Demonology and Theology, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of Necromancy, or the Black Art.
THE next way of unlawful Divination, is Necromancy, or (as tis commonly called) the Black Art, which is a divining by conſultation with the Devil appearing unto the Diviners in the ſhape of one formerly dead. So the Witch of Endor raiſed up to Saul ſome ſhape of Samuel. This is forbidden, Deut. 18.11. There ſhal not be found among thee a Necromancer, Hebrew foreign i. e. One that ſeeketh to the dead: Which in Iſa. 8.19. is prohibited under that notion of explanation. Should not a people ſeek to their God? Should they ſeek (ſo the words to be repeated) foreign for, or in ſtead of the living foreign unto the dead? To the Law and the Teſtimony, if they speake not according to this rule, it is becauſe there is no light in them. So that its juſtly called the Black Art; for there is no true light in them that uſe it. God is pleaſed to raiſe ſome from the dead extraordinarily, for that extraordinary end, to confirme the cal of them that he appointeth the great Reformers of the Church; and to cauſe men to beleeve their Doctrine. As one by Elijah, 1 Kings 17. Elijah was wonderfully to reclaime the Jewes from Idolatry, in the very next Chapter. Another by Eliſha, 2 Kings 4. who was Elijahs ſecond to confirme them in that Reformation. Againe, others were raiſed by Chriſt, and his Diſciples, when by them the Chriſtian Church was to be founded, and eſtabliſhed, and Jewiſh Ceremonies to be abrogated. And laſtly, all the Saints ſhal be raiſed (as we have proved in another Treatiſe of the glorious ſtate on earth yet to come) when the Church is to be reſtored from all miſery, to a kinde of happineſſe on earth.
But for any to raiſe men, to anſwer private men, about private phantaſies and enquiries; it is but a dreaming miſtake. It is nothing elſe but the Devil himſelfe, preſenting the ſhape of ſome dead perſons to the Diviner. For, as that appearance to the Witch at Endor, foretold ſuch things, and ſo certainely to Saul, as argued it was not a man raiſed from the dead (for then Abraham and Jacob, or Iſrael, are ignorant of us, Iſa. 63.16.) So ſure enough, it was the Devil himſelfe in that ſhape; not Samuel, or any other Saint. For,
Firſt, They reſt from their labours in bleſſedneſſe, Revel. 14.13. Therefore not raiſed, or made to walke (as ſome phantaſie) after their death.
Secondly, God had afore denyed to anſwer Saul in any way, 1 Sam. 28.6.
Thirdly, This ſhape ſuffered Saul to adore him with his face to the ground, 1 Sam. 28.14. Which the Angel in Revel. 19.10. Would not ſuffer John to doe; much leſſe would departed Saints ſuffer it.
Fourthly, That ſhape, if it had been Samuel, would have as wel reproved Saul of that greateſt ſinne of going to Witches (contrary to the known Word of God) as of other leſſer faults, Verſ. 16, 17.
Indeed the Devil made him ſeem like Samuel, and made the Woman and Saul to think, and cal him Samuel; and Eccleſiaſticus (a peice of Apocrypha, as appeares by the Preface, craving pardon) ſaith, Samuel propheſied after his death, Chap. 46. Verſ. 20. But the Scripture, and reaſon ſay the contrary, and forbiddeth any ſuch way of knowledge, as we have heard.
For in this Art, there appeares theſe five great evils.
Firſt, The Devils power (God permitting) to forme and repreſent the ſhape of any deceaſed perſon.
Secondly, The Devils will to be at the beck and command of the Necromancer, when he wil act any ſuch wicked deluſion.
Thirdly, The Devils wit, that he can gather out of circumſtances, when God hath forſaken a man, and left him to Satan; and what is the temper of men, what they will doe, and what wil probably follow. And if God hinder not, he wil foretel the ruine of men, or cauſe wicked men to doe as hee foretels, to come to their ruine.
Fourthly, The Devils wickedneſſe, that though he be an unſpeakable proud ſpirit (witneſſe the cauſe and manner of his fal, and his malice ſtill againſt God) yet notwithſtanding his mighty pride, he wil ſtoop to the meaneſt Man, or Woman, to be at their command, whereby he may cheat them and their clients of Salvation. This obedience of the Devil to Necromancers, is emphatically noted in that 1 Sam. 28.7. by calling the Woman-Witch of Endor twiſe in that one Verſe foreign The Miſtreſſe of the spirit.
Fifthly, The Diabolical ground of all aforeſayd; namely, the Compact between the Devill and the Necromancer; elſe why or how could this be peculiar to ſuch filly creatures, as the Witch at Endor? Saul was a King, had in his Dominions all ſorts of Artiſts, and learned men; yet not he, nor all they could thus raiſe up the Devil, but onelyonly the Maſters and Miſtreſſes of ſpirits, in Covenant one with another.
From all inferr, firſt, That we beware of departings between God and us; that we doe not depart from him, to cauſe him to depart from us; for from us begins the woe of departing. So in Saul, he went on in Rebellion againſt God; therefore God departed from him. Beware firſt of departing in Principles, Viz. to depart from the Word of God: Thence is the Originall of our departing from God, 2 Chron. 39.15, 16. Prov. 29.1. No where elſe is it ſayd, there is no remedy; becauſe to leave the Word is to leave the remedy. And this departing from the Word is the introduction to uſe Diabolical Arts. So the Prophet Iſaiah intimates, Iſa. 8.19, 20. In putting thoſe two together, Mens ſeeking to the dead in ſtead of the living; and not going to the Law and the Teſtimony; and ſo to want light; marke it well. Secondly, Beware of departing from God in point of obedience; beware of diſobedience to God contrary to the Principle of the Word. Saul diſobeying God, his ſin is charged to be like the ſin of Witchcraft: Becauſe diſobedience to God, is a ſervice of the Devil, and is the introduction to encourage Satan to tempt them to his Diabolical Arts.
Secondly, Conſider that if wee depart from God, and ſo cauſe him to depart from us, Satan will finde it out, and take the opportunity to tempt, as we ſee he did in the ſtory of Saul.
Thirdly, That if Satan doth ſuggeſt, tempt, &c. let us reſiſt, as James ſaith, that is firſtly and fully; have no conference at all with him, which was Eves ſin and fall.* And therefore the Apoſtle warnes the Corinthians of it, 2 Cor. 11.3.