N00296:287
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences: wherein, an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events, which have happened in this last age; especially in New-England. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green, 1684
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.
Ans. There are several great Authors who have discovered and declared the evil of all such practices. In special Voetius, Sennertus, and our Perkins disapprove thereof. There is another Question much what of the same nature with this, viz. Whether a Bewitched person may lawfully cause any of the Devils Symbols to be removed in order to gaining Health? As suppose an Image of Wax in which Needles are fixed, whereby the Devil doth at the instigation of his Servants, torment the diseased person whether this b•ing discovered may be taken away, that so the Devils power of operation may cease, and that the sick person may in that way obtain health again? The Affirmative of this Question is stiffly maintained by Scotus, Cajetan, Delrio, Malderus, and by Popish Authors generally. Yet amongst them Hesselius, Estius, and Sanchez, hold the Negative. And so do all our Protestant Writers, so far as I have had occasion to observe. And although some make light of such practices, and others undertake to justify them, yet it cannot justly be denied but that they are impious follies.
Ans. There are several great Authors who have discovered and declared the evil of all such practices. In special Voetius, Sennertus, and our Perkins disapprove thereof. There is another Question much what of the same nature with this, viz. Whether a Bewitched person may lawfully cause any of the Devils Symbols to be removed in order to gaining Health? As suppose an Image of Wax in which Needles are fixed, whereby the Devil doth at the instigation of his Servants, torment the diseased person whether this b•ing discovered may be taken away, that so the Devils power of operation may cease, and that the sick person may in that way obtain health again? The Affirmative of this Quaestion is stiffly maintained by Scotus, Cajetan, Delrio, Malderus, and by Popish Authors generally. Yet amongst them Hesselius, Estius, and Sanchez, hold the Negative. And so do all our Protestant Writers, so far as I have had occasion to observe. And although some make light of such practices, and others undertake to justifie them, yet it cannot justly be denied but that they are impious follies.