It were but fruitlesse labour, and ill spent, to bestow long time in confirming this so manifest a truth, and not much better then set vp a candle to giue the Sunnelight when it shineth brightest in mid-heauen: yet to satisfie those who doubt here-of, I will giue a small touch of an example or two.
[q]Curius Sidius the Roman Generall in a battell against Salebus, Captaine of the Moores, in want of water, obtained such abundance of raine from Heauen by Magicall inchantments, that it not onely sufficed the thirst of his distressed Souldiers, but terrified the enemies in such sort, (supposing that God had sent helpe) as of their owne accord, they sought for conditions of peace, and left the field.
The narration of Olaus[r] Magnus which he maketh of his Northerne Wisards and Witches, would seeme to be meere fictions, and altogether incredible, as of Ericus, who had the winde at command, to blow alwayes from that quarter to which he would set his hat. Or Hagbert, who could shew herselfe in any shape, higher or lower, as she pleased, at one time so great as a Giant, at another as little as a Dwarfe: by whose Diabolicall practises mighty Armies haue beene dicomfited, and sundry others, except the truth hereof were without contradiction approued: by the experience of our owne Nauigators, who trade in Finland, Denmarke, Lapland, Ward-house, Norway, and other Countries of that Climate, and haue obtained of the inhabitants thereof, a certaine winde for twenty dayes together, or the like fixed period of time, according to the distance of place and strings tied with three knots, so that if one were loosed, they should haue a pleasant gale: if the second, a more vehement blast: if the third, such hideous & raging tempests that the Mariners were not able once to looke out, to stand vpon the hatches, to handle their tackle, or to guide the helme with all their strength; and are somtimes violently carried back to the place from whence they first loosed to sea; and many (more hardy then wise) haue bought their triall full deere, opening those knots, and neglecting admonition giuen to the contrary. Apuleius ascribeth to Pamphile, a Witch of Thessalia, little lesse then diuine power to effect strange wonders in heauen, in earth, in hell; to darken the starres, stay the course of riuers, dissolue mountains, and raise vp spirits, this opinion went for currant and vncontrouled. And without all question the Diuell[s] can do this and much more, when God letteth him loose. For he is stiled, The Prince of the world, Ioh. 12. 31. A strong man armed, Luke 11. 21, Principality, a ruler of darknesse, spirituall wickednesse in high places, Ephes. 6. 12.
Thus he dismaied the heart of Saul (when he had broken the Commandement of God) with dreadfull feare, and enraged his minde with bloudy fury, 1. Sam. 16. 14. Entred into Iudas, prouoked him to betray his maister, dispaire and hang himselfe, Math. 27. 3. filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira with dissimulation,Act. 5. 3. possessed the bodies of many really, as is manifest in the History of the Gospell. Our Sauiour Christ assureth vs, that a daughter of Abraham was bound for 18 yeares by Sathan, with such a spirit of infirmitie, as bowed together, shee could in no wise lift vp herselfe, Luk. 13. 11.16. He spake out of the Pythonesse, Act. 16. 17. brought downe fire from heauen, and consumed Iobs sheepe 7000. and his seruants, raised a storme, strooke the house wherein his sonnes and daughters feasted with their elder brother, smote the foure corners of it, with the ruine whereof they all were destroyed, and perished: and ouerspread the body of that holy Saint their father with botches[t] and biles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head.[u] And hee wil haue his seruants Wisards & Witches, coadiutors with him, and maketh them fit instruments to the performance of all wicked exploits, and this is when God pleaseth (of which I shall haue occasion to speake more afterward) to giue leaue, for his wil is the first supreme and principal cause of all things: and nothing can be done visibly in this Common-wealth here below of the creatures, but is decreed and determined so to be first in the high Court of Heauen, according to his vnsearchable wisedome and iustice, disposing punishments and rewards as seemeth good vnto himselfe. So Pharaohs[x] Magitians could turne water into bloud, their roddes into serpents, produce frogges, &c. But when it came to the base vermine, to make lice, they were pusled, and acknowledged their imbecillity, confessing, Digitus Dei est,[y] Gods finger is here, Exod. 18. 19. For if they could effect and bring to passe all mischieuous designements without his sufferance, it would inferre a weakenesse, and conclude a defect of[z] power in him, as not sufficient to oppose their strength, supplant their force, and auoid their stratagems. And we must not imagine that the practioners of these damnable Arts of which sexe soeuer, be they men or women, do performe those mischifes which they effect, by their owne skills or such meanes as they vse, of which sort bee the bones of dead mens skuls, Toades, Characters, Images, &c. But through the cooperation of the Diuell, who is by nature subtile, by long experience instructed, swift to produceth strange works, & to humane vnderstanding admirable. Yet[aa] he will haue those his vassals perswaded of some great benefit bestowed vpon them, whereby they are inabled to helpe and hurt, whom, how, and when they list; and all to indeere them, & by making them partakers in his villany, being strongly bound in his seruice, & stedfastly continued in the same, might more grieuously offend God, and bring iust condemnation vpon themselues. And for the greater, and more forceable inticing allurement hereunto, hee promiseth to giue and doe many things for their sakes, and reueale to them hidden secrets, and future euents, such[bb] as he himselfe purposeth to doe, or knoweth by naturall signes shall come to passe. So then to conclude, in[cc] euery Magicall action, there must be a concurrence of these three. First, the permitting will of God. Secondly, the suggestion of the Diuell, and his power cooperating. Thirdly, the desire and consent of the Sorcerer; and if[dd] any of these be wanting, no trick of witch-craft can be performed. For if God did not suffer it, neither the Diuell, nor the Witch could preuaile to do any thing, no not so much as to hurt one[ee] bristle of a Swine. And if the Diuell had not seduced the minde of the wicked woman, no such matter would haue beene attempted. And againe, if hee had not the Witch to bee his instrument, the Diuell were debarred of his purpose.
And as these euill spirits are in themselues different in power, vnderstanding, and subtiltie: so can their seruants do more or lesse through their meanes.
I conclude with that memorable speech of a most noble and learned man,[ff] The Diuell is the Author and principall of all that euill which the Witch or Wisard committeth, not thereby to make them more powerfull, but to deceiue them by credulity and ouer-light beliefe, and to get himselfe a companion of his impiety, cruelty, and hatred, which he beareth both to God and man; and also of eternall damnation: for indeed it is his worke, which the foolish and doating wisards coniecture is brought to passe by the words and inchantments which they vtter: and is very busie thus to colour his proceedings, which neuer come abroad in their owne likenesse, because he enuieth the blessed estate of man, and his eternall saluation purchased by the perfect obedience of Christ the Redeemer, and hateth that Image of God which hee beholdeth in him; much like the Panther,[gg] who when hee cannot get hold of the man himselfe, is so inflamed with rage, that he teareth his picture in peeces violently which is cast vpon the ground to hinder his pursuit of the hunter who hath carried away his whelpes. And [hh]so as Lactantius speaketh, these vncleane spirits cast from heauen, wander vp and downe the earth, compasse land and sea, seeking to bring men to destruction as a consort of their owne desperate and irrecouerable estate.
[a.] Damascenus Orthodox. fidei lib. 2. cap. 4. ἐξουσίαν ἐχει καὶ ἐσχον κατα τινος οἰκονομικῶς, Iaquerius flagelli Hereticorum fascinariorum, cap. 25.
[b.] Vberæ matris fontes sanctissimos humani generis educatores vocat Phauorinus apud A. Gellium noct. Atticarum lib. 12. cap. 1. Aretius problematum parte 2. Loco 144. de Magia.
[c.] Godlemanus de veneficis lib. 1 cap. 7.9.21.22.23.24.25.26.&c.
[d.] Exempla omnem fidem superantia Florentinæ mulieris & vlrici cuiusdam Neucesseri refert Langius epist. Medicinalium lib. 2. Epist. 38. è cuius ventriculo lignum teres & quatuor cultri exècti sunt: eorum & formam & iustã longitudinem ponit. Lycosthenes lib. de prodigijs & ostentis quo modo huiusmodi in corporibus humanis inueniantur & qua ratione ingenerentur, aut eijciantur & an tribuenda hac maleficijs & diabolica arti Binfeldius in commentario ad titulum Codicis de maleficis & Mathematicis pag. 510.