WITCHCRAFT A supernatural power which persons were formerly supposed to obtain the possession of, by entering into a compact with the Devil. Witchcraft was universally believed in Europe till the 16th century, and even maintained its ground with tolerable firmness till the middle of the 17th. The latest witchcraft phrensy was in New England in 1692, when the execution of witches became a calamity more dreadful than the sword or the pestilence. Some have denied the existence of witchcraft altogether. That such persons have been found among men seems, however, evident from the Scriptures, Deut. 18:10. Exod. 22:18. Gal. 5:20. Lev. 19:13. Lev. 20:6. The inconsistency of holding such persons in estimation, or having recourse to fortune-tellers, diviners, charmers, and such like, appear in this,…

ANTICHRIST An adversary to Jesus Christ. There have been various opinions concerning the Antichrist mentioned in the Scripture, 1 John 2:18. Some have held that the Jews are to be reputed as Antichrist; others Caligula; others Mahomet; others Simon Magus; others infidelity; and others, that the devil himself is the Antichrist. Most authors agree, however, that it applies to the church of Rome. Grotius, Hammond, Bossuet, and others, supposed Rome pagan to be designed; but Rome Christian seems more evident, for John "saw the beast rise up out of the sea," Rev. 13:1. Now, as heathen Rome had risen and been established long before his time, this could not refer to the Roman empire then subsisting, but to a form of government afterwards to arise.…

DEVIL Calumniator, or slanderer; a fallen angel, especially the chief of them. He is called Abaddon in Hebrew, Apollyon in Greek, that is, destroyer.--Angel of the bottomless pit, Rev. 9:11.--Prince of the world, John 12:31.--Prince of darkness, Eph. 6:12.--A roaring lion, and an adversary, 1 Pet. 5:8.—A sinner from the beginning, 1 John 3:8.—Beelzebub, Matt. 12:24.--Accuser, Rev. 12:10.--Belial, 2 Cor. 6:15.--Deceiver, Rev 20:10.--Dragon, Rev. 12:3.—Liar, John 8:44.--Serpent, Is. 27:1.—Satan, Job 2:6.—Tormentor, Matt. 18:34.--The god of this world, 2 Cor. 4:4.

SATAN Is a Hebrew word, and signifies an adversary, or enemy, and is commonly applied in Scripture to the devil, or the chief of the fallen angels. "By collecting the passages," says Cruden, "where Satan, or the devil, is mentioned, it may be observed, that he fell from heaven with all his company; that God cast him down from thence for the punishment of his pride; that, by his envy and malice, sin, death, and all other evils, came into the world; that, by the permission of God, he exercises a sort of government in the world over his subordinates, over apostate angels like himself; that God makes use of him to prove good men and chastise bad ones; that he is a lying spirit…

EVIL Is distinguished into natural and moral. Natural evil is whatever destroys or any way disturbs the perfection of natural beings; such as blindness, diseases, death, &c. Moral evil is the disagreement between the actions of a moral agent, and the rule of those actions, whatever it is. Applied to a choice, or acting contrary to the moral or revealed laws of the Deity, it is termed wickedness or sin. Applied to acting contrary to the mere rule of fitness, a fault.

ANGEL A spiritual intelligent substance, the first in rank and dignity among created beings. The word angel is Greek, and signifies a messenger. The Hebrew word signifies the same. Angels, therefore in the proper signification of the word, do not import the nature of any being, but only the office to which they are appointed especially by way of message or intercourse between God and his creatures. Hence the word is used differently in various parts of the scripture, and signifies, 1. Human messengers, or agents for other, 2 Sam. 2:5. "David sent Messengers (Heb. angels) to Jabesh Gilead, Prov. 13:17. Mark 1:2. James 2:25.--2. Officers of the churches, whether prophets or ordinary ministers, Hag. 1:13. Rev. 1:20.-- 3. Jesus Christ, Mal. 3:1. Isa. 63:9.—4.…