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The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth Webster, John

Religion

The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth

Name: The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth
Author: Webster, John

Webster, John

Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800

only Eternal, Omnipotent and Merciful God, who hath created and exalted
their degrees, even of all these aforesaid Metals, Stones, Herbs, Roots
and all other such like things that are above, or within the Earth, and
do live and vegetate in the Water or Air, for the health and commodity
of Man?”

This argument we desire that any of the Witchmongers or Demonographers
should answer, ere they conclude so strongly for the power of Devils and
Witches.

[Sidenote: Exod. 8. 19.]

So we conceive we have sufficiently proved that what _Pharaohs_
Magicians did perform, might rationally, and probably be brought to pass
by Natural Magick or confederacy, and sleight of hand, without any other
Diabolical assistance than what was mental and spiritual in regard of
the end, which was the resisting of _Moses_. And by all they did, as in
changing their Rods, bringing in of Frogs and changing Water into Blood,
it doth not rationally appear, that they had any supernatural
assistance, for then they could not have been so amazed at the miracle
of turning the Dust into Lice; for what skill did the Devil want that he
could not perform this? If by his power the former things were brought
to pass, could there be more difficulty in doing of this, than in the
bringing of Frogs? Neither could their Legierdemain have failed them but
that they were surprized, and taken unawares, being not provided to play
all kind of tricks, but only some few for which they had made provision.
And so to excuse their own inability, they cryed out, _this is the
finger of God_; a pitiful shift to excuse their own knavery, and
couzenage, for there could be no more of the finger of God in this than
the former, but only a shift to put off their own shame.

Another place from whence they would draw arguments to maintain the
power of the Devil and Witches, is the Story of _Balaam_ in the Book of
_Numbers_, from whence in the first place they would conclude that he
used wicked and Diabolical Divinations, and that by words he could
either bless or curse. In answer to which we shall give these pressive
reasons.

[Sidenote: _Reas. 1._]

[Sidenote: Numb. 22. 6.]

[Sidenote: Numb. 23. 8, 23.]

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