The displaying of supposed witchcraft

I _Do not dedicate this piece of my Labours unto you, thereby to beg protection for it, as fearing either its weakness, or the malevolent censures of the ignorant; for I very we...

Chap. 12. _If the Devils or Witches have power to perform strange things, whether they do not bring them to pass by mere natural means, or otherwise? And of_ Helmont’s _opinion...

5. _Roger Bacon_ our Countryman, who was a _Franciscan_ Fryar, and Doctor of Divinity, the greatest Chymist, Astrologer, and Mathematician of his time, yet could not escape the...

1. Because there is no opinion (especially about created things) but it hath once been new; and if an opinion should be rejected meerly because of novelty, then it will follow,...

This is that sort of bird that _Gesner_ calleth _Caprimulgus_, and the Greeks Ἀιγαθήλας, the Germans =Rachtvogel= or =Rachtraven=, the Hebrews ‏לילית‎ _Lillith_, as is said in _...

4. We affirm that all these mentioned in the Scriptures (nay, and that the Priests attending all the so famoused Oracles) were but meer Cheaters and Impostors, and that for thes...

But the full Description and Notion that the common Witchmongers give a Witch is this. “That a Witch is such a person to whom the Devil doth appear in some visible shape, with w...

2. The Scriptures were not written to teach Natural Philosophy, Arts or Sciences, humane Policy, or the like; but were given, _that the man of God might be perfect, furnished fo...

6. The Scriptures and right reason have declared all things concerning Spirits either good or bad, as also all sorts of Diviners (or Witches, if you will have them called so) an...

The rise of this opinion that we are disputing against, that the Devil makes a visible and corporeal League with the Witches, that he sucks upon their bodies, hath carnal Copula...

2. It is one thing barely to affirm, and another thing to prove sufficiently and fully: For though they boldly alledge, that these things are sufficiently proved by Authors of u...

2. But as for the grave, learned, and wise Judges, and understanding and honest Juries within His Majesties Dominions, we affirm they are clear and innocent from these imputatio...

8. And if the Witches be not beyond measure deluded and mad, must they not rationally know, that if the Devil deceive them (as he is sure to do) there is no recompence to be had...

1. The very signification of the word here, doth not bear nor intend any essential transformation; but only feigning, pretending, and assimulating, as when _Judas_ pretended cha...

4. That this was only a mental and internal transformation, as are many sorts of Melancholy, especially that which Physicians call _Lycanthropia_, or _Melancholia lupina_, _Rabi...

4. He proceedeth: _Or else how can one enter into a strong mans house, and spoil his goods? except he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house._ “My disposses...

1. That there were and are almost innumerable ways, whereby men have undertaken to Divine and foretel things to come, some of which were by lawful means and ways, as all prudent...

5. That this is the genuine meaning of this word is manifest from the circumstances of some other places duly weighed, and compared together: for one text saith as our English T...

“But most notable is that story related by _Wierus_ from the mouth of his Sons who had it from the mouth of _Adrianus Turnebus_, who did openly profess that before-time he had s...

5. That they had no familiar Spirit is manifest, if we consider the manner how they carried themselves in these cheating actions and performances, for the Prophet tells us thus:...

5. That there be a most diligent comparing of the place of the Scripture to be explicated, with others of the same similitude or dissimilitude, For oftentimes one Scripture doth...

5. Again how can _Judah_ literally _be a lions whelp_, or Christ _called the lion of the tribe of Judah_? must it needs be understood that Christ either assumed the shape of a n...

2. There are many persons that think themselves no mean sharers in the most sorts of learning, and others that are very strait laced in their pretended zeal for godliness, and i...

3. These things are confirmed by the effects of appensions of many natural things which produce strange and wonderful effects, some of which we shall give in the words of that h...

Concerning the Woman of _Endor_, that our English and many other Translators have falsly rendered a Witch, or a Woman that had a familiar Spirit, we have spoken sufficiently, wh...

2. The second opinion, that it was _Samuels_ Soul that appeared in his wonted shape and habit, that he wore while he lived, hath been strenuously maintained by the Popish party,...

1. If we consider natural Fascination was by the Philosophers and Poets only taken to be contagious steams flowing from the eyes, or breaths of malevolent and envious persons, t...

4. So that however permission may be understood, it must properly relate to intellectual and rational creatures, and that only and especially in respect of those actions which w...

4. The several ways that God useth in governing the creatures in the world whether good or bad, may be comprised in these four ways. 1. He ruleth and ordereth them, by bending,...

1. We lay it down for a most certain and granted truth, that God simply and absolutely is only a most simple spirit, in whom there is no corporeity or composition at all, and wh...

And now let us examine the objections that are usually brought against this opinion, the strongest of which is to this purpose; that if Angels be Corporeal, then of necessity th...

1. Concerning the first, this must of necessity be a certain rule that what the holy and elect Angels do not know, the evil and faln Angels must much more ignore, except the kno...

2. To consider their power in spiritual and moral things particularly, we shall find they have no power in some things, but by their fall have utterly lost it, as is apparent in...

2. A second kind of actions that he assigneth unto Devils is, that they cannot only move bodies locally, but also can alter them diverse and sundry ways, as to make hot things o...

But if it be objected that though Satan and his Angels of themselves, and by their own proper power, do not work true miracles, yet may not God work real miracles by them, as he...

4. Another instance to prove the strange effects that may be produced by natural Causes, and yet are so occult, stupendious, and unusual, that they are commonly fathered upon De...

3. But notwithstanding all this, we find persons of great learning and sober judgments, to use much hesitation about these things, and either to suspend their belief of them, as...

Having thus far at large traced his footsteps in these abstruse and mysterious matters, we shall come now to examine them and make some observations upon them. And although we m...

The opinions that we reject as foolish and impious are those we have often named before, to wit, that those that are vulgarly accounted Witches, make a visible and corporeal con...

Yet notwithstanding, this most devillish and cunningly contrived counterfeiting and dissimulation was discovered and fully detected by the sagacity of that pious and learned per...

Moreover the King of _Samback_ (he saith) did one time tell our Kinsman _Samuel Blomart_, that these kind of Satyres, especially the Males in the Iland of _Borneo_, have so grea...

4. But though it be never so freely and fully granted, that in the ages and times mentioned in the Old and New Testament (nay it may be for a century or more after) there were p...

3. “About the year of our Lord 1623 or 24 one _Fletcher_ of _Rascal_, a Town in the North Riding of _Yorkshire_ near unto the Forest of _Gantress_, a Yeoman of good Estate, did...

11. Another the same Author relateth from _Jacobus Martinius in Disp. de Cognitione sui_, _propl._ 8. who saith: “In the year of our Saviour 1503. a certain Inn-keeper, by name...

3. Concerning the description of this Astral Spirit or Sydereal Body, (for though it be as a spirit, or the image in the looking-glass, yet it is truly corporeal) we shall give...

2. There were three curious persons also at _Paris_, that taking the Church earth-mould from S. _Innocents_ Church, supposing it to be the matter of the stone, did distill it an...

These are the most material passages that in our reading we can find in credible and learned Authors, to prove thereby the effects of charms _de facto_, and we confess they are...

8. We cannot also but remember here some notable passages of _Paracelsus_ where he is speaking of the power of faith and strong confidence, meerly considered as a nude and natur...

5. And if we consider it seriously there is something more than ordinary in this place of Scripture. _And it came to pass, that when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that...

1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling. 2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed. 3. Enclosed italics font in...