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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 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,

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rough and hairy Goats, because in that Shape "the Devil most often appeared, as is ex"pounded by the Rabbins, as Tremellius hath “also explain'd, and as the Word Ascimah, "the God of Emath is by some conceived.

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He observes also, That the Goat was the "Emblem of the Sin offering, and is the Em“blem of Sinful Men at the Day of Judg "ment."

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

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Shape, and that there is a Law given them

* Brown's Vulg. Err.

↑ Mede, Dis. 40

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"that

"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

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ἐσ

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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 God's great Common Wealth, concerning the Shapes which Spirits take upon them. And he that gave "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.

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Now from this it will follow, that good Angels can take upon them no other Shape, but the Shape of Man, because their glorious Excellency is resembled only in the "most excellent of all visible Creatures. The Shape

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Shape of an inferior Creature would be unsuitable, no other Shape becoming those who

Fall in his

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 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.

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Hence it also follows on the contrary, "that the Devil could not appear in human Shape whilst Man was in his Integrity; be

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

* Matth. xxviii.

But since the Fall of Man, the Case is al'ter'd; now we know he can take upon him "the Shape of Man; and no Wonder, since one falling Star may resemble another.

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And therefore he appears it seems in the Shape of Man's Imperfection, either for Age or Deformity, as like an old Man (for so the Witches say :) and perhaps it is not 'altogether false, which is vulgarly affirmed, that the Devil appearing in human Shape, "hath always a Deformity of some uncouth "Member or other; as tho' he could not yet "take upon him human Shape entirely, for that Man himself, is not entirely and utterly "fallen as he is."

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Thus far hath this great and learned Man given his Opinion of this Matter, and that with such Strength of Reason and Argument, as leaves at least a Probability behind it, of the Truth of this Opinion.

Another Part of this Conversation generally turns upon Fairies. These, they tell you, have frequently been heard and seen, nay that there are some still living who were stolen away by them, and confined seven Years. According to the Description they give of them, who pretend to have seen them, they are in the

Shape

Shape of Men, exceeding little: They are always clad in Green, and frequent the Woods and Fields; when they make Cakes (which is a Work they have been often heard at) they are very noisy; and when they have done, they are full of Mirth and Pastime. But generally they dance in Moon-Light when Mortals are asleep, and not capable of seeing them, as may be observed on the following Morn; their dancing places being very distinguishable. For as they dance Hand in Hand, and so make a Circle in their Dance, so next Day there will be seen Rings and Circles on the Grass.

Now in all this there is really nothing, but an old fabulous Story, which has been handed down even to our Days from the Times of Heathenism, of a certain Sort of Beings called Lamia, which were esteemed so mischievous and cruel, as to take away young Children and slay them, These, together with the Fauns, the Gods of the Woods, seem to have formed the Notion of Fairies.

This opinion, in the benighted Ages of Popery, when Hobgoblins and Sprights were in every City and Town and Village, by every Water and in every Wood, was very common. I 4!

But