Robert Calef, Warning To
Ministers
A Delusion of Satan : The Full Story of the Salem
Witch Trials by Frances Hill,
Karen Armstrong (Introduction). Paperback (October 1997) Witchcraft Delusion in Colonial Connecticut,
1647-97 by J. J Taylor FROM LIBRARY OF AMERICAN
LITERATURE, VOLUME 2 Robert Calef. Born about 148. A merchant of
Boston. DIED at Roxbury, Mass. 1719. A WARNING TO THE MIMISTERS.
CHRISTIANITY had been but a short time in the
world when there was raised against it, not only open professed
enemies, but secret and inbred
underminers, who sought thereby to
effect that which open force had been so often baffled in. And
notwithstanding that primitive purity and sincerity, which in some
good measure was still retained, yet the cunning deceivers and
apostate hereticks found opportunity to beguile the unwary, and this
in fundamentals. Among others which then sprung up, with but
too much advantage, in the third century, the Maniche did spread his
pestiferous sentiments, and taught the existence of two beings, or causes of
all things, viz. a good and a bad: but these were soon silenced by
the more orthodox doctors, and anathematized by general councils. And
at this day the Arnerican Indians, another sort of Maniche,
entertaining (thus far) the same belief, hold it their prudence and
interest to please that evil heing, as well by perpetrating other
murders, as by +heir bloody sacrifices, that so he may not harm them.
The iron teeth of time have now almost devoured the name of the
former; and as to the latter, it is to be hoped that as Christianity
prevails amoilg them, they will abhor such abominable belief.
And as those primitive times were not
privileged against the spreading of dangerous heresy, so neither can
any now pretend to any such immunity though professing the enjoyment
of a primative purity. Might a judgement be made from the books of
the modern learned divines, or from the practice of courts, or from
the faith of many who call tllenlselves Christians it might be
modest]y, though scarcely, concluded, that thc doctrine of the
Maniche, at least great part of it, is so far from being forgotten,
that tis almost everywhere professed. We in these ends of the earth
need not seek far for instances in each respect to demonstrate this.
The books here printed and recommended, not only by the respective
authors. but by many of their brethren, do set forth that the devil
inflicts plagyes wars, diseases, tempests, aud can render the most
solid things invisible and can do things above and against the course
of nature, and all natural causes. Are these the expressions of orthodox
believers? or are they not rather expressions becomillg a Maniche, or
a heathen, as agreeing far better with these than with the sacred
oracles, our only rule? the whole current whereof is so diametrically
opposite thereto, that it were almost endless to mention all the
divine cautions against such abominable belief; he that runs may
read, Psal. lxli. 11, and cxxxvi. 4. Lam. iii. 37. Amos iii. 6. Jer.
iv. 22. Psal. lxxviii. 26, and clxviii. 6, 8. Job xxxviii. 22 to
34. These places, with a multitude more, do
abundantly testify, that the asserters of such power to be in the
evil being, do speak in a dialect different from the Scriptures
(laying a firm foundation for the Indians' adorations, which agrees
well with what A. Ross sets forth, in his Mistag Poetic. p. 116, that
their ancients did worship the furies and their god Averinci, that
they might forbear to hurt them). And have not the courts in some parts of the
world, by their practice, testified their concurrence with such
belief; prosecuting to death many people upon that notion, of their
improving such power of the evil one, to the raising of storms;
afflicting and killing of others, though at great distance from them;
doing things in their own persons above human strength; destroying
cattle, flying in the air, turning themselves into cats or dogs,
etc., which bythe way must needs imply something of goodness to be in
that evil being, who, though he has such power, would not exert it,
were it not for this people, or else that they can some way add to
this mighty power. And are the people a whit behind in their
beliefs? Is there any thing above mentioned, their strong faith looks
upon to be too hard for this evil being to effect ? Here it will be answered, God permits it.
Which answer is so far an owning the doctrine, that the devil has in
his nature a power to do all these things, and can exert this power,
except
when he is restrained; which is in effect to say that God has made
nature to fight against itself; that he has made a creature who has
it in the power of his nature to overthrow nature, and to act above
and against it Which he that can believe may as well believe the
greatest contradiction. That being which can do this in the smallest
thing, can do it in the greatest. If Moses, with a bare permission,
might stretch forth his rod, yet he was not able to bring plagues
upon the Egyptians, or to divide the waters, without a commission
from the Most High; so neither can that evil being perform any of
this without a commission from the same power. The Scripture recites
more miracles wrought by men than by angels good and bad. Though this
doctrine be so dishonourable to the only Almighty Being, as to
ascribe such attributes to the evil one, as are the incommunicable
prerogative of him, who is the alone Sovereign Being, yet here is not
all; but, as he that steers by a false compass, the further he sails
the more he is out of his way; so, though there is in some things a
variation from, there is in others a further progression in, or
building upon, the said doctrine of the Maniche. Men in this age are not content barely to
believe such an exorbitant power to be in the nature of this evil
being; but have imagined that he prevails with many to sign a book,
or make a contract with him, whereby they are enabled to perform all the
things above mentioned. Another account is given hereof, viz., That
by virtue of such a covenant they attain power to commission him. And
though the two parties are not agreed which to put it upon, whether
the devil empowers the witch? or the witch commissions him; yet both
parties are agreed in this, that one way or other the mischief is
effected, and so the criminal becomes culpahle of death. In the
search after such a sort of criminals, how many countries have fallen
into such convulsions, that neither the devastations made by a
conquering enemy, nor the plague itself, have been so formidable.
That not only good persons have thus been blemished in their
reputations, but much innocent blood hath been shed, is testified
even by those very books: (Cases of Conscience, p. 33. Remarkable
Provid. p. 179. Memor. Provid. p. 28. And (to add) what less can be expected, when
men, having taken up such a belief, of a covenanting, afflicting and
killing witch, and, comparing it with the Scripture, finding no
footsteps therein of such a sort of witch, have thereupon desperately
concluded that, though the Scripture is full in it, that a witch
should not live, yet that it has not at all described the crime, nor
means whereby the culpable might be detected. And hence they are fallen so far as to reckon
it necessary to make use of those diabolical and bloody ways, always
heretofore practiced, for their discovery; as finding that the rules,
given to detect other crimes, are wholly useless for the discovery of
such. This is that which has produced that deluge of
blood mentioned, and must certainly do so again, the same belief
remaining. And who can wonder, if Christians that are so
easily prevailed with to lay aside their swords as useless, and so
have lost their strength, are (with Samson) led blindfold into an
idol temple, to make
sport for enemies and infidels, and to
do abominable actions, not only not Christian, but against even the
light of nature and reason? And now, reverend fathers, you who are
appointed as guides to the people, and whose lips should preserve
knowledge; who are set as shepherds, and as watchmen; this matter
appertains to you. I did write to you formerly under this head, and
acquainted you with resentiments, requesting that if I erred, you
would be pleased to shew it me by Scripture; but from your silence I
gather that you approve thereof. For I may reasonably presume that
you would have seen it your duty to have informed me better, if you
had been sensible of any error. But if in this matter you have
acquitted yourselves becoming the titles you are dignified with, you
have cause of rejoicing in the midst of calamities that afflict a
sinning world. Particularly, if you have taught the people to
fear God, and trust in him, and not to fear a witch or a devil; that
the devil has no power to afflict any with diseases, or loss of
cattle, etc., without a commission from the Most High; that he is so
filled with malice, that whatever commission he may have against any,
he will not fail to execute it; that no mortal ever was, or can be,
able to commission him, or to lengthen his chain in the least, and
that he who can commission him is God and that the scriptures of
truth not only assign the punishment of a witch but give sufficient
rules to detect them by; and that, according to Mr. Gaul's fourth
head, a witch is one that hates and opposes the word, work and
worship of God, and seeks by a sign to seduce therefrom--that they
who are guilty according to that head, are guiltv of witchcraft, and
by the law given by Moses were to be put to death:--If you have
taught the people the necessity of charity, and the evil of
entertaining so much as a jealousy against their neighbours for such
crimes, upon the devil's suggestions to a person pretending to a
spectral or diabolical sight; who utter their oracles from malice,
frenzy, or a Satanical delusion--that to be inquisitive of such,
whose spectres they see, or who it is that afflicts, in order to put
the accused person's life in question, is a wickedness beyond what
Saul was guilty of in going to the witch--that to consult with the
dead, by the help of such as pretend to this spectral sight, and so
to get information against the life of any person, is the worst sort
of necromancy--that the pretending to drive away spectres, i.e.,
devils, with the hand, or by striking these to wound a person at a
distance, cannot be without witchcraft, as pretending to a sign in
order to deceive in matters of so high a nature--that 'tis ridiculous
to think, by making laws against feeding, employing or rewarding of
evil spirits, thereby to get rid of them. Finally, if you have taught the people what to
believe and practice, as to the probation of the accused, by their
saying or not saying the Lord's prayer, and as to praying that the
afflicted may be able to accuse, and have not shunned in these
matters to declare the whole mind of God; you have then well
acquitted yourselves (in time of general defection) as faithful
watchmen. But if, instead of this, you have, some by word and writing
propagated, others recommended, such writings, and abetted the false
notions, which are so prevalent in this apostate age, it is high time
to consider it If when authority found themselves almost nonplussed
in such prosecutions, and sent to you for your advice what they ought
to do, and you have then thanked them for what they had already done
(and thereby encouraged them to proceed in.those very by-paths
already fallen into) it so much the [more] nearly concerns you. Ezek.
xxiii 2 to 8. To conclude: This whole people are invited and
commanded to humble their souls before God, as for other causes, so
for the errors that may have been fallen into in these prosecutions
on either hand, and to pray that God would teach us what we know not,
and help us wherein we have done amiss, that we may do so no more.
This more immediately concerns yourselves; for
'tis not supposed to be intended that God would shew us these things
by inspiration; but that such who are called to it should shew the
mind of God in these things on both hands, i.e., whether there has
been any error in excess or deficiency, or neither in the one nor the
other. And if you do not thus far serve the publick, you need not
complain of great sufferings and unrighteous discouragements, if
people do not applaud your conduct, as you might otherways have
expected. But if you altogether hold your peace at such a time as
this is, your silence, at least seemingly, will speak this language;
that you are not concerned, though men ascribe the power and
providence of the Almighty to the worst of his creatures--that if
other ages or countries improve the doctrines and examples given
them, either to the taking away of the life or reputations of
innocents, you are well satisfied. Which, that there may be no shadow
of a reason to beieve but that your conduct herein may remove all
such jealousies, and that God would be with you in declaring his
whole mind to the people, is the earnest desire and prayer of,
reverend sirs, yours to my utmost, R.C. Part One Touching supposed Witchcraft
