Part 6 (1/2)
Secondly, that help which any receiue from them bringeth destructon of our soules, for such as seeke for relief this way, make a[e] separation & departing from G.o.d, which is the death of the soule. And though it may be obiected, that some haue receiued benefite hereby, yet these are not one of tenne. And further, wee are not to iudge heerein of the lawfulnesse of these actions by the successe, but rest vpon the commaundement, for it falleth out sometime, that a thiefe and common robber by the high way, may liue in more aboundance, then those who with a lawfull and honest trade painefully maintaine themeelues, yet therefore hee is not iustified. And when wee haue recourse vnto others beside G.o.d, we bewray herein our [f]distrust, infidelitie, contempt and rebellion against him, which grieuous sinnes bring his wrath and eternall destruction. But let it be taken for granted, that wee may receiue good by them, yet this maxime is sure, & a truth vnrepealeable, which no distinction can elude; we must not doe euill that good may come thereof, _Rom. 3. 8._[g] yea, it were better to end our dayes in any extremitie whatsoeuer, then to vse these for our helpers.
[Footnote e: In curing diseases the diuell respecteth two ends: the one, that he might seeme to keep the promise he hath made with those his slaues, and retaine them in their malicious practises and infidelity: the other, that hee might draw their faith and trust from G.o.d, who are thus healed by witches and wisards his instruments, and cast them downe headlong into destruction of their soules: or if they misse of hoped reliefe which often times so commeth to pa.s.se, G.o.d withstanding their attempts, then to wound their consciences, and driue them to despaire.]
[Footnote f: _Nauarrus in Enchiridio siue manuali confessariorum cap 11._]
[Footnote g: _Chrysost. cont. Iud[e,]os hom 6._]
Thirdly, they[h] cure not diseases but in shew, except such as themselues haue inflicted, otherwise those doe returne, as is reported of _Adria.n.u.s_ the[i] Emperour, who troubled with a dropsie, by magicall charmes did oftentimes empty the water thereof, but in a short s.p.a.ce increased againe; and perceiuing the same to grow worse & worse, sought to dispatch and rid himselfe of life, by poyson, or the sword, or some other desperate attempts. Or a worse malady (the first being abated) followeth: as I haue knowne one, who vsing the help of a wisard for the cure of a sore in his breast, prescribed in this sort: crossed the place affected with his thumb, and mumbled to himself some words in secret, after gaue the patient a powder like the ashes of wood, which was to be boiled in running water, and with it to wash the vlcer, after certaine clouts were to be applyed, with speciall care to lay that side of the clout vnto the sore, which was by him crossed, and marked; and all these clothes must at once be bound vpon it, and euery day the lowest remoued or taken away: thus in short time that anguish and griefe ceased; but not long after the party fell into a more grieuous infirmity, and still continueth therein. Or if the euill be taken from the[k] person presently afflicted, then is it layd vpon his friends children or cattell, and sometime it falleth to the lot of the witch herselfe, so that alwayes the diuell is a diuell, doing euill, and working mischiefe.
[Footnote h: _Tatia.n.u.s oratione tertia contra Graecos._]
[Footnote i: _Xiphilinus ex Dion. in Adriano_ +manganeiais men te se kai goetiais ekeonto pote tou hugrou, palin de autou epimplato.+]
[Footnote k: Bodine proueth this by many examples in his _Daemonomania_, _lib. 3. cap. 2_.]
Fourth, a [l]wisard, witch, or sorcerer can not releeue any but by his or her inuocation, and help of the diuell, but this fact is absoluteIy, and without exception, wicked, and can by no limitation or circ.u.mstance bee made tolerable: Therefore they who require this at their hands, which they cannot performe without committing of sinne, be liable to the same vengeance and wrath of G.o.d to which they are; for not only the princ.i.p.all offenders, but the [m]accessaries, and consenters to their euill, are worthy of death, _Rom. 1. 32_.
[Footnote l: _Binfeldius de confessionibus maleficorum. Cardinalis Caieta.n.u.s in summula t.i.tulo de maleficio. Toletus in summa casuum conscientiae, sine instructione sacerdotum li. 4. c. 16._]
[Footnote m: _Gratia.n.u.s in Decretis parte 2, causa 26. qu[e,]st.
2. sect. Qui sine saluatore, &c._]
Now before I conclude this poynt, because by these kinde of creatures, many toyes bee vsed, to shaddow and maske the diuells suggestion and workes, it shall not be amisse to mention some of them, and among the rest be [n]characters written or grauen in plates of mettall: and for these it is most certayne that Quant.i.ties haue no actiue qualitie; and therefore, if any expected successe according to desire doe follow in the vse thereof, it proceedeth from the illusion of Sathan, and is his worke, that hereby he might winne credite to his crafty fleights and conueyances, and procure to himselfe authority, establis.h.i.+ng the kingdome of darknesse, withdraw men from resting vpon G.o.d, and reposing their trust in his almighty power, and boundlesse mercy, and sollicite them to expect helpe from him. There are besides these, other idle trifles (for they deserue no better name which are appoynted to be hung about the neck) for Amulets, as [o]powerfull and effectuall remedies against certayne diseases, and pictures made of gold, bra.s.se, lead, wax, &c. which neyther haue nor can haue any other vertue, then that which they doe receiue from the matter wherof they be framed, for the figure worketh not as a cause of alteration; but if it bring to pa.s.se any other effect that is from the power of the diuell an old enemy, and craftie deluder of mankinde, and therefore, presupposeth a contract made with him: wherefore [p]_Antoninus Caracalla_ condemned those who vsed the same, for the helpe of Tertian and Quartan agues, and _Constantius_[q]
decreeth such to be woorthy capitall punishment, and put to death. And that naturall couer wherewith some children are borne, and is called by our women, the sillie how, Midwiues were wont to sell to credulous Aduocates and Lawyers, as an especiall meanes to furnish them with eloquence[r] and perswasiue speech, and to stoppe the mouthes of all, who should make any opposition against them: for which cause one [s]_Protus_ was accused by the Clergie of Constantinople to haue offended in this matter. And _Chrysostome_ often accuseth Midwiues for reseruing the same to Magicall vses. And _Clemens[t] Alexandrinus_ giueth vs to vnderstand of one _Erecestus_, who had two inchaunted rings, so framed, that by the sound thereof he had direction for the fit time and oportunity in mannaging all the businesses hee intended, and yet notwithstanding was priuily murthered, though hee had warning giuen by that sound which was his vsuall instructer. Thus, none can escape the reuenging hand of G.o.d, which pursueth those who haue infeoffed themselues to such vanities, and are besotted with these vnlawfull curiosities. But among all other, charmes and inchaunting spells, haue gotten the start of the rest, which some think absolutely lawfull, and may vpon warrantise bee vsed, and pleade prescription for their iustification; for wee reade in _Homer_[u] that _Vlysses_ being wounded by words, stayed the flux of blood; and [x]_Carda.n.u.s_ tells vs, that himselfe cutting his lip, could by no meanes restraine the flowing blood, vntill he charmed it, and then presently stanched: but dare not affirm whether his owne confidence, or the words did make this restraint. I might adde to these, that infallible meanes (as is supposed) by finding out a thiefe with a Siue and a payre of Sheares, with that coniunction [y]_Dies, mies, Iescet, &c._ and the rest of such sencelesse and monstrous tearmes, a Riddle that _Oedipus_ himselfe could not vnfolde. But because this conceit of charming hath ouer-spread it selfe in this Sunneset of the world, and challengeth a lawfull approbation from the authority and practise of ancient [z]Physitians, yea and found some [aa]Diuines to be their Patrons respectiuely, and with clauses of mitigation, I thinke it very necessarie to shew the vnlawfulness thereof. Wherefore,
[Footnote n: Of these characters and Images, _Iohn Gerson de erroribus circa art[~e] magicam dicto 3. litera O. Martinus de Arles de superst.i.tionibus. Binfeldius in cmentar. ad t.i.tulum Codicis de maleficis & mathematicis;_ and examples _Hector Boetius l. 2. historia Scotic[e,], de rege Duffo_, and _Thua.n.u.s_ lately in the reign of _Charles_ the ninth king of France in the 57. Books of the historie of his times.]
[Footnote o: _Binfeldius in t.i.tulum codicis de maleficis & mathematicis. Martinus de Arles in tractatu de superst.i.tionibus._]
[Footnote p: _Spartia.n.u.s in vita Antonini Caracallae._]
[Footnote q: _Ammia.n.u.s Marcellinus lib. 19. non procul a fine, & lib. 29._]
[Footnote r: _Lampridius in Antonino Diadumeo._]
[Footnote s: _Balsamon in commentarijs ad conc.
Constantinopolitanum in Trullo cap. 61._]
[Footnote t: _Stromateon libr. 1. gestauit_ +duo daktolious gegoeteumenous ouk apothano de h.o.m.os dolophonetheis kai toi pros.e.m.e.nantos tou psophou.+]
[Footnote u: _Odissea 19. vulnus Vlyssis_ +Autolukou philoi paides desan epistamenos epaoide de haima kelainon echethon.+ _Cato de re rustica. Plin. li. 28. ca. 2. Bodinus Daemonomanias l. 2. c. 2._]
[Footnote x: _De subtilitate libr. 18._]
[Footnote y: _Georgius Pictorius in epitome de Magia. cap. 21._]
[Footnote z: _Vide Ritherhusium in notis ad Malchum de vita Pythagorae. Alexander Trallian. libr. 10. de colico affectu, in fine. Serenus Sammonicus de pr[e,]ceptis medicinae cap. de Hemitritaeo depellenda. Ioh. Langius epistolarum medicinalium lib.
1 epist. 33. & 34._]
[Footnote aa: _Aquinas in summa secundae quest. 96. articulo 4._]
First, they had their originall and beginning from the diuell, who abode not in the truth, _Iohn 8. 44._ was cast downe with the apostata angels to h.e.l.l, and deliuered into chaines of darkenesse, _2. Pet. 2. 4._ who enuying mans felicity receiued into grace after the [bb]fall, himselfe eternally reiected, omitted no occasion to weaken and ouerthrow the same, that the benefite thereof might come but to a few, and the greatest number perish with him for euer. Whereupon he endeuoured to inwrappe the weaker sort of that fraile corporation in superst.i.tions, beguile them with doubtfull and false oracles, and bring to a forme of wors.h.i.+ppe contrary to that which G.o.d had commaunded, [cc]whereby the world beganne to abound with Idolatry, disobedience, contempt, murthers, vncleanenesse, l.u.s.ts, thefts, lying, and such like outrages: and that hee might with his infections impoyson them more dangerously, and soueraigne in their hearts, he vndertooke to worke wonders, imitating such miracles as G.o.d had done, and deuised cunningly many subtile sleights and legerdemaines, and for this end most blasphemously abused the glorious and holy name of G.o.d, and the word vttered by his mouth, and represented a false shew of those effects, which hee had wrought in nature: and heerein leuelled at two intentions, one to reproch G.o.d, and counterchecke his works; the other to ouer-mask and couer his owne secret traps and frauds, perswading men, that by the power of wordes these things were brought to pa.s.s, which must needes therefore be of great efficacie: seeing that the world & all things therein were so made of nothing; for he spake, and they were created, and thus practised to disgrace, and extenuate, that admirable and great worke of Creation, and cause men to make lighter account of the Creator, seeing that they also (instructed by him) were enabled thorow the p.r.o.nunciation of certayne words contriued into a speciall forme, eyther to infuse new strength into things, or depriue them of that which formerly they had, or alter the course of Nature, in raysing tempests, stirring vp thunder and lightning; in [dd]taming serpents, and depriuing them of their naturall fiercenesse and venime, and cause wilde beasts to become meeke and tractable, yea in seeming to make sensible bodies; as cloudes, wind, raine & the like. And thus the diuell is that father who begot Charmes, and brought them foorth, not powerfull in themselues, but by that inter-league which hee hath with those who are inva.s.saled vnto him.