Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

CHAP. X.

Of the Country Conversation in a Winter's Evening: Their Opinions of Spirits and Apparitions; of the Devil's appearing with a cloven Foot; of Fairies and Hobgoblins; of the walking Places of Spirits; and of haunted Houses. NOTHING is commoner in Country Places, than for a whole Family in a Winter's Evening, to sit round the Fire, and tell Stories of Apparitions and Ghosts. And no Question of it, but this adds to the natural Fearfulness of Men, and makes them many Times imagine they see Things, which really are nothing but their own Fancy. From this, and seldoin any other Cause, it is, that Herds and Shepherds have all of them seen frequent Apparitions, and are generally so well stock'd with Stories of their own Knowledge, Some of them have seen Fairies, some Spirits in the Shapes of Cows and Dogs and Horses; and some have seen even the Devil himself, with a cloven Foot. All which, is either Hearsay or a strong imagination. Not that there have not been, or may not be Apparitions; we

know that there have undoubtedly been such Things, and that there still are, upon particular Occasions; but that almost all the Stories of Ghosts and Spirits, are grounded on no other Bottom, than the Fears and Fancies, and weak Brains of Men.

In their Account of the Apparition of the Devil, they always describe him with a cloven Foot; That is always his distinguishing Badge, whatever Shape he appears in; whether it be in Beauty or Deformity, he never appears without it. Such is the old Tradition they have received of his appearing, and such is their Belief of it.

Indeed it must be confess'd, that this is not so improbable and ridiculous as many Things they hold. For tho' perhaps few of them have ought else for this Opinion, but old Wives Fables, or the Picture of the Devil, which they have always observed drawn with a cloven Foot, yet there seems to be some Truth in it. For in the Times of frequent Apparitions, the Devil was wont to appear so, if we may believe- Antiquity; and there is also some Reason for it, considering the Circumstances of the fallen Angels.

The

66

66

The Author of the Vulgar Errors upon this same Subject, hath these Words. The Ground of this Opinion at first, might be "his frequent appearing in the Shape of a Goat, which answers this Description. This "was the Opinion of the ancient Christians, concerning the Apparitions of Panites, Fauns "and Satyrs; and of this Form we read of

66

66

66

one, that appeared to Anthony in the Wil- "derness. The same is also confirmed from Expositions of Holy Scripture. For where"as it is said, Thou shalt not offer unto Devils: The original Word is Seghnirim; that is,

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

rough and hairy Goats, because in that Shape

the Devil most often appeared, as is expounded by the Rabbins, as Tremellius hath "also explain'd, and as the Word Ascimah, "the God of Emath is by some conceived. He observes also, That the Goat was the Emblem of the Sin offering, and is the Emblem of Sinful Men at the Day of Judg"ment."

46

66

86

And of this opinion was also the learned Mr. + Mede. He says, "That when Spirits converse with Men, it is under some visible

86

66

Shape, and that there is a Law given them

* Brown's Vulg. Err.

Mede, Dis. 40

12

66

that

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors][merged small]

66

66

66

66

[ocr errors]

66

46

66

66

3

ANTIQUITIES OF

that that Shape they assum'd, should be of something which more or less resembled their Condition. For as in Nature we see every Thing hath a several and suitable Physiognomy or Figure, as a Badge of their inward Nature, whereby it is known, as by a Habit of Distinction, so it seems to be in the Shapes and Apparitions of Spirits. And as in a well governed Common Wealth, every Sort and Condition is known by a differing Habit, agreeable to his Quality; “ so it seems it should be in Gop's great Com"mon Wealth, concerning the Shapes which Spirits take upon them. And he that "the Law, that a Man should not wear the "Habit of a Woman, nor a Woman the Ha“bit of a Man, because that as he had made "them diverse, so would he have them so known by their Habits; so it seems he will "not suffer a good and a bad Spirit, a noble “and ignoble one, to appear unto Man after the same Fashion.

66

46

[ocr errors]

،،

66

66

gave

Now from this it will follow, that good Angels can take upon them no other Shape, but the Shape of Man, because their glori

ous Excellency is resembled only in the "most excellent of all visible Creatures. The Shape

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

66

Shape of an inferior Creature would be un"suitable, no other Shape becoming those who "are called the Sons of GOD, but his only, "who was created after GOD's own Image. “And yet, not his neither as he now is, but according as he was before his Fall in his glorious Beauty of his Integrity. Age and Deformity are the Fruits of Sin; and the Angel in the Gospel appears like a young Man, His Countenance like Lightning, and "his Raiment white as Snow, as it were resembling the Beauty of glorified Bodies, in Immutability, Sublimity and Purity.

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Hence it also follows on the contrary,

that the Devil could not appear in human Shape whilst Man was in his Integrity; be

cause he was a Spirit fallen from his first glorious Perfection, and therefore must apσε pear in such Shape, which might argue

46

his

Imperfection and Abasement, which was "the Shape of a Beast: Otherwise no Reason "can be given, why he should not rather “have appeared to Eve in the Shape of a "Woman, than of a Serpent; for so he "might have gain'd an Opinion with her, both of more Excellency and Knowledge.

[blocks in formation]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »