a Book called the Reasons of the Christian Religion And after added a small Discourse called More Reasons for it provoked by one that called himself Herbert in which also I answered the Lord Herbert de veritate And since then a nameless Sadduce hath drawn me to publish an Answer to him And in my Life of Faith and other Books I have handled the same Subject All which I tell the Reader that he may see why I have taken this Subject as so necessary why I am ending my Life with the publication of these Historical Letters and Collections Which I dare say have such Evidence as will leave every Sadduce that readeth them either convinced or utterly without excuse Surely the certainty of so great a change of our place State Company and Works as Death will certainly and quickly make should possess every Man that hath the use of Reason with such serious Thoughts Affections and Diligence as is quite contrary to a Diverted Careless Sloathful Worldly Sensual and stupid Mind and Life How speedily shall I see the World that I have read of and Preached and talkt and written of O! What a difference will there be between my now hearing of frightful Apparitions and prodigious Acts of Spirits and that sight or knowledge of all their State and Affairs which I shall have and now am going to The sight of Devils and Damned Diveses and unholy Souls will hereafter be no Rarity and if my Soul must pass through the airy inferior Region where these Miserable Spirits now inhabit it will not be as dangerously Assaulted by them but in Triumph For I know whom I have trusted and into the hands of him do I commit my Spirit who hath conquerred Death and Devils and is now the Glorified Lord of all and can use them at his pleasure And those Angels that rejoice at the Repentance of of a Lazarus and now are Ministring Spirits for his safety will be ready in Obedience to our Lord to convey his Soul to Abrahams bosom Yea to be that day with Christ in Paradise He that chaineth up these Devils that they molest us no more as their Malice doth desire will make our passage safe through all their envy and defiled Regions But seeing it is the free will of Man that giveth the Devils their hurting power and they can do us no harm nor maâ—e us sin without our own consent or yielding O! With how careful and constant and resolved watchfulness should we live And how deservedly may every prayerless ungodly Family and person bâ— left for a prey to this devourer And indeed he hath already hurt them more by blindâ—ng and hardening their Hearts than a thousand haunting Apparitions could of themselves have done And when Excellent Zanchy hath said so much to proâ—e that it is by hâ—s very contigâ—ous Substance that the Devil doth work on Soul and Body how dreadful should Temptations and Sin be to us if we would not have the very substance of Devils dwell in us And why do any think it strange to read so much of Possessions and Dispossessions in the Gospel Lord Iesus let me Finish my Course with joy And then receive my Spirit Amen Iuly 20. 1691. Richard Baxter The CONTENTS Chap. I. Of the great and weighty Vses of the Histories of Spirits and their unusual Apparitions and Actions Ch. II. § I. Instance I. The Devil of Mascon 2. Collonel Bowen ' s Story in divers Letters 3. My Friend and Neighbour Collonel John Bridge ' s Story 4. One in London yet living 5. One at Belfast 6. One at Ilchester 7. Mr. Mompesson ' s Story 8. iAt Lutterworth 9. Mary Ellins of Evesham 10. One in Dorsetshire 11. Nathan Crab of Exeter 12. The strange Story of the Devil of Genluce in Dr. Sinclare 13. The Witches hanged in Suffolk and Essex 14. The Brightling Story 15. Lord Breghill ' s Story of one at St. James ' s. 16. Simon Jones of Kiderminster 17. Richard White of Wilden-Hall 18. Mr. Hopkins of Bewdley 19. An Instance now in London 20. Another as strange 21. Mr. White at Lambeth 22. One from Cambridge 23. One at Hunniton 24. Another there 25. Mr. Ch Hatt ' s Story Ch. III. The strange Story of Mr. May Hill Minister of Beckington in Somersetshire Mr. Increase and Mr. Cotton Mather ' s Instances The Story of Mr. Pacy ' s Daughters at Lesto Ch. IV. Many Histories sent me by Duke Lauderdale and one that taught a Minister to speak true Latin and his Detection of some Popish Frauds Ch. V. Of Witchcraft Inst. 1. Alexander Benedictus 2. Benevenius 3. Langius 4. Cornelius Gemma 5. Sidelicus in Skenkius 6. Wolphius 7. Sebastian Brand. 8. Fabricius Hildanus 9. Faelix Platerus 10. Hollerius 11. Petrus Forestus 12. Scribonius Many Instances of the Concubitus of Daemons with Women 13. Many struck by Daemons Scribonius 14. Witches raising Storms 15. Erasmus ' s Story of an Apparition that burnt the Town 16. The Selling of Winds in Lapland and Iseland 17. The Bleeding oâ— muâ—derâ—d Bodies 18. Scriboniusâ—s strange Story 19. Mr. Farmworth of an Indian Sacrifice to the Devil 20. Ludovicus Vives Testimony 21. Zanchy ' s Testimony 22. Melancthon ' s Testimony 23. A wonderful Story of Dr. Henricâ—ab Heere 24. Merik Causabone of Sir Theod Meyerne 25. Divers Instances from Fernelius 26. Sir Theod. Meyerne ' s prudent Iudgment 27. Gerh. Vossius ' s Testimony 28. Lavater 29. Bishop Jos. Hall 30. Cyprian and a strange Story in him from Firmilianus 31. The New England Instances on Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Dyer published by Mr. Thomas Weld 32. Zanchy ' s Opinion that the Devil's Substance is in them that they move 33. Luther ' s Testimony 34. More of Melancthon ' s. Ch. VI. Mr. John Lewis and Mr. John Davis ' s Multitudes of Instances of Apparitions in Cardiganshire and near it of Knockers and Death-Lights Ch. VII Inst. 1. Mr. Tilson ' s Narrative from Rochester 2. Mr. Woodcock ' s Letter and four strange Stories One of Mr. Mun and one of Dr. Lamb and Mr. Barber and one of Mr. Herlakenden ' s House and of the Oundle Well Ch. VIII Of good Angels and some doubtful Spirits Inst. 1. Mr. Tate ' s Case 2. The Bolton Instance 3. The Afric Bishops whose Tongues were cut out 4. Somewhat from De la Cerda 5. Mr. Ketilby Woodhouse ' s Testimony of some saved from Sir Richard Greenvile 6. Of the Books of Prodigies 1662. 7. Of Lightnings tearing Churches 8. Of Whirlwinds and Hurricanes 9. Of Mrs. Britton s Apparition 10. More from De la Cerda 11. Hildanus ' s strange Story of Lightning Ch. IX Inst. 1. Of melancholy Persons Case 2. Of Enthusiasts Instances named of divers sorts Ch. X. Other strange Providences observable on my self on R. C. on Tho. Giles on J. D. Of Death fore-told Instance of Mr. Tiro Colonel Rich and his Lady's Letters of it Of the Glastonbury Thorn divers Letters Of the Kings of England and France Touching
THE CERTAINTY OF THE WORLDS of SPIRITS And Consequently Of the Immortality of Souls Of the Malice and Misery of the Devils and the Damned And of the Blessedness of the Justified Fully evinced by the unquestionable Histâ—ries of Apparitions Operations Witchcrafts Voices c. Written as an Addition to many other Treatises for the Conviction of Sadduces and Infidels By RICHARD BAXTER Eph 6.12 We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickednesses in high Places in Celestials Matth 8. 31 32. The Devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine And he said Go. Luk. 10. 18 20. I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven But in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you But rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven Heb. 2. 14. Are they not all the Angels ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation LONDON Printed for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside and I. Salisbury at the Rising Sun near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1601. THE PREFACE It seemeth hard to unruly Minds that God should keep Intellectual Souls so strange to the unseen World of Spirits that we know so little of them and that our Knowledge of them is no more by the way of â—ente But there is in it much of Gods â—rbitrary Soveraign Power and much of his Wisdom and much of his Justice and also of his Love 1. It pleased him to make Variety of Creatures What harmony would there be without Variety were there nothing but Unity there would be nothing but God And various Creatures must have a various Scituation Reception and Operations The Fishes must not dwell in our Cities nor be acquainted with our Affairs 2. We here dwell in Flesh in Bodies organized for the Souls Receptions and Perceptions and Operations And the Wisdom of God doth suitably dispose of his Communications and give us that measure of Light which is agreeable to our State The Sun must not shine on the Infant in the Womb nor must he there see our Buildings and Tradings and Business in the World 3. We have Light here that is proportionable to our work and interest So much as is necessary to our knowing of our selves and our God and Governour and our Duty and all those hopes that are our necessary Motives thereto Men that will but observe the Operations of their Souls may competently know what a Soul or Spirit is And Men that will but open their Eyes and considerately look about them may as certainly know that there is a God as they can know that there is any Being And Men that cannot but difference Moral Good and Evil and that know the Duty of Children to Parents Subjects to Rulers and Neighbours to Neighbours may know their Duty to God and that the performance of it shall not be in vain And if Men will not know all this which they may know it is just with God to leave them to their chosen darkness and not to know that which further might be known It is a dismal case to havea Soul that will not know it self to be what it is till utter Misery convince him 4. And the God of Love maketh Advantage of our not-seeing the World of Spirits for our Exercise of our higher Intellectual Faculties by a Life of Faith And Intuition a Nobler sort than our present Eye-sight will be seasonable and soon enough when ripeness hath made us ready for it We shall not need all the Organical parts of the Eye which Galen admiringly describeth for our Glorious sight And to see Devils and other Spirits ordinariâ—y would not be enough to bring our Atheists to the saving Knowledge of God without which all other Knowledge is vain They that doubt of a God the most perfect eternal infinite Being while they see the Sun and Moon and Stars the Sea and Land would not know him by seeing Created â—pirâ—ts As to the Originals of this Collection it had its rise from my own and other Mens need When God firâ—â— aâ—akened me to think with preparing seriousness of my Condition after Death I had not any observed Doubts of the Reality of Spirits or the Immortality of the Soul or of the Truth of the Gospel But all my doubts were about my own Renovation and Title to that Blessed Life But when God had given me peace of Conscience Satan Assaulted me with those worse Temptations Yet through Gods Grace they never prevailed against my Faith Nor did he ever raise in me the least doubt of the Being and â—erfection of God nor of my Duty to Love Honour Obey and Trust him For I still saw that to be an Atheist was to be â—â—ad But I fouâ—d thaâ— my Faiâ—h of Supernatâ—ral Revelaâ—ion â—â—st be more than a Believing Man and that if it had â—ot a firm Foundation and rooting even sure Evidence of Verity Surely Apprehended it was not like to do those great works that Faith had to do and to overcome the World the Flesh and the Devil and to make my Death to be safe and comfortable Therefore I found that all confirming helps were useful and among those of the lower sort Apparitions and other sensible Manifestations of the certain existence of Spirits of themselves Invisible was a means that might do much with such as are prone to judge by Sense The uses hereof I mention before the Book that the Reader may know that I write it for Practice and not to please Men with the Strangeness and Novelty of useless Stories It is no small number of Writers on such Subjects that I have read it 's near threescore years time from the fiâ—st occasion And finding that almost all the Athâ—ists Sadduces and Infidels did seem to profess that were they but sure of the Reality of the Apparitions and Operations of Spirits it would cure them I thought this the most suitable help for them that have sinned themselves into an incapacity of more Rational and Excellent Arguments And I have long feared lest secrâ—t unobserved defectiveness in their Belief of the Immortality of the Soul â—nd the truth of the Scripture is the great cause of all Mens other defects There lieth usually the unsoundness of Woridly Hypocrites where it is prevâ—iling and thence is the weakness of Graâ—e in the best though it prevail not against their Sincerity By which Motives I did though it displeased some make it the Second Fart of my Book called the Saints Rest And aftâ—rwardâ— provoked by Clement Writer I did it muâ—h more fully in a Book called the Unreasonableness of Infidelity And after that provoked by the Copy of a paper dispersed in Oxford said to be Dr. Walkers questioning the certainty of our Religion and seeing no answer to it come from the Univâ—rsity Men I wrote yet more Methodically of all in
for the Struma Ch. XI A strange Story from Belfast in Ireland fully attested in a Letter from Mr. Tho. Emlin a worthy Preacher now in Dublin Ch. XII A Dublin Instance attested by Mr. Daniel Williams now in London The Conclusion Concerning Angels and how to know bad Spirits from Good by the Matter and their Method And what Instruments Christ and Devils use in their greatest publick Warfare CHAP. I. Of the great and weighty Vses of these Histories of Spirits and their unusual Appearances and Works § I. I Have written this Collection only as an Addition to sufficient Proofs of invisible Powers or Spirits and their Actions towards Men which many in full Treatises have already given the World because how convincing soever those Discourses be Multitudes bred up in Idleness and Sensuality and thereby drowned in Sadduceism and Bestiality never see those Books nor will the Devil consent that they shall have so much Wit and Care of their future State as to make that diligent Enquiry after such Things as the Importance of the Matter doth require Nor will they read them if they have them nor believe the fullest Evidence though they read it pretending that of Persons and Things so long ago and far off they can have no Assurance not knowing what Fallacies may intervene Therefore I have chosen many near to them both for Time and Place of which if they think their Souls worth so much Labour they may enquire to Satisfaction § 2. Though I have taken many out of Foreign most credible Physicians and some from other Historians yet that I may not transcribe too much I desire them that need yet fuller Information to read especially Bodin and Remigius two Judges who condemned Multitudes of Witches themselves and Paul Grillandus and Sprangerus and the Mallei Maleficorum and Zanchy de Angelis Daemon and Danaeus Ioseph Glanvile with Dr. More 's Notes especially the Story in the West of Scotland near like that most convincing one of the Devil of Mascon and Dr. More of Atheism and Mr. Increase Mather and his Son Mr. Cotton Mather of New England their two Books of Witches of which the latter hath most convincing Evidence and Dr. Sinclare a Scot. § 3. I confess it is very difficult to expound the Causes of all mentioned in these Histories But proveâ— Matters of fact must not be denied but improved as well as we can And I confess very many Cheats of pretended Possessions have been discovered which hath made â—ome weak injudicious Men think that all are such Two sorts of Persons have oft been found Deceivers 1. Persons prepared and trained up purposely by Papists Priests to honour their Exorcisms You may find in print the Story of the Boy of Bilson Petrius who afterwards I heard turned Quaker at Bristol detected and shamed by Bp. Morton himself Many such abroad are recorded 2. Lustful Rank Girls and young Widows that plot for some amorous procacious Design or have Imaginations conquered by Lust Though I think when they come to a Furor uterinus Satan oft sets in But he forfeiteth the Benefit of his own Eye-sight who thinks that none see because some Beggars counterfeit Blindness § 4. The Instances tell us 1. That the State Converse Policy Laws of the AErial World or Regions are much thought not wholly unknown to us here 2. And so is the Natural State of the departed Souls of wicked Men as to their having Bodies or no Bodies their Power their Wits their Motions and Passions 3. And also whether they be proper Devils when joyned with them or of another Species 4. And 't is hard to know by their Words or Signs when it is a Devil and when it is a Humane Soul that appeareth 5. Yea it is oft hard to know whether it be the Soul of a good Person or a bad 6. And consequently what distance there is in their Habitations 7. Yea and oft whether it be a good Angel or a bad seeing bad ones may do good deceitfully or by Constraint 8. And 't is unsearchable to us how far God leaveth Invisible Intellectual Powers to Free Will about inferiour things suspending his predetermining Motion though not his general Motion and Concourse 9. Yea we are not fully certain whether these AErial Regions have not a third sort of Wights that are neither Angels Good or Fallen nor Souls of Men but such as have been there placed as Fishes in the Sea and Men on Earth And whether those called Fairies and Goblins are not such But as all these and more such are unknown to us so God seeth it meet for us that it should be so and we should not so much as desire or endeavour that it might be otherwise § 5. But we may know which must suffice us 1. That no Spirits can do any thing but by God's Will or Permission 2. And that God will never permit them eventually to frustrate his Love and Mercy to his People nor to break any one of his Promises to them 3. And that good Spirits are Servants and evil Ones Slaves to Jesus Christ our Redeemer and shall not frustrate his Grace and Undertaking 4. It is surely a wicked sort of Spirits that delight to do Mischief and that lye and deceive Men and that are ambitious to be worshipped and to have Men's Souls and Bodies in their power and make killing and damning Men their Work 'T is evident that their Knowledge and Misery hath not yet changed them by Repentance and made them better 5. 'T is evident that they are Enemies to God and to Jesus Christ for their whole Design is against them and against sanctifying saving Work 6. It is plain that they know that Man hath another Life to live Their Works attest the Immortality of our Souls and the Truth of Christianity in that they maliciously do so much against them They urge Men to renounce God and Christ and his Commandments and Worship their Baptism and all true Service of God They urge Persons to sell their Souls to them and to forsake all that tends to save them Their Importunity to destroy us should teach us the Need of the greatest Care and Diligence for our Salvation 7. It seemeth plain that they are now of a low and base Condition of Nature in that they seek such sordid Employments about Graves and Corps and multitudes of sordid trivial things 8. And it seems that they dwell near us in the Air Earth and Sea and not in the higher glorious Regions 9. And it is apparent that they have a natural Strength and Ways of working unknown to us by the Wonders that they do 10 It is very like that the â—ouâ—s of wicked Men now dwell with them as they must do for ever and are like them 11. I think it most likely that when Witches Men and Women confess their filthy Lying with Devils that it is done more to exercise the Lust of the Witch than of the Devil And that sometimes he doth it by
a Body of gross Air and sometimes may gratifie the Lust of one Witch on another or on a tempted ignorant Wretch He that can bring a Witch in without opening the Door can bring such an one Male or Female into another's Bed 12. It is not impossible that wicked Souls may carry with them hence their filthy Inclinations and Desire to use them 13. It is plain that Devils and wicked Souls are not yet in the utmost of their Misery but are reserved in Chains to the Judgment of the great Day of Christ Such joking and dallying and whistling as the Devil of Mascon and many other used shew this 14. It is clear that whether you call it in State or Place I think both the blessed Souls and Angels are far above these in a higher World or Region and no wonder if they appear more rarely to Men on Earth 15. Yet Angels can be here and do their Office for us without such Descent as shall abate their Joy and Glory and why not blessed Souls too if they shall be equal with Angels The Sun can enlighten every Eye here without losing its higher Residence 16. When revengeful things are done as on Murderers Defrauders c. it seems to be from the revengeful Wrath of some bad Soul especially when it is about Money or Lands it seemeth to savour of the Worldly Mind Yet it is uncertain whether it may not be from the Justice of God and governing Angels sending the Evil Spirits on such Errands A Hawk and a Hound are fitter Messengers to destroy than a Dove or a Lamb. 17. When a Genius sheweth some Kindness to the Soul as his that I mentioned that knocketh at his Bed's Head and about him after every time that he is drunk and one that Bodin mentioneth that was stricken when he said or did amiss it is uncertain to us whether it be a good Angel or the Soul of some former dear Friend that procureth this Leave to try to turn and save the Sinner Or whether Christ and Angels force Satan to do it against his Will 18. Though the unquenchable Fire which is to follow will shew the utmost Severity of God's Justice there is some signification of his Mercy to the Wicked in suspending it so far as to allow them such a Condition as many of these Apparitions signifie by their Words and Deeds 19. Yet here is nothing to encourage their Opinion that think such Souls or Demons are but in via and have another Day of Hope and Means to use in possibility of Salvation And though many are said to have begged of the Living for Mastes and Prayers it is liker to prove a Diabolical Cheat to promote Superstition than that there is a Purgatory-State of Hope 20. Those that are tempted to think that Souls are all one and that Individuation is only by Corporeal Matter and that Individuation ceaseth at Death are by all these Examples fully confuted Devils and wicked Souls have their Numerical Individuation and therefore no Godly Person need to fear the Loss of it Either it is good or bad for us If good shall the Wicked and Devils have it and not the Godly If bad why should it be desired Angels are Individuals and shall not our Souls § 6. These great Benefits we may get by the right Use of these Histories and such others 1. We may learn to admire that Frame of Divine Government that hath Creatures so various to rule and order and maketh one beautiful Frame of all As Toads and Serpents on Earth are not useless nor devouring Fishes Birds and Beasts so neither are Devils nor damned Souls no nor their Sins which God will use though he will not cause 2. We may gather that in Heaven it self there will be an orderly Oeconomy and difference of degrees of Superiority and of Glory when there is so great difference through all the World All shall not be equal to them that shall sit on twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes There are many Mansions in that House even to them that be all with Christ. 3. We have great Cause to be very thankful to God that doth not let loose wicked Spirits against us that they are not here our Terror and Tormentors 4. How great a Mercy is it that we have a Saviour that hath power over them and hath Redeemed us from their Power and from everlasting Damnation 5. We may see that the Angels of God are not useless to us but their Ministry is one of Gods Means for our Preservation and we owe them Love and Thanks for all their Love and Service And it is not through Pride or Insensibility of this benefit that we do not worship them whom we see not 6. If the Devils possessing and tormenting Mens Bodies be so heavy a Plague how much worse is it to have him the Master of their Souls O! How carefully should we resist his Temptations Every Sin that we commit through Love to it or by Wilfulness or Sloth is worse to us and more pleasing to the Devil than to be Tormented so long by him He mist of his aim at Iob when he could not by all his Sufferings draw him to Sin O! how much more miserable is a Worldly Proud Gluttonous Dives Lord Knight or Gentleman and sensual Youth â—iâ—â—racted with Vain Mirth and Lust than one Bewitcht or Bodily only possest by Devils And how much should the most godly be afraid of Sin and of Temptations 7. It is a sensible help as to Convince Brutists and Atheists and Infidels so to confirm the best Believers against all Temptations to doubt of the Life to come and the Immortality of Souls and the future Judgment and Retribution And though it be our shame to need such helps it is a Mercy to have them If a Sadducee will say If one did come from the Dead or I saw such things I would believe should not our Faith be past wavering that have these added to the greater Gospel proofs 8. It 's matter of Comfort to departing faithful Souls that these evil Spirits that are chained up now and not suffered to disturb us shall not hinder our passage to Glory If we must pass through the Air inhabited by Devils and Wicked Souls Angels will Convey us and Christ receive us and it shall not be to our hurt or loss 9. It should always keep the Souls of the Faithful in joyful gratitude for the work of Regeneration Grace Justification and Salvation which was our great Deliverance from Devils And teach us to live as the saved of the Lord. 10. It should warn all to take heed that they be not helpers and Servants to Devils in Tempting and Destroying Souls O! how many do his work that defie his Name All that by wicked example and scandal harden Men in Sin they that Tempt People to Pride and Lust and fleshly pleasures They that draw them into the Company of Vain Lascivious Lustful Ryotous and Ungodly persons They that madly
that shall make a perfect Cure that you shall need come to me no more then he gave them a Bag to hang about the Youth's Neck and Powder to take in White wine for one weeks time Order was given by him when the Youth had worn the Collar about his Neck for a while the Youth should take it off himself and burn it but Mr. Elson the Boy 's Master took off the Collar after it had been on two Days and a Night and shewed it to some to inquire whether it were not a charm there being nothing in the Collar but a Paper with this writing Callen Dan Dant Dan Dant Callen Dan Callen Dant Mr. Elson kept the Paper by him after 't was taken from the Boy 's Neck about eighteen Weeks not suffering it to be applied again being told that it seemed to be a meer Charm and the Boy being ask'd if he were content to have his Fits again rather than have a Cure from the Devil who would not cure his Body without greater prejudice to his Soul than his Bodily Distemper could be reckoned he very readily answered he would rather choose to have his Fits again and would leave himself to the Hands of God for his Disease or Cure When this Distemper left him for the Eighteen Weeks he returned considerably to his Senses and Memory beyond what he had before particularly to be able to sort Wooll at his Trade which he had not been able to do in a Year and quarter before About the Sixth Week of these Eighteen the Father went to Mr. Gibs again and told him how the Note was taken off and that several had the sight of it Gibs then said If the Fits do return again he will be worse than ever and at their return he should be able to do him no good His Fits at the return were indeed far more terrible than before and much of another kind than those of other Persons in the Fallen-sickness And these Fits did return to him about 18 or 19 VVeeks after they ceased upon a Shrove-Tuesday Mr. Elson inquiring into the time when they returned said it was when he threw the Paper that haâ— been about the Youth's Neck into the Firâ— and burnt it unwilling to keep such a thing any longer This Gibs hath the general repute of a VVizard and his Father before him The Youth hath a long time been utterly deprived of the use of his Reason and is clothed and otherwise used as a meeâ— Natural and his Fits so dreadful that Persons are afraid to behold him After the return of his Fits he was puâ— to one Yoe's in St. Thomas's where hâ— wrought at his Trade of VVorsted-combing and some means were used for his Fits which he pretended to have some Skill in curing whose Means were used about a Month without any success then and therâ— being at his VVork and some signs appearing of an approaching Fit they set him oâ— a Stool thence he fell in a Fit and brakâ— his Leg the main Bone in two pieces another Bone in many pieces Then he waâ— brought home to his Father's House and the Bones being set the Chyrurgion said iâ— he should have another Fit his Cure would be impossible he lay about a Month oâ— five VVeeks very free from Fits till his Bones were so well knit that he could walk abroad with Crutches which he did for a while and then his Fits returned in the same manner as before his Bone was broken After his Leg was well recovered he was carried to Mr. Pridham of Morchard he prescribed Means which he hop'd would do him good if there were any alteration by the use of his Pills which he then gave him to carry with him and take when he came home but before the Pills he had ordered a Vomit to be taken in the working of which they thought he would die Then they gave him the Pills which after they had stay'd above an Hour in his Stomach he vomited them up as they were taken which were put up again in the Box and shewed to Mr. Pridham who said If they had been given to a Child of two Months old they would have been digestâ—ed in half an Hour Upon hearing the whole he said certainly there is something extraordinary in the case Being asked if he could do him no good he said he did not question but he could but being a Minister he feared he should lose his Benefice by Peoples saying he was a VVhite-VVitch The Youth's Mother apprehended that Mr. Staddon drop'd some such words that her Son was bewitch'd or possess'd or somewhat to that purpose who went through a Course of Physick with the Youth and found nothing did answer Expectation For some Years the Youth hath been much prejudiced in his Speech sometimes he cannot speak at all but is as one dumb for a VVeek or Fortnight together He speaks plain enough between but when be hath the Dumb Fits he can hardly move his Tongue in his Mouth and he is generally so deprived of Reason that he is clad and otherwise used as a meer Idiot This Narrative was taken in the beginning of April 1688. Memorandum The Youth continues in the same condition till this 27 th of September 1689. XIII Tho' I collect much written heretofore I must not transcribe other Mens Books I here desire the Reader to read in Dr. Sinclare's Book called Satan's Invisible World among 36 Histories the X. called The Devil of Genluce where he will find such another Case as that of the Devil of Mascon where the Spirit besides other Acts oâ— Molestation and Violence for a long time continued familiar talking to Men before so many Witnesses as leaveth the truth oâ— the History unquestionable XIV The Hanging of a great number oâ— Witches in Suffolk and Essex by the discovery of one Hopkins in 1645 and 1646 iâ— famously known Mr. Calamy went along with the Judges in the Circuit to heaâ— their Confessions and see that there werâ— no Fraud or Wrong done them I spake with many Understanding Pious and Credible Persons that lived in the Countries and some that went to them to the Prisons and heard their sad Confessions Among the rest an old Reading Parson named Lowis not far from Franlingham was one that was Hanged who confessed that he had two Imps and that one of them was always putting him on doing Mischief and he being near the Sea as he saw a Ship under Sail it moved him to send him to sink the Ship and he consented and saw the Ship sink before him One Penitent Woman confessed that her Mother lying sick and she looking to her somewhat like a Mole ran in to the Bed to her which she being startled at her Mother bid her not fear it but gave it her saying Keep this in a Pot by the Fire c. and thou shalt never want She did as she was bid shortly after a poor Boy seemingly came in and askt leave to sit and warm him at
Atheists are not to be convinced by Stories Their own Sences will no more convert them than Sence will convert a Papist from Transubstantiation and Scottish Stories would make the disaffected jeer Scotland which is the object of Scorn enough already When I was in Dorsetshire Prisoner one Mr. Io. Hodder Minister of Hauke-Church in that County told me of strange Apparitions and unquestionable Evidences of the actings of Spirits in a House yea a Religious House of that Country of which he was himself an Ear and Eye Witness In Dorchester also the Son of Reverend Mr. Io. White who was Assessor to the Assembly at Westminster told me many Particulars of that House in Lambeth where his Father lived in the time of the Assembly which then was unquestionably haunted with Spirits I do well remember I dined with old Mr. White then one day and at Dinner he told us much of it and that that Morning the Spirit called up the Maid to lay the Beef to the Fire Of the two last you may be satisfied when you please and at this present I am told there is a House at FolieIohn-Park not three miles from the place haunted with Spirits But I must leave room for my Loudun Nuns and not write a Book In the Year 1637 being at Paris in the Spring the City was so full of the possession of a whole Cloyster of Nuns and some Laick Wenches at Loudun Books Printed and strange Stories told that few doubted it and I who was perswaded such a thing might be and that it was not impossible the Devil could possess a Nun as well as another doubted it as little as any body So coming into that Country I went a days Journey out of my way to satisfie my Curiosity Into the Chappel I came in the Morning of a Holy Day and with as little prejudice as any could have for I believed verily to have seen some strange sights but when I had seen Exorcising enough of three or four of them in the Chappel and could hear nothing but wanton Wenches singing baudy Songs in French I begun to suspect a Fourbe and in great Gravity went to a Jesuite and told him I had come a great way in hope to see some strange thing and was sorry to be disappointed He commended my Holy Curiosity and after he had thought a while he desired me to go to the Castle and from thence at such an Hour to the Parish Church and I should be satisfied I wonder'd at his Correspondence yet gravely went where he directed me In the Castle I saw little but in the Parish Church I saw a great many people gazing and a Wench pretty well taught to play Tricks yet nothing so much as I have seen twenty Tumblers and Rope-dancers do Back I came to the Nuns Chappel where I saw the Iesuits still hard at work at several Altars and one poor Capuchin who was an Object of Pity for he was possessed indeed with a Melancholy Fancy that Devils were running about his Head and constantly was applying Relicks I saw the Mother Superior exorcised and saw that Hand on which they would have made us believe The names I. H. S. MARIA IOSEPH were written by Miracles but it was apparent to me it was done with Aqua Fortis then my Patience was quite spent and I went to a Iesuit and told him my Mind freely He still maintained a real Possession and I desired for a tryal to speak a strange Language He asked what Language I told him I would not tell but neither he nor all those Devils should understand me He asked if I would be converted upon the Tryal for I had discovered I was no Papist I told him that was not the Question nor could all the Devils in Hell pervert me but the Question was If that was a real Possession and if any could understand me I shall confess it under my Hand His answer was These Devils have not travelled and this I replyed to with a loud Laughter Nor could I get any more Satisfaction Only in the Town I heard enough that it was a Cheat invented to burn a Curate his name as I take it was Cupif and the Man had been really burnt to Ashes as a Witch but the People said it was for his Conversion from them At my coming to Saumur next day my Country-man Dr. Duncan Principal of the Colledge at Saumur told me how he had made a clearer Discovery of the Cheat in presence of the Bishop of Poitiers and of all the Country how he had held fast one of the pretended possessed Nuns Arms in spite of all the Power of their Exorcisms and challenged all the Devils in Hell to take it out of his Hand This with many more Circumstances he told me and he printed them to the World but this is already too tedious One more Journey I made to see Possessed Women exorcised near Antwerp Anno 1649. but saw only some great Holland Wenches hear Exorcism patiently and belch most abominably So if those were Devils they were windy Devils but I thought they were only possessed with a Mornings Draught of too new Beer Some of the Loudun Nuns after great Resistance and Squeeking did on great importunity adore their Host and the Iesuites did desire us to see the power of Church where all I wondered at was his Blasphemy in saying to the pretended Devil Prostratum ador abis creatorem tuum quem digitis teneo But my Paper as well as my Discretion calls for an End Your Desire and my Obedience is all I can plead for your receiving so long a Rabble from Sir Your most faithful Friend and Servant Lauderdaile Windsor-Castle March 12. 1659. CHAP. V. More Examples I. ALexander Benedictus lib. 7. Pract. cap. 25. recited by Skenkius Lib. 7. Obs. 33. saith that he saw two Women Neighbours and Companions bewitched that were both taken with Vomiting the same Day One vomited a Head-Bodkin crooked like a Hook and a deal of Woman's Hair and Parings of Nails and died the next Night The other vomited much Woman's Hair and pieces of Nitre and three Lumps of Dog's Hair dried the quantity of a Dog's Tail II. Benivenius cap. 8. saith he saw and had in Cure a Woman tormented with a swolen Belly tossed up and down who he thought had been hysterical But at last she vomited long crooked Nails and brass Needles and Wax and Lumps of Hair and bigger Lumps of Meat than any one can swallow and she doted and prophesied and did other things above natural Power III. Langius Lib. 1. Epist. 38. nameth Vlricus Neusessor a Husbandman who was tormented in one of his Sides and at last felt a Nail of Iron under the whole Skin which the Chirurgeon cut out but his Pain still increased so that in Impatience he cut his Throat and died He nameth the Persons who were present when he was opened and they found in his Stomach a long round piece of Wood and four Knives of Steel partly
and saith that if much Aluminous Matter and Salt Peter not throughly prepared be mixt they will send up a Cloud of Smoak even to the middle Region of the Air which will come down as Rain in Drops XVI Erasmus and others tell us of a Witch at a Town near them or rather as Devil that appeared and threatned to burn their Houses and on the top of a Chimney holding a Pot of Ashes scattered them abroad and presently the Town was burnt XVII The felling of Winds in the Northern Seas towards Lapland and Iseland is so commonly asserted by Mariners and Historians that I shall omit particular Instances Olaus Magnus and others will tell the Reader of that and more in those cold parts XVIII What shall we say to the many certain Histories of the fresh bleeding of Murdered Bodies when the Murderer is brought to it or at least when he toucheth it whether it be by the Soul of the Dead or by a good Spirit that hateth Murther or by the Devil appointed for Revenge it seems plainly to be by an invisible Spirit 's Operation I have heard persons so Credible give Instances of it seen by themselves that though it be not a constant Event it is surely Credible The aforesaid Scribonius ubi supra p. 123. c. faith This is done so manifestly and in so many places that to deny it is but open Lies And he answers them that refer it to other Causes only and saith I'll testifie what I have seen when Iames ab Aquaria Patricius of Arles was dead Vateriola a Physician of great Experience citing some Verses of Lucretius of mad Love saith In this Verse Lucretius thinks that the Blood of a Man affected and wounded by a Beam from the Eyes doth pass into wounded as the Blood of one slain by a a Man's Sword falleth into him that falleth But saith Scribonius I had rather Valeriola had said It is done by the Secret Judgment of God XIX Scribonius p 126. For the strangeness of the thing saith he I will bring but one Example In the County of Lippia at Vftenia a Woman that had killed her Child cast it into the next River Secretly the Child after 3 weeks was found there by 2 Maids and by the Command of the Magistrates it was put into the Lap or Bosom of the Mother being in Prison to try whether the Carkass would sweat Blood Hereupon the dead Infant presently opened the left Eye and weeping much look'd on the Mother and that Eye being shut Blood flowed out of it This Example is certainly a stupendous sign of God's Judgment It was seen of very many most Grave Men and is not doubted of by the Inhabitants of that place XX. A Godly Minister Mr. Farnworth that came hither from New England being a Nonconformist and extream poor dyed as all about him said of meer Poverty for want of warm Cloaths Fire and Food when the Act of Uniformity had begger'd many into extream necessity he testify'd that in America hearing of a Sacrifice to the Devil that the Savages used to keep by offering a Man to him he went to see them perform it and he found a great number about a dry Pit and they brought an old Man bound and by many ugly Ceremonies devoted him And he saw the Man carried up into the Air and quickly thrown down again dead among them XXI Ludov. Vives de Verit. fidei lib. 1. saith That in America it is a common thing to see Spirits appear to Men in various Shapes day and night So Olaus Magnus saith of the Iselanders XXII I know none that hath written better de Angelis de Potentia Daemonum than Zanchy who Tom. 3. c. 4 de Pot. Dem. saith He wonders that any should deny that there are such Spirits as are called Hags or Fairies as exercise Familiarity with Men and without hurting them come to them and trouble them as playing with them I could saith he bring many Examples of persons yet living that have had Experience of them on themselves But hence it appeareth that there are such Spirits in the Air and that when God permits them they use their Power on us for sport or hurt Read him there further XXIII I have elsewhere cited the most Credible Melanchthon saying he had seen some and that many persons of his Acquaintance had seen and talk'd with them and that the Devil appeared to his own Aunt in the likeness of her dead Husband with a Franciscan Fryar and told her she must hire some Masses to be said for him and took her by the Hand saying he would not hurt her but it so burnt her Hand that it remained black ever after See Fernelius de abditis rerum Causis lib. 2. c. 16. of many things that he saw himself that are convincing XXIV Dr. Henricus ab Heer Observ. viii A little Girl in the ninth year of her Age for Beauty Education or Birth inferior to none where she lived having innocently put into her Mouth a Sorrel Leaf which was given her by a Witch that begged at the Door to whom she had first given a piece of Bread and then some Beer it was scarce swallowed by her when she began to be Tortured in her Bowels to Tremble all over and then to be convulst and in fine to swoon away and fall as one dead The Doctor and Doctress being called for at Vtrecht where this thing happen'd in May 1625. it is Customary for both Sexes to practise Physick though they for many days Experimented the Remedies usual in this case the Child found no Relief but was still Afflicted with very frequent and most terrible paroxysms Whereupon as the Custom of the Country is they Consult the Exorcists The Priest appointed for that work a Capuchin had scarce laid his hand on the Ritual when the Child was Transformed by the Demon into such Shapes as a Man that hath not beheld it with his Eyes will hardly be brought to imagine It began first to rowl it self about and next to Vomit Horse-dung Needles Pins Hairs Feathers Bottoms of Thread Pieces of glass Windows Nails drawn out of Cart or Coach Wheels an Iron Knife above a Span long Egg and Fish Shells In the mean while her Parents and those of the Neighbourhood observe that whenever the Witch came near the House or so much as turned her Eye towards it even at the Distance of two hundred paces the poor Child was in much greater Torment than before insomuch that she could by no means be eased of her Fit or shew one sign of Life until she was at a very great Distance from her This Witch was soon after apprehended and confest both this and infinite other the like Feats for which she was Strangled and Burnt Being desired by a Father Jesuit who Assisted her in her last Agony and at that Moment on which depends Eternity when the Executioner had now sitted the Rope to her Neck that she would dissolve the the Spell and
Prayer and had some respect to the place serving God to cast out the Devil And from that time never was any such noise heard in the Chamber This I had from Mr. Harlakenden's own Mouth and his Servants Ear-witnesses when I was upon the place Ita Testatur Tho. Woodcocke CHAP. VIII Of good Angels and some doubtful Spirits and their notable Actions THis sort of Operations is of more pleasant Consideration than the Diabolical and as convincing of the Agency of Superior Spirits on things below but so many have written of it as maketh my farther Labour needless Let them that would see more read Mr. Isaac Ambrose of our Communion with Angels the Lord Lawrence Mr. Samuel Clark's Mirrour Zanchy de Angelis c. Bodin tells us of one of his Acquaintance that had a good Genius that would always give him notice when he did ill by a stroke and what he should do when he omitted it I pass by old Writers I will mention now but these few I. That of Mr. Tate in Ireland mentioned by Mr. Clark and Mr. Ambrose and confirmed to me by his near Relations that knew of it Dr. Tate with his Wife and Children being stripp'd and forced to flee for their Lives by the Irish when they were murdering Thousands in their Rebellion in 1641. They were wandering in unknown places upon Commons covered with Snow and having no Food and she carrying a Sucking Child and having no Milk she went to lay down the Child to die and on the Brow of a Bank she found a Suck-bottle with sweet Milk in it no Foot-steps appearing in the Snow of any that should bring it thither and far from any Habitation which preserved the Child's Life who after became a Blessing to the Church II. When Prince Rupert march'd with his Army through Lancashire to York-Fight where he was overthrown the Town of Bolton made some Resistance in his Passage and he gave them no Quarter but killed Men and Women When he was gone those that escaped came out from the places where they lurked and an old Woman found in the Streets a Woman killed and a Child by her not dead The old Woman took up the Child and to still its crying put her own Breast to the Child which had not given Suck as I remember of above twenty Years The Child being quieted she presently perceived Milk to come and continued to give the Child sufficient Milk till it was provided for I had the full Assurance of this from my worthy Friend Mrs. Hunt Wife to Mr. Rowland Hunt of Harrow on the Hill who told me that she her self was one that was appointed by the Committee to make Trial of the Case and she found it true and the old VVoman's Breasts to give the Child Milk as was reported And she told me in 1665 that the said Child was at that time alive a Servant-woman in London III. Though I lay no great stress on the Reports of those Papists who corrupt Church-History by Fabulous Mixtures yet many Histories of the Ministry of Angels cited by them out of the Fathers are credible Those that have purged their Legends retain a great number Baronius and De la Cerda and many others are worth the reading by the Judicious that can discern the different Probabilities But to deny all the Ejecting of Devils and the VVonders mentioned by Tertullian Origen Cyprian Chrysostom Augustine Sulpitius Severas those of Gregory Thaumaturgus Martin c. tho' some may be over-aggravated besides those in Historians Eusebius Socrates Sozomen Victor Vticensis Procopius Nicephorus Theodoret c. would be unreasonable and unchristian Incredulity I have formerly mentioned the African Bishops or Preachers who all spake well when their Tongues were cut out by the Command of the Arrian King And Victor AEnaeas Gazaeus and Procopius as I remember all three said they saw them and heard them speak after But one of them saith that one of the Bishops was after drawn into the Sin of Fornication and his Speech went away again 'T is strange if all the Stories in Caesarius should be false IV. De la Cerda saith that Albertine a Jesuit told him that a young Man came hastily to him to confess and told him O Sir saith he I could not stay so strange a thing hath befallen me I and my Companion were resolved in Revenge against one that had wronged me to go after him into the Fields and kill him And while I was setting my Pistol in order that I might not miss a beautiful young Man stood by me and asked me what I was about And when I denied to tell him he told me that he knew my purpose and dissuaded me and in short did so open the Sufferings of Christ for his Eâ—â—mies and what Sins he had forgiven us and bound us to forgive one another that I was melted into Tears and my Mind changed and the young Man vanished away An Angel if true V. I 'll make no Application of it to thâ— Cause in our late VVar but I knew 〈◊〉 many strange Preservations One credibâ—â— Person had a Bullet shot through the feâ— of his Hat and stopp'd at the Lining and hurt him not Another had a small Bible in his Pocket and a Musket-Bullet shot into his Bible which saved his Life The Story of Sir Richard Greenvile's Executions is printed already by Mr. Clark and others To confirm it Mr. Kettleby Woodhouse Sister's Son to Justice Kettleby and to Walter Kettleby the Bookseller's Father a sober credible Man then living in Bewdeley oft told me that he was one of the Five or Seven whose Lives were saved Being Soldiers for the Parliament and taken Prisoners Sir Richard Greenvile commanded them all to be hanged The first Man being turned off the Ladder a new Hempen Rope brake They sent for another and hang'd him again and that brake and as I remember a third Whereupon Sir R. G. saved them all And Mr. Woodhouse all the while stood by the Gallows expecting his Turn and by this escap'd 'T is like it was by an invisible Power VI. In 1662. came out divers Books of new Prodigies most of them as Executions on notorious Sinners and some as Deliverances of better Men. I read them and enquired after the Matter of Fact and I found by what Policy Satan hath perverted History and obscured the Honour of God's Works by causing weak-headed factious Persons to over do I found many of the Strange things there mentioned had sufficient Proof But the Writers dropp'd in many Circumstances and Stories by partial Credibility that were not true And this frustrated the Books and the Prodigies by spoiling the Credit of all the rest VII I know not what to impute it to that Lightnings and Thunder-bolts fall more upon Churches than upon Castles and City Stone Walls or any such Buildings IerseyCastle indeed was torn with the Gun-powder set on fire by Lightning as Heydelberg had terribly been as a Presage of the greater Evil following And what
was it but an invisible Power that there caused the Lord's Child that was Governor to be blown up and cast down again on the Leads without Hurt Angels have a special Care of Infants The Church that my Grandmother wâ— boâ— near had a Ball of Fire by Lighâ—ning came in at the Belfrey-window anâ— turn'd up the Grave-stones and went out aâ— the Chancel-window The Church that I was baptized in Higâ— Ercall close to the Lord Newport's Housâ— had in such a Storm the Leads 〈◊〉 and cast on the back-side of the 〈◊〉 land in the War was levelled 〈◊〉 Ground The Church of Anthony in Cornwall near Plimouth was torn by Lightning at the time of Worship on Whit-Sunday 1640. and People hurt and ones Brains struck up to a Pillar It is in Print So was used much like the Church of Withicombe in Devonshire near the same time The Church where the present Lord Chamberlain Earl of Dorset and Middlesex his Ancestors Monuments were was torn by Lightning that came in at the Steeple melted the Bells and went up to the Chancel and there tore the Monuments in pieces I saw pieces of the Monuments that had some of the Golden Letters which a truly worthy Lady brought home that went from TunbridgeWaters to see the Church Many and many Churches have been thus torn proportionably so much beyond all other Buildings especially of Stone that I cannot but think there is some knowing Agent that maketh the Choice though I know not who nor why Except a few Hay-Ricks I remember not that till this Seventy sixth Year of my Age I have known Lightenings to have had Hurting Power on any Buildings but Churches save very rarely and small as this last Year at Islington it entred a House and kill'd a Woman and Child Nor to have torn any Wood but Oak which in Trees and Buildings I have seen torn where I dwelt But divers persons have been killed and scorch'd by it An Eminent Knight that I knew is commonly said to have been struck dead by it in his Garden VIII Though Hurricanes and Whirlwinds have Natural Causes yet I have great cause to think that they are managed by some Spirits as I said before of Storms Gunpowder worketh in Guns according to its nature but if some Rational Agent did not invent make and manage it all its Power would be of little use I have marvelled to see my own small Linnen spred out by Servants to dry to be suddenly catcht up and carried over the Town and Steeple away and never more heard of Near the time when some Reapers in the Vale of Evesham were hurt writhen and one killed with a Whirlwind I was walking in a Gravelly Way in a Corn-field there being a Lane besides me between two Hedges suddenly a Whirlwind came up the Cart-way casting up the Gravelly Sand directly to meet me when it came within Ten or Twelve Yards of me I was about stepping out of the way into the Corn to escape it but it suddenly turned out of the way to the Right-hand into the Lane from me so as perswaded me that it was a voluntary Motion directed by a friendly Power for it went straight on up the Lane and tore the Hedges and Branches of the Trees on the side of the Laneâ— But these are small effects to what other see especially of the great Hurricanes at Sea in the West-Indies The Spirits that Rule in the Air have great Power of the Airy Motions IX Though Porphyry and Proclus and Iamblicus tell us that bad Demons will oft speak for good Actions and against bad in Pride and Subtilty to be thought good yet it is hard to think that it is not rather a good Spirit that speaks for some notable good Work where no by-End is discernable As that mentioned by Mr. Glanvil and Dr. More of Dr. Britton's Wife whose likeness appeared after Death to her Servant-Maid and shewed her a parcel of Land that was as part of her Brothers and told her it belonged to the Poor and was unjustly alienated from them and bid her tell the Possessor that he must restore it and gave her a Secret to tell him if he refused And upon the angry refusal when he heard the Secret he yielded and restored the Land to the Poor who now possess it X. The said Heathen Philosophers say that they are all bad Spirits that seek to be worshiped and that to procure it they will seem to be Religious but will tell many Lies for one Truth and that lying is a chief mark to know them by By this I suspect that there are bad Spirits that come to speak for the getting so many Masses to be said for them to deliver them from Purgatory and such Pilgrimages to be performed And those that tempt the People to Pray to them and to Honour them for their Services and Prayers for them of which their Legends abound with Instances De la Cerda concludeth his Book of Angels with Forms of such Prayers And what Office hath not such De la Cerda lib. 23. citeth Miraculous Appearances of the Cross and so do many others which I leave to the Readers Judgment As also the Lady of Lauretto's Miracles and others such which many write of XI I think some Rational Spirit was probably the Agent of what was written by our great Pious Credible Surgeon and Physician Fabricius Hildanus Obser. Cent. 3. obs 26. A Noble and Virtuous Lord Iob. a Rosle going for his Studies to Friburg with two Servants on the way rose a great Storm with Thunder Lightening and Rain His Servant perswaded him to let him ride close to him and cover him with his Cloak so joining their Horses they rode under one Cloak A great stroke of a Thunderbolt struck down the Master the Servant and both the Horses the Servant and two Horses immediately were dead The Nobleman by God's keeping scaped safe and sound yet no hurt was seen on the Horses nor on the Servant save on his Hat which had a great Hole and the Head after swelled and turned black But on the Nobleman himself were all these Marvels 1. The Thunderbolt struck him about the Left-Arm and there made a hole through the Sleeve of his Doublet and Shirt and made a black mark on the Skin which remained but without hurt The hole in the Sleeve was small without and great within 2. Thence it descended and broke in pieces some Coral Beads of a Bracelet which he wore on his Arm but broke not the String 3. Then on his Left-side his Sword Sheath being tyed it melted the point of his Sword as if it had been Lead and by melting the gilded Iron it made a hole in the Band for its passage out 4. And on both his Ancles were black spots like Pitch and are yet visible Another riding a Stones cast before him his Horse and he were cast down but without hurt save the loss of his Hearing Hildanus saw the Cloaths Boots and Sword
a Human Soul and Body And so that Christ hath three Natures a Divine a Superangelical and a Humane But of this oft elsewhere This opinion is reconciling as to the Artans who have affirmed Christ to be a Creature above Angels And if God made such a Creature methinks it should be easie to perswade them that he that is as the Center and more than a Soul maketh all the World to be One though of unlike parts doth primarily unite himself with the first and Noblest of his productions Objection But Scripture saith that Abraham called one of these Lord. Answer That Name both Adonai and Elohun are oft given to Creatures And if the Name of Iehovah be sometimes used as to Angels it is only meant to God speaking by them whom Abraham knew to be present though Invisible and to know all that was said Yet further it was an Angel that appeared to Mâ—ses in the burning the Bush and so that sent him on his work to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and Fortified him with power of Miracles and made him his great promises of Success And yet no doubt it was God and the Text is true that affirmeth both Therefore it must be God speaking and acting by the Ministry of an Angel Commissioned to use his Name It was Angels that gave Mâ—ses the Law in the Mount Sinai For so saith the Scripture But it was God by them who were his Voice and Finger that made and wrote the Tables and spake all the words these were all Great and Wonderful Ministrations God promised Moses that his Angels should go before the Israelites to conquer their Enemies and bring them into the promised Land And he chargeth them not to provoke him for Gods Name was upon him and he would not forgive their Iniquities What greater things could be said than that an Angel shall bear Gods Name and be their Captain and Conquer their Enemies and be their Governour and not forgive their wilful Sins In Ioshuahs War at Iericho an Angel appeareth and professeth himself the Captain of the Lords Hosts Josh. 5. 14 15. and Joshua fell on his face to the Earth and Worshipped him and prayed to him to tell him his Message If Angels be not the Generals or Captains of our Armies we are unlike to Conquer It was by an Angel that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt Numb 20. 16. It was an Angel that chose a Wife for Isaack Gen. 24. 7. 40. The Angel of Gods Presence saved the Israelites Isa. 63. 9. An Angel delivered the three Men Dan. 3. from the Fire and Daniel from the Lions Dan. 6. Angels Preached Christ to the Shepherds An Angel made the pool in Ierusalem healing Io. 5. 4. An Angel Preacheth to Cornelius An Angel delivereth Peter Act. 12. The Angel of the Lord Encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Ps. 34. 7. God giveth his Angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways They bear us up in their Hands lest we dash our Foot against a Stone Psal. 91. 11 12. Rev. 1. Tells us that God first Revealeth his Will to Christ and Christ to Angels and Angels to Iohn and Iohn to the Churches and the Churches to Posterity Yea Angels Ministred to Christ himself when he was hungry Mat. 4. 11. And appeared in his Agony strengthening him Luke 22. 43. Legions of Angels are at his Service And all the Holy Angels will come with him at Judgment and they will be the Reapers at the end of the World Above 260 times are Angels mentioned in Scripture and yet how little notice do we take of their help But is it only our Bodies that they help Can they reach or help our Souls Answ. If Devils can touch our Souls with their Temptations are Angels farther from us or less able to move us to our Duty But are they ordinarily present or know our Case Answ. They rejoice in our Conversion and therefore know it They are present in our Assemblies as Paul intimareth 1 Cor. 11. 10. Say not before the Angel that it was an Errour Eccl. 5. 6. which intimateth the Angels Presence Every Believer hath his Angel beholding the Face of our Father in Heaven Matth. 13 10 and they are not Strangers to their Charge We feel that the Devil is present with us by his Temptations continually in all our Duties molesting or hindering us And are Angels less intent upon their Work It is Michael and his Angels that fight against the Dragon and his Angels to save the Church While such Texts make the Papists think that Angels are always or ordinarily present if they give them not Divine Worship but such as we would do a Prince though I have said before why I approve not of their Doings I dare not as some late Expositors of the Revelation judge the Catholick Church to have become AntiChristian Idolaters as soon as they gave too much Worship to Angels and to Saints We are come to the New Ierusalem to the Innumerable Angels Heb. 12. and must honour them that fear the Lord Psal. 15. And we know that we are translated from Death to Life becauâ—e we love the Brethren And is it so damnable Idolatry to love and honour Angels and Saints a little too much while they give them nothing proper to God I blame their Irregularities but I dare not judge so hardly of them and the ancient Church for this as some do nor think them much better that love and honour Angels and Saints as much too little Some now would call a Man an Idolater that should say as Iacob Gen. 48. 16. The Angel which redeemed me from all Evil bless the Lads They say This Angel was Christ. Answ. Scripture saith it was an Angel Hos. 12 4. saith He had power over the Angel I dare not call God an Angel though Angels may be called Gods as Princes be If Christ had then no Nature but the Divine I should suspect it is Arianism to call him an Angel or Messenger of God If he had a Body then was it Ubiquitary Or had he infinite numbers of Bodies Or could he be but with one in the World at once For my part I have had many Deliverances so marvellous as convinceth me of the Ministry of Angels in them not here to be recited But I am satisfied that there is no less of the Presence and Efficacy of the Father Son and Holy Spirit when he useth and honoureth any Instruments Angels or Men than if he used no Means at all As I will not desire so to alter the stated Government and Order of God as to expect here visible Communion with Angels nor will offer them any unrequired Worship so I would not unthankfully forget how much we receive by them from Christ and how much we are beholden to them and to God and our Redeemer for them And I hope they will shortly be a Convoy to the Soul of this poor Lazarus to Abraham's Bosom or to the Paradise