A Guide to Grand-jury Men, Book 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Who they be that are most subiect to be hurt by these bad Witches: and of the remedies against Witchcraft.
See Master Cooper his Treatise of Witches. Lib. 2. cap. 1. sect. 4.THough God may try his dearest children this way, yet it is very seldome, and vponupon their goods rather then vponupon their bodies: yet sometimes it hath beene found, that they hauehave preuailed to the taking away of the life of some, who hauehave been reputed religious.
Such as vsually & most commonly are plagued by them, are,
1. Carnall Gospellers, such as professe religion…, without the power of religion, New…rals, Time-seruers, very worldlings, Libertines, Profane, OnelyOnly Outsides, Lukewarme Laodiceans, and such like.
II. Grosly superstitious, Ier. 10.2. For superstitious obseruations. See Delrio, l. 3. par 2. q. 4. s. 3, 4. p. 447, 459.heathenish obseruers of times, of good or bad lucke, or vnlucky dayes, being dismayed at signes, as at the power of Planets: so when they stumble at first going out at the doores, when they meete with a splay-footed woman, or a Hare crossing them, when they put on 1. hose or shoo before another, as the left before the right, their bleeding suddenly at the nose, their burning of their eare or cheeke, right or left, the falling of salt, the croaking of Rauens, the chattering of Magpies, with a thousand of other heathenish obseruations.
III. Such as vponupon any manner of crosse are easily led away to thinke themselues bewitched: for wee commonly finde where people least suspect such, there is the most freedome from such.
IV. Those that most feare them, whom they doe suspect to bee Witches, and for feare doe giuegive something vntounto them. For such are often paid home for this their feare of man, when (it may be) in their course of life, they feare neither God nor Diuell, bu… liue very licenciously.
The veritie of these things wil appeare, by obseruing commonly such as bee bewitched and by considering what manner of persons they bee for the most part.
Therefore to preuent the power of Diuels, & whatsoeuer Witches can doe, let vsus labour,
1. To entertaine and vphold the preaching of the Gospell. For where it commeth, downe goeth the power of Witchery, Act. 8. & 13. Histories tell vsus, where the Gospell came amongst the Heathen, there this hellish power of Deuils and spirits, greatly diminished:Bodi…. l. 3. c. 1. p. 230. as in Norway, and those other Northerne coasts. And doe we not see, that where the Word is faithfully preached, and people obedient thereto, how these places are, either not at all, or very rarely troubled with Witches? Where Poperie and prophanenesse is, with contempt of preaching, or vile neglect thereof, there such miscreants are rife.Num. 23.23. In or against either reading. For surely there is no Inchantment in Iacob, nor any Diuination in Israel.
II. With outward meanes labour to bring forth fruits worthy the Gospell, and amendment of life: for God hedgeth the vertuous man about, Iob 1. so as Satan cannot come at him, without very speciall licence from God, and that onelyonly for a triall: The Angels of God doe also pitch their Tents about such, Psal. 34. yea, and hauehave charge ouer them to keepe them in their waies, Psal. 91.11, 12.
III. To hauehave holy and Religious duties in our families, to pray with them rising vp, and lying downe, and to lift vp our hearts in holy and heauenly eiaculations in our going out, and in performing the duties of our particular callings: For, Pray continually, saith the Apostle, 1. Thes. 5. And Saint Iames telleth vsus, that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much,Iam. 5.16. if it bee feruent. Dauid did not onelyonly serue God openly in the Tabernacle, but returned home, to blesse his house, 2. Sam. 6.20. And Iob eueryevery day sacrificed to God, and sanctified his children and family, Chap. 1.5. And God gaue to Israel a Law to sanctifie their houses.
IV. To goe euer well armed against these rulers of darkenesse, Deuils and euill spirits, furnished with the heauenly furniture and spirituall weapons, of which the Apostle speaketh, Ephe. 6.14, 18.
V. Being thus qualified, and thus armed, to trust in God only, who will keepe thee vnderunder the shadow of his wings, Psal. 91. and feare no Witches, nor Deuils; knowing euer this, that they cannot doe the very least harme to any of the least creatures of God, without leaue from him: no, not to enter into the Swine of the very Gadarens. Therefore rest on him, and when any crosse happeneth, say with an holy subiection to his will, It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good, 2. Sam. 15.26. It is the Lord that giueth, it is the Lord that taketh away, blessed bee the name of the Lord, Iob 1.21.