Psal. 36. 6.) that those who receiued not the
truth that they might be saued, should haue strong
delusions sent vnto them, and bee giuen ouer to belieue
Sathan and his lying signes, and false wonders, 2.
Thess. 2. 10. And thus consenting vnto sinne,
and his suggestions, they are depriued of the [b]helpe
and assistance of God, and so disabled to resist all
violent rushing temptations: for one offence,
not being truely repented of, bringeth another, and
at last throweth head-long downe into hell: and
by this meanes man despising God his creator & redeemer,
and obeying the Diuell a professed enemy, and irreconciliable
aduersary, not easie to be confronted, becommeth his
seruant: for of whomsoeuer any is ouercome, euen
of the same is hee brought into bondage, 2.
Pet. 2. 19. And the Apostle giueth as the
reason why the heathen were so sottish Idolaters,
and defiled themselues with many detestable and loathsome
sinnes, [c]because when they knew God, they glorified
him not as God, neither were thankfull, therefore
God gaue them ouer to a reprobate sence, and vile
affections to doe those things which were not conuenient,
full of all vnrighteousnesse, Rom 1. 24.25. &.
29 So these being enthralled, and deuoting themselues
to the Diuell by a mutuall league (either expresse
or secret) he brandeth with his mark for his [d]owne,
as in ancient time was an vse with Bondslaues and
[e]Captiues, and these bee +ezogremenoi+, taken aliue
in his snare, 2. Tim. 2. 26. and that
in some part of the body, least either suspected or
perceiued by vs (for hee is a cunning concealer) as
vnder the eye-lids, or in the palat of the mouth,
or other secret places: Wherefore some Iudges
cause them, once being called into question, and accused,
to be shauen all the body[f] ouer. And for the
manner of impression, or branding, it is after this
sort. The Diuell when hee hath once made the contract
betweene himselfe and the Witch, and agreed vpon the
conditions, what they shall doe, the one for the other,
giueth her some scratch[g], which remaineth ful of
paine & anguish vntill his return againe: at which
time hee doth so benumme the same, that though it
be pierced with any sharpe instrument, yet is without
any sence of feeling, and will not yeeld one droppe
of bloud at all: a matter knowne by iust, often,
and due triall.
[Footnote a: Danaeus de sortiarijs. cap. 20]
[Footnote b: Iaquerius in flagello Hereticorum, cap. 18.]
[Footnote c: Peccatum si citius paenitendo non tergitur, iusto Iudicio omnipotens Deus obligatam peccantis mentem, etiam in culpam alteram permittit cadere, vt qui flendo & corrigendo noluit mundare quod fecit, peccatum incipiat peccato cumulare, Greg. Hom. 11. in Ezech. Augustinus lib. 83. questionum questione 97. & Aquinas 1. 2. quaest. 79. artic. 3 & quaest. 87. artic. 2.]
[Footnote d: Zanchius
de operibus creationis, part. 1 lib. 4.
cap. 15. Danaeus de sortiarijs
cap. 4. & Erastus de Lamijs.]