A50177:127
The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the…
The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the nature, the number and the operations of the devils : accompanied with I. Some accounts of the grievous [sic] molestations by daemons and witchcrafts ... and the trials of some eminent malefactors ... II. Some councils directing a due improvement of the terrible things lately done by the unusual and amazing range of evil spirits ... III. Some conjectures upon the great events likely to befall the world in general and New England in particular ... IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland ... V. The devil discovered, in a brief discourse upon those temptations which are the more ordinary devices of the wicked one / by Cotton Mather.The wonders of the invisible world observations as well historical as theological upon the nature, the number and the operations of the devils : accompany'd with I. Some accounts of the greievous [sic] molestations by daemons and witchcrafts ... and the trials of some eminent malefactors ... II. Some councils directing a due improvement of the terrible things lately done by the unusual and amazing range of evil spirits ... III. Some conjectures upon the great events likely to befall the world in general and New England in particular ... IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland ... V. The devil discovered, in a brief discourse upon those temptations which are the more ordinary devices of the wicked one / by Cotton Mather.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris, 1693
A Discourse: ON The Wonders of the Invisible World. › Conjecture 3: The Third Conjecture.
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.
Indeed, enough might easily be said for the Vindication of this Country from the Singularity of this Matter, by Ripping up, what has been discovered in others. Great Britain alone, and this also in our Days of Greatest Light, has had that in it, which may divert the Calumnies of an Ill-natured World, from Centring here. They are the words of the Devout Bishop Hall, Satan's Prevalency in this Age, is most clear in the marvellous Number of Witches abounding in all places. Now Hundreds are discovered in one Shire; and, if Fame Deceive us not, in a Village of Fourteen Houses in the North, are found so many of this Damned Brood. Yea, and those of both Sexes, who have Professed much Knowledge, Holiness, and Devotion, are drawn into this Damnable Practice. I suppose the Doctor in the first of those Passages, may refer to what happened in the Year 1645. When so many Vassals of the Devil were Detected, that there were Thirty Tried at one time, whereas about Fourteen were Hanged, and an Hundred more Detained in the Prisons of Suffolk and Essex. Among other things which many of these Acknowledged, one was, That they were to undergo certain Punishments, if they did not such and such Hurts, as were appointed them. And, among the Rest that were then Executed, there was an Old Parson, called, Lowis, who Confessed, that he had a Couple of Imps, whereof One was always putting him upon the doing of Mischief; Once particularly, ⟨p. 58⟩that Imp calling for his Consent so to do, went immediately and Sunk a Ship, then under Sail. I pray, Let not New-England become of an Unsavoury and a Sulphurous Resentment in the Opinion of the World Abroad, for the Doleful Things which are now fallen out among us, while there are such Histories of other places abroad in the World. Nevertheless, I am sure that we, the People of New-England, have cause enough to Humble our selves under our most Humbling Circumstances. We must no more, be, Haughty, because of the Lords Holy Mountain among us; No, it becomes us rather to be, Humble, because we have been such an Habitation of Unholy Devils! II. Since the Devil is come down in great wrath upon us, let not us in our great wrath against one another provide a Lodging for him. It was a most wholesome caution, in Eph. 4. 26. 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the Devil.
Indeed, enough might easily be said for the Vindication of this Country from the Singularity of this Matter, by Ripping up, what has been discovered in others. Great Britain alone, and this also in our Dayes of Greatest Light, has had that in it, which may divert the Calumnies of an Ill-natured World, from Centring here. They are the words of the Devout Bishop Hall, Satans Prevalency in this Age, is most clear in the marvellous Number of Witches abounding in all places. Now Hundreds are discovered in one Shire; and, if Fame Deceive us not, in a Village of Fourteen Houses in the North, are found so many of this Damned Brood. Yea, and those of both Sexes, who have Professed much Knowledge, Holiness, and Devotion, are drawn into this Damnable Practice. I suppose the Doctor in the first of those Passages, may refer to what happened in the Year 1645. When so many Vassals of the Devil were Detected, that there were Thirty Try'd at one time, whereas about Fourteen were Hang'd, and an Hundred more Detained in the Prisons of Suffolk and Essex. Among other things which many of these Acknowledged, one was, That they were to undergo certain Punishments, if they did not such and such Hurts, as were appointed them. And, among the Rest that were then Executed, there was an Old Parson, called, Lowis, who Confessed, that he had a Couple of Imps, whereof One was alwayes putting him upon the doing of Mischief; Once particularly,