An Antidote Against Atheism/Appendix/Chapter XII
Chap. XII.
1. Objections against the Story of the Charmer of Saltzburg, 2. And of the betwitched Children at Amsterdam, with same others of that kinde; 3. As also against that of John of Hembach and John Michael Pipers to the Antick dancings of Devils. 4. Also against the disappearing of the Conventicle of Witches at the naming of God; 5. And against a certain passage of that Story of the Guardian Genius which Bodinus relates.
1. The Passages excepted against in my Third Book are either Historical or Philosophical. The Historical are chiefly these: First, against the Narration concerning the Charmer of Saltzhurg it is objected, That that last & greatest Serpent might not be the Devil, but a mere Serpent. To which I answer, That it is very probable that that Serpent (he reserving himself so for the last, and bringing so sad a fate upon the Charmer, as if he would either imitate a revenge of the death of so many of his own kinde, or spitefully slurre the glory and victory of their now almost triumphant enemy) had more in it then an ordinary natural Serpent; that is, that it was either the Devil so transformed, or a Serpent actuated and guided by him: which we shall the easilier believe, if we consider that the whole business of Charming is of no natural efficacy, but supernatural, if it take any effect at all.
2. The second Objection is against those Stories of several possessed parties that have seemed to have vomited strange stuff out of their stomacks, as if it might be done by some sleight and cunning, onely to get money. In answer whereto I must needs confess, that there are no real strange effects or events in the world but some or other, if it be possible, either out of design of gain or in waggery, may attempt the imitating of them. But this fraud might easily be discovered by prudent spectators, such as I suppose those two Physicians were. Cardan and Wierus, who, if there had been nothing in the business but the sleight of a Jugler, could not have been deceived by that Imposture.
And as for the Children at Amsterdam, the spedacle was so miserable, and their torture by report so great, and then the parties so many, and all attempts of Art or Religion so frustraneous, that it seems very incredible that there should be either fraud or foolery in the matter. As for the Maid of Saxony her speaking Greek, it were a ridiculous thing indeed to look upon it as supernatural, unless it were known that no body taught her that language; and therefore in such cases the judgement and sagacity of the first Relators is to be supposed, See Fernelius De Abditis rerum causis, l. 2. cap. 16.as in that Story that Fernelius tells us of a Demoniack in his time that spake Greek, and discovered the secrets of the Physicians, deriding their ignorance, in that they had half kill'd a man by administring Physick upon a false supposal of a natural disease.
3. The third Objection is against the Mirth of some of the Stories recorded, as that of John of Hembach and John Michael the Pipers. But these Narrations are to seem never the more incredible for those passages of mirth, if we consider that those Apostate Spirits that have their haunts near this lower Aire and Earth, are variously laps'd into the enormous love and liking of the Animal life, having utterly forsaken the Divine; and that there are such Passions and Affections in them as are in wicked Men and Beasts; and that some of them especially bear the same Analogy to an unfallen Angel that an Ape or Monkey docs to a sober man, so that all their pleasure is in unlucky ridiculous tricks; and that even those that are more ferocient, if they ever relaxate into mirth, that it is foolishly antick and deformed, as is manifest in all those stories of their dancings and nocturnal Revellings: for they bear a secret hatred to whatever is comely and decorous, and in a perpetual scorn to it distort all their actions to the contrary Mode, applauding themselves onely in an unlimited liberty, and of doing whatever either their fond or foul Imagination suggest to them; affecting nothing but the lust of their own wills, and a power to make themselves wondred at and terrible.
4. The fourth Objection is against those Passages of the Nocturnall Conventicles of Witches, disappearing at the naming of God or Jesus. For the Devils (say they) are not at all afraid of these Names, but can name them by way of scorn or abuse themselves, and apply them to their own persons. But the Exception is easily satisfied, if we do but distinguish betwixt the mindes of the speakers of these words. Therefore I say it does not follow, because they can stand the pronouncing of these words amongst themselves, that they can also when they are named with an honest heart and due devotion.
Besides, it is not irrational (though they could withstand the power of these Names, and the devotion of them that use them) that it may be an indispensable ceremony amongst them not to continue their Conventicles if any be near or present that make an open and serious profession of the fear of God. And it is also evident how burthensome the presence, of a truly religious person is to wicked men, especially at that time they have a mind more freely to indulge to their own wickedness.
5. The fifth and last Objection is against a Vision or Dream, wherein he that had for so many years the society of a Guardian Genius or Good Angel, seem'd to hear these words, I will save thy Soul, I am he that before appeared unto thee, as if this Genius or Angel had been himself the Eternal God. But this need breed no scruple. For first, there being no shape of any person represented to him in this Vision, it may goe onely for a Divine suggestion of the Spirit of God assuring him of his love and providence over him now, as heretofore he had done in like Visions or Dreams.
And then secondly, if we should admit that the Angel should speak so unto him, the Angel in this case is not properly said to speak as a Person, but as an Instrument, so as a mans Tongue speaks, whereas yet a mans Soul or himself more properly speaks then the Tongue. Wherefore if God take so full possession of all the powers and faculties of an Angel, that for a time he loses the sense of his own personality, and becomes a mere passive Instrument of the Deity, being as it were the Eye or Mouth of God; what in this case he speaks is to be under stood of God, and not of himself.
Thus I have, I hope, satisfied the difficulties concerning all the Historical passages of this Third Book, that are still remaining in it. For I most confess that I have expunged some that seemed not so accurately agreeable with those laws I set my self, upon my closer view. Not that I know any thing of them whereby I can discover them to be false, but because wanting that conformity, they must be acknowledged by me not so convincingly true.