The displaying of supposed witchcraft

by John Webster

2 Cor. 2. 11.

4. Surely if Pererius had been aware of the many inconveniences that this opinion of his doth hurry along with it, he would never have plunged himself into a Labyrinth of such perplexities; some of which we shall here enumerate and so conclude. 1. If this opinion were true, that Evah by reason of her perfection in the state of innocency could not be tempted nor seduced, but only by an external way and means: Then how could it come to pass that the Angels in their Primitive Estate, which was as perfect (if not more) than that of Evahs, were without a tempter or any external means drawn unto that defection, who left their estate and station, and abode not in the truth? 2. How could the defection have been so general (for multitudes of them fell) if they had not had some way or means to have communicated their cogitations and intentions one to another? For though we are not able to apprehend the manner how they discourse or commune one with another, yet it must be taken for a truth that they have a way and means to manifest their cogitations one to another, which is some way Analogous to that which we call speech or discourse. Therefore concerning this point doth learned and judicious Zanchy thus conclude. “Therefore (he saith) that which we do by a sensible voice, the same thing the Angels and blessed Souls in Heaven, yea the Devils in the infernal pit, and in the air, do perform, but without voice, in a spiritual manner.” 3. If this opinion were true, then the blessed Souls, being divested from their Bodies, should not have a communion one with another, nor should jointly praise and glorifie God together, which were false and absurd; and therefore the learned Father said well: “It is to be holden stedfastly that the offices of the Heavenly Hoast are by no means performed in silence; seeing, we may read that the Angelical powers before the Throne of the Lord, do sound forth his praise with unwearied voices.” 4. The sleights and subtil machinations (for he hath his Νοήματα or devices) of Satans Kingdom could not be carried on, if he had not a way and means to communicate them to the rest of the Crew of his inferiour Fiends, and therefore doth plainly prove that there is a way of hidden, Mystical and Spiritual discourse, which the Devil might, and did represent to the mind and understanding of Evah, whereby she was seduced, and that there was no need of a vocal and audible interlocution; and so much in answer to his objection.

The next place of Scripture that is commonly brought and urged thereby to prove the great power of Devils and Witches, is that of Pharaohs Magicians, from whence they argue thus: If the Magicians of Pharaoh were able by the power and assistance of the Devil to change their Rods into Serpents, the Water into Blood, and to produce Frogs; Why may not Witches, by the power and assistance of the Devil, change themselves and other things into strange and several shapes, and do the rest of the feats that are ascribed unto them?

But though this be but petitio principii, a begging of the question, that by the assistance of the Devil they did these things, which is neither supposed nor granted, but ought first to have been proved; And though in the case of hardening Pharaohs heart, there might be (and was) a peculiar dispensation from God at that time: yet it will not follow that God doth always dispense with, and give the Devil leave to operate the like things; and so nothing firmly can be concluded from hence. Yet (I say) though these be so, we shall pretermit them, and come to the full opening and discussion of the matter; and that in these two particulars. 1. How far the Devils power and assistance did concurr with the actions and performances. 2. And wherein he did not concurr nor act at all.

Ephes. 2. 2.

2 Tim. 3. 8.

1. We shall grant that Pharaoh and the Magicians being Idolaters, and worshippers of false gods, their ends were principally to magnifie the power of their Idols, and to manifest that their supposed gods could work, and bring to pass as strange miracles or wonders as Moses and Aaron could perform by the assistance of the God of the Hebrews; and in respect of this end they had all the assistance that Satan and his dark kingdom of Angels could afford them in a spiritual and hellish way; for he is the Prince of the power of the air that worketh in the children of disobedience, for such were both Pharaoh and his Magicians. And to this purpose doth the Apostle tell us, speaking of false and seducing teachers: That they were like Jannes, and Jambres that withstood Moses, in their resisting of the truth: so that the Magicians of Pharaoh were condemned for resisting the truth of that message that Moses and Aaron brought, and of those real miracles that they performed; and so in respect of the wicked end they aimed at, they were assisted with the power and concurrence of the Devil, and in that respect only were his servants and instruments.

But as for the second particular, namely, the efficient causes and means of the producing of those things that the Magicians did, we affirm they were performed by the power of nature and art, and that the Devil was no efficient cause of their production, and that by these irrefragable arguments.

Argum. 1.

1. Those that affirm that the Devil did or can produce such strange effects, do also acknowledge, that what he performeth in natural and elementary Bodies, is done by applying natural agents to natural and fit patients, which do truly bring to pass such strange effects, and that he doth no more, but only make the local application of them. From whence it must necessarily follow that the effects flow from natural agents, and so no causality at all can be ascribed unto him, except that fictitious one of being causa sine qua non, which is as much as no cause. And besides that, there is no proof that he maketh this local application; for if he be incorporeal, then it is simply impossible that he should perform any such matter; and however, a man by natural power and means, if he know the fit and apt actives and passives, may perform them himself, and so his assistance is needless; and we have never yet met with any argument that bore any convincing force that might induce us to believe that he is so great a Naturalist.