they are less frequent in this kind of Mischief, viz. because their main Designs are levell'd against the Interest and Happiness of our Souls; which they can best promote, when their Actions are most sly and secret; whereas, did they ordinarily persecute Men in their Bodies, their agency and wicked Influence would be discover'd, and make a mighty noise in the World, whereby Men would be awaken'd to a suitable and vigorous opposition, by the use of such Means as would engage Providence to rescue them from their Rage and Cruelties, and at last defeat them in their great purposes of undoing us eternally. Thus we may conceive that the security we enjoy may well enough consist with the Power and Malice of those evil Spirits; and upon this account we may suppose that Laws of their own may prohibit their unlicens'd Injuries, not from any Goodness there is in their Constitutions, but in order to the more successful carrying on the Projects of the dark Kingdom, as Generals forbid Plunder, not out of love to their Enemies, but in order to their own success. And hence (3) we may suppose a Law of permission to hurt us at the instance of the Sorceress, may well stand with the Policy of Hell, since by gratifying the wicked Person, they encourage her in Malice and Revenge, and promote thereby the main ends of their black Confederacy, which are to propogate Wickedness, and to ruin us in our eternal Interests. And yet (4) 'tis clear to those that believe the History of the Gospel, that wicked Sprits have vexed the Bodies of Men, without any Instigation that we read of; and at this Day 'tis very likely, that many of the strange Accidents and Diseases that befal us, may be the infliction of evil Sprits, prompted to hurt us only by the delight they take in Mischief. So that we cannot argue the Improbability of their hurting Children and others by Witches from our own security and Freedom from the effects of their Malice, which perhaps we feel in more Instances than we are aware of.
