Reverend Sir, Having received as yet no Answer to mine of Novemb. the 24th. except an offer to peruse Books, &c. relating to the Doctrinals therein contain'd: Nor to my last of January the 18th. In which I did again pray that if I err'd I might be shewed it by Scripture, Viz. in believing that the Devils bounds are sett, which he cannot pass; that the Devils are so full of Malice that it cant be added to by Mankind: That where he hath power he neither can nor will omit Executing it; That it's only the Almighty that sets bounds to his rage, and that only can commissionate him to hurt or destroy any; And consequently to detest as erroneous and dangerous, the belief that a Witch can Commissionate Devils to Afflict Mortals; That he can at his or the Witches pleasure assume any shape: That Hanging or Chaining of Witches can lessen his Power of Afflicting, and restore those that were, at a distance, Tormented by him. And whether Witchcraft ought to be understood now in this Age, to be the same that it was when the Divine Oracles were given forth, particularly, those quoted by Mr. Gaule in that cited Head (Wonders of the Invisible World;[51] Mr. Gaules IV. Head, to discover Witches) which do so plainly shew a Witch, in Scripture-sense to be one that maligne, &c. And that pretend to give a Sign in order to seduce, &c. For I have never understood in my time, any such have Suffered as Witches, tho' sufficiently known; But the only Witch now inquired after, is one that is said to become so by making an Explicit Covenant with the Devil, i. e. the Devil appearing to them, and making a compact mutually, promising each to other, testified by their signing his Book, a material Book, which he is said to keep and that thereby they are Intituled to a power, not only to Afflict others, but such as is truly exorbitant, if not highly intrenching upon the prerogative of him, who is the Soveraign being; For who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not.
Such explicit Covenant being as is said in this Age reckoned essential to compleat a Witch: Yet I finding nothing of such covenant (or power thereby obtain'd) in Scripture, and yet a Witch therein so fully describ'd, do pray that if there be any such Scriptures I may be directed to them, for as to the many Legends in this case I make no account of them; I Read indeed of a Covenant with Death and with Hell, but suppose that to be in the Heart (or Mental) only, and see not what use such explicit one can be of between Spirits, any further than as 'tis a Copy of that Mental which is in the Heart. The dire effects and consequences of such notion may be found written in indelible Roman Characters of Blood in all Countryes where they have prevail'd, and what can less be [27] expected when Men are Indicted for that, which, as 'tis impossible to prove so, for any to clear himself of, Viz, Such explicit Covenant with the Devil, and then for want of better Evidence, must take up with such as the Nature of such secret Covenant can bear, as Mr. Gaule hath it, i. e. Distracted Stories, and strange and Foreign Events, &c. Thereby endeavouring to find it, though by it's but supposed effects; By the same Rules that one is put to purge himself of such Compact, by the same may all Mankind.[52]
This then being so Important a case, it concerns all to know what Foundations in Scripture is laid for such a Structure; For if they are deficient of that Warrant, the more Eminent the Architects are the more dangerous are they thereby rendered, &c. These are such considerations as I think will vindicate me in the esteem of all Lovers of Humanity, in my endeavours to get them cleared. And to that End, do once more pray, that you would so farr oblige me as to give your Approbation or Confutation of the above Doctrinals; But if you think silence a Vertue in this case, I shall (I suppose) so far comply with it as not to loose you any more time to look over my papers. And if any others will so far oblige me, I shall not be ungrateful to them; Praying God to guide and prosper you, I am, Sir, yours to my power,
R. C.
(He that doth Truth, cometh to the Light.)
Mr. Cotton Mather.
Reverend Sir,
HAVING as yet Received no Answer to my last, touching the Doctrinals therein referred to, tho' at the delivery of it, you were pleased to promise the Gentleman that presented it, that I should have it, and after that you acqainted the same Gentleman that you were about it. The length of time since those promises, makes me suppose you are preparing something for the Press (for I would not question your veracity) do think it may not be amiss, when you do any thing of that Nature for the publick view, that you also explain some passages of some late Books of yours and your Relations, which are hard to be understood, to Instance in a few of many Wonders of the Invisible World, pag. 17. [Plagues are some of these woes with which the Devil causes our Trouble, pag. 18. Hence come such Plagues as that besom of destruction which within our Memory swept away such a throng of People from one English city, in one Visitation. Wars are some of those woes with which the Devil causes our Trouble, pag. 16. Hence 'tis that the Devil like a Dragon keeping a Guard upon such Fruits as would refresh a Languishing World, has hindered Mankind for many Ages from hitting upon those usefull Inventions. The benighted World must Jogg on for thousands of Years, without the knowledge of the Load-stone, Printing and Spectacles, pag. 10, It is [28] not likely that every Devil does know every Language. 'Tis possible the Experience, or if I may call it so, the Education of all Devils is not alike; Cases of conscience, page 63. The Devil has inflicted on many the Disease call'd Lycanthropia.[53]