N00530:359
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 molestations, by daemons and witchcrafts, which have lately annoyed the country; and the trials of some eminent malefactors executed upon occasion thereof: with several remarkable curiosities therein occurring. II. Some councils, directing a due improvement of the terrible things, lately done, by the unusual & amazing range of evil spirits, in our neighbourhood: & the methods to prevent the wrongs which those evil angels may intend against all sorts of people among us; especially in accusations of the innocent. III. Some conjectures upon the great events, likely to befall, the world in general, and New-England in particular; as also upon the advances of the time, when we shall see better days. IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland, very much resembling, and so far explaining, that under which our parts of America have laboured! 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 grievous molestations, by daemons and witchcrafts, which have lately annoy'd the countrey; and the trials of some eminent malefactors executed upon occasion thereof: with several remarkable curiosities therein occurring. II. Some councils, directing a due improvement of the terrible things, lately done, by the unusual & amazing range of evil spirits, in our neighbourhood: & the methods to prevent the wrongs which those evil angels may intend against all sorts of people among us; especially in accusations of the innocent. III. Some conjectures upon the great events, likely to befall, the world in general, and New-England in particular; as also upon the advances of the time, when we shall see better dayes. IV. A short narrative of a late outrage committed by a knot of witches in Swedeland, very much resembling, and so far explaining, that under which our parts of America have laboured! 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, and sold by Benjamin Harris, 1693 i.e., 1692
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.
III. There is a sort of Witchcraft in those things, whereto the Temptations of the Devil would Inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was Our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my counsel is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone: Depart from […], ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of ⟨p. 30⟩my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil, put upon doing the Things that are Analogous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil says to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil says to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ, for ever. Yea the Devil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God; and rather hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.
III. There is a sort of Witchcraft in those things, whereto the Temptations of the Devil would Inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was Our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my counsil is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone: Depart from 〈…〉, ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of ⟨p. 30⟩my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil, put upon doing the Things that are Analagous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil saies to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil saies to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ, for ever. Yea the Devil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God; and rather hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.