N00296:215
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences: wherein, an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events, which have happened in this last age; especially in New-England. / By Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by Samuel Green, 1684
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.
3. There have been many in the World, who have upon conviction confessed themselves guilty of Familiarity with the Dev••• A multitude of Instances this way are […] ⟨p. 184⟩by Bodinus, Codronebus, Delrio, Jacquerius, Remigius, and others. Some in this Country have affirmed, that they knew a Man in another part of the World, above fifty years ago, who having an ambitious desire to be thought a wise man; whilst he wa• tormented with the Itch of his wicked Ambition, the Devil came to him, with promises that he should quickly be in great reputation for his wisdom, in case he would make a covenant with him; the conditions whereof were, that when Men came to him for his counsel, he should labour to persuade them that there is no God, nor Devil, nor Heaven, nor Hell; and that such a term of years being expired, the Devil should have his Soul. The Articles were consented to. The Man continuing after this to be of a very civil Conversation, doing hu•t to none, but good to many; and by degrees began to have a Name to be a person of extraordinary sagacity, and was sought unto far and neat for counsel, his Wo•ds being esteemed Oracles by the vulgar. And he did according to his Covenant upon all occasions secretly disseminate Principles of Atheism, not being suspected for a Wizard. But a few weeks before the time indented with the Devil was fulfilled; inexpres••• horror of Conscience surprised him, ⟨p. 185⟩so that he revealed the secret transactions which had passed betwixt himself and the Devil. He would sometimes, with hideous roarings tell those that came to visit him, that now he knew that there was a God and a Devil, and an Heaven, and an Hell. So did he die a miserable spectacle of the righteous and fearful judgement of God. And every Age does produce new Examples of those that have by their own confession made the like cursed Covenants with the Prince of Darkness.
3. There have been many in the World, who have upon conviction confessed themselves guilty of Familiarity with the Dev••• A multitude of Instances this way are