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
Webster, John
Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800
5. And as the Scriptures are sufficient both in respect of matters of
Faith, and concerning divine Worship, that their silence in those two
particulars are fully argumentative, to deny whatever is not contained
in them, as unfit to be received to either purpose. So in respect of a
Christians warfare, all things for the obtaining of a perfect and
compleat victory, and for standing and perseverance, are in them fully
declared, and what they mention not is to be rejected, as wanting the
seal of Divine Authority, whether it be in regard of eschewing what is
prohibited, or in following what is commanded. And therefore we affirm,
that what the Scriptures have not revealed of the power of the Kingdom
of Satan, is to be rejected, and not to be believed, and what weapons we
are to use against the wiles of the Devil, we are to be furnished
withal, but have need of no others but what the Holy Ghost in the
Scriptures hath made known unto us, the rest are to be cast off, as
fables and lyes, or humane inventions, because the Scriptures are silent
of any such matter, and that for these weighty grounds and
considerations.
[Sidenote: _De Doctrin. Christian._]
1. We shall take the Concession of _Bellarmine_ himself, who saith:
_Nullum est vitium ad quod sanandum non invenitur in Scriptura aliquod
remedium_. And again: _Illa quæ sunt simpliciter omnibus necessaria,
Apostoli consueverunt omnibus prædicare: & aliorum quæ sunt omnibus
utilia_. And to the same purpose is the saying of St. _Austin_: _Titubat
fides, si divinarum Scripturarum vacillet authoritas: porrò fide
titubante, etiam ipsa charitas languescit_. Therefore if there be no
fault for which the Scripture doth not yield some remedy, then surely to
make a visible League with the Devil, or to have carnal Copulation with
him, either must have no verity at all in it, or that the Scripture hath
provided no remedy for it, for of such things there is no mention. And
if Faith must stumble, where the authority of the Scriptures is wanting,
then surely the belief of all rational men must needs be staggering, to
believe what these common Witchmongers affirm of the Witches visible
League and carnal Copulation with the Devil, when there is no authority
of Scripture at all to strengthen or countenance any such matter.
[Sidenote: Eph. 6. 11, 12, 13.]
[Sidenote: 1 Pet. 5. 8, 9.]
[Sidenote: 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5.]
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