maister to seeke vnto a cunning man The self same deuil knoweth best where the cup lieth hid and who stale it He therfore is y e most fit doth giue the directioÌ„ But what hath y â— deuil gained by this he hath gained euen his desire for God letting him loose for to tempt here followe great sinnes First there is theft then seeking vnto deuils But because men are blind and suppose that such a seeking is no great offence I will shew what the Lord speaketh thereof in the holy scriptures I will first referre men vnto that which the holy Ghost saith of King Saule 1. Cronic 10. For there we may see that there are two sinnes meÌ„tioned for which the Lord did destroy Saule The one that he spared Agag The other that he enquired 〈◊〉 â—…ho The Lord hath giuen an expresse commandement Dâ—… 18. that his people shall not seeke vnto such The Prophet Esay chap. 8. ver 20. affirmeth that there is no spark of light in those which doe enquire at those which haue familiar spirites It is as much as if he should say they haue no sound knowledge of God at all in them This is a thing to be woondred at that in places where the Gospell hath bene many yéeres taught there should bee men found that are ignorant of God But indéede they haue not reuerenced but despised the light in their hearts The Lord doth threaten sharply Liuiti 20. vers 6. that person which shall seeke vnto those that worke with the deuill The words bee these The soule which shall turne it selfe vnto Oboth that is to the Spirites of â—…ytho or to the Soothsayers to goe a whoring after them I will set my face against that soule and will cut him off from among his people God saith here that such persons as seeke vnto Coniurers and Witches doe goe a whoring after deuilles The soule of man should be kept pure and chast vnto God as a wife vnto her only husband They should not commit spirituall whoredome with deuilles as the Lord doth here charge those which seeke vnto deuilles What a foule thing is this that such as haue made a solemne vowe in baptisme to forsake the deuill and all his workes should now séeke vnto deuilles for helpe Hee that committeth adulterie in the flesh is not to bee suffered Then how much more are these worthie to bee rooted out which haue so vnfaithfully broken their vowe made vnto GOD and haue committed whoredome with deuills If there were no other hurt but this by witchcraft you sée the deuill hath gained much when many giue counsell and many doo seeke vnto such as haue familiare spirits and so in effect fall from the liuing God I might stay here and procéede no further to shew what doth mooue the deuill to doo such things by Witches as he could doo as well without them and what doth mooue him to heale such as are hurt to reueale things which are lost or stolen and as it were to doo good But I goe a litle further and shew great and generall mischiefes What greater aduauntage vnto the deuill then to hold men from turning vnto God by repentaunce And this hee doth bring to passe by Witches All chastisements come from God whether they be such as hee doth with his owne hand inflict or such as hee giueth the deuill point to lay vppon men So that whether the Lord God doo it with his owne hand or by the diuell as hee did vnto Iob or whether the deuill doo it without a Witch or by a Witch all is one in this respect that it commeth from God shold humble men and bring them vnto true repentance But men looke no further theÌ„ vnto y e witch they fret rage against her they neuer looke so high as vnto God they looke not to the cause why y â— deuil hath power ouer them they seeke not to appease Gods wrath But they fly vpon y â— witch they think if shee were not they should doo well enough shee is made the cause of all plagues mischiefes whereas in very deede she is but an Instrument which the deuill vseth for a colour their owne wickednesse hath prouoked God to anger to giue the deuill power ouer them It is their own infidelity which hath bewitched them they should now turne vnto God and they runne after the deuill For some fall vpon the Witch and beate her or clawe her to fetch blood that so her spirite may haue no power These are well after for the deuill is glad to make them Witches For when as they ascribe power vnto such things to driue out deuils what are they but Witches Some runne vnto the Witch when any friend of theirs is bewitched and threaten her that if she doe not take home her spirite and if that he come any more they will cause her to bée hanged They should runne only vnto God by a liuely faith true repentance and hartie prayer to haue the deuill remooued and they runne vnto the Witch ascribe vnto her that which doth belong only vnto God for they thinke that she hath power to send the deuill and to take him off Alas is there any true faith in these men The deuill hath bewitched them to kéepe them out of the way of repentaunce and to make them his bondslaues Others there bee which haue their Hogges distragely or some other cattell It may be they be so blind and so wicked that God hath giuen power vnto the deuill to make hauocke indéede He mooueth the Witch and she sendeth him Their sinnes they looke not vpon but how to ouercome the power of the Witch as they imagine And what doe they They take a Hogge or some other beast and burne it aliue Doth this driue away the deuill Sure if it doe it is not because it doth ouercome him but because he is delighted with their burnt offring which they offer vnto him What should I stand to reckon vp all the deuises which they haue to driue away the deuill if he haue begunne to hurt them to vnwitch as they call it or to keepe him off with their charmes or with their night-spell which they haue learned What neede is there to rehearse the knackes which they haue to driue away the ague the Tooth-ach to make the Whay Curd to make Butter come to make Cheese runne They bee all very witcheries wrought by the deuill For it is by 〈◊〉 naturall meanes and to tye the extraordinary power of GOD vnto such things is verye blasphemous These bee the fruites of Poperie which hath remooued away the light and left the people in the dark to be deluded by the deuill which remooued away the spirituall armour wherewith the soule should bee defended and taught the people verie witcheries Wee see then or at the least all may easely see that while men are thus blinded with wicked errours about witches they are so farre from the way of repentance that they are carried
adiure you by Iesus whome Paule preacheth And they were certaine sonnes of Sceua a chiefe Prieste a Iewe which did this thing the euill spirite answered and said Iesus I knowe Paule I knowe but who are ye the man in whom the euill spirit was ran vpon them and did preuaile against them We see it flatly said the euill spirit and not the man said Iesus I knowe Paule I knowe c. Why should we doubt then but that deuils when God doth permit can speake I knowe not what colour of reason can be alleged against this vnlesse some will say it was long ago let it bee shewed that such a thing hath beene of later times There might be ye see if God permit and no doubt there haue bene many at all times though there haue beene also are many notorious counterfeits â—…f deuils can speake yet there is a reason made by some which boasteth it selfe to be vnanswerable that spirits can take no visible shape It is gathered from the words of Christ vnto Thomas thou doest belieue because thou hast seene Thomas he saith not because thou hast felte I aunswere that as Thomas woulde not trust his sight but would haue it confirmed by feeling which was graunted him so Christe putteth the one sence namely the sight for both sight and feeling or for a sight confirmed by â—…ee ling this is proued by Christs owne wordes in Luke 24. For he saith handle me and see when they were afraid thought it had bene a spirite why doth he not say handle and feele I conclude therefore that it is a thing moste certaine by the word of God that Deuils can both speake and take a visible shape vpon them when God doth permitte No man nor woman can giue power vnto the deuill to doe hurt neither doth their sending authorize him but he vseth them onely for a colour The 8. Chapter HItherto wee haue declared in some measure the nature and power of Deuils Now it resteth that wee speake somewhat touching those instrumentes whome they vse for the practise of their wicked deceipt For the vncleane spirits are the doers in sorceries and witchcraftes men and women are but instrumentes It is the common opinion among the blind ignorant people that the cause and the procuring of harme by witchcraft proceedeth from the Witch that either the Deuill could or would do nothing vnlesse he were sent by her How absurd this conceite is shall easily appeare if wee weigh these fewe rules First al men that haue the vse but of naturall reason must needes confesse that witchcraft and coniuration are to bee nombred among these filthy sinnes which are most abominable and odious in Gods sight this is also as cleere that the fowlest sinnes do spring and flow from the moste vncleane Fountaine though men be corrupt by nature and very vile yet the Deuils are muche worse They bee the authours and deuisers of sinne they drawe men into it the Deuill then hath deuised witcherye coniuration and Enchauntment The Deuill allure th and seduceth men to become Witches Coniurors or Enchaunters he seemeth to be a seruaunt vnto the Witch but shee is his seruaunt The coniurors suppose that they bind him by the power of coniuration in which they reckon vp the names of God but he is voluntarily bound or doth indeed but faine himselfe to be bound for shal we thinke y â— he would deuise teach an art wherby he should indeed be bound Or can any man be so blockish as to imagine that god wil in deed bind him by his power at the will of a Coniuror Againe we may not thinke that he which is more forward vnto euill and mischiefe is set on and procured by the lesse forwarde vnto euill for that is preposterouse then muste wee graunt that the Witch doth not prouoke forward the Deuill but the Deuill bearing swaye in the heart setteth hir on Hee sayth shee sent him but from whence commeth it that she sent him Did he moue hir 〈◊〉 to do so He doth harme shall we suppose that she gaue him commissioÌ„ power let it be examined first we confesse that god ruleth all by his prouideÌ„ce Next this is taught vs also in the holy scriptures y â— the deuill ruleth with power in the children of disobedience hee is the god of y e world sinful men are by a righteous bengance of god subiect vnto him what shal we say then can y â— lesse giue power vnto the greater shall a silly old creature scarse able to bite a â—…ust in suÌ„der giue autortiy power to y â— prince of darknes is any man so simple to beleeue that the Deuill can haue power giuen him but from a greater then himselfe or when hee hath liberty wil hee not execute his power vnlesse some witch send him what is a witch then what is a coniurer what is an enchaunter surely the very vassals and bondslaues of the deuil they haue no power to do or to authorize him to do any thing But hee being the minister executioner of Gods vengeance wheÌ„ God giueth him power he vseth them as his instrumeÌ„ts not to receiue helpe by them for when can they helpe him but onely for a colour that he may draw multitudes into sinne by meanes as indeede hee doth This shall appeare fully in that which followeth and therefore I wil onely touch it here by the way and stand no longer about this point which is manifest ynough That the Deuill practising his mischiefe by sorcerers doth lead the wicked world into many horrible sinnes which snare the soules of men vnto eternall condemnation The 9. Chapter IF this be mayntained that y â— witch is but an instrueÌ„mt vnder a colour then some wil demaund what great thing Satan gaineth by such I answere that he gaineth that which he endeuoureth aboue all things to bring to passe and that it is to lead men into the depth of sinne that they may be drowned in the deeper cendemnation He wayeth not so much the plaguing of mens bodies or hurting their cattle as hee doth that Here therefore is the chiefe matter of all which is to disclose and lay open the subtilty the errors and sinnes which by this meanes he draweth men vnto I will first begin with the coniurer and the witch and all those which vse enthauntment How miserable is their case which are so fallen from the liuing God to haue society aud felowship with deuils The coniurer estemeth him selfe to be a great Lord and commaunder euen of deuils and in deed hath no power to do any thing further then Satan is willing and receiueth power from God and moueth his wicked heart to deale in This great bynder and commaunder of Deuils hath his own soule bound and commaunded by them and is in miserable and vile captiuity The Witch is not allso great but yet the pore old hagge thinketh her selfe strong that shee hath two or three seruants as she may seme
witches sorcerers Some do imagine that it was such a one as did deale not by the deuil but by poison only so that in their opinion where it is translated thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Ex. 22. It should be more fitly said thou shalt not suffer a poisoner to liue But this is of ignorance for the matter is far otherwise as shalbe shewed their opinion is grounded vpon the greeke translation which is asscribed vnto the 70 interpreters for they do translate this word Mechashshepha Pharmacous which say they do signify such as did make vse poison The first error is in this that they consider not that Pharmas are as wel good confections and holsom medicines as poisons this is manifest that witches do take vpon them to deale with medicines confections which they vse together with their charmes they make diuers ointmentes which satan doth vse to delude them withall He teacheth them also to make poisons whervpon this is cleere that the greeke woord Pharmakeia is vsed as a generall name for witchcraft sorcery as we may se in diuers places of the new testament S. Paul Gal. 5. reciting the works of the flesh vseth that word for witchcraft Babilon is charged that she had seduced the nations by her witchcraft wheras in deed that word is vsed But if any man shall say these profes are weake and do not make the matter so clere as to be out of all controuersie then let them consider a second error in those which hold opinion that Mechashshepha was one which dealt only with poison not by the deuil for howsoeuer the signification of the wordcan not be found yet we find plainly expressed in the scriptures what this kind of witch did In the 2 chap. of Dan. Nabuchadnezer among others whom hee would haue to interprete his dreame sendeth also for Mechashshephim If these were poisoners what should they do about such a busines we see that among the Chaldeans euen in the kings court they were had in great estimation as wise men interpreters of secrets If either the name it selfe had signifyed or their practise shewed them to be poisoners how could they haue bin esteemed Is any man so â—…bsurd as to thinke that kinges would take poisoners for their chief wise men Moses doth report that when Aaron had cast downe his staffe before the R. of Egypt it was turned into a serpent he sent for his wise men and his enchauntrrs and they did the like For euery man cast downe his staffe before Pharaoh and they were turned into serpents These enchaunters which made the appearance of serpentes and of frogges of turning water into blood are first in that place called Mechashshephim and then Chartummim what shall wee say then that the king of Egypt called for poisoners and that they were indeede but poisoners that wrought such feats before him I suppose this is plaine inough vnto al that will not wilfully bend themselues to cauill for to proue that Mechashshepha is not a poisoner but a witch This kinde is that which I mynd chiefly to speake off with some that follow and therefore in this place I do omit to speake further The 5 is called Chober chabar which is one that doth enchaunt by enchauntment Chabar doth signify to associat and ioyne together this enchaunter as it seemeth is so called of the society which he hath with the deuil Lachaâ—…h semeth to be the same for they are put both for one Psal. 58. 4 And this latter word doth signify to whisper For Chober had his charme of words and sentences which he did whisper they tooke vppon theÌ„ to do many things by their charms but the holy scriptures do mention but one And that is of snakes serpentes which they did charm From hence the prophet Dauid fetcheth a coÌ„parison Psal. 58. by which he sheweth that ther is no good couÌ„sel though it be geuen by most excellent men which can recouer the wicked froÌ„ their vngodlines But they stop their eares against it or it doth not sincke into them this his comparison is in the wordâ—… pethen which he vseth is not the adder but the basiliske or some kind of exceding venimous serpent which stoppeth his eares and wil not heare the voice of the charmer though he were a most skilful enchanter Solomon giuing instruction how a man is to appease the wrath of the ruler doth bring a comparison also froÌ„ hence to admonish a man that hath wisedome to vse it so in this matter of asswaging the anger of the prince that it com not to late Thus he speaketh if y e serpeÌ„t bite where ther is no charm what profit is there to him that is lord of y â— tong he calleth there the lord or master of y â— tong not as it is coÌ„monly taken a babler but he that had skil to vse his tong by charms as enchauÌ„tments which came to late could stand him in no stead after the serpent had stong him so the wisdom which is in a man may come to late The Schoel ob which is as much as to say one which enquireth 〈◊〉 Ob sometyme bagnalath Ob one that possesseth Ob. And somtyme it is sayd the man or the woman in whom there is Ob as Liuit 20. Ob is vsed for a bottle or some hollow vessell But by these places which I haue cited it is manifest that the witch Ob are distinguished for y e witch is not called Ob but enquireth at Ob is sayd to possesse Ob wherby wee may see that the deuil was called Ob for what cause I know not but it is supposed because hee did speak with a hollow voice as it were out of a tub or a botle 〈◊〉 as it is sayd Thy voice shall bee like Ob out of the ground this same kind is thought of the most learned to be that deuil which the Gretians called Python S. Luke doth report Act. 16. that at Philippos there was a mayd which had a deuil in her whom he calleth a spirite of Pytho this maid did deuine brought great gayne to her maysters thereby The oracles of the heathen in old time were froÌ„ such And of this we are also to speake more afterward but I take it a thing very manifest that if Pytho were only a deuil which spake out of a mayde as this in the Acts the 〈◊〉 â—…llae were maids for the deuil which fayned himselfe to bee a great God seemed y t it must be a virgin preest out of whoÌ„ he must speake then Ob was more general For he did not alwayes speak out of the witch nether did they alwayes demaund to know y â— matter of him but he was sent to fetch vp the soule of him whom y e party would speak withal as appeareth by the words of Saul For he biddeth her deuine by Ob fetch vp him whoÌ„ he should name The 7. is
make one body to beare the likenes of another it is but a colour But some man wil say what reason is there to shew that they can doe so much being of an essence inuisible We may not staye heere within the limites of our owne reason which is not able to reach vnto or to comprehend what way Deuils should be able to haue such operations We may not I say measure their nimblenes power subtilties in working by our owne vnderstanding or capacitie But we must looke what the holy scripture doth testifie in this behalfe and therin rest and stay our selues We haue a manifest proofe Exod. 7. that the Deuill can take a bâ—…dily shape For when Aaron had cast downe his staffe and it was turned into a Serpent the Enchaunters of Egypt cast downe their staues and they became Serpents which was indeede but in shewe and appearance which the Deuil made for he deluded the senses both in hiding the forme of the staues which indeede were not any way changed and also in making a shewe of such bodies as were not this was done openly in y â— cleare light for otherwise it might be thought to be a meere illusion For we see that men in extreame sickenes thinke they heare a voyce and see a shape which none other in presence eyther heareth or seeth some are so melancholike that they imagin they heare and see that which they doe not for Sathan deludeth the phantasie so â—…ore that the partye doth suppose that his very outward senses do perceaue the matter but here was no such thing but all which were with Pharao thinke theâ—…e 〈◊〉 very Serpents indeede sauing that Moses and Aaron did knowe it was the iugling of the Deuill King Saule when God had forsaken him and being in distresse sought vnto a Witch He is desirous to talke with Samuell which was dead for he annainted him to be king ouer Israell He requesteth of the witch that she would bring him vp she taketh the matter vpon her there commeth vp one which taketh vpon him to be Samuell and the Scripture calleth him so Saul and the witch take it to be so He appeareth in a bodily shape vseth goodly plaine speeche It was not the true but a false and counterfeit Samuel euen a wicked Deuill For he handleth the matter very cunningly but yet in diuers things bewrayeth himselfe He was content that Saull should fall downe and worship him which the true Samuell would neuer haue suffered He doth not rebuke him for seeking vnto a witch which the scripture condemneth And the Lord imputeth it vnto Saull for one of the sinnes for which he did destroy him In which place the Lord saith he sought to consult with Ob. This is out of doubt that the holy Ghost is far from calling the soul of Samuel Ob. and as for the woman she is not called Ob but Bagnalath Ob on which possesseth Ob. Nowe let vs consider his speeche why saith he hast thou disquieted me by calling me vp Marke what subtilty there is in these fewe wordes This is most certaine that the soules of righteous men are not subiect to the call of a witch but the crafty Deuil would make men belieue that they be and euen drawen foorth and troubled or disquieted For his speeche is Lammah Hirgaztanâ—… which is as much as to say wherefore hast thou caused me to shake or be disquieted with feare It is deriued of Ragaz which is to shake and tremble Would the true Samuell make men belieue that the witch with her Ob. had such power to fetch him vp If it were Samuel indeed why did he not rather say that God sent him Againe the common error was that the soules of the righteous were in some place beneath in the earth where the witches familier spirite could come and bring them vp and for this cause also this counterfeite Samuell saith he had made him come vp Abrahams bosome was Paradise and S. Paule was taken vp into the thirde heauen and that he saith was Paradise Then Samuell must haue come downe and not haue come vp We see then that his speeche â—…endeth to confirme wicked and abhominable errors which may suffice to prooue that it was a Deuill Furthermore Moses doth shew that at the beginning the Deuill did talke with Eua vsing the serpent for his instrument If he could then immediately after his fall vse speech shall we doubt that he cannot now Is it not apparaÌ„tly set forth in the gospell that Deuils came out of many crying and saying what haue we to do with Iesus c. S. Luke Act. 19. doth shew that certain did take vpon them to name ouer those which had vncleane spirites the name of the Lord Iesus saying we adiure you by Iesus whom Paule preacheth and he saith that the euill spirite made answere and said Iesus I know and Paule I knowe but who are yee I conclude therfore out of these places of scripture that Deuils can take a bodily shape and vse speeche An answere vnto certaine friuolous reasons which some doe make to proue that the Deuils did not make those apparitions that he cannot appeare in any bodily shape The 7. Chapter THere is nothing almost so plaine but that there may be cauils made against it and some probable shewe of reason such therfore as take vpon them to maintaine that Witches and coniurers doe nothing by the helpe of Deuils and that spyrites can take no visible shape deuise all the shiftes which they are able to auoid those testimonies of scripture which I haue alleaged It is necessary therfore that ere I proceede any further 〈◊〉 the futility and vanity be shewed of the chiefe reasons which are brought for that purpose First touching the Enchaunters of Egypt might it not be that they made Serpents indeede by naturall Magicke for they which do know the secretes of nature may do things straunge meruellous To this I answere that if Iannes and Iambres did by their skil in the secrete power of nature turne their staues into very serpents I know few of the miracles of Christ which they might not eyther doe or as greate Christ turned water into Wine If those Enchaunters had bene there and by naturall Magicke had turned their staues into serpents who woulde not or might not iustly haue affirmed their miracle to be the greater The workes which Christ did beare witnes of him as he saith to declare that he was the sonne of god How could this testimonie bee infallible if so greate thinges might bee wrought by the power of nature we see then it is against pietie to bring such a thing in question any way to beate it into mens heads Againe if those Magicians had such skill to worke by nature they must needs go beyond nature her selfe which were a foule absurdity to bee anye way graunted for they could bring forth serpents at an instant and she can not bring forth the least
by witchcraft but it is a merueilous thing to sée in what feare men are and yet will not imbrace y â— wholsome remedy which the Lord hath prescribed they séeke many meanes that with cost and trauell but yet they are neuer the better for if they finde some ease vnto the body it is with the losse of y â— soule the deuill himselfe did inuent those medicines which they fly vnto for God neuer appointed them is he so foolishe as to make weapons against himself if they be vexed or hanted with a spirit as they vse to say a witch driue him out it is the deuil y t driueth him out if he be indéede driuen out But the trueth is he is not for Satan doth not driue out Satan Put the case that one deuill did expell another what comfort could it be vnto the possessed more then this that a weaker deuill is driuen out of him to giue place to a stronger For the stronger deuill would neuer expell the weaker vnlesse it were to enter there himselfe To let this passe it will be demaunded where there is any remedie prescribed by the Lord against witcherie The Lord saith he would raise vp a Prophet vnto the people Deut. 18. Those which giue eare vnto him shalbe safe Some man will say that is but in this one poynt that he shall not be deceiued by such as wrought by the deuil nor led into error But where is there any remedie mentioned to preserue a man from the bodily harmes done by Witches I aunswer that it were a straunge thing for the holy Scriptures to appoynt a medicine for such a disease as it neuer mentioneth The word of the Lord doth neuer mention that Witches can hurt the bodie at all therfore it doth no where prescribe any remedie for that which is not The malignant spirits or wicked deuils doe hurt both bodies and soules and therefore there is a way taught how to be frée from theÌ„ They haue no increase of power by a Witch but only thus much that for the iust vengeaunce of God vpon the vngodly the is glad to bee sent and obteyneth power but he that is armed against them alone is armed against both witch and them Against them there is no power can preuaile but the power of God Therefore when the holy Apostle doth set men in battell against deuils he willeth them to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might This mightie power of God is made ours onely by faith For which cause S. Iohn saith that faith is our victorie He that beléeueth doth ouercome the world which cannot bee vnlesse he doe ouercome the prince of the world This faith is the free gift of God but yet because he hath ordeyned outward meanes to come vnto it we are willed to take vnto vs all the whole armour of God wherein this might consisteth And to the end that the exhortation may the more affect vs Saint Paule doth expresse the whole matter vnder the likenesse and termes of warre For thereby appeareth that there is néede of Gods power that we may escape out of the great perrill The Apostle as a chiefe Captaine in the Lords Armie doth stirre vp and prepare all Christian souldiers He sheweth who be the enemies He declareth their terror in sundrie respects But yet vndoubted victorie vnto all those which followe his prescript All the power of God wherewith wee resist and ouercome the deuill is conueyed into vs by faith alone But because he speaketh as of a souldier in his compleat armour he applieth but one part vnto faith and the rest vnto those things which doe goe vnseperably with faith The souldier had his head and all parts of his bodie with his legges and feete armed then had he his sword in his right hand and his shield in the left Euen so in this spirituall armour applyed by similitude vnto the soule here is armour for the head for the feet and legges and for al the whole bodie and then the shield of faith to hold foorth in the one hand and the spirituall sword which is the word of God in the other hand The summe of the whole is that by faith in the Gospell of Iesus Christ we are armed with power of grace with true knowledge and light with sincere integritie of heart and with a godly life with zeale with patience and with all other heauenly vertues so that the fierie darts of the deuill neither in tempting vnto filthie sinnes nor yet in damnable heresies and opinions can fasten vpon vs. If wee want the true faith wee want grace we be not in Christ we haue not his spirit This faith is grounded vpon the word of God for the word is sent to bee preached that men may heare and beléeue If men bée ignorant in the word of God they cannot haue power to resist the deuill they haue no sword to fight with him Christ our great Captaine hath left vnto vs an example which we ought to follow when he resisted the deuill For at euery temptation he draweth foorth this same spirituall sworde and saith it is written and so woundeth Satan therewith that he taketh the foyle Moreouer as men are to bee armed with the power of GOD so are they continually to pray for by faithfull prayer they shall obtaine a continuall supplie of grace to ouercome the new and fresh assalts of the deuill We are to giue thanks also vnto God at all tymes for his benefites to depend vppon his prouidence to commend vnto his keeping both our soules and bodies and all that we possesse Thus shall the deuill haue no power for to hunt vs but if the Lord doe giue him leaue to afflict vs yet shal it be no further then may tend vnto our good For all things worke together for good vnto those which doe loue God Let it mooue vs to seeke increase of faith by often hearing of Gods word taught let it driue vs vnto continuall meditation in the same and vnto a godly life For all those which despise the glorious Gospell of Christ or the publishing of the same and most especially such as fight against it doe to their power set vp the kingdome of the deuill and bring in all witcherie The light of the Gospell doth beate him downe and therefore when Christ sent foorth his Disciples at the first to preach and they returning reioyced that euen the deuilles were made subiect vnto them he saith I saw Satan fall downe from heauen like lightning The Lord send abroad the light of his truth to throw downe Satan and to driue away darknes from the mindes of the people Amen FINIS Deut. 18. â—… Thes. 2. Geu 6. Icch â—…3 6 Mich. 3. Psalm 8. Psalm 19 Gen. 30. Eccl. 10. I Sam. 28 Esay 29. 2 Pet. 2. Iude. Ephes. Psalm 34. Heb. 1. Reuel 21. 1. Pet. 5. Mat. 12. Mat. 12. Gen. 3. 2. Cor. 4. â—… Cor. 10. Reuel 20. 2. Thes. 2. Reuel 1â—… Reuel 12. Ephes. 2. Rom. â—… Ephes. 6. 2. Cor. 12. Iohn 5. Psal. 29. Luke 24. â—… Sam. 28. 1. Cro. 10. 2. Cor. 12. Gen. 3. Exod. 8. Act. 16. Gen. 3. 〈◊〉 19. Iohn 20. Luke 24. Epheâ—… 2. â—… Cor 4. Rom. 8.