THE DEVIL IN KENT, OR His strange Delusions AT SANDWICH.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, MDCXLVII.   

Sandwich, May 13, 1647.  
The Examination of John Mowlin of Sandwich, Taylor, taken before Henry Foster Mator, William Wilson, Andrew Goffrich, and others his Majesty's Justices there.  
THe said Examinant saith, that yesterday was five weeks he being at work on his table, there fell from above (to according his own phrase) a power upon him, and that he being well and strong in his joints, was cast into a great depth of mourning, in so much that tears did abundantly gush from him: as he sewed by his wife, there appeared a Vision before him, of which he was ready to demand this question, What are thou? but had not strength to bring it forth: And the first words that were pronounced by the apparition were Thy joy shall be such as no man shall take from thee; upon which words this Examinant had much comfort; and then the Vision which he saw being in the shape of a man in a sad coloured coat without a seam, with a powerful voice said, I am he that have holes in my hands and feet. And the next voice that came from him said, I am α and ω, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last. And the next voice was, Behold, I am even at the very door: which was all that was spoken at that time. And this Examinant was all the night following admiring at what he had seen and heard; and the next morning this Scripture came to his mind. Through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us. And the next day following this Examinant having seen and heard as before, was questioning with himself whether it should be declared to any or not; and about nine of the clock it was told this Examinant, it was given him to declare to those baptised persons with whom he was a member. And the next Lord's day this Examinant was appointed by the Vision to be at one Goody Foreman's house at three of the clock in the afternoon, which he did accordingly perform, where there were present about sixteen persons; viz. Thomas _____, William Wood, Anne Palmer, Goody Higgins, Goody Boykins, Master Bateman, Goody Godfrey of high street, Goody Nokes, John Smith, Henry Stringer, and others whom he knew not: and in the presence of all the parties aforesaid he did declare what before he had expressed. And some of them were great opposites to what this Examinant had spoken; but who they were he doth not well remember: But upon their opposition this Scripture the night following came into his mind, The plowers have made long furrows upon my back; applying this to the opposers aforesaid. And the next night following a word was given him, I have loved thee, see that the appearance of thy love be seen: then said this Examinant, he was constrained to love God, because he had loved him first. And a while after the next words were, that Those whom God had chosen did do whatsoever he commanded them. Then this Examinant questioned with himself what God would have him do, and had an inward suggestion to go to John Foreman's house, and there it should be told him what he should do. And about nine of the clock the last Fast day this Examinant went to Foreman's house where the woman lay upon her bed sick, and sat down; and she asked him if he had any thing to say unto her: and she said, If you have a word to speak, speak it. To which this Examinant gave her no answer: but suddenly after this Examinant asked her how long she had been sick, she answered, three years and three quarters. And the next words of this Examinant were to the woman, Daughter, the same Jesus that appeared to me with holes in his hands and feet make thee every whit whole: and then he went away. And about 3 of the clock in the afternoon following the woman came to the Examinants' house rejoicing; but what her expressions were he knoweth not. And a while after another voice came to this Examinant, and said, Behold she prayeth; and as Ananias was sent to Paul when he prayed, to baptise him, so was this Examinant called forth to dip this woman, whom God had made every whit whole, In the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost: and accordingly he did dip her at Beagrams. And afterward upon another calling, this Examinant did likewise dip one Goody Herwoed, to whom before that this Examinant had been sent: and he said to her first, that The pride of thy heart is an abomination to the Lord. And the next was, Thus saith the Lord, the fourth Angel standeth over thee with fire in his vial to consume thee except thou repent. And the third was, We be to you Hypocrites, except you repent you shall perish: all which was revealed to this Examinant before he told it her. And within less than half an hour before this Examinant went away, she was smitten and mourned bitterly: and so this Examinant departing, had heard that she had kept her bed three or four days afterward, and did scarce speak sometimes three or four hours together: and the last Saturday morning, saith this Examinant, The word was given from above with power, Behold, she prayeth: and so this Examinant went the same morning up into the chamber unto her about six of the clock, she lying a bed; and the first words he spoke to her were, Arise sister, the same Jesus which smote thee down, hath sent me that thou shouldst arise; & be baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost: and immediately she arose and followed this Examinant to a place called Brewer's Bridge, where he dipped her, though she had been dipped before. And he further said, that a Voice about ten days ago spoke to this Examinant as he lay in his bed, and said, John Arise: and immediately he arose and went to work, and wrought until 12 of the clock that day; and the Voice said, Go to the man that was born blind, and then the blind man appeared in a Vision: and about one of the clock this Examinant went to him, and spoke to him as he sat at his door, Henry, Arise; and he answered, he would: and then this Examinant told him, he was sent to him that he should receive his sight. Henry answered, Come, let us see what will be done. And so he arose, and this Examinant bid him lay his hands about his middle; and he said, Father, thou art in thy throne, get hononr and great name: and then this Examinant laid his thumbs on his eyes, and said, Henry, open thine eyes, and receive thy sight: and he opened his eyes, but did not see. All these words this Examinant spoke to him, leaving God that sent him (as he said) to work the effect according to his good pleasure.   

Here followeth the unfolding of the strange delusion of the aforesaid John Mowlin, by a Vision appearing to Thomas Lipeat of Sandwich aforesaid: wherein the mighty power of God was seen in his support, May 5, 1647.  
BEtween three and four of the clock in the morning there was a light did shine in my chamber, my thoughts being fixed on a place of Scripture concerning the love of God through Christ to the Saints: and casting mine eye aside, I saw a round ball of fire, and from thence did stream forth great streams of light; and when I saw it, my flesh did tremble: and in the light there did speak a Voice to me, and said, Fear not, it is the voice of Peace that speaketh to thee, and it saith, The peace of him is at hand. And the 22 day it came again in like manner, and spoke the same words: and the 23 day it came again and spoke in like manner, adding withal, that The Deceiver of Nations was gone forth, and had deceived many; but now the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached; then the Deceiver of Nations shall deceive them no more: and said that I should have a message to declare to the sons of men, and that I should preach the everlasting Gospel to the people, to bid them repent. And the 23 day in the evening there did appear a glimmering light, not as it did before, and the Lord had drawn forth my spirit to speak to him by prayer, that the Truth might appear to me, and so be able to judge whether it were of God or not; that by my speaking God might not be dishonoured, nor the Truth suffer; but that it might appear to the world whether it were of God, or of the Devil: and the Lord did satisfy me in it, that it was from the Devil: and the Lord gave me courage to speak to it twice. And this evening it said to me, that I must go to John Mowlin, and he should breathe on me, and I should be filled with the holy Spirit. And I answered that I had not faith to believe that. And the Voice said, thou shalt believe it; and that John Mowlin and I were set apart to preach the everlasting Gospel to all men. And then I spoke to it, and said, What is that everlasting Gospel? And he said, To bid men repent. I did answer, that in Scripture I saw no such Gospel: but Jesus Christ is the substance of the everlasting Gospel to the Saints. And on the 24 day in the morning it came in the likeness of the Moon, and the Voice spoke to me again, and said, that as Paul and Barnabas were set apart for the work of the Lord, so were John Mowlin and I to preach this everlasting Gospel to all men where we do come. And I did answer again, that that was not the everlasting Gospel that was to be preached. And the Voice said, What faith hast thou? John Mowlin doth believe it. Then spoke I to it on this wise: Shall I say, the Vision of the Lord, and the Voice of the Lord in the vision spoke those things to me? And the answer of the Voice to me was; Say not, the Vision of the Lord, nor the Voice of the Lord in the vision: but say, A Vision did appear, and a Voice spoke these things to thee. This answer maketh it appear to me that it was not of God. The 26 day in the evening it did appear to me in a strange form, and the Lord gave me courage to behold it, and to speak to it again: and the Voice said unto me, Why dost thou not go to John Mowlin? And I said, What to do? And the Voice said, Thou hast been showed to him in a Vision; and when thou comest to him he will know thee, and pray with thee, and breathe in thee the holy Spirit; and he shall baptise thee with water: and thou shalt have two witnesses to witness the truth of it to the world. And the 27 day in the night I had something revealed to me from the Lord in a Dream, That in the morning I should see him that had deceived John Mowlin in the shape of a man, and said, When thou seest him thou shalt not be afraid, for thou shalt be as Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken: for I have called thee by name, and he shall entice thee with money, but take it not; For my grace is sufficient for thee, and my presence shall go before thee; I am thy God, and will not fail thee. And in the morning it appeared to me in the likeness of a Gentleman, very complete in his habit, with a fair countenance, who said to me, Why dost thou not go to John Mowlin? And I said, What to do? And he said, To be filled with the holy Ghost, and to be baptised of him, that thou mayst go forth and preach the everlasting Gospel, to bid men Repent. And he did then offer me gold and silver, and said to me, This will help to bear thy charges, for thou art a very poor man: and further said, Take it, and appoint me any place, and keep the day and hour, and thou shalt not want all thy life. And I said, I need it not; for the grace of God is sufficient for me. And he said, Why dost thou not believe my say? There be six with John Mowlin that do believe my say. And so he went away. Thus I even see, what is of God shall stand.  
Thomas Lipeat.  
FINIS.