_That the Devil doth act immediately upon matter, there is another acceptation of the word possession in Scripture, Acts_ xvi. 16, _where one is said to be possest with a Spirit of Divination,_ (πνεῦμα Πύθωνος) _the word commonly used to the Priestess of_ Apollo, _who gave responses; and it seems this Damsel was such an one, for she brought her Masters much Money, or gain by soothsaying. Now if the History of them be true that they were demented, and knew not themselves what they uttered,_ donec erant Deo plenæ, (_as they word it_) _their case is not different, but the same with the foregoing; but if they understood what they spoke, then had they familiar Spirits, whereof there is frequent mention made in the Old Testament, and one good King is commended for having cut off them that had such, therefore I think the meaning of the word was very obvious in his time, neither was it ever controverted, being joyned with any other name than spirit Familiar, one of our own Family, that is oft, every day conversant with us, and almost ever ready upon call to attend us. But the consideration of them, who have familiar Spirits falleth under the head of Witchcraft, which we are to consider in the third place. 3. Witchcraft, to inquire into the Scripture Notion of it, and compare whether it be the same with that above defined; the Cabalistick learning would be of great use in this search, and afford us much light; there is little doubt but that there are many great truths not commonly known._ (Non est Religio ubi omnia patent.) _And our Saviour expressly cautions his Disciples that they do not throw their Pearl before Swine; therefore it is no wonder that some Doctrines, tho' unquestionably true are not so fully described, because the Authors who treat of them are afraid, lest evil Men should be the more depraved by being informed; but I am in no such fear; nor can I give you any other thoughts but what are obvious to any Man, from the plain sense of the Scripture. Our definition we'l divide into two Propositions, and handle them severally._ 1. _Proposition. The Witch is impower'd by the Devil to do things strange in themselves, and beside their natural course._ 2. _Prop. The manner how the Witch is impowered to do those strange things, is by Explicit Com[70]pact, or Covenant with the Devil. For clearing of the first, we will consider the four places above cited, wherein a Witch is called a false Prophet, a false Christ, a Sorcerer, a resister of the truth, and is said to shew signs to seduce the People to seek after other Gods: whence let us note, 3 things._ 1. _That those terms Witch, false Christ, false Prophet, and Sorcerer, are all Synonimous; i. e. signifie the same thing._ 2. _That a Witch doth do things strange in themselves, and beyond their Natural course: for it were most ridiculous, to alledge that our blessed Saviour, when he said,_ there shall arise false Christs, and shall shew great signs and wonders, in so much that (if it