not infallible Proofs of Guilt in
the accused Party, it is then Queried, _Whether there are any
Discoveries of this Crime, which Jurors and Judges may with a safe
Conscience proceed upon to the Conviction and Condemnation of the
Persons under Suspicion?_

Let me here premise Two things,

1. The Evidence in this Crime ought to be as clear as in any other
Crimes of a Capital nature. The Word of God does no where intimate, that
a less clear Evidence, or that fewer or other Witnesses may be taken as
sufficient to convict a Man of Sorcery, which would not be enough to
convict him were he charged with another evil worthy of Death, _Numb.
35.30._ if we may not take the Oath of a distracted Person, or of a
possessed Person in a Case of Murder, Theft, Felony of any sort, then
neither may we do it in the Case of Witchcraft.

2. Let me premise this also, that there have been ways of trying Witches
long used in many Nations, especially in the dark times of Paganism and
Popery, which the righteous God never approved of. But which (as
judicious Mr. _Perkins_ expresseth it in plain _English_) were invented
by the Devil, that so innocent Persons might be condemned, and some
notorious Witches escape: Yea, many Superstitious and Magical
experiments have been used to try Witches by: Of this sort is that of
scratching the Witch, or seething the Urine of the Bewitched Person, or
making a Witch-cake with that Urine: And that tryal of putting their
Hands into scalding Water, to see if it will not hurt them: And that of
sticking an Awl under the Seat of the suspected Party, yea, and that way
of discovering Witches by tying their Hands and Feet, and casting them
on the Water, to try whether they will sink or swim: I did publickly
bear my Testimony against this Superstition in a Book printed at
_Boston_ eight Years past.

I hear that of late some in a Neighbour Colony have been playing with
this Diabolical invention: It is to be lamented, that in such a _Land of
Uprightness_ as _New-England_ once was, a Practice which Protestant
Writers generally condemn as sinful, and which the more sober and
learned Men amongst Papists themselves have not only judged unlawful,
but (to express it in their own terms) to be no less than a _Mortal
Sin_, should ever be heard of. Were it not that the coming of Christ to
judge the Earth draweth near, I should think that such Practices are an
unhappy Omen that the Devil and Pagans will get these dark Territories