.NDI.MjIzNDE

never Suffer this to God. For both in former and in latter ages examples hereof have not been wanting. no longer since then the last winter ther was much discourse in London concerning a Gentle woman unto whom her dead Son (and another whom she knew not) had disappeared. Being then in London I was willing to Satisfie my Self by Inquiring into the [2 crossed out words] truth of what was reported. And February 23 1691. my Brother (who is now a Pastor to a congregation in that city) and I discoursed the Gentle woman Spoken of. She told us that a Son of hers who had been a very Civil young man, but more Airy in his temper than was pleasing to his Serious Mother, being dead She was much concerned in her thoughts about his condition in the other world. But a fortnight after his death he appeard unto her, saying, mother you are soli citory [crossed out: of] about my Eternal welfare, trouble your self no more for I am happy. & so vanished. Should this be a continuall intercourse between the visible & the invisi [word carried over] ble world, would breed confusion. But thonow to in [for?] that the great ruler of this Universe will never permitt anything of this nature to be, is an in--[word carried over] consequent conclusion. Let me further addhere it has [word crossed out: illegible] very Seldom been known that Satan has personated an inocent man doing an ill thing. but [crossed out word: God] Providence hath found out Some way for their vindication Either they have been able to prove that they wer in another place when that [fact?] was doing or the Like. so that perhaps there [word crossed out] [illegible] never was an instance of any inocent person condemned, in any court of judicature on Earth, only [know?] Satan deluding & imposing on the ima [word carried over] ginations of men, when never the [life?] the witnesses, Juries & Judges were all to be excused from blame.