The Damned Art of Witchcraft, Title page – Dedication
A DISCOVRSE OF THE DAMNED ART OF WITCHCRAFT; SO FARRE FORTH as it is reuealed in the Scriptures, and manifest by true experience. FRAMED AND DELIVERED 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. WHEREVNTO 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.
PRINTED BY CANTREL LEGGE, Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge. 1610.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, SIR EDWARD COOKE Knight, Lord chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Court of Common Pleas; Grace and peace.
RIght Honourable: The word of God that onelyonly Oracle of truth, hath pointed out the Enemie of mankind, by his proper Characters, in sundrie places. Our Sauiour tearmes him, the Prince of this World; aIoh. 12. 11.& a bIoh. 8. 44murtherer from the beginning▪ Peter compares him toc1. Pet 5. 8. a roaring Lyon, that rangeth abroad in the earth, seeking whō he may deuoure. His attempts in regard of their quality, are called d2. Cor. 2. 11.foreign ▪ subtill & deepe deuises; yeaeEph. 6. 11. foreign plots exquisitely contriued, and orderly framed, as it were in Methode. The meaning of the holy Ghost in these and such like attributes, is, to expresse that measure of policie and power, which Satan hath reserued vntounto himselfe euen in the state of his Apostasie, improoued by long experience, and instantly practised vponupon the sonne, of men, that he might set vp in the world, a spirituall regiment of time, as a meane to encounter the kingdome of grace, and … it were possible, to bring the same to ruine. To forbeare instances of open force made against God and his Church by other courses, for the compassing of his de…c, how skilfully he worke, his owne aduantage, by secret opposition in the exercise of that cursed Art, which is the Subiect of the present Discourse, is a point not vnworthie your Honourable consideration.
The Power of this Prince of darknesse, beeing aboue the might of all sensible Creatures, and eueryevery way seconded by the greatnesse of his knowledge and experience, manifes…eth it selfe herein, for the most part, by workes of wonder, transcendent in regard of ordinarie capacitie, and diuersly disp…sed by his chosen instruments of both tex…t▪ sometime in matter of Diuination, sometime by Inchantment, sometime by rare … and delusions; otherwhiles by hurting, by cu…ing, by raising of Tempests, by speedie conuayance and transportation from place to place, &c. and all to purchase vntounto himselfe admiration, feare, and faith, of the credu…ous world, which is vsually carried away, with affectation and applause of signes and wonders. His policie, appeareth in a wise and exqui…ite manner of framing and conceiuing both his practises and grounds; the one to procure credit and intertainment, the other, that he may not faile of his purpose, but proceede vponupon certenties.
Touching the manner of his practise. He stands resolued, that the world hath taken notice of him to befIoh. 8. 4…. a lyar, and the father thereof: and therefore if he should offer to speake in his o…ne language, or informe an Art by Rules of his owne deuising; he might haply incurre suspicion of falshood. Hereupon he composeth his courses foreign, by way of counterfait and imitation, not of the actions and dealings of men, but of the order of Gods owne proceeding with his Church; holding it a sure principle in policie, That actions will be much more effectuall, when they be framed vntounto the best presidents, then when they are suted to the direction of meaner examples. To this purpose, as God hath made a Couenant with his Church, binding himselfe by promise to be their God, and requiring of them the condition of faith and obedience; so doth Satan indent with his Subiects by mutuall confederacie, either solemnly or secretly; whereby they bind themselues on the one part to obserue his Rules, and he on the other to accomplish their desires. Againe, God giues his Word, the Interpreter of his will, and his Sacraments, the …eales of his promises, to which beeing rightly administred and receiued, he hath tied his own presence, and the worke of his grace in them that beleeue. Answerably to this, the Deuill giues a word of direction to his Instruments, and addeth vntounto it, Charmes, Figures, Characters, and other outward Ceremonies, at the vse whereof he hath bound himselfe to be present, and to manifest his power in effecting the thing desired. Furthermore, God hath reuealed his will to the Patriarchs, Prophets, and Apostles, by familiaraGen. 18. 17. conference, bybNum. 1…6. dreams, bycAmos 3. 7. inspiration, bydAct. 10. 10. Trances: In the same maner, Satan hath his Diuinors, and Soothsayers, his Pythonisses, his Cassandra…s, his Sibylles, to whome he maketh knowne things to come, by familiar presence, by dreames, &c. To conclude, God had in the Old Testament his Temple at Ierusalem, yea hiseExod 25. 22. N…mb. 7. 89. Oracle, from whence he spake, and gaue the answer vntounto Moses: So of auncient times, the deuill erected his Temple atHerodot. Euterpe. Dodona, and Delphos, whence he gaue his answers, for the satisfaction of the superstitio…s Heathen. Yea, and at this day, as the Ministers of God doe giuegive resolution to the conscience in matters doubtfull and difficult: so the ministers of Satan, vnderunder the name of Wise-men, and Wise-women, are at hand, by his appointment, to resolue, direct, and helpe ignorant and vnsetled persons, in cases of distraction, losse, or other outward calamities.
Now the Grounds whereupon he buildeth his proceedings for certentie, are cunningly gathered from the disposition of mans heart, by naturall all corruption, and that in three speciall instances. First, he knowes that Man naturally out of the light of grace, hath but1. Cor. 2. 14. foreign. a meere Saule, indued onelyonly with some generall and confused notions; and as for matters of deeper apprehension touching God and heauenly things, there is a vaile of ignorance and blindnesse drawne ouer the eyes of his mind. Wherupon, though he be apt to know and worship a God, and learne his will, yet for want of information by the word, he is prone to erre in the practise of his notion. Here Satan applies himselfe to mans measure, and at his owne will, drawes the minde into error, by his delusions, and impostures. This made theg2. king. 17. 29. I…h 4. 21. Samaritants in the Old Testament, and the superstitioushAct. 17. …3. Athenians in the New, to worship an vnknowne God, that is thei1. Cor. 10. 20. Deuill. Hence it was, that the greatest Clarkes of Greece,kDiog. Laert. lib. 1 in Thal…tis epist. ad Pherecid. & l. 3. Strabo Geogr. l. 17. Thales, Plato, and the rest, for want of a better light, sought vntounto the Wizzards of Egypt, whome they called Prophets, men instructed by Satan in the grounds of Diuination. And of this sort were Iannes and lambres mentioned in the l2. Tim. 3. 8.Scriptures. Hence it was also that the auncient Heathen, hauingmb…a 8. 19, 20. no Law and Testimonie from God, inquired at Soothsayers, and murmuring Inchanters; others betooke themselues, in matters of doubt and difficultie, to the old Oracles ofnDiod. Sic. l. 17. Plin. l. 5. c. 5. Iupiter Ammon in Libya, ofoHerodot. Euterpe. Strabo Geogr. l. 16. ex Hom. Odyss. foreign. Iupiter Dodonaeus at Dodona in Epirus; ofpPa…san. in Phocicis. Herodot. Euterpe Str Geogr. lib. 9. & l. 16. Apollo at Delphos, ofqPa…san. in Hoeoticis. Strabo Geogr. lib. 9. Iupiter Trophonius in Boeotia, and the rest; where the Deuill gaue the answer, sometimes one way, and sometimes another. Secondly, Satan by obseruation perceiueth, that man vponupon a*Omn… superstiti… i… becilli animi atque a nilis est. Cic. de Divin. weake and ignorant minde, is prone superstitiously to dote vponupon the creatures, attributing some diuine operation or vertue to them, without any ground of Gods word, or common vnderstanding; and consequently disposed to worship God in some worke of man, or to ioyne to the s…me worship the inuentions of man, which he hath not commanded. VponUpon which ground he made the Heathen to dote vponupon their wisemen, to regard hLevit. 19. 31.Soothsayers, and them that wrought with Spirits; The ChaldeaniCle… Al. …. lib. 6. Strabo Geogr. l. 15. Philosophers renowmed for their superstitions and Magicall courses, to make the Heauens, fatalium Legum Tabulam, ascribing that to the vertue of the Starres, which was knowne and done by Satanicall operation; The Magicians of Persia, to admit of corruptions in their auncient good learning, and to giuegive themselues, vponupon reading the fabulous writings of the Chaldean Sorcerers,Dan … 2. Matth. 2. 1. to the sludie of vnlawfull Arts inuented by himselfe, both before and after the times of Daniel the Prophet: Lastly, the …ncient Romanes vponupon a superstitious do…age, neuer to vndertake any businesse of weight, …isi auspicatò, vnlesse they had luckie consent and warrant from the Colledges of their Augurors erected by Romul…u. Thirdly, there is a naturall Distemper in the minde of man, shewing it selfe in these particulars, That he cannot endure to stand in feare of imminent daunger; That he swells in an high conceit of his owne deserts, specially when he is in lower estate, then he would be; That he will not beare a wrong done, without reuenge; That he rests not satisfied, with the measure of knowledge receiued, but affecteth the searching of things secret, and not reuealed. When the minde is possessed with these troubled passions, with care to helpe it selfe; then comes the Deuill, and ministreth occasion to vse vnlawf…ll means in the generall, and forceth the minde by continuall suggestion, to determine it selfe in particular vponupon his owne crafts. It was the case ofk1. Sam 28. Saul, and oflDan. 2. 1, 2. Nebuchadnetsar. It caused many of the Heathen Philosophers, to go from Athens to Memphis, from Grecia to Syria, from men on earth to wicked Spirits in hell, to get more illumination at the hands of the Prince of darkenesse. It mooued sundrie …al-contented Priests of Rome,Platina in Sylv. 2. &c. Fascie. temporum. to aspire vntounto the chaire of Supremacie, by Diabolicall assistance; yeabBenno Cardinal. de Sylvest … & Gregor. 6. Act. 8 9. to exercise Magicall arts, when they were Popes: and thereby to manifest indeed, that they were not the true Successors of Simon Peter, but heyres of the vertues of Simon that Magus, who bewitched the people of Samaria, and professed to doe that by the great power of God, which he wrought by the ayde and assistance of the Deuill.
If any doe thinke it strange, that Satan should in this sort oppose himselfe to the kingdome of God, and maintaine his owne principalitie, by such vngodly arts and exercises;August. Enchirid. cap. 95. & 96. They must knowe, that this and all other euills come to passe euen by the will of God, who hath iustly permitted the same; To punish the wicked for their horrible sin…es;1. Sam. 28. as Saul for his wickednesse: To auenge himselfe vponupon Man for his ingratitude;2 Thess. 2. 10, 11, 12. who hauing the truth reuealed vntounto him, will not beleeue or obey it; To waken and rowze vp the godly, who are sleeping in any great sinnes or infirmities; Lastly, to trie and prooue his people, whether they will cleaue to him and his word,Deut. 13. 3. or seeke vntounto Satan and wicked Spirits.
Now from the consideration of the premisses, we conclude it a necessarie thing for the Church and people of God, to be acquainted with the dealing of Satan in this kinde, that knowing his subtill deuises, they may learne to auoyd them. For which purpose this Treatise was first framed, and now exhibited to your Lordship. The iust commendation whereof, aboue others formerly divulged touching this Argument, appeareth herein, that it serueth to the full opening and declaration of Satans Methode in the ground and practises of Witchcraft. Wherein among many other remarkable points, it may please you to take speciall notice of these particulars. I. That they doe grossely erre, who either in expresse tearmes denie that there be Witches, or in effect, and by consequent; auouching that there is no league betweene them and the Deuill; or affirming they can doe no such miraculous workes, as are ascribed to them. The former issueth plainly our of the bodie of the Discourse. And for the latter; That there is a Couenant betweene them, either explicite in manner and forme, or implicite by degrees of superstitious proceeding in the vse of meanes insufficient in themselues; is plainely taught and confirmed in the same. That Witches may and doe worke wonders, is euidently prooued; howbeit not by an omnipotent power,… Reignald Scot, epist. …. (as the … hath vnlearnedly and improperly tea… …) but by the assistance of Satan their Princ… …ho is a powerfull Spirit, but yet a Creatu… well as they. And the Wonders wrough… … them are not properly and simply miracles, Miravel mirand…, non Miracula.but workes of wonder, because they exceede the ordinarie power and capacitie of men, especially such as are ignorant of Satans habilitie, and the hidden causes in nature, whereby things are brought to passe. II. That the Witch truely conuicted, is to be punished with death, the highest degree of punishment; and that by the Lawe of Moses, the equitie whereof is perpetuall. Yea euen the better Witch of the two in common reputation, because both are equally enemies to God, and all true religion; and it is well knowne by true experience, that all professed Sorc…rers, are guiltie of many most monstrous impieties. III. That the Miracles of the Popish Church at this day, are indeed either no Miracles, or false and deceitfull workes. Touching corporall presence in the Sacrament, which they affirme to be by miracle; If it were true, then miracles were not yet ceased, but should still be as ordinarie in the Church, as are the Sacraments. A point not onelyonly confuted in the latter part of this Treatise,Lib. de civ. Dei. 22. c. 8. but also by the testimonie of purer Antiquitie. Augustine saith, That miracles were once necessarie to make the world beleeue the Gospel; but he that now seekes a signe that he may beleeue, is a wonder, yea … monster in nature. Chrysostome conclude… … on the same grounds,Homil. 19. ope…. imperfect. that there is now in the Church, no necessitie of working Miracles; and calles him a false Prophet that now takes in hand to worke them. Againe, if there be a miracle in the Sacrament, it is contrarie to the nature of all those that were wrought, either by Moses and the Prophets, or by Christ, and his Apostles. For they were apparent to the eye, but this is insensible; and therfore neither of …orce to mooue admiration, nor to conuince the minde of man, and make him to beleeue. As for those, which are pretended to be wrought by Saints in that church; if we make recourse to the Primitiue times, wherein God gaue the gift, to breede faith in the Gentiles; we shall finde that the power of producing such workes, was neuer actually inherent in the Apostles,Act. 3. 12. 16. but dispensed by their▪ in the Name of Christ: Neither was it in their libertie, to worke miracles, when they would, but when it pleased God, vponupon speciall cause▪ to ca…l them thereunto. And i… neither the power nor the will was in them, much lesse is it likely to be sound in any of the Saints. And for their Reliques, of what name soeuer, so greatly magnified and resorted vntounto; we denie there is any such vertue in them. For they may not be thought to be more effectuall then the hem of Christs garment, from which the power of healing the woman did not proceede, but from himself…: Luk. 8. 46.Or, then the Napkin of Paul, which did not cure the sicke, but the power of God onelyonly, dispensed by the hands of Paul. Act. 19. 1…. 11.Miracles therefore, auouched by them, to be wrought at the Tombs & Statues of Saints, and by their reliques and monuments, are but meere Satanicall wonders, seruing to maintaine Idolatrie and superstition; and are in truth, no better then …the wonders of the Donatists in S. Augustines time,Aug. lib de vnital. eccl. cap. 16. aut figmenta mond…cium hominum, aut port…nta fallacium spirituum. 2. Cor. 4. 4.IV. That the light of the Gospel purely preached, is a soueraigne meane, to discoue… & con…ound the power and policie of Sa…n in Witch-craft and Sorcerie. The wo…d of God preached, is the weap…n of the Christians warfare, and is mightie through God to cast downe strong bolds. 2. Cor. 10. 4.At the dispensation of i… by the disciples of Christ, Satan fall from heauen a… lightning. Luk. 10. 18.After the ascension of Christ into Heauen, in the times of Claudius Cesar*Iust. Mart. Apol. ad Anton., the Deuill stirred vp sundrie persons, who in regard of the admirable works which they did, by the helpe of Magicke and Sorcerie, were accounted as Gods, and their Statues erected and worshipped with great reuerence. Amongst the rest, one Simon, called by a kinde of eminencie; Magus, practising his trade with successe, to the admiration of the multitude,Act. …. 10. was holden to be the great power of God. Whose dealing was first discouered by the light of the word, shining in the Ministery of the Apostles, and himselfe conuicted with such euidence of truth, to be an Instrument of Satan, that he was forced at length to flie ou… of Sama…i… into the Westerne parts,Euseb. Eccl. hist. lib. 2. cap. 12. as Eusebius recordeth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie. By this, Christ the true angel of the Couenant, lo… ked and bound vp Satan for a 1000.Rev. 20. 2. yeares after his ascension, that he might not be so generally powerfull in seducing the Gentiles, as he had beene before his incarnation. But toward the expiration of those yeares, when corruption began to creepe into the Papacie; when the Bishops affected that Sea, and aspired vntounto it by Diabolicall arts; when the Canons, Decrees, Sentences, Synod…lls, De…r…ialls, Clemen…ines, Extrauagants, with other Laws and Constitutions, preuailed aboue the Scriptures; then began Satan againe to erect his kingdome, and these workes of iniquitie to be set abroach.
Th…se points together with the whole work ensueing▪ I humb…y commend to your Honorable patronage, that vnderunder your protection they may freely passeth the common view of the world. Wherin if I seem ouer-bold, thus to presse vponupon your Lordship vnknowne; my answer in at hand; That all by-respects … part, I hauehave beene hereunto induced many waies. First, vponupon a reuerent opinion of those rare gifts of knowledge and pietie; wherewith God hath beautified your person, …nd thereby aduanced you to high place, and estimation in this Common-wealth; Whereof those your graue and indicious speeches, euen in the weightiest matters touching God and Cesar, as also those many learned writings, hauehave giuen large testimonie. Frō which hath issued the greatnes of your Name, both in the present iudgement of the world, and in future expectation. Next out of a resolued perswasion of your Honourable disposition, as in generall to the whole house of Leui, so particularly to those, whose labours hauehave fruitfully flowed out of the Schooles of the Prophets, amongst whome the Author of this booke, in his time, was none of the meanest. Lastly, by the consideration of the Argument arising out of a Law Iudiciall, agreeable to the calling and qualitie of a Iudge. A Law penall in regard of the offence, and therefore sutable to his proceedings, whose office is to heare with fauour, to determine with equitie, to execute iustice with moderation. A law of the highest, and greatest weight, immediately concerning God and his Honour, and therefore appertaining to him,De…t. 1. 16. 2. Chron. 19. 6. that sits in the place of God, to maintane his right, that he may be with him, in the cause and iudgement.
By such Motiues, I hauehave incouraged my …, vnderunder assurance of your Lordships pardon, to present you with that, wherein you are most deseruedly interessed; further intreating your fauourable interpretation and acceptance, both of the qualitie of the Worke, and of the paines of the Publisher. And thus heartily wishing to your Lordship increase of grace and honour, with a daily influence of blessing and direction from heauen, vponupon your graue consultations and employments, I humbly take my leaue, and commend you to the grace of God, by whome doe rule all the Iudges of the earth. Prov. 8. 16.Finchingfield. Octob. 26. 1608.
Your L. in all Christian dutie to be commanded, THOMAS PICKERING.