A09402:184
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.
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.
First of all; diuine dreames haue alwaies had their preeminence aboue others, that generally they haue concerned the weightiest matters in the world; as the comming and exhibiting of the ⟨p. 101⟩Messias, the changes and alterations of Kingdomes, the reueiling of Antichrist, & the state of the Church of God. And this may plainly appeare by those which Ioseph expounded vnto Pharaoh, and Daniel vnto the Kings of Babel and Persia. But in the other sort it is otherwise. For if there be any thing represented more then ordinarie in those that be naturall, it proceedeth meerely from fancie and imagination. And as for diabolical, they are not of so waightie matters, nor so hard to foretell. For though the deuill haue great power and skill, yet it is aboue his reach to determine of such things as these are, or to foretell them without helpe from God.
Secondly, divine dreams be always either plain and manifest, or if they be obscure, yet they have a most evident interpretation annexed unto them. Of the plainer sort, were the dreams of Joseph the husband of Mary. Matth. 1