Passion, and Rumour, do
precipitate so many, that I wish I could say, The most were
_considerate_.

But that which carries on the formidableness of our Trials, unto that
which may be called, _A wrath unto the uttermost_, is this: It is not
without the _wrath_ of the Almighty _God_ himself, that the _Devil_ is
permitted thus to come down upon us in _wrath_. It was said, in _Isa.
9.19._ _Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, the Land is darkned._
Our Land is _darkned_ indeed; since the _Powers of Darkness_ are turned
in upon us: 'tis a _dark time_, yea a black night indeed, now the
_Ty-dogs_ of the Pit are abroad among us: but, _It is through the wrath
of the Lord of Hosts!_ Inasmuch as the _Fire-brands_ of _Hell_ it self
are used for the scorching of us, with cause enough may we cry out,
_What means the heat of this anger?_ Blessed Lord! Are all the other
Instruments of thy Vengeance, too good for the chastisement of such
transgressors as we are? Must the very _Devils_ be sent out of _Their
own place_, to be our Troublers: Must we be lash'd with _Scorpions_,
fetch'd from the _Place of Torment_? Must this _Wilderness_ be made a
Receptacle for the _Dragons of the Wilderness_? If a _Lapland_ should
nourish in it vast numbers, the successors of the old _Biarmi_, who can
with looks or words bewitch other people, or sell Winds to Marriners,
and have their _Familiar Spirits_ which they bequeath to their Children
when they die, and by their Enchanted Kettle-Drums can learn things done
a Thousand Leagues off; If a _Swedeland_ should afford a Village, where
some scores of Haggs, may not only have their Meetings with _Familiar
Spirits_, but also by their Enchantments drag many scores of poor
children out of their Bed-chambers, to be spoiled at those Meetings;
This, were not altogether a matter of so much wonder! But that
_New-England_ should this way be harassed! They are not _Chaldeans_,
that _Bitter and Hasty Nation_, but they are, _Bitter and Burning
Devils_; They are not _Swarthy Indians_, but they are _Sooty Devils_;
that are let loose upon us. Ah, Poor _New-England_! Must the plague of
_Old Aegypt_ come upon thee? Whereof we read in _Psal. 78.49._ _He cast
upon them the fierceness of his Anger, Wrath, and Indignation, and
Trouble, by sending Evil Angels among them._ What, O what must next be
looked for? Must that which is there next mentioned, be next
encountered? _He spared not their soul from death, but gave their life