Chap. III. supposed Witchcraft.

CHAP. III.

The denying of such a Witch as is last described in the- fore-going Chapter , doth not in‘er the denying of Angels or Spi-rits. Apparitions no warrantable ground for a Christian tobelieve the Existence of Angels or Devils by, but the Wordof God.

H Aving declared in what sense and acceptation we allow ofWitches, and in what notion we deny them, lest we be mis-understood we (hah add thus much : That we do not fas theSchools fpeakj deny the existence of Witches absolute & fimplici-ter , fed secundum quid, and that they do not exist tali medo , thatis, they do not make a visible Contract: with the Devil, he doth notfuck upon their bodies, they have not carnal Copulation with him,and the like recited before, and in these respects, and not otherwise,did Wierus , Gutierrius and Mr. Scot deny Witches, that is, that nei-ther they nor their supposed Familiars could perform such thingsas are ascribed unto them. And that Dr. Cafaubon and Mr. Glatt-vil should charge those that hold this opinion with Atheism orSadducism, is to me very strange, having no ground, connexion, orrational consequence so to do: yet doth Dr. Cafaubon affirm it in of Credulitythese words : ” Now one prime foundation ('faith he J of Atheism, ^ Ul” as by many ancient and late is observed, being the not believing" the existence of spiritual Essences, whether good or bad, sepa-rate, or united, subordinate to God, as to the supreme and original" Cause of all; and by consequent the denying of supernaturalderations.- I have, I confess, applied my self, by my examples,

"which in this case do more than any reasoning, and (the Autho-rity of the holy Scriptures laid aside ) are almost the only con-vincing proof. And Mr. Glanvil is so confident (I might justlyfay impudent ) that he styled his Book , A Bloxr at modern Sad - p refaCe>ducifm , which, I confess, is so weak a blow, and so blindly le-vell’d, and so improperly directed , that I am sure it will kill orhurt no body : and tells us this boldly and roundly. ' And those’’ rhat dare not bluntly fay, There is no God , content themselves,

„ C^? r a ^ a * r step and introduction J to deny there are Spirits or“ Witches. Which sort of Infidels, though they are not ordinary" among the meer Vulgar, yet are they numerous in a little higher" rank of understandings. And those that know any thing of the’ World, know that most of the looser Gentry, and the small Pre-” tenders to Philosophy and Wit, are generally deriders of the be-lief of Witches and Apparitions. And the whole design of hisBook is to prove those men to be guilty of Sadducism, that denythe existence of Witches understood in his fense, and this we op-

pose,