Part 3

An example whereof wee may obserue in 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.

The formall tearmes of this couenant, as they bee set downe by some, are most dreadfull: and the seuerall poynts these.

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 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 writing, whereunto some subscribe with their owne bloud, which was a vse among diuers nations, and a most sure bond of constant friendship, and 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.

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 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 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 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.

The fifth Proposition.

The Diuell can assume to himself 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 endowments, but they continued in him whole 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 Man, cloathed in purple, & wearing a crowne vpon his head: to others in the likenesse of a Childe: sometime he sheweth himselfe in the forme of foure-footed beastes, foules, creeping things, roaring as a Lyon, skipping like a Goat, barking after the manner of a dogge, and the like. But 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, most of the learned doe hold, that those bodies wherein they doe appeare, are fashioned of the 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, 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.

Histories of all can witnesse of the Diuels appearance in human shape: thus a Pseudo-Moses, or Messias in Crete, perswaded the Iewes that it was he who brought their Fathers the Israelites out of Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea, and would conduct them also out of that land vpon the waters into Iudea. But many following his counsell, perished: the rest admonished by that destruction, turned back, accusing their folly; and when they made enquiry for this guide, to haue rewarded him according to his desert, was no where to be found, whereof they conceiued hee was a Diuell in Mans likenesse. And such an one was that merry (but malicious) spirit, who walked for a long time in Saxony, and was very seruiceable, clothed in country apparrell, with a cappe on his head, delighted to conuerse and talke with the people, to demaund questions, and answer what he was asked, hurting none, except iniured before, and then declared himselfe a right diuell in reuenge.

The late Discoueries and Nauigations made into the west Indies, can furnish vs with abundant testimonies hereof, in which the mindes of the inhabitants are both terrified & their bodies massacred by his visible sight, and cruell tortures; yet (which is the opinion of many learned) he cannot so perfectly represent the fashion of a mans body, but that there is some sensible deformity, by which hee bewrayeth himselfe; as his feete like those of an Ox, a Horse, or some other beasts, clouen houed, his hands crooked, armed with clawes, or talants like a vulture: or some one misshapen part, wherein (though hee delight in the shape of man, as most fitting for company and conference) is demonstrated, the great and tender loue of God toward vs, who hath so branded this deceiuer, that hee may bee discerned euen of those who are but of meane capacity, and so consequently auoyded. And as in his body assumed, so in his speech there is a defect, for it is weake, small, whispering, imperfect.

And thus it is reported of Hermolaus Barbarus, who inquiring of a spirite, the signification and meaning of a difficult word in Aristotle, he hard a low hissing, and murmuring voyce giuing answere.

And this hee doth of set purpose, that so his sophisticall & doubtfull words might be the lesse perceiued.

Neither can this seeme strange to any, that the Diuell should speake, who brought a voyce from Trees to salute Apollonius, and inspired that talkatiue Oke in Dodona, famous for the Oracles vttered there in Heroicall verse, to the Grecians, and to euery nation in his owne language, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Armenians, and other people who were led by him, and depended vpon his resolution.

And thus the Image of Memnon, when the Sunne did shine vpon it, and his beames touched the lips thereof, (which was at the arising in the East) speake vnto them who were present.

And considering, as hath beene mentioned before, that there passeth betweene the Witch and her Diuell, a compact, as with a Maister and a Seruant, it must therefore consist vppon prescript tearmes of commaunding, and obeying; and then of necessity is required a conuersing together; and conference whereby the same couenant may be ratified.

The sixt Proposition.

God giueth, both the diuell, and his seruants the witches, power sometimes to trouble his owne children; so Christ our blessed Sauiour, was by Sathan carryed from place to place, Math. 4. 5. Iob in strange manner afflicted, and his children slaine, through his power, whom none can conceiue but were Gods seruants, religiously brought vp in his feare: and their father hath an honourable testimonie from the mouth of God himselfe, Iob 1. ver. 8. Dauid, a man according to Gods owne heart, Acts 13. 22. is by Sathan stirred vp to number the people, 1. Chron. 21. 1. and that incuriosity and the pride of his heart, onelie to know the multitude of his subiects, 2. Sam. 24. 2.

Whereas the Law appoynteth another end, Exod. 30. 12. which hee had now forgotten, the maintenance of the Ministerie and worshippe of God. And a daughter of Abraham is bound of the diuell eighteene whole yeeres, had a spirit of Infirmity, was bowed together, and could in no wise lift vp herselfe, Lu. 13. 11.16. a grieuous calamity in respect of the author, the continuance, and the effect. But to handle this poynt a little more distinctly; It shall not be amisse to open first some reasons, why God doth giue this power to the diuel ouer the righteous his children sometimes, as also vpon the wicked and disobedient to his will: And in the second place, why Witches haue the like leaue graunted vnto them. Therefore for his children.

The first reason of his permission is his inscrutable wisedome, who out of euill bringeth good; so Paul had a minister of Sathan to buffet him, to keepe him in humility, that hee might not waxe proude and high-minded, in regard of those great mysteries which were reuealed when hee was taken into the third heauen, 2. Corint. 12. 4. Thus his tentation was a medicine preseruatiue preuenting the disease of his soule, which otherwise hee might haue falne into, for both himselfe, and the rest of the Apostles, though they were chosen vessells, yet were they also fraile and brittle, wandring yet in the flesh vpon earth, not triumphing securely in heauen.

Second, It is proceeding from his mercy and goodnes, for the trial of faith, obedience and constancy in such as belong to God: whereof there is an excellent patterne, and vnparaleld in Iob 1. 13.14. &c. for by this triall is made a proofe to examine whether wee doe continue firme vpon our square, and vnshaken, or no; and be not remoued, eyther by the seeming wonders of the diuell, or of his seruants and associats. And therefore the Apostle pronounceth him blessed, who endureth temptation, for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him, Iames 1. 12. for he is faithfull, and wil not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able, but with the temptation also make a way to escape, &c. 1. Cor. 10. 13.

Third, Wee are admonished alwayes to stand in a readines, and be armed for to fight, prepared to withstand the diuell, knowing that God doth oftentimes giue him leaue to assault vs. Therefore we haue need to be furnished in all points, for we wrastle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkenesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses in high places, Ephes. 6. 11.12. And 1. Pet. 5. 8.9. be sober and vigilant, because your aduersary the diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may deuoure. He is no weake assaylant, and therefore heere by the Apostle are noted in him foure things: First, his power (a Lyon): Second, his hatred, and wrath in the word (roaring): Third, his subtilty (walking about) obseruing euery oportunity and occasion to hurt vs: Fourth, his cruelty (deuoure) no contentment but in our ruine and vtter destruction.