Fourthly, the fourth and last of these palpable Arguments, to §4prove that man hath a future happiness or Misery, is drawn from the Devils compacts with Witches. It cannot be only his desire of hurting their bodies, that makes him enter into these ⟨p. 244⟩contracts with them: For that he might procure by other means as likely. Beside, it is some kind of prosperity, or fulfilling of their desires, which he conditioneth to give them. It is a childish thing to conceit, that the Devil cares so much for a few drops of their blood: Is not the blood of a beast or other creature as sweet? Neither can it be only the acknowledgement of his power that he aims at; nor a mere desire of being honoured or worshipped in the world, as Porphyrius and other Pagans have thought, For he is most truly served, where he is least discerned, and most abhorred, when he most appears. His Apparitions are so powerful a means to convince the Atheist, who believes not that there is either God, or Devil, or Heaven, or Hell, that I am persuaded he would far rather keep out of sight, and that for the most part he is constrained by God to appear against his will.1 Besides, if Satan sought his own honour, he would still speak in his own name: But contrarily, his usual appearance is in the shape and name of some deceased person, affirming himself to be the soul of such a one, or else he pretends to be an Angel of light; And when he makes his compacts with Witches, it is seldom so plainly and directly, as that they understand it is indeed the Devil that they deal with. So that it is apparent, Satan seeks something more then the honour of domineering, that is, the ruin of the party with whom he deals; And that it is not their bodily and temporal ruin only, appears further by this; that he will heal as well as hurt, and give power to his confederates to do the like, and this tends not to the ruin of mens bodies. Though there be a great deal of deceit among them, yet doubtless many have been cured by Popish spells, and Pilgrimages, and Exorcisms. Carolus Piso mentions one of his patients, who was incurably deaf a year together, and was suddenly cured in the midst of his devotion to the Lady of Loretto. Fernelius mentions those that could stop any bleeding by repeating certain words. He saw an universal Jaundice cured in one night, by the hanging of a piece of Paper about the neck.
FOurthly, the fourth and last of these palpable Arguments, to §4prove that man hath a future happiness or Misery, is drawn from the Divels compacts with Witches. It cannot be onely his desire of hurting their bodies, that makes him enter into these ⟨p. 244⟩contracts with them: For that he might procure by other means as likely. Beside, it is some kinde of prosperity, or fulfilling of their desires, which he conditioneth to give them. It is a childish thing to conceit, that the Divel cares so much for a few drops of their blood: Is not the blood of a beast or other creature as sweet? Neither can it be onely the acknowledgement of his power that he amies at; nor a meer desire of being honoured or worshipped in the world, as Porphyrius and other Pagans have thought, For he is most truly served, where he is least discerned, and most abhorred, when he most appears. His Apparitions are so powerfull a means to convince the Atheist, who believes not that there is either God, or Devil, or Heaven, or Hell, that I am perswaded he would far rather keep out of sight, and that for the most part he is constrained by God to appear against his will.1 Besides, if Satan sought his own honour, he would still speak in his own name: But contrarily, his usuall appearance is in the shape and name of some deceased person, affirming himself to be the soul of such a one, or else he pretends to be an Angel of light; And when he makes his compacts with Witches, it is seldome so plainly and directly, as that they understand it is indeed the Devil that they deal with. So that it is apparent, Satan seeks something more then the honour of domineering, that is, the ruine of the party with whom he deals; And that it is not their bodily and temporall ruine only, appears further by this; that he will heal as well as hurt, and give power to his confederates to do the like, and this tends not to the ruine of mens bodies. Though there be a great deal of deceit among them, yet doubtless many have been cured by Popish spels, and Pilgrimages, and Exorcismes. Carolus Piso mentions one of his patients, who was incurably deaf a yeer together, and was suddenly cured in the midst of his devotion to the Lady of Lauretto. Fernelius mentions those that could stop any bleeding by repeating certain words. He saw an universal Jaundise cured in one night, by the hanging of a piece of Paper about the neck.
- 1Car. Piso. de morbis serosis observ. 9. de Dolore auris. cum odonta• giâ. pag. 45, 26. Even the Papists confess that all those spells, & scrolls, and actions, which must be done at such an hour, or in such a form and order, and with such circumstances, as nothing conduce to the effect intended, if these do any thing, it is from the devill. Vide Reginaldum, Prax. conscien. Cas. part 1. Q. 7. & Prax. for. penitential. lib. 17. nu. 157. & Seq.Car. Piso. de morbis serosis observ. 9. de Dolore auris. cum odonta• giâ. pag. 45, 26. Even the Papists confesse that all those spels, & scrols, and actions, which must be done at such an hour, or in such a form and order, and with such circumstances, as nothing conduce to the effect intended, if these do any thing, it is from the devill. Vide Reginaldum, Prax. conscien. Cas. part 1. Q. 7. & Prax. for. poenitential. lib. 17. nu. 157. & Seq.
