The Wonders of the Invisible World. Mather Cotton

       The Wonders of the Invisible World:—PageThe Author's Defence 3Letter from Mr. William Stoughton 6Enchantments encountered 9An Abstract of Mr. Perkins's Way for the Discovery of Witches 30The Sum of Mr. Gaules Judgment about the Detection of Witches 33

       A Discourse on the Wonders of the Invisible World 38An Hortatory and Necessary Address, to a Country now Extraordinarily Alarum'd by the Wrath of the Devil 79A Narrative of an Apparition which a Gentleman in Boston had of his Brother, just then murthered in London 107A Modern Instance of Witches discovered and condemned in a Tryal, before that celebrated Judge, Sir Matthew Hale 111The Tryal of G. B. at a Court of Oyer and Terminer, held in Salem, 1692 120The Tryal of Bridget Bishop, alias Oliver, at the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held at Salem, June 2, 1692 129The Tryal of Susanna Martin, at the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held by Adjournment at Salem, June 29, 1692 138The Tryal of Elizabeth How, at the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held by Adjournment at Salem, June 30, 1692 149The Tryal of Martha Carrier, at the Court of Oyer and Terminer, held by Adjournment at Salem, August 2, 1692 154A Relation of a Few of the Matchless Curiosities which the Witchcraft presented 159The First Curiositie 159The Second Curiositie 161The Third Curiositie 164The Fourth Curiositie 165Testimony of Mr. William Stoughton and Mr. Samuel Sewall 167Extracts from Dr. Horneck showing the Similarity in the Circumstances attending the Witchcraft in New-England and that in Sweedland 167 Matter omitted in the Tryals 172

       The Devil Discovered 172Case proposed, What are those Usual Methods of Temptation with which the Powers of Darkness do assault the Children of Men? 174Remarks upon the Three Remarkable Assaults of Temptations which the Devil visibly made upon our Lord 175The First Temptation 175The Second Temptation 183The Third Temptation 192

       A Further Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches:—A True Narrative, collected by Deodat Lawson, relating to Sundry Persons afflicted by Witchcraft, from the 19th of March to the 5th of April, 1692 201Remarks of Things more than Ordinary about the Afflicted Persons 211Remarks concerning the Accused 212A Further Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches, sent in a Letter from thence, to a Gentleman in London 214

       Cases of Conscience concerning Evil Spirits personating Men, etc.:—An Address to the Christian Reader by Fourteen Influential Gentlemen 221

       Cases of Conscience concerning Witchcrafts 225The First Case proposed, Whether or not may Satan appear in the Shape of an Innocent and Pious, as well as of a Nocent and Wicked Person, to afflict such as suffer by Diabolical Molestation? 225The Affirmative proved from Six Arguments:—From Several Scriptures 225Because it is possible for the Devil, in the Shape of Innocent Persons, to do other Mischiefs, proved by many Instances 234Because if Satan may not represent an Innocent Person as afflicting others, it must be either because he wants will or power to do this, or because God will never permit him so to do it; either of which may be affirmed 237 It is certain, both from Scripture and History, that Magicians by their Inchantments and Hellish Conjurations may cause a False Representation of Persons and Things 243From the concurring Judgment of many Learned and Judicious Men 250Our own Experience has confirmed the Truth of what we affirm 253The Second Case considered, viz. If one bewitched be cast down with the look or cast of the Eye of another Person, and after that recovered again by a Touch from the same Person, is not this an infallible Proof that the party accused and complained of is in Covenant with the Devil? 255Answer. This may be Ground of Suspicion and Examination, but not of Conviction 255The Judgment of Mr. Bernard and of Dr. Cotta produced 256Several Things offered against the Infallibility of this Proof:—'Tis possible that the Persons in question may be possessed with Evil Spirits. Signs of such 258Falling down with the Cast of the Eye proceeds not from a natural, but an arbitrary Cause 260That of the bewitched Persons being recovered with a Touch is various and fallible 262There are that question the Lawfulness of the Experiment 264The Testimony of Bewitched or Possessed Persons is no Evidence as to what they see concerning others, and therefore not as to themselves 266Bewitched Persons have sometimes been struck down with the Look of Dogs 267If this were an Infallible Proof, there would be difficulty in discovering Witches 268Nothing can be produced out of the Word of God to shew, that this is any Proof of Witchcraft 268Antipathies in Nature have Strange and Unaccountable Effects 268The Third Case considered, Whether there are any Discoveries of Witchcraft, which Jurors and Judges may with a safe Conscience proceed upon to the Conviction and Condemnation of the Persons under Suspicion? 269Two things premised:—That the Evidence in the Crime of Witchcraft ought to be as clear as in any other Crimes of a Capital Nature 269 That there have been ways of Trying Witches long used, which God never approved of. More particularly that of casting the Suspected Party into the Water, to try whether they will Sink or Swim. The Vanity and great Sin which is in that way of Purgation evinced by Six Reasons 270That there are Proofs for the Conviction of Witches, which Jurors may with a safe Conscience proceed upon, proved from Scripture 275That a Free and Voluntary Confession is a sufficient Ground of Conviction 276That the Testimony of confessing Witches against others, is not so clear an Evidence as against themselves 279That if two Credible Persons shall affirm upon Oath that they have seen the Person accused doing Things, which none but such as have familiarity with the Devil, ever did or can do, that's a sufficient ground of Conviction: and that this has often happened 282Mr. Perkins his Solemn Caution to Jurors 283Postscript 285