The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol. 2 of 3)Mather, Cotton
History
The Witchcraft Delusion in New England: Its Rise, Progress, and Termination (Vol. 2 of 3)
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England
_This Head as here laid down and inserted by you, either is a Truth
or not, if not, why is it here inserted from one of the_ Triumvirate
_if it be a Truth. as the Scriptures quoted will abundantly testifie,
whence is it that it is so little regarded, tho it be the only Head
well proved by Scripture, or that the rest of the_ Triumvirate _should
so far forget their Work as not to mention it. It were to be unjust
to the Memory of those otherwise Wise Men, to suppose them to have
any Sinister design; But perhaps the force of a prevailing opinion,
together with an Education thereto Suited, might overshadow their
Judgments, as being wont to be but too prevalent in many other cases.
But if the above be Truth, then the Scripture is full and plain, What
is Witchcraft? And if so, what need of his next Head of Hanging of
People without as full and clear Evidence as in other Cases? Or what
need of the rest of the Receipts of the_ Triumvirate? _what need of
Praying that the Afflicted may be able to discover who 'tis that
Afflicts them? or what need of Searching for Tet's for the Devil to
Suck in his Old Age, or the Experiment of saying the Lord's Prayer_,
&c. _Which a multitude more practised in some places Superstitiously
inclin'd. Other Actions have been practised for easing the Afflicted,
less justifiable, if not strongly savouring of Witchcraft itself_,
viz. _Fondly Imagining by the Hand, &c. to drive off Spectres, or to
knock off Invisible Chains, or by striking in the Air to Wound either
the Afflicted or others_, &c. _I write not this to accuse any, but that
all may beware believing, That the Devil's bounds are set, which he
cannot pass, That the Devils are so full of Malice, That it cannot be
added to by Mankind, That where he hath Power he neither can nor will
omit Executing it, That 'tis only the Almighty that sets [18] bounds to
his rage, and that only can Commissionate him to hurt or destroy any_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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