The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination. Vol. II, by Samuel G. Drake.

And now I have done with your Argument, wherein you have indeed shewn great skill and dexterity in turning to your Advantage, what being fairly stated makes against you, as the Appearance of Angels, &c. observing nicely the rules of Art, and particularly that grand one of concealing, nay dissembling the same Art, as when you quote that Scripture [87] concerning vain Philosophy (of which tho altogether foreign from the matter in hand yet) you intend to serve yourself with the Unthinking, who measure the Sense of words by their Jingle, not knowing how to weigh the things they signifie, and truly herein your end is very Artificial; for you intend both to throw dirt at them that differ from you, and at the same time to cover yourself with such a subtle web, through which you may see, and not be seen. What follows, is rather a Rhetorical Lecture, such as the Patriots of Sects (who commonly Explain the Holy Scriptures according to their own Dogma's, and so obtrude humane Invention for the pure word of God) use with their Auditors, to recommend any Principle they have a mind to establish, than an Impartial and through disquisition of a controverted point; wherefore I do not think myself obliged to take any further notice of it; especially seeing truth, which for the most part is little regarded in such florid Discourses, and not any prejudice of Education, Interest, or Party, did set me about this subject. I have never been used to Complement in points of Controversy, therefore I hope you'l not be angry, because I have given you my thoughts naked and plain. I have not the least motion in my mind of accusing you of any formal design to injure Religion; I only observe unto you, that your over eager contention to maintain your Principle, has hurried you to assert many things of much greater danger, both in themselves and their consequences, than those you would seem to avoid; which do amount to no more than that, Men being (in the ordinary course of Providence) the Depositories of both Divine and Humane Laws, may (instead of using them to preserve) pervert them to destroy; which indeed is very lamentable.

But it is the inevitable consequent of our depraved nature, and cannot be wholly remedied, till Sin, and the grand Author of Sin, the Devil, be entirely conquered, and God be all in all; to whom, with the Son, and Holy Ghost, be glory for ever, Amen.

YOURS of July 25, being in some sort surprising to me, I could do no less than say somewhat, as well to vindicate myself from those many Reflections, mistakes and hard censures therein; as also to vindicate what I conceive to be Important truth, and to that end find it needful to repeat some part of mine, Viz. Conclusion.

[88] 1. That the glorious Angels have their Mission and Commission from the most High.

3. That if the glorious Angels have not that power to go till commission'd, or to appear to Mortals, then not the fallen Angels, who are held in Chains of Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day.

4. That when the Almighty free Agent has a work to bring about for his own glory, or Mans good, he can employ not only the Blessed Angels, but evil ones in it.

5. That when the Divine Being will imploy the Agency of Evil Spirits for any service, 'tis with him the manner how they shall exhibit themselves, whether to the bodily Eye, or Intellect only, or whether it shall be more or less formidable.

To deny these three last, were to make the Devil an Independent Power, and consequently a God.

The bare recital of these is sufficient to vindicate me from that reitterated charge, of denying all appearances of Angels or Devils.

That the good Angels cannot appear without Mission and Commission from the most high, is you say more than follows from the premises; but if you like not such Negative deduction, though so natural, it concerns you (if you will assert this Power to be in their Natures, and their non appearance only to proceed from the rectitude of their wills, and that without such Commission they have a Power to appear to Mortals, and upon this to build so prodigious a Structure, &c.) very clearly to prove it by Scripture, for Christians have good reason to take the Apostles warning (if some Philosophers have taught that Man is nothing but matter. And others that 'tis not certain there is any Matter at all) to take heed least they should be spoiled through vain Philosophy, &c. but that this should be alluded to by such as never heard of either Notion, or that it was asserted that those real appearances to Joseph, and to the Apostle, was through the Ministry of the Senses, is as vain as such Philosophy. As to the Dead being raised, had I used Art or Rhetorick enough to explain my meaning to you, I needed not now to rejoin. That 'tis as good an Argument to say, that because Holy Prophets have raised the dead, therefore wicked Men have a Power to raise the dead: As 'tis to say, because good Angels have appeared, therefore the Evil have a Power to appear; for who can doubt, but if the Almighty shall Commissionate a wicked Man to it, he also shall raise the dead, as is intimated, Mat. vii. 22. And in thy name done many wonderful Works. As to comparisons being odious, particularly that concerning Samson, I think it needful here to add these Scriptures further to confirm the fourth Conclusion. 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. compared with 1 Chron. xxi. 1. In one 'tis God moved, &c. and in the o[89]ther Satan provoked David to number the People. 2 Chron. xviii. 21. And the Lord said, thou shalt intice him, and thou shalt also prevail, go out and do even so; all which, with many more that might be produc'd, as they will shew the truth of the Conclusion; so that 'tis no odious comparison to say, that as the Almighty can make use of Good, so also of Evil Spirits, for the accomplishing of his own wise ends, and can impower either without the help of a Vehicle. For possessions must be numbred among Gods afflictive dispensations, who also orders all the Circumstances thereof. But if any object God is not the Author of Evil, &c. you have furnish'd me with a very learned Answer, by distinguishing between the Act and the Evil of the Act, and to which 'tis adapt, but will no wise sute where it is placed, till it be first proved that the Devil hath of himself such Power not only of appearing at pleasure, but of working Miracles, and to the Almighty reserved only the power of restraining; for till this be proved the Dilemma must remain stable. He that asserts that—Because good Angels have appeared, that therefore the fallen Angels have a Power of themselves to appear to Mortals; And that they cannot be employed by the Almighty; nor that he does not order the manner and Circumstances of such appearance, what doth he less than make the Devil an Independent Power, and consequently a God! So he that asserts that the Devil hath a Power of himself, and Independent to work Wonders, and Miracles, and to impower Witches to do like in order to deceive, &c. What doth he less than own him to be an unconquered Enemy, and consequently a Sovereign Deity![99] and who is it that is culpable? he that ascribes such Attributes to the Evil one, or he that asserts that the so doing gives him (or ascribes to him) such Power as is the prerogative of him only who is Almighty? and here Sir, it highly concerns you to consider your foundations, what proof from Scripture is to be found for your Assertions, and who it is you are contending for. For hitherto nothing like a proof hath been offer'd from Scripture, which abounds so with the contrary, that he that runs may read, As shall there be evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? who is he that saith, and it cameth to pass when the Lord commandeth it not. Who among the Gods of the Heathen (of which the Devil is one) can give Rain, &c.

But I shall not be tedious in multiplying proofs, to that which all seem to own. For as to that stale plea of Universality, do say that I have read of one, if not several, general Councels, that have not only disapproved, but Anathematiz'd them that have ascribed such Power to the Devils. And several National Protestant Churches at this day in their Exhortation before the Sacrament (among other Enormous Crimes) admonish all that believe any such Power in the Witch, &c. to withdraw as unmeet to partake at the Lord's Table.

[90] And I believe Christians in general, if they were asked, would own that what Powers the Devil may at any time have to appear, to afflict, destroy, or cause tempests, &c. must be by Power or Commission from the Sovereign Being. And that having such a Commission, not only Hail, but Frogs, Lice, or Flies shall be impowered to plague a great King and Kingdom. And if so, this Sandy Structure of the Devils appearance, and working Wonders at pleasure, and of Impowering Witches to afflict, &c. (for to this narrow Crisis is that whole Doctrine reduc'd) the whole disappears at the first shaking.[100]

Thus worthy Sir, I have given you my sentiments, and the grounds thereof, as plainly and as concise as I was able, tho 'tis indeed a subject that calls for the ablest Pens to discuss, acknowledging myself to be insufficient for these things; however I think I have done but my duty for the glory of God, the Sovereign Being; and have purposely avoided such a reply as some parts of yours required.

And pray that not only you and I, but all mankind may give to the Almighty the glory due unto his name. From, Sir, Yours to Command,

FOOTNOTES:

[90] The only Mention of the Author of these Letters I have met with is contained in the Answer to the More Wonders, by Dr. Mather, and is in this Passage: "The Anti-scriptural Doctrines espoused by this Man [Calef] do also call for no further Answer; for a certain Scotchman (one Stuart) of no very great Circumstances, aboard one of our Frigates then in our Harbour, sent him Two Letters, which he has been so silly as to insert in his wretched Volume." This "one Stuart" was, perhaps, Chaplain on board the Man-of-war. The Doctor thinks Mr. Calef was very silly to print the Letters, because they were, in his Judgment, a complete Vindication of Witchcraft. Mr. Calef was willing all should be said on that side that could be said. He felt fully convinced that,

"Falsehoods which we spurn To-day

Were the Truths of Long-ago;

Let the dead Bough fall away,

Fresher shall the living grow."

Whittier.

[91] Doctor Mather.

[92] See Remarkable Providences, 128, by Dr. I. Mather.

[93] See Volume I, Pages 39-41.

[94] See concluding Part of Note 84.

[95] If not a mythical Character, he is surrounded with much Mystery. There, however, seems to have been, at some remote Period, a Man named Ambrose Merlin, living in Carmarthenshire, in Wales; and it will pay the Reader well to turn to Thomas Fuller, and see what he says about him in his Worthies, Vol. III, 524. Among other things he says: "His Extraction is very Incredible, reported to have an Incubus to his Father, pretending to a Pedigree older than Adam, even from the Serpent himself. But a learned Pen demonstrateth the Impossibility of such Conjunctions. And let us not load Satan with groundless Sins, whom I believe the Father of Lies, but no Father of Bastards." A witty Conceit, but ruinous to the Theory of Witchcraft.

[96] See Vol. I, Introduction, Page xv. The Executions in Scotland were but few Years before those in New England.

[97] The same Gentleman mentioned in Note 86, Page 157.

[98] Thomas Hobbes, a Native of Malmsbury in Wiltshire, England, born in 1588, and died in 1679. He has been stigmatized as an Unbeliever in Divine Revelation; was a Man of extensive learning, published Works on Philosophy, and translated Homer.

[99] Finding themselves in this Dilemma (many of the Believers in Witchcraft never having thought of it, it would seem,) the Advocates must have been sadly puzzled. Nor is it easy to see how, by turning to Locke, Le Clerc, or Cudworth, they are helped at all.

[100] Le Clerc has one sensible Remark, among many weak ones, about the Existence of Witches. He says: "Those Opinions or Diseases of the Brain which Witches have, who think they go to Feasts and Dancings, upon their talking of it to others, that are of a timorous Disposition and weak Brains, bring others into the same Fits of Fury, and, like a Contagion, spread far and near, infesting many Heads; though it is observable those Diseases are more frequent amongst the Inhabitants of Mountains and solitary Places, than amongst those that live in Cities." It must occur to the judicious Reader, that Mons. Le Clerc took a roundabout Way to tell him that Witchcraft flourished best among ignorant People. See A Compleat History of Magick, Sorcery, and Witchcraft, London, 1715, 2 Vols. 12mo.

INDEX.

NOTE.—As the small Roman Numerals in this Index denote both the Volumes and the Pages of the Introductions, those who consult it may observe, that when the Introductory Pages are referred to, the Reference to the Volume is in large or Roman Capitals:—For Example, I, xx, refer to the first Volume, and to Page 20 of the Introduction to the same Volume; II, xxii, refer to Volume second, and Page 22 of that Volume.