CHAP. 1.

That the Lapse and Revolt of the Angels from the Blessed life of God, consists mainly in debasing their higher and nobler Facul­ties, by enslaving and subjuga­ting them to their Inferior and more material Powers.

HE that will speak of the An­gels like a Philosopher, looks upon their Souls like those of men, to be of an Heteroge­neous [Page 6] nature, including within the latitude and comprehension of their Essences an Intellectual and Plastical life. The Perceptive part is indeed the flower of the Soul, discrimina­ting all Impressions made in the com­mon Sensorium by the various objects of Sense, and being Life and Acti­vity in a very high degree contains in it the principles and seeds of all manner of Wisdom and Knowledge: But the Plastick part or Formative Power is wholly employed in the modification of matter, conserving the vital motions, and faithfully transmitting the Impressions of Ex­ternal Objects upon the Instruments of Sense to the seat of Perception. And that this holds good in Angels, their vital union with matter suffi­ciently demonstrates. For although we should fancy the Vehicles or Bo­dies of Angels to lie in a lax and diffuse manner without any particu­lar Organization or Characteristical [...] yet it is most probable that the seat of Perception is restrained to some particular place in that heap of living Air. Wherefore God [Page 7] creating no Power or Faculty in vain, but that at some time or other it should be called forth into Act, did graciously allow to these embo­died Spirits their Perige's or Conver­sion to the Placid Motions of their Congenit Bodies in due measures and proportions, as well as their Apoge's or Recessions from matter. Which innocent delight was in a sort ne­cessary to their condition and the circumstances of their Natures. For the most Intellectual and resined operations of their Minds depending somewhat upon the motions of the Matter of their Vehicles, it is impos­sible they should always attend with an equal Intensenefs and Vigour up­on those high and remote speculati­ons, without any the least lassitude or dulness; partly because profound Contemplations do very much ex­haust and debilitate the Spirits or Ethereal matter, which is the most immediate Instrument of Sense and Cogitation, both in the Souls of men and Angels; and partly from the necessary imperfection of their Natures, which are made with re­spect [Page 8] and regard to the Plastick as well as Perceptive powers of life, which require an abatement and re­laxation of the superior Faculties, as well for the supply and recruit of their Vehicles, as to be a pleasant repast, after which the Intellectual life becomes more ardent, sublime and vigorous in the exercise of all its most perfect operations.

Wherefore this being the state of things, the Defection and Eclipse of those once bright and glorious morning Stars, must be attributed to the luxuriant growth of the Pla­stick life, which taking deeper root by a fond carelesness and indulgen­cy, diffuses every way such poison­ous and noxious Ferments as choak the Emanations of a Divine life, till at last they become wholly dead to that better principle, whose act­ings and inspirations so long as they heeded, they remained perfectly happy. The experiment is every where obvious in the world, and we see men by letting themselves loose to all manner of wretchedness and debauchery, through the potent [Page 9] and enormous lasciviency of the bo­dily life, quite lose the relish and grateful sense of true Goodness and Nobility; and the edge and acute­ness of their Criteria is so far taken off, that they have no right discri­mination between Virtue and Vice, Good and Evil. And though it be true, that the Angels by sinking into the brutish life, have not bereaved themselves of their Reason and na­tural Sagacity (sith that That is a kind of middle principle, and al­ways follows the prevailing part, indifferently either purveying for the satisfaction of a petulant Lust or slavish Passion, or else acting under the conduct and guidance of a more Celestial Nature) yet have they to­tally extinguished that noble Facul­ty, the flower and summity of the Souls of men and Angels; which a learned person calls Boniformem ani­mae facultatem, Enchir. Ethic. c. 2. i. e. that power in them which feels the pleasure of Righteousness and Virtue, and has a natural relish and gust of true and essential goodness; and being once united and conjoyned with so beauti­ful [Page 10] an object, diffuses an ineffable joy and pleasure through all the ca­pacities of the Soul. Nor do we by this make God the cause and Author of sin: for though it be true that the Animal faculties in Angels and men, together with their respective objects, be a part of God's Creati­on, yet their sin proceeded from themselves, through an undue and disharmonious connection of those principles, and consists in the abuse of his Fatherly indulgence by a wil­ful immoderation and excess.

Nor will this seem strange to any that will but consider what S. Peter and S. Iude speak of the fallen An­gels; to give some light to which places, I shall set them down in the Original, 2 Pet. 2.4. [...] For if God spared not the Angels that sinned, but cast them down to Hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved into Iudgment. And S. Iude after the same manner: [...] [Page 11] [...]. And the Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation; he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, un­to the judgment of the great day. v. 6.

In which we have a plain Indica­tion both of the sin and punishment of these lapsed Angels: Their sin in these words, [ [...]] which our Translation renders [ kept not their first estate] but the vulgar Latin [ Principatum suum non servaverunt] that is, kept not their Principality, Rule or Do­minion, which Interpretation (says Beza) is not to be rejected. So that the most genuine and natural signifi­cation of the words refers to that Government or Dominion which the superior Faculties ought to have over the inferior. For as in men, so likewise in the Angels, there is a double nature, the one Intellectual, and the other Animal: The former of these Simplicius calls [...], the Schoolmaster, In Epiclet.c. 10. or that part which is to govern and rule; the other [Page 12] is [...], the boy that is to be kept under discipline and strict go­vernment within us. The irratio­nal or Animal power (he says) is in­tent only [...], upon that which is sweet and pleasant; but the Rational and Intellectual respects chiefly [...], that which is best and most profitable. When therefore the Angels suffered their Despotick and Lordly Powers to be enslaved and subjected to their Animal or Brutish Faculties; when instead of keeping close to the [...], that which is simply and absolutely the best, they pursued without bounds or measures the [...], the luscious pleasures resulting from Body or Matter, then did they truly relin­quish [...], that Principa­lity which God had given them, and insensibly deserted [...], their Celestial bodies: for so S. Paul uses the word [...], 2 Cor. 5.2. where those Spiritual Bodies which we hope for at the Resurrection are called, [...], our house that is from Heaven, which is all one with S. Iude's [...], [Page 13] the proper house, building or habitation of Angels, viz. their Heavenly Bodies.

And upon this foul revolt and Apostasie of theirs from their Pri­meval Glory, followed their punish­ment, which was their dejection and detrusion into the Caliginous Regi­ons of the Air. For [...] signi­fies nothing else but to cast down, and [...] is that which is lowest, whether in Earth or Air, as may be seen in Homer's description of [...], Iliad. [...]. The [...] and [...], chains of darkness, are no­thing but the Fetters of this thick and clammy Air within the Atmo­sphere of the Earth, into which by the just judgment of God these re­bellious Spirits are precipitated. For the Air is of it self a Terrestri­al, stubborn and dark Element. To this purpose is that of Plutarch, in his Book de Homericâ Poesi, where he says, that Hades is the Air, ad­ding, [...]. And this their confine­ment [Page 14] is very consentaneously expres­sed by chains and bands, being fot­ter'd here by the irrevocable De­crees of Heaven, and are no more able to ascend out of the noxious Fumes of this lower World, than we can flye in the spacious Tracts of Aether; for those Eternal Laws which God hath placed in the Uni­verse are the [...], as Homer speaks of Tar­tarus, those iron gates and brazen walls, that prohibit all ascent to higher and better Regions.

CHAP. II. That these lapsed Angels have formed themselves into a Polity or Kingdom of Darkness.

OUR Saviour in the Gospel makes mention of the King­dom of Satan, which supposes a Polity, Society or Corporation among those wicked Spirits. And [Page 15] this Kingdom or Government of theirs took its beginning and rise from their lapse and revolt from God at the Creation of the World; when 'tis most probable that some mighty Leader or Chieftain among the Orders of Angels inspired the breasts of Myriads with pernicious and rebellious counsels against God, attempting to frame and erect a Principality of his own in opposition to the Soveraignty and Dominion of the Almighty; and being cast out of the Mansions of Light and Happiness, with all his wicked ad­herents, for this their bold and au­dacious attempt of invading Heaven it self, he hath notwithstanding kept so much of his ancient Grandeur, as to be the Head and Prince of all those whom he drew into that Trai­terous confederacy. Nor is Reason wanting in her suffrage here: For

1. They being all embodied Spi­rits, that is, vitally united to Mat­ter, they must of necessity be ca­pable both of pain and pleasure, the sense of which is more or less acute and vigorous according to either [Page 16] the Tenuity or Grossness of their Bodies, and by consequence they are liable and obnoxious to harm and injury from those of their own Socie­ty; which, considering the mischie­vousness of their natures and dispo­sitions (each ones particular Lusts being the grand rule and measure of his Actions) would certainly breed an infinite Ataxy and confusion amongst them, and at last the ruine and destruction of their Kingdom, if not prevented by some external restraint and discipline. Where­fore they being all so deeply lapsed into the Animal life, whose very foundation is self-love and preser­vation of the irregular Exertions of their sensual Appetites, their Rea­son which, though perfectly subser­vient to their brutish Faculties, yet, is no whit abated or diminished by their degeneracy, would not fail of moulding them into a Body Politick, and enacting by their general consent and approbation for the mainte­nance and security of their usurped Dominions, all such Laws and ne­cessary Provisions as might both se­cure [Page 17] themselves from outrages and villanies committed upon one ano­ther; and the more advantageously and successfully drive on the general trade of wickedness throughout the whole kingdom of Hell and Dark­ness.

2. But besides this, there is ano­ther cogent reason and inducement to believe there is an Order and Go­vernment among the dark Fiends, in that they are not all of the same rank and quality, but may probably have as many divisions among them as there are diversities of Animals upon Earth, though they all agree in the common Angelick nature; which if so, that thirst and desire of Rule and Authority which is so larg­ly spread and diffused through their natures and capacities, and so great a branch of the sensual life to which they are wholly addicted, will un­doubtedly stir up the more power­ful and politick among them, to take the reins of Government and Authority into their hands, and prescribe Laws to the rest, such as may both establish and preserve the [Page 18] Empire and Kingdom of Darkness from domestick and intestine broils and dissentions, and uphold it when assaulted by forein Invasions.

And there seems to be an admi­rable consent between what Reason suggests and the Holy Scriptures, in which mention is made of the Prince of Devils, who is likewise called the Prince of the aiery Powers or Spi­rits: And to quicken us up to a stu­dious watchfulness and diligence against the latent frauds and machi­nations of those Infernal hunters; we are assured that our contest is against Principalities and Powers, and against the Aerial wicked Spi­rits under their [...] or Prince. And the learned Dr. Hammond in his Notes upon that place of S. Paul, supposes the Apostle by those seve­ral expressions to denote several sorts of Devils, either in respect of their Mansions, [...], saith Ignatius ad Ephes. Aerial or Earthly Spirits; or else of the inclinations which they suggest: The Earthly Devils suggesting gros­ser carnal appetites, filthiness of the [Page 19] flesh, &c. the Aerial pride, vain­glory, malice, &c. the filthiness of the Spirit.

And Drusius upon Ephes. 2.2. & 6.12. cites two Iewish Authors, who speak after this manner, Debet homo scire & intelligere, à terrâ us­que ad firmamentum omnium plena esse turmis & praefectis, &c. i.e. A man is to know and understand, that all from the Earth to the firmament is full (and no place empty) of troops of Spi­rits, with their Chieftains and such as are Praepositi; all which have their residence and flye up and down in the Air; some of them incite to peace, others to war, some to goodness and life, others to wickedness and death.

And that there are great diversi­ties among the evil Daemons, some being more Aiery and Spiritual, transacting the affairs of the king­dom of Hell by subordinate Instru­ments, and others more gross and feculent, employed in the basest and most slavish actions; some sportful and ludicrous, others sa­vage and cruel; the Sacred Wri­tings give us likewise some further [Page 20] intimation of. In Mar. ix. 25. we read that our Saviour cast out a dumb and deaf Spirit, which certainly de­notes a distinct kind of Devil, it be­ing not so probable that he was cal­led so from the effects wrought in the possessed; for when the Di­sciples asked our Blessed Lord the reason why they could not cast out that Devil, whose dispossession they had attempted, he seems to tell them that it was a peculiar kind of Devil, that could only be ejected by Prayer and Fasting. Others sport themselves in ratling among their chains and fetters, and whir­ling round storms and tempests in their Aiery Regions and Dominions, to the destruction of Men and Beasts and the Fruits of the Earth, as they did with Iob. And the Psalmist af­firms the evil Angels to be the exe­cutioners of the sadder sentences of God the Judge of the world, Psal. 78.49. He cast upon them the fierce­ness of his anger, wrath and indigna­tion and trouble, by sending evil An­gels among them; where the Septua­gint read it [...] [Page 21] [...]. And these are the grim Serjeants and in­exorable Officers, who carry the Souls of wicked men to their places of punishment; which therefore Origen calls [...], Lib. 8. contr. Cel­sum. the pub­lick Executioners; and the Author of the golden Verses, [...], subterranean Daemons. Now this diversity of Devils must needs cast them into a Political Go­vernment.

3. Nor is it to be thought but they would retain the same Order and Government in this their dark Empire, in which they were instated while they continued faithful sub­jects of the kingdom of Light. Now it is most certain, that there are dif­ferent degrees of Dignity and Or­der among the good Angels; and S. Paul gives us an account of some of them, Col. i. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, visible and in­visible, whether they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities or Pow­ers —

[Page 22]And here it will not be amiss to give the Reader a short discourse of S. Ierome, as a Commentary upon these words of S. Paul, produced by Zanchy (if he have not miscited him) in his Treatise of Angels. Nunc quaerendum est, ubi Apostolus haec quatuor nomina, &c. i. e. Now let us search where the Apostle found these four names written [Thrones, Dominions, Principalities and Pow­ers] and whence he had them. For it is not just to think that he who was so well read in the Scriptures, should speak any thing that was not contained in those sacred Volumes. I suppose there­fore that he either brought to light some secret Tradition of the Jews, or at least that he (understanding the Law to be Spiritual) put a more sublime sence upon those things which were written, as it were, according to the History and Letter. And that which is related of Kings and Princes, of Generals, Tribunes and Centurions in the Book of Numbers, and of the Kings, he knew was an Image or Em­bleme of other Kings and Princes; namely, that in the Heavenly Hosts [Page 23] there are Principalities, Powers, Do­minions and Thrones, and other names of Offices; which we can neither name, nor I suppose Paul himself while in this earthly Body would enumerate. Now if there be Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, they must of necessity have Subjects, and those that fear and serve them, and such as may be protected by their strength. Which distributions of Offices, are not only at present, but shall be in the world to come, that through several advance­ments and Honours, and Ascensions and Descensions, Beings may propor­tionably arise or decline, and may be under sometimes one Dominion, Prin­cipality or Power, and sometimes ano­ther. We mortals that are quickly to be dissolved into dust and ashes, if by the consent of men we should be made Kings, we have presently as many di­versities and multitudes of attendants, as may more easily be conceived than spoken; and shall we think that God the Lord of Lords and King of Kings is contented only with one single kind of Ministry? Thus far the Father in a Platonical strain.

[Page 24]Mr. Mede somewhere speaks of an ancient Tradition among the Iews, that there are seven principal Angels which minister before the Throne of God, and are therefore called Archangels; some of them we read of, Michael, Gabriel, Ra­phael and (2 Esdr. 4.36.) Ieremiel Which seven principal Spirits are mentioned in Zech. 4.10. where they are described to be the eyes of the Lord which run to and fro through the whole Earth. See Revel. 1.4. And perhaps Daniel instituted the seven chief Princes of Persia, that the Persian Court might resemble that of Heaven; for 'tis very probable (says that learned Author) that Daniel had a great in­fluence in moulding the Persian Go­vernment. See Ezra 7.14. A notable place to this purpose, and which may indeed serve as a Commentary upon the forementioned Text in the Prophe­cy of Zechary, is that which Apulei­us relates of the Persian Court: In lib. de Mundo. Sed inter eos Aures Regiae, & Imperatoris Oculi quidam homines vocabantur. Per quae officiorum genera Rex ille ab hominibus Deus esse credebatur; cùm [Page 25] omnia quaecunque ibi gererentur, ille Otacustarum relatione dicebat. i.e. But among them there were certain men which were called the eyes and ears of the Prince: By which distribution of offices that King was thought by his subjects to be a God, for as much as all things that were done within his Em­pire he had knowledge of from the rela­tion of the Otacustae. The same Tradition of the Government of the World by seven chief Spirits under God the great Monarch, is yet re­tained by the Persians inhabiting the borders of India. Varen. De­script. Reg­ni Iapon. The summ of all amounts to this, That since there is a subordinacy among the good Angels, and that they are not all of the same Power and Authority, it follows that even among the bad there was the like difference in their Order and Quality before their lapse, and that there can be no rea­son given why this distinction should not hold good amongst them now as well as before.

CHAP. III. That these wicked Spirits being sup­posed Rational Creatures, must needs be studious in diffusing their own sinful Nature upon all capable subjects, and thereby of enlarging the bounds of their usurped Dominions.

THE grand Prince of the Infer­nal Kingdom having so far successfully advanced his rebellious design in the seduction of infinite numbers of Spirits, of whom in the Ethereal Regions under God he might probably be the great Hierar­chal head, and finding himself cast down from those happy Mansions, together with all his wicked Associ­ates, must needs cast an envious eye upon the Kingdom of Light, and those bright Legions, who yet stood firm in their native innocence. And it cannot be thought but that those [Page 27] principles of Pride and Malice, and an immoderate thirst after Rule and Revenge being so fully awakened in him, would likewise edge him with a keen desire of making further at­tempts upon the Kingdom of Light, and waging [...], an eternal war with all those powers he saw ad­verse and cross to his designs.

No sooner was Man created, and as the beloved off-spring of God pla­ced in Paradise, but that crooked Serpent winds in himself, and by his subtle wiles and gilded flatteries, despoils him of his beautiful Robe of Innocence, and throws his Honour to the ground. Of which Sacred story the Pagans had gotten some knowledge, as appears from what Pherecydes writes, That the great Daemon who wasted the Earth was a Serpent, and hence calls him [...] and [...], of a Serpentine kind and generation, setting mankind as it were in battel aray against God. And what mischief he all along de­signed, and still carries on against the race and posterity of Adam, the Histories of former Ages, and the [Page 28] present state of the World will easily inform us. So mightily did this grand deceiver, who abode not him­self in the Truth, disseminate and diffuse his own wicked nature amongst men, that God the good and gracious maker of all things, designed to destroy the works of his own hands, and by an universal de­luge wash away that poison where­with this old Serpent had infected the Earth. But notwithstanding this the Tyrant kept still his hold, and with the increase of the world, increased likewise his own strength and dominion, making whole Nati­ons to become his Vassals, and do him service. For what else can we think, when we read of whole Countries over-spread with wicked­ness and vice, barbarity and lust being adopted into their Laws, and practised in their most solemn Reli­gions?

Lib. 2. de Abst. Porphyry tells us, that these airy Goblins delight in nothing more, nor contend more eagerly than to be accounted Gods, and their Prince, that he may usurp the place of the most [Page 29] high God. And this assertion of his is sufficiently made good, in that they constantly commanded Sacrifi­ces to be offered to them throughout the whole Pagan world. Nor did their boundless Pride think this a sufficient insultation over the cala­mitous state of mankind, unless they offered up likewise to them their own bloud. Thus we read in Hi­stories of Children, young Virgins and Men offered up in Sacrifice to these bloud-thirsty Deities: Nay, even the more civilized Romans ad­mitted the shedding of humane bloud to Iupiter Latialis, which barbarous custom continued to the time of Iu­stin Martyr and Tatian. I need not insist longer upon this, since the Sa­cred writings acquaint us, that God's own people were sometimes so mise­rably depraved and Paganized, as to sacrifice their Sons and Daughters un­to Devils. Psal. 106.37.

Nor is the uncleanness and filthi­ness practised among the Pagans in their Religious Worship less notori­ous. Insomuch that those very Fe­stival days which were consecrated [Page 30] to the honour of the Gods, were ce­lebrated with such spectacles, that grave Cato was ashamed to be pre­sent at them. It would be too tedi­ous to recite the many obscenities acted in the Pagan Worship, and re­corded in their own Authors; I shall therefore-content my self with what S. Austin observes, C.D.l. 2. c. 5. from the filthiness used in the Sacrifices offer­ed to Cybele the mother of the Gods, where he supposes that Scipio, if his Mother were a Goddess,and he were asked whether he would have such silthy spectacles as were used in the Worship of Cybele, to be part likewise of his mothers honour, he would certainly avow that he had ra­ther have his Mother lye dead and senseless, than to live a Goddess, to hear and allow such Ribaldry: and that the worst man would be ashamed to have a Mother like that Mother of the Gods.

But you will say, to what purpose is all this? Surely only to shew the intolerable Pride and Insolence of the Dark Kingdom, and what de­light they take, not only in the gra­tification [Page 31] of their own Lusts and Pas­sions, but in rendring mankind the unhappy and miserable subjects of their contempt and scorn. And he that doubts whether their envy at the practice of true goodness, or their hatred of us be so great as is supposed; let him but consider what Grotius speaks concerning them; De Verit. Rel. l. 4. Sect. 3. That they procured all the mischief they could to the worshippers of the one most high God, by provoking both Ma­gistrates and People to inflict punish­ments upon them. For when it was lawful for Poets to sing of the Murders and Adulteries committed by their Gods, and for the Epicures to take away all Divine Providence, and any other Religion (though never so diffe­rent in Rites) was allowed, as the Egyptian, the Phrygian, the Greci­an, the Thuscan, and the Sacred Rites of Rome; even then generally the Jews alone were made ridiculous, as appears by Satyrs and Epigrams written upon them; and sometimes al­so suffered banishment. And as for Christians, they were afflicted with most cruel punishments: No other [Page 32] cause whereof can be given than that both these Sects did worship one God, whose honour was impeached by the mul­titude of such Gods as the Heathen adored; who did not so much vye one with another, as with him. Which is evidently confirmed by that ex­pression of our Saviour Christ in his Epistle to the Smyrnian Church, Behold, Rev. 2.10. The Devil shall cast some of you into prison — i.e. the Pagans incensed and stirred up by the old Serpent the Devil. 1 Pet. 5.8. And S. Peter describes him, not only by [...], one that brings as it were an Indict­ment or accusation against Men be­fore God, but sets out the terrible­ness and destructiveness of his Na­ture, by that of a roaring Lion, walking about seeking whom he may de­vour.

CHAP. IV. That the great end of our Saviour's coming into the World was to rescue men from the Tyranny, Slavery and Oppression of the Dark Kingdom.

THat the Apostate Prince of the Aiery Legions had miserably enslaved the World is already de­monstrated; nor is it at all incon­sistent with the Righteous Oecono­my of Providence, to suffer those to fall under his Dominion, whose treacherous counsels and inspirati­ons they so willingly hearkned to in their more happy state of life. For what more warrantable piece of ju­stice can there be, than that men should taste the fruits of their own doings? And since by choice and affection they listed themselves un­der the Government of the Devil, that now they should suffer his bar­barous [Page 34] Tyranny and Domination, whether with or against their wills? And I remember that Origen some­where tells Celsus, that it is no more incongruous for God to let the De­vil Rule over whole Nations for some time, than to suffer a Tyrant to preside over them: as some of the Roman Emperors were. But though this grand Usurper thought himself secure in thus Lording and Domi­neering over the greatest part of the World at his pleasure, yet in the fulness of time a conspicuous and most remarkable Providence appear­ed for the rescue of mankind, and the meek Lamb of God came down to break in pieces the Kingdom of Darkness, to dismantle all the strong holds, to reduce revolted Man to his former Fealty and Alle­giance, and to take into his hands the Government of the whole world. That (as the Apostle speaks) to the Scepter of Iesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, Phil. 2.10. and things in Earth, and things under the Earth. And that this was the design of the Incarnation of our Lord and Saviour, [Page 35] S. Iohn assures us; For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, 1 Iob. 3.8. that he might destroy the works of the Devil. For such an effectual Engine is the Gospel, where it is believed and en­tertained in the simplicity of it, to wind off men from their adherence to the Prince of Darkness, and to dethrone him from his unlimited power in the world, that upon the Preaching of the Seventy Disciples, whom our Lord sent forth, he tells them at their return, that the suc­cess they had, was a Praeludium of the utter subversion of the Kingdom of Satan, which should at last as per­fectly vanish and disappear, Luk. 10.18 as light­ning that leaves no print or footsteps of it self in the spacious Tracts of Heaven. And the event showed the truth of things: For after many cru­el oppositions made by the Dark Principality, Christianity so far pre­vailed as to become the Religion of the Roman Empire, and the great Dragon, that old Serpent called the Devil and Satan, Rev. 12.8, 9. was cast out with his Angels, neither was there place found any more in Heaven. i.e. Paga­nism, [Page 36] or that whole Religious wor­ship whereby the Devil had for so many Ages abused and enthralled mankind was abolished and destroy­ed, the Emperors becoming Christi­ans.

Lib. 2. de Verit. Re­lig. To this purpose Grotius discourses admirably, where he proves that the Miracles of our Saviour proceed­ed not from any evil Spirit, because that the Doctrine of Christ was quite opposite and contrary to bad Spirits. For it prohibits the worshipping of evil Angels, and disswades men from all uncleanness of affections and manners, wherein such Spirits are much delight­ed. And this is also plain, for that wheresoever the doctrine of the Gospel was received and established, there fol­lowed the downfal of the worship of Daemons and of Magical Arts: and one God was worshipped with a detesta­tion of Daemons; whose Power and Au­thority Porphyry acknowledges was broken by the coming of Christ.

In a word, our most Holy Iesus in all things opposed and walked ex­actly contrary to the Powers of Darkness, chastising by his humility [Page 37] the pride of that great Lucifer, con­fronting by his innocency and puri­ty the iniquity and uncleanness of the Black Society, and withdrawing abused mortals from the madness of Polytheism and Idolatry, and con­verting their hearts to the worship of the One only true God, who made Heaven and Earth. So that by the coming of Christ and the propagati­on of his most holy Doctrine throughout the world, men are brought from bondage and slavery to true liberty and freedom, from tyrannical and cruel Taskmasters, to the obedience of a mild and gentle Prince, and from the lowest dregs of misery to the height of happiness and felicity.

This only true Religion (saith S. Au­stin) is of power to discover that the Gods of the Gentiles are most unclean Spirits, C.D. l. 7. c. 33. desiring upon the occasion of some departed Souls, or under the shapes of some earthly Creatures, to be accounted Gods, and in their proud impurity taking pleasure in Obscenities as in Divine Honours, maligning the conversion of mens Souls unto the true [Page 38] God. From whose beastly and abomi­nable Tyranny a man then gets free, when he lays his belief upon Him, who by his rare example of humility decla­red from what height, and for what pride those wicked Fiends had their fall.

Perhaps it may not be unpleasant now to the Reader to refresh his mind with part of a Hymn written by Synesius, in honour of Iesus, and thus Paraphrased upon by a learned person.

CHAP. V. That though men by the Gospel are freed from that slavery under the Prince of Darkness, that yet he strives to countermine the King­dom of Light; and when men will so far reject and despise the admonitions and assistances that God affords them, he may justly suffer them to be acted and guid­ed by evil Spirits.

THough this mighty Antagonist of Heaven be in a great mea­sure dispossest and cast out of his Usurped Dominions, by that Illu­strious Heros sitting upon the white Horse (as the Son of God is repre­sented, Revel. 19.) and his victori­ous Armies, yet is his proud and haughty stomach no whit quelled, but rather exasperated with a setled and confirmed revenge; and there­fore [Page 41] reassembling his dispersed Troops, and reuniting his broken and shatter'd Forces, he resolves to regain that by policy which he could no longer maintain and keep by open strength. Wherefore casting and revolving in his mind many deep and direful Machinations, he finds nothing offering greater plausibili­ties of success, than to turn those Engines that so sorely batter'd his strongest holds, against the possessors of them, and to make the Gospel which was intended for the utter ruine and extirpation of his King­dom, to be subservient to the erect­ing and raising him a new Empire over mankind. And now the great Prince of Darkness walks in Mas­querade, and puts on the beautiful Robes of an Angel of Light, and ap­pears amongst the Sons of God, and raises up the depths of the accursed policies of Hell, to make fruitless and of none effect the grand intent and purpose of our Lord and Savi­our in the propagation of the Go­spel. And this he endeavours by in­stigating and stirring up men of bad [Page 42] principles and worse lives, to disse­minate Heresies, and raise Schisms and divisions among Christians; la­bouring to extinguish that mutual love and charity which our Lord made the badge and character of his Disciples, and by degrees to bring on a general depravation and cor­ruption in manners. These are some of the [...], the subtle machinations, the thoughts and counsels of the heart of Satan.

And with what successfulness he hath managed these artisices, let the Histories of the Christian Church in all Ages, even to this very day bear witness. For no sooner were the storms of persecution a little al­lay'd, and the Sun of peace and tran­quillity shone with gentle beams up­on the professors of the Gospel, but this Arch-enemy and deceiver was busie in sowing Tares, which too soon became fruitful, and grew up to a plentiful crop of Iniquity and licentious disorder. It is a sad face of things that Eusebius describes, Eccles. Hist. l. 8. c. 1. speaking of the times immediately preceeding Dioclesian the last perse­cutor; [Page 43] When the lives of Christians degenerated, through too much liberty, into softness and sloth, and Christians hated and reproached one another, and with those weapons of the tongue inva­ded and fought with one another; when Bishops set upon Bishops, and people raised seditions against people; when hypocrisie and shews of piety filled all places, then by little and little the judgments of God, as they are wont, began to visit us; and when we used no means to appease God, but multiplied sin upon sin, as if God did not respect or consider our sins, and so there was nothing left among Christians but con­tentions, emulations, hatred, enmity, ambition, tyranny, — then, &c.

And the succeeding times were no whit better, till at length the Man of sin arose, by whom the Infernal King wrought an effectual deprava­tion of the Christian Church, and revived the lively Image of Pagan Superstition and Idolatry. And though Reformed Christendom have cast off that yoke of Superstition and Idolatry, yet they labour under In­testine Dissentions, and crumble in­to [Page 44] to Schisms and Factions, and (which is to be lamented, even with tears of bloud) provoke and exasperate, nay and frequently persecute one another through a bitter and intem­perate zeal, for those things which all parties agree are no way essential to the Salvation of a Christian. Here one crying out zealously for Paul, there another for Apollos, and yonder a third for Cephas, and in the mean time condemning all others that will not follow their cry as Re­probates, persons only sit, like un­profitable burdens, to be sent out of this World, to try their fortunes in the next; as if there were no other way to Heaven, but by joyning with this or that particular Sect and So­ciety of men. Now what are all these evils but various devices and stratagems of the Dark Kingdom to undermine the Gospel, and to de­feat our Lord (if it were possible) of the success of all the pains he took in the Redemption of the World? How prosperously does the Cause of Darkness thrive, when men shall damn one another for opinions, and [Page 45] bite and devour one another for trifles? When they shall profess Christianity, and yet live like Hea­thens?

Now when God looks down from Heaven and beholds all those Sacred methods and ways of recovering men out of the hands of the Devil undervalued and despised; when he sees men wilfully shut their eyes against those bright rays of Truth that encircle them, then in a just judgment he suffers them to fall un­der the power of Satan, and to be led away (as the Apostle speaks) with strong delusions, 2 Thes. 2, 11. to the occecati­on and blinding their very Reasons and Judgments. And this insensate condition can never arrive to its full maturity and perfection, without the potent Energy and Activity of the Devil.

CHAP. VI. That nothing hinders, but having full Possession of the Minds of Men, these Evil Spirits may likewise enslave their Bodies.

FOR the Possession of the Mind by such strong falshoods as shall lead to all Impurity of life and actions, may be as real a work of the Devil (though not so visible) as his inacting their Bodies. And if it might as well conduce to the interest and advantage of his Kingdom to make such visible discoveries of him­self, by acting in the Bodies of men; there is no question but such Possessi­ons would be infinitely more fre­quent than they are. For the frame and temper of the Mind being the peculiar object of Divine Provi­dence, it is certain that a man may lapse so far into wickedness and vice, as to forfeit this Care, and to turn [Page 47] himself out of her Protection, and then he comes into the dominion of, and becomes a prey to the invisible Harpyes. And though these bodily vexations and infestations by evil Daemons may sometimes befal others, yet they are more infrequent, and permitted by Providence for ends and purposes not readily discove­rable by us. But when they are ex­ercised upon deplorably wicked and profligate persons, those Daemons seise upon and use but what is their own. Now that there have been such real Possessions of men by De­vils hath been so fully attested by unprejudic'd persons in all Ages, that he cannot escape the suspicion of having imbibed some Atheistical principles that shall have the confi­dence to deny them.

But because there are many so staggering, fluctuating and uncer­tain in their Religion, that they can hardly be perswaded to believe the existence of such Spirits, or the asso­ciation and confederation of men with these foul and unclean Daemons, and that the Scriptures speak of Wi­zards, [Page 48] Witches and Magicians, by which we understand persons that combine with, and are confederate with impure Spirits, I shall endea­vour to take off this grand Objection against those Sacred Writings, by shewing the possibility of the thing, that there have been in all Ages of the World such as have practised and entred into Familiarity with wicked Daemons, and that the Scrip­tures are not therefore to be derided and exposed by profane Wits when they speak of these things, as mat­ters of Fact and Reality, since true and genuine Philosophy asserts the same, and the wisest and most learn­ed persons among the Heathens be­lieved it, and that the Arguments and Objections against it are weak and frivolous, and betray the igno­rance and unskilfulness of their Au­thors.

CHAP. VII. Of Witchcraft.

THE Devil is not contented to abuse mankind at a distance, as it were, by all those ways and arts and illusions in offering tempta­tions from without, and thereby se­ducing them from their obedience to God; but in all Ages those im­pure Spirits have made use of ca­pable subjects, with whom they have entred into a nearer union and stricter confederation; being first initiated into those hellish mysteries by some External solemnities, by which they surrender themselves to the will and power of those Aiery tyrants, and by seeming for a time to command, render themselves Vassals to the mockery, cruelty, and unbridled lusts and passions of those malicious Goblins for ever. And such persons are properly called Ma­gicians, Wizards and Witches.

[Page 50]Nevertheless it must here be ac­knowledged, that there have been (and doubtless are) a kind of Ne­cromancers or Magicians, who are not like the common sort, not only grosly sunk and debauched in their lives, but also knowingly do ho­mage to evil Spirits as such, for the gratification of their Lusts;) but more refined Ones, who call them­selves Theurgists, such as being in some measure freed from the grosser Vices, and thinking to have to do only with good Spirits; yet being proud and vain-glorious, and affect­ing wonders, and to transcend the generality of mankind, are by a Di­vine Nemesis, justly exposed to the illusions of the Devil or evil Spirits, cunningly insinuating here, and apt­ly accommodating themselves to them. Now such as these may have the assistance of wicked Spirits (though they know them not to be so) in the performance of many strange and wonderful things, with­out any such solemn compacts as those fouler and grosser Sorcerers enter into. And though Porphyry and [Page 51] some others did distinguish these two sorts, so as to condemn indeed the grosser, which they called Ma­gick or Goety, but allowed the other which they termed Theurgie, as lau­dable and honourable, and as an art by which they received Angels, and had communication with the Gods: Yet S. Austin assures us they are both damnable, C.Dl. 10. c. 9. and bound to the observation of false and silthy Devils instead of Angels: which he further proves by relating a memo­rable story out of Porphyry, of a cer­tain Chaldean who (good man) com­plained that all his endeavour to purge his Soul by these Theurgick con­secrations was frustrate, by reason a great Artist envying him this happi­ness, adjured the powers he was to deal with by holy Invocations, and bound them from granting him any of his requests. Of this sort were probably Zoroaster, Apollonius Tya­naeus, Apuleius, and some others of later times.

For a more distinct and orderly procedure in this Chapter, I shall consider these three things.

[Page 52]1. First, the account which the Scriptures give of Magick or Witch­craft. In the Law of Moses a severe punishment no less than Death it self is ordained for Necromancers, Wi­zards and Witches, and such as have commerce with familiar Spirits, Levit. 20.27. And the people of Israel are expresly forbid to consult with any such, Levit. 19.31. Deut. 18.10, 11.

Now it seems very dilute and insi­pid to direct the intention of these Laws only against Juglers, Miracle­mongers or Impostors, as if it were impossible in the nature of the thing that there should be any confedera­tion of men with evil Spirits, and that all those strange effects per­formed by Necromantick Arts, and truly supposed to be brought to pass by the assistance of those [...], malicious and deceitful Daemons, with whom the Magicians are confederate, are only Prestigi­ous delusions and tricks, as it were, of Leger du maine.

For first, the reason of the Law it self shews it to be of a higher and [Page 53] greater importance, Deut. 18.12. For all that do these things are an abo­mination to the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. And surely nothing can be a greater and more hainous wickedness, than for a man to forsake the guidance of an Almighty Providence, and have recourse upon all occasions to those wandring Goblins, who intend no­thing less than the destruction of all those that have to do with them.

And that which adds a further confirmation of the greatness and Majesty of this Law is, what the Iews themselves saw before their de­parture out of Egypt, that is, the opposition made against Moses by the Magicians of Pharaoh; whose mi­racles were not Juggles and Impo­stures done by sleight of hand, but real things produced and effected by the assistance of evil Spirits. For had they been otherwise, they might still have gone on, and not cried out, This is the finger of God, when a power transcending theirs restrained and overruled them. And indeed [Page 54] whoever considers aright the frame of the Polity and Kingdom of Dark­ness, how far those evil Daemons have degenerated from all Goodness and Righteousness, and how studious they are to promote and disseminate a Spirit and Nature of Wretched­ness and Vice, and withal how dead­ly and implacable foes of mankind, and how ready at all turns to wait upon either the fond curiosity or more deliberate and designed pur­poses of those that will be tampering with them, will not easily allow the concernment of these Laws to be so low and trifling as to look only at Juglers, Cheats and Impostors. But there having been such among the Pagans who surrounded the Iews, as really practised Sorcery, and en­tred into familiarity with wicked Spirits, it is certain that such are here likewise meant by Moses. And therefore

In the second place, the words themselves do properly bear that sence: For Mecaseph denotes alike Magicians and Inchanters, and both these are called in Scripture Melahe­sim, [Page 55] which word is from Lahas su­surravit, because those persons did by whispering or muttering converse with or desire the assistance of Dae­mons.

The other word Ob will best be explained by [...], the Spi­rit of Python, or by the [...], belly-speakers, i. e. those out of whose bellies (as the Oracles out of Caves) the Devil spake. Ofthese Photius gives an account in his Epistles: [...], The wicked and unclean Spirit, that inha­bits a mans belly as a Serpent his hole in the Earth, and being unclean is fit to dwell in that place which is the re­ceptacle of Ordure, they appositely call Engastrimuthus. And of this kind of Devil (saith he) which loves to dwell in the Ordure both of men and women, [...] i. e. It is a great de­ceiver of people, and Author of de­struction to all that give ear to it. [Page 56] These the Hebrew calls [...] from [...], See Doctor Ham­mond upon Acts 16.16. the belly; and the reason is rendred by Galen, because they speak without opening their mouth, and so seem to speak out of the belly.

2. The second particular to be insisted upon is this, That nothing hinders in the reason of the thing it self, but that there may be real confe­derations and contracts betwixt wicked and wretched Persons and evil Spirits. To this purpose we must know that the Devil hath all along endeavour­ed to Ape and Imitate the actions of God Almighty, and to deprave the Institutions he appointed in his Worship to perverse and wicked ends. Thus because Sacrifices were offered to the True God, the Arch­Fiend commands likewise the same to be done to him: And as God sometimes by fire from Heaven de­clared his acceptation of the Sacrifi­ces performed to him; so this like­wise hath been counterfeited by the Devil, as in the Sacrifice offered up to Iupiter by the Rhodians; And at Hierocaesarea, and Hypaepae (saith [Page 57] Pausanias) wood laid upon the Al­tar, is commonly set on fire, Cited by Mounta­gue. Diatr. against Selden. with­out putting fire to it, only at the mumbling of some few words by a Priest. Moreover Solinus reports the same of the Vulcanian Hill in Si­cily, where when the Sacrifice is prepared, ab ipso Numine fit accendi­um, the green wood fires of it self, and the Deity by consuming the Sa­crifice by fire gives a testimony of his acceptance of the Oblation. And upon some Mountain in Africa (if I misremember not) the Cacodaemon offers himself to those who for cer­tain days have duly prepared them­selves, splendidâ circumfusum nube, environ'd with a bright cloud, an imitation doubtless of the Divine Presence manifested by a cloud upon the Tabernacle of the Iews, or that which overshadowed the Disciples at the Transfiguration of our Saviour.

Now as the Sacrifices offered up to the true God of Israel were Fede­ral Rites, and those that did par­take of them did thereby enter into a Covenant with God to become his servants, and obey his Laws; so the [Page 58] Aiery Principality hath Mimically observed the same thing, and those that offered Sacrifices to Daemons were supposed by partaking of those Sacrifices to enter into a stricter league and familiarity with those evil Spirits. And as all Covenants between God and Men have been performed by certain sensible Rites and Ceremonies (the nature of man in these Earthly Bodies requiring that it should be so) in like manner have all the mutual compacts and sti­pulations between wicked men and Devils been transacted by some sen­sible ways and signs or other. If therefore in all confederations be­tween men and superior and invisible Powers there have been some Exter­nal and visible Ceremonies, where­by these Consociations have been ratified and confirmed, why should we startle so much at the intimacy and familiarity of an impure and foul Spirit with a Wizard or Witch? Nay though there should intervene to complete the Hellish Contract some such External Rite as the draw­ing of bloud from those wretched [Page 59] persons by the wicked Daemon? For the drinking of bloud hath some­times been made use of by Conspira­tors and other wicked persons as the strongest Sacrament and Tye of a mutual Confederacy that could be imagined: Thus Plutarch in the life of Valerius Publicola relates, that the Conspirators against Brutus and his fellow Consul bound themselves one to another by a great and horrible Oath, drinking the Bloud of a man, and shaking hands in his Bowels whom they would Sacrifice. And that the Gnosticks and Nicolaitans made use of the like Ceremonies is recorded by Eusebius, Epiphanius, and others; whose impious Trans­actions gave occasion to the Hea­thens to object Thyestean Banquets against the Christians. Of the Ca­taphryges S. Austin in his Catalogue of Heresies tells, that they are said to have very abominable Sacra­ments; for they celebrated their Eucharist with the Bloud of an In­fant of a year old, which they forced out of his body by pricking and ma­king small wounds, mixing it with [Page 60] flour, and so making bread of it. And what reason have we to think that there may not some such damnable solemnity be used in the compacts between Magicians and these silthy Daemons? The result of all then is this; If there have been Confedera­tions and Compacts between men and Devils transacted and perform­ed by sensible signs, then there may still be an Agreement or Confedera­cy between an evil Spirit and a Witch.

3. Thirdly, we are to take no­tice, That there are divers Degrees of these lapsed Spirits, and that they sute themselves according to the tempers and constitutions of the persons they deal withal. This I have in part al­ready discovered, but shall now pro­secute it a little further: wherefore though the whole Army of these wicked Spirits that rebelled against God (how numerous soever) be cast down from the Ethereal Regions, and confin'd within the Atmosphere of the Earth, partly by a Divine Decree, and partly urged by the Fatal necessi­ty of their degenerate natures, yet [Page 61] their propensions and inclinations are not all alike, but are as various and different as those of mankind. Psellus from Marcus the Eremite (a skilful Daemonist) relates six kinds of Daemons; the first Fiery, [...]. called Lelu­rion, i. e. Nocturnal Fire, and these wander in the top of the Aiery Regi­on, yet far beneath the Moon: The second are Aiery, whose Mansions are these lower Regions nearer to us: The third are Terrestrial, dwelling upon the Earth, and peril­lous foes to mankind: The fourth are Aquatick or watry, keeping their haunts about Rivers, Lakes and Springs, drowning men often, rai­sing storms at Sea and sinking Ships: The fifth sort are Subterranean, li­ving in Caverns and Hollows of the Earth, often hurting and killing Well-diggers and Miners for Me­tals, causing Earthquakes and Erup­tions of Flames and Pestilent Winds: The last and worst sort are those light-hating Ghosts or night-walk­ers, the dark and most inscrutable kind, and striking all things they meet with cold Passions. And all [Page 62] these Daemons (saith he) hate both Gods and Men, but some worse than others.

But whether there be just so many kinds is not at all material, certain it is, that among that degenerate crue their Humours and Passions are various and different, and so are fit­ted for the undertaking different Employments, according as the great Divan or superior Council of Darkness shall order and allot them. And these Daemons take care to sute themselves to the tempers of those they have familiarity withal; and the Devils with whom Apollonius conversed might be far different from those fouler and grosser Fiends that attend a wicked Sorceress, dai­ly sucking her bloud, and nestling in her loathsome rags.

To carry on this a little higher; A deep Contemplator that considers the frame of the World, and the se­veral Beings contained therein, to­gether with their mutual relations, affections and dependences upon one another, shall find that there is a cer­tain Sympathy running through the [Page 63] Universe, whereby Superior things act upon Inferior; and this is conti­nued through the whole material Creation by that Plastick nature that pervades the whole, and being life and activity, and consequently in­corporeal, acts fatally and Magical­ly, that is, without any express con­sciousness of what it does. From hence arises a kind of union that combines and makes a continuation between all things in Nature, which the Platonists signified, when they said the whole World was [...], the great Magician or Inchanter, and this they called Natural Magick, that is, the Concords and Discords, or Sympathies and Antipathies of Nature, as may be seen in several instances. Now as in Nature there is such a Conspiration, so likewise in Moral Agents, whereby things are carried by a certain Assimilation, according to the temper and disposi­tion of the mind: Thus wicked men do by a kind of harmony or agree­ableness of Nature invite and draw wicked Spirits to their Association; and this Magnetism is raised and In­vigorated [Page 64] by a deep grounded exor­bitancy of the Passions and Affecti­ons; so that a person deeply im­mersed in Envy and Malice, and edged with a sharp desire of Revenge, does as naturally call and solicite an evil Daemon, as the cries and shrieks of dying Beasts will gather the rest of the same Species to their assi­stance.

Nor is there any greater difficulty in conceiving that an impure Spirit may thus be solicited into a confede­racy with a Witch (being otherwise sufficiently prompted to such villany by their own wicked natures) than that an evil Daemon should be called down by certain Charms and Previ­ous Consecrations to inhabit an Image. For this latter S. Austin cites a passage out of Hermes Trisme­gist; C. D. l. 8. c. 24. Wherefore our Fathers erring exceedingly in Incredulity concerning the Deities, and never penetrating in­to the depth of Divine Religion, they invented an Art to make Gods, where­unto they joyned a Virtue out of some part of the Worlds Nature, like to the other: and conjoyning these two, be­cause [Page 65] they could make no Souls, they framed certain Images, whereinto they called either Angels or Devils, and so by these mysteries gave these Idols power to hurt or help them.

Having thus far shewed that there have been in all Ages such persons as we call Witches or Magicians, not only from the account which the Holy Scriptures give of them, but from the Nature and Reason of the thing it self, and by rational evidence made good the possibility of a Confe­deration between Men and wicked Daemons; there remains no more now but to answer those Objections, and refute the Arguments, in which some so mightily triumph, that they think nothing is more plain than that Witchcraft is a mere Fiction and Imposture, and a ridiculous piece of non-sence, which it is greatly to be feared is thus far improved to cast a contempt upon the Sacred Scriptures, and to explode the Being of Spirits as Creatures rather existing in mens Brains and Imaginations, than any where else in the Universe, and by degrees to make Religion a meer cheat and delusion.

CHAP. VIII. Inferences drawn from the forego­ing Treatise.

HAving now dispatched the most material Objections against the opinion of Witchcraft, I now come to the last part of my design, which is to draw some Practical Conclusions from this whole Dis­course in reference to the conduct of mens lives and manners; And

[Page 104]First, since we have so clear a dis­covery of the Powers of Darkness, whose united and combined Forces are so potent and terrible in oppo­sing the growth of sincere Piety and Religion, we should be strong in God, and couragiously resist them, being stedfast in the Faith.

Divine Providence having placed us in this lower World, where we are surrounded with Enemies, de­signs not by this, our ruine and un­doing, but that our contest should end in Victory, and our warfare crowned at last with Immortal Glo­ry and Felicity. Wherefore though our Enemies are tall and mighty Gy­ants, and from the reason of their Natures have many advantages over frail Flesh and Bloud; yet such is the Constitution of things, and such the Arms we are furnished withal for the Combate, that as David through a great Faith and Confi­dence in the Divine Assistance, pre­vailed over the mighty Champion of the Philistines with a Sling and a Stone; so by a firm Trust reposed in the same Aid, we may overthrow [Page 105] and become Victorious over all the Infernal Powers that desie the Ar­mies of the God of Israel.

Here therefore lies the Field of Gallantry and Honour, here are the Olympia of the Soul, wherein she strives and wrestles, not with Flesh and Bloud, but with the strong and subtle Forces of Hell and Darkness, not for a Garland of Flowers, but for Wreaths of Immarcessible Glory. Take heart then O Man, and like an invincible Champion of the Holy Iesus, fight the good fight of Faith; Be true and sincere to thy best Hopes and Interests, by a perfect Eradica­tion of all thy Exorbitant lusts and corruptions, and by a strong Faith and profound Humility form the li­ving Image of God within thee. Then shall thy Soul with joy and tri­umph be lifted up above the perplex­ed Fate of this Inferior World, and be able to repress and extinguish the Incantations and Allurements of the Mundane Spirit through the might and power of a Divine Principle. Nor shall the subtle Plots and Machi­nations of the Powers of Darkness, [Page 106] and the Conspiracies of Hell be able to defeat those watchful Armies of Light with which thou art guarded. Act generously and becoming not only the nature of a man, but a faith­ful Disciple of the Son of God; and behold those numerous Troops of Angels, which (though invisible to our weak and bodily eyes) perpe­tually surround and encompass the servants of the living God. The Blessed Iesus, who in the days of his flesh by his Soveraign Command ejected Legions of Infernal Spirits out of their usurped Holds in the Bodies of men, and by his glorious Resurrection cast down the Prince of Darkness from his unjust Empire and Dominion in the World, maintains the same Righteous Cause still, and carries on a successful War against those Apostate Spirits, in which whosoever will persevere with cou­rage and resolution, shall at the last reap the joyous Fruits of his Victory and Patience, and receive from the hands of the glorious King of Righ­teousness a Beautiful and Immortal Crown of life and blessedness.

[Page 107]Secondly, We learn not to speak evil of Angels. For he who is now the Head and Prince of the Dark Kingdom, is supposed by most Di­vines to have been once the highest in Dignity and Power of the whole Angelick Order; and though re­flecting upon his State and Gran­deur, and finding himself the chief­est of the works of Gods hands, in the haughty pride of his heart he aspired to an equality with God, and was thereby cast down into these Aereal Regions, yet is he still a very formidable and tremendous Power, not to be blasphemed or spoke evil of, but to be resisted by all those ways and means which God in his holy Word hath propounded to us. It is S. Austin his opinion, C.D. l. 11. c. 15. that what is spoken of the King of Babylon, by the Prophet Esay, Chap. 14. may prefigure or allude to this mighty Prince of the Dark Legions: How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer son of the morning! For thou hast said in thineheart, I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my Throne above the Stars of God: I will sit also upon the Mount of [Page 108] the Congregation, in the sides of the North; I will ascend above the heights of the Clouds; I will be like the most High. And hitherto he refers the description of the Prince of Tyrus by Ezekiel, Chap. 28 Thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the Sardius, To­paz, and the Diamond, the Beryl, the Onyx and the Iasper, the Saphire, the Emerald, and the Carbuncle and Gold: the workmanship of thy Tabrets, and of thy Pipes was prepared in thee, in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed Cherub that covereth, and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the Holy Mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast crea­ted, till Iniquity was found in thee. And if this so high and majestick a description in its first and primary sence belong to that mighty Angel of Darkness, he is not foolishly and idly to be scoffed at or blasphemed, but according to the sober advice of the Author of the Golden Verses, [Page 109]

i. e. to be feared as a very powerful and implacable Enemy of mankind, by doing good and justifiable actions, and by persevering in a course of Virtue, which only through the as­sistance of Divine Goodness, can de­liver us from his Rage and Ma­lice.

There is a place of Scripture, which though not much taken notice of by later Divines, yet is very full to this purpose, 2 Pet. 2.10, 11. [...], tremble not when they rail at Glories, or as our Tran­slation renders it, they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities; whereas Angels which are greater in power and might, bring not a railing Accusation [or a contumelious Indictment, [...]] against them before the Lord. Parallel to which is that of S. Iude ver. 8, 9. — speak evil of Dignities [or rail at Glories] yet Michael the Archangel when conten­ding with the Devil, he disputed about [Page 110] the Body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing Accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

That by [ dignities] here are un­derstood Angels is clear, 1. From the manner of expression, calling them [...], Glories; a word fre­quently used in the Old Testament, to express the appearance of Angels: The only difficulty will be why evil Angels should be called [...], Glo­ries: To which it may be said, that the Devil may properly be looked upon as a [...] ▪ or Dignity, though his Glory be pale and wan, and those once bright and orient colours fa­ded and darkned in his Robes: and the Scriptures represent him as a Prince though it be of Devils. 2. Of other Dominions their Con­tempt was set down before both in S. Peter and S. Iude, by the phrase [...] and [...], setting at nought, making nothing of and de­spising, scornfully behaving them­selves towards their Superiors, and so need not be repeated again in these words. 3. That it is to be under­stood of a contumelious or contemp­tuous [Page 111] behaviour towards Angels, is evident from the instance the Apostle brings of the contention between Michael and the Devil, who though now his Superior, yet durst not car­ry himself insolently, contemptu­ously or reproachfully against him. All this is sufficient to let us under­stand, that these mighty Principali­ties are not to be reproached or rail­ed at, but to be left to the just and righteous rebukes of Heaven in our contests and conflicts with them.

Thirdly, We are fully assured, that he who hath God propitious to him, need not fear the malice of evil Spirits. When the servant of the Prophet Elisha was in a great fear and consternation of mind by reason of the Armies of the Syrians that had surrounded his Masters dwelling, he no sooner saw those invisible Chari­ots and Horses of fire, but his fear abated, and his Spirits returned: And if we had but a firm Faith in the Divine Goodness, and made it our business to propitiate God and assert our selves under a benigne and fa­vourable Providence by the holiness [Page 112] of our lives, we need not fear the numerous Armies and Troops of Sy­rians, those evil Daemons that as­semble and unite themselves for our Ruine and Destruction. For he that loves God has presently the Invisible Guards of Heaven to pitch their Tents about him.

Lib. 3.For, (as Arnobius excellently dis­courses against the Pagans) the first and only God is a sufficient Object of Divine veneration; that God (I say) who is the Father and Lord, the Ma­ker and Governour of all things; and in worshipping him, we worship all that is to be worshipped, and adore all that is fit to be adored, and pay our obsequi­ous Venerations to all that require them of us. For since we hold us fast to the Head of Divinity it self, from whom all the Divinity of the most exalted Beings is derived, it were a vain thing to disperse our worship upon many and single persons, especially when we are in great measure ignorant both of their natures and names, and can have no clear knowledge of their numbers. But as in Earthly Kingdoms, when we pay our worship and service to the King [Page 113] himself, there is no need of offering the same by name to all who are attendants in the Royal Family; for asmuch as whatever Honour belongs to them, is tacitly acknowledged to be comprehen­ded in that done to the King: after the same manner the holy Angels being a Royal Progeny, and deriving their Beings from the first and principal Head of all things, although they re­ceive no worship from us by name, yet know well enough that they are honoured likewise in common with their King. So that when by a strong Faith and the Holiness of our lives we have made God our Friend, the Heavenly Hosts are at the same time reconci­led to us, and we are acknowledged by them as members of their society, and they lend us their kind and friendly assistance in countermining the designs of the Dark Kingdom against us. Neither is there any Christian that is ever left to his own naked and solitary Effort in this War with the powers of Hell, but is at­tended and succoured with a mighty strength, even the Bright Armies and Legions of Heavens Almighty [Page 114] King. This, this is the Power that will at last prevail and subdue all things to it self, and the whole Kingdom of Darkness with all its re­bellious Associates shall be plunged into an Everlasting pit of Horror and Confusion.

Fourthly, It concerns us carefully to avoid and mortifie those more re­fined and Intellectual Vices, such as Pride, Malice, Faction, &c. which link and conjoyn men fast to the Dark Kingdom. For though these sublimated Iniquities, and spiritual Wickednesses are not so much nor frequently taken notice of as the grosser pollutions of the Body, yet are they no less dangerous than the other, as being near a kin to the Dia­bolical nature. Hell it self is as well a state of Life and Being as a Place; and when the Soul is overrun with hatred and envy, with deep anxiety and cruel despight, she is then really drawn into a living Hell, and the Devils nature perfectly formed in her. There is a certain Magical Sympathy running through this Infe­rior World, which powerfully at­tracts [Page 115] every thing like it self, and strives to assimilate and convert it in­to its own nature; thus every piti­ful Vice seeks the enlargement of it self by a contagious Affriction of all capable Subjects; and the Dark or Worldly Spirit is diffused far and wide, and pulls and draws by hid­den strings all those Beings that are predisposed to a Cognation and Af­sinity with it; and thus are mens Souls often suck'd in by this Infernal and Powerful Nature before ever they think they are in any danger. Awake then O man from this drow­zy and deadly state, and prepare and purge thy heart from all such poisonous and hellish Passions; Let that universal Goodness which hath distilled its fruitful nature upon all the capacities of things, enlarge and widen thy Soul for a due reception of a Sacred Influence from above; that the holy life of God may revive within thee, which being of a Hea­venly Birth and Extraction, will in­fallibly carry up the Mind and Spirit to its own Fountain and Original.

[Page 116]Fifthly, A true survey of the Dark Kingdom and the Powerfulness thereof, cannot but beget in the hearts of all sincere Christians a great chearfulness and firm trust in God's Providence. There are some that think God is best served with a de­mure look and melancholick counte­nance, as if the heart and life of De­votion lay in being dull and mopish, and as it were ever despairing of good; whereas this is only an arti­ficial and mechanical thing, or at best a Religion that men have fra­med and patched together out of their own distempered Constituti­ons. The Iews say that the Spirit of Prophecy will not rest upon a Me­lancholick man; and the Sacred Writings inform us, that David's Harp did sometimes dispossess Saul of his dull and Melancholick Devil, intimating surely to us, that God takes the greatest pleasure in a com­posed and serene Mind, that goes on in a chearful dependence upon that Almighty Providence that en­circles all things both in Heaven and Earth.

[Page 117]There are some Tempers and Constitutions of Bodies more adap­ted and disposed to the Temptati­ons and Assaults of the Devil than others, and consequently have more need of a due care and inspection over them. Thus though the most lucid Discoveries in Arts and Scien­ces owe a great deal to a moderate Tincture of Melancholy (whence Aristotle observes, that such Persons have in some measure been Divinely affected in the Prediction of Future Events) yet when this Humour shall become ungovernable, and exceed the bounds of Reason, clouding all the Intellectual powers of the Soul, in this Dark and horrid Confusion there is no doubt but evil and dege­nerate Spirits may insinuate them­selves, and taking the advantage of this Distemper, may produce such effects as no natural account can be given for. But I would not be mi­staken; for it is not for a light and fantastick Spirit that I plead, since the devoutest Christian in the highest and most enravishing chearfulness and joy of his Mind, is then most [Page 118] composed, grave and serious. I would only promote the Exhortati­on of S. Paul, that men should rejoyce in the Lord always, notwithstanding all the discouragements thrown in their way by the Powers of Dark­ness: For this Divine joy and sere­nity of Mind is the state of Angels, and an Emblem of Heaven, whose bright and clear Mansions are never overspread by any black and dismal Clouds, but a perpetual and youth­ful Spring, an inexhausted source of pure Joy and Pleasure abides there for ever.