A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is reuealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. Framed and deliuered by M. William Perkins, in his ordinarie course of preaching, and now published by Tho. Pickering Batchelour of Diuinitie, and minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table; one of the order and heades of the treatise; another of the texts of Scripture explaned, or vindicated from the corrupt interpretation of the aduersarie.

Sect. IV.

Fourthly, it is affirmed in the descrip∣tion,

that Witchcraft is practised by the assistance of the Deuill, yet the more fully to distinguish it from all good, lawfull, and commendable arts. For in them ex∣perience teacheth, that the Arts-master is able by himselfe to practise his art, & to doe things belonging thereunto, without the help of another. But in this it is otherwise; for here the worke is done by the helpe of another, namely, the Deuill, who is confederate with the Witch. The power of effecting such strange works, is not in the art, neither doth it flow from the skill of the sorce∣rer, man-or-woman, but is deriued wholly▪ from Satan, and is brought into execution by vertue of mutuall conse∣deracie▪ betweene him and the Magici∣an.

Now that this part of the descripti∣on may be more clearely manifested, 〈…〉〈…〉 procede to a further point, 〈…〉〈…〉 kind of wonders they be which are ordinarily wrought by the ministerie and power of the deuill.

§ 1. Wonders therefore be of two sorts; either true and plaine, or lying

and deceitfull.

A true wonder is a rare worke, done by the power of God simply, either a∣boue, or against the power of nature, and it is properly called a miracle. The Scripture is plentifull in examples of this kind. Of this sort, was the deuiding of the redde sea, and making it drie land by a mighty east wind, that the children of Israel might passe through it, Exod. 14. 21. For though the East wind be na∣turall of great force to mooue the wa∣ters, and to drie the earth; yet to part the sea asunder, and to make the waters to stand as walls on each side, and the bottome of the sea as a pauement, this is a worke simply aboue the naturall pow∣er of any wind, and therefore is a mira∣cle. Again, such were the wonders done by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh in Egypt, one whereof, in stead of many, was the turning of Aarons rodde into a serpent, a worke truely miraculous. For it is aboue the power of naturall gene∣ration, that the substance of on creature should be really turned into the sub∣stance of another, as the substance of a

roode into the substance of a serpent. Of the like kinde, were the standing of the Sunne in the firmament without moouing in his course, for a whole day, losh. 10. 13. the going backe of the Sunne in the firmament tenne de∣grees, 2. King. 20. 11. the preseruation of the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the midst of the hoat fierie fornace, Dan. 3. 25. and of Daniel in the lyons den, Dan. 6. 22. the feeding of fiue thousand men, beside women and children, with fiue loaues and two fishes, Matth. 14. 20. 21. the curing of the eyes of the bling man, with spittle and clay tempered together, Ioh. 9. 6. 7. &c.

Now the effecting of a miracle in this kind, is a work proper to God one∣ly; and no creature, man, or Angel, can doe any thing either aboue or contrarie to nature, but he alone which is the Creator. For as God in the beginning made all things of nothing, so he hath reserued to himselfe, as a peculiar work of his almightie power, to change or abolish the substance, propertie, motion

and vse of any creature. The reason is, because he is the author and creator of nature, and therefore at his pleasure, is perfectly able to command, restraine, enlarge, or extend the power & strēgth thereof, without the helpe or assistance of the creature.

Againe, the working of a miracle is a kind of creation, for therein a thing is made to be, which was not before. And this must needs be proper to God alon, by whose power, things that are, were once produced out of things that did not appeare. The conclusion therefore must needs be this, which Dauid con∣fesseth in the Psalme: God onely doth won∣drous things, Psalme 136. 4. that is, works simply wonderfull.

But it is alleadged to the contrarie, that the Prophets in the old Testament, and the Apostles in the new, did worke miracles. I answer, they did so, but how? not by their owne power, but by the power of God, beeing onely his instru∣ments, whom he vsed for some speciall purpose in those works: and such as did not themselues cause the miracle, but

God in and by them. The same doth Pe∣ter and Iohn acknowledge, when they had restored the lame man to the per∣fect vse of his limmes, that by their power and godlinesse, they had not made the man to goe, Act. 3. 13.

Againe, it is obiected, that our Saui∣our Christ in his manhood wrought many miracles, as those before mentio∣ned, and many more. Ans. Christ as he was man did something in the working of miracles, but not all. For in euery mi∣raculous worke there be two things, the worke it sel••e, and the acting or dispen∣sing of the work: the work it selfe, being for nature and substance miraculous, considering it was aboue or against the order of natural causes, did not proceed ••rom Christ as man, but from him as God; but the dispensation of the same, in this or that visible manner•• to the viewe of men, was done and performed by his manhood. For example; The rai∣sing vp of Lazarus out of the graue, ha∣uing beene dead foure daies, was a mi∣racle•• to the effecting whereof, both the Godhead & the manhood of Christ ••ō∣curred,

by their seueral & distinct actiōs. The manhood onely vttered the voice, and bad Lazarus come forth, but it was the godhead of Christ that fetched his soule from heauen, and put it againe in∣to his bodie, yea, which gaue life and power to Lazarus, to heare the voice vt∣tered, to rise and come forth. Ioh. 11. 43. In like manner, when he gaue sight to the blinde, Matth. 20. 34. he touched their eyes with the hands of his man∣hood, but the power of opening them, and making them to see, came from his Godhead, whereby he was able to doe all things. And in all other miraculous workes which he did, the miracle was alwaies wrought by his diuine power onely; the outward actions and circum∣stances that accompanied the same, pro∣ceeded from him as he was man.

Now, if Christ as he is man, cannot worke a true miracle, then no meere creature can doe it, no not the Angels themselues, and consequently not Sa∣tan, it beeing a meere supernaturall worke, performed onely by the omni∣potent power of God.

§ 2. The second sort of wonders, are lying and deceitfull, which also are ex∣traordinarie workes in regard of man, because they proceed not from the vsu∣all and ordinarie course of nature: and yet they be no miracles, because they are done by the vertue of nature, and not aboue or against nature simply, but aboue and against the ordinarie course thereof: and these are properly such wonders, as are done by Satan and his instruments; examples whereof wee shall see afterwards.

If any man in reason thinke it not likely, that a creature should be able to worke extraordinarily by naturall means, he must remember, that though God hath reserued to himselfe alone the power of abolishing and changing na∣ture, the order whereof he set and esta∣blished in the creation, yet the alterati∣on of the ordinarie course of nature, he hath put in the power of his strongest creatures, Angels and deuills. That the Angels haue receiued this power, and doe execute the same vpon his com∣mand or permission, it is manifest by

Scripture, and the proofe of it is not so necessarie in this place. But that Satan is able to doe extraordinarie workes by the helpe of nature (which is the que∣stion in hand) it shall appeare, if we consider in him these things.

First, the Deuil is by nature a spirit, & therfore of great vnderstanding, know∣ledge, & capacitie in all naturall things, of what sort, qualitie, & cōdition soeuer, whether they be causes or effects, whe∣ther of a simple or mixt nature. By rea∣son whereof he can search more deeply & narrowly into the grounds of things, then all corporall creatures that are clo∣thed with flesh and blood.

Secondly, he is an auncient spirit, whose skil hath beene confirmed by ex∣perience of the course of nature, for the space almost of sixe thousand yeares. Hence he hath attainted to the know∣ledge of many secrets, and by long ob∣seruation of the effects, is able to discern and iudge of hidden causes in nature, which man in likelyhood cannot come vnto by ordinarie meanes, for want of that opportunitie both of vnderstāding

and experience. Hereupon it is, that whereas in nature there be some pro∣perties, causes, and effects, which man neuer imagined to be; others, that men did once know, but are now forgot; some, which men knewe not, but might know; and thousands which can hardly, or not at all be known: all these are most familiar vnto him, because in themselus they be no wonders, but only misteries and secrets, the vertue and effect where∣of he hath sometime obserued since his creation.

Thirdly, he is a spirit of wonderfull power and might, able to shake the earth, and to confound the creatures in∣feriour to him in nature and condition, if he were not restrained by the omni∣potent power of God. And this power, as it was great by his creation, so it is not impayred by his fall, but rather in∣creased and made more forcible by his irreconciliable malice he beareth to mankind, specially the seede of the wo∣man.

Fourthly, there is in the deuil an ad∣mirable quicknes and agilitie, procee∣ding

from his spirituall nature, whereby he can very speedily and in a short spoce of time, conuay himselfe and other crea∣tures into places farre distant one from another. By these ••ower helpes, Satan is inabled to doe strange workes. Strange I say to man, whose knowledge since the fall is mingled with much igno∣rance, euen in naturall things; whose ex∣perience is of short continuance, and much hindered by forgetfulnes; whose agilitie by reason of his grosse nature, is nothing, if he had not the helpe of o∣ther creatures; whose power is but weaknes and infirmity in comparison of Satans.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 if their be any further doubt, how Satan can by these helpes worke wonders, we may be resolued of the truth thereof by considering three o∣ther things. First, that by reason of his great knowledge and skill in nature he is able to apply creature to creature, and the causes efficient to the matter, and therby bring things to passe, that are in common conceit impossible.

Secondly, he hath power to mooue

them, not onely according to the ordi∣nary course, but with much more speed and celeritie.

Thirdly, as he can apply and mooue, so by his spirituall nature he is able, if God permit, to conuey himselfe into the substance of the creature, without any penetration of dimensions: and beeing in the creature, although it be neuer so solide, he can worke therein, not onely according to the principles of the nature thereof, but as farre as the strength and abilitie of those principles will possibly reach and extend them∣selues. Thus it appeareth, that the deuill can in generall worke wonders.

§ 3. Now more particularly, the deuills wonders are of two sorts. Illusi∣ons, or reall actions.

An illusion is a worke of Satan, wherby he deludeth or deceiueth man. And it is two-fold; either of the out∣ward senses, or of the minde. An illusion of the outward senses,* 1.1 is a worke of the deuil, wherby he makes a man to thinke that he heareth, seeth, feeleth or touch∣eth such things as indeede he doth not.

This the deuill can easily doe diuers waies, euen by the strength of nature. For example, by corrupting the instru∣ments of sense, as the humor of the eye, &c. or by altering and changing the ayre, which is the meanes whereby we see, and such like.

Experience teacheth vs, that the de∣uill is a skilfull practitioner in this kind, though the means whereby he worketh such feats, be vnknowne vnto vs. In this manner Paul affirmeth that the Galati∣ans were deluded, whē he saith, O foolish G••latians who hath bewitched you? Gal. 3. 1. Where he vseth a word* 1.2 borrowed from the practise of witches and sorce∣rers, who vse to cast a miste (as it were) before the eyes to dazle them, and make things to appeare vnto them which in∣deede they doe not see: and the ground of Pauls comparison is that which hee takes for a graunted truth, that there be such delusions whereby mens senses are and may be corrupted by Satanicall o∣peration.

Thus againe the deuill by the Witch of Endor deceiued Saul in the appea∣rance

of Samuel, ••. Sam. 28. making him beleeue that it had beene Samuel in∣deed, whereas it was but a mere coun∣••erfeit of him, as shal appeare hereafter. Againe, the deuill knowing the consti∣tutions of men, and the particular dis∣eases whereunto they are inclined, taks the vantage of some, and secondeth the nature of the disease by the cōcurrence of his owne delusion, thereby corrup∣ting the imagination, and working in the minde a strong perswasion, that they are become, that which in truth they are not. This is apparant in that disease▪ which is tearmed Lycanthropia, where some, hauing their brains posses∣sed and distempered with melancholy, haue verily thought themselues to bee wolues, and so behaued themselues. And the Histories of men in former a∣ges, haue recorded strange testimonies of some, that haue been thus turned in∣to wolues, lyons, dogges birds, and o∣ther creatures, which could not be re∣ally in substance, but onely in appea∣rance, and phantasie corrupted, and so these records are true. For God in his

iust iudgement, may suffer some men so to be bewitched by the deuill, that to their conceit th••y may seeme to be like these bruit beaste, though indeede they remaine true 〈◊〉〈◊〉 still. For it i•• a worke surmounting the deuills power, to change the substance of any one crea∣ture, into the substance of another. By this kind of delusion the Church of Rome, in the times of blindnesse and ignorance, hath taken great aduantage, and much encreased her riches and ho∣nour. For there be three points of the religion of that Church, to wi••••e, Rur∣gatorie, Inuocation of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Saints, and honouring of Reliques, whereby she hath notably inriched her selfe, all which had their first foundation from these and such like Satanicall impostures. For the onely way, whereby they haue brought the common sort to yeeld vnto them, both for beleefe and practise, hath beene by deluding their outward sense••, with false apparitions of ghosts and soules of men, walking and ranging abroad af∣ter their departure, and such like•• wher∣by simple persons, ignorant of their fet∣ches

and delusions, haue beene much affrighted, a••d caused thorough extre∣mitie of feare and dread, to purchase their owne peace and securitie, by many and great expenses. And indeede these were the strongest arguments that euer they had, and which most preuailed with the common people, as is manifest in stories of all nations and ages, where such deceits haue taken place, though oftentimes by the iust iudgement of God, they were taken in their craft, and their feat•• reuealed.

The second kind of illusion, is of the minde, whereby the deuill deceiues the minde, and makes a man thinke that of himselfe which is not true. Thus expe∣rience teacheth, that he hath deluded men both in former and latter times, who haue auouched and professed themselues to be kings, or the sonnes of Kings. Yea, some haue holden them∣selues to be Christ, some to be Elias, some to be Iohn the Baptist, and some extraordinarie Prophets. And the like concei••s haue entred into the minds of sundrie Witches, by the suggestion and

perswasion of the deuill. To whome, when they haue wholly resigned their soules and bodies, they haue beene mooued to beleeue things impossible touching themselues, as that they haue indeed beene changed into other crea∣tures, as catts, birds, mise, &c. The in∣quisitions of Spaine & other countries, wherein these and such like things are recorded touching Witches really me∣tamorphosed into such creatures, can∣not be true; considering that it is not in the power of the deuill, thus to change substāces into other substāces. And those conuersions recorded by them, were onely Satans illusions, wherewith the mindes of Witches were possessed, and nothing else; which though they were extraordinarie, (as the rest of this kinde are) yet they went not beyond the power of nature.

The second sort of the deuills won∣ders, are reall workes, that is, such as are indeede that which they seeme and ap∣peare to be. These, howsoeuer to men that knowe not the natures of things, nor the secret and hidden causes there∣of,

they may seeme very strange and ad∣mirable, yet they are no true miracles, because they are not aboue and beyond the power of nature.

If it be here alleadged, that the deuils workes are not reall and true actions, because the holy Ghost calleth them Lying wonders, 2. Thes. 2. 9. I answer, that they are called Lying wonders, not in re∣spect of the workes themselues, for they were workes truely done and effected; but in regard of the deuills end and pur∣pose in working thē, which is to lie vn∣to men, and by them to deceiue. The truth of which point will appeare in the viewe of some particular examples.

First▪ we read in the historie of Iob,* 1.3 that Satan brought downe fire from heauen, which burnt vp Iobs sheep and seruants; and caused a mightie winde to blowe downe the house vpon his chil∣dren,* 1.4 as they were feasting, to destroy them. Againe, he smot the bodie of Iob with botches and boyles. All these were true & reall works, very strange & admi∣rable, and yet no miracles, because they exceeded not the compasse of nature.

For first, when he cast downe the fire from heauen, he did not create the fire of nothing, for that is a worke proper to God alone, but applied creature to creature, and therefore produced such a matter as was fit to make fire of. If it be demanded, how he is able to doe this? we must remember, that his know∣ledge in naturall causes is great, and therefore he was not ignorant of the materiall cause of fire, which beeing throughly knowne and founde out, Satan brought fire vnto it, and so put∣ting fire to the matter of fire, he brought it downe by his power and agilitie from heauen, vpon the cattell and seruants of Iob. Againe, the winde which blewe downe the house, where his sonnes and daughters were eating and drinking, was not created by the deuill, but he knowing well the matter wherof winds are generated naturally, added mat∣ter to matter, and thence came the winde; whereunto he ioynes himselfe, beeing a spirit of a swift and speedie nature, and so makes it, for his own pur∣pose, the more violent and forcible.

Thirdly, he smote Iobs bodie with sore boyles, from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote. Now this may seeme strange, that he should haue such power ouer mans body, as to cause such diseases to breed in it. Therefore we are further to vnderstand, that his know∣ledge extendeth it selfe to the whole frame and disposition of mans bodie, whereby it comes to passe, that the cau∣ses of all diseases are well knowne vnto him, and he is not ignorant ho••e the humours in the bodie may be putrified, and what corrupt humours will breede such and such diseases, and by what meanes the aire it selfe may be infected: hereupon preparing his matter, and ap∣plying cause to cause, he practised vpon the bodie of Iob, and filled him with grieuous sores.

Another example of Satans reall workes is this. By reason of his great power and skill, he is able to appeare in the forme and shape of a man, and re∣semble any person or creature, and that not by deluding the senses, but by assu∣ming to himselfe a true body. His pow∣er

is not so large, as to create a bodie, or bring againe a ••oule into a bodie, yet by his dexteritie and skill in naturall causes he can worke wonderfully. For he is a∣ble, hauing gathered together fit mat∣ter, to ioyne member to member, and to make a true bodie, either after the likenes of man, or some other creature; and hauing so done, to enter into it, to mooue and stirre it vp and downe, and therein visibly and sensibly to appeare vnto man; which though it be a strange worke, and besides the ordinarie course of nature, yet it is not simply aboue the power thereof.

For a third instance. The deuill is a∣ble to vtter a voice in plaine words and speach, answerable to mans vnderstan∣ding in any language. Not that he can take vnto himselfe beeing a spirit, an immeadiate power to speake or frame a voyce of nothing without meanes, but knowing the naturall and proper causes and meanes by which men doe speake, by them he frames in himselfe the voyce of a man, and plainely vtters the same in a knowne language. In this manner

he abused the tongue and mouth of the serpent, when in plaine words he temp∣ted Eue to eate the forbidden fruit. Now it is to be remembred here, that when the deuill speakes in a creature, it must be such a creature, as hath the in∣struments of speach, or such whereby speach may be framed and vttered, not otherwise: for it was neuer heard that he spake in a stocke or a stone, or any created entity, that had not the meanes and power of vttering a voice, at least in some sort; it beeing a worke peculiar to the Creator, to giue power of vtte∣rance where it is not by creation. A∣gaine, when he frameth a voice in a creature, he doth it not by giuing im∣mediate power to speake, for that he cannot doe, and the creature abused by him, remaineth in that regard, as it was before. But it beeing naturally fitted and disposed to vtter a voice, though not perfectly to speake as a man, he furthe∣reth and helpeth nature in it, and ad∣deth to the facultie thereof a present vse of words, by ordering and ruling the instruments to his intended purposes.

And to conclude this point, looke what strange workes and wonders may be truely effected by the power of nature, (though they be not ordinarily brought to passe in the course of nature) those the deuill can do, & so farre forth as the power of nature will permit, he is able to worke true wonders, though for a false and euill ende.

Here a question is mooued by some, whether the deuil can change one crea∣ture into another, as a man or woman into a beast? for some, notwithstanding the doctrine alreadie taught, are of opi∣nion, that he can turne the bodies of Witches into other creatures, as hares, cattes, and such like. Ans. The transmu∣ta••ion of the substance of one creature into another, as of a man into a beast of what kind soeuer, is a worke simply aboue the power of nature, and there∣fore cannot be done by the deuil, or any creature. For it is the proper worke of God alone, as I haue said, to create, to change or abolish nature.

It is obiected, that such chāges haue beene made. For Lots wi••e was turned

into a pillar of salt, Gen. 19. 26. Ans. It is true, but that was done by the mightie power of God, neither can it be proued that any creature, Angel, or other, was euer able to doe the like.

But it is further said, that king Nabu∣chadnezzar was turned in••o a beast, and did eate grasse with the beasts of the field, Dan. 4. 30. Ans. There is no such matter: his substance was not changed, so as his bodie became the bodie of a beast indeede, but his condicions onely were altered by the iudgement of God vpon his minde, whereby he was so farre forth bereaued of humane sense and vnderstanding. Againe, for his be∣hauiour and kinde of life, he became altogether bruitish for the time, and ex∣cepting onely his outward forme and shape, no part of humanitie could ap∣peare in him: but that he retained his humane bodie still, it is euident by his owne words, vers. 31. when he saith, And mine vnderstanding was restored to me: which argueth plainly, that the hand of God was vpon him in some kind of madnesse and furie, and therefore that

there was not a change of his bodie and substance, but a strange and fearefull al∣teration in his minde and outward be∣hauiour. And though such a transmuta∣tion should be granted, yet it makes no∣thing for the purpose, considering it was the worke of God onely, and not of the deull. And thus we see what kind of wonders the deuil can bring to passe. The meditation of which point may teach vs tvvo things.

First that the working of wonders is not a thing that will commend man vn∣to God, for the deuill himselfe, a wicked spirit, can worke them: And many shall alledge this in the day of iudgement, that they haue by the name of God cast out deuils, and done many great wo••ks, to whome notwithstanding the Lord will say, I neuer knewe you; depart from me yee workers of in••quitie, Matth. 7. 22. 23. It behooueth vs rather to get vnto our selues the precious gifts of faith, repen∣tance, and the feare of God, yea to go before others in a godly life and vpright conuers••tion, then to excell in effecting of strange workes. When the seauentie

Disciples came to our Sauiour Christ with ioy, and tolde him, that euen the deuills were subdued vnto them through his name, Luk. 10. 17. he counsells them, not to reioyce in this, that wicked spirits were s••bdued vnto them, but ra∣ther, because their names were written in heauen, vers. 20.

Indeed to be able to worke a won∣der, is an excellent gift of God, and may minister matter of reioycing, when it proceedeth from God: but seeing the deuill receiued this power by the gift of creation, our speciall ioy must not be therein, but rather in this, that we are the adopted sonnes of God, in which priuiledge the deuill hath no part with vs. And therefore the Apostle, 1. Cor. 13. making a comparison of the gifts of the spirit, as of speaking diuers tongues, of prophecying, and working miracles with loue; in the end, wisheth men to labour for the best gifts, which are faith, hope, and loue, because by these we are made partakers of Christ, on whom we ought to set our hearts, and in whome we are commanded ••lwaies to reioyce,

Phil. 4. 4.

Secondly, we learne from hence, not to beleeue or receiue a doctrine now or at any time, because it is confirmed by wonders. For the deuill himselfe is able to confirme his errours and Idola∣trous seruices by strange and extraordi∣narie signes, by which vsually he labou∣reth to auouch and verisie the grossest points of falshood in matter of religion. On the contrarie, we must not reiect or contemne a doctrine, because it is not thus confirmed. This was a maine fault in the Iewes, who would not receiue the word preached by Christ, vnlesse he shewed them a signe from heauen. In∣deed in the primitiue Church it pleased God to confirme that doctrine which the Apostles taught, by great signes and miracles, but now that gift is ceased, and the Church hath no warrant to ex∣pect any further euidence of the religi∣on it professeth and enioyeth by argu∣ments of that kinde; yea rather it hath cause to suspect a doctrine taught for the wonders sake, whereby men labour to auouch it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August de 〈…〉〈…〉. c. 18.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

  Iob. 1. 16.
• * 1.4

  ••er. 19.