Wisards and Witches, would seeme to be meere fictions, and altogether
incredible, as of _Ericus_, who had the winde at command, to blow
alwayes from that quarter to which he would set his hat. Or _Hagbert_,
who could shew herselfe in any shape, higher or lower, as she pleased,
at one time so great as a Giant, at another as little as a Dwarfe: by
whose Diabolicall practises mighty Armies haue beene dicomfited, and
sundry others, except the truth hereof were without contradiction
approued: by the experience of our owne Nauigators, who trade in
_Finland_, _Denmarke_, _Lapland_, _Ward-house_, _Norway_, and other
Countries of that Climate, and haue obtained of the inhabitants thereof,
a certaine winde for twenty dayes together, or the like fixed period of
time, according to the distance of place and strings tied with three
knots, so that if one were loosed, they should haue a pleasant gale: if
the second, a more vehement blast: if the third, such hideous & raging
tempests that the Mariners were not able once to looke out, to stand
vpon the hatches, to handle their tackle, or to guide the helme with all
their strength; and are somtimes violently carried back to the place
from whence they first loosed to sea; and many (more hardy then wise)
haue bought their triall full deere, opening those knots, and neglecting
admonition giuen to the contrary. _Apuleius_ ascribeth to _Pamphile_, a
Witch of _Thessalia_, little lesse then diuine power to effect strange
wonders in heauen, in earth, in hell; to darken the starres, stay the
course of riuers, dissolue mountains, and raise vp spirits, this opinion
went for currant and vncontrouled. And without all question the
Diuell[s] can do this and much more, when God letteth him loose. For he
is stiled, _The Prince of the world_, _Ioh. 12. 31_. _A strong man
armed_, _Luke 11. 21_, _Principality_, _a ruler of darknesse_,
_spirituall wickednesse in high places_, _Ephes. 6. 12_.
[Footnote r: _Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus, lib. 3. cap.
13.14.15.16.17.18.19._]
[Footnote s: _De potestate D[e,]monum Aquinas in Summa parte 1,
quest 110. Binfeldius in titulum codicis de maleficis &
mathematicis. Zanchius de operibus creationis, part. 1. lib. 4.
cap. 10.11.12. Danaus in Isagoge, parte 2. de Angelis bonis &
malis._]
Thus he dismaied the heart of _Saul_ (when he had broken the
Commandement of God) with dreadfull feare, and enraged his minde with
bloudy fury, _1. Sam. 16. 14_. Entred into _Iudas_, prouoked him to
betray his maister, dispaire and hang himselfe, _Math. 27. 3._ filled
the heart of _Ananias_ and _Saphira_ with dissimulation,_Act. 5. 3._
possessed the bodies of many really, as is manifest in the History of
the Gospell. Our Sauiour Christ assureth vs, that a daughter of
_Abraham_ was bound for 18 yeares by Sathan, with such a spirit of
infirmitie, as bowed together, shee could in no wise lift vp herselfe,
_Luk. 13. 11.16_. He spake out of the _Pythonesse_, _Act. 16. 17._
brought downe fire from heauen, and consumed _Iobs_ sheepe 7000. and his
seruants, raised a storme, strooke the house wherein his sonnes and
daughters feasted with their elder brother, smote the foure corners of
it, with the ruine whereof they all were destroyed, and perished: and
ouerspread the body of that holy Saint their father with botches[t] and
biles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head.[u] And hee
wil haue his seruants Wisards & Witches, coadiutors with him, and maketh
them fit instruments to the performance of all wicked exploits, and this
is when God pleaseth (of which I shall haue occasion to speake more
afterward) to giue leaue, for his wil is the first supreme and principal
cause of all things: and nothing can be done visibly in this
Common-wealth here below of the creatures, but is decreed and determined
so to be first in the high Court of Heauen, according to his
vnsearchable wisedome and iustice, disposing punishments and rewards as
seemeth good vnto himselfe. So _Pharaohs_[x] Magitians could turne water
into bloud, their roddes into serpents, produce frogges, &c. But when it
came to the base vermine, to make lice, they were pusled, and
acknowledged their imbecillity, confessing, _Digitus Dei est_,[u] Gods
finger is here, _Exod. 18. 19_. For if they could effect and bring to
passe all mischieuous designements without his sufferance, it would
inferre a weakenesse, and conclude a defect of[z] power in him, as not
sufficient to oppose their strength, supplant their force, and auoid
their stratagems. And we must not imagine that the practioners of these
damnable Arts of which sexe soeuer, be they men or women, do performe
those mischifes which they effect, by their owne skills or such meanes
as they vse, of which sort bee the bones of dead mens skuls, Toades,
Characters, Images, &c. But through the cooperation of the Diuell, who
is by nature subtile, by long experience instructed, swift to produceth
strange works, & to humane vnderstanding admirable. Yet[aa] he will haue
those his vassals perswaded of some great benefit bestowed vpon them,
whereby they are inabled to helpe and hurt, whom, how, and when they
list; and all to indeere them, & by making them partakers in his
villany, being strongly bound in his seruice, & stedfastly continued in
the same, might more grieuously offend God, and bring iust condemnation
vpon themselues. And for the greater, and more forceable inticing
allurement hereunto, hee promiseth to giue and doe many things for their
sakes, and reueale to them hidden secrets, and future euents, such[bb]
as he himselfe purposeth to doe, or knoweth by naturall signes shall
come to passe. So then to conclude, in[cc] euery Magicall action, there
must be a concurrence of these three. First, the permitting will of God.
Secondly, the suggestion of the Diuell, and his power cooperating.
Thirdly, the desire and consent of the Sorcerer; and if[dd] any of these
be wanting, no trick of witch-craft can be performed. For if God did not
suffer it, neither the Diuell, nor the Witch could preuaile to do any
thing, no not so much as to hurt one[ee] bristle of a Swine. And if the
Diuell had not seduced the minde of the wicked woman, no such matter
would haue beene attempted. And againe, if hee had not the Witch to bee
his instrument, the Diuell were debarred of his purpose.
[Footnote t: _Vlcus pessim[~u] extensiue quia per totum corpus
diffusum, & intensiue, quia in eo omnis morbi & doloris
comprehensio vide Mercerum in cap. 2. Iobi._]
[Footnote u: _Regula Theologorum Quecunque possunt D[e,]mones
possunt etiam magi & malefici eius opera, hinc & illi tempestates
exitant Virgilius Ecologa 4ª._
Carmina vel c[oe]lo possunt deducere Lunam:
Carminibus Circe socios mutauit Vlyssis,
Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur Anguis, &c.
_Et de se Iactans Medea apud Ouidium Lib. 7. Metamorphose+ô+n._
Cum volui ripis ipsis mirantibus; amnes
In fontes rediere suos, concussaque sisto,
Stantia concutio cantu freta, nubila pello,
Nubilaque iudico.
_Apud Virgilium Dido Annam sororem alloquitur._
--Mihi Massilæ gentis monstrata sacerdos,
Hæc se carminibus promittit soluere mentes
Sistere aquam fluvijs, & flumina vertere retro.
_Et Brachmanius Nonnus Dionysiacon, lib. 36. +ouranothen
katagontes epharmaxanto Selênên, astatheos phaethontes
anestêsanto pareiên+ De Marco heretico & mago stupenda referunt
Irenæus contra hereses. lib. * cap. 9. & Epiphanius 3. tom.
lib. 1._]
[Footnote x: _Iannes, Iambres, 2. Timot. 3._]
[Footnote y: _Vide Nicolaum Lyranum in & additionem Burgensis, &
replicam correctorij contra Burgensem._]
[Footnote z: _Diabolus Deo perpetuo aduersatur voluntate & actu
non semper effectu: id est, Intentio semper est mala, etsi non
semper ex animi sui sententia maium perficere possit Deo illud
vertente in bonum. Aug de Ciuit. Dei, lib. * cap. 35 & de
trinitate lib. 3. cap. 8._]
[Footnote aa: _Iaquerius in flagello hereticorum fafcinariorum,
cap. 15._]
[Footnote bb: _Augustinus de diuinatione Dæmonum._]
[Footnote cc: _Binfeldius de confessionibus maleficorum vnde
magorum operationes vim suam habent plenissimam. Aquinas Summa
contra gentes, lib. 3. cap. 105. & eius in eum locum commentator
Franciscus de siluestris._]
[Footnote dd: _Tritemius in libro responsionum ad qu[e,]stiones
Maximiliani Imperatoris qu[e,]stione. Cyrillus Catechismo 4 ad
illuminatos, Arbitrium incitare potest Diabolus cogere omnino
preter voluntatem non potest._]
[Footnote ee: _Tertul. de fuga in Persecutione._]
And as these euill spirits are in themselues different in power,
vnderstanding, and subtiltie: so can their seruants do more or lesse
through their meanes.
I conclude with that memorable speech of a most noble and learned
man,[ff] The Diuell is the Author and principall of all that euill which
the Witch or Wisard committeth, not thereby to make them more powerfull,
but to deceiue them by credulity and ouer-light beliefe, and to get
himselfe a companion of his impiety, cruelty, and hatred, which he
beareth both to God and man; and also of eternall damnation: for indeed
it is his worke, which the foolish and doating wisards coniecture is
brought to passe by the words and inchantments which they vtter: and is
very busie thus to colour his proceedings, which neuer come abroad in
their owne likenesse, because he enuieth the blessed estate of man, and
his eternall saluation purchased by the perfect obedience of Christ the
Redeemer, and hateth that Image of God which hee beholdeth in him; much
like the Panther,[gg] who when hee cannot get hold of the man himselfe,
is so inflamed with rage, that he teareth his picture in peeces
violently which is cast vpon the ground to hinder his pursuit of the
hunter who hath carried away his whelpes. And [hh]so as _Lactantius_
speaketh, these vncleane spirits cast from heauen, wander vp and downe
the earth, compasse land and sea, seeking to bring men to destruction as
a consort of their owne desperate and irrecouerable estate.
[Footnote ff: _Iulius Scaliger de subtilitate, ad Cardanum,
exercitatione 349. an venefici credulitas vim addat malefice._]
[Footnote gg: _Basilius Homilia 21. in diuersos Scriptura locos
sermone habito in non procul a fine._]
[Footnote hh: _Lib. 2. qui est de origine erroris cap. 15._]
_The fourth Proposition._
Hauing shewed before, that the pracise of Witches receiueth the being
and perfection from that[a] agreement which is made betweene them and
Diuell, it now followeth necessarily, that we do enquire whether it bee
possible that there may be any such agreement and league betweene them.
The cause of doubt ariseth from the diuersity or disparity of their
natures, the one being a corporall substance, the other spirituall, vpon
which ground some[b] haue supposed that no such contract can passe: But
we are to hold the contrary affirmatiue, both _de esse_, and _de posse_,
that there may be, and is, notwithstanding this difference of essence, a
mutuall contract of the one with the other: for we read of sundry
leagues between God & his people, and some with great solemnitie of
ceremonies vsed in the same, a[c] _Genesis 15. 9.17._ and _Deut. 5. 2._
and in many other like places, yet is hee a simple essence,[d] free from
all diuision, multiplication, composition, accidents, incorporeall,
spirituall, and inuisible. But in Angelicall creatures, though there be
no Physicall composition of matter and forme, or a soule and a body; yet
is there a metaphysicall, being substances consisting of an act and
possibility, subiect and accidents. And furthcr, betweene a spirit and a
man, there is communication of the vnderstanding and will, the faculties
and actions whereof must concurre in euery couenant, which is nothing
else but the consent of two or more persons about the thing.
[Footnote a: _Nauarrus in Manuali confessarior. cap. 11 in primum
decalogi præceptum._]
[Footnote b: _Ioh. Wierus, totum hoc fictitium putat & fondus
imaginarimum, & impossibile putat, idque passim in suis libris
præcipuè autem de Lamijs, cap. 7. 8. & 23. & de pr[e,]stigijs
Dæmon[~u], lib. 6. c. 27, & c. Hunc refutant eruditè. Binfeldo
confessionibus maleficorum, & Thomas Erastus de Lamijs._]
[Footnote c: _De his ceremonijs similiæ, Ier. cap. 34. 18. & multa
Cyrillus contra Iulianum & Procopius Gazæus in hunc locum &
Augustinus._]
[Footnote d: _Palanus Syntagmatis Theologie, l. 2. cap. 8._]
And when the Diuell durst in expresse tearmes tender a contract to our
blessed Sauiour, tempting him in the wildernesse, shewing him the
kingdomes of the world, and the glory thereof, offered them with this
condition, _All these will I giue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and
worship me_, _Mat. 4. 9_. How much more then will hee aduenture vpon
man, weake, wicked, and easie to be seduced? And who[e] can doubt but
that these bee the solemne and formall words of a bargaine, _Do vt des,
do vt facias_, I giue this for to haue that giuen, I bestow this, to
haue such, or such a thing done for me.
[Footnote e: _Brissonius de formulis, lib. 6. Solemnia pactorum
sine obligatione verba sunt: spondes? spondeo. promittis? promitto
dabis? dabo vt facias, faciam. Iustinianus in institutionibus,
lib. 3. titulo 16._]
Now this couenant is of two sorts, secret or manifest; secret, when one
indeuoureth or intendeth to do any thing by such meanes, which neither
in nature, nor by institution haue power to produce the purposed
effects, or be conioyned as neccessary with other, which can bring the
same to passe. Expresse, wherein consent is giuen either by writing, and
words, or making such signes, whereby they renounce God, and deuote
themselues slaues and vassals vnto the Diuell, hee promising, that vpon
such condition they shall doe wonders, know future euents, helpe and
hurt at their pleasure, and others like vnto these.
An example whereof wee may obserue in[f] _Siluester_ the second, one of
the holy Fathers of _Rome_, who did homage to the Diuell his Lord, and
made fidelity to liue at his will and appoyntment, vpon condition to
obtaine what he desired, by which meanes he got first the Bishopricke of
_Rhemes_, after of _Rauenna_, and at the last the Papacie of _Rome_.
Which Sea, though it will yeeld good plenty of such like presidents, and
we may finde them in authenticall records of Histories, yet I content my
selfe with this one.
[Footnote f: _Hic Monachus Floriacensis Cænobij diabolo suadente,
& enormiter instigante si eius ob*quijs & arti magica obligauit
in tantum quod Diabolo fecit Homagium cum pacto vt ei omnia ad
nutum succederent, & c. Holcot. in cap. 17. lib. sapientiæ
lectione 190. Platina in illius vita. Vide & Balerum de Romanorum
pontificum actis in lib. 5. in Syluestro secundo, & Robertum
Barnes. de vitis pontificum Romanorum._]
[g]The formall tearmes of this couenant, as they bee set downe by some,
are most dreadfull: and the seuerall poynts these.
[Footnote g: _Godelmannus de magia tacita & illicita, lib. 1. cap.
2. xº.8.9.10 &c._]
To renounce God his Creator, and that promise made in Baptisme.
To deny Iesus Christ, and refuse the benefites of his obedience, yea to
blaspheme his glorious and holy name.
To worship the Deuill, & repose all confidence and trust in him.
To execute his commaundements.
To vse things created of God for no end, but to the hurt and destruction
of others.
And lastly, to giue himselfe soule and body to that deceitfull and
infernall spirit, who on the other part appeareth to them in the shape
of a man (which is most common) or some other creature, conferreth
familiarly, and bindeth himselfe by many promises, that at all times
called for, he will presently come, giue counsell, further their
desires, answer any demaund, deliuer from prison, and out of all
dangers, bestow riches, wealth, pleasure, and what not? and all without
any labour and paines-taking, in a word to become seruiceable to their
will, & accomplish all their requests. And this is that which the
Prophet _Esay_ speaketh, _chap. 28. 15._ to make a couenant with death,
and an agreement with hell. The consent of the ancient Fathers, if there
were any doubt, might be added to the further clearing of this
conclusion. For [h]_Cyprian_ directly affirmeth, that all those who vse
magicall Arts, make a couenant with the Diuell, yea he himselfe, while
he practized the same (before his calling to the light and true
knowledge of God) was bound vnto him by an especiall[i] writing,
whereunto some subscribe with their owne bloud, which was a vse among
diuers nations, and a most sure bond of constant friendship, and
[k]inuiolable consociation. But herein these seduced wretches are
deceiued: for these promises which he makes, are treacherous, and the
obseruances whereunto he enioyneth and perswadeth them, as powerfull in
producing such or such effects, meere deceipts, and haue no qualitie in
them to that purpose, but respecteth his owne ends, which are one of
these foure.
[Footnote h: _Siue illius sit, siue alterius esto liber. De
duplici Martyrio. Aquinas 2ª. 2a. quest. 96. Ioh. Gerson in
Trilogio astrologiæ Theologisatæ propositione 21. & de erroribus
circa artem magicam, Dicto 2._]
[Footnote i: _Camerarius meditationum historiarum, lib. 1. cap. 6.
Bodinus exampla ponit D[e,]monomanias. lib. 2. & 4. Binfeldius de
confessionibus maleficorum._]
[Footnote k: _Simile de Catilina refert Salustius. cum ad ius
iurandum populares scelerius sui adigeret, humani corporis
sanguinem vina permixtum in pateris circumtulisse, inde cum post
execration[~e] omnes degustauissent, sicut in solemnibus sacris
fieri consueuit aperuisse consili[~u] suum, atque eo dictitant
fecisse, quo inter se magis fidi forent._]
First, to the mouing of them to the breaking of Gods law.
Secondly, to adore him with diuine worship and sacred rites.
Thirdly, to weaken their hope and faith in God.
Fourthly, to couer his owne fraud and treachery, that it may not be
perceiued.
And when they finde this Impostor failing in the performance of his
vowed promises, then he wanteth not his shifts: as that these defects
are not to be imputed to him, or the weakenesse of the Art, but their
owne negligence or ignorance, who haue not exactly obserued such
directions, and in that manner they were deliuered: or mistooke his
meaning, which is commonly deliuered in[l] ambiguous tearmes, such as
will admit a double construction: and herein appeareth the lamentable
and woefull blindnesse of man, who is contented to swallow vp, and
excuse many of his lies by one truth fore-told; which hath casually come
to passe, whereas in other matters they make light account of, yea
cõtemne infinit truths, if they shall finde by long search and diligent
inquiry, but one falshood. Wherefore it behooueth vs to be carefull
Centinels ouer our selues, for that our grand[m] aduersary, proud,
enuious, and not standing in the truth, reposeth all his possibility of
victory in lies, and out of this poysoned sinke, deuiseth all kinde of
deceits, that so hee might depriue man of that happy and blessed estate
which he lost by pride, and draw him into the society of his owne
damnation: therefore it is a needfull caueat giuen by one of the ancient
Fathers: Our enemy is old against whom wee fight, sixe [n]thousand
yeares fully compleat are passed since he began to oppose himself
against vs; but if wee obserue the commandements of God, and continue
steadfast in faith, apprehending Iesus Christ, then shall we be able to
withstand all his violent assaults, and ouer-come him because Christ in
whom we trust, is inuincible.
[Footnote l: As that to Pope _Siluester_ the second, his demand;
who asked how long he should liue and enioy the _Popedome_?
answered, vntil hee should say masse in _Ierusalem_; and not long
after, celebrating the same in a _Chappell_ of the Church
dedicated to the holy Crosse in _Rome_, called _Ierusalem_, knew
how he was ouer-reached, for there hee dyed. And an other paralell
to this, may be that of a certaine Bishop, much addicted to these
vanities, hauing many enemies, and fearing them, asked the Diuell
whether he should fly or not: who answered, _Non, sta secure,
venient inimici tui suauiter, & subdentur tibi._ But being
surprized, and taken by his aduersaries, and his castle set on
fire, expostulating with him that hee had deceiued him in his
distresse, returned answere, that he said true, if his speech had
been rightly vnderstood: for he aduised, _Non sta secure_ [id est
_fugias_] _venient inimici tui suauiter, & subdentur_, [id est
_ignem tibi_]. Such were the Oracles which he gaue, and whereof
all histories do testifie. _Holcot_ vpon the booke of Wisedome,
and the rest before mentioned with him.]
[Footnote m: _Leo de collectis Serm. 40. & natiuitate Domini,
Serm. 7._]
[Footnote n: _In proemio, lib de exhortaions ad Martyrium
Cyprianus._]
_The fifth Proposition._
The Diuell can assume to himself[a] a body, and frame a voyce to speake
with, and further instruct and giue satisfaction to those who haue
submitted themselues vnto him, and are bound to his seruice. For he lost
not by his transgression and fall, his naturall[b] endowments, but they
continued in him whole[c] and perfect, as in the good Angels, who abide
in that obedience and holiness wherein they were created, from whence a
reason confirmatiue may bee thus framed, Good Angels can take vnto
themselues bodies, as _Genes. 18. 2._ _Iudg. 13. 3.6._ therefore the
euill also. Thus the Diuell hath appeared to some in the forme of a
[d]Man, cloathed in purple, & wearing a crowne vpon his head: to others
in the likenesse of a [e]Childe: sometime he sheweth himselfe in the
forme of foure-footed beastes, foules, creeping things, [f]roaring as a
Lyon, skipping like a Goat, barking after the manner of a dogge, and the
like. But[g] it is obserued by some, that he cannot take the shape of a
Sheepe, or Doue, though of an Angell of light: _2. Cor. 11. 14_. And
further, [h]most of the learned doe hold, that those bodies wherein they
doe appeare, are fashioned of the[i] aire, (though it is not to be
denied, but they can enter into other, as the Diuell did into the
Serpent, deceiuing _Eue_, _Gen. 3. 1._) which if it continuing pure and
in the owne nature,[k] hath neither colour nor figure, yet condensed
receiueth both, as wee may behold in the clouds, which resemble sometime
one, sometime another shape, and so in them is seene the representation
of Armies fighting, of beasts and Birds, houses, Cities, and sundry
other kinds of apparations.
[Footnote a: _Augustinus in Enchiridio, cap .59. & 60. & Lambertus
Daneusin suis comentarijs: ad eundem._]
[Footnote b: _Binfeldius de confessionibus maleficorum. Aquinas,
Summa part. 1. quest. 51, art. 3. & 4_]
[Footnote c: _In D[e,]monibus +angelikas dôreas ou mêpote alloi
ôsthas phamen, alloi eisi holoklêroi kai pamphaneis+, Dionisius
Areopagita, de diuinis nominibus cap. 4. & si vacat licebit
consulere in eundem Pachemeræ Paraphrasin & maximi scholia.
Isidorus Hispalensis de summo bono. lib. 1. cap. 12._]
[Footnote d: _Sulpitius Seuerus in vita beati Martini. Multa
exempl[e,] habet Bodinus in pr[e,]fatione ad D[e,]monomaniam._]
[Footnote e: _Hieronimus in vita Hilarianis._]
[Footnote f: _Psellus de d[e,]monum natura._]
[Footnote g: _Binfeldius de confessionibus maleficorum._]
[Footnote h: _Petrus Martyr in 28. caput. lib. 2. Samuelis.
Aquinas in Summa parte 1. quest 51. articul. 2. Hyperius locer[~u]
Theolog. lib._]
[Footnote i: _Hesiodus_ +ergôn kai hêmerôn+ _lib. 1. D[e,]monas
ait esse_ +aera essamenous+_. proclus interpretatur quia sunt
corpora aërea._]
[Footnote k: _Iulius Scaliger de subtilitate ad Cardanum
exercitatione 359. sectione 13._]