SECT. XII.
Farther proof of the Negotiation of Evil Spirits with their Clients from the History of the Magicians of Egypt; Mr. Wagstaffe, Mr. Webster, and the Author of The Doctrines of Devils, their Evasions proposed and answered.
In the General, they all say the same thing; viz. That the Magicians were Jugglers, who by their Tricks and Legerdemain, imposed upon Pharoah and the Ægyptians. Mr. Wagstaffe is so modest, as not to describe the manner of the performance. But Mr. Webster thus; The Magicians holding a Rod in their hands, and seeming to throw it down upon the ground, how soon might they throw down an Artificial Serpent in its stead and immediately and unperceivably make conveyance of the Rod, p. 154. This is his feat: and for the Changing Water into Blood, and the producing of Frogs he saith, they were so easie to be done after the same manner, that they need not any particular explication, p. 155. This is the main answer, after a great deal of Impertinence, and Mr. Webster hath done his business.
But the Author of The Doctrine of Devils, hath devised a more particular way for this Juggle. 'Tis probable, he saith that these Men having the Art or Knack of Making, Graving, or Carving the Pictures of Men, Beasts, Serpents, Reptiles, &c. had the Feat also of Colouring, Painting Fucussing of them also, and so might easily, especially in the dark, or by the Juggling Feats as the Text intimates, make a Rod look like a Serpent, &c. p. 114. But besides these Knavish Painters, the Man hath found other Jugglers to help on the Deceit; Subtle and politick Oratours, who with fallacious Arguments, cunning pretences, and plausible Rhetorick could so disguise Truth, and florish upon Knavery and Falshood, that Falshood should seem Truth, and Truth Falshood, p. 115.
Whatever the Magicians of Pharoah were, any one that considers these Answers, would take the Framers of them for Colourers, Changers, Perverters of the Face of thing, as this Author speaks, cunning Oratours, Jugglers, Hocus-Pocus, Hiccius-Doccius, whip! the Serpents, Blood and Frogs are gone. But let us look a little nearer to the business, and to these subtle
