Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. I.

THere is no question nor theme (saith Hierome Cardons) so difficult to deal in, nor so noble an argument to dispute upon, as this of divels and spirits. For that, be∣ing confessed or doubted of, the eternity of the soul is either affirmed or denied. The heathen philosophers reason hereof amongst themselves in this sort. First, they that maintain the perpetuity of the soul, say that if the soul died with the body; to what end should men take pains either to live wel or die wel, when no reward for vertue nor punishment for vice insueth after this life, the which otherwise they might spend in ease and security? The other sort say that vertue and honesty is to be pursued, Nou spe praemii, sed virtutis amore, that is, Not for hope of reward, but for love of vertue. If the soul live ever (say the other) the least portion of life is here. And therefore we that maintain the perpetuity of the soul, may be of the better comfort and courage, to sustain with more constancy the losse of children, yea and the losse of life it self: whereas, if the soul were mortal, all our hope and felicity were to be placed in this life, which many Atheists (I warrant you) at this day do. But both the one and the other missed the cushion. For, to do any thing without Christ, is to weary our selves in vain; sith in him only o•••• corruptions are purged. And therefore the folly of the Gentiles, that place Summum bonum in the felicity of the body▪ or in the happinesse or pleasures of the mind, is not only to be derided, but also abhorred. For both our bodies and mindes are intermedled with most miserable cala••••∣ties: and therefore therein cannot consist perfect felicity. But in the word of God is exhibited and offered unto us that hope which is mos•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 absolute, sound and sincere, not to be answered or denyed by the judge∣ment of philosophers themselves. For they that preferre temperance be∣fore all other things as Summum bonum, must needs see it to be but a wit∣nesse of their natural calamity, corruption and wickednesse; and that it serveth for nothing, but to restrain the dissolutenesse, which hath place in their mindes infected with vices; which are to be bridled with such cor∣rections; yea and the best of them all faileth in some point of modesty. Wherefore serveth our philosophers prudence, but to provide for their owne folly and misery; whereby they might else be utterly overthrown? And if their nature were not intangled in errors, they should have no need

of such circumspection. The justice whereof they speake, serveth but to keepe them from ravine, theft, and violence: and yet none of them all are so just but that the very best and uprightest of them fall into great infir∣mities, both doing and suffering much wrong and injury. And what is their fortitude but to arme them to endure misery griefe, danger, & death it selfe? But what happinesse or goodnesse is to be reposed in that life, which must be waited upon with such calamities, and finally must have the helpe of death to finish it? I say, if it be so miserable, why do they place Summum bonum therein? S. Paul to the Romans sheweth, that it cannot be that we should attaine to justice, through the morall and naturall acti∣ons and duties of this life: because that never the Jewes nor the Gen∣tiles could expresse so much in their lives, as the very law of nature or of Moses required. And therefore he that worketh without Christ, doth as he that reckoneth without his host.

Notes

• H. Card. lib. de var. rer. 16. cap. 93.
• The Plato∣nists and Stoicks.
• The Epicure∣ans and Peri∣pateticks.
• Summum bo∣num cannot consist in the happinesse of the body or minde.
• Moral tempe∣rance.
• Moral pru∣dence.
• Morall justice.
• Morall forti∣tude.
• Rom. 2.