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lieve, becaufe of his great Learning, and wonted circumſpection in his cenſures) what great undertakers many men are upon very little ground, and how prone others to extol what doth favour their cauſe, though to the prejudice of their better judgments, if they would judge impartially. Dr. Rainolds in thoſe elaborate Prælectiones de libris Apocryphis, where he doth cenſure ſome opinions of Bodinus as prejudicial to the Chriſtian Faith. Reginaldus Scotus, noſtras, (ſaith he) qui contrariam Bodino inſanit inſaniam, ait Papiſtas confiteri, non poſſe Demonas ne audire quidem nomen Jehovæ. Acceperat ille à Bodino, & attribuit Papiſtis in genere, tanquam omnes Papiſtæ in eo conſpirarent. Pergit ipſe, & quoniam animadverterat quaſdam fæminas maleficas, aliquando iſtius modi narrationes ementiri, putavit omnia eſſe ſicta; ex imperitia Dialecticæ, & aliarum bonarum artium: Ut qui nullo judicio, nulla methodo, nullâ optimarum artium ſcientiâ, eodem modo aggreſſus ſit hanc rem, quomodo Poeta loquitur,

& eodem prorſus modo ratiocinatur, &c. We have been the more willing to produce this paſſage out of the writings of that Learned man, becauſe we alſo in our anſwers may have occaſion to ſay ſomewhat to the ſame purpoſe; not of that Author or his book, which he judgeth, any thing, but of the ground upon which he builded, which we ſhall find to be the fame upon which others alſo, that deny Spirits have gone upon. But we will go Methodically to work, and take every thing in order, as we have propoſed in the objections.

Firſt, We ſaid, The world was full of Impoſture. It is granted, of Impoſtors and Impoſtures. But what then ſhall the concluſion be, That therefore there is no truth in the world, or at leaſt not to be attained unto by mortal man? Truly, many books of old have been written to that effect. Sextus Empiricus is yet extant, a very learned book it cannot be denied, and of excellent uſe for the underſtanding of ancient Authors, Phyloſophers eſpecially. I could name ſome Chriſtians alſo, by profeſſion, men of great learning that have gone very far that way. But this will not be granted by ſome I am ſure that are or have been thought great oppugners of the common opinion about Witches and Spirits; ſome Phyſicians I mean, and Naturaliſts by their profeſſion. But may not we argue as plauſibly againſt that which they profeſſe," as they have done or can do againſt Spirits and Apparitions? We would be loath to make ſo long a digreſſion; we have had occaſion elſewhere to ſay ſomewhat to this purpoſe: and they that will be ſo curious may fee what hath been written by Cornel. Agrippa (who is very large upon this ſubject) about it, not to name any others. It is not yet a full twelve-moneth, that a friend of mine, a Gentleman of quality, brought his Lady to London (ſome 60 miles and upwards from his ordinary dwelling) to have the advice of Phyſicians about his wife (a very Virtuous and Religious Lady) troubled with a weak ſtomack and ill digeſtion, which cauſed grievous ſymptoms. I think he had the advice of no leſſe then a dozen firſt and laſt: I am ſure he named unto me five or fix of the chiefeſt in Credit and practice that the Town affordeth. Not one of them did agree in their opinions, either concerning the Cauſe, or the means to be uſed for a Cure. So that the Gentleman went away more unſatisfied then he came. What he did I know not: I know what ſome men would have inferred upon this. Yet I, for my part, for the benefit that I have received by it, and the effects that I have ſeen ofit,