Discourse, Book I, chapters 29–33: Assumed bodies, the serpent of Genesis, and Scot’s own opinion

CHAP. XXIX. A Confutation of assuming of Bodies, and of the Serpent that seduced Eve.

THey that contend so earnestly for the Devils assuming of bodies and visible shapes, do think they have a great advantage by the words uttered in the third of Genesis, where they say, the Devil entered into a Serpent or Snake; and that by the curse it appeareth, that the whole displeasure of God lighted upon the poor Snake only. How those words are to be considered, may appear, in that it is of purpose so spoken, as our weak capacities may thereby best conceive the substance, tenor, & true meaning of the word, which is there set down in the manner of a Tragedy, in such humane and sensible form, as wonderfully informeth our understanding; though it seem contrary to the spiritual course of Spirits and Devils, and also to the nature and divinity of God himself; who is infinite, and whom no man ever saw with corporal eyes, and lived. And doubtless, if the Serpent there had not been taken absolutely, nor Metaphorically for the Devil, the Holy Ghost would have informed us thereof in some part of that story. But to affirm it sometimes to be a Devil, and sometimes a Snake; whereas there is no such distinction to be found or seen in the Text, is an invention and a fetch (methinks) beyond the compass of all divinity. Certainly the Serpent was he that seduced Eve; now whether it were the Devil, or a Snake; let any wiseman (or rather let the Word of God) judge. Doubtless the Scripture in many places expoundeth it to be the Devil. And I have (I am sure) one wise man on my side for the interpretation hereof, namely Solomon; who saith, Through envie of the Devil came death into the world; referring that to the Devil, which Moses in the letter did to the Serpent. But a better Expositor hereof needeth not, than the Text it self, even in the same place, where it is written; I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall break thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. What Christian knoweth not, that in these words the mystery of our redemption is comprised and promised? Wherein is not meant (as many suppose) that the common seed of women shall tread upon a Snakes-head, and so break it in pieces, &c. but that special seed, which is Christ, should be born of a woman, to the utter over-throw of Satan, and to the redemption of mankind, whose heel or flesh in his members the Devil should bruise and assault, with continual attempts, and carnal provocations, &c.

CHAP. XXX. The Objection concerning the Devils Assuming of the Serpents Body answered.

THis word Serpent, in holy Scripture is taken for the Devil: The Serpent was more subtil than all the Beasts of the field. It likewise signifieth such as be evil speakers, such as have slandering tongues, also Hereticks, &c. They have sharpened their tongues like Serpents. It doth likewise betoken the death and Sacrifice of Christ: As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up upon the Cross. Moreover, it is taken for wicked men: O ye Serpents and generation of Vipers. Thereby also is signified as well a wise as a subtil man: and in that sense did Christ himself use it, saying, Be ye wise as Serpents, &c. So that by this brief collection you see, that the word Serpent, as it is equivocal, so likewise it is sometimes taken in the good, and sometimes in the evil part. But where it is said, That the Serpent was father of lyes, author of death, and the worker of deceit; methinks it is a ridiculous opinion to hold, that thereby a Snake is meant; which must be, if the letter be preferred before the Allegory. Truly Calvin's opinion is to be liked and reverenced, and his example to be embraced and followed, in that he offereth to subscribe to them that hold, that the Holy Ghost in that place did of purpose use obscure figures, that the clear light thereof might be deferred, till Christs coming. He saith also with like commendation (speaking hereof, and writing upon this place) That Moses doth accommodate and fitten for the understanding of the common people, in a rude and gross style, those things which he there delivereth; forbearing once to rehearse the name of Satan. And further he saith, That this order may not be thought of Moses his own device; but to be taught him by the Spirit of God: for such was (saith he) in those dayes the childish age of the Church, which was unable to receive higher or profounder doctrine. Finally, he saith, even hereupon, That the Lord hath supplyed, with the secret light of his Spirit, whatsoever wanted in plainness and clearness of external words.

If it be said, according to experience, That certain other Beasts are farre more subtil than the Serpent: They answer, That it is not absurd to confess, that the same gift was taken away from him, by God, because he brought destruction to mankind. Which is more (methinks) than need be granted in that behalf. For Christ saith not; Be ye wise as Serpents were, before their transgression; but, Be wise as Serpents are. I would learn what impiety, absurdity, or offence it is to hold, that Moses, under the person of a poysoning Serpent or Snake, describeth the Devil that poysoned Eve with his deceitful wor[…]s, and venomous assault. Whence cometh it else, that the Devil is called so often, The Viper, The Serpent, &c. and that his children are called the generation of Vipers; but upon this first description of the Devil made by Moses? For I think none so gross, as to suppose, that the wicked are the children of Snakes, according to the letter; no more than we are to think and gather, that God keepeth a Book of Life, written with Pen and Ink upon Paper; as Citizens record their Free-men.

CHAP. XXXI. Of the Curse rehearsed Gen. 3. and that place rightly expounded; John Calvins opinion of the Devil.

THe curse rehearsed by God in that place, whereby Witchmongers labour so busily to prove that the Devil entered into the body of a Snake, and by consequence can take the body of any other creature at his pleasure, &c. reacheth I think further into the Devils matters, than we can comprehend it, or is needful for us to know, that understand not the wayes of the Devils creeping, and is far unlikely to extend to plague the generation of Snakes; though they had been made with legges before that time, and through his curse was deprived out of that benefit, And yet, if the Devil should have entered into the Snake, in manner and form as they suppose, I cannot see in what degree of sin the poor Snake should be so guilty, as that God, who is the most righteous Judge, might be offended with him. But although I abhor that lewd interpretation of the Family of Love, and such other Heretiques, as would reduce the whole Bible into allegories: yet (methinks) the creeping there is rather metaphorically or significatively spoken, than literally; even by that figure, which is there prosecuted to the end: Wherein the Devil is resembled to an odious creature, who as he creepeth upon us to annoy our bodies; so doth the Devil there creep into the conscience of Eve, to abuse and deceive her: whose seed nevertheless shall tread down and dissolve his power and malice: And through him, all good Christians (as Calvin saith) obtain power to do the like. For we may not imagine such a material tragedy, as there is described, for the ease of our feeble and weak capacities.

For whensoever we find in the Scriptures, that the Devil is called God, the Prince of the world, a strong armed man, to whom is given the power of the air; a roaring Lion, a Serpent, &c. the Holy Ghost moved us thereby, to beware of the most subtil, strong and mighty Enemy, and to make preparation, and arm our selves with faith against so terrible an Adversary. And this is the opinion and counsel of Calvin, That we seeing our own weakness, and his force manifested in such terms, may beware of the Devil, and may flie to God for spiritual aid and comfort: And as for his corporal assaults, or his attempts upon our bodies, his night-walkings, his visible appearings, his dancing with Witches, &c. we are neither warned in the Scriptures of them, nor willed by God or his Prophets to flie them; neither is there any mention made of them in the Scriptures. And therefore think I those Witchmongers and absurd Writers to be as gross on the one side, as the Sadduces are impious and fond on the other, which say, That Spirits and Devils are only motions and affections, and that Angels are but tokens of Gods power. I for my part confess with Augustine, That these matters are above my reach and capacity; and yet so farr as God Word teacheth me, I will not stick to say, That they are living creatures, ordained to serve the Lord in their vocation. And although they abode not in their first estate, yet that they are the Lords Ministers, and Executioners of his wrath, to try and tempt in this world, and to punish the reprobate in Hell fire in the world to come.

CHAP. XXXII. Mine own Opinion and Resolultion of the Nature of Spirits, and of the Devil, with his properties.

BUt to use few words in a long matter, and plain terms in a doubtful case, this is mine opinion concerning this argument. First, that Devils are spirits and no bodies: For (as Peter Martyr saith) spirits and bodies are by antithesis opposed one to another; so as a body is no spirit, nor a spirit a body. And that the Devil, whether he be many or one (for by the way you shall understand, that he is so spoken of in the Scriptures, as though there were but one, and sometimes as though one were many legions, the sense whereof I have already declared according to Calvins opinion; he is a creature made by God, and that for vengeance, as it is written in Ecclus. 39. v. 28. and of himself naught, though imployed by God to necessary and good purposes. For in places where it is written, that all the creatures of God are good: and again, when God, in the creation of the world, saw all that he had made was good; the Devil is not comprehended within those words of commendation. For it is written, that he was a murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth; because there is no truth in him; but when he speaketh a lye, he speaketh of his own, as being a lyer, and the father of lyes, and (as John saith) a sinner from the beginning. Neither was his creation (so far as I can find) in that week that God made man, and those other creatures mentioned in Genesis the first, and yet God created him purposely to destroy. I take his substance to be such as no man can by learning define, nor by wisdom search out. M. Deering saith, Tha[…] Paul himself, reckoning up principalities, powers, &c. addeth, Every name that is named in this world, or in the world to come. A clear sentence (saith he) of Paul's modesty, in confessing a holy ignorance of the state of Angels, which name is also given to Devils in other places of the Scripture. His essence also and his form is also so proper and peculiar (in mine opinion) unto himself, as he himself cannot alter it, but must needs be content therewith, as with that which God hath ordained him, and assigned unto him, as peculiarly as he hath given to us our substance without power to alter the same at our pleasures. For we find not that a spirit can make a body, more than a body can make a spirit: the Spirit of God excepted, which is Omnipotent. Nevertheless, I learn that their nature is prone to all mischeif: for as the very signification of an Enemy and as an accuser is wrapped up in Satan and Diabolus; so doth Christ himself declare him to be in the thirteenth of Matthew. And therefore he brooketh well his name; for he lyeth dayly in wait, not only to corrupt, but also to destroy mankind; being (I say) the very tormentor appointed by God to afflict the wicked in this world with wicked temptations, and in the world to come with Hell fire. But I may not here forget how M. Mal. and the residue of that crew do expound that word Diabolus; for Dia (say they) is Duo, and Bolus is Morsellus, whereby they gather that the Devil eateth up a man both body and soul at two morsels. Whereas in truth the wicked may be said to eat up and swallow down the Devil, rather than the Devil to eat up them; though it may well be said by a figure, that the Devil like a roaring Lion seeketh whom he may devour: which is meant of the soul and spiritual devouring, as very novices in Religion may judge.

CHAP. XXXIII. Against fond Witchmongers, and their opinions concerning corporal Devils.

NOw, how Brian Darcies he-spirits and she-spirits, Titty and Tiffin, Suckin and Pidgin, Liard and Robin, &c. his white-spirits and black-spirits, gray-spirits and red-spirits, Devil-toad and Devil-lambe, Devils-cat and Devils-dam, agree herewithal, or can stand consonant with the Word of God, or true Philosophy, let Heaven and Earth judge. In the mean time let any man with good consideration peruse that Book published by W.W. it shall suffice to satisfie him in all that may be required touching the vanities of the Witches Examinations, Confessions, and Executions; where, though the tale be told only of the accusers part, without any other answer of theirs than their Adversary setteth down; mine assertion will be sufficiently proved true. And because it seemeth to be performed with some kind of authority, I will say no more for the confutation thereof, but referr you to the Book it self; whereto if nothing be added that may make to their reproach, I dare warrant nothing is left out that may serve to their condemnation. See whether the witnesses be not single, of what credit, sexe and age they are; namely lewd, miserable and envious poor people; most of them which speak to any purpose being old women, and children of the age of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. years.

And note how and what the Witches confess, and see of what weight and importance the causes are; whether their confessions be not won through hope of favour, and extorted by flattery or threats, without proof. But in so much as there were not past seventeen or eighteen condemned at once at S. Osees in the County of Essex, being a whole Parish (though of no great quantity) I will say the less: trusting that by this time there remain not many in that Parish. If any be yet behind, I doubt not but Brian Darcie will find them out; who, if he lack aid, Richard Gallis of Windsor were meet to be associated with him; which Gallis hath set forth another Book to that effect, of certain Witches of Windsor executed at Abington. But with what impudency and dishonesty he hath finished it, with what lyes and forgeries he hath furnished it; what folly and frenzy he hath uttered in it, I am ashamed to report; and therefore being but a two-penny Book, I had rather desire you to buy it, and so to peruse it, than to fill my Book with such beastly stuffe.