A09402:188
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.
To conclude this point, it must be here remembered, that howsoever there •re and have been distinct sorts of dreams, yet those which are from God, were only in ordinary use in the old Testament, and in the Church of the New, are ceased, and take not place ordinarily. Whereas therefore men in their sleeps have dreams, they must take them commonly to be natural, & withal know that they may be diabolical, or mixed partly of the one kind, partly of the other. And howsoever there may be some use of the natural, as hath been said, yet commonly they are not to be regarded. And for the other which are from Satan, or mixed, they are not to be received, believed, or made means whereby to foretell things to come, least by this use of them, we grow into familiarity with the devil, and before God be guilty of the sin of Witchcraft.
To conclude this point, it must be here remembred, that howsoeuer there •re and haue beene distinct sorts of dreams, yet those which are from God, were onely in ordinarie vse in the old Testament, and in the Church of the New, are ceased, and take not place ordinarily. Whereas therefore men in their sleepes haue dreames, they must take them commonly to be naturall, & withall know that they may be diabolicall, or mixt partly of the one kind, partly of the other. And howsoeuer there may be some vse of the naturall, as hath beene said, yet commonly they are not to be regarded. And for the other which are from Satan, or mixt, they are not to be receiued, beleeued, or made meanes whereby to foretell things to come, least by this vse of them, we grow into familiaritie with the deuill, and before God be guilty of the sin of Witchcraft.
§ 5. The fifth and last kind of Divination by true means, is by Lots, when ⟨p. 105⟩men take upon them to search out fortune (as they use to speak) that is, good or bad success in any business, by casting of Lots, whether it be by casting a die, or opening of book, or any such casual means. I mention this the rather, because among the ignorant and superstitious sort, such practises are common & in great account: the Lot is an ordinance of God, appointed for special ends and purposes, but when it is thus applied, it ceaseth to be lawful, because it is abused to other ends then God by his word & ordinance hath allowed.