Part 4

XIV. _There is a second sufficient Conviction, by the Testimony of two Witnesses, of good and honest Report, avouching before the Magistrate, upon their own Knowledge, these two things: either that the party accused hath made a League with the Devil, or hath done some known practice of witchcraft. And, +all Arguments that do necessarily prove either of these+, being brought by two sufficient Witnesses, are of force fully to convince the party suspected._

XV. _If it can be proved, that the party suspected hath called upon the +Devil+, or desired his Help, this is a pregnant proof of a League formerly made between them._

XVI. _If it can be proved, that the party hath entertained a Familiar Spirit, and had Conference with it, in the likeness of some visible Creatures; here is Evidence of witchcraft._

XVII. _If the witnesses affirm upon Oath, that the suspected person hath done any action or work which necessarily infers a Covenant made, as, that he hath used Enchantments, divined things before they come to pass, and that peremptorily, raised Tempests, caused the Form of a dead man to appear; it proveth sufficiently, that he or she is a +Witch+._ This is the Substance of Mr. _Perkins_.

Take next the Sum of Mr. _Gaules_ Judgment about the Detection of Witches. '1. Some Tokens for the Trial of Witches, are altogether unwarrantable. Such are the old Paganish Sign, the Witches _Long Eyes_; the Tradition of Witches not weeping; the casting of the Witch into the Water, with Thumbs and Toes ty'd a-cross. And many more such Marks, which if they are to know a Witch by, certainly 'tis no other Witch, but the User of them. 2. There are some Tokens for the Trial of Witches, more probable, and yet not so certain as to afford Conviction. Such are strong and long Suspicion: Suspected Ancestors, some appearance of Fact, the Corps bleeding upon the Witches touch, the Testimony of the Party bewitched, the supposed Witches unusual Bodily marks, the Witches usual Cursing and Banning, the Witches lewd and naughty kind of Life. 3. Some Signs there are of a Witch, more certain and infallible. As, _firstly_, Declining of Judicature, or faultering, faulty, unconstant, and contrary Answers, upon judicial and deliberate examination. _Secondly_, When upon due Enquiry into a person's Faith and Manners, there are found _all_ or _most_ of the Causes which produce Witchcraft, namely, _God_ forsaking, _Satan_ invading, particular _Sins_ disposing; and lastly, a compact compleating all. _Thirdly_, The Witches free Confession, together with full Evidence of the Fact. _Confession_ without _Fact_ may be a meer Delusion, and _Fact_ without _Confession_ may be a meer Accident. _4thly_, The semblable Gestures and Actions of suspected Witches, with the comparable Expressions of Affections, which in all Witches have been observ'd and found very much alike. _Fifthly_, The Testimony of the Party bewitched, whether pining or dying, together with the joynt Oaths of sufficient persons, that have seen certain prodigious Pranks or Feats, wrought by the Party accused. 4. Among the most unhappy circumstances to convict a Witch, one is, a maligning and oppugning the Word, Work, and Worship of God, and by any extraordinary sign seeking to seduce any from it. See _Deut. 13.1, 2._, _Mat. 24.24._, _Act. 13.8, 10._, _2 Tim. 3.8._ Do but mark well the places, and for this very Property (of thus opposing and perverting) they are all there concluded arrant and absolute Witches. 5. It is not requisite, that so _palpable Evidence of Conviction_ should here come in, as in other more sensible matters; 'tis enough, if there be but so much _circumstantial_ Proof or Evidence, as the Substance, Matter, and Nature of such an abstruse Mystery of Iniquity will well admit. [_I suppose he means, that whereas in other Crimes we look for more direct proofs, in this there is a greater use of consequential ones._] But I could heartily wish, that the Juries were empanell'd of the most eminent Physicians, Lawyers, and Divines that a Country could afford. In the mean time 'tis not to be called a Toleration, if Witches escape, where Conviction is wanting.' To this purpose our _Gaule_.

I will transcribe a little from one Author more, 'tis the Judicious _Bernard_ of _Batcomb_, who in his _Guide to grand Jurymen_, after he has mention'd several things that are shrewd Presumptions of a Witch, proceeds to such things as are the _Convictions_ of such an one. And he says, '_A witch in league with the +Devil+ is convicted by these Evidences;_ I. By a witches _Mark_; which is upon the Baser sort of Witches; and this, by the Devils either Sucking or Touching of them. _Tertullian_ says, _It is the Devils custome to mark his._ And note, That this mark is _Insensible_, and being prick'd it will not Bleed. Sometimes, its like a _Teate_; sometimes but a _Blewish Spot_; sometimes a _Red_ one; and sometimes the _flesh Sunk_: but the Witches do sometimes cover them. II. By the Witches _Words_. As when they have been heard calling on, speaking to, or Talking of their _Familiars_; or, when they have been heard _Telling_ of _Hurt_ they have done to man or beast: Or when they have been heard _Threatning_ of such Hurt; Or if they have been heard Relating their _Transportations_. III. By the Witches _Deeds_. As when they have been _seen_ with their Spirits, or seen secretly Feeding any of their _Imps_. Or, when there can be found their Pictures, Poppets, and other Hellish Compositions. IV. By the Witches _Extasies_: With the Delight whereof, Witches are so taken, that they will hardly conceal the same: Or, however at some time or other, they may be found in them. V. By one or more _Fellow-Witches_, Confessing their own Witchcraft, and bearing Witness against others; if they can make good the Truth of their Witness, and give sufficient proof of it. As, that they have seen them with their Spirits or, that they have Received Spirits from them; or that they can tell, when they used Witchery-Tricks to Do Harm; or, that they told them what Harm they had done; or that they can show the mark upon them; or, that they have been together in their Meetings; and such like. VI. By some _Witness of God_ Himself, happening upon the Execrable Curses of Witches upon themselves, Praying of God to show some Token, if they be Guilty. VII. By the Witches own _Confession_, of Giving their Souls to the Devil. It is no Rare thing, for Witches to Confess.'

They are Considerable Things, which I have thus Recited; and yet it must be with _Open Eyes_, kept upon _Open Rules_, that we are to follow these things,

_S._ 8. But _Juries_ are not the only Instruments to be imploy'd in such a Work; all _Christians_ are to be concerned with daily and fervent _Prayers_, for the assisting of it. In the Days of _Athanasius_, the Devils were found unable to stand before, that Prayer, however then used perhaps with too much of Ceremony, _Let God Arise, Let his Enemies be Scattered. Let them also that Hate Him, flee before Him._

O that instead of letting our Hearts _Rise_ against one another, our Prayers might _Rise_ unto an high pitch of Importunity, for such a _Rising_ of the Lord! Especially, Let them that are _Suffering_ by _Witchcraft_, be sure to _stay_ and _pray_, and _Beseech the Lord thrice_, even as much as ever they can, before they complain of any Neighbour for afflicting them. Let them also that are _accused_ of _Witchcraft_, set themselves to _Fast_ and _Pray_, and so shake off the _Daemons_ that would like _Vipers_ fasten upon them; and get the _Waters of Jealousie_ made profitable to them.

And Now, _O Thou Hope of +New-England+, and the Saviour thereof in the Time of Trouble; Do thou look mercifully down upon us, & Rescue us, out of the Trouble which at this time do's threaten to swallow us up. Let Satan be shortly bruised under our Feet, and Let the Covenanted Vassals of Satan, which have Traiterously brought him in upon us, be Gloriously Conquered, by thy Powerful and Gracious Presence in the midst of us. Abhor us not, O God, but cleanse us, but heal us, but save us, for the sake of thy Glory. Enwrapped in our Salvations. By thy Spirit, Lift up a standard against our infernal adversaries, Let us quickly find thee making of us glad, according to the Days wherein we have been afflicted. Accept of all our Endeavours to glorify thee, in the Fires that are upon us; and among the rest, Let these my poor and weak essays, composed with what Tears, what Cares, what Prayers, thou +only+ knowest, not want the Acceptance of the Lord._

A DISCOURSE ON THE WONDERS OF

THE INVISIBLE WORLD.

UTTERED (IN PART) ON AUG. 4, 1692.

Ecclesiastical History has Reported it unto us, That a Renowned Martyr at the Stake, seeing the Book of the REVELATION thrown by his no less Profane than Bloody Persecutors, to be Burn'd in the same Fire with himself, he cryed out, _O Beata Apocalypsis; quam bene mecum agitur, qui tecum Comburar!_ BLESSED REVELATION! said he, _How Blessed am I in this Fire, while I have Thee to bear me Company._ As for our selves this Day, 'tis a Fire of sore Affliction and Confusion, wherein we are Embroiled; but it is no inconsiderable Advantage unto us, that we have the Company of this Glorious and Sacred Book the REVELATION to assist us in our Exercises. From that Book there is one Text, which I would single out at this time to lay before you; 'tis that in

REVEL. XII. 12.

_Wo to the Inhabitants of the Earth, and of the Sea; for the Devil is come down unto you, having great Wrath; because he knoweth, that he hath but a short time._

The Text is Like the Cloudy and Fiery Pillar, vouchsafed unto _Israel_, in the Wilderness of old; there is a very _dark side_ of it in the Intimation, that, _The Devil is come down having great Wrath;_ but it has also a _bright side_, when it assures us, that, _He has but a short time;_ Unto the Contemplation of _both_, I do this Day Invite you.

We have in our Hands a Letter from our Ascended Lord in Heaven, to Advise us of his being still alive, and of his Purpose e're long, to give us a Visit, wherein we shall see our Living _Redeemer_, _stand at the latter day upon the Earth_. 'Tis the last Advice that we have had from Heaven, for now sixteen Hundred years; and the scope of it, is, to represent how the Lord Jesus Christ having begun to set up his Kingdom in the World, by the preaching of the Gospel, he would from time to time utterly break to pieces all Powers that should make Head against it, until, _The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall Reign for ever and ever._ 'Tis a Commentary on what had been written by _Daniel_, about, _The fourth Monarchy_; with some Touches upon, _The Fifth_; wherein, _The greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High:_ And altho' it have, as 'tis expressed by one of the Ancients, _Tot Sacramenta quot verba_, a Mystery in every Syllable, yet it is not altogether to be neglected with such a Despair, as that, _I cannot Read, for the Book is Sealed._ It is a REVELATION, and a singular, and notable _Blessing_ is pronounc'd upon them that humbly study it.

The Divine Oracles, have with a most admirable Artifice and Carefulness, drawn, as the very pious _Beverley_, has laboriously Evinced, an exact LINE OF TIME, from the first Sabbath at the _Creation_ of the World, unto the great Sabbatism at the _Restitution_ of all Things. In that famous _Line of Time_, from the Decree for the Restoring of _Jerusalem_, after the _Babylonish_ Captivity, there seem to remain a matter of _Two Thousand and Three Hundred Years_, unto that _New Jerusalem_, whereto the Church is to be advanced, when the Mystical _Babylon_ shall be _fallen_. At the Resurrection of our Lord, there were seventeen or eighteen Hundred of those Years, yet upon the Line, to run unto, _The rest which remains for the People of God_; and this Remnant in the _Line of Time_, is here in our _Apocalypse_, variously Embossed, Adorned, and Signalized with such Distinguishing Events, if we mind them, will help us escape that Censure, _Can ye not Discern the Signs of the Times?_

The Apostle _John_, for the View of these Things, had laid before him, as I conceive, a _Book_, with leaves, or folds; which _Volumn_ was written both on the _Backside_, and on the _Inside_, and Roll'd up in a Cylindriacal Form, under seven _Labels_, fastned with so many _Seals_. The first _Seal_ being opened, and the first _Label_ removed, under the first _Label_ the Apostle saw what he saw, of a first _Rider_ Pourtray'd, and so on, till the last _Seal_ was broken up; each of the Sculptures being enlarged with agreeable _Visions_ and _Voices_, to illustrate it. The Book being now Unrolled, there were _Trumpets_, with wonderful Concomitants, Exhibited successively on the Expanding _Backside_ of it. Whereupon the Book was _Eaten_, as it were to be Hidden, from Interpretations; till afterwards, in the _Inside_ of it, the Kingdom of Anti-christ came to be Exposed. Thus, the Judgments of God on the _Roman Empire_, first unto the Downfal of _Paganism_, and then, unto the Downfal of _Popery_, which is but Revived _Paganism_, are in these Displayes, with Lively Colours and Features made sensible unto us.

Accordingly, in the Twelfth Chapter of this Book, we have an August Preface, to the Description of that Horrid _Kingdom_, which our Lord Christ refused, but Antichrist accepted, from the Devils Hands; a Kingdom, which for _Twelve Hundred and Sixty_ Years together, was to be a continual oppression upon the People of God, and opposition unto his Interests; until the Arrival of that Illustrious Day, wherein, _The Kingdom shall be the Lords, and he shall be Governour among the Nations._ The Chapter is (as an Excellent Person calls it) an _Extravasated Account_ of the Circumstances, which befell the _Primitive Church_, during the first Four or Five Hundred Years of Christianity: It shows us the Face of the Church, first in _Rome_ Heathenish, and then in _Rome_ Converted, before the _Man of Sin_ was yet come to _Mans Estate_. Our Text contains the Acclamations made upon the most Glorious Revolution that ever yet happened upon the Roman Empire; namely, That wherein the Travailing Church brought forth a Christian Emperour. This was a most Eminent _Victory_ over the Devil, and _Resemblance_ of the State, wherein the World, ere long shall see, _The Kingdom of our God, and the Power of his Christ_. It is here noted,

First, As a matter of _Triumph_. 'Tis said, _Rejoyce, ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them._ The Saints in both Worlds, took the Comfort of this Revolution; the Devout Ones that had outlived the late Persecutions, were filled with Transporting Joys, when they saw the _Christian_ become the _Imperial_ Religion, and when they saw Good Men come to give Law unto the rest of Mankind; the Deceased Ones also, whose Blood had been Sacrificed in the Ten Persecutions, doubtless made the Light Regions to ring with _Hallelujahs_ unto God, when there were brought unto them, the Tidings of the Advances now given to the _Christian_ Religion, for which they had suffered _Martyrdom_.

Secondly, As a matter of _Horror_. 'Tis said, _Wo to the Inhabiters of the Earth and of the Sea._ The _Earth_ still means the _False Church_, the _Sea_ means the _Wide World_, in Prophetical Phrasaeology. There was yet left a vast party of Men that were Enemies to the Christian Religion, in the power of it; a vast party left for the Devil to work upon: Unto these is a _Wo_ denounced; and why so? 'Tis added, _For the Devil is come down unto you, having great Wrath, because he knows, that he has but a short time._ These were, it seems, to have some desperate and peculiar Attempts of the Devil made upon them. In the mean time, we may Entertain this for our Doctrine,

_Great Wo proceeds from the Great WRATH, with which the DEVIL, towards the end of his TIME, will make a DESCENT upon a miserable World._

I have now Published a most awful and solemn Warning for our selves at this day; which has four _Propositions_, comprehended in it.

_Proposition I._ That there is a _Devil_, is a thing Doubted by none but such as are under the Influences of the _Devil_. For any to deny the Being of a _Devil_ must be from an Ignorance or Profaneness, worse than _Diabolical_. _A Devil._ What is _that_? We have a Definition of the Monster, in _Eph. 6.12._ _A Spiritual Wickedness_, that is, _A wicked Spirit_. A Devil is a _Fallen Angel_, an Angel _Fallen_ from the Fear and Love of God, and from all Celestial Glories; but _Fallen_ to all manner of Wretchedness and Cursedness. He was once in that Order of Heavenly Creatures, which God in the Beginning made _Ministering Spirits_, for his own peculiar Service and Honour, in the management of the Universe; but we may now write that Epitaph upon him, _How art thou fallen from Heaven! thou hast said in thine Heart, I will Exalt my Throne above the Stars of God; but thou art brought down to Hell!_ A Devil is a _Spiritual_ and _Rational_ Substance, by his _Apostacy_ from God, inclined unto all that is Vicious, and for that _Apostacy_ confined unto the Atmosphere of this Earth, _in Chains under Darkness, unto the Judgment of the Great Day_. This is a _Devil_; and the _Experience_ of Mankind as well as the _Testimony_ of Scripture, does abundantly prove the Existence of such a Devil.

About this _Devil_, there are many things, whereof we may reasonably and profitably be Inquisitive; such things, I mean, as are in our Bibles Reveal'd unto us; according to which if we do not speak, on so _dark_ a Subject, but according to our own uncertain, and perhaps humoursome Conjectures, _There is no Light in us._ I will carry you with me, but unto one Paragraph of the Bible, to be informed of three Things, relating to the _Devil_; 'tis the Story of the _Gadaren Energumen_, in the fifth Chapter of _Mark_.

First, then, 'Tis to be granted; the _Devils_ are so many, that some Thousands, can sometimes at once apply themselves to vex one Child of Man. It is said, in _Mark 5.15._ _He that was Possessed with the Devil, had the Legion._ Dreadful to be spoken! A _Legion_ consisted of Twelve Thousand Five Hundred People: And we see that in one Man or two, so many _Devils_ can be spared for a Garrison. As the Prophet cryed out, _Multitudes, Multitudes, in the Valley of Decision!_ So I say, _There are multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of Destruction, where the Devils are!_ When we speak of, _The Devil_, 'tis, _A name of Multitude_; it means not _One_ Individual Devil, so Potent and Scient, as perhaps a _Manichee_ would imagine; but it means a _Kind_, which a _Multitude_ belongs unto. Alas, the _Devils_, they swarm about us, like the _Frogs of Egypt_, in the most Retired of our Chambers. Are we at our _Boards_? There will be Devils to Tempt us unto Sensuality: Are we in our _Beds_? There will be Devils to Tempt us unto Carnality; Are we in our _Shops_? There will be Devils to Tempt us into Dishonesty. Yea, Tho' we get into the Church of God, there will be Devils to Haunt us in the very _Temple_ it self, and there tempt us to manifold Misbehaviours. I am verily perswaded, That there are very few Humane Affairs whereinto some Devils are not Insinuated; There is not so much as a _Journey_ intended, but _Satan_ will have an hand in _hindering_ or _furthering_ of it.

Secondly, 'Tis to be supposed, That there is a sort of Arbitrary, even Military _Government_, among the _Devils_. This is intimated, when in _Mar. 5.9._ _The unclean Spirit said, My Name is Legion:_ they are such a Discipline as _Legions_ use to be. Hence we read about, _The Prince of the power of the Air_: Our _Air_ has a _power_? or an Army of Devils in the _High Places_ of it; and these Devils have a _Prince_ over them, who is _King over the Children of Pride_. 'Tis probable, That the Devil, who was the Ringleader of that mutinous and rebellious Crew, which first shook off the Authority of God, is now the General of those Hellish Armies; Our Lord, that Conquered him, has told us the Name of him; 'tis _Belzebub_; 'tis he that is _the Devil_, and the rest are _his Angels_, or his Souldiers. Think on vast Regiments of cruel and bloody _French Dragoons_, with an _Intendant_ over them, overrunning a pillaged Neighbourhood, and you will think a little, what the Constitution among the _Devils_ is.

Thirdly, 'tis to be supposed, that some _Devils_ are more peculiarly _Commission'd_, and perhaps _Qualify'd_, for some Countries, while others are for others. This is intimated when in _Mar. 5.10._ The Devils _besought_ our Lord much, _that he would not send them away out of the Countrey_. Why was that? But in all probability, because _these Devils_ were more able to _do the works of the Devil_, in such a Countrey, than in another. It is not likely that every Devil does know every _Language_; or that every Devil can do every _Mischief_. 'Tis possible, that the _Experience_, or, if I may call it so, the _Education_ of all Devils is not alike, and that there may be some difference in their _Abilities_. If one might make an Inference from what the Devils _do_, to what they _are_, One cannot forbear dreaming, that there are _degrees_ of Devils. Who can allow, that such Trifling _Daemons_, as that of _Mascon_, or those that once infested our _New berry_, are of so much Grandeur, as those _Daemons_, whose Games are mighty Kingdoms? Yea, 'tis certain, that all Devils do not make a like Figure in the _Invisible World_. Nor does it look agreeably, That the _Daemons_, which were the Familiars of such a Man as the old _Apollonius_, differ not from those baser Goblins that chuse to Nest in the filthy and loathsom Rags of a beastly Sorceress. Accordingly, why may not some Devils be more accomplished for what is to be done in such and such places, when others must be _detach'd_ for other Territories? Each Devil, as he sees his advantage, cries out, _Let me be in this Countrey, rather than another._

But _Enough_, if not _too much_, of these things.