A09402:152
A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so far forth as it is…A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is…
A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so far forth as it is revealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. Framed and delivered by M. William Perkins, in his ordinary course of preaching, and now published by Tho. Pickering Bachelor of Divinity, and minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Whereunto is adjoined a twofold table; one of the order and heads of the treatise; another of the texts of Scripture explained, or vindicated from the corrupt interpretation of the adversary.A discourse of the damned art of witchcraft so farre forth as it is reuealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. Framed and deliuered by M. William Perkins, in his ordinarie course of preaching, and now published by Tho. Pickering Batchelour of Diuinitie, and minister of Finchingfield in Essex. Whereunto is adioyned a twofold table; one of the order and heades of the treatise; another of the texts of Scripture explaned, or vindicated from the corrupt interpretation of the aduersarie.
Cambridge: printed by Cantrell Legge, 1610Cambridge: printed by Cantrel Legge, 1610
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
A second reason may be this; All the rules and precepts of Astrology, set down by the most learned among the Chaldeans, Egyptians, and other Astrologers, are nothing else but mere dotages and fictions of the brain of man: for the rules and conclusions of all good and lawful arts, have their ground in experience, and are framed by observation, whereupon they are called Axioms, or positions of art, so generally and undoubtedly true, that they can not deceive: But these rules are of a contrary nature, having no foundation in experience at all; for if they had, this must needs follow, that the position of the heavens, and the course of all the stars, must needs continue one and the same; for the principles of art ought to be immutable: but neither the position of the heavens, nor the course of all the stars, is alway one and the same. Again, he ⟨p. 79⟩that would make sound rules of art by observation, must know the particular estate of all things he observeth: But no man knoweth the particular estate of all the stars, and consequently none can gather sound rules of art by them. Thirdly, no man knoweth or seeth all the stars, and though they might be all discerned, yet the particular virtues of those which are seen, can not be known, because their influences in the air, and upon the earth, are confused; and therefore by observation of them, no rules can be made, whereby to judge of particular events to come that be contingent.
A second reason may be this; All the rules and precepts of Astrologie, set downe by the most learned among the Chaldeans, Egyptians, and other Astrologers, are nothing els but meer dotages and fictions of the braine of man: for the rules and conclusions of all good and lawfull arts, haue their ground in experience, and are framed by obseruation, whereupon they are called Axioms, or positions of arte, so generally and vndoubtedly true, that they can not deceiue: But these rules are of a contrarie nature, hauing no foundation in experience at all; for if they had, this must needes follow, that the position of the heauens, and the course of all the stars, must needs continue one and the same; for the principles of art ought to be immutable: but neither the position of the heauens, nor the course of all the starrs, is alway one and the same. Againe, he ⟨p. 79⟩that would make sound rules of art by obseruation, must know the particular estate of all things he obserueth: But no man knoweth the particular estate of all the starres, and consequently none can gather sound rules of arte by them. Thirdly, no man knoweth or seeth all the starres, and though they might be all discerned, yet the particular vertues of those which are seene, can not be knowne, because their influences in the aire, and vpon the earth, are confused; and therefore by obseruation of them, no rules can be made, whereby to iudge of particular euents to come that be contingent.