English 2

1. In Cotton Mather’s The Wonders of the Invisible World, he says that he “can do no other than shortly relate the chief matters of fact.” The Trial of Martha Carrier. Has Mather presented the facts? How would you have judged the Martha Carrier case? 

2. In “Sinners in the hands of the angry God” http://www.ccel.org/e/edwards/sermons/sinners.html  . According to Jonathan Edwards, why is God angry? What can we do, if anything, to escape His wrath?

Answer

1) Mather believed he reported the facts in "The Wonders of the Invisible World." None of the events submitted against Goodwife Carrier, however, are accompanied by proof or corroboration. We know in hindsight, that the confessions of "witches" were coerced by torture. This fact was undoubtedly known by Mather. Finally, there is no record of the accused having an opportunity to defend herself, neither verbally, nor with witnesses on her behalf. If I were judging the case of Martha Carrier, I would have demanded proof that substantiated the claims of the accusers and given Goodwife carrier an opportunity to address her accusers.

2) According to Jonathon Edwards in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," God is angry at non-believers. Those who refuse to believe in Jehova will endure God's eternal wrath. Living a good life, will not guarantee God's love any more than prayer will. The only way to avoid God's wrath is to believe in Jesus Christ. To avoid Hell, according to Mather, a man has to be a born again Christian. 

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