Satans Temptations in Three Parts

CHAP. I. The Introduction to the Text, from a consideration of the desperate ruin of the Souls of Men. The Text opened, expressing Satan's Malice, Power, Cruelty and Diligence.

T He Souls of Men are precious, the whole World cannot repair their loss; hence by God are all Men in particular charged with care and watchfulness about them. He hath also set up Watchmen and Overseers, whose business it is to watch over Souls, and in the most strict and careful manner, as those that must give an account.

What can more stir up Men to the discharge of this Duty, than the frequent alarms which we have of the assaults of such an Adversary, whose business 'tis to destroy the Soul? The Philistines are upon thee Sampson; he fights continually, and useth all the policy and skill he hath for the management of his strength.

Besides, 'tis a Consideration very affecting, when we view the Desolations that are made in the Earth; what Wounds, what Overthrows, what Cruelties, Slaveries, and Captivities these conquered Vassals are put to. It was (as some think) an inexcusable cruelty in David against the Ammonites, when he put, them under Saws, and Harrows of Iron, and made them pass through th • e Brick-kiln; but this Spiritual Pharaoh hath a more grievous House of Bondage, and Iron Furnace. Neither is this miserable destruction ended, but will keep pace with Time, and shall not cease, till Christ shall at his appearance finally conquer him and tread him down. If Xerxes wept to look upon his Army through the prospective of devouring Time, which, upon an easy foresight, shown him the death of so great a company of gallant Men; we may well weep (as David at Ziklag) till we can weep no more: or (as Rachel for her Children) refusing to be comforted, while we consider what a great number of succeeding Generations, heaps upon heaps, will be drawn with him to a consuming Tophet. And could we follow him thither, to hear the cries of his Prisoners, the roarings of his Wounded, where they curse the day that brought them forth, and themselves for their folly and madness in hearkening to his Delusions; the dreadful out-cries of Eternity, and then their rage against Heaven in cursings and blasphemings, while they have no mitigations, or ease, nor the refreshment of a drop of Water to cool their Tongues, we would surely think we could never spend our time better, than in opposing such an Enemy, and warning Men to fly from the wrath to come, to take heed they come not into his snare; with what earnestness would we endeavor to persuade Men? what diligence would we use to cast Water upon these devouring Flames, and to pluck Men as Brands out of the Fire? 'It is true, if Satan had dealt plainly with Men, and told them what Wages they were to expect, and set a visible mark upon his Slaves, or had managed a visibly destructive hostility, Men have such natural principles of self-preservation, and of hatred of what appears to be evil, that we might expect they would have fled from him, and still have been upon their guard: But he useth such Artifices, such Sleights and Couzenage, that Men are cast into a sleep, or a golden dream, while he binds them in Chains of Darkness, they see not their end, the Snare, nor the Pit; nay, he intoxicates them with a love of their misery, and a delight in helping forward their ruin; so that they are Volunteers in his Service, and possessed with a madness and rage against all that will not be as willing as themselves to go to Hell; but especially if they put forth a compassionate hand to help any out of that Gulf of Misery, they hate them, they gnash, upon them with their teeth, and run upon them with utmost violence, as if they had no Enemies but these compassionate Samaritans.

How great is this Mystery of Darkness! Who shall be able to open the depths of it? Who shall declare it fully to the Sons of Men, to bring these hidden things to light? Especially seeing these hellish Secrets which are yet undiscovered, are double to those that have been observed, by any that have escaped from his power: He only whose prerogative it is to search the hearts of Men, can know, and make known, what is in the heart of Satan; he views all his goings, even those Paths which the Vultures Eye hath not seen; and can trace those foot-steps of his, which leave no more print or tract behind them, than a Ship in the Sea, or a Bird in the Air, or a Serpent on a Stone.

Yet notwithstanding we may observe much of his Policies, and more would God discover, if we did but humbly and faithfully improve what we know already. 'It is my design to make some discovery of those Haunts I have observed, if by that means I may be useful to you to quicken and awaken you. And first I shall set before you the strength and power of your Enemy, before I open his Cunning and Craft.

There are found in him whatsoever may render an Adversary dreadful.

As first; Malice and Enmity; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is a Law Term, and signifies an Adversary at Law, one that is against our Cause; and the Text (as some think) heightens this Malice, (1.) by the Article 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which denotes an Arch Enemy. (2.) The Name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies a Slanderer or Calumniator, (for the word is twice in the New Testament used for a Slanderer) showing his hatred to be so great, that it will not stick at lying and falsehood, either in accusing God to us, or us to God. Nay it particularly hints, that when he hath in malice tempted a poor Wretch to sin, he spares not to accuse him for it, and to load him with all things that may aggravate his guilt or misery, accusing him for more than he hath really done, and for a worse estate than he is really in.

Secondly; His Power, under the metaphor of a Lion, a Beast of prey, whose innate property is to destroy, and is accordingly fitted with strength, with tearing Paws, and a devouring Mouth; that as a Lion would rend a Kid with ease, and without resistance, so are Men swallowed up by him, as with open Mouth; so the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies, he can sup them up at a draught.

Thirdly; His Cruelty, a Roaring Lion, implying, not only his innate property to destroy, which must be a strange fierceness, but also that this innate Principle is heightened and whetted on, as hunger in a Lion sharpens and enrages that disposition, till he get his Prey; so that he becomes raving and roaring, putting an awful Majesty upon Cruelty, and frighting them out of endeavors, or hopes of resistance, and increasing their misery with affrightments and tremblings. Thus Satan shows a fierce and truculent temper, whose power being put forth from such an implacable malice, must needs become rage and fierceness.

Fourthly; His Diligence; which, together with his Cruelty, are consequences of his Malice and Power; he goes about, and seeks; he is restless in his pursuit, and diligent, as one that promiseth himself a satisfaction or joyful contentment in his Conquests.

CHAP. II. Of the Malice of Satan in particular. The Grounds and Causes of that Malice. The Greatness of it proved; and Instances of that Greatness given.

I Shall first give some account of his Malice, by which it shall appear, we do not wrong the Devil in calling him malicious; the truth of which Charge, will evidence itself in the following particulars.

First; The Devil, though a Spirit, yet is a proper Subject of Sin. We need no other evidence for this, than what doth by daily experience result from ourselves; we have sins, which our Spirits and Hearts do act, that relate not to the Body, called a filthiness of the Spirit, in contradistinction to the filthiness of the Flesh. 'It is true it cannot be denied, but that those Iniquities which have a necessary dependence upon the Organs of the Body, (as Drunkenness, Fornication, &c.) cannot properly, as to the formality of the Act, be laid at Satan's door, (though as a tempter and provoker of these in Men, he may be called the Father of these sins) yet the forementioned Iniquities which are of a Spiritual Nature, are properly and formally committed by him, as Lying, Pride, Hatred, and Malice. And this distinction Christ himself doth hint, Joh. 8. 44. When he speaketh a Lye, he speaketh of his own; where he asserts such spiritual Sins to be properly and formally acted by himself. The certainty of all appears in the Epithites given him, the wicked One, the unclean Spirit; as also those places that speak his fall, They kept not their first Estate, Jude 6. The Angels that sinned, 2 Pet. 2. 4. If sins Spiritual are in a true and proper sense attributed to the Devil, then also may Malice be attributed to him.

Secondly; The wickedness of Satan is capable of increase, a magis & minus, though he be a wicked Spirit, and as to inclination full of wickedness, though so strongly inclined that he cannot but sin; and therefore as God is set forth to us, as the Fountain of Holiness, so is Satan called the Author and Father of Sin. Yet 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 seeing we cannot ascribe an infiniteness to him, we must admit, that (as to acts of Sin at least) he may be more or less sinful, and that the wickedness of his heart may be more drawn out, by Occasion, Motives, and Provocations: besides we are expressly taught thus much, Rev. 12. 12. The Devil is come down, having great wrath, because his time is short: where we note (1.) that his wrath is called great, implying greater than at other times. (2.) That External Motives and Incentives, (as the shortness of his time) prevail with him to draw forth greater acts of fury.

Thirdly; Whatsoever Occasions do draw out, or kindle malice to a rage, Satan hath met with them in an eminent degree, in his own fall, and Man's happiness. Nothing is more proper to beget malice, than hurts or punishments, degradations from happiness. Satan's Curse, though just, fills him with rage, and fretting against God, when he considers that from the state and dignity of a blessed Angel, he is cast down to darkness, and to the basest condition imaginable: for the part of his Curse, (which concerned Satan as well as the Serpent) Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shall be thy Meat, implies a state most base; as the use of the phrase proves, they shall lick the dust of thy feet. Thine enemies shall lick the dust, Psal. 72. 9. They shall lick the dust as a Serpent, Mich. 7. 17. Where the Spirit is so wicked, that it cannot accept the punishment of its iniquity. All punishment is as a poison, and invenoms the heart with a rage against the hand that afflicted it; thus doth Satan's fall enrage him, and the more, when he sees Man enstated into a possibility of enjoying what he hath lost. The envy and pride of his heart boils up to a madness (for that is the only use, that the wretchedly miserable can make, of the sight of that happiness which they enjoy not; especially if having once enjoyed it, they are now deprived): this begot the rage and wrath in Cain against Abel, and afterward his Murder. The eye of the wicked is evil, where God is good. Hence may it be concluded, that Satan (being a wicked Spirit, and this wickedness being capable of acting higher or lower according to occasions, and with a suitableness thereto) cannot but show an inconceivable malice against us, our happiness and his misery being such proper occasions for the wickedness of his heart to work upon.

Fourthly; This Malice in Satan must be great:

First; If we consider the greatness of his wickedness in so great and total an Apostasy. He is so filled with iniquity, that we can expect no small matters from him, as to the workings of such cursed Principles; not only is he wicked, but the spirit and extract of wickedness, as the phrase signifies, Ephes. 6. 12.

Secondly; The Scripture lays to his charge all Degrees, Acts, and Branches of Malice; As (1.) Anger, in the impetuous hast and violence of it, Rev. 12. great wrath, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there signifies Excandescentia, the Inflammation of the Heart, and whole Man; which is violent in its motion, as when the Blood with a violent stream rusheth through the Heart, and sets all Spirits on fire; and therefore this Wrath is not only called great, but is also signified to be so, in its threatening a woe to the Inhabitants of the Earth. (2.) Indignation is more than Anger, as having more of a fixed fury; and this is applied to him Ephes. 4. 27. in that those that have this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are said to give place to the Devil; which is true, not only in point of temptation, but also in respect of the resemblance they carry to the frame and temper of Satan's furious heart. (3.) Hatred is yet higher than Wrath or Indignation, as having deeper roots, a more confirmed and implacable resolution; Anger and Indignation are but short Furies, which like a Land Flood are soon down, though they are apt to fill the Banks on a sudden; but Hatred is lasting, and this is so properly the Devil's disposition, that Cain in hating his Brother, is (1 John 3. 12.) said to be the proper Off-spring and lively Picture of that wicked One, who is there so called, rather than by the name of the Devil, because the Apostle would also insinuate, that hatred is the Master-piece of Satan's wickedness, and that which gives the fullest Character of him. (4.) All Effects of his cruelty arise from this Root; this makes him accuse and calumniate; this puts him upon breathing after those murders and destructions which damned Spirits are now groaning under.

Thirdly; This Malice is the result of that Curse laid upon Satan, Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity betwixt thee and the Woman, between her Seed and thy Seed: Which implies (1.) a great enmity; and some render it, inimicitias implacabiles, implacable enmities. (2.) A lasting enmity, such as should continue as long as the Curse should last. (3.) That this should be his work and exercise, to prosecute and be prosecuted with this enmity; so that it shows, the Devil's whole mind and desire is in this Work, and that he is whetted on, by the opposing enmity which he meets withal, it is the Work of his Curse, of his Place, of his Revenge, and that wherein all the delight he is capable of, is placed. In that part of the Curse, Dust shall be thy Meat; 'tis implied, (if some interpret right) that if Satan can be said to have any delight or ease in his Condition, 'tis in the eating of this Dust, the exercise of this Enmity: No wonder then if Christ speak of his desires and solicitations with God, to have a liberty and Commission for this Work; Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may winnow thee.

That this Curse relates not only to the Serpent who was the Instrument, but also to Satan who was the Agent, is agreed by all almost, that it was not the Serpent alone, but the Devil speaking by it, is evinced, from its speaking and reasoning; and that the Curse reached further than a natural Enmity 'twixt a Serpent and a Man, is as evident, in that Christ is expressly held forth, as giving the full accomplishment of this Curse against Satan, 1 John 3. 8. The Devil sinneth from the beginning: for this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the Works of the Devil; which is a clear Exposition and Paraphrasis of the Woman's Seed bruising the Serpents head.

Fourthly; I shall add to this some few Instances of Satan's Malice, by which it will appear to be great.

First; That Malice must needs be great, which shows itself, where there is such a load of anguish and horror that lies upon him; he is now reserved in Chains of Darkness in Hell; he is in Hell, a place of Torment; or which is all one, Hell is in him, he carries it about him in his Conscience, which by God's decree binds him to his horror like a Chain. 'It is scarce imaginable that he should have a thought free from the contemplation of his own misery, to spend in a malicious pursuit of Man. What can we think less of it, than a desperate madness and revenge against God, wherein he shows his rage against Heaven, and hunts after our Blood, as for a little Water to cool his Tongue; and when he finds his hand too short to pull the Almighty out of his Throne; he endeavors (Panther-like) to tear his Image in Man, and to put Man, created after his Image, upon blaspheming and dishonoring his Maker.

Secondly; That Malice must needs be great, that seeks its own Fuel, and provides or begs its own Occasions; and those, such as give no proper provocation to his anger. Of this temper is his Malice, he did thus with Job, he begs the Commission, calumniates Job upon unjust surmises; presseth still for a further power to hurt him, in so much that God expressly stints and bounds him, (which shows how boundless he would have been if left to his own will) and gives him at last an open check, Job 2. 3. wherein he lays open the malice of his heart in three things. (1.) His own pressing urgency, Thou movedst me. (2.) His destructive Fury, no less would serve, than Job 's utter destruction. (3.) Job 's Innocency; All this without cause, thou movedst me to destroy him without cause.

Thirdly; That Malice must needs be great, that will pursue a small matter: what small game will the Devil play, rather than altogether sit out? If he can but trouble, or puzzle, or affright; yet that he will do, rather than nothing, if he can (like an Addar in the Path) but bite the Heel, though his Head be bruised for it, he will notwithstanding busy himself in it.

Fourthly, That Malice must be great, which will put itself forth where it knows it can prevail nothing, but is certain of a disappointment. Thus did Satan tempt Christ; those Speeches, if thou be the Son of God, do not imply any doubt in Satan; he knew what was prophesied of Christ, and what had been declared from Heaven in testification of him▪ so that he could not but be certain he was God and Man; and yet what base unworthy temptations doth he lay before him, as to fall down and worship him? Was it that Satan thought to prevail against him? No surely, but such was his Malice, that he would put an affront upon him, though he knew he could not prevail against him.

Fifthly▪ The Malice of wicked Men, is an Argument of Satan's great Malice; they have an antipathy against the Righteous, (as the Wolf against the Sheep) and upon that very ground, that they are called out of the World; how great this fury is, all Ages have testified: This hath brought forth Discord, Revilings, Slanders, Imprisonments, spoiling of Goods, Banishments, Persecutions, Tortures, cruel Deaths, as Burning, Racking, Tearing, sawing asunder, and whatever the wit of Man could devise, for a satisfaction to those implacable, furious, murderous minds; and yet all this is done to Men of the same Image and Lineage with themselves, of the same Religion with themselves (as to the main); nay, some time to Men of their own Kindred, their own Flesh and Blood, and all to those that would live peaceably in the Land. What shall we say to these things? How come Men to put on a savage Nature, to act the part of Lions, Leopards, Tigars, if not much worse? The reason of all we have, John 8. 54. Ye are of your Father the Devil, he was a Murderer from the beginning; as also Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between her Seed and thy Seed: So that all this shows what malice is in Satan's Heart, who urgeth and provokes his Instruments, to such bloody hatreds. Hence who-ever were the Agents, Rev. 2. 10. in imprisoning the Saints, the Malice of Satan in stirring them up to it, makes him become the Author of it; Satan shall cast some of you into Prison.

CHAP. III. Of Satan's Power. His Power as an Angel considered. That he lost not that Power by his Fall. His Power as a Devil. Of his Commission. The Extent of his Authority. The Efficacy of his Power. The Advantages which he hath for the management of it, from the Number, Order, Place, and Knowledge of Devils.

THat Satan's Power is Great, is our next Enquiry: Where, First, we will consider his Power as an Angel. In Psalm. 103. 20. Angels are said to excel in strength: and in verse. 21. as also Psal. 148. 2. they are called God's Host; which is more fully expressed, 1 Kings 22. 19. I saw the Lord sitting upon his Throne, and all the Host of Heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left: which phrase, though it import their Order and Observance; yet undoubtedly the main of its intendment, is to set forth their Power, as Hosts are the strength of Kings and Nations. God himself in putting on that Title, The Lord of Hosts, makes it an evidence of his incomprehensible Power, that such Armies of strong and mighty Creatures are at his command. But this only in the general. That which comes nearer to a particular account of their strength, is that Notion of a Spirit, by which they are frequently described; He maketh his Angels Spirits, his Ministers flaming Fire. The being of a Spirit is the highest our understanding is able to reach, and that it shows a being very excellent, is manifest in this, that God is pleased to represent himself to us under the notion of a Spirit; Not that he is truly and properly such, but that this is the most excellent Being that falls under our apprehension. Besides, that the term Spirit, raiseth our understanding to conceive a Being of an high and extraordinary Power; it doth further tend to form our conceptions to some apprehensions of their Nature: (1.) From the knowledge that we have of our own Spirits; that our Spirit is of a vast comprehension and activity, our Thoughts, Desires, Reasonings, and the particular Undertakings of some Men of a raised Spirit, do abundantly evidence. (2.) In that it represents a Spiritual Being, freed from the clog and hindrance of corporeity, our own Spirits are limited and restrained by our Bodies, as Fire, an active Element, is retarded and made sluggish by Matter unapt to serve its proper force, as when 'tis in an heap of Earth; which is also sufficiently pointed at in that opposition betwixt Flesh and Blood, and Principalities and Powers, Ephes. 6. showing that Flesh and Blood are a disadvantage and hindrance to the activity of a Spirit. A Spirit then, as in corporeal, may be conceived to move easily without molestation, quickly, imperceptibly and irresistibly.. (3.) This is yet further illustrated by the Similitude of Wind and Fire, which are (to the common experience of all) of very great force. And 'tis yet further observable, that the Scripture sometime speaks of the power of Angels in the Abstract, choosing rather to call them Powers than powerful; clearly showing, that Angels are Beings of vast strength, as indeed the Actions done by them do abundantly testify; such was the destroying Sennacherib's Host in a night, the opening the Prison Doors for Peter, the carrying Philip in the Air, and such other Acts, which tend to the protection of the Faithful, or punishing of the wicked.

Though this may fully satisfy us that Angels excel in strength, yet the Scripture suggests another consideration relating to the Office and Employment of Angels, where their Commission shows not only a liberty for the Exercise of this Power, but also doth imply such a Power as is fit to be commissionated to such Acts; these Invisible Beings are called Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, 1 Col. 16. 'It is indeed a task beyond a sober undertaking to distinguish these words, and to set their true Bounds and Marks of difference; This, Augustine acknowledged, yet may we hence conclude, (1.) that these words imply a very great Authority in Angels. (2.) A power and strength suitable to their Employment, and that God furnished them with power answerable to the Work which he intended for them, in his moving the Heavens, and governing the World, &c. However, in some Cases, God works by Instruments every way disproportionable to the Service, That the excellency of the Power might be of God; yet in the ordinary way of his working, he puts an innate, suitable force in Creatures, for the Acts to be done by them; as there is an innate Power in the Wind to blow, in the Fire to burn, in Herbs and Plants for Medicinal uses. Thus may we conceive of Angels, that God using them as his Host, his Ministers to do his pleasure; he hath endowed them with an innate natural Power for those great things which he doth by them; which must not be supposed in the least derogatory to the Power of God, in his ways of Mercies or Judgments, seeing all the strength of Angels is originally from God: hence is it that all the Names of Angels which we read of in Scripture carry this acknowledgment in their signification; Michael thus unfolds itself, Who is like God. Gabriel thus, The Glory of God; and therefore may we suppose them not so much the proper Names of Angels, but (as Calvin noteth) Nomina ad captum nostrum indita, Names implying God's great Power in them.

Such a powerful Spirit is Satan by Creation. But because it will be doubted lest his fall hath bereaved him of his excellency, and cast him down from his strength; I shall evidence that he still retains the same natural Power: To which purpose, 'tis not unfit to be observed, (1.) that the same Terms and Names which were given to good Angels, to signify their Strength and Commission, Col. 1. 16. and 1. 10. are also given to Satan, Ephes. 6. 12. Devils are called Principalities, Powers, Rulers; and Col. 2. 15. they have the same Names which in verse. 10. were given to good Angels, he spoiled Principalities and Powers. (2.) The Scripture gives particular Instances of Satan's Power and Working, as his raising Tempests in the Air, commanding Fire from Heaven; both which he did in prosecution of his Malice against Job; his carrying the Bodies of Men in the Air, as he did with Christ, hurrying him from the Wilderness to the Mountain, from thence to the Pinacle of the Temple; his breaking Chains and Fetters of Iron, Mark 5. 4. His bringing Diseases, instances whereof were that crooked Woman whom Satan had bowed together, Luke 13. 16. and the Lunatick Person, Luk. 9. 31. with a great many more. (3.) 'It is also observable, that notwithstanding Satan's fall hath made an alteration as to the Ends, Uses, and Office of his Power; yet nevertheless God makes use of this strength in him, not only as an Executioner of Wrath against his Enemies, (as when he vexed Saul by this Evil Spirit; and through this Lying Spirit, gave up Ahab to be deluded into his ruin, and inflicted Plagues upon Egypt, by sending Evil Angels among them) but also for the trial of his own Servants; thus was Job afflicted by Satan, and Paul buffeted by his Messenger.

Secondly; This Power of his, as a Devil, falls next under our consideration, wherein are divers Particulars to be noted: As,

First, His Commission and Authority. If any put that Question to him, which the Jews did to Christ; By what Authority dost thou these things? or, Who gave thee this Authority? We have the Answer in John 12. 24. and 16. 11. where he is called the Prince of this World; and accordingly the Scripture speaks of a twofold Kingdom of Light and of Darkness; and in this we hear of Satan's Seat or Throne, of his Servants and Subjects. Yea, that which is more, the Scripture speaks of a kind of Deity in Satan; he is called the God of this World, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Which doth not only set forth the intolerable pride and usurpation of Satan in propounding himself as such, so drawing on poor blind Creatures to worship him, but also discovers his Power, which by Commission he hath obtained over the Children of Disobedience. Hence doth he challenge it, as a kind of right and due from the poor Americans and others, that they should fall down and worship him; and upon this Supposition was he so intollerably presumptuous in offering the Kingdoms of the World to Christ for such a Service and Worship.

If it be questioned, What Satan's Authority is? I shall answer it thus.

First; His Authority is not absolute or unlimited; he cannot do what he pleaseth, and therefore we do find him begging leave of God for the exerting of his Power in particular Cases, as when he was a Lying Spirit in the Mouth of Ahab 's Prophets, and in every Assault he made upon Job; nay, he could not enter into the Swine of the Gaderens, till he had Christ's Commission for it.

Secondly; Yet hath he a Commission in general, a standing Commission, as petty Kings and Governors had under the Roman Emperor, where they were authorised to exercise an Authority and Power, according to the Rules and Directions given them; this is clearly signified by those Expressions, they are Captives at his Will —and given up to Satan, as Persons Excommunicated; and when Men are converted, they are said to be translated from his Power, and put under another Jurisdiction, in the Kingdom of Christ. All which would have been highly improper, if a Commission for Satan, and an Authority for those Works of Darkness had not been signified by them.

Next let us view the Extent of this Authority, both as to Persons and Things. In relation to Persons, the boundary of his Kingdom reacheth as far as Darkness; he rules in the dark places of the Earth, or the darkness of this World; and therefore his Kingdom is hence denominated a Kingdom of Darkness. This extends (we may well imagine) as far as Heathenism reacheth, where he is worshipped as God, as far as any darkness of Mahumetanism stretcheth itself, as far as the darkness of Infidelity and blindness upon the hearts of unconverted Men, which if summed up together, must needs take up the greatest part of the World by far; which is acknowledged, not only by that large Expression, World, Prince of this World, &c. but also by that Prophetick Speech of Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdoms of this World, are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ; which acknowledgeth they had not been so before, in the sense wherein we now speak.

Neither is his Kingdom so bounded, but that he also can (when allowed) make Excursions and Inroads into the Kingdom of Christ, so far as to molest, disturb and annoy his Subjects: as the Kings of any Nation, besides the Power which they Exercise in their proper Jurisdiction, may molest their Neighbors. And Christ so far permits this, as is useful to his own Designs, yet still with straiter reserves and limitations to Satan, and a resolved rescue and conquest for his own People.

If we inquire the Extent of his Power in relation to things, we find the Air in a peculiar manner permitted to him, so that he is named by it, as by one of his chief Royalties, the Prince of the Power of the Air; we find also Death, with the Powers of it given up to him, so that this is a peraphrasis of him, He that hath the Power of Death, Heb. 2. 14. And if we take notice of his large proffer to Christ of the Kingdoms of the World, All this will I give thee; we may imagine that his Commission reacheth far this way, as Rewards and Encouragements to his Service; which we will the readilier entertain, when we find that by God's allowance, wicked Men have their Portion in this Life, and that these are called their Good Things.

Thirdly; Let us proceed a step further to the Efficacy of this Authority; which also,

First, Upon wicked Men is no less remarkable than is his Commission; he is called the strong Man in reference to their Hearts, which he fortifies as so many Castles and Garrisons against God: He also rules in them without control; his Suggestions and Temptations are as Laws to them; he fills their Hearts with his Designs, and raiseth their Affections to an high and greedy pursuit of them; he works in them, and by an inward force doth hurry them on to achieve his Enterprises; In all this ensnaring and captivating them at his pleasure.

Secondly; The Saints, which are Subjects of another Kingdom, are still fearing, complaining, watching, praying, and spreading out their hands, with lifting up their Eyes to Heaven for help against him; they complain of violence and restless Assaults from him; they are sensible that he can suggest evil thoughts, and follow them with incessant Importunities; that he can draw a darkness upon their Understanding, by bribing their Wills and Affections against them; that he can disturb their Duties, and that because of him they cannot do the good they would: many a fear doth he beget in their Hearts; many a disquiet hour have they from him; their flesh hath no rest, and happy are they if they escape from him without broken Bones: many excellent ones have been cast down by him, and for a time have been like dead Men. 'It is sad to see so just a Person as Lot under his feet; so choice a Saint as David wounded almost to the death; so high an Apostle as Peter by force and fear from him, to open his Mouth with Curses and Imprecations in the denial of his Savior; to say nothing of the Buffetings of others, which was sufficiently wearisome to Paul, and described by a Thorn in the Flesh; which (if a Learned Man think right) is compared by a Metaphor, to those sharp Stakes upon which Christians were cruelly spitted and burnt.

Thirdly; His quick and ready accomplishment, is a further proof of the Efficacy of his Power. No sooner had God given him a Commission in reference to Job, but he quickly raiseth the Tempest, brings down the House, slays his Children, brings Fire from Heaven; and (which would seem strange) hath the Troops of the Sabaeans and Chaldeans at his beck, as if they had been listed under his known Command; so that in a little time he puts his Malice into Act.

Fourthly; If any would slight all this, as being the Force of Principalities and Powers against Flesh and Blood: We may see he hath so much strength and confidence, as to grapple with an Angel of Light, as he did in the contesting for Moses his Body, Jude v. 9. This was a Created Angel, else he durst not sure have brought a railing Accusation; but in that he strove, and raylingly accused, it shows he wanted not a daring boldness to second his Commission and Power.

Fourthly; It will be also requisite to lay open the Advantages he hath in the management of all this Power, which are great: As,

First, The multitude of Devils: That there are many, is not denied, upon the evidence of seven cast out of Mary Magdalene, and the Legion which were settled in one poor Man at once. It may be we may not credit the Devil's own account of his strength so much, as to believe that their number was exactly answerable to a Roman Legion, which (if some speak right) was 6666: yet there being so plain an allusion to a Roman Legion; and the Scripture in the recital favoring it so far, as to consent to a truth in that part of the Story, we can do no less than conclude that the number of Devils in that Person was a very great number, and so great, that the similitude of Legion was proper to express it by. Besides, if the Scripture had been silent in this particular, our Reason would have clearly drawn that conclusion from such premises as these, That he is the God of the World, and rules in the Children of Disobedience; for whatsoever we conceive of his Power, we cannot think him Omnipotent, or Omnipresent, these being the incommunicable Attributes of the great Creator of all things, in which no Creature can share with God. Being then assured that he is the Tempter of all Men, and that he cannot be in all places at once, we must needs apprehend the Devils to be many, as is signified by that expression, the Devil and his Angels.

Secondly; He hath also an advantage for the executing of his Designs, from that Order, which from the fore-mentioned grounds we must be forced to conceive to be among Devils. I know the bold determination of the Order of Angels by Dyonisius is justly rejected, not only by Irenaeus and Augustine, but also by the generality of Protestants, who upon that, and other grounds of like presumption, do reject that Author as not being the true Dyonisius the Areopagite. Neither do some of our Protestant Authors (as Chamier and others) admit the Government of Angels to be Monarchical, (which supposition the Papists would gladly make use of, as a Foundation whereon to establish the Universal Headship of the Pope) being a thing which Dyonisius himself, (as Chamier affirms) never dreamed of: Yet do none of these Authors deny an Order among the Angels, but willingly grant it, as clearly implied from the term Arch-Angel used by Paul, 1 Thess. 4. 16. and from their being called God's Host or Army, where Order is necessary for the right management of their strength, and confusion the way to the ruin of their designs! The thing they dislike is, the bold and peremptory determination of the particular Orders among them, and the assignment of the several Charges, Employments and Stations to each; which whosoever shall do, must needs be guilty of intruding into things which he hath not seen. It would upon the same score be a presumptuous folly to make such a determination of the several Ranks and particular Employments of Devils: Yet this hindereth not, but with a warrantable sobriety we may believe in the general, that there is an Order among the Devils. Not only do these Expressions (Baalzebub the Prince of Devils, the Devil and his Angels, and in that they are called, Principalities and Powers) warrant us so to think; but the fore-mentioned Considerations about the multitude of Devils, will force our Reason to an assent: for if they must be many, because all Mankind is sensible of their Assaults, they must have also an Order in the management of their Temptations; without which, their Designs of Cruelty and Malice must (at least in great part) fall to the ground. Neither do I know well, how those Authors may be justly blamed, who proceed a little further in their Suppositions, to tell us (as most probable) That these Infernal Spirits do share the World among them, and are alloted to several Countries and Places, as their own proper Charge and Jurisdiction; for what other Interpretation those Passages in Dan. 10. 13. can receive, I cannot see, The Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstanding the Angel one and twenty days; and his help in that opposition from Michael, cannot (if things be well weighed) be properly understood of Cambyses the Son of Cyrus, or a contest with any Man. However if we let this go, as a thing uncertain, (because this Interpretation is denied by some) yet that which is spoken of their Order in the general, and the advantage these Spirits have against us upon that Consideration, seems to be past denial.

Thirdly; The advantage of place among Armies is reckoned much. Satan seems to have something this way as an advantage of Ground, in that he is styled Spiritual Wickedness in High Places. What advantage High Places may be to Devils and Spirits we cannot further imagine, than that they being thus above us and about us in the Air, see and know our Wages and Actions, and so receive Information from thence for their malicious proceedings against us.

Fourthly; But his greatest advantage is from his Knowledge, which I shall a little explain in the following Chapter.

CHAP. IV. That Satan hath a great measure of Knowledge, proved, by comparing him with the knowledge of Adam in Innocency, and by his Titles. Of his Knowledge Natural, Experimental, and Accessory. Of his knowledge of our Thoughts. How far he doth not know them, and how far he doth, and by what means. Of his knowledge of things future, and by what ways he doth conjecture them. The Advantages in point of Temptation that he hath by his Knowledge.

IN the discovery of Satan's Knowledge, I shall first give Evidence and Demons • ration thereof. To which purpose, (1.) Let us consider the Knowledge of Adam in Innocency; which being found to be great, it will thence be easily concluded, that Satan's Knowledge is far greater: Two notable discoveries we have of Adam 's Knowledge, the one was his giving of Names to all Creatures; Which was not only a Sign of his Dominion, but also a notable Instance of his Understanding, seeing the Names were given according to the natures of Creatures; whereof Bochartus gives a large account, as the Camel is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because it's apt to repay injuries; the Kite, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from its sharpness of sight; the Pelican is named 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from its usual Vomiting, &c. The consideration of the aptness of Names imposed on Creatures, made Plato acknowledge, That it was a work above ordinary capacity. The other discovery of Adam 's Knowledge, was his knowledge of the Original of Eve at first sight; Gen. 2. 23. he said, This is now Bone of my Bones, and Flesh of my Flesh, &c. This Instance Luther made use of to prove the knowledge that we shall have of one another in Heaven; which shows that Adam 's Understanding was then incomparably more sublime than ours, and of a nearer approach to the knowledge which a state of Glory shall furnish us withal. To this might be added a further proof from the rare Inventions, and excellent Discoveries that some raised Wits have made, of things that have laid deep, and far out of the view of common Capacities. As also those views, sights, and more than ordinary comprehensions which the Souls of Men have had, when they were a little freed from the clog and hindrance of the Body, either in Extasies, or by approaching Death; all which put together, will go far to prove a very great measure of Knowledge in Satan, if we take along with us this Foundation, That in all the Works of God, we find the highest Knowledge in the noblest Being: Living Creatures are more excellent than Stones or Trees, and therefore hath God furnished them with Senses, and hath also distinguished them by higher degrees of Sagacity, according to their excellency above others: Thus the Ape, Fox, Elephant, &c. have such Abilities above the Worm and Fly, &c. that some have questioned whether they had not some lower degrees of Reason Yet as these are below Man, so doth his Reason far excel their greatest quickness of Sense. Angels are an higher Being than Man, (for he made him lower than the Angels) and consequently their Knowledge is proportionably greater. So that if Adam in Innocency understood the Nature of Things, how much more exactly and fully must we imagine Satan to know them?

Secondly; But the Proof is more full and direct, from those Appellations and Titles which the Scripture, and the Experience of Men, have put upon him; his usual name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which (in Matth. 8. 31. Mark 5. 12. Rev. 16. 14.) we translate Devil, properly signifieth one that is wise, knowing, or skillful. And however the wickedness of that Spirit hath so far dishonored this word, that 'tis always (as some think) used to signify Unclean Spirits; yet still it carries an evidence of their Nature in reference to Knowledge, that though they are wicked Creatures, yet are they wise and knowing: 'tis said, Gen. 3. 1. The Serpent was more subtle than any Beast of the Field; which though it be true literally of the Serpent, whose Wisdom and Subtilty, Naturalists have abundantly noted, yet that expression hath an eye upon Satan, who was the principal Agent; and the Serpent there is called subtle, as influenced by Satan, whose Instrument he was: which we may believe, not only upon the credit of Austin and Lyra, but more securely upon the Testimony of other Scriptures, which name him the Old Serpent, Rev. 17 9. and impute all that Craft in the management of that Temptation, to a particular remarkable skill and subtlety of Satan; The Serpent beguiled Eve through subtlety, 2 Cor. 11. 3. and (if Beza conjecture right) the Appellation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do so fitly suit this History of the Tree of Knowledge, that the title of Knowledge seems to be given him for this singular Master-piece of Craft.

Thirdly; That Satan hath Great Knowledge, is by these Arguments discovered; but if further inquiry be made into the Nature of his Knowledge, we shall be nearer to a satisfaction in this particular; and here we may observe a three-fold Knowledge in Satan.

First; A Natural Knowledge, which the School-men have distinguished into these two; (1.) An Evening Knowledge, which he received from things Created, whereby the species of things were impressed upon his Mind, and so received, being a Knowledge à posteriori, from the Effects of Things; which because it is more dark and obscure, than that which ariseth from the Causes of things, they termed Evening Knowledge. (2.) The other is Morning Knowledge, which is a Knowledge of Things in the Power and Wisdom of God, in which he saw the Idea's and Images of all Things; this Knowledge they prefer before the other, as Lines and Figures are better known from Mathematical Instruction, than by their bare tract, as written in Dust.

Secondly; Besides this he hath an Experimental Knowledge; which is the improvement of that natural Stock, by further Acquisitions and Attainments; and indeed Satan had very high Advantages for an increase of Knowledge, he had a great Stock to begin withal; he hath had fit and suitable Objects to work upon in his Contemplations, so that by comparing things with things, in so large a Field of Variety, and that for so many years together, it cannot be, but that he should be grown more experienced and subtle than he was at first: and the Scripture doth fairly countenance this Supposition, by telling us of his Devices, 2 Cor. 2. 11. of his Wiles, Ephes. 6. 11. and of his Depths, Rev. 2. 24. All which Phrases imply, That Satan hath so studied the Point of Temptation, that he hath now, from long Experience and Observation, digested it into an Art and Method, and that with such exactness, that it is become a Mystery, and a Depth, much covered and concealed from the notice and observation of Men.

Thirdly; To both the former, may be added another Knowledge; which because 'tis from another Spring, I may call it an Accessory Knowledge, consisting in occasional Discoveries made to him, either when God is pleased to make known so much of his Mind and Purpose as he employs him (as an Instrument or Servant) to execute, as he did in the case of Job and Ahab; or when he informs himself from the Scriptures, or catcheth hints of Knowledge from the Church, and the Ordinances thereof. If good Angels have an increase of Knowledge this way, as is evident they have, (for to Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places, is made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God, Ephes. 3. 10.) we cannot but imagine that Satan hath some addition of Knowledge from such Discoveries. While we are upon this Point, it will be necessary to offer some satisfaction to two Questions.

First; Whether Satan knows our Thoughts?

It's undoubtedly God's Prerogative, to know the Thoughts; he knows them intuitively, which is beyond the power of any Creature, Jer. 17. 9. Who can know it? This is a Challenge to all, implying the utter impossibility of it to any but to God alone; I the Lord search the Heart; he knows the most inward Thoughts. Rev. 2. 23. I am he which searcheth the Reins, and the Heart; he knows them evidently and certainly, All things are naked and open before, him, with whom we have to do. Those secret Thinkings and Intendments which are hid from others, and which we ourselves cannot distinctly read, because of their secret intricacy or confusedness, yet the very inside and outside of them are uncased, cut up and anatomized by his eye: in all which Expressions, God is careful to reserve this to himself, I the Lord do it, or I am he that searcheth; and signifies, that none else is able to do the like.

Yet Satan can do much this way: for if we consider how he can come so near to our Spirits, as to communicate his Injections to us, and that he often entertains a Dispute with us in this secret way of access that he hath to our Thoughts; if we observe his Arguings, his Answers and Replys to our refusals, so direct, so pertinent, so continued, we shall be constrained to grant that he can do more this way than is commonly imagined. That I may explain this with a due respect to God's Prerogative of knowing the Heart, I shall,

First, Shew that there are two things which are clearly out of Satan's reach. (1.) Our future Thoughts, he cannot tell what shall be our Thoughts for time to come, he may possibly adventure to tell what Suggestions he resolves to put into our Hearts, but what shall be our Resolves and Determinations thereupon, he knows not: This is singled out as one part of God's Prerogative, that he knoweth the determinate Purposes and Resolves of the Heart aforehand, because he turneth the Heart as he pleaseth, Prov. 21. 1. (2.) Our present formed Thoughts, the immediate and imminent Acts of the Mind he cannot directly see into: He may tell what floating Thinkings he hath put into our Heart, but our own proper Thoughts, or formed Resolves, he cannot directly view; this is also particularly insisted on as proper to God alone. John 2. 24, 25. Christ knew all Men, so directly, that he needed not that any should testify of Man, (this Satan stands in need of; he sometimes knows Men and their Thoughts, but he needs a Sign or notification of these Thoughts, and cannot immediately look into them); the reason why Christ needed not this, is rendered thus, for he knew what was in Man; that is, intuitively he knew his Thoughts, and could immediately read them.

Secondly, I shall endeavor to explain how much, or how far he can pry into our Thoughts. Several things are granted which argue Satan can go a great way toward a discovery: As,

First, That he knows the Objects in our Fancy, or Phantasins, and this as clearly as we do behold things with our Eyes; and the proof given hereof is this, That there are Diabolical Dreams, in which the Devil cannot create new Species, and such as our Senses were never acquainted withal, (as to make a Blind Man dream of Colours) but that he can only call forth and set in order those Objects, of which our Imagination doth retain the Shadows or Impressions; and this he could not do, if he did not visibly behold them in our fancy.

Secondly, 'It is certain he knows his own Suggestions, and Temptations darted into our Minds; upon which, he can at present know what our Thoughts are busied upon.

Thirdly, He knows the secret workings of our Passions, as Love, Desire, F • ar, &c. because these depend upon, or are in a concomitancy of the motions of the Blood and Spirits, which he can easily discern, though their motions and workings may be kept secret from the observation of all by-standers.

Fourthly, Some go further, (as Scotus, referente Barthol. Sybilla) supposing that he knows what is in our Thoughts at any time, only he knows not to what these Thoughts incline: but I leave this to those that can determine it certainly. In the mean time I proceed,

Thirdly, To show what a guessing Faculty he hath of what he doth not directly know; he hath such grounds and advantages for Conjecture, that he seldom fails of finding our Mind: As,

First, His long experience hath taught him, what usually Men do think, in such cases as are commonly before them; by a cunning observation of their Actions and Ways he knows this.

Secondly; He by study and observation knows our temper and inclination, and consequently what Temptations do most suit them, and how we do ordinarily entertain them.

Thirdly; He knows this the more, by taking notice of our Prayers, our complainings and mournings over our defects and miscarriages.

Fourthly; He is quick and ready to take notice of any Exteriour Sign, by which the Mind is signified, as the Pulse, the motion of the Body, the change of the Countenance; all which do usually show the assent or dissent of the Mind, and at least tell him what entertainment his Offers have in our Thoughts.

Fifthly; Being so quick-sighted, he can understand those particular Signs which would escape the observation of the wisest Men; there are some things small in themselves, (and therefore unobserved) which yet to wise Men are very great indicia of things; the like may be said of us, in reference to our inclinations, our acceptance or resistance of Temptations, which yet he hath curiously marked out.

Sixthly; No doubt but he hath ways to put us upon a discovery of our Thoughts, while we conceal them, as by continuing and prosecuting Temptations or Suggestions, till our trouble or passions do some way discover how it is with us. By all which it appears that his guessings and conjectures do seldom fail him. 'It is now time to speak to the other Question, which is,

Whether and how far Satan knows things to come?

To this I shall return Answer in these two Conclusions.

First; There is a way of knowing future things, which is beyond the knowledge of Devils, and proper only to God, Esa. 41. 23. there God puts the competition 'twixt Himself and Idols, about the truth of a Diety upon this issue, That he that can show the things that are to come hereafter, he is God; which because they cannot do, he doth hereby evince them to be no God's. If Satan could truly and properly have done this, he had had a Plea for a Godhead. In Divine Predictions two things are to be considered. (1.) The Matter foretold, when the events of things contingent, and (as to second Causes) casual, depending upon indeterminate Causes, are foretold. (2.) The Manner, when these things are not uncertainly, or conjecturally, or darkly; but clearly, certainly, infallibly, and fully predicted. Of this nature are Divine Predictions, which Satan cannot perform, nor yet the Angels in Heaven.

Secondly; Yet Satan hath such advantages for the knowledge of future Things, and such means and helps for a discovery of them, that his Conjectures have often come to pass.

First; He knows the Causes of Things, which are secret to us. Upon which he seems to foretell many things strange to us; As a Physician may foretell the Effects, Workings, and Issues of a Disease, as seeing them in the Causes: which would pass for little less than Prophesy among the Vulgar. Thus an Astrologer foretells Eclipses, which would be taken for a Divine Excellency, where the knowledge of the ground of these foretellings had not taken away the wonder.

Secondly; Many things are made known to him by immediate Divine Revelation: We know not the intercourse betwixt God and Satan in the matter of Job; Satan (having obtained his Commission to afflict him) might have made a long prophesy of what should come to pass in reference to Job, his Children and Substance; how many such Predictions he might make, we little know.

Thirdly; He hath a deep insight in Affairs of Kingdoms and States, and so might (from his Experience and Observation) easily conjecture Mutations and Alterations. A Politician may do much this way: for ought we know, Satan's Prophesy (in the likeness of Samuel) to Saul, of his ruin, and the translation of his Kingdom to David, might be no more than a conjectural conclusion, from his comparing the order of the present Providence, with former threatenings and promises.

Fourthly; He hath a greater understanding of Scripture Prophecies, than ordinarily the wisest of Men have; so that at second hand he might be able to foretell what shall come to pass. Whilst we that do not so clearly see into Scripture-Predictions, may not be able to find out the matter. Hence by Oracle he foretoled Alexander of his Success, which he knew from the Prophesy of Daniel, Chap. 11. long before.

Fifthly; He hath advantage from his Nature as a Spirit, by which he over-hears and sees the private Actings, Complottings and Preparations of Men in reference to certain Undertakings, and can easily, by his Agents, communicate such Councils or Resolves in remote Countries and Kingdoms, which must pass for real Predictions, if the event answer accordingly.

Sixthly; He can foretell (and with probability of success) such things as he by temptation is about to put Men upon, especially seeing he can choose such Instruments, as he (from experience) knows are not likely to fail his Enterprise.

Seventhly; To this may be added, the way and manner by which he expresseth himself, either in doubtful or enigmatical Terms, or in general Expressions, which may be applied to the Event, what way soever it should happen. Of these, Authors have observed many Instances, which were superfluous to enumerate.

Satan's Knowledge being thus explained, it is easy to imagine what an advantage it is to him in the management of his Temptations: For,

First, He by this means knows our tempers and dispositions.

Secondly; And what is most likely to prevail with us.

Thirdly; How inclinable we are upon any Motion made to us, and what hope to gain upon us.

Fourthly; He knows fit Times, Seasons and Advantages against us.

Fifthly; He knows how to pursue Suggestions, and can choose strong Reasons to urge us withal.

Sixthly; He knows how to delude our Senses, to disturb our Passions.

Sevently; He knows all the Ways and Arts of Affrightments, Vexations, Disquietments, Hinderances and Disturbances of Duty.

Eighthly; He by this means is furnished with skill for his public Cheats and Delusions in the World, how to amuse, astonish, and amaze Men into Errors and Mistakes, which he hath always endeavored with very great success in the World, as we shall see hereafter.

CHAP. V. Instances of Satan's Power. Of Witchcraft, what it is. Satan's Power argued from thence. Of Wonders. Whether Satan can do Miracles. An account of what he can do that way. His Power argued from Apparitions and Possessions.

I Shall add in the fifth place, some particular Instances of his Power, in which I shall insist upon these four, Witchcraft, Wonders, Apparitions and Possessions.

First; Witchcraft affords a very great discovery of Satan's Power: but because some give such Interpretations of Witchcraft, as (if true) would wholly take away the force of this Instance, I shall first endeavor to establish a true Notion of Witchcraft, and secondly from thence argue Satan's Power.

First; Though the being of Witches is not directly denied (because the Authority of Scripture, Exod. 22. 18. Deut. 18. 10. &c. hath determined beyond controversy, that such there are); yet some will allow no other interpretation of the word, than a skill and practice in the Art of Poysoning, because the Septuagint doth interpret the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , venificam. Which apprehension they strengthen by the Authority of Josephus, who giveth this account of the Law, Let none of the Children of Israel use any deadly Poison, or any Drug wherewith he may do hurt, &c. 'It is easy to observe, that this conceit ariseth from a great inobservancy of the reason of the Application of these words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and veneficus to Witchcraft, in Greek and Latin Authors.

Witchcrafts were supposed to be helped forward by the strength of several Herbs, and these by Incantations and other Ceremonies at their gathering, imagined to attain a poisonous and evil quality or efficacy for such Effects, as were intended to be produced by them, as appears by Ovid, Virgil, and other Authors. Hence was it that the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 became applicable to any fort of Witchcraft. To this may be added, that such Persons were resorted to, for help against Diseases, Vid. Leigh. Crit. Sac. in Voc. As also that they used Unguents for Transportations; Hence Godwin. Jew. Antiq. lib. 4. c. 10. renders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by Unguentarios. Diascorides, Cap. de Rhamno, hath an Expression to this purpose, That the Branch of that Tree, being placed before the Doors, doth drive away 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Witchcrafts; it were ridiculous to say, it drives away Poysonings; which is a sufficient evidence that the Grecians used that word to signify another kind of Witchcraft, than that which this mistake would establish. Besides this, the Scripture doth afford two strong Arguments against this Interpretation of Witchcraft. (1.) That this word is ranked with others, (as being of the same alliance) which will carry the apprehensions of any considerate Man, to Effects done by the help of Satan, in an unusual way, as Deut. 18. 10. There shall not be found among you, any that maketh his Son or his Daughter to pass through the Fire, (this is not the consuming of their Children to Moloch, but by way of Lustration a Mock-Baptism, a piece of Witchcraft, to preserve from violent Death) or that useth Divination, an observer of Times, or an Inchanter, or a Witch, &c. The very Neighbourhood of the Witch, will tell us that this Witch must be a Diviner, Divination being the general term, comprehending the seven Particulars following: It would be an harsh straining to put in the Poysoner (in the sense of our Opposites) among the Diviners. Yet the second Argument is more cogent, which is this; That among those whom Pharaoh called together to encounter with Moses, Exod. 7. 11. we find Witches or Sorcerers expressed by the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is used in Exodus 22. and Deut. 18. What can more certainly fix the interpretation of the Word than this place, where the end of Pharaohs calling them together, was not to poison Moses and Aaron, but by Enchantment to outvy them in point of Miracles. Which will show that Witchcraft is not Poysoning, but the doing of strange Acts by the aid of Satan. Neither was this the act of one Man, (who might possibly, together with that present Age, be under a mistake concerning Witches, though it be a thing not to be supposed) but long after him, Nebuchadnezzar in Dan. 2. 4. being astonished with his Dreams, calls for the Sorcerers or Witches, and Magicians, to give him the Interpretation; which had been a matter very improper for them, if their skill had lain only in mixing Poysons.

When we have thus silenced this Imagination, we have yet another to encounter with, and that is of those that think these Witches, of which the forecited Texts do speak, are but mere Cheats, and by some tricks of Delusion and Legerdemain, pretend they can do things, which indeed they cannot do at all; and yet finding death threatened to such, which (in a business of mere Jugling) would seem too great a severity, they have framed this answer to it, That the death is threatened, not for the juggling, but for their presumptuous and blasphemous undertaking to do things that belong to a Divine Power, and for taking his Name in vain. Or (as others are pleased to say) though they have no real power, they are justly punished for the belief they have, that they can do such mischief, joined with their purpose to do it, if they can.

In Answer to this apprehension, I shall not much insist upon these Reasons, which yet are sufficiently weak, (the latter accusing God's Laws of unreasonable severity, and the former accusing them of unnecessary redundancy, seeing enough in other places is provided against Blasphemers) but shall offer a Consideration or two, which I judge will be of force to rectify the Mistake.

First; Though it cannot be denied, but that a great many Cheats there have been in all Ages, by which Men have endeavored to raise the repute and esteem of their own Skill and Excellencies, or for other base ends; yet form hence to conclude, that all these things that have been done under the name of Witchcraft were such, must be an unsufferable piece of insolence; not only denying that credit which all sober Men owe to History, to the constant belief of all Ages, to the faithfulness and wisdom of Judges, Jurors, Witnesses, Laws and Sanctions, but also dangerously overthrowing all our Senses; so that at this rate we may well question, Whether we really Eat, Drink, Move, Sleep, and anything else that we do; this Reason is urged by grave and serious Men.

Secondly; It cannot be imagined that such things are merely delusory, where the voluntary Confessions of so many, have accused themselves and others, not of Thinking or Jugling, but of really Ac • ing, and doing such things; with such Circumstances as have particularized Time, Place, Thing, and Manner.

Thirdly; The real Effects done by the Power of Witchcraft, show it not to be Delusion: Such are the Transportation of Persons many miles from their Habitations, and leaving them there; their telling things done in remote Places; raising of Storms and Tempests; Vomiting of Pins, Needles, Stones, Cloth, Leather, and such like; and these some of them attested by sober and intelligent Persons who were Eye-witnesses. Large accounts you have of these in Bodinus, Sprengerius, and several others that have borrowed these Relations from them.

The Notion of Poysonings, or delusory Juglings, being below what the Scripture intends to set forth, as Witchcraft; it is evident that Witchcraft is a power of doing great Things by the aid of the Devil. By which our way is open to improve this Instance, to demonstrate (which was the second thing promised) that Satan's Power must be Great: For,

First, 'It is acknowledged that a great part of those things that are done in this Matter, as concurrent with, or helpful toward the promoting of such Acts, are Satan's proper Works, as the troubling the Air, raising Storms, Apparitions, various Shapes and Appearances, Transportations from Place to Place, and a great many more things of Wonder and Amazement, all which exceed human Power.

Secondly; Many things of Wonder done by such Persons; to which (some suppose) the secret Powers of Herbs, or Things, contribute their natural Aids or concurrence, are evidences of Satan's deep knowledge of, and insight into Natural Causes. Of this nature is that Ointment with which Witches are said to besmear themselves in order to their Transportation: The power and efficacy whereof, is by some imagined to consist in this, That it keeps the Body Tenantable, and in a fit condition to receive the Soul by re-entry, after such Separations, as (by all Circumstances are concluded) have been really made in pursuit of those Visionary Perambulations and Transactions. Which things if they be so, (as they are not improbable) Witches have them from Satan's discovery, and they are to be ascribed to his Power.

Thirdly; Those Actions that are most properly the Witches own Actions, and in which the Power of Hurting doth (as some suppose) reside, are notwithstanding, either awakened or influenced by Satan: So though we grant (what some would have) that the Power of Hurting is a Natural Power, and a venomous Magnetism of the Witch, and that her Imagination, by her Eye, darts those Malignant Beams which produce real Hurts upon Men, (after the manner of the Imaginations force upon a Child in the Womb, which hath (as by daily Experience and History is confirmed) produced Marks, Impressions, Deformities, and Wounds) and that Satan doth but cheat the Witch into a belief of his Aid in that Matter; that with a greater advantage he may make use of her Power, without which he could do nothing; yet even this speaks his Ability, in that at least he doth awaken and raise up that Magical Force, (which otherwise would lie a-sleep) and so puts the Sword into their hand. Yet some attribute far more to him, to wit, the infusion of a poisonous Ferment, (by that action of • ucking the Witch in some part of the Body) by which not only her Imagination might be heightened, by Poysonous Streams breathed in, which might infect Blood and Spirits with a noxious Tincture.

The Second grand Instance of his Power, I shall produce from those Actions of Wonder and Astonishment which he sometime performs, which indeed have been so great, that they have occasioned that Question;

Whether Satan can do Miracles?

To this we answer; (1.) That God alone can work Miracles. A Miracle being, a real Act, done visibly, and above the Power of Nature. Such Works some have ranked into three heads; (1.) Such as created Power cannot produce; as to make the Sun stand still, or go backward. (2.) Such as are in themselves produceable by Nature, but not in such an order as to make the Dead to live, and those that were born Blind to see, which is strongly argued John 9. 32. to be above human Power; and John 10. 21. to be above the Power of Devils. (3.) Such as are the usual Works of Nature yet produced, above the principles and helps of Nature, as to cure a Disease by a Word or Touch.

Things that are thus truly and properly Miraculous, are peculiarly Works of God; neither can it be imagined, that since he hath been pleased to justify his Commands, Ways, and Messages, by such mighty Acts, 2 Cor. 12. 12. Heb. 2. 4. John 10. 38. and also hath been put to it, to justify himself and his sole Supreme Being and Godhead; from false Competitors, Psal. 86. 10. & 72. 18. by his Miraculous Works: it cannot be imagined, I say, that he would permit any created Being, (much less Satan) to do such things.

Secondly; Though Satan cannot do things Miraculous, yet he can do things wonderful and amazing. And in this point lies the danger of Delusion, as Christ foretells, Matth. 24. 24. False Christ's shall arise, and show great Signs and Wonders —in 2 Thess. 2. 4. the Apostle tells us, The coming of Antichrist shall be with all Power, and Signs, and Wonders; that is (as some interpret) with the power of Signs and Wonders; which however they be lying, both in reference to the design they drive at, (which is to propagate Errors) and also in their own Nature, being truly such, in respect of their form, false; as Miracles, being indeed no such matter, but juggling Cheats: Yet notwithstanding there is no small cunning, and working of Satan in them, insomuch that the uncautious and injudicious, are deceived by those Wonders that he hath power to do, Rev. 13. 13. In this matter, though we are not able to give a particular account of these under-ground Actions; yet thus much we may say,

First, That in many Cases, his great Acts, that pass for Miracles, are no more but deceptions of Sense. Naturalists have shewn several Feats and Knacks of this kind. Jo. Bap. Porta hath a great many ways of such deceptions, by Lamps, and the several Compositions of Oyls, by which not only the colors of things are changed, but Men appear without Heads, or with the Heads of Horses, &c. The like Deceptions are wrought by Glasses of various Figures and Shapes. If Art can do such things, much more can Satan.

Secondly; He can mightily work upon the Fancy and Imagination; by which means Men are abused into a belief of things that are not: as in Dreams, the Fancy presents things which are really imagined to be done and said; when-as they are Visions of the Night, which vanish when the Man is awake; or as in Melancholy Persons, the Fancy of Men doth so strongly impose upon them, that they believe strange absurd things of themselves, that they have Horns on their Head, that they are made of Glass, that they are dead, and what not: If Fancy, both asleep and awake, may thus abuse Men into an apprehension of impossible things, and that with confidence, no wonder if Satan (whose Power reacheth thus far, as was before proved) doth take this advantage for the amusing of Men with strange things. Nebuchadnezzar his Judgment, Dan. 4. 25. whereby he was driven from Men, and eat Grass as Oxen, was not a Metamorphosis, or real change into an Ox; this all Expositors rejects as too hard; neither seems it to be only his extreme necessity, and low estate, whereby he seemed to be little better than a Beast, (though Calvin favor this Interpretation); but by that Expression, verse. 25. [then my Understanding came to me] it seems evident, (as most Commentators think) that his Understanding was so changed in that Punishment, that he imagined himself to be a Beast, and behaved himself accordingly, by eating Grass, and lying in the open Fields. There are several Stories to this purpose of strange Transformations, as the Bodies of Men into Asses, and other Beasts, which Augustine thinks to be nothing else but the Devils Power upon the Fancy.

Thirdly; There are wonderful Secrets in Nature, which if cunningly used and applied to fit Things and Times, must needs amaze vulgar Heads; and though some of these are known to Philosophers and Scholars, yet are there many secret Things locked from the wisest Men, whose Powers, and Natures, because they know not, they may also be deluded by them. Augustine reckons up many Instances, as the Loadstone, the Stone Pyrites, Selenites, the Fountain of Epirus that can kindle a Torch, and many more; and determines that many strange things are done by the application of these Natural Powers, either by the Wit of Man, or Diabolical Art. To this purpose he gives an account of an unextinguishable Lamp, in a Temple of Venus, which allured Men to Worship there, as to an Unquestionable Deity, when in truth the thing was but an ingenious Composition from the Stone Asbeston; of which Pliny makes mention, that being kindled, it will not be quenched with Water. Of this nature were those Lamps found in several Valuts accompanying the Ashes of the Dead, reserved there in Urns, both in England and elsewhere. If Men by such helps find such easy ways to delude Men, What exactness of Workmanship, and seeming Wonders may be expected from Satan upon such Advantages?

Fourthly; Many of his Wonders may challenge an higher rise. Satan knows the secret ways of Natures Operations, and the ways of accelerating or retarding those Works. So that he cannot only do what Nature can do, by a due application of active to passive Principles, and the help of those Seminal Powers that are in Things, but he may be supposed to perform them in a quicker and more expeditious manner: Thus Worms, Flies, and Serpents, that are bred of Putrefaction, Satan may speedily produce; And who can tell how far this help may reach in his Works of Wonders?

Fifthly; The secret way of Satan's Movings and Actings is no small matter in these Affairs. How many things do common Jugglers by the swift motions of their Hands, that seem incredible? Thus they make the By-standers believe they change the Substances, Natures, and Forms of Things, when they only, by a speedy Conveyance, take these things away, and put others in their room. They that shall consider Satan as a Spirit, subtle, imperceptible, quick of Motion, &c. will easily believe him to be more accomplished for such Conveyances than all the Men in the World.

Having now seen the way of his Wonders, let us next consider the advantage he hath by such Actions. If we look upon Simon Magus, Acts 8. 10, 11. we find, that he by these ways, had a general influence upon the People; To him they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest; and that his Actions were reckoned no less than Miraculous, as done by the mighty Power of God. If we go from hence to the Magicians of Pharaoh, Exod. 7. 11. 'tis said, They did so with their Inchantments, which (howsoever the matter was) prevailed so with Pharaoh and the Court, that they saw no difference 'twixt the Wonders done by Moses and them, save that (it may be) they thought Moses the more skillful Magician. But besides this, if we consider what they did, it will argue much for his Power, if we can imagine (as some do) that they turned their Rods into real Serpents, the Power is evident: and there is this that favors that Opinion, it is said, They could not make Lice, which seems to imply, they really did the other things, and it had been as easy to delude the Senses in the matter of Lice, as in the Rods, if it had been no more than a Delusion; neither are some a-wanting to give a reason of such a Power, (viz.) Serpents, Lice, &c. being the Off-spring of Putrefaction, by his dextrous application of the seminal Principles of things, he might quickly produce them. If we go lower, and take up with the Opinion of those, that think that they were neither mere Delusions, nor yet true Serpents, but real Bodies like Serpents, though without life, this will argue a very great Power: Or if we suppose (as some do) that Satan took away the Rods, and secretly conveyed Serpents in their stead, or (which is the lowest apprehension we can have) that Pharaoh 's sight was deceived: The matter is still far from being contemptible, for as much as we see, the Spectators were not able to discern the Cheat.

Thirdly; The next Instance produceable for evidencing his Power, is that of Apparitions. It cannot be denied, but that the Fancy of melancholic or timorous Persons, is fruitful enough to create a thousand Bugbears. And also that the villainy of some Persons hath been designedly employed to deceive People with Mock-Apparitions; of which abundance of Instances might be given from the knavery of the Papists, discovered to the World beyond contradiction; but all this will not conclude, that there are no real Appearances of Spirit or Devils. Such sad effects in all Ages there have been of these things, that most Men will take it for an undeniable Truth.

Instead of others, let the Apparition at Endor to Saul come to examination: Some indeed will have us believe, that all that was but a subtle Cheat, managed by that Old Woman; and that neither Samuel nor the Devil did appear, but that the Woman, in another Room by herself, or with a Confederate, gave the answer to Saul. But whosoever shall read that Story, and shall consider Saul 's Bowing and Discourse, and the Answers given, must acknowledge that Saul thought, at least, he saw and spake with Samuel: and indeed the whole Transaction is such, that such a Cheat cannot be supposed.

Satisfying ourselves then, that there was an Apparition, we must next inquire whether it was true Samuel, or Satan: it cannot be denied, but that many judge it was true Samuel, but their Reasons are weak.

(1.) That Proof from Ecclesiasticus 46. 23. is not Canonical with us.

(2.) That he was called Samuel is of no force; Scripture often gives names of things according to their appearances.

(3.) That things future were foretold, was but from conjecture; in which Satan yet (all things considered) had good ground for his guessing.

(4.) That the Name Jehovah is oft repeated, signifies nothing, the Devil is not so scarce of words; Jesus I know, saith that Spirit in the Acts.

(5.) That he reproved Sin in Saul, is no more than what the Devil doth daily to afflicted Consciences in order to despair.

I must go then with those that believe this was Satan in Samuel 's likeness.

(1.) Because God refused to answer Saul by Prophets or Urim. And 'tis too harsh to think he would send Samuel from the Dead, and so answer him in an extraordinary way.

(2.) This (if it had been Samuel) would have given too much countenance to Witchcraft, contrary to that check to Ahaziah, 2 King. 1. 3. Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub?

(3.) The prediction of Saul's Death, though true for substance, yet failed as to the exactness of time, for the Battle was not fought the next day.

(4.) The acknowledgment of the Witches Power, [Why hast thou disquieted me?] shows it could not be true Samuel, the Power of Witchcraft not being able to reach Souls at rest with God.

(5.) That Expression of God's ascending out of the Earth, is evidently suspicious.

The reality of Apparitions being thus established, Satan's Power will be easily evinced from it. To say nothing of the Bodies in which Spirits appear; the haunting of Places and Persons, and the other Effects done by such Appearances, speak abundantly for it.

Fourthly; The last Instance is of Possessions, the reality of which can no way be questioned, because the New Testament affords so much for it; I shall only note some things as concerning this Head. As,

First; The multitudes of Men possessed: scarce was there any thing in which Christ had more opportunities to show his Authority, than in casting out of Satan; such Objects of Compassion he met with in every place.

Secondly; The multitudes of Spirits in one Person, is a consideration not to be passed by.

Thirdly; These Persons were often strongly acted, sometime with fierceness and rage, Matth. 8. 28. some living without Cloaths, and without House, Luke 8. 27. some by an incredible strength breaking Chains and Fetters, Mark 5. 3.

Fourthly; Some time the Possessed were sadly vexed and afflicted, cast into the Fire and Water, &c.

Fifthly; Some were strengely influenced: we read of one, Acts 16. 16. that had a Spirit of Divination, and told many things to come, which we may suppose frequently came to pass; else she could have brought no gain to her Master by South-saying. Another we hear of, whose Possession was with a Lunacy, and had fits at certain times and seasons. The Possessed Person with whom Mr. Rothwell discoursed, (within the memory of some living) could play the Critick in the Hebrew Language.

Sixthly; In some the Possession was so strong, and so firmly seated, that ordinary means and ways could not dispossess them: This kind comes not out but by Prayer and Fasting, Mat. 27. 21. which shows that all Possession was not of one kind and manner, nor alike liable to ejection.

To all these may be added Obsessions: where the Devil afflicts the Bodies of Men, disquiets them, haunts them, or strikes in with their melancholy temper, and so annoys by hideous and black representations. Thus was Saul vexed by an evil Spirit from the Lord, which (as most conceive) was the Devil working in his melancholy Humor. That the Devil should take possession of the Bodies of Men, and thus act, drive, trouble and distress them; so distort, distend, and rack their Members; so seat himself in their Tongues and Minds, that a Man cannot command his own Faculties and Powers, but seems to be rather changed into the nature of a Devil, than to retain anything of a Man; this shows a Power in him to be trembled at.

Satan's Power being thus explained and proved, I shall next speak something of his Cruelty.

CHAP. VI. Of Satan's Cruelty. Instances thereof in his dealing with wounded Spirits, in ordinary Temptations of the Wicked and Godly, in Persecutions, Cruelties in Worship. His cruel handling of his Slaves.

HE that shall consider his Malice and Power, must unavoidably conclude him to be cruel. Malice is always so, where it hath the advantage of a proportionable strength and opportunity for the effecting of its hateful Contrivances: It banisheth all pity and commiseration, and follows only the dictate of its own rage with such fierceness, that it is only limited by wanting power to execute. We may then say of Satan, That according to his Malice and Power such in his Cruelty. The truth of this will be abundantly manifested by Instances: As,

First, From his desperate pursuits of Advantage, upon those whose Spirits are wounded. The anguish of a distressed Conscience is unspeakably great, in so much, that many are (as Heman, Psalm. 88. 15.) even distracted, while they suffer the Terrors of the Almighty. These though they look round about them for help, and invite all that pass by to pity them, because the hand of the Lord hath touched them; yet Satan laughs at their Calamity, and mocks at them under their Fears, and doth all he can to augment the flame: he suggests dreadful thoughts of an incensed Majesty; begets terrible apprehensions of Infinite Wrath and Damnation; he aggravates all their Sins, to make them seem unpardonable: every Action he calls a Sin, and every Sin he represents as a willful forsaking of God; and every deliberate Transgression he tells them is the sin against the Holy Ghost. He baffles them in their Prayers and Services, and then accuseth their Duties for intolerable profanations of God's Name; and if they be at last affrighted from them, he then clamours that they are forsaken of God, because they have forsaken him: He (as a right Baalzebub) rakes in their Wounds, as Flies are ever sucking where there is a Sore. Their Outcrys and Lamentations are such Music to him, that he gives them no rest; and with such triumph doth he tread upon those that thus lie in the Dust, that he makes them sometimes accuse themselves for that which they never did, and in derision he insults over them in their greatest perplexities, with this, Where is now thy God? and who shall deliver thee out of my hand? This were enough to evidence him altogether void of compassion. But,

Secondly; He shows no less cruelty in his usage of those that are his Slaves. The Service that he exacts of those that are his most willing Servants, is no less than the highest cruelty; and not only (1.) in regard of the misery and destruction which he makes them work out for themselves, (which is far greater, than where Men are forced by the most brutish Tyrants, to buy their own Poison, or to cut their own Throats; because this is unspeakably less than the endless miseries of eternal Torments): but (2.) also in regard of the very slavery and drudging toil of the Service which he exacts from them; he is not pleased that they Sin, but the vilest Iniquities, most contrary to God, and most abominable to Man, as the highest violations of the Laws of Nature and Reason, are the things which he will put them upon, where there are no restraints in his way: He drave the Heathens (as Paul testifies Rom. 1.) to affections so vile and loathsome, that in their way of sinning, they seemed to act rather like Brutes than Men, their Minds becoming so injudicious, that they lost all sense of what was fit and comely. Neither (3.) doth this satisfy his cruelty that the worst of Abominations be practiced, but he urgeth them to the highest desperateness in the manner of performance, and so draws them out to the front of the Battle, that they might contemn and out-dare God to his face; he will have them sin with an high hand, and in the highest bravado of madness to rush into Sin, as the Horse into the Battle. This cruelty of Satan were yet the less, if he only brought them forth presumptuously, in some one or two set Battels upon special occasions: But (4.) he would have this to be their constant work, the task of every day; upon the same score that Achitophel advised Absalom, to an open and avouched defilement of his Fathers Concubines, that so the breach 'twixt them and God might be fixed by a resolute determination; and consequently that their hands might be strong, and their hearts hardened in rebellion against God. And (5.) That Satan might not come short of the utmost of what Cruelty could do: We may yet further observe, that though Sinners offer themselves willingly enough, to conflict against God in the high places of the Field, yet as not satisfied with their forwardness, he lasheth and whips them on to their work, and sometime over-drives them in their own earnestness. Haman was so hurried and overborn with violent hatred against Mordecai and the Jews, that his own advancement, and the marks of singular favor from the King availed him not, as to any satisfaction and present contentment. Ahab, though King of Israel, is so vehemently urged in his desires for Naboth 's Vineyard, that he covered his Face and grew sick upon it. Thus, as Gally-Slaves, were they chained to their Oar, and forced to their work beyond their own strength.

Thirdly, There is also a cruelty seen in his incessant provokings and force upon the Children of God, while he urgeth his loathed Temptations upon them against their will. When I consider Paul 's out-cry in this case, (Rom. 7. 15, 19.) That which I do, I allow not, the evil which I would not, that do I, &c.) my thoughts represent him to me, like those Christians that were tortured in the Trough, where Water was poured by a continued Stream upon their Mouths, till the Cloth that lay upon their Lips was forced down their Throats; or like those that had stinking Puddlewater by a Tunnel poured into their Stomacks, till they were ready to burst; and surely he apprehended himself to be under very cruel dealing by Satan, when he cried out, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me? If we seriously consider the mind and endeavors of those Children of God, that are striving against Sin, and have cast it off as the most loathsome abominable thing, when Satan urgeth them to Evil with his incessant Importunities; it is as if they were forced to eat their own Excrements, or to swallow down again their own Vomit; for the Devil doth but (as it were) cram these Temptations down their Throats against their will.

Fourthly, If we cast our Eye upon the Persecutions of all Ages, we shall have thence enough to charge Satan withal, in point of Cruelty; for he, who is styled a Murderer from the beginning, set them all on Foot; 'tis he that hath filled the World with Blood and Fury, and hath in all Ages, in one place or other, made it a very Shambles and Slaughter-house of Men. (1.) Can we reckon how often Satan hath been at this work? that is impossible. His most public and general attempts of this kind are noted by Histories of all Ages. The Persecutions of Pharaoh against Israel, and of the prevailing Adversaries of Israel and Judah, against both or either of them, are recorded for the most part in Scripture: the Persecutions of the Roman Emperors against Christianity are sufficiently known, and what is yet to come who can tell? A great Persecution by Antichrist was the general belief and expectation of those that lived in Austin 's time, and long before; but whether this be one more, to the ten former Persecutions (that so the Parallel betwixt these, and Pharaoh 's ruin in the Red-Sea after his ten Plagues, might run even) be only to be looked for, or that others are also to be expected, he thinks it would be presumption and rashness to determine: But however, his particular assaults of this nature cannot be numbered: how busy is he still at this work, in all Times and Places? insomuch, that he that will live Godly in this World, must suffer Persecution. But (2.) if we withal consider what inventions and devices of Cruelty and Torture he hath found out, and what endless variety of Pains and Miseries he hath prepared, (a Catalogue whereof, would fill a great deal of Paper) we can do no less than wonder at the merciless fury, and implacable rage of him that contrived them. Satan the great Engineer, doth but give us the Picture of his Mind in all those Instruments of destruction. And when we see amongst Tyrants, ways of torturing every Member of the Body, and Arts of multiplying deaths, that so those that perish by their hands, might not have so much as the mercy of a speedy dispatch, but that they might feel themselves to die, we may reflect it upon Satan, in Jacob 's words to Simeon and Levi, Cursed be his Anger, for it is fierce, and his Wrath, for it is cruel. (3.) But if we consider what Instruments he useth, and against whom, we shall see cruelty in an higher exaltation: had he used some of the Beasts of the Earth, or some of his apostate Associats, to persecute and afflict the innocent Lambs of Christ, it might have been much excused, from the natural instinct or cursed antipathy of such Agents: or had he used only the vilest of the Children of Men to act his tragical fury, the matter had been less: But as not content with common revenge, he persecutes Men by Men, though all of one Blood and Off-spring, and so perverts the ends of nature, making those that should be the comforts and support of Men, to be the greatest terror and curse to them; a thing which Nature it self abhors, and in regard of which, (that the impressions of Pity might be more permanent, and efficacious) God forbad Israel to seeth a Kid in the Mothers Milk; nay, he hath prevailed with some of good Inclinations, and rare Accomplishments (for such were some of the persecuting Emperors) to be his Deputies, for authorizing the Rack, for providing Fire and Faggot; and (which is strange) hath prevailed so far with them, that they have been willing to open their Ears, to the most palpable Lyes, the grossest Forgeries, the most unreasonable Suggestions that known Malice could invent; and then after all, when they were drawn out to Butchery, and slaughter by multitudes, they have made such Spectacles (which might make impressions upon an Iron Breast, or an Adamant Heart,) only advancements of their Jollity; and as Nero upon the sight of flaming Rome, took his Harp and made Melody: so have these tormenting Furies fired (by the help of combustible matter) multitudes of such harmless Creatures, and then taken the opportunity of their Light, for their night Sports. And yet (me thinks) the Devil hath discovered a keener Fury, when he hath made them rage against the Dead, and dig their Graves, and revenge themselves upon their senseless Ashes, and when they could do no more, seek to please themselves by executing their rage against their Pictures or Statutes; which Actions, though they might be condemned for Follies, yet are they evidences of highest Fury, which commonly destroys the Judgment, and sacrificeth Wit, Reason, and Honor, upon the Altar of Revenge. That the Devil should so poison Mans Nature, that he should thus rise up against his Fellow, that carries the same specific Being with himself, shows enough of his temper against Man, but never more than when he prevails against the engagements of Kindness, Blood, Affinity, and Relation, to raise a Mans Enemies out of his own House, the Father against the Son, and the Son against the Father; the Daughter against the Mother, and the Mother against the Daughter: for this is little less, than an unnatural Mutiny of the Members against the Body.

Fifthly, We have yet a more visible instance of his Cruelty, in his bloody and tyrannical Superstitions. Look but into the Rites and Ways of his Worship, among the Heathen in all Ages and Places, and you will find nothing but vile and ridiculous Fooleries, or insolent and despightful Usages. In the former he hath driven Men to Villanous Debauohries, in the latter to Execrable Cruelties. Of the latter I shall only speak, (though in the former, by debasing Man to be his Laughing-stock, he is cruel in his Scorn and Mockery): Here I might mention his tyrannical Ceremonies of the lower order, such as touch not life; such were their tedious Pilgrimages, as in Zeilan their painful Whippings; as of the Youth of Lacedaemon at the Altar of Diana; of their Priests, and that with knotted Cords upon their Shoulders as at Mexico, and New-Spain; their harsh usages in tedious Fastings, stinking Drenches, hard lyings upon Stones, eating Earth, strict forbearances of Wine, and Commerce, their torturings and manglings of their Bodies by terrible Lancings and Cuttings, for the effusion of Blood; their dismembering themselves, plucking out their Eyes, mangling their Flesh, to cast in the Idols Face, sacrificing their own Blood, as did the Priests of Bellona and Deasyria; so did the Kings of New-Spain at their Election, as Montzeuma the second, who sacrificed by drawing blood from his Ears, and the calves of his Legs. In Narsinga and Bisnagar, they go their Pilgrimages with Knives sticking on their Arms and Legs, till the wounded Flesh festerd. Some cast themselves under the Wheels of the Waggon, on which their Idol is drawn in Procession. Yet are all these but small matters, in comparison of the bloody out-rages committed upon Mankind, in the abominable custom of sacrificing Men to him. Of this many Authors give us a large account, the Lacedaemonians to avert the Plague, sacrifice a Virgin; the Athenians (by the advice of Apollo 's Oracle) sent yearly to King Minos seven Males, and so many Females to be sacrificed to appease the wrath of the God, for their killing of Androgeus; the Carthaginians (being vanquished by Agathocles King of Sicily) sacrificed two hundred Noblemen’s Children at once; the Romans had every year such sacrifices of Men and Women (of each Sex two) for a long time; and this was so common among the wiser Pagan Nations, that whensoever they fell into danger, either of War, Sicknesses, or of any other Calamity, they presently (to expiate their Offences against their supposed incensed God's, and to clear themselves of their present Miseries or Dangers,) sacrificed some mean Persons, who for this reason were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Expiations; and to this doth the Apostle allude, in 1 Cor. 4. 13. (as Budaeus, Stephanus, Grotius, and many others think) as if he should say, we are as much despised, and loaded with Cursings, as those that are sacrificed for public Expiation. But what cruel usage may we expect for the poor barbarous Nations of the World, where he had all possible advantages for the exercise of his bloody Tyranny? many sad instances of this kind are collected by Purchas in his Pilgrimage, in his Discourses of Virginia, Peru, Brasilia, Mexico, Florida, and other places, whose Stories of this Subject are so terrible, and occur so frequently, that they are almost beyond all belief; all which for brevities sake I omit, contenting my self to note one instance or two out of the Scripture, 2 King. 3. 27. The King of Moab took his eldest Son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a Burnt-offering upon the Wall: this he did (according to the customs of the Phoenicians and others,) being reduced to great straits, as supposing by this means (as his last refuge) to turn away the wrath of his God. Of Ahaz 'tis recorded, 2 Chron. 28. 3. That he burnt his Children in the Fire, after the abominations of the Heathen. That this was not a Lustration, or Consecration of their Children (though that also was used) but a real sacrificing, is without doubt to Josephus, who expresseth it thus, He offered his Son as an Holocaust. But whatever Ahaz did, 'tis certain the Children of Israel did so; They offered their Sons and Daughters to Devils, Psal. 106. 37. And if the sacrifices of the dead which they eat in the Wilderness (mentioned verse. 28.) be understood of the Feasts which were made at the burning of their Children, as some think, (though many understand it of their senseless dead God's, or their deceased Heroes, or for their deceased Friends,) then this cruelty had soon possessed them: However, possess them it did, as appears also by the description of their devouring Moloch, which the Jewish Rabbins say, was an hollow brazen Image in the form a Man, (saving that it had the head of a Calf,) the Arms stretched in a posture of receiving, the Image was heated with fire, and the Priest put the Child in his Arms, where it was burnt to death; in the mean time, a noise was made with Drums, that the cries of the Child might not be heard, and hence was it called Tophet, from Toph, which signifies a Drum; so that the name and shape of the Image shows that it was used to these execrable Cruelties.

These Scripture evidences, (if we were backward to credit what Histories say of this matter) may assure us of the temper and disposition of Satan, and may enable us to believe what bloody work he hath made in the World, which I shall briefly sum up in these particulars.

First, These inhumane, or rather (as Purchas calls them) overhumane Sacrifices, were practiced in most Nations, not only the Indians, Parthians, Mexicans, &c. but Ethiopians, Syrians, Carthaginians, Grecians, Romans, Germans, French and Britanes used them.

Secondly, These Cruelties were acted not only upon Slaves and Captives, but upon Children, whose age and innocence might have commanded the compassions of their Parents for better usage.

Thirdly, These Sacrificings were used upon several occasions, as at the sprouting of their Corn, at the Inauguration, Coronation, and Deaths of their Kings and Noblemen, in time of War, Dearth, Pestilence, or any danger; in a word (as the Priests in Florida and Mexico used to say) when ever the Devil is hungry or thirsty, that is, as oft as he hath a mind.

Fourthly, In some places the Devil brought them to set-times for those Offerings, some were Monthly, some Annual. The Latins sacrificed the tenth Child; the annual drowning of a Boy and a Girl in the Lake of Mexico; the casting of two yearly from the Pons Milvius, at Rome into Tiber, are but petty instances in comparison of the rest.

Fifthly, We cannot pass by the vast number of Men offered up at one time; so thirsty is Satan of Human blood, that from one or two, he hath raised the number incredibly high; in some Sacrifices five, in some ten, in some a hundred, in some a thousand have been offered up. It was the argument which Montezuma the last Emperor of Mexico used to Cortez to prove his strength and greatness by, that he sacrificed yearly twenty thousand men, and some years fifty thousand. Some have reserved their Captives for that end, others have made War only to furnish themselves with Men for such occasions.

Sixthly, There are also several circumstances of these Diabolical out-rages that may give a further discovery of his cruelty, as that these miserable Creatures thus led to be butchered, have been loaden with all the Cursings, Revilings, and contumacious reproaches, as a necessary concomitant of their violent deaths. Thus were those used, who were forced to be the public 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or expiation, for the removal of common Calamities. Death also was not enough, except it had been most tormenting in the manner of it, as of those that suffered by the embracements of Moloch, the joy and feastings of such Sacrificings (which were in themselves Spectacles of mourning and sorrow) were Cruelties to the Dead, and a barbarous enforcement against the Laws of Nature in the Living. But the dashing of the smoking Heart in the Idols face, and the pulling off the Skins from the massacred bodies, that Men and Women might dance in them, were yet more cruel Ceremonies. And lastly, In those that have been prepared for those Solemnities, by delicious Fare, gorgeous Ornaments, and the highest Reverence or Honors, (as was the manner of several Countries) yet was this no other than Satan's insulting over their Miseries, of which we can say no otherwise, than that his tenderest Mercies are Cruelties.

Seventhly, I may cast in to the account, that in some places Satan (by a strange madness of devotion) hath persuaded some to be Volunteers in suffering these Tortures and Deaths. Some have cast themselves under the Chariot-Wheels of their Idols, and so have been crushed to pieces. Some sacrifice themselves to their God's, first they cut off several pieces of their Flesh, crying every time, For the worship of my God, I cut this my flesh; and at last say, Now do I yield myself to death in the behalf of my God, and so kills himself out-right.

Eighthly, It is wonderful to think that the Devil should (by strange pretexts of Reason) have smoothed over these barbarous Inhumanities, so that they have become plausible things in the judgments of those miserable Wretches. In Piacular Sacrifices, they believed, that except the life of a Man were given for the life of Men, that the God's could not be pacified. In other Sacrifices both Eucharistical and for Atonement, they retained this Principle, that those things are to be offered to the God's, that are most pleasing and acceptable to us; and that the offering of a Calf or a Pigeon, was not suitable to such an end. This Maxim they further improved by the addition of another of the same kind, that if it were fit to offer an Human Sacrifice, it must also be innocent, and consequently little Children are the fittest for such a purpose. And some have also conjectured, that the Devil hath not been a wanting to improve the example of Abraham sacrificing his Son, or the Law in Levite. 27. 28. or the Prophecies concerning the death of Christ, as the great Sacrifice of Atonement, to justify and warrant his Hellish Cruelty. In some cases, Cruelty hath arisen from the very Principles of Reverence and Love which Children have to Parents, and Friends to Friends, as in Dragoian, when any are sick, they send to their Oracle to know whether the Parties shall live or die; if it be answered they shall die, then their Friends strangle them, and eat them; and all this from a kind of Religious respect to their Kindred, to preserve (as they imagine) their Flesh from putrifaction, and their Souls from torment. The like they do at Javamajor, when their Friends grow old and cannot work, only they eat not their own Friends, but carry them to the Market and sell them to those that do eat them.

Lastly, Let us call to mind how long the Devil domineer'd in the World at this rate of cruelty. When the World grew to a freer use of Reason, and greater exercise of Civility, they found out ways of mitigation, and changed these barbarous Rites, into more tolerable Sacrifices; as in Laodicea, they substituted an Hart to be sacrificed instead of a Virgin; in Cyprus, an Ox was put instead of a Man; in Egypt, Waxen-Images instead of Men; Images of Straw at Rome were cast into Tiber in the place of living Men; and the terrible burnings of Moloch, (which was not peculiar only to the Nations near to Canaan, but was in use also at Carthage, and found in the American Islands by the Spaniards; the like Brazen-Images were also found in Lodovicus Vives his time by the French, in an Island called by them Carolina.) These were at last changed into a Februation, and instead of burning their Children, they only passed them betwixt two Fires; but it was long before it came to this. In the time of Socrates, Human Sacrifices were in use at Carthage, and they continued in the Roman Provinces till the time of Tertullian, Eusebius and Lactantius: Though they had been severaly forbidden by Augustus Caesar, and afterward by Tiberius, who was forced to crucify some of the Priests that dared to offer such Sacrifices, to affright them from those barbarous Customs. In other places of the World, how long such things continued, who can tell, especially seeing they were found at Carolina not so very long since?

How impossible is it to cast up the total Sum of so many large Items? when these terrible customs have had so general a practice in most Nations, upon so many occasions, upon such seeming plausible Principles, when such great numbers have been destroyed at once, and these usages have been so long practiced in the World, and with such difficulty restrained, what vast multitudes of Men must we imagine have been consumed by Satan's execrable cruelty?

Sixthly, There remains one instance more of the Devils Cruelty, which is yet different from the former, which I may call his Personal Cruelties, because they are acted by his own immediate Hand upon certain of his Vassals, without the help or interposure of Men, who (in most of the forementioned cases) have been as Instruments acted by him. Here I might take notice of his fury to those that are possessed, some have been as it were racked and tortured in their Bodies, and their Limbs and Members so distorted, that it hath been not only matter of Pity to the Beholders to see them so abused, but also of Admiration, to consider how such abuses should be consistent with their lives, and that such rendings and tearings have not quite separated the Soul from the Body. In the Gospels we read of some such cast into the Fire, and into the Water. Others, conversing with Tombs and Sepulchers in the cold nights without Cloaths, and all of them spoken of as Creatures sadly tormented, and miserably vexed. The Histories of later days tell us of some, that vomited crooked Pins, pieces of Leather, Coals, Cloth, and such like. Of others snatched out of their Houses, and tired even to fainting, and waste of their Spirits, as Domina Rossa, (mentioned by Bodin,) with a great many more to this same purpose. We may take a view of his dealing with Witches, who (though he seem to gratify them in their Transportations from place to place, and in their Feastings with Music and Dancings,) are but cruelly handled by him very often; the very Work they are put upon (which is the destruction of Children, Men, Women, Cattle, and the Fruits of the Earth,) is but a base Employment; but the account he takes of them, of the full performance of their Enterprizes, and the cruel Beatings they have of him, when they cannot accomplish any of their Revenges, is no less than a severe Cruelty: He gives them no rest, unless they be doing Hurt; and when they cannot do it to the Persons designed, they are forced to do the same Mischief to their own Children, or Relations, that they may gratify their Tyrannical Master. Bodin relates the Story of a French Baron, (who was afterward put to death for Witchcraft) that after he had killed eight Children, was at last upon a design of sacrificing his own Child to the Devil: and if at any time they grew weary of so execrable a Slavery, or confess their Wickeness, they are so miserably tormented, that they choose rather to die than live: And what else but Cruelty can these Slaves expect from him, when the Ceremonies of their Entrance into that cursed Service, betokens nothing else; for their Bonds and Obligations are usually writ, or subscribed with their own Blood; and some Magical Books have been writ with the blood of many Children, besides the farewell that they have of him at their usual Meetings, is commonly this thundering Threatning, Avenge yourselves, or you shall die. All these particulars are collected from the Confessions of Witches, by Bodin, Wierus, and others.

But leaving these, Let us further inquire into Satan's Carriage toward those, that in America, and other dark and barbarous Places know no other God, and give their devoutest worship to him. To those he is not so kind as might be expected, but his constant way is, to terrify and torment them; insomuch, that some know no other reason of their worship, but that he may not hurt them: And since the English-Colonies went into these Parts, these Americans have learned to make this distinction between the Englishman 's God and theirs, that theirs is an evil God, and the other a good God; though that distinction in other places, is in the general, far more ancient; where they acknowledge two God's, one good, the other bad, and the worse the God is, the saddest, most mournful Rites of sacrificing were used, as in Caves, and in the Night, the manner of the Worship fitly expressing the nature of the God they served. Our Countrymen have noted of the Natives of New-England, that the Devil appeared to them in ugly Shapes, and in hideous Places, a • in Swamps and Woods. But these are only the Prologue to the Tragedy itself, for they only serve to impress upon the minds of his Worshippers, what Cruelties and Severities they are to expect from him; and accordingly he often lets them feel his hand, and makes them know, that those dark and dismal Preludiums are not for nothing: for sometime he appears to the Worshippers, tormenting and afflicting their Bodies, tearing the Flesh from the Bones, and carrying them away quick with him: sometime six have been carried away at once, none ever knowing what became of them. By such bloody acts as these, he kept the poor Americans in Fear and Slavery; so that as bad a Master as he is, they durst not but pay their Homage and Service to him. All these particulars being put together, will show we do the Devil no wrong, when we call him Cruel.

CHAP. VII. Of Satan's Diligence in several Instances. The Question about the Being of Spirits and Devils handled. The Sadducees Opinion discovered. The Reality of Spirits proved.

THe last particular observed in the Text, is his Diligence. This adds force and strength to his Malice, Power, and Cruelty, and shows they are not idle, dead, or unactive Principles in him, which (if they could be so supposed) would render him less hurtful and formidable. This I shall dispatch in a few Instances, nothing to this purpose.

First, His Pains he takes in hunting his Prey, and pursuing his Designs: 'It is nothing for him to compass Sea and Land, to labor to the utmost in his Employment; 'tis all his Business to tempt and destroy, and his whole heart is in it. Hence Intermission or Cessation cannot be expected, he faints not by his labor, and his labor with the success of it, is all the delight we can suppose him to have: so that being pushed and hurried by the Hellish Satisfactions of deadly Revenge, and having a strength answerable to those violent Impulses, we must suppose him to undergo (with a kind of pleasing willingness) all imaginable Toyl and Labor. If we look into ourselves we find it true, to our no small trouble and hazard: Doth he at any time easily desist, when we give him a Repulse? Doth he not come again and again, with often and impudently repeated Importunities? Doth he not carry a Design in his Mind for Months and Years against us? and when the Motion is not feasible, yet he forgets it not, but after a long Interruption begins again where he left: Which shows that he is big with his Projects, and his Mind hath no rest: He stretcheth out his Nets all the day long: We may say of him, that he riseth up early, and sitteth up late at his work, and is content to labor in the very Fire, so that he might but either disturb a Child of God, or gain a Prosilyte.

〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Secondly, Diligence is not only discovered in Laboriousness, but also in a peculiar readiness to espy, and to close in with fit occasions, which may in probability answer the End we drive at. In this is Satan admirably diligent, no occasion shall slip, or through inadvertency escape him: No sooner are opportunities before us, but we may perceive him suggesting to us, Do this, satisfy that Lust, take that Gain, please yourselves with that Revenge. No sooner obtains he a Commission against a Child of God, but presently he is upon his Back, as he dealt with Job, he lost no time, but goes out immediately from the presence of the Lord and falls upon him. Besides what he doth upon solemn and extraordinary Occasions, these that are common and ordinary, are so carefully improved by him that everything we hear or see is ready to become our snare, and Satan will assay to tempt us by them, though they lie something out of the way of our Inclination, and be not so likely to prevail with us.

Thirdly, 'It is also a Discovery of his Diligence, that he never fails to pursue every advantage which he gets against us, to the utmost. If the occasion, and motion thereupon incline us, so that if we are persuaded by them, he follows it on, and is not satisfied, with either a lower degree of acting sinfully, or with one or two acts; but then he presseth upon us to sin to the height, with the greater contempt of God, and grievance of his Spirit, the greater scandal and offense to our Brethren, and having once caused us to begin, he would never have us to make an end. His Temptations roll themselves upon us, like the breaking in of Waters, which by the fierceness of their current, make a large way for more to follow. He knows how to improve his Victories, and will not thorough Slothfulness, or Pity, neglect to complete them. Hence it is, that sometimes he reaps a large Harvest where he had sown little, and from one Temptation, not only wounds the soul of him that committed it, but endeavors to diffuse the Venom and Poysonous Steam of it to the Infection of others, to the disgrace of Religion, the hardening the Hearts of wicked Men, and the turning the Ignorant out of the way of Truth. In like manner, if he perceive the Spirits of Men grow distempered and wounded, he then plies them with Threatenings, fills them with all manner of Discouragements, dresseth every Truth with the worst appearance, that it may be apprehended otherwise than it is, and puts such Interpretations on all Providences, that everything may augment the smart of the Wound till they be overwhelmed with Terrors.

Fourthly, The various ways which he takes, shows also his Diligence; if one Plot take not, he is immediately upon another; he confines not himself to one Design, nor to one Method; but if he find one Temptation doth not relish, he prepares another more fietable; if Covetousness doth not please us, then he urgeth to Profuseness; if Terrors do not affright us to dispair, then he abuseth Mercies to make us careless and presuming. If we are not content to be openly Wicked, then he endeavors to make us secretly Hypocritical, or Formal; sometime he urgeth Men to be Profane, if that hit not, then to be Erronious; if he cannot work by one Tool, then he takes another, and if anything in his way disgust, he will not urge it over-hard, but straight takes another course; such is his Diligence, that we may say of him (as it was said of Paul upon a better ground) he will become all things to all Men, that he may gain some.

Fifthly, Diligence will most show itself when things are at the greatest hazard, or when the hopes of success are ready to bring forth. In this point of diligence our Adversary is not wanting, if Men are upon the point of Error or Sin, how industriously doth he labor to bring them wholly over, and to settle them in Evil? one would think at such times he laid aside all other business and only attended this: How frequent, incessant, and earnest are his Perswasions and Arguings with such? the like diligence he showeth in obstructing, disturbing, and discouraging us, when we are upon our greatest Services, or near our greatest Mercies, what part of the day are we more wandering and vain in our thoughts, (if we take not great care) than when we set about Prayer? at other times we find some more ease and freedom in our Imaginations, as if we could better rule or command them; but then (as if our thoughts were only confusion and disorder) we are not able to master them, and to keep the door of the heart so close, but that these troublesome unwelcome guests will be crouding in, is impossible: Let us observe it seriously, and we shall find that our thoughts are not the same, and after the same manner impetuous at other times as they are, when we set about holy things, which ariseth not only from the quickness of our Spiritual Sense in our readier observation of them at that time, but also from the Devils busy Molestation, and special diligence against us on such occasions. Besides, when he foresees our Advantages or Mercies, he bestirs himself to prevent or hinder us of them; if Ministers set themselves to study and preach Truths that are more piercing, weighty or necessary, they may observe more molestations, interruptions, or discouragements of all sorts, than when they less concern themselves with the business of the souls of Men. He foresees what Sermons are provided, and often doth he upon such foresight endeavor to turn off those from hearing, that have most need, and are most likely to receive benefit by them. Many have noted it, that those Sermons and Occasions that have done them most good, (when they came to them) they have been some way or other most dissuaded from, and resolved against before they came; and then when they have broken through their strongest hindrances, they have found that all their obstruction was Satan's diligent foresight, to hinder them of such a Blessing as they have (beyond hope) met withal. The like might be observed of the constant returns of the Lord's day, if Men watch not against it, they may meet with more than ordinary, either Avocations to prevent and hinder them, or Disturbances to annoy and trouble, or bodily Indispositions to incapacitate and unfit them: And 'tis not to be contemned, that some have observed themselves more apt to be Drousie, Dull or Sleepy on that day. Others have noted greater bodily Indispositions then ordinarily, than at other times; all which make no unlikely conjecture of the Devils special diligence against us on such occasions.

Let's cast in another instance to these, and that is, Of those that are upon the point of Conversion, ready to forsake Sin for Christ. Oh! what pains then doth the Devil take to keep them back? He visits them every Moment with one hindrance or other; sometimes they are tempted to former Pleasures, sometime affrighted with present Fears and future Disappointments; sometimes discouraged with Reproaches, Scorns and Afflictions that may attend their alteration; otherwile obstructed by the persuasion or threatening of Friends and old Acquaintances; but this they are sure of, that they have never more Temptations, and those more sensibly troubling than at that time; a clear evidence that Satan is as Diligent as Malicious. I should now go on to display the Subtilty of this Powerful, Malicious, Cruel and diligent Adversary. There is but one thing in the way, which hitherto I have taken for granted, and that is, Whether indeed there be any such things as Devils and wicked Spirits, or that these are but Theological Engines contrived by Persons that carry a good will to Morality, and the public Peace, to keep Men under an awful fear of such Miscarriages, as may render them otherwise a Shame to themselves, and a Trouble to others. It must be acknowledged a transgression of the rules of Method to offer a proof of that now, which (if at all) ought to have been proved in the beginning of the Discourse: And indeed the question at this length, whether there be a Devil, hath such affinity with that other (though for the matter they are as different as Heaven and Hell) whether there be a God, that as it well deserves a confirmation, (for the use that may be made of it to evidence that there is a God, because we feel there is a Devil,) so would it require a serious endeavor to perform it substantially. But it would be not only a needless labor, to levy an Army against professed Atheists, who with high scorn and derision roundly deny both God and Devils; seeing others have frequently done that, but also it would occasion too large a digression from our present design. I shall therefore only speak a few things to those that own a God, and yet deny such a Devil as we have described, and yet not to all of these neither; for there were many Heathens who were confident Assertors of a Deity, that nevertheless denied the Being of Spirits, as severed from Corporeity; and others were so far from the acknowledgment of Devils, that they confounded them in the number of their God's; others there were, who gave such credit to the frequent relations of Apparitions, and disturbances of that kind, that many had attested and complained of, that they expressed more Ingenuity than Lucian, (who pertinaciously refused to believe, because he never saw them,) and yet though they believed something of reality, in that that was the affrightment and trouble of others, they nevertheless ascribed such extraordinary things to Natural Causes: Some to the powers of the Heavens and Stars in their Influences upon Natural Bodies, or by the mediation of certain Herbs, Stones, Minerals, Creatures, Voices and Characters, under a special observation of the motion of the Planets. Some refer such things to the subtlety and quickness of the Senses, of hearing and seeing, which might create Forms and Images of things, or discover (I know not what) Reflections from the Sun and Moon. Some fancy the Shapes and Visions to be exuviae, thin Scales or Skins of Natural things, giving representations of the Bodies that cast them off, or Exhalations from Sepulchers representing the shape of the Body. Others make them the Effects of our untrusty and deceitful Senses, the debility and corruption whereof, they conclude to be such, and so general, that most Men are in hazard to be imposed upon by delusive Appearances. But with far greater show of likelihood, do some make all such things, to be nothing else but the Issues of Melancholy and corrupt Humors, which makes Men believe they hear see, and suffer strange things, when there is nothing near them; or really to undergo strange fits, as in Lunacy and Epilepsy. Leaving these Men as not capable of Information from Scripture evidence, because disowning it: Let us inquire what mistaken apprehensions there have been in this Matter, among those that have pretended a reverence to, and belief of Scripture: The Sadducees deserve the first place, because they are by name noted in Scripture to have denied the Resurrection, and to have affirmed that there is neither Angel nor Spirit, Acts 23. 8. Matth. 22. 23.

This opinion of theirs (could we certainly find it out) would make much for the confirmation of the Truth in question, seeing (what ever it was) it is positively condemned in Scripture, and the contrary asserted to be true. Many (and that upon considerable grounds) do think, that they do not deny absolutely that there were any Angels at all, but that acknowledging that something there was which was called an Angel, yet they imagining it to be far otherwise than what it is indeed, were accused justly for denying such a kind of Angels as the Scripture had everywhere asserted and described: For considering that they owned a God, and (at least) the five Books of Moses, if not all the other Books of the Old Testament, (as Scaliger and others judge, not without great probability, for neither doth the Scripture, nor Josephus, mention any such thing of the Prophets) it is unimaginable that they would altogether deny that there was Angel or Spirit at all. They read of Angels appearing to Lot, to Abraham, and met with it so frequently, that believing Scriptures to be true, they could not believe Angels to be an absolute fiction, for one Fable or Falsity in Scripture (which so highly asserts itself to be an unerring Oracle of the true God) must of necessity have destroyed the credit of all, and rendered them as justly suspected to be true in nothing, when apparently false or fabulous in anything.

Again, If we call to mind what Apprehensions they had of God, (which all consent they did acknowledge) we might more easily imagine what apprehensions they had of Angels, for in regard that Moses made mention of God's Face and Back-parts, and that frequently Hands and other parts of Mans Body were attributed to him, they concluded God to be Corporeal; and seeing the best of Creatures which God created cannot be supposed to have a more noble Being than was that of their Creator, and at the utmost, to be made according to the Pattern of his own Image and likeness, they might upon this Bottom easily fix a denial of Incorporeal Spirits, and by consequence, that the Soul of Man was mortal, and therefore that there could be no Resurrection; so that the nature of Angels being described under the notion of Spiritual Substances, they are judged to deny any such thing, supposing that to be Incorporeal, was as much as not to be at all; and yet it were unreasonable to deny, that they had not some Interpretation for those passages of Scripture that mentioned Angels, which in their apprehensions might be some Salvo to the truth of those Historical Writings, which they acknowledged, but what that was, we are next to conjecture: And indeed Josephus by a little hint of their Opinion seems to tell us, that they did not so much deny the Being of the Soul as the permanency of it, and so by consequence they might not so much deny absolutely the existence of Spirits as their Natural Being and continuance. Something there was that was called by the name of Angel, (that they could not but own) and that this must be a real, and not an imaginary thing, is evident from the real Effects and things done by them; yet observing their appearances to have been upon some special occasion, and their disappearing to have been on a sudden, they might conjecture them to be created by God for the present service, and then reduced to nothing when that service was done.

Their Opinion then of Angels seems to be one of these two, Either that they were Corporeal Substances created upon a special emergency, but not permanent Beings; or that they were but Images and Impressions supernaturally formed in the Fancy by the special Operation of God, to signify his Mind and Commands to Men, upon which they might fitly be called God's Messengers and Ministers. I put in this last into the conjecture, because I find it mentioned by Calvin, as the Opinion of the Sadducees, but both are noted by Diodate on Acts 23. 8. as with equal probability belonging to them; his words are, They did not believe they were subsisting and immortal Creatures, but transitory Apparitions, or some divine Actions and Motions to produce some special and notable Effect.

Others also have been lately hammering out the same apprehension concerning Angels, and profess themselves delivered from it with great difficulty, differing only in this from some of the Heathens before mentioned, that what those ascribed to the Puissance of the Stars, Natural Powers, or to weakness of Senses and corrupt Humors, they (by the advantage of the general notions of Scripture) have ascribed to God, putting forth his Power upon the Minds and Fancies of Men, or working by the Humours of the Body: upon this foundation they will easilier make bold with Devils to deny, if not their Being, yet their Temptations, imagining that we may possibly do him wrong, in fathering upon him these Sollicitations and Provocations to Sin, which we by experience find to be working and acting upon our Minds, thinking that our own Fancies or Imaginations may be the only Devils that vex us; and this they more readily hearken to, from the nature of Dreams and Visions which happen to Men in an ordinary Natural way, where our Fancies play with us as if they were distinct from us: as also from this consideration, that the Lunatick, Epileptick and Frenzical Persons are in Scripture called Demoniacks, as Matth. 17. 15. with Luk. 9. where the Person is called Lunatick, and yet said to be taken and vexed by a Spirit: so also Joh. 10. 20. he hath a Devil, and is mad: But these reasonings can do little with an intelligent considering Man, to make him deny what he so really feels, and is so often forewarned of in Scripture: for suppose these were called Demoniacks by the Vulgar, it doth not compel us to believe they were so. Men are apt to ascribe Natutural Diseases to Satan, and Christ did not concern himself to cure their Misapprehensions, while he cured their Diseases. This some suggest as a Reason that may answer many Cases, though indeed it cannot answer that of Matth. 17. because verse. 18. 'tis said expressly that Jesus rebuked the Devil, and he departed out of him, which would not have been proper to have been spoken on the account of Christ by the Evangelist, to express the cure of a Natural Disease, for so would he unavoidably have been rendered guilty of the same mistake with the Vulgar. But if we should grant, that divers mentioned under the name of Demoniacks, were Men disturbed with Melancholy, or the Falling-Sickness, all were not so; for those in Matth. 8. 31. besought Christ after their ejection, to have liberty to go into the Herd of Swine: so that if Mr. Mede intended to assert, that all Demoniacks were no other than mad Men, and Lunaticks: I question not but he was mistaken, and by his reason, not only must mad Men and Lunatick Persons pass for Demoniacks, but all Diseases whatsoever: for the Blind and Dumb were called also Demoniacks, Matth. 9. 32. and 12. 22. But the matter seems to be this, that where Men were afflicted with such Distempers Satan took the advantage of them, and acted the Possessed accordingly; as he frequently takes the advantage of a Melancholy Indisposition, and works great Terrors and Affrightments by it, as in Saul,