_That the ignorance of the power of Art and Nature and such like
things, hath much advanced these foolish and impious opinions._
The opinions that we reject as foolish and impious are those we have
often named before, to wit, that those that are vulgarly accounted
Witches, make a visible and corporeal contract with the Devil, that he
sucks upon their bodies, that he hath carnal copulation with them, that
they are transubstantiated into Cats, Dogs, Squirrels, and the like, or
that they raise tempests, and fly in the air. Other powers we grant unto
them, to operate and effect whatsoever the force of natural imagination
joyned with envy, malice and vehement desire of revenge, can perform or
perpetrate, or whatsoever hurt may be done by secret poysons and such
like wayes that work by meer natural means.
And here we are to shew the chief causes that do and have advanced these
opinions, and this principally we ascribe to mens ignorance of the power
of Nature and Art, as we shall manifest in these following particulars.
1. There is nothing more certain than, that how great soever the
knowledge of Men be taken to be, yet the ultimate Sphere of natures
activity or ability is not perfectly known, which is made most manifest
in this, that every day there are made new discoveries of her secrets,
which prove plainly that her store is not yet totally exhausted, nor her
utmost efficiency known. And therefore those Men must needs be
precipicious, and build upon a sandy foundation, that will ascribe
corporeal effects unto Devils, and yet know not the extent of nature,
for no Man can rationally assign a beginning for supernatural agents and
actions, that does not certainly know where the power and operation of
nature ends.
2. And as it is thus in general, so in many particulars, as especially
in being ignorant of many natural agents that do work at a great
distance, and very occultly, both to help, and to hurt, as in the weapon
salve, the Sympathetick powder, the curing of diseases by mumial
applications, by Amulets, Appensions and Transplantions, which all have
been, and commonly are ascribed unto Satan, when they are truly wrought
by natural operations. And so (as we have sufficiently manifested
before) by many strange, and secret poysons both natural and artificial,
that have no bewitching power in them at all, but work naturally, and
only may be hurtful in their use through the devilishness of some
persons that use them to diverse evil ends.
3. There is nothing that doth more clearly manifest our scanted
knowledge in the secret operations of nature, and the effects that she
produceth, than the late discoveries of the workings of nature, both in
the vegetable, animal and mineral Kingdoms, brought dayly to light by
the pains and labours of industrious persons: As is most evident in
those many elucubrations, and continued discoveries of those learned and
indefatigable persons that are of the Royal Society, which do plainly
evince that hitherto we have been ignorant of almost all the true causes
of things, and therefore through blindness have usually attributed those
things to the operation of Cacodemons that were truely wrought by
nature, and thereby not smally augmented and advanced this gross and
absurd opinion of the power of Witches.
[Sidenote: _De occult. Philos._ _l._ 1. _c._ 2.]
4. Another great means in advancing these Tenents hath been Mens supine
negligence in not searching into and experimenting the power of natural
agents, but resting satisfied in the sleepy notions of general rules,
and speculative Philosophy. By which means a prejudice hath been raised
against the most occult operations of nature, and natural magick (which
is (as _Agrippa_ truly said) “The comprizer of great power, full of most
high mysteries, and containeth the most profound contemplation, nature,
power, quality, substance and virtue of most secret things, and the
knowledge of all nature) to be condemned, as the work of the Devil and
hellish fiends, which is the handmaid and instrument of the Almighty.”
And from this diabolical pit of the ignorance of the power of nature
(especially when assisted by art) have sprung up those black and horrid
lies in the mouths of _Erastus_, _Conringius_ and above all of
_Kircherus_, denying the possibility of the transmutation of metals, by
the power of Art and Nature, and ascribing the performance thereof by
_Paracelsus_, _Lullius_, _Sendinogius_ and others to the Devil; so
malevolent do men grow when they are led by nescience and ignorance.
[Sidenote: _Vid. Theatr. Chym._ _Vol._ 5. _p._ 943.]
5. The ignorance of the strange and wonderful things that Art can bring
to pass hath been no less a cause, why the most admirable things that
Art bringeth to pass by it are through blind ignorance ascribed unto
Devils, for so have many brave learned Artists, and Mechanicians been
accused for Conjurers, as happened to _Roger Bacon_, Dr. _Dee_,
_Trithemius_, _Cornelius Agrippa_, and many others, when what they
performed was by lawful and laudable art. The strange things that the
Mathematicks and Mechanicks can perform are hardly to be enumerated, of
which were those most wonderful catoptrical glasses mentioned by
_Nicero_, _Aquilonius_, _Baptista Porta_ and many others, those
wonderful engines in the shape of Birds, Men, Beasts, and Fishes that do
move, sing, hiss and many such like things mentioned by _Heron_ of
_Alexandria_, and our Countryman Dr. _Fludd_; and those that would have
more ample satisfaction concerning the stupendious things that are
produced by art, may receive most large satisfaction in reading that
most learned and elaborate Epistle written as a preface before the Book
of _Johannes Ernestus Burgravius_ called _Biolychnium vel de lampade
vitæ et mortis_, by _Marcellus Vranckheim_ Doctor of both laws, as also
in reading that profound and mysterious piece written by _Roger Bacon_,
_de admirabili potestate artis et naturæ, et de nullitate magiæ_, with
the learned notes of Dr. _Dee_ upon it, of which he saith this: _Ut
videatur quod omnis potestas magica sit inferior his operibus et
indigna_. And therefore there can be nothing more unworthy, than for any
man, that pretendeth to any portion of reason, so far to dote, or suffer
himself to be led with ignorance and rashness, as to ascribe those
strange things that Nature and Art, or both joined together do produce,
unto Devils: And yet there is nothing that is more common not only by
the blind vulgar, but even by those that otherwise would be accounted
learned, and wise enough; pride and folly attendeth the most of the Sons
of Men.
[Sidenote: _Hist._]
6. Another gross mistake there is, in supposing those strange things
that are performed by vaulters, tumblers, dancers upon ropes, and such
like, not possible to be done but by the assistance of the Devil, when
they are altogether brought to pass and effected by use, custome,
exercise, nimbleness and agility of body. And yet we have known some not
only of the popular rank, but many that thought themselves both wise,
learned and religious that have been so blind as to father these things
upon Devils and seriously to seem to believe, that the actors of these
things had made a league and compact with the Devil, by whose help they
performed them. And I do remember that a pretty active young man, within
these few years went about in this North Countrey with a neat Bay Mare
for money to shew tricks, which were very odd and strange, for if she
had been blindfolded, and several pieces of money taken from several
persons, and wrapped in a cloath, the Mare would have given every one
their own piece of money; and this and many other feats she plaid, were
not only by the common people, but by others that should have been more
wise, judged to be performed by no other means but by the Devil, and
some were so stark mad as to believe and affirm that the Mare was not a
natural one, but that it was the Devil that plaid those strange tricks
in the shape of a Mare: when more sober judgments knew that they were
performed by the masters eye, and rod directing the Mare. _Error &
credulitas multum in hominibus possunt._
7. In like manner are often both those that are learned, as well as the
vulgar most wofully imposed upon by the odd and strange feats performed
by Legierdemain, sleight of hand, and by wonderful things brought to
pass by subtile and cunning Impostors that act by confederacy, and the
like, of which we have given some instances before in this treatise. And
it was no evil piece of service, that Master _Scot_ did in his book of
the discovery of Witchcraft, when he laid open all the several tricks of
Legierdemain and sleight of hand, thereby to undeceive the ignorant
multitude; and that is no less praise-worthy that is performed by the
Author of that little treatise called _Hocus Pocus junior_, where all
the feats are set forth in their proper colours, so that the most
ignorant may see how they are done, and that they are miracles unknown,
and but bables being discovered, which treatise I could commend to be
read of all Witchmongers and vain credulous persons, that thereby their
ignorance may be laid open, and they convinced of their errors.
8. The ignorance or mistaking of these things, joyned with the notions
Men have imbibed from their infancy, together with irreligious
education, are the true and proper causes, that make so many ascribe
that power to Devils and Witches, that they neither have, or ever had,
or can ever bring into act. And therefore it behoveth all that would
judge aright of these abstruse matters, to labour to understand the
secret operations of nature, and the strange works of art, to divest
themselves of their false imbibed notions, and truely and rightly to
understand the Articles of the Christian Faith, to be daily conversant
in reading the Scriptures, they will then be more fit to judge of these
things, and not to call light darkness, nor darkness light.