Chapter I: Part 1

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.