Works of Joseph Hall, Section 19
SECT. XIX.
BVt if the power of falſified reaſon preuaile not, theſe deſperate factors of Rome (as I hauehave beene informed) hauehave learned out of their acquaintance in the Court of the Prince of darkneſſe, to imploy ſtronger aid. On ſome of their hands, I feare, Magicall deluſions, and deuilliſh incantations ſhall not want, rather than they will want a client. Neither can this ſeeme ſtrange to any that knowes how familiarly the Roman Church profeſſes the ſolemne practiſe of coniuration; in ſuch a faſhion, as it doth more than trouble the beſt Caſuiſts, to ſet down a perfect difference betwixt their ſacred Magick, & the Diabolicall. From hence perhaps hauehave proceeded thoſe miraculous apparitions (if at leaſt they were any other but fancy, or fraud) wherewith ſome of our death-ſicke Gentlemen amongſt them hauehave bin frighted into Catholikes. A famous Diuine of France, ſecond to none for learning, or fidelitie, told me this one amongſt other inſtances, of his owne experience, which he yet liues to iuſtifie: A Gentleman of the Religion, whoſe wife was popiſhly deuoted, lying vponupon the bed of his ſickneſſe, in expectation of death, ſends for this Diuine, his Paſtor; the ſicke mans wife ſends for a Ieſuite; both meet at the beds ſide; each perſwades him to his owne part; both plead for their religion at this barre, before theſe Iudges: after two houres diſputation, not onelyonly the Gentleman was cheerefully confirmed in that iudgement which he had embraced, but his wife alſo, out of the euidence of truth, began to incline to him, and it. The Ieſuite departed diſcontent; yet within ſome few houres after, returning (when the coaſt was cleerer) intreats ſome priuate conference with the Gentlewoman; with whom walking in her garden, he did vehemently expoſtulate, mixing therewithall his ſtrongeſt perſwaſions; at laſt, to ſhut vp his diſcourſe, he importun'd her with many obſecrations, that ſhee would vouchſafe to receiue from his hands a little box which he there offered her, and for his ſake weare about her continually: ſhee condeſcended. No ſooner had ſhee taken it, than ſhee fell to ſo great a deteſtation of her husband, that ſhee could by no meanes bee drawne into his preſence, and within two dayes after in this eſtate ſhee died. An act more worthy the ſword of iuſtice, than the pen of an Aduerſary. Theſe courſes are as ſecret as wicked. Not daring therefore peremptorily to accuſe, I had rather leaue theſe practiſes to further inquiry. Sure I am, that by their tongues, Satan labours to inchant the world, and hath ſtrongly deluded too many ſoules. And are wee weary of ours, that we dare tempt God, and offer our ſelues as challengers to this ſpirituall danger? The Ieſuites, amongſt much change of houſes, hauehave two famous for the accordance of their names; one called The Bow, at Nola; the other, The Arrow, (La Fleſche) in France: though this latter were more worthy of the name of a whole Quiuer, containing not fewer than eight hundred ſhafts of all ſizes. Their Apoſtate Fryer (if I ſhall not honour him too much) plaid vponupon them in his Diſtich:
Arcum Nola dedit, dedit illis alma Sagittam
Gallia; quis funem, quem meruere, dabit?
Nola the bow, and France the ſhaft did bring?
But who ſhall helpe them to an hempen ſtring?
This prouiſion is for the care of Chriſtian Princes: but in the meane time, what madneſſe is it in vsus, not onelyonly to giuegive aime to theſe rouing Flights, but to offer our ſelues to bee their ſtanding Butt, that they may take their full aime and hit vsus leuell at pleaſure? Doe wee not heare ſome of their owne fellow Catholikes in the middeſt of their awfulleſt Senate, the Parliament of Paris, pleading vehemently againſt thoſe factious ſpirits, and crying out paſſionately of that danger (which will follow vponupon their admiſſion) both of lewd manners, and falſe doctrine; and doe we in greater oppoſition feare neither? and eſpecially from Engliſh Ieſuites? Some Countries yeeld more venomous vipers than others; ours the worſt. I would it were not too eaſie to obſerue, that as our Engliſh Papiſts are commonly moſt Ieſuitiſh, ſo our Engliſh Ieſuites are more furious than their fellowes. Euen thoſe of the hotteſt Climates cannot match them in fiery diſpoſitions. And doe wee put our ſelues out of our comfortable Sunne-ſhine, into the midſt of the flame of theſe noted Incendiaries? Doe we take pleaſure to make them rich with the ſpoile of our ſoules? and becauſe they will not come faſt enough to fetch theſe booties, doe we goe to carry them vntounto their pillage?