Drivenfromthehillsandforestsinthewinterbyhunger，theynotonlydevouredtheflocks，butsometimescameintothevillagesandseizedchildren。Fromtimetotimemenandwomenwhosebrainsweredisordereddreamedthattheyhadbeenchangedintovariousanimals，andespeciallyintowolves。Ontheirconfessingthis，andoftenimplicatingothers，manyexecutionsoflunaticsresulted；moreover，countlesssanevictims，suspectedofthesameimpossiblecrime，wereforcedbytorturetoconfessit，andsentunpitiedtothestake。ThebeliefinsuchatransformationpervadedallEurope，andlastedlongeveninProtestantcountries。Probablynoarticleinthewitchcreedhadmoreadherentsinthefifteenth，sixteenth，andseventeenthcenturiesthanthis。NearlyeveryparishinEuropehaditsresultanthorrors。
ThereformedChurchinallitsbranchesfullyacceptedthedoctrinesofwitchcraftanddiabolicpossession，anddevelopedthemstillfurther。NooneurgedtheirfundamentalideasmorefullythanLuther。Hedid，indeed，rejectportionsofthewitchcraftfolly；buttotheinfluenceofdevilshenotonlyattributedhismaladies，buthisdreams，andnearlyeverythingthatthwartedordisturbedhim。Theflieswhichlighteduponhisbook，theratswhichkepthimawakeatnight，hebelievedtobedevils；theresistanceoftheArchbishopofMayencetohisideas，heattributedtoSatanliterallyworkinginthatprelate’sheart；tohisdiscipleshetoldstoriesofmenwhohadbeenkilledbyrashlyresistingthedevil。Insanity，hewasquitesure，wascausedbySatan，andheexorcisedsufferers。Againstsomeheappearstohaveadvisedstrongerremedies；andhishorrorofidiocy，asresultingfromSatanicinfluence，wassogreat，thatononeoccasionheappearstohaveadvisedthekillingofanidiotchild，asbeingthedirectoffspringofSatan。YetLutherwasoneofthemosttenderandlovingofmen；inthewholerangeofliteraturethereishardlyanythingmoretouchingthanhiswordsandtributestochildren。Inenforcinghisideasregardinginsanity，helaidstressespeciallyuponthequestionofSt。
PaulastothebewitchingoftheGalatians，and，regardingidiocy，ontheaccountinGenesisofthebirthofchildrenwhosefatherswere“sonsofGod“andwhosemotherswere“daughtersofmen。”Oneideaofhiswasespeciallycharacteristic。ThedescentofChristintohellwasafrequenttopicofdiscussionintheReformedChurch。Melanchthon，withhisloveofGreekstudies，heldthatthepurposeoftheSaviourinmakingsuchadescentwastomakehimselfknowntothegreatandnoblemenofantiquity——Plato，Socrates，andtherest；butLutherinsistedthathispurposewastoconquerSataninahand-to-handstruggle。
Thisideaofdiabolicinfluencepervadedhisconversation，hispreaching，hiswritings，andspreadthencetotheLutheranChurchingeneral。Calvinalsoheldtothesametheory，and，havingmorepowerwithlesskindnessofheartthanLuther，carrieditoutwithyetgreaterharshness。Bezawasespeciallysevereagainstthosewhobelievedinsanitytobeanaturalmalady，anddeclared，“Suchpersonsarerefutedbothbysacredandprofanehistory。”
Undertheinfluence，then，ofsuchinfallibleteachings，intheolderChurchandinthenew，thissuperstitionwasdevelopedmoreandmoreintocruelty；andasthebiblicaltexts，popularizedinthesculpturesandwindowsandmuraldecorationsofthegreatmedievalcathedrals，haddonemuchtodevelopitamongthepeople，soLuther’stranslationoftheBible，especiallyinthenumerouseditionsofitillustratedwithengravings，wroughtwithenormouspowertospreadanddeepenit。Ineverypeasant’scottagesomeonecouldspelloutthestoryofthedevilbearingChristthroughtheairandplacinghimuponthepinnacleoftheTemple——ofthewomanwithsevendevils——ofthedevilscastintotheswine。Everypeasant’schildcouldbemadetounderstandthequaintpicturesinthefamilyBibleorthecatechismwhichillustratedvividlyallthosetexts。Intheideasthusdeeplyimplanted，themenwhointheseventeenthandeighteenthcenturiesstruggledagainstthismassoffollyandcrueltyfoundtheworstbarriertorightreason。[362]