The discovery of witchcraft proving that the compacts and contracts of witches with devils and all infernal spirits or familiars are but erroneous novelties and imaginary conceptions : also discovering, how far their power extendeth in killing, tormenting, consuming, or curing the bodies of men, women, children, or animals by charms, philtres, periapts, pentacles, curses, and conjurations : wherein likewise the unchristian practices and inhumane dealings of searchers and witch-tryers upon aged, melancholly, and superstitious people, in extorting confessions by terrors and tortures, and in devising false marks and symptoms, are notably detected ... : in sixteen books / by Reginald Scot ... ; whereunto is added an excellent Discourse of the nature and substance of devils and spirits, in two books : the first by the aforesaid author, the second now added in this third edition ... conducing to the compleating of the whole work, with nine chapters at the beginning of the fifteenth [sic] book of The discovery.

CHAP. XVI.

Witches Miracles compared to Christs; that God is the creator of all things; of Apollo, and of his names and portraiture.

IF the Witch of Endor had performed that, which many conceive of the mat∣ter, it might have been compared with the raising up of Lazarus. I pray you, is not the converting of water into milk, as hard a matter as the turning of water into wine? And yet, as you may read in the Gospel, That Christ did the one, as his first miracle; so may you read in M. Mal. and in Bodin, that Witches can easily do the other; yea, and that which is a great deal more, of Water they can make Butter. But to avoid all cavils, and least there should appear more matter in Christs miracle, then the others, you shall finde in M. Mal. that they can change water into Wine: and, What is it to attribute to a Creature, the power and work of the Creator, if this be not? Christ saith, Opera quae ego facio nemo potest facere. Creation of substance was never granted to Man nor Angel; Ergo, neither to Witch nor Devil; for God is the only giver of life and being, and by him all things are made, visible and invisible.

Finally, this woman of Endor is in the Scripture called Pythonissa; whereby it may appear that she was but a very cosener: for Pytho himself, whereof Pytho∣nissa is derived, was a counterfeit. And the original story of Apollo, who was called Pytho, because he killed a Serpent of that name, is but a Poetical fable; for the Poets say, he was the God of Musick, Physick, Poetry and Shooting. In heaven he is called Sol, in earth Liber Pater, in hell Apollo. He flourisheth al∣wayes with perpetual youth, and therefore he is painted without a beard; his picture was kept as an Oracle-giver; and the Priests that attended thereon at Delphos were coseners, and called Pythonists of Pytho, as Papists of Papa; and afterwards all Women that used that trade, were named Pythonissae, as was this Woman of Endor. But because it concerneth this matter, I will briefly note the opinions of divers learned men, and certain other proofs, which I finde in the Scripture touching the ceasing of Miracles, Prophesies and Oracles.

Notes

• An Ironical collation.
• Mal Malef. par. 2. quae. 1. c. 14. Acts 17. 1. Tim. ••.13. Col. 1.16. Athanas. symbol.
• Apollo, Pytho, uncased.