3. This Hebrew word is taken in bonam partem, heedfully to consider, mark, or observe, as Laban said, when he laboured to stay Jacob from going from him: I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake. So that though Laban’s heart was not upright toward Jacob, nor he a sincere Worshipper of the God of the Jews; yet so far had the Lord convinced him, by the faithful and industrious service of Jacob that he had experienced, and by tryal found that the Lord had blessed him for Jacob’s sake. And the same word is used, when Joseph said: Is not this the cup wherein my Lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth, or maketh tryal? And again: Know ye not, that such a man as I can certainly divine, or make tryal? And though Pererius hath made a large Dispute about this matter, and reciteth the Opinions of many Authors concerning it; yet it is manifest, that Joseph knew his Brethren before, and had caused the Cup to be put into Benjamins Sack, and that all this was but done in a just and prudent way, the better to prepare his Brethren for his revealing of himself unto them, and so had reference to no unlawful conjecturing at all, though it was plain, that he had the special gift from God of interpreting of Dreams, and foretelling of things that were to come.
4. It is too hard a task to enumerate all the several ways that the Heathens used, by observation to foretel things to come, and more difficult so declare all the subjects from whence they gathered the signs of their Predictions. The chiefest that the old Romans used, were Augurium quasi Avigerium dictum, vel Avigarium, ab avium scilicet garritu quem auspicantes observabant: And so Auspicium, quasi Avispecium, ab avibus spectandis. And these observations were taken, either from the feeding, flying, or noise of the birds. So they had their Haruspices, Harioli, and Haruspicina, which was derived ab haruga, hostia, ab hara in qua concluditur & servatur.
Matth. 16. 2, 3.
Luke 12. 54.
5. But all these sorts of Observations, Guessings, and Conjectures may be considered these three ways. 1. Some of them are natural, rational, and legal; as is the Prognostick part of the Art of Medicine, Political Predictions of the change, fall, and ruine of Kingdoms, States, and Empires. Some Civil taken from the course and carriage of men, as when one seeth a rich young Heir that followeth nothing but vice, luxury, and all sorts of debauchery, it is easie to foretel that his end will be beggery and misery. Some from the due observation of beasts and fowls, which live sub dio, may easily conjecture the alteration of the weather. And so by observing the change, or colour of the Stars and Planets, the Clouds and Elements, may easily foretel the change of weather. And we find that these predictions from the Signs gathered from natural causes, are not condemned by our Blessed Saviour, who saith: When it is evening, ye say it will be fair weather, for the skie is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather to day, for the skie is red, and lowring. And again: When ye see a cloud rise out of the West, straightway ye say, there cometh a showre, and so it is. And when ye see the South wind blow, ye say, there will be heat, and it cometh to pass. 2. There are some conjectures that are false, groundless, and superstitious, as were, and are all the predictions taken from the feeding, flying or noise of Fowls, or the signs appearing in the intrails of Beasts; for in all such like, there is no connexion betwixt the cause and effect, and they therefore are false and vain, and this was one of the reasons why they were forbidden amongst the Jews. 3. There were some that in regard of their use and end were wicked and Idolatrous, and in this respect all divinations and predictions are wicked and unlawful, if they be used (as was and is yet among the Heathen) to lead the people unto, or confirm them in, the worship of Idols, and false Gods. And from all this it appeareth, that yet we can find no proper or fit word for such a kind of Witch whose existence we have denied and are disproving.
5. The next word in this place of Deuteronomy is וּמְכַשֵּׁף Umechascheph, which our Translators render a Witch, but in what sense or propriety, I think few can conjecture, for it comes from the Hebrew root, כֹּשֵּׁף Coscheph, which Avenarius rendreth, Fascinavit, effascinavit, but Schindlerus translates it, Præstigias, maleficia aut magiam exercuit, mutavit aliquid naturale ad aspectum oculi, ut aliud appareat quàm est. And by Buxtorsius it is rendred, Præstigiæ, and the derivations from it through the whole Old Testament, which is the most certain propriety of the word, as these following considerations will make manifest.
Chap. 7. 11, 22.
Chron. 2. 33. 6.
2 Kings 9. 22.
1. That the most of the Translators in rendering this word whether in this place, or in others, have been very inconstant, and one place not agreeing with another, as Arias Montanus in this place gives it maleficus, but in Exodus he makes it, Præstigiatores, and in the 22 and 16 of the same Book he makes it Præstigiatricem; and in another place where the very same word is used in the Hebrew, he saith of Manásseh, & Præstigiis vacabat. And yet in another place, he rendereth the very same word veneficia. So uncertain was this learned Man, and so inconsiderate in his versions, wherein he ought to have had a more special care. Now Tremellius in all the places named before, doth use the words Præstigiatorem, and the words from the same derivation in the Latine, which sheweth certainty and constancy.