Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits

[...it] has been published in Latin, High and Low Dutch original: "high and low Dutch"; referring to German and Dutch/Flemish, French, and Italian. The learned Zanchy Hieronymus Zanchius (1516–1590), an influential Italian Protestant theologian (†) speaks highly of it, professing that he had read it with both pleasure and profit. Voetius Gijsbertus Voetius (1589–1676), a Dutch Calvinist theologian (a) takes notice of that passage which we have quoted from Lavater Ludwig Lavater (1527–1586), a Swiss Reformed theologian who wrote extensively on ghosts and spirits as a memorable thing.

Some Catholic authors original: "Popish Authors"; a common Early Modern term for Roman Catholics, often used in a derogatory sense by Protestant writers argue that the Devil cannot impersonate an innocent man as performing an act of witchcraft, because if he could, he might just as easily represent them as committing theft, murder, etc. And if so, there would be no living in the world. But I turn the argument against them: he may (as the mentioned instances prove) impersonate honest men as doing other evils. And no solid reason can be given why he may not just as well impersonate them under the notion of witches as under the notion of thieves, murderers, and idolaters. As for the objection that there would then be no living in the world, we shall consider it under the next argument.

Argument 3: If Satan may not represent one who is not his sworn servant original: "covenant servant" as afflicting those who are bewitched or possessed, then it is either because he lacks the will or power to do this, or because God will never permit him to do so. No man but a Sadducee In this context, a reference to those who, like the ancient Jewish sect of Sadducees, denied the existence of spirits, angels, or the supernatural doubts the ill will of demons. Nothing is more pleasing to the malice of those wicked spirits than to see innocence wronged. And the power of the enemy is such that, having once obtained divine permission to use his craft, he can do this and much [more...]

(†) Letters, Book 2 original Latin: "Epistol. 2." (a) In Disputations on Magic, page 575 original Latin: "In Disput: de Magia. P. 575."