Modest Inquiry into the Nature of Witchcraft, Chapter 14
CHAPTER. XIV.
HAving ſpoken of the Scripture uſe of thoſe evils condemned, Deut. 18.10, 11. And of the perſons charged with thoſe abominations, we may hence ſee who thoſe Witches, Sorcerers, Diviners &c. among the Heathen were, viz▪ they were a ſort of Prieſts and Prophets of the Heathen Gods, who had a more ſpecial dedication and approaches to them, than the ordinary ſort of Heathen had, whereby they obtained or at leaſt endeavoured to obtain ſpecial help from thoſe Gods, who were indeed the Devils.
1. Note, they were reckoned among the Prieſts & Prophets of thoſe Idol Gods, as 1 Sam. 6.2. The Philiſtans called for their Prieſts and diviners. And Jer. 27.9, 10. they are commanded not to hearken to their Prophets, nor Diviners, nor Enchanters, nor Sorcerers or Witches. So when Joſiah put away the Prieſts of the falſe Gods, he together with them put away them that had familiar Spirits, Wizards, Teraphim and Idols, 2 King. 23.5, 10, 24. And when the ten Tribes are condemned for their heatheniſh Idolatries, & Sacrificing their Children through the fire; their divinations and enchantments are reckoned with theſe abominations, 2 King. 17.10, 11, 12, 16, 17. And the falſe Prophets of the Jews in Chaldea, though they prophecyed by the true God, yet prophecying falſely, are called Diviners, Jer. 29.8, 9. Though they pretended a Warrant from Jehovah, becauſe of their likeneſs to the heathen Prophets and diviners. So Zech. 10.2. Mich. 3.5, 6, 7. Thoſe Prophets are called Diviners.
2. Hence as Gods people were to have recourſe to the Lords Prieſts and Prophets, to ſeek and know the mind of God, and to obtain help from him by them, 2 Chron. 20.20. Mal. 2.7. 1 King. 22.7. So the Devil had his Prieſts and prophets by whom the people did enquire, & to whom they came in difficult caſes, as to the God of Ekron, 2 King. 1.2. So Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezer, Belſhazer &c. Send for their wiſemen and Sorcerers to conſult with and help in their great caſes; as the Servants of the Lord ſent to their wiſe men, the Prieſts & Prophets of the moſt High God, to conſult with & help in their difficult caſes. Note, All the Heathens were worſhippers of the Devil, 1 Cor. 10.20. Yet all were not Sorcerers, diviners, ſoothſayers, &c. but ſome peculiar ones. So Balaam among the Midianites, was a Soothſayer or diviner, and a Prophet, Joſh. 13.22. with 2 Pet. 2.2. Baal had his prophets four hundred & fifty, 1 King. 12.22. And the Prophets of Egypt, Iſa. 19.3. are called Charmers, Wizards &c. to whom they ſought. As among Gods worſhippers all are not Prophets, 1 Cor. 12.29.
3. As the gifts and attainments of the Lords Prophets were differing, and ſo their operations, as 1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6. So Satan, who is the god of this world, doth act like the moſt high, in diſtributing his gifts, &c. to his devoted Servants. As had Moſes and Aaron, the gifts of miracles, ſo Satan had the magicians of Egypt that ſhall come by counterfeit or ſeeming miracles, as near or like to Gods Prophets as he can. Hath the Lord his Prophets to propheſy of things to come? So Satan hath in ſome degree like them, who ſhall give a ſign or a wonder that ſome times ſhall come to paſs, Deut. 13.1, 2, 3. Did the Lord reveal himſelf to ſome of his Servants by dreams? So Satan reveals himſelf to ſome of his prophets by dreams at ſome times, as Deut. 13.1. If there ariſe a prophet or a dreamer of dreames. So the Sorcerers of the Heathen, Jer. 27.9. had their dreams or dreamers. Did the Lord give to ſome the gift of interpretating dreams, as to Joſeph and Daniel? So Satan had his officers that pretended at leaſt a skill to interpret dreams, as Dan 2.7. Did the Lord call Abraham and his Prieſt to Sacrifice his Son Iſaac, Gen. 22 2. So Satan had his Prieſts by whom the Heathen, did Sacrifice their Sons and Daughters to him; and cauſe them to paſs through the fire, &c. Lev. 18.21. Pſal. 106 35, 36, 37, 38 And this may be the reaſon why cauſing Children to paſs through the fire is ſo often in Scripture mentioned with Witches and Witchcraft. Becauſe this was one abominable way whereby the Sorcerers Sacrificed, to their Devil gods, to implore their help. And as the Lord did more freely & familiarly reveal himſelf and his counſel to ſome more than others: As to Moſes, Exod 33.11. To whom the Lord ſpake face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend. So Satan had ſome of theſe his devoted Servants, to whom he was more open & familiar in converſe. And ſuch were thoſe that had a familiar Spirit to appear at their call: as the woman at Endor, by her familiar Spirit divining, brings up the counterfeit Samuel. And as the people did ſeek unto Moſes, & ſuch Prophets of the Lord as had more eſpecial acquaintance with the Lord. So the heathen did ſeek unto thoſe that had theſe familiar Spirits, as perſons that had more eſpecial intimacy with their gods than themſelves had. Hereupon the Lord ſtrictly forbids the Iſraelites ſeeking unto ſuch, Lev. 19.31. & 20.6. Iſa. 8.19.
And from this intimacy between the Magicians and their god, and Satan their god, being as it were, at their call or beck; ſhe that had a familiar Spirit is called Bagnalath Ob, 1 Sam. 28.7 rendred, that hath a familiar Spirit, but it ſignifies a miſtreſs of Ob: The ſpirit being ſubſervient to the Witch, as if ſhe were his miſtreſs.
And hereupon it is that Writers ſpeak of Witches being in Covenant with Satan, explicit or implicit; becauſe Satan is ſo ready to act at the call of a Witch: as to make or bring frogs real or ſeeming, and other things at the Magicians of Egypts endeavour, and to bring up Gods Elohim, i. e. Spirits inviſible, likeneſs or ſhapes out of the earth, at the call of the Witch at Endor.
But ſome have denyed all ſuch famaliarity with the Devil, becauſe ſay they, The Devil being a Spirit there cannot be ſuch commerce or intimacy between Men & Spirits, as amounts to a Covenant engagement between them?
To which I anſwer, there may be a covenant engagement between Men & Spirits. For,
1. There may be a Covenant between God and man: All Iſrael was in Covenant with God, Deut. 29.12, &c. That thou ſhouldeſt enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God. And all Gods people did make a Covenant with God by Sacrifice, Pſal. 50.5. And before Moſes & Aaron wrought their Miracles before Pharaoh, they were not only in covenant with God, but God had eſpecially covenanted with, or promiſed to them, that upon their doing as he commanded and directed them, theſe miraculous effects ſhould follow, Exod 7.10. &c. Why then may not men be in covenant with Satan who is but a finite Spirit? And as an effect & token of it come after the working of Satan, with all power and ſigns and lying wonders, 2 Theſ. 2.9.
2. The Lord forbids his people making a Covenant with the Heathen Gods, Exod. 23.32. Thou ſhalt make no covenant with them, nor with their Gods, that is, with the Devils, Deut. 32.17. It there had been no danger of Iſraels making ſuch Covenants, they would not have had ſuch a prohibition.
3. Satan diſcourſing with the Man Chriſt Jeſus, Math. 4 8, 9. Offers to make a bargain or covenant with Him, wherein he promiſeth, Quid pro Quo Satan offers on his part to give all the kingdoms of the World, and the Glory of them; and the condition he propoſeth on Chriſts part, is, That Christ ſhall fall down and worſhip him. Had our bleſſed Saviour agreed to theſe propoſitions there had been a bargain: but that was not poſſible, for when the Prince of this world came to our Saviour, he found nothing in him; that is, no matter for his temptations to work upon, Joh. 14.30. But alas, how many wicked men and woman are there in the world, that would accept of ſuch bargains? Some have been ſo ſet upon obtaining their deſired ends, that to have their wills, they will do as he ſaid in the Poet.
Flectere ſi nequ…o ſuperos Acberonta movebo.
If I cannot obtain my wiſh and will from God, I will to Hell to fetch it thence. And if perſons are prepared for it, and Satan ſees it his intereſt, he will offer conference with them, as he did with Eve, Gen.; And readily promiſe them all the world can afford them according to their hearts deſire, to the uttermoſt of his power, and make no ſcruple of lying, and if mankind believes him, Satan profers ſome condition to be performed on mans part, as he did to Chriſt; If thou wilt worſhip me. And when mankind believes & accepts the ſeeming good deſired and offered, upon performance of the conditions required, here's a Covenant explicit or implicit. But ſay ſome, what ever Satan is ſaid to do or reveal by a Witch, cannot he do the ſame things without a Witch?
A. 1. Satan hath done great things without Witches, as in the afflicting Job, and the poſſeſſed, as aboveſaid.
2. Yet Satan doth alſo do and diſcover things by magicians, &c. as in the caſes of the Egyptian Sorcerers, and woman at Endor, above expreſſed. And this may proceed, (1) Partly from the righteous Judgment of God, giving Satan both permiſſion and commiſſion at ſuch times, to do great things in puniſhment to thoſe that ſeek unto him in that way. As when Ahab goes to the Prophets that were not the Prophets of Jehovah or the Lord, 1 King. 22.7. but of the Devil, to enquire, whether he ſhall go to Ramoth-Gilead: The Lord gives the Devil a commiſſion to deceive Ahab, who by going to theſe Prophet went to the Devil, 1 King. 22.20, 21, 22, 23. Who will perſwade Ahab? And a Spirit ſaid, I will perſwade him, — I will be a lying Spirit in the mouth of his Prophets. Now hear Satans commiſſion: Thou ſhalt perſwade him and prevail alſo: go forth & do ſo. (2) Satan may in pollicy do many things (the Lord permitting) at the devotion of his Votarys, which he will not do at other times if he could, becauſe hereby he carrys on his deſign of deſtroying Souls; both of his Votarys, and of them that go unto them. For there be many that have ſo much natural Conſcience in them, and ſo much averſation from the Devil, and horror at his preſence, that they will not ſeek immediately to the Devil, who yet will be drawn to ſeek unto Wizards, and ſuch as have familiar Spirits, and ſo fall into the Snare of the Devil, to the ruine of their Souls.
We know Satan is called the God of this World, and by imitating the Lords methods in ſhewing mercy to man, he ſeemed to the Heathen to be like the Moſt High: As Lucifer ſaid, Iſa. 14.12, 14. Had the Lord his Ark, Temple, &c. where to give anſwers to his people? So Satan had his Temples and Oracles, and Prieſts, whereby to give anſwers to his Worſhippers, as at Ekron, at Delphos, and elſewhere; ſee Acts 14 13. Did the Lord require faith in them that came to him? So Satan requires eſpecial faith in them that ſeek to him for help. Doth the Lord hearken to the voice of a man in working wonders? Joſh. 10.14. So Satan will hearken to the voice of his Magicians, &c. Doth the Lord require particular actions to be done by his Servants, when they work wonders in his Name? As Aaron muſt caſt down his rod at one time, ſmite the rock with it at another time, ſpeak to the rock at another time. Elijah prays at one time on his face between his knees, at another time otherwiſe, 1 King. 18.42. So Satan had his various ceremonies, words and actions to be obſerved by thoſe that obtained ſpecial help from him. As Charmings, Mutterings, Peepings, ſpeaking low, &c. Iſa. 8.19 & 29.4 And divers Sacrifices made to him, whereby he was honoured by the Heathen as a God. Deut. 32.17. And Satan being thus ſerved by them, did alſo ſome things for them, and that not only in way of operation, as for the Egyptian Magicians; but alſo to ſome he did reveal truly ſome future events; as appeareth by the warning given, Deut. 13.1, 2, 3. where it's ſhewed that a Prophet in the name, and by the help of a falſe God, may foretel a Sign that ſhall come to paſs.
And doubtleſs Belzebub did it at Ekron ſometimes foretel truly future evens, or elſe Ahaziah would not have ſent to him to know whether he ſhould recover at that time or not. But the eſſence of their being a Witch or Sorcere… did not conſiſt in their obtaining the deſired aſſiſtance from their God; but rather in their putting themſelves into that way of endeavouring to get help of their Gods. For the Aſtrologers, &c of Babylon are called Sorcerers or Witches. Iſa. 47.12. Though by their Inchantments and Sorceries they could not profit themſelves. And the Prophets of Edom, and other heathens, Jer. 27.3, 9. are called Sorcerers for prophecying by Satan, though they prophecyed falſely. And ſo I conceive the Four hundred and fifty Prophets of Baal, did all uſe Sorcery or Inchantments in their invocation of Baal, and uſing actions they eſteemed acceptable to him, that they might procure by him fire from Heaven to conſume their Sacrifice, although they could not obtain it. 1 King. 18.22. to 30. And ſo juſtly deſerved death by the Law. Exod. 22.18. and by the Law. Exod. 22 20. For Sacrificing to a falſe God.
Thus we ſee who were the Witches among the Heathen: We may then query, Who were the Witches among the Iſraelites that were to be put to death?
A. 1. Thoſe that having the knowledge of the true God, or at leaſt the means whereby they might know him, did ſo far forſake the true God, as to ſue unto, and depend upon the Devil, or another God, as the Heathen Prieſts and Prophets that were Sorcerers did. As by having a familiar ſpirit as the Witch at Endor had; or by uſing Witchcrafts as Manaſſeb did. Theſe as Apoſtates from God, and Votaries of the Devil, were to dye by the Laws Exod. 22.18, 20. As is ſaid of Boals Prophets. And ſuch if they prophecyed in the name of thoſe falſe Gods (whether the Propheſie were true or falſe,) were to dye by the Law. Deut. 18.20. The Prophet that ſhall preſume to ſpeak in the name of other Gods, that Prophet ſhall dye.
2. Thoſe perſons who did prophecy a falſehood in the name of the Lord; or prophecy in his name when he ſent them not, are called Diviners, though they pretended to ſpeak (not in the name of falſe Gods, but) in the name of the true God; as, Jer. 28.8, 9. Mich. 3.7. Though they are not indeed called Witches or Sorcerers, but Diviners, which note a crime near to the former. Becauſe they were ſo like unto the Diviners of the Heathen in prophecying falſly, and were alike capital offenders by that Law. Deut. 18.20, 22. The Prophet which ſhall preſume to ſpeak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to ſpeak, ſhall dye, &c. So that although they are not called Witches, but Diviners, yet they were to dye by the Law, as well as the other.
Here then we may obſerve, who is to be, eſteemed a Capital Witch among Chriſtians viz. thoſe that being brought up under the means of the knowledge of the true God, yet being in their right mind, or free uſe of their reaſon, do knowingly & willingly depart from the true God, ſo as to devote themſelves unto, and ſeek for their help from another God, or the Devil, as did the Devils Prieſts, and Prophets of old that were Magicians.
The end of ſuch devoting to another God is for ſome ſuppoſed benefit. As, 1. To get help from him; So Abaz ſeems to be a Witch or Sorcerer, in that he ſacrificed to the Gods of Syria, that he might obtain help by them. 2 Chron. 28.3, 23. His burning his Children in the fire, after the Heathen abomination, is alſo a ſin reckoned with Witchcraft; ſee, Deutr. 18.11. He was if not a Witch in ſacrificing himſelf, yet at leaſt one that did ſeek after Wizards and the like, to Sacrifice for him.
2. Another end in ſeeking help, is thereby to do ſtrange things, as did the Egyptian Sorce…ers as above-ſhewed. And ſuch a Sorcerer the beaſt, Rev. 13.13, 14. prophecyed of, ſeems to be, for he maketh fire to come down from Heaven, on the Earth in the ſight of men. And this was the work of Satan upon Jobs Sheep and Servants, Job 1.16.
3. Another end is for the diſcovery of Secrets; as above ſhewed, from Deut. 13.1, 2, 3. & 1 Sam 28.
4. Another end is to prevent or remove ſome evil felt, or feared; as the Sorcerers of Babylon, that by their Sorceries ſought to prevent, or ſave them from the evils coming upon them. And though they did not obtain the help aimed at from their Gods, yet they are ſtiled Sorcerers, Iſa. 47.12, 13, 14. & 44 25.
2. I ſay, brought up under the means of the knowledge of the true God; for though many Witches were among the Heathen Nations, yet they were not to be put to death, becauſe they knew not the true God, they knew no better. But as for thee, ſaith God, The Lord thy God hath not ſuffered thee ſo to do; and there ſhall not be found among you an Enchanter, Witch, &c. Deut. 18.9, 10, 14. And therefore the Lord made this Law, as an hedge to keep his people from going away from him to Devils, to Gods whom they knew not, and whom their fathers feared not, Deut. 32.16, 17. And ſo this Law hath ſome affinity with that capital Law, the next verſe, but one ſtep, Exod 22. …0. He that Sacrificeth to any God, ſave unto Jehovah only, ſhall be put to death. So that Daniel did well in ſeeking to ſave the Babylonian Wiſe men, though Witches, Dan. 2.14 &c. For they fell not under the Law. Exod. 22.18. But being ignorant of the true God, needed to live and be inſtructed, that thereby they might be made ſenſible of their evil practices, and turn …nto the living God.
3. The object ſought unto is the D…e woun… another God. Some of the Heathen did not ſeek to the Devil, as a Devil, that is, as a malicious, wicked, and unclean ſpirit: but as to their God whom they thought ought to be Worſhipped by them. And ſome of the Iſraelites had an opinion of many Gods, as Ahaz, 2 Chr. 28.23. Manaſſeh and Amaziah, Chap 25.14. & 33 3, 4, 6. And ſo ſacrificed to the Heathen Gods, as well as to their own. And this was very abominable to the Lord to be ranked thus with Idols and Devils, Iſa. 42.8. Jehovah will not give his Glory to another.
4. The perſon I ſay, that hath the free uſe of their reaſon; hereby are exempted from the guilt of this crime, perſons poſſeſſed or obſeſſed of the Devil, who did by the power of Satan, ſtrange things, as breaking chains, and Lunatick perſons, upon whom the Devil took advantage by reaſon of their Lunacy.
5. They devote themſelves to Satan, or their other God, and to ſeek to him; which was done divers ways; as by enchantments, charmings, peepings, muttering, ſacrificing, cutting themſelves, prayers, &c. And though of later times Satan as a cunning Fiſher changeth his baits, yet ſtill all that ſeek to him, as his peculiar Votaries, have their Ceremonies, Ordinances by which Satan is invocated and worſhipped. Here we muſt diſtinguiſh between thoſe that not …and ſeek to Satan immediately, and … …at ſeek to him by the mediation of a Wizard, &c. as Saul by the Witch at End…r. The former ſort only are called Witches, or dealers with familiar ſpirits: But the latter is a great ſin prohibited and condemned, Lev. 19. 31. & 20.6. & elſewhere.
6. I ſay; do knowingly and willingly ſeek, &c. And here I excuſe a tanto, though not a toto, thoſe that ignorantly uſe charms, ſpells, writings or forms of words, &c. being taught them by others, which are a kind of Witchcraft; but thoſe that uſe them are not ſenſible, that they are but various ceremonies to invocate the Devil, and that the effects following theſe charms, &c. are done by the Devil. So ſome have pulled fiſh bones out of a wound, cured tooth ach, agues, warts, and ſtopped blood by ſuch devilliſh means. Such have an implicit faith that the means uſed, ſhall produce the effect deſired, but conſider not how; and ſo are beguiled by the Serpent that lies in the graſs unſeen.
I knew a man in the Eaſt, who profeſſed the art of curing wounds, and ſtenching blood by a form of words. I diſcourſed him about it, and he told me, he had been in the practice of it; and believed it to be the gift of healing given him from God, upon the uſe of ſome Scripture words be uſed, as he had been taught by an Old woman, and had tried it upon himſelf; having cut his leg almoſt half through with an Adds, and only bound up the wound with a cloth, and ſaid over the wound thoſe words, and without other means the wound was cured in a few days. I deſired to hear the words, and he related them to me; and I found him almoſt as ignorant in Scriptures, as an Heathen, and found he could not read. Whereupon I informed him that part of his words were Scripture, and part not; and that thoſe words upon which the greateſt ſtreſs was laid in order to the cure, were a perverſe addition to the Scriptures: a meer fiction of mans invention; and declared to him, that if any ſuch healing followed upon ſuch a form of words, it could not come from the efficacy of the words themſelves, or from a divine concurrence working a wonder, becauſe of thoſe words, which were indeed a lye in the additions made; therefore if any vertue were in them, it came by the Devil, and ſo thoſe words a kind of Sorcery. The man hereby ſeemed convinced of his error, and promiſed reformation. I do not believe this man was a Wizard (though in danger of it) becauſe he did it ignorantly in misbelief.
I fear ſome young perſons through a vain curioſity to know their future condition, have tampered with the Devils tools, ſo far that hereby one door was opened to Satan to play thoſe pranks; Anno 1692. I knew one of the Afflicted perſons, who (as I was credibly informed) did try with an egg and a glaſs to find her future Husbands Calling; till there came up a Coffin, that is, a Spectre in likeneſs of a Coffin. And ſhe was afterward followed with diabolical moleſtation to her death; and ſo dyed a ſingle perſon. A juſt warning to others, to take heed of handling the Devils weapons, leſt they get a wound thereby.
Another, I was called to pray with, being under ſore fits and vexations of Satan. And upon examination I found ſhe had tryed the ſame charm: and after her confeſſion of it and manifeſtation of repentance for it, and our prayers to God for her, ſhe was ſpeedily releaſed from thoſe bonds of Satan. This iniquity though I take it not to be the Capital crime condemned, Exod. 22. Becauſe ſuch perſons act ignorantly, not conſidering they hereby go to the Devil; yet borders very much upon it: and is too like Sauls going to the Witch at Endor, and Ahaziah ſending to the God of Ekron to enquire.