Of  the great oracle Apollo the Pythonist, and how men of all sorts have 
     been deceived, and that even the apostles have mistaken the nature 
     of  spirits, with an unanswerable argument, that spirits can take no 
     shapes. 

With this kind of witchcraft, Apollo and his oracles abused and cousened the whole world: which idoll was so famous, that I need not stand long in the description thereof. The princes and monarchs of the earth reposed no small confidence therein: the preests, which lived thereupon, were so cunning, as they also overtooke almost all the godlie and learned men of that age, partlie with their doubtfull answers; as that which was made into Pyrrhus, in these words, Aio te Aeacida Romanos vincere posse, and to Croesus his ambassadours in these words, Si Croesus arma Persis inferat, magnum imperium evertat;  and otherwise thus, Croesus Halin penetrans, magnum subvertet opum vim: or thus, Croesus perdet Halin, trangressus plurima regna, &c: partlie through confederacie, whereby they knew mens errands yer they came, and partlie by cunning, as promising victorie upon the sacrificing of some person of such account, as victorie should rather be neglected, rather than murther accomplished. And if it were, yet should there be such conditions annexed thereunto, as alwaies remained unto them a starting hole, and matter enough to cavill upon; as that the partie sacrificed must be a virgin, no bastard, &c. Furthermore, of the two things onelie proposed, and where yea or naie onelie dooth answer the question, it is an even laie, that an idiot shall conjecture right. So as, if things fell out contrarie, the fault was alwaies in the interpretor, and not in the oracle or prophet. But what mervell, (I saie) though the multitude and common people have beene abused herein; since lawiers, philosophers, physicians, astronomers, divines, generall councels, and princes have with great negligence and ignorance been deceived and seduced hereby, as swallowing up and devouring an inveterate opinion, received of their elders, without due examination of the circumstance? 

Howbeit, the godlie and learned fathers (as it appeeereth) have alwaies had a special care and respect, that they attributed not unto God such divelish devises; but referred them to him, who indeed is the inventor and author thereof, though not the personall executioner, in maner and forme as they supposed: so as the matter of faith was not thereby by them impeached. But who can assure himselfe not to be deceived in matters concerning spirits, when the apostles themselves were so far from knowing them, as even after the resurrection of Christ, having heard him preach and expound the scriptures, all his life time, they shewed themselves not onelie ignorant therein, but also to have misconceived thereof? Did not the apostle Thomas thinke that Christ himselfe had beene a spirit; until Christ told him plainelie, that a spirit was not such creature, as had flesh and bones, the which (he said) Thomas might see to be in him? And for the further certifieng and satisfieng of his mind, he commended unto him his hands to be seene, and his sides to be felt. Thomas, if the answer be true that some make hereunto, to wit: that spirits take formes and shapes of bodies at their pleasure, might have answered Christ, and remaining unsatisfied might have said; Oh sir, what do you tell me that spirits have no flesh and bones? Why they can take shapes and formes, and so perchance have you doone. Which argument all the witchmongers in the world shall never be able to answere.

Some of them that mainteine the creation, the transformation, the transportation, and transusbstantiation of witches, object that spirits are not palpable, though visible, and answer the place by me before cited: so as the feeling and not the seeing should satisifie Thomas. But he that shall well weigh the text and the circumstances thereof, shall perceive, that the fault of Thomas his incredulitie was secondlie bewraied, and condemnded, in that he would not trust his own eies, nor the fiew taken by his fellow apostles, who might have beene thought too credulous in this case, if spirits could take shapes at their pleasure. Jesus saith to him: Bicause thou hast seene (and not, bicause thou has felt) thou beleevest. Item, he saith; Blessed are they that beleeve and see not (and not, they that beleeve and feele not.) Whereby he noteth that our corporall eies may discerne betwixt a spirit and a naturall bodie; reprooving him, bicause he so much relied upon his externall senses, in cases where faith should have prevailed; & here, in a matter of faith revealed in the word, would not credit the miracle which was exhibited unto him in most naturall and sensible sort.

Howbeit, Erastus saith, and so dooth Hyperius, Hemingius, Danaeus, M. Mal, Bodin, &c. that evill spirits eate, drinke, and keepe campanie with men, and that they can take palpable formes of bodies, producing examples thereof, to wit: Spectrum Germanicum seu Augustanum, and the angell whose feet Lot washed; as though bicause God can indue his messengers with bodies at his pleasure, therefore the divell and everie spirit can doo the like. How the eleven apostles were in this case deceived, appeareth in Luke. 24. and in Mark. 16. as also in Matth. 14. where the apostles and disciples were all deceived herein, as well as in that they thought Christ had spoken of a temporall kingdome, when he preached of the kingdome of heaven? Which thing they also much misconceived; as likewise when he did bid them beware of the leven of the Pharisies, they understood that he spake of materiall bread.

Reginald Scot, The Discouerie of Witchcraft, Wherein the lewde dealing of witches and witchmongers is notablie detected, the knauerie of coniurors, the impietie of inchantors, the follie of soothsaiers, the impudent falshood of cousenors, the infidelitie of atheists, the pestilent practises of Pythonists, the curiositie of figurecasters, the vanitie of dreamers, the beggerlie Art of Alcumystrie, The Abhomination of idolatrie, the horrible art of poisoning, the vertue and power of naturall magike, and all the conueiances of Legierdemaine and iuggling are deciphered: and many other things opened, which have long lien hidden, howbeit verie necessarie to be knowne. Heerevnto is added a treatise vpon the nature and substance of spirits and diuels (London, 1584), pp. 133-4

 
 

The amphibologies of oracles. 




























John. 20. 9
 
 











John. 20. 29.









Erast. fol. 62





Luk. 24. 37
Mark.16. 14
Mat. 14.16
Matth. 20

Matt. 16. 11.