A09402:169
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.
The first, is the observation of the sign ⟨p. 89⟩in mans body; wherein not only the ignorant sort, but men of knowledge do far•e overshoot themselves, superstitiously holding, that the sign is specially to be marked. An opinion in it self fantastical and vain, not grounded in nature, but borrowed from Astrology. For the Astrologians for better expressing and establishing thereof, have devised new spheres in the heavens, more then indeed there be, to wit, the ninth and the tenth; and in the tenth, commonly called the first movable, have placed an imaginary sphere, which they term the Zodiac, and in the Zodiac twelve signs, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and the rest, which they imagine to have power over the twelve parts of mans body: as Aries, the head and face, Taurus neck and throat, &c. But these are only twelve imaginary signs: for in the heavens there is no such matter as a ram, a bull, &c. And how can it stand with reason, that in a firmament feigned by Poets and Philosophers, a forged sign, which indeed is nothing, should have any power or ⟨p. 90⟩operation in the bodies of men?
The first, is the obseruation of the signe ⟨p. 89⟩in mans bodie; wherein not onely the ignorant sort, but men of knowledge doe far•e ouershoot themselues, superstitiously holding, that the signe is specially to be marked. An opinion in it selfe fantasticall and vaine, not grounded in nature, but borrowed from Astrologie. For the Astrologians for better expressing and establishing thereof, haue deuised newe spheres in the heauens, more then indeede there be, to wit, the ninth and the tenth; and in the tenth, commonly called the first mooueable, haue placed an imaginarie sphere, which they tearme the Zodiacke, and in the Zodiack twelue signes, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and the rest, which they imagine to haue power ouer the twelue parts of mans bodie: as Aries, the head and face, Taurus necke and throat, &c. But these are onely twelue imaginarie signes: for in the heauens there is no such matter as a ramme, a bull, &c. And how can it stand with reason, that in a firmament fained by Poets and Philosophers, a forged signe, which indeede is nothing, should haue any power or