The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England WitchesMather, Cotton
History
The Wonders of the Invisible World: Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches
Mather, Cotton
Witchcraft -- New England -- Early works to 1800
Fasting and Praying in his Study, the Devil come pretending to be
Christ, but _Luther_ saying, _away thou confounded Devil, I acknowledge
no Christ but what is in my Bible_, nothing more was seen. Thus then the
Devil is able (by Divine Permission) to Change himself into what form or
figure he pleaseth,
_Omnia transformat sese in miracula rerum._
A Third Scripture to our purpose is that, in _Rev. 12.10._ where the
Devil is called the _Accuser of the Brethren_. Such is the malice and
impudence of the Devil, as that he does accuse good Men, and that before
God, and that not only of such Faults as they really are guilty of, he
accused _Joshua_ with his filthy Garments, when through his Indulgence
some of his Family had transgressed by unlawful Marriages, _Zach. 3.23._
with _Ezra. 10.18._ but also with such Crimes, as they are altogether
free from. He represented the Primitive Christians as the vilest of men,
and as if at their Meetings they did commit the most nefandous Villanies
that ever were known; and that not only Innocent, but Eminently Pious
Persons should thro' the malice of the Devil be accused with the Crime
of Witchcraft, is no new thing. Such an Affliction did the Lord see meet
to exercise the great _Athanasius_ with[16] only the Divine Providence
did wonderfully vindicate him from that as well as from some other foul
Aspersions. The _Waldenses_ (altho' the Scriptures call them _Saints_,
_Rev. 13.7._) have been traduced by Satan and by the World as horrible
Witches; so have others in other places, only because they have done
extraordinary things by their Prayers: It is by many Authors related,
that a City in _France_ was molested with a Diabolical _Spectre_, which
the People were wont to call _Hugon_; near that place a number of
Protestants were wont to meet to serve God, whence the Professors of the
true reformed Religion were nic-named _Hugonots_, by the Papists, who
designed to render them before the World, as the Servants and
Worshippers of that _Daemon_, that went under the name of _Hugon_. And
how often have I read in Books written by Jesuits, that _Luther_ was a
Wizard, and that he did himself confess that he had familiarity with
Satan! Most impudent Untruths! nor are these things to be wondered at,
since the Holy Son of God himself was reputed a _Magician_, and one that
had Familiarity with the greatest of Devils. The Blaspheming Pharisees
said, _he casts out the Devils thro' the Prince of Devils_, _Matth. 9.34._
There is then not the best Saint on Earth (Man or Woman) that can assure
themselves that the Devil shall not cast such an Imputation upon them.
_It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the Servant
as his Lord: If they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub, how
much more them of his Household_, _Matth. 10.25._ It is not for men to
determine how far the Holy God may permit the wicked one to proceed in
his Accusations. The sacred story of _Job_ giveth us to understand, that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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