New-England Thou hast destroyed thy self and brought this greatest of Miseries upon thee And now whether the Witches such as have made a compact by Explicit Covenant with the Devil having thereby obtained a power to Commissionate him have been the cause of our miseries Or whether a Zeal governed by blindness and passion and led by president has not herein precipitated us into far greater wickedness if not Witchcrafts than any have been yet proved against those that suffered To be able to distinguish aright in this matter to which of those two to refer our Miseries is the present Wâ—â—k As to the former I know of no sober Man much less Reverend Christian that being ask'd dares affirm and abide by it that Witches have that power viz. to Commissionate Devils to kill and destroy And as to the latter it were well if there were not too much of truth in it which remains to be demonstrated But here it will be said what need of Raking in the Goals that lay buried in Oblivion We cannot recall those to Life again that have suffered supposing it were unjustly it tends but to the exposing the Actors as if they had proceeded irregularly Truly I take this to be just as the Devil would have it so much to fear disobliging men as not to endeavour to detect his Wiles that so be may the sooner and with the greater Advantages set the same on foot again either here or else where so dragging as through the Pond twice by the same Cat. And if Reports do not herein deceive us much the same has been acting this present Year in Scotland And what Kingdom or Country is it that has not had their bloody sits and turns at it And if this is such a catching disease and so universal I presume I need make no Apology for my Endeavours to prevent as far as in my power any more such bloody Victims or Sacrifices tho indeed I had rather any other would have undertaken so offensive tho necessary a task yet all things weighed I had rather thus Expose my self to Censure than that it should be wholly omitted Were the notions in question innocent and harmless respecting the Glory of God and well being of Man I should not have engaged in them but finding them in my esteem so intollerably destructive of both This together with my being by Warrant called before the Iustices in my own Iust Vindication I took it to be a call from God to my Power to Vindicate his Truths against the Pagan and Popish Assertions which are so prevalent for tho Christians in general do own the Scriptures to be their only Rule of Faith and Doctrine yet these Notions will tell us that the Scriptures have not sufficiently nor at all described the crime of Witchcraft whereby the culpable might be detected tho it be positive in the Command to punish it by Death hence the World has been from time to time perplext in the prosecution of the several Diabolical mediums of Heathenish and Popish Invention to detect an Imaginary Crime not but that there are Witches such as the Law of God describes which has produced a deluge of Blood hereby rendering the Commands of God not only void but dangerous So also they own Gods Providence and Government of the World and that Tempests and Storms Afflictions and Diseases are of his sending yet these Notions tell us that the Devil has the power of all these and can perform them when commission'd by a Witch thereto and that he has a power at the Witches call to act and do without and against the course of Nature and all natural causes in afflicting and killing of Innocents and this is that so many have died for Also it is generally believed that if any Man has strength it is from God the Almighty being But these notions will tell us that the Devil can make one Man as strong as many which was one of the best proofs as it was counted against Mr. Burroughs the Minister tho his contemporaries in the Schools during his Minority could have testified that his strength was then as much superiour to theirs as ever setting aside incredible Romances it was discovered to be since Thus rendring the power of God and his providence of none Effect These are some of the destructive notions of this Age and however the asserters of them seem sometimes to value themselves much upon sheltring their Neighbours from Spectral Accusations They may deserve as much thanks as that Tyrant that having industriously obtained an unintelligible charge against his Subjects in matters wherein it was impossible they should be Guilty having thereby their lives in his power yet suffers them of his meer Grace to live and will be call'd gracious Lord. It were too Icarian a task for one unfurnish'd with necessary learning and Library to give any Iust account from whence so great delusions have sprung and so long continued Yet as an Essay from those scraps of reading that I have had opportunity of it will be no great venture to â—ay that Signs and Lying Wonders have been one principal cause It is written of Justin Martyr who lived in the second Century that he was before his conversion a great Philosopher first in the way of the Stoicks and after of the Peripateticks after that of the Pythagorean and after that of the Platonists Sects and after all proved of Eminent use in the Church of Christ Yet a certain Author speaking of one Apollonius Tyaneus has these words That the most Orthodox themselves began to deem him vested with power sufficient for a Deity which occasioned that so strange a doubt from Iustin Martyr as cited by the Learned Gregory Fol. 37 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If God be the Creator and Lord of the World how comes it to pass that Apollonius his Telisâ—s have so much over-ruled the course of things for we see that they also have stilled the Waves of the Sea and the raging of the Winds and prevailed against the Noisome Flies and Incursions of wild Beasts c. If so Eminent and Early a Christian were by these false shews in such doubt it is the less wonder in our depraved times to meet with what is Equivalent thereto Besides this a cerâ—â—â— Author informs me that Julian afterwards called the Apostate being Insâ—â—uctâ—d in the Philosophy and Disciplines of the Heathen by Libarius his Tutor by this means he came to love Philosophy better then the Gospel and so by degrees turn'd from Christianity to Heathenism This same Julian did when Apostate forbid that Christians should be infructed in the Discipline of the Gentiles which it seems Socrate a Writer of the Ecâ—l siastical History does acknowledge to be by the singular Providence of God Christians having then begun to degenerate from the Gospel and to betake themselves to Heathenish learning And in the Mercury for the Month of February 1695 there is this Account That the Christian Doctors conversing much with the
such Negative deductâ—on though so natural it concerns you if you will assert this Power to be in their Natures and their non appearance only to proceed from the rectitude of their Wills and that without such Commission they have a Power to appear to Mortals and upon this to build so prodigious a Structure c. very clearly to prove it by Scripture for Christians have good reason to take the Apostles warning if some Philosophers have taught that Man is nothing but Matter And others that 't is not certain there is any Matter at all to take heed least they be spoiled through vain Philosophy c. but that this should be alluded to by such as never heard of either Notion or that it was asserted that those real appearances to Ioseph and to the Apostle was through the Ministry of the Senses is as vain as such Philosophy As to the Dead being raised had I used Art or Rhetorick enough to explain my meaning to you I needed not now to rejoin That 't is as good an Argument to say that because Holy Prophets have raised the dead therefore wicked Men have a Power to raise the dead As 't is to say because good Angels have appeared therefore the Evil have a Power to appear for who can doubt but if the Almighty shall Commissionate a wicked Man to it he also shall raise the dead as is intimated Mat. 7.22 And in thy name done mâ—ny wonderful Works As to comparisons being odious particularly that concerning Samson I think it needful here to add these Scriptures further to confirm the fourth Conclusion 2 Sam. 24.1 compared with 1 Chron. 21.1 In one 't is God moved c. and in the other Satan provoked David to number the People 2 Chron. 18.21 And the Lord said thou shalt intice him and thou shalt also prevail go out and do even so all which with many more that might be produc'd as they will shew the truth of the Conclusion so that 't is no odious Comparison to say that as the Almighty can make use of Good so also of Evil Spirits for the accomplishing of his own wise ends and can impower either without the help of a Vehicle For possessions must be numbred among Gods afflictive dispensations who also orders all the Circumstances thereof But if any object God is not the Author of Evil c. you have furnish'd me with a very learned Answer by distinguishing between the Act and the Evil of the Act and to which 't is adapt but will no wise sute where it is placed till it be first proved that the Devil hath of himself such Power not only of appearing at pleasure but of working Miracles and to the Almighty reserved only the Power of restraining for till this be proved the Dilemma must remain stable He that asserts that Because good Angels have appeared that therefore the fallen Angels have a Power of themselves to appear to Mortals And that they cannot be imployed by the Almighty nor that he does not order the manner and Circumstances of such appearance what doth he less than make the Devil an Independent Power and consequently a God! So he that asserts that the Devil has a Power of himself and Independent to work Wonders and Miracles and to impower Witches to do the like in order to deceive c. What doth he less than own him to be an unconquered Enemy and consequently a Soveraign Deity and who is it that is culpable he that ascribes such Attributes to the Evil one or he that asserts that the so doing gives him or ascribes to him such Power as is the prerogative of him only who is Almighty And here Sir it highly concerns you to consider your foundations what proof from Scripture is to be found for your Assertions and who it is you are contending for For hitherto nothing like a proof hath been offer'd from Scripture which abounds so with the contrary that he that runs may read As shall there be evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it who is he that saith and it cometh to pass when the Lord commandeth it not Who among the Gods of the Heathen of which the Devil is one can give Rain c. But I shall not be tedious in multiplying proofs to that which all seem to own For as to that stale plea of Universality do say that I have read of one if not several general Councels that have not only disapproved but Anathematiz'd them that have ascribed such Power to the Devils And several National Protestant Churches at this day in their Exhortation before the Sacrament among other Enormous Crimes admonish all that believe any such Power in the Witch c. to withdraw as unmeet to partake at the Lords Table And I believe Christians in general if they were asked would own that what Powers the Devil may at any time have to appear to afflict destroy or cause tempests c. must be by Power or Commission from the Soveraign Being And that having such a Commission not only Hail but Frogs Lice or Flies shall be impowered to plague a great King and Kingdom And if so this Sandy Structure of the Devils appearance and working Wonders at pleasure and of Impowering Witches to afflict c. for to this narrow Crisis is that whole Doctrine reduc'd the whole disappears at the first shaking Thus worthy Sir I have given you my sentiments and the grounds thereof as plainly and as concise as I was able tho 't is indeed a subject that calls for the ablest Pens to discuss acknowledging my self to be insufficient for these things however I think I have done but my duty for the glory of God the Soveraign Being and have purposely avoided such a reply as some parts of yours required And pray that not only you and I but all mankind may give to the Almighty the glory due unto his name From Sir Yours to command Witchcraft is manifestly a Work of the Flesh. R. C. PART V. An Impartial Account of the most Memorable Matters of Fact touching the supposed Witchcraft in New England MR. Parris had been some years a Minister in Salem-Village when this sad Calamity as a deluge overflowed them spreading it self far and near He was a Gentleman of Liberal Education and not meeting with any great Encouragement or Advantage in Merchandizing to which for some time he apply'd himself betook himself to the work of the Ministry this Village being then vacant he met with so much Encouragement as to settle in that Capacity among them After he had been there about two years he obtained a Grant from a part of the Town that the House and Land he Occupied and which had been Alotted by the whole People to the Ministry should be and remain to him c. as his own Estate in Fee Simple This occasioned great Divisions both between the Inhabitants themselves and between a considerable part of them and their said Minister which Divisions were but as
there had could have taken but little rest that ' Night she was committed to Boston Prison but I obtained a Habeas Corpus to remove her to Cambridge Prison which is in our County of Midldesex Having been there one Night next Morning the Iaylor put Irons on her legs having received such a command the weight of them was about eight pounds these Irons and her other Afflictions soon brought her into Convulsion Fits so that I thought she would have died that Night I sent to intreat that the Irons might be taken off but all intreaties were in vain if it would have saved her Life so that in this condition she must continue The Tryals at Salem coming on I went thither to see how things were there managed and finding that the Spectre-Evidence was there received together with Idle if not malicious Stories against Peoples Lives I did easily perceive which way the rest would go for the same Evidence that served for one would serve for all the rest I acquainted her with her danger and that if she were carried to Salem to be tried I feared she would never return I did my utmost that she might have her Tryal in our own County I with several others Petitioning the Iudge for it and were put in hopes of it but I soon saw so much that I understood thereby it was not intended which put me upon consulting the means of her escape which thro the goodness of God was effected and she got to Road-Island but soon found her self not safe when there by reason of the pursuit after her from thence she went to New-York along with some others that had escaped their cruel hands where we found his Excellency Benjamin Fletcher Esq Governour who was very courteous to us After this some of my Goods were seized in a Friends hands with whom I had left them and my self imprisoned by the Sheriff and kept in Custody half a day and then dismist but to speak of their usage of the Prisoners and their Inhumanity shewn to them at the time of their Execution no sober Christian could bear they had also tryals of cruel mockings which is the more considering what a People for Religion I mean the profession of it we have been those that suffered being many of them Church-Members and most of them unspotted in their Conversation till their Adversary the Devil took up this Method for accusing them Per Jonathan Cary. May 31. Captain Iohn Aldin was Examined at Salem and Committed to Boston Prison the Prison-Keeper seeing such a Man Committed of whom he had a good esteem was after this the more Compassionate to those that were in Prison on the like account and did refrain from such hard things to the Prisoners as before he had used Mr. Aldin himself has given account of his Examination in these Words An Account how John Aldin Senior was dealt with at Salem-Village IOhn Aldin Senior of Boston in the County of Suffolk Marriner on the 28th Day of May 1692 was sent for by the Magistrates of Salem in the County of Essex upon the Accusation of a company of poor distracted or possessed Creatures or Witches and being sent by Mr. Stoughton arrived there the 31st of May and appeared at Salem Village before Mr. Gidney Mr. Hathorn and Mr. Curwin Those Wenches being present who plaid their jugling tricks falling down crying out and staring in Peoples Faces the Magistrates demanded of them several times who it was of all the People in the Room that hurt them one of these Accusers painted several times at one Captain Hill there present but spake nothing the same Accuser had a Man standing at her back to hold her up he stooped down to her Ear then she cried out Aldin Aldin afflicted her one of the Magistrates asked her if she had ever seen Aldin she answered no he asked how she knew it was Aldin She said the Man told her so Then all were ordered to go down into the Street where a Ring was made and the same Accuser cried out there stands Aldin a bold fellow with his Ha◠on before the Iudges be sells Powder and Shot to the Indians and French and lies with the Indian Squares and has Indian Papooses Then was Aldin committed to the Marshal's Custody and his Sword taken from him for they said he afflicted them with his Sword After some hours Aldin was sent for to the Meeting-house in the Village before the Magistrates who required Aldin to stand upon a Chair to the open view of all the People The Accusers cried out that Aldin did pinch them then when he stood upon the Chair in the sight of all the People a good way distant from them one of the Magistrates bid the Marshal to hold open Aldin's hands that he might not pinch those Creatures Aldin asked them why they should think that he should come to that Village to afflict those persons that he never knew or saw before Mr. Gidney bid Aldin confess and give glory to God Aldin said he hoped he should give glory to God and hoped he should never gratifie the Devil but appealed to all that ever knew him if they ever suspected him to be such a person and challenged any one that could bring in any thing upon their own knowledge that might give suspicion of his being such an one Mr. Gidney said he had known Aldin many Years and had been at Sea with him and always look'd upon him to be an honest Man but now he did see cause to alter his judgment Aldin answered he was sorry for that but he hoped God would clear up his Innocency that he would recall that judgment again and added that he hoped that he should with Job maintain his Integrity till he died They bid Aldin look upon the Accusers which he did and then they fell down Aldin asked Mr. Gidney whát Reason there could be given why Aldin's looking upon him did not strike him down as well but no reason was given that I heard But the Accusers were brought to Aldin to touch them and this touch they said made them well Aldin began to speak of the Providence of God in suffering these Creatures to accuse Innocent persons Mr. Noyes asked Aldin why he would offer to speak of the Providence of God God by his Providence said Mr. Noyes governs the World and keeps it in peace and so went on with Discourse and stopt Aldin's mouth as to that Aldin told Mr. Gidney that he could assure him that there was a lying Spirit in them for I can assure you that there is not a word of truth in all these say of me But Aldin was again committed to the Marshal and his Mittimus written which was as follows To Mr. Iohn Arnold Keeper of the Prison in Boston in the County of Suffolk WHereas Captain John Aldin of Boston Marriner and Sarah Rice Wife of Nicholas Rice of Reding Husbandman have been this day brought before us John Hathorn and Jonathan Curwin Esquires
his Father would grind her Grist for her He demanded why she replied because folks count me a Witch He answered no question but he will grind it for you being then gone about six Roods from her with a small load in his Cart suddainly the off Wheel slumpt and sunk down into an hole upon plain ground so that the Deponent was forced to get help for the recovering of the Wheel But stepping back to look for the hole which might give him this disaster there was none at all to be found Some time after he was waked in the Night but it seemed as light as day and he perfectly saw the shape of this Bishop in the Room troubling of him but upon her going out all was dark again He charg'd Bishop afterwards with it and she denied it not but was very angry Quickly after this Deponent having been threatned by Bishop as he was in a dark Night going to the Barn he was very suddainly taken or lifted from the ground and thrown against a Stone-wall after that he was again hoisted up and thrown down a bank at the end of his House After this again passing by this Bishop his Horse with a small load striving to draw all his Gears flew to pieces and the Cart fell down and this Deponent going then to lift a bag of Corn of about two Bushels could not budge it with all his might Many other pranks of this Bishops this Deponent was ready to testifie He also testified that he verily believed the said Bishop was the Instrument of his Daughter Priscilla's death of which suspicion pregnant reasons were assigned 12. To crown all Iohn Bly and William Bly testified that being imploy'd by Bridget Bishop to help take down the Cellar-wall of the old House wherein she formerly lived they did in holes of the said old Wall find several Poppets made up of Rags and Hogs Bristles with headless Pins in them the points being outward Whereof she could now give no Account unto the Court that was reasonable or tolerable 13. One thing that made against the Prisoner was her being evidently convicted of Gross lying in the Court several times while she was making her Plea But besides this a Jury of Women found a preternatural Tet upon her Body but upon a second search within three or four hours there was no such thing to be seen There was also an Account of other People whom this Woman had Afflicted And there might have been many more if they had been enquired for But there was no need of them 14. There was one very strange thing more with which the Court was newly entertained As this Woman was under a guard passing by the great and spacious Meeting House of Salem she gave a look towards the House and immediately a Dâ—emon invisibly entring the Meeting House Tore down a part of it so that tho there were no person to be seen there yet the People at the Noise running in found a board which was strongly fastned with several Nails transported unto another quarter of the House The Indictment of Susanna Martin Essex ff Anno Regni Regis Regine Willielmi Mariae nunc Angliae c. quarto THE Jurors for our Soveraign Lord and Lady the King and Queen present That Susanna Martin of Amesbury in the County of Essex Widow The second Day of May in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King and Queen Defenders of the Faith c. And divers other days and times as well before as after certain detestable Arts called Witchcrafts and Sorceries Wickedly and Felloniously hath used practised and exercised at and within the Township of Salem in the County of Essex aforesaid in upon and against one Mary Wolcott of Salem-Village in the County of Essex Single Woman by which said wicked Arts the said Mary Wolcott the Second Day of May in the fourth Year aforesaid and at divers other days and times as well before as after was and is Tortured Afflicted Pined Consumed Wasted and Tormented as also for sundry other Acts of Witchcraft by said Susanna Martin committed and done before and since that time against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord and Lady William and Mary King and Queen of England Their Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and provided Return'd by the Grand-Jury Billa Vera. Witnesses Sarah Vibber Mary Wolcott Mr. Samuel Parris Elizabeth Hubbard Mercy Lewis The Second Indictment was for afflicting Mercy Lewis Witnesses Samuel Parris Ann Putnam Sarah Vibber Eliz. Hubbard Mary Wolcott Mercy Lewis The Tryal of Susanna Martin Iune 29. 1692. As is Printed In Wonders of Invisible World from P. 114 to P. 116. 1. Susanna Martin pleading not Guilty to the Indictment of Witchcrafts brought in against her there were produced the Evidences of many persons very sensibly and grievously bewitched who all complained of the Prisoner at the Bar as the person whom they believed the cause of their Miseries And now as well as in the other Trials there was an extraordinary endeavour by Witchcrafts with cruel and frequent Fits to hinder the poor Sufferers from giving in their Complaints which the Court was forced with much patience to obtain by much waiting and watching for it There was now also an Account given of what had passed at her first Examination before the Magistrates The cast of her Eye then striking the Afflicted People to the Ground whether they saw that cast or no There were these among other Passages between the Magistrates and the Examinate Magistrate Pray What ails these People Martin I don't know Magist. But What do you think ails them Martin I don't desire to spend my Judgment upon it Magist. Don't you think they are bewitched Martin No I do not think they are Magist. Tell us your thoughts about them then Martin No my thoughts are my own when they are in but when they are out they are anothers Their Master Magist. Their Master Who do you think is their Master Martin If they be dealing in the black Art you may know as well as I. Magist. Well what have you done towards this Martin Nothing at all Magist. Why 't is you or your appearance Martin I can't help it Magist. Is it not your Master How comes your appearance to hurt these Martin How do I know He that appeared in the shape of Samuel a Glorified Saint may appear in any ones shape It was then also noted in her as in others like her that if the Afflicted went to approach her they were flung down to the ground And when she was asked the reason of it she said I cannot tell it may be the Devil bears me more Malice than another The Court accounted themselves Alarm'd by these things to inquire further into the Conversation of the Prisoner and see what there might occur to render these Accusations further credible Whereupon
while she lay in bed went to see her Children P. 153. A Dog appeared like a Fly or a Flea P. 165. Some knowing Agents directs Thunder storms tho' the Author knows not who and that they so often fall on Churches he knows not why P. 2 80. Mr. I. M. and Mr. C. M. Recommended together with Bâ—dâ—n c. P. 237. A Crispian if through Ignorance he believes not what he saith may be a Christian. In this Sir I suppose that if I have not wronged the sense of the Author in the places quoted which I trust you shall not find I have done I can't be thought accountable for the Errors or Contradictions to himâ—self or to the truth if any such be found particularly what he grants in the Preface of the free-will of Man giving the Devil his hurting power This being not only more than those call'd Witch-Advocates would desire to be conceded to them But is a palpable and manifest overturning the Authors design in all his Witch stories For who would consent to have the Devil afflict himself As also his concession that no Spirit can do any thing but by God's will and permission I cannot perswade my self but you must be sensible of their apparent contradictorâ—ness to the rest Others there are of a very ill aspect as p. 234. the Catholicks are much encouraged in their Adoration of Angels and and Saints If that were so Innocent as not to render them Anti-christian Idolaters and that p. 4. if admitted will seem to lay an ungainsayable foundation for the â—agan Indian and Diabolists Faith by telling us it is beyond our search to know how far God leaves the Devils to free-will to do what they please in this World with a suspension of Godâ—s Predetermination which if it were a truth what were more rational than to oblige him that has such power over us The Atheists also would take encouragement if it were granted that we cannot know how far God suspends his predetermining motion he would thence affirm we as little know that there is a predetermining motion and consequently whether there be a God and p 165. would abundantly strengthen them when such a Learned experienced and highly esteemed Christian shall own that he knows not who 't is that governs the Thunder-storms for it might as well discover ignorance who 't is that disposes of Earthquakes Gun-shot and Afflictions that befall any with the rest of Mundane Events I design not to remark all that in the Book is remarkable such as the departed Souls wand'ring again hither to put men upon revenge c. favouring so much of Pithagoras his Transmigration of Souls and the Separation of the Soul from the Body without death as in the case of her that went to see her Children while yet she did noâ—â—â—ir out of her Bed which seems to be a new speculation unless it determins in favour of Transubstantiation that a Body may be at the same time in several places Upon the whole it is ungainsayable That that Book though so highly extol'd may be justly expected to occasion the staggering of the weak and the hardening of unbelievers in their Infidelity And it seems amazing that you should not only give it such a recommend but that you should send it to me in order as I take it to pervert me from the belief of those fundamental Doctrinals above recited Though I account them more firm than Heaven and Earth But that which is yet more strange to me is that Mr. B his Friends did not advise him better than in his declined Age to emit such crude matter to the publick As to the sometime Reverend Author let his works praise the Remembrance of him but for such as are either Erroneous and foisted upon him or the effect of an aged Imbecillity let them be detected that they may proceed no further I aâ— not ignorant that the manner of Education of Youth in I think almost all Christian Schools hath a natural tendency to propagate those Doctrines of Devils heretofore solely profest among Ethnicks and particularly in matters of Witchcraft c. For notwithstanding the Council of Carthage their taking notice that the Christian Doctors did converse much with the writings of the Heathens for the gaining of Eloquence forbad the reading of the Books of the Gentiles yet it seems this was only a Bill without a penalty which their Successors did not look upon to be binding He that should in this age take a view of the Schools might be induced to believe that the ages since have thought that without such Heathen Learning a man cannot be so accomplish'd as to have any pretence to Academick Literature and that the vulgar might not be without the benefit of such Learning some of their Disciples have taught them to speak English which has given me the opportunity to send you these following Verses Sure love is not the cause their bones appear Some eyes bewitch my tender Lambs I fear For me these Herbs in Pontus Maeris chose There ev'ry powerful Drug in plenty grows Transform'd to a Wolf I often Maeris saw Then into shady Woods himself withdraw Oft he from deepest Sepulchers would Charm Departed Souls And from anothers Farm Into his own ground Corn yet standing take Now from the Town my Charms bring Daphnis back Vanquisht with charms from Heaven the Moon descends Circe with Charms transform'd Ulysses friends Charms in the Field will burst a Poysonus Snake Now from the Town c. Her Arms thrice turns about thrice wets her crown With gather'd dew thrice yawns and kneeling down Oh Night thou friend to secrets you clear fires That with the Moon succeed when day retires Great Hecate thou know'st and aid Imparts To our design you Charms and Magick Arts And thou oh Earth that to Magicians yields Thy powerful Simples Airs Winds Mountains Fields Soft murmuring Springs still Lakes and Rivers clear You Gods of Woods you Gods of night appear By you at will I make swift Streams retire To their first Fountain while their Banks admire Seas toss and smooth clear Clouds with Clouds deform Storms turn to Calms and make a Calm a Storm With Spells and Charms I break the Vipers Iaws Cleave solid Rocks Oaks from their sisures draw Whole Woods remove the Airy Mountains shake Earth forc'd to groan and Ghosts from Graves awake her Iourney takes To Rhegium opposite to Zanle's shore And treads the troubled Waves that loudly roar Running with unwet Feet on that profound As if Sh' had trod upon the solid ground This with portentous poysons she pollutes Besprinkled with the juice of wicked roots In words dark and perplext nine times thrice Inchantments mutters with her wicked voice c. These Fables of the Heathens tho' in themselves of no more validity than the idle Tales of an Indian or the Discourses of a known Romancer are become the School-learning not to say the Faith of Christians and are the Scriptures brought instead of that most sure
Word if not to prove Doctrine yet as illustrations thereof Cases of Conscience concerning Witch pag. 25. Remarkable Providences pag. 250. This perhaps might be the cause that in England a people otherways sober and Religious have for some ages in a manner wholly refused the admitting those so educated to the work of the Ministry Such education and practice have so far prevailed that it has been a means of corrupting the Christian World almost to that degree as to be ungainsayable for tho' there is Reason to hope that these Diabolical principles have not so prevail'd with multitudes of Christians as that they ascribe to a Witch and a Devil the Attributes peculiar to the Almighty yet how few are willing to be found opposing such a torrent as knowing that in so doing they shall be sure to meet with opposition to the utmost from the many both of Magistrates Ministers and People and the name of Sadducee Atheist and perhaps Witch too cast upon them most liberally by men of the highest profession in Godliness And if not so learned as some of themselves then accounted only fit to be trampled on and their Arguments tho both Rational and Scriptural as fit only for contempt But tho this be the deplorable Dilemma yet some have dared from time to time for the glory of God and the good and safety of Mens lives c. to run all these Risques And that God who has said My glory I will not give to another is able to protect those that are found doing their duty herein against all opposers and however other ways contemptible can make them useful in his own hand who has sometimes chosen the weakest Instruments that his power may be the more Illustrious And now Reverend Sir if you are conscious to your self that you have in your principles or practices been abetting to such grand Errors I cannot see how it can consist with sincerity to be so convinc'd in matters so nearly â—eidting to the glory of God and lives of Innocents and at the same time so much to fear disparagement among Men as to stifle Conscâ—â—nce and dissemble an approving of former sentiments you know that word he that honoureth me I will honour and he that despiseth me shall be â—ightly esteemed But if you think that in these matters you have done your duty and taught people theirs and that the Doctrines cited from the 〈◊〉 Book are ungainsayable I shall conclude in almost his words He that teaches such Doctrine if through Ignorance he believes not what he saith may be a Christian But if he believes them he is in the broad path to Heathenism Devilism Popery or Atheism It is a solemn caution Gal. 1. 8. But tho we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I hope you will not misconstrue my Intentions herein who am Reverend Sir Yours to command in what I may R. C. To the Ministers in and near Boston Ianuary 12. 1696. Christianity had been but a short time in the World when there was raised against it not only open prosest Enemies but secret and imbred underminers who sought thereby to effect that which open force had been so often basled in And notwithstanding that primitive purity and sincerity which in some good measure was still retained yet the cunning deceivers and Apostate Hereticks found opportunity to beguile the unwary and this in fundamentals Among others which then sprung up with but too much advantage in the third Century the Maniche did spread his Pestiferous sentiments and taught the Existence of two Beings or Causes of all things viz. a good and a bad but these were soon silenced by the more Orthodox Doctors and Anathematized by General Councels And at this day the American Indians another sort of Maniche entertaining thus far the same belief hold it their prudence and interest to please that evil Being as well by perpetrating other Murders as by their Bloody Sacrifices that so he may not harm them The Iron teeth of time have now almost devoured the name of the former and as to the latter it is to be hoped that as Christianity prevails among them they will abhor such abominable belief And as those primitive times were not priviledged against the spreading of dangerous Heresie so neither can any now pretend to any such Immunity tho professing the enjoyment of a primitive purity Might a Iudgment be made from the Books of the modern learned Divines or from the practice of Courts or from the Faith of many who call themselves Christians it might be modestly tho sadly concluded that the Doctrine of the Maniche at least great part of it is so far from being forgotten that 't is almost every where profest We in these ends of the Earth need not seek far for Instances in each respect to demonstrate this The Books here Printed and recommended not only by the respective Authors but by many of their Brethren do set forth that the Devil inflicts Plagues Wars Diseases Tempests and can render the most solid things invisible and can do things above and against the course of Nature and all natural causes Are these the Expressions of Orthodox believers or are they not rather expressions becoming a Maniche or a Heathen as agreeing far better with these than with the sacred Oracles our only rule the whole current whereof is so Diametrically opposite thereto that it were almost endless to mention all the Divine cautions against such abominable belief he that runs may read Psal. 62.11 and 136.4 Lam. 3.37 Amos 3.6 Jer. 4.22 Psal. 78.26 and 148.6 8. Job 38.22 to the 34. v. These places with a Multitude more do abundantly testifie that the Assertors of such power to be in the eâ—il Being do speak in a dialect different from the Scriptures laying a firm foundation for the Indians adorations which agrees well with what A. Ross sets forth in his Mistag Poetic p. 116. that their ancients did Vsurp the furies and their God Averinci that they might forbear to hurt them And have not the Courts in some parts of the World by their practice testified their concurrence with such belief prosecuting to Death many people upon that notion of their improving such power of the Evil one to the raising of Storms afflicting and killing of others tho at great distance from them doing things in their own persons above humane strength destroying of Cattle flying in the Air turning themselves into Cats or Dogs c. Which by the way must needs imply something of goodness to be in that evil Being who tho he has such power would not exert it were it not for this people or else that they can some way add to this mighty power And are the people a whit behind in their beliefs is there any thing abovementioned their strong Faith looks upon to be too hard for this evil Being to effect Here it