wondered at, since the Holy Son of God himself was reputed a Magician, and one that had Familiarity with the greatest of Devils. The Blaspheming Pharisees said, he casts out the Devils thro' the Prince of Devils, Matth. 9.34. There is then not the best Saint on Earth (Man or Woman) that can assure themselves that the Devil shall not cast such an Imputation upon them. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord: If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub, how much more them of his Household, Matth. 10.25. It is not for men to determine how far the Holy God may permit the wicked one to proceed in his Accusations. The sacred story of Job giveth us to understand, that the Lord whose ways are past finding out, does for wise and holy Ends suffer Satan by immediate Operation, (and consequently by Witchcraft) greatly to afflict innocent Persons, as in their Bodies and Estates, so in their Reputations. I shall mention but one Scripture more to confirm the Truth in hand: It is that in Eccles. 9.2, 3. where it is said, All things come alike to all, there is one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked, as is the Good, so is the Sinner, this is an evil amongst all things under the Sun, that there is one Event happeneth to all. And in Eccles. 7.15. 'tis said, There is a just man that perisheth in his Righteousness.
From hence we infer, that there is no outward Affliction whatsoever but may befal a good Man; now to be represented by Satan as a Tormentor of Bewitched or Possessed Persons, is a sore Affliction to a good man. To be tormented by Satan is a sore Affliction, yet nothing but what befel Job, and a Daughter of Abraham, whom we read of in the Gospel: To be represented by Satan as tormenting others, is an Affliction like the former; the Lord may bring such extraordinary Temptations on his own Children, to afflict and humble them, for some Sin they have been guilty of before him. A most wicked Person in St. Ives, got a Knife, and went with it to a Ministers House, designing to stab him, but was disappointed; afterwards Conscience being awakened, the Devil appears to this Person in the Shape of that Minister, with a Knife in his hand exhorting to Self-murder: Was not here a Punishment suitable to the Sin which that Person had been guilty of? Perhaps some of those whom Satan has represented as committing Witchcrafts, have been tampering with some foolish and wicked Sorceries, tho' not to that degree, which is Criminal and Capital by the Laws both of God and Men; for this Satan may be permitted so to scourge them; or it may be, they have misrepresented and abused others, for which cause the Holy God may justly give Satan leave falsely to represent them.
Have we not known some that have bitterly censured all that have been complained of by bewitched Persons, saying it was impossible they should not be guilty; soon upon which themselves or some near Relations of theirs, have been to the lasting Infamy of their Families, accused after the same manner, and Personated by the Devil! Such tremendous Rebukes on a few, should make all men to be careful how they joyn with Satan in Condemning the Innocent.
Arg. 2. Because it is possible for the Devil in the Shape of an innocent Person to do other mischiefs. As for those who acknowledge that Satan may personate a pious Person, but not to do mischief, their Opinion has been confuted by more than a few unhappy Instances. Mr. Clark17 speaks of a Man that had been an Atheist, or a Sadduce, not believing that there are any Devils or any (to us) invisible World; this Man was converted, but as a Punishment of his Infidelity, evil Angels did often appear to him in the Shape of his most intimate Friends, and would sometimes seduce him into great Inconveniences. It has been elsewhere, and but now noted, that a Dæmon in the shape of excellent Mr. Dury appeared to the Turkish Chaos, Anno. 1658. to disswade him from prosecuting his desires of Baptism into the Name of Christ: Also to Mr. Earle in the likeness of his Friends, to discourage him from doing things lawful and good. A multitude of Jews were once deluded by a Person pretending to be Moses from Heaven, and that if they would follow him they should pass safe through the Sea (as did their Fathers of old through the Red Sea) whereby great numbers of them were deceived and perished in the Waters. 18Learned and judicious Men have concluded that this Moses Creensis was a Dæmon, transforming himself into Moses: And that the Devil has frequently appeared19 in the shape of famous Persons to the end that he might seduce Men into Idolatry, (a Sin equal to that of Witchcraft) no Man that has made it his Concern to enquire into things of this nature can be ignorant. Many Examples of this kind are collected by Mr. Bromhall in his Treatise of Spectres, and the cunning Devil, to strengthen Men in their worshipping of Saints departed: And by Mr. Bovet in his Pandemonium. It is credibly reported that the Devil in the likeness of a faithful Minister (as St. Ives before mentioned, near Boston in Lincolnshire) came to one that was in trouble of Mind, telling her the longer she lived, the worse it would be for her; and therefore advising her to Self-murder: An eminent Person still living had the account of this Matter from Mr. Cotton (the famous Teacher of both Bostons.) He was well acquainted with that Minister, who related to him the whole Story, with all the Circumstances of it: For Mr. Cotten was so affected with the Report, as to take a Journey on purpose to the Town where this happened, that so he might obtain a satisfactory account about it, which he did. Some Authors say, that a Dæmon appeared in the form of Sylvanus (Hierom's Friend) attempting a dishonest thing, the Devil thereby designing to blast the Reputation of a famous Bishop. I have in another Book mentioned that celebrated Instance concerning an honest Citizen in Zurick (the Metropolis of Helvetia) in whose shape the Devil appeared, committing an abominable Fact (not fit to be named) very early in the Morning, seen by the Prefect of the City, and his Servant; they were amazed to behold a Man of good Esteem for his Conversation, perpetrating a thing so vile and abominable; but going from the Spectre in the Field, to the Citizen's House in the Town, they found him at home, and in his Bed, nor had he been abroad that Morning, which convinced them, that what they saw was an Illusion of the Devil: This Passage is mentioned as a thing known and certain by Lavater in his Treatise of Spectres,20 who was a most learned and judicious Preacher in that City. Our Juel saith of him, that he must ingeniously confess, that he never understood Solomon's Proverbs until Lavater expounded them to him: That Book of his De Spectris hath been published in Latin, High and Low Dutch, French, Italian. The learned Zanchy21 speaks highly of it, professing that he had read it both with Pleasure and Profit. Voetius22 takes notice of that passage which we have quoted out of Lavater as a thing memorable.
Some Popish Authors argue, That the Devil cannot personate an innocent Man as doing an act of Witchcraft, because then he might as well represent them as committing Theft, Murder, &c. And if so, there would be no living in the World: But I turn the Argument against them, he may (as the mentioned Instances prove) personate honest Men as doing other Evils; and no solid Reason can be given why he may not as well personate them under the Notion of Witches, as under the Notion of Thieves, Murderers, and Idolaters: As for the Objection, that then there would be no living in the World, we shall consider it under the next Argument.
Arg. 3. If Satan may not represent one that is not a Covenant Servant of his, as afflicting those that are bewitched or possessed, then it is either because he wants Will, or Power to do this, or because God will never permit him thus to do. No man but a Sadduce doubts of the ill will of Devils; nothing is more pleasing to the Malice of those wicked Spirits than to see Innocency wronged: And the Power of the Enemy is such, as that having once obtained a Divine Concession to use his Art, he can do this and much more than this amounts unto: We know by Scripture-Revelation, that the Sorcerers of Egypt caused many untrue and delusive 23Representations before Pharaoh and his Servants. Exod. 7.11, 22. and 8.7. And we read of the working of Satan in all Power and Signs, and lying Wonders. 2 Thess. 2.9. His Heart is beyond what the wisest of Men may pretend unto: He has perfect skill in Opticks,
