First, they had their originall and beginning from the diuell, who abode not in the truth, Iohn 8. 44. was cast downe with the apostata angels to hell, and deliuered into chaines of darkenesse, 2.  Pet. 2. 4. who enuying mans felicity receiued into grace after the [bb]fall, himselfe eternally reiected, omitted no occasion to weaken and ouerthrow the same, that the benefite thereof might come but to a few, and the greatest number perish with him for euer.  Whereupon he endeuoured to inwrappe the weaker sort of that fraile corporation in superstitions, beguile them with doubtfull and false oracles, and bring to a forme of worshippe contrary to that which God had commaunded, [cc]whereby the world beganne to abound with Idolatry, disobedience, contempt, murthers, vncleanenesse, lusts, thefts, lying, and such like outrages:  and that hee might with his infections impoyson them more dangerously, and soueraigne in their hearts, he vndertooke to worke wonders, imitating such miracles as God had done, and deuised cunningly many subtile sleights and legerdemaines, and for this end most blasphemously abused the glorious and holy name of God, and the word vttered by his mouth, and represented a false shew of those effects, which hee had wrought in nature:  and heerein leuelled at two intentions, one to reproch God, and counterchecke his works; the other to ouer-mask and couer his owne secret traps and frauds, perswading men, that by the power of wordes these things were brought to pass, which must needes therefore be of great efficacie:  seeing that the world & all things therein were so made of nothing; for he spake, and they were created, and thus practised to disgrace, and extenuate, that admirable and great worke of Creation, and cause men to make lighter account of the Creator, seeing that they also (instructed by him) were enabled thorow the pronunciation of certayne words contriued into a speciall forme, eyther to infuse new strength into things, or depriue them of that which formerly they had, or alter the course of Nature, in raysing tempests, stirring vp thunder and lightning; in [dd]taming serpents, and depriuing them of their naturall fiercenesse and venime, and cause wilde beasts to become meeke and tractable, yea in seeming to make sensible bodies; as cloudes, wind, raine & the like.  And thus the diuell is that father who begot Charmes, and brought them foorth, not powerfull in themselues, but by that inter-league which hee hath with those who are invassaled vnto him.

    [Footnote bb:  De differentia inter Diabolos & homines peccatores
    Augustinus in Enchiridio cap. 28. & in suis ad illum comentarijs
    Lambertus Dan[e,]us.]

    [Footnote cc:  Peucerus de generibus Diuinationum & titulo de
    incantationibus.]

    [Footnote dd:  Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis Virg.
    ecloga 8.]