Zeal) supposed that a less clear evidence ought to pass in this
than in other Cases, supposing that else it will be hard (if possible)
to bring such to condign Punishment, by reason of the close conveyances
that there are between the Devil and Witches; but this is a very
dangerous and unjustifiable tenet. Men serve God in doing their Duty, he
never intended that all persons guilty of Capital Crimes should be
discovered and punished by men in this Life, though they be never so
curious in searching after Iniquity. It is therefore exceeding necessary
that in such a day as this, men be informed what is Evidence and what is
not. It concerns men in point of Charity; for tho' the most shining
Professor may be secretly a most abominable Sinner, yet till he be
detected, our Charity is bound to Judge according to what appears: and
notwithstanding that a clear evidence must determine a case; yet
presumptions must be weighed against presumptions, and Charity is not to
be forgone as long as it has the most preponderating on its side. And it
is of no less necessity in point of Justice; there are not only
Testimonies required by God, which are to be credited according to the
Rules given in his Word referring to witnesses: But there is also an
Evidence supposed to be in the Testimony, which is throughly to be
weighed, and if it do not infallibly prove the Crime against the person
accused, it ought not to determine him guilty of it; for so a righteous
Man may be Condemned unjustly. In the case of Witchcrafts we know that
the Devil is the immediate Agent in the Mischief done, the consent or
compact of the Witch is the thing to be Demonstrated._

_Among many Arguments to evince this, that which is most under present
debate, is that which refers to something vulgarly called +Spectre
Evidence+, and a certain sort of Ordeal or trial by the sight and touch.
The principal Plea to justifie the convictive Evidence in these, is
fetcht from the Consideration of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God in
Governing the World, which they suppose would fail, if such things were
permitted to befal an innocent person; but it is certain, that too
resolute conclusions drawn from hence, are bold usurpations upon
spotless +Sovereignty+: and tho' some things if suffered to be common,
would subvert this Government, and disband, yea ruine Humane Society;
yet God doth sometimes suffer such things to evene, that we may thereby
know how much we are beholden to him, f