cometsindicateevilandonlyevil；andhecitesLuther’sAdventsermontotheeffectthat，thoughcometsmayariseinthecourseofNature，theyarestillsignsofeviltomankind。Inanswertothetheoryofsundrynaturaliststhatcometsaremadeupof“acertainfiery，warm，sulphurous，saltpetery，stickyfog。”hedeclaims：“Oursins，oursins：theyarethefieryheatedvapours，thethick，sticky，sulphurouscloudswhichrisefromtheearthtowardheavenbeforeGod。”ThroughoutthesermonDieterichpourscontemptoverallmenwhosimplyinvestigatecometsasnaturalobjects，callsspecialattentiontoacometthenintheheavensresemblingalongbroomorbundleofrods，anddeclaresthatheandhishearerscanonlyconsideritrightly“whenweseestandingbeforeusourLordGodinheavenasanangryfatherwitharodforhischildren。”Inanswertothequestionwhatcometssignify，hecommitshimselfentirelytotheideathattheyindicatethewrathofGod，andthereforecalamitiesofeverysort。Pageafterpageisfilledwiththerecordsofevilsfollowingcomets。Beginningwiththecreationoftheworld，heinsiststhatthefirstcometbroughtonthedelugeofNoah，andcitesamassofauthorities，rangingfromMosesandIsaiahtoAlberttheGreatandMelanchthon，insupportoftheviewthatcometsprecedeearthquakes，famines，wars，pestilences，andeveryformofevil。Hemakessomeparadeofastronomicalknowledgeastothegreatnessofthesunandmoon，butrelapsessoonintohisoldlineofargument。Imploringhisaudiencenottobeledawayfromthewell-establishedbeliefofChristendomandtheprinciplesoftheirfathers，hecomesbacktohisoldassertion，insiststhat“oursinsaretheinflammablematerialofwhichcometsaremade。”andwindsupwithamostearnestappealtotheAlmightytosparehispeople。[110]
[110]ForDeiterich，seeUlmischeCometen-Predigt，vondemCometen，sonechstabgewischen1618JahrsimWintermonaterstenmahlsinSchwabensehenlassen，……gehaltenzuUlm……
durchConradDieterich，Ulm，1620。Foralifeoftheauthor，seearticleDieterichintheAllgemeineDeutscheBiographie。SeealsoWolf。
Similareffortsfromthepulpitwereprovokedbythegreatcometof1680。TypicalamongthesewastheeffortinSwitzerlandofPastorHeinrichErni，who，fromtheCathedralofZurich，sentacircularlettertotheclergyofthatregionshowingtheconnectionoftheeleventhandtwelfthversesofthefirstchapterofJeremiahwiththecomet，givingnoticethatathissuggestiontheauthoritieshadproclaimedasolemnfast，andexhortingtheclergytopreachearnestlyonthesubjectofthiswarning。
Norweretheinterpretersofthecomet’smessagecontentwithsimpleprose。Attheappearanceofthecometof1618，GrasserandGross，pastorsanddoctorsoftheologyatBasle，putforthacollectionofdoggerelrhymestofastentheorthodoxtheoryintothemindsofschool-childrenandpeasants。Oneofthesemaybetranslated：
“IamaRodinGod’srighthandthreateningtheGermanandforeignland。”
Othersforasimilarpurposetaught：
“EightthingstherebeaCometbrings，Whenitonhighdothhorridrange：
Wind，Famine，Plague，andDeathtoKings，War，Earthquakes，Floods，andDirefulChange。”
Greatingenuitywasshowninmeetingtheadvanceofscience，intheuniversitiesandschools，withnewtextsofScripture；andStephenSpleiss，RectoroftheGymnasiumatSchaffhausen，gotgreatcreditbyteachingthatinthevisionofJeremiahthe“almondrod“wasatailedcomet，andthe“seethingpot“abeardedone。[111]
[111]ForErni，seeWolf，Gesch。d。Astronomie，p。239。ForGrassnerandGross，seetheirChristenlichesBedenken……vondemerschrockenlichenCometen，etc。，Zurich，1664。ForSpleiss，seeBeilauftigerBerichtvondemjetzigenCometsternen，etc。，schaffhausen，1664。
ItcanbeeasilyunderstoodthatsuchauthoritativeutterancesasthatofDieterichmusthaveproducedagreateffectthroughoutProtestantChristendom；andinduetimeweseetheirworkinginNewEngland。Thatsametendencytoprovincialism，which，saveatrareintervals，hasbeenthebaneofMassachusettsthoughtfromthatdaytothis，appeared；andin1664wefindSamuelDanfortharguingfromtheBiblethat“cometsareportentoussignalsofgreatandnotablechanges。”andarguingfromhistorythatthey“havebeenmanytimesheraldsofwrathtoasecureandimpenitentworld。”Hecitesespeciallythecometof1652，whichappearedjustbeforeMr。Cotton’ssicknessanddisappearedafterhisdeath。Mortonalso，inhisMemorialrecordingthedeathofJohnPutnam，alludestothecometof1662as“averysignaltestimonythatGodhadthenremovedabrightstarandashininglightoutoftheheavenofhisChurchhereintocelestialgloryabove。”
Againhespeaksofanothercomet，insistingthat“itwasnofierymeteorcausedbyexhalation，butitwassentimmediatelybyGodtoawakenthesecureworld。”andgoesontoshowhowinthatyear“itpleasedGodtosmitethefruitsoftheearth——namely，thewheatinspecial——withblastingandmildew，wherebymuchofitwasspoiledandbecameprofitablefornothing，andmuchofitworthlittle，beinglightandempty。Thiswaslookeduponbythejudiciousandconscientiousofthelandasaspeakingprovidenceagainsttheunthankfulnessofmany，……asalsoagainstvoluptuousnessandabuseofthegoodcreaturesofGodbylicentiousnessindrinkingandfashionsinapparel，fortheobtainingwhereofagreatpartoftheprincipalgrainwasoftentimesunnecessarilyexpended。”
Butin1680astrongerthaneitheroftheseseizeduponthedoctrineandwieldeditwithpower。IncreaseMather，soopenalwaystoideasfromEurope，andalwayssopowerfulforgoodorevilinthecloonies，preachedhissermonon“Heaven’sAlarmtotheWorld，……whereinisshownthatfearfulsightsandsignsintheheavensarethepresagesofgreatcalamitiesathand。”ThetextsweretakenfromthebookofRevelation：“Andthethirdangelsounded，andtherefellagreatstarfromheaven，burning，asitwerealamp。”and“Behold，thethirdwoecomethquickly。”
Inthis，asinvariousothersermons，hesupportsthetheologicalcometarytheoryfully。Heinsiststhat“wearefallenintothedregsoftime。”andthatthedayofjudgmentisevidentlyapproaching。HeexplainsawaythewordsofJeremiah——“Benotdismayedatsignsintheheavens“——andshowsthatcometshavebeenforerunnersofnearlyeveryformofevil。Havingdonefulljusticetoevilsthuspresagedinscripturaltimes，hebeginsasimilardisplayinmodernhistorybycitingblazingstarswhichforetoldtheinvasionsofGoths，Huns，Saracens，andTurks，andwarnsgainsayersbycitingtheexampleofVespasian，who，afterridiculingacomet，soondied。Thegeneralshapeandappearanceofcomets，hethinks，betokentheirpurpose，andhecitesTertulliantoprovethem“God’ssharprazorsonmankind，wherebyhedothpoll，andhisscythewherebyhedothsheardownmultitudesofsinfulcreatures。”Atlast，risingtoafearfulheight，hedeclares：“FortheLordhathfiredhisbeaconintheheavensamongthestarsofGodthere；thefearfulsightisnotyetoutofsight。Thewarningpieceofheavenisgoingoff。
Now，then，iftheLorddischargehismurderingpiecesfromonhigh，andmenbefoundintheirsinsunfitfordeath，theirbloodshallbeuponthem。”Andagain，inanagonyofsupplication，hecriesout：“Doweseetheswordblazingoverus？LetitputusuponcryingtoGod，thatthejudgmentbedivertedandnotreturnuponusagainsospeedily……DothGodthreatenourveryheavens？
Oprayuntohim，thathewouldnottakeawaystarsandsendcometstosucceedthem。”[112]
[112]ForDanforth，seehisAstronomicalDescritptionoftheLateCometorBlazingStar，TogetherwithaBriefTheologicalApplicationThereof，1664。ForMorton，seehisMemorial，pp。
251，252，；also309，310。TextscitedbyMatherwereRev。，viii，10，andxi，14。
Twoyearslater，inAugust，1682，hefollowedthiswithanothersermonon“TheLatterSign。”“whereinisshowedthatthevoiceofGodinsignalprovidences，especiallywhenrepeatedanditerated，oughttobehearkenedunto。”Here，too，ofcourse，thecometcomesinforalargeshareofattention。Buthistoneislesssure：eveninthemidstofallhisargumentsappearsanevidentmisgiving。ThethoughtsofNewtoninscienceandBayleinphilosophywereevidentlytendingtoaccomplishtheprophecyofSeneca。Mather’salarmatthisisclear。Hisnaturaltendencyistoupholdtheideathatacometissimplyafire-ballflungfromthehandofanavengingGodataguiltyworld，butheevidentlyfeelsobligedtoyieldsomethingtothescientificspirit；hence，intheDiscourseconcerningComets，publishedin1683，hedeclares：“Therearethosewhothinkthat，inasmuchascometsmaybesupposedtoproceedfromnaturalcauses，thereisnospeakingvoiceofHeaveninthembeyondwhatistobesaidofallotherworksofGod。ButcertainitisthatmanythingswhichmayhappenaccordingtothecourseofNatureareportentoussignsofDivineangerandprognosticsofgreatevilshasteningupontheworld。”HethennoticestheeclipseofAugust，1672，andadds：
“Thatyearthecollegewaseclipsedbythedeathofthelearnedpresidentthere，worthyMr。Chaunceyandtwocolonies——namely，MassachusettsandPlymouth——bythedeathoftwogovernors，whodiedwithinatwelvemonthafter……Shall，then，suchmightyworksofGodascometsarebeinsignificantthings？”[113]
[113]IncreaseMather’sHeaven’sAlarmtotheWorldwasfirstprintedatBostonin1681，butwasreprintedin1682，andwasappended，withthesermononTheLatterSign，totheDiscourseonCometsBoston，1683。
III。THEINVASIONOFSCEPTICISM。
VigorousasMather’sargumentis，weseescepticismregarding“signs“continuingtoinvadethepublicmind；and，inspiteofhisthreatenings，abouttwentyyearsafterwefindaremarkableevidenceofthisprogressinthefactthatthisscepticismhasseizeduponnolessapersonagethanthatcolossusoforthodoxy，histhriceillustriousson，CottonMatherhimself；andhimwefind，in1726，despitetheargumentsofhisfather，declaringinhisManuductio：“Perhapstheremaybesomeneedformetocautionyouagainstbeingdismayedatthesignsoftheheavens，orhavinganysuperstitiousfanciesuponeclipsesandthelike……Iamwillingthatyoubeapprehensiveofnothingportentousinblazingstars。Formypart，Iknownotwhetherallourworlds，andeventhesunitself，maynotfarethebetterforthem。”[114]
[114]ForCottonMather，seetheManuductio，pp。54，55。
Curiouslyenough，forthisscientificscepticisminCottonMathertherewasacauseidenticalwiththatwhichhaddevelopedsuperstitioninthemindofhisfather。ThesameprovincialtendencytoreceiveimplicitlyanynewEuropeanfashioninthinkingorspeechwroughtuponboth，plungingoneintosuperstitionanddrawingtheotheroutofit。
Europeanthought，whichNewEnglandfollowed，hadatlastbrokenawayingreatmeasurefromthetheologicalviewofcometsassignsandwonders。ThegermofthisemancipatinginfluencewasmainlyinthegreatutteranceofSeneca；andwefindinnearlyeverycenturysomeevidencethatthisgermwasstillalive。ThislifebecamemoreandmoreevidentaftertheReformationperiod，eventhoughtheologiansineveryChurchdidtheirbesttodestroyit。Thefirstseriesofattacksontheoldtheologicaldoctrineweremainlyfoundedinphilosophicreasoning。AsearlyasthefirsthalfofthesixteenthcenturywehearJuliusCaesarScaligerprotestingagainstthecometarysuperstitionas“ridiculousfolly。”[115]OfmorerealimportancewasthetreatiseofBlaisedeVigenere，publishedatParisin1578。Inthislittlebookvariousstatementsregardingcometsassignsofwrathorcausesofevilsaregiven，andthenfollowedbyaverygentleandquietdiscussion，usuallytendingtodevelopthathealthfulscepticismwhichistheparentofinvestigation。A
fairexampleofhismodeoftreatingthesubjectisseeninhisdealingwithabitof“sacredscience。”Thiswassimplythat“cometsmenaceprincesandkingswithdeathbecausetheylivemoredelicatelythanotherpeople；and，therefore，theairthickenedandcorruptedbyacometwouldbenaturallymoreinjurioustothemthantocommonfolkwholiveoncoarserfood。”
TothisDeVigenereanswersthatthereareverymanypersonswholiveonfoodasdelicateasthatenjoyedbyprincesandkings，andyetreceivenoharmfromcomets。Hethengoesontoshowthatmanyofthegreatestmonarchsinhistoryhavemetdeathwithoutanycomettoheraldit。
[115]ForScaliger，seep。20ofDudith’sbook，citedbelow。
InthesameyearthoughtfulscepticismofasimilarsortfoundanadvocateinanotherpartofEurope。ThomasErastus，thelearnedanddevoutprofessorofmedicineatHeidelberg，putforthaletterdealingintheplainesttermswiththesuperstition。Hearguedespeciallythattherecouldbenonaturalconnectionbetweenthecometandpestilence，sincetheburningofanexhalationmusttendtopurifyratherthantoinfecttheair。InthefollowingyeartheeloquentHungariandivineDudithpublishedaletterinwhichthetheologicaltheorywashandledevenmoreshrewdly。forhearguedthat，ifcometswerecausedbythesinsofmortals，theywouldneverbeabsentfromthesky。Buttheseutteranceswereforthetimebrushedasidebythetheologicalleadersofthoughtasshalloworimpious。