Chapter 2: The League Between the Witch and the Devil

The ground of all the practices of witchcraft, is a league or covenant made between the witch and the Devil: wherein they do mutually bind themselves each to other. If any shall think it strange, that man or woman should enter league with Satan, their utter enemy; they are to know it for a most evident and certain truth, that may not be called into question. And yet to clear the judgment of any one in this point, I will set down some reasons in way of proof.

First, the holy Scripture does intimate so much to us in Psalm 58:5, where, however the common translation runs in other terms, yet the words are properly to be read thus: which hears not the voice of the mutterer joining societies cunningly. And in them the Psalmist lays down two points. First, the effect or work of a charm, muttered by the enchanter; namely, that it is able to stay the adder from stinging those which shall lay hold on him, or touch him. Secondly, the main foundation of the charm; societies or confederacies cunningly made, not between man and man, but (as the words import) between the enchanter and the devil. The like we read (Deuteronomy 18:11), where the Lord charges his people when they come into the land of Canaan, that among other abominations of the heathen, they should beware lest any were found among them, that joined society, that is, entered into league and compact with wicked spirits.

A second reason may be this: it is the practice of the devil to offer to make a bargain and covenant with man. Thus he dealt with our Savior Christ, in the third temptation wherewith he assaulted him, promising to give to him all the kingdoms of the earth, and the glory of them (which he showed him in a vision), if Christ for his part would fall down and worship him (Matthew 4:9). The offer was passed on the behalf of Satan, and now to make a perfect compact between them, there was nothing wanting but the free consent of our Savior to the condition proposed. Whereby it is manifest, that the Devil makes many covenants in the world, because he finds men and women in the most places, fitted for his turn in this kind, who will not hesitate to worship him for a far less matter than a kingdom. And it is not to be doubted, that thousands in the world, had they been offered so fair as Christ was, would have been as willing to have yielded upon such conditions, as the Devil to have offered.

Thirdly, the common confession of all witches and sorcerers, both before and since the coming of Christ, does yet more fully confirm the same. For they have confessed with one consent, that the very groundwork of all their practices in this wicked art, is their league with the devil. And hence it appears, how and whereupon it is, that sorcerers and witches can bring to pass strange things by the help of Satan; which other men ordinarily cannot do; namely, because they have entered a league with him, whereby he has bound himself to them, for the effecting of rare and extraordinary works, which others, not joined with him in the like confederacy, are not able either by his help, or any power or policy of their own to bring to pass. Hereupon it was, that the witch of Endor showed to Saul the appearance of Samuel, which neither Saul himself, nor any in all his court could do. There was no great virtue in the matter or frame of her words, for she was ignorant and had no learning. By power she could not effect it, being a weak woman; neither was it likely that she had more cunning and policy than any of the learned Jews in those times had for such purposes. The main reason was, her league made with Satan, by virtue whereof she commanded him to appear in the likeness of Samuel, which neither Saul nor any of his company could do, by virtue of such covenant, which they had not made.

The end why the Devil seeks to make a league with men, may be this; it is a point of his policy, not to be ready at every man's command to do for him what he would, except he be sure of his reward; and no other means will serve his turn for taking assurance hereof, but this covenant. And why so? that hereby he may testify both his hatred of God, and his malice against man. For since the time that he was cast down from heaven, he has hated God and his kingdom, and greatly maligned the happy estate of man, especially since the covenant of grace made with our first parents in Paradise. For he thought to have brought upon them by their fall, eternal and final confusion, but perceiving the contrary by virtue of the covenant of grace; then manifested, and seeing men by it to be in a better and surer estate than before, he much more maligned his estate, and bears the ranker hatred to God for that his mercy bestowed upon him.

Now that he might show forth this hatred and malice, he takes upon him to imitate God, and to counterfeit his dealings with his Church. As God therefore has made a covenant with his people, so Satan joins in league with the world, laboring to bind some men to him, that so if it were possible, he might draw them from the covenant of God, and disgrace the same. Again, as God has his word and sacraments, the seals of his covenant to believers; so the devil has his words and certain outward signs to ratify the same to his instruments, as namely, his figures, characters, gestures, and other Satanical ceremonies, for the confirmation of the truth of his league to them. Furthermore, as God in his covenant, requires [reconstructed: faith] of us to the believing of his promises: so the devil in his compact, requires faith of his vassals, to put their trust in him, and rely on him for the doing of whatever he binds himself to do. Lastly, as God hears them that call upon him according to his will: so is Satan ready at hand upon the premises, endeavoring to the utmost of his power (when God permits him), to bring to pass whatever he has promised. And so much of the league in general.

More particularly, the league between the Devil and a witch, is twofold: either expressed and open, or secret and close.

The express and manifest compact is so termed, because it is made by solemn words on both parties. And it is not so expressly set down in Scriptures, as in the writings of learned men, which have recorded the confessions of Witches, and they express it in this manner. First, the Witch for his part, as a slave of the devil, binds himself to him by solemn vow and promise to renounce the true God, his holy word, the covenant he made in Baptism, and his redemption by Christ. And also to believe in the devil, to expect and receive aid and help from him, and at the end of his life, to give him either body, or soul, or both. And for the ratifying of this, he gives to the devil for the present, either his own handwriting, or some part of his blood, as a pledge and earnest penny to bind the bargain. The devil on the other side, for his part promises to be ready at his vassal's command, to appear at any time in the likeness of any creature, to consult with him, to aid and help him in anything he shall take in hand, for the procuring of pleasures, honor, wealth, or preferment, to go for him, to carry him wherever he will, in a word, to do for him, whatever he shall command. Many sufficient testimonies might be alleged for the proof of this, but it is so manifest in daily experience, that it cannot well be called into question.

But yet if it seems strange to any, that there should be such persons in the world, that make such fearful covenants with the devil, let them consider but this one thing, and it will put them out of doubt.

The nature of man is exceeding impatient in crosses, and outward afflictions are so tedious to mortal minds, and press them with such a measure of grief, that some could be contented with all their hearts to be out of the world, if thereby they may be released of such extremity, and so they care not what means they use, what conditions they undertake to ease and help themselves. The devil finding men in these perplexities, is ready to take his advantage, and therefore perceiving them now fitted for his purpose to work upon, he insinuates and offers himself, to procure them ease and deliverance, if they will use such means, as he shall prescribe for that purpose. And to a natural man there is no greater means than this to make him join society with the devil. He therefore, without any further doubting or deliberation, condescends to Satan, so as he may be [reconstructed: eased] and relieved in these miseries.

Again, we are to consider, that in these cases, the devil gets the greater hold of man, and moves him to yield to his suggestions the rather, because that which he promises to do for him is present and at his command, and therefore certain. Whereas the thing to be performed on the behalf of the party himself, as the giving of body and soul, and so on, is to come sundry years after, and therefore in regard of the particular time, uncertain. Now the natural man not regarding his future and final estate, prefers the present commodity before the loss and punishment that is to come a far off, and thereby is persuaded to yield himself to Satan. And by these and such like antecedents are many brought to make open league with the devil.

The secret and close league between the Witch and Satan is that, wherein they mutually give consent each to other, but yet without a sworn covenant conceived in express words and conference. Of this there be two degrees. First, when a man uses superstitious [reconstructed: forms] of prayer, wherein he expressly requires the help of the devil, without any mention of solemn words or covenant going before. That this is a kind of compact it is plain, because herein there is a mutual under-hand consent between the party and the devil, though it be not manifest. For when a [reconstructed: person is moved] to use superstitious forms of invocation, for help in time of need, by the very using of them, his heart consents to Satan, and he would gladly have the thing effected. When therefore the devil has notice of them, and endeavors to effect the thing prayed for, therein also he gives consent; so as though there be no express words of compact outwardly framed on both parts, yet the concurrence of a mutual consent for the bringing to pass of the same things, makes the covenant authentic. For according to the received rules of equity and reason, mutual consent of party with party, is sufficient to make a bargain, though there be no solemn course or form of words to manifest the same to others.

The second degree is, when a man uses superstitious means to bring any thing to pass, which in his own knowledge, have no such virtue in themselves to effect it, without the special operation of the Devil.

Superstitious means I call all those, which neither by order of creation, nor by the special appointment and blessing of God since, have any virtue in them, to bring to pass that thing for which they are used. For example, a charm, consisting of set words and syllables, both rude, barbarous, and unknown, used for the curing of some disease or pain, is a superstitious means; because it has no virtue in itself to cure, either by the gift of God in the creation, or by any special appointment afterward in his word, or otherwise. And therefore when this means is used by man, which he knows has no such virtue in it, for the effecting of that work for which it was used, there is a secret league made with the Devil.

Yet here I add this clause, in his own knowledge, to put a difference between men, which use superstitious means to bring some things to pass. For some there be, which when they use them, know they be merely superstitious, indeed weak and impotent, having no virtue in themselves for the purpose to which they are used; as the repeating of certain forms of words; the using of signs, characters, and figures, which in effect are mere charms, no whit effectual in themselves, but so far forth as they serve for watchwords to Satan, without whose aid nothing is done by them. A plain argument that the user thereof has in his heart secretly indented with Satan, for the accomplishment of his intended works. A second sort there is, which uses them for some special end, being persuaded that there is virtue in the means themselves to bring the thing to pass, and yet not knowing that either they be superstitious, or have their efficacy by the power and work of the devil. Such persons have made as yet no league with Satan, but they are in the high way to it. And this course is a fit preparation to cause them to join with him in covenant. I show it by an example. A man is fallen into some extremity, and finds himself bewitched. His pain is great, and he desires with all his heart to be cured and delivered. Hereupon he sends for the suspected witch; being come, he offers to scratch him or her, thinking by this means to be cured of the witchcraft. His reason is no other, than a strong persuasion, that there is simply virtue in his scratching to cure him, and discover the witch, not once suspecting that the help comes by the power of the Devil, but from the action itself. This doing, he may be healed: but the truth is, he sins and breaks God's commandment. For the using of these means is plain witchcraft, as afterward we shall see. And yet for all this, the party cannot be said in present to have made a league with Satan, because he thought, that though he yielded to the use of superstitious means for his curing, yet there had been in the said means a virtue of [reconstructed: healing], without any help or work of the Devil.