matters were always referred.1 These men were undoubtedly possessed, and ruled, by demons; as were also their Egyptian namesakes: for none but those, who were aided by supernatural power, could possibly have performed such miracles, as did "Jannes and Jambres," when they "withstood Moses," in the presence of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.2 And just as "idolatry" and "witchcraft" were first openly practised, and afterwards fully developed, “in the plain of Shinar," where was situate Babylon of old so the Holy Ghost assures us will they there again attain an awful prominence, and be headed up in the personal individual Antichrist, at the close of this Dispensation. But there also will they be judged, and stamped out, and come to an end. For " as Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth."3 For "by thy sorceries," pharmakeia," were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain on the earth."5 1 It is in this sense that the name is here used. Hence the term "Chaldean" came ultimately to be associated exclusively with astrology, and the practice of occult science as professed by astrologers: for this body of men were the only persons who retained the knowledge and use of the ancient Cushite language of the Kaldi, whence their name. See Walter's "Genuineness of the Book of Daniel," p. 63; where in a note he refers in proof of this to Juvenal, Sat. vi. 533, x. 94; and Cic. de Div. 2, 47. 2 Tim. iii. 8; Exod. vii. 11, &c. 3 Jer. li. 49. 5 Rev. xviii. 23, 24. * See page 10. 1 Hence we read of the re-establishment of "this wickedness" in the symbol of "a woman," whose "house" is to be again "built" "in the land of Shinar:" where she is to "be established, and set there upon her own base," a prophecy which has certainly not yet been fulfilled. The Book of the Revelation reveals this system to us in the 17th Chapter: while the 18th Chapter portrays the city of Babylon wherein it is to rule and reign, (having previously been rebuilt,) as destroyed, just before the second coming of the Lordand as the parallel passages shew, when Antichrist will be then coming with his whole strength, as he supposes, to sweep away Israel from off the face of the earth; but only then to be himself destroyed, with his whole host, “in the valley of Jehoshaphat," outside the walls of Jerusalem.2 For Babylon is to be cast down, like a huge "stone," "cast into the midst of Euphrates," ""in a moment, in one day "—which clearly shews that the whole of the prophecies, both in Isaiah and Jeremiah, have not yet been fulfilled: for when "Jehovah ""will" thus "punish the king of Babylon and his land"-which is moreover to become "burning pitch"-"in those days, and in that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve."5 1 Zech. v. 5-11. 2 Isa. x. 24-34; xiii. 25; Dan. xi. 40-45; xii. 1-3; Joel iii. 9-21; Zech. xiv. 1-9. 3 Jer. li. 63, 64; Rev. xviii. 8, 10, 17, 21. 4 Compare Isa. xxxiv. 9, 10, with xiii. 19, &c. 5 Jer. 1. 18-20. "For Jehovah will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land." "And it shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this proverb," margin, "taunting speech," "against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! The golden city ceased!"1 3 66 Yes, and Jehovah Himself will take up a taunting proverb" against the "idolaters and dealers in "witchcraft" in those days; and will say unto the consulters of them, "Stand now with thine enchantments," gheh 'vereech, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, “Kah-Shapheem,' "4 wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers,” ashapheem, "the stargazers," magicians who divided the heavens, for the purpose of taking horoscopes, with a view of foretelling future events, "the monthly prognosticators," (like Zadkiel,)" stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame" :-Rev. xviii. 8, 15, tells us that the city" shall be utterly burned with fire," and that "the merchants," 1 Isa. xiii. 1, 3, "which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment"-" there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee."1 66 2. To trace the progress of " idolatry" from Babylon over the whole earth, would not only be a needless. digression, but would also occupy more space than I have at command. Nevertheless, with a view of completing the subject, as well as of shewing that 'witchcraft," in all ages, and in whatever part of the world it may be manifested, is derived from one source, and has had but one origin; I shall, in this connexion, give several instances of it, taken from various parts of the world, and at different periods of its history, but chiefly within the last 200 or 300 years. The so-called "fathers," who lived when heathenism was in the height of its evil pre-eminence, and when "witchcraft" had full sway in the Roman world, knew it well, and give us many instances of its evil influence. Justin Martyr speaks of the disembodied spirits of wicked men, appearing as demons under various forms, for the purpose of deceiving men. Pliny mentions one Apion, in his time, who told him that he had invoked departed spirits, to enquire of Homer, of what country he was born. Tertullian, 1 Isa. xlvii. 12-15. in his "Apology," says, "Magicians produce apparitions, and bring into evil repute the spirits of men now dead." And again, addressing the heathen, he says, "Do not your magicians perform amazing feats? Call departed souls from the shades? And all this by the assistance of demons, by which they can make stools and tables prophecy"-a practice, which has erroneously been supposed to be of modern origin. So Augustine in his Civ. Dei, i. 18, tells us of one, who went to a celebrated philosopher, in the daytime, for the resolution of some intricate question, but could get no answer from him; but that in the night the philosopher came to him, and resolved all his doubts. On calling upon the philosopher afterwards, and enquiring of him, why he could not answer him in the day time, as well as in the night, the philosopher told him that he had never been to him in the night at all; but that he had dreamed in his sleep, that he had had such a conversation with him. He also states that two persons, named Paulus and Palladius, had both assured him that one in his shape, whom they supposed to be himself, had at various times, and in several places, appeared to both of them. Such instances might be greatly multiplied, and brought down from that time to the present: and although there was undoubtedly much delusion, and some deception, in the cases of "witchcraft," which occurred in "New England," as recorded by Cotton and Increase Mather in 1692: yet unquestionably there were also many cases of real possession likewise for it |