“Give no place to the Devil by rash censuring of others, without sufficient grounds, or false accusing any willingly.  This is indeed to be like the Devil, who hath the title, [Greek:  Diabolos], in the Greek, because he is the calumniator or false accuser.  Hence, when we read of such accusers in the latter days, they are, in the original, called [Greek:  Diaboloi], calumniatores (2 Tim. iii. 3).  It is a time of temptation amongst you, such as never was before:  let me entreat you not to be lavish or severe in reflecting on the malice or envy of your neighbors, by whom any of you have been accused, lest, whilst you falsely charge one another,—­viz., the relations of the afflicted and relations of the accused,—­the grand accuser (who loves to fish in troubled waters) should take advantage upon you.  Look at sin, the procuring cause; God in justice, the sovereign efficient; and Satan, the enemy, the principal instrument, both in afflicting some and accusing others.  And, if innocent persons be suspected, it is to be ascribed to God’s pleasure, supremely permitting, and Satan’s malice subordinately troubling, by representation of such to the afflicting of others, even of such as have, all the while, we have reason to believe (especially some of them), no kind of ill-will or disrespect unto those that have been complained of by them.  This giving place to the Devil avoid; for it will have uncomfortable and pernicious influence upon the affairs of this place, by letting out peace, and bringing in confusion and every evil work, which we heartily pray God, in mercy, to prevent.”

This artifice of statement, speciously covered,—­while it outrages every sentiment of natural justice, and breaks every bond of social responsibility,—­is found, upon close inspection, to be a shocking imputation against the divine administration.  It represents the Deity, under the phrases “sovereign efficient” and “supremely permitting” in a view which affords equal shelter to every other class of criminals, even of the deepest dye, as well as those who were ready and eager to bring upon their neighbors the charge of confederacy with Satan.

The next Sunday—­March 27—­was the regular communion-day of the village church; and Mr. Parris prepared duly to improve the occasion to advance the movement then so strongly under way, and to deepen still more the impression made by the events of the week, especially by Mr. Lawson’s sermon.  He accordingly composed an elaborate and effective discourse of his own; and a scene was arranged to follow the regular service, which could not but produce important results.  An unexpected occurrence—­a part not in the programme—­took place, which created a sensation for the moment; but it tended, upon the whole, to heighten the public excitement, and, without much disturbing the order, only precipitated a little the progress of events.