_I beseech the Almighty God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, that he
permit a wicked Spirit, to make thee feel as many Torments before thy
Death, as thou hast caused me to feel before mine:_ Scarce four days
were past after this horrible Fact, when the Almighty Judge gave
Permission to the Father of Wickedness to possess the Body of that cruel
Master, and to make him lacerate his own Flesh until he died, belike
surrendring his Ghost into the Hands of the infernal Spirit, who had
tormented his Body: But of this Tragical Story enough.

To proceed, Is it not usual for Persons after their Death to appear unto
the Living: But it does not therefore follow, that the great God will
not suffer this to be: For both in former and latter Ages, Examples
thereof have not been wanting: No longer since than the last Winter,
there was much discourse in _London_ concerning a Gentlewoman, unto whom
her dead Son (and another whom she knew not) had appeared: Being then
in _London_, I was willing to satisfie my self, by enquiring into the
Truth of what was reported; and on _Febr. 23. 1691._ my Brother (who is
now a Pastor to a Congregation in that City) and I discoursed the
Gentlewoman spoken of; she told us, that a Son of hers, who had been a
very civil young Man, but more airy in his Temper than was pleasing to
his serious Mother, being dead, she was much concerned in her Thoughts
about his Condition in the other World; but a Fortnight after his Death
he appeared to her, saying, _Mother you are solicitous about my
Spiritual Welfare; trouble your self no more, for I am happy_, and so
vanished; should there be a continual Intercourse between the Visible
and Invisible World, it would breed Confusion. But from thence to infer,
that the great Ruler of the Universe will never permit any thing of this
nature to be, is an inconsequent Conclusion; it is not usual for Devils
to be permitted to come and violently carry away persons through the
Air, several miles from their Habitations: Nevertheless, this was done
in _Sweedland_ about twenty Years ago, by means of a cursed Knot of
Witches there. And a learned Physician now living, giveth an account of
several Children, who by Diabolical Frauds were stollen from their
Parents, and others left in their room: And of two, that in the
night-time a Line was by invisible Hands put about their Necks, with
which they had been strangled, but that some near them happily prevented
it. _V. Germ. Ephem. Anno 1689._ pag