A09402:273
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.
Delusion is then performed, when a man is made to think he sees that, which indeed he sees not. And this is done by the operation of the devil diversly, but especially three ways. First, by corrupting the humour of the eye, which is the next instrument of sight. Secondly, by altering the air, which is the mean by which the object or species is carried to the eye. Thirdly, by altering and changing the object, that ⟨p. 158⟩is, the thing seen, or whereon a man looketh.
Delusion is then performed, when a man is made to thinke he sees that, which indeede he sees not. And this is done by the operation of the deuill diuersly, but especially three waies. First, by corrupting the humour of the eye, which is the next instrument of sight. Secondly, by altering the ayre, which is the meane by which the obiect or species is carried to the eye. Thirdly, by altering and changing the obiect, that ⟨p. 158⟩is, the thing seene, or whereon a man looketh.
This deluding of the sense, is noted by Paul, Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galatians, who hath *bewitched you? where the spirit of God •eth a word borrowed from this kind of sorcerers, which in full meaning signifieth thus much: who hath deluded your eyes, and caused you to think you see that, which you see not. As if he should have said, Look as the Juggler, by his devilish art, deludeth the outward eye, and maketh men think they see that, which indeed they do not: Even so the false Apostles, by their erroneous doctrine, have deluded the eyes of your minds, and have caused you, Galatians, to judge that to be the word of God, which is not, and that to be truth, which is error and falsehood. Paul gives us to understand by the very phrase used, that there is such a kind of Juggling, as is able to deceive the eye: For otherwise his comparison would not hold.