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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09402	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.	Perkins, William, 1558-1602.; Pickering, Thomas, d. 1625.	1610 (1610)	STC 19698; ESTC S114527	101,186	282

described Witchcraft is a wicked Arte seruing for the working of wonders by the assistance of the Deuill so farre forth as God shall in iustice permit Sect. I. I say it is an Arte because it is commonly so called and esteemed amongst men and there is reason why it should be thus tearmed For as in all good and lawfull arts the whole practise thereof is performed by certaine rules and precepts and without them nothing can be done so Witchcraft hath certaine superstitious grounds and principles whereupon it standeth and by which alone the seats and practises thereof are commonly performed If it be demaunded what these rules be and whence they had their beginning considering that euery Arte hath reference to some author by whom it was originally taught and deliuered I answer that they weare deuised first by Satan and by him reuealed to wicked and vngodly persons of auncient times as occasion serued who receiuing them from him became afterward in the iust iudgement of God his instruments to report and conuey them to others from hand to hand For manifestation whereof it is to be considered that God is not onely in generall a Soueraigne Lord and King ouer all his creatures whether in heauen or earth none excepted no not the deuills themselues but that he exerciseth also a speciall kingdome partly of grace in the Church militant vpon earth and partly of glorie ouer the Saints and Angels members of the Church triumphant in heauen Now in like manner the Deuill hath a kingdome called in Scripture the kingdom of darknes whereof himselfe is the head and gouernour for which cause he is tearmed the Prince of darknes the God of this world ruling and effectually working in the hearts of the children of disobedience Againe as God hath enacted Laws whereby his kingdome is gouerned so hath the deuill his ordinances whereby he keepeth his subiects in awe and obedience which generally and for substance are nothing else but transgressions of the very lawe of God And amongst thē all the precepts of Witchcraft are the very chiefe and most notorious For by them especially he holds vp his kingdome and therefore more esteemeth the obedience of them then of other Neither doth he deliuer them indifferently to euery man but to his owne subiects the wicked and not to them all but to some speciall and tried ones whome he most betrusteth with his secrets as beeing the fittest to serue his turne both in respect of their willingnesse to learne and practise as also for their abilitie to become instruments of the mischiefe which he intendeth to others If it be here asked whence the deuill did fetch and conceiue his rules I answer out of the corruption and deprauation of that great measure of knowledge he once had of God and of all the duties of his seruice For that beeing quite depraued by his fall he turnes the same to the inuenting and deuising of what he is possibly able against God and his honour Hereupon well perceiuing that God hath expressely commanded to renounce and abhorre all practises of Whitchcraft he hath set abroach this art in the world as a maine pillar of his kingdome which notwithstanding is flatly and directly opposed to one of the maine principall lawes of the kingdome of God touching the seruice of himselfe in spirit and truth Againe the reason why he conueies these vngodly principles and practises from man to man is because he finds in experience that things are farre more welcome and agreeable to the common nature of mankinde which are taught by man like vnto themselues then if the deuill should personally deliuer the same to each man in speciall Hereupon he takes the course at first to instruct some fewe onely who beeing taught by him are apt to conuey that which they know to others And hence in probabilitie this deuillish trade had his first originall and continuance Sect. II. In the second place I call it a wicked art ●o distinguish it from all●good and lawfull a●●s taught in schooles of learnin● which 〈◊〉 they are war●antable by the word of God so are they no lesse profitable and necessary in the Church Againe to shewe the nature and quali●ie of 〈◊〉 that it is a most vngracious and wicked art as appear●th by the Scriptures For when Saul had broken the expresse commandement of God in sparing Agag and the best things Samuel tells him th●t rebellion and disobedience is as the sinne of Witchcraft that is a most horrible and 〈…〉 like vnto that wicked capitall and 〈◊〉 sinne 1. Sam. 15. 23. Sect. III. Thirdly I ●dde te●●ing to the working or producing of wonders wherein is noted the pro●er ende of this art whereby I put a further difference betweene it and others that are godly and lawfull Now if question be mooued why man should desire 〈◊〉 Witchcraft to worke wonders 〈…〉 the true and proper cause is 〈…〉 first temptation whereby the deuill preuailed against our first parents had inclosed within it many sinnes for the eating of the forbidden fruit was no small or single offence but as some haue taught contained in it the breach of euery commandement of the Morall lawe Amongst the rest Satan laboured to bring them to the sinne of discontentment whereby they sought to become as Gods that is better then God had made them not resting content with the condition of men 〈◊〉 his sinne was then learned and could neuer since b● forgotten but continually is deriued from them to al their poster●ie and now is become so common a corruption in the whole nature of flesh and blood that there is scarce a man to be found vvho is not originally tainted therevvith as he is a man This corruption shevves it selfe principally in tvvo things both vvhich are the maine causes of the practises of Witchcraft First in mans outwardest●●e for lie beeing naturally possessed with a loue of himselfe and an high conceit of his owne deseruing when he liues in base and low estate whether in regard of pouertie or want of honour and reputation which he thinkes by right is due vnto him he then growes to some measure of griefe and sorrow within himselfe Hereupon he is mooued to yeeld himselfe to the deuill to be his vassall and scholler in this wicked art supposing that by the working of some wonders he may be able in time to releeue his pouerty and to purchase to himselfe credit and countenance amongst men It were easie to shew the truth of this by examples of some persons who by these meanes haue risen from nothing to great places and preferments in the world In stead of all it appeareth in certain Popes of Rome as Syluester the second Benedict the eight Alexander the sixt Iohn the ●0 and twentie one c. who for the attayning of the Popedom as histories record gaue thēselues to the deuil in the practise of witchcraft that by the working of wonders they might rise frō one step of honour to

therefore knowing the secret meaning of the Angels wordes vnto Daniel framed out of them a true and direct answer whereas he was not able of himselfe to de●ine certainly of the euent of things to come in particular The second meanes whereby the deuill is furnished for his purpose is his owne exquisite knowledge of all naturall things as of the influences of the starres the constitutions of men and other creatures the kinds vertues and operations of plants rootes hearbs stones c. which knowledge of his goeth many degrees beyond the skill of all men yea euen of those that are most excellent in this kind as Philosophers and Physicians No marueile therefore though out of his experience in these and such like he is able aforehand to giue a likely gesse at the issues and euents of things which are to him so manifestly apparent in their causes A third helpe and furtherance in this point is his presence in the most places for some deuills are present at all assemblies and meetings and thereby are acquainted with the consultations and conferences both of Princes people whereby knowing the drift and purpose of mens minds when the same is manifested in their speaches and deliberations they are the fitter to foretell many things which men ordinarily cannot doe And hence it is apparent how Witches may know what is done in other countries and whether one nation intends warre against an other namely by Satans suggestion who was present at the consultation and so knew it and reuealed it vnto them But how then comes it to passe that the consultations and actions of Gods Church and children are not disclosed to their enemies euen by the vnspeakeable mercie and goodnesse of God who though for speciall causes sometimes he suffers Satan by this meanes to bring things to light yet he hath restrained this his libertie and subiected it vnto his owne will so as he keepes him out of such meetings or compels him to conceale whereas otherwise his malice is so great tha● not a word could be spoken but it should be carried abroad to the hurt disturbance both of Churches and common-wealths The fourth way is by putting into mens mindes wicked purposes and couns●ls for after the league once made he laboureth with them by suggestions and where God giues him 〈◊〉 he neuer ceaseth perswading till he hath brought his enterprise to passe Hauing therefore first brought into the minde of man a resolution to doe some euill he goes and reueales it to the Witch and by force of perswasion vpon the partie tempted he frames the action intended to the time foretold and so finally deludes the Witch his owne instrument foretelling nothing but what himselfe hath compassed and set about The fift helpe is the agilitie of Satans nature whereby he is able speedily to conuay himselfe from place to place yea to passe through the whole world in a short ●ime For God hath made him by nature a spirit who by the gift of his creation hath attained the benefit of swiftnes not onely in dispatching his affairs but also in the cariage of his person with great expedition for the present accomplishment of his owne desires Lastly God doth often vse Satan as his instrument for the effecting of his intended workes and the executing of his iudgements vpon men and in those cases manifesteth vnto him the place where the time when and the manner how such a thing should be done Now all such things as God wil haue effected by the deuill he may fortell before they come to passe because he knowes them before hand by reuelation and assignment from God Thus by the Witch of Endor he foretolde to Saul the time of his death and of his sonnes and the ruine of his kingdome saying To morow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with me and the Lord shall giue the hoste of Israel into the hands of the Philisti●s which particular euent and circumstances appertaining he did truely define not of himselfe but because God hath drawn away his good spirit from Saul and had deliuered him to be guided by the deuill whome he also appointed as a meanes and vsed as an instrument to worke his ouerthrowe The Scripture indeede maketh not particular mention of the time of Sauls death it onely recordeth the manner thereof and that which followed vpon his death the translating of the kingdome to his neighbour Dauid after him and yet because God vsed Satan as an instrument to bring this to passe hereupon he was able to foretel the particular time when the will of God should be wrought vpon him And these be the ordinarie meanes and helpes whereby the deuill may knowe and declare strange thinges whether past present or to come Neither may this seeme strange that Satan by such meanes should attaine vnto such knowledge for euen men by their owne obseruations may giue probable coniectures of the state and condition of sundrie things to come Thus we read that some by obseruation haue found out probably and foretold the periods of famille● and kingdomes For example that the time and continuance of kingdomes is ordinarily determined at 500. yeares or not much aboue and that great families haue not gone beyond the sixt and seauenth generation And as for speciall and priuate things the world so runnes as it vvere in a circle that if a man should but ordinarily obserue the course of things either in the vveather or in the bodies of men or othervvise he might easily foretell before hand vvhat would come after And by these and such like instances of experiences men haue gessed at the alterations and changes of estates and things in particular Novv if men vvhich be but of short continuance and of a shallovv reach in comparison are able to doe such things hovv much more easily may the Deuill hauing so great a measure of knovvledge and experience and beeing of so long continuance hauing also marked the course of all estates be able to foretell many things vvhich are to come to passe specially considering vvhat the wise man hath set downe to this purpose that that which hath beene shall be and that which hath beene done shall be done and there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Eccl. 1. 9. If it be here alledged that Diuination is a prerogatiue of God himselfe and a part of his glorie incōmunicable to any creature Isa. 41. 23. I answer Things to come must be considered two waies either in themselues or in their causes and signes which either go with them or before them To foretell things to come as they are in themselues without respect vnto their signes or causes is a propertie belonging to God onely and the deuill doth it not by any direct and immediate knowledge of things simply considered in themselues but onely as they are present in their signes or causes Again God foretelleth things to come certainely without the helpe of any creature or other meanes out of himselfe but the

partitions among the mightie Hereupon the ciuill vse of Lots hath his warrant in Gods word so it be lawfully vsed in case of necessitie with i●uocation of the name of God and with expectation of the euent from God by whose hand immeadiate prouidence it is disposed For the Lot saith Salomon is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord Pro. 16. 33. The Sporting Lot is that which is commonly vsed for some vaine and vnnecessary ende as to set vp banck-rupts or such like This hath no warrant in the word of God whereupon men should vse it and therefore is no better then an abuse of Gods ordinance to speake no more of it Now the diuining Lot performed by the opening of a booke or the casting of a die or such like thereby to declare good or bad successe cannot be done without confederacie with Satan either explicite or implicite For the plaine cast of a die or the opening of a booke without beleeuing can doe nothing for discouering of future contingents And what is there in the nature of these actions to produce such effects or where or when did God giue this vertue to them certainely to determine of things hidden from man and knowne onely to himselfe Diuination therefore by them is to be holden as a practise not onely sauouring of superstition but proceeding from the arte of Witchraft and Sorcetie And thus much of Diuination by meanes of the creatures and the seueral kinds thereof Sect. III. The second kind of Diuination is by counterfeit and forged meanes which are none of the creatures of God whereof one kind onely is mentioned in Scripture viz. when Satan is consulted with in the shape of a dead man This is commonly called Neeromaneie or the blacke arte because the Deuill being sought vnto by Witches appeares vnto them in the likenes of a dead bodie And it is expressely forbidden Deuter. 18. 11. yea condemned by the Prophet Esai 8. 19 20. who saith in plaine tearmes that Gods people ought not to goe from the liuing to the dead but to the Law and to the testimonie A memorable example hereof is recorded in 1. Sam. 28. the obseruation whereof will discouer vnto vs the chiefe points of Necromancie There Saul about to encounter the Philisti●s beeing forsaken of God who refused to answer him either by dreames or by Vrim or by the Prophets inquired for one that had a familiar spirit and hearing of the Pythonesse at Endor went vnto her by night and caused her to raise vp Samuel to tell him of the issue of the warre Now the Witch at his request raised vp the Deuill with whome shee was confederate in Samuels likenesse who gaue him answer concerning his owne ouerthrowe and the death of his sonnes Which example declareth plainely that there is a kind of diuination whereby Witches and Sorcerers reueale strange things by means of the deuill appearing vnto thē in the shapes or shadowes of the dead Touching the truth of this example two Questions may be mooued The first is Whether that which appeared was true Samuel or not Some say it was Samuel indeede others who hold that there are no Witches denie that it was either Samuell or the deuill and affirme it to be some other counterfeit comming in Samuels attire to deceiue Saul both which opinious are false and here to be confuted And first that their opinion which say that true Samuel appeared vnto Saul is a flat vntruth I prooue by these reasons I. Before this time God had withdrawne his spirit from Saul as himselfe confesseth and denied to answer him any more by ordinarie meanes in such sort as before he had done Hereupon I gather that it is was not probable that God would now vouchsafe him the fauour to suffer Samuel to come vnto him extraordinarily and tell him what should be the end of his warre with the Philistins and to this purpose it is affirmed twise in that chapter that God had taken his good spirit from Saul II. The soules of the faithfull departed are in the hands of God and doe rest in glorie with himselfe and their bodies are in the earth and there rest in peace So saith the voice from heauen Reuel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works that is the reward of their workes follow them immediatly or at the heeles as the word signifieth Now suppose the deuill had power ouer Samuels bodie yet to make true Samuel he must haue his soule also But it is not in the power of the deuill to bring againe the soules that are in heauen vnto their bodies and so to cause them to appeare vnto men vpon earth and to speake vnto them The Deuills kingdome is in hell and in the hearts of wicked men on earth yea whiles the children of God are in this world he vsurpeth some authoritie ouer them by meanes of their owne corruption But heauen is the kingdome of God and his Saints where Satan hath nothing to doe considering that there is no flesh or corruption to make him entrance or yeeld him intertainement Neither can it be prooued by Scripture that the deuill can disturbe either the bodies or soules of them that die in the Lord and therefore the Witch with all her power and skill could not bring Samuels rotten bodie for so no doubt it was now and soule together III. This shape which appeared suffered Saul to adore and worshippe it where is the true Samuel would neuer haue receiued adoration from Saul the king though it had beene in ciuill manner onely Whome then did Saul adore Answ. The Deuill himselfe who beeing an enemie to the glorie of God was content to take to himselfe that honour which a King in dutie is to performe to God himselfe IV. If it had beene true Samuel he would certainly haue reproued Saul for seeking helpe at Witches contrarie to Gods commandement that doctrine which he had taught him from God in his life time But this counterfeit reproued him not and therefore it is not like to be the true Prophet of God but Satan himselfe framing by his art and skill the person and shape of Samuel But it is alleadged to the contrarie that Samuel a●ter his sleepe prophesied of the death of Saul Ecclesiastic 46. v. 20. A●ter his sleepe also he told of the Kings death c. Answ. That booke penned by Iesus the sonne of Sirach is a very worthie description of Christian Ethicks contaming more excellent precepts for manners then all the writings of heathen Philosophers or other men But yet it is not Scripture neither did the Church euer hold and receiue it as C●●onicall yea the author himselfe ●●sinuateth so much in the beginning thereof for in the preface he disableth himselfe to interpret hard things and after a sort craues pardon for his weaknesse which is not the manner of the men of God that were pen-men of

the onely soueraigne preseruatiue to keepe a man safe and sure from the power of Witches and of the Deuill to haue part in the couenant of grace to be made partaker of Christ by a true faith testified by dying vnto all sinne and liuing vnto God in ●ewnes of life we must not content our selues with a formall confession as many in the visible Church doe which wanting the life of faith doe not liue in Christ but striue to goe further and to adorne our profession by framing our liues according to the word that we may haue our portion in this excellent priuiledge of preseruation from the power and malice of the enemies of God and all vngodly persons Preseruatiues of the second sort are such as concerne the places of mens aboad For Satan contenteth not himselfe to haue manifested his malice in afflicting mens persons but he also enlargeth the same to the molestation of the places where they dwell by insecting the ayre and such like The onely effectuall meanes to remedie this euill is the Sanctification of the places of our habitation Looke as we are wont to sanctifie our meate and drinke by Gods word and by praier and thereby procure his blessing vpon his owne ordinance for our refreshing so in like manner may we sanctifie the places of our aboad and thereby both procure the blessing which we want and also auoid many curses and dangers which otherwise would fall vpon vs. If any shall thinke the Consecration of houses and places in this sort to be a meere deuise of mans braine let them remember that in the Old Testament besides the dedication of the Temple allowed by all there was a Law prescribed to the Iewes for the speciall dedication of euery mans house If any hath built a new house saith Moses and hath not dedicated it let him returne againe c. D●ut 20. 5. As who should say he hath omitted a necessarie dutie Now this dedication was nothing els but the sanctification of them by word and prayer wherein they made acknowledgement that they became theirs by the free gift and blessing of God and further desired a free and lawfull vse of the same to his glorie and their mutuall good A dutie which hath been performed by the seruants of God in ancient times The first thing that Abraham did when he came from Vr of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan which God gaue him to possesse was the building of an Altar for the worship of God his sacrificing thereon and calling vpon the name of the Lord Gen. 12. 8. The same did Noah before him at his first comming out of the Arke after the flood Gen. 8. 20. and Iacob after him in Bethel And they were al mooued hereunto because they knew their comfortable aboad in those places came not by their owne endeauour but from the blessing of God When the good king Hezekiah kept the passeouer in Ierusalem his principall care was that the Priests and all the people might first be sanctified and therefore he praied vnto God to be mercifull to them that were not sanctified 2. Chron. 30. 18. And as he behaued himselfe in his kingdome so should euery master of a familie behaue himselfe in his house where he dwelleth labouring to sanctifie the same that it may be comfortable to him and his least for neglect thereof he pull vpon himselfe and those that belong vnto him the heauie hand of God in plagues and punishments The second kinde of Remedies are Restoratiue which serue to deliuer men from Witchcraft by curing the hurts of Witches in the bodies of men or other creatures In the handling whereof first we will consider how whole countries and then how euery priuate man may be cured and deliuered Whole Countries and Kingdomes are freed and cured specially by one meanes The publishing and embracing of the Gospel When our Sauiour Christ had sent the seauentie Disciples to preach in Iurie at their returne he gaue this testimonie of the effect of their ministerie That he saw Satan fall downe from heauen like lightening Luk. 10. 18. his meaning was this As lightning is suddenly and violently sent out of the cloud and as it were cast downe to the earth by the cracke of the thunders euen so Satan the prince of the world that ruleth in the hearts of the disobediēt was cast down and his kingdome ruinated by the power of the Gospel preached In the times of ignorance the deuill triumpheth freely without controlment but the mist and darkenes of his delusions cannot possibly abide the bright beames of Gods glorious will reuealed by preaching The Lord of auncient times commanded his people not to doe according to those nations among whome they dwelt in Canaan by practising Witchcraft or following after Sorcerie Deut. 18. 9. c. And that they might be able to obey this commandement Moses prescribeth vnto them this Restoratiue the reuerent and obedient hearing of the Lords Prophets v. 18. In this our Church if we would be healed of our wounds and banish Satan from among vs who greatly annoieth a great number of our people by his delusions and damnable practises of Sorcerie the onely way to bring it to passe is the maintaining of a learned Ministerie the aduācing of Prophets by whose labors the Gospel may flourish For the faithfull dispensation thereof is the Lords owne arme and scepter whereby he beateth downe the kingdome of darkenesse and confoundeth the workes and enterprises of the deuill The second sort of Restoratiues serue for the cure of particular persons for howsoeuer the gift and power of casting out Deuills and curing Witchcraft be ordinarily ceased since the Apostles times it beeing a gift pecu●liar to the Primitiue Church and giuen to it onely during the infancie of the Gospel yet there may be meanes vsed and that effectuall for the easing of any person that is bewitched by Satans instruments Those therefore that are in these daies ●ormented in this kind must doe three things First they must enter into a serious examination of themselues and consider the cause for which it pleaseth God to suffer Satan to exercise them with that kind of crosse And here vpon diligent enquirie they shall finde that their owne sinnes are the true and proper causes of these euills When Saul was disobedient to the commandement of God the Lord sent vpon him an euill spirit to vexe him 1. Sam. 15. Hymeneus and Alexander for their pestilent errors were both cast out of the Church and giuen vp also to Satan that they might learne not to blaspheme 1. Tim. 1. 20. in the same manner was the incestuous person dealt withall 1. Cor. 5. 5. Secondly after this Examination the same parties must shewe forth their faith whereby they depend on the free fauour and mercie of God for their deliuerance How may this be done by heartie prayer vnto God ioyned with fasting that the same may be more earnest In which prayer the maine desire of the heart