Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 10:57:16 GMT
CHAP. XLIV.
Of Witchcraft.
THere is a sort of Natural Magick, which they call Witchcraft; the effects whereof are wrought by Potions, Philters, and other compositions of Medica∣ments: such as Democritus is said to have made for the begetting of good, happy, and fortunate Children; and that other by which we should be able to under∣stand the Language of Birds, which Philostratus and Porphyrius relate Apollonius to have made. Virgil also speaking of certain Pontick herbs:
Such Herbs as these when Meris us'd,
Streight as a Wolf unto the Woods did flee;
And by their powerful Charms dead bodies rear'd
From out their Graves in open Air appear'd.
And Crops of Corn to ripeness were improv'd,
Streight have I seen to other Fields remov'd.
And Pliny declares, that one Demarchus Parrasius at a Sacrifice which the Arcadians made to Jupiter Lycaeus, wherein they offered Humane Bodies, tasted the En∣trails of a Boy, and streight changed himself into a Wolf; by reason of which transmutation into Wolves, Austin believes the name of Lycaeus was attributed to Jupiter and Pan. St. Austin declares also, That when he was in Italy, certain Female Witches, like Circe, gi∣ving to certain Travellers a kind of Enchanting Me∣dicament
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in Cheese, turn'd them into Cattle; and when they had made them to carry what burthens they thought fitting, they restor'd them again to their for∣mer shape: which thing, as he affirms, happen'd to one Father Prestantius. Now, lest any person should be∣lieve these things to be meer Chimaera's and Fictions, let him remember how Sacred Scripture testifies of Nebu∣chadnezzar's being chang'd into an Ox, and that he liv'd upon Fodder seven years together; though at length, by the mercie of God, he was restored to his former shape; whose body his son Evilmerodach, after he was dead, caus'd to be thrown to the Vultures to feed on, lest he should rise from the dead, that had been chang'd from a Beast into a Man. And concerning Pharaoh's Magicians, many more things are related in Exodus. But of these Magicians or Witches, the Wise man speaketh but a hard Sentence, when he cries, Thou hast abhorr'd them O God, because they work abominable works by Medicaments. I would have you also farther to understand, that these Magicians do not onely pry into Natural things, but also those things which ac∣company Nature, and do almost shake off all Relation to her; as Numbers, Figures, Sounds, Voice, Lights, Affections of the mind, and words. So the Psylli and Marsi called Serpents together, which others with other Charms put to flight. So Orpheus asswag'd the Tempest of the Argonauts with a Song: and Homer relates, how the course of Vlysses blood was stopt by the power of words. Moreover, in the Law of the Twelve Tables, there is a Law against those that did inchant the standing Corn; whereby it is apparent, that Witches have a power by the force of words, to produce strange Effects, not onely upon themselves, but also upon outward things: All which things, that is to say, to separate the hidden force of things, and either draw them to themselves, and repel them from
Page 115
themselves, they credibly believe themselves to effect no other way than as the Loadstone draws Iron, or Am∣ber or Jet draws Chaff, and as Onions again destroys the Magnetick Power. So that by this Gradual and Concatenated Sympathy, not only Natural and Celesti∣al Gifts, but also Intellectual and Divine may be re∣ceiv'd into humane Souls, as Iamblicus, Proculus, and Sinesius gather from the Opinions of Great Men; and that by this Consent and Harmony of things, Magi∣cians do call up the very Spirits. For some of them are arriv'd at such a height of Madness, that they believe that upon the right Observation of such and such Constellations at such intervals of time, and by such reason of Proportions, an Image being made would receive Life and Motion; which upon counsel desired, should be able to give Answers, and Reveal the hidden Secrets of Truth. Hence it is manifest, That this Natural Magick inclining toward Conjuring and Necromancy, is often entangled in the Snares and Delusions of Evil Spirits.
Of Witchcraft.
THere is a sort of Natural Magick, which they call Witchcraft; the effects whereof are wrought by Potions, Philters, and other compositions of Medica∣ments: such as Democritus is said to have made for the begetting of good, happy, and fortunate Children; and that other by which we should be able to under∣stand the Language of Birds, which Philostratus and Porphyrius relate Apollonius to have made. Virgil also speaking of certain Pontick herbs:
Such Herbs as these when Meris us'd,
Streight as a Wolf unto the Woods did flee;
And by their powerful Charms dead bodies rear'd
From out their Graves in open Air appear'd.
And Crops of Corn to ripeness were improv'd,
Streight have I seen to other Fields remov'd.
And Pliny declares, that one Demarchus Parrasius at a Sacrifice which the Arcadians made to Jupiter Lycaeus, wherein they offered Humane Bodies, tasted the En∣trails of a Boy, and streight changed himself into a Wolf; by reason of which transmutation into Wolves, Austin believes the name of Lycaeus was attributed to Jupiter and Pan. St. Austin declares also, That when he was in Italy, certain Female Witches, like Circe, gi∣ving to certain Travellers a kind of Enchanting Me∣dicament
Page 114
in Cheese, turn'd them into Cattle; and when they had made them to carry what burthens they thought fitting, they restor'd them again to their for∣mer shape: which thing, as he affirms, happen'd to one Father Prestantius. Now, lest any person should be∣lieve these things to be meer Chimaera's and Fictions, let him remember how Sacred Scripture testifies of Nebu∣chadnezzar's being chang'd into an Ox, and that he liv'd upon Fodder seven years together; though at length, by the mercie of God, he was restored to his former shape; whose body his son Evilmerodach, after he was dead, caus'd to be thrown to the Vultures to feed on, lest he should rise from the dead, that had been chang'd from a Beast into a Man. And concerning Pharaoh's Magicians, many more things are related in Exodus. But of these Magicians or Witches, the Wise man speaketh but a hard Sentence, when he cries, Thou hast abhorr'd them O God, because they work abominable works by Medicaments. I would have you also farther to understand, that these Magicians do not onely pry into Natural things, but also those things which ac∣company Nature, and do almost shake off all Relation to her; as Numbers, Figures, Sounds, Voice, Lights, Affections of the mind, and words. So the Psylli and Marsi called Serpents together, which others with other Charms put to flight. So Orpheus asswag'd the Tempest of the Argonauts with a Song: and Homer relates, how the course of Vlysses blood was stopt by the power of words. Moreover, in the Law of the Twelve Tables, there is a Law against those that did inchant the standing Corn; whereby it is apparent, that Witches have a power by the force of words, to produce strange Effects, not onely upon themselves, but also upon outward things: All which things, that is to say, to separate the hidden force of things, and either draw them to themselves, and repel them from
Page 115
themselves, they credibly believe themselves to effect no other way than as the Loadstone draws Iron, or Am∣ber or Jet draws Chaff, and as Onions again destroys the Magnetick Power. So that by this Gradual and Concatenated Sympathy, not only Natural and Celesti∣al Gifts, but also Intellectual and Divine may be re∣ceiv'd into humane Souls, as Iamblicus, Proculus, and Sinesius gather from the Opinions of Great Men; and that by this Consent and Harmony of things, Magi∣cians do call up the very Spirits. For some of them are arriv'd at such a height of Madness, that they believe that upon the right Observation of such and such Constellations at such intervals of time, and by such reason of Proportions, an Image being made would receive Life and Motion; which upon counsel desired, should be able to give Answers, and Reveal the hidden Secrets of Truth. Hence it is manifest, That this Natural Magick inclining toward Conjuring and Necromancy, is often entangled in the Snares and Delusions of Evil Spirits.