THough the Sadduces and Atheiſts of this Age have the confident vanity to deny the Being of Spirits, and affirm that all the Stories concerning them, and the Feats performed by them, are either Fabulous, or elſe are to be aſcribed only to Natural Cauſes; yet this fond Opinions have been undeniably confuted by ſeveral Learned and Ingenious Men.

And as the Examples of former Ages, ſo the Prodigious Accidents that have happened in theſe, and ſome of our Neighbouring Nations, make it evident beyond contradiction, that there are Evil Spirits of Devils, which do infeſt this lower World;and of which we have a freſh convincing Argument in the following Inſtance: All the particulars whereof were acted, not in the Dark, or at Midnight but at Noon-day in the face of the Sun, it the Sight of a great many Perſons; and the effects thereof were felt by divers of the Family.

I will not pretend to give an Account of every little Accident that happened, but only relate thoe that were moſt obſervable, and occurred to the Memory of the Parties concerned therein; which take as follows.

Upon Saturday, April 25, 1699. at the Houſe of Mr. G. a Gentleman well known, living in Back-Lane at Deptford in Kint, about Twelve a Clock at Noon, a Stone was thrown againſt the Parlour Window next to the Street, which breaking the Glaſs came into the Room. The Boys that were in the Street were charged with doing it, but they all denyed it; when inſtantly another Stone was thrown, which broke the Glaſs likewſe, and fell into the Room: Soon after for many days together a great number of Stones were thrown againſt the back and ſide Windows next the Garden, ſeeming to come from the Fields behind; which battered the Glaſs and Lead in ſuch a ſtrange manner as if torn and rent with a ſtorm of Wind or Hail. The Stones ſtill continuing to be thrown, the window ſhutters were put to; but then the battery ſeemed to the renewed with more fury, and one of the Shutters was ſhattered to pieces with a great Stone. At length they nailed up ſtrong deal Boards on the outſide of the broken Windows; after which the Diſturbance ceaſed from without, but began within the Houſe. One time all the China Cups and Glaſſes were removed from the Mantle-piece in the Parlour, and ſet on the Floor, At another time ſeveral Earthen Plates and Diſhes were broken to ſhievers, which being laid together by the Gentlewoman were thrown at them with great force, ſo that they were obliged to carry them out of the Houſe: Several Pewter Plates were ſeen to come out of the Kitchin, below Stairs, into the Parlour of themſelves: An Iron heater moved up Stairs into the Bedchamber, and was thrown at the Gentlewomans head, ſtriking her under the Ear ſo hard that the Blood came; and while ſhe was ſurprized at the blow, it roſe again from the Floor, and ſtruck her on the other ſide of the Head. After this the Maid carries it into the Garden, and about an hour after they being at dinner, the ſame Heater was ſeen by the Gentleman to come in at the Parlour door, and ſtruck his wife the third time upon her Collar-bone, which pain'd her a conſiderable time. A ſmall Runlet or Barrel of about 4 Gallons came out of the Cellar, to the Stair head; a Gentleman being •••• e, kickt it down again, but the Maid going down ſoon after, me the Cask coming up again, with the Head uppermoſt; and the Cask was ſeen to move by the Gentleman of the Houſe, and another after it came up: A Candle and Candleſtick being left in the Dining Room, which was locked, was thrown up Stairs, and they looking out at the noiſe found it there, and yet the Door continued locked as before: A large Book was thrown down 2 Pair of Stairs: Part of a Loaf of Bread was conveyed from its place, and after long fearch was at laſt found hid under a Kettle in the Cellar: Some Butter in a Pan was thrown into the Dirt, and the Pan broke to pieces: A little Book came of it ſelf out of a Drawer in the Chamber, and croſſing the Room about two foot from the Ground, however all the way as if blown along, fell at the Gentlewomans feet; who carryed it back to the ſame place, but ſaw it immediately come out of the Drawer again and approach her. This was repeated 5 times ſucceſſively, ſhe carrying it back, and that ſtill returning again; till at length it was gone out of the Drawer ſhe knew not how nor where; but ſometime after found it in the Corner of a Cloſet. A Hat and Hatcaſe likewiſe marched about the Room without Human aid: A ſmall ſtool riſe from the ground and fell upon a Cheſt of Drawers, and after ſome time jumpt off again, and ſtood upon the feet as before: Candles, Tobacco Pipes, and an Head-Block were likewiſe moved about viſibly without hands: And ſome Sauſages or Links being carryed up ſtairs for ſecurity, on a ſudden began to be on their march down Stairs; a young Maid ſeeing them ſtir, cryed out, Stop the Links, and ſtrove to catch them, but they were too nimble for her, and became inſtantly inviſible; but upon ſtrict ſearch were found in a corner of the Cellar all over dirty; however being well waſhed and fryed, the Gentleman and his Wife made their Suppers on them, and found no inconvenience; though they were diſſwaded therefrom ſince it was not known through what infernal hands they had paſſed: The Gentlewoman one time opening her Trunk where her Cloaths lay, ſomething ſeemed to heave them up, as if a Cat had been underneath: The like accident happened to the Maids Trunk and Cloaths, though nothing was to be found. The Linnen likewiſe in the Cheſt of Drawers was often rumpled, tho' laid never ſo ſmooth; and one day the whole Cheſt of Drawers was turn'd with the bottom upwards. The Beds, tho' made in the morning, would be diſorder'd, and the Cloths thrown off 2 or 3 times in a day, and the Pillows carried down Stairs.

The Gentleman walking in his Garden with his hands behind him had a Stone thrown therein; and the Gentlewoman ſeeing a Stone coming toward her catcht it with her hand: They were often ſtruck with the Stones, but without much damage. It is computed there were no leſs than a Thouſand Stones thrown into and about the Houſe, within the Month wherein this Diſturbance continued. They ſet watches about the Streets, Fields and Gardens adjacent to obſerve whether any perſon was ſeen to throw them, but they could perceive none; and yet at that ſame time the Stones were ſeen to flie againſt the Houſe as faſt as before.

At firſt the Gentleman got ſome Friends to ſit up all Night, Praying and Reading; but in a few Days they obſerved that the Noiſe ceaſed every Night about Eleven a Clock, and began again about Eight Next Morning, ſo that nothing diſturbed their Reſt. They alſo found in the Day time, that the more Company they had the leſs they were troubled.

Some Reverend Divines were there to enquire into the particulars of this ſtrange Diſturbance, and were fully ſatisfied that it could be only the effect of an Inviſible and Supernatural Power, and altogether unaccountable to Humane Reaſon.

This Diſturbance began about Ten Days after one Perſon came into the Family, who continued there about five weeks, and then went away; the very ſame day all the Diſturbance ceaſed, and all has continued quiet, without the leaſt noiſe or trouble ever ſince.

If any deſire to be ſatisfied of the Truth of this Account, the whole Town of Deptford, almoſt, will be Vouchers for the reality thereof; and the Ruins that this Infernal Battery has made on the Windows are ſtill viſible to any that will pleaſe to viſit the Houſe.

And what can we now imagine our Witty Infidels will object againſt this plain matter of Fact, or how can they deny Inviſible Powers, when the Effects of them are ſo apparent. We may therefore conclude that they only pretend to the Unbelievers in their own defence; and ſince their Lewd Lives make them doubtful of obtaining Eternal Happineſs, they ſtrive to fortifie their Minds againſt all the Arguments offered toprove a future Judgment: And becauſe they live like Brutes, only gratifying their ſinful Luſts and Appetites, they hope, and would perſwade themſelves they ſhall likewiſe Die like Beaſts. But let them remember there is nothing more certain than, That for all theſe things God will bring them into Judgment.