Which is the last
Part of this Work. How the Process is to be Concluded by
the Pronouncement of a Definite and Just Sentence
HAVING by the grace of God examined the proper means of
arriving at a knowledge of the heresy of witchcraft, and
having shown how the process on behalf of the faith
should be initiated and proceeded with, it remains to
discuss how that process is to be brought to a fitting
termination with an appropriate sentence.
Here it is to
be noted that this heresy, as was shown in the beginning
of this Last Part, is not to be confused with other
simple heresies, since it is obvious that it is not a
pure and single crime, but partly ecclesiastical and
partly civil. Therefore in dealing with the methods of
passing sentence, we must first consider a certain kind
of sentence to which witches are in the habit of
appealing, in which the secular judge can act on his own
account independently of the Ordinary. Secondly, we
shall consider those in which he cannot act without the
Ordinary. And so thirdly it will be shown how the
Ordinaries can discharge themselves of their duties.
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