N00531:91
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.
Q. But then the Enquiry is, What is sufficient Proof?
A. This Case has been with great Judgment answered by several Divines of our own, particularly by Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Bernard. Also Mr. John Gaule a worthy Minister at Staughton in the County of Huntington, has published a very Judicious Discourse, called Select Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcrafts, Printed at London A. D. 1646. wherein he does with great Prudence and Evidence of Scripture-light handle this and other Cases. Such Jurors as can obtain those Books, I would advise them to read and seriously as in the fear of God to Consider them. And so far as they keep to the Law and to the Testimony, & speak according to that Word, receive the Light which is in them. But the Books being now rare to be had, let me express my Concurrence with them in these two particulars.
A. This Case has been with great Judgment answered by several Divines of our own, particularly by Mr. Perkins, and Mr. Bernard. Also Mr. John Gaule a worthy Minister at Staughton in the County of Huntington, has published a very Judicious Discourse, called Select Cases of Conscience touching Witches and Witchcrafts, Printed at London A. D. 1646. wherein he does with great Prudence and Evidence of Scripture-light handle this and other Cases. Such Jurors as can obtain those Books, I would advise them to read and seriously as in the fear of God to Consider them. And so far as they keep to the Law and to the Testimony, & speak ac•ording to that Word, receive the Light which is in them. But the Books being now rare to be had, let me express my Concurrence with them in these two particulars.
1. That a free and Voluntary Confession of the Crime made by the Person Suspected and Accused after Examination, is • sufficient ground of Conviction.