The Postscript. 15
The Fifth Name is חובר חבר {Chobher Chebher} which our English Translators render Charmer, which is the same with Enchanter. Webster upon this name is very tedious and flat, a many Words, and small weight in them. I shall dispatch the meaning briefly thus: This חובר חבר {Chobher Chebher} that is to say, Socians Societatem is another name of a Witch, so called specially either from the consociating together Serpents by a Charm, which has made Men usualiy turn it (from the example of the Septuagints ἐπἀδων ἐπαοίδὠ) a Charmer, or an Enchanter, or else from the society or compact of the Witch with some evil Spirits; which Webster acknowledges to have been the Opinion of two very learned Men, Martin Luther and Perkins; and I will add a third, Aben Ezra (as Martinius hath noted who gives this Reason of the Word חובר {Chobher} an Enchanter, which signifies Socians or Jungens, viz. Quòd malignos Spiritus sibi associat. And certainly one may charm long enough, even till his Heart akes, e're he make one Serpent assemble near him, unless helpt by this confederacy of Spirits that drive them to the Charmer. He keeps a pudder with the sixth Verse of the fifty eight Psalm to no purpose; whenas from the Hebrew, חובר חברים מחכּם אשׁר לא־ישׁמע לקול מלחשׁים, if you repeat ἁπὀ χοινχ῀ לקול before חובר you may with ease and exactness render it thus; That hears not the voice of muttering Charmers, no not the voice of a confederate Wizzard or Charmer that is skilful. But seeing Charms, unless with them that are very shallow and sillily credulous, can have no such effects of themselves, there is all the reason in the World (according as the very Word intimates, and as Aben Ezra has declared) to ascribe the effect to the assistance, confederacy and co-operation of evil Spirits, and חובר חברים {Chobher Chabharim} or חובר חבר {Chobher Chebher} will plainly signifie a Witch or Wizzard according to the true definition of them. But for J. Webster's rendring this Verse p. 119. thus, Quae non audiet vocem mussitantium incantationes docti Incantantis, (which he saith is doubtless the most genuine rendring of the place) let any skillful man apply it to the Hebrew Text, and he will presently find it Grammatical Nonsense. If that had been the sense, it should have been חברי חובר מחכּם.
The Sixth Word is, שואל אוב {Shoel Obh} which our English Translation renders, a Consulter with familiar Spirits; but the Septuagint ἐγγαςείμύθους. Which therefore must needs signifie him that has this familiar Spirit: And therefore שואל אוב {Shoel Obh} I conceive, (considering the rest of the Words are to be understood) is to be Understood of the Witch or
