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. XI.

Whether they became Devils, which being Angels kept not their Vocation, in Jude and Peter; of the fond Opinion of the Rabbins touching Spirits and Bugs; with a Confutation thereof.

* 1.1WE do read in Jude, and find it confirmed in Peter, That the Angels kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, and sinned, and (as Job saith) committed folly; and that God therefore did cast them down into Hell, reserving them in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judg∣ment of the great day. But many Divines say, That they find not anywhere, that God made Devils of them, or that they became the Princes of the World, or else of the Air;* 1.2 but rather Prisoners. Howbeit, divers Doctors affirm, That this Luci∣fer, notwithstanding his fall, hath greater power than any of the Angels in Heaven; Marry they say, That there be certain other Devils of the inferior fort of Angels, which were then thrust out for smaller faults, and therefore are tormented with little pains, besides eternal damnation; and these (say they) can do little hurt. They affirm also, That they only use certain juggling knacks, delighting thereby to make men laugh, as they travel by the high wayes; but other (say they) are much more churlish. For proof hereof they alledge the eighth of Matthew, where he would none other∣wise be satisfied but by exchange,* 1.3 from the annoying of one man, to the destru∣ction of a whole herd of Swine. The Rabbins, and namely Rabbi Abraham wri∣ting upon the second of Genesis, do say, That God made the Fairies, Bugs, Incubus, Robin Good-fellow, and other familiar or domestical Spirits and Devils on the Fri∣day; and being prevented with the evening of the Sabbath, finished them not, but left them unperfect; and therefore, that ever since they use to flie the holiness of the Sabbath, seeking dark holes in Mountains and Woods, wherein they hide themselves till the end of the Sabboth, and then come alroad to trouble and molest men.

But as these opinions are ridiculous and fondly collected; so if we have only respect to the bare word,* 1.4 or rather to the letter, where Spirit or Devils are spoken of in the Scriptures, we shall run into as dangerous absurdities as these are. For some are so carnally minded, that a Spirit is no sooner spoken of, but immediately they think of a black man with cloven feet, a pair of horns, a tail,

claws, and eyes as broad as a Bason, &c. But surely the Devil were not so wise in his generation, as I take him to be, if he would terrifie men with such ugly shapes, though he could do it at his pleasure. For by that means men should have good occasion and opportunity to flie from him, and to run to God for succour; as the manner is of all them that are terrified, though perchance they thought not upon God a long time before. But in truth we never have so much cause to be afraid of the Devil, as when he flatteringly insinuateth himself into our hearts, to satisfie, please, and serve our humours, enticing us to prosecute our own appetites and pleasures, without any of these external terrours. I would weet of these men where they do find in the Scriptures, that some Devils be spiritual, and some corporal; or how these earthy or watery Devils enter into the mind of man. Augustine saith, and divers others affirm,* 1.5 That Satan or the De∣vil while we feed, allureth us with gluttony; he thrusteth lust into our generation; and sloth into our exercise; into our conversation, envie; into our traffick, avarice; into our correction, wrath; into our government, pride; he putteth into our hearts evil cogitati∣ons; into our mouthes, lyes, &c. When we wake, he moveth us to evils works; when we sleep, to evil and filthy dreams; he provoketh the merry to loosness, and the sad to despair.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Jud. vers. 6. 2 Pet. 2.4.
• * 1.2

  Mal Malef. part. 2. quaest. 1. cap. 2, 3. Mal. Malef. part. 2. cap. 1. quaest. 1.
• * 1.3

  Mich. And. Laur. Anan. Mal. Malef. &c.

  Author. lib. Zeor. Hammor. in Gen. 2.
• * 1.4

  The gross dul∣ness of many at the Bearing of a spirit na∣med.
• * 1.5

  Aug. in ser. 4. Greg. 29. sup. Joh. Leo pont. ser. 8. Nativit.