diabolicall speaches supernaturall strength and knowledge which were in Somers and the other persons came not only from the diuell whereof there is no question or doubt at all but from him being within them yea how can we otherwise thinke or how can it otherwise possibly be except these effects all or most of them might procede from some other cause the which I haue heretofore shewed cannot be In naturall diseases and in other cases we reason from the effects to the cause and gather or conclude the cause by the effects neyther doth it at any time deceaue vs though it may be soÌ„times we deceiue our selues The phisitian if he perceiue in his patient that he hath a cough stich and that his sicknes began with an ague knoweth thereby as by signes or effects that he hath the plurisy In case we see one euery other day quiuering and shaking for cold presently and truly wee say he hath a tertian and who is so simple that when he seeth smoake ascendynge vp out of a chymney knoweth not that there is fyre why then should we doubt when in the strange handliÌ„g torments of a man such as haue bene described we se as I may say the smoake of a spirit that is the operationes and effects of an euill spirit but that there is in that man a wicked spirit Is there any disease of the body wherein men are so handled as these persons were must it not needes then be some supernaturall disease and other then this it hath bene shewed I trust in the begininge it can not be Our Phisitianes if the haue the pulse vrin and some two or three other signes of a disease straightwaies they affirme it is such a disease and we beleue them though they receiue their skill from the wrytings of men which are subiect to error How much more ought we to beleue that the aforesaid 10. persons were sicke of the disease wee treate of to wit possest with diuels seing we haue not 3. or 4. but so many signes thereof and those not taken out of the bookes of men which may yea often do erre and deceiue but out of the boke of god the word of truth And here this I affirme that the spirit of god in descrihing at large the manner of their handling and vexation by sathan who were possessed in Christ's time according to that we haue heard doth not sett it downe only as a matter of fact but in reporting the same did besides thereby purpose as I conceiue to giue a rule and leaue a direction to his church whereby to discerne of possession in the time to come to the end of the world implying therein thus much that when wee shall see one handled after the same manner that thereby wee learne and from thence gather that the said party is possessed with an vncleane spirit And for confirmation hereof serueth excellently the question of Christe to the father of the possessed child after he had seene his sonne in one of his fits how long time is it since he hath bene thus for it is as if he had said Indeede thow saist true thy child hath an euill spirit in hym for whosoeuer is thus handled hath the diuel in hym causing the same but how long hath he bene possessed where wee see that instead of askynge the father how long time hys sonne had bene possessed he sayth thus handled thereby secretly teaching vs that they which are handled after that manner there mentioned are possessed Againe if it be so that Christ Iesus hath left a medicine for the cuâ—ing of this supernaturall disease that is a meanes for the casting of sathan out of those he possesseth and the same perpetuall as I hope is here after made manifest who can doubt but that the lorde Iesus hath lefte some direction for the discerning of this disease now all men will confesse he hath left none other It must nedes thereforebe that he did it in setting downe the manifould effects and operations of the diuell which being in men he sendeth forth from whence he would haue vs being reasonable creatures when we shall see the same effects in any to gather and assure our selues that there is the very same cause viz an vncleane spirit in the party so afflicted That which many obiect heere forasmuch as Thyreus hath donne it effectually as he supposeth I will produce that which he saith instead of all who although I doubt not but if he vnderstood how it was with our Demonyacks as well as the papists among vs doe he would say with them that ther is no question but they were possest yet because in his booke of Demoniakes which he hath very satly set forth is in the handes of many he saith somthing against this first reason of mine and the certainty and sufficiency of the aforesaid signs which I haue gathered out of the gospell I will therefor labour to answer him and weaken that hee obiecteth that so my aforesaid reason may styll stand and remayne in his full strength And therewithall I will say somthing of the signes which the papists principally rely vpon trust vn to for the discerning of their possessed His words be these followinge Addo quod nec ipsa signa c. I adde that neither the very signes which are found in those possessed of whom the gospell maketh mention are certaine and sufficient tokens of men possessed Some of them were blynd some dease others dumbe some of them were cruell to themselues some to others They seemed to be the workes of such as wer possessed but they were not the signes of possessed persons vnlesse per aduenture we will haue all that be blynd dumbe and deafe and also all feirce and cruell men to be possessed And in the 25. Chap hauing spoken newly before of the excedinge greate strength of possessed persons euen such as passeth all humane strength and of their casting into the fye and water he saith of them that they be not certa et indubita signa certaine and vndoubtfull signes his reason is Quoniam non doemones tantum verum etiam praeter doemones alios authores et causas habere possunt Because theis things or signes may haue not only the dyuels but al so besides the diuels some other authors and causes which hee further coÌ„firmeth by examples as of Maximinus the Emperor and Iunius whoe were of extraordinary and supernaturall strength as he sheweth there at large non tamen saith he pro obsessis habiti sunt and yet notwythstanding they were not held to be possessed Thus we se Thyreus flatly denyeth and argueth against that which hath bene somuch insisted vpon and pressed by mee To passe by that absurdity of his where graunting these thinges to be the workes of the possessed that is of sathan possessing he yet deny eth them to be signes thereof as though the seuerall operations of sathan in any were not so many seuerall signes of
yet from thence it may well be coniectured so to haue bene for seing som were altogither blynd and deafe through the diuel within them causing the same and generally were depriued of their inward sences and that outward of feeling why may we not in all probability ymagine that they were without theÌ„ vse of these other sences also and as touching our demoniaks they in their fits nether heard nor saw though their eyes were open as themselues reported Further and more certaine knowledge herein we cannot haue neither neede wee desire considering the number of persons reporting this also that sundrye of them were far distant one from another dwelling in seuerall shires and almost all of them children The 15. signe of sathans possessing is when such speaches are vttered by the mouth of one as sauoure not of the spirit of man but moste fitly agree to a wicked spirit Thus we reade in the gospell that the possessed when they sawe Christ began to cry out saying Iesus the sonne of the mofl high god what haue wee to doe with thee art thou come hither to torment vs before the tyme art thou come to deflroy vs I charge thee by god that thou torment mee not Hither apperteyneth that answer that his name was legion and that request that yf he cast them out he would suffer them to enter into the heard of swyne for we cannot doubte but that those speaches were vttered after the same manner the former were that is by the mouthes of the parties possessed and it is playne by Luke 8. 30. After this maner M. Hardman said a little before the spirits egresse I am hott I must goe I must away I cannot tarry whither shall I goe I will not dye In like manner Somers or rather the diuell in him said that he was god meaning percase the god of this world that he was the prince of darknes that he was sometimes in heauen and when he caused that lump or swelling in his eye or toe I will goe out at his eye I 'le goe out at his toe and vpon saterday at night before his dispossession in the time of prayer I must be gon with many more speaches as appeareth before the like hereto he did also vpon his repossession but specially vpon the 20. day of February 1597. which was about 4. dayes after he was repossessed when lying in a trance he vttered many sententious speaches of this kynde which were written from his mouth in the presence of diuers persons of good credit For instance and a taste these I bayted my hooke often and at last I catcht him Heere I was before and heere I am againe and heere I must stay though it be but for a short tyme. I leade them to drinck carouse and quafse I make them to sweare I haue leaue giuen mee to doe what I will for a time What is wightier then a kinge in his owne land A king I am in whome I raigne heere I am king for a time In like sort Darling vpon the day of his dispossession vttered wordes of this kind with his mouth wide open Brother Radulphus I will goe to my maister Belzâ—bub and he shal double there tongues and againe let vs goe out of him and enter into some of these heere with diuers others as appeareth by the history of him in print many such like speaches also I well remember by Ka Wright The 16. signe of possession is when men offer vyolence to they re owne bodyes so in the 5. of Marke it is saide of the man which had an vncleane spirit that he did strike himself with stones the diuell indeede was the striker and the man a meere patient but because it was done by his owne hand and so seemed to doe it himself therefore it is ascribed vnto him and thus many times those things are attributed to the possessed which were indeede done by sathen the possessor And in like sorte haue I my selfe often done in this treatise According to this we haue haerd before of Somers ' who howsoeuer he did not strike himselfe with stones yet did he beate his heade and that with greate vyolence against the ground or floare of the house and against the bedsted and throwe himselfe against the wals The 17. signe of one possessed is that he is not hurt by all the vyolence that the diuell doth to his body nor all the torments that he putteth him vnto so as notwithstanding all his rage and crueltye not a bone of the possessed as I may say is broken This appeareth by the 4. of Luke where when Christe had commaunded the dyuell to come out of the man possessed it is sayd that then the dyuell throwing hym in the middest of them came out of him and hurte him nothinge at all It is asmuch as if it had bene saide the dyuell vppon Christes commaundement to goe forth of the man cast him violently and headlonge among the people and there rent him sore and extreamelyâ— tormented hym so as one woulde haue thought he had vtterly spoy led the man or at the least greatlye hurte him which appeareth also by the firste of Marke where the same story beinge reported it is sayde that the vncleane spirit tare hym but sayth the Euangelyste Luke it proued not soe for notwithstandyng the dyuells rage all the torments he put him to yet he hurte him nothing at all Euen soe it was with these tormented they were moste greuously especially at and a little before the egresseof the spirites Somers also did offer greate vyolence to his body beatyng his heade and face sometimes a quarter of an houre togither to the grounde or bedsteade as is before sayde so as one would haue thought he shoulde haue bruised himselfe greatly and yet had he no hurte at all or any of thâ— other by the like greuous torments they indured The same is as true of Kath Wright and Tho Darling which latter had in his fitts his armes and shoulder boanes thruste out of their ioynctes and set in againe and yet heereby was made â—euer a whit lesse vnable to vse them then before As strange also is that which is deposed concernyng Somers that he was not burnt though some bare partes of his bodye laye in the hott fyer The reason hereof I take to be this that sathan hauiÌ„g leaue from god to enter into man hath not withall leaue or is forbidden to hurt him for otherwyse it were not possible his nature consydered but that he shoulde greatlye harme hym and yet notwythstandinge this prohybytyon of the lordes he wyll be attemptynge to spoyle or hurte those he possesseth though he cannot or dare not doe it because by nature hee is inclyned therevnto For euery creature aswell inuisible as visible is as it were vyolentlye carryed to doe accordinge to hys owne nature and kynde In the manifoulde vexations of sathan there fore and manner of vsynge them he possesseth we
he which doth righteously is borne of him And again * God is light If then we walk in the light as he is in the light we haue felowship with the father with his sonne Iesus Christ and againe * euery on that loueth is borne of God knoweth God for God is loue And Christ saith * loue your enimies doe good to them that hate you that ye may be the children of your father that is in heuen for he maketh his sunne to wise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And presently after ye shal be perfite as your father which is in heven is perfite And on ther side concerninge the other spirituall father It was to this purpose to some of his children said somtimes by our sauiour Christ ye doe the workes of your father ye are therefore of your father the diuil and the lust of your father ye will doe because also of this Iohn saith * he that commiteth sinne is of the Deuill and why for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning Both these our Saiour teacheth in twoo wordes I speake that which I haue sene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue sene with your father intimatinge this for the reason therof that so it is otherwise can not be Becaus the spirituall childe followeth and can not but followe the disposition of the spirituall father so as looke how the father is affected and giuen whether it be God or the Deuill euen so is the childe and must nedes be because beinge a childe he is partaker of his fathers nature whether it be diuine or diuilish and otherewise he is no child and therefore beinge of the selfesame nature they must needes be affected alike so as what and whom the one loueth hateth c. the other will doe so likwise Here vpon it necessarily and ineuitably foloweth that as they are the sonnes of God who as God infinitely so they accordinge to there measure are holy righteous in the lighte in loue yea louinge there enemies and doinge good to them which hate them ct striuinge also dayly to be more holy righteous ct that so they might be perfecte as is there heauenly father As such I saye which haue this image similitud and stampe of God set vpon them and shininge in all there speaches actions and thoughts are the châ—â—â—dren of God yea all such and none but such becaus of his chilâ— onlâ— he bestoweth this spirit that is these gifts of the spirit aâ— to that of the Apostle * as many as are led by the spirit of 〈…〉 the sonnes of God so as they deceiue them selues which 〈◊〉 spirit of god and Christ to lead them into the holy and righteous waies of God are yet notwithstandinge perswaded that God is there father they his children euen so they who in there speaches actions and thougths represent the diuil and haue his stompe orimage vpon them beinge together with him giuen to blasphemie swearinge lyinge vncleannes deceite in a worde to the commiting of sine are the children of the deuil haue him for their father they doe greatly deceiue themseues which doinge the same works with the deuill and being ruied by his spirit do neuertheles hope that god is their father Let every on of vs then compare our selues with another and seriouslie examine our selues and consider whom wee are most like whom in our workes we most resemble God or the diuill for certain lye to him we belong to whom we are likest and he is our father But here you must not so take me as though I ment that whosouer maketh a lye vseth an oath commiteth any vncleanes at any time deceiueth his neighbour in bargainning is the child of the diuill God forbid For Noah Lot Dauid and Peter sinned greuously against God and yet were his children and there are amongst vs no doubte which haue there sâ—â—ppes and falles and yet are Gods children It is not then the commitinge of a sinne although it be a hainous sinne which argueth the child of the Deuill But the * scruing of sinne and obaying it in the lusts thereof when sathan stirreth vp in man a lust after lying swearing adultery deceipt and other transgressions of the lawe and hee forthwith willingly and very readily falleth to put the same in practise and thus not only once or twice but vsually doth the workes of the diuel such a one saith christ is of hiâ— father the diuell And yet howsoeuer the fallinge into some haynous transgression prooueth not one to be the child of the diuill yet such slipe or fall giueth the child of God iust cause not only of weeping but with Peter * to weepe bitterly In that he after so great grace receiued even the spirit of God I meane the spirit of adoption and sanctification * which God bestoweth vpon his children only shall so highly offend him who hath bene so good and gratious vnto him recompencing him with euill for his vnspeakable good and therby also greatly dishoneringe God and causinge his holy name to be blasphemed and euill spoken off Neither must any so vnderstand me as though I ment that all those which are now the children and vnder the power of the deuill should certainly goe vnto the deuil and haue the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for their portion and by consequent all such as are before described For he who is the diuils child and captiue vnto Sathan to day may be to morrowe the sonne of God and deliuered out of that sprituall bondage yea very sure it is that in his inwarde and spirituall estate and condition this happie chaunge shall be if he chaunge and alter his conditions and * be a newe creature so as olde thinges being passed away all things become new with him hauinge a new minde and a new hart which is when he hath new thoughtes new affection which will carry with them the body all the members thereof and make them newe likewise so as hee shall haue newe eyes new eares a new tongue new hands c euery one of these and the rest of the members according to his seueral office or duty performing newe that is other and better thinges then in former tymes hee did man chaunging or being thus changed he is therwith translated from sathan vnto God from being his child to be adopted into the nomber of the sonnes of god hauing * this priuiledge and dignity bestowed vppon him in Christ whome by faith he hath receaued or as S. Paul saith he is turned from darknes into light from the power of sathan vnder which we are all by nature and vntil this turning be vnto god and elswhere to the same effect deliuered * out of the snare of the diuell of whom wee are taken prisoners to do his will into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god So as henceforward he is no more a
down who comming saw them resisting and encouraged them to standfast neuer to yeald but to pray and resist with faith shortly they were well and fell a slepe The next day we inquired how the were assalted M. By. said it cam to her like an vgly black man with shoulders higher then his head promysing her enought if she wold consent and that he would lye still when she vtterly denyed him and prayed against him he threatned to cast her into apitt as she went home But when she resisted he cast her to the ground and departed twise as byg and foule as hee came with two flashes of fyer one before another after him making a noyse like a great wynd among trees She was not assaulted at midnight with the 5 but after supper before she went to bed Iohn Starchy sayd he came in the former likenes making many large proffers baggs of gould c. But when he sawe he nothing preuayled with sugred wordes he vsed terrible menaces saying he wold breake his neck c. Anne Starchy said he came in the former likenes M. Hard. said he came in the same forme he went out proffring golde but she refusing he threatned to breake her necke cast her into a pyt and drowne her and so departed El. Hard. said he came like a beare with fyer in his mouth wherwith she was so terrifyed that she lept quite out of her bed and rann from him she wist not whither but one of the company stayed her Then he desyred her to open her mouth as he opened his shewing her two bagges one of siluer an other of gold promising her 9 times as much but not preuayling he ran away as a beare that breakes loose from the stake when she was layd downe and prayed he came agayn like an ape promising her golde c at her pleasure Then he menaced to cast her out of the windowe and into the fyer if euer she stood neare it and so departed very foule with an horrible scryke El Hol. said he came like a great beare with open mouth vpon her presently turned it selfe into the similytude of a white doue but shee resisted and it departed Thus we haue hard of the dispossession of 6. what thinges fell out therein as also presently after the same it resteth that we conuert our speach to Iane Ashton the 7. Sathan vpon the aforesaid day towardes euening put her to extreame payne and continued the same longe very neare 2. houres after their deliuerance intising her to say he was gon and to make shew of welfare promising that he would not molest her at all She to be at ease consented and pretended in wordes to be as well as the rest but we thought otherwise because the signes of dispossession were wanting After she had herein yelded to the diuell which she concealed vntill after her deliuerance she was as free frō any vexation by him as the rest notwithstanding we prayed or shee prayed wheras before for 3. houres togither her fyt beinge ended the shortest prayer that might bee being vsed she wold be in an other most greuous to beholde All night shee was very well the next morning also vntill we 3. who were to be leaders that day also in that holy action we had in hand hauing shut our dore had cast doune our selues before the throne of grace to craue the direction assistance of gods spirit in the worke we were to enter vpon this I say we had no soner don but behold the chamber wher we were yea the whol house did ring of her a gaine wherby we were not a litle comforted incouraged to enter the second tym into the feild for therby we were assured that we were not deceiued and that satan was certainly in her after we can downe into the parlor whether many more resorted that day then the other to the number of about 50. we all being exercised as the day aforesaid This morning she was sore tormented she often semed to vomyt vp all and it got vp only alitle fleame and when shee hanged downe her head to vomyt often the sperit would all to shake her as an angrie mastife a litle cur dogg so that after her deliuery she was very hoarce weake About on of the clocke she being very extreamly tormēted fel a wepīg that teares trickled downe after lay as dead alitle space reuerting she said he is gon and gaue thanks for her deliuerance it went out like a great breath vgly like a toad roūd like a ball within an houer after it returned like a foule big blacke man but she resisted it departed when we saw clearly that she was dispossessed we asked her why she dissemled the other night she told vs that the said euening it was com vp from her belly to her brest thence to her throat wher it held her as at her first takīg thence to her head then she said it desired her to tell vs that he was gon promised her not to moue or hurt her that she should lack nothing why said we would you harken to the deuill because said she I was very sore and he promysed me ease but he hath deceaued me quoth M Dickons beleue the deuil againe beware of lying he teacheth to lye and you are taught for lying This day 2 or 3. following the vncleane spirits returned euer anone in visible formes vpon all 7. throwing some of them violently downe before vs all depriuing others for a little space of the vse of sō member of thir bodies as arme or legg sekīg also both by godly promises of siluer gold silks veluit which they thought verily they saw such like fearful threats their consents to reēter without which it should seeme satan cannot reenter though he cane first enter But from giuing such consēt and yealding vnto satan therin god in mercy keept 6. of them who since that tyme praysed be God therfore were neuer more nor lesse they nor any of them molested by satan vntil this day neyther it the 7 Iane Ashton vntill a good space after when she leauing M Starchies house went and dwelt in a place of ignorance among papists became popish herselfe as I haue hard for which opertunitie aduātag the deuill watching noe doubt compasing he then recouered her now dwelleth their whos 's last estat with Kat wrights Will. Somers shall be worse then their first Here followeth the story of William Somers THE HISTORY OF SOMERS William Somers of Nottingham now about the age of 22. yeares sonne in lawe to Robart Cowper of the said towne and by trad of life a musitian about 8 or 9 yeares past as he iournyed from Bellyn in the countie of wigorn wher he then dwelt with one M Anthonie Brackenberie to Bramsgroue a market towne in that shire accompanyed with an old woman dwelling in the said Bellyn found an hat with a copper band the woman
amoÌ„g other things the spirit retorted his tongue into his throat and this he did often whervpoÌ„ many loked with a candle into his mouth wher the could se no tongue nor part of it only in his thoat they beheld the root therof he vttered often thes words for corne for corne with a fewe more thervnto appertainiÌ„g notiÌ„g the vnsatiable desier of gaine or râ—aysing the price of corne in corne meÌ„ this night was speÌ„t by som well disposed people in reading praying this euening I requested the minister of that congregatio M Aldridge with him on M. Aldred M. Halam Pastors of 2 seueraâ—l towns neare adioyning vnto Nott. to ioyne with me on the morrowe in the ministratioÌ„ of the word and prayer whervnto the condiscended And this I did the rather that therby I might proclayme and make knowne vnto all men that as I haue no speciall or greater guift herein then the rest of my bretheren so neither doe I arrogate or challenge any such thing to my selfe In the morning being the 7 of Nouember many of vs were assembled together in the next conuenient and seemly roome to the place of his abode The boy was brought with strang and fearfull scrikings by 6. or 7. strong men who had all of them inough adoe to bring him and layd on a couch in the midst of vs. M. Aldridg began and after prayer proceded to the interpretation of the. 4. of Hos the two fâ—ste verses when he had finished my self intreated of that story set doune in the. 9. of Marke from verse 14 vntil the 30. wher the father bringing his possessed child to christ to be cured had him healed accordingly All this day he was continually vexed and tormented by Sathan hauing little or no rest at all so as the same for vexation by the spirit far exceded any of the dayes before His tormentes in his fittes were most greuous and feareful to behould wherein his body being swelled was tossed vp and doune In theis fits his strength was very great so as being held doune wiâ—h 5. strong men he did notwithstandinge all their strength against their wils rise and stand vpright of his feete He was also continually torne in very fearful manner and disfigured in his face wherein somtimes his lips were draune awry now to the one syde now to the other somtimes his face and neck distorted to the right and to the left hand yea somtimes writhen to his back somtimes he thrust out his tongue very far and big and somtimes turned backwardes into his throat gaping so wide that we might afar of perceiue it now he gnashed with his teeth now he fomed like to the horse or boare roping doune to his brest notwithstanding there was one purposely standing by with a cloath euer and anon to wype it away not to say any thing of his fearfull staring with his eyes and incredible gapinge This daye notwithstanding he was so held as is aforsaid hee went about to haue choaked and so destroyed himself speaches he vsed non saue once in a great voyce corne and when I applyed that speach of our Sauiour all things are possible to him that beleeueth he vsed theis words thow lyest Diuers times he scriched or cryed aloude in astrange and supernaturall manner somtimes he roared fearfullye lyâ—e a beare and cryed like a swyne Towardes the evening as I was treatyng of these wordes then the spirit cryed rent him sore and came out and he was as one dead insomuch that manye sayd he is dead the boye was rent sore indeede cryed and that a loud Then they people which were present as men astonished and with the greuyoues sight and crye vnspeakeable affected in the boweles of compassion towardes hym breakyng ther hitherto continued silent cryed out all at once as it were with one voyce vnto the Lord to haue mercye vpon hym and within a quarter of an hower they and he still cryinge aloud he held downe one a bed by 5 men and offering as though he would haue vomyted was one the sudden violently cast his body therwith turned so as his face lay donwards to the ground at the beds fete his backe vpward with his fete on the beds head thus he lay as if he had ben dead for a seasoÌ„ Thus we haue hard not only how it weÌ„t with Som. in the tim of his possession at and a litle before his dispossioÌ„ but also how by what meanes I came vnto him being ther caried my selfe in this present action Accordinge now to that in the gospell when the vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he sayeth to himselfe I will returne into myne house from whence I came c. it fell out here for the vncleane spirit being gone out of Someres returned and sought to enter againe into him And as for the compassing of his former habitation with the 7 in Lanchashire he visiblely appered vnto them for a season molested them in thire bodies even so did the spirit with Somers The same night he was dispossessed as he lay in his bed a thing like a rat patted one his mouth and after crept doune along on his body vntill it came to his priuye partes from whence it vanished away Thus did the spirit many times and sundry wayes and about a quarter of a yeare after recouered him and entered againe as appereth by the signes of possession whervnto some of the 17. witnesses after mentioned haue deposed as appeareth by the depositiones of diuers if the tyme when the thinges wear done which they deposed be obserued After this satan drewe the boy also vpon whom the worke was wrought to confese and affirme that he had dissemled And to bring this to passe which passeth whatsoeeuer else could be imagined to perswade the world that he counterfeited the old serpent so ordered the matter that he was charged to haue be witched on Sterland to death brought theirvpon into the towns haul before the magistraits by the meaines procurement of M. Freeman Sterlands wife som of her neighbors cam with an accusatioÌ„ of witchcraft agaiÌ„st him to wit that vpoÌ„ such a day in Not. market Som. should tread on the hele of the said Sterland whervpon he should presently fall sicke and dyed 4 or 5 dayes after Her neighbours they witnesed that Starland being dead his heele locked blacke or some such thing Herevpon Som. was commited to prison but a litle after bailed Not long after this these magistrats under couler to fynâ—e out this counterfeting tooke this witch forsoth it percase a counterfeyte from his parents and commited him to their house of correction called St. Iones their to the costody of 2 most leud fellows which no sooner had him but forthwith about thire worke the went the one Iohn Couper threatning to whyp him the other Nich. Shepard to pinch him with pincers therby to drawe him indeed to confesse that he had counterfeited as
perilous and sinfull times wherein iniquity shall abound soe as the sonne of man when he commeth shall scarcely finde any fayth vp on earth Howe can it be denyed but that the lorde may smyte some with this iudgment yea and as I conceaue of this scripture will also which is more And lest we should vnderstand this of the Iewes only and restraine it to the time of the lawe either of which is absurd we must remember that we haue the same or like threate renewed vpon vs by the spirit of god in the time of the gospell and expresly agaynst euery man aswell Gentile as Iew as all men will graunt I protest saith the spirit vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophecy of this booke that if any man shall add vnto these thinges god shall add vnto him the plagues that are wrytten in this booke and yf any man shall diminishe of the wordes of the booke of this prophecy c Seing then that it cannot be denied but that there are in these last euill dayes both which add to this boke dyminish from it that this plague of possession by deuils is written in the same we must nedes acknowledg caÌ„not doubt but that god may send this plague also in this last age of the worlde Againe seing possession is a punishment or correction of the lord laid vp â—n a man by the ministery of sathan for his sinne and that men are now as greuous sinners as euer the lord also in like sorte affected now towardes sinne and sinners as heeretofore as ready euerie way to chastice men for sinne in these dayes as in former it cannot bee but that men may bee possest now yf the lorde thinke good that way to correct them yea euen as well and vsually as in former time Lastly it is to be remembred that as all churchs so al righter ancieÌ„t latter christians and papists which haue spoken more or lesse of this matter giue theire full consent heereto and many examples from age to age are giuen hereof Here might be brought in a multitude greate heape of testimonies to proue that men maye be nowe possessed but I will let them alone and only coate them in the margent because I thinke it a needelesse thing in so plaine and euident a matter to vse so many wordes specially seing hereafter I alleadge the most of theire testimonyes for the confirmation of dispossession since miracles ceased which is farr more doubtfull then this other of possession and coÌ„prehendeth in it this also For if men haue bene and may be now dispossessed ergo possessed Wierus in the begining of his 4. booke de prestigijs doemonum speaketh of many that haue of late yeares bene possesed with diuels shewing at large their strange admirable most greuous vexations by sathan and among others he maketh mention of about 70 damsells which togither in one night 1555. in an house at Roome where Orphanes were kept became Demoniacks whereof saith he not one of them was recouered two yeares after yea it may be not at all which sure is more strange then their possession considering the great power and authority the Romanists haue ouer diuels euen the same with the Apostles if you will beleue them as hereafter you shall heare Also of later time and nearer vs euen at Amsterdam a greate towne in Holland Anno 1566. there were as he declareth at large 30 children or thereabouts in 8. or 10. weekes possessed with diuels But to let the dead and their writings goe let vs inquire of the liuing Aske of our trauailers what they haue seene credibly heard in other countries beyond the seas and you shall heare what they will say demaund of the papists and they with one consent will tell you that meÌ„ may be possest that among them ther daily are such Thyreus a man now liuing in a booke lately written of this argument nameth a great many that long since miracles ceased were possessed with diuels whereof some were great and honorable personages children to Emperours and kings Shall we say of them as it is said of our possessed persons in England that they were counterfeyts their calling of Exorcists also and formes of Ezorcisme proclaime their iudgment herein to all the world yea who knoweth not how they greatlye vaunt of the power that in theire Church they haue to cast out diuels This brage of theirs is answered by D. Fulk and diuers others but neither he nor any other returneth in answer that men cannot in these daies be possest which had it bene a truth they wold neuer haue omitted But why doth it seeme so incredible and impossible vnto some for one to be nowe possest Because myracles are ceased It shoulde seeme then to be possest with the diuell is a miracle and not a disease sometime by miracle cured For the ceasing of miracles putteth an end only to miracles and not to the diseases which miraculously were healed else we should haue none sick of feauers palsyes and other infinit diseases none dumbe deafe blind halt or maimed NotwithstandiÌ„ge then that miracles are ended possession with diuels may remaine seing it is certaine it is no miracle but a sicknes or supernaturall disease which somtimes miraculously was healed by Christ and his Apostles as appeareth by the 17. of S. Mathew where the father bringing his possessed child saith thus to Iesus I brought him to thy disciples and they could not heale him and presently after it followeth and Iesus rebuked the diuell and he went out of him and the child was healed at that houre In like manner it is said in the 9. of S. Luke that Iesus rebuked the vneleane spirit and healed the child and deliuered him to his father And for further profe hereof serueth excellently that in the 8 of S. Luke verse 2. where it is said that certaine weomen were healed of euill spirits and infirmityes as Mary which was called Magdalen out of whome weÌ„t seauen diuels where by the word healed we may learne that possession is a disease to wit supernaturall and that the miracle is when the dguell by rebuke that is by a charge or comaundement to depart is caste out in which case the party is healed or made whole of this vnnaturall disease For thus it is written in the 9. of S. Marke when Iesus c. he rebuked the vncleane spirit saying vnto him thow dumbe deafe spirit I charge thee come out of him Then it is said the diuell came out the very same we haue in the first of S. Marke verse 25. and a little after it followeth verse 27. he commaundeth the foule spirits with authority and they obey him And in S. Luke with authority power he comaundeth the foule spirits and they come out In these cases we all knowe Christe wrought a miracle now what did he he comaunded the dyuells that were in men to come out of them
towardes him he hath lost and hither doth it carye him VVe maye likwyse obserue for the further confirmatyon of the former exposition that in this place of Marke wher we cannot deny but that Christ speaketh of dispossession and coporall possession is mention of the spirits goinge out and entringe in as in the forme scripture and therefore the premises well wayed and these sayinge of the Lord in Marke and Mathewe compared together ther is great reason we should vnderstand that of the vncleane spirits returne accordinge to the letter The * want of this returne of the spirits doth among other thinges induce me more then to suspect the dispossessions in the Papacie that the are not by the power of God and so noe eiection or expulsion of Satan but a voluntary departure for the further strengtheninge and confirming of them in their false worshipe of God but of this more hereafter Lastly forasmuch as all those we haue spoken of they excepted who are repossest are and haue bene for so long time euen two yeares altogither free from that strange and greuous manner of handlinge or vexation in their bodies wherof we haue heard at larg why shold we doubt of their dispossession especially seing the strong man armed keepeth not their houses seing they carry not themselues as he desireth as Somers doth during which time and in which case only there is peace If you requyre more time for confyrmation thereof you haue it in Th. Darling who hath continued well and in his former pristine estate for the space of fiue yeares and aboue blessed be god therefore and whose house it is manifest the strong armed man doth not keepe seing god hath not only giuen him with the rest in his condition to confesse declare and beare witnes to the greate thinges the Lord hath donne vnto him and how he hath had compassion of him but also to suffer for the same Here it will be obiected generally against all dispossessions in these daies that to cast out Sathan is a miracle and therfore miracles being ceased ther can be no dispossessions at all For answeare herevnto we must knowe that deuills are cast out two manner of wayes either by absolute authority as by Christ being God or by * an authoritye committed and giuen of Christ to men as Though Bel Zabub the prince of Diuelles and with him Legions had bene in him yet had you cast them out for if you can beleue nothing shal be vnpossible vnto you howbeit this also you must know and vnderstand that the spirit wherwith this child was possessed is on of the worst kind of spirits becaus in the ordinarie meanes which my father hath left to his church he wil not be expelled by praier alon without fasting thervnto adioyned Now your faith being weake the spirit on of the worst kiÌ„d therfor hardly to be remoued what marvell is it though you cast hiÌ„ not out yea how was that possible I deny not but notwithstanding the weaknes of your fayth had you fallen vpon another spirit on of that kind which in the ordinary meanes that is in the church may be cast forth by prayer you might happely haue expelled him but take the case as it is your faith weak and the spirit one of the worst it could not possibly you should haue remoued him although theÌ„ the lord attribut it cheifâ—i to their vnbeleife that the had not cast forth that diuil yet he signifieth by thes words that their was a cause or impediment also in the spirit so that the answere of christ is double consisting of two partes wherin he sheweth his Disciples that for twoo causes they had not cast the euil spirit out the one and cheif was in them selues to wit their incredulitie set downe in the 20. vers the other in the spirit possessinge the childe for that he was one of the worst kynd mentioned in 21 verse Nowe this second cause is not set downe in plaine and exprese wordes as is the firste but therby made knowen to the Apostles because he was on of that kynd which in the meanes that euer was and shall be in the church would not be expelled by sole prayer without fasting annexed therunto and this is it that Christ ment in makinge mention of prayer and fastinge and not that the Apostles should haue fasted and praâ—ed to any end whatsoeuer This beinge the true and natural sence of this scripture I further affirme that howsoeuer the scope and drift of Christ in these wordes was to make knowen to his Apostles that the vncleane spirite wherwith the boye was possessed was one of the worst kinde of spirits foras much as it was on that wold not be remoued without the strong cheife of those means which were orcinarie and perpetual to wit praâ—er and fastinge and that thence partely it was that they did not cast him forth yet hence we may gather and Christ Iesus secretly giueth vs to vnderstaÌ„d as much that the worst kind of deuils therfore much more others may be dispossessed by the meanes of fasting and prayer And from these wordes a man maye as well conclude that christ would haue prayer and fasting vsed as a meanes for the disposse ssing of Diuils as one may gather that the phâ—sâ—tion would haue phlebotomie or letting of blud vsed for the cure of him that hath the plurisie who affirmeth that a plurisie can not be cured but by phlebotomi this kind saieth christ goeth not out but by prayer and fasting therfore by praier fasting it goeth out which might be confirmed by a thousand such like speaches one saith to a trauailer at Doncaster iourneinge towardes Yorke you can not get to Yorke but by Feribridge Is ther any so simple that vnderstandeâ— not therby thus much that by that waye he may passe thither though some other waye by reason of the waters or some other â—ett he can not passe considringe then that our Sauiour mentioneth this as an effectuaâ— meanes for the casting out of Diuills and that ther is neither scriptur nor sounde reason which appropriateth the vse of this meaines vnto that age or to the persons of the Apostls others indeued with the myraculous gift as shall be shewed heare after I can not see whye the same meanes shoulde not stand and remaine at this day why fasting praier should not be held the effectuall ordinance of christ for the castinge out of Diuils That there weare certaine dispossessed in christs time besids those which were dispossessed by Christ himselfe his Apostes and others in dewed with the gifte to worke miracles it is manefeste by the 12. of Math. Acts 19 but how by what meanes that was don apeareth only by this place of scriptur we haue in hand which was either praier alone or prayer and fasting according to the kind of spirit possessing the party which we do not so vnderstande as though it weare requisit that