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Credulity of Witchcraft CHAP. 5. 6 | | |
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CHAPTER V. | | |
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A confutation of the common conceived opinion of witches and witchcraft, and how detest-
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able a sinne it is to repaire* to them for counsell or helpe in time of affliction.
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BUT whatsoever is reported or conceived of such maner of witchcrafts, I
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dare avow to be false and fabulous (coosinage,* dotage, and poisoning
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excepted:) neither is there any mention made of these kind of witches in
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the Bible. If Christ had knowne them, he would not have pretermitted* to invaie*
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against their presumption, in taking upon them his office: as, to heale and cure
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diseases; and to worke such miraculous and supernaturall things, as whereby he
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himselfe was speciallie knowne, beleeved, and published to be God; his actions
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and cures consisting (in order and effect) according to the power of our witch-
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moongers imputed to witches. Howbeit, if there be any in these daies afflicted
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in such strange sort, as Christs cures and patients are described in the new testa-
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ment to have beene: we flie from trusting in God to trusting in witches, who doo
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not onelie in their coosening art take on them the office of Christ in this behalfe;
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but use his verie phrase of speech to such idolaters, as com to seeke divine
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assistance at their hands, saieng; Go thy waies thy sonne or thy daughter, &c.
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shall doo well, and be whole.
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It will not suffice to dissuade a witchmonger from his credulitie, that he seeth
| | John. 5: 6. |
the sequele and event to fall out manie times contrarie to their assertion; but in
| | Mark. 5. 34. |
such case (to his greater condemnation) he seeketh further to witches of greater
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fame. If all faile, he will rather thinke he came an houre too late; than that he
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went a mile too far. Trulie I for my part cannot perceive what is to go a whoring
| | To go to |
after strange gods, if this be not. He that looketh upon his neighbors wife, and
| | witches &c. |
lusteth after hir, hath committed adulterie. And truelie, he that in hart and by
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argument mainteineth the sacrifice of the masse to be propitiatorie for the quicke
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and the dead, is an idolater; as also he that alloweth and commendeth creeping
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to the crosse, and such like idolatrous actions, although he bend not his corporall
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knees.
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In like manner I say, he that attributeth to a witch, such divine power, as dulie
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and onelie apperteineth unto GOD (which all witchmongers doo) is in hart a
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blasphemer, an idolater, and full of grosse impietie, although he neither go nor
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send to hir for assistance.
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CHAPTER VI. | |
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A further confutation of witches miraculous and omnipotent power, by invincible reasons and
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authorities, with dissuasions from such fond* credulitie.
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IF witches could doo anie such miraculous things, as these and other which
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are imputed to them, they might doo them againe and againe, at anie time
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or place, or at anie mans desire: for the divell is as strong at one time as at
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another, as busie by daie as by night, and readie enough to doo all mischeefe,
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and careth not whom he abuseth. And in so much as it is confessed, by the most
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part of witchmoongers themselves, that he knoweth not the cogitation of mans
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heart, he should (me thinks) sometimes appeere unto honest and credible
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persons, in such grosse and corporall forme, as it is said he dooth unto witches:
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which you shall never heare to be justified by one sufficient witnesse. For the
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divell indeed entreth into the mind, and that waie seeketh mans confusion. | | |
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