A Discourse of Witchcraft, chapter 4: Of Operative or working Witch-craft (part 2 of 2)

Howbeit, of all Inchantments these are the most dishonorable to God, most acceptable to Satan, and most hurtfull to the charmer, which are made of the Scriptures. For beside the sinne of Witchcraft in the Charming, this inconuenience […], that Satan procureth more credite to one of th[…]se, then to twentie other, because the words are Scripture; hereby clo[…]ing his mischie[…]ous practises vnder the colour of holynes, and so confirming the truth of that which the holy Ghost saith, that when he worketh most deceitfully, he transformes himselfe into an Angell of l[…]hgt,[…] Cor. 11. 14. He knoweth well, that ordinarie words seeme nothing to some men, therfore he teacheth and suggesteth phrases and sentences out of the word, for such vngodly ends, that euen the grace of them fet[…]hed from the Scriptures, may make them s[…]mefull. Wherefore let euery one that is indued with grace and knowledge, d[…]ely consider this with himselfe. Cannot Gods word be effectuall, when it is vsed to edification, vnlesse the worke of his owne Spirit accompany the same? then surely it is impossible, that the same which is holy, beeing vsed to an euill ende, should be powerfull, except the deuill affordeth his helpe for the effecting thereof. To conclude therefore, let men say what they will, the truth is this, that words of Inchantment, be they neuer so holy or prophane, either by way of cursing or blessing, haue no power of themselues to the producing of strange workes: but are (as hath beene said) onely diabolicall signes, admonishing the Deuill of some wickednes intended and desired, which he through his power must cause to be done.

And thus much of Inchantment standing vpon the practise of wonders by a Charme.

To this head of Inchantment, sundry other practises of Witches are to be referred, the chiefe whereof are these.

First, the vsing and making of Characters, Images, or Figures, specially the framing of Circles, for this end to work wonders by them. As, to draw the picture of a child, or mā, or other creature in clay, or waxe, and to burie the same in the ground, or to hide it in some secret place, or to burn it in the fire, therby intending to hurt or kill the partie resembled. Againe, to make an impression into the saide picture, by pricking or gashing the heart or any other place, with intent to procure dangerous or deadly pains to the same parts. This is a meere practise of Inchantment, & the making of the image, and vsing of it to this end, is in vertue a Charme, though no words be vsed. For the bare picture hath no more power of it selfe to hurt the bodie represented, then bare words. All that is done commeth by the worke of the deuill, who alone by the vsing of the picture in that sort, is occasioned so or so, to worke the parties destruction.

Secondly, hither we may referre the vsing of Amulets, that is, remedies and preseruatiues against inchantments, […]orceries, and bewitchings, made of herbes or some such things, and hanged about the necke for that ende.

Thirdly, the vsing of Exorcismes, that is, certaine set formes of words vsed in way of ad[…]uration, for some extraordinarie ende. A practise vsuall in the Church of Rome, whereby the priest co[…]iures the salt, holy-water, creame, […]pittle, oyle, pal[…]es, &c. all which are in truth meere inchantements. For howsoeuer the Councell of Trent hath ratified thē by their decrees, & so commended them to general vse within the compasse of the Popish Church; yet they haue in them no power or abili[…]ie of blessing or cursing, either by nature, or Gods appoyntment.

Fourthly, In this number we reckon the vsing of the name Iesus, to d[…]iue away the deuill, or to p[…]euent Witchcraft; a common practise among the ignorant. Wherein the wonderfull malice of Satan bew[…]aies it selfe, in making the ignorant people thinke that Christ is a coniurer, and that there is vertue in the naming o[…] his name, to doe some strange thing. Whereas the truth is, he careth neither for this name, nor for all the names of God, if a man goes no further thē the bare repeating of them; but rather delighteth to see them so abused and disgraced. And hereupon it is, that in all coniurations, when he is raised by the Sorcerer, he is willing to be adi[…] red by all the holy names of God that are in the Scripture, to the ende, that he may the more deepely seduce his owne instruments, and make them to thinke that these holy names will bind him, & force him to yeeld vnto their desires in the particular, when indeede there is no such matter. Which point throughly considered, may admonish vs to take speciall heede of these cunning glozes and deuillish insinuations, whereby he intendeth to delude vs; alway remembring, that the Apostles themselues, to whom the power of working miracles was giuen, did neuer acknowledge the worke to be done by the name of Iesus, but as S. Peter affirmeth, through faith in his name, Act. 3. 6. 16.

Fiftly, The crossing of the bodie, to this ende, that we may be blessed from the deuill. A thing vsuall euen of latter times, specially in Popery; wherein the crosse carrieth the very nature of a Charme, and the vse of it in this māner, a practise of Inchantment. For God hath giuen no such vertue to a crosse, either by creation, or speciall priuiledge and appointment.

Six[…]ly, the Scratching […]f a Witch to discouer the Witch. For it is a means which hath no warrant or power thereunto, either by the word of God, or frō nature, but onely from the deuill; who if he yeeldeth either at crossing, or scrat[…]hing, he doth it willingly, and not by compulsion, that he may feede his instrument with a false faith and a superstitious cōceit, to the dishonor of God, and their owne ouerthrowe. In a word, looke whatsoeuer actions, gestures, signes, rites, and ceremonies are vsed by men or women to worke wonders, hauing no power to effect the same, either by creation and nature, or by speciall appointment from God, they must all be referred to this head, and reckoned for Charmes.

The vse. Now considering that all kinds of Charmes are the deuills watchwords to cause him to worke the wonder, and haue no vertue in them, be the words wherein they are conceiued neuer so good: hereby we must be admo[…]shed, to take heede of the vse of them, and all other vnlawful ceremonies, both in respect of their formes, be they praises or praiers, or imprecations; as also in regard of their endes, be they neuer so good in outward appearance. But alas! the more lamentable is the case, Charming is in as great request as Physicke, and Charmers more sought vnto then Physicians in time of neede. There be charmes for all conditions and ages of men, for diuers kinds of creatures, yea for euery disease; as for head-ach, tooth-ach, stitches, and such like. Neuerthelesse, howsoeuer some haue subiected themselues to such base and vngodly meanes, yet the vse hereof by the mercie of God, hath not beene vniuersall. And those that haue sought for helpe, are to be aduised in the feare of God, to repent of this their sinne, and to take a better course. Let them rightly consider, that they haue hither to depended vpon Satan for helpe, and consequently haue dishonoured God, and renounced lawfull meanes sanctified by him, which should not haue beene done in case of the greatest worldly gaine. For no man may doe euill, that good may come of it.

But they that vse the helpe of Charmers, and consult with Wisemen, are wont to alleadge something in defence or excuse of their practise.

First, that they for their part, meane no hurt, they know no euill by the man whome they seeke to, they onely send to him, and he does them good, how, and in what manner they regard not. Ans. 1. Indeed many be ignorant of the Inchanters courses. But in cases of losse and hindrance, men ought not onely to inquire the meanes, but to waigh and consider the warrantablenes thereof, otherwise they doe not that they doe of faith, and so are guiltie of sinne before God, Rom. 14. last vers. 2. Put the case they themselues meane no hurt, yet in this action they doe hurt to themselues, by reposing trust in things, which vpon better consideration they shall finde to be dishonourable, and therefore hatefull to God.

Secondly, they alledge; we goe to the Physician for counsell, we take his Recipe, but we know not what it meaneth; yet we vse it, and finde benefite; if this be lawfull, why may we not as well take benefit by the Wiseman, whose courses we be ignorant of? Ans. 1. Physick vsed in time and place, is a worthy ordinance of God, and therefore beeing rightly vsed, God giues his blessing to it. But for inchantment it was neuer sanctified by God, and therefore cannot be vsed in any assurance of his blessing. 2. The Physicians receit being a composition and mixture of naturall things, though a man knowes it not, yet he takes it into his stomake, or applies it to his bodie, and sensibly perceiues the vertue and eff[…]cacie thereof in the working: whereas the Charmers course consisteth of words, which neither are knowne in themselues, nor are manifest in their vse to sense or vnderstanding. And hereby it is plaine, there is not the same reason of Physicke and charmes: the one hauing a sensible operation by vertue giuen it of God; the other insensible, and wrought aboue ordinaric meanes by the worke of Satan.

Thirdly, they alleadge, God is mercifull, and he hath prouided a salue for euery sore, they haue vsed other means, but they haue not succeeded, and what should they doe more, may they not in extremitie repaire to the Inchaunter, and see what he can doe for them, rather then their goods and cattell should be lost and spoyled? Ans. 1. It were better for you to bide by the losse, yea to liue and die in any sickenes, then to tempt God by seeking help at charmers hands: for their helpe is dangerous, and commeth from the deuill, whereupon if ye rest your selues, ye ioyne league with him, and so hazzard eternally the safetie both of bodies and soules. 2. Vse good meanes allowed of God, and when they haue beene vsed often without successe, proceede not to other courses, but referre your selues to God, and say with Iob, The Lord hath giuen, and the Lord hath taken away: blassed be the name of the Lord, Iob 1. 21. And thus much of Inchanting, the first part of Operatiue Witchcraft.

Sect. II.

The second part is Iugling. Iugling, is the deluding of the eye with some strange sleight done aboue the or linar[…]e course of nature. In this description there are two points necessarily required in the point of Iugling, Delusion of the eye, and extraordinarie Sleight.

Delusion is then performed, when a man is made to thinke he sees that, which indeede he sees not. And this is done by the operation of the deuill diuersly, but especially three waies. First, by corrupting the humour of the eye, which is the next instrument of sight. Secondly, by altering the ayre, which is the meane by which the obiect or species is carried to the eye. Thirdly, by altering and changing the obiect, that is, the thing seene, or whereon a man looketh.

This deluding of the sense, is noted by Paul, Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Gal[…]tians, who hath bewitched you? where the spirit of God […]eth a word borrowed from this kind of sorcerers, which in full meaning signifieth thus much: who hath deluded your eyes, and caused you to thinke you see that, which you see not. As if he should haue said, Looke as the Iugler, by his deuillish art, deludeth the outward eye, and maketh men thinke they see that, which indeede they doe not: Euen so the false Apostles, by their erroneous doctrine, haue deluded the eies of your minds, and haue caused you, Galatians, to iudge that to be the word of God, which is not, and that to be truth, which is error and falshood. Paul giues vs to vnderstand by the very phrase vsed, that there is such a kind of Iugling, as is able to deceiue the eye: For otherwise his comparison would not hold.

The second thing required in Iugling, is a Sleight done aboue the order and course of nature. This is the point which maketh those conueiances to be Witchcraft. For if they were within the compasse of nature, they could not be rightly […]earmed and reputed Sorceries; considering that diuerse men, by reason of the agilitie of their bodies, & sleight of their hands, are able to worke diuers feats, which seeme strange to the beholders, and yet not meddle with Witchcraft. Againe, some by the lawfull art of the Optiks, may shew strange & admirable things, by meanes of light and darknesso, and yet may be free from impution of Magicall worke[…]; because they keepe themselues wholly within the power and practise of nature. But sleights done […] ouer and aboue delusiō, must passe the ordinarie bounds and precincts of nature, and so are made points of Witchcraft. One memorable example, for the clearer manifestation of this point, we haue in the Scripture, by name in the 7, 8, and 9, Chapters of Exodus, where Moses and Aaron wrought wonders before Pharaoh, turning the rodde into a serpent, and water into blood, with many other such like. Now Iannes and Iambres (for so Paul calleth them, 2. Tim, 3. 8.) the Magicians of Egypt, did worke the same miracles which Moses and Aaron had done: But here was the difference[…] Moses made true creatures, and wrought true miracles, whereas they did all in appearance and outward shew. For theirs were not true reall actions, but onely Magicall illusions, wrought by the sleight & subtilty of the deuil, in the practise of lugling.

And because some thinke, that the serpents and froggs caused by the Magitians, were true creatures, and all their other workes as really and truely done, as those which Moses and Aaron did, I will here stand a little to shewe and prooue the contrarie, that they were onely in shew and appearance, and not in deede and truth.

First then, if the frogs and serpents caused by Iannes and Iambres were true creatures indeede, and their other sleights true and reall works; then they were made and caused either by the deuill, or by God himselfe: (for no man of himselfe can make a rod to become a true serpent.) But this was done neither by the deuill, nor by God, as shall appea[…]e in the sequel[…].

They were not done by the Deuill; because the deuill cannot make a true creature, either serpent or frogge.

Hovv doth that appeare? Ans. To make a true creature of any sort, by producing the same out of the causes, is a vvork seruing to continue the creation, and is indeede a kinde of creation. Now the deuill as he cannot create a thing at the first, so he is not able to continue the same by a new creation: that beeing a propertie belonging to God onely. For better conceiuing hereof, we must know, that God crea[…]eth two waies: either primarily in the beginning, whē he made all things of nothing, Gen. 1. 1. or secōdarily, in the gouernment of the world, when he produceth a true creature in a true miracle: yet not making it of nothing (as he did in the beginning) but producing it by ministring and in forming the matter immediately by himselfe, without the aide of ordinarie meanes and instruments appointed after the creation. The former is creation properly called; the latter a continuance thereof. Both these God hath reserued to himselfe, as incommunicable to any creature. As for the succession and propagation of creatures in their kinds, as of men, beasts, birds, fishes, &c. it is onely a continuation of the creatures in their kindes, and is wrought by ordinarie meanes of generation; but is no continuance of the worke of creation. And the deuill by his power may make counterfeits of the true creatures of God, but neither by creating them, nor by continuing their creation; these two beeing workes peculiar and proper to the Deitie alone.

Againe, if the deuill could turne a rodde into a true serpent, and water into blood indeed, then his power should be equall to the power of the sonne of God himselfe. For the first miracle that he wrought, was the turning of water into wine, loh. 2. And that was no greater a worke, then the turning of water into blood, or a rod into a serpent. But this were most horrible blasphemic, to match the deuill with the Son of God, and his finite power, with the power of the Godhead, by which miracles are wrought. And the truth is, Satan can worke no true miracles; neither doth the text import, that the Magicians did that which they did by miracle, but by Inchantment and Sorcerie, Exod. 7. 11. 22. & 8. 7.

In the second place, I affirme that God did not create these creatures, or cause the works of the Magicians: to be effected. And this is prooued by the words of Paul, 2. Tim. 3. 8. who saith, that Iannes and Iambres (which did these workes) withstood Moses and Aaron, whom God had sent, and by whom he wrought. If then God had wrought with the Magicians also, he should haue beene against himselfe, yea, he should haue wrought both waies, for himselfe, and against himselfe, and consequently should haue impeached his ovvne glorie, for the manifestation vvhereof he wrought miracles by Moses and Aaron; which vve may not once thinke of God. Seeing therefore that these serpents, if they were true creatures, were not created either by Satan, because he could not, or by God himselfe, because he would not; it must needes remaine, that they, & all other the Magicians works, were meere illusions, & not otherwise.

Yet for the further clearing of the matter in hand: the text it selfe yeeldeth sundrie reasons, to prooue that these acts of the Sorcerers, were but appearances, and not things really produced.

First, they that cā not do a lesser thing, can not possibly do a greater. Now Moses shewes that the Egyptian Inchāters could not do a lesser thing then the turning of rodds into true serpents, or waters into blood. For they could not by all their power & skill, preserue themselues from the plagues of Egypt, as the botch & other iudgements, Exod. 9. 11. which was a more easie thing, then to make or change a creature. Nay, they were not able to bring forth lice by their inchantment, which seemed to be the least miracle, but acknowledged that to be the […]inger of God, Ex. 8. 18, 19.

Secondly, the text saith, that Aarons serpent deuoured their serpents, Exod. 7. v. 12. hence it followeth, that theirs could not be true creatures. For in all likelihood they were all of the same kind, and of like quantitie, at least in shew. And it was neuer seene, that one creature should receiue into it selfe an other creature of equall bignesse, with preseruation of it selfe. Neither hath it been obserued ordinarily, that one creature shold deuoure another of the same kind. It was therefore a worke of Gods secret power in the true serpent, wherby he would shew that the other were not true and real, but formall & imaginarie.

Thirdly, if the Magicians had beene able to haue made true frogges and serpents, then by the same power they might have remooued those which Moses brought: for the like abilitie is required in both: yet this they could not doe, but were faine to intreat Moses, to pray for their remooueall. So saith the text, Then pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Pray, &c. Exod. 8. 8.

Lastly, the frogges which Moses caused, when they were remooued, beeing gathered on […]eapes, caused great corruption, and the whole land stanke of them, Exod. 8. 14. Againe, the water turned into blood, made the fish in the riuer to die, and the water to stinko, so that the Egyptians could not drinke of the water of the riuer, Exod. 7. 21. But we read of no such effect of the frogges and waters of the Inchanters, which doubtlesse would haue followed as well as the other, if both had beene true and reall creatures. It remaines therefore, that these were but meere appearances and Iugling trickes, and the Sorcerers themselues Iuglers, yea all their works but sleights, caused by the power and subtiltie of Satan, and no true works, as hath beene said. Thus I haue declared the whole nature, grounds, and kinds of this damnable Art.