N00531:39
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.
To make the Torment of this Miserable Creature Intolerable, he Anointed his Wounds with Juice of Lemon mingled with Salt, and Pepper, being ground small together, with which Torture the Miserable Wretch gave up the Ghost, with these Dying words, I beseecheth the Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, that HE permit a Wicked Spirit, to make thee feel as many Torments before thy Death, as thou hast caused me to feel before mine. Scarce four days were past after this Horrible Fact, when the Almighty Judge, gave Permission to the father of Wickedness to Possess the Body of that cruel Master, and to make him Lacerate his own flesh, until he dyed, belike surrendering his Ghost into the hands of the Infernal Spirit, who had Tormented his Body. But of this Tragical Story enough.
To make the Torment of this Miserable Creature Intolerable, he Ano•nted his Wounds with Juyce of Lemmon mingled with Salt, and Pepper, being ground sma•l together, with which Torture the Miserable Wretch gave up the Ghost, with these Dying words, I beseeth the Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, that HE permit a Wicked Spirit, to make thee feel as many Torments before thy Death, as thou hast caused me to feel before mine. Scarce four dayes were past after this Horrible Fact, when the Almighty Judge, gave Permission to the father of Wickedness to Possess the Body of that cruel Master, and to make him Lacerate his own flesh, until he dyed, belike surrendering his Ghost into the hands of the Infernal Spirit, who had Tormented his Body. But of this Tragical Story enough.
To proceed, Is it not usual for Persons after their Death to appear unto the Living. But it do's not therefore follow, that the Great God will not suffer this to be. For both in former and latter Ages, Examples thereof have not been wanting. No longer since, than the last Winter, there was much Discourse in London concerning a Gentlewoman, unto whom her Dead Son (and another whom she knew not) had appeared. Being then in London, I was willing to satisfy my self, by enquiring into the Truth of what was reported. And on Feb. 23. 1691. my Brother (who is now a Pastor ⟨p. 20⟩