The Wonders of the Invisible World. Cotton Mather

The Wonders of the Invisible World was a book written by Cotton Mather and published in 1693. It was subtitled, Observations As well Historical as Theological, upon the Nature, the Number, and the Operations of the Devils. The book defended Mather’s role in the witchhunt conducted in Salem, Massachusetts. It espoused the belief that witchcraft was an evil magical power. Mather saw witches as tools of the devil in Satan’s battle to “overturn this poor plantation, the Puritan colony”, and prosecution of witches as a way to secure God’s blessings for the colony.

Its arguments are largely derivative of Saducismus Triumphatus by Joseph Glanvill.[1] A copy of Glanvill’s book was in Mather’s library when he died.

Chapter Index:

00:00 – Introduction

13:39 – The Author’s Defence, Letter from Mr. William Stoughton

21:24 – ENCHANTMENTS ENCOUNTERED

58:47 – AN ABSTRACT OF MR. PERKINS’S WAY FOR THE DISCOVERY OF WITCHES

1:12:50 – A DISCOURSE ON THE WONDERS OF THE INVISIBLE WORLD

2:28:16 – AN HORTATORY AND NECESSARY ADDRESS

3:18:33 – A Narrative of an Apparition which a Gentleman in Boston

3:24:10 – A Modern instance of Witches discovered and condemned in a Tryal

3:39:51 – THE TRYAL OF G.B; AT A COURT OF OYER AND TERMINER

3:55:33 – THE TRYAL OF BRIDGET BISHOP, ALIAS OLIVER

4:10:54 – THE TRYAL OF SUSANNA MARTIN

4:28:37 – THE TRYAL OF ELIZABETH HOW

4:37:26 – THE TRIAL OF MARTHA CARRIER

4:46:05 – A Relation of a Few of the Matchless Curiosities which the Witchcraft presented

4:59:19 – Testimony of Mr. William Stoughton and Mr. Samuel Sewall

5:08:24 – THE DEVIL DISCOVERED

5:54:48 – A TRUE NARRATIVE of some Remarkable Passages relating to sundry Persons afflicted by Witchcraft

6:16:27 – A FURTHER ACCOUNT OF THE TRYALS OF THE NEW-ENGLAND WITCHES

6:22:11 – Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men. Christian Reader

6:29:09 – CASES OF CONSCIENCE CONCERNING WITCHCRAFTS

8:13:08 – POSTSCRIPT.

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