An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

4. Innocent persons have been extremely wronged by such Diabolical tricks. For sometimes (as is manifest from the Relation of the Groton Maid, mentioned in the fifth Chapter of this Essay) the Devil does not only himself inflict Diseases upon Men, but represent the visages of innocent persons to the fancies of the diseased, making them believe that they are tormented by them, when only himself does it. And in case they follow the Devils direction, by observing the Ceremonies which he has invented, he'll afflict their Bodies no more. So does his malice bring the persons accused by him (though never so innocent) into great suspicion. And he will cease afflicting the body of one, in case he may ruin the credit of another, and withal endanger the Souls of those that hearken to him. If the Devil ⟨p. 270⟩upon scratchings, or burnings, or stoppings of Urine, or the nailing of an Horse-shoe, &c. shall cease to afflict the body of any, he does this either as being compelled thereto, or voluntarily. To imagine that such things shall constrain the Evil Spirit to cease afflicting, whether he will or no, is against all reason. But if he does this voluntarily, then instead of hu•ting their bodies, he does a greater mischief to Souls. [Greek or Hebrew]. The Devil heals the Body that he may wound the Soul. He will heal them with all his heart, provided that he may but thereby draw men to look unto him for help, instead of seeking unto God alone, in the use of his own means, and so receive that honour (the thing that he aspires after) which is the Lords due. How gladly will that wicked Spirit heal one body upon condition that he may entangle many Souls with Superstition. And if Men and Women (especially in places of light) will hearken to him, it is a righteous thing with God to suffer it to be thus. It is past doubt that Satan, who has the ••wer of death, Heb. 2.14. has also (by divine permission) power to inflict, and consequently to remove Diseases from the bones of men. In natural Diseases he has many times a great operation, and is willing to have them cured rather by ⟨p. 271⟩the use of Superstitious then of natural means. It is noted in their Germanic Ephemeris for the year 1675. that a Man troubled with a Fistula, which the Physicians by all their Art could no way relieve; a person that was esteemed a Wizard undertook to cure him;