Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Table of contents
The Contents.
THe First Case proposed, Whether Satan may not appear in the Shape of an Innocent and Pious as well as of a Nocent and Wicked person to Afflict such as suffer by Diabolical Molestations?
The Affirmative proved from Six Arguments.
1. From several Scriptures. p. 2.
2. Because it is possible for the Devil in the Shape of Innocent Persons to do other mischiefs, proved by many Instances. p. 11.
3. Because if Satan may not represent an Innocent Person as Afflicting others, it must be either because he wants will, or Power to do this, or because God will never permit him so to do it: Either of which may be affirmed. p. 14.
4. It is certain both from Scripture and History that Magicians by their Inchantments and Hellish Conjurations may cause a false Representation of Persons and Things. p. 21.
5. From the concurring Judgment of many Learned and Judicious men. p 28.
6. Our own Experience has confirmed the Truth of what we affirm. p. 33.
The Second Case considered, Viz. if one bewitched be cast down with the Look or Cast of the Eye of another Person, and after that recovered again by a Touch from the same Person, is not this an infallible Proof that the Party Accused and Complained of is in Covenant with …he Devil? … 34.
Answ. This may be Gr…und of Suspicion and Examination, but not o… Conviction p. 34.
The Judgment of Mr. Bernard, and of Dr. Cotta produced. p. 35, 36, 37.
Several things offered against the Infallibility of this Proof.
1. Tis possible that the Persons in Question may be possessed with evil Spirits▪ Signs of such. p. 38.
2. Falling down with the Cast of the Eye proceeds not from a natural but an Arbitrary Cause. p. 41.
3. That of the bewitched Persons being recovered with a Touch is various and fallible. p. 45.
4. There are that Question the Lawfulness of the Experiment. p. 46.
5. The Testimony of bewitched or possessed Persons is no Evidence as to what they see concerning others, & therefore not as to themselves. p. 48.
6. Bewitched persons have sometimes been struck down with the Look of Doggs. p. 49.
7. If this were an infallible proof, there would be difficulty in discovering Witches.
8. Nothing can be produced out of the Word of God to shew that this is any Proof of Witchcraft. p. 50.
9. Antipathies in nature have strange and unaccountable effects.
The Third Case considered, whether there are any Discoveries of Witchcraft which Jurors and Judges may with a safe Conscience proceed upon to the Conviction and Condemnation of the Persons under Suspicion? p. 51.
Two Things premised,
1. That the Evidence in the Crime of Witchcraft ought to be as clear as in any other Crimes of a Capital nature. p. 52.
2. That there have been ways of Trying Witches long used, which God never approved of. More particularly that of casting the suspected Party into the Water to try whether they will Sink or Swim. The Vanity and great Sin which is in that way of Purgation evinced by six Reasons. p. 52. to 57
That there are Proofs for the Conviction of Witches, which Jurors may with a safe Conscience proceed upon, proved from Scripture. p. 58.
That a free and Voluntary Confession is a sufficient Ground of Conviction. p. 59.
That the Testimony of confessing Witches against others is not so …ar an Evidence, as against themselves. p. 62.
That if two Credible Persons shal affirm upon Oath that they have seen the Person accused doing things which none but such as have Familiarity with the Devil ever did or can do, that's a sufficient Ground of Conviction: And that this has often hapned. p. 65.
Mr. Perkins his Solemn Caution to Jurors. p. 67.