Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons, Treatise · Part 2
Of the ſecond degenerate Son the MAGITIAN.
THe prince of the world, ſaith Chriſt, Ioh. 14.13. had nothing in me, he found no ſinne in Chriſt; therefore when he tempted him hee prevailed not, Aggreſſa eſt hic tentatio, ſed non ingreſſa eſt. The temptation aſſailed Chriſt, but prevailed not, becauſe there was no ſinne in him. When Sathan tempts us, he findes a way how to enter, he eſpies our nakedneſſe, and lookes where hee may moſt conveniently enter to tempt us. When Satan tempted Eva, firſt he began to tempt her,When Sathan tempted Eve what faculty of the minde began he at firſt. foreign, in her iraſcible facultie, which of all the faculties is moſt eaſily ſtirred, and ſuddenly kindled, when he ſaid unto her (hath God ſaid?) as if Gods commandement had beene an unlawfull commandement, and he had been injurious to man and woman to forbid them to eate of that fruit; but becauſe Satan perceived that he could not prevaile that way with the woman, and that ſhee did adheare cloſe to Gods interdiction; therefore Sathan leaving the iraſcible faculty, he turnes himſelfe to foreign, to the intelligible facultie which Moſes ſhewes in theſe words (And the woman ſaw the fruit was pleaſant) ſhe ſaw it, to wit, in her minde; therefore the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 2.14. calls the firſt tranſgreſſion foreign that is a diſception, then followeth the corruption of foreign, that is, of the concupiſcible faculty (ſhe deſired the fruite;) and thirdly, hee came backe againe to tempt her in foreign, in her iraſcible facultie: And laſtly, hee corrupted her in foreign, in her ſenſitive facultie. So Satan deludes the Magitians, and Witches; ſometimes in their underſtanding facultie, ſometimes in their iraſcible facultie, ſometimes in their concupiſcible, and ſometimes in the ſenſitive faculty.
foreign Satan endeavours firſt to tempt us in our underſtanding faculty.Firſt, he endeavoures to corrupt them in their underſtanding facultie: Man after his fall hath a deſire to know more than God hath revealed unto him, and more than is fit for him to know, and he ſeekes after Satan that he may informe him, and teach him. And that ſaying of S. Auguſtine may be fitly applied to theſe, Multi propter arborem ſcientiae amittunt arborem vitae. Many loſe the tree of life for the tree of knowledge; Example of this we have Act. 19.19. And many of thoſe who beleeved, came and confeſſed and ſhewed their deedes; many alſo of them who had uſed curious, Arts, brought their bookes together, and burned them before all men. This curioſitie and deſire of knowledge drew them to this Magicke. Men are deſirous likewiſe to know things to come, and therefore they conſulted with Satan. Apollo was called foreign, becauſe they uſed to conſult with him of things to come.
foreign So he tempts us in our iraſcible faculty.Men are given much to revenge, and Satan is ready to blow the beſtowes, and moves men to ſeeke for revenge; therefore they conſult with him, 1 King. 21.6. Manaſſes uſed inchantments, and dealt with familiar ſpirits and wizzardes, and verſ. 16. he ſhed much innocent bloud; here Magicke and murther are joyned together: Men conſults with the devill, that hee may ſhew them the way how they may the more fitly murther.foreign. He tempts us in our concupiſcible faculty.
Men are much given to their vile luſts, and fleſhly pleaſures; therefore they runne to Satan to further them in their beaſtly deſires. An example of this we have in S. Ciprian (who afterward by the mercy of God proved a Martyr) he luſted after a virgine Iustina, Nazianzen oratione. 8.and when by no meanes he could attaine to his purpoſe, at length he incals for the help of the devill that he might enjoy her. And Plutarch teſtifies in hi… …ooke, De oraculorum defectu; Tripodē deorum oppletum impiis & obſcoenis queſtionibus & reſponſis. That they wold trie Apollo ſometimes with Sophiſtrie, and ſometimes as bad, they would demand him of inceſtuous marriages and adulteries, and ſuch like; and he would be as ready to anſwer them, which things civill and honeſt men (ſaith hee) would have beene aſhamed to have heard of, ſo men for filthy lucre runnes to the devill, Act. 16.16. A man kept a Damoſell poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of divination, becauſe ſhe brought her maſter great gaine by ſoothſaying.
Laſtly, men ſeekes after Satan for their health,foreign He tempts us in our ſenſitive faculty. as Ahaziah when hee was ſicke he ſent to Baalzebub the god of Eckron to enquire for his health.