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.

Sect. V.

The last clause in the description, is this; so farre forth as God in iustice suffe∣reth: which I adde, for two causes. First, ••o shew that God, for iust causes, per∣mi••te••h the Arts of Magicke & Witch∣craft, and the practises thereof. Now this he doth in his prouidence, either for the triall of his children, or for the punishment of the wicked.

First therefore God permits these wicked Arts in the Church, to prooue whether his children wil steadfastly be∣leeue in him, and seeke vnto his word, or cleaue vnto the deuill, by seeking to his wicked instruments. This Moses plainely forewarned the Church of God of, in his time, Deuter. 13. v. 1. If there arise among you a Prophet, or a drea∣mer of dreames, and giue thee a signe or wonder, v. 2. and the signe and wonder which he hath told thee, come to passe, saying, Let vs goe after other gods, which thou hast not knowne, and serue them, v. 3. thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet, &c.

Againe, God suffereth them for the

punishment of vnbeleeuers and wicked men: for oftentimes God punisheth one sinne by an other, as the antecedent sinnes by the consequent. This Paul plainely sheweth (speaking of the daies of Antichrist) that because men receiued not the loue of the truth, therefore God would send vpon them strong illusions, that they should beleeue lies. And we may resolue our selues, that for this very cause, God suffereth the practises of Witchcraft, to be so rise in these our daies, to punish the ingratitude of men, who haue the truth reuealed vnto them, and yet will not beleeue and obey the same, but tread it vnder their feete, that all they might be condemned which beleeued not the truth, but tooke pleasure in vnrighteous∣nesse.

Secondly, this last clause is added, to shewe that in the practises of sorcerie and witchcraft, the Deuill can doe so much onely as God permitts him, and no more. Doubtlesse, his malice reach∣eth further, and consequently his will and desire; but God hath restrained his power, in the execution of his malitious

poses, whereupon he cannot goe a whit further, then God giues him leaue and libertie to goe. The Magicians of E∣gypt did some wonders in shew like vn∣to the miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron, and that for a time, by changing a rodde into a serpent, and water into blood, and by bringing froggs through he sleight and power of the deuill; but when it pleased God, to determine their practises, and giue them no further li∣ber••ie, they could not doe that, which in likelihood was the meanest of all the rest, the turning of the dust of the land into lice, and themselues gaue the true reason thereof, ••aving, That this was the finger of God, Exod. 8. 19. When the de∣uil•• went out and became a false spirit in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets, to in∣tise him to goe to fall at Ramoth G••le∣••d, he went not of his owne will; but by the authoritie of God, who comman∣ded him to goe ••••••entise Ahab, and suf∣fered him to preuaile, 1. King. 22. 20. ••nd the act was not the act of Satan, but of God, whose instrument he was; and therefore the holy Ghost saith by

Mi••aiah, The Lord-hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath appointed euill against thee, v. 23. Hence also it was, that the deuills, beeing cast out of the man that had an vncleane spirit, asked leaue of Christ to enter into the heard of swine, and could not enter in till he had permited them; Mark. 5. 12, 13. And we read oftentimes in the Gospel, that our Sauiour cast out many deuills by his word onely, there∣by shewing that he was absolute Lord ouer them, and that without his per∣mission; they could doe nothing.

And thus much touching the gene∣rall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of this Art.

Notes

• August. de Trin l. 3. c. 7.
• 2. Thess. 2. 10, 11.
• •• 12.