Memorable Providences, Discourses

Memorable Providences · Discourses

p. 75There now remain two Discourses, for the Reader to be entertained With; the Latter of which was delivered unto my own Congregation; on the Occasion of what befel Goodwin's Children but the Former of them was deliver'd unto the same Congregation on the Occasion of a horrible Self-murder committed by a possessed woman in the Neighbourhood. The Discourses were suited unto a popular Auditory; but things that are not accurate may be profitable, if the Blessing of God accompany them.

p. 1A Discourse on the Power and Malice of the DEVILS

I. Pet. V. 8.

Your Adversary the Devil, as Roaring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.

IT is a Relation made by David of an Encounter by him once met withal in 1. Sam. 17. 34. Thy Servant kept his Father's sherp, and there came a Lion and took a Lamb out of the Flock. There is an horrid Lion by which your souls are pursued and endangered: This Lion fetch'd away, after a very dismal manner, one, that was with us, when this Flock was last before the Lord; and he seeks, he longs he ruars, in that or some way to make a Prev of all. I am keeping my Fathers sheep, and would labour to resone from the hellish Lion every L…mb that may ly in his way. Accept therefore the Text now readd, as, The warning of the Lord.

Multitudes of Iews, dispersed in diverse Countries, being Converted and Baptised by the Ministry of the Apostle Peter, at Iesuralem; he writes to them an excellent Epistle to fortifie them against the Persecutions which their Christianity might expose them to. He advises them, first, unto the more general, and then, unto the more special Duties of the Christian Religion. The last p. 2of his divine Counsils is. To resist the temptations of the devil. And the Text before us contains the Argument whereby we are to be excited thereunto; tis drawn from the Disposition of the Devil; who is here exhibited, First, as an Aversary. Secondly, as a potent Adversary, a Lion. Thirdly, as a cruel Adversary, a roaring Lion. Fourthly, as a restless Adversary, a Lion seeking whom he may devour. This then is the Doctrine to be now attended unto, The Devil is a potent, a cruel, and a restless Adversary to the souls of men.

Prop. I. There is a Combination of Devils which our Air is fill'd withal. A Devil is a spiritual and a national Substance, full of all Wickedness, confined by God unto our Air is his Gaob, for his Apostasy from the Company & Employment of the holy Angels. His Title is that Eph 6. 12. a spiritual wickedness; that is a wicked spirit. A Devil was once an Angel, but Sin has brought him to be Fallen Angel; an Angel full of Enmity to God and man; an Angel made a Prisoner within the Atmosphere of the Earth which we tread upon.

The Scriptures of Truth, allow us these Conclusions about the Devils of Hell.

We may first conclude, That the Devils are not under meer Motions, or Qualities, or Distempers, as has been by some absurdly enough conceived. The fond Sadducee derides the Doctrine of Devils, p. 3which we all embrace. But I pray, What things were those that left their first estate, being now reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day? What things be those that besought our Lord of liberty to enter into the swine? But we have among our selves lately seen plain Demonstrations, That there are Spirits, which understand, and argue, and will; and which are the enemies of all that is holy, and just, & Good.

We may, Secondly, Conclude, That these Devils are an Army in our Air. They are called in Eph. 2. 2. the power (or the Army) of the air. There are diverse Miles of Air encompassing of this Terraqueous Globe; to that space it is that the Devils are limited, since their High-Treason against the God that made them. Here it is that they have a Play-house, as well as a Prison; here they play all their devillish Pranks until the everlasting Fire shall begin to flame. Indeed, some Devils may keep more constantly to one countrey, and some to another. Hence we read of some in Marc. 5. 10. They be sought our Lord much, that He would not send them away out of the Countrey. But still the High-Places of our air be the Receptacles of all the wicked Spirits.

We may conclude, Thirdly, That these Devils are an Army under a Leader too. There is a Government, a Monarchy in the dark Regions; and hence in Matth. 12. 24. we read about Belzchub, the Prince of devils. There you have p. 4the Name of the Grand-Segniour who is King over the children of pride. Probably, the Devils in their first Conspiracy and Rebellion against God, had a notorious Ring-Leader; there was one of greater dignity and influence than the rest, by whom they were headed; and they are all now under his Command. We have Mention in the Sacred Oracles, of, the devil and his angels. This cheef devil is called by way of eminency, the Devil; but he has innumerable Slaves, and Officers, and Emissaries, which are under an entire Subjection to him. His Orders they all observe; and therefore, when we speak of the Devil, it includeth each private Souldier as well as him that is principal Commander. We say, The Devil, as we say, The Turk, or The Spaniard; it means any or every part of that infernal Rendezvous. As it is said in Ps. 34. 6. The Angel of the Lord encamps, i. e. the whole Host of Angels are as One in it.

Prop. II. The Divels are the great Adversaries of humane Souls. Tis here said about the devil, He is your Adversary; or as the Article intimates, he is that your Adversary.

If it be asked, How the Devils are our Adversaries? In general they labour to do us all the mischief they can devise. They pursue our Hurt in all waies, and by all means. Yet in some sense they cannot come at us unless according to Law. Know, That the Greek word here notes p. 5properly an Adversary at Law; tis a law-Term that is used here. Thus First, the Devils are our Adversaries as Accusers. Tis the Character of the Devil in Rev. 12. 10. The Accuser of our Brethren, which accuseth them before God, day and night. He is called a Satan, and a Devil for this very Cause. The Devils are first our Tempters, and then our Accusers. They complain to God against us, that we do not fear Him, that we do not love Him, that we do not seek Him, as we ought to do: they represent our faults before the Lord, as things that make us unfit for any Mercy at His hands. There is a Court kept somewhere in the Invisible world, at which, Devils endeavour to prefer as many Complaints as they they can against us. They first gett and then bring matters of Accusation which we might be Indicted and Condemned for.

Secondly, The Devils are our Adversaries as Destroyers. They plead and pray as so many Attourneys, that a Iudgment may be granted against us all; and then they petition that they too may be the Executioners of it. Tis illustrated in Iob. 1. 11. and 2. 5. Satan urges upon God against Iob, put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh. They would fain have all manner of Miseries to be inflicted on us; and they try all they can to gain Opportunities for doing their part that we may be miserable. A Devil is called a destroying Angel. They are Devils usually that p. 6are the Instruments of Divine Vengeance on the world. If it be asked, Why the devils are our Adversaries? There is a double Reason to be Assigned of it. One Reason of it is,

Their Hatred of God. The Devils have shaken off the Law, and the Rule of God; and they cannot hear that the Name of God should be acknowledged in the world. GOD and the Devils are sworn enemies to each other; and the Lord may say of them as in Zeb. 11. 8. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Now the poor Children of men, both do the Service of God, and have the Image of God. We do the Service of God. Man is the Priest of the whole visible Creation. Tis by our Thoughts, tis by our Words, that all things else pay their Homage un- the Lord. The Devil, that would be in the Throne of God, would ruine us, that God may no more have the Honour of a Father, or the Fear of a Master in the world. We also have the Image of God. In our Nature there is much, in our Vertue there is more of God's Likeness. The Devil is a Tigre; they report of that wild beast, it will tear the picture of a man, when it cannot reach the person of a man. There is a lively shadow, as it were, of God, upon us; and this the Tigres of Hell cannot endure.

A Second Reason of it is, their Envy at Man. The Devils behold Man exalted & advanced above themselves. Tis said of the Leviathan in p. 7Iob 41. 34. He beholdeth all high things. Tis fulfilled in the Pope also, and lastly in the Devil. He cannot brook it, that any should be higher than himself. The Apostle intimates, that Pride was at first, the Condemnation of the Devil. Tis conjectured, that the Devil being informed of God's decree to have a Man subsist in the Second Person of the Trinity; this provoked him and his Accomplices to their Disobedience. However, the Devil now sees Man Saved and himself dumned; Man in the Bosom of God, and himself in the Bottom of Hell; Well, now thinks he, I will do this Man all the spite I can.

Prop. III. The Devils are potent Adversaries of our Souls.

The Devil is a Lion, and as it was said in Judg. 14. 18. What is stronger than a Lion? He has a Power, an Interest, that may make us all to tremble at his Roaring. Hence we read in Luc. 10. 19. about The power of the enemy: and he is compared in Cap. 11. 21. unto, A strong Armed man.

There be three things that show the power of our Adversaries.

First, The power of our Adversaries the Devils, lies in the Nature of them. Tis said in Zph. 6. 12, We fight not against flesh & blood only, but against principalities, and Powers, and spiritual wickednesses. They are spiritual, and therefore powerful. The Spirituality of the Devils enables them to strike us when we can't see them; … p. 8makes 'em ready to attack us and surprise us at unspeakable Disadvantages. The Divels are Spirits, and hence they count Iron but straw, & brass as rotten wood; they are Spirits, and so they excel in strength; when they seem afraid of little Spels and Charms, it is only a stratagem by which they seek to decoy us into their dreadful Power more than before. One of them let loose, perhaps could slaughter an Army of an hundred thousand in a night.

Secondly, The Power of our Adversaries the Devils, lies in the Number of them. Even such little things as Mire, yea, and Lice have prov'd horrible plagues by becoming numerous. What then may the Devils be, whose Troops amount unto many Legions: How many devils care sometimes be spared, for the Vexation of one man! In the bowels of one afflicted child, I have heard that murmur made, There are two or three of us! Yea, we read in Luc. 8. 30. of a Legion that kept a Garrison in one single person a a Legion contain'd twelve Thousand and five Hundred in it. Doubtless, there are far more Devils than there are Men in the world. They swarm like the Frogs of Egypt in every chamber of our houses. We can go, we can stir no where, but those wild Arabians will be upon us.

Thirdly, The Power of our Adversaries the Devils lies in their Confoederacies. The Devils are all as one themselves; their Unity, p. 9their Agrement in their designs makes them formidable. We are told in Mat. 12. 26. Satan is not divided against himself. But more than so, The devils have of their party among our selves, yea, within our selves. Devils have Men on their side. All wicked men promote the ends of the devils. Tis said, The lusts of the devil they will do; 'tis said. The divel works in the Children of disobedience. And the Devils have Hearts on their side Our wicked hearts will favour and humour the devils in their attempts, and betray us into their hands. When they made their assault on our Saviour, tis said, They found nothing in Him. But they find something in us, they find in us, an Inmate by whose Treachery we become their prey. This is the Power of the Enemy.

Prop. IV. The devils are also cruel Adversaries of our souls. The Divel is not only a Lion, but a roaring, an hungry, an angry Lion. Yes, according to that in Rev. 20. 2. he is not only a Lion, but a Dragon too. He will have no more mercy than a Lion, he will have no more mercy than a Dragon upon all that comes in the way of his cruel Clutches. 'Twas the description of the Chaldaeans in Hab. 1. 6. That bitter and hasly nation. To the devils does it much more belong; they are a Bitter and a cruel nation. Never was there such a merciless and a pittiless Tyrant as the devil is, nothing so much pleases that bloody monster, as the pain and the death of our unhappy p. 10souls; and he has no Musick like the groans of a deadly wounded man. What a Prodigy of Cruelty was the Roman Emperour, who wished that all his people had but one neck, that he might cut it off at a blow! Why the cruel Devil not only wished, but in Paradise he had & he did such an horrid thing. And it is he that inspires vile men with all the Cruelty that their Inquisitions, and their Tortures give exemple of.

Prop. V. The Devils are likewise Restless Adversaries of our souls. They go about, they are always in Action, always in Motion, that they may undo the souls of men.

The Devil goes about. So could he say of himself, in Job, 1. 7. I come from going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. This Prince goes in Progress, rides the Circuit thro his whole Dominions to see how his work is carried on. And all that are under the Inspection of this Prime Visier are continually travelling and labouring too for the destruction of immortal souls. They go about, but how? We read in Iude 6. they are kept in chains; Tis by some rendered, they are kept for chains: but suppose them in chains; their chains are so lengthened, & yet so limited that they go about, just where and when, and how far the Permission of God shall give them leave. As they are not now in all the Torment, so they are not now in all the Bondage intended for them. Twas the Sentence of p. 11wicked cursed Cain, in Gen. 4. 14. A Fugitive and a Vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth.

Tis the Case of every devil; he is A Fugitive and a Vagabond in our Air. They go about but Why! For no good, you may be sure. Tis with them as tis said to be with their Vassals, in Psal. 59. 15. They wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied. They go about upon the Catch; they go about, that they may spy out objects to work upon; they go about, with a raging appetite after Sin and the Wages of it on the world. You shall see what the Postures and Methods of the Devil are; they are drawn with a Pencil of the Sanctuary, in Psal. 10 4. He lyes in wait secretly, as a Lion in his den he lyes in wait to catch the poor; he does catch the poor when he drawes him into his net. Such a devildish Adversary have we to deal withal.

USE. I. INFORMATION.

There are two Lessons that we may learn from these things. We may say after the Apostle in …. Iob. 3. 15. In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Devil.

First. We may see from hence, who the children of the devil are. Roaring Lions that go about seeking whom they may devour, what are they but the creatures whom the Devil is a Sire unto? We read of one in Ezek. 19. 6. Who became a p. 12young Lion and learned to catch the prey, & devoured men. Such Lions there often are in the world; sometimes there are men whose business, whose delight it is to devour their Neighbours; men who go about to impair the Estate, who go about to blemish the esteem, who go about to debanch the souls of other men. What shall be said of such men? Alas, the Devil is the Father of them all. I have no Blessing for any of them; but yet I may say to them, This is a lions whelp, to the prey, my son, thou art gone up. This is just like the great old Lion: with him, even with him shall they one day he punished, and undergo the doom in Ier. 51. 38. They shall roar together like Lions, they shall yell as Lions whelps. The great and the terible GOD will one day make the Sires and the Whelps together to roar under the direful impressions of His everlasting wrath.

Secondly. From hence we may also see who are the Children of God. Tis said of our Lord Jesus Christ in Act. 10. 38. He went about doing good. There are some that go about seeking whom they may instruct, that go about seeking whom they may convert, that go about seeking whom they may relieve. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, is a Father to these holy men; Not the Devil but the Saviour is their pattern. The blessed, the glorious Angels, and not the outragious Devils do thus improve themselves. Go on, Souls, go on thus to go about. I remember p. 13old Mr. Latymer in a Sermon, has that sharp Reflection upon the lazy Bishops of his Time, that seldom or never preached in any one Pulpie of all their Diocess, For shame, (said he) you negligent Prelates, if you will not learn of God, and Christ, and good men, then learn of the Devil, learn of the Devil, who is alwaies at work in in his Diocess. Truly, we may learn of the Devil, to go about seeking the welfare of those whom he goes about seeking the Ruin of.

USE. II. EXHORTATION.

We have two things now incumbent on us.

I. Let us Avoid the Roaring Lion, who goes about seeking whom he may devour. Let us not be willingly in the way of Devils, who are even aiming at our Confusion.

First. Let us get from the Roaring Lion, by a sincere Turning to God in Christ. Hear & quake all you that are yet in your unregenerate estate; you are in the mouth of the Roaring Lion: Oh, how can you be satisfyed or contented there? In Conversion, we are told in Act. 29. 18. men are turned from the power of satan unto God. Man, thou art under the under the power of satan, until thou art born again. O save thy self before it be too late. One once being ready to be devoured by a Lion, cry'd out, Help, help, I am yet alive! held, I am yet alive! O thou are yet alive, but p. 14if thou art not quickly redeemed from the Lion, it will ere long be All too late! All too late! Quickly then Renounce the service of the Devil; Quickly loath, quickly leave all your Sins; Quickly run to God in Christ, and say unto Him as in Isa. 26. 13. O Lord our God, other lords besides Thee have had dominion over us, but not we will make mention of Thy Name alone.

Secondly. Let us Keep from the Roaring Lion, by a sincere Shunning of what will peculiarly bring us within his reach. Indeed every Lust, as it were surrenders us up unto the Devil: every time a man gratfies a Lust, a Devil is invited into the soul of that man; and by every new Act of it, he takes a new Hold of the soul. But some Vices there are which give the Devils peculiar opportunities to devour us Of these take heed with a more than ordinary Caution. Particularly,

First. Beware of Discontent. The devils are are wonderfully discontented Spirits; and none more than discontented Persons, ly open to their Invasion and Annoyance. The discontented man is angry at God; it is a rage at God, it is a Fret as God, which discomposes him. We are told about the man that is angry at his Neighbour, in Eph. 4. 27. He gives place to the devil. How much more may this be said about the man who is angry at his maker? The devil finds a place in p. 15the soul of such a man. Be not Angry at any Poverty, be not Angry at any Calumny, be not Angry at any Affliction whatsoever. Discontent opens the doors of the soul for all the devils of Hell to enter in.

Secondly. Beware of Idleness, If thou art Idle, know that the devil is not so; the Idle soul is an empty House; there happens to it that thing in Mat. 12. 44. The unclean spirit walks to and fro, and comes and finds the house empty, then gooth. He and taketh with himself seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they enter in. When the Devil finds an Idle person, he as in were, calls to more of his crue, Come here! come here! A brave prize for us all! When was a David made a prize for a devil? It was when he rose from his Couch in the Afternoon, and walked in his Balcony, as one that had nothing at all to do. Of Idleness comes no goodness.

Thirdly. Beware of Bad Company. That is, (I had almost said) the greatest engine the devil has, to trepan the children of men withal, An evil Companion is a Gin for a soul. The devils will have thee fast enough, if thou walkest in the counsil of the ungodly, and standest in the way of Sinners, and sittest in the seat of the scornful. The Devils, nay, and the Gallows too, at length often devour those that bad Company shall seduce Twas said to them of Old, Depart from the tents of the wisked men, left the earth swallow you up. Even p. 16so, Depart from the Knots, depart from the Cups of wicked men, list the Devil swallow you up. Tis said in Prov. 13. 20. A companion of fools shall be destroyed.

II. Let us Resist the Roaring Lion who goes about seeking whom he may devour.

Do you find the Devil ready to devour you? Be you as ready to oppose him. It is mentioned as a sore calamity in Psal. 109. 6. Let Satan stand at his right hand. Alas! This is the condition of our souls; we have Satan at hand, seeking to gribe us in his hideous clawes.

How many Temptations does the Devil seek to to devour your souls withal? Temptations to Vncleanness and Worldliness are devouring of many. Temptations to Atheism and Blasphemy are devouring of others. Perhaps, Temptations to Self-Murder have near devoured some unhappy souls. O Remember whence all these Temptations do arise. These things are the Roarings of the Hellish Lion; and will you hearken to him? Is there any thing in these cursed Roarings to perswade your Hearkning thereunto? What Benefit, what Advantage, do you think these horrid Roarings can propound?

Come then, Resist the Temptations of this roaring Lion. Tis said in Iam. 4. 7. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. If you fly, he will be a Lion, if you fight, he will be a Gnat before you.

Est Leo, si fugias; si stas, quasi musca recedit.

p. 17Your Encounters call for two Things.

One is, your Watch. Hence tis here said, Be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about. When it was cry'd out unto the Champion of Israel in Iudg. 16 20. The Philistines be upon thee, Sampson; Then he awoke out of his sleep. Thus it may be exclamed, The Lions are upon thee O soul. O how watchful, how wakeful should this cause thee to be. Be watchful against all the devices of the devil. Be watchful in every place, be watchful in every thing; be jealous alwaies, Has not the devil now some design upon me?

The Second is your Faith. Tis recorded in heb. 11. 33. some by Faith stopped the mouthes of Lions.

Tho thou shouldst be in a Denful of them, yet Faith, true Faith would muzzle them all. By Faith repair to Christ, who is the true Sampson, which meets and slayes the Lions that roar upon our souls. By Faith repair to the Rock, even to the Rock that is higher than I! Where you may sit and shout and laugh at all the Lions that roar in the Wilderness, and say, Where I am, there you cannot come.

There are particularly two sorts of devouring Temptations, which I would conclude this Disourse with some surable Reflections on.

Temptations to Atheism and Blasphemy, perhaps do molest some among us; possibly, Terribilia p. 18de DEO, and Horribilia de Fide: Diabolical Suggestions about our God & our Creed, may cast some of us into grievous Agonies: these things make many a good man to say, I am aweary of my life! What shall in this case be done?

My Advice is,

Do not so much dispute, as deny the Injections of the wicked one. Don't glve the devil so much honour as to argue & parley about his Iewd proposals. Refuse them presently, refuse them peremptorily; so you silence them. When once an Atheistic or Blasphemous Thought appears within your Minds, immediately hiss it away, as the Priests did Vzziah, when they first saw the Leprosie in his Forehead. Let such Thoughts, immediately occasion in you the savory & gracious Thoughts that shall be just contrary thereunto. If the devil would have you think, There is no God, then without any more a do, spite the devil by such a Thought with an Ejaculation contradicting of it, Lord, I beleeve that thou art, and that thou art a Rewarder too. Don't object, What if there be no God? But suppose for once, That God is. Tis by far the sater Supposal of the two. And then try whether to Weary the devil be not the best way to Conquer him. Let every Fiery dart of Satan fetch an holy dart of Prayer & Grace from thee, and the devil will soon be weary of his Methods.

p. 19Temptations to Self-Murder, may likewise be fierce upon some unhappy people here. Tis almost unaccountable, that at some times in some places here, melancholy distempered Ragings toward Self-Murder, have been in a manner Epidemical. And it would make ones hair stand, to see or hear what manifest Assistence the Devils have given to these unnatural Self-executions when once they have been begun. Tis too evident, that persons are commonly bewitcth't or possess't into these unreasonable Phrensies. But What shall these hurried people do?

My Advice is,

Don't Conceal, much less Obey the motions of your Adversary. Failing in this, made a poor man, after a faithful Sermon in a Neighbouring Town, presently to drown himself in a pit that had not two foot of Water in it. If you will not Keep, that is the way not to Take the Devil's Counsil. Let not him tye your Tongues, and it is likely he will not gain your Souls. Complain to a good God of the Dangers in which you find your selves; cry to Him, Lord, I am oppressed, undertake for me. Complain also to a wise Friend. Let some prudent and faithful Neighbour understand your Circumstances: Tis possible you may thereby escape the Snares with which the cruel Fowlers of Hell hope to trepan you into their dismal Clutches for evermore. p. 20Your Neighbours may do much for you, and may prove your Keepers if God shall please. It may be the unkindness of some Friend, may have thrown you into your present Madness. Now the Kindness of some Friend may prove the Antidote. Manytimes, a Natural Destemper, is that by which the Devil takes advantage to get the souls of Self-Destroyers into his bloody hands. In this case, for the tempted persons to disclose their Griefs, will be the way to obtain their cures. Their Neighbours ought now to consult a skilful Physician for them; and oblige, yea, constrain them to follow his Directions. When the Humours on & by which the Devil works, are taken away, perhaps he may be starved out of doors. Many times, again, The sin of Slothfulness gives the Devil opportunity to procure the Self Destruction of the sluggard. In this case too, the Tempted person may be succoured by the standers-by becoming sensible of their Circumstances. Their Neighbours may now compel them to follow their business. A Calling, the Business of a Calling, is an Ordinance of God, sanctified by Him to deliver us from the evil spirits that enter into the empty house,

But most times, There may be some old and great Sin unrepented of, where Temptations to Self-Murder have a violence hardly to be withstood, There was once a man among us, who in the horrours of Despair, uttered many dreadful p. 21speeches against himself, and would often particularly say, I am all on a light Fire under the wrath of God! This man yet never confessed any unusual sin, but this; that having gotten about Forty pounds by his Labour, he had spent it in wicked Company: but in his Anguish of spirit he hanged himself. There was once a woman among us, who under Sickness hade made vowes of a New Life; but apprehending some defects in her conversation afterward, she fell into the distraction wherein she also hanged herself. And the Sin of Adultery and Drunkenness has more than once issued in such a destructive Desperation. In case of this or any such Guilt, Confession with Repentance affords a present Remedy. To fly from Soul-Terrour by Self-Murder, is to leap out of the Frying-pan into the Fire, Poor tempted People, I must like Paul in Prison, cry with a loud voice unto you. Do your selves no harm; all may be well yet, if you will hearken to the Counsils of the Lord.

Now, Do thou, O God of peace, bruise Satan under our feet world without end,

Amen

p. 1A DISCOURSE on WITCHCRAFT.

I. SAM. XV. 23.

Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft.

AS it is the Interest of all Christians to Consider the wondrous Works of God, so it is the Duty of all Ministers to study those of His Words, with a peculiar Application, at which His Works like Hands in the Margin thereof do point, with Endeavours to make their Hearers understand what Lessons of the former the Voices of the latter do more especially direct unto.

A pious Family in this Town has lately had befalling of it, a Providence full of many Circumstances very astonishing; a Providence, wherein the Power of GOD, the Success of Prayer, & the Existence with the Operation of Devils, has been demonstrated in a manner truly extraordinary; a p. 2Providence, whereof you have heard much, but I have seen more, and whereof neither you nor I can take a due Notice, without a solemn Discourse at this time upon it. 'Tis a Tribute owing to God that I Dispense, and 'tis a Revenge due unto Satan that you should Attend the Truths proper to be delivered on an occasion so remarkable.

When some poor people fell into the hands of a Pilate, our Saviour saw cause to preach a Sermon about Repentance thereupon: What less than a Sermon can be call'd for when some poor Children have lately fall'n into the hands of a Divel? tho' thanks be to our David, the Lambs are like to be delivered from the Hellish Monsters to which they were become a Prey. And this may seem the rather convenient, because the godly Father of the Children has desir'd it. For which cause the Text before us may be proper to be insisted on.

The Great GOD had three seueral times declared that the Nation of the Amalekites was to be destroyed and extirpated forevermore. King Saul was now employed in an Expedition against them, to accomplish that Prediction, and to execute the Vengeance of Heaven upon the present Generation of them, not only for their own Cruelty and Villany, but also for the Wickedness of their Ancestors four hundred years before. The Soveraign God had Anathematiz'd every living thing among them, and ordered that both Man p. 3and Beast should fall in the day of Slaughter. The Army, on I know not what pretence, did not observe this Commission, for which reason Samuel is now sent unto their Leader with dismal Rebukes and heavy Tidings for his Disobedience. In the Text before us, the Prophet aggravates the Sin of Saul,

1. By Describing of the Sin. The right Name is here put upon it; and it is called Rebellion against God.

2. By Comparing of the Sin. It is resembled unto Witchraft it self: not an Equality, but a Similitude between them is intended. It is not affirmed to be as a great an Evil, but as true an Evil as Witchcraft is. That Witchcraft was a Sin far from venial, must be own'd by Saul, who had lately scow'red all the Witches out of Israel: It is now said, Such a Fault is thine. The following Expression carries on the same sense; and the meaning of that is, That they who adored and Idol, (for so I would rather translate the word here rendred Iniquity) or they who consulted at Teraphim, which was a sort of little Image from whence Daemons gave Answers to Enquirers; even these are not more unquestionable Sinners than those that add Stubbornness to Rebellion against the Lord.

But the DOCTRINE which wee have now before us, is, That Witchcraft is a monstrous & an horrid Evil. p. 4which yet all Rebellion against GOD may be too much compar'd unto.

By the ensuing Propositions we may state and shape this Truth aright in our minds.

PROP. I.

Such an Hellish thing there is as Witchcraft in the World. There are Two things which will be desired for the advantage of this Assertion. It should first be show'd,

WHAT Witchraft is:

My Hearers will not expect from me an accurate Definition of the vile Thing; since the Grace of God has given me the Happiness to speak without Experience of it. But from Accounts both by Reading and Hearing I have learn'd to describe it so.

WITCHCRAFT is the Doing of Strange (and for the most part Ill) Things by the help of evil Spirits, Covenanting with (and usually Representing of) the wosul Children of men.

This is the Diabolical Art that Witcthes are notorious for.

First. Witches are the Doers of Strange Things They cannot indeed perform any proper Miracles; those are things to be done only by the Favourites and Embassadours of the LORD. But Wonders are often produced by them, though p. 5chiefly such Wonders as the Apostle calls in 2. Thes. 2. 9. Lying wonders. There are wonderful Storms in the great World, and wonderful Wounds in the little World, often effected by these evil Causes. They do things which transcend the ordinary Course of Nature, and which puzzle the ordinary Sense of Mankind. Some strange things are done by them in a way of Real Production. They do really Torment, they do really Afflict those that their Spite shall extend unto. Other Strange Things are done by them in a way of Crafty Illusion. They do craftily make of the Air, the Figures and Colours of things that never can be truly created by them. All men might see, but, I believe, no man could feel some of the Things which the Magicians of Egypt, exhibited of old.

Secondly. They are not only strange Things, but Ill Things, that Witches are the Doers of. In this regard also they are not the Authors of Miracles: those are things commonly done for the Good of Man, alwaies done for the Praise of GOD. But of these Hell-hounds it may in a special manner be said, as in Psal. 52. 3. Thou lovest evil more than good. For the most part they labour to robb Man of his Ease or his Wealth; they labour to wrong God of His Glory. There is Mention of Creatures that they call White Whitches, which do only Good-Turns for their Neighbours. I suspect that there are none of that sort; p. 6but rather think, There is none that doeth good no, not one. If they do good, it is only that they may do hurt.

Thirdly. It is by virtue of evil Spirits that Witches do what they do. We read in Ephes. 2, 2. about the Prince of the power of the air. There is confined unto the Atmosphere of our Air a vast Power, or Army of Evil Spirits, under the Government of a Prince who employes them in a continual Opposition to the Designs of GOD: The Name of that Leviathan who is the Grand-Segniour of Hell, we find in the Scripture to be Belzebub. Under the Command of that mighty Tyrant, there are vast Legions & Myriads of Devils, whose Businesses & Accomplishments are not all the same. Every one has his Post, and his Work; and they are all glad of an opportunity to be mischievous in the World. These are they by whom Witches do exert their Devillish and malignant Rage upon their Neighbours: And especially Two Acts concur hereunto. The First is, Their Covenanting with the Witches. There is a most hellish League made between them, with various Rites and Ceremonies. The Witches promise to serve the Devils, and the Devils promise to help the Witches; How? It is not convenient to be related. The Second is, Their Representing of the Witches. And hereby indeed these are drawn into Snares and Cords of Death. The Devils, when they go upon the Errands of the Witches, do p. 7hear their Names; and hence do Harmes too come to be carried from the Devils to the Witches. We need not suppose such a wild thing as the Transforming of those Wretches into Bruits or Birds, as we too often do.

It should next be proved THAT Witchcraft is.

The Being of such a thing is denied by many that place a great part of their small wit in derideing the Stories that are told of it. Their chief Argument is, That they never saw any Witches, therefore there are none. Just as if you or I should say, We never met with any Robbers on the Road, therefore there never was any Padding there.

Indeed the Devils are loath to have true Notions of Witches entertained with us. I have beheld them to put out the eyes of an enchaunted Child, when a Book that proves, There is Witchcraft, was laid before her. But there are especially Two Demonstrations that evince the Being of that Infernal mysterious thing.

First. We have the Testimony of Scripture for it. We find Witchcrafts often mentioned, sometimes by way of Assertion, sometimes by way of Allusion, in the Oracles of God. Besides that, We have there the History of diverse Witches in these infallible and inspired Writings Particularly, the Instance of the Witch at Endor, in 1. Sam. 28. 7. is so plain and full that p. 8Witchcraft it self is not a more amazing thing than any Dispute about the Being of it, after this. The Advocates of Witches must use more Tricks to make Nonsense of the Bible, than ever the Witch of Endor used in her Magical Incantations, if they would evade the Force of that famous History. They that will believe no Witches, do imagine that Iugglers only are meant by them whom the Sacred Writ calleth so. But what do they think of that Law in Exod. 22. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live? Methinks 'tis a little too hard to punish every silly Iuggler with so great Severity.

Secondly. We have the Testimony of Experience for it. What will those Incredulous, who must be the only Ingenious men say to This? Many Witches have like those in Act. 19. 18. Confessed and shewed their Deeds. We see those things done, that it is impossible any Disease, or any Deceit should procure. We see some hideous Wretches in hideous Horrours confessing, That they did the Mischiefs. This Confession is often made by them that are owners of as much Reason as the people that laugh at all Conceit of VVitchraft: the exactest Scrutiny of skilful Physicians cannot find any Distraction in their minds. This Confession is often made by them that are apart One from another, and yet they agree in all the Circumstances of it. This Confession is often made by them that at the same time will p. 9produce the Engines and Ensignes of their Hellish Trade, and give the standers-by an Ocular Conviction of what they do, and how. There can be no Judgment left of any Humane Affairs, if such Confessions must be Ridiculed to all the Murders, yea, and all he Bargains in the World must be meer Imaginations if such Confessions are of no Account.

PROP. II.

WITCHCRAFT is a most Monstrous and Horrid Evil. Indeed there is a vast Heap of bloody roaring Impieties contained in the Bowels of it. Witchcraft, is a Renouncing of GOD, and Advancing of a filthy Devil into the Throne of the Most High; 'tis the most nefandous High-Treason against the MAJESTY on High. Witchcraft, is a Renouncing of Christ, and Preferring the Communion of a loathsome lying Devil before all the Salvation of the Lord Redeemer; 'tis a Trampling under foot that Blood which is more precious than Hills of Silver, or whole Mountains of Gold. There is in Witchraft, a most explicit Renouncing of all that is Holy and Iust and Good. The Law given by God, the Prayer taught by Christ, the Creed left by the Apostles, is become Abominable where Witchcraft is embraced: The very Reciting of those blessed Things is commonly burdensome where Witchcraft is. All the sure Mercies of the p. 10New Covenant, and all the just Duties of it, are utterly abdicated by that cursed Covenant which Witchraft is Constituted with. Witchraft, is a Siding with Hell against Heaven & Earth; and therefore a Witch is not to be endured in either of them. 'Tis a Capital Crime; and it is to be prosecuted as a piece of Devilism that would not only deprive God and Christ of all His Honour, but also plunder Man of all his Comfort. Witchcraft, it's an impotent, but an impudent Essay to make an Hell of the Universe, and to allow Nothing but a Tophet in the World. Witchcraft,—What shall I say of it! It is the furthest Effort of our Original Sin; and all that can make any Practice or Person odious, is here in the Exaltation of it.

It was the speech of Iehu to Ioram, in 2. King. 9. 22. What peace, so long as the Withchcrafts of thy mother are so many? Truly, as Witchcraft would break the Peace of all Mankind, so 'tis a thing that should enjoy no Peace among the Children of Adam. Nothing too vile can be said of, nothing too hard can be done to such an horrible Iniquity as Witchcraft is.

PROP. III.

REBELLION against God has very much like to Witchraft in it. Something like to Witchcraft there is in an Act of Rebellion; But a Course of Rebellion has much more like to Witchcraft in it. Some persons there are whose way p. 11is that of wickedness, whose work is that of Iniquity. Those persons do what is like Witchcraft every day.

For, First. In Rebellion, men cast off the Authority of God: The Witch declares a Will to be no more disposed & ordered by the Will of God; she says, God shall not be my Governour. Such is the Language of Rebellion. When men rebel against God. They say like him in Exod. 5. 2. I know not the Lord, and I will not obey His voice. They say like them in Ier. 44. 16. As for the word—spoken—in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken thereunto. There is indeed a sort of Atheism in Rebellion The Sinner is a Fool that wishes, O that there were no God! that resolves, God shall not be Lord over me.

Secondly. In Rebellion men Refuse the Salvation of Christ. The Witch contemns all the Offers of the Gospel, and prizes the dirty proffers that Satan makes before them all. This is the plain English of Rebellion; it sayes, What is tendred by the Devil, is better than what is tendred by the Saviour. The LORD said about Israel of old in Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of Me. Thus 'tis when men rebel against God. A Iesus may say, Those poor creatures will have none of Me, nor of My Bloud. A Pardon may say, Those guilty creatures will have none of me. A Kingdom may say, Those undone creatures will have none of me. Where Sin is committed, there Christ is despised. This doleful Phrensy is in all Rebellion against the Lord.

p. 12Thirdly. In Rebellion men choose and serve the the Devil as their Lord. The Witch makes an horrible Agreement with Devils, to be theirs alone. This is the intent of all Rebellion too. It in short saies, Let the Devil rule; it sayes, Let the Devil be humour'd and gratify'd. As that cowardly King said unto the Syrian, 1. King. 20. 4. My Lord, O King, I am thine and all that I have. Thus the ungodly man sayes unto the Devil; Thou art my Lord and my King. All Rebellion against God, is in Obedience to the Devil. When men rebel, they lay their Wit, their Love, their Strength, and all the Instruments of that Rebellion before the Devil, and they say. This is thine, O Satan, and all that they have. They do even sell themselves to the Devil! as we read of one, He sold himself to work wickedness.

Fourthly. In Rebellion, Men cast the Bond and the Good of their Baptism behind their Back. Among the Customs of Witches, this is one, They Renounce their Baptism in a manner very Diabolical. The same thing is done in the Rebellion of a wicked man. We are told in 1. Pet. 3. 21. that the thing which renders Baptism available is The answer of a good Conscience. But in Rebellion against God, men give the answer of an Evil Conscience, and so make a Nullity of their Sacred, Baptism. The Demand of God is VVilt thou Beleeve as Baptised persons do profess to do? The Rebel answers, No, I will continue shutt up in my Vnbeleef. The Demand of God is, VVillt p. 13thou put on Christ, as the Baptised profess to do? The Rebel answers, No, I will put on the old man. The Almighty God puts that Question, VVilt thou forsake the World, the Flesh, and the Devil, as thy Baptism dos oblige to do? In Rebellion the Answer of sinful man, is, No, I will serve them all; they shall all be the Idols of my Soul. With what Conscience can they answer so! But thus their Baptism is nothing with them.

Fiftly. All that rebel against God, are very Mischievous in doing so. They are Mischiefs that VVitches are delighted in. Thus 'tis the end of Rebellion to bring destruction upon all that are near unto it. 'Tis said in Eccles. 9. 18. One sinner destroyeth much good. It is the ill-Hap of Sinners like Witches to do hurt wherever they come; they hurt the souls of their Neighbours by the Venome of their Evil Communication; they hurt the Names of their Neighbours by their slandrous Defamation; they hurt their Estates by bringing down the fiery Judgments of Heaven upon all the Neighbourhood. Unto Rebellion against God, are owing all the Distresses and Miseries of a calamitous World. This is the Achan, this is the Troubler of us all.

The Improvement of these things now calls for our Earnest Heed; and unto each of our Three Propositions, we may annex Applications agreeable thereunto. I begin with

The USE of the First Proposition.

p. 14I. By way of INFORMATION.

There are especially Two Inferences to be drawn from this Position, That, Such a thing there is as Witchcraft in the world.

[First.] Since there are VVitches, we are to suppose that there are Devils too. Those are the Objects that VVitches converse withal. It was the Heresy of the ancient Sadducees in Act. 23. 8. The Sadducees do say, That there is neither Angel nor spirit. And there are multitudes of Sadducees yet in our dayes; Fools, that say, Seeing is Beleeving; and will beleeve nothing but what they see. A Devil, is in the apprehension of those Mighty acute Philosophers, no more than a Quality, or a Distemper. But, as Paul said unto Him of old, King Agrippa, Beleevest thou the Prophets? Thus I would say, Friend, Beleevest thou the Scriptures? I pray, What sort of things were they, of whom we read in Iude. 6.? Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own Habitation, and be reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day. What sort of things were they, who in Matth. 18. 16. Besought our Lord, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd of swine? What thing was that, which in Luc. 4. 33. cryed out unto the Lord Jesus with a loud voice, Let us alone? Surely, These things could be none but Spiritual and rational substances, full of all Wickeness against God, and Enmity against Man. We shall come to have no Christ p. 15but a Light within, and no Heaven but a Frame of mind; if the Scriptures must be expounded after the Rules of the modern Sadducees. Perhaps tho' the Scriptures are Fables to that sort of men. Come then, thou Sadducee, What kind of thing is that which will so handle towardly ingenuous well-disposed persons, That if any Devotions be performed, they shall roar & tear unreasonably, and have such Noises and such Tortures in them, as not only to hinder themselves wholly, but others too much from joyning in the Service; and strive to kick or strike the Minister in his Prayers, but have their hands or feet strangely stopt when they are just come at him, and yet be quiet before and after the VVorship? That if any Idle or Vseless Discourse be going, they shall be well, but at any serious Discourse they shall be tormented in all their Limbs? That If a portion of the Bible be readd, tho they see and hear nothing of it, and tho, it may be, in Greek or Hebrew too, they shall fall into terrible Agonies, which will be over when the Bible is laid aside? That they shall be able to peruse whole Pages of Evil Books, but scarce a Line of a good one? That they shall Move and Fly, and Tell secret things, as no ordinary mortals can? Let me ask, Is not the hand of Joab in all this? or, Is there not a Divel whose Agency must account for things that are so extravagant? I am now to tell you, That these eyes of mine have beheld p. 16all these things, and many other more, no less amazing. Christian, There are Devils: and so many of them too, that sometimes a Legion of them are spar'd for the vexation of one man. The Air in which we breath is full of them. Be sensible of this, you that obey God: there are Troops of Tempters on every side of thee. Awake, O Soul, Awake, Those Philistines of Hell are upon thee. Upon the least affrightment in the dark, many simple people cry out, The Devil! The Devil! Alas, there are Devils thronging about thee every day. O let the thought of it make thee a careful and a watchful man. And be sensible of this you that commit Sin: The Lord Jesus hath said of you, Ye will do the lusts of your father the Devil. How often do many of you make a Mock and a Ieer of the Devil while you are drudging for him? But know, that there are dreadful Devils to seize upon thy forlorn forsaken soul, at its departure hence. O become a new man at the thought of this.

2. Since there are Witches and Devils, we may conclude that there are also Immortal Souls, Devils would never contract with Witches for their Souls if there were no such things to become a prey unto them. One of the Popas when he lay dying, said, I shall now quickly know whether I have an Immortal Soul or no. Within less than a hundred years, you & I shall be convinced of it, if we are not so before. We may truly p. 17say, Devils & Witches bear a witness against them that have any scruple of it. There are some dreaming Hereticks, that hold Man wholly mortal: I am sure the Apostle Paul was not of their breastly Opinion, when he said in Phil. 1. 21. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Nor was the Martyr Stephen of their Opinion, when he expired saying, in Act. 7. 59. Lord Iesus Receive my spirit. Nor was our Lord Jesus Himself of that opinion, when He said unto Theef on the Cross in Luc. 23. 43. This day thou shalt the with Me in Paradise. 'Tis an Opinion unworthy of a man that is owner of a Soul. The mistaken Indians, when first they saw a man on Horse-back, did conceit the Man and the Horse to be one Creature: it is as soul an Error to conceit that it is but one thing which man consisteth of. No, 'Tis a right Anatomy of man, in Gen. 2. 7. The Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living SOUL. Remember, Thou hast in thee a living soul; or a Spirit, able to know, and will, and argue so as nothing else in the visible Creation can. This living soul is the Candle of the Lord within thee, and no Wind, no Death can ever extinguish it. O make much of this living SOUL. Save it, and don't sell it: It is a Iewel too precious to be thrown away. Do not sell thy soul for a song. Take heed that the Devils make it not theirs by any follies of thine.

p. 18II. By way of Exhortrtion.

There is one thing to be now pressed upon us all.

Let us wisely endeavour to be preserved from the Molestations of all Witchraft whatsoever. Since there is a thing so dangerous, defend your selves, and shelter your selves by all right means against the annoyance of it.

Consider the Multitudes of them, whom Witchcraft hath sometimes given Trouble to. Persons of all sorts have been racked and ruin'd by it; and not a few of them neither. It is hardly twenty years ago, that a whole Kingdom in Europe was alarum'd by such potent Witchcrafts; that some hundreds of poor Children were invaded with them. Persons of great Honour have sometimes been cruelly bewitched. What lately besell a worthy Knight in Scotland, is well known unto the world. Persons of great Vertue too, have been bewitched, even into their Graves. But Four years are passed since a holy man was kill'd in this doleful way, after the Ioy as well as the Grace of GOD had been wonderfully filling of him. This Consideration should keep us from censuring of those that Witchcraft may give Disturbance to: but it should put us on studying of our own security. Suppose ye that the enchanted Family in the Town, were sinners above all the Town, because they have suffered such things I tell ye Nay, but except ye repent, ye may all be so dealt withall. The Father of Lies vttered an awful p. 19Truth when he said through the mouth of a possessed man, If God would give me leave, I would find enough in the best of you all, to make you all mine.

Consider also, the Misery of them whom Witchcraft may be let loose upon. If David thought it a sad thing to fall into the hands of men; What is it to fall into the hands of Devils? The Hands of Turks, of Spaniards, of Indians, are not so dreadful as those hands that Witches do their works of Darkness by. O what a diresh I thing is it, to be prick't with Pins, and stab'd with Knives all over, and to be fill'd over with broken Bones? 'Tis impossible to reckon up the Varieties of miseries which those Monsters inflict where they can have a Blow. No less than Death, and that a languishing and a terrible Death will satisfie the Rage of those sormidable Dragons. Indeed Witchcraft sometimes growes up into Possession it self: the Devils that are permitted to torment, at last do possess the Bodies of the bewitched sufferers. But who can bear the thoughts of that! who can forbear crying out, O Lord, my flesh trembles for fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy Iudgements.

What shall then be done for our Preservation? Away with all superstitious. Preservatives; about those Confidences the Word of God is that in Ier. 2. 37. Thou shalt not prosper in them.

But there are Three admirable Amalets that p. 20I can heartily recommend unto you all.

The First Preservative is, A fervent PRAYER. Pour out that Prayer before the Lord, in Psal, 59. 2, 3. Deliver me from the workers of Iniquity, and save me from the bloody ones; for lo, they lie in wait for my soul. And be much in Prayer every day. The Devils are afraid of our Prayers; they tremble and complain, and are in a sort of Anguish while our Prayers are going. There was a house of a Renowned Minister in France insested with evil Spirits; who tho' they had been very troublesome, yet when the good man was betaking himself to prayer, they would say, Now you are going to Prayer, I'll be gone. Let us pray much, and we need fear nothing. Particularly, Let Ejaculatory Prayers be almost continually in our minds, and so we shall neverly open to the fiery darts of the wicked one.

The Second Preservative is A lively Faith. The Psalmist well said, in Psal. 56. 2, 3, Mine enemies would daily swallow me up; At what time I am afraid I will trust in thee. Be not afraid of any Devils; If you are, turn the Fear into Faith. By Faith resign your selves to the Custody of Him that is the Keeper of Israel. By Faith perswade your selves that He is able to keep what you have committed unto Him. Thus, Run to the Rock, and there triumph over all the powers of darkness. Triumph and say, The Lord is on my side; I will not fear; What can Hell do unto me.

p. 21The Third Preservative is, A Holy Life. There was a very Holy Man of old, a man, that feared God & eschewed evil; and the Devils murmur'd, in Iob, 1. 10. God has made an hedge about him. The same have the Devils confest, when they have plotted against other holy men. Do not thou break the hedge of God's Commandment, and perhaps he will not let any break the hedge of his Providence, by which thou art secured. The holy Angels are the Friends, the Guardians, the Companions, of all holy men; they may open their eyes, and see more with them than against them. A Camp, an Host of Angels will fight against all the Harpies of Hell which may offer to devour a Saint of GOD.

Use these things as the Shields of the Lord; so you shall be preserved in Christ Iesus from the assaults of the Destroyer. Suppose now that any Witches may let fly their Curses at you, you are now like a Bird on the Wing, in such Heavenward Motions that they cannot hitt you. Now the Devils and their Creatures cannot say of you, as the Daemon said of the Christian woman whom, at a Stage-play he took Possission of, and being asked, gave this reason of his taking her, I found her on my own ground.

We pass on to the

USE of the Second proposition.

And that must be a Counsel from God unto us all. Particularly, p. 22Since Witchcraft is an Evil so horrible.

1. To them that may be Enticed unto the Sin of Witchcraft. To them we say,

1. Take heed that you be not by any Temptation drawn into this monstrous and horrid Evil.

The best man that ever breathed was tempted hereunto; that man who was more than a meer Man, was assaulted by the Cheef Devil of the lowest Hell with this Temptation in Mat. 4. 9. Fall down and worship me. But by the Sword of the Spirit our Lord kept him off. If any of you are by any Devil so sollicited, thus resist, thus repel all the Motions of the wicked one. Don't give your selves away to those Deceivers that will become Tormentors of your soul in another world.

It may be the proposal of this Counsel may make some to say as he in 2. King. 8. 13. What? is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? I answer, Alas, we should every one of us be a dog and a Witch too, if God should have us to our selves. It is the meer Grace of God, the Chains of which restrain us from bringing the Chains of darkness upon our Souls. The Humble and (therefore) Holy Martyr Bradford, when he heard of any Wickedness committed in the Neighbourhood, would lay his hand on his Breast and say, In this heart of mine, is that which should render me as wicked as the worst in the world, p. 23If God should leave me to my self. When we see a forlorn wretch executed for Witchcraft, you and I may say the same. They that are Witchee now, once little dream't of ever becoming so. Let him that stands, take heed lest he fall. If we would not fall into that horrible pit, Let us follow these Directions.

DIRECTION I.

Avoid those Ill Frames which are a Step to Witchcraft. There are especially Two ill Frames which do lead people on to the worst Witchcraft in the world. Shun a Frame of Discontent. When persons are discontented with their own state; When persons through discontent at their Poverty, or at their Misery, shall be alwaies murmuring and repining at the Providence of God, the Devils do then invite them to an Agreement with, and a Reliance on them for Help. Down right Witchcraft is the up-shot of it. We find in Luc. 4. 2. our Lord, hungred, and then the Devil came in an audible or a visible manner to Him, tho he had been more spiritually long before assaulting of Him. They are needy persons whom Devils make the most likely attempts upon. And some persons are not only Hungry, but Angry too; but then every Fret, every Fume is as it were a Call to the Devils; it calls to them, Come and help me. Shun also a Frame of Ill-Wishing. There is a Witchcraft begun in the p. 24Imprecations of wicked people. Many profane persons will wish the Devil to take this & that, or, the Devil to do this & that; and when they call, at last he comes, or at least the Divel do's what they wish Observe this, We are by our Sins worthy to have Mischiefs befalling us every day; and the Devils are alwaies ready to inflict what we deserve. I am also apt to think that the Devils are seldome able to hurt us in any of our exteriour Concerns without a Commission from some of our fellow-worms. It is intimated in Gen. 4. 9. That every man is his Brother's Keeper: We are by our good Wishes to keep our Brethren from the Inroads of Ill spirits. But when foul-mouth'd men shall wish harm unto their Neighbours, they give a Commission unto the Devils to perform what they desire; and if God should not mercifully prevent it, they would go thorough with it. Hear this, you that in wild passions will give every thing to the Devil: Hear it, you that will bespeak a Rot, a Pox, and a Plague upon all that shall provoke you I here Indict you as guilty of hellish Witchcraft in the sight of God. 'Tis the little Wapping of smell dogs that stirs up the cruel Mastives to fall upon the Sheep in the Field.

DIRECTION II.

Avoid all those Ill-Charms which are a piece of Witchcraft: The Devils have pretty Ra…s, as well as fiery Arrows they that use the Ra…es, p. 25will come at length to use the Arrows too. Do not play on the Brink of the pit, lest you tumble in. It was complained in 2. King. 17. 9. The Children of Israel did secretly those things that are not right against the Lord their God. Even so it may be said, that people among us do secretly and frequently those things that have a sort of Witchcraft in them.

There are manifold Sorceries practised among them that make a profession of Christianity against which I would this day bear a witness in the Name of the most holy Lord.

First, There are some that make use of wicked Charms for the curing of Mischiefs. It is too common a thing for persons to oppose Witchcraft it self with Witchcraft. When they suppose one to be bewitched, they do with Burnings, and Bottles, and Horshoes, and, I know not what, magical Caeremonies endeavour his Relief. Mark what I say: To use any Remedy, the force of which depends upon the Compact of the Devils with the Witches, is to involve ones self in the cursed. Compact it is, as it were, to say, O Devil, Thou hast agreed with such a person that they shall be expos'd unto Torments by the use of such or such a Caeremony, we do now use the Caeremony, and expect thy blessing upon it. This is the Language foamed out by this foolish Magic. Do's not thy Conscience tremble at such Iniquity and Impiety? This may be to heal a Body, but it p. 26is to destroy a soul. These persons give themselves to the Devils to be deliver'd from the Witches. And the people that are eas'd & helped by such meanes, they say, do usually come to unhappy Ends. Let me say as in 2. King. 1. 3. Is there not a God in Israel, that you go to Belzebub? What? will not Prayer and Faith do, but must the Black Art be used against our enemies?

It is likewise too common a thing in almost every Disease to seek an unlawful Medicine. Thus for the Ague, for the Tooth-ach, and for what not? a Mumbling of some words must be made, or a Paper of some words must be worn. From what can the Efficacy of these words proceed, but from the Consent and the Action of the Devils? The Witches have their Watch-words, which I list not to recite: upon those Watch-words the devils do their Commands. These kind of Spells are Watch-words to the Devils; and when a man has any Benefit by them, he cannot say as in Psal. 103. 3. Bless the Lord, O my soul, who healeth all thy diseases. Man, First leave off the name of a Christian, before thou dost thus make thy self a Conjurer. I hope the Churches of the Lord Jesus will not bear it, that any in their Communion, should have this Fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. But this is not all; Turn we yet again, and we shall see greater abominations. For,

p. 27Secondly. There are some that make Use of wicked Charms, for the Finding of Secrets. The Lord hath told us, in Deut. 29. 29. Secret things belong to God. But these impious people must needs have a Tast of them. They will ask the Devils to inform their minds, and resolve their doubts. This is the Witchcraft of them, that with a Sieve, or a Key will go to discover how their lost Goods are disposed of. This is the Witchcraft of them that with Glasses and Basons will go to discover how they shall be Related before they dy. They are a sort of Witches that thus employ themselves. And this is the Witchcraft of the Iudicial Astrologer. That Astrologer is a Cousin-German to a Conjurer. I think I know his Rules, and I am satisfied that his Iudgment must at last be determined by his Impulse, or it is not worth an hundredth part of what the silly Enquirer payes him for it: and from whom, from what shall that Impulse come? Behold the Energy of Devils in it. It is likewise a sort of Sorcery, for persons to let their Bibles fall open, on purpose to determine what the state of their souls is, from the first word they light upon. And some among us, they say, are so extremely sinful, as to consult one whom they count a Conjurer, when they would understand what they know not otherwise. 'Tis horrible, that in this Land of Vprightness there should be any such Prank of wickedness. I do earnestly p. 28testifie unto you that these things are abominables the voice of our God is, O do them not, my soul hates them. I do warn and charge you, Shun these execrable things, lest you he left unto the furthest Witchcraft committed by the abhorted of the Lord.

2. Take heed that you do not wrongfully accuse any other person, of this horrid and monstrous evil. It is the Character of a Godly man, in Psal. 15. 3. He taketh not up a Reproach against his Neighbour. What more dirty Reproach than that of Witchcraft can there be? Yet it is most readily dast upon worthy persons, when their is hardly a shadow of any reason for it. An Ill-look, or a cross word will make a Witch with many people who may on more ground be counted so themselves. There has been a fearful deal of Injury done in this way in this Town, to the Good-name of the most credible persons in it. Persons of more Goodness and Esteem than any of their calumnious Abusers have been defamed for Witches about this Countrey, A Countrey full of lyes. I beseech you, Let all Back-biting, and all Evil-surmising be put away from among you: do not, on small grounds Fly-blow the precious ointment of the good-name that thy Neighbour should have. On the least provocation, I will never beleeve but such an one is a witch —that is presently the Sentence of some that p. 29might speak more warily than so. Alas, thou might'st with as much Honesty break open the House, or take away the purse of thy Neighbour: His Good Name is of more Account. They that indulge themselves in this course of Evil-Iudging, are usually paid home for it before they dy; the just God sue's them in an Action of Defamation, and makes their Names to be up too, before they leave world.

Wee'l suppose the most probable Presumptions:

Suppose that a Person bewitched should pretend to see the Apparition of such or such an one, yet this may be no infallible Argument of their being Naughty people, it seems possible that the Devils may so traduce the most Innocent, the most praise-worthy. Why may not spiritual Devils, as well as Devils Incarnate get leave to do it? There was at Groton, a while since, a very memorable Instance of such a thing; and what should hinder them that can Imitate the Angels of Light but that they may likewise personate the Children of Light, in their Delusions?

II. To them that have been seduced into the Sin of Witchcraft. And under this Rack, there are two sorts of persons to be addressed unto.

p. 30First. Let them that have been guilty of Implicit Witchcraft, now repent of their monstrous and horrid evil in it. I fear that I speak to some Scores, that may lay their hands on their mouths, and cry, Guilty, Guilty! before the Lord, in this particular. Let these now Confess and bewail their own sin in the fight of God; and as it was said in Hos. 14. 8. What have I any more to do with Idols? Thus let them say, What have I any more to do with Devils? The things that you have done, have been payments of Respects unto Devils; and it becomes you to abhor your selves in dust and ashes for your Folly. The great and terrible God sayes of you, as in Deut. 32. 21. They have provoked me to anger with their Vanities. Let the things that did provoke Him to anger, now provoke you to sorrow. Retire this evening, and humble your selves very deeply, in that you have been so foolish and unwise. Lament all your Acquaintance with Hell; and let your Acquaintance with God be more. Let your Lamentations be more than ever your Divinations were.

Let them that have been guilty of Explicit Witchcraft, now also repent of their monstrous and horrid evil in it. If any of you have (I hope none of you have) made an Express Contract with Devils, know that your promise is better broke than kept; it concerns you that you. Turn immediately from the Power of Satan unto God. p. 31Albeit your sin be beyond all Expression or Conception Heinous, yet it is not unpardonable. We read of Menasseh in 2. Chron. 33. …6. He used Enchantments, & used Witchcraft, and deale with a Famillar Spirit, and wrought much Evil in the sight of the Lord. But that great Wizzard found Mercy with God, upon his deep Humiliation for it: Such a Boundless thing is the Grace of our God! The Prey of Devils, may become the Ioy of Angels: The Confederates of Hell, may become the Inhabitants of Heaven, upon their sincere Turning unto God. A Witch may be penitent in this, and glorious in another world. There was one Hartford here, who did with much Brokenness of heart own her Witchcraft, and leave her Master, and expire depending on the Free-Grace of God in Christ, and on that word of His, Come to me, ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest; and on that, There is a fountain open for sin and for uncleanness. Come then, Renounce the Slavery and the Interest of the Devils, Renounce your mad League with 'em. Come and give up your selves unto the Lord Iesus Christ, loathing your selves exceedingly for your so siding with the black enemies of His Throne. O come away from the doleful estate you are in. Come away from serving of the Devils that have ensnared your Souls. What Wages have you from those Hellish Task-masters? Alas you are here among the poor, and vile, and p. 32ragged Beggars upon Earth. When did Witchcraft ever make any person Rub? And hereafter you must be Objects for the intolerable in silence and Cruelty of those Cannibals, and be broken sore in the place of Dragons for evermore. Be take your selves then to Instant and Constant Prayer, and unto your old filthy Rulers now say, Depart from me, ye Evil Spirit, for I will keep the Commandments of God.

But we must now Conclude with the

USE of the Third Proposition.

And that may be a Caution to every one of us. This in short, Since Rebellion is like VVitchcraft,

O Let us not make light of any Rebellion against the Almighty GOD. Particularly,

First, Let not a Course of Rebellion be followed-by us. It is the Course of unregenerate men, to be daily doing those things, for which the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience. When God requires, Repent of Sin, they do rebel and reply, No, I have loved Idols, and after them I will go. When God requires, Beleeve on Christ, they do rebel and reply. No, I will not have this man to reign over me. They rebel against all the divine Commands of Love to God or Love to Man; They rebel against all the Precepts of the Lords, which are to be esteemed concerning all things to be Right. And they love p. 33every false way. O Consider of this, ye strangere to the new-Birth; Consider what you are doing, consider where you are going every day. I would now say, alluding to that in Dan. 4. 27. O soul, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins. You have been doing of Iniquity; O now say, I will do so no more.

Consider, First, There is a sort of VVitchcraft charg'd on you. You shall as undoubtedly perish as any VVitch in the world, except you reform. Can you imagine that an obstinate Witch will have Admission into the Kingdom of God.? Behold, & be astonish't, ye unrenewed ones; as impossible it is for you to see the Lord. It is said in Ioh. 3. 3. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. That verily verily, which like a flaming Sword, stands to keep the vil oft Witches out of Paradise, the same there is to keep every unbeleever out. The Lord said unto some confident pretenders of old, Ye are as AEthiopians unto me. This doth God say unto all them that obey Him not; this doth He say to every one of you that do not fear Him & keep His Commandment; He saith, Ye are as Witches unto me; though thy Birth be of godly or genteel Parents, tho' thy Parts & Gifts may be extraordinary, tho' thy Prayers may be twice a week, & thy Alms enough to fill a Trumpet, yet become a new-creature; otherwise ye are as witches unto me, saith the Lord.

Consider, Secondly, There is a sort of Witch. p. 34craft come on you too. All that leave the way everlasting, and take a way of wickedness, they are bewitched; a grievous Witchcraft has siez'd upon them. The Apostle said to some in Gal. 3. 1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the Truth? This may be an Expostulation us'd with all ungodly men; O foolish Transgressors, who has bewitched you? I'le tell you who: Not an Hog, but a Lust has bewitched 'em. They that are bewitched, have a marvellous variety of calamity upon them. One while they can't see; that is thy case; Thou art wretched, but thou canst not see it; Christ is lovely, but thou canst not see him. One while they cannot hear; that is thy case; God calls, Look unto me and be saved; but thou hearest nothing of it. Another while they can't stirr; that is thy case; The Lord Jesus calls, Come unto me, but thou movest not. Sometimes they are as it were, cut, & prick't, and distorted in their Limbs; the very same art thou in all the Faculties of thy soul. At othertimes they are pulled into the Fire, or into the Water, or thrown with violence upon the Ground; the like happens to thy unhappy soul; it is hurried thither, where the sire is not quenched; it is hurried thither where they groan under, the waters; it is also made to pant after the dust of the earth. The Drunken man is bewitched with strong Drink; the unclean man is bewitch't with strange Flesh; the tongue of a Swearer is acted worse p. 35than the tongue of a bewitch't man; the covetous man is hideously bewitched with Bags & Lands.

O pity thine own soul; and give no sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye lids, until thine immortal soul be deliver'd from thy natural state. Let not VVitchcraft it felf be a more frightful thing to thee, than thy own present Unregeneneracy. Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye dye?

Secondly. Let not an Act of Rebellion be allowed by us. When Ioseph was incited unto an Ill Act, he said, in Gen, 39. 9. How shall I do this wickedness and sin against God? Thus, when we are urged unto any Ill Act, Let us refuse it so, No, this is like Wicthcraft, shall I by such wickedness make my self as a Witch before the Lord?

Three Things are to be Recommend here

First, Arm yourselves against all the Devices, with which the Devils would hook you into any Rebellion against the Lord. For Rebellion against God, there will be that clause in our Indictment. They were moved by the Instigation of the Devil. Now furnish yourselves with Armour to keep off the Dint of the Devils Instigations; in short, put on the whole Armour of God. There is specially a double Care that will be of great use in your Encounters.

First. Use your Watch well. We read in Eph. 6. 11. about the Wiles of the Devil. When the Devil would engage us in a Rebellion, there are certain Wily Methods by which he doth accomplish p. 36it. He works more by Fraud then by Forts; and there is a cryptic method by which he doth gain us over to himself. A crafty Sophister has a three-fold Method, with which he prevails upon his Auditors; and such the Method of the Devil is. Watch, First against the Deficient method of the Devil. The Devil will show us the Sin without the Curse, the Bait without the Hook: So he saies Eat the pleasant Fruit: but he saies not, Thou shalt dye if thou do it. The Devil will represent unto us the Difficulty of a Duty, but conceal the recompence of it. So he says, It's a hard thing to pray in secret every day; but he says not, Thy Father will Reward thee. And he will represent unto us the Excuse of a Sin, but conceal the Ill shape of it: So he saies, Many others have done this and that; but he saies not, God was provoked at it. These are Tricks to be watched against.

Watch, Secondly, against the Redundant Method of the Devil. Sometimes the devil will use a Digression. He will seem to give over his Intent in one thing, but make sure of his Intent in another. Such a Stratagem he uses as what Ioshua took A… withal; he retires, and so he conquers. He will make Haughtiness and Security undo the soul, that he could not make of his party for grosser Wickedness. Sometimes the devil will use a Commoration. He will dog a man, and bring Perswasion upon perswasion, as Delilah did with Sampson; and p. 37like a cnuning Fencer, he repeats blow after blow, till he smite home. These are Dangers to be Watched against.

Watch, Thirdly, against the Inverting Method of the Devil. One while the Devil will endeavour to carry us on from Lesser sins to Greater sins. He will go to make our miscarriages like Elijah's cloud; at first as an Hands-breadth, but anon so as to hide the whole Heaven from us. So Solomon multiplies first Horses, & afterward worse things against the command of God. Another while, the Devil will decoy us from lawful things to unlawful things. Thus from a Good-husband, a man shall grow a meer Muck-worm. Now and then also, the Devil will try to spoil Good works with Ill ends: Thus the Pride of Iebu shall be swell'd by the Zeal of Iebu. He will try to make our Duties Interfere; the general Calling shall be regarded in the season of the particular, and the particular calling shall be attended in the season of the general. He will try to lead us from one Extreme to another; We shall be excessively merry, and ere long excessively melancholly, if we hearken to him. O keep up your Watch. Well did the Apostle say, in 1. Pet. 5. 8. Be vigilant, for the Devil as a roaring lion, seeketh whom he may devour.

Secondly. Use your Sword well. Tis said in Eph. 6. 17. Take the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The Devil cannot stand before the Brandishings of this Two-edged Sword. p. 38Our Saviour overcame the devil by making that Return, It is written, and It is written, against all his lewd attempts. Would he get you into any Rebellion? One Text well managed will make him fly before you. Would he have you be unjust? Then answer, It is written, The inrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Would he have you be unclean? Then answer, It is written, God reserves to be punished them that walk in uncleanness. Would he have you be immoderately careful? Say then, It is written, Cast thy burden on the Lord.

This Warefare is directly contrary to that Witchcraft which the Devils are daily driving or drawing us unto.

Secondly. Beware of that Rebellion against God particularly, which the Devils are most gratified withal. It is said in Eph. 4. 40. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. The unclean devils are pleased most with such things as that Holy Spirit is most grieved with. Sometimes the Devils have been forced as it were, to discover their own Inclinations: thro the mouths of possessed persons, they have declar'd what was very grateful to them. The Children that have lately been under a diabolical Fascination in this Town, have given us diverse Intimations, which we might make useful Observations on. I observed, that tho they had much delight in prayer when they were well; yet when they were ill, they could not endure it. The Damons would make them sing, & roar, and p. 39stop their ears, and plague them, and at last lay them for dead, if any prayer were in the Room. Whence it may be inferred, That you who can go without Prayer from day to day, do just as the Devils would have you. The Devils have an horrible Rendezvous in that Family, in that Closet, where Prayer is not maintained. I observed, that tho the Word of God were their Companion & Counsellor at other times, yet now they would fall into Convulsions, if one did but look into a Bible. Whence it may be suppos'd that you who read not the Scripture, for the most part every day, do humour the devils in it. The Devils are glad to see the Bibles that have dust upon them. I observed, that Haeretical, or Superstitious or profane Books, might be perused by some of them, when serious & Orthodox Books would put out their Eyes. Whence it may be suggested, That you who converse much with ill books, do as the devils would: The Devils would willingly be where Iest-books, & Play-books, & Romances, and Haeresies or Superstitions are made a Library. I observed, that tho they were exemplary for Honesty & Sobriety, yet now their Wishes to steal & be drunk, were frequently expressed; and sometimes they were made very drunk tho no intoxicating Drink had bin in the least an occasion of it. Whence it may be gathered, That the Drunkard has a devil in him, the Stealer has a devil in him. The Devils have sport enough, when they p. 40see a man Reeling in the streets; the divels are the Comrades of them that go to take what is none of their own. I observed, That tho few in the place were so diligent as they, nevertheless in their Fits they might not do any work at all. Whence it may be concluded, That of Idleness comes no goodness. The devils are the Play-mates of them that are Gaming when they should be working. An idle person is a Prentice of a divel. These things have been observed; and now let these Vices be avoided. There is Witchcraft in them.

O that the Divels might be out-shot in their own Bow, and that these Vices might be made odious by their Affection for them.

Thirdly. Instead of Rebellion against God, let Obedience to God fill your lives. Make unto God that vow in ps. 116. 16. O Lord, truly I am thy servant, &c. And accordingly serve God with all obedience. Yea, often ask yourselves, What service may I do for God? And let a respect of Obedience to God make even the meanest of your Actions honourable: even when you eat & drink & trade & visit & recreate yourselves, let there be some Obedience to God in it all. The Employments of a poor Carpenter or Shooemaker will hereby be rendred more noble things than the Victories of an Alexander or a Caesar. Not the devils but the Angels will have a most intimate Fellowship with a man thus obedient. Not witchcraft, but rather Inspiration will be in the man who does this, and the son of man who layeth hold on it.

NOTANDUM.

SInce the Finishing of the History which concerns Goodwin's Children, there has been a very wonderful Attempt made (brobably by Witchcraft, on another Family in the Town. There is a poor Boy at this time under very terrible and amazing Circumstances which are a Repetition of, with not much Variation from those of the Children formerly molested. The person under vehement Suspicion to be the Authoress this Boy's Calamities, is one that was complain'd of by those Children in their Ails and accordingly one or two of those Children has at this time some Renewal of their Afflictions also; which perhaps may be permitted by the Great God, not to dissappoint our Expectations of their Deliverance, but for the Detection and the Destruction of more belonging to that hellish Knot, that has not yet perished as others of the Crue has done, before the poor prayers of them that Hope in God.

The Book-sellers not being willing to stay the Event of these New Accidents, cause the Bridles here to be taken off.