Plato) that whether of them two died first, he should appear to his friend, and give him certain information of that truth. It was Ficinius his fate to die firft, and that not long after this mutual refolution: He was mindful of his promife, when he had left the body; for Mercatus being very intent at his ftudies, betimes in a morning, heard a horfe riding by with all speed, and obferved that he ftopt at his window, and therewith heard the voice of his friend Ficinius, crying out, aloud, O Michael, Michael, vera, vera, funt illa; that is, O Michael, Michael thofe things are true, they are true. Whereupon he fuddenly opened his window, and efpying Marcilius upon a white feed, called after him, but he vanished out of his fight. He fent therefore prefently to Florence, to know how Marcilius did, and understood that he died about that hour he called at his window.

Much to the fame purpose is that fo famous and well attested ftory of the apparition of major George Sydenham, to captain William Dyke, both of Somersetshire, attefted by the worthy and learned Dr. Thomas Dyke, a near kinfman of the captain's; and by Mr. Douch, to whom the major and captain were intimately known *. The fum is this: The major and captain had many difputes about the being of a God, and the immortality of the foul, in which points they could never be refolved, though they much fought for, and defired it; and therefore it was at laft fully agreed betwixt them, that he that died first, fhouid, the third night after his funeral, come betwixt the hours of twelve and one, to the little houfe in the garden adjoining to major Sydenham's houfe, at Dulverton, in Somerfetfhire. The major died fuft, and the captain happened to lie, that very night which was appointed, in the fame chamber, and bed, with Dr. Dyke; he acquainted the doctor with the appointment, and his refolution to attend the place, and hour that night, for which purpose he had got the key of that garden. The doctor could by no means divert his purpose, but, when the hour came, he was upon the place, where he waited two hours and a half, neither feeing nor hearing any thing more than ufual. About fix weeks after, the captain, and doctor, went to Eaton, and lay both in the fame inn, but not both in the fame chamber, as they had done before at Dulverton.

The morning before they went thence, the captain ftayed longer than was ufual in his chamber, and at length came into the doctor's chamber, but in vifage and form much different

Sad. Trium. part 2. p. 183

from himself, with his hair and eyes staring, and his whole body fhaking and trembling: Whereat the doctor wondering, demanded, What is the matter, coufin captain? the captain replies, I have feen my major. At which the doctor feeming to fmile, the captain faid, If ever I faw him in my life, I faw him but now; adding as followeth: This morning (faid he) after it was light, fome one came to my bed-fide, and fuddenly drawing back the curtains, calls, Cap. cap. (which was the term of familiarity that the major ufed to call the captain by) to whom I replied, What, my major? To which he returns, I could not come at the time appointed, but I am now come to tell you, That there is a God, and a very just and terrible one; and if you do not turn over a new leaf, you will find it fo. This stuck fo close to him, little meat would go down with him at dinner, though a handsome treat was provided. These words were founding in his ears frequently, during the remainder of his life; he was never fhy, or fcrupulous to relate it to any that afked him concerning it, or ever mentioned it, but with horror, and trepidation. They were both men of a brifk humour, and jolly converfation, of very quick, and keen parts, having been both univerfity, and Inns-of-court gentlemen.

The apparition of the ghoft of Sir George Villiers, father of the duke of Buckingham, giving three folemn warnings, by three feveral apparitions to his fervant Mr. Parker, is a known and credible story. But I will wade no farther into particulars, they are almost innumerable; let thefe fuffice for a taste.

II. In the next place, therefore, I will lay down fome conceffions about this matter; and the

Firft conceffion is this: That the separate fouls, or spirits of men, are capable of performing, and executing any miniftry, or fervice of God, (if he should please to commission them so to de) as well as angels are, whom we knew he frequently employs about the perfens and affairs of his people on earth.

Though fouls become pot angels by their feparation, as Maximus Tyrius calls them, but remain fpirits fpecifically diftinct from them; yet are they spiritual fubftances, as the-angels are: This their nature capacitates them either to live, and act out of the body, or to affume (as angels do) an aerial body, for the time of their miniftry: Nor do I know any thing in fcripture, or philofophy, repugnant hereunto.

Concef. 2. It cannot be doubted, but, upon feme special, and extraordinary reafons, and occafions, feme departed fouls have returned to, and appeared in this world, by order and commif fion from God.

This is too manifest to be doubted by any that understand and believe the inftances recorded in fcripture. Mofes and Elias, long after their departure, appeared to, and talked with Chrift, upon the holy mount, in the prefence of fome of his apostles, Matth. xvii. 3. nor is there any reafon to question the reality of their apparition, or to think it to be no more than a phantafm, or imaginary refemblance of these perfons, but very Mofes and Elias themselves: For they came to be witnesses to Chrift's prophetical office, "And it was not fit fo great a "point fhould be attefted by imaginary witneffes," or that they fhould be called Mofes and Elias, if they were not the very fame perfons.

""Tis therefore moft likely they both appeared in their own "bodies +;" for Mofes's body, we know, was hidden by the Lord, and Elias's body was immediately tranflated, with his foul to heaven: When therefore the Lord would fend them upon this folemn errand, the foul of Mofes probably reaffumed that body, which was never found by man, and Elias was already embodied, and fit, immediately, for this expedition.

In like manner we read, Mat. xxvii. 52, 53. that, at the refurrection of our Lord, " many bodies of the faints arofe, and "appeared unto many:" These were no phantafms, but the very fouls of the departed faints returned (having reaffumed their own bodies) unto this world, not only to confirm the truth of Chrift's refurrection, and adorn that great day, but as a fpecimen, or handsel of the refurrection of all the faints, in the virtue of his refurrection, at the great day.

Nor will I deny, but, upon fome leffer (though never without weighty and folemn) occafions, and reafons, God may fometimes fend the fouls of the dead back again into this world, as in cafes before recited, to evidence against the atheism of men, &c. Auguftine relates a memorable example, which fell out at Milan, where a certain citizen being dead, there came a creditor, to whom he had been indebted, and unjustly demanded the money of his fon: The fon knew the debt was fatisfied by his father, but having no acquittance to fhew, his father appeared to him in his fleep, and fhewed him where the acquittance lay. Whether it were the very foul of his father, or, rather, an angel, as Auguftine thinks, is not certain, tho' the one, as well as the other, is poffible. But though rarely, and

Non enim conveniebat ut veritas mendacio, vel imaginariis teftibus probaretur. Maldon. Capellus in loc.

+ Credibilius eft vere corporibus fuis apparuiffe. Aug. in lib. de cura pro mortuis agenda.

Pareus in loc.

upon fome weighty, and folemn occafions, fome fouls have returned, and appeared; yet I judge this is not frequently done upon flight, and ordinary errands; and therefore to give you my own thoughts, I judge,

Concef. 3. That thofe apparitions which feem to be, and are generally reputed, and taken for the fouls of the dead, are not indeed fo, but other fpirits, putting on the shapes, and resemblances of the dead, and (for the most part) tricks of the devil, to delude, or difquiet men.

In this, I think, the learned || Dr. Brown delivered his judgment more folidly, and orthodoxly, than in fome other points; where he faith, "I believe that the whole frame of a beaft doth "perish, and is left in the fame ftate after death, as before it "was materialled into life; that the fouls of men know neither contrary, nor corruption; that they fubfift beyond the body, "and continue, by the privilege of their proper nature, and "without a miracle; that the fouls of the faithful, as they "leave earth, take poffeffion of heaven; that those apparitions, "and ghosts of departed perfons, are not the wandering fouls "of men, but the unquiet walks of devils, promoting, and. fuggefting us into mischief, blood, and villany." And with this opinion I concur, as to the ordinary, and common apparitions of the dead. And my reasons are,

(1.) Because the fcriptures every where defcribe the state of departed fouls as a fixed state, either in heaven, or in hell; and affign the good, or evil done in this world by fpirits, not to the departed fpirits of men, but to angels or devils: And it is our duty to regulate our conceits by fcripture, and not according to the vain philofophy of the heathens, or the fuperftitious traditi• ons, and opinions of men.

As for the fouls of the godly, they are at reft with Chrift, Rev. xiv. 13. Ifa. Ivii. 2. and as fixed as pillars in the house of God, Rev. iii. 12.

And for the wicked, their spirits are confined, and fecured in hell, as in a prifon, 1 Pet. iii. 19. there is a fixed Gulph betwixt them and the living, Luke xvi. 27, to 32.

What good offices are to be done by fpirits for us, the angels are God's commiffion-officers to do them. Heb. i. 14. They are all miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them who "fhall be heirs of falvation:" Thefe are the fpirits fent forth to walk to and fro through the earth, Zech. i. 10. Their miniAry was emblematically reprefented in Jacob's vifion, where

Religio Med. Sect. 37. p. 82.

they were seen ascending and defcending as upon a ladder, betwixt heaven and earth, Gen. xxviii. 12. Yea, their very name angel is a name of office, fignifying a messenger, or one fent.

And for the mischief done by spirits in this world, the scriptures afcribe that to the devils; thofe unquiet fpirits have their walks in this world, they compafs the whole earth, and walk up and down in it, Job i. 7. and 1 Pet. v. 8. they can affume any fhape; yea, I doubt not but he can act their bodies when dead, as well as he did their fouls and bodies when alive: How great his power is this way, appears in what is fo often done by him in the bodies of witches. They are not ordinarily therefore the fpirits of men, but other fpirits that appear to

us.

(2.) If God should ordinarily permit the fpirits of men inhabiting the other world, a liberty fo frequently to vifit this, what a gap would it open for Satan to beguile and deceive the living! What might he not by this means impofe upon weak and credul ous mortals? There hath been a great deal of fuperftition and idolatry already introduced under this pretence: he hath often perfonated faints departed, and pretended himself to be the ghost of fome venerable perfon, whofe love to the fouls of the people, and care for their falvation, drew him from heaven to reveal fome special fecret to them. Swarms of errors, and fuperftitious and idolatrous opinions and practices, are this way conveyed, by the tricks and artifices of Satan, among the Papifts, which I will not blot my paper withal; only I defire it may be confidered, that if this were a thing fo frequently permitted by God, as is pretended, upon what dangerous terms had he left his church in this world, feeing he hath left no certain marks by which we may diftinguish one fpirit from another, or a true meffenger from heaven, from a counterfeit and pretended

one.

But God hath tied us to the fure and ftanding rule of his word; forbidding us to give heed to any other voice or fpirit leading us another way, Ifa. viii. 19, 2 Thef. ii. 1, 2. Gal. i. 8. It was therefore a difcret reply which one of the antients made when in a prayer, a vision of Chrift appeared to him, and told him, thy prayers are heard, for thou art worthy: the good man immedi

*For what hath more propagated idolatry among Heathens and Christians? Hence did flow many peregrinations, monafteries, temples, feftival-days, and fuch like. Dav. on Job 33.