A09402:437
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.
Again, they object, that Witches convicted, either repent, or repent not: If they repent, then God pardoneth their sin, and why should not the Magistrate as well save their bodies & let them live, as God doth their souls. If they do not repent, then it is a dangerous thing for the Magistrate to put them to death: for by this means he kills the body, & casts the soul to hell.
Againe, they obiect, that Witches conuicted, either repent, or repent not: If they repent, then God pardoneth their sinne, and why should not the Magistrate as well saue their bodies & let them liue, as God doth their soules. If they doe not repent, then it is a dangerous thing for the Magistrate to put them to death: for by this meanes he kills the bodie, & casts the soule to hell.
Ans. All Witches judicially & lawfully convicted, ought to have space of repentance granted unto them, wherein they may be instructed and exhorted, and then afterward executed. For it is possible for them to be saved by Gods mercy, though they have denied him. Secondly, the Magistrate must execute justice upon malefactors lawfully convicted, whether they repent or not. For God approveth the just execution of ⟨p. 254⟩judgement upon men, without respect to their repentance: neither must their impenitency hinder the execution of justice. When the people of Israel had committed Idolatry in worshipping the golden calf, Moses did not expect their repentance, & in the mean while forbear the punishment, but he and the Levites presently took their swords and slue them, and the Lord approved their course of proceeding, Exod. 32. 28. When Zimri an Israelite had committed fornication with Cozbi a Midianitish woman, Phinehas in zeal of Gods glory executed judgment upon them both without any respect unto their repentance, Numb. 25. 8. and is therefore commended,