Select Cases Conscience Touching Witches and Witchcrafts, Question 4
4. Caſe. What it is that makes a Witch to be a Witch, and one that may juſtly be ſo called and accounted?
IT is ſafe to believe that there are Witches; and that thoſe alſo are of ſeverall kindes and degrees. But very unſafe to pronounce peremptorily upon ſuch and ſuch for Witches; and that upon falſe grounds, as vulgar report, bare ſuſpition, ſuſpected Anceſtors, decrepit age, froward affection, an ill tongue, or any caſual accident or Event. Right effects are only cenſured with a ſafe Conſcience, by thoſe that are able to diſcerne them in their proper Cauſes; Now therfore 4. Cauſes are to be obſerved, al concurring to the making up of an abſolute Witch, viz. God utterly deſerting, the Devill deluſively invading, ſpeciall ſins hereunto diſpoſing, and the Compact throughly Compleating.
1. God the deficient Cauſe. His deſertion was enough to make an Angell become a Devill: how much more then for a man to become a Witch? Yet all this is no adding to the Creatures malice, but onelyonly to give it up to its owne power, that it may be knowne how evill it is, if his goodneſſe bee once ſubſtracted. Nay, God is here not only a permiſſive, but a directive cauſe. For what forbids that God ſhould not as juſtly and wiſely concur in this Act, as in all other evills of ſinne? Yea great Reaſons are to bee given both for his permiſſion and direction herein. As, 1. for the manifeſtation of his owne Glory. As hee did the firſt Witches we read of, Exod. 7. 12. and 8. 18, 19. 2. For the tryall of the faith & patience of his Saints and Servants, Deu. 13. 1, 2, 3. 3. For the hardning of the wicked in their wilfull deluſions, Exod. 7. 22. 2. Theſ. 2. 9. 11. 4. For to make the Witches themſelves examples of his juſtice both here and hereafter, Exo. 9. 12. Iſa. 19. 3, 4. & 44. 25. Act. 13. 11. Revel. 21. 8. 5. For the more confuſion of the Devill himſelfe both in his fruſtration and ejection. Iſa. 44. 25. Mic. 3. 6, 7. Matth. 12. 28, 29. 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Acts 16. 18.
2. The principall Efficient of a Witch is the Devill, who indeed is the father of all ſuch; and they his chiefely begotten Children. I meane it not by way of Incubus; which I cannot believe to be other then the height of all phantaſticall Deluſions, though the Patrons of it never ſo earneſtly inſtance in thoſe hairy ones, or ſhaggy ones, (for ſo the word ſounds being either way pronounced) Lev. 17. 7. Iſa. 13. 21. By which are to bee underſtood not devills Brats, but Devills themſelves that appeared to Witches in ſuch ſhapes when they worſhipped them: Or in the Fawnes, Satyrs, Sylvaries or Syrens, that the Poets ſing of: Or in the Legendary Stories of our Merlin or their Magdalen: Or in the Plebeian-traditions of Fairies, Elfes, and Changelings: Or in the old or latter Stories of ſuch like Indian races. All theſe are not enough to move my beliefe; and ſo much the leſſe, becauſe they have impudently blaſphemed Divum Lutherum, to be one of this brood. But when, I ſay, the Devill is the Father of Witches, I meane it after no other manner then as hee is of all the wicked, John 8. 44. by the ſeduction of ſinne, not any production of nature. Yet I grant them his Children by a more ſpeciall and mutuall adoption, and of all others moſt bearing his Image and ſimilitude. And thus he goes about his worke in their forming & framing. All Witcherafts for their Originall, Invention, Operation, and uſe, being primarlly in the Devill (as the Iſſues of his depraved knowledge) onelyonly he perceives that hee wants fit inſtruments for their execution. And therefore finding a faithleſſe heart, a froward nature, a feeble Sex, an impotent age, an illiterate Education, a melancholy conſtitution, and a diſcontented condition: hee now workes further (and for his ſpeciall purpoſe) to blinde the underſtanding more and more, to deprave the will, to inordinate the affections, to perturb the paſſions, to poſſeſſe the interiour, and delude the exteriour ſenſes: and ſo infuſing execrable ſuggeſtions, of murmuring againſt God, and deſire of Revenge againſt Man; he thus though not abſolutely inforces them, yet efficaciouſly inclines them to become Witches. And it is further to be obſerved, that the fitteſt ſubject or matter for him here to worke upon, are women commonly: And therefore (in Hebrew) a Witch is for the moſt part rendred in the Foeminine gender; and there are many proverbs like that of the Rabines, More women, more Witches. The reaſon hereof is rendred variouſly, from the Sexes Infirmity, Ignorance, Impotence of paſſions and Affections melancholy, ſolitarineſſe, timorouſneſſe, credulity, inconſtancy, &c. But let not the Male bee boaſting, or ſecure of their Sexes Exemption or leſſe diſpoſition. For wee read of Pharaohs Magitians, Nebuchadnezzar's Aſtrologers, Manaſſehs Wizzards, of Balaam, Simon Magus, Elymas the Sorcerer, &c. As well as of Jezabel, the Witch of Endor, the Pythoniſſe, &c. And thoſe the more notorious and malignantly operative Witches of the two.
3. The moving or provoking Cauſes, are divers ſins, that more eminently diſpoſe to witchcraft: ſuch as are, 1. Idolatry; therefore are theſe two (Idolatry & witchcraft) conjoined ſo frequently, Lev. 20. 5, 6. 2 King. 21. 5, 6. and 23, 24. Gal. 5. 20. 2. Superſtition▪ as is ſaid before. 3. Swearing, and blaſpheming, Mal. 3. 5. 2 Theſ. 4. 9. 4. Imprecation or curſing, and therefore to curſe, is as much as to bewitch, Num. 22. 6. 5. Inordinate vagrant luſts, 2 Kings 9. 22. Nahum 3. 4. 6. Curioſity, this makes the Magicall Witch, Acts 19. 19. 7. Envy, hatred, malice, deſire of revenge, Gal. 5. 20. 8. Depraved and indulged Melancholy; which notably diſpoſes the matter to the introducing of ſuch a forme, Iſa. 13. 21. & 34. 13, 14. 9. Covetouſneſs, poverty, &c. Mic. 3. 11. Nah. 3. 4. That all theſe are provocations to Witchcraft, wee have it abundantly in ſtory, even from Witches owne Confeſſions. And this uſe are wee to make of it, that as we would not bee given over to Witchcraft: ſo ſhould wee not give our ſelves over to thoſe ſinnes that ſo proximately diſpoſe & incline us thereunto.
4. The formall cauſe of a Witch, is the Covenant, Compact, Contract, Confoederation, League, ſocietie, familiarity with the Devill. Which hidden myſtery of iniquitie is more generally conſented to, that it is; then exactly diſcloſed what it is. All are ready to take the Witches Compact for granted, yet few (for ought I ſee) can well tell us what it is. Nay the Learnedſt, are readyer to diſtinguiſh it, then to define it. So that hereupon it hath been ſomewhat diſſented; and that moreover in regard of Satans preſtigious deluſion herein, Iudibrious convention, prodigious profeſſion, impious ſtipulation, perfidious intention, ridiculous obſignation, &c. And (in very truth) but to Diſcuſſe this ſaid ſolemn Pact or League (according to probabilitie or poſſibilitie) as it is meerely related touching the formality or ſolemnity of it: were enough to ſettle a judicious mans faith upon the vanity of it: if not upon the nullity altogether. For thus Fryarly Authors, together with the Tradition of the vulgar, make it up like a Tale or Legend, viz. How that the Convention for ſuch a ſolemne Initiation being proclamed (by ſome Herald Imp) to ſome others of the Confederation; on the Lords day or ſome great Holy day, or chief Feſtivall, they meete in ſome Church neer the Font, or high Altar, & that either very Early, before the Conſecrated bel hath tolld, or the leaſt ſprinkling of holy water; or elſe very late after all ſervices are paſt and over. Where the party in ſome Veſture for that purpoſe, is preſented, by ſome Confederate or familiar, to the Prince of Devills; ſitting now in a Throne of Infernall Majeſty, appearing in the form of a Man (only labouring to hide his cloven foote) To whom (after often bowing, and homage done in kiſſing his backe parts) a petition is preſented to be received unto his Aſſociation and protection; And firſt (if the Witch bee outwardly Chriſtian) Baptiſme muſt bee renounced; and the Party muſt be Re-baptized in the Devills name, and a new name is alſo impoſed by him: and here muſt be God-fathers too, for the Devill takes them not to be ſo adult, as to promiſe and vow for themſelves. But above all, he is very buſie with his long nayles, in ſcraping and ſcratching thoſe places of the forehead, where the figne of the Croſſe was made, or where the Chriſme was laid. In ſtead of both which, he himſelfe impreſſes or inures the marke of the Beaſt, the Devills Fleſhbrand upon one or other part of the Body: and teaches them to make an oyle or oyntment, of live Infants ſtoln out of the Cradle (before they be ſigned with the ſign of the Croſſe) or dead ones ſtolne out of their Graves, the which they are to boyle to a Jelly; and then drinking one part, and beſmearing themſelves with another, they forthwith feel themſelves impreſt and endowed with the faculties of this myſticall Art. Further the Witch (for his or her part) vowes, (either by word of mouth, or peradventure by writing, and that in their own blood) to give both body and ſoule to the Devill. To deny & defie God the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt. But eſpecially the bleſſed Virgin, convitiating her with one infamous nick-name or other. To abhor the Word and Sacraments, but eſpecially to ſpit at the ſaying of Maſſe. To ſpurne at the Croſſe, and tread Saints Images under feet. And as much as poſſibly they may to profane all Saints Reliques, holy water, conſecrated ſalt, waxe, &c. To bee ſure to faſt on Sundayes, and eate Fleſh on Fridays, not to confeſſe their ſinnes however they do; eſpecially to a Prieſt. To ſeparate from the Catholike Church, and deſpiſe his Vicars primacy. To attend his nocturnall Conventicles, Sabbaths, Sacrifices. To take him for their God, worſhip, invoke, obey him, &c. To devote their Children to him, & to labour all they may to bring others into the ſame Confederacy. Then the Devill for his part promiſes to be always preſent with them, to ſerve them at their beck. That they ſhall have their wills upon any Body, that they ſhall have what riches, honours, pleaſures they can imagine. And if any be ſo wary as to thinke of their future Being, he tells them they ſhall be Principalities ruling in the Aire; or ſhall but bee turned into Impes at worſt. Then hee preaches to them to be mindefull of their Covenant, and not to faile to revenge themſelves upon their Enemies. Then he commends to them (for theſe purpoſes) an Impe, or Familiar, in the ſhape of a Dogge, Cat, mouſe, rat, Weafle, &c. After this they ſhake hands, embrace in armes, dance, feaſt & banquet, according as the Devill hath provided in Imitation of the Supper. Nay, oft times he marries them ere they part, either to himſelfe, or their Familiar, or to one another, and that by the Book of Common prayer (as a pretender to witchfinding lately told me in me in the Audience of many.) After this they part, till the next great conventicle or Sabbath of theirs, wch is to meet thrice in a year, conveyed as ſwift as the winds from remoteſt places of the Earth, where the moſt notorious of them meet to redintegrate their Covenant, & give accoūt of their Improvement. Where they that have done the moſt execrable miſchiefe, and can brag of it, make moſt merry with the Devill, and they that have been indiligent, & have done but petty ſervices in compariſon, are jeered and derided by the Devill and all the reſt of the company. And ſuch as are abſent, and have no care to be aſſoygned, are amerced to this paenalty, ſo to be beaten on the palms of their feete, to be whipt with iron rods, to be pincht and ſuckt by their Familiars till their heart blood come, till they repent them of their ſloath, and promiſe more attendance and diligence for the future. Thus you ſee what we are likely to attain to, by ſearching too preciſely into Diabolicall ſolemnities; amongſt ſome probabilities to manifold Impoſſibilities, & abſurdities, among ſome truths, to manifold ſuperſtitions.
But laying aſide all curioſity (as indeed not neceſſary) in ſeeking to informe or reſolve our ſelves of the form or manner of this Diabolicall Compact: wee may with moderation content our ſelves, that ſome reality is to be conceived, amongſt many praeſtigious Deluſions. A ſubſtantiall Covenant, notwithſtanding all the fallacious Ceremonies. Though nothing but Impoſtures in the principall Agent, yet reall Depravation in the rationall Inſtrument. For albeit this myſticall Leviathan will make no faithfull Covenant, Iob. 41. 4. nor can becauſe of the irreconcileable omnity, Gen. 3. 15. neither will indeed bee bound to be a SerServant, to bee compelled at the Witches command: nevertheleſſe to inſhare-ſuch in their ſuperſtition, may hee ſimulate the ſame. And after the working of Satan, with all power and ſignes and lying wonders, and deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe; God may ſend them ſtrong Deluſions, that they may beleive a lye. 2 Theſs. 2. 9, 10, 11. Likewiſe the Spirit ſpeaketh expreſly, that in the latter times ſome ſhall depart from the Faith, giving heed to ſeducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devills. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Neither is there any doubt to bee made, but that a Covenant may be made with death, and an Agreement with Hell, Eſa. 28. 15. and that fellowſhip may be had with Devills themſelves, 1 Cor. 10. 20. wee know well that the Tempter is ready to propoſe both the Condition and the Reward of a Compact, Matt. 4. 9. And wee heard before that one name of Witches is to bee called Ioyners or Conſociators, ſcil. not onelyonly among themſelves, but with the Devill alſo. Beſides the Devil is Gods Ape, and one that faines to imitte him though in contrary wayes. And therefore as God makes a Covenant of Grace with his: ſo doth the Devill with his a Covenant of Death. Neither indeed is the univerſall Confeſſion of Witches themſelves (touching ſuch a compact) to be diſregarded. For who knowes the guilt of their owne Conſciences better then they themſelves? and though they tell us of never ſo much Deluſion, yet can wee conceive the corruption that is in it. Nor yet is the conſent and experience of all Ages to bee rejected: that tells us of ſuch Facts of Witchcraft, as muſt neceſſarily be concluded to follow the ſame. For where any extraordinary or wonderous thing is done; and that neither by the power of God, nor of the good Angels; nor by the power of Nature▪ nor of Art; it muſt needs be done by the power of the Devill. And in the Inſtrument that doth it either the force of a poſſeſſion▪ or the vertue of ſome Part▪ is neceſſarily to bee ſuppoſed which is briefely thus to bee diſcerned. The Devill may worke the firſt way upon a man againſt his will to puniſh and torment him: But he workes not with him, at his will, or to ſerve him; but the ſecond way alone.
Such a Covenant or compact is unanimouſly delivered by the Learned, to bee two fold▪ Explicite, and Implicite. 1. Explicite, or Expreſſe, by word or writing; wherein it is mutually ſtipulated; the witch to doe the Devills will; and the Devill to doe the witches will and all this more viſibly, formally and ceremonially Confirmed. …. Implicite or more ſecret: which is conceived, may be done divers wayes; as firſt▪ by a meer Aſſent that the Devill ſhould doe it, and ſaith that he will doe it. 2. By a Pro…ey, yeilding and aſſenting to receive and uſe, Rules, ſignes, and meanes from other Witches, without any immediate vow or Conference as yet. 3. By uſing ſuperſtitious Innovations, or Imprecations, witha perſwaſion or Expectation of their Iſſue. 4. By employing meanes to thoſe purpoſes, to which God never appointed them, nor their owne nature enclined them; and yet confident of their Effect. 5. By ſeeking too, and conſulting with Witches for their advice, helpe, &c. For there is the ſame faith and aſſent now both of the Conſulter and the Practiſer. 6. By aſſenting to uſe ſuch meanes and ſignes as witches alſo uſe: (viz. Charms, Spells, Characters, Figures, Circles, Ligatures, words, phraſes, Ceremonies, geſtures, &c.) not well conſidering the ſuperſtitious inſtitutions, but peradventure perſwaded of ſome real vertue in them. For even Witches themſelves make certain Confections (as Broths, oyles, unguents, powders, &c.) the vertue whereof they impute not ſolely to the Devil, but partly to the things themſelves.
Now let Witches be Examined upon theſe two maine Grounds of their making: and where one is ſo become after an explicite manner of Covenanting; more then ten of them are guilty after the Implicite and Inviſible way onelyonly. And there is this Difference (which would be noted) between them. The Explicite Covenanter is the notorious and audacious; the Implicite but a Novice and a Baſtard in compariſon. The Explicite hath alwayes ſome viſible or ſenſible familiarity; ſo hath not the implicite as yet. The Explicite is become a perpetuall witch; the Implicite may onelyonly be but ſo for that preſent Act, or time being: onelyonly this is to be feared; the Implicite being hardned a while, may grow to be Explicite at length.