de Satan from all Concern in such
Things; and (2.) Because I shall dismiss the Question with so very short
an Answer, namely, that we may determine which are and which are not the
_Devil_'s, by the Errand they come upon; every one to his own Business;
if it comes of a good Errand, you may certainly acquit the _Devil_ of
it, conclude him innocent, and that he has no hand in it; if it comes of
a wicked and devilish Errand, you may e'en take him up upon Suspicion,
'tis ten to one but you find him at the Bottom of it.

Next to Apparitions, we find Mankind disturb'd by abundance of little
odd reserv'd Ways which the _Devil_ is shrewdly suspected of having a
Hand in, such as _Dreams_, _Noises_, _Voices_, &c. smells of Brimstone,
Candles burning blue, and the like.

As to Dreams, I have nothing to say in Satan's Prejudice at all there; I
make no Question but he deals very much in that Kind of Intelligence,
and why should he not? we know _Heaven_ it self formerly converst very
often with the greatest of Men, by the same Method, and the _Devil_ is
known to mimick the Methods, as well as the Actions of his Maker;
whether Heaven has not quite left off that Way of working, we are not
certain; but we pretty well know the _Devil_ has not left it, and I
believe some Instances may be given where his Worship has been really
seen and talk'd to in sleep, as much as if the Person had been awake
with his Eyes open.

These are to be distinguish'd too, pretty much by the Goodness or
Badness of the Subject; how often have Men committed Murther, Robbery
and Adultery in a Dream, and at the same time except an extraordinary
Agitation of the Soul, and express'd by extraordinary Noises in the
Sleep, by violent Sweating and other such Ways, the Head has never been
remov'd from the Pillow, or the Body so much as turn'd in the Bed?

Whether in such Cases, the Soul with all the Passions and Affections
being agitated, and giving their full assent to the Facts, of whatever
Kind soever, the Man is not as guilty as if the Sins so dream'd of his
committing, had been actually committed? tho' it be no Doubt to me, but
that it is so, yet as it is foreign to the present Affair, and not at
all relating to the _Devil_'s History, I leave it to the Reverend
Doctors of the Church, as properly belonging to them to decide.

I knew a Person who the _Devil_ so haunted with naked Women, fine
beautiful Ladies in Bed with him, and Ladies of his Acquaintance too,
offer