Concerning Simon Magus we have before in this Treatise sufficiently proved that he was only a deceiver and Impostor, and what strange feats he had done to astonish, and stupifie the Samaritanes, were only jugling knacks, or deceits by confederacy, and no supernatural things, so that here we will say no more, but only add: That though our English translation say that he bewitched the people of Samaria with sorceries, and that he himself, when he beheld the miracles and signs that were done, wondered; yet the word that they translate in the one place bewitching, and in the other wondered, are both from one Thema which is Ἠξίστημι, de statu mentis dejicio, facio ut aliquis mente non constet, perterrefacio, obstupefacio. And therefore either it ought to be that the Samaritanes were astonisht at the feats that Simon wrought, and that he himself was astonisht at the miracles of Philip, or that they were both bewitched, for they were both under the same amazement, and there is no reason at all to give it one sense in one place, and a different one in the other.
Acts 13. 10.
Acts 19. 13, 16.
We need not here say any thing of Elymas who is stiled a Magician, because it is manifest that he was a false Prophet, full of all subtilty, and all mischief, a Child of the Devil, and an enemy of all righteousness: which character truly given to him by the unerring sentence of S. Paul, may be really ascribed to the whole tribe and profession of such kind of seducers and deceivers. Like unto whom were those seven Sons of Sceva a Jew, who are called exorcists, that took upon them to call over them that had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth, but were soundly beaten for their pains, a fit reward for such vagabonds; And if all that profess or practise such wicked, vain and lying things were duely punished, the poor ignorant people would not be so much abused as they are.
The other places in the New Testament we have handled, and answered, and also have touched upon that Text in the Galathians where we spoke of Fascination, but lest it be not sufficient, we shall handle it fully here. The words are, O foolish Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth? From whence they use thus to argue: If Witchcraft in the Apostles time had not been known, and practised, he would not have made use of that Phrase then; concerning which we return these responsions.
Delrio. l. 3. q. 4. sect. 1. Concl. 2.
1. If we consider natural Fascination was by the Philosophers and Poets only taken to be contagious steams flowing from the eyes, or breaths of malevolent and envious persons, that had some infectious diseases, as we see in the Plague, Small-pox, Lues Venerea, soreness of Eyes, Tinea’s, and the like, which are contagious to others that lie with them, or converse near them, the infected atomes or steams issuing in a certain Sphear of activity, are received by the pores, or mouths of the sound persons, by which they come to be infected also. And this the Poet witnessed: Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. Now this being the common opinion, the Apostle taketh the metaphor from thence, as who should say, who with their virulent and poysonous opinions have infected you, that you should not obey the truth. And this is the genuine meaning of that metaphorical phrase, and no other sense can rationally and congruously be put upon the place, and this conduceth nothing to that opinion of Witchcraft that we oppose. For Philosophica seu Physica fascinatio non nisi impropriè dici potest fascinatio, propriè verò est contagio, seu infectio. And therefore did the learned Vallesius to the same purpose speak this. Sed neq; si quis pestilenti affectus febri, aut etiam sine febre deferens secum seminaria pestis alium intuens intuentem inficiat, dicetur fascinasse, sed peste affecisse.
Vid. Jo. Lazar. Guttier. de fascino.
2. Some of the fathers (which may be offered for an objection) do seem to hold that S. Paul here meant of diabolical fascination, and so Tertullian in English thus: For there is also something amongst the Gentiles to be feared, which they call fascination, being a more unfortunate event of praise, and great glory: this we sometimes interpret of the Devil. And S. Hierome saith upon this place: Fascination is when some things by Magical illusions are shewed to the eyes of Men, otherwise than they are. Also Fascination is vulgarly called that, which doth hurt Children, for the eyes of certain persons are said to burn with looking, and this act of theirs is called Fascination, and it may be that the Devils are subservient to this Sin. And Thomas Aquinas saith: And this also may be done by Devils, who have power of moving false imaginations, and bringing them to the principles of the Senses, by changing the Senses themselves. From whence we may note these things. 1. That Tertullian saith that they sometimes interpret this of the Devil, but how truly or upon what grounds he sheweth not, and it seemeth that sometimes they did interpret it of something else, for so his words must needs imply. 2. Secondly, S. Hierome sometime calleth fascination Magical illusions, and sometime that which doth hurt Children, by the burning of some eyes; and then comes in with a may be that the Devils are subservient to this sin. So that he is not certain in his opinion, nor truly knows what fascination is, but according to vulgar opinion, or blind conjectures. 3. And all that the Angelical Doctor saith, doth but amount to the delusion of the Senses, by false imaginations, so that here is no proof either of the Devil, or his instruments, to cause any real fascination.
Vid. Guttier. passim.