N00531:35
Cases of conscience concerning evil spirits personating men, witchcrafts, infallible proofs of guilt in…
Cases of conscience concerning evil spirits personating men, witchcrafts, infallible proofs of guilt in such as are accused with that crime. All considered according to the Scriptures, history, experience, and the judgment of many learned men. / By Increase Mather, president of Harvard College, at Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Six lines of quotations]
Boston printed, : and sold by Benjamin Harris at the London Coffee-House., 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.
Some Popish Authors argue, that that Devil cannot personate an innocent man as doing an Act of witchcraft, because then he might as well represent them as committing Theft, murder &c. And if so, there would be no Living in the world. But I turn the Argument against them, He may (as the mentioned Instances prove) personate honest men as doing other Evils. And no solid Reason can be given why he may not as well personate them under the notion of witches as under the notion of Thieves, Murders and Idolaters. As for the Objection, that then there would be no living in the world, we shall consider it under the next Argument.
Some Popish Authors argue, that that Devil cannot personate an innocent man as doing an Act of witchcraft, because then he might as well represent them as commiting Theft, murder &c. And if so, there would be no Living in the world. But I turn the Argument against them, He may (as the mentioned Instances prove) personate honest men as doing other Evils. And no solid Reason can be given why he may not as well personate them under the notion of witches as under the notion of Thieves, Murders and Idolators. As for the Objection, that then there would be no living in the world, we shall consider it under the next Argument.
Arg: 3. If Satan may not represent one that is not a covenant servant of his as afflicting those that are bewitched or possessed, then it is either because he wants Will, or Power to do this, or because God will never permit him thus to do. No man but a Saddu•• doubts of the ill will of Devils. Nothing is more pleasing to the Malice of those wicked Spirits than to see Innocency wronged. And the Power of the Enemy is such as that having once obtained a Divine Concession to use his Art, he can do this and much ⟨p. 15⟩more then this amounts unto. We know by Scripture-Revelation that the Sorcerers of Egypt caused many untrue and delusive (†)Representations before Pharaoh and his Servants.