A discourse of the subtill practises of deuilles by vvitches and sorcerers By which men are and haue bin greatly deluded: the antiquitie of them: their diuers sorts and names. With an aunswer vnto diuers friuolous reasons which some doe make to prooue that the deuils did not make those aperations in any bodily shape. By G. Gyfford.

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 con∣sist of those causes which giue the whole essence and containe the per∣fect 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 giue 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 giue a definition, which may at the least giue 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 de∣uelish or curious art, either hurting or healing, reuealing thinges secrete, or foretelling thinges to come, which the de∣uil hath deuised to entangle and snare mens soules withal vn∣to damnation. The coniurer, the enchaunter, the sorcerer, the deuiner, and whatsoeuer other sort there is, are in deede com∣passed 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 tra∣uell much therein, one artificer hath deuised them al: they bee

all to one ende and purpose, howsoeuer they may differ in out∣ward 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 vnder colourable shewes? shall men seeke for stedfast∣nes 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 vnto such ripe∣nes 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,* 1.1 Deutron. 18. How long it was before that tyme, can not for certainty be discussed: sauing that (as we haue 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 excee∣ding crafty from the beginning. Alwaies labouring to seduce and deceiue after the woorst manner. If hee fayled of his de∣sire, it was because men had not procured Gods displeasure to come vpon them, to deliuer them ouer vnto strong delusion.* 1.2 But we see how God complaineth, that men had wonderful∣ly corrupted their wayes, long before the flood. God being* 1.3 thus prouoked by the wickednes of the world, what should make vs doubt, but that through his iust iudgement, the de∣uil had power giuen him, and was let lose, that hee might se∣duce and lead the prophane Nations into the depth of the gulfe of all abhominable sinnes, that they might haue the so∣rer condemnation?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 18.
• * 1.2

  •…•… Thes. 2.
• * 1.3

  Geu. 6.