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_).