Memorable providences relating to witchcrafts and possessions a faithful account of many wonderful and…

Thirdly, Not Increase Mather alone, but all New-England, especially the Shepherds of the the Churches here, must through the Lycanthropy of this man, be Barked at. One while his False-Histories misrepresent us to the world; and he raises dismal Tragedies upon the Persecution which his Friends here have met withal. For my own part, I have long wished; That the Civil Magistrate would never inflict a Civil Penalty, on an Heretic, until Humane Society receive such a Disturbance from him, as in one of mine, or any other persuasion were Intolerable. Yet there is more, far more to be said for the Justification ⟨p. 12⟩of our ancient Severities on two or three Quakers here, than the world has yet been acquainted with. Oliver Cromwell himself, whose Toleration of Sectaries was notorious enough, yet would speak in the justification of what was here done to them. Since our Jerusalem was come to such a Consistence, that the going up of every Fox would not break down our stone wall, who ever meddled with 'em? And since That, Though a Quaker-woman came (as sometimes they have) stark naked, into some of our Solemn Assemblies, declaring her self to be a Sign; yet the Brute has not been thought fit to be Hanged up: but the Generality of the people are enough, & always were, averse to the inflicting of Secular Punishments on these doting Heretics. Indeed a Grave Magistrate once (tis said) propounded unto the General Court at Plymouth, a Law that every Quaker might have his head shaved; because they were distracted, & this would both shame & cure them. I believe this is all the Law that ever will be offered for the Suppressing of them here; by long experience, we find, They perish by being let alone. But whereas, he twits the Ministers here, for their Accepting of Maintenance, with goods unjustly taken from the true owners; I may inform the world, the Ministers here are of another Spirit than so; their voluntary Poverty and transcendent Self-Denial, has scarce its parallel in the Christian world. If any maintenance extorted ⟨p. 13⟩from Quakers hath ever been paid unto them, I am confident it was without their knowledge or consent. The chief Complaints of this kind are in Plymouth Colony; but let the Reader consider, That the Grants of Lands there made by the Court, have still been with an Express Condition & Proviso, that the allowed Ministry be therewith supported.

Thirdly, Not Increase Mather alone, but all New-England, especially the Shepherds of the the Churches here, must thro the Lycanthropy of this man, be Barked at. One while his False-Histories misrepresent us to the world; and he raises dismal Tragedies upon the Persecution which his Friends here have met withal. For my own part, I have long wished; That the Civil Magistrate would never inflict a Civil Penalty, on an Heretick, until Humane Society receive such a Disturbance from him, as in one of mine, or any other perswasion were Intollerable. Yet there is more, far more to be said for the Justification