SECT. IX.
Obj. VIII. THe frequent Impostures that are met with in this kind, beget in some a belief, that all such Relations are Forgeries and Tales; and if we urge the Evidence of a Story for the belief of Witches or Apparitions, they will produce two as seemingly strong and plausible, which shall conclude in Mistake or Design; inferring thence, that all others are of the same Quality and Credit.
But such Arguers may please to consider.
(1)THat a single Relation for an Affirmative, sufficiently confirmed and attested, is worth a thousand Tales of Forgery and Imposture, from whence an universal Negative cannot be concluded. So, that tho' all the Objector's Stories be true, and an hundred times as many more such deceptions; yet one Relation, wherein no fallacy or fraud could be suspected for our Affirmative, would spoil any Conclusion could be erected on them.
And, (2) it seems to me a belief sufficiently bold and precarious, that all these Relations of Forgery and Mistake should be certain, and not one among all those which attest the Affirmative reality, with circumstances as good as could be expected or wished, should be true; but all fabulous and vain. And they have no reason to object credulity to the assertors of Sorcery and Witchcraft, that can swallow so large a morsel. And I desire such Objectors to consider,
(3) Whether it be fair to infer, That because there are some Cheats and Impostors, that therefore there are no Realities. Indeed frequency of deceit and fallacy will warrant a greater care and caution in examining; and scrupulosity and shiness of assent to things wherein Fraud hath been practised, or may in the least degree be suspected: But to conclude, because that an old Womans Fancy abused her, or some Knavish fellows put Tricks upon the Ignoront and timorous, that therefore whole Assizes have been a thousand times deceived in Judgments upon matters of Fact, and numbers of sober Persons have been forsworn in things wherein Perjury could not advantage them; I say, such Inferences are as void of Reason, as they are of Charity and good Manners.
