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
Day_, there was heard a great Noise, with rattling of Chains up and down
the Town, and an horrid Scent of Brimstone fill'd the Neighbourhood.
Upon which the _guilty Consciences_ of the Wretches told them, the Devil
was come to fetch them away; and it so terrifi'd them, that an Eminent
_Reformation_ follow'd the Sermons which that Man of God Preached
thereupon. Behold, Sinners, behold and _wonder_, lest you _perish_: the
very _Devils_ are walking about our Streets, with lengthened _Chains_,
making a dreadful Noise in our Ears, and _Brimstone_ even without a
Metaphor, is making an hellish and horrid stench in our Nostrils. I pray
leave off all those things whereof your _guilty Consciences_ may now
accuse you, lest these Devils do yet more direfully fall upon you.
_Reformation_ is at this time our only _Preservation_.
_IV._ When the Devil is come down in _great Wrath_, let every _great
Vice_ which may have a more particular tendency to make us a Prey unto
that _Wrath_, come into a due discredit with us. It is the general
Concession of all men, who are not become too _Unreasonable_ for common
Conversation, that the Invitation of _Witchcrafts_ is the thing that has
now introduced the Devil into the midst of us. I say then, let not only
all _Witchcrafts_ be duly abominated with us, but also let us be duly
watchful against all the _Steps_ leading thereunto. There are lesser
_Sorceries_ which they say, are too frequent in our Land. As it was said
in _2 King. 17.9._ _The Children of +Israel+ did secretly those things
that were not right, against the Lord their God._ So 'tis to be feared,
the Children of _New-England_ have _secretly_ done many things that have
been pleasing to the Devil. They say, that in some Towns it has been an
usual thing for People to cure Hurts with _Spells_, or to use detestable
Conjurations, with _Sieves_, _Keys_, and _Pease_, and _Nails_, and
_Horse-shoes_, and I know not what other Implements, to learn the things
for which they have a forbidden, and an impious _Curiosity_. 'Tis in the
Devils Name, that such things are done; and in Gods Name I do this day
charge them, as vile Impieties. By these Courses 'tis, that People play
upon _The Hole of the Asp_, till that cruelly venemous _Asp_ has pull'd
many of them into the deep _Hole_ of _Witchcraft_ it self. It has been
acknowledged by some who have sunk the deepest into this _horrible Pit_,
that they began at these little _Witchcrafts_; on which 'tis pity but
the Laws of the English Nation, whereby the incorrigible repetition of
those _Tricks_, is made _Felony_, were severely Executed. From the like
sinful _Curiosity_ it is, that the Prognostications of _Judicial
Astrology_, are so injudiciously regarded by multitudes among us; and
altho' the Jugling _Astrologers_ do scarce ever hit right, except it be
in such _Weighty Judgments_, forsooth, as that many _Old Men_ will die
such a year, and that there will be many _Losses_ felt by some that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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