Part 6 (2/2)

[Footnote bb: _De differentia inter Diabolos & homines peccatores Augustinus in Enchiridio cap. 28. & in suis ad illum cmentarijs Lambertus Dan[e,]us._]

[Footnote cc: _Peucerus de generibus Diuinationum & t.i.tulo de incantationibus._]

[Footnote dd: _Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis Virg.

ecloga 8._]

Secondly, G.o.d doth as straitly prohibit them, and seuerely punish the practisers thereof, as others offending in any exercise of vnlawfull arts, _Deut. 18. 10.11_. There shall not be found among you (instructing the Israelites his people) a charmer, &c. for these are abhomination vnto the Lord, &c. And this is recorded in the Catalogue of those sinnes of _Mana.s.ses_, by which hee sought to prouoke G.o.d vnto anger, _2. Kin.

21. 8._ _2. Chronicles 33. 6_.

Thirdly, words haue no vertue,[ee] but either to signifie and expresse the conceits of the minde, or to affect the eares of the Auditors, so that they can worke nothing but in these two respects: first of the matter which is vttered by them, which vnderstood of the hearers, affect the mind diuersly, and that especially when there is ioyned with it a comelinesse of action and p.r.o.nunciation, as wee we see oftentimes in the speeches of the Ministers of the Word, and in the pleadings of Orators.

As when _Paul_ reasoned before _F[oe]lix_ and _Drusilla_ his wife, of Temperance, Righteousnesse, and Iudgement to come, hee trembled, _Acts 24. 25._ [ff]being guilty to himselfe of fraudulent and cruell dealing, of lasciuiousnesse and a filthy life, and therefore might iustly feare vengeance for the same.

[Footnote ee: +rhemata Blastemata noematon, & phone+ _Etymologicis dicitur quasi_ +to phos tou nou+. _De hac materia eruditissime disputat Franciscus Valesius de sacra Philosophia, cap. 3._]

[Footnote ff: _Pr[e,]fectus Iud[e,]ae impositus cuncta malefacta sibi impune ratus est, &c. Tacitus Annalium lib. 12. & historiae lib. 5. per omnem saeuitiam ac libidinem ius regium seruili ingenio exercuit._]

A like example to this is that in King _Agrippa_, though working vpon a better subject, _Act. 26. 28_. And if I may conioyne Diuine eloquence with Humane, it is memorable, that while [gg]_Tully_ pleaded before _Caesar_ for _Ligarius_, accused by _Tubero_, to haue beene confederate with _Pompey_, purposing to put him to death, as an enemy, when the Orator altered, and in Rhetoricall manner inforced his speech, the other changed accordingly his countenance, and bewrayed the piercing words to be so affecting, that the supplications, when he came once to vrge and mention the battell of _Pharsalia_, (trembling and dismayed) did fall from his hands, hauing the pa.s.sions of his minde extraordinarily moued, and absolued the offender. Or else when by their pleasantnesse, with delight they slide into the hearts of men, and rauish their affections: and thus it was with [hh]_Augustine,_ as he acknowledgeth of himselfe, that being at _Milaine_ where he was baptized by _S. Ambrose_, when he heard the harmony which was in singing of the Psalmes, the words pierced his eares, the truth melted his heart, his pa.s.sions were moued, and showers of teares with delight fell from his eyes.[ii] But these effects are wrought onely in such who vnderstand that which is spoken, but neither of both these properties are to bee found in the Charmes of Wisards: besides, that they are conceiued and expressed in monstrous and vnknowne tearmes, not intelligible, and without signification: and therefore the effects they produce being[kk] supernaturall must proceed from that secret compact, the least made with the Diuell.

[Footnote gg: +arxamenos legein ho kikeron huperphuos ekoinei+ _Plutarchus in Cicerone_.]

[Footnote hh: _Aug. confessionum lib. 9. cap. 6 Quantum fleui in hymnis & ctibus eius suaue sontibus Ecclesiae tuae vocibus commotus acriter? Voces ill[e,] influebant auribus meis, & liquebatur veritas tua in cor meum, & ex ea aestuabat affectus pietatis, & currebant lachrimae & bene mihi erat c.u.m ijs._]

[Footnote ii: _Vide Aquinatem egregie de hac materia disputant[~e]

Summa contra Gentes, lib. 43. cap. 105. & tuis Commentatorem Francisc.u.m de Syluestris._]

[Footnote kk: _Caieta.n.u.s in summula in t.i.tulo: Incantatio. Toletus in summa causuum conscientiae; sine instructione sacerdotum lib. 4.

cap. 17._]

Fourthly, these charmes are meere mockeries, and grosse abuses, both of G.o.d, and Men his creatures, I will giue you a taste of one or two, whereby you may iudge of the rest, for they came all out of one shoppe, and are fas.h.i.+oned in one forge, and haue the same workman or Artificer.

[ll]An old woman crauing helpe for bleare eyes, had deliuered a Billet of Paper to weare about her necke, in which was written, _The Diuell pull out thine eyes_, and recouered. Anothere tied a scroule to a sicke man, full of strange Characters, with which were intermingled a few names of Diuels, as _Lucifer_, _Sathan_, _Belzebub_, _Oriens_, _Behal_, _Mammon_, _Beuflar_, _Narthin_, _Oleasar, &c._ and other of this sort; but what manner of blessing this was, and how likely to be medicinable, a Christian truely instructed in G.o.ds word knoweth; and the Lord who is the father of mercies, and G.o.d of all comfort, preserue vs from such blasphemies, which are the Diuels Sacrifices.

[Footnote ll: _G.o.delmannus in tractatu de magis, Veneficis &c.

lib. 1. cap. 8. n 25 & 27. vide Simonem Maiolum colloquiorum siue dierum caniculorum parte 2, colloquio 3._]

Fifthly, the discreeter sort among the Heathen, by that small glimpse of naturall reason which they had, misliked of these things: [mm]And therefore _Cato_ among the rest of admonitions to the Bailiffe of his husbandry, giueth this charge, to aske no aduice of any Southsaier, Diuiner, Wisard, or Natiuity Calculator. [nn]And _Columella_ vtterly forbiddeth all acquaintance with Witches, wherby ignorant people are inforced to expence detestable Arts, and mischieuous deeds.

[oo]_Hippocrates_ doth almost like a Christian discourse of this poynt, and condemne the whole practise of this Art, as iniurious vnto G.o.d, who onely purgeth sinnes, and is our preseruer; and for these fellowes who make profession of such wonder-working, brandeth them for Impostors and deceiuers. I conclude with that remarkeable saying of an ancient Diuine;[pp] These vanities doe separate and with-draw vs from G.o.d, though they may seeme to haue something in them to allure and delight vs; yet let no Christian entertaine them, whose hope ought to be setled in G.o.d alone. And if thou be in distresse, or afflicted with sicknesse of body, and feele no present release or comfort, what then? here is the tryall of thy patience, haue not recourse to superst.i.tious and vnlawfull helpers, although they promise thee present remedy; and when they fore-tell thee of things which doe truely according to the prediction to fall out, beleeue them not, follow the example of Christ, who rebuked the Diuell, though he called him (as he was indeed) the Son of G.o.d. For vnder the vaile of truth he shadoweth falshood; euen as if one should sweeten with honey or sugar the brimme of the Cup wherein he bringeth poyson: But some will say, they call vpon the name of the Lord of Sabbaoth. Well, but this t.i.tle they giue not to G.o.d, but to the Diuell: therefore betake thou thy selfe to G.o.d alone, craue health at his hand, and follow the Apostles direction; _If any bee sicke among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let him pray_, Iames 5. 14.

[Footnote mm: _Cato de re rustica, cap. 5._]

[Footnote nn: _Columella lib. 1. cap. 8._]

[Footnote oo: _Libro de morbo sacro (siue illius sit, siue alterius, nam de auth.o.r.e apud eruditos dubitatio est) statim ab initio. & quaed huc pertinentiae habet Theophrastus de plantis lib.

9. cap. 21._]

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