Right Honorable: The word of God, that only oracle of truth, has pointed out the enemy of mankind by his proper characters in various places. Our Savior terms him the Prince of this World, and a murderer from the beginning. Peter compares him to a roaring lion that ranges abroad in the earth, seeking whom he may devour. His attempts, in regard of their quality, are called [illegible] subtle and deep devices; indeed, [illegible] plots exquisitely contrived and orderly framed, as it were in method. The meaning of the Holy Ghost in these and such like attributes is to express that measure of policy and power which Satan has reserved to himself even in the state of his apostasy, improved by long experience and instantly practiced upon the sons of men, that he might set up in the world a spiritual regiment of time, as a means to encounter the kingdom of grace, and, if it were possible, to bring the same to ruin. To forbear instances of open force made against God and his Church by other courses, for the compassing of his [reconstructed: design], how skillfully he works his own advantage by secret opposition in the exercise of that cursed art, which is the subject of the present discourse, is a point not unworthy your honorable consideration.
The power of this Prince of Darkness, being above the might of all sensible creatures, and every way seconded by the greatness of his knowledge and experience, manifests itself herein for the most part by works of wonder, transcendent in regard of ordinary capacity, and diversely [reconstructed: disposed] by his chosen instruments of both [reconstructed: sexes] — sometime in matter of divination, sometime by enchantment, sometime by rare [illegible] and delusions; at other times by hurting, by cursing, by raising of tempests, by speedy conveyance and transportation from place to place, etc. And all to purchase to himself admiration, fear, and faith of the credulous world, which is usually carried away with affectation and applause of signs and wonders. His policy appears in a wise and exquisite manner of framing and conceiving both his practices and grounds; the one to procure credit and reception, the other, that he may not fail of his purpose, but proceed upon certainties.
Touching the manner of his practice: he stands resolved that the world has taken notice of him to be a liar and the father thereof, and therefore if he should offer to speak in his own language, or inform an art by rules of his own devising, he might perhaps incur suspicion of falsehood. Hereupon he composes his courses [illegible], by way of counterfeit and imitation, not of the actions and dealings of men, but of the order of God's own proceeding with his Church, holding it a sure principle in policy that actions will be much more effectual when they be framed to the best precedents than when they are suited to the direction of meaner examples. To this purpose, as God has made a covenant with his Church, binding himself by promise to be their God, and requiring of them the condition of faith and obedience, so does Satan enter into agreement with his subjects by mutual confederacy, either solemnly or secretly, whereby they bind themselves on the one part to observe his rules, and he on the other to accomplish their desires. Again, God gives his word, the interpreter of his will, and his sacraments, the seals of his promises, to which, being rightly administered and received, he has tied his own presence, and the work of his grace in them that believe. Answerably to this, the Devil gives a word of direction to his instruments, and adds to it charms, figures, characters, and other outward ceremonies, at the use whereof he has bound himself to be present and to manifest his power in effecting the thing desired. Furthermore, God has revealed his will to the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles by familiar conference, by dreams, by inspiration, by trances. In the same manner, Satan has his diviners and soothsayers, his Pythonesses, his Cassandras, his Sibyls, to whom he makes known things to come by familiar presence, by dreams, etc. To conclude, God had in the Old Testament his temple at Jerusalem, indeed his oracle, from where he spoke and gave the answer to Moses. So in ancient times the Devil erected his temple at Dodona and Delphos, from where he gave his answers for the satisfaction of the superstitious heathen. Indeed, and at this day, as the ministers of God do give resolution to the conscience in matters doubtful and difficult, so the ministers of Satan, under the name of wise-men and wise-women, are at hand, by his appointment, to resolve, direct, and help ignorant and unsettled persons in cases of distraction, loss, or other outward calamities.
Now the grounds upon which he builds his proceedings for certainty are cunningly gathered from the disposition of man's heart, by natural corruption, and that in three special instances. First, he knows that man naturally, out of the light of grace, has but a mere soul, endued only with some general and confused notions; and as for matters of deeper apprehension touching God and heavenly things, there is a veil of ignorance and blindness drawn over the eyes of his mind. Upon which, though he is apt to know and worship a God, and learn his will, yet for want of information by the word, he is prone to err in the practice of his notion. Here Satan applies himself to man's measure, and at his own will, draws the mind into error, by his delusions and impostures. This made the Samaritans in the Old Testament, and the superstitious Athenians in the New, to worship an unknown God, that is the Devil. Hence it was, that the greatest clerks of Greece, Thales, Plato, and the rest, for want of a better light, sought to the wizards of Egypt, whom they called Prophets, men instructed by Satan in the grounds of divination. And of this sort were Jannes and Jambres mentioned in the Scriptures. Hence it was also that the ancient Heathen, having no law and testimony from God, inquired at soothsayers, and murmuring enchanters; others betook themselves, in matters of doubt and difficulty, to the old oracles of Jupiter Ammon in Libya, of Jupiter Dodonaeus at Dodona in Epirus, of Apollo at Delphos, of Jupiter Trophonius in Boeotia, and the rest; where the Devil gave the answer, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Secondly, Satan by observation perceives, that man upon a weak and ignorant mind, is prone superstitiously to dote upon the creatures, attributing some divine operation or virtue to them, without any ground of God's word, or common understanding; and consequently disposed to worship God in some work of man, or to join to the same worship the inventions of man, which he has not commanded. Upon which ground he made the Heathen to dote upon their wise men, to regard soothsayers, and them that worked with spirits; the Chaldean philosophers, renowned for their superstitions and magical courses, to make the heavens fatalium Legum Tabulam, ascribing that to the virtue of the stars, which was known and done by Satanic operation; the Magicians of Persia, to admit of corruptions in their ancient good learning, and to give themselves, upon reading the fabulous writings of the Chaldean sorcerers, to the study of unlawful arts invented by himself, both before and after the times of Daniel the Prophet; lastly, the ancient Romans upon a superstitious dotage, never to undertake any business of weight, nisi auspicato, unless they had lucky consent and warrant from the colleges of their augurs erected by Romulus. Thirdly, there is a natural distemper in the mind of man, showing itself in these particulars: that he cannot endure to stand in fear of imminent danger; that he swells in a high conceit of his own deserts, especially when he is in lower estate than he would be; that he will not bear a wrong done, without revenge; that he rests not satisfied, with the measure of knowledge received, but affects the searching of things secret, and not revealed. When the mind is possessed with these troubled passions, with care to help itself; then comes the Devil, and ministers occasion to use unlawful means in the general, and forces the mind by continual suggestion, to determine itself in particular upon his own crafts. It was the case of Saul, and of Nebuchadnezzar. It caused many of the Heathen philosophers, to go from Athens to Memphis, from Greece to Syria, from men on earth to wicked spirits in hell, to get more illumination at the hands of the Prince of darkness. It moved sundry ill-contented priests of Rome, to aspire to the chair of supremacy, by diabolical assistance; yea to exercise magical arts, when they were Popes: and thereby to manifest indeed, that they were not the true successors of Simon Peter, but heirs of the virtues of Simon the Magus, who bewitched the people of Samaria, and professed to do that by the great power of God, which he worked by the aid and assistance of the Devil.
If any do think it strange, that Satan should in this sort oppose himself to the kingdom of God, and maintain his own principality, by such ungodly arts and exercises; they must know, that this and all other evils come to pass even by the will of God, who has justly permitted the same: to punish the wicked for their horrible sins, as Saul for his wickedness; to avenge himself upon man for his ingratitude, who having the truth revealed to him, will not believe or obey it; to waken and rouse up the godly, who are sleeping in any great sins or infirmities; lastly, to try and prove his people, whether they will cleave to him and his word, or seek to Satan and wicked spirits.
Now from the consideration of the premises, we conclude it a necessary thing for the Church and people of God, to be acquainted with the dealing of Satan in this kind, that knowing his subtle devices, they may learn to avoid them. For which purpose this Treatise was first framed, and now exhibited to your Lordship. The just commendation thereof, above others formerly published touching this Argument, appears herein, that it serves to the full opening and declaration of Satan's method in the ground and practices of Witchcraft. Wherein among many other remarkable points, it may please you to take special notice of these particulars. 1. That they do grossly err, who either in express terms deny that there be Witches, or in effect, and by consequent — avouching that there is no league between them and the Devil — or affirming they can do no such miraculous works, as are ascribed to them. The former issues plainly out of the body of the Discourse. And for the latter: that there is a Covenant between them, either explicit in manner and form, or implicit by degrees of superstitious proceeding in the use of means insufficient in themselves, is plainly taught and confirmed in the same. That Witches may and do work wonders is evidently proved; however not by an omnipotent power, as [reconstructed: Reginald Scot] has unlearnedly and improperly [illegible], but by the assistance of Satan their Prince, who is a powerful Spirit, but yet a Creature as well as they. And the wonders wrought by them are not properly and simply miracles, but works of wonder, because they exceed the ordinary power and capacity of men, especially such as are ignorant of Satan's ability, and the hidden causes in nature, whereby things are brought to pass. 2. That the Witch truly convicted is to be punished with death, the highest degree of punishment, and that by the law of Moses, the equity whereof is perpetual. Indeed even the better Witch of the two in common reputation, because both are equally enemies to God, and all true religion; and it is well known by true experience, that all professed Sorcerers are guilty of many most monstrous impieties. 3. That the Miracles of the Popish Church at this day are indeed either no Miracles, or false and deceitful works. Touching corporeal presence in the Sacrament, which they affirm to be by miracle: if it were true, then miracles were not yet ceased, but should still be as ordinary in the Church as are the Sacraments. A point not only confuted in the latter part of this Treatise, but also by the testimony of purer Antiquity. Augustine says, that miracles were once necessary to make the world believe the Gospel; but he that now seeks a sign that he may believe, is a wonder, yes, a monster in nature. Chrysostome concludes on the same grounds, that there is now in the Church no necessity of working Miracles, and calls him a false Prophet that now takes in hand to work them. Again, if there be a miracle in the Sacrament, it is contrary to the nature of all those that were wrought, either by Moses and the Prophets, or by Christ and his Apostles. For they were apparent to the eye, but this is insensible, and therefore neither of force to move admiration, nor to convince the mind of man, and make him to believe. As for those which are pretended to be wrought by Saints in that church: if we make recourse to the Primitive times, wherein God gave the gift to breed faith in the Gentiles, we shall find that the power of producing such works was never actually inherent in the Apostles, but dispensed by them in the Name of Christ. Neither was it in their liberty to work miracles when they would, but when it pleased God, upon special cause, to call them to it. And if neither the power nor the will was in them, much less is it likely to be found in any of the Saints. And for their Relics, of what name soever, so greatly magnified and resorted to, we deny there is any such virtue in them. For they may not be thought to be more effectual than the hem of Christ's garment, from which the power of healing the woman did not proceed, but from himself; or than the Napkin of Paul, which did not cure the sick, but the power of God only, dispensed by the hands of Paul. Miracles therefore, avouched by them to be wrought at the tombs and statues of Saints, and by their relics and monuments, are but mere Satanical wonders, serving to maintain Idolatry and superstition, and are in truth no better than the wonders of the Donatists in Saint Augustine's time: [reconstructed: aut figmenta mendacium hominum, aut portenta fallacium spirituum]. 4. That the light of the Gospel purely preached is a sovereign means to discover and confound the power and policy of Satan in Witchcraft and Sorcery. The word of God preached is the weapon of the Christian's warfare, and is mighty through God to cast down strongholds. At the dispensation of it by the disciples of Christ, Satan falls from heaven as lightning. After the ascension of Christ into Heaven, in the times of Claudius Caesar, the Devil stirred up sundry persons, who in regard of the admirable works which they did by the help of Magic and Sorcery, were accounted as Gods, and their statues erected and worshipped with great reverence. Among the rest, one Simon, called by a kind of eminence Magus, practicing his trade with success to the admiration of the multitude, was held to be the great power of God. Whose dealing was first discovered by the light of the word, shining in the Ministry of the Apostles, and himself convicted with such evidence of truth to be an instrument of Satan, that he was forced at length to flee out of Samaria into the Western parts, as Eusebius records in his Ecclesiastical History. By this, Christ the true angel of the Covenant locked and bound up Satan for 1,000 years after his ascension, that he might not be so generally powerful in seducing the Gentiles as he had been before his incarnation. But toward the expiration of those years, when corruption began to creep into the Papacy, when the Bishops affected that See and aspired to it by Diabolical arts, when the Canons, Decrees, Sentences, Synodals, Decretals, Clementines, Extravagants, with other laws and constitutions, prevailed above the Scriptures, then began Satan again to erect his kingdom, and these works of iniquity to be set abroach.
These points together with the whole work ensuing I humbly commend to your honorable patronage, that under your protection they may freely pass the common view of the world. Wherein if I seem over-bold, thus to press upon your Lordship unknown, my answer is at hand: that all by-respects [reconstructed: aside], I have been induced many ways. First, upon a reverent opinion of those rare gifts of knowledge and piety, with which God has beautified your person, and thereby advanced you to high place and estimation in this Commonwealth — of which those your grave and judicious speeches, even in the weightiest matters touching God and Caesar, as also those many learned writings, have given large testimony. From which has issued the greatness of your name, both in the present judgment of the world, and in future expectation. Next, out of a resolved persuasion of your honorable disposition, as in general to the whole house of Levi, so particularly to those whose labors have fruitfully flowed out of the Schools of the Prophets, among whom the author of this book, in his time, was none of the meanest. Lastly, by the consideration of the argument arising out of a judicial law, agreeable to the calling and quality of a judge. A penal law in regard of the offense, and therefore suitable to his proceedings, whose office is to hear with favor, to determine with equity, to execute justice with moderation. A law of the highest and greatest weight, immediately concerning God and his honor, and therefore pertaining to him that sits in the place of God, to maintain his right, that he may be with him in the cause and judgment.
By such motives, I have encouraged my [reconstructed: self], under assurance of your Lordship's pardon, to present you with that wherein you are most deservedly interested, further entreating your favorable interpretation and acceptance, both of the quality of the work, and of the pains of the publisher. And thus heartily wishing to your Lordship increase of grace and honor, with a daily influence of blessing and direction from heaven upon your grave consultations and employments, I humbly take my leave, and commend you to the grace of God, by whom all the judges of the earth rule. Finchingfield, October 26, 1608.
Your Lordship's in all Christian duty to be commanded, Thomas Pickering.
