Witchcraft

Of witchcraft I have spoken before in Chapter 3. This vice was very common in these our days before the light and truth of the gospel was revealed. When I was a child there were many witches and sorcerers which bewitched both cattle and men, but specially children, and did great harm also otherwise. But now in the light of the Gospel these things are not so commonly heard of, for the Gospel thrusts the Devil out of his seat with all his illusions. But now he bewitches men much more horribly, namely with spiritual sorcery and witchcraft.

Paul reckons witchcraft among the works of the flesh, which notwithstanding, as all men know, is not a work of fleshly lust or lechery, but a kind of idolatry. For witchcraft covenants with the Devil: superstition or idolatry covenants with God, albeit not with the true God, but with a counterfeit God. Therefore idolatry is indeed a spiritual witchcraft. For as witches do enchant cattle and men, so idolaters, that is to say, all Justiciaries or justifiers of themselves go about to bewitch God, and to make him such a one as they do imagine. Now, they imagine him to be such a one as will justify them, not of his mere grace and mercy and through faith in Christ, but in respect of their will-worshipping and works of their own choosing, and in recompense thereof will give them righteousness and life everlasting. But while they go about to bewitch God, they bewitch themselves. For if they continue in this wicked opinion which they conceive of God, they shall die in their idolatry and be damned. The works of the flesh are well known for the most part, therefore they shall not need any further declaration.

I have spoken about sorcery before in chapter 3. This practice was very common in our time before the light and truth of the Gospel came to shine. When I was a child there were many witches and sorcerers who cast spells on livestock and people, especially children, and caused great harm in other ways as well. But now in the light of the Gospel these things are not heard of nearly so often, for the Gospel drives the devil from his stronghold along with all his deceptions. Now, however, he bewitches people in a far more terrible way — through spiritual sorcery and witchcraft.

Paul counts sorcery among the works of the flesh — even though everyone knows it is not a work of sexual desire, but rather a form of idolatry. Sorcery makes a covenant with the devil; superstition or idolatry makes a covenant with God — not the true God, but a fabricated one. Idolatry is therefore in essence a spiritual form of sorcery. Just as witches cast spells on animals and people, so idolaters — that is, all who seek to justify themselves — try to cast a spell on God, shaping Him into the kind of God they imagine. The God they imagine is one who will justify them not by pure grace and mercy through faith in Christ, but based on their self-invented worship and works of their own choosing, rewarding those things with righteousness and eternal life. But in trying to bewitch God, they end up bewitching themselves. For if they persist in this false conception of God, they will die in their idolatry and be condemned. The works of the flesh are for the most part well known, and so they need no further explanation.