupid that rather then they will not have them really done they say they were really done by the power of the Devil and so ascribe power to the Devil for working Miracles whereas we never read in the Scriptures that the Devil may have any supernatural power ascribed to him but is only the Father of Lyes The same kinde of Jugling Tricks were the Impostures of Simon Magus in Acts 8.9 which although the people did for a time behold with admiration yet when they saw real Miracles wrought by Philip vers 6.12 they beleeved him and not the Impostor any longer for they did easily see a difference between real Miracles and cheating Impostures Some again will have it that these Acts of Pharaohs Juglers and others in the Scriptures might be real as they seemed to be and yet brought to pass by the profoundness of the Art of Magick which Art is of greater force say they than Jugling or else why were they called in the same verse Exod. 7.11 Juglers Wise men and Magicians all at once but let not any be so weak in understanding as to think That any Art in the World could do that really that required a miraculous hand of power to do for this is the essential or formal reason of a Miracâ—e to be done by a power Supream and beyond the power of Man or Devil or the vertue of any Art and for this word Magicians in its own proper sence it is taken for Wise and Learned men in Astrologie and other Arts wherein Schollers are instituted and so there is no difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek neither was it taken in any other sence among the ancient and such were they that came to Christ and offered gifts Matâ—h 2. 1. 11. called Magi in this sence also it is said That Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Aegyptians Acts 7.22 and here in Exod. 7.11 these Juglers are called Magi Wise men and Learned because they pretend so and were so thought by the people whereas they were indeed but cheating Impostors but because they and many other cousening Mates mentioned in the Scriptures have by usurpation obtained that appellation from the people Magicians or Wise men therefore it is used and taken by some Writers for such as use all cousening Diabolical Impostures yet Moses here in this place of Exod. 7 11. gave them not that manner of name or appellation only Magicians but withall describeth them by their peculier appellation that is Juglers and so in all the Old Testament where Magician is taken in the worst sence it is not set alone but conjoyned with some other terms of an Impostor for a more full description so that a Magician in the worst sence in the Scripture phrase is only an Impostor or Deceiver in the best sence a learned Wise man therefore no real Miracle but only delusions can bee wrought by Magick I said a little before That this craft of Jugling consisteth of three things the First is Slight of Hand or cleanly conveyance the Second is Confederacy that is when many or few agents do agree together in bringing to pass cheating impostures contrary to the truth An example of this wee have in the History of Bell the Idol in the Book of Daniel which though it be called Apocripha and doubtful whether it be a true History yet this example whether it bee true or not it doth plainly demonstrate the Witchcraft of Idol Priests by confederacy which is one main arm of the craft of Jugling Wisd. 14. 14. 20. it appeareth plain how they confederated together in extolling the Idol to uphold it for their own delicious maintenance and to seduce the King and people to Idolatry by making them beleeve that Bell did eate up all the daily provision that was set before him whereas they themselves with their Wives and Children came in at secret doors in the night and did eate up and carry away all that was provided at the Kings charge until Daniel discovered that their jugling imposture and although there be not so plain a demonstration of the Jugling Impostures of every Idol spoken of in the Scriptures yet no Idol but had the like delusions for they built their Idol Houses on purpose with several slights and secret conveyances to bring their Jugling Tricks to pass and had daily new inventions of new Impostures whereby they deceived the World and seduced them to Idolatry therefore Elijah 1 King 18.19 would not trust the Priests of Baal to remain in their own Idol House when he would discover them to the people but caused them all to come forth to Mount Carmel and then he said as in vers 24. The God that answereth by fire let him be God Why did he cause the King to command them all to Mount Carmel The reason was because if they might have acted their part in their Idol House being built with secret conveyances for all deceit they might have secretly fired the Oblation and so might have deluded the people still making them beleeve their Idol had answered them by fire but being in Mount Carmel remote from their Idol House they could only act the part of Mad-men cutting themselves that the people might have somewhat to gaze at but could bring nothing to pass to save their credit or their lives the deluding impostures of the Priests of Baal are called Praestigiae Isabelae 2 King 9.22 the Juglings or Witchcraft of Iezabel because she being an Idolatrous Woman maintained those Priests of Baal in their Witchcraft or delusions to seduce the people to Idolatry The third Branch whereupon this craft of Jugling consisteth is the abuse of Natural Magick that is the abuse of their knowledge in Natural causes as for instance in some few take Woolfs dung and carry it in your pocket that it may take the
there and Night-birds shall hop there and a Dragon shall cry in their desolate Palaces and the Serpent in their pleasant· Temples Tremellius in his Marginal Notes saith Terrisicum animal id est draco Those were all only such Creatures as do commonly inhabit desolate places The Prophet speaking in the former verse of desolation that should come upon the Land and indeed the Devil hath least to do in desolate places and is most busied where people are most but had Zim and Iim been the proper names of Devils it had not made any thing to the purpose to prove that the Devil walketh up and down in corporal appearance for it is said Revel 2.13 that the Devil dwelt at Pergamus and yet it is not meant that he was there seen at all to appear in any shape but was there in the hearts and works of wicked men but such is the manner of all that are tainted with Popish Tenents that they would have people conceive of the Devil that he is some ugly terrible Creature to look upon some black man with a pair of Horns on his head and a Cloven Foot and a long Tayl or some monstrous Beast that inhabiteth in Woods and walketh about in the night to scare people and this doctrin is maintained by Popish Writers least people should discern that the Devil is in all their Popish Doctrins and actions and in the hearts of all Popish seducers and deceivers of the world Further in this his Third Book he talketh of Incubus and Succubus as if it were an undoubted truth that the Devil lyeth commonly with Witches of both Sexes having copulation with them but for this he hath not the least Scripture nor the least seeming Argument but only constrained extorted belyed nullified Confession of poor condemned people which is the only Argument for all the devillish Tenents of all Writers of this sort and yet they begin with Scripture saying Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live and upon this they raise a long discourse contrary to all Scripture and truth and possibility all which they will father upon the Scriptures and yet when they are pinched by dispute to prove their Tenents by Scripture they fly off to confession this confession I say is in all the discourse of this Author his only Argument which is no Argument and yet he pretendeth his discourse to be grounded on the Scriptures and in that pretence in his last Chapter he concludeth his whole discourse with the Law of God saying Therefore these people ought to be put to death according to the Law of God whereas yet in all his discourse he could not produce the least jot or tittle of the Law against any such kinde of supposed Witches as he talketh of nor the least colour of argument to prove his supposals in all the Law or all the Scriptures without misconstruing the Law of God and the Scriptures So much for this Author Cooper answered THe second English Writer upon this subject is one Thomas Cooper a Minister who himself being infected with the common Popish tenent sent forth by Pope Innocent the Eighth and Pope Iulius the Second and affirmed by Bodinus and other bloudy Inquisitors mentioned in my Second Book that Witches are Murtherers and such as can raise Winds and do things impossible by the help of the Devil This Cooper instead of being himself a Minister to instruct and teach the people in Gods Truth grounded in Scriptures he became a bloudy Inquisitor to finde out Witches that is a bloudy Persecutor of the poor and an accuser of them to be Witches who by his blinde zeal in this kinde did cause many to be executed for Witches as he confesseth in his first Book the first Chapter and sixteenth Page and after this he reading Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft which he was no way able to confute by Scripture nor to answer him truly hee being galled in his Conscience and netled in his minde concerning his reputation in the World which he feared he should loose if his wickedness should be convicted and laid open instead of humbling his Soul before God and begging pardon for his sin he wrot a Book in defence of his errours called the mystey of Witchcraft wherein he hath as others have done pretended to confute Scot and to that end hath writ down many Popish inventions adding thereunto many of his own foolish imaginations without one jot of Scripture to prove or ground any of his Tenents and after long discourse of meer lyes and imaginations in a pretence of holy Zeal yet quite contrary to Gods truth yea I may say imaginations resisting Gods holy Spirit of Truth hath thought it a sufficient confutation of Scot to fetch him over with an use of reproof as appeareth in his first Book the eighteenth page just as if a man should preach contrary to the Scriptures that Idols are gods and labour to prove it by experience as this Cooper laboureth to prove his Tenents concerning Witches or to prove it by the example of such as have been slain because they would not fall down before an Idol and worship it as this Cooper laboureth to prove his errours concerning Witches from the example of many that have been executed for Witches and then should fetch them over with an use of reproof that say Idols are no gods and after this groundless use of reproof this Cooper goeth on still in a frivolous discourse without any Scripture to prove his Doctrin and at last laboureth to shew that Juglers are Witches which no man yet did ever deny if they were such as wrought false Miracles to seduce the people as Iannes and Iambres and Simon Magus and Elimas the Sorcerer but he laboureth to prove that common Juglers are Witches that do work their Tricks of Activity saith he by a Familiar which yet saith he are no real Miracles but they hurt the Eye and thicken the Air saith he whereby they make things seem to be really done that are not done which thing for a Jugler to do that is to hurt the eye and touch it not and to thicken the Air were a Miracle it self but to clear these vain Fancies who knoweth not that Juglers do play their Tricks only by the slight of hand called Cleanly Conveyance or Legerdemain and what common Jugler that hath gone about to Fairs or Markets to shew his Tricks of Activity to get Mony will not in private for a shilling shew any Trick that he hath acted openly and shew how it is done to the satisfaction of any man that desireth it and that without a Familiar or the least appearance of any such vain Phantsy as fools imagine But yet if I should take it for granted that these common Juglers are Witches and do work their Feats by a Familiar Devil as he affirmeth yet what doth that make towards the proving of these poor and aged and lame people to be Witches that have so commonly been said to be Witches What Tricks