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. XIII.

The Equivocation of this word Spirit; how diversly it is taken in the Scriptures, where (by the way) is taught that the Scripture is not alwayes literally to be interpreted, nor yet allegorically to be understood.

SUch as search with the the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, shall find, that Spirits, as well good as bad, are in the Scriptures diversly taken: yea they shall well perceive, that the Devil is no horned beast. For a 1.1 some∣times in the Scriptures, Spirits and Devils are taken for infirmities of the body: b 1.2sometimes for the vices of the mind; sometimes also for the gifts of tither of them. c 1.3 Sometimes a man is called a Devil, as Judas in the sixt of John, and Peter in the 16. of Matthew. d 1.4 Sometimes a Spirit is put for the Gospel; sometimes for the mind or soul of man; sometimes e 1.5 for the wil of man, his mind and councel; some∣times f 1.6 for Teachers and Prophets; sometimes g 1.7 for zeal towards God; sometimes h 1.8 for joy in the Holy Ghost, &c.

And to interpret unto us the nature and signification of spirits, we find these words written in the Scripture; to wit, i 1.9 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; The Spirit of counsel and strength; The Spirit of wisdom and understanding; The spirit of knowledg and the fear of the Lord. Again, k 1.10 I will pour out my Spirit up∣on the house of David, &c. The Spirit of grace and compassion. Again, l 1.11 Ye have not received the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption. And therefore St. Paul saith, m 1.12 To one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another, the word of know∣ledge by the same Spirit, to another, the gift of healing; to another, the gift of faith by the same Spirit; to another; the gift of prophesie; to another, the operation of great works: to another, the discerning of spirits; to another, the diversity of tongues; to ano∣ther, the interpretation of tongues: and all these things worketh one and the self-same Spirit: Thus far the words of St. Paul. And finally Isaiah saith, n 1.13 that, The Lord mingled among them the spirit of errour. And in another place. o 1.14 The Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber.

As for the spirits of divination spoken of p 1.15 in the Scripture, they are such as was in the woman of Endor, the Philippian woman, the wench of Westwell, and the holy maid of Kent; who were indued with spirits or gifts of divination, whereby they could make shift to gain money, and abuse the people by sleights and crafty inventions. But these are possessed of borrowed spirits, as it written q 1.16 in the Book of Wisdom; and spirits of meer cosenage and deceipt, as I have sufficiently proved elsewhere. I deny not therefore that there are Spirits and Devils, of such substance as it hath pleased God to create them. But in what place soever it be found or read in the Scriptures; a Spirit or Devil is to be understood spiri∣tually, and is neither a corporal nor a visible thing: Where it is written, r 1.17 That God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech, and the men of Sichem, we are to under∣stand, that he sent the spirit of hatred, and not a Bulbegger. Also where it is said, s 1.18 If the Spirit of jealousie come upon him: it is as much as to say, If he he be mo∣ved with a jealous mind: and not that a corporal Devil assaulteth him. It is said in the Gospel; t 1.19 There was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, who was bowed together, &c. whom Christ by laying his hand upon her, delivered of her disease. Whereby it is to be seen, that although it be said, that Satan had bound her, &c. yet that it was a sickness or disease of body that troubled her; for Christ's own words expound it. Neither is there any word of Witchcraft mentioned, which some say was the cause thereof.

There were u 1.20 seven Devils cast out of Mary Magdalen. Which is not so gross∣ly understood by the learned, as that there were in her just seven corporal De∣vils, such as I described before elsewhere; but that by the number of seven Devils, a great multitude, and an uncertain number of vices is signified; which figure is usual in divers places of the Scripture. And this interpretation is more agreeable with x 1.21 Gods Word then the Papistical paraphrase, which

is, That Christ under the name of the seven Devils, recounteth the seven deadly sins only. Others allow neither of these Expositions; because they suppose that the efficacy of Christs miracle should this way be confounded; as though it were not as difficult a matter, with a touch, to make a good Christian of a vicious person; as with a word to cure the Ague, or any other disease of a sick body. I think not but any of both these cures may be wrought by means, in process of time, without miracle; the one by the Preacher, the other by the Physitian. But I say that Christs work in both was apparently miraculous; for, y 1.22 with power and authority, even with a touch of his finger, And a word of his mouth, he made the blind to see, the halt to go, the lepers clean, the deaf to hear, the dead to rise again, and the poor to receive the Gospel; out of whom (I say) he cast Devils, and miracu∣lously conformed them to become good Christians, which before were dissolute livers; to whom he said, z 1.23 Go your wayes and sin no more.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Exod. 31.1.
• b 1.2

  Act. 8.19. Gal. 3.
• c 1.3

  Joh. 6.70. Matth. 16.23.
• d 1.4

  1 Cor. 3. Gal. 3. 1 Cor. 2. 2 Cor. 7.
• e 1.5

  Luk. 9. 1 Cor. 5. Philip. 1. 1 Thes. 5.
• f 1.6

  1 John 4.
• g 1.7

  1 Tim. 4.
• h 1.8

  Ephes. 5.
• i 1.9

  Esai. 11.2.
• k 1.10

  Zach. 12.10.
• l 1.11

  Rom. 8.15.
• m 1.12

  1 Cor. 12.8, 9, 10, 11.
• n 1.13

  Isai. 19.14.
• o 1.14

  Isai. 29.10.
• p 1.15

  1 Sam. 28. Hest. 16.
• q 1.16

  Sap. 15.13, 29.
• r 1.17

  Judg. 9.23.
• s 1.18

  Numb. 5.14.
• t 1.19

  Luk. 13.11.
• u 1.20

  Mark. 16.9.
• x 1.21

  Lev. 26. Prov. 24. Luk. 17.
• y 1.22

  Mat. 8.16. Luk. 4.36. Luk. 7.21.
• z 1.23

  Joh. 8.11.