is a wise and mighty Spirit should be at the beck of a poor Hag and have so little to do as to attend the Errands and impotent Lusts of a silly Old woman TO which I might answer 1 That 't is much more improbable that all the world should be deceiv'd in matters of fact and circumstances of the clearest evidence and conviction than that the Devil who is wicked should be also unwise and that he that perswades all his subjects and accomplices out of their wits should himself act like his own Temptations and Perswasions In brief there is nothing more strange in this Objection than that wickedness is baseness and servility and that the Devil is at leisure to serve those he is at leisure to tempt and industrious to ruine And again 2 I see no necessity to believe that the Devil is always the Witches Confederate but perhaps it may fitly be considered whether the Familiar be not some departed humane Spirit forsaken of God and goodness and swallowed up by the unsatiable desire of mischief and revenge which possibly by the Laws and capacity of its state it cannot execute immediately And why we should presume that the Devil should have the liberty of wandring up and down the Earth and Air when he is said to be held in the Chains of darkness and yet that the separated Souls of the wicked of whom no such thing is affirm'd in any sacred Record should be thought so imprison'd that they cannot possibly wag from the place of their confinement I know no shadow of conjecture This conceit I 'm confident hath prejudic'd many against the belief of Witches and Apparitions they not being able to conceive that the Devil should be so ludicrous as appearing spirits are sometimes reported to be in their frolicks and they presume that souls departed never revisit the free and open Regions which confidence I know nothing to justifie For since good men in their state of separation are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why the wicked may not be supposed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the worst sense of the word I know nothing to help me to imagine And if it be supposed that the Imps of Witches are sometimes wicked spirits of our own kind and nature and possibly the same that have been Sorcerers and Witches in this life This supposal may give a fairer and more probable account of many of the actions of Sorcery and Witchcraft than the other Hypothesis that they are always Devils And to this conjecture I 'le adventure to subjoyn another which also hath its probability viz. 3 That 't is not impossible but the Familiars of Witches are a vile kind of spirits of a very inferiour Constitution and nature and none of those that were once of the highest Hierarchy now degenerated into the spirits we call Devils And for my part I must confess that I think the common division of spirits much too general conceiving it likely there may be as great a variety of intellectual Creatures in the invisible world as there is of Animals in the visible and that all the superiour yea and inferiour Regions have their several kinds of spirits differing in their natural perfections as well as in the kinds and degrees of their depravities which being supposed 't is very probable that those of the basest and meanest Orders are they who submit to the mention'd servilities And thus the sagess and grandeur of the Prince of darkness need not be brought into question SECT V. IV. BUt IV the opinion of Witches seems to some to accuse Providence and to suggest that it hath exposed Innocents to the fury and malice of revengeful Fiends yea and supposeth those most obnoxious for whom we might most reasonably expect a more special tutelary care and protection most of the cruel practices of those presum'd Instruments of Hell being upon Children who as they least deserve to be deserted by that Providence that superintends all things so they most need its guardian influence TO this so specious an Objection I have these things to answer 1 Providence is an unfathomable Depth and if we should not believe the Phaenomena of our senses before we can reconcile them to our notions of Providence we must be grosser Scepticks than ever yet were extant The miseries of the present life the unequal distributions of good and evil the ignorance and barbarity of the greatest part of Mankind the fatal disadvantages we are all under and the hazard we run of being eternally miserable and undone these I say are things that can hardly be made consistent with that Wisdom and Goodness that we are sure hath made and mingled it self with all things And yet we believe there is a beauty and harmony and goodness in that Providence though we cannot unriddle it in particular instances nor by reason of our ignorance and imperfection clear it from contradicting appearances and consequently we ought not to deny the being of Witches and Apparitions because they will create us some difficulties in our notions of Providence But to come more close 2 Those that believe that Infants are Heirs of Hell and Children of the Devil as soon as they are disclosed to the world cannot certainly offer such an Objection for what is a little triâ—…ling pain of a moment to those eternal Tortures to which if they die assoon as they are born according to the Tenour of this Doctrine they are everlastingly exposed But however the case stands as to that 't is certain 3 That Providence hath not secured them from other violences they are obnoxious to from cruelty and accident and yet we accuse It not when a whole Townful of Innocents fall a Victim to the rage and ferity of barbarous Executioners in Wars and Massacres To which I add 4 That 't is likely the mischief is not so often done by the evil spirit immediately but by the malignant influence of the Sorceress whose power of hurting consists in the fore-mention'd ferment which is infused into her by the Familiar So that I am apt to think there may be a power of real fascination in the Witches eyes and imagination by which for the most part she acts upon tender bodies Nescio quis teneros oculus For the pestilential spirits being darted by a spightful and vigorous imagination from the eye and meeting with those that are weak and passive in the bodies which they enter will not fail to infect them with a noxious quality that makes dangerous and strange alterations in the person invaded by this poisonous influence which way of acting by subtile and invisible instruments is ordinary and familiar in all natural efficiencies And 't is now past question that nature for the most part acts by subtile streams and aporrhoea's of minute particles which pass from one body to another Or however that be this kind of agency is as conceivable as any of those qualities ignorance hath call'd Sympathy and Antipathy the reality of which
the Platonick Hypothesis That Spirits are embodied upon which indeed a great part of my Discourse is grounded And therefore I hold my self obliged to a short account of that supposal It seems then to me very probable from the nature of Sense and Analogy of Nature For 1 we perceive in our selves that all Sense is caused and excited by motion made in matter and when those motions which convey sensible impressions to the Brain the Seat of Sense are intercepted Sense is lost So that if we suppose Spirits perfectly to be disjoyn'd from all matter 't is not conceivable how they can have the sense of any thing For how material Objects should any way be perceived or felt without vital union with matter 't is not possible to imagine Nor doth it 2 seem suitable to the Analogy of Nature which useth not to make precipitious leaps from one thing to another but usually proceeds by orderly steps and gradations whereas were there no order of Beings between Us who are so deeply plunged into the grossest matter and pure unbodied Spirits 't were a mighty jump in Nature Since then the greatest part of the world consists of the finer portions of matter and our own Souls are immediately united unto these 't is infinitely probable to conjecture that the nearer Orders of Spirits are vitally joyned to such Bodies and so Nature by degrees ascending still by the more refin'd and subtile matter gets at last to the pure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or immaterial minds which the Platonists made the highest Order of created Beings But of this I have discoursed elsewhere and have said thus much of it at present because it will enable me to add another Reason of the unfrequency of Apparitions and Compacts viz. 3 Because 't is very likely that these Regions are very unsuitable and disproportion'd to the frame and temper of their Senses and Bodies so that perhaps the courser Spirits can no more bear the Air of our World than Bats and Owls can the brightest Beams of Day Nor can the purer and better any more endure the noisom steams and poysonous reeks of this Dunghil Earth than the delicate can bear a confinement in nasty Dungeons and the foul squalid Caverns of uncomfortable Darkness So that 't is no more wonder that the better Spirits no oftner appear than that men are not more frequently in the dark Hollows under ground Nor is 't any more strange that evil Spirits so rarely visit us than that Fishes do not ordinarily sly in the Air as 't is said one sort of them doth or that we see not the Batt daily fluttering in the Beams of the Sun And now by the help of what I have spoken under this Head I am provided with some things wherewith to disable another Objection which I thus propose SECT XII XI XI IF THERE be such an intercourse between Evil Spirits and the Wicked How comes it about that there is no correspondence between Good Angels and the Vertuous since without doubt these are as desirous to propagate the Spirit and designs of the upper and better World as those are to promote the Interest of the Kingdom of Darkness WHICH way of arguing is still from our Ignorance of the State and Government of the other World which must be confest and may without prejudice to the Proposition I defend But particularly I say 1 That we have ground enough to believe that good Spirits do interpose in yea and govern our Affairs For that there is a Providence reaching from Heaven to Earth is generally acknowledged but that this supposeth all things to be ordered by the immediate influence and interposal of the Supream Deity some think is not very Philosophical to suppose since if we judge by the Analogy of the natural World all things we see are carried on by the Ministery of second Causes and intermediate Agents And it doth not seem so magnificent and becoming an apprehension of the Supream Numen to fancy his immediate hand in every trivial Management But 't is exceeding likely to conjecture that much of the Government of us and our Affairs is committed to the better Spirits with a due subordination and subserviency to the Will of the chief Rector of the Universe And 't is not absurd to believe that there is a Government runs from highest to lowest the better and more perfect Orders of Being still ruling the inferiour and less perfect So that some one would fancy that perhaps the Angels may manage us as we do the Creatures that God and Nature have placed under our Empire and Dominion But however that is That God rules the lower World by the Ministery of Angels is very consonant to the sacred Oracles Thus Deut. XXXII 8 9. When the most High divided the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the sons of Adam he set the bounds of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the number of the Angels of God as the Septuagint renders it the Authority of which Translation is abundantly credited and asserted by its being quoted in the New Testament without notice of the Hebrew Text even there where it differs from it as Learned men have observed We know also that Angels were very familiar with the Patriarchs of old and Jacob's Ladder is a Mystery which imports their ministring in the affairs of the Lower World Thus Origen and others understand that to be spoken by the Presidential Angels Jerem. LI. 9. We would have healed BABYLON but she is not healed forsake her and let us go Like the Voice heard in the Temple before the taking of Jerusalem by Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And before Nebuchadnezzar was sent to learn Wisdom and Religion among the Beasts He sees a Watcher according to the 70. an Angel and an holy One come down from Heaven Dan. IV. 13. who pronounceth the sad Decree against Him and calls it the Decree of the Watchers who very probably were the Guardian-Genii of Himself and his Kingdom And that there are particular Angels that have the special Rule and Government of particular Kingdoms Provinces Cities yea and of Persons I know nothing that can make improbable The instance is notorious in Daniel of the Angels of Persia and Graecia that hindred the other that was engaged for the concerns of Judaea yea our Saviour himself tells us that Children have their Angels and the Congregation of Disciples supposed that St. Peter had his Which things if they be granted the good Spirits have not so little to do with us and our matters as is generally believed And perhaps it would not be absurd if we referr'd many of the strange thwarts and unexpected events the disappointments and lucky co-incidences that befal us the unaccountable fortunes and successes that attend some lucky men and the unhappy fates that dog others that seem born to be miserable the Fame and Favour that still waits on some without any conceivable motive to allure it and the general neglect
the Brain or of what is contained in the Brain But let the Conarion at least for this bout supply the place of that matter which is the common Sensorium of the Soul Fig. 1. And whenas it is supposed to be surrounded with Eight Trumpeters let there be Eight Lines drawn from them namely from B C D E F G H I I say that the clangour or sound of every Trumpet is carried from the Ring of the Trumpeters to the extream part of every one of those Lines and all those sounds are heard as coming from the Ring B C D E F G H I and perceived in the Conarion A and that the perception is in that part to which all the Lines of motion as to a common Centre do concur and therefore the extream parts of them and the perceptions of the Clangours or Sounds are in the middle of the Ring of Trumpeters viz. where the Conarion is Wheresore the Percipient itself namely the Soul is in the midst of this Ring as well as the Conarion and therefore is somewhere Assuredly he that denies that he conceives the force of this Demonstration and acknowledges that the Perception indeed is at the extream parts of the said Lines and in the middle of the Ring of Trumpeters but contends in the mean time that the Mind herself is not there forasmuch as she is nowhere this man certainly is either delirant and crazed or else plays tricks and slimly and obliquely insinuates that the perception which is made in the Conarion is to be attributed to the Conarion itself and that the Mind so far as it is conceived to be an Incorporeal Substance is to be exterminated out of the Universe as an useless Figment and Chimaera SECT XI The Explication of the Opinion of the Holenmerians together with their Two Reasons thereof proposed Fig. 2. But the Reasons that induce them to embrace it and so stifsly to maintain it are these two onely or at least chiesly as much as respects the Holenmerism of Spirits The first is That whereas they grant that the whole Soul does pervade and possess the whole Body they thought it would thence follow that the Soul would be divisible unless they should correct again this Assertion of theirs by saying that it was yet so in the whole Body that it was totally in the mean time in every part thereof For thus they thought themselves sure that the Soul could not thence be argued in any sort divisible or corporeal but still remain purely spiritual Their other Reason is That from hence it might be easily understood how the Soul being in the whole Body C D E whatever happens to it in C or B it presently perceives it in A Because the whole Soul being perfectly and entirely as well in C or B as in A it is necessary that after what fashion soever C or B is affected A should be affected after the same manner forasmuch as it is entirely and perfectly one and the same thing viz. the whole Soul as well in C or B as in A. And from hence is that vulgar saying in the Schools That if the Eye were in the Foot the Soul would see in the Foot SECT XII The Examination of the Opinion of the Holenmerians BUt now according to our custome let us weigh and examine all these things in a free and just Balance In this therefore that they assert that the whole Soul is in the whole Body and is all of it penetrated of the Soul by her Essence and therefore seem willingly to acknowledge a certain essential amplitude of the Soul in this I say they come near to us who contend there is a certain Metaphysical and Essential Extension in all Spirits but such as is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 devoid of bulk or parts as Aristotle defines of his separate substances For there is no magnitude or bulk which may not be physically divided nor any parts properly where there is no such division Whence the Metaphysical Extension of Spirits is rightly understood not to be capable of either bulk or parts And in that sence it has no parts it cannot justly be said to be a Whole In that therefore we plainly agree with the Holenmerians that a Soul or Spirit may be said by its Essence to penetrate and possess the whole Body C D E but in this again we differ from them that we dare not affirm that the whole Spirit or whole Soul does penetrate and possess the said Body because that which has not parts cannot properly be called a Whole though I will not over-stiffly contend but that we may use that word for a more easie explication of our mind according to that old trite Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speak a little more unlearnedly that thou mayest speak more intelligibly or plainly But then we are to remember that we do not speak properly though more accommodately to the vulgar apprehension but improperly But now when the Holenmerians add further That the whole Soul is in every part or Physical point of the Body D C E in the point A and B and all the rest of the points of which the Body D C E does consist that seems an harsh expression to me and such as may justly be deemed next door to an open Repugnancy and Contradiction For when they say the whole Soul is in the whole Body D C E if they understand the Essence of the Soul to be commensurate and as it were equal to the Body D C E and yet at the same time the whole Soul to be contained within the point A or B it is manifest that they make one and the same thing many thousand times greater or less than itself at the same time which is impossible But if they will affirm that the essential Amplitude of the Soul is no bigger than what is contained within the Physical point A or B but that the Essential Presence of the Soul is diffused through the whole Body D C E the thing will succeed not a jot the better For while they plainly profess that the whole Soul is in the point A it is manifest that there remains nothing of the Soul which may be in the point B which is distant from A For it is as if one should say that there is nothing of the Soul which is not included within A and yet in the same moment of time that not onely something of the Soul which perhaps might be a more gentle Repugnancy but that the whole Soul is in B as if the whole Soul were totally and entirely out of itself which surely is impossible in any singular or individual thing And as for Universals they are not Things but Notions we use in contemplating them Again if the Essential Amplitude of the Soul is no greater than what may be contained within the limits of a Physical point it cannot extend or exhibit its Essential Presence through the whole Body unless we imagine in it a stupendious velocity
such as it may be carried with in one moment into all the parts of the Body and so be present to them Which when it is so hard to conceive in this scant compages of an humane Body and in the Soul occupying in one moment every part thereof What an outragious thing is it and utterly impossible to apprehend touching that Spirit which perpetually exhibits his Essential Presence to the whole world and whatever is beyond the world To which lastly you may add that this Hypothesis of the Holenmerians does necessarily make all Spirits the most minute things that can be conceived For if the whole Spirit be in every Physical point it is plain that the Essential Amplitude itself of the Spirit which the two former Objections supposed is not bigger than that Physical point in which it is which you may call if you will a Physical Monad than which nothing is or can be smaller in universal Nature Which if you refer to any created Spirit it cannot but seem very ridiculous but if to the Majesty and Amplitude of the divine Numen intolerable that I may not say plainly reproachful and blasphemous SECT XIII A Confutation of the first Reason of the Holenmerians BUt now for the Reasons for which the Holenmerians adhere to so absurd an Opinion verily they are such as can no ways compensate those huge difficulties and repugnancies the Opinion itself labours under For for the first which so solicitously provides for the Indivisibility of Spirits it seems to me to undertake a charge either Superfluous or Ineffectual Superfluous if Extension can be without Divisibility as it is clearly demonstrated it can in that infinite immovable Extension distinct from the movable Matter Enchirid. Metaphys cap. 6 7 8. But Ineffectual if all Extension be divisible and the Essential Presence of a Spirit which pervades and is extended through the whole Body C D E may for that very reason be divided for so the whole Essence which occupies the whole Body C D E will be divided into parts No by no means will you say forasmuch as it is wholly in every part of the Body Therefore it will be divided if I may so speak into so many Totalities But what Logical ear can bear a saying so absurd and abhorrent from all reason that a Whole should not be divided into parts but into Wholes But you will say at least we shall have this granted us that an Essential Presence may be distributed or divided according to so many distinctly cited Totalities which occupy at once the whole Body C D E Yes verily this shall be granted you after you have demonstrated that a Spirit not bigger than a Physical Monad can occupy in the same instant all the parts of the Body C D E but upon this condition that you acknowledge not sundry Totalities but one onely total Essence though the least that can be imagined can occupy that whole space and when there is need occupy in an instant an infinite one Which the Holenmerians must of necessity hold touching the Divine Essence because according to their Opinion taken in the second sence which pinches the whole Essence of a Spirit into the smallest point the Divine Essence itself is not bigger than any Physical Monad From whence it is apparent the three Objections which we brought in the beginning do again recur here and utterly overwhelm the first reason of the Holenmerians So that the remedy is far more intolerable than the disease SECT XIV A Confutation of the second Reason of the Holenmerians Fig. 2. And from hence the falsity of that common saying is detected That if the Eye was in the Foot the Soul would see in the Foot whenas it does not so much as see in those Eyes which it already hath but somewhere within the Brain Nor would the Soul by an Eye in the Foot see unless by fitting Nerves not unlike the Optick ones continued from the Foot to the Head and Brain where the Soul so far as perceptive inhabiteth In the other parts of the Body the Functions thereof are onely vital Again such is the nature of some perceptions of the Soul that they are fitted for the moving of the Body so that it is manifest that the very self-same thing which perceives has the power of moving and guiding of it Which seems impossible to be done by this Soul which according to the Opinion of the Holenmerians exceeds not the amplitude of a small Physical point as it may appear at first sight to any one whose reason is not blinded with prejudice And lastly If it be lawful for the Mind of man to give her conjectures touching the Immortal Genii whether they be in Vehicles or destitute of Vehicles and touching their Perceptions and Essential Presences whether invisible or those in which they are said sometimes to appear to mortal men there is none surely that can admit that any of these things are competible to such a Spirit as the Holenmerians describe For how can a Metaphysical Monad that is to say a Spiritual substance not exceeding a Physical Monad in Amplitude fill out an Essential Presence bigger than a Physical Monad unless it be by a very swist vibration of itself towards all parts as Boys by a very swift moving of a Fire-stick make a fiery Circle in the air by that quick motion But that Spirits destitute of Vehicles should have no greater Essential Presence than what is occupied of a naked and unmoved Metaphysical Monad or exhibited thereby seems so absonous and ridiculous a spectacle to the Mind of man that unless he be deprived of all sagacity and sensibility of spirit he cannot but abhor so idle an Opinion And as for those Essential Presences according to which they sometimes appear to men at least equalizing humane stature how can a solitary Metaphysical Monad form so great a part of Air or AEther into humane shape or govern it being so formed Or how can it porceive any external Object in this swift motion of itself and quick vibration whereby this Metaphysical Monad is understood of the Holenmerians to be present in all the parts of its Vehicle at once For there can be no perception of the external Object unless the Object that is to be perceived act with some stay upon that which perceiveth Nor if it could be perceived by this Metaphysical Monad thus swistly moved and vibrated towards all parts at once would it be seen in one place but in many places at once and those as it may happen very distant SECT XV. The egregious falsity of the Opinions of the Holenmerians and Nullibists as also their uselesness for any Philosophical ends BUt verily I am ashamed to waste so much time in refuting such mere trifles and dotages which indeed are such that I mean of the Nullibists as well as this other of the Holenmerians that we may very well wonder how such distorted and strained conceits could ever enter into the minds of men or
there was nothing of a Witch in all that whole Narration First by pretending that all the transaction on the woman of Endor's part was nothing but collusion and a Cheat Saul not being in the same Room with her or at least seeing nothing if he was And then in the next place That Samuel that is said to appear could neither be Samuel appearing in his Body out of the Grave nor in his Soul nor that it was a Devil that appeared and therefore it must be some colluding Knave suborned by the Witch For the discovering the weakness of his former Allegation we need but to appeal to the Text which is this 1 Sam. 28. v. 8. And Saul said I pray thee divine unto me by the familiar spirit and bring me up whom I shall name unto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is do the office of a Divineress or a Wise woman I pray thee unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beobh by vertue of the familiar Spirit whose assistance thou hast not by vertue of the Bottle as Mr. Webster would have it Does he think that Damsel in the Acts which is said to have had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to have had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obh carried an Aquavitae-bottle about with her hung at her Girdle whereby she might divine and mutter chirp or peep out of it as a Chicken out of an Egg-shell or put her Neb into it to cry like a Bittern or take a dram of the Bottle to make her wits more quick and divinatory Who but one that had taken too many drams of the Bottle could ever fall into such a fond conceit Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obh in this place does not as indeed no where else signifie an oracular Bottle or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which Saul might desire the woman of Endor to retire into and himself expect answers in the next Room but signifies that familiar Spirit by vertue of whose assistance she was conceived to perform all those wondrous offices of a Wise woman But we proceed to verse 11. Then said the woman Whom shall I bring up unto thee And he said Bring me up Samuel Surely as yet Saul and the woman are in the same Room and being the woman askt Whom shall I bring up unto thee and he answering Bring up unto me Samuel it implies that Samuel was so to be brought up that Saul might see him and not the Witch onely But we go on Verse 12. And when the woman saw Samuel she cried with a loud voice and the woman spake to Saul saying Why hast thou deceived me for thou art Saul Though the woman might have some suspicions before that it was Saul yet she now seeing Samuel did appear and in another kind of way than her Spirits used to do and in another hue as it is most likely so holy a Soul did she presently cried out with a loud voice not muttered chirpt and peept as a Chicken coming out of the Shell that now she was sure it was Saul For she was not such a Fool as to think her Art could call up real Samuel but that the presence of Saul was the cause thereof And Josephus writes expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The woman seeing a grave God like man is startled at it and thus astonished at the Vision turned her self to the King and said Art not thou King Saul Verse 13. And the King said unto her Be not afraid for what sawest thou And the woman said unto Saul I saw Gods ascending out of the Earth The King here assures the woman that though he was Saul yet no hurt should come to her and therefore bids her not be afraid But she turning her face to Saul as she spake to him and he to her and so her sight being off from the object Saul asked her What sawest thou and she in like manner answered I saw Gods c. For Gods I suppose any free Translator in Greek Latine and English would say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genios Spirits And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Angels as well as Gods and it is likely these Wise women take the Spirits they converse with to be good Angels as Anne Bodenham the Witch told a worthy and Learned Friend of mine That these Spirits such as she had were good Spirits and would do a man all good offices all the days of his life and it is likely this woman of Endor had the same opinion of hers and therefore we need not wonder that she calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim especially Samuel appearing among them to say nothing of the presence of Saul And that more than one Spirit appears at a time there are repeated examples in Anne Bodenham's Magical Evocations of them whose History I must confess I take to be very true The case stands therefore thus The Woman and Saul being in the same Room she turning her face from Saul mutters to her self some Magical form of evocation of Spirits whereupon they beginning to appear and rise up seemingly out of the Earth upon the sight of Samuels Countenance she cried out to Saul and turning her face towards him spoke to him Now that Saul hitherto saw nothing though in the same Room might be either because the body of the woman was interposed betwixt his eyes and them or the Vehicles of those Spirits were not yet attempered to that conspissation that they would strike the eyes of Saul though they did of the Witch And that some may see an Object others not seeing it you have an instance in the Child upon Walker's Shoulders appearing to Mr. Fairhair and it may be to the Judge but invisible to the rest of the Court and many such examples there are But I proceed to Verse 14. And he said unto her What form is he of and she said An old man cometh up and is covered with a mantle He asks here in the Singular number because his mind was onely sixt on Samuel And the womans answer is exactly according to what the Spirit appeared to her when her eye was upon it viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An old man coming up for he was but coming up when she looked upon him and accordingly describes him For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a Participle of the present Tense and the woman describes Samuel from his Age Habit and motion he was in while her eye was upon him So that the genuine sense and Grammatical in this answer to What form is he of is this an old man coming up and the same covered with a mantle this is his form and condition I saw him in Wherefore Saul being so much concerned herein either the woman or he changing their postures or standings or Samuel by this having sufficiently conspissated his Vehicle and fitted it to Saul's sight also it follows in the Text And Saul perceived it was Samuel and he stooped with his face to the ground and bowed himself O the
for departed Souls that they never have any care or regard to any of their fellow-Souls here upon Earth is expresly against the known example of that great Soul and universal Pastor of all good Souls who appeared to Stephen at his stoning and to S. Paul before his Conversion though then in his glorified Body which is a greater condescension than this of the Soul of Samuel which was also to a Prince upon whose shoulders lay the great affairs of the People of Israel To omit that other notable example of the Angel Raphael so called from his office at that time or from the Angelical Order he was adopted into after his death but was indeed the Soul of Azariaâ—… the son of Ananias the Great and of Tobit's Brethren Tobit ch 5. 12. Nor does that which occurs Tob. 12. 15. at all clash with what we have said if rightly understood for his saying I am Raphael one of the seven holy Angels which present the prayers of the Saints and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One in the Cabbalistick sence signisies no more than thus That he was one of the universal society of the holy Angels and a Raphael in the Order of the Raphaels which minister to the Saints and reinforce the Prayers of good and holy men by joyning thereto their own and as they are moved by God minister to their necessities unprayed to themselves which would be an abomination to them but extream prone to second the Petitions of holy sincere souls and forward to engage in the accomplishing of them as a truly good man would sooner relieve an indigent creature overhearing him making his moan to God in Prayer than if he begged Alms of himself though he might do that without sin This Cabbalistical account I think is infinitely more probable than that Raphael told a downright lye to Tobit in saying he was the son of Ananias when he was not And be it so will J. Webster say what is all this to the purpose when the Book of Tobit is Apocryphal and consequently of no Authority What of no Authority certainly of infinitely more Authority than Mr. Wagstaf Mr. Scot and Mr. Adie that Mr. Webster so srequently and reverently quoteth I but will he further add these Apparitions were made to good and holy men or to elect Vessels but King Saul was a wretched Reprobate This is the third liberal badge of honour that this ill-bred Advocate of the Witches has beslowed on a distressed Prince First a drowned Puppet p. 170. then a distracted Bedlam in the same Page which I passed by before and now a wretched Reprobate But assuredly Saul was a brave Prince and Commander as Josephus justly describes him and Reprobate onely in Type as Ismael and Esau which is a mystery it seems that J. Webster was not aware of And therefore no such wonder that the Soul of Samuel had such a kindness for him as to appear to him in the depth of his distress to settle his mind by telling him plainly the upshot of the whole business that he should lose the Battle and he and his Sons be slain that so he might give a specimen of the bravest Valour that ever was atchieved by any Commander in that he would not suffer his Countrey to be over-run by the Enemy while he was alive without resistance but though he knew certainly he should fail of success and he and his Sons dye in the fight yet in so just and honourable a Cause as the defence of his Crown and his Countrey would give the Enemy battle in the Field and sacrifice his own Lise for the safety of his People Out of the knowledge of which noble spirit in Saul and his resolved valour in this point â—…hose words haply may come from Samuel To morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me as an auspicious insinuation of their savourable reception into the other world in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in thalamo justorum as Munster has noted out of the Rabbins Lastly as for that weak imputation that this opinion of its being Samuel's soul that appeared is Popish that is very Plebeianly and Idiotically spoken as if every thing that the Popish party are for were Popish We divide our zeal against so many things that we fancy Popish that we scarce reserve a just share of detestation against what is truly so Such as are that gross rank and scandalous impossibility of Transubstantiation the various modes of fulsome Idolatry and lying Impostures the Uncertainty of their Loyalty to their lawful Soveraigns by their superstitious adhesion to the spiritual Tyranny of the Pope and that barbarous and ferine Cruelty against those that are not either such fools as to be perswaded to believe such things as they would obtrude upon men or are not so false to God and their own Consciences as knowing better yet to profess them As for that other opinion that the greater part of the reformed Divines hold That it was the Devil that appeared in Samuel's shape and though Grotius also seems to be enclined thereto alledging that passage of Porphyrius De Abstinentia Animalium where he describes one kind of Spirit to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is I confess very appositâ—… to this story nor do doubt but that in many of these Necromantick Apparitions they are ludicrous Spirits not the Souls of the deceased that appear yet I am clear for the appearing of the Soul of Samuel in this story from the reasons above alledged and as clear that in other Necromancies it may be the Devil or such kind of Spirits as Porphyrius above describes that change themselves into omnifarious forms and shapes and one while act the parts of Daemons another while of Angels or Gods and another while of the Souls of the deceased And I confess such a spirit as this might personate Samuel here for any thing Webster has alledged to the contrary For his Arguments indeed are wonderfully weak and woodden as may be understood out of what I have hinted concerning the former opinion But I cannot further particularize now For I have made my Postscript much longer than my Letter before I was aware and I nâ—…d not enlarge to you who are so well versâ—…d in these things already and can by the quickness of your parts presently collect the whole mâ—…asure of Hâ—…ules by his Foot and sufficiently understand by this time it is no rash censure oâ—… mine in my Letter That â—…ster's Book is but a weak impertinent piece of work the very 〈◊〉 thereof being so weak and impcrtiâ—… and falling so short of the scope hâ—… aims it which was really to prove that there was no such thing as a Witch or Wizzard that is not any mention thereof in Scripture by any name of one that had more to do with the Devil or the Devil with him than with other wicked men that is to say of one who in vertue of Covenant either implicit or explicit did
their secrecy and concealment his influence is never more dangerous than when his agency is least suspected In order therefore to the carrying on the dark and hidden designs he manageth against our happiness and our Souls he cannot expect to advantage himself more than by insinuating a belief That there is no such thing as himself but that fear and fancy make Devils now as they did Gods of old Nor can he ever draw the assent of men to so dangerous an assertion while the standing sensible evidences of his existence in his practices by and upon his instruments are not discredited and removed 'T is doubtless therefore the interest of this Agent of darkness to have the world believe that the notion they have of him is but a phantôme and conceit and in order thereunto that the stories of Witches Apparitions and indeed every thing that brings tidings of another world are but melancholick Dreams and pious Romances And when men are arrived thus sar to think there are no diabolical contracts or Apparitions their belief that there are such Spirits rests onely upon their Faith and Reverence to the divine Oracles which we have little reason to apprehend so great in such assertors as to command much srom their assent especially in such things in which they have corrupt interests against their evidence â—…o that he that thinks there is no Witch believes a Devil gratis or at least upon inducements which he is like to find himself disposed to deny when he pleaseth And when men are arrived to this degree of dissidence and infidelity we are beholden to them if they believe either Angel or Spirit Resurrection of the body or Immortality of Souls These things hang together in a Chain of connexion at least in these mens Hypothesis and 't is but an happy chance if he that hath lost one link holds another So that the vitals of Religion being so much interessed in this subject it will not be unnecessary employment particularly to discourse it And in order to the proof that there have been and are unlawful Confederacies with evil Spirits by vertue of which the hellish accomplices perform things above their natural powers I must premise that this being matter of fact is onely capable of the evidence of authority and sense and by both these the being os Witches and diabolical Contracts is most abundantly confirm'd All Histories are full of the exploits of those Instruments of darkness and the testimony of all ages not onely of the rude and barbarous but of the most civiliz'd and polish'd world brings tidings of their strange performances We have the attestation os thousands of eye and car-witnesses and those not of the easily deceivable vulgar onely but of wise and grave discernâ—…rs and that when no interest could oblige them to agree together in a common Lye I say we have the light of all these circumstances to confirm us in the belief of things done by persons of despicable power and knowledge beyond the reach of Art and ordinary Nature Standing publick Records have been kept of these well-attested Relations and Epocha's made of those unwonted events Laws in many Nations have been enacted against those vile practices those among the Jews and our own are notorious such cases have been often determined near us by wise and reverend Judges upon clear and convictive Evidence and thousands in our own Nation have suffered death for their vile compacts with apostate spirits All these I might largely prove in their particular instances but that 't is not needful since those that deny the being of Witches do it not out of ignorance of these heads of Argument of which probably they have heard a thousand times but from an apprehension that such a belief is absurd and the things impossible And upon these presumptions they contemn all demonstrations of this nature and are hardned against conviction And I think those that can believe all Histories are Romances That all the wiser world have agreed together to juggle mankind into a common belief of ungrounded fables That the sound senses of multitudes together may deceive them and Laws are built upon Chimera's That the gravest and wisest Judges have been Murderers and the sagest persons Fools or designing Impostors I say those that can believe this heap of absurdities are either more credulous than those whose credulity they reprehend or else have some extraordinary evidence of their perswasion viz. That 't is absurd and impossible there should be a Witch or Apparition And I am confident were those little appearances remov'd which men have form'd in their fancies against the belief of such things their own evidence would make its way to mens assent without any more arguments than what they know already to enforce it There is nothing then necessary to be done in order to the establishing the belief I would reconcile to mens minds but to endeavour the removal of those prejudices they have received against it the chief of which I shall particularly deal with And I begin with that bold Assertion That SECT II. I. I. THe NOTION of a Spirit is impossible and contradictious and consequently so is that of Witches the belief of which is founded on that Doctrine TO WHICH OBJECTION I answer 1 If the notion of a Spirit be absurd as is pretended that of a GOD and a SOUL distinct from matter and immortal are likewise absurdities And then that the world was jumbled into this elegant and orderly Fabrick by chance and that our Souls are onely parts of matter that came together we know not whence nor how and shall again shortly be dissolv'd into those loose Atoms that compound them That all our conceptions are but the thrusting of one part of matter against another and the Idea's of our minds mere blind and casual motions These and a thouâ—…and more the grossest impossibilities and absurdities consequents of this Proposition That the notion of a Spirit is absurd will be sad certainties and demonstrations And with such Assertors I would cease to discourse about Witches and Apparitions and address my self to obtain their assent to Truths infinitely more sacred And yet 2 though it should be granted them that a substance immaterial is as much a contradiction as they can fancy yet why â—…hould they not believe that the Air and all the Regions above us may have their invisible intellectual Agents of nature like unto our Souls be that what it will and some of them at least as much degenerate as the vilest and most mischievous among men This Hypothesis wil be enough to secure the possibility of Witches and Apparitions And that all the upper Stories of the Universe are furnish'd with Inhabitants 't is infinitely reasonable to conclude from the analogy of Nature since we see there is nothing so contemptible and vile in the world we reside in but hath its living Creatures that dwell upon it the Earth the Water the inferiour Air the bodies of Animals the flesh the
may be effected by creatures whose powers and knowledge are so vastly exceeding ours I shall endeavour theresore briefly to suggest some things that may render the possibility of these performances conceivable in order to the removal of this Objection that they are contradictions and impossible For the FIRST then That the confederate Spirit should transport the Witch through the Air to the place of general Rendezvous there is no difficulty in conceiving it and if that be true which great Philosophers affirm concerning the real separability of the Soul from the Body without death there is yet less for then 't is easie to apprehend that the Soul having left its gross and sluggish body behind it and being cloath'd onely with its immediate vehicle of Air or more subtile matter may be quickly conducted to any place it would be at by those officious Spirits that attend it And though I adventure to affirm nothing concerning the truth and certainty of this Supposition yet I must needs say it doth not seem to me unreasonable And our experience of Apoplexies Epilepsies Ecstasies and the strange things men report to have seen during those Deliquiums look favourably upon this conjecture which seems to me to contradict no principle of Reason or Philosophy since Death consists not so much in the actual separation of Soul and Body as in the indisposition and unfitness of the Body for vital union as an excellent Philosopher hath made good On which Hypothesis the Witches anointing her self before she takes her flight may perhaps serve to keep the Body tenantable and in fit disposition to receive the Spirit at its return These things I say we may conceive though I affirm nothing about them and there is not any thing in such conceptions but what hath been own'd by men of worth and name and may seem fair and accountable enough to those who judge not altogether by the measures of the populace and customary opinion And there 's a saying of the great Apostle that seems to countenance this Platonick notion what is the meaning else of that expression Whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell except the Soul may be separated from the Body without death which if it be granted possible 't is sufficient for my purpose And 2 The Transformations of Witches into the shapes of other Animals upon the same supposal is very conceivable since then 't is easie enough to imagine that the power of imagination may form those passive and pliable vehicles into those shapes with more ease than the fancy of the Mother can the stubborn matter of the Foetus in the womb as we see it frequently doth in the instances that occur of Signatures and monstrous Singularities and perhaps sometimes the confederate Spirit puts tricks upon the senses of the Spectators and those shapes are onely illusions But then 3 when they feel the hurts in their gross bodies that they receive in their airy vehicles they must be supposed to have been really present at least in these latter and 't is no more difficult to apprehend how the hurts of those should be translated upon their other bodies than how diseases should be inflicted by the imagination or how the fancy of the Mother should wound the Foetus as several credible relations do attest And 4 for their raising Storms and Tempests They do it not be sure by their own but by the power of the Prince of the Air their Friend and Allie and the Ceremonies that are enjoyn'd them are doubtless nothing else but entertainments for their imaginations and are likely design'd to perswade them that they do these strange things themselves And lastly for their being suck'd by the Familiar I say 1 we know so little of the nature of Doemons and Spirits that 't is no wonder we cannot certainly divine the reason of so strange an action And yet 2 we may conjecture at some things that may render it less improbable For some have thought that the Genii whom both the Platonical and Christian Antiquity thought embodied are recreated by the reeks and vapours of humane blood and the spirits that proceed from them Which supposal if we grant them bodies is not unlikely every thing being refresh'd and nourish'd by its like And that they are not perfectly abstract from all body and matter besides the reverence we owe to the wisest antiquity there are several considerable Arguments I could alledge to render it exceeding probable Which things supposed the Devil 's sucking the Sorceress is no great wonder nor difficult to be accounted for Or perhaps 3 this may be onely a diabolical Sacrament and Ceremony to confirm the hellish Covenant To which I add 4 That which to me seems most probable viz. That the Familiar doth not onely suck the Witch but in the action infuseth some poysonous ferment into her which gives her Imagination and Spirits a magical tincture whereby they become mischievously influential and the word venefica intimates some such matter Now that the imagination hath a mighty power in operation is seen in the just now mention'd Signatures and Diseases that it causeth and that the fancy is modified by the qualities of the blood and spirits is too evident to need proof Which things supposed 't is plain to conceive that the evil spirit having breath'd some vile vapour into the body of the Witch it may taint her blood and spirits with a noxious quality by which her infected imagination heightned by melancholy and this worse cause may do much hurt upon bodies that are impressible by such influences And 't is very likely that this ferment disposeth the imagination of the Sorceress to cause the mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or separation of the Soul from the Body and may perhaps keep the Body in sit temper for its re-entry as also it may facilitate transformation which it may be could not be effected by ordinary and unassisted imagination Thus we see 't is not so desperate to form an apprehension of the manner of these odd performances and though they are not done the way I have describ'd yet what I have said may help us to a conceit of the possibility which sufficeth for my purpose And though the Hypotheses I have gone upon will seem as unlikely to some as the things they attempt to explain are to others yet I must desire their leave to suggest that most things seem improbable especially to the conceited and opinionative at first proposal and many great truths are strange and odd till custome and acquaintance have reconciled them to our fancies And I 'le presume to add on this occasion though I love not to be confident in assirming that there is none of the Platonical supposals I have used but what I could make appear to be fair and reasonable to the capable and unprejudic'd SECT IV. III. BUT III. I come to another prejudice against the being of Witches which is That 't is very improbable that the Devil who
we doubt not though the manner of action be unknown Yea the thing I speak of is as easie to be apprehended as how infection should pass in certain tenuious streams through the Air from one house to another or as how the biting of a mad Dog should fill all the Blood and Spirits with a venomous and malign ferment the application of the vertue doing the same in our case as that of contact doth in this Yea some kinds of fascination are perform'd in this grosser and more sensible way as by striking giving Apples and the like by which the contagious quality may be transmitted as we see Diseases often are by the touch Now in this way of conjecture a good account may be given why Witches are most powerful upon Children and timorous persons viz. because their spirits and imaginations being weak and passive are not able to resist the fatal invasion whereas men of bold minds who have plenty of strong and vigorous spirits are secure from the contagion as in pestilential Airs clean bodies are not so liable to infection as other tempers Thus then we see 't is likely enough that very often the Sorceress her self doth the mischief and we know de facto that Providence doth not always secure us from one anothers injuries And yet I must confess that many times also the evil spirit is the mischievous Agent though this confession draw on me another Objection which I next propose SECT VI. V. V. THEN it may be said that if wicked spirits can hurt us by the direction and at the desire of a Witch one would think they should have the same power to do us injury without instigation or compact and if this be granted 't is a wonder that we are not always annoy'd and infested by them To which I RETURN 1 That the Laws Liberties and Restraints of the Inhabitants of the other world are to us utterly unknown and this way we can onely argue our selves into confessions of our ignorance which every man must acknowledge that is not as immodest as ignorant It must be granted by all that own the being power and malice of evil Spirits that the security we enjoy is wonderful whether they act by Witches or not and by what Laws they are kept from making us a prey to speak like Philosophers we cannot tell yea why they should be permitted to tempt and ruine us in our Souls and restrain'd from touching or hurting us in our Bodies is a mystery not easily accountable But yet 2 though we acknowledge their power to vex and torment us in our Bodies also yet a reason may be given why they are less frequent in this kind of mischief viz. because their main designs are levell'd against the interest and happiness of our Souls which they can best promote when their actions are most sly and secret whereas did they ordinarily persecute men in their Bodies their agency and wicked influence would be discover'd and make a mighty noise in the world whereby men would be awaken'd to a suitable and vigorous opposition by the use of such means as would engage Providence to rescue them from their rage and cruelties and at last defeat them in their great purposes of undoing us eternally Thus we may conceive that the security we enjoy may well enough consist with the power and malice of those evil Spirits and upon this account we may suppose that Laws of their own may prohibit their unlicens'd injuries not from any goodness there is in their Constitutions but in order to the more successful carrying on the projects of the dark Kingdom as Generals forbid Plunder not out of love to their Enemies but in order to their own Success And hence 3 we may suppose a Law of permission to hurt us at the instance of the Sorceress may well sâ—…and with the policy of Hell since by gratifying the wicked person they encourage her in malice and revenge and promote thereby the main ends of their black confederacy which are to propagate wickedness and to ruine us in our eternal interests And yet 4 't is clear to those that believe the History of the Gospel that wicked spirits have vexed the bodies of men without any instigation that we read of and at this day 't is very likely that many of the strange accidents and diseases that befal us may be the infliction of evil spirits prompted to hurt us onely by the delight they take in mischief So that we cannot argue the improbability of their hurting Children and others by Witches from our own security and freedom from the effects of their malice which perhaps we feel in more instances than we are aware of SECT VII VI. BUT VI another prejudice against the belief of Witches is a presumption upon the enormous force of melancholy and imagination which without doubt can do wonderful things and beget strange perswasions and to these causes some ascribe the presum'd effects of Sorcery and Witchcraft To which I reply briefly and yet I hope sufficiently I. THAT to resolve all the clear circumstances os Fact which we find in well-attested and confirm'd Relations of this kind into the power of deceivable imagination is to make fancy the greater prodigie and to suppose that it can do stranger feats than are believed of any other kind of fascination And to think that Pins and Nails for instance can by the power of imagination be convey'd within the skin or that imagination should deceive so many as have been witnesses in Objects of sense in all the circumstances of discovery this I say is to be infinitely more credulous than the assertors of Sorcery and Demoniack Contracts And by the same reason it may be believ'd that all the Battles and strange events of the world which our selves have not seen are but dreams and fond imaginations and like those that are fought in the Clouds when the Brains of the deluded Spectators are the onely Theatre of those fancied transactions And 2 to deny evidence of act because their imagination may deceive the Relators when we have no reason to think so but a bare presumption that there is no such thing as is related is quite to destroy the credit of all humane testimony and to make all men liars in a larger sence than the Prophet concluded in his haste For not onely the melancholick and the fanciful but the grave and the sober whose judgements we have no reason to suspect to be tainted by their imaginations have from their own knowledge and experience made reports of this nature But to this it will possibly be rejoyn'd and the Reply will be another prejudice against the belief for which I contend viz. SECT VIII VII VII THAT 't is a suspicious circumstance that Watchcraft is but a fancy since the persons that are accused are commonly poor and miserable old women who are overgrown with discontent and melancholy which are very imaginative and the persons said to be bewitch'd are for the most
part Children or people very weak who are easily imposed upon and are apt to receive strong impressions from nothing whereas were there any such thing really 't is not likely but that the more cunning and subtil desperado's who might the more successfully carry on the mischievous designs of the dark Kingdom should be oftner engaged in those black confederacies and also one would expect effects of the hellish combination upon others than the innocent and ignorant TO which Objection it might perhaps be enough to return as hath been above suggested that nothing can be concluded by this and such like arguings but that the policy and menages of the Instruments of darkness are to us altogether unknown and as much in the dark as their natures Mankind being no more acquainted with the reasons and methods of action in the other world than poor Cottagers and Mechanicks are with the Intrigues of Government and Reasons of State Yea peradventure 2 't is one of the great designs as 't is certainly the interest of those wicked Agents and Machinators industriously to hide from us their influences and ways of acting and to work as near as is possible incognito upon which supposal 't is easie to conceive a reason why they most commonly work by and upon the weak and the ignorant who can make no cunning observations or tell credible tales to detect their artifice Besides 3 't is likely a strong imagination that cannot be weaken'd or disturb'd by a busie and subtile ratiocination is a necessary requisite to those wicked persormances and without doubt an heightned and obstinate fancy hath a great influence upon impressible spirits yea and as I have conjectur'd before on the more passive and susceptible bodies And I am very apt to believe that there are as real communications and intercourses between our Spirits as there are between material Agents which secret influences though they are unknown in their nature and ways of acting yet they are sufficiently felt in their effects for experience attests that some by the very majesty and greatness of their Spirits discovered by nothing but a certain noble air that accompanies them will bear down others less great and generous and make them sneak before them and some by I know not what stupifying vertue will tie up the tongue and consine the spirits of those who are otherwise brisk and voluble Which thing supposed the influences of a Spirit possess'd of an active and enormous imagination may be malign and fatal where they cannot be resisted especially when they are accompanied by those poysonous reaks that the evil spirit breathes into the Sorceress which likely are shot out and applied by a fancy heightned and prepared by melancholy and discontent And thus we may conceive why the melanchclick and envious are used upon such occasions and for the same reason the ignorant since knowledge checks and controuls imagination and those that abound much in the imaginative faculties do not usually exceed in the rational And perhaps 4 the Daemon himself useth the imagination of the Witch so qualified for his purpose even in those actions of mischief which are more properly his for it is most probable that Spirits act not upon bodies immediately and by their naked essence but by means proportionate and sutable instruments that they use upon which account likely 't is so strictly required that the Sorceress should believe that so her imagination might be more at the devotion of the mischievous Agent And sor the same reason also Ceremonies are used in Inchantments viz. for the begetting this diabolical faith and heightning the fancy to a degree of strength and vigour sufficient to make it a fit instrument for the design'd performance Those I think are reasons of likelihood and probability why the hellish Confederates are mostly the ignorant and the melancholick To pass then to another prejudice SECT IX VIII VIII THE frequent impostures that are met with in this kind beget in some a belief that all such Relations are Forgeries and Tales and if we urge the evidence of a story for the belief of Witches or Apparitions they will produce two as seemingly strong and plausible which shall conclude in mistake or design inferring thence that all others are of the same quality and credit But such arguers may please to consider 1 THAT a single relation for an Assirmative sufficiently confirmed and at tested is worth a thousand tales of forgery and imposture from whence an universal Negative cannot be concluded So that though all the Objectors stories be true and an hundred times as many more such deceptions yet one relation wherein no fallacy or fraud could be suspected for our Assirmative would spoil any Conclusion could be erected on them And 2 It seems to me a belief sufficiently bold and precarious that all these relations of forgery and mistake should be certain and not one among all those which attest the Assirmative reality with circumstances as good as could be expected or wish'd should be true but all fabulous and vain And they have no reason to object credulity to the assertors of Sorcery and Witchcraft that can swallow so large a morsel And I desire such Objectors to consider 3 Whether it be fair to infer that because there are some Cheats and Impostures that therefore there are no Realities Indeed frequency of deceit and fallacy will warrant a greater care and caution in examining and scrupulosity and shiness of assent to things wherein fraud hath been practised or may in the least degree be suspected But to conclude because that an old woman's fancy abused her or some knavish fellows put tricks upon the ignorant and timorous that theresore whole Assises have been a thousand times deceived in judgements upon matters of fact and numbers of sober persons have been forsivorn in things wherein perjury could not advantage them I say such inferences are as void of reason as they are of charity and good manners SECT X. IX BUT IX it may be suggested further That it cannot be imagin'd what design the Devil should have in making those solemn compacts since persons of such debauch'd and irreclaimable dispositions as those with whom he is supposed to confderate are pretty securely his antecedently to the bargain and cannot be more so by it since they cannot put their Souls out of possibility of the Divine Grace but by the Sin that is unpardonable or if they could so dispose and give away themselves it will to some seem very unlikely that a great and mighty Spirit should oblige himself to such observances and keep such ado to secure the Soul of a filly Body which 't were odds but it would be His though He put himself to no further trouble than that of his ordinary temptations TO which suggestions 't were enough to say that 't is sufficient if the thing be well prov'd though the design be not known And to argue negatively à fine is very unconclusive in such matters The Laws and
Affairs of the other world as hath been intimated are vastly differing from those of our Regions and therefore 't is no wonder we cannot judge of their designs when we know nothing of their menages and so little of their natures The ignorant looker-on can't imagine what the Limner means by those seemingly rude Lines and scrawls which he intends for the Rudiments of a Picture and the Figures of Mathematick operation are nonsence and dashes at a venture to one uninstructed in Mechanicks We are in the dark to one anothers purposes and intendments and there are a thousand intrigues in our little matters which will not presently confess their design even to sagacious inquisitors And therefore 't is folly and incogitancy to argue any thing one way or other â—…rom the designs of a sort of Beings with whom we so little communicate and possibly we can take no more aim or guess at their projects and designments than the gazing Beasts can do at ours when they see the Traps and Gins that are laid for them but understand nothing what they mean Thus in general But I attempt something more particularly in order to which I must premise that the Devil is a name for a Body Politick in which there are very different Orders and Degrees of Spirits and perhaps in as much variety of place and state as among our selves so that 't is not one and the same person that makes all the compacts with those abused and seduced Souls but they are divers and those 't is like of the meanest and basest quality in the Kingdom of darkness which being supposed I offer this account of the probable design of those wicked Agents viz. That having none to rule or tyrannize over within the circle of their own nature and government they affect a proud Empire over us the desire of Dominion and Authority being largely spread through the whole circumference of degenerated nature especially among those whose pride was their original transgression every one of these then desires to get him Vassals to pay him homage and to be employ'd like Slaves in the services of his Lusts and Appetites to gratifie which desire 't is like enough to be provided and allowed by the constitution of their State and Government that every wicked spirit shall have those Souls as his property and particular servants and attendants whom he can catch in such compacts as those wild Beasts that we can take in hunting are by the allowance of the Law our own and those Slaves that a man hath purchas'd are his peculiar Goods and the Vassals of his will Or rather those deluding Fiends are like the seducing fellows we call Spirits who inveigle Children by their false and slattering promises and carry them away to the Plantations of America to be servilely employed there in the works of their profit and advantage And as those base Agents will humour and flatter the simple unwary Youth till they are on Shipboard and without the reach of those that might rescue them from their hands In like manner the more mischievous Tempter studies to gratifie please and accommodate those he deals with in this kind till death hath lanch'd them into the Deep and they are past the danger of Prayers Repentance and Endeavours and then He useth them as pleaseth Him This account I think is not unreasonable and 't will fully answer the Objection For though the matter be not as I have conjectur'd yet 't will suggest a way how it may be conceiv'd which nulls the pretence That the Design is unconceivable SECT XI X. BUT then X we are still liable to be question'd how it comes about that those proud and insolent Designers practise in this kind upon so few when one would expect that they should be still trading this way and every where be driving on the project which the vileness of men makes so feisable and would so much serve the interest of their lusts TO which among other things that might be suggested I return 1 That we are never liable to be so betrayed and abused till by our vile dispositions and tendencies we have forfeited the tutelary care and oversight of the better Spirits who though generally they are our guard and defence against the malice and violence of evil Angels yet it may well enough be thought that sometimes they may take their leave of such as are swallowed up by Malice Envie and desire of Revenge qualities most contrary to their Life and Nature and leave them exposed to the invasion and solicitations of those wicked Spirits to whom such hateful Attributes make them very sutable And if there be particular Guardian Angels as 't is not absurd to fancy it may then well be supposed that no man is obnoxious to those projects and attempts but onely such whose vile and mischievous natures have driven from them their protecting Genius And against this dereliction to the power of evil Spirits 't is likely enough what some affirm that the Royal Psalmist directs that Prayer Psal. LXXI ix x. Cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth For They that keep my Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the LXX and the Vulgar Latine Qui custodiunt animam meam they take counsel together say ing God hath forsaken him persecute him and take him for there is none to deliver him But I add 2 That 't is very probable that the state wherein they are will not easily permit palpable intercourses between the bad Genii and Mankind since 't is like enough that their own Laws and Government do not allow their frequent excursions into this World Or it may with as great probability be supposed that 't is a very hard and painful thing for them to force their thin and tenuious Bodies into a visible consistence and such shapes as are necessary for their designs in their correspondencies with Witches For in this action their Bodies must needs be exceedingly compress'd which cannot well be without a painful sense And this is perhaps a reason why there are so few Apparitions and why appearing Spirits are commonly in such haste to be gone viz. that they may be deliver'd from the unnatural pressure of their tender vehicles which I confess holds more in the apparitions of good than evil Spirits most Relations of this kind describing their discoveries of themselves as very transient though for those the holy Scripture records there may be peculiar reason why they are not so whereas the wicked ones are not altogether so quick and hasty in their visits The reason of which probably is the great subtilty and tenuity of the Bodies of the former which will require far greater degrees of compression and consequently of pain to make them visible whereas the latter are more foeculent and gross and so nearer allied to palpable consistencies and more easily reduceable to appearance and visibility At this turn Sir you may perceive that I have again made use of
as Matter without the conception of Cogitation when notwithstanding in one of the members of this distribution they are joyned sufficiently close together How can therefore this newfangled Method of Cartesius convince us that this Supposition is false and that the distribution is illegitimate Can it from thence that Matter may be conceived without Cogitation and Cogitation without Matter The first all grant and the other the distribution itself supposes and yet continues sufficiently firm and sure Therefore it is very evident that there is a necessity of our having recourse to the known and ratified Laws of Logick which many Ages before this new upstart Method of Des Cartes appeared were established and approved by the common suffrage of Mankind Which teach us that in every legitimate distribution the parts ought consentire cum toto dissentire inter se to agree with the Whole but disagree one with another Now in this Distribution that they do sufficiently disagree it is very manifest It remains onely to be proved that one of the parts namely that which supposes that a Cogitative substance may be Material is repugnant to the nature of the Whole This is that clear solid and manifest way or method according to the known Laws of Logick but that new way a kind of Sophistry and pleasant mode of trisling and prevaricating SECT V. That all things are in some sort extended demonstrated out of the Corollary of the third Principle of the Nullibists AS for the second Axiome or Principle viz. That whatsoever is extended is Material for the evincing the falsity thereof there want no new Arguments if one have but recourse to the Sixth Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Enchiridium Metaphysicum where by unanswerable reasonings it is demonstrated That there is a certain Immaterial and Immovable Extensum distinct from the movable Matter But however out of the Consectary of their third Principle we shall prove at once that all Spirits are Extended as being somewhere against the wild and ridiculous Opinion of the Nullibists Whos 's third Principle and out of which immediately and precisely they conclude Spirits to be nowhere is Whatsoever is unextended is nowhere Which I very willingly grant but on this condition that they on the other side concede and I doubt not but they will That whatsoever is somewhere is also extended from which Consectary I will evince with Mathematical certainty That God and our Soul and all other Immaterial Beings are in some sort extended For the Nullibists themselves acknowledge and assert that the Operations wherewith the Soul acts on the Body are in the Body and that Power or Divine Vertue wherewith God acts on the Matter and moves it is present in every part of the Matter Whence it is easily gathered That the Operation of the Soul and the moving Power of God is somewhere viz. in the Body and in the Matter But the Operation of the Soul wherewith it acts on the Body and the Soul itself and the Divine Power wherewith God moves the Matter and God himself are together nor can so much as be imagined separate one from the other namely the Operation from the Soul and the Power from God Wherefore if the Operation of the Soul is somewhere the Soul is somewhere viz. there where the Operation And if the Power of God be somewhere God is somewhere namely there where the Divine Power is He in every part of the Matter the Soul in the humane Body Whosoever can deny this by the same reason he may deny that common Notion in Mathematicks Quantities that are singly equal to one third are equal to one another SECT VI. The apert confession of the Nullibists that the ESSENCE of a Spirit is where its OPERATION is and how they contradict themselves and are forced to acknowledge a Spirit extended ANd verily that which we contend for the Nullibists seem apertly to assert even in their own express words as it is evident in Lambertus Velthusius in his De Initiis Primae Philosophiae in the Chapter De Ubi Who though he does manifestly affirm that God and the Mind of man by their Operations are in every part or some one part of the Matter and that in that sence namely in respect of their Operations the Soul may be truly said to be somewhere God everywhere as if that were the onely mode of their presence yet he does expresly grant that the Essence is nowhere separate from that whereby God or a created Spirit is said to be the one everywhere the other somewhere that no man may conceit the Essence of God to be where the rest of his Attributes are not That the Essence of God is in Heaven but that his Vertue diffuses itself beyond Heaven No by no means saith he Wheresoever God's Power or Operation is there is the Nature of God forasmuch as God is a Substance devoid of all composition Thus far Velthusius Whence I assume But the Power or Operation of God is in or present to the Matter Therefore the Essence of God is in or present to the Matter and is there where the Matter is and therefore somewhere Can there be any deduction or illation more close and coherent with the Premises And yet that other most devoted follower of the Cartesian Philosophy Ludovicus De-la-Forge cannot abstain from the offering us the same advantage of arguing or rather from the inferring the same conclusion with us in his Treatise De Mente Humana Chap. 12. where occur these words Lastly when I say that God is present to all things by his Omnipotency and consequently to all the parts of the Matter I do not deny but that also by his Essence or Substance he is present to them For all those things in God are one and the same Dost thou hear my Nullibist what one of the chiefest of thy Condisciples and most religious Symmists of that stupendious secret of Nullibism plainly professes namely that God is present to all the parts of Matter by his Essence also or Substance And yet you in the mean while blush not to assert that neither God nor any created spirit is any where than which nothing more contradictious can be spoke or thought or more abhorring from all reason Wherefore whenas the Nullibists come so near to the truth it seems impossible they should so all of a suddain start from it unless they were blinded with a superstitious admiration of Des Cartes his Metaphysicks and were deluded effascinated and befooled with his jocular Subtilty and prestigious Abstractions there For who in his right wits can acknowledge that a Spirit by its Essence may be present to Matter and yet be nowhere unless the Matter were nowhere also And that a Spirit may penetrate possess and actuate some determinate Body and yet not be in that Body In which if it be it is plainly necessary it be somewhere And yet the same Ludovicus De-la-Forge does manifestly assert that the Body is thus possest and actuated by
be discerped or more Subtile than what does not onely penetrate Matter but itself or at least other Substances of its own kind For a Spirit can penetrate a Spirit though Matter cannot penetrate Matter There is therefore in the very Essence of a Spirit although it be Metaphysically extended no obscure reason why all the Sympathies and Synenergies why all Perceptions and all manner of Cogitations should be referred rather to it by reason of the Unity and Subtilty of its nature than to Matter which is so crass that it is impenetrable and is so far from unity of Essence that it consists of juxtaposited parts But I hope by this I have abundantly satisfied this third difficulty SECT XXXII An Answer to the fourth Objection as much as respects the HOLENMERIANS and NULLIBISTS and all those that acknowledge that the Matter is created of God IV. LEt us go on therefore to the Fourth and last which from the Penetrability of a Spirit concludes its unsitness for moving of Matter For it cannot move Matter but by impelling it nor can it impel it because it does so easily without all resistence penetrate it Here therefore again Imagination plays her tricks and measures the nature of a Spirit by the Laws of Matter fancying a Spirit like some Body passing through an over-large or wide hole where it cannot stick by reason of the laxness of the passage But in the mean time it is to be noted that neither the Holenmerians nor Nullibists can of right object this difficulty to us whenas it is much more incredible that either a Metaphysical Monad or any Essence that is nowhere should be more fit for the moving Matter than that which has some Amplitude and is present also to the Matter that is to be moved Wherefore we have now onely to do with such Philosophers as contend that the whole Universe consists of Bodies onely For as for those that acknowledge there is a God and that Matter was created by him it is not hard for them to conceive that there may be a certain faculty in the Soul which in some manner though very shadowishly answers to that Power in God of creating Matter Namely that as God though the most pure of all Spirits yet creates Matter the most gross of all things so created Spirits themselves may emit a certain Material Vertue either spontaneously or naturally by which they may intimately inhere in the Subject Matter and be sufficiently close united therewith Which faculty of Spirits in the Appendix to the Antidote against Atheism is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Hylopathy of Spirits or a Power of affecting or being affected by the Matter But I confess that Answer is less fitly used when we have to do with those who deny the Creation of Matter and much more when with those that deny there is a God SECT XXXIII An Answer to those that think there is nothing in the Universe but Matter or Body WHerefore whenas we have to do with such infense Adversaries and so much estranged from all knowledge and acknowledgement of Incorporeal Things verily we ought to behave ourselves very cautiously and circumspectly and something more precisely to consider the Title of the Question which is not Whether we can accurately discern and declare the mode or way that a Spirit moves Matter but whether its Penetrability is repugnant with this faculty of moving Matter But now it is manifest if a Spirit could be united and as it were cohere with the Matter that it might easily move Matter forasmuch as if there be at all any such thing as a Spirit it is according to the common Opinion of all men to be acknowledged the true Principle and Fountain of all Life and Motion Wherefore the hinge of the whole controversie turns upon this one pin Whether it be repugnant that any Spirit should be united and as it were cohere with Matter or by whatever firmness or sastening whether permanent or momentaneous be joyned therewith Now that it is not repugnant I hope I shall clearly demonstrate from hence that the unition of Spirit with Matter is as intelligible as the unition of one part of Matter with another For that ought in reason to be held an Axiome firm and sure That that is possible to be in which there is found no greater not to say less dissiculty of so being than in that which we really find to be But we see one part of Matter really and actually united with another and that in some Bodies with a firmness almost invincible as in some Stones and Metals which are held to be the hardest of all Bodies But we will for the more fully understanding the business suppose a Body absolutely and perfectly hard constituted of no particles but the very Physical Monads themselves and without all pores I ask therefore here By what vertue or by what manner of way do the parts of so perfect a Solid cohere Undoubtedly they can alledge nothing here besides immediate contact and rest For if they fly to any other affections which are allied to Life and Sense they are more rightly and more easily understood to be in a Spirit than in Matter and we will presently pronounce that a Spirit may adhere to Matter by the same vertues But that the parts of Matter cohere by bare though immediate contact seems as difficult if not more difficult than that a Spirit penetrating Matter should cleave together into one with it For the contact of the parts of Matter is every where onely superficial but one and the same indiscerpible Spirit penetrates and possesses the whole Matter at once But it half repents me that I have with so great preparation and pomp attacked so small a difficulty and have striven so long with mere Elusions and prestigious Juggles of the Imagination which casts such a Mist of fictitious Repugnancies on the true Idea of a Spirit as with so many Phantomes and Spectres of an unquiet Night But in the mean time I have made it abundantly manifest that there are no other Contradictions or Repugnancies in this our Notion of a Spirit than what the minds of our Adversaries polluted with the impure dregs of Imagination and unable to abstract Metaphysical Extension from Corporeal affections do foully and slovenly clart upon it and that this Idea lookt upon in itself does clearly appear to be a Notion at least of a thing Possible which is all that we drive at in this place SECT XXXIV How far the Notion of a Spirit here defended is countenanced and confirmed by the common suffrage of all Adversaries ANd that it may appear more plausible we will not omit in the last place to take notice how far it is countenanced and confirmed by the common suffrage of our Adversaries For the Hobbians and whatever other Philosophers else of the same stamp do plainly assent to us in this That whatsoever really is is of necessity extended But that they hence infer that there is nothing
the House in clear nights and nothing visible the shaking of the Floor and strongest parts of the House in still and calm nights with several other things of the like nature And that by other Evidence it was applied to him For some going out of these parts to Gloucester whilst he was there in Prison and visiting him he ask't them what News in Wilts To which they replyed they knew none No says the Drummer did you not hear of a Gentlemans House that was troubled with the Beating of Drums They told him again if that were News they heard enough of that Ay says the Drummer it was because he took my Drum from me if he had not taken away my Drum that trouble had never befallen him and he shall never have his quiet again till I have my Drum or satisfaction from him This was deposed by one Thomas Avis Servant to one Mr. Thomas Sadler of North-Wilts and these words had like to have cost the Drummer his Life For else although the things were never so true it could not have been rightly applyed to him more than to another I should only add that the before mentioned Witnesses were Neighbours and deposed that they heard and saw these things almost every day or night for many Moneths together As to the Sculpture you intend you best understand the advantage I think it needless And those Words you shall have Drumming enough is more than I heard him speak I rest Your Loving Friend Jo. Mompesson Tedworth Aug. 8. 1674. An Introduction to the Proof of the Existence of Apparitions Spirits and Witches SECT I. The great usefulness and seasonableness of the present Argument touching Witches and Apparitions in subservieney to Religion THe Question whether there are witches or not is not matter of vain Speculation or of indifferent Moment but an Inquiry of very great and weighty Importance For on the resolution of it depends the Authority and just Execution of some of our Laws and which is more our Religion in its main Doctrines is nearly concerned There is no one that is not very much a stranger to the World but knows how Atheisme and Infidelity have advanced in our days and how openly they now dare to shew themselves in Asserting and Disputing their vile Cause Particularly the distinction of the Soul from the Body the Being of Spirits and a Future Life are Assertions extreamly despised and opposed by the Men of this sort and if we lose those Articles all Religion comes to nothing They are clearly and fully Asserted in the Sacred Oracles but those Wits have laid aside these Divine Writings They are proved by the best Philosophy and highest Reason but the Unbelievers divers of them are too shallow to be capable of such proofs and the more subtle are ready to Scepticize away those grounds But there is one Head of Arguments that troubles them much and that is the Topick of Witches and Apparitions If such there are it is a sensible proof of Spirits and another Life an Argument of more direct force than any Speculations or Abstract reasonings and such an one as meets with all the sorts of Infidels On which account they labour with all their might to perswade themselves and others that Witches and Apparitions are but Melancholick Dreams or crafty Impostures and here it is generally that they begin with the young-men whose understandings they design to Debauch They expose and deride all Relations of Spirits and Witchcraft and furnish them with some little Arguments or rather Colours against their Existence And youth is very ready to entertain such Opinions as will help them to phansie they are wiser than the generality of Men. And when they have once swallowed this Opinion and are sure there are no Witches nor Apparitions they are prepared for the denial of Spirits a Life to come and all the other Principles of Religion So that I think it will be a considerable and very seasonable service to it fully to debate and settle this matter which I shall endeavour in the following sheets and I hope so as not to impose upon my self or others by empty Rhetorications fabulous Relations or Sophistical Reasonings but treat on the Question with that freedom and plainness that becomes one that is neither fond fanciful nor credulous SECT II. The true stating of the Question by defining what a Witch and Witchcraft is I Know that a great part of the Labour in most Controversies useth to be bestowed on things impertinent to the main business and by them the Minds of both sides are so confounded that they wander widely from the point in difference and at last lose it quite It would quickly be thus in the Question of Witchcraft and usually is so without previous care to avoid it But I shall take the best I can that my pains on this Subject be not so mis-bestowed but closely applyed to the purpose And in order thereunto shall briefly define the terms of the Question and then set down what I grant to mine Adversaries and what I demand from them And when these Preliminaries are well adjusted we shall proceed with more distinctness and still see whereabout we are and know how far what is affirmed or proved reaches the main matter in debate The Question is whether there are Witches or not Mr. Webster accuseth the Writers on the Subject of defect in not laying down a perfect Description of a Witch or Witchcraft or explaining what they mean p. 20. What his perfect Description is I do not know but I think I have described a Witch or Witchcraft in my Considerations sufficiently to be understood and the Conception which I and I think most Men have is That a Witch is one who can do or seems to do strange things beyond the known Power of Art and ordinary Nature by vertue of a Confederacy with Evil Spirits Strange Things not Miracles these are the extraordinary Effects of Divine Power known and distinguished by their circumstances as I shall shew in due place The strange things are really performed and are not all Impostures and Delusions The Witch occasions but is not the Principal Efficient she seems to do it but the Spirit performs the wonder sometimes immediately as in Transportations and Possessions sometimes by applying other Natural Causes as in raising Storms and inflicting Diseases sometimes using the Witch as an Instrument and either by the Eyes or Touch conveying Malign Influences And these things are done by vertue of a Covenant or Compact betwixt the Witch and an Evil Spirit A Spirit viz. an Intelligent Creature of the Invisible World whether one of the Evil Angels called Devils or an Inferiour Daemon or Spirit or a wicked Soul departed but one that is able and ready for mischief and whether altogether Incorporeal or not appertains not to this Question SECT III. That neither the Notation of the Name that signifies indifferently nor the false Additions of others to the Notion of a Witch can any way
time enough to see him carried out upon four Mens shoulders and to tread upon his jaws That on the day Talbot dyed she heard Agar swear that she had now plagued Talbot and that being in company with her some time before and seeing a dead Horse of Talbot's drawn along by another of his Horses she swore that that Horse should be also drawn out to morrow and the next day she saw the well Horse also drawn out dead That above a Month before Margaret Agar was sent to Gaol she saw her Henry Walter Catharine Green Jone Syms Christian Green Mary Warberton and others meet at a place called Husseys-knap in the Forrest in the Night time where met them the Fiend in the shape of a little Man in black Clothes with a littleband to him all made obeysances and at that time a Picture in Wax or Clay was delivered by Agar to the Man in black who stuck a Thorn into the Crown of it Margaret Agar one towards the Breast Catharine Green in the side after which Agar threw down the Picture and said there is Cornishes Picture with a Murrain to it or Plague on it And that at both the meetings there was a noisom smell of Brimstone That about two years since in the Night there met in the same place Agar Henry Walter Catharine Green Jone Syms Alice Green and Mary Warberton Then also Margaret Agar delivered to the little Man in black a Picture in Wax into which he and Agar stuck Thorns and Henry Walter thrust his Thumb into the side of it Then they threw it down and said there is Dick Greens Picture with a Pox in 't A short time after which Rich. Green was taken ill and dyed Further he saith That on Thursday Night before Whitsunday last about the same place met Catharine Green Alice Green Jone Syms Mary Warberton Dinah and Dorothy Warberton and Henry Walter and being met they called out Robin Upon which instantly appeared a little Man in black Clothes to whom all made obeysance and the little Man put his hand to his Hat saying How do ye speaking low but big Then all made low obeysances to him again That she hath seen Margaret Clark twice at the meetings but since Margaret Agar was sent to Prison she never saw her there Taken before me Rob. Hunt ADVERTISEMENT Before we pass to other Relations it will not be amiss further to remark upon these taken out of the Examinations of Mr. Hunt From the poisoned Apples that Jane Brooks gave to Rich. Jones and Eliz. Style to Agnes Vining and the poisoned Pewter-dish that Alice Duke put into the hands of Thomas Conway which dish and apples they had from the Devil we may observe in what a peculiar sense Witches and Wizzards are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venefici and Veneficoe Poysoners Not that they mischieve People ordinarily by natural Poisons as Arsenick and the like but rather by some hellish malignancy infused into things by the art and malice of the Devil or by the steams of their own Body which the Devil sucks For the hand of Jane Brooks stroaking down Rich. Jones his side impressed a pain thereon We may observe also what an eximious Example of Moses his Mecassephah the word which he uses in that Law Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live Margaret Agar is and how fitly some interpreters render Mecassephim Malefici from the great mischief they do and delight in And what a great credit this Agar is to J. Webster and the rest of the Hagg-advocates which would make them to be meer couzening Queans or Melancholick Fopps that had nothing to do with the Devil As if the Man in black and a little band were but such another as J. Webster or any other Haggadvocate that in waggery acted the part of the Devil in Husseys Knap or any such like place of a Forrest and so after all quickly and suddainly recoiling behind a bush and letting sly into the wind the deluded Haggs took it for the vanishing of the very Fiend and his perfuming the Air with the smell of Brimstone One that can resolve all the feats of the Hartummim of Egypt into tricks of Legerdemain cannot â—…e easily delude the company with such a feat as this the old Wives being thick of hearing and carrying their spectacles not on their noses but in their pockets And lastly srom the Devils covenanting with the Witches for their Souls it may be observed that the old Haggs dealing bonâ fidde and thinking they have Souls surviving their bodies are better Philosophers than the huffy Wits of our Age that deny distinction of Soul and Body But if they have not as these Huffers would have it and the Haggs think so themselves it is a pretty Paradox that these old Fopps should be able to out-wit the very Devil who does not in bartering for their Bodies and Souls buy a Pig in a poke as the Proverb is but a poke without a Pig But I rather believe that these huffing Wits as high as they are may learn one true point of Philosophy from these Haggs and their Familiars these evil Spirits certainly making their bargains wisely enough in covenanting for the Witches Soul Which clause if it were not exprest the Soul were free from the Familiars jurisdiction after death Wherefore it is no contemptible argument these evil Spirits covenanting for the Soul of the Witch that they know the Soul survives the Body and therefore make their bargain sure for the possession of it as their Peculium after death Otherwise if the Soul were mortal they would tell the Witâ—…es so the more easily to precipitate them into 〈◊〉 wickedness and make them more eager by their ministry to enjoy this present life But this Doctrine is inconsistent with the form of his Covenant whereby they are assured to him after death RELAT. VII Touching Florence Newton an Irish Witch of Youghal taken out of her Trial at the Assizes held for the Country of Corke Sept. 11. Ann. 1661. THis Florence Newton was committed to Youghall Prison by the Major of the Town March 24. 1661. for bewitching Mary Longdon who gave evidence against her at Cork Assizes as follows Mary Longdon being sworn and examined what she could say against the said Florence Newton for any practice of Witchcraft upon her self and being bidden to look on the Prisoner her countenance changed pale and she was very fearful to look towards her but at last she did And being askt whether she knew her she said she did and wisht she never had Being askt how long she had known her she said for three or four years And that at Christmas last the said Florence came to the Deponent at the House of John Pyne in Youghall where the Deponent was a Servant And askt the Deponent to give her a piece of Beef out of the Powdering-Tub And the Deponent answering her that she could not give away her Masters Beef she said Florence seemed to be very
there to the beholders sight was as if nothing but Air were there and a shew of Earth perpetually suited to that where the Hare passed As I have heard of some Painters that have drawn the Sky in an huge large Landskip so lively that the Birds have flown against it thinking it free Air and so have fallen down And if Painters ' and Juglers by the tricks of Legerdemain can do such strange feats to the deceiving of the sight it is no wonder that these Airy invisible Spirits as far surpass them in all such praestigious doings as the Air surpasses the Earth for subtilty And the like Praestigiae may be in the Toad It might be a real Toad though actuated and guided by a Daemon which was cut in pieces and that also which was whipt about and at last snatcht out of sight as if it had vanished by these AErial Hocus-Pocus ' s. And if some Juglers have tricks to take hot Coals into their Mouth without hurt certainly it is no strange thing that some small attempt did not suffice to burn that Toad That such a Toad sent by a Witch and crawling up the Body of the Man of the house as he sate by the fire's side was over-mastered by him and his Wife together and burnt in the fire I have heard sometime ago credibly reported by one of the Isle of Ely Of these Daemoniack Vermin I have heard other stories also as of a Rat that followed a Man some score of Miles trudging through thick and thin along with him So little difficulty is there in that of the Toad And that of Julian Cox ' s being seen to fly in at her own Chamber Window there is no difficulty in it if it be understood of her Familiar the black Man that had transformed himself into her shape For this is no such unusual thing for Witches to appear either in their Astral Spirits or by their Familiars as if it were their very bodily Persons But when she appeared to the Maid together with the black Man and offered her to drink it is likely it was her Astral Spirit and Julians being wounded in her body by the wound on her Astral Spirit is just such another case as that of Jane Brooks which you your self note in your Book of Witchcraft The most incredible thing is her eating of Pins she knowing them to be such But they that are bewitched are not themselves and being possessed are actuated in the parts of their body and their mind driven by that ugly inmate in them to what he will which is notorious in the story of Mrs. Frogmorton 's Children And for the Pins thus swallowed their comeing out into the exterior parts of her body Examples of this sort are infinite and far more strange than these are recorded by Baptista Van Helmont de Injectis These are the most incredible passages in this Narrative and yet you see how credible they are if rightly understood But those that believe no Spirits will believe nothing never so credible of this kind and others that have some natural aversion from these things will presently interpret them in the vulgar sense and then sweetly snear at their own ignorance But I must confess if this be a true Relation of what passed in the Court I do not question but the things that were sworn did so appear to them that swore them Or else there is nothing to be credited in human affairs But concerning the truth of the Relation besides what I hinted in my last to you you would do well to write to some or other in Taunton c. Thus far Dr. M. And if any one be so curious as to desire an account of Mr. G. his further inquiry into this business I can tell him that he wrote to Mr. Hunt who then busy in some Court yet made shift to read the Narrative and wrote two or three lines to him back to this effect That one principal Evidence was omitted in the Narrative but that is nothing against the truth of the rest But he adds also that some things were false Which would stumble one and make him think that the credit of this Narrative is quite blasted thereby But this Riddle is easily unriddled by him that considers that Mr. Hunt may respect those things that are said to be confest by her in her examination before a Justice of Peace For he also having some time Examined her and she making no such confession to him as Mr. G. himself says in a Letter to Dr. M. that he perused that Examination in Mr. Hunts Book and there was not any thing considerable therein might speak this in reference to the Examination which he had taken she then not confessing so freely as to some other Justice whose Examination therefore was made use of in the Court But this cannot concern at all the rest of the Narrative which was given upon Oath in the Court in the hearing of all This I thought fit not to omit as being desirous to deal with all faithfulness in concealing nothing and not to impose upon the Reader but that he may make his judgment upon the whole matter As for the Witches being hurried along with that Hare-like Spectre her being out of breath as the Huntsman testified makes it most probable or at least that she was hurried from some other place on the earth or in the air to meet there at length with the Hare-like Spectre but this invisibly by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Prestigiatory art or faculty of these ludicrous Daemons whereby they can so modifie the Air immediately next to the party they would conceal that it looks there like the free Skie or what Landskip they please as when they shew in a Shew-stone or Glass the very Room in which the party is the Daemon by the power of his Imagination so modifying at least his own Vehicle Which power some of those of the Atheistick Brotherhood cannot wish any face deny supposing there are Daemons they giving a greater power to the Imagination of a Man as if it were able to transform the Air into real Birds or Mice or such like Creatures livingly such for the present But any thing must be believed rather than the Existence of Witches and Daemons It will not be amiss here to take notice what an eminent example this Julian Cox is of Moses his Megnonenah or Mecassephah taken in the same sense that is of such a Witch as is thought by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or prestigiatory power though it is the Devil that does these feats not she to transform her self into strange shapes and use other like deceptions of the sight As also it is a notable instance of the Astral Spirits of Witches how strongly though at a distance of place they are tyed together in a fatal Sympathy with their Bodies the Body of Julian being wounded by a stab at her Astral Spirit as it fared also in Jane Brooks and an Old Woman in
meer Trick or Imposture But the Story with your ingenious Considerations about Witchcraft being so often printed already he said it behoved him to take care how he ventured on a new Impression unless he had some new matter of that kind to adde which might make this new Edition the more certainly salable and therefore he expected the issue of that noised story of the Spectre at Exeter seen so oft for the discovering of a Murther committed some thirty years ago But the event of this business as to juridical process not answering expectation he was discouraged from making use of it many things being reported to him from thence in favour to the party most concerned But I told him a story of one Mrs. Britton her appearing to her Maid after her death very well attested though not of such a Tragical kind as that of Exeter which he thought considerable But of Discoveries of Murther I never met with any story more plain and unexceptionable than that in Mr. John Webster his Display of supposed Witchcraft The Book indeed it self I confess is but a weak and impertinent piece but that story weighty and convincing and such as himself though otherwise an affected Caviller against almost all stories of Witchcraft and Apparitions is constrained to assent to as you shall see from his own confession I shall for your better ease or because you haply may not have the Book transcribe it out of the Writer himself though it be something long Chap. 16. Page 298. About the year of our Lord 1632 as near as I can remember having lost my Notes and the Copy of the Letter to Serjeant Hutton but am sure that I do most perfectly remember the substance of the story near unto Chester in the Street there lived one Walker a Teoman-man of good estate and a Widower who had a young Woman to his Kinswoman that kept his House who was by the Neighbours suspected to be with Child and was towards the dark of the Evening one night sent away with one Mark Sharp who was a Collier or one that digged Coals under ground and one that had been born in Blakeburn Hundred in Lancashire and so she was not heard of a long time and no noise or little was made about it In the Winter-time after one James Graham or Grime for so in that Countrey they call them being a Miller and living about Two miles from the place where Walker lived was one night alone very late in the Mill grinding Corn and as about twelve or one a Clock at night he came down the Stairs from having been putting Corn in the Hâ—…pper the Mill-doors being shut there stood a Woman upon the midst of the Floor with her Hair about her Head hanging down and all bloody with five large Wounds on her Head He being much affrighted and amazed began to bless him and at last asked her who she was and what she wanted To which she said I am the Spirit of such a Woman who lived with Walker and being got with Child by him he promised to send me to a private place where I should be well lookt to until I was brought in bed and well again and then I should come again and keep his House And accordingly said the Apparition I was one night late sent away with one Mark Sharp who upon a Moor naming a place that the Miller knew slew me with a Pick such as men dig Coals withal and gave me these five Wounds and after threw my Body into a Coal-pit hard by and hid the Pick under a Bank and his Shoes and Stockings being bloudy he endeavoured to wash but seeing the bloud would not wash sorth he hid them there And the Apparition further told the Miller that he must be the man to reveal it or else that she must still appear and haunt him The Miller returned home very sad and heavy but spoke not one word of what he had seen but eschewed as much as he could to slay in the Mill within night without company thinking thereby to escape the seeing again of that frightful Apparition But notwithstanding one night when it began to be dark the Apparition met him again and seemed very fierce and cruel and threatned him That if he did not reveal the Murder she would continually pursue and haunt him Tet for all this he still concealed it until St. Thomas Eve before Christmas when being soon after Sun set walking in his Garden she appeared again and then so threatned him and affrighted him that he faithfully promised to reveal it next morning In the morning he went to a Magistrate and made the whole matter known with all the circumstances and diligent search being made the Body was found in a Coal-pit with five Wounds in the Head and the Pick and Shoes and Stockings yet bloody in every circumstance as the Apparition had related unto the Miller Whereupon Walker and Mark Sharp were both apprehended but would confess nothing At the Assizes following I think it was at Durham they were arraigned found guilty condemned and executed but I could never hear that they confessed the Fact There were some that reported that the Apparition did appear to the Judge or the Foreman of the Jury who was alive in Chester in the Street about Ten years ago as I have been credibly informed but of that I know no certainty There are many persons yet alive that can remember this strange Murder and the Discovery of it for it was and sometimes yet is as much discoursed of in the North-Countrey as any thing that almost hath ever been heard of and the Relation Printed though now not to be gotten I relate this with the greater confidence though I may fail in some of the Circumstances because I saw and read the Letter that was sent to Serjeant Hutton who then lived at Goldsbrugh in Yorkshire from the Judge before whom Walker and Mark Sharp were tried and by whom they were condemned and had a Copy of it until about the year 1â—…58 when I had it and 〈◊〉 other Books and Papers taken from me And this I confess to be one of the most convincing Stories being of undoubted verity that ever I read heard or knew of and carrieth with it the most evident force to make the most incredulous spirit to be satisfied that there are really sometimes such things as Apparitions Thus far He. This Story is so considerable that I make mention of it in my Scholia on my Immortality of the Soul in my Volumen Philosophicum Tom. 2. which I acquainting a Friend of mine with a prudent intelligent person Dr. J. D. he of his own accord offered me it being a thing of such consequence to send to a friend of his in the North for greater assurance of the truth of the Narration which motion I willingly embracing he did accordingly The Answer to his Letter from his friend Mr. Shepherdson is this I have done what I can to inform my self of the
passage of Sharp and Walker There are very few men that I could meet that were then men or at the Tryal saving these two in the inclosed Paper both men at that time and both at the Tryal And for Mr. Lumley he lived next door to Walker and what he hath given under his hand can depose if there were occasion The other Gentleman writ his Attestation with his own hand but I being not there got not his Name to it I could have sent you twenty hands that could have said thus much and more by hearsay but I thought these most proper that could speak from their own Eyes and Ears Thus far Mr. Shepherdson the Doctor 's discreet and faithful Intelligencer Now for Mr. Lumley's Testimony it is this Mr. William Lumley of Lumley being an ancient Gentleman and at the Tryal of Walker and Sharp upon the Murder of Anne Walker saith that he doth very well remember that the said Anne was Servant to Walker and that she was supposed to be with Child but would not disclose by whom But being removed to her Aunts in the same Town called Dame Carie told her Aunt that he that had got her with Child would take care both for her and it and bid her not trouble her self After some time she had been at her Aunts it was observed that Sharp came to Lumley one night being a sworn Brother of the said Walker ' s and they two that night called her forth from her Aunts House which night she was murdered About fourteen days after the murder there appeared to one Graime a Fuller at his Mill six miles from Lumley the likeness of a Woman with her Hair about her head and the appearance of five Wounds in her Head as the said Graime gave it in Evidence That that appearance bid him go to a Justice of Peace and relate to him how that Walker and Sharp had murthered her in such a place as she was murthered But he fearing to disclose a thing of that nature against a person of credit as Walker was would not have done it but she continually appearing night by night to him and pulling the Clothes off his Bed told him he should never rest till he had disclosed it Upon which he the said Graime did go to a Justice of Peace and related the whole matter Whereupon the Justice of Peace granted Warrants against Walker and Sharp and committed them to prison But they found Bail to appear at the next Assizes At which time they came to their Tryal and upon evidence of the Circumstances with that of Graime of the Appearance they were both found guilty and executed Will. Lumley The other Testimony is of Mr. James Smart of the City of Durham who saith That the Trial of Sharp and Walker was in the moneth of August 1631 before Judge Davenport One Mr. Fairhair gave it in Evidence upon Oath that he see the likeness of a Child stand upon Walker ' s Shoulders during the time of the Trial At which time the Judge was very much troubled and gave Sentence that night the Trial was which was a thing never used in Durham before nor after Out of which Two Testimonies several things may be corrected or supplied in Mr. Websters Story though it be evident enough that in the main they agree For that is but a small disagreement as to the Year when Mr. Webster says about the year of our Lord 1632. and Mr. Smart 1631. But unless at Durham they have Assizes but once in the year I understand not so well how Sharp and Walker should be apprehended some little while after St. Thomas day as Mr. Webster has it and be tried the next Assizes at Durham and yet that be in August according to Mr. Smarts Testimony Out of Mr. Lumley ' s Testimony the Christen Name of the young Woman is supplied as also the Name of the Town near Chester in the Street namely Lumley The Circumstances also of Walker ' s sending away his Kinswoman with Mark Sharp are supplied out of Mr. Lumley ' s Narrative and the time rectified by telling it was about fourteen days till the Spectre appeared after the Murther whenas Mr. Webster makes it a long time Two Errours also more are corrected in Mr. Webster ' s Narration by Mr. Lumley ' s Testimony The distance of the Miller from Lumley where Walker dwelt which was Six miles not Two miles as Mr. Webster has it And also that it was not a Mill to grinde Corn in but a Fullers Mill. The Apparition night by night pulling the Clothes off Graime ' s Bed omitted in Mr. Webster ' s story may be supplied out of Mr. Lumley ' s. And Mr. Smart ' s Testimony puts it out of controversie that the Trial was at Durham and before Judge Davenport which is omitted by Mr. Webster And whereas Mr. Webster says there were some â—…hat reported that the Apparition did appear to the Judge or the Fore man of the Jury but of that he knows no certainty This confession of his as it is a sign he would not write any thing in this story of which he was not certain for the main so here is a very seasonable supply for this out of Mr. Smart who affirms that he heard one Mr. Fairhair give Evidence upon Oath that he saw the likeness of a Child stand upon Walker ' s Shoulders during the time of the Trial. It is likely this Mr. Fairhair might be the Fore man of the Jury and in that the Judge was so very much troubled that himself also might see the same Apparition as Mr. Webster says report went though the mistake in Mr. Webster is that it was the Apparition of the Woman But this of the Child was very fit and apposite placed on his Shoulders as one that was justly loaded or charged with that Crime of getting his Kinswoman with Child as well as of complotting with Sharp to murder her The Letter also which he mentions writ from the Judge before whom the Trial was heard to Serjeant Hutton it is plain out of Mr. Smart ' s Testimony that it was from Judge Davenport which in all likelihood was a very full and punctual Narrative of the whole business and enabled Mr. Webster in some considerable things to be more particular than Mr. Lumley But the agreement is so exact for the main that there is no doubt to be made of the truth of the Apparition But that this forsooth must not be the Soul of Anne Walker but her Astral Spirit this is but a fantastick conceit of Webster and his Paracelsians which I have sufficiently shewn the folly of in the Scholia on my Immortality of the Soul Volum Philos. Tom. 2. p. 384. This Story of Anne Walker I think you will do well to put amongst your Additions in the new Impression of your Daemon of Tedworth it being so excellently well attested and so unexceptionably in every respect and to hasten as fast as you can that
Impression to undeceive the half-witted World who so much exult and triumph in the extinguishing the belief of that Narration as if the crying down the truth of that story of the Daemon of Tedworth were indeed the very slaying of the Devil and that they may now with more gaiety and security than ever sing in a loud note that mad drunken Catch Hay ho the Devil is dead c. which wild Song though it may seem a piece of levity to mention yet believe me the application thereof bears a sober and weighty intimation along with it viz. that these sort of People are very horribly afraid there should be any Spirit lest there should be a Devil and an account after this life and therefore they are impatient of any thing that implies it that they may with a more full swing and with all security from an after-reckoning indulge their own Lusts and Humours in this And I know by long experience that nothing rouzes them so out of that dull Lethargy of Atheism and Sadducism as Narrations of this kind For they being of a thick and gross spirit the most subtile and solid deductions of reason does little execution upon them but this sort of sensible Experiments cuts them and stings them very sore and so startles them that by a less considerable story by far than this of the Drummer of Tedworth or of Anne Walker a Doctor of Physick cry'd out presently If this be true I have been in a wrong Box all this time and must begin my account anew And I remember an old Gentleman in the Country of my acquaintance an excellent Justice of Peace and a piece of a Mathematician but what kind of Philosopher he was you may understand from a Rhyme of his own making which he commended to me at my taking horse in his yard which Rhyme is this Ens is nothing till Sense finde it out Sense ends in nothing so nought goes about Which Rhyme of his was so rapturous to himself that at the reciting of the second Verse the old Gentleman turned himself about upon his Toe a nimbly as one may observe a dry Leaf whisked round in the corner of an Orchard-walk by some little Whirlwind With this Philosopher I have had many Discourses concerning the Immortality of the Soul and its distinction from the Body and of the existence of Spirits When I have ran him quite down by Reason he would but laugh at me and say This is Logick H. calling me by my Christen-Name To which I replied This is Reason Father L. for so I used and some others to call him but it seems you are for the New Lights and immediate Inspiration Which I confess he was as little for as for the other but I said so onely in way of drollery to him in those times But truth is nothing but palpable experience would move him And being a bold man and fearing nothing he told me he had used all the Magical Ceremonies of Conjuration he could to raise the Devil or a Spirit and had a most earnest desire to meet with one but never could do it But this he told me when he did not so much as think of it while his Servant waâ—… pulling off his Boots in the Hall some invisible Hand gave him such a clap upon the Back that it made all ring again So thought he now I am invited to the converse of some Spirit and there fore so soon as his Boots were off and his Shoes onout goes he into the Tard and next Field to finde out the Spirit that had given him this familiar clap on the back but found none neither in the Yard nor Field next to it But though he did not this stroak albeit he thought it afterwards finding nothing come of it a mere delusion yet not long before his death it had more force with him than all the Philosophical Arguments I could use to him though I could winde him and nonplus him as I pleased but yet all my Arguments how solid soever made no impression upon him Wherefore after several reasonings of this nature whereby I would prove to him the Souls distinction from the Body and its immortality when nothing of such subtile consideration did any more execution on his mind than some Lightning is said to do though it melt the Sword on the fuzzy consistency of the Scabbard Well said I Father L. though none of these things move you I have something still behind and what your self has acknowledged to me to be true that may do the business Do you remember the clap on your back when your Servant was pulling off your Boots in the Hall Assure your self said I Father L. that Goblin will be the first that will bid you welcome into the other World Upon that his Countenance changed most sensibly and he was more confounded with this rubbing up his memory than with all the Rational or Philosophical Argumentations that I could produce Indeed if there were any modesty left in mankind the Histories of the Bible might abundantly assure men of the existence of Angels and Spirits But these Wits as they are taken to be are so jealous forsooth and so sagacious that whatsoever is offered to them by way of established Religion is suspected for a piece of politick Circumvention which is as silly notwithstanding and as childish as that conceit of a Friend of yours when he was a School boy in the lowest Form of a Country Gramar school who could not believe scarce that there were any such men as Cato and AEsop and Ovid and Virgil and Tully much less that they wrote any such Books but that it was a trick of our Parents to keep us up so many hours of the day together and hinder us from the enjoying our innocent pastime in the open Air and the pleasure of planting little Gardens of Flowers and of hunting of Butter-flies and Bumble-bees Besides though what is once true never becomes false so that it may be truely said it was not once true yet these shrewd Wits suspect the truth of things for their antiquity and for that very reason think them the less credible Which is as wisely done as of the Old Woman the Story goes of Who being at Church in the week before Easter and hearing the tragical Description of all the circumstances of our Saviour's Crucifixion was in great sorrow at the reciting thereof and so sollicitous about the business that she came to the Priest after Service with tears in her Eyes dropping him a Courtsie and asked him how long ago this sad accident hapned to whom he answering about Fifteen or Sixteen hundred years ago she presently began to be comforted and said Then in grace of God it may not be true At this pitch of wit in Children and Old Wives is the Reason of our professed Wit-would-be's of this present Age who will catch at any slight occasion oâ—… pretence of misbelieving those things that they cannot endure should be true
And for asmuch assuch course-grain'd Philosophers as those Hobbians and Spinozians and the rest of that Rabble slight Religion and the Scriptures because there is such express mention of Spirits and Angels in them things that their dull Souls are so inclinable to conceit to be impossible I look upon it as a special piece of Providence that there are ever and anon such fresh examples of Apparitions and Witchcrafts as may rub up and awaken their benummed and lethargick Mindes into a suspicion at least if not assurance that there are other intelligent Beings besides those that are clad in heavy Earth or Clay In this I say methinks the Divine Providence does plainly outwit the Powers of the dark Kingdom in permiting wicked men and women and vagrant Spirits of that Kingdom to make Leagues or Covenants one with another the Confession of Witches against their own Lives being so palpable an evidence besides the miraculous feats they play that there are bad Spirits which will necessarily open a Door to the belief that there are good ones and lastly that there is a God Wherefore let the small Philosophick Sir Fopling of this present Age deride them as much as they will those that lay out their pains in committing to writing certain well-attested Stories of Witches and Apparitions do real service to true Religion and sound Philosophy and the most effectual and accommodate to the confounding of Infidelity and Atheism even in the Judgement of the Atheists themselves who are as much afraid of the truth of these stories as an Ape is of a Whip and therefore force themselves with might and main to disbelieve them by reason of the dreadful consequence of them as to themselves The wicked fear where no fear is but God is in the generation of the Righteous And he that fears God and has Faith in Jesus Christ need not fear how many Devils there be nor be afraid of himself or his own Immortality And therefore it is nothing but a foul dark Conscience within or a very gross and dull constitution of Blood that makes men so averse from these Truths But however be they as averse as they will being this is the most accommodate Medicine for this Disease their diligence and care of Mankind is much to be commended that make it their business to apply it and are resolved though the peevishness and perversness of the Patients makes them pull off their Plaister as they have this excellent one of the Story of the Daemon of Tedworth by decrying it as an Imposture so acknowledged by both your self and Mr. Mompesson are resolved I say with meekness and charity to binde it on again with the addition of new Filletting I mean other Stories sufficiently fresh and very well attested and certain This worthy design therefore of yours I must confess I cannot but highly commend and approve and therefore wish you all good success therein and so committing you to God I take leave and rest Your affectionate Friend to serve you H. M. C. C. C. May 25. 1678. THE Postscript THis Letter lying by me some time before I thought it opportune to conveigh it and in the mean while meeting more than once with those that seemed to have some opinion of Mr. Webster's Criticisms and Interpretations of Scripture as if he had quitted himself so well there that no proof thence can hereafter be expected of the Being of a Witch which is the scope that he earnestly aims at and I reflecting upon that passage in my Letter which does not stick to condemn Webster's whole Book for a weak and impertinent piece presently thought fit that you might not think that Censure over-rash or unjust it being an endless task to shew all the weaknesses and impertinencies of his Discourse briefly by way of Postscript to hint the weakness and impertinency of this part which is counted the Master-piece of the Work that thereby you may perceive that my judgement has not been at all rash touching the whole And in order to this we are first to take notice what is the real scope of his Book which if you peruse you shall certainly finde to be this That the parties ordinarily deemed Witches and Wizzards are onely Knaves and Queans to use his Phrase and arrant Cheats or deep Melancholists but have no more to do with any evil Spirit or Devil or the Devil with them than he has with other Sinners or wicked Men or they with the Devil And Secondly we are impartially to desine what is the true Notion of a Witch or Wizzard which is necessary for the detecting of Webster's Impertinencies As for the words Witch and Wizzard from the Notation of them they signifie no more than a wise Man or a wise Woman In the word Wizzard it is plain at the very first sight And I think the most plain and least opâ—…rose deduction of the name Witch is from Wit whose derived Adjective might be Wittigh or Wittich and by contraction afterwards Witch as the Noun wit is from the Verb to weet which is to know So that a Witch thus far is no more than a Knowing woman which answers exactly to the Latine word Saga according to that of Festus Sagâ—… dictae anus quae multa sciunt Thus in general But use questionless had appropriated the word to such a kind of skill and knowledge as was out of the common road or extraordinary Nor did this peculiarity imply in it any unlawfulness But there was after a further restriction and most proper of all and in which alone now adays the words Witch and Wizzard are used And that is for one that has the knowledge or skill of doing or telling things in an extraordinary way and that in vertue of either an express or implicite sociation or consederacy with some evil Spirit This is a true and adequate definition of a Witch or Wizzard which to whomsoever it belongs is such vice versâ But to prove or defend that there neither are nor ever were any such is as I said the main scope of Webster's Book In order to which he endeavours in his sixth and eighth Chapters to evacuate all the Testimonies of Scripture which how weakly and impertinently he has done I shall now shew with all possible brevity and perspicuity The words that he descants upon are Deut. ch 18. v. 10 11. There shall not be found among you any one that useth divination or an observer of times or an Enchanter or a Witch or a Charmer or a Consulter with familiar Spirits or a Wizzard or a Necromancer The first word or name in the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kosem Kesamim a diviner Here because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kasam sometimes has an indifferent senâ—…e and signifies to divine by natural Knowledge or humane Prudence and Sagacity therefore nothing of such a Witch as is imagined to makâ—… a visible League with the Devil or to have her Body suckt by him or have carnal copulation
the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Charmer or an Enchanter or else from the society or compact of the Witch with some evil Spirits which Webster acknowledges to have been the opinion of two very learned men Martin Luther and Perkins and I will adde a third Aben-Ezra as Martinius hath noted who gives this reason of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chobher an Enchanter which signifies Socians or Jungens viz. Quòd malignos Spiritus sibi associat And certainly one may charm long enough even till his Heart ake e're he make one Serpent assemble near him unless helpt by this confederacy of Spirits that drive them to the Charmer He keeps a pudder with the sixth verse of the fifty eighth Psalm to no purpose Whenas from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if you repeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you may with ease and exactness render it thus That hears not the voice of muttering Charmers no not the voice of a confederate Wizzard or Charmer that is skilful But seeing Charms unless with them that are very shallow and sillily credulous can have no such effects of themselves there is all the reason in the world according as the very word intimates and as Aben-Ezra has declared to ascribe the effect to the assistance confederacy and co-operation of evil Spirits and so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chobher Chabharim or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chobher Chebher will plainly signifie a Witch or a Wizzard according to the true definition of them But for J. Webster's rendring this verse p. 119. thus Quae non audiet vocem mussitantium incantationes docti Incantantis which he saith is doubtless the most genuine rendring of the place let any skilful man apply it to the Hebrew Text and he will presently find it Grammatical Nonsence If that had been the sence it should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Sixth word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shoel Obh which our English Translation renders a Consulter with familiar Spirits but the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which therefore must needs signifie him that has this familiar Spirit And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shoel Obh I conceive considering the rest of the words are so to be understood is to be understood of the Witch or Wizzard himself that asks counsel of his Familiar and does by vertue of him give Answers unto others The reason of the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obh 't is likely was taken first from that Spirit that was in the Body of the party and swelled it to a protuberancy like the side of a Bottle But after without any relation to that circumstance OBH signisies as much as Pytho as Pytho also though at first it took its name from the Pythii Vates signifies no more than Spiritum Divinationis in general a Spirit that tells hidden things or things to come And OBH and Pytho also agree in this that they both signisie either the divinatory Spirit itself or the party that has that Spirit But here in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shool Obh it being rendred by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OBH is necessarily understood of the Spirit itself as Pytho is Acts 16. 16. if you read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Isaac Casaubon but if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be understood either way Of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is recorded in that place That Paul being grieved turned and said to that Spirit I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her and he came out at the same hour which signifies as plainly as any thing can be signified that this Pytho or Spirit of Divination that this OBH was in her For nothing can come out of the Sack that was not in the Sack as the Spanish Proverb has it nor could this Pytho come out of her unless it was a Spirit distinct from her wherefore I am amazed at the profane impudence of J. Webster that makes this Pytho in the Maid there mentioned nothing but a wicked humour of cheating and couzening Divination and adds that this Spirit was no more cast out of that Maid than the seven Devils out of Mary Magdalen which he would have understood onely of her several Vices which foolish Familistical conceit he puts upon Beza as well as Adie Wherein as he is most unjust to Beza so he is most grosly impious and blasphemous against the Spirit of Christ in St. Paul and St. Luke who makes them both such Fools as to believe that there was a Spirit or divining Devil in the Maid when according to him there is no such thing Can any thing be more srantick or ridiculous than this passage of St. Paul if there was no Spirit or Devil in the Damsel But what will this prosane shussler stick to do in a dear regard to his beloved Hags of whom he is a sworn Advocate and resolved Patron â—…ght or wrong But to procced that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obh signifies the Spirit itself that divines not onely he that has it is manifest from Levit. 20. v. 27. Vir autem sive mulier cùm fuerit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in eis Pytho And 1 Sam. ch 28. v. 8. Divina quaeso mihi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Pythonem In the Septuagint it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by that Spirit that sometimes goes into the body of the party and thence gives answers but here it onely signifies a Familiar spirit And lastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnalath Obh 1 Sam. 28. v. 7. Quae habet Pythonem there OBH must needs signifie the Spirit it self of which she of Endor was the owner or possessor that is to say it was her Familiar spirit But see what brazen and slupid impudence will do here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnalath Obh with Webster must not signifie one that has a Familiar spirlt but the Mistriss of the Bottle Who but the Master of the Bottle or rather of whom the Bottle had become Master and by guzling had made his wits excessively muddy and frothy could ever stumble upon such a foolish Interpretation But because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Obh in one place of the Scripture signifies a Bottle it must signifie so here and it must be the Instrument forsooth out of which this cheating Quean of Endor does whisper peep or chirp like a Chicken coming out of the Shell p. 129 165. And does she not I beseech you put her Neb also into it sometimes as into a Reed as it is said of that Bird and cry like a Butterbump certainly he might as well have interpreted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bagnalath Obh of the great Tun of Heydleberg that Tom. Coriat takes such special notice of asof the Bottle And truly so far as I see it must be some such huge Tun at length rather than the Bottle that is such a spacious Tub as he in his deviceful imagination fancies
impudent profaneness and sottishness of perverse shufflers and whifflers that upon the hearing of this passage can have the face to deny that Saul saw any thing and merely because the word perceived is used and not saw when the word perceived plainly implies that he saw Samuel and something more namely that by his former familiar converse with him he was assured it was he So exquisitely did he appear and overcomingly to his senses that he could not but acknowledge for so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that it was he or else why did he stoop with his Face to the very Ground to do him honour No no says J. Webster he saw nothing himself but stood waiting like a drowned Puppet see of what a base rude spirit this Squire of Hags is to use such language of a Prince in his distress in another Room to hear what would be the issue for all that he understood was from her cunning and lying relations That this Gallant of Witches should dare to abuse a Prince thus and feign him as much foolisher and sottisher in his Intellectuals as he was taller in Stature than the rest of the people even by head and shoulders and merely forsooth to secure his old Wives from being so much as in a capacity of ever being suspected for Witches is a thing extreamly coarse and intolerably sordid And indeed upon the consideration of Saul's being said to bow himself to Samuel which plainly implies that there was there a Samuel that was the object of his sight and of the reverence he made his own heart misgives him in this mad adventure And he shifts oâ—…f from thence to a conceit that it was a confederate Knave that the woman of Endor turned out into the room where Saul was to act the part of Samuel having first put on him her own short Cloak which she used with her maund under her arm to ride to Fairs or Markets in To this Country-slouch in the womans Mantle must King Saul stooping with his face to the very ground make his profound obeysance What was a Market-womans Cloak and Samuel's Mantle which Josephus calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sacerdotal habit so like one another Or if not how came this woman being so surprized oâ—… a suddain to provide her self of such a Saâ—…rdotal habit to cloak her consederate Knaâ—… iâ—… 〈◊〉 Was Saul as well a blind as a drowned Puppet that he could not discern so gross and bold an Imposture as this Was it possible that he should not perceive that it was not Samuel when they came to confer together as they did How could that confederate Knave change his own Face into the same figure look and mien that Samuel had which was exactly known to Saul How could he imitate his Voice thus of a suddain and they discoursed a very considerable time together Besides Knaves do not use to speak what things are true but what things are pleasing And moreover this woman of Endor though a Pythoness yet she was of a very good nature and benign which Josephus takes notice of and extols her mightily for it and therefore she could take no delight to lay further weight on the oppressed Spirit of distressed King Saul which is another sign that this Scene was acted bonâ fide and that there was no couzening in it As also that is another that she spoke so magnificently of what appeared to her that she saw Gods ascending Could she then possibly adventure to turn out a Country-slouch with a Maund-womans Cloak to act the part of so God-like and divine a Personage as Samuel who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the woman describes him in Josephus Antiqu. Judaic lib. 7. c. 15. Unto all which you may add That the Scripture itself which was written by Inspiration says expresly v. 20. that it was Samuel And the son of Sirach ch 46. that Samuel himself prophesyed after his death referring to this story of the woman of Endor But for our new-inspired Seers or Saints S. Scot S. Adie and if you will S. Webster sworn Advocate of the Witches who thus madly and boldly against all sense and reason against all antiquity all Interpreters and against the inspired Scripture itself will have no Samuel in this Scene but a cunning confederate Knave whether the inspired Scripture or these inblown Buffoons puffed up with nothing but ignorance vanity and stupid infidelity are to be believed let any one judge We come now to his other Allegation wherein we shall be brief we having exceeded the measure of a Postscript already It was neither Samuel's Soul says he joyned with his Body nor his Soul out of his Body nor the Devil and therefore it must be some confedâ—…rate Knave suborned by that cunning cheating Quean of Endor But I briesly answer it was the Soul of Samuel himself and that it is the fruitfulness of the great ignorance of J. Webster in the sound Principles of Theosophy and true Divinity that has enabled him to heap together no less than Ten Arguments to disprove this Assertion and all little to the purpose So little indeed that I think it little to the purpose particularly to answer them but shall hint onely some few Truths which will rout the whole band of them I say therefore that departed Souls as other Spirits have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them such as Souls have in this life and have both a faculty and a right to move of themselves provided there be no express Law against such or such a design to which their motion tends Again That they have a Power of appearing in their own personal shapes to whom there is occasion as Anne Walker's Soul did to the Miller and that this being a faculty of theirs either natural or acquirable the doing so is no miracle And Thirdly That it was the strong piercing desire and deep distress and agony of mind in Saul in his perplexed circumstances and the great compassion and goodness of Spirit in the holy Soul of Samuel that was the effectual Magick that drew him to condescend to converse with Saul in the womans house at Endor as a keen sense of Justice and Revenge made Anne Walker's Soul appear to the Miller with her sive Wounds in her head The rigid and harsh severity that Webster sancies Samuel's Ghost would have used against the woman or sharp reproofs to Saul As for the latter it is somewhat expressed in the Text and Saul had his excuse in readiness and the good Soul of Samuel was sensible of his perplexed condition And as for the former sith the Soul of Samuel might indeed have terrified the poor woman and so unhinged her that she had been sit for nothing after it but not converted her it is no wonder if he passed her by Goodness and Forbearance more befitting an holy Angelical Soul than bluster and fury such as is fancied by that rude Goblin that actuates the Body and Pen of Webster As
skin the entrails the leaves the roots the stalks of Vegetables yea and all kind of Minerals in the subterraneous Regions I say all these have their proper Inhabitants yea I suppose this rule may hold in all distinct kinds of Bodies in the world That they have their peculiar Animals The certainty of which I believe the improvement of microscopical Observations will discover From whence I infer That since this little Spot is so thickly peopled in every Atome of it 't is weakness to think that all the vast spaces above and hollows under ground are desert and uninhabited And if both the superiour and lower Continents of the Universe have their Inhabitants also 't is exceedingly improbable arguing from the same analogy that they are all of the meer sensible nature but that there are at least some of the Rational and Intellectual Orders Which supposed there is good foundation for the belief of Witches and Apparitions though the notion of a Spirit should prove as absurd and unphilosophical as I judge the denial of it And so this first Objection comes to nothing I descend then to the second Prejudice which may be thus formed in behalf of the Objectors SECT III. II. II. THERE ARE Actions in most of those Relations ascribed to Witches which are ridiculous and impossible in the nature of things such are 1 their flying out of windows after they have anointed themselves to remote places 2 Their transformation into Cats Hares and other Creatures 3 Their feeling all the hurts in their own bodies which they have received in those 4 Their raising Tempests by muttering some nonsensical words or performing ceremonies alike impertinent as ridiculous And 5 their being suck'd in a certain private place of their bodies by a Familiar These are presumed to be actions inconsistent with the nature of Spirits and above the powers of those poor and miserable Agents And therefore the Objection supposeth them performed onely by the Fancy and that the whole mystery of Witchcraft is but an illusion of crasie imagination TO this aggregate Objection I return 1 In the general The more absurd and unaccountable these actions seem the greater confirmations are they to me of the truth of those Relations and the reality of what the Objectors would destroy For these circumstances being exceeding unlikely judging by the measures of common belief 't is the greater probability they are not fictitious For the contrivers of Fictions use to form them as near as they can conformably to the most unsuspected realities endeavouring to make them look as like truth as is possible in the main supposals though withal they make them strange in the circumstance None but a fool or madman would reâ—…ate with a purpose of having it believed that he saw in Ireland Men with hoofs on their heads and eyes in their breasts or if any should be so ridiculously vain as to be serious in such an incredible Romance it cannot be supposed that all Travellers that come into those parts after him should tell the same story There is a large field in fiction and if all those Relations were arbitrary compositions doubtless the first Romancers would have framed them more agreeable to the common doctrine of Spirits at least after these supposed absurdities had been a thousand times laugh'd at people by this time would have learn'd to correct those obnoxious extravagancies and though they have not yet more veracity than the Ages of Ignorance and Superstition yet one would expect they should have got more cunning This suppos'd impossibility then of these performances seems to me a probable argument that they are not wilful and designed Forgeries And if they are Fancies 't is somewhat strange that Imagination which is the most various thing in all the world should infinitely repeat the same conceit in all times and places But again 2 the strange Actions related of Witches and presumed impossible are not ascribed to their own powers but to the Agency of those wicked Confederates they imploy And to affirm that those evil spirits cannot do that which we conceit impossible is boldly to stint the powers of Creatures whose natures and faculties we know not and to measure the world of Spirits by the narrow rules of our own impotent beings We see among our selves the performances of some out-go the conceits and possibilities of others and we know many things may be done by the Mathematicks and Mechanick Artifice which common heads think impossible to be effected by the honest ways of Art and Nature And doubtless the subtilties and powers of those mischievous Fiends are as much beyond the reach and activities of the most knowing Agents among us as theirs are beyond the wit and ability of the most rustick and illiterate So that the utmost that any mans reason in the world can amount to in this particular is onely this That he cannot conceive how such things can be performed which onely argues the weakness and imperfection of our knowledge and apprehensions not the impossibility of those performances and we can no more from hence form an Argument against them than against the most ordinary effects in Nature We cannot conceive how the Foetus is form'd in the Womb nor as much as how a Plant springs from the Earth we tread on we know not how our Souls move the Body nor how these dislant and extream natures are united as I have abundantly shewn in my SCEPSIS SCIENTIFICA And if we are ignorant of the most obvious things about us and the most considerable within our selves 't is then no wonder that we know not the constitution and powers of the Creatures to whom we are such strangers Briesly then matters of fact well proved ought not to be denied because we cannot conceive how they can be performed Nor is it a reasonable method of inserence first to presume the thing impossible and thence to conclude that the fact cannot be proved On the contrary we should judge of the action by the evidence and not the evidence by the measures of our fancies about the action This is proudly to exalt our own opinions above the clearest testimonies and most sensible demonstrations of fact and so to give the Lye to all Mankind rather than distrust the conceits of our bold imaginations But yet further 3 I think there is nothing in the instances mention'd but what may as well be accounted for by the Rules of Reason and Philosophy as the ordinary affairs of Nature For in resolving natural Phaenomena we can onely assign the probable causes sheing how things may be not presuming how they are And in the particulars under our Examen we may give an account how 't is possible and not unlikely that such things though somewhat varying from the common road of Nature may be acted And if our narrow and contracted minds can furnish us with apprehensions of the way and manner of such performances though perhaps not the true ones 't is an argument that such things
of others more deserving whose worth is not acknowledg'd I say these and such like odd things may with the greatest probability be resolved into the Conduct and Menages of those invisible Supervisors that preside over and govern our affairs But if they so far concern themselves in our matters how is it that they appear not to maintain a visible and confest correspondence with some of the better Mortals who are most fitted for their Communications and their influence To which I have said some things already when I accounted for the unfrequency of Apparitions and I now add what I intend for another return to the main Objection viz. 2 That the apparition of good Spirits is not needful for the Designs of the better world whatever such may be for the interest of the other For we have had the Appearance and Cohabitation of the Son of God we have Moses and the Prophets and the continued influence of the Spirit the greatest arguments to strengthen Faith the most powerful motives to excite our Love and the noblest encouragements to quicken and raise our Desires and Hopes any of which are more than the apparition of an Angel which would indeed be a great gratification of the Animal Life but 't would render our Faith less noble and less generous were it frequently sâ—… assisted Blessed are they that believe and yet have not seen Besides which the good Angels have no such ends to prosecute as the gaining any Vassals to serve them they being ministring Spirits for our good and no self-designers for a proud and insolent Dominion over us And it may be perhaps not impertinently added That they are not always evil Spirits that appear as is I know not well upon what grounds generally imagined but that the extraordinary detections of Murders latent Treasures falsified and unfulfilled Bequests which are sometimes made by Apparitions may be the courteous Discoveries of the better and more benign Genii Yea 't is not unlikely that those warnings that the world sometimes hath of approaching Judgements and Calamities by Prodigies and sundry odd Phaenomena are the kind Informations of some of the Inhabitants of the upper world Thus was Jerusalem forewarned before its sacking by Antiochus by those airy Horsemen that were seen through all the City for almost forty days together 2 Mac. V. 2 3. and the other Prodigious Portents that fore-ran its Destruction by Titus which I mention because they are notorious instances And though for mine own part I scorn the ordinary Tales of Prodigies which proceed from superstitious fears and unacquaintance with Nature and have been used to bad purposes by the zealous and the ignorant Yet I think that the Arguments that are brought by a late very ingenious Author to conclude against such Warnings and Predictions in the whole kind are short and inconsequent and built upon too narrow Hypotheses For if it be supposed that there is a sort of Spirits over us and about us who can give a probable guess at the more remarkable futurities I know not why it may not be conjectured that the kindness they have for us and the appetite of foretelling strange things and the putting the world upon expectation which we find is very grateful to our own natures may not incline them also to give us some general notice of those uncommon Events which they foresee And I yet perceive no reason we have to fancy that whatever is done in this kind must needs be either immediately from Heaven or from the Angels by extraordinary Commission and Appointment But it seems to me not unreasonable to believe that those officious Spirits that oversee our Affairs perceiving some mighty and sad alterations at hand in which their Charge is much concerned cannot chuse by reason of their affection to us but give us some seasonable hints of those approaching Calamities to which also their natural desire to foretel strange things to come may contribute to incline them And by this Hypothesis the fairest probabilities and strongest ratiocinations against Prodigies may be made unserviceable But this onely by the way SECT XIII I Desire it may be considered further 3 That God himself affords his intimacies and converses to the better Souls that are prepared for it which is a priviledge infinitely beyond Angelical correspondence I confess the proud and phantastick pretences of many of the conceited Melancholists in this age to Divine Communion have prejudiced divers intelligent persons against the belief of any such happy vouchsafement so that they conclude the Doctrine of immediate Communion with the Deity in this Life to be but an high-flown notion of warm imagination and over-luscious self-flattery and I acknowledge I have my self had thoughts of this nature supposing Communion with God to be nothing else but the exercise of vertue and that peace and those Comforts which naturally result from it But I have considered since that God's more near and immediate imparting himself to the Soul that is prepared for that happiness by divine Love Humility and Resignation in the way of a vital touch and sense is a thing possible in it self and will be a great part of our Heaven That Glory is begun in Grace and God is pleased to give some excellent Souls the happy Antepast That holy men in ancient times have sought and gloried in this enjoyment and never complain so sorely as when it was with held and interrupted That the expressions of Scripture run infinitely this way and the best of Modern good men do from their own experience attest it That this spiritualizeth Religion and renders its enjoyments more comfortable and delicious That it keeps the Soul under a vivid sense of God and is a grand security against Temptation That it holds it steady amid the flatteries of a prosperous state and gives it the most grounded anchorage and sup port amid the Waves of an adverse condition That 't is the noblest encouragement to vertue and the biggest assurance of an happy Immortality I say I considered these weighty things and wondred at the carelesness and prejudice os thoughts that occasion'd my suspecting the reality of so glorious a Priviledge I saw how little reason there is in denying matters of inward sense because our selves do not feel them or cannot form an apprehension of them in our minds I am convinced that things of gust and relish must be judg'd by the sentient and vital faculties and not by the noetical exercises of speculative understandings And upon the whole I believe infinitely that the Divine Spirit affords its sensible presence and immediate beatifick Touch to some rare Souls who are divested of carnal self and mundane pleasures abstracted from the Body by Prayer and holy Meditation spiritual in their Desires and calm in their Affections devout Lovers of God and vertue and tenderly affectionate to all the world sincere in their aims and circumspect in their actions inlarged in their Souls and clear in their Minds These I think are the
dispositions that are requisite to fit us for Divine Communion and God transacts not in this near way but with prepared spirits who are thus disposed for the manifestation of his presence and his influence And such I believe he never fails to bless with these happy foretastes of Glory But for those that are passionate and conceited turbulent and notional confident and immodest imperious and malicious That doat upon trifles and run fiercely in the ways of a Sect that are lifted up in the apprehension of the glorious prerogatives of themselves and their party and scorn all the world besides For such I say be their pretensions what they will to divine Communion Illapses and Discoveries I believe them not Their fancies abuse them or they would us For what communion hath Light with Darkness or the Spirit of the HOLY ONE with those whose genius and ways are so unlike him But the other excellent Souls I described will as certainly be visited by the Divine Presence and Converse as the Crystalline streams are with the beams of Light or the fitly prepar'd Earth whose Seed is in it self will be actuated by the spirit of Nature So that there is no reason to object here the want of Angelical Communications though there were none vouchsafed us since good men enjoy the Divine which are infinitely more satisfactory and indearing And now I may have leave to proceed to the next Objection which may be made to speak thus SECT XIV XII XII THE belief of Witches and the wonderful things they are said to perform by the help of the Confederate Daemon weakens our Faith and exposeth the World to Infidelity in the great matters of our Religion For if they by Diabolical assistance can inflict and cure Diseases and do things so much beyond the Comprehension of our Philosophy and activity of common Nature What assurance can we have that the Miracles that confirm our Gospel were not the effects of a Compact of like nature and that Devils were not cast out by Beelzebub If evil Spirits can assume Bodies and render themselves visible in humane likeness What security can we have of the reality of the Resurrection of Christ And if by their help Witches can enter Chambers invisibly through Key-holes and little unperceived Crannies and transform themselves at pleasure What Arguments of Divinity are there in our Saviour ' s shewing himself in the midst of his Disciples when the Doors were shut and his Transfiguration in the Mount Miracles are the great inducements of Belief and how shall we distinguish a Miracle from a lying Wonder a Testimony from Heaven from a Trick of the Angels of Hell if they can perform things that astonish and confound our Reasons and are beyond all the Possibilities of Human Nature This Objection is spiteful and mischievous but I thus endeavour to dispatch it 1 THE Wonders done by Confederacy with wicked Spirits cannot derive a suspicion upon the undoubted Miracles that were wrought by the Author and Promulgers of our Religion as if they were performed by Diabolical Compact since their Spirit Endeavours and Designs were notoriously contrary to all the Tendencies Aims and Interests of the Kingdom of Darkness For as to the Life and Temper of the blessed and adorable JESUS we know there was an incomparable sweetness in his Nature Humility in his Manners Calmness in his Temper Compassion in his Miracles Modesty in his Expressions Holiness in all his Actions Hatred of Vice and Baseness and Love to all the World all which are essentially contrary to the Nature and Constitution of Apostate Spirits who abound in Pride and Rancour Insolence and Rude ness Tyranny and Baseness universal Malice and Hatred of Men. And their Designs are as opposite as their Spirit and their Genius And now Can the Sun borrow its Light from the bottomless Abyss Can Heat and Warmth flow in upon the World from the Regions of Snoâ—… and Ice Can Fire freeze and Water burn Can Natures so infinitely contrary communicate and jump in projects that are destructive to each others known Interests Is there any Balsom in the Cockatrices Egg or Can the Spirit of Life slow from the Venome of the Asp Will the Prince of Darkness strengthen the Arm that is stretcht out to pluck his Usurpt Scepter and his Spoils from him And will he lend his Legions to assist the Armies of his Enemy against him No these are impossible Supposals No intelligent Being will industriously and knowingly contribute to the Contradiction of its own Principles the Defeature of its Purposes and the Ruine of its own dearest Interests There is no fear then that our Faith should receive prejudice from the acknowledgement of the Being of Witches and power of evil Spirits since 't is not the doing wonderful things that is the onely Evidence that the Holy JESUS was from God and his Doctrine true but the conjunction of other circumstances the holiness of his Life the reasonableness of his Religion and the excellency of his Designs added credit to his Works and strengthned the great Conclusion That he could be no other than the Son of God and Saviour of the world But besides I say 2 That since infinite Wisdom and Goodness rules the World it cannot be conceived that they should give up the greatest part of men to unavoidable deception And if evil Angels by their Confederates are permitted to perform such astonishing things as seem so evidently to carry God's Seal and Power with them for the confirmation of Falshoods and gaining credit to Impostors without any counter-evidence to disabuse the World Mankind is exposed to sad and fatal delusion And to say that Providence will suffer us to be deceived in things of the greatest concernment when we use the best of our care and endeavours to prevent it is to speak hard things of God and in effect to affirm That He hath nothing to do in the Government of the World or doth not concern himself in the affairs of poor forlorn men And if the Providence and Goodness of God be not a security unto us against such Deceptions we cannot be assured but that we are always abused by those mischievous Agents in the Objects of plain sense and in all the matters of our daily Converses If ONE that pretends he is immediately sent from God to overthrow the ancient Fabrick of Established Worship and to erect a New Religion in His Name shall be born of a Virgin and honour'd by a miraculous Star proclaimed by a Song of seeming Angels of Light and worshipped by the wise Sages of the World Revered by those of the greatest austerity and admired by all for a miraculous Wisdom beyond his Education and his Years If He shall feed multitudes with almost nothing and fast himself beyond all the possibilities of Nature If He shall be transformed into the appearance of extraordinary Glory and converse with departed Prophets in their visible Forms If He shall Cure all Diseases without Physick or
Methods of Action which obtain Demonaick Co-operation and Assistance though without their privity and so they were a less criminal sort of Conjurers For those Arts were conveyed down along to them from one hand to another and the Successours still took them up from those that preceded without a Philosophical Scrutiny or Examen They saw strange things were done and Events predicted by such forms and such words How they could not tell nor 't is like did not inquire but contented themselves with this general account That 't was by the power of their Arts and were not sollicitous for any better reason This I say was probably the case of most of those Predictors though it may be others of them advanced further into the more desperate part of the Mystery And that some did immediately transact with appearing evil Spirits in those times is apparent enough from express mention in the Scriptures I have alledg'd And the story of the WITCH of ENDOR 1 Sam. XXVIII is a remarkable demonstration of the main Conclusion which will appear when we have considered and removed the fancy and glosses of our Author about it in his DISCOVERT where to avoid this evidence he affirms This WITCH to be but a Cozener and the whole Transaction a Cheat and Imposture managed by her self and a Confederate And in order to the perswading this he tells a fine Tale viz. That she departed from Saul into her Closet Where doubtless says he she had a Familiar some lewd crafty Priest and made Saul stand at the door like a Fool to hear the cozening Answers He saith she there used the ordinary words of Conjuration and after them Samuel appears whom he affirms to be no other than either the Witch her self or her Confederate By this pretty knack and contrivance he thinks he hath disabled the Relation from signifying to our purpose But the DISCOVERER might have considered that all this is an Invention and without Book For there is no mention of the Witches Closet or her retiring into another Room or her Confederate or her form of Conjuration I say nothing of all this is as much as intimated in the History and if we may take this large liberty in the interpretation of Scripture there is scarce a story in theÌ„ Bible but may be made a Fallacy and Imposture or any thing that we please Nor is this fancy of his onely arbitrary but indeed contrary to the circumstances of the Text. For it says Saul perceived it was Samuel and bowed himself and this Samuel truly foretold his approaching Fate viz. That Israel should be delivered with him into the hands of the Philistines and that on the morrow He and his Sons should be in the state of the Dead which doubtless is meant by the expression that they should be with him Which contingent particulars how could the Cozener and her Confederate foretel if there were nothing in it extraordinary and preternatural It hath indeed been a great dispute among Interpreters whether the real Samuel was rai sed or the Devil in his likeness Most later Writers suppose it to have been an evil Spirit upon the supposition that good and happy Souls can never return hither from their Coelestial abodes and they are not certainly at the beck and call of an impious Hagg. But then those of the other side urge that the Piety of the words that were spoke and the seasonable reproof given to despairing Saul are indications sufficient that they come not from Hell and especially they think the Prophecie of Circumstances very accidental to be an argument that it was not utter'd by any of the infernal Predictors And for the supposal that is the ground of that interpretation 't is judged exceedingly precarious for who saith that happy departed Souls were never employed in any ministeries here below And those dissenters are ready to ask a reason why they may not be sent in Messages to Earth as well as those of the Angelical Order They are nearer allied to our Natures and upon that account more intimately concerned in our assairs and the example of returning Lazarus is evidence of the thing de facto Besides which that it was the real Samuel they think made probable by the opinion of Jesus the son of Syrac Ecclus. XLVI 19 20. who saith of him That after his death he prophesied and shewed the King his end which also is likely from the circumstance of the womans astonishment and crying out when she saw him intimating her surprize in that the power of God had over-ruled her Enchantments and sent another than she expected And they conceive there is no more incongruity in supposing God should send Samuel to rebuke Saul for this his last folly and to predict his instant ruine than in his interposing Elias to the Messengers of Ahazias when he sent to Beelzebub Now if it were the real Samuel as the Letter expresseth and the obvious sence is to be followed when there is no cogent reason to decline it he was not raised by the power of the Witches Enchantments but came on that occasion in a Divine Errand But yet attempts and endeavours to raise her Familiar Spirit though at that time over-ruled are Arguments that it had been her custom to do so Or if it were as the other side concludes the Devil in the shape of Samuel her diabolical Confederacy is yet more palpable SECT XVIII I HAVE now done with SCOT and his presumptions and am apt to fancy that there is nothing more needful to be said to discover the Discoverer But there is an Author infinitely more valuablè that calls me to consider him 'T is the great Episcopius who though he grants a sort of Witches and Magicians yet denies Compacts His Authority I consess is considerable but let us weigh his Reasons His First is That there is no example of any of the prophane Nations that were in such Compact whence he would infer that there are no express Covenants with evil Spirits in particular instances But I think that both proposition and consequence are very obnoxious and defective For that there were Nations that did actually worship the Devil is plain enough in the Records of ancient times and some so read that place in the Psalms The Gods of the Heathen are Devils and Sathan we know is call'd the God of this World Yea our Author himself confesseth that the Nation of the Jews were so strictly prohibited Witchcraft and all transaction with evil Spirits because of their proneness to worship them But what need more There are at this day that pay sacrifice and all sacred homage to the wicked Dâ—…e in a visible appearance and 't is well known to those of our own that traffick and reside in those parts that the Caribbians worship the Devil under the name of Maboya who frequently shews himself and transacts with them the like Travellers relate concerning divers other parts of the barbarous Indies and 't is confidently reported by
the Soul in his Preface to his Treatise De Mente Humana while he declares the Opinion of Marcilius Ficinus concerning the manner how the Soul actuates the Body in Marsilius his own words and does of his own accord assent to his Opinion What therefore do these Forms to the Body when they communicate to it their Esse They throughly penetrate it with their Essence they bequeath the Vertue of their Essence to it But now whereas the Esse is deduced from the Essence and the Operation flows from the Vertue by conjoyning the Essence they impart the Esse by bequeathing the Vertue they communicate the Operations so that out of the congress of Soul and Body there is made one Animal Esse one Operation Thus he The Soul with her Essence penetrates and pervades the whole Body and yet is not where the Body is but nowhere in the Universe With what manifest repugnancy therefore to their other Assertions the Nullibists hold this ridiculous Conclusion we have sufficiently seen and how weak their chiefest prop is That whatever is Extended is Material which is not onely confuted by irresragable Arguments Chap. 6 7 and 8. Enchirid. Metaphys but we have here also by so clearly proving that all Spirits are somewhere utterly subverted it even from that very Concession or Opinion of the Nullibists themselves who concede or aver that whatsoever is somewhere is extended Which Spirits are and yet are not Material SECT VII The more light reasonings of the Nullibists whereby they would confirm their Opinion The first of which is That the Soul thinks of those things which are nowhere BUt we will not pass by their more slight reasonings in so great a matter or rather so monstrous Of which the first is That the Mind of man thinks of such things as are nowhere nor have any relation to place no not so much as to Logical place or Ubi Of which sort are many truths as well Moral as Theological and Logical which being of such a nature that they are nowhere the Mind of man which conceives them is necessarily nowhere also But how crazily and inconsequently they collect that the humane Soul is nowhere for that it thinks of those things that are nowhere may be apparent to any one srom hence and especially to the Nullibists themselves because from the same reason it would follow that the Mind of man is somewhere because sometimes if not always in a manner it thinks of those things which are somewhere as all Material things are Which yet they dare not grant because it would plainly follow from thence according to their Doctrine that the Mind or Soul of man were extended and so would become corporeal and devoid of all Cogitation But besides These things which they say are nowhere namely certain Moral Logical and Theological Truths are really somewhere viz. in the Soul itself which conceives them but the Soul is in the Body as we proved above Whence it is manifest that the Soul and those Truths which she conceives are as well somewhere as the Body itself I grant that some Truths as they are Representations neither respect Time nor Place in whatever sence But as they are Operations and therefore Modes of some Subject or Substance they cannot be otherwise conceived than in some substance And forasmuch as there is no substance which has not some amplitude they are in a substance which is in some soâ—…t extended and so by reason of their Subject they are necessarily conceived to be somewhere because a Mode is inseparable from a Subject Nor am I at all moved with that giddy and rash tergiversation which some betake themselves to here who say we do not well in distinguishing betwixt Cogitation such as are all conceived verities and the Substance of the Soul cogitating For Cogitation itself is the very Substance of the Soul as Extension is of Matter and that therefore the Soul is as well nowhere as any Cogitation which respects neither time nor place would be if it were found in no Subject But here the Nullibists who would thus escape do not observe that while they acknowledge the Substance of the Soul to be Cogitation they therewithal acknowledge the Soul to have a Substance whence it is necessary it have some amplitude And besides This Assertion whereby they assert Cogitation to be the very substance of the Soul is manifestly false For many Operations of the Soul are as they speak specifically different Which therefore succeeding one after another will be so many Substances specifically different And so the Soul of Socrates will not always be the same specifical Soul and much less the same numerical Than which what can be imagined more delirant and more remote from common sense To which you may adde That the Soul of man is a permanent Being but her Cogitations in a flux or succession How then can the very substance of the Soul be its successive Operations And when the substance of the Soul does so perpetually cease or perish what I beseech you will become of Memory From whence it is manifestly evident that there is a certain permanent Substance of the Soul as much distinct or different from her succeeding Cogitations as the Matter itself is from its successive figures and motions SECT VIII The second reason of the Nullibists viz. That COGITATION is easily conceived without EXTENSION THe second Reason is somewhat coincident with some of those we have already examined but it is briefly proposed by them thus There can be no conception no not of a Logical Place or Ubi without Extension But Cogitation is easily conceived without conceiving any Extension Wherefore the Mind cogitating exempt from all Extension is exempt also from all Locality whether Physical or Logical and is so loosened from it that it has no relation nor applicability thereto as if those things had no relation nor applicability to other certain things without which they might be conceived The weakness of this argumentation is easily deprehended from hence That the Intensness of heat or motion is considered without any respect to its extension and yet it is referred to an extended Subject viz. To a Bullet shot or red hot Iron And though in intent and defixed thoughts upon some either difficult or pleasing Object we do not at all observe how the time passeth nor take the slightest notice of it nothing hinders notwithstanding but those Cogitations may be applied to time and it be rightly said that about six a clock suppose in the Morning they began and continued till eleven and in like manner the place may be defined where they were conceived viz. within the Walls of such an ones Study although perhaps all that time this so fixt Contemplator did not take notice whether he was in his Study or in the Fields And to speak out the matter at once From the precision of our thoughts to infer the real precision or separation of the things themselves is a very putid and
puerile Sophism and still the more enormous and wilde to collect also thence that they have no relation nor applicability one to another For we may have a clear and distinct apprehension of a thing which may be connected with another by an essential Tye that Tye being not taken notice of and much more when they are connected onely with a circumstantial one but not a full and adequate apprehension and such as sees through and penetrates all the degrees of its Essence with their properties Which unless a man reach to he cannot rightly judge of the real separability of any nature from other natures From whence it appears how soully Cartesius has imposed if not upon himself at least upon others when from this mental precision of Cogitation from Extension he defined a Spirit such as the humane Soul by Cogitation onely Matter by Extension and divided all Substance into Cogitant and Extended as into their first species or kinds Which distribution notwithstanding is as absonous and absurd as if he had distributed Animal into Sensitive and Rational Whenas all Substance is extended as well as all Animals sensitive But he fixed his Animadversion upon the specifick nature of the humane Soul the Generical nature thereof either on purpose or by inadvertency being not considered nor taken notice of by him as hath been noted in Enchiridion Ethicum lib. 3. cap. 4. sect 3. SECT IX The third and last Reason of the Nullibists viz. That the Mind is conscious to herself that she is nowhere unless she be disturbed or jogged by the Body THe third and last Reason which is the most ingenious of them all occurs in Lambertus Velthusius viz. That it is a truth which God has infused into the Mind itself That she is nowhere because we know by experience that we cannot tell from our spiritual Operations where the Mind is And for that we know her to be in our Body that we onely perceive from the Operations of Sense and Imagination which without the Body or the motion of the Body the Mind cannot perform The sence whereof if I guess right is this That the Mind by a certain internal sense is conscious to herself that she is nowhere unless she be now and then disturbed by the motions or joggings of the Body which is as I said an ingenious presage but not true For it is one thing to perceive herself to be nowhere another not to perceive herself to be somewhere For she may not perceive herself to be somewhere though she be somewhere as she may not take notice of her own Individuality or numerical Distinction from all other minds although she be one Numerical or Individual mind distinct from the rest For as I intimated above such is the nature of the mind of man that like the eye it is better fitted for the contemplating all other things than for contemplating itself And that indeed which is made for the clearly and sincerely seeing other things ought to have nothing of itself actually perceptible in it which it might mingle with the perception of those other things From whence the Mind of man is not to have any stable and fixt sense of its own Essence and such as it cannot easily lay aside upon occasion And therefore it is no wonder whenas the Mind of man can put off the sense and consciousness to itself of its own Essence and Individuality that it can put off also therewith the sense of its being somewhere or not perceive it whenas it does not perceive its own Essence and Individuality of which Hic Nunc are the known Characters And the chief Objects of the Mind are Universals But as the Mind although it perceives not its Individuality yet can by reason prove to herself that she is some one Numerical or Individual Mind so she can by the same means although she by inward sense perceives not where she is evince notwithstanding that she is somewhere from the general account of things which have that of their own nature that they are extended singular and somewhere And besides Velthusius himself does plainly grant that from the Operations of Sense and Imagination we know our Mind to be in our Body How then can we be ignorant that she is somewhere unless the Body itself be nowhere SECT X. An Appeal to the internal sense of the Mind if she be not environed with a certain infinite Extension together with an excitation of the Nullibist out of his Dream by the sound of Trumpeters surrounding him THe Reasons of the Nullibists whereby they endeavour to maintain their Opinion are sufficiently enervated and subverted Nor have we need of any Arguments to establish the contrary Doctine I will onely desire by the by that he that thinks his Mind is nowhere would make trial of his faculty of Thinking and when he has abstracted himself from all thought or sense of his Body and fixed his Mind onely on an Idea of an indefinite or infinite Extension and also perceives himself to be some particular cogitant Being let him make trial I say whether he can any way avoid it but he must at the same time perceive that he is somewhere namely within this immense Extension and that he is environ'd round about with it Verily I must ingenuously consess that I cannot conceive otherwise and that I cannot but conceive an Idea of a certain Extension infinite and immovable and of necessary and actual Existence Which I most clearly deprehend not to have been drawn in by the outward sense but to be innate and essentially inherent in the Mind itself and so to be the genuine object not of Imagination but of Intellect and that it is but perversly and without all judgement determined by the Nullibists or Cartesians that whatever is extended is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Object of Imagination When notwithstanding there is nothing imaginable or the Object of Imagination which is not sensible For all Phantasms are drawn from the senses But this infinite Extension has no more to do with things that are sensible and sall under Imagination than that which is most Incorporeal But of this haply it will be more opportune to speak elsewhere In the mean time I will subjoyn onely one Argument whereby I may manifestly evince that the Mind of man is somewhere and then I will betake my self to the discussing of the Opinion of the Holenmerians Briefly therefore let us suppose some one environed with a Ring of Trumpeters and that they all at the same time sound their Trumpets Let us now see if the circumsonant clangor of those surrounding Trumpets sounding from all sides will awake these Nullibists out of their Lethargick Dream And let us suppose which they will willingly concede that the Conarion or Glandula Pinealis A is the seat of the common sense to which at length all the motions from external Objects arrive Nor is it any matter whether it be this Conarion or some other part of
by what artifice they have so spread themselves in the World but that the prejudices and enchantments of Superstition and stupid admiration of mens Persons are so strong that they may utterly blind the minds of men and charm them into dotage But if any one all prejudice and parts-taking being laid aside will attentively consider the thing as it is he shall clearly perceive and acknowledge unless all belief is to be denied to the humane faculties that the Opinions of the Nullibists and Holenmerians touching Incorporeal Beings are miserably false and not that onely but as to any Philosophical purpose altogether useless Forasmuch as out of neither Hypothesis there does appear any greater facility of conceiving how the Mind of man or any other Spirit performs those Functions of Perception and of Moving of Bodies from their being supposed nowhere than from their being supposed somewhere or from supposing them wholly in every part of a Body than from supposing them onely to occupie the whole Body by an Essential or Metaphysical Extension but on the contrary that both the Hypotheses do entangle and involve the Doctrine of Incorporeal Beings with greater Difficulties and Repugnancies Wherefore there being neither Truth nor Usefulness in the Opinions of the Holenmerians and Nullibists I hope it will oâ—…end no man if we send them quite packing from our Philosophations touching an Incorporeal Being or Spirit in our delivering the true Idea or Notion thereof SECT XVI That those that contend that the Notion of a Spirit is so difficult and imperscrutable do not this because they are of a more sharp and piercing Judgement than others but of a Genius more rude and plebeian NOw I have so successfully removed and dissipated those two vast Mounds of Night and Mistiness that lay upon the nature of Incorporeal Beings and obscured it with such gross darkness it remains that we open and illustrate the true and genuine nature of them in general and propose such a definition of a Spirit as will exhibit no difficulty to a mind rightly prepared and freed from prejudice For the nature of a Spirit is very easily understood provided one rightly and skilfully shew the way to the Learner and form to him true Notions of the thing Insomuch that I have often wondred at the superstitious consternation of mind in those men or the profaneness of their tempers and innate aversation from the contemplation of Divine things who if by chance they hear any one professing that he can with sufficient clearness and distinctness conceive the nature of a Spirit and communicate the Notion to others they are presently astartled and amazed at the saying and straightway accuse the man of intolerable levity or arrogancy as thinking him to assume so much to himself and to promise to others as no humane Wit furnished with never so much knowledge can ever perform And this I understand even of such men who yet readily acknowledge the Existence of Spirits But as for those that deny their Existence whoever professes this skill to them verily he cannot but appear a man above all measure vain and doting But I hope that I shall so bring it about that no man shall appear more stupid and doting no man more unskilful and ignorant than he that esteems the clear Notion of a Spirit so hopeless and desperate an attempt and that I shall plainly detect that this big and boastful profession of their ignorance in these things does not proceed from hence that they have any thing more a sharp or discerning Judgment than other mortals but that they have more gross and weak parts and a shallower Wit and such as comes nearest to the superstition and stupidity of the rude vulgar who easilier fall into admiration and astonishment than pierce into the reasons and notices of any difficult matter SECT XVII The Definition of Body in general with so clear an Explication thereof that even they that complain of the obscurity of a Spirit cannot but confess they perfectly understand the nature of Body BUt now for those that do thus despair of any true knowledge of the nature of a Spirit I would entreat them to try the abilities of their wit in recognizing and throughly considering the nature of Body in general And let them ingenuously tell me whether they cannot but acknowledge this to be a clear and perspicuous definition thereof viz. That Body is Substance Material of itself altogether destitute of all Perception Life and Motion Or thus Body is a Substance Material coalescent or accruing together into one by vertue of some other thing from whence that one by coalition has or may have Life also Perception and Motion I doubt not but they will readily answer that they understand all this as to the terms clearly and perfectly nor would they doubt of the truth thereof but that we deprive Body of all Metion from itself as also of Union Life and Perception But that it is Substance that is a Being subsistent by itself not a mode of some Being they cannot but very willingly admit and that also it is a material Substance compounded of physical Monads or at least of most minute particles of Matter into which it is divisible and because of their Impenetrability impenetrable by any other Body So that the Essential and Positive difference of a Body is that it be impenetrable and Physically divisible into parts But that it is extended that immediately belongs to it as it is a Being Nor is there any reason why they should doubt of the other part of the Differentia whenas it is solidly and fully proved in Philosophie That Matter of its own nature or in itself is endued with no Perception Life nor Motion And besides we are to remember that we here do not treat of the Existence of things but of their intelligible Notion and Essence SECT XVIII The perfect Definition of a Spirit with a full Explication of its Nature through all Degrees ANd if the Notion or Essence is so easily understood in nature Corporeal or Body I do not see but in the Species immediately opposite to Body viz. Spirit there may be found the same facility of being understood Let us try therefore and from the Law of Opposites let us define a Spirit an Immaterial Substance intrinsecally endued with Life and the faculty of Motion This slender and brief Desinition that thus easily slows without any noise does comprehend in general the whole nature of a Spirit Which lest by reason of its exility and brevity it may prove less perceptible to the Understanding as a Spirit is to the sight I will subjoyn a more full Explication that it may appear to all that this Definition of a Spirit is nothing inferiour to the Definition of a Body as to clearness and perspicuity And that by this method which we now fall upon a full and perfect knowledge and understanding of the nature of a Spirit may be attained to Go to therefore let us take notice
through all the degrees of the Definitum or Thing defined what precise and immediate properties each of them contain from whence at length a most distinct and perfect knowledge of the whole Definitum will discover itself Let us begin then from the top of all and first let us take notice that a Spirit is Ens or a Being and from this very same that it is a Being that it is also One that it is True and that it is Good which are the three acknowledged Properties of Ens in Metaphysicks that it exists sometime and somewhere and is in some sort extended as is shewn Enchirid. Metaphys cap. 2. sect 10. which three latter terms are plain of themselves And as for the three former that One signifies undistinguished or undivided in and from itself but divided or distinguished from all other and that True denotes the answerableness of the thing to its own proper Idea and implies right Matter and Form duely conjoyned and that lastly Good respects the fitness for the end in a large sence so that it will take in that saying of Theologers That God is his own End are things vulgarly known to Lâ—…gicians and Metaphysicians That these Six are the immediate affections of Being as Being is made apparent in the above-cited Enchiridion Metaphysicum nor is it requisite to repeat the same things here Now every Being is either Substance or the Mode of Substance which some call Accident But that a Spirit is not an Accident or Mode of Substance all in a manner profess and it is demonstrable from manifold Arguments that there are Spirits which are no such Accidents or Modes Which is made good in the said Enchiridion and other Treatifes of Dr. H. M. Wherefore the second Essential degree of a Spirit is that it is Substance From whence it is understood to subsist by itself nor to want any other thing as a Subject in which it may inhere or of which it may be the Mode or Accident for its subsisting or existing The third and last Essential degree is that it is Immaterial according to which it immediately belongs to it that it be a Being not onely One but one by itself or of its own intimate nature and not by another that is That though as it is a Being it is in some sort extended yet it is utteâ—…ly Indivisible and Indiscerpible into real Physical parts And moreover That it can penetrate the Matter and which the Matter cannot do penetrate things of its own kind that is pass through Spiritual Substances In which two Essential Attributes as it ought to be in every perfect and legitimate Distribution of any Genius it is fully and accurately contrary to its opposite Species namely to Body As also in those immediate Properties whereby it is understood to have Life intrinsecally in itself and the saculty of moving which in some sence is true in all Spirits whatsoever for-asmuch as Life is either Vegetative Sensitive or Intellectual One whereof at least every Spiritual Substance hath as also the faculty of moving insomuch that every Spirit either moves itself by itself or the Matter or both or at least the Matter either mediately or immediately or lasty both ways For so all things moved are moved by God he being the Fountain of all Life and Motion SECT XIX That from hence that the Definition of a Body is perspicuous the Definition of a Spirit is also necessarily perspicuous WHerefore I dare here appeal to the Judgment and Conscience of any one that is not altogether illiterate and of a dull and obtuse Wit whether this Notion or Definition of a Spirit in general is not as intelligible and perspicuous is not as clear and every way distinct as the Idea or Notion of a Body or of any thing else whatsoever which the mind of man can contemplate in the whole compass of Nature And whether he cannot as easily or rather with the same pains apprehend the nature of a Spirit as of Body forasmuch as they both agree in the immediate Genus to them to wit Substance And the Differentiae do illustrate one another by their mutual opposition insomuch that it is impossible that one should understand what is Material Substance but he must therewith presently understand what Immaterial Substance is or what it is not to have Life and Motion of itself but he must straitway perceive what it is to have both in itself or to be able to communicate them to others SECT XX. Four Objections which from the perspicuity of the terms of the Definition of a SPIRIT infer the Repugnancy of them one to another NOr can I divine what may be here opposed unless haply they may alledge such things as these That although they cannot deny but that all the terms of the Definition and Explication of them are sufficiently intelligible if they be considered single yet if they be compared one with another they will mutually destroy one another For this Extension which is mingled with or inserted into the nature of a Spirit seems to take away the Penetrability and Indivisibility thereof as also its faculty of thinking as its Penetrability likewise takes away its power of moving any Bodies I. First Extension takes away Penetrability because if one Extension penetrate another of necessity either one of them is destroyed or two equal Amplitudes entirely penetrating one another are no bigger than either one of them taken single because they are closed within the same limits II. Secondly It takes away Indivisibility because whatsoever is extended has partes extra partes one part out of another and therefore is Divisible For neither would it have parts unless it could be divided into them To which you may further add that forasmuch as the parts are substantial nor depend one of another it is clearly manifest that at least by the Divine Power they may be separate and subsist separate one from another III. Thirdly Extension deprives a Spirit of the faculty of thinking as depressing it down into the same order that Bodies are And that there is no reason why an extended Spirit should be more capable of Perception than Matter that is extended IV. Lastly Penetrability renders a Spirit unable to move Matter because whenas by reason of this Penetrability it so easily slides through the Matter it cannot conveniently be united with the Matter whereby it may move the same For without some union or inherency a Spirit being destitute of all Impenetrability 't is impossible it should protrude the Matter towards any place The sum of which Four difficulties tends to this that we may understand that though this Idea or Notion of a Spirit which we have exhibited be sufficiently plain and explicate and may be easily understood yet from the very perspicuity of the thing itself it abundantly appears that it is not the Idea of any possible thing and much less of a thing really existing whenas the parts thereof are so manifestly repugnant one to another SECT XXI An
no not virtute Divina as the Schoolmen speak no more than the above-said Property be disjoyned from a Rectangle Triangle Out of all which I hope it is at length abundantly clear that the Extension of a Spirit does not at all hinder the Indiscerpibility thereof SECT XXIX An Answer to the third Objection touching the Imperceptivity of an extended Substance viz. That whatever is is extended and that the NULLIBISTS and HOLENMERIANS themselves cannot give a Reason of the perceptive Faculty in Spirits from their Hypotheses III. NOr is it any lett which is the third thing to the faculty of Perceiving and Thinking in Spirits For we do not thrust down a Spirit by attributing Extension to it into the rank of Corporeal Beings forasmuch as there is nothing in all Nature which is not in some sense extended For whatever of Essence there is in any thing it either is or may be actually present to some part of the matter and therefore it must either be extended or be contracted to the narrowness of a point and be a mere nothing For as for the Nullibists and Holenmerians the Opinions of them both are above utterly routed by me and quite subverted and overturned from the very root that no man may seek subterfuges and lurking holes there Wherefore there is a necessity that something that is extended have Cogitation and Perception in it or else there will be nothing lest that has But for that which this Objection further urges that there occurrs no reason why an extended Spirit should be more capable of Perception than extended Matter it is verily in my judgment a very unlearned and unskilful argutation For we do not take all this pains in demonstrating the Extension of a Spirit that thence we might fetch out a reason or account of its faculty of perceiving but that it may be conceived to be some real Being and true Substance and not a vain Figment such as is every thing that has no Amplitude and is in no sort extended But those that so stickle and sweat for the proving their Opinion that a Spirit is nowhere or is totally in every part of that Ubi it occupies they are plainly engaged of all right clearly and distinctly to render a reason out of their Hypothesis of the Perceptive faculty that is acknowledged in Spirits Namely that they plainly and precisely deduce from hence because a thing is nowhere or totally in every part of the Ubi it occupies that it is necessarily endued with a faculty of perceiving and thinking so that the reason of the conjunction of properties with the Subject may be clearly thence understood Which notwithstanding I am very confident they can never perform And that Perception and Cogitation are the immediate Attributes of some Substance and that therefore as that Rule of Prudence Enchirid. Ethic. lib. 3. cap. 4. sect 3. declares no Physical reason thereof ought to be required nor can be given why they are in the Subject wherein they are found SECT XXX That from the Generical nature of any Species no reason is to be fetcht of the conjunction of the Essential Difference with it it being immediate BUt so we are to conclude that as Substance is immediately divided into Material and Immaterial or into Body and Spirit where no reason can be rendred from the Substance in Spirit as it is Substance why it should be Spirit rather than Body nor from Substance in a Body as it is Substance why it should be Body rather than Spirit But these Essential Differences are immediately in the Subject in which they are found So the case stands in the subdivision of Spirit into merely Plastical and Perceptive supposing there are Spirits that are merely Plastical and then of a Perceptive Spirit into merely Sensitive and Intellectual For there can be no reason rendred touching a Spirit as a Spirit in a Spirit merely Plastical why it is a Spirit merely Plastical rather than Perceptive Nor in a Perceptive Spirit why it is a Perceptive Spirit rather than merely Plastical And lastly in a Perceptive Spirit Intellectual why it is Intellectual rather than merely Sensitive and in the merely Sensitive Spirit why it is such rather than Intellectual But these Essential Differences are immediately in the Subjects in which they are found and any Physical and intrinsecal reason ought not to be asked nor can be given why they are in those Subjects as I noted a little above out of the said Enchiridion Ethicum SECT XXXI That although the Holenmerians and Nullibists can give no reason why that which perceives should be TOTALLY in every part or should be NOWHERE rather than be in any sort extended or somewere yet there are reasons obvious enough why an extended Spirit rather should perceive than extended Matter BUt however though we cannot render a reason why this or that Substance as Substance be a Spirit rather than Body or why this or that Spirit be Perceptive rather than merely Plastical yet as the reason is sufficiently plain why Matter or Body is a Substance rather than Accident so it is manifest enough why that which Perceives or is Plastical should be a Spirit rather than Matter or Body which surely is much more than either the Holenmerians or Nullibists can vaunt of For they can offer no reason why that which perceives should rather be nowhere than somewhere or totally in each part of the Ubi it does occupie than otherwise as may be understood from what we have said above But now since the Matter or Body which is discerpible and Impenetrable is destitute of itself of all Life and Motion certainly it is consonant to reason that the Species opposite to Body and which is conceived to be Penetrable and Indiscerpible should be intrinsecally endued with Life in general and Motion And whenas Matter is nothing else than a certain stupid and loose congeries of Physical Monads that the first and most immediate opposite degree in this indiscerpible and penetrable Substance which is called Spirit should be the faculty of Union Motion and Life in which all the Sympathies and Synenergies which are found in the world may be conceived to consist From whence it ought not at all to seem strange that that which is Plastical should be a Spirit And now as for Perception itself undoubtedly all Mortals have either a certain consused presage or more precise and determinate Notion that as that whatever it is in which the above-said Sympathies and Synenergies immediately are so more especially that to which belongs the faculty of Perceiving and Thinking is a thing of all things the most subtile and most One that may be Wherefore I appeal here to the Mind and judgment of any one whether he can truly conceive any thing more Subtile or more One than the Essence or Notion of a Spirit as it is immediately distinguished from Matter and opposed thereto For can there be any thing more One than what has no parts into which it may
so unlike the words of an Evil Spirit And the prediction of events so coatingent as the loss of the Battle and the Death of the King and his Sons SECT XXII The needlesness and impertinency of M. Websters Confutation of Samuel's appearing with his Body out of the Grave NOw there are several evasions whereby some endeavour to shift off this evidence But if we will deal plainly and sincerely we must I think acknowledge the force of the Arguments which I have briefly and nakedly proposed But all this Mr. Webster pretends to confute thus It was not Samuel's Body with his Soul joyned nor his Soul that appeared in his wonted shape and habit p. 172 173. The first he proves by these reasons First His Body had lain too long in the Grave so that it must have been disfigured Secondly It must have stunk Thirdly There was no Taylor in the Grave to make him a Mantle Fourthly It must have been an Omnipotent Power to have done this Fifthly A Syllogism is brought to prove this contrary to the Scripture which saith That those that dye in the Lord rest from their labours Now the Four first Arguments he may take again we have no concern with them For 't is sensless to think that the gross Body came out of the Grave and if he means the resting of the Terrestrial Body by the Fifth he may take that back too And indeed as applyed to the Body without the Soul the disturbing of it is Non-sense It s corruption in the Grave is continual motion and more disturbance than the raising it entirely would be if it were any at all But properly it is none no more than is the taking of a Stone out of a Quarry Therefore if there be any Argument in this it falls under the next Query The Sixth Argument is a Question viz. Who joyned the Soul and Body again Not the Witch nor the Devil The Opinion is erroneous impious and blasphemous And for me let him call it what he pleaseth His strength is in hard words which here like the stones thrown sometimes by Witchcraft light like Wool and here Far also from the Mark. SECT XXIII That it was the Soul of Samuel that appeared without his Terrestrial Body and that it is an indifferent Opâ—… in which are dâ—…ided as well Papists as Pâ—…stants BUt there is a second Opinion yet to be consutâ—…d viz. That it was Samuel's Soul in his wonted shape and habit p. 173. He must mâ—…an his Soul without the Body or else 't is the same again and if he means without any body I am none of those that mean with him It is most â—…ully and plainly proved by those excellent Men Dr. C and Dr. M that Souls departed are embodyed in AErial or AEtherial Vehicles and they have largely shewn that this was the Doctrine of the greatest Philosophers and most Ancient and Learned Fathers And agreeable it is to the Holy Scripture and highest Reason and Philosophy as I may have another occasion to shew Now Samuel appeared here to Saul in this his more pure AErial or AEtherial Body which he could form into such an appearance and habit as he had in the Terrestrial Against the Opinion of Samuel's Soul appearing Mr. Webster urgeth cogent Arguments as still he calleth his they are all manifest cogent irrefragable unanswerable even then when they are scarce sense He prefaceth to them by an intimation that the Doctrine is Popish maintained he saith it is by the Popish party His hard words use to be his strongest Arguments But this is only to raise odium and prejudice to the opinion For there are Papists and Protestants on both sides of this Question As also Rabbins and Fathers have divided upon it Some of the last sort and those perhaps of the greatest and most câ—nsiderable having been for it as R. Eleazer R. Saadias The Writers of the Midrash Josephus also Justin Origen Augustine Basil Ambrose c. as some others have been against it So that I suppose a Man may freely and without offence declare his Judgment though it happen to be different from Mr. Websters SECT XXIV Three Arguments of Mr. Webster against the appearing of the Soul of Samuel proposed and answered VVHerefore to his Arguments First he could not saith he come whether God would or no. Right Secondly He would not run on an Errand without Gods consent No doubt Thirdly That God did not command him he saith is most certain Here I must stop How doth that appear to be so certain Why they never were employed in Ministries here below because never created sor any such end or purpose p. 173. They were never employed in Ministries here below What thinks he of the Souls of Moses and Elias at the transfiguration on the Mount were not they then employed in a Ministry here below or were they only Phantasms or their glorifyed Bodies without their Souls and how then did they talk and converse with our Lord But these he will say were sent on an extraordinary occasion Be it so they are sometimes then imployed in such and so Mr. Webster must eat his words And if blessed Souls are or have been employed at any time how is he so certain the real Samuel was not sent here Thus briefly to his bold Assertion But he pretends a reason They were never created for this purpose If that were so what then The Stars were never made to fight against Sisera nor any one Nor the waters to drown the World Nor the Ravens to feed Prophets or other Men. May not they therefore be used in those Services Again No sensitive Being was made primarily for another but to enjoy it self and to partake of the goodness of its Maker May it not therefore minister to others and doth not every Creature so All things serve him Thirdly The Angels are Ministring Spirits he saith ordained to be such Doth he think they were made for that purpose only to serve us Fourthly Reasonable humane Creatures are for one another Non nobis solùm c. Souls are most proper to serve such not here only but in the next World They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like unto Angels and they are as proper at least for the service of Men. They have the same nature and affections They feel our infirmities and consider us more than abstract Spirits do Which is the reason given why our Saviour took not upon him the nature of Angels but of Men. Fifthly Souls departed have Life and Sense and Motion capacity of being employed and no doubt inclination to it and whither more properly may they be sent than to those of their own nature whom they affect are allied to and so lately came from Sixthly The Angels are not confined to their celestial habitation but are sent often to this nether World as Mr. Webster and the rest confess and why then should we think that the Souls of the Just are so limited and restrained And Lastly It is supposed
Sixthly and Lastly The Spectre said that to morrow he should be with him which was not true for several days intervened before the Battle But the word to morrow need not be taken in strictness but in a Latitude of interpretation for a short time He was to dye in or upon the Fight and the enemies were now ready sor it and so the event was to be within a very little while The prediction of which was a Prophecy of a thing very contingent and shews that the Predictor was the real Samuel SECT XXVIII An Answer to that Objection That if it was Samuel s Soul that appeared it makes nothing to Witchcraft BUt if it were the real Samuel will they say this Story will then make nothing for the Opinion of Witchcraft For Samuel was not raised by enchantment but came either of his own accord or on a Divine Errand To which Objection I say First Here is at least proof of an Apparition of a Man after Death Secondly Sauls going to this Pythoness upon such an Inquiry and she undertaking to bring the person up whom he should name at least the appearance of him intimated v. 11. are good proof that this had been her practice though at this time over ruled and that she acted by an Evil Spirit For certainly when Saul intreats her to Divine to him by her Familiar Spirit he did not mean that she should deceive and delude him by a Confederate Knave The senslesness of which Figment I have already sufficiently disproved That the Woman was used to such practices will appear fully when I come to prove Witchcraft from * express Texts ADVERTISEMENT * The express Texts that he means I suppose are such as these Exod. 22. 18 2 Chron. 33. 6. Gal. 5. 20. Micah 5. 12. Acts 13. 6. 8. and Chap. 8. 9. and more especially Deut. 18. 10. Where almost all the Names of Witches are enumerated namely of all those that are inveigled by Covenant with Evil Spirits either explicitly or by submitting to their Ceremonies See Dr. H M his Postscript SECT XXIX They that hold it was an Evil Spirit that appeared to Saul that their opinion may be true for ought Mr. Webster brings against it AS to the Opinion of divers Divines that the appearing Samuel was indeed an Evil Spirit in his likeness though I judge it not so probable as the other of the real Samuel yet the interpretation is not absurd nor impossible And because I do not absolutely determine either way I shall defend it against Mr. Websters contrary Arguments which whether it be so or not so prove nothing He saith First That this beggs two false suppositions p. 175. as First That the Devils are simply incorporeal Spirits By which if he means Incorporeal in their Intrinsick Essential Constitution such no doubt they are as every Intellectual Being is But if he mean by simply Incorporeal disunited from all Matter and Body so perhaps and most likely they are not But neither the one or the other of these is supposed by the Opinion Mr. Webster impugnes The second false supposition is That Devils can assume Bodies That they can appear in divers Shapes and Figures like humane and other Bodies we affirm and it is plain from the Scripture as to Angels and I shall make the same good in reference to other Spirits in due place So that we may suppose it still till Mr. Webster hath evinced the contrary as he promiseth How he performs I shall consider in due place His Second Argument is That he is not of their Opinion that the Devils move and rove up and down in this Elementary World at pleasure Which no one I know saith They go to and fro and compass the Earth but still within the bounds of the Divine permission the Laws of the Angelical World and those of their own Kingdom which prevent the Troubles and Disturbances in the World from them which he saith would ensue ADVERTISEMENT Thus far runs the Proof of the Existence of Apparitions and Witchcraft from Holy Scripture entire The three or four Lines that follow in the M S. and are left out break off abruptly But what is said sufficiently subverts the force of Mr. Webster ' s Arguments against their Opinion that say it was the Devil that appeared to Saul I will only here take notice that this part which reaches hitherto though it be not fully finished yet it abundantly affords Proof for the Conclusion namely for the Existence of Spirits Apparitions and Witches from Testimony of Holy Scripture to as many as yield to the Authority thereof But the following Collection is a Confirmation of the same things as well to the Anti-Scripturists as to them that believe Scripture And the leading Story of the Daemon of Tedworth I hope now will prove irrefragable and unexceptionable if the Reader retain in his mind Mr. Glanvil ' s Preface to this second Part of his Saducismus Triumphatus and Mr. Mompesson ' s Letters the one to Mr. Glanvil the other to Mr. Collins which cannot but abundantly undeceive the World So that it is needless to record how Mr. Glanvil wrote to Mr. William Claget of Bury and professed He had not the least ground to think he was imposed on in what he related and that he had great cause from what he saw himself to say it was impossible there should be any Imposture in that business To the same purpose he wrote to Mr. Gilbert Clark in Northampton-shire as also to my self and undoubtedly to many more as he has intimated in his Preface Besides that to the Parties above named he sent a Copy of that Letter of Mr. Mompesson which was wrote to himself So that that groundless Rumour being thus fully silenced we may now seasonably relate and that with confidence that assured and unexceptionably attested Story of the Daemon of Tedworth Which is as follows Proof of Apparitions Spirits and Witches from a choice Collection of modern Relations RELATION I. Which is the enlarged Narrative of the Daemon of Tedworth or of the Disturbances at Mr. Mompesson s House caused by Witchcraft and the villany of the Drummer MR. John Mompesson of Tedworth in the County of Wilts being about the middle of March in the Year 1661. at a Neighboring Town called Ludgarshal and hearing a Drum beat there he inquired of the Bailiff of the Town at whose House he then was what it meant The Bailiff told him that they had for some days been troubled with an idle Drummer who demanded money of the Constable by vertue of a pretended Pass which he thought was counterfeit Upon this Mr. Mompesson sent for the Fellow and askt him by what authority he went up and down the Country in that manner with his Drum The Drummer answered he had good authority and produced his Pass with a Warrant under the Hands of Sir William Cawly and Colonel Ayliff of Gretenham Mr. Mompesson knowing these Gentlemens Hands discovered that the Pass and Warrant were
any they would torment they say A Pox on thee I 'le spite thee That at every meeting before the Spirit vanisheth away he appoints the next meeting place and time and at his departure there is a foul smell At their meeting they have usually Wine or good Beer Cakes Meat or the like They eat and drink really when they meet in their bodies dance also and have Musick The Man in black sits at the higher end and Anne Bishop usually next him He useth some words before meat and none after his voice is audible but very low That they are carried sometimes in their Bodies and their Clothes sometimes without and as the Examinant thinks their Bodies are sometimes left behind When only their Spirits are present yet they know one another When they would bewitch Man Woman or Child they do it sometimes by a Picture made in Wax which the Devil formally Baptizeth Sometimes they have an Apple Dish Spoon or other thing from their evil Spirit which they give the party to whom they would do harm Upon which they have power to hurt the person that eats or receives it Sometimes they have power to do mischief by a touch or curse by these they can mischief Cattle and by cursing without touching but neither without the Devils leave That she hath been at several general meetings in the night at High Common and a Common near Motcombe at a place near Marnhull and at other places where have met John Combes John Vining Richard Diokes Thomas Boster or Bolster Thomas Dunning James Bush a lame Man Rachel King Richard Lannen a Woman called Durnford Alice Duke Anne Bishop Mary Penny and Christopher Ellen all which did obeysance to the Man in black who was at every one of their meetings Usually they have at them some Picture Baptized The Man in black sometimes playes on a Pipe or Cittern and the company dance At last the the Devil vanisheth and all are carried to their several homes in a short space At their parting they say A Boy merry meet merry part That the reason why she caused Elizabeth Hill to be the more tormented was because her Father had said she was a Witch That she has seen Alice Dukes Familiar suck her in the shape of a Cat and Anne Bishops suck her in the shape of a Rat. That she never heard the name of God or Jesus Christ mentioned at any of their meetings That Anne Bishop about five years and a half since did bring a Picture in Wax to their meeting which was Baptized by the Man in black and called Peter It was for Robert Newman's Child at Wincaunton That some two years ago she gave two Apples to Agnes Vining late Wife of Richard Vining and that she had one of the Apples from the Devil who then appeared to her and told That Appls would do Vining ' s Wives business Taken in the presence of several grave and Orthodox Divines before me Robert Hunt 6. Exam. William Parsons Rector of Stoke Trister Examined Feb. 7. 1664. before Rob. Hunt Esq concerning Elizabeth Style 's confession saith That he heard Style before the Justice of Peace at the time of her Examination confess as she hath done also to the Examinant several times since that she was in Covenant with the Devil that she had signed it with her Blood that she had been with the Devil at several meetings in the night that at one time of those meetings there was brought a Picture in blackish Wax which the Devil in the shape of a Man in blakish Clothes did Baptize by the name of Eliz. Hill that she did stick in one Thorn into the Hand-wrists of the Picture that Alice Duke stuck Thorns into the same and that Anne Bishop and Mary Penny were present at that meeting with the Devil Taken upon Oath before me Subscribed Robert Hunt William Parsons Rector of Stoke Trister This Confession of Styles was free and unforced without any torturing or watching drawn from her by a gentle Examination meeting with the Convictions of a guilty Conscience She confesseth that she desired the Devil to torment Eliz. Hill by thrusting Thorns into her flesh which he promised and said he had done it That a Picture was Baptized for her the said Elizabeth and that She the Familiar and Alice Duke stuck Thorns into several places of the Neck Hand-wrists Fingers and other parts thereof which exactly agrees with the strange effects related concerning the torments the Child suffered and this mischief she confesseth she did because her Father said she was a Witch She confesseth she gave two Apples to Vinings Wife one of which she had from the Devil who said it would do the business which sutes also with the Testimony of Vining concerning his Wife She confesseth further That the Devil useth to suck her in the Poll about four a Clock in the Morning in the Form of a Fly like a Millar concerning which let us hear Testimony the other particulars of her Confession we shall consider as occasion offers 7. Exam. Nicholas Lambert Examined again Jan. 26. 1664. before Rob. Hunt Esq concerning what happened after Styles confession testifyeth That Eliz. Style having been Examined before the Justice made her Confession and committed to the Officer the Justice required this Examinant William Thick and William Read of Bayford to watch her which they did and this Informant sitting near Style by the fire and reading in the Practice of Piety about Three of the Clock in the Morning there came from her Head a glistering bright Fly about an Inch in length which pitched at first in the Chimney and then vanished In less than a quarter of an hour after there appeared two Flies more of a less size and another colour which seemed to strike at the Examinants hand in which he held his Book but missed it the one going over the other under at the same time He looking stedfastly then on Style perceived her countenance to change and to become very black and gastly the fire also at the same time changing its colour whereupon the Examinant Thick and Read conceiving that her Familiar was then about her looked to her Poll and seeing her Hair shake very strangely took it up and then a Fly like a great Millar flew out from the place and pitched on the Table-board and then vanished away Upon this the Examinant and the other two persons looking again in Styles Poll found it very red and like raw Beef The Examinant askt her what it was that went out of her Poll she said it was a Butterfly and askt them why they had not caught it Lambert said they could not I think so too answered she A little while after the Informant and the others looking again into her Poll found the place to be of its former colour The Examinant demanding again what the Fly was she confessed it was her Familiar and that she felt it tickle in her Poll and that was the usual time when her
they were in bed in this other Chamber there was a clattering heard at the door presently after the same noise under the bed the same heaving of the Clothes and the same whispering as before But towards Midnight that thing which came into the bed before came now so often with such ungrateful skippings up and down upon her that she often skreekt and cried out It seemed cold and very smooth as she related and would commonly come in at her feet and run all up on her by her side to her shoulder Once she desired meto clap my hand upon her back near her shoulder blade as feeling it just then come up thither I did so on a suddain and there seemed a cold blast or puff of Wind to blow upon my hand just as I clapt it on her And one thing more remarkable was this when the whispering was heard at her Beds-head after we had many times in vain conjured it to speak and tell us the intent of its whisperings and disturbance I spake to it very earnestly to speak out or whisper louder Hereupon it hissed out much louder than before but nothing intelligible to be heard At last this disturbance with the thing in the bed being no longer tolerable to the Gentlewoman my Mother rise lying in the next Chamber and hearing their perplexity came into her Chamber and prayed sometime at her Bedside just by her Whereupon it pleased God within a very short time after to remove all those noises and that which disturbed her After that Night I cannot tell certainly that there hath been any thing of that nature heard in the house ADVERTISEMENT THis Narrative though it was not among Mr. Glanvil's Papers but I found it by chance in mine own Study yet it being made by an Eye-witness whom I knew to be one of Judgement and Integrity I thought fit to insert it And the rather because of that passage that when he clapt his Hand upon the Shoulder of the Gentlewoman where the Ghost was a cool blast or puff of Air seemed to bear or blow against his Hand Which is like Mr. Glanvil's Experiment of pressing the Linnen Bag in which some Spirit was moving as a living Animal Which are notable instances of their easie percribration through porous Bodies This troublesome Spirit I suspect to have been the Ghost of some party deceased who would have uttered something but had not the knack of speaking so articulately as to be understood And when they can speak intelligibly it is ordinarily in a hoarse and low Voice as is observable in many stories and particularly in a very fresh story of the Ghost of one deceased that spoke to Jacob Brent some two years ago an Apprentice then to one Mr. Lawrence in the Little Minories of which to give some brief account I think fitting for the very same reasons that I have inserted this of Mr. Paschal namely that it is from an Eye witness and a discreet and well-disposed young man as they that know him do testifie and I will set down no more nor so much as he himself declared or acknowledged not onely to Dr. Cudworth Mr. Fowler and Mr. Glanvil but very lately to my self also viz. That he had conference with the Ghost of some deceased party for about a quarter of an hour That he had a glimpse of the shape thereof being called into the Room where it was by a Voice saying Here Here but that he presently cried out Good God let me see nothing he being so assrighted with the sight But however he entertained discourse with it for about the time above-mentioned received several things in charge from it to be done and was commanded secrecy in some special Matters but it gave such instructions and made such discoveries as right might be done to some that had been wronged by the party deceased Upon which performance of Jacob Brent the disturbance of the house ceased But for about six Weeks before Mr. Lawrence his house was miserably disturbed they being most nights affrighted with Thumpings and loud Knocking 's at the Chamber-doors sometimes with a strange whirling noise up and down the Rooms and clapping upon the Stairs And that night Jacob Brent sate up in the Kitchin expecting some conference with the Spirit for the quiet of the House he heard the Door of the Room above him that was fast lockt fly open while he was reading in Eusebius and immediately a swift running down the Stairs and a great knock at the Kitchin-door which stood a jarr and a chinking of Money on the Stairs as he passed from the Kitchin towards the Dining-room over against it whose Door was lockt when they went to bed but now opened as the Door of the other Room above the Kitchin Into this Dining-room he was invited as is abovesaid by a Voice saying Here Here and there he received and after executed such directions as gave quiet afterwards to the House and he received thanks from the Ghost after he had made his Journey abroad to fulfil its desire at his returning home with a promise it would never trouble the house more And of the troubles of the house before the whole Family were Witnesses as also of the Conference of J. B. and the Spirit that they heard two speaking in the Dining-room though they were not so near as to understand what they said onely they heard J. B. pray to God that he might see nothing That the house was really Haunted besides what has been said already is further confirmed by Mr. Bamfield who was desired to lie in the house some days before this Conference of J. B. with the Spirit who though he heard no noises yet felt his Clothes tuckt about him and his Hand kindly stroaked he being awake all night And that this could be no trick of J. B. is further evident from that great emotion of mind he was in after this for some two hours even almost to distraction and was fain afterwards to be let Bloud But for his constant temper he is observed to be and I take him to be such of a sober honest and sensible Genius nor is he any Sectarian but an orderly Son of the Church of England And if the Injunctions of the Ghost he conversed with and common rules of Prudence did not forbid the declaring of some particulars this is an experiment that might convince the most incredulous touching such things But Mr. Glanvil complains in a Letter of his to Dr. H. More that this shyness and tender respect of persons has hindered him of many a considerable story as I have also taken notice long since how mutilate the story of the Shoemaker of Breslaw is made by reason of Martinus Weinrichius his concealing the Shoemaker's Name But the mentioning of lockt Doors flying open of their own accord reminds me of Mr. Alcock's story of a Chest with three Locks unlocking itself and slying wide open and then locking itself again Which is as follows RELAT. XXV The
Story of Mr. John Bourne of Durley in Ireland about a mile from Bridgwater Counsellor at Law MR. John Bourne for his skill care and honesty was made by his Neighbour John Mallet Esq of Enmore the chief of his Trustees for his Son John Mallet Father to Elizabeth now Countess Dowager of Rochester and the rest of his Children in minority He had the reputation of a worthy good man and was commonly taken notice of for an habitual saying by way of Interjection almost to any thing viz. You say true You say true You are in the right This Mr. Bourne sell sick at his house at Durley in the year 1654 and Dr. Raymond of Oake was sent for to him who after some time gave the said Mr. Bourne over And he had not now spake in Twenty sour hours when the said Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Carlisle Mr. Bourne's Nephews Wise whose Husband he made one of his Heirs sitting by his Bedside the Doctor opened the Curtains at the Beds feet to give him air when on a suddain to the horrour and amazement of Dr. Raymond and Mrs. Carlisle the great Iron Chest by the Window at his Beds seet with three Locks to it in which were all the Writings and Evidences of the said Mr. Mallet's Estate began to open first one Lock then another then the third Afterwards the Lid of the said iron Chest lifted up itself and stood wide open Then the Patient Mr. Bourne who had not spoke in Twenty four hours lifted himself up also and looking upon the Chest cryed You say true You say true You are in the right I 'le be with you by and by So the Patient lay down and spake no more Then the Chest fell again of itself and lockt itself one Lock after another as the three Locks opened and they tried to knock it open and could not and Mr. Bourne died within an hour after ADVERTISEMENT THis Narrative was sent in a Letter to J. C. for Dr. H. More from Mr. Thomas Alcock of Shear Hampton of which in a Letter to the said Doctor he gives this account I am saith he very confident of the truth of the story For I had it from a very good Lady the eldest Daughter of the said John Mallet whose Trustee Mr. Bourne was and onely Aunt to the Countess of Rochester who knew all the parties and have heard Dr. Raymond and Mr. Carlisle relate it often with amazement being both persons of credit The curious may be inquisitive what the meaning of the opening of the Chest may be and of Mr. Bourne his say You say true c. I 'le be with you by and by As for the former it is noted by Paracelsus especially and by others that there are signs often given of the departure of sick men lying on their Death-beds of which this opening of the Iron Coffer or Chest and closing again is more than ordinary significant especially if we consider the nearness of sound and sence betwixt Coffer and Coffin and recal to mind that of Virgil Olli dura quies oculos serreus urget Somnus though this quaintness is more than is requisite in these Prodigies presaging the Sick man's death As for the latter it seems to be nothing else but the saying Amen to the presage uttered in his accustomary form of speech As if he should say You of the invisible Kingdom of Spirits have given the token of my suddain departure And you say true I shall be with you by and by Which he was enabled so assuredly to assent to upon the advantage of the relaxation of his Soul now departing from the Body Which Diodorus Siculus lib. 18. notes to be the opinion of Pythagoras and his followers That it is the priviledge of the Soul near her departure to exercise a fatidical faculty and to pronounce truely touching things future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That humane Souls prognostick things to come at what time they are separating from their Body RELAT. XXVI The Apparition of James Haddock to Francis Taverner near Drum-bridge in Ireland comprized in a Letter of Thomas Alcock to Dr. H. More AT Michaelmas 1662. Francis Taverner about Twenty five years old a lusty proper stout fellow then servant at large afterwards Porter to the Lord Chichester Earl of Donegal at Belfast in the North of Ireland County of Antrim and Diccess of Connor riding late in the Night from Hilbrough homeward near Drum bridge his Horse though of good metal suddainly made a stand and he supposing him to be taken with the Staggers alighted to bloud him in the mouth and presently mounted again As he was setting forward there seemed to pass by him two Horsemen though he could not hear the treading of their seet which amazed him Presently there appeared a third in a white Coat just at his Elbow in the likeness of James Haddock formerly an Inhabitant in Malone where he died near five years before Whereupon Taverner askt him in the Name of God who he was He replied I am James Haddock and you may call to mind by this token That about five years ago I and two other Friends were at your Fathers House and you by your Fathers appointment brought us some Nuts and therefore be not afraid says the Apparition Whereupon Taverner remembring the circumstances thought it might be Haddock and those two who passed by before him he thought to be his two Friends with him when he gave them Nuts and courageously askt him why he appeared to him rather than any other He answered Because he was a man of more resolution than others and if he would ride his way with him he would acquaint him with a business he had to deliver him Which Taverner refused to do and would go his own way for they were now at a Quadrivial and so rode on homewards But immediately on the departure there arose a great wind and withal he heard very hideous screeches and noises to his great amazement but riding forward as fast as he could he at last heard the Cocks crow to his comsort he alighted off from his Horse and salling to prayer desired God's assistance and so got safe home The night aâ—…ter there appeared again to him the likeness of James Haddock and bid him go to Elenor Welsh now the Wife of Davis living at Malone but formerly the Wife of the said James Haddock by whom she had an onely Son to whom the said James Haddock had by his Will given a Lease which he held of the Lord Chichester of which the Son was deprived by Davis who had married his Mother and to ask her if her Maiden-name was not Elenor Welsh and if it were to tell her that it was the Will of her former Husband James Haddock that their Son should be righted in the Lease But Taverner partly loath to gain the ill will of his Neighbours and partly thinking he should not be credited but lookt on as deluded long neglected to do his Message till having
the Queen's coming into Scotland Her raising of a Spirit to conjure a Picture of Wax for the destroying of Mr. John Moscrope Hitherto I have brought but small shreds out of this ancient Record but I will conclude with a full Paragraph it containing the Confession of Agnes Sympson to King James then King of the Scots Which is this Item Fyled and convict for sameckle as she confest before his Majesty that the Devil in mans likeness met her going out in the Fields from her own house at Keith betwixt five and six at Even being alone and commandit her to be at North-bervick-Kirk the next night And she past then on Horseback conveyed by her good-son called John Couper and lighted at the Kirk-yard or a little before she came to it about eleven hours at Even They danced along the Kirk-yard Geilie Duncan plaid to them on a Trump John Fien mussiled led all the rest the said Agnes and her Daughter followed next Besides there were Kate Grey George Moilis Wife Robert Greirson Katharine Duncan Bessie Right Isabel Gilmore John Graymaill Duncan Buchanan Thomas Barnhil and his Wife Gilbert Macgil John Macgil Katharine Macgil with the rest of their Complices above an hundred persons whereof there were six Men and all the rest Women The Women made first their homage and then the Men. The Men were turned nine times widdershins about and the Women six times John Fien blew up the Doors and blew in the Lights which were like mickle black Candles sticking round about the Pulpit The Devil startit up himself in the Pulpit like a mickle black man and every one answered Here. Mr. Robert Greirson being named they ran all hirdie girdie and were angry for it was promised he should be called Robert the Comptroller alias Rob the Rowar for expriming of his name The first thing he demandit was if they keept all promise and been good Servants and what they had done since the last time they had conveined At his command they opened up three Graves two within and ane without the Kirk and took off the joynts of their Fingers Toes and Neise and parted them amongst them and the said Agnes Sympson got for her part a Winding-sheet and two Joynts The Devil commandit them to keep the Joynts upon them while they were dry and then to make a powder of them to do evil withal Then he commandit them to keep his Commandments which were to do all the evil they could Before they departed they kiss'd his Breech the Record speaks more broad as I noted before He had on him ane Gown and ane Hat which were both black and they that were assembled part stood and part sate John Fien was ever nearest the Devil at his left Elbock Graymaill keeped the door I have retained the Scotch Dialect here also for the more Authentickness of the matter and have adjoyned this large Paragraph the Confession therein contained being in all probability a more special occasion of King James his changing his opinion touching the Existence of Witches which he was as is reported inclinable to think to be but a mere conceit before For he was then but young not passing five or six and Twenty years of age when this Examination was had before him And part of the Third Chapter of his Second Book of his Daemonologie seems to be a Transcript of this very Confession Wheresore this being so considerable an occurrence touching a business of such moment the bringing in here so old a Story amongst those of fresher memory will I hope bring along with it its own excuse Thus have we contrived all the Relations in Mr. Glanvil's Papers which were thought considerable into this second Part of his Saducismus Triumphatus He once intended to subjoyn thereto an Answer to Webster Wagstaff and the Author of the Doctrine of Devils as you may observe from the first Section of his Proof of Apparitions c. from holy Scripture but partly by bringing in already the chief things in that rude draught begun into what is here published and partly by stating the Question truly and with right judgement he has prevented himself and made that labour needless As indeed in a manner it ever was their Objections against Mr. Glanvil's Opinion on these points being wondrous weak sorry and sophistical and such as it were pity that any man of parts who can bestow his time better should squander it away in confuting such trisles There is nothing that makes any least shew of strength but that touching the palpability of the consistency of the Bodies of the Familiars of Witches as if it weakened our Saviour's Argument to his Disciples for his Resurrection where he bids them handle him and see for a Spirit has not Flesh and Bones as they see him have And he bids Thomas thrust his Hand into his Side that they might be sure he was no Spectre or Spirit but the very Christ with his Flesh Bloud and Bones as he had before his Crucifixion and they were as well ascertained of this as sense nay the surest sense that of Touch or Feeling could make them that he had really Flesh and Bones and such a temperament as humane Bodies have Nor can any cavil avail against this from the Familiars of Witches that will not as well weaken the assurance that we converse with such or such a Friend but with some Spectre like him So that the Allegation is as weak as peevish and malicious And if he should doubt whether it was his real Friend or some Spectre if his Friend should offer himself as our Saviour did to be touched searched and felt would not any body think it were sufficient assurance But for a perverse Caviller or crazy Sceptick what is it that will satisfie them But it may be it will be said that there be concomitant considerations that will assure the party it is his Friend and not a Spectre And are there not concomitant considerations here also The ancient Prophecies and Christ's own Prediction that he should rise from the dead out of the Grave And that God is a God of truth and not of unfaithfulness and imposture Which assurance is of a more high and divine Tenour than that of feeling his Body And therefore our Saviour saith to Thomas THOMAS because thou hast seen me thou hast believed Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed For it is a sign that a more noble and heavenly principle is awakened in them that dispels that thick Mist of Sceptical stupor and dulness It is a sign they are of a more holy pure and refined temper And besides all this What Spectre ever challenged any one to make such a Trial as this to seel whether he was not very Flesh and Bone as real men are when he would impose upon any Or how is it proved though Spirits can bring their Vehicle to a palpable consistency that they can turn it into such as shall seel of the same
dissettle the Authors definition THis I take to be a plain Description of what we mean by a Witch and Witchcraft What Mr. Webster and other Advocates for Witches talk concerning the words whereby these are exprest that they are improper and Metaphorical signifying this and signifying that is altogether idle and impertinent The word Witch signifies originally a Wise Man or rather a Wise Woman The same doth Saga in the Latine and plainly so doth Wizzard in English signify a Wise Man and they are vulgarly called cunning Men or Women An Art Knowledge Cunning they have that is extraordinary but it is far from true Wisdom and the word is degenerated into an ill sense as Magia is So then they are called and we need look no further it is enough that by the Word we mean the Thing and Person I have described which is the common meaning and Mr. Webster and the rest prevaricate when they make it signify an ordinary Cheat a Couzener a Poysoner Seducer and I know not what Words signify as they are used and in common use Witch and Witchcraft do indeed imply these but they emply more viz. Deluding Cheating and Hurting by the Power of an Evil Spirit in Covenant with a wicked Man or Woman This is our Notion of a Witch Mr. Webster I know will not have it to be a perfect Description He adds to the Notion of the Witch he opposeth carnal Copulation with the Devil and real Transformation into an Hare Cat Dog Wolf the same doth Mr. Wagstaffe Which is as if a Man should define an Angel to be a Creature in the shape of a Boy with Wings and then prove there is no such Being Of all Men I would not have Mr. Webster to make my Definitions for me we our selves are to have the leave to tell what it is that we affirm and defend And I have described the Witch and Witchcraft that sober Men believe and assert Thus briefly for Defining SECT IV. What things the Authour concedes in this controversie about Witches and Witchcraft I Shall let the Patrons of Witches know what I allow and grant to them First I grant That there are some Witty and Ingenious Men of the opposite Belief to me in the Question Yea it is accounted a piece of Wit to laugh at the Belief of Witches as silly Credulity And some Men value themselves upon it and pride them in their supposed Sagacity of seeing the Cheat that imposeth on so great a part of Believing Mankind And the Stories of Witches and Apparitions afford a great deal of Subject for Wit which it is pity that a witty Man should lose Secondly I own that some of those who deny Witches have no design against nor a disinclination to Religion but believe Spirits and a Life to come as other sober Christians do and so are neither Atheists Sadducees nor Hobbists Thirdly I allow that the great Body of Mankind is very credulous and in this matter so that they do believe vain impossible things in relation to it That carnal Copulation with the Devil and real Transmutation of Men and Women into other Creatures are such That people are apt to impute the extraordinaries of Art or Nature to Witchcraft and that their Credulity is often abused by subtle and designing Knaves through these That there are Ten thousand silly lying Stories of Witchcraft and Apparitions among the vulgar That infinite such have been occasioned by Cheats and Popish Superstitions and many invented and contrived by the Knavery of Popish Priests Fourthly I grant that Melancholy and Imagination have very great force and can beget strange perswasions And that many Stories of Witchcraft and Apparitions have been but Melancholy fancies Fifthly I know and yield that there are many strange natural Diseases that have odd Symptomes and produce wonderful and astonishing effects beyond the usual course of Nature and that such are sometimes falsly ascribed to Witchcraft Sixthly I own the Popish Inquisitours and other Witch-finders have done much wrong that they have destroyed innocent persons for Witches and that Watching and Torture have extorted extraordinary Confessions from some that were not guilty Seventhly and Lastly I grant that the Transactions of Spirits with Witches which we affirm to be true and certain are many of them very strange and uncouth and that we can scarce give any account of the reasons of them or well reconcile many of those passages to the commonly received Notion of Spirits and the State of the next World If these Concessions will do mine Adversaries in this Question any good they have them freely And by them I have already almost spoiled all Mr. Webster's and Mr. Wagstaffe's and the other Witch-Advocates Books which prove little else than what I have here granted And having been so free in Concessions I may expect that something should be granted me from the other party ADVERTISEMENT Those that are mentioned in the second Concession though they are not Atheists Sadducees nor Hobbists yet if they deny Witches it is plain they are Antiscripturists the Scripture so plainly attesting the contrary SECT V. The Postulata which the Authour demands of his Adversaries as his just right THe demands that I make are First That whether Witches are or are not is a question of Fact For it is in effect whether any Men or Women have been or are in Convenant with Evil Spirits and whether they by the Spirits help or he on their account performs such or such things Secondly That matter of Fact can only be proved by immediate Sense or the Testimony of others Divine or Humane To endeavour to demonstrate Fact by abstract reasoning and speculation is as if a Man should prove that Julius Caesar founded the Empire of Rome by Algebra or Metaphysicks So that what Mr. Webster saith p. 43. That the true and proper mediums to prove the actions of Witches by are Scripture and sound Reason and not the improper way of Testimony which we use in the opposition that Testimony stands to Scripture and sound Reason is very Non-sense Thirdly That the History of the Scripture is not all Allegory but generally hath a plain literal and obvious meaning Fourthly That some Humane Testimonies are credible and certain viz. They may be so circumstantiated as to leave no reason of doubt For our Senses sometimes report truth and all Mankind are not Lyars Cheats and Knaves at least they are not all Lyars when they have no Interest to be so Fifthly That which is sufficiently and undeniably proved ought not to be denyed because we know not how it can be that is because there are difficulties in the conceiving of it Otherwise Sense and Knowledge is gone as well as Faith For the Modus of most things is unknown and the most obvious in Nature have inextricable difficulties in the Speculation of them as I have shewn in my Scepsis Scientifica Sixthly and lastly we are much in the dark as to the Nature and Kinds of Spirits and
the particular condition of the other World The Angels Devils and Souls happiness and misery we know but what kinds are under these generals and what actions circumstances and ways of Life under those States we little understand These are my Postulata or demands which I suppose will be thought reasonable and such as need no more proof Proof of Apparitions Spirits and Witches from Holy-Scripture SECT I. The Authours purpose of proving Apparitions and Witchcraft to such as believe Scripture as first from the Apparition of Angels ANd having thus prepared my way I come to prove that there are Witches against both the sorts that deny their Existence viz. Those that believe the Scriptures and the Wits or Witlings that will not admit their Testimony To the first I shall prove the being of Witches by plain Evidence taken from the Divine Oracles and to the other and indeed to both I shall evince the same by as full and clear Testimonies as matter of fact is capable of and then answer the opposite Objections and those particularly of the three late confident Exploders of Witchcraft * Mr. Webster Mr. Wagstaffe and the Authour of the Doctrine of Devils The Proof I intend shall be of these two things viz. That Spirits have sensibly transacted with Men and that some have been in such Leagues with them as to be enabled thereby to do wonders These sensible Transactions of Spirits with Men are evident from Apparitions and Possessions The Apparition of Angels their discourses and predictions sensible converses with Men and Women are frequently recorded in the Scripture An Angel appeared to Hagar Gen. 16. Three Angels in the shape of Men appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. Two to Lot in the same likeness Gen. 19. An Angel called to Hagar Gen. 21. 17. and so did one to Abraham Gen. 22. An Angel spake to and conversed with Jacob in a Dream Gen. 31. One of the same appeared to Moses in the Bush Exod. 3. An Angel went before the Camp of Israel Exod. 14. An Angel met Balaam in the way Numb 22. An Angel spake to all the People of Israel Judges 2. An Angel appeared to Gideon Judges 6. and to the Wife of Manoah Judges 13. An Angel destroyed the People 2 Sam. 24. An Angel appeared to Eliab 1 Kings 19. An Angel smote in the Camp of the Assyrians 184000. 2 Kings 35. An Angel stood by the Threshing-floor of Ornan 1 Chron. 21. 15. An Angel talked with Zachariah the Prophet Zach. 1. An Angel appeared to the two Mary's at our Lords Sepulchre Matth. 28. An Angel foretold the Birth of John Baptist to Zachariah the Priest Luke 1. Gabriel was sent to the Holy Virgin Luke 1. 26. An Angel appeared to the Shepherds Luke 2. An Angel opened the Prison Door to Peter and the rest Acts 5. I might accumulate many more instances but these are enough And many circumstances of sensible Converse belong to most of them which may be read at large in the respective Chapters And since the Intercourses of Angels were so frequent in former days why should we be averse to the belief that Spirits sometimes transact with Men now ADVERTISEMENT * I find amongst Mr. Glanvil 's Papers the first Lineaments or Strokes of an Answer to Mr. Wagstaffe and to the Authour of the Doctrine of Devils but more fully to Mr. Webster at least Seventeen Sheets where he answers solidly and substantially where I can read his Hand but it reaches but to the Sixth Chapter And in truth he has laid about him so well in these Sheets that are published that those may well seem the less necessary SECT II. The Evasions his Adversaries use to escape the force of these Proofs of Scripture from the Apparition of Angels with the Authours Answer THere are several Evasions by which some endeavour to escape these Texts as First the Sadducees of old and Familists of later days who hold to wit these that the Angels we read of were but Divine Graces the other that they were Divine Phantasmes created to serve a present occasion which ceased to be as soon as they disappeared One would think that none that ever had read the Scriptures should entertain such a conceit as this that is so contrary to the account they every where give of those celestial Creatures But there is nothing so absurd but some Men will embrace to support their Opinions Let us consider a little how differently from this vain Fancy the Scripture describes them They are called Spirits an Attribute given to God himself the prime Subsistence who is by way of eminence called the Father of Spirits not of Phantasmes And Spirit imports as much Substance as Body though without gross bulk We read of Elect Angels and the Angels that stand before the Throne of God continually and that always behold the Face of God Of the Faln Angels that kept not their first Station that are held in the Chains of Darkness and of everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels against the Judgment of the great Day Both had their Order of Superiority and Inseriority Michael and his Angels the Dragon and his Angels We are made little lower than the Angels In Heaven we shall be as the Angels of God Of the Day of Judgment knoweth no Man no not the Angels Let all the Angels of God Worship him Which Descriptions of the Nature Order Condition Attributes of Angels and infinite more such up and down the Scriptures are not applicable to Phantasms but demonstratively prove that the Angels of whose Apparitions we hear so frequently there were real permanent subsistences and not mere Phantasms and Shadows SECT III. That the Angels that are said to have appeared in Scripture were not Men-Messengers but Inhabitants of the Invisible World And whether they ate and drank or no. BUt were not those Angels that so appeared special Prophets Divine Messengers sometimes in Scripture confessedly called Angels They did eat and drink with Abraham and with Lot by which it should seem that they were real Men. But whoever shall look over the Instances alledged of the Apparition of Angels and read them in all the Circumstances of the Text will plainly see that they could not be Men. Such could not be the Angel that spake to Abraham and Hagar out of Heaven that conversed with Jacob in a Dream that appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush that appeared to Manoah and ascended in his and his Wife's presence in the slame of the Sacrifice that went before the Camp of Israel that stood before Balaam in the way unseen by him that smote the Army of the Assyrians that appeared to Zacharias in the Temple and to the Mary's at the Sepulchre These must be a sort of Beings superiour to Mankind Angels in the proper sense who are sometimes in Scripture called Men because they appear in our likeness But whether these do receive refection or sustinence in their own World and State or not I will not dispute It is