Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

CHAP. III.

BUT to the matter in hand we see the natural Astrologers they go by a rule, and their wisdom and knowledge in things of nature, it is declared by them from and by a rule, else that they say would be mere nonsense and foolishness.

Yet I say, your natural Astrologers they are witches, and have their figure to judge the effects of the stars: but this witchcraft is allowed by the powers of the

nations.

So I say, these witches that doth do things by a familiar spirit, they have a rule to walk by as the other hath; for as the imagination of the other hath by the study of the figure, attained to give some judgment upon the effects of the stars, upon a particular person or nation. So likewise those witches that hath a familiar spirit, they have attained to this familiar spirit out of their imagination of reason, as I said before.

And this familiar spirit being begotton in themselves by the strength of imagination their father, now understand thus much, that this diabolical wisdom that is begotten in man and woman by the imagination of reason, the devil; is that familiar spirit that men and women do act by.

And after this familiar spirit is begotten in man or woman by the imagination of their father, as I said before, then this familiar spirit of the witch will motion in the mind so fast, and pray unto the host of heaven, the sun, moon and planets, supposing that the good spirit in some of them, and imagining the evil spirit or lived to be in other some of them.

Now observe, when this familiar spirit is produced in them, then they observe every motion of the mind, and their faith being in every motion of their minds, it produceth either some further knowledge of their own apprehension, or else some visions are presented to their phantasies, for they have dedicated some certain words to be said in their minds motional, to be used when they would do any feats, besides their fasting and prayer. And this thing they have dedicated to enquire of, is that which they divine with, or tell any thing from it, is much like unto the Astrologers, their figure is dedicated for that purpose, that he may tell things from, and without the knowledge of the figure. He can tell nothing except he were skilled in it before, but the figure was the thing he came to know more than others at the first; for wonderful things may be accomplished through the imagination of reason, when it hath set itself apart on purpose to attain unto such things.

For I find by experience within this seventeen years, what strange things hath been atchieved by man and woman, who hath given themselves up to an unknown God upon a religious account. Some hath by their fasting and prayers unto an unknown God, attained unto visions, apparitions, appearance of angels, voices, and many other strange things; yet altogether ignorant of the true God and the right devil, and what angels are; so that these things hath been all within them, and they thought that God had revealed these things unto them; when as they did attain unto these things aforesaid by their own endeavours; as many Quakers and others can witness at this day, if they would, by harkening to the light within them, and fasting, and such like, neither did God present any vision, or speak any voice unto them, but they do produce those things aforesaid by their own imaginations.

So is it with witches, they do raise shapes and voices

out of themselves, and those voices they hear, they are no other but motional voices in themselves; and the ignorant people that believe them is partakers of those motional voices also with the witch.

For there is no spirit of the devil without them, that doth assume any shape or speak any voice unto the witch, neither doth any spirit without the witch reveal any knowledge unto them; it is all produced by their own wicked imagination, who hath begotten within themselves that familiar spirit they deal with, and not from any devil or spirit without them.

But all cometh from the imagination within, that is, the devil and no other; yet this familiar spirit is produced from within them, to see shapes and hear motional voices, merely by watching the motion of the imagination that is placed in their minds or hearts even as the Quakers do by harkening to the light within them, they do procure many strange visions and motional voices, but they being groundless and nonsensical they come to nothing.

CHAP. IV.

LET the reader observe when king Saul asked the Witch of Endor, what form the Gods was of, she had seen ascend out of the earth; the woman answered and said; an old man with a mantle, &c. but Saul saw nothing but as the woman told him, and Saul believed her words, and bowed himself to the ground; now mind the 15th verse, Samuel said to Saul, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up; the meaning is this, now the witch had full power over Saul, so that he did really believe the witch, thats he had indeed raised up Samuel, tho' he saw nothing; yet the fear of being destroyed by the Philistines, and the belief of the woman's words, Samúel began to speak in Saul's conscience; there came into Saul's mind the words which Samuel had told him in his life time; so that these was no speaking to Saul by Samuel, but the reasonings of Saul's own heart; and these voices that Samuel spake to Saul, they were motional voices that did arise in Saul's own heart; for an accusing conscience will speak dreadful voices in the conscience; as the blood of Abel cried for vengeance in Cain's conscience, and the saints that were slain under the alter cried for vengeance upon those that shed their blood; so that a sinful conscience will have voices enough to torment him, though God himself, nor prophet without him, doth never speak unto him. A guilty conscience will speak with a motional voice their great terror and torment, which is greater than can be born, as it was with Cain, Saul and Judas. Yea, it was fear, and the remembrance of Saul's disobedience to Samuel's words in his life time, this did arise afresh in Saul's mind, and spake with motional voices in Saul's conscience, accusing him for his disobedience to Samuel's words.

For the remembrance of Samuel's words may be said to disquiet Samuel; for Samuel's words were buried in Saul's conscience.

But now by his going to enquire of a witch, Samuel is revived again in Saul's mind, and there Samuel speaks fear, wrath, and terror,; for Samuel's words spake in Saul's conscience one motional voice, and the guilt of Saul's disobedience spake fear and horror in Saul's conscience, this was a motional voice in Saul's conscience also; for the voice of truth will speak, or the voice of obedience and the voice of sin and disobedience will speak in a man's conscience, as if they were two distinct spirits.

This many guilty consciences can witness, as we may read by Cain that killed his brother: and Judas that betrayed his Lord and many others that hath been guilty of the like crimes

So that the witch did raise no Samuel nor spirit, but a mere shadow it was the witch saw, which she could raise by her art; neither was there any Samuel or spirit not at all that did speak to Saul, but that motional voice in Saul's conscience as aforesaid.

And in this sense Samuel may be said to be disquieted; for if Saul had never gone to the witch to enquire of her, Samuel's words had been quiet in Saul; neither would Saul have had such reasonings in himself, nor have been so sensible of the worm of his conscience.

So that there was no voice of Samuel spoke unto Saul, but a motional voice in Saul's own mind of conscience; his fear and his disobedience, and what Samuel had told him before, these all speaking with voices, in his wounded conscience. Samuel's words speak one voice, and his own disobedience spake

« ÎnapoiContinuă »