A Candle in the Dark: SHOWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND, and of the Christian WORLD. That is, the Lord doth Avenge the blood of the Innocent upon the Inhabitants of the Earth: justitia Thronam firmat. The King that faithfully judgeth the poor, his Throne shall be established, Prov. 29.14. This Book is profitable to be read by all judges of Assizes, before they pass the sentence of Condemnation against poor People, who are accused for Witchcraft; It is also profitable for all sorts of people to read who desire Knowledge. By THOMAS ADY M. A. LONDON, Printed for Robert Ibb'tson dwelling in Smithfield near Hosier Lane End. 1655. The Reason of the Book. THe Grand Error of these latter Ages is ascribing power to Witches, and by foolish imagination of men's brains, without grounds in the Scriptures, wrongful killing of the innocent under the name of Witches; unto which Idolatry and bloodguiltiness (being as bad, or worse than the Idolatry of the ancient Heathen) men are led as violently by fond imagination, as were the Ephesians to the worshipping of Diana, and of the Image which (as they blindly thought) fell down from Jupiter, Acts 19.35. It is reported by Travellers, that some People in America do worship, for a day, the first living Creature they see in the morning, be it but a Bird, or a Worm; this Idolatry is like the Idolatry of this part of the World, who when they are afflicted in Body, or Goods, by God's hand, they have an eye to some Mouse, or Bugg, or Frog, or other living Creature, saying,. It is some Witches Imp that is sent to afflict them, ascribing the Work of God, to a Witch, or any mean Creature rather than to God. Mr. Scot published a Book, called his Discovery of Witchcraft, in the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, for the instruction of all judges, and justices of those times; which Book did for a time take great impression in the Magistracy, and also in the Clergy, but since that time England hath shamefully fallen from the Truth which they began to receive; wherefore here is again a necessary and illustrious discourse for the Magistracy, and other People of this Age, where I entreat all to take notice, that many do falsely report of Mr. Scot, that he held an Opinion, that Witches are not, for it was neither his Tenent, neither is it mine; but that Witches are not such as are commonly executed for Witches. A Candle in the Dark, The First Book, showing what Witches are in the Scripture-sence, throughout the Old and New Testament. The Second Book, showing how grossly the Scriptures have been misinterpreted by Antichrist concerning Witches, by which interpretation he hath made the Nations go astray. With a confutation of those Errors. The Third Book, touching some erroneous English Writers, who have upheld the same Errors which Antichrist hath broached to the world; Also the Works of a Scotchman, called, The Works of King james. With an addition of fifteen Causes; also a reference to Scot, and also the opinion of Luther concerning Devils. Also an instruction to Lawyers. Errata. PAge 11. line 3. for Magnus, read Magus, p. 15. 1. 2●, for 6 Chron. r. 2 Chro. p 22. 1. 1. for Prophet's, r. Prophetess, p 28. 1. 23 for magis r. magi, p. 30. 1. 11. for inch●ntation, r. incantation, p. 38 1. 15. for little r. li●he, 1. 19 for tax, r. tap, thrice in the same page, in p 48. 1. 8. for Charms ●. Charmer, p. 76. 1. 33. for equivoc●ely, r equivocally, p. 77. 1. 8. for Scopula, r. Scapula, over p 79. for Oracle giver, r. ●outh sayer, so over p. 87. Necromancer should not be. The Second Book. Pag. 92. 1. 5. for drew r. grew, p. 96. 1. 10, for inquisitions r. inquisitors, p. 106. 1. 8. tor superstitions, r. suspicions, p. 122. 1. 35, for quem, r. quum, p. 124. 1. 15. for an r. and, p 129, 1. 15. or prete●natual r, preternatural, p. 136. 1. 28. for any sort, r. every other sort, p. 145. 1. 30, for discovered, r. discoursed, p. 146. 1. 36. for and by them cast on c●n cure, r. and by them can cast on, or inflict and cure diseases, p. 147. 1. 4. for send r. teach. p. 170. 1 17, for endicat, r. indicat. Reader, take notice that most of these faults are mended with Pen and Ink already, TO THE Prince of the Kings of the Earth. IT is the manner of men, O heavenly King, to dedicate their Books to some great men, thereby to have their Works protected and countenanced among men; but thou only art able by thy holy Spirit of Truth to defend thy Truth, and to make it take impression in the heart and understanding of men: Unto thee alone do I dedicate this Work, entreating thy most High Majesty to grant, That whoever shall open this Book, thy holy Spirit may so possess their understanding, as that the spirit of error may depart from them, and that they may read, and try thy Truth by the touchstone of thy Truth, the holy Scriptures, and finding that Truth may embrace it, and forsake these darksome inventions of Antichrist, that have deluded and defiled the Nations now, and in former Ages. Enlighten the World, thou that art the Light of the World, and let Darkness be no more in the World now, or in any future Age; but make all people to walk as Children of the Light for ever; and destroy Antichrist that hath deceived the Nations, and save us the residue, by thyself alone, and let not Satan any more delude us; for the Truth is thine for ever. To the Reader. SIR, IF you be a courteous Reader, I entreat you that what weakness and imperfections you shall think you espy in this Book from the Author thereof, you pass them by for the Truth's sake whereupon this Book treateth. Secondly, if you be so discourteous as to carp and censure, than I entreat you to carp only at me, and not at the Truth, lest you resist the truth. Thirdly, I entreat you to Read my Book thorough before you cast it by, for otherwise, Sir, it may argue weakness in yourself to slight the Book before you see the Argument. It is one of the vanities of the World to write many Books, and when a man hath taken pains to write, few men will take the pains to read; which Solomon intimateth Eccle. 12.12. but Sir, if you find no leisure to read and consider, than I pray find no leisure to gainsay, or to argue against. Fourthly, for all places of Scripture alleged in this Book, if you shall search our English Translations, and not find them to carry the sense which I drive at in my discourse, I entreat you either to search the Original, or else to look upon the Latin Translations of junius and Tremellius, which carry the true sense of the Original, as it was written by the Spirit of God. Your Friend T. A. Non quis, sed quid. To the more judicious and Wise, and Discreet part of the Clergy of ENGLAND. joshua 7.11. THese words, Israel hath sinned, are not so to be understood, as if Israel had been free from all other sins but only that of Achan, and yet that sin of Achan was the sin that kindled the anger of God against Israel; so likewise, 2 Sam. 21.1. David had been an adulterer, joab was a murderer, Shimei a railer, Sheba a wicked man of Belial, and many sins were in Israel at that time, and yet the sin that kindled God's wrath, and brought the famine, was the bloodguiltiness of Saul, as appeareth in the Chapter and verse aforesaid; so likewise 1 Kings 16.30. Ahab was more wicked than all that were before him, yet the sin that cost him his life, and his crown, was murdering of Naboth, Chapter 21.19. so that it is easily gathered, that some one abominable sin doth sometimes more provoke God to anger, against any particular man, or against a Nation, than all other sins that are commonly committed. Then you that should be as messengers from God, in that you cry against sin in general, ye do well, but in that ye seek not out this cursed Achans wedg that hath defiled England and the Christian world, look to it betimes, lest it be laid to your charge, if the Nations perish for lack of knowledge. Your Friend T. A. Non quis, sed quid. A PREFACE. SInce the time that I have tried to bring truth upon the stage of the world, to be censured by all men, I being acquainted with but few in comparison of all, and some of them knowing my intent to put this discourse in Print, I have nearly guessed by common discourse amongst them, what the censure of this book will be, that is, it will be the same among many, that it is among few; for among few, I find some so reasonable in their discourse, that when they find by argumentation, that there is reason and grounds in the Scripture for what I write, they upon second cogitations, and deliberate muse, have yielded to this truth, (and some of them very learned.) Some again, after some serious argumentation, being fully convinced that this is the very truth, yet do still suspend their censure, till they see how it will be approved of by others; by which they show they are ready at all times, to believe as the Church believes, and to pin their opinion upon the sleeve of other men's judgements. A third sort there are, who at the first onset of discourse, do think themselves so surely grounded, and this truth so groundless and vain an opinion, as that they cannot speak without disdain, as great Goliath spoke to little David, and thus they begin in fury, O gross! what madness is this? what will you deny the Scriptures? what answer you to this? Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live: but when they are so suddenly answered, and suddenly convinced, that this place of Scripture maketh nothing for them, and that this their great Champion-argument, hath so soon received a stone in the forehead, they either let their discourse fall to the ground like Goliath, and slight this as a new opinion; or else they run away cowardly, like the host of the Philistines, and forsake the Scriptures (which they first pretended should be their only weapon to fight withal) and betake themselves to their legs, running into some vain story taken out of Bodinus or Bat. Spineus, or some such popish vain writer, and report that it was done in Lancashier, or in Westmoreland, or in some remote place far off; and that they heard it credibly reported from men of worth and quality, and so they engage me to answer to a story, which they would compel me to believe, or else to go see where it was done; but if it happeneth (as often it doth) that I make it appear by Scripture, that it is absurd or impossible, not to be reported by a Christian, or that I show them the story, in any of the aforesaid Authors, who have been the Authors of many vain fables, than they presently fly to another story, as vain and absurd as the former, and that being answered, they fly to another, saying, Sir, what do you answer to this? in which manner of disputes I have heard sometimes such monstrous impossibilities reported and affirmed to be true, (for they had it by credible report) as would make the Angels in Heaven blush to hear them. Therefore setting aside all such unscholar-like way of arguing, I desire all to argue by the Scriptures, and I will answer, or to answer by the Scriptures, and I will argue by the Scriptures, as followeth in this Dilemma. A DILEMMA THAT Cannot be answered by WITCHMONGERS. Luke 4.4, 8, 12. CHrist who is our forerunner, Heb. 6.20. by whose holy Spirit the holy Scriptures were written, whose words were of equal truth and authority with the Scriptures; Yet when he was to conquer the father of lies, the Prince of darkness (not for his own sake, but for our example) although he was able to have argued by common reason, beyond the wisdom of Solomon, yet being tempted, would not answer any one temptation without Scriptum est, it is written (because the Scriptures are the only rule of righteousness;) whosoever then will take example by him, to try the Truth by Scriptures, and to argue by them, as he did in this place of Luke, (and not by strange reports, which are the objects of vain credulity) let them answer me by Scriptum est. 1 Where is it written in all the old and new Testament, that a Witch is a murderer, or hath power to kill by Witchcraft, or to afflict with any disease or infirmity? 2 Where is it written, that Witches have Imps sucking of their bodies? 3 Where is it written, that Witches have biggs for Imps to suck on? 4 Where is it written, that the Devil setteth privy marks upon Witches, whereby they should be known or searched out? or that any man or woman hath any mark upon their body any more than natural, or by some disease or hurt, which is preternatural? 5 Where is it written, that the trial of a Witch should be by sinking or swimming in the water? or by biggs or privy marks, or suspicion of people, to be signs of a Witch? 6 Where is it written, that Witches can hurt corn or cattle, or transport corn by Witchcraft, or can fly in the air, and do many such strange wonders? 7 Where is it written, that a Witch is such a man or woman that maketh a league with the Devil, written with his or her blood, and by virtue of that covenant to have the Devil at command? 8 Where is it written, that any man or woman was called in the Scripture strix, or lamia, or where is any word of such signification or importance, either in the Hebrew text, or in the Latin translation, where is a Witch said in the Scriptures to be any such kind of person? 9 What is a witch in the scripture sense, according to Deu. 18.10, 11 where all sorts of witches are nominated by nine terms of description? 10 Where is it written, that there are any other sorts of Witches than such as are there described? Deut. 18.10, 11. 11 Where do we read of a he devil, or a she devil, called incubus or succubus, that useth generation or copulation with Witches, or Witches with them? 12 It is written, Woe unto such as devour widow's houses, and in a pretence make long prayers, Matth. 23.14. 13 It is written, the Lord hateth the hand that sheddeth innocent blood, and the falls witness that speaketh lies, and the feet that are swift to do mischief, and a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Pro. 6.17 18, 19 14 It is written, shall there be evil in a City and the Lord hath not done it? Amos. 3.6. 15 It is written, there is no God with me, I kill and I make alive; I wound, and heal, Deut. 32.39. and again, the Lord killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up; the Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich, 1 Sam. 2.6, 7. 16 It is written, If ye were blind ye had had no sin, but now ye say ye see, therefore your sin remaineth, john 9.41. 17 It is written, Because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved; therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies, that they might be damned that believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. 18 It is written, Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness, Exodus 23.1. 19 It is written, If ye any way afflict the widow or the fatherless, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless, Exodus 22.23, 24. 20 It is written, God saw that the imaginations of the thoughts of men's hearts were only evil continually; & it repented the Lord that he had made man, & therefore he destroyed the old world, Gen. 6.5, 6, 7. Therefore you that are of the sacred order of the ministry; that do use to cry to the people, give ear with fear and reverence to the word of God, as it is written in the text, how dare ye teach for doctrine, the traditions of Antichrist that are not written in the Book of God? Whether do not some prefer the mad imaginations of Cornelius Agrippa and others, before the Scriptures, for the defending their opinions? So much for my Dilemma, now for the Text. A Candle in the Dark: SHOWING The Divine Cause of the distractions of the whole Nation of ENGLAND, and of the Christian World. Deuteronomy 18.10, 11. LEt the Reader take notice that in all the Scriptures there is not any kind of Witch spoken of but such as are mentioned in these two verses; which that every one may understand, I will expound punctually, not according to our English obscure translations, but according to the true meaning, and signification of the original text, as it was written by Moses in the Hebrew tongue, and as it is truly translated (for the better and easier satisfaction of many that have not knowledge in the Hebrew tongue;) by junius, and Tremellius, in their Latin Bible; whether also I refer the Reader for all places of Scripture, alleged in this Book; and here I do in God's name, and in Zeal for his truth, desire and entreat him that thinketh himself the learnedst Clerk, to show me in all the Scriptures, such a word as Striges or lamias, or any word of that signification, importing such doctrines, as have a long time defiled the Nations. Deut. 18.10, 11. Let there not be found among you, any that maketh his son or his daughter to pass thorough the fire, a user of divinations, a planetarian, or a Conjecturer, or a Juggler. Also a user of charms, or one that seeketh an Oracle, or a Soothsayer, or one that asketh counsel of the dead. The Latin translation is this. Ne invenitor in te qui traducat filium suum, aut siliam suam per ignem, utens divinationibus, planetarius, aut conjector, aut praestigiator, Item utens incantatione, aut requirens pythonem, aut ariolus, aut necromantis; The Hebrew Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And here is the Hebrew Text written in the Roman character, with the construction of every word. Lo jimatzae ne invenitor, became in te, magnabir qui traducat, beno filium suum, vubitto aut filiam suam, baese per ignem, kosem kesamim divinans divinationes, megnonen, planetarius, vumenachese aut conjector, umechascscph aut praestigiator, vechobhir chabher incantans' incantatione, vessoel ob requirens pythonem, vejiddegnoni, aut ariolus, vedhorese el hamethim aut consulens mortuos; so much for the Text. Exodus 22.18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mechascscepha lo thechajeh, praestigiatricem non sines vivere. There is also another word, Hartumim in Exodus 4.17. Gen. 41 8. and in other places, which is taken in the general sense for Magnus a Magician; that hath one or all these crafts or impostures, yet by many it is restrained to the particular, and often translated Ariolus, being the most allowed signification, for Arioli, were called Magis, being counted wise men, and therefore the word is used for all sorts of Magicians; these and all other words in the Scriptures concerning Witches are consonant to the words in the Text. The Text opened. THe Text is verbatim, according to the Original as it was written by Moses in the Hebrew tongue, which I will expound orderly: and here is to be noted, that in these two verses, are nine sorts of Witches nominated by God, unto Moses, and the people, to this end and purpose; that whereas God hath chosen the people of Israel, to be a peculiar church and people to himself, he would be their only Counsellor, to keep them in the way of wisdom and holiness, and therefore commandeth them, in no wise to ask counsel of any but the true prophets and messengers of God, as appeareth in the 14. and 15. verses of this chapter, and because there were so many sorts of people in the world, that did commonly abuse and usurp the office of God's Prophets: God describeth them, in the 10. and 11. verses of this chapter, by nine several nominations or descriptions, commanding them to shun and avoid them as false Prophets and deceivers of the people; for it was the manner of the heathen (to seek unto such for counsel,) & the Lord having cast out those heathen people, for such abominable ways giveth his own people warning of all such ways to avoid them, & not to hearken to them namely, to those nine sorts of witches, or deceivers, or false prophets, or seducers of the people from God and his prophets, to lying Idolatrous ways, & giveth them warning in the three last verses of the same chapter of all false Prophets whatsoever, that should presumptuously take upon them to speak any thing in God's name which God had not commanded, or to speak in the name of other Gods, that such should be slain, and these nine appellations in the tenth and eleventh verses, are not terms of distinction, but several terms of description, whereby to discern false Prophets, or Witches, whom the Lord would have cut off from among his people; and therefore the Lord describeth them in the tenth and eleventh verses, showeth the destruction of the Nations that harkened to them, in the 12, 13, & 14. verses (where also he commandeth his people to be holy, and not like those Nations) promiseth that his people should always have a true Prophet amongst them to hearken unto, in the 15, 16, 17, & 18. verses (which although it was fulfilled in Christ chiefly, Acts 3.23. yet it is meant, and also verified of all the rest of the Prophets, that were successively Messengers of Christ from Moses, till the coming of Christ in the Flesh) commandeth them to hearken to such a Prophet, in the nineteenth verse, but for all false Prophets, the Lord will have them cut off in the twentieth verse, and setteth down a trial, and a discerning rule between a true Prophet, and a false Prophet that speaketh in God's Name, in the one and twentieth and two and twentieth verses, as appeareth orderly in the chapter, who so pleaseth to read it. And now to come to the Exposition, or Interpretation of these two verses, Deut. 18.10, 11. and of the nine appellations or descriptions therein contained. And first, for the first. Let there not be found among you, any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire, this is the first description whereby God describeth a Witch, or a false Prophet; and in what manner this should be a description of a Witch, or false Prophet, that we may the better understand, I must first define what a Witch is, and then come to the matter. The Definition of a Witch, or a certain Demonstration what a Witch is (for the vulgar capacity.) A Witch is a Man, or Woman, that practiseth Devilish crafts, of seducing the people for gain, from the knowledge and worship of God, and from the truth to vain credulity, (or believing of lies) or to the Worshipping of Idols. So likewise for the definition of Witchcraft. WItchcraft is a Devilish craft of seducing the people for gain, from the knowledge and worship of God, and from his Truth to vain credulity (or believing of lies) or to the worshipping of Idols. That it is a Craft truly so called, and likewise that it is for gain is proved, Acts 16.16, 19 the Maid that followed Paul crying, brought in her Master much gain; and that it is a craft of perverting the people, or seducing them from God and his Truth, is proved, Acts 13.6, 7, 8. ●limas the Sorcerer laboured to pervert the Deputy from the Faith. So likewise, Acts 8.9, 10, 11. verses, it doth more plainly prove all in these words, And there was a man before in the City called Simon, which used Witchcraft, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some great man, to whom they gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God, and gave heed unto him because that of long time he had bewitched them with Sorceries; How bewitched them with Sorceries? That is, seduced them with Devilish crafts (as the Greek and also Tremelius Latin Translation do more plainly illustrate) in this sense speaketh Paul to the Galathians 3.1. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? and that a Witch, or Witchcraft is taken in no other sense in all the Scripture, it appeareth by the whole current of the Scriptures, as you may see in this Book. But now to return to the Text. De●●. 18.10, 11. THe first description of a Witch in the Text is, Let there not be found among you, any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire. Here we must vote that there was in those days a great Idol of great request among the Heathen, the name of which Idol was Molech, and was first set up by the Ammonites, 1 King. 11.5. and by them called Milcom, and from thence grew in request, and defiled a great part of the world, who were generally led after it to Idolatry, insomuch that the Kings and Nobles of the earth did sometimes make their Sons and their Daughters pass through the fire in honour to that Idol, as Manasses did, 2 Chron. 33.6. and how that passing through the fire, was, or in what manner, is questionable, Some think they burnt them in the fire, as Burnt-offerings to that Idol, because it is said, Deut. 12.31. they burned their Sons and their Daughters in the fire to their gods; and also in Psal. 106.38. But although that was one Grand Abomination amongst the Heathen, sometimes to burn their Children in Sacrifice to their Idols, upon some extraordinary request, or Petition made to their Idols for the obtaining of some great matter (which was also forbidden the people of Israel in that place of Deuteronomy 12.31.) yet that is not the meaning of this place, in Deut. 18.10. but only that they made them pass through the fire, as an Idolatrous Ceremony, whereby they dedicated them to their Idol Molech. And this is the most allowable Exposition, for otherwise they must have bereft themselves of Children; but we read that Manasses was not left childless, for Ammon his Son reigned in his stead, 2 Chron. 33.20. but yet in what manner soever it was, that they made their Children to pass through the fire, the scope and meaning of the text, Deut. 18.10, is, That they should not be Ringleaders to Idolatry; as in Levit. 20.5. whosoever did give his Children to Molech was to be slain, with all that followed him in his Idolatry, they that followed him to Idolatry were to be slain as Idolaters, but he that gave his Children to Molech, to make them pass through the fire, is chiefly named here, to be slain, as a Ringleader of other men to Idolatry, and is in Deut. 18.10. reckoned amongst Witches, according to the definition of a Witch aforeshewed, Witches being in all the Scripture-sence only Seducers, or inticers of the people to Spiritual Whoredom, and here in the Text Moses speaketh, Per Synecdocen, of one Idol for all; all one as if he had said, Let none be found among you that is an enticer or ringleader of the people to Idolatry, in which sense all Idol Priests are Witches, and are styled so in common Scripture phrase, 1 Sam. 6.2. the Philistims called their Priests, and Soothsayers together; for the setting up or upholding of any Idol, is the Grand Witchcraft of all, and the very Mother of all other Witchcraft, and it is most probable the Priests of Molech were first devoted to that service, by using that Ceremony of passing through the fire; and all that did in like manner pass through the fire did become Priests, or at least Servants to the Idol, for the work of the Burnt-offerings, in this sense is jesabel, called a Witch, 2 King. 9.22. Why was it said the Witchcrafts of jesabel? Because she was an upholder of Baal, and his Prophets, who were juggling Seducers of the people to Idolatry: Why in the same verse is it said the Whoredoms of jesabel? Because Spiritual Whoredom (or Idolatry) and Witchcraft are inseparable companions, therefore it is said, Scortationes & praestigiae jezebelae, the Whoredoms, and juggle, or Witchcrafts of jesabel; in this sense is Ma●asses truly said to use Witchcraft, ● Chron. 33. and the first eight verses, almost all that is spoken of in Deut. 18.10, 11. Manasses is said to be guilty of in this place of Chronicles; First, he set up several Idols, and immediately follows the inseparable companions, that is the Witches, or Priests of Idols, called here Soothsayers, with their several Witchcrafts, in the sixth verse of the same Chapter of the Chronicles. Why do Idols, and Witchcrafts, and Witches come in rolling together so thick in this place? The first Reason is, because as the setting up of an Idol is Witchcraft, so where Idols are, there must needs be Witches; namely Soothsayers, or Idol Priests, or else the Idol of itself can do nothing; as when it is said in 2 King. 1, 2. Ahaziah sent to inquire of the god of Ekron, it is not to be supposed that there could be an answer given by the bare Idol (being but a stock) but the answer or Divination must come from the Priests and Soothsayers, that were there belonging to that Idol, and upholding it. The second Reason is, because as I have said before of the nine several appellations of Witches in Deut. 18.10, 11. that they are not terms of distinction but of description; so here in the 2 Chron. 33. all that is said of Manasses in the seven first Verses of the Chapter, is not to be understood as expressions of several distinct things done by Manasses, but a full expression of one thing by several terms of description, expressing fully that one act of Manasses, that is, first he set up several Idols, as in the third, fourth, and fifth, and the beginning of the sixth verse of the Chapter doth appear; and than it followeth that he used those things that did necessarily belong to the Idol, without which the Idol could be of no force, or request among the people, and that was as appeareth in the sixth verse, he used Divinations, and Conjecturing, and Juggle, and set up an Oracle, and Soothsayers, (the Latin translation is) Et divinationibus, & conjectationibus, & prestigiis usus est, instituitque pythonem & ariolos) so all that Manasses did, was setting up of Idols with their adjuncts, and though the Idols indeed were several and various, yet all was one act, tending only to the making up of one complete Idol-house, that was the House of God, verse the fourth, and seventh, he abusing it; and making it an House of Idols, this one act produced one effect; that was, he made judah and jerusalem go astray to Idolatry, as appeareth verse nine, but josiah destroyed the Idols, with their Adjuncts, Oracles, and Soothsayers, 2 King. 23, 24. being Idol Priests. So much for the first and grand description of a Witch in the text, that is, a Ringleader to Idolatry, intimated in these words, Let there not be found among you, any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the fire; this first description being rightly understood, the other eight will be the more easily expounded, being but appurtenances to the first, or rather Monsters in the belly of the first. Now followeth the second description, or appellation of a Witch, that is, Let there not be found among you, any that useth Divinations. To use Divinations was to take upon them to tell things to come, and things hidden, which things could not be done by any but by God, and his Prophets, as appeareth, Isa. 41.23. Show what is to come after, that we may know that ye are gods; yet as God's Prophets could tell things to come, so in the second of Kings, 6.12. Elisha the Prophet could tell the King of Israel what was spoken in the secret Chamber of the King of Aram; and although God would have his people know, that none could do these things truly but himself, by his Prophets, and therefore he would have his people to hearken after none but his Prophets, in enquiring of things to come, or things hidden; yet many false Prophets did take upon them to tell such things merely to seduce the people for gain, pretending that they could do it, either by virtue of their Idol, and so led the people a whoring after them, as in 2 King. 1.2. Ahaziah sent to inquire of the god of Ekron, and jeremiah, 23.13. they Prophesied by Baal, and seduced my people. Or else falsely pretending themselves to be God's Prophets, and so in a fair pretence, to pervert the people from the truth to lies, as Micha 3.11. Quorum Prophetae, pecunia divinant, whose Prophets do give Divinations for money; and jer. 23.21. I have not spoken to them, and yet they have Prophesied saith the Lord. In this sense Samuel said to Saul, Rebellio est sicut peccatum divinationis, Rebellion is as the sin of divination, or according to our English translations, is as the sin of Witchcraft, 1 Sam. 15.23. and for these divinations, and false Prophecies they had this colour, That whereas God did usually speak to his Prophets in Dreams, and Visions of the night, as appeareth, Numb. 12.6. these Witches, or false Prophets pretended that they had also Dreamt, and had seen Visions, that so they might bewitch and seduce the people from God's way, Deut. 13.1.5. and also jer. 23.25. They prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamt, I have dreamt; and vers. 27. Think they to cause my people so to forget my Name by their Dreams, which they tell every one to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal? not but that Dreams were to be declared and regarded, if it were truly done without deceit, for it followeth in the twenty eighth verse, He that hath a Dream, let him tell a dream, and he that hath my Word, let him speak my Word faithfully; but these Dreamers, or Witches, did falsely pretend Dreams and Visions, that they might seduce the people, vers. 32. these were the right Enthusiasts of the Heathen, this was one great practice of the Priests of the great Idol Apollo, that was called the Oracle of Apollo, they would lie down behind the Altar, and sleep for a time, and then make people believe they had seen a Vision, whereby they could determine their matters, and accordingly gave their Divinations, or Oracles; many other colours, or pretences, had their Diviners, for their cheating Witchcraft, or Divinations, as they would make the people believe they could talk with the spirit departed of the dead, and so know things hidden, or things to come, but of that more in the ninth description, and indeed most of the following descriptions, or appellations in the text were linken to the second, to lying Divinations, as also linked to each other, yet because the manner of their actions were various, the Lord here describeth them according to the variety of their actions, all tending to one end, and that is to oppose the way of God, and the Prophets for gain. A Question resolved. SEeing it is manifest by the Scriptures, as appeareth in this second description of a Witch, that he that useth Divinations is a Witch, and one main pretence in giving Divinations, was Dreams and Visions of the night, than it may be supposed that he that telleth a Dream to his neighbour, thereby foretelling things to come, useth Divinations, and aught to be censured as a Witch, or else must needs be a Prophet. To this it is answered, That Dreams in the Scripture do appear to be of two sorts, the first sort were Prophetical, wherein men had a direct command from God to go and Prophesy to the people, and these Dreams came ordinarily to the Prophets, upon so many several occasions as were needful for the Prophets to admonish the people, to show them their sins, and declare the truth to them, and for the declaring of future things to the people, either concerning Judgements of God that would come upon them for their sins if they did not amend, or concerning some great work, that God would do for his people that feared him, and these Dreams were proper to the Prophets only, Numb. 12.6. and they that did falsely pretend such Dreams, and Inspirations, to dissemble the Prophets, to seduce the people to Idolatry were Witches, or false Prophets, according to this second description of using lying Divinations, and aught to be slain, Deut. 13.1.5. Secondly, the second sort of Dreams that we read of in the Scriptures were warning Dreams, whereby men were forewarned of things to come, but were not thereby sent to Prophesy to the people by special command from God, but were forewarned; First, for the avoiding of danger that might come upon them, or others whom this Dream concerned, or at the least that they might know the danger before it came, and these Dreams were common to many as well as to the Prophets, both to the godly and ungodly, Mat. 2.12, 13 and 27.19. Gen. 40.8. and Chap. 41. Dan. 2.1. Secondly, these sort of warning Dreams fore-shewed a blessing upon the godly to encourage them, Gen. 37.5.9. and for these sorts of Dreams, we read by these examples in the Scriptures, that they are common to all sorts of people, and useful either to hear, or to declare, but whosoever did declare a Prophetical Dream, was either a true Prophet indeed, or else a lying Enthusiast, or false Prophet (such as were the Idol Priests of the Heathen) to seduce the people, as is showed in the Scriptures before mentioned in this second description, and also in jeremiah 23.16.25. And whereas some may question whether Dreams are now sent by God to forewarn, as in ancient times, so long as we have no Scripture to the contrary (but rather for it) we may not deny it; and do also find by common experience that some have dreamt of their Child falling into the fire, and some into the water, and of other several dangers concerning themselves, and others, of which some have come to pass that might have been prevented, by prayer and diligent care. I know a man that was forewarned in a Dream of these Wars in England before they began, (or were-like to be) but Prophetical Dreams are not usual in these days. Yet here it may further be noted, that in some case a man may also declare a Prophetical Dream, and yet be neither a true Prophet, nor a Witch, or false Prophet; and that hath sometimes been seen by experience in such as have been troubled in their fantasies through distemper of body, or other distracting occasions hurting their fantasy, they imagine that God hath spoken to them by Dream, or Vision, or Voice heard, or by an Angel, and hath bidden them go Prophesy such and such things, and these are to be charitably judged of, and not rashly censured; this distemper of body may be discerned by the effects, that is, Death, or Sickness following within a short time after, if not prevented by the Physicians; also troubled fancy by outward distractions may be discerned by the foregoing occasions that have troubled them, and hurt their fancies; and here is required great discretion in all that shall see, or hear a Man or Woman declare a Message from God (as he thinketh) for the intent of a false Prophet is only to deceive, or seduce for advantage of gain or preferment; some have written concerning Dreams, that some Dreams are Diabolical, which are only Philosophical Notions, having no grounds in the Scripture. And whereas it is manifest in the Scriptures that God speaketh to men by Dreams, and interpretations of Dreams are only by the Spirit of God, Gen. 40.8 I think it presumption and Fantasy, to add any such distinction of Dreams, except Enthusiasms, which although they are of the Devil, yet are no real Dreams, but Lies, for the Enthusiasts did falsely pretend that they had Dreamt, jer. 23, 25.27.32. Natural Dreams I deny not, which come from the multitude of business, and from the natural disposition of the body, but none of these are any way concerning future events, but are only the objects of our Natural affections, and although some of these are lascivious Dreams, some Murderous, some Covetous, and in that sense may be called Diabolical; yet in these Dreams are nothing besides Nature, neither hath the Devil any further act in them than in our corrupt straggling affections in the day time; and though our thoughts are sometimes worse in the night than in the day, it is because our affections are busied in the day with other objects preventing such thoughts. So much for the Second description of a Witch in the text, that is an user of Divinations or false Prophecies. The Third Description. THe Third description of a Witch in the text, Deut. 18.10, 11. is Planetarius, let there not be found among you a Planetarian; some have thought by a Planetarian here is meant such a one as did observe the course and influence of the Planets, and from thence gave predictions of future events, that these were unlawful Arts, and ought not to be practised, and therefore have absolutely condemned judicial Astrology, but if they be right in this opinion, how then do they answer to Psal. 19.1. The Firmament showeth the works of his hands; this is not to be understood only of the making of the Canopy of Heaven, for than it had been said the Firmament is the works of his hands (he that liketh not this exposition, let him read Cornelius Gemma de natura Come●ae) and God himself speaketh of the influence of the Heavens, job 38.31. Canst thou restrain the sweet influence of the Pleyades, or canst thou lose the bonds of Orion? etc. And whereas some have said, That the Star that showed the birth of Christ, Mat. 2.2. was Miraculous, and not any Natural Star, how then could the Wise men or Astrologians see the signification of that Star by their Science of Astrology, whereas if it reacheth not to the knowledge of future contingensies, then much less to the knowledge of things supernatural or miraculous, and yet they saw that the Stars appearance did signify the birth of that great King (although I deny not, that the motion of the star in the ninth verse might be miraculous.) And to come farther, judg. 5.20. the Stars in their Rampires fought against Sisera; it is not spoken of any thing beyond nature, but the Prophets did observe that the stars in their natural places ●ought against Sisera, also Gen. 1.14. God made the Lights of Heaven to be signs for seasons, and for days, and for years; it seemeth then that judicial Astrology is not condemned in the Scripture, if it be not abused; what then was a Planetarian in the sense of the text? and why were they forbidden by God, and set in the Catalogue of Witches? To this it is answered, That under the colour of Astrology these Planetarians that are here forbidden did harbour themselves, that because there was somewhat in that Science for the knowledge of some future things, therefore in the pretence of their knowledge in that Science they did take upon them to compare themselves with the Prophets, and to draw the people after their uncertain Predictions, as if they had been equal with the Prophets, and many of them having no knowledge at all in that Science, yet did under the colour thereof harbour their deceitful Oracles, or Divinations, ascribing a Deity to the Planets, calling them gods, as Mars the god of War, Venus the goddess of Beauty, etc. and did also ascribe so much to their influence, as they believed no power above them, and so drew the people a whoring after them, to make them forget God the Author of all things, and to Deify the Creature; and these Planetarians being mere Naturalists, and believing no power above the Planets, would bear a breast against the Prophets, and undertake to do those things that were only proper to the Prophets to do, and could be done by no other power but by the Spirit of God, Dan. 2.2, 3, 4. they would undertake the interpretation of Dreams, if the dreams were related to them, nevertheless the expounding of dreams is of God only, vers. 27, 28. and Gen. 41.16. and 40.8. And whereas God did put into the heart of Nabuchadnezzar, to put them to difficult task, they said no man upon earth was able to do it, Dan. 2.10. inferring that the Prophets themselves could do no more than they; yea so did they deify the Planets, that they ascribed to them to be the gods of the seven Days of the Week, and caused the people to worship them, and bring their daily oblations to them, and to keep Holy days to them, from the names of which Planets the days do take their nominations; as Sunday from the Sun, Monday from the Moon, etc. and in other Tongues is more manifest for every day; which if it be true that the Planets have their several influences upon the several days of the Week, yet their wickedness was in denying God that made the Heavens, and their Host, and in deifying the Creature; and for this they are described among Witches, or seducers of the people to Idolatry, and this Idolatry God warneth his people to avoid, Deut. 4.19. Take heed when thou liftest up thine eyes to Heaven, and seest the Sun, and the Moon, and Stars, with all the Host of Heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath distributed to all people under heaven. Although God had given and distributed their influence to all people under Heaven, yet men may not worship them, but worship God that madethem. So likewise Deut. 17.3. also this Idolatry part of the Israelites were defiled with, jer. 44 17. they burned Incense, and poured Drink-offerings to the Queen of Heaven, or (as it is in the Original) to the works of Heaven, that is, to the Planets; of this Idolatry job cleareth himself, job 31.26. If I did behold the Sun when it shined, or the Moon walking in her brightness (that is, if I did behold them with adoration) this had been iniquity, for I had denied the God above, as followeth vers. 28. also 2 Chron. 33.5. This was part of Manasses Witchcraft, he built Altars to all the Host of Heaven, and made the people go astray, vers. 9 And so for this Third description of a Witch in the text, a Planetarian, that is, that under the colour of Astrology seduceth the people to lying vanities, or Divinations, and causeth them to deify and Idolise the Planets, or that boasteth himself in his Predictions against the Prophets, crying peace when the Prophets Prophesy destruction, Isa. 47.13. Let thy Astrologians stand up that do view the Stars, and do make known their monthly Predictions, and save thee from the things that shall come upon thee. I might quote also some profane Writers of this sort, who are seducing Witches, because under pretence of Astrology they teach things beyond the intent and scope of that, or any lawful Science. As julius Maternus hath devilishly written, That he that is born when Saturn is in Leone, shall live long, and go to Heaven when he dyeth; and so Albumazar saith, Who so prayeth to God when the Moon is in Capite draconis, shall obtain his prayer. These Planetarians, for these and the like impious devices, in pretence of a lawful Science, are described in the text among Witches. Astrologians have also annexed to their Science of Astrologic, Palmistry, and Physiognomy, the Celestial Bodies, as they say, having fixed their Characters upon the inferior Bodies of men (as he that readeth their Books may see, with the reason thereof) and therefore these Arts together with Astrology do serve them to make their Prognostics concerning the strength, health, disposition, and several events of any man's life; which Prognostics do often happen true, because Nature's course may be probably conjectured by the course and character of the Planets (although these Arts are much abused by wand'ring Gypsies, who under colour of such knowledge, do commonly cheat silly people, and also rob their pockets, when they are viewing their hands and face to tell them their Fortunes;) now herein was one difference between Planetarians, or Astrologians, lawful or unlawful in the Scripture sense, the lawful Astrologian foretelling probable events, fore-seen by Natural causes upon any person, or Nation; as Deborah observed the Stars concerning Sicera and his Army (although she knew what should come to pass more certainly by the Spirit of Prophecy than by the Stars.) The unlawful Astrologian, or Planetarian foretelling things not only probably, but certain and necessarily to come to pass, as if there were such strong inclination, influence, and co-action in those Celestial Bodies, as that our earthly bodies can no way avoid them, and as if God hath no Decree but what may be fore-seen in the Stars. But the Scripture, and true Religion teacheth us otherwise, for as a man may not be so stupid as to deny the influence of the Stars, so no man may be so Atheistical as to deny that Divine Providence ruleth all inferior bodies; not only in that sense, that Astra regunt homines & regit astra Deus, (which is the Astrologians Creed) but beyond the influence of the Stars; otherwise it were in vain to pray to God for recovery from sickness, or loss, or calamity, because haply the Stars threaten death, or ruin; in vain it were then for the Elders of the Church to pray over the sick, with hope of their recovery, except the Stars say, Amen. In vain it were then for a Nation to fast, and pray for Peace when the Stars threaten War. In vain it were for a man to hope for prosperity in all his undertake, by walking in God's way (as is taught in Deut. 29.9.) because the Stars in that man's Nativity threaten evil, and no prosperity to the whole course of that man's life. But as a skilful Physician may by good Phisical applications of remedies lengthen the days of a man, upon whom the Stars have a bad influence, and threaten death (which Astrologians themselves confess) how much more may true Religion in a man obtain a blessing for health, and prosperity, and peace, beyond what the Stars do promise? which is the whole discourse of Lev●t. chap. 26. therefore it must needs follow that Grace may turn away the bad influence, and Vice may hinder the good influence of the Stars from a Man, or a Nation; and they that were such mere Naturalists, as that under colour of their science in Astrology they taught the people otherwise, they were seducing Witches; and they that did seek to such for Divinations, and did not regard Divine Providence to rule beyond the Stars influence, and so neglected seeking to God in time of trouble, they were Idolaters bewitched. Another way might Astrologians become Witches, that is, if an Astrologian finding that many of his Prognostics happened true, and did thereby dissemble Prophecy, pretending that he did by Revelation, or prophetical Inspiration foretell those things which yet he did only conjecturally foresee by the Stars, that pretence or dissimulation made him a Witch, fit to seduce and misled the people. So much for the Third description. The Fourth Description. THe Fourth description, or term of description; of a Witch in the text is Con●e●tor, a Conjecturer; that was such a one that had some particular pretence or colour whereupon he grounded his Divinations, making the people believe that thereby he could Divine or Prophesy unto the people; whereas yet it was altogether a cozening imposture, or uncertain guessing, or conjecturing, and according to that he is here described by Moses as a Witch; what that Imposture was, Expositors have given several glosses, one Exposition is, That they observed the flying of Fowls, and thence gave their uncertain Predictions, or Divinations, but for that we find no example in the Scriptures in the Original sense, and therefore leave it, and do also think, that to observe the flying of Fowls for Predictions of weather, as also the postures of Beasts, and creeping things is no offence, nor is here forbidden. Another exposition is, That they observed the entrails of Beasts, from whence they pretended they did know the will of the gods; and that was indeed of Beasts that were offered in Sacrifice to their Idols. By which pretence being but a mere cozening Imposture, they seduced the people to Idolatry, and therefore were reckoned and described among Witches in the text; and for that exposition we have that example in the Scriptures, Ezek. 21.26. (which in Tremell●us translation is thus) To use Divinations, he will furbush Knives, he will consult with Idols, he will look in the Liver, this is a plain demonstration of this Fourth description of a Witch in the text; that is, such a one as pretended to the people that their Idol gods hiding their secrets in the entrails of the sacrificed Beasts, he being one of their Priests, could by searching the entrails, conjecture to the people the meaning of the gods. This exposition is agreeable to that, 2 Chron. 33.3. when Manasses had built Idol-Altars in the House of God, it followeth immediately in the sixth verse, Et Divinationibus, & conjectationibus & prestigiis usus est; and he used Divinations, and Conjecturing, and Juggle, all tending to one end, to seduce the people to Idolatry, as followeth in the ninth verse, he made judah and jerusalem to go astray, for God had appointed his people not to inquire after uncertain conjecturings, by any Idol Impostures of the Heathen, but to inquire after himself, by the Prophets, and by his Priests, by an Ephod, by Urim and Thummim, as appeareth, 1 Sam. 30.7. Exod. 28.30. Some report that the Roman Soothsayers did take the ankle bone of ● Beast sacrificed, which bone was by them called talus in the Latin, the said bone is easy to be seen in the foot of any Ox or Sheep, and hath four sides equally poised, and being cast upon a Table it falleth contingently like a die; and therefore are the Dies called by the same name in latin tali, and when those Idol Priests, the Roman Soothsayers, would inquire of their Idols for Divinations, or rather give Divinations in the name of their Idols, they would cast that bone upon the Table, and according to the several contingent falling of the bone like the cast of a die, so they gave several conjecturing Divinations, every side when it chanced upward being of a several signification, given by their Idol, as they pretended; a mere cheating Imposture to seduce the people; a lively demonstration of it may be seen among Boys, casting the bone in the same manner in certain childish Games called cock-up-all. It may be collected also, That the Idol Priests of the Heathen did sometimes use this imposture for one, (they having divers ways to delude the people) that was, for the Priest to be blinde-folded, and one or more to touch him, and he to conjecture or guests who it was that touched him; which was easily done by the confederacy of some slander by, some Priest like himself, who gave him a private token which the people did not take notice of, but were thereby deluded, and thought him to have a Prophetical inspiration from the Idol gods, and this is collected from Matth. 26.68. especially if that place be compared with Mark 14.65. where it appeareth, That the corrupt jews, who had been defiled by the manner of the Heathen, did blindfold Christ and smite him, and said, Prophecy, who it is that smote thee; they offering to try Christ by such ways as they had seen the Heathen try their Prophets by, who notwithstanding were Impostors and false Prophets. So much for the Fourth term, of description, of a Witch in the text, Conjector, a Conjecturer. The Fifth Description. The Fifth Appellation, or term of description of a Witch in the Text, is Prestigiator, that is, a Juggler. THe interpretation of this word is plain in the Scriptures, that is, one that worketh false or lying Wonders, or lying Miracles, in opposition of the true Miracles that were wrought by God, by his Prophets, such were jannes', and jambres, 2 Tim. 3.8, 9 As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so also do these resist the truth; now how jannes' and jambres withstood Moses it appeareth, Exod. 7.5.8.9. God would have his Prophets, Moses, and Aaron to be known by their Miracles, that the people might believe that God had sent them, they wrought the Miracles that God had commanded them, Exod. 7.13. but it appeareth in vers. 14. that these Jugglers withstood them, and when the Messengers of God wrought true Miracles, those Witches wrought lying Miracles in opposition of them, Fecerunt similiter, they did the like. The Latin translation is thus; Tum vocavit Pharo sapientes & Prestigiatores, ut facerent ipsi quoque magi Aegyptii suis incantation●bus similiter; and Pharaoh called the Wise men, and Jugglers, that the Magicians of Egypt might also do the like with their enchantments; so likewise vers. 25. Fecerunt similtier magis suis incantationibus, the Magicians did the like with their Enchantments; this word Similiter, the like, or in like manner, is of great importance, lest some ignorant reader of the Scriptures should suppose, that the Magicians did the same Miracles that the Prophets did, whereas those acts of the Magicians were only delusions, (although enough to blind Pharaohs eyes, because God would harden his heart.) And as it appeareth in 2 Tim. 3.9. their actions were only mad fooleries that came to light, and were proved ridiculous, as the words import, for the craft of Juggling, to them that are not acquainted with it, breedeth great admiration in the beholders, and seemeth, to silly people, to b● miraculous, and yet being known is but deceit and foolery; so that the beholder himself cannot but blush, and be ashamed to think he was so easily cozened, and did so much admire a ridiculous Imposture, that craft of Juggling consisteth. First, In slight of hand, or cleanly conveyance. Secondly, In confederacy; and Thirdly, In the abuse of Natural Magic. The first is profitably seen in our common Jugglers, that go up and down to play their Tricks in Fayrs and Markets, I will speak of one man more excelling in that craft than others, that went about in King james his time, and long since, who called himself, The King's Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus, and so was he called, because that at the playing of every Trick, he used to say, Hoc●● pocus, tontus talontus, vade celeriter jubeo, a dark composure of words, to blind the eyes of the beholders, to make his Trick pass the more currently without discovery, because when the eye and the ear of the beholder are both earnestly busied, the Trick is not so easily discovered, nor the Imposture discerned; the going about of this Fellow was very useful to the wise, to see how easily people among the ancient Heathen were deceived, in times and places of ignorance, for in these times many silly people (yea and some also that think themselves wise) will stand like Pharaoh and his Servants, and admire a Juggling Imposture; or like the silly Samaritans, Acts 8.10. who did so much admire a seducing Juggler, as they said, He was the great power of God, until they saw the true and real Miracles of Philip, vers. 6. And others again on the contrary will stand affrighted, or run out of the room scared like fools, saying, The Devil is in the room, and helpeth him to do such Tricks; and some saying absolutely, He is a Witch, and aught to be hanged; when as he did only act the part of a Witch to enlighten, and not to deceive, that people might see and discern the Impostures by which the Idols of the Heathen were made famous, by their juggling Priests, and might laugh at their vanities (they that would see the manner of this part of Juggling, or cleanly conveyance more fully, may read Master Scots discovery of Witchcraft, where it is set down at large, to the satisfaction of all those that are not wilfully ignorant; as also briefly afterward in this Fifth description, after pag. 34. And now for illustrating of the History of Pharaohs Magicians, I will parallel this Hocus Pocus, or English Juggler, a little with them; they are called Prestigiatores, Jugglers, Exod. 7.14. and yet in the same verse, and also in vers. 25. it is said, they did in like manner by their enchantments; Why with their Enchantments? Not that Juggling and Enchanting are one and the same imposture, but the reason is, because when they wrought a Juggling Trick, or lying Miracle, they always spoke a Charm, or Inchantation immediately before it, like to that of our English Juggler aforesaid, to make the delusion the stronger, by busying the senses of Hearing and Seeing in the Spectator both at once, for a Charm, or Inchantation was only a composure of words to delude people, who thought that words spoken in a strange manner had virtue and efficacy in them (as may be seen more fully in the Sixth description following) therefore are they said to work their false Miracles by their Enchantments, because they seemed to silly beholders to do them by their inchantations or words, when as indeed they did them only by slight of hand, or cleanly conveyance called Legerdemain; and they that are well acquainted with this craft of Juggling, may easily conceive how these Magicians did their Feats without so much admiring them, when they read the History, as if they had done great Wonders, which were only delusions; The second and third Miracle, that they dissembled, do plainly appear in the letter of the History, Exod. 7.2. they seemed to 〈◊〉 water into blood, Focerunt similiter, and yet mark well the History, and ye shall see there was no water in Egypt, for Moses had turned it all into blood before, vers. 20.21. 24. 25. so then they could find no River or Pond to do that feat in, it must needs follow then, that they sent for water where it was to be had, which was no nearer than Goshe●, and so showed a petty Juggling Trick before Pharaoh in a room, with a Bowl or Trey of water, setting it upon the ground, and by slight of hand conveying blood into it to colour it; so likewise for the Third Miracle which they dissembled, Chap. 8.7. it was necessarily done by a such vessel of water; for they could not find any other water free in all Egypt, which were not already full of the abundance of Frogs, vers. 3.5. and what common Juggler might not easily dissemble that Miracle, by setting a bowl of water down before Pharaoh and his Servants, and by slight of hand conveying in three or four Frogs▪ and so holding up their staff, and speaking certain words to make it seem to silly spectators that the waters brought forth those Frogs; The first Miracle indeed seemeth more difficult to dissemble, and yet not so difficult if you saw it acted, for what is easier than for a cunning Juggler to hold up a staff as if he would throw it down, and then to speak a lofty inchantation, to busy the intention of the Spectators, and then with slight of hand to throw down an artificial Serpent instead of his staff, and convey away his staff, that so they might think his staff was turned into a Serpent, for these Histories are set down according to the apprehension of the deceived beholders, and not that the Magicians did them really, for than we must believe that they wrought real Miracles as the Prophets did, which were an ignorant and absurd tenant; whereas the Scriptures do manifest that they were only mad fooleries, and were discovered and came to light, 2 Tim. 3.9. yet many are so stupid, that rather than they will not have them really done, they say they were really done by the power of the Devil, and so ascribe power to the Devil for working Miracles, whereas we never read in the Scriptures that the Devil may have any supernatural power ascribed to him, but is only the Father of Lies. The same kind of Juggling Tricks were the Impostures of Simon Magus, in Acts 8.9. which although the people did for a time behold with admiration, yet when they saw real Miracles wrought by Philip, vers. 6.12. they believed him, and not the Impostor any longer, for they did easily see a difference between real Miracles, and cheating Impostures. Some again will have it, that these Acts of Pharaohs Jugglers, and others in the Scriptures might be real as they seemed to be, and yet brought to pass by the profoundness of the Art of Magic, which Art is of greater force (say they) than Juggling, or else why were they called in the same verse, Exod. 7.11. Jugglers, Wise men, and Magicians all at once? but let not any be so weak in understanding as to think, That any Art in the World could do that really that required a miraculous hand of power to do, for this is the essential or formal reason of a Miracle to be done by a power Supreme, and beyond the power of Man or Devil, or the virtue of any Art; and for this word, Magicians, in its own proper sense it is taken for Wise and Learned men, in Astrology, and other Arts wherein Scholars are instituted; and so there is no difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek, neither was it taken in any other sense among the ancient▪ and such were they that came to Christ and offered gifts, Mat●h. 2. 1. 11. called Magis; in this sense also it is said, That Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, Acts 7.22. and here in Exod. 7.11. these Jugglers are called Magis, Wise men, and Learned, because they pretend so, and were so thought by the people, whereas they were indeed but cheating Impostors, but because they and many other cozening Mates mentioned in the Scriptures, have by usurpation obtained that appellation from the people, Magicians, or Wise men, therefore it is used and taken by some Writers for such as use all cozening Diabolical Impostures; yet Moses here in this place of Exod. 7▪ 11. gave them not that manner of name or appellation, only Magicians, but withal describeth them by their peculiar appellation, that is Jugglers; and so in all the Old Testament, where Magician is taken in the worst sense, it is not set alone, but conjoined with some other terms of an Impostor for a more full description so that a Magician in the worst sense in the Scripture phrase is only an Impostor, or Deceiver; in the best sense, a learned Wise man, therefore no real Miracle, but only delusions can be wrought by Magic. I said a little before, That this craft of Juggling consisteth of three things; the First is, 'Slight of Hand, or cleanly conveyance; the Second is Confederacy, that is, when many or few agents do agree together in bringing to pass cheating impostures, contrary to the truth. An example of this we have in the History of Bell, the Idol, in the Book of Daniel, which though it be called Apocryphas, and doubtful whether it be a true History, yet this example whether it be true or not, it doth plainly demonstrate the Witchcraft of Idol Priests by confederacy, which is one main arm of the craft of Juggling, Wisd. 14. 14. 20. it appeareth plain how they confederated together in extolling the Idol, to uphold it for their own delicious maintenance, and to seduce the King and people to Idolatry, by making them believe that Bell did eat up all the daily provision that was set before him, whereas they themselves, with their Wives and Children, came in at secret doors in the night, and did eat up and carry away all that was provided at the King's charge, until Daniel discovered that their juggling imposture; and although there be not so plain a demonstration of the Juggling Impostures of every Idol spoken of in the Scriptures, yet no Idol but had the like delusions; for they built their Idol Houses on purpose with several slights, and secret conveyances to bring their Juggling Tricks to pass, and had daily new inventions of new Impostures whereby they deceived the World, and seduced them to Idolatry, therefore Elijah, 1 King. 18.19. would not trust the Priests of Baal to remain in their own Idol House, when he would discover them to the people, but caused them all to come forth to Mount Carmel, and then he said, as in vers. 24. The God that answereth by fire, let him be God. Why did he cause the King to command them all to Mount Carmel? The reason was, because if they might have acted their part in their Idol House, being built with secret conveyances for all deceit, they might have secretly fired the Oblation, and so might have deluded the people, still making them believe their Idol had answered them by fire, but being in Mount Carmel, remote from their Idol House, they could only act the part of Madmen, cutting themselves that the people might have somewhat to gaze at, but could bring nothing to pass to save their credit, or their lives; the deluding impostures of the Priests of Baal, are called Praestigiae Isabelae, 2 King. 9.22 the Juggle or Witchcraft of jezabel, because she being an Idolatrous Woman maintained those Priests of Baal in their Witchcraft, or delusions, to seduce the people to Idolatry. The third Branch whereupon this craft of Juggling consisteth, is the abuse of Natural Magic, that is, the abuse of their knowledge in Natural causes, as for instance in some few; take Wolveses dung, and carry it in your pocket that it may take the heat of your body, and it will make any mad Bull, or other cattle of that kind to fly from you, and to run very far away from their pasture to the admiration of the beholders. Take a piece of paper and rub one part of it with fresh Lemmon peel, and dry it again a little, and then dip your Pen in Ink, that is made of stone blue, steeped two or three days in cold water, and write upon the place that had the tincture of the Lemon peel, and it will write a pure bright red, and then with the same Pen and Ink write upon another place of the paper, and it writeth blue, whereby there is caused great admiration in the beholders, to see a man with one Pen, and one and the same Ink write red and blue. Albartius Magnus, and also Misaldus do write of many wonderful things that may be done by the knowledge of Natural causes, or the secrets of Nature, which although many of them be false, yet for such as are true, they may be lawfully done; and therein we may glorify God, in beholding the wonderful Works of his hands, in the secret causes of things. But now for the abuse of these things, as namely by the doing of these things to seduce the people, by making silly people believe we do them by a miraculous power, thereby pretending ourselves to be Prophets, as did Simon Magus in the Acts; this is right Juggling Witchcraft, or to make the people believe that they are done by the power of some Idol, thereby to seduce the people, or any way to affront the Prophets, by comparing them with true Miracles, to withstand the truth, as Pharaohs Magicians did, were right Witchcraft. So likewise for the Ointment called Unguentum armarium, or Weapon salve (that is an Ointment made of such ingredients, as by anointing the Weapon wherewith a man or beast is wounded, it healeth the Wound (if it be true by certain experience, as many Physicians and Chirurgeons do affirm) it may lawfully be used, and we may glorify God in the use of it, who hath given such excellent secret qualities to the Creatures, which are made for the use of man. Also jacob used the peeled rods, which by their secret operation being set before the sheep in the heat of their Generation, caused them, by beholding them in their conceiving, to conceive and bring forth party coloured Lambs; but if any man shall use these secrets to this end to make the people believe they are Prophets, and do them by a miraculous power, that so they may seduce the people to error under a. colour of working Miracles, such men are seducing Witches. Thus a Planetarian abusing the lawful Science of Astrology may become a Witch, not only under the notion of a Planetarian, but of a Juggler; as for instance, Pedro Mexia, a Spanish Historian, writeth of one Columbus, who coming to an Island in the newfound World called Hispaniola, desired Traffic with the Natives for Victuals, which they denying, he told them they should all die of the Plague, and for a sign hereof they should see the Moon as red as blood at such a time, and contrary to her former condition; afterward they beholding the Moon eclipsed at the same time foretell by Columbus, and knowing no rules of Astrology, they believed his words and craved pardon, and brought him supply of Victuals; This was but a remiss degree of deceiving Witchcraft, or rather a Cheat, because it tended not to Idolatry, but yet in the act itself, pretending falsely a miraculous power, it was Juggling Witchcraft. It is now fully demonstrated what a Juggler is in the Scripture sense, but yet Moses mentioneth both Sexes in the Scriptures, 〈◊〉 it is written, Exod. 22.18. Praestigiatricem● ne sinito vivere, suffer not a Juggling Woman to live. This is not any thing different in Nature from Praestigiator a Juggling man, but only in Sex, as if he had said, As you ought not to suffer Juggling seducing men to live, so likewise if there be a Woman found among you that useth this craft of working false Miracles, to delude and seduce the people to Idolatry, although she be the weaker Sex, to whom mercy might seem to be due, yet suffer her not to live; all one in sense with that Levit. 20.27 where Witches of both Sexes are mentioned in one verse; If a man or woman be a giver of Oracles, or Divinations, or a Soothsayer, they shall be put to death; yet whereas Moses, in all the Law, speaketh more fully of Witches in the Masculine, than in the female Sex; it confuteth that common tradition of people that Witches are most of the female Sex. Here I am compelled (for the satisfaction of some that are so weak in capacity that they will rather stand to cavil in a disputative way, than to understand things that are not in themselves disputative, but demonstrative) to demonstrate some few of the most admired Tricks of common Juggling. First, A Juggler knowing the common tradition, and foolish opinion that a familiar Spirit in some bodily shape must be had for the doing of strange things, beyond the Vulgar capacity, he therefore carrieth about him the skin of a Mouse stopped with feathers, or some like Artificial thing, and in the hinder part thereof sticketh a small springing Wire of about a foot long, or longer, and when he begins to act his part in a Fair, or a Market before Vulgar people, he bringeth forth his Imp, and maketh it spring from him once or twice upon the Table, and then catcheth it up, saying, would you be gone? I will make you stay and play some Tricks for me before you go, and then he nimbly sticketh one end of the Wire upon his waste, and maketh his Imp spring up three or four times to his shoulder, and nimbly catcheth it, and pulleth it down again every time, saying, Would you be gone? in troth if you be gone I can play no Tricks, or Feats of Activity to day, and then holdeth it fast in one hand, and beateth it with the other, and slily maketh a squeaking noise with his lips, as if his Imp cried, and then putteth his Imp in his breeches, or in his pocket, saying, I will make you stay, would you be gone? Then begin the silly people to wonder, and whisper, than he showeth many slights of activity as if he did them by the help of his Familiar, which the silliest sort of beholders do verily believe; amongst which he espieth one or other young Boy or Wench, and layeth a tester or shilling in his hand wetted, and biddeth him hold it fast, but whilst the said Boy, or silly Wench thinketh to enclose the piece of silver fast in the hand, he nimbly taketh it away with his finger, and hasteneth the holder of it to close his hand, saying, Hold fast or it will be gone, and then mumbleth certain words, and crieth by the virtue of Hocus, Pocus, hay pass prestor, be gone; now open your hand, and the silly Boy or Wench, and the beholders stand amazed to see that there is nothing left in the hand; and then for the confirmation of the wonder, a Confederate with the Juggler, standeth up among the crowd (in habit like some countryman or stranger that came in like the rest of the people) saying, I will lay with you forty shillings you shall not convey a shilling out of my hand; it is done saith the Juggler, take you this shilling in your hand, yea marry (saith he) and I will hold it so fast as if you get it from me by words speaking, I will say you speak in the Devil's name, and with that he looketh in his hand in the sight of all the people, saying, I am sure I have it, and then claspeth his hand very close, and layeth his other hand to it also, pretending to hold it the faster, but withal slily conveyeth away the shilling into his glove, or into his pocket, and then the Juggler cryeth, Hay pass, presto vade, jubeo, by the virtue of Hocus Pocus, 'tis gone; then the Confederate openeth his hand, and in a dissembling manner feigneth himself much to wonder, that all that are present may likewise wonder; then the Juggler calleth to his Boy, and biddeth him bring him a glass of Claret Wine, which he taketh in his hand and drinketh, and then he taketh out of his bag a tonnel made of Tin, or Latin double, in which double device he hath formerly put so much claret wine as will almost fill the glass again, and stopping this tonnel at the little end with his finger, turneth it up that all may behold it to be empty, and then setteth it to his forehead, and taketh away his finger, and letteth the Wine run into the Glass, the silly Spectators thinking it to be the same wine which he drank to come again out of his forehead; then he saith, If this be not enough I will draw good Claret Wine out of a post, and then taketh out of his bag a Wine-gimblet, and so he pierceth the Post quite thorough with his Gimlet; and then is one of his boys on the other side of the wall with a Bladder and a Pipe (like as when a Clyster is administered by the Physician) and conveyeth the Wine to his Master thorough the Post, which his Master (Vintner like) draweth forth into a Pot, and filleth it into a Glass, and giveth the company to drink. Another way it is very craftily done by a Spanish Borachio, that is a Leather Bottle as thin and little as a Glove, the neck whereof is about a foot long, with a screw at the top instead of a stopple; this Bottle the Juggler holdeth under his arm, and letteth the neck of it come along to his hand under the sleeve of his Coat, and with the same hand taketh the tax in the fasset that is in the post, and yet holdeth the tax half in and half out, and crusheth the Bottle with his arm, and with his other hand holdeth a Wine-pot to the tax, so that it seemeth to the beholders that the Wine cometh out of the tax, which yet cometh out of the Bottle, and then he giveth it among the company to drink; and being all drunk up but one small glass at the last, he calleth to his Boy, saying, Come sirrah, you would fain have a cup, but his Boy maketh answer in a disdainful manner, saying, No Master not I, if that be good Wine that is drawn out of a Post I will lose my head; yea sirrah saith his Master, than your head you shall lose; come sirrah, you shall go to pot for that word; then he layeth his Boy down upon the Table upon a Carpet, with his face downward commanding him to lie still, than he taketh a linen cloth, and spreadeth it upon the Boys head broad upon the table, and by slight of hand conveyeth under the cloth a Head with a face, limned so like his Boys Head and Face that it is not discerned from it; then he draweth forth his Sword or Falchion, and seemeth to cut off his Boys head; but withal it is to be noted, That the confederating Boy putteth his head thorough a slit in the Carper, and thorough a hole in the Table made on purpose, yet unknown to the Spectators, and his Master also by slight of hand layeth to the Boys shoulder a piece of wood made concave at one end like a scuppit, and round at the other end like a man's neck with the head cut off, the concave end is hidden under the Boys shirt, and the other end appeareth to the company very dismal (being limbned over by the cunning Limbner) like a bloody neck, so lively in show that the very bone and marrow of the neck appeareth, insomuch that some Spectators have fainted at the sight hereof; then he taketh up the false Head aforesaid by the hair, and layeth it in a Charger at the feet of the Boy, leaving the bare bloody neck to the view of the deluded beholders, some gazing upon the neck, some upon the head, which looketh gashful, some beholding the Corpse tremble like a body new slain; then he walketh by the Table, saying to the head, and the seeming dead Corpse, Ah ha, sirrah, you would rather lose your Head then drink your Drink, but presently he smiteth his hand upon his breast, saying, To speak the very truth in cool blood, the fault did not deserve death, therefore I had best set on his Head again; then he spreadeth his broad linen cloth upon the Head and taketh it out of the Charger, and layeth it to the shoulders of the Corpse, and by slight of hand conveyeth both the Head and the false neck into his Bag, and the Boy raiseth up his Head from under the Table; then his Master taketh away the linen cloth that was spread upon him, and saith, By the virtue of Hocus pocus, and Fortunatus his Nightcap, I wish thou mayest live again; then the Boy riseth up safe and well, to the admiration of the deluded beholders. These and the like Juggling Tricks (some whereof are done merely by slight of hand, some have a help from false Instruments, as false Knives, false Boxes, false Locks, false Wasecoats, and the like, are many of them demonstrated by Master Scot, and many are daily invented, which are all done by common reason, without the least compact with the Devil, (unless they do them to seduce, and then the Devil is indeed in their heart, as he was in Simon Magus, in the Acts, and is in every wicked man.) And yet sometimes it happeneth, that if here have been any University Scholars at the beholding, or at the acting of these common Tricks, they have gone out and fallen into a dispute upon the matter, some saying, Sensus nunquam fallitur circa proprium objectum, some have said that the Juggler by his Familiar doth thicken the Air, some again that he hurteth the Eyesight, and so deceiveth the beholders; and in all their discourse they show themselves very Philosophical, but very little capacious. And Cooper writing upon that subject, hath pretended to show himself Theological, but betrayeth himself to be very silly, blind, and ignorant. It being fully demonstrated what a Juggler is in the Scripture sense, let every one consider seriously who be the Jugglers, of this and former Ages, that aught to be put to death by the Law of Moses, we might think that no man were so silly and foolish to think that it is meant common Jugglers, who play their Tricks in Fairs and Markets, nor Gentlemen who sometimes in imitation of them, do in sport, play Tricks of slight of hand, or legerdemain, with confederates or without, for it is most certain and true, that if it be rightly understood, that these do a great deal of good, that recreation tending rightly to the illumination of people of all sorts, to show them the vanity and ridiculousness of those delusions and lying Wonders, by which men were so easily deluded in old times by Pharaohs Magicians, by Simon Magus, and Elimas' the Sorcerer, and now adays by our professed Wizzards, or Witches, commonly called Cunning Men, or good Witches, who will undertake to show the face of the Thief in the Glass, or of any other that hath done his Neighbour wrong privily, when as they do all by Juggling delusions, and are themselves right Witches, that cause men to seek to the Devil for help, that will undertake and promise to unwitch people that are (as fools commonly say) bewitched; these common sporting Jugglers also may illuminate people to see the Juggling Witchcraft of Popish Priests, in causing Rhoods to move their eyes and hands in compassion to people's prayers, of which you may read more fully afterward. Yet in Queen Elizabeth's time, as appeareth in Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft, in the fifteenth Book, Chap. 42. there was a Master of Arts condemned only for using himself to the study and practise of the Juggling craft, how justly I will not controvert; but this I say, That if a man may not study and practise the discovery of Cheats without being a Cheater, nor the discovery of Witchcraft without being accounted a Witch, it is the way for Witches and Cheaters to play their pranks, and no man able to tax them, or accuse them, or to say who they are that are Witches; and this foolish nice censuring, and ignorant condemning hath bred great and general ignorance of this subject of Witchcraft; which God himself describeth so often in the Scriptures, for people to know and avoid the practice of seducing, or being seduced by it, but for that Master of Arts before named, the Lord of Leicester having more wisdom in some things than some had, did protect him for a time after he was condemned, but what became of him is not mentioned, but yet if he had been a Juggler, or practiser of that Craft to this end, to withstand the Prophets when they wrought true Miracles, as Pharaohs Jugglers withstood Moses, or if he were one that practised it to seduce the people after lying delusions, to magnify himself as a false Prophet, like Simon Magus in the Acts, or to cause people to ascribe miraculous power to him, or to seek to the Devil as our common Deceivers, called good Witches, do, he was deservedly condemned; but to study Witchcraft, and actually to demonstrate it by practice, to show how easily people were and may be deluded by it (seeing God hath commanded Witches to be put to death, and what they were or are, is not now adays fully understood (no not by the Learned) is no more deserving death than for Master Scot to write a book in the discovery of it, or for a Minister to discover to the people the danger of an Idol; to which Witchcraft is necessarily joined as an upholder and companion, or for a Minister to show the secret and dangerous nature, and several windings of Sin and Satan; for the essence of a Witch is not in doing false Miracles, or any other Witchcraft by demonstration or discovery, but in seducing people from God, and his Truth; As for example, Pharaohs Magicians in that they did throw down their staff, and made it seem to be turned into a Serpent, to the end to withstand Moses, and to seduce the Egyptians, they were absolute Witches, but if any man now do the very same, or had then done it to discover the Juggling deceit of it, he is no Witch, but a teacher and instructor of the people. So again for another example, he that goeth behind a Rhood, or other Popish Image, and draweth the secret Wires that causeth the eyes and hands of the Image to move, to the end to delude and seduce the people to Idolatry, by admiration of it, as Popish Priests do; he is an absolute Witch, but he that goes behind it, and acteth the same part, and then cometh out and showeth people the Imposture, and showeth them the Wires and secret delusions, is not a Witch, but a discoverer of a Witch (that did it to the end to seduce) and a Teacher and illuminator of the people. See more in the Sixth description. But we must know that in Queen Elizabeth's time the Protestant Religion being then in its minority, when as Popery was but only suppressed, and not worn out of the memory, nor out of the hearts and affections of men (that yet in outward show were Protestants) it was a brief tenant in the Universities, that he that did but study and contemplate upon this subject of Witchcraft was a dealer with unlawful and vain Science, and aught to be censured for a Witch, and by this subtle tradition they feared all Students, that no man dared to search into the bowels and secrets of that Craft, lest (as they knew full well) thereby he should discover to the World the secret Impostures of the Popish Religion, which is altogether upheld by Witchcraft, of which Religion, many stood daily in expectation to have it set on foot as brief as ever, when (as they hoped) the times would change. Hath God given nine several descriptions of Witchcraft at once? Deut. 18.10, 1●▪ and reiterated them in many places of Scripture that we might take notice, who and what they are, with the Mystery of iniquity, and delusions that they practised? and shall not we study and contemplate upon it? by this vain tradition were many of their devilish Witchcrafts concealed, and came not to light, for many years, to the view of the world; example of that Popish Idol, Cheapside Cross, which stood for many years like the Golden Image of Nabuchadnezzar, few men knowing the juggling Witchcraft that was therein, until at the command of the Parliament it being pulled down, there were found therein the several slights to move the Arms, Eyes, and Heads of the Images, and the Pipes to convey the water to make the Images shed tears in compassion to the people's prayers, and to convey Milk into the breasts of the Image of the Virgin Mary, that the poor deluded people (seeing such lying Wonders, as Images of Gold, to move, to weep, and shed tears in abundance, and Milk to drop out of the Virgin's breasts, through her earnest labouring with her Son to hear, and grant the prayers of the people) went home, bewitched to that devilish Idolatry by that grand Witch, that Whore of Rome that hath deceived all Nations with her Witchcraft, Revel. 18.23. yet, to the grief of the hearts of this Popish crew, in the beginning of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, many of their devilish Witchcrafts were daily discovered, as in Master Lambert's Book of the Perambulation of Kent it appeareth, was discovered the Rhood of grace in Kent, who was always accompanied and helped by little St. Rumball, which Idol as Mr. Scot noteth in Lib. 7. Chap. 6. was not inferior in all deluding Impostures to the great Idol Apollo (or Apollo's Oracle) whose Priests were the grand Witches of the World in its time) yet afterward the wires that made the eyes of the Images to goggle, and the Pins and Instruments for several delusions were discovered, with all the Witchcraft of the juggling Priests, with every circumstance thereof, which Image and Instruments were openly burnt together, by the authority and command of the Queen. And now it falleth in my way to speak of another grand Witch of the World, that is, Mahomet, the great Idol of the Turks, who by his Juggle and Divinations hath seduced a great part of the World to an Idolatrous worship, so absurd and silly, that his Disciples are ashamed to let any Christians come near the place of his supposed Sepulchre at Mecha, lest they should laugh at their folly in worshipping an Iron Sepulchre, therefore all Christians are forbidden to come within five miles of that place upon pain of death; and because various reports have been abroad by several Authors concerning this Deceiver of the world, I will only cite the most allowable reports confirmed by Lampadius in Meltificio Historico, and also by Gulielmus Biddulphus an English Traveler (called, The Travels of certain Englishmen into far Countries) very agreeable to the foresaid Lampadius;) This devilish Impostor Mahomet desiring to magnify himself among the people, did first of all delude his Wife, making her believe that he was a Prophet of God, for having the Falling-sickness, with which he fell often, and lay like a man in a trance, he told his Wife that Gabriel the Archangel did often appear to him, and reveal secrets from Heaven, and for the confirmation thereof Sergius a wicked Monk, who was his instructor, affirmed. That Gabriel did use to appear to all Prophets, and so both of them together did persuade the silly Woman that the reason of his falling in a Trance was, because the Angel was so glorious that he was not able to behold him without falling, and that all the time of his lying thus prostrate the Angel was talking with him; this silly Woman rejoicing in this, That she was married to a Prophet, reported the thing among other Women, so that in time this fellow obtained among prattling Women, and common people, the name of a Prophet; the Devil by this fellow taking occasion, and waiting his opportunity to deceive the World (as also by Sergius the Monk who was his companion) it happened about the year of our Lord Christ, 591. about which time also began the Antichristian Popedom at Rome) that Heraclius the Roman Emperor, making use of the Armies of the Saracens against the Persians, (and not giving them their daily pay, or stipend, which they expected and required of his Captains over them) they revolted from him; then this Mahomet, with his companion Sergius seconding him) became the Head of the Rebellion, or at least desired so to be thought by the people, that so he might any way become great among them; but the Soldiers not much regarding him, Sergius and he did so use their wits to persuade them, telling them, That he was ordained by God to that end, and sent by the Angel Gabriel to bring the people to the worship of God by the power of the Sword (for said he, Christ came only by Miracles and Signs to persuade, but I am the next Prophet, and the last that shall come, and am to compel people by the Sword) so that partly by subtlety, and partly by compulsion he drew a mighty Army to him, to the overthrow of the Emperor's power in those parts, from whence came that mightly Empire of the Turks; and because that Sergius had counselled him, that the only way to increase in strength was to set up a New Religion, he gathered unto him besides Sergius, john Presbyter an Arrian Heretic, and Selan a Jewish Astrologian, and another Barran, Persam jacobitam; who together, that they might draw all people after him, Coined a Religion, partly of the Circumcision, that so he might win the jews, and the Saracens (who coming of Ishmael, do use the Circumcision of Abraham to this day) and were called Saracens, because Hagar was Sarahs' Maid, and Hagarens from their Mother Hagar) and partly of Christianity, that so he might win Christians (for the Turks do acknowledge Christ to have been a Prophet, but they deny his Divinity, and his satisfaction for the Sins of Man, for they say that God had no Wife, and therefore could have no Son; and of this and the like silly conceits is composed the Turkish Alcoran) and that he might distinguish his Sect from jews and Christians, he hath instituted his Sabbath on the Friday, and for the enticing of all men to his Religion, he telleth them, That they that fight boldly for his Worship, shall (if they be slain) enter directly into Paradise, where they shall enjoy plenty of pleasures, meat, and drink, and pretty Wenches abundance, and with these hopes (saith Lampadius) his Soldiers are so bewitched that they are always furious and greedy of fight, be their danger never so great. Much more is reported of this Impostor by several Historians, but I have only described him briefly by these his seducements, (although he had many more) wherein may be noted that he was a Juggling false Prophet, in feigning himself to be in ecstasy of mind, in a miraculous manner talking with the Angel Gabriel (according to this fifth term of description in the text) whereas he was only visited with the fits of his Epileptic disease; and in that he pretended these absurd Fantasies to be revealed to him by the Angel, he was a Diviner, and a lying Enthusiast (according to the second term of description in the text) in both which sense Sergius the Monk, and the rest of his Companions aforesaid, who joined with him in his delusions, were Witches also; and herein it is strange to see the world of people that are infatuated by so groundless a Religion, for were it not for the stupidity of men's minds and understanding, God did enough discover this Mahomet (the founder of this Turkish Religion) to be an Impostor) at his death, for when he boasted himself that at his death he would rise again the third day as Christ did, Albunar, one of his Disciples, to try the truth of his Doctrines and vaticiniations, gave him a cup of deadly poison, which being drunk he swelled and died, and some hoping to see his Resurrection let him lie twelve days above ground, until he stunk so intolerably that all men left him; and upon the twelfth day Albunar coming to view his Corpse found his bones almost bare, his flesh being eaten with Dogs; wherefore he gathered his bones together and buried them in a pot, yet for the establishing of the Empire, to his Successors, they maintain still his Religion, and have made him an Iron Sepulchre at Mecha. So much for the Fifth description of a Witch in the text, Prestigiator, a Juggler. A Charmer: The Sixth Description. THe Sixth description of a Witch in the Text, is, Incantator, or Utens incantatione, that is, an Enchanter, or user of Charms, or a Charmer. A Charm (as is said before in the Fifth description) is only a strange composure of words to blind the understandings of people, it pretending that by virtue of words great matters were brought to pass, and these Charms were used either before a Juggling Trick, to busy the minds of the Spectators, to make the Trick pass the more currently without being perceived, as Pharaohs Jugglers used them, who are said to do that which they did with their Enchantments, because they seemed to do things by virtue of words spoken, which were not done at all, but only dissembled by the juggling craft; (which demonstration of a Charm, or Incantation used in that kind is also set down in the Fifth description) or else otherwise these Charms were used or spoken alone without a Juggling slight, and thereby was pretended, that by virtue of such and such words spoken, such things should come to pass as the party desired, who inquired after Charmers for matters of concernment; sometimes these Charms were given in writing for a man to wear about his neck, or to carry in his pocket, pretending that by virtue of those words his matters should be brought to pass, whereas words of themselves either spoken, or written, have no force to bring any thing to pass; neither was it the word Ephatha, Mark 7.34. that opened the ears of the deaf (as some enchanting Wizards would make people believe it was) but the power of him that spoke it; yet such was the manner of the Idol Priests and false Prophets, that whereas God's Prophets spoke words in the name of the Lord, and the things they spoke came to pass by God's power, those Idol Priests and false Prophets pretended, that by virtue of words they could bring to pass the like, and so they led the people a whoring after them, to regard more their foolish deluding Charms, than the power of God, that bringeth all things to pass. The Roman Soothsayers gave their Charms in verse, from whence is derived the word Charm, from Carmen, signifying a Verse, or a Charm; the manner of Charms sometimes consisted in blessing and cursing, the Enchanter pretending, That by virtue of a Charm he could bless, and that they were blessed that carried such words about them written in a paper, or that had such words spoken to them, or in their behalf by the Charms; and that by virtue of an Incantation pronounced against any man, that man was cursed, and that he that carried such a Charm with him, his enemies were cursed, and should fall before him. Elisha indeed cursed two and forty Children in the name of the Lord, and they were accursed, because it was the wrath of God pronounced against them by his Prophet, 2 King. 2.23. but he that imputeth it to the virtue of a Curse, and useth such words as Elisha spoke to bring such a thing to pass, against an enemy, with out warrant from God, he is an enchanting Witch; and he that trusteth to such words merely for the virtue of words, either of blessing or cursing, is an Idolater, not discerning the power of God, the Curse without cause shall not come, Prov. 3.33. neither shall blessing or cursing prevail any thing if it be not from the Lord; if Micaiah had Prophesied good to the King of Israel, as he would have had him, it had not availed, but it had been a mere Charm, that is, a mere composure of unwarranted words, 1 King. 22.13. and yet his false Prophets could please him well, making him believe that by virtue of their pretended Prophecy (which was but a mere Charm) all things should go well with him, 1 King. 22.10, 11, 12. A more plain demonstration of this Discourse is the History of Balaam, Numb. 22.6. Balac sent to Balaam to Curse the people of Israel, but he concludeth, Numb. 23.27. there is no enchanting against Israel, for had Balaam played the enchanting Witch, as Balac would have had him, it had availed nothing, because Charms are of no force, no more than Divinations, which are only given by deceiving Witches to cheat Idolatrous fools of their money. And in Chap. 24. vers. 1. it is said, Balaam went not as formerly to fetch Enchantments, or Incantations, that is, groundless and unwarranted Execrations, which are but Charms of no force, but only to delude the Hearers; for it is understood in the Chapter and Verse aforesaid, not that Balaam had formerly gone to fetch Incantations, for it is said in Chap. 22. vers. 19 and chap. 23.3, 4, 5. verses, he went to inquire of the Lord; but here in Chap. 24. 1. it is spoken according to the intention of Balak and his Princes, for they desired that Balaam would but curse Israel, whether he had warrant or not, supposing the words being but spoken by him were sufficient, as is said in Chap. 22. vers. 6. and Chap 23. vers. 11. which intention of theirs is here in Chap. 24. vers. 1. called fetching of Incantations, for it implieth the foolish supposition of Balak and his Princes, which they expressed in chap. 22. vers. 6. That whomsoever Balaam cursed were accursed, and whom he blessed were blessed; for if a very Prophet should so far transgress, and go without warrant from God in blessing and cursing, or Prophesying, that Prophet were no more a Prophet, but an enchanting deluding Witch, and his words would not be worth regarding; and this is a sufficient demonstration of a Charmer, or Enchanter, or user of Incantations, being the Sixth term of description in the text, that is, that maketh any composure of words to delude the people, pretending to the people any virtue in words to bring things to pass, and so causeth people not to discern the power of God that bringeth all things to pass, but to impute things to the power of words, being but Charms, or Incantations. And indeed the forenamed History of Balaam, if it be rightly observed, is a large and a plain demonstration of the vanity of this sort of Witchcraft, whereby people were commonly seduced by false Prophets, or Witches, by listening only to the sound of words, and not to God the only disposer and bringer of all things to pass; for it appeareth in the History, that when Balak had caused Balaam to try all the ways that could be to curse the people by Charms, and he could not (because God gave him no warrant, and he knew it was in vain to do it without warrant) yet Balaam transgressing the word and command of God, showed to Balak the only way to bring a Curse upon Israel indeed, and that was by seducing them to Idolatry, and causing their God to be angry with them, as appear, Numb. 24.14. where it is to be marked, That although in that verse this counsel of Balaam to Balak is not set down at large, yet the effect thereof appeareth in the next Chapter, and also in Revel. 2.14. and jude, vers. 11. where we may see that Balaam for reward taught Balak to lay a stumbling-block before the people, to cause them to fall, that stumbling-block were the Idols of Moab, which they being defiled withal, brought down the frowns of God upon them, Numb. 25.3. but to hurt them with Charms or Incantations, was a vain and Idolatrous superstition of Balak, and if Balaam had answered his expectation, he had been indeed a Juggling Witch. The manner of Heathen Kings was, to strengthen themselves in their Kingdom (as they thought in their Idolatrous credulity) by these Enchantments, supposing, that if their enchanting false Prophets, (which were also Planetarians, and Soothsayers, and Juggling deluders) did but utter their Enchantments, (being pretended Prophecies, and cursings artificially composed) against their enemies, that then their enemies should fall before them; and this is manifest in the Scriptures, not only of Balak, but of the King of Babel, and of the Chaldeans, Isa. 47.12. Stand now with thy Enchantments wherewith thou halt laboured from thy youth, if perhaps thou mayst profit, if perhaps thou shalt show thyself strong. This also was ahab's Idolatry, when he desired Micaiah to Prophesy good unto him against Ramoth Gilead, thinking by virtue of ungrounded Prophecy (which had been but a mere composed Charm) he should prevail, 1 King. 22.13. Here may arise a Question, Whether every one that curseth his Neighbour be a Witch or not; according to this Sixth description in the text? To this I answer, That all blessing and cursing is not the formal essence of an Enchanter, for every one ought to bless, Luke 6.28. and he indeed that curseth his Neighbour, saying, A Plague take him, or I would be might break his neck, or never come home again, is a cursing railer like Shimes, and a wicked breaker of God's Law, for we ought to pray for our enemies; but all this kind of passionate cursing doth not make an Enchanter, or Witch, but that blessing or cursing that maketh an Enchanter or Witch, or is of the essence of an Enchanter, is the professed craft of composing blessings and cursings, whereby they drew the people a whoring after them, making them believe, that by virtue of Charms, whomsoever they blessed were blessed, and whom they cursed were accursed, as Balak and his Princes being trained up in that kind of Idolatry, thought, and said of Balaam; and had Balaam answered them according to their expectations, he had been an Enchanter, or Witch, or false Prophet; this description of a Charmer, as also all the nine terms of description of a Witch in the text, being only descriptions of false Prophets that seduced the people; and whereas God's Prophets blessed in the name of the Lord, as Isaac blessed jacob, or cursed, or pronounced a Curse, as Elisha against the forty and two Children, 2 King. 2.24. and in all this, and in all other Prophesying they did nothing of themselves, nor could any whit transgress the Word of the Lord; so on the contrary, false Prophets would give Divinations for rewards without any warrant or command from God; as Balak supposing Balaam would do, sent the reward of Divinations, Numb. 22.7. (that is there to be taken) he sent the reward of Enchantments, or Incantations; for Divinations against any man, that is unwarranted Prophesying against any man, is Enchantments (Divinations properly pretending Predictions, and manifestation of things hidden, being the Second description) but to use any composure of Divining words, thereby to cause any thing to come to pass, as Balak thought Balaam could do, and as Ahab thought Micaiah could do, is Incantation, or Enchanting here. Here may arise another Question, Whether was Balaam a Witch or not, as some have supposed? Answ. If he was a Witch, it must be according to some one term of description in Deut. 18.10, 11. but which of these can we call him? Enchanter he was none, for he refused to do it, although he was offered a reward. Surely Balaam was a Prophet of God, whom Balak thought could bring things to pass by his own power, he not discerning the power of God. All that we read of him in uttering of his Parables was to this end, That Israel was blessed, and Incantations or Cursing could not hurt them. 2 The History is a real Prophecy acted by Balaam by God's appointment, concluding all in this one Doctrine, That the only way to bewitch Israel, was, to lay stumbling-blocks before them, to ensnare them with sins, and to bring down God's Judgements upon them, Numb: 24.14. Revel. 2.14. vet the calling of this a Prophecy seemeth to be contradictory to the Scriptures, for how could he be said to be a Prophet of God, that taught Balak how to bring a curse upon Israel? ●ut if we mark well the History, it may seem to some to be full of contradictions, as in Numb. 22.12. God said to Balaam, Go not, and vers. 20. Rise up and go with them; and vers. 22. The wrath of God was kindled because he went; and vers. 34. Balaam said, If it displease thee, I will return home again; and vers. 35. The Angel said, Go with the men; what is the meaning of this, go not, and yet go so often repeated? That is, go not according to the hire and request of Balak to play the Enchanter, but go to do the work of a Prophet, to show the vanity of Balak his thoughts, who thinketh that words can prevail either to Bless or to Curse without warrant from God; and so Balaam as a Prophet obeyed the Lord, and did as the Lord commanded him, as appear in all the History; but yet it appeareth, Revel. 2.14. he taught Balak to lay a stumbling-block before the people, was that the part of a Prophet? yea according to the forenamed seeming contradictions it was, and it was not; for in the truth of the Doctrine that he delivered to Balak, that that was the only way to bring a Curse upon the people, to cause them to commit Idolatry, it was the part of a Prophet, but in that it became a snare to Israel, it was the part of a Witch, or a false Prophet, yet God would have such a thing come to pass by his Prophet for the full illustration of this Doctrine in the Scriptures (for our sakes) that no Enchantment can hurt us, but the only thing that can hurt any man is sinning against God, as God hath taught us elsewhere, Deut. 28. the fourteen first verses, the only way to be blest, is, to keep the Commandments of God, and from vers. 15. to the end of the Chapter, the only way to be accursed, is, to disobey God, and break his Commandments. And whereas Balaam was blamed, and afterward slain for teaching this Doctrine so plain to Balak, who abused it to ensnare Israel, yet God hath taught us the same Doctrine, that we might know with Israel, and by Israel's example, that nothing can hurt us but sin. So we may conclude of Balaam, that he was a Prophet, and yet acted the part of a Prophet and a Witch both at once (at least) a Prophet, in that his Doctrine was true, a Witch, in that he taught Balak to play the Witch, that is, to draw the people to Idolatry, according to the First description, which is the very essence of Witchcraft; and although God would have this thing come to pass for our instruction, yet this was the error of Balaam, That he had laid open to Balak the way to bewitch the people, and in this only he transgressed, he did that which God had not commanded him, as some other Prophets did besides him, 1 King. 13.18, 19, 22. To this Sixth description of a Witch in the text, is referred that place in jerem. 23.10. so commonly falsely interpreted as falsely translated, Because of Oaths the Land mourneth, as if it were meant of common Swearing, which although Swearing be a wicked thing, yet what room is there in that place for Swearing? unless ye will bring it in abruptly by head and shoulders, what coherence is there? Tremelius translateth it thus, The Land is full of Adulterers, and because of Execrations the Land mourneth; Execrations is there taken for Incantations, being by a Synecdoche put for all kind of Witchcraft, being an inseparable companion of Idolatry, Adulterers are taken for Idolaters in a Spiritual sense, and the false Prophets that used these Incantations to seduce the people are spoken of, vers. 1, 11, 13. who being false Prophets, or Witches, had defiled the Land with their several seducing Witchcrafts, leading the people to Idolatry, and in this practice of Charming Execrations, they were seducers of the people to repose confidence in ungrounded, and unwarranted composures of words to bring things to pass, which words so composed are mere Incantations, or Charms. In this Sixth description of a Witch in the text, or under the term of a Charmer, is contained Conjurers, who are Witches only in this sense, That they pretend that by virtue of words they can do many things, and amongst the rest, that they can by virtue of words command the Devil, which yet is but a mere cheating delusion to deceive poor Idolatrous people, who do more credit the virtue of words than they credit the truth of God's Word; which foolish practice is sufficiently confuted, Acts 19.13. certain Exorcists, or Conjurers, did take upon them to name over them that had evil Spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by jesus whom Paul preacheth, and the Evil Spirits answered and said, jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but who are ye? Paul and the rest of the Apostles did indeed cast out Devils in the Name of Jesus, but not by the bare naming of Jesus, but by the spirit and power of Jesus; but if words could have done it, than those Conjurers might as well have done it, and then every one that could but imitate the Apostles, and the Prophets, and speak the same words, or the like, might work Miracles, but God will have it known otherwise, as appeareth in this place of the Acts aforesaid, That no words spoken, but the power of God bringeth things to pass. This was the manner of Idolatrous Heathen, to repose great confidence in Charms, and they that studied this practice of making and composing of Charms to seduce the people to this kind of Idolatry, were Witches, according to this Sixth description in the text, Utens incantatione. If we do but read of the Heathen, we may see in many places how they Idolised Charms, or Incantations. Plutarch saith, That Aganice the Daughter of Hegetoris Thesali being skilful in the course of the Planets, foretell to certain credulous people an Eclipse of the Moon, and they had such confidence in Charms, that when they saw it came to pass, they believed that Aganice had with Charms plucked the Moon from heaven. Like to that in Virgil, Eclog. 8. Carmina vel Coelo possunt deducere Lunam, Carminibus Circe socios mutavit Ulyssis, Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis. Enchantments pluck out of the Sky The Moon, though she be placed high; Dame Circe's with her Charms so fine, Ulysses Mates did turn to Swine; The Snake with Charms is burst in twain, In meadows where she doth remain. Notwithstanding the Prophet David telleth us, That the deaf Adder heareth not, or regardeth not the voice of the most skilful user of Charms, Psal. 58.5. where he alludeth (with deriding) to the vain conceit of the Heathen, who reposed such confidence in Charms, and imputed such power to words. This Heathenish Witchcraft to cause people thus to Idolise Charms, is still practised by the Pope and his Train, their whole form of Religion, both in public worship and common practice, consisting of Charms of all sorts, and of that very specifical difference of Incantation or Charming, which is called Conjuring, and if we look in the Massebook, and if you search Durandus, you may find Charms abundance, and he that is loath to take so much pains, let him but look Mr. Scots discovery of Witchcraft, the twelfth Book, the ninth Chapter, and so forwards, where he hath neatly set forth the Witchcraft of the Pope, and his Train, in the manner of their several Charms (though not exemplifying the tenth part of them) I will also show you three or four of them, which Master Scot hath also rehearsed, with many more. The first shall be the Amulet that Pope Leo said he had from an Angel, who did bid him take it to a certain King going to Battle, and the Angel said, that whosoever carried that Writing about him, and said every day three Pater nosters, three Avies, and one Creed, shall not that day be conquered of his enemies, nor be in any other danger ghostly or bodily, but shall be protected by virtue of these holy Names of Jesus Christ written, with the four Evangelists, and the Crosses between them. ✚ jesus ✚ Christus ✚ Messias ✚ Soter ✚ Emanuel ✚ Sabbaoth ✚ Adonai ✚ Unigenitus ✚ Majestas ✚ Paracletus ✚ Salvator noster ✚ Agiros Iskiros ✚ Agios ✚ Athanatos ✚ Gasper ✚ Melchior ✚ & Balthasar ✚ Mattheus ✚ Marcus ✚ Lucas ✚ johannes, Another Charm of Pope Leo sent to a King, having the like virtues in it, being read or carried about a man (being in an Epistle written by St. Saviour in these words.) The Cross of Christ is a wonderful defence ✚ The Cross of Christ be always with me ✚ The Cross is it which I do always worship ✚ The Cross of Christ is true health ✚ The Cross of Christ doth lose the bands of death ✚ The Cross of Christ is the truth and the way ✚ I take my journey upon the Cross of the Lord ✚ The Cross of Christ beateth down every evil ✚ The Cross of Christ giveth all good things ✚ The Cross of Christ taketh away pains everlasting ✚ The Cross of Christ save me ✚ O Cross of Christ be upon me before and behind me ✚ because the ancient enemy cannot abide the sight of thee ✚ The Cross of Christ save me, keep me, govern me, and direct me ✚ Thomas bearing the note of thy Divine Majesty ✚ Alpha ✚ Omega ✚ first and last ✚ midst ✚ and end ✚ beginning ✚ and first begotten ✚ Wisdom ✚ and Virtue ✚ This is still a common practice among the Pa●ists to carry Charms about them (to make them Shot-free) when they go to War, as also hath been found by experience in the late Irish Wars (before the Cessation of Arms proclaimed by King Charles) many of the poor Idolatrous Irish Rebels being found slain with Charms in their pockets, composed by the Popish Clergy, the Witches of these latter times. Another to be said in time of Sickness; first, let the Party sprinkle himself with Holy Water, and then say this Charm following, Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus & vita. Let Holy Water be both life and health to me. Another to be said every day, and upon every occasion, as often as any danger or occasion shall be; first, let the party that would be blest cross himself with his finger, making a sign of the Cross three or four times, and then say these words, and then without doubt he shall be safe. Signum sancta crucis defindat me à malis praesentibus, praeteritis, & futuris, interioribus & exterioribus. That is, The sign of the Holy Cross defend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward. A Charm or Conjuration, or an Exorcism, whereby they make Holy Water in the Popish pontifical, In Ecclesiae dedicatione. I conjure thee thou Creature of Water, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that thou drive the Devil out of every corner of this Church and Altar, so that he remain not within our precincts, which are just and holy. After these words spoken, say they, that Water so Conjured hath power and virtue to drive away the Devil, and with this Holy Water they use many several Conjurations to keep the Devil in awe; with it they Conjure him from their Churches and dwelling houses, from their meat and drink, and the very Salt upon the Table; and if it were not for their continual Conjurations, they make people believe the Devil would walk every where, and kill, and devour, and carry away; therefore they Charm and Conjure their Bells in the Steeple (which they also Baptise and name by the name of some Saint or Angel, and after these Ceremonies, (say they) and after such holy names named over the Bells, and the name of some Saint or Angel given to each Bell, & written upon them, those Bells have virtue to drive away and clear the air from Devils every where within the sound of them, from whence was the first beginning of passing peals, that the Devils might not come near to carry away the Soul of the dying man (although our Church use (I confess) to ring such peals only to give notice to their Neighbours, who desire to see them, and to pray for them before their departure.) They also use Charms at Funerals, persuading people, that the Souls of the dead, and also their Bodies, would be carried away by the Devil, if it were not for their charming (of which foppery Bucan a learned Theologian reproveth them, Loco 24. Quaestione 16.) and so the poor Popish people are deluded, so long as they see not the Devil in an ugly shape, they think they are safe, and the Devil far enough, whereas the Devil is no where more than in a Popish Charm or Conjuration; and yet Master Scot hath collected in his twelfth Book so many Popish Charms, as it appeareth they had Conjurations, and other Charms for the Plague, the Quartain Fever, the Consumption, the toothache, and all manner of Diseases in Men and cattle; and it appeareth still among common silly country people, how they had learned Charms by tradition from Popish times, for cufing cattle, Men, Women, and Children; for churning of Butter, for baking their Bread, and many other occasions; one or two whereof I will rehearse only, for brevity. An old Woman in Essex who was living in my time, she had lived also in Queen Mary's time, had learned thence many Popish Charms, one whereof was this; every night when she lay down to sleep she charmed her Bed, saying; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and john, The Bed be blest that I lie on. And this would she repeat three times, reposing great confidence therein, because (as she said) she had been taught it, when she was a young Maid, by the Churchmen of those times. Another old Woman came into an house at a time when as the Maid was churning of Butter, and having laboured long and could not make her Butter come, the old Woman told the Maid what was wont to be done when she was a Maid, and also in her Mother's young time, that if it happened their Butter would 〈◊〉 come readily, they used a Charm to be said over it, wh●● yet it was in beating, and it would come strait: ways, and that was this: Come Butter come, come Butter come, Peter stands at the Gate, waiting for a buttered Cake, come Butter come. This, said the old Woman, being said three times, will make your Butter come, for it was taught my Mother by a learned Churchman in Queen Mary's days, when as Churchmen had more cunning, and could teach people many a trick, that our Ministers now a days know not. Thus we may see still how the Witchcrafts of that grand Witch, that Whore of Rome, hath deceived all people; yet I would not have any think that I accuse the old Wives for Witches, for they used these Charms not to seduce, but were seduced, and bewitched by them to repose confidence in them; but the Popish Rout, the contrivers of these Charms, to delude the people, were the Witches; those poor deluded old Wives were Idolaters, Idolising of words. A Devilish practice of Conjuring Charms used by the Popish Clergy, discovered at Orleans in France, acted chiefly by two Popish Doctors ●● Divinity, Colimanus, and Stephanus Aterbatensis, and their Knavery found out. IN the place aforesaid, in the year of our Lord, 1534. it happened that a Mayor's Wife died, and was buried in the Church of the Franciscans, her Husband giving the Popish Clergy only six Crowns at the Funeral, whereas they expected a greater Prey, and were much discontent; it happened shortly after, that as they were mumbling their Prayers in a Popish manner, according to their usual custom, in the Church, there was heard in a secret Wainscot over the Arches of the Church a great rumbling noise, the Monks with the said Doctors presently began to Conjure, and to ask if it were not some spirit of some body lately dead, and if it were, they conjured the same Spirit to rumble again by way of answer, which it did; then they charged him by their Conjurations to answer by rumbling and knocking whose spirit it was, they named many that had formerly been dead and buried, and the Spirit would not answer by rumbling and knocking when they named them; but at last to bring their purpose to pass, they named the Mayor's Wife, and then the Spirit rumbled exceedingly, and made a fearful noise, this they acted several times, that it might be known in the City, so that many people came to the hearing and witnessing of this strange Wonder; but at the last they by their Conjurations had made the Spirit so tame, as it made them answer by knocking to any thing they desired it should answer; always when it answered not by knocking, than they concluded the thing was not so as they asked, or demanded, but otherways when it knocked, then that was an affirmative to the thing asked; at last they made the Spirit confess by that manner of answering, That it was the departed Soul of the Mayor's Wife, and that she was damned for holding the Heresy of Luther, and that she desired that her Body might be taken up again and buried in some other place, for that place was not fit for the body of the Damned, being a Consecrated place. But the Mayor being wise, and full of courage, so handled the matter, that he with the help of some of the City that loved him well, caused the place to be searched where the noise was; the Monks did take the matter grievously, and would have resisted, it being at a time of the holy Conjuring, but yet the Mayor causing a search, found there a young Boy, placed there by these Popish Doctors, on purpose to act the part of a Spirit, as formerly related, and upon examination he confessed the whole imposture, to the shame and confusion of the Actors and Contrivers thereof, who were by the Laws (which were then and there free notwithstanding the Popish Tyranny) censured to be carried to the place of Execution, there to confess their deluding Witchcraft. Let the Reader take special notice, that the Actors, and Contrivers of this notable piece of Witchcraft were Witches in a threefold sense. First, In their bringing to pass their cheating imposture, by consederating with a young Boy to act the part of a Spirit, they were Jugglers, according to the first term of description. Secondly, In their Charms and Conjurations, whereby they charged the Spirit to answer them, they were Enchanters and Conjurers, according to this Sixth term of description. Thirdly, In their consulting with the spirit of the dead, the Mayor's Wife, they were Necromancers, according to the Ninth term of description. This Imposture may be paralleled with that of the Witch of Endor; from this cozening Witchcraft of the Popish crew, our common Wizards have learned their craft of cozening the people, making them believe they can Conjure up the Devil to give them Oracles according to the matter that they seek to the Wizard to be resolved of, and can conjure him down again at their pleasure. As for example, I will give you a true story, but whether you believe it or not, it will serve to illustrate the manner of their deceive. A Butcher in Essex having lost cattle, he resolved he would go to a Cunning man, to know what was become of his cattle, and so went to a notable cozening Knave, that was (as common people say) skilful in the Black Art, and this deceiving Witch, seeing his opportunity of gaining a Fee, for the purpose in hand, used his Conjurations in a room contrived for his usual impostures, and presently came in a Confederate of his covered over with a Bulls Hide, and a pair of horns on his head, the poor Butcher sitting and looking in a Glass made for that purpose, in which he was to behold the Object more terrible, and not so easily discovered as if he had looked right upon it, for he was charged by the Conjurer not to look behind him, for if he did, the Devil would be outrageous; this confederate, or counterfeit Devil, after the Conjurers many exorcising Charms, or Conjurations, willed the Butcher to look East and West, North and South to find his cattle; the Butcher sought much to find his cattle according to the Devil's counsel, but yet perceiving after much seeking and not finding, that it was a mere piece of Knavery, returned to the Conjurer again, and desired him to call up the Devil once again, which he did as formerly, but the Butcher had appointed his Boy to stand near hand without the house with a Mastiff Dog, and at the Butcher's whistle, the Boy as he was appointed, let go the Dog, which came in presently to his Master, and seized upon the Knave in the Bulls hide; the Conjurer cried out, as likewise the Devil, For the love of God take off your Dog, Nay, said the Butcher, fight Dog, fight Devil, if you will venture your Devil, I will venture my Dog; but yet after much entreaty he called off his Dog, but wittily discovered the cheating craft of Conjuring. He that acteth the part as this Conjurer did, with the same intent to deceive, and to make silly people believe and repose confidence in words (that is, in Charms and Conjurations to command the Devil, and to keep him in awe) is a seducing Witch, as he was; but he that acteth the same part, and causeth people to wonder at him, and to think that he hath really conjured the Devil, to this intent only to show to the world in a sporting way, how easily people are and have been deceived, is no Witch, but may be an instructor and inlightner of silly people, according to the Fifth description of Juggling delusions, in Pag. 42. And truly (if people were not so much naturally given to vain credulity, or believing of Lies) that sort of Conjurers (so commonly prated of by silly people) had not been heard of in the world, had not these deluders learned this cozening craft from the Popish rout, whereby they delude silly people, making them believe they do things really by virtue of words, as by the naming of the Trinity, and the several names of God, and of Christ, and by naming of Angels, Arch-Angels, and the Apostles (just the same with Popish Conjurations) whereas their doings, as likewise the Popes, are all but cheating impostures, for if Conjuring Charms could keep the Devil in awe, why did he not submit to the Conjurers, Acts 19.13? Another notable true Relation of what happened in a Town in England, wherein is plainly showed how easily men are deceived by juggling Confederacy in Conjuration. IT happened, that a Minister being remote from his dwelling, lodged in an Inn, and because he wanted company fit for him, he sent for a young Cambŕidge Scholar to keep him company, who being of his acquaintance, and dwelling in the Town, came to him, and after some discourse they fell into a dispute about Witches, and their Power, the Minister affirming, That Witches do truly conjure up the Devil in several shapes as they list, for said he, I know some that stood privately behind a Hedge when a Conjurer raised up the Devil in the shape of a Cock, and then again in the shape of a Horse, and heard the Cock crow, and the Horse neigh, but being very dark they could not see him; but the Scholar holding the contrary opinion, said, I will undertake to demonstrate the same thing to you in this Chamber, so as you shall verily think that I Conjure up the Devil in such shapes; Come on said the Minister, if you can do that, than also will I acknowledge these things to be but delusions. Now mark how strangely it happened, There was a Tapster's Boy in the Inn at that time, who had by wanton custom gotten a faculty of imitating the crowing of a Cock, the neighing of a Horse, the barking of a Dog, the quacking of Ducks, and the noise of many several Beasts, in a very wonderful manner; the Scholar therefore, for the lively acting of the foresaid Delusion, went down, and instructed this Boy to bring up a Jugge of Beer, and to set it down by the fire, and then to convey himself under the Bed, and withal to act the part of all several Creatures as the Scholar should call for them by Conjuration; now when this Boy had so conveyed himself under the Bed, the Scholar did put out the Candle, and left no light in the Chamber but the obscure light of a dim fire, the relics of an Ostree Faggot, and said to the Minister, Now will I make you believe that I Conjure up the Devil, Come Pluto, I have a Letter to be sent with all speed to the Pope, therefore I conjure and command thee to come speedily to me from the lowest pit, in the shape of a swift running Horse, that may carry this Letter with speed, and bring me an answer; then began the Boy to snort, and neigh, and stamp, very much resembling a wild marwood Horse, in so lively a resemblance, as it made the Minister begin to look sad, and amazed; then said the Scholar, Now I have well considered the matter, thou art not a Creature swift enough for this business, therefore I conjure thee down again, and I command Pluto to come to me in the shape of a Greyhound, Praesto, vade, jubeo, celeriter; then the Boy under the Bed barked, and howled so like a Dog, as the Minister did more and more creep close to the corner of the Chimney, sighing very sadly. Then said the Scholar, I consider that thou art not swift enough for my purpose, therefore I command thee to return to thy place, and send me up a Cock; then the Boy crowed so like a Cock, as no ear should distinguish it from a natural Cock; then said the Scholar, Thou art not a Creature swift enough for my purpose, therefore I command Pluto to send me up a Duck; at that command the Boy did so lively act the quacking of Ducks, as a man would have thought that many Ducks had been in the room. Then began the Minister seriously to exhort and admonish the Scholar, saying, Verily thou art far gone, certainly thou art far gone in this craft, and many more words; at which so sad discourse, the Boy under the Bed burst out in laughter, and came forth and acted his part again openly, and made the Minister ashamed. Yet here it may be noted, that the Ministers fantasy was so far deluded, that he would not be persuaded, but that he saw real Ducks squirming about the room, as he expressed. I say then, how little credit ought Ministers or other men to give to flying Reports, when they themselves may so easily be deluded? The setting of Spells is referred to this description, and is done only by confederacy with him that is spelled; who feigneth himself so Charmed, or spelled, that others who would be in like action of Thievery, might fear to come into that place to steal, because of the Spel. So much for the Sixth term of description in the text, Vtens incantatione, that is, an Enchanter, or Charmer. THe Seventh term of description of a Witch in the text, is Requirens Pythonem, that is, Pythonicus Sacerdos, according to the sense of Plutarch, De defect. Orac. one that seeketh out an Oracle, as did the Priests of the Idol Apollo, which was called the Oracle of Apollo; the same practice was common to the Priests of all Idols, that were in request before the Idol Apollo (although indeed Apollo being the most famous of the latest Idols, hath more Histories and reports still extant concerning their practice, than all former Idols have) as Plutarch witnesseth, that in Boeotia there had been many Oracles, some whereof grew silent when their Priests died, and some grew out of request for want of subtlety in giving answers (and because the impostures grew so common that people knew them, and would not be deluded by them any more.) We read there of the Lebadian Oracle, and the Amphiaran Oracle, and also of an Oracle of Mopsi, and at Amphilochi, and many more; these had their several terms of appellation, according to the Language of the people adjacent, as the Lebadian Oracle was given in the Aeolic Tongue, and had its peculiar appellation in that Language; and to the Oracle at Delphos was called by such appellations as came from the Greek, and also from the Roman Language, as Pytho, and Python, and Oraculum, and Oracles used by the ancient Heathen, were by the Hebrews in their Language called Ob, which Oracles were only giving Divinations to the people's inquiries, as when Ahasia sent to inquire of the god of Eckron, 2 King. 1.2. save only this word Ob in the text, which is translated Python, implieth, the imposture whereupon these deceivers upheld their Divinations, as followeth by and by. This is not to be understood that they that did seek to such Witches as gave Oracles, that they also were Witches, for these were only bewitched Idolaters, but they only were Witches in this term of description, that being sought unto by these deluded Idolaters, used such deluding impostures, whereby they made the people believe they fought out an Oracle (that is, an answer to the inquiry of those Idolaters) either directly from their Idols, or else that they sought out an Oracle from the spirits of the dead, as did the Pythonist of Endor, in which sense also they were called Necromantists, that is such as asked counsel of the dead, being the Ninth term of description, 1 Chron. 10.13. Saulus consulere Pythonem quaesusset, Saul had sought to ask counsel of the Oracle, there Saul was an Idolater, and not a Witch; but she that sought out that Oracle for him from the dead, she was a deluding Witch. This description, or term of description of a Witch, hath a various manner of expression in the Scriptures, which is needful to be noted by the Reader, for in this text, Deut. 18. 1●, 11. such a Witch is called Pythonem requirens, one that seeketh out an Oracle; and in Levit. 20.6. there such ae Witch is called Python, an Oracle-giver, in these words, Anima quae converterit se ad Pythones & Arioles ut scortando sectetur eos, etc. That soul that turneth himself after Oracles and Soothsayers, to commit Idolatry, in following them, shall be cut off; and in vers. 27. of the same Chapter, Viri autem aut mulieres si erit ex eye ` Pytho, aut ariolus, omnina morte afficiuntor; If there shall be found either man or woman that is an Oracler, or a Soothsayer, they shall be put to death. There is also a Marginal note of Tremellius worth noting, in these words, Qui Diabolicis artibus reliquos à Dei cultu & sui sanctificatione avocant; Those Oraclers and Soothsayers, saith he, are such as by their Devilish deluding craft do lead others from the true Worship of God, and living holily. People so misled to Idolatry are spoken of in vers. 6. chap. 20. of Leviticus afore noted. And further, look 1 Sam. 28.7. there such a Witch being of the female kind, is called, Mulier Pythone praedita, A woman that hath the craft of Oracling, or seeking out an Oracle. And Acts 16.16. there such a Witch is said to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the spirit of Oracling; Where Beza in his Latin translation saith in his marginal notes, that that spirit of Oracling was only an expression, altnding to the Idol Apollo, which was called Python, and gave answers unto them that asked, namely, by the Priests that belonged unto it, of which Idol the Poets feigned many things; so they that had the imposture of Divination, were said by the Heathen to be inspired by the spirit of Apollo, Plutarch de def. Orac. and in this place of the Acts St. Luke speaketh after the common phrase of the Heathen, because he delivereth the error of the common people, but not by what instinct the Maid gave Divinations, for it is certain that under the mask of that Idol, the Devil played his deluding pranks, and this spirit of Apollo was nothing, but as much as to say, an imposture, or deluding trick of the Devil, practised by the Priests of Apollo. So much saith Beza, who plainly expoundeth, that that spirit of Divination, or Oracling, was only a Devilish deluding imposture, and not a familiar Devil, as many do fond imagine. And whereas it is said in the verse following, that Paul did cast that Spirit out of the Maid, it was, that he by the power of the Gospel of jesus rebuked her wickedness, so that her Conscience being terrified, she was either converted, or else at the least dared not to follow that deluding craft of Divination any longer; as when Christ did cast out seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen, it is to be understood that he did convert her from many Devilish sinful courses in which she had walked, Luke 8.2. and 7.47. (But if any be still so obstinate as to follow the common fond tradition, that Python, or spiritus Pythonis, was a real familiar visible discoursing Devil, yet I hope none are so mad as to say upon serious consideration, that it was any thing but a spirit of lying Prophecy, or Divination, or Oracling in all the discourse of the Scripture, no man can show in all the Scriptures, be they never so grossly expounded, that any man or woman had a kill, or a murdering Devil, whereby to bewitch any man to death, nor the least colour of any such Devilish exposition.) This Seventh term in the text, namely, Requirens Pythonem, one that seeketh out an Oracle, differeth not from the second term of description, that is, Utens Divinationibus, one that useth Divinations, or false Prophecies, save only in this, that that second term of description implieth only bare Predictions of future things, and telling of hidden things, by which the Witch was described, but this Seventh term of description implieth some particular impostures, whereupon the Witches grounded their Predictions; according to which impostures they are called Oraclers, or seekers out of Oracles; the Hebrew word is Ob, and is translated Python; Ob signifieth properly a Bottle, or any such like hollow thing; and here in the text, and in all other Scripture-sense it implieth the imposture of speaking with their mouths in a Bottle, from a hollow Cave in the earth, out of which came a voice, spoken by some confederate with the Impostor, or Witch, which confederate was upon such occasion to go into a secret conveyance, and to make answer to the inquiry, with a hollow sounding voice, caused by the Bottle, and so it seemed to the silly deluded people, that the voice came out of the firm ground, as an answer sent by the gods, by the departed soul of some Prophet, or other man that had formerly died (in which sense also they were called Necromantists, from ask counsel of the dead, being the Ninth term of description) for which imposture all Idol houses, and houses of all such other Witches as practised the same imposture, that the Idol-Priests did practice, were built and contrived on purpose with a room called Manteum, in which the said Cave and hollow passage was, in which room some fond Writers do say, that the Devil spoke, but had it been so, that a real familiar Devil had answered, as is fond imagined, why then did he answer only in that room? Surely if their Devil was so familiar, and at command, he might as well have answered in any room as in that, but a confederate man or woman could not bring to pass the imposture in any room but in that. This imposture is alluded unto by the Prophet Isaiah 29.4. Sitque quasi Pythonis è terra vox tua, & è pulvere serma tuus pipiat, and thy voice shall be as an Oracler out of the earth, and thy speech shall be whispering out of the dust: because they used cheating impostures to seduce the people, making them believe they could call the departed Ghosts of their friends to give them Oracles, or answers to their inquiry, out of the earth, this imposture the Prophet Isaiah warneth the people to avoid the delusion of it, Isaiah 8.19. in Tremellius translation, Quum enim edicum vobis, consulite Pythones & ariobos, qui pipiunt & mussitant; nun populus Deum suum consulturas est● pro viventibus mortuos consulat? for when they say unto you, Ask counsel of Oraclers, and Soothsayers, that whisper and mutter, should not a people ask counsel of their God? Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living? And here in Isaiah 29.4. the Prophet alludeth not to all the impostures of such Oracling Idols, which were many, but only to this one imposture, from whence they had their description, or term of appellation from speaking in a Bottle out of the earth. In this sense the Pythonist of Endor was called Mulier pythone praedita, a Woman endued with an Oracle, or with the imposture of Oracling, because she made it seem by the foresaid imposture, to silly, deluded, or bewitched people, that the dead spoke out of the earth, by which imposture she deluded Saul, 1 Sam. 28. And because that History of the Witch of Endor hath been commonly misinterpreted, and many unwary Readers do believe, that that which she did was somewhat more than a cozening imposture, and that she did either raise up Samuel, or the Devil in the likeness of Samuel, or assuming the body of Samuel, and speaking in it (where by the way it is to be noted, that if any such things were, it maketh nothing to prove the common error, that a Witch is any where at all taken for a Murderer; for the scope of all that she did, was only at last to give an Oracle, or Divination to Saul) yet let but such a Reader as thinketh she did any thing really; examine well the Chapter, and he shall find, it was only a deluding cheating imposture by a confederate in the ground, and he that will not believe this, let him but gather up his Objections, and I will lay down my Answers as followeth. The first Objection, or ground of mistake, is, the twelfth verse of the Chapter, 1 Sam. 28. And when the woman saw Samuel, etc. Here perhaps you will say, it is plain she saw Samuel? Ans. It is not here to be understood according to the letter of the History, neither did yet any Expositor so understand it, for it may not be supposed that any Devilish Craft can call a Saint from Heaven; no, but you will say, It was the Devil in the likeness of Samuel; I answer, If you hold to the letter of the History, you must say it was real Samuel, but if you vary from the letter, whence then can you gather that it was the Devil? And why is not this Exposition true, that she only pretended that she saw Samuel, to bring about her cozening imposture? for I have made it plain in all the discourse of this Book by the current of the Scriptures, that all Witchcraft was only a delusion, and to say that it was the body of Samuel raised up by the Devil, is to make the Devil able to work the same Miracle that was wrought by Christ upon the Cross, who by the power of his Godhead raised up the Bodies of the Saints, for a time, who appeared unto many, from whence the Centurion concluded, that Christ was the Son of God, knowing that no other power was able to do it, Mat. 27. 52, 53, 54. The second Objection may be, the learned of Samuel that it was Saul, as in the twelfth verse, And when the woman saw Samuel she said unto Saul, why hast thou deceived me, for thou art Saul? therefore she saw him. Answ. The seeing of Samuel could instruct her nothing, if living Samuel had been there, much less dead Samuel, nor seeing the Devil in samuel's likeness, for neither the body of Samuel, nor the Devil, was a Looking-glass to see Saul in, but it was her subtle pretence, and colour, that she had seen Samuel, and so found out Saul by her craft, whom she knew before; think you that this subtle Wizard did not know the King? when she dwelled nigh the King's Court, as appear in the Chapter, for he went thither and stayed while she acted her part, and after a while she prepared meat, and he and his Servants did eat, and returned the same night. But you may say, he was disguised. Ans. He was taller than all the men in Israel by the head and shoulders, and without making himself so much the shorter, he could not but be known by a subtle Wizard. Also I answer; That the Servants of Saul, that could so readily tell him where he should find such a woman at Endor, could not but be intimate with her, and so warn her of Saul's coming, or give her some discovery of the present occasion, at their coming along with Saul, or else how could they have concealed her, and kept her counsel in the time a little before, when Saul had made strict proclamation that all Wizards should be banished the Land, as they were; and doubtless had not those servants concealed her, she had also been banished. Again, Saul could not but discover himself to her, by his Oath that he swore to her immediately before, for who was able to save her from punishment but the King. Another Objection is, Saul himself saw Samuel, or the Devil in his likeness. Ans. It is plain in the History, he saw neither Samuel, nor his likeness, for he said to the woman in vers. 13, 14. What sawest thou, and what form and fashion is he of? where it is plain, he was only too credulous, and believed that she had seen some apparition, for if he had seen any thing himself, why did he say, What sawest thou? She answered, I saw an old man clothed in a mantle, making a true description of Samuel, because she knew that he was the man that Saul desired, than Saul acknowledged that it was Samuel, only from her describing of him, vers. 14. and therefore bowed himself with his face to the ground in honour to Samuel, whom he expected should answer him out of the earth. Another Objection is; But Samuel talked with Saul? Ans. It is proved before that Saul saw no body, therefore Saul only heard a voice which he imagined came from Samuel, but was only the voice of a Confederate under the ground. But you will say, that the Scripture saith, Samuel said unto Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me? Ans. If you hold me to the letter of the History, why do you not hold yourself to it, but say, it was the Devil in the likeness of Samuel, as that it was real Samuel you will not say, why not a Confederate then? and here indeed the History is set down only according to the apprehension of Saul, not discovering the imposture. But how should she describe a man so like Samuel? that is, an old man clothed in a mantle? Ans. The only noted Prophet in Israel was known to all, and could not be unknown to a subtle Wizard, whose practice was to be acquainted with all things of note, the better to help her craft of Oracling Divinations upon any occasion for gain. Another Objection, But if it were not Samuel, nor the Devil, what Confederate was able to tell Saul so right, and give so true an Oracle of what should betid Saul the next day in the battle? Ans. All such Oraclers and Wizards did give Oracles two ways. First, In doubtful things, they gave doubtful answers. Secondly, Where were more certain probabilities, there they gave more certain answers. Now what was more certain than that the Kingdom should be rend from Saul? Samuel had Prophesied of it, and all Israel knew it; and what was more probable than that the time was at hand, when so mighty an Host of his enemies were come against him, when his heart and spirit failed him, and when God had forsaken him? and if it had not come to pass, such Oraclers did use to have evasions, the fault might have been laid upon samuel's Ghost, and further cozenage might still have been wrought to blind Saul's eyes; and had it happened how it could, so that the Witch had come off blewly, and her imposture been afterward known to Saul, yet she had the Oath of the King to save her harmless. Further, it is the opinion of some learned men, that there was no certainty at all in the answer given to Saul, and that it was merely conjectural, and though happening some way true, yet it failed in the day prefixed, for whereas it was said, Tomorrow shalt thou and thy Sons be with me, vers. 9 it was very false, for when the Philistims went up to Battle, David returning was three days marching back to Ziglag, 1 Sam. 30.1. and one day pursuing his enemies, vers. 17. and the third day after that, tidings was brought to David from the Camp of Saul, that Saul and his Sons were dead, 2 Sam. 1, 2, 3, 4. which made in all seven days, and therefore it was not likely that Saul and his Sons were slain upon the morrow, which was the scope of the Oracle, or answer that was given to Saul; this I say, is the opinion of a learned Writer. So much by the way. Further, if it had not been a mere delusion to blind the eyes of Saul, why must Samuel be described an old man clothed in a mantle? That indeed was the fashion of living Samuel, but after he was dead and buried, had Samuel appeared as she pretended, or had the Devil appeared in his likeness, as some fond Readers suppose he did, it must have been like Samuel in a Winding-sheet; but indeed had she described him by his Winding-sheet, that might have been any man else as well as Samuel, and Saul had not been so easily deluded in his fond credulity and Idolatrous way. If you think it an incredible thing that Saul should be so easily deluded, look Isaiah 8.20. in the Latin translation (which carrieth the true sense of the Original, how oddly soever our English Translators run) where the Prophet speaking of such as would counsel men to seek to Oraclers and Soothsayers, he saith (in Tremelius) An non loquuntur in sententiam illam cuicunque nulla est lucis scintilla; do they not give this counsel to such as have not the least spark of light or understanding? and this was Saul's case, Saul indeed had been a wise man formerly, when the Spirit of God was upon him, when it was said, Is Saul also among the Prophets? but then when God had forsaken him, his wisdom, his courage, and his victoriousness went all away together, and then, and never till then, was he deceived by a Witch. And however many erroneous Readers, when they read this History of the Witch of Endor, do suppose she did such things really as are set down, only according to the apprehension of the Spectators (namely, Saul and his Servants) yet let them but consider the nature of impostures, and they may easily conceive how such a cheating imposture might easily, and still may be brought to pass to delude fools, by an ordinary Juggling confederacy, according to the manner afore described, as well and as really as ever she did it, and that without a familiar Devil (as is foolishly supposed she had) only a Devil ruling in the heart of them that do it to the like end, to delude and lead people from God, as she did, the Devil being the Father of all lying delusions, and ruleth in the hearts of the children of disobedience. Such a Devil was in the heart of ahab's Prophets, 1 King. 22.23. (But for such as will not allow of that exposition, that the Witch of Endor did all by a confederate, I say, she might do it also by the imposture of Hariolating, as may be seen in the latter end of the Eighth term of description following) And truly, for such as will still believe the common foolish error, that Python was such a Witch as had a familiar spirit (except they mean such a lying spirit of Oracling Divination) I wonder how far they will stretch the sense and coherence of the Scriptures, to make any such interpretation? Look but Tremelius Translation, 2 Chron, 33.6. it is said of Manasseh, among the Witchcrafts which he used (or rather that the Idolatrous Priests under him used) Instituitque Pythonem; What is that? Did he set up a familiar Spirit? one that had a familiar Spirit; or did he set up an Oracle? Which is best sense? but the common conceit of Readers is, because their Dictionary saith Python signifieth a Devilish spirit of Divination, or one that hath such a Spirit, therefore that must needs be a familiar Spirit (and indeed the common abuse of words may make words signify any thing) but let such as trust only to their Latin Dictionaries, or Greek Lexicon, show me in them, or any authentic Writer, but especially in the Scriptures, where Python is taken in any such sense as a familiar Spirit, (especially where it is taken for a kill spirit of a Witch) according to the common doctrine of Devils, that hath defiled the Nations, but only for a spirit of lying Prophecy, or one that hath such a Spirit or Devil in his heart; and in the text it is taken for the Oracle of the Devil; and if any carp at words, yet they must examine as well the sense of the Original, and the sense and coherence of the Scriptures from place to place, as what words may by abuse and ill custom signify; yet I say, where do we read of a Familiar Spirit in all the Scriptures, if they be truly translated, especially where do we read of a kill spirit of a Witch? So much for the Seventh term of description, Requirens Pythonem. The Eighth term of Description. THe Eighth term of Description of a Witch in the text, is, Ariolus, for the most part written Hariolus, and is by all men taken for a Soothsayer, but a Soothsayer differeth not from Utens Divinationibus, being the Second term of description, for what difference is there between Soothsaying, and using of Divinations, or lying Prophecies? so than it might seem to be a Tautology in the text; but as it hath been said before, that these Nine terms of appellation in the text, are not terms of distinction, but several terms of description, so if Moses had set here down a hundred several terms of description, signifying one and the same thing, it had not been a tautology in the worst sense, but a more full expression of the same thing for illustration of the matter in hand: but yet as most of the rest of the terms of description in the text did all tend to Divinations (being the Second term of description) only they do imply a several imposture, whereupon the selfsame Witches grounded their Divinations, and yet being described by their several impostures were not so many several kinds of Witches, but still one and the same kind, and all of them false Prophets, who by several impostures seduced the people; so it may well be understood, that under this Eighth term of description in the text, Hariolus, commonly called a Soothsayer, is implied some particular imposture used in their Divinations, whereby to delude and seduce the people, which imposture, though it be not fully declared in the Scriptures, what it was, yet it may be collected by the several places in the Scriptures where the said expression is so often repeated, that it was some imposture used, together with the fore●aid imposture of Oracling, (being the Seventh description) because in most places of the Scripture, Pythones & arioli are named together as one and the same, although implying a several imposture. The Hebrew word in the text is jiddegnoni, or as by some pronounced jiddoni, and signifieth Hariolus, but the Hebrews borrowed a word from some other Language, which word is Ha●tumim, which in Gen. 41. 8. 24. and in several places of Scripture, is used as a general word for all sorts of Witches, and is by Tremelius translated Magus, a Magician, but by common use did signify among the Hebrews, Hariolus, a Soothsayer, and yet used equivocately to express the Genus, and the Species as one, because Soothsayers were Magicians, and were counted the only wise men, and is by many Expositors expounded Hariolus. The Latins commonly used another word, Haruspex; and here it may be noted, that these words, Hartumim, Hariolus, Haruspex, do imply the imposture of a hollow feigned voice, which those Witches or Deceivers used in their Oracling Divinations, by harring in their throats, and these are they that are also otherwise called Pythones, according to another imposture of speaking in a Bottle, as in the Seventh term of description is before showed Plutarch de defec. Orac. saith, They that used to draw a Prophesying voice out of their belly are also called Pythones, that is, as johannes Scapula upon the place of Plutarch, saith, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è ventre Hariolautes, and this was the imposture aimed at in the text under the Eighth term of description, Ariolus, namely, that they spoke with a counterfeit voice of harring in the throat, whereby to dissemble some other, and therefore changed their Natural voice, and these were they that spoke in the room of the Idol Houses, called in Greek and Latin Manteium (as in the Seventh description) and these were they that speaking in that room in a Cave under the ground, or some other hollow place, did therefore change their natural voice, to counterfeit the voice of some other; such a one was he that being confederate with the Witch of Endor, feigned the voice of Samuel talking to Saul (as is more fully set down in the Seventh term of description) or she herself might by this Imposture speak all that was spoken to Saul; and these did rather har in their throats, that they might thereby the more terribly dissemble a voice from the dead rising again, and therefore differed as much as they could from Human voice; such a one was also by the Grecians and Latins called Nantes, which some Writers that knew not the imposture, say it was the Devil; but Nantes was such a Witch, or false Prophet, as had that devilish imposture of harring in their throats to deceive the people, called of some Ventriloquium, a speaking in the belly, and they that practised this imposture were so perfect in it, that they would speak so strangely, that many times they dared to practise their imposture above ground, whereby they made it seem to silly people that the spirit of Apollo, or some other Idol (which they called gods) spoke within them, according to the expression of Saint Luke, who used the vulgar expression, Acts 16.16. where it is said, the Maid had Spiritus Pythonis, the spirit of Oracling, or as Bezae expounds it, the spirit of Apollo, which he saith was only a devilish cozening imposture (as is before noted at large in the Seventh description) And this exposition of Ariolos is agreeable to the saying of the Prophet, Isa. 8.19. Quum enim edicunt vobis consulite Pythones & ariolos, qui pipiunt & mussitant; and when they say unto you, Ask counsel of Oraclers, and Soothsayers, that peep, and that mutter, here Tremelius gives this Exposition; The Prophet (saith he) aggravateth the heinous crime of those Witches from the vanity of those Divinations, which the very manner of them betrayeth, those Seducers have not so much wit that they dare speak to the people the thing they pretend to speak in plain and open terms, with an audible clear voice, as they that are Gods Prophets, who speak the Word of God as loud as may be, and as plain as they can to the people, but they chirp in their Bellies, and very low in their throats, like Chickens half out of the shells in the hatching. So much Tremelius. And further he saith, That many Historians do mention these their delusions, but especially Origenes advers. Celsum. This imposture of speaking in the Belly hath been often practised in these latter days in many places, and namely in this Island of England, and they that practise it do it commonly to this end, to draw many silly people to them, to stand wondering at them, that so by the concourse of people money may be given them, for they by this imposture do make the people believe that they are possessed by the Devil, speaking within them, and tormenting them, and so do by that pretence move the people to charity, to be liberal to them. Master Scot in his Discovery of Witchcraft, Lib. 7. Cap. 1. writeth of such a one at Westwel in Kent, that had so perfectly this imposture of speaking in the Belly, that many Ministers were deceived by her, and made no question but she had been possessed by a tormenting Devil, and came and talked so long with that Devil, an● charged him in the name of God to go out of her, as tha● he said he would kill her, he would tear her it pieces, he would kill them all; He also told them whom sent him in, and accused some poor people for Witches. The words and testimony of this Devil were taken in writing, and how many they that sent him had Witched to death, and yet when this matter came to examination by two wise Justices of the Peace, Mr. Thomas Wotton, and Mr. George Darrel, the Maid being discreetly examined, confessed the whole imposture; and for confirmation of the truth of the matter, so plain was the Maid in confession, that she acted the same thing over again before the said Magistrates, and many other Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, to the shame of those Ministers who had taken the testimony of the Devil against poor people in writing, and were credulous therein, believing and teaching such Doctrines, that a Witch can send a Devil to possess and torment people, and another Witch can cast him out; but if they and all Ministers were led by the Spirit of truth, they should know, that this deluding Hag was the Witch, and not they whom she accused; for what difference was there between her imposture and a spirit of Divination? like the Maid, in Acts 16.16. formerly mentioned, whose spirit of Divination or Oracling was only a Devilish cozening imposture, saith Beza; and such aught to be put to death by the Law of Moses, because they use Divinations, pretending the discovery of Witches, it being manifest therein that they are the Witches, and because they by false accusation murder others; such a Maid was lately at Brantree in Essex, who practised the same imposture to the astonishment of many, and gained money from the deceived beholders, until the report thereof grew stale, and fools had done wondering, and the concourse of people ceased, and her gains came not in, and then the Devil did easily leave her, and the business almost forgotten, and yet no men so ready to put in execution the Law of God against her, or any such, as against poor people that are accused by such, and by fools, and hanged up without ground or warrant, or possibility of truth. This imposture hath wrought strange delusions among the ancient Heathen, and the actors thereof did by this imposture delude the people; one way very notable was (by their speaking in the Belly in the man●●r aforesaid) they would make it seem to the standers by that a voice came from afar off, or from some secret place, & that that voice was the voice of some of the gods, and then they would report abroad that in such a place a voice was heard, declaring, or commanding such and such matters, and the poor deluded standers by would witness, and report the same to be true, whereas the voice came only from the deluding Witch that was among them when they heard the voice; as we may read in Plutarch de defec. Orac. A certain ship sailing by the Island of Paxis (in which ship were some Egyptians, the manner of which Nation was to practise the several impostures of Witchcraft, for their advantage and fame among the people) there was heard from the shore of Paxis a voice, calling thrice to Thamus by name, (he being an Egyptian in the ship) Thamus, when thou comest to Palos, report that great Pan is dead, which thing he did. When he came near Palos he looked toward the shore, and cried aloud, Great Pan is dead; then there was heard a terrible sighing and groaning, which much affrighted the people in the ship; the report of this was speedily testified at Rome; in so much that this Thamus was sent for by Tiberius Caesar, and so was much taken notice of in the Emperor's Court; and although many were deluded by that voice, which was so heard by the men in the ship, and did much dispute about it what it should signify, yet they that do rightly understand the imposture of Hariolating, or speaking in the belly, may easily conceive that Thamus himself was the man, or some confederate with him, that spoke the voice, and made that mighty groaning at the last, thereby to delude the people, and to make himself famous, as some great Man, to whom some of the gods had spoken; and whereas it was about the time that Christ was Crucified, And some would have it that that voice was really spoken by some strange Spirit, and might signify Christ: I yield thus far, that Thamus himself might have heard the fame of the passages of the Life, and Death, and Resurrection of Christ, and might speak of, and concerning Christ, not that he believed in Christ, but would tell some notable thing in his own deluding way, for the magnifying of himself among the people, implying, that he was the man to whom such a voice should come from the gods; and whereas he said, Great Pan is dead, it was because the jews were the posterity of Shepherds, and the Heathen had feigned Pan to be the god of Shepherd's; thus might he mean Christ, as the Maid in the Acts, ch. 16.16. acknowledged Paul and his Doctrine, not by belief, but thereby to uphold and countenance her imposture among the people, for her own fame and gain; so might this Impostor mean Christ▪ although, nor he, nor any other, did ever conclude any thing fully concerning the meaning of that voice, but lest it doubtful (as all Oracles of the Heathen were) insomuch that some told Tiberius, that it was spoken from the gods of one that was risen up between Mercury and Penelopa. Thus did Thamus by his imposture get himself fame at the Emperor's Court (which was the thing he aimed at) and left superstitious fools disputing of an ambiguous Oracle. It hath been credibly reported, that there was a man in the Court, in King james his days, that could act this imposture so lively, that he could call the King by name, and cause the King to look round about him, wondering who it was that called him, whereas he that called him stood before him in his presence, with his face toward him; but after this imposture was known, the King in his merriment would sometimes take occasion by this Impostor to make sport upon some of his Courtiers; as for instance, There was a Knight belonging to the Court, whom the King caused to come before him in his private room (where no man was but the King, and this Knight, and the Impostor) and feigned some occasion of serious discourse with the Knight; but when the King began to speak, and the Knight bending his attention to the King, suddenly there came a voice as out of another room, calling the Knight by name, Sir john, Sir john, come away Sir john; at which the Knight began to frown, that any man should be so unmannerly as to molest the King and him; and still listening to the King's discourse, the voice came again, Sir john, Sir john, come away and drink off your Sack; at that Sir john began to swell with anger, and looked into the next rooms to see who it was that dared to call him so importunately, and could not find out who it was, and having chid 〈◊〉 whomsoever he found, he returned again to the King; the King again had no sooner began to speak as formerly, but the voice came again, Sir john, come away, your Sack stayeth for you; at that, Sir john begun to stamp with madness, and looked out, and returned several times to the King, but could not be quiet in his discourse with the King, because of the voice that so often troubled him, till the King had sported enough. So much for this Eighth term of description of a Witch in the text, Ariolus a Soothsayer. The Ninth term of Description. THe Ninth term of Description, is, Necromantis, a Necromancer, that is in the sense of the Hebrew, Consulens mortuos, one that seeketh counsel of the dead, as Tremellius noteth in the margin. This is the last term set down by Moses in the text, describing a Witch, and this term implieth the pretence in the impostures used by the foresaid Oraclers, and Soothsayers, as in the Seventh and Eighth description (is amply set down); and that the world might fully understand the delusion of Witches, Moses here setteth down this last and more full expression, or term of description of a Witch, Necromantis, which is all one with the former, and in regard of Predictions was called in the Second description, Vtens Divinatione, a Diviner; in regard of the imposture of giving Oracles from a hollow Cave in the earth, with a Bottle, was called Ob in the Hebrew (translated Python by Tremellins) that is, an Oracle, or an Oracler, according to the sense of Plutarch, de defect. orac. and in regard of the imposture of counterfeiting a voice of another by harring in their throats, was called, Ariolus, or Hariolus; in regard of the ask counsel of the dead was called, Necromantis, or consulens mortuos, one that asketh counsel of the dead; and in regard of the Charms and Conjurations that they used, in calling up the souls and spirits of the dead, they were Charmers, or Conjurers. The Seventh and Eighth terms of description do imply the impostures which these deluding Witches used in their Oracling Divinations; this Ninth term of description implieth their pretence which they had in those cozening impostures, that is, they pretended that they consulted with the souls of them that were departed this life, and thereby could tell things to come, or things hidden; and this was one pretence of all that were Oraclers, or Soothsayers, according to which pretence they were called Necromancers, according to that place in Isa. 8.19. (very fitly rehearsed again in this description) in Tremellius translation; For when they shall say unto you, Ask counsel of Oraclers and Soothsayers, that whisper, and that mutter, should not a people ask counsel of their God? shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living? And this pretence of these Witches is manifest, not only in the Scriptures, but in common Wrlters, where we may read the Tenants, and the Opinions of the Heathen concerning this matter, Plutarch de defec. orac. showeth their opinions and vain conceits, That the souls of men that were departed this life, were of more excellent perfection, than the souls of men in the prison of the body; and these were by those vain Heathen called Genii, which Genii or departed souls (say they) being of such perfection, and having likewise familiarity with the gods, would (when they were sought unto by men living here) come and inspire them to give Divinations, which they could easily do, by reason of their perfect estate after this life. These were by some of the Heathen called, and esteemed gods, and were among the Romans called Manes, that is, Infernal gods, or souls of men, to whom they offered Sacrifices, called Inferiae. The Pythonist, or Witch of Endor did act her part so subtly, that she did not only pretend inspiration from the Soul of Samuel, but (to satisfy Saul's insatiable blindness in his demand) that she could call him up, and make him appear to her, both Body and Soul united again, to prophesy again to Saul; which thing indeed was acted by her according to the silliness of Saul's demand, as appeareth more fully in the Seventh description, who, after the Spirit of God had forsaken him, was given over to believe such foolish fancies of faithless and ignorant people, as silly Women, and Children, and fools are inclined to believe unto this day, that people after their death can walk, and frequent the Houses, and Gardens, and Orchards, where they have used to be in their life time, which thing is a mere fancy of faithless and ignorant people, and cannot be brought to pass by either Witch or Devil, either really, or in appearance; for it was a Miracle once done by the power of Christ at his suffering upon the Cross, that many of the bodies of the Saints that were departed rose, and appeared unto many in the holy City, Mat. 27.52, 53. from whence the Centurion acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, knowing that such things could not be done but by the mighty power of God; and he that readeth over the foresaid Book of Plutarch, shall easily find, that one of the chief grounds of Oracles and Divinations, was this vain conceit of the Heathen, that wanted the light of the Scriptures, that the souls of dead men did give answers to them that had knowledge in the Art of seeking of Oracles; which Art indeed was only a craft of working impostures to delude the people, as is set down more at large in the Seventh and Eighth descriptions; and from this old conceit of the Heathen, and practice of these deluding Witches of ancient times, hath that grand Witch, that Whore of Rome (the Pope and his train) derived her notable Witchcraft, whereby she hath deluded the world, teaching people to invocate the souls of Saints departed, as likewise to conjure them. Let but the Reader look back to the Sixth term of description (a Charmer) and there he may read of a notable piece of Necromancy acted by two Popish Doctors at Orleans in France, with their devilish Conjurations. These Roman Witches are the Necromancers of these latter Ages, according to this Ninth description; these are the Enchanters of these latter Ages, as is fully demonstrated in the Sixth description; these are the Juggling Witches of these latter Ages in the Christian world, as is fully demonstrated in the Fifth description, and therefore it is said of this Purple Whore, Revel. 18.23. with thy Witchcrafts all Nations were deceived. And he that will be zealous for God, in obeying the command given in Exod. 22.18. Suffer not a Witch to live, must leave his fond ignorant course of teaching people to hang up poor, and widows, and aged, and lame helpless people, and must bend his devotion against that Whore of Rome (as all the world ought to do) as also against the Mahometan Witches among the Turks. Therefore it were a good Law in England, if duly kept, That no Jesuit, or Popish Priest should be suffered to live, in any part of these Dominions, because these Witches are they that bewitch the people (where they be tolerated) by their several deluding impostures, leading the people to Idolatry, and also to the undermining of Governments. So much for the Ninth term of description of a Witch in the text, a Necromantist, one that asketh counsel of the dead. The false Prophets of ancient times having their several impostures and pretences, whereby they seduced the people to vain Idolatry, which was abominable to God's eyes, are here by the Spirit of God demonstrated to the world by the Nine several terms of description in the text, that the world might fully know the mystery of iniquity, and avoid all such evil workers, as deceivers of his people, and learn to know God, and his Prophets, who teach people the right way of God; and these are the terms of expressions that are used in the Old Testament to demonstrate false Prophets, according to which expressions we use the general word Witch, or Sorcerer, in the English Tongue, and do find no other sort of Witches spoken of in the Scriptures. What sort of Witches soever are spoken of in the New Testament, are all taken in the same sense that they are in the Old Testament, and are sufficiently glossed at the beginning of this Book, upon the Definition of a Witch, and Witchcraft; but yet in Revel. 22.15. there is found a word that is used as a general expression for all sorts of Witches, which word because it hath been abused by some Popish Expositors, and blind interpreters, disputing upon the same word used by the Septuagint, it may not be omitted to speak somewhat of it, the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying by Etymology a Poisoner, or a compounder of Poisons, and is translated veneficus, signifying also a Poisoner, and yet both words both in Greek and Latin are used commonly for a Witch in general of all sorts, and is so taken in that place of the Revelations, and from hence some that are willing to uphold fond Opinions, do draw this fond conclusion, That a Witch is such a one as killeth people by Poisons, and can infect the Air, and bring many mortal Diseases by Witchcraft, and by the same craft can kill any particular Man or Beast with looks, by poisoning the Air in a direct line, as some feign of the Cockatrice. But what Logician will not say it is an absurdity to draw a Conclusion, and ground an opinion, from the bare signification of words? and yet for the words, it is easily conceived, that a Witch was first called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek, and Veneficus in Latin, by a Metaphor taken from the deceitfulness of a Poisoner, that giveth a man Poisons by deceit to betray his life; or from a deceitful Apothecary, or Mountebank, that selleth Poison, sophisticated Medicines, instead of wholesome Physic, as a Witch is taken in no other sense in all the foregoing places of Scripture than for a Deceiver, or Impostor; yet because (as I have said before) that bare significations of words do prove nothing directly, therefore let us but expound Scripture by Scripture, and we may easily find that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Veneficus, is taken for a Deceiver, or Impostor, and not for a Poisoner or Murderer, and for that look Revel. 18.23. With thy Witchcrafts all Nations were deceived; there the conjugal word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veneficiis tuis, as much as to say, with thy poisoned Medicines, or Poisons, all Nations were deceived; there is the same Metaphor used again, and such words as might signify Poisons are used for deceiving Witchcrafts; with thy Witchcrafts all Nations were deceived, not killed. So then, to conclude with Revelations, we read not in all the Old or New Testament of a Killing Witch, or Murdering Witch, but only of deceiving Witches, Impostors, or false Prophets, seducing people to Idolatry by their delusions and impostures. He that will have any further description of a Witch, let him take this description; A Witch is as like a Prophet as can be, and yet a deceiving false Prophet, Dan. 2.13. A Decree went forth from the King, that the Magicians should be slain, and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain; there the Executioners knew no difference between the Magicians and Daniel, that was a Prophet, for the word Magician, or Wise men, being properly taken in a good sense, was equivocally given to Soothsayers, and all sorts of deceiving Witches, as well as to those that were termed Wise men, and as to the Prophets themselves, and under that Decree Daniel himself had been slain, if it had not been stayed by God's providence. The blasphemous Priests and Pharisees called Christ a Deceiver, or Impostor, or as Beza expoundeth, a Juggler, and a Seducer, Matth. 27.63. when as he was the great Prophet of the world. Plutarch saith, De defect. Orac. That he which first began the Oracle of Apollo was Coreta, who set up the Oracle, in a pretence of being Divinely inspired with the spirit of Prophecy. Mr. Scot in his Discovery, who (was a Student in the Laws, and learned in the Roman Laws) showeth, Lib. 11. Cap, 5. & 6. that certain Colleges were erected at Rome, in time of Heathenish ignorance, for Diviners and Soothsayers to be instituted to expound the minds and admonishments of the gods, and by their Law young Princes were to be sent to Hetruria to learn, and bring home the cunning of that Art (it being the only Divinity the poor Heathen knew, to seek to such as pretended they could know the minds and wills of the gods) and in process of time these Colleges increased to a great University, in which were brought up such as learned the practice of Divination, or Augury, by several impostures described in the text; who notwithstanding they were accounted Prophets among the Heathen, yet are all aimed at, and described in the text for Witches, and Soothsayers, and such as the people of Israel (being a chosen people, to be taught by God and his Prophets) were commanded to destroy, that no such bewitching false Prophets should be found among them; such a one was Elimas' the Sorcerer, called both a Sorcerer, and a false Prophet, Acts 13. 6. and these were such as were sometimes great Scholars, yet abusing their learning. Some may object and say, If Witches were only false Prophets, than all false Teachers are Witches? Answ. A Witch and a false Prophet are reciprocal terms, but not a Witch and a false Teacher, for all the Nine terms of description in the text are plainly describing Witches and false Prophets as one and the same, and having one of these two properties; First, He setteth up an Idol, which is the first main Witchcraft, being the first description in the text; or, Secondly, He useth some, or all of the eight following Witchcrafts described in the text, either to confirm and uphold his Idol by seducing the people, or else to make the people believe that he is a true Prophet of God, as did Simon Magus in the Acts, and as is rehearsed in the same Chapter in the text, Deut. 18.20. for the more full and general description of a Witch, or false Prophet, which was described in the text, by Nine specifical descriptions, specifying the Nine Witchcrafts of such seducing false Prophets: but yet it doth not follow that all false Teachers are Witches; for a man may be a false Teacher through weakness of understanding, and error of judgement (as were the Scribes and pharisees in some things) and yet not a Witch; but he that is a wilful upholder of Horesies, or any vain unprofitable Doctrine, only to draw people to a head to uphold his own gain, and so for gain maketh the people to miss of the sincerity of Religion, although he be no Impostor, nor bringeth himself within the compass of the punishment due to a Witch from the Civil Magistrate, because he doth not use impostures, or any of the Nine Witchcrafts described in the text, yet in his intent he maketh gain his end, and perverteth souls in a smooth pretence of holiness. I know not how his final intention differeth from the final intention of a Witch (that is, gain by seducing●the people) nor whether he or a Witch shall have the greatest condemnation at the last day, Acts 20.30. for it appeareth in vers. 20. following the text▪ that a false Prophet considered distinctly from the foresaid impostors, is in the same Condemnation, and the same with a Witch, and aught to be censured by the Civil Magistrate to die as a Witch, merely quatenus a false Prophet; for although he be described by his several impostures before in the text, yet the bare using of impostures maketh not a Witch, unless by them he be a false Prophet; (as is demonstrated more fully in the Fifth description) so then, the Formalis ratio of a Witch, or that which maketh him to be a Witch, is, because he is a false Prophet, so that it followeth, that as every wilful false teacher, or wilful upholder of Heresy, or any vain unprofitable Doctrine to seduce the people for gain, differeth not in his final intention from a false Prophet, so by the same reason he differeth not from a Witch; and although he cannot always be convicted by the Magistrate, yet in God's sight he is a very Witch. Our English Translators not knowing the difference of the terms of description in the text, by the several impostures therein implied, according to the intent and meaning of the Scriptures, have used words promiscuously one for another, without expressing the true and full meaning of the Original so well, as is expressed by junius and Tremelius in Latin, as in Deut. 18.10, 11. they call a Diviner a Witch, and a Soothsayer a Wizard, expressing specifical descriptions by general words, that may be as well given to any of the nine; and in Exod. 22.18. they call a Juggler a Witch, using the same general expression that they used before, for one that useth Divination, or a Diviner; they call a Planetarian an observer of times, a phrase more obscure than can imply the original meaning of the Scriptures; they call a Conjecturer an Enchanter, and they call an Enchanter a Charmer, whereas in the Original and Latin Translations, an Enchanter, and a Charmer is all one term of description; they call an Oracler one that hath a familiar Spirit, and that may be as well given to any of the Nine terms in the text (by the same reason that all Witches have a familiar spirit, according to the common tenant, though it cannot be proved that any had any, otherwise than the spirit of error ruling in their hearts.) And 2 Chron. 33.6. there they call using Divinations, observing of times, which phrase they used before for a Planetarian; and if we compare several English Translations, we may find them much varying one from another in translating of those terms, not but that they were good and able Linguists, but not knowing the several impostures employed in these original terms of description, could not express them in such apt words in English, as if they had known the mystery of iniquity according to the original sense and meaning, Gen. 44.5. they translate it, Is not this ●he cup by which my Master divineth? Here they would make Witchcraft lawful, (for Divination is Witchcraft) but the original sense is nothing so as they translate it; look Tremeilius. All this argueth that these our ancient Bishops and great Clerks knew not what Witchcraft was in the Scripture sense. THE SECOND BOOK. IT is manifest, that the Scriptures were given by God, for a rule for man in this depraved nature to walk by, That whereas all Mankind since the fall of Adam are naturally darkened in their understandings, and averse from the truth of God, the Scriptures might be a light unto us, to lead us in the righteous way of God's truth. And now Christ Jesus the Light of the World (in whom are fulfilled all the Divine Mysteries of the Scriptures) is come into the world to enlighten the world; and whereas before his coming the world sat in darkness, and were wholly given to run after Idols, and to be seduced by Idol-Priests, who practised the several Witchcrafts described in the text, Deut. 18.10, 11. to seduce the people to Idolatry, yet then at the coming, and by the power of the coming of Christ, (who was manifested by Miracles, and taught the people by his Spirit of Truth) were all those ways of darkness discovered to the whole Word, to be lying delusions, tending to destruction, as is prophesied by the Prophet, Isa. Chap. 8. he speaking of Witches, and their delusions, and the darksome errors and evils accompanying them, from the nineteenth Verse to the end of the Chapter, immediately in the two first Verses of the next Chapter, he prophesieth of Christ, the light of whose coming should destroy the ways of darkness, in these words, In the way of the Sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people that sat in darkness shall see great light, and upon them that dwell in the Land of the shadow of death shall light shine forth; and thus it was fulfilled at his coming. The Nations that were given to Idolatry, and seduced by false Prophets (being Idol-Priests, and deluding Witches) were so enlightened, that all Idolatrous delusions were discovered, the Oracle of Apollo, and of all Idols, drew dumb, Simon Magus, and Elimas' the Sorcerer, and all bewitching false Prophets were confounded, and all these Instruments of darkness grew out of request among the people, being clearly discovere● that they were all Liars, and used lying delusions to deceive the Nations. And notwithstanding this perfect rule of righteousness in the Old and New Testament, written by the Prophets before the coming of Christ, and at his coming finished by him and his Apostles, yet such is the obstinacy of man's darksome nature, that men will carry a Candle of their own in their hands, even at Noonday, imagining they can by their own wisdom find out truths that are not written in the Scriptures, and that their Candle will enlighten them more than the beams of the Sun when it shineth forth in its full strength; Like a silly Labourer, that counting the day by a Pocket Watch, whose Wheels being out of Kilter went too fast, he had such a conceit of his Watch, that he affirmed, That the Sun in the sky went too slow, for his Watch was known to be true. Thus do men play with the Scriptures, preferring Human traditions beyond the truth of God contained in the Scripture; and this is the cause why men a long time have been deceived by the Man of Sin, who still prevaileth to lead the World in darkness, because they love not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness, 2 T●es. 2.10, 11, 12. for this man of sin, that Whore of Rome, being the grand Witch of the Christian world, pointed at Revel. 18.23. that he might still have freedom to deceive the Nations, hath broached this Doctrine wherewith he hath defiled the world, that a Witch is not a false Prophet, or a Deceiver, but one that can send the Devil to kill men and women, and children, and to make the ground barren, and men and women barren in Generation, and kill the children in the Womb, and can with looks kill Lambs and cattle, and can fly in the Air, and can do many things by the help of the Devil; which things are not possible to be done by any power, but by the mighty power of God. We may read of the Priests of the Idol Astaroth, that were indeed real Witches in the Scripture sense, who professed to do such things by the power of their Idol, but were discovered by Bartholomaeus the Apostle, to be deceivers of the people, by the Devils subtle delusions, who ruled in their hearts, so they with their Idol were destroyed, and many people converted to the Christian Faith. Hendorfius in the fifth page of his Theatre of History (his words are these, Bartholom●eus Idolum Astaroth evertit, frauds Satanae qui miraculis homines effacinatos morbis jam premebat, jam pressos levabat, detexit. etc.) And where do we read in Holy Writ (or common History that saver of truth) that men by Devils could do such things really? and to uphold such errors contrary to Scripture, what is this but mere prevarication with the truth, and resisting Gods holy Spirit of truth? Where do we find any such thing in Scriptures, or any such description of a Witch, or that a Witch was such a one as hath made a League with the Devil, and sealed it with his blood, or hath Imps sucking him, or Biggs, or privy Marks, or that lieth with Incubus, or Succubus, or any such phrase or expression in all the Scriptures? What lest inkling have we of these things in all the Scriptures? Whence received the Church of England this Doctrine? O foolish England, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? Surely it was the Pope. This groundless, impious, and fantastical Doctrine was never taught by God's Prophets, but that Witch, the Pope, knowing in his Conscience that he is the very Witch, the Deceiver of the Nations pointed at in the Revelations, and that the Scriptures were so plain, that by the light thereof his devilish delusions must needs come to light, if the World should have true insight into the Scriptures, and so that by that means all Nations would rise up on him and destroy him, he not only laboured to hide the Scriptures from the common people, which he did for a long time, but also hath been so bold as to prevaricate with the Scriptures, and to publish through the Nations, that Witches were to be understood no Deceivers, but such as practised such wonderful things, as the Scripture teacheth us that the doing thereof aught to be attributed to no Creature, but only to the Creator, as Pope Innocent the eighth to the Inquisitors of Almain, and Pope julius the second, to the Inquisitors of Bergoman sent those words; It is come to our ears, that many lewd persons of both kinds, as well male as female, using the company of the Devil's Incubus and Succubus, with Incantations, and Conjurations, do destroy the birth of Women with child, the young of all cattle, the Corn of the field, the Grapes of the Vine, the fruit of the Trees, Men and Women, and all kind of cattle, and beasts of the field, and with their said Enchantments do wholly extinguish, suffocate, and spoil all Vine-yards, Orchyards, Meadows, Pastures, Grass, green Corn, ripe Corn, and all other provisions, men and women are by their imprecatio●s so afflicted, with external and inward pains and diseases, that men cannot beget, nor women bring forth, nor accomplish the duty of Wedlock, denying the faith which in Baptism they profess, to the destruction of their souls; Our pleasure therefore is, That all inpediments that may hinder the Inquisitors Office be removed from among the people, lest this blot of Heresy proceed to defile them that be yet innocent, and therefore we do ordain by virtue of the Apostical authority, that our Inquisitors of high Almain may execute the Office of Inquisition, by all Tortures, and Afflictions, in all places, and upon all persons. What Scripture had the Pope for this? we read indeed of such Fictions in the Poets, as in Ovid's Metamorph. 7. Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus amnes In fo●tes redire suos, concussaque sisto, Stantia concutio cantu freta, nubila pello, Nubilaque induco, ventos abigoque vocoque Vipereas rumpo verbis & carmine fauces, Vivaque saxa, sua convulsaque roboraterra, Et sylva●●ovea, ●ubeoque tremiscere montes, Et ●●ngire solum, manesque exire Sepulchris, Te quoque Luna trabo. The Rivers I can make retire into the Fountains whence they flow, Whereat the banks themselves admire, I can make standing waters go; With Charms I drive both Sea and Cloud, I make it calm, and blow aloud. The Viper's jaws, the rocky stone, with Word and Charm I break in twain, The force of earth congealed in one, I move the Woods, th' Hills tremble plain: I make the souls of men arise, I pluck the Moon out of the skies. Also Ovid, de Medea Epist. 4. Et miserum tenues in jecur urget acus, She sticketh also Needles fine, In livers, whereby men do pine. Also Virgil: Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. I know not whence some fierce bewitching eye With looks doth kill my Lambkins as they lie. These are the Pope's Scriptures whereon he groundeth his groundless inventions to torment the Christian World, and upon these grounds being inventions and pastimes of Poets, hath he sent out Inquisitors in all places to torment; from thence is the Spanish Inquisition, which maketh search for Heretics and Witches all as one, and now lest the world should take notice that his daily practice is to torment and kill Reformists, and so his Villainy ring the more in the ears of the world, he hath joined as equivocal with the word Heretics, Witches, a more ignominious name, thereby to instigate people the more against them, and so by this means will not be seen to kill men for matter of Religion, for then men would resist and help one another, but under the name of Witches he melteth away every one that hath but a smell of the reformed Religion, and the world perceiveth it not, this is that Grand Witch, the Whore of Rome, the Pope and his train. And these Inquisitions before mentioned sent out by the Pope, have for the confirmation of their villainous Doctrines & Inventions, set forth great Volumes of horrible lies and impossibilities, and also for the hiding of their unparallelled cruelty from the ears of the world, of which sort are james Sprenger, Henry Institor, in malleo maleficarum, also Nider and Cumanus, Daneus, Hyperius, Hemingius, but most of all Bod●nus and Bartholomae●●: Spineus (I do not say that all these dyed Papists) and lest their authority should fail in deceiving the world in this Doctrine of Devils, some great Scholars of the Popish rout have approved and affirmed the matter to be true in some causes writing of fascination, and of that sort are Thomas Aquinas, and Suares. In which Authors (although they were learned men) whosoever readeth their discourse of this subject, shall find nothing at all proved, either by Scripture or Philosophical argument, but they take it for granted and undoubted truth confirmed by tradition, that Fascination or Witchcraft is an Art of killing and afflicting Men and cattle, and upon this Hypothesis they take in hand to dispute upon it, not whether it be true or not, but how it may be done, as they conceive, for say they, E● si agens non potest diffundere actionem suam usque ad rem distantem, fit tamen ut aer proximus inficiatur & usque ad certam distantiam perveniat, & sic noceat alteri; if this subject, the force of fascination had been first proved by them, than this their reason had had some seeming force in it, but because it can no way be proved by firm Argument, they quote History for it, and so pass on to their hypothetical disputes about the reason of it, and that they may make the matter seem true, one quotes another's authority for it, and Suarez quoteth Thomas Aquinas and Pliny, and Pliny citeth Hogonus and Niphodorus, and Apollonides for his Authors, that among the Triballians, and Illyrians, and Scythians, there be certain Women that can kill with their eyesight whom they look wishfully upon; mark, but how first things are reported by Travellers who may lie by authority; then Pliny gathereth their several reports into the Volume of his Natural History (whom all men may see was abused by being too credulous of other men's reports) and yet Suarez is forced to use Pliny's Pen to prove that which cannot be proved or defended by reason, and having no better Argument, he saith further, Sunt qui negant illam vim fascinationis, sed non est cur experientiam à Philosophis & medicis comprobatam, & feré communi sensu receptam, negemus; by which Argument a man may as well prove that Idols were gods, because they were approved in their time by men of all Arts and Sciences, Et ferè communi sensu recepta; and further (according to Pliny's report) he saith, that these women do kill but by some poisonous quality of their Natural complexion, and inward humours of their bodies, communicated to the vital spirits, and by the action of the mind brought to the eyesight, and from thence infecting the party whom they look upon, and this (he saith expressly) cometh naturally to pass, and of inbred natural causes in the Witches bodies; but mark how this fellow (although notable for learning) hath wildered himself in searching out the reason of a mere vain supposition, and erroneous tradition, that Witches can kill by looks; for whereas he giveth this reason, that Witches have inward natural poison, whereby they naturally kill others; what an absurdity is this to say, that any Creature can by its natural quality be contrary or destructive to its own species? for a Viper cannot poison a Viper, nor a Toad cannot poison a Toad; for their nature is one, and not contrary to its own species. Secondly, whereas he reasoneth, that this poison is communicated from the humours to the vital spirits, and by the action of the mind brought to the eyesight. It is most absurd in Philosophy; for what Physician or Philosopher doth not acknowledge that the vital spirits, once poisoned, do suffocate the Heart, the fountain of Life (as is often seen in the Pestilence) whereby the Witch herself must needs perish; and is also often seen in those who having but the Natural humours of their own bodies corrupt, the vital spirits are debilitated, and cannot operate, but the party decayeth and soon perisheth, because the heart cannot abide any corrupt poison, or contrary temperature to its own nature. Thirdly, whereas he saith, this poison is sent from the Witch by the force of seeing, this also is an absurdity in Philosophy; for all sound Philosophers do acknowledge, that Oculus non vidit emittendo vim suam videndi ad objectum visibile, sed recipiendo species visibiles ab objecto; how then can the sight (if it were poison) hurt any way the party upon whom it only looketh? Fourthly, whereas he saith, that Witches do kill by their natural complexion and inward humour, being naturally poison, what an absurdity ariseth from hence in Divinity? To conceive that God should make men and women naturally poison, and destructive to others, and yet should make a Law that such should be put to death, yea cruel death, for being such as God made them in their nature and complexion? Surely if man had stood in the manner in which he was made, God had not punished him with death. Now after he hath thus entrapped himself in his Discourse, by seeking out a reason of that which is not (but only conceived to be by credulous people) he falleth off from his own weak reasons, to the reason that Thomas Aquinas giveth, and that is, That sometimes this Fascination is wrought by a secret compact with the Devil; but how can these Reasons accord one with the other? for if it be natural to the Witch to bewitch others, what needeth she then to seek help of the Devil to do that which she can do by nature? For, Deus est author Naturae, and sure the Devil cannot make more perfect or forceable that which God hath made; but such is the nature of all these Popish Writers, that when they cannot strongly enough maintain a Lie, they father their Lies upon their Master the Father of Lies, and are forced, after all their vain argumentation, to use his name to uphold a Lie, and (although they were great Scholars) have rather entangled themselves with folly in reasoning, and with so manifest error (whereby they have exposed themselves to the lash of common Censure) than to forsake their Popish darkness, which they are engaged to defend. What shall not be done to bring the Pope's ends to pass? what Lies, what foolish Fictions, what impossibilities can the Heart of man devise, that these together have not affirmed for truth unto the World, to infect the Nations with Heresy, or Atheism, whereby to destroy the Christian Church? And for further confirmation of the matter, they have devised, among other Tortures, to make people confess that they can do such impossibilities, one of the most devilish cruelties that hath been devised among men, and that is, to keep the poor accused party from sleep many nights and days, thereby to distemper their brains, and hurt their fancies, at length to extort confession from them, and then to bring their own confession as an evidence against them; and if they cannot make them confess, they torture one of their little Children to make it accuse their Parents, and that they call confession; this trick will tame any wild Beast, and make it tractable, or any wild Hawk, and make it tame, and come to your fist, how much more may it make men or women yield to confess Lies, and impossibilities? And if that device will not serve, than they shave them, and search narrowly all parts of their bodies, where they think modest men will not be forward to look, to see the truth of the matter, and there they report that they have found the Devils privy Marks, and Biggs, for the Devil to suck them; a most devilish Lie and invention, unless they can show me Scripture for it, but I can show them Scripture against it, job. 1.3. Without God was nothing made that was made; who then made those Biggs, or Teats, and who made the bodies of those Devils called Imps? Also what Scripture saith, that Biggs or privy Marks are signs or trials of Witches? (yet I deny not but sometimes are found fleshy Warts, and other preternatural tumors written of by Physic Authors, as diseases of the body) and among other devices (as Master Scot in his discovery affirmeth (who was zealous for God's truth, and took more pains than ordinary to search and confute those impious Writers) they have set down certain signs whereby to suspect and apprehend Witches, which are these; First, If they will not fast on Fridays. Secondly, If they fast on Sundays. Thirdly, If they spittle at the time of Elevation. Fourthly, If they refuse Holy Water. Fifthly, If they despise Crosses. Sixthly, If they deny any of the seven Sacraments. These are great suspicions that they are Witches; for the Devil (say they) chooseth them by these signs (being steps to the reformed Religion) apprehend them, bring them to the Tormentor; but if they see any of these signs, they will easily find other holes enough in their Coats to condemn them. Then they cast them into the water, to see whether they will sink or swim, a mere Juggling delusion to blind people's eyes, for he that hath been used to the Art of Swimming may know, that few men or women being tied hand and feet together can sink quite away till they be drowned, or if he lay them flat on their back, and hold up their feet with a string, their forepart will not sink, and therein they can use Juggling to blind the people's eyes for difference sake; for when they will save any man or woman, they will let loose the string which they hold in their hand, and let their feet sink first, and then all their body will sink, than they cry out to the people, Look you now, and see the difference betwixt an honest man or woman, and a Witch, take her out, she is an honest woman, yea verily, for sometimes she is one of their own confederates. Yet whereas some may object, that some of them that are cast fairly into the water, without holding up their feet with a string, do sink more than others, and some again do swim more than others (although none do sink quite away without any part appearing above water) The reason of this difference is easy to conceive to men of knowledge; for, First; There is difference of constitution in people's bodies; some are heavy of temper, and they sink most; some again are more light of temper, fuller of vital spirits, and they sink not so much. Secondly, we must observe the Systole and Diastole of breathing; some happen to fall into the water when their bodies are full of breath, and they swim most; some happen to fall into the water when their breath is out of their bodies, before they can draw it up again, and they sink most. Some are kept long fasting in watching and torment, and then are cast into the water when their bowels and veins are empty of food and filled with Wind, and these swim more than those that are filled with nourishment; or perhaps they are kept fasting so long that they have scarce any life left, and then they happen to sink most, but if they do, it must not serve their turn, for the cruel Inquisitor will still torment them till he extort confession, if the party live long enough for his cruelty to take place. Some again are Women cast into the water, with their Coats tied close toward their feet, and Men with their apparel on (and for this they pretend modesty) but who knoweth not that their apparel will carry them above water for a time? Some again are Women, whose bodies are dilated with bearing of Children, and do always after remain spongiously hollow, more apt to swim than to sink, especially tied hands and feet together, to bring their bodies into a round and apt fashion to swim. They that are used to the Art of swimming in the water, might easily discover these to be but Delusions and Juggle, if they were not too credulous; and yet with these hath poor England been bewitched and deceived, as also with the former, of keeping the accused from sleep till they confess; and these delusions have been impiously acted here in England, of late in Essex, and Suffolk, by a wicked Inquisitor pretending authority for it, to the cutting off of fourteen innocent people at Chelm●ford Assizes, and about an hundred at Berry Assizes, whereof one was a Minister near Framingham, of about fourscore years' age, wherein this Inquisitor hath laid such a precedent for the Pope's Inquisition (if times of Popish Tyranny should again come in, from which God in his mercy defend us) as would not easily be removed, when although we have no Laws in England to try people upon Life and Death by any Inquisition, or Inquisitor, in that manner; yet it may then be said, was it Law then, when the Law was in your hands, and is it not Law now? but if such times of tyrannous Inquisition come, do they that have had a hand in this precedent think they shall escape it, or their Posterity? There is already a precedent for killing of Ministers for Witches. Also some credulous people hearing of the Condemnation of those people, have published a Book, wherein they report such impossibilities to be done by them, as I hope no wise man will believe; wherein also Hoy, the Gaoler, is brought in for a Witness, a fellow, that is not fit to bear the Office of a Gaoler, nor any other Office in a Christian Commonwealth, who also wanted Vails, and thought the more Prisoners were executed, the more he should gain; and yet it is reported, his Testimony was taken as an Evidence against them, although his testimony was partly of impossibilities, partly mere prevarications and lies, to the dis-honour of God's Majesty, and the shedding of innocent blood. But seeing then this miserable Massacre of people throughout the Christian World hath been but a trick of Antichrist, to blind the World, that thereby he might the more easily and quietly destroy the Church under the name of Witches, Surely if good Christians have been destroyed in this impious way, than thousands of the Souls of such are now under the Altar, Revel. 6.9, 10. crying, How long Lord, holy and true, will it be ere thou avenge our blood upon them that dwell upon the earth? being some of them the very people that have been destroyed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the truth; and therefore have been brought into these murderous Inquisitors hands; And although it may be said, These in England have not been slain for the testimony of the truth; yet I answer, The Church standeth for the testimony of the truth, and this persecution was invented against the Church, and so they as Members of the Church have been slain by the enemy's invention; for had they been of that Popish crew, and fighters against the Church, those wrongful accusations had not been brought against them by them. But it may be said, Some of these were Scolds and Brawlers, therefore their Souls are not under the Altar. I answer, yea, and many honest Livers that have been executed in that kind lately, and in times past; but whatsoever they were, if they were unjustly slain, know, that if God would avenge the blood of Cain, will he not avenge the blood of these? Before the destruction of Germany, that Nation was so deluded by these Popish errors, that they put to death thousands in that kind, of all sorts, and that Nation was so carried away with that darksome Idolatrous opinion of Witches power, that seldom came any thing cross, but some were accused to have occasioned it as Witches, and at last God sent destroying Plagues among them, and their hearts were so hardened, that they digged the dead out of the Graves to cut off their Heads to stay the Plague; so blind were they, and so given over; that rather than they would acknowledge God's hand in all things, they would say, the dead in their Graves, by the Devils help, brought the plague; and some Physicians among them were so bold to affirm it for truth, who although they might be some way approved in Physic, yet besides their horrible Atheism, they showed their silliness, and it may be said of them as of many ignorant Physicians, Inscitiae pallium maleficium & incantatio; A Cloak for a Physicians ignorance, when he cannot find the reason and the nature of the Disease, he saith, the Party is bewitched; this hath indeed been written of by some worthy Authors, but how, and in what manner? Senertus Lib. 4. de febribus, cap. 2. he being loath to defile his pen with such an impious opinion, saith, I had rather refer the Reader to the writing of another man, Hercul. Saxoniae, Lib. de plica. cap. 11. than bring myself upon the Stage for broaching of such an opinion; where also you may read the words of Herc. Saxon. aforesaid, and he shuffleth it off to joh. Vesino Leopoliensi, as an opinion of his, and he like an Atheist did indeed own that opinion, That in Pelonia and Germany, Witches, after their execution and burial, did commonly send destroying pestilence; I think indeed the executing of so many innocent poor people did bring the Pestilence, and the Sword, and Famine, all against them, because they provoked God with their own inventions, tending not only to Idolatry, in imputing the Work of the Creator to a Creature, but also to the shedding of innocent blood. Master Scot in his Discovery telleth us, That our English people in Ireland, whose posterity were lately barbarously cut off, were much given to this Idolatry in the Queen's time, insomuch that there being a Disease amongst their cattle that grew blind, being a common Disease in that Country, they did commonly execute people for it, calling them eye-biting Witches; Great Britain hath been much infected with that Atheism, and many people both in England and Scotland have been by foolish false accusations put to death, for doing such things as are not in the power of men, or of Devils to do, but only of the Creator; And before these Wars began, what Atheistical reports were published of certain Lancashire people, that they could transform themselves into Greyhounds, and into Men and Women again, and pull down Butter and other provision from the Air, (or from whence any crack-brained accuser would imagine?) When King Chaerls went last to Scotland before these Wars, as he came back again sailing over the River Humber, the Vessel in which his Plate was carried, was reported to be cast away, and then was that Atheism so great, even at the very Court of England, that they reported Witches had done it, instead of observing Gods supreme Providence, (whereas Christ saith, A Sparrow shall not fall to the ground without God's providence) since which we have had bloody Wars, and where is the Court now? and now of late hath been in the year one thousand six hundred forty five, that great slaughter of Men and Women called Witches, at the Assizes at ●erry, and at Chelmsford, those poor accused people were watched day and night, and kept from sleep with much cruelty, till their Fancies being hurt, they would confess what their Inquisitors would have them, although it were a thing impossible, and flat contrary to sense and Christian understanding to believe; (where, for the removing of Objections, it is to be noted, That a Fancy so hurt with watching, cannot afterward of a long time recant, or deny that which they have confessed, no more than a Hawk throughly tamed by watching can grow speedily wild again, although you give them their full sleep; this manner of extorting confession, and seeming to convict them, being but ameer Juggling Trick invented by the Pope, and their Trial in that kind being Juggling Witchcraft itself, that may make the wisest man confess any thing though never so false) What troubles have followed this Slaughter, blind men may see. A little before the Conquest of Scotland (as is reported upon good intelligence) the Presbytery of Scotland did, by their own pretended authority, take upon them to Summon, Convent, Censure, and Condemn people to cruel death for Witches and (as is credibly reported) they caused four thousand to be executed by Fire and Halter, and had as many in prison to be tried by them, when God sent his conquering Sword to suppress them, by occasion of which Wars there were many Ministers (whereof many were Presbyters) slain; What is become of their Presbyterian Authority now? Yet because there are some that slighting these observations will hardly be beaten from this conceit of Witches power, which they have so long believed, and will not yet think but that Witches have a familiar spirit, by whose help they kill, and act strange Wonders; tell me, where is a place in all the Scripture that saith so? show me in all the Scriptures such a word, as Striges, lamias, Incubus, and Succubus, or any word of such signification or importance; what were Pharaoh his Magicians, but deluders of Pharaoh and the People? could they by the help of Satan do any thing truly? were they real Miracles? did not their madness come to light? 2 Tim. 3.9. what spirit had the Maid that followed Paul? Act. 16.16. which is said to have the spirit of Python, was it more than a cozening spirit of Divination, for gain? yet still you will say, the word Python hath been interpreted by many, one that had a familiar spirit; imagine they had a familiar spirit (although it is but a weak Argument to ground an opinion upon the bare signification of a word (except you will have it a seducing lying spirit, such a one as was in ahab's Prophets) yet I say, answer me these Four Questions. First, Tell we where a Witch did, or could kill a man in Scripture? What did Saul go to the Pythonist of Endor for? was it that she might help him kill the Philistians, or merely for Augury or Divination? what did Pharaoh call his Witches the Magicians before him for? was it to kill any Man or Beast by their cunning? or merely to work lying Wonders, and dissemble the Miracles that God wrought by Moses? so that they might withstand Moses, and the truth, and blind Pharaohs eyes, because God would harden his heart; tell me where you find in all the Scriptures, that a Witch did, or could kill a man by Witchcraft; show me in all the Law of Moses concerning the condemning of men or women for Murder, that a Murderer was called a Witch, or a Witch a Murderer, Deut. 19 and other places of Scripture; are there not several Rules set down for the trying of Murder? show me one that intimateth the Witching of Men or cattle to death? Secondly, Show me in all the Scriptures where Witches are spoken of, that a Witch was a secret person, or unknown to the World, that should need to be tried by blind circumstances, and presumptions, and suspicious, or by privy Marks, or by Teats, or Biggs, by sinking or swimming, or by confessions? were not Pharaohs Witches called Praestigiatores & magi, openly known? did not Pharaoh call them together without privy search, or inquiry? did not Saul banish all the Witches as people openly known, and professing the Art of Augury, and their several cozening practices? when Saul inquired for a Witch, did not his servants presently tell him there was one at Endor, was she not known without privy search, or prime marks? Did not the Maid in the Acts, that was said to have the spirit of Python, or to be a Pythonist, follow Paul, crying openly? did not Simon Magus act his Delusions openly, to seduce the people? as likewise Elimas' the Sorcerer? were not the Witchcrafts of jezabel known to be her delusions that she wrought by the Priests of Baal, to seduce the people? were not the Witchcrafts of Manasses open actions, that made juda and jerusalem to go astray? where than do we read of a Witch by suspicion, or to be tried by presumptions, or suspicions, or privy marks, or other signs that are man's invention? whence came this darkness and blind error, but from the Pope, that grand Witch that hath bewitched all Nations? we search for Witchcrafts and abominations in a poor woman's wooden dish, and Christ telleth us, they are all in a cup of Gold, in the hand of the great Whore, Revel. 17.4. Thirdly, Show me in all the Scriptures where Witchcraft went without Idolatry, Isa. 19.3. and had not a necessary dependence on Idolatry, Nahum 3.4. Look again, Deut. 18.10, 11. where all sorts of Witches are spoken of, why were they to be cut off and destroyed? the reason is immediately given, vers. 14. because they defiled the Nations, in seducing them unto Spiritual Whoredom, and the Nations were destroyed for seeking, and making inquiry after their Divinations, or Southsaying, or Oracles, whereas inquiries ought to be to God's Prophets, vers. 15. Was not this Saul's Idolatry, when he sought to the Witch of Endor? 1 Chro. 10. 13, 14. was not this the sin of Manasses, where he is blamed for using Witchcrafts, when he made juda and jerusalem go astray to Idols? 2 Chron. 33.9. were not the Witchcrafts and Whoredoms of jesabel set down as two inseparable companions, her Witchcraft being the upholding of the Idol Priests of Baal, that by Witchcraft seduced the people to Idolatry? were not Pharaohs Magicians seducers of Pharaoh, and the people, from God? was not Simon Magus the like? but alas, how, and where have those poor souls that are commonly hanged for Witches seduced the people to Idolatry? who hath been led after them for Divinations, and Southsaying? many indeed have been led after Soothsayers, but they are termed good Witches, and whereas they as Witches ought to die, many have been put to death by their devilish false accusations, and if the Witch of Endor were now living amongst us, we should call her a good Witch, so blind are the times. Fourthly, Show me in all the Law of God against Adulterous uncleanness (where Moses writeth of several kinds of uncleanness, as man with man, man with beast, woman with beast, and many more) the least intimation of uncleanness, by Incubus, or Succubus; what, did Moses forget this? Yet because this opinion hath been so upheld by reports and imaginations, and by the extorted confession of people that have been condemned in that kind, and sometime by the voluntary confession of despairing melancholy people that have been troubled in mind, and wish rather to die than to live, although Volenti mori, non est adhibenda fides; Yet I entreat you to run over these several places of Scripture with me a little, and see how his opinion of Witches power agreeth with the Scriptures, yea how flat contrary it is to God's Word, and the grounds of our Christian faith. Yet first, because some men will not understand the Scriptures in any other sense than as their own Expositors have done, be it right or wrong; therefore I refer them that will seek farther than the Scriptures, to the words of a general Counsel, which Mr. Scot in his Discovery hath alleged as followeth, Concil. Acqui. in decret. 26. the words of the Council. It may not be omitted, that certain wicked Women following Satan's provocations, being seduced by the illusion of the Devil, believe, and profess that in the night time they ride abroad with Diana the Goddess of the Pagans, or else with Herodias, with an innumerable multitude, upon certain Beasts, and pass over many Countries and Nations in the silence of the night, and do whatsoever these Ladies or Fairies command, etc. let all Ministers therefore in their several Cures preach to God's people so, as they may know all those things to be false, and whosoever believeth that any Creature can be made by them, or changed into better or worse, or be any way transformed into any other kind, or likeness, by any but by the Creator himself, is assuredly an Infidel, and worse than a Pagan. So much for the words of the Council. Yet here is to be noted, that this great general Council, that thought these people believed, and confessed such things to be true in their apprehension, did not then know the inhuman cruelty that was used upon those people by the cruel Inquisitors to compel, and extort confession for their own gain, they being maintained by the spoil of such people being condemned. Now for the Scriptures, do but mark how those that maintain, and report the power of Witches, have equalled their supernatural power, with the Miracles of the Prophets, of Christ, and his Apostles; it was the Miracle of Miracles, that the Virgin Mary conceived with child without a man; they say, a Witch may do the same by Incubus, as Bodin, and other Popish Writers affirm, and that such a child will naturally become a Witch, such a one they say Merlin was; no, but you say these were Atheists, we believe not so; But some will say, the Devil can condense a body, and lie carnally with a woman in the shape of a man, but not beget; yet it was a Miracle that Angels appeared to Abraham in the shape of men, Gen. 18.2. yet they will say no, but we believe the Devil may assume and raise a dead body for a time, and so appear to a woman, and lie with her; and yet it was a Miracle at the suffering of Christ upon the Cross, that dead bodies were raised for a time, and appeared to many, Matth. 27.52. yet a poor Wench was executed at the Assizes at Chelmsford, who was compelled by the Inquisitor (by keeping her from sleep, and with promises and threatenings) to confess that she was married to the Devil, and that he lay with her six times in a man's shape; no, but yet some will say, the Devil can take upon him an apparent Body, and so may talk with a woman, and seem to lie with her in shape of a man, and so she shall be hanged for things seeming so; yet it was a Miracle that Moses and Elias appeared to the Apostles in a Vision, Matth. 17.3. Further, Christ saith, A Spiri● hath not flesh and bones, Luke 24.39. and yet some say, the Devil can condense a body, some say he can assume a body, some say he can have an apparent body; thus do they make the Word of God of no validity by their groundless traditions; for if the Devil can have so much as an apparent body, what validity was in the words of Christ, to take away the doubt of the Disciples, when they supposed they saw a Spirit? Where also is that foolish Doctrine of Imps, sucking of men and women-Witches become? Are those Imps bodies or spirits? if bodies, than who made them? Without God was nothing made, Joh. 1.3. if spirits, than spirits can have bodily shape, and flesh, and bones; and thus you make the words of Christ of none effect by your traditions. Christ dispensed Devils to enter into the Herd of Swine, and they went, Mark 5.12. they say a Witch can do more; she can send the Devil into men and women, and children, and cattle, to kill them, and to witch them to death. God said to Satan, All that Job hath is in thine hand, Job 1.12. and Job himself, all but his life, Job 2.6. they say, God permitteth a Witch to do more, to send Satan to destroy a man's goods, and cattle, and children, and life and all; thus they deliver for Doctrine the traditions of men. job said, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord, and acknowledged God's hand in all things, neither tempted he God foolishly; But if one should be so afflicted now adays, instead of acknowledging Gods sovereign hand, all the poor Wives and Widows in a Country must be called Coram nobis, as being accused to have done it. Christ saith, Revel. 1.18. I have the keys of Hell and Death, but they say, God giveth the keys of Death likewise sometimes to an old Witch (man or woman) and permits them to witch men to death; Christ saith, A Sparrow falleth not to the ground without God's providence, Matth. 10 29. but they say, God layeth his providence sometimes at the feet of an old Witch, and permitteth her to send the Devil to destroy men and cattle; some will say, A Witch cannot hurt a godly man, but only a wicked man, and yet God saith, he is the Author of all affliction that cometh to the wicked, Levit. 26. from the fourteenth verse to the thirty fourth. Also the Scripture saith, The Lord killeth and maketh alive, 1 Sam. 2.6. maketh poor, and maketh rich; and in Deut. 32.39. There is no God with me, I kill and give life, I wound and make whole; but they say, God permitteth an old Witch to send the Devil to kill, and make poor, and wound, and a good Witch can heal again by unwitching. God did shut up every womb of the House of Abimelech, that they bore no children, Gen. 20.18. they say a Witch can do the same (God permits it) and make men and women barren. Christ gave his Disciples power over Devils, to cast them out, Luke 9.1. they say, a Witch can send a Devil into men and cattle to afflict them; and a good Witch can cast them out by unwitching, notwithstanding, Christ saith, Matth. 12.25. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; yet they say, that is done by consent of the Devil, when a good Witch unwitcheth a man; thus do they make the words of Christ of none effect by their traditions. Christ came and appeared unto his Disciples, and vanished away again invisible, Luke 24.31. they say, a Witch can go invisible by the help of the Devil, especially if one of the Ladies of the Fairies will but lend her Gyges' invisible ring, Christ was lifted up into the Air, and taken up out of their sight, Acts 1.9. and Bodinus and other Popish Writers affirm, that a Witch can be lifted away in the Air by drinking the broth of a sodden Infant; but poor Germany, that believed these Doctrines, and in that confidence executed many people for Witches, was compelled afterward to boil their children to quell their hunger, and found by sad experience that there was no such virtue in that woeful Liquor. God said to Moses, Go up into the mountain and die, Deut. 32.49,50. and he did so, Chap. 34. vers. 5. they say a Witch can do so at the word of the Devil, and die when she lift, to escape hanging; and what is a more common report when a poor woman is laid in prison, and there dyeth by grief and hard usage, than to report, the Devil promised her she should not be hanged, and was as good as his word, for she died in prison before the day of Execution came; thus do they make the Devil able to determine, and limit the life of Man, as God did the life of Moses. It is said in Isa. 41.23. Show what is to come after, that we may know ye are gods; They say, a Witch can truly foretell things to come by her spirit of Divination (which they call a Familiar) and can by the same familiar tell what is done in another Town, or House, or Country, and can tell a man where are his Goods that are lost, as well as Samuel could tell Saul of his Father's Asses when they were lost, and such they call good Witches. Also in the same Verse, Esa. 41.23. it followeth in the end of the verse, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together; these words have relation to the former words, That we may know that ye are gods; that is, show what is to come hereafter, or do good, or do evil, that we may know ye are gods, and be dismayed at your doings (even as when God sendeth the evil of punishment or affliction upon a people, than they are dismayed at the sight and apprehension of it,) as in job 40.11. And here when we read that God claimeth the doing thereof as his own Prerogative, inferring as much as to say, They are gods that can do this, I think that after the reading of this verse in Isaiah, and job, no man should be so grossly Idolatrous still, as to ascribe to a Witch the sending of any affliction; those words also, Do good, or do evil, (the whole verse having relation to the seventh verse) were spoken to the Idol Priests of the Heathen, who were the Witches mentioned in the Scriptures, and had as great a share in the Devil, as any Witch can have, and yet God challengeth them to do either good or evil; and yet when any evil of affliction cometh upon Men or Beast, these Idolaters will still ascribe it to a Witch, saying still, God permits it. God sent an evil spirit upon Saul to vex him, 1 Sam. 16.14. they say a Witch can send an evil spirit upon men or women to vex or torment them; Elisha cursed two and forty children in the name of the Lord, and they were destroyed of Bears, 2 King. 2.24. they say a Witch can curse men and women in the name of the Devil, and Death or some other Evil shall betid them. Pharaohs Magicians, though they were themselves Witches, yet when they saw Lice creeping upon Men and Beast, they acknowledged the finger of God. They, if they see a man smitten with a lousy disease as Herod was, say presently he is bewitched. It was a great Miracle that Christ made the Wind and the Sea obey him, Mark 4.41. they say Witches can do the same, and raise Winds and Tempests, and make it calm at their pleasure. Was not this one accusation that was brought against Mr. Lewis a Minister executed at Berry Assizes, that he had raised a Tempest, and cast away two Ships at sea by Witchcraft? Christ by his Almighty power walked upon the waters, Mat. 14.25. they say, cast a Witch into the waters and she will not sink; and what hath been more reported and believed than this Juggling delusion before spoken of? God claimeth it as his own Prerogative to send Lightnings and Thunders, job 38.25, 35. but they say, when it Thundereth or Lighteneth, that Witches do sometimes cause it, especially if it be at an Assize time, when many Witches are condemned; and what hath been a more common report than this, when God hath sent thundering voices from Heaven at an Assize time among the people, to warn them, instead of discerning that God was angry, they say, the Witches and the Devil was angry, and have caused that thunder? God teacheth us in Levit. 26. that he himself sendeth Barrenness, and Famine, Sword, and Pestilence, and all Diseases, and all Adversities, as the punishment of Sin, but which of these have not been ascribed to Witches? and if the several accusations of people that have been condemned for Witches, but only here in England, within the memory of man were Registered, we might read such a hotch potch of impossibilities, as he that believeth that they have been justly put to death, must not believe the Scriptures, nor ascribe any thing to God's mighty Providence, but he may also ascribe it to the will and pleasure of a Witch; when Christ did by the Spirit of God cast out Devils, and the Pharisees ascribed that work to Beelzebub, Christ chargeth them with the sin against the Holy Ghost, Matth. 12.28, 31. but alas, how common a thing is it to ascribe to the Devil and Witches, the works that God telleth us in the holy Scriptures are his own Works, and cannot be done by any other power but by the Spirit of God? me thinks this should scare all obstinate Witchmongers. I heard a Suffolk Minister (whose habit and garb might seem to claim the title of Rabbi, Rabbi) affirm, that one of the poor women that was hanged for a Witch at Berry Assizes, in the year 1645. did send her Imps into the Army, to kill the Parliaments Soldiers, and another sent her Imps into the Army to kill the King's Soldiers, and another caused a man's crop of Corn to fail, and caused that Corn which he had to be blasted, and tipped, or crockt, and this Minister did verily affirm that those things were true, for the Witches (said he) confessed those things; but when I came to argue with him, and to tell him that these things in the Scripture-sense were God's Prerogatives, he could answer nothing, he was not so well skilled in the Scriptures; but he replied, Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live. I demanded of him, what was the signification of the Hebrew text, or of the Latin translation, and what was meant by a Witch in that place, he could not tell; thus hath the salt of the earth lost its savour; and whereas those should season people with wholesome Doctrine, some teach Doctrines of Devils, and the inventions of Antichrist, to defile the Nations. And people are now so infected with this damnable Heresy, of ascribing to the power of Witches, that seldom hath a man the hand of God against him in his estate, or health of body, or any way, but presently he cryeth out of some poor innocent Neighbour, that he, or she hath bewitched him; for saith he, such an old man or woman came lately to my door, and desired some relief, and I denied it, and God forgive me, my heart did rise against her at that time, my mind gave me she looked like a Witch, and presently my Child, my Wite, myself, my Horse, my Cow, my Sheep, my Sow, my Hog, my Dog, my Cat, or somewhat was thus and thus handled, in such a strange manner, as I dare swear she is a Witch, or else how should those things be, or come to pass? seldom goeth any man or woman to a Physician for cure of any Disease, but one question they ask the the Physician is, Sir, do you not think this Party is in ill handling, or under an ill tongue? or more plainly, Sir, do you not think the party is bewitched? and to this many an ignorant Physician will answer, Yes verily; the reason is, Ignorantiae pallium maleficium & incantatio, a cloak for a Physicians ignorance, when he cannot find the nature of the Disease, he saith, the Party is bewitched. But for all such as go on to defile the people with these Doctrines, that not only have no grounds in the Scriptures, but are flat contrary to the light of the Scriptures. I demand of them, at whose hands will Christ require at the latter day, not only the blood of the innocent, but also the Souls of such as have perished by the practice of these Atheistical and bloud-guilty ways? which are in every point so absurd and fantastical, that if many Ministers can say they never did teach any such Doctrine to the people, yet are they guilty, in that they have not preached against these devilish Doctrines, which do make against the true worship of God, and against the life of charity toward our Neighbour, and toward the poor and widows, and lame and aged people. Many Objections and evasions are daily brought against this my Discourse, which though they are weak and frivolous, yet would fill whole Volumes if I would stand to answer them. 1 The common evasion of every one when they can prove nothing, nor answer, but are fully convinced of their errors by the Scriptures, is, Say no more, we acknowledge that a Witch can do no more than God permits her, or permits him to do, but what God permits, that a Witch can do; this is just as when God and his Prophets taught the people early and late, that they should not ascribe any power to Idols, as if the people had answered the Prophets, Say no more, we know these Idols can do no more than God permits them to do, but if God permit them to save, or destroy, they can do it. So when God claimeth it as his own Prerogative, to kill and make alive, make rich and make poor, wound and heal, (and many other things, as I have already proved by Scripture) and will not have his Prerogative ascribed to any Creature, yet still ye say, the Lord permits it, whereas yet ye have no more ground or warrant in the Scripture, that God permits any such power to Witches, than the Heathen had to say, the most high God permitted their Idols also to be gods, and to have power to kill, or to save alive. Further, Ye say, God permits one man to murder another, yet for this the murderer ought to be slain; that is true indeed, but for that ye have Scripture, where ye read in the Law, of Murder, how it was to be judged, that is, if one man did wilfully smite another with his hand, or any other material instrument, that he died, it was murder, Numb. 35.16. and so forward, but where do you read that God permits any such thing to come to pass by a Witch, or that any man can kill another by Witchcraft, or without a material Instrument? and when it is proved by many places of Scripture, that many such things as ye ascribe to Witches are God's Prerogative, yet still ye cry, God permits it. 2 Another Objection is this, It is certain that there are some people in Germany, and Polonia, that do commonly sell Winds by the Devils help to Seamen, to carry their ships whither they intent; therefore a Witch can make a League with the Devil, and by his help can raise Winds. To this I answer, I do not deny but these are Witches, because they use Impostures to deceive the world, and seduce them to that damnable Idolatry of ascribing to the Devil and Witches, and seeking to them for that which belongeth to God alone to give, namely Winds for their Journey; but that they do such things really without delusion is false, which I will first prove by Scripture, and then show you the delusion; for Scripture, first I prove, if they can by the Devils raise Winds, than they can also send fair weather, for the Northwind driveth away rain, as job 37.22. fair weather cometh out of the North, and job. 38.24. God speaking of his own mighty work saith, By what way is the light parted, which scattereth the East wind upon the earth? and joh. 1.3. Without God was nothing made, who then maketh these winds? Psal. 148.8. the Winds fulfil the Word of God, or blow at God's decree. Also Solomon reckoneth the Winds among such things as keep a natural course, and describeth the natural course thereof, Eccles. 1.6. Also things miraculous can be done by God only, but that was one of the Miracles by which Christ showed himself to be God, he made the winds and the sea obey him, Mark 4.41. Also it is an absurdity in Philosophy, to say that a Witch, or the Devil, can cause Winds, for Winds are exhalations drawn from the Earth, by the influence of the Sun and the Stars, and driven back by the coldness of the middle region of the Air, which causeth their several motions, and therefore he that saith a Witch or a Devil can cause Winds, must ascribe also to them that they can rule the Stars, and dispose the quality of the middle Region, by which it must follow that they can send what weather they list, and so by consequence cause the earth to bring forth, or to be barren, which were the height of Idolatry to believe. And now to come to the imposture itself, wherewith the foresaid Impostors do deceive fools, making them believe they sell them Winds for their Journey. The poor Mariner who desireth to hasten his Journey homewards (but withal considereth not that all men must wait upon Providence) saith, I would give five pounds the Winds would rise, or that they would turn fit for our Journey; and being among strangers he is presently overheard by some of the Factors of those Impostors, who presently take occasion to tell him, that they will undertake for half the money, to carry him to one that shall help him to a Wind according to his mind, then by degrees they draw him on till they bring him into the company of more of their Confederates, who do so cunningly combine to obscure his intellect by discourse, that at the last they lead him (like poor Saul, when the Spirit of God had forsaken him) to seek to a Witch, then do they lead him to the Impostor, who being some skilful Astrologian in those Countries, can give a near guess by the Stars, when such a Wind will arise, and accordingly prefixeth a day, saying, a week hence, or two days hence, or sometimes a fortnight hence you shall have a Wind, in which promise it often happeneth that the Impostor himself is deceived, when his Prognostics fail him; and then they prefix another day, and do strongly persuade the silly man to stay till then, whereas they know till the Winds rise he cannot but stay, and I myself have talked with Seamen, who confess that sometimes they have been driven to stay a week, sometimes longer, after the day prefixed, and after they parted with their money; but if it happeneth that some man after he hath laid out his money upon those Impostors, hath speedily a Wind for his Journey; then he rejoiceth, and then the Impostors are credited; then he receiveth from the Impostor a bottom of Thread, which the Impostor saith he had from such an old Woman (because he will not seem to be the Witch himself) and this Thread is to be carried by the Mariner, or by the Merchant, into the Ship, and he must by degrees continually unwind the bottom of Thread, so long as he would have that Wind blow; but if all things happen well, than it is concluded, surely it is by virtue of the Thread; but it Winds prove by the way cross, than it is the fault of him that unwindeth the bottom too fast, or too slow, or with the wrong hand; and thus are poor Idolatrous fools cheated by them that make a rich trade of their Imposture. I deny not but this delusion is variously acted in several Countries, and some Travellours report some one way, and some another way of the manner, and carriage of the Imposture; but he that believeth that it is really done, and not a deceiving imposture, is an Idolater, and as bad as an Infidel, and for such Mariners as will buy Winds in that manner, the Mariners of Tarshish shall rise up in judgement against them, who when they saw the Wind rise, and the Sea tempestuous, and against their Voyage, they sought for whose sin that evil was come upon them, jonah 1.7. those poor Heathen knew that Winds and Tempests came not from a Witch, but from the hand of God. To conclude, stories reported by Travellours prove nothing, neither are they lawful Objections, and when we hear such a thing reported contrary to the Scriptures, and to human capacity, it must needs follow that it is a deluding imposture, although the story be true from him that reporteth it; and some Travellours that report this thing, yet are persuaded in themselves that it is but deceit. And whereas some would confirm this Objection by Scripture, because it is said, job. 1.19. after God had said to Satan, All that Job hath is in thy power, there came a strong Wind from the Wilderness, and smote the house that it fell upon the young men that they died. Hence they argue, that the Devil raised that wind; but this is a false conclusion, for than they may as well argue that the Devil sent the fire from Heaven, as in vers. 16. which is yet called the fire of God; and job himself ascribed all to God only, vers. 21. Secondly, If the Devil had by God's peculiar dispensation raised that Wind, God permitting him to afflict job, yet it doth not follow that he can do it at the command of a Witch. Thirdly, Some to prove the power of Witches to afflict men, and women, and cattle, and to bring to pass strange things, do allege job 2.7. yet there is not a Witch mentioned in all the History of job, but how absurdly they do argue let wise men judge; because God sent Satan to afflict job, therefore a Witch can send him to afflict man. God permitteth it, say they, by which Argument they still labour to maintain that God dareth his Prerogatives to a Witch. What though God hath power over Satan, to command him to execute his Will, to torment and afflict the wicked for punishment, to afflict the righteous sometime for trial? doth it therefore follow that a Witch can do it, because God did it? and where do we read in Scripture that God permits it? and if God should permit it, where do we read that a Witch hath any such power or command over the Devil, or any such league or covenant with the Devil? or that God permits the Devil to be at the command of a Witch? Fourthly, Some will allege the Witch of Endor, and yet we never read that the Witch of Endor could hurt, or send the Devil to hurt any man or woman, or child, or cattle, or raise Winds, or the like; neither did Saul go to her to desire her to kill the Philistines, but he went for Divinations▪ to know what should become of the Battle the next day. And what Objections soever any man shall bring from the Witch of Endor, they themselves may answer, if they read but the Seventh description of a Witch, in the first Book of this Treatise, and he that was bewitched by the Witch of Endor was Saul, and such as sought to her as Saul did, because th●y were deluded by her. Fifthly, Some will allege, and object, That the Serpent tempted Eve, and from thence they will argue, that the Devil can assume the bodies of Creatures, and appear in bodily shape, and make a league with a Witch, and execute h●r will to kill and afflict people and cattle; but this is a poor consequence, that because he can tempt, therefore he can kill at the command of a Witch; and whereas they would prove from hence, that the Devil can assume a bodily shape, and appear to a Witch, if they bring that Argument from the literal sense of the History, they must search narrowly to prove the Devil was in the Serpent; for it is said, The Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field, inferring that the Serpent did tempt by its own natural subtlety, or else why was that expression of the subtlety thereof used by Moses? and hence they must conclude, that it was the Serpent, and ●ot the Devil, which tempted Ev●, which were an absurd conclusion; and yet if they run upon the letter of the Story, they cannot deny that conclusion to follow, for there is not any mention of the Devil in all the History; but if they could prove thence that the Devil did assume the body of the Serpent, it maketh nothing to the purpose, to prove Witches power to kill, for the Devil did only beguile Eve, and not kill her. And although it hath been a common exposition of that place, that the Devil did enter into the body of the Serpent, and so appeared unto Eve in a bodily shape, and talked with her, and tempted her to eat the forbidden Fruit, yet if this exposition be well and wisely considered, it is most gross and erroneous; for First, here ariseth an absurdily, according to their own fond tenants, for than they must conclude that Eve was a Witch, for say they, whosoever hath had any familiar discourse with the Devil is in some degree a Witch, and ought not to be trusted, although she hath made no compact with the Devi●, and I have known some hanged in my time for that c●n●ession, although they did absolutely deny that ever they ma●e compact with him, or did any murder by him; but yet to speak the truth, if it were so, that any man or woman could ●ave familiar discourse with the Devil, this maketh not a Witch, for Christ himself was assaulted by the Devil, and answered his tentations by Scriptum est, Matth. 4. yea, I may further say, if any man could enter into an explicit covenant with the Devil to kill by his help, this indeed woul● make him a Murderer, but not a Witch in the Scripture s●nse, although indeed no man can prove by Scripture any such compact at all, or if there could be such a compact made with the Devil, yet that God would ever permit the Devil to perform his covenant with a man, to kill or hurt at his command, cannot be proved. So much by the way. Secondly, There ariseth another absurdity directly from that exposition, that the Devil did enter into the body of the Serpent, and so tempted Eve, for thence it must needs follow, that the Devil can open the mouth of a Serpent, and cause it to speak, and talk, and so that the Devil should have power to work a Miracle, equal with that great Miracle that w●s ●rought by the mighty power of God, when he opened the mouth of Balaams' Ass, and caused him to speak to Balaam, which thing were most outrageous Blasphemy to affirm; we must needs conclude then, that it was neither the Serpent that by its own natural subtlety tempted Eve, as the letter of the Story importeth, nor the Devil abusing the body of the Serpent; But whereas Moses was here to teach the people a great mystical Doctrine concerning the fall of Mankind by sin, unto which sin man was drawn by the temptations and allurements of the Devil; Moses knowing that the capacity of weak people is naturally estranged from Spiritual matters, and if he should have taught in plain terms that the Devil tempted man to fall, they would not have understood his Doctrine, because they knew not what the Devil was, therefore he, by the Spirit of God guiding him, taught the people in a Parabolical way, in which Parable when he speaketh of the Serpent, and of his subtlety, he expresseth the subtlety and malice of the Devil that tempted Eve, and all Mankind to disobedience against God, and this Parable he followeth. Allegorically, when he saith, The Lord said unto the Serpent, upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life; whereas if we deny this to be a Parable, we must hold that the Serpent before that time had legs, and did not creep upon his belly, and also that the Serpent sinned, and is punished for sin; and yet if the Devil had power to abuse the body of the Serpent, the Serpent was compelled to do that which they say he did; but for those that will take the Scriptures every where in a literal sense, they must also hold that the Trees of the Field did speak, where it is said in a Parable, The trees said to the Olive-tree, be thou King over us, judg. 9.8. But yet if they will not be beaten off from this, that the Devil can assume a bodily shape, it maketh nothing to prove that Witches are such people as can kill by Witchcraft, or send the Devil to kill, for there is no such expression of a Witch in all the Scriptures, but only that a Witch is such a one as laboureth by Diabolical craft to seduce the people from God, and his Truth, to Idolatry, and believing of lies. Sixthly, Some will object, and say, It is manifest that the Devil can help a Witch to fly in the Air, and be transported whither she listeth or else how had the Devil power to carry Christ, and set him upon the pinnacle of the Temple? Matth. 4. and Luke 4. I answer, This indeed seemeth to be a strong Argument, if we take the Scriptures at the second hand, as they are translated unto us in the English, but if we search the original meaning of the Greek text (as it was written by the Spirit of God) we shall find there is no strength at all in that Argument, for St. Luke, 4.5. saith only, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, qúem subdux sse●●eum, or subducens eum, and in the ninth verse is the same sense, and so translated by Tremellius and Beza, and no otherwise to be understood, but that he was led by the Devil from place to place to be tempted (not that the Devil had power to lead him against his will) but being full of the Holy Ghost, did by his own Divine counsel yield so far to the Devil, as to be led into temptation, that so he might overcome temptation; and whereas St. Matthew useth another phrase, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, assumpsit euns Diabolus, vers. 5.8. this soundeth indeed (especially in some of our English translations) as if the Devil had transported him in the Air from place to place, but it was nothing so; if we compare Matthew and Luke together, and this phrase used by Matthew, saith Tremellius, is by a Metalepsis, so that it is plain this Objection is of no force, for Christ walked up to the Mountain, and likewise walked up the stairs of the Temple, and leaned upon, and looked over the Battlements of the Temple, which went round about the Temple to keep men from falling, of which we read, saith Beza, Deut. 22.8. which we falsely translate, Pinnacles, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, and he set him against the Battlements of the Temple. Seventhly, Another Objection ariseth from this Discourse, and that is this; It seemeth the Devil can some way talk and discourse with a Witch, and therefore can make a League and Covenant with her: for he talked and discoursed with Christ himself, how much more easily can he talk with a sinful man or woman? I answer, In the same manner that he talked with Christ, he talketh with every man and woman; he saith to a Thief, Steal; to a Cutpurse, Cut a Purse; to a Drunkard, Drink off your liquor; to a Murderer, Kill such a man, and these obey him; he saith to a righteous man, Steal, and he answereth, It is written thou shalt not steal; the Devil saith again, Go and lie with such a Whore; he answereth, It is written, thou shalt not commit Adultery, and so likewise for all the Commandments; neither is it to be understood otherwise of the temptations wherewith Christ was tempted; as if the Devil could utter a human voice without a tongue, or any organ of speaking, that were an absurdity in Philosophy, for Natura nihil fecit frustra; and this were superfluous in Nature for a man to have a Tongue, and other Organs of speaking, if a verbal speaking could be ma●e without them; and whereas it is written, that the Devil said unto Christ this and that, it was only a mental discourse between Christ and the Devil, and is expressed in Scripture, according to Human capacity by a prosopopoia, a Figure very frequent in Scripture, as in Psal. 98.8. Micha 6.12. there the Scripture by this Figure bringeth in Hills and Floods acting as a man; and so in Mat. 4. Luke 4. the Devil tempting of Christ is introduced in the story, as speaking like a man, this is used sometimes in Parables, as in job, from the seventh verse of the first Chapter to the twelfth, also Chap. 2. the six first verses; and in Gen. 3.1. 1 King. 22.21. in these and many places by this Figure, speaking and discoursing verbally, and Human action is ascribed to such as it doth not properly belong; so that it appeareth to those that rightly understand, that this objection also is of no force; but yet still for those that are obstinate, I say, let them prove a League or Covenant by the Scriptures, between the Devil and a Witch, or that the Devil hath power, or permission to perform such a Covenant if made. Eighthly, Some again will object and say, If Witches cannot kill, and do many strange things by Witchcraft, why have many confessed that they have done suc● Murders, and other strange matters, whereof they have been accused? To this I answer, If Adam and Eve in their innocency were so easily overcome, and tempted to sin, how much more may poor Creatures now after the Fail, by persuasions, promises, and threatenings, by keeping from sleep, and continual torture, be brought to confess that which is false and impossible, and contrary to the faith of a Christian to believe? Some indeed have in a melancholy distraction of mind confessed voluntarily, yea and accused themselves to be Witches, that could do, and had done such strange things, and wonders by the help of the Devil; but mark well their distemper, and you shall find that they are deeply gone by infirmity of body affecting the mind, whereby they conceit such things as never were, or can be, as is often proved by experience among Physicians, many of those dying in a very short time, (although they be not put to death) except they be cured by the Physician; and truly if such Doctrines had not been taught to such people formerly, their melancholy distempers had not had any such objects to work upon, but who shall at last answer for their confession, but they that have infected the minds of common people with such devilish doctrines, whereby some are instigated to accuse their poor Neighbours of impossibilities contrary to the Scriptures, and some drawn to confess lies, and impossibilities contrary to Christian light? And indeed vain and fickle are the minds of such disputants, who do first of all father their vain opinions upon the Scriptures, pretending that they are undoubted truths grounded upon the Scriptures, saying, Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live; but being showed their errors, how they wrest the Scriptures, will rather forsake the Scriptures, which are the rule of righteousness, then forsake their Opinions, and will believe confession against the Scriptures. Some men will yet yield thus far, that these Confessions of poor accused people do many times extend to impossibilities, and that they verily believe that the Devil deludeth these people, making them believe that he bringeth to pass such things as they require him to do, which yet would come to pass by Divine providence. Some again do so Idolise the Devil, as that they affirm that these things are real, and do withal cry out, Great is the power of the Devil; and yet for any of these Opinions can produce no Scriptures to prove them, but only Confessions; and although those Confessions are sometimes extorted, sometimes voluntary in poor melancholy, or distracted people; sometimes in wicked people, who delight to make the world wonder at lies, or impossibilities, though it be to their own confusion (they being given over by God, and so the Devil seeing his opportunity, instigateth them to be his Instruments to uphold all lying Diabolical Doctrines, so that no true believing Christian but may discern that all the●e Confessions are from the Devil, the Father of lies) yet I say, Suppose with these Confession-mongers, that these Confessors are deluded by Satan, to think they do such things by the help of the Devil, yet where do we read in Scripture that such are Witches who are deluded by Satan, or that such should be slain, or put to death? we read indeed, that Witches were all sorts of deluding false Prophets, but not such as were deluded by Satan. Secondly, If you will still affirm, that their Confessions are real truths, and not delusions, but that they do indeed bid the Devil do such things, which (as ye say) he doth; yet how can ye prove it by Scripture? where is any such description of a Witch in the Scripture? but surely it is most horrible devilish forsaking of the Scriptures, to believe that there is any truth at all in these Confessions, and such people as are thus seduced by Satan to lying Confession, ought rather to be taught better knowledge, than to be slain in their ignorance, and perish altogether for lack of knowledge; but it is, and hath been the manner of these latter Ages, for a Minister to go to such, and instead of instructing them, whereby they might become instruments of saving their souls, they urge them to lying Confessions, and so do as much as they can to send the spirit of error into them to their confusion, yea and for the most part, these men who uphold their errors by the Confessions of these poor accused people, do altogether misinterpret their Confessions for the upholding of such lies, for the broaching whereof they have formerly misinterpreted and belied the Scriptures; for let but any man that is wise, and free from prejudice, go and hear but the Confessions which are so commonly alleged, and he may see with what catching, and cavilling, what thwarting and lying, what flat and plain Knavery these Confessions are wrung from poor innocent people, and what monstrous additions and multiplications are afterward invented to make the matter seem true, which yet is most damnably false, and flat against Christian light, and human reason to believe. And for such as can hardly believe that Melancholy, or distemper of body, and troubled fantasy, can cause people to imagine things so really, as to confess them to their own destruction, though most false and impossible; set them but consider the late example of a grave Minister about the Isle of Ely, who by a troubled fantasy was so deluded (or rather did so delude himself by weakness of Fantasy and imagination) as he reported that an Angel told him, that the Judgement Day should be upon the next Friday; by which report many of the Inhabitants were much troubled till the day was over; if then a grave Minister may be misled by Fantasy, and distempered mind; how much more plain common people, who have such Accusations brought against them as are sufficient to break their brains? Further I say, that if the man of sin spoken of in the second to the Thessalonians, chap. 2. had not broached these errors to the world these Confessors had had no such lying imaginations to confess, for their Confessions are not from themselves, but from the Devil, that so he might delude them that love not the truth, but do urge, and seek such Confessions against the truth, as it is said in the eleventh verse, For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie, etc. Ninthly, Some will object, and say, They have helped search, and have found Biggs, and privy Marks upon such as have been accused to be Witches; but I demand of them, Where doth the Scriptures teach us that a Witch is known by Biggs, or privy Marks? I also answer, That very few people in the World are without privy Marks upon their bodies, as Moles or stains, even such as Witchmongers call The Devils privy Marks; which Marks Astrologians do affirm to be the characters of the Stars, variously fixed upon men according to their Nativity, and many an honest man or woman have such excrescences growing upon their bodies, as these Witchmongers do call, the Devils Biggs; as for example; There is a Disease often found in men or women in the seat of people, called Hemorroids, or Piles, or the swelling of the Hemorroids veins, a Disease well known to Physicians, many times swelling forth in the seat of people that are full of Melancholy blood, and are often found in fashion like Biggs, and sometimes issuing forth blood, and for this Disease many have been accused by ignorant people, and put to death for Witches; this was part of the Evidence that was brought against Master Lewis a Minister, executed at Berry, in the year 1645. There are also found often times Excrescences upon the Bodies of men and women, called Verrucae pencils by the Physicians, as we may read in Leonartus Fuchsius, in the third Book of his Institutions of Physic, chap. 26. where he reckoneth up the several preternatural tumours of men's Bodies; these are a certain kind of long fleshy Warts, in fashion of Biggs, or Teats, and do grow commonly on honest people, or any sort of people, and upon Beasts, and yet for these Excrescences being but outward tumours of the Body, many innocent people have been condemned and executed. Another Tumour is found by the Physicians, called Thymion both in Greek and Latin, rising on several parts of the body like Biggs, or Teats, these and other kinds of preternatural Tumours, of which we may read in Physic Authors, which sometimes being fell, and full of pain by reason of the rankness of blood that feedeth them, and therefore issuing forth blood, are called of ignorant Witchmongers, Devils Biggs. There be also some Natural parts of the Body called by a general name Glandulae, and by a particular name Tonsillae, in the jaws of people, and in some people do plainly appear under the Tongue like little Biggs, which some ignorant Witchmongers having found in people, have taken them as a great evidence against poor innocent people, and for these have many been executed; but let any wise man consider, what body, of whatsoever constitution, especially of poor people that commonly want food, can spare a daily exhausting of blood to nourish Imps sucking them, without an exhausting and over-throwing of their own Natural lives? whereas few poor or old people, but through want of nourishment and weakness of nature, have rather want of blood, than an overpluss of blood. There be also often found in Women with Child, and in Women that do Nurse children with their Breasts, and in Women that by any accidental cause do want their menstruous courses, certain spots black and blue, as if they were pinched or beaten, which some common ignorant people call Fairy-nips, which notwithstanding do come from the causes aforesaid; and yet for these have many ignorant Searchers given Evidence against poor innocent people. But if any man will yet further cavil against Philosophy, and Physic Rules, then let him show me any such description of a Witch in all the Scriptures, as Biggs, or Teats, or privy Marks, or Imps sucking them, or kept by them; and further I say, that for any kind of Biggs, or any things like Biggs, more than hath been found by Physicians to be preternatural Tumours, or Diseases of the Body, or else Natural parts, to believe, is folly and madness, and to affirm, is a fantastic Lie, invented by the Devil, and the Pope. Tenthly, Some men will Object, and say, If Witches have not power to afflict, and torment, and kill People and cattle, how cometh it to pass that after the angering of such an old man or woman, or such a lam● man, or woman, that came to my House and desired relief, and I rated her away, and gave her no relief, or did not give her that which she desired; such and such crosses and losses came upon me, or such a Child was taken in such a manner, with such a Sickness, presently after, or within few days after his or her coming to my door? To this I answer, They that make this Objection must dwell very remote from Neighbours, or else must be known to give very little, or no relief to the poor, if it can be said at any time when a cross cometh upon them, that one poor body or other hath not been at their door that day, or not many days before, let it happen at any time whatsoever; shall this then be laid to the charge of him, or her that came last begging to their door? then by that reason no man in England can at any time be afflicted but he must accuse some poor body or other to have bewitched him; for Christ saith, The poor ye shall have always; and I think no man of ability is long free from poor coming to his door. Secondly, I answer, God hath given it as a strict Command to all men to relieve the poor, Levit. 25.35. and in the next Chapter it followeth; vers. 14, 15. Whosoever hearkeneth not to all the Commandments of the Lord to do them, (whereof relieving the poor is one) the Lord will send several crosses and afflictions, and diseases upon them, as followeth in the Chapter, and therefore men should look into the Scriptures, and search what sins bring afflictions from God's hand, and not say presently, what old man or woman was last at my door, that I may hang him or her for a Witch; yea we should rather say, Because I did not relieve such a poor body that was lately at my door, but gave him harsh and bitter words, therefore God hath laid this affliction upon me, for God saith, Exod. 22.23.24. If thou any way afflict widows, and fatherless, and they at all cry unto me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall wax hot against thee. Thirdly, I answer, as Aesop saith in a Fable, Volunt homines ut plurimum quando suâ culpâ aliquid sibi acciderit adversi, infortunam vel daemonem culpam confer, ut se crimine exuant; and in his Moral he saith, Hom●nes min●me veniâ d●gni sunt qui cum liberè pe●cent fortunam vel d●emonem accusant. So may I say of the most part of the World, who if by their own folly and negligence they wrong themselves their Children, or their cattle, they then accuse their Neighbour of Witchcraft, or if by their sins they bring down God's Judgements, they then say they are bewitched, ascribing all to the Devil and Witches, never beholding God's hand, or acknowledging that God is just, and themselves sinners. Eleventhly, Some will still object and say, What though there be no murther●ng, nor afflicting Witch mentioned in the Scripture, nor any command given to put W●tches to death for Murders, may not this common opinion of all men go for current, unless we can prove it by Scriptures? what shall one or two men's opinions be preferred before the common tenant of all men? To this I answer, It was the common tenant of all the Heathen, that Idols were gods, and aught to be worshipped; it was the common opinion of all the Scribes and Pharisees that it was a sin to eat with unwashen hands, and yet the Scripture telleth us that these things were false. Secondly I answer, God gave his Laws, that we should add nothing to them nor take any thing from them, Deut. 12.32. why then should any man be so bold, contrary to the Commandment of God, to make it a Law to put poor people to death, upon foolish and feigned suppositions, or by the common tenant, and general blind opinion of people without ground in the Scriptures? Twelfthly, Some will yet object and say, If we may not conclude Murders and trials of Witches from B●ggs and privy Marks, and sinking, and swimming in the water, because we have no warrant or mention of such trials in the Scriptures, then by the same consequence we may not try a Murderer by any trial but such as is mentioned in the Scriptures; but this is taken for granted, that if a murdered man bleedeth new and fresh, when the Murderer is near the dead Carcase, it discovereth the Murderer, and many Murderers have been discovered by God's providence in that manner, and have confessed the Murder, and yet there is no warrant for this trial of a Murderer in Scripture. To this subtle Argument I answer, That a Judge may be too presumptuous in condemning a man upon any such evidence as that is; for a dead body will for the most part bleed fresh and new, if it lieth two or three days unburied; as it is often seen in those that die a natural death upon their Bed, and not Murdered, the blood doth many time's issue out of their mouths in great abundance, at such times as the Humours of the body begin to putrify; and by the same reason a murdered Body will, when it hath lain two or three days, issue forth blood, both at the mouth, and at the wound, whether the Murderer be present or not. And what if God by his providence hath so brought it to pass sometimes, that the murdered body hath bled when the Murderer hath been present, and so at the sight of the blood the Murderers Conscience hath so accused him that he hath been driven to confess the Murder? we may not thence conclude, or argue, that this is a certain trial of a Murderer, without his own Confession, or other manifest proofs, for by that means we may sometimes condemn a guiltless man that standeth by ●t the same time of issuing forth blood from the dead body, which is a common and a natural thing. Secon●ly, I answer this subtle Objection thus, Murder by the hand is a certain thing, we know it by experience, and also the Scripture speaketh of it, and for the trial and finding out of Murder, when we find a man murdered, we have an ordinance in the Scriptures, Deut. 21. the seven first verses, They were to make diligent inquisition according to the Law of Moses, and in the seventh verse every man ought to clear himself that his hand hath not shed the blood of him that was slain; and if God blesseth his own ordinance of making such strict search and inquiry, by this wonderful and miraculous kind of bleeding (as you suppose it to be) yet there is the ground of it, it is his own ordinance, and therefore God blesseth it, and discovereth the Murder; But now to apply this to a Witch, there is no consequence at all, for when we find a man dead, or when any party is diseased, we have not any ordinance in the Scripture to make search who hath bewitched such a man, or killed such a man by Witchcraft, but whose hand hath slain him. As also in Numb. 35.16. who hath smitten him with an instrument of Iron, or any material instrument, or hand-weapon; we may not then expect that God should answer men's fancies, and vain imaginations of Murdering by Witchcraft, that have no ordinance in Scripture, as he doth his own Ordinances; and for sinking, and swimming, Biggs and privy Marks, that may as well happen to one man as to another, to make them signs and trials of Witches, or Murderers, is a groundless thing, and indeed at first invented by the Pope's Inquisitors, who rather than they would not ensnare whom they aimed at to put them to death, they would make any thing a sign or token of a Witch; and if all these signs that these Popish tyrants have affirmed to be signs, were as they say, true signs of Witches, than all people under the Heavens might be by one sign or other proved to be Witches; these signs may as well signify a Thief, or a Cutpurse, as a Witch, being indeed no signs at all. Thirteenthly, Some will object and say, If we may not suppose that Witches can kill, or afflict people by Witchcraft, except we have ground and warrant for it in the Scriptures, then by the same reason we may not hang a Thief for Felony, for by the Scriptures he ought to have restored fourfold, and we find no warrant in Scripture to put him to death? To this it is answered, to put a Thief to death for Theft, is either lawful, or unlawful; if it be not lawful by the Scriptures, though a thing commonly done, than we may not prove any thing lawful by instancing in a thing unlawful. Secondly, If it be lawful to put a Thief to death without warrant from the Scripture, as ye suppose it to be, yet therein we go beyond our warrant, only in the matter of punishment, which punishment yet falleth upon the guilty Thief, who is certainly convicted by infallible testimony, according to God's ordinance; but whosoever putteth man or woman to death for bewitching people to death, or for afflicting man or beast with diseases by Witchcraft, goeth beyond his warrant in matter of guilt, for the Scripture no where saith that a Witch was, or can be guilty of any such thing as killing by Witchcraft, or afflicting by Diseases, or any cross or adversity by Witchcraft upon men or cattle, and so in this we sin not, in inflicting greater punishment upon a Witch then is due by the Law of God (for by Law we ought not to suffer a Witch to live) but the sin is, in inflicting punishment upon the innocent, in Condemning them for Witches which are not Witches, for a Witch in the Scriptures is only a seducer of the people to Idolatry, and for killing without a stroke of the hand, or some material instrument, God claimeth it as his own Prerogative proper to himself only, Deut. 32.39. 1 Sam. 2.6 so that imputing it to any other, is against the Scriptures. Fourteen, Some will object and say, Although there were no Murdering Witches spoken of in the Scriptures, or any such d●scription of a Witch, as one that maketh a League with the Devil, or that lieth with Incubus, or Succubus, or that hath Imps, or Biggs, or privy Marks by which they are known, yet such may be sprung up since the Scriptures were written, as new sins increase daily. To this I answer, If there be new sins it must be in reference to the Law, for that maketh sin to be sin, because it is a breach of the Law; now, No man may add any thing to the Law of God, Deut. 12.32. and therefore we may not suppose that there be any sins that are not mentioned in the Law; also such sins are not mentioned in the Gospel; and Saint Paul saith, Whosoever preacheth any other Gospel than that we have received, let him be accursed, Gal. 1.9. Fifteenthly, it hath been objected by some, That a judge, or a juryman, is not to question any truth of opinion concerning the power of Witches, or what Witches are, but to be guided by the Law of the Nation, and to go according to the evidence of Witnesses, and if any one will come and witness upon Oath against any men or woman, that he or she is a Witch, the jury ought to cast her, and the judge ought to condemn her. To this Objection I answer, Deut. 17.6. At the mouth of two or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death, but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death. It is taken for granted, that a man or woman is sometimes given over to bear false witness, therefore God hath made it one of his Commandments, Thou shalt not bear false witness; and here in Deut. 17.6. God hath given us this rule to avoid false witness, That one Witness shall not pass as a sufficient evidence upon Life and Death, and yet many have wrongfully suffered death at the mouth of one Witness, contrary to this Law, without examination of the condition of the Witness, whether Mad, or foolishly presumptuous, or malicious. Secondly I answer, Where two or three Witnesses are to pass for true evidence against any Person, it is to be understood only in matters prescribed by the Word of God, as Murder by an instrument smitten, or cast at a person, or by the hand, or by some apparent infallible way, Numb. 35. 16, etc. but not in matters that are no way grounded upon the Word, but are flat contrary to the Word of God, and are only men's imaginations, for we have no warrant to put any person to death upon any imaginary offence (if it were likely that two or three should agree together in such a testimony) neither aught a Judge, or any Magistrate to administer an Oath, or take, or hear an Oath in any thing Moral that is not prescribed in God's Word, but only imaginary; and if two or three would swear point blank against any person to be a Witch, they ought not to be suffered to swear against any in that manner, except it be to swear against such Witches as the Scripture speaketh of, according the whole discourse of this Book, and therein also they ought to give a reason of their Oath, and the Judge and Jury to consider it. Thirdly I answer, That Oaths that have been usually taken against many persons in that kind, are not to be regarded, though true; as that such a one hath been seen to have a Rat or Mouse creep upon her, or under her Coats, or was heard talking to her Imps, these are not material testimonies, but are foolish and senseless arguments, not grounded in the Word of God. Further, if the Witnesses can swear that any person keepeth and feedeth Imps, it is not a material Oath, for it is as lawful to keep a Rat, or Mouse, or Dormouse, or any Creature tame, as to keep a tame Rabbit, or Bird; and one may be an Imp as well as another, and so may a Flea or Louse bythe same reason; and so the Devil need not go far for a bodily shape to appear in, or to suck men's or women's flesh in; and if these were material Oaths, who then may not be proved a Witch? and yet there was an honest woman (so always formerly reputed) executed at Cambridge in the year 1645. for keeping a tame Frog in a Box for sport and Fantasy, which Fantasy of keeping things tame of several species is both lawful and common among very innocent harmless people, as Mice, Dormice, Grasshoppers, Caterpillars, Snakes; yea a Gentleman, to please his Fantasy in trying conclusions, did once keep in a Box a Maggot that came out of a Nut, till it grew to an incredible bigness; all these are Arguments of no force; yea I further say, if two or three would swear that they saw such a Creature suck any persons fl●sh, it doth not prove it to be a Devil, or that the Devil is in it, or therefore the Person a Witch. Lastly I answer, If a Judge, or a Jury be bound by the Law of the Nation to proceed according to that Law, yet they are bound more by the Law of God to proceed according to his Law, and if there be any Law of any Nation made to put to death people for any supposed imaginary Witchcraft, not spoken of in God's Word, that Law ought to be abrogated, for we may not add to God's Law, Deut. 12.32. and in the mean time, that Nation that maintaineth such a Law, that Judge, that Jury which prosecuteth such a Law (being not grounded in, but contrary to the Law of God) they all hazard themselves under the Curse of God's Law, Exod. 22.23, 24. Sixteenthly, The last and wisest Objection is this, It is maniest in the Scriptures that a Witch may kill by Witchcraft, for it appeareth Numb. 25.9. that after Balaam had tried all ways to Curse the people, there died of the people twenty four thousand, and although he could not hurt them by Enchantment (as he affirmeth chap. 23.23. There is no Enchantment against Israel) yet it appeareth, Revel. 23.14. that he taught Balac to lay a stumbling-block before the people, in int●cing them to commit Idolatry, which brought down the anger of God upon them that they died, Numb. 25.9. To this I answer, This indeed is the only Witchcraft that can kill or hurt any man (according to the whole Discourse of the First Book, of this Treatise) seducing the people to Idolatry, whereby they do cause them to provoke God to anger, and to strike them in his displeasure; and this is the Doctrine we ought to learn by the History of Balaam, yea this is the only Witchcraft that is summarily included in all the Nine terms of Description, Deut. 18.10, 11. (being the discourse of my first Book) and to show any proof of any sort of Witches in the Scriptures, I challengeall Witchmongers, yet some will forsake the Scriptures, and confute me strongly, with a repetition of some of Bodins lies, or the like Stories, telling them for truth. But for all such as do still labour, by Objections, Cavils, Inventions, and Imaginations, to uphold the old Traditions and Errors of that grand Witch the Pope, and his Train, concerning Witches, and their Power, and not rather to cleanse the world from these Doctrines of Devils; let them take heed that the saying belongeth not to them, that Stephen spoke to the Jews, Acts 7.51. Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do ye; As it is written, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. because ye received not the love of the truth, that ye might be saved; for this cause God hath sent you strong delusions, that you should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. A Conclusion. HE that groundeth his Opinion upon Fancy and Human traditions, and reports, without light, and rule of the Scriptures, is like a man groping in the dark, who for want of light rusheth his face against the door. But if any man will forsake blind imaginations, and be guided by the light and rule of the Scriptures, he shall find by them, that Witches are only false Prophets, who used several deluding impostures to deceive the people (according to the whole Discourse of the first Book of this Treatise, and these were not poor men and women, such as are commonly executed for that falsly-imputed Crime of Witchcraft) but were open practisers of their several Witchcrafts, to delude and seduce, and those had not their Craft from a Familiar, or by making a League with the Devil, as hath been commonly imagined, but were in a manner learned, and used Books written for that purpose, to teach them their manifold impostures, whereby to gain a maintenance among the people, by making them believe they were Prophets; as we may read, Acts 19.19. many of them being converted by the powerful preaching of the Gospel, brought their Books, and burned them before the people▪ these Books containing such subtle devices as were practised then by the false Prophets, or Witches of the time, to deceive the people, and now adays by the Popish Rout, and by our common Wizzards. But now for the thousands of people that have been executed for Witches in several parts of the World, by the common manner of fond, false accusations, at whose hands will God require their blood, but at the hands of the Whore of Rome, and of those that have joined with her in her abominations? Revel. 18.24. In her was found the blood (not only of Saints) but of all that were slain upon the earth. This doubtless must be understood of those that are unjustly slain, and who are they, but such as are slain by wrongful accusations? which wrongful accusations are occasioned by the devilish Doctrines wherewith she hath defiled the Nations. Further I say, That this Doctrine of Witches power is the main strength of Antichristian policy; for whereas that Romish Whore knoweth, that in all Nations the Civil Magistrate will hold his power, and not resign it to her, to have absolute power to kill for Religion, she maintaineth this damnable Doctrine to this end, that under the name of Witches she may melt away all whom she feareth, or suspecteth will be opposers of her Antichristian pride, and herein she engageth the Civil Magistrate, by her subtle Doctrine, to cut off whom she pleaseth: and how can that be said to be a Government for the defence of people's Lives and Estates? where contrary to all Law these Villains can steal away both life and estate from whom they please (except from such as are in places of Dignity, or so well esteemed in Commonwealths, or have such friendship among the potent of the Land, that thereby they are able to withstand their Adversaries) and these poor accused people have no redress, or help at the hands of the Magistrate; but he who ought to be their Defender is bewitched, and engaged against them; he is taught indeed not to suffer a Witch to live, but never truly taught who, and what are Witches; and that many times they that engage him by their lying Doctrine, are the very Witches themselves, aimed at in the Scriptures, that ought not to be suffered to live. THE THIRD BOOK: SHOWING The vanity of some English Writers concerning Witches. BOdinus, Hyperius, Hemingius, and other Popish Bloodsuckers, mentioned before in the Second Book of this little Treatise, having defiled the World with their abominable inventions, contrary to the sense and truth of God's Word, their devilish Doctrines being already declared sufficiently to be wholly dissonant to the Word of God; yet some of our English Writers (who otherwise might seem to have been wise and learned men) have defiled their Pens with these groundless Fantastical Doctrines, which Writers are briefly these. The first is james Bishop of Winton, setting forth three Books, called Daemonology, in the name and title of the Works of King james (and whether the Bishop or the King were the Composer of that Work, I stand not to argue) which Works are collected out of these Popish Writers before mentioned, which the Author acknowledgeth in the Preface to his Book, where he allegeth Bodinus, Hyperius, and Hemingius for confirmation of the truth of the matter contained in his Works, but not a jot of Scripture is produced in all the Work, if rightly interpreted, to prove it to be truth and yet the Author himself confesseth of Bodinus, that his Book of Daemonomanie is collected with greater diligence, than composed with judgement; and truly I wish every wise man (that desireth to be resolved in his judgement concerning these Opinions) to observe that passage; or if he be such a one as can read, and search the several Writers of this subject of Witchcraft, let him observe the variety of their Opinions, how few of them do agree in one tenent, or in their manner of writing, by which it is easily concluded, that all their traditions are but Phantsies, contrary to the sound of God's Word; even as a wise Judge, examining several Witnesses of one thing, if he findeth not their testimony to agree, he concludeth, that they compacted together to witness a thing false; and truly, although wise and learned men have been deluded by these lying inventions, yet compare but their Opinions one with another, and also with Holy Writ, and you shall find, that all their Opinions are but one monstrous Devil, striving to get the mastery of the Spirit of truth; and whether this Work was either composed by King james, or by the Bishop, may be very well suspected, or rather by some Scotish man, blinded by some Scotish Mist, who desired to set forth his own Tenants for the upholding of Popish errors, and Popish Writers, sufficiently confuted before by Scot, in his Discovery of Witchcraft, he not being able any whit to answer Scot in his Discourse, laboureth to uphold false Tenants and Doctrines, by the authority of a King, because he could not find any thing in the Scriptures to uphold them, or to answer Scot, as we may read in the Preface, that his whole aim is at Scot, whom he falsely chargeth with the Tenent, and Affirmation, That there is no such thing as Witchcraft; whereas Scot in all his whole Book saith no such thing, but only that Witchcraft is a craft of deceiving, and seducing the people, and not of killing and making barren, and raising Winds, and such like Inventions; he that readeth that Preface, and seeth how Scot is first and chiefly aimed at in the whole Work, might presently expect that in the Work he should find Scot notably confuted, or at the least in some way answered, but reading over the Work, he shall find not one thing or other answered at all, but only a bare affirmation of such Tenants, without any ground, or warrant of the Scripture, which Tenants were confuted by Scot, by the Scriptures; so that for any man to answer that Work of the Author at large, were only to do that which Scot hath already done, in confuting Bodinus and others; and whereas this Author pretendeth a refutation of Scot, he hath done nothing else but written again the same Tenants that Bodinus and others had before written, and were by Scot confuted; like an obstinate Disputant, that rather than he will not hold his Argument, though never so foolish, he will deny the Conclusion. One Disputant wisely and plainly proveth that a thing is, and the other foolishly saith still it is not; or one proveth that a thing is not, and the other foolishly still saith it is; by which way of arguing a child may hold an Argument against a learned Doctor, though never so false. Yet for the answering of the Tenants of this Author in that Work, First, he saith in his first Book, as also in the Preface, That Witches can by the help of the Devil cause to be brought unto them all kinds of dainty Dishes for their delicious maintenance; (and yet say I, how many poor lean starved people have been executed in several places for Witches) and for the truth of this Doctrine, he bringeth no place of Scripture to prove it, but only affirmeth it to be true, for these reasons; First, The Devil is a Thief, and delighteth to steal. Secondly, He is a Spirit, and therefore can subtly, and suddenly transport the same from whence and whither he will; by which way of argument, rejecting the Scriptures, a man may affirm for truth any vain imagination, be it as absurd as this former; as, that the Devil is a Thief, and therefore hath a Mountain of Gold, which he hath taken out of every man's. Purse, and heaped up in Hell, which he being a Spirit, hath easily transported from the earth, and therefore are so many men hastening to Hell, because there is abundance of Gold; But if such foolish Arguments as these were of any force, what need then any Scripture to teach us the truth? But if we examine the truth of this Doctrine by the Scriptures, it will prove for want of ground in Scripture very fantastical, and in opposition to the truth of the Scriptures very blasphemous; for hereby we should yield still that what was done by the Angel of God in miraculous manner, bringing food to Elijah, 1 King. 19.6. may be done by the Devil, bringing variety of food to them that serve him; and whereas God by a Miraculous hand brought his people through a barren Wilderness, and fed them in that Wilderness; the same thing might as well have been done by the Devil, who (saith he) can bring his servants all manner of dainty dishes. This that is already written were enough to disable, and make void all the three Books of daemonology written by this Author; but yet for the satisfaction of such as will expect a Methodical answer, I will begin with his Works in order as they stand, and in brief show the vanity of them; as for example, he saith in his Epistle to the Reader, Sorcery and Witchcraft are different from Magic, and Necromancy, and yet in the first Chapter of the Second Book, he saith, the Maid spoken of in the sixteenth of the Acts was a Witch, because she had the spirit of Python, and yet we find in the Scripture, that they that had the spirit of Python were also Necromancers; how then can this distinction hold, that Witchcraft differeth from Necromancy? for by that distinction a Pythonist were a Witch, and a Necromancer not a Witch; yet what was the Pythonist of Endor but a Necromancer, pretending to consult with the dead? and Necromancy was the pretence of all that were said to have the spirit of Python; that was, that they consulted with the Souls of the dead, as in Plutarch, and also in holy Writ, as in Isa. 8.19. (it is manifest in any Tongue but our English) which in Tremellius translation is to this sense; for when they shall say unto you, Ask counsel of those that have the spirit of Python (or the imposture of Oracling) and of Soothsayers, should not a people ask counsel of their God? Shall they ask counsel of the dead for them that are living? so than it is plain, this distinction is wholly dissonant from Scripture, and that this Author wrote not according to Scripture, but by fantasy and imagination. And now for his First Book, and the whole discourse of it, he layeth this foundation, he produceth these places of Scripture to prove that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches, Exod. 22.18. 1 Sam. 15.23. Acts 8. Acts 16. and here he never searcheth the sense and meaning of these Scriptures, but proveth that Witches are, which thing no man denyeth; and yet mark but his proofs, Exod. 22.18. which is taken for a Juggler, or one that worketh false Miracles to deceive and seduce, in the same sense is to be understood, Acts 8.9, 10. concerning Simon Magus who was a Juggler and Magician (Juggling being one main part of Magic in the Scripture discourse) such were Pharaohs Magicians, which Magicians this Author distinguisheth from Witches, and yet would prove by these places that there is such a thing as Witchcraft and Witches; so likewise 1 Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Divination, from hence he would prove Witchcraft also, and yet his distinction denieth that Necromancers (whose main drift was to give Divinations, by consulting with the dead) are Witches; and this is the sum of his first Chapter, where any wise man may see how he hath lost himself in proving, and not able to prove that which is easily proved, and that which no man denieth, That there is such a thing as Witches and Witchcraft; for all the rest of his Discourse in his first Book, it is to prove that there are Magicians and Necromancers, which thing no man denieth according to the Scriptures; but though this be a true Conclusion, yet it ariseth not from his proofs before mentioned, according to his own distinctions, for he produceth those proofs only to prove that there are Witches, which yet he distinguisheth from Magicians and Necromancers; how vainly then doth he raise from these proofs a discourse of Magicians and Necromancers? And forth r, in all this Discourse, he writing only according to his own imaginations, without grounds in the Scriptures, or in Arts, and Sciences, he runneth into gross absurdities, as in the third Chapter, that Judicial Astrology is attained by Circles and Conjurations, raising of Spirits to resolve their doubts, which showeth how little reading he had in that Science; and in the fourth Chapter he bringeth in healing by Charms, and Stones, and Herbs, as if by his method they were a part of Astrology, and not only in that hath he showed his weakness, but in reckoning Stones and Herbs among Magic Charms. In the Fifth Chapter he saith, Magicians conjure the Devil in a Circle, and if they miss the least circumstance, the Devil breaketh into the Circle, and carrieth quite away Body and Soul; and yet saith, a little before, in the same Chapter, that the Devil having prescribed that form of doing, that he may seem to be commanded thereby, will not pass the bounds of those injunctions (Circles). In the sixth Chapter he talketh, That they make a League with the Devil written with their blood, and so learn of him to play Juggling Tricks, and Tricks upon the Cards and Dice (in which also he showeth himself but a silly Gamester, in thinking such Tricks cannot be played without a League with the Devil) and yet by his distinctions, and by his whole Discourse, he saith, these Magicians (though in league with the Devil) are no Witches, which is contrary to the general Tenent that ever was of his own Sect (that is, where such a League was made, it made a Witch) but to speak the truth, the ill coherence of the Writings of his, and all other Writers of that sort, showeth, that they have no ground but Phantsy, and Fiction, for any league or transaction with the Devil, either by Magician or Witch (to use his own distinction (though senseless) either in Scripture, or Human reason guided by the Scripture, and this is the whole scope of his first Book. In the First Chapter of his Second Book he refuteth himself, and plainly confesseth (though dully) that all his former proofs of Scripture concerning Witches were to be understood only of Magicians, and not of Witches; but saith he, Though that be true, yet the Law of God speaketh of Magicians, Enchanters, Diviners, Sorcerers, and Witches, and whatsoever of that kind that consult with the Devil, but doth not say where the Law speaketh so, nor where such are said to consult with the Devil, but letteth it pass for granted which yet I will grant; thus far the Law of God speaketh of Magicians, Enchanters, Diviners, and Sorcerers, but not of Witches distinct from these, for these were Witches in all the Scripture-sence, and Diviners were Magicians, and Magicians were Sorcerers, and Enchanters were Witches, and so were all the rest; but still mark how he laboureth to produce some proofs beyond all this, whereby he would make a Witch somewhat (he cannot tell what) distinct from Magicians, Diviners, Enchanters, and Necromancers; for saith he, the Maid that followed Paul crying, Acts 16. was a Witch, whose spirit of Divination was put to silence, saith he, and she was a Witch, because she did not raise the Devil, but he spoke by her tongue publicly, and privately, and that by her consent, and this is his ultimate proof of a Witch; which I grant; she was a Witch, but why distinct from the rest? what was she more than a Diviner? and the Scripture saith she had the spirit of Python, which was a spirit of lying Prophecy or Divination; and saith he, she was a Witch, because the Devil spoke by her tongue, and that by her consent, as if he spoke not by the tongue of all Diviners, Enchanters, Pythonists, Soothsayers, Necromancers, and all false Prophets, and that by their consent; she was a Witch saith he, because she raised not the Devil, but yet say other Writers of his Sect, they are Witches that raise the Devil, and she had been a Witch if she had raised the Devil; and he himself in his seventh Chapter saith, Devils are made commonly to appear by Witchcraft; from these grounds in Scripture, (which are all spoken of Deceivers, and false Prophets, according to the whole discourse of my first Book, which indeed were Witches in the Scripture-sense, though weakly discovered by this Author) he goeth on presumptuously in the second and third Chapters, to say that Witches are such as do compact with the Devil, and in great number meet in Houses, and Churches, and adore the Devil in Pulpits, and learn of him to do mischief, and do render account at their several meetings, what mischief they have done for his service, and to kiss his hinder parts for adoration, and this is all the scope of his second and third Chapters, without any tittle of proof from Scripture, but only confession of Condemned people (which is no proof) being contrary to Scripture and reason, and (all Circumstances considered) is no Confession; for as he dully argueth in his first Chapter, that because they are loath to confess without Torture, therefore they are guilty; we may argue the contrary, they therefore are not guilty, their Confession being extorted, which Confession yet he would argue to be true, because saith he, the Devil was worshipped among the Heathen, and gave Oracles, and Responses, and was honoured with bloody Sacrifice, and gave Divinations by the entrails of Beasts; But although these things were done by Heathen people that worshipped Idols, and had Oracles, and Responses from their Idol Priests (which were the Witches, and false Prophets of the times) and in that sense might be said to worship the Devil, as in 1 Cor. 10.19, 20. (because the Devil was in the Idols, or rather in their Priests, and so by them wrought delusions under the mask of Idols) yet what consequence is here, that because the Devil was in this sense worshipped publicly by Idolaters, that therefore he is now privately worshipped by the great Conventions and Assemblies of Witches? or where do we read in Scripture, that Witches were such as did meet to worship the Devil? they were indeed such as seduced people to worshipping of Idols, by the delusions of the Devil ruling in their hearts. And in the fourth Chapter he saith, that Witches can be transported in the Air, by the Devils help, because Habbakkuk was transported by the Angel, in the History of Daniel Apocrypha, which if this were a true story Canonical, yet what absurdity is this, to equalise the Devil's power with the power of God by his Angel? And what consequence is here? If the Angel did so transport, therefore the Devil doth transport; and yet this is the whole scope of his fourth Chapter. In the fifth Chapter his whole scope is, That Witches can make pictures of Wax, or Clay, and roast them, and so consume the party whom they intent, and can receive from the Devil stones and powders, and by them cast on can Cure diseases; that they can raise Storms and Tempests, and do many strange things, and that no man is sure to escape their Witchcraft, which as I have showed in my second Book, are not only inventions and fictions of Antichrist, without groun● in Scripture, but flat against Scripture, and the faith o● Christians to believe. And whereas he saith further, The Devil can Witches to poison people, I answer, so he may teach any man else that will undertake it; for that is not any whit more essential to a Witch than to any other murthering-minded man or woman, no more than stabbing with a Knife or Dagger. The scope of the sixth Chapter is, That the Devil appears to Witches, and teacheth them to do mischief, but yet they have not power to hurt a Magistrate; but sure if Witchcraft consisted any whit in the Art of poisoning, why then is the Magistrate free? for certainly many Magistrates, yea Judges, and Kings themselves, have been poisoned; hath a Witch than less faculty in poisoning Magistrates then other men have had? why then is their Craft counted so dangerous? The scope of his seventh and last Chapter is, that Spirits did more commonly appear in time of Popery than now, and the reason thereof he giveth before he proveth it to be true; that is, that the Gospel hath dispelled those Spirits that were wont to appear. This reason hath a smooth pretence if it were given of a true thing, but the thing which he argueth upon is not true, for there were no more Spirits seen in time of Popery than now (and that is just none at all) but there were more lies reported by papists, and in time of Popish ignorance, than now, and the Gospel indeed hath dispelled those Popish Errors which were wont to deceive the people more than now; and who so denyeth that Spirits appear, he saith they are Sadduces, whereas yet there was never any such dispute among Sadduces, whether Spirits did appear visible or not; neither were the Pharisees that opposed the Sadduces so silly as to affirm any such thing; but if any such thing were, as visible apparition of Spirits, doubtless it had been no Controversy, for the Sadduces might have seen them as well as the Pharisees; this is the scope of his First and Second Book. And here I am compelled to go back again to the third Chapter of the First Book, to answer one of his Tenants, which I think very material to be answered out of order, because if I had taken it in order it would have spoilt my method in answering so curtly as I have done, (his writing being somewhat immethodical.) Look in his first Book, the third Chapter, and see how he by the bare signification of a word, laboureth to ground an absurdity, saying, Necromancy is one that Prophesieth by the dead, and that is, saith he, one that consulteth with the Devil, assuming the body of the dead party; but as I have said, what Logician doth not know that it is not a legal manner of arguing, but most absurd to draw a Conclusion from the bare signification of words, or from what words may signify? but he that argueth truly, must argue as the words are taken, and not as they may signify, and also search the Original sense of the Hebrew, and yet for the word itself▪ it hath not the least signification of the Devil, or that the Devil can assume a dead Body, or the least signification of Prophesying by the Devil, but only by the dead, according to the vain Tenent of the Heathen, that the Souls of the dead (by reason of their perfect estate after this life) could inspire men living upon the earth, with knowledge of things to come, in which pretence these Witches called Necromancers used Divinations, or lying Prophecies, as manifestly appeareth in Plutarch, de. defect. Orac. and by Scripture, as I have showed more fully in the Ninth description in my first Book; and as for that Tenent, that the Devil can assume and raise a dead Body, it is most absurd and blasphemous, for it was by the divine miraculous power of Christ upon the Cross, that the bodies of the dead were raised for a time, and appeared unto many, Matth. 27.52, 53. from whence the Centurion acknowledged Christ to be the Son of God, knowing, that such things could not be done but by the mighty Power of God; yet if this absurdity were true, That the Devil could assume the bodies of the dead, it makes nothing to prove their common main Tenent, that Witches are such people as can kill by Witchcraft, for a Necromancer is only one that taketh in hand to Prophesy by the dead, or to give divinations, and not one that kille●h, or witcheth people to death; neither doth it agree with this Author's distinctions to hold any such Tenent, that a Necromancer is one that consulteth with the Devil assuming a dead body, for he saith in his Sixth Chapter of his Second Book, and also in the third Chapter of the Third Book, that the Devil appeareth to Witches, and they consult with him, having assumed a dead body; why then doth he in his former distinctions make a difference betwixt a Necromancer and a Witch? And now to proceed to the Third Book, as followeth, He laboureth to prove in his Third Book, That the Devil can appear bodily, and doth commonly haunt Houses and Fields in shape of men departed this life, and sometimes as Fairies, sometime in manner of Brown●ng (as he calleth it) that is it that by our old Wives Fables is called Robin Goodfellow) and that these are true, and not false Fables, and for that in his first Chapter he allegeth, Isa. 13.21. where it is said, That Zim and Ohim shall dwell in their houses, and Limb shall cry in their Palaces, which saith he, are in the Hebrew the proper names of Devils; but▪ how erroneous this exposition is, let them that can read the Hebrew text see, and for them that cannot read the Hebrew text, let them read the Latin translation of junius and Tremellius, which is thus; Et recubabunt ferae illic, & implebunt domos eorum noxia animaliae; hab●tabuntque illic ululae, & scopes saltabunt illic, clamitabitque terrificum an●mal in viduatis palatiis ipsius, & serpens in templis voluptariis: That is, Wild Beasts shall lodge there, and hurtful Beasts shall fill their Houses, and Owls shall dwell there, and Night-birds shall hop there, and a Dragon shall cry in their desolate Palaces, and the Serpent in their pleasant· Temples; (Tremellius in his Marginal Notes saith, Terrisicum animal, id est draco) Those were all only such Creatures as do commonly inhabit desolate places; The Prophet speaking in the former verse of desolation that should come upon the Land; and indeed the Devil hath least to do in desolate places, and is most busied where people are most; but had Zim and Limb been the proper names of Devils, it had not made any thing to the purpose, to prove that the Devil walketh up and down in corporal appearance, for it is said, Revel. 2.13. that the Devil dwelled at Pergamus, and yet it is not meant that he was there seen at all to appear in any shape, but was there in the hearts and works of wicked men; but such is the manner of all that are tainted with Popish Tenants, that they would have people conceive of the Devil, that he is some ugly terrible Creature to look upon, some black man with a pair of Horns on his head, and a Cloven Foot, and a long tail, or some monstrous Beast that inhabiteth in Woods, and walketh about in the night to scare people, and this doctrine is maintained by Popish Writers, lest people should discern that the Devil is in all their Popish Doctrines and actions, and in the hearts of all Popish seducers, and deceivers of the world. Further, in this his Third Book he talketh of Incubus, and Succubus, as if it were an undoubted truth that the Devil lieth commonly with Witches of both Sexes, having copulation with them, but for this he hath not the least Scripture, nor the least seeming Argument, but only constrained, extorted, belied, nullified Confession of poor condemned people, which is the only Argument for all the devilish Tenants of all Writers of this sort, and yet they begin with Scripture, saying, Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live; and upon this they raise a long discourse, contrary to all Scripture, and truth, and possibility, all which they will father upon the Scriptures, and yet when they are pinched by dispute to prove their Tenants by Scripture, they fly off to confession; this confession I say is in all the discourse of this Author his only Argument (which is no Argument) and yet he pretendeth his discourse to be grounded on the Scriptures, and in that pretence in his last Chapter he concludeth his whole discourse with the Law of God, saying, Therefore these people ought to be put to death according to the Law of God, whereas yet in all his discourse he could not produce the least jot or tittle of the Law against any such kind of supposed Witches as he talketh of, nor the least colour of argument to prove his supposals, in all the Law, or all the Scriptures, without misconstruing the Law of God, and the Scriptures. So much for this Author. Cooper answered. THe second English Writer upon this subject is one Thomas Cooper a Minister, who himself being infected with the common Popish tenant, sent forth by Pope Innocent the Eighth, and Pope julius the Second, and affirmed by Bodinus, and other bloody Inquisitors mentioned in my Second Book, that Witches are Murderers, and such as can raise Winds, and do things impossible, by the help of the Devil; This Cooper, instead of being himself a Minister to instruct, and teach the people in God's Truth, grounded in Scriptures, he became a bloody Inquisitor to find out Witches, that is a bloody Persecutor of the poor, and an accuser of them to be Witches, who by his blind zeal in this kind did cause many to be executed for Witches, as he confesseth in his first Book, the first Chapter, and sixteenth Page, and after this he reading Mr. Scots Discovery of Witchcraft, which he was no way able to confute by Scripture, nor to answer him truly, he being galled in his Conscience, and nettled in his mind concerning his reputation in the World (which he feared he should lose if his wickedness should be convicted and laid open) instead of humbling his Soul before God, and begging pardon for his sin; he wrote a Book in defence of his errors, called the mystey of Witchcraft, wherein he hath (as others have done) pretended to confute Scot, and to that end hath writ down many Popish inventions, adding thereunto many of his own foolish imaginations, without one jot of Scripture to prove or ground any of his Tenants, and after long discourse of mere lies and imaginations, in a pretence of holy Zeal, yet quite contrary to God's truth (yea I may say, imaginations resisting Gods holy Spirit of Truth) hath thought it a sufficient confutation of Scot, to fetch him over with an use of reproof, as appeareth in his first Book, the eighteenth page, just as if a man should preach contrary to the Scriptures that Idols are gods, and labour to prove it by experience (as this Cooper laboureth to prove his Tenants concerning Witches) or to prove it by the example of such as have been slain, because they would not fall down before an Idol, and worship it (as this Cooper laboureth to prove his errors concerning Witches from the example of many that have been executed for Witches) and then should fetch them over with an use of reproof, that say Idols are no gods; and after this groundless use of reproof, this Cooper goeth on still in a frivolous discourse, without any Scripture to prove his Doctrine, and at last laboureth to show that Jugglers are Witches, which no man yet did ever deny (if they were such as wrought false Miracles to seduce the people, as jannes' and jambres, and Simon Magus, and Elimas' the Sorcerer) but he laboureth to prove that common Jugglers are Witches, that do work their Tricks of Activity, saith he, by a Familiar, which yet (saith he) are no real Miracles, but they hurt the Eye, and thicken the Air, saith he, whereby they make things seem to be really done that are not done; which thing for a Juggler to do, that is, to hurt the eye, and touch it not, and to thicken the Air were a Miracle itself; but to clear these vain Fancies, who knoweth not that Jugglers do play their Tricks only by the slight of hand, called Cleanly Conveyance, or Legerdemain? and what common Juggler that hath gone about to Fairs, or Markets, to show his Tricks of Activity to get Money, will not in private for a shilling show any Trick that he hath acted openly, and show how it is done to the satisfaction of any man that desireth it, and that without a Familiar, or the least appearance of any such vain Phantsy as fools imagine; But yet if I should take it for granted, that these common Jugglers are Witches, and do work their Feats by a Familiar Devil, as he affirmeth, yet what doth that make towards the proving of these poor, and aged, and lame people to be Witches, that have so commonly been said to be Witches? What Tricks of Activity have they showed, either in Fairs or Markets, or in public, or in private? surely if they had been Condemned for Witches, for any such thing doing, they should not need to be found out by an Inquisitor, to be tried by Biggs, or privy Marks, or by sinking or swimming in the water, for their actions would declare them openly. Also if common Jugglers were Witches, as he saith; yet how doth this prove that a Witch is a Murderer, which is the main drift of his Book; and to that end he bringeth many places of Scripture to prove that there are Witches, which thing no man doth deny. Afterward he affirmeth, that Witches do make a real League with the Devil, (which hath been a common foolish tradition) and for that he allegeth Psal. 58.5. where saith he the Original yieldeth thus, Which heareth not the Charmer, or mutterer, joining societies together, where (saith he) the Holy Ghost setteth down the effect of a Charm, namely, that it is able to stay the Adder from stinging those that shall touch him; but mark how this fellow belieth the Scriptures, for which (because many understand not the Hebrew) I refer them to the Translation of junius and Tremellius, which is this; Quae non auscul●at voci mussitantium, utentis incantation bus peritissimi, which hearkeneth not to the voice of mutterers, or of the most skilful user of Charms; so that there is not a word of joining Societies together, not a word of the Devil, nor of any league with the Devil; yet if it had been so, and that he could have proved such a League or Covenant, it had made nothing to prove that a Witch is a Murderer (which is his drift) for a League might be made for a Deceiver, as well as for a Murderer; And whereas he saith the place aforesaid proveth the effect of a Charm, that it can stay the Adder from stinging, it proveth the clean contrary; for if the Prophet had said the Adder hearkeneth to, or regardeth the voice of a Charmer, it had proved that a Charm is effectual; but in that he saith the Adder regardeth not, or hearkeneth not to the voice of the Charmer be he never so skilful, it proveth that a Charm is of no force; and indeed the Prophet doth there allude deridingly to the vanity of that Idolatrous conceit of the Heathen, who thought that charms had virtue in them, and so were seduced by charms to put confidence in charms and conjurations, according to the Sixth term of description in the First Book of this Treatise, showing the common conceit of the Heathen concerning charms, appearing in their Poets; Frigidus in pratis, ●antando rumpitur anguis. This fellow doth further contradict himself sundry ways, one of his most manifest absurd contradictions is in page 85. where he confesseth that God only hath power to send Satan to torment the wicked, and afflict the godly, and yet he affirmeth in pag. 261. that Witches also can send Satan to possess men, and torment them. Who so pleaseth to read over this Author, shall find that he is bold to affirm, not only that the Devil doth at the command of a Witch raise storms, poison the Air, blast Corn, kill cattle, torment the bodies of men, but also cast out Devils, as in page 158. also that he sometimes enliveneth a dead child, and bringeth it to a Witch in her travelling to bring forth child, and telleth her that it is the child born of her body, begotten by himself, and so saith he, she is deceived with her new darling, as in pag. 122. so that according to the Devilish doctrine of this Author, the Devil can raise the dead, as Christ raised Laezarus and Dorcas, and cast out Devils, as Christ did; but to conclude, they that shall read his blasphemous and vain imaginations, and yet shall see therewithal the pretence of holy zeal in all his Discourse, may plainly behold in him the Devil turning himself into an Angel of Light to deceive the World. And so I leave this Cooper where I found him, namely, in a Stationer's shop, dear of taking up. Master Perkins answered. THere is yet another Author writing upon this subject of Witchcraft, well known to all, and that is M. Perkins, who because he was such a chosen instrument of preaching God's Word in his life, I blush to name him, lest some should think I go about to defame him so long after his death, whom I honour in his Grave; but yet to take away all suspicions in that kind, let every one know, that the Volume of Mr. Perkins his Works, in which is contained that Treatise of Witchcraft, was not put in print by himself, but were certain Writings found in his Study after his death, most of which were taught by him in the Pulpit in his Life-time, but, not all, and were put in press for the benefit of his Wife, who had but small means for her maintenance in her widowhood; which thing being well considered, it may well be questioned, whether that treatise of Witchcraft, was of his own writing or not, and if it was, yet it may well be questioned, whether he wrote it, with an intent to teach it for Truth openly, or only with an intent to confute such Heresies, as had formerly been delivered by Bodinus, Hiperius, and other popish writers, if he had lived, for if it be well considered and compared with those Authors, it is only a collection of mingled notions out of them, put into another Method; also it might be foisted in among his writings, by some Ignorant or Popish Heretic, who desired to bolster his Errors under the name of so famous an Instrument in the Church as Mr. Perkins was; also it might be added to his works, by those that were appointed by his Wife to put his works in print, either for the bolstering of their own Errors, or for the enlarging of the Volume, to make the Book sell the better; yea many ways Mr. Perkins may be clear from being the Author of that Treatise; But yet if some will still believe that it is his work, let them but compare it with the Scriptures, and see how little consonant it is with the Scriptures; he delivereth the common Error, that Witches can kill by Witchcraft, have made a league with the Devil, have the Devil at their call, that the Devil is ready at a watchword given him by the Witch to do mischief, and many such strange inventions, whereof there is not the least inkling in the Scriptures; and therefore need no farther confutation. Mr. Gaul answered. SInce the finishing of my Book, there is come to my hand the works of a fourth English Writer, Mr. ●ohn Gaul, a Minister of Staughton in Hun●ington shire, whom I find (in his zeal for God, & in his Religious hatred to the barbarous cruelty of this age, in persecuting the poor and innocent) much inclining to the Truth, and I cannot say of him, but his intentions were godly; but yet hath been so swayed by the common tradition of men, and the impetuousness of the times, and the authority of such Writers, as he calleth the learned, as that although he hath written some Truths (in preaching also whereof he hath done much good in God's Vineyard, in labouring to stay that bloody persecution on foot against the poor and Innocent) yet he hath much swerved from the Truth of this subject of Witches and Witchcraft, in that he yieldeth at all to the common contagion of Error that hath defiled the World, (not that Witches are, for that were my Error to deny, seeing the Scriptures do manifestly condemn them) but that Witches in the Scripture sense, are such as have made a familiar compact with the Devil, and receive power from him to kill and the like; I wonder (but that the hour of darkness is not yet fully passed) that so many Ministers should still wander in this darksome imagination; what least intimation or description of such a kind of Witch hath God given us in the Scriptures? or of Devils in the corporal shape of Imps, making a familiar compact with any of mankind, or any ground for such imaginary whimses of man's brain, what consequence is there in Logical dispute, or in Theological Principles, that he that denieth these fantasies, denieth that there is a Devil, and so finally that there is a God; the Scripture teacheth us that there is a God, and likewise a Devil, or Devils; but what Scripture speaketh of a familiar Devil, or Jmp? or that a Witch can kill by Witchcraft, or hurt either body or goods, by Witchcraft, by the Devil's help, either by God's permission or without? I rather think that this forsaking of the Scriptures, and delivering for Doctrine the traditions of Antichristian Popish Writers, is a forsaking of God, and consequently a denying of God; he saith he could instance from story, how many have had no Faith of Witches being, till their bewitched body or goods, hath served to unwitch them of their opinions and conceit; is this a Theological way of Argument to ground a Doctrine upon vain reports, and phantasms without Scriptures? yea flat contrary to the Scriptures? Deut. 32.39, 1 Sam. 2.6, 7. dare any man contrary to those and many places of Scripture (when he is afflicted in body or goods) ascribe ● a Witch (upon vain Fantasy, and carnal reason, superstitious imaginations, and foolish traditions) with●riptures, which by the Scriptures we are taught to 〈◊〉 only to God? yes, men dare do so, and Ministers dare 〈◊〉 so, And this is the condemnation, that light is come into ●●rld, and men love darkness rather than light. But now to 〈◊〉 to the man himself, of whom I have written sparingly. 〈◊〉 Gaul, if this work of mine shall come to your hand, as 〈◊〉 hath come to mine, be not angry with me for writing 〈◊〉 Truth, I am sure you shall get more estimation among 〈◊〉 Believers, more favour with God, and do more good in wrists Vine-yard by acknowledging your error, and by em●cing God's Truth, than by being carried away with the ●ams of these floods of iniquity that have over-flowed the ●istian world. You say in your second case, pag. 24. It is 〈◊〉 to observe any specifique difference of Witches, in 〈◊〉 you acknowledge the subject to be difficult to write 〈◊〉; Sir, I have given you full specifical descriptions of ●em according to the Scriptures, then although Sir, you be ●arned in other things, disdain not to learn of me the truth 〈◊〉 this subject, I doubt not, but if you had first read my Book, ●ur own Book had been more perfect, Suffer not a Witch to 〈◊〉; Prestigiatricem, a Juggling person, that worketh false Miracles to seduce the people to Idolatry, Exod. 22.18. Io●is destroying of Witches, 2 King. 23, 24. what was it but ●●lling down the Idols, with their Adjuncts, Oraclers, and ●uth-sayers, that were the Idol Priests that seduced the people? Examine the places which are your own quotations, 〈◊〉 Sir, I entreat you, in Christ's name, that as you have ●●en fervent for God's Cause with Apollo's, Act. 18.25. so learn 〈◊〉 me the way of God more perfectly, as he did of the Di●iples, vers. 26. farewell Sir, the Spirit of God be your fa●●iliar Spirit to guide you in the truth: Non qui●? Sed quid? Master Ciffard answered. THere is yet another Book come to my hand written by Mr. George Giffard, an able Minister of God's Word in Maldon, which because the common way of some man's arguing is by questioning, what say you to this? and what say you to that Author? therefore I will give a brief description of his Tenants, which are chiefly three; the first is, That a Witch can not by a Familiar, or by any craft, any way hurt, or weaken the life, health, or estate of any man, by bewitching with disease, or infirmity, either Man or Beast, or hurting his Goods; and this he proveth plainly by Scripture, and Reason. as I have also done in my Second Book of this Discourse. The second Tenent is, That Witches have Imps and Familiars. The third Tenent is, That these Familiars do nothing really, but only do deceive the Witch, by making her believe they do that which cometh to pass upon Man or Beast by Divine providence; but for these two last Tenants he doth not prove by Scripture as he did the first, nor yet affirm for truth, but only being overcome by the strength of common report, grounded upon the Confession of such as have been executed, he only yieldeth to those strong delusions which have deceived many, Hypothetically arguing, if Witches have such Imps or Familiars, they are only deceived by them; but herein is he not confident, and therefore these two last Tenants being not confirmed by him do confirm nothing, and for the first of the two, That Witches have Imps, is susficiently disproved in my Second Book, and that all their Confessions are no argument; then for the last Tenent, having reference to the first, it is in like manner nullified, for if they have no Imps, nor no Familiar, than they are not deceived by them, nor do believe or confess any such thing, wherein they seem to him to be deceived, any further than Confession is wrung from them▪ by them who are the deceivers of themselves and others, by the Deceiver of the World, that dwelleth in them, except sometimes by the depth of Melancholy, or distempered brain, as I have formerly demonstrated in my Second Book, and therefore need no further answer. So much for this Author who I believe had more of the Spirit of truth in him than many of his profession. Now for all that have written in that kind, I summon all Witchmongers to show me in the Old or New Testament, which are given as a rule of truth, the least inference of any such Doctrine as is delivered by them. Also, I desire any man of right understanding, to compare them with the Scriptures, and so compare also this my Book with the Scriptures, and to see which of them is most consonant with the Scriptures, and which is most dissonant from the Scriptures, and so to try them by God's touchstone of truth. The Conclusion. TO conclude, you that are convicted of your Errors, and yet do make a light matter of it, and lay it not to heart, was Cain and Ahab accursed for murdering of each of them one man, and do ye make it a light matter to have murdered thousands by your ignorant doctrine? What will it avail at the latter day, that ye have preached, and prayed, and spread forth your hands, and made great stir in pretence of Religion? If Christ shall say, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, and sh●dders of innocent blood? if thousands that are wrongfully slain shall rise up in Judgement against you, if it shall be said to many Ministers, and Preachers of the Word, in that ye have not taught against these abominations, ye are partakers in them. Causes of upholding the damnable Doctrine of Witches power. IF I did not aim at brevity, I might enlarge this Volume upon these particulars following, which I will only name and leave them, being the causes of upholding the opinion of Witches power. 1 Some Ministers for want of due examining of the Scriptures, have taught in the Pulpits unwarily, and inconsiderately, the Doctrine of Witches Power, as also some have published their Works in print. 2 Many Ministers although they are of the contrary opinion, yet have neglected to beat down the common fantastical conceit of people concerning Witches power. 3 The common hatred that all men do bear to a Witch, so that if any poor Creature hath the report of being a Witch, they join their hand with the rest in persecuting, blindly, without due consideration. 4 The false reports that are commonly raised in that kind concerning Witches, whereby men lead one another like wand'ring lost Sheep, to believe lies; it is certain it was done in such a place, I have credibly heard it. 5 Vain credulity, which all men are naturally prone unto ever since Adam's Fall, that is a Vice whereby men are subject to believe every lying report, being the ground of infidelity; Credula mens hominis, & erectae fabulis aures. 6 Infidelity, or not believing the Scriptures to be the only perfect rule of righteousness, and touchstone of truth. 7 Ignorance of the Scriptures, either by wresting them, or by neglecting to search them, or want of being able to read them, or wh●n they are read, want of ability to understand them; all such men may be led away with any opinion. 8 Generality of opinion maketh weak people, and ignorant to argue, sure it is safest to say, and think as others do. 9 Obstinacy in opinion in such as have some weak knowledge, let such be beaten from one Argument they will fly to another, and beat them from all Arguments, yet at last th●y will still hold their opinion. 10 Melancholy, which frameth much representation in the mind of any terrible report or doctrine (though it be groundless and false) and causeth it to take great impression in the deluded understanding. 11 Timerousness, whereby men like little Children, and Women especially, are afraid of every idle fantastical report that they hear of Witches power, especially if they be alone in the dark. 12 Cracked Fantasy, whereby many a man or woman, specially in Sickness have strange Apparitions either in bed, or abroad, which they report to silly people, and are believed, whereas it is nothing but their broken and hurt fancy, occasioned in some by sickness or distemper, in some by much Drunkenness, in some by a blow on the head, and in Scholars sometimes by overmuch study, whereby they presently conceit, and are judged by others to be bewitched, or at least to be pursued by a Witch, or by a Witches Imps, and judge so themselves. 13 People that are handled by strange Diseases, as Children in Convulsion Fits, or Women in Fits of the Mother, and the like, are by ignorant beholders; and sometimes by ignorant Physicians said to be bewitched, as were Frogmortens Children said to be falsely. 14 Old Wives Fables, who sit talking, and chatting of many false old Stories of Witches, and Fairies, and Robin Goodfellow, and walking Spirits, and the Dead walking again; all which lying fancies people are more naturally inclined to listen after than to the Scriptures. 15 Another abominable cause is the suffering of Impostors to live, such as silly people call Cunning men, who will undertake to tell them who hath bewitched them, who, and which of their Neighbours it was, by the delusions of such Impostors, many poor innocent people are branded with a report of being Witches, by reason of which report coming first from a Witch, they are in process of time suspected, accused, arraigned, and hanged. A Reference to Mr. Scots Treatise of Spirits, and also the Opinion of Luther concerning Devils. I Might further enlarge this Volume with a Treatise of Spirits, or the nature of Devils, concerning which people have much abused themselves for want of knowledge in the Scriptures, but for brevity I refer the Reader to Mr. Scot, who hath excellently written in the latter end of his Discovery of Witchcraft, a Discourse called, A Treatise of Spirits; also I thought good to add in brief the words of Luther concerning Devils, which are these; De phreneticis sic sentio, omnes moriones & qui usu rat●on●s privantur à daemonibus vexari, non quod ideo damnati sunt, sed quod variis modis Satan homines tentat, alios gravius, alios lenius, alios longius, quod medici multa ajusmodi tribuunt naturalibus causis, & remediis aliquando mitigant, fit quod ignorant quanta sit potentia & jus daemonum. Christus non dubitat, curvam illam anum in Evangelio, vinctam a Satana dicere; & Petrus Actorum decimo, oppressos a Diabolo dicit, quos Christ us sanarat, ita etiam multos surdos, claudos malitia Satanae tales esse, Deo tamen premittente; denique pests, febres, atque alios graves morbos opera daemoniorum esse, qui & tempestates incendia frugum calamitates operantur vere affirmamus; Summa mali sunt Angeli, quid mi●um, si omnia faciunt mala humano generi noxia & pericula intentent, quatinus Deus premittit; etiamsi plurima talia herbis, & aliis remediis naturalibus curari possunt, volente Deo, & miserente nostri, exemplum jobi endicat, quae passus sit a Satana, quae medicus omnia naturaliter fieri, & curari assereret; sciendum est igitur phreneticos a Satana tentari saltem temporaliter, an Satan non faceret phreneticos? qui corda replet fornication, coede, rapinae, & omnibus pravis affectibus; summa, Satan proprior nobis est quam ullus credere possit, cum sanctissimis sit propinquissimus adeo, ut ipsum Paulum colaphizare & Christum vehere possit quorsum libet. These are the words of Luther, and where he saith at the last, that the Devil could carry Christ whither he listed, it is his error, for the Devil did not carry him at all, but led him by temptation, as appeareth, Luke 4. and as I have more at large written in my Second Book, in my answer to the Sixth Objection, if you look back to it; yet from this brief Discourse of Luther may be observed, That the Devil may be said to be an instrument in all Diseases, crosses, and calamities, as Luther proveth by the Story of job, and the saying of Christ concerning the woman, Luke 13.11.16. and as is expressed, 2 Thess. 2.18. Luke 11.14. but yet it must necessarily be true that the Devil is God's Instrument in all these afflictions, as job acknowledgeth in all his afflictions, ascribing all to God, Chap. 1.22.2.10.9.34. and God claimeth these things as his own Prerogatives, Leu. 26. Deut. 32.39. From all which it is fully concluded, That the Devil is only God's instrument to afflict and tempt the righteous, to afflict, tempt, and torment the wicked, and in all this doth nothing but by God's peculiar dispensation, not by a bare permission, nor by the appointment of a Witch; whatsoever some have written more concerning the nature of Devils, as that there are Incubus, and Succubus, the He Devil, and the She Devil, that the Devil maketh a League with Witches, and that the Devil is the Witches Instrument as well as Gods, and that by God's permission; that the Devil walketh in Churchyards and near Sepulchers, and in desolate places; that he is black, that he assumeth a Corporal shape, that he hath a Cloven Foot, that he walketh in the dark Nights, that he sometime roareth, and maketh a fearful noise, that he useth to scare people in Woods and Fields, that there are fiery, airy, earthy, and watery Devils, that there are degrees, orders, and supremacies among Devils, that some are greater in power than others; these are all dissonant to Scripture, and are only the vain fancies of men, who delight to fill the world with Fables. And whereas some do argue from Matthew 12.24 that some Devils are greater in power than others, and also in degree and superiority, because Beelzebub is there called, The Prince of Devils, it is to be understood that the Pharisees called him the Prince of Devils, because Baalzebub was the chief Idol by which the Israelites had been defiled sometimes, and was by them called therefore, the chief Devil, or the Prince of Devils, and was called by them Beelzebub, by an Antithisis, putting e for a, which Idol was spoken of, 1 Kings, 1.2. and Beza and Tremellius do both agree in that Exposition, that it is meant of Baalzebub, if we look their Notes upon Matthew 10.25. and Beelzebub may be interpreted, The Prince of Flies, not because Devils are Flies (as some imagine in the Story of Francis Spirah) but because his Temple was pestered with Flies, through the smell of the abundance of Flesh that was there spent daily, and also because the Country being much troubled with Flies, the people used to seek to that Idol for help against that annoyance of Fries, saith Beza. Lucifer is also by some thought to be the chief among Devils, and that when he fell, all his Angels fell with him, from that place in Isa. 14.12, 13, 14, 15. but that is only an Allegorical exposition of the fall and exile of Nabuchadnezzar, who is there Metaphorically called Lucifer, because of his pride, in exalting himself as far above others in his own thought, as the bright Morning Star exceedeth other Stars. He that would read these things more at large handled, may read Mr. Scot aforesaid, as also a little Book, called, The Deacon of Spirits. An Instruction for Lawyers. YOu that are learned in the Laws of the Land, are commonly found to be the most able and worthy to be Judges of the people, and these Laws which are the rule of Justice, are concluded by you, all to be exceeding good Laws; and therefore it must needs follow that such opinions as do make these Laws of no validity are absurd opinions, therefore I am bold to state two Questions, or Cases, and leave them to your Wisdoms. I. A man is found dead in the Fields, who a little before went out well; another man being his Adversary is questioned for his Life, as being suspected to have murdered him; this man proving that he was a hundred, or two hundred miles from the place where and when the man died, is quit by the Law. I demand then, what Justice is in that Law that quiteth him, if he might send the Devil, or leave order with the Devil or with his Imps, to Witch him to death at that time? II. Two men strive together, one overcometh and beateth the other, who presently sickneth, and within three days dyeth; the other is questioned by the Law for his Life; what Justice were in this Law, if an old Witch hating one, or both of them, and seeing opportunity should have power to witch the one to death, that so she might cause the other to be Hanged for him? FINIS.