POSSUSSIOjV and MEDIUMSHIP. 225 



Cambridge, wlien lie was inveigled in Quakerism, Inow strangely 

 Tie was possessed by a Spirit that spoke ivithin him, and used his 

 Organs in despight of him, ivhile he luas in his Fits. And hoiv 

 he was recovered from his Error, and regained to the Church by 

 the devotions and diligence of Dr. J. Templar, sfiK Minister of that 

 place, as it is set doivn in his Letter to a friend, which is as fol- 

 lows." 



Dr. Templar relates that he found the Quakers " very busie in 

 enticing my people to a compliance with their perswasions in 

 Religion," and among those influenced was this Robert Church- 

 man. While Churchman was still in doubt the wife of a Quaker 

 came to his house to visit his wife, but was refused admittance. 

 " After some Parley the Quaker's Wife spake unto him in these 

 words. Thou wilt not believe except thou see a Sign, and thou may- 

 est see some such. Within a few nights after Robert Churchman 

 had a violent storm upon the Room where he lay, when it was 

 very calm in all other parts of the Town, and a "Voice within him, 

 as he was in bed, spake to him, and bad him. Sing praises, sing 

 praises, telling him, that he should see the glory of the New 

 Jerusalem, about which time a glimmering light appeared all 

 about the Room. Toward the morning the Voice commanded 

 him to go out of his Bed naked with his Wife and Children. 

 They all standing upon the Floar, the Spirit making use of his 

 Tongue, bid them to lye down and put their Mouths in the dust, 

 which they did accordingly. It likewise commanded him to go 

 and call his Brother and Sister, that they might see the New 

 Jerusalem, to whom he went naked about half a Mile." This 

 lasted three or four hours, during which " the drift of what was 

 spoken was to perswade him to comply with the Quakers," and 

 afterward " he came to himself and was able to give a perfect 

 account of what had befallen him." The spirit returned several 

 times, but finally, after Dr. Templar had prayed with him daily 

 for some time, he was left " perfectly free from all molestation. 

 The Quakers hearing of his condition gave it out, that the Power 

 of God would come upon him again, and that the wound was but 

 skinned over by the Priest. Which made me the more importu- 

 nate with him to keep close to the publick Service of God and to 

 have nothing to do with them or their Writings. Which direc- 

 tion he followed till November, 1661, and then perusing one of 

 their Books, a little after upon the tenth day of that Month, his 

 troubles returned. A voice within him began to speak to him 

 after the former manner. . . . The design which he discerned 

 that it did aim at was to take him off from coming to the Church 

 (where he had been that day) and from hearing the Word of 

 God." This continued several days, but he was " very peremp- 

 tory in his resisting of it. When it began to soUicite him he 



VOL. L. 19 



