Sathan transformed into an angell of light expressing his dangerous impostures vnder glorious shewes. Emplified [sic] specially in the doctrine of witchcraft, and such sleights of Satan, as are incident thereunto. Very necessary to discerne the speciplague raging in these dayes, and so to hide our selues from the snare thereof.

SECTIO IIII.

¶That their skill in helping to things that are stollen, and healing dis∣eases, is not a gift of GOD: whereuppon they are accounted Good, but rather they doe it cer∣tainely by the helpe of Sathan.

THat it is not of God, appearth, 1 By the Qualitie of their per∣sons,* 1.1 because they are generally, ig∣norant, prophane, abhominable, and therefore the Lord will not reueale such secrets vnto them, Psalme 25. But vnto them that feare him.

2 By the Consideration of the time, wherein these Reuelations are pre∣tended:* 1.2 which being the time of the Gospell established, when an ordina∣rie meanes of reuealing Gods will is on foote; therefore now wee ha∣uing the Word, as we may not ex∣pect such Reuelations, so they are not granted to vs, from the Lord our God.

Especially,* 1.3 if we consider the mat∣ter pretēded to be reuealed, which is not any necessarie thing, concerning Sal∣uation, but onelie some particular accidentall matter, concerning the present estate of this life, for which we find not that there were any Re∣uelations from the Lord,* 1.4 but onelie concerning the generall state of King∣domes, and as it concerned the Spi∣rituall good of the Church.

Besides,* 1.5 if we consider the manner of the Reuelation, which is neyther by Gods spirit immediatly, nor by an An∣gell from heauen, not by the soule of some man, that is formerly dead, and that in some Dreame or Vision, for such were the Reuelations from the Lord; but by seeing in the picture of men in a Glasse, &c. which may easi∣ly, and must necessarily be done by Sathan, as both prouoking the thiefe to steale, and being able to repre∣sent his Image in the Glasse as perso∣nating him before the Glasse, and so the Reflexion must needes returne the like resemblance.

And this must necessarily follow,* 1.6 if we consider the end of this Reuelation; which is, to haue goods restored; which being vtterly vnlawfull, because we should rest contented with this losse, as a chasticement for sinne, and so rather goe to God, to enquire the cause of the losse, and to haue sinne pardoned, then to runne to the wise woman to haue the losse restored.

So that the thing being vnlawfull, it is iust with GOD, to leaue vs to seeke vnlawfull meanes, that so one sinne may be the punishment of another.

Lastly,* 1.7 seeing whatsoeuer helpe is lawfully to be vsed in any extremity is plainely commended to vs in the word: Therefore, seeing the word doth di∣rectly condemne all these indirect and diu ellish helpes, and comman∣deth 1 to seeke helpe principally from the Prophets of the Lord, and 2 so to vse meanes of Physicke,* 1.8 as the diseases require. Therefore it plainly folows, that seeing these bles∣sers are neither acquainted with Gods

word, nor skilfull in Phisicke; the help that they minister must needes come from Satan, whose Creatures, and vassals they now are, who coloureth his diuellish helpe, both with some formall prayers, and other medicins, that so hee may more dangerously beguile vnstable soules.

This shal appeare yet more clear∣ly vnto vs, if we consider further.

That although these Wisards pre∣tend to helpe by holy meanes,* 1.9 yet, were there no other euidence to prooue their affistance from Sathan,* 1.10 this one were sufficient, That these Blessers are not onlie strangely tormen∣ted, while they are performing this cure, but are euen afflicted with the same diseases, which for the present, they seeke to remoue from others.

Now, that this is the worke of Sa∣than, is manifest.

1 Because the olde Sybills and o∣ther Witches were vsually so tormen∣ted, when they gaue their Oracles, who are generally concluded to bee Sathans prophets.

2 This their strange tormenting, in this pretended good act, argueth that it is not of God, who would not so requite his seruants, whom hee sets on worke, especially doing his will, But rather of Satan, who by these torments convinceth them of the euill of their work, and confoun∣deth hereby the vnbeleeuing world, that will seeke to such for helpe: Es∣pecially, if we consider further

That whereas there is a reciprocall couenant betweene Satan and the Blesser, as hath beene declared, that as the Deuill must doe what the Witch would haue him, so the Witch must endure what Satan will impose. If now it fals out,* 1.11 that the Disease which the Witch would haue remo∣ued from another, shall be transpor∣ted vpon her selfe, as a pledge of fur∣ther torments, to confound her in her present power, and yet to deceiue her withall, as if by this strange altera∣tion and torment she descrued to obtaine this preheminence, as to helpe others, she hath bought it

deerely: And so yet further to deceiue,* 1.12 as if because she hath her paine here, therefore she shall auoid further rec∣koning: Is not the iustice of God admirable here? Is not his wisedome wonderfull to take the wise in their owne craftinesse?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the po∣wer of bles∣sers, in hea¦ling and restoring stollen goods, whether it be of God.
• * 1.2

  Proued by the Time.
• * 1.3

  Secondly, Matter of reuelation
• * 1.4

  Reuelatiō of what.
• * 1.5

  Thirdly, Maner of reuelation
• * 1.6

  Fourthly, by the end of this re∣uelation.
• * 1.7

  Fiftly, not warranted by the word.
• * 1.8

  Note.
• * 1.9

  Note this.
• * 1.10

  6 By the strāge tor∣ments vp∣on them.
• * 1.11

  Note.
• * 1.12

  Note.