which is nevertheless the common belief of all the Pagans which is received among the Jews and has not been confuted sufficiently by the primitive Christians among whom are found some who have expresly taught it Sect. 7. But the Pagans differ from the Mahometans and Christians chiefly in two points First That they mix and confound together the supream God with other superior and inferior Gods good and bad and also the Souls of Men with all those Gods in such a confused manner that it is impossible to comprehend any thing and that it is a Labyrinth from whence they cannot extricate themselves On the contrary the Jews and Mahometans agree with the Christians in this point that there is one only God and that all that is besides him has been created by him Second In that that not only they make no great difficulty to deify Men but that they make also the Gods return to the condition of Men and that they believe there are Men the issue of the Gods there are some of these errors which the Papists cannot boast of being entirely free from for they may reasonably be reproached that they have substituted their Saints to these imaginary Gods and to those Demons of the Pagans That they speak of Saints as the Pagans do of their Gods that they make them act in the same manner that these false Deities were supposed to act But pure Christianity such as has been in all times upon this point never make Gods a Man nor never raises Man to the dignity of God Sect. 8. There is notwithstanding some point upon which the Protestants are not agreed and upon which nevertheless the Papists the primitive Christians the Jews the Mahometans and all the Pagans agree viz. The Tutelary Gods of the Pagans who were the guardian Angels in the first Christianity We have lately seen they are admitted without contestation among the Papists the Protestants in general are not disposed to receive this Opinion those of the profession of France Holland and Swisserland reject it and nevertheless there are some but very few that admit it or at least believe not that there are sufficient reasons to oppose it we shall examine afterwards which is the soundest of these Opinions In the mean while we must take notice before hand that what the Papists teach upon this subject together with some of other Christians that are not of their Communion relates more to the light and knowledge which they suppose that those Spirits communicate to them than real help they can expect in their actions and in their manner of living for it is rarely seen or to say better it is never seen that the People ascribe a considerable deliverance or a great oppression that befal them to an Angel either their keeper or their enemy but they never fail to ascribe it immediatly to the providence of God or if they sometimes turn their Eyes to another side the Papists as to their particular refer all the good that happens to them to the protection of some great Saint especially to that of the Virgin Mary but the Protestants lest they should seem to favour the belief of the Popish Saints would rather say if occasion serves that the Devil was the Author of it Sect. 9. There is also a difference to be taken notice of betwixt the Heathens on one side the Jews and the Mahometans on the other and all the Christians on another it is chiefly in the practice of Witchcraft and Divination which according to the principles of the first is a laudable practice in it self althô often abused as a great many good things are according to the principles of the second it is only allow'd and useful in many occasions and according to the last it is directly opposite to Christianity The reason of it is that the Pagans hold for Gods or at least for Ministers and Ambassadors of the Gods Spirits which are lookt upon by Christians as unpure Spirits and that the Jews and the Mahometans cause to proceed from the Virtue of the Caballa and the influences of the Stars whatever the Christians take to be Magick Witchcraft or Enchantments It is true that in the time of Ancient Paganism the Mathematicians have been put into the rank of Poisoners and that both were treated as persons equally pernicious to whom it was forbidden to exercise their art as being unlawful But the occasion of these prohibitions was only founded upon the ill use that was made of this Art which had been before not only permitted but even much esteem'd At this time the Christians have no longer any aversion for the name of Mathematician but that of Poysoner never received any good interpretation no that words are here to be disputed for 't is of things that we treat and we are to examine them and not words Perhaps there will be occasion to have some regard to them in our third Book where without doubt it will be necessary to speak fully of these terms and of many others Sect. 10. Let 's now see what conformity is found among all these People together Pagans Jews Mahometans Christians both Ancient and Modern Roman Catholicks Protestants and others They all confess First That there are Spirits distinct from God and bodies for thô some contrive yet another kind of Spirits as we have said it is one of the points in dispute among them and now we are about to seek wherein they agree together Second That there natures are different some absolutely subsisting without body as Angels and others being united to a body as Souls Third That however both are mortal Fourth That of such Spirits as are united to a body some are good to Men and others bad Fifth That therefore Man has reason to seek the friendship of good Spirits that is the Angels and to take all possible care to divert from him evil Spirits which are Devils Sixth That an infinite happiness or misery attends Men after this life Seventh That likewise of the Souls of the deceased some are bad and some good and holy thô they seem not to explain themselves always in the same manner sometimes upon one of the points and sometimes upon the other it i◠nevertheless certain considering the bottom of the matter that their sentiments are agreeable see then in what consists the conformity of the Opinions in general of all Nations and in what they differ We have now to examine what is true or what not in all that has been related and it is for that purpose I design my second and third Book according to the division I have established before Chapter the first Sect. 8. However we shall yet see what cautions may be drawn from all that has been said CHAP. XXIV That all that has been related shews upon what foundation the Christians in general and the Protestants in particular say such extraordinary things of the Devil Sect. 1. BEfore I pass to my second Book where I shall examine what is purely
blameable for not sticking to the vulgar explications I had formerly follow'd and preferring before them those of some Persons who have not done what I now suppose to be obliged to do Yet I am not alone in these Opinions for they are agreeable to those of many others some of whom have appear'd in the World even after me And though they have produced and asserted in Writing those new Interpretations and Translations of the Bible but by way of Exercises and to shew what subtilty and parts they acquir'd in their Youth by the alteration of such Expositions as had learned Men for their Authors yet as for me methinks that in my old Age I ought to make use of my own Eyes and to speak with liberty As for the rest if there are amongst us who to multiply the proofs of our Opinion and diminish those of the contrary Party stretch the Holy Scripture too far that 's their own fault and not ours We presume to be provided with better Arms to dcfend the Fundamental Truths of the Church But it must be observ'd as a general fault that the reading of the Bible is undertaken with a Mind full of its own prejudices or those of its Masters and that 't is generally explain'd according to those Notions without any other Reason or Ground but that of chance or of some cases that have occasioned the choice of such parts as is then followed I take the Vail from those prejudices and shew what Method is to be observ'd to undertake the explication of the Holy Writ without any prevention For I hold it for certain that none would have explain'd such passages of the said Writings as I here treat of so as they are usually Interpreted had he not been imbu'd with a prejudice of the great and extraordinary power of the Devil or had he not intended to confute some particular Errors I have already proofs of it for several learn'd and pious Persons have very much approv'd of my Method of examining those Texts and the searching into their Sense and having treated in my Sermons of the chief Points of this subject I am inform'd that many People shew a great impatience to see my Writings upon it I have frequently been in Conversations where the most important matters especially those that are contain'd in my second and third Book were discuss'd and they seem'd partly satisfi'd with my Explications and in hopes of being fully convinc'd by those they expected from me I refer my self to their Judgment to know whether their expectation has been deceived or fulfill'd being persuaded that if they do not agree to some particulars yet they will approve of my intention and contribute their utmost that the greatest part of the things I propose may be receiv'd and relish'd If I were so capricious as to disturb my self on account of what may be said and believ'd of my design and to make more of the number than of the quality of the Readers I should undergo great hardships For I doubt not but most Men having little meditated upon this matter will think that I commit a great Sin in publishing this Treatise not however in reference to the first Book where I only relate the various Opinions of the several Nations from very credible Authors without declaring my own Sentiments or confuting those of others Neither do I believe that the two last parts will be found fault with but only the second where the most important Doctrines are discuss'd will raise some difficulty and not please every one It will especially seem strange that I make so little account of the Devil and endue him with such an inconsiderable Power For matters have been carried so far that some Men think it a piece of Piety to ascribe many Miraculous Effects to the Devil and to hold for rash and impious People those that cannot believe that he does what is testified by thousands of Witnesses If any contradict their Opinion he is taken for an Atheist that is such as denies the Existence of one God tho' he is only guilty of the Crime of not believing two viz. a good and a bad But those that are of your Mind deserve themselves to be called Ditheists or such as believe two Gods as the Arians got the name of Tritheists because they believ'd three Gods of different nature If any desire to put a new name upon me in reference to my Opinions I willingly yield to that of Monotheists that is who believes but one God and one Saviour Jesus Christ upon whose words I wholly trust where he says Fear not them who kills the Body but fear him who can destroy both Soul and Body Mat. 10.28 I fear him much less who has no power either over Body or Soul and trouble not more my head with the judgments of those Judg 6.13 In the name of the Lord the God of hosts I encounter that Goliah let 's see who will lend him a helping hand It any think to have reasons so strong as to confute my Opinion I desire him to propound them with as much softness as I am favourably dispos'd to hear them but at the same time I intreat him to spare to himself and to me an unprofitable labour and to wait till he have read the whole work from the beginning to the end before he makes his objections By those means he shall perfectly know whether those particular and private places which he has read and with which he had not been satisfyd have afterwards been explain'd and made worthier of his approbation by the concatenation of the whole Treatise and the reasons contain'd in it For it would be troublesome to view and examine again all the places of my Answers I would quote So that it must not be take ill if I give none to those that shall follow another Method and would make me waste with them the time that can be better spent Revis'd enlarg'd and given to the Printer March 16. 1691 May 26. 1691 August 1. 1691 I may assure here that nothing has ben taken off from what is contain'd in the Edition of Leeuwarden It 's true something has been added in some places for the better understanding of the matter as may be seen at the end of the Original where a whole Chapter has been added in which the last Chapter of the Friesland Edition is compriz'd It seeming to me it was convenient to inlarge a little more in that place more exactly to shew the use and design of the search I make in this First Book after the various opinions of all Nations and better to discover the foundation of those prejudices that have so long kept us from examining the true state of the matters contain'd in the following Parts Many other additions have been made to the French Translation which it is not needful precisely to mark The curious may compare the Translation with the Original AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE Whole Work What hath been the design of the
it was possible that whatever the Vulgar and the Learned say of Devils and whatever they ascribe to them were true I would not have spar'd so much time as to search into this matter had not I perceiv'd that the Opinions of most Men and perhaps of all the World are only grounded upon an unsure and wavering Foundation This has moved me impartially to examine several things which my Calling and common Conversation offered to me This examination forced my Mind to reject many Opinions which I had admitted at first only because they were common though grounded upon insufficient Reasons as I came by degrees to be sensible of so that I find that at present I know much less than I formerly imagined to do especially as to the subject in hand This however I do not say with a design to Censure or Destroy what others have Written I only intend to joyn my Thoughts to theirs for a fuller Instruction of such Readers as love Truth and are enquiring after it Sect. 2. I am not afraid to mistake if I say that whatever belongs to this matter has not been exhausted Those that have written upon it before having been somewhat retarded by Prejudices that stick to their Mind though they had freed themselves of many others for I own they have proceeded so far as to destroy most of the works of the Devil at least so far as 't was necessary to free Men from Superstition and frivolous Fears But as for me I would if it were possible altogether overthrow them and not leave one Stone upon another that should not be demolished And therefore I 'll try whether I can bring my Countrymen to my Opinion especially those of my Profession desiring them to read this Treatise with as little prejudice as I have written and not to suffer themselves to be persuaded by other Reasons but such as proceed from Natural Light from a clear Interpretation of the Holy Scripture and from certain Experiments I have right to require these Conditions from the Reader since they cannot be rejected by any Rational Person that they are a Law to which I submit my self and that the great consequence of the matter requires them Sect. 3. I am Confident and I hope that the Reader will more plainly perceive it hereafter that no point of the Christian Religion is more important than this and that no certain and sufficient proofs may be had of all the others than by rejecting the Opinion commonly receiv'd amongst the Vulgar concerning the Craft and Power of the Devil Can it be imagin'd a small Matter to know whether the Devil has a Kingdom upon Earth and what are the Limits that separate his Dominions from that of God Almighty Or is 〈◊〉 unserviceable to examine whether such a cursed and detestable Creature can do more wonderful things than God ever did and consequently whether the trust we repose in God and the fear we have of the Devil ought to be equal Such Thoughts ought never to enter into a Christian Heart yet they creep into it unawares at least I think so and can scarce doubt of it for the more I search into this matter the more it seems evident to me that whoever entirely believes all that it used to be ascrib'd to the Devils and his Angels and all that is commonly said of them both by the Learned and the Vulgar saving the bottom of the Doctrine publickly receiv'd and taught in our Church he can have no convincing proof that JESVS is the Messiah or that there is but one God And if in this Writing I do not make the Reader very sensible of it I grant that I have composed it to no purpose Sect. 4. But if I succeed it will at the same time plainly appear that it was altogether necessary to publish this Treatise because the Vulgar are still confirm'd in their Errors by Men of Letters and of great Name who being full themselves of those prejudices make use of their Tongue and Learning to lead others into the same Labyrinth To that end they wrest several Expressions and Histories of the Holy Scripture which being not accurately examined nor conferr'd with others give a great probability to the common Opinion concerning the Devil but if taken in the ordinary Sense they prove evidently oppos'd to other clear Expressions concerning the Fundamental Articles of our Faith It follows that such a Sense cannot subsist without overthrowing the grounds of our Salvation that I can hardly bear since a long time the nicety with which Points of small consequence or at least of little certainty use to be treated of since one cannot discuss them without getting into a suspicion of entertaining Erroneous Opinions whilst in the mean time we are not yet agreed upon Matters of the utmost consequence or if we are agreed upon them it 't is without any foundation And therefore since none was ever found fault with for defending an Article of Faith or giving out a new Explication of it so I persuade my self that I do well by publishing the Illustrations upon a matter on which the whole Edifice of our Salvation is grounded in order that whoever will carefully and impartially examine it may become Wiser and Learneder Sect. 5. As to what concerns this Book I will at first set down the subject matter of it before the Reader The design is to examine to the bottom what the Devil can do and what he really doth that is How far his Knowledge extends either in Natural or Supernatural Things Either as to the Presence as it is conceal'd from Men or as to the Future as it is contingent or possible and not necessary Moreover what Direction or Power he has to operate in Nature what Communication he has with Men with the Human Soul and with all sorts of Bodies That he should transmute himself into them or put on their various Forms That he should act upon the Soul or upon the Body That he should direct Thoughts Words Actions and Gestures What is his Power over the Beasts and Fruits of the Earth Over the Air and Winds What his help may contribute to the Knowledge of Man and his Actions Herein consist Auguries or Soothsaying Witchcraft the Art of Conjuring up Ghosts and of Divining Dreams All which things are methodically and in the same order that is mentioned here treated of in this Book Sect. 6. But because the perfect Knowledge of them depends upon another viz. which is the Nature of a Spirit wherein it consists and how it 's distinguished from that of the Body for Devils are undeniably Spirits and Man is composed of a Body and a Spirit so it will be necessary in this Treatise to proceed farther and to examine first the Nature of Spirits Good and Bad and then that of Man Besides God himself being a Spirit but infinite and independent we ought not to pay our selves with the conformity of the Name but by reason of the manifest difference betwixt
for their Sins to wander in the World and to suffer Hunger and Thirst which they cannot satisfie but by the Alms that Men hand them Wherefore they often appear in a human shape to beg something from them but they have no power to hurt them Besides these there is another sort of Devils or Ratsiasias properly so called because they are the Children of Aditi and are very Malitious They have power to molest Men and even to cause much trouble and vexation to the Angels or Deuetas They may walk every where except save in the abode of Brama and in the Heavens They are described with huge frightful and stinking Bodies they are said to be Male and Female to procreate Children and to be subject to Death Sect. 14. There 's enough concerning the Demons of the Pagans of Asia but as most of those Nations are Pythagoreans and believe the Metempsychosis they also supply us with Heroes For says Baldaeius in his Book of the Idolatry of the East Indies the Modern Heathens believe that Man is happier in this Life than the Beasts by reason that he has a Body by which the Soul may exert her Operation but they agree not that a Man is more noble than a Beast nor that he has a Soul more excellent than it has And when they are ask'd why Beasts reason not they answer because they have not Bodies capable of exerting the qualities of a Soul as a Dumb Man who wants a proper Organ to utter Words and may be nevertheless very Wise or as some People who have a great deal of Knowledge and Learning but have no more readinesâ— to express themselves than Children who cannot do it He that shall Read this will be less surprised at what follows Sect. 15. Nothing certain can be said of the Japanders because the Jesuits who relate their Opinions agree not together It appears however that there are amongst that People three sorts of Opinions concerning human Souls and their Essence The first is That the Soul of Man differs not from that of Beasts The second That Men have a Soul of another Nature than that of Beasts but still Mortal The third That the Soul is Immortal They likewise believe the Metempsychosis and that the Soul going out of the Body is determined to enter into another Body either of Man or Beast by the conjunction that is then made of the Sun and Moon with other Stars Sect. 16. The Chinese are likewise Pythagoreans Martinius testifies it very plainly as to one of their Sects in these Words Chiquiao is a Sect which our People esteem to be the first introduced in China after the Birth of our Saviour They believe the exchanges of Souls inwardly and outwardly They Honour Images and imagine that the Soul after Death passes in punishment of her Sins from one body into another for which reason they abstain from what ever has had life That Narration is confirmed by Trigaltius who says That the Parents are not afraid of killing their Children to be discharged of them when they are incumbred with too many asserting that by that means they procure them a better Condition since instead of Poverty they afford them by Death the occasion of going into other Bodies and being Born again in the House of Richer People where they will live more at ease The Peguans seem to have the same Sentiment by the Relation Piuto when by the Tomb of their Rolym or High-Priest they let loose a great many Birds and Fishes which they kept Prisoners believing them to be as many human Souls who will keep company to their Rolym in his way to the other World Besides we read in Corolinus out of Artus in his Speculum Mundi That the Wise Men of China have invented three places for those that depart this Life Nachac is a place of Torment Schuum one of Delights such as the Paradise of Mahomet and Miba or Nibam signifies an entire privation of being or a full Destruction of Body and Soul All the Souls have their abode in the two first places or depart from thence to go to and fro through the World and often pass from one Body into another by new Birth until they deserve to enter into the Nibam that is to be annihilated Le Blanc speaks of it somewhat differently in a Relation extracted from a Franciscan Monk He says That the Chinese believe that Men become Gods at last after they have passed through the Bodies of several Beasts Birds and Fishes and that they imagine that the Souls after the course of many Ages having been well purified in some proper places and returned several times into new Worlds are at last introduced into Paradise cast down to Hell or reduced to nothing Sect. 18. As to the Opinion of the Siamese in this point we must learn it from the Relation of the Jesuits in their Journey to Siam in the years 1685. and 1686. because that Book is the newest and much credited Thus then writes Tachard p 297 298. Edit Amsteled Metempsychosis is one of the Fundamental Points of their Religion so that the Life of Man passes in continual Transmigrations untill he be sanctified and deserves to be God They admit of Spirits but such as are nothing else than Souls who always inform some Bodies until they have attained to Holiness or Deity Angels are Corporeal and of different Sexes and consequently may beget Sons and Daughters Those Angels are never Sanctified nor Deified but to them only belongs to watch over the Government of the World and the preservation of Men. They distribute them into seven Orders or Hierarchies some of which are more perfect and noble than the others all which they place in as many different Heavens Each part of the World has one of those Intelligences to preside over what is done there They likewise impart them to Stars to the Earth to Cities Mountains and Forests and even to the Winds and Rain And because they are perswaded that those Angels examine the conduct of Men and are witnesses of all their actions to reward those that are commendable by vertue of the merits of their God It is therefore to those Intelligences and not to their God that they use to apply themselves in their necessities and miseries and to thank them for the favours they suppose to have received from them Sect. 19. They acknowledge no other Demons but the Souls of the wicked who making their escape out of the Hell in which they were detained wander through the World a certain time and do as much hurt to Men as they can Amongst those unhappy Spirits they rank untimely Births Women dying in Childbed those that are killed in a Duel or guilty of some crime of that nature Sect. 20. The Heathens of Java believe likewise Metempsychosis as well as those of Sumatra the Malabars and the Inhabitants of the Coast of Cormandel All the Benjanes in the hither East-Indies agree upon no Article of Religion better than
12 13 18. Third That conceiving not what difference there is betwixt the Soul of Man and that of Beasts Some are fall'n into that gross error as to ascribe to Men and Beasts a Soul of the same Nature Chap. 7. Sect. 14. Without which it had been impossible that the Opinion of Pythagoras concerning the Transmigration of Souls into the Bodies of other Men and Beasts indifferently should have taken so deep roots and have spread so far into the World Chap. 2. Sect. 17. Chap. 7 Sect. 14 15 16 17 18. Fourth That from the same source this Sentiment has visibly proceeded that the Spirits are wandring as well as the Souls of Men after their death Chap. 2. Sect. 15. Chap. 6. Sect. 2. Chap. 7. Sect. 19 20. Chap. 10. Sect. 11. Sect. 7. What contributes most to the vilifying of the Deity is that they deify even Men either during their Life or after their Death Witness the ancient Greeks and Romans who transformed the Passions of Men and the Motions of the Heart into so many Gods and Goddesses or as the modern Cannibals who are very near of the same mind as has been shewed Chap. 2. Sect. 14. Chap. 7. Sect. 5 6. Chap. 10. Sect. 14. which however is not commonly us'd but after death as appears by the Apotheosis of the Ancients Chap. 2. Sect. 13. and was no where brought to such a light as amongst the Cannibals as has been said Chap. 10. Sect. 12 16. That they believe the whole race of the Gods issued from their Ancestors and that they themselves are of Celestial Origin from the same spring is derived the Sentiment of the Existence of the Genii or Zemeans that is of helpful Spirits the description of whom may be seen in several Authors Sect. 8. It is now easy to conceive on what ground are founded the Divination and Magick of the Ancients that are the same with the predictions and Witchcraft of the modern Heathens for as to their foretelling or Divination it is grounded upon this First Every God has his People whom he favours and protects or his own property for which Reason they put questions to him concerning that which is to happen to his People and what is to be done on that occasion Second That every God has his Enemy for which Reason every one looks for help against the Gods of whom he is to receive damage and implores the assistance of such Gods as are esteem'd to be their most violent Enemies Third That every Man has his God or particular Spirit and therefore every one mistakes his own passions and whatever comes into his fancy for divine Inspirations and motions especially when Dreams supply him with the occasion of it not knowing that the employments or accidents that have preceeded the Dreams are the Origin of them or being hindered by his prejudices to make an exact enquiry after their possible cause Fourth That it is by confounding the Deity with the Creature that there have been introduced so many sorts of Divinations and Prognosticks drawn from the Stars from the Thunder from Birds Mountains Woods Waters and from all the things in which 't is believed that some Deity is discoverable Fifth That from the belief that the Souls of the Dead are wandering about their Corps it was easy to take occasion to conjure up Ghosts Sect. 9. Concerning the Witchcraft we shall only make the following Considerations First That it is not strange that distinguishing not only created Spirits but even the Gods into good and bad they should endeavour to set them one against another and to defend themselves by the help of the good or of some of the wicked against another or to avenge themselves by the power of one God of the wrong they suppose to have received from another Second That having forged to themselves so many sorts of Gods and Spirits superior and inferior 't is no wonder they should believe to destroy the power of the less by the assistance of the greater Third That having so base thoughts of the Gods whom they subject to the same passions as Men and thus Deify human passions themselves they act consequently by stirring them up against their Enemies as it comes into their fancy Fourth That putting some of their Gods so low and in so great a familiarity with the Spirits they seem to assume to themselves the quality of their Directors and to be able to make the Divine Operations even in the most hidden things subservient to what use they please Chap. 6. Sect. 4. Sect 10. There is yet somthing to be said upon Divination and Witchcraft together which partly concerns the thing it self and partly the gestures of the body used in it What concerns the thing it self comes to this First That the Opinion of the Heathens concerning the Genii or familiar Spirits and the Spirits wandring about Graves makes 'em believe that somthing may be operated by the means of Graves and Carcasses for which Reason they use the bones of the Dead in their Witchcraft and consult them in their Divinations in hopes of getting an answer from the Gods or Spirits which operate in them or abide near them Chap. 10. Sect. 11 15. Second That according to this their belief of the existence of so many sorts of Spirits whereof most part are wicked Spirits that walk and wander every where they are always ready in any unforeseen disease Mortality or sinister Accident to cast the suspicion upon their Enemies or Envious who have bewitchd them for believing that the inferior Gods or Spirits act according to the Will of the Men to whom they belong they must consequently believe that those Men will not fail to effect reciprocally the one against the other whatever the help and power of the Spirits will allow Now those suspitions that will surely move Men to seek by whom they have been bewitch'd or the cause matter and foundation of Divination Chap. 10. Sect. 8 16. Sect. 11. As to the postures used in Witchcraft First The Corpereal Ideas which they have of the Spirits and of the Gods themselves move them doubtless to use so many outward gestures in their Conjuration Chap. 10. Sect 16. But there is still another Reason of that Custom viz. That the Priests who are Impostors make use of them to impose so much the easier upon the simplicity of the Vulgar Second Considering how the Opinion of Pythagoras is become almost Universal it may be methinks conceived at the same time how it was possible that Men should place some Virtue in Letters and Numbers by gathering and disposing them in such or such a way and consequently in the pronunciation of some certain words for the same Pythagoras has believed that the Virtue of the Deity influenc'd the proportion and Harmony of Numbers Now the Letters of the Alphabet being employed to mark the numbers not only amongst the Greeks and Hebrews but by all the other Nations that have some knowledge of Letters it follows
thereby it may be easily understood that Marriages must be very happy and attended with great Sweetness and Tranquillity when one marries with his peculiar Soul that is with that which was created with her Whereas they cannot be but unhappy and turn to the punishment of Men when they are bound to a Body whose Soul was not created with the Soul of him that Espouses her We have to strive against that Vnhappiness until we be rid of it and that we may be united by a second Marriage to the Soul that was made our Partner in the Creation to lead a happier Life Manasse Ben Israel gives a more large account of that belief in several places as in his Conciliador Quest 6. Pag. 12. In his second Book of the Resurrection Chap. 13. as also in the third Book Chap. 9. and in his Treatise de Termino Vitae Sect. 8. pag. 207. which he more largely confirms after the Jewish manner in his third Question Sect. 19. As to the State of Souls after Death the Metempsychosis of Pythagoras is also received amongst the Jews which Transmigration they call Gilgul that is to say the Revolution of Souls for they imagine that after Death the Soul wanders for a year about the Body whence she is gone out and goes still rambling till she meets with another Body into which she may enter to be born again with it They fancy that this happens three times as it is observed in the Thisbi upon the word Gilgul in this manner The Opinion of the Cabbalists is that every Soul is created thrice to let us understand that she introduces her self successively into the Bodies of three Children or Men. This they hope in some manner to confirm from the Book of Job ch 23. v. 19. according to that they say That the Soul of the first Man enter'd into the Body of King David and is now to pass into that of the Messiah that Mystery being contained in the three Hebrew Letters of Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the initial Letter of the name of Adam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the first of that of David and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the first of that of Messiah Their learned hold that the Souls of the wicked pass into the Bodies of Beasts each Soul according to the nature of the Sins she has committed Thus the Soul of a Man that has debauch'd his Neighbours Wife is to enter into a Camel And therefore says David I shall sing to the Lord ki gamal alaii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he has deliver'd me from the Camel as they interpret it using this Reason that when the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is punctuated it is read otherwise and pronounced Gamaal which signifies a Camel Sect. 20. There are some however who believe that the Souls of the wicked perish with their Bodies Josephus says of the Pharisees of his time that they asserted the Transmigration of the Souls of the good only but that they sent those of the impious to the eternal Torments in his second Book of the Wars of the Jews Chap. 7. The Sadducees according to the Testimony of the Holy Scripture believed neither Resurrection nor Angels nor Spirits in St. Matth. Chap. 22. v. 23. and in the Acts Ch. 23. v. 8. but now the Jews have invented a great many Chimaera's that powerfully confirmed them in their Magick and the practice of their Conjurations for as it has already been said the Soul separated from the Body must wander a whole year about her Corps during which the wicked Spirits that abide in the Air and are call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malachi Chabbalah or Devils of Torments and have yet several other Names find occasion to make them reenter into their Bodies as they have power to do when they are required to it by Conjurations Thence proceeds in their meaning That the Witch of Endor called again the Soul of Samuel into his Body because he had not been dead a whole year Manasse Ben Israel teaches the same Doctrine and assures us 't is that of the Ancients which he has extracted especially from Gemara Siabbas There are some however who have more rational Opinions as we shall see in the second Book when we have occasion to examine that instance CHAP. XIII That the Witchcraft anciently Practised and still in use amongst the Jews proceeds from the same Original Sect. 1. WE have examined the Opinions of the Jews upon that matter as much as they differ from the holy writ for as far as their belief is consonant to it we receive and approve of the same Let 's now see what they practise as to Witchcraft the Holy Scripture may fully convince us of the great inclination that People ever had for it which doubtless proceeded First from the practices they had seen in Egypt and of which perhaps they had not abstained but had seen the continuation of them in the Country they inhabited that was surrounded and intermixed with so many Nations addicted to that Art 'T is for that Reason the Law gives them such frequent warnings to beware of it Exodus 22 18. Levit. Chap. 18. v. 31. Cap. 5. v. 27. Deuter. Chap. 13 8 9 14. Isaiah Chap. 6. v. 12.20 And that he threatned them so severely because they could not resolve to forsake that impious exercise as may be seen especially in Manasseh King of Judah 2 Kings Chap. 21. v. 6. 2. Cron. Chap. 3. v. 6. That Sin became general in the midst of Israel or the Kingdom of the 10 Tribes so that the Scripture says that They used Divinations and observed the cry of Birds 2 Kings Chap. 17. v. 17. In the Apostles time there were Seven Sons of the same Father one of the high Priests who took upon them to be Exorcists and to conjure Devils Acts 19. v. 13 14. But all these things made no part of the contents of their Law and on the contrary were the effects of their Rebellion so that Judaism was not properly answerable for them until they were taught by the Rabbins themselves and at last introduced to make up part of their Religion Such are the Doctrines which I have represented in the preceeding Chapter to which the practices of the present Jews are perfectly agreeable Sect. 2. The inquisitive Lighfoot has shewed by many proofs that the Jews at their return from the Babylonian Captivity having entirely forsaken Idolatry and finding they were destitute of Prophets addicted themselves by degrees to Witchcraft and Divination about the time of our Saviours coming The writings of the Talmud that are full of Instructions for that purpose and are nevertheless in great credit among them give upon that subject a testimony not advantageous to them especially since in the following times they used the same Arts against Christianity Lightfoot assures us That after the Destruction of their City and Temple there were several Impostors amongst
as he believes particularly happens some certain Nights Chap 96. Pag. 284. The Angels descend at night upon Earth by the leave of their Lord and visit the true faithful till the break of the day Chap. 12. Pag. 290. They will visit the faithful in the Garden of Eden they will salute them and say here is the reward of their perseverance here is the Eternal Grace Sect. 7. As he holds that the Angels are always ready to serve God on behalfe of the Faithful so he believed them no less forward in performing his Orders against the impious When says he Chap. 5. pag. 155. the wicked are at the point of death the Angels stretch out their hands to seize upon their Souls And further P. 172. The Angels of death shall kill those that blaspheme God and his Commandments Chap. 7. Pag. 203 204. Thou hast seen that the Angels have put to death the unfaithful and stricken them before and behind A great power for the executing of God's Judgments is ascribed to them for an Angel is sufficient to destroy all the Inhabitants of the World as Levinius Varnerius quotes it out of a Turkish Book Sect. 8. He forgets not the evils caused by the Devil for the seducing of Man The first was his having them banish'd from Paradise Chap. 1. Pag. 7. He caused Adam and his Wife to sin and to fall from the Grace in which they were Chap. 2. Pag. 8. God advertises Mahomet that the Devil would make hâ—m afraid of the unfaithful Pag. 150. The Devil will make them forget my Commandments Pag. 160. Think upon the day in which I shall gather all the Peopâ—e and say to the Devil O thou Prince of the Devils why hast thou rebelled against me Chap. 56. Pag. 608. For the Devil has puft up Man and made â—im revolt from the Commandments of God He seems even to believe that the malice of the Devil extends as far as the Stars with which he says God has adorned the Heavens and which he preserves against the attempts of the Devils Chap. 40. Pag. 534. Sect. 9. Such are his Opinions as to the Angels in general but as to their particular Ministry Thevenot relates That the Turks acknowledge Guardian Angels but in far greater number than we do for say they God has ordained 70 Angels for an invisible Guard to each Musulman and there happens nothing to any person but they attribute it to them Each has his particular Office one watches over one Member and th' other over another one is so subservient in this and the other in that Affair Amongst all those Angels there are two who preside over all the rest sitting one on the Right and th' other on the Left hand and being call'd Kerim Kiatib that is to say Merciful Writers That on the Right hand keeps account of the good Actions and that on the Left of the bad They are so merciful that they spare him if he commits any sin before he falls asleep hoping he shall repent if not they set it down but if he repents they write Estig fourillah God forgive They accompany him every where unless when he goes to the Necessary house whither they let him go alone waiting for him at the door where they again take possession of him For that reason when the Turks go to that place they go in with the Left Foot and when they come out they put the Right Foot foremost that the Angel who sets down their good Works should seize first upon them Mahomet himself confirms that Fable saying Chap. 52. Pag. 594. Think O Man on the day when thou shalt see near thee thy good Angel on thy Right hand and thy bad Angel on thy Left who have noted and written whatever thou hast done Sect. 10. 'T is observable that this Fable has its Original from the immortality of the Soul and the resurrection of the dead which the Turks believe and are plainly express'd in the foregoing words and else-where as Chap. 12. Pag. 280. The faithful shall go into the Garden of Eden but to the unfaithful he says Pag. 288. Hell is the place to which you are destin'd Chap. 52. Pag. 594. God takes up the Soul of Man as he thinks fit to send her into one of those places But first she returns into the Body after its burying to undergo the strict examination of two frightful Angels Munquir and Guauquir the Fable which Thevenot relates upon their account and that of the Beasts is so gross that I should be ashamed to recite it at large Sect. 11. In the mean while it will not be unserviceable to our subject to give a more particular instruction of their belief upon the state of the Dead I will not here speak of their Carnal Paradise because I treat not of all the points of the Mahometan Religion but only of what concerns the the Spirits they acknowledge that there are appointed two very different places one for the damned and the other for the saved that is to say there are Men who have done so many good works that at the very hour they expire they are admitted into the happiness of Paradise but there are others who having not a sufficient Faith are subjected to I pains for their Sins until they be all expiated after which they enjoy in Paradise the same felicity with the others that are gone in first But as to the unfaithful and wicked they go to burn forever in Hell where there bodies are as often repaired by God as they are reduced to Ashes that their torments may be Eternal That 's the substance of what Thevenot writes Chap. 20 and 31 of his journey and Ricaut says almost the same thing Chap. 2.6 and 12. Sect. 12. The transmigration of Souls from one body into another not only of Human Souls but likewise of those of Beasts is also believed by some Mahometans Ricaut testifies Book 2. Ch. 12. That one of their Sects called Munasichi holds that Opinion and takes occasion from thence to relate how one Roboroski a Polander was dealt with by a Drugist that was angry with him because he had kick'd his Dog for they believe That the Souls of Men after Death enter into the bodies of such Beasts with which the Nature and temper of the bodies that were animated by those Souls had most relation that the Soul of a Glutton passed into the body of a Hog that of a Letcherous into that of a He-goat that of a Generous person is destin'd to animate a Horse and that of a Watchful Man to quicken a Dog To this he adds several circumstances which the curious may see in his own Book He likewise asserts that the Sect Eschrakin that is illuminated is likewise Pythagorean but that it holds not much of the Doctrines of the Alcoran thô most of it's followers are the Schicks or the Preachers and chief Doctors of the Turks They have more rational Opinions than the others concerning the immateriality of Spirits
sufficiently known that amongst them as amongst other Nations their practices are answerable to their Doctrines for if their Witchcraft and Exorcisms proceed not all from their superstitions yet they are not inconsistent with them It is strange that such as ascribe a Soul and Life to the Celestial Lamps that acknowledge the Stars to influence Human Actions and search for Mysteries in numbers letters and names should be addicted to Witchcraft and Divinations and make them part of their religious worship neither is it surprising that not conceiving Angels as altogether immaterial they should fancy Apparitions either waking or dreaming 'T is yet less strange looking upon them as Creatures of a dignity inferior to their's since they establish great numbers of them for the guard of each Musulman they should invite and call them to their service by Witchcraft consisting in Characters in which they imagine a secret virtue for that purpose or if they should believe by the same means and Virtue to be able to expel wicked Angels their mortal Enemies But 't is time to come to the Christian World and to examine in what state things are at home CHAP. XV. That some of the Heathen Opinions upon this subject have in process of time crept in amongst the Christians Sect. 1. WE must not wonder that great part of the Doctrines above mentioned have not yet been banished by the light of the Gospel For what Man naturally conceives is not always darkness neither is the illumination which the Holy writ affords to the understanding always efficacious so that a Christian often better knows what he ought to know then he does what he ought to do This plainly appears in that Man is readier to search after the Truth by his reason than to put it in practice by his Virtue The cause of it is that our natural curiosity that has contributed to the fall of our first Parents has been since increased and strengthned by the effect of the fall it self and that it drives us on so much the more to desire to know much as our understanding is become less capable of true conceptions But the corruption of Man allows him not to make such Progresse And therefore we must imagine that whatever is practiced amongst such or such People especially as to Religion always and only proceeds from their belief and Doctrine This will quickly be known to us if we take the trouble of considering Christianity such as it formerly was and still is at this present Sect. 2. I shall name ancient Christianity the six first Centuries before the Pope and Mahomet arose However I shall not consider it as it was establish'd by our Lord and his Apostles which will be done more conveniently hereafter but with relation to the succession of times In the mean while a careful distinction must be made between the Opinions of the Church or of the Chief Doctors of her Communion and the Errors of those she has condemn'd We must afterwards take notice of what certainty may be had both of the Practices and particular Sense of those that have been branded for Hereticks For we pretend not to impute to Christians what has been rejected by the generality of them nor to charge the Hereticks with whatever is said of their Errours Now one may methinks take for Opinions generally received in the Church those that have been taught by their Chief Doctors without being contradicted by the others as far as it appears by any Writing though they must not for that be taken for Articles of Faith And likewise though the Hereticks should have been charged as to the Doctrine with some Opinions they owned not yet 't is not conceiveable that they should have been falsly accused of Acts of Magick the possibility of which they did not so much as believe After that Observation let 's see what the most famous Christians of the Primitive times have believed as to Spirits and their Operations and at the same time what they relate of other Sects and People Sect. 3. Following still the same Order I shall first speak of the Angels and then of the Souls separated from their Bodies I shall pass by the first Century in which the Apostles lived because in my second Book I take their Writings for the Rule of Faith and for the Fountain whence Truth must be drawn But we must examine those that have followed them from Age to Age and see what was their Opinion upon those two Points without presuming it was grounded upon Rule or Ecclesiastical Assemblies which appears not And though those two Points are of the highest consequence yet every one had still liberty to express his particular Opinions However for other Opinions of less consequence and I durst almost say of nothing Men have been dealt with as Hereticks and the whole Christian World must be call'd together to come to a conclusion And therefore I shall only make use here of such Explications of the chief Doctors as I have read my self which I shall endeavour to translate faithfully and word for word as much as possible Sect. 4. We shall first hear in the second Age Tatian Clement and Justin concerning the Nature of Angels Tatian indeed ascribes not a gross material Being to the Angels and yet he seems to attribute to them some Corporeal Being Here are his own Words that seem very strange All Demons are so as that indeed they have nothing Carnal but their Composition is Spiritual and as a Fire and Light The Nature of their Bodies can however be penetrated by none but such as are endued with the Spirit of God What he adds afterwards is more Consonant to Reason That the Demons are not the Souls of Men. He believes not however that Souls are simple Natures but that they are composed of parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he believes they cannot be conceived as Corporeal without having a Body and that the material part cannot rise without the Soul Several Doctors of that time speak very near the Words tho' they explain not themselves so openly so that they must not be look'd upon as very far from that Opinion as will more plainly appear when we mention the fall of the Angels Sect. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus in his 6th Book of Miscellanies shows that he holds the Angels for the Inspectors of Men and those that inspire Wisdom into them that each Country and perhaps each Man has his own A little after he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God has distributed amongst Angels the Inspection and Care of each City and Nation He says also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Divine Power distributes good by the means of Angels whether they be visible or invisible Justin favours that suppposed visibility of the Angels or at least he tolerates it since he asserts in his 4th Apology That God entrusted the Angels with the Conduct of the other human Affairs under the Heavens some of whom fell off because of their Conversation with Women from
or less enamour'd with corruptible things however in that number are not comprehended those of whom 't is said that they shall not possess the Kingdom of God unless by a convenient Repentance they obtain forgiveness of their Sins Sect. 29. We come down to the 5th Age in which we meet with Theodoret who sufficiently explains as to our design the Opinions of the Doctors of his time concerning good and bad Angels for he proposes to us what he thinks of the Angels properly so call'd as well in reference to their Nature as to their Understanding and Administration As to the first point he holds that though they are not Corporeal yet they are Circumscribed and contained in a certain determinate place as he asserts in his 3d Question upon Genesis The Reason of this Opinion is that he supposes every Angel has some proper Administration and is entrusted with the care either of a Nation or Person but he makes still a more particular distinction in his 10th Exposition upon Daniel putting a Man under the guard of a common Angel and a whole Nation under that of an Angel of a Superior Order As to their Understanding he briefly explains his Mind in these Words Let none be surprised at what I assert as to the Ignorance of the Heavenly Spirits for they neither know future nor other things it only belonging to the Divine Nature but as to Angels Archangels and other Coelestial Spirits they know no more than what they learn and therefore the Holy Apostle speaking of them in the the third Chapter to the Ephesians v. 10. says That to Principalities and Powers in the Heavenly Places c. See his Commentary on the 24th Psalm Sect. 30. Theodoret speaks afterwards of the Demons in the same manner for he holds them not capable of making true Predictions He says upon Ezekiel Sect. 8. That the Demons know nothing before it happens unless it be by guessing and yet they venture to foretell He nevertheless owns in his tenth Book of Oracles that the Spirits have foretold something true but by the Stars For says he whatever the Gods of the Heathens say if it happens that they speak agreeably to the Concatenation of things they must needs gather that knowledge from the Stars which undoubtedly was done by such Gods as declared some things that afterwards fell out 'T is evident that by Demons he understands in general wicked Spirits who cause themselves to be venerated as Gods and gave false Oracles to keep up their Authority and the Credit in which they were amongst the Heathens That Opinion was the most common amongst the Ancients and is in being even to this day as we shall show hereafter Sect. 31. The Opinion of that time upon the original of the wicked Race was that they issued from the Conversation of the Angels with Women Severus Sulpitius relates it not as a particular Belief or as received by some Doctors only but as a Story credited by all Christians for at the beginning of his Ecclesiastical History he presumes to assert it upon the Authority of Josephus as much as if he had been present His words are In that time that is after the Birth of Noah Mankind multiplying exceedingly the Angels whose abode was in Heaven being enamour'd with the Beauty of young Virgins plunged themselves in unlawful pleasures forsook the Supream Region whose Inhabitants they were and ally themselves by Marriages with mortal Women by that unhappy Cohabitation and their depraved Morals they corrupted Mankind by degrees and from thence the Giants are said to be born for the mixture of such different natures must needs produce Monsters Sect. 32. As to the state of Souls separated from their Body the Angels and wicked Spirits this Age affords nothing but what has been observed speaking of the foregoing Centuries Wherefore we descend to Gregory the Great who in the 7th Century joyn'd his particular Opinions to the former He was Bishop of Rome and his Memory is still in great Veneration in that Church tho' he took it very ill that John the Father Bishop of Constantinople and his Contemporary should have presumed to take upon him the Name of Vniversal Bishop to which he believed not that any Bishop had a right and even held it for a Mark of Antichrist Besides 't is not without Reason that the Roman Church makes so much of him For he has taken care to provide her with many Legends so suitable to her Humour and Palate and upon which she has put so great a value that she multiplies them every year And indeed St. Gregory was not contented with the Fables of Origen and other Doctors of which mention has been made but he admitted whatever had been proposed hitherto as Doubts and Questions which he passed into Determinations and Decrees And as tho' what had been maintained before had not been sufficient he thought fit to add something of his own So that since his time there were not only 9 Orders of Angels but they knew also the Degrees of each viz. Angels Archangels Virtue Powers Principalities Dominions Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims as is to be found in his 34th Homily upon the Gospels The Schoolmen that have followed him fail not to take much pains to treat of each of these Angelical orders and to break their head with them in which I intend not to imitate them Sect. 33. It must be observed that at that time the curiosity to know whither Souls went after Death gave occasion by degrees to invent Purgatory the discovery of which has been so far finished amongst the Papists that they go now thither by thousands Boetius a Roman Consul who lived about 63 years before the Pontificate of Gregory begun in his 4th Book Prosa 4. to give some Notion of that place by the Answer he makes to the following Question Does there in your Opinion remain no punishment for the Soul after her separation from the Body To which he Answers Yes doubtless and even 't is not a slight Pain for I hold that some Souls are very severely punished whereas others are purified by Grace As to Gregory himself who from a Souldier became Pope he blows heat and cold from the same Mouth with as much sickliness and levity as the Wind against the Custom of the Popes who use to decide so positively and boldly Upon the 7th Chapter of Job giving advice to a Sinner he saith That there is no human Eye that is no Grace of the Redeemer that casts looks upon the Soul after she has laid off the Flesh And farther he adds That when Holy or wicked Spirit receives at the point of Death a Soul departing from her bodily Prison she remains for ever and without hopes of any Change in the hands of him that has taken her so that when she 's once raised to Glory she can never fall again into Pain and Torments whereas when she is once cast down into the Eternal Abyss she can never come
propositions they maintain rather than their true natural Sense such as 't is found in other Authors and in ordinary use of a Tongue that is so familiar to them Of these I might recite a thousand proofs if it were necessary and time would allow me Sect. 13. Besides as much as Man has taken pains to acquire uncertain and corrupted Sciences so much has he been negligent of informing himself in the best the finest and at the same time the smallest part of Sciences with which he is ordinarily less acquainted for as I have already said the Youth in the Schools run over all the Countries of the Ancient Heathens only to make a booty of Latin and Greek before they do so much as visit Christianity which is only shewn to them as at a distance they are yet of too tender a constitution to be loaden with such solid meat and too young to be mixed with such important Affairs so that they are taught almost nothing of that matter It is not thought convenient for them to know what Soul and Body are wherein consists the Essence of the Soul or that of the Angels and Devils and what knowledge and operations those Spirits are capable of and what share and administration they take here below in human Affairs No light is afforded to them that may dissipate the darkness that has been spread over their understandings in their youth nor blot out the impressions that have been made upon them as to this point by the means already mention'd so that this darkness and these impressions destitute of Antidotes do still penetrate farther Even those that follow the Principles of Descartes tho' they distinguish better than others the nature of Soul and Body as will be shown in my Second Book Chap. 1. Sect. 12 13 14. yet when they come to the operations of such Spirits as are not joyned to a Body either Angels or Devils and undertake to explain how they can act upon other Bodies either of Men or other matter they take as much freedom as they can and go as far as they can be carried by the prejudices they have imbibed with all others before they studied Scripture and Philosophy Sect. 14. That which may adorn the Human Mind with Light and form its Judgment is what is less intended to be acquired in Universities tho' they seem to be the place where such a rare thing should be gotten which most unhappily affords not the means to grow rich I mean Mathematicks and that part of natural Philosophy that discovers the nature and course of the Heavens not because they treat of our present subject but for two other reasons I shall add The first is that more certainty is to be found in Mathematicks than in all other Sciences because they are grounded upon infallible Principles such Students as are used to the certainty of these Principles will not acknowledge for truth such as are not attended with a full and entire conviction and put a little value upon such Sciences as have not the same certainty But the Second Reason is still more particular viz. That Mathematicks especially that part that treats of the knowledge of Stars manifestly discovers several things that undeniably shew the Sacred Writers accommodated themselves to the stile and capacity of the Vulgar and speak of the Heavens Earth Sun Moon and Stars not according to their own nature and as they are in themselves but according to the common notions of Men. And therefore those that are somewhat addicted to that Science credit not so easily the discourses of other Men and are not satisfied with probabilites They are not disposed to fill the Air with Spirits nor to fix them to Stars nor to confound Spirits and Stars together But the mischief is as I have already hinted that few Learned give up themselves to that part of the Sciences tho' it is the most useful and beautiful of all Sect. 15. All these prejudices with which we have been once fill'd which have been rooted in us more and more by the ways already alleag'd which have grown by the new nourishment they daily received and which have neither been banished nor weaken'd by the endeavours of a better informed Judgment all these prejudices I say are no where more sensible than in the subject we treat of And therefore we have destin'd this First Book to establish this Truth and make it very plain to the end it might be clearly perceived that all those Opinions concerning the Devils Divinations and Witchcraft draw their first Original from the Heathens who communicated them to the Jews during the Babilonian Captivity where they had more conversation with the Philosophers than in the Land of Canaan whilst they liv'd separated from all other Nations of the Earth There they insensibly took the tincture of the Heathen Doctrines and Practices at least of such as seem'd not directly opposed to their Law The first Christians springing from the middle of the Jews and Heathens kept likewise most part of the same Doctrines and intended to gain the Heathens by too great and easie a compliance with their Opinions Thus was insensibly laid the foundation on which the great aedifice of Popery is now founded and rais'd Sect. 16. Another Judgment may be pass'd upon that matter if Popery were put in parallel with Heathenism and not esteem'd the worse of these two For why should not they be held for Heathen Legends what the Pagans have published of their Miracles Oracles Gods Aërial Spectres Dreams and the like prodigies That is why do we not call 'em Lies as we rightly so name the Roman Legends Have we more reason to look upon as suspitious those wonders the relations of which are inserted almost in all the Books of the chief Roman writers and to look upon them as a branch of superstition then to deal in the same manner with those of the Heathens Whence comes it that we publickly laugh at both in our discourses and writings the sham miracles of the former as being meer delusions and trifles and that we approve both by our words and our Books the narrations that the latter make of the wonders seen amongst them and that we quote them as true thô they be of the same matter and weight with the others The antiquity of those Authors and of the times in which they have written has it so much power and efficacy and must we more easily credit stories because they are said to have happen'd a long while ago and in far remote Countries But what 's that to the main point Truth fits not it self in this manner to the inclinations of Men. Lies were anciently told as well as they are now and as well in Foreign Countries as in our own Sect. 17. It is methinks sufficiently proved by all the quotations of this Book that there are no Miracles Oracles purging Fires Apparitions of Hobgoblins or Souls Witchcraft by Letters and â—â—aracters or choice of Days either in
thô amongst above 200 Ministers who consented to that Judgment none could alledge so much as one solid Reason against it and that afterwards it should have been twice unanimously approved of without any change as to the Doctrine and the controverted Points having been made in it This has confirm'd me in this persuasion that a true Christian especially a Doctor of Divinity ought groundedly himself to enquire into things without resting upon the Judgment of others that he may obtain a full certainty of the object of his Faith and the matter of his Precepts Since that time I resolved only to follow the Holy Scripture and Reason in such things in which it ought to supply the silence of the Sacred Writings and to assure my self by those two means of what I was to believe and to teach others without taking the trouble of following the steps of other Men never putting Pen to Paper but to write upon those subjects the importance of which I was convinced of or had not been sufficiently explain'd and examin'd I have therefore endeavour'd to free as much as possible our Holy Doctrine from such errors as most Men appear to me to be taken with or at least to set in order such things whic I conceive to be confused Whether I was the first that discover'd it or whether I needed only to promote what had been begun by others There are other Reasons that have engag'd me in that design For having sworn in the University of Franeker faithfully to maintain the pure Doctrine of the Reformed Church and defend it both by words and writings in all necessary occasions I may now say with Prudentius and as it becomes my Age. Per quinquennia jam decem Ni fallor fuimus septimus insuper Annum cardo rotat dum fruimur sole volubili Vicinum senio jam Deus applicat Quid nos utile tanti spatio tempor is egimus Two score years are past the third is running Since the Sun's light is upon me shining Old Age comes on What have I been doing But it would be too long to enter into particulars I shall only say that I intend to imploy the rest of my Life first to the Duties and Functions of my Ministry which the circumstances and largeness of this Town make more painful than in other places and than to make an exact enquiry after whatever is falsly believed in the World and the Erroneous Opinions that are entertained without any other ground then that they are every day told and heard of For my most earnest desire is to see Men become more wise and honest than they are thâ—ugh very few sincerely intend it or at least do their Endeavours to attain to that perfection most â—art choosing rather to believe and to do what is commonly believed and done than to be at the trouble of freeing themselves from Errors In the mean while what past in Freiseland when my first Book appear'd abroad ought to have taught me how dangerous it is to write upon such matters there being neither favour nor profit to be expected for such Authors as rid themselves from all prejudices and having no regard either for the Credit or Power of the Faction whose Sentiments they reject resolve to follow only what the Scripture teaches or Reason dictates to them and to embrace no Opinions but such as are founded upon those two Grounds Perhaps after my Death the usefulness of this Undertaking will be known and tho' I dare not hope that it will be done in my Life time yet I publish it my self to learn the Judgment of the publick to defend my Works and to enlarge or correct them according to the Light I may acquire a-new or that shall be communicated to me For methinks I am more able to do it and to be Interpreter of my own Words and Thoughts than those that may afterwards adopt my Opinions and have some regard for my Memory As for the rest though my intention and scope may be plainly perceived by the first Chapter yet I shall add that no Men in the World are more remote from any Atheistical Sentiments more persuaded of the Divinity of the Holy Writ and more disposed to render to God the Honour and Reverence due to him than those who as I am are opposed to the common Opinion of the Power and Vertue of the Devil Whoever shall read this Book with attention and without partiality will undoubtedly be persuaded of it at least I mean that there is enough to satisfie those that absolutely reject the Principles of Descartes concerning the use of Reason and at the same time such as give too much extent to those Principles and that those two Parties will equally approve of the manner in which I distinguish Spirits from Bodies and both from God without however establishing any thing as to their Operations that cannot be proved by plain and necessary Inferences So that I powerfully confute the foolish Errors of Spinosa who confounds God and Nature together I believe not that there is any Author who has more solidly establisht the infinite difference that there is betwixt God and the Creature and the inconsistency of the Properties of Bodies with those of Spirits then I do here as was necessary to be done to lay a firm foundation to this work that is wholly grounded upon that Principle at least as to those things that are the object of the Light of Reason Besides I have this internal satisfaction that I confirm by an evident proof the Doctrine of our Churches that tends still to diminish the Honour paid to the Creatures in order to increase that which is due to God This Book witnesses for me that I set up the Glory Power and Wisdom of the Soveraign Master of the World as much as they had been taken from him to be communicated to the Devil I banish from the Universe that abominable Creature to chain him in Hell that Jesus our Supream King may more powerfully and securely reign Though his Empire that is to endure to the last day is likewise to subsist in the midst of his Enemies that are here upon Earth that is amongst the People of the Devil or such in whom Sin keeps still imprinted the Image of the Devil With that intention I am not afraid to explain in my second Book several passages of the Hâ—ly Writ in another Sense than they have hitherto been taken But if by the publishing of such new explications one aimed not at the Honour of God and only sought to impair and stain the Reputation of those that are of contrary Opinion he should take more to heart his own Credit than the Glory of God As for me who have formerly been in Opinions contrary to those I speak of and which are still held by the greatest part of Men I willingly propose my present Sentiments but only with a sincere intention of glorifying God and bringing Truth to Light I think not therefore to be
in this second examination of the second part where the certainty of the knowledge which proceeds from Scripture alone is treated of I am nevertheless obliged to employ my Reason to the end it may serve me to examine what Scripture contains not that it may reach so far as to comprehend the things themselves but it ought nevertheless to comprehend what the Scripture it self says and that things are such as it says although I conceive them not such as they are But see here the knot of the difficulty that is that every one crys out that the Scripture says such or such things because he conceives that the Scripture says them and when the Scripture may be understood two â—â—ys we easily embrace the Sense which best suites our Notions If already without too much examination we have sufferd our selves to be prejudiced with Opinions of which we would however be better satisfied and find some more particular instruction in the Scripture It is not sought with that impartiality and liberty of Mind which are necessary but we still incline towards the prejudices If there is the least appearance that we may by wresting the Scripture adapt it to the Sense we would have it we never fail to do all our Endeavours in order thereto and afterwards imagine to have found there sufficient proofs in favour of our Opinion because it seems to say what we desire As we see two Counsellors explain the same Law each for the advantage of his Client and that they never want Reasons on both sides to confute the contrary Arguments so that they appear each to have the right on his side and that it is very difficult to extricate what they have so much perplexed But it is said that I my self do what I condemn in others and for me I maintain that those who are conscious of their guilt and worthy of censure cast that imputation upon me seeing me explain so many passages in another Sense than that with which they are prevented without any other Reason than because it is ordinarily received They are persuaded that this change proceeds in me from the same cause that I discover in them See the true cause that makes them say I wrest the Scripture not that I really wrest it but rather that I keep not as a Slave to their Interpretations But I make say they a false Supposition and after I endeavour to give to the Scripture a Sense which agrees to that Supposition That may be but to know what it is you must examine after what manner I make the exposition of the Scripture and whether I turn it towards my prejudices and theâ—efore 't is necessary that I explain a little more clearly every one of the Articles I treat of The Principle they say I suppose is that a Spirit cannot act upon a Body nor upon other immaterial Spirits That 's the burthen of the Song and what they make me say over and over every where and is so confidently published that even my Friends can scarce forbear crediting it as there come every day occasions which make me know it It is a prejudice that passes from hand to hand from one party to another It insensibly spreads it self in all the Minds and in that Disposition the reading of my Book is undertaken but they seldom read it entire from one end to the other as it would be but just and necessary to do they only read some separate places viz. those they are referr'd to and especially those in which I dispute upon the Operations of Spirits For I may boldly say that of those that have read my Book with attention I find but very few which hold the same Discourses On the contrary they take quite another party viz. that of Truth So that I defie all those that have read it to mark so much as one place where I put as a Principle of my Opinion touching the Devil That a Spirit cannot act either upon a Body or another Spirit What is then the foundation of this noise which is so strongly and so generally spread abroad and which is the cause of the great prosecution that is made against me It is this general prejudice which proceeds from the common Exposition of the passages of Scripture upon this that is That a Spirit as a Spirit and so much the more as it is a Spirit can without Body act upon all sorts of Bodies and upon other Spirits I require proofs of this Thesis and because this demand is unthought of and extraordinary and upon which by consequence every one is not prepared my demand is taken for a Negative But before I lay my self that foundation which ordinarily is not call'd in Question I examine first the Grounds upon which these People themselves rest their Opinion or upon what they ought to establish it according to the Idea they have of Spirits I say according to the Idea they have of Spirits for whether according to the Principles of Descartes they distinguish them from Bodies the more neatly then other Philosophers do or that they grosly attribute something corporeal to them These two Idea's nevertheless proceed as yet equally from that they conceive the Operations of Spirits upon external Objects whether Bodies or other Spirits as a property of the Spiritual Nature and from that they include them in the notion they have of that Nature and it is by this means that instead of considering the Body as an instrument which is necessary to the Operation of Spirits or at least proper to them they look upon it as an obstacle to the liberty and virtue of the Operations of a Spiritual Nature Thence comes that every Body crys â—ut so differrently against me some saying that Descartes's Philosophy has spoiled me and that is the fruit which is reaped by his Followers desiring to cast upon it the Errors that they accuse me of Others who being in the same prejudice yet are Cartesians at bottom give out that I understand not the Philosophy of Descartes But whatever my Learning and Experience be I intend to have to do but with sensible People and leave the others at full liberty to pass upon the Doctrine I teach such Judgments as they please An Abridgment of the Second Book As to what concerns my Second Book see the method I have taken I begin with the distinction of names in fixing at first what must be understood by a Body and a Spirit to avoid all equivocations which I have done in the first Chapter I speak of God in the Second proveing not only that the supream Being which I denote by that word is only one but also that there is not the least communion between it and created things directly confuting the Opinion of Spinosa upon this subject which I pretend to do with more force and evidence than any hitherto because ordinarily they undertake to demonstrate by the most perfect and incomprehensible Essence of God the manner and virtue of the Operations