Discourse of the Subtle Practices of Devils, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
The 1 Chapter.
I Am not ignorant touching this one point, that the discouery, and laying open of Satans wylines which hee practiseth by witchcraft, is a matter of no small difficulty, the reason is manifest, and without all controuersie to bee admitted, which doth proue the same: for if politike wise men can dig so deepe to hide theyr counsels and intents, that no man can espie them: how shall wee discry the practise of deuils, who are far more deepe and subtil, and can couer their sleights and false conueiances more craftily then men▪ let no man therefore suppose that I take vponupon me, or professe so great skil as to vncouer and make manifest, as it were the groundworke of those treacheries which he practiseth by Sorcerers and Witches. The very truth is, I hauehave not curiously serched them out, nether do I accompt it the labour …est spent. I only purpose so far to open Satans packe, and to make shew of so many of his false and counterfait wares, as may instruct the simple sort to discerne the better and to iudge of all the rest, which I trust eueryevery modest and sober mynd wil allow to bee in some measure sufficient. Seing we hauehave this aduantage, that wee are most sure that al his finest stuffe is no better then his coursest wares, because that all his doings are for naughty and wicked purpose, howsoeuer they may seeme to bee profitable. Whereas then the light of Gods word doth dispell the thicke darknes wherwith this slie enemie hydeth himselfe, and manifesteth his most pestiferous and deadly poison in some thinges, let it bee a sufficient warning for all his doinges, without further examination. I am moued to deale with this matter, (and I wish it were dealt throughly in by such as are fully able) for this consideration, that I see many through ignorance of such things are greatly ouerreached by Satan, and so entangled and snared with errors, that they fal into very foule and horrible sinnes: those that vnderstand the Latine tonge, may very wel satisfy themselues with that which wearines with great iudgement and trauell hath written touching this argument, I hauehave not seene any that hauehave written in our tong, which lead not into error on the one side or the other: for there be extremities on both sides into which men do fall. The most part hauehave bene besotted, euen such as did take themselues to be very wise: for they hauehave verely beleued that witches could do great wonders, ascribing such power vntounto deuils as belongeth onelyonly to God. Others there bee which do stifly maintaine (but how wisely let it appeare) that all witchcraft spoken of, either in the holy Scriptures, or testifyed by other writers to hauehave bene among the heathen, or in thee latter dayes, hath bene, and is no more but either more cosenage, or poisoning: so that in the opinion of these men, the deuill hath neuer done, nor can do any thing by witches and sorceres. It may be some man wil obiect, and say, what hurt can grow from this opinion? Who can tell what hurt wil ensue and grow thereof, vnlesse he saw first somewhat by experience, this we all do see, that one carnell of wheat being sowen, doth grow vp and bring forth a whole eare, with an hundreth carnels in it sometyme. If one error be planted, who can tell what increase it may yeeld in tyme? the grownd doth not bring forth the corne with such increase, as mans hart doth errors. If a man draw in one linke of a chaine, another followeth and is by and by in sight, which draweth wee know not how many after it, vntil we see the last. There is no error that goeth alone, or that is not linked vntounto other. The holy Scriptures (which make the man of God perfect, and perfectly instructed vntounto enery good worke) are for to iudge and to decide all controuersie in this case. I will therefore onelyonly sticke vntounto them for testimonie and proofe.
The definition of a witch: the antiquity of witchcraft. The 2 Chapter.
THe perfect and right knowledge of thinges is, when a man doth know the causes. A definition doth consist of those causes which giuegive the whole essence and containe the perfect nature of the thing defined: therefore where that is found out, there is a very cleere light. If it be perfect, it is much the greater, though it be not fully perfect, yet it giueth some good light. For which respect though I dare not affirme, that I can giuegive a perfect definition in this matter, which is hard to do euen in knowen things, because the essential forme is hard to be found, yet I do giuegive a definition, which may at the least giuegive notice what maner of persons they be, of whom I mynde to speake. A Witch is one that woorketh by the Deuill, or by some deuelish or curious art, either hurting or healing, reuealing thinges secrete, or foretelling thinges to come, which the deuil hath deuised to entangle and snare mens soules withal vntounto damnation. The coniurer, the enchaunter, the sorcerer, the deuiner, and whatsoeuer other sort there is, are in deede compassed within this circle. The Deuill after diuers sortes no doubt, and after diuers formes doth deale in these, but who is able to shew an essentiall difference in each of them from all the rest? I hold it no wisedome, nor labour well spent to trauell much therein, one artificer hath deuised them al: they bee all to one ende and purpose, howsoeuer they may differ in outward rules for practise of them, that is litle or nothing besides mere dilusion. Who wil not confesse that the father of lies is not to bee trusted? who knoweth not that all his doinges are hidden vnderunder colourable shewes? shall men seeke for stedfastnes in his wayes? shall they be so folish as to Imagine, that things are effected vy the vertue of wordes, gestures, figures, or such lyke? doubtles all those are but to deceiue, & to draw men forward, and to plunge them more deeply into errors and sinnes. And now touching the antiquity of witchcraft, wee must needes confesse that it hath bene of very auncient tyme: because the holy Scriptures do plainly testify so much. For in the tyme of Moses it was very ryfe in Egypt. Neither was it newly sprong vp: being common and growen vntounto such ripenes among the nations, that the Lord reckoning vp diuers kindes, saith that the gentils did commit such abhominations, for which he would cast them out before the children of Israel,Deut. 18. Deutron. 18. How long it was before that tyme, can not for certainty be discussed: sauing that (as we hauehave said) it was not yong in those dayes, when Moses wrote. And if we maintaine that it was before the flood, ther is great reason to vphold and iustify the a…ertion. Wee know that the Deuill was exceeding crafty from the beginning. Alwaies labouring to seduce and deceiue after the woorst manner. If hee fayled of his desire, it was because men had not procured Gods displeasure to come vponupon them, to deliuer them ouer vntounto strong delusion.… Thes. 2. But we see how God complaineth, that men had wonderfully corrupted their wayes, long before the flood. God beingGeu. 6. thus prouoked by the wickednes of the world, what should make vsus doubt, but that through his iust iudgement, the deuil had power giuen him, and was let lose, that hee might seduce and lead the prophane Nations into the depth of the gulfe of all abhominable sinnes, that they might hauehave the sorer condemnation?