A26888:220
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls…
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadducees and infidels, by Richard Baxter.The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1691
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.
XXII. I know none that hath written better de Angelis & de Potentia Daemonum, than Zanchy, who, Tom. 3. c. 4 de Pot. Dem. saith, [He wonders that any should deny, that there are such Spirits as are called Hags or Fairies, as exercise Familiarity with Men, and without hurting them, come to them, and trouble them, as playing with them. I could (saith he) bring many Examples of persons yet living, that have had Experience of them on themselves: But hence it appeareth, that there are such Spirits in the Air, and that when God permits them, they use their Power on us, for sport or hurt.] Read him there further.
XXIII. I have elsewhere cited the most Credible Melanchthon, saying he had seen some, and that many persons of his Acquaintance, had seen and talked with them; and that the Devil appeared to his own Aunt in the likeness of her dead Husband, with a Franciscan Friar, and told her, she must hire some Masses to be said for him; and took her by the Hand, saying, he would not hurt her; but it so burnt her Hand, that it remained black ever after.
XXIII. I have elsewhere cited the most Credible Melanchthon, saying he had seen some, and that many persons of his Acquaintance, had seen and talk'd with them; and that the Devil appeared to his own Aunt in the likeness of her dead Husband, with a Franciscan Fryar, and told her, she must hire some Masses to be said for him; and took her by the Hand, saying, he would not hurt her; but it so burnt her Hand, that it remained black ever after.
See Fernelius de abditis rerum Causis, lib. 2. c. 16. of many things that he saw himself, that are convincing.