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. XXXII.

Mine own Opinion and Resolultion of the Nature of Spirits, and of the Devil, with his properties.

BUt to use few words in a long matter, and plain terms in a doubtful case, this is mine opinion concerning this argument. First, that Devils are spirits and no bodies: For (as Peter Martyr saith) spirits and bodies are by antithesis opposed one to another; so as a body is no spirit, nor a spirit a body. And that the Devil, whether he be many or one (for by the way you shall understand, that he is so spoken of in the Scriptures, as though there were but a one, and sometimes as though b one were many legions, the sense whereof I have already declared according to Calvins opinion; he is a creature made by God, and that for vengeance, as it is written in Ecclus. 39. v. 28. and of himself naught, though imployed by God to necessary and good purposes. For in places where it is written, that cd all the creatures of God are good: and a∣gain, when God, in the creation of the world, e saw all that he had made was good; the Devil is not comprehended within those words of commendation. For it is written, that he was a f murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth; because there is no truth in him; but when he speaketh a lye, he speak∣eth of his own, as being a lyer, and the father of lyes, and (as John saith) a sin∣ner from the beginning. Neither was his creation (so far as I can find) in that week that God made man, and those other creatures mentioned in Genesis the first, and yet God created him purposely to destroy. I take his substance to be such as no man can by learning define, nor by wisdom search out. M. Deering saith, Tha•• Paul himself, reckoning up principalities, powers, &c. addeth, Every name that is named in this world, or in the world to come. A clear sentence (saith he) of Paul's modesty, in confessing a holy ignorance of the state of Angels, which name is also given to Devils in other places of the Scripture. His essence also and his form is also so proper and peculiar (in mine opinion) unto himself, as he

himself cannot alter it, but must needs be content therewith, as with that which God hath ordained him, and assigned unto him, as peculiarly as he hath given to us our substance without power to alter the same at our pleasures. For we find not that a spirit can make a body, more than a body can make a spirit: the Spirit of God excepted, which is Omnipotent. Never∣theless, I learn that their nature is prone to all mischeif: for as the very signification of an Enemy and as an accuser is wrapped up in Satan and Diabo∣lus; so doth Christ himself declare him to be in the thirteenth of Matthew. And therefore he brooketh well his name; for he lyeth dayly in wait, not only to cor∣rupt, but also to destroy mankind; being (I say) the very tormentor appointed by God to afflict the wicked in this world with wicked temptations, and in the world to come with Hell fire. But I may not here forget how M. Mal. and the residue of that crew do expound that word Diabolus; for Dia (say they) is Duo, and Bolus is Morsellus, whereby they gather that the Devil eateth up a man both body and soul at two morsels. Whereas in truth the wicked may be said to eat up and swallow down the Devil, rather than the Devil to eat up them; though it may well be said by a figure, that the Devil like a roaring Lion seeketh whom he may devour: which is meant of the soul and spiritual devouring, as very novices in Religion may judge.

Notes

• P. Mart. in loc. com. 9. sect. 14.
• a

  1 Sam. 22. Luk. 8. John 8. Ephes. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 1 Pet. 5.
• b

  Col. 1.16. 1 Cor. 10. Mat. 8. & 10. Luk. 4.
• c

  Sap. 1. Apocal. 4.
• d

  1 Tim. 4.4.
• e

  Gen. 1.
• f

  Joh. 8.44. 1 Joh. 3.8.
• Edw. Deering, in his reading upon Heb. 1. Reading the 6. Ephes. 6.12. Col. 2.16. Matth. 25.
• 1 Pet. 5. Idem. ibid. Mat. 25.45.
• Mal. malef. par. 1. quaest. 5. The crymon of the word Dia∣bolus.