A09402:183
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 forasmuch as dreams be of sundry kinds, as hath been said, it shall not be amiss to set down some notes of difference between them, whereby they may be known and distinguished each from other. Which point indeed hath long agone been handled in the Primitive Church, but hardly determined. For the learned of that age have avouched it a very hard matter, considering that the devil in these, as well as in other things, can transform himself into an Angel of light. But howsoever the case be hard, and the devil politic, yet by light of direction from the word of God, there may some true differences be set down between them; as namely these.
Yet forasmuch as dreames be of sundrie kinds, as hath beene said, it shall not be amisse to set downe some notes of difference betweene them, whereby they may be knowne and distinguished each from other. Which point indeede hath long agone beene handled in the Primitiue Church, but hardly determined. For the learned of that age haue auouched it a very hard matter, considering that the deuill in these, as well as in other things, can transforme himselfe into an Angel of light. But howsoeuer the case be hard, and the deuil politicke, yet by light of direction from the word of God, there may some true differences be set downe betweene them; as namely these.
First of all; divine dreams have always had their preeminence above others, that generally they have concerned the weightiest matters in the world; as the coming and exhibiting of the ⟨p. 101⟩Messiah, the changes and alterations of Kingdoms, the revealing of Antichrist, & the state of the Church of God. And this may plainly appear by those which Joseph expounded unto Pharaoh, and Daniel unto the Kings of Babel and Persia. But in the other sort it is otherwise. For if there be any thing represented more then ordinary in those that be natural, it proceedeth merely from fancy and imagination. And as for diabolical, they are not of so weighty matters, nor so hard to foretell. For though the devil have great power and skill, yet it is above his reach to determine of such things as these are, or to foretell them without help from God.