But if you find my belief contrary to sound Doctrine, I intreat you to shew it me by the Scripture; And in the mean time blame me not if I cannot believe that there are several Almighties; for to do all sorts of wonders, beyond and above the Course of Nature, is certainly the work of Omnipotency. So also, he that shall Commissionate or Impower to these, must also be Almighty; and I think it not a sufficient salvo, to say they may be restrain'd by the most High; and hope you will not put any hard Construction on these my Endeavours to get information (all other ways failing) in things so needful to be known; praying the Almightys Guidance and protection, I am
Yours to the utmost of my Power,
R. C.
A Letter to Mr. S. W.
[38] Boston, Sept. the 20th, 1695.
Mr. Samuel Willard.
Reverend Sir,
MY former of March the 18th. directed to the Ministers (and which was lodg'd with yourself) containing several Articles, which I sent as my belief, praying them if I erred to shew it me by Scripture, I have as yet had no Answer to, either by word or writing, which makes me gather that they are approved of as Orthodox, or at least that they have such Foundations, as that none are willing to manifest any opposition to them: And therefore with submission, &c. I think that that late seasonable and well-design'd Dialogue intituled, Some miscellany Observations,[63] &c. of which yourself is the suppos'd Author (and which was so serviceable in the time of it) is yet liable to a male construction, even to the endangering to revive what it most opposes, and to bring those practices again on Foot, which in the day thereof were so terrible to this whole Countrey: The words which I suppose so liable to Misconstruction, are pag. 14. B. Who informed them? S. the Spectre. B. very good, and that's the Devil turned Informer. How are good Men like to fare against whom he hath particular Malice!
It is but a Presumption, and Wise Men will weigh Presumptions against Presumptions. There is to be no Examination without grounds of Suspicion. Some Persons Credit ought to be accounted too good to be undermined so far as to be suspected on so flight a ground: and it is an Injury done them to bring them upon Examination, which renders them openly Suspected. I will not deny but for Persons already suspected and of Ill fame, it may occasion their being examin'd. In which these words ('tis but a presumption, &c.) (and some Persons credit, &c.) (and I will not deny but for Persons already suspected, &c.) this I take to be waving to discuss those points, the speaking to which might at that time have hindered the usefulness and success of that Book, rather than any declaring the Sentiments of the Author. But notwithstanding many Persons will be ready to understand this, as if the Author did wholly leave it with the Justice, to Judge who are Ill Persons, such as the Devils Accusations may fasten upon; And that the Devils Accusation of a Person, is a Presumption against them of their guilt; and that upon such presumptions, they may be had to Examination, if the Justice counts them Persons of ill fame (for the Author I suppose knows that the bear Examination will leave such a stain upon them, and well if their Posterity escape it!) as the length of a Holy and unblameable Life will be found too short to Extirpate. And if the Justice may go thus far with the Devils Evidence, then the addition of a story or two of some Cart overset, or person taken Sick after a quarrel, might as well be thought sufficient for their Commitment, in order to [39] their Tryal as 'tis call'd (tho' this too often has been more like a Stage Play, or a Tragicomical Scene) and so that other ways useful Book, may prove the greatest Snare to revive the same practices again.