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The PREFACE.

to believe, and no man I think will queftion) how came they to be fuch perfwaders to Piety and godliness, yea, fuch preachers of Chrift, his Incarnation, his Paffion, and other Myfteries of the Chriftian Faith, not only by them here acknowledged, but in fome places very Scholaftically fet out and declared? It feemeth fomewhat contrary to reafon and as contrary to the words of our Saviour, Every Kingdom divided against it felf, &c. But firft, to the matter of fact: The Divels we know even in the Gofpel did acknowledg, nay, in fome manner proclaim Chrift to be the Son of God: which is the main Article he did conteft with Chrift by Scripture Authority; and by S. Pauls teftimony, can transform himſelf, when he lift into an Angel of light. And in fome relations well attefted, of Poffeffions and publick Exorcifms that have been ufed; we find the Divel often speaking by the mouth of women, rather like a Monk out of the Pulpit, perfwading to temperance, rebuking vices, expounding of myfteries, and the like, then as one that were an enemy to truth and godliness. Infomuch that fome have been ready to make a great myftery and triumph of it, thereby to convict Hereticks and Atheifts, in time, more effectually, then they have been by any other means that have been uled hitherto: and afcribing the whole bulinefs not to the Divel himſelf, but the great power and Providence of God, as forcing him againft his will to be an inftrument of his Truch. For my part, I fee caufe enough to believe that fuch things, there contained at large, might come from the Divel; that is, might truly and really be spoken by perfons poffeffed and inspired by the Divel. But that they are imployed by God to that end, I fhall not eafily grant. I rather fufpect that whatfoever comes from them in that kind, though it be good in it felf, yet they may have a mifchievous end in it; and that I believe will foon appear if they can once gaine fo much credit among men as to be believed to be fent by God to bear teftimony to the truth. A man may fee fomewhat already by thofe very Relations, and that account that is given us there. And therefore I do not wonder if even among the more fober Papifts this project (as the relater and publifher complaineth) hath found oppofition. The Divel is very cunning; a notable Polititian. S. Paul knew him fo, and therefore he ufes many words to fet out his frauds. He can lay the foundation of a plot, if need be, a hundred years before the effects fhali appear. But then he hath his end. It is not good trufting of him, or dealing with him upon any pretence, Can any man fpeak better then he doth by the mouth of Anabaptifts and Schifmaticks? And this The will do for many years together if need be, that they that at firft ftood off may be won by time. But let them be once abfolute mafters, and then he will appear in his own fhape. There is one thing which I wonder much more at in thofe Relations I have mentioned, and that is, that the Divel himfelf fhould turn fuch a fierce accufer of them that have ferved him fo long, Witches and Magicians. I know he doth here fo too in fome kind, in more then one place. He doth much inveigh against Divels and all that have to do with them, Magicians, &c. But that is in general only, or in Kelley's particular cafe, upon whom he had another hold, which he made more reckoning of, to wit, as he ap-peared