Thus he dismaied the heart of _Saul_ (when he had broken the
Commandement of God) with dreadfull feare, and enraged his minde with
bloudy fury, _1. Sam. 16. 14_. Entred into _Iudas_, prouoked him to
betray his maister, dispaire and hang himselfe, _Math. 27. 3._ filled
the heart of _Ananias_ and _Saphira_ with dissimulation,_Act. 5. 3._
possessed the bodies of many really, as is manifest in the History of
the Gospell. Our Sauiour Christ assureth vs, that a daughter of
_Abraham_ was bound for 18 yeares by Sathan, with such a spirit of
infirmitie, as bowed together, shee could in no wise lift vp herselfe,
_Luk. 13. 11.16_. He spake out of the _Pythonesse_, _Act. 16. 17._
brought downe fire from heauen, and consumed _Iobs_ sheepe 7000. and his
seruants, raised a storme, strooke the house wherein his sonnes and
daughters feasted with their elder brother, smote the foure corners of
it, with the ruine whereof they all were destroyed, and perished: and
ouerspread the body of that holy Saint their father with botches[t] and
biles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head.[u] And hee
wil haue his seruants Wisards & Witches, coadiutors with him, and maketh
them fit instruments to the performance of all wicked exploits, and this
is when God pleaseth (of which I shall haue occasion to speake more
afterward) to giue leaue, for his wil is the first supreme and principal
cause of all things: and nothing can be done visibly in this
Common-wealth here below of the creatures, but is decreed and determined
so to be first in the high Court of Heauen, according to his
vnsearchable wisedome and iustice, disposing punishments and rewards as
seemeth good vnto himselfe. So _Pharaohs_[x] Magitians could turne water
into bloud, their roddes into serpents, produce frogges, &c. But when it
came to the base vermine, to make lice, they were pusled, and
acknowledged their imbecillity, confessing, _Digitus Dei est_,[u] Gods
finger is here, _Exod. 18. 19_. For if they could effect and bring to
passe all mischieuous designements without his sufferance, it would
inferre a weakenesse, and conclude a defect of[z] power in him, as not
sufficient to oppose their strength, supplant their force, and auoid
their stratagems. And we must not imagine that the practioners of these
damnable Arts of which sexe soeuer, be they men or women, do performe
those mischifes which they effect, by their owne skills or such meanes
as they vse, of which sort bee the bones of dead mens skuls, Toades,
Characters, Images, &c. But through the cooperation of the Diuell, who
is by nature subtile, by long experience instructed, swift to produceth
strange works, & to humane vnderstanding admirable. Yet[aa] he will haue
those his vassals perswaded of some great benefit bestowed vpon them,
whereby they are inabled to helpe and hurt, whom, how, and when they
list; and all to indeere them, & by making them partakers in his
villany, being strongly bound in his seruice, & stedfastly continued in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account