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…

The second point in the description, is consenting to use the help of the devil, either by open or secret league, wittingly and willingly: wherein standeth the very thing, that maketh a Witch to be a Witch: The yielding of consent upon covenant. By which clause, two sorts of people are expressly excluded from being Witches. First, such as be tainted with frenzy or madness, or are through weakness of the brain deluded by the devil. For these, though they may be said after a sort to have society with Satan, or rather he with them, yet they cannot give their consent to use his aide truly, but only in imagination; with the true Witch it is far otherwise. Secondly, all such superstitious persons, men or women, as use Charms and Enchantment for the effecting of any thing upon a superstitious and erroneous persuasion, that the Charms have virtue in them to do such things, not knowing that it is the action of the devil by those means; but thinking that God hath put virtue into them, as he hath done into herbs for Physic. Of ⟨p. 171⟩such persons we ague (no doubt) abundance in this our Land, who though they deal wickedly and sin grievously in using Charms, yet because they intend not to join league with the devil, either secretly, or formally, they are not to be counted Witches. Nevertheless, they are to be advertised in the mean time, that their estate is fearful. For their present ungodly practises have prepared them already to this cursed trade, and may bring them in time to be the rankest Witches that can be. Wherefore I advise all ignorant persons, that know not God nor the Scriptures, to take heed and beware of this dangerous evil, the use of Charms. For if they be once convinced in their consciences, and know that God hath given no power to such means, and yet shall use them, assuredly they do in effect consent to the devil to be helped by him, and thereupon are joined in confederacy with him in the confidence of their own hearts, and so are become Witches.

The second point in the description, is consenting to vse the helpe of the deuill, either by open or secret league, wittingly and willingly: wherein standeth the very thing, that maketh a Witch to be a Witch: The yeelding of consent vpon couenaut. By which clause, two sorts of people are expressely excluded from being Witches. First, such as be tainted with phrenzy or madnes, or are through weakenesse of the braine deluded by the deuill. For these, though they may be said after a sort to haue societie with Satan, or rather he with them, yet they cannot giue their consent to vse his aide truely, but onely in imagination; with the true Witch it is farre otherwise. Secondly, all such superstitious persons, men or women, as vse Charmes and Inchantment for the effecting of any thing vpon a superstitious and erroneous perswasion, that the Charmes haue vertue in them to doe such things, not knowing that it is the action of the deuill by those meanes; but thinking that God hath put vertue into them, as hee hath done into hearbs for Physicke. Of