That the Devil doth act immediately upon matter, there is another acceptation of the word possession in Scripture, Acts xvi. 16, where one is said to be possest with a Spirit of Divination, (πνεῦμα Πύθωνος) the word commonly used to the Priestess of Apollo, who gave responses; and it seems this Damsel was such an one, for she brought her Masters much Money, or gain by soothsaying. Now if the History of them be true that they were demented, and knew not themselves what they uttered, donec erant Deo plenæ, (as they word it) their case is not different, but the same with the foregoing; but if they understood what they spoke, then had they familiar Spirits, whereof there is frequent mention made in the Old Testament, and one good King is commended for having cut off them that had such, therefore I think the meaning of the word was very obvious in his time, neither was it ever controverted, being joyned with any other name than spirit Familiar, one of our own Family, that is oft, every day conversant with us, and almost ever ready upon call to attend us. But the consideration of them, who have familiar Spirits falleth under the head of Witchcraft, which we are to consider in the third place. 3. Witchcraft, to inquire into the Scripture Notion of it, and compare whether it be the same with that above defined; the Cabalistick learning would be of great use in this search, and afford us much light; there is little doubt but that there are many great truths not commonly known. (Non est Religio ubi omnia patent.) And our Saviour expressly cautions his Disciples that they do not throw their Pearl before Swine; therefore it is no wonder that some Doctrines, tho' unquestionably true are not so fully described, because the Authors who treat of them are afraid, lest evil Men should be the more depraved by being informed; but I am in no such fear; nor can I give you any other thoughts but what are obvious to any Man, from the plain sense of the Scripture. Our definition we'l divide into two Propositions, and handle them severally. 1. Proposition. The Witch is impower'd by the Devil to do things strange in themselves, and beside their natural course. 2. Prop. The manner how the Witch is impowered to do those strange things, is by Explicit Com[70]pact, or Covenant with the Devil. For clearing of the first, we will consider the four places above cited, wherein a Witch is called a false Prophet, a false Christ, a Sorcerer, a resister of the truth, and is said to shew signs to seduce the People to seek after other Gods: whence let us note, 3 things. 1. That those terms Witch, false Christ, false Prophet, and Sorcerer, are all Synonimous; i. e. signifie the same thing. 2. That a Witch doth do things strange in themselves, and beyond their Natural course: for it were most ridiculous, to alledge that our blessed Saviour, when he said, there shall arise false Christs, and shall shew great signs and wonders, in so much that (if it were possible) they should deceive the very Elect meant that cunning cheats should arise and shew Legerdemain tricks; the words will in no wise bear it, and I believe you are from interpreting them, so it is manifest, they signifie not a feign'd, but a real doing of things, beyond their Natural course; therefore the Sorceries of Elimas[92] and Simon were not simple delusions, but real effects that could not have been produced by Physical causes in the ordinary course of nature. 3. That the end of the Witches shewing these signs, is to seduce the People to seek after other Gods, from which premises I infer, that the Witches have the power of doing those wonders, or strange things immediately from the Devil: they are without the reach of Nature, and therefore above humane power, and no meer Man can effect them; the Witch then who does them must have the power of doing them from another; but who is the other? God will not give his testimony to a lye, and to say God did at any time impower a Witch to work wonders to gain belief to the Doctrine of Devils were with one breath to destroy root and branch of all revealed Religion; no, it cannot be, it is only God's permission, who proveth his People, whether they love him with all their heart, and with all their Soul. Therefore the Witch has a power of doing Wonders, or strange things immediately from the Devil. 2. Proposit. we'll subdivide into these two. 1. That there is an express Covenant between the Witch and the Devil. 2. That 'tis not reasonable to suppose this Covenant to be transacted mentally. 1. The Devil cannot communicate this power, by never so strict a Union with the Soul of the Witch; for in that case he is only a tempter, and nothing above humane power can be done, as has been already proved; therefore the Devil who improves the Witch to do things above humane power, must either appear in an External shape, and instruct him how, and upon what terms he will inable him to do those Wonders; or else he must enter into the body of the Witch and possess it. The Demoniacs in the Gospel are such whom the Devils invade, by main force, their Soul having no further command of their bodies, which are subjected to the Will of the Devils; whose end is to wound and torment those miserable Creatures, to throw them into the fire, and into the water; but the Witch, who likewise is possessed, is not treated in such an outrageous manner; his Dæmon is tame and familiar unto him, and suffers him for [71] a time to live quietly, without any further molestation, then prompting him to do his utmost endeavour to withdraw Men from God; he is not bereaved of his Senses as the poor lunatick, but is conscious of all he does, and willeth all his crimes, he receiveth power from the Devil to do wonders, and doth them to serve the Devils turn. Therefore there must be a Covenant, an express Covenant between the Devil and him, viz. that he shall obey the Devil and serve him, and that the Devil shall both enable him so to do, and also reward him for so doing; for if there is no contract between them, How comes the Witch to know he has a supernatural power? or how can he so peremptorily pretend to do that which is so much above his natural power, not knowing he has a supernatural one inabling him to do the same: There can be no doubt but there was a very intimate commerce between Satan and him; who is call'd by St. Paul thou child of the Devil (not as other unholy men) but in an especial manner, as being the Enemy of all righteousness, who would not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord, it is not to be supposed that he enter'd into this so near a Relation with Satan, with which he is stigmatized, that others may beware of him, without his own knowledge and consent; and is not this a Covenant, an express Covenant on his part to serve the Devil incessantly, and on the Devils to impower him to act his Sorceries wherewith he bewitched the People; now I think, I have from Scripture fully satisfied you of the truth of what I offered, in a Discourse at—— but since you have told me an Explicit Covenant with the Devil, signifying the Devil's appearing in a bodily shape to the Witch, and their signing an express Covenant, which you say cannot be proved from Scripture. It were most unreasonable to imagine that the ceremonies of this hellish mystery are particularly set down in the word of God; therefore we must gather by Analogy and Reason the manner how this express Covenant is transacted: and to that end I'le set down these following Considerations.
1. Under the Law God did ordain his People in all their matters to have recourse immediately to himself, and depend upon him for Counsil, which they were ready to obey, with full assurance of aid and protection from him against their Enemies; this the Devil imitateth by setting up of Oracles among the Heathen, to which all the Kings, Nations, and mighty Conquerors, upon Earth did come, and paid their humblest adoration to the God (as the Devil blasphemously call'd himself) of the Temple, in which they were imploring his direction and assistance in their doubtful and prosperous affairs. Again, God instituted Sacrifices to put Men in mind of their duty to their Creator, to whom they owe all things, even themselves; but the Devil is not contented with the bare imitation hereof; the acknowledgment and worship he receiveth from the deluded World is not enough, tho' they offer up unto him innumerable Hecatombs, unless they cause their Children to pass through the [72] fire unto him, to whom no sacrifice is so well pleasing as that of humane blood. And there is no reason to think, that now under the Œconomy of the Gospel, the Devil hath left off to vie with God, and thereby to ensnare Men. No, it is rather to be feared that his Kingdom doth now more prevail, for by how much the light is greater; so much greater is their condemnation, who do not receive it: it is reasonable to suppose that (seeing the Son of God, when he came to transact with Men, the wonderful Covenant of their Redemption, took upon him their Nature, and was perfect Man) the Devil likewise doth counterfeit the same, in appearing in an humane shape to them, who receive him, and confederate themselves with him, and become his Vassals.
2. Consider, It is not probable that those false Apostles mention'd, 2 Cor. xi. 13. erred only in Ceremonies or Circumstances, or that their Errors, tho' great, did proceed rather from their Ignorance, than from the perverseness of their minds. 1 Cor. iii. 15. For, for such we may have charity and hope, that God will be merciful unto them, if they sincerely do the best they know, tho' they dissent in some, nay many things, from the practices and belief of the Christian Church; but those St. Paul threatens with a heavy curse, that their end shall be according to their works; therefore it seems they immediately struck at the very root and being of the Christian Religion, and were the same with them spoken of, 2 Tim. iii. 6. but with this difference, that they did not resist, but beholding the Miracles and Signs which were done by the true Apostle of our Lord, wondered and believed also, and were Baptized; yet being Sorcerers they were unwilling to lose that great esteem they had obtained; as it is related of Simon, who had bewitched the People of Samaria, giving out that he himself was some great one, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, this Man is the great Power of God, therefore he could not brook that Peter or John should have a greater Power than himself; but offered them Money, that on whomsoever he laid hands, he (that person) should receive the Holy Ghost; which shews him, who thus designed to make Merchandize of the B. Spirit, tho' Baptized, to have been no true believer, but still a Sorcerer in the Gall of bitterness, and in the bond of Iniquity; such were those deceitful workers, who not being able barefaced to resist, did put on Christianity as a Mask, that they might undermine the truth, and introduce the Doctrines of Devils. Samaria and Paphos, were not the only two places where the Devil had such Agents, there was no part of the Earth where his Kingdom was not Established, and where he had not his Emissaries before the preaching of the Gospel; and since the Text telleth us he hath his Ministers, who do imitate their Master, by being transformed into the Apostles of Christ, as he himself is transformed into an [73] Angel of light: whose design in being thus transformed, cannot be to impose upon the Almighty; for whatever shape he appears in, he cannot hide his ugliness from the Eyes of him who is Omniscent, therefore he appeareth thus in the shape of an Angel of light, either to tempt and seduce the blessed Spirits to rebel against God, or to ensnare wicked Men, who by their hainous crimes (being lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud blasphemers) were before disposed to be fit Instruments to serve him and to enter into league with him. Surely I, who am ignorant of the Laws by which the Intellectual World is govern'd, dare not affirm that it is impossible for Satan so to appear, as to hide his deformities from the good Angels, and under that vail to tempt them: But certain I am that it is more consonant to Reason, to think that the Apostles intention here was to teach that the Devil appear'd as a glorified Angel unto Men to gain Ministers, whom he might imbue with the Poyson of his Black-Art, and (when he had gotten full possession of them) instruct them by his own Example to transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ, that under that Vizard they might with the greater Advantage promote his ends, and join with him in doing the utmost despite to the Spirit of Grace.
3. Consideration, It is against the Nature of this Covenant, that it should be consummated by a mental Colloquy, between the Devil and the Witch. I know not how many Articles it consists of, but it is certain from what has been already proved, that the renouncing of Christ to be the Son of God, and owning the Devil to be, and worshipping him as God, are the two chief, to which our Saviour who was accused of casting out Devils by Beelzebub (i. e.) of being confederated with Beelzebub, was tempted to consent: If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread: And again, throw thyself down from hence, for it is written, he will give his Angels charge over thee; and again all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me: Whence it is evident that here the Devil Laboured to insinuate into our Lord, either to do things rash and unwarrantable, or to suspect his Sonship, revolt from God his father, and worship Satan, that he might obtain the glory of the World. Now it has been already said, that when Jesus was tempted, the Devil appeared unto him in a bodily shape; therefore it is agreeable to Reason, that he doth appear in the same manner to all them, whom he also tempteth to worship him; moreover the form of renouncing a Covenant ought to bear resemblance to the form of entring into the same Covenant; therefore Men who are received into the Mystical Body of Christ by God's Minister, who in God's stead expressly covenanteth with and then Administereth the Sacrament of Baptism unto them, must in the like manner go out of, or renounce the said Covenant; and of them there are [74] two sorts, one who through the perverseness of their own hearts, the lucre of the world, the fear of Men more than of God, abjure their Saviour, turn Apostates, Turks, or Pagans; The other sort is of them who do contract with the Devil to be his Subjects, in the imitation of whom, it is not to be supposed that the Devil will omit any material Circumstances, which tend both to bring them into and confirm them in his Service. To effect which his outward appearance, when he receives his Catechumens is of greater force than any mental contract, for many wicked men who have denied God and Christ not only in their practice, but also blasphemously in profession, yet have repented, and at last obtained some hope of mercy; I dare not say it is impossible for a Witch to repent and find mercy, the secrets of the Almighty are too high for me; but it is certain, these wretches are strangely hardned, by what passes between them and the Devil, in a bodily shape, particularly their worshipping him, which necessarily implies his outward appearance unto them; for no man can apete Evil as Evil, because the Law of self-preservation deeply rooted in all men, determineth their wills to pursue that which seems good, and fly from that which seems evil unto them, but the inbred notions that every man has of the Devil, is that he is an Enemy and destroyer of mankind, therefore every man hath a Natural aversion from him, and consequently cannot formally worship him as such, because the object of worship must be esteemed to be propitious and placable by the worshippers, otherwise if fear alone be the adequate cause of Adoration, it follows that the Devils and damned in Hell do worship God, which is contrary to Scripture, which saith they blasphemed, because of their pains, whence it follows that they who worship the Devil must have changed the innate Idea that they had of him, viz. that he is an implacable Worrier of Men, and take him to be benign at least to his own; but this change cannot be wrought by any suggestion of Satan unto the minds of Men, whom indeed he mentally tempteth to Lust, Pride and Malice; but it is his greatest Artifice to cause his Insinuations to arise in the hearts of Men, as their own natural thoughts, and if conscience discovers their Author and opposes them, then he varnishes them over with the specious colours of pleasure, honour and glory; and so represents them as really good, to be willed and desired by the Soul, which judgeth of all things without according to the Ideas she hath of them; but because most objects have two, and some many faces, and she not always attends, therefore she often errs in her choice, nevertheless it is impossible for her to apete an object, whose simple Idea is Evil; but the Idea we have of the Devil is such, for we cannot represent him in our minds any otherwise than the great destroyer of Men, therefore no mental temptation can make us believe this our grand Enemy to be [75] ever Exorable by, or in any measure favourable to us, whence it evidently follows, that the Devil to work this change of opinion his worshippers have of him, must appear unto them in a bodily shape, and impose upon them, whom because of their great Corruption and Sinfulness, God hath wholly left and given up [to] strong delusions that they should believe a lye, and the Father of lyes; who now appearing in a humane shape, telleth them that he is no such Monster, as he has been represented to them by his Enemy, who calls himself God, which Title of right belongs to him, and that he (if they contract to be his Servants) will both amply reward them by giving them power to do many things very suitable to their abominable depraved Nature, that the Christians, whatever opinion they may pretend to have of their God, cannot so much as pretend to, and also that he will protect and defend them against him, whom heretofore they have mistaken for the Almighty, and his pretended Son Christ, whom they must abjure ere they can be received by or expect any benefit from him. Upon no other consideration is it possible for any man to worship the Devil; for the Atheists, who deny the being of a God, do likewise deny the existence of any Spirit good or bad; therefore their drinking the Devils health, even upon their knees (tho' a most horrid Crime) cannot be construed any part of worship paid to him, whom they assert to be a Chimera, a meer figment of Statesmen to keep the vulgar in awe. Now I have evinced to you that there are Witches, that the Witch receiveth power from the Devil to do strange things, that there is an express Covenant between the Devil and the Witch, that this Covenant cannot be transacted mentally, but that the Devil must appear in a bodily shape to the Witch; therefore I conclude, that a Witch in the Scripture is such, who has made an Explicit Covenant with the Devil, and is impowered by him to do things strange in themselves, and beside their natural course.
2. I perswade myself you do not expect from me any Essay concerning the methods, how Witches may or ought to be convinced; I wish that those Gentlemen, whose Eminent station both inables them to perform it, and likewise makes it their duty so to do, may take this Province upon them, and handle it so fully as to satisfie you herein. I once intended to have provided some materials for this Work, by defining four principal things relating to Witchcraft, viz. 1. Witch-fits. 2. The Imps that are said to attend on the Witch. 3. The transportation of the Witch through the Air. 4. Lastly, the invisibility of the Witch; but upon second thoughts that it was foreign from my purpose, who am not concerned to compose a just Treatise of Witchcraft, which would require more vacant time, than my present Circumstances will allow, only I did promise you to give you my Opinion privately; therefore I'le [76] venture to make use of an Argument, which sheweth neither Art nor Learning in the Author, and it is this, that seeing there are Witches, and that the Law of God doth command them to be put to death; therefore there must be means to convict them, by clear and certain Proof, otherwise the Law were in vain; for no Man can be justly condemned, who is not fairly convicted by full and certain Evidence.
III. In the last place we are to inquire whether a Witch ought to be put to death or no? you Answer in the Negative; because you say that that Law, thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live, is Judicial, and extendeth only to the People of the Jews; but our Saviour, or his Apostles have not delivered any where any such command, therefore they ought to be suffered to live, this indeed seems somewhat plausible at first view, but upon through Examination hath no weight in it at all for these Reasons, 1. All Penal Laws receive their Sanction from him or them, who have the Sovereign Power in any state, as thou shalt not commit Adultery, is a Moral-law, and obligatory over the Consciences of Men in all places and Ages; but the Adulterers shall be put to death is a judicial law, and in force only in that state, where it is enacted by the Sovereign. 2. The Government of the Jews was a Theocracy, and God himself did condescend to be their King, not only as he is King of Kings; for in that sense he is, always was, and ever will be supreme Lord, and Governour of all his Creatures; but in an especial manner to give them Laws for the Government of their State, and to protect them against their Enemies; in one word to be immediately their Sovereign. 3. Our Saviour's Kingdom was not of this World, he was no Judge to divide so much as an Inheritance between two Brethren; nay, he himself submitted patiently to the unjust Sentence of the Governour of the Country in which he lived; therefore both the rewards and punishments annexed to his Laws are Spiritual, and then shall have their full accomplishment, when the Son of Man at the last day shall pronounce, Come unto me ye blessed, and depart ye cursed into Everlasting fire. 4. That Soveraigns, who have received the Gospel of our Lord, have not therefore lost their Power of enacting Laws for the ruling and preserving their People, and punishing Malefactors even with Death; so that the Criminal is as justly condemned to die by our Municipal, as he was heretofore by the Judicial Law among the Jews: How much more then ought our Law to advert against the highest of all Criminals, those execrable Men and Women, who tho yet alive, have listed themselves under Satan's banner, and explicitly Sworn Allegiance to him, to fight against God and Christ; indeed all unholy Men afford great matter to the Devils of Blaspheming, but these wretches have confederated themselves with the Devils, to blaspheme and destroy all they can; and do you think that these common [77] Enemies of God and Mankind ought to be suffered to live in a Christian Common wealth, especially considering that we have a President of putting them to death from God himself, when he acted as King over his own peculiar People. But methinks I hear you saying, all this doth not satisfie me, for I am sure nothing can be added to the Devils malice, and if he could, he certainly would appear and frighten all Men out of their wits. I answer, 1. We must not reject a truth, because we cannot resolve all the Questions that may be proposed about it; otherwise all our Science must be turned into Scepticism, for we have not a comprehensive knowledge of any one thing. 2. When you say, that if the Devil could, he would appear and frighten all Men; the Lawful consequence is not that he cannot appear at all, for we have undoubtedly proved the contrary; but that we are Ignorant of the bounds that the Almighty hath set to him, whose malice indeed, if he were not restrain'd, is so great as to destroy all Men; but the goodness of our God is greater, who hath given us means to escape his fury, if we will give earnest heed to the Gospel of our Saviour, which only is able to comfort us against the sad and miserable condition of our present state, for not only the Devils, but likewise all do conspire against us to work our ruine. The deluge came and swept away all the race (save eight persons) of mankind: the Fire will in time devour what the Water has left, and all this cometh to pass because of Sin; but we who have received the Lord Jesus, look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness. Therefore he, if we purifie ourselves as he is pure, will save us (for when he appears we shall be made like unto him; to whom be Glory for ever, Amen) from the great destruction that must come upon all the World, and the Inhabitants thereof. Farewell.
March, 8th 169¾.
Boston, March 20, 1693.
Worthy Sir,