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heaven_n	church_n	earth_n	militant_a	5,036	5	12.4963	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39675	Pneumatologia, a treatise of the soul of man wherein the divine original, excellent and immortal nature of the soul are opened, its love and inclination to the body, with the necessity of its separation from it, considered and improved, the existence, operations, and states of separated souls, both in Heaven and Hell, immediately after death, asserted, discussed, and variously applyed, divers knotty and difficult questions about departed souls, both philosophical, and theological, stated and determined, the invaluable preciousness of humane souls, and the various artifices of Satan (their professed enemy) to destroy them, discovered, and the great duty and interest of all men, seasonable and heartily to comply with the most great and gracious design of the Father, Son, and Spirit, for the salvation of their souls, argued and pressed / by John Flavel ...	Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1685 (1685)	Wing F1176; ESTC R5953	379,180	504

against the persecutors thereof Rev. 6. 10. Nor do I think those words Isai. 63.16 repugnant hereunto Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not For I look upon the import of those words only as an humble acknowledgment of their defection which rendered them unworthy that their Forefathers should own or acknowledg them any more for their children Iob. 14. 21. Eccles. 9. 5,6 John 19.25 and not as implying their utter ignorance or total oblivion of the Churches state on earth But I here understand such a particular knowledg of our personal states and conditions as they once had when they dwelt amongst us in the Body and this seems to be denied them by those Scriptures alledged against it in the margent 3. By commerce and intercourse understand not their intercession with God for us which the Papists affirm but their concernments about our natural or civil interest in this World so as to be useful to our persons by warning us of death or dangers or to our Estates by disquieting such as wrong us in not fulfilling the Wills and Testaments they once made or by giving us notice by words or signs of the death of our friends who died at a distance from us or come to some violent and untimely end The sense of the Words being thus determined and the Question so stated I will for the resolution of it give you 1. The strength of what I find offered for the Affirmative 2. The general Concessions or what may be granted 3. My own judgement about it with the grounds thereof 1 Some there are even among the learned and judicious who are for the Affirmative part of the Question and do with much confidence assert that departed Souls both know our particular concerns in this world and intermeddle with them confirming their assertion both by reasons to convince us that it may be so and variety of instances that it is so I will produce both the one and the other and give them a due consideration and censure The substance of what is pleaded for the affirmative I find thus collected and improved by Dr. Sterne a learned Physician in Ireland Dissentatio de morte à p. 208. ad p. 214. in his Book entituled a Dissertation concerning Death where he offers us these four Arguments to convince that is possible for departed Souls thus to appear and perform such offices for their Friends on Earth Argument I. ANgels by command from God are useful and helpful to men (1) Angeli jussu Dei hominibus opitulantur ha●d quaquam ambigitur unde animas à corpore solutas sese reb s humanis miscere comprobari videtur Sequtlae sundamentum duplex est prius quod animae separatae Angeli sunt saltem Angelis aequales posterius quod magis idonti sunt quibus officium generi humano succurrendi demandetur quàm Spi●itus inter quos corpus nullus unquam intercessit nexus c. they are the Saints Guardians and it is probable that each Christian hath his peculiar Angel whence it will follow that separated Souls do mingle themselves with humane affairs and that because they are Angels at least equal unto Angels Luke 20.36 Besides they being Spirits that were once embodied must needs be more fit for this imployment than those who never had any tie at all to a Body unless we can imagine them to have lost the remembra●●● of all that ever they did and suffered in the Body as also that they put off and buried all their affections to us with their Bodies which is hard to think Even as Christ our High-Priest is qualified for that office above all others in Heaven because he once dwelt and suffered in a Body like ours here upon Earth so separated Souls are qualified above all other Spirits who are unrelated to Bodies of flesh Argument II. THE Church triumphant and militant are but one Body (2) Ecclesia est corpus unum cujus membra quo meliora to magis ad aliis ejusdem corporis membris o●it●landum sunt propensa hujus autem corporis pars altera est triumphans in coelis altera militans in terris illa melior hec opis magis indiga c. and by how much better the triumphant are than the militant by so much the more propense they are to succour and help the other that stand in need of it This being the case we cannot imagine but they are inclined to perform all good Offices for us for else they should do less for us now they are in a state of highest perfection in Heaven than they did or were willing to do in their imperfect state on Earth Argument III. A Will or Testament as Vlpian defines it is the just sentence or declaration of our minds concerning that which we would have done after our decease (3) Testamentum Ulpiano definiente est voluntatis nostra justa sententia de co quod post mortem nostram fieri volumus Testamentum autem tanquam res sacra ab omnibus gentibus religios● observatur Gal. 3.15 Ratio autem tam religiosa taniq universalis observantia est quoniam animas corum qui Testamenta condiderant etiam suam post mortem in tadem voluntate perseverare ejus complementa curare ac deinque ejus vel executrices vel non praestila vindices esse praesumitur These Testaments have always and among all Nations been religiously observed as the Apostle witnesseth Gal. 3.15 The reasons of this so religious observance are a presumption that those who made them when a live continue in the same mind and will after death that they take care for the fulfilling of them and revenge the non-performance upon the unjust Executors For otherwise there can be no reason why so great a stress should be laid upon the Will of the Dead if they care not whether their Wills be performed or no. Why should we be so solicitous and studious about it and pay so great reverence to it but on this account Argument IV. (4) In sacris Scripturis consulere mortuos pa●s●m prohibetur ut Deut. 18.10 11. Sed si homines à mortuis non suscitentur legibus ha●d opus est si mortuirogati non aliquando responderent ab hominibus haudquaquam co●●●●erentur Sterne de Morte ubi sup THe Scriptures forbid consultations with the Dead Deut. 18.10 11. This prohibition supposeth some did consult them and received answers from them which must needs imply some commerce betwixt the Living and the Souls that are departed And considering he had before forbidden their consultation with the Devil it appears that here we must needs understand the very Souls of the Dead and not the Devil personating them only These are the Arguments of this learned Author for the Affirmative which he closes with two necessary Cautions First That this layes no foundation for religious Worship or Invocation of departed Souls Those that are helpful to us are not therefore

but myriads in the plural number and set down indefinitely too may note many millions of Angels and therefore we fitly tender it to an innumerable company of Angels They had the ministry of Angels as well as we thousands of them ministred to the Lord in the dispensation of the Law at Sinai Psal. 68.17 But this notwithstanding we are come to a much clearer knowledge both of their present Ministry for us on earth Heb. 1.14 and of our fellowship and equality with them in Heaven Luke 20.36 3 Ye are come to the general assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written or enrolled in Heaven This also greatly commends and amplifies the priviledges of New Testament-Believers the Church of God in former ages was circumscribed and shut up within the narrow limits of one small Kingdom which was as a garden inclosed out of a waste wilderness but now by the calling in of the Gentiles the Church is extended far and wide Eph. 3.5 6. It is become a great Assembly comprizing the Believers of all Nations under Heaven and so speaking of them collectively it is the general convention or Assembly which is also dignified and ennobled by two illustrious characters viz. 1 that it is the Church of the first-born i. e. consisting of Members dignified and priviledged above others Primogeniti Israelitarum scripti crant in matricula terrestri hi vero in albo coelesti as the first-born among the Israelites did excel their younger Brethre● 2 That their names are written in Heaven i. e. registred or enrolled in Gods book as Children and Heirs of the Heavenly inheritance as the first-born in Israel were registred in order to the Priesthood Num 3.40 41. 4 Ye are come to God the Iudge of all But why to God the Judge this seems to spoil the harmony and jar with the other parts of the discourse No no they are come to God as a righteous Judge who as such will pardon them 1 Iohn 1.9 crown them 2 Tim. 4.8 and avenge them on all their oppressing and persecuting Enemies 1 Thes. 1.5 6 7. 5 And to the Spirits of just men made perfect A most glorious priviledge indeed in which we are distinctly to consider 1. The quality of those with whom we are associated or taken into fellowship 2. The way and manner of our association with them 1. The Quality of those with whom we are associated or to whom we are said to be come and they are described by three characters viz. 1 1 Spirits of Men. viz. 2 Spirits of just Men. viz. 3 Spirits of just Men perfected or consummated 1 They are called Spirits that is immaterial substances strictly opposed to Bodies which are no way the objects of our exteriour Senses neither visible to the eye nor sensible to the touch which were called properly Souls whilst they animated Bodies in this lower World but now being loosed and separated from them by death and existing alone in the World above they are properly and strictly stiled Spirits 3 They are the Spirits of just Men. Man may be termed just two ways 1 by a full discharge and acquittance from the guilt of all his sins and so believers are just men even whilst they live on Earth groaning under other imperfections Acts 13.39 or 2 by a total freedom from the pollution of any sin And though in this sence there is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not Eccles. 7.22 yet even in this sense Adam was just before the Fall Eccles. 7.29 according to his original constitution and all believers are so in their glorified condition all sin being perfectly purged out of them and its existence utterly destroyed in them On which account 3 They are called the Spirits of just men made perfect or consummate The word perfect is not here to be understood absolutely but synecdochically they are not perfect in every respect for one part of these just Men lies rotting in the grave but they are perfected for so much as concerns their Spirit though the flesh perish and lie in dishonour yet their Spirits being once loosed from the Body and freed radically and perfectly from sin are presently admitted to the facial vision and fruition of God which is the culminating point as I may call it higher than which the Spirit of man aspires not and attaining to this it is for so much as concerns it self made perfect Even as a Body at last lodg'd in its centre gravitates no more but is at perfect rest so it is with the Spirit of man come home to God in glory 't is now consummate no more need to be done to make it as perfectly happy as it is capable to be made which is the first thing to be considered viz the Quality of those with whom we are associated 2. The second follows namely the way and manner of our association with these blessed Spirits of just Men noted i● this expression we are come He saith not we shall come hereafter when the Resurrection hath restored our Bodies or after the general Judgment but we are come to these Spirits of just Men. The meaning whereof we may take up in these three particulars 1 We that live under the Gospel-light are come to a clearer apprehension sight and knowledge of the blessed and happy estate of the Souls of the righteous after death than ever they had or ordinarily could have who lived under the Types and shadows of the Law Eph. 3.4 5. And so we are come to them in respect of clearer apprehension 2 We are come to those blessed Spirits in our Representative Christ who hath carried our nature into the very midst of them and whom they all behold with highest admiration and delight By Christ who is entred into that holy place where these Spirits of just Men live we are come into a near relation with them For he being the common head both to them in Heaven and to us on Earth we and they consequently make but one Body or society Eph. 2.19 whereupon notwithstanding the different and remote Countries they and we live in we are said to sit together with them in Heavenly places Ephes. 3.15 and Ephes. 2.6 3 We are come That is we are as good as come or we are upon the matter come there remains nothing betwixt them and us but a puff of breath a little space of time which shortens every moment we are come to the very borders of their Country and there is nothing to speak of betwixt them and us and by this expression we are come he teacheth us to account and reckon those things as present which so shortly will be present to us and to look upon them as if they already were which is the highest and most comfortable life of Faith we can live on Earth Hence the Note is DOCT. That righteous and holy Souls once separated from then Bodies by death are immediately perfected in themselves and associated with others alike

And both these viz The divine Appointment and Providence are in pursuance of a double design or for the payment of a twofold debt which God owes to the first and to the second Adam 1. By cutting off the life or dissolving the Tabernacles of wicked men God pays that debt of Justice owing to the first Adam's sinful Posterity whose sins cry daily to his Justice to cut them off ●om 6 23. The wages of sin is death and indeed it is admirable that his patience suffers ungodly men to live so long as they do for he endures with much long-suffering ●om 9.22 He sees all their sins he is grieved at the heart with them His forbearance doth but encourage them the more to sin against him Eccles. 8.11 Because Sentence c. yet forbears Forty years long was I grieved with this generation Psal. 95.10 And it 's wonderful that patience doth not crack under such a load Habakkuk admired it Habak 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes c. Yet he suffers them to spend lavishly upon his patience from year to year but Justice must do its office at last 2. By cutting off the lives of good men God pays to Christ the reward of his Sufferings the end of his death which was to bring many Sons to glory Hebr. 2.10 Alas it answers not Christs end and intention in dying to have his people so remote from him Iohn 17.24 He would have them where he is that they might behold his glory Two vehement desires are satisfied by this Appointment of God and its Execution viz. 1. Christs viz. 2. The Saints 1. Christs desires are satisfied for this is the thing he all along kept his eye upon in the whole work of his Mediation it was to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 Though he be in glory yet his Mystical Body is not full till all the elect be gathered in by Conversion and gathered home by glorification Eph. 1.23 The Church is his fulness He is not fully satisfied till he see his seed the Souls he died for safe in Heaven and then the debt due to him for all his Sufferings is fully paid him Isai. 53.11 He sees the travel of his Soul As it is the greatest satisfaction and pleasure a man is capable of in this World to see a great design which hath been long projecting and mannaging at last by an orderly conduct brought to its perfection 2. The desires of the Saints are hereby satisfied and their weary Souls brought to rest O what do gracious Souls more pant after than the full Enjoyment of God and the Visions of his face The state of freedom from sin and compleat Conformity to Jesus Christ From the day of their Espousals to Christ these desires have been working in their Souls Love and Patience have each acted its part in them 2 Thess. 3.5 Love hath put them into an holy ardor and longing to be with Christ Patience hath qualified and allayed those desires and supported the Soul under the delay Love cries Come Lord come Patience commands us to wait the appointed time This appointed time on which so great hopes and expectations depend is the time of dissolving these Tabernacles for till then the Souls Rest is suspended And if it were perfectly freed from all other Loads and Burdens both of sin and affliction yet its very absence from Christ would alone make it restless For it is with the Soul in the Body as it is with any other Creature that is off its Centre it doth and must gravitate and propend it is still moving and inclining further and feels not it self easie and at rest where it is be its Condition in other respects never so easie 2 Cor. 5.6 Whilst we are at home in the Body we are absent from the Lord You have a little shadow or Emblem of this in other Creatures You see the Rivers though they glide never so sweetly betwixt the fragrant banks of the most pleasant Meadows in their Course and Passage yet on they go towards the Sea and if they meet with never so many Rocks or Hills to resist their course they will either strive to get a Passage through them or if that may not be they will fetch a compass and creep about them and nothing can stop them till by a central force they have finished their weary Course and poured themselves into the Bosome of the Ocean Or as it is with your selves when abroad from your Habitations and Relations this may be pleasing a little while but if every day might be a Festival it would not long please you because you are not at home The main Motives that perswade a gracious Soul to ab●de here are to finish the work of their own Salvation and further other mens but as their Evidences for Heaven grow clearer to themselves and their capacity of Service less to others so must their desires to be with Christ be more and more inflamed Now the case so standing that Christs condition in Heaven being a condition of desire and longing for the enjoyment of his people there and all the Glory of Heaven would not content him without that and the condition of his people on earth being also a state of longing groaning and panting to be with him and all the Pleasures and Delights and Comforts they have on earth will not content them without it How wise and gracious an Appointment of Heaven is it that these our Tabernacles shall and must be put off and that shortly For hereby a full and mutual satisfaction is given to the restless desires both of Christs heart and of theirs See the reflected flames of love betwixt them in Revel 22. The Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that is a thirst come Behold I come quickly even so Lord Iesus come quickly Delays make the heart sad Prov. 13.12 Should our Commoration on earth be long our Patience had need be much greater than it is but under all our burdens here this is our relief it is but a little while and all will be well as well as our Souls can desire to have it Inference I. MUst we put off these Tabernacles Is death necessary and inevitable Then 't is our wisdom to sweeten to our selves that Cup which we must drink and make that as pleasant to us as we can which we know cannot be avoided Die we must whether we be fit or unfit willing or unwilling 't is to no purpose to shrug at the name or shrink back from the thing In all Ages of the World death hath swept the Stage clean of one Generation to make room for another and so it will from Age to Age till the Stage be taken down in the general dissolution But though death be inevitable by all it is not alike evil bitter and dreadful to all Some tremble others triumph at the appearance of it Some meet it half way receive it as a friend and can bid it welcome and die by consent making that

of God a burthen to themselves Iob 7.20 21. Yea under these burthens they would sink did not the Lord sustain them Psal. 55.22 But God will put a speedy and final end to all these things when you put off this Tabernacle you put off with it all those burdens inward and outward The Soul presently feels a great load off its shoulders It shall never groan more God shall thenceforth wipe away all tears from their eyes For why are those burdens now permitted and imposed by the Lord upon you but 1 To prevent sin Hosea 2.6 They are your clogs to keep you from straying 2 To purge out sin Isa● 27.9 3 To make you long more for Heaven and the rest to come But all these ends are accomplished in that day you put off your Tabernacles for then sin is gone and rest is come Inference VI. MUst you shortly put off those Tabernacles then spare them not whilst you have them but imploy them for God with all diligence Shortly they shall be useless to you yea meat for Worms now they may ●e serviceable and their Service is their honour Ambrose said of Valentinian No man was ever such a Ser●ant to hi● Master as Val●●tinan's Body was to his Soul you received them not for such low ends as you imploy them for See 1 Cor. 6. 20. Glorifie God in your Souls and Bodies which are his You expect to have them glorious Bodies one day Oh then let them be serviceable Bodies now Be not fond of them to that degree many are who chuse rather to have them eaten out with rust than worn out with service It is your present honour to be active and will be your singular comfort another day What greater comfort when you come to put them off at death than this that you have imployed them faithfully for God Inference VII LOok beyond this embodyed state and learn to live now as you hope to live shortly Begin to be what you expect to be You know the time is at hand that you shall live above all bodily concernments and imployments the Soul shall be a drudge to the Body no more You shall be as the Angels Matth. 22.30 not marrying nor given in Marriage which is Synecdochically put for all Carnal Imployments and Enjoyments eat no more drink no more sleep no more buy and sell no more Now suit your selves as much as your State and the Duties of Religion will suffer you to that State before-hand The summ of what I aim at is in 1 Cor. 7.29 30. Be in all your Relations as if you had none Look on those things as if already they were not which shortly must be none of yours and both acquaint and accustome your thoughts to the life of separation from the Body which you must shortly live which brings me home to the next point viz. The Condition of Humane Souls in the State of Separation TEXT Heb. 12.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to the Spirits of just Men made perfect THE particular scope of this context falls in with the general design of the whole Gospel which is to perswade men to a life of Holiness The matter of the exhortation is most weighty and the Arguments inforcing it most powerful he doth not talk but dispute he doth not say but prove that greater and more powerful engagements unto holiness lye upon those who live under the Gospel than upon the people who lived under the Law And thus the Argument lies in this Context If God at the delivering of the Law upon Mount Sinai strictly enjoyned and required so great Purity and Holiness in that people Exod. 19.10 signified by the Ceremonies of two days preparation the washing of their cloaths abstinence from conjugal society c. much more doth he require and expect it in us who are come under a much more excellent and Heavenly dispensation than theirs was To make good the sequel he compares the legal and the evangelical Dispensations in many particulars verse 18 19 20 21 22 23. giving the Gospel the preference throughout the whole Collation In summ the priviledges of the New Testament-Believers are here stated both negatively and positively 1. Negatively by shewing what we are exempted from 2. Positively shewing what we are come unto First Negatively What we are exempted or freed from verse 18 19 20 21. We are not come unto the Mount that might be touched c. The summ of all is this that the promulgation of the Law was accompanied with amazing dread and terror For after Moses by command from God had sanctified the Mount and set Rails about it that neither Priest nor People Man nor Beast might touch the very borders of it lest they dye the Lord descended in fire upon the top of the Mountain the third day in the morning with most terrible tokens of Divine Majesty sc. with Thundrings Lightnings dark clouds and the noise of a Trumpet exceeding loud the Mount was covered with smoak as the smoak of a Furnace and flames mounting up unto the midst of Heaven Crebris micat ignibus ather the whole Mountain shaking and trembling exceedingly out of this horrid Tempest the awful voice of God was heard all the people in the Camp trembling yea and Moses himself quaking for fear This was the manner of the Laws Promulgation but to such a terrible Dispensation as this we are not come which is the negative part of our priviledge Secondly He opens the positive priviledges to which we are come 1 Ye are come saith he to mount Sion not the Earthly but the Spiritual Sion Mount Sion was the place celebrated above all the World for the Worship of God Psal. 87.7 All my springs saith God are in thee There was the Temple the Ark of the Covenant the glory of the Lord dwelling between the Cherubims The Priests that attended the service of God had their residence there as the Angels have in Heaven Thither the Tribes went up from all quarters of Iudea Psal. 84. as the children of God now do to Heaven from all Quarters of the World Iudea was the best Kingdom in the World Ierusalem the best City in that Kingdom and Sion the most glorious place in that City Here Christ taught his heavenly Doctrine near to it he finished his glorious work of Redemption Hence the everlasting Gospel went forth into all the world and on these considerations it s put to signifie the gospel-Gospel-Church or State in this place and is therefore called the heavenly Ierusalem in the following words We do not come to the literal Sion nor to the earthly Ierusalem but to the Gospel Church or State which may be called an Heaven upon earth compared with that literal Ierusalem 2 Ye are come to an innumerable company of Angels Gr. to myriads of Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hellenistae dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine alio additamento ad significandam innumeram multitudinem Grot. a myriad is ten thousand

signifying a Messenger or one sent And for the mischief done by Spirits in this World the Scriptures ascribe that to the Devils those unquiet Spirits have their Walks in this World they compass the whole earth and walk up and down in it Iob 1.7 and 1 Pet. 5.8 they can assume any shape yea I doubt not but he can act their Bodies when dead as well as he did their Souls and Bodies when alive how great his power is this way appears in what is so often done by him in the Bodies of Witches They are not ordinarily therefore the Spirits of men but other Spirits that appear to us 2 If God should ordinarily permit the Spirits of men inhabiting the other World a liberty so frequently to visit this what a gap would it open for Satan to beguile and deceive the living Quid enim idololatriam inter Ethnicos Christianos magis propagavit Hinc flux●runt multae perigrinationes monasteria delubra dits festi alia Lav. In Job 33. What might he not by this means impose upon weak and credulous Mortals There hath been a great deal of Superstition and Idolatry already introduced under this pretence he hath often personated Saints departed and pretended himself to be the Ghost of some venerable person whose love to the Souls of the people and care for their Salvation drew him from Heaven to reveal some special Secret to them Swarms of Errors and superstitious and idolatrous Opinions and Practices are this way conveyed by the tricks and artifices of Satan among the Papists which I will not blot my Paper withal only I desire it may be considered that if this were a thing so frequently permitted by God as is pretended upon what dangerous terms had he left his Church in this World seeing he hath left no certain marks by which we may distinguish one Spirit from another or a true Messenger from Heaven from a counterfeit and pretended one But God hath tied us to the sure and standing rule of his Word forbidding us to give heed to any other voice or spirit leading us another way Isa. 8.19 2 Thes. 2.1 2. Gall. 1.8 It was therefore a discreet reply which one of the Ancients made when in Prayer a Vision of Christ appeared to him and told him Thy Prayers are heard for thou art worthy The good man immediately clapt his hands upon his eyes and said Nolo hic videre Christum c. I will not see Christ here it is enough for me that I shall behold him in Heaven To conclude My Opinion upon the whole matter is this that although it cannot be denied but in some grand and extraordinary cases as at the transfiguration and Resurrection of Christ. God did and perhaps sometimes though rarely may order or permit departed Souls to return into this World yet for the most part I judge those Apparitions are not the Souls of the Dead but other Spirits and for the most part evil ones Lib. de cura pro mortuis Of this Judgment was St. Augustine who when he had at full related the Story above of the Fathers Ghost directing his Son to the Acquittance yet will not allow it to be the very soul of his Father but an Angel where he farther adds If saith he the souls of the dead might be present in our affairs they would not forsake us in this sort especially my Mother Monica who in her life could never be without me surely she would not thus leave me being dead Object 1. Objection 1. But it was pleaded before that we allow the Apparitions of Angels and departed Souls if they be not Angels at least are equal unto Angels and in respect of their late relation to us are more propense to help us than Spirits of another sort can be supposed to be Sol. Solution It seems too bold an imposing upon Soveraign Wisdom to tell him what Messengers are fittest for him to send and imploy in his service who hath taught him or been his Counsellor Object 2. Object 2. But these offices seem to pertain properly to them as they are not only fellow-members but the most excellent members of the mystical Body to whom it belongs to assist the meaner and weaker Sol. Sol. If there be any force of reason in this Plea it carries it rather for the Angels than for departed Souls for Angels are gather'd under the same common head with the Saints the Text tells us we are come to an innumerable company of Angels they and the Saints are fellow Citizens and we know they are a more noble order of Spirits and as for their love to the Elect it is exceeding great as great to be sure as the departed Souls of our dearest Relatives can be For after death they sustain no more civil Relations to us all that they do sustain is as fellow members of the same body or fellow Citizens which Angels also are as well as they Object 3. Object But saith the Doctor the reason why all Nations pay so great honour and religious care to the Wills of the Dead is a supposition that they still continue in the same mind after death and will avenge the Falsifications of Trusts upon injurious Executors else no reason can be given why so great a stress should be laid upon the Will of the Dead Sol. Sol. This is gratis dictum to say no worse a cheap and unwary expression can no reason be given for the religious observance of the Testaments of the dead but this Supposition I deny it for though they that made them be dead yet God who is witness to all such acts and trusts liveth and though they cannot avenge the frauds and injustice of men he both can and will do it 1 Thes. 4.6 which I think is a weightier ground and reason to inforce duty upon men than the fear of Ghosts Besides This is a case wherein all the living are concerned all that die must commit a trust to them that survive and if frauds should be committed with impunity who could safely repose confidence in another Quod tangit omnes tangi debet ab omnibus that which is of general concernment and becomes every mans interest infers a general Obligation upon all As for the Letters of Elijah 't is a Vanity to think they came Post from Heaven no no they were doubtless left behind him out of due care to the Government and produced in that fit occasion Object 4. Object 4. But what need of a Law to prohibit Necromancy or consultation with the Dead if it were not practicable Sol. Sol. I do not think the wicked art there prohibited enabled them to recal departed Souls but it was a conversing with the Devil who personated the dead and therein a kind of homage was paid him to the dishonour of God or he might possibly raise the Bodies of wicked men and appear in them but I think the Spirits of the dead return not

the Lord prosper it by the Blessing of his Spirit on the hearts of them that read it Amen FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for and Sold by Francis Tyton Bookseller at the Three Daggers in Fleetstreet near the Temple-Gate Books in Folio SPeed's Maps and Geography of Great Britain and Ireland and of Foreign Parts G●illim's Display of Heraldry with large Additions Roll's Abridgment French His Reports in 2 Vol. French Cook 's Reports in 3 Vol. English Dalton's Office of Sheriffs with many Additions Country Justice The Tryal and Condemnation of Edward Fitzharris Esq for High Treason at the Bar of the Court of Kings Bench at Westminster on Thursday Iune 9. 1681. As also the Tryal and Condemnation of Dr. Oliver Plunket Titular Primate of Ireland for High Treason The Arraignment and Plea of Edward Fitzharris Esq with all the Arguments in Law and Proceedings of the Kings Bench thereupon in Easter Term 1681. Lawson's Theopolitica or a Body of Divinity containing the Rules of the special Government of God according to which he orders the immortal and intellectual Creatures Angels and Men to their final and eternal Estate c. Cradock's Harmony of the Four Evangelists Strong 's Discourse of the two Covenants wherein the nature differences and effects of the Covenant of Works and of Grace are distinctly and practically discussed c. Bishop Gauden's Tears Sighs Complaints and Prayers of the Church of England Morrice on the Sacrament Lord Bacon's Advancement of Learning Petavius's History of the World The History of the valorous and witty Knight Errant Don Quixote Habington's History of Edward IV. King of England The History of the Wars of Italy rendred into English by Henry Earl of Monmouth Books in Quarto Mr. Flavel's Fountain of Life opened or a Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory c. The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption continued by the Father and carried on by the Son through the effectual Application of the Spirit unto Gods Elect being the second part of Gospel-Redemption Discourse of the Immortality of the Soul Dr. Patrick's Parable of the Pilgrim Two Sermons preached at the Funeral of Mr. Samuel Iacomb and Mr. Greg. Dr. Tenison of Idolatry A Sermon concerning the discretion of giving of Alms preached at St. Sepulchres Church London instead of the Spittle upon Wednesday in Easter-week 1681. Mr. Baxter's Saints Everlasting Rest. Reasons of the Christian Religion Sermon of Repentance Murcot's Works Strong 's God 's Shepherd or the Man God's Fellow Vengeance of the Temple Voice from Heaven Blackwood on Matthew Alleyn's Scripture-Chronology Burroughs on Gospel-Reconciliation Sympson of Unbelief Gregory's Moot-Book Englished by Hughs Crompton's Jurisdiction of Courts Swinburn of Wills Spelman de Sepultura Buck on the Beatitudes Special Law-Cases Books in Octavo Flavel's Divine Conduct or the Mystery of Providence Dr. Patrick's Jewish Hypocrisie Mensa Mystica or a Discourse concerning the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper In which the Ends of its Institution are so manifested our Addresses to it so directed our Behaviour there and afterwards so composed that we may not lose the benefits which are to be received by it In which several Prayers and Thanksgivings are now inserted to make it of more general use Divine Arithmetick or the Art of Numbring our days being a Sermon preached Iune 17. 1659. at the Funeral of Mr. Samuel Iacomb B. D. at St. Mary Woolnoth Lombardstreet A brief Exposition of the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer Iacomb's Catechism with a brief Exposition of the Creed and Ten Commandments Baxter's right Method for a setled Peace of Conscience and spiritual Comfort in 32 Directions Lawson against Hobbs Dr. Fowler 's Design of Christianity Maynard's Law of God ratified Row's Emmanuel Saints Temptations Strong 's Will of Man subjected to God's Will Gale's Theophile a Treatise of Christ's Love Gearing of Pride Wotton's Remains Alleyn's King Henry VII a Poem Ianna Linguarum Speed's Travellers Companion Chamberlain's Compleat Justice Zouch of the Jurisdiction of the Admiralty Fitzherbert's Natura Brevium Books in small 8● 12 0 and 24 0 Dr. Patrick's Hearts Ease or a Remedy against all Troubles with a consolatory Discourse particularly directed to those who are their Friends and dear Relations Flavel's Touchstone of Sincerity or the signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie opened in a practical Treatise upon Rev. 3.17 18. being the second Part of the Saint indeed Baxter's Universal Concord Catholick Unity The true Catholick Mischief of self-Ignorance Strong 's Worm that dieth not or the certainty of Hell-Torments Heavenly Creature Lawrence of Christ's Power over bodily Diseases Whateley's Redemption of Time Vines on the Saints nearness to God Row's Heavenly and Earthly Mindedness Sydenham on Infant-Baptism and singing of Psalms Swafield of the Saints Failings The Life of Mr. Iohn Row of Crediton in Devon Gearing of Prayer Of Providence Perkin's Catechism The Calvinists Cabinet unlockt The Spanish Inquisition The Schism of the Mass. Wotton's Letters Chaucer's Ghost The Office of the Houswife Loves Journal Finche's Law in 4 Books Eng. Meriton's Guide to Constables A new Book of Instruments Clayton's Reports Fleetwood's Justice Sheppard's Office of a Justice Britton The History of Eurialus and Lucretia Horace with Minelius his Notes Grotius de Veritate Christianae Religionis c. Valerius Maximus Quintus Curtius The Christian Pattern by Thomas à Kempis The Wisdom of the Just.