Witchcraft

Chapter 4 of Demonology and Theology (1650) by Nathanael Homes (1599–1678), edited and modernized.

A particular parallel of our times, to enchantment, witchcraft, etc. seducing spirits.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils…

1 Timothy 4:1

That I may briefly forewarn this present age of having to do with the Devil and his agents in ways of divination, enchantments, and other diabolical operations, let me take this opportunity of our matter and method to address the following points derived from this text of 1 Timothy 4:1 regarding seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

1. Pretended Art

Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

Acts 19:19

Observe from Acts 19:19 that those who act by the Devil's assistance pretend art, yea, and book-art too, as adeptly as laudable mathematicians do for their commendable arts.

2. The Devil's Vast Knowledge and Power

The Devil, being a spirit of exceeding knowledge (for he lost only his goodness), understanding better than men the prophesies of the Old Testament, the secrets of nature, what nature may be heightened to in being or operation, and the dependence of actions, both naturally and morally, often gives accurate predictions. By his oracle he foretold Alexander the Great of things such as victories, change of empires, etc. from the knowledge he had stolen out of the prophecy of Daniel 11:3. And so by his skill in men's natural dispositions and passions, and to varnish incentive objects, observing what natural or moral causes usually produce such effects, he, and by his help, his wizards or diviners, foretell sometimes very precisely what will befall such and such men.

Furthermore, by his exceeding power and agility, he is able to:

• Manipulate one's eyesight
• Manipulate the condition of the air
• Trouble one's imagination, causing it to take notice of the phantasms he presents
• Stir up bodily or temperamental conditions, such as melancholy
• Construct a body of the elements and, acting as its soul, animate it
• Act in the mouth of a beast

He has, by all of these means, made miserable men think and say that they are prophets, Christ, God, or even beasts (as Nebuchadnezzar, by a deep melancholy and Satan let loose upon him by God's permission, thought himself a beast, and so acted as such for many years). He made an appearance of Samuel (1Sa. 28:14-20), and spoke in the serpent (Gen. 3:1-5); much more can he do in man by suggestion, oppression, and possession.

3. The Devil Maliciously Rivals God

The Devil being most malicious against God, counters him in everything he can. Therefore, he also being a king or prince (namely, of darkness) and "god of this world" (2Co. 4:4), will have his oracle, invent his words and laws of the art of divination, etc., which he communicates to his subjects, especially his trusty tried ones, to put them in execution and draw others to sin. Thus the apostle identifies as diabolical all superstitious worship, observations, actions, and communion with them:

…the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21

4. Satan works powerful delusions by signs and lying wonders

In the last times, a little before the coming of Christ, the principal wicked agents of Satan shall come with the workings of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lie; that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2Th. 2:1, 8-12).

5. The ground of divination or sorcery is a covenant

The ground of divination, or sorcery, enchantment, witchcraft, etc. is a covenant. God makes a covenant with his people, sealing it with sacramental seals; and within this covenant they, by faith, can do gracious acts above and contrary to flesh and blood—as to defy Satan, conquer sin, repel a temptation, and suffer great things patiently for the name of Christ. Many heroic instances of these and other things we have in the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, and the ten persecutions, and the Marian days.

Likewise, in derision of godliness and malice to God, and to draw away souls from entering into covenant with God, the Devil makes a covenant with wicked men and seals it with many visible signs, figures, etc. by confidence wherein they are helped by him to do strange things (God permitting). Of this the Scripture is evident (Deut. 18:10). Moses, having named diviners, observers of times (or as some render it, astrologers), enchanters, and witches, in the eleventh verse names charmers as the groundwork of all before, and the aid of them that follow: to consult with a familiar spirit, wizardly to know, and necromantically to inquire of the dead. And with such dependence to that which follows, the Syriac renders it; he names charmers with the notation chabar cheber, translated word for word by Arias Montanus as Jungens junctionem, that is, joining into conjunction or agreement; indeed, and of society. For all who know but a little Hebrew can tell that chabar signifies to be sociated, associated, conjoined. It is used of Ephraim's joining with idols (Hos. 4:17); that is, reverencing and trusting in idols, as enchanters, diviners, charmers, etc. do in the Devil, as a part or appendix of their covenant. Indeed, it signifies to be coupled, or to agree, or make an agreement with one; and Schindler says it signifies an enchanter, or Qui consortium habet cum Daemonibus, one who has fellowship with demons, or a partnership with demons.

Indeed, these diviners, etc. are they of whom Isaiah 28:15 is most properly and especially true: they have made a covenant with death and hell. Other evil men make such a covenant metaphorically, by way of presumption and security in sinning, but these do so properly, and by a kind of pact. This much is intimated in Psalm 58:5: "…they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken unto the voice of charmers"—the voice of a learned conjoiner of societies, or skillful maker of compacts; so the Hebrew exactly word for word. It is true that this is but a simile or comparison, but in such is supposed as granted an evident truth in the particulars from which the similitude is formed—otherwise it would not have been a familiar and plain way of preaching as was used by Christ.

So here, it is taken for granted that there are charmers and that charmers are skilled in making compacts. Not with beasts (such would be a ridiculous idea), but only with those that can help them in their art—demons—by which they come to have power to charm, enchant, and do strange things beyond the strength or sphere of mere art or natural capacity.

Something more appears regarding this covenanting with the Devil in the Devil's offer, fully on his part, made to Christ in Matthew 4:9—that he would give Christ all the kingdoms if he would fall down and worship him. To this end, the Devil formed some kind of representation before Christ's senses of all the glory of the world, which is sufficient to show how ready the Devil is to make a covenant with men, upon what terms, what by permission he can do, and what opportunities he takes to make such offers—namely, when men are in the greatest distress (as Christ had now fasted forty days and forty nights), in which he hopes, men having no help from God and growing desperate in discontent, his offers may be accepted. For surely if he would offer this to Christ—who would and did fully refuse them—how much more to wicked men whose lives show that their hearts are bad enough to accept his offers? We have experience to rivet this fast and firm, from the confessions of sorcerers, diviners, witches, etc. of various ages, who have acknowledged that by virtue of a covenant with the Devil, they effected what they did.

Such admissions lead us to conclude, as common reason necessarily attests, that the witch of Endor and the like poor, ignorant, weak, silly, and sinful men and women have no true and right skill, nor divine gift, nor power over nature, etc. above others to perform their feats, of which other men, who have no covenant with the Devil, are incapable, no matter what endowments they might possess.

This is further confirmed (of this I am most sure) in that while some of these diabolical artists have been at their feats, after some worthy godly man in the company, secretly groaning earnest prayer to God that those delusions of the people might not be permitted, they have sweat with endeavors to act their wonders, but in vain, being unable to bring them to pass, and crying out that someone in the company hindered them.

It is certain that some wicked men have a special intimacy, interest, etc. with the Devil, otherwise why should the apostle intimate that idolaters, sacrificing to the Devil, have special communion, fellowship, and partnership with the Devil? Weigh it well what is said in 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, and for those who are able, the Greek also (for I cannot expound any further, intending all brevity); and considering all the circumstances of that text, you will find that idolaters are in a great agreement with the Devil, and if they, much more enchanters, if such be not both. For idolatrous worship and ceremonies are the seals of a diabolical covenant, and enchanters, witches, etc. are found most amongst idolaters, as in Italy and formerly in England, during the popish times. The heathen idolaters commonly had a great interest in the Devil, to give them answers, predictions, and counsel, as is abundantly seen in the Roman histories. The Devil appeared to them and did strange things for them, for they gave him heathenish idolatrous or diabolical worship (the apostle makes them all one, 1Co. 10:20), as appears in the Devil's proceedings with the Indians and their powwows in New England, and elsewhere.

Furthermore, if these diviners, enchanters, etc. were not in some covenant with the Devil, why do the Scriptures mention them under the notion of having and dealing with familiar spirits (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:11; 1Sa. 28:3, 7, 9; 2Ki. 21:6; 23:24; 1Ch. 10:13; 2Ch. 33:6; Isa. 8:19; 29:3-4)? Surely this notation of a familiar spirit, and to have a familiar spirit, must of necessity import, formally or equivalently, some covenant or compact as the knot and league of this familiarity.

Hear learned antiquity. Aben-Ezra, a learned Jew with whom Buxtorfe, Doctor Willet, and Schindler agree, assert that the word for a familiar spirit, or one having a familiar spirit (used in all those Scriptures), signifies one who, in giving answers by diabolical arts, entices men away from God. The word also signifies a bottle; the composition of both meanings has thus been applied to those having familiar spirits because from the belly as swollen and blown up, the oracular answer proceeded. This is also why the Greeks called them Pythones and such as spoke out from the belly. The unclean spirit making its seat in an unclean place. Vocula quadam ab eorum pudendis excitabatur, says Tertullian. In Leviticus 19:31, haoboth is taken for the masters of familiar spirits, just as the witch of Endor is called the dame or mistress of a familiar spirit, as the familiar spirits are accustomed to calling them dames or mistresses. The Hebrew doctors further declare the league of familiarity that is between the familiar spirits and those who have them, saying one having a familiar spirit speaks, or calls up a spirit, from the joints or the intersections of bodily members. Take it any way, it can import no less than a covenant between man and the Devil, as those who have searched or heard the confessions of witches will easily yield.

The word in the Talmud for a familiar is the name of the Devil giving answers, whom some worship, or of the worship of the Devil that gives answers, both of which import a diabolical compact. For this worship is, says Schindler, a sort of idolatry; and such idolatrous worship and ceremonies are, says Master Perkins, the seals in part of some diabolical covenants.

6. Satan's Opportune Advantages

The advantages and opportunities—I say, the opportune advantages—Satan takes to bring men to enter into covenant with him (for that is his art, to improve his devices upon men taken at an advantage, 2Co. 2:11) are chiefly two: when a man is very high and when he is very low.

Men in a High Condition

First, when a man is high with pride, self-admiration, and aspiring to novelties and wonders. This was the Devil's fall, and therefore out of much experience he knows this to be a fit time to draw away others. By the rule of proportions, if wicked men do great wickedness when swollen with great pride, self-admiration, and aspiration of novel wonders—as Theudas did, when boasting himself to be somebody (Acts 5:36), and as others did, when daring to speak "great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration" (Jude 1:16)—then wicked men may do even greater wickedness in compact with the Devil, in which they are able to be more wicked, when more swollen with greater pride and self-admiration, etc. We have a plain text for it:

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: to whom they all gave heed … saying, This man is the great power of God.

Acts 8:9-10

Without my enlarging upon this text, the meditative reader may easily see my assertions to be true. What will men of infinitely proud spirits not do that they may be admired? Simon Magus (i.e., Simon the Magician), as it follows in this eighth chapter of Acts, first gave himself to the Devil, that he might be admired. But when the apostles, by their most divine and more wonderful doctrine and miracles, drew away his admirers to the faith, then Simon Magus pretended also to believe, and also would be baptized, but still having an eye to the apostolic new wonders, admiring them, and (as it follows) hoping to attain to that power. For seeing by the apostolic imposition of hands the Holy Spirit was communicated to men, he offered money for that power, to communicate the Holy Spirit on whomever he should lay his hands—an evident character how men, first bewitched in a spiritual sense, with swelling pride and self-admiration, will become anything to advance themselves. They will pretend to be on God's side, all the while actually remaining on the Devil's side by compact. This pride, self-admiration, and wonder-seeking in Simon made it evident to Peter that he was yet "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (Acts 8:23).

We see in these days men who pretend to be preachers, who in public deliver most blasphemous and impious things which please the flesh and promote bestial licentiousness, to the end that they may be followed and admired by the multitude, which generally go the broad way, as Christ warns (Mt. 7:13-14).

To me it is clear, by laying all good information together, that men and women come to their height of impieties in this method of pride:

1. First, they think it a low thing to wait, as all do, on ordinances. They must be above the generality of men.
2. Next, they must pretend that they have revelations, and can of themselves understand strange things. One such individual claimed to be as wise as Solomon.
3. Thirdly, they are strangely bewitched and carried by the Devil to say and do anything that may please the flesh and promote their admiration. They can prophesy future things and not miss, as they pretend; they can go naked, use women in common, blaspheme, even drink a toast to the Devil, yet without sinning in all of this, so they say. This is indeed a consuming of all flesh, as their phrase is; that is, to debauch and disgrace as fleshly all that men put righteousness in.
4. If at this point they have not yet been solemnly joined with the Devil, they are well on their way, for some of them do strange things.

But let me add this caution, that Satan sometimes colludes, concurs with, and assists men and women to operate diabolically under a finer garb of seeming art, more civil conduct, and words that sound of religion; as experience has shown of several. Of this more after.

Men in a Low Condition

The second opportune advantage is lowness of condition, when men through afflictions, wrongs, vexations, poverty, etc. are in deep discontent, so that they say in their hearts, "What would I not do, that I might be revenged on such and such?" At such times as these the Devil—by voice only or by some shape also—approaches near to them, offering them aid, especially upon his conditions. Since his fall into his low misery, the Devil also knows, and that by experience, that this also is a fair opportunity to draw men into compact, as discontent makes them desperately malicious to do any wickedness, let God be offended never so much. Men are drawn into league to be witches and enchanters by the same proportion and reason that Saul, in his discontent, would consult with the Devil by the witch of Endor, even though he had previously "put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land" (1Sa. 28:3). And truly there is not a little towards a covenant with the Devil, to go to witches with confidence, they can and will answer to their desires; even as faith in God is the main of godly men's covenant with God. And if (as Master Capell proves it in his Book of Temptations) it be a kind of subjection to the Devil to be afraid of him when going into a dark room about necessary business, or to defer prayer in order to turn around to see if the Devil is behind, as he is imagined to be, then there must be far more than subjection in the confidence in the will and power of the Devil or witches to help.

What I have said here regarding discontent is verified by the confessions of various witches. And by much experience it is evident that both advantages and opportunities are most improved by Satan upon such as are most passionate.

7. Explicit and Implicit Covenants with the Devil

The manner in which these men may be in covenant with the Devil is twofold: explicit or implicit.

Explicit Covenants

Explicit covenants are entered into with the Devil (as has been confessed by many who have so covenanted) when the witch or sorcerer on his part binds himself by solemn vow to renounce the true God, and his Word, and his Covenant in baptism, and his redemption by Christ; and to believe in the Devil, and to expect and receive help from the Devil; and in the end of his life to give the Devil his soul or body, or both. And to seal this covenant, he presently gives the Devil either his handwriting or some drops of his blood. The Devil on his part promises to be at the command of this man or woman, to appear in any shape; to advise, to carry him or her anywhere, and to do for them whatsoever they shall desire of him.

You may, by the way, profitably parallel the present times with this: men now denying the true God, saying, "The creature is God, and God is the creature," and have not denied it when it has been objected to them, saying, "Then you will make the Devil to be God." They deny and blaspheme the Word of God and likewise renounce all ordinances, including baptism and the Holy Supper; and in their impieties and blasphemies, endeavoring to disgrace all goodness, they tacitly give themselves to the Devil. And therefore it is no wonder that some of them can tell and do strange things.

Implicit Covenants

A covenant with the Devil may be considered implicit when men use superstitious forms of words or charms in way of conjuring or calling for the Devil's help in the distinct strong thoughts and desires of the heart to that end; though vocally there be no words of covenant or plain bidding of the Devil to appear or act. This is but a full consent and confidence, on man's part, to work with the Devil, and the Devil, for his part, answers to their meaning and witnesses the agreement; and mutual consent, though but manifested by signs, is a covenant, just as if two mute or deaf people should make signs of their mutual consent to marry.

Alternatively, it is an implicit covenant with the Devil when men use superstitious means with the same desire and confidence of the Devil's aid. Examples include a clay effigy of a particular person with a thorn in it, or an eggshell in a pail of water tossed, with desire and confidence that the Devil shall so wound the person or toss such a ship at sea; or by such and such circles, figures, and antics to desire earnestly and believe confidently that such and such things shall be brought to pass.

General Types of Diabolical Art

These diabolical arts are generally either the operation of strange things or the declaration of hidden things.

Operation of Strange Things

The operation of strange things is, specifically, either enchanting or deluding.

Enchanting

Enchanting (also called charming) is a working of strange wonders by a charm. Examples include raising tempests, poisoning the air to infection, blasting of grain, hurting of men, women, and children, killing or injuring of cattle or other creatures—and also alleviating or curing such maladies. What Satan can do, his enchanting, charming agents can do; or rather they are but puppets, and he is the hand that moves and does everything behind the tapestry of sorceries, antic gestures, and feats. By God's permission, Satan raised great tempests of wind that blew down the house on Job's children, caused thunder and lightning, or something like fiery meteors (which, as Christian philosopher Keckermann says, the Devil does much abuse), which burned Job's sheep and shepherds, and ultimately smote Job himself all over with most noxious ulcers.

We have already touched on the charming of adders, out of Psalm 58. Now consider Ecclesiastes 10:11, "…the serpent will bite without enchantment"—or, if it is not charmed. Of men, see Numbers 23:23, wherein Balaam says, "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob," which indicates that Balaam was an enchanter, especially since he was hired to curse the Israelites, that they might be smitten and destroyed (Num. 22:6, etc.). Had he not been hindered by God, as he confesses, as it appears, from his fame brought to the ears of Balak, King of Moab, that he could have done it (see Numbers chapters 22-23).

This enchanting or charming, as a mischievous and sinful thing, is forbidden, according to Deuteronomy 18:10-11: "There shall not be found among you … an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer…" (all of which are one in diabolical operations), whereby it appears that neither the thing nor the means are lawful. 

Explicit Enchantments

An explicit enchantment, charm, or spell is a sentence of words (which in themselves are but a sound for quality, and a measure of so many syllables for quantity, and therefore ineffectual in themselves) used by the enchanter or charmer as a watchword to the Devil, to help him according to his desire and confidence in him to work wonders. Sometimes this charm or spell is more plain, involving whimpering and muttering some sound of praises or prayer (as in proportion to those now, Balaam of old offered sacrifices when he tried to have power to enchant) but is usually impertinent and unsuitable to what they intend. I saw one who was suspected and had been examined for a witch, who used good words as she went along—and at such words of hers, a boy fell down and his limbs shrunk up. They also use words from John 1:1, in principio erat verbum ("In the beginning was the Word"), and forms of naming the Trinity, yet still to their own sinful end, but it is more usual for them to use and mutter uncouth and (to us) nonsense forms of words. All of this can be found in the confessions and histories of these artists. Whatever the words themselves may signify grammatically, their use must necessarily be diabolical.

Because such words in and of themselves have no efficacy or use by God's ordinance, they effect no such thing when spoken by those who are not in compact with the Devil, nor as a natural agent do they physically touch and work upon the patient. Master Perkins says that much of this nature are amulets (things to hang around the neck against witchcraft), popish exorcisms, conjuring salt, holy water, etc., and a verbal use of the name Jesus, consisting of those letters and syllables in that language, to drive away the Devil or enchantments; likewise, the crossing of the body with one's finger to preserve one from the Devil, or the scratching of a witch to discover or cure witchcraft. But these are not real charmings or enchantings when used superstitiously through simple ignorance and without any explicit or implicit compact with the Devil, or desire and confidence to act from him; though those who so use them are well on their way to actual enchanting.

Implicit Enchantments

An implicit enchantment or charm is when these diabolical artists, making characters, figures, images, etc. with various postures and gestures, speak only in their hearts their vehement desires and confidence that an intended evil event shall be and is brought to pass. In this manner they cast circles, by virtue whereof to do wonders (as they pretend, but indeed by help of the Devil), or make an effigy of a man or beast in wax, clay, dough, etc., so as to bury it in the ground, or in water, or burn it in the fire, thereby intending, desiring, and believing the death of that which the effigy represents. Intending the utter loss of what is represented, they will hide the effigy where it cannot be found. They will make impressions in any part of the effigy with pins, thorns, or similar instruments, intending the torment of what is represented, in the corresponding parts.

This is a diabolical art, in which some witches have been seized in the very act; and is an implicit enchantment, because the heart mutters over it his cursed desires.

Thus of charming or enchantment.

Deluding

Deluding is otherwise called juggling. Delusion is when the Devil, by these artists, makes one believe he sees that which he in fact does not see. There are three concurrences to sight: the faculty of the eye, the object that is seen, and the air as the medium. Satan, a powerful, active, and agile spirit, can adulterate, corrupt, alter, or sophisticate all of these considerably. This is made out fully by laying together the following:

1. First, that feat of the witch at Endor.
2. Secondly, Satan's showing Christ at once all the kingdoms of the world.
3. Thirdly, the word used by the apostle to express the spiritual bewitching of the Galatians (Gal. 3:1).

The Devil could not bring up the body of Samuel, that holy prophet, as he could not meddle with the body of Moses, though he contended with the angel about it (Jude 1:9). And as John says in Revelation 14:13, they that die in the Lord do rest. The Devil betrayed himself to godly readers of that story, particularly in 1 Samuel 28:19, where he appears in the likeness of Samuel, speaking in his style and godly manner, etc., and yet tells wicked Saul that he should be with him tomorrow (in the other world). We know, according to our information out of Scripture, that Saul did not go to Samuel in the other world.

In like manner, it was impossible for Satan to show to Christ's human eye all the kingdoms on the round world, and all their glory, in one moment and upon one and the same mountain, as he pretended (Luke 4:5). Therefore, this was but a phantasm or fiction of Satan's contrivance.

Paul, in his comparison to signify the spiritual bewitching of the Galatians from the truth, uses the word belonging to the nature of witchcraft, ἐβάσκανεν, that is, has bewitched you by causing you to see that which you do not see, as to think you see that to be truth which in fact is not truth. This word suits with the Hebrew word alapid, which signifies to change or turn, but more so with the Greek, translated to kill with the eyes, and even better with the Latin fascino, which means to bewitch, which (as our Latinists may see) is derived from these.

So laying all these together, it becomes plain that the witch, juggler, etc., can delude a man's sight, as if he saw real strange things, by manipulating one's eyesight, the course of the air, or the aspect of the object. This delusion then is a diabolical art of juggling and deceiving a man's sight above the ordinary course of nature in shows of strange wonders done, which really and in natural verity are not done.

Active men of great agility of body may do strange feats, through hoops, etc., and men of great wit and nimbleness of hand may make beholders admire their hocus-pocus. True artists also, by experiments of optics, in angled glasses, by compoundings and dividings, and reflections, and refractions of light and darkness, make wonderful shows. There are other mysteries of true nature as well, such as molding an egg into any fashion by dissolving the shell into softness by vinegar, etc., or making an eggshell to fly up; and natural feats of fireworks, which you have known and have often seen. All of these are yet still within the sphere of nature. And men wonder, because they do not perceive the true natural cause and way of such facts; which true philosophers and artists can explain to them.

The delusion we speak of, however, is above any true natural cause, being wrought by the help of the Devil, not of God or of nature. We have instances of such delusions in Exodus chapters 7, 8, and 9, where the magicians turned rods into serpents, rivers into blood, waters into frogs, which could not truly be done by them, but they only made an appearance of such things.

1. First, because the real working of such things is mediate creation (like the making of Adam's body of earth). Creation is so the immediate work of God's divine power that we justly in our creed and in accordance with the Scriptures make it the peculiar, distinguishing title of God. Thus, only those who are assisted extraordinarily with the immediate concurrence of God can do so—as did the prophet Elisha in raising the dead child to life, Christ in turning water into wine, and Moses and the apostles in various miracles. But these men of Egypt are called magicians and their art enchantment, both of which are abhorrently forbidden everywhere in the Scriptures; therefore, they did not act by the power of God.
2. Secondly, because in token of God's defiance against their wicked artifice, Moses' serpent swallowed up theirs (Ex. 7:12) as a sufficient token that Moses wrought by the power of God, which overmastered their devices.
3. Thirdly, because there are such testimonies given to the miracles done by Moses through the power of God, that they were truly done, as are not given to those performed by the magicians; namely, that the rivers turned into blood, stunk, killed the fish, were so loathsome that the Egyptians could not drink of them, and that the frogs were truly alive, so that when by the power of God they were killed, they putrefied and annoyed all Egypt with the stench of their putrefaction.
4. Fourthly, because the magicians could not do lesser things, so as to keep the boils inflicted upon all in Egypt off of themselves, nor could they bring forth lice.
5. Lastly, the magicians confessed that the miracle of life was wrought by the finger of God; and by the same proportion, the finger of God was in the other miracles, seeing that they were greater.

Thus much of the diabolical operation of strange things.

Declaration of Hidden Things

Next is the declaration of hidden things—either past, present, or future—which is called divination. These things the Devil can help his agents to declare, so far as God permits, by various means, including:

• His skill in the prophecies of the Scriptures, as before we gave an instance of his telling Alexander the Great future things out of Daniel 11
• His swiftness as a spirit quickly to be anywhere; and so the legions of these evil spirits are at all the consultations of state in several nations and places (Dan. 10:13; Job 1:7; Mt. 4; Lk. 4:5-9)
• His great knowledge, above all natural men, of human disposition and the nature of herbs, stones, beasts, and all creatures, as appears in part in the story of possessing the swine of the Gadarenes and their discontent that dominated them
• His effectual power (God permitting) to make men and things do as he predicts, for he can (by Divine permission):
  1. Possess a man within, or
  2. Oppress a man without, or
  3. Suggest, present, and inspire into his fantasy strange imaginations