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What is here preſented unto thee (Chriſtian Reader) being a True and Faithful Relation, &c. (as the Title beareth, and will be further cleared by this Preface) though by the carriage of it, in ſome reſpects, and by the Nature of it too, it might be deemed and termed, A Work of Darkneſſe: Yet it is no other then what with great tenderneſſe and circumſpection, was tendered to men of higheit: Dignity in Europe, Kings and Princes, and by all (England excepted) liſtned unto for a while with good reſpect. By ſome gladly embraced and entertained for a long time; the Fame whereof being carryed unto Rome, it made the Pope to beſtir himſelf, not knowing what the event of it might be, and how much it might concern him. And indeed, filled all men, Learned and Unlearned in moſt places with great wonder and aſtoniſhment: all which things will be ſhewed and made good (to the utmoſt of what we have ſaid) in the Contents of this book, by unqueſtionable Records and evidences. And therefore I make no queſtion but there will be men enough found in the world whole curioſity will lead them to Read what I think it not to be paralell'd in that Kind by any book that hath been ſet out in any Age to read: I ſay, though it be to no other end then to ſatiſfie their curioſity. But whatſoever other men, according to their ſeveral inclinations, may propoſe to themſelves in the reading of it, yet I may and muſt here profeſſe in the firſt place, in Truth and Sincerity, that the end that I propoſe to my ſelf (ſo far as I have contributed to the Publiſhing of the Work) is not to ſatiſfie curioſity, but to do good, and promote Religion. When we were firſt acquainted with the Book, and were offered the reading of it, having but lately been converſant in a Subject of much Affinity; to wit, of Miſtaken Inſpiration and Poſſeſsion, through ignorance of Natural cauſes (which labour of ours, as it was our aime at the firſt in publiſhing of it, to do good, ſo we have had good reaſon ſince to believe, that we did not altogether miſſe of what we aimed at) we could not but gladly accept of it. And as we gladly accepted, ſo we read unto the end with equal eagerneſſe and Alacrity: Which when we had done, truly it was our Opinion, That the Publiſhing of it could not but be very Seaſonable and Uſeful, as againſt Atheiſts at all times, ſo in theſe Times eſpecially, when the Spirit of Error and Illuſion, not in profeſt Anabaptiſts only, even of the worſt kind that former Ages have known and abhorred, doth ſo much prevail, but in many alſo, who though they diſclaim and deteſt openly (and heartily too, I hope, moſt of them) the fruits and effects that ſuch cauſes have produced in others, yet ground themſelves nevertheleſſe upon the ſame principles of Suppoſed Inſpiration and immaginary Revelations; and upon that account deem themſelves, if not the Only, yet much better Chriſtians then others. And I was much Confirmed in this Judgment when I was told (as indeed I was, at the firſt, by them that knew very well) that the Moſt Reverend, Pious and Learned Archbiſhop of of Armagh, latelydeceaſ-