Select Cases Conscience Touching Witches and Witchcrafts, Question 9
9. Caſe. How the power and malice of Witches may be prevented and redreſt with a good Conſcience?
THe Popiſh Schoolemen not a little leave our Conſciences perplexed, in this Queſtion of theirs. Whether it be lawfull to remove the ſignes of Witchcraft; to the Intent the Effect thereof may ceaſe? In that they who propoſed it, are ſo divided upon it. Some of them make it an Act meritorious, ſo to doe: Some againe, an Act Superſtitious. But their Reſolution on either ſide ſatisfies not. For it cannot be an Act meritorious in any (to diſpell or deſtroy the ſigns, means & works of the Devill) but in him alone that came into the world for that very intent. 1 Iohn. 3. 8. Nor is it to be counted for an Act ſuperſtitious, to remove or diſſolve any thing, that the Witch hath left or put in any place, for a Signe, Spell, Charme to bewitch by; and that ſuch a thing removed, diſſolved, the Witchcraft is diſappointed and muſt ceaſe. So be, it be certain that they are the ſignes or meanes of witchcraft, and placed there for that very End. And that there bee not a more diligent ſearch to find out the Witches ſigne or ſpell, then to betake to prayers and like duties. And that the Effect of ſuch ceaſing bee not hoped or expected meerly from the Removall of the thing; nor as the Conſequent or Condition of the diabolicall Compact. But that it is done through Confidence in God; and a contempt of all ſuch Sorceries. For if a man were certaine that ſuch a thing were a Witches ſigne or ſpell to bewitch by; it would argue more aſſent to the Devils working to ſuffer it, and let it alone; then to remove or deſtroy it. Neither is there any doubt to bee made, but that Witchcraft (with all the Appendices) may be reſiſted and removed by any unlawful meanes. Which cannot but be ſuch, if there be no conſulting with, cōſēting to, or expecting from the Devill: but a Reference to, confidence in, and dependance upon God alone.
Indeed people are here but too ſuperſtitious, as touching the Fortifying or relieving themſelves. I paſſe over what ſuperſtitious Remedies are here taught in that other Religion; as the tolling of a baptized bell; ſigning with the ſigne of the Croſſe, ſprinkling with holy water, bleſſing of Oyle, Waxe, Candles, Salt, Bread, Cheeſe, Garments, weapons, &c. carrying about ſaints Reliques, with a thouſand ſuperſtitious fopperies of their exorciſing Trade. I only ſpeak of ſuch ſuperſtitious practiſes, as are uſed by men of all Religions. 1. In ſeeking to a witch, to be holpen againſt a Witch. 2. In uſing a certain or ſuppoſed Charme; againſt an uncertaine or ſuſpected witchcraft. 3. In ſearching anxiouſly for the Witches ſigne or Token left behinde her in the houſe, under the Threſhold, in the Bedſtraw: and to be ſure to light upon it, burning every odd ragge or bone, or feather that is to be found. 4. In ſwearing, rayling, threatning, curſing, and banning the Witch: as if this were a right way, to bewitch the Witch from Bewitching. 5. In Banging and baſting, ſcratching & clawing, to draw blood of the witch: an Act not onelyonly ſuperſtitious, but ſo injurious; that it's rather a provocation to the malice of the witch, then any Fortification againſt it. 6. In daring and defying the Witch out of a Carnall ſecurity, and preſumptuous temerity: Bebelieve well (ſaythey) have a good heart and feare not, and the Witch can have no power over, &c. A good Beliefe will now arme well indeed: But alaſs! that's quite another thing, to this confident Audacity. One is in God, the other in themſelves. One is the Confidence of a pure heart, the other is the ſecurity of the profane: One keepes within its own Calling, the other wanders out of it: And ſo not only tempts God, but the Devill too. It is worth the obſerving, how the Devill once ſerved them upon ſuch a preſuming as this, Acts 19. 13. and 16. But what ſay they for all this? Bold Bayard once daſlrt out the Witches braines. Never tell them; they have alwayes obſerved that Witches leaſt hurt them, that worſt uſe them; and they that are leaſt affraid of them, ſtill fare beſt by them. Oh! how the Devil diſſembles a feare of thoſe men whoſe Caſes are moſt to bee feared? how hee ſpares them Temporally, that he may not ſpare them ſpiritually and eternally? what cares he for bewitching their Bodies, when hee has thus bewitched their better parts, their ſoules?
Thus having removed all falſe means; Though we here approve of no kind of exerciſing, much leſſe admit it as an ordinary calling in the Church of Chriſt; yet we freely profeſſe, that God hath not here left his church deſtitute of ſufficient and lawfull Remedies, whether Preſervative or Reſtorative. And theſe be; 1. A Conſcionable care againſt ſin, the old Witch of all. That did Effaſcinate our firſt Parents, and us in their loyns; but ſince hath directly bewitched us, both in our profeſſions, Gal. 3. 1. as alſo in our Converſations, 1 Sam. 15. 23. That hath made us make a Covenant with Death, and an Agreement with Hell, Iſa. 28. 15. That hath brought us to an Abnegation of the ſacred Trinity; and to a corruption and profanation, both of Word and Sacraments. That makes us beleeve wee are Lords and Ladies of our own Wils; when wee are the only ſervile wretches, led Captive by Satan at his Will.
That rewards onelyonly with meer deluſions of momentary pleaſures, to the hazard of eternall paines. More eſpecially it behoves us to take heed of all ſuch ſinnes as (beſides the Devill) more particularly expoſe us to the Witch. And they are, 1. Moroſe Cogitations; For they tempt God to give us over to viſible temptations. 2. Dire Imprecations; for they want only Gods ſaying Amen unto them. 3. Tyrannous and oppreſſive Actions; for they cauſe the Lord to depart from us, and an evill ſpirit from the Lord to trouble us. 4. Hypocriticall profeſſions; For if the uncleane ſpirit finde his houſe empty of all true graces, and ſwept only by an outward Reſtraint, of ſome more ſcandalous and notorious vices: and Garniſhed with ſimulated vertues, ſuperfluous obſervations, affected garbes, and formall ſervices: then hee taketh with himſelfe ſeven other ſpirits, &c. Matth. 12. 44, 45. And it is to be noted how the Devill has always delighted to haunt & frequent Monaſteries, Nunneries, and old Abbeys, places of ſo much hypocriſie. 5. Superſtitious and profane communications, eſpecially of Devills, Witches, and Witch-finders. We have ſome ſtories of ſuch as by making theſe their Table-talke, have made themſelves the more obnoxious to their infeſtations. It is ſtrange to tell what ſuperſtitious opinions, affections, relations, are generallyriſen amongſt us, ſince the Witch-finders came into the Countrey. And I pray God that theſe things doe not diſpoſe & expoſe us to Witches, rather then help to ridde us of them.
2. Next to a care againſt ſins; is an endeavour after graces. And thoſe 1. Faith, for that makes every way ſtrong to reſiſt the Devill, 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9. 2. Purity of heart, for the unclean ſpirit findes no reſt in dry places, Mat. 12. 43. And to let him find no reſt in us, is the way not to be moleſted by him in any kind. 3. Prayer and faſting, for theſe are prevalent againſt the worſt kind of them, Matth. 17. 21. 4. Confidence in Chriſts name and power, word and promiſes, Mark. 16. 17. 5. Frequent reading and meditating upon the holy Scriptures, for ther's the ſword of the Spirit, to pierce the head of the huge Leviathan: There's the voyce of the wiſe Charmer, to make the deafe Adder, and the olde Serpent burſt in pieces. Search we there, & apply we the ſpeciall promiſes & conſolations for our particular Caſe, Gen. 3. 15. Pſ. 91. 11, 12, 13. Joh. 16. 33. 1 Joh. 3. 8. Mar. 16. 17. Rom. 16. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Jam. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 9. But we muſt take heede of profaning Scripture names, phraſes, and fragments; as Witches themſelves do, in their moſt execrable witchcrafts. Or of ſetting apart certaine incompetent, and in-concerning verſes for Charms, as the Papiſts do and teach. 6. The Prayers of the Church or Congregation, for they avayle exceedingly in any manner of Infirmity, Jam. 5. 14, 15. 7. Thankſgiving to God for his ſpeciall providence; Bleſſing and prayſing him for his own protection, & Angells adminiſtration. 8. A keeping us within our owne Callings, ſo ſhal the Devil find us, neither idle, nor ill occupied; ſo ſhall occaſion be avoyded either for him to tempt us, or we him. 9. A juſt contempt of the Devill, and of all his praeſtigious. Arts and Inſtruments, Jer. 10. 2. as not to bee ſecure, ſo not to feare, for the Devill is a falſe ſpirit, & ſmiles in fayning a yieldance to a fond preſumption: But hee's a proud one too, and therefore cannot be more vext and troubled then at a juſt & true Contempt.