The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 95
MEDITAT. XCV. Of Formal Witchcraft.
THE ſecond ſort of the Devils Followers are his Allies, that are in Covenant with him, either Formal, or Implicite.
It is credibly reported to us, by thoſe that have heard the Confe…ons of Witches, that there are ſome who have ſo perfectly put off Humane Nature, that they have entred into a Covenant with the Devil, a League with Hell; ſo as to profeſs to p…t their Truſt in the Devil, to be obedient to him, to depend upon him for aſſiſtance, to pray unto him, to … him in all difficulties: And for Ratification of this Covenant, they have ſigned Articles written with their own blood, or given him a kind of poſſeſſion of themſelves, by yielding themſelves to be Nurſes to the impure Spirits: And yet theſe are profeſſed Chriſtians. And others; that have been ſo great with the Devil, as to entertain him for their Bedfellow; theſe impure Spirits in their aſſumed Bodies, dallying with Mortals both as Incubi and Succubae. I will not ſtand to queſtion the Generation of thoſe Heroes that are aſcribed to Jupiter, Apollo, and the reſt of them.
This, if any thing, is, as the ancient Philoſophy ſpeaks, foreign. And men are diſpoſed and prepared thereunto, by that ſpiritual acquaintance and converſe which they have with the Devil, by the luſts of Pride, Covetouſneſs, Envy and Revengefulneſs.
We read of ſome that have been ſo tranſported with Pride, that they have entred into a formal Covenant with the Devil, to be eminently inſtructed in ſome Art, or indu'd with ſomething that they accounted a great accompliſhment. And it is not to be doubted, but that he is a great Scholar, and has a ſingular Faculty in communicating.
Others have been ſo mad of the World, that they have devoted themſelves to the God of this World, to be enriched by him. And, no doubt of it, he is as good as it as any Mercury or Hercules of old was ſuppoſed to be; both in recovering for them the things that they had loſt, or cauſing them to find things loſt or hidden by others.
O…hers, to gratifie their Envy and Revengefulneſs, have confeſt that they have bargain'd with the great … or A…ollyon; who has accordingly (when the righteous Governor of the World has been pleas'd to permit him) executed their Malice upon the Goods, Children, and Perſons of ſuch as they have hated.
When the Devil eſpies any one of a diſcontent ed, troubled, raging mind, full of Wrath and Jealouſies, and Blaſphemies againſt God, or fretful Envy and Malice againſt Men, then is he ready to offer his ſervice, and to give his hand in a way of aſſiſtance, if they will give him their hand in a way of Covenant: And ſo the Bargain, the fatal Bargain is ſtruck up, and the miſerable Soul is gratify'd to its own deſtruction.
Neither need it ſeem ſtrange, the Tranſition is eaſie; for having already obtain'd a poſſeſſion of the Soul, need it ſeem hard for him to get a poſſeſſion of the Body, (for ſo I reckon he has of Witches: having engag'd their hearts, it is eaſie to ſuppoſe he may get them to ſet to their hands.
Neither need it ſeem ſtrange, that God in his righteous judgment ſhould ſuffer them to give up themſelves to the Father of Lyes, to believe him, an… believe in him too, who have been long wilfully diſobedient to the Truth; that they ſhould be ſuffered to enter into a Covenant with Hell, who wilfully burſt the Bonds of Heaven, and violate their Covenant with God.
Lord, What ſwift progreſs does Sin make in the Souls of men, in how ſhort a time do the ſhades of Hell over-ſpread the whole face of the Soul! Of how great moment is it to reſist the Wicked One in his first inſinuations, and to pluck up thoſe Seeds, that when they are grown up, will make ſuch ſnares for the Soul!
O my heart, Give all diligence to keep thy ſelf pure: if it may be, entertain not the first motions of Pride, Covetouſneſs, Revenge, or Diſcontent: However take heed of ſitting upon the Cockatrice Eggs, lest thou batch them into Serpents, deadly Serpents.