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
_Proposition II._ There is a Devilish _Wrath_ against _Mankind_, with
which the _Devil_ is for _God's sake_ Inspired. The Devil is himself
broiling under the intollerable and interminable _Wrath_ of God; and
a fiery _Wrath_ at God, is, that which the Devil is for that cause
Enflamed. Methinks I see the posture of the Devils in _Isa._ 8. 21.
_They fret themselves, and Curse their God, and look upward._ The
first and chief _Wrath_ of the Devil, is at the Almighty God himself;
he knows, _The God that made him, will not have mercy on him, and
the God that formed him, will shew him no favour;_ and so he can
have no _Kindness_ for that God, who has no _Mercy_, nor _Favour_
for him. Hence 'tis, that he cannot bear the _Name_ of God should be
acknowledged in the World: Every Acknowledgement paid unto _God_, is
a fresh drop of the burning Brimstone falling upon the Devil; he does
make his Insolent, tho' Impotent Batteries, even upon the _Throne_ of
God himself: and foolishly affects to have himself exalted unto that
_Glorious High Throne_, by all people, as he sometimes is, by Execrable
_Witches_. This horrible Dragon does not only with his Tayl strike at
the _Stars of God_, but at the God himself, who made the _Stars_, being
desirous to outshine them all. God and the Devil are sworn Enemies to
each other; the Terms between them, are those, in _Zech._ 11. 18. _My
Soul loathed them, and their Soul also abhorred me._ And from this
Furious _wrath_, or Displeasure and Prejudice at God, proceeds the
Devils _wrath_ at us, the poor Children of Men. Our doing the _Service_
of God, is one thing that exposes us to the _wrath_ of the Devil. We
are the _High Priests_ of the World; when all Creatures are called
upon, _Praise ye the Lord_, they bring to us those demanded _Praises_
of God, saying, _do you offer them for us_. Hence 'tis, that the Devil
has a Quarrel with [8] us, as he had with the _High-Priest_ in the
Vision of Old. Our bearing the Image of God is another thing that
brings the _wrath_ of the Devil upon us. As a _Tyger_, thro' his Hatred
at man will tear the very Picture of him, if it come in his way; such
a _Tyger_ the Devil is; because God said of old, _Let us make Man in
our Image_, the Devil is ever saying, _Let us pull this man to pieces_.
But the envious _Pride_ of the Devil, is one thing more that gives
an Edge unto his Furious _Wrath_ against us. The Apostle has given
us an hint, as if _Pride_ had been the _Condemnation of the Devil_.
'Tis not unlikely, that the Devil's _Affectation_ to be above that
Condition which he might learn that Mankind was to be preferr'd unto,
might be the occcasion of his taking up Arms against the _Immortal
King_. However, the Devil now sees _Man_ lying in the Bosom of God,
but _himself_ damned in the bottom of Hell; and this enrages him
exceedingly; _O_, says he, _I cannot bear it, that man should not be as
miserable as my self_.
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