could not find any particular Description of it thô I was never so inquisitive after it but I suppose that to this may be referr'd what is related by Livy Decad. 1 Book 7. Sect. 6. concerning Marius Curtius In the same Year which was according to the Calculation of Calvisius 357 before Christ either by an Earthquake or some other strange commotion almost one half of the Market of Rome was swallowed up There was a great Depth and most frightful Chasm which could not be fill'd what trouble soever was taken for it thô People carried Cattle thither continually The Oracles of the Gods were consulted and the Diviners answer'd that the things in which the principal Strength of the Roman People consisted must be Consecrated to them in that very place if they desired to establish for ever the Republick of Rome And as they were troubled to know what was the thing to be Consecrated a warlike Young Man called Martius Curtius derided it asserting that the chief Strengh of the Roman People consisted in Valour and an undaunted Courage to confirm which he got on Horseback and precipitated himself into the Abyss Sect. 17. Chiromancy or Palmistry considers the Lines of the Hands to know the Fortune of Men whereupon Juvenal says in his 6th Satyr Frontemque manumque Praebebit vati His Hand and Head he 'd show to the Divine Whence appears that Physiognomy that is accordeing to the Etymology of the word the Knowledgs of Nature but by use the Observation of a Man Shape must be comprehended under this sort for this Art foretells things by the Looks the Features and Lineaments of the Face by which the Genius and Humour of Men are to be discovered Sect. 18. Now all these things are natural thô they were abused to attain to a supernatural knowledge But Art was made use of in other means which were the works of Mens Hands that might well be called a Bewitching Pomp in that ranck was contain'd the Axinomancy a Witchcraft made with an Axe Hatchet or the like Tool The Lecanomancy another Witchcraft in which they used a Caldrâ—u full of Water on the bottom of which they fancyed that the Demons came to walk The Catoptromancy a Witchcraft made with Looking-glasses in which they supposed that blindfolded Children saw what 't was desired to be known The Keskinomancy in which they used a Seive and a Thousand other Impertinencies CHAP. IV. That all the different sorts of Witchcraft that have been in use proceeded from the same Original Sect. 1. I have hitherto treated of those Arts that to say properly are Sciencies supposed to be acquired several ways by the Communication with the Gods or with the Spirits Now I shall Treat of Magick which refers to Action That name is now determin'd to that particular practice thô it has been given in general to all the other Sciencies of which I have spoken in the foregoing Chapter If comes from the Grecians thô it be not a Greek word 'T is universally believ'd that it is a Persian word now that Tongue had Anciently many things common with the Hebrew as well in the Stile as in the Etymologie But in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hagah signifies to censider to reflect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mahgeh thinking Person one who tells Secrets and Mysteries I have explain'd what the Magi were in my Commentary upon Daniel Sect 62 where the matter required it they were at first honest Men who endeavoured to penetrate into the secrets of Nature by lawfull means and attained to the performance of things above the common Belief Nam quod ego apud plurimos lego Persarum lingua magus est qui nostra sacerdoss for as I read in several Authors a Magus in the Persian Tongue signifies a Priest in ours These are the words of Apuleius in his Apology and Plato calls Magick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cure of the Gods ' and Porphyrie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says that Divines and Physicians were called by the Persians Magi which title was given to both in the Countrey Hesychius likewise says that a pious Man and well inform'd in the knowledge of Divine things or a Priest is called Magus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cicero de Divinatione sapientum doctorum genus magorum habebatur in Persis amongst the Persians the Magi were look'd upon as Wise and learned Men. Sect. 2. 'T is very probable that when those Men were got at Court and in great esteem amongst the Vulgar their Art was not sufficient to keep up their Reputation then they begun to use Craft and Cheats and even some of them abused that Art so far as to joyn Malice to Deception and not to spare either the Goods or the Blood or several Persons so that as on the one side the Pagans extreamly honoured that sort of People because of their Wit and parts so they despised them upon another Account and had a great hatred for them Thence proceeded that some have Anciently been famous in the Magick Art as well for the good as the bad use they made of it as Apollonius of Tyanis whose Life has been written by Philostrates and Elymas who resisted St. Paul Acts 13. Verse 8. And the Wisemen of Egypt and Babylon who were called to expound the Dreams of their Kings Gen. Chap. 4. Verse 8. And Daniel Chap. 2. Verse 4. Even Moses Daniel the Wisemen of the East who sought the King of the Jews newly born all those Men were famous for Magick thô Authors speak variously of them either with or against them there is so much difference betwixt the same Sciences and the same Actions by the good or bad use that is made of them Nevertheless it was properly that Art to which we now give the name of Magick Agrippa of Nettinheim distinguishes it in Two sorts one of which may be called Natural Magick and the other Artificial because the first having Natural causes produces Natural Effects but the Second being an invention of Art Nature has no share in it's Operations I mean that as it is necessary in all Arts and Handicrafts that Nature should supply the matter and power of Action thô the Workman imploys them this or that way only by the rules of his Art It goes even so with the Artists of whom I speak and not as which a Husbandman who can only prepare the Ground cast his Seed upon or plant a Tree upon it but must expect the Harvest and Fruit from Nature it self holpen with his Art Sect. 3. They believe says Agrippa that Natural Magick is but the highest Degree of power in Natural Sciences for which Reason they call it the extream and last perfection of the knowledge of Nature saying that it is the active part of Natural Wisdom which by the help of Natural power used in proper time operates wonderful effects and raises Admiration The Moors and Indians made a special use of that Magick that is as much as it was able
ancient Fathers establish 99 to one Man Our Schottus makes their number amount to 1000,000,000,000 a Thousand Thousand Millions more of whom are good then bad though he undertakes not to determine the number of each pag. 9 10. This vast number of Angels as well bad as good are divided by way of degrees into some certain orders which are explained in particular somewhat further in that same Book Sect. 6. As to the power ascribed to good and bad Angels 1. They can neither penetrate the secret thoughts of one another nor those of Men yet they can much better pierce into futurities then Men can do by the help of natural Causes and know for instance whether the year shall be fruitful whether it will freeze very hard whether it will Rain or blow pag. 12 13 14. 2. 'T is observable that he ascribes to them the faculty of moving from one place to another tho' it be not done in an instant and that of extending and contracting themselves locally pag. 17. 18. 3. He admits the Opinion of Ignatius Erkenness that it is not necessary an Angel should have a Body to move another Body pag. 20. c. 4. That nevertheless neither Angel nor Devil can act upon each other unless they meet both in the same place pag. 21. 5. It is the common Opinion that a Spirit may assume a Body in such a manner as outwardly to be seen in a Bodily shape by a Person whose Eyes are conveniently disposed without being perceiv'd by another near him tho' his Eyes be as fit for it as those of the former pag. 24. 6. 'T is likewise the common Opinion that each Person has his particular Angel and Devil p. 37 38. Sect. 7. As to the Holy Angels in particular the Opinion of Lombard concerning their Orders and different Ministries has been always much credited among the Papists They believe that he speaks according to the Scripture when he constitutes nine Orders of them Angels Archangels Principalities Powers Virtues Dominions Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims Lombard asserts that Dionysius the Areopagite has distinguished them so but I have shewed before Chap. 15. Sect. 3. that it is Pope Gregory who has established that number tho' not altogether in the same Order These nine Orders have been since divided into three times three the three superiour Orders are the Seraphims Cherubims and Thrones and so forth ascending again and reckoning all nine Lombard explains this thought more at large saying That as the Martyrs are one Order and the Apostles another and yet one Apostle is above another as one Martyr above another he reasonably believe the same to be with the Angels Sect. 8. As to the wicked Spirits in particular 't is believed 1. That they have not all been precipitated into Hell immediately after their Fall but that part of them remained rambling without and sometime return upon Earth or abide in the Air p. 26 27. 2. That there are six different places where the Devils commonly dwell and whence they effect their Malice and Power and therefore are called in relation to those places 1. Ignean or Superaereal Devils 2. Aereal Devils 3. Terrestrial 4. Aquatick 5. Subterraneous 6. Those that hate the Light The Abbot Trithemius Delrio and Agrippa are quoted by our Author on that account pag. 28. 31. 3. They are as well as the Angels divided into several Orders But the Papists agree not together upon this matter neither our Author nor Agrippa who has treated at large of this matter agree together nor with others but after all I relate here what is most generally received to which I add that the Opinion of Thyleus who divides the Devils into three Spiritual Dominions and nine Quires is not rejected pag. 36 37. Sect. 9. Their Power and Effects have always been much exalted amongst the Papists They hold for certain that the wicked Spirits can do great wonders either by their Knowledge or Power Mira hoc loco vocamus says Schottus quorum causas etiam sapientes ignorant digna admiratione censent sive de â—aetero natura facultates transcendunt sive non I give here the name of wonders to those Effects the causes of which even the Wise are ignorant of and judge them worthy Admiration whether or no they surpass the forces of Nature pag. 39 40. 'T is therefore his Opinion That the Devils can produce Effects that are above the power of Nature For though he declares afterwards That they produce but apparently and not really some Effects that are peculiar to God only yet he believes that frequently they really operate others which indeed are not proper to God but which neither Men nor the ordinary course of Nature are capable of effecting without the assistance of those Spirits To prove this Thesis he quotes many Popish Authors and shows that they are all of the same Opinion In the mean while he distinguishes what the Devils are able to effect of themselves from what they cannot do but by the means of Magicians and Witches Pag. 40. to 50. Sect. 10. The Consequence he draws from what has been said is That the Devils operate some things by motion others by the active virtue of Natural Causes and others by Illusion 1. They alledge 15 sorts of their Operations by their Motion from one place to another of which the five first consist in real Operations and the nine last in meer Representations Those of the first Classis are First They cause Fire to descend from Heaven as 't is related in the first Chapter of Job Second According to the same History they may raise Storms and Tempests Third They may likewise cause Rain bring fair weather make Winds blow upon the Sea stop the course of Vessels and overturn them Fourth They may produce Earthquakes Fifth They may transport through the Air or in some other manner the Bodies of Men and all other sorts of Bodies Sect. 11. Our Author afterward relates what they operate by motions of meer Representation to the internal and external Senses 1. They render visible things invisible by suddenly snatching them from the sight of Men. 2. They make Statues and other inanimate Objects move and walk They make them speak 4. They make appear Man and Beast in their dead Bodies as tho' they were alive 5. They take upon them Aereal Bodies and by that means produce several Effects 6. They represent the Figure of all sorts of matter either Gold Silver precious Stones or others 7. They direct in such a manner the Animal Spirits of Men that they maks appear to them past present and future things in their own shape and perswade them that they see hear and do things that are not real 8. They cause pineings and violent Diseases in human Bodies 9. By Dreams they present to People such objects as are absent and remote and forewarn them of future things 10 They produce in Men the passions of Love Hatred Anger and Fury from Pa. 51. to 54. Sect.
that it might be done but the Frost continuing my Book thus imperfect was publisht and came without my knowledge into the hands of many People in Friezeland It was therefore only seen by piece-meal and without coherency which gave occasion to some of the Readers and others that had heard of it publickly to pass heard judgments upon it even some intended as I am informed to make me explain my self more precisely had I not done it in the Book it self For at last when they read it intire and in order they all agreed I had given all the explications that could be wisht either as to the Reasons that had moved me to write it or as to to the scope I proposed to my self which appears in the Preface and in the first Chapter of the Book or as to the necessity and usefulness of its publishing which I have shown in the same Chapter and the last but one They were just the places that were wanting for which Reason I wrote to the Bookseller of Leeuwarden and forbad him to give out any Copy of this Book until the whole was compleat Besides during the Frost I had time to add two Chapters to the end of the Second Book and to enlarge the Preface in order to inform the Reader of my Opinions and the purity of my intentions which has not proved altogether fruitless for I have heard that most of those that have read the Preface and the work afterwards have been satisfied as they have told one another and my self whereas those that had taken upon them to criticise it had read but some loose parcels of it or had not read it at all or perhaps had not so much as vouchsafed to read it Things remained a while in that state every one enquiring after the Reason that hindered the publishing of my Book and how it happened that I had none my self since it had been sold in Friezeland for some time The Thaw came at last and many Persons arrived with News of the Edition of my Book but brought no Copies along with them save some privately and as stolen goods then every body wondered a Book should have been put out in these Provinces and it should not be found in Holland where the Author lived and not only my Brother Pastors should not have seen it but I should say I had none my self to present them with At last I received 26 Copies of it from Leeuwarden but had scarce one for my self my friends came and took them away themselves as they were sowed and most of those that ask'd for them could not get 'em unless they came just when they were sow'd up So greedy Men are of Novelties especially when they can hardly get ' em Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata So much we love and seek what is deny'd However it be the Book could not be exposed to Sale before the 11th day of March A long time after I had sent the last Sheets to Leeuwarden to Mr. Nauta Bookseller who had had the Book perfect in his hands for a long time A Bookseller ask'd 50 Copies from him and thought to receive them speedily but had none sent to him In the mean while I find my self much perplext I was desir'd during two Months by my best Friends to communicate this Work to them which they had never seen and had heard commended for this reason I wrote to Mr. Nauta I would take all the Copies upon me and pay them at such reasonable rates that he would be satisfied with it he need but to send them to me without delay with the first Vessel Then I thought to consult with my Friends whether I should sell the two First Books that had already appear'd imperfect in Friesland and elsewhere or whether I should keep them until the whole Work was finished The first seem'd to be the best Advice to avoid the suspicion that I durst not publish my Book or that I was forced to suppress it because of many things that were spread abroad to discredit it however the last counsel suited better with my inclinations I conceived that a Work that was at first but a smal Treatise thô it had since been much enlarged would be more favourably received and prove of greater use if it were given compleat at the same time to the publick that the design and cohering of it might be better seen its Doctrines be more easily comprehended and the happy effects it was able to produce be more plainly perceived which is chiefly done by the last Part. But as the causes before alledged had already once smother'd this design so they did it again this time for perceiving by the Letters of Mr. Nauta it was impossible to agree with him as to the price and that it was unlikely he should ever do it I was at last forced to give up the Book to him that I might with the Blessing of God pursue my design So having altogether broken with that Bookseller I have agreed some Months since with another of this City Mr. Daniel Vanden Dalen to put divers Presses going upon it and re-print the whole Work revised and corrected that I might incessantly publish all the four Parts one after another in the form in wnich the Reader now sees them For as to the 750 Copies which Mr. Nauta had printed of the two First Books and are most of them still upon his hands they being an inconsiderble number that could not go very far and the hasty Edition of the Book being as yet imperfect seem'd to give room to a new Edition that the Pulick might be more speedily satisfied I therefore here present the Reader with the First Book enlarged with a new Chapter that I thought necessary to add at the end I hope with the Blessing of God that the three others shall successively appear every Month and I persuade my self that the reading of the First Parts will excite some Curiosities for the later and that altogether may invite the Reader to a serious consideration upon the Contents and capacitate him to judge more soundly of this matter than he did while this Treatise appear'd but in part and confusedly This is what I had to say as to this Edition that was made in such an extraordinary manner and publish'd without my knowledge I come now to treat of my scope and what has obliged me to embrace the Opinions I assert in this Book In all my Studies I was always inclin'd not to rest upon probabilities but to search into the whole matter and to get a clear and distinct knowledge of what I should know Besides many strange things had happen'd to me in Friesland upon the first Writings I had publish'd and experience had assured me how little one ought to relye upon the Judgment of Men especially when what they are accustomed to teach is call'd in question For is it not wonderful that my Book upon the Catechism should have been unanimously condemn'd in Friesland
that is all powerful but that they have associated to him inferior Gods That the Greeks have often called them Demons and likewise Gods as most of the Pagans do at this Day which Demons or inferior Gods have every one their share in the Administration of the Universe directing the affairs of Men under the name and Authority of the Soveraign God and being as Mediators between him and Men They converse also with these last who can by their means know and effect things above the power of Nature This knowledge gives some the name of Diviners and these Operations cause others to be called Magicians and Sorcerers in consequence of which all the effects that we cannot give a Reason for or find the cause of are attributed to these Demons or inferior Gods The Souls of the Dead are also ranked amongst the Demons and according as they have behav'd themselves well or ill upon Earth the good or evil which happens to Men is attributed to one or the other It is that which has given occasion to distinguish the inferior Gods into good and bad After the Pagans which know neither the true God nor Religion I treat of those which have the Holy Scripture among them of whom the first are the Jews having known God a long time before all the others and received his Word in the writings of the Old Testament where they have learned that in truth the Souls of Men are immortal but that there are no Demons or inferior Gods such as the Pagans fancy That God alone by himself rules the Universe and that none can have knowledge or produce effects beyond the strength of nature for that belongs to God only I observe farther that Judaism in the state into which it is insensibly fallen since the coming of Christ and as it is at this Day is very much mixed with Paganism or at least very much infected with it whence proceeds the practices of Divinations and Sorcery that are in fashion amongst the Jews Chapter the 13th After that I represent that the Mahometans who acknowledge but one God and created Angels good and bad and the Devil as chief of them That the Mahometans I say who have admitted the Books of the New Testament and reverence Jesus Christ as a great Prophet have nevertheless mixed in all their Opinions a great many of those of the Pagans which they have for the most part received and that they are no less inclined to Divinations and Witchcraft Chapter the 14th After the Jews and the Mahometans who keep a kind of mean between the Pagans and the Christians I pass to these last and distinguish them according to the time before Popery under Popery and since Popery By this means I show that the primitive Christians since the Apostles have insensibly introduced amongst them many Opinions of Paganism and Judaism which have been increasing under Popery till they attained to the heighest pitch and that they had ascribed to the Angels the Souls of the deceased especially to the Devil all the Miracles which the Pagans attributed to the Demons the Devils and inferior Gods Chapter the 15th to the 21. In the mean while I take notice that among the Ancient Christians there arose a Sect called the Manichees which had admitted in particular a great many Pagan Opinions and made the Devil almost equal to God And I show that their Opinions have insensibly been propagated in Christianity even to our times after that I come to these last Ages and to the Doctrines of the Protestant Churches among which I rank all those that are Call'd The Reformed that is all those that are separated from Popery upon which I remark that the more we are remote from Paganism either for time or place there 's the less credit given to all those things which respect the Devil and his Power Nevertheless I show that part of our People not having comprehended enough what are the foundations of the Protestant Doctrine nor in what it differs from Popery are taken with the common Opinion of Devils to whom as well as to Men that have Communication with him they attribute more easily so many marvelous effects and so much above the power of nature then others do who have more meditated and reflected upon those Doctrines and variations Chapter the 22th and 23. Lastly having compared all these Opinions together I conclude that the common Opinion which has been in request amongst us to this day had it's Original from Paganism not that the meer use of Reason should produce such thoughts but on the contrary the ill use that is made of it It is because we suffer our selves to be seduced and blinded by a false appearance of Piety without having recourse to the light of the Scripture that we fall into such Extravagancies with which we are pleased and love to continue in them I prove that these are thoughts that never were inspired to the Christians by the Holy Scripture by reason that those who read it less and understand it less give more Credit to these sort of things and because all the World is already prevented before they read it and meditate upon it For by these Reasons I endeavour to bring the Reader to consider whether the Scripture gives occasion to believe all those things that are ordinarily said upon that subject or to believe them so as they are said or whether such Sentiments have not taken root in us from our tender Youth and been confirmed by Custom At best I have a very strong presumption for that Reasoning that when we believe before-hand that such a thing is there is a great disposition to turn our Reason and the Expressions of the Scripture to that side and to believe that the inclination we have of it comes from Reason and even the Holy Writ leading us thitherto Moreover we receive the first Interpretations and the Commentaries upon the Scripture from the hands of those antient Doctors touching which I prove Chap. 15. that they have been all prejudiced some more others less in favour of many Pagan Doctrines and Opinions which have unawares given occasion to that Sense in which the Scripture has been expounded by them These are the Contents of the 24th Chapters and the conclusion of the first Book An Illustration upon the three last Books in general In seems to me that for all these Reasons it is easie to conceive that this first part of my Treatise is not so unprofitable as some imagine They will that regard be had only to the second Book and that the first should not be insisted upon because it consists but in Historical narrations which conclude nothing But as far as I am capable to give a reason for the structure of my own building I say the Second Book is founded upon the First according to the proofs I am perswaded I have lawfully drawn by good consequences Chapter 14. For if it were otherwise I had reason to be surprized that of so many
notice of it and there are yet higher than they are Not that they are placed one above the other as it is done amongst Men but as we ordinarily say of two wise persons that one is wiser than the other and that the Cause is more excellent than the Effect So that he pretends that God himself has produced those of the first Dignity who have brought for h those of the second and these those of the third and so forth Sect. 8. Jewish Authors ordinarily establish ten Degrees or Orders who are distinguished by their Names in the same Maimonides and in the Book Midrasch Bereshjit descending from the highest degree to the lowest 1. Chayos Hakkodesch 2. Ofanim 3 Oralim 4. Chasmalim 5. Seraphim 6. Malachim or Angels 7. Elohim 8. Bene Elohim 9. Cherubim 10. Yschim The signification of most of the Names is very uncertain and far fetcht However I shall translate them as briefly as I can and as I can best guess by the explications they have given of them 1. Living Holily 2. Quick 3. Powerful in strength 4. Flames of Fire 5. Gâ—owing Sparks 6. Messengers 7. Gods 8. Sons of God 9. Images of the Temple 10. Men. 'T is believed that the first are so called because they are originally Holy in a more excellent manner than Men and that by their influence they are the cause of the life of all the Creatures inferior to them which God has created by their Ministry The name of Men may have been given to the last because 't is supposed that they use sometimes to appear by the order of God in a human shape They only also saith Maimonides were those who spoke by the Prophets and are in the nearst degree to the human Knowledge Sect. 9. That 's the difference which is amongst them I shall yet set down in the words of the same Author how those ten Orders are distinguished from God and Men. All those living Beings says he know the Creator in an excellent degree of knowledge each in reference to his Order and not in relation to his Excellency For which reason the first Degree cannot conceive the Creator such as he is in himself because their Vnderstanding is too short to attain unto him However they approach nearer to him than the Beings of an inferior Order and each of these Orders unto the 10th knows the Creator more perfectly than Men who are composed of Matter and Form Sect. 10. The Cabbalists who have traced out the way to the Magick of the Jews are not contented with these Ten Orders but divide all the Creatures into four Circles The 1st is the Circle of the exhalations Avilos called otherwise Zephiros Lights so much exalted in all ages by the Jewish Doctors who will not have them called either Creatures or Essences of the Creator but perfections distinct from him as Manasse Ben-Israel explains it more particularly putting them into parallel with the Ideas of Platâ— and esteeming them to be the Principles of all things He counts 10 of this Order the Crown the Science Prudence Majesty Valour Beauty Victory Glory Foundation and Kingdom They name the second Circle that of the Creation in which are the Angels separated and distinct from all Corporality and divided into 10 Orders the names of which are set down Sect. 8. They place in the third Circle Jetzira that is the forms amongst which they reckon such Angels as have any communication with Bodies The 4th Circle contains all the other Creatures named Alchiia or compounded Beings Sect. 11. If I would relate more at large whatever the Jews have written of the Angels and the Opinion of each of their particular Doctors there would not be much agreement betwixt what I shoul say and what has already been said they differ so much from one another However here follow the Thoughts of some of their Ring-leaders They speak of three sorts of Angels the first is altogether free from Matter and there are four Troops of that sort which have each their Captain that stands at one of the corners of the Throne of God Michael is on the Right Gabriel on the Left Vriel before and Raphael behind This we learn from Rabbi Eliezer in his 4th Chapter Those Names have a very pregnant Sense Michael that is unless it be God Gabriel God is my Strength Vriel God is my Light Raphael God is my Physitian They never appear'd to the Eyes of Man nor in a human shape unless in a Vision and to the Prophets only The good Angels whom God employs in the Administration of the World are in the second Rank They have often appeared to the Prophets in an human shape they dwell above the Coelestial Orbs and are called the Army of Heaven But the Devils or Schediim that are the wicked Angels or as they use to speak Kacodaimones the Bad Demons of whom mention has been made Chap. 2. Sect. 12. have their abode under the Moon and are the Executioners of God's Wrath and Judgments But as to this last sort we must more particularly enquire after the Belief of the Jews Sect. 12. They call the Devils Angels of Destruction or Death Satanim Satans or Adversaries Philo that was Contemporary with the Apostles will best teach us what they think of it Thus he writes in his Book of the Giants Moses used to call Angels what the other Philosophers name Genii Here he takes the â—â—rd Genii in too large a Sense or he confines that of Angels to too strict a Signification according to that which has been observed before Chap. 2. S. 13 14. They are pursues that Author the Souls that fly into the Air which none ought to account a Fable and therefore it gives a more particular explication of it As we ordinarily say that there are good and bad Spirits and good and bad Souls it is the same with the Angels Some of them are called good and are Messengers that go to and fro from God to Men and from Men to God who are unreproachable and constant in their excellent Ministry but on the contrary there are others that are Prophane and Execrable and may well be call'd Damnable without fear of Lying Sect. 13. The Jews report very differently the originâ—l of Spirits Manasse Ben Israel asserts That they were produced by God himself on the second day of the Creation Prob. 23. Rabbi Eliezer relates their fall in these words Chap. 13. The Administring Angels say to God eternally Blessed O Lord God of the Vniverse What is Man that thou should'st put such value upon him What is he besides Vanity For he can but somewhat reason upon Terrestrial Things God answer'd do you pretend that I only desire to be Exalted and Glorified by you here above I am the same there below that I am here Who is it amongst you that can call all the Creatures by their Names There was not one amongst them that could do it Whereupon Adam rose and named all the Creatures by their
the number of 364 that is of all the days of the Year but one Now the Jews pretend that by Reason of the Virtue of that number 364 included in the name of Hassatan he is deprived of the right of accusing them during a like number of days in the Year and therefore he has but one remaining in which he may do it so that if he chance to neglect that day or to be then deceived or puzled he may well be sorrowful and the Jews very glad all this is grounded upon the passage of Zacharia Chap. 3. v. 2 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan Sect. 12. They also pretend to find a great Virtue in the reckoning of Letters and their disposition into several different orders They write on the forepart of Houses and the Walls of Chambers some strange Characters of no less extraordinary names which they use to give to those Angels that are established over the plague supposing by that means to be sufficiently seâ—ure from the burning darts of that consuming scouâ—ge The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diriroon is likewise an infallible preservative against the Pestilence when 't is written 22 or 23 times that is as many times as there are Letters in their Alphabet of which they put one every time before that word beginning with the first Letter and ending with the last They have likewise excellent remedies against Agues the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is made up of Six Letters being written 6 times in as many different files 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leaving out a Letter of every file on the left side is in their Opinion an excellent remedy against the quartan Ague the stumbling block of the Physitians By this any one may perceive how great Virtue the Jews ascribe to Letters Characters and Names Here you have another Mystery taught in the Book Aroda Zara 'T is dangerous to drink at Night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why because that makes People blind but if one be dry and he drinks what then here is the remedy The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shebriri that is lost sight or sudden blindness being written as it is here in the Margent and hung about the Neck cause the blindneâ—â— to go off as much as we see decrease the first Letters of this word untill they be altogether vanished and the blindness gone Those Instructions are to be found in the Lexicon Talmudicum of Buxtorf Sect. 13. By this short Specimen of their Witchcrafts may be seen the Relation that there is betwixt the Practices and Doctrines of their Rabbins contained in the fore-going Chapter from which doubtless those practices take their Original First Their opinions of the Materiality as I may say of good and bad Spirits Chap. 12. Sect. 8.10 14 15. was the cause that they ascribe to them external and visible shapes with effects of the same nature as they have been described Sect. 6.8 For material Causes act materially whereas Spiritual things are for those that are Spiritual 1 Cor. 2.13 Second It was no hard matter that the st aâ—ge Thoughts they have of Sammael Prince of the Devils and of Lilis his Mother according to some Chap. 12. Sect. 13 14 should carry them to practise Conjurations by which they hope to put Mother and Son to flight or at least to turn them off Sect. 7 8 9. Whoever is so credulous in that point is very apt to mistake in all others Third Their great and general esteem for the Cabbala that ascribes so much power to Letters Names and Numbers is the original of all the sorts of Witchcraft that are performed with Letters Numbers and Characters Sect. 10 11 12. And 't is no wonder that a Nation who has lost the vivifying Spirit of the Letters of the Holy Writ should now so curiously and with so much trouble seek the help of those Letters destitute of the Spirit of Life Fourth It must be observed that being antiently used to Prophesies Visions Vrim and Thummim they now bethought themselves of the empty sound of Bathcole and the influences of the Stars to supply the want of the advantages they had lost Sect. 14. When we recollect all those things we easily perceive that thô the Jews are not partakers of the Pagans Idolatry yet they have a near Relation to them as to the Opinions and Customs they have not drawn from the Holy Scripture Nay they go farther than the Heathens and are in a more Diametrical opposition to the Principles of their own Doctrine than the Heathens with those of their Religion for the Jews conceiving plainer than they do that there is but one Creator and Director of all sufficient to himself and having such a strong prejudice against all the Gods invented by Men and against whatever has any nearness to Idolatry 'T is not easie to forgive them their dependency upon the Stars their fear of the great Devil Sammael nor their Faith for the virtue of Words Letters Characters and Numbers since the Heathens were obnoxious to those faults only because they had not a sufficient knowledge of the Supreme Deity and did not relye so much upon him as they ought to have done whereas they trusted too much upon the Creatures which they had Deify'd themselves However our amazement will diminish if we observe that all these Doctrines have been drawn from Paganism and have been received amongst them only by an effect of the natural inclination and eagerness of that People for such Fables and Inventions without considering whether or no they were agreeable to the Rules of the Law But the utmost blindness is to persist in them to this very day without reflecting upon the State in which the Divine Justice has put them by an entire destruction of their Common-wealth and scattering of their Nation amongst the Heathens In the mean while I desire the Reader to observe that hitherto we have met with nothing of whatever is called Witchcraft Phantasms or Diabolical Apparitions but it draws its Original from Heathenism CHAP. XIV That the Doctrine of the Spirits and the exercise of Magick are also in request amongst the Mahometans Sect. 1. WE cannot say many things with great certainty concerning the Mahometans upon the matter in hand for we must learn it either in the Alcoran that is the Law of Mahomet or from the Precepts of their Doctors which very much differ from the Law As to the Alcoran I would not trust to any but my self and therefore have read it sheet by sheet from the beginning to the end but could not gather any particulars relating to our subject except that little which I shall mention hereafter Besides there are come to my hands but very few writings of the Mahometans yet I have read some very credible Christian Authors that treat of their belief whom I shall presume to make use of because every one knows that during their abode amongst those Nations they have examined very impartially and narrowly such
other bad the Author of all Evil and the Prince of darkness That the first as they say is the God that has formed all things and that the other is Hyle that is the matter from which all things have been formed and which is esteem'd by them to be the Devil Some distinguish the Devil from the Prince of darkness and translate not as we do the last words of the 44th v. of the 8th Ch. of St. John He is the Father of lies but his Father is a lie namely the Father of the Devil Second As to the good God they say that his Essence is dispersed as by portions through all the Creatures and inherent to them which they explain by many wonderful Commentaries This is what they think of God and the Devil in relation to their Essence and Existence what follows concerns their Operations Sect. 4. Third The People of darkness formerly warr'd with the People of light The good God went himself to attack the Prince of darkness by some certain principal Spirits which he had produced of his own Essence who however being too weak were taken Prisoners but Christ came to repair that disorder having been begotten by some certain first Man who had been the promoter of this War and had begun it Fourth That in the mean while Christ himself is the Serpent that seduced Adam and Eve Fifth That Christ is now fixed amongst the Stars especially in the luminous Globe of the Sun in which sense they explain his Ascension to Heaven Sect. 5. Sixth They believe the Metempsychosis in this manner That the Souls shall pass into the bodies of such a kind of living Creatures as they have most loved or abused during their Life He that has killed a mouse or a fly shall pass in punishment into the body of a mouse or a fly the state in which he shall be put after death shall likewise be opposed to that in which he was during his Life He that is rich shall be poor and he that is poor shall be rich Seventh They also give two Souls to every Man one of which is always contrary to the other But enough of their Doctrines we leave the rest to Danaeus who ascribes to them 21 in all because what he and other Authors say belongs not to our subject Sect. 6. However I am not apt to assert that they have believed and taught such gross Doctrines as are imputed to them and have been now related For supposing the common Opinion concerning the Doctrine of the Manichees that they were chiefly extracted from the Philosophy of the Persians since Manes their First Author was undoubtedly a Persian and that they are strangely mingled with the Christian Divinity It is unreasonable to have the same Opinion of that People that we have of other Nations who never cultivated the study of Nature and Human learning such as those we have met with in the Northern parts of Africa and the Southern of America It may well be that the Manichees ascribe to the whole Vniverse a principle like that which is observed in it's parts viz. The active cause and the matter which Aristotle established to be eternal as well as the World and that afterwards matter considered as insensible by a misinterpretation of the words of Moses that spreads in the beginning darkness over the Abyss and the Spirit of God moving over it should have produced those monstrous thoughts of which we have given some instances Sect. 7. Supposing they have established two principal causes one of good and the other of evil but yet so as that the First is uncontestably superior to the Second as much as light is above darkness and the workman above the matter he works upon 't is probable that they had an Idea of God as a Soul infused through the whole Vniverse that consider'd by them as the body in which that First cause continually operates And as the contrary motions of corporeal passions rise against the Empire of Reason that ought to govern them so they might believe that the Animal Spirits proceeding from matter perpetually rebel against God the Fountain of all Reason Whence it would follow that God should not be more absolute master of the Vniverse than Man is of his body thence has proceeded that Idea of two different Gods one good and the other bad the latter being still inferior to the former who is indeed the workman but has not an arbitrary Government there being a power in the World so great that it is able to resist him Sect. 8. But whether I have made a just conjecture or whether the Manichees had other Opinions then those I imagine it seems nevertheless that I may reasonable suppose it upon this foundation that no Opinions so gross as those that are ascribed to them not only are not admitted but not so much as moved or propounded as we shall see very soon in the series of this work because the principal points of those sorts of belief with their dependencies have a great relation with my Second and Third Book as I hope to show at the end of the Second And therefore whether any one treats of the Devil and Spirits according to the Holy Scripture or whether he only follows his own sense and right it may 〈◊〉 assured that all his Reasonings will turn upon this notion of his that God and the Devil have each an Empire one contrary to the other and that thô the Devil be subject to the power of God yet his Empire is more apparent It is denyed that God now works any miracles but some are rashly ascribed to the Devil that surpass all those that are mentioned in the Holy writ We believe that there are Angels and gather from the Holy Scripture that they encamp about the faithful and the Devil likewise is incessantly active to do them hurt if possible he can but his abode is in Hell However it is very rare to hear any one say he has seen an Angel in a vision whereas the Devil appears almost continually If any thing has been either signified or foretold we never believe it to be the Operation of an Angel but of the Devil one is possest by him and another bewitch'd by his means unknown Tongues are spoken strange things are said others no less wonderful are perform'd and the most hidden secrets discover'd But you will scarce meet with any that has so good Opinion of the power of an Angel if we have any Holy thought or good inspiration how inconsiderable soever it may be we ascribe it to the Holy Ghost and seem not to believe that the Angels are so much as capable of contributing to it since it ne'er comes in our mind to think upon them But the Devil penetrates the most secret thoughts of Men overthrows their best designs and incessantly excites them to Evil if they are accused and convicted of any crime the excuse is always at hand for the Devil has done it or at least
under the Figure of Samuel They think that it cannot be deny'd but that he has power over the Air and Winds over Armies over the Goods of Men their Bodies and their Lives which is proved by the example of what happen'd to Job And by the effects that the Magicians of Egypt produc'd in the time of Moses which are as so many sure marks of the power of the Devil either to produce Insects as Frogs and Serpents and to make a Transmutation of the Elements either to represent with an inconceivable readiness things that are to be fetch'd from far or at least so to dazle the eyes of Men to see what is not Sect. 14. As to the means which Magicians Diviners and Inchanters make use of scarce is there a person of good Sense that believes they are efficacious of themselves but they will have it to be effected by the Devil who operates all that those miserable wretches imagine to act and that the Covenants made between him and them oblige him to execute that which they require of him provided only that they make use of Signs and that they imploy circumstances destin'd for that purpose such as he has taught them It is very prudently observed as is believed that those Leagues are made two ways which I shall express in the words of Sennertus taken from his Treatise upon this Question Whether one may be render'd invulnerable to the point of a Sword and to Musquets where he says That the Contract with the Devil is of two kinds mediate or immediate express or tacite The immediate or express Contract is when any makes use of means that he has been immediately furnished with by the Devil The mediate or tacite Contract is when one makes use of the means which in truth have been ordain'd by the Devil but not having been supply'd by the Devil himself comes to him by the hand of some other person which is directly contrary to the Law of God that forbids us to have other Gods but him For he says a little further The consent is not altogether excluded from the tacite agreement because whosoever is not as yet deprived of Reason as not to avoid the Precipices of Rocks or the mouth of a Pit he cannot but see that such Words and Characters have not in themselves any virtue and that by consequence before making use of them we are obliged to examin by what virtue they may produce such effects for if one neglects to do it it is certain a tacite Contract with the Devil who has promised to execute all the clauses and conditions of his writing in favour of those who make use of the Words and Characters therein contained in consequence of which he who makes use of it cannot pretend himself innocent of the crime of Magick Such is Sennertus's opinion and as I may judge from my own experience will not be confuted by our Doctors for I hear them generally hold speaking the same Language Doctor Wierius a famous Man who had very much meditated upon this matter and had studied it very much establishes all these things a little more confusedly but yet very near upon the same foot Sect. 15. I have something to add here concerning Dreams The common Language of our Divines is that there are four sorts Natural Civil or such as are occasion'd by the preceding conversation and actions without Nature or Temper having any share in them Lastly Divine or Diabolical They hold that these last proceed from the inspiration of the Devil who disturbs the imagination of Man and represents to him fearful Figures to disquiet or fright him or to transport him for some time into some place where he pleases as we have seen before that he transports the Witches to their several meetings In consequence of this Doctrine there are some of opinion that the Dream that Pilate's Wife suffered so much because of Christ was a Diabolick Dream Sect. 16. But I find not any of these Doctors who have heretofore ever attributed so little understanding and Power to the Devil as to the knowledge and effects already described as Reynold Schot has before quoted We have at this time Anthony Van Dalen who ascribes no more to him in his Book of Oracles these two Authors hold that there is no other efficient cause of all the things which are practised or which are operated but the impostures of Men the Devil having no part in them I learn also whilst I am taken up in this present Work that the most sensible among us attribute but very little power and knowledge to the Devil and that there are a great many more than I conceived who as to the actions of the possest and bewitched are of the same opinion with Mr. Daillon who in a French Book concerning Demons maintains all that which is contained in the Scripture touching evil and unclean Spirits is not otherwise to be understood than of certain Diseases to which the Jews used to give such names believing however that it might happen evil Spirits medl'd with them at the same time There 's lately come to my hands very conveniently a little Book of Mr. Orchard's an Englishman Preacher in the New-Netherlands as I am told in which the ancient and common opinion upon this subject is confuted as being directly opposite to the Doctrine and belief of the Protestant Churches Sect. 17. But let us leave off speaking of these People because that of one side there is no necessity here to handle them and because I intend to do it afterwards It is not necessary to speak of them here because my intention is not to set down here what is not said of the Devil and what is not attributed to him but my design is to relate that which is said of him and to examine whether it be true or no. 'T is sufficient for me to hold the last Negative with the English Writer because I am much averse from maintaining the opinion which ascribes so much power and virtue to Spirits and especially to the bad And further I shall be obliged to enter the List with Schot Van Dalen and many others who oppose the common belief that they had of this Power when I shall come afterwards to examine the reasons and proofs upon which it is founded However before I finish this First Part I shall rehearse all that has been said and compare the opinions of Infidels with those of the Christians CHAP. XXIII That of all these Opinions put together there result some certain propositions in which they differ and others in which they agree Sect. 1. I have from time to time conferr'd the Opinions that I have related first those of the Ancient and modern Pagans in the 11th Chapter and afterwards those of the Jews Mahometans and Christians of the six first Ages in the 17th Chapter There remains now to compare those of the Papists and Protestants after which we will confer them all together to that end we must