Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits

Cases of Conscience

[...was permitted in] 1658 to dissuade him from pursuing his desires for baptism into the name of Christ. He also appeared to Mr. Earle in the likeness of his friends to discourage him from doing things that were lawful and good.

A multitude of Jews were once deluded by a person pretending to be Moses sent from Heaven. This person claimed that if they would follow him, they would pass safely through the sea (just as their fathers of old did through the Red Sea). Because of this, great numbers of them were deceived and perished in the waters. (w) Learned and judicious men have concluded that this Moses of Crete original: "Moses Cretensis" was a demon transforming himself into Moses.

No man who has made it his concern to inquire into things of this nature can be ignorant of the fact that the Devil has frequently appeared (x) in the shape of famous persons. He does this so that he might seduce men into idolatry (a sin equal to that of witchcraft). Many examples of this kind are collected by Mr. Bromhall in his Treatise of Specters Thomas Bromhall’s A Treatise of Specters (1658) was a popular collection of supernatural stories., showing how the cunning Devil uses this to strengthen men in their worship of departed saints. Other examples are found in Mr. Bovet’s Pandemonium Richard Bovet’s Pandaemonium, or the Devil's Cloyster (1684) discussed witchcraft and apparitions..

It is credibly reported that the Devil, in the likeness of a faithful minister (at St. Ives, mentioned before, near Boston in Lincolnshire), came to a woman who was in trouble of mind. He told her that the longer she lived, the worse it would be for her, and therefore advised her to commit suicide original: "self-murder". An eminent person still living had the account of this matter from Mr. Cotton (the famous teacher of both Bostons John Cotton (1585–1652) was a prominent clergyman who served in Boston, England, before becoming a leading figure in Boston, Massachusetts.). He...

(x) Read Villalpando's On Magic, etc., Book 2, Chapter 27 original Latin: "Lege Villalpond de Magia &c. L. 2. Cap. 27".