S 1. IT was as long ago, as the year 1637. that a Faithful Minister of the Church of England, whose Name was Mr Edward Symons, did in a Sermon afterwards Printed, thus Express himselfe; ‘At New-England now the Sun of Comfort begins to appear, and the Glorious Day-Star to show it self; — Sea Venient Annis Saecula Seris, there will come Times, in after-ages when the Clouds will over-shadow and darken the Sky there. Many now promise to themselves no­thing but successive Happiness there, which for a Time through Gods Mercy they may Enjoy; and I Pray God, they may a Long Time; but in this World there is no Happiness perpetual.’ An Observation, Or, I had almost said, an Inspiration, very dismally now verify'd upon us! It has been affirm'd by some who best knew New-England, That the World will do New-England a great piece of Injustice, if it acknowledge not a measure of Religion, Loyalty, Honesty and Industry, in the peo­ple there▪ beyond what is to be found with any other people for the Number of them When I did a few years ago, publish a Book, which mentioned a few Memorable Witchcrafts, committed in this Country; the [Page] Excellent Baxter graced the Second Edition of that Book, with a kind Preface, wherein he sees cause to say, If any are Scandalized, that New-England, a place of as serious Piety, as any I can hear of, under Heaven, should be Troubled so much with Witches, I think, tis no Wonder: Where will the Devil show m [...]st Malice, but where he is Hated, and Hateth most; And I hope, the Country will still deserve and answer, the Charity so Expressed by that Reverend man of God! Whosoever travels over this Wilderness, will see it richly bespangled with Evangelical Churches, whose Pastors are Holy, Able, & Painful O [...]erseers of their Flocks, Lively Preachers, and Vertuous Livers; and such as in their Several Neigh­bourly Ass [...]ciatio [...]s, have had their Meetings whereat Ecclesiastical matters of common Concernment are Con­sidered: Churches, whose Communicants have been se­riously Examined about their Experiences of Regenera­tion, as well as about their Knowledge, and Beleef and Blameless Conversation, before their Admission to the Sacred Communion; although others of less but Hope­ful Attainments in Christianity are not ordinarily deny'd Baptism for themselves and theirs; Churches, which are Shy of using any thing in the Worship of God, for which they cannot see a Warrant of God; but with whom yet the Names of Congregational, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, or, Antipaedobaptist, are swallowed up in that of, Christian; Persons of all those Perswasions being actually taken into our Fellowship, when Visible Godli­ness has Recommended them: Churches, which usually do within themselves manage their own Discipline, under the Conduct of their Elders; but yet call in the help of Synods upon Emergencies, or Aggrievances. Churches, Lastly, wherein Multitudes are growing Ripe for Heaven every Day; and as fast as these are ta­ken [Page] off, others are daily Rising up. And by the pre [...]sence and power of the Divine Institutions thus mentai [...]ed in the Country, we are still so Happy, that, I sup [...]pose, there is no Land in the Universe more free from the Debauching, and the Debasing Vices of Ungodlines [...] ▪ The Body of the People are hitherto so disposed, tha [...] Swearing, Sabbath-breaking, Whoring, Drunkenness, and th [...] like, do not make a Gentleman, but a Monster, or [...] Goblin, in the Vulgar Estimation. All this notwith [...]standing, we must humbly Confess to our God, tha [...] we are miserably Degenerated from the First Love, [...] our Predecessors; however we boast our selves a litile, when Men would go to trample upon us, and we venture to say, Whereinsoever any is bold (we speak foolishly) we are bold also. The first Planters of these Colonies were a Chosen Generation of men, who were first so Pure, as to disrelish many things which they thought wanted Reformation else where; and yet withal so Peaceable, that they Embraced a Voluntary Exile in a Squalid, horrid, American Desart, rather than to Live in Contentions with their Brethren. Those Good men imagined that they should Leave their Posterity, in a place, where they should never see the Inroads of Pro­fanity, or Supersti [...]ion; and a famous Person returning hence could in a Sermon before the Parliament, profess, I have now been seven years in a Country, where I never saw one man drunk, or heard one Oath sworn, or beheld one Beggar in the Streets, all the while. Such great per­sons as Budaeus, and others, who mistook Sir. Thomas Mores UTOPIA, for a Country really Existent, and stirr [...]d up some Divines Charitably to undertake a Voyage thither, might now have certainly found a Truth in their Mistake: New-England was a true Ʋto­pia. But alas, the Children, and Servants of those Old [Page] Planters, must needs afford many, Degenerate Plants, and there is now Ris [...]n up a Number of people, other­wise Inclined than our Joshua's and the Elders that out­lived them. Those two things, our Holy Progenitors, and our Happy Advantages, make Omissions of Duty, and such Spiritual Disorders as the whole World abroad is overwhelmed with, to be as Provoking in us, as the most flagitious wickednesses Committed in other places; and the Ministers of God are accordingly severe in their Testimonies. But in Short, Those Interests of the Gospel, which were the Errand of our Fathers into these Ends of the Earth, have been too much Neglected and Postponed, and the Attainments of an hand-some Education, have been too much undervalued, by Multi­tudes, that have not fallen into Exorbitancies of Wickedness; and some, especially of our Young ones, when they have got abroad from under the Restraints here laid upon them, have become extravagantly and abom [...]nably Vicious. Hence t [...]s, that the Happiness of New-England, has been, but for a Time, as it was fore­told, and not for a Long Time, as ha's been desir'd for us. A Variety of Calamity ha's long follow'd this Plantation; and we have all the Reason imagina­ble to ascribe it unto the Rebuke of cleaven upon us for our manifold Apostasies; we make no Right use of our Disasters, if we do not, Remember whence we are fa [...]len, and Repent, and Do the first works. But yet our Afflictions may come under a further Consideration with us: there is a further cause of our Afflictions, whose Due must be Given him.

S II. The New-Englanders, are a People of God settled in those, which were once the Devils Territories; and it may easily be supposed that the Devil was Exceedingly [Page] disturbed, when he perceived such a people here accom [...]plishing the Promise of old made unto our Blessed Jesus That He should have the Ʋtmost parts of she Earth for Hi [...] Possession. There was not a greater Uproar among th [...] Ephesians, when the Gospel was first brought among them then there was among, The Powers of the Air (after whom those Ephesians walked) when first the Silver Trumpet [...] o [...] the Gospel here made the Joyful Sound. The Devil thu [...] Irri [...]ted, immediately try'd all sorts of Methods to ove [...] turn this poor Plantation: and so much of the Church as was Fled into this Wilderness, immediately found, Th [...] Serpent cast out of his Mouth, a Flood for the carrying of [...] away. I believe, that never were more Satanical Device [...] used for the Unsetling of any People under the Sun, than what have been Employ'd for the Extirpation of the Vin [...] which God has here Planted, Casting out the Heathen, and Preparing a Room before it, and causing it to take deep Root, and fill the Land; so that it sent its Boughs unto the Attlantic Sea Eastward, and its Branches unto the Connecticut Ri­ver Westward, and the Hills were covered with the Shadow thereof. But, All those Attempts of Hell, have hitherto been Abortive, many an Ebe [...]zer has been Erected unto the Praise of God, by His Poor People here; and, Ha­ving obtained Help from God, we continue to this Day. Where­fore the Devil is now making one Attempt more upon us; an Attempt more Difficult, more Surprizing, more snarl'd with unintelligible Circumstances than any that we have hitherto Encountred; an Attempt, so Critical, tha [...] if we get well through, we shall soon Enjoy Halcyon Day [...] with all the Vultures of Hell, Trodden under our Feet. H [...] has wanted his Incarnate Legions, to Persecute us, as th [...] People of God, have in the other Hemisphere been Per­secuted: he has therefore drawn forth his more Spiritua [...] ones to make an Attacque upon us. We have been ad [...]vised, [Page] by some Credible Christians yet alive, that a Male­factor, accused of Witchcraft as well as Murder, and Exe­cuted in this place more than Forty Years ago, did then give Notice, of, An Horrible PLOT against the Country, by WITCHCRAFT, and a Foundation of WITCHRAFT then Laid, which if it were not seasonably Dis [...]vered, would pro­bably Blow up, and pull down all the Churches in the Coun­try. And we have now with Horror seen the Discovery of such a Witchcraft! An Army of Devils is horribly broke in, upon the place which is the Center and after a sort, the First-born of our English Settlements: and the Houses of the Good People there, are fill'd with the dole­ful Shrieks of their Children and Servants, Tormented by Invisible Hands, with Tortures altogether preternatural. After the Mischiefs there Endeavoured, and since in part Conquered, the terrible Plague, of, Evil Angels, hath made its progress into some other places, where other persons have been in like manner Diabolically handled. These our poor Afflicted Neighbours, quickly after they become Infected and Infested with these Daemons, arrive to a Capacity of Discerning those which they conceive the Shapes of their Troublers; and notwithstanding the Great and Just Suspicion, that the Daemons might Impose the Shapes of Innocent Persons in their Spectral Exhibiti­ons upon the Sufferers, (which may perhaps prove no small part of the Witch-Plot in the issue) yet many of the persons thus Represented, being Examined, several of them have been Convicted of a very Damnable Witch­craft: yea, more than One Twenty have Confessed, that they have Signed unto a Book, which the Devil show'd them, and Engaged in his Hellish Design of Bewitch­ing, and Ruining our Land. We know not, at least I know not, how far the Delusions of Satan may be Inter­woven into some Circumstances of the Confess [...]ns; but [Page] one would think, all the Rules of Understanding Hu­mane Affayrs are at an end, if after so many most Vo­luntary Harmonious Confessions, made by Intelligent persons of all Ages, in sund [...]y Towns, at several Times, we must not Believe the main strokes wherein those Confessions all agree: especially when we have a thousand preter­natural Things every day before our eyes, wherein the Confessors do acknowledge their Concernment, and give Demonstration of their being so Concerned. If the De­vils now can strike the minds of men, with any Poisons o [...] so fine a Compo [...]tion and Operation, that scores of In­nocent People shall Unite, in Confessions of a Crime, which we see actually committed, it is a thing prodigi­ous, beyond the Wonders of the former Ages, and it threatens no less than a sort of a Dissolution upon the World. Now, by these Confessions 'tis Agreed, That the Devil has made a dreadful Knot of Witches in the Country, and by the help of Witches has dreadfully En­creased that Knot: That these Witches have driven a Trade of Commissioning their Confederate Spirits ▪ to do all sorts of Mischiefs to the Neighbours, whereupon there have Ensued such Mischievous consequences upon the Bodies, and Estates of the Neighbourhood, as could not other­wise be accounted for: yea, That at prodigious Witch-Meetings, the Wretches have proceeded so far, as to Con­cert and Consult the Methods of Rooting out the Christi­an Religion from this Country, and setting up instead of it, perhaps a more gross Diabolism, than ever the World saw before. And yet it will be a thing little short of Mi­racle, if in so spread a Business, as this, the Devil should not get in some of his Juggles, to confound the Discovery of all the rest.

S. 3. Doubtless, the Thoughts of many will re­ceive [Page] a Great Scandal against New-England, from the Number of Persons that have been Accused, or Suspect­ed, for Witchcraft, in this Country: But it were easy to offer many things, that may Answer and Abate the Scandal. If the Holy God should any where per­mit the Devils to hook two or three wicked Scholars, into Witchcraft, and then by their Assistance to Range with their Poisonous Insinuations, among Ignorant, En­vious, Discontented People, till they have cunningly decoy'd them into some sudden Act, whereby the Toyls of Hell shall be perhaps inextricably cast over them: what Country in the World, would not afford Witches, numerous to a Prodigy? Accordingly, The Kingdoms of Sweeden, Denm [...]rk, Scotland, yea, and England it self, as well as the Province of New-England, have had their Storms of Witchcrafts breaking upon them, which have made most Lamentable Devastations: which also I wish, may be, The Last. And it is not uneasy to be imagined, That God ha's not brought out all the Witchcrafts in many other Lands, with such a speedy, dreadful, de­stroying Jealousy, as burns forth upon such High Treasons committed here in, A Land of Ʋprightness: Transgressors, may more quickly here, than else where become a prey to the Vengeance of Him, Who ha's Eyes like a Flame of Fire, and, who walks in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks. Moreover, There are many parts of the World, who if they do upon this Occasion insult over this People of God, need only to be told the Story of what happened at Loim, in the Dutchy of Gulic, where, a Popish Curate, having ineffectually try'd many Charms, to Eject the Devil out of a Dam­sel there possessed, he Passionately bid the Devil come out of her, into himself; but the Devil answered him, Quid mihi Opus est eum te [...]tare, quem Novissimo Die, [Page] Jure Optimo sum Possessurus? that is, What n [...]ed [...] meddle with one, whom I am sure to have and hold [...] the Last Day, as my own forever!

But besides all this, give me Leave to add; it is to b [...] hoped, That among the persons represented by th [...] Spectres which now afflict our Neighbour [...], there will b [...] [...]ound some that never explicitly contracted with any o [...] the Evil Angels. The Witches have not only intimat [...]d▪ but some of them acknowledged, That they have p [...]otte [...] the Representations of Innocent Persons, to c [...]ver and shel [...]ter themselves in their Witchcrafts; now, altho' our good God has hitherto generally preserved us, from th [...] Abus [...] therein Design'd by the Devils for us, yet who of us ca [...] Exactly State, How far our God may for our Ch [...]s [...]isemen [...] permit the Devil to proceed in such an Abuse? It was the Result of a Discourse, lately held at a Meeting of some very [...]ious, and Learned, Ministers among us, That the Devils may sometimes have a permission to Represent an Inno­cent Person, as Tormenting such as are under Diabolical Mo­lestations: But that such Things are Rare and Extraordinary, especially, when such Matters come b [...]fore Civil Judicature. The Opinion Expressed with so much Caution and Judg­ment, seems to be the prevai [...]ing Sense of many others; who are men Eminently Cautious and Judicious; and have both Argument and History to Countenance them in it. It is Rare and Extraordina [...]y, for an Honest Nab [...]th to have his Life it self Sworn away, by two Children of Belial, and yet no Infringement hereby made on the Rectora [...] Righteousness of our Eternal Soveraign, whose Judgmen [...] are a Great Deep, and who gives none Account of Hi [...] matters. Thus, although, the Appearance of Innocent Persons, in Spectral Exhibitions afflicting the Neighbour­hood, be a thing Rare and Extraordinary; yet who ca [...] be sure, that the great Belial of Hell must needs b [...] [Page] always Yoked up, from this Piece of Mischief? The best man that ever lived has been called a Witch: and why may not this too usual and unhappy Symp [...]om of, A Witch, even a Spectral Representation, befall a person that shall be none of the worst? Is it not possible? the Laplanders will tell us 'tis possible: for Persons to be unwittingly atten­ded with officious Daemons, bequeathed unto them, and im­pos'd upon them, by Relations that have been Witches. Quaere, also, Whether at a Time, when the Devils with his Witches are engag'd in an actual War upon a people, some certain steps of ours, in such a War, may not be fol­low'd with our appearing so and so for a while among them in the Visions of our afflicted Forlorns! And, Who can cer­tainly say, what other Degrees, & Methods of sinning, besides that of a Diabolical Compact, may give the Devils advantage, to act in the Shape of them that have miscarried? Besides what may happen for a while, to try the Patience of the Vir­tuous. May not some that have been r [...]ady upon feeble grounds uncharitably to Censure and Reproach other peo­ple, be punished for it by Spectres for a while exposing them to Censure and Reproach? And furthermore, I pray, that it may be considered, Whether a World of Magical Tricks often used in the World, may not insensibly oblige Devils to wait upon the Superstitious Users of them. A Witty Writer against Sadducism, has this Observation, That persons, who never made any Express Contract with Apostate Spirits, yet may Act strange Things by Dia­bolick Aids, which they procure by the use of those wicked Forms and Arts, that the Devil first Imparted unto his Confederates. And he adds, We know not, but the Laws of the Dark Kingdom, may Enjoyn a par­ticular Attendence upon all those that practise their My­steries, whether they know them to be theirs or no. Some of them that have been Cry'd out upon, as Employing [Page] Evil Spirits to Hurt our Land, have been known to be most bloody Fortune-Tellers; and some of them have Confessed, That when they told Fortunes, they would pretend the Rules of Chiromancy and the like Ignorant Sciences, but indeed, they had no Rule (they said) but this, The Things were then Darted into their Minds. Darted! Ye Wretches; By whom, I pray. Surely, by none but the Devils; who, tho' perhaps they did not exactly Foreknow all the thus Predicted Contingencies; yet having once Foretold them, they stood bound in Honour now, to use their Interest, which alas, in This World, is very great, for the Accomplishment of their own Predictions. There are others, that have used most wicked Sorceri [...]s to gratify their unlawful Curiosities, or to prevent Inconveniencies in Man and Beast; Sorceries; which I will not Name, lest I should by Naming, Teach them. Now, some Devil is overmore Invited in­to the Service of the Person that shall practise these Witchcrafts; and if they have gone on Impenitently in these Communions with any Devil, the Devil may per­haps become at last a F [...]miliar to them, and so assume their Livery, that they cannot shake him oft in any way, but that One, which I would most heartily pre­scribe unto them, Namely, That of a deep and long Repentance. Should these Impieties, have been committed in such a place as New-England ▪ for my part I should not wonder, if when Devils are Exposing the Gros [...]er Witches among us, God permit them, to bring in these Lesser ones with the rest, for their perpetual Humiliation. In the Is­sue therefore, may it not be found, that New-England i [...] not [...] Stock'd with Rattle Snakes, as was imagined?

S 4. But I do not believe, that the progress of Witch­craft among us, is all the Plot, which the Devil is mana­ging in the Witchcraft now upon us▪ I [...] is judg'd, That [Page] the Devil Rais'd the Storm, whereof we read in the Eighth Chapter of Matthew, on purpose to oversett the little Ves­sel, wherein the Disciples of Our Lord, were Embarqued with Him. And it may be fear'd, that in the Horrible Tem­pest, which is now upon ourselves, the design of the Devil is to sink that Happy settlement of Government, where­with Almighty, God, has graciously enc [...]ined their Majesties to favour us. We are blessed with a GOVERNOUR, than whom no man can be more willing to serve their Majesties or this their Province: He is continually venturing his All to do it: and were not the Interests of His Prince, dearer to him, than his own, he could not but soon he weary of the He [...]m, whereat he sits. We are under the Influence of a LIEVTENANT GOVERNOUR, who not only by being admirably accomplished both with Natural and Ac­quired Endowments, is fitted for the Service of Their Ma­jesties, but also with an unspotted Fidelity, applys himself to that Service. Our COUNCELLOURS, are some of our most Eminent persons, and as Loyal Subjects to the Crown, as hearty lovers of their Countrey. Our Constitution also is attended with singular Priviledges; All which Things are by the Devil exceedingly Envy'd unto us. And the De­vil will doubtless take this occasion, for the Raising of such complaints and clamo [...]rs, as may be of pernicious conse­quence, unto some part of our present Settlement, if he can so far Impose. But that which most of all Threatens us, in our present Circumstances, is the Misunderstanding, and so the Animosity, whereinto the Witchcraft now Raging, has Enchanted us. The Embroiling, first, of our Spirits, and then of our Aff [...]y [...]s, is evidently, as considerable a Branch of the Hellish Intreague, which now vexes us, as any one Thing whatever. The Devil has made us like a Troubled Sea; and the Mire and Mud, begins now also to heave up apace. Even, Good and Wise Men, [Page] suffer themselves to fall into their Paroxysms; and the Shake which the Devil is now giving us, fetches up the Dirt which before lay still, at the Bottom of our sinful Hearts. If we allow the Mad Dogs of He [...]l to poison us by Biting us, we shall imagine that we see nothing but such Things about us, and like such Things [...] upon all that we see. Were it not for what is IN US, for my part, I should not fear a Thousand Legions of Devils; 'tis by our Quarrels that we spoil our Prayers; and if our Humble, Zealous, and United, Prayers, are once Hindred, alas, the Philistines of Hell have cut our Locks for us; they will then blind us, mock us, ruine us. In Truth▪ I cannot altogether blame it, If people are a little Transported, when they conceive all the Secular Interests of Themselves and their Families, at the Stake; and yet, at the sight of these Heart-Burnings, I cannot forbear the Exclamation of the Sweet-spirited Austin, in his Pacificatory Epistle, to Jerom on his Contest with Ruffin, O misera et miseranda Conditio! O Condition, truly miserable! But what shall be done to cure these Distracti­ons? It is wonderfully necessary, that some Healing At­tempts, be made at this time; and I must needs confess, if I may speak so much, like a Nazianzen, I am so desirous of a share in them, that if, Being thrown Over-board, were needful to allay the Storm, I should think, Dying, a Trifle to be undergone, for so great a Blessedness.

S 5. I would most importunately in the first place, en­treat every man to maintain an Holy Jealousy over his own Soul, at this Time, and think, May not the Devil make me, tho' ignorantly, & unwillingly, to be an Instrument of doing something that he would have to be done? For my part I freely own my Suspicion, Lest something of Enchantment, have reach'd more Persons and Spirits among us, then we are well aware of But then, let us more generally Agree to maintain a kind Opinion, one of another. That Charity [Page] without which, even our Giving our Bodies to be Burned, would Profit N [...]thing, uses to proceed by this Rule, It is kind, it is not easily provoked, it is thinks no Evil, it believes all things, hopes all things. But if we disregard this Rule, of Charity, we shall indeed give our Body P [...]litic to be Bur­ned. I have heard it affirmed, That in the Late Great Flood upon Connecticut, those Creatures which could not but have Quarrelled at another Time, yet now being dri­ven together, very Agreeably stood by one another. I am sure we shall be worse than Bruitish, if we fly upon one another, at a Time when the Floods of Belial make us afraid. On the one Side, [alas, my Pen, must thou write the word, Side, in the Business?] there are very worthy men, who having been call'd by God, when and where this W [...]chcraft, first Appeared upon the Stage, to Encounter it, are earnestly desirous to have it Sifted unto the Bottom of it. And, I pray, which of us all, that should live under the continual Impressions, of the Tortures, Outcries, and Havocks, which Devils confessedly Commissioned by Witches, make among their distressed Neighbours, would not have a Biass that way, beyond other men? Persons this way disposed, have been men eminent for Wisdome and Vertue, and men acted by a noble principle of Conscience: Had not Conscience of Duty to God, prevailed above other Con­siderations with them, they would not for all they are worth in the world, have meddled in this Thorn [...] Business! Have there been any Disputed Methods used, in Discovering the Works of Darkness? It may be none, but what have had great Precedents in other parts of the world: which may, tho' not altogether Justify, yet much Alleviate a mis­take in us, if there should happen to be found any such mistake, in so Dark a matter. They have done, what they have done, with multiply'd Addresses to God, for his gui­dance, [Page] and have not been Insensible how much they ha [...] exposed themselves in what they have done. Yea, the [...] would gladly contrive, and receive, an expedient, how ti [...] Shedding of Blood, might be spared, by the Recovery [...] Witches, not gone beyond the reach of Pardon And afte [...] all, They invite all Good men, in Terms to this purpose, B [...]ing amazed, at the Number, and Quality of those Accused, [...] Late, we do not know, but Satan, by his Wi [...]s, may ha [...] Enwrapped some Innocent persons, and therefore should E [...]nestly and H [...]mbly desire, the most C [...]itical Enquiry upon th [...] place, to find out the Fallacy; that there may be non [...] of th [...] Servants of the Lord, with the W [...]rshippers of Baal. may also add, That whereas, if once a Witch do inge [...]nuously confess among us, no more Spect [...]es do in thei [...] Shapes after this, Trouble the Vi [...]inage; if any Guilty Creatures will accordingly to so good purpose Confe [...] their Crime to any Minister of God, and get out o [...] the Snare of the Devil, as no Minister will discover such a Conscientious Confession, so I believe none in the Au­thority▪ will press him to Discover it; but Rejoyce in▪ A Soul sav'd from Death ▪ On the other Side [if I must again use the word, Side, which yet I hope, to Live, to blot out] there are very worthy men, who are not a Little Dissatisfy'd at the Proceedings in the Pro­secution of this Witchcraft. And why? Not because they would have any such Abominable Thing Defend­ed from the Strokes of Impartial Justice. No, those Reverend Persons who gave in this Advice unto the Honourable Council, ‘That Presumptions, whereupon Persons may be Committed, and much more Convictions, whereupon Persons may be Condemned, as Guilty of Witchcrafts, ought certainly to be more Considerable, than barely the Accused Persons being represented by a Sp [...]re, unto the Afflicted; Nor are Alteration [...] [Page] made in the Sufferers, by a Look or Touch of the Ac­cused, to be esteemed an Infallible Evidence of Guilt; but frequently Liable to be Abused by the Devils Leger­d [...]mai [...]s:’ I say, Those very men of God, most Con­scientiously Subjoined this Article, to that Advice, — Ne­vertheless, we cannot but Humbly Recommend unto the Government, the Speedy and Vigorous Prosecution of such, as have rendred themselves Obnoxious; according to the best Directions g [...]ven [...]n the Laws of God, and the wholsome Sta­tutes of the English Nation, for the Detection of Witchraft. Only, Tis a most Commendable Cautiousness, in those Gracious men, to be very Shye lest the Devil get so far in­to our Faith, as that for th [...] sake of many Truths which we fin [...] [...]e tells us, we come at length, to believe any Lies, wherewith he may abuse us: whereupon, what a Desolation of Names would soon ensue, besides a thousand other Pernicious Consequences? and lest there should be any such Principles taken up, as when put into Practice must unavoidably cause the Righteous to Perish with the Wicked; or procure the Bloodshed of any Persons, like the Gibeonites, whom some Learned men suppose to be under a false Notion of Witches, by Saul Exterminated. They would have all Due steps taken for the Extinction of Witches; but they would fain have them to be Sure ones: nor i [...] [...]t from any thing, but the Real and Hearty Goodness [...] men, that they are Loth to surmise Ill of other [...], till there be the fullest Evidence, for the surmises. As for the Honou­rable Judges, that have been hitherto in the Commis­sion, they are Above my Consideration: wherefore, I will only say thus much of them, That such of them as I have the Honour of a Personal Acquaintance with, are Men of an Excellent Spirit; and as at first they went [...] the work for which they were Commission'd, [Page] with a very great Aversion, so they have still been under Heart-breaking Sollicitudes, how they might therein best serve, both God and Man. In fine, Have there been Faults on any Side fallen into? Surely, They have at worst been but the Faults of a well-meaning Ignorance On every Side then, Why should not we Endeavour with Amicable Correspondencies, to help one another out of the Snares, wherein the Devil would Involve us? To Wrangle the Devil, out of the Country, will be truly a New Experiment! Alas, we are not Aware of the Devil, [...] we do not think, that he aims at Enflaming us one against another; & shall we suffer our selves to be Devil-Ridden? or, by any Ʋnadviseableness, contribute unto the Wi­dening of our Breaches? To say no more, There is a Published and a Credible Relation, which affirms, That very lately, in a part of England, where some of the Neigh­bourhood were Quarrelling, a RAVEN, from the Top of a Tree very Articulately and Unaccountably cry'd out, Read the Third to the Colossians, and the Fifteenth! Were I my self to chuse what sort of Bird I would be transfor­med into, I would say, O that I had wings like a D [...]ve ▪ Nevertheless, I will for once do the Office, which as it seems, Heaven sent that Raven upon; even to beg, That the Peace of God may Rule in our Hearts.

S 6· 'Tis necessary that we Ʋnite in every Thing: but there are especially Two Things wherein our Ʋnion must carry us along together. We are to Ʋnite in our Endea­vours to Deliver our Distressed Neighbours, from the hor­rible Annoyances and Molestations with which a dreadful Witchcraft is now persecuting of them. To have an Hand in any thing, that may stifle or obstruct a Regular Detection of that Witchcraft, is what we may well with an Holy Fear, Avoid. Their Majesties good Subjects, must not every day be Torn to pieces, by Horrid Witch [...]es, [Page] and those bloody Felons, be wholly left Unprosecuted. The Witchcraft is a Business, that will not be Sham'd, without plunging us into sore plagues and of Long Continu­ance. But then, we are to Ʋnite in such Methods, for this Deliverance, as may be unquestionably Safe; Lest, The Latter End be worse then the Beginning. And here, what I shall say? I will venture to say, thus much; That we are Safe, when we make just as much Ʋse of all Advice from the Invisible World, as God sends it for. It is a Safe Principle, That when God Almighty permits any Spirits from the Unseen Regions, to visit u [...] with Surprising In­formations, there is then something to be Enquired after; we are then to Enquire of one anothe [...], What Cause there is for such Things? The peculiar Government of God, over the Unbodied Intelligences, is a sufficient Foundation for this Principle. When there has been a Murder Commit­ted, an Apparition of the slain Party Accu [...]ng of any man, altho' such Apparitions have oftener spoke True than False, is not enough to Convict the man, as Guilty of that Mur­der; but yet it is a sufficient Occasion for Magistrates to make a particular Enquiry, whether such a man have affor­ded any ground for such an Accusation▪ Eve [...] so, a Spect­re, exactly Resembling such or such a person when the Neighbourhood are Tormented by such Spctres, may reasonably make Magistrates Inquisitive, whether the per­son so Represented have done or sa [...]d any thing that may Argue their Confederacy with Evil Spirits; altho' it may be defective enough in point of Convicion; especially at a Time, when 'tis possible, some Over-powerful Conjurer may have got the skill of thus Exhibiting th [...] Shapes of all sorts o [...] persons, on purpose to stop the proecution of the Wretches whom due Enquiries thus provoke, might have made ob­noxious unto Justice. Quaere, Wh [...]her if God would have us, to proceed any further than [...] Enquiry, upon what [Page] Reports there may come against any man, from the Worl [...] of Spirits, He will not by His Providence at the same time have brought into our Hands, these more Evident & Sensible Things, where [...] [...], a man is to be esteemed [...] Criminal. But I will venture to say this further; That it wil [...] be Safe, to account the Names as well as the Lives of our Neigh­bours, too considerable Things to be brought under a Ju [...]dicial Process, until it be found by Humane Observations, tha [...] the peace of Mankind, is thereby disturbed. We an [...] Humane Creatures; and we are Safe while we say, the [...] must be Humane Witnes [...]es, who also have in the particula [...] Act of Seeing, or Hearing▪ which enables them to be Wit [...]nesses, had no more than Humane Assistences, that are to Turn the Scale, when Laws are to be Executed. And upon this Head, [...] will further add; A Wise and a Ju [...] Magistrate, may so far give way to a common Strea [...] of Dissatisfaction as to forbear Acting up to the Height [...] of his own perwasion, about, what may be judg'd Con [...]victive, of a Crime, whose Nature shall he so abstruse and obscure, as [...] raise much Disputation. Tho' he may not Do what he [...]hould Leave Ʋndone, yet he may Leave Ʋn [...]done something that else he could Do, when the Publick Safety, males an Exigency.

S 7. I was going to make one Venture more▪ that is, to offer som [...] Safe Rules, for the finding out of the Witches which [...] at this Da [...] our Accursed Trou [...]l [...]s ▪ but this were a Venture too Presumptuous and [...] for Me to make. I leave that unto those Excellent and Judicious Persons, with whom I am not worthy to be Num­bred: all that shall do, shall he to lay before my Readers, brief Synopsis of what has been Written on that Sub [...]ect, by a Triumvi [...]t [...], of as Eminen [...] Persons▪ as have eve [...] handled it▪ I will beg [...]n with,

This is the Substance of Mr. Perkins. Take, Next, The Summ of Mr. Gaules Judgment, about the De­tection of Witches.

‘I Some Tokens for the Trial of Witches, are altogether Ʋnwarrantable. Such a [...]e the old Paganish Sign, The Witches Long Eyes; The Tradition, of the Witches not weeping; The casting of [...]he Witch into the Water, with Thumbs, and Toes, t [...]'d across. And many more such Marks, which if they are to know a witch by, certainly 'tis no other witch, but the U [...]er of them. II. There are some Tokens for the Trial of Witches, more probable: and yet not so certain as to afford Conviction. Such are, strong and long Suspicion: Suspected Ancest­ors: some Appearance of Fact: The Corpse bleeding upon the Witches Touch: The Testimo [...]y of the Party Bewitched: The Supposed, Witches unusual Bodily Marks; The Witches usual Cursing and Banning: The Witch­es lewd and naughty kind of Life. III. Some Signs there are of a Witch, more certain and infallible. As, Firstly, Declining of Judicature, or Faltring, Faulty, Unconstant, and Contrary Answers, upon Judicial and Deliberate Examination Secondly, when upon due Encuiry, into a persons Faith and Manners, there are found all or most of the causes, which produce Witchcraft; namely, God Forsaking, Satan invading, particular Sins disposing, and Lastly a Compact compleating all. Thirdly, The Witches free Confession, together with Full Evidence of the Fact. Confession without Fact, may be a meer Delusion; and [Page] Fact without Confession may be a meer Accident 4▪ thl [...] ▪ The Semblable Gestures & Actions of suspected Witch­es, with the comparable Expressions of Affections▪ which in all Witches have been observ'd and found very much alike. Fifthly, The Testimony of the Party Bewitched, whether Pining or Dying, together with the joint Oaths of sufficient persons, that have seen certain pro­digious Pranks or Feats, wrought by the Party Accused. IV. Among the most unhappy Circumstances, to Con­vict a Witch. One is, A Maligning and Oppugning, the Word, Work, and worship of God: and by any Extra­ordinary Sign [...]eeking to seduce any from it. See Deut. 13.1, 2. Math. 24.24. Act. 13.8, 10. 2 Tim. 3▪8. Do but mark well the places; & for this very Property (of thus Opposing and perverting) they are all there concluded arrant and absolute Witches. V. It is not requisite, that so palpable Evidence of Conviction, should here come i [...] ▪ as in other more sensible matters. Tis enough, if there be but so much Circumstantial proof or Evidence; as the Substance, [...]tter, and Nature of such an Ab [...]ruse Myste­ry of Iniqu [...]y will well admit.’ [I suppose he means, that whereas in ot [...]r Crimes, we Look for more Direct Proofs, in this there is a greater use of Consequential ones] ‘But I could heartily w [...]h that the Juries were Empannelled of the most Emi [...]ent Physicians, Lawyers, and Divines, that a Country could afford. In the mean time, tis not to be called a To [...]ration, if Witches escape, where Conviction is wantin [...].’ To this purpose our Gaule.

I will T [...]anscribe a Little from one Author more. Tis the Judicious Bernard of Batcombe; who in his Guide to Grand-Jury men, after he ha's mentioned several Things that are shrow'd Presumptions of a Witch, proceeds to such Things as are the Convictions of such an one. And he say [...], ‘A Witch, in League with the Devil, is Con [...]icted by [Page] these Evidences; I. By a Witches Mark; which is up­on the Baser sort of Witches; and this, by the Devils ei­ther Sucking or Touching of them. Tertullian says, It is the Devils custome to mark his. And note, That this mark is I [...]sensible, and being pricl [...]'d it will not Bleed. Sometimes, its like a Teate; sometimes but a Blewish Spot: sometimes a Red one; and sometimes the Flesh Sunk: but the Witches do sometimes cover them. II. By the Witches Words. As when they have been heard calling on, speaking to, or Talking of, their Fami [...]rs; or, when they have been heard Telling of Hurt they have done to man or beast: Or when they have been heard Threat­ning of such Hurt▪ Or if they have been heard Relating their Transportations. III. By the Witches Deeds. As when they have been seen with their Spirits, or seen secret­ly Feeding any of their Imps. Or, when there can be found their Pictures, Poppets, and other Hellish Com­positions. IV. By the Witches Extasies: With the Delight whereof, Witches are so taken, that they will hardly conceal the same: Or, however at some time or other, they may be found in them. V. By one or more Fellow-Witches, Confessing their own Witchcraft, & bear­ing Witness against others; if they can make good the Truth of their Witness, and give sufficient proof of it. As, that they have seen them with their Spirits; or, that they have Received Spirits from them; or, that they can tell, when they used Witchery-Tricks to Do Harm; o [...], that they told them what Harm they had done; or that they can show the mark upon them; or, that they have been together in their Meetings; and such like. VI. By some Witness of God Himself, happening upon the Exe­crable Curses of Witches upon themselves, Praying of God to sh [...]w some Token, if they be Guilty. VII. By the Witches own Confession, of Giving their Souls to the Devil. It is no Rare thing, for Witches to Confess.’

[Page]They are Considerable Things, which I have th [...] Recited; and yet it must be with Open Eyes, kept upo [...] Open Rules, that we are to follow these things.

S. 8. But Juries are not the only Instrume [...]ts to be imploy'd in such a Work; all Christians are to be concerne [...] with daily and fervent Prayers, for the assisting of it. I [...] the Days of Athanasius, the Devils were found unable to stand before, that Prayer, however then used perhaps with too much o [...] Ceremony, Let God A [...]is [...], Let his Enemies b [...] Scattered, Let them also that Hate Him, flee before Him.

O that instead of letting our Hearts Rise against one a­nother, our Prayers might Rise unto an high pitch of Im­portunity, for such a Rising of the Lord! Especially, Le [...] them that are Suffering by Witchcraft, be sure to stay and pray, and Beseech the Lord thrice, even as much as ever they can, before they complain of any Neighbour for afflicting them Let them also that are A [...]cused of Witchcraft, set them­selves to Fast and Pray, and so shake off the Daemons that would like Vipers fasten upon them; and get the Waters of Jealousie made profitable to them.

And Now, O Thou Hope of, New-England, and the Saviour there­of in the Time of Troubles, Do thou look mercifully down upon us, & Rescue us, out of the Trouble which at this time do's threat [...]n to swal­low us up. Let Satan be shortly bruised under our Feet, and Let the Covenanted Vassals of Satan which have Traiterously br [...]ught him i [...] upon us, be Gloriously Conquered, by thy Powerful and Gracious Pre [...]sence in the midst of us. Abhor us not, O God, but cleanse us, but [...] us, but save us, for the sake of thy Glory, Enwrapped in our S [...]l­vations. By thy Spirit, Lift up a Standard against our infernal a [...] ­versaries; Let us quickly find thee making of us glad, according t [...] the Dayes wherein we have been afflicted. Accept of all our Endea­vours to glorify thee, in the Fi [...]s that are upon us; and among the rest, Let these my poor and weak essays, composed with what Tears, what Cares, what Prayers, the [...] only knowest, not want the Ac [...]ceptance of the Lord. Amen.

ECclesiastical History has Reported it unto us, That a Renowned Martyr at the Stake, see­ing the Book of THE REVELATION thrown by his no less Profane than Bloody Persecutors, to be Burn'd in the same Fire with himself, he cry'd out, O Beata Apocalypsis; quam bene mecum agitur, qui tecum Comburar! BLESSED REVELATION! said he; How blessed am I in this Fire, while I have Thee to bear me Company. As for our selves this Day, 'tis a Fire of sore Affliction and Confusion, wherein we are Embroiled; but it is no Inconside­rable Advantage unto us, that we have the Com­pany of this Glorious and Sacred Book, THE RE­VELATION, to assist us in our Exercises. From that Book, there is one Text, which I would single out, at this Time, to lay before you; 'tis that in

THE Text is like the Cloudy and Fi [...]ery [...]illar, vouchsafed unto Israel in the Wilderness of old; there i [...] a very dark [...] of it, in the Inti [...]mation, that, The Devil is come dow [...] having great Wrath; but it has also a bright side when it assures us, that, He has but a short time [...] Unto the Contemplation of both, I do this Da [...] Invite you.

We have in our Hands a Letter from our As­cended [...]rd in Heaven, to Advise us of his being still alive, and of hi [...] Purpose e're long, to give us a Visit, wherein we shall see our Living Redeemer, stand at th [...] latter day upon the Earth. 'Tis the la [...] Advice that we have had from Heaven, for now sixteen H [...]dred years; and the scope of it, is, to represent how the Lord Jesus Christ, having begun to set up his Kingdom in the World, by the Preach­ing of the Gospel, he would from time to time ut­terly break to pieces all Powers that should make Head against it, until, The Kingdomes of this Wor [...] are become the Kingdomes of our Lord, and of [...] [Page 3] Christ, and he shall Reign for ever and ever. 'Tis a Commentary on what had been written by Dan [...]l, about, The Fourth Monarchy; with some Touches upon, The Fifth; wherein, The greatness of the King­dom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the peo­ple of the Saints of the most High: And altho' it have, as 'tis expressed by one of the Ancients, Tot Sacramenta, quot verba, a Mystery in every Sylla­ble, yet it is not altogether to be neglected with such a Despair, as that, I cannot Read, for the Book is Sealed: it is a REVELATION, and a singular, and notable Blessing is pronounc'd upon them that humbly study it.

The Divine Oracles, have with a most admira­ble Artifice and Carefulness, drawn, as the very pi­ous Beverley, has laboriously Evinced, an exact LINE OF TIME, from the First Sabbath at the Creation of the World, unto the great Sabbatism at the Restitution of all Things. In that famous Line of Time, from the Decree for the Restoring of Jerusalem, after the Babylonish Captivity, there seem to remain a matter of Two Thousand and Three Hun­dred Years, unto that New Jerusalem, whereto the Church is to be advanced, when the Mystical Ba­bylon shall be fallen. At the Resurrection of our Lord, there were seventeen or eighteen Hundred of those Years, yet upon the Line, to Run unto, The Rest which Remains for the People of God; and this Remnant in the Line of Time, is here in our Apocalypse, variously Embossed, Adorned, and Sig­nalized with such Distinguished Events, if we [Page 4] mind them, will help us escape that Censure, Ca [...] ye not Discern the Signs of the Times?

The Apostle John, for the View of these Things, had laid before him, as I conc [...]ive, a Bo [...]k, with leaves, or folds; which V [...]mn was written both on the Backside, & on the Ins [...]de, & Roll'd up in a Cylindri [...] ­cal Form, under seven Label [...], fastned with so many Seals. The First Seal b [...]ing opened, and the First Label removed, under the first Label the Apostle saw what he saw, of a first Rider Pourtray'd, and so on▪ till the last Seal was broken up; each of the Sculp­tures being enlarged with Agreeable Visions and Voi­ces, to Illustrate it. The Book being now Unrol­led, there were Trumpets, with wonderful Conco­mitants, Exhibited successively on the Expanding Backside of it. Whereupon the Book was Eaten, as it were to be Hidden, from Interpretations; till afterwards, in the Inside of it, the Kingdom of Antichrist came to be Exposed. Thus, the Judg­ments of God on the Roman Empire, first unto the Downfal of Paganism, and then, unto the Down­fal of Popery, which is but Revived Paganism, are in these Displayes with Lively Colours and Fea­tures made sensible unto us.

Accordingly, in the Twelfth Chapter of this Book▪ [...] have an August Preface, to the Descrip­tion o [...] that Horrid Kingdom, which our Lord Christ refused, but Antichrist accepted, from the Devils Hands; a Kingdom, which for Twelve Hundred and Sixty Years together, was to be a con­tinual oppression upon the People of God, and [Page 5] opposition unto his Interests; until the Arrival of that Illustrious Day, wherein, The Kingdom shall be the Lords, and he shall be Governour among the N [...]i [...]ns. The Chapter is (as an Excellent Person calls it) an Extravasa [...]ed Account, of the Circumstances, which be [...]el the Primitive Church, du [...]ing the first Four or Five Hundred Years of Chri [...]tianity: it shows us the Face of the Church, first in Rome Heatheni [...]h, and then in Rome Converted, before the Man [...]f Sin wa [...] yet come to Mans Estate. Our Text contains the Accla­mations made upon the most Glorious Revolution that ever yet happened upon the Roman Empire; namely, That wherein the Travailing Church brought forth a Christian Emperour. This was a most Eminent Victory over the Devil, and Resemblance of the State, wherein the World, ere long shall see, The Kingdom of our God, and the Power of His Christ. It is here noted.

First, As a matter of Triumph. 'Tis said, Re­joice, ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them. The Saints in both Worlds, took the Comfort of this Revolution; the Devout Ones that had out­lived the la [...]e Persecutions, were filled with Transporting Joyes, when they saw the Christian become the Imperial Religion, and when they saw Good Men come to give Law unto the rest of Mankind; the Deceas [...]d Ones also, whose Blood had been Sacrificed in the Ten Persecuti­ons, doubtless made the Light Regions to ring with Hallelujahs unto God, when there were brought [Page 6] unto them, the Tidings of the Advances now g [...]ven to the Christian Religion, for which they ha [...] suffered Martyrdom.

Secondly, As a matter of Horror. 'Tis said, [...] to the Inhabiters of the Earth and of the Sea. Th [...] Earth still means the False Church, the Sea mean the Wide World, in Prophetical Phrasaeology. Ther [...] was yet left a vast party of men that were Enemie to the Christian Religion, in the power of it; [...] vast party left for the Devil to work upon: unt [...] these is, a Wo denounced; and why so? 'tis added For the Devil is come down unto you, having grea [...] Wrath, because he knows, that he has but a short time ▪ These were it seems to have some desperate and peculiar Attempts of the Devil, made upon them In the mean time, we may Entertain this for ou [...]

DOCTRINE.

Great WO proceeds from the Great WRATH, wit [...] which the DEVIL, towards the End of his TIME, will make a DESCENT upon a miserable World.

I have now Published a most awful and solemn Warning for our selves at this day; which has fou [...] Propositions, comprehended in it.

OUr Blessed Saviour has blessed us, with a coun­sil, as Wholsome and as Needful, as any that can be given us, in Math. 26.41. Watch and Pray, that yee Enter not into Temptati­on. As there is a Tempting Flesh, and a Tempting World, which would seduce us from Our Obe­dience to the Laws of God, so there is a Busy Devil, who is by way of Eminency called, The Tempter; because by him, the Temptations of the Flesh and the World are ma­naged.

It is not One Devil alone, that has Cunning or Power enough to apply the Multitudes of Temptations, whereby Mankind is daily diverted from the Service of God; No, the High Places of Our Air, are Swarming full of those Wicked Spirits, whose Temptations trouble us; they are so many, that it seems, no less than a Legion, or more than Twelve Thousands may be spared, for the Vexation of [Page 2] one miserable man. But because those Apostate Angels, are all Ʋnited, under one Infernal Monarch, in the De­signs of Mischief, [...]tis in the Singular Number, tha [...] they are spoken of. Now, the Devil, whose Malice and Envy, prompts him to do what he can, that We may be as Unhappy as himself, do's ordinarily use more Fraud, than Force, in his assaulting of us; he that as­sail'd our First Parents, in a Serpent, will still Act Like a Serpent, rather then a Lion, in prosecuting of his wicked purposes upon us, and for us to guard against the Wiles of the Wicked One, is one of the greatest cares, with which our God ha's charged us.

We are all of us liable to various Temptations every day, whereby if we are carried aside from the strait Paths of Righ­teousness, we get all sorts of wounds unto ourselves. Of Temptation, I may say, as the Wise Man said, of Mortality; There is no discharge from that War. The Devil fell hard upon both Adams, nor may any among the Children of both, imagine to be excused. The Son of God Himself, had this Dog of Hell, barking at Him; and much more may the Children of Men, look to be thus Visited; indeed, there is hardly any Temptation, but what is, Common to Man. When I was considering, how to spend one Hour in Raising a most Effectual & Profitable Breast-Work, against the Inroads of this En [...]my, I perceived it would be done, by a short answer to this CASE

What are those Ʋsual Methods of Temptation, with which the Powers of Darkness do assault the Children of Men?

Th [...] [...]inthians, having upon the Apostles Direction, Excommunicated one of their Society, who had married [Page 3] his Mother-in-law, and this, as it is thought, while his own Father was Living too; the Apostle encourages [...]hem to Re-admit that man, upon his very deep and [...]harp Repentance. He gives divers Reasons of his pro­pounding this unto them; whereof one is, Lest Satan [...]hould get advantage of them; for, had the man miscarried, [...]nder any Rigour of the Sentence continued upon him, after his Repentance, 'tis well if the Church it self had not quickly fallen to pieces thereupon; be sure, the Success of the Gospel had been more than a little Incommoded. The Apostle upon this Occasion, intimates, That Satan has his Devices; by which word are meant, Artifices or Con­trivances used for the Deceiving of those that are Treated with them▪ Well, But what shall we do that we may come to this Corinthian Attainment, We are not Ignorant of Satans Devices? [Non euivis homini Contingit!]

Truly, The Devil has Mille Necendi Artes; and it will be impossible for us, to run over all the Stratagems and Policies of our Adversary. I shall only attempt a few Observations upon the Tempta [...] of our Lord Jesus Christ: who was Tempted in all things like unto us, except in our Sins. When we read the Temptations of our Lord Jes [...] Christ, in the Fourth Chapter of Matthew, There, Thence, you will understand, what was once counted so difficult; Even, The way of a Serpent upon the Rock. There are certain Ancient and Famous Methods which the Devil [...] his Temptations, does mostly accustome himself unto; which is not so much from any B [...]rrenness, or Sluggish­ness in the Devil, but because he has had the Encourage­ment of a, [...]rob [...]um es [...], upon those horrid Methods. How did the Devil assault the First Adam? It was with Temptations drawn from Pleasure, and Profit, and Ho­nour, which, as the Apostle notes, in 1 Joh 2.16. are, All that is in the World. With the very same Temptati­ons [Page 4] it [...], that he fell upon the Second Adam too. Now▪ in those Temptations, you will see the more Ʋsual Methods, whereby the Devil would be Ensnaring of us; and I be­seech you to attend unto the following Admonitions, a [...] those Warnings of God, which the Lives of your Souls depend upon your taking of.

There were especially Three Remarkable Assaults of Temptations, which the Devil it seems, visibly made upon our Lord; after he had been more Invisibly for Forty Dayes together Tempting of that Holy One; and we may make a few Distinct Remarks upon them all.

§ The first of our Lords three Temptations is thus related, in Mat. 4.3. He was an Hungry; and when the Tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God Command that these Stones be made Bread.

From whence, take these Remarks.

I. The Devil will ordinarily make our Conditions, to be the Advantages of his Temptations. When our Lord was Hungry, then, Bread! Bread! shall be all the Cry of his Temptation; the Devil puts him upon a wrong step [...] for the getting of Bread. There is no Condition, bu [...] what has indeed some Hunger accompanying of it; and the Devil marks what it is, that we are Hungry for. One mans Condition makes him Hunger for Preferments, or Employments; another mans makes him Hunger for Cash▪ or Land, or Trade; another mans makes him Hunger for M [...]riments, or Diversions: And the Condition [...] every Afflicted Man, makes him Hunger with Impatience for Deliverance. Now the Devil will be sure to suit his P [...]s [...]asions with our Conditions. When he has our Con­dition [...]o speak with him, and for him, then thinks he, I am sure this man will now hearken to my Proposa [...]! Hence▪ if men are in Prosperity, the Devil will Tempt them to [Page 5] Forgetfulness of God; if they ae in Adversit [...] ▪ he will Tempt them to Murmu [...]ing at God▪ in all the Expressi­ons of those Impieties. Wise Agur was [...]ware of this; in Prov. 30.9. says he, [...]f a man be Full, he shall be▪ Temp­ted, To Deny God and say, Who is the Lord? I [...] a man be Poor, he shall be Tempted, To Steal, and take the Name of God in vain. The Devil will Talk suitably. If you pon­der your Conditions, you may expect you shall be Temp­ted agreeably thereunto.

II. The Devil does often manage his Temptations, by urging of our Necessities. Our Lord, was thus by the Devil bawl'd upon; You want Bread; and you [...]l Starve, if in my way you get it not. The Devil will show some For­bidden Thing unto us, and plead concerning it, as of Bread we use to say, It must be had. Necessity has a won­derful Compulsion in it. You may see what Necessity will do, if you read in Deut. 28.56. The Tender and the Deli­cate Woman among you, her eye shall be evil towards the Children what she shall Bear, for she shall eat them for want of all Things. The Devil will perswade us that there is a Necessity of our doing what he does pro­pound unto us; and then tho' the Laws of God about us were so many Walls of Stone, yet we shall break through them all. That little Inconvenience, of our coming to Beg our Bread, O what a fearful Repre­sentation does the Devil make of it! and when once the Devil scares us to think of a sinful thing. It must be done, we soon come to think, It [...]ay be done. When the Devil has frighted us, into an Apprehension, that it is a Needful thing which we are prompted unto, he presently Engages all the Faculties of our Souls, to prove, that it may be a Lawful one. The Devil told Esau, You'l Dy if you don't Sell your Birthright; the De­vil [Page 6] told Aaron, You'l pull all the People about your ears, if you do not countenance their Superstitions; and then they comply'd immediately. Yea, sometimes, if the Devil do but Feign a Necessity, he does thereby Gain the Hearts of Men; he did but Feign a Need, when he told Saul, The Cattel must be Spared, and the Sacri­fice must be precipitated; and he does but Feign a Need, when he tells many a man, If you do no Service work on the Sabbath-day, and if you don't Rob God of His E­vening, you'l never subsist in the World. All the Denials of God, in the world, use to be from this Fallacy Im­pos'd upon us. It never can be Necessary for us to violate any Negative Commandment in the Law of our God; where God says, Thou shalt not, we cannot upon any pretence Reply, I must. But the Devil will put a most formidable and astonishing face of Necessity upon many of those, Abominable Things which are hate­ful to the Soul of God. He'll say nothing to us about The One Thing Needful; but the petite and the sorry Need-nots of this world, he [...]l set off with most bloody Colours of Necessity. He will not say, 'Tis necessary for you to maintain the Favour of your God, and secure the Welfare of your Soul; but he'l say, 'Tis Necessary for you to keep in with your Neighbours; and that you and yours may have a Good Living among them.

III. The Divel does insinuate his most Horrible Temp­tations, with pretence, of much Friendship and Kindness for us. He seemed very unwilling that our Lord should want any thing that might be comfortable for him; but, he was a Divel still! The Divel flatters our Mother Eve, as if he was desirous to make her more Happy than her Maker did; but there was the Devil in that flattery▪ Sub Ami­ci fallere Nomen;—to Salute men with profers to do all [Page 7] manner of Service for them; and at [...]he same time to Stab [...]hem as Joab did Abner of old; this is just like the Devil, and the Devil truly has many Children that Imi­tate him in it. Some very Affectionate Things were spoken once unto our Lord; Lord, be it far from thee, that thou shouldest suffer any Trouble! but our Lords Answer was, in Math. 16.23. Get thee behind me, Satan. The Devil will say to a man, I would have thee to Consult thy own Interest, and I would have Trouble to be far from thee. He speaks there Fair Things, by the Mouths of our professed Friends unto us, as he did by the Tongue of a Speckled Snake unto our Deluded Parents at the first. But all this while, tis a Direction that ha's been wisely given us; When he speaks fair, Believe him not; for there are Seven Abomina­tions in his Heart.

IV. Things in themselves Allowable and Convenient, are oftentimes turned into sore Temptations by the De­vil. He press'd our Lord unto the making of Bread; Why, that very thing was afterwards done by our Lord, in the Miracles of the Loaves; and yet it is now a moti­on of the Devil, Pray, make thy self a Little Bread. The Devil will frequently put men by, from the doing of a Seasonable Duty; but how? truly by putting us upon another Duty, which may be at that juncture a most Ʋnseasonable Thing. It is said in Eccl. 8.5. A Wise mans heart discerns both Time and Judgment. The Ill-Timing of Good Things, is One of the chief Intregues, which the Devil has to Prosecute. The Devil himself, will Egg us on to many a Duty; and why so? but because at that very Time a more proper and Useful Duty, will have a Supersedeas given thereunto. And, thus there are many Things, whereof we can say, though no more tha [...] this▪ yet so much as this, They are Lawful ones; by which [Page 8] Lawful Things — Perimus Omnes. Where shall w [...] find that the Devil ha's Laid our most fatal Snares? Truly, our Snares are on the Bed, where it is Lawf [...] for us to Sleep; at the Board, where it is Lawful for us to Sit; in the Cups, where 'tis Lawful to Drink; and in the Shops, where we have Lawful Business to do. The De­vil will decoye us, unto the utmost Edge of the Liberty that is Lawful for us; and then one Little push, hurries us into a Transgression against the Lord. And the Devil by Inviting us to a Lawful Thing, at a wrong Time for it, Layes us under further Entanglement of Guilt before God. Tis Lawful for people to use Recreations; but in the Evening of the Lord [...] Day, or the Morning of any Day, how Enmaring are they! the Devil then too com­monly bears part in the Spo [...]t. If Promiscuous Dancing were Lawful; though almost all the Christian Churches in the World, have made a Scandal of it; yet for per­sons to go presently from a Sermon to a Dance, is to do a thing, which Doubtless the Devil makes good Earnings of.

V. To Distrust Gods Providence and Protection, is one of the worst Things, into which the Devil by hi [...] Temptations would be hurrying of us. He would fai [...] have driven our Lord unto a Suspicion of Gods care a­bout Him; sa [...]d the Devil, You may Dy for Lack of Bread, if you do not Look better after your self, than God is like to do for you. It is an usual Thing for Persons to des [...]pai [...] of Gods Fatherly Care Concerning them; they tor [...]ture themselves with distracting and amazing Fears that they shall come to want [...]efore they dy▪ Ye [...], they e'vn say with Jonas, in Chap. 2.4. I am cast out of the Sight of God; He won't look after me! Be i [...] i [...] the Devil that is the Author of all such Melancholly [Page 17] Suggestions in the minds of men. It is a Thought that often raises a Fever in the Hearts of Married Persons, when Charges grow upon them; God will never be able in the way of my Calling, to feed and cloath all my Little Folks. It is a Thought with which Aged Persons are often torment­ed, Th [...] God has all my Dayes hitherto supplied me, yet I shall be pinch [...]d with Straits before I come to my Journeys end. 'Tis a malicious Devil that raises these Evil Surmisings in the Hearts of men. And sometimes a Distemper of Body affords a Lodging for the Devil, from whence he shoots the cruel Bombs of such Fiery Thoughts into the minds of many other persons. With such Thoughts does the Devil choose to persecute us; because thereby we come to Forfeit what we Question. We Question the Care of God, and so we Forfeit it, until perhaps the Devil do utterly Drown us in Perdition. Our God says, Trust in the Lord, and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed. But the Devil says, Don't you Trust in God; Be afraid that you shall not be fed; and thus he hinders men from the Doing of Good.

VI. There is nothing more Frequent in the Tempta­tions of the Devil, then for our Adoption to be doubt­ed, because of our Affliction. When our Lord was in his Penury, then says the Devil, If thou be the Son of God; he now makes an If, of it; What? the Son of God, and yet not be able to Command a Pit of Broad! Thus, when we are in very Afflictive Circumstances, this will be the Devils Inference, Thou art not a Child of God. The Bible says in Heb. 12.7. If you are Cha­stened, it is a shrow'd sign that you can't be Children. Since he can't Rob us of our Grace, he would Rob us of our Joy; and therefore having Accused us unto [Page 18] God, he then Accuses God unto us. When Israel was weak and faint in the Wilderness, then did Amalek set up­on them; just so, does the Devil set upon the People of God, when their Losses, their Crosses, their Exercises have Enfeebled their Souls within them; and what says the De­vil? E'en the same that was mutter'd in the Ear of the Affli­cted Job, Is not this the Ʋprightness of thy Ways? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being Innocent? If thou wer' [...] a Child of God, He would never follow thee, with such Testimo­nies of his Indignation. This is the Logic of the Devil; and he thus interrupts that patience, and that Chearfulness wherewith we should Suffer the Will of God.

VII. To Dispute the Divine Original and Authority of Gods Word, is not the least of those Temptations with which the Devil Troubles us. God from Heaven, had newly said unto our Lord, This is my Beloved Son; but now the Devil would have him to make a Dispute of it, If thou be the Son of God. The Devil durst not be so Impudent, and Brasen-faced, as to bid men use Pharaohs Language, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? But he will whisper into our Ears, what he did unto our Mother Eve of old, It is not the Lord, that hath spoken, what you call his Word. The Devil would have men say unto the Scrip­ture, what they said unto the Prophet, in Jer. 43.2. Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not sent thee to speak what thou sayst unto us; and he would fain have secret and cursed Misgivings in our Hearts, That things are not altogether so as the Scripture has represented them. The Devil would wit [...] all his Heart, make one huge Bonefire of all the Bibles in the World; and he has got millions of Persecutors to assist him in the Suppression of that Mira­culous Book. It was the Devil once in the Tongue of a Papist that cry'd out, A Plague on this Bible; this 'tis that [Page 19] does all our mischief. But because he can't Suppress this Book, he sets himself, to Disgrace it all that he can. Al­tho' the Scripture carries its own Evidence with it, and be all over, so pure, so great, so true, and so powerful, that it is impossible it should proceed from any but God alone; yet the Devil would gladly bring some Discredit upon it, as if it were but some Humane Contrivance; Of nothing, is the Devil more desirous, than this; That we should not count, Christ so precious, Heaven so Glorious, Hell so Dreadful, and Sin so odious, as the Scripture has declared it.

§ The Second of our Lords Three Temptatons, is related after this manner, in Mat. 4.5, 6. Then the Devil taketh him up, into the Holy City, and setteth him upon a Pinacle of the Temple; and saith unto him, if thou be the Son of God, cast thy self down; For it is written, He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee, and in thy Hands, they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy Foot against a Stone.

From whence take these Remarks.

I. The places of the greatest Holiness will not secure us from Annoyance by the Temptations of the Devil, to the greatest wickedness. When our Lord was in the Holy Ci­ty, the Devil fell upon him there. Indeed, there is now no proper Holiness of Places in our Dayes; the Signs and Means of Gods more special Presence are not un­der the Gospel, ty'd unto any certain places: Never­theless there are places, where we use to enjoy much of God; and where, altho' God visit not the Persons for the sake of the Places, yet he visits th [...] Places for the sake of the Persons. But, I am to tell you, that the Devil will visit those Places and the best Persons there. [Page 20] No Place, that I know of, has got such a Spell upon it, as will always keep the Devil out. The Meeting-House wherein we Assemble for the Worship of God, is filled with many Holy People, and many Holy Concerns con­tinually; but if our Eyes were so refined as the Servant of the Prophet had his of old, I suppose we should now see a Throng of Devils in this very place. The Apostle has intimated, that Angels come in among us; there are Angels it seems, that hark, how I Preach, and how you Hear, at this Hour. And our own sad Experience is enough to intimate, That the Devils are likewise Rendevouzing here▪ It is Reported, in Job 1.5. When the Sons of God, came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan came also among them. When we are in our Church-As­semblies, O how many Devils, do you imagine, croud in among us! There is a Devil that rocques one to Sleep; there is a Devil that makes another to be think­ing of, he scarce knows what himself; and there is a Devil, that makes another, to be pleasing himself with wanton and wicked Speculations. It is also possible, that we have our Closets, or our Studies, gloriously perfumed with Devotions every day; but alas, can we shut the Devil out of them? No, Let us go where we will, we shall still find a Devil nigh unto us. Onely, when we come to Heaven, we shall be out of his Reach for ever; O thou foul Devil; we are going where thou canst not come! He was hissed out of Paradise, and shall never enter it any more. Yea, more than so, when the New Jerusalem comes down into the High Places of our Air, from whence the Devil shall then be Banished, there shall be no Devil within the Walls of that Holy City. Amen, [...]ven so, Lord Jesus▪ Come quickly▪

II▪ Any other Acknowledgments of the Lord Jesus [Page 21] Christ, will be permitted by the Temptations of the Devil, provided those Acknowledgments of Him, which are True and Fu [...], may be thereby prevented. What was it, that the Devil hurried our Lord Jesus Christ unto the Top of the Temple for? Surely it could not meerly be to [...]nd Precipices; any part of the Wilderness would have [...]fforded Them. No, it was rather to have Spectators. And why so? Why, the carnal Jews had an Expectation a­ [...]ong them; that Elias was to fly from Heaven to the Temple; and the Devil seems willing, that our Lord [...]ould be cry'd up for Elias, among the giddy multi­ [...]ude; or any thing in the World, tho' never so considera­ [...]le otherwise, rather than to be Received as, The Christ of God. The Devil will allow his Followers to think very [...]ghly of the Lord Jesus Christ; O but he is very lothe [...]o have them think, All. We read in Col. 1.19. It has [...]eased the Father, that in Him there should all Fulness dwell. But it is pleasing to the Devil, that we Deny something of [...]he Immense Fullness, which is in our Lord. The Devil [...]ould confess to our Lord, Thou art the Holy One of God! [...]ut then he claps in, Thou art Jesus of Nazareth; which was to conceal our Lords being, Jesus of Bethlehem, and so, his being, The True Messiah. All the Heresies, and all the Persecutions, that ever plagued the Church of God, have still been, to strike at some Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. A CHRIST Entirely Acknowledged, will save [...]he Souls of them that so Acknowledge Him; but, says [...]he Devil, Whatever I do, I must not give way to that. As [...]hey say, the Devil makes Witches unable to utter all the Lords Prayer, or some such System of Religion, without some Depravations of it; thus the Devil will consent that we may make a very large Confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, only he will have us to deprave it, at least in some one Important Article. Some one Honour, some one [Page 22] Office, and some one Ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ▪ must be always left unacknowledged, by those that [...] do as the Devil would have them.

III. High Stations in the Church of God, lay men open to violent and peculiar Temptations of the Devil. When Our Lord was upon the Pinacle, that is, not the [...]ane, or Spire, but the Battlements of the Temple, there did the Devil pest­er him, with singular Molestations, and he therein, seem [...] to intend an Entanglement for the Jews, as well as for Our Lord. Believe me, they that Stand High, cannot Stand safe ▪ The Devil is a Nimrod, a mighty Hunter; and common o [...] little Game, will not serve his Turn: he is a Leviathan, [...] whom we may say, as in Job. 41.34. He beholds all high Things. Men of High Attainments, and Men of High Em­ployments, in the Church of God, must look, like Peter to be more Sifted, and like Paul, to be more Buffeted than other Men. Feriunt Summos Fulmina Montes ▪ —The Devil can raise a Storm, when God permitteth it, but as for those Men that stand near Heaven, the Devil will attack them with his most cruel storms of Thunder and Lightning. It was said, Let him that stands take heed; but we may say, They that stand most high, have cause to take most Heed. The Devil is a Goliah; and when he finds a Champion, he'l be sure most fiercely to Combate such a man. He is for, Killing many Birds with one Stone; and he knows that he shall hinder a world of Good, and pro­duce a world of Ill, if once he can bring a man Eminently Stationed into his Toyls. Hence 'tis that the Ministers of God, are more dogg'd by the Devil, than other persons are. Especially such Ministers, as move in the highest Orb of Serviceableness; and most of all such Ministers as have spent many years in Laudable En­deavours to be Serviceable; Those Ministers are the [Page 23] Stars of Heaven, at which the Tayl of the Dragon, will give the most sweeping and most stinging strokes; the Devil will find that for them, that shall make them Walk softly all their Dayes. These are the men, that have [...]eepled, and vexed the Devil more than other men; for which the Devil has an old Quarrel with them. O Neigh­bours, Little do you think, what black Dayes of Mourn­ [...]ng, and Fasting, and Praying before the Lord, a Raging Devil do's fill the lives of such Men of God withal.

IV. The devil will make a deceitful and unfaithful use of the Scriptures to make his Temptations forceable. When [...]he Devil Sollicited our Lord, unto an evil thing, he quo­ [...]ed the Ninety first Psalm unto him, tho' indeed he fallaci­ [...]usly clip'd it, and maim'd it, of one clause very material in [...]. O never do's the Devil make such dangerous Passes at [...]s, as when he does wrest our own Sword out of our Hands, and push That upon us. We have to defend us, that Weapon in Eph. 6.16. The Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God; but when the Devil has that very Weapon to fight us with, he makes terri­ble work of it. When the Devil would poyson men with false Doctrines, he'l quote Scriptures for them; a Quaker himself, will have the First Chapter of John always in his mouth. When the Devil would per­swade men to vile Actions, he'l quote Scriptures for them; he'l encourage men to go on in Sin, by show­ [...]ng them, where 'tis said, The Lord is Ready to Pardon. I say this, The One Story of Davids Fall, in the Scrip­ture, has been made by the Devil, an Engine for the Damnation of many millions. The Devil will fright men from doing those things, that are, The Things of their Peace; but How? He'l turn a Scripture into a Scare- [...]row for them. The Devil will fright them from all [Page 24] constant Prayer to God, by quoting that Scripture, The Sacrifice of the Wicked, is an Abomination to the Lord; the Devil will fright them from the Holy Su [...]per of God, by quoting that Scripture, He that Eats and Drinks unworthily, Eats and Drinks Damnation to himself. And thus the Devil will by some Abused Scripture, Terrify the Children of God; the Scripture is written, as we are told, For our Comfort; but it is quoted by the Devil, For our Terror. How many Godly Souls have been cast into sinful Doubts and Fears, by the Devils foolish glosses upon that Scripture, He that Doubts is Damned; and that, The Fearful shall have their portion in the Burning Lake: The Devil sometimes has play'd the Preacher, but I say, Be [...]are all silly Souls, when such a Fool is Preaching.

V. Grievous and Pulling Hurries to Self-Murder are none of the smallest outrages, which the Devil in his Tempta­tions commits upon us. Why, did the Devil say to Our Lord, Cast thy self down, but in hopes that Our Lord would have broke his Bones, in the fall? The Devil is an Old Murtherer; and he loves to Murder men, but no Murder gives him so much satisfaction, as that which at his Instiga­tion, Men perpetrate upon themselves. We see that such as are Bewitched and Possessed by the devil, do quickly lay violent hands upon themselves, if they be not watched con­tinually, and we see that w [...]en persons have begun that Ʋn­natural business of killing themselves, there is a Preternatural Stupendous Prodigious Assistence, by the devil given there­unto. When people are going to Harm themselves, we call upon them, like those to the Jailor, in Acts. 16.28 Do thy self no harm! And we have this Argument for it, It is the Devil that is dragging of you to this mischief; but will you believe, will you obey such an one as the [Page 25] Devil is? What was it that made Judas to Strangle himself? We read it was when the Devil was in him. I suppose there are few Self-Murderers, but what are first very strangely fallen into the Devils hands; and possibly, 'tis by some Extraordinary Discontent, against God, or Backsliding from Him, that the Devil first en­tred into those disturbed Souls. Indeed, some very great Saints of God, have sometimes had hideous Royls rai­sed by the Devil in their minds; until they have e'en cry'd out with Jo [...], I choose Strangling rather than life; and sometimes the Ill Humours or Vapours in the Bo­dies of such Good Men, do so harbour the Devil that they have this woful motion every day thence made unto them; You must kill your self! you must! you must! But it is rarely any other than a Saul, an Abimelek, an A­chitophel, or a Judas; rarely any other, than a very Reprobate, whom the Devil can drive, while the man is, Compos Mentis, to Consummate such a Villany. Yea, no Child of God, in his Right Senses can go so far in this Impiety, as to be left without all Time and Room, for true Repentance of the Crime; 'tis thus done, by none but those that go to the Devil. A Self-Murder, acted by one that is upon other accounts, a Reasona­ble Man, is but such an Attempt of Revenge upon the God that made him, as none but one full of the De­vil can be guilty of. If any of you are Dragoon'd by the Devil, unto the Murdering of your selves, my Ad­vice to you is, Disclose it, Reveal it, make it known im­mediately. One that Cut his own Throat among us, Expired crying out, O that I had told [...] ▪ O that I had told! You may Spoil the Devil, if you'l Tell what he is a doing of.

VI. Presumptuous and Unwarrantable Trials of the Blessed God, are some of those things whereinto the Devil would fain hook us with his Temptations. This [Page 26] was that which the Devil would have brought our Lord unto, even, A Tempting of the Lord our God. It is the charge of our God upon us, in Deut. 6.16. Thou shalt not Tempt the Lord thy God. But that which the Devil Tries, is, to put us upon Trying in a sinful way, whether God be such a God as indeed He is. 'Tis true, as to the Ways of O­bedience, our God says unto us, Prove me, in th [...]se wayes; Try, Whether I won't be as Good as my Word. But then, there are ways of Presumption, wherein the Devil would have us to Try, what a God it is, With whom we have to do. The Devil would have us to Try the Purpose of God, about our selves or others; but how? By going to the Devil himself; by Consulting Astrologers, or Fortune-tellers, or perhaps, by letting the Bible fall open, to see what is the first Sentence we light upon. The Devil would have [...] Try the Mercy of God; But how? By [...]unning into Dan­gers, which we have no call unto. He would have us Try the Power of God; But how? By Looking for Good Things, without the use of Means for the getting of them. He would have us Try the Justi [...]e of God; but how? By venturing upon Sin, in a Corner, with an Imagination that God will never bring us out. He would have us Try the Promise of God; but how? By Limiting the Lord, unto such or such a way of Manifesting Himself, or else believ­ing of nothing at all. He would have us Try the Threat­ning of God; but how? By going on Impenitently in those things, for which the Wrath of God comes upon the Children of Disobedience. Thus would the Devil have us, to affront the Majesty of Heaven every day.

VII. The Temptations of the Devil▪ aim at puffing and Bloating of us up, with Pride; as much perhaps as any one iniquity. The Devil would have had Our Lord make a Vain-glorious Discovery of hims [...]lf unto the world, by Flying in the air, so as no mortal can. Hoe I [...]na [...]us [...] the Devil would have us to fear aloft, and not only to be above other [Page 27] men, but also to know that we are so. Pride is the Devils own sin; and he affects especially to be, The King over the Chil­dren of Pride, It is a caution, in 1. Tim. 3.6. A Pastor must not be A Novice; Lest being lifted up with Pride, He fall into the condemnation of the Devil. [Summo ac Pio cum Tremore Hunc Textum Legamus nos Ministri Juven [...]s!] Ac­cordingly, the Devil would have us to be inordinately taken and moved with what Excellencies our God ha's bestowed upon us. If our Estates rise, he would have us rise in our Spirits too. If we have ben blessed with beauty, with breed­ing, with Honour, with Success, with Attire, with spiritual Priviledges, or with Praise-worthy Performances; Now saies the Devil, Think thy self better than other Men. Yea, the Devil, would have us arrogate unto ourselves, those Ex­cellencies, which really we [...] were owners of; and, Boast of a false g [...]st. He would have us moreover to Thirst after Applause among others that may see Our Excellen­cies; and be impatient if we are not accounted some-body. He would have us furthermore, to aspire after such a Fi­gure, as God ha's never yet seen fitting for us; & croud into some High Chair that becomes us not. Thus would the Devil Elevate us into the Air, above our Neighbours; and why so! Tis that we may be punis [...]d with such Falls, as may make us cry out with David, O my Bones are broken with my Falls! The Devil can't endure to see men lying in the Dust; because there is no falling thence. He is a Fallen Spirit himself, and it pleases him to see the Falls of men.

§ The Third of Our Lords Three Temptations, is re­lated in such Terms as these. Math. 4.8, 9. Again the Divel taketh him up, into an exc [...]ding High Mountain, and sheweth him all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glory of them: and saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if Thou wilt fall down and Worship me. From whence take these Remarks▪

I. The Devil in his Temptations will set the Delights of [Page 28] this world before us; but he'l set a fair, and a false Varnish upon those Delights. They were some unknown Perspe­ct [...]ves, which the Devil had, both for the Refracting of the Medium, and for the Magnifying of the Object, whereby he gave our Lord at once a prospect of the whole Roman Empire; but what was it? It was the World, and the Glo­ry of it; he says not a word of the World, and the Trouble of it. No sure; not a word of that; the Devil will not have his [...] so barely expos'd unto us. The Devil sets off the Delights of Sin, which he offers unto us, with a stretch [...]ed and a raised Rhetoric; but he will not own, That in the midst of our Laughter, our Heart shall be sorrowful; and, That the end of our Mirth shall be Hea [...]iness. There is but one Glass in the Spectacles, with which the Devil would have us to read, those passages in Eccl. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young man in thy youth, and let thy Heart chear thee in the Daye of thy youth and walk in the ways of thy Heart, and in the sight of thine Eyes. Thus far the Devil would have us to Read, and he'l make many a fine Comment upon it; he'l tell us, That if we [...]l follow the Courses of the World, we shall swim in all the Delights of the World. But he is not willing you should Read out the next words; But know thou, that for all these things G [...]d shall bring thee into Judg­ment. O he's loth we should be aware of the dreadful Is­sues, and Reckonings that our Worldly Delights will be attended with. He sets before us, The Pleasures of Sin; but he will not say, T [...]se are but for a Season. He sets be­fore us, The sweet Waters of Stealth; but he will not say, There is Dea [...]h in the [...]. He is a Mountebank, that will bestow nothing but Romantic Praises upon all that he makes us the Offers of.

II. There are most Hellish Blasphemies often buzz'd by the Temptation [...] of the Devil, into the minds of the best men alive. What a most Execrable Thing was here laid before our Lord Himself: Even, To own the Devil [...] [Page 29] God! a thing that cannot be uttered, without unutterable Horror of Soul. The best man on earth, may have such Fiery Darts from Hell shot into his mind. One that was acted by the Devil, had the impudence to propound this, unto such a good [...], Curse God. And the Devil pleases himself, by ch [...]sing the Hearts of good men, with his base Injections, That there is no God, or, That God is not a Righteous God; and a thousand more such things, too De­villish to be mentioned A good man is extreamly griev'd at it, when he hears a Blasphemy from the mouth of ano­ther man; said the Psalmist, in Psal. 4 [...].15, 16. My Con­fusion is continually before me, for the voice of him that Blas­phemeth. But much mor [...], when a good man finds a Blas­phemy in his own Heart; O it throws him into most Fe­vourish Agonies of Soul. For this cause, a mischievous Devil, will Fly-blow the Heart of such a man, with such Blasphemous Thoughts, as make him cry out, Lord, I am e'n weary of my life. Yea, the Devil serves the man just as the Mistress of Joseph dealt with him; he importunes the man to Think wickedly from Day to Day; and if the man refuse, he cries out at last, Behold, what wicked Thoughts this man has lodging in him. Sayst thou so? Sa­tan! No, they are Brats of thy own; and at thy Door a­lone shall they be laid for ever.

III. There is a sort of Witchcraft in those things, where­to the Temptations of the Devil would Inveigle us. To worship the Devil is Witchcraft, and under that notion was Our Lord urged unto sin. We are told in, 1. Sam. 15.23. Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft: When the Devil would have us to sin, he would have us to do the things which the forlorn Witches use to do. Perhaps there are few persons, ever allured by the Devil unto an Explicit Covenant with himself. If any among ourselves be so, my counsil is, that you hunt the Devil from you, with such words as the Psalmist had, Be gone: Depart from [...], ye evil Doers, for I will keep the Commandments of [Page 30] my God. But alas, the most of men, are by the Devil, put upon doing the Things that are Analagous to the worst usages of Witches. The Devil saies to the sinner, Despise thy Baptism, and all the Bond of it, and all the Good of it. The Devil saies to the sinner, Come, cast off the Authority of God, and refuse the Salvation of Christ, for ever. Yea the De­vil who is called, The God of this World, would have us to take Him for Our God; and rather hear Him, Trust Him, Serve Him, than the God that formed us.

IV. The Temptations of the Devil do Tug and Pull for nothing more, than that the Rulers of the World may yield Homage unto him. Our Lord has had this by His Father Engag'd unto him, That He shall one day be Governour of the Nations The Devil do's extreamly dread the Approach of that Illustrious time when, The Kingdome of God shall come and His Will be [...]one, as in Heaven, and on Earth. For this cause it was that he was desirous, Our Lord should rather have Accepted of him, that Kingdom, which Antichrist afterwards accepted of him, for the Establishment of Devil-worship, in the World. I may tell you, The Devil is mighty unwilling, that there should be one Godly Magistrate upon the face of the Earth. Such is the influence of Government, that the Devil will every where stickle migh [...]ily, to have That siding with him. What R [...]ers would the Devil have, to command all mankind, if he might have his will? Even, such as are called, in Psal. 94.20. The Thr [...]e of Iniquity, which frames mischief by a Law; such as will promote Vice, by both Connivance, and Example; and such as will Oppress all that shall be Holy, and Just and Good. All men have cause therefore, to be jealous, what Use the Devil may make of them, with reference to the Af­fairs of Government; but Rulers may most of all think, that the Lord Jesus from Heaven calls upon them, Sa­tan [Page 31] has desired that he might Sift you, and have you; O Look to it, what side [...] Take.

Thus have you [...] Temptations of our Lord, seen the principal of those Devices, which the Devil has to Entrap our Souls. But what shall we now do, that we may be fortify'd against those Devices? O that we might be well furnished with the whole Armour of God! But, methinks, there were some things attending the Temptations of our Lord, which would especially Recommend those few Hints unto us for our Guard.

First, If you are not fond of Temptation, be not fond of Needless, or Too much Retirement. Where was it, that the Devil fell upon our Lord? it was when he was Alone in the Wilderness. We should all have our Times to be A­lone every Day; and if the Devil go to scare us out of our Chambers, with such a Bugbear, as That hee'll appear to us, yet stay in spite of his teeth, stay to finish your Devotions; he Lyes, he dare not show his head. But on the other-side by being too solitary, we may lay ourselves too much o­pen to the Devil; You know who saies, Wo to him that is alone.

Secondly, Let an Oracle of God be your defence against a Temptation of Hell. How did our Lord Silence the Devil? It was with an, It is Written! And all his Three Citations were from that one Book of Deuteronomy. What a full armoury then have we, in all the sacred Pages that ly be­fore us▪ Whatever the Words of the Devil are, drown them with the words of the Great God. Say, It is Written. The Belshazzar of Hell will Tremble and Withdraw, if you show these Hand-writings of the Lord.

Lastly, Si [...]ee the Lord Jesus Christ, has Conquered [Page 32] all the Temptations of the Devil, Fly to that Lord, Cry to that Lord, that He would give you a share in his Happy Victory. It was for Ʋs that our Lord overcame the Devil: and when he did but say, Satan, Get hence, away presently the Tygre flew. Does the Devil Molest Ʋs? Then Let us Repair to our Lord, who says, I know how to Succour the Tempted. Said the Psalmist, in Psal. 61.2. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. A Woman in this Land being un­der the Possession of Devils, the Devils within her, audibly spoke of divers Harms they would inflict upon [...]; but still they made this answer, Ah! She Runs to the Rock! She Runs to the Rock! and that hin­dred all. O this Running to the Rock 'tis the best Preservation in the World; the Vultures of Hell can not prey upon the Doves in the Clefts of that Rock May our God now Lead us thereunto.