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A Most Unaccountable RELATION OF ONE MISS Sarah Green, A WIDOW, Living at Beesly, in the County of WORCESTER.

Who following the wicked Practice of Witchcraft for some Time, did at last sell herself, Soul and Body, to the Devil for fourteen Years, and when the Time was near expired, she being very sad, sent for her two Children and some Ministers, and discovered the Matter at large, desiring their Prayers and good Endeavours for the Recovery of her Soul, which was perfor­med accordingly, though to no Purpose; for upon the last Day of the Term, about Mid­night▪ April ye 14th, 1747, she was suddenly struck dead by an infernal Spirit in the Shape of a Bear, to the Terror and Astonishment of all then present.

With the Heads of a SERMON suitable on this Occasion.

Printed in the Year M.DCC.LXII.

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A most UNACCOUNTABLE RELATION.

THAT there are really Magicians, Conjurers and Witches, who have Commerce and Fa­miliarity with evil Spirits, is so clear and plain, both from holy Scripture, Councils, Canons, and Civil Laws in all Nations, that none but those Athiests, who would persuade themselves there are no Spi­rits, and consequently no other Life after this, e­ver deny'd it; since the reality of this Converse with Spirits, their appearances and possessions has been so clearly demonstrated, not only in former Ages, but also in this, by Persons of most acute Judgment and Learning, wherein they have fully answer'd all Objections to the contrary, so that I need not enter any further into Controversy, but shall only give you an Account of one Mrs. Sarah Green, living at Beesley, in the County of Worcester, who was a Person very well brought up, and de­scended out of a good Family: At twenty Years of age she was married to Mr. Thomas Green, a Farmer of a good Estate, who had by her two Children, a Son and a Daughter, his Son being brought up a Clergyman. After they had been married near sixteen Years, Mr. Thomas Green died, having settled his Estate upon his two Children, and left a Competency sufficient for the Mainte­nance of his Wife, but she being a very proud wo­man, thought the Substance left for her Support [Page 3] not sufficient to maintain her Pride and Greatness; in a little Time after she fell into great Discontent, retiring herself from all Company, and by the strong Temptations of the Devil, she was drawn into the wicked Practice of Witchcraft, and in a short Time after, sold herself Soul and Body to the Devil, for fourteen Years, for the Enjoyment of worldly Pleasures, and to have her Desires satis­fy'd: She was often suspected by several Persons to follow the wicked Practice of Witchcraft, be­cause if they happen'd to have any Difference with her, they commonly receiv'd Damage, either by Hurt to their Cattle or other Things; but in re­gard no certain Proof could be made, People durst not speak their Opinion openly, but near the End of this fourteen Years she grew very sad and heavy, and sending for her two Children, and three able Ministers, she with abundance of Tears spoke thus to them: I have by my wretched Fate, followed Witchcraft several Years, and have sold myself both Soul and Body to the Devil for fourteen Years, only for the Pleasures of this World, and to have my De­sires satisfied during that Time; but now all my Pleasures and Delights are come to their last Period; for there remains only three Days of that Time; and then I shall be carried away by infernal Spirits, in­to those everlasting Flames that will never have an End. And as the Devil was the Author of this my Wickedness, by perswading me to it, so he will like­wise be the Punisher thereof. I desire you therefore that you would not cease to pray for me, but take me into the Church, and let there be used Psalms [Page 4] and Prayers for five Nights together; and if you can keep me safe during that Time, the Danger will be over. All these Things they perform'd, but it prevail'd nothing, for the first two Nights the Ministers began to sing Psalms about her, they heard terrible Noises, which frighten'd them very much, the third Night the Noise of those Spirits who came for Destruction, was so great that the very Foun­dation of the Church was shaken, and about Mid­night a Spirit very dreadful and terrible in Shape resembling a Bear, but larger, appear'd visible un­to them, which suddenly struck the Woman dead on the Floor; where she lay 'till the next Day, as on Examination made into this Matter by the Coroner and Jury.

We whose Names are hereafter mention'd do testifie this Relation to be true; and desire that it may be publish'd as a Timely warning to all Peo­ple.

  • Sir John Aldridge, Bart.
  • Sir George Scroope, Bart.
  • Richard Bilson, Esq
  • John Feet, Esq
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The Heads of the SERMON on this OCCASION.

xvi. Chapter of Matthew, and 26 Verse,

For what is a Man profited if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul? Or what will a Man give in exchange for his Soul?

AMongst the many good Sermons that have been preached or published for the Salvati­on of Men's Souls, surely no Subject can be more proper than that which teaches us to consider our latter End, by amending our Lives, and living Soberly, Righteously, and Goldly in this present Life, that we may be partakers of Eternal Hap­piness in the Life to come. And indeed if Men were so wise as to consider their latter End, it would be their chief Motive to them to leave their Sins and Wickedness, considering that the Soul ne­ver dies, but must have a Being to all Eternity, and that there are but two Places for it to go to, either Heaven or Hell, for behold the Day com­eth that shall burn as an Oven, and all the Proud yea, and all that do wickedly shall be Stuble, and the Day cometh that shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, and shall neither leave them Root nor Branch, Mat. iv. 10. While a Man [Page 6] lives in Wickedness and Impiety, he hath not so much as the hopes or assurance of eternal Salvati­on; and as touching this unhappy Woman, if she had lived a more sober and godly Life, and instead of spending her precious Time in Pride and other ungodly Courses, had spent it in read­ing the Scriptures, in Prayers, and hearing of Ser­mons, then she would have been able to overcome and withstand the Temptation and Delusions of the Devil, by which Means she had never come to such a dreadful End; and we hope this terrible Example will be sufficient Warning to all wicked profane Persons, how they dare to provoke God in such a dreadful Manner; and will be a Means to move all wicked Persons every where to amend their Lives. Many strange Judgments and Warn­ings have happened in this Age. All which be­ing rightly considered, ought to put us in mind of Amendment of Life, and that our Tho'ts ought always to be on our latter End, and that there is a great Necessity for us to turn from our Sins and Wickedness, or else our Case hereafter will be dangerous, as more plainly appears, Luke xiii. 3, 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. So that if we continue in our Sins without Repen­tance, our Saviour expresly tells us what will be the Consequence thereof, Let us therefore resolve to turn from our evil Ways, while the Door of Mercy is open, that so we may escape the Wrath to come. God might have cut us off before these awakening Judgments came, by which the Lord calls to the Inhabitants of the Earth to learn Righ­teousness, [Page 7] so that thereby all wicked Persons might be awakened, and come out of that gross Dark­ness, and also all of us from a vain wicked and loose Conversation. Now as other Nations have had proofs of God's displeasure, by the Plague that hath broke out amongst them, so God in a wonderful Manner, has not only given us warning, [...]t also time and space of Repentance; therefore let us seek the Lord while he is to be found, that we may be ready prepared for his coming, lest that Day should come upon us unawares. Watch therefore for ye know not what Hour your Lord doth come, Matt. xxiv. 42. We had need always to watch over ourselves, and be constantly upon our Guard, that there we may be able to overcome the Temp­tations of our Ghostly Enemy, who goes about like a roaring Lion, seeking who he may devour.

Certain it is, that it is appointed for all Men once to die and after that come to Judgment. Then how happy will it be for them that die well, watch therefore over yourselves that you may a­void Sin, which is the Wages not only of Tem­poral but of Eternal Death. No one is sure how long he hath to live, therefore to live well is the greatest Happiness, that when the Lord cometh we may be found ready to meet him, and go with him into everlasting Rest. Then the Terrors of Death shall not lay hold of you, nor the Flames of Hell affright you, though Heaven and Earth pass away with great Noise and fervent Heat, the Skies all flaming, and the World consumed with Fire, no Evil shall come nigh you; the Lord shall come [Page 8] with thousand of Angels and Saints to judge the Earth, whilst the wicked ones shall call for Rocks and Mountains to hide them from his Face; but shall be to you a refreshing Water in a thirsty Land when you hear him say well done thou good and faithful Servant, enter thou into thy Master's Joy; you shall be placed with the Sheep on the right Hand, and when the Wicked shall go into ever­lasting Fire prepared for the DEVIL and his Angels, you that have watched the Hour of his coming, and prepared yourselves to receive him, shall as­cend triumphantly with him, to sit down at his right Hand in Glory. Tho' the Sun be darkned and the Moon turned into Blood, and the Stars fall from Heaven in that great and eternal day of the Lord, your Bodies shall raise gloriously from the dust to be united to the Soul, and not a Hair of your Head shall be diminished: you shall receive the Reward of your Labour. For Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor hath it entered the Heart of Man to conceive those Things that are laid up for the Righteous, nor the Torments those feel that by wilful sinning shall fail of that Happiness.

The Judgments and Exhortations mentioned, ought to make a deep Impression on our Minds, and give us sober Thoughts: The which, God of his infinite Mercy give us that we may be always prepared for our latter End. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, be with you all evermore, AMEN.

FINIS.

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