THer are no doubt a thousand waies differing euery one from the rest in one circumstance or other , vnder which Satan doth hide and couer his craft and deadly poyson . But yet the holy Ghost to warne al men to beware , doth mention onely 8. sortes , vnder which no doubt hee comprehendeth all other : for there bee other names in the Scriptures , but yet such as do note in the Egyptian and Chaldean tong , those that are the same with some of these . I suppose that this one reason may suffice for to proue , that vnder eight names all are comprehended , because that here is a general matter dealt in . For the Lord shewing that those gentils caused their children to passe through the fire doth by the trope synecdoche of the part for the whole , vnderstand all that false worship and idolatrie into which they were blindly led and seduced . Then hee nameth who they were , whose helpe Satan did vse as chiefe instrumentes to seduce withall . And lastly agaynst all these hee doth oppose the true Prophet , whom hee would raise vp from tyme to tyme , vnto his people , at whose mouth they were to learne his holy wil and the true and acceptable worship .

Now then let vs come vnto the names by which those euill people are named by the holy ghost in the Hebrew tong , for their interpretation , so farre as wee may attayne , wil bring some light hereunto .

The most of them be set down in the forme of participles . The first is called Kosem Kesamim , that is , one which deuia●…th by diuinations : the latter word is added for to distinguish , because the deuining was more general then by diuinations , as appeareth by that speech which Saul vsed vnto the witch , when hee requested her to deuine by her spirite , and to bring vp him whom he should name . The word is somtime vsed in good part For in the third chapter of Esay , God doth threten for a plague that he wil take away Kosem . And king Solomon Prou. 16. doth commend Kesem , that is diuination in the lippes of the king , which should guide him in iudgement . For in those places , Kosem is put for a man of excellent and rare giftes for gouernment . In other places of the holy Scriptures , where it is taken in euill part , it is put for false prophets which with their lying and vaine diuinations did seduce the people . These Icch ●…3 . 6 ▪ Mich. 3. did sometyme deuise lies : sometyme they did dreame dreams , which they followed and propounded to the people , as if they had receaued them from God , for God did vse that as one way to reueale himselfe to his seruants , when as in deed they were in these diuiners but the vanities of their owne hartes , and illusions of vncleane spirites which alwaies counterfait the holy spirite of God . Sometyme the deuill did inspire them , and shew them visions , as if he had bene the holy Ghost , and made them vtter his wares vnder the name of God . This matter is is sufficiently proued by the history which is written 1 Reg. 22 for there it is shewed , that to the end king Ahab might bee seduced and goe vp to Ramoth Gyliad vnto battaile , a deuill hath power giuen him to be a lying spirite in the mouth of the 400 false prophets which were Ahabs . Diuers thinges are in that place set forth to the reach of our capacity , but this is clere what effect it wrought , for both the Prophets and Ahab were deceiued . Sometyme the Lord himselfe did speake vnto Kosem , though we neuer read that any true Prophet was so called but sorcerers , which did fetch answers & diuinations from the deuil , whom they tooke to be God , hee did so cunningly handle the matter . But wee do not reade in the holy Scripture of any moe but one sorcerer , whom the Lord spake vnto . And that was Balaam , for he is called Kosem Ios. 13. ver. 22 which name sheweth that hee was no Prophet of the Lord . hee was accustomed to fetch answers from the Deuill , why els did hee will those that were sent from the King to stay all night , to see what answere hee should haue ? It is sayd afterward , that he went Likkath Kesamim , that is , to meet with diuinations . A thing which hee was accustomed vnto : but at this tyme God himselfe did speake vnto him .

The second is called Megnonen , from whence this name was deriued , none can for certainty affirme , for it may come Gnun , whereof commeth Gnonah , which signifyeth a set tyme for any purpose . It may also as well bee deriued from Gnanan , which is a clowd . Of whether of them it commeth , it is vsually taken for such as did practise Indiciarie Astrologie , which from the course of the heauens , and the stars , did take vpon them to foreshew warres , pestilences , sedicions , treasons , and the death of great Princes . Moreouer they did teach the fit and prosperous times for to buy or to sel : to iourney by Sea or by Lande , to make peace , to vndertake warre , or to marry . These also did take vpon them to shew vnto euer man ( so that they did know the instant of his byrth ) whether he were borne vnder a lucky or an vnlucky planet . What vertue or what vice he should be giuen vnto : whether he should be rich or poore , learned . or vnlearned , what manner of death hee should dye . Agaynst these God did inuey by his Prophets , declaring their vanity , accompting them among the witches and sorcerers . Their errors are very vyle and abhominable by which they did seduce the blynd . Wee may see how the Lord doth speake of them Iesay chapter 47. ver. 15. where hee calleth them Hobere schammaim , that is , obseruers of the Heauens , and Chozim baccahochabim , gazers vppon the Starres .

It is not the mynde of the Lord to condemne the obseruing and beholding of the course of the Heauens , and the Starres : for they set foorth the great glory of the Creator , as those are Psalm 8. Psalm 19 . much to blame , which do not diligently behold them , to be stirred vp vnto admiration & worshipping of the great God . But those Astrologians did behold them aiuisse , ascribing all good thinges vnto them , which are peculier vnto God , like wise the euil thinges which are from the deuil , and from the corrupted nature of man by original sinne . Yea they tye the prouidence of God vnto the Starres . For if there bee any sound vertue in a man , it is of grace through fayth , and not from the Starres , drookennes , adultery , murther , disobedience , cruelty , and such like are of the Deuill , and from the nature of man by him corrupted in the fall of Adam . If a man should aske these vayne fooles whether the nature of the starres bee changed since mans fall , what will they answere ? for this they must needes confesse , that if the Starres bee the cause and fountaine of vice in men , then they bee either changed from their first creation from good into euill , or else that God created the cause and fountayne of euill . And so as they committe vile sacrilege on the one side , when they make the starres the bestowers of vertues , lykewise on the other side they fall into horrible blasphemie when they make God the creator of the cause of euil . The holy Scriptures do teach , that vice and vncleannes is in vs from our sinfull parentes , and that the Deuill brought it in and doth increase the same : famins , pestilences , and cruell warres are sent by the wrath of God for sinne . The wise Astrologians tell vs of this and that coniunction of planets , which wil cause tyrants to rage , frendes to be false one to an other , women will bee disobedient to their husbandes : these thinges in deede come much to passe , and folish people beleue that the Astrologians did foresee it by the Starres . If men did prosper , it was ascribed vnto that lucky planet vnder which they were borne . In aduersity they blamed the Starres , warres , pestilences , and famins being thought to come from them , men neuer consider their sinnes which haue bene the cause of Gods indignation ( for those thinges hee sendeth as the roddes and scourges of his wrath ) but are led into a further mischiefe : for 〈◊〉 they fell to worship the host of Heauen . And as the Lord sayth , Ierem. 10. They feare the signes of Heauen . For this is mans nature , that where hee is perswaded that there is the power to bring prosperity and aduersitye , there will hee woorship . In respect therefore of this , the Astrologians are litle better then witches . For the deuill doth seduce by them . Some will exclaime that wee do now condemne the excellent and noble skill of Astronomie . But that is nothing so . For it is a precious gift which God hath giuen vnto men , wherby they are able to take view of his works which are so high aboue them . Men do behold goodly things so sone as they cast their eies vpon the heauens . But such as haue the skill of Astronomie doe behold a great deale more . All men do see a glorious trimme worke , but yet a far off . Whereas the Astronomers are after a sort caried vp hard to it , and see those things which common sense doth not attaine . It is verifyed vppon all which the Prophet sayth : the heauens declare the glory of God . For what minde is so blunt , but doth conceiue that the diuine power is great , and glorious , which made , set in order , and susteineth such a worke ? The rudest sort do find that the course of the Sunne and the Mone do order the dayes , and the nightes , moneths , and yeares , Winter and Sommer ? Who perceiueth not what great power the Sunne hath with his cherishing heate to cause thinges to grow ? the Mone beareth a great sway in the waters . Diuers other thinges there be which are manifest to the simple . But how farre beyond al these goe the learned Astronomers , which do come nigh to gather the distance , and withall the wonderfull greatnes of the celestiall bodies . and their incomprehensible swiftnesse ? incomprehensible I say vnto man . When from these they turne their cies towardes the Creator , How can they but bee amazed at the consideration of his greatnes ? they see the seuerall courses of planets , and their motions , and the same fixed by an ●…changeable decree : how can they cease wondring at the wisedome of God , who hath so skilfully fashioned them all ? that which is secrete vnto others , as the influences & powers , is apparant in some measure vnto them . Mens death eather for the time or for the maner is not subiect to the stares : much lesse vertue or vice 〈◊〉 ingendred in mens myndes by them . The Astronomers do very grosly erre in these predictions about windes & showrs : but yet no doubt there bee many thinges which depend much vpon the course of the heauens : which is no derogation to the prouidence of God , who hath ordayned , and doth vse them as instruments for the same . Great operations in the bodies of men and beasts , as al skilful phisitions do find , come from the planets . And no doubt the deuil tooke occasion hereby for to lead men further in these thinges then they should haue gone . The third is called Menachesh . Nachash signifyeth to coniecture , from whence the same is deriued . Laban when he intreated Iacob to abide still with him , doth vse that woord . I haue ( saith he ) coniectured , or found by experiments that God hath blessed me for thy sake . For hee felt that his cattle did increase Gen. 30. and thriue vnder his hand . Ioseph ▪ when hee had caused his siluer cup to be put into the sacke of his brother Beniamin , and vpon search being found in the same , speaketh after the same maner : and sayth he did deuine or coniecture by that cup what manner of men they were . It seemeth that the word was vsed indifferently , and often times taken in good part . When it is taken in euill part , it semeth to note such as in Latine are called Augures : A kind of sooth sayiers , which did coniecture and prophesie by the voices , and by the flying of Birdes by the intrals of beasts , & other like obseruations . These were common among the heathen , & had in great estimation . For the wiser sort did beleeue that the Gods ( as they vse to say ) did vse the tonges of birdes as theire interpreters , to make thinges knowen vnto men . The like for the flying of birds , which they did obserue when they went about any matter . Hereupon some were accompted luckie and some vnlucky birds . And how the deuil did play to del●… men by the intrals of beasts , who knoweth ? the thing is not now in practise : but yet some reliques & dregs of this kind of witch craft ( if I may so cal it ) do remaine among vs . For some wil gather by the chattring of pyes , that they shal haue gestes come vnto them . The rauen he sitteth vpon the steeple and cryeth : which way doth he looke sayth one , from thence ye shal haue an eie ere it be long . Another goeth abrode early in the morning , & a hare crosseth his way : a very vnlucky signe he taketh it to be , and looketh not to speede well that day . Frends meet together & make mery : some one at vnwares doth turn down the salt : the man or the woman towards whom it falleth , doth blush and take litle comfort of the dainty banquet . For that is taken to be a grieuous euil sign of mishap that will follow . Heauy newes is brought vnto some , that her father , or her mother , or her brother is dead : I did euen looke for such a matter ( saith she ) for my nose this day did sodainly break forth a bleeding . Thus hath the deuill crept into the mindes of vnbeleeuing people , and causeth them to turne their eies from God . These things must we condemne , but we must take heed that we do not withal disalow those things which are to be approued . For no doubt , as we see by experience , fowls & beasts do foreshew some things , but yet by a natural cause . The goose and the ducke , & diuers other water fowles , do diue and wash them and make a great sturre against raine . The crow he cryeth otherwise then ordinary . Other fowles there be , which do flocke together and come vp from the sea , when a cold blast is toward . The cow , though shee bee not very nimble , nor taketh great pride in her running , yet setteth vp her taile , & about shee goeth the fields . The litle gnat foundeth her trompet & giueth warning of a shower . What shall wee say to these & a number such like ? that they be as the heathen said the interprters of the gods : no verely , but there is a natural cause , and that is this : the disposition of the ayre is changed , & that do these fowles & beasts feel in their bodies , which maketh them so to deale , that ther is such a change in the disposition of the aire , though common sense in men , do not perceiue it , yet many things do shew . What maketh the salt to bee wet , but that the moysture of the ayre doth dissolue it ? what maketh the marble stone to sweat against raine , but euen the moisture of the aire which it draweth to it ? what maketh the soot to fal downe by lumps & gobs out of the chimney , but the moist ayre against rayne doth loosen it ? If any man wil yet doubt how the sowls or beasts should feele the change of the ayre in their bodies : hee may see it is not a thing strange . For a man whose arme or his leg hath bene broken , or that hath had some mayme or sore bruse in his bodye , doth feel a great ache against rayne : this doth come of the alteration of the air . And thus wee see it behoueth men to discerne betweene such things as haue a natural cause , & therby do after a sort foreshew things : & those which haue no cause in nature , but are to be reiected . The 4 is called , Mechashshepha . It is deriued from Cashaph , which is found in the holy scriptures , & that is 2 cron. 33. 6. what the word doth properly signify , or from whence it is drawen , can no man tel . More then this , that it is vsed for a kind of witches & sorcerers . Some do imagine that it was such a one as did deale , not by the deuil , but by poison only , so that in their opinion , where it is translated , thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Ex. 22. It should be more fitly said , thou shalt not suffer a poisoner to liue . But this is of ignorance , for the matter is far otherwise , as shal be shewed : their opinion is grounded vpon the greeke translation , which is asscribed vnto the 70 interpreters : for they do translate this word Mechashshepha Pharmacous , which say they do signify such as did make & vse poison . The first error is in this , that they consider not that Pharmas ▪ are as wel good confections and holsom medicines , as poisons : this is manifest that witches do take vpon them to deale with medicines & confections which they vse together with their charmes : they make diuers ointmentes , which satan doth vse to delude them withall . He teacheth them also to make poisons : whervpon this is cleere that the greeke woord Pharmakeia is vsed as a generall name for witchcraft & sorcery , as we may se in diuers places of the new testament . S. Paul . Gal. 5. reciting the works of the flesh vseth that word for witchcraft . Babilon is charged that she had seduced the nations by her witchcraft : wheras in deed that word is vsed . But if any man shall say these profes are weake , and do not make the matter so clere as to be out of all controuersie , then let them consider a second error in those which hold opinion , that Mechashshepha , was one which dealt only with poison , & not by the deuil : for howsoeuer the signification of the wordcan not be found , yet we find plainly expressed in the scriptures what this kind of witch did . In the 2 chap. of Dan. Nabuchadnezer among others whom hee would haue to interprete his dreame , sendeth also for Mechashshephim . If these were poisoners what should they do about such a busines ? we see that among the Chaldeans , & euen in the kings court , they were had in great estimation , as wise men , & interpreters of secrets . If either the name it selfe had signifyed , or their practise shewed them to be poisoners , how could they haue bin esteemed ? Is any man so absurd as to thinke that kinges would take poisoners for their chief wise men ? Moses doth report that when Aaron had cast downe his staffe before the R. of Egypt , & it was turned into a serpent , he sent for his wise men , and his enchauntrrs and they did the like , For euery man cast downe his staffe before Pharaoh , and they were turned into serpents . These enchaunters which made the appearance of serpentes , and of frogges , & of turning water into blood , are first in that place called Mechashshephim , and then Chartummim : what shall wee say then , that the king of Egypt called for poisoners , and that they were indeede but poisoners that wrought such feats before him ? I suppose this is plaine inough vnto al that will not wilfully bend themselues to cauill , for to proue that Mechashshepha is not a poisoner , but a witch . This kinde is that which I mynd chiefly to speake off , with some that follow and therefore in this place I do omit to speake further .

The 5 is called Chober chabar , which is one that doth enchaunt by enchauntment . Chabar doth signify to associat and ioyne together : this enchaunter as it seemeth is so called of the society which he hath with the deuil . Lacha●…h semeth to be the same : for they are put both for one Psal. 58. 4 And this latter word doth signify to whisper . For Chober had his charme of words and sentences , which he did whisper : they tooke vppon them to do many things by their charms : but the holy scriptures do mention but one . And that is of snakes & serpentes which they did charm . From hence the prophet Dauid fetcheth a comparison Psal. 58. by which he sheweth that ther is no good counsel , though it be geuen by most excellent men , which can recouer the wicked from their vngodlines . But they stop their eares against it , or it doth not sincke into them : this his comparison is in the ▪ word●… , pethen which he vseth , is not the adder , but the basiliske or some kind of exceding venimous serpent which stoppeth his eares , and wil not heare the voice of the charmer though he were a most skilful enchanter . Solomon giuing instruction Eccl. 10. how a man is to appease the wrath of the ruler , doth bring a comparison also from hence to admonish a man that hath wisedome to vse it so in this matter , of asswaging the anger of the prince , that it com not to late . Thus he speaketh , if the serpent bite where ther is no charm , what profit is there to him that is lord of the tong ? he calleth there the lord or master of the tong , not as it is commonly taken , a babler , but he that had skil to vse his tong by charms as enchauntments : which came to late & could stand him in no stead after the serpent had stong him & so the wisdom which is in a man may come to late . The Schoel ob , which is as much as to say , one which enquireth , 〈◊〉 Ob , sometyme bagnalath Ob , one that possesseth Ob. And somtyme it is sayd , the man or the woman in whom there is Ob , as Liuit . I Sam. 28 20. Ob is vsed for a bottle , or some hollow vessell . But by these places which I haue cited it is manifest that the witch & Ob are distinguished : for the witch is not called Ob , but enquireth at Ob : & is sayd to possesse Ob : wherby wee may see that the deuil was called Ob : for what cause I know not , but it is supposed , because hee did speak with a hollow voice , as it were out of a tub or a botle , 〈◊〉 as it is sayd , Thy voice shall bee like Esay . 29. Ob out of the ground : this same kind is thought of the most learned to be that deuil which the Gretians called Python . S. Luke doth report Act. 16. that at Philippos there was a mayd which had a deuil in her whom he calleth a spirite of Pytho : & this maid did deuine , & brought great gayne to her maysters thereby . The oracles of the heathen in old time , were from such . And of this we are also to speake more afterward : but I take it a thing very manifest , that if Pytho were only a deuil which spake out of a mayde , as this in the Acts , & the 〈◊〉 ●…llae were maids for the deuil which fayned himselfe to bee a great God ▪ seemed that it must be a virgin preest out of whom he must speake then Ob was more general . For he did not alwayes speak out of the witch , nether did they alwayes demaund to know the matter of him , but he was sent to fetch vp the soule of him , whom the party would speak withal , as appeareth by the words of Saul For he biddeth her deuine by Ob , & fetch vp him whom he should name . The 7. is named Iiddegnoni . Iadang is to know , from whence this word semeth to be deriued . For such as deale with deuils do know many things , which other men can not know so far as God doth permit vnto the deuil to reueale : this kind is commonly ioyned with Shoel Ob , and therefore thought to differ litle from the same . For they both wrought with the Deuill as doe the Witches , and also the Coniurers .

Either of them no doubt may verie wel set forth both our Witches and Coniurers , though there seem to be great difference betweene them , which is no more in déed , but the craft of the deuill . His auntient manner of practise with Shoelob and Iiddegnoni haue bene detected , and therefore he hath turned thinges into an other forme , but the matter is the same . Coniurer goeth one way to work , & the witch an other , the one as it seemeth for on purpose , the other for an other , but yet the cheife end is all one . The eyght and last is called Doresh el hammethim , that is as much as to say , on which enquireth at the dead . This kind of witch was called of the grecians Necromantes , that is one which vseth diuinations by the dead . And the art it self was called Necromancia . I sée not how this could much differ from Bagnalath Ob , which tooke vpon her to fetch vp the soules of dead men . These were so called not that they were able by any meanes to featch vp the soule of any man either good or bad . But the deuill feined him selfe to be the soule of such or such a body , and handled the matter so that they could perceiue none other . Thus much may suffice for the names vsed in the holy scriptures . There be other , but no doubt the same indeed with some of these . Now to proceed forward , and to shew what any of these did or could doe by soceries , it is requisit in the first place to speake of the cheife doer , which is the deuill .