A09402:175
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.
Yet here it is to be remembered, that foretelling of future things by dreams, is not simply to be condemned, but only in part. For of dreams there be three sorts, Divine, Natural, and Diabolical. Divine, are▪ those which come from God: Natural, which proceed from a mans own nature, and arise from the quality and constitution of the body: Diabolical, which are caused by the suggestion of the devil.
Yet here it is to be remembred, that foretelling of future things by dreames, is not simply to be condemned, but onely in part. For of dreames there be three sorts, Diuine, Naturall, and Diabolicall. Diuine, are▪ those which come from God: Naturall, which proceede from a mans owne nature, and arise from the qualitie and constitution of the bodie: Diabolicall, which are caused by the suggestion of the deuill.
Touching Divine dreams: that there are, or at least have been such, it is evident. For these be the words of God, Numb. 12. 6. If there be a Prophet of the ⟨p. 94⟩Lord among you, I will be known unto him by a vision, and will speak unto him by a dream. And Job saith, that God speaketh in dreams and visions of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep upon their beds, Job. 33. 15. Now these divine dreams were caused in men, either immediately by God himself, as the former places show; or by means of some good Angel. In this latter kind was Joseph often admonished in dreams what to do, by the ministry of an Angel; as Matth. 1. 20. and chap. 2. 13. 19. and divining by such dreams, is not condemned▪ for by them the most worthy Prophets of God have revealed Gods will in many things to his Church. Thus Joseph by dream had notice given him of his own advancement,