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 — John Shaqi
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
S. VI. 'Tis necessary that we unite in every thing: but there are
especially two Things wherein our Union must carry us along together. We
are to unite in our Endeavours to deliver our distressed Neighbours,
from the horrible Annoyances and Molestations with which a dreadful
Witchcraft is now persecuting of them. To have an hand in any thing,
that may stifle or obstruct a Regular Detection of that Witchcraft, is
what we may well with an holy fear avoid. Their Majesties good Subjects
must not every day be torn to pieces by horrid Witches, and those bloody
Felons, be left wholly unprosecuted. The Witchcraft is a business that
will not be sham'd, without plunging us into sore Plagues, and of long
continuance. But then we are to unite in such Methods for this
deliverance, as may be unquestionably safe, lest _the latter end be
worse than the beginning_. And here, what shall I say? I will venture to
say thus much, That we are safe, when we make just as much use of all
Advice from the invisible World, as God sends it for. It is a safe
Principle, That when God Almighty permits any Spirits from the unseen
Regions, to visit us with surprizing Informations, there is then
something to be enquired after; we are then to enquire of one another,
What Cause there is for such things? The peculiar Government of God,
over the unbodied Intelligences, is a sufficient Foundation for this
Principle. When there has been a Murder committed, an Apparition of the
slain Party accusing of any Man, altho' such Apparitions have oftner
spoke true than false, is not enough to Convict the Man as guilty of
that Murder; but yet it is a sufficient occasion for Magistrates to make
a particular Enquiry, whether such a Man have afforded any ground for
such an Accusation. Even so a Spectre exactly resembling such or such a
Person, when the Neighbourhood are tormented by such Spectres, may
reasonably make Magistrates inquisitive whether the Person so
represented have done or said any thing that may argue their confederacy
with Evil Spirits, altho' it may be defective enough in point of
Conviction; especially at a time, when 'tis possible, some over-powerful
Conjurer may have got the skill of thus exhibiting the Shapes of all
sorts of Persons, on purpose to stop the Prosecution of the Wretches,
whom due Enquiries thus provoked, might have made obnoxious unto
Justice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account