A mirrour or looking-glasse both for saints and sinners held forth in about two thousand examples wherein is presented as Gods wonderful mercies to the one, so his severe judgments against the other collected out of the most classique authors both ancient and modern with some late examples observed by my self : whereunto are added the wonders of nature and the rare ... / by Sa. Clark ...

CHAP. LXXIII. Examples of Apparitions, and Satanical delusions.

ANno Christi 1228. in a Synod held by the Po∣pish [ 1] Clergy at Paris in France, there was one appointed to make a Sermon, who as he was walk∣ing abroad, and meditating upon what subject to preach, the Devil appeared to him, asking him what he needed to be so solicitous about that mat∣ter: Say (saith he) in thy Sermon, The Princes of hell salute you, O ye Princes of the Church, and gladly give you thanks, for that through your default, and negli∣gence it comes to passe, that so many soules come down to hell. Adding, that he was enforced by God to declare the same: Yea, and he gave this Priest a certain token, whereby the Synod might evidently see that he did not lie.

On a time as Luther was walking in his garden, [ 2] the Devil appeared to him in the likenesse of a black Boar: But Luther sleighting, and not re∣garding him, he vanished away.

See his Life in my first Part.

Luther telleth us, that when he was lodged in [ 3] the Castle of Wartzhurg in a Chamber far from any company, he was many times molested by noises made by the Devil in his Chamber, and on his staires: but I (saith he) encountred him with that sentence, Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus, Thou hast put

all things in subjection under his feet: and so I laid me down, and slept in safety. Collo. Mens.

Another of the German Divines in Luther's time [ 4] as he was sitting at his book in his study, the Devil appeared, looking over his shoulder, which the Minister perceiving, took a piece of paper, and wrote in it, The Son of God came to dissolve the works of the Devil: and so holding up that paper to the Devil, he vanished.

Senerclaus tells of a plain Countrey man at Fri∣burg [ 5] in Germany, to whom, as he lay on his death∣bed, the Devil appeared in the shape of a tall, and grimme man, claiming his soul, saying, Thou hast been a notorious sinner, and I am now come to set down all thy sins, and thereupon drew out paper and ink, and sitting down at a Table that stood by, began to write. The sick man said; My soul is Christs, and all my sins were nailed to his Crosse; But if thou desirest to set down my sins, write thus: All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. The Devil set that down, and bade him say on. He did; But thou, Lord, hast promised for thine own Names sake to blot out all our iniquities: And to make our scarlet sins white as snow. The Devill would not write these words, but was earnest with the man to go on in his former confession. Then said the sick man with great cheerfulnesse; The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the Devil: whereupon the Devil vanished, and shortly after the sick man dyed.

Mr. White of Dorchester being a member of the [ 6] Assembly of Divines was appointed Minister of Lambeth; but for the present could get no conve∣nient house to dwell in, but one that was possessed by the Devil: This he took; and not long after his maid sitting up late, the Devil appeared to her,

whereupon in a great fright she ran up to tell her Master; He bid her get to bed, saying; She was well served for sitting up so late: Presently after the Devil appeared to Mr. White himself stand∣ing at his beds feet: To whom Mr. White said; If thou hast nothing else to do▪ thou mayest stand there still; And I will betake my self to my rest: and according∣ly composing himself to sleep, the Devill vanish∣ed.

Not long since at Stetin a University in Pomera∣nia [ 7] there was a young Student, that upon some discontent gave himself to the Devil, and made a bond upon the Contract, which, that it might not come to the knowledge of any, he laid up in one of his books: But it pleased God some time after, that another Student wanting that book upon some occasion knew not where to get it: at last he re∣membred that such an one had it, whereupon he went to him, and borrowed it of him, the young man having forgotten that he had put this bond in∣to it. The other when he came home, began to turn over the book, and there met with the bond, and reading of it was much affrighted, and not knowing what to do, he went to Dr. Cramerus a Professor of Divinity in that University, to ask his advice, who wished him to keep the bond: the other replied that he durst not; Then said the Dr. bring it to me, and I will keep it. Some few nights after as the Dr. was in his study, the Devill came rapping at his study door, saying, Cramer, Cramer, give me by bond, for it belongs to me, and thou hast no∣thing to do with it. To whom the Dr. answered; Satan, Satan, thou shalt not have the bond, thou hast nothing to do with it, I have put it where thou canst not fetch it; For it is in my Bible at the third

Chapter of Genesis; where these words are, The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head: upon this the Devil (taking his Chamber-window with him) went his way.

Crescentius the Popes Legate at the Councill of [ 8] Trent, as he was upon a time writing Letters till mid-night to the Pope; being about to rise to re∣fresh himself, there came in a great black dog, with flaming eyes, and eares hanging almost to the ground, which came to the Table where he sate, and then vanished: the Cardinal affrighted called in his servants, caused them to look about the Cham∣ber for the Dog, and when they could not find him, he immediately fell sick, and in his sicknesse was alwaies calling upon those about him to drive away the dog that clumbe upon his bed, and so con∣tinued till he dyed. Sleid. Comment.

Anno Christi 1653. about the moneth of October, [ 9] came some Quakers out of the North into Wales about V••rexham, endeavouring to winne some pro∣fessours to their party: Their principal design was to disgrace the Ministry, and all publick Ordinances. They held universal Redemption, Free-will, and falling from Grace: they published that all men have the pure seed of God in them: boasting that themselves were perfect, and without sin: that they knew at the first sight sincere Christians from hy∣pocrites. At their meetings after long silence, sometimes one, sometimes more fell into a great and dreadfull shaking, and trembling in their whole bodies, and all their joynts with such risings, and swellings in their bellies, and bowels, sending forth such shreekings, yellings, howlings, and roarings, as not onely affrighted the spectators, but caused the Dogs to bark, the swine to cry, and the Cattell to

run about, to the astonishment of all that heard them. By these artifices one VVilliam Spencer was drawn by them to leave the Church, and to follow them, whereupon at several times he fell into the same quaking fits: And lying with one of them three severall nights; the last night being much troubled, and not able to sleep, upon a sudden he heard something buzzing, and humming about the Quakers head like an humble Bee, which did sore affright him, whereupon he sought to rise: but the Quaker perswaded him to lie still: and imme∣diately there arose a great wind, and storm, which shook the house wherein they lay: which adding much to his former fear, he again attempted to arise: but the Quaker still pressed him to lie still, perswading him to expect the Power to come (which they often promise to their Proselytes,) and thereupon he again heard the former humming noise which more and more terrified him, so that he strove vehemently to rise, but the Quaker laid his head upon Spencer's shoulder, and did blow hard like the hissing of a Goose several times towards his face, or mouth, which made him leap out of his bed in a great astonishment, crying for a light, and guide to conduct him to a neighbours house: and upon this occasion left them altogether, testifying the truth hereof to the Quaker's face before many witnesses, the Quaker not denying it. Attested un∣der several hands.

See the like in the Chapter of Heresies.