I Having had not only occasion, but renewed provocation to take a view of the Mysterious Doctrines, which have of late been so much contested among us, could not meet with any that had spoken more, or more plainly the sense of those Doctrines (relating to the Witchcraft) than the Reverend Mr. C. M. but how clearly and consistent, either with himself or the truth, I medle not now to say, but cannot but suppose his strenuous and Zealous asserting his opinions, has been one cause of the dismal Convulsions we have here lately fallen into; Supposing that his Books of Memorable Providences, relating to Witchcraft, as also his Wonders of the Invisible World, did contain in them things not warrantable, and very dangerous, I sent to him a Letter of Quotations out of those Books, &c.
That so, if it might have been, I might understand what tollerable Sense he would put upon his own words, which I took to be a better way of Proceeding, than to have affixed what I thought to be their natural consequences, and lest I might be Judged a Sceptic I gave him a full and free account of my belief relating to those Doctrines, together with the grounds thereof; And prayed him that if I err'd I might be shewed it by Scripture, and this I had his reiterated promise for. But after more than a Years waiting for the performance thereof, all that is done in compliance therewith, is that in Feb. last, he sent me four sheets of his writing as his belief, but before I might receive it I must engage to deliver it back in a Fortnight and not Copy'd.[60] A Summary account [34] of which I shall give you, when I have first acquainted you what the Doctrines were which I sent to him for his concurrence with, or confutation of, and to which I had his promise, as above.
These by way of Question, (Viz.) whether that fourth Head cited and recommended by himself (In Wonders of the Invisible World, of Mr. Gauls) ought to be believed as a truth, which runs thus; Among the most unhappy circumstances to Convict a Witch, one is a Maligning and Oppugning the Word, Work, and Worship of God, and seeking by any Extraordinary sign to seduce any from it, Deut. xiii. 1, 2. Mat. xxiv. 24. Acts xiii. 8, 10. 2 Tim. iii. 8. do but mark well the places, and for this very property of thus oppugning and perverting, they are all there concluded arrant and absolute Witches.
And if in Witchcraft the Devil by means of a Witch does the Mischief, how 'tis possible to distinguish it from Possession, both being said to be performed by the Devil, and yet without an Infallible distinction there can be no certainty in Judgment. And whether it can be proved that the Jewish Church in any Age before, or in our Saviours time, even in the time of their greatest Apostacy did believe that a Witch had power to Commissionate Devils to do Mischief.
So much to the Questions. These were sent as my belief: That the devils bounds are sett, that he cant pass; That the devils are so full of Malice, that it cant be added to by Mankind; That where he hath power he neither can nor will omit executing it; That 'tis only the Almighty that sets bounds to his rage, and that only can Commissionate him to hurt or destroy. And now I shall give you the Summary account of his four sheets above mentioned, as near as memory could recollect, in Ten Particulars.
1. That the Devils have in their Natures a power to work Wonders and Miracles; particularly that the Pharisees were not mistaken in asserting that the Devils might be cast out by Beelzebub; and that our Saviours Answer does not oppose that assertion; and that he hath the Power of Death, that he can make the most Solid things Invisible; and can Invisibly bring poyson and force it down Peoples Throats.[61]
2. That to assert this Natural, wonderful Power of the Devil, makes most for the Glory of God, in preserving Man from its effects,
3. Yet this Power is restrained by the Almighty, as pleaseth him.
4. That a Witch is one that makes a Covenant with the Devil.
5. That by vertue of such a Covenant, she arrives at a Power to Commissionate him.