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As a descendant of two of the most influential Puritan colonists in Massachusetts and son of a very accomplished political and religious leader, Cotton Mather was raised to follow in his family's footsteps. He graduated at age sixteen from Harvard College, where his father, Increase Mather, was president. He later went on to become the pastor of Old North Church, a position his father had previously held for many years. At this point, however, the …

…different biblical quotes and alluding to various stories and parables, we can determine that Mather assumes his audience to be Christian and well versed in the writings of the Old and New Testament. Without giving thought to the inevitable consequences of the Puritan radical reactions to "witchcraft" and Native "salvages," Cotton Mather used this fear tactic to bring the Puritans back to religion in a quasi-fanatical revival of morality and vigilant observance in New England.