An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

Whether it is lawful to make use of any sort of Herbs of Plants to preserve from Witchcrafts, or from the power of Evil Spirits? The Answer unto which is; That it is in no wise lawful, but that all attempts of that nature are Magical, and Diabolical, and therefore ⟨p. 249⟩detestable Superstition. As appears 1. In that if the Devils do either operate or cease to do mischief upon the use of such things it must needs be in that they are signs which give notice to the Evil Spirits what they are to do; Now for Men to submit to any of the Devils Sacraments is implicitly to make a covenant with him. Many who practise these nefarious Vanities little think what they do. They would not for the World (they say) make a Covenant with the Devil, yet by improving the Devils signals, with an opinion of receiving benefit thereby, they do the thing which they pretend to abhor. For, 2. Angels (bad as well as good) are by nature incorporeal Substances. There are some Authors who by a corporal substance intend no more but a real being; so that the term is by them used in opposition to mere Phantasms in that sense, none but Sadducees will deny Angels to be Corporeal. And in that respect the Ancient Doctors, Tertullian and others call them Corpora. But commonly a Body is set in opposition to a mere Spiritual Substance, Mat.10.28. Heb.12.13. And thus it is certain that Daemons are incorporeal, Eph.6.12. they are frequently, not only by Authors, but in the Holy Scripture styled Spirits, because of their being incorporeal. And ⟨p. 250⟩thence it is that they are not visible or palpable or any way incurring the outward senses, Luk.24.39. Homer saith that when the Ghost of Anticlea appeared to Ulysses, he attempted three times to embrace that Image, but could feel nothing; for it had not [Greek or Hebrew] but as Virgil expresseth it, Tenues sine corporevitas. Cajetan & Vasquez affirm, that Apparitions can at no time be felt. It is not to be doubted but that Spirits may make use of vehicles, that are subject to the outward senses; nevertheless, a mere Spirit cannot be touched by humane hands. Moreover, we read of a Legion of Daemons possessing one miserable Body,