N00531:50
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.
As for the Judgment of the Elders in New-England, so far as I can learn, they do generally concur with Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Bernard. This I know, that at a Meeting of Ministers at Cambridge, August 1. 1692. where were present seven Elders besides the President of the College, the Question then discoursed on, was, Whether the Devil may not sometimes have a Permission to Represent an Innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations? The Answer which they all concurred in was in these words, viz. That the Devil may sometimes have a Permission to Represent an Innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations. But that such things are rare and extraordinary, especially when such Matters come before Civil Judicatures. And that some of the most Eminent Ministers in the Land, who were not at that Meeting, are of the same Judgment, I am assured. And I am also sure, that in Cases of this Nature, the Priests •ips should keep Knowledge, and they ⟨p. 33⟩should seek the Law at his Mouth, Mal. 2. 7.
As for the Judgment of the Elders in New-England, so far as I can learn, they do generally concurr with Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Bernard. This I know, that at a Meeting of Ministers at Cambridge, August 1. 1692. where were present seven Elders besides the President of the Colledge, the Question then discoursed on, was, Whether the Devil may not sometimes have a Permission to Represent an Innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations? The Answer which they all concurred in was in these words, viz. That the Devil may sometimes have a Permission to Represent an Innocent Person as tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations. But that such things are rare and extraordiry, especially when such Matters come before Civil Judicatures. And that some of the most Eminent Ministers in the Land, who were not at that Meeting, are of the same Judgment, I am assured. And I am also sure, that in Cases of this Nature, the Priests •ips should keep Knowledge, and they ⟨p. 33⟩should seek the Law at his Mouth, Mal. 2. 7