A confutation of conjuration especiallie of the raising binding and dismissing of the divell of going invisible and other lewd practises
THUS farre have we waded in shewing at large the vanitie of necromancers, conjurors, and such as pretend to have reall conference and consultation with spirits and divels: wherein (I trust) you see what notorious blasphemie is committed, besides other blind superstitious ceremonies, a disordered heap, which are so far from building up the endevors of these blacke art practitioners, that they doo altogether ruinate & overthrow them, making them in their follies and falshoods as bare and naked as an anatomie. As for these ridiculous conjurations, last rehearsed, being of no small reputation among the ignorant, they are for the most part made by T. R. (for so much of his name he bewraieth) and John Cokars, invented and devised for the augmentation and maintenance of their living, for the edifieng of the poore, and for the propagating and inlarging of Gods glorie, as in the beginning of their booke of conjurations they protest; which in this place, for the further manifestation of their impietie, and of the witchmongers follie and credulitie, I thought good to insert, whereby the residue of their proceedings may be judged, or rather detected. For if we seriouslie behold the matter of conjuration, and the drift of conjurors, we shall find them, in mine opinion, more faultie than such as take upon them to be witches, as manifest offenders against the majestie of God, and his holie lawe, and as apparent violators of the lawes and quietnesse of this realme: although indeed they bring no such thing to passe, as is surmised and urged by credulous persons, couseners, hers, and witchmongers. For these are alwaies learned, and rather abusers of others, than they themselves by others abused.
But let us see what appearance of truth or possibilitie is wrapped within these mysteries, and let us unfold the deceipt. They have made choice of certeine words, whereby they saie they can worke miracles, &c. And first of all, that they call divels & soules out of hell (though we find in the scriptures [Luk. 16. &c.] manifest proofes that all passages are stopped concerning the egresse out of hell) so as they may go thither, but they shall never get out, for Ab inferno nulla est redemptio, out of hell there is no redemption. Well, when they have gotten them up, they shut them in a circle made with chalke, which is so stronglie beset and invironed with crosses and names, that they cannot for their lives get out; which is a verie probable matter. Then can they bind them, and lose them at their pleasures, and make them that have beene hers from the beginning, to tell the truth: yea, they can compell them to doo anie thing. And the divels are forced to be obedient unto them, and yet cannot be brought to due obedience unto God their creator. This done (I saie) they can worke all maner of miracles (saving blew miracles) and this is beleeved of manie to be true:
Tam credula mens hominis, & arrectx fabulis aures, So light of beleefe is the mind of man,
And attentive to tales his eares now and than. (Englished by Abraham Fleming)
But if Christ (onelie for a time) left the power of working miracles among his apostles and disciples for the confirmation of his gospell, and the faith of his elect: yet I denie altogether, that he left that power with these knaves, which hide their cousening purposes under those lewd and foolish words, according to that which Peter saith [2. Pet. 2. Epes. 5. Ps. 72, & 78.]; With feined words they make merchandize of you. And therfore the counsell is good that Paule giveth us, when he biddeth us take heed that no man deceive us with vaine words. For it is the Lord only that worketh great woonders, and bringeth mightie things to passe. It is also written [Sap. 16. Eccles. 43.], that Gods word, and not the words of conjurors, or the charmes of witches, healeth all things, maketh tempests, and stilleth them.
But put case the divell could be fetched up and fettered, and loosed againe at their pleasure, &c: I marvell yet, that anie can be so bewitched, as to be made to beleeve, that by vertue of their words, anie earthlie creature can be made invisible. We thinke it a lie, to saie that white is blacke, and blacke white: but it is a more shamelesse assertion to affirme, that white is not, or blacke is not at all; and yet more impudencie to hold that a man is a horsse; but most apparent impudencie to saie, that a man is no man, or to be extenuated into such a quantitie, as therby he may be invisible, and yet remaine in life and health, &c: and that in the cleare light of the daie, even in the presence of them that are not blind. But surelie, he that cannot make one haire white or blacke, whereof (on the other side) not one falleth from the head without Gods speciall providence, can never bring to passe, that the visible creature of God shall become nothing, or lose the vertue and grace powred therinto by God the creator of all things.
If they saie that the divell covereth them with a cloud or veile, as M. Mal. Bodin, & manie other doo affirme; yet (me thinkes) we should either see the cover, or the thing covered. And though perchance they saie in their harts; Tush, the Lord seeth not, who indeed hath blinded them, so as seeing, they see not: yet they shall never be able to persuade the wise, but that both God and man dooth see both them and their knaveriem this behalfe. I have heard of a foole, who was made beleeve that he should go invisible, and naked ; while he was well whipped by them, who (as he thought) could not see him. Into which fooles paradise they saie he was brought, that enterprised to kill the prince of Orenge.
[John Jaure gui servant to Gasper. Anastro both Spaniards. Ann. Dom. 1582. March 18. after dinner upon a sundaie this mischeefe was done. Read the whole discourse hereof printed at London for Tho: Chard and Will: Brome booksellers.]
Post a comment