The opinion of witchcraft vindicated in an answer to a book intituled The question of witchcraft debated : being a letter to a friend / by R.T. R. T. 1670 Approx. 68 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 33 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A64198 Wing T50 ESTC R37869 17150414 ocm 17150414 105893 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A64198) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105893) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1160:4) The opinion of witchcraft vindicated in an answer to a book intituled The question of witchcraft debated : being a letter to a friend / by R.T. R. T. [2], 63 p. Printed by E.O. for Francis Haley ..., London : 1670. "Licensed November 20, 1669. Roger L'Estrange." Reproduction of original in the Cambridge University Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Wagstaffe, John, 1633-1677. -- Question of witchcraft debated. Witchcraft -- England -- Early works to 1800. Theology, Doctrinal. 2003-09 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-09 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-10 Mona Logarbo Sampled and proofread 2003-10 Mona Logarbo Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE OPINION OF WITCHCRAFT Vindicated . In an Answer to a Book Intituled the Question of WITCHCRAFT Debated . Being a Letter to a Friend . By R. T. Licensed November 20. 1669. Roger L' Estrange . LONDON , Printed by E. O. for Francis Haley , and are to be sold at his Shop at the corner of Chancery-lane in Holborn , 1670. THE Opinion of Witchcraft VINDICATED . SIR , I Received yours , and with it that little treatise of Witchcraft , which you were pleased to send me : which when I had opened , I found the Author in his Preface , laying about him like a Hercules furens , or an Ajax mastigophorus , and charging his opposers with no less than Paganisme , acknowledging a plurality of Gods , and ascribing omnipotency to the Devil . This he doubts not but he shall make good with the same ease as he asserts it , and promises himself and his Reader , to force a surrender at the first assault . But his batteries are not of force enough to effect it , his strongest arguments being little better than an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and his whole Book standing upon no firmer ground than his own Supposals . The vast confidence which he seems to have in the strength of his Arguments , had made me arm my self with a more than ordinary care and circumspection for the sharp encounter I was like to receive from this great Goliah , but I have since found that I may lay aside those heavy Arms , and that a stone and a sling will serve the turn . At the entrance of his Book he layes before you the necessity , in which the Eastern Empire stood , of Juggling tricks and Impostures , to uphold it's greatness ; and that the heathen Priests were by continual practice arrived to that perfection in cheating , that they stood not in need of the Devils assistance : from hence he would infer that the answers given at Oracles , were no other than cheats put upon the people , and the Priests inventions . But 't is very improbable that the Devil , who had the liberty of possessing so many Bodies ( as we find he had by several undeniable instances of the New-Testament ) should be debarred that of a wicked Idolatrous Priest , or the shrines of the heathen Gods , or , that if he had that freedom , he would not make use of it , for the establishing of his own Kingdom . After this he tells you of the great variety of Impostures used by them , all which he reduces to four heads , viz. Juggling , Inchanting , Conjecturing , and Divining . Of these he gives you definitions , ad arbitrium , and you must take them on his word , as if that were as uncontroulable as the Laws of the Medes and Persians , he sayes that a Familiar was no Devil , but a confederated person , privy to the plot , and assistant to the performance . I do not deny but some cheats of this Nature have been , and yet are in the World , but he that from hence concludes that all are so , is but a bad Logician . For my part , I cannot be convinc'd by such an Argument , when I find ( as I shall endeavour to prove ) both the testimonies of Scripture and History against it . Nor indeed , is there any probability , that the Heathen Priests could so readily give answers to all questions ( put to them or the sudden , and ex improvise ) as to keep up the credit of their Oracles to that height they were at for many Ages together : neither may we easily suppose that this miraculous Art of cheating could be conveyed from one Priest to another , and not one of so many thousands discover the deceit to the World ; and that of so great a number , all should be so ready witted , as to give their answers at a venture , and yet with so much cunning , as that whatever happen'd , the Oracles should not be taxed with falshood , which I believe our Author , if he were put to it , would find something harder to perform than he seems to think it . Yet all this he easily believes they did , and by such tricks magnified their Idols , and seduced the common people , for which cause they were so great an abomination before God , as that in the Law given by Moses , he so strictly gave in charge to the Israelites , the rooting them out from among them . To this purpose he quotes the eighteenth Chapter of Deuteronomy , the ninth , tenth , eleventh , and twelfth verses . And this he thinks to be as considerable a place as any can be brought from the whole Bible for the proof of Witches . Here therefore he takes occasion to fall foul with our Translatours of the Bible , for that , sayes he , they have falsly Translated the tenth and eleventh verses , making them more significant to that purpose than they are in the Original . Wherefore I think it will not be much amiss to compare the Authors Translation of those two Verses and ours with the Hebrew so far as they differ one from the other : ours runs thus . There shall not be found among you any that maketh his Son , or his Daughter to pass through the fire , or that useth Divinations , or an observer of times , or an Inchanter , or a Witch . Or a Charmer , or a Consulter with familiar Spirits , or Wizards , or a Necromancer . Now the main difference ( for I pass by those of less concernment ) is that instead of a Witch , in the tenth verse this Author has put the word miracle-monger ; and for a Consulter with familiar Spirits , a seeker of an Oracle . Now in these places he seems much to blame , for having so peremptorily charg'd the learned Translatours of the Bible with a false interpretation , making himself the only Judge in the sense of the original , and refusing any translation that suites not with his fancy , meerly for that reason . Now the original being rightly considered , we shall find but little difference between it and our translation , as in that of a Witch , the Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , coming from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which word , if we may believe the best Hebricians , signifies Witchcraft , or fascination : for so Buxtorfe , and Xantes Pagninus understand it , expounding it by these words , fascinum , maleficium , and Praestigium : and so Pagninus in his translation of the Bible , in which he endeavour'd to come as near the sense of the original , as was possible for him , has in this very place expounded the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Maleficus , which is the same with our word Witch ; Iunius and Tremellius render it , Praestigiator , which has the same signification with the other , though our Author takes it for no more than a meer Juggler , or to use his word , a miracle-monger . But the word has more in it than so , for though it be true , that every Praestigiator is a miracle-monger , a Juggler , or a Coozner , yet as we find it alwayes used in Authors , it implyes a doing of those deceits by Witchcraft . As for what he sayes of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Septuagint , that it signifies an Impostor , I cannot at all conceive why he should so positively assert it , or at least why I should believe it , except he could prove from good Authors , that the genuine signification of the word is so ; for I do not at all find it any otherwise than our word Witch has that signification , for it is certain that Witches are the greatest Impostors of the World : and he were extremely irrational , that would believe that the Devil does really those things which many times he seems to do , and that it is in his power to transform the bodies of men and women into those of Dogs , or Cats , or any other Creatures . Yet as we cannot deny but the Devil , having a greater insight into natural Phylosophy than ever yet any man has attain'd to , may perform those things by natural means , which will yet be beyond the reach of those who are in the highest rank among us , and have gone farthest in the wayes of nature , so we may easily believe , that he is more cunning in his tricks , whereby he deceives the senses , and that many times he seems to change the outward forms of bodies , when he only deceives the sight by the interposition of colours , and condensation of air , between the eyes of the beholders and the object , or many other wayes which to us are altogether unknown : But for us to deny that the Devil can do such things , only because we cannot tell how they are done , or to say that he must be omnipotent , to deceive our weak senses , is so far from a rational argument , that nothing but the want of reason can produce such ridiculous fancies . But to proceed , the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sayes he , in this place signifies an Impostour , not a poysoner , for it is ridiculous to think that King Manasseth , and Queen Iezabel , exercis'd the Art of poysoning . Now I find it not at all necessary to say that they used the Art of poysoning , though we deny that they were meer Jugglers : yet I see nothing so ridiculous in that assertion as he does ; for it may with reason enough be supposed , that Witches do , by their confederated Devils , infuse poysonous and noxious humours into those bodies which they desire to hurt : and 't is likely that Manasseth and Iezabel , being practitioners in that Art , were not wanting in any thing that belong'd to their profession . Now where he sayes that these miracle-mongers ( as he calls them ) were so severely prohibited in the Law of Moses , because they acted strange things in the sight of the people , to confirm them in a false Religion , I can easily grant him that this was one cause , but that it was the onely cause I cannot readily believe , since the Art was in it self wicked , and most detestable ; and by consequence so displeasing to God , that he would not suffer it among his people : and besides , I do not think that it was the design of all those that professed this Art , to establish a false Religion , but rather that they did it for gain , by fore-telling things to come , as 't is likely the Witch of Endor did . As for what he objects of their being coupled together with Sooth-sayers , many times in those places of Scripture , where mention is made of Idolatry , it is not at all strange , for where should we so reasonable expect to find those wicked Artists , as with an Idolatrous and ungodly people . And we may easily think , that the Devil when he finds a people inclin'd to Idolatry will not be wanting to the farther deceiving of them , so far as his false miracles and lying wonders can conduce to it : But to conclude from hence , he seems to do , that they were prohibited meerly for upholding it , I see no colour of reason . But here I find my Author endeavouring to perswade the World that Pharaoh's Magicians were nothing else but Jugglers , and brought Serpents in their sleeves or pockets to make a fool of Pharaoh , by conveying them into the place of their sticks by some slye trick of Legerdemain . But I find much difficulty in this cheat ; for first , I cannot possibly believe , that Moses and Aaron told the Magcians before hand what it was they intended to do , and if not , how it came to pass that they were provided of necessaries for such a cheat ; and were so ready at Pharaoh's call , without so much as desiring time to catch the Serpents , and to pull out their stings , for fear of the worst ( for otherwise it had been a kind of jeasting with edged tools . ) But to be so quick at it , was I believe an Art beyond the reach of modern Jugglers , But suppose they were furnished with all things requisite , I cannot see how that could serve their turns , for we read in the Text , they did as Aaron had done , for they cast down every man his Rod , and it became a Serpent ; and in the Hebrew it is the same , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 et projacerunt unusquisque , virgam suam , and the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By these I think it plainly appears that the Magicians cast down Rods , which afterwards became , or at least seemed to be turn'd into Serpents . Now I believe , our Author will have enough to do , to show by what means those miracle-mongers could make their Rods seem to the eyes of Pharaoh , and the other Spectators , after they had thrown them down , to be chang'd into Serpents , and to think that when they had once cast them out of their hands , they could recover them again , and lay Serpents in their places ( except they could have shown Pharaoh and his attendants , some pretty thing upon the Wall , to employ their eyes in the mean time ) is a whimsey beyond the reach of imagination . And though we suppose , that Pharaoh and his Nobles were such fools , yet Moses and Aaron were wise men , and one would think , being concerned themselves , might have so carefully observed them as to discover it . But if we could possibly conceive , that notwithstanding all those difficulties , it might be a meer Juggle , the Gordian knot is yet behind , which I will present to our Author to unty ( if he can ) which is that he would be pleas'd to tell me by what kind of Legerdemain these men could turn the waters of the Rivers into blood , or if by any pretty slight of hand they could make the Frogs come up from the Waters upon the Land of Egypt : and if they could , why they were to seek at the bringing of Lice , for to humane reason this seems as easie as either of the other two . Here methinks I find mine Author at a stand ; and because he has not his answer ready , I would advise him in the mean time to say ; that certainly that these Magicians dealt with the Devil , by whose assistance they 〈◊〉 thus far in opposition to Moses and Aaron , but that here God ( without whose permission the Devil can do nothing ) thought good to set his bounds that he might go no farther . And this , 't is probable , made them say that the finger of God was in it , because they found that power by which they acted , restrain'd by a greater : for if they had done these things by slight of hand , they would only have thought that Moses and Aaron were more cunning Jugglers than themselves , without acknowledging that it was the finger of God that did it . But I find him yet very unwilling to yield , because , sayes he , whosoever believes that the Devil could turn these staves into Serpents , ascribes to him an omnipotent creating power : But if this be all he sticks at , I shall quickly remove that obstacle , by showing upon how little reason it is founded ; for first let him consider the vast difference which is between creating all things of nothing , and changing one thing into another : for by creating we understand the giving of the first being , and making not onely the thing , but the matter also , of which it is compos'd . Now I see nothing of this ascribed to the Devil by that opinion . Secondly , let him observe that many times such changes are seen in nature , Serpents being bred of the corruption of other bodies , even of rotten Trees and sticks : and the Devil having had time enough to search into the wayes of Nature , might probably follow the same steps which she treads in changes of this kind , though he might go faster , and be sooner at his journeys end : and seeing no man has yet attain'd to that perfection in Natural Philosophy , as to know the thousandth part of what may be done by natural means , it is but vanity in any one to measure the time which is requisite , for such a production being wrought by Supernatural Agents , especially seeing no man knows the means by which it is done ( for would not that man make himself extremely ridiculous , that should with an ignorant confidence affirm that 't is impossible to take the Copy of a Book by any means sooner than by writing , because he never knew the Art of Printing ? ) Now if he grants that the seed of a Serpent is in a stick , and that the Devil of this seed may produce a Serpent ( as he seems to do ) and that sooner than they are form'd by Nature , for he confesses that Devils may strangely promote the generation of several Creatures , if I say this be granted , I may as well say that he can do it in a minute . For if by his great skill he can find out wayes of accelerating generation , why may not he improve those wayes , by the greatness of his skill so far as to do that in an hour , which nature does in a year : for to say , that in regard the Devils do these things by application of matter to matter , they cannot produce a Creature of it's seed without such a space of time as to us seems convenient , is to measure the Devils knowledge by our own , and to fathom the depth of Nature by the short line of our understandings . But I see no necessity of believing that the Devil chang'd those Rods into Serpents , neither do I believe it , but rather think that it was a meer illusion and deceit of the Devils , who might either deceive the lookers on with an appearance of what was not really there , or by placing true Serpents instead of the staves . And now I would not have this Author take me up , and say that if I once recede from the letter of the Text , he may as well say 't is a Juggle of the Magicians , for I have already said that it is not at all conceivable , that it was possible for the Magicians to do it by meer humane Art , in regard that when they threw them down , they were yet staves ; but though we deny that it could be done by them , we may yet believe that the Devil has both agility , and subtilty enough to effect it . But if he will , after all this , believe that the Magicians might , by slight of hand , conveigh away the staves , and lay Serpents in their places , certainly he cannot think that they turn'd the waters into blood , and brought up Frogs by slight ; for I cannot see how they could carry Frogs enough about them to strew the Land with , neither do I believe the Author himself can guess how it might be done , because he silently pass'd by this place of Scripture . As for the interpretation which he has given to the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by their tricks , ( thinking from thence to infer that they were no other that the tricks of the Magicians , though such an inference is of small force , it properly signifies by their Inchantments ; and so Iunius and Tremellius , Arias Montanus , and Pagninus expound it , all three in the same words , Incantationibus suis , and in this his exposition of it he differs from most , if not all Translatours . I am of the same opinion with him where he sayes the Scripture speaks oftentimes according to the deceived apprehensions of men , and I cannot deny but it may be so in this expression of the slaves being turn'd into Serpents ; but that it is so , as he affirms , in that of Samuels being raised when Saul came to consult the Witch of Endor , I cannot say , for the Scripture sayes not that the Witch raised Samuel , and that he was sent by God , is not so very improbable as he would make it : for though God to shew his displeasure against Saul , had refused to answer when he enquired of him , there is no reason from thence to conclude that he did not at this time send Samuel to him , seeing God might do it for many reasons unknown to us : And 't is probable that if he had at first answered Saul ( though he had received the same answer as he did now from the mouth of Samuel ) he had not been stricken with so great a sence of his sin , and of Gods anger against him , as by being first reduced to the extreamity of not knowing what to do , or whither to go for counsel , because God had refused to answer him . And to say that 't is unlikely that God would answer him when he sought in a forbidden way , is vain , for we see that he did the same , in sending Elijah to meet the Messengers of Ahaziah , when they were going to enquire of Beelzebub , in the first Chapter of the second book of the Kings . But we must not look for a reason of all Gods actions ; we find that many times his great wisdom sees good to do those things which to us seem very strange , and unaccountable . Besides 't is no small motive to perswade us that it was Samuel , that the Witch cryed out , as at some unexpected accident , being , it may be , frighten'd at the sight of one whom she so little expected : and this , 't is probable , made her say that she had seen a God coming up from the Earth , meaning a blessed Spirit . As for his Argument drawn from Samuels words , Why hast thou disquieted me ? That he was not sent by God , seeing that could have been no trouble to him , it is of no force at all , for those words were spoken to Saul's capacity , and as being words of course , importing no more than if he had said , why hast thou not suffered my Body to rest ? that is , lye still in the grave : and the Hebrew word in this place implyes no more than , why hast thou mov'd me to come up : So this phrase of dead bodies , resting , and being disturbed , is usual with us , though we know that they are not at all sensible of repose , or disquiet . But if it were not Samuel , 't is very irrational to believe that it was either the Witch , or any confederated person , for two reasons ; first , because it is said in the Scripture , that Saul knew that it was Samuel , and he bowed himself ; for it is not imaginable that any man could so change his face , as that Saul , ( who questionless was well enough acquainted with Samuels countenance ) could be deceiv'd by it : and to think that Saul saw him not is as ridiculous , for then why did he bow himself ? Secondly , because he foretold Saul's Death ; for if , as this Author supposes , it had been said by the Woman at a venture , the more cunning way had been to have told him that he should live , for then if he had died , who could have accused her of falshood ? If he had liv'd she had told the truth : But to tell him positively that he should dye , and not only himself , but his Sons too , and this with a limitation of time , to morrow , was something too much to be spoken at a venture . The second difference between our Translation and the Authors is , where he puts a seeker of an Oracle , for a Consulter with familiar Spirits . Here he tells you that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken in Scripture sometimes for the gift of Oracling , sometimes for the person that has such a gift : this is as much , and no more , than if he had told you that he is pleas'd to understand it so ; I confess as an Oracler may be understood , that is , for one that takes and gives answers from the Devil , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , may have that signification ; for ob properly signifies a Daemon , or an evil Spirit , and so the best Hebricians expound it : now this being the true sence of the word ob , I see no reason for blaming our Translatours , who have not at all erred from the Original in this place . But he understands an Oracler otherwise , to wit , for one that gave answers at a venture , and only followed the dictates of his own fancy , counterfeiting strange voices , thereby to deceive the people , &c. And so he interprets the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but how they came by that signification I cannot tell , for I find it no where but in his Book . And from the Scripture I think the contrary may be gather'd , viz. That ob and Python , are taken for an evil Spirit that possess'd the person Divining , and not for the person himself ; we read in Leviticus , the twentieth Chapter , and the twenty seventh verse , and a Man or a Woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there is in them a Python ; which words [ in them ] seem to imply something of this Nature , and that the ob was some distinct being from the person in whom it was , for he could not be in himself . And we find in some old Translations , where mention is made of Saul's turning the Witches out of Israel , 't is said , Et qui Pythones habebant in ventre . But whosoever reads the sixteenth Chapter of the Acts of the Holy Apostles , will be fully confirm'd that this is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , except he himself be possessed with a spirit of contradiction , for he there shall find that as St. Paul was walking he met a Maid , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a Spirit of Divination ( as our Translation renders it ) and in the eighteenth verse , Paul turning himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he said to the Spirit , I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her , and it came out that same hour . This methinks shews plainly to any body but our Author , that this kind of Divining was done by the help of the Devil . But it may be he will say ( for I know no other way that he can answer it ) that she did but deceive the people by counterfeiting strange voices , and speaking in a bottle , or some such Juggle , and that where St. Paul bid the Spirit come out of her , it is to be understood , that he bid her Juggling tricks come out of her . But to those that rightly consider this place , it will plainly appear that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was no other than a Devil ; and this being true , I see no reason to deny that the Witch of Endor was possessed with the same Spirit ; or that the Pythons of Manasses were Familiar Spirits . Thus I have almost done with his first Chapter . But I cannot pass by one argument which he uses , without taking notice of it ; for I cannot tell , sayes he , how Witches come in here , no , not how Devils neither , except you believe that the Devils made answer at Heathen Oracles , which if you do , I must crave leave to dissent : truly no man can deny him this leave , and he may dissent when he pleases , but I do not conceive my self obliged to follow his example ; for if they were , as he supposes , onely Jugling tricks of the Priests , I cannot imagine how it came to pass that they ceas'd so suddenly after our Saviours time : beginning sensibly to fall away at the time of his Birth , and since his Death being wholly extinguish'd . For the first , we find something considerable in Suidas , who writes that Augustus , who liv'd at the time of our Saviours Birth , as he enquired of an Oracle concerning his Successour , had this answer given him . — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . In English — A Boy Of Hebrew race , whom the blest Gods obey , Bids me go hence to Hell without delay , In silence from our Altars go thy way . Hereupon Augustus at his return commanded that an Altar should be built in the Capitol , with this inscription . HAEC EST ara primogeniti Dei. Now if this story may be credited , it makes very much for the opinion of the Devils answering at the heathen Oracles , and this answer is not at all like the fancy of a Juggling Priest , it being neither for the Priests Interest , nor the credit of the Oracle . Thus we see how soon they began to decay upon our Saviours coming : and we find another story to this purpose , which happen'd at the time of his Crucifixion , in Plutarchs Morals , that part which is intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , why Oracles are ceased , where he sayes , that a certain company sailing from Greece towards Italy , were suddenly becalmed , and heard a voice calling one Thamus , who was an Egyptian , and at that time in the Ship ; but he being called twice gave no answer , but at the third time he said here am I ; whereupon the voice bid him , when he came at the ( Shelves in the Ionian Seas which are called ) Palodes , to publish that the great God Pan was dead ; then the Ship going forward , he did as he was commanded ; for coming to the Palodes , he publish'd it from the poop of the Ship ; after which immediately followed a great noise of many shreeking and lamenting together . This being told to Tiberius the Emperour , he enquired of the wise men of his Empire , who this great God Pan should be , but they could give him no better answer , than that he was the Son of Mercury and Penelope . But the circumstances being considered , it was thought by the wiser sort to be our blessed Saviour , this happening just at that time when he dyed upon the Cross ; the Devils making this great lamentation , for that they were from that time to quit those Oracles by which they had so long deceiv'd the World. But however it was , we are certain that from that time they began to decay extremely , and in a short time came to nothing ; and the famous Oracle of Delphos was silent in Iuvenal's time , as we may see by that expression of his , Delphi Oracula cessant : This their general silence is no small Argument that there was something more in them than our Author supposes ; for if they had been no more than such deceits as he speaks of , I see no reason why they might not have been acted as well since our Saviours time as before , for we do not find that men are debarred the liberty of cheating , or that they are less cunning now than they were then . But it is probable that God would not suffer the Devil to stand in such open opposition to his Sons Kingdom , and to carry on the interest of the Kingdom of darkness , where the Sun of Righteousness was risen , and the light of the Gospel was made manifest . Now by the Title of his second Chapter he would make you believe that he there proves , that the Opinion of Witches had it's beginning from the Heathen fables , but when you come to the Chapter it self , there is no such thing ; indeed he tells you a story of one Lamia , whose Children were killed by Iuno , and that she out of spight used to kill those of other Women , and that from thence Witches ( being called Lamiae ) had their Original : thus , a man who had never seen a Swan , might dispute against their being , and say that the fancy of Swans had it's first rise from Ovid's Metamorphosis , because he there speaks of one Cyenus , who was chang'd into the first Bird of that name . But the weakness of this Argument is so obvious , that it stands not in need of a confutation : then he tels you how far the folly of men ( as he calls it ) has proceeded in their belief concerning the Actions of Witches , as if , says he , they could transform Men and Women into Beasts , as if they could destroy the fruits of the Earth , and the fruit of the Womb , &c. I am of opinion that the most rational assertors of Witchcraft are as far from believing that the practisers of it can change the bodies of Men and Women into those of Beasts , as he is , though the common people that search no farther than the outward senses can discover , may believe it . But I see no reason why we should not allow the Devil a little more cunning than Pharaoh's Magicians , for he grants that they by meer humane Art could so far deceive the Spectatours , as to make them believe that their Staves were turned into Serpents ; and I think the Devil may go far beyond them in the Art of Juggling , as to do the same with the bodies of Men and Women : Besides , the Devil has those advantages which they had not , for being a Spirit , he can take to himself a body of what form he pleases , which he may afterwards transform to any other shape ; so that when we think we see the body of a Witch transformed , it may be only the Vehicle of the Devil in her likeness . And that he can destroy the fruits of the Earth , or of the Womb , and enable or disenable in matters venerial , seems not at all hard to be believ'd , seeing humane Art can reach so far : as for his raising of Winds and Tempests , we need no other Argument than that example we have in the first Chapter of Iob , to convinee us of it : Besides , that he is called in Scripture the Prince of the Air , is something considerable to this purpose ; and 't is probable that he may as easily cause Lightnings and Thunder , as he could bring down fire in such abundance upon Iob's Servants and Cattel , as to consume them : now when we find in Scripture , that Winds and Tempests have been rais'd by him , I think it is a sufficient warrant for us to believe that he can do it . Then he tells you that examples of this prodigious power are scatter'd up and down the Roman Poets , and quotes you two whole sides out of Ovid , Virgil , Horace , Tibullus , Propertius , and Lucan , and alas , all this stir to very little ( or to speak more truly , to no ) purpose ; but onely to shew that these Poets did speak of those things , and that indeed he has very clearly demonstrated : But I will not so much as suppose that he meant from hence to conclude that nothing of this Nature is true , for then I might think that he would say , the World had no beginning , because Ovid writes of it . But sayes he , the ingenious Poets themselves , nor the wiser sort of Heathens , did not believe these things ; and what then ? I hope he will not say that we must believe no more than the wiser sort of Heathens did ; for if he does ( to use his own words ) I must crave leave to dissent . He says he could instance in many more of the Ancients ( and all , I believe , to as much purpose as these . ) But he will conclude with Nero the Emperour , who having studied the Art of Magick , did at last despise it as vain , and promising more than it can perform . But what is this to the purpose , for it is no Argument to say , Nero could not be a Witch , Ergo , there are no Witches ; it may be the Devil thought Nero sure enough without a contract , and 't is likely that he will not engage himself in such bargains when it is no advantage to him . Besides , the Devil will not appear to Atheists , for fear of undeceiving them , and it may be he took this course to confirm Nero in the belief that there was neither God nor Devils ; and it may be that if he had made a contract with Nero , he would have required more at his hands than our Witches do , or then he was able to perform ; for his ambitious mind could not have contented it self with such petty practices as theirs are ; for he had already wherewithall to satisfie himself in the enjoyment of Worldly pleasures , and he stood not in need of the Devils help or any tricks of Witchcraft to wreak his fury upon those that had offended him : But the Devil usually takes advantage of poor silly wretches , over-ruled by malice and desire of revenge , and wanting means to execute their malicious designs , whom if he can satisfie in this particular , and in the accomplishing of their inordinate lusts and pleasures , they aim no farther . But I need not insist upon this ; it is enough to say , that his not being a Witch , is no Argument against the being of Witches in general . His third Chapter is nothing but the story of the first setting up of the inquisition , and of their proceedings ; where he tells you what a great number of Witches were then discover'd , and supposes them to have been all innocent , having their confessions extorted from them by extremity of torment : truly I cannot say any thing to the contrary , but weak spirits may by torture be brought to confess any thing ; and I verily believe that many innocent persons suffered by this cruel way of proceeding , as well as those which were guilty ; but I cannot from thence conclude that none were guilty , either there or any where else , no more than I can say that because many at Amboyna were forced by torture to confess that they had conspired against the Governour , there are no Traytors in the World ; so that I think I may pass by this Chapter , and come to the fourth , which by the Title seems more considerable ; for that tells you that there are Arguments to prove that there is no such thing as a Witch in Scripture , as also to prove that there is no such thing as a Witch at all . Now because he has yet said nothing towards it , I suppose he has reserved his greatest strength for this Chapter ; so that if I can come off here without harm , I shall think my business done ; wherefore it will not be amiss to take these Arguments into consideration . The first , says he , shall be taken from the difference which is between our vulgarly reputed Witches , and those which our Translatours of the Bible call so ; for who be they , but the Kings , Queens , and Princes of this World ? Whereas now adayes , they are poor , silly , and contemptible persons . Now let any rational person judge if there be any force in this Argument : for supposing this to be true , there will follow nothing from hence to his purpose ; for his Argument rightly considered sounds thus , Our Translatours of the Bible call none but Kings , Queens , and Princes , Witches . Our Witches now adayes are poor , contemptible persons . Ergo , there is no such thing as a Witch in Scripture . This is a strange sort of Argument to be brought by a rational man , and stands rather in need of pity than an answer : yet to satisfie him I will say thus much ; that he ought to consider that the Scripture mentions the Witchcrafts of Kings and Queens , as being the more considerable , and such as concern'd all Israel in general ; and also , that in writing their lives , these practices of theirs could not be omitted : Now it was not at all requisite that the Scripture should speak of every old Woman in Israel , that was a Witch , since it was nothing pertinent to the story : this I say might serve to answer him , supposing his assertion to be true , that the Scripture makes mention of no other Witches but Kings and Queens ; but that is not apparent ; for where the story required it , we find that the Scripture does take notice of meaner persons that practised this Art , as in that passage of the Witch of Endor ; as also where it is said that Saul turn'd them all out of Israel , for we cannot suppose that he turn'd out so many Kings and Queens ; but we may easily think that many of them were poor contemptible persons , as well as some of ours . But seeing there is nothing in this Argument to stop me , I will pass to the second , which is drawn from the Sadduces , who denyed Spirits , and the Resurrection of the Dead , yet had the five Books of Moses in great esteem among them ; wherefore , sayes he , either they did not understand Hebrew , or the notion of a Witch does not appear in Scripture . This Argument is as weak as the other , for if he means that there is no mention of Spirits in Scripture , the contrary is easily proved , what ever the Sadduces thought ; and it is very manifest from many places of Scripture that there were both good and evil Spirits : in the nineteenth Chapter of Genesis , and the first verse , it is said that two Angels came to Sodom ; so in the thirty second Chapter , and the first verse , Iacob went on his way , and the Angels of God met him ; so we read that Iacob , in his dream , saw a Ladder that reacht from Earth to Heaven , and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it : many other places there are where mention is made of the Angels of God : Now in the seventeenth of Leviticus , and the seventh verse , it is said , and they shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils ; and in the thirty second of Deuteronomy , and the seventeenth , they Sacrificed to Devils , not unto God ; and other examples of this kind might be produced ; yet by his Argument nothing of all this should be found in Scripture . Now if he once yields ( as he must do ) that the notion of a Devil appears in Scripture , for what end serves his Argument drawn from the Sadduces , but to shew that they were in an errour , and mis-understood the Bible : But I cannot be convinced that the Sadduces denied the being of Spirits in general , though we read that they deny'd the Resurrection , or that there was either Angel or Spirit , for that has reference only to the Spirits of Dead men ; for if they had denied all Spirits and Angels , 't is not likely that our Saviour would have told them , as he did , that men in the Resurrection should be as the Angels of God , for what would such a comparison have signified to those who denied that there were such things as Angels . Now if we believe that they acknowledged any Spirits , whence can we draw an Argument to prove that they denyed the being of Devils . But whatever the opinion of the Sadduces was , we are not to be governed by their Judgment , in deciding whether or no the notion of a Witch appears in Scripture , but by our own ; neither have we any great reason to rely upon their understanding of the Scriptures , though this Author sayes much for it ; seeing our Saviour tells them that they erred , not knowing the Scriptures . Now for his third and last Argument , which is taken from the different practices of those whom our Translatours call Witches , and those which are vulgarly supposed to be so ; for sayes he , our modern Witches practise an occult and secret Art , and 't is great Art to discover them , by several strange signs and horrid tortures ; but the others practis'd what they did openly and in the face of the World : I have this to answer , that he is extremely deceiv'd in this point , for that the Witch of Endor practis'd openly , is not to be imagined , seeing she was so cautious when Saul came to her , that she durst not do any thing till he had sworn to her that she should have no harm , but asked him why he laid a snare for her Life . And since the Law was so strict against them , as it is in the twentieth of Leviticus , and the twenty seventh verse , where it is said , A Man or a Woman that hath a Familiar Spirit thou shalt not suffer to live , but shalt stone him with stones , his blood shall be upon him ( I say where such a Law was in force ) it is not likely that this Art was practised openly , and in the face of the World , as he sayes , but that they were as private as ours are ▪ but , sayes he , if they were so , how impossible was it for Saul to turn them all out of Israel ? 'T is true indeed , it was impossible for him , neither did he , for the Witch of Endor was yet there ; and if one remained , there might be as well a hundred , or a thousand , notwithstanding his objection of the first of Samuel , and twenty eighth Chapter , where we read that Saul had put away those that had Familiar Spirits out of the Land , which must of necessity be understood , that he put the Law in Execution against them , putting all those to death which were discovered , so that they durst not practise openly ; and so he might well be said to put them out of the Land , though there were hundreds yet remaining , which practised secretly and by stealth , because he used all possible means for the rooting them out of Israel ; neither can he certainly say that Manasses practised this Art openly , for the Scripture onely sayes that he used Inchantments , and Divinations , and dealt with Familiar Spirits , which he might do privately , though he was a King : yet I can easily grant that when both King and people were wholly given up to Idolatry , and all other wickedness , any thing might be practised openly ; wherefore that hinders not but it might be the same Art which our Witches use now adayes , though practised in a different manner . Thus I have done with his Arguments , by which he endeavoured to prove that there is no such thing as a Witch in Scripture , and am now come to those by which he undertakes to prove that there is no such thing as a Witch at all . To his first I perceive I shall not need to say much , it being onely this ; that seeing there is no such thing in Scripture , it follows there is no such thing at all : therefore I shall onely say , that seeing the force of this Argument depends wholly upon those which went before , they being already answered , this may keep them company . Now he objects , that the Law of Moses being so strict against bestial and incestuous Concubinage , it would seem very strange , the Opinion of Witches being true , that it should not so much as mention Diabolical . To this I answer , that it is not at all strange that it should not mention particularities , when the whole Art is forbidden upon pain of Death ; for in that Law [ thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live ; ] this and all other their wicked Actions , were included . So that , whether it was Diabolical Copulation , or killing of Men or Beasts by Witchcrafts , or any other Action of this Nature , all was punish'd when the Witch was ston'd to death . His second Argument is taken from the miserable poverty of our vulgarly reputed Witches ; for , sayes he , I am not willing to believe that they have such a power with the Devil , as to make him do wonderful things at their command , when they cannot command him to fetch them money , &c. To this I answer , that certainly the Devil deludes these people with the enjoyment of all sorts of pleasures which they desire , if not in reality , at least in the imagination , which is all one to them , as if they were real . Now riches not being desirable for themselves alone , but onely as they conduce to a pleasant life , if they can obtain this without them , I see no reason why they should command the Devil to fetch them money : Besides , as they are people of a base and degenerate spirit , having no aim but malice and revenge , and the satisfying of their beastly lusts , and coming as near as is possible to the Nature of the Devils themselves , such a sordid way of living may be more suitable to their temper ; as also they may out of policy choose such an obscure and contemptible life to avoid suspition , and that they might have the greater freedom to practise their wicked Arts , their Actions not being so much pryed into , as those of more considerable persons . These reasons may suffice , though many more might be given for the removing of this objection . In the third place he sayes , that the opinion of Witchcraft is attended either with irrationality or impiety , for that it is irrational to think that the Devil being so full of malice , and breathing nothing but mischief against men , should suffer any man to live , when he can so easily kill us at the command of a Witch : To this I say , that the Devil cannot go beyond his Commission , and that it is in Gods power to stop the course of the Devils malice , when , and where he pleases . Besides , 't is very probable , that the Laws by which the Devils are governed , do not allow them that freedom ; for by that means the interest of the dark Kingdom would not be carried on , seeing it is the ruine of the Souls of men , not the destruction of their Bodies , by which it is established . So that cunning and slye temptations are more advantagious to this end , than open violence ; for if the Devil should take this course to wreak his malice upon men , they would be more sensible of his mischievous practices ; and finding themselves too weak to make resistance , it might be a means to draw them from their evil courses , and make them run to God for succour . This I say may be suppos'd , and it is enough to clear this opinion of irrationality , if we can guess at a reason why the Devil would not take this course , though he had his liberty of hurting whom he pleas'd ; but it is certain that neither Devils nor Witches can hurt us without Gods permission . But I see no such impiety in saying that God does many times permit such Actions ( as the Author seems to think there is , ) for then it were as impious to say that God suffers us to be tempted to sin ; yet we are certain that the Devil cannot do it without his permission ; as appears by that expression of St. Paul , He will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able , &c. So if we acknowledge that God is omnipotent , we must confess that no wickedness could be done in the World without his permission , seeing it is in his power to prevent it ; and there is no impiety in affirming that though God of his great mercy may preserve any man from falling into sin , yet he is not bound to do it , neither does he , as we see by daily experience ; and if we once grant that he suffers men to sin , where lyes the impiety of saying that he permits Witchcraft ? If we do not deny that God suffers one man to murther another , why should we not , without impiety , confess that he suffers Witches to do the same thing ? Certainly no reason can be given why it should be more impious to say that he permits one sin , then another ; and if not , I see none , why this opinion should be charged with either irrationality or impiety . His last objection is as malicious as it is frivolous ; for , sayes he , the opinion of Witchcraft being true , no man can be able by the light of reason to know if Christ were a Witch or no. But if he had considered the difference between the miracles wrought by the Holy Jesus , and the Impostures of Witches ; if he had considered the different ends to which they tend , if he had had any regard to the life and conversation of our Blessed Saviour , and that of an Impostor , the holiness of the one , and the wickedness of the other , if he had weigh'd the words of our Saviour , You shall know the Tree by it's fruit ; can one gather Grapes of Thornes , or Figgs of Thistles ? he might have spared this Objection . Who ever believed , of all the rational assertors of VVitchcraft , that an Impostor could infallibly cure all diseases by a word of his mouth , or a touch of his hand ? That he could raise the dead to life , after they had been so long buried as to stink in their Graves ? That he could feed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes ; that he could cause the Earth to tremble , and the Sun to be darkened at his death ? The graves of dead men to be opened , and their Bodies to arise to accompany him at his Resurrection ; finally , that he could raise himself after three dayes burial , and converse for some days with men , and at last gloriously to ascend up to Heaven in the sight of several witnesses . Methinks the manner of our Saviours Birth is enough to satisfie us in this particular , that he was born of a Virgin , that a glorious Star appeared over the place of his birth , that a company of Heavenly Angels were sent to proclaim it , as tidings of joy to the whole World ; and that the wise men being led by his Star , which they had seen in the East , came so far to worship him , and bring him presents . Much more might be said to shew the great difference between them ; but I think it is so visible to those who have read the life of our Saviour in the four Evangelists , that I shall not need to insist upon it ; I will onely add , that the sweetness of his disposition , the sincerity of his Doctrine , the holiness of his life and conversation , his transcendent knowledge , his zeal for the glory of God , and the Salvation of men , are infallible Testimonies to prove that he was no Imposter : So that , if whatever has been by the common people ascribed to Witches , which seems miraculous , were really true , and that they had done all , or more than has ever been believ'd of them ; yet should we have no reason to doubt of our Blessed Saviours Divinity ; and his faith that thinks so , is but weakly grounded , and in danger of being shaken by every strange Action , which is beyond the reach of his understanding . Our Saviour himself has told us that false Christs shall come , with signs and wonders able to deceive , if it were possible , the very Elect , which is enough to convince us , notwithstanding this Authors objection , that such miraculous Actions may be performed without a Divine commission , as may carry with them a great shew of Divine power ; but he is in a deplorable condition that from thence concludes that Christ Jesus might be an Impostor . Thus I have done with his objections ; after which he tells you his opinion of the Nature and power of Devils ; I believe , sayes he , that the Devils are aërial Creatures , and though they have more skill , strength , and agility than men , yet they act as men do by applying Natural Agents and Patients , one to the other , in this sublunary VVorld ; but as for the VVorld aetherial , or coelestial , I suppose they have no power there , but consequently that the wind bloweth when and where it listeth ; and that the seasons of the year are neither promoted nor hindred by them , or the fruits of the Earth : To this I answer , that I think it is apparent out of the first Chapter of Iob , that the Devil may raise winds and Tempests ; but I am of his opinion , that he cannot promote or hinder the seasons of the year , or alter the course of the Stars and Planets ; as for the last , touching the fruits of the Earth , he himself has said enough against it , in the eleventh page of his Book , where he sayes that men by their well ordering the seeds of Plants may strangely promote the generation of such Plants , and the ripening of their Fruits ; therefore he adds , the Devils being more skilful than men may strangely promote the generation of several Creatures . Thus having answered himself , he has sav'd me the labour ; and I see very little , or no reason that he has , to tax the affirmers of Witchcraft , with approaching to the opinion of the Persians , of two great principles of good and evil , both Almighty ; for by the opinion of Witchcraft , nothing of omnipotency is ascribed to the Devil , as he supposes ; and by this saying , he seems not to understand what is meant by omnipotency ; for any one Action , how strange soever it seems to us , cannot be an Argument to prove an omnipotency in the doer ; so to say , if the Devil can raise a wind , he must be omnipotent , is ridiculous , as much as if he said , I can blow with a pair of Bellows , Ergo , I am omnipotent ; I can do one thing , Ergo , I can do all things : if the Devil raises a wind , he does but Act upon natural Bodies , and by natural means , which requires nothing of omnipotency . So if he causes Thunders , or Lightnings , or if he changes one Body i●to another , he has still matter to work upon , and so long we may suppose any thing to be done without omnipotency , b●cause we know not how far the Laws of Nature are intended . Now for what he quotes out of the Ancyran council , it is not much to be regarded , for it seems not to have been intended against the opinion of Witches in general ; but to shew the folly of those Witches which believ'd the illusions of the Devil to be realities , and professed that in the night time they conversed with Diana , or some other heathen god , or goddess : for they feared lest by this their folly the common people might be led to the old errour of the heathens , in believing a plurality of gods : this seems very plain from the words of the Council ; — Quod quaedam sceleratae mulieres retro post sathanam conversae , daemonum illusionibus , & phantasmatibus seductae , se nocturnis horis cum Diana Paganorum Dea , &c. super quasdam bestias equitare ; and a little after , nam innumera multitudo hac falsa opinione decepta , haec vera esse credit , & credendo , a recta fide deviat , & in errorem paganorum devolvitur , cum aliquid numinis , an t divinitatis extra unum Deum arbitratur . Now that Witches are deluded by the Devil , and made to believe those things which are many times false , is not to be question'd ; but it does not follow , because they are deluded , that they are no Witches ; neither can I find o●e sentence in all this decree to prove it : 't is true , they have endeavoured to shew that these nocturnal pleasures and recreations are onely imaginary , and delusions of the Devil , and this seems to be the scope of the whole decree : and the other decree , — Siquis credit quod Diabolus aliquando creaturas in Mundo facerit , et tonitrua , et fulgura , &c. sua authoritate fecerit , sicut dixit Priscillianus , anathema sit ; It was made against that errour of Priscillian , that the Devil has a power in the things of this World , equal to that of God , and can do these things at his own will and pleasure ; wherefore these words , Sua authoritate , are put in ; but it does not at all deny that he can do those things with Gods permission ; and if it had , I think the authority is not so great , but that of the Scripture is to be preferred before it . As for that which he objects that the Devil did no more in the case of Iob , than Elijah , or any mortal man may do when he receives a commission from God , I think the contrary may be gathered from the Scripture , I mean , that it was wholly Sathans doing , having only obtain'd leave from God , for , God said to him , all that he has is in thy power ; and the same expression is again used in the second Chapter , and the sixth verse ; Behold , he is in thy power ; by which expressions we may gather , that God left it to him , and acted nothing of it himself ; and it immediately follows , Sathan went out from the pr●sence of the Lord , and smote Job with sore boyls from the head to the foot ; it is not said , the Lord smote him ; now if this last was done by the Devil , why not all the rest ? Besides , if God had been the Actor , the limitation , onely upon himself stre●ch not forth thine hand , had been altogether needless . Thus I have done with his fourth Chapter , and am come to his fifth , which he intitles , An answer to their Arguments which endeavour to prove , that there are Witches , where I find the Arguments which he produces against himself , to be these : first , that Drums and Trumpets have been heard when neither Drummer nor Trumpeter was near . Secondly , that the persons tormented have fallen into their fits upon the sight of the suspected VVitches . Thirdly , that immediately upon the threatning , or cursing of this or that person , such an accident has happened to the party threatned or cursed . And lastly , that the VVitches themselves have confessed it . The first he yields to be true , being unwilling ( as he sayes ) to gainsay the authority of so many in the world , who affirm it to be so , but he denys that from hence the being of VVitches may be proved : it is easily thought this Author would not raise a Devil which he could not lay again ; and that of so many Arguments as may be brought too for the proof of VVitches , he would only make choice of such as he could answer , or at least would so order the matter , as to leave out the most material circumstances , thereby to render the Argument invalid ; for it is true ( as he sayes ) that onely to hear Drums and Trumpets , and to see Chairs and Stools move about a Room , and no body touching the one or the other , proves no more than the being of Spirits ; but ( because he seems to allude to that story of Mr. Mompesson's house in Wiltshire ) I will thus answer him ; that if these things shall happen in a Gentlemans house , which was formerly undisturb'd , meerly upon the taking away of an idle fellows Drum ; if the Devil by such and such signs being demanded , shall declare that the Drummer employ'd him ; if upon the Drummers being condemned , and sent to the Islands , shall be quiet , and upon his return these disturbances shall be renew'd , these circumstances will render the Argument of no small force to prove contracts with the Devil . Now if he has ever heard the true Relation of the foremention'd story , he will find in it all this that I have said . The second Argument , that upon the sight of the Witch the party has fallen into his fit , &c. he answers thus : first , he objects that these stories are different from the former , in this , that those are attested by several persons of Credit , and these are grounded onely in the Juggling delusions of Impostors , and the foolish mistakes of the vulgar : to which I answer , that he speaks with too much haste , and considers not that these things have been sworn by innumerable , and many of them persons of credit , before Judges of Assize , and in the face of the Countrey ; and that Judges are not generally so careless of what they do , as to take away the lives of so many hundreds , upon no better ground than the foolish mistakes of the Vulgar . Secondly , he sayes , that if he grants these things to be true , he yet sees no reason to grant that there are Witches , but rather to conclude that these Spirits , which are so gamesome , in doing us mischiefs , when they perceive that any are suspected to have set them on work , use these tricks to confirm the suspition , making it their sport to see poor innocent people hang'd . Here I will make him the same objection as he made against the being of VVitches , which is , that if the Devil could by such tricks as these so easily deprive innocent people of their lives , 't is irrational to think that he would suffer any body to live , considering his great malice ; and if he answers , that he cannot do it without Gods permission , I will say , in his own words , that 't is impious to concern the great God with these designs of the Devil to take away innocent persons lives : thus by denying of VVitchcraft , he is fallen himself into the same irrationality , or impiety , of which he accused the assertors of it . But if , as he sayes , the Devil should by such tricks endeavour the ruine of poor innocent people , 't is not probable , that he could make those persons Actors in their own ruine , so that all their words and actions should contribute to it ; as it happens for the most part , for it is seldom known that people are hanged , because others fell into their fits at the sight of them , without any other evidence against them , but some suspitious actions of their own concurring . To the third , which is , that upon their threatning or cursing such things have happen'd to the party cursed , he answers , that it is not to be wondred at , if in the VVorld there has often happened a notable concurrence of Events , &c. this I suppose he said , meerly for want of something else to say ; for it is not at all conceivable ( though once in a hundred years such a thing may come to pass , as that upon an Old VVomans cursing a man may immediately fall sick , or dye ) that it should be so frequently done , and that such events should constantly attend the curses of some particular persons , more than others . The last Argument is from the confession of the VVitch ; and he answers it thus ; that the wisest man in the world may by torture be brought to confess any thing , whether it be true or false : this answer seems very weak , when we consider , that this way of forcing confessions by torture is not in use with us , and by consequence , that can be no reason why our Witches should confess themselves to be so , except it were really true . But that answer not sufficing , he has another , which is , that he believes , that some silly Old Women overgrown with melancholy and dotage , have really believ'd themselves to be Witches , and to have done those things which not onely their foolish Neighbours , but worshipful men in the VVorld , have charged them with . But suppose some one , or two , have been so extreamly foolish , as to be perswaded into that belief against their own knowledge , can it be thought that all were so ? Or if we could conceive that any persons by being accus'd could be made to believe that they were VVitches , what is that to those who have freely accus'd themselves without so much as being suspected by others ? Or what to those , who after they had past the danger of being perswaded into this folly , and had stood it out to the last with a stiff denyal , notwithstanding the clear evidences brought in , and sworn against them , after , I say , that they had past all this , without confession , have afterwards penitently acknowledged all upon the Ladder ? To such as these his answer reaches not ; yet , that many such have been , is evident to any but those who believe no more than they have seen themselves . Now , to suppose that an Old Man or VVoman , sunk in melancholy , may be perswaded to think themselves VVitches , is excusable , if that were all ; but to believe , that not onely the Old man or woman , but the Judge , the Jury , and the whole Assize , should be thus abus'd , the witnesses forswearing themselves , only to hang poor innocent people that have done them no harm ; and that not onely one Judge , one Jury , and one Assize , should be so fool'd , but thousands of each , and all with nothing ; and to imagine that whole Countries , nay , all the Christian world , should be so over-spread with folly , as to establish Laws against a sort of people which never were in being , is a madness of which whosoever is guilty , wants but one step more to become a Sceptick , and reject the Testimony of his own senses . Thus , Sir , I have answered , I think , what is most considerable in this Book ; I will pass by the sixth Chapter , as having nothing in it which requires an answer , it being little more than what has been said before , and onely to shew his fancy touching the first entrance of this Opinion of VVitchcraft into the world ; so that the truth of this assertion being once proved , the ground upon which that Chapter stands is taken away . And now Sir , it is time that I free you from this trouble ( if you have had the patience to suffer it thus ●ar ) and that I beg your pardon for those many errours , of which either haste or ignorance have made me guilty ; which if you grant me , you will abundantly obliedge , SIR , Your most faithful Servant .