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A26888 The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter. Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1691 (1691) Wing B1214; ESTC R13061 111,630 274

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a Human Soul and Body And so that Christ hath three Natures a Divine a Superangelical and a Humane But of this oft elsewhere This opinion is reconciling as to the Artans who have affirmed Christ to be a Creature above Angels And if God made such a Creature methinks it should be easie to perswade them that he that is as the Center and more than a Soul maketh all the World to be One though of unlike parts doth primarily unite himself with the first and Noblest of his productions Objection But Scripture saith that Abraham called one of these Lord. Answer That Name both Adonai and Elohun are oft given to Creatures And if the Name of Iehovah be sometimes used as to Angels it is only meant to God speaking by them whom Abraham knew to be present though Invisible and to know all that was said Yet further it was an Angel that appeared to M●ses in the burning the Bush and so that sent him on his work to deliver the Israelites from Egypt and Fortified him with power of Miracles and made him his great promises of Success And yet no doubt it was God and the Text is true that affirmeth both Therefore it must be God speaking and acting by the Ministry of an Angel Commissioned to use his Name It was Angels that gave M●ses the Law in the Mount Sinai For so saith the Scripture But it was God by them who were his Voice and Finger that made and wrote the Tables and spake all the words these were all Great and Wonderful Ministrations God promised Moses that his Angels should go before the Israelites to conquer their Enemies and bring them into the promised Land And he chargeth them not to provoke him for Gods Name was upon him and he would not forgive their Iniquities What greater things could be said than that an Angel shall bear Gods Name and be their Captain and Conquer their Enemies and be their Governour and not forgive their wilful Sins In Ioshuahs War at Iericho an Angel appeareth and professeth himself the Captain of the Lords Hosts Josh. 5. 14 15. and Joshua fell on his face to the Earth and Worshipped him and prayed to him to tell him his Message If Angels be not the Generals or Captains of our Armies we are unlike to Conquer It was by an Angel that God brought the Israelites out of Egypt Numb 20. 16. It was an Angel that chose a Wife for Isaack Gen. 24. 7. 40. The Angel of Gods Presence saved the Israelites Isa. 63. 9. An Angel delivered the three Men Dan. 3. from the Fire and Daniel from the Lions Dan. 6. Angels Preached Christ to the Shepherds An Angel made the pool in Ierusalem healing Io. 5. 4. An Angel Preacheth to Cornelius An Angel delivereth Peter Act. 12. The Angel of the Lord Encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Ps. 34. 7. God giveth his Angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways They bear us up in their Hands lest we dash our Foot against a Stone Psal. 91. 11 12. Rev. 1. Tells us that God first Revealeth his Will to Christ and Christ to Angels and Angels to Iohn and Iohn to the Churches and the Churches to Posterity Yea Angels Ministred to Christ himself when he was hungry Mat. 4. 11. And appeared in his Agony strengthening him Luke 22. 43. Legions of Angels are at his Service And all the Holy Angels will come with him at Judgment and they will be the Reapers at the end of the World Above 260 times are Angels mentioned in Scripture and yet how little notice do we take of their help But is it only our Bodies that they help Can they reach or help our Souls Answ. If Devils can touch our Souls with their Temptations are Angels farther from us or less able to move us to our Duty But are they ordinarily present or know our Case Answ. They rejoice in our Conversion and therefore know it They are present in our Assemblies as Paul intimareth 1 Cor. 11. 10. Say not before the Angel that it was an Errour Eccl. 5. 6. which intimateth the Angels Presence Every Believer hath his Angel beholding the Face of our Father in Heaven Matth. 13 10 and they are not Strangers to their Charge We feel that the Devil is present with us by his Temptations continually in all our Duties molesting or hindering us And are Angels less intent upon their Work It is Michael and his Angels that fight against the Dragon and his Angels to save the Church While such Texts make the Papists think that Angels are always or ordinarily present if they give them not Divine Worship but such as we would do a Prince though I have said before why I approve not of their Doings I dare not as some late Expositors of the Revelation judge the Catholick Church to have become AntiChristian Idolaters as soon as they gave too much Worship to Angels and to Saints We are come to the New Ierusalem to the Innumerable Angels Heb. 12. and must honour them that fear the Lord Psal. 15. And we know that we are translated from Death to Life becau●e we love the Brethren And is it so damnable Idolatry to love and honour Angels and Saints a little too much while they give them nothing proper to God I blame their Irregularities but I dare not judge so hardly of them and the ancient Church for this as some do nor think them much better that love and honour Angels and Saints as much too little Some now would call a Man an Idolater that should say as Iacob Gen. 48. 16. The Angel which redeemed me from all Evil bless the Lads They say This Angel was Christ. Answ. Scripture saith it was an Angel Hos. 12 4. saith He had power over the Angel I dare not call God an Angel though Angels may be called Gods as Princes be If Christ had then no Nature but the Divine I should suspect it is Arianism to call him an Angel or Messenger of God If he had a Body then was it Ubiquitary Or had he infinite numbers of Bodies Or could he be but with one in the World at once For my part I have had many Deliverances so marvellous as convinceth me of the Ministry of Angels in them not here to be recited But I am satisfied that there is no less of the Presence and Efficacy of the Father Son and Holy Spirit when he useth and honoureth any Instruments Angels or Men than if he used no Means at all As I will not desire so to alter the stated Government and Order of God as to expect here visible Communion with Angels nor will offer them any unrequired Worship so I would not unthankfully forget how much we receive by them from Christ and how much we are beholden to them and to God and our Redeemer for them And I hope they will shortly be a Convoy to the Soul of this poor Lazarus to Abraham's Bosom or to the Paradise
of Heaven more Familiar and Pleasant to us to think of such a Holy and Amiable Society and would make us the willinger to die As to them that say that it is enough to know that Christ is all to us and we must take heed of ascribing any thing to Creatures I Answer is Christ the less all to us for giving us his Mercies For giving us the Ministry of Angels Is he the less All to us for giving Gifts to Men for giving Comforters and Merciful Relievers to the poor For giving to Children the Love and Care of Parents Or for giving Men good Princes and Magistrates to Rule them Or for giving them Soldiers to fight for them Or for giving you Ministers to Teach you Who more praiseth their Teachers than such Objectors Will you be unthankful to your Benefactors for fear of ascribing to Creatures Will you not praise a Godly Man above a Wicked Will you not praise and admire the Glory of the Sun and Stars and the Frame of Heaven and Earth for fear of ascribing to Creatures Is the praising of a Work a wrong to the Workman Indeed this agreeth with their Doctrine who because ●aul counted all his Mosaical Legal Righteousness as loss and Dung in Comparison of the Righteousness that God gave him in and by ●hrist do therefore ●●y that we must count all that Righteousness as Dung which ●hrist himsel● worketh in us by his Spirit even Faith it se●● which is imputed or reckoned to us for Righteousness This enticeth Men to be out of Love with Christian Righteousness when Christ hath made it our own if it be no better than Dung And to fear that some such Men have no better But they say they account Faith and Love to Christ to be Dung only as to Iustification As if God did not make all Men just whom he justifieth by Esteem and Sentence Or as if that were Righteousness that doth in no part or degree make a Man Righteous Or as if any but Christians as such are justified Or any Man were a Christian before he accepteth Christ by a Loving and Thankful Consent or Trust as his Saviour and his Teacher and his Lord and Ruler But this is a Digression which Mens talk against ascribing to Angels led me to We are not for ascribing to Angels nor to Faith and Love and Holiness the least part of the Honour proper to God or to Jesus Christ They do none of the Work of our Redeemer for us nor can we do the least of it for our selves unless as the Work of his Instruments and Agents may be called Christs Work They save us indeed but it is but as Timothy was taught by Paul how to save himself and those that heard him and we are bid to save our selves Christ teacheth us and Ministers teach us Christ Feedeth us and we Feed our selves yea he faith that we feed him And that he will for so doing say Come ye Blessed inherit the Kingdom Angels and Men do Christs Commanded Work But no Creature doth the least part of Christs own proper undertaken Work Objection But these high Thoughts of Angels have draw● the Papists to Idolatry in Praying to them and Worshipping them Answer It is your denying them the Honour that is due to them which is a Temptation that hardneth Papists in their Excess Must we not Love and Honour Kings Ministers and Saints though some herein run into Extreams We have many Reasons against Praying to Angels or offering them Visible Corporeal Worship Because we know not just when they are present And because it may Countenance the Heathens Demon Worship and Idolatry And because God hath appointed us no such sort of Worship But God having largely told us of their Love to us and their constant eminent Service for us he thereby obligeth us to answerable Regard Affections and Acknowledgment I have said so much in a small Discourse in Mr. Isaack Ambro●e his Book of Communion with Angels at his request who is now with Angels that I will not here Recite very many particular Texts of Scripture about this Subject But if you will but look in your Concordance you may see what abundant mention of Angels there is throughout all the Scripture while we hear so little of them in our Books or Pulpits It 's true that in the Old Testament time they ofter Visibly appeared than they do now But that is no Derogation to our Gospel State As it is more Spiritual than theirs that needed more Visible means so our Spiritual Benefits by them before named are greater than theirs were 1. How Familiar were Angels with Abraham who entertained them as Men till they made themselves better known to him They were the Messengers of the great promise to him of the Numerous and the Holy Seed They Reproved Sarah for her Unbelief that they might comfort her by the promised Seed How Familiar were they with Lot when they came into his House and took him in and blinded his Enemies and told him their Message concerning Sodom and when they carried him while he delayed to depart And when they saved Zoar for his sake How Familiar were they with Iacob in his Travels and his Return when he saw them as by a Ladder ascending and descending And when one of them wrestled with him and Blessed him though he made him halt I know that many excellent Divines do that one of these called Angels was Christ. To which I say 1. If it were so that doth not deny but confirm what I am pleading for If Christ appearing made Angels his Companions it was the more for their Honour 2. But if this be true either Christ had a Body yea many Bodies before his Incarnation by Mary or not If not what were all these Similitudes of Men that did eat and drink and talk and act Were they mere ●hadows and Delusions How then could they speak and act so Potently If yea then was the pure God head Hypostatically united to these many appearing Bodies Or not Who can prove a difference save as to the Matter and Duration between his union with these and with his last assumed Flesh. And yet the Scripture appropriateth Christs Inca●●●tion and coming in the Body to the Fun●●● of Time and to those last days I am ●●th to say without proof that Christ 〈…〉 Bodies lest any should infer that there have been many Christs But if this 〈◊〉 be held it will introduce Peter Sterr● Doctrine as most probable that Christ as the Eternal Word 〈◊〉 God first 〈◊〉 the Noblest re●ted Nature ab●●e 〈◊〉 or as Dr ●●ore calleth it an Eternal 〈◊〉 or as he and Iohn Turner a p●ime Created ●e in the pri●●e Matter and did unite ●●●●lf to this 〈◊〉 ‑ lical Nature and by it cause all the rest And that this second Nature appeared to the Fathers by such Temporary assumed Bodies and at last assumed the Body of a Man being say some it self a Soul to it but as others assuming both
bearing them with Christian-like Patience living in his House in Glamorgan was very much troubled one Night with a great Noise much like the sound of Whirl-wind and a violent beating of the Doors or Walls as if the whole House were falling in pieces And being in her Chamber with most of her Family after praying to the Lord accounting it sinful Incredulity to yield to Fear she went to bed and suddenly after there appeared unto her something like her Husband and asked her whether he should come to Bed She sitting up and praying to the Lord told him he was not her Husband and that he should not He urged more earnestly What! Not the Husband of thy Bosom What! Not the Husband of thy Bosom Yet had no power to hurt her And she together with some Godly People spent that Night in Prayer being very often interrupted by this Apparition The next Night Mr. Miles a Godly Minister with four other Godly Men came to watch and pray in the House for that Night and so continued in Prayer and other Duties of Religion without any interruption or noise at all that Night But the Night following the Gentlewoman with several other Godly Women being in the House the noise of Whirlwind began again with more violence than formerly and the Apparition walked in the Chamber having an unsufferable Stench like that of a putrified Carcase filling the Room with a thick Smoak smelling like Sulphur darkening the Light of the Fire and Candle but not quite extinguishing it sometimes going down the Stairs and coming up again with a fearful noise disturbing them in their Prayers one while with the sound of Words which they could not discern other while striking them so that the next Morning their Faces were black with the Smoak and their Bodies swollen with Bruises Thereupon they left the House left they should tempt the Lord by their over-bold staying in such Danger and sent this Atheist the sad News of this Apparition who coming to England about May last expressed more Love and Respect to his Wife than formerly yet telling her that he could not believe her Relation of what she had seen as having not a power to believe any thing but what himself saw and yet would not hitherto go to his House to make trial but probably will e'er long for that he is naturally of an exceeding rash and desperate Spirit August 1656. Mr. Samuel Jones's Letter in relation to Lieutenant Col. Bowen together with an inclosed Letter from Mr. Maur. Bedwell on the same Subject Worthy and much Honoured YOU may be pleased to remember that when I waited upon you at the Sherift's House in Sallop in August last amongst your other Enquiries touching the State of that poor Country where the Lord hath cast my Lot for the present you desired me then to impart what I had received by Relation concerning the Apparitions in one Col. Bowen's House and upon my return to procure you some further Intelligence touching that Tremendous Providence Whether it be by Time or Familiarity with the noise hereof or rather the no less to be admired Blockishness of the Spirits of Men that the Horror of that terrible Dispensation be allay'd I know not but surely the thing it self was very Stupendous and the remembrance of it carries much Amazement with it still to them that have any thing of Tenderness or Understanding left them By the inclosed from an Honest and Godly Hand not far from the Stage where these things were acted You may understand the Substance of that matter the Party being a Minister of the Gospel perfectly knew Colonel Bowen and hath often conversed with him both before and since his House was haunted If you are pleased to command any further Satisfaction herein I shall take a Journey my self into the place and endeavour to gratifie your desire as to any further particular that you desire the knowledge of If any publick use be made hereof you may conceal my Friends name and mine own lest any offence should be taken by some of the Parties Relations in Parliament and Council Of the receipt of this Paper I desire to hear with all convenient speed At the Throne of Grace vouchsafe to remember your weak and wretched Brother who yet desires to be found in the number of them that are Sir Yours in the surest Bonds to Honour and Serve you Samuel Jones Coedreken Nov. 28. 1656. The Reasons why forbearing Names was desired being now over yet Mr. S. Iones still living I think my self disobliged as to that Restraint R. B. Mr. Maur. Bedwell's inclos'd Letter Dear Sir GLad I am of your safe return and gladder should I be to be instrumental according to my weak Capacity of nayling you to these parts I hope if my desires are agreeable to the Lord you will meet with some directing Providences from him which will answer all Objections As to Col. Bowen's House I can give you some brief Particulars which you may credit as coming from such who were not so foolish as to be deluded nor so dishonest as to report an untruth What I shall write if need were would be made good both by Eye and Ear Witnesses The Gentleman Col. Bowen whose House is called Lanellin in Gowersland formerly was famous for Profession of Religion but this Day is the saddest Man in his Principles I know living To me in particular he hath denyed the Being of the Spirit of the Lord His Argument thus Either 't is something or nothing if something shew me tell me what it is c. and I believe he gives as little credit to other Spirits as the Sadduces At his House aforementioned he being then in Ireland making Provision for removing thither these things happened About December last his Wife being in Bed a Gracious Understanding Woman and one whom little things will not affright one in the likeness of her Husband and just in his Posture presented himself to her Bed-side proffering to come to Bed to her which she refusing he gave this answer What refuse the Husband of thy Bosom and after some time she alledging Christ was her Husband it disappeared Strange miserable Howlings and Cries were heard about the House his Tread his Posture Sighing Humming were heard frequently in the Parlour in the Day time often the Shaddow of one walking would appear upon the Wall One Night was very remarkable and had not the Lord stood by the poor Gentlewoman and her two Maids that Night they had been undone as she was going to Bed she perceived by the impression on the Bed as if some Body had been lying there and opening the Bed she smelt the smell of a Carcase some-while dead and being in Bed for the Gentlewoman was somewhat Courageous upon the Tester which was of Cloth she perceived something rolling from side to side and by and by being forc'd out of her Bed she had not time to dress her self such Cries and other things almost amazing her but she
therein all relating to the same Subject SIR I Have herein sent you those four Stories I had the remembrance off when I was with you last which I have subscribed my Name to But who can prove any thing Rationally to them who have not so much Reason as to know their own Souls All of this Tribe are of that mind to believe nothing but what they see themselves But as Religio Medici says The Devil hath them in too fast a Noose for to appear to them would be to convert them from their Error He rather delights to be their God than to prove himself a Devil and so torment their Thoughts too soon They assert and admire the Omnipotency of Matter but in the mean time are insensible of the spring of Motion they are so full of Seconds they will not own a First Mover 'T is strange Arithmetick that two should not suppose one and as bad Geometry to have Circumference without a Center But I fear you will but spend Arguments on them who are resolved not to yield to any Evidence for it is the Interest of their Lusts neither to believe God nor a Devil Yet I remember a story of one at Colchester who in a Bravado and Defiance of the Devil would walk in the Night to the Church-Yard where it was reported he appeared and walked and he met him in the shape of a Black Dog with terrible Eyes which brought him by Terrors into such a mind that he was never quiet in his Mind till he got into good Society Coming to Mr. Shepheard's at Coln Mr. Harlakenden stay'd him though Mr. Shepheard was gone He lodged there and when at Prayer the Black Dog was seen by the Man as if he would have torn Mr. Harlakenden's Throat out but he was in his House and Duty and neither saw nor feared And this Man continued long in this condition proved a most serious Christian always had some appearance of this Dog as a Fly or a Flea and various shapes and even at his Death lying long sick had great Peace and Victory over the fear of Death and was so joyful and desirous to be diss●●ved that this Dog or Flea made no impression upon him when had it been a Melancholick Fancy it would have been worst at so dark an Hour when the Humours are up and the Spirits down This Story I had also from Mr. Harlakenden but it is not to be cast before such Swine as this Epicurean Age abounds with who if Christ himself was on Earth with the Gadarens would rather get rid of him than lose their Herd of Hogs But I tire you the Lord support you and give you the Joy of Faith the Blessed prospect of Hope and that Cordial of Love which is stronger than Death I am Your worthless Brother and Servant in the Lord T. Woodcocke Iuly 17. 91. Here follow the four Stories mentioned in the fore-going Letter I. Mr. Mun Rector of Stockerson in Leicestershire had a Daughter married to one Mr. Beecham Rector of Branston in Rutland in whose House it was frequently observed that a Tobacco-pipe would move it self from off a Shelf at one end of the Room to another Shelf at the other end of the Room without any Hand Mr. Mun visiting his Son-in Law took a Pipe of Tobacco in that Room and looked for some such Motion but a great Bible instead of a Pipe moved it self off from a Desk at the lower end of the Room and cast it self into his Lap. Whereupon he opened the Bible at Gen. 3. 15. saying Come Satan I 'll shew thee thy Doom The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head Avoid Satan This Mr. Mun himself told me when in the Sickness-Year 1665. I lived in Stockerson-Hall I have no reason to suspect the Veracity of a sober Man a constant Preacher and a good Scholar II. Dr. Lamb who was killed by the Mob for a Conjurer about 1640. met one Morning Sir Miles Sands and Mr. Barbor in the Street and invited them to go and drink their Mornings Draught at his House Discoursing about his Art he told them if they would hold their Tongues and their Hands from medling with any thing he would shew them some Sport So falling to his Practice in the middle of the Room springs up a Tree soon after appeared three little Fellows with Axes on their Shoulders and Baskets in their Hands who presently fell to work cut down the Tree and carried all away But Mr. Barbor observing one Chip to fall on his Velvet Coat he slips it into his Pocket That Night when he and his Family were in Bed and asleep all the Doors and VVindows in the House opened and clattered so as to awaken and affright them all His VVife said Husband you told me you was at Dr. Lamb 's this Day and I fear you medled with something He replied I put a Chip into my Pocket I pray you said ●he fling it out or we shall have no Quiet He did so and all the VVindows and Doors were presently shut and all quiet so they went to sleep Dr. Barbor and Major Iohn Barbor who married my only Sister told me this Relation who had it again and again from their Father and Mother and I know no reason to doubt of the truth of it This Mr. Barbor laid the first Stone in building of Covent-Garden III. VVhen I was a School-Boy at Oundle in Northamptonshire about the Scots coming into England I heard a Well in one Dobs's Yard drum like any Drum beating a March I heard it at a distance Then I went and put my Head into the Mouth of the Well and heard it distinctly and no Body in the Well It lasted several Days and Nights so as all the Country-People came to hear it And so it drumm'd on several Changes of Times When King Charles the Second died I went to the Oundle-Carrier at the Ram-Inn in Smithfield who told me their Well had drumm'd and many People came to hear it And I heard it drumm'd once since IV. Mr. Harlakenden who lived at ColuPriory in Essex where I often was his only Son being my Pupil formerly the House of the Earls of Oxford Off from the House was a Tomb House with a Chamber over it his Butler Robert Crow and William his Coach man used to lie in that Room At Two of the Clock in the Morning there was always the sound of a great Bell tolling They affirming it so Mr. Harlakenden slept in the Evening so as to be awaked at One of the Clock and lay betwixt his two Servants to satisfie himself At Two of the Clock comes the usual Sound of a great Bell tolling which put him into a Fright and Sweat so as he jogg'd his Servants who awaking said Hark Tom is at his Sport It revived him to hear them speak Upon a particular Occasion Mr. Thomas Shepheard who after went to New England with some other Ministers and good People spent a Night in