CHAP. XIII.
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 scantedknowledge 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.
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 (asAgrippatruly 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 ofErastus,Conringiusand above all ofKircherus, denying the possibility of the transmutation of metals, by the power of Art and Nature, and ascribing the performance thereof byParacelsus,Lullius,Sendinogiusand others to the Devil; so malevolent do men grow when they are led by nescience and ignorance.
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 toRoger 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 byNicero,Aquilonius,Baptista Portaand 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 byHeronofAlexandria, 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 ofJohannes Ernestus BurgraviuscalledBiolychnium vel de lampade vitæ et mortis, byMarcellus VranckheimDoctor of both laws, as also in reading that profound and mysterious piece written byRoger Bacon,de admirabili potestate artis et naturæ, et de nullitate magiæ, with the learned notes of Dr.Deeupon 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.
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 MasterScotdid 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 thatis no less praise-worthy that is performed by the Author of that little treatise calledHocus 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.