Cotton Mather The Wonders Of The Invisible World Summary
In The Wonders of the Invisible World, Cotton Mather brings his religious views to the table. He was definitely moved by logical thinking, and thought others should too. Mathers believed that the colonies were being ridiculous for leaving their safe and comfortable place when faced with adversity. Why leave good land to find another that is not promised or prominent? The leaders were nicknamed “Joshuas” to place a mockery on the Joshua in the Old Testament of the Bible. He claimed Satan was trying to move the colonists out of the new land, and that satanic devices were being used to punish them for not using the land God blessed them with. Mather believed witches and witchcraft were Satan’s tools. Mather was very dramatic with his descriptions
of the things he witnessed, or claimed. The colonists were described as fictional characters in a dumb story full of destruction against others who practiced witchcraft. He was noted for believing in the witch trials, but claimed he had nothing against them and never attended a trial. He claimed, “The mind of God in these matters, is to be carefully looked into, with due circumspection, that Satan deceives us not with his devices, who transforms himself into an angel of light and may pretend justice and yet intend mischief” (Mather 189). With the new development on witchcraft rising, Massachusetts decided to put laws into practice. Idolatry was the first law, with witchcraft following behind. Mather went as far as to study children who were cursed, practicing fasting and prayer rituals to heal them. As the trials went on, there was no surprise that he was excited about the things that were happening. He wrote letters to his Uncle John Cotton claiming, “Our good God is working of miracles” (). Whether he was well liked or not, he was one of the best early Enlightenment thinking in colonial America. He wrote more books than his own dad, Increase Mather, and published several pamphlets as well. He was brilliant, intellectually, but his religious aloofness was nothing that was wanted.
of the things he witnessed, or claimed. The colonists were described as fictional characters in a dumb story full of destruction against others who practiced witchcraft. He was noted for believing in the witch trials, but claimed he had nothing against them and never attended a trial. He claimed, “The mind of God in these matters, is to be carefully looked into, with due circumspection, that Satan deceives us not with his devices, who transforms himself into an angel of light and may pretend justice and yet intend mischief” (Mather 189). With the new development on witchcraft rising, Massachusetts decided to put laws into practice. Idolatry was the first law, with witchcraft following behind. Mather went as far as to study children who were cursed, practicing fasting and prayer rituals to heal them. As the trials went on, there was no surprise that he was excited about the things that were happening. He wrote letters to his Uncle John Cotton claiming, “Our good God is working of miracles” (). Whether he was well liked or not, he was one of the best early Enlightenment thinking in colonial America. He wrote more books than his own dad, Increase Mather, and published several pamphlets as well. He was brilliant, intellectually, but his religious aloofness was nothing that was wanted.