Copy 1

An historical essay concerning witchcraft. With observations upon matters of fact; tending to clear the texts of the sacred Scriptures, and confute the vulgar errors about that point, and also two sermons. One in proof of the Christian religion; the other concerning the good and evil angels / By Francis Hutchinson.

  • Hutchinson, Francis, 1661-1739.
Date:
1718
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historical essay concerning witchcraft. With observations upon matters of fact; tending to clear the texts of the sacred Scriptures, and confute the vulgar errors about that point, and also two sermons. One in proof of the Christian religion; the other concerning the good and evil angels / By Francis Hutchinson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reverence to our Ad: of Parliament, and the Influence of an ill-tranflated Text, and fear of loofe People carrying the Notion too far the other way, may have made fome pious Men too fearful in oppofing the vulgar Opinions, yet in the main I believe our Church of England and its Clergy, have as little to an- fwer for in this Refped as any. A Year or Two before the Parliament made the Statute againft feeding, and rewarding, and giving fuck to evil Spirits; the Convocation had made the 7 2d Canon, which fubje&s to the Penal¬ ties of Impofture, any Clergyman who fhould undertake to ufe Prayers for calling out of Devils, unlefs he firfl had a Licenfe granted under the Seal of the Bifhop of that Place; and I do not meet with more than one Licenfe granted in all the Time fince. Dr. Morton, Bifhop of Litchfield and Co¬ ventry, difcovered the Villanies of the Boy of Bilfon, and particularly his piffing thro’ Ink, and fav’d the Life of the Woman that was under Condemnation. See the Sixth Detecti¬ on of Imjjofiors. Dr. Harfenet, when he was Chaplain to Archbifhop Bancroft, and who was himfelf afterward Archbifhop of Tork, both difproved and ridiculed thefe Follies with greater Free¬ dom than I have ventur’d to make ufe of. And that any that fhall be difpofed to find Faults, may fee that the Notions in my Book are neither new, nor contrary to the Do&rines of our Church, but well agreeing with the Opinions