Part 37

The Minister, thinking that he had spoken it to him, said, "He took it not ill to be reviled by Satan, since his Master had troden that path before him."

Answered Satan, "It was not you, sir, I spoke it to; I meant by the dog there," for there was a dog standing behind backs.

This passing, they all went to prayer, which being ended, they heard a voice speaking out of the ground from under a bed in the proper countrey dialect, which he did counterfeit exactly, saying, "Would you know the witches of Glenluce? I will tell you them"--and so related four or five persons' names that went under a bad report.

The Weaver informed the company that one of them was dead long ago.

The Devil answered and said, "It is true, she is dead long ago, but her spirit is living with us in the world."

The Minister replied, saying (though it was not convenient to speak to such an excommunicat and intercommuned person), "The Lord rebuke thee, Satan, and put thee to silence; we are not to receive information from thee whatsoever fame any person goes under; thou are seeking to seduce this family, for Satan's kingdom is not divided against itself."

After which all went to prayer again, which being ended (for during the time of prayer no noise or trouble was made, except once that a loud fearful youel was heard at a distance) the Devil with many threatnings boasted and terrified the lad Tom, who had come back that day with the Minister, that if he did not depart out of the house he would set all on fire.

The Minister answered and said, "The Lord will preserve the house and the lad too, seeing he is one of the family and hath God's warrant to tarry in it."

The Fiend answered, "He shall not get liberty to tarry; he was once put out already, and shal not abide here, though I should pursue him to the end of the world."

The Minister replied, "The Lord will stop thy malice against him."

And then they all went to prayer again, which being ended, the Devil said, "Give me a spade and a shovel, and depart from the house for seven days, and I will make a grave and ly down in it, and shall trouble you no more."

The goodman answered, "Not so much as a straw shal be given thee through God's assistance, even though that would do it." The Minister also added, "God shal remove thee in due time."

The Spirit answered, "I will not remove for you; I have my commission from Christ to tarry and vex this family."

The Minister answered, "A permission thou hast indeed, but God will stop it in due time."

The Devil replied, "I have, sir, a commission which perhaps will last longer than your own."

The Minister died in the year 1655, in December. The Devil had told them that he had given his commission to Tom to keep.

The company enquired at the lad, who said there was a something put into his pocket, but it did not tarry.

After this the Minister and the gentlemen arose and went to the place whence the voice seemed to come, to try if they could see or find any thing. After diligent search, nothing being found, the gentlemen began to say, "We think this voice speaks out of the children," for some of them were in their beds.

The Foul-Spirit answered, "You lie; God shall judge you for your lying, and I and my father will come and fetch you to hell with warlock thieves:" and so the Devil discharged the gentlemen to speak any thing, saying, "Let him speak that hath a commission (meaning the Minister), for he is the servant of God."

The gentlemen, returning back with the Minister, sat down near the place whence the voice seemed to come, and he opening his mouth spake to them after this manner: "The Lord will rebuke this spirit in his own time and cast it out."

The Devil answering, said, "It is written in the 9th of Mark, The Disciples could not cast him out."

The Minister replyed, "What the Disciples could not do, yet the Lord, having hightned the parents' faith, for His own glory did cast him out and so shall He thee."

The Devil replyed, "It is written in the 4th of Luke, 'And He departed and left him for a season.'"

The Minister said, "The Lord in the dayes of His humiliation not only got the victory over Satan in that assault in the wilderness, but when he came again his success was no better, for it is written (John 14), 'Behold the Prince of this World cometh and hath nothing in me,' and being now in glory He will fulfil His promise, and (Rom. 16) 'God shal bruise Satan under your feet shortly.'"

The Devil answered, "It is written (Matth. 25) 'There were ten virgins, five wise & five foolish; and the bridegroom came, the foolish virgins had no oyl in their lamps, and went unto the wise to seek oyl, and the wise said, Go and buy for your selves; and while they went the bridegroom came and entered in, and the door was shut, and the foolish virgins were sent to hell's fire.'"

The Minister answered, "The Lord knows the sincerity of His servants, and though there be sin and folly in us here, yet there is a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness. When He hath washen us and pardoned our sins for His name's sake He will cast the unclean spirit out of the land."

The Devil answered and said, "Sir, you should have cited for that place of Scripture the 13 chap. of Zech.," and so he began at the first verse and repeated several verses, and concluded with these words, "'In that day I will cause the prophet and the unclean spirit pass out of the land'; but afterwards it is written, 'I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.'"

The Minister answered and said, "Well are we that our blessed Shepherd was smitten, and thereby hath bruised thy head, and albeit in the hour of His sufferings His Disciples forsook Him (Matth. 26). Yet now having ascended on high He sits in glory, and is preserving, gathering in, and turning His hand upon His little ones, and will save His poor ones in this family from thy malice."