A Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practically resolvedA Continuation of morning-exercise questions and cases of conscience practicaly resolved

And when his Operations are such as we call a Possession, yet he may work by means and bodily dispositions; and sometimes he worketh quite above the power of the Disease it self (as when the unlearned speak in strange Languages, and when bewitched Persons vomit Iron, Glass, &c) And sometime he doth only work by the Disease it self (as in Epilepsies, Madness, &c.)

From all this it is easy to gather, 1. That for Satan to possess the Body, is no certain Sign of a graceless state, nor will this condemn the Soul any, if the Soul it self be not possessed: Nay there are few of Gods Children, but its like are sometime afflicted by Satan, as the Executioner of Gods correcting them, and sometime of Gods Trials, as in the Case of Job; whatever some say to the contrary, it is likely that the •rick in the Flesh, which was Satan's Messenger to beset Paul, was some such Pain as the Stone, which yet was not removed (that we ⟨p. 273⟩find) after thrice praying, but only he had a promise of sufficient Grace.

From all this it is easie to gather, 1. That for Satan to possess the Body, is no certain S•gn of a graceless state, nor will this condemn the Soul any, if the Soul it self be not possessed: Nay there are few of Gods Children, but its like are sometime affl•cted by Satan, as the Executioner of Gods correcting them, and sometime of Gods Trials, as in the Case of Job; whatever some say to the contrary, it is likely that the •rick in the Flesh, which was Satans Messenger to b•sset Paul, was some such Pain as the Stone, which yet was not removed (that we ⟨p. 273⟩find) after thrice praying, but only he had a promise of sufficient Grace.