The doctrine of devils proved to be the grand apostacy of these later times. An essay tending to rectifie those undue notions and apprehensions men have about dæmons and evil spirits.

CHAP. XXVII. Ex. 22.18. Considered, and the Objection taken thence answered.

THe objections against the opinion that I defend, and for the maintenance of the Doctrine of Devils are, as the Spani∣ards used to say of the Portugals, few and poor, scarce considerable indeed, but that by vulgar Error they are generally received as Demonstrations. I shall touch therefore now but one (the rest as many as I could meet with, yea and this too) I have answe∣red sufficiently, and at large in another place. It is this. The Scripture intimates, that there are Witches, and it allots death, as their punishment. Exo. 22.18. Ergo, There are a sort of persons, that act strange and stupend things, through a pow∣er derived to them from the Devil; or, the Devil can impower such persons with a kind of Omnipotency. Answ. Truly this follows not at all, not any thing like it: but that Witches there are, is without question; and more than a good many, what ever is meant by them: what is the Scripture-Witch, and what is that Witch, the vulgar

counteth a Witch, that is the question: as for the word (Witch) which the Scrip∣ture often useth, Josephus (a great Rabbi, a learned Doctor, and an Eminent person among the Jews, and therefore knew doubtless the meaning of his own Country Language, his Mother Tongue, and the terms of the sacred Text, as well as any Man else can be supposed) Translates it Poysoner, and very rightly according to the natural genuine and proper significati∣on of the word; the word (Casaph) in the first prime and original sense, signify∣ing one that hideth, covereth, or disguiseth one thing with another: so do Poysoners cover a delitorious Dose with some delici∣ous sweet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 seems to be either from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Litera similitudinis nota & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Medi∣cue (1) Quasi, sicut, velut medicus: and what more consonant to this Etymon, than a Poysoner, Philterer, Jugler, Cheater, or Deceiver; one that mixeth, compoundeth, bindeth things together as a Physician; though he do it to a good end, they to a mischievous: the Sugar must cover the Poyson: so the cunning-subtile seeming-good words, trickes, feates, glosses—must hide the villainy intended by such Varlets; or else the word is from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mutans, alterans, adulterans faciem, apparentiam, spe∣ciem

vel externam rei formam, one that al∣ters, covers, changeth or disguiseth, the face, form or outward appearance of things: and may not this be very well rendred Jugler, Philterer, Deceiver, Poysner— better than Witch (1) One in compact with the Devil? for what do such Varlets else, but alter, change, cover, hide and disguise the out-ward face of things, and their villainous intentions with fair fucus, shewes and glosses, That the Villany they intend to act may not appear or be discove∣red? Poysoners then are of two sorts or kinds, Spiritual and Carnal: the one in res∣pect of the Soul, the other of the Body: the Carnal, the Scripture speaketh little or nothing of; nor shall I as being nothing to the business in hand. The Spiritual Poyso∣ner may again be two-fold, Moral and In∣tellectual, in respect of life and conversati∣on; That, this, in respect of Doctrine or Opinion: he that inveigleth any person to any lewd, debauch't, lascivious or wick∣ed Act or Conversation, by promises, per∣swasions or any other means, wayes or tricks, is a Spiritual Poysoner Morally; such are Bawds, Setters, Panders, and cor∣rupters: and of such the civil Law inter∣prets, Magus: and of such (if the cohe∣rence will prove any thing, as no doubt it

will much) is the word Witch to be un∣derstood, Exo. 22.18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live. (1) A Bawd, a Pander, a moral Poysoner, or an enticer to such wickedness, as is there spoken of be∣fore and after that verse, and so may the word fitly be interpreted, Na. 3.4. Mal. 3.5. in a spiritual sense, Spiritual or Moral Bawds, or Enticers to Idolatry. 2. A Poysoner intellectually, or in respect of Doctrine is one that seduceth, enticeth, enveigleth Men into Idolatrous or Super∣stitious Worship, Doctrine or Opinion, these the Scripture calleth Witches, or Ca∣shaphim too, Deut. 18.11. 2 King. 9.22, 21, 6, 9. 2 Chro. 33.6, 9. and not only when by promises, perswasions, subtile con∣trivances, or fallacious Arguments, they seduce them from the Truth into Errors, but also when they use any cunning Feats, Tricks, A••ts, Juggles, Power or Force, to draw or continue Men in wicked practises or Opinions, these in Scripture are called Cashaphim, as Es. 47.12, 13. Jer. 27.9. Ex. 7.11. It is true, that the Magicians of Egypt were great Naturalists, and thence might very well be called Magi, or wise Men, but as they abused their knowledge in things natural, by pretending (if at least they did so pretend) that they acted by

a Supernatural assistance, and so could equalize Moses (though they did but Jug∣gle and play the Knaves in the dark) their end and aime too being but to continue Pharaoh in his Idolatry, oppressing humour, and Tyranny, they were but Spiritual Poysoners, Imposters, Juglers, cousening Knaves or Cashaphim; and do not they that Cheat, Deceive, Poyson Men in re∣spect of their Souls, deserve the name and punishment of Poysoners, Juglers, Chea∣ters, Imposters—as well as they, who only do mischief to Mens Bodies? Are they not Cashaphim Poysoners, Imposters, Jug∣lers—properly? can there be any sitter term given them? By one of these senses, may the word Cashaph, or Witch (if Men will needs stick to that word) wherever used in Scripture, be fairly interpreted: but it is no where all the Scripture over so much as once intimated, or hinted, That the Witch or Cashaph, by any compact with, or power derived from the Devil, ever wrought any kind of feat, carnal or corporeal thing (to say no more here) whatever, neither doth there any word, term, notion, circumvolu∣tion, paraphrase, sense, or coherence with the Text, any where yield any such thing. Strange this, if the Scripture intended any such person as was in compact with the De∣vil,

and as strange, that such a word should still be used, that signifieth nothing, but a Poysoner, Jugler, Cheater, Cousener, Im∣poster, or mixer of some good (or seeming∣ly good) things with bad, that the bad might slip down the glibber, being sugared over with the good in a spiritual sense. The Holy Ghost in the old Testament of∣ten mentions, such Cheating, Cousening and knavish impostors, in respect of spiritu∣als (as I have shewed elsewhere) under the term Cashaph, which the Holy Pen∣men of the New Testament render (as Josephus did that in the old, yea and the Septuagint too) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Poy∣soner, Cheater, Impostor—one that mingles or covers his Poysonous Doses, with some delicious sweets, Rev. 18.23.21, 8.22, 15. neither use they any other word for such a Varlet, except it be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which they one way or other interpret to be a Cheater, Poysoner, or Imposter, as I have said, Act. 8, 9.13, 6.—16. 2 Tim. 3.13. to which may be referred Gal. 5.20. Ido∣latry and Witchcraft, Witchcraft as the knavish trick of seducing, and enticing to Idolatry. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the New-Testament never used, but in relation to Idolaters, or Idolatry, nor Cashaph in the old. And indeed why Cashaph should be

rendred Witch (though I care not for terms, so the meaning be right) and inter∣preted one that works by a power derived from the Devil by compact, I cannot pos∣sibly divine, unless it be because this word is often joyned with Shoel, Ob, which is usually translated a Consulter, or dealer with familiar Spirits; whereas too that word signifies no such thing, but a Seeker or an Enquirer at Oracles, Heathen Oracles, ex∣pecting answers from them, as elsewhere I have shewed: and indeed if Consulter or dealer with familiar Spirits were the right sense of Shoe, Ob, I wonder why that word was not produc't for proof of Com∣pact with the Devil, rather than Cashaph. In that word, peradventure at first sight, according to the common Translations, a Man might think it likelier to find the name and nature of a Witch, than in the other, though indeed in neither according to the vulgar conceit of a Witch: but shortly, as soon may the witchcraftical Doctors prove, that because Men did suppose a Pegasus or winged-Horse in the Heavens, there are such strange Animals with us here below too upon the Earth; as that, because there are Witches talk't of in Scripture, therefore there are and were undoubtedly certain Men and Women, called Witches,

that by a power derived to them from the Devil, upon Compact can do strange things among us now, our Witches (according to the general supposition) differing from the Scripture-Witches, as much as our Horses do from that imaginary Horse in the Hea∣vens. Our Witches are supposed to do strange things above the course of nature; the Scripture-Witch can never be prov'd to have ever done any such thing. 2. Ours do by a supernatural power: (as 'tis said) The others did all by natural means what ever they did. 3. Ours are said to have power from the Devil by Compact, whereas no Compact with the Devil, nor power from him, can be prov'd of the Scripture-Witch. 4. The Scripture-Witch did what he did in publick, feared not the light at least, 2 Kin. 9.22, 21, 6. where, what ours do, is scarce intelligible, as being done in secret, and in the dark still. 5. The Scripture-Witch might easily be discovered and known, Deut. 18.14. whereas no sufficient tokens, marks, diagnosticks have been yet produc't, nor ever will (I'm confident) by which ours may be known, and discovered for such, nor will it ever be prov'd, that there are, were, or can be such as the vulgar dream of, except by the desperate perju∣ries of malicious Villains, or the confessions

of miserable, besotted, and irrational old wretches, or peevish dreams of melancho∣lick Hypocondriacks, which are no way sufficient to convince any Man, though but of ordinary and common understand∣ing. Shortly there is nothing in the word or notion (Mecashapha) Exo. 22.18. nothing in any other Text, nothing in any antece∣dent consequent or coherence, that any Text throughout the Book, nothing in any feat, or work attributed to the Cashaphim in Scripture, that intimates or hinteth Devil, or compact with a Devil, or that needed the Devils assistance for the effecting of it. This word therefore, or any conjugate thereof cannot, I think, signifie in any so∣ber Mans judgment, a person in compact with the Devil: for, as for the seats that were done, if any such seats were indeed done by those Juglers of Egypt, in opposition to or Emulation of Moses, they are three or four times (that is all the times, that any thing is said to be done there) attributed to the Hartummim still, not to the Cashaphim at all: whereas Ex. 22.18. speaketh only of the Cashaphim, not at all of the Hartummim; yet these too, did but Juggle as I have shewed fully in another place.

But whether they were the Hartummim or Cashaphim, all is one, they were but knaves

both one and all: and all but Juggl's, what∣ever they did, as I have shewn in another place. And as for these Hartummims; Learned-Men think them to be One Spe∣cies, Kind, or Order of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or of Wise-men; as the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Magicians, Another. And for the Word, they think it a Stranger to the Hebrew: but others conceive it a Free-Denizon of that Lan∣guage, and derive it from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Foramen, a Hole, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Obiurare, occultare, clau∣dere, &c. But it may, peradventure, derive its Original from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 perfecti, excellentes, or exacti; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sculpere, formare, effigiare, &c. And so the Word signify's the Masters, Chiefs, or Principal Hieroglyphers. The Aegyptians had their Sa∣cred Pictures, Representatives or Eidyllions, under w^ch. they conceal'd their more Myste∣••ious Knowledge or Doctrins both of their Divinity, and Philosophical Conceits. The Makers, Carvers, or Gravers of those, were in high Esteem among that People, for their Skill in, and Employment about, their Sacred Things. These, we may well think, among the rest of his Wise-men, were, by Pharaoh, called to be consulted, and to contend with Moses about Miraculous Feats. Now, 'tis possible, yea, very pro∣bable, that these Men, having the Art or

Knack of making, graving, or carving the Pictures of Men, Beasts, Serpents, Reptils, &c. had the Feat also of colour∣ing, painting, and fucussing of them also: and so, might easily (especially in the Dark, or by their Jugling Feats, as the Text intimates) make a Rod look like a Serpent: Water (if any true and real Water at that time, might be gotten; Moses before, having, as the Text expres∣ly saith, turned all their Water into Blood) seem to be, or look like Blood: or, make a Piece of Wood, in Shape and Motion resemble a Frog, yea a Toad. I have my self feen one so Artificially con∣triv'd and order'd for Form and Motion, that at first sight, it might easily be mista∣ken for such a Reptil. But, when it came to smaller or lesser Things and Corpuscles, as Flies and Lice (the Painting, Colour∣ing, or effigiating the like, they were not formerly acquainted with); and to things of another Nature (and a greater num∣ber of them also expected): Their Weak∣ness, and Knavery, or (as the Apostle styles their Juggl's) their Foolery was manifest to all Men. The Hartummim, I say, might be some Knavish Painters; who had the feat, dexterity, or knack of Colouring and Casting a seemly Glass up∣on

things. And, because that the Priest∣ly Order might be è Secretioribus unto Pha∣roah, the Mecashaphim might be the Counsellors for State-Matter but (sure) Subtil and Politick Oratours, who with fallacious Arguments, cunning Preten∣ces, and plausible Rethorick, could so dis∣guise Truth, and flourish up Knavery and Falshood; that Falshood should seem Truth, and Truth but Falshood. And so are justly called Meeashaphims, Colourers, Changers, or Perverters of the Faces of Things; as the Others, justly Hartum∣mims, from their Painting, forging, Co∣louring, or fucussing of Things. But both, meer Jugglers, though in several Waies; the One in and by Words; the Other by, and upon Things.