Part 7

[7] § II. The _New-Englanders_ are a People of God settled in those, which were once the _Devil's_ Territories; and it may easily be supposed that the _Devil_ was exceedingly disturbed, when he perceived such a People here accomplishing the Promise of old made unto our Blessed Jesus, _That He should have the Utmost parts of the Earth for his Possession_.[52] There was not a greater Uproar among the _Ephesians_, when the Gospel was first brought among them, than there was among, _The Powers of the Air_ (after whom those _Ephesians_ walked) when first the _Silver Trumpets_ of the Gospel here made the _Joyful Sound_. The Devil thus Irritated, immediately try'd all sorts of Methods to overturn this poor Plantation: and so much of the Church, as was _Fled into this Wilderness_, immediately found, _The Serpent cast out of his Mouth a Flood for the carrying of it away._ I believe, that never were more _Satanical Devices_ used for the Unsetling of any People under the Sun, than what have been Employ'd for the Extirpation of the _Vine_ which God has here _Planted, Casting out the Heathen, and preparing a Room before it, and causing it to take deep Root, and fill the Land, so that it sent its Boughs unto the_ Atlantic _Sea_ Eastward, _and its Branches unto the_ Connecticut _River_ Westward, _and the Hills were covered with the shadow thereof_. But, All those Attempts of Hell, have hitherto been Abortive, many an _Ebenezer_ has been Erected unto the Praise of God, by his Poor People here; and, _Having obtained Help from God, we continue to this Day_. Wherefore the Devil is now making one Attempt more upon us; an Attempt more Difficult, more Surprizing, more snarl'd with unintelligible Circumstances than any that we have hitherto Encountred;[53] an Attempt so _Critical_, that if we get well through, we shall soon Enjoy _Halcyon_ Days with all the _Vultures_ of Hell _Trodden under our Feet_. He has wanted his _Incarnate Legions_ to Persecute us, as the People of God have in the other Hemisphere been Persecuted: he has therefore drawn forth his more _Spiritual_ ones to make an Attacque upon us. We have been advised by some Credible Christians yet alive, that a Malefactor, accused of _Witchcraft_ as well as _Murder_, and Executed in this place more than Forty Years ago, did then give Notice of, _An Horrible_ PLOT _against the Country_ by WITCHCRAFT, _and a Foundation of_ WITCHCRAFT _then laid, which if it were not seasonably discovered, would prbably Blow up, and pull down all the Churches in the Country_.[54] And we have now with Horror seen the _Discovery_ of such a _Witchcraft!_ An Army of _Devils_ is horribly broke in upon the place which is the _Center_, and after a sort, the _First-born_ of our _English_ Settlements: and the Houses of the Good People there are fill'd with the doleful Shrieks of their Children and Servants, Tormented by Invisible Hands, with Tortures altogether preternatural. After the Mischiefs there Endeavoured, and since in part Conquered, the terrible Plague, of _Evil Angels_, hath made its Progress into some other places, where other Persons have been in like manner Diabolically handled. These our poor Afflicted Neighbours, quickly after they become _Infected_ and _Infested_ with these _Dæmons_, arrive to a Capacity of Discerning those which they conceive the _Shapes_ of their Troublers; and notwithstanding the Great and Just Suspicion, that the _Dæmons_ might Impose the _Shapes_ of Innocent Persons in their _Spectral Exhibitions_ upon the Sufferers, (which may perhaps prove no small part of the _Witch-Plot_ in the issue) yet many of the Persons thus Represented, being Examined, several of them have been Convicted of a very Damnable _Witchcraft:_ yea, more than One _Twenty_ have _Confessed_, that they have Signed unto a _Book_, which the Devil show'd them, and Engaged in his Hellish Design of _Bewitching_, and _Ruining_ our Land. _We_ [8] know not, at least I know not, how far the _Delusions_ of Satan may be Interwoven into some Circumstances of the _Confessions;_ but one would think, all the Rules of Understanding Humane Affayrs are at an end, if after so many most Voluntary Harmonious _Confessions_, made by Intelligent Persons of all Ages, in sundry Towns, at several Times, we must not Believe the _main strokes_ wherein those _Confessions_ all agree: especially when we have a thousand preternatural Things every day before our eyes, wherein the _Confessors_ do acknowledge their Concernment, and give Demonstration of their being so Concerned. If the Devils now can strike the minds of men with any _Poisons_ of so fine a Composition and Operation, that Scores of Innocent People shall Unite, in _Confessions_ of a Crime, which we see actually committed, it is a thing prodigious, beyond the Wonders of the former Ages, and it threatens no less than a sort of a Dissolution upon the World. Now, by these _Confessions_ 'tis Agreed, _That_ the Devil has made a dreadful Knot of _Witches_ in the Country, and by the help of _Witches_ has dreadfully increased that Knot: _That_ these _Witches_ have driven a Trade of Commissioning their _Confederate Spirits_, to do all sorts of Mischiefs to the Neighbours, whereupon there have ensued such Mischievous consequences upon the Bodies and Estates of the Neighbourhood, as could not otherwise be accounted for: yea, _That_ at prodigious _Witch-Meetings_, the Wretches have proceeded so far, as to Concert and Consult the Methods of Rooting out the Christian Religion from this Country, and setting up instead of it, perhaps a more gross _Diabolism_, than ever the World saw before. And yet it will be a thing little short of _Miracle_, if in so _spread_ a Business as this, the Devil should not get in some of his Juggles, to confound the Discovery of all the rest.[55]

§ III. Doubtless, the Thoughts of many will receive a great Scandal against _New-England_, from the Number of Persons that have been Accused, or Suspected, for _Witchcraft_, in this Country: But it were easie to offer many things, that may Answer and Abate the Scandal. If the Holy God should any where permit the Devils to hook two or three wicked _Scholars_ into _Witchcraft_, and then by their Assistance to Range with their _Poisonous Insinuations_ among Ignorant, Envious, Discontented People, till they have cunningly decoy'd them into some sudden _Act_, whereby the Toyls of Hell shall be perhaps inextricably cast over them: what Country in the World would not afford _Witches_, numerous to a Prodigy? Accordingly, The Kingdoms of _Sweden_, _Denmark_, _Scotland_, yea and _England_ it self, as well as the Province of _New-England_,[56] have had their Storms of _Witchcrafts_ breaking upon them, which have made most Lamentable Devastations: which also I wish, may be _The Last_. And it is not uneasie to be imagined, that God has not brought out all the _Witchcrafts_ in many other Lands with such a speedy, dreadful, destroying _Jealousie_, as burns forth upon such _High Treasons_, committed here in _A Land of Uprightness:_ Transgressors may more quickly here than elsewhere become a Prey to the Vengeance of Him, _Who has Eyes like a Flame of Fire_, and, _who walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks_. Moreover, There are many parts of the World, who if they do upon this Occasion insult over this People of God, need only to be told the Story of what happen'd at _Loim_, in the Duchy of _Gulic_, where a Popish Curate having ineffectually try'd many Charms to Eject the Devil out of a Damsel there possessed, he passionately bid the Devil come out of her into himself; but the Devil answered him, _Quid mihi Opus, est eum tentare, quem Novissimo die, Jure Optimo, sum possessurus?_ That is, _What need I meddle with one whom I am sure to have, and hold at the Last-day as my own for ever!_

[9] But besides all this, give me leave to add, it is to be hoped, That among the Persons represented by the _Spectres_ which now afflict our Neighbours, there will be found _some_ that never explicitly contracted with any of the _Evil Angels_. The Witches have not only intimated, but some of them acknowledged, That they have plotted the Representations of _Innocent Persons_, to cover and shelter themselves in their Witchcrafts; now, altho' our good God has hitherto generally preserved us from the Abuse therein design'd by the Devils for us, yet who of us can exactly state, _How far our God may for our Chastisement permit the Devil to proceed in such an Abuse?_ It was the Result of a Discourse, lately held at a Meeting of some very Pious and Learned Ministers among us, _That the Devils may sometimes have a permission to Represent an Innocent Person, as Tormenting such as are under Diabolical Molestations: But that such things are Rare and Extraordinary; especially when such matters come before Civil Judicature._[57] The Opinion expressed with so much Caution and Judgment, seems to be the prevailing Sense of many others, who are men Eminently Cautious and Judicious; and have both _Argument_ and _History_ to Countenance them in it. It is _Rare and Extraordinary_, for an Honest _Naboth_ to have his Life it self Sworn away by two _Children of Belial_, and yet no Infringement hereby made on the Rectoral Righteousness of our Eternal Soveraign, whose _Judgments are a Great Deep_, and who _gives none Account of His matters_.[58] Thus, although the Appearance of Innocent Persons in _Spectral Exhibitions_ afflicting the Neighbourhood, be a thing _Rare and Extraordinary;_ yet who can be sure, that the great _Belial_ of Hell must needs be always _Yoked_ up from this piece of Mischief? The best man that ever lived has been called a _Witch:_ and why may not this too usual and unhappy Symptom of A _Witch_, even a Spectral Representation, befall a person that shall be none of the worst? Is it not possible? The _Laplanders_ will tell us 'tis possible: for Persons to be unwittingly attended with officious _Dæmons_, bequeathed unto them, and impos'd upon them, by Relations that have been _Witches_.[59] _Quæry_, also, Whether at a Time, when the Devil with his Witches are engag'd in a War upon a people, some certain steps of ours, in such a War, may not be follow'd with our appearing so and so for a while among them in the Visions of our afflicted _Forlorns!_ And, Who can certainly say, what other Degrees or Methods of sinning, besides that of a _Diabolical Compact_, may give the Devils advantage to act in the Shape of them that have miscarried? Besides what may happen for a while, to try the _Patience_ of the Vertuous. May not some that have been ready upon feeble grounds uncharitably to Censure and Reproach other people, be punished for it by _Spectres_ for a while exposing them to Censure and Reproach? And furthermore, I pray, that it may be considered, Whether a World of Magical Tricks often used in the World, may not insensibly oblige _Devils_ to wait upon the Superstitious Users of them. A Witty Writer against _Sadducism_ has this Observation, That persons who never made any express Contract with _Apostate Spirits_, yet may Act strange Things by _Diabolick Aids_, which they procure by the use of those wicked _Forms_ and _Arts_, that the Devil first imparted unto his Confederates. And he adds, _We know not but the Laws of the Dark Kingdom may Enjoyn a particular Attendance upon all those that practice their Mysteries, whether they know them to be theirs or no_. Some of them that have been cry'd out upon as _Employing Evil Spirits_ to hurt our Land, have been known to be most bloody _Fortune-Tellers;_ and some of them have confessed, That when they told _Fortunes_, they would pretend the Rules of _Chiromancy_ and the like Ignorant Sciences, but indeed they had no Rule (they said) [10] but this, _The things were then Darted into their minds_. _Darted!_ Ye Wretches;[60] By whom, I pray? Surely by none but the _Devils;_ who, tho' perhaps they did not exactly _Foreknow_ all the thus Predicted Contingencies; yet having once _Foretold_ them, they stood bound in Honour now to use their Interest, which alas, in _This World_, is very great, for the Accomplishment of their own Predictions. There are others, that have used most wicked _Sorceries_ to gratifie their unlawful Curiosities, or to prevent Inconveniencies in Man and Beast; _Sorceries_, which I will not _Name_, lest I should by naming, _Teach them_.[61] Now, some _Devil_ is evermore Invited into the Service of the Person that shall Practise these _Witchcrafts;_ and if they have gone on Impenitently in these Communions with any _Devil_, the _Devil_ may perhaps become at last a _Familiar_ to them, and so assume their _Livery_, that they cannot shake him off in any way, but that One, which I would most heartily prescribe unto them, Namely, That of a deep and long _Repentance_. Should these _Impieties_ have been committed in such a place as _New-England_, for my part I should not wonder, if when _Devils_ are Exposing the _Grosser_ Witches among us, God permit them to bring in these _Lesser_ ones with the rest for their perpetual Humiliation. In the Issue therefore, may it not be found, that _New-England_ is not so stock'd with _Rattle Snakes_, as was imagined.[62]

§ IV. But I do not believe, that the progress of _Witchcraft_ among us, is all the Plot which the Devil is managing in the _Witchcraft_ now upon us. It is judged, That the Devil rais'd the Storm, whereof we read in the Eighth Chapter of _Matthew_, on purpose to over-set the little Vessel wherein the Disciples of Our Lord were Embarqued with Him. And it may be fear'd, that in the _Horrible Tempest_ which is now upon ourselves, the design of the Devil is to sink that Happy Settlement of Government, wherewith Almighty God has graciously enclined Their Majesties to favour us.[63] We are blessed with a GOVERNOUR, than whom no man can be more willing to serve Their Majesties, or this their Province: He is continually venturing his _All_ to do it: and were not the Interests of his Prince dearer to him than his own, he could not but soon be weary of the _Helm_, whereat he sits. We are under the Influence of a LIEUTENANT GOVERNOUR,[64] who not only by being admirably accomplished both with Natural and Acquired Endowments, is fitted for the Service of Their Majesties, but also with an unspotted Fidelity applies himself to that Service. Our COUNCELLOURS are some of our most Eminent Persons, and as Loyal Subjects to the Crown, as hearty lovers of their Country.[65] Our Constitution also is attended with singular Priviledges; All which Things are by the Devil exceedingly _Envy'd_ unto us. And the Devil will doubtless take this occasion for the raising of such complaints and clamours, as may be of pernicious consequence unto some part of our present Settlement, if he can so far _Impose_. But that which most of all Threatens us, in our present Circumstances, is the _Misunderstanding_, and so the _Animosity_, whereunto the _Witchcraft_ now Raging, has Enchanted us. The Embroiling, first, of our _Spirits_, and then of our _Affairs_, is evidently as considerable a Branch of the Hellish Intrigue which now vexes us as any one Thing whatever. The Devil has made us like a _Troubled Sea_, and the _Mire_ and _Mud_ begins now also to heave up apace. Even Good and Wise Men suffer themselves to fall into their _Paroxysms;_ and the Shake which the Devil is now giving us, fetches up the _Dirt_ which before lay still at the bottom of our sinful Hearts. If we allow the Mad Dogs of Hell to poyson us by biting us, [11] we shall imagine that we see nothing but such things about us, and like such things fly upon all that we see. Were it not for what is IN US, for my part, I should not fear a thousand Legions of Devils: 'tis by our Quarrels that we spoil our Prayers; and if our humble, zealous, and united Prayers are once hindred: Alas, the _Philistines_ of Hell have cut our Locks for us; they will then blind us, mock us, ruine us: In truth, I cannot altogether blame it, if People are a little transported, when they conceive all the secular Interests of themselves and their Families at the Stake; and yet at the sight of these Heartburnings, I cannot forbear the Exclamation of the Sweet-spirited _Austin_, in his Pacificatory Epistle to _Jerom_, on the Contest with _Ruffin_, _O misera & miseranda Conditio!_ O Condition, truly miserable! But what shall be done to cure these Distractions? It is wonderfully necessary, that some healing Attempts be made at this time: And I must needs confess (if I may speak so much) like a _Nazianzen_, I am so desirous of a share in them, that if, being thrown overboard, were needful to allay the _Storm_, I should think Dying, a Trifle to be undergone, for so great a Blessedness.[66]

§ V. I would most importunately in the first place, entreat every Man to maintain an holy Jealousie over his own Soul at this time, and think; May not the Devil make me, though ignorantly and unwillingly, to be an Instrument of doing something that he would have to be done? For my part, I freely own my Suspicion, lest something of Enchantment, have reach'd more Persons and Spirits among us, than we are well aware of. But then, let us more generally agree to maintain a kind Opinion one of another. That Charity without which, even our giving our Bodies to be burned would profit nothing, uses to proceed by this Rule; It is kind, it is not easily provok'd, it thinks no Evil, it believes all things, hopes all things. But if we disregard this Rule of Charity, we shall indeed give our Body Politick to be burned.[67] I have heard it affirmed, That in the late great Flood upon _Connecticut_, those Creatures which could not but have quarrelled at another time, yet now being driven together very agreeably stood by one another.[68] I am sure we shall be worse than _Bruitish_ if we fly upon one another at a time when the Floods of Belial make us afraid. On the one side; [Alas, my Pen, must thou write the word, _Side_ in the Business?] There are very worthy Men, who, having been call'd by God, when and where this Witchcraft first appeared upon the Stage to encounter it, are earnestly desirous to have it sifted unto the bottom of it. And I pray, which of us all that should live under the continual Impressions of the Tortures, Outcries, and Havocks which Devils confessedly Commissioned by Witches make among their distressed Neighbours, would not have a Biass that way beyond other Men? Persons this way disposed have been Men eminent for Wisdom and Vertue, and Men acted by a noble Principle of Conscience. Had not Conscience (of Duty to God) prevailed above other Considerations with them, they would not for all they are worth in the World have medled in this Thorny business. Have there been any disputed Methods used in discovering the Works of Darkness? It may be none but what have had great Precedents in other parts of the World; which may, though not altogether justifie, yet much alleviate a Mistake in us if there should happen to be found any such mistake in so dark a Matter.[69] They have done what they have done, with multiplied Addresses to God for his Guidance, and have not been insensible how [12] much they have exposed themselves in what they have done. Yea, they would gladly contrive and receive an expedient, how the shedding of Blood, might be spared, by the Recovery of Witches, not gone beyond the Reach of Pardon. And after all, they invite all good Men, in terms to this purpose, 'Being amazed at the Number and Quality of those accused of late, we do not know but Satan by his Wiles may have enwrapped some innocent Persons; and therefore should earnestly and humbly desire the most Critical Enquiry upon the place, to find out the Falacy; that there may be none of the Servants of the Lord, with the worshippers of _Baal_.' I may also add, That whereas, if once a Witch do ingeniously confess among us, no more _Spectres_ do in their Shapes after this, trouble the Vicinage; if any guilty Creatures will accordingly to so good purpose confess their Crime to any Minister of God, and get out of the Snare of the Devil, as no Minister will discover such a Conscientious Confession, so I believe none in the Authority will press him to discover it; but rejoyc'd in a Soul sav'd from Death. On the other side [if I must again use the word _Side_, which yet I hope to live to blot out] there are very worthy Men, who are not a little dissatisfied at the Proceedings in the Prosecution of this Witchcraft. And why? Not because they would have any such abominable thing, defended from the Strokes of Impartial Justice. No, those Reverend Persons who gave in this Advice unto the Honourable Council; 'That Presumptions, whereupon Persons may be Committed, and much more Convictions, whereupon Persons may be Condemned, as guilty of Witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more considerable than barely the Accused Persons being represented by a _Spectre_ unto the Afflicted; Nor are Alterations made in the Sufferers, by a Look or Touch of the Accused, to be esteemed an infallible Evidence of Guilt; but frequently liable to be abused by the Devils Legerdemains:' I say, those very Men of God most conscientiously Subjoined this Article to that Advice,--'Nevertheless we cannot but humbly recommend unto unto the Government, the speedy and vigorous Prosecution of such as have rendred themselves Obnoxious; according to the best Directions given in the Laws of God, and the wholsome Statutes of the _English_ Nation for the Detection of Witchcraft.' Only 'tis a most commendable Cautiousness, in those gracious Men, to be very shye lest the Devil get so far into our Faith, as that for the sake of many Truths which we find he tells us, we come at length to believe any Lyes, wherewith he may abuse us: whereupon, what a Desolation of Names would soon ensue, besides a thousand other pernicious Consequences? and lest there should be any such Principles taken up, as when put into Practice must unavoidably cause the _Righteous to perish with the Wicked;_ or procure the Bloodshed of any Persons, like the _Gibeonites_, whom some learned Men suppose to be under a false Notion of Witches, by _Saul_ exterminated.

They would have all due steps taken for the Extinction of Witches; but they would fain have them to be sure ones; nor is it from any thing, but the real and hearty goodness of such Men, that they are loth to surmise ill of other Men, till there be the fullest Evidence for the surmises. As for the Honourable Judges that have been hitherto in the Commission, they are above my Consideration: wherefore I will only say thus much of them, That such of them as I have the Honour of a Personal Acquaintance with, are Men of an excellent Spirit; and as at first they went about the work for which they were Commission'd, with [13] a very great aversion, so they have still been under Heart-breaking Solicitudes, how they might therein best serve both God and Man? In fine, Have there been faults on any side fallen into? Surely, they have at worst been but the faults of a well-meaning Ignorance. On every side then, why should not we endeavour with amicable Correspondencies, to help one another out of the Snares wherein the Devil would involve us? To wrangle the Devil out of the Country, will be truly a New Experiment: Alas! we are not aware of the Devil, if we do not think, that he aims at inflaming us one against another; and shall we suffer our selves to be Devil-ridden? or by any unadvisableness contribute unto the Widening of our Breaches?