A50139:274
Memorable providences relating to witchcrafts and possessions a faithful account of many wonderful and…
Memorable providences relating to witchcrafts and possessions a faithful account of many wonderful and surprising things that have befallen several bewitched and possessed person in New-England, particularly a narrative of the marvellous trouble and relief experienced by a pious family in Boston, very lately and sadly molested with evil spirits : whereunto is added a discourse delivered unto a congregation in Boston on the occasion of that illustrious providence : as also a discourse delivered unto the same congregation on the occasion of an horrible self-murder committed in the town : with an appendix in vindication of a chapter in a late book of remarkable providences from the calumnies of a Quaker at Pen-silvania / written by Cotton Mather ... and recommended by the ministers of Boston and Charleston.Memorable providences relating to witchcrafts and possessions a faithful account of many wonderful and surprising things that have befallen several bewitched and possesed person in New-England, particularly a narrative of the marvellous trouble and releef experienced by a pious family in Boston, very lately and sadly molested with evil spirits : whereunto is added a discourse delivered unto a congregation in Boston on the occasion of that illustrious providence : as also a discourse delivered unto the same congregation on the occasion of an horrible self-murder committed in the town : with an appendix in vindication of a chapter in a late book of remarkable providences from the calumnies of a Quaker at Pen-silvania / written by Cotton Mather ... and recommended by the ministers of Boston and Charleston.
Boston: printed by R.P., 1689
Discourses › A DISCOURSE on WITCHCRAFT. › Proposition 3 › USE of the Third Proposition.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Three Things are to be Recommend here
First, Arm yourselves against all the Devices, with which the Devils would hook you into any Rebellion against the Lord. For Rebellion against God, there will be that clause in our Indictment. They were moved by the Instigation of the Devil. Now furnish yourselves with Armour to keep off the Dint of the Devils Instigations; in short, put on the whole Armour of God. There is specially a double Care that will be of great use in your Encounters.
First. Use your Watch well. We read in Eph. 6. 11. about the Wiles of the Devil. When the Devil would engage us in a Rebellion, there are certain Wily Methods by which he doth accomplish ⟨p. 36⟩it. He works more by Fraud then by Forts; and there is a cryptic method by which he doth gain us over to himself. A crafty Sophister has a three-fold Method, with which he prevails upon his Auditors; and such the Method of the Devil is. Watch, First against the Deficient method of the Devil. The Devil will show us the Sin without the Curse, the Bait without the Hook: So he says Eat the pleasant Fruit: but he says not, Thou shalt dye if thou do it. The Devil will represent unto us the Difficulty of a Duty, but conceal the recompense of it. So he says, It's a hard thing to pray in secret every day; but he says not, Thy Father will Reward thee. And he will represent unto us the Excuse of a Sin, but conceal the Ill shape of it: So he says, Many others have done this and that; but he says not, God was provoked at it. These are Tricks to be watched against.