A09402:247
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.
The truth of this doctrine, howsoever it be thus made manifest, yet it finds not general entertainment at all mens hands. For there are and have been some learned men, in all ages, ⟨p. 139⟩who maintained the contrary, both by word and writing; and namely, that there is great virtue & power in words pronounced in time and place, to effect strange things. For proof whereof they allege these reasons.
The truth of this doctrine, hovvsoeuer it be thus made manifest, yet it findes not generall intertainement at all mens hands. For there are and haue beene some learned men, in all ages, ⟨p. 139⟩who maintained the contrarie, both by word and writing; and namely, that there is great vertue & power in words pronounced in time and place, to effect strange things. For proofe wherof they alledge these reasons.
First, that the bare conceit and imagination of man, is of great force to do strange things; and therefore words expressed much more. Ans. The ground of the reason is naught. Imagination is nothing else but a strong conceit of the mind touching any thing, whatsoever it be, and by reason of the communion that is between the body and soul being together, it is of great force to work within the man that imagineth diversely, and to cause alteration in himself, which may tend either to the hurt or to the good of his own body: but yet imagination hath no force out of a man to affect or hurt an other. A man (conceiving desperately of his own estate) by the strength of imagination may kill himself; but the same conceit, be it never to strong, can not hurt his neighbour. For it is no more then Caesars image ⟨p. 140⟩upon his coin, which serveth only to represent Cesar: so imagination is nothing but the representation of some thing in the mind by conceit, and therefore as the person of Cesar is nothing hurt though his image be defaced; so when we conceive of men in our minds, though never so badly and maliciously, yet all is of no force to hurt or annoy them, either in person or state.