A09402:233
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.
For the first: The wonders done by Enchanters are, 1. The raising of storms and tempests; winds and weather, by sea and by land: 2. The poisoning of the air: 3. Blasting of corn: 4. Killing of cattle, and annoying of men, women, & children: 5. The procuring of strange passions and torments in mens bodies and other creatures, with the curing of the same: 6. Casting out of devils. These and such like things Enchanters can do by their charms. And for proof hereof, we have the uniform consent of all ages, with the records of Witches confessions to manifest the same; besides the testimony of experience in this age: so as the man that calls it into question, may as well doubt of the Sun shining at noon day.
For the first: The wonders done by Inchanters are, 1. The raising of stormes and tempests; windes and weather, by sea and by land: 2. The poysoning of the ayre: 3. Blasting of corne: 4. Killing of cattell, and annoying of men, women, & children: 5. The procuring of strange passions and torments in mens bodies and other creatures, with the curing of the same: 6. Casting out of deuills. These and such like things Inchanters can doe by their charmes. And for proofe hereof, we haue the vniforme consent of all ages, with the records of Witches confessions to manifest the same; besides the testimonie of experience in this age: so as the man that calles it into question, may as well doubt of the Sunne shining at noone day.
Yet for the further declaration thereof, we will allege what the Scripture saith in this point. Solomon saith, If the Serpent bite when he is not charmed, no better is a babbler, Eccles. 10. 11. thus the words are in our English translation: but they may better be thus read according ⟨p. 129⟩to the original: If the serpent bite before he be charmed, what profit hath the master of the tongue thereby; that is, the Charmer. And so they beard this sense: If the Enchanter be bitten, before the serpent be charmed, then he hath no benefit by his charm. For Solomon in that place giveth us to understand, what power Enchanters have, and what they may do by their charms, if they come in time, namely, stay the poison of the serpent, so as he cannot hint, either by biting or stinging. When Balae intended evil against Israel, he hired Balaam to curse them, Num. […]. 6. Now this Balaam was an enchanting Witch; for though he be called a Prophet, yet this was only in the reputation of the world; for his practise was to enchant by charms of words: and to that purpose he was hired to curse Gods people, that is, to-bring mischief upon them by charming; which thing […] he had often and inany […] to do, […] but that it pleased God contrary to his endeavours […]