p.024Chap. VII.
ARGUMENT.
The reason why the art of Magie is unlawfull. What punishment they merite: And who may be accounted guiltie of that crime.
PHILOMATHES.
Svrelie Ye have made this arte to appeare verie monstruous & detestable. But what I pray you shall be said to such as mainteines this art to be lawfull, for as evill as you have made it?
EPI. I say, they savour of the panne them selves, or at least little better, And yet I would be glad to heare their reasons.
PHI. There are two principallie, that ever I heard used; beside that which is founded upon the common Proverb (that the Necromancers commands the Devill, which ye have already refuted). The one is grounded upon a received custome: the other upon an authoritie, which some thinkes infallible. Upon custome, we see that diverse Christian Princes and Magistrates severe punishers of Witches, will not onelie over-see Magicians to live within their dominions; but even some-times delight to see them proove some of their practicques. The other reason is, that Moyses being brought up (as it is expreslie said in the Scriptures) in all the sciences of the Ægyptians; whereof no doubt, this was one of the principalles. And he notwithstanding of this arte, pleasing God, as he did, consequentlie that art professed by so godlie a man, coulde not be unlawfull.p.025
EPI. As to the first of your reasones, grounded upon custome: I saie, an evill custome can never be accepted for a good law, for the over great ignorance of the worde in some Princes and Magistrates, and the contempt thereof in others, moves them to sinne heavelie against their office in that poynt. As to the other reasone, which seemes to be of greater weight, if it were formed in a Syllogisme; it behooved to be in manie termes, and full of fallacies (to speake in termes of Logicque) for first, that that generall proposition; affirming Moyses to be taught in all the sciences of the Ægyptians, should conclude that he was taught in Magie, I see no necessity. For we must understand that the spirit of God there, speaking of sciences, understandes them that are lawfull; for except they be lawfull, they are but abusivè called sciences, & are but ignorances indeede: Nam homo pictus, non est homo. Secondlie, giving that he had bene taught in it, there is great difference, betwixt knowledge and practising of a thing (as I said before). For God knoweth all thinges, being alwaies good, and of our sinne & our infirmitie proceedeth our ignorance. Thirdlie, giving that he had both studied and practised the same (which is more nor monstruous to be beleeved by any Christian) yet we know well inough, that before that ever the spirite of God began to call Moyses, he was fled out of Ægypt, being fourtie yeares of age, for the slaughter of an Ægyptian, and in his good-father Iethroes lande, first called at the firie bushe,p.026 having remained there other fourtie yeares in exile: so that suppose he had beene the wickeddest man in the worlde before, he then became a changed and regenerat man, and very litle of olde Moyses remained in him. Abraham was an Idolater in Vr of Chaldææa, before he was called: And Paule being called Saule, was a most sharp persecutor of the Saintes of God, while that name was changed.
PHI. What punishment then thinke ye merites these Magicians and Necromancers?
EPI. The like no doubt, that Sorcerers and Witches merites; and rather so much greater, as their error proceedes of the greater knowledge, and so drawes nerer to the sin against the holy Ghost. And as I saye of them, so saye I the like of all such as consults, enquires, entertaines, & oversees them, which is seene by the miserable endes of many that askes councell of them: For the Devill hath never better tydings to tell to any, then he tolde to Saule: neither is it lawfull to use so unlawfull instrumentes, were it never for so good a purpose: for that axiome in Theologie is most certaine and infallible: Nunquam faciendum est malum vt bonum inde eueniat.Ast 3.