THe Ancients were wont to brand notorious folly with this proverb, viz. To bring Owles to Athens: but it is not a part of less folly, but of most great impiety, to send divels to hell. You know what I call hell, viz. that School of wickednesses, which with much displeasure I have elswhere in its colours notoriously shewed the Court to be. But there was never so just an occasion of writing and of indignation given as now, if it were lawfull to treat of the whole business as I should, yet I cannot contein but give you an argument of it. Now therefore hear a thing both foolish and impious: There was sent for out of Germany with no small charges a certain master of Spirits, that is a Necromancer who possesseth a power over spirits, that as James and Jambres resisted Moses, so he should oppose Caesar; for they were perswaded by the father of lies, that he could foretel all things to come, and disclose all secret counsels, and manifest even the thoughts; moreover that he was endowed with so great power, that he could bring back the Kings children through the aire, even as we read that Habacuck with his pulle was carryed to the den of Lions, and that he could do as Elisha did being besieged in Dotham, shew mountains full of horsemen and fiery Chariots, and a very great Army; moreover that he could find out and fetch up the treasures of the earth, and compell what mariages and affections he pleased, to break them off, and cu•e all desperate diseases, by a Stygian medicine, as a confirmed Hectick, a radicated Dropsy, Leprosy in the bones; and
Who wisely can the Knotty gout soon cure,
And health even to the desperate procure.
See where their faith is placed, where their hope is reposed, who endeavour to subject the Elements, Heaven, Fate, Nature, Providence, God, and all things to the command of one Magitian; and seek for the preservation of a kingdom from Devils the enemies of publike preservation; saying in their heart with Ochozias, there is not a God in Israel, let us go and consult Beelzebub the God of Achron, and as Saul speaking to the witch, saith, the Philistius fight against me, & God hath deserted me, and will not hear me, therefore am I come to you. What do they so much despair of God, that they have judged it requisite to desire aid of the Divels? is not this according to the word of Jude and Peter, to deny God and Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour who hath redeemed us, and to bring upon themselves swift destruction? do they not treasure up for themselves the fierce wrath of the Lord who will send it upon them by evill spirits? are they not delivered over to a reprobate sense, who desire the certainty of secret counsels from the divel, the father of lies, and hope for victory elsewhere than from the Lord of Hoasts? and further, this addeth boldness to this abominable worker of Idolatry and Sacriledge, that the Oxthodox mother doth very much favour those things, and the authority of her most Christian Son is accommodated, and gifts bestowed out of the sacred pence; the Pillars of the Church, Bishops and Cardinals, winking at, yea furthering this abominable work; and the wicked Nobles applaude this operation of Impiety, as the crowes the works of the Wolf. What greater wickedness have Pharoah, Balack Saul, Ahab with his Iezabel, Ochozias, Nebuchadnezar, Balthazar, Senacherib and the other worshippers of Bala•m, committed? Pharoah called forth his magicians against Moses; they being convicted in the third plague, confessed the finger of God: but the King being obstinate through the ten plagues perished in the red sea; Balack the Moabite sent forth Baalam the Sorcerer that he should curse Israel, but God himself turned the curse into a blessing; Balack is cursed; what did the answers of Samuel or the witch profit Saul? was he not slain in the mountain Gilboah? Ahab and Iezabel being wickedly maryed together, did confide in the prophets of Baal, and according to the word of the Lord, a lying spirit went forth into the mouthes of all the prophets who promised prosperity to Ahab going up against Ramoth Gilead, but Ahab fell, and Jezabel was thrown down headlong, and the dogs did eat her: Asa a King of Juda is reproved by the prophet of the Lord, because that in his sickness he sought not the Lord, but trusted to the skill of his physitian: have not they committed a greater sin, who leave God the saviour, and the wholesome vertues of nature, and seek for help of Satan? Ochozias did thus in times past, & therefore heard from the prophet of the Lord, Thou shalt not descend from thy bed on which thou art, but shalt certainly dy: Let the series of the other unrighteous Kings be run over, and also the histories of the Gentiles. Zoroastes, Diatharus, Croesus, Pompey, Pyrrhus, Crassus, Nero, Iulian, what have they gayned by their Magitians and Diviners, who falsly fained prosperity for them? were they not all reduced to nothing, and did they not wickedly perish in their sins? So are all these ungodly follyes wont to bring distruction to the admirers thereof, to the which truly, they who especially confide, are made the most unfortunate of all men. I deny not but that there are natural sciences, Metaphysical arts, Occult Ingenuities, which can, without offending God, or injuring faith or religion, preserve Kingdomes, dive into counsels, overcome Enemies, deliver captives, encrease wealth, obtain the good will of men, expell diseases, conserve health, prolong life, and restore strength of youth: There are moreover sacred religious intercessions, publike supplications, private prayers of good men: by the which we may not only turn away the wrath of God, but also entreate him to be gratious unto us; besides if there be a certain art to foretell, and work miracles, which the Ancients call Calomagia or Theurgia, surely it is unknow unto these fooles and slaves of the Divel for to find out things to come, and to pronounce truth concerning those things which hang over our heads, & are occult, and from heaven portended unto men; and to effect things which exceed the common course of nature, belongeth only to a man of profound and perfect knowledge, and of a most pure life and faith, and not to men most vain and unlearned. But every Creature serveth those who are Innocent; and learned in the law of God, for their faiths sake; and whatsoever they shall ask they shall receive: so the Ravens fed Eliah, and at his prayers the earth withheld her fruits, the Heaven denyed rain, and showred down fire upon the wicked: So the Ravens served Elisha, the Angels fought for him; rivers are passed dry-foot; the Lions laying aside their fierceness, and not regarding their hunger, sawn on Daniel, and the hot fiery furnace burneth not the children. These are not the works of Necromancers and Sorcerers, nor of Devils, but of faithfull and godly men; for not the Divels, but the spirit of God doth assist them: I confess there are some, (perhaps many) even at this time, who are very wise, and of wonderfull knowledge, vertue and power, and of a pure conversation, most prudent, and also disposed by age and strength, that they can very much profit the Commonwealth by their counsel and operations; but your courtiers contemn these men, as those who are very far from their purpose, who for wisdome have malice, guile and deceit; for counsel deceit, and craft for knowledge; guile, and perfidiousness for prudence. Superstition is in the place of religion, and God is blasphemed in afflictions: and what faith (as saith the Apostle) is perfected in weakness is contemned: but they run to the invocations of evil spirits. Every good man is mocked at by them, bold hypocrisie is promoted, truth is accounted a crime; praise and rewards are reserved for foolishness and wickedness. O fools, and wicked, who by these arts would establish a kingdome, by which formerly most potent Empires have fallen, and have been utterly overthrown; Of whom it was truly spoken by Jeremiah, our Crown is fallen, wo to us because we have sinned: which I wish might not be so truly as fitly applyed to you. For truly that verse, the numeral letters being gathered together M. C. V. I. expresseth the year M. D. XXIV. wherein according to the account your King was taken at Papia: Did not ye see these things, and admire at them, which before they were done you judged impossible? And as yet you are proud, and obdurate in your affliction. You despise the prophets, and the threatnings of God are as tales to you. Behold it is at hand, and as yet you shall see, and feel the great things of God upon the whole earth, and shall tremble because the misery which you know not shall come upon you suddenly; Whither then will ye fly? Stand with your inchanters, and with the multitude of your Sorceries, if haply they can profit you, or you can be made thereby stronger. Will not that German Sorcerer that is sent for, save you, and make lying Prophets, and prevail against the wrath of the Lord, and deliver you from evil? No, ye wicked, No; unless the Lord shall build, and keep the Cities, and Kingdom, all the keepers thereof labor and watch in vain. It is the work of God alone, not of Devils, not of Magicians to suspend or change the sentence of the Prophets. But if you will with your whole heart turn unto his mercy, and will change your wickedness, then you may be freed from evil, as was Nebucadnezar, who by t•• counsel of Daniel redeeming his sins by almes, and his iniquities by taking pitty on the poor, avoided the imminent wrath of God for a time, until in the Court at Babylon he with a proud speech recalled it back to himself again. Achab most impious, with his Iezebel, to whom the Lord threatned death by Elias, was, because he turned to God, made again the word of the Lord to Eliah. Because Achab feared my face I will not bring the evill in his daies. The Ninevites, because by the Edict of the King and Princes they repented at the preaching of Jonas, were totally freed from the imminent punishment. Esaias brought this sentence to Ezechias, that he should set his house in order, because he should dy; He praied and wept, and was healed, and fifteen years added to his life; for thus the Lord spake to the same man by the same Prophet, I have seen thy tears, and heard thy prayers, behold I will add to thy daies fifteen years; moreover I will deliver thee from the hand of the King of Assyria & this City, and protect it; So much could the conversion and prayer of this pious King do, who though he prayed for himself alone, yet obtained not only for himself, but also for the City and people; It is the Lord only who preserveth the King and who giveth wisdome to the Kings Son; they ought to fly to this master, who seek salvation, and not to Magicians and Sorcerers: put on righteousness and fear the Lord, you who desire prosperity: if the stability of a Kingdom be sought for; it is written, the just shall inherit the Land, the just shall be had in everlasting remembrance, he shall not be moved for ever; if security be sought for; They that fear the Lord shall not be afraid for evil tidings, but shall scorn all their enemies. If honour, and wealth be sought for; In his house are glory, and riches. If praise, and favour; The generation of the righteous shall be blessed: If power; He shall be powerfull on the earth, and his seed also. His strength shall be exalted in glory: If marriage, and prosperity of wedlock; His wife shall be as a vine flourishing on the house side, and his children as olive branches. If health of body, and strength; the Lord will not suffer his holy one to see corruption. Lastly, blessed is the man in all things that feats the Lord, who is unspotted in the way, who goes not into the counsell of the wicked, who takes pitty on the poor, and needy. For in an evil day the Lord shall deliver him, and shall not deliver him into the hands of his enemies. All the wicked shall see, and be vexed, and shall gnash their teeth and pine away, their desire shall perish. Let this suffice for admonition. For I will not more curiously prosecute this matter, lest haply the evilness of the subject should provoke me to write more then is expedient. Farewel, from Paris. XIII. of February, Anno. M. D. XXVIII. after the Romane account.