A Discourse of Witchcraft, chapter 3: Of the kinds of Witchcraft, and first of Divination (part 4 of 4)

Sect. III.

The second kind of Diuination, is by counterfeit, and forged meanes, which are none of the creatures of God: whereof one kind onely is mentioned in Scripture, viz. when Satan is consulted with in the shape of a dead man. This is commonly called Neeromaneie, or the blacke arte, because the Deuill being sought vnto by Witches, appeares vnto them in the likenes of a dead bodie. And it is expressely forbidden, Deuter. 18. 11. yea condemned by the Prophet Esai, 8. 19, 20. who saith in plaine tearmes, that Gods people ought not to goe from the liuing to the dead, but to the Law and to the testimonie. A memorable example hereof is recorded in 1. Sam. 28. the obseruation whereof, will discouer vnto vs the chiefe: points of Necromancie. There Saul about to encounter the Philisti[…]s, beeing forsaken of God, who refused to answer him, either by dreames, or by Vrim; or by the Prophets, inquired for one that had a familiar spirit: and hearing of the Pythonesse at Endor, went vnto her by night, and caused her to raise vp Samuel, to tell him of the issue of the warre. Now the Witch at his request raised vp the Deuill, with whome shee was confederate, in Samuels likenesse; who gaue him answer concerning his owne ouerthrowe, and the death of his sonnes. Which example declareth plainely, that there is a kind of diuination, whereby Witches and Sorcerers reueale strange things, by means of the deuill appearing vnto thē in the shapes or shadowes of the dead.

Touching the truth of this example, two Questions may be mooued.

The first is, Whether that which appeared, was true Samuel or not? Some say it was Samuel indeede: others (who hold that there are no Witches) denie that it was either Samuell, or the deuill; and affirme it to be some other counterfeit comming in Samuels attire to deceiue Saul: both which opinious are false and here to be confuted.

And first, that their opinion which say that true Samuel appeared vnto Saul, is a flat vntruth, I prooue by these reasons.

I. Before this time, God had withdrawne his spirit from Saul, as himselfe confesseth, and denied to answer him any more by ordinarie meanes, in such sort as before he had done. Hereupon I gather, that it is was not probable, that God would now vouchsafe him the fauour to suffer Samuel to come vnto him extraordinarily, and tell him what should be the end of his warre with the Philistins: and to this purpose it is affirmed twise in that chapter, that God had taken his good spirit from Saul.

II. The soules of the faithfull departed, are in the hands of God, and doe rest in glorie with himselfe, and their bodies are in the earth, and there rest in peace. So saith the voice from heauen, Reuel. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord: for they rest from their labours, and their works, that is the reward of their workes, follow them immediatly, or at the heeles, as the word signifieth. Now suppose the deuill had power ouer Samuels bodie, yet to make true Samuel, he must haue his soule also. But it is not in the power of the deuill, to bring againe the soules that are in heauen vnto their bodies, and so to cause them to appeare vnto men vpon earth, and to speake vnto them. The Deuills kingdome is in hell, and in the hearts of wicked men on earth; yea whiles the children of God are in this world, he vsurpeth some authoritie ouer them, by meanes of their owne corruption: But heauen is the kingdome of God and his Saints, where Satan hath nothing to doe, considering that there is no flesh or corruption, to make him entrance or yeeld him intertainement. Neither can it be prooued by Scripture, that the deuill can disturbe either the bodies or soules of them that die in the Lord: and therefore the Witch with all her power and skill, could not bring Samuels rotten bodie (for so no doubt it was now) and soule together.

III. This shape which appeared suffered Saul to adore and worshippe it, where is the true Samuel would neuer haue receiued adoration from Saul the king, though it had beene in ciuill manner onely. Whome then did Saul adore? Answ. The Deuill himselfe, who beeing an enemie to the glorie of God, was content to take to himselfe that honour, which a King in dutie is to performe to God himselfe.

IV. If it had beene true Samuel, he would certainly haue reproued Saul for seeking helpe at Witches, contrarie to Gods commandement, & that doctrine which he had taught him from God in his life time. But this counterfeit reproued him not, and therefore it is not like to be the true Prophet of God, but Satan himselfe, framing by his art and skill the person and shape of Samuel.

But it is alleadged to the contrarie, that Samuel a[…]ter his sleepe, prophesied of the death of Saul, Ecclesiastic. 46. v. 20. A[…]ter his sleepe also he told of the Kings death, &c. Answ. That booke penned by Iesus the sonne of Sirach is a very worthie description of Christian Ethicks, contaming more excellent precepts for manners, then all the writings of heathen Philosophers, or other men. But yet it is not Scripture, neither did the Church euer hold and receiue it as C[…]onicall: yea, the author himselfe […]sinuateth so much in the beginning thereof: for in the preface he disableth himselfe to interpret hard things, and after a sort craues pardon for his weaknesse, which is not the manner of the men of God, that were penmen of Scripture. For they were so guided by gods spirit in their proceedings, that nothing could be hard vnto them. This priuiledge no ordinarie man hath assurance of: and therefore this author writing vpon his owne priuate motion, was subiect to error, and no doubt this speach of his, beeing contrarie to that which is recorded in the Canonicall Scriptures, is a flat vntruth.

Secondly, it is obiected, that the Scripture calleth him Samuel, that appeared vnto Saul. Ans. The scripture doth often speake of things, not as they are in themselues, but as they seeme to vs. So it is affirmed, Gen. 1. 16. that God made two great lights, the Sunne and Moone: whereas the moone is lesser then many starres, yet because in regard of her nearenesse to the earth, shee seemeth to vs greater then the rest, therefore shee is called a great light. In like manner Idols in the Scripture are called Gods, not that they are so indeed, (for an Idoll is nothing, 1. Cor. 8. 4.) but because some men doe so conceiue of them in their mindes. In a word; the Scripture oftentimes doth abase it selfe to our conceit, speaking of things not according as they are, but after the manner of men; and so in this place calleth counterfeit Samuel, by the name of the true Samuel, because it seemed so vnto Saul.

The third obiection: That bodie which appeared, prophecied of things that came to passe the day after, as the death of Saul, and of his sonnes; which indeede so fel out, and at the same time, therefore was like to be Samuel. Answ. There is nothing there said or done, which the deuill might not doe. For when the Lord vseth the deuill as his instrument to bring some things to passe, he doth before hand reueile the same vnto him: and looke what particulars the deuill learneth from God, those he can foretell. Now the truth is, Satan was appointed by God to worke Sauls ouerthrowe, and it was made knowne vnto him when the thing should be done; by which meanes, and by none other, the deuill was enabled to Foretell the death of Saul. Where (by the way) obserue, that in this case the deuill can reueale things to come certenly, to wit, if he be appointed Gods immediate instrument for the execution of them, or knowes them by light of former prophecies in Scripture.

Fourthly, dead men doe often appeare and walke after they are buried. Ans. It is indeede the opinion of the Church of Rome, and of many ignorant persons among vs, but the truth is otherwise. Dead men doe neither walke, nor appeare in bodie or soule after death: for all that die, are either Righteous, or wicked: The soules of the Righteous goe straight to heauen, and the soules of the wicked to hell, and their remaine till the last iudgement: and therefore of the iust it is said, that they are blessed when they die, because they rest from their labours, Apoc. 14. 13. But how doe they rest, if after they be dead they wander vp and downe in the earth?

If it be said, that Moses and Elias appeared when Christ was transsigured in the mount; and that Lazarus rose again, and at Christs resurrection many dead bodies rose againe and appeared.

I answer; there were two times when God suffered the dead to be raised vp againe; either at the planting of his Church, or at the restoring and establishing of it, when it was rased to the foundation. Thus at the restoring of religion in Elias and Elishaes times, the sonne of the Shunamitish woman, 2. King. 4. 34. and the widowes sonne at Sarephta, 1. King. 17. 21. were raised. Againe, when God would restore his Church, which was fallen to Idolatrie about the death of Elisha, he caused the like miracle to be wrought in the reuiuing of a dead man by the touching of Elishaes dead carkeise in the graue, thereby to assure the people of their deliuerance, and to cause them to embrace the doctrine of the Prophet after his death, which in his life they had contemned. In like manner at the establishing of the Gospel in the new Testament, it pleased Christ to raise vp Moses and Elias, and to make them knowne to his Disciples by extraordinarie reuelation, that they might beleeue that the doctrine which hee preached was not newe, but the same in substance with that which was recorded in the Law and the Prophets, both which were represented by Moses and Elias. So also he wrought the miracle vpon Lazarus, the widowes sonne, and lairus daughter, thereby to sliewe the power of his Godhead, the truth of his calling, the testimonie of his Doctrine: lastly, to make knowne the power of his resurrection, he caused some to rise and appeare to others, when he himselfe rose againe. But out of these two times we haue neither warrant nor example, that God suffered the dead to be raised vp. Wherefore those instances will not any way confirme Samuels appearing, which indeed was not true, but counterfeite and forged by the Deuill himselfe.

Now for the second Opinion, of those which denie that there be any Witches, and thereupon hold that this was a meere cosenage of the Witch, suborning some man or woman to coū terfeit the forme, attire, and voice of Samuel, thereby to delude Saul, that also is vntrue. For he that spake foretolde the ruine of Saul, of his sonnes, and of his armie, yea the time also wherein this was to come to passe: whereas in likelihood no man or woman in all Israel, could haue foretold such things before hand of themselues. It was not then any cosenage, as is affirmed, but a thing effected by the deuill, framing to himselfe a bodie in the likenesse of Samuel, wherein he spake.

If therefore it be manifest, that by counterfeit apparitions of the dead Witches and Sorcerers can foretell things to come: hence sundrie points of Witchcraft may be obserued.

First, that there is a league between the Witch and the deuill. For this was the cause which mooued Saul to seeke to Witches, because neither he himselfe, nor any of his seruants could raise vp Satan in Samuels likenesse, as the Witch of Endor did. But Saul beeing a King, might haue commanded helpe from all the wise and learned men in Israel, for the effecting of such a matter: why then would he rather seeke to a silly woman, then to them? The reason was, because shee had made a compact with the deuil, for the vsing of his helpe at her de […]aund, by vertue whereof he was as readie to answer, as she to call him; whereas Saul and the learned Iewes, hauing made no such league, neither he by his power, nor they by their skill, could haue performed such a worke.

Secondly, the deuill will be readie at the call and command of Witches and Sorcerers, when they are intending any mischiefe. For here the Witch of Endor no sooner spake, but he appeared, and therefore the text giues her a name that signifieth one hauing rule and command ouer Pytho, that is, the familiar spirit: yet when he is commanded, he yeelds not vpon constraint, but voluntarily, because he builds vpon his owne greater aduantage, the gaining of the soule of the Witch. Where by the way, let it be obserued, what a pretious thing the soule of man is; the purchasing wherof, can make the proud spirit of Satan so farre to abase it self, as to be at the command of a silly woman. Againe, what an inueterate malice Satan beareth to man, which for the gaining of a soule, will doe that which is so contrarie to his nature. It may teach man, what to esteeme of his soule, and not to sell it for so base a price.

Thirdly, by this, the great power of the Deuill in the behalfe of the Sorcerer, is made manifest. For he was presently at hand to counterfeit Samuel, and did it so liuely and cunningly, as well in forme of bodie, as in attire and voice, that Saul thought verily it was the Prophet: which may be a caueat vnto vs, not easily to giue credit to any such apparitions. For though they seeme neuer so true and euident, yet such is the power and skill of the deuill, that he can quite deceiue vs, as he did Saul in this place.

Sect. IV.

Hitherto I haue shewed the first kind of Diuination by meanes, both true and forged. Now followeth the second; practised without meanes.

Diuination without meanes, is the foretelling and reuealing of things to come, by the alone and immediate assistance of a familiar spirit. This kind is mentioned and expressely forbidden, Leuit. 19. 31. Ye shall not regard them that worke with spirits. Againe, Leuit. 20. 6. If any turne after such as worke with spirits, to goe a whoring after them, I will set my face against that person, and will cut him off from among his people. So, Deut. 18. 11. Let none be found among you that consulteth with spirits. In which places the holy Ghost vseth the word Ob, which more properly signifieth a spirit, or deuill, in which sense it is taken in Leuit. 20. 27. and in 1. Sam 28. 8. And by reason of the league which is betweene the Witch and the deuill, the same is also giuen to the Witch, that worketh by the deuill: and therefore the Pythonesse at Endor, is both called Ob, 1. Sam. 28. 9. and shee that ruleth Ob. v. 7, 8.

Now this kind of Diuination is practised two wayes: either inwardly, when the spirit is within the Witch: or outwardly, when being forth of the Witch he doth onely inspire him or her.

An example of the former waie, the Scripture affordeth, Act. 16. 16. of a woman at Philippi, that had a spirit of Pytho; which gather master much vantage with diuining. And this spirit whereby she diuined was within her. For Paul beeing molested, said to the spirit, I cōmand thee in the name of Iesus Christ, that thou come out of her, and he came out the same houre, v. 18. And because the deuill is wont in this kinde to speake out of the throat and brest, or bellie of the Witch p[…]ssessed, hereunto learned men haue thought that this name (Ob) is giuen to the deuill, because he speaketh out of the witch, as out of a bottell or hollow vessell: for so the word Ob, properly signifieth.

Secondly, this may be practised when the deuill is forth of the Witch, and then he either inspireth her, or els casteth her into a traunce, and therein reueileth vnto her such things as she would know.

Of this kind, though we haue no example in Scripture, yet the histories of the heathen doe affoard vnto vs many instances of experience therein. One of the principall is the historie of the ten Sibylles of Greece, who were most famous Witches, and did prophesie of many things to come, whereof some were true concerning Christ and his kingdome, which the deuill stole out of the Bible, and some other were false: and all of them they receiued by reuelation from the deuill in traunces.

But it will be said, If the deuill reueileth vnto his instruments strāge things in traunces, then how shall a man discerne betweene diabolicall reuelations, and the true gift of prophesie, which God in traunces reueileth vnto his Prophets.

Answ. In this point Satan is, (as it were) Gods ape. For as he in old time raised vp holy Prophets to speake vnto the fathers for the building vp of his Church: so hath Satan inspired his ministers, and furnished his instruments with propheticall inspirations from time to time, for the building vp of his owne kingdome: and hereupon he hath notably counterfeited the true gift of prophecie receiued first from God himselfe. And yet, though in many things they be like, there is great difference betweene them.

First, diuine trances may come vpon Gods children, either whē the soule remaineth vnited with the bodie, or else when it is seuered for a time. So much Paul insinuateth, when he faith of himselfe, 2. Cor. 12. […]. that he was rapt vp (as it were in a heauenly trance) into the third heauen, but whether in the bodie, or out of the bodie, he knew not. But in all diabolical ecstasies, though the body and senses of the Witch be (as it were) bound or benummed for the time; yet their soules still ren[…]aine vnited to their bodies, and not seuered from them. For though the deuill by Gods permission may kill the bodie, and so take the soule out of it for euer; yet to take it from the bodie for a time, and to reunite them againe, is miraculous, and therefore beyond the compasse of his power.

Secondly, in diuine trances the seruants of God haue all their senses, yea all the powers of soule and bodie remaining sound and perfect, onely for a time the actions and operations are suspended and cease to doe their dutie: but in ecstasies that be from Satan, his instruments are cast into frenzies and madnesse: so as reason in them is darkened, vnderstanding obscured, memorie weakned, the braine distempered; yea, all the faculties are so blemished, that many of them neuer recouer their former estate againe: and they that scape best, doe carrie their blemishes, as the deuills skars, euen vnto their graue. So kind is Saran to his friends, that he will leaue his tokens behind him, where euer he comes in this sort. The seruants of God receiue no such blemishes, but rather a further good, and a greater measure of illumination of all the powers of the soule.

Thirdly, diuine ecstasies tend alway to the confirming of the truth of the Gospel, and the furtherance of true religion and pietie. Such was Peters, Act. 10. 11. which serued to assure him of his calling to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, and to informe his iudgement in this truth, that there was no acception of persons with God, and that to them of the new Testament, all things were cleane, and nothing polluted. But the scope of them that are from Satan, is principally the suppressing and hinderance of religion, the drawing of the weake into errours, the ratifying and confirming of thē that are fallen thereinto, and the generall vpholding of the practises of vngodlinesse. And by these and such like particular differences, hath God pulled off the Deuills vizar, and made him better knowne and discerned of true Christians. And thus much concerning Diuination, the first part of Witch-craft.