ry Infpiration, to decline Difpute, because of his Adverfary's Skill in Logick, is a fhameful Tergiverfation. For what if the Quaker understands not Logick, it is to be prefum'd that the Spirit of GOD does, and does not the Spirit of GOD immediately dictate in him? And confequently what our Saviour faid to his Apostles, It is not you, that fpeak, but the Holy Ghoft, is as applicable to fuch a Man. So that if the Quakers Principle had been true, and they had had Faith in it, they might have fafely join'd Iffue with Mr. Keith, notwithstanding his Logick.

B. I did not fufficiently attend to the Scope of your Difcourfe, which aims I perceive only to reconcile the Ignorance, that may be found in common Chriftians, as to Matters of Human Learning, with a found and rational Belief; and I muft confefs, I am clearly of the Opinion, that a multitude of Words or Arguments, will not always argue Conviction in a Man: He is moft convinc'd, that has fewest Scruples and Difficulties to encounter, and oppofe to any Argument or Truth, or with whom thefe Scruples weigh the leaft; and they must needs weigh very little with any Man that knows them not; and one fingle Argument or Confideration, that common Reading or Hearing may occafion in Men, enforc'd by the Divine Spirit, may more powerfully convince, more deeply affect the Heart, more vigorously excite the Endeavours, than a bare Knowledge of a multitude of Arguments, with a Capacity of ranging them artificially and methodically, when not fo deeply imprefs'd upon the Mind. For I believe, that which actuates the Practices of Men, whether of the Learned or Unlearned, is ufually, fomething like this; a fingle Thought or Confideration fuddenly injected, fo preffing,

fo

fo lively, that it not only convinces, but almoft confounds the Judgment; I mean, it is fo overbearing, fo irrefiftible in its Force and Light, that it fubdues the Understanding, bends the. Obftinacy of the Will, raises the Paffions, engroffes, penetrates, alarms the whole Soul; that it is felt, as well as understood.

A. You are happy in thefe Experiences; but I muft interrupt you; unless you should go beyond the common Senfe, and Experiences of others, in which, altho' you fpake never fo truly, you would hardly find Efteem or Credit with them. I aim to offer nothing here, but what can be fupported by the most clear and evident Reason, and in virtue of this, thus far I can go with you. The readieft way to Conviction, is Attention, clofe diligent Application of Mind to any Truth or Object. So the latest and finest Logicians; the less the Mind is entangled or perplexed with Thoughts, foreign to the Purpose, the more exact and clear will be its difcernment of any Truth. So that the Spirit of GOD with common Chriftians, may not, for ought I know, take those tedious Marches thro' Difficulties and Objections, thro' Method and Order; by mixing little or none of this with the Proof, the Truth ftands clofer, and more confpicuous to the Mind, and fuch instead of seeing worse, may fee clearer in what they fee, than other Men.

B. Sir, I am fatisfied, and will trouble you no more on this Head. I defire you to proceed to your Third Thing, to inftruct me in those Arguments or Confiderations, that will be capable of giving entire Satisfaction to a true Prophet, or infpired Man, touching his extraordinary Infpiration or Miffion.

4. Diverfe

A. Diverfe you know have been the ways, III.Thedif whereby in different Ages of the World, GOD ferent forts of Divine hath been pleas'd in an extraordinary manner, Revelato reveal himself to particular Men, viz. by tion. outward Reprefentations of himself made to the Senfes, by Dreams and Visions, by inward-: ly infpiring the Mind, or affecting the Underftanding, which is moft properly Infpiration. B. I defire you to be particular on these.

Divine

A. The most antient, we find, in the Old First, of Teftament, was by a Voice, or by fome out- Calls or ward fenfible Reprefentatrons. Thus we read, Voices, and God fpake to Adam in Paradife, to Abraham, and what will the reft of the Patriarchs; and afterwards to prove thems Mofes.

Superna

Divine.

B. True: And this methinks is fubject to lefs tural and Delufion, is lefs apt to be mistaken, than the Inspiration of latter times, that hath been only directed to the Mind. For this paffing fo intirely within Men, it may not be fo eafie to diftinguish it from the Workings of the natural Faculties.

A. I fear, that Opinion may be owing to a want of due Confideration of the Thing. However, first, you much differ here from the Hebrew Doctors, who, we are told, instead of conceiving this way of Revelation, by Calls and Voices, the higheft and moft certain, efteem it the lowest and moft dubious of all.

B. Pray, is this a meer Rabbinical Figment, or has it any Foundation in Reafon or Sacred Scripture?

A. I fuppofe all that can be faid for it, is this: According to the common and vulgar Interpretation of these Calls and Voices, they denote lefs of GOD, than other ways of Divine Revelation. For if a Man fees nothing, only hears a

common

common articulate Voice, what is there neceffarily Divine in this? But,

Secondly, Have you never head of Stories that have pas'd, concerning fome poor deluded People, that have fancy'd themselves Heavenly Meffengers? How others have impofed on their Weakness, and fent them out at Mid-night to. blunder, I know not whither, in the Dark? B. As how, I pray you?

4. By fome Artifice, by cunningly contriving, that fome Voice or Call might reach their Ears, which was nothing, but fome Body unfeen, behind the Arras, or in the next Room.

B. I have heard of fuch Stories; but as to the Truth of them, I can fay little; for ought I know, the Cafe may be very poffible; if once a Man has plainly fhewn himself a Fool, there are others, Knaves enough, always at hand,' ready to play upon and abufe him.

A. In your prefent Mind and Judgment would a fingle Voice then fuffice you, and make you take a Journey of a Hundred and Fifty Miles, without any other concurring Circumftances, that gave it farther and greater Atteftation?

B. I think, altho' the thing might much startle me, and I knew not whence it proceeded, yet fhould I not be over-hafty in my Belief, but weigh and confider the Matter well.

A. Verily, it would become a wife Man fo to do; for I know not, whether fuch Cheats have made Men believe themfelves fent on Divine Meffages or not; but this I do verily believe, and have had the most exprefs Affurances of it, that fuch Rogueries plotted, and concerted between People, for fome By-end or Intereft, have produced in others a Belief of Apparitions. And it becomes Men of Learning and Piety, methinks, that are inquifitive into things of this Nature,

Nature, and do collect them, as a Proof of a feparate State, or Life to come, to fhew a little more Warinefs and Caution; and not to ground their Belief upon fo idle a thing as a hollow Voice, or little Noife, coming from behind a Wall, or no Body can tell whence.

B. I agree with you, it is mifchievous: What pleafure muft it give thofe ill Men that are in the Plot, to fee Perfons of great Learning and Piety thus abufed by them, and depending, and vigorously infifting on a mere Cheat, for fo important an Article, as the Existence of Spiritual Beings, or a Life to come? An eafie Temptation to them, to believe all other Proofs and Arguments of the fame Nature, of no greater Force or Significancy. I would not have good Men Fools, but as quick-fighted as any of their Adverfaries.

A. And when the Plot is out, and thefe Rogueries difcover'd, (which very often happens) not only is this Matter of Ridicule and Comedy to the Actors, but proves a very great Offence and Stumbling-Block to others, touching the Truth and Reality of Apparitions in general. But this is not our prefent Bufinefs. To return therefore. Immediate Addreffes to the Senfes, you reckon lefs liable to Exception; but that weak and unwife Men, may be capable of being this way impofed on, you grant feasible, from the former Inftance; much more will this appear, if you confider the Cafe of diforder'd Imaginations, wherein Men believe, they hear and fee ftrange Things, Things that never were. All which will render a Man's thinking he hears a Voice, or a Call, without other concurring Teftimonies, a very infufficient Ground of concluding himself deftin'd to this High and Heavenly Imployment.

B. You