Читать книгу The Discovery of Witchcraft. Facts, Fiction & Conspiracy Theories Behind the Medieval Witch Hunt онлайн
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Me thinks Seneca might satisfie these credulous or rather idolatrous people, that runne a whorehunting, either in bodie or phansie, after these witches, beleeving all that is attributed unto them, to the derogation of Gods glorie. He saith, that the rude people, and our ignorant predecessors did beleeve, that raine and showers might be procured and staied by witches charmes and inchantments: of which kind of things that there can nothing be wrought, it is so manifest, that we need not go to anie philosophers schoole, to learne the confutation thereof.
But Jeremie208 , by the word of God, dooth utterlie confound all that which may be devised for the maintenance of that foolish opinion, saieng; Are there any among the gods209 of the gentiles, that sendeth raine, or giveth showers from heaven? Art not thou the selfe same our Lord God? We will trust in thee, for thou dooest and makest all these things. I may therefore with Brentius boldlie saie, that It is neither in the power of witches nor divels, to accomplish that matter; but in God onelie. For when exhalations are drawne and lifted up from out of the earth, by the power/62. of the sunne, into the middle region of the aire,210 the coldnes thereof constreineth and thickeneth those vapours; which being beecome clouds, are dissolved againe by the heate of the sunne, wherby raine or haile is ingendred; raine, if by the waie the drops be not frosen and made haile. These/50. circumstances being considered with the course of the whole scripture, it can neither be in the power of witch or divell to procure raine, or faire weather.