The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination, (Vol. 1 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
[92] IV. The Devil will make a deceitful and unfaithful use of the
_Scriptures_ to make his _Temptations_ forceable. When the Devil
Solicited our Lord, unto an evil thing, he quoted the _Ninty First_
Psalm unto him, tho' indeed he fallaciously clip'd it, and maim'd it,
of one clause very material in it. O never does the Devil make such
dangerous Passes at us, as when he does wrest our own _Sword_ out
of our Hands, and push _That_ upon us. We have to defend us, that
Weapon in _Eph._ 6. 16. _The Sword of the Spirit, which is the word
of God;_ but when the Devil has that very Weapon to fight us with, he
makes terrible work of it. When the Devil would poyson men with false
_Doctrines_, he'l quote Scriptures for them; a _Quaker_ himself, will
have the First Chapter of _John_ always in his mouth. When the Devil
would perswade men to vile _Actions_, he'l quote Scriptures for them;
he'l encourage men to go on in Sin, by showing them, where 'tis said,
_The Lord is ready to Pardon_. I say this, The one story of _Davids_
Fall, in the Scripture, has been made by the Devil an Engine for the
Damnation of many Millions. The Devil will fright men from doing those
things, that are, _the Things of their Peace;_ but How? He'l turn a
_Scripture_ into a _Scarecrow_ for them. The Devil will fright them
from all constant Prayer to God, by quoting that Scripture, _The
Sacrifice of the Wicked, is an Abomination to the Lord;_ the Devil will
fright them from the Holy Supper of God, by quoting that Scripture, _He
that Eats and Drinks unworthily, Eats and Drinks damnation to himself_.
And thus the Devil will by some abused Scripture, Terrifie the Children
of God; the Scripture is written as we are told, _For our Comfort;_
but it is quoted by the Devil, _for our terror_. How many Godly Souls
have been cast into sinful Doubts and Fears, by the Devils foolish
glosses upon that Scripture, _He that doubts is damned;_ and that,
_the fearful shall have their portion in the burning Lake:_ The Devil
sometimes has play'd the _Preacher_, but I say, _Beware all silly Souls
when such a Fool is Preaching_.
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