The Discoverie of Witchcraft

by Reginald Scot

2. As forThe place of hell or the habitation of devils. the Locality or Circumscription of the Kingdome of darkness, it is farr otherwise to be considered then the vulgar account it, who esteem the hellish habitation, a distinct Chasma or Gulph in a certain place, above, under, or in the Center of the Earth, where innumerable Devils, and wicked Souls inhabit, who are perpetually scorched, and tormented with material flames of fire. This is the opinion which naturally all men are addicted and prone unto. But if we will rightly consider the Kingdome of Heaven and Hell, in respect of one another, we must look upon the similitude of light and darkness in this outward world, who are not circumscribed, nor separate as to Locality from one another; for when the sun arises, the darkness of the night disappeareth, not that it removes it self to some other place or Country, but the brightness of the light overpowereth it, and swallows it up, so that though it disappeareth, yet it is as really there as the light is.

Illustrated by a similitude.3. This is also to be considered in* [* text iu]the description of the Habitations of good, or evill beings, that they are really in one another, yet not comprehended of one another, neither indeed can they be, for the evil Spirits if they should remove ten thousand miles, yet are they in the same quality and source, never able to finde out or discover where the Kingdome of Heaven is to be found, though it be really through, and through with the dark Kingdome, but in another quality which makes them strangers to one another.

The differerence [sic] betwixt heaven and hell.4. A similitude hereof we have in the faculties of the humane Life, as to the indowments of the Soul considered in the just, and in the wicked; for to be good, pure, and holy, is really present as a quality in potentia with the depraved/57. soul, although at that instant the Soul be cloathed with Abominations, so that the eye which should behold God or Goodness is put out. Yet if the soul would but come out of it self, and enter into another source or principle, in the center it might come to see the Kingdome of Heaven within it self, according to the Scripture, and Moses,*[* Deut. 30, 19.] The word is nigh thee, in thy heart, and in thy Mouth.

How the Devils can come into this World.5. True it is that the Devils and damned Souls cannot sometimes manifest themselvs in this Astral World, because the nature of some of them is more near unto the external quality then of others, so that although properly the very innermost and outermost darkness be their proximate abode, yet they do frequently flourish, live, move, and germinate in the Aery Region, being some of them finite and determinate Creatures.

The great difficulty of their appearance.6. But according to their fiery nature, it is very difficult for them to appear in this outward world, because there is a whole principle or gulph betwixt them, to wit, they are shut up in another quality or existence, so that they can with greater difficulty finde out the being of this World, or come with their presence into the same, then we can remove into the Kingdome of Heaven, or Hell with our intellectual man; for if it were otherwise, and that the Divels had power to appear unto Mortals as they list, how many Towns, Cities, &c. should be destroyed, and burnt to the ground, how many Infants should be kild by their malicious power! yea few or none might then escape in Lives, or Possessions, and sound minds, whereas now all these enjoyments are free amongst mortals, which proves, that it is exceeding hard for evill Spirits to appear in the third principle of this world, as for a man to live under water, and fishes on the Land. Yet must we grant, that when the imaginations, and earnest desires of some particular Wizards, and envious Creatures have stirr’d up the center of Hell within themselvs, that then the Devil hath sometimes access to this world in their desires, and continues here to vex, and torment so long as the strength of that desire remains which was the first attractive Cause.

The cause of few appearances now. 7. For the very cause of the paucity of appearances in these dayes, is the fulness of time, and the brightness of Christianity, dispelling such mists, as the sun doth cause the clouds to vanish, not by any violence or compulsion, but from a natural cause; even so the Kingdome of Light as it grows over mans soul, in power and dominion, doth naturally close up the Center of darkness, and scatter the influences of the Devil so that his tricks lye in the dust, and his will at length becomes wholly passive as to man.

The Devils power in the time of the Law.8. In the time of the Law, when the wrath and jealousie of the Father, had the dominion in the Kingdom of Nature, all Infernal Spirits had more easie access unto mankind then now they have; for before the Incarnation of Christ, the anger of God had more dominion over the soul of Man, and was more near in nature unto the same; so that the Devils could with more facility spring up in the element of Wrath, to manifest themselves in this outward principle, because the very Basis and Foundation of Hell beneath, is built and composed of the Wrath of God, which is the channel to convey the Devil into this sublunary World.

His power under Christ in the flesh. 9. But when Christ began to be manifest unto the World, the multiplicity of Appearances, and possessed with Devils, began insensibly to decay and vanish. And if any should object, That betwixt the space of his Incarnation and his Suffering, such accidents were rather more frequent than in the times before: To this I answer, That the Devil knowing well that his time was but short; and also knowing, that till the great Sacrifice was offered up, he had leave to range and rove abroad the Kingdom of this World; therefore he imployed all his forces and endeavours to torment those miserable souls and captives to whom Christ came to Preach Deliverance.

Under Christianity.10. But after the Partition wall was broken down, and the vail of Moses, and of the anger of God from off the soul in the death of Christ, there was a sensible and visible decay of the Devils prancks amongst mortals, and that little remnant/58. of Lunaticks and Possessed, which continued after Christ, did the Apostles relieve and set at liberty, through the influence and virtue of the promise of the Son of God (to wit) the Holy Ghost, or the Comforter, which could not come until he went away: And on the day of Pentecost, whilst they waited in humility for the fulfilling of his promise, the very effect of Christs birth and sufferings did first manifest it self, when the Holy Ghost sprung up amongst them, to the destruction of Sin and Satan.

Under Apostacies.11. And so long as the purity of Christianity continued in the Primitive Church, there were very few that the Devil could personally or actually lay hold of in the Astral Man, for the space of two hundred years after the death of Christ, until that from Meekness and Abstinence, the Christians began to exalt themselves in Loftiness and Worldly Honours; then the Devil began to exalt his head amongst the Lip-Christians, bewitching them into every Lust; and captivating their inward and outward faculties at his pleasure. As all along in Popery is clearly seen.