his inhabyting the saÌ„e person or the proper effect was not alwayes a signe of the cause which seemeth to be his first reason To passe by that I say let vs coÌ„e to the main reason he vseth against the signes mentioned in the gospell whervpon onlye as the foundation my former reason wherby I indeuor to proue Somers the 7. in Lancashyre and the other two were possessed resteth and is buylt Against which argument of myne for proofe of theire possession thus out of Thyreus it maye be Obiected The Euangelicall signes wherevpon I ground and infer the possession I contend for are not certaine sufficient and vndoubted signes of men possessed with sathan and therfore notwithstanding the said signes were seene and knowne to be in Somers and the rest it may well be that they were not possessed That the Euangelicall signes are not such Thyreus proueth thus yf to be blynde dumbe deafe to be feirce and cruell towardes himselfe and others to gnash the teth fome to be of supernaturall strength so of the other signes be certaine and sufficient signes of sathan his possessinge of â—n an then all that be blynde dumbe deafe be feirce and cruell towards theÌ„selues and others or gnash the teeth or foame or be of supernaturall strength and so of the other signes are possessed with sathan but that is most falce therfore the other also To the proposition or first part of this reason I answer that to be blynde or to be dumbe or deafe or to be feirce and cruell towards him selfe and others c. without any further trouble or vexation is no token of possession but yf any of these meete with other signes of this supernaturall disease it greatly confirmeth the same vnto vs and is a good signe therof As for instance of foming when foming is alone seuered from other markes it is no signe of one possessed for in the falling sicknes a man fometh and yet hath not an vncleane spirit in hiÌ„ But let it meete in the same person with diuers other tokens of one possessed though not all so as the same man which fometh doe also gnashe his teeth wallowe be caste into the fyre be of supernaturall strength and knowledge then and in such case I say it is a very significant signe thereof And this may be made playn by the like An ague cough and stich are the signes of a plurify seauer these so as a man hath onely one of them and that which of them soeuer it is can giue no assurance to the sick person or phisitian of the plurisy but let them concure mete togither they signifie that as it were proclayme him to be sick of the saide disease Euen soe it is in this case if Thyreus had said that no one of the signes mentioned in the gospell was a certaine and sufficient token or argument of possession I for my part woulde haue subscribed vnto him but to say as he doth indefinittely and in the plurall number that the signes there spoken of are not certayne and sufficient signes of sathan his possessinge I hould it to be moste false and derogating to the honor and high estimation and accounte we should haue of gods sacred word For shall the signes or any of the signes giuen by men in their writings of this or that disease be certain and sufficient signes and the signes giuen by the Lord himselfe in his holy writings of this supernaturall disease or of any other thinge be vncertaiÌ„e insufficient or shall the signs giuen by you Papists of â—n possest forged out of your owne braine set downe in your bookes be vndoubted certain and suffitient as you affirme and the signs giuen by god himself thereof and set downe in his booke be vncertaine and insufficient O monstrons impiety Is not the Lord Iesus trowe we much beholding to this Iesuite in this doctrin of possession as he is to the rest of that generation in all their other doctrins who placeth the signes which Christ Iesus hath giuen in his holy word of one possessed among those which are vncertaine and doubtfull signes as appeareth further by the title of his 22. Chap yea among those which are not true signes although they be so accounted by some â—or marke what his words be in the begining of this said chapter Reijciemus hoc loco primum illa quae c. we will first speke in this place of those which are not true signes of men possest although they be held for true signes of some in the conclusioÌ„ of which chapter he vseth the wordes before conscerning the Euangelicall signes then afterward we wil asigne those which truly proue diuels to be in men But what are those which are such true and inâ—allable signes wherwith the signes set downe in the gospell are not to be compared forsoth these Yf they refuse to call vpon the name of the lord or any of the saints to pronounce the name of Iesus to rehearse a psalme or some godlye prayer or yf they tremble and quake for feare break forth into clamors or outcryes become impatient blaspheame and make shew to doe vyolence vnto themselues when the reliques of saints are applyed vnto them or an Agnis Dei is applyed or besigned on the forchead with the signe of the crosse or sprinckled with holy water or haue the most holy body of Christ gyuen vnto them in the sacrament of the Eucharist or shall haue thes words whispered into their eare in a strange tongue which they vnderstand not Deum qui te genuit derelinquisti et oblitus es Domini Creatoris tui thou hast forsaken god which made thee and hast forsaken the lord thy creator Finally if they cannot abide the charges giuen in the exorcismes or at least most ympatiently indure them Wherevnto after he addeth the touchyng of holy men His saith the Iesuite et similibus signis Demones prodi dubium nullum est That the diuels by these and such like signes are descryed or knowne to be in men there is no doubt And this he goeth about to confirme partly by examples and partly by reason which consisteth of two partes * This quoth he is manifest if we consider first haec ipsis inuisa et molesta esse doemones illo ferre non posse that these things ar hatefull greuous vnto the diuels and that they are not able to abyd theÌ„ Secondly non posse fieri c that it cannot be that either a christian man should tremble when these things are vsed or show himself troubled yf he be commaunded to vse them religiously or to rehearse certaine praiers And a little after vt vero homines haec horreant quis credat horrebit forsitan christianus homo si psalmum Miserere vel dicat vel dici audiat c. That men should be afrayd of these things who can beleeue will a christian man tremble yf he either say the psalme called Miserere or
them with out making any further vse of the same and doe not withall behold consider the invisible things of God as his power wisdom Iustice mercye our beholding of them is in vaine to vs and not onlye so but wee theirby also take the Lordes name in vaine even so shall it goe with vs yf in this extraordinarie worke of God we looke onlye vpon it as some new and strange thing without any further proceeding to profite theirby Yea if we be bound by the lawe of God to profite and receiue good by euery ordinarie worke of the Lord much more by that which is extraordinarie for an extraordinarie worke calleth for an extraordinarie vse and it is adouble sinne to faile therein The vse we are to make of this extraordinarie worke either concernâ—th the glorie of God and the stirring of vs vp to magnifie his great name or the benefit of man and good he may receiue thereby First herein as in a glasse wee may beholde the iustice of god in pu nnishing or correctinge sinne wherby the Lorde teacheth vs to take heed of sinninge against him least either the same or a worse thinge come vnto vs. Secondly we see the omnipotencie and power of God 1 in the powere and strength of the deuil which God permitteth him to exercise a ga inst sinners 2 in subduing those principalities and powers Satan I mea ne treading him vnder his feet yea vnder the feet of his seruants who then that is wise will serue the Lord in feare and trembling Thirdly the mercye of God is to be seene in this worke in deliuering them and that at the humble intreatie of others in there behalfe they being disabled by satan to supplicate for themselues This being well considred magnisieth greatly the mercie and compassion of the Lorde vvho can chuse but loue him because of his mercies and why should any dispaire of his mercie seinge he is so ready to shew mercie euen at the intreatie of others How much more when man shall sup plycatt for himselfe This vse Christ Iesus him selfe maketh in saying to the man whom he had dispossessed goe shew how the Lorde hath had compassion on thee Fourthly wee maye here beholde the wisdom immutabilite of God as being the same who neuer changeth In that as he hath bene allwa yes accustomed to doe he brought this rare great worke to passe by smalle and weake meanes base and contemptible men yea such as be vile and odious in the eyes of the world That thereby the power of God might be the better seene man in his wisdom be confounded and the name of God the better praysed In a word that he which re ioyceth in the behalfe of this worke might not reiovce in man but in the Lord. To him therfore to whom of right it belongeth be the prayse and glory of this worke ascribed Fiftly The saitthfulness of God in the performance of his promyse offereth it selfe here to our consideration These wordes this kind goeth not out but by praier fasting secretly containe in them this promise that if any be possâ—ssed we in the humiliti of our souls by fast ing will intreate the Lord to cast the sperit out he will doe it for vs and deliuer the partie from beinge any further vexed by Satan This the Lord hath promised the accomplishmente wherof we haue seene with our eies let vs herby learne to trust to the least and most close secret promise God â—ath made vs in his worde and save in our harts and with our toungs God is not as man that he should lye be vnfaithfull neither as the sonne of man that he should repent and not performe that he hath promised Hath he said and shall he not doe it and hath he spâ—ken and shall he not accomplish it Hath he promised and will he not performe it And thus much breifly concerning the glory of God de cleared in this worke now followe the seuerall vses concerning man and the profite he otherwise is to make hereof First this great and wonderfull worke of the lord serueth to conuince and stope the mouthes of the papistes who as they are alwayes boastinge of their miracles and vpbraiding vs with the same so espetially with this miracle of theirs as they terme it of casting out of diuils whervpon it hath come to passe that some of this bragging generation in Staffordshire in the time of Th. Darlinge his possession as also in Lanca shire in the time of the possession of those 7. there haue broken forth into these and such like wordes of challenge Let vs see one of your ministers cast out these diuils If we might bring a preist wee are sure he could doe it And in a booke latelye written by one of their side wherin some of there exorcists and preists pretend to haue dispossessed 3. here in England I read these wordes Now saith the authour let me see wether they protestants can avouch any such thing to be done in their congregations And in another place thus they protestants haue smale meanes to make triall whether ther be any possessed among them or no lesse iudgment to discerne ther case and much lesse remidie yf any such be found other then to bind beate send them to Bedlem if the be poore or to begg their liuings if they haue any And in theire annotationes of the Rhomes testament vpon these words of they disciples to Christ why could not wee cast him out they gyue this note Noe mareuill yf they exorcistes of the Catholicke Church which haue power to cast out Deuiles yet doe it not allwayes when they will and many times with much adoe wheras they Apostles hauing receiu ed this power before ouer vncleane spirites yet here could not cast them out But as for heritickes they can neuer doe it nor any true myracle to confirme their false faith Thus wee see they doe not only deny that Deuilles are so vsuallye cast out by vs as it is with them but which is more most peremptorilye they affirme that wee whom they terme heritickes can neuer doe it spetiallye to confirme our false faith To passe by the dispossessiones of others even of late veares which might fitly be here obiected against them what say they to the 〈◊〉 ssession of Kath. Wright of Tho Darling finally of they other 〈◊〉 persons wee haue so largly intreated off That they were all 〈…〉 vncleane spirits and that the same were cast out of them I 〈…〉 die bene so evedentlye sheewed and confirmed by reason out of the scriptures that neither papist nor athist can without blushing gaynsay the same And that those whom they call heritickes were the instruments the Lord vsed therin it is also most manifest How then say they Rhemists that heretickes can neuer cast out diuils But to examine the truth of this their annotation a liâ—tle further be that granted which they papistes
bondeslaue vnto sathan a stranger and forriner vnto god aliant from the common wealth of Israel but one of the houshold of god a citizen with the saincts euen of the greate holy City newe Ierusalem into the which entreth none but these newe and holy creatures for whome only god the builder maker thereof hath prepared it If any obiect All the children of god shall certainly be saued accordig to that scripture If we be children we are also heires enen the heires of god and heirs annexed with Christ therefore whosoeuer be the diuels children and so they before described to be such shall certainlye be damed I answer that if man being the child of the diuel could not possibly become the child of god as he who is once the sonne or daughter of god can neuer after be the child of the diuel then the reason followed and whosoeuer is the childe of the diuel should be condemned but that being most false the other followeth not thereof at all This then I affirme that whosoeuer are the diuels children which are all they who are giuen to blasphemy swearing lying cursing filthy comunication to speake euill of them which are in aucthority to raylinge slaundering to hatred especially of the brethren to adultery fornication vncleannes deceipt defrauding one an other in bargayning and other workes of the diuell and continue therein liuinge and dyinge such shall indeede goe to the diuel their father and with him inherite hell fyer prepared for the diuel his angels Furthermore in obseruing the nature of the diuel we are to consider how he standeth affected towards men how in his nature he is who ly carryed to hate man for when he hath lost him he is not at quyeâ— vntil he he haue recouered him if it be possible to torment him and to destroy him Now who that is wise will not be afraid to fall into the handes of such as one or rather of god whose executioner the diuel is If the diuel deale thus with man being sent forth of god to chastice him for his amendment How wil he intreat him when be shall fall vpoÌ„ him to execute the vengeance to come that is the punishment which in iustice is due vnto man and answerable to all the dishonor he hath donne vpon earth to the lord of glory If in the former case he cause such crying gnashing of teeth and tormenting as we haue heard what crying what gnashing of teeth what tormenting shall there bee in the latter Thus we see what an agrement there is betwixt the word worke of god as comming both from the same author and tendinge to the same end euen to make men afraid to fall into the hands of the liuâ—go God They both teach the same thing the one more obscurely the other more plainly VVhy now will not wee rather take forth this and such like lessons out of this work and so make our vse profit therof then impugne and deny the worke as many of vs doe when the lord knowing mans dulnes and backwardnes to learne shall in regard thereof be content to instruct him not only by his word but also by his worke which sometime preuayleth a little with man when his word will not and that man is so farr from being taught and instructed thereby that he reiecteth such kind of instruction wil the lorde or can he possibly take that in good part Seauenthly it serueth excellently to confound our athiests whose say not only with the foole in their hart that there is no god but go somwhat further affirming with their blasphemous mouthes out of that vnspeakable folly and brvtishnes of theirs as Kinge Pharaoh their praedecessor did who is the lorde that I should obey him These lusty gallaÌ„ts who will haue no heauen nor hell no god nor diuel what say they to this work of that god whome they deny That there is a diuel howe can they deny it seing the worke and effects of the diuell in and vpon the bodye of Somers to let the 7. in Lancashire and other goe the running lumpes his supernaturall strength knowledge wayght in his body and members thereof his speaking without the instrumentes of speach throwing into the fyer without beinge burnt his lying as dead could as yee his face and hands blacke no breath comming froÌ„ him and thus sometime by the space of an houre with many more of this kynde will infore them to confesse the worke of the diuel and by consequent that there is a diuell considering that these things can not posibly come either from nature or be donne by art and that som cause of these effects there must needes bee when they haue donne what they can except they will leaue this matter vndecided wherevnto the diuel and the corruption of their nature will be ready to perswad them they must in the ende say will they nill they and others also with them that the said strange accidents and ympossible to be donne by man came and were donne by the dyuel there being no other cause to be found and that Somers therein was a mere patient For to deny the matter of fact that these things were done or rather suffered by Somers is plaine englishe to say that the 17 persons which haue deposed the same are periuered and not only they but about 13 more deposed after in the whole about 30 wherof 7 be preachers the which if some shamles body shoulde not spare to affirme yet that wil not helpe seeinge there are hundreds more redy to auouche the same vpon there othes and to be so for sworne as are the former remember also that I deliuered to the commissioners a bill of about 60 Persons who were redy to be deposed Aâ—udicient number I thinke for the prouinge of any cause concerninge eyther God or man yf inoughe haue not witnessed this matter vpon their oathes there are yet good store remaininge yf they were but called therevnto and in the meane season som credit would be giuen to the bare affirmation of christians or els it goeth amisse with all our historiographers and there bookes yt is then a most shamfull odious thing for man to call the matter of facte into question espetially consyderige the same hath ben done in our own land in the midst of vs so as we need not goe beyonde the seaes for full inquirie into it the circumstances therof as time place persons possessed others dealing in ther dispossession and priuat christians witnessinge the same the commissioners also at NottiÌ„gham with whom or som of them who list when he please may conferr which are able to constraine a man to receiue this for a truth-yf reason can preuaile with him neither do I doubte but that other nations and kingdoms about vs. wil not only giue credite to the mater of facte when they shall heare therof and that the same hath ben witnessed vpon the othes of so many
him to a chaire yet could they not rule him and in shewing that strength he was not perceyued to pant or blowe no more then if he had not strayned his strength nor strugled at all Sometimes he cryed extreamly so as teares came from him in great abundance presently after he would laughe aloude shrill his mouth being shutt close And being demaunded concerning those accidentes he protested he knewe of no such mater neither felt he any payne Moreouer he was often times cast into the fyre some bare part of his body also lying in the fyer and yet was not burned and somtimes cast violently against the ground agaynste the wall or poastes of the house without any hurt of his body did many wayes seeke to destroy himselfe by reason whereof they were driuen to take away his knife gyrdell garters c. yea with the sheete of his bed he had like to haue strangled hiÌ„mselfe wherevpon as also through the increasing of his fits they were constreyned to watch hiÌ„ continually euen day night His behauiour generally towardes all that came was very pleasant most impudent also shamelesse with much vncleannes His speaches were vsually vaine deliuered in very scoffing manner and many times filthi and vncleane yery vnfit once to be named or blasphemous swearing most fearfully vsing one blody oath after other sometimes saying I am god somtimes there is no god Being moued to say the lordes prayer when he came to thes wordes leade vs not into temptation he would say leade vs into temptation diuers fond speaches did he vse to interrupt them that prayed for him Many strange speaches also were vttered by him not in his owne name but as spoken by an euill spirit possessing him vpon occation of some question or speach vsed by some in ther simplicitie ignorance as that his dame had sent him that his name was Lucye that he was king that he was prince of darknes you thinke I haue no power of him yet I can vse his tongue his teeth lyppes handes legges his bodye and all partes of him and as the spirit named each part he vsed it and this speache with the action was verye common was I said he to one Iohn Wiggin neuer in heauen yea quoth he but God for thy pryde thrwe thee downe into hell there to remayne One Iohn Sherwood charging him to tell who sent him thither he answeared a woman he charged him againe to tell wher shee dwelt he answeared in Worcester shire whether is shee liuyng or dead dead said he wherfore did shee send thee for a hatt and hat band Then the boye when the fite was done was questioned with concernynge these thinges wherevnto he returned for answeare that which is set downe in the beginnynge of this storye which he had concealed vntyll that tyme. Herevnto I myght add certayne direct answeares he mayde in lattyn to those speaches which in lattin were vsed unto hym a little greeke also he speake beynge ignorant in those Languages altogether in the one and vnderstandyng little or nothynge in the other In goyng thus with the boye I was importined in his behalfe first by two letteres after by another from the Maior and theirevpon I went vnto hym As when and about the tyme I condisended to goe beynge 14. myles of hym he speake theirof to them which were about hym so when I was come to Nottingham he instanstlye tould the same and foretould my comminge vnto him when I drewe neare the house as he had also foretould M Aldridge the preacher of the towne his comming at sundrie times Towardes that evening I came being the 5 of Nouember he seemed to be sicke and his sicknes greatlye to increase vpon him soe as they feared he would haue dyed or had bene dead for he laye an hower with his face and handes blacke cold as ice noe breath being perceiued to come from him whervpon I was noe soner light but tydinges hereof was brought to me by one of they neighbour women Ioahn Pye by name who came purposlye from hym to signifye the same vnto me to whom I answeared yt was the mere acte or operation of the Deuyll and that the boye was nothinge lesse then either dead or in daunger therof Forthwith with her I went to hym whom wee Found verye liulye and in one of hys accustomed Fytes manye beyng present with hym My speach I caried for a season doubtfullie but after a while perceiuynge how it was with hym I dyd assure hym that he was Possessed and had in that bodye of his a deuill and withall did soe frame the wordes of my mouth as might best serue to prepare and stir him vp to a sperituall fight against satan or resistance of him in faith This euenâ—g he acted many sines by signs gesturs most liuly representing and shawdoing them out vnto vs as namlye brauling quarriling fighting swaring robbing by the high wayes picking and cutting of purâ—â—es burglarie whordom prid both in men and women hypocrisie slugishnes in hearing of the word drunckennes glotinye also dauncing with the toyes thervnto belonging the manner of antique dances the games of dicing and carding the abuse of the viole with other instruments at the end of sundrie of these he laughted excedingly diuers times clapping his handes on his thighes for ioye and at the end of some of them as killing and stealing he shewed how he brought them to the gallowes making asigne therof during this time which continued about an houre as he was altogether silent so was he most actiue though his eyes were closed and in many things he did ther was great and necessarie vse of sight In a word these thinges were in such liuly and orient coloures painted out as I may say vnto vs that were present being to the number of some 60. that I for my owne part and I am perswaded the rest of the beholders are of my mynd doe verily thinke that it is not in the skile and power of man to doe the like whilst we were recommending him and his greuious estate to the Lord and intreating his maiestie in his behalfe he vttered these wordes I must begonne The next daye being the Lordes day I came not at him vntil about 3. a clocke in the afternoone finding company with him at which time I vsed some speach wherin I indeuored to prepare both him his masters familye as also his parents whom that iudgment principallye concerneth vnto the holye exercise the daye after to be performed Towardes evening much people resorted to the house then some words of exhortation were vsed by my selfe for the sanctifiyng of soe manye of vs as whose spirites god should stir vp to ioyne in that solemne seruice and worship of god to be performed on the day following as the night and day before he had litle or no rest from satan affâ—cting him so this evening all the night long he hand led him more extreamly then before at this time
heare it said yf he rehearse the lords prayer or any other that is godly yf he see or touch reliques of the saints yf in his presence exorcismes be read yf to the diuel it be obiected that he hath forsaken God his Creator when therfore the possessed tremble at those things when they reproue them of lyinge which vse and apply them quis dubitabit saith he quin trepidatio et quae mox audiuntur blasphemiae latentes doemones prodant who will doubt but that the trembling and the blasphemyes which are heard do be wray the dyuels lying hid in men Hence it came that one Palin of Tom worth in the county of Warwick a recusant came to Somers at Nottingham and laid in his hand a purse with an Agnis Dei and reliques in it to discouer sathan thereby whereat indeed Somers began to be som what troubled such is the subtlety of sathan to kepe the papists in their blyndnes whervpon this recusant beinge apprehended confessed his intent who for the reliques found about him was indeed committed by the magistrate to the sherifs house but after a fewe dayes the mat ter was so ordered that the papist went quietli home again or to those who had sent him to doe that worthy seruice wherin the diuel for his parte was not wanting so to entertayne and welcomme him as mighte make most for his aduantage But to returne to Thyreus againste whome and all papistes touchinge these feigned signes of theirs I argue thus Yf these be certaine and vndoubted signes of possession then it is not possible but that all such shal be possest in whomsoeuer all these signes may or shall be found but all these may be in one that is not possest therefore are not certayne and vndoubted signes of possession The proposition or firste parte of this reason cannot be denyed and the truth of the assumption or second parte of this argument appeareth by this that all these signes of theirs may be counterfeyted and donne in dissimulation by whomsoeuer will feigne himself to be possest with the diuell as Somers saith he hath done For howsoeuer Somers could not easily by counterfeytinge fome wallowe c. especially in so greate measure and that manner we haue heard nor yet possibly be of such extraordinary and supernaturall strength and knowledge as he was wherevpon we forbeare not to say but most confidently auoucg that it is vmpossible for him to bee a counterfeyte and for the signes of possession giuen vs by the holye ghost in the gospell to be dissembled or to be donne by arte of man or humane power yet we feare not to affirme yea your selues will scarcely deny but that he might feigne and in deepe dissimulation doe all those you giue for certain and vndoubted signes of one possessed For who seeth not that it were no harde thinge for him or any other that would attempte such an impiety but moste easy to abstayne refuse to inuocate the name of god or some of the saints to pronounce the name of Iesus to rehearse a psalme or some godly prayer to shake and tremble as it were for feare to be ympatient in shew to blaspheme when reliques are applyed vnto them or an Agnis Dei or be signed with the signe of the cross or sprinckled with holy water and to shew or carry ones self accordinge to all the other signes wherof we haue heard Seing then all these signes may fall into a counterfeyt who is one not possessed but faininge so to be it followeth therfore necessarily that these signes of the papists are not only vncertaine and doubtfull signes but lying also de ceiuable signes as like as may be to the authors of them Againe yf these be certaine sufficient vndoubted signes of possession then may one certainly discerne sathan his possessing one without any helpe or direction from the scriptures for none of these are mentioned there but without helpe and direction from the scriptures we cannot certainly know when sathan possesseth one therfore these are not such signes as is affirmed For who can assure vs that the diuel is in such a mā really if the lord himself by his word doth it not cannot the diuell deceaue vs by his cunning and subtlety and make vs beleue that he is in man when he is without him by molestinge him by some externall operationof his if the lord permit him so to doe or is any mortall man of himselfe without any helpe and direction from god which he giueth in his worde able to match the subtle serpent so as he shall not be able to deceiue him so it shoulde seeme by the papists and the signes they giue out of theire owne brayne How then is it saide that sathan by his subtlety deceyueth all the world And who that hath an eye to see with seeth not how heerein the deceuour deceaueth them mightely making them beleue that he cannot abide but is tormented with their foolish ridiculous and superstitious toys as theire consecrated or hallowed thinges holy bread holy water hallowed oyle hallowed brimstone burned in the fire c. holy reliques an agnis dei and aboue all the signing of them with the signe of the crosse wherby the diuels are not only discouered but also which is more caste out of men as the Iesuit teacheth his schollers at larg throughout his 24. ch whereof that is the tytle and argument Yf the dyuell can so ill away with a crosse to let the rest goe if as Thyreus saith and alleageth out of some Crux be timor doemonum a crosse be the feare of the diuels and that timor et tremor cadunt super doemones cum signum crucis viderint that the diueles feare and tremble when they behould the signe of the crosse yea quamuis nullo piaetatis studio haec crucis arma c. although this weapon of the crosse be vsed with noe care of godlynes yet notwithstanding it will vex the diuells and geeatly torment them How cometh it to passe that Coniurers in their coniurations vse make crosses as appeareth by that is said before of Edmund Hartlaye the coniurer who in his coniuring and raising vp of the diuell deuided his circle in to 4. partes making a crosse at euery deuision and how falleth it out that the diuels then shew them selues and that they can abide and indure to be there present in the presence vew of so many crosses It may be it is thus that when the coniurers call vpon and inuocate the diuels hauing made first so many crosses the diuels dare not but cōe present themselues though alas in much feare trembling whence cometh it also that coniurers haue aswell good store of crosses in theire bookes of cōiurations as the papists in theire exorcismes Surelye by that arte of theirs which they learne and get out of their said bokes so becrossed they attaine by vertue store of the said crosses some power and
authority ouer the diuels which they after exercise ouer them so that the papists onli haue not power ouer the diuels as they affirm wherof you shall heare hereafter Here we may behold the iust iudgmēt of god vpon them who because they will not receiue trust to the signes the lord hath giuen in his word which are the only certaine sufficient signes to signify sathan his possessing of men such as who soeuer trusteth vnto them will be directed by them cannot error be deceiued herein such as in whomsoeuer they are the same person is for certainty possessed and such also as without which we can not certainly knowe when sathan possesseth man therefore I say because they will not beleue and receiue these signes the Lord sendeth them strong delusions that they should beleue lying foolish ridiculous signs shewed forth or giuen by sathan in all deceiuablenes Thus haue I sufficiently prooued out of the word of god the possession of the parties wee intreate of and disproued what is or may be obiected against it Ther are besids some other reasons which may further confirme the same vnto vs As first in that they were deliuered vppon the prayers and fastes which were vsed for that purpose we may thereby bee the rather perswaded that they had euill spirits within them where we must remember that it was not thus once but sundry times not with one person alone but with diuers Now whence came it that such certaine and present deliuerance came to the aboue named partyes so afflicted as is aforesaide vpon the vsinge of this saide meanes Surely hence because they being sicke of this supernaturall disease I meane hauing vncleane spirits within them had the supernaturall meadycyne applyed vnto them whych God hymselfe for the cureynge theireof hath lefte and ordeayned which beynge soe it is noe marueyle though they were presentlye healed For what meadicyne is soe soueraigne as that which is of the Lords owne appoyntment had they bene sicke of any other disease and namely had they bene vexed by some outward operation of sathan as of necessity they must if they were not possest they had not vndoubtedly all of them bene so presentlie deliuered as they were For howsoeuer god hath appoynted vs to fast when we are in any affliction of body or mynd neither shall it be done in vaine yet he hath no where promised that the same shall prosper to the deliuering of vs from the said affliction as he hath in this case of possession in particular and by name This kind saith our sauiour goeth not out but by prayer and fasting therein secretly promising that praier and fasting being vsed euill spirits doe and shall goe out Againe how came it to passe that we in our prayers instantly calling vpon god that he woulde be pleased to cast sathan forth of them whoe lay so miserably vexed by the diuell before vs that their bodyes might not be receptacles for the vncleane spirits but temples for the holy ghost to dwell in that they were therevpon and euen then deliuered according to our requests and supplications so made if they were not possessed These thinges considered I se not how any can doubt or once call in question the possession of these 7. in Lancashire of Will Somers of Nottingham as also of those other two we haue spoken of by the way to wit Kath Wright and Tho Darling vnlesse he be either like vnto Thomas and with him say except I had sene these things that are here reported and had made tryall of them with my handes I will not beleeue them or be of this iudgment that men in these dayes cannot be possessed The former of these may remember for theire humblinge that by the sentence of our sauiour himselfe this is to be faithlesse as touching this worke of god I meane and that it is a blessed thinge to beleue that the truth we see not 2. that before God and men they shall be the more inexcusable because these thinges haue bene donne not beyond the seas but heere at home in our owne countrye that in diuers partes therof and some of them in the middest of the kingdome so that we neede not goe farr either in our owne person or by our letters to inquire into the truth of this matter neither haue they bene done in a corner and before some few only but openly in the sight of all those that for sundry wekes would come vnto thē which I dare be bould to say were for nomber in a manner innumerable wherof diuers were very learned and wise cheef men in the magistracy and ministery not easy to be abused and about 30. also haue vpō their oathes giuen testimony herevnto As touching those who therfore reiect that is said and whatsoeuer they heare conscerning this matter because they iudg that none eyther are or can be now possest as I cannot but wonder that an◠especially of the learned should be of this iudgment consideringe there is neither iot nor tytle in the scriptures for them but much against them nor yet in any writer ould or new that euer I red or heard of so I demaund of them how they dare affirme the same for it is in effect all one as yf they should say god can not now send diuells into men or god cannot in these dayes plague and correct men by sending sathan into them to vex them in their bodies which I thinck they would be loath to auouch for it is more then bouldnes to say of the almightye that he cannot doe this or that except it be such as is eyther contrary to his nature or his reuealed will which cannot be saide of this To say it is against his nature is most absurde and if we will haue it agaynst his will we must shewe where that part of his will is reuealed which is a thing imposible for asmuch as the contrary that men may now be possest appeareth by daily experience which cannot fall out contrary vnto the will of god and by the word of god in Deut 28. it is writtē If thou wilt not kepe saith Moses and doe all the words of this law that are written in this boke and feare this glorious and fearefull name the lord thy god then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seede euen great plagues and of longe continuance and euery sicknes and euery plague which is not written in the boke of this lawe will the lord heap vpon thee vntil thou be destroied Seing thē god threatneth to bring vpon the disobedient and sinfull people wonderfull plagues of which kinde this is one and euery plague or curse he hath whither it be such as is written as is expresly set doune in the chapter following or not written vnder one of which kindes this curse to be possest with the deuill must needes be comprehended and that in these last dais there shall be
and they came forth The myracle then is by aword or commaunde to caste the diuell out and this is ceased with other myracles but to be possessed of the diuell is noe myracle no more then to be blynde sick or lame which are iudgmentes of god vppon man for his synne wherevppon possessyon with dyuelles is often brought in amonge other plagues of god and namely in the 4. of Math where it is saide They brought vnto Iesus all sick people that were taken with diuers diseases and grypings and them that were possessed with diuels and those which were lunatick thos that had the paâ—â—y and he healed them The like we reade in the 8. of Luke And at that time he â—ured many of their sicknesses and plagues and of euill spirits and vnto many blynd men he gaue sight freety Seing then it is no miracle to be possest of the diuell but a disease as is the lunacye palsy c. the myracle consisting in casting out the diuel by a worde notwithstanding myracles are ceased possession may remayne for as notwithstanding this miraculous healing heere spoken of is ceased gone yet men still are sick and taken with diuers diseases and some are lunatick some haue the palsy c. so also some are or may be possessed with diuels and for my owne parte I will as sone hould that meÌ„ cannot now be sick â—unatick haue the palsy be blind deafe lame as this other that men in these dayes cannot be possest which many meÌ„ yea some otherwise of great learning haue presumed to maintayne yea who is so simple that by these few wordes seeth not that the ceasing of myracles proueth not the ceasing of possession by diuels and yet if you aske these men who will haue no possession in these dayes the reason thereof forthwith they will tel you that myracles are ceased then which answer nothing can be more absurde And whereas some affirme that men were possest to the end that the diuinity of Chryst might appeare and shew it self so the casting forth of the spirits and the gospell be confirmed and get the better entertaynement by the eiectyon performed by the apostles and for no other cause for otherwise they say nothing as shall forthwith appeare and therefore the deity and gospell of Christ being now sufficiently confirmed possession with diuells must needes cease I desyre them to send me to some parte of gods worde for my information therein If they can not whereof there is no doubt then they must needes confesse that the reason is because heerein they knowe or vnderstand not aright howsoeuer otherwise their knowledg may be greate For so saith the holy ghoste to the lawe and to the testimony yf they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them I maruaile at men especially of vnderstanding that they will open their mouthes to speake where god is sylent and that they will be so bould to render a cause or reason of the lordes owne fact where he himselfe hath not donne it You take too much vppon you my brethren in presuming to vnderstande aboue that which is written and meete for you to vnderstand and doe not vnderstand accordinge to sobryety Know you not that thinges reuealed belong only to vs and our children why then will any take vppon him to render this for the sole reason or cause of possessyon which god we all know hath not reueled but in truth the contrary But what leadeth men to say that men were therefore possest that the godhead of Christe and his almighty power might be seene in the castinge out of diuells and the doctrine of the gospel be confirmed Suerly this because it is euident that by their eiection these things were performd By the same reason I may inferr that men were therefore sicke had the palsy lunatick lame blynd deafe and dumbe for the diuinity and gospell of Christ were confyrmed as well in the myraculous healynge of the persons soe afflicted as in the dispossessinge of diuells And yet not withstaÌ„ding no man is so absurd as thence to gather and conclud that ther are or can be none sick now none hauing the palsy none lunatycke blind lame c. yet I am sure this followeth as necessarily and ineuuitablye of the former ground as that of the ympossibility of possession in these dayes wee see then that it being graunted that meÌ„ were possest to that ende the deity and doctrine of Christe I meane the gospell might be confirmed by the healynge of those which were possessed which I denye not yet that letteth not but that men maye be possest in these dayes To speake more playnlye therfore as in the bodilye diseases and infirmityes of those men which our Sauiour cured a cause of the same was that in the curynge of them it might be euydent that he was the Messias as appeareth in general by math 8. 16. 17. in perticular by the man that was borne blind and yet notwithstandinge there was some other cause or causes therof namly ther sine as apeareth by christs owne speaches in the cureing of diuers saying to such thy sine are for giuen thee sine no more leest a worse thing come vnto thee the which cause remaining the diseases and other infirmities of mans bodye doe remayne so though of this supernaturall affliction in those which were dispossessed by Christ a cause thereof was that the divine power and mercye of Iesus Christ might appeare in their cureinge as is playne by the aforsaid place of mathew yet that was not the alone cause but the sinne also of the parties as is euident by that aforesayd without which they could neuer haue bine so miserably vexed by satan as the were which sinne in man remaininge it is plaine that the sayde disease doth or maye remayne and shall or may so long as sinne remaineth in man Indeed if for this cause only men had bine possest that in the expulsyon of the spirits by Christ and his Apostles the diuinitye and gospell of Christ might haue bene confirmed it had bene somethinge yea very much they had said and I for my part woulde haue ioyned with them therein but for this cause only men were not possest for then there must neuer haue bene any possessed but such as were by Christ and his Apostles dispossessed or some other indewed with that Apostolicall guiftâ— the contrary whereto appeareth by Math 12. 27. Act 19. 13. The which as these two scriptures proue so by them also it is manifest to the aduised reader that men were possessed before Christs time and vnder the lawe yea this disease was common before the incarnation of our blessed Sauiour so as many were sick thereof otherwise how could the rude and common people haue so readilye and truly discerned thereof as by the gospell it is euident they coulde and did maister saith one of the people to Iesus I haue brought my
withal he remember that to cast out deuils is of miracles the greatest as appeareth by that speach of the 70 Disciples Lorde euen the De uills are subdued vnto vs through thy name as if they had saide Lord by vertue of that power which thou hast giuen vs wee haue not onlye healed the sicke made the blinde to see raised vp the deade and done other great workes but that also which is aboue and surpasseth them all wee haue cast the Deuills out of men whereby we see that they are subiect vnto vs. This consydered who seeth not that forasmuch as ne ther their exorcists preists nor any other in the popish church haue the same power with the Apostles by their anoyntinge to make the sicke whole to make the halt to goe the blinde to see the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake to raise vp they dead c that therfore also they haue not the same power with them to cast out Deuils And where the Iesuite affirmeth that al beleuers haue the same power ouer wicked spirits with the Apostles yf it be so why doe not euery one of ther beleuers exercis that power wheÌ„ occasioÌ„ is offred but only ther exor cistes agayn were this so all the faithful shold haue power also to work othere miracls as appeareth by the premises Now I thinke Thyreus will not saye that euery beleuer hath power to worke miracles considering that of S Paule are all doers of miracle haue all the giftes of heal inge The which if he graunt then must he lykwise confesse that all beleeuers haue not the same power to cast out deuills with the Apostles But saith he sacrae litera docent omnibus fidelibus tâ— the holy scrip turs teach this for it is written Signa eos qui crediderint haec sequen tur ct these signes shal follow them which beleue in my name they shall cast outdeuils If this scripture comprehend al beleuers and the power here giuen shal continve as long as there shal be any to professe the faith of christ as the Iesuit affirmeth then shall euery beleuer haue likwise the gifte of tongues and be able without studie to vnderstand speake any language and power also to worke miracles for it is not only said of these beleuers that in Christes name they shal cast out Deuills but besides that they shal speake with newe tongus and shal take away serpents and if they shal drincke any deadly thinge it shal not hurt them they shall laye there handes on the sicke and they shall recouer but this latter is false as the Iesuit himselfe must needs confesse and is euidentalso by the a foresaid place of scripture doe al speake with tongus and therfore the first also wee are not then to take those wordes them that beleue so ge nerally and to vnderstand therby al them which haue fayth in Christ as this Doctor doth but more strightly of those only which were indewed with the miraculous faith which gift number of beleuers coÌ„ tinued in the church but for a time vntill the gospell and doctrine of Christ crucified which was to the Gentils both a new and foolish doctrine had got among them intertainment But to returne to the Rhemists former glosse It is there to be obser ued also that they accounte there castinge forth of deuills for a miracle and why so I praye you seeinge by their own confession their Exâ—rcists cast them out by the meane of fasting praier besides sundrie toyes fooleries of their own coyning they add therunto Are you that stand so much vpon your miracles building as it were your faith and religion thereon ignorante herein that it is no miracle be the worke neuer so wonderfull which is done by an ordinarie meanes ap pointed of God therto If hetherto you haue bene ignorant hereof disdaine not to learne it nowe at the length out of that hath bene said before in this behalfe Yf it should be granted that to dispossesse deuills by the meanes of praier and fastinge is a miracle and that you only haue power as to worke other miracles so to cast forth deuils yet why affirme you so confidently that hereticks can neuer doe any miracle you meane I am sure such as yours are to confirme there false faith is it not plain by the 13 of Deut. that false Prophets may and shal worke miracles and that to the ende to bringe men from the true worshipe of God to Idolatrie and therfore to confirme there false faith and religion If there arise among you saith Moses a Prophet or a dreamer of dreams and giue thee a signe or wonder 2 and the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee com to passe saing let vs go after other Gods which thou hast not know on let vs serue them 3 thou shalt not harken vnto the wordes of the Prophet but that prophet or that dremer of dreams shal be slaine because he hath spoken and giuen his signes and wonders to turne you awaye from the Lord your God to thrust thee out of the way wherin the Lord thy God commannded thee to walke And Christ doth foretell vs that before his comming to iudgment their shal arise false Christs false prophets and shal shew signes and wonders or as Mathew saith great signs wonders And that they should worke these miracles to cofirme ther false antichrstian saith appeareth by the wordes following to deceiue saith Christ yf it were possible the very elect As it he had said great miracles shal false Christs and false prophets worke before the last day that so they maye confirme their false and antichristian doctrine and make semblance that they are true of God therby to perswad men to be leue the same so deceiue them euen the very electe if it could be Yea in the 2 epistle to the ThessaloniaÌ„s it is sett downe for a marke to knowe discerne Antichrist by that his comminge is with all power and signes and lying wonders and that this he should doe to confirme his false faith appeareth by the wordes followinge where it is sayde that he should doe these miracles in al deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes and againe God shal send them strong delusions that they should beleue lies that is lying false doctrine the very same with this we reade in the 13 of the reuel where the beast which came out of the earth meaninge antichrist is said to do great wonders so that he made fier to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men deceiued them that dwel on the earth by the signs which were permitted him to doe How then say â—he Romanists and with what truth that hereticks to confirme their false faith can neuer doe any miracle that false prophets false Christs are heriticks that I knowe you wil not denye that Moses in the law and Christ in the gospell speaketh of such true miracles
and deceiue for oftentimes when a man hath comitted the sinne he is frustrated and disapoynted of the pleasure he sett before him and wher by he was drawen vnto that sinne as Absolom went without the pleasures 〈◊〉 a kingdom which Satan had tickled him with and promised vpon 〈…〉 against his father all the theifes which vpon their 〈…〉 apprehended han ed but if he be not yet the fruit 〈…〉 will be death In that pleasure the harte eyther is or hath cause to be sorowfull because * the end of that mirth is heauinesse So that stil he dealeth craftely with vs and like a cozener and †deceauour as he is S Paull saith of himselfe that * sinne deceued him therby slew him the same may be as fitly and truly saide of the Diuill that by his subtilti he deceiueth and enticeth vs to the commitinge of sine and therby slayeth vs. Seinge then it is so let vs beware of Satan his intisments and labour to spie out his deceite in the sinne he perswadeth vs vnto let vs neither be inticed with his vaine alurements nor terrified with his threats so shall we together with the sinne escape the deuouringe and destruction he therin meerlye intendeth and aymeth at Fiftly here is shadowed out vnto vs the greate diligence satan vseth to recouer such as be once deliuered out of his power ffor presently aâ—ter his eiection out of those in Lancyshire and their delyuerie out of his handes he was so eger and busie about them that fot a time we that then lay in the howse where they were could neither eate without interruption nor scant take our rest and no dilligence day nor night saue that he stayed some tims for his best oportunitie nor yet meanes was wantinge vntill he had recoured Somers The reason why he did so for a litle season only and hath not continued his solycitinge them in that manner vntill this day and so forwarde is not through any slougthfulnes in him or for wante of any will or desire in him as though he regarded not greatly the inhabitinge and vexinge of man in his bodye spetially them out of whome he hath bene cast for the contrary is euident by “ holy scripture but because the time of his returning in that manner sencible molestinge of them out of whom he hath bene cast is limmited and set downe vnto him which he may not pass If Satan so diligent all the time arotted vnto him in compassinge an entrance into the body and will he vse no diligence and take no paines for the winedinge of himselfe into the soules of men yes verily yea by howe much more he desyreth the tormentinge of the bodie and soule of man in hell for euer then the vexinge of him in his body in this present life for a litle season which is more then I can expresse by so much more desyreth he the possessinge of mans soule and continuance therin which leadeth thervnto aboue the corporall possession how frequent then and dilligent is he in temptinge or mouinge of vs to euill al the time graunted vnto him of God to that end which is duringe our lyfe Can his dilligence and watchfulnes be expressed or the manifold assaltes and times wher in he so salteth vs be reckoned vp no verly And this the worde of God leth vs a lytle more plainly when it saith * the Deuill our aduâ— a roaringe Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuourâ— he walketh about vs yea as the Lyon after his pray The Lorde sayd somtime vnto Satan †whenc comest thou from compassinge the earth said he to fro and from walking in it Vâ—hersoeuer then we are whilest we remaine vpon earth Satan compasseth vs and besetteth vs on eue ry side that he may wounde vs when and where he seeth vs naked and vnarmed and as thus he doth with all men so spetially with those he hath lost and haue bene taken out of his possession whether corpo rall or spiritual on them he rageth fometh against them he is stark mad to recouer them he will brynge out al his packe of subtilties Si mon Simon said our Sauiour Satan hath desired you to winowe you as wheate And we be once disciples espetially if we be of the Apostles sucessors though not Apostles then Satan putteâ—h vp his request vnto Gods that he may haue the siftinge of vs. Thus we see what the de uill our aduersarie doth for his parte what care what watchfulnes what dilligence what paines he taketh to bringe vs to destruction will not we indeuour the like to preserue our selues from the same Is Satan continually aslalting vs which is shadowed out vnto vs in this worke of God and will not we continoally resist seeinge * resisted he will flie when Peter telleth vs of the dilligence and nature of this our aduarsarie he therupon inferreth this * be sober the fore and watch By how much more malitious strong cruell subtle and watchfull to take vs at advantage the enimy is by so much the more had we neede to be circumspect and watchfull that the enimy gett no advantage All men had need day and nikht to watch and praye lest they enter into tentation * euer resistinge stronge in the faith and neuer consenting no not in hart for then * we giue place to the diuill but espetially and aboue others they who haue bene deliuered out of the power and possession of Sathan and translated into the kingdome of God and Christ Iesus Sixtly Hereby we may perceiue whervnto they diuils are naturally ginen or caried by the instinct of their nature now corrupted euen to blasphemie against God to swareyng lyiuge vncleannes deceit and generally to all manner of iniquity which accordeth excellently with that is said of them in holy scripture and the titles giuen them their where they are tearmed blasphemous spirits * lying spirits * vncleane spirits * subtle spirits in that the deuil is called the old serpent and * wicked spirits 1 And this because they are thervnto giuen whol 〈◊〉 caried of themselues by there nature 2. because of the effect and eration they worke in men sturringe vp and temptinge them to and all other sinnes continually and bringing them daily forth â—hildren of disobedience And hereby we may easilye knowe â—e belonge and whose children we are whether we be the sonnes of God or the children of the diuill For doth not nature it selfe teach vs that theiris a certaine similitude liknes betwene the the father and the child and this is not onlye true of the naturall father child but much more true of the spirituall father his child as appeareth by the holy scripture And therfore it is that this speach is so often vsed by the Lord himselfe * be yee holy for I am holy And that S. Iohn saith * If ye knowe that he is righteous knowe ye that
but also receiue the possession and dispossession we so much gaynfaye Blushe then O England and be thou ashamed of this thy incredulitie which is such as the like therof hath not ben redd or hearde of before for others haue yet acknowledged the work which haue ben done in them but thou hast not gone so farr but denied the same In these straits whither wil the Athists turne him must he not nedes be coÌ„founded in himselfe or can it be otherwise but that the diuil is entred into him and he spiritualy possessed with the deuil if now he perceiue not that there is a deuil As herby we may sentibly and palpablie perceiue that there is a Deuill so as wee may in a manner grope him euen so we may looke vpon and beholde the Lord himselfe in this worke deliueringe the partie or parties from there most greuous vexation torments by Satan vpon request first made vnto him by his seruants accordynge to his owne appoyntment in this behalfe VVhen that cruel decree of Haman was gone forth for the destroyinge of the lewes Mordecar giuinge Queene Hester to vnderstande thereof and withall vsinge dyuers reasons to perswade her to doe what lay in her according to her place for the preseruatioÌ„ of her people the church of God Amongest and after others vseth one in these wordes who knoweth whether thou art com to the kyngdom for such a time As yf he had sayd who knoweth whether the Lord hath therfore lyfted the up so highe euen into the throne and seate of the kingdom that so thou might be a fitt meanes for the deliuerance of the church from the affliction danger it is in at this time And did not he gesse well as apeareth by the stories yes verily for therby it is euiden that God had therfore and for no other cause exalted her from base and lowe degre into the royall seate of A Queene euen so saye I concerning this our present case who knoweth whether God hath therfore sent a euill spirits into sundry English persons to vexe them in ther bodyes that therby he might confounde the. Atheysts in England And eyther make them more inexcusable or els brynge them to a better minde wherof in dede there is small hope For they whych can not be led as it were by the hande from the creatures to the creator which will not heare neyther the workes of creation administration nor yet Moses the Prophets Apostles tellinge them that there is a god suerly neither wil they be perswaded ther of though a Deuill be sente from hell to preach the same vnto them This I saye may well be that which god principally respected herein For som spetial thinge no doubt there is mouynge the Lorde more at this tyme then in former times to sende deuils into men yea into diuers Is it not likely to be cause at this time him selfe is denyed called into question whether he is and hath any beinge which in the time of our forefathers hath not bene or at the least not by so many and with so high a hande as euen now and at this daye May we not well therefore say who knoweth whether God hath sent this strange iudgment for this time that is the sinne of this time ther by himselfe reprouing this sinne as such as he can not endure when man holdeth his peace Eyghtly it commendeth the holy exercise of fasting prayer seâ— rueth to prouoke vs to a diligent practise thereof Is prayer and fastinge of force to cast out diuels though they be principalityes and powers and shall not the same if it be vndertaken in the faith and obedyence of god be auayleable if not to remoue yet to sanctify and blesse what soeuer iudgment of god is vpon vs in generalty or any of vs in partiâ— culer If wee looke into the booke of god besides that west al finde a necessity of fasting and prayinge to ly vppon vs when any iudgmeÌ„t of god is eyther present or imynent and ready to ouertake vs in that wee are then in such a case commaunded to fast and pray and humble our soules for our further incouragement to the performance of this dvty and part of gods worship wee shal there reade that not onlye the people of god from time to time haue in al theire afflictions taken this course and vsed this as a meanes for their good and deliuerance also from theirs affliction if so it should seeme good in the eyes of the lorde but also that the same hath vsualy preuayled so fair with god as that thereby they haue obteyned deliuerance from ther praesent affliction The Philistims hauing entered the Israelytes coastes and inhabitinge the same the children of Israel for remooual of that iudgment and recouery of their citties through the counsel of Samuel gathered themselues to Mizpeh and then fasted and prayed for a day The effect and fruit thereof was that the lorde fought for them from heauen for it is said that the lord thundred with a greate thunder that day vpon the Philistims and scattered them so as they were slayne before Israel and that the philistins were brought so vnder that they came no more agayne into the coasts of Israel In the 20. Chap. of the 2. booke of Chron. we reade of a great multitude of the children of Moab Amon and mount Seir comminge against the Israelites with purpose no doubt to haue spoyled and destroyed them therevpon Iehoshaphat the kinge proclaymed a fast throughout all Iudah which was so blessed vnto them and praeuayled so mightely with god that euen in the same faste when they were all assembled togither the lorde sent his spirit vppon one Iehazael to comfort and assure them of their safety deliueranc from their enemies Thus saith the lord vnto you said he feare you not neyther be afraid for this great multitude for the battle is not youres but gods ye shall not neede to fight in this battle stand stil moue not neither be afraid to morrowe goe out against them and the lord be with you And so it fel out after for god sent such a spirit of discord amonge them that they slew one an other so as none escaped Yea further it is saide that the feare of god was vpon all the kingdomes of the earth when they had heard that the lorde had fought against the enemyes of Israel So the kingdome of Iehoshaphat was quiet and his god gaue him rest on euery sâ—de Looke in the 8. of Ezra and there you shal finde that those which retourned from the captiuity in Babylon with Ezra being in great danger leaste they their wiuss children should be destroyed of the enemy which laye in wayte for them in theire way to Ierusalem did there vppon betake themselues to this exercise as the onlye way and meanes for their safety as appeareth by the speach of Ezra At the riuer saith he I proclaymed a fast that we
and sorrowe for our synnes weeping and mourning and making great lamentation ouer all the in iquities whereby we haue dishonored god and caused his holy name to be euil spoken of iustly prouoked him against vs and to auenge himself vpon vs as he hath begonne cryinge also vnto the Lorde in the name of Christ Iesus for pardon and reconciliation and withall turne vnto the Lorde with all our hartes forsaking our euill wayes and the wickednes that is in our handes then and whensoeuer this we shall performe notwithstanding his anger be kindled and broken out against vs yet will he be reconciled and at one with vs accept of vs and receane vs into fauor and giue vs that wee haue intreated him for yf not aboue the same 3. It is to be remembred that this holy exercise semeth greatlye to humble vs and to make vs thinke and account vylie and basely of our selues as dust and ashes and most vnworthye of the leaste of gods mercies as partyle appeareth by that which heere followeth of Ahab and may also be gathered by that it is so oft saide to the Iewes being assembled togither vpon the 10. day of the 7. monueth yee shall humble your soules meaning thereby that vpon that day they should fast and pray and againe euery person that humbleth not himselfe that same day shall euen be cutt of from his people which speech with the former being spoken not only to euery person in particuler but also to those among them who were to see this part of gods worship duly kept it is thereby playne that the Lord ment by those wordes that euery one who ioyned not with the people of god in fastinge should be cut of from the people for how they stood inwardly affected for either humble or proude spirit men neither colde nor yet were to iudge Nowe why are these wordes of humhlinge our soules vsed by the spirit of god insteade of fasting but because the hūbling of our selues is both professed indeuored and furthered by fastinge And this is confirmed by that saying of Ezra At the riuer by A hana I proclaymed a fast that we might humble our selues before our god And heerevpon it is that a fast is called and that rightly the exercise of humiliation not only because we indeuor and professe therein the humbling submitting of our selues to god and vnder his hand but also for that it helpeth forwarde our humilyation Seeinge nowe that fasting helpeth to humble vs and that this subiecting base account of our selues is a thing much pleasing vnto god and greatly mouinge him to be gratious fauorable vnto man for saith the scripture god resisteth the proude and giueth grace vnto the humble agayne humble your selu vnder the mighty hand of god that he may exalt you in due tīe cast downe your selues before the lorde and he will lifte you vp agayne submyt your selues to god drawe neere to god and he will drawe neere to you As if it had bene saide In humility and greate submission goe yee vnto god and aske that yee want and so god will come as it were vnto you in giuing you that you desire lack it is no maruaile though the fastes of gods people preuayled mightely with god and obteyne that or aboue that they desire yea this humbling of our selues vnder the hande of god is so pleasing vnto his diuine maiesty and of that force with him that the very shaddowe thereof euen a shrincking vnder the same hande or casting downe and humbling of the body with out the truth therof in the soule hath preuayled so farr with the lord that it hath procured a temporall benefit both to ones selfe his posterity Thus Ahab hauing this iudgmente denounced againste him by Elyah that the lord would bring euil vpon him and take away his posterity and cutt of from Ahab him that pissed againste the wall so as the dogs should eate him of Ahabs stock that dyed in the citty and him that dyed in the feilds should the fowles of the ayre eate though hee was a most wicked man one that sould himself to worke wickednes and therfore could not humble himself aright before god neither yett ioyne to the outwarde and bodily exercise of fastinge the inward and spiritual of prayer so as might be accepted of god and auaile with him for the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination vnto the lord and the prayer of the righteous auaileth with him yet notwithstanding humbling him self by fasting he obteyned thereby thus much that that euil came not vpon him nor yet of his sonne Ahaziah for thus we reade when Ahab heard the former wordes he rent his cloathes and put sackcloath vp on him and fasted and lay in sackcloath and went softly wherevpon the word of the lord came to Elyah saying Seest thow how Ahab is humbled before mee because hee submitteth himselfe before mee I will not bringe that euill in his dayes but in his sonnes dayes will I bring euill vpon his house where we see this giuen by the lorde himself for the reason why he would be good to Ahab If then the bodily exercise of fastinge which profiteth but little alone without prayer for there is no mentiō of any prayer that Ahab made and if he did it was but the sacrifyce of fooles which the wise god abhorreth auaile with god how much more more wil the same preuaile with him when it it is nor onlye ioyned with true but feruent prayer And if the casting downe and humbling of the body or if of the soule yet not for sinne but some temporall punishment of sinne the rentinge of the cloathes the lyinge downe in sackcloath and ashes which is the fast the lorde hath not chosen bee of force to pacisye the wrath of god at the leaste for a time and in parte and to procure some good to man what will it doe when therevnto is adioyned the casting downe and humbling of the soule the afflicting renting of it with sorrowe for sinne Shall it not then be much more effectuall to pacify gods wrath though kindled or broken out against vs and moue him to be good and gratious vnto vs Moreouer if the performance of this outwarde and bodily seruice to god by sinners his enemyes be auayleable with the Lorde for theire good much more shall the same preuaile when not only it but also the inwarde and spirituall worship is performed by the righteous the frēds and children of god finally if these thinges apart if the outward and bodely seruice alone if feruent prayer alone if the true humbling casting downe of man vnder the hande of god alone be of power to preuayle with god how much more shall these three when they doe meete togither as they doe in a true fast be of force to preuayle with god to that end purpose for which they are vsed Thus we see that the fasting and prayer of
happely he will not reste but there by be drawen to giue eare vnto the worde preached and so be brought to that faith the end whereof will be the saluation of his soule whereof if this worke of god be an occasion to any oh howe will such bless God for the same and ioye in this that the sounde there of came to his eare Thus we plainely see howe this worke of god sarueth to confirme the authority and truth of the holy scriptures I meane howe it som what helpeth to perswade vs incredulous men to beleue or more stedfastly to beleue that the are deuine and certainly true in that we see many thinges spoken of in them and very incredible to flesh and blud as well as others there mentioned fulfilled before our eyes and to be most true Seinge then no hurte but mnch good as we haue heard cometh by this worke why shoulde any be offended with vs for bearinge witnesse to this work and why doe any stand vp and sett them selues against this worke indeuoringe to annihilat the same Certainly in fo doing they are not only iniurious to man hindring him of the good fruite he might reape thereby but also aduersaries to god and his glory prophaninge and not hallowinge or sanctifiinge this his name Christ Iesus to such as he cured was wont to say be it vnto thee as thou beleuest thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace thysinns are forgiuen thee synne no more least a worse thinge come vnto thee and to many see thou tell no man of this I haue donne vnto thee yea somtimes he straightly charged others that they should tell no man what was doune But to him out of whome he had cast out the dyuell he saide goeshewe what greate thinges the Lorde hath donne vnto thee and howe hee hath compassion on thee It is also to be obserued that we reade not the same or like speach to this vsed to any besides of all those that Iesus healed whereby it may seeme that the Lorde Iesus woulde not haue this worke in any case smothered and kept close no not for a time but rather set as a candle in a candlestick vpon the table that it may giue such light vnto men as we haue already seene and no maruaile considering the wordes followinge of our Sauiour goe slew saith he what great thinges the Lorde hath donne vnto thee Are there greate thinges to be looked vpon in this worke we speake of euen by the testimony of Christ himselfe whoe then and where is he if Somers the 7. in Lancashire and the rest were possessed and dispossessed that dare stand vp to darken and obscure the saide worke whereby the people of god be kept from behouldinge the greate thinges of the lord and so hindred from the greate good they might reape thereof and god from his glory If it be euident that vpon these persons this worke of god hath bene wrought who seeth not how contrary minded such are vnto Christ Of the 70 desciple whom Iesus sent forth by there preachinge miracles to prepare and make awaye for him selfe and his ministrie it is sayde that when they had accomplished this worke they returned againe with ioye sayinge Lorde euen the deuils are subdued to vs through thy name In this subiection of the spirits vnto them aboue all the greate workes and miracles they wrought they reioyced wherein how so euer they exceeded wherevpon Christ reproueth them sayinge In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce be cause your names are written in heauen yet marke that he doth it so as that he denyeth not but that they might reioyce there in but rather indede aloweth and commendeth the same so that we keepe a measure and make it not our cheife ioye the which shoulde be that our names are written in heauen wherof the other giueth no assurance for asmuch as it may fall into a reprobate And truely how can they which heare of the aforesayde worke of God but reioyce when they see the Lorde Iesus subduinge Satan vnto men when we see by praier and fastinge deuylls cast out of men whe we see God perfourming his promise the scripture before our eyes fulfilled and our christian brethren also delyuered from the torments of Satan If wee turne our eye eyther to God or man can wee chuse but reioyce and blesse God for such a worke greatly then are they to blame and farre from that affection they shoulde haue who are disquieted and offended here with and most faultie of all shall they be who when the worke shall be made manefest to there conciences as I trust by this treatise it is shall yet notwithstanding lift vp there hee le agaynst it Through the want both of a corrector and of the authour their be very many faultes in the printing among which these following be some 〈◊〉 with I desire the reader with patience to beare pag. 6 chaire open for chaiâ—e open p. 7. departed in for departed 8 〈…〉 for stâ—e caned p. 10 fleamthicke for fleâ—n c lhiere p 13. 〈…〉 for her p 1 2 pence read 3 Pence p 33 the diuers for diuers ib wherwith 〈…〉 p 22 derelinquisti for derellquistr ibi fortaken for forgotten p. â—5 〈…〉 p 49 learne for leave p 51. continancy for continuance he had in p 57 〈…〉 for with all possible p 60 who indued for who was induâ—â— p 91. the 〈◊〉 prayer for the fasting and prayer they vsed verse 1. Lohn 9. math 11. 24. math 28. 12. 2. Cor. 13. 8. â—s 4. 20. â—â— 2. 11. â—th 9. 33. 34 12. 22. 〈◊〉 11. 14. act 20 27. â—al 111. 2. ver 8. 15. 21. 31 v. 11. psal 143 5. ps 111. 4 ps 91 4 psal 105 â— math 12. 30. this sheweth that the deuill transformed himselfe and appeared vnto them like an angell of â—ight in like sort William Somers had asore throat after the departur of the spirit Luke 11. 26. by the manner of meeting the 2 time and wordes vttered to him the 2 time it should seme rather to be the deuill in the liknes of an old woman This Kath Wright is a yong woman dwelling at a place called Bridgway lane not far distant from Blackwel more who about 14 yeres past being possesed was by prayet deliuered but is since repossesed 〈◊〉 like in my owne hearingâ— did Kat. VVright â—eing possessed Math. 21 43. who because he was an aduersari was made a comâ—issioneâ— with him 2 other Pet. Clerk Maâ—or Mâ—es Leigh officiall say I counter feited Such effects ac haue bine down by these parties possessed cannot proceed from the nature or skile of man how spirits being with out man do vexe him Iob. 2. 7. It is impossible for Satan being without man to haue the whole rule and disposition of the body math 15. 2 2. mark 9. 22. verse 17. 18. 22. Against the filie shift of pretended counterfeiting 14 ther
so much contend for viz. That their Exorcists only haue power to driue out diuils that we are to weake thervnto yet why doe they challenge an equall power herein with the Apostles as is plaine by this their glosse if it be well considered of yet least I should be thought toâ— mistake or slaunder them I will set downe Thyreus his wordes concerning this poynt Speaking of the power to cast out diuils which was giue by Christ to whom it was giuen he saith thus Docent sacrae literae omnibus fidelibus to the holy scriptures teach that the power ouer vnclean spirits was comunicated to al belâ—uers but yet cheif ly to the Apostls and disciples of christ and a litle after he adeth this power which was geuen to the Apostles died not with the Apostles but remaâ—ned in the ages followinge for it doth not appertaine to the Apostles onely that which is sayd these signs shal followe them which beleue in my name they shall cast out diuills this speache of Christ comprehendeth all beleuers this authoritie giuen by Christ shal continue so longe as ther shae be any which professe the faith of Christ and againe in the ende of the same chapiter he hath these wordes in our times also in tie church of Christ amouge the Cath â—licks this power is the very same which at the first was giuen by christ to his disciples and cotinued in the ages followinge And not much after he saith But Christs power ouer vncleane spitits although in the beginning it was communicated cheifly to the Apostles yet notwithstanding wholly to all beleeuers and such only are they if you will beleeue them Truly it was not possible for them thus palpably to erre yf the god of this world had not blinded their eyes They say that in theire church only theris power to cast forth diuils and out of it non which if no other way yet by experience is knowne to be falfe But to lett this passe what can be more false and absurd then that which this Iesuiticall Doctor addeth that they haue the same power and authoritie ouer wicked spirits that the Apostles had that the same is committed and giuen to them now by Christ which somtimes he gaue to they Apostles we haue alreadie hard out of the holy scriptures that Christ did giue and com mit vnto his Apostls such authoritie ouer all diuils as by vertue ther of they no sooner spake but they spirits went out of men they noe sooner commaunded but forthwith they departed yea somtimes be fore and without so much as their commaund as by the kerchises and handkercheifes which were caried from Paules body yf now the papists or there Exorcists haue the same authoritie ouer vndeane spirits with the Apostles how cometh it to passe that hauing among them some daylie possessed they shew not forth the same power and with a word cause the spirits immediatly to goe out and that the deuils are no more subdued vnto them they commaund the wicked spirits indeâ—d being in men to goe forth of them as the apostles did therein take a litle too much vpon them but they all of them eyther doe or maye know that the deuil goeth out at his best leasure And hereof as they haue experience daylie among themselues so the same was lately seene in some of there dispossessioÌ„s in England as may appear by the same booke lately written by a great clarke of their fact ion and copied out by one M. Rober Barens now prisoner in the Kings Bench for notwithstanding there was one of there Ezorâ—istes busied about that worthy worke and to assist him 3 preists and that they did not onlye adiure and commaund the spirites in the name of Iesus as the Apostles also did and namely amonge many other thinges to tell them how longe they had bene in the partie which was in one of them iust twoâ— yeares and how many there were of them which were in the same person iust two thousand likwise what were their names which were Hoberdi-Dance Lusti Iolly-Ionkin Lusti-Dicke â—t lustie companions I warant you euerye one the like wherto wee read not of the Apostles but had besids their sacrifice of masse their B. Sacra ment of the aulter with many other things applyed to they possessed parties giuyng them hallowed bread drincke siguinge them with the signe of the crosse applyinge holy relickes as the bâ—nes of S. Brian S. Campian putting one the partie possessed holye garments all which are according to Thyrâ—us his direction with more of this kind which they Apostles neuer vsed yet notwithstandinge all these helpes aboue the Apostles and their equall authoritie to theres they commaunding from day today from time to time â—very stubbornly the diuil disobeyed them and their authoritie and went out happelie at his owne leasure caryinge himselfe in the meane season very saucilie towards them beingmen of such authoritie telling them that they were traitors ct as appeareth by their said storie And lest any should take exception against the dispossession I speake of we must knowe that by all their bookes written of this Argument and namlye Mengus his fuga Doemonum it doth plainlye appeare that vsually they are a day or rather daies exorcizing adiurige charming againe and againe and performinge the worthy rites and Ceremonies wherof we shall by and by heare before the deuill will be pleased to gâ—e out Yea this no papist who herein vnderstandeth any thinge can or will deny which beinge so it should even hereby seeme that they haue no such authorytie ouer spirits as the Apostles had and that the Deuils are not in any such subiection vnto them as they were to the Apostles Agayne yf they haue eaudem illam potestatem the very same power ouer deuills which was by Christ giuen to his dis ciples as they affirme wherby they worke this miracle dayly how cometh it to passe that they doe not ordinarilie for extraordinaâ—ilie as they say so it may be they doe in their lyinge wonders wrought by the effectual workinge of Satan as well worke other miracles as that restore sight to the blind speach to the dumb heale the sick and raise vp the deade For these were ioyned together in the same commission as is expreslye noted by 3 Euangelistes Iesus it is sayd called his twelue disciples vnto him and gaue them power against vncleane spirites to cast them out and to heale euery sicknesse and euery disease And againe a litle after he saith vnto them heale the sicke clens the leapers raise vp the dead cast out the deuils wherby it appeareth that Christ hath coupled and inseperably ioyned these thinges together so as whosoeuer shall haue the same power with the Apostles to cast out deuils that is with a worde shall also haue power with a worde to heale diseases and rais vp the dead yea who can be so deuoide of reason as to doubt thereof if