The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth Webster, John
Religion
The displaying of supposed witchcraft : $b Wherein is affirmed that there are many sorts of deceivers and impostors, and divers persons under a passive delusion of melancholy and fancy. But that there is a corporeal league made betwixt the devil and the witch, or that he sucks on the witches body, has carnal copulation, or that witches are turned into cats, dogs, raise tempests, or the like, is utterly denied and disproved. Wherein also is handled, the existence of angels and spirits, the truth
Webster, John
Witchcraft; Witchcraft -- Early works to 1800
any thing) an ill Spirit under that face, I am justly confident; neither
can any man doubt, that looking further into the relation, finds him to
come with a lye in his mouth. For thus he goes on; [We Celestial ones
behold the Deity, ye banished ones worship the Eucharist, which ye ought
to worship with the same affection wherewith we adore the Deity] such
perfume doth this holy Devil leave behind him. The like might be
instanced in a thousand Apparitions of this kind, all worthy of the same
entertainment.” This is a story from one single person, a lying
Carmelite, one that for interest, and upholding of Superstition and
Idolatry, had feigned and forged it; for in it self it appeareth to be a
meer falsity and figment, as any rational man may easily discern, and so
are a thousand stories of this kind worthy of the like entertainment,
that is, to be condemned for most horrid lyes. Another he tells us:
“Amongst such fastidious choice of whole dry-fats of voluminous
relations, I cannot forbear to single out that one famous of _Magdalen
de la Croix_, in the year of our Lord Christ 1545, &c.” The third from
the mouth of another lying Fryar named _Jacobus de Pozali_, in his
Sermon, “That St. _Macarius_ once went about to make peace betwixt God
and Satan, &c.” Now whatsoever credit this Learned man (who in things of
this kind appeareth to be as vainly credulous as any) doth seem to give
unto these, or what use soever he would make of them, it is undeniably
manifest to all impartial judgments, that they were but absolute
forgeries and knacks of Imposture and Knavery, and (according to his own
opinion) may justly be ranked amongst those thousand Apparitions of this
kind, all worthy of the same entertainment, that is, to be rejected for
abominable lyes or forgeries, and that for these reasons. 1. Because
they are not attested by any sincere and uncorrupt ear and
eye-witnesses, but by reports and relations, and that of those that were
corrupt and partial, or Accomplices to bring to pass the fraud and
imposture. 2. If they be run up to their first Author or Venter of the
Tale, he will but be found a single Witness, which is utterly
insufficient in evidencing truly a matter of fact. 3. The Relaters of
them did publish them for interest sake, and upon design to advance
false Doctrine, Worship, Superstition, and Idolatry, and therefore are
not of validity and credit. 4. In themselves (if strictly considered)
they will appear to be lying, ridiculous, contradictory in themselves,
and contrary to the authority of Divine Writ, and dissonant to sound and
right reason, and therefore ought to have no other entertainment, but as
abominable lyes and forgeries.
[Sidenote: Of Credul. and Incredul. pag. 159.]
[Sidenote: A serious Disswasive from Popery, pag. 38, 39.]
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