The World Bewitched, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. That of all theſe Opinions put together, there reſult ſome certain propoſitions, in which they differ, and others in which they agree.
Sect. 1. I have from time to time conferr'd the Opinions that I have related, firſt thoſe of the Ancient and modern Pagans, in the 11th Chapter, and afterwards thoſe of the Jews, Mahometans, and Chriſtians of the ſix firſt Ages, in the 17th Chapter. There remains now to compare thoſe of the Papiſts and Proteſtants, after which we will confer them all together; to that end, we muſt break off the order that we have kept hitherto, and begin with the laſt; they will furniſh us with very certain proof, that there is no Opinion to which the World is more engag'd, than to that which is almoſt generally every where taught and received concerning Spirits; for the Proteſtants have retained all that which cannot be look't upon as a pure invention of Popery in particular; and there are even ſome, whoſe belief upon this ſubject, go farther than thoſe of the Papiſts. The Chriſtians in general believe all that is not particular to the Jews and Pagans; the Jews and the Mahometans believe all that, according to them, is not inconſiſtant with the belief of one only God; ſome will tell me perhaps, that we muſt not wonder at it, and that naturally it ought to be ſo. This is what we have now to examine, and there will be as yet room to ſpeak more plainly and fully afterwards.
Sect. 2. Notwithſtanding it is convenient to advertiſe the Reader, that relating here the difference or the conformity of the Opinions of all Nations, I mean only the Opinions of the more learned and are remarked amongſt the Doctors, or who are taken for wiſemen in their Country, and capable of inſtructing others in matter of Faith▪ and Religion. I intend not to ſpeak of particular Opinions, but of thoſe generally received, taught, and confirmed by practices; for as to the common People, either Papiſts, Jews, or Pagans, they know nothing for the moſt part, but a little by hear-ſay; ſo that there is no relying upon them, and it is ſure without miſtake, that for the moſt part, what the moſt illiterate believe and practice, is contrary to the ſenſe of Divines, and of all thoſe that underſtand any thing in the Holy Scripture. I will have nothing to do with them upon this ſubject, having often tryed my ſelf how many follies our own People ſay and believe, upon this account.
Sect. 3. So it is neceſſary to eſtabliſh here as certain and undoubted, that every Opinion that proceeds from Paganiſm as from it's Original, cannot at the ſame time be founded upon the Holy Scripture. It is true, there never was a Doctor either Chriſtian or Jew, who has not applied ſome place in Scripture to what he has propoſed, but the Queſtion is to know, whether the applications were juſt, and whether the Scripture may be expounded in the ſenſe put upon it; for it may be that theſe Doctors having their imagination fill'd with their own Ideas, believe in reading, to ſee things there which are not there, and that their own prejudice cauſes …o be ſound there; of this the Reader may at firſt judge himſelf, if he will but mind with attention what follows, where I remark briefly what every Sect rejects, and what every one admits; and afterwards what the one have borrowed of others, and what they have retained to this time.
Sect. 4. Althô the Proteſtant Churches, with one common conſent, deny Purgatory and all the places where they put Souls, except Paradiſe and Hell; theſe two points, are Opinions of Popery. There has been ſome mention made of them amongſt the primitive Chriſtians, neither the Jews nor the Mahometans reject them, and they have been taken from Paganiſm▪ Whoſoever rejects them, he muſt reject together all the Doctrines and practices that are grounded upon them. For this reaſon,
Firſt. We do not believe among us, that the Souls of the Deceaſed are never wandering, nor that they appear to the living, under any figures whatſoever, to obtain help and comfort from them.
Second. It is not believed that the Souls of the bleſſed come back from Heaven upon Earth, nor that thoſe of the damned come back from Hell. It is not believed, that either the one or the other appears to Men, to comfort or afright them; and far leſs as yet, that the living can make agreements together, to come back after Death and viſit thoſe they had agreed with, who have ſurviv'd them.
Third. By this reaſon, the Dead are never ask'd any Queſtions, nor any religious worſhip paid to them.
Sect. 5. The Virtue of Conjurations is likewiſe unknown among us, either to drive the Souls of the deceaſed, or to expel evil Spirits, with whom any ſhould be tormented. No other means is known ſufficient for this effect, but Prayer and faſting, taught by our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, St. Matthew, Ch. 17 v. 21.
Firſt. For this Reaſon it is not believed, that there is any body either Prieſt or Exorciſt, which is authoriſed to make ſuch Conjurations, nor ought to meddle with them, althô a like practice was admitted in the firſt time of Chriſtianity; whether it had ſucceſs by the power of God, or it was the meer effect of the Artifices of Men, and that it has been a cuſtom among the Jews, Mahometans and all the Pagans.
Second. Neither is it believed, words, names, ſigns, geſtures, and poſtures, even thô they were taken from the Holy Scripture, have any power for this effect, either of themſelves or inſtitution of the Church; becauſe ſhe has not received any power from God, to give her Authority as to this point.
Third. They Conjure not the Devil in the Baptiſm of Children, as the Papiſts to do; the Lutherans do the like, but not with the ſame intent, as the firſt, that is, that the Devil is in the Infant, or that he is driven out by the Virtue of words, which are pronounced; for they only retain this practice, becauſe of it's antiquity, it being indifferent of it ſelf, at leaſt ſuch is their pretence or excuſe.
Sect. 6. Now that the Doctrines of the Proteſtants have been conferr'd with thoſe of Popery in particular; it remains to ſee what difference there is between the Chriſtians in general, and the Infidels.
Firſt, The Pagans, the Jews, and the Ancient Chriſtians have believed that there is another kind of Spirits, which are placed between God and the Angels, or which are in ſome ſort corporeal, but it is not granted any more at this time by Chriſtians.
Second. Likewiſe it is not uſual among them, to aſſociate God, or the Spirits to the Stars. As touching God, it was an Opinion purely Pagan; and ouching Spirits, it was a Jewiſh Opinion; I know not whether it may be ſaid, that the Ancient Chriſtianity had not ſome tincture of it.
Third. This difference of nature in the Angels, propoſed by the Jews, is not believed any more; it draws its Original from Ancient Paganiſm, and is admitted to this day, by the modern Pagans; It's true, that the Papiſts acknowledge a difference of Order, but they put none in the eſſence of theſe Spirits. Likewiſe, thô they make generally appear all ſorts of Spirits, nevertheleſs the difference is only in reſpect of places, of Perſons, and effects, as we have ſhewn more fully, Ch. 19 Sect. 7.17. Ch. 20. Sect. 1.2.3. but it is no way in reſpect of their nature, nor of their Original.
Fourth. There is not a Chriſtian, be he Proteſtant or Papiſt, who believes, that Spirits are truly capable of engendering; which is nevertheleſs the common belief of all the Pagans, which is received among the Jews, and has not been confuted ſufficiently by the primitive Chriſtians, among whom are found, ſome who have expreſly taught it.
Sect. 7. But the Pagans differ from the Mahometans and Chriſtians chiefly in two points.
Firſt, That they mix and confound together the ſupream God with other ſuperior and inferior Gods good and bad; and alſo the Souls of Men with all thoſe Gods, in ſuch a confuſed manner, that it is impoſſible to comprehend any thing, and that it is a Labyrinth from whence they cannot extricate themſelves. On the contrary, the Jews and Mahometans agree with the Chriſtians, in this point, that there is one only God, and that all that is beſides him has been created by him.
Second. In that, that not only they make no great difficulty to deify Men, but that they make alſo the Gods return to the condition of Men, and that they believe there are Men, the iſſue of the Gods; there are ſome of theſe errors, which the Papiſts cannot boaſt of being entirely free from; for they may reaſonably be reproached, that they have ſubſtituted their Saints to theſe imaginary Gods, and to thoſe Demons of the Pagans; That they ſpeak of Saints as the Pagans do of their Gods; that they make them act in the ſame manner, that theſe falſe Deities were ſuppoſed to act. But pure Chriſtianity, ſuch as has been in all times upon this point, never make Gods a Man, nor never raiſes Man to the dignity of God.
Sect. 8. There is notwithſtanding ſome point upon which the Proteſtants are not agreed, and upon which, nevertheleſs the Papiſts, the primitive Chriſtians, the Jews, the Mahometans, and all the Pagans agree, viz. The Tutelary Gods of the Pagans, who were the guardian Angels in the firſt Chriſtianity. We have lately ſeen they are admitted without conteſtation among the Papiſts; the Proteſtants in general, are not diſpoſed to receive this Opinion; thoſe of the profeſſion of France, Holland, and Swiſſerland, reject it; and nevertheleſs there are ſome, but very few, that admit it, or at leaſt believe, not that there are ſufficient reaſons to oppoſe it; we ſhall examine afterwards, which is the ſoundeſt of theſe Opinions. In the mean while we muſt take notice before hand, that what the Papiſts teach upon this ſubject, together with ſome of other Chriſtians that are not of their Communion, relates more to the light and knowledge which they ſuppoſe that thoſe Spirits communicate to them, than real help they can expect in their actions, and in their manner of living; for it is rarely ſeen, or to ſay better, it is never ſeen, that the People aſcribe a conſiderable deliverance, or a great oppreſſion, that befal them to an Angel, either their keeper or their enemy; but they never fail to aſcribe it immediatly to the providence of God; or if they ſometimes turn their Eyes to another ſide, the Papiſts as to their particular refer all the good that happens to them, to the protection of ſome great Saint, eſpecially to that of the Virgin Mary; but the Proteſtants, leſt they ſhould ſeem to favour the belief of the Popiſh Saints, would rather ſay, if occaſion ſerves, that the Devil was the Author of it,
Sect. 9. There is alſo a difference to be taken notice of, betwixt the Heathens on one ſide, the Jews and the Mahometans on the other, and all the Chriſtians on another; it is chiefly in the practice of Witchcraft and Divination; which, according to the principles of the firſt, is a laudable practice in it ſelf, althô often abuſed, as a great many good things are; according to the principles of the ſecond, it is only allow'd and uſeful in many occaſions; and according to the laſt it is directly oppoſite to Chriſtianity. The reaſon of it is, that the Pagans hold for Gods, or at leaſt for Miniſters and Ambaſſadors of the Gods, Spirits, which are lookt upon by Chriſtians as unpure Spirits; and that the Jews and the Mahometans cauſe to proceed from the Virtue of the Caballa▪ and the influences of the Stars, whatever the Chriſtians take to be Magick, Witchcraft, or Enchantments. It is true, that in the time of Ancient Paganiſm, the Mathematicians have been put into the rank of Poiſoners, and that both were treated as perſons equally pernicious, to whom it was forbidden to exerciſe their art, as being unlawful. But the occaſion of theſe prohibitions, was only founded upon the ill uſe that was made of this Art, which had been before not only permitted, but even much eſteem'd. At this time the Chriſtians have no longer any averſion for the name of Mathematician, but that of Poyſoner never received any good interpretation; no that words are here to be diſputed, for 'tis of things that we treat; and we are to examine them, and not words. Perhaps there will be occaſion to have ſome regard to them, in our third Book; where without doubt, it will be neceſſary to ſpeak fully of theſe terms, and of many others.
Sect. 10. Let's now ſee what conformity is found among all theſe People together, Pagans, Jews, Mahometans, Chriſtians, both Ancient and Modern, Roman Catholicks, Proteſtants and others. They all confeſs,
Firſt. That there are Spirits diſtinct from God, and bodies: for thô ſome contrive yet another kind of Spirits, as we have ſaid; it is one of the points in diſpute among them, and now we are about to ſeek wherein they agree together.
Second. That there natures are different, ſome abſolutely ſubſiſting without body, as Angels; and others being united to a body, as Souls.
Third. That, however, both are mortal.
Fourth, That of ſuch Spirits as are united to a body, ſome are good to Men and others bad.
Fifth. That therefore, Man has reaſon to ſeek the friendſhip of good Spirits, that is, the Angels, and to take all poſſible care to divert from him evil Spirits, which are Devils.
Sixth. That an infinite happineſs or miſery attends Men after this life.
Seventh. That likewiſe of the Souls of the deceaſed, ſome are bad, and ſome good and holy; thô they ſeem not to explain themſelves always in the ſame manner, ſometimes upon one of the points, and ſometimes upon the other; it i… nevertheleſs certain▪ conſidering the bottom of the matter, that their ſentiments are agreeable; ſee then in what conſiſts the conformity of the Opinions in general of all Nations, and in what they differ. We have now to examine, what is true or what not, in all that has been related; and it is for that purpoſe, I deſign my ſecond and third Book, according to the diviſion I have eſtabliſhed before, Chapter the firſt, Sect. 8. However we ſhall yet ſee, what cautions may be drawn from all that has been ſaid.