Our ancient Saxon Kings before the [ll]Conquest, haue in their
municipall Lawes apparantly demonstrated what they conceiued of these so
dangerous and diuellish persons. _Alucidus_ keepeth the expresse words
of God; _F[oe]minas sagas_ _ne sinite viuere_. Suffer not women Witches
to liue. _Gunthrunus_ and _Canutus_ will haue them, being once
apprehended (that the rest of the people might bee pure and vndefiled)
sent into banishment, or if they abide in the kingdome (continuing their
lewd practises) executed according to desert. So _Athelstane_, if they
be conuicted to haue killed any, &c. And how the present estate standeth
affected toward them, the sundry strict statutes in this case prouided,
may giue any, not wedded to his owne stubbornenesse, sufficient and full
satisfaction. Wherefore not to erect a Tabernacle, and dwell longer in
perswading an vndeniable truth, that there bee Sorcerers and Witches, I
leaue these Hellish Infidels, and proceede.
[Footnote ll: _In +archaionomia+ siue de priscis Anglorum legibus
Guilielmus Lambertus._]
_The second Proposition._
The second Proposition: [a]Who those be, and of what quality, that are
thus ensnared of the Diuell, and vndermined by his fraudes. For
resolution whereof, this may suffice. Those who either maliciously
reiect the Gospell offered vnto them: or receiuing and vnderstanding the
same, do but coldly respect, and carelessly taste it, without making any
due estimation, or hauing any reuerent regard therof. In both which is a
manifest and open contempt of God. For as he purposing to honour the
first comming of his Sonne into the World, cloathed in the cloud of our
flesh, which he assumed then, suffered many to be really possessed of
Diuels, to bee lunatique, deafe, dumbe, blinde, &c. whom he might
deliuer from these torments, and so make apparant his glory, and shew by
these his miracles wrought, that hee was the promised Messias, _Esay 35.
5.6_. And therfore Christ referreth those Disciples whom _Iohn_ sent
vnto him (doubting in respect of that base forme which he tooke, and
demanding whether it was he that should come, or another to be looked
for) vnto his Doctrine and Workes; and by them to bee instructed,
whereof they were then both hearers and beholders, _Math. 11. 3.4.5_. So
now comming in the dew of his grace, and hauing restored the light of
the Gospell, and bestowed that vpon mankinde, as an especiall and
vnvaluable blessing, in his iustice giueth ouer the despisers thereof
vnto the power of Sathan, whereby both others who contemne the same,
might by their dreadfull example bee terrified, and the faithfull
stirred vp to a respectiue thankfulnesse, for so great a mercy
vouchsafed vnto them, and acknowledge their happinesse in being made
partakers thereof, and by especiall fauour deliuered out of the tyranny
of the Diuell: For this is one of the fearefull iudgements of God, and
hidden from vs (as all are a great depth, _Psal. 36. 6._) that those who
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