Mr. Mede intended to affert, that all Demoniacks were no other Lib. 1. p. 85. than mad Men, and Lunaticks: I question not but he was mifta- on Feb. no.20. ken, and by his reason, not only muft mad Men and Lunatick Perfons pals for Demoniacks, but all Difeafes whatsoever for the Blind and Dumb were called alfo Demoniacks, Matth: 9.32. and 12.22. But the matter feems to be this, that where Men were afflicted with fuch Distempers Satan took the advantage of them, and acted the Poffeffed accordingly; as he frequently takes the advantage of a Melancholly Indifpofition, and works great Terrors and Affrightments by it, as in Saul, or at leaft that, where he poffeffed, he counterfeited the fits and furies of thofe Natural Diftempers, and acted, fome like mad. Men, and others he made Dumb and Deaf, (which feems to have been the case of those in Matth. 9. and 12. where the deafneß and dumbneß did depend upon the Poffeffion, and was cured with it:) others were made to fall on a fudden into Fire or Water, as thofe that are Epiletick, and therefore might fuch be called both Lunatick, or Epileptick, and allo poffeffed with a Devil.

As to that reafon which fome fetch from Dreams, 'tis rather a Dream than a Reason against the Being of Devils, feeing the Effects of these Infernal Spirits are far otherwife, than the utmost of what can be imagined to be acted upon the Stage of Imagina tions; fo that the real and permanent Being of Devils may be cafily proved:

First, From those real As noted to be done by Angels and Devils. The Angels that appeared to Lot, were feen and entertained in the Family, feen and obferved by the Sodomites. Thofe that appeared to Abraham were more than fancied Appearances, in that they eat and drank with him. The Devil conveyed Chrift from place to place, this could not be a fancy or Imagination : their begging leave to go into the Swine, fhews them real Exiftences.

Secondly, From the real Effects done by them. We have undoubted Testimonies of Men really hurt and tormented by Satan.. Of fome really fnatch'd away, and carried a great diftance from their Dwellings. Of others poffeffed, in whom the Devil really fpeaks audible Voices, and strange Languages, gives notice of things past, and fometime of things to come. The Oracles of the Heathen, (which however they were for the most part falfe or delufory, yet) in that they were refponfes from Images and Idols, were more than Phantafms.

Thirdly,

Thirdly, From what the Scripture peaks every-where of thera. Of their Malice and Cruelty. That Devils are Martberers from the beginning. Their daily waiting how they may devour. Their Arts, Wiles and Stratagems. Their Names and Appellations, when filed Principalities, Powers, Spiritual Wickedneffes. The Prince of the Power of the Air, and a great many more to that purpofe, fhew that without apparent folly and dotage, we cannot interpret thefe of Motions only upon the minds and fancies of Men: Befides, the Scripture fpeaks of the Offices of good Angels, as their Dan. 7. 10. ftanding continually before the Throne, their beholding the face of God, their accompanying Chrift at his fecond coming, their gathering the Elect from the four Winds, &c. which cannot be understood of any thing elfe, but real and permanent beings; and this is alfo an evidence that Devils are, feeing the Scripture mentions their fall, and their punishment.

Fourthly, Seeing alfo the Scripture condemned the Opinion of the Sadducees, the contrary of that Opinion must be true; and expressly in Aus 12.9. That which was done by an Angel, is oppofed to what might be Vifional or Imaginary.

Fifthly, The reality of Devils, and their Malignity hath been the opinion of Heathens. For there is nothing more common among them than the belief of inferiour Deities, which they called δαιμονες σε δαιμόνια, that is Devils; and notwithftanding Mede Apoft. that they fuppofed thefe to be Mediators to the fupream Gods, latter Times, yet they learned to diftinguifh them into good and evil. The Platonists thought that the fouls of Tyrants after death became Lemures Auguft. de & Larve, that is hurtful Devils; and at laft, the name Devil beCiv. Dei. 1.9. came of fo bad a fignification, that to say, thou hast a Devil, was Reproach and not Praife; but what these groped at in the dark, the Scripture doth fully determine, ufing the word Devil only for a Malignant Spirit.

P. 19.

C. II. & c.19.

CHAP.

CHAP. VIII

Several

Of Satan's Cunning and Graft in the general. Demonftrations proving Satan to be Deceitful, And of the Reasons why he makes use of his Gunning.

WE have taken a furvey of our Adverfaries Strength, and

this will open the way to a clearer difcovery of his. Subtilty and Craft, which is his great Engine by which he works all his Tyranny and Cruelty in the World, to the ruine or prejudice of the fouls of Men; of which the Apostle (in 2 Cor.2.11.) 2 Cor. 2.11 fpeaks, as a thing known by the common experience of all difcerning Perfons; his way is to over-reach and take Advantages, and for this end he useth Devices, and Stratagems, which is a thing fo ordinary with him, that none can be ignorant of the truth of its We are not ignorant of bis Devices.

7

This (before I come to the particulars) I fhall prove and illuftrate in the general, by the gradual procedure of these few following Confiderations.

Firft, All the Malice, Power, Cruelty, and Diligence of which we have spoken, with all the advantages of Multitude, Order and Knowledge, by which thefe cruel Qualifications are heightned. These are but his Furniture and Accomplishment which fit him for his fubtile Contrivances of Delufion, and make him able to deceive, neither hath he any use of his Power and Knowledge but in reference to Deceit, in Eph. 6. 11, 12, (which is a place wherein the Apostle doth of purpose prefent Satan in his way of dealing with Men) his whofe practice is fet forth under the term and notion of Arts and Wiles; that you may be able to stand against the Wiles of the Devil. This is the whole work of Satan, against which the furniture of that Spiritual Armour is requifites and left any should think that his Power or Wickedness are. other diftinct things in him, which are to be provided againft by other means of help, he prefently adds, that thefe are no otherwise used by him but in order to his Wiles and Cunning, and therefore pot

to be looked upon as diftinct, though indeed to be confidered in conjunction with his Subtilty and Cunning, as things that make his Wiles the more dangerous and hazardous; For we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood, but against Principalities, against Powers, against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World, against Spiritual Wickedness in high places; which words do but strengthen the Apostles Warning and Caution about the forementioned Wiles, which are therefore the more carefully to be observed and watched againft, because his Power is fo great that he can contrive Snares with the greatest Skill and Art imaginable; and his Wickedness is fo great, that we cannot expect either Honefty or Modefty fhould reftrain him from making the vilest and most difingenuous Propofals, nor from attesting a conveniency or goodness in his Motions, with the higheft confidence of most notorious Lying.

Secondly, The Subtilty that the Scriptures do attribute to Sin, or to the Heart, is moftly and chiefly intended to reflect upon Satan as the Author and Contriver of thefe Deceits. In Heb. 3.13. there is mention of the deceitfulness of Sin, but 'tis evident that something else (befides Sin) is intended, to which Deceitfulness muft Vid. Barlow be properly afcribed; for Sin being (as most conclude) formalExer. Metaph. ly a Privation, or if we should grant it a Pofitive Being, (as fome contend,) yet feeing the higheft notion we can arrive at this way, Flac. Script. (excluding but the figment of Flacius Illiricus, who seems to Tract.6 p.479. make Original Sin indiftinct from the very Effence of the Soul)

Exer. 2.

is but to call it an Act. Deceitfulness cannot be properly attributed to it, but with reference to him who orders that A& in a way of Deceitfulness and Delufion, which ultimately will bring it to Satans door: if here the deceitfulness of Sin be devolved upon the Subject, then it runs into the fame fenfe with Jer. 17.9. The Heart is deceitful above all things: But why is the deceitfulness fixed upon the Heart? The ground of that we have in the next words, it is deceitful, because it is wicked, defperately wicked. But who then inflames and fiirs up the Heart to this Wickedness? Is it not Satan? Who then is the proper Author of Deceit but he? 'Tis true indeed, that our Hearts are proper Fountains of Sin, (and fo may be accufed poffibly in fome cafes where Satan cannot be justly blamed;) yet if we confider Deceitfulness as a Companion of every Sin, though our Hearts be to be blamed for the Sin, Sa tan will be found guilty of the deceitfulneß. It may be faida Man complyes with thofe things which are intended for his delufion,

and

and fo improperly by his negligence may fall under blame of Selfdeception, but 'tis unimaginable that he can properly and formally intend to deceive bimfelf. Deceit then not being from Sin, nor our felves properly,can find out no other Parent for it self than Satan. Befides this, that these Texts, upon a rational Enquiry do charge Satan with the deceitfulness of Sin: they do over and above point at the known and conftant way of Satan, working fo commonly by Delufion, that Deceitfulness is a clofe Companion of every Sin. The deceitfulneß of Sin, is as much as the deceitfulneß of every fin. Nay further, that Text of Jer. 17. fhews this Deceitfulnes not to be an ordinary Sleight, but the greatest of all Deceits above meafure, and of an unfearchable depth or Mystery, who can know it?

be

Thirdly, All Adis of Sin (fome way or other) come thorow Satans Fingers. I do not fay that all Sin is Satan's proper offfpring, for we have a curfed ftock of our own; and it may faid of us, (as elsewhere of Satan,) fometime we fin out of our own Inclination and Difpofition; yet in every Sin, whether it arife from us, or the World, Satan blows the sparks, and manageth all. As David faid to the Woman of Tekoah, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? So may we fay, is not the hand of Satan with thee in every Sin thou committeft? This is fo eminently true, that the Scripture indifferently afcribes the Sin fometimes to us, fometimes to the Devil. It was Peter's fin to tempt Chrift to decline Suffering, yet Chrift repelling it with this Rebuke, Get thee behind me Satan, doth plainly accuse both Peter Matth. 16. 23. and Satan. 'Tis the perfonal fin of a Man to be angry, yet in

fuch acts he gives place to the Devil, both Man and Satan concur Ephef. 4. 26. in it. Paul's Thorn in the Flesh (what ever Sin it was) he calls z Cor. 12.7. Satans Meffenger: he that fubmits not to God, doth in that com

ply with Satan; as on the contrary, he that doth fubmit himself Jam. 4. 7. to God, doth refift the Devil.

Neither doth that expreffion of the Apoftle, Fam. 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own luft, &c. give any contradiction to this; 'tis not the Apostle's defign to exclude Satan, but to include Man as juftly culpable, notwithstanding Satan's Temptations; and that which he afferts is this, that there is Sin and a Temptation truly prevalent when there is the leaft confent of our luft or defire, and that it is that brings the blame upon us; so that his purpose is not to excuse Satan, or to deny