A09402:243
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.
III. Moreover, if words conceived in charms and spells have any such power as is pretended, why should not every word that any man speaketh have the same power, inasmuch as all words are of the same nature, being only sounds framed in the breast, and uttered by the tongue in letters and syllables? But experience teacheth, that the same word spoken by another, hath not the same virtue; For the charm uttered by the Charmer himself, will take effect; but being spoken in the same manner by another man, that is no Enchanter, maketh to no purpose, for nothing is effected by it.
III. Moreouer, if words conceiued in charmes and spells haue any such power as is pretended, why should not euery word that any man speaketh haue the same power, inasmuch as all words are of the same nature, beeing onely sounds framed in the breast, and vttered by the tongue in letters and syllables? But experience teacheth, that the same word spoken by another, hath not the same vertue; For the charme vttered by the Charmer himselfe, will take effect; but beeing spoken in the same manner by another man, that is no Inchanter, maketh to no purpose, for nothing is effected by it.
IV. That which is in nature nothing but a ba•e signification, cannot serve to work a wonder, and this is the nature of all words• for as they be framed of mans breath, they are natural, but yet in regard of form and articulation they are artificial and significant, and the use of them in every language is, to signify that which the author thereof intended; for the first significations of words, depe•••d upon the will and pleasure of ⟨p. 137⟩man that framed and invented them. Being therefore invented only to show or signify some thing, it remains that neither in nature nor proper use, they can be applied to the producing of wonderful and strange effects. Thus the former part of the assumption is cleared.