SECT. V.
Proof from the Apparitions of evil Spirits, recorded in Scripture.
Those I have mentioned hitherto, have been good and benign Spirits, but evil Spirits have also appeared, and sensibly had to do with Mankind. My first Instance of this, is one of the first Businesses that was in the World, the Temptation of Eve by the Devil in the Serpent; an Argument which those that adhere to the Letter of those three first Chapters cannot avoid. Evil Angels were sent among the Egyptians, Psal. 78. 49. and those passed through and smote the Land; but the Destroyers viz. the evil Angels were not permitted to come into the Israelites Houses, Exod. 12. 23. When God asked Satan whence he came, Job 1. 7. he answered, from going to and fro in the Earth. By Divine Permission he raised the great Wind that blew down the House upon Job's Children, v. 19. and smote his Body all over with Boils, Job 2. 7. He tempted our Saviour in an external sensible way, carrying him from place to place, and urging the Son of God to Worship him, Mat. 4. But more of this will appear by considering the second Head proposed, viz. Possession of evil Spirits.
SECT. VI.
Proofs from Possessions of evil Spirits, and that they were not Diseases, as the Witch-Advocates would have them.
That such Possessions have been, we find frequently and plainly delivered in the History of the Gospel, and so often, that I shall not need to recite Particulars. The Evasion that the Witch-Advocates have for this, is, That the Devils and unclean Spirits spoken of in those places, which our Saviour is said to have cast out, were strange and uncommon Diseases, which the Jews thought to be Devils, and Christ who
