they which dealte or at this daye do deale in the dispossessinge of satan by this meaines should or dyd know with what kind of spirit the partie possessed was vexed which can not be but that one being possest and dealt with for their deliuery from Satan by this ordinary and perpetuall meanes in the church if by praier for an hower 23 or more he be not deliuerd vndoubtedly that being perfourmed aright because of the kynd of spirit possessing then let fasting therto be ioyned and that certaynlye if the Lorde thinke good to blesse his sayde ordinance shal be mightie and effectual to the casting out of the spirit of what kind soeuer he be indeed this cours we did not take with the aforsaid persons but at the first proceded to fastiÌ„g praier which we therfor did becaus we much desired that our labour might not be in vaine as touching their delyuerance thus also thought beleued that what kind of spirit soeuer were in them we vsinge prayer fast ing the said holy meanes would be effectuall through the mercy of God to expell and driue them out had they bene or were the spirite of the worst kind much more theÌ„ others saying that I dealt otherwis with Kath Wright whose dspossession was by prayer with out fastinge beinge vpon the daye of her dispossession delyuerede by noone and no fast not so much as intended eyther by her self or any other in her behalfe or shee once aduised theirvnto If any shall approue of the aforesaide exposition so farr forth as it doth or maye agree to they apostles and otherwise reiect it affirminge that of they Apostles soely this scripture is to be vnderstood to whom it was spoken and some others which had the gift of miracles and so power to cast forth Deuills I answer that to appropriate this speach and tie it to the persons of they disciples as meerlye and peculiarlye belonginge vnto them is more then the text either in expresse words or by necessary consequence will beare and therfore considering also theris no other scripture to helpe in this case it is more then any man can for certaintie affirme and such as we may as well deny as others confidently avouch Yea certaine it is that it can not be vnderstood of the Apostles as ment and directed to them otherewise then hath bene sayd thereby to signifie vnto them that it was one of the worst kinde of Deuills wherwith the child was possessed whence partly it came to passe that they had not cast him out and others indewed with the gift of myracles for asmuch as Christ speaketh exper slye and by name of an ordinarye meaynes to cast forth Deuills and therfore in these words of such as by they said meanes had or should cast them out not of they Apostles theirfore and their dispossessyng of vncleane spirits who not by any appoynted or ordinarye meaines in which case their can be no myracle but without all meaynes by the power and gift they had to worke miracles did cast forth diuils But it will be sayd that howsoeuer they Apostles indeed by vertue of that gifte and power they had receiued from Christ to worke miracles could and did dispossese wicked spirits without meaines yet this was not generally true of all spirits for that there were some kind of Diuels imagine the worste which for al the power they had receued without prayer and fasting would not be expelled and that this is it that Christe meaneth when he sayeth these kynde can by no other meanes come forth but by prayer and fasting as if he had said your faith is lyttle and wauering and thence partly it is that you haue not helped the child but besides you must knowe that theire is a kinde of eueâ— spirits of which number is that wher with the childe was possessed which without prayer and fasting can not be cast out and therfore consideringe that meaines by you was not vsed it is no maruell thought you dispossessed not the diuill yea it could not so be and of this mind is traiterous Stapleton a popishe proselite though otherwyse learned whose words of this scripture are these nunc autem alam causam adsert c. Now he aleadgeth an other cause why the Apostles could not cast out this Diul which had so longe time possessed the man euen from his insancie for it was necessarie they shoulde haue praied and fasted where we see that howsoeuer he doth not appropriat this speache to the Apostles but acknowledgeth as in the same place appeareth that praier and fastinge is now a meaines for the casting forth of Diuells yet he affirnâ—eth that necessarily the Apostls should haue prayed and fasted and that for the want or neclect therof it cam to passe that the diuill was nâ—t caste â—ut and with him agreeth Thyreus who writeth thus hoc genus Demonorum c. this kind of Diuels saieth Christ is not cast out but by praier and fasting surely the Lord doth insinuate that the Apostles neede not fasting and praier to driue away other Diuils but was sufficiente to cal vpon the name of Christ but here besides they need them meaninge fastinge and praier because this spirit is hardlyer expelled then others If this exposition were true then ther should he a certaine sort orkind of divels which the Aposts by al the faith they had or could haue wer not able without further helpe to subdue the which in ded Stapletone further granteth and affirmeth saying presetly after the former words thus sit fides quantum cunque feruens c. let faith be neuer so feruent as a graine of mustarde seed yet must praier and fasting be vsed as a most stronge meadicine to driue awaye Deuills of this kinde and this he vnderstaÌ„deth of the Apostls as is plaine by these former words he saith of them necessarium quippe fuisse orare et idinare for it was necesarie for the Apostls to haue praied and fasted Now this semeth verye strang vnto me such as nether can nor dare beleiue and receiue for truth for when I consider of the manifold great signes wonders the apostls wrought wherof we read in the history of the Acts. of the Apostls that as Peter saith thy did them not by their owne power or godlines but as they prayed for also professed by the name or power of Iesus christ to whom all power was gyueÌ„ in heauen and in earth who had committed also giueÌ„ part of his power authority vnto them I se not how any infernall power could be able to resist hold out agaiÌ„st this divine power eueÌ„ the power of the Lord Iesus they cam in if their faith was stroÌ„g so this power preseÌ„t with them though they had no other helpe by praier or praier fasting foralbe it the apostls somtims vsed praier in the miracles they wrought thou gh neuer fastiÌ„g praier that we read of yet they nede not
happely he will not reste but there by be drawen to giue eare vnto the worde preached and so be brought to that faith the end whereof will be the saluation of his soule whereof if this worke of god be an occasion to any oh howe will such bless God for the same and ioye in this that the sounde there of came to his eare Thus we plainely see howe this worke of god sarueth to confirme the authority and truth of the holy scriptures I meane howe it som what helpeth to perswade vs incredulous men to beleue or more stedfastly to beleue that the are deuine and certainly true in that we see many thinges spoken of in them and very incredible to flesh and blud as well as others there mentioned fulfilled before our eyes and to be most true Seinge then no hurte but mnch good as we haue heard cometh by this worke why shoulde any be offended with vs for bearinge witnesse to this work and why doe any stand vp and sett them selues against this worke indeuoringe to annihilat the same Certainly in fo doing they are not only iniurious to man hindring him of the good fruite he might reape thereby but also aduersaries to god and his glory prophaninge and not hallowinge or sanctifiinge this his name Christ Iesus to such as he cured was wont to say be it vnto thee as thou beleuest thy faith hath made thee whole goe in peace thysinns are forgiuen thee synne no more least a worse thinge come vnto thee and to many see thou tell no man of this I haue donne vnto thee yea somtimes he straightly charged others that they should tell no man what was doune But to him out of whome he had cast out the dyuell he saide goeshewe what greate thinges the Lorde hath donne vnto thee and howe hee hath compassion on thee It is also to be obserued that we reade not the same or like speach to this vsed to any besides of all those that Iesus healed whereby it may seeme that the Lorde Iesus woulde not haue this worke in any case smothered and kept close no not for a time but rather set as a candle in a candlestick vpon the table that it may giue such light vnto men as we haue already seene and no maruaile considering the wordes followinge of our Sauiour goe slew saith he what great thinges the Lorde hath donne vnto thee Are there greate thinges to be looked vpon in this worke we speake of euen by the testimony of Christ himselfe whoe then and where is he if Somers the 7. in Lancashire and the rest were possessed and dispossessed that dare stand vp to darken and obscure the saide worke whereby the people of god be kept from behouldinge the greate thinges of the lord and so hindred from the greate good they might reape thereof and god from his glory If it be euident that vpon these persons this worke of god hath bene wrought who seeth not how contrary minded such are vnto Christ Of the 70 desciple whom Iesus sent forth by there preachinge miracles to prepare and make awaye for him selfe and his ministrie it is sayde that when they had accomplished this worke they returned againe with ioye sayinge Lorde euen the deuils are subdued to vs through thy name In this subiection of the spirits vnto them aboue all the greate workes and miracles they wrought they reioyced wherein how so euer they exceeded wherevpon Christ reproueth them sayinge In this reioyce not that the spirits are subdued vnto you but rather reioyce be cause your names are written in heauen yet marke that he doth it so as that he denyeth not but that they might reioyce there in but rather indede aloweth and commendeth the same so that we keepe a measure and make it not our cheife ioye the which shoulde be that our names are written in heauen wherof the other giueth no assurance for asmuch as it may fall into a reprobate And truely how can they which heare of the aforesayde worke of God but reioyce when they see the Lorde Iesus subduinge Satan vnto men when we see by praier and fastinge deuylls cast out of men whe we see God perfourming his promise the scripture before our eyes fulfilled and our christian brethren also delyuered from the torments of Satan If wee turne our eye eyther to God or man can wee chuse but reioyce and blesse God for such a worke greatly then are they to blame and farre from that affection they shoulde haue who are disquieted and offended here with and most faultie of all shall they be who when the worke shall be made manefest to there conciences as I trust by this treatise it is shall yet notwithstanding lift vp there hee le agaynst it Through the want both of a corrector and of the authour their be very many faultes in the printing among which these following be some 〈◊〉 with I desire the reader with patience to beare pag. 6 chaire open for chaiâ—e open p. 7. departed in for departed 8 〈…〉 for stâ—e caned p. 10 fleamthicke for fleâ—n c lhiere p 13. 〈…〉 for her p 1 2 pence read 3 Pence p 33 the diuers for diuers ib wherwith 〈…〉 p 22 derelinquisti for derellquistr ibi fortaken for forgotten p. â—5 〈…〉 p 49 learne for leave p 51. continancy for continuance he had in p 57 〈…〉 for with all possible p 60 who indued for who was induâ—â— p 91. the 〈◊〉 prayer for the fasting and prayer they vsed verse 1. Lohn 9. math 11. 24. math 28. 12. 2. Cor. 13. 8. â—s 4. 20. â—â— 2. 11. â—th 9. 33. 34 12. 22. 〈◊〉 11. 14. act 20 27. â—al 111. 2. ver 8. 15. 21. 31 v. 11. psal 143 5. ps 111. 4 ps 91 4 psal 105 â— math 12. 30. this sheweth that the deuill transformed himselfe and appeared vnto them like an angell of â—ight in like sort William Somers had asore throat after the departur of the spirit Luke 11. 26. by the manner of meeting the 2 time and wordes vttered to him the 2 time it should seme rather to be the deuill in the liknes of an old woman This Kath Wright is a yong woman dwelling at a place called Bridgway lane not far distant from Blackwel more who about 14 yeres past being possesed was by prayet deliuered but is since repossesed 〈◊〉 like in my owne hearingâ— did Kat. VVright â—eing possessed Math. 21 43. who because he was an aduersari was made a comâ—issioneâ— with him 2 other Pet. Clerk Maâ—or Mâ—es Leigh officiall say I counter feited Such effects ac haue bine down by these parties possessed cannot proceed from the nature or skile of man how spirits being with out man do vexe him Iob. 2. 7. It is impossible for Satan being without man to haue the whole rule and disposition of the body math 15. 2 2. mark 9. 22. verse 17. 18. 22. Against the filie shift of pretended counterfeiting 14 ther
he which doth righteously is borne of him And again * God is light If then we walk in the light as he is in the light we haue felowship with the father with his sonne Iesus Christ and againe * euery on that loueth is borne of God knoweth God for God is loue And Christ saith * loue your enimies doe good to them that hate you that ye may be the children of your father that is in heuen for he maketh his sunne to wise on the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust And presently after ye shal be perfite as your father which is in heven is perfite And on ther side concerninge the other spirituall father It was to this purpose to some of his children said somtimes by our sauiour Christ ye doe the workes of your father ye are therefore of your father the diuil and the lust of your father ye will doe because also of this Iohn saith * he that commiteth sinne is of the Deuill and why for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning Both these our Saiour teacheth in twoo wordes I speake that which I haue sene with my father and ye doe that which ye haue sene with your father intimatinge this for the reason therof that so it is otherwise can not be Becaus the spirituall childe followeth and can not but followe the disposition of the spirituall father so as looke how the father is affected and giuen whether it be God or the Deuill euen so is the childe and must nedes be because beinge a childe he is partaker of his fathers nature whether it be diuine or diuilish and otherewise he is no child and therefore beinge of the selfesame nature they must needes be affected alike so as what and whom the one loueth hateth c. the other will doe so likwise Here vpon it necessarily and ineuitably foloweth that as they are the sonnes of God who as God infinitely so they accordinge to there measure are holy righteous in the lighte in loue yea louinge there enemies and doinge good to them which hate them ct striuinge also dayly to be more holy righteous ct that so they might be perfecte as is there heauenly father As such I saye which haue this image similitud and stampe of God set vpon them and shininge in all there speaches actions and thoughts are the châ—â—â—dren of God yea all such and none but such becaus of his chilâ— onlâ— he bestoweth this spirit that is these gifts of the spirit aâ— to that of the Apostle * as many as are led by the spirit of 〈…〉 the sonnes of God so as they deceiue them selues which 〈◊〉 spirit of god and Christ to lead them into the holy and righteous waies of God are yet notwithstandinge perswaded that God is there father they his children euen so they who in there speaches actions and thougths represent the diuil and haue his stompe orimage vpon them beinge together with him giuen to blasphemie swearinge lyinge vncleannes deceite in a worde to the commiting of sine are the children of the deuil haue him for their father they doe greatly deceiue themseues which doinge the same works with the deuill and being ruied by his spirit do neuertheles hope that god is their father Let every on of vs then compare our selues with another and seriouslie examine our selues and consider whom wee are most like whom in our workes we most resemble God or the diuill for certain lye to him we belong to whom we are likest and he is our father But here you must not so take me as though I ment that whosouer maketh a lye vseth an oath commiteth any vncleanes at any time deceiueth his neighbour in bargainning is the child of the diuill God forbid For Noah Lot Dauid and Peter sinned greuously against God and yet were his children and there are amongst vs no doubte which haue there sâ—â—ppes and falles and yet are Gods children It is not then the commitinge of a sinne although it be a hainous sinne which argueth the child of the Deuill But the * scruing of sinne and obaying it in the lusts thereof when sathan stirreth vp in man a lust after lying swearing adultery deceipt and other transgressions of the lawe and hee forthwith willingly and very readily falleth to put the same in practise and thus not only once or twice but vsually doth the workes of the diuel such a one saith christ is of hiâ— father the diuell And yet howsoeuer the fallinge into some haynous transgression prooueth not one to be the child of the diuill yet such slipe or fall giueth the child of God iust cause not only of weeping but with Peter * to weepe bitterly In that he after so great grace receiued even the spirit of God I meane the spirit of adoption and sanctification * which God bestoweth vpon his children only shall so highly offend him who hath bene so good and gratious vnto him recompencing him with euill for his vnspeakable good and therby also greatly dishoneringe God and causinge his holy name to be blasphemed and euill spoken off Neither must any so vnderstand me as though I ment that all those which are now the children and vnder the power of the deuill should certainly goe vnto the deuil and haue the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for their portion and by consequent all such as are before described For he who is the diuils child and captiue vnto Sathan to day may be to morrowe the sonne of God and deliuered out of that sprituall bondage yea very sure it is that in his inwarde and spirituall estate and condition this happie chaunge shall be if he chaunge and alter his conditions and * be a newe creature so as olde thinges being passed away all things become new with him hauinge a new minde and a new hart which is when he hath new thoughtes new affection which will carry with them the body all the members thereof and make them newe likewise so as hee shall haue newe eyes new eares a new tongue new hands c euery one of these and the rest of the members according to his seueral office or duty performing newe that is other and better thinges then in former tymes hee did man chaunging or being thus changed he is therwith translated from sathan vnto God from being his child to be adopted into the nomber of the sonnes of god hauing * this priuiledge and dignity bestowed vppon him in Christ whome by faith he hath receaued or as S. Paul saith he is turned from darknes into light from the power of sathan vnder which we are all by nature and vntil this turning be vnto god and elswhere to the same effect deliuered * out of the snare of the diuell of whom wee are taken prisoners to do his will into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of god So as henceforward he is no more a
bondeslaue vnto sathan a stranger and forriner vnto god aliant from the common wealth of Israel but one of the houshold of god a citizen with the saincts euen of the greate holy City newe Ierusalem into the which entreth none but these newe and holy creatures for whome only god the builder maker thereof hath prepared it If any obiect All the children of god shall certainly be saued accordig to that scripture If we be children we are also heires enen the heires of god and heirs annexed with Christ therefore whosoeuer be the diuels children and so they before described to be such shall certainlye be damed I answer that if man being the child of the diuel could not possibly become the child of god as he who is once the sonne or daughter of god can neuer after be the child of the diuel then the reason followed and whosoeuer is the childe of the diuel should be condemned but that being most false the other followeth not thereof at all This then I affirme that whosoeuer are the diuels children which are all they who are giuen to blasphemy swearing lying cursing filthy comunication to speake euill of them which are in aucthority to raylinge slaundering to hatred especially of the brethren to adultery fornication vncleannes deceipt defrauding one an other in bargayning and other workes of the diuell and continue therein liuinge and dyinge such shall indeede goe to the diuel their father and with him inherite hell fyer prepared for the diuel his angels Furthermore in obseruing the nature of the diuel we are to consider how he standeth affected towards men how in his nature he is who ly carryed to hate man for when he hath lost him he is not at quyeâ— vntil he he haue recouered him if it be possible to torment him and to destroy him Now who that is wise will not be afraid to fall into the handes of such as one or rather of god whose executioner the diuel is If the diuel deale thus with man being sent forth of god to chastice him for his amendment How wil he intreat him when be shall fall vpoÌ„ him to execute the vengeance to come that is the punishment which in iustice is due vnto man and answerable to all the dishonor he hath donne vpon earth to the lord of glory If in the former case he cause such crying gnashing of teeth and tormenting as we haue heard what crying what gnashing of teeth what tormenting shall there bee in the latter Thus we see what an agrement there is betwixt the word worke of god as comming both from the same author and tendinge to the same end euen to make men afraid to fall into the hands of the liuâ—go God They both teach the same thing the one more obscurely the other more plainly VVhy now will not wee rather take forth this and such like lessons out of this work and so make our vse profit therof then impugne and deny the worke as many of vs doe when the lord knowing mans dulnes and backwardnes to learne shall in regard thereof be content to instruct him not only by his word but also by his worke which sometime preuayleth a little with man when his word will not and that man is so farr from being taught and instructed thereby that he reiecteth such kind of instruction wil the lorde or can he possibly take that in good part Seauenthly it serueth excellently to confound our athiests whose say not only with the foole in their hart that there is no god but go somwhat further affirming with their blasphemous mouthes out of that vnspeakable folly and brvtishnes of theirs as Kinge Pharaoh their praedecessor did who is the lorde that I should obey him These lusty gallaÌ„ts who will haue no heauen nor hell no god nor diuel what say they to this work of that god whome they deny That there is a diuel howe can they deny it seing the worke and effects of the diuell in and vpon the bodye of Somers to let the 7. in Lancashire and other goe the running lumpes his supernaturall strength knowledge wayght in his body and members thereof his speaking without the instrumentes of speach throwing into the fyer without beinge burnt his lying as dead could as yee his face and hands blacke no breath comming froÌ„ him and thus sometime by the space of an houre with many more of this kynde will infore them to confesse the worke of the diuel and by consequent that there is a diuell considering that these things can not posibly come either from nature or be donne by art and that som cause of these effects there must needes bee when they haue donne what they can except they will leaue this matter vndecided wherevnto the diuel and the corruption of their nature will be ready to perswad them they must in the ende say will they nill they and others also with them that the said strange accidents and ympossible to be donne by man came and were donne by the dyuel there being no other cause to be found and that Somers therein was a mere patient For to deny the matter of fact that these things were done or rather suffered by Somers is plaine englishe to say that the 17 persons which haue deposed the same are periuered and not only they but about 13 more deposed after in the whole about 30 wherof 7 be preachers the which if some shamles body shoulde not spare to affirme yet that wil not helpe seeinge there are hundreds more redy to auouche the same vpon there othes and to be so for sworne as are the former remember also that I deliuered to the commissioners a bill of about 60 Persons who were redy to be deposed Aâ—udicient number I thinke for the prouinge of any cause concerninge eyther God or man yf inoughe haue not witnessed this matter vpon their oathes there are yet good store remaininge yf they were but called therevnto and in the meane season som credit would be giuen to the bare affirmation of christians or els it goeth amisse with all our historiographers and there bookes yt is then a most shamfull odious thing for man to call the matter of facte into question espetially consyderige the same hath ben done in our own land in the midst of vs so as we need not goe beyonde the seaes for full inquirie into it the circumstances therof as time place persons possessed others dealing in ther dispossession and priuat christians witnessinge the same the commissioners also at NottiÌ„gham with whom or som of them who list when he please may conferr which are able to constraine a man to receiue this for a truth-yf reason can preuaile with him neither do I doubte but that other nations and kingdoms about vs. wil not only giue credite to the mater of facte when they shall heare therof and that the same hath ben witnessed vpon the othes of so many