The World Bewitched, Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. That neither the Opinions that are received among us' nor our Practices go uſually ſo far; and that is for that reaſon, that our Authors are not found to agree ſo well together, upon this ſubject.
I will at preſent leave the Papiſts and paſs to the Proteſtants, whoſe Religion and Doctrine is more pure. They ſuffer not themſelves to ſtray ſo much as others, about the matter in hand; for neither believing Purgatory, nor admitting the invocation of Angels and deceaſed Saints, they cannot likewiſe agree in their Opinions with the Papiſts, concerning apparitions and the operations of Spirits, more eſpecially in relation to theſe two points; and the conſequences that are neceſſarily drawn from thence, when they are admitted. However it muſt be obſerved, that the belief and practices of the Lutherans upon this ſubject, come much nearer thoſe of Popery than the belief of the People of our Communion. It is alſo to be conſidered, that there is among the Proteſtants in general, a great deal of difference between the common People and the learned; it is true, that there is likewiſe to be diſcovered ſome difference between thoſe two kinds of People▪ among the Papiſts, and even among the Pagans. There appears no leſs among the Men of Letters in particular, ſome holding the common belief and helping it, others rejecting it, and others at leaſt taking a kind of a medium between thoſe two parties; ſo there are found among us People, who believe almoſt all that is ſaid of Witchcraft and Specters. There are others, who deny all moſt all, but the greateſt part, partly admit that which is ordinarily ſaid, and partly reject it. That being ſuppoſed, we muſt ſtill underſtand with relation to this diſtinction, what I have to ſay in this work touching that of the reformed Religion. But however, to abridge my diſcourſe rather than extend it, it will be neceſſary, firſt to propoſe the common Opinion and the ordinary practice; and afterwards the Opinion of People the moſt ſenſible, and the moſt thinking part.
Sect. 2. We frequently hear People make a great deal of diſcourſe concerning Apparitions, Phantomes, Witchcraft, and things of that nature. It is believed in general, that Angels have been from the beginning all created by God, of which one part having revolted againſt him, are become Devils. But afterwards continuing to ſpeak of the Devil, he is ſpoken of as ſingly as the Enemy of Mankind, and chiefly of the faithful, hunting continually after occaſions of doing ill. There is every where had a high Opinion of his underſtanding, power, and action; he is conceived, or at leaſt ſpoken of as one, and yet they make him to be preſent in all places, he acts every where, he ſpies and ſets his Hand to every thing. I'll explain this here ſomething more particularly.
Sect. 3. They attribute to him ſuch an extraordinary knowledge, that 'tis pretended he underſtands better all the myſteries of the Goſpel, than all the moſt learned and moſt underſtanding Divines, that he obſerves all our thoughts, that he mixes with and acts upon them, from him proceed apparitions, and preſages, by which Men are adviſed of future things, before they happen to them, more particularly when they are threatned with the death of ſome of their friends, or ſome other evil accident. It is believed further, that a Divine may declare where one ſhall find what is loſt, whether a Man is bewitch'd, and who is the Author of the miſchief, and what means there are to deliver him and many other ſuch like things.
Sect. 4. The Opinion of the power of the Devil, has been doubtleſs urged to exceſs, for neither God nor Jeſus Chriſt have ever done any thing great or marvellous but the People aſcribe to the Devil, I have ſhewn before in ſome manner, Ch. 18. Sect. 6. That thoſe thoughts proceeded from the Manichees. When God permits him he can appear to Men in all ſorts of figures, not only in thoſe of good and bad Men living or Dead, but alſo in thoſe of ſeveral Beaſts; from this ſame principle comes the belief that is ſtill in being, that wicked debauched People transform themſelves alſo by the power of the Devil, making uſe of means deſigned for this purpoſe, into many ſhapes of Beaſts, as of Wolves, but particularly into that of Cats, and being ſo tranſfigured they paſs though the quarrel of a glaſs window, or the hole of a Bell, to go in the night to the Sabat, as I have already ſaid; or rather they ride on Horſeback upon a ſtick up the Chimney, and this belief to this time cannot be rooted out among us, from the mind of the People; further it is imagined, that theſe ſame People may, with the cooperation of the Devil, ſtir up tempeſts, ſhut the wind up into a Handkerchief, and let it out when they will, which however is ſeldom attributed but to the Laplanders and to Finlanders, to which the ſtories that are made of their practices, have given occaſion, ſo great is the credulity of the People, even for the moſt abſurd thing; they perſwade themſelves alſo, that theſe People devoted to the Devil, learn of him the ſecret of making certain oyntments, by which they make themſelves invulnerable againſt Swords or Muſquets; and that they obtain likewiſe great many other advantages from their Maſter.
Sect. 5. It is not doubted but leagues are made between the Devil and Magicians, by which means all theſe accident happen; People are even perſwaded of the effect of the proofs by Water, into which the accuſed are thrown, and of a great many otherlike things; above all of the uſefulneſs of the advice the exorciſts give, as that endeavouring to cauſe the perſon bewitch'd, to be bleſt by him that has done the miſchief, which is held for an remedy infallible; if the pretended Sorcerer refuſes to do it, he may be forced to it by blows, and by violencies Another remedy is to bake ſome certain things in ſome certain Pot, for a certain number of hours, to a certain hour of the Day or Night. The guilty is forced by this means, to come to the houſe, and conſequently make himſelf known, or the bewitch'd perſon ſwallows what has been baked, or carries ſomthing about his Neck, or hanging upon his Breaſt. In ſhort there are a thouſand other things which would be unprofitable and tedious to relate.
Sect. 6. The uſe that is made of all theſe Opinions, and the conſequences that are drawn from them, are to attribute to the inſpirations and ſollicitations of the Devil, all theſe extraordinary events, and almoſt all the ſins that are committed, eſpecially, thoſe that are moſt enormous. If a ſudden tempeſt ariſes, and that there is ſome in our company who is not very much our friend, and is a little ſuſpected of being a Witch, we do not fail of imputing to him this diſorder. If any one gives a little Cake, a Sugar plum, an Apple, or other fruit to a Child, who comes very ſuddainly after to fall into a languiſhing condition for a long time, he that has made this preſent is immediatly ſuſpected of having bewitched the Child, and the means are made uſe of as we have told you before, as a proof to diſcover the truth; if the Child recovers preſently after the tryal, it is no more doubted, but that the diſeaſe was the effect of Witchcraft, and that the ſuſpition againſt the Magician was well grounded.
Sect. 7. I have ſpoken hitherto of the Opinions and practices of the common People only, I ſhall now ſnow, that which our Doctors and our Men of letters believe upon this point. There are none ſo credulous as the Vulgar; however there is a very conſiderable difference to be ſeen in their Opinions, ſome believing almoſt every thing, and others almoſt nothing at all. Theſe two Opinions ſo different, ought to be attributed to two Scots; to the one an Illuſtrious King of Great Brittain, which is, King James, the Sixth King of Scotland, and Firſt King of England of that name; and the other, to one of his Scotch Subjects, a Scot by birth as by name, being call'd Reynard Scot; the King held the affirmative as to the popular Opinion of Witchcraft, and Apparition of Spirits, which his ſubject had already confuted. John Wierus who lived in the begining of the Reformation made by means of Luther and Calvin, had from that time publiſhed his Opinion upon the deluſion of Spirits and upon the impoſtures of Witches, and he had taken a part which held in the middle between thoſe two Opinions; ſo King James in his Book of Demonology conteſted with theſe two Authors, according to his expreſs Declaration in the Preface.
Sect. 8. What is moſt important in his Book comes very near to this. In the ſixth Chapter of the firſt Book, there are deſcriptions ſo exact of leagues that Magicians make with the Devil, that it ſeems as if the King himſelf had ſeen the Original, or that they had been reported in the Council. In the fourth Chapter of the ſecond Book, the King puts for certain, that evil Spirits may carry Men through the Air, or aſſume divers forms, to viſit the Magicians, when they are in Priſon. In the ſeventh Chapter, he ſays, that in the time of Popery and Paganiſm, there was a great many more Apparitions; but that it was obſerved, that ſince this laſt Reformation of the Chriſtian Church, there have been fewer Apparitions, and a great many more Witchcrafts. Concerning the apparitions of Hobgoblins and Phantoms, of which he treats in the Third Book, there are ſcarce any kind to which this Prince gives not credit, even to Incubuſſes and Succubuſſes, which are Spirits, who, as Men, mix themſelves carnally with Women, and as Women with Men. In reference to the poſſeſt, the King agrees that the Popiſh Prieſt may drive out the Devil; but upon the proofs that he has to convince one of the crime of Magick, he only ſays, there muſt be no leſs than twelve witneſſes, amongſt which may be admitted, Infants, infamous People, and even thoſe that are taken to be Magicians.
Sect. 9. Now althô the learned, as I have already ſaid, extol not ſo much all theſe things, nor teach them ſo expreſly; and that by conſequence, they credit not ſo much what is ordinarily believed and ſaid touching the power and Operations of the Devil upon Men, and concerning that which they effect by the means of Men; we muſt however obſerve, that they give ſo much extent to his power and actions, that not only they help not to deſtroy the general Opinion that is had of him; but alſo maintain it by different expreſſions they make uſe of, and by the inſtructions they give. It is what is ſeen, eſpecially in the works of two Engliſh Authors, who explain themſelves more plainly, and preciſely than all others upon this matter, which they treat from the foundation; whereas others keep the ſame language only by occaſion, and when treating of other ſubjects, they are obliged to ſpeak of them. The firſt of theſe Authors is, William Gurnal in his great Book upon the Epheſians, 6.11.18. entituled, The Chriſtian in compleat Armour, the firſt Edition is in the Year 1655. And ſince there has been Printed at London in folio in 1679. the ſixth Edition, He ſays, That the Devil being a ſpiritual being, extreamly evil, theſe two conſiderations ought to cauſe a great deal of fear to a Chriſtian, p. 94. Becauſe he is a great Prince who ſurpaſſes Man very much in power and craft, that his craft is obſerved by his marvelous knowledge, firſt, in ſpying proper occaſions to tempt Men, p. 36. Secondly, in his ſubtle and artificial conduct, and in all the vices he makes uſe of for this effect, p. 37. Thirdly, in the care he takes to make all the preparations neceſſary to attack us to his advantage, every time he finds opportunity to do it, p. 43. Fourthly, In the trouble that he ſtirs up in our Conſciences, in reproaching us with our Sins, and in the artifices that he uſes, and the ambuſhes he lays p. 44. As to what concerns the power and Virtue of the Devil, the Author holds in the firſt place, That he has power not only on the Elements and corporeal ſenſes, but alſo upon ſpiritual ſubſtances of the World, and upon the Souls of Men, p. 74. Afterwards he declares what is the time and place of his Empire over his ſubjects, viz. the time, in this life, over people of Darkneſs; the place, in the World, for as much as it is plung'd into impiety, p. 79.
Sect. 10. The other Engliſh Author is Joſeph Glanvill, the title of which Book is Saduciſmus Triumphatus, Saduciſm defeated, a Book, wherein he imploys a great deal of Learning, to prove that Witchcrafts, Inchantments, Apparitions, and Phantoms, are poſſible; and afterwards that they are things practiſed, and which actually happen. The firſt Edition of it has been alſo in Engliſh at London in 1661. after the death of the Author. He pretends, that what he eſtabliſhes as a certain Truth, is grounded upon Reaſons and Examples: And I grant, that as to the force of Reaſoning, I do not know any Writer who has better ſucceeded than he has. Here are his ſuppoſed Truths; That among other effects, which are attributed to Magicians of both Sexes. Firſt, Being anointed with certain Magical Ointments they paſs through the Chimney, and are tranſported into very diſtant places. Secondly, That they are turned into Cats, Hares, and divers other Creatures and Figures. Thirdly, That they feel in their own Bodies the ſame wounds that are made in the Bodies they borrow. Fourthly, That in muttering certain unintelligible Words, and in making certain Geſtures extraordinary and ridiculous, they raiſe Tempeſts. Fifthly, That they are ſucked by familiar Spirits in the moſt ſecret parts of their Bodies. The Author believes that the more theſe things are incredible and ridiculous, the more certain they are. I ſhall examine his Reaſons in my ſecond and third Book, and his Inſtances in my laſt, with more exactneſs than what other Authors have written upon this Subject, for the conſideration I have already alledged; that he carries it above all others, as to the force of his Reaſoning.
Sect. 11. All that has hitherto been ſa…d, reſpects, firſt, the Devil, and afterwards Men, that are believed to have Commerce with him, conſidered diſtinctly and ſeparately from him. But an union muſt be made betwixt them. For which effect, the Leagues already mention'd were invented, Sect 5. of this Chapter, and heretofore Chap. 20. Sect. 13. Moreover, the Opinions which have been reported having paſſed from Popery amongſt us, and been admitted by many Doctors of our Communion; yet I know not any who has taken their part ſo much as Daneus, which is chiefly obſerved in two Points in his Deſcription of the Leagues, and in the effects he attributes to Sorcerers and Witches; for theſe two things are found very amply treated of in his little Book, De Sortiariis, Of Witches; but eſpecially the firſt is deſcribed with more circumſtances than I have read in any Popiſh Author. So ſeeing this Doctor has been one of the moſt conſiderable among us, and that having lived a little after the time of Calvin and Luther, his Book, which was written 116 years ago, has not been attacked nor contradicted that I know of by any Proteſtant Writer, but only by Schottus; from thence may be inferr'd, that theſe Doctrines are not unknown to us, nor rejected by the Proteſtant Churches. I am going to relate in ſhort the contents of this Author's Writings.
Sect. 12. See what he ſets down in his fourth Chapter, Nullum non Sortiarum cum Satana foedus iniiſſe, ſeque ei devoviſſe, That there is no Sorcerer but he has made agreement with the Devil, and devoted himſelf to him: See the deſcription he makes of theſe contracts.
Firſt, To ſecure the Perſon of the Magician, the Devil imprints a mark either under the Eye-lids, or between the Buttocks, or the Pallat of the Mouth, that it may not be perceived in thoſe places. The Author believes that there are none exempt from carrying it: It is for this Reaſon, that the Judges order the whole Body of thoſe that are accuſed of this Crime, to be ſhaved, to know the place that is marked, as I have told you.
Secondly, The Conditions of theſe Contracts imply that they ſhall renounce God, and acknowledge Satan, and adore him for their God, and in Recompence he ſhall aſſiſt them, and ſhall come to their ſuccour as oft as they apply themſelves to him, which he will never fail to do no more than the Witches on their part fail to obey all his Commands.
Thirdly, After the Covenant has been thus mutually agreed upon, the Magician, the morrow after, ſacrifices to the Devil, a Dog, a Cat, or a Hen, that belongs to him, by which means the Contract is confirmed a new.
Fourthly, Afterwards the Devil cauſes in proper time and place, all the Magicians to aſſemble where ever he preſcribes; there he makes every one of them give an account of the Miſchiefs he has done by his Power and Means.
Fifthly, He ſometimes takes the trouble to get them together, aſſuming a human ſhape for that purpoſe, and making himſelf known to the Magicians only: At other times he imploys ſome of them to go and Convene the Aſſembly, ſhewing them the time and place: This Aſſembly is not always general, ſometimes there are but a certain number which he has choſen to pleaſe himſelf.
Sixthly, If there are ſome, who through weakneſs of Body cannot go, he gives them a Stick, or a Horſe, of ſome Oyntment to anoint themſelves, by the virtue of which being become inviſible, he tranſports them through the Air.
Seventhly, He appears himſelf as Maſter of the Club, in ſhape of a Man, or in ſome ugly He-Goat, or in whatever Form he pleaſes.
Eightly, There they repeat their Oaths made to him, after which they ſing and dance in honour of their new God.
Ninthly, Afterwards he furniſhes them with ſuch means as they deſire, to do miſchief to ſuch as they pleaſe. He teaches them to make up their Poiſons, and promiſes them to continue his aſſiſtance to them, and his ſervice for their occaſions.
Tenthly, By virtue of theſe Agreements Satan fails not to work wonders in favour of his Magicians, as oft as they make the ſign that he has taught them, and ordered them to do, in which ſign conſiſts not the operative and active faculty, as the Magicians believe, but it reſides in the Devil, who operates when warned by the ſign.
Sect. 13. There is already a great deal, but however there are more things which the Author aſcribes to the Devil, and which may be gathered and inferred from divers places of this Book, where they are expreſsly contained, as:
Firſt, That he often appears in human ſhape.
Secondly, That he ſometimes troubles, and caſts ſuch a Miſt over the Senſes of thoſe that are ingaged with him, that they fancy to have been in certain places, and to have acted ſeveral things, though there is no truth or reality in theſe Imaginations.
Thirdly, But he really carries them through the Air whither he pleaſes.
Fourthly, That by the Miniſtry of Wizzards and Witches, he can Poiſon Men ſecretly from far, without touching them.
Fifthly, That the Devil, or the Magicians by his means, may raiſe Tempeſts, and cauſe Rain.
Sixthly, He rejects the Opinion of thoſe who believe the power of the Devil has no longer any effect upon the Magicians, nor can act in their behalf, as ſoon as they are in the Hands and Power of Juſtice; on the contrary, he ſuppoſes, that the virtue of Witchcraft may be exerted even in Priſons; and that oftentimes the Devil breaks there the Necks of thoſe who belong to him: Theſe are Daneus's his Doctrines.
Sect. 12. Furthermore, the moſt common Opinion of the Doctors of our Communion, is, That the Devil does not know things to come, but only of himſelf he forms conjectures; that nevertheleſs the greateſt part of Divines conſult him for their Predictions. That it is from him they learn what they diſcover to other Men of things preſent, things hidden; as when there has been ſomething ſtoll'n, or ſome body bewitch'd, they declare the Thief or Magician. They likewiſe aſcribe to him ſome knowledge of the Thoughts of Men, ſince they fancy that he diſturbs and ſeduces them, and that he incites them to miſchief. For that is properly what we underſtand when we pray in our Churches for thoſe that are tempted and troubled in their Conſciences. There are no errors produced, there ariſes no Hereſies in the Church, it is not afflicted with any perſecution, but the Devil has contributed thereto. All the places of Scripture, that ſpeak of the Devil, are underſtood with relation to theſe Ideas: And it is upon theſe interpretations that theſe Opinions are grounded. It is alſo by the ſame reaſon, that not only the Proteſtants, but almoſt all the Chriſtian Writers aſſert, That it is not allow'd to conſult the Devil, who is the enemy of God, and of Men, nor to ſeek his help: They however agree, that the Pagan Oracles have not always been given by the Devil, but that often they have been the effect of the impoſtures of Prieſts, which has ſo often appear'd, that it is impoſſible not to know it.
Sect. 13. The power of the Devil is extreamlv boaſted of, for there are very few Doctors who doubt but he can aſſume a Body, and poſſeſs the Bodies of Men, and tranſport and torment them ſeveral ways, as effectively, as he had actually the impudence to do theſe things to our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, and to a great many people, of which the Goſpel tell us that being poſſeſt by evil Spirits, they were delivered by our Saviour. They alſo ſuppoſe, that the opinion of the apparitions of Specters, is confirmed by Scripture, and that it was the… Devil (at leaſt, according to the opinion of ſome) who appeared under the Figure of Samuel. They think that it cannot be deny'd, but that he has power over the Air and Winds, over Armies, over the Goods of Men, their Bodies, and their Lives, which is proved by the example of what happen'd to Job. And by the effects that the Magicians of Egypt produc'd in the time of Moſes, which are as ſo many ſure marks of the power of the Devil, either to produce Inſects, as Frogs and Serpents, and to make a Tranſmutation of the Elements, either to repreſent with an inconceivable readineſs, things that are to be fetch'd from far, or at leaſt, ſo to dazle the eyes of Men, to ſee what is not.
Sect. 14. As to the means which Magicians, Diviners, and Inchanters make uſe of, ſcarce is there a perſon of good Senſe, that believes they are efficacious of themſelves, but they will have it to be effected by the Devil, who operates all that thoſe miſerable wretches imagine to act; and that the Covenants made between him and them, oblige him to execute that which they require of him; provided only, that they make uſe of Signs and that they imploy circumſtances deſtin'd for that purpoſe, ſuch as he has taught them. It is very prudently obſerved, as is believed, that thoſe Leagues are made two ways, which I ſhall expreſs in the words of Sennertus, taken from his Treatiſe upon this Queſtion. Whether one may be render'd invulnerable to the point of a Sword, and to Muſquets? where he ſays, That the Contract with the Devil is of two kinds, mediate or immediate; expreſs or tacite. The immediate, or expreſs Contract, is when any makes uſe of means, that he has been immediately furniſhed with by the Devil. The mediate or tacite Contract is, when one makes uſe of the means, which in truth have been ordain'd by the Devil; but not having been ſupply'd by the Devil himſelf, comes to him by the hand of ſome other perſon; which is directly contrary to the Law of God, that forbids us to have other Gods but him: For he ſays a little further, The conſent is not altogether excluded from the tacite agreement, becauſe, whoſoever is not as yet deprived of Reaſon, as not to avoid the Precipices of Rocks, or the mouth of a Pit, he cannot but ſee that ſuch Words and Characters have not in themſelves any virtue; and that by conſequence, before making uſe of them, we are obliged to examin by what virtue they may produce ſuch effects: for if one neglects to do it, it is certain a tacite Contract with the Devil, who has promiſed to execute all the clauſes and conditions of his writing in favour of thoſe who make uſe of the Words and Characters therein contained, in conſequence of which, he who makes uſe of it, cannot pretend himſelf innocent of the crime of Magick. Such is Sennertus's opinion, and as I may judge from my own experience, will not be confuted by our Doctors, for I hear them generally hold ſpeaking the ſame Language. Doctor Wierius, a famous Man, who had very much meditated upon this matter, and had ſtudied it very much, eſtabliſhes all theſe things a little more confuſedly, but yet very near upon the ſame foot.
Sect. 15. I have ſomething to add here concerning Dreams. The common Language of our Divines, is, that there are four ſorts; Natural, Civil, or ſuch as are occaſion'd by the preceding converſation and actions, without Nature or Temper having any ſhare in them; Laſtly, Divine or Diabolical. They hold that theſe laſt proceed from the inſpiration of the Devil, who diſturbs the imagination of Man, and repreſents to him fearful Figures, to diſquiet or fright him, or to tranſport him for ſome time into ſome place where he pleaſes: as we have ſeen before, that he tranſports the Witches to their ſeveral meetings. In conſequence of this Doctrine, there are ſome of opinion, that the Dream that Pilate's Wife ſuffered ſo much becauſe of Chriſt, was a Diabolick Dream.
Sect. 16. But I find not any of theſe Doctors who have heretofore ever attributed ſo little underſtanding and Power to the Devil; as to the knowledge and effects already deſcribed, as Reynold Schot has, before quoted. We have at this time Anthony Van Dalen, who aſcribes no more to him in his Book of Oracles: theſe two Authors hold that there is no other efficient cauſe of all the things which are practiſed, or which are operated, but the impoſtures of Men; the Devil having no part in them. I learn alſo, whilſt I am taken up in this preſent Work, that the moſt ſenſible among us, attribute but very little power and knowledge to the Devil: and that there are a great many more than I conceived, who, as to the actions of the poſſeſt and bewitched are of the ſame opinion with Mr. Daillon, who in a French Book concerning Demons, maintains all that which is contained in the Scripture, touching evil and unclean Spirits, is not otherwiſe to be underſtood, than of certain Diſeaſes to which the Jews uſed to give ſuch names, believing, however that it might happen, evil Spirits medl'd with them at the ſame time. There's lately come to my hands very conveniently, a little Book of Mr. Orchard's an Engliſhman, Preacher in the New-Netherlands, as I am told, in which the ancient and common opinion upon this ſubject is confuted, as being directly oppoſite to the Doctrine and belief of the Proteſtant Churches.
Sect. 17. But let us leave off ſpeaking of theſe People, becauſe, that of one ſide there is no neceſſity here to handle them and becauſe I intend to do it afterwards. It is not neceſſary to ſpeak of them here, becauſe my intention is not to ſet down here what is not ſaid of the Devil, and what is not attributed to him; but my deſign is to relate that which is ſaid of him, and to examine whether it be true or no. 'Tis ſufficient for me to hold the laſt Negative with the Engliſh Writer, becauſe I am much averſe from maintaining the opinion which aſcribes ſo much power and virtue to Spirits; and eſpecially to the bad. And further, I ſhall be obliged to enter the Liſt with Schot, Van Dalen, and many others, who oppoſe the common belief that they had of this Power, when I ſhall come afterwards to examine the reaſons and proofs upon which it is founded. However, before I finiſh this Firſt Part, I ſhall rehearſe all that has been ſaid, and compare the opinions of Infidels with thoſe of the Chriſtians.