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diff --git a/old/68704-0.txt b/old/68704-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2d846f7..0000000 --- a/old/68704-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3447 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A True Interpretation of the Witch of -Endor, by Lodowick Muggleton - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A True Interpretation of the Witch of Endor - -Author: Lodowick Muggleton - -Release Date: August 7, 2022 [eBook #68704] - -Language: English - -Produced by: deaurider, David King, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The - Internet Archive.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRUE INTERPRETATION OF THE -WITCH OF ENDOR *** - - - A True Interpretation of the Witch of Endor - - - - - A TRUE INTERPRETATION OF THE WITCH OF ENDOR, - - Spoken of in 1 Sam. XXVIII. begin. at the 11th Verse. - - SHEWING, - - -1. How She and all other Witches do beget or produce that Familiar -Spirit they deal with, and what a Familiar Spirit is, and how those -Voices are procured, and Shapes appear unto them, whereby the Ignorant -and Unbelieving People are deceived by them. - -2. It is clearly made appear in this TREATISE, that no Spirit can be -raised without its Body, neither can any Spirit assume any Body after -Death; For if the Spirit doth walk, the Body must walk also. - -3. An Interpretation of all those Scriptures, that doth seem as if -Spirits might go out of Men's Bodies when they die, and subsist in some -Place or other without Bodies. - -Lastly, Several other Things needful for the Mind of Man to know; which -whoever doth understand, it will be great Satisfaction. - - - By LODOWICKE MUGGLETON, - - -_Penman hereof, and the last chosen Witness unto that Ever-Blessed Body -of Christ Jesus Glorified, to be the only Wise, very True God alone, -Everlasting Father, and Creator of both Worlds, and all that were made -in them._ - - -The Second Edition. - -_LONDON_, - -Printed by SUBSCRIPTION in the YEAR 1724. - - - - - TO THE READER. - - -I Have been desired by several Friends, to set forth the Interpretation -concerning the Witch of _Endor_ and King _Saul_; how it may be -understood how she raised _Samuel_, and how Familiar Spirits came to be -procured, and with what Power they do such strange Things. Many Enemies -also have objected this Place, to prove that Spirits may be raised -without Bodies, and that Spirits may walk, or be happy or miserable -without Bodies: Though I have given an Answer in Discourse to these -Doubts and Questions, but few can retain in their Memory what is spoken -in Discourse; therefore I thought it convenient and necessary to set it -forth in Print, for the Information and Satisfaction of many Friends who -desire it, and for the Convincement of all Gain-sayers. And let them -seriously read it over without Prejudice, and they may see this Point -clearly opened, which hath laid hid this many Hundred Years, with other -Places of Scriptures opened, which many have objected against this -Interpretation, and all those Places of Scripture that is commonly -brought, or doth most seem to hold forth, that Spirits may be without -Bodies, are likewise opened and expounded in short in this Treatise, as -followeth. - - CHAP. I. - 1 SAM. XXVIII. _from the 11th to the 18th Verse_. - - -I Shall give the Interpretation, what is meant by that Familiar Spirit -the Witch of _Endor_ which did raise _Samuel_, so much spoken of in the -Book of _Samuel_, and other Places of Scripture; and so much objected by -many to prove that Spirits may be raised without Bodies, and may appear -unto People in what Shape they please. - -The Belief of this lying Principle, it did proceed out of the -Imagination of Reason, the Devil----The Imagination that doth arise or -proceed from the Seed of Reason in Man, is that Familiar Spirit that -Witches deal with, and that Familiar Spirit it proceedeth from no Spirit -or Devil without a Man, but from the Seed of Reason within Man; for look -what evil Thoughts doth arise out of the Heart of Man, it proceedeth out -of the Seed of Reason in Man, and not from any thing without Man; for -the Imagination of the Heart, it is plac'd in the Seed of Reason, -therefore it is said in Scripture, _That the Imaginations of Man's Heart -was evil, and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was -only evil continually_, as in _Gen._ vi. 5. So that there is no other -Devil, or Spirit, or Familiar Spirit for Witches to deal withal, or to -work any Enchantments by, but their own Imagination; there the Familiar -Spirit is produced from whence it came, and there it ceases to be when -they are put to Death, or over-power'd by the Knowledge, and the Power -of Faith in other Men, then the Familiar Spirit centers in the -Imagination again, it being over-powered by the Power of Faith; so -likewise, the good Thoughts that doth proceed out of the Heart of Man, -they do arise or proceed from the Seed of Faith, concerning the true -God, or any heavenly Secret, or temporal Judgments, or temporal -Blessings; if the Foreknowledge of these Things doth arise, or be -foretold by the Revelation of the Seed of Faith, they are and may be -called the Spirit of God. - -Because they were foretold and declared by the Revelation of the Seed of -Faith, which Seed of Faith is the Seed of God, it being of God's own -Nature, therefore called the Spirit of God, and so foretold and declared -by the Spirit of God: So likewise, what Foreknowledge or Declaration of -Things, that are above that which is common to the Seed of Reason, (as -raising of Spirits and such like;) I say, they do proceed from the -Imagination of Reason, the Devil; and this strong Imagination from the -Seed of Reason, is that Familiar Spirit by which Witches do divine or -foretel Things. So that the strong Imagination of Reason, being -exercised about Things that are beyond Trades and Sciences, that are -necessary, needful, and lawful; so it becomes a Familiar Spirit, because -it proceeds from the imagination of Reason, and the Seed of Reason being -the Devil, and the Devil being the fallen Angel; for the Devil is Man -and Woman; and the Seed of Reason is their Seed. And that Seed of Reason -it came from, that Serpent that beguiled _Eve_; and that Serpent was an -Angel, and his Seed was Reason, and this Reason in Man is the Devil; and -the Imagination of Reason is the Father of that Familiar Spirit, by -which a Man or Woman doth Divine, Soothsay, raise Shapes, or hear -Voices, or any such Thing of that Nature, they all proceed from the -Imagination of Reason in Man, and the original Being of this Seed of -Reason. It came from that Serpent-Angel, that was cast down from Heaven -unto this Earth, who deceived our first Parents, as I have abundantly -shewed in _Rev._ xi. and in the Interpretation of the whole Book of the -_Revelation_. - -Now I have laid a Foundation for the Reader, that he may the better -understand the Foundation, from whence these Familiar Spirits that -Witches have, do proceed, and how they are procured, and what Power they -have over the ignorant Mind of Man; therefore to satisfy the Thoughts of -many, who hath desired and requested of me, that I would interpret some -chief Sayings in the Scriptures, that speaketh of Witchcraft, and -Familiar Spirits, and such like; which Sayings are very strange and hard -to be understood; so that most People are very much unsatisfied in these -Things, though clear in their Judgments, in many other Things that are -of more Concernment. And as I have given the Interpretation of the whole -Book of the _Revelation_, with many other Places of Scripture, to the -great Comfort and Satisfaction of many, so I shall add the -Interpretation of this thing also. - -The first Place of Scripture I shall insist upon, is that in 1 _Sam._ -xxviii. beginning at the 11th Verse, concerning the Witch of _Endor_; -this is commonly the Place that most People fetch to prove, that Spirits -may be raised in what Shape the Witch please by their Familiar Spirits; -therefore let the Reader mind the Discourse that followeth. The Words -are these, _Then said the Woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he -said, bring me up_ Samuel. And in the 12th Verse, _And when the Woman -saw_ Samuel, _she cried with aloud Voice, and the Woman spake to_ Saul, -_saying, why hast thou deceived me, for thou art_ Saul? And in the 13th -Verse, _And the King said unto her, be not afraid, for what sawest thou? -And the Woman said unto_ Saul, _I saw Gods ascending out of the Earth_. -The 14th Verse, _And he said unto her, what Form is he of? And she said, -an old Man cometh up, and he is covered with a Mantle. And_ Saul -_perceived it was_ Samuel, _and he stooped with his Face to the Ground, -and bowed himself_. The 15th Verse, _And_ Samuel _said to_ Saul, _Why -hast thou disquieted me to bring me up? And_ Saul _answered, I am sore -distressed: For the_ Philistines _make War against me, and God is -departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by Prophet, nor by -Dreams: Therefore I have called thee, that thou mayst make known unto me -what I shall do_. Verse 16. _Then said_ Samuel, _Wherefore then dost -thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become -thine Enemy?_ Verse 17. _And the Lord hath done to him, as he spake by -me; for the Lord hath rent the Kingdom out of thine Hand, and given it -to thy Neighbour, even to_ David. Verse 18. _Because thou obeyest not -the Voice of the Lord, nor executed his fierce Wrath upon_ Amalek; -_therefore hath the Lord done this Thing unto thee this Day_. - - - - - CHAP. II. - - -This Familiar Spirit the Witch of _Endor_ and other Witches have, -whereby they do such Things, it is the Imagination of Reason, the Devil -in themselves; that is, they set themselves apart with the Thoughts of -the Imaginations of their Hearts, to dive into the diabolical Power; -that is, that they might know the Depths of Satan, their Imagination -conceiving that the Devil is a Spirit flying in the Air, and that this -Spirit can assume or take up any Shape it please. So that the -Imagination of the Heart hath produced an evil Spirit in it self, so -that this Familiar Spirit is begotten out of the Womb of Reason: For the -Seed of Reason in Man is the Womb or the Mother, and the Imagination of -the Heart is the Father that begets this Familiar Spirit, and this -Familiar Spirit is the Son of Imagination. So that all Thoughts of the -Heart, and that wonderful Knowledge declared by them, it is revealed -through this Son the Familiar Spirit, begotten in themselves by the Seed -of Reason the Mother, and Imagination the Father. So that there is no -Devil, nor Familiar Spirit without them, as People do vainly imagine, -but the Devil and Familiar Spirit is always within them, and no where -else; yet all People fear a Devil without them, but he is no where to be -found but in Man and Woman, this I do certainly know to be true. - -Again, These Witches doth suppose the true God to be an Infinite Spirit, -without any Body or Substance, as all People almost do; and that the -Devil is a Spirit that can assume Bodies or what Shape he pleaseth, or -what Shape or Form the Witch shall call for. This is the Opinion of most -People in the World as well as Witches, yea, even of the most of the -greatest learned Men; Darkness hath overspread the Minds of all learned -Men in the World, so that they cannot find out what the true God is, nor -where he is; nor what the right Devil is, nor where he is; yea Man, -himself is he that cannot find out himself: But no more of this now. - -To the Matter in hand, the Witches they do not know any Divine Being, or -Power, or Form of God, but what their Imagination doth conceive to be -God, for they have full Faith in this Knowledge of theirs, to be the -true Knowledge of God; only the Laws of Men they fear, but no other God, -but that Familiar Spirit which they have produced in themselves, by -giving themselves either to Fasting and Prayer, unto an unknown Divine -Being or Power; supposing this Power to be a Spirit that can appear in -any Shape they shall call for or desire. And all People being ignorant -of the true God, and the right Devil, as they themselves are, so that -the People have a Faith in these Witches, being ignorant as aforesaid. - -What the true God and right Devil is, and the Witches Faith, and their -Faith being joyn'd together, it becometh strong to atchieve such -Apparitions as their Faith hath chose to be the Object of their -Imagination: For he that enquireth of a Witch, his Faith and the Witch's -Faith is all one. - -Also this is to be minded, that all Witches have some Rule by which they -do perceive those Apparitions, and hear those Voices; for their is no -wicked Knowledge or wicked Wisdom as the Wisdom of the World, neither is -there any good Knowledge or good Wisdom as the Wisdom of God. I say, -there is no Knowledge or Wisdom good or bad, but those that have it they -must go by some Rule, else it is meer Nonsense; as most of your -_Quakers_ Matters or Principles are meer Nonsense, that hath neither -Bottom nor Top. - - - - - CHAP. III. - - -But to the Matter in hand, we see the natural Astrologers they go by a -Rule, and their Wisdom and Knowledge in Things of Nature, it is declared -by them from and by a Rule, else that they say would be meer Nonsense -and Foolishness. - -Yet I say, your natural Astrologers they are Witches, and have their -Figure to judge the Effects of the Stars; but this Witchcraft is allowed -by the Powers of the Nations. - -So I say, these Witches that doth do Things by a Familiar Spirit, they -have a Rule to walk by as the other hath; for as the Imagination of the -other hath by the Study of the Figure, attained to give some Judgment -upon the Effects of the Stars, upon a particular Person or Nation. So -likewise those Witches that hath a Familiar Spirit, they have attained -to this Familiar Spirit out of their Imagination of Reason, as I said -before. - -And this Familiar Spirit being begotten in themselves by the Strength of -Imagination their Father; now understand thus much, that this diabolical -Wisdom that is begotten in Man and Woman by the Imagination of Reason, -the Devil is that Familiar Spirit that Men and Women do act by. - -And after this Familiar Spirit is begotten in Man or Woman by -Imagination their father, as I said before, then this Familiar Spirit of -the Witch will motion in the Mind too fast, and pray unto the Host of -Heaven, the Sun, Moon and Planets, supposing that the good Spirit in -some of them, and imagining the evil Spirit or Devil to be in other some -of them. - -Now observe, when this Familiar Spirit is produced in them, then they -observe every Motion of the Mind, and their Faith being in every Motion -of their Minds, it produceth either some farther Knowledge in their own -Apprehension, or else some Visions are presented to their Phantasies; -for they have dedicated some certain Words to be said in their Minds -motional, to be used when they would do any Feats, besides their Fasting -and Prayer. And this Thing they have dedicated to enquire of, is that -which they divine with, or tell any Thing from it, is much like unto the -Astrologers, their Figure is dedicated for that Purpose, that he may -tell Things from, and without the Knowledge of the Figure. He can tell -nothing except he were skilled in it before, but the Figure was the -Thing he came to know more than others at the first; for wonderful -Things may be accomplished through the Imagination of Reason, when it -hath set it self apart on purpose to attain unto such Things. - -For I find by Experience within this seventeen Years, what strange -Things hath been atchieved by Man and Woman, who hath given themselves -up to an unknown God upon a Religious Account. Some hath by their -Fasting and Prayer unto an unknown God, attained unto Visions, -Apparitions, Appearance of Angels, Voices, and many other strange -Things; yet altogether ignorant of the true God and the right Devil, and -what Angels are; so that these Things hath been all within them, and -they thought that God had revealed these Things unto them; when as they -did attain unto these Things aforesaid by their own Endeavours; as many -_Quakers_ and others can Witness at this Day, if they would, by -hearkening to the Light within them, and Fasting, and such like. Neither -did God present any Vision, or speak any Voice unto them, but they do -produce those Things aforesaid by their own Imaginations. - -So is it with Witches, they do raise Shapes and Voices out of -themselves, and those Voices they hear, they are no other but motional -Voices in themselves; and the ignorant People that believes them is -Partakers of those motional Voices also with the Witch. - -For their is no Spirit of the Devil without them, that doth assume any -Shape, or speak any Voice unto the Witch, neither doth any Spirit -without the Witch reveal any Knowledge unto them; it is all produced by -their own wicked Imagination, who hath begotten within themselves that -Familiar Spirit they deal with, and not from any Devil or Spirit without -them. - -But all cometh from the Imagination within, that is, the Devil and no -other; yet this Familiar Spirit is produced from within them, to see -Shapes, and hear motional Voices, meerly by watching the Motion of the -Imagination that is placed in their Minds or Hearts, even as the -_Quakers_ do by hearkening to the Light within them, they do procure -many strange Visions and motional Voices, but they being Groundless and -Nonsensical they come to nothing. - - - - - CHAP. IV. - - -Let the Reader observe when King _Saul_ asked the Witch of _Endor_, -_What Form the Gods was of, she had seen ascend out of the Earth_; The -Woman answered and said, _An old Man with a Mantle, &c._ But _Saul_ saw -nothing but as the Woman told him, and _Saul_ believed her Words, and -bowed himself to the Ground.----Now mind the 15th Verse, Samuel _said -to_ Saul, _why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up_; the Meaning is -this, now the Witch had full Power over _Saul_, so that he did really -believe the Witch, that she had indeed raised up _Samuel_, though he saw -nothing----yet the Fear of being destroyed by the _Philistines_, and the -Belief of the Woman's Words, _Samuel_ began to speak in _Saul_'s -Conscience; there came into _Saul_'s Mind the Words which _Samuel_ had -told him in his Life-time.----So that these was no speaking to _Saul_ by -_Samuel_, but the Reasonings of _Saul_'s own Heart; and these Voices -that _Samuel_ spake to _Saul_, they were motional Voices that did arise -in _Saul_'s own Heart.----For an accusing Conscience will speak dreadful -Voices in the Conscience; as the Blood of _Abel_ cried for Vengeance in -_Cain_'s Conscience, and the Saints that were slain under the Altar; -cried for Vengeance upon those that shed their Blood; so that a sinful -Conscience will have Voices enough to torment him, though God himself, -nor Prophet without him, doth never speak unto him. A guilty Conscience -will speak with a motional Voice their great Terror and Torment, which -is greater than can be born, as it was with _Cain_, _Saul_, and _Judas_. -Yea, it was Fear, and the Remembrance of _Saul_'s Disobedience to -_Samuel_'s Words in his Life-time, this did arise afresh in _Saul_'s -Mind, and spake with motional Voices in _Saul_'s Conscience, accusing -him for his Disobedience to _Samuel_'s Words. - -For the Remembrance of _Samuel_'s Words, may be said to disquiet -_Samuel_; for _Samuel_'s Words were buried in _Saul_'s Conscience. - -But now, by his going to enquire of a Witch, _Samuel_ is revived again -in _Saul_'s Mind, and there _Samuel_ speaks Fear, Wrath, and Terror; for -_Samuel_'s Words spake in _Saul_'s Conscience one motional Voice, and -the Guilt of _Saul_'s Disobedience spake Fear and Horror in _Saul_'s -Conscience, this was a motional Voice in _Saul_'s Conscience also; for -the Voice of Truth will speak, or the Voice of Obedience, and the Voice -of Sin and Disobedience will speak in Man's Conscience, as if they were -two distinct Spirits. - -This many guilty Consciences can witness, as we may read by _Cain_ that -killed his Brother, and _Judas_ that betrayed his Lord, and many others -who hath been guilty of the like Crimes. - -So that the Witch did raise no _Samuel_, nor Spirit, but a meer Shadow -it was the Witch saw, which she could raise by her Art; neither was -there any _Samuel_ or Spirit not at all that did speak to _Saul_, but -that motional Voice in _Saul_'s Conscience as aforesaid. - -And in this Sense _Samuel_ may be said to be disquieted; for if _Saul_ -had never gone to the Witch to enquire of her, _Samuel_'s Words had been -quiet in _Saul_; neither would _Saul_ have had such Reasonings in -himself, nor have been so sensible of the Worm of his Conscience. - -So that there was no Voice of _Samuel_ spoke unto _Saul_, but a motional -Voice in _Saul_'s own Mind or Conscience; his Fear and his Disobedience, -and what _Samuel_ had told him before, these all speaking with Voices in -his wounded Conscience. _Samuel_'s Words spake one Voice, and his own -Disobedience spake another; so that the Witch of _Endor_ did neither -raise _Samuel_, but only made the King believe she did, neither did -_Samuel_ speak to the King but as aforesaid. - -For the Kingdom being rent out of his Hands, his Sons being destroyed, -and all other Threatnings of _Samuel_, they came into _Saul_'s Mind -afresh with strong Motions, so that they became as Voices in _Saul_'s -Heart, as if _Samuel_ had spake to the hearing of the Ear: For there was -no _Samuel_ raised, nor no _Samuel_ spake, but what was motional in the -Mind of _Saul_, and what did visionally appear unto the Witch, which was -a meer Shadow which she could produce by her Witchcraft-Art, to all -those that were more ignorant than her self, or had Faith in her Power. - - - - - CHAP. V. - - -For the Reader must mind, that Witches and all those that doth attain to -the Visions, and hear Voices within them, they do use Means to attain -unto it; also they have some standing Rule or Art, by which they come to -enquire or to know Things, that are above that Knowledge which is common -to other People, it is much like unto the Ways of God. - -Therefore let the Reader mind the Ground work laid down at the first, -that the Imagination of Reason had begotten a Son out of the Womb of the -Seed of Reason in Man, which I call the Mother, and Imagination the -Father, and the Son that is begotten in the Womb of Reason; by -Imagination the Father is that great Wisdom, Knowledge and Power, by -which they go beyond other People who are of a lower Capacity. - -This Son is that Familiar Spirit Witches doth deal with; it is another -Spirit begotten in them, which was not in their Birth, when they were -born, but begotten in themselves since by Imagination as aforesaid; -Neither is this Familiar Spirit produced, or doth come from any Thing, -or any Devil without them, as People do vainly imagine; but the Familiar -Spirit it is produced, and doth come from within, _for out of the Heart -cometh evil Thoughts, Murder, Adultery_, &c. And all Familiar Spirits, -they are all conceived in the Heart, and being conceived there, in its -Season it bringeth forth such Spirits as are conceived in the Heart; if -Envy and Murder be conceived, as it was in _Cain_, then it bringeth -forth the Spirit or Deed of Murder; if Lust be conceived in the Heart, -it bringeth forth the Spirit and Act of Adultery, as it did in _David_; -and if a Familiar Spirit be conceived in the Heart, then it bringeth -forth such a Spirit that shall speak motional Voices within them, as if -some Spirits without them did appear without a Body, and speak to them, -and reveal those Things unto them. - -Many wicked Spirits more then is mentioned, are conceived in the Hearts -of Men and Women, and acted by them, Spirits, I say, that were never of -God's Creation, but hath been conceived in the Mind of Man since; for -when Sin is conceived, as in _James_ i. 15. _When Lust hath conceived, -it bringeth forth Sin; and Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth -Death_: so that there is a Conception of Sin first in the Heart; and if -it doth not die before it quickens into Life, that is, into act; then it -bringeth forth Death, which is the Punishment due to such Sins, that are -alive in Man's Actions, after they were conceived in the Heart. And as -the Evil of Murder, Adultery, and Theft is conceived first in the Heart, -so is that Familiar Spirit Witches and Wizards have; they are first -conceived in the Mind, and in a little Season it groweth alive in them, -and speaketh unto them, as if it were without them: For this I say, that -a Familiar Spirit is conceived and begotten in the Heart of Man and -Woman, as the other Sins aforementioned are, and the Cause why God is -more angry with those that deal with a Familiar Spirit, and hath -commanded them to be put to Death, more than for other Sins conceived in -the Mind is, because they imitate the Way of God. Or the Spirit of -Prophecy, which causeth the People to believe in a meer Fiction or -Shadow without any Substance, that a Spirit may be raised out of the -Ground without a Body, and so they forsake the living God, who hath a -Body of his own, and gave Life to every Creature, that hath a Body and -doth believe a Lie, which hath been conceived in the Mind, and hath -quickned into a Familiar Spirit, and this Spirit doth always live within -the Witch, and not without her; and this Familiar Spirit thus conceived, -first in the evil Mind, and afterward quickning in the evil Heart, _it -goeth from Strength to Strength, and from one Degree of Knowledge, to a -farther Degree of_ evil _Knowledge, and evil Wisdom_, as all Things else -doth that hath Life; for Sin hath Life in it, and the outward Law -causeth Sin to revive in every one that doth evil, as St. _Paul_ saith, -_Rom._ vii. 9. Thus in some Measure the Reader may understand what a -Familiar Spirit is, and how it comes to have a Being in Witches and -Wizards, and how the ignorant are Partakers with the Familiar Spirit. - -In the next Place, I shall shew how those that have a Familiar Spirit do -imitate the way of God, or the way of true Prophets; observe the Way and -Manner of true Prophets, High-Priests, and all other People, who are -richly gifted with the Spirit of Prophecy, or Revelation; for the Seed -of Faith planted in the Heart, is the Seed and Nature of God, as Reason -is the Seed and Nature of the Serpent or Devil; and as the Seed of -Reason is the Womb or Mother for Imagination to get a Son. - -So likewise the Seed of Faith in Man, is the Womb or Mother for the -Revelation of Faith, to beget a Son out of the Seed of Faith, answerable -as the Imagination doth out of the Seed of Reason. - -And this Son the Revelation hath begotten out of the Seed of Faith, is -that heavenly Wisdom, discerning Knowledge and Power over the Spirits of -others, and Knowledge of Things above the Stars, and knoweth the true -God in Form and Nature, with many other heavenly Secrets, which none -else can know but those that believe them. - -So that the Revelation of Faith hath begotten this heavenly Wisdom, -Power and Glory out of the Seed of Faith, which is the Seed of God, even -of his Divine Nature; and this Wisdom, Power, and Glory, is that Son or -Spirit, by which all Prophets, High Priests, Apostles and others that -have it. - -I say this is that by which they can truly divine by, in that they can -foretel truly what shall come to pass, according to the Knowledge of the -Revelation of Faith; and this Wisdom, and Knowledge being produced by -Revelation out of the Womb of the Seed of Faith, it may and is called -the Spirit of God in Man, that doth teach and shew the Wisdom of God to -others, so that others cometh to be taught and subjected by it, to their -great Peace here, and eternal Joy hereafter. - - - - - CHAP. VI. - - -And this Spirit of Wisdom, Knowledge and Power, which is produced by the -Revelation as aforesaid, it hath motional Voices in the Conscience, as -the Familiar Spirit hath in the evil Conscience; but the motional Voices -in a good Conscience speaketh Peace. Likewise this motional Voice in -Prophets, High-Priests, Apostles, and others, is that by which they do -foretel Things by, whether it be good or bad, that shall befal those -that shall enquire. - -Also the Spirit of Revelation hath a standing Rule to enquire by, as -those have that doth tell Things by a Familiar Spirit, as I said before; -for the Witches doth imitate the way of the Prophets, and the Devil's -Way is as like God's Way as he can. - -Now let the Reader mind, and he may see how Men have enquired of the -Lord by motional Voices in the Mind, by that Spirit of Faith which is -gotten by Revelation, which is called the Spirit of God. - -In the Time of the Law of _Moses_, the Ephod was a standing Rule, for to -enquire of God for good or bad Success. Now there was no Man could tell -what the Event would be that looked upon the Ephod, but such Men as had -the Spirit of Revelation and Prophecy in them; as _David_ and the High -Priest, as soon as ever they looked upon the Ephod, they could tell -whether they should prosper in Battle or not; but if any other Man which -had not the Spirit of Revelation and Prophecy should look upon the -Ephod, they could tell nothing by it. - -Though the Ephod was appointed of God, on purpose to enquire of God, yet -none could find out God's Mind, but such Men aforesaid; for as soon as -ever _David_ or the High-Priest looked upon the Ephod, they could tell -what the Event would be, as may be seen, 1 _Sam._ xxiii. 6, 9. how -_David_ called for the Ephod and _Abiathar_ the Priest to bring it to -enquire of the Lord. - -Yet God never spake to them by Voice, yet they had motional Voices in -themselves in their Hearts, assuring them that they prosper or not -prosper; yet God never appeared himself, nor any Angel, neither did God -speak by any Voice, yet they are bid to go and prosper, as if they had -heard some Voice by looking upon the Ephod, so that those Voices that -bid them go and prosper, they were motional Voices that did arise from -the Revelation and Spirit of Prophecy within them by that Skill they had -in the Ephod, which was appointed of God for that Purpose. So that all -_David_'s Voices, and the High-Priest Voices, that were motional Voices, -yet called the Voice of God, because they did arise from the Seed of -Faith in _David_ and others, which is the Divine Nature of God, -therefore called the Spirit of God. - -For this I say, if _Saul_ had not lost that Spirit of Prophecy by his -Disobedience, as he once had, when the good Spirit departed from him, he -might have enquired of the Ephod, and have been answered with a motional -Voice by the Ephod, as he was by enquiring of a Witch. - -For the Spirit of _Samuel_ did speak no more to _Saul_, then the Spirit -of God did speak to _David_, they were both motional Voices that did -arise from their two Seeds the one Voice spake Peace and Deliverance, -and the other spake Wrath and Destruction; the one did enquire in the -Way that God did appoint, even of the Ephod, or of the Lord's Prophets; -the other did enquire of that which was forbidden, and forsook the Lord -and his Prophets, and went to a Witch to enquire: It was because one was -the Seed of _Adam_, which is the Seed of God, and so chosen of God in -Mercy, even _David_; and the other was the Seed of the Serpent, even the -Devil, who was chosen King in God's Wrath even _Saul_. - -This is the true Interpretation of those Voices that _Samuel_ spake to -_Saul_, and of his being raised by the Witch of _Endor_. - -Therefore you that can understand these things as aforementioned, you -may see how the whole World lieth in Darkness, and are cheated of their -Sense and Reason by this lying and vain Imagination, to believe that -Spirits can be without Bodies, or that Spirits can be raised without -Bodies, or that Spirits can speak without Bodies, or that Spirits -departed can assume any Shapes afterwards; these Things and many more -are produced by the dark Imagination of the Heart of Man: And if the -Reader hath any true Light of Faith in him, he may understand the -Interpretation I have given of the Witch of _Endor_, and how a Familiar -Spirit is produced or begotten in them, and be satisfied in his Mind as -to that Matter; so much concerning those Words in _Samuel_ -aforementioned. - - - - - CHAP. VII. - - -Again, it is said, _Isa._ viii. 29. the Prophet speaking there to -unbelieving _Israelites_ that did not believe the Word of the Lord -through the Prophets Mouths, concerning the Destruction that should come -upon _Israel_; this Judgment did the Lord threaten by the Mouth of his -Prophet _Isaiah_ to bring upon _Israel_ for their Unbelief; and this -Prophet seeing the People would not hearken unto the Voice of the Lord's -Prophets, nor inquire of them, but altogether persecuted them as false -Prophets, Deceivers and Liers, and the Inclination of their Hearts was -more willing and desirous to enquire of a Witch or Wizard, who had a -Familiar Spirit then of the Prophet of the Lord, as you may see Chapter -and Verse above-written; the Words are these as followeth. - -_And when they shall say unto you, seek unto them that have Familiar -Spirits, and unto Wizards that peep and that mutter, should not a People -seek unto their God for the living to the dead._ The Meaning of these -Words is this, that unbelieving Men do think and believe that Witches -and Wizards who hath a Familiar Spirit, can rise out of the Ground where -dead Men were buried, living Spirits without Bodies that can reveal -Things unto them, by that motional Voice that doth proceed from these -Familiar Spirits, which doth peep and mutter. - -That is, the Whisperings that proceeds from this Familiar Spirit, that -is begotten by the Imagination of Reason the Father, and the Seed of -Reason the Mother, as I said before, is that motional Voice all Witches -and Wizards have, whereby they peep and mutter in themselves, as if they -did hear Voices and see Shapes, and living Spirits arise out of the -Ground, as the Witch of _Endor_ said to King _Saul_, _She saw Gods -ascend out of the earth_. When as there was no Spirit nor Shape came out -of the Ground, at all; but the Gods she saw ascend out of the Earth came -out of her own Imagination, even that Familiar Spirit begotten in her, -it seemed unto her as if it did ascend out of the Earth, but those Gods -she said she saw ascend out of the Earth, they ascended out of her own -Imagination, and _Saul_ believed her, and so was Partakers with her, and -he did believe that she had raised _Samuel_'s Spirit out of the Earth, -as the Witch had said. - -And this is to be minded by the Reader, that when Spirits are to be -raised by Witches, her Familiar Spirit always ariseth out of her own -self, even from the Seed of Reason and Imagination of her own Heart, -whereby she doth hear Voices within her, whispering low Voices, as if -some other Spirits without her did spake with a low Voice unto her, and -present Shapes unto her dazled Eyes, which seemeth to the Witch to be -real Voices of a Spirit without her, and a real Shape without her; when -as in Deed and in Truth, it ariseth out of her own self, even from the -Seed of Reason, and Imagination of her own Heart, whereby she doth hear -Voices within her, whispering low Voices, as if some other Spirit -without her did speak with a low Voice to her, and present Shapes to her -dazled Eyes, which seemeth to the Witch to be a real Voice of a Spirit -without her, and a real Shape without her, when as in Deed and in Truth -it is nothing else but a motional Voice begotten in her self, and Shapes -begotten in her self, by the Imagination in the Womb of Reason as -aforesaid, which is that Familiar Spirit. - -Which is that Familiar Spirit she doth deal with, she thinking it is -from some Spirit without her, she not knowing it is begotten in her; and -this Familiar Spirit begotten in her, it whispers within her with a low -motional Voice, as if some Spirit did whisper out of the Ground. -According to that saying of the Prophet, _Isa._ xxix. 4. concerning the -Destruction or Judgment of God upon _Jerusalem_; the Words are these, -_And thou shalt be brought down and shalt speak out of the Ground, and -thy Speech shall be low out of the Dust, and thy Voice shall be as one -that hath a Familiar Spirit out of the Ground, and thy Speech shall -whisper out of the Dust_. - -As if the Prophet should say, Seeing you have refused to hearken to the -Voice of the Prophets, which hath declared the Mind of the God of -_Israel_ openly with a loud Voice; you have heard them speak plain Words -with your Ears, but you have not believed they spoke Truth unto you; -therefore you have rejected the Word of the Lord by his Prophets, and -have persecuted and slain some of them as false Prophets, because they -spake unto you in the Name of the Lord, as it was revealed by the Spirit -of Revelation in them. - -They spake plain Words unto you, as might be heard to the outward Ear by -the Standers-by; they were visible Men that spake unto you, so that you -need not to enquire after any that hath a Familiar Spirit, who speaketh -so softly and so low, that no Standers-by can hear this Familiar Spirit -speak, but he or she that hath it. - -But as for plain Words openly declared by the Prophets, and publickly -heard by the outward Ear, these you have rejected, despised, persecuted, -and counted them Liars, Deceivers, false Prophets, and such like: -Therefore God hath given you over to strong Delusions, to enquire of a -Witch, who makes you believe that Spirits may be raised out of the -Ground, and that Spirits do come out of the Dust, and whisper to the -Witch with a low Voice, that none can hear but her self. So that those -that enquire do believe as King _Saul_ did, that a Familiar Spirit can -enter into the Dust or Ground, and bring up another Man's Spirit that is -dead without its Body, and so their two Spirits whisper so low together, -that none can hear that stands by, nor tell what this Spirit that is -raised did say, nor whether the Spirit so raised is gone into the Body -again, or into the Ground from whence the Witch said it was raised; -which Spirit that is said to be raised, or said to speak out of the -Ground, I say, it was raised out of the Witches own Body, and no where -else; and those low Voices and Whisperings were both within her, and not -without her. - - - - - CHAP. VIII. - - -Now how a Man may be said to be brought down, and shall speak out of the -Ground, and their Speech shall be low out of the Dust: The Meaning is, -when a particular Man or Woman, or a People or Nation, be in the same -Distress and Condition as King _Saul_ was; that is, in Danger of loosing -his Crown and Kingdom, his natural Life; and not only so, but his Soul -is tormented with the Fear of eternal Death; this maketh the Heart of -Man to melt in him; it makes his Speech to grow weak and feeble, so that -his Speech can hardly be heard; it is even as if a Man did speak out of -Death, or out of the Ground. - -A Man with the Extremity of outward and inward Trouble, he becomes -Speechless, yet he speaks in his Thoughts, but so low, that none that -stands by can hear or tell what he saith. This many can experience, that -have seen their Friend or Relation in this Condition; this is like -speaking out of the Ground, and low out of the Dust. And the Voice of -every such troubled Soul, who hath the Plagues of this Life, and the -Horror of Conscience as to the Life to come, as King _Saul_ had the -Voice such People have, is as one that hath a Familiar Spirit out of the -Ground, and their Speech shall be as if one did whisper out of the Dust. - -This Place of Scripture hath the same Meaning as the Place -before-mentioned, _Isa._ viii. 19. where such as King _Saul_ was, are -bade to seek unto them that have Familiar Spirits, and unto Wizards, -that peep and mutter, (that is) that whisper out of the Ground; for -whisper, peep, and mutter, signifies all one Thing. - -These Things did _Manasseh_, 2 _Kings_ xxi. 6. he dealt with Familiar -Spirits, and did great Abominations; he made his Sons to pass thorough -the Fire, in offering them up a Sacrifice to an unknown Devil, which he -thought was God; and this he did by the Whisperings of the Familiar -Spirit within him, and being acquainted with others, who were known to -have Familiar Spirits also. And so did several other Kings of _Israel_ -deal with Familiar Spirits, and had those low whispering Voices in -themselves, as if Spirits had risen out of the Ground, or from the Dust -to speak unto them; and this they did attain unto by Industry, in that -they forsook the Words of the Prophets, and would not hearken unto them, -but gave themselves up to follow the Imaginations of their own Hearts; -imagining they might as well know God, and what Worship would please God -as well as the Prophets; therefore why should we, being Kings, hearken -unto such mean inferiour Men as these? May not we by our Familiar Spirit -as well know God, and what Worship will please him by our Familiar -Spirit, as the Prophets do by the Spirit of Prophecy? Why should we be -in such Bondage, that we can do nothing but what they say, the Lord -commands us to do? So the Imagination saith, Come, we will not be tied -up thus; we will see what our Familiar Spirit begotten in us will do; we -will erect and build Altars in several Places, and sacrifice Bullocks -and Lambs to an unknown God; and so by this Means they procure in -themselves low motional Voices, which whisper in themselves, which -becomes in them a Familiar Spirit, is produced in themselves: And there -is a more Increase of low motional Voices, which doth whisper in the -Mind, moving them to a further Degree of Knowledge, and endeavour after -more Voices, so that to attain to this diabolical Wisdom in a more high -Measure. They are moved by this low Voice within them to offer up their -own Children in Sacrifices to their imaginary God, which they believe is -an invisible Spirit without a Body, which reveals these Things unto -them, and whispers and speaks those Voices unto them. - -They count nothing too dear for this their imaginary God, no not their -own Sons and Daughters, as _Manasseh_ and others did, that made their -Sons and Daughters pass through the Fire as a Sacrifice to their -imaginary God, that had spoke so many Voices to them, and had whispered -to them. - -But all these Whisperings and low Voices, and peeping of Spirits out of -the Ground, as they thought, I say, they were all within them; for when -they came in any Trouble, their Familiar Spirit departs from them, and -will not comfort them any more, let it be either in Poor or Rich, nay, -Kings that have dealt with Familiar Spirits, when they have been in -Trouble, all their comfort hath been lost, as the poorest Witch that is, -as may be seen by _Manasseh_ and other King spoken of in the Scripture. - -Now observe, when God doth bring upon a People, Nation, or particular -Person, some great Judgment and Destruction, let it be either outward or -inward in the Mind, when it comes upon a People, Nation, or particular -Person, for their Sins and Wickedness they have committed, in forsaking -the Lord's Prophets, and dealing with Witches and Familiar Spirits; as -_Saul_ forsook the Lord and went to a Witch, and _Manasseh_, and several -other Kings of _Israel_, who ought only to have obeyed the Prophets of -the Lord; but they forsook him, and enquired of Witches and Wizards, and -dealt with Familiar Spirits themselves, and caused the People to worship -the Devil (whom they imagined to be God) instead of the true God, whom -the Prophets would have had them to worship. - -But when this Punishment for Sin is inflicted upon a People, Nation, or -particular Person, for dealing with Familiar Spirits, and worshipping of -Devils; when Punishment comes, it makes the Heart or Hearts to fail, for -the Spirit is brought down by this Judgment even to Death, and so goeth -to the Ground; so that the very Fear, Trouble, and Sorrow of Heart, -shall speak as it were out of the Dust, or out of Death; for Sin will -speak out of the Ground, and the Speech of Death will be low in them -that have escaped the Destruction which others did go through; for there -will be a Resemblance in those that have escaped, how their Friends and -Relations are fallen to the Ground or Dust of the Earth for their -Wickedness, so that Sorrow and Grief will speak in the Mind of those -that have escaped with a low Speech, even as one doth who hath a -Familiar Spirit. Or as if their Friends and Relations, the Remembrance -of their Destruction being taken away in Wrath for Sin, it speaks a -small low Voice of Grief and Sorrow in the Heart of those that are -alive, even as one that hath a Familiar Spirit, even a low motional -Voice of Sorrow and Grief, and it cometh as it were out of the Ground, -or out of the Dust. - -That is the very Influence of Grief and Sorrow, for their dead Friends -and People; it causeth, where Grief is, to hear as it were low Voices -and small Speeches, even out of the Ground or out of the Dust of the -Earth: Just as it was with _Cain_ in another Case, the Lord said to -_Cain_, _Thy Brother's Blood crieth from the Ground for Vengeance_; and -so the Blood of those that were slain under the Altar did _from the -Ground cry for Vengeance_, as in _Rev._ vi. 10. it crieth for Vengeance -in the Consciences of all bloody Persecutors. So in like Manner doth the -Death and Destruction of a People, who are destroyed for wicked -Idolatry, as those were the Prophet _Isaiah_ speaketh of, they spake -from the Ground a low Speech in the Conscience of those that were -concerned, Grief, Sorrow, and Fear of the same Punishment, and such -like. - - - - - CHAP. IX. - - -For where Grief and Sorrow is rooted and settled in the Heart, it -speaketh with low motional Voices in the Mind; that is, the thought of -Fear in the Mind, both of temporal Losses and the Loss of eternal Peace. -The Fear moves to and fro in that Mind, as if it were a Speech out of -the Ground; for the Thoughts of the Heart are low Voices which cannot be -heard by any but themselves. - -So is it with those that have a Familiar Spirit, their Voices and Speech -they hear from Spirits without them, as if Spirits did speak to them out -of the Ground: Which Speech they say they hear, is nothing else but the -Thoughts that pass to and fro in their own Minds, a low motional Voice -in themselves, as if Spirits did speak to them with a low Voice out of -the Ground, or out of the Dust. For their Faith is strong, and above all -those that come to enquire of a Witch, they do all believe that Spirits -may be raised without Bodies out of the Ground, as the Witch doth; so -they both do believe, that the Spirit came out of the Ground that spake -those low Voices to the Witch, and she tells it to the other that -enquire of her, and they believe her as King _Saul_ did. - -So they are wholly departed from the Lord, and believe a Lye, to think -that Spirits can be raised out of the Ground without Bodies after Men -have been dead; it is a Thing God never did; we never read in Scripture, -that God or his Prophets did ever raise any Spirits out of the Ground -without Bodies after they were dead; but we read in Scripture, that God -and his Prophets have raised some from the dead with Bodies, as that of -_Lazarus_ being raised out of the Ground by Christ, and the Child that -was raised from Death by the Prophet _Elijah_, and another Child raised -from Death to Life by the Prophet _Elisha_, and several others come -forth out of the Ground at the rising again of Christ from Death, as -those Saints that did arise out of the Graves, and appeared to many that -were alive; these all did arise out of the Graves with Bodies after they -were dead, and _Lazarus_ came forth out of the Ground after he was dead, -but his Spirit came not out of the Ground without his Body, but Body and -Soul came out of the Ground together. - -For it was always God's Practice to raise Soul and Body together; and -because the Imagination of Reason in those that have a Familiar Spirit -cannot do so, nor those that enquire of them, therefore they do imagine -that Spirit may be raised out of the Ground without Bodies, or assume a -Shape and appear like a Body, yet it shall be of no Substance, a Shape -that can neither be felt nor handled by the Hand of Man. - -Now mind, all those God doth raise out of the Ground after they were -dead, they may be handled and felt, though they be Spiritual Bodies, yet -they may be felt and handled, as Christ said to _Thomas_, _Feel me and -handle me_, after he was risen from the dead, and _Thomas laid his -Fingers in the Print of the Nails, and on his Side_. Yet Christ was at -that time a Spiritual Body that was risen from the Dead, that might be -felt and handled, and not a Spirit without a Body, as most People do -vainly imagine that Spirits may be raised without Bodies. - -And as for that _Lazarus_ and others, that were raised by the Power of -God out of the Ground after they had been dead, they had Bodies as well -as Spirits that might be seen with natural Eyes, and handled and felt -with natural Hands. So that God's Power in raising the Dead, it is no -Cheat; the Creature is not cheated nor deceived, but is fully satisfied -in his Mind. - -But for a Familiar Spirit to say or tell People, they do or can raise -Spirits out of the Ground in such a Shape without a Body or bodily -Substance; or shall say, they hear Voices from this Spirit so raised, is -a mere Cheat to the Ignorant and Unbelieving, and leads them into the -Pit of Darkness, and makes them fear where no Fear is, and are afraid of -their own Shadows; for it is the Nature of Reason the Devil to imagine, -that this way of raising of Spirits without Bodies, to be of a more high -Nature then to raise Spirit and Body together, as God doth; and the -Imagination doth conceive it a more greater Power, to raise Spirits -without Bodies out of the Dust of the Ground, than it is to raise Spirit -and Body together, as Christ did; for Christ always raised Spirit and -Body together, as the Scriptures do testify. - -For the Reason in Man doth send forth the Imagination of the Heart, the -unclean Spirit in Man walking through dry Places, seeking rest but can -find none; the ignorant dark Thoughts of the Imagination goeth out of a -Man, to enquire of one that hath a Familiar Spirit, seeking rest but can -find none, as King _Saul_ did: For the Imagination of the Heart being -continually Evil, it always walketh through dry Places, where no matter -of Life is to be had, to quench the Thirst of Sin or a defiled -Conscience; neither can the Thoughts of Imagination be satisfied with -what a Witch or a Familiar saith; therefore called dry Places: They may -be called dry, because the Heart is never satisfied with what a Witch -saith, for she always saith a Lie. - -To tell a Man or Woman, that she doth or can raise Spirits out of the -Ground without Bodies, as the Witch of _Endor_ did to King Saul, or that -she did hear any low Voice or Speech of _Samuel_ out of the Ground, as -she told the King; I say, she did but cheat the King, and made him -believe she had raised _Samuel_, and had heard him speak to her with a -low Speech out of the Ground, which had revealed unto her what sad -Things would befal the King: so he believing her Words, his Spirit -fainted, so that no Strength was in him; when as in Deed and in Truth, -that _Samuel_ she said she saw arise out of the Earth, he did arise out -of her own Heart; and that low Speech she said _Samuel_ spake, it was -all in her self by the Motions of the Familiar Spirit begotten in her. -And King _Saul_ believing her, being Partaker of her Faith, _Samuel_ -spake a low motional Voice or Speech in him also, he believing it was -_Samuel_ spake out of the Earth, but it was nothing else but the Voice -of his own guilty Conscience within himself, as it was the Voice her -Familiar Spirit in her self that spake as aforesaid. - -So that the Meaning of the Prophet _Isaiah_, Chap. xxix. 4. concerning -the Destruction of _Jerusalem_, that _Grief and Sorrow of Heart should -speak in themselves_; as if the Speech came put of the Ground, because -they saw in themselves nothing but Death and Destruction did approach, -and was like to follow upon them all, fearing they should all be -destroyed by their Enemies, and slain and fall to the Ground: So that -Fear of Heart of Destruction, it spake a low Speech in every Man's -Heart, even as if it spake out of the Ground, or as one that hath a -Familiar Spirit; for it is the Nature of a Familiar Spirit to speak as -if the Speech did proceed from the Earth, and the Speech doth seem to -the Witch, and those that enquire of her, to whisper out of the Dust: -When as the Speech cometh not out of the Ground, neither doth it whisper -out of the Dust, as is imagined by most People, because Ignorance and -Darkness hath overspread the Minds of most People in the World. But that -low Speech the Familiar Spirit speaks or whispers, it is out of her own -Heart, even that Wisdom begotten by the Imagination in her own Thoughts, -that speaks as aforesaid, and no Spirit without her, as hath vainly been -imagined. - -So likewise the People of the _Jews_, the Fear, Grief, and Sorrow of -Heart, being begotten in them for such like Sins, as that of Witchcraft, -Idolatry, dealing with Familiar Spirits, causing their Sons and -Daughters to pass through the Fire as burnt Offerings and Sacrifices -unto Devils, which they supposed to be Gods; these Things caused their -Hearts to fail and faint, and their Thoughts were troubled within -themselves, which causeth their Speech to grow weak and low within them, -even as if some Familiar did speak out of the Ground, or whisper out of -the Dust, Fear, Grief, and Sorrow of Heart: But all come out of their -own grieved Hearts, who were punished for their Sins; and not out of the -natural Ground or natural Dust, as People do vainly imagine. This is the -true Meaning of the Prophet's Words, and how Familiar Spirits may be -said to speak out of the Ground, and whisper out of the Dust. - - - - - CHAP. X. - - -Again, it hath been objected by many, that Spirits may be raised without -Bodies, and that Spirits may be talked with after they have been dead -and buried; and that Spirits have appeared in a Shape to several People, -yet this Spirit so appearing hath no Body nor Substance at all, neither -can it be felt or handled by mortal Man, nor no immortal Creature -neither: this is the vain Conceit of most People. - -But to satisfy the Reader in this, I declare, that there is no immortal -Spirit whatsoever, but it hath a Spiritual Body suitable to its Spirit; -if the Spirit be immortal, the Body is immortal also: For this I say, no -Spirit can have any Being at all without a Body, no not God himself, who -was from Eternity; his Spirit could not be from Eternity without a -Spiritual Body, in Form like Man; they were both from Eternity, and the -one was never divided nor separated from the other, but they were both -Eternal. And further I declare, that God was a Spiritual Body from -Eternity, in Form like a Man; therefore God created Man in his own Image -and Likeness. Now observe, if Man hath a Body suitable to his Spirit, so -hath God a Body suitable to his Spirit, else Man was not created in his -Image, if God hath never a Body, but is all Spirit, as People do vainly -imagine. For this I know, that God was Spirit and Body, in Form like a -Man, from Eternity, and his Spirit was never divided nor separated from -his Body, but they were both Eternal. - -So likewise is it with Angels and Men, and all other Creatures; -where-ever the Spirit of Life is, there is Bodies of Life also; let it -be either in Spiritual Bodies, or in Natural Bodies. For if the Body of -either of these be dead, the Spirit is dead also; and if the Spirit be -dead either in Spiritual Body or Natural Body, the Body is dead also: -For the one cannot have any sensible Being without the other. And -further I say, that they were both together Spirit and Body from -Eternity in God the Creator, and he hath ordered and created all his -Creatures, both celestial and terrestrial, that Spirit and Body should -be one living Being, and that one should not subsist nor have no -sensible being without the other: Even as God himself could not enjoy no -sensible Living being without a Body, he knowing this in himself. - -Therefore he created all his Creatures Spiritual and Natural, with -Bodies suitable to their Spirits, and Spirits suitable to their Bodies, -so that one might not be divided nor separated from the other; for if -one dieth, the other dieth; and if the Spirit live, the Body liveth -also. For this I say, that if the Spirit of God himself could not be -without a Body from Eternity, how then is it possible that his Creatures -should have Spirits without Bodies, seeing he himself his Spirit could -not have any Being without his Body from Eternity. - -But this Conceit, that the Spirit or Soul of Man is immortal, and cannot -die, and may have a Being without a Body, and appear in a Shape without -any Substance; this vain Conceit proceeded first from the Imagination of -Reason in Man, even from _Cain_, the first Devil in Flesh and Bone. And -this Imagination in _Cain_ his Posterity, being Heathen Men, who had no -Communion with God, nor Revelation of Faith, as the Sons of _Adam_ and -the Sons, of _Seth_, the Generation of the Righteous, had; they knew -that the Spirit and Body was all one Substance. - -But the Imagination of Reason, _Cain_ his Posterity, the Heathen -Opinion, do imagine the Spirit of Man to be immortal, and cannot die; -and that Spirits may appear in Shapes without Bodies; and that Spirits -may go out of the Body, and go to Heaven or Hell and leave the Body to -be laid in the Ground, as the Quakers and others do. - -And this Imagination of Reason in Man hath created to it self a new -Creation, which God never created. Man hath created and made in his -Imagination a Spirit without a Body, and that this Spirit so created is -immortal, and cannot die, nor is not capable of Death, that it can slip -out of the Body, and that it can have a Being when it is gone out of the -Body, and appear in a Shape without Substance or hath Power to assume -what Shape it please, and yet this Shape, it doth assume, shall have no -Substance yet it shall appear in a Shape and fright People. - -And the Imagination of Reason in Man hath created Man in his own Image -and Likeness, as God did _Adam_: As thus, First, he hath conceived in -his Imagination, that God is a Spirit without a Body. Secondly, he -conceiveth in his Imagination that the Devil is a Spirit flying in the -Air, which can neither be seen nor felt; yet this Devil or Spirit -without a Body doth tempt Man to Evil, whereby Man is punished, and the -Tempter he is escaped away without Punishment. - -Also it is conceived by the Imagination, that this Devil or Spirit is in -Hell-fire, and in Chains of Darkness, and can go no further then God -will permit him, because his Chain is no longer then God hath limited -him. - -Also it is conceived in the Imagination, notwithstanding the Devil is -chained, and in Hell-fire tormented, yet he being a Spirit without a -Body, he is so swift that he can be in all Places at one Time, so that -he can tempt thousands of Men and Women to sin at one and the same Time, -and they themselves never the wiser, nor know him when he tempted them. -All this the imaginary Devil can do, and much more; and yet be in Hell -fire, and tied in a Chain at the same Time, and all but one Devil, a -Spirit without a Body. - -Also the Imagination hath conceived that the Soul of Man is a Spirit -infused or put into the Body by God himself, and that Man begets the -Body, but not the Soul or Life of Man, that is conceived to be immortal, -or a Spirit that is so invisible, that cannot be seen nor known what it -is, and that it can live of it self when it is gone out of the Body. - -Thus the Imagination of Reason the Devil, hath created its own Soul in -its own Image and Likeness; and this hath been the Occasion of producing -of Familiar Spirits, and of dealing with those that have a Familiar -Spirit, being conformed to the very Image of the Devil. Many Things more -of the like Nature might be said in this Point. - -But here the Reader may see if there be any true Light of Faith in him, -how the Imagination of Reason in Man hath created Spirits without -Bodies, and that the Devil is a Body-less Spirit, and in Hell-fire, and -in a Chain of Darkness, and yet at Liberty at the same time to tempt -People; and in Hell-fire, and yet out of the Fire when he pleaseth; and -that he may be called out of Hell, or out of the Ground, when a Witch by -her Familiar Spirit doth call; and that he shall appear in any Shape -they will have him, yet he shall have no Body nor Substance, but a mere -Shadow; yet this Shadow shall speak with a low Voice or Speech out of -the Ground; as if Speech could proceed from a Shadow without Substance. - -So that the Imagination of the Heart of Man hath created to it self a -Devil, that God never created; and the Imagination of Man's Heart hath -created his own Soul in the Image and Likeness of the Devil, that is to -say, a Spirit without a Body; and that a Spirit without a Body may be -capable of Joy or Sorrow; and that a Spirit may subsist and have a being -in Joy or Sorrow without a Body, which Thing is impossible. - -But observe the Creation that the Imagination of Man hath created to -himself; for it is the Nature of Imagination of Reason the Devil, he -always creates Spirits without Bodies, but God the Creator he always -creates Spirits and Bodies together, for God never created any Spirit -without a Body; for when God made Man after his own Image and Likeness, -he made him with a Body as well as a Spirit, else Man could not be made -in the Image and Likeness of God, if God had a Body of his own as well -as a Spirit. - -So that _Adam_ was made or created in the Image and Likeness of God; for -_Adam_ had a visible Body and Spirit, undivided and unseparable one from -the other; they were but one visible sensible Being, and when the Life -was dead the Body was dead, and when the Body is really dead, the Spirit -and Life was and is dead also; and both are laid in the Ground together, -as is declared in all our Writings, but more especially in that Book -entituled, _The Mortality of the Soul_. - - - - - CHAP. XI. - - -Also I do further declare, that God did never create any Spirit without -a Body, neither of Angels, nor Men, nor no other Creature, neither in -Heaven above, nor in the Earth beneath, nor the Waters under the Earth. -There is no Spirit or Life whatsoever that is created of God, but it -hath a Body to that Life or Spirit; but if a Spirit have any Being -without a Body, that Spirit is none of God's Creation; for God never -created any Spirit whatsoever without a Body, as I said before. - -But the Imagination of Reason in Man, which is the Devil, hath created -all Creatures in the Imagination to have Spirits without Bodies, both of -Angels above and Man here on Earth, and all Creatures upon the Earth, -and in the Waters, that have the Breath of Life, the Imagination of -Reason saith, their Spirits may subsist without Bodies, or go out of -those Bodies they have, and enter into other Bodies, and appear in the -Shape of a Body, and yet be of no Substance: so that the Devil's -Creation is all of Spirits without Bodies, and God's Creation is all -with Bodies and Spirits together. - -And this Darkness hath overspread the Nature of Man all the World over, -which is the Occasion of that Opinion of Houses and Places being haunted -with evil Spirits, and Spirits walking without Bodies, and dealing with -Familiar Spirits, that peep, and mutter, and whisper as it were out of -the Ground. These Things and many more are produced by the Imagination -of the Heart of Man, for the Imagination of Man's Heart is evil, and -continually evil; for it hath given a Being to Spirits without Bodies, -to fright it self to that which hath no Being of it self. - -For I declare and perfectly know, that there is no such Thing as Spirits -to walk without Bodies, nor assume any Shape after Death, nor be raised -out of the Ground by any Witch or any Familiar Spirit whatsoever; it is -all produced out of the dark Imagination of the Heart, where Ignorance -beareth Rule, for there is no such Thing can be presented but to the -Ignorant and dark minded People. - -Thus I have given the Reader to understand something more concerning the -Power of Witches, and how they may be said to raise Spirits out of the -Ground, and from whence that low Speech doth come, with those Scriptures -opened that speak as if a Familiar Spirit did hear whispering out of the -Dust. - -Also I have given the Interpretation of that in _Samuel_ concerning the -Witch of _Endor_, and those Places of Scripture in _Isaiah_; these -Places are the most concerning Spirits being raised without Bodies, of -any in the Scriptures; but there have been some other Places of -Scriptures, that do seem to carry a shew as if Spirits might rise again -without Bodies, and I have been desired by some to open those Scriptures -that seem to tend to that Purpose, though the common and general -Objection amongst all People is, that of the Witch of _Endor_ and King -_Saul_, which I have opened before; yet for the further Satisfaction of -the Reader, I shall open and interprete the other Places objected, that -seem to tend to the same thing. - -The Places of Scripture are three; the first is _Isa._ lxi. 1. the Words -are these, _The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath -anointed me to preach good Tidings unto the Meek: He hath sent me to -bind up the Broken-hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the Captives, and the -opening of the Prison to them that are bound_----So _Luke_ iv. 18. the -Words in _Luke_ are much to the same Purpose, and little Difference; -only that which _Isaiah_ did prophesy of, it was fulfilled by Christ in -his time----So the first Epistle of _Peter_, Chap. iii. and 18, 19, 20. -Verses; the Words are these, _For Christ also hath once suffered for -Sin, the Just for the Unjust; that he might bring us to God, being put -to Death in the Flesh, but quickened by the Spirit_. Verse 19. _By which -also he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison_: Verse 20. _Which -sometime were disobedient, when once the Long-suffering of God waited in -the Days of_ Noah, _while the Ark was a preparing, wherein few (that is) -eight Souls were saved by Water_. - - - - - CHAP. XII. - - -As for that Saying of the Prophet _Isaiah_, it was a Prophecy of Christ, -that he should be anointed to preach Glad-tidings, unto the Meek, and -that he was sent to bind up the Broken-hearted, to proclaim Liberty to -the Captives, and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound. This -Prophecy was fulfilled when he was upon Earth, as may plainly appear by -those Words in _Luke_ aforementioned. - -Also the Reader may understand, that these Places of Scripture have no -Relation at all to the raising of Spirits without Bodies; nor of Spirits -being in Prison, nor delivered out of Prison by the Power of Christ -without Bodies. - -But the Meaning is this, that the Spirit of the Lord Almighty was upon -Christ, and in him, and did anoint him to preach Glad-tidings of -Salvation to the Meek in Heart, who did believe in him and trusted in -his Words; all such as were broken-hearted, who were led Captive by the -Error, Ignorance, and Darkness of the Mind; he came to proclaim Liberty -to the Spirit of Man, who was in Captivity; and to open the Prison-door -of Mens Hearts. - -For this I say, all Mens Spirits by Nature are shut up in the Prison of -Spiritual Darkness in the Mind, and are lead Captive by the Ignorance of -Truth; so that the Spirit or Soul of Man is shut up a Prisoner in the -Body of Man, until the true God and Saviour hath been preached to them, -as it was by Christ himself, when on Earth he was anointed to preach -Glad-tidings of Salvation; and he anointed his Apostles to preach -Glad-tidings of Peace to Men, and to open the Prison, and to deliver the -Captive out of Captivity, and to set the Spirits of many that were in a -Prison of Darkness in their own Minds go free: This Prophecy was -fulfilled at that Time by Christ and his Apostles in their Commission. - -But the same Captivity and Prison of Darkness is now upon the Spirits of -all Men, as it was at that Time: For this I say, and many People can -Witness, that their Spirits have been shut up Prisoners in Spiritual -Darkness in their own Bodies, until the true God the Saviour hath been -preached unto them by his last Messengers. - -For this I declare, that those Words of the Prophet _Isaiah_, they were -spoken with Relation to a Spiritual Liberty, and to a Spiritual -Captivity, of the Mind or Spirit of Man, and not to a Natural Captivity. -Neither was it meant the opening of the natural Prison Doors, to them -that were bound by the Powers of the Nations; but the Doors of Mens -Hearts were opened at the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, in that -Light, and Life, and Salvation was preached unto them, that whoever -Believed that this Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour of the World, should -be saved and delivered from the Fear of Eternal Death: So that the Soul -of Man that was lead Captive into Prison, and bound in Chains of -Darkness, and strong Doors lockt fast to keep the Spirit of Men in -Prison, by the Works of the Law, and the Expounders of the Law before -Christ came, the Spirit of Reason in them did lead the Generality of -People their Spirits into Spiritual Captivity, and shut them up in -Prison, and tied their Spirits up in the Observation of the Ceremonial -Law of _Moses_. - -Which was as Chains of Darkness: and not only so, but shut the Door of -Hope upon them, so that there was no Hope to be saved in them, but by -observing the Law aforesaid, which _Paul_ calls _beggarly Rudiments_, -_Gal._ iii. So that this Spiritual Captivity and being bound in Prison, -and the Doors being shut, it was the Spirits of People that were -Captives and Prisoners in their own Bodies, kept by the Legal and -Ceremonial Righteousness of the Law of _Moses_; and when Christ came to -preach, and to give Power to his Apostles to preach the Gospel of Truth, -both to Jew and Gentile, then was the Door of Hope opened in People's -Hearts, and many that were bound in Prison, whose Spirits were led -Captive, they were set at Liberty from that Bondage of the Ceremonial -Law, wherein they were bound, and brought out of that Prison of Darkness -in the Mind, into the glorious Light and Life of Faith, by the preaching -of Christ and his Apostles. - -Then was this Prophecy of _Isaiah_ fulfilled in the Apostles Commission; -then was Liberty preached to the Spirits of many that were bound and in -Prison in their own Minds, the Word of Faith preached unto them, it -opened a Door of Hope of Deliverance from the Bondage of the Law as -aforesaid, wherewith they were bound; so that by Faith they had in -Christ, their Chains fell off their Feet, and Darkness of their -Understanding; so that they were at perfect Liberty, and delivered out -of Prison, and the Prison-Door of Hope in Christ being opened, all true -Believers in Christ were set at Liberty, free from Captivity, and out of -that Spiritual Prison of Darkness into the glorious Liberty of the Sons -and Daughters of God for ever and ever. - -So is it now in this Commission of the Spirit, we the Witnesses of the -Spirit have preached Glad-tidings of Salvation, and have opened the -Prison-Doors of Mens Hearts, and have let many out of that Spiritual -Prison, that were bound to the Righteousness set up by the Imagination -of Reason now in these last Days, who were led Captive by their own -Traditions, and kept in Prison in their own Bodies for many Years; but -by the Declaration of Truth in all our Writings and our Speakings, many -People have been delivered out of Captivity and out of Prison, their -Spirits have been let loose out of the Chains of Darkness, because the -Door of their Hearts hath been opened by the Word of Faith in the true -God, which we have preached and written; this many can witness at this -Day the Truth of it. So that now that Scripture is fulfilled again these -last days; and this is the true Meaning of the Prophet _Isaiah_, in -those Words concerning opening the Prison, and giving Liberty to the -Captives that were imprisoned in their own Bodies by the Conceptions of -the Imaginations of their own Hearts. - -So that there is not the least Colour or Ground from those Words, for -the Reason of Man to think that Spirits may be let out of Prison without -Bodies, or that the Spirit of Christ did Preach to any Spirit in Prison -without his Body. - - - - - CHAP. XIII. - - -And as for those Words of _Peter_ aforenamed, where he saith, _Christ -was put to Death in the Flesh, but quickened by the Spirit; by which -also he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison, which sometime -were Disobedient, when once the Long-suffering of God waited in the Days -of_ Noah, _while the Ark was a preparing, &c._ - -The Meaning of those Words are as followeth; that Christ was put to -Death in the Body of his own Flesh, this is confessed by most People -that profess the Scriptures of Truth, but very few do truly believe, -that the Soul or Spirit of Christ did die, or was put to Death at all, -notwithstanding the Scripture saith, that _He poured out his Soul unto -Death_; and he himself saith, _His Soul was heavy unto Death_. Therefore -that the Reader may understand what is meant in that Christ was put to -Death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit; mind, - -I declare, that it was the Soul or Spirit of Christ, which was the -Godhead-life that dwelt in that Body of Flesh and Bone of Christ; for, -as the Scripture saith, _In him all the Fulness of the Godhead dwelt -Bodily_: And this Godhead-life that dwelt in the Body of Christ's Flesh, -it was put to Death in the Body of Christ's Flesh, and the same -Godhead-life that was put to Death in the Body of his Flesh. And when -Christ's Body was crucified upon the Cross, then was the Soul and Life -of Christ, or the Godhead-life did die, and was put to Death in that -Flesh of Christ; for that Flesh of Christ was God become Flesh, as the -Scripture saith; and the Soul and Life of Christ was the Soul and Life -of God. And, - -When Christ poured out his Soul unto Death, it was the Godhead Life that -was poured out unto Death; so that the Godhead Spirit was put to Death, -and did die in the Flesh of Christ when he was Crucified. But this -Godhead Life which was put to Death in the Flesh of Christ, it quicken'd -again where it was put to Death, even in the same Flesh where it was put -to Death. And in its quickening again, it raised the same Flesh again, -and so spiritualized the same Flesh that suffered, and made it uncapable -to suffer Death any more. - -For this I say, no Spirit or Life that is put to Death whatsoever, could -possibly quicken again in the same Body, but the Life of God only, so -that Christ must needs be God as well as Man; for it was Christ that was -put to Death in the Flesh, and the same Life that was put to Death, and -did die, that which did die did quicken again, and so is called a -quickening Spirit. - -Now observe, it cannot properly be called a quickening Spirit, if it had -not been once dead: For if the Spirit and Life of Christ did not die, -nor was not dead, then I say, there was no need that this Spirit and -Life, should quicken again, for it was always quick and alive. - -For the Spirit quickening doth imply, a sensible Life is quickned out of -an insensible Life; as a Child in the Womb before it is quick, it -feeleth no Pain, neither doth it stir in the Womb, and the Midwife doth -not care to destroy it to save the Womans Life, because the Child was -not quick, it was an insensible Life, no more capable of Pain then there -is in Death, or a dead Lump of Earth; but when a Child is quick in the -Womb, it is capable of Pain, though it hath not Strength to express it -to us that are strong, yet it is capable of Pain, because it is -quickened into a sensible Life, that is, a living Soul, a living Spirit, -and so may be called a quickened Spirit of Life, out of that which was -dead; yet by the Appointment of God in his Creation, and the Warmness of -the Womb, there is new Life or Spirit doth quicken in the Womb in its -Season, according to the Appointment of God when he created all Things, -and placed a Law of Generation in them. - -So likewise the Spirit or Life of Christ was put to Death in his own -Body of Flesh, as aforesaid; and in its Season he himself had appointed -before, namely three Days and three Nights, this Spirit of Christ so put -to Death, it quickened again in the same Flesh a new and Glorious Life, -which made that Flesh that suffered Glorious also. - -And this is the true Interpretation of _Peter's_ Words, and the Faith of -all true Believers, that the Spirit, Life, and Soul of Christ did die, -and was put to Death in the Body of his own Flesh, that was Crucified on -the Cross by the Jews; and that the same Spirit that was put to Death, -it did quicken again out of Death into a new and Glorious Life by his -own Power, therefore called a quickening Spirit. - -So that here is no Ground at all for that vain Conceit in People, who do -believe that Spirits may be raised without Bodies, or appear without -Bodies, but altogether to the contrary. And as for that saying of -_Peter_, _By which also he went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison, -which sometime were disobedient, when once the Long-suffering of God -waited in the Days of_ Noah _while the Ark was a preparing_. - -These Words do seem to carry some shew, as if the quickening Spirit of -Christ, after he was risen from the Dead, or in the time he did lie in -the Grave, as if his Spirit in that Interim of Time went into some local -Place where Spirits were in Prison without Bodies, to preach unto them, -who had been Disobedient in the Days of _Noah_: This is the vain Conceit -of most People from those Words of _Peter_, who saith, _By which he went -and preached unto the Spirits in Prison_, as if the Spirits of the -Disobedient People in the Days of _Noah_ had been in Prison in some -local Place in the Earth without Bodies, who had been departed in the -Days of _Noah_, in the Destruction of the World by Water. - -This the Imagination of Reason in Man doth imagine, that Spirits may be -shut up in Prison without Bodies, and that the quickening Spirit Christ -might Preach unto them without a Body. - -But the true Light and Revelation of faith doth know to the contrary, -that no Spirits can have any Being at all without Bodies, neither of -God, Angels, nor Man, nor no other living Creature, who hath the Breath -of Life in it. - -But to give the Interpretation of this Scripture, that the Reader may -understand, it is thus; the Spirit of Christ, that quickened from the -Dead to Life again, I say, is the same Spirit that preached to the -Spirits in Prison in the Days of _Noah_, and the Spirits of the -disobedient World were in Prison in their own Bodies in the Days of -_Noah_, as they were when Christ came upon Earth, for then he opened the -Prison to them that were bound, by preaching Glad-tidings of Freedom to -those that were bound, and Liberty to those Spirits that were in -Captivity. - -Now (as I said before) this Captivity is Spiritual Captivity, and to be -bound and in Prison, it is meant a Spiritual Imprisonment in the Mind, -and not a natural Imprisonment of the Body. And this I say, the very -same Spirit of Christ that preached to the Jews when he was upon Earth, -did preach to the old World in the Days of _Noah_, though in a twofold -Manner. - -And as the Spirits of Men were in Prison in their own Ignorance, -Blindness and Darkness of Understandings, in that they were led Captives -and Prisoners by their wicked and unnatural Lusts in the Days of _Noah_: -So were both Jews and Gentiles in the Days of Christ when on Earth, -their Spirits were led Captive, and into the Prison of Unbelief and -Persecution of the Lord of Life, in that their Fathers persecuted the -Lord's Prophets and Messengers he did send; so did these Jews persecute -the Lord himself, when he preached to their Spirits that were in Prison, -and led Captives by their wicked murdering Wills into the Prison of -Unbelief; for he did preach when on Earth, that whosoever did believe in -him should be saved. And as many as did truly believe in him, their -Spirits were brought out of that Captivity of Unbelief, and out of the -Prison of Darkness in the Mind, into a glorious Liberty and Light of -Life Eternal. And thus did the preaching of Christ Spirit deliver many -Spirits of Men and Women out of Prison, in the Days when he was upon -Earth. - -So likewise this quickening Spirit of Christ, it preached unto the -Spirits in Prison in the Days of _Noah_. And why were their Spirits in -Prison in the Days of _Noah_? Because they were disobedient. And how may -they be said to be disobedient? Because they did not believe that good -Man _Noah_, who was a Preacher of Righteousness. And how did he preach -Righteousness unto that wicked People? In that he prepared the Ark, and -being so many as a hundred Years in building, all that while God is said -to wait for their Repentance, and that they might believe that God would -destroy the World by Water. - -But instead of Repentance and believing they hardened their Hearts, and -mocked at _Noah_ and the Ark; so that while the Ark was preparing, God -waited for the People's Repentance; and all that while that _Noah_ was -building he preached to the People, that the World would be drowned. - -And the Spirit of Christ, which is the Spirit of God which was put to -Death in the Flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which he went and -preached unto the Spirits in Prison in the Days of _Noah_, it was the -same Spirit that instructed _Noah_ to build the Ark; so that the -building of the Ark by _Noah_, he being a Preacher of Righteousness, in -that he believed God, and built it as the Spirit of God had commanded -and instructed him; as God did _Moses_, shewed him the Pattern of the -Tabernacle in the Mount. - -And in as much as _Noah_ did obey the Commandment of the Lord, according -as the Spirit of the Lord did reveal unto him, _Noah_ may be said to be -a Preacher of Righteousness; and he doing all things by Inspiration of -the Spirit of Christ, which was not at that time made of Flesh, but in -the Fulness of time became pure humane Flesh, and suffered the Pains of -Death. And the same Spirit that suffered Death, that very same Spirit -that quickened, was that Spirit that preached to the Spirits in Prison -in the Days of _Noah_, as aforesaid. - -And the making of the Ark by the Inspiration of God's Spirit in the -Sight of the People, who were in Prison in Ignorance and Darkness of -Mind, is called by the Revelation of Faith, _A preaching to the Spirits -in Prison_: So that the Spirit of God in _Noah_ may be said to preach -unto those Spirits in Prison, in the Days of _Noah_, and that there was -but eight Persons saved from the Flood. - -So that this Place of Scripture doth no way prove, that the Spirit of -Christ did ever preach to Spirits in Prison without Bodies; neither did -Christ's Spirit preach in the Days of _Noah_ without a Body; for he -always preached with a Body himself, or else chose Men that have Bodies, -and gave them Power to preach to Spirits in Prison, and to deliver the -Captives, and to set the Prisoner at Liberty, and the bound in Prison to -go free. - -So that the Reader may see how and in what Manner the Spirit of Christ -did preach unto the Spirits in Prison in the Days of _Noah_, and how -their Spirits may be said to be in Prison, and how their Unbelief in the -Days of _Noah_ was called Disobedience, to the preaching of _Noah_ all -that while the Ark was building. And being built by the Inspiration of -the Spirit of God, it may and is called the preaching of Christ's Spirit -to them that were in Prison in Spiritual Darkness in their Minds; for -their Minds being darkened, they did those Things that were unseemly; -yea, unnatural as the People of _Sodom_ did. Now, were not the Spirits -of these People in Prison, and led Captive of those unnatural Lusts, I -think no sober Man will deny; yet these were those Spirits in Prison -that Christ's Spirit preach unto in the Body of _Noah_, in the Days of -_Noah_; and that there was but eight Persons in the Days of _Noah_, that -were saved from the Destruction by Water, by the preaching of that -Spirit of God in _Noah_. This is the true Interpretation and Meaning of -those Words of _Peter_ the Apostle aforementioned; and how the Spirit of -Christ went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison in the Days of -_Noah_. - - - - - CHAP. XIV. - - -Again, there are some other Places of Scripture, which several People -have objected, as if the Spirit or Soul of Man might go out of the Body, -and subsist in Bliss and Happiness, or in Misery and a tormented -Condition, without its Body it always lived in; from that Place _Luke_ -xxiii. 43. Jesus said to the Thief on the Cross, _Verily I say unto -thee, This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise_. Now observe, this no -way proves that the Thief's Soul went out of his Body into a -paradisiacal Place, and so escaped suffering Death, or did not die; for -if the Soul of Christ did die at that time, as is clear by Scripture it -did; then the Soul and Life of the Thief did die also. - -Then where was the Paradise the Thief's Soul, and Christ's Soul that was -heavy unto Death, where did they go? To this, I say, they went to a -Place of rest, where all righteous Souls go, which is to the sleep of -Death, for their was nothing did die but the Souls of them both; and the -Paradise Christ and the Thief went into that Day they suffered Death, I -declare it was this, that Christ was sure in himself that he should rise -from the Dead the third Day, and afterward should enter into eternal -Glory, and this Assurance in Christ that he should rise again the third -Day, it was Paradise and Peace to his Soul, that he should pass through -that Death, he was now to suffer that very Day into a new Life, that -should not be capable to die any more. - -So likewise when the Thief did truly believe that Jesus was the Christ, -the Saviour from eternal Death to those that did believe; as it is -certain he did when he said, _Lord, remember me, when thou comest into -thy Kingdom_; for he did really believe, that Christ would rise the -third Day, and that he would raise him to eternal Joy and Happiness at -the last Day; and the Thief dying in this Faith, he entred into Peace of -Mind, and had Rest and Freedom to die, in Hope and full Assurance that -Christ would raise him up Soul and Body to eternal Happiness at the last -Day. - -And this was that Paradise that Christ and the Thief were in, that very -Day they both suffered Death; for the Assurance of everlasting Life in a -Man's self here in Mortality, is the Paradise of Peace in this Life. -This I know to be true, and this was the Paradise Christ did mean the -Thief should be in that very Day he believed; and not that either of -their Souls went out of their Bodies to any other Place or Paradise, -then what was in their own Bodies, as aforesaid. - -In like Manner People imagine, that the Soul of Man goeth out of the -Body at his Death, from that Saying _Acts_ 7. 59. from those Words of -_Stephen_, when he was stoned to Death, he said, _Lord Jesus, receive my -Spirit_. The Meaning is this, that when any Man died in the true Faith -of Christ, in the Hope and full Assurance that Christ will raise him up -to eternal Happiness at the last Day, he commits his Spirit into the -Hands of Christ, knowing that though he doth lose his Life for Christ's -Sake here, that Christ will raise it again, and save his Soul hereafter; -and so Christ may be said to receive his Spirit. For this I must tell -the Reader, that there is not a quarter of an Hour's time to the Dead to -his rising again, no not a Minute; for there is no time to the Dead, not -a Minute of an Hour, though a Man have been dead five thousand Years, -yet it is not a Minute of an Hour to him that is dead. - -For all time belongs to the living; for after Death there is nothing but -Eternity, on the other side of Death either eternal Happiness or eternal -Misery: So that when Men die, they may be said to go immediately to -Heaven or to Hell, to Joy or Torment, to be receiv'd into Christ's Hands -of Mercy, or into the Hands of Christ's Wrath, where they shall be -tormented with the Devil and his Angels, yet shall never see the Devil, -nor his Angels, nor themselves, to Eternity; as they did not know the -Devil here, neither shall they know or see him hereafter, yet be -tormented with him. - -And in this Sense a faithful Spirit or Soul, as _Stephen_ was, may be -said to commit his Spirit into the Hands of Christ, and that Christ doth -receive his Spirit into his Hands, and will raise it up at the last Day, -which will not be a Minute of an Hour's time to the Dead, as I said -before; therefore let not the Seed of Faith think the time long between -Death and the Salvation of their Souls, because so many of the Faithful -have been so many hundred Years in the Grave: And let not the wicked -unbelieving People comfort themselves, that the Dead shall never rise -again, because the Fathers are Dead, and the Prophets are dead, and we -see none of them rise again; therefore we conclude, their Spirits are -gone to Heaven without Bodies, and the Spirits of the Wicked are gone to -Hell without Bodies, but a Minute of an Hour's time will decide this -Matter, when the dead are raised: For they shall not remember they have -been a Sleep in the Dust one Minute of an Hour, for their is no -Remembrance of time in the Grave. Therefore let that vain Conceit that -is in most People fall, of Spirits going to God without Bodies: For I -can assure you there is no such Thing, neither can there be any true -Peace in that Conceit. I know it by Faith now, and by Experience, for I -was of that Opinion once my self, when I was zealous in Religion -according to the Puritan Way; but I knew no Scripture truly, neither was -there one true Interpreter of Scripture, no not one in those Days, that -could shew a Man the true Righteousness of God, or the true Way to -everlasting Life. - - - - - CHAP. XV. - - -There is another Place of Scripture that is objected, that seems as if -the Soul went out of the Body when they die; as in 1 _Kings_ xvii. 21. -where _Elijah_ prayed, that _the Child's Soul might come into him -again_. The Meaning is this, that _Elijah_ did pray in Faith unto God, -that he would assist him in this or other Things; as in shutting up the -Heavens that it should not rain, and calling for Fire from Heaven to -destroy those two Captains and their Fifties, and many other wonderful -Things he did; so he prayed unto God to strengthen his Faith, so that he -might have Power to raise this Child's Life out of Death again. - -Therefore he stretched himself upon the Child, and prayed that the -Child's Soul might come into him again; that is, that the Child's Soul -or Life might quicken in the Body of the Child again; for _Elijah_ knew -the Soul of the Child was dead, and by the warm Flesh of the Prophet -laid upon the Child's dead Flesh, and the Faith and Prayer of the -Prophet together, it begot Life in the Child again; so that the Soul -that was dead it became Life in the Child again; and that Life that was -quickened, it run through the Veins of the Childs Body, and so the -Child's Soul did come into him again. - -For this I say, if the Soul of the Child had been gone out of the Body, -then _Elijah_ did not raise the dead Child to Life again; for how can a -Man be said to be dead, when as Life doth not die, but slips out of the -Body, as most People do vainly imagine; but it may be clear to those -whose Understandings are enlightened, that _Elijah_ did raise the Child -from Death to Life, and that the Child's Soul was dead in its Body, and -that the Soul of the Child was revived in the Child's Body again by the -Power of Faith in _Elijah_. - -And the very same thing was done by the Prophet _Elisha_, as in 2 -_Kings_ iv. 34. the Prophet _Elisha_ did the same thing to the -_Sunamite_ Woman's Son, he _went up, and lay upon the Child, and put his -Mouth upon his Mouth, and his Eyes upon his Eyes, and his Hands upon his -Hands, and he stretch himself upon the Child; and the Flesh of the Child -waxed warm, and_ Elisha _stretched himself upon the Child a second -time_: Here the Reader may see, that the Child was dead, and by the -Faith and Prayer, and by the Warmness of the Prophet _Elisha_ his Flesh, -the Child revived to Life again both Body and Soul. And _Elisha_ did use -the same Means and Way as _Elijah_ did? for he went in and shut the -Door, and prayed unto the Lord as _Elijah_ did, and stretched himself -upon the Child as _Elijah_ did, and raise the Child to Life again by the -Power of Faith. - -Yet _Elisha_ maketh no mention of the Soul coming into the Child again, -but he delivered the Body and Soul of the Child, that were both dead -together, he delivered them both alive together to the Child's Mother. -It was the same thing done by _Elijah_, only some difference in the -Words, but the Sense and Meaning is all one. - -So that the Reader may understand, if any true Light of Life be in him, -that the Soul of the Child went not out of its Body, but died in the -Body; and by the Power of Faith in the Prophet, it quickened alive out -of Death in the Child's Body again; for the Soul or Life of the Child -never went out of the Body as is vainly imagin'd; but the Soul, Life, -and Spirit of the Child was absolutely dead in the Body, and by the -Power of Faith in the Prophet, the dead Soul or Life of the Child was -quickened alive again, and caused the Body to live also. For if the -Woman should have had the Soul of the Child given unto her without the -Body, she would have given the Prophet no Thanks for raising her Child's -Soul without a Body; but the Body and Soul being one Person, they were -both dead together, and the Prophet raised them both together alive, and -the Woman received them both together, and rejoyced greatly in God, and -gave Honour to the Prophet. - -Thus in short, I have given the true Interpretation of all those -Scriptures that most seem, or most commonly are objected against the -Mortality of the Soul, or to prove that Spirits do go out of the Body at -the time of Death, or that Spirits may be raised without Bodies, or have -any Being without Bodies, or that a Spirit may appear in a Shape without -a Body, or that a Spirit can assume what Shape it please, yet have no -Body or Substance. - -These things the vain Imagination of Reason in Man hath created in it -self, to fright it self with, for their is no such thing as Spirits -walking without Bodies, neither doth any Spirit go out of the Body when -Men die, as is imagined by most People; but these are Fictions of Mens -Brains, created by the Imagination in the dark Minds of Men and Women, -for God never created any such thing, as I have shewed before. - -And as for that saying of _Solomon_, _Eccl._ xii. 7. _Then shall the -Dust return to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return to God -who gave it._ His Meaning (I suppose) in these Words is, as is generally -conceived by all People, the Body to the Dust, and the Spirit returns to -God that gave it when Men die: But these Sayings of _Solomon_ are no -Scripture, for _Solomon_ was no Scripture Writer, for his Writings were -not written by the Revelation of Faith, but by the Revelation of Reason; -yet it was the purest of Reason, and he had the greatest Measure of the -Wisdom of Reason, and the Knowledge of Nature, of any that was before -him since _Adam_, or any that shall come after him. - -Therefore God chose him King, and gave him the purest Wisdom of Reason, -according to his Desire in his Prayer to God, that his Wisdom might -resemble Heaven for Glory, as it did; for what Glory could a King have -upon Earth greater than he had? Which was a true Resemblance of the -Glory of Heaven; and this Glory was procured by that Power and great -Wisdom of Reason in him; yet for all this he was ignorant of the -Revelation of Faith, and of spiritual and heavenly Things, ignorant of -the true God, and of the right Devil, and of some things in Nature. - -As that the Spirit of a Man should return to God that gave it without a -Body; when as God never gave any Spirit to Man without a Body, nor to no -other Creature: But _Solomon_ being ignorant, that the Spirit or Soul of -Man is generated and begotten by the Law of Generation as well as the -Body; this was in the Creation when God made Man in his own Image, the -Ignorance of this caused him to speak thus; for he knew not where the -Spirit went when the Body is laid in the Earth, no more than the learned -Philosophers do, who say, A Spirit cannot die; as if the Spirit and Life -of every Creature were the Spirit or Life of God, else they think no -Creature could move and have a Being. - -And though _Solomon_ was a wise Man, as the Heathen Philosophers were -wise Men in Nature; yet they were all ignorant in this one thing, of the -Law of Generation or Procreation, to increase and multiply, as God hath -placed in Nature, when he created the World in the beginning; for every -Creature as well as Man, were to increase and multiply by the Law of -Generation; and this I am sure, they begot Spirit, Life, and Soul by -Generation, as well as Bodies. - -But if it be objected, that God breathed into Man the Breath of Life, -and he became a living Soul; and so Man's Spirit is of a more noble -divine Life or Spirit than any other Creature. - -To this I say, the Law of Generation to increase and multiply, was -placed in Man's Seed and Nature by God the Creator, as in other -Creatures: For this is to be observed, that _Adam_ did not come to be a -living Soul by Generation, as we do ever since; but he and _Eve_ were -first made as a Foundation for Generation; so that God made or created -but one Man and one Woman, all Men and Women that have been generated -and begotten ever since, cannot properly be said to be made nor created, -but begotten by Generation; for God never made and created but one Man -and one Woman, all others are generated and begotten. - -Therefore when Man begets a Son or Daughter in the way of Generation, he -begets the Soul or Spirit of the Child as well as the Body; and the Soul -or Spirit came out of the Man's Loin well as the Body: As it was said by -_Jacob_, _Seventy Souls came out of his Loins_; if so then that Spirit -or Soul that is begotten by Generation, it must and doth die: For this I -say, God never breathed the Breath of Life into no Man, but into _Adam_: -The Spirit of Life in all Men and Women else or since have been -generated and begotten, and what Spirit and Soul of Man that is -generated, it doth die and turn to Dust, till the Regeneration, when God -shall raise it again, which will not be a Minute of an Hour to the dead -Spirit, as I said before. So it may be clear to those that have the true -Light of Faith in them, that the Soul or Spirit of Man doth die as well -as the Body: They both came into the World together alive, and they -shall both go out of the World again dead, as I have shewed before. Also -the Reader may see, that those Scriptures have been misunderstood -through the Ignorance and Darkness of Mens Minds, to think that the Soul -or Spirit of Man doth not die, but slips out of the Body; but to imagine -that Spirits may walk without Bodies, or that any Witch can raise any -Spirit without a Body; and many other Conceits that do arise out of the -dark Mind of Man; which have been grounded upon those Scripture Words; -therefore I have given the Interpretation of all those Places of -Scripture that are of most Concernment, and seem to bear such a Sense, -as is generally conceived among Professors of the Scriptures: So that -whoever understands the Interpretation, may receive great Satisfaction -in their Minds in this Point; so much for Satisfaction of the -Understanding in Heart, and for the Discontent of the Ignorant and -Dark-minded People, who believe by Tradition that their Spirits do not -die, but slide out of the Body at the time of Death; and if they have -been evil and wicked Livers, their Spirits do walk afterwards, and -cannot be at rest. These Conceits have been exceeding brief in the World -heretofore, when People were in Darkness, and so is still where the -Darkness of Mind ruleth. - - - - - CHAP. XVI. - - -There is one thing more that would be necessary for the wise in Heart to -know, which the Scriptures speak of in several Places; but I never heard -any of the Ministry tell what that Satan is the Scriptures speak of, -therefore I shall speak a Word or two to shew what Satan is, and so -conclude. 1 _Chron._ xxi. 1. _And Satan stood up against_ Israel; and -_Job_ i. 6. _And Satan came also among them_; and Chap. xxi. 22. _And -the Lord said to Sathan, From whence comest thou? And God said to Satan, -Hast thou considered my Servant_ Job? Ezek. iii. 1. _And Satan standing -at his right Hand._ Mat. xvi. 23. _Get the behind me, Satan._ Luke x. -18. _I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven._ - -1 _Chron._ xxi. 1. _And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked_ -David _to number Israel_. This Satan that provoked _David_, it was the -Motions of Reason in himself, being lifted up in his own Mind, in that -he had overcome the Children of _Ammon_, he thought to make nothing of -the _Philistines_; therefore the Thoughts of his Heart moved him to -number the People, to know his Strength. And this Motion that did arise -in his Heart, it was Satan, it is called Satan, because those Motions -proceed from the Spirit or Seed of Reason in him. In 2 _Sam._ xxiv. 1. -it is said, _The Anger of the Lord was kindled against_ Israel, _and he -moved_ David _against them to say, Go, number_ Israel: that is, the Lord -suffered the Motions of Reason in _David_ to be powerful and strong in -him, that no Arguments should disswade him from it, but the People must -be numbred; and this was that Satan in _David_, and no Spirit without -him. - -So _Job_ i. 6. _The Sons of God came to present themselves before the -Lord, and Satan came also among them._ To this I say, the Book of _Job_ -is no Scripture, neither are Men to build their Faith upon it, because -the Book of _Job_ was written before _Moses_, therefore no Scripture; -for _Moses_ his Writing is the first Foundation of Scripture. Yet this I -do confess, that _Job_ was a good and faithful Man; and because he was -afflicted by Satan, and Satan is spoken of in several Places of -Scripture, yet none of them did declare what this Satan is, therefore I -shall declare now what that Satan was, that came among the Sons of God. - -I declare, the Sons of God they were the Sons of _Job_, who feasted -their three Sisters, as you may read. They were called the Sons of God, -because they were that good and faithful Man _Job_'s Sons; as the Sons -of _Seth_ were called the Sons of God, and _they looked upon the -Daughters of Men, and saw that they were fair_, &c. as you may read in -_Genesis_. Now that Satan came amongst them when they presented -themselves before the Lord, it was the Spirit of Reason in _Job_'s seven -Sons, when they feasted their three Sisters, they were moved in their -Minds to Voluptuousness, Drunkenness and Lust, as the rest of the -Heathen were where they lived; so that they did Wickedness in the -Absence of _Job_ their Father: And _Job_ fearing in their Wickedness his -Sons had cursed God in their Hearts, as you may see in the Verse before. -So _Job_ caused his Sons to present themselves before the Lord, and to -worship the Lord, as it was the Manner for _Job_ to do in those times, -and Satan came with them, that is, the Spirit of Reason in his Sons came -with them, reasoning in themselves; why should their Father _Job_ -reprove them for their Wickedness in their Feasts; this was that Satan -that came amongst them, for he was in them, and no other Satan but what -was within them. - -And this is that Satan that goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and -destroy those that are faithful: So that this Spirit of Reason, this -Satan, it goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and destroy the -faithful. - -It was that Satan that did motion the _Sabeans_ and _Chaldaeans_ to take -away _Job_'s Oxen, and slay his servants as they were plowing; and fired -the Sheep, and burnt up _Job_'s Servants; and the _Chaldaeans_ came with -a Band of Men, seeing _Job_ smitten and destroyed by the _Sabeans_; and -they came with three Bands of Men, and destroyed the Camels and the rest -of his Servants. - -For this must be minded, that in those Times there was no Law to deliver -or help the Innocent, but he that had the strongest Sword carried the -Day. And the Lord for Trial of _Job_'s Faith and Patience, and for a -Pattern for the Ages to come, he suffered the Spirit of unclean Reason -in the _Sabeans_ and _Chaldaeans_ to go to and fro in the Earth, to stir -up their People to destroy _Job_ and all his House and Cattle. - -Also God suffered the natural Wind to blow down the House where _Job_'s -Sons were feasting, and destroyed them according to the Desire of the -Spirit of unclean Reason in the _Sabeans_ and _Chaldaeans_. For the Sons -of _Job_ were wicked Children, though called the Sons of God. - -And last of all the Spirit of unclean Reason in _Job_'s Wife was that -Satan that tempted _Job_ to curse God and die: So that there is no other -Spirit or Satan without Man: But that Satan spoken of in _Job_, it was -the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Minds of the _Sabeans_, -_Chaldaeans_, and in _Job_'s Wife and Sons; that was the Satan, and no -other. - -And as for those Disputes; God had with Satan, and Satan with God; it -was nothing else but the Motions of _Job_'s Heart passing through his -troubled Soul, the Seed of Faith disputed in him for God, persuading him -to be patient, and let that have its perfect Work, and so Hope did -increase in him; and the Seed of Reason, which was Satan in him as well -as in others, it pleaded against God, Reasoning in him as if God did not -do well or justly by him, that had been so righteous in his Life, one -who never did no Wrong to his Neighbour, but always feared God; yet that -God should suffer the wicked to destroy his Cattle and Servants, and -suffer the Wind to blow down his House, and destroy his Children; and -not only so, but suffer his Body to break out with Boils and Botches -most loathsome, as if he had been the greatest Sinner in the World; so -that he thought that God dealt more cruelly with him then with any other -Creature. And further, he thought God dealt hardly with him, that he -would neither take away his Life, that he might die out of this troubled -Mind and Pains of Body, nor restore him to Health. These and such like -Reasonings and thoughts passed through _Job_'s troubled Soul even from -the Spirit or Seed of Reason in him, which is the Dispute of Satan: For -as the Seed of Faith in _Job_ disputed for God so did the Seed of Reason -in _Job_ dispute for Satan; for there is no other Satan but what is in -Man, as I said before. - -So in _Zach._ iii. 1. here _Zachariah_ the Prophet saw in a Vision the -Redemption of the Seed of Faith by Christ under the Type of _Joshua_ the -High-Priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing -at his right hand to resist him. This High-Priest was Christ clothed -with filthy Garments, when he became Flesh, when on Earth he appeared -unto Men, to be clothed in filthy Garments, being so mean, and had not a -Place to lay his Head yet professed himself to be the Son of God, the -High-Priest that should offer up himself for to save his People; for -High-Priests in former Times did appear to the People with rich and -glorious Garments; but this High-Priest doth appear to the Seed of -Reason, to be clothed in filthy Garments, not fit (as Reason thinks) to -stand before the Angel of the Lord. - -And this Satan that stands as his right Hand to resist him, it was the -Spirit of unclean Reason in those People of the Jews when Christ was -upon Earth, and when that Devil that tempted Christ, spoken of in -_Matthew_, disputed with Christ, he resisted the High-Priest, and stood -at Christ's right Hand at that time; and this Devil that tempted Christ, -it was a Man endued with an high Pitch of Reason, and that Spirit of -Reason, or Wisdom of Reason, in that Man that tempted Christ the -High-Priest, it was Satan that strove to resist Christ in dispute, -whereupon Christ said, _Get thee hence Satan_. - -This Satan was a Man, and the Spirit of Reason in this Man is that Satan -that always resisteth the Wisdom of Faith, which is the Wisdom of God. -But this hath been more largely treated upon in our other Writings, so I -shall speak no more of that Devil and his Temptations here. - -So in _Matth._ xvi. 23. Christ said unto _Peter_, _Get thee behind me -Satan_. Here you see _Peter_ is called Satan, because it was the Spirit -of Reason in _Peter_ that said, Master, pity thy self: That is, the -Thoughts of _Peter's_ Heart they did savour of the fleshly part, that -is, those Motions to persuade Christ to save himself from Death, they -did arise from the Seed of Reason in _Peter_, therefore called Satan; -for there was no new Spirit that came into _Peter_ at that time to cause -him to speak those Words, but those Words proceeded from the Seed of -Reason in him, as aforesaid, therefore called Satan. - -And wheresoever that Expression is used, as _Peter_ said himself in the -_Acts_, _Why hath Satan filled thine Heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost?_ -that is, why hath the Motions of Reason in thee persuaded thy Heart to -tell a Lie unto us, that have the Holy Ghost in us? - -So the Reader may clearly see, there is no other Satan to tempt God or -Man, but the Motions and Words that proceed from the Seed of Reason in -Man and Woman. - -So in _Luke_ x. 18. _And Christ said unto his Disciples, I beheld Satan -as Lightning fall from Heaven_. This Christ spake, because his Disciples -rejoyced that the Devils were subject to them. The Meaning of Christ -was, that he saw the Spirit of Reason, that was in the Rulers of the -_Jews_, very high in the Righteousness of the Law of _Moses_, even as if -they were in Heaven, thinking in themselves that none could be more -happy and surer of Heaven and Peace with God, then they that kept to the -Law of _Moses_. - -Now Christ knowing that this Righteousness of the _Jews_, should be -thrown down by the Righteousness of Faith, which his Apostles should -preach, therefore he saw by Faith that the Spirit of Reason in the -Rulers of the _Jews_ should fall like Lightning from Heaven; and so it -did, and the Disciples of Christ should, by the Doctrine and -Righteousness of Faith, tread upon Serpents, and upon their Persecution, -and upon their Righteousness of the Law of _Moses_, and upon all that -which did fall like Lightning from Heaven; they should tread upon Satan, -that is, upon the very Wisdom of Reason the Devil. - -This is the true meaning of Christ, when he beheld Satan fall from -Heaven like Lightning, and what Satan is so much spoken of in Scripture. -Much more might be said to enlarge this Point, but I have spoken more -already then I did intend; but I suppose there is enough written here in -short to satisfy those, that can understand by a little what a great -deal Means. And also People may know when they speak of Satan what Satan -is, and when they speak of the Devil, they may know what the Devil is. - -So much concerning the Interpretation of Satan, and the Conclusion of -this Epistle, written by - -_Lodowicke Muggleton_. - - - - - _A Copy of a Letter written by the Prophet_ Lodowicks Muggleton, _to - Mr._ Edward Fewterrill _of_ Chesterfield, _bearing Date from_ London - March 29. 1660. - - -_Friend_, - -I Received your Letter, wherein I perceive you are a Man that hath been -led through several Opinions, yet not suffered to joyn with any, but -have been made to wait upon Jesus Christ the only God for Satisfaction; -and now it hath been his great Love, which he hath loved you, to let you -have a Sight of those infinite Truths, written by the Hands of his two -Witnesses, and _Lawrence Claxton_; which Writing of ours, I perceive by -your Letter, have given you more Satisfaction than any that ever you -read before. - -Only this I perceive, that you did and do still much approve of _Jacob -Bemon_'s Works; and for this Cause, because you were as I perceive by -his Writings, exhorted to resign your Will unto God's Will, and to come -unto that happy State, neither to Will or Desire any thing, but to abide -in the Will of God, which is Jesus Christ, into which Estate the Lord -did twice bring you in some Measure. - -Also you say, That it is a hard thing to cast out that Devil that is in -us, nor can it be done as we say or think, but by that Resignation and -Faith in the true God. - -Likewise you say, that you were a great Disputant against all Forms and -formal Worship, till the Lord silenced you, and did let you see it was -but a vain Thing to wrangle and jangle with the Devil more. - -But I shall pass by part of your Letter, and I shall answer you to those -things that are of most Concernment. - -You say, that there was that Portion of Scripture brought into your -Remembrance of his Promise, _I will send the Spirit of Truth, which -shall guide you into all Truth_, and there have you had your rest -reposed. - -In the last Place I find, that you would have some Answer to some -Doubts, concerning that Devil that doth appear to Witches, and suck of -their Bodies, and what that is that doth appear to Conjurers, and the -Authors of lying Wonders of _John Robins_; though you do believe there -is no Devil but Man, you do believe also that the Soul of Man is mortal, -and must needs die, and so cannot appear, though you thought otherwise -in your Reason. - -You say, Whether is there a Spirit in Man that surviveth and is allured -by them, or do they stir up awaking the Power of the first fallen Angel -through their devillish Faith, or is these Things from their vain -Imaginations. If so, how? if not, what it is, is your Desire to know of -me. - -To which I shall give you some Answer both to the first of Part your -Letter, and also to the latter Part of it. - -First you say, that you have been made to wait upon Jesus Christ the -only God; for Satisfaction thereof, I would have you to consider, how -could you wait and be satisfied in the Belief of such a God which you -never knew. For the Letter of the Scriptures did never declare to you, -that Jesus Christ was the only God, neither did God commissionate no -Prophet nor Apostle for to declare it, though their Declarations was as -necessary to be believed in their Time and Place, as this Commission of -the Spirit; which Commission of the Spirit hath deeper Mysteries held -forth in it, than the other two Commissions had: For God never did give -to any Prophets or Apostles, the Knowledge of his own Form or Nature -before he became Flesh. If they did know it, they did not reveal it. But -he hath given it to his two last Spiritual Witnesses and Prophets, _John -Reeve_'s and _Lodowicke Muggleton_, who were those chosen Witnesses of -God, which should have more Understanding of the Mind of God in the -Scriptures, than all Men in the World. - -Which Knowledge of God's Mind in the Scriptures, doth consist of these -six Heads. - -_First_, Of the Form and Nature of God before he became Flesh. - -_Secondly_, Of the Form and Nature of the Devil before he became Flesh. - -_Thirdly_, Of the Place and Nature of Heaven. - -_Fourthly_, Of the Place and Nature of Hell. - -_Fifthly_, Of the Nature and Persons of Angels. - -_Sixthly_, Of the Mortality of the Soul. - -Upon the Knowledge of these six Principles, depends the eternal -Happiness of many. And the Knowledge of the two Seeds, is those two Keys -that doth open those two, namely, the strait and narrow Gate that -leadeth unto Life, and the broad and wide Gate that leadeth to -Destruction. And those two Keys are given unto us two aforesaid, which -hath the Commission of the Spirit given unto us. - -So that there is no coming unto the Knowledge of the true God, nor the -right Devil, but where the Declaration of this Spiritual Commission doth -open the Doors or Gates of Mens Hearts, and lets them see what Seed they -are of, and so Men come to know the true God and the right Devil. And -then a Man may truly say, that he can resign his Will to God's Will, as -you say _Jacob Bemon_ in his Writings doth declare. - -Yet this I would have you to know that _Jacob Bemon_ had no Personal God -at all not to resign his Will unto, but his God was an Infinite, -Incomprehensible, Formless Spirit, as all the World hath. - -Neither had his Devil a Person nor Form; neither had his Angels he -speaketh so much of any Body or Form at all, but they were all Spirits -without Bodies, which in the Conclusion was no more but so many Letters, -that is, three Letters, G, O, D, and so of the Devil and Angels. - -And yet this Man would resign his Will into God's Will, and yet his God -had no Form nor Nature at all; therefore they could be no Will in his -God, whereby any Man should resign his Will into God's Will; whereas -there can be no Will in God, except he hath both Form and Nature. - -And this is that Will of God which you call Jesus Christ, into which -Estate the Lord did twice bring you, which Estate of yours in that Faith -of _Jacob Bemon_'s, could not be a true Estate, because there was not -the Knowledge of the true God; and where there is not the Knowledge of -the true God, there cannot be the Knowledge of the right Devil; without -the Knowledge of these two, there can be no true lasting Peace in Man. - -And as for your being a great Disputant amongst all formal Worship, I do -not question the thing, because I know that the Wisdom of Reason, which -is the Devil, doth love to be uppermost in Disputes. - -But how can you say, that the Lord did Silence you, and made you to see -the Vanity of all Disputes; whereas you did not know any other God, but -what is generally believed on in the World; that is, an Infinite, -Incomprehensible Spirit, not minding whether God had any Nature or Form -at all. - -Therefore it could not be the true Lord that did silence you, but it was -something that did arise out of your own Seed, which did shew you the -Vanity of all Disputes. - -In the next Place you say, that there was brought into your Remembrance -that Portion of Scripture concerning his Promise, _that he would send -his Spirit of Truth, which should guide you into all Truth_, and there -have you had your rest reposed. - -Answer, That this Place of Scripture did not belong unto you, nor to any -Man in the World at this Day; for that Promise was given only unto his -Disciples; which Disciples of his to whom those Words were spoken, were -afterwards made Apostles of Christ; so that the Promise which Christ did -promise to his Disciples before his Death, was that of the Blood which -was given unto his Apostles, which was called the Spirit of Truth, -because they should witness unto the Truth; that is, unto his Death and -Resurrection and Ascension. - -Therefore take Notice of this, that that Promise was fulfilled upon his -Apostles after he was ascended up to Heaven, as you may read in the -second of the _Acts_, and to every Man that doth read the Promises, -which God did make to his Commissionated Apostles, it doth not belong to -every Man that doth read them, but every Man is to mind that Commission -which he is under. - -Therefore for you to repose your Trust upon such Promises as was given -to other Men in their Commissions, that Peace will not endure to the -End, but will vanish like Smoke in the Fire. - -In the next Place, I shall give you some Answers to those Doubts, which -you spake of concerning that Devil which doth appear to Witches and -Conjurers, and how those lying Wonders were acted by _John Robins_. - -Answer, There is a twofold Witchcraft, the one is Natural, the other is -Spiritual. - -Now this natural Witchcraft is acted by such as are called Witches and -Conjurers. Now as for those ignorant Women which are Witches, their -Witchcraft lies in their wicked Nature, by giving themselves up to -believe, that there is no God at all but Nature only, and so by that -strong Faith that they have in Nature, they have Power over those whose -Understandings are of a lower Capacity than themselves, and so People -being ignorant and fearful of them, doth many times disturb and search -their Blood with Extremity of Fear, which they have of one that is -suspected for a Witch, and so by their own Fear and Imagination, they -come to be bewitched. As a Man being overcharged with extream Grief, or -being prevented by one that he loves, he goes Distracted or runneth Mad, -which is no other but his being bewitched. And so it is with all those -that are ignorant, and over charged with Fear: and as for those Children -and Cattle that are bewitched, it is by some other Sorcery which they do -use with Herbs and Plants, and some other things of Nature, they having -some small Knowledge of that Sympathy, and Influence the Stars have over -those Bodies and Herbs, and so mix their Faith and Experience together, -pretending to do all Manner of Good, but intendeth nothing but Evil. So -that there is no such thing as People do vainly imagine as for Spirits -to suck Witches, but all the Devil that is, is their own dark Reason; -and that Spirit that doth bewitch any Creature, it doth arise out of -their own Imagination: And as for Conjurers and Magicians, their Reason -is more enlightened than the others is, because they do go altogether by -the Figure, which is an Art by which the Reason of Man hath produced -Characters and Figures for the several Stars and Planets, and so they -came to imagine the Influence of those Stars and Planets upon the Bodies -of Men, and many times they do hit rightly, yet it is still but -Witchcraft. For it is nothing else but the Imagination of Reason, that -doth pry into the Secrets of Nature. And the first Witchcraft that ever -was, it was produced by learning of Numbers and Figures; I say, it was -first from the _Egyptians_ Arts, and from thence came Conjuration, and -the Knowledge of the Influence of the Stars and Planets and the -Knowledge of Physick, which are no other in the Original but Witches, -only this their Witchcraft is more tolerated by the Power of the -Nations; but I am confident that there is more People in the World -bewitched with them, than there is with the other Sort of Witches, that -is, they are deceived both in Body, and in Mind, and Estate. For when a -Man is deceived in his Expectations and Faith which he had in that Art, -he may very well be said to be bewitched: But as for raising Spirits -without Bodies, there is no Witch, no Conjurer, or Magician, nor the -greatest Artist in the World can do; neither can any Spirit assume any -Body but its own. So much for natural Witches. - -And for those lying Signs and Wonders which _John Robins_ did act, it -was by a more Spiritual Witchcraft; his was not by the Knowledge of the -Stars, though he had some Skill in that too, but the Power of his -Witchcraft did lye in the assuming and taking upon him the Title of the -Great God, as you may read in our Books: And so that his Reason being -more exercised in the Scriptures upon Spiritual Matters, because the -whole Body of the Scriptures doth consist of Spiritual and Heavenly -Matter; and he having more Knowledge in the Mystery of the Scriptures at -that time than all Men in the World, therefore he had many that did fall -down and worship him; because his Knowledge in the Scriptures, did -surpass other Men, and so produced Voices in himself, and could present -lying Signs and Wonders, unto all those that were deceived by him, or -that where afraid of him; yet he did not deal with Spirits that, had not -Bodies; but all that Wisdom and Witchcraft that he did shewn it came or -arose out of his own Spirit of Reason, which was inclosed in his own -Body. - -And there is the Influence of the same Spirit of Witchcraft doth now -remain upon those People called _Quakers_, notwithstanding there seeming -Holiness, for they have many Times such fleshly Fits falling upon them, -which doth seem as if they had the Falling-Sickness, and be as Men dumb, -and will not speak a Word for three or four Hours together, and upon a -Sudden they will break forth into strong Language, as if the Spirit did -immediately move them to speak. This I say, it is nothing else but an -Influence of _John Robins_'s Spiritual Witchcraft, which is produced out -of their own Spirit within them, and not from any Spirit which hath no -Body without them. And all this is, they have no Knowledge of the true -God or the right Devil. - -Therefore it is that the greatest Part of the World doth lie under -Witchcraft, either a Natural Witchcraft or a Spiritual Witchcraft, there -is a very few that is delivered from being under one or both of them; -there is none delivered but those that are come to have Faith in this -Spiritual Commission, which is now extant in the World; for Faith in it -doth lead Men to the Knowledge of the true God and the right Devil, with -all those deep Mysteries which doth depend on them, the Knowledge of -which doth free a Man from all Witchcraft whatsoever. - -Therefore I would advise you to read the Books of ours called the -_Divine-Looking-Glass_, for that you may see there, that there can be no -Spirits without a Body, neither can any Witch or Conjurer raise any -Spirit without a Body: But these Conjurers may do through the Ignorance -and Darkness of Man's Reason, and that Fear and Belief that is in the -Ignorant, they may by their ignorant Power raise a Shadow of things, as -if they were real Bodies, or Spirits in the Shape of Bodies; as the -_Egyptians_ did before _Pharaoh_ King of _Egypt_, they did seem to raise -Frogs and Grashoppers in the Sight of _Pharaoh_ King of _Egypt_; but I -say, they were not real Frogs and Grashoppers, but Shadows of such -things, which as soon as ever the Witchcraft Power or Art was over, -their Frogs and Grashoppers were gone also, else would the King and his -People been as much troubled at those Frogs which the Magicians did -bring upon their Land, as they were with those which _Moses_ brought up, -which went into their Houses. And now if _Moses_ had not raised Bodies -as well as Spirits, or if he had raised Spirits without Bodies, they -would have been as little troubled at those things which _Moses_ did, as -they were at those Shadows or seeming things, which the Magicians of -_Egypt_ did. There is something more in your Letter you sent to me, but -I have not time at present to answer; _So resteth your Friend_, - -Lodowicke Muggleton. - - - - -_The Prophet_ Reeve's _Epistle to his Friend, discovering the dark Light - of the_ Quakers; _written in the Year 1654_ September _the 20th_. - - -_Loving Friend_, Calling to Mind the Letter thou readest to me, which -was sent thee out of the Country, I am moved to present these Lines to -the View of thy ponderous Spirit; for as Words of Truth flowing from a -real Foundation, drew forth Humility and Love to God and Man, from that -Soul that hath received an hearing Ear, so likewise thou mayst know the -glittering Words proceeding from Man's Carnal Wisdom, is that which hath -occasioned many Men to be exalted above Measure, and to imagine himself -so essentially united to the Divine Glory, that at length that Man hath -been so bewitched through the Adorations of Men and Women in deep -Darkness, with high Conceits of his own Spiritual Wisdom, that he hath -been willing to deny his creaturely Condition, and to embrace the Holy -Titles and Honour of an infinite Creator. Yea, and to say in his Heart -and Tongue also, that there is no Spiritual God or Personal Glory in the -least, but what is in Man only, notwithstanding, as sure as the Lord -Jesus liveth, both he and all that is in him must turn into silent Death -and Dust for a Moment, yea, and would so remain unto all Eternity, if -there were not a distinct personal Majesty living without Man to raise -him again, to everlasting sensible Glory or Shame, according to the -Royal Pleasure of that God, that neither will nor can give his Glory to -another. - -_My Dear Friend_, be not deceived with Mens crafty Words, who have no -true spiritual Distinction in them; for if any mortal Man have dwelling -in him the eternal Spirit, all the Motions, Thoughts, Words and Actions -of that Man must needs be as pure, holy and powerful as God himself, -because thou knowest they proceed from a pure, holy, and glorious -Spirit: But of the contrary, if thou perceivest a Measure of Light only -abiding in thee, which thou in Mercy hast received from an everlasting -Jesus without thee, then thou often seest Darkness in thee as well as -Light. For Light entred not into Sinners to make them spiritual Gods one -over another, but it shined into them to discover their natural Enmity -continually warring against a God of eternal Love towards them; and not -only so, but to prevent also their former Darkness from tyrannizing in -them for ever, yea and to consolate their elect Brethren by their -spiritual Experiences. - -Wherefore, from a Divine Gift which I have freely received from an -unerring Spirit, I say unto thee, that those Men which labour to -perswade their Hearers, that if they diligently hearken to the Light -that is in them, they may attain to such a Power, as to be dead in this -Body from all Kind of inward Darkness, Sin, or Evil, have uttered the -falsest Doctrine that ever was declared to Men. Moreover, if the Light -of Life Eternal be thy Guide, though must needs know then, it was -neither the justifying Light of Christ within Man, no nor the Spirit of -Christ without Man, that moved those Men to speak or write to the -People; but it was their own lying Imagination which hurried them about -to beget Proselytes to themselves in the Man Christ Jesus's stead, who -alone _is God over all Blessed for ever and ever_. Amen. - -He that is born of God sinneth not, that is he is not left to his own -Heart to commit the unpardonable Sin of Unbelief in the true God, in -despising the Spirit of Christ Jesus, to be the only Lord God of his -Salvation. _He that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not -is condemned already_, not because he hath not believed in a God, or -Christ that is within him, but because he hath not believed in a -personal God or Christ that is without him, whose divine Majesty is -crowned with such immortal bright burning Glory, that if he did not vail -his fiery Nature within his own blessed Body, the Glory of it is so -transcendently infinite, that he in a Moment would consume all created -Beings to Powder. He that committed that Sin of calling God a Lyar, -which is the Sin of not believing in our Lord Jesus Christ as aforesaid, -or he that maketh glorious Pretences of unfeigned Love to Christ and his -tender-hearted People, and yet secretly lyeth under the Power of carnal -Filthiness; such a Man is not only of his Father the Devil, (cursed -_Cain_) but he also is a very Devil himself. _He that saith he hath no -Sin in him, is a Lyar, and the Truth is not in him_; that is, he that -saith Christ is so powerfully risen in him, that all Motions, Thought -and Desire of Sin against God or Man, is perfectly done away, that Man -is an horrible Lyar, and a deadly Enemy to all humble and broken-hearted -Saints; for their natural rebellious warring against the Light within -them, and the Lord of Glory without them. Oh! my precious Friend, for -whom my Soul spiritually travelleth, till thou art firmly established -with glorious Things which are Eternal; not with empty Notions -proceeding from an imaginary God or Christ within Men, only which with -_Syrenion_ Songs is very pleasing to the carnal Ear, which may delude -some undiscerning Spirits for a Season, nor with Pharisaical Looks, -Sighs and Groans, to be seen of Men, which is nothing else but the -Effects of Mens crafty Words and Gestures proceeding from Man's fleshly -Wisdom, which is abominable in the Sight of our God, who is the Lord -Jesus Christ in the Eternal Heavens above the Stars. - -_My beloved Friend_, give me leave a little to reason with thee, about -Things of the greatest Concernment: What excellent Truths above other -Men hast thou heard from the chief Speakers of the _Quakers_? Didst thou -ever hear them speak to the Purpose? Or speak at all of any God or -Christ, but what is in Man only? Or didst thou ever hear them speak of a -bodily Glory and Misery to come sensibly to be enjoyed by the Saints in -the highest Heavens, and to be endured by the Serpents in this World at -the Day of eternal Accounts? Or dost thou see the Image or Likeness the -true Jesus in that Ministry, the true and living Jesus, rejected not the -Company of Publicans and Sinners, even when his Light appeared not in -them; but on the contrary, do they not rashly condemn those Men that -soberly oppose them, and shun the Company of those that are not of their -Opinion, as Serpents; much like unto those Hypocrites of old, who said, -stand farther off, for we are more holy than you. Moreover, in all their -Speakings and Writings to the People, do they not make a grand Idol of -the Word Light, and occasion Men to worship it as their only God; as if -meer Words, were to be adored without a Person, or worshipped within the -Bodies of sinful Man as a God: Or as if those that enjoy true Light in -them, have such a Measure of God in them, that they stand in no need of -any God without them in the least. - -_My Dear Friend_, thou knowest Men of unstable Spirits, Child-like, or -rather Fool-like, are easily taken with every Wind of Doctrine: But if -thou hast a Spirit of true discerning in thee, thou wilt be made -thorowly then to try the Spirits and Doctrines of Men, whether they be -of God or no, before thou embrace them; having been in the Fire of the -Devil already, I hope thou hast gained Experience. Wherefore for thy -clearer Sight concerning of the Fallacy of all Speakers, which say, the -Lord _Jehovah_, or _Jesus_ sent them, I shall give some discovering -Characters; he that saith the everlasting spiritual God or Father, -became not a perfect Man of unspotted Flesh, Blood, and Bone, was never -moved by the Spirit of God or Christ, to preach or speak to the People; -or he that saith, that Spirit which is dwelling in the glorious Body of -Christ Jesus, is not the alone everlasting Father, God and Man in one -distinct Person glorified, is none of Christ's Messenger; or he that -saith, God is not in the Form of a Man, but is an infinite Spirit -essentially abiding in all Creatures, that Man is a Lyar, and the Truth -is not in him; or he that saith, Christ's Godhead died not in the Flesh, -and did not quicken and raise his Manhood to Life again, and in that -Body of Flesh and Bone, did not ascend into a Kingdom of Glory in -another World, the deep Things of God is utterly hid from that Man; or -he that saith all Mankind proceeded from the Loins of the first Man -_Adam_, is ignorant of the two Scripture Seeds (namely) the Seed of the -Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, therefore he is none of Christ's -sending; or he that saith Mens Souls do not die with their Bodies, and -sleep together in the Dust of the Earth, till the Lord Jesus by the -mighty Power of his Word speaking only, do raise them unto Life again at -the last Day, that Man is in deep Darkness, not knowing the Scriptures -or the Power of God; or he that says Mens Bodies only perish (and not -the Souls) will be saved at the last, that Man is a Lyar, and the Truth -is not in him. - -_Dear Friend_, - -Thus far was I moved to write unto thee, as an eternal Witness between -us, when the Secrets of all Hearts shall be opened. If thou seest good, -thou mayst present this Epistle to the View of those Men called -_Quakers_, not that I can expect a good Issue from any of them, unless -God hath endowed them with hearing Ears, unjudging, meek and patient -Spirits. - -_Sept. 20. 1654._ - -_Thine in all eternal Excellencies._ - -JOHN REEVE. - - - - - _An Epistle of_ JOHN REEVE _to Mr._ HILL. - - -Dear Friend in the eternal Truth, my Love to you and the rest of our -Spiritual Friends remembred. - -_Brother_ Hill, - -It seems very strange to me, That you with the rest of former Friends, -make no Enquiry after me whether I am dead or alive. What have the -unnecessary Things and Cares of this World swallowed up your former Love -to the Truth? Though I am moved in this manner to write unto you, I -trust you have not so learned Christ. - -_Friend_, The Reason of my not sending unto you this long Season is -this, because my Wife and I were both very sick and weak, of which -Sickness the 29th of _March_ last my Wife died. - -Immediately after I had buried my Wife, the Lord our God called me to -visit some of his People living near _Cambridge_, as he once called me -to visit you; yea, it was in the very same Manner: For one of the chief -Speakers of the _Ranters_ being convinced by this Truth, who formerly -had deceived them, took a Parcel of my Books and presented them to them, -upon which they greatly desired me as you formerly did; I hope there is -about half a Score of them that have received the Truth in Sincerity of -Heart, they are Husbandmen and Tradesmen that Labour for their Bread as -you do; they rejoyce in those that really possess this Truth though by -Face unknown. - - _Christopher Hill_, - - You seem to forget your Engagement to your Father-in-Law, you know - the Time is expired concerning your Payment of the Money, which was - lent to you, and not to him; wherefore as you love the Truth, I - desire you to send me the Money remaining behind speedily, that I - may restore it to the right Owner. - - Now concerning my own Condition it is thus; on _May Day_ last, I was - Senseless two or three times, insomuch, that if a faithful Friend - had not been by me to relieve me with a little Cordial, I had - immediately died. I still continue very sick and weak, so that of - Necessity, I must either mend or end in a little Space. As for - Relief now I have most need of it, it hath been very small of late; - I wish it may not be a Burthen to the Conscience of some when I am - gone; the Widow's Mite will be a Witness against all Carnal Excuses - in those that own this Truth. It may be you may think, I have no - need of your Charity now, because the Merchant for a little Season - allowed me a small Matter Weekly; but if you think so, you are much - mistaken, for I have had none from him a pretty while, neither do I - know whether I shall have any more from him at all: For when he took - Ship for _Barbadoes_, he had not wherewithal to leave his Wife and - Children, through the unjust Dealings of unreasonable Men. Brother - _Hill_, You may remember you sent me Word, that if the _London_ - Christians would contribute Weekly or Monthly to my Necessity, you - would do the like, you will do well to keep your Covenant. - - And so I commit you to the most High, and remain yours in all - Righteousness, - - JOHN REEVE. - - My Dwelling is in _Bishopsgate-street_ near _Hog-lane_ End, with - three Sisters that keep a Sempstris Shop. - - Direct your Letters to our Brother _Muggleton_, to be conveyed to - me, and the Money to him for me, you know where he dwells; it is in - _Trinity-lane_, over against a _Brown-Baker_'s. - - _London June 11. 1656._ - - - - - _Another Epistle of_ JOHN REEVE_'s to the same Person_. - - -For his Loving Friend _Christopher Hill, Heel-maker_ in _Stone-street_ -in _Maidstone_, in _Kent_. These - -_Brother_ Hill, - -I Have received your Letter and your kind Token, for which I acknowledge -your Kindness to Truth. - -As for my Neglect in Writing to you, my great Troubles of Sickness and -Mortality hath hindred it, I hope whilst I am able to write, for time to -come, you shall not charge me with any such Neglect; in the mean Season, -I do not desire your Charity unless you can spare it. Remember my kind -Love to your Mother _Wyles_, to _Tho. Martin_, and Goodman _Young_, and -I rejoyce in the Lord for you, that the Truth abides in you. As for the -Money, I am glad of your Care for the Truths sake, because it was lent -to me upon that Account. - -No more at present, but desiring my God abundantly to establish you in -all spiritual Excellencies, unto whose infinite Grace I commend you in -all Righteousness, - -_London_, _June_ the last, 1656. - -JOHN REEVE. - - - - - _Another Epistle of_ JOHN REEVE_'s to the same Person_. - - -_Brother_ Hill, _in the Eternal Truth_, - -My Love to you and the rest of our Friends; this is a Spiritual Love -Letter that I am moved to write unto you, wherefore by Virtue of my -Commission, I pronounce thee _Tho. Martin_, _William Young_, and _Eliz. -Wyles_, the Blessed of the Lord to Eternity; the Remembrance of this the -Lord's Blessing, will do you no harm when I am in my Grave; in the mean -Season, our good God cause you to love one another more than your -temporal Enjoyments, and that will become a Heaven upon Earth in your -innocent Souls; Faith fetcheth Spiritual Comfort, the Fountain to each -particular Soul; but Love fulfilleth all Righteousness both to God and -Man. Oh! the transcendent Excellency of the Love of Christ in his -new-born People, it is not to be express'd by the Tongues of Men or -Angels. - -JOHN REEVE. - - - - - _A Copy of a Letter wrote by the Prophet_ JOHN REEVE _to Mrs._ Alice - Webb, _containing her Blessing and the Six Principles, on_ August 15. - 1656. - - -_Loving Friend_, - -Desiring your Eternal Happiness in that Place of Glory above the Stars, -I am moved from the Spirit of the Lord to write these Lines unto your -Serious Consideration. - -This I know assured as God knows himself, that Jesus Christ from his -Throne of Glory, spake to me by Voice of Words three Mornings together, -which Speaking of his hath opened my dark Understanding to declare such -Spiritual Light to the Chosen of God, as never was so clearly manifested -before, especially in these Six Foundations. - -_First_, What the Person of the true God is, and his Divine Nature. - -_Secondly_, What the Persons of the holy Angels are, and their Nature. - -_Thirdly_, What the Persons of the Devils are and their Natures, and -what the Person of the Devil was before he became a Devil, and begot -Millions of dark Angels or Devils, it being all one. - -_Fourthly_, In what Condition the Man _Adam_ was created in, and by what -Means he lost his first estate and the Effects of it. - -_Fifthly_, What Heaven and Glory is, and the eternal Residence of it. - -_Sixthly_, What Hell and eternal Death is, and the Place where it shall -be to Eternity. - -This I know certainly, That before the Lord sent me to declare his -Pleasure unto his People, no Man upon this Earth did clearly understand -any one of these Six Fundamental Truths, which to understand is Life -Eternal, and to be ignorant of them is Death Eternal. Now the Lord hath -sent his two Messengers to declare them, I mean, to all those that may -be informed in these Spiritual Things, and do reject us (that are the -Lord's Messengers of these Things of Salvation) through the Love of -carnal Things, they must all perish to Eternity. - -Again, We know from the Lord by that infallible Spirit that he hath -given us, of divers Persons that shall be eternally blessed with us: and -all that we pronounce Cursed to Eternity are eternally Cursed, as sure -as Jesus Christ the Lord of Life is Blessed, because it is his Curse and -not ours. - -Again, If the Lord Jesus do not bear Witness unto our Testimony, and -make it evident that he hath sent us in a few Months, then you may -conclude, that there never was any true Prophets nor Christ, nor -Apostles, nor Scripture spoken from the Mouth of God to Men. But there -is nothing but the Wisdom of Men and Nature their God. But this we know, -that those that are joyned with us, are Partakers of those Truths, and -shall be blessed for evermore, and shall in the mean time patiently wait -for the fulfilling of our Prophecy, and shall have Power over their -Thoughts, Words, and Deeds, purifying their Hearts by Faith in the -Person of God even as he is pure, trampling all the Riches and Honour of -this World, under the Feet of their Souls as Dung, because they have -tasted of that Glory to come, that no Tongue of Men or Angels can -express, and this makes them not only love one another in carnal Things, -but for the Truth's sake they are ready if (need require) to forsake all -Relations, and Life itself for one another; and is that Power of that -one only Faith and Truth, declared from the Spirit of God, the Man Jesus -by us, which none enjoys but those of this Faith. - -Much more might I write, but speaking Face to Face, (if it may be) is -far more profitable: _Farewell_. - -JOHN REEVE, _the true Prophet, of the only true Personal God, the Lord -Jesus Christ upon the Throne of immortal Glory in the highest Heavens_. - - - - - _An Epistle of_ JOHN REEVE _to a Friend, written in_ May 1657. - - -_Shewing_, - -That Elect Angels are distinct from him who visibly beheld him Face to -Face, and what that Reprobate Serpent-Angel was in his Creation, which -by the secret Council and unsearchable Wisdom of God, fell from his -created Glory like Lightning from the invisible Heaven above, to this -visible Earth beneath; and through his super-seeming God like Counsel, -he overcame innocent _Eve_; and she yielding unto him, he wholly entred -into her Womb and naturally changed himself into her Seed, and so became -the first-born Son of the Devil, and afterwards a cursed _Cain_, and the -Father of all those _Cananitish_ Reprobate Angels, spoken of in the -visible Records of the Scriptures; _Not as_ Cain, _who was of that -wicked one, and slew his Brother_, the 1st of _John_, the 3d Chapter, -and 18th Verse. _And the Tares are the Children of the wicked one_, -_Math._ 13th Chapter, and the 18th Verse. Also in what Condition _Adam_ -was created in, and how he come to fall from his created Estate, and -what that sin was that _Eve_ and he were guilty of, and how Sin came -first in their pure created Natures. - -Again, what that heavenly Glory is and where it is, that God's Elect -Wheat, which are the Seed of _Adam_, and not of _Cain_ shall possess -when time shall be no more, and what that shameful Eternal Death is, and -where it is reserved for the Seed of _Cain_ and not of _Adam_, who are -either a Spirit given up to Persecution of Mens Consciences, or else -they are left in Darkness to condemn the Things of Eternity, because -they cannot comprehend them for want of a true distinguishing Spirit, -which is a Gift of the Holy Ghost, unto him which is immediately sent by -the Lord of Glory, that he may be distinguished by the new born of God, -from all those counterfeit or deceived Preachers or Speakers in the -World, who are apt and ready to judge Men in Darkness, if they soberly -ask them needful Questions concerning things of Eternity; the -understanding of those glorious Excellencies, which is the Saints -Inheritance, being utterly hid from them, because they went before they -were sent. - -_Friend and Brother in the Eternal Truth_, - -By this infallible Demonstration, you may know a Man that hath not a -Commission from the true God, to preach and speak unto the People. - -If a searching Speaker or Writer, deliver any thing unto those People -that joyn with him, then for fear of his Weakness or Ignorance being -discovered, he will counsel the Hearers to stick close to the Ordinances -in the Word of God, or to hearken to them, or to that in their -Consciences, and to beware of false Christ's and false Prophets, and -such like borrowing Scripture Languages, to prevent the People of ever -hearing the Glorious and Dreadful Things of Eternity from the -ever-living God, revealed both by Voice of Words without, and -Inspiration within, unto his two last despised true Messengers. - -Thus it is clear, they have not the true Spirit of _Paul_ in them, who -gave the true Saints Liberty to try all Things or Opinions of Men, (for -that was his Meaning) but to _hold fast to that which was good_. - -Again, that Speaker or Preacher to People, whether publick or private, -that declares against all Appearances that are contrary to his Way, -discovers himself to a discerning Spirit, not to be of the Lord, unless -he can demonstrate a Spiritual Commission received by Voice from Heaven, -from the Mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that no Man can disprove -him, though few from a true Understanding received him. - -Again, he that preaches or teaches only of a God or Christ in Mens -Consciences, doth he not question the Scripture Records concerning the -Resurrection and Ascension of the glorious Body of the Lord Jesus -Christ, who through Faith in his invaluable Blood-shedding, the -Consciences of the Elect being sprinkled, are purified from the Power of -all Unrighteousness of Flesh and Spirit, and so doth he not question the -Resurrection of Mankind after Death. - -Again if after Death there be no bodily Resurrection for the Spirit to -possess an immortal God-like Glory, or to suffer an eternal Devil-like -Shame, according to their Deeds done in their Bodies; is it not one of -the vainest Babblings under Heaven, for Men to talk of a God or Christ, -or of Righteousness, or Purity, or Mercy, or pure Love without Envy, or -of any Spiritual Excellency whatsoever, unless it be for Gain or Glory -amongst Men. - -The eternal Spirit and alone everlasting Father, which essentially -reigneth in the glorified Body of our Lord Jesus Christ his eternal Son, -and spiritually, or motionally, or virtually liveth or reigneth in elect -Men and Angels, bear Record between me and you for Everlasting, or World -without end, whether this Witnessing be not sent unto you, and all the -Elect that shall view it principally for the re-establishing of your -tender Spirit, upon that spiritual Rock of all Ages, the Lord Jesus -Christ God and Man, in one distinct Person Glorified and everlastingly -Honoured, with all Variety of Spiritual new Songs and Praises, from his -Redeemed or Elect Men or Angels, when all Time or Times is swallowed up -into Eternity or Eternities. - -JOHN REEVE. - - - - - _Another Epistle of_ JOHN REEVE_'s_. - - -_SIR_, - -Your Replication to mine doth but still harp upon the same Matter as -your former, and yet you suppose you have given such Arguments as may -quite silence my former Assertions, were that there are no Spirits -without Bodies, but such as mere Shadows; and that God is not a bodiless -Spirit, but hath and ever had Form, Substance, and Shape, and that is no -other but the Form of a Man. - -This is contradicted by you, and so you affirm these Particulars -following. - -_1st_, You take at those my Words which said, that if a Spirit have no -Body or Shape, then it is no more then a meer Shadow: This you deny, by -saying, that a Shadow is only privative, but a Spirit, say you, is -positive. - -_2dly_, You further say, that there is such immaterial Substances, which -have a separate Existence from such gross Bodies which we have about us; -witness say you the Soul of Man, which is immaterial, and lives after -the Body is dead, which is, say you, confirmed by _Paul_, 2 _Tim._ i. -10. which saith, that the _Gospel brings Life and Immortality to Light_. - -_3dly_, This Doctrine, say you, was known by the Light of Nature to the -Heathen Philosophers, and hath since been confirmed by Scripture of the -New Testament to us, and so conclude it no ways repugnant to right -Reason. - -_4thly_, You charge me with quoting the Scripture falsly, when I said, -that Christ reply'd to the young Man, saying, _That no Man was good but -one, which was God_; therefore say you, it is false that the Scripture -saith, that God is a Man. - -To each of these take this particular Answer, 1. If your Spirit have -neither Shape nor Substance, it is but a Shadow, and no more then what -the _Egyptians_ Sorcerers produced before _Pharaoh_, what _Moses_ -brought up were real Substances, but their's no other but Shadows, but -therefore a Spirit without Substance is not positive; for that which is -privative can have no Being without a positive, because that which is -positive hath a Being or Substance: Now he that will not admit God to -have a distinct Being of himself, his God that he worships is nothing -but a Shadow. - -_2dly_, Where you speak of Spirits being immaterial Substances; if they -be immaterial, how are they Substances, and what Existence can they -have, and how can a Soul be immortal in a mortal Body; it is said, _the -Soul that Sins, it shall die_; yet say you, it is immortal and cannot -die, and would prove it in 2 _Tim._ i. 10. when as that Place shews -plainly, that it was Christ's Death and Resurrection which _brought Life -and Immortality Light_; so that if there be not a Resurrection, then can -there be no immortal Life. - -Therefore it is, that the Scriptures doth affirm, that there can be no -Salvation without a Resurrection, so that if the Dead should not rise, -then were all Faith vain, and God the God of the Dead (seeing Death is -not abolish'd) and not of the Living; so that there is no Spirit that -can subsist or have any Existence without a Body, either Spiritual or -Natural. - -Again, doth not the Gospel _bring Life and Immortality to Light_, and is -this Life and Immortality brought to Light without a Body, but it will -have a Spiritual Body suitable to that mortal Spirit made immortal. And -doth not the Scripture affirm, that it shall have a Body like unto God's -own Glorious Body, and yet you say, God hath no Body, and a Soul hath no -Body. - -Do you not read also, that Christ had a Body, and that it was after the -_express Image of his Father's Person_: Would you trace substantial -Truth into an Allegory, and say Righteousness, Knowledge, and Holiness -is the Image of God, and yet must have no Body to act for it self in. -When God said, _be ye holy, as I am holy_, must we turn our Souls out of -our Bodies, to make them like your bodiless God. - -When we are said to worship God in Spirit and Truth, is this spiritual -Worship performed without a Body, although there is a Mental, Privy, and -Praise without a vocal Expression, yet it must arise from a Heart, and -that Heart must be placed in a Body. - -There is no Light without a Sun, no Stream without a Fountain, and no -Spirit without a Body. - -_3dly._ As to your third particular, this I must tell you, that no Light -of Nature can discover Spiritual and Evangelical Truths, and it is very -gross for any Man to subject the Spiritual Truths of the Gospel, to the -heathenish Principles of Philosophers, making the New Testament no other -but for the Confirmation of the Principles of Nature, which Nature you -call right Reason, which say, you never repugns the Gospel, nor the -Gospel it. - -By this your Discourse I find, that you own that Christ came, but to -confirm the heathenish Principles of Nature, as, that God, and Spirits, -and Angels, were all without Bodies, being immaterial Beings, and you -know not what. - -Now give me leave to be plain with you, and to tell you, that I could -never read that the Gospel of Christ was ever sent to enlighten Nature, -Nature or Reason hath no Interest in it at all. In the moral Law it -hath, and therefore it is written, _the Law came by_ Moses; and what to -do, but only to enlighten Reason unto whom the Law was given: But as to -the Gospel, _it came by Jesus Christ_, and particularly belonged to -another Seed; namely, _to the lost Sheep of the House of_ Israel; so -that you can no more distinguish between the Law and the Gospel, than -between the two Natures of Faith and Reason, it is all a Mystery to you. -Do you know what right Reason is, if you do, you must ascend up into the -Kingdom of Heaven, and view it in the holy Angels; for you will not find -neither pure, nor right, nor uncorrupted Reason any where in this Orb -below the Stars: For it is evident that Reason, Notion can never be -capable to comprehend Spiritual Truths, as from the Power of its own -Nature, it only serves to comprehend natural and temporal Things, it -being but natural it self; but Gospel Truths are comprehended by another -Light, according as it is written by _David_ saying, _in thy Light shall -we see Light_, &c. - -So that from what is said, we need not fear (as the World have) of the -Heathens rising up in Judgment against us, for maintaining Gospel Truths -against their Darkness of Reason. - -_4thly_, As to your fourth Point, where you charge me of fathering upon -the Scripture those things that are not, and you make a Wonderment of -it, that I should say, that God was a Man, and to quote Christ's Words -for it, telling the young Man, _that there was no Man good but one, -which was God_; this you tell me was false, for you say, the Text saith -that _none is good but one, which is God_. Here your Ignorance appears -very great, and may be wonder'd at, considering your great Learning and -continual Study; but it appears, it is but in those heathenish -Philosophers; for observe for better Instruction, did not that young Man -call Christ Master, and own him to be a Man and no more: Now to this you -may find that Christ's Answer did tacitely imply, that if he was but a -Man, he was not perfectly good, and that no Man could be perfectly good. - -And furthermore, for a more full Answer in the Old Translation, -attending to mark it, is render'd thus Word for Word, _that there is no -Man good but one, which is God_. - -This is plain Scripture, and yet you are ignorant of it; I perceive you -are not very conversant in Scripture, your Philosophy turns you out of -all Scripture Knowledge. But to proceed farther, cannot you find by -Scripture, that God was ever called a Man, did not you ever read that -Scripture that saith, _God was a Man of War_. - -Much more might be said of this, and several positive Proofs from -Scripture might be produced to confirm it withal, but because it is not -the general received Opinion, therefore it must be quarrelled with; for -the Honour of this World must be both sought after and submitted to. - -And whereas you farther say, that the Apostles of Christ did ever teach -after they had received their Commission, that Spirits were immaterial -and could subsist without Bodies, now answer to this: - -It is most certainly evident, that the Apostles never taught, that any -Spirit could subsist without a Body, but the contrary altogether; for -their Doctrine was, that as the Soul and Body lives together, so it dies -together, and at the Last Day rises together, and is ever without -Separation. - -When the Apostles said, _That many Spirits were generate into the World, -which denied that Christ was come in the Flesh_, did he mean Spirits -without Bodies: And when _Paul_ said, _that the Spirit speaketh -expresly, that some shall depart from the Faith_: Now what Spirit was -that, but _Paul_'s own Spirit of Faith, in his own mortal Body; for -without a Tongue it could not be expressed. - -And where the Apostles tells of the Doctrine of Devils, were those -Devils bodiless, and teached damnable Doctrine. - -So that the Apostles never taught that there was any Spirits without -Bodies, but always Spirit and Body went together, and so makes Longitude -and Latitude profoundly, as your Philosophical Notions teacheth, -although you cannot apply it to any sublime or spiritual Thing, you -knowing nothing of it, but all is nothing and of no Substance; and so in -that your Darkness I leave you, seeing you are no Friend to the Light; -and rest yours in all civil Respects, - - JOHN REEVE_'s, the only true Witness unto the very true God, amongst - many pretended Spiritual Messengers in this confused Age_. - - - - - _An Epistle wrote by the Prophet_ JOHN REEVE _to_ ISAAC PENNINGTON, - _Esq; dated 1658. concerning an Answer to a Book of his, with several -Mysteries and Divine and Spiritual Revelations declared by the Prophet, - concerning God's visible appearing in the Flesh_. - - -In your Self-return, you seem to mourn over the sunk Spirit of both -Creations, so termed by you. Also you write as though many from a -Satanical Spirit write most accurately, both of the Works of Creation -and Mystery of Redemption by an immediate Gift of God from our Lord -Jesus Christ. To this I answer, a little Season will produce Mourning -enough in you, when you shall see your Angelical Motions like Lightning, -cast down with Confusion of Fear from their former Perfection of -imaginary Glory, rational Dreams and Visions, Revelations, Inspirations, -Experiences, or Voices proceeding from an incomprehensible Spirit. - -Again, I have both read and heard a Voice to say, that the Secrets of -the Lord are his Choice Treasures, reserved only for Redeemed ones; but -I never read or heard from any Spiritual wise Man before now, that any -Satanical Spirit was able to intellect deceived Persons, exactly to -write of the hidden Mysteries of the Everlasting God. Again, you pretend -unto no such Revelations as I proceed upon, but say you, there is -another Way more certain than Reason or Revelation, which whether as I -presume you were led into, the Lord will one Day make manifest, from the -true Light of Life Eternal. To this I answer, your Light as terming of -the true Inspirations of the Lord Jesus Christ, written by me to you, is -because as yet his Holy Spirit vails them from your Eyes; but as for -your new Sound of teaching them from your God, more certain than Reason -or Revelation, from the Divine Voice spoken in the Ear, through the -Glorious Mouth of my Lord. I declare that in all Ages the Elect lost -Sheep of _Israel_, did never read or heard of any more than two original -Ways either Natural or Spiritual in Mankind, whether you call them -Creature or Creator, Light or Darkness, Truth and Error, Revelation and -Reason, Inspiration and Imagination, Truth and Unbelief, Flesh and -Spirit, and such like. - -'Tis confess'd, that visible Appearances of God or any else unto Mortals -is teaching of all, but he that expects that kind of Teaching any more -until Men are immortalized, lieth under at present as great an imaginary -Deceit, as ever yet appeared in this Land. It is also granted that the -most holy God speaketh to his Chosen Messengers by Voice of Words, even -to the hearing of the Ear, unto which Truth for Ends best known unto -himself, by his gracious Power only, can bear Record in this present -Generation, unto the Grief only of all Angelical, Wise, Envious, Proud, -Inglorious, Hypocritical Reprobates that hear of it. - -Moreover, yet if your more sure way of teaching from God were Vision it -self, yet it is impossible for you to enjoy any true and lasting Peace, -unless it swallows up all your former Writings produced from your own -Spirit, without an immediate Commission from God, and in the room -thereof, perswade your Soul to pour in your Oil, into the natural Wounds -of oppressed Persons, under what Opinions or Appearances whatsoever. - -Again, you say, O Lord God, pity the Captivity of Man, yea, pity the -Captivity of thy own poor Seed, hear the Prayers of that Spirit that -interceedeth with thee for every thing, not according to any fleshly -Imaginations, but according to Truth and Righteousness of thine one -Ballance. From the God of Truth, to this I answer, concerning that -Spiritual Captivity of the Elect, in Reference of a right understanding -of the Creator, you need not trouble yourself about that, unless you -think through much importuning the unchangeable God, may be perswaded to -loose their Bonds before the decreed time thereof; but if you think that -Glory of God's Eternal Love towards them, will provoke to their -Spiritual Darknesses through the invisible Appearances of his own pure -Light, then you may know, until his own Glorious Season, that all the -Desires of Men or Angels are of no Effect, no nor of the Son himself, if -you imagine a Father besides. 'Tis confess'd, when the Time draweth near -of some great Deliverance of the Chosen of God, usually the Lord -provokes his People to cry unto him with Sighs and Groans, which cannot -be uttered but from the innocent Spirit of his Spiritual redeemed ones, -as his Due, he may receive all Honour, Praise and Glory for their -Deliverance out of their natural Darknesses, unto his marvellous Light. - -Again, I declare from the true Light of the true God, that the Spirit -which entereth with the Creator for all Mankind, upon the Account of his -Eternal Happiness, was never principled upon a Spiritual Foundation of -Truth, whatever subtile Expressions of God's righteous Ballance -proceedeth from him. Moreover, is it not the new heavenly Glanses of -Christ Jesus in Man's dark Soul, which upon an immortal Account, becomes -all Light, Life, or ravishing Glory in him; and of the contrary, is it -not the absenting Voice or Virtue of the uncreated Spirit of the Lord -Christ Jesus, that occasions Mens Spirits to be full of Satanical -aspiring Wisdom about the Creator; and whence think you cometh this to -pass, or possible could be of the Spirit, if the Creator were, and -Angels were essentially living in one another there. - -Again, if your literal Request unto the Lord God, as in Reference unto -the miserable Captivity of poor Mankind, lying under the miserable Yoak -of unmerciful rich Tyrants, especially over his own innocent Seed or -chosen People, then this will most necessarily follow; nay, you cannot -deny it, if there be any Light in you, that all your conceived Spiritual -Speakings, or Writings, or Prayers, in the Great Day of the Lord Jesus -Christ, will become but fiery burning Death in you of utter Darkness, -according to the true Saying, _If that Light in you be Darkness, how -great is that Darkness_. Unless as before said, answerable to your -Profession of Love unto God, and Pity unto Man, you are a bountiful -Reliever of his oppressed Ones, according to his Bountifulness towards -you, then mind the Virtues of Christ Jesus thus shining in you, will -occasion from the refreshed Bowels of his own Seed new Spiritual -Acknowledgments, and a loving Return in the Lord for you, why because it -is rare to find a merciful rich Man. - -_Friend_, I certainly know that if you are one of God's Elect, you -cannot be offended with me for writing the Truth, though at present, I -be contrary to you in Spirit. Again, you write that you would beg unto -the Lord for me, both with Tears and Blood, and you would speak somewhat -concerning me, but you are afraid to open the Spirit before the Season -thereof. _Friend_, As to that if ever the Lord of Life and Glory -manifest himself to your Soul, then you will see clearly the Vanity of -those Words. - -Moreover, if I should tell you, that in the pure Eyes of the Lord Christ -Jesus, that one Handful of your Silver Tears, are of more Value than a -Horse Load of your Tears and Blood, you might account it a very strange -saying from me; truly I unfeignedly believe it will be found a principal -Truth, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall say in the Day of Judgment, -_Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, for -when I was a hungry, ye fed me; Go ye Cursed into everlasting Fire, when -I was an hungry ye fed me not_. So that without Controversy, there is -nothing in Man comparable to Love, Mercy and Forgiveness, even to his -greatest Enemies. - -Again, It is a marvellous thing, if you or any other Man, should have a -Spiritual Gift to distinguish between Divine and Diabolical Appearances, -and yet defer the Examination thereof to another Season, or did the most -wise God ever Commission any Man or Angel to make a Discovery of any -Spiritual Counterfeits, and yet that Messenger remaineth dark in his own -Understanding, concerning the Creator that sent him. I remember such a -like Scripture Saying as this, _him whom you ignorantly worship, declare -I unto you_. Moreover, if the most wise Creator, either visible or -invisible by himself or Angel, hath appeared in your Spirit, whereby -unto your thinking, I was clearly discovered as a deceived Person among -the rest, is it not a strange thing that you should have Power over that -Light above Men or Angels, before you for the producing of it at another -Season, the Creator himself will visible make it manifest, _even so come -Lord Jesus Christ, for thy glorious Namesake, come quickly, and in the -visible Sight of Men and Angels bear Record whether thy Holy Spirit sent -me (as I have declared almost these three Years) or no_. Again, when the -Lord made Choice of such a simple poor Man as I was, as many can witness -in the City of _London_, that have known me about these twenty Years, -that I might instrumentally discover the two principal Heads of -mischievous Darkness in the Land; as namely, _John Robins_ past, and -_John Tawney_ almost spent, truly I had no Power in me to put by his -Message until another time; why because (whether you can believe it or -no) his Voice was so Glorious in me, that it shun as the Sun, and it was -of Motion swifter than Thought, and so pleasant to be declared by -Tongue; yet for all that Godlike Glory piercing in me, and through me, -there arose a Desire in me to be eased of that Burden of the Lord -committed to my Charge, because of that sharp Sentence that I was to -declare against any Man that should despise it; then the Lord spake -again unto my Soul, Words of turning Death, of sensible unutterable -Darkness, answerable to that _Jonas_-like Rebellion in me, against so -great convincing Glory; and truly I was compelled immediately to cry -unto him for Deliverance from the Wounds or Anguish of my Soul, that I -might presently obey his Word that shined in me with such Light, and -Majesty, and Glory in whatsoever it should command me. - -Wherefore _Friend_, happy are you if preserved from slighting an -Appearance, that is contrary unto your Light, though it strike at the -Foundation on which is built all your Spiritual Enjoyments; for alas, -you know in the End, all false Lights will be made manifest unto those -that possess the true Light of Eternal Life in them; Blessed therefore -are those, that in Obedience unto the Creator from a purified Spirit are -compassionate to all Men, but especially to those innocent Appearances, -in the Name of the Lord, though they all differ in their Declaration for -them. If there be but one true Messenger from the Lord among the rest, -they shall as formerly, receive an Angel of God unawares, and with him -be Partakers of the Glorious Secrets of the everliving God, to their -eternal Consolation: For this I know, from the Spirit of Truth, that -those that are left under a Spirit of rejecting and despising of false -Appearances, coming forth in the Name of the Lord, they not clearly -knowing them to be so, they will as readily despise a true Messenger of -the Lord to their eternal Hurt; wherefore are all those, that neither -Honour nor Life it self is dear unto them, but upon an Account of -Spiritual Wisdom amongst wise Men, when the Glorious Things of Eternity, -though in base Appearance presented unto them, from that Spiritual Rock -of all Ages, which is our Lord Jesus Christ, God and Man, is one -distinct Body or Person glorified; for whatsoever Men dream from their -imaginary Gods, of two or three Persons, or a vast incomprehensible -Spirit, essentially living in all Things and Places; from an immediate -Voice from the highest Heavens, I positively affirm against Men or -Angels, that there neither is, nor ever was any other God or Creator, -but that God-man Christ Jesus, which was nailed to the Cross, the which -Glorious God will one Day visibly appear with his mighty Angels, to the -Everlasting Terror of those that reject his Person, as to love a thing -for an infinite God to dwell in or to be; yea this very true God in -Opposition to all other Gods, Men, or Angels, is already come with his -invisible pure piercing Light, to make an everlasting Distinction -between the imaginary notional Mysteries of Men in rational Darkness, -and the Spiritual Mysteries of his everlasting Kingdom, by true -Inspirations from an holy and unerring Spirit. _Even so come Lord Jesus -Christ, visibly also according to thine own Word, come quickly._ Amen. - - * * * * * - -Yours with all the Elect, in that only wise very true God, which in the -Sight of Men and Angels visible appeared in Flesh, and in that very Body -of Flesh and Bone, is ascended far above all Gods, Heavens, Angels, or -Men, and there to remain until the Resurrection of all elect Things, or -the Judgment-Day, whose uncreated Spirit of fiery Love, is all Variety -of immortal Crowns of new ravishing Glories, prepared for all those that -long for his visible appearing, to make an everlasting Separation, -between the merciful Elect, and unmerciful Reprobate. - - JOHN REEVE, _the only true Witness unto the very true God, amongst - many pretended Spiritual Messengers in this confused Age_. - -_FINIS._ - - - - -Transcriber's Notes: - -Archaic and colloquial spelling and punctuation was retained. - -Missing or obscured punctuation was corrected. - -Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A TRUE INTERPRETATION OF THE -WITCH OF ENDOR *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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