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 haue long lien
hidden, howbeit verie necessarie to be knowne. Heerevnto is added a
treatise vpon the nature and substance of spirits and diuels, &c: all
latelie written by Reginald Scot Esquire._ 1 John, 4, 1. _Beleeue not
euerie spirit but trie the spirits, whether they are of God; for many
false prophets are gone out into the world, &c._ 1584."

[Footnote 14: Reginald Scot.]

[Footnote 15: Sir R. Filmer.]

[Footnote 16: John Wagstaffe.]

[Footnote 17: John Webster.]

This title is sufficient to show that he gives no quarter to the
delusion he undertakes to expose, and though he does not deny that
there may be witches in the abstract, (to have done so would have left
him a preacher without an audience,) yet he guards so cautiously
against any practical application of that principle, and battles so
vigorously against the error which assimilated the witches of modern
times to the witches of Scripture, and, denying the validity of the
confessions of those convicted, throws such discredit and ridicule
upon the whole system, that the popular belief cannot but have
received a severe shock from the publication of his work.[18] By an