The Damned Art of Witchcraft, Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of the Nature of Witchcraft.
TO begin with the first: According to the true meaning of all the places of holy Scripture which treate of this point, it may be thus described:
Witchcraft is a wicked Arte, seruing for the working of wonders, by the assistance of the Deuill, so farre forth as God shall in iustice permit.
Sect. I.
I say it is an Arte, because it is commonly so called and esteemed amongst men, and there is reason why it should be thus tearmed. For as in all good and lawfull arts, the whole practise thereof is performed by certaine rules and precepts, and without them nothing can be done: so Witchcraft hath certaine superstitious grounds and principles whereupon it standeth, and by which alone the seats and practises thereof are commonly performed.
If it be demaunded, what these rules be, and whence they had their beginning, considering that eueryevery Arte hath reference to some author, by whom it was originally taught and deliuered? I answer, that they weare deuised first by Satan, and by him reuealed to wicked and vngodly persons of auncient times, as occasion serued: who receiuing them from him, became afterward, in the iust iudgement of God, his instruments to report and conuey them to others from hand to hand.
For manifestation whereof, it is to be considered, that God is not onelyonly in generall a Soueraigne Lord and King ouer all his creatures, whether in heauen or earth, none excepted, no not the deuills themselues; but that he exerciseth also a speciall kingdome, partly of grace in the Church militant vponupon earth, and partly of glorie ouer the Saints and Angels, members of the Church triumphant in heauen. Now in like manner the Deuill hath a kingdome, called in Scripture the kingdom of darknes, whereof himselfe is the head and gouernour, for which cause he is tearmeda…. 12. the Prince of darknes, b2. Cor. ….the God of this world, ruling and effectually working in the hearts of the children of disobedience.
Againe, as God hath enacted Laws, whereby his kingdome is gouerned, so hath the deuill his ordinances, whereby he keepeth his subiects in awe and obedience, which generally and for substance, are nothing else but transgressions of the very lawe of God. And amongst thē all, the precepts of Witchcraft are the very chiefe and most notorious. For by them especially he holds vp his kingdome, and therefore more esteemeth the obedience of them, then of other. Neither doth he deliuer them indifferently to eueryevery man, but to his owne subiects, the wicked; and not to them all, but to some speciall and tried ones, whome he most betrusteth with his secrets, as beeing the fittest to serue his turne, both in respect of their willingnesse to learne and practise, as also for their abilitie to become instruments of the mischiefe, which he intendeth to others.
If it be here asked, whence the deuill did fetch and conceiue his rules? I answer, out of the corruption and deprauation of that great measure of knowledge he once had of God, and of all the duties of his seruice. For that beeing quite depraued by his fall, he turnes the same to the inuenting and deuising of what he is possibly able, against God and his honour. Hereupon, well perceiuing that God hath expressely commanded to renounce, and abhorre all practises of Whitchcraft, he hath set abroach this art in the world, as a maine pillar of his kingdome, which notwithstanding is flatly and directly opposed to one of the maine principall lawes of the kingdome of God, touching the seruice of himselfe in spirit and truth.Ioh. 4. …4.
Againe, the reason why he conueies these vngodly principles and practises from man to man is, because he finds in experience, that things are farre more welcome and agreeable to the common nature of mankinde, which are taught by man like vntounto themselues, then if the deuill should personally deliuer the same to each man in speciall. Hereupon, he takes the course at first to instruct some fewe onelyonly, who beeing taught by him, are apt to conuey that which they know to others. And hence in probabilitie this deuillish trade, had his first originall and continuance.
Sect. II.
In the second place, I call it a wicked art, …o distinguish it from all…good and lawfull a…s, taught in schooles of learnin… which … they are war…antable by the word of God▪ so are they no lesse profitable and necessary in the Church. Againe, to shewe the nature and quali…ie of …, that it is a most vngracious and wicked art, as appear…th by the Scriptures.… For when Saul had broken the expresse commandement of God▪ in sparing Agag, and the best things, Samuel tells him, th…t rebellion and disobedience is as the sinne of Witchcraft, that is, a most horrible and …, like vntounto that wicked, capitall, and … sinne, 1. Sam. 15. 23.
Sect. III.
Thirdly, I …dde▪ te…ing to the working or producing of wonders, wherein is noted the pro…er ende of this art, whereby I put a further difference betweene it, and others that are godly and lawfull.
Now if question be mooued, why man should desire … Witchcraft to worke wonders … the true and proper cause is … first temptation, whereby the deuill preuailed against our first parents, had inclosed within it many sinnes: for the eating of the forbidden fruit, was no small or single offence, but as some hauehave taught, contained in it the breach of eueryevery commandement of the Morall lawe. Amongst the rest, Satan laboured to bring them to the sinne of discontentment, whereby they sought to become as Gods; that is, better then God had made them, not resting content with the condition of men. … his sinne was then learned▪ and could neuer since b… forgotten, but continually is deriued from them to al their poster…ie, and now is become so common a corruption in the whole nature of flesh and blood, that there is scarce a man to be found; vvho is not originally tainted therevvith as he is a man.
This corruption shevves it selfe principally in tvvo things, both vvhichwhich are the maine causes of the practises of Witchcraft.
First, in mans outwardest…e; for▪ lie beeing naturally possessed with a louelove of himselfe, and an high conceit of his owne deseruing, when he liues in base and low estate, whether in regard of pouertie, or want of honour and reputation, which he thinkes by right is due vntounto him: he then growes to some measure of griefe and sorrow within himselfe. Hereupon, he is mooued to yeeld himselfe to the deuill, to be his vassall and scholler in this wicked art, supposing that by the working of some wonders, he may be able in time to releeue his pouerty, and to purchase to himselfe credit and countenance amongst men.
It were easie to shew the truth of this, by examples of some persons, who by these meanes hauehave risen from nothing, to great places and preferments in the world. In stead of all, it appeareth in certain Popes of Rome,Pla…a de vit. Po…t▪ in vita Sil… ▪ 2. …aleus in Act. Rom. Pont lib. 5. & lib. 6. as Syluester the second, Benedict the eight, Alexander the sixt, Iohn the …0. and twentie one, &c. who for the attayning of the Popedom (as histories record) gaue thēselues to the deuil in the practise of witchcraft, that by the working of wonders, they might rise frō one step of honour to another, vntill they had seated themselues in the chaire of the Papacie. So great was their desire of eminencie in the Church, that it caused them to dislike meaner conditions of life, and neuer to cease aspiring, though they incurred thereby the hazard of good conscience, and the losse of their soules.
The scond degree of discontentment,August. confess. l. 10. c. 35 is in the minde and inward man; and that is curiositie, when a man resteth not satisfied with the measure of inward gifts receiued, as of knowledge, wit, vnderstanding, memorie, and such like, but aspires to search out such things as God would hauehave kept secret: and hence he is mooued to attempt the cursed art of Magicke and witchcraft, as a way to get further knowledge in matters secret and not reueiled, that by working of wonders, he may purchase fame in the world, and consequently reape more benefit by such vnlawfull courses, then in likelihood he could hauehave done, by ordinarie and lawfull meanes.
Sect. IV.
Fourthly, it is affirmed in the description, that Witchcraft is practised by the assistance of the Deuill, yet the more fully to distinguish it from all good, lawfull, and commendable arts. For in them experience teacheth, that the Arts-master is able by himselfe to practise his art, & to doe things belonging thereunto, without the help of another. But in this it is otherwise; for here the worke is done by the helpe of another, namely, the Deuill, who is confederate with the Witch. The power of effecting such strange works, is not in the art, neither doth it flow from the skill of the sorcerer, man-or-woman, but is deriued wholly▪ from Satan, and is brought into execution by vertue of mutuall consederacie▪ betweene him and the Magician.
Now that this part of the description may be more clearely manifested, … procede to a further point, … kind of wonders they be which are ordinarily wrought by the ministerie and power of the deuill.
§ 1. Wonders therefore be of two sorts; either true and plaine, or lying and deceitfull.
A true wonder is a rare worke, done by the power of God simply, either aboue, or against the power of nature, and it is properly called a miracle. The Scripture is plentifull in examples of this kind. Of this sort, was the deuiding of the redde sea, and making it drie land by a mighty east wind, that the children of Israel might passe through it, Exod. 14. 21. For though the East wind be naturall of great force to mooue the waters, and to drie the earth; yet to part the sea asunder, and to make the waters to stand as walls on each side, and the bottome of the sea as a pauement, this is a worke simply aboue the naturall power of any wind, and therefore is a miracle. Again, such were the wonders done by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh in Egypt, one whereof, in stead of many, was the turning of Aarons rodde into a serpent, a worke truely miraculous. For it is aboue the power of naturall generation, that the substance of on creature should be really turned into the substance of another, as the substance of a roode into the substance of a serpent. Of the like kinde, were the standing of the Sunne in the firmament without moouing in his course, for a whole day, losh. 10. 13. the going backe of the Sunne in the firmament tenne degrees, 2. King. 20. 11. the preseruation of the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the midst of the hoat fierie fornace, Dan. 3. 25. and of Daniel in the lyons den, Dan. 6. 22. the feeding of fiue thousand men, beside women and children, with fiue loaues and two fishes, Matth. 14. 20. 21. the curing of the eyes of the bling man, with spittle and clay tempered together, Ioh. 9. 6. 7. &c.
Now the effecting of a miracle in this kind, is a work proper to God onelyonly; and no creature, man, or Angel, can doe any thing either aboue or contrarie to nature, but he alone which is the Creator. For as God in the beginning made all things of nothing, so he hath reserued to himselfe, as a peculiar work of his almightie power, to change or abolish the substance, propertie, motion and vse of any creature. The reason is, because he is the author and creator of nature, and therefore at his pleasure, is perfectly able to command, restraine, enlarge, or extend the power & strēgth thereof, without the helpe or assistance of the creature.
Againe, the working of a miracle is a kind of creation, for therein a thing is made to be, which was not before. And this must needs be proper to God alon, by whose power, things that are, were once produced out of things that did not appeare. The conclusion therefore must needs be this, which Dauid confesseth in the Psalme: God onelyonly doth wondrous things, Psalme 136. 4. that is, works simply wonderfull.
But it is alleadged to the contrarie, that the Prophets in the old Testament, and the Apostles in the new, did worke miracles. I answer, they did so, but how? not by their owne power, but by the power of God, beeing onelyonly his instruments, whom he vsed for some speciall purpose in those works: and such as did not themselues cause the miracle, but God in and by them. The same doth Peter and Iohn acknowledge, when they had restored the lame man to the perfect vse of his limmes, that by their power and godlinesse, they had not made the man to goe, Act. 3. 13.
Againe, it is obiected, that our Sauiour Christ in his manhood wrought many miracles, as those before mentioned, and many more. Ans. Christ as he was man did something in the working of miracles, but not all. For in eueryevery miraculous worke there be two things, the worke it sel…e, and the acting or dispensing of the work: the work it selfe, being for nature and substance miraculous, considering it was aboue or against the order of natural causes, did not proceed …rom Christ as man, but from him as God; but the dispensation of the same, in this or that visible manner… to the viewe of men, was done and performed by his manhood. For example; The raising vp of Lazarus out of the graue, hauing beene dead foure daies, was a miracle… to the effecting whereof, both the Godhead & the manhood of Christ …ō curred, by their seueral & distinct actiōs. The manhood onelyonly vttered the voice, and bad Lazarus come forth, but it was the godhead of Christ that fetched his soule from heauen, and put it againe into his bodie, yea, which gaue life and power to Lazarus, to heare the voice vttered, to rise and come forth. Ioh. 11. 43. In like manner, when he gaue sight to the blinde, Matth. 20. 34. he touched their eyes with the hands of his manhood, but the power of opening them, and making them to see, came from his Godhead, whereby he was able to doe all things. And in all other miraculous workes which he did, the miracle was alwaies wrought by his diuine power onelyonly; the outward actions and circumstances that accompanied the same, proceeded from him as he was man.
Now, if Christ as he is man, cannot worke a true miracle, then no meere creature can doe it, no not the Angels themselues, and consequently not Satan, it beeing a meere supernaturall worke, performed onelyonly by the omnipotent power of God.
§ 2. The second sort of wonders, are lying and deceitfull, which also are extraordinarie workes in regard of man, because they proceed not from the vsuall and ordinarie course of nature: and yet they be no miracles, because they are done by the vertue of nature, and not aboue or against nature simply, but aboue and against the ordinarie course thereof: and these are properly such wonders, as are done by Satan and his instruments; examples whereof wee shall see afterwards.
If any man in reason thinke it not likely, that a creature should be able to worke extraordinarily by naturall means, he must remember, that though God hath reserued to himselfe alone the power of abolishing and changing nature, the order whereof he set and established in the creation, yet the alteration of the ordinarie course of nature, he hath put in the power of his strongest creatures, Angels and deuills. That the Angels hauehave receiued this power, and doe execute the same vponupon his command or permission, it is manifest by Scripture, and the proofe of it is not so necessarie in this place. But that Satan is able to doe extraordinarie workes by the helpe of nature (which is the question in hand) it shall appeare, if we consider in him these things.
First, the Deuil is by nature a spirit, & therfore of great vnderstanding, knowledge, & capacitie in all naturall things, of what sort, qualitie, & cōdition soeuer, whether they be causes or effects, whether of a simple or mixt nature. By reason whereof he can search more deeply & narrowly into the grounds of things, then all corporall creatures that are clothed with flesh and blood.
Secondly, he is an auncient spirit, whose skil hath beene confirmed by experience of the course of nature, for the space almost of sixe thousand yeares. Hence he hath attainted to the knowledge of many secrets, and by long obseruation of the effects, is able to discern and iudge of hidden causes in nature, which man in likelyhood cannot come vntounto by ordinarie meanes, for want of that opportunitie both of vnderstāding and experience. Hereupon it is, that whereas in nature there be some properties, causes, and effects, which man neuer imagined to be; others, that men did once know, but are now forgot; some, which men knewe not, but might know; and thousands which can hardly, or not at all be known: all these are most familiar vntounto him, because in themselus they be no wonders, but only misteries and secrets, the vertue and effect whereof he hath sometime obserued since his creation.
Thirdly, he is a spirit of wonderfull power and might, able to shake the earth, and to confound the creatures inferiour to him in nature and condition, if he were not restrained by the omnipotent power of God. And this power, as it was great by his creation, so it is not impayred by his fall, but rather increased and made more forcible by his irreconciliable malice he beareth to mankind, specially the seede of the woman.
Fourthly, there is in the deuil an admirable quicknes and agilitie, proceeding from his spirituall nature, whereby he can very speedily and in a short spoce of time, conuay himselfe and other creatures into places farre distant one from another. By these …ower helpes, Satan is inabled to doe strange workes. Strange I say to man, whose knowledge since the fall is mingled with much ignorance, euen in naturall things; whose experience is of short continuance, and much hindered by forgetfulnes; whose agilitie by reason of his grosse nature, is nothing, if he had not the helpe of other creatures; whose power is but weaknes and infirmity in comparison of Satans.
… if their be any further doubt, how Satan can by these helpes worke wonders, we may be resolued of the truth thereof by considering three other things. First, that by reason of his great knowledge and skill in nature he is able to apply creature to creature, and the causes efficient to the matter, and therby bring things to passe, that are in common conceit impossible.
Secondly, he hath power to mooue them, not onelyonly according to the ordinary course, but with much more speed and celeritie.
Thirdly, as he can apply and mooue, so by his spirituall nature he is able, if God permit, to conuey himselfe into the substance of the creature, without any penetration of dimensions: and beeing in the creature, although it be neuer so solide, he can worke therein, not onelyonly according to the principles of the nature thereof, but as farre as the strength and abilitie of those principles will possibly reach and extend themselues. Thus it appeareth, that the deuill can in generall worke wonders.
§ 3. Now more particularly, the deuills wonders are of two sorts. Illusions, or reall actions.
An illusion is a worke of Satan, wherby he deludeth or deceiueth man. And it is two-fold; either of the outward senses, or of the minde. An illusion of the outward senses,August de …. c. 18. is a worke of the deuil, wherby he makes a man to thinke that he heareth, seeth, feeleth or toucheth such things as indeede he doth not. This the deuill can easily doe diuers waies, euen by the strength of nature. For example, by corrupting the instruments of sense, as the humor of the eye, &c. or by altering and changing the ayre, which is the meanes whereby we see, and such like.
Experience teacheth vsus, that the deuill is a skilfull practitioner in this kind, though the means whereby he worketh such feats, be vnknowne vntounto vsus. In this manner Paul affirmeth that the Galatians were deluded, whē he saith, O foolish G…latians who hath bewitched you? Gal. 3. 1. Where he vseth a word*foreign borrowed from the practise of witches and sorcerers, who vse to cast a miste (as it were) before the eyes to dazle them, and make things to appeare vntounto them which indeede they doe not see: and the ground of Pauls comparison is that which hee takes for a graunted truth, that there be such delusions whereby mens senses are and may be corrupted by Satanicall operation.
Thus againe the deuill by the Witch of Endor deceiued Saul in the appearance of Samuel, …. Sam. 28. making him beleeue that it had beene Samuel indeed, whereas it was but a mere coun…erfeit of him, as shal appeare hereafter. Againe, the deuill knowing the constitutions of men, and the particular diseases whereunto they are inclined, taks the vantage of some, and secondeth the nature of the disease by the cōcurrence of his owne delusion, thereby corrupting the imagination, and working in the minde a strong perswasion, that they are become, that which in truth they are not. This is apparant in that disease▪ which is tearmed Lycanthropia, where some, hauing their brains possessed and distempered with melancholy, hauehave verily thought themselues to bee wolues, and so behaued themselues. And the Histories of men in former ages, hauehave recorded strange testimonies of some, that hauehave been thus turned into wolues, lyons, dogges birds, and other creatures, which could not be really in substance, but onelyonly in appearance, and phantasie corrupted, and so these records are true. For God in his iust iudgement, may suffer some men so to be bewitched by the deuill, that to their conceit th…y may seeme to be like these bruit beaste, though indeede they remaine true … still. For it i… a worke surmounting the deuills power, to change the substance of any one creature, into the substance of another. By this kind of delusion the Church of Rome, in the times of blindnesse and ignorance, hath taken great aduantage, and much encreased her riches and honour. For there be three points of the religion of that Church, to wi…e, Rurgatorie, Inuocation of … Saints, and honouring of Reliques, whereby she hath notably inriched her selfe, all which had their first foundation from these and such like Satanicall impostures. For the onelyonly way, whereby they hauehave brought the common sort to yeeld vntounto them, both for beleefe and practise, hath beene by deluding their outward sense…, with false apparitions of ghosts and soules of men, walking and ranging abroad after their departure, and such like… wherby simple persons, ignorant of their fetches and delusions, hauehave beene much affrighted, a…d caused thorough extremitie of feare and dread, to purchase their owne peace and securitie, by many and great expenses. And indeede these were the strongest arguments that euer they had, and which most preuailed with the common people, as is manifest in stories of all nations and ages, where such deceits hauehave taken place, though oftentimes by the iust iudgement of God, they were taken in their craft, and their feat… reuealed.
The second kind of illusion, is of the minde, whereby the deuill deceiues the minde, and makes a man thinke that of himselfe which is not true. Thus experience teacheth, that he hath deluded men both in former and latter times, who hauehave auouched and professed themselues to be kings, or the sonnes of Kings. Yea, some hauehave holden themselues to be Christ, some to be Elias, some to be Iohn the Baptist, and some extraordinarie Prophets. And the like concei…s hauehave entred into the minds of sundrie Witches, by the suggestion and perswasion of the deuill. To whome, when they hauehave wholly resigned their soules and bodies, they hauehave beene mooued to beleeue things impossible touching themselues, as that they hauehave indeed beene changed into other creatures, as catts, birds, mise, &c. The inquisitions of Spaine & other countries, wherein these and such like things are recorded touching Witches really metamorphosed into such creatures, cannot be true; considering that it is not in the power of the deuill, thus to change substāces into other substāces. And those conuersions recorded by them, were onelyonly Satans illusions, wherewith the mindes of Witches were possessed, and nothing else; which though they were extraordinarie, (as the rest of this kinde are) yet they went not beyond the power of nature.
The second sort of the deuills wonders, are reall workes, that is, such as are indeede that which they seeme and appeare to be. These, howsoeuer to men that knowe not the natures of things, nor the secret and hidden causes thereof, they may seeme very strange and admirable, yet they are no true miracles, because they are not aboue and beyond the power of nature.
If it be here alleadged, that the deuils workes are not reall and true actions, because the holy Ghost calleth them Lying wonders, 2. Thes. 2. 9. I answer, that they are called Lying wonders, not in respect of the workes themselues, for they were workes truely done and effected; but in regard of the deuills end and purpose in working thē, which is to lie vntounto men, and by them to deceiue. The truth of which point will appeare in the viewe of some particular examples.
First▪ we read in the historie of Iob,Iob. 1. 16. that Satan brought downe fire from heauen, which burnt vp Iobs sheep and seruants; and caused a mightie winde to blowe downe the house vponupon his children,…er. 19. as they were feasting, to destroy them. Againe, he smot the bodie of Iob with botches and boyles. All these were true & reall works, very strange & admirable, and yet no miracles, because they exceeded not the compasse of nature. For first, when he cast downe the fire from heauen, he did not create the fire of nothing, for that is a worke proper to God alone, but applied creature to creature, and therefore produced such a matter as was fit to make fire of. If it be demanded, how he is able to doe this? we must remember, that his knowledge in naturall causes is great, and therefore he was not ignorant of the materiall cause of fire, which beeing throughly knowne and founde out, Satan brought fire vntounto it, and so putting fire to the matter of fire, he brought it downe by his power and agilitie from heauen, vponupon the cattell and seruants of Iob. Againe, the winde which blewe downe the house, where his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking, was not created by the deuill, but he knowing well the matter wherof winds are generated naturally, added matter to matter, and thence came the winde; whereunto he ioynes himselfe, beeing a spirit of a swift and speedie nature, and so makes it, for his own purpose, the more violent and forcible. Thirdly, he smote Iobs bodie with sore boyles, from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote. Now this may seeme strange, that he should hauehave such power ouer mans body, as to cause such diseases to breed in it. Therefore we are further to vnderstand, that his knowledge extendeth it selfe to the whole frame and disposition of mans bodie, whereby it comes to passe, that the causes of all diseases are well knowne vntounto him, and he is not ignorant ho…e the humours in the bodie may be putrified, and what corrupt humours will breede such and such diseases, and by what meanes the aire it selfe may be infected: hereupon preparing his matter, and applying cause to cause, he practised vponupon the bodie of Iob, and filled him with grieuous sores.
Another example of Satans reall workes is this. By reason of his great power and skill, he is able to appeare in the forme and shape of a man, and resemble any person or creature, and that not by deluding the senses, but by assuming to himselfe a true body. His power is not so large, as to create a bodie, or bring againe a …oule into a bodie, yet by his dexteritie and skill in naturall causes he can worke wonderfully. For he is able, hauing gathered together fit matter, to ioyne member to member, and to make a true bodie, either after the likenes of man, or some other creature; and hauing so done, to enter into it, to mooue and stirre it vp and downe, and therein visibly and sensibly to appeare vntounto man; which though it be a strange worke, and besides the ordinarie course of nature, yet it is not simply aboue the power thereof.
For a third instance. The deuill is able to vtter a voice in plaine words and speach, answerable to mans vnderstanding in any language. Not that he can take vntounto himselfe beeing a spirit, an immeadiate power to speake or frame a voyce of nothing without meanes, but knowing the naturall and proper causes and meanes by which men doe speake, by them he frames in himselfe the voyce of a man, and plainely vtters the same in a knowne language. In this manner he abused the tongue and mouth of the serpent, when in plaine words he tempted Eue to eate the forbidden fruit. Now it is to be remembred here, that when the deuill speakes in a creature, it must be such a creature, as hath the instruments of speach, or such whereby speach may be framed and vttered, not otherwise: for it was neuer heard that he spake in a stocke or a stone, or any created entity, that had not the meanes and power of vttering a voice, at least in some sort; it beeing a worke peculiar to the Creator, to giuegive power of vtterance where it is not by creation. Againe, when he frameth a voice in a creature, he doth it not by giuing immediate power to speake, for that he cannot doe, and the creature abused by him, remaineth in that regard, as it was before. But it beeing naturally fitted and disposed to vtter a voice, though not perfectly to speake as a man, he furthereth and helpeth nature in it, and addeth to the facultie thereof a present vse of words, by ordering and ruling the instruments to his intended purposes. And to conclude this point, looke what strange workes and wonders may be truely effected by the power of nature, (though they be not ordinarily brought to passe in the course of nature) those the deuill can do, & so farre forth as the power of nature will permit, he is able to worke true wonders, though for a false and euill ende.
Here a question is mooued by some, whether the deuil can change one creature into another, as a man or woman into a beast? for some, notwithstanding the doctrine alreadie taught, are of opinion, that he can turne the bodies of Witches into other creatures, as hares, cattes, and such like. Ans. The transmuta…ion of the substance of one creature into another, as of a man into a beast of what kind soeuer, is a worke simply aboue the power of nature, and therefore cannot be done by the deuil, or any creature. For it is the proper worke of God alone, as I hauehave said, to create, to change or abolish nature.
It is obiected, that such chāges hauehave beene made. For Lots wi…e was turned into a pillar of salt, Gen. 19. 26. Ans. It is true, but that was done by the mightie power of God, neither can it be proued that any creature, Angel, or other, was euer able to doe the like.
But it is further said, that king Nabuchadnezzar was turned in…o a beast, and did eate grasse with the beasts of the field, Dan. 4. 30. Ans. There is no such matter: his substance was not changed, so as his bodie became the bodie of a beast indeede, but his condicions onelyonly were altered by the iudgement of God vponupon his minde, whereby he was so farre forth bereaued of humane sense and vnderstanding. Againe, for his behauiour and kinde of life, he became altogether bruitish for the time, and excepting onelyonly his outward forme and shape, no part of humanitie could appeare in him: but that he retained his humane bodie still, it is euident by his owne words, vers. 31. when he saith, And mine vnderstanding was restored to me: which argueth plainly, that the hand of God was vponupon him in some kind of madnesse and furie, and therefore that there was not a change of his bodie and substance, but a strange and fearefull alteration in his minde and outward behauiour. And though such a transmutation should be granted, yet it makes nothing for the purpose, considering it was the worke of God onelyonly, and not of the deull. And thus we see what kind of wonders the deuil can bring to passe. The meditation of which point may teach vsus tvvo things.
First that the working of wonders is not a thing that will commend man vntounto God, for the deuill himselfe, a wicked spirit, can worke them: And many shall alledge this in the day of iudgement, that they hauehave by the name of God cast out deuils, and done many great wo…ks, to whome notwithstanding the Lord will say, I neuer knewe you; depart from me yee workers of in…quitie, Matth. 7. 22. 23. It behooueth vsus rather to get vntounto our selues the precious gifts of faith, repentance, and the feare of God, yea to go before others in a godly life and vpright conuers…tion, then to excell in effecting of strange workes. When the seauentie Disciples came to our Sauiour Christ with ioy, and tolde him, that euen the deuills were subdued vntounto them through his name, Luk. 10. 17. he counsells them, not to reioyce in this, that wicked spirits were s…bdued vntounto them, but rather, because their names were written in heauen, vers. 20.
Indeed to be able to worke a wonder, is an excellent gift of God, and may minister matter of reioycing, when it proceedeth from God: but seeing the deuill receiued this power by the gift of creation, our speciall ioy must not be therein, but rather in this, that we are the adopted sonnes of God, in which priuiledge the deuill hath no part with vsus. And therefore the Apostle, 1. Cor. 13. making a comparison of the gifts of the spirit, as of speaking diuers tongues, of prophecying, and working miracles with louelove; in the end, wisheth men to labour for the best gifts, which are faith, hope, and louelove, because by these we are made partakers of Christ, on whom we ought to set our hearts, and in whome we are commanded …lwaies to reioyce, Phil. 4. 4.
Secondly, we learne from hence, not to beleeue or receiue a doctrine now or at any time, because it is confirmed by wonders. For the deuill himselfe is able to confirme his errours and Idolatrous seruices by strange and extraordinarie signes, by which vsually he laboureth to auouch and verisie the grossest points of falshood in matter of religion. On the contrarie, we must not reiect or contemne a doctrine, because it is not thus confirmed. This was a maine fault in the Iewes, who would not receiue the word preached by Christ, vnlesse he shewed them a signe from heauen. Indeed in the primitiue Church it pleased God to confirme that doctrine which the Apostles taught, by great signes and miracles, but now that gift is ceased, and the Church hath no warrant to expect any further euidence of the religion it professeth and enioyeth by arguments of that kinde; yea rather it hath cause to suspect a doctrine taught for the wonders sake, whereby men labour to auouch it.
Sect. V.
The last clause in the description,August. de Trin l. 3. c. 7. is this; so farre forth as God in iustice suffereth: which I adde, for two causes. First, …o shew that God, for iust causes, permi…te…h the Arts of Magicke & Witchcraft, and the practises thereof. Now this he doth in his prouidence, either for the triall of his children, or for the punishment of the wicked.
First therefore God permits these wicked Arts in the Church, to prooue whether his children wil steadfastly beleeue in him, and seeke vntounto his word, or cleaue vntounto the deuill, by seeking to his wicked instruments. This Moses plainely forewarned the Church of God of, in his time, Deuter. 13. v. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet, or a dreamer of dreames, and giuegive thee a signe or wonder, v. 2. and the signe and wonder which he hath told thee, come to passe, saying, Let vsus goe after other gods, which thou hast not knowne, and serue them, v. 3. thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, &c.
Againe, God suffereth them for the punishment of vnbeleeuers and wicked men: for oftentimes God punisheth one sinne by an other, as the antecedent sinnes by the consequent. This Paul plainely sheweth (speaking of the daies of Antichrist) that because men receiued not the louelove of the truth, 2. Thess. 2. 10, 11.therefore God would send vponupon them strong illusions, that they should beleeue lies. And we may resolue our selues, that for this very cause, God suffereth the practises of Witchcraft, to be so rise in these our daies, to punish the ingratitude of men, who hauehave the truth reuealed vntounto them, and yet will not beleeue and obey the same, but tread it vnderunder their feete,… 12. that all they might be condemned which beleeued not the truth, but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse.
Secondly, this last clause is added, to shewe that in the practises of sorcerie and witchcraft, the Deuill can doe so much onelyonly as God permitts him, and no more. Doubtlesse, his malice reacheth further, and consequently his will and desire; but God hath restrained his power, in the execution of his malitious poses, whereupon he cannot goe a whit further, then God giues him leaue and libertie to goe. The Magicians of Egypt did some wonders in shew like vntounto the miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron, and that for a time, by changing a rodde into a serpent, and water into blood, and by bringing froggs through he sleight and power of the deuill; but when it pleased God, to determine their practises, and giuegive them no further liber…ie, they could not doe that, which in likelihood was the meanest of all the rest, the turning of the dust of the land into lice, and themselues gaue the true reason thereof, …aving, That this was the finger of God, Exod. 8. 19. When the deuil… went out and became a false spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets, to intise him to goe to fall at Ramoth G…le…d, he went not of his owne will; but by the authoritie of God, who commanded him to goe …entise Ahab, and suffered him to preuaile, 1. King. 22. 20. …nd the act was not the act of Satan, but of God, whose instrument he was; and therefore the holy Ghost saith by Mi…aiah, The Lord-hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath appointed euill against thee, v. 23. Hence also it was, that the deuills, beeing cast out of the man that had an vncleane spirit, asked leaue of Christ to enter into the heard of swine, and could not enter in till he had permited them; Mark. 5. 12, 13. And we read oftentimes in the Gospel, that our Sauiour cast out many deuills by his word onelyonly, thereby shewing that he was absolute Lord ouer them, and that without his permission; they could doe nothing.
And thus much touching the generall … of this Art.