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them at this time, which is the cauſe that I cannot particularize that buſineſſe with circumſtances of times, and names or perſons as I would. But there were many other books written (ſome very big, which I have ſeen) about it, as I ſaid before; ſo that the whole buſineſſe, with very little inquiſition, if any have a mind, may quickly be found out. One Bookſeller in Little Britain did help me to the ſight of ſix or ſeven at once; yet one of the books then written, and as I was told, upon this occaſion much commended unto me by ſome very Learned, to wit, Dr. Jordan, of the Suffocation of the Matrix, I long ſought before I could meet with it. And ſuch was the ignorance of ſome Bookſellers, that I could not perſwade them there was any ſuch book extant: but now at laſt I have got it. All the uſe I ſhall make of it at this time is, that whereas the whole drift of the book tends unto this, to ſhew the error of many in aſcribing natural diſeaſes to ſupernatural cauſes, which might be thought by ſome to favour their opinion that believe not Witches, &c. The Author doth very prudently and piouſly make this profeſſion in the Preface, I do not deny but that God doth in theſe dayes work extraordinarily for the deliverance of his children, and for other ends beſt known to himſelf; and that among other there may be both poſſeſsions by the Divel, and obſeſsions, and Witch-craft, &c. and diſpoſſeſsion alſo through the Prayers and Supplications of his ſervants, which is the only means left unto us for our relief in that caſe, but ſuch examples being very rare now adayes, &c. Yet for all this I do not conclude that Mr. D. was guilty of any Impoſture: he might do it through ignorance being cozened by others. I have heard he was an honeſt man, and dyed piouſly, and diſclaimed to the very laſt that he did any thing in that buſineſſe otherwiſe then Bonâ Fide. I would judge charitably, even of thoſe men that are not guilty of much charity towards others, whoſe judgments and conſciences will not ſuffer them (though men of approved worth and piety otherwiſe) to ſay as they ſay, and to do as they do in all things. Be it granted therefore, that this buſineſſe of Exorciſmes is lyable to much Impoſture: however, no man that hath read the relations of men and women poſſeſt, in ſeveral places, with due obſervation of circumſtances, ſome of which relations, beſides other perſons of credit, have been atteſted; yea, ſome penned and publiſhed by learned Phyſicians and Naturaliſts, who have been employed about the Cure, obſerved their carriage, heard ſome of them speak ſtrange Languages: ſilly women poſſeſt, diſcourſe of highest points of Phyloſophy, or the Mathematicks and the like. No man, I ſay, that is not a ſtranger to theſe things (beſides what ſome Travellers, no way intereſſed in the cauſe, can aver upon their own knowledge) will make any queſtion either of the real poſſeſſion of divers, according to relations that have been made, or of the Divels Speaking in them and by them when they have been Exorciſed; and ſometimes upon bare conference. And though ſome Proteſtants are of opinion, That it is not lawful or warrantable for any man to take upon him to Exorciſe upon ſuch occaſions, that is, (as I conceive) by way of abſolute power and authority, and by ſuperſtitious wayes and means, as is ordinarily done: Yet where a man hath a Calling, as if he be lawfully Called to the Miniſtry, and ſet over ſuch a Pariſh where any happen to be poſſeſſed (as in-deed