Observations On The Antiquity Of Masons And Masonry In England.

diseases . In vain says he , are Ligatures and Enchantments ; and whoever he be that uses them , ought to huno that of one of the fnithfulhe becomes an infidel , of a Christian ' a peie / an , of a wise mem a fool , of a reasonable- creature an unreasonable one . For

twenty Oboli , or a measure of wine , cm old woman goes to make an enchantment of a serpent , and ' you stand before her openriiouthkl like an ass , and carry on necks the shamfnil figure of four-footed beasts . Thus tjou reject- the salutary seed of the Cross

, ¦ which drives away , both Ihe . diseases and the whole band of divels : no enchanter ever carries this Seed * The Avord A brae may probably be derived from Abreeh , a term by AA'hich the Basilidian heretics understood the Sirpreme

God , from AA'hich is likeAvise derived Abraxas a name given to certain gems , on which they engraved A'arious emblematical figures expressing the Deity , all AA'hich had some relation to the sun AA'hich they Avorshipped under the tAvo names of Abraxas and Mithras , both Avhich signify the sun , Avhieh they thought AA'as the same as Jesus Christ , tho Sun of Righteousness . On

these gems they either represented the sun or something expressing his operations , such Avere , the Cock , the Beetle , the Serpent biting its tail , a Sphere and all tlie signs of the Zodiac , AA'ith many other figures supposed to contain some secret mysteries AA'ith AA'hich they pretended to

AA'ork miracles , cure diseases , and foretell things to come . From these heretics , came the magic term ABRACADABRA , formerly much used as a charm to cure the Senhtertian Agues or Fever , and other diseases . The extravagant doctrine of

basilides began in Egypt very early in the second century as spread as far as Gaul , from thence it Avas carried into Spain , AA'here it greatly prevailed in the latter end of the fourth century , at AA'hich time it is probable the ancient Masons learned some ot

their arts of DiA'ination , AA'hich have heen transmitted Avith other secrets of the same kind to later ages , for it is certain that in every age , and in every country , there have been and still are Christians weak enough to believe them ; and

although , in an age more inclined to infidelity than superstition , it Avould be difficult to Persuade many to believe the existence of

familiar spirits , the poAver of enchantment sorcery or AA'itchcraft , yet so preA-alent Avere these notions in England some time after the Eeformation that the Parliament passed an act * making it felony on being cemvicted to have used any invocation or conjuration of any evil spiritor to have

consult-, ed , covenanted with , entertained , imphged , fed or rewarded any such spirit , or taken up any dead person , or the skin , bone , or other paii . thereof to have used in witchcraft , sorcery , charm or enchantment , or to have used any of the said arts to

killcon-, sume and lame any person : They , together with their accessaries before the facts , shall suffer as felons , without benefit of clergie . By this act of Parliament it appears that the reformation of religion had . made but little improvement in the understandings

of the people , that ignorance and superstition prevailed as much in the seventeenth century as they did in the fourth , for then the credibility of enchantment Avas established by authority , and kvu's Avere enacted to punish AA'hat the good old fathers Avith more Avisdom thirteen hundred years before

had condemned as impious , and ridiculed as vaiu and foolish . This being true vie cannot Avonder , AA'hen AA'e find a Freemason asserting in the' less enlightened age of Henry the Sixth that they only possessed the knoAvledge of those arts , and that they concealed them from otherslest they

, should fall into evil hands and be used by the Avicked to an evil end . But if Masons pretended to the knoAvledge of these arts , Avithout doubt they pretended sometimes to put them in practice , and it is probable they used the Abraxas as an amulet or

charm to cure diseases ; For among many AA'hich . are preserved in the cabinets of the curious , there are some on AA'hich are represented the instruments of Masonry and other emblems of the arts and sciences Avhich it is probable Avere made for some

such uses . Among many Abraxas , preserved in the cabinet of M . Chifflet is this , as represented by Montfaucon ; on one side is a sphere accompanied AA'ith several stars and astrological figures , a square , a pair of compasses , a small level , and other instruments of Masonry . On the other side is the figure of Hermes , Serapis or Jupiter