Part 25

1. It hath been, and still is a strong opinion amongst the vulgars and Witchmongers also, that Witches transforming themselves into diverse shapes, did in the night time enter into peoples houses, and then and there suck the breasts or navils of infants in their Beds or Cradles, that thereby they were weakned or consumed away; which inveterate opinion was the more firmly believed, because children that at night were very well, in the morning were found to be very ill, and to have been sucked in the places aforesaid. To clear which point take this Observation from the learned pen of Thomas Bartholinus that was Physician to Frederick King of Denmark, in English thus. “Three infants (he saith) of the Pastor Fionens at Lyckisholm, which is a noble Mannor belonging to the very illustrious Lord Christian Thomæus Sehsted, the Kings Chancellor, Eques Auratus, and a most renowned Senator of Denmark, my Mecænas, that were sleeping in their accustomed Chamber, were not long after troubled with an unwonted bewailing and inquietude, that they felt themselves to be sucked or milked of something. The nipples of their breasts being diligently handled by the Parents did confirm the Childrens suspicion, because they did hang out like a Womans that did give suck. And to prevent this fascination, the nipples of the breasts were anointed with preservatives against poyson and other bitter things. Hereupon their Navils were so worn with vehement suction, that not only they were prominent or did hang out, but also did as it were shew the greatness of the mouth that had sucked by the impression remaining. But the Infants being carried forth of the Chamber, did from thenceforth rest free from any suction, especially being carried in peoples arms. And this Caprimulgus or Goat-milker, is by Bellonius said to be in Crete of the bigness of a Cuckow, being very hurtful to the Goats, insomuch that it sucketh milk from their dugs on the nights.” By which we may plainly understand, how Creatures that are but seldom seen, or whose properties are unknown, may easily effect those things that ignorant heads may impute unto Witchcraft.

2. It is no less believed by many, that those kind of Creatures which are called Satyres are but a kind of Demons; for learned Gesner reckoning them to be a kind of Apes, doth tell us this: “Even as (he saith) the Apes Cynocephali, or with Dogs-heads, have given the occasion of the Fable, that some have thought such to be men: So Satyrs being also a rare kind of Apes, and of greater admiration, some have believed them to be Devils: also of some men deluded by the Poets and Painters, as also Statuaries, who have feigned that they had Goats feet and horns, the more to augment the admiration and superstition, they have been thought Devils: when in Ape-Satyres there is no such thing to be seen.” And this opinion hath been the more strengthened because the most of the Translators have in the Old Testament rendered the word ‏שָׂעִיר‎ (which properly signifieth an happy man or beast) a Goat, a Satyre, (as Gen. 27. ver. 11. Esau my Brother is a hairy man; where the very same word is used) Demon, or Devil. But it is plain that it did and doth signifie no more but only Satyrs, as will appear by these reasons. 1. First, as our English Translators have truly rendred it in that of Isaiah, And the Satyre shall cry unto his fellow: for it is certainly related, both by ancient and modern Navigators, that in those desolate Islands where there are store of them, they will upon the nights make great shouting and crying, and calling one unto another. And in another place of the same Prophet it is said by the same Translators, and Satyres shall dance there; dancing being one of the properties of that hairy Creature, as a thing it is much delighted with, and so are but Satyres that are natural Creatures and not Devils. 2. And though the same Translators have rendred the plural of the same word, by the name Devils, yet it there properly signifieth also Satyres; for though in another place it be said; they sacrificed to devils, not to God, and so again by the Psalmist, for they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils; where in both places the word is ‏שֵדִים‎ vastatoribus, to the destroyers or to Devils; because in those Idols the Devils were worshipped, and thereby destroyed the souls of men: 3. Yet it is manifest that their Idols were formed in the shape of Satyres, in a most terrible manner; for the late and most credible travellers that have been in those parts of Asia, where those Idolatries are still upholden, do unanimously relate that they make their Images or Idols that they worship, as terrible and frightful as they can devise, as may be seen in the relations of the Travels of Vincent le Blanc, Mandelslo, and Ferdinand Mendez Pinto, and M^r Herbert our Countryman gives us the Idol of the Bannyans in the ugly shape of a monstrous Satyre. 4. So that though this worshipping and sacrificing, in respect of its abominableness, filthiness and Idolatrousness, was yielded to Devils, which spiritually and invisibly ruled in these Children of disobedience, and was the Author of all those delusions and impostures; yet it doth no where appear, that it was Demons in the corporeal shape of Satyres (as many have erroneously supposed) no more than the golden Calves that Jeroboam made, were real Devils: but these Idols were made in the figure or shape of Satyrs or hairy Creatures, as saith the Text: And he ordained him Priests for the high places, and for the hairy Idols or Satyres, and for the Calves that he had made. It is the same Hebrew word here that our English Translators render Devils, that in the two former places of Isaiah they translate Satyres; and as the Calves are not rendred Devils, why should the Images that were like Satyres be translated so? Surely the Devil was as much in the Calves, and as much worshipped in those dumb Idols as he was in the dumb and dead Idols or Images of the Satyres, and so no more reason to call the one Devils than the other. But that which totally overthrows the conceit that they should be real Devils in corporeal shapes and figures, is this, that both the Calves and the Images of these Satyres were made by Jeroboam: now it is manifest that he could not make a real Devil, but only Images of Calves and Satyres, wherein and whereby the Devils might be worshipped in those Idolatrous ways.

So that it is most apparent, that these Satyres being seldom seen and of strange qualities, have made many to believe that they were Demons; nay it seems their Images and Pictures have been taken for Devils, and yet are but meer natural Creatures, and by learned men accounted a kind of Apes, which we shall now prove by an undeniable instance or two; and first this from the pen of that learned Physician Nicholaus Tulpius, who saith thus: “In our remembrance (he saith) there was an Indian Satyre brought from Angola; and presented as a gift to Frederick Henry Prince of Aurange. This Satyre was four-footed and from the humane shape which it seems to bear, it is called of the Indians Orang antang, homo silvestris, a wild man, and of the Africans Quoias morron, expressing in longitude a Child of three years old, and in crassitude, one of six years. It was of body neither fat nor lean, but square, most able and very swift. And of its joints so firm, and the Muscles so large, that it durst undertake and could do any thing; on the foreparts altogether smooth, and rough behind, and covered with black hairs. Its face did resemble a man, but the nose broad and crooked downwards, rugged and a toothless female. But the ears were not different from humane shape. As neither the breast, adorned on both sides with a swelling dug (for it was of the feminine Sex) the belly had a very deep navil; and the joints, both those above and those below, had such an exact similitude with man, that one egg doth not seem more like another. Neither was there awanting a requisite commissure to the arm, nor the order of fingers to the hands, nor an humane shape to the thumb, or a prop of the legs to the thighs, or of the heel to the foot. Which fit and decent form of the members, was the cause that for most part it did go upright: neither did it lift up any kind of weight less heavily than remove it easily.

When it was about to drink it would hold the handle of the Kan with the one hand, and put the other under the bottom of the Cup, then would it wipe off the moysture left upon its lips, not less neatly than thou shouldest see the most delicate Courtier. Which same dexterity it did observe when it went to bed. For lying her head upon the Pillow, and fitly covering her body with the Cloaths, it did hide it self no otherwise, than if the most delicate person had laid there.

Moreover the King of Samback (he saith) did one time tell our Kinsman Samuel Blomart, that these kind of Satyres, especially the Males in the Iland of Borneo, have so great boldness of mind and such a strong compaction of Muscles, that they have often forceably set upon armed men; and not only upon the weak sex of Women and Girls; with the flagrant desire of which they are so inflamed, that catching them often they abuse them. For they are highly prone to lust (which is common to these, with the lustful Satyres of the ancients) yea sometimes so keen and salacious, that therefore the Indian Women do eschew the Woods and Groves as worse than a Dog or a Snake; in which these impudent animals do lie hid. And that this lascivious animal is found in the Eastern Mountains of India; as also in Africa, between Sierra, Liona, and the Promontory of the Mountain, where (perhaps) were those places where Plinius lib. 5. cap. 5. affirmeth that upon the nights there was seen to shine frequent Fires of the Ægipanes, and to abound with the lasciviousness of the Satyres, who do love craggy Dens and Caves, and shun the society of mankind, being a salacious, hairy, four-footed Creature, with human shape and a crooked nose. But that the foot of this Creature neither hath hoofs nor the body every where hairs, but only the head, shoulders and back. The rest of the parts are smooth, and the Ears are not sharp.”

So that from hence it is undeniably true, that there are such Creatures existent in nature, and have been either taken for Devils or the Apparitions of Demons in this shape of Satyres, as Doctor Brown hath well observed in these words: “A conceit there is (he saith) that the Devil commonly appeareth with a cloven foot or hoof, wherein although it seem excessively ridiculous, there may be somewhat of truth; and the ground thereof at first might be his frequent appearing in the shape of a Goat, which answers that description. This was the opinion of ancient Christians concerning the Apparitions of Pans, Fauns and Satyres, and in this form we read of one that appeared unto Antony in the Wilderness. The same is also confirmed from expositions of holy Scripture; for whereas it is said; Thou shalt not offer unto Devils, the original word is Sehhirim, that is rough and hairy Goats, because in that shape the Devil most often appeared, as is expounded by the Rabbins, as Tremellius hath also explained.”

But saving the reputation of learned Saint Hierome and D^r Brown, it is but a supposition unproved that ever the Devil appeared in the shape of a Goat, the rise of the opinion was only because the Devil was worshipped in an Idol made in the shape of a Goat.

3. In a few ages past when Popish ignorance did abound, there was no discourse more common (which yet is continued amongst the vulgar people) than of the apparition of certain Creatures which they called Fayries, that were of very little stature, and being seen would soon vanish and disappear. And these were generally believed to be some kind of Spirits or Demons, and Paracelsus held them to be a kind of middle Creatures, and called them non-Adamicks, as not being of the race of Adam; but there are Authors of great credit and veracity, that affirm, there have been Nations of such people called Pygmies. And though Doctor Brown hath learnedly and elegantly handled the question, “Whether there have been or are any such dwarfish race of mankind, as but of three spans, not considering them singly but nationally, or not, and hath brought the most probable arguments that well can be, to prove that there are not nor have been any such race of people called Pygmies, yet doth he moderately conclude in these words. There being thus (he saith) no sufficient confirmation of their verity, some doubt may arise concerning their possibility; wherein, since it is not defined in what dimensions the soul may exercise her faculties, we shall not conclude impossibility, or that there might not be a race of Pygmies, as there is sometimes of Giants, and so may take in the opinion of Austine, and his Commentator Ludovicus Vives. And though Kircherus with his wonted impudence do conclude in these words:” Fabulosa itaq; sunt omnia, quæ de hujusmodi Pygmæis veteres Geographi à simplici populo sola relatione descripta tradiderunt: Yet (I say) notwithstanding these negative arguments, I give the relation of others (that are of as great or greater credit) in the affirmative. And thus much is affirmed by that most sagacious and learned person Marcus Marci, a late Physician of no mean judgment, who saith thus: Quicquid tamen sit de his, Pygmæos & olim fuisse, & nunc esse affirmamus. And besides the testimony of Aristotle, Solinus, Pomponius Mela, and Ælian, he relateth these. “But those (he saith) that have in our age viewed the World, the same do testifie also, that there are yet Pygmies in the Island of Aruchet, one of the Moluccas, and in the Isle Cophi, and such Pigasetta affirmeth that he saw.” And though Doctor Brown seem to sleight it, yet (according to the Proverb) one eye-witness is more to be credited than ten that have it but by the ear. Odericus in his History of India doth report also, “that there are such people of about three spans high,” which also is confirmed by the later Odericus. And to these affirmative proofs we shall add that of the learned Philosopher and Physician Baptista Van Helmont, in English thus. “A Wine Merchant (he saith) of our Country, a very honest man, sailing sometimes to the Canaries or Fortunate Islands, being asked of me his serious opinion and judgment upon certain Creatures, which there the Children as oft as they would did bring home, and did name them Tudesquillos, or Germanulos, that is little men; (the Germans call them Eard-Manlins) for they were dead Carkases dried almost three foot long, which any one of the Boys did easily carry in one hand, and were of an human shape: But the whole dead Carkase was transparent like Parchment, and the bones were flexible as grisles. Also the bowels and intestines were to be seen, holden against the sun, which, when after I knew to be a certain truth, from the Spaniards born there, I considered, that in these days the off-spring of the Pygmies were there destroyed.”

From whence all understanding and unpartial judgments may clearly perceive, that these kind of Creatures have been really existent in the World and are and may be so still in Islands and Mountains that are uninhabited, and that they are no real Demons, or non-Adamick Creatures, that can appear and become invisible when they please, as Paracelsus thinketh. But that either they were truly of human race endowed with the use of reason and speech (which is most probable) or at least that they were some little kind of Apes or Satyres, that having their secret recesses and holes in the Mountains, could by their agility and nimbleness soon be in or out like Conies, Weazels, Squirrels, and the like.

4. It hath been no less a mistake about those Fishes that are called Tritones, Syrenes, Meirmaids, or Marine, and Sea-Men, and Women, which have been by many supposed and taken to be Spirits, or Demons, and commonly Nymphs, when indeed and truth they are reall creatures, as these examples do make manifest. The first of which we shall recite from the faithful pen of that learned Anatomist Thomas Bartholinus, who was Physician to Frederick the third King of Denmark, in these Englished words: “Various things (he saith) of Meirmaids are extant delivered in the monuments of the Ancients, that are partly false, partly true. It is not far from a Fable that they held, that they did imitate the voices of Men and Women. But that there are beasts found in the Sea, with humane faces (he saith) I shall not deny. But I will not (he saith) sum up the accounts of the ancients. For they are full of the stories of Meirmaids. Amongst the later Authors, these have here and there handled this argument, Scaliger (in lib. 2. Histor. Anim. t. 108.) Rondoletius, Licetus (de Spont. vin. ort.), Marcus Marci (de Ideis) P. Boistuan (Histor. Gall. prod. T. 1. c. 18.) At Enchuysen in Holland (he saith) the shape of a certain Meirmaid is to be seen painted, that formerly had been cast upon the shore, by the force of the waters. It is (he saith) in the mouth of our common people, that a Meirmaid was taken in Denmark, that did speak, foretel things to come, and spin. A Father of the Society of Jesus returning forth of India to Rome, had seen a Sea-Man there adorned with an Episcopal Mitre, who did seem to have in the next corner, hardly born his captivity; but being let loose, and turned into the Sea, did seem to render thanks for his liberty, by bowing of his body before he went under water, which (he saith) the Jesuit was wont to tell to Corvinus the elder, as his Son (he saith) told me at Rome.” But this being but a story told to Bartholinus at the second hand, and but primarily from the mouth of a Jesuit (who doubtless had some design in it) I leave it to the judgment of the Wise and Prudent. But he proceeds thus. “It is (he saith) most certain that fishes are to be found in the Ocean, that represent Terrestrial Animals in shape: As the Sea-Fox, the Wolf, the Sea-Calf, the Dog, the Horse, &c. Therefore why should we deny humane shape to Sea-monsters? Certainly also in the earth there are Apes, which wanting reason, do express the external shape and gestures of Man. All Sea-monsters of this sort we referr (he saith) to the kind of Phocæ or Sea-Calves. There was (he saith) in the age we live in a Sea-Man taken by the Merchants of the West-India Company, and dissected at Leiden by Peter Pavius, John de Laet being present my friend (he saith) and while he lived, a great and most knowing person of the things of America and of Nature. The head and the breast even as far as the navil was of an humane shape, but from the navil even unto the extremities, it was deformed flesh, without the sign of a tail. But that I may not (he saith) seem to impose upon the Reader, the hands and ribs are to be found in my Study or Closet, which I owe to the kindness of the praised Latius. We have (he saith) annexed the Picture of both, as well of the Meirmaid erect, as of the image of it swimming, that we might satisfie the dubitation of all men. The hand doth consist of five fingers, as ours do, with as many articulations as ours, but that only is singular, that all the bones of the fingers are broader and compressed, and a membrane doth joyn them together in course, as in volatiles, as Geese, Ducks, &c. which do help to stretch forth the foot in the water. The extremity of the two middle fingers are broader, the extremities of the other two sharp. The radius and cubit are very short, for the commodiousness of swimming, scarce the length of four fingers breadth. Neither is the draught of the shoulder more ample. The ribs are long and thick, almost exceeding common humane ribs a third part.

“Of the ribs (he saith) are beads turned or thrown, a present remedy for the pain of the Hemorrhoides, which the praised Latius hath observed by experience. Also (he saith) that Bracelets being made of the bones of this kind of Phocas carried to Rome, applied to the wrist do appease the Hemicrany, and swimming of the head, which comes again, if they be laid away, as (he saith) the most illustrious Nobleman Cassianus à Puteo, (most worthy of Roman Purple) hath told me. The same Noble Puteus (he saith) hath shewed me the picture of a Meirmaid in his Closet, which not many years before, was driven to the shore of Malta. A certain Spaniard (he saith) told me, that Meirmaids were seen in India having the Genital members of Women, like those of humane kind, so that the Fishers do bind themselves with an Oath to the Magistrate, that they have no copulation with them. Bernardinus Ginnarus (lib. 1. c. 9. de Indico itinere, edit. Neap. 1641.) doth relate that Meirmaids are seen, in the vast River Cuama, near the head of Good-hope, which in the middle superior part are like to the form of men, that is, with round head, but immediately joyned to the breast, without a neck, with ears altogether like ours, and so their eyes, lips and teeth. And that their dugs being pressed do send forth most white milk.”

Therefore he concludeth: “There is (he saith) so great difference of the form of Meirmaids, with the Ancients and Moderns, that it is no wonder, that some do account them figments. We have (he saith) the hands to be seen with eyes, and we shew the Meirmaids to be such, as in truth they are seen to be. Neither do the hands and ribs deceive, whose Pictures we have given framed according to the truth of nature.”

5. But besides these there are other Fishes or Sea-monsters, that in all parts resembled Men and Women, as these examples make manifest. Alexander ab Alexandro, a person of great learning and experience, relateth: “That in Epirus a Triton or Sea-Man was found, who forth of the Sea did ravish Women being alone upon the shore: But being taken by cunning, he did resemble a Man with all his members, but did refuse meat being offered, so that he died with hunger and wasting, as being in a strange element.

6. Also Ludovicus Vives doth tell us this story: “in our age (he saith) with the Hollanders, a Sea-Man was seen of many, who also was kept there above two years, he was mute, and then begun to speak: But being twice smitten with the Plague, he is let loose to the Sea rejoicing and leaping.”

7. In the year of our Lord 1403. there was taken a Sea-woman in a lake of Holland, thrown thither forth of the Sea, and was carried into the City of Haerlem; she suffered her self to have garments put upon her, and admitted the use of bread, milk and such like things: Also she learned to spin, and to do many other things after the manner of Women, also she did devoutly bend her knees to the image of Christ crucified, being docible to all things, which she was commanded by her Master, but living there many years, she alwayes remained mute.

8. To these we shall conclusively add one story of sufficient credit from our own English Annals, which is this: “In the year 1187. being the 33th year of the Reign of Henry the second, near unto Oreford in Suffolk, certain Fishers of the Sea took in their nets a fish having the shape of a man in all points, which fish was kept by Bartholomew de Glanvile, Custos of the Castle of Oreford, in the same Castle, by the space of six months and more for a wonder; he spake not a word. All manner of meats he did gladly eat, but most greedily raw fish after he had crushed out all the moisture. Oftentimes he was brought to the Church where he shewed no tokens of adoration. At length when he was not well looked to, he stole away to the Sea, and never after appeared.” The learned Antiquary Mr. Camden tells this same story from Radulphus Coggeshall, an ancient writer, and that “Capillos habebat, barbam prolixam & pineatam, circa pectus nimium pilosus erat, & hispidus: and concludeth: Quicquid nascatur in parte naturæ ulla, & in mari esse, & non omnino commentitium est.”

By all which examples we may be rationally satisfied, that though these creatures have a real existence in nature, yet because of their strange natures, shapes and properties, or by reason of their being rarely seen, they have been and often are not only by the common people but even by the learned taken to be Devils, Spirits or the effects of Inchantment and Witchcraft. And therefore men that would judge aright must take heed that they be not deceived and imposed upon by relations of this nature, and also of all such things as may be acted by Imposture and confederacy, and those other Physical things that are brought to pass by natural causes, divers sorts of which are recited by Ludovicus Lavaterus very largely, to which I recommend those that desire further satisfaction in those particulars.

CHAP. XVI.

Of Apparitions in general, and of some unquestionable stories that seem to prove some such things. Of those apparitions pretended to be made in Beryls and Crystals, and of the Astral or Sydereal Spirit.

In this Treatise we have before sufficiently proved that the denying of the existence of such a Witch as doth make a visible contract with the Devil, or upon whose body he sucketh, or that hath carnal copulation with a Demon, and that is transubstantiated into a Cat or a Dog, or that flyeth in the air; doth not inferr the denial of Spirits either good or bad, nor utterly overthrow the truth of apparitions, or of such things as seem to manifest some supernatural operations. And therefore here we shall fully handle the question of Apparitions, and things that seem to be of that nature, and that in this order.

1. We shall not meddle with Apparitions in the large extent of the word, for so it may comprehend the appearing of new Stars, Comets, Meteors and other Portents, and Prodigies, which (though unusual and wonderous) have yet their production from natural causes. But only here we shall treat of such apparitions as are taken to be performed by supernatural creatures, or in such a way and by such creatures as we commonly account to be different from (if not above) the power of ordinary and visible nature, as of Angels good or bad, the Souls of men departed, or their Astral Spirits, or of some other creatures that are, or may be of a middle nature.

2. As for the apparitions of good Angels sent by God in times past, both in sleep and otherwise, the Scriptures do give us most full and ample assurance, as these few instances may undeniably demonstrate. 1. That an Angel of the Lord (that is a good Angel) did appear visibly unto Manoah and his wife, and did vocally and audibly talk and discourse with them both, and did after in both their sights openly and visibly ascend in the flame that did arise from the altar. Now a more plain and indubitable apparition visibly seen and audibly heard than this cannot be found nor read of, having the unquestionable authority of sacred writ to avouch it. 2. Another parallel unto it, and of equal authority, verity and perspicuity, is the sending of the Angel Gabriel unto the Virgin Mary, her seeing of him, hearing of his salutation, having discourse with him, and seeing his departure, both which are undoubted testimonies of the true, and real appearance of good Angels even to sight and hearing. 3. That sometimes the good Angels have been sent to the servants of God, and have appeared and spoken unto them in dreams; as that the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, and bade him to take unto him Mary his wife, which was a blessed, and clear apparition, though in a dream in his sleep. And likewise by the appearing of an Angel unto him in a dream, he was warned to take the child, and his mother, and to flee into Ægypt, and also again was commanded by an Angel, after the death of Herod, that appeared in a dream, and bade him to take the young child and his mother, and to go into the land of Israel.

3. Of the visible apparition of evil Angels we scarce have any evidence at all in the Scriptures, except we should take supposals for proofs, or disputable places to be certain demonstrations, or wrest and hale the word of God to make it serve our preconceived opinions. For I do not find any one place in all the Scriptures, where plainly and positively any apparition of evil spirits is recorded, or that by any rational and necessary consequence such a visible appearance can be deduced or proved: For we have clearly proved that the tempting of Evah by the Serpent doth not necessarily inferr, that it was by a visible apparition, but by a mental delusion; and that that of Saul and the Woman of Endor, or the Mistriss of the bottle, was neither Samuel in Soul and Body, nor his Soul alone, neither the Devil in his shape we suppose we have evinced past answer; and that the tempting of our blessed Saviour by Satan was internal or at least the greatest part of it; so that there doth remain but little of certain proof of the apparition of Devils in that gross manner, and so common and frequent as many do too peremptorily affirm: yet for all this we think it rational to grant, that as God hath in times past often sent messages by good Angels, for the teaching, counselling and comforting of his servants, both audibly and visibly to be perceived; so also that sometimes God might not only send evil Spirits internally and mentally to deceive and seduce the wicked, as in the case of the lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets, but also visibly to appear to terrifie, punish and destroy the wicked, or to make way for the manifestation of his glory. And the Scriptures that mention Demoniacks, and such as are commonly said to be possessed, (though that were not by an essential inhesion, but by an effective operation both upon the Souls and Bodies of the persons that were so affected and afflicted) do plainly shew that the operative effects of the Devils power was both heard and seen by their words and actions. So the Devils using the organs of the man in whom was the legion of them, they besought Christ not to command them to go out into the deep, but besought him to suffer them to go into the herd of swine: Which “plainly sheweth that their words were audible, and were heard of the multitude that were by, and the acts that they performed were visible enough, for by the power of the Devil he brake the chains and fetters, wherewithal he was bound, and was driven of the Devil into the wilderness, and that these Devils went forth of the man, and entered in amongst the herd of swine, by whose effective power the swine ran violently down a steep rock into the sea, and were drowned.” And this doth plainly manifest the present operation of the Devils, that was apparent both by the words and actions, that were both to be seen and heard; so that this in that large sense, that it is usually taken in, was a real apparition of Devils, or at least equivalent thereunto. For we do but here inquire after such appearances of Devils, that do necessarily infer their presence in operating so in and upon creatures or corporeal matter, that by sight, hearing, or other of the senses, it may certainly be manifest to work above the ordinary power of nature, and may induce us rationally by the testimony of our senses, to believe that those things are brought to pass by those creatures that we call Demons, as many of these persons, who were said to have been or to be afflicted with Devils, were in the days of our blessed Saviours remaining in the flesh.

4. But though it be never so freely and fully granted, that in the ages and times mentioned in the Old and New Testament (nay it may be for a century or more after) there were persons that were possessed and afflicted with Devils, and also that for that time there were many miracles wrought: Yet now it will be said that miracles are totally ceased as not being any way necessary to confirm the Gospel, which is now established and setled. This we confess is so strongly and convincingly proved by the Divines of the reformed Churches, that we account him wilfully blind that will oppose it. Yet notwithstanding all this that miracles are totally ceased, I grant that there are some strange things that have happened in late ages, and some in our own time, that cannot be any way solved by meer ordinary natural causes, and apparitions made by some kind of creatures that must be derived from some such causes as those of good or bad Spirits, or from creatures of the like nature. And that though miracles be ceased, it will not therefore follow that every thing that hath a cause above or differing from the usual and ordinary course of nature, must be also ceased, for quanquam nunc non sint miracula, possint tamen esse miranda: and though that miracles be ceased, yet it will not follow that apparitions are so also, because apparitions are not miracles; for a good Angel to be sent and to appear, cannot be said to be a miracle, because it is the end for which he was created, they (that is the Angels) are all ministring spirits sent forth for the good of those that shall be heirs of Salvation. And it cannot be said otherwise of evil Angels or of any other creatures that may make these apparitions, for as they are and must be creatures, so there is and must be some certain ends, for which they were created and are imployed unto.

5. But to prove the truth of apparitions, or other strange Phenomena’s equivalent unto them, as to have been truly performed as matters of fact is extream difficult and almost impossible, because the Histories and relations of things of this nature are most strangely fabulous, and therefore are by no means to be relied upon, as will most manifestly appear by undeniable reasons, if we examine them in divided members in this order.

1. The Histories and relations that are given either by the Poets, or most of the ancient Philosophers, of these things, are so seemingly impossible, and so extreamly fictitious, as he must of necessity have in a manner totally forsaken his own reason, that can give any credit at all unto them. And especially they are so fraught with the horrible fables of the numerousness of their feigned gods, demigods, spirits, hobgoblins, Lares, Lemures, Mens shadows and the like, that they would make a man believe that the world was full of nothing else, and this was chiefly done to uphold their Idolatrous and superstitious Religion. And all these kind of authors that have written from the time of Homer until the end of the ages in which the two Plinies and Plutarch lived, have but run the same course, all their relations tasting of the leaven of impossibilities, superstition and fabulousness.

2. And if we look into the Pontificial Writers, especially those that have recorded stories of this nature since the sixth century, we shall find such a Rhapsodie, and heap of Bombast lies and invented fables both of apparitions and Witches, that no rational man can well give assent to one of a thousand of them, they seem so incredible, that they would rather make a wise man diffident of all such matters of fact, than to yield credit to any. And a man might as reasonably believe the forged and lying miracles of Mahomet, as those monkish fables. For the extream desire that those Authors had to advance their false and feigned Doctrine of Purgatory, and thereby to uphold the gain and benefit that was gotten by injoining such and such penances and eleemosynary deeds to redeem Souls from thence, did drive them on to invent thousands of false stories of the apparitions of Souls after death, which had not one jot of truth in them at all.

3. Those that are called the Reformed Divines (because they returned to that pure and true Doctrine and Worship, that had been settled and practised in those foregoing ages that were truly Catholick and Apostolick) being altogether intent about the main and principal points of the Faith, and those that concerned the true worship of God, did take little heed to the matters of this nature, as being more circumstantial, and therefore not by them accounted so essential and necessary. From whence it came to pass that Lambertus Danæus, Hemmingius, Erastus and others, did without due examination and circumspection receive the opinions and stories of the Papists hand over head. From whence (I conceive) it came to pass that Ludovicus Lavaterus a learned Divine of the reformed Religion at Zurich did write a book of apparitions and such matters, but brought no other proofs of the truth of these things de facto, but the often repeated stories of Heathenish Authors, and some few from Ecclesiastick Authors, that are of dubious credit, but not any one of his own knowledge.