Spirit can Actuate Animate or inform a certain portion of matter and be united to it from whence it is very evident that the Devil united to a portion of matter which hereafter I 'll call a Vehicle may fall under the cognizance of our Senses and be conversant with us in a bodily shape Where then is the reason or need to run to a Metaphorical and forced Interpretation when the words are so plain and the literal sense implieth no contradiction nor any greater difficulty than as has been said what ariseth from the Union of the Soul and Body which is most certain Now after all to say God will not permit the Devil so to appear is to beg the question without saying any thing to the preceeding Argument and it is against the sense of almost all in â—kind for in all Ages and all places there have been many Witnesses of the appearances of Dâ—mons all of whom that taught any thing contrary to the right Worship of the true God were certainly evil ones and it were most presumptuous barely to assert that all these witnesses were always deceived and it is impossible they could all agree to deceive 2. We come to consider the nature of Possession The Man possest Luk. 8.27 had a Power more than Natural for he brake the bands which he could not have done by his own strength Now from whom had he this Power The Scripture saith He had Devils a long time and often times it had caught him c. he was kept bound with Chains and in Fetters and he brake the bands and was driven of the Devil into the Wilderness this Power then was immediately from the Devil and whatsoever possessed persons does or suffers things beyond his natural power he is inabled by the Daemon so to do or to speak more properly it is the Damon who acteth the same as is plain from St. Mark 's Relation of this passage v. 5.2 A Man with an unclean Spirit v. 3.2 and no Man could bind him no not with Chains 6. v. but when he saw Jesus afar off he ran and worshiped him and the same He v. 7. said I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not v. 10. My name is Legion for we are many v. 11. and he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the Countrey it is manifest from hence that it was not the poor Man who was possest but the Devils who possessed him by whom the Chains had been pluck'd a sunder and the Fetters broken in pieces now here is Divine testimony that the Devils have actuated a Humane body to the doing of things beyond the Natural strength of that Body as it was simply united to its humane Soul how much more then can the Devil actuate any other proportion of simple Matter Earth Air Fire or Water and make it a fit Organ for himself to act in But enough of this already let us rather enquire how the Devil enters info the body of the possest to move it at his pleasure this I think he cannot do as a meer Spirit or by any never so strict Vnion with the Humane Soul for in that case he is only a tempter or seducer and nothing above humane strength can be done But here there being something performed the bonds broken by a force which could not proceed from humane strength it necessarily follows that the Devils entred into the possest otherways qualified than as a meer Spirit he did not enter without some portion of matter to which he was united by the Intermedium whereof he acted upon and actuated the humane body Again if it is said that the Devil entred as a meer Spirit and immediately acted upon and moved that Body it follows the Devil hath a Vehicle a certain portion of matter that Body to actuate and dispose of at will which is absurd 1. Because it asserts what it seems to deny viz. the Devils having a Vehicle to act immediately upon and to be united to a portion of matter as has been said before is the same thing 2. It sights against the CatholickLaw of the Vnion of Soul of and Body by which the Omnipotent hath ordained the voluntary motion of a humane body to depend upon the Will of its humane Soul and those that are not voluntary to proceed either from its own Mechanison or material force hence we may certainly conclude that it is by the Intervening of the Devils Vehicle that he enters into the Body of the possest But what if you and I cannot agree about this Notion of possession must wâ— therefore reject the truth it self and run to a far fetched and intollerable sense of the words No our opinions do not alter the Nature of things it is certain there were persons possest and it is as certain that the Deâ—il entred into them either with or without a Vehicle it is all one which part of the contradiction you takeÌ„ the consequence is the same Viz. That the Devil doth act immediately upon matter there is another acceptation of the word possession in Scripture Acts 16.16 where one is said to be possest with a Spirit of Divination 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word commonly used to the Priestess of Apollo who gave responses and it seems this Damsel was such an one for she brought her Masters much Money or gain by sooth saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if the History of them be true that they were demented and knew not themselves what they uttered donec erant Deo plenae as they word it their case is not different but the same with the foregoing but if they understood what they spoke then had they familiar Spirits whereof there is frequent mention made in the Old Testament and one good King is commended for having cut off them that had such therefore I think the meaning of the word was very obvious in his time neither was it ever controverted being joyn'd with any other name than spirit Familiar one of our own Family that is oft every day conversant with us and almost ever ready upon call to attend us But the consideration of them who have familiar Spirits falleth under the head of Witchcraft which we are to consider in the third place 3. Witchcraft to inquire into the Scripture Notion of it and compare whether it be the same with that above dâ—fined the Cabalistick learning would be of great use in this search and afford us much light there is little doubt but that there are many great truths not commonly known Non est Religio ubi omnia patent And our Saviour expresly cautions his Disciples that they do not throw their Pearl before Swine therefore it is no wonder that some Doctrines tho' unquestionably true are not so fully described because the Authors who treat of them are afraid lest evil Men should be the more deproved by being informed but I am in no such fear nor can I give you any other thoughts but what are
self-ends particularly because some men perhaps among all sorts of Christians have under pretence of Witchcraft coloured their own Malice Pride and Popularity we must not therefore conclude first that there are no Witches 2 or that Witches cannot be Convicted by such dear and undeniable proof as the Law of God requires in the case of Death 3. Or that a Witch so Convicted ought not to be put to death 1. That there are Witches is manifest from the precept of Moses Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live Exod. 22.18 for it is certain God would not have given a vain and unintelligible Law as this must be of putting Witches to death if there are no Witches But you object that this doth not answer our Case for we have formed another Idea of Witches than what can be gathered from Scriptures you quote four place viz. Deut 13. Mat. 24. Acts 13.2 Tim. 3. from all which you infer that Witchcraft is a maligning and opugning the Word Works and Worship of God and by an extraordinary sign seeking to seduce any from it and this you readily grant But then you say What is this to Witches now a days who are said to have made an explicit Covenant with the Devil and to be impowered by him to the doing of things strange in themselves and besides their natural course This you say does not follow and herein indeed consists the whole Controversie Therefore it is necessary that first of all we clear this point laying aside those prejudices we may have from the fatal application of this Doctrine to some who were in your judgment really at least in Law and before Men Innocent In a word we are seeking after truth and truth shall and will be truth in spite of Men and Devils I do not repeat this caution to forestall you to believe the Doctrine of Witchcraft as it is above defined without inquiring into the reason and truth of it only I desire you to enquire into it as a thing doubtful For no Man can be certain of a Negative unless either the Affirmative imply a contradiction or he can prove it by certain testimony to neither of which you pretend only you alledge it cannot be proved by Scripture i.e. you cannot prove it nor have seen it proved by any other you have read on that Subject I am not so vain to think I can do better than the Learned Authors you have consulted with tho I know not what they have done for I had no other Book but the Bible to make use of on this occasion but because I am satisfied my self I am willing to communicate my Reasons which I divide into Three heads 1. The appearance of Angels 2. The nature of Possession 3. And the Scripture notion of Witchcraft 1. Good Angels did appear to Abraham and did eat Gen. 15. it seems he wash'd their Feet it is certain he saw and heard them therefore there is no impossibility in Angels being conversant with men God is true and whatever is contained in Sacred Writ is true If we poor shallow Mortals do not comprehend the manner how that argues only our weakness and ignorance in this dark Prison of Flesh wherein we are inclosed during our abode in this vale of misery but doth not in the least infringe the verity of the Scripture it is sufficient that we undoubtedly know they have appeared unto Men in bodily shape and done their Errand they were sent on from God Now if good Angels have appeared why may not bad Surely the Devils because fallen and Evil have not therefore lost the Nature of Angels neither is there any contradiction in their appearing in a bodily shape now after any more than before their Fall But you will say you must allow of the appearances of Good Angels because of the Scripture testimony but not of bad seeing there is no place of Scripture that clearly proves it Mat. 4. The words in the Gospel do as plainly signifie the Devils outward appearance to our Saviour when he was tempted as can be express'd and when the tempter came to him he said but he answered the same from St. Luke useth to signifie the appearance of Moses and Elias in the transfiguration And behold there talked with him two men for what follows v. 31 who appeared is used to signifie not their appearance but the manner of their appearance in great Glory But you 'l urge that 't is very easie to be understood that Moses and Elias did appear because they had human bodies but that it is unintelligible to you how the Devil being a Spirit can appear a Spirit i.e. a substance void of all dimensions therefore the words in the History must not be taken in a literal Sense Do not mistake tho some Philosophers are of opinion which whether true or false is all one to our present Argument that a Spirits substance is extended and hath besides length breadth and depth a fourth dimension viz. essential spissitude yet the same do not say that pure substance is perceptible by our bodily Senses on the contrary they tell us that Spirits are cloathed with vehicles i.e. they are united to certain portions of matter which they inform move and actuate Now this we must not reject as impossible because we cannot comprehend the formaâ— reason how a Spirit acts upon matter For who can give the Reason that upon the Volition of the human Soul the Hand should be lifted up or any ways moved for to say the Contraction of the Muscles is the Mechanick cause of voluntary motion is not to solve the Question which recurs why upon Volition should that Contraction ensue which causes that motion all that I know the wisest Man ever said upon this head is that it is the will of the Creator who hath ordered such a species of thinking Creatures by a Catholick Law to be united to such portions of matter so and so disposed or if you will in the vulgar Phrase to Organiz'd bodies and that there should be between them and the several bodies they are united to a mutual re-action and passion Now you see how little we know of the reason of that which is most near to us and most certain viz. The Souls informing the Body yet you would think it a bad Argument if one should as some have done include from this our Ignorance that there was nothing in us but matter it is no otherways to deny a Spirits acting a Vehicle The plainest and most certain things when denied are hardest to be proved therefore the Axiom faith well contra principia c. There are some certain truths which are rather to be explained to young beginners than proved upon which yet all Science is built as every whole is more than his part and of this sort I take these two following 1. That there are two substances Corâ—us Mens Body and Spirit altogether different for the Ideas we have of them are quite distinct 2. That a
have thus become observable I have been but a Servant of Mankind in doing so yea no less a Person than the Venerable Baxter has more than once or twice in the most Publick manner invited Mankind to thank me for that Service I have not been insensible of a greater danger attending me in this fulfilment of my Ministry than if I had been to take Ten Thousand steps over a Rocky Mountain fill'd with Rattle-Snakes but I have consider'd he that is wise will observe things and the Surprizing Explication and confirmation of the biggest part of the Bible which I have seen given in these things has abundantly paid me for observing them Now in my visiting of the Miserable I was always of this opinion that we were Ignorant of what Powers the Devils might have to do their mischiefs in the shapes of some that had never been explicitly engaged in Diabolical Confederacies and that therefore tho' many Witchcrafts had been fairly detected on Enquiries provoked and begun by Specteral Exhibitions yet we could not easily be too jealous of the Snares laid for us in the devices of Satan the World knows how many Pages I have Composed and Published and particular Gentlement in the Government know how many Letters I have written to prevent the excessive Credit of Specteral Accusations wherefore I have still charged the Afflicted that they should Cry out of no body for Afflicting of ' em But if that this might be any Advantage they might privately tell their minds to some one Person of discretion enough to make no ill use of their communications accordingly there has been this effect of it that the Name of No one good Person in the World ever come under any blemish by means of any Afflicted Person that fell under my particular cognisance yea no one Man Woman or Child ever came into any trouble for the sake of any that were Afflicted after I had once begun to look after 'em how often have I had this thrown into my dish that many years ago I had an opportunity to have brought forth such People as have in the late storm of Witchcraft been complain'd of but that I smother'd all and after that storm was rais'd at Salem I did my self offer to provide Meat Drink and Lodging for no less than Six of the Afflicted that so an Experiment might be made whether Prayer with Fasting upon the removal of the distressed might not put a Period to the trouble then rising without giving the Civil Authority the trouble of prosecuting those things which nothing but a Conscientious regard unto the cries of Miserable Families could have overcome the Reluctancies of the Honourable Judges to meddle with In short I do humbly but freely affirm it there is not that Man living in this World who has been more desirous than the poor Man I to shelter my Neighbours from the Inconveniencies of Specteral Outcries yea I am very jealous I have done so much that way as to Sin in what I have done such have been the Cowardize and Fearfulness whereunto my regard unto the dissatisfactions of other People has precipitated me I know a Man in the World who has thought he has been able to Convict some such Witches as ought to Dye but his respect unto the Publick Peace has caused him rather to try whether He could not renew them by Repentance And as I have been Studious to defeat the Devils of their expectations to set people together by the Ears thus I have also checked and quell'd those forbidden curiosities which would have given the Devil an invitation to have tarried amongst us when I have seen wonderful Snares laid for Curious People by the secret and future things discovered from the Mouths of Damsels possest with a Spirit of divination Indeed I can recollect but one thing wherein there could be given so much as a Shadow of Reason for Exceptions and that is my allowing of so many to come and see those that were Afflicted now for that I have this to say that I have almost a Thousand times intreated the Friends of the Miserable that they would not permit the Intrusion of any Company but such as by Prayers or other ways might be helpful to them Nevertheless I have not absolutely forbid all Company from coming to your Haunted Chambers partly because the Calamities of the Families were such as required the Assistance of many Friends partly because I have been willing that there should be disinterested Witnesses of all sorts to confute the Calumnies of such as would say all was but Imposture and partly because I saw God had Sanctified the Spectacle of the Miseries on the Afflicted unto the Souls of many that were Spectators and it is a very Glorious thing that I have now to mention The Devil have with most horrendousoperations broke in upon our Neighbourhood and God has at such a rate over-ruled all the Fury and Malice of those Devils that all the Afflicted have not only been Delivered but I hope also savingly brought home unto God and the Reputation of no one good Person in the World has been damaged but instead thereof the Souls oâ— many especially of the rising Generation have been thereby awaken'd unto some acquaintance with Religion our young People who belonged unto the Praying Meetings of both Sexes a part would ordinarily spenâ— whole Nights by the whole Weeks together in Prayers and Psalms upon these occasions in which Devotions the Devils could get nothing but like Fools a Scourge for their own Backs and some scores of other young People who were strangers to real Piety were now struck with the lively demonstrations of Hell evidently set forth before their Eyes when they saw Persons cruelly Frighted Wounded and Starved by Devils and Scaldeâ— with burning Brimstone and yet so preserved in this tortured Estate aâ— that at the end of one Months wretchedness they were as able still to undergo another so that of these also it might now be said Behold theâ— Pray in the whole The Devil got just nothing but God got praise Christ got Subjects the Holy Spirit got Temples the Church got Addâ—tion and the Souls of Men got everlasting Benefits I am not so vain â— to say that any Wisdome or Vertue of mine did contribute unto this good order of things But I am so just as to say I did not hinder this Gooâ— When therefore there have been those that pick up little incoherent scraps and bits of my Discourses in this fruitful discharge of my Ministry and so traversted 'em in their abusive Pamphlets as to perswade the Town that I was their common Enemy in those very points wherein if in any one thing whatsoever I have sensibly approved my self as true a Servant unto 'em as possibly I could tho my Life and Soul had been at Stake for it Yea to do like Satan himself by sly base unpretending Insinuations as if I wore not the Modesty and Gravity which became a Minister of the Gospel I
Mr. Parris by the good hand of God brought unto a better sense of things hath so fully exprest it that a Christian charity may and should receive satisfaction therewith 2. In as much as diverse Christian Brethren in the Church of Salem Village have been offended at Mr. Parris for his conduct in the time of their difficulties which have distressed them we now advise them Charitably to accept the satisfaction which he hath tendered in his Christian acknowledgment of the Errors therein committed yea to endeavour as far as it is possible the fullest reconciliation of their minds unto communion with him in the whole Exercise of his Ministry and with the rest of the Church Matth. 6.12 14. Luke 17.3 Iames 5.16 3. Considering the extream tryals and troubles which the dissatisfied Brethren in the Church of Salem Village have undergone in the day of sore temptation which hath been upon them we cannot but advise the Church to treat them with bowels of much compassion instead of all more critical or rigorous proceedings against them for the Infimities discovered by them in such an heart breaking day and if after a patient waiting for it the said Brethren cannot so far overcome the uneasiness of their Spirits in the remembrance of the disasters that have hapned as to sit under his Ministry we advise the Church with all tenderness to grant them admission to any other Society of the Faithful whereunto they may be desired to be dismist Gal. 6.1 2. Psal. 103.13 14. Iob 19.21 4. Mr. Parris having as we understand with much fidelity and integrity acquitted himself in the main course of his Ministry since he hath been Pastor of the Church of Salem Village about his first call whereunto we look upon all contestations now to be both unreasonable and unseasonable And our Lord having made him a blessing to the Souls of not a few both old and young in this place we advise that he be accordingly respected honour'd and supported with all the regards that are due to a painful Minister of the Gospel 1 Thes. 5.12 13. 1 Tim. 5.17 5. Having observed that there is in Salem Village a Spirit full of contention and animosity too sadly verifying the blemish which hath heretofore lain upon them And that some complaints against Mr. Parris have been either causeless or groundless or unduly aggravated we do in the name and fear of the Lord solemnly warn them to consider whether if they continue to devour one another it will not be bitterness in the latteâ— end and beware lest the Lord be provoked thereby utterly to deprive them of those which they should count their precious and pleasant things and abandon them to all the desolations of a People that sin away the Mercies of the Gospel Iames 3.16 Gal. 5.15 2 Sam. 2.26 Isa. 5.45 Mat. 21.43 6. If the Distempers in Salem Village should be which God forbid so incurable that Mr. Parris after all find that he cannot with any comfort and service continue in his present Station his removal from thence will not expose him to any hard Character with us nor we hope with the rest of the People of God among whom we live Mat. 10.14 Acts 22.18 All which advice we follow with our Prayers that the God of Peace would bruse Satan under our Feet now the Lord of Peace himself give you Peace always by all means Ios. Bridgham Samuel Chickley William Tory Ios. Boynton Richard Middlecutt Iohn Walley Ier. Dummer Neh. Iewitt Ephr. Hunt Nath. Williams Incr. Mather Samuel Phillips Iames Allen Samuel Tory Samuel Willard Edward Paison Cotton Mather To the Reverend Elders of the Three Churches of Christ at Boston with others the Elders and Brethren of other Churches late of a Council at Salem Village WE whose Names are hereunto Subscribed are bold once more to trouble you with our humble Proposals That whereas there has been long and uncomfortable differences among us chiefly relating to Mr. Parris and we having as we apprehend attended all probable means for acomposure of our troubles and whereas we had hopes of an happy Issue by your endeavours among us but now are utterly frustrated of our Expectations and that instead of uniting our rent is made worse and our breach made wider We humbly Query Whether your selves being streightned of time might not omit such satisfactory liberty of debating the whole of our Controversie whereby your selves had not so large an opportunity of understanding the Case nor the offended so much reason to be satisfied in your advice We therefore humbly propose and give full liberty of proving and defending of what may be charged on either hand leaving it to your selves to appoint both time and place 1. That if your selves please to take the trouble with patience once more to hear the whole Case 2. Or that you will more plainly advise Mr. Parris the Case being so circumstanced that he cannot with comfort or profit to himself or others abide in the Work of the Ministry among us to cease his labours and seek to dispose himself elsewhere as God in his Providence may direct and that your selves would please to help us in advising to such a choice wherein we may be more unanimous which we hope would tend much to a composure of our differences 3. Or that we may without any offence take the liberty of calling some other approved Minister of the Gospel to Preach the word of God to us and ouâ—s and that we may not be denied our proportionable priviledge in our publick Disbursments in the place So leaving the whole case with the Lord and your selves we Subscribe our Names Signed by 16 young Men from 16 upwards and 52 Housholders and 18 Church-Members This was delivered to the Ministers May 3. 1695. The Copy of a Paper that was handed about touching those Differences AS to the contest between Mr. Parris and his Hearers c. it may be composed by a Satisfactory Answer to Levit. 20.6 And the Soul that turneth after such as have familiar Spirits and after Wizards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that Soul and will cut him off from among his People 1 Chron. 10.13 14. So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not and also for asking Counsil of one that had a familiar Spirit to inquire of it And inquired not of the Lord therefore he slew him c. Some part of the Determination of the Elders and Messengers of the Churches met at Salem Village April 3. 1695. relating to the Differences there IF the Distemper in Salem Village should be which God forbid so incurable that Mr. Parris after all find that he cannot with any comfort and service continue in this present station his removal from thence will not expose him to any hard Character with us nor we hope with the rest of the People of God among whom we live Mat. 10.14 And
are tempted as also that he was led of the Spirit into the Wilderness that he might be tempted c. But how the tempter appear'd to him who was God Omniscient whether to the bodily Eye or to the Intellect is as far beyond my cognizance as for a Blind Man to judge of Colours But from the whole set down this fourth conclusion 4. That when the Almighty Free Agent has a work to bring about for his own glory or Man's good he can imploy not only Blessed Angels but the evil ones in it as 2 Cor. 12.7 And left I should be exalted above measure there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me 1 Sam. 10.14 15.23 An evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him It is a great truth we understand little very little and that in common things how much less then in spirituals such as are above humane cognizance But tho upon the strictest Scrutiny in some natural things we can only discover our own Ignorance yet we must not hence deny what we do know or suffer a Rape to be committed upon our Reason and Senses in the Dark and say that the Devil by his ordinary Power can act â— Vehicle i.e. some matter distinct from himself who is wholly a Spirit and yet this matter not to be felt nor heard and at the same time to be seen or may be felt and not heard nor seen c. seems to me to be a Chimera invented at first to puzzle the belief of reasonable Creatures and since Calculated to a Roman Latitude to uphold the Doctrine of Transubstantiation who teach that under the Accidents of Bread is contained the Body of our Saviour his humane Body as long and as broad c. for here the Power of the Almighty must not be confined to be less than the Devils and 't is he that has said hoc est meum Corpus As to the consent of almost all Ages I meddle not now with it but come to the fifth Conclusion 5. That when the Divine Being will impâ—oâ— the Agency of Evil Spirits for any service 't is with him the manner how they shall exhibit themselves whether to the bodily Eye or Intellect only and whether it shall be more or less formidable To deny these three last were to make the Devil an Independent Power and consequently a God As to the nature of Possessions by Evil Spirits for the better understanding of it it may be needful to compare it with its contraries and to instance in Samson of whom it was foretold that he should begin to deliver Israel and how was he inabled to this work Iudges 13.25 The Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the Camp c. ch 15.13 14. v. and they bound him with two new cords and brought him up from the rock and when they came to Leâ—â— the Philistines shouted against him and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and the cords that were upon his Arms became as Flax that was burnt with fire and his bands loosed from his hands c. I might instance further but this may suffice to show that he had more than a natural strength as also whence his strength was viz. he was impowered by the Spirit from God And now will any say that it was not Samson but the Spirit that did these things or that there being things done bonds broken c. by a force that could not proceed from humane strength and that therefore the Spirit entered into him otherwise qualified than as meâ—r Spirit Or that the spirit entred not without some Portion of Matter and by the Intermediation thereof acted Samsons body If any say this and more too this doth not alter the truth which remains viz. that the Spirit of God did inable Samson to the doing of things beyond his Natural strength And now what remains but upon parity of Reason to apply this to the case of Possession which may be summ'd up in this sixth Conclusion 6. That God for wise ends only known to himself may and has impowered Devils to Possess and strangely to act â—umaâ—e Bodies even to the doing of things beyond the Natural strength of that body And for any to tell of a Vehicle or Matter used in it I must observe that General Rule Colos. 2.8 Beware left any spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ. To come next to that of Witchcraft and here taking that cited head of Mr. Gaul to be uncontroverted set it as a seventh Conclusion 7. That Witchcraft consists in a maligning and oppugning the Word Work and Worship of God and seeking by any extraordinary sign to seduce any from it Deut. 13.12 Mat. 24.24 Acts 13.8 10.2 Tim. 3.8 Do but mark well the places and for this very property of thus opposing and perverting they are all there concluded arrant and absolute Witches and it will be easily granted that the same that is call'd Witch is call'd a false Christ a falsâ— Prophet and a Sorcerer and that the terms are Synonimous and that what the Witches aim at is to seduce the People to seek after other Gods But here tht Question will be whether the Witch do really do things strange in themselves and beyond their natural course and all this by a Power immediately from the Devil In this inquiry as we have nothing to do with unwritten verities so but little with Cabalistick Learning which might perhaps but lead us more astray as in the Instance of their charging our Saviour with casting out Devils by Beelzebub his Answer is if Satan be divided against himself his Kingdom hath an end But seeing all are agreed set this eighth Conclusion 8. That God will not give his testimony to a lye To say that God did at any time impower a Witch to work Wonders to gain belief to the Doctrine of Devils were with one breath to destroy root and branch all revealed Religion And hence 't is clear the Witch has no such wonder-working Power from God and must we then conclude she has such a Miraculous Power from the Devil if so then it follows that either God gives the Devil leave to impower the Witch to make use of this Seal in order to deceive or else that the Devil has this Power independent of himself to assert the first of these were in effect to say that tho God will not give his testimony to a lye yet that he may impower the Devil to set to Gods own Seal in order to deceive and what were this but to overthrow all revealed Religion The last if asserted must be to own the Devil to be an unconquered Enemy and consequently a Soveraign Deity and deserving much thanks that he exerts his Power no more Therefore in this Dilemma it is Wisdom for shallow Mortals to have recourse to their only guide and impartially to inquire whether
such as had not such bewitch'd Eyes have seen the Accusers bite themselves and then complain of the Accused It has also been seen when the Accused instead of having just such a set of Teeth has not had one in his head They were such bewitched Eyes that could see the Poisonous Powder brought by Spectres P. 70. And that could see in the Ashes the print of the Brand there invisibly heate to torment the pretended Sufferers with c. These with the rest of such Legends have this direct tendency viz. To tell the World that the Devil is more ready to serve his Votaries by his doing for them things above or against the course of Nature shewing himself to them and making explicit contract with them c. than the Divine Being is to his faithful Servants and that as he is willing so also able to perform their desires The way whereby these People are believed to arrive at a power to Afflict their Neighbours is by a compact with the Devil and that they have a power to Commissionate him to those Evils P. 72. However Irrational or Inscriptural such Assertions are yet they seem a necessary part of the Faith of such as maintain the belief of such a sort of Witches As the Scriptures know nothing of a covenanting or commissioning Witch so Reâ—son cannot conceive how Mortals should by their Wickedness arrive at a power to Commissionate Angels Fallen Angels against their Innocent Neighbours But the Scriptures are full in it and the Instances numerous that the Almighty Divine Being has this prerogative to make use of what Instrument he pleaseth in Afflicting any and consequently to commissionate Devils And tho this word commissioning in the Authors former Books might be thought to be by inadvertency yet now after he hath been caution'd of it still to persist in it seems highly Criminal And therefore in the name of God I here charge such belief as guilty of Sacriledge in the highest Nature and so much worse than stealing Church Plate c. As it is a higher Offence to steal any of the glorious Attributes of the Almighty to bestow them upon Mortals than it is to steal the Utensils appropriated to his Service And whether to ascribe such power of commissioning Devils to the worst of Men be not direct Blasphemy I leave to others better able to determine When the Pharisees were so wicked as to ascribe to Beelzeâ—ub the mighty works of Christ whereby he did manifestly shew forth his Power and Godhead then it was that our Saviour declar'd the Sin against the Holy Ghost to be unpardonable When the Righteous God is contending with Apostate Sinners for their departures from him by his Judgments as Plagues Earthquakes Storms and Tempests Sicknesses and Diseases Wars loss of Cattle c. Then not only to ascribe this to the Devil but to charge one another with sending or commissionating those Devils to these things is so abominable and so wicked that it requires a better Judgment than mine to give it its just denomination But that Christians so called should not only charge their fellow Christians therewith but proceed to Tryals and Executions crediting that Enemy to all Goodness and Accuser of the Brethren rather than believe their Neighbours in their own Defence This is so Diabolical a Wickedness as cannot proceed but from a Doctrine of Devils how far damnable it is let others discuss Tho such things were acting in this Country in Sir William time yet p. 65. There is a Discourse of a Guardian Angel as then over-seeing it which notion however it may suit the Faith of Eâ—â—â—icks or the fancies of Trithemius it is certain that the Omnipresent Being stands not in need as Earthly Potentates do of governing the World by Vicegerents And if Sir William had such an Invisible pattern to imitate no wonder tho some of his Actions were unaccountable especially those relating to Witchcraft For if there was in those Actions an Angel super-intending there is little reason to think it was Gabriel or the Spirit of Mercury nor Handel the Angel or Spirit of Venâ—s nor yet Samuel the Angel or Spirit of Mars Names seigned by the said Trithemius c. It may rather be thought to be Apollyon or Abâ—ddon Obj. But here it will be said What are there no Witches Do's not the Law of God command that they should be extirpated Is the Command vain and Unintelligible Sol. For any to say that a Witch is one that makes a compact with and Commissions Devils c. is indeed to render the Law of God vain and Unintelligible as having provided no way whereby they might be detected and proved to be such And how the Iews waded thro this difficulty for so many Ages without the Supplement of Mr. Perkins and Bernard thereto would be very mysterious But to him that can read the Scriptures without prejudice from Education c. it will manifestly appear that the Scripture is full and Intelligible both as to the Crime and means to detect the culpable He that shall hereafter see any person who to confirm People in a false belief about the power of Witches and Devils pretending to a sign to confirm it such as knocking off of invisible Ghains with the hand driving away Devils by brishing striking with a Sword or Stick to wound a person at a great distance c. may according to that head of Mr. Gauls quoted by Mr. G. M. and so often herein before recited and so well proved by Scripture conclude that he has seen Witchcraft performed If Baalam became a Sorcerer by Sacrifizing and Praying to the true God against his visible people Then he that shall pray that the afflicted by their Spectral Sight may accuse some other Person whereby their reputations and lives may be indangered such will justly deserve the Name of a Sorcerer If any Person pretends to know more then can be known by humane means and professeth at the same time that they have it from the Black-Man i. e. the Devil and shall from hence give Testimony against the Lives of others they are manifestly such as have a familiar Spirit and if any knowing them to have their Information from the Black-Man shall beinquisitive of them for their Testimony against others they therein are dealing with such as have a Familiar-Spirit And if these shall pretend to see the dead by their Spectral Sight and others shall be inquisitive of them and receive their Answers what it is the dead say and who it is they accuse both the one and the other are by Scripture Guilty of Necromancy These are all of them crimes as easily proved as any what soever and that by such proof as the Law of God requires so that it is no Unintelligible Law But if the Iniquity of the times be such that these Criminals not only Escape Indemnified but are Incouraged in their Wickedness and made use of to take away the Lives of others this is worse than a making the Law of God Vain it being a rendring of it dangerous against the Lives of Innocents and without all hopes of better so long as these Bloody Principles remain As long as Christians do Esteem the Law of God to be Imperfect as not describing that crime that it requires to be Punish'd by Death As long as men suffer themselves to be Poison'd in their Education and be grounded in a False Belief by the Books of the Heathen As long as the Devil shall be believed to have a Natural Power to Act above and against a course of Nature As long as the Witches shall be believed to have a Power to Commission him As long as the Devils Testimony by the pretended afflicted shall be received as more valid to Condemn than their Plea of Not Guilty to acquit As long as the Accused shall have their Lives and Liberties confirmed and restored to them upon their Confessing them-selves Guilty As long as the Accused shall be forc't to undergo Hardships and Torments for their not Confessing As long as Tets for the Devil to Suck are searched for upon the Bodies of the accused as a token of guilt As long as the Lords Prayer shall be profaned by being made a Test who are culpable As long as Witchcraft Sorcery Familiar Spirits and Necromancy shall be improved to discover who are Witches c. So long it may be expected that Innocents will suffer as Witches So long God will be Daily dishonoured And so long his Iudgments must be expected to be continued FINIS Virg. Bucolicks Eclog. 13. Eclog. 8. Ovids Metamorphosis Lib. 7. Lib. 14. (a) (a) Wonders of the Invisible World p. 17.18 (b) (b) p. 18. (c) (c) Cases of Conscience p. 63. (d) (d) Remarkable providences p. 124. Wonders of the Invisible â—orld p. 141. Cases of Conscience Vit. Vid The Proclamation for a Fâ—st to be the 14 Instant as set forth by Authority Vid. The Declaration as drawn by the Deputies with the Assistance of the Ministers but receiv'd a Nonconcurrence