A70086:111
A further account of the trials of the New-England witches with the observations of…A further account of the tryals of the New-England witches with the observations of…
A further account of the trials of the New-England witches with the observations of a person who was upon the place several days when the suspected witches were first taken into examination : to which is added, Cases of conscience concerning witchcrafts and evil spirits personating men / written at the request of the ministers of New-England by Increase Mather ...A further account of the tryals of the New-England witches with the observations of a person who was upon the place several days when the suspected witches were first taken into examination : to which is added, Cases of conscience concerning witchcrafts and evil spirits personating men / written at the request of the ministers of New-England by Increase Mather ...
London: printed for J. Dunton, 1693
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.
That some Persons at the sight of Brute-Creatures, Cats, Spiders, &c. Nay, at the sight of Cheeses, Milk, Apples, will fall into Fits, is too well known to be denied. Pensingius in his Learned Discourse De Pulvere Sympathatico, p. 128. saith, there was one in the City of Groaning that could not bear the sight of a Swine's Head: And that he knew another who was not able to look on the Picture thereof. Amatus Lusitanus speaks of one that at the sight of a Rose would swoon away: This proveth that the falling into a Fit at the sight of another is not always a sign of Witchcraft. It may proceed from Nature, and the Power of Imagination.
That some Persons at the sight of Bruit-Creatures, Cats, Spiders, &c. Nay, at the sight of Cheeses, Milk, Apples, will fall into Fits, is too well known to be denied. Pensingius in his Learned Discourse De Pulvere Sympathatico, p. 128. saith, there was one in the City of Groning that could not bear the sight of a Swine's Head: And that he knew another who was not able to look on the Picture thereof. Amatus Lusitanus speaks of one that at the sight of a Rose would swoon away: This proveth that the falling into a Fit at the sight of another is not always a sign of Witchcraft. It may proceed from Nature, and the Power of Imagination.
To conclude; Judicious Casuists †have determined, that to make use of those Media to come to the Knowledge of any Matter, which have no such power in them by Nature, nor by Divine Institution is an Implicit going to the Devil to make a discovery: Now there is no natural Power in the Look or Touch of a Person to bewitch another; nor is this by Divine Institution the means whereby Witchcraft is discovered: Therefore it is an unwarrantable Practice.
- †Ames. Cas. Consc. L. 4. C. 23.