as Cordials to my dropping soul. And the Consideration of all those that ever came to Christ Jesus for Healing that He healed their bodies pardoned their Sins and healed their Souls too which I hope in God may be the fruit of this present Affliction If God be pleased to make the Fruit of this Affliction to be to take away our sin and cleanse us from iniquity and to put us on with greater diligence to make our Calling election sure then happy Affliction The Lord said that I had need of this to awake me I have found a prosperous Condition a dangerous Condition I have taken notice and considered more of God's Goodness in these few weeks of Affliction than in many years of Prosperity I may speak it with shame so wicked and deceitful and ungrateful is my heart that the more God hath been doing for me the less I have been doing for Him. My Returns have not been according to my Receivings The Lord help me now to praise Him in heart lip life The Lord help us to see by this Visitation what need we have to get shelter under the wing of Christ to hast to the Rock where we may be safe We see how ready the Devils are to catch us and torment our Bodies and he is as diligent to ensnare our Souls and that many waies but let us put on all our spiritual Armour and follow Christ the Captain of our Salvation and tho we meet with the Cross let us bear it patiently and cheerfully for if Jesus Christ be at the one end we need not fear the Heaft of it if we have Christ we have enough He can make His Rod as well as His Staffe to be a comfort to us and we shall not want if we be the Sheep of Christ. If we want Afflictions we shall have them and sanctified Afflictions are choice mercies Now I earnestly desire the Prayer of all good people That the Lord would be pleased to perfect that Work He hath begun and make it to appear that Prayer is stronger than Witchcraft Iohn Goodwin Decemb. 12. 1688. This is our First Example and it is This which has occasioned the Publication of the Rest. EXEMPLE II. AMong those Iudgments of God which are a great Deep I suppose few are more unfathomable than this That pious and holy men suffer sometimes by the Force of horrid Witchcrafts and hellish Witches are permitted to break thorough the Hedge which our Heavenly Father has made about them that seek Him. I suppose the Instances of this direful thing are Seldome but that they are not Never we can produce very dismal Testimony One and that no less Recent than Awful I shall now offer and the Reader of it will thereby learn I hope to work out his own Salvation with Fear and Trembling SECT I. Mr. Philip Smith aged about Fifty years a Son of eminently vertuous Parents a Deacon of the Church at Hadley a Member of our General Court an Associate in their County Court a Select-man for the affairs of the Town a Lieutenant in the Troop and which crowns all a man for Devotion and Gravity and all that was Honest exceeding exemplary Such a man in the Winter of the Year 1684. was murdered with an hideous Witchcraft which filled all those parts with a just astonishment This was the manner of the Murder SECT II. He was concerned about Relieving the Indigencies of a wretched woman in the Town who being dissatisfied at some of his just cares about her expressed her self unto him in such a manner that he declared himself apprehensive of receiving mischief at her hands he said he doubted she would attempt his Hurt SECT III. About the beginning of Ianuary he began to be very Valetudinarious labouring under those that seemed Ischiadick pains As his Illness increased on him so his Goodness increased in him the standers-by could in him see one ripening apace for another world and one filled not only with Grace to an high degree but also with Exceeding Ioy. Such Weanedness from and Weariness of the World he shew'd that he knew not he said whether he might pray for his continuance here Such Assurance had he of the Divine Love unto him that in Raptures he would cry out Lord stay thy hand it is enough it is more than thy frail servant can bear But in the midst of these things he uttered still an hard suspicion That the ill Woman who had threatned him had made impressions on him SECT IV. While he remained yet of a sound mind he very sedately but very solemnly charged his Brother to look well after him Tho' he said he now understood himself yet he knew not how he might be but be sure said he to haâ—â— a care of me for you shall see strange things There shal be a wonder in Hadley I shall not be dead when it is thought I am This Charge he pressed over and over and afterwards became Delirious SECT V. Being become Delirious he had a Speech Incessant and Voluble beyond all imagination and this in divers Tones and sundry voices and as was thought in various languages SECT VI. He cryed out not only of sore pain but also of sharp Pins pricking of him sometimes in his Toe sometimes in his Arms as if there had been hundreds of them But the people upon search never found any more than One. SECT VII In his Distresses he exclaimed very much upon the Woman afore-mentioned naming her and some others and saying Do you not see them There There There they stand SECT VIII There was a strong smell of something like Musk which was divers times in the Room where he was and in the other Rooms and without the House of which no cause could be rendred The sick-man as well as others complained of it and once particularly it so siez'd an Apple Roasting at the Fire that they were forced to throw it away SECT IX Some that were about him being almost at their wits end by beholding the greatness and the strangeness of his Calamities did three or four times in one Night go and give Disturbance to the Woman that we have spoken of all the while they were doing of it the good man was at ease and slept as a weary man and these were all the times they perceived him to take any sleep at all SECT X. A small Galley-Pot of Alkermes that was near full and carefully look't after yet unto the surprize of the people was quite emptied so that the sick man could not have the Benefit of it SECT XI Several persons that sat by him heard a Scratching that seem'd to be on the Ticking near his feet while his Feet lay wholly still nay were held in the hands of others and his hands were far of another way SECT XII Sometimes Fire was seen on the Bed or the Covering and when the Beholders began to discourse of it it would vanish away SECT XIII Diverse people felt something often stir in the Bed
from it but sometimes would she ride from her Chair and be carried odly on the Floor from one part of the Room to another in the postures of a Riding Woman If any of us asked her Who her Company were She generally replyed I don't know But if we were instant in our Demand she would with some witty Flout or other turn it off Once I said Child if you can't tell their Names pray tell me what Clothes they have on and the Words were no sooner out of my mouth but she was laid for dead upon the Floor SECT XXIII One of the Spectators once ask'd her Whether she could nor ride up stairs unto which her Answer was That she believe'd she could for her Horse could do very not able things Accordingly when her Horse came to her again to our Admiration she Ends that is was tossed as one that rode up the stairs there then stood open the Stuay of one belonging to the Family into which entring she stood immediately upon her Feet and cry'd out They are gone they are gone They say that they cannot God won't let 'em come here She also added a Reason for it which the Owner of the Study thought more kind than true And she presently and perfectly came to her self so that her whole Discourse Carriage was altered unto the greatest measure of Sobriety and she satt Reading of the Bible and Good Books for a good part of the Afternoon Her Affairs calling her anon to go down again the Daemons were in a quarter of a minute as bad upon her as before and her Horse was Waiting for her I understanding of it immediately would have her up to the study of the young man where she had been at ease before meerly to try Whether there had not been a Fallacy in what had newly happened but she was now so twistted and iprithen that it gave me much trouble to get her into my Arms and much more to drag her up the stairs She was pulled out of my hands and when I recovered my Hold she was thrust so hard upon me that I had almost fallen backwards and her own breast was sore afterwards by their Compressions to detain her she seem'd heavier indeed that three of her self With incredible Forcing tho she kept Screaming They say I must not go in at length we pull'd her in where she was no sooner come but she could stand on her Feet and with an altered tone could thank me saying now I am well At first shee 'd be somewhat faint and say She felt something go out of her but in a minute or two she could attend any Devotion or Business as well as ever in her Life and both spoke and did as became a person of good Discretion I was loth to make a Charm of the Room yet some strangers that came to visit us the Week after desiring to see the Exporiment made I permitted more than two or three Repetitions of it and it still succeded as I have declared Once when I was assisting 'em in carrying of her u she was torn out of all our hands to my self she cry'd out Mr. M One of them is going to push you down the stairs have a care I remember not that I felt any Thrust or Blow but I think I was unaccountably made to step down backward two or three stairs and within a few hours she told me by whom it was SECT XXIV One of those that had bin concerned for her Welfare had newly implored the great GOD that the young woman might be aable to declare whom she apprehended her self troubled by Presently upon this her Horse returned only it pestered her with such ugly paces that she fell out with her Company threatned now to tell all for their so abusing her I was going abroad and she said unto them that were about her Mr. M. is gone abroad my horse won't come back till he come home and then I belieue said she softly I shall tell him all I staid abroad an hour or two and then Returning When I was just come to my Gate before I had given the least Sign or Noise of my being there she said My Horse is come and intimated that I was at the Door When I came in I found her mounted after her fashion upon her Aerial Steed which carried her Fancy to the Journeys end There or rather then she maintained a considerable Discourse with Her Company Listening very attentively when she had propounded any Question and receiving the Answers with impressions made upon her mind She said Well what do you say How many Fits more am I to have pray can ye tell how long it shall be before you are hang'd for what you have done You are filtlhy Witches to my knowledge I shall see some of you go after your sister You would have killd me but you can't I don't fear you You would have thrown Mrs Mather down stairs but you could not Well! How shall I be Tomorrow Pray What do you think of Tomorrow Fare ye well You have brought me such an ugly Horse I am angry at you I could find in my heart to tell all So she began her homeward paces but when she had gone a little way that is a little worse she said O I have forgot one Question I must go back again and back she rides She had that day been diverse times warning us that they had been contriving to do some harm to my Wife by a Fall or a Blow or the like and when she came out of her mysterious Journeys she would still be careful concerning Her. Accordingly she now calls to her Company again Hark you One thing more before we part What hurt is it you will do to Mrs. Mather will you do her any hurt Here she listened some time and then clapping her hands cry'd out O I am glad on 't they can do Mrs. Mather no hurt they try but they say they can't So she returns and at once Dismissing her Horse and opening her eyes she call'd me to her Now Sir said she I 'll tell you all I have learn'd who they are that are the cause of my trouble there 's three of them and she named who if they were out of the way I should be well They say they can tell now how long I shall be troubled But they won't Only they seem to think their power will be broke this Week They seem also to say that I shall be very ill Tomorrow but they are themselves terribly afraid of tomorrow They fear that to morrow we shall be delivered They say too that they can't hurt Mrs. Mather which I am glad of But they said they would kill me tonight if I went to bed before ten a clock if I told a word And other things did she say not now to be recited SECT XXV The Day following which was I think about the twenty seventh of November Mr. Morton of Charlestown and Mr. Allen Mr. Moody Mr.
acquainted Mr. Allen Mr. Moodey Mr. Willard and Mr. C. Mather the four Ministers of the Town with it and Mr. Morton of Charlstown earnestly desiring them that they with some other praying people of God would meet at my house and there be earnest with God on the behalf of us and our Children which they I thank them for it readily attended with great servency of Spirit but as for my part my heart was ready to sink to hear and see those doleful-Sights Now I thought that I had greatly neglected my duty to my Children in not admonishing and instructing of them and that God was hereby calling my sins to mind to slay my Children Then I pondered of that place in Numb 23. 23. Surely there is no Inchanment against Iacob neither is there any Devination against Israel And now I thought I had broke Covenant with God not only in one respect but in many but it pleased the Lord to bring that to mind in Heb. 8. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their Sins Inquities will I remember no more The Consideration how the Lord did deal with Iob and his Patience and the End the Lord made with him was some support to me I thought also on what David said that He had sinned but what have these poor Lambs done But yet in the midds't of my tumultous Thoughts within me it was Gods Comforts that did delight my soul. That in the 18 of Luke and the Beginning Where Christ spake the Parable for that end that men ought alwaies to pray and not faint This with many other places bore up my spirit I thought with Ionah that I would yet again Look towards God's holy Temple the Lord Iesus Christ. And I did greatly desire to find the Son of God with me in this Furnace of Affliction knowing thereby that no harm shall befall me But now this solemn day of Prayer and Fasting being at an End there was an Eminent Answer of it for one of my Children was delivered and one of the wicked instruments of the Devil discovered and her own mouth condemned her and so accordingly Executed Here was Food for Faith and great encouragement still to hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord the Ministers still counselling and encouraging me to labour to be found in Gods way committing my case to him and not to use any way not allowed in Gods Word It was a thing not a little comfortable to us to see that the people of God was so much concerned about our lamentable condition remembring us at all times in their prayers which I did look at as a token for good but you must think it was a time of sore Temptation with us for many did say yea and some good people too were it their case that they would try some Tricks that should give ease to their Children But I thought for us to forsake the counsel of good old men and to take the counsel of the young ones it might ensnare our Souls though for the present it might offer some relief to our Bodies which was a thing I greatly feared and my Children were not at any time free for doing any such thing It was a time of sore affliction but it was mixed with abundance of mercy for my heart was many a time made glad in the house of Prayer The Neighbourhood pitied us and were very helpful to us Moreover though my Children were thus in every Limb and Joynt tormented by those Children of the Devil they also using their tongues at their pleasure sometimes one way sometimes another yet the Lord did herein prevent them that they could not make them speak wicked words though they did many times hinder them from speaking good ones had they in these Fits blasphemed the Name of the Holy God this you may think would have been an heart-breaking thing to us the poor Parents but God in his mercy prevented them a thing worth taking notice of Likewise they slept well a nights And the Ministers did often visit us and pray with us and for us and their love and pity was so great their Prayers so earnest and constant that I could not but admire at it Mr. Mather particularly now his bowels so yearned towards us in this sad condition that he not only pray's with us and for us but he taketh one of my Children home to his own house which indeed was but a troublesome guest for such an one that had so much work lying upon his hands and heart He took much pains in this great Service to pull this Child and her Brother and Sister out of the hand of the Devil Let us now admire and adore that Fountain the Lord Jesus Christ from whence those streams come The Lord himself will requite his labour of love Our case is yet very sad and doth call for more Prayer and the good Ministers of this Town and Charlstown readily came with some other good praying people to my house to keep another Day of solemn Fasting and Prayer which our Lord saith this kind goeth out by My Children being all at home the two biggest lying on the bed one of them would fain have Kicked the good men while they were wrestling with God for them had not I held him with all my power and might and sometimes he would stop his own ears This you must needs think was a cutting thing to the poor parents Now our hearts were ready to sink had not God put under his everlasting arms of Mercy and helped us still to hope in his mercy and to be quiet knowing that He is God and that it was not for the potsheards of the earth to strive with their Maker Well might David say that had not the Law of his God been his delight he had perished in his Affliction Now the Promises of God are sweet God having promised to hear the prayer of the destitute and not to despise their prayer and He will not fail the Expectation of those that wait on Him but He heareth the cry of the poor and needy These Iacobs came and wrestled with God for a Blessing on this poor Family which indeed I hope they obtained and may be now worthy of the Name Israel who prevailed with God and would not let Him go till He had blessed us For soon after this there were two more of my children delivered out of this horrible pit Here was now a double mercy and how sweet was it knowing it came in Answer of Prayer Now we see and know it is not a vain thing to call on the name of the Lord. For He is a present help in the time of trouble and we may boldly say the Lord has been our helper I had sunk but Jesus put forth His hand bore me up My Faith was ready to fail but this was a support to me that Christ said to Peter I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not And many other Promises were
and Remedy the Success of Which was very desirable and considerable SECT VII She was by most Observers judged very Penitent both before and at her Execution and she went out of the World with many Hopes of Mercy through the Merit of Jesus Christ. Being asked what she built her hopes upon She answered on those Words Come to me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you Rest and those There is a Fountain open for Sin and for Vncleanness And she died in a Frame extremely to the Satisfaction of them that were Spectators of it Our GOD is a great Forgiver EXEMPLE V. THe near Affinity between Witchcraft Possession invites me to add unto the Foregoing Histories One that the Reader I believe will count worthy to be Related It is but a Fragment of what should have been a fuller Story but I cannot without some Trouble or delay inconsistent with my present Designs put my self in a way to perfect it and I was of the Opinion that Let nothing be lost was a Rule which I might very properly extend unto it The thing happened many perhaps Thirty years ago and was then much discoursed of I don't Remember that I have heard what became of the Boy concerned in the Narrative but what I now publish I find among the Papers of my Grand-father of Whom the World has had such a Character that they cannot but judge no Romance or Folly nothing but what should be seririous and weighty could be worthy of his Hands and it is in his own Hand that I have the Manuscript from whence I have caused it to be Transcribed It runs in such Terms as these A Confession of a Boy at Tocutt in the time of the Intermission of his Fits and other Passages which many were Eye-witnesses of THe Boy was for his natural Parts more than ordinary at seven years old He with many others went to see a Conjurer play Tricks in Holland There it was strongly suggested to him He should be as good an Artist as he From thence to eleven year old he used the Trade of inventing Lyes and Stealing mony Running away from his Father spending of it at Dice and with the vilest Company and this Trade he used in that space he confessed above Forty times at least and many strange Instances he gives of it His Father following him with constant Instruction and Correction he was despertely hardened under all and his heart sett in a way of Malice against the Word of God all his Father did to restrain him When he was about ten or eleven years old he ran away from Rotterdam to Delph and the Devil appeared to him there in the shape of a Boy counselling him not to hearken to the Word of God nor unto any of his Fatherâ—s Instructions and propounding to him to Enter into a Covenant with him Being somewhat fearful at first desired that he would not appear to him in a shape but by a voice and though his heart did inwardly consent to what the Devil said yet he was withheld that he could not then Enter into a Covenant with him His Father not knowing this but of his other Wickedness being a godly Minister procured many Christians to join with him in a day of Humiliation confessed and bewailed his Sins prayed for him sent him to New-E and so committed him to God. From that time to this being now about Sixteen years old the Devil hath constantly come to him by a voice and he held a constant Discourse with him and all about Entring into a Covenant with him and still perswaded to have it written and sealed making many promises to allure him and telling him many Stories of Dr. Faultus and other Witches how bravely they have lived and how he should live deliciously and have Ease Comfort and Money and sometimes threatning to tear him in pieces if he would not But ordinarily his discourse was as loving friendly as could be He hath been strangely kept by an hand of God from making a Covenant to this day For he still propounded many Difficulties to the Devil which he could not satisfie his Reason in and though he saith he was never well but when he was Discoursing with the devil and his heart was strangely enclined to write and seal an Agreement yet such dreadfull horrour did seiz upon him at the very time from the Word of God and such fears of his Eternal Perishing that he could not do it then He put off the Devil still that he was not in a sit Frame but desired him to come again that he might have more Discourse and he would consider of it The Devil appeared to him a second time at New-haven in the shape of a Boy and a third time at Tocutt in the shape of a Fox at which time at first they had loving discourse as formerly but at last the Devil was urgent upon him and told him he had baffled with him so long now he must enter into an agreement or he would tear him in pieces he saying How should I do it would you have me write upon my hands No saith the Devil Look here and with that set Paper and Pen and Ink like Blood before him The former horrours from the Word of God and special passages which he named set in upon him so that he could not do it Only before they parted the Devil being so urgent upon him telling him he had baffled with him he set a year and half time for Consideration The last quarter of a year is yet to come The Devil told him if he let him alone so long he would baffle with him still he answered if he did not yeild then he would give him leave to torment him whilst he lived Still the Devil would not away nor could he get from him Then out of Fear he cryed out Lord Iesus rebuke the devil at which the Fox Pen Ink and Paper vanished Yet he continued in his course of unheard-of Wickedness and still his Will was bent to write seal the Agreement having his Discourse yet with Satan by Voice His Brother with whom he lives at Tocut having Convulsion Fits he laughed and mocked at him and acted the Convulsion Fits. A while after God sent Convulsion Fits on himself in which time his former Terrours the Wrath of God Death Hell Iudgment and Eternity were presented to him He would fain then have confessed his sins but when he was about to do it the Devil still held his mouth that he could not He entreated God to release him promising to confess forsake his Sins and the Lord did so but he being well grew as bad or worse than ever About six weeks since his Convulsion Fits came again three times most dreadfully with some Intermissions and his former Horrours Fears He would have confessed his Sins but could not It pleased God to put it into the heart of one to ask him Whether he had any Familiarity with
the Devil he got out so much then as Yes He fetching Mr. Pierson the Convulsion Fits left him and he confessed all how it had been with him That very night the Devil came to him and told him Had he blabbed out such things He would teach him to blabb and if he would not then write and seal the Agreement he would tear him in pieces and he refusing the Devil took a corporal Possession of him and hath not ceased to torment him extremely ever since If any thing be spoken to him the Devil answereth and many times he barks like a Fox and hisseth like a Serpent sometimes with horrible Blasphemies against the Name of Christ and at some other times the Boy is sensible When he hath the Libertie of his Voice he tells what the Devil saith to him urging him to seal the Covenant still and that he will bring Paper Pen and Ink in the night when none shall see pleading that God hath oust him off that Christ cannot save him That When He was upon earth He could cast out devils but now He is in Heaven He cannot Sometimes he is ready to yeild to all in a desperate way Sometimes he breaks out into Confession of his former sins as they come into his mind exceedingly judging himself and justifying GOD in His for ever leaving of him in the hands of Satan Once he was heard to Pray in such a manner so sutable to his Condition so Aggravating his Sin and pleading with God for mercy and in such a strange high enlarged manner as judicious godly persons then present affirm they never heard the like in their lives that it drew abundance of tears from the eyes of all present being about twenty persons But his torment increased upon him worse after such a time or if any thing were spoken to him from the Word of God by others or they pray with him The last week after he had confessed one strange Passage namely that once in Discourse he told the Devil that if he would make his Spittle to scald a dog he would then go on in a way of Lying and Dissembling and believe that he should do it which he said he did with all his heart and so spit on the dog and with that a deal of Scalding Water did poure on the Dog. In pursuance of his Promise he went on in a way of Lying and Dissembling That when he was urged about it that he had done some mischief to the dog then he fell down into a Swound as if he had been dead As soon as he had confessed this the Devil went out of him with an astonishing Noise to the terrour of those then present and so he continued one day The next day being much troubled in himself for one special passage in his Discourse with the Devil when he appeared to him as a Fox saith he to he Devil I have formerly sought to God anâ— Hâ—â—â—th been near unto me With that the Devil enraged said unto him then What are you got hither and fell to Threatning of him He said to him again But I find no such Thoughts now but do will believe you now more than the Word of God which saith in Isa. 55 Seek the Lord c. and said further What comfort you shall afford me I shall rely upon you for it Remembring this Passage the Devil appeared to him ready to enter into him again Thereby much astonished having the Bible in his hand he opened it as it were of it self at that place of Isai. 55 his Eye was fixed upon it and his Conscience accusing him for abusing the Word a year ago his heart failing him and the Devil entred into him again a Second time railing upon him calling him Blab-tongue and Rogue he had promis'd to keep things secret he would teach him to blabb he would tear him in peices Since he hath kept his Body in continual Motion speaking in him and by him with a formidable Voice sometimes singing of Verses wicked and witty that formerly he had made against his Father's Ministry and the Word of God c. When the Boy is come to himself they tell him of them and he owns them that indeed such he did make Mr. Eaton being his Uncle sent a Letter to him which he told of before it came saying also it would be goodly stuff Jeering at him By and by the Letter came in and none of the people knew of it before He speaks of men coming to him before they come in Sight and once two being with him their Backs turned the Devil carried him away they knew not how after search they found him in a Cellar as dead but after a little space he came to Life again And another time threw him up into a Chamber stopped him up into a Hole where they after found him Another time he carried him about a Bow-Shot and threw him into a Hog-Stye amongst Swine which ran away with a terrible noise Here is as much to be seen of the Venome of Sin the Wrath of God against Sin the Malice of the Devil and yet his limited Power and the Reasonings of Satan in an ocular Demonstration as hath fallen out in any Age. Also the strange High Expressions of a distressed Soul in a way of Judging himself and pleading for Mercy such as may be wondered at by all that hear of it and more very observable passages could not be written for want of Time which will after appear Advertisement OF what did after appear I have no Account but what did then appear is so undoubtted and so wonderful that it will sufficiently atone for my Publication of it EXEMPLE VI. and VII HAd there been Diligence enough used by them that have heard and seen amazing Instances of Witchcraft our Number of Memorable Providences under this Head had reached beyond the Perfect However before I have done Writing I will insert an Example or two communicated unto me by a Gentleman of sufficient Fidelity to make a Story of his Relating Credible The Things were such as happened in the Town whereof himself is Minister and they are but some of more which he favoured me with the Communication of But it seems I must be obliged to conceal the Names of the parties concerned lest some should be Offended tho None could be Injured by the mention of them ¶ In a Town which is none of the yóungest in this Countrey there dwelt a very Godly and honest Man who upon some Provocation received very Angry and Threatning Expressions from two women in the Neighbourhood soon upon this diverse of his Cattel in a strange manner dyed and the man himself sometimes was haunted with sights of the women as he thought encountring of him He grew indisposed in his Body very unaccountably and one day repaired unto a Church Meeting then held in the place with a Resolution there to declare what he had met withal The man was one of such Figure and Respect