Mr. C. M. having been very forward to write Books of Witchcraft, has not
been so forward either to explain or defend the Doctrinal part thereof, and his
belief (which he had a Years time to compose) he durst not venture so as to be
copied.[343]
Yet in this of the Life of Sir William he sufficiently testifies his retaining that
Heterodox belief, seeking by frightfull stories of the sufferings of some, and the
refined sight of others, etc., P. 69 to obtrude upon the World, and confirm it in
such a belief, as hitherto he either cannot or will not defend, as if the Blood
already shed thereby were not sufficient.
Mr. I. Mather, in his Cases of Conscience,
P. 25, tells of a Bewitched Eye, and that such can see more than others. They
were certainly bewitched Eyes that could see as well shut as open, and that could
see what never was, that could see the Prisoners upon the Afflicted, harming of
them, when those whose Eyes were not bewitched could have sworn that they did
not stir from the Bar. The Accusers are said to have suffered much by biting, P.
73. And the prints of just such a set of Teeth, as those they Accused, had, but
such as had not such bewitch'd Eyes have seen the Accusers bite themselves, and
then complain of the Accused. It has also been seen when the Accused, instead
of having just such a set of Teeth, has not had one in his head. They were such
bewitched Eyes that could see the Poisonous Powder (brought by Spectres P. 70.)
And that could see in the Ashes the print of the Brand, there invisibly heated to
torment the pretended Sufferers with, etc.
These with the rest of such Legends have this direct tendency, viz. To tell the World that the Devil is more ready to
serve his Votaries, by his doing for them things above or against the course of
Nature, shewing himself to them, and making explicit contract with them, etc.,
than the Divine Being is to his faithful Servants, and that as he is willing, so also
able to perform their desires. The way whereby these People are believed to
arrive at a power to Afflict their Neighbours, is by a compact with the Devil, and
that they have a power to Commissionate him to those Evils, P. 72. However
Irrational, or Inscriptural such Assertions are, yet they seem
a necessary part of the Faith of such as maintain the belief of such a sort of
Witches.
As the Scriptures know nothing of a covenanting or commissioning Witch,
so Reason cannot conceive how Mortals should by their Wickedness arrive at a
power to Commissionate Angels, Fallen Angels, against their Innocent
Neighbours. But the Scriptures are full in it, and the Instances numerous, that the
Almighty, Divine Being has this prerogative to make use of what Instrument he
pleaseth, in Afflicting any, and consequently to commissionate Devils: And tho
this word commissioning, in the Authors former Books, might be thought to be
by inadvertency; yet now after he hath been caution'd of it, still to persist in it
seems highly Criminal. And therefore in the name of God, I here charge such
belief as guilty of Sacriledge in the highest Nature, and so much worse than
stealing Church Plate, etc., As it is a higher Offence to steal any of the glorious
Attributes of the Almighty, to bestow them upon Mortals, than it is to steal the
Utensils appropriated to his Service. And whether to ascribe such power of
commissioning Devils to the worst of Men, be not direct Blasphemy, I leave to
others better able to determine. When the Pharisees were so wicked as to ascribe
to Beelzebub, the mighty works of Christ (whereby he did manifestly shew forth
his Power and Godhead) then it was that our Saviour declar'd the Sin against the
Holy Ghost to be unpardonable.
When the Righteous God is contending with Apostate Sinners, for their
departures from him, by his Judgments, as Plagues, Earthquakes, Storms and
Tempests, Sicknesses and Diseases, Wars, loss of Cattle, etc. Then not only to
ascribe this to the Devil, but to charge one another with sending or
commissionating those Devils to these things, is so abominable and so wicked,
that it requires a better Judgment than mine to give it its just denomination.
But that Christians so called should not only charge their fellow Christians
therewith, but proceed to Tryals and Executions; crediting that Enemy to all
Goodness, and Accuser of the Brethren, rather than believe their Neighbours in
their own Defence; This is so Diabolical a Wickedness as cannot proceed, but
from a Doctrine of Devils; how far damnable it is let others discuss. Tho such
things were acting in this
Country in Sir Williams time, yet p. 65. there is a Discourse of a Guardian
Angel, as then over-seeing it, which notion, however it may suit the Faith of
Ethnicks,
[344] or the fancies of
Trithemius,
[345] it is certain that the Omnipresent Being
stands not in need as Earthly Potentates do, of governing the World by
Vicegerents. And if Sir William had such an Invisible pattern to imitate, no
wonder tho some of his Actions were unaccountable, especially those relating to
Witchcraft: For if there was in those Actions an Angel super-intending, there is
little reason to think it was Gabriel or the Spirit of Mercury, nor Hanael the
Angel or Spirit of Venus, nor yet Samuel the Angel or Spirit of Mars; Names
feigned by the said Trithemius, etc. It may rather be thought to be Apollyon, or
Abaddon.
Obj.[346] But here it will be said, “What,
are there no Witches? Do's not the Law of God command that they should be
extirpated? Is the Command vain and Unintelligible?” Sol.[347] For any to say that a Witch is one that makes a
compact with, and Commissions Devils, etc., is indeed to render the Law of God
vain and Unintelligible, as having provided no way whereby they might be
detected, and proved to be such; And how the Jews waded thro this difficulty for
so many Ages, without the Supplement of Mr. Perkins and Bernard thereto,
would be very mysterious. But to him that can read the Scriptures without
prejudice from Education, etc., it will manifestly appear that the Scripture is full
and Intelligible, both as to the Crime and means to detect the culpable. He that
shall hereafter see any person, who to confirm People in a false belief, about the
power of Witches and Devils, pretending to a sign to confirm it, such as knocking
off of invisible Chains with the hand, driving away Devils by brushing, striking
with a Sword or Stick, to wound a person at a great distance, etc., may
(according to that head of Mr. Gauls, quoted by Mr. C. M. and so often herein
before recited, and so well proved by Scripture) conclude that he has seen
Witchcraft performed.
If Baalam became a Sorcerer by Sacrifizing and Praying to the true God
against his visible people; Then he that shall pray that the afflicted (by their
Spectral Sight) may accuse some other Person (whereby their reputations and
lives may be indangered) such will justly deserve the Name of a Sorcerer. If any
Person pretends to know more then[348] can be known by humane means, and
professeth at the same time that they have it from the Black-Man, i. e. the Devil, and shall from hence give Testimony
against the Lives of others, they are manifestly such as have a familiar Spirit; and
if any, knowing them to have their Information from the Black-Man, shall be
inquisitive of them for their Testimony against others, they therein are dealing
with such as have a Familiar-Spirit.
And if these shall pretend to see the dead by their Spectral Sight, and others
shall be inquisitive of them, and receive their Answers what it is the dead say,
and who it is they accuse, both the one and the other are by Scripture Guilty of
Necromancy.
These are all of them crimes as easily proved as any whatsoever, and that
by such proof as the Law of God requires, so that it is no Unintelligible
Law.
But if the Iniquity of the times be such, that these Criminals not only
Escape Indemnified,[349] but are Incouraged in their Wickedness, and made use of
to take away the Lives of others, this is worse than a making the Law of God
Vain, it being a rendring of it dangerous, against the Lives of Innocents, and
without all hopes of better, so long as these Bloody Principles remain.
As long as Christians do Esteem the Law of God to be Imperfect, as not
describing that crime that it requires to be Punish'd by Death;
As long as men suffer themselves to be Poison'd in their Education, and be
grounded in a False Belief by the Books of the Heathen;
As long as the Devil shall be believed to have a Natural Power, to Act
above and against a course of Nature;
As long as the Witches shall be believed to have a Power to Commission
him;
As long as the Devils Testimony, by the pretended afflicted,
shall be received as more valid to Condemn, than their Plea of Not Guilty to
acquit;
As long as the Accused shall have their Lives and Liberties confirmed and
restored to them, upon their Confessing themselves Guilty;
As long as the Accused shall be forc't to undergo Hardships and Torments
for their not Confessing;
As long as Tets for the Devil to Suck are searched for upon the Bodies of
the accused, as a token of guilt;
As long as the Lords Prayer shall be profaned, by being made a Test, who
are culpable;
As long as Witchcraft, Sorcery, Familiar Spirits, and Necromancy, shall
be improved to discover who are Witches, etc.,
So long it may be expected that Innocents will suffer as Witches.
So long God will be Daily dishonoured, And so long his Judgments must
be expected to be continued.
Finis
