But we have light here, proportionable to our work and intereft. So much as is neceffary to the knowledge of our felves and God: of our duty, and of all thofe hopes that are neceffary motives thereto. Men that will but obferve the operations of their fouls, may competently know what a Spirit is. And men that will but open their eyes, may as certainly know there is a God, as they can know there is any being. And men that cannot but diftinguish between moral good and evil, and that know the duty of children to parents, subjects to rulers, and neighbours to neighbours, may know their duty to God, and that the performance of it fhall not be in vain. And if men will not know all that they may know, it is juft with God to leave them not to know what might

be known.

And God makes use of our not seeing the World of Spirits, for the exercife of our higher faculties, by a life of faith. And intuition (a nobler fort than our prefent eye-fight) will be foon enough when we are made ready for it. We fhall not need the organical parts of the eye, which Galen admirably defcribeth, for our glorified fight. And to fee devils and other fpirits ordinarily, would not be enough to bring. Atheists to the knowledge of God, without which all other knowledge is vain. They that doubt of a God (the most perfect Being) while they fee the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Sea and Land, would not know him by feeing created Spirits. How speedily fhall I fee the world that I have read, and talked, and written of? O, what a difference will there be between my now hearing of Apparitions, and the prodigious acts of Spirits; and that fight of all their ftate and affairs which I fhall have, and now am going to. The fight of devils and damned fouls, will hereafter be no rarity; and if my foul muft pafs through the airy, inferior region, where thefe miferable fpirits now inhabit, it will not be as dangerously affaulted by them. For I know whom I have trufted, and into the hands of him do I commit my fpirit, who hath conquered

quered Death and Devils, and is now the glorified Lord of all, and can use them at his pleasure. And thofe Angels that rejoice at the repentance of a Lazarus, and now are miniftering fpirits for his fafety, will be ready in obedience to our Lord, to convey his foul to Abraham's bofom.

Lord Jefus, let me finifh my course with joy! and then receive my fpirit! Amen.

RICHARD BAXTER.

I

Confefs it is very difficult to expound the causes of all things mentioned in these hiftories. But matters of fact muft not be denied, but improved as well as we can. And I confefs very many cheats have been difcovered, which have made fome weak men think that all are fuch. But he forfeiteth the benefit of his own eye-fight, who thinks that none fee, because fome counterfeit blindness.

The following inflances tell us that the ftate, converse, policy, and laws of the invifible world, are much (tho' not wholly unknown to us here: and that fo is the ftate of the departed fouls of wicked men. And it is hard to know, by their words or figns, when it is a devil, and when it is a human foul that appeareth. Yea, it is oft hard to know whether it be the foul of a good, or a bad perfon. And often, whether it be a good, or a bad angel; feeing bad ones may do good deceitfully, or by conftraint. And it is unfearchable to us, how far God leaveth invifible, intellectual powers to FreeWill, about inferior things; fufpending his predetermining motion, though not his general motion and concourfe.

But as all thefe, and more fuch, are unknown to us, fo God fees it meet. Therefore we fhould not fo much as defire that it might be otherwife.

The

The great benefits we may get by the right use of these hiftories are,

1. We may learn to admire that frame of divine government, that hath creatures fo various, to rule and order, and maketh one beautiful frame of all. As Toads and Serpents on earth are not ufeless, nor devouring Fishes, Birds and Beafts; fo neither are Devils or damned Souls, no, nor their fins, which God will ufe, though he will not caufe.

2. We may gather, that even in heaven, there will be an orderly œconomy, and a different degree of fuperiority and glory, when there is fo great a difference through all the world. All shall not be equal to them that fhall fit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes. There are many mansions in that house, even to them that belong to Christ.

3. We have great cause to be thankful to God, who doth not let loose wicked fpirits against us, that they are not here. our greatest terror and tormentors.

4. How great a mercy is it, that we have a Saviour, who hath power over them, and hath redeemed us from their power, and everlasting damnation?

5. We may fee that the angels of God are not useless to us; but their miniftry is one of God's means for our preservation.

6. It is a help, not only to convince Atheists and Infidels, but also to confirm Believers against temptations to doubt of the life to come, the immortality of the foul, and the future judgment and retribution. And though it be our fhame to need fuch helps, it is a mercy to have them. If a Sadducee will fay, If one did come from the dead, or I faw fuch things, I would believe; fhould not our Faith be paft wavering,, who have thefe added to greater gofpel-proofs ?

[To be continued.]

LETTERS.

LET

TER S.

LETTER

CCXCII...

[From Mifs P. T. to the Rev. Mr. Wefley.]

Rev. Sir,

THE

Dublin, Nov. 28, 1764.

HE moft miferable and guilty of all the human race, who knew you when the thought herself one of the happieft, may be ashamed to write, or speak to you in her present condition. But the defperate mifery of my ftate, makes me attempt any thing that may be a means of removing it. And though unreasonable as the request may feem, yet knowing your and your people's love for the bodies and fouls of all; I hope you will pity my mifery, and comply with it: which, if it has the defired effect, will give great fatisfaction to you and them. The request is, that you, dear Sir, and fuch of your happy people who meet in Band, and ever heard the name of that miferable wretch P. T. would join in fafting and prayer on a Tuesday, the day on which I was born. That the Lord would have mercy on me, and deliver me from the power of the Devil: from the most uncommon blafphemies, and the expectation of hell which I labour under; without power to pray, or hope for mercy. May be the Lord may change my ftate, and have mercy on me; for the fake of his people's prayer. Indeed I cannot pray for myself; and if I could, I have no hopes of being heard. Nevertheless, he, feeing his people afflicted for me, may on that account, deliver me from the power of the devil, and give me life, and grace to refift all O what a hell have I upon earth! I would not by

evil.

by any means charge God foolishly; for he has been very merciful to me: but I brought all this evil on myself by fin, and by not making a right use of his mercy. Pray continually for me; for the prayer of Faith will fhut and open heaven. may be a means of my deliverance, which will be one of the greatest miracles of mercy ever known: and will lay under the greateft obligations,

It

Your unworthy Servant,

LETTER

CCXCIII.

P. T.

[From Mr. J. Morgan, to the Rev. Mr. Welley.]

Rev. Sir,

Cork, Dec. 23, 1764.

Mentioned to you in a Letter fome time fince, the melancholy cafe of Mifs T———; who had entered, I may say, into the very dominion of despair. Advice was loft upon her: for prayer, fhe had not the leaft relish. Her groans and fighs, were enough to affect the moft unfeeling breast. The cafe of her mother, who was a nightly, as well as a daily witness of it all, was deeply diftreffing. At length fhe removed her to Dublin, and by the advice of friends, fent her to Swift's Hospital, where the remained equally wretched.

At length a gleam of hope fprang up in her foul. She fent her mother a note, to requeft of me to appoint a day of fafting and prayer, in her behalf. Her mother wrote to me imme diately I appointed the day, and defired our Brethren at Limerick to meet us at the throne of grace. Accordingly we met on Tuesday the 11th, and again on Tuesday the 18th inftant: both of which times were, I believe, fingularly profitable to all who attended. And furely our God heareth prayer! I received a Letter this morning concerning her, as follows:

VOL. VI.