Sometimes by a corruption of Seed, Monstrous Shapes are form'd, which by some is ascrib'd to the bad Influence of the Planets, that were predominant at the time of Conception; and sometimes the straightness of the Womb is attended with many Inconveniencies, for Nature not having sufficient room to frame her Work in, the Child is rumpled up, which occasions some to have hump'd Backs, crooked Arms, and Legs, round Shoulders, Wry Necks, and the like. The divine Cause of these Monstrous Generations, proceeds from the permissive Will of our Great Creator, who many times suffers Parents to bring forth such Deform'd Creatures as a Punishment for their Lust: And some Authors are of Opinion, that outward deformity of Body is generally a Sign of the Pollution of the Heart, as a Curse upon the Child for the Incontinency of the Parents. In the Writings of some Authors mention is made of Monsters engender'd by infernal Spirits; and as the Scriptures give us to understand that the Angels being taken with the Beauty of the Daughters of Men, went in unto them, and that from such a Conjunction, Giants were Born, so we may infer that if Angels can mix Amorously with Women, and engender Children, the Devils who only differ from Angels by their Fall, may also draw Women into immodest Pleasures, and Defile them with their Embraces: But it is highly inconsistent to suppose that our Creator who is all Purity, would permit the worst of Spirits to propogate his diabolical Offspring. Devils assuming to themselves Human Shapes, in the opinion of Ancient Writers, may abuse both Men and Women, and with wicked People use carnal Copulation. St. _Austin_ yields to this Notion, and that Generation may thereby be effected; but his Opinion was grounded more upon the depositions of Melancholly superstitious Persons, than from any demonstrable Proofs; and 'tis impossible that such an unnatural Conjunction can produce a humane Creature, though some will have it that it may, and that his Malice shall be a Sign of his Extraction. The _Rabbins_ beleived that the _Silvani_, _Pans_ and _Fauni_, call'd _Incubus's_ and the _Tutelar_ Gods, were Creatures left imperfect the first _Friday_ Evening, and not finish'd by God, as being prevented by the ensuing Sabbath; for this reason they alledg'd, these Spirits love Mountains and dark Places only, and never appear but in the Night time: And the _Incubus's_ not only Court and desire to Caress Women, but have actually Caress'd them.