Narration of the Strange and Grievous Vexation by the Devil, Title page – Dedication
A TRVE NARRATION▪ OF THE STRANGE AND GREVOVS VEXATION BY THE DEVIL, OF 7. PERSONS IN LANCASHIRE, AND VVILLIAM SOMERS OF NOTTINGHAM. WHEREIN THE DOCTRINE OF POSSESSION AND DISPOSSESSION OF DEMONIAKES OVT of the word of God is particularly applyed vntounto Somers, and the reſt of the perſons controuerted: togeather with the vſe we are to make of theſe workes of God. BY IOHN DARRELL, MINISTER of the word of God.
He that is not with me, is againſt me: and he that gathereth not with me, ſcattereth.
Math. 12. 30.
PRINTED 1600.
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We reade in the 11. of the Actes, that the Apoſtles and bretheren that were in Iudea, verſe. 1.hearing that the Gentles had alſo receiued the word of God by the preaching of Peter, were offended with him for preaching vntounto them, and that when Peter was come vp to Hieruſalem they contended againſt him, and rebuked him for the ſame: But Peter beginninge and expounding the thing in order vntounto them, and ſhewinge that he was commaunded of god ſo to doe in a viſion, they held their peace, and glorified god. Even ſo many of the miniſters and brethren in England hauinge bene offended with me for ſayinge and ſtanding in this, that William Somers, Thomas Darling, Katherine Wright, and 7. in Lancaſhire were poſſeſſed with vncleane ſpirites, and diſpoſſeſſed of them by prayer and faſtinge, will I truſt when they ſhall heare the matter in order ſett downe in this treatiſe following, not onelyonly ceaſe to be offended with me, but acknowledging the workes of god, magnifie him for them. True it is that the people of god are borne mightelye in hand that theſe are counterfeites, and hauehave bene theirvnto ſcholed if not all, yet ſome of them by me, and the better to perſwade this even to the whole Church of England, theire hath bene a booke latelye publiſhed by one S. H. entituled, A Diſcouerie of the fradulent practiſes of IOHN Darrell: but how vntruly this is ſaide, and vnpoſſible to be true appeareth at large by the Detection of that Diſcouery, and partly by this treatiſe, and peece of the Detection here following. VVhichWhich beinge ſo, this ought no more to hinder vsus from embracinge theſe workes of god,Lohn. 9. then the gainſayinge of the Phariſes, ought to hauehave kept backe the Iewes from beleiunge and acknowledginge the great worke which Chriſt did, in giuinge ſight to the man which was borne blind: or that blaſphemous ſpeach of theirs, he caſteth out deuils through Beelzebub the prince of deuils, math. 11. 24.from confeſſing & iuſtifiyng that worke of his: or that falſe, abſurd, and ridiculous reporte of the watchmen, (wherevnto they were hired by the Hie Preiſtes and Elders) that Chriſt his diſciples came by night and ſtole him away, while they ſlept, from beleiuing the reſurrection of Chriſt.math. 28. 12. Let not any then be hereby kept from giuinge eare vntounto that which followeth, but rather prouoked to examine throughly what is ſaide of both ſides: and then I doubt not but whoſoeuer he be it ſhall be as eaſie vntounto him to perceiue on which ſide the truth is, as opening his eyes to diſcerne betwixt light and darknes. And to the end the truth might appeare, & not alwayes lye hid, and the falſhood be conuinced which hath hetherto prevailed, I hauehave preſumed to publiſh theſe followinge lynes: wherein I could not be wantinge, if there were any louelove in me to the truth, or feare or louelove to the god of truth, ſeeing the truth ſo vniuer ſally ſuppreſſed and troden as it were vnderunder the feete of men as mire in the ſtreetes: and the falſhod raigne as a queene▪ what chriſtian hart or louer of the truth could endure to behold this, and let this vſurper alone, if in his hand there was any power to plucke her out of her thrones we can not (ſaith the apoſtle) doe any thing againſt the truth, but for the truth. If at all times then we are to contend for the truth, by ſpeach,2. Cor. 13. 8. by writing, & by eueryevery good way as their ſhall be cauſe, yea to doe any thing for the truth, the manifeſtation and publiſhing of it, and the inducing of men to receiue it: much more when the truth is impugned▪ and this is our preſent caſe.
And that it may be more manifeſt that heerin I hauehave performed a neceſſarie dutie, ſuch as without ſinne againſt god I could not hauehave omitted: we muſt remember that we are commaunded to publiſhe the workes of god whereof any of vsus be witneſſes, as appeareth by Pſalme 105. 1. 2: and 107. 8. 21. 31. Mar, 5. 19 perſwaded thervnto by reaſons or arguments, as appeareth by Pſalme. 78, and 111. 2. 3. 4. Math. 10. 32. It is commended vntounto vsus in the practiſe and example of the ſervants of god: as appeareth by Pſalme. 9. 1. and 66. 5. and …1. 17. & 78. 4. Luk. 2. 17. mar. 5. 20. Act. 12. 17. & 14. 27. we are threatened if herein we faile as appeareth by exodus 20. 7. math. 10. 33. If now eueryevery eye or eare witnes of the workes of god is to publiſh and make knowne the ſame to others, much more the principall witneſſes, and ſuch a one was I: and moſt of all they whom god hath giuen and called to ſuffer for giuing teſtimonie to his workes,…s 4. 20. as he hath done me. Such aboue all others muſt with Peter & Iohn ſay: we can not but ſpeake and publiſh the thinges which we hauehave ſeene and heard. And if at all times we ought to teſtifie, make knowne, & iuſtifie the great workes of god, much more then, when ſuch a worke is not onelyonly gainſaid, but an evill name and vile report brought vponupon it, and him whom the Lord vſed theirin: and this is our preſent eſtat and condition.
VVhen the holy ghoſt fell vponupon the Apoſtles in viſible manner, ſo as they begane to ſpeake with other tongs,…. 2. 11. as the ſpirit gaue them vtterance: ſome mocked and ſaid, they are full of new wine. Againſt this vile ſlaunder of the wonderfull worke of god, and his moſt righteous ſervantes, Peter ſtoode vp and made an Apologie ſayinge: ye men of Iudah theſe are not drunken, …th. 9. 33. 34, 12. 22.as yee ſuppoſe, ſince it is but the third houre of the day. But this is that which was ſpoken by the prophet Ioell &c. as it followeth their vntill verſe 37.… 11. 14. In like ſorte dealt our bleſſed Sauiour in this very worke we hauehave in hand. when he caſt the deuill out of ſome which were poſſeſſed, the people in deede were a…aſed therat, and wondered ſaying, the lik… was neuer ſeene in Iſrael. But the Phariſes ſaid, he caſteth out deuils through Beelzebub the prince of deuils. Againſt this blaſphemous ſpeach and report giuen out by the phariſes, againſt this great worke, and Chriſt him ſelfe whom theirein they counted for a coniurer, & bare the people ſo in hand, Chriſt Ieſus maketh a de…ence and in the ſame by ſundrie reaſons convinceth them: the which alſo is writtē for our learning. And what are we to learne out of theſe ſcriptures? ſurely by their examples & practiſe, to doe the like in the like caſe, and when ſuch occaſion is offered. That is, whē any great worke of god is wrought in our eyes, & that ſome ſhall goe about to mocke at it: and bring vp an euill name of it: that then and in ſuch a caſe we muſt not be ſilent, and content our ſelues with this, that we our ſelues conceiue well of the worke, and profite by it: but we muſt open our mouthes wide in the defence of it, labourīg to our vttermoſt to ſtope the mouth of the gainſayer, & to wipe away the ſlaunder, leaſt others alſo receiue hurt thereby, and that God may hauehave the glorie of his work of allmē, if it be poſſible. And as all the beholders of ſuch a work are vpō all occaſions to beare witnes therevnto, & to iuſtifie the ſame when it is denyed or ſlaundered, as they are able as ſhall hereeafter further appeare: ſo thoſe ſpecially vponupon whom the worke hath bene wrought, or hauehave bene principall witneſſes theirof If then I deſire to walke in the ſteeps of S. Peter, yea of Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe, and to practiſe that which the holy ghoſt in theire examples and practiſe in the like caſe with ours, doth commend vntounto vsus: how could I doe otherwiſe then make this Apologie? And if I ſhould hauehave abſtayned from the publiſhing theirof, I ſee not but that theirin I ſhould hauehave failed in the performance of a neceſſarie dewtie, and ſo ſinned againſt god: & preferred my owne quiet before the glorie of god, and good of his people. Neither let any mā thinke that it would have ſuffiſed to hauehave done this inſpeach: for to ſpeake all that might be ſaid in a corner to ſome few would not availe, ſeeing this vile ſlaunder and evill reporte of the workes of god, & my ſelfe whom god vſed theirin, hath ſpread it ſelfe farr and neare, even throughout the whole land to the obſcuring and drakening yea annihilating of them, if it were poſſible▪ it was neceſſarie therfore that that which ſhould be ſaid for the convincing thereof and in iuſtificati…n of theſe workes ſhould goe as far & wide, which could not be without printinge. This I ſay conſidered it were not ſufficient for me, or a ſufficient diſcharge of my dutye, to wyſper that which followeth in the eare, or ſpeake of it in a corner: but rather to ſpeake of that in the light, which I hauehave ſeene in darknes and what I hauehave heard in the eare, and beheld in ſecret places, to preach on the houſes.
Moreover, if it be ſo that the doctrine of poſſeſſion, and of diſpoſſeſſion, and of the meanes thereof, etc doe lye in a manner hid & not knowne nor acknowledged almoſt by any: Is it not high time it were reuealed and brought to light? Is it not parte of the counſell of god, to the reuelation of all which wee are debtors? And when can any thinge be done more ſeaſonably then now to treat both of the generall doctrine,act. 20, 27. and particular workes we ſpeake of▪ what can come in better ſeaſon then even now a treatiſe concerninge William Somers his poſſeſſion, when the eares of all men are opened, to heare what can be ſaide as touching the ſaid Somers? how many are their not onlye of the common ſorte, but of thoſe which are noble, wiſe, and learned, which are verie deſierous to be informed in the truth of this matter? and could this poſſiblie hauehave bene done but by this courſe I hauehave taken? And by whom ſhould this latter be performed, but by my ſelfe, conſidering I onelyonly hauehave bene a cheife witnes of the poſſeſſion and diſpoſſeſſion of all theſe perſons controverted, and called by god therevnto? I ran not to any of my ſelfe: wherin, and in callinge me to ſuffer for the ſame, the Lord ſeemeth to me to hauehave ſingled me out though moſt vnworthy, and more vnfite then many others, to this ſpeciall worke. It ſtoode me then vponupon to performe this ſervice whervnto god hath called & appoynted me, otherwiſe I ſhould hauehave my reward with the vnprofitable ſervant: If either for feare or ſlouthfulnes I had fayled theirin. Heerevnto I might add, that I ſee many erring exceedinglye herein, and greatlie miſtakinge this matter both in the generall and particular, and heereof I am moſt ſure, and able alſo to make that evident vntounto them. ſhould I then hauehave done well to let them alone?
And for aſmuch as many not onelyonly of the irreligious, but of ſuch as profeſſe the feare of god (as in experience I hauehave obſerued,) regard not theſe workes of god: either receiuing the falſe report that is givē out againſt them, or not earneſtly conſidering of them, to the ſtirring vp of their owne hartes to prayſe god for the ſame, & make their vſe of them: wherevpon it cometh that the beſt of theſe are vnable to de fend and cleare theſe workes from that evill name of counterfeitinge which is caſt vponupon them, and ſtope the mouth of the aduerſarie: and that non of them contendeth according to his place for them, & the convincinge of the aduerſarie: that theſe (I ſay) may ſee their ſinne & be prouoked with others to heare and conſider of that which followeth: they muſt remember, that all the workes of the Lord are great, and ought to be ſ…ught out of all them that louelove them, …al. 111. 2.and theirfore this: that it is the propertie of a wiſe man to obſerue the workes of God, and therefore of foo…es to neglect or not regard them. VVhen the prophet had throughout the 107. Pſalme made mention of the manifould workes or the Lord, and often moued men to confeſſe before the Lord his louing kindnes, ver. 8. 15. 21. 31and his wonderfull works before the ſonnes of men, he concludeth thus: who is wiſe that he may obſerue theſe thinges? In the 77. Pſalme the prophet in the name of the Church ſaith: I remembred the workes of the Lord: I did alſo meditate in all thy workes, and did deuiſe of thine actes. And Dauid thus▪ I meditate in all thy workes, I doe meditate the workes of thine handes. This is the end of the Lordes great workes: He hath made his wonderfull workes to be had in remembrance. VVhen the Lord then doth any great worke, we muſt remember and obſerue it,v. 11. pſal. 143, 5. pſ. 111. 4 pſ, 91, 4 pſal. 105, … yea meditate theirin, that ſo we may the better behold the power, the wiſdome, the Iuſtice, and mercy of God, and prayſe and magnifie him for the ſame. Thou Lord (ſaith the prophet.) haſt made me glad by thy works, I will reioyce in the workes of thine hands. O Lord, how glorious are thy workes? And againe: declare his workes amonge the people: ſinge vntounto him ſing prayſe vntounto him, and talke of all his wonderfull workes. And as thus we are to obſerue, meditate, and remember the workes of God, and prayſe him for them: and not onelyonly ſo, but to others alſo talk… of his workes, & declare or publiſh them to his people: ſo it is the duetie of all the Lords people to iuſtifie and defend them, when there ſhall be a ſlaunder rayſed vponupon them, as partly is touched before. VVhen Chriſt had caſt the deuill out of one, and the phariſees had ſlaundered that worke of his, (as is aforeſaid,) affirminge that he did it by the deuill, he did not onelyonly convince them: and ſhew the haynouſnes of their ſinne, that theirin they had committed that ſinne which ſhould neuer be pardoned, even the ſinne againſt the holye ghoſt: but beſides admoniſh thoſe which by their ſilence did approue that ſlaunder of the Phariſees, when they ſhould hauehave iuſtified the worke, and defended Chriſtes innocencie. Of theſe he pronounceth, that he accounteth them alſo among his aduerſaries,math. 12. 30. ſaying: He that is not with me, is againſt me & he that gathereth not with me, ſcattereth. He that is not with me, &c. that is, he who is not on my ſide▪ meaninge: he who defendeth me not againſt the aduerſaries: my workes againſt the ſlaunders they giuegive of them, and my doctrines againſt theire obiections, he is againſt me, that is, him I recken in the number of my aduerſaries. VVherby we may learne, (to applye this ſcripture more nearely) that it is not …nough, not to ſlaunder or impugne the workes of God which hauehave bene wrought amonge vsus, as ſome doe: but that moreover we take heede that we approue not the ſlaunder of counterfeiting giuen out againſt them by our ſilence, but open our movthes in the defence and iuſtification of them. Otherwiſe we ſhalbe reckened by Chriſt in the number of aduerſaries. And here vntounto tendeth that other ſayinge of our Sauiour: wiſdome is iuſtified o her children. As this teacheth all of vsus our dutie, and that we ought to contend for theſe workes of god, iuſtifiyng them, to which purpoſe I alledge it ſo particularlye my ſelfe, and hath (through the grace of God) prouoked me to write the treatiſe following in iuſtification of theſe works, and another treatiſe for the taking away of that ſlaunder of counterfeiting, which Sathan hath rayſed vp for the obſcuringe of them. The Lord giuegive thoſe who profeſſe them ſelues to be frends of Chriſt, and to be of his ſide, to ſhew it in taking parte with him againſt his adverſaries.
I. D.