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. VI.

Of Prophesies conditional; whereof the Prophesies in the old Testament do intreat, and by whom they were published; Witchmongers answers to the objections against Witches supernatural actions.

CHrist and his Apostles prophesied of the calamities and afflictions, which shall grieve and disturb the Church of God in this life; also, of the last day, and of the signes and tokens that shall be shewed before that day: and finally, of all things which are requisite for us to foreknow. Howbeit, such is the mercy of God, that all Prophesies, Threatnings, Plagues, and Punishments are annexed to conditions of Repentance:* 1.1 as on the other side, corporal blessings are tyed under the condition of the cross and castigation. So as by them the myste∣ries of our salvation being discovered unto us, we are not to seek new signes and miracles; but to attend to the doctrine of the Apostles, who preached Christ ex∣hibited and crucified for our sins, his Resurrection, Ascension, and thereby the Redemption of as many as believe, &c.

The Prophesies in the old Testament, treat of the continuance, the govern∣ment, and the difference of Estates; or the distinction of the four Monarchies,

of their order, decay and instauration;* 1.2 of the changes and ruines of the King∣doms of Juda, Israel, Aegypt, Persia, Graecia, &c. and specially of the coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and how he should be born of a Virgin, and where, of his Tribe, Passion, Resurrection, &c. These Prophesies were published by Gods special and peculiar Prophets, endued with his particular and excellent gifts, according to his promise,* 1.3 I will raise them up a Prophet out of the midst of their Brethren, I will put my words in his mouth, &c. Which though it were spe∣cially spoken of Christ, yet was it also spoken of those particular Prophets, which were placed among them by God to declare his will; which were also figures of Christ the Prophet himself. Now if Prophesie be an extraordinary gift of God, and a thing peculiar to himself, as without whose special assistance, no creature can be a Prophet, or shew what is to come: Why should we believe, that those lewd persons can perform by Divinations and Miracles, that which is not in humane, but in Divine power to accomplish?

Howbeit, when I deny that Witches can ride in the Air, and the miraculous circumstance thereof; by and by it is objected to me, That Enoch and Elias were rapt into the heavenly bodily: and Habacuck was carryed in the Air, to feed Daniel: and so falsly oppose a Devils or a Witches power against the virtue of the holy Ghost. If I deride the Poets opinions, saying, that Witches cannot Coelo dedu∣cere Lunam, fetch the Moon from Heaven, &c they tell me, that at Joshuah's battel, the sun stayed; and at the passion of Christ, there was palpable darkness. If I deny their cunning in the exposition of Dreams, advising them to remember Jeremiah's connsel, not to follow or credit the expositors of Dreams; they hit me in the teeth with Daniel and Joseph; for that the one of them expounded Pharaoh the Aegyptian Kings, the other Nebuchadnezzar the Persian Kings dream.* 1.4 If I say with Solomon, That the dead know nothing, and that the dead know us not, neither are remove∣able out of Abrahams bosome, &c. they produce the story of Samuel: wherein, I say, they set the power of a Creature as high as the Creator. If I say, that these Witches cannot transubstantiate themselves, nor others into beasts, &c. they cite the story of Nebuchadnezzar, as though indeed he were made a material beast, and that also by Witchcraft; and strengthen that their assertion with the fables of Circe and Ulysses his companions, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Prophesies conditional.
• * 1.2

  The subject of the Prophesies of the Old Testament.
• * 1.3

  Deut. 18.15.
• * 1.4

  Eccles. 9.5. 1 Sam. 28.