Satan and most hurtfull to the charmer which are made of the Scriptures For beside the sinne of Witchcraft in the Charming this inconuenience 〈◊〉 that Satan procureth more credite to one of thâ—se then to twentie other because the words are Scripture hereby cloâ—ing his mischieâ—ous practises vnder the colour of holynes and so confirming the truth of that which the holy Ghost saith that when he worketh most deceitfully he transformes himselfe into an Angell of lâ—hgt â— Cor. 11. 14. He knoweth well that ordinarie words seeme nothing to some men therfore he teacheth and suggesteth phrases and sentences out of the word for such vngodly ends that euen the grace of them fetâ—hed from the Scriptures may make them sâ—â—mefull Wherefore let euery one that is indued with grace and knowledge dâ—ely consider this with himselfe Cannot Gods word be effectuall when it is vsed to edification vnlesse the worke of his owne Spirit accompany the same then surely it is impossible that the same which is holy beeing vsed to an euill ende should be powerfull except the deuill affordeth his helpe for the effecting thereof To conclude therefore let men say what they will the truth is this that words of Inchantment be they neuer so holy or prophane either by way of cursing or blessing haue no power of themselues to the producing of strange workes but are as hath beene said onely diabolicall signes admonishing the Deuill of some wickednes intended and desired which he through his power must cause to be done And thus much of Inchantment standing vpon the practise of wonders by a Charme To this head of Inchantment sundry other practises of Witches are to be referred the chiefe whereof are these First the vsing and making of Characters Images or Figures specially the framing of Circles for this end to work wonders by them As to draw the picture of a child or maÌ„ or other creature in clay or waxe and to burie the same in the ground or to hide it in some secret place or to burn it in the fire therby intending to hurt or kill the partie resembled Againe to make an impression into the saide picture by pricking or gashing the heart or any other place with intent to procure dangerous or deadly pains to the same parts This is a meere practise of Inchantment the making of the image and vsing of it to this end is in vertue a Charme though no words be vsed For the bare picture hath no more power of it selfe to hurt the bodie represented then bare words All that is done commeth by the worke of the deuill who alone by the vsing of the picture in that sort is occasioned so or so to worke the parties destruction Secondly hither we may referre the vsing of Amulets that is remedies and preseruatiues against inchantments â—orceries and bewitchings made of herbes or some such things and hanged about the necke for that ende Thirdly the vsing of Exorcismes that is certaine set formes of words vsed in way of adâ—uration for some extraordinarie ende A practise vsuall in the Church of Rome whereby the priest coâ—iures the salt holy-water creame â—pittle oyle palâ—es c. all which are in truth meere inchantements For howsoeuer the Councell of Trent hath ratified theÌ„ by their decrees so commended them to general vse within the compasse of the Popish Church yet they haue in them no power or abiliâ—ie of blessing or cursing either by nature or Gods appoyntment Fourthly In this number we reckon the vsing of the name Iesus to dâ—iue away the deuill or to pâ—euent Witchcraft a common practise among the ignorant Wherein the wonderfull malice of Satan bewâ—aies it selfe in making the ignorant people thinke that Christ is a coniurer and that there is vertue in the naming oâ— his name to doe some strange thing Whereas the truth is he careth neither for this name nor for all the names of God if a man goes no further theÌ„ the bare repeating of them but rather delighteth to see them so abused and disgraced And hereupon it is that in all coniurations when he is raised by the Sorcerer he is willing to be adiâ—red by all the holy names of God that are in the Scripture to the ende that he may the more deepely seduce his owne instruments and make them to thinke that these holy names will bind him force him to yeeld vnto their desires in the particular when indeede there is no such matter Which point throughly considered may admonish vs to take speciall heede of these cunning glozes and deuillish insinuations whereby he intendeth to delude vs alway remembring that the Apostles themselues to whom the power of working miracles was giuen did neuer acknowledge the worke to be done by the name of Iesus but as S. Peter affirmeth through faith in his name Act. 3. 6. 16. Fiftly The crossing of the bodie to this ende that we may be blessed from the deuill A thing vsuall euen of latter times specially in Popery wherein the crosse carrieth the very nature of a Charme and the vse of it in this maÌ„ner a practise of Inchantment For God hath giuen no such vertue to a crosse either by creation or speciall priuiledge and appointment Sixâ—ly the Scratching â—f a Witch to discouer the Witch For it is a means which hath no warrant or power thereunto either by the word of God or froÌ„ nature but onely from the deuill who if he yeeldeth either at crossing or scratâ—hing he doth it willingly and not by compulsion that he may feede his instrument with a false faith and a superstitious coÌ„ceit to the dishonor of God and their owne ouerthrowe In a word looke whatsoeuer actions gestures signes rites and ceremonies are vsed by men or women to worke wonders hauing no power to effect the same either by creation and nature or by speciall appointment from God they must all be referred to this head and reckoned for Charmes The vse Now considering that all kinds of Charmes are the deuills watch-words to cause him to worke the wonder and haue no vertue in them be the words wherein they are conceiued neuer so good hereby we must be admoâ—â—shed to take heede of the vse of them and all other vnlawful ceremonies both in respect of their formes be they praises or praiers or imprecations as also in regard of their endes be they neuer so good in outward appearance But alas the more lamentable is the case Charming is in as great request as Physicke and Charmers more sought vnto then Physicians in time of neede There be charmes for all conditions and ages of men for diuers kinds of creatures yea for euery disease as for head-ach tooth-ach stitches and such like Neuerthelesse howsoeuer some haue subiected themselues to such base and vngodly meanes yet the vse hereof by the mercie of God hath not beene vniuersall And those that haue sought for helpe are to be aduised in the feare of God to repent of this their sinne and to take
Apollo at Delphos of Iupiter Trophonius in Boeotia and the rest where the Deuill gaue the answer sometimes one way and sometimes another Secondly Satan by obseruation perceiueth that man vpon a weake and ignorant minde is prone superstitiously to dote vpon the creatures attributing some diuine operation or vertue to them without any ground of Gods word or common vnderstanding and consequently disposed to worship God in some worke of man or to ioyne to the sâ—me worship the inuentions of man which he hath not commanded Vpon which ground he made the Heathen to dote vpon their wisemen to regard Soothsayers and them that wrought with Spirits The Chaldean Philosophers renowmed for their superstitions and Magicall courses to make the Heauens fatalium Legum Tabulam ascribing that to the vertue of the Starres which was knowne and done by Satanicall operation The Magicians of Persia to admit of corruptions in their auncient good learning and to giue themselues vpon reading the fabulous writings of the Chaldean Sorcerers to the sludie of vnlawfull Arts inuented by himselfe both before and after the times of Daniel the Prophet Lastly the â—ncient Romanes vpon a superstitious doâ—age neuer to vndertake any businesse of weight â—isi auspicatò vnlesse they had luckie consent and warrant from the Colledges of their Augurors erected by Romulâ—u Thirdly there is a naturall Distemper in the minde of man shewing it selfe in these particulars That he cannot endure to stand in feare of imminent daunger That he swells in an high conceit of his owne deserts specially when he is in lower estate then he would be That he will not beare a wrong done without reuenge That he rests not satisfied with the measure of knowledge receiued but affecteth the searching of things secret and not reuealed When the minde is possessed with these troubled passions with care to helpe it selfe then comes the Deuill and ministreth occasion to vse vnlawfâ—ll means in the generall and forceth the minde by continuall suggestion to determine it selfe in particular vpon his owne crafts It was the case of Saul and of Nebuchadnetsar It caused many of the Heathen Philosophers to go from Athens to Memphis from Grecia to Syria from men on earth to wicked Spirits in hell to get more illumination at the hands of the Prince of darkenesse It mooued sundrie â—â—al-contented Priests of Rome to aspire vnto the chaire of Supremacie by Diabolicall assistance yea to exercise Magicall arts when they were Popes and thereby to manifest indeed that they were not the true Successors of Simon Peter but heyres of the vertues of Simon that Magus who bewitched the people of Samaria and professed to doe that by the great power of God which he wrought by the ayde and assistance of the Deuill If any doe thinke it strange that Satan should in this sort oppose himselfe to the kingdome of God and maintaine his owne principalitie by such vngodly arts and exercises They must knowe that this and all other euills come to passe euen by the will of God who hath iustly permitted the same To punish the wicked for their horrible sinâ—es as Saul for his wickednesse To auenge himselfe vpon Man for his ingratitude who hauing the truth reuealed vnto him will not beleeue or obey it To waken and rowze vp the godly who are sleeping in any great sinnes or infirmities Lastly to trie and prooue his people whether they will cleaue to him and his word or seeke vnto Satan and wicked Spirits Now from the consideration of the premisses we conclude it a necessarie thing for the Church and people of God to be acquainted with the dealing of Satan in this kinde that knowing his subtill deuises they may learne to auoyd them For which purpose this Treatise was first framed and now exhibited to your Lordship The iust commendation whereof aboue others formerly divulged touching this Argument appeareth herein that it serueth to the full opening and declaration of Satans Methode in the ground and practises of Witchcraft Wherein among many other remarkable points it may please you to take speciall notice of these particulars I. That they doe grossely erre who either in expresse tearmes denie that there be Witches or in effect and by consequent auouching that there is no league betweene them and the Deuill or affirming they can doe no such miraculous workes as are ascribed to them The former issueth plainly our of the bodie of the Discourse And for the latter That there is a Couenant betweene them either explicite in manner and forme or implicite by degrees of superstitious proceeding in the vse of meanes insufficient in themselues is plainely taught and confirmed in the same That Witches may and doe worke wonders is euidently prooued howbeit not by an omnipotent power as the 〈…〉 hath vnlearnedly and improperly teaâ—◠〈◊〉 but by the assistance of Satan their Princâ—â—â—â—ho is a powerfull Spirit but yet a Creatuâ—â—â— well as they And the Wonders wrough◠〈◊〉 them are not properly and simply miracles but workes of wonder because they exceede the ordinarie power and capacitie of men especially such as are ignorant of Satans habilitie and the hidden causes in nature whereby things are brought to passe II. That the Witch truely conuicted is to be punished with death the highest degree of punishment and that by the Lawe of Moses the equitie whereof is perpetuall Yea euen the better Witch of the two in common reputation because both are equally enemies to God and all true religion and it is well knowne by true experience that all professed Sorcâ—rers are guiltie of many most monstrous impieties III. That the Miracles of the Popish Church at this day are indeed either no Miracles or false and deceitfull workes Touching corporall presence in the Sacrament which they affirme to be by miracle If it were true then miracles were not yet ceased but should still be as ordinarie in the Church as are the Sacraments A point not onely confuted in the latter part of this Treatise but also by the testimonie of purer Antiquitie Augustine saith That miracles were once necessarie to make the world beleeue the Gospel but he that now seekes a signe that he may beleeue is a wonder yea â— monster in nature Chrysostome conclude◠〈◊〉 on the same grounds that there is now in the Church no necessitie of working Miracles and calles him a false Prophet that now takes in hand to worke them Againe if there be a miracle in the Sacrament it is contrarie to the nature of all those that were wrought either by Moses and the Prophets or by Christ and his Apostles For they were apparent to the eye but this is insensible and therfore neither of â—orce to mooue admiration nor to conuince the minde of man and make him to beleeue As for those which are pretended to be wrought by Saints in that church if we make recourse to the Primitiue times wherein
Witch of Endor was true Samuel or no 109 Diuination without meanes by immediate assistance of a familiar Spirit 121 Practised two waies 1. When the spirit is within the Witch 122 2. When he is out of the Witch 123 The Difference betweene Traunces diuine and diabolicall 124 CHAP. IV. Of working Witchcraft The parts of it Inchantment What it is 127 What a Charme is 130 Whether the Charme be in it selfe effectual to worke wonders 133 Particular practises referred to Inchantment 148 Iugling consisting in delusion and sleight 157 That the wonders done by the Sorcerers of Egypt beforâ— Pharaoh were lrgling sleights and not true and reall works 160 CHAP. V. Of Witches What a Witch is 167 How many Sorts of Witches 173 The bad Witch 173 The good Witch the worser of the two 174 That the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by the 70. signifies a Witch 178. CHAP. VI. Of the punishment of Witches Why Witches are and ought to be punished with Death 182 CHAP. VII The Application of the Doctrine of Witchcraft to the present times Here foure Points are handled I. Whether the Witches of our timesâ— be the same with those which are condemned by this Law of Mâ—ses 186 Reasons proouing that they are 186 Allegations to the contrarie answered 188. 194. c. II. How we may be able in these daies to discerne and discouer a Witch 199 The Meanes of Discouerie two 200 1. Examination vpon Presumptions â—00 2. Conuiction vpon proofes lesse sufficient 205 more sufficient 211 The causes mouing Satan to further their discouerie 215 Why all Witches are not speedily detected by Satans meanes 216 217 III. What Remedie may be vsed to preuent or cure the hurts of Witchcraft 219 Remedies of two Sorts Lawfull either preseruatiue or restoratiue 219 Preseruatiue concerning Persons 219 Whether the child of God may be bewitched or no 222 Concerning places of abode 224 Restoratiue How whole countries may be cured 227 How particular persons may be cured 229 False and vnlawfull Remedies prescribed by the Church of Rome Generall The gift of casting out of Deuills 232 That there is no such gift in the church since the daies of the Apostles 232 Particâ—â—r siue The name Iesus 239 The vse of Saints Reliques 241 The Signe of the Grosse 243 Hallowing of Creatures 244 Exorcismes 245 IV. Whether the witches of our times are to be punished with death and that by vertue of this Law of Moses 246 Reasons proouing that they ought 247 Obiections answered 251 The Table of the Texts of Scripture Chap. vers Pag. Genesis 3 20. 226 12 8 226 30 37 141 37 7 94  9 94 41 25 94 44 5 69 Exodus 7 21 166  11 163  12 165 8 14 166  19 40. 164  8 165 14 21 13 22 18 1  20 182 32 28 254 9 11 164 Leuiticus 16 8 106 19 31 121 20 27 121 29 19 182 Numbers 12 6 93 22 6 129 23 23 130 25 8 254 35 31 180. 183 Deuteronom 1 17 93 13 1 38  2 103  3 93  5 182  6 250 17 3 249 18 9 220  10 67. 73. 92  11 43. 108   121. 127  18 228 20 5 225 Ioshâ—a 7 15 106 10 13 14 14 2 106 I. Samuel 10 21 106 15 23 8 28 8 126  9 122  19 62.108 I. Kings 17 21 116 22 22 40 II. Kings 2 21 245 4 34 116 13 21 242 20 11 14 II. Chron. 30 18 226 Iob. 1 16 28  21 157 33 15 94 Psalmes 58 5 42. 143 92 10 221 106 30 235 136 4 15 Proverbes 16 33 106 18 18 106 Ecclesiastes 1 9 64 9 2 223 10 11 128 Isaiah 8 19 108  20 ibid. 47 13 74 Ieremie 23 25 93 Ezekiel 21 21 67 Daniel 2 1 102  2 74 3 25 14 4 30 34 6 22 14 8 16 102 11 3 58 Matthew 1 20 94 2 13 ibid. 4 9 43 7 22 23. 35 12 27 234 14 20 14 20 34 17 Marke 5 12 41 16 17 234. 237 16 18 232  19 ibid. Luke 10 17 36  18 227 12 54 71 13 16 222 Iohn 11 43 17 Acts. 3 6 151  12 16  16 151 5 15 242 7 22 82 8 9 173 10 11 126 13 6 173  8 ibid. 16 16 122. 151 19 12 242  13 2â—5 240 Romanes 8 1 199 I. Corinth 6 5 230 12 vlt. 36 14 22 233 II. Corinth 4 4 5 11 14 147 12 2 124 Galatians 3 1 23. 158 5 20 179 Ephesians 6 12 5 Philippians 2 10 241 Colossians 2 15 198 II. Thessal 2 9 28. 238  10 39  11 ibid. I. Timoth. 1 20 230 4 4 245 II. Timoth. 3 8 160. 163 Hebrewes 10 28 182 Reuelat. 14 13 110. 115 21 8 179 22 15 ibid. Ecclesiasticus 46 20 112 Tobit 6 7 226 FINIS A Discourse of Witchcraft Exod. 22. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to liue THis text containeth one of the Iudiciall Lawes of Moses touching the punishment of Witchcraft which argument I haue chosen to intreat of for these causes First because Witchcraft is arife and common sinne in these our daies and very many are intangled with it beeing either practitioners thereof in their owne persons or at the least yeilding to seeke for helpe and counsell of such as practise it Againe there be sundrie men who receiue it for a truth that Witchcraft is nothing else but a meere illusion and Witches nothing but persons deluded by the Deuill and this opinion takes place not onely with the ignorant but is holden and maintained by such as are learned who doe auouch it by word and writing that there be no witches but as I said before Vpon these and such like considerations I haue beene mooued to vndertake the Interpretation of this Iudiciall law as a sufficient ground of the doctrine which shall be deliuered In handling whereof two things are distinctly to be considered The first what is a Witch The second what is her due and deserued punishment And both these beeing opened and handled the whole meaning of the law will the better appeare For the first To giue the true descriptioÌ„ of a Witch is a matter of great difficultie because there be many differences and diuersities of opinions touching this point and therefore that we may properly and truly define a Witch we must first pause a while in opening the nature of Witchcraft so farre forth as it is deliuered in the bookes of the Old and New Testament and may be gathered out of the true experience of learned and godly men Touching Witchcraft therefore I will consider three points I. What witchcraft is II. What is the ground of the whole practise thereof III. How many kinds and differences there be of it CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Witchcraft TO begin with the first According to the true meaning of all the places of holy Scripture which treate of this point it may be thus
from him as he was man Now if Christ as he is man cannot worke a true miracle then no meere creature can doe it no not the Angels themselues and consequently not Satan it beeing a meere supernaturall worke performed onely by the omnipotent power of God § 2. The second sort of wonders are lying and deceitfull which also are extraordinarie workes in regard of man because they proceed not from the vsuall and ordinarie course of nature and yet they be no miracles because they are done by the vertue of nature and not aboue or against nature simply but aboue and against the ordinarie course thereof and these are properly such wonders as are done by Satan and his instruments examples whereof wee shall see afterwards If any man in reason thinke it not likely that a creature should be able to worke extraordinarily by naturall means he must remember that though God hath reserued to himselfe alone the power of abolishing and changing nature the order whereof he set and established in the creation yet the alteration of the ordinarie course of nature he hath put in the power of his strongest creatures Angels and deuills That the Angels haue receiued this power and doe execute the same vpon his command or permission it is manifest by Scripture and the proofe of it is not so necessarie in this place But that Satan is able to doe extraordinarie workes by the helpe of nature which is the question in hand it shall appeare if we consider in him these things First the Deuil is by nature a spirit therfore of great vnderstanding knowledge capacitie in all naturall things of what sort qualitie coÌ„dition soeuer whether they be causes or effects whether of a simple or mixt nature By reason whereof he can search more deeply narrowly into the grounds of things then all corporall creatures that are clothed with flesh and blood Secondly he is an auncient spirit whose skil hath beene confirmed by experience of the course of nature for the space almost of sixe thousand yeares Hence he hath attainted to the knowledge of many secrets and by long obseruation of the effects is able to discern and iudge of hidden causes in nature which man in likelyhood cannot come vnto by ordinarie meanes for want of that opportunitie both of vnderstaÌ„ding and experience Hereupon it is that whereas in nature there be some properties causes and effects which man neuer imagined to be others that men did once know but are now forgot some which men knewe not but might know and thousands which can hardly or not at all be known all these are most familiar vnto him because in themselus they be no wonders but only misteries and secrets the vertue and effect whereof he hath sometime obserued since his creation Thirdly he is a spirit of wonderfull power and might able to shake the earth and to confound the creatures inferiour to him in nature and condition if he were not restrained by the omnipotent power of God And this power as it was great by his creation so it is not impayred by his fall but rather increased and made more forcible by his irreconciliable malice he beareth to mankind specially the seede of the woman Fourthly there is in the deuil an admirable quicknes and agilitie proceeding from his spirituall nature whereby he can very speedily and in a short spoce of time conuay himselfe and other creatures into places farre distant one from another By these â—ower helpes Satan is inabled to doe strange workes Strange I say to man whose knowledge since the fall is mingled with much ignorance euen in naturall things whose experience is of short continuance and much hindered by forgetfulnes whose agilitie by reason of his grosse nature is nothing if he had not the helpe of other creatures whose power is but weaknes and infirmity in comparison of Satans 〈◊〉 if their be any further doubt how Satan can by these helpes worke wonders we may be resolued of the truth thereof by considering three other things First that by reason of his great knowledge and skill in nature he is able to apply creature to creature and the causes efficient to the matter and therby bring things to passe that are in common conceit impossible Secondly he hath power to mooue them not onely according to the ordinary course but with much more speed and celeritie Thirdly as he can apply and mooue so by his spirituall nature he is able if God permit to conuey himselfe into the substance of the creature without any penetration of dimensions and beeing in the creature although it be neuer so solide he can worke therein not onely according to the principles of the nature thereof but as farre as the strength and abilitie of those principles will possibly reach and extend themselues Thus it appeareth that the deuill can in generall worke wonders § 3. Now more particularly the deuills wonders are of two sorts Illusions or reall actions An illusion is a worke of Satan wherby he deludeth or deceiueth man And it is two-fold either of the outward senses or of the minde An illusion of the outward senses is a worke of the deuil wherby he makes a man to thinke that he heareth seeth feeleth or toucheth such things as indeede he doth not This the deuill can easily doe diuers waies euen by the strength of nature For example by corrupting the instruments of sense as the humor of the eye c. or by altering and changing the ayre which is the meanes whereby we see and such like Experience teacheth vs that the deuill is a skilfull practitioner in this kind though the means whereby he worketh such feats be vnknowne vnto vs. In this manner Paul affirmeth that the Galatians were deluded wheÌ„ he saith O foolish Gâ—latians who hath bewitched you Gal. 3. 1. Where he vseth a word borrowed from the practise of witches and sorcerers who vse to cast a miste as it were before the eyes to dazle them and make things to appeare vnto them which indeede they doe not see and the ground of Pauls comparison is that which hee takes for a graunted truth that there be such delusions whereby mens senses are and may be corrupted by Satanicall operation Thus againe the deuill by the Witch of Endor deceiued Saul in the appearance of Samuel â— Sam. 28. making him beleeue that it had beene Samuel indeed whereas it was but a mere counâ—erfeit of him as shal appeare hereafter Againe the deuill knowing the constitutions of men and the particular diseases whereunto they are inclined taks the vantage of some and secondeth the nature of the disease by the coÌ„currence of his owne delusion thereby corrupting the imagination and working in the minde a strong perswasion that they are become that which in truth they are not This is apparant in that disease which is tearmed Lycanthropia where some hauing their brains possessed and distempered with melancholy haue verily thought themselues to bee wolues
this so farre forth as God in iustice suffereth which I adde for two causes First â—o shew that God for iust causes permiâ—teâ—h the Arts of Magicke Witchcraft and the practises thereof Now this he doth in his prouidence either for the triall of his children or for the punishment of the wicked First therefore God permits these wicked Arts in the Church to prooue whether his children wil steadfastly beleeue in him and seeke vnto his word or cleaue vnto the deuill by seeking to his wicked instruments This Moses plainely forewarned the Church of God of in his time Deuter. 13. v. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a dreamer of dreames and giue thee a signe or wonder v. 2. and the signe and wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let vs goe after other gods which thou hast not knowne and serue them v. 3. thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet c. Againe God suffereth them for the punishment of vnbeleeuers and wicked men for oftentimes God punisheth one sinne by an other as the antecedent sinnes by the consequent This Paul plainely sheweth speaking of the daies of Antichrist that because men receiued not the loue of the truth therefore God would send vpon them strong illusions that they should beleeue lies And we may resolue our selues that for this very cause God suffereth the practises of Witchcraft to be so rise in these our daies to punish the ingratitude of men who haue the truth reuealed vnto them and yet will not beleeue and obey the same but tread it vnder their feete that all they might be condemned which beleeued not the truth but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Secondly this last clause is added to shewe that in the practises of sorcerie and witchcraft the Deuill can doe so much onely as God permitts him and no more Doubtlesse his malice reacheth further and consequently his will and desire but God hath restrained his power in the execution of his malitious poses whereupon he cannot goe a whit further then God giues him leaue and libertie to goe The Magicians of Egypt did some wonders in shew like vnto the miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron and that for a time by changing a rodde into a serpent and water into blood and by bringing froggs through he sleight and power of the deuill but when it pleased God to determine their practises and giue them no further liberâ—ie they could not doe that which in likelihood was the meanest of all the rest the turning of the dust of the land into lice and themselues gaue the true reason thereof â—aving That this was the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. When the deuilâ— went out and became a false spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets to intise him to goe to fall at Ramoth Gâ—leâ—d he went not of his owne will but by the authoritie of God who commanded him to goe â—â—â—entise Ahab and suffered him to preuaile 1. King 22. 20. â—nd the act was not the act of Satan but of God whose instrument he was and therefore the holy Ghost saith by Miâ—aiah The Lord-hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets and the Lord hath appointed euill against thee v. 23. Hence also it was that the deuills beeing cast out of the man that had an vncleane spirit asked leaue of Christ to enter into the heard of swine and could not enter in till he had permited them Mark 5. 12 13. And we read oftentimes in the Gospel that our Sauiour cast out many deuills by his word onely thereby shewing that he was absolute Lord ouer them and that without his permission they could doe nothing And thus much touching the generall 〈◊〉 of this Art CHAP. II. The Ground of Witchcraft and of all the practises thereof THe Ground of all the practises of Witchcraft is a league or couenant made betweene the Witch and the Deuill wherein they doe mutually bind themselues each to other If any shall thinke it strange that man or woman should enter league with Satan their vtter enemie they are to know it for a most euident and certen truth that may not be called into question And yet to cleare the iudgement of any one in this point I will set downe some reasons in way of proofe First the holy Scripture doth intimate so much vnto vs in the 58. Psal. v. 5. where howsoeuer the coÌ„mon translation runneth in other tearmes yet the words are properly to be read thus which heareth not the voyce of the mutterer ioyning societies cunningly And in them the Psalmist layeth downe two points First the effect or worke of a charme muttered by the Inchanter namely that it is able to stay the Adder from sâ—inging those which shall lay hold on him or touch him Secondly the maine foundation of the charme societies or confederacies cunningly made not betweene man and man but as the words import betweene the Inchanter and the deuill The like we read Deuter. 18. 11. where the Lord chargeth his people when they come into the land of Canaan that amongst other abominations of the heathen they should beware least any were found amongst them that ioyned societie that is entred into league and compact with wicked spirits A second reason may be this it is the practise of the deuill to offer to make a bargaine and couenant with man Thus he dealt with our Sauiour Christ in the third temptation wherewith he assaulted him promising to giue vnto him all the kingdomes of the earth and the glorie of them which he shewed him in a vision if Christ for his part would fall downe and worshippe him The offer was passed on the behalfe of Satan and now to make a perfect compact betweene them there was nothing wanting but the free consent of our Sauiour vnto the coÌ„dition propounded Whereby it is manifest that the Deuill makes many couenants in the world because he findeth men and women in the most places fitted for his turne in this kind who will not let to worship him for a farre lesse matter then a kingdome And it is not to be doubted that thousands in the world had they been offered so faire as Christ was would haue beene as willing to haue yeelded vpon such conditions as the Deuill to haue offered Thirdly the common confession of all Witches and Soâ—cerers both before and since the comming of Christ doth yet more fully confirme the same For they haue confessed with one consent that the very ground-worke of all their practises in this wicked art is their league with the deuill And hence it appeareth how and whereupon it is that Sorcerers and Witches can bring to passe strange things by the helpe of Satan which other men ordinarily can not doe namely because they haue entred a league with him whereby he hath bound himselfe to them for the effecting of rare and extraordinarie workes which others not ioyned with him in the like
might be all discerned yet the particular vertues of those which are seene can not be knowne because their influences in the aire and vpon the earth are confused and therefore by obseruation of them no rules can be made whereby to iudge of particular euents to come that be contingent But experience teacheth may some say that if a man addicted to this course shall practise the rules of Astrologie it will fall out that the most things he foretelleth shall be true and come to passe accordingly which beeing verified in experience it should seeme that these principles are not vncerten for how is it possible that vpoÌ„ false grounds should proceede true predictions To this obiection learned Diuines haue framed answer thus That in this there is a secret Magicke at the least if not an open league with Satan For looke what is wanting to the effect of the starrs the Deuill maketh supply of it by his owne knowledge in things that are to come to passe And this is the iudgement of them that haue knowne this arte which was also receiued for true in the daies of the Apostles The third reason The man that repaireth to the Astrologian vpoÌ„ the particular case for his helpe and counsell must beleeue that he can and will doe for him otherwise if he come doubting of his ability or in way of tempting him he can not helpe him Now in common vnderstanding if the Diuiner brings the thing to passe here must needes be more then Arte. For he that is master of a lawfull arte can worke by his rules whether a man beleeue that he can or no yea though all the men in the world should doubt his rules would be effectuall The arte therefore it selfe is the old superstitious arte of the Chaldeans which they beeing Idolaters first ferched from the deuill and his Oracles yea the practise thereof is nothing but superstitious sorcerie and the vndertakers no better then Sorcerers If any man doubt hereof their writings are sufficient testimonies and they theÌ„selues auouch it For it is a rule and maxime among them in all kind oâ— Sorcerie that the learner must come credulous and not doubting or to tempt otherwise no answer can be giuen But notwithstanding all these reasons alleadged for the proofe of this point sundrie things are opposed to the contrarie For first it is saide that the Sunne Moone and Starres were created for signes Gen. 1. 14. and therefore that it is lawfull to diuine by them seeing that in so doing we doe but vse them to the ende for which God made them Ans. The reason is of no force The starres indeede by this ordinance doe serue for signes but of what not of all things but as the text plainly sheweth of daies weekes months and yeareâ— yea of the seasons of the yeare as of Spring Summer Autumne and Winter yea further of the alterations of the weather in generall but all this maketh nothing to ratifie Diuination of particular euents in things coÌ„tingent which are to fal out in the state of kingdomes families and persons for they are not causes but Signes and that of some generall things onely not of particular Againe it is said that Moses Daniel two famous Prophets are commended for their skill in this art for of Moses it is saide Act. 7. 22. that he was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians and Daniel in all the wisdome of the Chaldeans Dan. 1. 17. 20. and we know that the Egyptians and Chaldeans were the masters of Diuination and eminent aboue all others in matter of Astrologie Ans. 1. It cannot be prooued out of those places that Moses or Daniel were trained vp in this art and though it should be granted they were yet it follows not that they were practisers of it at least continually For albeit beeing children and of tender yeares in the courts of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnetsar they had beene trained vp by their gouernours in this knowledge it may not thence be concluded that they finally submitted themselues to the practise thereof considering that a man may learne that when he is yong which afterward vpon better iudgement and consideration he may vtterly disclame And so we are to thinke of them that after God had called them they did for euer lay aside all such wicked and deuillish practises forbidden by God and yet in vse among the Egyptians and Chaldeans Thirdly it is obiected the starres are admirable creatures of God and the causes of many straunge effects in the aire in the waters and vpon the earth also in bodies of men and beasts it may seeme therefore not vnlawfull to diuine by them Ans. We graunt that the Sâ—arres and especially the Sunne and Moone haue great vertue and force vpon the creatures that are below partly by their light and partly by their heat but hence it will not follow that they are or may be lawfully vsed for Diuination for whereas it hath beene shewed that the grounds of all good arts are gathered by obseruation and experience it is not possible for any man truly and certenly to obserue all particular euents brought forth by the starres whereupon hee might ground his rules And for proofe hereof Suppose there were a heape of all kinds of hearbs growing vpon the earth gathered together which should be all strained into one vessell and the liquour brought to the most skilfull Physitian that is or euer was can we thinke him able by tasting or smelling thereof to distinguish the vertues of the hearbs and to say which is which To doe this when all were seuered each from other is a hard matter yet possible considering they haue their seuerall natures and operations but in this confused mixture to discerne the seueralls is a thing passing the skill of man The like may be said of the particular vertue of euery star for they all haue their operation in the bodies of men and other creatures but their vertues beeing all mixed together in the subiect whereon they worke can no more be knowne distinctly then the vertues of a masse of hearbs of infinite sorts beaten together For this is an vndoubted truth in nature that the vertues of Celestiall bodies in their operations are mingled with the qualities of the elements in the inferiour bodies the vertues of them all doe so concurre that neither the heate or light of the starres nor the vertue of â—he elements can be seuered one from another And therefore though there be notable vertue in the starres vet in regard of the mixture thereof in their operation no man is able to say by obseruation that this is the vertue of this starre and this of that The seauen Planets beeing more notable then the other lights of the heauen specially the Sunne and the Moone haue their operations and effects plainely and perfectly knowne as for the other there was neuer any man that could either feele their heate or certenly determine of any thing by them There being thâ— some stars
Scripture For they were so guided by gods spirit in their proceedings that nothing could be hard vnto them This priuiledge no ordinarie man hath assurance of and therefore this author writing vpon his owne priuate motion was subiect to error and no doubt this speach of his beeing contrarie to that which is recorded in the Canonicall Scriptures is a flat vntruth Secondly it is obiected that the Scripture calleth him Samuel that appeared vnto Saul Ans. The scripture doth often speake of things not as they are in themselues but as they seeme to vs. So it is affirmed Gen. 1. 16. that God made two great lights the Sunne and Moone whereas the moone is lesser then many starres yet because in regard of her nearenesse to the earth shee seemeth to vs greater then the rest therefore shee is called a great light In like manner Idols in the Scripture are called Gods not that they are so indeed for an Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 8. 4. but because some men doe so conceiue of them in their mindes In a word the Scripture oftentimes doth abase it selfe to our conceit speaking of things not according as they are but after the manner of men and so in this place calleth counterfeit Samuel by the name of the true Samuel because it seemed so vnto Saul The third obiection That bodie which appeared prophecied of things that came to passe the day after as the death of Saul and of his sonnes which indeede so fel out and at the same time therefore was like to be Samuel Answ. There is nothing there said or done which the deuill might not doe For when the Lord vseth the deuill as his instrument to bring some things to passe he doth before hand reueile the same vnto him and looke what particulars the deuill learneth from God those he can foretell Now the truth is Satan was appointed by God to worke Sauls ouerthrowe and it was made knowne vnto him when the thing should be done by which meanes and by none other the deuill was enabled to Foretell the death of Saul Where by the way obserue that in this case the deuill can reueale things to come certenly to wit if he be appointed Gods immediate instrument for the execution of them or knowes them by light of former prophecies in Scripture Fourthly dead men doe often appeare and walke after they are buried Ans. It is indeede the opinion of the Church of Rome and of many ignorant persons among vs but the truth is otherwise Dead men doe neither walke nor appeare in bodie or soule after death for all that die are either Righteous or wicked The soules of the Righteous goe straight to heauen and the soules of the wicked to hell and their remaine till the last iudgement and therefore of the iust it is said that they are blessed when they die because they rest from their labours Apoc. 14. 13. But how doe they rest if after they be dead they wander vp and downe in the earth If it be said that Moses and Elias appeared when Christ was transsigured in the mount and that Lazarus rose again and at Christs resurrection many dead bodies rose againe and appeared I answer there were two times when God suffered the dead to be raised vp againe either at the planting of his Church or at the restoring and establishing of it when it was rased to the foundation Thus at the restoring of religion in Elias and Elishaes times the sonne of the Shunamitish woman 2. King 4. 34. and the widowes sonne at Sarephta 1. King 17. 21. were raised Againe when God would restore his Church which was fallen to Idolatrie about the death of Elisha he caused the like miracle to be wrought in the reuiuing of a dead man by the touching of Elishaes dead carkeise in the graue thereby to assure the people of their deliuerance and to cause them to embrace the doctrine of the Prophet after his death which in his life they had contemned In like manner at the establishing of the Gospel in the new Testament it pleased Christ to raise vp Moses and Elias and to make them knowne to his Disciples by extraordinarie reuelation that they might beleeue that the doctrine which hee preached was not newe but the same in substance with that which was recorded in the Law and the Prophets both which were represented by Moses and Elias So also he wrought the miracle vpon Lazarus the widowes sonne and lairus daughter thereby to sliewe the power of his Godhead the truth of his calling the testimonie of his Doctrine lastly to make knowne the power of his resurrection he caused some to rise and appeare to others when he himselfe rose againe But out of these two times we haue neither warrant nor example that God suffered the dead to be raised vp Wherefore those instances will not any way confirme Samuels appearing which indeed was not true but counterfeite and forged by the Deuill himselfe Now for the second Opinion of those which denie that there be any Witches and thereupon hold that this was a meere cosenage of the Witch suborning some man or woman to couÌ„terfeit the forme attire and voice of Samuel thereby to delude Saul that also is vntrue For he that spake foretolde the ruine of Saul of his sonnes and of his armie yea the time also wherein this was to come to passe whereas in likelihood no man or woman in all Israel could haue foretold such things before hand of themselues It was not then any cosenage as is affirmed but a thing effected by the deuill framing to himselfe a bodie in the likenesse of Samuel wherein he spake If therefore it be manifest that by counterfeit apparitions of the dead Witches and Sorcerers can foretell things to come hence sundrie points of Witchcraft may be obserued First that there is a league between the Witch and the deuill For this was the cause which mooued Saul to seeke to Witches because neither he himselfe nor any of his seruants could raise vp Satan in Samuels likenesse as the Witch of Endor did But Saul beeing a King might haue commanded helpe from all the wise and learned men in Israel for the effecting of such a matter why then would he rather seeke to a silly woman then to them The reason was because shee had made a compact with the deuil for the vsing of his helpe at her de â—aund by vertue whereof he was as readie to answer as she to call him whereas Saul and the learned Iewes hauing made no such league neither he by his power nor they by their skill could haue performed such a worke Secondly the deuill will be readie at the call and command of Witches and Sorcerers when they are intending any mischiefe For here the Witch of Endor no sooner spake but he appeared and therefore the text giues her a name that signifieth one hauing rule and command ouer Pytho that is the familiar spirit yet when he is commanded he yeelds not vpon
of Christ broken for vs And so it is in euerie creature if the effect be ordinarie and naturall it hath it by creation if extraordinarie and supernaturall it hath that by diuine ordination So that whatsoeuer comes to passe by any other meanes is by Satanicall operation Now charmes and spells standing of set words and sillables haue no power in them to worke wonders either by the gift of nature in the creation or by Gods appointment since the creation and therfore they haue in them no power at all for any such purpose This latter part of the reason beeing the assumption or application of the ground to the present instance consisteth of two parts which I will prooue in order First then I affirme that by the gift of nature no words of charmes haue power in theÌ„ to worke wonders I prooue it in this manner I. All words made and vttered by men are in their own nature but sounds framed by the tongue of the breath that commeth from the lungs And that which is onely a bare sound in all reason can haue no vertue in it to cause a reall worke much lesse to produce a wonder The sounds of bells and of many musicall instruments and the voices of many bruit creatures are fartr more strong and powerfull then the voice of a man yet who knoweth not that none of all these is auaileable to such purposes Indeede they haue power to affect the minde by their sweetnes or otherwise but they are not able to bring to passe a reall worke either by the inflicting of hurts and harmes or by the procuring of good I conclude therefore that the voice of man by nature hath no power to worke any wonders II. Againe euery thing which hurteth or affecteth another must necessarily touch the thing which it hurteth or affecteth For it is a graunted rule in nature that euery agent worketh vpon the patient by touching But words vttered in Charmes are commonly made of things absent and therefore though it should be graunted that they had the power of touching a substance which they cannot haue yet of theÌ„selues they are not auaileable to bring vpon things absent either good or euill III. Moreouer if words conceiued in charmes and spells haue any such power as is pretended why should not euery word that any man speaketh haue the same power inasmuch as all words are of the same nature beeing onely sounds framed in the breast and vttered by the tongue in letters and syllables But experience teacheth that the same word spoken by another hath not the same vertue For the charme vttered by the Charmer himselfe will take effect but beeing spoken in the same manner by another man that is no Inchanter maketh to no purpose for nothing is effected by it IV. That which is in nature nothing but a baâ—e signification cannot serue to worke a wonder and this is the nature of all wordsâ— for as they be framed of mans breath they are naturall but yet in regard of forme and articulation they are artificiall and significant and the vse of them in euery language is to signifie that which the author thereof intended for the first significations of words depeâ—â—â—d vpon the will and pleasure of man that framed and inuented them Beeing therefore inuented onely to shew or signifie some thing it remaines that neither in nature nor proper vse they can be applied to the producing of wounderfull and strange effects Thus the former part of the assumption is cleared In the second place I affirme that the words of charmers haue not this power in them by any speciall gift blessing or appoyntment of God since the creation which is the other part of the assumption And I shew it thus whatsoeuer is powerfull and effectual to any end or purpose by Gods gift blessing or appointment the same is commanded in his word to be vsed and hath also a promise of blessing annexed to the right vse therof To vse the instance before made for explanation sake The bread in the Lords supper hath this power and propertie giuen it by Christ to seale signifie vnto euery beleeuing receiuer the bodie of Christ and by this propertie giuen it it is aâ—eileable to this purpose though it be a thing aboue the common and naturall vse of bread thereupon we haue warrant from Christs owne commandement ordinance and example so to vse it But in the whole bodie of the Scripture there is not the like commandement to vse the words of Charmes for the effecting of wonders much lesse the like promise of blessing vpon the same so vsed therefore the conclusion is that God hath giuen no such power vnto them in speciall If it be asked then what they are and whereto they serue I ansvver they are no better then the deuills sacraments and vvatchvvords to cause him to doe some strange vvorke For the Inchanter hath relation in his minde to the deuil vvhose helpe he hath at hand by couenant either open or secret or at least some superstitious opinion of the force of the vvords vvhich is a preparation to a couenant The truth of this doctrine hovvsoeuer it be thus made manifest yet it findes not generall intertainement at all mens hands For there are and haue beene some learned men in all ages who maintained the contrarie both by word and writing and namely that there is great vertue power in words pronounced in time and place to effect strange things For proofe wherof they alledge these reasons First that the bare conceit and imagination of man is of great force to doe strange things and therefore words expressed much more Ans. The ground of the reason is naught Imagination is nothing els but a strong conceit of the minde touching any thing whatsoeuer it be and by reason of the communion that is betweene the bodie and soule being together it is of great force to work within the man that imagineth diuersely and to cause alteration in himselfe which may tend either to the hurt or to the good of his owne bodie but yet imagination hath no force out of a man to affect or hurt an other A man conceiuing desperately of his owne estate by the strength of imagination may kill himselfe but the same conceit be it neuer to strong can not hurt his neighbour For it is no more then Cesars image vpon his coyne which serueth onely to represent Cesar so imagination is nothing but the representation of some thing in the minde by conceit and therefore as the person of Cesar is nothing hurt though his image be defaced so when we conceiue of men in our mindes though neuer so badly and malitiously yet all is of no force to hurt or annoy them either in person or state Secondly they alleage that Witches by malitious and wrie lookes in anger and displeasure may and do hurt those vpon whom they looke whether they be men or other creatures And it is an old receiued opinion
that in malitious and ill disposed persons there proceed out of the eye with the beams noysome and malignant spirits which infect the ayre and doe poison or kill not onely them with whome they are daily conuersant but others also whose companie they frequent of what age strength and complexion so euer they be Ans. But the opinion is as fond as it is old for it is as much against nature that such vertue should proceede out of the eye or such spirits breake out of the nerves to the partie hated as it is for the blood of the bodie of it selfe to gush out of the veines Yet for the ratifying of this opinion they alleadge that which is written in Gen. 30. 37. where Iacob laide speâ—kled â—oddes before the sheepe in their watering troughes that by Gods appointment for this ende that they might bring forth partie coloured lambs I answer that was not a worke of sight but a speciall and exâ—raordinarie worke of Gods prouidence vpon Iacob in his necessitie as we may plainely see in the chapter next following v. 9. 11. yea it was taught Iacob by God himselfe and â—f it had been an ordinarie work doubtlesse the gaâ—â—es thereof beeing so good Iacob would haue done it againe afterward but we neuer read that he did it againe And be it granted it were a naturall worke yet it cannot prooue witching by sight because the sheepe receiued into their eyes the species and resemblance of the rodds which is according to nature whereas in fasâ—ination or bewitching by sight malignant spirits should not be receiued in but sent forth of the eye which is against nature Yea but the Basiliske or Cockatrice doth kill man and beast with his breath and sight yea the wolfe takes away the voyce of such as he suddenly meetes withall and beholds and why may not wicked men or women doe the like An. Indeede it is a thing receiued by common errour and held of some for a truth but no experience of any man hath yet beene brought for the proofe thereof and therefore it is to be reputed as fabulous Thus much in probabilitie may be thought if the allegatioÌ„ should be true that the Basilisâ—e beeing possessed of a thicke poyson may by his breath send forth some grosse venemoâ—s vapours and thereby infect the ayre and poison the thing that is neere vnto him And that the soddaine and vnexpected beholding of the venemous Cockâ—trice or the ravenous wolfe beeing creatures in their kind fearefull especiâ—llâ— to those that are not acquainted with them may cause present astonishment and consequently perill of death But that this should be done by the eiâ—s of these creatures only in maÌ„ner aforesaid it is not credible and therefore Aâ—thors haue vpon good ground denied iâ— as beeing confirmed neither by reason nor experience Thirdly they reason thus â—nchanters by whispering of words in charmes can stay the stinging and poisoning of serpents for so Dauid in effect speaketh that the voice of the Charmer charmeth the serpent Psal. 58. 5. It may seeme therefore that there is no small force in words for the effecting of strange works Ans. It must be granted that the charmer may inchant the serpent but how not by vertue of the words in the Charme but by the power of the deuill who then is stirred vp when the charme is repeated to doe the thing intended The truth of this answer appeares by the words of the text as they are read in the originall that the Inchanter ioyneth societies very cunningly namely with the deuill Now these sâ—ciâ—ties betweene Satan and the Charmer are the very ground of the worke vpon the serpent which worke vpon confederacie formerly made is done by the deuill and the words of the Charme are no more but the Inchanters Item or watchword to occasion him thereunto And let any other man reapeat the same words a thousand times that either is not thus confederate with Satan or hath not a superstitious opinion of Charmes and al his labour will be in vaine Fourthly the word of God is of great force in the hearts of men to conâ—ert and change them as it is vttered by the mouth of mortall man and this force is not in the man by whomâ— it is spoken where then should it be but in the 〈◊〉 and if in the words why may not other words be of like 〈◊〉 beeing vttered by man Ans. 1. The power of Gods word commeâ—â— not from this that it is a word and barely vttered out of the mouth of a man for so it is a dâ—ad letter but it proceedeth from the powerfull operation of the spirit annexed by Gods promise thereunto when it is vttered read and conceiued which operation if it were taken away the word might be preached a thousand yeares together without any fruit or effect either to saluation or condemnation 2. The word of God is powerfull by the concurrence of the worke of the spirit not in all things as for example in raising winds and tempests in infecting the ayre in killing and annoying men or other creatures but in the conuersion of sinners in gathering the Elect and in confirming those that be called and this power it hath also by his speciall blessing and appointment 3. Furthermore the same word is not of power when it is barely read heard or spoken vnlesse it be also conceiued in the vnderstanding receiued with reuerence treasured vp in the memorie and mingled with faith in the heart whereas the bare reading and muttering ouer the words of a Charme by an Inchanter though in an vnknowne toâ—gue in â—ude and barbarous words is sufficient to procure the working of wonders Now though the word of God be in it selfe pure and serue to excellent purpose as hath beene saide yet by the way we may remember That as it is with all things that are most pretious nothing is so excellent in it kind which may not be abused so it is with this heauenly word for it is and may be made a Charme two waies First when some part of it is indeede vsed for a charme Thus many Texts of Scripture both in Latin and other languages haue beene abused by Inchanters as might easily be shewed Secondly when it is heard read recited or made a matter of praier without vnderstanding And thus the ignorant man as much as in him lyeth makes it a Charme For in his ordinarie vse thereof he neither conceiueth nor taketh care to vnderstand it as lamentable experience teacheth Yet in neither of these is the very bare repeating of the word effectuall For as when a man heares or reades it vnlesse the Spirit of God inlighteneth his heart it is to no purpose so when it is made the matter of a Spell nothing will be effected vnlesse the deuill either by confâ—deracie or superstitious conceit be drawne to conferre his helpe in the point for his owne aduantage Howbeit of all Inchantments these are the most dishonorable to God most acceptable to
vpon suspition will take it on his death that such a one hath bewitched him it is an allegation of the same nature which may mooue the Iudge to examine the partie but it is of no moment for conuiction The reason is because it was but the suspition of one man and a mans owne word for himselfe though in time of extremitie when it is likely he will speake nothing but the truth is of no more force then another mans word against him And these are the proofes which men in place and time haue ordinarily vsed for the detecting of such vngodly persons but the best that may be saide of them is that they be all either false or vncertaine signes and vnauaileable for the coÌ„demnation of any man whatsoeuer Now follow the true proofes and sufficient meanes of conuiction all which may be reduced to two heads The first is the free and voluntarie confession of the crime made by the partie suspected and accused after examination This hath beene thought generally of all men both Diuines and Lawyers a proofe sufficient For what needs more witnes or further enquirie when a man from the touch of his owne conscience acknowledgeth the fault And yet the patrons and aduocates of Witches except against it and obiect in this manner That a man or woman may confesse against themselues an vntruth beeing vrged thereto either by feare or threatning or by a desire vpon some griefe conceiued to be out of the world or at least beeing in trouble and perswaded it is the best course to saue their liues and obtaine libertie they may vpon simplicitie be induced to confesse that which they neuer did euen against themselues Ans. I say not that a bare confession is sufficient but a confession after due examination taken vpon pregnant presumptions For if a man examined without any ground or presumptions should openly acknowledge the crime his act may be iustly suspected as grouÌ„ded vpon by-respects but when proceeding is made against him at the first vpon good probabilities and hereupon he be drawn to a free confession that which he hath manifested therby cannot but be a truth Other points of exception vrged by them are of small moment and may easily be answered out of the grounds before deliuered and therefore I omit them Now if the partie held in suspition be examined and will not confesso but obstinately persist in deniall as commonly it falleth out then there is another course to be taken by a second sufficient meanes of conuiction which is the testimonie of two witnesses of good and honest report auouching before the Magistrate vpon their owne knowledge these two things Either that the partie accused hath made a league with the deuill or hath done some knowne practises of Witchcraft And all arguments that doe necessarily prooue either of these beeing brought by two sufficient witnesses are of force fully to conuince the partie suspected For example First if they can prooue that the partie suspected hath inuocated and called vpon the deuill or desired his helpe For this is a branch of that worshippe which Satan bindeth his instruments to giue vnto him And it is a pregnant proofe of a league formerly made betweene them Secondly if they can giue euidence that the partie hath intertained a familiar spirit and had conference with it in forme or likenesse of a mouse catte or some other visible creature Thirdly if they affirme vpon oath that the suspected person hath done any action or worke which necessarily inferreth a couenant made as that he hath shewed the face of a man suspected beeing absent in a glasse or vsed Inchantment or such like feats In a word if they both can auouch vpon their own proper knowledge that such a man or woman suspected haue put in practise any other actions of Witchcraft as to haue diuined of things afore they came to passe and that peremptorily to haue raised tempests to haue caused the forme of a dead man to appeare or the like standing either in diuination or operation it prooueth sufficiently that he or she is a Witch But some may say if these be the onely strong proofes for the conuiction of a Sorcerer it will be then impossible to put any one to death because the league with Satan is closely made and the practises of Sorâ—erie are also very secret and hardly can a man be brought which vpon his owne knowledge can auerre such things I answer howsoeuer both the ground and practise be secret and to many vnknowne yet there is a way to come to the knowledge thereof For it is vsuall with Satan to promise any thing till the league be ratified but when it is once made and the partie intangled in societie with him then he indeauoureth nothing more then his or her diseâ—uefie and vseth all meanes possible to diclose them So that what ende soeuer the Witch propoundeth to her selfe in the league he intendeâ—â— nothing else but her vtter confusion Therefore in the iust iudgement of God it often filleth out that these which are true witches indeede shall either by confession discouer themselues or by true testimonie be conuinced The causes which mooue the deuill not onely to affect but to hasten this discouer it are two principally The first is his malice towards all men in so high a degree that he cannot indure they should enioy the world or the benefits of this life if it were possible so much as one houre Though therefore by vertue of the precontract he be cock-sure of his instrument yet his malice is not herewith satisfied till the partie be brought to light and condemned to death Which may be a caueat so all ill disposed persons that they beware of yeelding themselues vnto him The second is his infatiable desire of the present and full possession of them whome he hath got within the bonds of the couenant For though he haue good hope of them yet is he not certen of their continuance The reason is because some united with him in confederacie haue through the great mercie of God by carefull vsage of holy meanes and faith in Christ been reclaimed and deliuered out of his bondage and so at length freed from his couenant so as he hath eternally left them Hence it is that he labours by might and maine to keepe them in ignorance and to preuent the vsage of meanes effectuall to ther conuersion by laying a plot for their discouerie Bâ—t how then comes it to passe that all such persons are not speedily detected but some liue long and others die without any mans priuitie Ans. The reasons hereof may be diuers First because some one or more of them may belong to Gods election and therefore albeit for causes-best knowne to himselfe he may suffer them for a time to be holden in the snares of Satan yet at length in mercie he reclaimes them and in the meâ—ne time suffreth not the deuill to exercise the depth of his malice in discouering them to their
to worke any miracle they receiued from him at the same time an extraordinarie speciall instinct whereby they were mooued to attempt the worke They therefore yeelded themselues to the present motion of Gods spirit to be his instruments onely in the dispensation of the worke but the sole author and producer of the miracle was God himselfe And in this case the very manhood of our Sauiour Christ considered apart from his Godhead had no power of it selfe but was onely the instrument of his Godhead whensoeuer it pleased him in that kinde to manifest the same Wherefore to ascribe this vertue to the Crosse beeing a creature or the worke of a creature is to communicate the incommunicable power of the Creator to it which is plaine blasphemie IV. The fourth Remedie is the vsing of hallowed things as hallowed graines salt water bread images specially the image of Agnus dei Ans. Hallowed creatures are in truth vnhallowed superstitions For euery creature is sanctified by the word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 4. by the word when God in his word commands vs to vse it for some ende and by prayer when we giue thanks for giuing the creature and withall desire his blessing in the vse thereof Now let any Papists shew me one letter or sillable in all the Booke of God commanding the vse of a creature for any such ende They affirme indeede that Elisha wrought miracles by hallowed salt for by it he cured the bitter waters 2. king 2. 21. But the Prophet vsed not hallowed but common salt and that not ordinarily but onely then as a means wherby to worke a miracle It was therefore powerfull in his hands because for the doing thereof he had power and warrant from God extraordinarily and it cannot be so in any other which haue not the same gift V. The fift and last Remedie is Exorcisine which is an adiuring and commanding the Deuill in the name of God to depart from the partie possessed and cease to molest him any more This meanes was vsed by our Sauiour Christ himselfe and after him by his Apostles and other beleeuers in the time of the Primitiue Church when the gift of working Miracles was in force but in these daies aâ— I said before that gift is ceased and also the promise of power annexed to the vse of adjuration and therefore the means thereof must needs cease And for an ordinarie man now to command the Deuill in such sort is meere presumption and a practise of Sorcerie Sect. IV. IV. Quest. Whether the Witches of our age are to be punished with death and that by vertue of this law of Moses I doubt not but in this last age of the world and among vs also this sinne of Witchcraft ought as sharply to be punished as in former times and all Witches beeing thoroughly conuicted by the Magistrate ought according to the Law of Moses to be put to death For proofe hereof consider these reasons First this Law of Moses flatly enioyneth all men in all ages without limitation of circumstances not to suffer the Witch to liue and hereupon I gather that it must stand the same both now and for euer to the worlds ende Patrons of Witches except against this holding that it was a Iudiciall law which continued but for a time concerned onely the Nation of the Iewes and is now ceased But I take the contrarie to be the truth and that vpon these grounds I. Those Iudiciall Lawes whose penaltie is death because they haue in theÌ„ a perpetuall equitie and doe serue to maintaine some morall precept are perpetuall The Iewes indeede had some Lawes of this kind whose punishments were temporall and they lasted onely for a certaine time but the penaltie of Witchcraft beeing Death by Gods appointment and the inâ—licting of that punishment seruing to maintaine the equitie of the three first morall precepts of the first Table which cannot be kept vnlesse this Lawe be put in execution it must necessarily follow that it is in that regard morall and binds vs and shall in like sort bind all men in all ages as well as the Iewes themselues to whome it was at that time personally directed II. Euery Iudiciall law that hath in it the equitie of the law of nature is perpetuall but the Law of punishing the Witch by death is such For it is a principle of the law of nature holden for a grounded truth in all countries kingdomes among all people in euery age that the traytour who is an enemie to the State and rebelleth against his lawfull Prince should be put to death now the most notorious traytour and rebell that can be is the Witch For shee renounceth God himselfe the King of kings shee leaues the societie of his Church and people shee bindeth her selfe in league with the Deuill and therfore if any offender among men ought to suffer death for his fact much more ought shee and that of due desert The second reason for the proofe of the point in hand is this According to Moses lawe euery Idolater was to be stoned to death Deut. 17. 3 4 5. If there be found any among you that hath gone and serued other gods as the Sunne the Moone or any of the hoast of heauen if the thing vpon enquirie be found to be true and certen thou shalt bring them forth vnto thy gates whether it be man or woman and shalt stone them with stones till they die Now this is the very case of a Witch shee renounceth the true God and maketh choice to serue the Deuill shee is therefore a grosse Idolater and her punishment must be suitable It is alledged by the fauourers of the contrarie part that Peter denied Christ and yet was not put to death I answer there is great difference betweene Peters deniall of Christ and Witches denying of God Peters deniall was vpon infirmitie and in hast the Witch denieth God vpon knowledge and deliberation wittingly and willingly Againe Peter did not vpon the deniall betake himselfe to the Deuill but turned vnto Christ againe which he testified by his heartie and speedie repentance but Witches denie God and betake themselues to the Deuill of their own accord as is manifest euen by their own confessions at their arraignments The third reason Euery seducer in the Church whose practise was to draw men from the true God to the worship of Idols though it were a mans owne sonne or daughter wife or friend by the peremptorie degree and commandement of God was at no hand to be spared or pitied but the hand of the witnesse first and then the hands of all the people must be vpon him to kill him Deut. 13. 6. 9. If this be so no Witches connicted ought to escape the sword of the Magistrate for they are the most notorious seducers of all other When they be once intangled in the Deuills league they labour to invre their dearest fâ—iends and posteritie in their cursed and abominable practiâ—es that they may be