The Epistle Dedicatory.

men’s lives and actions were handed over into his hands, and as if he sat at the helm to guide and direct the course of the whole world; they attribute to him enough power and ability to do as great things and as strange miracles as Christ ever did.

But the "experts" original: "Doctors" of this supernatural doctrine say sometimes that the witch does all these things by the power of her charms; sometimes that a spirit devil, or sometimes a physical original: "Corporal" devil, accomplishes it. Sometimes they say that the Devil merely makes the witch believe she has done what he himself has actually worked. Sometimes they say the Devil seems to act by compulsion i.e., being forced by a spell, when in fact he acts most willingly. Finally, the writers on this subject are so eloquent and full of variety that they sometimes write that the Devil does all this by God’s permission only, sometimes by His license, and sometimes by His direct appointment. The result is that (in effect and truth) not the Devil, but the high and mighty King of Kings and Lord of Hosts—God himself—is made obedient and servile, forced to obey and perform the will and commandment of a malicious old witch. God is made to miraculously satisfy her appetite for every trifling vanity as well as for the most horrible executions—acting as the revenger of a doting old woman’s imagined wrongs to the destruction of many innocent children, and as a supporter of her passions to the undoing of many a poor soul. I do not see why a witch might not enchant whenever she wants, just as a liar may lie when he pleases; if so, we would possess nothing except by a witch's license and permission.

And now, indeed, matters have been brought to this point: that all devils, who used to be spiritual, may at their pleasure become physical original: "corporal" and show themselves familiarly to witches and conjurors original: "Conjurors"; those who supposedly summon spirits or demons through rituals, and to no others. They claim that by these people alone, devils may be made tame and kept in a box, and so on. Thus, a malicious old woman may command her devil to plague her neighbor, and the neighbor is afflicted in the exact manner she desires. But then another witch comes along, and she orders her devil to help, and he heals the same person. In this way, they make it a kingdom divided against itself; and therefore I trust it will not endure for long but will shortly be overthrown, according to the words of our Savior: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be made desolate original: "Omne regnum in se divisum desolabitur".

And although some say that the Devil is the witch’s instrument...