Some Philosophical CONSIDERATIONS Touching the Being of WITCHES AND WITCHCRAFT. WRITTEN In a LETTER to the much Honour'd ROBERT HUNT Esq

By I. G. a Member of the Royal Society.

LONDON, Printed by E. C. for Iames Collins at the Kings-head in Westminster-Hall, 1667.

Some CONSIDERATIONS About WITCHCRAFT, In A Letter to Robert Hunt Esquire.

SIR,

THE frequent and late dealings you have had in the Exami­nation of Witches, and the Re­gards of one that hath a very particular Honour for you, have brought you the trou­ble of some Considerations on the subject, which though they are the careless and hasty pro­ducts of a sitting or two, may yet, I hope af­ford you some not unreasonable accounts of the odd phaenomena of Witchcraft and Fasci­nation, and contribute to the Defence of the Truth and certainly of Matters which you [Page 2] know by Experiments that could not deceive, in spite of the little exceptions of those that are re­solved to believe nothing in affairs of this nature.

And if any thing were to be much admired in an Age of Wonders, not onely of Nature (which is a constant Prodigy) by of Men and Manners; it would be to me matter of Astonishment, that Men, otherwise witty and ingenious, are fall'n into the conceit that there's no such thing as a Witch or Apparition, but that these are the creatures of Melancholy and Superstition, foster'd by ignorance and design; which, comparing the confidence of their disbelief with the evidence of the things denied, and the weakness of their grounds, would almost suggest, that them­selves are argument of what they deny: and that so confident an Opinion could not be held upon such inducements, but by some kind of Witchcraft and Fascination in the Fancy. And perhaps that evil Spirit, whose influences they will not allow in Actions ascribed to such Causes, hath a greater hand and interest in their Proposition that they are aware of. For that subtil Enemy of Mankind (since pro­vidence will not permit him to mischief us without our own concurrence) attempts that by stratagem and artifice, which he could ne­ver [Page 3] effect by open ways of acting; and the suc­cess of all wiles depending upon their secrecy and concealment, his influence is never more dangerous than when his agency is least suspe­cted. In order therefore to the carrying on the dark and hidden designs he manageth a­gainst our Happiness, and our Souls, he can­not expect to advantage himself more, than by insinuating a belief, That there is no such thing as himself, but that fear and fancy make Devils now, as they did Gods of old. Nor can he ever draw the assent of men to so dan­gerous an assertion, while the standing sensible evidences of his existence in his practices by and upon his Instruments are not discredited and removed.

'Tis doubtless therefore the interest of this Agent of darkness to have the world be­lieve, that the notion they have of him is but a phantome and conceit; and in order thereun­to, That the stories of Witches, Apparitions, and indeed every thing that brings tidings of another world, are but melancholick Dreams and pious Romances, And when men are ar­riv'd thus far, to think there are no diabolical contracts or apparitions, their belief that there are such Spirits, rests onely upon their Faith and Reverence to the Divine Oracles, which [Page 4] we have little reason to apprehend so great in such assertors, as to command much from their assent, especially in such things in which they have corrupt interests against their evi­dence. So that he that thinks there is no Witch, believes a Devil gratis, or at least upon such inducements which he is like to find himself disposed to deny when he pleaseth. And when men are arrived to this degree of diffidence and infidelity, we are beholden to them if they believe either Angel or Spirit, Re­surrection of the Body, or Immortality of Souls. These things hang together in a Chain of connexion, at least in these mens Hypothesis; and 'tis but an happy chance if he that hath lost one link hold another. So that the vitals of Religion being so much interressed in this subject, it will not be impertinent particularly to discourse it.

And in order to the proof that there have been, and are unlawfull confederacies with evil spirits, by vertue of which the hellish accom­plices perform things above their natural powers; I must premise, that this being mat­ter of Fact, is only capable of the evidence of authority and sense: And by both these, the being of Witches and diabolical contracts, is most abundantly confirm'd. All Histories are [Page 5] full of the exploits of those Instruments of darkness, and the tesimony of all Ages, not one­ly of the rude and barbarous, but of the most civiliz'd and polish'd world, brings tidings of their strange performances. We have the atte­station of thousands of eye and ear-witnesses, and those not of the easily deceivable vulgar onely, but of wise and grave discerners, and that when no interest could oblige them to agree together in a common Lie: I say, we have the light of all these circumstances to con­firm us in the belief of things done by per­sons of despicable power and knowledge, beyond the reach of Art and ordinary Nature; standing publick Records have been kept of these well attested Relations, and Epocha's made of those unwonted events. Laws in many Nations have been enacted against those vile practises; those among the Iews and our own are notorious; such cases have been of­ten determined near us, by wise and reverend Iudges, upon clear and convictive evidence: and thousands in our own Nation have suf­fered death for their vile compacts with apo­state spirits. All these I might largely prove in their particular instances, but that 'tis not needful, since those that deny the being of Witches, do it not out of ignorance of these [Page 6] Heads of Argument, of which probably they have heard a thousand times, but from an apprehension that such a belief is absurd, and the things impossible. And upon these presump­tions they contemn all demonstrations of this nature, and are hardned against con­viction. And I think, those that can believe all Histories are Romances that all the wiser world have agreed together to juggle man­kind into a common belief of ungrounded fa­bles, that the sound senses of multitudes together may deceive them, and Laws are built upon Chymera's; that the gravest and wisest Iudges have been Murderers, and the sagest persons Fools, or designing Impostors: I say, those that can believe this heap of absurdities, are either more credulous than those whose credulity they reprehend, or else have some extraordinary evidence of their perswasion, viz. That 'tis ab­surd and impossible there should be a Witch or Appa­rition. And I am confident, were those little appearances remov'd, which men have form'd in their fancies against the belief of such things, their evidence would make its way to their assent, without any more arguments than what they know already to enforce it. There is nothing then necessary to be done, in order to the establishing the belief I would [Page 7] reconcile to men's minds, but to endeavour the removal of those prejudices they have re­ceived against it, the chief of which I shall particularly deal with; and I begin with that bold Assertion, That

(1) The notion of a Spirit is impossible and contradictious, and consequently so is that of Witches, the belief of which is founded on that Doctrine.

To which Objection I answer, (1) If the no­tion of a Spirit be so absurd as is pretended, that of a God, and a Soul, distinct from matter and immortal, is likewise an absurdity. And then that the world was jumbled into this elegant and orderly Fabrick by chance; and that our Souls are onely parts of Matter, that came to­gether we know not whence, nor how; and shall again shortly be dissolv'd into those loose Atoms that compound them; That all our con­ceptions are but the thrusting of one part of matter against another; and the Idea's of our minds meer blind and casual motions; These and a thousand more the grossest impossibili­ties and absurdities, consequents of this Propo­sition, That the notion of a Spirit is absurd, will be sad certainties and demonstrations. And with [Page 8] such Assertors I would cease to discourse about Witches and Apparitions, and address my self to obtain their assent to truths infinitely more Sacred.

And yet (2) though it should be granted them, that a substance immaterial is as much a contradiction as they can fancy; yet the Air and all the Regions above us may have their invisi­ble intellectual Agents, of nature like unto our Souls, be that what it will; and some of them at least as much degenerate as the vilest and most mischievous among Men. This, I say, may reasonably enough be supposed, though, as I intimated above, the Atheist hath an­other chain of consequences. And this Hypothesis will be enough to secure the possibility of Witches and Apparitions: and that all the upper Stories of the Universe are furnish'd with In­habitants, 'tis infinitely reasonable to con­clude from the analogy of Nature: Since we see there is nothing so contemptible and vile in the world we reside in, but hath its living creatures that dwell upon it; the Earth, the Water, the inferiour Air; the Bodies of Animals, the flesh, the skin, the entrails; the leaves, the roots, the stalks of Vegetables; yea and all kind of Minerals in the subterraneous Regions: I say, all these have their proper Inhabitants; yea, I [Page 9] suppose this Rule may hold in all distinct kinds of bodies in the world, That they have their peculiar Animals. The certainty of which I believe the improvement of microscopical obser­vation will discover. From whence I infer, That since this little spot is so thickly peopled in every Atom of it, 'tis weakness to think that all the vast spaces above, and hollows under ground, are desert and uninhabited. And if both the superiour and lower Continents of the Universe have their inhabitants also, 'tis exceedingly improbable, arguing from the same analogy, that they are all of the meer sensible nature, but that there are at least some of the Rational and Intel­lectual Orders. Which supposed, there is good foundation for the belief of Witches and Appari­tions, though the notion of a Spirit should prove absurd and unphilosophical. And so this first Ob­jection comes to nothing. I descend then to the second Prejudice, which may be thus form­ed in behalf of the Objectors.

(2) There are Actions in most of those Relati­ons ascribed to Witches, which are ridiculous and impossible in the nature of things; such are (1) their flying out of windows, after they have annointed themselves, to remote places. (2) Their transformation into Cats, Hares, and other Crea­tures. (3) Their feeling all the hurts in their own [Page 10] bodies which they have received in these. (4) Their rasing Tempests, by muttering some nonsensical words, or performing some little ridiculous ceremo­nies. And (5) their being suck'd in a certain pri­vate place of their bodies by a Familiar. These are presumed to be actions inconsistent with the na­ture of Spirits, and above the powers of those poor and miserable Agents. And therefore the Objecti­on supposeth them performed only by the fancy; and that the whole mystery of Witchcraft is but an illusion of crasie imagination.

But to this Objection I return, (1) in the ge­neral, The more absurd and unaccountable these actions seem, the greater confirmations are they to me of the truth of those Relations, and the reality of what the Objectors would destroy. For these circumstances being exceeding unlikely, judging by the measures of common belief, 'tis the greater probability they are not fictiti­ous; For the contrivers of Fictions use to form them as near as they can conformably to the most unsuspected realities, endeavouring to make them look as like truth as is possible in the main supposals, though withal they make them strange in the circumstance. None but a fool or mad-man would relate with a purpose of having it believed, that he saw in Ireland, Men with hoofs on their heads, and eyes in their poste­riors; [Page 11] or, if any should be so ridiculously vain, as to be serious in such an incredible Romance, it cannot be supposed that all Travellers that come into those parts after him should tell the same story. There is large field in fiction; and if all those Relations were arbitrary composi­tions, doubtless the first Romancers would have framed them more agreeable to the common doctrine of Spirits; at least, after these supposed absurdities had been a thousand times laugh'd at, people by this time would have learn'd to correct those obnoxious extravagancies; and though they have not yet more veracity than the Ages of Ignorance and Superstition, yet one would expect they should have got more cun­ning. This suppos'd impossibility then of these performances, seems to me a probable argument that they are not wilful and designed forgeries. And if they are Phancyes, 'tis somewhat strange that Imagination which is the most various thing in all the world, should infinitely repeat he same conceit in all times and places.

But again (2) the strange Actions related of Witches, and presumed impossible, are not ascri­bed to their own powers; but to the Agency of those wicked Confederates they imploy: And to affirm that those evil spirits cannot do that which we conceit impossible, is boldly to stint [Page 12] the powers of Creatures, whose natures and faculties we know not, and to measure the world of spirits by the narrow rules of our own impotent beings. Wee see among our selves the performances of some out-go the conceits and possibilities of others; and we know many things may be done by the Mathematicks, and Mechanick Artifice, which common heads think impossible to be effected by the honest ways of Art and Nature. And doubtless the subtilties and powers of those mischievous Fiends are as much beyond the reach and activities of the most knowing Agents among us, as theirs are beyond the wit and ability of the most ru­stick and illiterate; So that the utmost that any man's reason in the world can amount to in this particular, is onely this, that he cannot conceive how such things can be performed; which onely argues the weakness and imper­fection of our knowledge and apprehensions, not the impossibility of those performances; and we can no more from hence form an Argu­ment against them, then against the most ordi­nary effects in Nature. We cannot conceive how the Faetus is form'd in the womb, nor as much as how a Plant springs from the Earth we tread on; we know not how our Souls move the Body, nor how these distant and [Page 13] extreme natures and united; And if we are igno­rant of the most obvious things about us, and the most considerable within our selves, 'tis then no wonder that we know not the constitution and powers of the Creatures, to whom we are such strangers. Briefly then, matters of fact well proved ought not to be denied, because we cannot conceive how they can be perform'd. Nor is it a reasonable method of inference, first to presume the thing impossible, and thence to conclude that the fact cannot be proved. On the contrary, we should judge of the action hy the evidence, and not the evidence by the measures of our fancies about the acti­on. This is proudly to exalt our own opinions above the clearest testimonies, and most sensi­ble demonstrations of fact: and so to give the Lie to all Mankind, rather then distrust the little conceits of our bold imaginations. But yet further,

(3.) I think there is nothing in the in­stances mention'd, but what may as well be accounted for the Rules of Reason and Phi­losophy as the ordinary affairs of Nature. For in resolving natural Phaenomena, we can only assign the probable causes, shewing how things may be, not presuming how they are. And in the particulars under our Examen, we may [Page 14] give an account how 'tis possible, and not unlikely, that such things (though somewhat varying from the common rode of Nature) may be acted. And if our narrow and con­tracted minds can furnish us with apprehen­sions of the way and manner of such perform­ances, though perhaps not the true ones, 'tis an argument that such things may be effected by creatures, whose powers and knowledge are so vastly exceeding ours. I shall endea­vour therefore briefly to suggest some things that may render the possibility of these per­formances conceivable, in order to the removal of this Objection, that they are contradictions and impossible.

For the First then, That the confederate Spi­rit should transport the Witch through the Air to the place of general Rendezvous, there is no difficulty in conceiving; and if that be true which great Philosophers affirm con­cerning the real separability of the Soul from the Body without death, there is yet less; for then 'tis easie to apprehend, that the Soul, having left its gross and sluggish Body behind it, and being cloath'd only with its immediate vehicle of Air, or more subtile matter, may be quickly conducted to any place it would be at, by those officious Spirits that attend it. [Page 15] And though I adventure to affirm nothing concerning the truth and certainty of this suppo­sition, yet I must needs say, it doth not seem to me unreasonable. And our experience of Apo­plexies, Epilepsies, Extasies, and the strange things men report to have seen during those deliquiums, look favourably upon this conjecture; which seems to me to contradict no principle of Reason or Philosophy, since Death consists not so much in the actual separation of Soul and Body, as in the indisposition and unfitness of the Body for vital union, as an excellent Philoso­pher hath made good. On which Hypothesis, the Witches annointing her self before she takes her flight, may perhaps serve to keep the Body tenantable & in fit disposition to receive the Spirit at its return. These things, I say, we may con­ceive, though I affirm nothing about them; and there is nothing in such conceptions but what hath been affirm'd by men of worth and name, and may seem fair and accountable enough to those who judge nor altogether by the measures of the popular and customary opinion. And there's a saying of a great Apostle that seems to countenance this Platonick opini­on; what is the meaning else of that expressi­on, [Whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell] except the Soul may be separated from the [Page 16] Body without death; which if it be granted possible, 'tis sufficient for my purpose. And

(2) The Transformations of Witches into the shapes of other Animals, upon the same supposal is very conceivable, since then 'tis easie enough to imagin, that the power of imagination may form those passive and pliable vehicles into those shapes, with more ease then the fancie of the Mother can the stubborn matter of the Foetus in the womb, as we see it frequently doth in the instances that occur of Signatures and mon­strous Singularities; And perhaps sometimes the confederate Spirit puts tricks upon the senses of the spectators, and those shapes are onely illusions.

But then (3) when they feel the hurts in their gross bodies, that they receive in their aëry vehicles, they must be supposed to have been really present, at least in these latter; and 'tis no more difficult to apprehend how the hurts of those should be translated upon their other bodies, then how diseases should be inflicted by the imagination, or how the fancy of the Mother should wound the Foetus, as several credible re­lations do attest.

And (4) for their raising storms and tempests, they do it not, be sure, by their own, but by the power of the Prince of the Air, their friend and [Page 17] allie; and the Ceremonies that are injoin'd them, are doubtless nothing else but entertainments for their imaginations, and are likely design'd to persuade them, that they do these strange things themselves.

And (lastly) for their being suck'd by the Familiar, I say (1) we know so little of the na­ture of Daemons and Spirits, that 'tis no won­der we cannot certainly divine the reason of so strange an action. And yet (2) we may con­jecture at some things that may render it less imporbable. For some have thought that the Genii (whom both the Platonical and Christian Antiquity thought embodied) are recreated by the reeks and vapours of humane bloud and the spirits that derive from them. Which supposal (if we grant them bodies) is not unlikely, every thing being refresh'd and nourish'd by its like. And that they are not perfectly abstract from all body and matter, besides the reverence we owe to the wisest antiquity, there are several considerable arguments I could alledge to render it exceeding probable. Which things supposed, the Devil's sucking the Sorceress is no great wonder, nor difficult to be accounted for. Or perhaps (3) this may be onely a diabo­lical Sacrament and Ceremony to confirm the hellish covenant. To which I adde, (4) That [Page 18] which to me seems most probable, viz. Tha the Familiar doth not onely suck the Witch, but in the action infuseth some poisonous ferment into her, which gives her imagination and spirits a magical tincture, whereby they be­come mischievously influential: and the word venefica intimates some such matter. Now that the imagination hath a mighty power in operation, is seen in the just now mention'd Signatures and Diseases that it causeth; and that the fancy is modified by the qualities of th bloud and spirits, is too evident to need proof: which things supposed, 'tis plain to conceive that the evil spirit having breath'd some vile vapour into the body of the Witch, it may taint her bloud and spirits with a noxious quality, by which her infected imagination, heightned by melancholy, and this worse cause, may do much hurt upon bodies that are impressive by such in­fluences. And 'tis very likely that this ferment disposeth the imagination of the Sorceress to cause the mentioned [...], or separation of the soul from the body, and may perhaps keep the body in fit temper for its re-entry; as also it may facilitate transformation, which, it may be, could not be effected by ordinary and un­assisted imagination.

Thus we see 'tis not so desperate to form an [Page 19] apprehension of the manner of these odde performances; and though they are not done the way I have describ'd, yet what I have said may help us to a conceit of the possibility, which sufficeth for my purpose. And though the Hypothesis I have gone upon will seem as unlikely to some, as the things they attempt to explain are to others, yet I must desire their leave to suggest, that most things seem unlikely (especially to the conceited and opinionative) at first proposal; and many great truths are strange and improbable, till custom and acquaintance have reconciled them to our fancies. And I'le pre­sume to adde on this occasion, (though I love not to be confident in affirming) that there is none of the Platonical supposals I have used, but what I could make appear to be fair and reason­able, to the capable and unprejudic'd.

But I come (3) to another prejudice against the being of Witches, which is, That 'tis very improbable that the Devil who is a wise and mighty spirit, should be at the beck of a poor Hag, and have so little to do as to attend the errands of the impotent lusts of a silly old woman.

To which I might answer, (1) That 'tis much more improbable that all the world should be deceiv'd in matters of fact, and circumstances [Page 20] of the clearest evidence and conviction, than that the Devil, who is wicked, should be also unwise; and that he that persuades all his sub­jects and accomplices out of their wits, should himself act like his own temptations and persuasions. In brief, there is nothing more strange in this objection, than that wickedness is baseness and servility, and that the Devil is at leisure to serve those he is at leisure to tempt, and industrious to ruin. And again, (2) I see no necessity to believe that the Devil is always the Witch's confederate; but perhaps it may fitly be consider'd, whether the Familiar be not some departed humane spirit, forsaken of God and goodness, and swallowed up by the un­satiable desire of mischief and revenge, which possibly by the laws and capacity of its state it cannot execute immediately. And why we should presume that the Devil should have the liberty of wandering up and down the Earth and Air, when he is said to be held in the chains of darkness; and yet that the separa­ted souls of the wicked, of whom no such thing is affirm'd in any Sacred Record, should be thought so imprison'd, that they cannot possi­bly wag from the place of their confinement, I know no shadow of conjecture. This conceit I'm confident hath prejudic'd many against [Page 21] the belief of Witches and Apparitions, they not being able to conceive that the Devil should be so ludricous as appearing spirits are sometimes reported to be in their frolicks; and they pre­sume, that souls departed never re-visit the free and open Regions; which confidence I know nothing to justifie: For since good men in their state of separation are said to be [...], why the wicked may not be supposed to be [...] in the worst sense of the word, I know nothing to help me to imagine. And if it be supposed that the Imps of Witches are sometimes wic­ked spirits of our own kind and nature, and pos­sibly the same that have been Sorcerers and Witches in this life: This supposal may give a fairer and more probable account of many of the actions of Sorcery and Witchcraft, than the other Hypothesis, that they are always De­vils. And to this conjecture I'l adventure to subjoyn another, which also hath its probabi­lity, viz. (3) That 'tis not impossible but that the Familiars of Witches are a servile kind of spirits, of a very inferiour constitution and na­ture, and none of those that were once of the highest Hierarchy, now degenerated into the spirits we call Devils. And for my part I must confess, that I think the common division of spirits much too general, conceiving it likely [Page 22] there may be as great a variety of Intellectual creatures in the invisible world, as there is of Animals in the visible: and that all the superiour, yea, and inferiour Regions, have their several kinds of spirits, differing in their natural per­fections, as well as in the kinds and degrees of their depravities; which being supposed, 'tis very probable that those of the basest and mean­est Orders are they, who submit to the men­tion'd servilities. And thus the sagess and gran­deur of the Prince of darkness need not be brought into question.

But (4) the opinion of Witches seems to some to accuse Providence, and to suggest that it hath exposed Innocents to the fury and malice of revengeful Fiends; yea, and supposeth those most obnoxious, for whom we might most rea­sonably expect a more special tutelary care and protection, most of the cruel practices of those presum'd Instruments of Hell being upon Chil­dren, who as they least deserve to be deserted by that Providence that superintends all things, so they most need its guardian influence.

To this so specious an Objection I have these things to answer. (1) Providence is a Deep un­fathomable; and if we should not believe the [Page 23] Phoenomena of our senses, before we can recon­cile them to our notions of Providence, we must be groffer Scepticks than ever yet was extant. The miseries of the present life, the unequal distri­butions of good and evil, the ignorance and barba­rity of the greatest part of mankind, the fatal disadvantages we are all under, and the hazard we run of being eternally miserable and un­done; these, I say, are things that can hardly be made consistent with that Wisdom and Good­ness that we are sure hath made, and mingled it self with all things. And yet we believe there is a beauty and harmony, and goodness in that Providence, though we cannot unriddle it in par­ticular instances; nor, by reason of our igno­rance and imperfection, clear it from contra­dicting appearances; and consequently, we ought not to deny the being of Witches and Appariti­ons, because they will create us some difficul­ties in our notions of Providence. But to come more close, (2) Those that believe that Infants are Heirs of Hell & Children of the Devil as soon as they are disclosed to the world, cannot cer­tainly offer such an objection; for what is a little trifling pain of a moment, to those eternal tortures, to which, if they die as soon as they are born, according to the tenour of this Doctrin, they are everlastingly exposed? But however the [Page 24] case stands as to that, 'tis certain, (3) That Providence hath not secur'd them from other violences they are obnoxious to from cruelty and accident; and yet we accuse It not when a whole Townful of Innocents fall a Victim to the rage and ferity of barbarous executioners in wars and Massacres. To which I adde, (4) That 'tis likely the mischief is not so often done by the evil spirit immediately, but by the malignant in­fluence of the Sorceress, whose power of hurt­ing consists in the fore-mention'd ferment, which is infused into her by the Familiar. So that I am apt to think there may be a power of real fascination in the Witch's eyes and imaginati­on, by which for the most part she acts upon tender bodies. Nescio quis teneros oculus—For the pestilential spirits being darted by a sprightful and vigorous imagination from the eye, and meeting with those that are weak and passive in the bodies which they enter, will not fail to infect them with a noxious quality, that makes dangerous and strange alterations in the person invaded by this poysonous influence: which way of acting by subtil and invisible instruments is or­dinary, and familiar in all natural efficiencies. And 'tis now past question, that nature for the most part acts by subtil streams and aporhaea's of minute particles, which pass from one body to [Page 25] another. Or however that be, this kind of agency is as conceivable as any of those qualities igno­rance hath call'd sympathy and antipathy, the rea­lity of which we doubt not, though the manner of action be unknown. Yea, the thing I speak of is as easie to be apprehended, as how infection should pass in certain tenuious streams through the air from one house to another; or, as how the biting of a mad Dog should fill all the bloud and spirits with a venomous and malign ferment; the application of the vertue doing the same in our case, as that of contract doth in this. Yea, some kinds of fascination are perform'd in this grosser and more sensible way, as by striking, giving Apples, and the like, by which the con­tagious quality may be transmitted, as we see diseases often are by the touch. Now in this way of conjecture, a good account may be given why Witches are most powerful upon Children & timorous persons, viz. because their spirits and imaginations being weak and passive, are not able to resist the fatal invasion; whereas men of bold minds, who have plenty of strong and vigorous spirits are secure from the contagion, as in pesti­lential Airs clean bodies are not so liable to in­fection as are other tempers. Thus then we see 'tis likely enough that very often the Sor­ceress her self doth the mischief; and we know, [Page 26] de facto, that Providence doth not always secure us from one another's injuries. And yet I must confess, that many times also the evil spirit is the mischievous Agent; though this confession draw on me another objection, which I next propose.

(5) Then it may be said, that if wicked spirits can hurt us by the direction, and at the desire of a Witch, one would think they should have the same power to do us injury without instigation or compact; and if this be granted, 'tis a wonder that we are not always annoi'd and infested by them. To which

I return, (1) That the laws, liberties and re­straints of the inhabitants of the other world are to us utterly unknown; and this way we can on­ly argue our selves into confessions of our igno­rance, which every man must acknowledge that is not as immodest as ignorant. It must be grant­ed by all that own the being, power and malice of evil spirits, that the security we enjoy is won­derful, whether they act by Witches or not; and by what Laws they are kept from making us a prey, to speak like Philosophers, we cannot tell: yea, why they should be permitted to tempt and ruine us in our Souls, and restrain'd from touching or hurting us in our Bodies, is a [Page 27] mystery not easily accountable. But yet (2) though we acknowledge their power to vex and tor­ment us in our bodies also, yet a reason may be given why they are less frequent in this kind of mischief, viz. because their main de­signs are levell'd against the interest and hap­piness of our Souls, which they can best pro­mote, when their actions are most sly and se­cret; whereas did they ordinarily persecute men in their bodies, their agency and wicked in­fluence would be discover'd, and make a migh­ty noise in the world, whereby men would be awaken'd to a more suitable and vigorous opposition, by the use of such means as would engage Providence to rescue them from their rage and cruelties, & at last defeat them in their great purposes of undoing us eternally. Thus we may conceive that the security we enjoy may well enough consist with the power and malice of those evil spirits; and upon this ac­count we may suppose that Laws of their own may prohibit their unlicens'd injuries, not from any goodness there is in their Constitutions, but in order to the more successful carrying on the projects of the dark Kingdom; as Generals for­bid plunder, not out of love to their Enemies, but in order to their own success. And hence (3) we may suppose a Law of permission to hurt [Page 28] us at the instance of the Sorceress, may well stand with the polity of Hell, since by gratify­ing the wicked person they encourage her in malice and revenge, and promote thereby the main ends of their black confederacy, which are to propagate wickedness, and to ruine us in our eternal interests. And yet (4) 'tis clear to those that believe the History of the Gospel, that wic­ked spirits have vexed the bodies of men, with­out any instigation that we read of; and at this day 'tis very likely that many of the strange ac­cidents and diseases that befall us, may be the infliction of evil spirits, prompted to hurt us only by the delight they take in mischief. So that we cannot argue the improbability of their hurting Children and others by Witches, from our own security and freedom from the effects of their malice, which perhaps we feel in more instances than we are aware of.

But (6) another prejudice against the belief of Witches, is, a presumption upon the enormous forces of melancholy and imagination, which with­out doubt can do wonderful things, and beget strange persuasions; and to these causes some ascribe the presum'd effects of Sorcery and Witchraft. To which I reply briefly, and yet I hope sufficiently;

[Page 29] (1) That to resolve all the clear circum­stances of fact, which we find in well attested and confirm'd Relations of this kind, into the power of deceivable imagination, is to make fancy the greater prodigy, and to suppose, that it can do stranger feats than are believed of any other kind of fascination. And to think that Pins and Nails, for instance, can, by the power of imagination be convey'd within the skin, or that imagination, should deceive so many as have been witnesses in objects of sense, in all the circumstances of discovery; this, I say, is to be infinitely more credulous than the assertors of Sorcery and Demoniack contracts. And by the same reason it may be believ'd, that all the Battels and strange events of the world, which our selves have not seen, are but dreams and fond imaginations, and like those that are fought in the clouds, when the brains of the deluded spectators are the onely Theatre of those fancied transactions. And (2) to deny evidence of fact, because their imagination may deceive the Relators, when we have no reason to think so but a bare presumption, that there is no such thing as is related, is quite to destroy the cre­dit of all humane testimony, and to make all men liars in a larger sense than the Prophet con­cluded in his haste. For not onely the melan­cholick [Page 30] and the fanciful, but the grave and the so­ber, whose judgments we have no reason to suspect to be tainted by their imaginations, have from their own knowledge and experience made reports of this nature. But to this it will possibly be rejoyn'd, the Reply will be another prejudice against the belief I contend for, viz.

(7) That 'tis a suspicious circumstance that Witchcraft is but a fancy, since the persons that are accused are commonly poor and miserable old women, who are overgrown with discontent and melancholy, which are very imaginative; and the persons said to be bewitch'd are for the most part Children, or people very weak, who are easily imposed upon, and are apt to receive strong impressions from nothing: whereas were there any such thing really, 'tis not likely, but that the more cunning and subtil desperado's, who might the more successfully carry on the mischievous designs of the dark Kingdom, should be oftner engaged in those black confederacies, and also one would expect effects of the hellish combination upon others than the innocent and the ignorant.

To which Objection it might perhaps be enough to return (as hath been above sugge­sted) that nothing can be concluded by this [Page 31] and such like arguings, but that the policy and menages of the instruments of darkness are to us altogether unknown, and as much in the dark as their natures, mankind being no more ac­quainted with the reasons and methods of acti­on in the other world, than poor Cottagers and Mechanicks are with the intriques of Government and reasons of State. Yea peradventure (2) 'tis one of the great designs, as 'tis certainly the interest, of those wicked Agents and Machinators, industriously to hide from us their influences and ways of acting, and to work, as near as is possible, incognito; upon which supposal 'tis easie to conceive a reason, why they most commonly work by, and upon the weak and the ignorant, who can make no cunning obser­vations, or tell credible tales to detect their arti­fice. Besides (3) 'tis likely a strong imagination, that cannot be weaken'd or disturb'd by a busie and subtil ratiocination, is a necessary requisite to those wicked performances; and without doubt an heightned and obstinate fancy hath a great influence upon impressive spirits; yea, and as I have conjectur'd before, on the more passive and susceptible bodies. And I am very apt to believe, that there are as real communications and intercourses between our spirits, as there are between material agents; which secret influences, [Page 32] though they are unknown in their nature, and ways of acting, yet they are sufficiently felt in their effects: for experience attests, that some by the very majesty and greatness of their spirits, discover'd by nothing but a certain noble air that accompanies them, will bear down others less great and generous, and make them sneak be­fore them; and some, by I know not what stu­pifying vertue, will tie up the tongue, and confine the spirits of those who are otherwise brisk and voluble. Which thing supposed, the influ­ences of a spirit possess'd of an active and enor­mous imagination, may be malign and fatal where they cannot be resisted, especially when they are accompanied by those poisonous reaks that the evil spirit breaths into the Sorceress, which likely are shot out, and applied by a fancy height­ned and prepared by melancholy and discontent. And thus we may conceive why the melancho­lick and envious are used upon such occasions, and for the same reason the ignorant, since knowledge checks and controls imagination; and those that abound much in the imaginative fa­culties do not usually exceed in the rational. And perhaps (4) the Daemon himself useth the imagination of the Witch so qualified for his pur­pose, even in those actions of mischief which are more properly his; for it is most probable, [Page 33] that spirits act not upon bodies immediately, and by their naked essence, but by means proportio­nate and suitable in instruments that they use; upon which account likely 'tis so strictly re­quired, that the Sorceress should believe, that so her imagination might be more at the devo­tion of the mischievous Agent. And for the same reason also Ceremonies are used in Inchantments, viz. for the begetting this diabolical faith, and heightning the fancy to a degree of strength and vigour sufficient to make it a fit instrument for the design'd performance. And these I think are reasons of likelihood and probability, why the hellish confederates are mostly the ignorant and the melancholick. To pass then to another prejudice.

(8) The frequent impostures that are met with in this kind, beget in some a belief, that all such relations are forgeries and tales; and if we urge the evidence of a story for the belief of Witches or Apparitions, they will produce two as seemingly strong and plausible, which shall con­clude in mistake or design; inferring thence, that all others are of the same quality and credit. But such arguers may please to consider,

(1) That a single relation for an Affirmative, sufficiently confirmed and attested, is worth a [Page 34] thousand tales of forgery and imposture, from whence cannot be concluded an universal ne­gative. So that, though all the Objectors stories be true, and an hundred times as many more such deceptions; yet one relation, wherein no fal­lacy or fraud could be suspected for our Affirma­tive, would spoil any Conclusion could be erect­ed on them. And

(2) It seems to me a belief sufficiently bold and precarious, that all these relations of forgery and mistake should be certain, and not one in millions of those which attest the affirmative reality, with circumstances as good as could be expected, or wish'd, should be true, but all fabulous and vain. And they have no reason to object credulity to the assertors of Sorcery and Witchcraft, that can swallow so large a morsel. And I desire such Objectors to con­sider,

(3) Whether it be fair to infer, that because there are some Cheats and Impostures, that there­fore there are no Realities. Indeed frequency of deceit and fallacy will warrant a greater care and caution in examining, and scrupulosity and shiness of assent to things wherein fraud hath been practised, or may in the least degree be suspected. But, to conclude, because that an old woman's fancy abused her, or some knavish [Page 35] fellows put tricks upon the ignorant and the timorous, that therefore whole Assises have been a thousand times deceived in judgments upon matters of fact, and numbers of sober persons have been forsworn in things wherein perjury could not advantage them; I say, such inferences are as void of reason, as they are of charity and good manners.

But it may be suggested further, (9) That it cannot be imagin'd what design the Devil should have in making those solemn compacts, since persons of such debauch'd and irreclaim­able dispositions as those with whom he is supposed to confederate, are pretty securely his, antecedently to the bargain, and cannot be more so by it, since they cannot put their souls out of possibility of the Divine Grace but by the Sin that is unpardonable; or, if they could so dis­pose and give away themselves, it will to some seem very unlikely, that a great and mighty Spirit should oblige himself to such obser­vances, and keep such a-do to secure the soul of a silly body, which 'twere odds but it would be His though He put himself to no further trouble than that of his ordinary temptations.

To which suggestions 'twere enough to say, that 'tis sufficient if the thing be well prov'd, [Page 36] though the design be not known. And to argue negatively à fine, is very unconclusive in such matters. The Laws and affairs of the other world (as hath been intimated) are vastly dif­fering from those of our Regions, and therefore 'tis no wonder we cannot judge of their designs, when we know nothing of their menages, and so little of their natures. The ignorant looker-on can't imagine what the Limner means by those seemingly rude lines and scrawls which he in­tends for the rudiments of a Picture; and the Figures of Mathematick Operation are non-sense, and dashes at a venture to one uninstructed in Mechanicks. We are in the dark to one another's purposes & intendments; and there are a thou­sand intrigues in our little matters, which will not presently confess their design even to saga­cious inquisitors. And therefore 'tis folly and in­cogitancy to argue any thing one way or other from the designs of a sort of Beings, with whom we so little communicate; and possibly we can take no more aim or guess at their projects and designments, than the gazing Beasts can do at ours, when they see the Traps and Gins that are laid for them, but understand nothing what they mean. Thus in general.

But I attempt something more particular­ly, in order to which I must premise that the [Page 37] Devil is a name for a Body Politick, in which there are very different Orders and Degrees of Spirits, and perhaps in as much variety of place and state, as among our selves; so that 'tis not one and the same person that makes all the compacts with those abused and seduced Souls, but they are divers, and those 'tis like of the meanest and basest quality in the Kingdom of darkness; which being supposed, I offer this account of the probable design of those wicked Agents, viz. That having none to rule or ty­rannize over within the Circle of their own na­ture and government, they affect a proud Empire over us (the desire of Dominion and Authority being largely spread through the whole cir­cumference of degenerated nature, especially a­mong those, whose pride was their original transgression) every one of these then desires to get him Vassals to pay him homage, and to be emploied like Slaves in the services of his lusts and appetites; to gratifie which desire, 'tis like enough to be provided and allowed by the constitution of their State and Government, that every wicked spirit shall have those Souls as his property, and particular servants and at­tendants, whom he can catch in such compacts, as those wild Beasts that we can take in hunting, are by the allowance of the Law [Page 38] our own; and those Slaves that a man hath purchas'd, are his peculiar goods, and the vas­sals of his will. Or rather those deluding Fiends are like the seducing fellows we call Spirits, who inveigle Children by their false and flattering promises, and carry them away to the Plantations of America, to be servilly em­ploied there in the works of their own profit and advantage. And as those base Agents will humour and flatter the simple unwary Youth, till they are on Ship-board, and without the reach of those that might rescue them from their hands: In like manner the more mis­chievous Tempter studies to gratifie, please, and accommodate to those he deals with in this kind, till death hath lanch'd them into the Deep, and they are past the danger of Prayers, Repentance, and Endeavours; and then He useth them as pleaseth Him. This account I think is not unreasonable, and 'twill fully answer the Objection. For though the matter be not as I have conjectur'd, yet 'twill suggest a way how it may be conceiv'd, which nulls the pretence, That the Design is inconceiveable.

But then we are still liable to be questi­on'd, (10) how it comes about, that those proud and insolent Designers practise in this [Page 39] kind upon so few, when one would expect, that they should be still trading this way, and everywhere be driving on the project, which the vileness of men makes so feisable, and would so much serve the interest of their lusts.

To which, among other things that might be suggested, I return, (1) That we are never liable to be so betraied and abused, till by our vile dispositions and tendencies we have for­feited the tutelary care and oversight of the better Spirits; which, though generally they are our guard and defence against the malice and violence of evil Angels, yet it may well enough be thought that sometimes they may take their leave of such as are swallowed up by malice, envy, and desire of revenge, qua­lities most contrary to their Life and Nature, and leave them exposed to the invasion and sollicitations of those wicked Spirits, to whom such hateful Attributes make them very suitable. And if there be particular guardian Angels, as 'tis not absurd to fancy, it may then well be supposed, that no man is obnoxious to those projects and attempts, but onely such whose vile and mischievous natures have driven from them their protecting Genius. And against this [Page 40] dereliction to the power of evil spirits, 'tis likely enough what some affirm, that the Royal Psal­mist directs that Prayer, Psal. 71. 9, 10. Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. For—They that keep my soul [ [...], as the LXX and the Vulgar Latin, Qui custodiunt animam meam] they take counsel together, saying, God hath for­saken him, persecute him and take him, for there is none to deliver him. But I adde, (2) That 'tis very probable, that the state wherein they are, will not easily permit palpable intercourses between the bad Genii and our nature, since 'tis like enough that their own Laws and Government do not allow their frequent excursions into this world. Or, it may with as great probability be supposed, that 'tis a very hard and painful thing for them, to force their thin and tenuious bodies into a visible consistence, and such shapes as are necessary for their designs in their corre­spondencies with Witches. For in this action their bodies must needs be exceedingly compress'd, which cannot be well supposed without a painful sense. And this is perhaps a reason why there are so few Ap­paritions, and why appearing spirits are com­monly in such haste to be gone, viz. that [Page 41] they may be deliver'd from the unnatural pres­sure of their tender Vehicles, which I confess holds more in the apparitions of good than of evil Spirits, most Relations of this kind, descri­bing their discoveries of themselves, as very transient, (though for those the Holy Scripture records, there may be peculiar Reasons why they are not so) whereas the wicked ones are not altogether so quick and hasty in their Visits: The reason of which probably is, the great subtilty and tenuity of the bodies of the former, which will require far greater degrees of compression, and consequently of pain, to make them visi­ble; whereas the latter, are more foeculent and gross, and so nearer allyed to palpable consisten­cies, and more easily reduceable to appearance and visibility.

At this turn, Sir, you may perceive that I have again made use of the Platonick Hypothesis, That Spirits are Embodyed, upon which indeed a great part of my Discourse is grounded: And therefore I hold my self obliged to a short ac­count of that supposal. It seems then to me very probable from the Nature of Sense, and A­nalogie of Nature For (1.) We perceive in our selves, that all Sense is caus'd and excited by motion made in matter; And when those motions which convey sensible impressions to the [Page 42] Brain, the Seat of Sense, are intercepted, Sense is lost: So that, if we suppose Spirits perfectly to be disjoyn'd from all matter, 'tis not concei­vable how they can have the sense of any thing: For how material Objects should any way be perceiv'd, or felt without vital union with mat­ter, 'tis not possiblè to imagine. Nor doth it (2.) seem suitable to the Analogie of Nature, which useth not to make precipitious leaps from one thing to another, but usually proceeds by orderly steps and gradations: whereas were there no order of Beings between us, who are so deeply plunged into the grossest matter, and pure unbodied Spirits, 'twere a mighty jump in Nature. Since then the greatest part of the World consists of the finer portions of matter, and our own Souls are immediately united unto these, 'tis infinitely probable to conjecture, that the nearer orders of Spirits are vitally joyn'd to such Bodies. And so Nature by Degrees ascen­ding still by the more refin'd and subtile matter, gets at last to the pure [...] or immaterial minds, which the Platonists made the highest Order of created Beings. But of this I have discoursed else-where, and have said thus much of it at present, because it will enable me to add ano­ther Reason of the unfrequency of Apparitions and Compacts, viz.

[Page 43] (3.) Because 'tis very likely, that these Regi­ons are very unsuitable, and disproportion'd to the frame and temper of their Senses and Bodies; so that perhaps, the Courser Spirits can no more bear the Air of our World, then Batts and Owls can the brightest beams of Day. Nor can the Purer and Better any more endure the noysom steams, and poysonous reeks of this Dunghil Earth, then the Delicate can bear a confinement in na­sty Dungeons, and the foul squallid Caverns of uncomfortable Darkness So that 'tis no more wonder, that the better Spirits no oftner ap­pear, than that men are not more frequently in the Dark Hollows under ground. Nor is't any more strange that evil Spirits so rarely visit us, then that Fishes do not ordinarily fly in the Air, as 'tis said one sort of them doth; or that we see not the Batt daily fluttering in the beams of the Sun. And now by the help of what I have spoken under this Head, I am provided with some things wherewith to disable another Objection, which I thus propose:

(XI.) If there be such an intercourse between Evil Spirits and the Wicked, how comes it about that there is no correspondence between Good Spi­rits and the Vertuous? since without doubt, these are as desirous to propagate the Spirit and De­signes of the upper and better World, as those are [Page 44] to promote the Interest of the Kingdom of Dark­ness.

Which way of arguing is still from our Ig­norance of the State and Government of the other World, which must be confest, and may, with­out prejudice to the Proposition I defend. But particularly, I say, (1.) That we have ground enough to believe, that Good Spirits do inter­pose in, yea, and govern our Affairs. For that there is a Providence reaching from Heaven to Earth, is generally acknowledg'd; but that this supposeth all things to be order'd by the immediate influence, and interposal of the Supreme Deity, is not very Philosophical to suppose; since if we judge by the Analogie of the Natural World, all things we see are carried on by the Ministry of Second Causes, and intermediate A­gents. And it doth not seem so Magnificent and Becoming an apprehension of the Supreme Numen, to phancy His immediate Hand in every trivial Management. But 'tis exceeding like­ly to conjecture, that much of the Government of us, and our Affairs, is committed to the bet­ter Spirits, with a due subordination and subservi­ency to the Will of the chief Rector of the Uni­verse. And 'tis not absurd to believe, that there is a Government runs from Highest to Lowest, the better and more perfect orders of Being, still ru­ling [Page 45] the inferiour and less perfect. So that some one would phancy that perhaps the Angels may manage us, as we do the Creatures that God and Nature have placed under our Empire and Dominion. But however that is, That God rules the lower World by the Ministry of Angels, is very consonant to the sacred Oracles. Thus, Deut. XXXII. viii, ix. When the Most High divided the Nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people, [...], according to the number of the Angels of God, as the Septuagint renders it; the Authority of which Translation, is abundant­ly credited and asserted, by its being quoted in the New Testament, without notice of the He­brew Text, even there where it differs from it, as learned men have observ'd. We know also, that Angels were very familiar with the Patriarchs of old; and Iacob's Ladder is a Mystery, which im­ports their ministring in the affairs of the Lower World. Thus Origen and others understand, that to be spoken by the Presidential Angels, Jer. LI. ix. We would have healed BABYLON, but she is not healed, forsake her, and let us go. Like the Voyce heard in the Temple before the taking of Ierusalem by Titus, [...]. And before Nebuchadnezzar was sent to learn Wisdome and Religion among the Beasts, He [Page 46] sees a Watcher, according to the 70. an Angel, and an holy One come down from heaven, Dan. IV. xiii. who pronounceth the sad Decree against Him, and calls it the Decree of the Watchers, who very probably were the Guardian Genii of Him­self and his Kingdome. And that there are par­ticular Angels that have the special Rule and Go­vernment of particular Kingdomes, Provinces, Ci­ties, yea and of Persons, I know nothing that can make improbable: The instance is noto­rious in Daniel, of the Angels of Persia and Grae­cia, that hindred the other that was engaged for the concerns of Iudaea; yea, our Saviour Him­self tells us, that Children have their Angels, and the Congregation of Disciples supposed that St. Peter had his. Which things, if they be gran­ted, the good Spirits have not so little to do with us, and our matters, as is generally be­lieved. And perhaps it would not be absurd, if we referr'd many of the strange thwarts, and unexpected events, the disappointments and lucky coincidences that befal us, the unaccountable for­tunes and successes that attend some lucky men, and the unhappy fates that dog others that seem born to be miserable; the Fame and Favour that still waits on some without any conceivable mo­tive to allure it, and the general neglect of others more deserving, whose worth is not acknowledg'd; [Page 47] I say, these, and such like odde things, may with the greatest probability be resolv'd into the Con­duct and Menages of those invisible Supervisors, that preside over, and govern our affairs.

But if they so far concern themselves in our mat­ters, how is it that they appear not to maintain a visible and confest correspondence with some of the better Mortals, who are most fitted for their Communications and their influence? To which I have said some things already, when I accoun­ted for the unfrequency of Apparitions; and I now add what I intend for another return to the main Objection, viz.

(2.) That the apparition of good Spirits is not needful for the Designes of the better World, whatever such may be for the interest of the other. For we have had the Appearance and Co­habitation of the Son of God, we have Moses and the Prophets, and the continued influence of the Spirit, the greatest Arguments to strengthen Faith, the most powerful Motives to excite our Love, and the Noblest Encouragements to quicken and raise our desires and hopes, any of which are more than the apparition of an Angel; which would indeed be a great gratification of the A­nimal Life, but 'twould render our Faith less noble and less generous, were it frequently so assisted: Blessed are they that believe, and yet have [Page 48] not seen. Besides which, the good Angels have no such ends to prosecute, as the gaining any Vassals to serve them, they being ministring Spi­rits for our good, and no self-designers for a proud and insolent Dominion over us. And it may be perhaps not impertinently added, That they are not always evil Spirits that appear, as is, I know not well upon what grounds, generally ima­gined; but that the extraordinary detections of Murders, latent Ireasures, falsified and unfulfill'd Bequests, which are sometimes made by Appa­ritions, may be the courteous Discoveries of the better, and more benign Genii. Yea, 'tis not unlikely, that those Warnings that the World sometimes hath of approaching Iudgments and Calamities by Prodigies, and sundry odd Phaeno­mena, are the kind Informations of some of the Inhabitants of the upper World. Thus, was Ierusalem forewarned before its sacking by An­tiochus, by those Aiery Horsemen that were seen through all the City, for almost forty days to­gether, 2 Mac V. ii, iii. And the other Prodigious Portents that fore-ran its Destruction by Titus: which I mention, because they are notorious in­stances. And though, for mine own part, I scorn the ordinary Tales of Prodigies, which pro­ceed from superstitious fears, and unacquaintance with Nature, and have been used to bad pur­poses [Page 49] by the Iealous and the Ignorant; Yet I think that the Arguments that are brought by a late very ingenious Author, to conclude against such Warnings and Predictions in the whole kind, are short and inconsequent, and built upon too narrow Hypothesis. For if it be supposed, that there is a sort of Spirits over us, and about us, who can give a probable guess at the more remarkable futurities, I know not why it may not be conjectured, that the kindness they have for us, and the appetite of fore-telling strange things, and the putting the World upon expe­ctation, which we find is very grateful to our own Natures, may not incline them also to give us some general notice of those uncom­mon Events which they foresee. And I yet perceive no reason we have to phancy, that whatever is done in this kind, must needs be either immediately from Heaven, or from the An­gels by extraordinary commission and appointment. But it seems to me not unreasonable to believe, that those officious Spirits, that oversee our affairs, perceiving some mighty and sad alterations at hand, in which their Charge is much concern­ed, cannot chuse, by reason of their affection to us, but give us some seasonable hints of those ap­proaching Calamities; to which also their natu­ral desire to fore-tell strange things to come, may [Page 50] contribute to incline them. And by this Hy­pothesis, the fairest probabilities, and strongest ra­tiotinations against Prodigies, may be made un­serviceable. But this onely by the way. I pro­ceed to the next Objection, which may be made to speak thus:

(XII.) The belief of Witches, and the wonder­ful things they are said to perform by the help of the Confederate Daemon, weakens our Faith, and ex­poseth the World to lnfidelity in the great matters of our Religion. For if They by Diabolical assi­stance, can inflict and cure Diseases, and do things so much beyond the comprehension of our Philo­sophy, and activity of common Nature; What as­surance can we have, that the Miracles that con­firm our Gospel were not the effects of a Compact of like nature, and that Devils were not cast out by Beelzebub? If evil Spirits can assume Bodies, and render themselves visible in humane likeness; What security can we have of the reality of the Re­surrection of Christ? And if, by their help, Witches can enter Chambers invisibly through Key-holes, and little unperceived Cranneys, and transform themselves at pleasure; What Arguments of Divinity are there in our Saviour's shew­ing himself in the midst of his Disciples, when the Doors were shut, and his Transfiguration in the Mount? Miracles are the great inducements of [Page 51] Belief, and How shall we distinguish a Miracle from a Lying Wonder; a Testimony from Hea­ven, from a Trick of the Angels of Hell; if they can perform things that astonish and confound our Reasons, and are beyond all the Possibilities of Humane Nature? This Objection is spiteful and mischievous, but I thus endeavour to dis­patch it.

(1.) The Wonders done by Confederacy with wicked Spirits, cannot derive a suspition upon the undoubted Miracles that were wrought by the Author & Promulgers of our Religion, as if they were performed by Diabolical Compact, since their Spirit, Endeavours and Designes were no­toriously contrary to all the Tendencies, Aims and Interests of the Kingdome of Darkness. For, as to the Life and Temper of the Blessed and Adorable IESUS, we know there was an incomparable sweetness in his Nature, Humility in his Manners, Calmness in his Temper, Compas­sion in his Miracles, Modesty in his Expressions, Holiness in all his Actions, Hatred of Vice and Baseness, and Love to all the World; all which are essentially contrary to the Nature and Consti­stitution of Apostate Spirits, who abound in Pride and Rancour, Insolence and Rudeness, Ty­ranny and Baseness, universal Malice, and Hatred of Men. And their Designes are as opposite, as [Page 52] their Spirit and their Genius. And now, Can the Sun borrow its Light from the bottomless Abyss? Can Heat and Warmth flow in upon the World from the Regions of Snow and Ice? Can Fire freeze, and Water burn? Can Natures, so infinitely contrary, communicate, and jump in projects, that are destructive to each others known Interests? Is there any Balsome in the Cocka­trice's Egge? or, Can the Spirit of Life flow from the Venome of the Asp? Will the Prince of Darkness strengthen the Arm that is stretcht out to pluck his Usurp't Scepter, and his Spoyls from him? And will he lend his Legions, to assist the Armies of his Enemy against him? No, these are impossible Supposals; No intelligent Be­ing will industriously and knowingly contri­bute to the Contradiction of its own Principles, the Defeature of its Purposes, and the Ruine of its own dearest Interests. There is no fear then, that our Faith should receive prejudice from the acknowledgment of the Being of Witches, and power of evil Spirits, since 'tis not the doing won­derful things that is the onely Evidence that the Holy IESUS was from God, and his Doctrine true; but the conjunction of other circumstan­ces, the holiness of his Life, the reasonableness of his Religion, and the excellency of his Designes, added credit to his Works, and strengthned the [Page 53] great Conclusion, That he could be no other than the Son of God, and Saviour of the World. But besides, I say,

(2.) That since infinite Wisdome and Goodness rules the World, it cannot be conceiv'd, that they should give up the greatest part of men to unavoidable deception. And if evil Angels, by their Confederates, are permitted to perform such astonishing things, as seem so evidently to carry God's Seal and Power with them, for the confir­mation of Falshoods, and gaining credit to Im­postors, without any counter-evidence to disabuse the World; Mankind is exposed to sad and fatal delusion. And to say that Providence will suffer us to be deceived in things of the greatest concernment, when we use the best of our care and endeavours to prevent it, is to speak hard things of God; and in effect to affirm, That He hath nothing to do in the Government of the World, or doth not concern Himself in the af­fairs of poor forlorn Men. And if the Provi­dence and Goodness of God be not a security unto us against such Deceptions, we cannot be assured, but that we are always abused by those mischie­vous Agents, in the Objects of plain sense, and in all the matters of our dayly Converses. If ONE that pretends he is immediately sent from God, to overthrow the ancient Fabrick of Established [Page 54] Worship, and to erect a New Religion in His Name; shall be born of a Virgin, and honour'd by a miraculous Star; proclaimed by a Song of seeming Angels of Light, and Worshipped by the wise Sages of the World; Revered by those of the greatest austerity, and admired by all for a miraculous Wisdome, beyond his Education and his Years: If He shall feed Multitudes with al­most nothing, and fast himself beyond all the pos­sibilities of Nature: If He shall be transformed into the appearance of extraordinary Glory, and converse with departed Prophets in their visible Forms: If He shall Cure all Diseases without Physick or Endeavour, and raise the Dead to Life after they have stunk in their Graves: If He shall be honoured by Voyces from Heaven, and attract the universal Wonder of Princes and People: If he shall allay Tempests with a Beck, and cast out Devils with a Word: If He shall fore-tell his own Death particularly, with its Tragical Circumstances, and his Resurrection after it: If the Veil of the most Famous Temple in the World shall be rent, and the Sun darkened at his Funeral: If He shall, within the time fore­told, break the bonds of Death, and lift up his Head out of the Grave: If Multitudes of other departed Souls shall arise with Him, to attend at the Solemnity of His Resurrection: If He shall [Page 55] after Death, visibly converse with, eat and drink with, divers persons, who could not be decei­ved in a matter of clear sense, and ascend in Glory in the presence of an astonisht and admiring Multitude: I say, if such a One as this should prove a Diabolical Impostor, and Providence should permit him to be so credited and ac­knowledged; What possibility were there then for us to be assured, that we are not always de­ceived? yea, that our very Faculties were not gi­ven us onely to delude and abuse us? And if so, the next Conclusion is, That there is no God that judgeth in the Earth; and the best, and most likely Hypothesis will be, That the World is given up to the Government of the Devils. But if there be a Providence that superviseth us, (as nothing is more certain) doubtless, it will never suffer poor helpless Creatures to be inevitably deceived, by the craft and subtilty of their mischievous Ene­my, to their undoing; but will without questi­on take such care, that the works wrought by Divine Power for the Confirmation of Divine Truth, shall have such visible Marks and Signa­tures, if not in their Nature, yet in their Circum­stances, Ends and Designes, as shall discover whence they are, and sufficiently distinguish them from all Impostures and Delusions. And though wicked Spirits may perform some strange [Page 56] things that may excite wonder for a while, yet He hath, and will so provide, that they shall be baffled and discredited; as we know it was in the case of Moses and the Aegyptian Magicians.

Now, besides what I have directly said to the Objection, I have this to adde to the Objectors, That I could wish they would take care of such Suggestions; which, if they overthrow not the Opinion they oppose, will dangerously affront the Religion they would seem to acknowledge. For he that saith, That if there are WITCHES, there is no way to prove that Christ Jesus was not a Magician, and Diabolical Impostor; puts a dead­ly Weapon into the hands of the Infidel, and is himself next door to the SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST: of which, in order to the per­swading greater tenderness and caution in such matters, I give this short account.

The Sin against the Holy Ghost is said to be Unpardonable; by which sad Attribute, and the Discourse of our Saviour, Mat. XII. from the xxii. to the xxxiii ver. we may understand its Nature: In order to which we consider, That since the Mercies of God, and the Merits of his Son, are infinite, there is nothing can make a Sin unpardonable, but what makes it incurable; and there is no Sin but what is curable by a strong [Page 57] Faith, and a vigorus Endeavour: For all things are possible to him that believeth. So that, that which makes a Sin incurable, must be somewhat that makes Faith impossible, and obstructs all means of Conviction. In order to the finding which, we must consider the ways and methods the Divine Goodness hath taken for the beget­ting Faith, and cure of Infidelity: which it at­tempted, first, by the Prophets, and holy men of antient times; who, by the excellency of their Doctrine, the greatness of their Miracles, and the holiness of their Lives, endeavoured the convi­ction and reformation of a stubborn and un­believing World. But though Few believed their report, and men would not be prevail'd on by what they did, or what they said, yet their In­fidelity was not hitherto incurable, because fur­ther means were provided in the Ministry of Iohn the Baptist, whose Life was more severe, whose Doctrines were more plain, pressing and particular; and therefore 'twas possible that He might have succeeded. Yea, and where He failed, and could not open mens hearts and their eyes, the Effect was still in possibility, and it might be expected from Him that came after, to whom the Prophets and Iohn were but the Twilight and the Dawn. And though His mi­raculous Birth, the Song of Angels, the Iourney of [Page 58] the Wise Men of the East, and the correspondence of Prophesies, with the Circumstances of the first appearance of the Wonderful Infant: I say, though these had not been taken notice of, yet was there a further provision made for the cure of Infidelity, in his astonishing Wisdom, and most ex­cellent Doctrines; For, He spake as never Man did. And when These were despised and negle­cted, yet there were other means towards Con­viction, and Cure of Unbelief, in those mighty Works that bore Testimony of Him, and ware the evident marks of Divine Power in their fore­heads. But when after all, these clear and un­questionable Miracles which were wrought by the Spirit of God, and had eminently his Super­scription on them, shall be ascribed to the Agency of evil Spirits, and Diabolical Compact, as they were by the malicious and spightful Pharisees in the periods above-mentioned; when those great and last Testimonies against Infidelity, shall be said to be but the Tricks of Sorcery, and Complot­ment with Hellish Confederates, This is Blasphe­my in the highest, against the Power and Spirit of God, and such as cuts off all means of Convicti­on, and puts the Unbeliever beyond all possibili­ties of Cure. For Miracles are God's Seal, and the great and last evidence of the truth of any Do­ctrine. And though, while these are onely dis­believed [Page 59] as to the Fact, there remains a possibility of perswasion; yet, when the Fact shall be ac­knowledg'd, but the Power blasphemed, and the effects of the adorable Spirit maliciously imputed to the Devils; such a Blasphemy, such an Infideli­ty is incurable, and consequently unpardonable. I say, in sum, the Sin against the Holy Ghost seems to be a malicious imputation of the Miracles wrought by the Spirit of God in our Saviour to Satanical Confederacy, and the power of Apo­state Spirits; Than which, nothing is more blasphemous, and nothing is more like to pro­voke the Holy Spirit that is so abused to an Eternal Dereliction of so Vile and so Incurable an Unbeliever.

This account, as 'tis clear and reasonable in it self, so it is plainly lodg'd in the mention'd Discourse of our Saviour. And those that speak other things about it, seem to me to talk at ran­dome, and perfectly without book. But to leave them to the fondness of their own conceits, I think it now time to draw up to a Conclusion of the whole.

Therefore briefly, Sir, I have endeavoured in these Papers, which my respect and your concernment in the subject have made yours, to remove the main prejudices I could think of, a­gainst the existence of Witches and Apparitions; [Page 60] and I'm sure I have suggested much more a­gainst what I defend, than ever I heard or saw in any that opposed it; whose Discourses, for the most part, have seemed to me inspired by a lofty scorn of common belief, and some trivial Notions of Vulgar Philosophy. And in despising the Common Faith about matters of Fact, and fondly adhering to it in things of Speculation, they very grosly and absurdly mistake: For in things of Fact, the People are as much to be be­liev'd as the most subtile Philosophers and Spe­culators; since here, Sense is the Judge. But in matters of Notions and Iheory, They are not at all to be heeded, because Reason is to be Judge of these, and this they know not how to use. And yet thus it is with those wise Philosophers, that will deny the plain evidence of the Senses of Mankind, because they cannot reconcile appea­rances with the fond Crotchets of a Philoso­phy which they lighted on in the High-way by chance, and will adhere to at adventure. So that I profess, for mine own part, I never yet heard any of the confident Declaimers against Witch­craft and Apparitions, speak any thing that might move a mind, in any degree instructed in the generous kinds of Philosophy, and Nature of things. And for the Objections I have recited, they are such as rise out of mine own thoughts, [Page 61] which I obliged to consider what was possible to be said upon this cccasion, For though I have examined Scot's Discovery, phancying that there I should find the strong reasons of mens dis-belief in this matter; yet I profess I met not with the least suggestion in all that Farrago, but what it had been ridiculous for me to have gone about to answer: For the Author doth little but tell odd Tales, and silly Legends, which he confutes and laughs at, and pretends this to be a Confu­tation of the Being of Witches and Apparitions: In all which, His Reasonings are trifling and Childish; and when He ventures at Philosophy, He is little better than absurd: So that 'twill be a Wonder to me, if any but Boys and Buffoons imbibe any Prejudices against a Be­lief so infinitely Confirmed, from the Loose and Impotent Suggestions of so weak a Dis­courser.

And now, Sir, 'tis fit that I relieve your pa­tience; and I shall do so, when I have said, that You can abundantly prove, what I have but attempted to defend: And that among the many Obligations your Country hath to you, for the Wisdome and Diligence of your Endeavours in its service; your Ingenious In­dustry for the Detecting of those Vile Practicers, [Page 62] is not the least considerable. To which I will add no more, but the Confession who it is that hath given you all this trouble; which I know you are ready to pardon, to the respect and good Intentions of

SIR,
Your Affectionate and Obliged Honourer and Servant, J. G.

Advertisements of some Books printed for and sold by James Collins at his Shop in Westminster-Hall, 1667.

FLora Ceres & Pomona, or a Compleat Flo­rilege furnished with all requisites belong­ing to a Florist, by Iohn Rea, Gent. fol.

Bentivolio and Uranica, wrote by N. Ingelo, D. D. fol.

Forty Sermons preached by the late learned and famous Anthony Farrindon, B. D. fol.

Bishop Hall's Works in three Volumes, fol.

The Compleat Angler, shewing the whole Art of Fishing in our English Rivers, &c. 8o

Mercurius Centralis, a Discourse of Subter­raneal Treasure, 12.

A Sermon preached before the Peers in the Abby. Church at Westminster, upon the 10th of October, 1666. being a Fast ordered by His Majestie, in Consideration of the late Dread­ful Fire, that consumed the greater part of the City of London, by Seth Lord Bishop of Exon. in 4o.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.