[First.] Since there are Witches, we are to suppose that there are Devils too. Those are the Objects that Witches converse withal. It was the Heresy of the ancient Sadducees in Act. 23. 8. The Sadducees do say, That there is neither Angel nor spirit. And there are multitudes of Sadducees yet in our days; Fools, that say, Seeing is Believing; and will believe nothing but what they see. A Devil, is in the apprehension of those Mighty acute Philosophers, no more than a Quality, or a Distemper. But, as Paul said unto Him of old, King Agrippa, Believest thou the Prophets? Thus I would say, Friend, Believest thou the Scriptures? I pray, What sort of things were they, of whom we read in Jude. 6.? Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own Habitation, and be reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day. What sort of things were they, who in Matth. 18. 16. Besought our Lord, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd of swine? What thing was that, which in Luc. 4. 33. cried out unto the Lord Jesus with a loud voice, Let us alone? Surely, These things could be none but Spiritual and rational substances, full of all Wickedness against God, and Enmity against Man. We shall come to have no Christ ⟨p. 15⟩but a Light within, and no Heaven but a Frame of mind; if the Scriptures must be expounded after the Rules of the modern Sadducees. Perhaps tho' the Scriptures are Fables to that sort of men. Come then, thou Sadducee, What kind of thing is that which will so handle towardly ingenuous well-disposed persons, That if any Devotions be performed, they shall roar & tear unreasonably, and have such Noises and such Tortures in them, as not only to hinder themselves wholly, but others too much from joining in the Service; and strive to kick or strike the Minister in his Prayers, but have their hands or feet strangely stopped when they are just come at him, and yet be quiet before and after the Worship? That if any Idle or Useless Discourse be going, they shall be well, but at any serious Discourse they shall be tormented in all their Limbs? That If a portion of the Bible be read, tho they see and hear nothing of it, and tho, it may be, in Greek or Hebrew too, they shall fall into terrible Agonies, which will be over when the Bible is laid aside? That they shall be able to peruse whole Pages of Evil Books, but scarce a Line of a good one?
[First.] Since there are VVitches, we are to suppose that there are Devils too. Those are the Objects that VVitches converse withal. It was the Heresy of the ancient Sadducees in Act. 23. 8. The Sadducees do say, That there is neither Angel nor spirit. And there are multitudes of Sadducees yet in our dayes; Fools, that say, Seeing is Beleeving; and will beleeve nothing but what they see. A Devil, is in the apprehension of those Mighty acute Philosophers, no more than a Quality, or a Distemper. But, as Paul said unto Him of old, King Agrippa, Beleevest thou the Prophets? Thus I would say, Friend, Beleevest thou the Scriptures? I pray, What sort of things were they, of whom we read in Iude. 6.? Angels that kept not their first estate, but left their own Habitation, and be reserved in chains unto the judgment of the great day. What sort of things were they, who in Matth. 18. 16. Besought our Lord, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd of swine? What thing was that, which in Luc. 4. 33. cryed out unto the Lord Jesus with a loud voice, Let us alone? Surely, These things could be none but Spiritual and rational substances, full of all Wickeness against God, and Enmity against Man. We shall come to have no Christ ⟨p. 15⟩but a Light within, and no Heaven but a Frame of mind; if the Scriptures must be expounded after the Rules of the modern Sadducees. Perhaps tho' the Scriptures are Fables to that sort of men. Come then, thou Sadducee, What kind of thing is that which will so handle towardly ingenuous well-disposed persons, That if any Devotions be performed, they shall roar & tear unreasonably, and have such Noises and such Tortures in them, as not only to hinder themselves wholly, but others too much from joyning in the Service; and strive to kick or strike the Minister in his Prayers, but have their hands or feet strangely stopt when they are just come at him, and yet be quiet before and after the VVorship? That if any Idle or Vseless Discourse be going, they shall be well, but at any serious Discourse they shall be tormented in all their Limbs? That If a portion of the Bible be readd, tho they see and hear nothing of it, and tho, it may be, in Greek or Hebrew too, they shall fall into terrible Agonies, which will be over when the Bible is laid aside? That they shall be able to peruse whole Pages of Evil Books, but scarce a Line of a good one?
