I I· 'Ihe Epiflle Vedicatorie. . ! 1 ---1 ofthings fecret, and no; ret;;;;led. vVhen tl~ mind~ is poffeffcd with thefe troubled pal- ---~ fions, with care to hclpe it fclfe; then comes the D<uill,and minifl reth occalion tc:rvfc vn . 1 j I lawfull meanes in the gencrall,and forccth the minde by continuall fi,ggeflion, to de· ternHne tt fclfe Hlpamcu!Jrvpon hts owne crafts. It was the cafe of k Saul, and of ' k,, ,,m.,B. I Nebuchadnctfar. It caufed'many ofthe Heathen Philofophcrs, to goe from Athe•ls to 1 o'"·'·'·'· Memphis,from Grccia to Syria,from men on earth to wicked Spirits in hell, to g_er more illumination'.ltthc hands ofthe PrinceofdJrkcneffc. It mooued (undric mal-contented~· Pridls of, R~1~1e, to afpirc vnro the ·~lit! ire of Snpremacie, by Diabolicall ;·arc , "'";" ,, fiflanee;'vea b eo exerctfc Magtcall arrs , whch they were Popes: and thereby to matli- / '"''; '· &<. fell indc;d, that they were not the trueSucceffors ofSimon Perer,but hqyres ofr,he ver- ~:;;:~''"'· rues ofSimon rh~t M.tgtu, who bcwirched the People ofSamaria,-•and profcffcd ro doe c~;:;,,~l. d< ·rhat by the g_reat p~~erof Goa; which hee\vroughr by the ayde and afliflance of·thc ~;;;~,.';.& Detull. , .. · · .a.•.,. If il~~y doe thinre ;;\ !lrange, .chat Sarhan fhould in this forroppofc himfclfe to the kingdomeofGo~i:in.d fi1~imaine his owne prindpalirie,by (uch vngodly arrs and cx~r~ cife~; '!:!icy mull ~n0\v; that t~is and all orlier euills come'to paffe cucn by the will of A«g.. r..nn.' God, \Vho hath iufi!Y,- perinitt~cf tlie fame: l'o punitb the wicked for rheir horrible ;;:·~d;~~>'· filllics: ~s S~ul forl\iswicked>H!lfc: To auenge himfdfe vpon Man for his ingratitude, •. s:m-, 8 . who hau1ng·the trur~lfrcucaled :Y~to him wiH not beleeue or obey it:To waken and rouze vp rhe godly, wfio are llecping·in'ai•y great finncs or infirmities:Lalily,ro try and proiJU'e ;~::',',";; hi~ people, whed1crrhcy \vill clcaue to him and his word,orfeeke vnro Satan and wit~~q Dm. 'l·J: fpmrs. · . r· · .' · · "t Now from the con!iJerati6t1 <;>fthe prer;niffes,:we conclude ic a neceffarie rhing'(ot the Church and pe ople,ofGoa,.eo be acquaic1ted with the dealing of Saranin this kin'dj that knowing his ~rbrile deuifcs;thcy may lcarne•to auoid them. For which purpofe rhi~ Trcatifew~s fidl franied, and now exhibited ro yom Lord,fhip. The iull·commcodaii– on whereof, aboue others for(lrerly divulged ·!ouching this :Argument,appeJret!t here: io, that icferuerh to the full opening and dedaratioii of' Sata.ns Merhode in rhe gro·u~!l .ac1d prachfcs of Witchcraft. Wherein among many·other•rem~rkablc points, it niay pleafe you to take fpeciall notice of thcfe particulars. I. '"Piiat they d'oc groffcly erre,who either ir1 expreffe tearincs deoie·that there be Witches, or in•effeet, and by confeqll~nrj auouching that there is no league berweene them and the Deuill ;·or affirming they can doe no fuchmiraculous 'f.orkesasareafcribed ro them. The-former ifliteth plainlyi:>tit ofthe bodieofthe Difcourfe.' Arid for the latter; That there is o Couenant betweerfe them,citherexplicire in manner and fo{me; or impliciteby degreesoffuperflitious P.t'G· ceedingin the vfe of meanes infufficienr in rhemfclues; is plainly taught and confirmed in the fame. ThatWitches may afJ<l doe wor~ewonders, is euidently prooued : boW! beit not by an omnipotent pow'cfr\(asthc ~·gainfaycr hath vnlcarnedly and improperly 'R<gl,rd rearmed it) but by the affiflance ofSarhan their Prince, who is a powerfull fpirit,bur yet !d~:;;.r;:~~. a Creature,as well as they. And the vVondcr's w'roughr by them, arc nor proper!rand limplymiraclesbut workes •(wonder, b~caufe they exceedc the ordinarie power and capa' ~;~:,;~~;:'citie of men, efpecially fuch as arc ignorant ofS~rans habilitie, and rhe hidden caufes i!' Min'"'• nature, whereby things are brought to paffe. I I. That the VVitch truely conuiCl'cd, i~ to be pnnifhed with death, the highell degree of pbnifhmenr; and that by the Law 6f Mofes, the equ.itie whereofis pcrpcmall. Yea euen the better witch of'rhe two in coinmen reputation,bccaufc botll'are equally ~nemies to God, and tflle 'ieligion : and it i~ well knownebytrneexpericnq:, rharallpro(effedSorcercrs, arc guiltie of many mo!l >llonflrousimpietics.J I I. Thatthe Miracles of the Popifh Church at ·th}s day, are it>~ deed oirher no Miracles, or falfe and dc.:eirfull workcs. Touching corpoiall prefe'nce in the Sacrament, which they affirme to be by miracle: If it were true, then miracle's wer_e not yet ccafed, bur fhould (\ill be as ordinarie in the Church, as are rl'e facramenrs. ~ point not oncly confuted in the latter part ofrhis Trearife, bm alfo by the tellimonie of purer Anriquirie. Augnfline Cirh, rhat miraclmvere once mcelfarie to make thewoi-lil btf. leer~e the Gofpell: b11t hee t/;atmw{tekes ajigne that hee maybefcetlc,iJ awonder; ·yea amonilure in nat11re. Chryfoflomc conGlndcth vpon the fame grounds, th.<t thereiJ 11owin the Cl!tlrch, no necef!itteofworking M irac!ts; andca!fesbima folft Pr.plut,that now taku in liandto worke -- them.
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