THe minde of man, destitute of Gods Grace, doth (like untilled ground) luxuruate into wickednesse and vanity, being very prone to close with the sug­gestions of the grand adversary of his soule; yea, though he hath had some taste of the things that are excellent; yet such is his courtesie. that he will be seeking after Novelties. Old truths (like the Manna to the Israelites, after a constant and continued falling of it) become pauseous: the truth hereof hath been found in all ages, by la­mentable experience; but especially in these our dayes, which have been as fruitfull of new Opinions in matters of Religion, as Africa it selfe of Monsters.

Some (though few in comparison) God is pleased to recall, who have gone astray in this kind, and to bring them to a cleare sight of their folly, of which number, I (by Gods Grace towards me) am one; I desire to acknowledge him in it, and to give him the prayse of it, and thinke my selfe bound in conscience, as a testimony of my thankfulnesse to God for my deliverance, to de­clare it to the world, that so others may heare, and feare, and take warning by my example. They who have been lately in the Nor­therne parts of England, cannot be ignorant how prevalent the imposture of Quaking hath been for these nine or ten Moneths last past, in which snare I my selfe (among many poore deluded soules) was taken in May last 1653. though by Gods goodnesse towards me, the snare is broaken, and I am escaped; a true ac­count whereof, take as followeth.

I being desirous to associate my selfe with this Faction at their Meeting, and to heare some of them speake (to use their owne [Page 4]expression) acquainted one of their owne with it, viz. George Bayley of Kendale, who gave me great incouragement herein from his owne experience of much advantage received by him in that way: Whereupon I went soon after to their Meeting at Richard Newby's house, where I stayd about two houres (viz. from eight, till ten at night) where Christopher Atkinson was Speaker, whose drift was, to deny all Ministeriall Teaching, and Ordinances, together with all notionall knowledge formerly gained by use of such means, to become as though we had never learned any thing thereby savingly, and to lay a new ground­worke, viz. to be taught of God within our selves, by waiting upon an inward light, which (as they assert) lyes low hidden under the earth. viz. the old man which is of the Earth, Earthy. Hereupon I resolved to close with them; after which time I was afraid to reade any good Books, or heare any Preaching Mini­ster, or call to remembrance any thing which I had formerly learned out of Gods Word, concerning God or Christ, or mine owne estate, or any other subject contained in Scripture; for I was perswaded by their teaching, that whatsoever I had learned out of Gods Word by Hearing, Reading, Catechizing, &c. was but notionall, carnall, and hanging upon the Tree of Knowledge; in which condition whilst I abode, they affirmed me to be under the Curse, applying this expression, though very impertinently, Cursed is every one that hangeth on the Tree.

After this, going a second time to one of their Meetings at Edmond Newby's, I had some conference by the way with some of themselves which went with me; amongst other Blasphemies, one Robert Collison affirmed, That Christ was as man, had his fay­lings, for he distrusted God (quoth he) upon the Crosse, when he cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou sorsaken me? To whom I answered, that then he suffered as an evill doer, and so could not purchase Redemption for us. After this, comming home, he who then was Speaker, urged us to take up the Crosse dayly, and to abide under it; saying, Carry the Crosse all day, and it will keep thee at night; that this would keep us low and humble, and kill and make alive; further, he endeavoured to perswade his Au­ditors, to hearken to a voyce within them; teaching, that Gods Voyce was a still Voyce; after which I resolved in my thoughts [Page 5]to waite for the manifestation of these things within my selfe.

After a while, going a third time to their Meeting, as I went, I was somewhat troubled in my thoughts at the remembrance of that hideous Blasphemy, uttered by the party before named; whereupon I spake publiquely to them at their Meeting concern­ing it, telling them, That I would not any further joyne with them, if they were all of that mind; to which some of them (after much whispering) answered negatively, wishing me not to let it trouble me; for he which spake so to me, was not rightly cal­led: with which answer, I was at present satisfied, and did adhere to my former resolution. Not long after I went to another Meeting upon a Lords day at Robert Collisons house in Kendale, where the aforesaid Atkinson was Speaker, who beginning about nine a clock in the forenoone, continued till three in the after­noone, in which time he spake much (according to his usuall manner) of the great experience which he had of God from the light within him; which light I not finding to be in my selfe, was very much troubled, apprehending my condition to be very bad, finding nothing but blindnesse and hardnesse; yet I still expected the appearance of that light within me, and earnestly desired that I might fall into quaking and trembling apprehend­ing that I should thereby attaine to the immediate discoveries of God unto me. Upon my departure from thence, I perused a Pamphlet set forth by some of the same Faction being in York-Castle, the maine scope of it was against the Ministry; immedi­ately after, walking in my Bed Chamber, I began (as I have formerly desired) to tremble and quake so extreamely, that I could not stand upon my feet, but was constrained to fall down upon my Bed, where I howled and cryed (as it is usuall with them) in a terrible and hideous manner, to the great astonishment of my Family; Neverthelesse I my self was not at all affected with feare, because it was a satisfaction to my former desires, and I looked upon it as the beginning of the pangs of the new Birth, and expected that the issue of it would be good; when I had con­tinued about halfe an houre in that condition, I ceased from howling and crying gradually; after which, I arose up againe beginning to rejoyce, thinking with my selfe, that now I could beare witnesse against the Ministers of England, as false Prophets [Page 6]and Priests of Baal, because I never found such effects and ope­rations upon me by so long continuance under their Ministery; After this, going to Bed, I was much troubled all that night fol­lowing in my sleep, with dreames, concerning my condition, and had a discovery of my sinnes in particular, especially of Covetu­ousnesse, the Devill working strongly upon my imagination; I apprehended that all sinne was about to be hewed downe, and rooted up in me and (to my apprehension) the sinne of Covetu­ousnesse had great long roots, which did visibly appeare to me when it was rooted up: Afterwards lying awake, and thinking upon the dreames and visions I had formerly been troubled with, I sensibly perceived something (as I imagined) lighting upon my neck, giving me a great stroke, which caused much paine to me; and after that another, which was lesse then the first, and so a third and fourth, each stroke being lesse then the former, and each stroke descending lower downe, till it came to the middle of my back, and then I thought something entered into my body, which I perswaded my selfe (from Satans instigation) to be the Spirit of God descending upon me like a Dove, and entring into me; whereupon I heard (in my conceit) a voyce within me say­ing. It is day; whereupon looking up, and perceiving it to be light, I answered, Yes; the Voyce teplyed twice over to me, and said, As certain as it is light, so certainly shall Christ give thee light.

After this I continued two or three dayes wayting for further discoveries of light within me, being rapt up into an extasie of excessive joy, and sometimes againe exceedingly dejected with feares and doubts of my condition, whether it were really good, or I were under Satans delusions; yet still I wayted for further manifestations; and walking into the Garden, lying downe upon the ground with my Face towards the Earth, my right hand be­gan extreamely to shake, so as I could not hold it still, the mean­ing whereof, whilst I was wondering what it should be, and ap­prehending my selfe as being shaken by the hand, I was brought into another rapture of great joy, imagining it to be a figure of my spirituall Marriage and Union with Christ. Then presently I was by the power within me raysed, and set upon my Feet, and by the same power turned and layd upon my back, with my Face towards the Skie; at which time, all my sinnes particularly [Page 7]were againe brought into my memory, and at the remembrance of every sinne, my hand wa carryed round about, with giving a little pat upon the ground, and then I imagined I heard a Voyce saying, Now such a sinne is mortified; after which, I being per­swaded by it, that all my sinnes were mortified by it one by one; the power that I was then acted by, permitted me to arise up againe of my selfe, saying unto me, Aske whatsoever thou wilt of the Father in my name, and he will give it thee: I replyed, I know not what to aske, and therefore desired that power to teach me what I should aske; he answered me againe, and bad me aske Wisedome in the first place; whereupon I desired also that God would give me such things as were most for his glory, and the good of others; whereunto the power answered, That my request was granted, and that I should also be indewed with the gift of Pro­phecy, and singing prayses to God; wherewith being satisfied; I went to another Meeting within an houre after, at William Dod­dings house in Kendale, which was the fifth and last Meeting that I was at with them, where Christopher Atkinson being Speaker, I was much more affected with what he spake. then formerly, as be­ing able more inwardly to witnes in part to what he spoke. After he had done, and a little pause had, the company rose up, as if they had been ready to depart; I my selfe was ready to goe away with the first, but the Wife of the house (Isa. Dodding) tooke me by the hand; and wringing it very hard, had me sit downe againe, which I did, and presently after, one John Audland stood up, and began to speake, saying, Cannot you watch one houre? and so pro­ceeded after the usuall manner. In the time of his speaking, I was by the power within me, drawne from the Chaire upon which I sate, and throwne upon the ground. in the middest of the Com­pany, where I lay all Night; all which time, my body, and all the members of it, were still in motion, I being turned from my backe to my belly, and so back againe severall times, and making erosses continually, with my Leggs one over the other; my hands also were carried to and fro upon the ground by a compulsive power, as if I had been Writing upon the ground; in all which-actions and motions, I acted not in the least mea­sure by a naturall power of mine owne, neither did I resist, or could I resist that power which acted me, but was altogether [Page 8]passive, I was perswaded that it was the immediate power of Christ, and heard, to my thinking, a Voyce speaking to me, and saying, That that Writing with my hand upon the ground, did signi­fie the Writing of the Law within my heart. Having layne all Night upon the ground, in the manner aforesaid, the power (as before in other actions) moved my hands to my head, and layd them upon the top thereof fast closed together; whereupon I heard a Voyce saying, Christ in God, and God in Christ, and Christ in thee; which words I was compelled to sing forth before the company in a strange manner, and with such a Voyce as was not naturally mine owne: I sung also divers phrases of Scripture, which were given into me: after which, I was raysed from the ground, and set upon my Feet by the power within me, which bad me be humble, and brought me downe againe upon my knees, and with a whispering Voyce said to me, Stoope low, low; and having stooped neere the ground with my Face, it said to me, Take up thy Crosse and follow me; whereupon arising. I was led out of the house (by the back dore) downe to the River, and back againe from thence into the Towne another way where I was sensibly drawne downe the street, and caused suddenly to turne aside to a doore of an house (my selfe not knowing who lived in it) two of the said company following me all the time, (viz.) William Dodding, and John Audland, and seeing me to goe to that door. said, Whether wilt thou goe? this is the Fidlers house; I answered Whose house soever it be, Christ leads me hither, and hither I must goe; whereupon my hand was carryed to knocke at the doore, and commanded by a Voyce to say, Behold, Christ stands at the doore and knockes; after a while the Fidler opened, and I was led into the house, not speaking any thing unto him, where my hand was carryed to a Bace-Violl, hanging up in the house; I tooke it downe, and began to play upon it with my fin­gers, and was immediately compelled to fall a dancing. which I seldome or never in all my life did before; hereupon I questi­oned what power it should be that carryed me forth to such acti­ons, to which the Voyce within me replyed, This is not because I love Musicke, for I hate it; but to signifie unto thee what joy there is in Heaven at thy conversion; as also, what spirituall Melody then shalt have hereafter: Then I was led out of the house into [Page 9]the street, and so carried along through the Towne, being moved to Proclaime as I went, I am the way the truth, and the life, with other expressions to like purpose; after which, I was brought to mine own house, the aforesaid William Dodding going along with me, acknowledged, that he had no power to leave me all this time; being come home, the same power would not suffer me to rest, but cast me upon the ground and caused me to make Circles round about the house with my hand, with many the like actions, telling me, that I was putting off the old man; my hand also was carryed to take up a stone which lay upon the floore (which in my apprehension was in the forme of a mans heart) the Voyce within me telling me, That Christ had taken that stone out of my heart, and given me an heart of flesh, and my hand was moved to hold it forth to the spectators, and my tongue to utter this sen­tence, Except you see signes and wonders you will not beleeve; and throwing the aforesaid stone amongst them, I said, Loe, here is my heart of stone; afterwards, being cast upon the ground upon my backe, the Voyce spake to me, saying, Thou shalt have two An­gels to keep thee, whereupon immediately two Swallows descen­ded downe the Chimney, and sate upon a shelfe over against the place where I lay; this, others in the house besides my selfe, be­held, and I cryed to them, My Angels, my Angels, being perswaded that they were Angels from Heaven, and that it was a fulfilling the promise; I held out my hand towards them, expecting they should have come to me, but they did not, but ascended up the Chimney, though both the doore and the window were open.

I was also by the same power carryed out of doores upon my hands and knees into the street which my Wife and other see­ing, endeavoured to hinder me. but I told them, I would not be hindred, but leave Wife, Children, and all to follow Christ; in his manner I went up the street, thinking that I bore a Crosse upon my neck, and continued in this motion, till some pulled me out of the mire and durt, and by force carried me into the house againe; whereupon I was moved to point to one of them which brought me in, and to say to her, Christ points at thee, thou art a wicked woman, and hast hindered the worke of the Lord; then one Voyce asked me where my Crosse was, telling me, I had scat­ered it, whereupon I was moved to make a Crosse with my fin­ger [Page 10]upon the floore, and forced to set my head upon it, playing topsie turvie, or bull necks, thinking then I had re-taken up my Crosse; in these actions I was kept a long while, having many Scripture expressions given me, to the admiration of all that heard me; sometimes I was forced to leape and dance, this ex­pression being given in to me, Now I have finished the worke which thou gavest me to doe, thinking my Redemption then fully ac­complished; but my joy continued not, for I was cast downe againe, and the Voyce told me, I had offended God in attributing that to my selfe, which was proper to Christ; whereupon I was cast upon the ground, and lying upon my belly, I was forced to lick the dust, and my hand carried to strike extraordinarily up­on my head, having a Voyce given me, That no sinne must goe unpunished; so creeping up and downe the house, I heard a Voyce saying, Where is thy Crosse? upon which, looking aside, I thought I saw a visible Crosse hanging in a thread, which with my hand I put behinde my neck; I was kept in these postures all that day till evening, when many Quakers came in to me, who spake no­thing but thus, Be lowly, mind thy condition, and hearken to the voyce within; not giving any words of comfort or reproofe, or put­ting up any Petition at all for me, but departed, leaving me in this condition; my strength being almost spent, and my body much consumed by continuall restlessenesse: Two of them of­fered to watch with me that Night, but I refused, talling them I was well, whereupon they departed. After this, my Wife and Family being gone to Bed, I being alone in the house, began to recollect my selfe, and to question whether that power by which I had been so strangely acted, were Divine, or Diabolicall? where­upon I was immediately struck with a pannick feare, and my hand was carried to take up a Knife which lay upon the Table, which being done, my hand was carried with it towards my throat, and the Voyce said to me, Open a hole there, and I will give thee the words of eternall life; whereupon I answered, What, with a Knife? and so threw the Knife away, being confident it was a temptation, from which I desire God to deliver me: My Wife being in Bed in the next Roome, and hearing me speake when none was with me, came out, and desired me to goe to Bed, which I did, at her entreaty: all the Night following I was fully re­solved, [Page 11]that it was the Devils power that had acted me all along formerly, and was perswaded that I was really possest with a De­vill, which must be ejected; and in the morning I verily thought that a Devill went out of me, at which instant I roared very hidiously, crying, Now is the Devill gone out of me, at which in­stant, I and my Family heard it thunder, (though none in the Towne besides, heard it) which made me thinke it was the De­vill, he being the Prince of the power of the Ayre; soon after, the same power came under another notion, and told me, That it was Satan that had possest and led me heretofore, but now Christ was come, and he by his power had cast oui Satan, and convinced me, that what ever I had done the day before, was in obedience to Satan, and that as I had served the Devill all the day before in my clothes, so that day I must undoe all that I had formerly done, onely in my shirt in Obedience to Christ; which immediately I endeavoured, rising out of my Bed, and going into the street with my shirt onely; but my Wife and others, soone layd hold upon me, and stopt me; whereupon, the power within me, told me, That I must be carried into the house with foure women, as I had been the day before, or else I should perpetually stand there like a pillar of Salt, as Lots Wife did: So I was borne in by foure women, who carried me again into my bed; which being done, I told them, I had been doing the Devils worke the day before, but to day I must doe the worke of Christ, and point­ing at a woman, whom I had pointed at the day before, said these words, the Devill told me yesterday that you were a wicked woman; but now Christ tels me that you are Gods Servant; the Woman being departed, I fell to acting in my shirt onely, upon the bed, as I had done formerly upon the house floore, playing topsie turvie from one bed to another, whereby I might have undone my selfe; but the power which acted me, bid me not feare, for I will give thee strentgh. After this, the power told me, that the Devill had the other day commanded me to beare my Crosse; but now Christ commands thee to lay aside thy Crosse, for Christ takes no pleasure in Crosses, nor will he have me worship them, as yesterday I had done: Further, the power said to me, the Devill made thee yester day to lye all day upon the ground, but now I have provided a bed for thee, giving in this Scripture to me, My yoke is easie; promising also, to give me bread of life to eat, and water of life to drinke, and that out of my belly [Page 12]should flow Rivers of living Water; whereupon my teeth wer caused to move, as if I had been eating; and I thought I felt is my belly a flowing up and downe, as of waters; I was also per­swaded that yesterday the Devils Angels had waited on me, but now Christs Angels should guard me; whereupon I saw two Butter-flyes in the window, to which my hand was carried, and having taken one of them in my hand, I was moved by the pow­er within me to put it into my mouth and did swallow it downe into my body; which having done, I tooke the other in my hand, and was moved to put it to my throat; the power telling me, it should enter in there saying, nothing is impossible to them that be leeve. After this I was caused to make Circles upon the bed as I had done formerly upon the ground; whereupon I began to think that this was not of God, and so began to resist the pow­er by which I was acted, and thereupon fell into great feare and doubting crying out, Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? but the power told me, that it was too late to cry unto God, for sentence was already pronounced against me; whereupon I lay downe in my bed much despairing, and was then convinct that it was the Devill which had againe deluded me; in which condition having layne a short space, I was againe assaulted by a power the third time, which told me, that it was a white Devill that had received me the latter time, but now Christ was come indeed, and he would cast him out; whereupon I apprehended that Devill also to be ejected, after which, as I law in my bed all the members of my body fell a working as if the pangs of death had been upon me the power telling me, that it was the pangs of the new birth and that Christ was new borne in me, with which I was somewhat satisfied, lying in that condition a whole day; in which time the power perswaded me, that I should worke wonders, and cast out Devils in his name Soon after two Quakers came to me, viz. Geo Bryley & I, Braban, whom I told that I had had two Devils cast out of me, but now Christ was in me for a truth, then the power (pretending to be Christ) said these words, I was crowned with a crown of thornes but I will crown thee with a crown of glory and bad me (as a figure therof) [...] set my fist upon my head, and it should appeare to the standers by as a glorious crown, though I saw nothing my selfe; which having done I spake to the standers by, saying, what doe you see? whereunto they [Page 13]gave me no answer (being Quakers) but turned their eies another way, the power telling me, that they saw the crown upon my head; but were so strucken with admiration that they could not expresse what they saw; immediately the power had me till one of the Quakers then present, that he had a devil in him, and that I should have power to cast him out; whereupon I said to him, G thou hast a Divell in thee, the power told me he should quake and tremble which im­mediately he did; the power bade me speake to him to fall flat upon the ground which he did, and after a little space rose againe, and I asked him whether the devil were gone out of him (having been before perswaded by the power that I should cast him out) to which he gave me no answer but the power told me that the Devill was ejected; I was told also by the same power, who (of those that came to see me) had devills, and who not; and that my wife and my mother had devills in them, but I had power given me to cast them out. After this beginning againe to question whether this were Christ or not, I fell into great feare and doubting as formerly; whereupon the devil discovered himself to be the de­vil, and told me, that all this while I had been serving him, and blas­pheming God, and that it was now too late to repent, whereupon I was brought into despaire for a time, thinking every thing which I either heard or saw, to be the Devil come to fetch me away: one while I thought that I should be taken away in a flame of fire or else that the earth would swallow me up quick; whereupon I called my wife and desired her to bring up my children in the feare of God, for the devill would fetch me away, my selfe still thinking that he was drawing me out of the bed; thus I appre­hended my selfe wholly under the power of the devil, and had no power to recover my selfe out of that sad condition. At last I began (having been so long deluded) to desist from hearkning to the voyce within me and apply my self unto God, in & through Christ, for deliverance from the power of Satan, knowing that God was able to deliver me, though I were so farre involved in the snare of the devill, thereupon my faith was in some measure raised to beleeve that God would deliver me; whereupon I was presently in a great agonie and did sweat extreamly, in which condition I continued all night, but was somewhat more chear­ful in the morning esteeming my selfe in some measure rescued [Page 14]from the power of the devill: yet having not resolved, as yet fi­nally to desert that way, I was soone againe assaulted by the same power, telling me, that now the devil was finally cast out of me, and that the roome within me must not be left empty, but that Christ must come and have the whole, & sole possession, or else Satan would re­turn and re-enter with seven other Devils worse then himselfe, telling me withall that he was Christ, and solliciting me to entertaine and imbrace him as he had done formerly: I resisted the suggesti­ons of this power for a time, having ben so often deluded; where­upon as a motive to perswade me to entertain it, he represented to my memorie all, or most of the remarkable passages of my life, both in England and Scotland, told me how long I should live, viz. ten yeares, and where I should die, viz. at London, and that I had a weak bodie, but he would strengthen it, and thereupon caused me to rub my bodie all over with my hands, at which in­stant I conceived my bodie to receive strength, and the members thereof to be more in substance then before; with divers other passages, promising me prosperitie in the world, and speaking these words to me John 4.29, Behold, a man that hath told thee all things that ever thou didst, is not this Christ? whereupon I was at last perswaded to imbrace this power, thinking that it was Christ indeed; whereupon I was presently sensible of a working throughout my whole bodie, which soone ceased, and then I thought that my condition was good, and Christ to be really in me: afterwards this power told me, that J had highly offended God in all my formes passages in giving way to Satan, and that I was guiltie of all sins except that against the holy Ghost, but told me, that I did it ignorantly, and therefore he had pitty on me; I was further perswaded by the same power, that J should lie (seemingly) dead, which I did, not daring to stirre, til the power moved me. Lying thus a while, the power began first to move one of my legs, and then the other; after that my hands, and then my head, and at last my whole bodie; causing me to sit up in my bed; and telling me, that thus should my body be quickened and raised up a­gain at the last day: then the power told me, that I must pull off my shirt, and my cap, and the napkin which I had about my neck, saying that whatsoever was about me was polluted, and that he hated the gar­ments spotted with the flesh; whereupon I pull'd them off, and threw [Page 15]them on the ground, uttering these same words, that I hated the garments spoted with the flesh: the power also told me, that all my bonds were broken, and my cords loosened, and that Christ had set me free; whereupon calling for a clean shirt, and other linnen, I arose; concluding my selfe to be in a good condition; yet finding my self being up, no better, nor my bodie more strengtheed, but rather weakened, J began to see that I had been deluded in this last busi­nesse as formerly; whereupon I was strucken with fear, and walk­ing into the Garden, I thought one while that the Divell would pull me into the earth, and another while that he would pull me into the aire, so that I was afraid to continue abroad, and came againe into the house, and suspected every thing that I heard to be the Devil waiting to fetch me away; being in this perplexitie of soule, I began to consider how grievously I had offended God in rejecting the use of all externall means; as reading, hearing, prayer, &c. in the use whereof God hath commanded us to wait upon him, and therefore that it was most just with him to leave me to my selfe, and to give me over to strong delusion, that I should beleeve lies, which was my condition for a time, by the just judgement of God upon me, as for other provocations, so especially for rejecting the revealed will of God in his Word, and hearkning only to a voice within me; because what was spoken by it, was seconded by lying Wonders, of which God hath gi­ven notice in his Word, that so his people might not give credit to them, nor be deluded by them. I hope the Reader will so farre give heed to what I have related concerning my selfe, as to learn thereby to take heed of being imposed upon by the devil, though he doth transforme himselfe into an angell of light; which ad­vantage if any reape by it, I have my end: it hath been no small burthen to my conscience (since Gods gracious deliverance of me from this snare) that I should so farre gratifie the grand Ad­versarie, as not onely to listen to his suggestions, and embrace his voice for the voice of Christ, but also wholly to neglect those meanes, in the constant and conscientious use whereof God hath promised to reveale himselfe unto his people, and to give in com­fort to them, which because I found not (though through my owne desault) I did in effect say, why should I waite for the Lord any longer? and so turned unto lying vanities. Oh, that all who [Page 15]affect novelties, would seriously consider of it, and take warning by it; for, Turpius ejicitur quam non admittitur: It is easier to with­stand the devill at his first assault, then to expell him being once admitted. Many besides my self, have bin, and are in the like con­diton but few or none to whom the Lord hath manifested his Grace in such a manner as to my selfe: I had before this made this known to the world, had I had tranquillitie of conscience, and composure of spirit; which blessing, the Lord having in his grace restored to me, I desire the Christian Reader to joyne with me in returning praises unto the Lord for his goodness towards me; I rest fully perswaded, and I think it doth evidently appear (by what is mentioned in this Relation) to persons unprejudiced, that my quaking and trembling was of the devill, that I was acted, wholly and solely by him whilst in this condition, and I doe really beleeve, that others in the like condition which I was then in would be of the same mind with me upon serious tryall of their condition by the principles of Christian Religion, and sanctified Reason; least the strangenesse of some passages in this Relation, should put the faith of any one upon the racke or make them question the truth thereof; I have not onely given testimonie my selfe of it, by subscribing my name, but also procured several, persons of known fidelity living in, or neere Kendale, (whose names are under-writen) to testifie the probabilitie (if not, the certaintie) of the truth of it, by what they have seen and heard.