4. But if we come to consider the Histories of late that are reported of apparitions, and such like things that must of necessity have something in them, that resembles a supernatural cause, we may in part receive more ample satisfaction, which will be manifest in these few following particulars.
1. Meric Casaubon Doctor of Divinity, in his treatise of Credulity and Incredulity (sometimes by us quoted before) hath strongly indeavoured to make good all those impossible and absurd things that are ascribed unto Witches: which though he hath pitifully failed to perform, yet hath he said enough that may serve to prove that there are many strange things that seem to prove the being of Demons or Spirits, though he have not brought any one story of his own knowledge or that was done in his time. And we have shewed before that apparitions are no certain ground for Christians to believe the existence of Demons by, but the word of God. But in his Preface to that piece of the relation concerning Dr. Dee, he relateth two stories told by that venerable and learned Prelate Bishop Andrews to his Father Isaac Casaubon. “The one (he saith) concerning a noted or at least by many suspected Witch or Sorceress, which the Devil in a strange shape did wait upon (or for rather) at her death. The other concerning a Man, who after his death was restored to life to make confession of a horrible murther committed upon his own Wife, for which he had never been suspected. And both these (he saith) that learned Bishop did believe to be true, but for one of them it seems, he did undertake upon his own knowledge, to wit that of the apparition, and the other he had from an eye-witness.” And considering the condition of Bishop Andrews both for learning and piety, the relations are of much weight, and they may be seen at large in the fore-cited Preface.
Antidot. against Atheis. c. 8, 9. p. 209.
2. I cannot but much wonder that Dr. Henry Moore, a grave person, and one that for many years hath resided in a most learned and flourishing Academy, whose name is much taken notice of both at home and abroad, having published so many books, should make such bad choice of the Authors from whom he takes his stories, or that he should pitch upon those that seem so fabulous, impossible and incredible. And that I may not seem to tax him without cause, I desire the Reader to peruse his two relations, the one of the Shoomaker of Breslaw in Silesia, Anno 1591. the other of Johannes Cuntius a Citizen of Pentsh in Silesia, and to tell whether he can rationally believe those things either to have been true or possible. And as for the Author Martinus Weinrichius a Silesian Physician, I cannot find any thing either of his fame or writings, and it is most strange that he should be omitted by that diligent and unpartial Author Melchior Adams; And there had been far better Authors and of more credit to have pitcht upon for such like stories, than either Bodinus or Remigius; neither can there be much credit given to any of the stories that he relates, except it be that of the Pied-Piper, which some do interpret far otherwise.
3. “There was a Treatise called, the Devil of Mascon, or a true relation of the chief things which an unclean spirit did and said at Mascon in Burgundy, in the House of Mr Francis Perreaud Minister of the reformed Church in the same Town, written by the said Perreaud soon after the Apparition which was in the year 1612. but was not published until the year 1653. which was 41. years after the thing was said to be acted. It seems it was translated by Dr Peter Du Moulin, the Son of the learned and reverend Peter Du Moulin, at the request of the honourable and learned person Mr Boyle. The most of the things had been known unto Mr Du Moulin the Father, when he was President of a National Synod in those parts, to whom also the said Perreaud was well known, who was a religious, well poised, venerable Divine. And Mr Boyle saith, that he had had converse with this pious Author at Geneva, and had inquired after the Writer, and some passages of the Book, which overcame all his setled indisposedness to believe strange things. The Character given of this Author, and the assent of such learned persons to the things related, have gained an ample suffrage to give credit to them also. But notwithstanding all this, there are many passages in the relation that a quick-sighted Critick would find to be either contradictory or inconsistent, and it cannot rationally be thought that he was a Cacodemon, his actions were so harmless, civil, and ludicrous; and if he were to be believed (and in some things he did speak truth, and the Minister himself Mr Perreaud did in some things give credit to him) he was no Devil, but hoped to be saved by Jesus Christ. But whether a Devil or not, yet the story for substance doth sufficiently prove the existence of such kind of Demons, that can work strange and odd feats.”
The Saints Everlasting rest. c. 7. p. 255.
4. Mr Baxter a person of great learning and piety, whose judgment bears great sway with me, speaking of Apparitions saith thus: “I know many are very incredulous herein, and will hardly believe that there have been such Apparitions. For my own part (he saith) though I am as suspicious as most in such reports, and do believe that most of them are conceits or delusions, yet having been very diligently inquisitive in such Cases, I have received undoubted testimony of the truth of such Apparitions, some from the mouths of men of undoubted honesty and godliness, and some from the report of multitudes of persons, who heard or saw. Were it fit here to name the persons, I could send you to them yet living, by whom you would be as fully satisfied as I: Houses that have been so frequently haunted with such terrors, that the inhabitants successively have been witnesses of it.”
7. Though some of these last recited testimonies might sufficiently convince the most obstinate and incredulous, that there are Apparitions and some other such strange accidents that cannot be solved by the supposed principles of matter and motion, but that do necessarily require some other causes, that are above or different from the visible and ordinary course of nature; yet because it is a point dark and mystical, and of great concern and weight, we shall add some unquestionable testimonies, either from our own Annals, or matters of fact that we know to be true of our own certain knowledge, that thereby it may undoubtedly appear, that there are effects that exceed the ordinary power of natural causes, and may for ever convince all Atheistical minds, of which in this order.
Stow. p. 605.
Hist. 1.