5. _That when the Divine Being will imploy the Agency of Evil Spirits for any service, 'tis with him the manner how they shall exhibit themselves, whether to the bodily Eye, or Intellect only; and whether it shall be more or less formidable--To deny these three last were to make the Devil an Independent Power and consequently a God. As to the nature of possessions by Evil Spirits, for the better understanding of it, it may be needful to compare it with its contraries; and to instance in_ Samson, _of whom it was foretold, that he should begin to deliver_ Israel, and how was he inabled to this work? Judges xiii. 25. _The Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the Camp, &c. ch._ xv. 13, 14. v. and they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock, and when they came to Lehi, [80] the Philistines shouted against him, and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his Arms became as Flax, that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from his hands, _&c. I might instance further, but this may suffice to show that he had more than a natural strength, as also whence his strength was, viz. he was impowered by the Spirit from God. And now will any say, that it was not Samson, but the Spirit that did these things, or that there being things done, bonds broken, &c. by a force that could not proceed from human strength, and that therefore the Spirit entered into him otherwise qualified than as meer Spirit; or that the Spirit entered not without some Portion of Matter, and by the Intermediation thereof acted_ Samson's _body. If any say this and more too, this doth not alter the truth, which remains, viz. that the Spirit of God did inable_ Samson _to the doing of things beyond his Natural strength. And now what remains but upon parity of Reason, to apply this to the case of Possession, which may be summ'd up in this sixth Conclusion._ 6. _That God for wise ends, only known to himself, may and has impowered Devils to Possess and strangely to act humane Bodies, even to the doing of things beyond the Natural strength of that body. And for any to tell of a Vehicle, or matter used in it, I must observe that General Rule_, Colos. ii. 8. Beware lest any spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of Men, after the Rudiments of the World, and not after Christ. _To come next to that of Witchcraft, and here taking that cited head of Mr._ Gaul, _to be uncontroverted, set it as a seventh Conclusion_.