rdeals_ then in
fashion) walked blindfold over a great many of glowing hot Irons without
touching any of them. _Voetius_ in his [41]Disputation of _Spectres_
proposeth that Question, whether the Devil may not untruly personate a
Godly Man, and answers in the Affirmative: And withal adds, that it is a
sufficient Argument (_ad hominem_) to answer the Papists with their own
Histories, which give Instances of Satan's appearing in the Figure of
Saints, nay of Christ himself. And in his Discourse concerning the
_Operations of Daemons_[42] he has the like _Problem_, whether the Devil
may not possibly put on the shape of a true Believer, a real Saint, not
only of such as are dead, but still living, and answers, _Quidni?_ Why
not? It is true Popish _Casuists_[43] do generally incline to the
Negative in this Question: Nevertheless, the Instance of _Germanus_, who
saw a Company of honest People represented by the Devil, as if they had
been feasting together, when they were really asleep in their Beds, does
a little puzzle them, so as that they are necessitated to take up with
this Conclusion, [44]_That by an extraordinary Permission of God,
innocent Persons may be represented by Satan in the Nocturnal
Conventicles of Witches:_ And if so, much more as afflicting bewitched
Persons. _Delrio_ giveth an account of an innocent Monk, whose
Reputation was indangered by a _Daemon's_ appearing in his shape. He
writes more like a Divine than Jesuits use to do, when he saith that,
[45]_It is not absolutely to be denied, but that the Devils may exhibite
the Forms of innocent Persons, if God permit it, who when he does permit
it, usually by some Providence discovers the Fraud of the Devils, that
so the Innocent may be vindicated, or if not, it is to bring them to
repentance for some Sin, or to try their Patience._ It is rare to see
such Words dropping from the Pen of a Jesuit: As for Protestant Writers,
I cannot call to mind one of any Note, that does deny the Possibility
of the Affirmative, in the Question before us. Dr. _Henkelius_ has
lately [46]published a learned and elaborate Discourse concerning the
right Method of curing such as are obsessed with _Cacodaemons_, in which
he asserts, that _Satan may possibly assume the Form of innocent and
pious Persons, that so he might thereby destroy their Reputations, and
expose them to undue Punishments._ As for our _English_ Divines, there
are not many greater _Casuists_ than Mr. _Perkins_; nor do I k