Divers writers report, that in _Germanie_, since _Luthers_ time, spirits and divels have not personallie appeared, as in times past they were woont to doo. This argument is taken in hand of the ancient fathers, to proove the determination and ceasing of oracles. For in times past (saith _Athanasius_) divels in vaine shapes did intricate men with their illusions, hiding themselves in waters, stones, woods, &c. But now that the word of GOD hath appeared, those sights, spirits, and mockeries of images are ceased. Truelie, if all such oracles, as that of _Apollo_, &c (before the comming of Christ) had beene true, and doone according to the report, which hath beene brought through divers ages, and from farre countries unto us, without preestlie fraud or guile, so as the spirits of prophesie, and working of miracles, had beene inserted into an idoll, as hath beene supposed: yet we christians may conceive, that Christs cōming was not so fruteles and prejudiciall in this point unto us, as to take awaie his spirit of prophesie and divination from out of the mouth of his elect people, and good prophets, giving no answers of anie thing to come by them, nor by _Urim_ nor _Thumim_, as he was woont, &c. And yet to leave the divell in the mouth of a witch, or an idoll to prophesie or worke miracles, &c: to the hinderance of his glorious gospell, to the discountenance of his church, and to the furtherance of infidelitie and false religion, whereas the working of miracles was the onelie, or at least the most speciall meanes that mooved men to beleeve in Christ: as appeareth in sundrie places of the gospell, and speciallie in _John_, where it is written, that a great multitude followed him, bicause they sawe his miracles which he did, &c. Naie, is it not written, that Jesus was approoved by God among the Jewes, with miracles, wonders and signes, &c? And yet, if we conferre the miracles wrought by Christ, and those that are imputed to witches; witches miracles shall appeare more common, and nothing inferior unto his. ♦_Car. de var. rerum._ _J. Wier. de præst. dæmon. &c._♦ ♦_Athanas. de humanitate verbi._♦ ♦The true end of miracles.♦ ♦John 2.♦ ♦Act. 2. 2 John. 5.♦ The xvi. Chapter. _Witches miracles compared to Christs, that God is the creator of all things, of Apollo, and of his names and portraiture._