The Certainty of the World of Spirits Fully Evinced

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1834 edition. Excerpt: ... to the reader's judgment. As also the Lady of Lauretto's miracles, and others such, which many in my " Unreasonahleness of Infidelity," having many other testimonies of Satan's war against Christ and his kingdom, I will here mention one, which elsewhere also I have mentioned; and that is the case of melancholy, distracted, and enthusiastick persons, which clearly prove a diabolical war. L As to melancholy persons. I think few man in England have had more advantage to know their case than I have had. I know not how it H cometh to pass, but in the country, and in London, multitudes that are melancholy are sent by their friends, or of themselves come to me, imagining that I can counsel them for soul and body; so that they have taken up a great part of my tima. And in almost all I perceive, besides their disease, that a malignant spirit, by advantage of it, doth agitate them incessantly against God and Jesus Christ, and against themselves, as he acteth witches to do mischief to others. I know that the disease helf is, to the imagination, as disquieting as a dislocation or lameness is to a joint: but there is some malignant spirit that driveth it so importunately to mischief. They are constantly tempted to self-tormenting thoughts, to despair, and cry, " Undone, undone;" and to think that the day of grace is past, and that they have committed the unpardonable sin, and any thing that may keep their minds on a tormenting rack. And they are strongly at last tempted to destroy themselves. If they see a knife, they feel as if oaf within them said, " Now cut thy throat, or stab thyself: do it, do it.' If they go by a wate, they feel as if one urged them presently to leap in. And often are they urged vehemently to hang themselves, or to cast...