Chap. III.
ARGUMENT.
The Witches actiones divided in two partes. The actiones proper to their owne persones. Their actiones toward others. The forme of their conventiones, and adoring of their Master.
PHILOMATHES.
Ye have said now inough of their initiating in that ordour. It restes then that ye discourse upon their practises, fra they be passed Prentises: for I would faine heare what is possible to them to performe in verie deede. Although they serve a common Master with the Necromancers, (as I have before saide) yet serve they him in an other forme. For as the meanes are diverse, which allures them to these unlawfull artes of serving of the Devill; so by diverse waies use they their practises, answering to these meanes, which first the Devill, used as instrumentes in them; though al tending to one end: to wit, the enlargeing of Sathans tyrannie, and crossing of the propagation of the Kingdome of CHRIST, so farre as lyeth in the possibilitie, either of the one or other sorte, or of the Devill their Master. For where the Magicians, as allured by curiositie, in the most parte of their practises, seekes principallie the satisfying of the same, and to winne to themselves a popular honoure and estimation:
p.035 these Witches on the other parte, being intised ether for the desire of revenge, or of worldly riches, their whole practises are either to hurte men and their gudes, or what they possesse, for satisfying of their cruell mindes in the former, or else by the wracke in whatsoever sorte, of anie whome God will permitte them to have power off, to satisfie their greedie desire in the last poynt.
EPI. In two partes their actiones may be divided; the actiones of their owne persones, and the actiones proceeding from them towardes anie other. And this division being wel understood, will easilie resolve you, what is possible to them to doe. For although all that they confesse is no lie upon their parte, yet doubtlesly in my opinion, a part of it is not indeede, according as they take it to be: and in this I meane by the actiones of their owne persones. For as I said before, speaking of Magie that the Devill illudes the senses of these schollers of his, in manie thinges, so saye I the like of these Witches.
PHI. Then I pray you, first to speake of that part of their owne persons, and syne ye may come next to their actiones towardes others.
EPI. To the effect that they may performe such services of their false Master, as he employes them in, the devill as Gods Ape, counterfeites in his servantes this service & forme of adoration, that God prescribed and made his servantes to practise. For as the servants of GOD, publicklie uses to conveene for serving of him, so makes he them in great numbers to convenep.036 (though publickly they dare not) for his service. As none conveenes to the adoration and worshipping of God, except they be marked with his scale, the Sacrament of Baptisme: so none serves Sathan, and conveenes to the adoring of him, that are not marked with that marke, wherof I alredy spake. As the Minister sent by God, teacheth plainely at the time of their publick conventions, how to serve him in spirit & truth: so that uncleane spirite, in his owne person teacheth his Disciples, at the time of their conveening, how to worke all kinde of mischiefe: And craves compt of all their horrible and detestable proceedinges passed, for advancement of his service. Yea, that he may the more viuelie counterfeit and scorne God, he oft times makes his slaves to conveene in these verrie places, which are destinat and ordeined for the conveening of the servantes of God (I meane by Churches). But this farre, which I haue yet said, I not onelie take it to be true in their opiniones, but even so to be indeede. For the forme that he used in counterfeiting God amongst the Gentiles, makes me so to thinke: as God spake by his Oracles, spake he not so by his? As GOD had aswell bloudie Sacrifices, as others without bloud, had not he the like? As God had Churches sanctified to his service, with Altars, Priests, Sacrifices, Ceremonies and Prayers; had he not the like polluted to his service? As God gave responses by Vrim and Thummim, gave he not his responses by the intralls of beastes, by the singing of Fowles,p.037 and by their actiones in the aire? As God by visiones, dreames, and extases reveiled what was to come, and what was his will unto his servantes; used he not the like meanes to forwarne his slaves of things to come? Yea, even as God loved cleannes, hated vice, and impuritie, & appoynted punishmentes therefore: used he not the like (though falselie I grant, and but in eschewing the lesse inconvenient, to draw them upon a greater) yet dissimuled he not I say, so farre as to appoynt his Priestes to keepe their bodies cleane and undefiled, before their asking responses of him? And feyned he not God to be a protectour of everie vertue, and a just revenger of the contrarie? This reason then moves me, that as he is that same Devill; and as craftie nowe as he was then; so wil hee not spare a pertelie in these actiones that I have spoken of, concerning the witches persones: but further, Witches oft times confesses not only his conveening in the Church with them, but his occupying of the Pulpit: Yea, their forme of adoration, to be the kissing of his hinder partes. Which though it seeme ridiculous, yet may it likewise be true, seeing we reade that in Calicute, he appearing in forme of a Goate-bucke, hath publicklie that un-honest homage done unto him, by everie one of the people: so ambitious is he, and greedie of honour (which procured his fall) that he will even imitate God in that parte, where it is said, that Moyses could see but the hinder partes of God, for the brightnesse of his glorie:Exo. 33 and yet that speache is spoken but ανθρωπωπαθειαν.