nomy and Algebra: he had a notion of the Perpetual Motion; and which, as he held, was demonftrable from Mathematical Principles. He gave himfelf fo much to Aftronomy, that he could calculate the motions of the Planets, and demonftrate every Problem in Spherical Trigonometry from Mathematical Principles.

After this, he applied himself to Aftrology; calculated Nativities, and refolved horary Queftions. When I was fettled in Temple Parish, after I had feen him for fome time, he came to me, and afked my opinion concerning the lawfulnefs of converfing with fpirits. After I had given him my thoughts in the negative, I confirmed them with the beft reafons I could. He told me, he had confidered all thofe arguments, but that neverthelefs there was an innocent fociety with them, which a man might use, if he did no harm by their means, and was not curious in prying into hidden things: and that he himself had difcourfed with them to his great fatisfaction. And he gave an offer to me at one time, and to Mr. Bayley, of Bristol, at another, that if we would go with him at night to Kingswood, we fhould hear them both talk and fing, and talk with them, and return very fafe: but neither of us had the courage to venture. I told him the fubtilty of the Devil to transform himself into an Angel of Light; but he could not believe it was the Devil. I had feveral conferences with him upon this subject, but could never convince hin.

I propofed (to try him) a queftion in Aftronomy, relating to the Projection of the Sphere; which he projected and refolved, and afterward did fo demonftrate from the Mathematics, as to demouftrate at the fame time, that his brain was free from the leaft tincture of madnefs. I asked him feveral particulars concerning the methods he used. He told me he had a book whofe directions he followed; that at midnight, he went to a crofs-way, with a lanthorn and candle, which was confecrated for this purpose with feveral incantations. He

had

had alfo confecrated chalk, confifting of feveral mixtures with which he ufed to make a circle, at what distance be thought fit; within which no fpirit had power to enter.

After this, he invoked the fpirits by feveral forms of words, fome of which he told me were taken out of the holy Scriptures, and therefore must be lawful. The fpirits, appeared to him which he called for, in the fhape of little maidens, about a foot and half high, and played about the circle.

At first he was fomewhat affrighted, but after fome acquaintance with them, this wore off, and he began to be well pleafed with their company. He told me they spoke with a very fhrill voice. He asked them if there was a God; they told him there was. He afked if there was a heaven, or à hell; they faid there was. He asked them what fort of a place heaven was, which they demonstrated as a place of great glory and happiness. He alfo afked what fort of a place hell was, but they desired him to ask no queftions of that nature, for it was a dreadful thing to relate it. He further asked them what method and order they had amongst themselves; they told him that they were divided into three Orders; that they had a Chief, whofe refidence was in the air; that he had feveral Counsellors, which were placed by him in the form of a globe, and he himself in the centre, which was the chief Order; another Order was employed in going to and fro from thence to the Earth, to carry intelligence from thofe lower fpirits; and a third Order was on the Earth to do according to the directions they fhould receive from thofe in the Air. This defcription being contrary to the account we have in Scripture of the blessed Angels, made me conclude they were devils; but I could not convince him of it. He told me he had bid them fing, and they went to fome diftance behind a bufh, from whence he could hear fuch a concert of mufic, as he never heard before. That in the

upper part he could hear fomething very harsh and shrill, like a reed; but as it was managed it gave a particular grace to the rest.

About a quarter of a year after he came to me again, and told me he wished he had taken my advice, for he thought he had done that which would cost him his life. Indeed his eyes and his countenance fhewed a great alteration. I asked him what he had done; he told me that being refolved to proceed in his Art, and to have fome familiar fpirit at his command, according to the directions of his book, he procured a book made of virgin's parchment, and confecrated with feveral incantations; as also a particular inkhorn, ink, pen, &c. for his purpose. With those he went out (as usual) to a cross-way, called up a spirit and asked him his name; which he put in the first page of his book. This was to be his Familiar: thus he was to do by as many as he pleased, writing their names in diftin& pages, only one on a leaf; and then whenever he took the book and opened it, the spirit whofe name appeared, appeared alfo. The familiar fpirit he had was called Malchi. After this, they appeared oftener than he desired, and in moft difmal shapes, like ferpents, lions, bears, &c. hiffing at him, and attempting to throw fpears and balls of fire, which did very much affright him. And the more, when he found it not in his power to lay them; infomuch that his hair, as he told me, stood upright, and he expected every moment to be torn in pieces, This was in December, about midnight. He continued there in a great fweat till break of day: then they left him; but from that time he was never well as long as he lived. In his fickness he came frequently to confult with Mr. Jacob, an Apothecary, in Broad-Street; but in vain. He also came to me, and owned every matter of fact; infifting that he long thought it lawful, but was fince convinced to the contrary: he ftill owned, he made no compact with any of thofe fpirits, and never did any harm by their means, nor never pryed into the future fortune of himself. He expreft a hearty repen

tance

tance and deteftation of his fins; so that though those methods coft him his life, yet I have great reason to believe him happy now.

Perhaps your Lordship may be further informed from his Relations and Neighbours in Mangotsfield, which lies in Gloucestershire, not above a mile out of the road to Bath. I have frequently told the ftory, but never mentioned his name before; and therefore if your Lordship hath any defign of printing fuch Accounts as thefe, I defire it may be with fuch a tenderness to his memory, as may not be the least prejudice to his Relations.'

I am,

Your Lordship's most dutiful Son and Servant,

ARTHUR BEDFORD.

Mr. Bedford was some time Chaplain of the Haberdasher's Hofpital, in Hoxton.

1.

An ANSWER to Mr. DODD.

YOU You and I may the more easily bear with each other, because we are both of us rapid Writers, and therefore the more liable to mistake. I will thank you for fhewing me any mistake I am in: being not fo tenacious of my Opinions now, as I was twenty or thirty years ago. Indeed I am not fond of any Opinion as fuch. I read the Bible with what attention I can, and regulate all my Opinions thereby, to the best of my Understanding. But I am always willing to receive more light; particularly with regard to any lefs common Opinions, because the explaining and defending of them takes up much time, which I can ill fpare from other Employments. Whoever therefore will give me more light, with regard to Chriftian Perfection, will do me a fingular Favour. The Opinion I have concerning it at present, I

espouse

efpoufe merely becaufe I think it is Scriptural. If therefore I am convinced, it is not Scriptural, I fhall willingly relinquish it.

2. I have no particular fondness for the Term. It feldom occurs either in my preaching or writings. It is my opponents who thruft it upon me continually, and afk me, What I mean by it? So did bishop Gibfon, till by his advice, I publicly declared, What I did not mean by it, and what I did. This I supposed might be beft done in the form of a Sermon, having a text prefixt, wherein that term occured. But that text is there uied only as an occafion or introduction to the fubject. I do not build any doctrine thereupon, nor undertake critically to explain it.

3. What is the meaning of the term Perfection, is another queftion; Lut that it is a Scriptural Term is undeniable. There fore none ought to object to the ufe of the Term, whatever they may do to this or that Explication of it. I am very wil ling to confider whatever you have to object, to what is advanced under the fift head of that Sermon. But I fill think that Perfection is only another term for Holiness, or the image of God in man. God made man perfect, I think is just the fame, as he made him holy, or in his own image. And you are the very first perfon I ever read of or spoke with, who made any doubt of it. Now this Perfection does certainly admit of degrees. Therefore I readily allow the Propriety of that Diftinétion, Perfection of Kinds, and Perfection of Degrees. Nor do I remember one Writer, Anticnt or Mo dern, who excepts against it.

4. In the Sermon of Salvation by Faith I fay, "He that is born of God finneth not," a propofition explained at large in another Sermon) and every where either explicitly or vir tually connected with, while he keepeth himfelf)" by any fin ful Defire, any unholy Defire he fifleth in the Birth." (Af furedly he does, while he he peth himself) "Nor doth he fin by infirmities. For his infirmities have no concurrence of his

f