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session of his heart, and influenced him to speak in that manner, to prevent truth from dethroning of him; and so it seemed to fall out; for soon after this he became quite violent, and so desperately mischievous, that he aimed at the life of his wife and children, and would not hear the Lord's name mentioned, or even a prayer put up for him; and thus he died.

I knew a man at Cranbrook, in the wild of Kent, named Thomas Fielder, who fell in love with a woman, but not obtaining her, he lost his senses; and from that time he would talk about scripture from morning till night; but before his madness came on him, he never used to speak a word about it that ever I heard of. The devil knows how to mimic religion, or else where do all our tribes of hypocrites come from? and who influences them, that they deceive so many good men? Why, the same that influenced Ananias and Şapphira. Peter tells you that Satan filled their hearts. As for the madman's quoting the scriptures, it is no wonder at all; the devil can fill his head with scripture on purpose to deceive poor simple people. The devil is not ignorant of scripture; our Saviour shews us this plain enough, when he mentions how many suitable passages he brought to him when he tempted him; first in the wilderness, then on the pinnacle of the temple, then on the mount. If the scriptures were then extant, one would be inclined to think that Satan had his eye on a certain passage, when he

tempted Job to curse God; and Satan knew that if he could have gained this point with Job, he should have him safe enough. The passage is in Levit. xxiv. 15. "And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God, shall bear his sin." The devil knew there was no pardon promised for that sin, therefore he laboured the harder. When the devil deceived Adam and Eve, he brought the word of God in his mouth. God had commanded the man, saying, "But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Satan quoted twice from this passage; "Yea, hath God said," mark that, hath God said, "Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" The devil quoted again, and contradicted the command; "Ye shall not surely die." I shall have reason to bless God as long as I live, for bringing me through so many temptations; for I declare there are numbers of professors in London, who constantly attend the gospel, that do not know the works of God from the works of the devil. The scriptures inform us, that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: and if there is a man in the world that can prove that the comfortable testimony of Christ Jesus ever rested in the heart of a man mad, or ever made any man mad, let him answer this letter; and if God enables me, I will answer him. A man under his first awakenings may be ready to lose his rationality, especially if he be delivered

up to the temptations of Satan, as the incestuous person was, for the destruction of fleshly lusts; as you read, 1 Cor. v. 4, &c. But depend upon it, that if ever the Holy Ghost brings the criminal out of his bondage into liberty, he regenerates the faculties of such a soul. This I know by happy experience.

For a person to suppose that the spirit of love and of a sound mind dwells in the heart of a madman, is as great an absurdity as to say, that eternal darkness reigns in heaven; or that the sun of righteousness shines in hell.

As for his speaking many truths, that has no weight with me. I believe the devils know when they shall be finally tormented, which you and I do not; as appears from their question put to Christ.: "Art thou come to torment us before the time? we know who thou art, the Holy One of God." I believe that those assertions which Satan mentioned, to be true, where preventing grace is withheld; "Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life." I believe that the evil spirit that followed Paul, and others of his companions, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, that shew unto us the way of salvation;" I say, I believe the devil told the truth; nevertheless Paul rebuked him; and cast him out, as you read, Acts xvi. 17, 18.

It is strange indeed, to think, that a man who, when in his senses, was an Arminian in principle; one that exalts himself to the dishonour of God; who has left his wife and family; lost his senses; lives as a parish charge; whose whole employ is in childish idolatry; who has cast away all hope; and tells us, that if God does not save him through Christ, he will tell him he is a liar (when I know there are many that never. will be saved through Christ, and yet God will be true, and every man a liar); I say, it is not strange that such a monster should be called a prophet of God? I believe if that devil that followed Paul was to preach the same doctrine in our day, as he did then, he would not only be called a prophet, but even the Messiah; "For many," says Christ, "shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many."

Excuse my long letter: I should not have written so much, if I had not been a little inflamed with your curiosity, Sir. "Try the spirits, whether they are of God; for many false spirits are gone out into the world, therefore believe not every spirit." If the testimony of God's word, and that of God's Spirit in a purged conscience, be not sufficient, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Farewell; the God of love and peace be with thee; while I remain in cordial affection, reverend Sir,

Thine to command in all godliness,

W. H.

LETTER XII.

Winchester Row.

DEAR SIR,

YOURS

OURS came to hand, which I have carefully perused; and I own that the fresh reports which you have heard of this prophet go current with us in London, for I have often heard of the same, And as you say in yours, That he is able, as soon as a person comes into the room, to tell whether he be a saint, a public minister of the gospel, or a wicked man: and that he has begun to exclaim violently against some of his attendants, and to tell them heavy tidings; who it seems are reported to be people of an indifferent character.'

The other report also I have heard, namely, about his telling a certain man that he would receive an accident from a beast on such a day, if he did not take care; which, as was reported, came

to pass.

But all this is no more than the devil has done before; this is no new feat of Satan; I can find in the word of God that these things have been performed of old. Satan has acknowledged a gospel minister, and reproved a sinner too, before now.