VI. Presumptuous and Unwarrantable Trials of the Blessed God, are some of those things whereinto the Devil would fain hook us with his Temptations. This was that which the Devil would have brought our Lord unto, even, A tempting of the Lord our God. It is the charge of our God upon us, in Deut. 6.16. Thou shalt not Tempt the Lord thy God. But that which the Devil Tries, is, to put us upon Trying in a sinful way, whether God be such a God as indeed he is. 'Tis true as to the ways of Obedience, our God says unto us, Prove me, in those ways; Try, whether I won't be as good as my Word. But then there are ways of Presumption, wherein the Devil would have us to trie, what a God it is, With whom we have to do. The Devil would have us to trie the Purpose of God, about our selves or others; but how? By going to the Devil himself; by Consulting Astrologers, or Fortune Tellers; or perhaps by letting the Bible fall open, to see what is the first Sentence we light upon. The Devil would have us trie the Mercy of God, but how? By running into Dangers, which we have no call unto. He would have us trie the Power of God; but how? By looking for good things, without the use of Means for the getting of them. He would have us trie the Justice of God; but how? By venturing upon Sin in a Corner, with an Imagination that God will never bring us out. He would have us trie the Promise of God; but how? By Limiting the Lord, unto such or such a way of manifesting Himself, or else believing of nothing at all. He would have us trie the Threatning of God; but how? By going on impenitently in those things, for which the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience. Thus would the Devil have us to affront the Majesty of Heaven every day.

VII. The Temptations of the Devil, aim at puffing and bloating of us up, with Pride; as much perhaps as any one iniquity. The Devil would have had Our Lord make a Vain glorious Discovery of himself unto the World, by Flying in the air, so as no mortal can. Hoc Ithacus velit—the Devil would have us to soar aloft, and not only to be above other men, but also to know that we are so, Pride is the Devils own sin; and he affects especially to be, The King over the Children of Pride, it is a caution in 1 Tim. 3.6. A Pastor must not be A Novice; Lest being lifted up with Pride, He fall into the condemnation of the Devil. (Summo ac Pio cum Tremore Hunc Textum Legamus nos Ministri Juvenes!) Accordingly, the Devil would have us to be inordinately taken and moved with what Excellencies our God has bestowed upon us. If our Estates rise, he would have us rise in our Spirits too. If we have been blessed with Beauty, with Breeding, with Honour, with Success, with Attire, with Spiritual Priviledges, or with Praise-worthy Performances; Now says the Devil, Think thy self better than other Men. Yea, the Devil would have us arrogate unto our selves, those Excellencies which really we never were owners of; and Boast of a false Gift. He would have us moreover to Thirst after Applause among others that may see Our Excellencies! and be impatient if we are not accounted some-body. He would have us furthermore, to aspire after such a Figure, as God has never yet seen fitting for us; and croud into some High Chair that becomes us not. Thus would the Devil Elevate us into the Air, above our Neighbours; and why so? 'Tis that we may be punished with such Falls, as may make us cry out with David, O my Bones are broken with my Falls! The Devil can't endure to see men lying in the Dust; because there is no falling thence. He is a Fallen Spirit himself, and it pleases him to see the Falls of men.

§ The Third of Our Lords Three Temptations, is related in such Terms as these. Matth. 4.8, 9. Again the Devil taketh him up, into an exceeding High Mountain, and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them: and saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and Worship me. From whence take these Remarks.

I. The Devil in his Temptations will set the Delight of this world before us; but he'll set a fair, and a false Varnish upon those Delights. They were some unknown Perspectives, which the Devil had, both for the Refracting of the Medium, and for the Magnifying of the Object, whereby he gave our Lord at once a prospect of the whole Roman Empire; but what was it? It was the World, and the Glory of it; he says not a word of the World, and the Trouble of it. No sure; not a word of that; the Devil will not have his Hook so barely expos'd unto us. The Devil sets off the Delights of Sin, which he offers unto us, with a stretched and raised Rhetorick; but he will not own, That in the midst of our Laughter, our Heart shall be sorrowful; and That the end of our Mirth shall be Heaviness. There is but one Glass in the Spectacles, with which the Devil would have us to read, those passages in Eccles. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young Man in thy youth, and let thy Heart chear thee in the Dayes of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes. Thus far the Devil would have us to Read; and he'll make many a fine Comment upon it; he'll tell us, That if we'll follow the Courses of the World, we shall swim in all the Delights of the World. But he is not willing you should Read out the next words; But know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee into Judgment. O he's loth we should be aware of the dreadful Issues, and Reckonings that our Worldly Delights will be attended with. He sets before us, The Pleasures of Sin; but he will not say, These are but for a Season. He sets before us, The sweet Waters of Stealth; but he will not say, There is Death in the Pot. He is a Mountebank, that will bestow nothing but Romantic Praises upon all that he makes us the Offers of.

II. There are most Hellish Blasphemies often buzz'd by the Temptations of the Devil, into the minds of the best Men alive. What a most Execrable Thing was here laid before our Lord Himself: Even, To own the Devil as God! a thing that can't be uttered, without unutterable Horror of Soul. The best man on earth, may have such Fiery Darts from Hell shot into his mind. One that was acted by the Devil, had the impudence to propound this unto such a good man as Job, Curse God. And the Devil pleases himself, by chusing the Hearts of good men, with his base Injections, That there is no God, or, That God is not a Righteous God; and a thousand more such things, too Devilish to be mentioned. A good man is extreamly grieved at it, when he hears a Blasphemy from the mouth of another man; said the Psalmist, in Psal. 44.15, 16. My Confusion is continually before me, for the voice of him that Blasphemeth. But much more when a good man finds a Blasphemy in his own Heart; O it throws him into most Fevourish Agonies of Soul. For this cause, a mischievous Devil, will Flie blow the Heart of such a man, with such Blasphemous Thoughts, as make him crie out, Lord I am e'n weary of my life. Yea, the Devil serves the man just as the Mistress of Joseph dealt with him; he importunes the man to think wickedly from Day to Day; and if the man refuse, he cries out at last, Behold, what wicked thoughts this man has lodging in him. Sayst thou so? Satan! No, they are Baits of thy own; and at thy Door alone shall they be laid for ever.

III. There is a sort of Witchcrafts in those things, whereto the Temptations of the Devil would inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in 1 Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my councel is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone, Depart from me, ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil put upon doing the things that are Analogous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil says to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil says to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ for ever. Yea, the Devil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God, and rather Hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.

IV. The Temptations of the Devil do Tug and Pull for nothing more, than that the Rulers of the World may yield Homage unto him. Our Lord has had this by his Father Engag'd unto him, That he shall one day be Governour of the Nations. The Devil doe's extreamly dread the approach of that Illustrious time, when The Kingdom of God shall come and his Will be done, as in Heaven, and on Earth. For this cause it was that he was desirous, Our Lord should rather have accepted of him, that Kingdom, which Antichrist afterwards accepted of him, for the Establishment of Devil-worship, in the World. I may tell you, The Devil is mighty unwilling, that there should be one Godly Magistrate upon the face of the Earth. Such is the influence of Government, that the Devil will every where stickle mightily, to have that siding with him. What Rulers would the Devil have, to command all mankind, if he might have his will? Even, such as are called in Psal. 94.20. The throne of iniquity, which frames mischief by a Law; such as will promote Vice, by both Connivance, and Example; and such as will oppress all that shall be Holy, and Just, and Good. All men have cause therefore to be jealous, what Use the Devil may make of them, with reference to the Affairs of Government; but Rulers may most of all think, that the Lord Jesus from Heaven calls upon them, Satan has desired that he might Sift you, and have you; O Look to it, what side you take.

Thus have you in the Temptations of our Lord, seen the principal of those Devices, which the Devil has to Entrap our Souls. But what shall we now do, that we may be fortified against those Devices? O that we might be well furnished with the Whole Armour of God! But me thinks, there were some things attending the Temptations of our Lord, which would especially Recommend those few Hints unto us for our Guard.

First, If you are not fond of Temptation, be not fond of Needless, or Too much Retirement. Where was it, that the Devil fell upon our Lord? it was when he was Alone in the Wilderness. We should all have our Times to be Alone every Day; and if the Devil go to scare us out of our Chambers, with such a Bugbear, as that he'll appear to us, yet stay in spite of his teeth, stay to finish your Devotions; he Lyes, he dare not shew his head. But on the other-side by being too solitary, we may lay our selves too much open to the Devil; You know who says, Wo to him that is alone.

Secondly, Let an Oracle of God be your defence against a Temptation of Hell. How did our Lord silence the Devil? It was with an, It is written! And all his Three Citations were from that one Book of Deuteronomy. What a full Armoury then have we, in all the sacred Pages that lie before us? Whatever the Words of the Devil are, drown them with the words of the Great God. Say, It is Written The Belshazzar of Hell will Tremble and Withdraw, if you show these Hand-Writings of the Lord.

Lastly, Since the Lord Jesus Christ has conquered all the Temptations of the Devil, Flie to that Lord, Crie to that Lord, that He would give you a share in his Happy Victory. It was for Us that our Lord overcome the Devil: and when he did but say, Satan, Get hence, away presently the Tygre flew: Does the Devil molest Us? Then let us Repair to our Lord, who says, I know how to succour the Tempted. Said the Psalmist, Psal. 61.2. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. A Woman in this Land being under the Possession of Devils, the Devils within her, audibly spoke of diverse Harms they would inflict upon her; but still they made this answer, Ah! She Runs to the Rock! She Runs to the Rock! and that hindered all. O this Running to the Rock; 'tis the best Preservation in the World; the Vultures of Hell cannot prey upon the Doves in the Clefts of that Rock. May our God now lead us thereunto.

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A True Narrative of some Remarkable Passages relating to sundry Persons afflicted by Witchcraft at Salem Village in New-England, which happened from the 19th. of March to the 5th. of April, 1692.

Collected by Deodat Lawson.

On the Nineteenth day of March last I went to Salem Village, and lodged at Nathaniel Ingersol's near to the Minister Mr. P.'s House, and presently after I came into my Lodging, Capt. Walcut's Daughter Mary came to Lieut. Ingersol's and spake to me; but suddenly after, as she stood by the Door, was bitten, so that she cried out of her Wrist, and looking on it with a Candle, we saw apparently the marks of Teeth, both upper and lower set, on each side of her Wrist.

In the beginning of the Evening I went to give Mr. P. a Visit. When I was there, his Kinswoman, Abigail Williams, (about 12 Years of Age) had a grievous fit; she was at first hurried with violence to and fro in the Room (though Mrs. Ingersol endeavoured to hold her) sometimes making as if she would fly, stretching up her Arms as high as she could, and crying, Whish, Whish, Whish, several times; presently after she said, there was Goodw. N. and said, Do you not see her? Why there she stands! And she said, Goodw. N. offered her the Book, but she was resolved she would not take it, saying often, I wont, I wont, I wont take it, I do not know what Book it is: I am sure it is none of God's Book, it is the Devil's Book for ought I know. After that, she ran to the Fire, and begun to throw Fire-brands about the House, and run against the Back, as if she would run up Chimney, and, as they said, she had attempted to go into the Fire in other Fits.

On Lords Day, the Twentieth of March, there were sundry of the afflicted Persons at Meeting, as Mrs. Pope, and Goodwife Bibber, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcut, Mary Lewes, and Doctor Grigg's Maid. There was also at Meeting, Goodwife C. (who was afterward Examined on suspicion of being a Witch:) They had several sore Fits in the time of Publick Worship, which did something interrupt me in my first Prayer, being so unusual. After Psalm was sung Abigail Williams said to me, Now stand up, and name your Text! And after it was read, she said, It is a long Text. In the beginning of Sermon, Mrs. Pope, a Woman afflicted, said to me, Now there is enough of that. And in the Afternoon, Abigail Williams, upon my referring to my Doctrine, said to me, I know no Doctrine you had, If you did name one, I have forgot it.

In Sermon time, when Goodwife C. was present in the Meeting-House, Ab. W. called out, Look where Goodwife C. sits on the Beam suckling her Yellow Bird betwixt her fingers! Ann Putman, another Girle afflicted, said, There was a Yellow Bird sat on my Hat as it hung on the Pin in the Pulpit; but those that were by, restrained her from speaking loud about it.

On Monday the 21st. of March, the Magistrates of Salem appointed to come to Examination of Goodwife C. And about Twelve of the Clock they went into the Meeting-House, which was thronged with Spectators. Mr. Noyes began with a very pertinent and pathetical Prayer; and Goodwife C. being called to answer to what was alledged against her, she desired to go to Prayer, which was much wondred at, in the presence of so many hundred People: The Magistrates told her, they would not admit it; they came not there to hear her Pray, but to Examine her, in what was Alledged against her. The Worshipful Mr. Hathorne asked her, Why she afflicted those Children? She said, she did not Afflict them. He asked her, who did then? She said, I do not know; How should I know? The Number of the Afflicted Persons were about that time Ten, viz. Four Married Women, Mrs. Pope, Mrs. Putman, Goodwife Bibber, and an Ancient Woman, named Goodall; three Maids, Mary Walcut, Mercy Lewes, at Thomas Putman's, and a Maid at Dr. Griggs's; there were three Girls from 9 to 12 Years of Age, each of them, or thereabouts, viz. Elizabeth Parris, Abigail Williams, and Ann Putman; these were most of them at Goodwife C.'s Examination, and did vehemently Accuse her in the Assembly of Afflicting them, by Biting, Pinching, Strangling, &c. And that they in their Fits see her Likeness coming to them, and bringing a Book to them; she said, she had no Book; they affirmed, she had a Yellow Bird, that used to suck betwixt her Fingers, and being asked about it, if she had any Familiar Spirit, that attended her? she said, She had no Familiarity with any such thing. She was a Gospel Woman: Which Title she called her self by; and the Afflicted Persons told her, Ah! she was A Gospel Witch. Ann Putman did there affirm, that one day when Lieutenant Fuller was at Prayer at her Father's House, she saw the shape of Goodwife C. and she thought Goodwife N. Praying at the same time to the Devil; she was not sure it was Goodwife N. she thought it was; but very sure she saw the shape of Goodwife C. The said C. said, they were poor distracted Children, and no heed to be given to what they said. Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Noyes replyed, It was the Judgment of all that were present, they were Bewitched, and only she the Accused Person said, they were Distracted. It was observed several times, that if she did but bite her under lip in time of Examination, the Persons afflicted were bitten on their Arms and Wrists, and produced the Marks before the Magistrates, Ministers, and others. And being watched for that, if she did but Pinch her Fingers, or Grasp one Hand hard in another, they were Pinched, and produced the Marks before the Magistrates, and Spectators. After that, it was observed, that if she did but lean her Breast against the Seat in the Meeting-House, (being the Bar at which she stood), they were afflicted. Particularly Mrs. Pope complained of grievous Torment in her Bowels, as if they were torn out. She vehemently accused the said C. as the Instrument, and first threw her Muff at her; but that flying not home, she got off her shoe, and hit Goodwife C. on the Head with it. After these Postures were watched, if the said C. did but stir her Feet, they were afflicted in their Feet, and stamped fearfully. The afflicted Persons asked her, why she did not go to the Company of Witches which were before the Meeting-House Mustering? Did she not hear the Drum beat? They accused her of having Familiarity with the Devil, in the time of Examination, in the shape of a Black Man whispering in her Ear; they affirmed, that her Yellow Bird sucked betwixt her Fingers in the Assembly; and Order being given to see if there were any sign, the Girl that saw it, said, it was too late now; she had removed a Pin, and put it on her Head; which was found there sticking upright.

They told her, she had Covenanted with the Devil for ten Years, six of them were gone, and four more to come. She was required by the Magistrates to answer that Question in the Catechism, How many persons be there in the God-head? She answered it but oddly, yet was there no great thing to be gathered from it; she denied all that was charged upon her, and said, They could not prove a Witch; she was that Afternoon Committed to Salem Prison; and after she was in Custody, she did not so appear to them, and afflict them as before.

On Wednesday the 23d. of March, I went to Thomas Putman's, on purpose to see his Wife: I found her lying on the Bed, having had a sore Fit a little before; she spake to me, and said, she was glad to see me; her Husband and she both desired me to Pray with her while she was sensible; which I did, though the Apparition said, I should not go to Prayer. At the first beginning she attended; but after a little time, was taken with a Fit; yet continued silent, and seemed to be Asleep: When Prayer was done, her Husband going to her, found her in a Fit; he took her off the Bed, to set her on his Knees, but at first she was so stiff, she could not be bended; but she afterwards sat down, but quickly began to strive violently with her Arms and Leggs; she then began to Complain of, and as it were to Converse Personally with, Goodwife N. saying, Goodwife N. Be gone! Be gone! Be gone! are you not ashamed, a Woman of your Profession, to afflict a poor Creature so? What hurt did I ever do you in my life? You have but two Years to live, and then the Devil will torment your Soul; for this your Name is blotted out of God's Book, and it shall never be put in God's Book again; be gone for shame, are you not afraid of that which is coming upon you? I know, I know what will make you afraid; the wrath of an Angry God, I am sure that will make you afraid; be gone, do not torment me, I know what you would have (we judged she meant, her Soul) but it is out of your reach; it is cloathed with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness. After this, she seemed to dispute with the Apparition about a particular Text of Scripture. The Apparition seemed to deny it; (the Womans Eyes being fast closed all this time) she said, She was sure there was such a Text, and she would tell it; and then the Shape would be gone, for, said she, I am sure you cannot stand before that Text! Then she was sorely Afflicted, her Mouth drawn on one side, and her Body strained for about a Minute, and then said, I will tell, I will tell; it is, it is, it is, three or four times, and then was afflicted to hinder her from telling, at last she broke forth, and said, It is the third Chapter of the Revelations. I did something scruple the reading it, and did let my scruple appear, lest Satan should make any Superstitiously to improve the Word of the Eternal God. However, tho' not versed in these things, I judged I might do it this once for an Experiment. I began to read, and before I had near read through the first Verse, she opened her Eyes, and was well; this Fit continued near half an hour. Her Husband and the Spectators told me, she had often been so relieved by reading Texts that she named, something pertinent to her Case; as Isa. 40.1. Isa. 49.1. Isa. 50.1. and several others.

On Thursday the Twenty-Fourth of March, (being in course the Lecture-Day at the Village,) Goodwife. N. was brought before the Magistrates Mr. Hathorne and Mr. Corwin, about Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon, to be Examined in the Meeting-House, the Reverend Mr. Hale begun with Prayer, and the Warrant being read, she was required to give Answer, Why she afflicted those persons? She pleaded her own Innocency with earnestness. Thomas Putman's Wife, Abigail Williams, and Thomas Putman's Daughter accused her that she appeared to them, and afflicted them in their Fits; but some of the others said, that they had seen her, but knew not that ever she had hurt them; amongst which was Mary Walcut, who was presently after she had so declared bitten, and cryed out of her in the Meeting-House, producing the Marks of Teeth on her wrist. It was so disposed, that I had not leisure to attend the whole time of Examination, but both Magistrates and Ministers told me, that the things alledged by the afflicted, and defences made by her, were much after the same manner as the former was. And her motions did produce like effects, as to Biting, Pinching, Brusing, Tormenting, at their Breasts, by her Leaning, and when bended back, were as if their Backs were broken. The afflicted Persons said, the Black Man whispered to her in the Assembly, and therefore she could not hear what the Magistrates said unto her. They said also, that she did then ride by the Meeting-House, behind the Black Man. Thomas Putman's Wife had a grievous Fit in the time of Examination, to the very great impairing of her strength, and wasting of her spirits, insomuch as she could hardly move hand or foot when she was carried out. Others also were there grievously afflicted, so that there was once such a hideous scrietch and noise (which I heard as I walked at a little distance from the Meeting-House) as did amaze me, and some that were within, told me the whole Assembly was struck with Consternation, and they were afraid, that those that sate next to them were under the Influence of Witchcraft. This Woman also was that day committed to Salem Prison. The Magistrates and Ministers also did inform me, that they apprehended a Child of Sarah G. and examined it, being between 4 and 5 years of Age. And as to matter of Fact, they did unanimously affirm, that when this Child did but cast its Eye upon the afflicted Persons, they were tormented; and they held her Head, and yet so many as her Eye could fix upon were afflicted. Which they did several times make careful Observation of: The afflicted complained, they had often been Bitten by this Child, and produced the marks of a small set of teeth accordingly; this was also committed to Salem Prison, the Child looked hail, and well as other Children. I saw it at Lieut. Ingersol's. After the Commitment of Goodw. N. Tho. Putman's Wife was much better, and had no violent Fits at all from that 24th. of March, to the 5th. of April. Some others also said they had not seen her so frequently appear to them, to hurt them.

On the 25th. of March (as Capt. Stephen Sewal of Salem did afterwards inform me) Eliz. Paris had sore Fits at his House, which much troubled himself, and his Wife, so as he told me they were almost discouraged. She related, that the great Black Man came to her, and told her, if she would be ruled by him, she should have whatsoever she desired, and go to a Golden City. She relating this to Mrs. Sewal, she told the Child, it was the Devil, and he was a Lyar from the Beginning, and bid her tell him so, if he came again: which she did accordingly, at the next coming to her, in her Fits.

On the 26th. of March, Mr. Hathorne, Mr. Corwin, and Mr. Higison, were at the Prison-Keeper's House to Examine the Child, and it told them there, it had a little Snake that used to suck on the lowest Joynt of its Fore-Finger; and when they enquired where, pointing to other places, it told them, not there, but there, pointing on the lowest Joint of the Fore-Finger, where they observed a deep Red Spot, about the bigness of a Flea-bite; they asked who gave it that Snake? whether the great Black Man? It said no, its Mother gave it.

The 31 of March there was a Publick Fast kept at Salem on account of these Afflicted Persons. And Abigail Williams said, that the Witches had a Sacrament that day at an house in the Village, and that they had Red Bread and Red Drink. The first of April, Mercy Lewis, Thomas Putman's Maid, in her Fit, said, they did eat Red Bread, like Man's Flesh, and would have had her eat some, but she would not; but turned away her head, and spit at them, and said, I will not Eat, I will not Drink, it is Blood, &c., she said, That is not the Bread of Life; that is not the Water of Life; Christ gives the Bread of Life; I will have none of it! The first of April also Mercy Lewis aforesaid saw in her Fit a White Man, and was with him in a glorious Place, which had no Candles nor Sun, yet was full of Light and Brightness; where was a great Multitude in White glittering Robes, and they Sung the Song in the fifth of Revelation, the 9th verse, and the 110 Psalm, and the 149 Psalm; and said with her self, How long shall I stay here! let me be along with you: She was loth to leave this place, and grieved that she could tarry no longer. This white Man hath appeared several times to some of them, and given them notice how long it should be before they had another Fit, which was sometimes a day, or day and half, or more or less, it hath fallen out accordingly.

The 3d of April, the Lord's-day, being Sacrament-day, at the Village, Goodw. C. upon Mr. Parris's naming his Text, John 6.70. One of them is a Devil, the said Goodw. C. went immediately out of the Meeting-House, and flung the Door after her violently, to the amazement of the Congregation. She was afterwards seen by some in their Fits, who said, O Goodw. C. I did not think to see you here! (and being at their Red bread and drink) said to her, Is this a time to receive the Sacrament, you ran away on the Lord's-Day, and scorned to receive it in the Meeting-House, and, Is this a time to receive it? I wonder at you! This is the sum of what I either saw my self, or did receive Information from persons of undoubted Reputation and Credit.

Remarks of things more than ordinary about the
Afflicted Persons.

1. They are in their Fits tempted to be Witches, are shewed the List of the Names of others, and are tortured, because they will not yeild to Subscribe, or meddle with, or touch the Book, and are promised to have present Belief if they would do it.

2. They did in the Assembly mutually Cure each other, even with a Touch of their Hand, when Strangled, and otherwise Tortured; and would endeavour to get to their Afflicted, to relieve them.

3. They did also foretel when anothers Fit was a-coming, and would say, Look to her! she will have a Fit presently, which fell out accordingly, as many can bear witness, that heard and saw it.

4. That at the same time, when the Accused Person was present, the Afflicted Persons saw her Likeness in other places of the Meeting-House, suckling her Familiar, sometimes in one place and posture, and sometimes in another.

5. That their Motions in their Fits are Preternatural, both as to the manner, which is so strange as a well person could not Screw their Body into; and as to the violence also it is preternatural being much beyond the Ordinary force of the same person when they are in their right mind.

6. The eyes of some of them in their fits are exceeding fast closed, and if you ask a question they can give no answer, and I do believe they cannot hear at that time, yet do they plainely converse with the Appearances, as if they did discourse with real persons.

7. They are utterly pressed against any persons Praying with them, and told by the appearances, they shall not go to Prayer, so Tho. Putman's wife was told, I should not Pray; but she said, I should: and after I had done, reasoned with the Appearance, Did not I say he should go to Prayer.

8. The forementioned Mary W. being a little better at ease, the Afflicted persons said, she had signed the Book; and that was the reason she was better. Told me by Edward Putman.

Remarks concerning the Accused.

1. For introduction to the discovery of those that afflicted them, It is reported Mr. Parris's Indian Man, and Woman, made a Cake of Rye Meal, and the Childrens water, baked it in the Ashes, and gave it to a Dog, since which they have discovered, and seen particular persons hurting of them.

2. In Time of Examination, they seemed little affected, though all the Spectators were much grieved to see it.

3. Natural Actions in them produced Preternatural actions in the Afflicted, so that they are their own Image without any Poppits of Wax or otherwise.

4. That they are accused to have a Company about 23 or 24 and they did Muster in Armes, as it seemed to the Afflicted Persons.

5. Since they were confined, the Persons have not been so much Afflicted with their appearing to them, Biteing or Pinching of them &c.

6. They are reported by the Afflicted Persons to keep dayes of Fast and dayes of Thanksgiving, and Sacraments; Satan endeavours to Transforme himself to an Angel of Light, and to make his Kingdom and Administrations to resemble those of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7. Satan Rages Principally amongst the Visible Subjects of Christ's Kingdom and makes use (at least in appearance) of some of them to Afflict others; that Christ's Kingdom, may be divided against it self, and so be weakened.

8. Several things used in England at Tryal of Witches, to the Number of 14 or 15 which are wont to pass instead of, or in Concurrence with Witnesses, at least 6 or 7 of them are found in these accused: see Keebles Statutes.

9. Some of the most solid Afflicted Persons do affirme the same things concerning seeing the accused out of their Fitts as well as in them.

10. The Witches had a Fast, and told one of the Afflicted Girles, she must not Eat, because it was Fast Day, she said, she would: they told her they would Choake her then; which when she did eat, was endeavoured.

A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF
THE NEW-ENGLAND WITCHES, SENT IN A LETTER FROM
THENCE, TO A GENTLEMAN IN LONDON.

Here were in Salem, June 10, 1692, about 40 persons that were afflicted with horrible torments by Evil Spirits, and the afflicted have accused 60 or 70 as Witches, for that they have Spectral appearances of them, tho the Persons are absent when they are tormented. When these Witches were Tryed, several of them confessed a contract with the Devil, by signing his Book, and did express much sorrow for the same, declaring also thir Confederate Witches, and said the Tempters of them desired 'em to sign the Devils Book, who tormented them till they did it. There were at the time of Examination, before many hundreds of Witnesses, strange Pranks play'd; such as the taking Pins out of the Clothes of the afflicted, and thrusting them into their flesh, many of which were taken out again by the Judges own hands. Thorns also in like kind were thrust into their flesh; the accusers were sometimes struck dumb, deaf, blind, and sometimes lay as if they were dead for a while, and all foreseen and declared by the afflicted just before it 'twas done. Of the afflicted there were two Girls, about 12 or 13 years of age, who saw all that was done, and were therefore called the Visionary Girls; they would say, Now he, or she, or they, are going to bite or pinch the Indian; and all there present in Court saw the visible marks on the Indians arms; they would also cry out, Now look, look, they are going to bind such an ones Legs, and all present saw the same person spoken of, fall with her Legs twisted in an extraordinary manner; Now say they, we shall all fall, and immediately 7 or 8 of the afflicted fell down, with terrible shrieks and Out-crys; at the time when one of the Witches was sentenc'd, and pinnion'd with a Cord, at the same time was the afflicted Indian Servant going home, (being about 2 or 3 miles out of town,) and had both his Wrists at the same instant bound about with a like Cord, in the same manner as she was when she was sentenc'd, but with that violence, that the Cord entred into his flesh, not to be untied, nor hardly cut——Many Murders are suppos'd to be in this way committed; for these Girls, and others of the afflicted, say, they see Coffins, and bodies in Shrowds, rising up, and looking on the accused, crying, Vengeance, Vengeance on the Murderers——Many other strange things were transacted before the Court in the time of their Examination; and especially one thing which I had like to have forgot, which is this, One of the accus'd, whilst the rest were under Examination, was drawn up by a Rope to the Roof of the house where he was, and would have been choak'd in all probability, had not the Rope been presently cut; the Rope hung at the Roof by some invisible tye, for there was no hole where it went up; but after it was cut the remainder of it was found in the Chamber just above, lying by the very place where it hung down.

In December 1692, the Court sate again at Salem in New-England, and cleared about 40 persons suspected for Witches, and Condemned three. The Evidence against these three was the same as formerly, so the Warrant for their Execution was sent, and the Graves digged for the said three, and for about five more that had been Condemned at Salem formerly, but were Repreived by the Governour.

In the beginning of February 1693, the Court sate at Charles-Town where the Judge exprest himself to this effect.

That who it was that obstructed the Execution of Justice, or hindred those good proceedings they had made, he knew not, but thereby the Kingdom of Satan was advanc'd, &c. and the Lord have mercy on this Country: and so declined coming any more into Court. In his absence Mr. D—— sate as Chief Judge 3 several days, in which time 5 or 6 were clear'd by Proclamation, and almost as many by Trial; so that all are acquitted.

The most remarkable was an Old Woman named Dayton, of whom it was said, If any in the World were a Witch, she was one, and had been so accounted 30 years. I had the Curiosity to see her tried; she was a decrepid Woman of about 80 years of age, and did not use many words in her own defence. She was accused by about 30 Witnesses; but the matter alledged against her was such as needed little apology, on her part not one passionate word, or immoral action, or evil, was then objected against her for 20 years past, only strange accidents falling out, after some Christian admonition given by her, as saying, God would not prosper them, if they wrong'd the Widow. Upon the whole, there was not proved against her any thing worthy of Reproof, or just admonition, much less so heinous a Charge.

So that by the Goodness of God we are once more out of present danger of this Hobgoblin Monster; the standing Evidence used at Salem were called, but did not appear.

There were others also at Charles-town brought upon their Tryals, who had formerly confess'd themselves to be Witches; but upon their tryals deny'd it, and were all clear'd; So that at present there is no further prosecution of any.

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CHRISTIAN READER.

So Odious and Abominable is the Name of a Witch, to the Civilized, much more the Religious part of Mankind, that it is apt to grow up into a Scandal for any, so much as to enter some sober cautions against the over hasty suspecting, or too precipitant Judging of Persons on this account. But certainly, the more execrable the Crime is, the more critical care is to be used in the exposing of the Names, Liberties, and Lives of Men (especially of a Godly Conversation) to the imputation of it. The awful hand of God now upon us, in letting loose of evil Angels among us to perpetrate such horrid Mischiefs, and suffering of Hell's Instruments to do such fearful things as have been scarce heard of; hath put serious persons into deep Musings, and upon curious Enquiries what is to be done for the detecting and defeating of this tremendous design of the grand Adversary: And, tho' all that fear God are agreed, That no evil is to be done, that good may come of it; yet hath the Devil obtained not a little of his design, in the divisions of Reuben, about the application of this Rule.

That there are Devils and Witches, the Scripture asserts, and experience confirms, That they are common enemies of Mankind, and set upon mischief, is not to be doubted: That the Devil can (by Divine Permission) and often doth vex men in Body and Estate, without the Instrumentality of Witches, is undeniable: That he often hath, and delights to have the concurrence of Witches, and their consent in harming men, is consonant to his native Malice to Man, and too lamentably exemplified: That Witches, when detected and convinced, ought to be exterminated and cut off, we have God's warrant for, Exod. 22.18. Only the same God who hath said, thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live; hath also said, at the Mouth of two Witnesses, or three Witnesses shall he that is worthy of Death, be put to Death: But at the Mouth of one Witness, he shall not be put to Death, Deut. 17.6. Much debate is made about what is sufficient Conviction, and some have (in their Zeal) supposed that a less clear evidence ought to pass in this than in other Cases, supposing that else it will be hard (if possible) to bring such to condign Punishment, by reason of the close conveyances that there are between the Devil and Witches; but this is a very dangerous and unjustifiable tenet. Men serve God in doing their Duty, he never intended that all persons guilty of Capital Crimes should be discovered and punished by men in this Life, though they be never so curious in searching after Iniquity. It is therefore exceeding necessary that in such a day as this, men be informed what is Evidence and what is not. It concerns men in point of Charity; for tho' the most shining Professor may be secretly a most abominable Sinner, yet till he be detected, our Charity is bound to Judge according to what appears: and notwithstanding that a clear evidence must determine a case; yet presumptions must be weighed against presumptions, and Charity is not to be forgone as long as it has the most preponderating on its side. And it is of no less necessity in point of Justice; there are not only Testimonies required by God, which are to be credited according to the Rules given in his Word referring to witnesses: But there is also an Evidence supposed to be in the Testimony, which is throughly to be weighed, and if it do not infallibly prove the Crime against the person accused, it ought not to determine him guilty of it; for so a righteous Man may be Condemned unjustly. In the case of Witchcrafts we know that the Devil is the immediate Agent in the Mischief done, the consent or compact of the Witch is the thing to be Demonstrated.

Among many Arguments to evince this, that which is most under present debate, is that which refers to something vulgarly called Spectre Evidence, and a certain sort of Ordeal or trial by the sight and touch. The principal Plea to justifie the convictive Evidence in these, is fetcht from the Consideration of the Wisdom and Righteousness of God in Governing the World, which they suppose would fail, if such things were permitted to befal an innocent person; but it is certain, that too resolute conclusions drawn from hence, are bold usurpations upon spotless Sovereignty: and tho' some things if suffered to be common, would subvert this Government, and disband, yea ruine Humane Society; yet God doth sometimes suffer such things to evene, that we may thereby know how much we are beholden to him, for that restraint which he lays upon the Infernal Spirits, who would else reduce a World into a Chaos. That the Resolutions of such Cases as these is proper for the Servants of Christ in the Ministry cannot be denied; the seasonableness of doing it now, will be justified by the Consideration of the necessity there is at this time of a right Information of men's Judgments about these things, and the danger of their being misinformed.

The Reverend, Learned, and Judicious Author of the ensuing Cases, is too well known to need our Commendation: All that we are concerned in, is to assert our hearty Consent to, and Concurrence with the substance of what is contained in the following Discourse: And, with our hearty Request to God, that he would discover the depths of this Hellish Design; direct in the whole management of this Affair; prevent the taking any wrong steps in this dark way; and that he would in particular Bless these faithful Endeavours of his Servant to that end, we Commend it and you to his Divine Benediction.