through God’s assistance, even though that would do it.” The minister also added: “God shall 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 inquired at the lad, who said: “There was something put into his pocket, but it did not tarry.”’ After a great deal of the like talk with the unseen tormentor, ending with a declaration from him that he was an evil spirit come from the bottomless pit to vex this house, and that Satan was his father, ‘there appeared a naked hand, and an arm from the elbow down, beating upon the floor till the house did shake again.’ This the minister attested, and also that he heard the voice, saying: ‘Saw you that? It was not my hand--it was _my father’s_; my hand is more black in the loof [palm].’ [Sidenote: 1654.] Sinclair, who relates these things,[172] states that he received them from a son of Campbell who was at Glasgow College with him. ‘I must here insert,’ he adds, ‘what I heard from one of the ministers of that presbytery, who were appointed to meet at the weaver’s house for prayer and other exercises of that kind. When the day came, five only met; but, before they went in, they stood a while in the croft, which lies round about the house, consulting what to do. They resolved upon two things: First, There should be no words of conjuration used, as commanding him in the name of God to tell whence he was, or to depart from the family, for which they thought they had no call from God; Secondly, That when the devil spoke, none should answer him, but hold on in their worshipping of God, and the duties they were called to. When all of them had prayed by turns, and three of them had spoken a word or two from the Scripture, they prayed again, and then ended, without any disturbance. When that brother who informed me had gone out, one Hugh Nisbit, one of the company, came running after him, desiring him to come back, for he had begun to whistle. “No,” says the other, “I tarried as long as God called me; but go in again I will not.” After this, the said Gilbert suffered much loss, and had many sad nights, not two nights in one week free; and thus it continued until April. From April to July, he had some respite and ease; but after, he was molested with new assaults. Even their victuals were so abused, that the family was in hazard of starving; and that which they ate gave them not their ordinary satisfaction they were wont to find. [Sidenote: 1654.]