Part 7

There is another Place of Scripture that is objected, that seems as if the Soul went out of the Body when they die; as in 1 Kings xvii. 21. where Elijah prayed, that the Child's Soul might come into him again. The Meaning is this, that Elijah did pray in Faith unto God, that he would assist him in this or other Things; as in shutting up the Heavens that it should not rain, and calling for Fire from Heaven to destroy those two Captains and their Fifties, and many other wonderful Things he did; so he prayed unto God to strengthen his Faith, so that he might have Power to raise this Child's Life out of Death again.

Therefore he stretched himself upon the Child, and prayed that the Child's Soul might come into him again; that is, that the Child's Soul or Life might quicken in the Body of the Child again; for Elijah knew the Soul of the Child was dead, and by the warm Flesh of the Prophet laid upon the Child's dead Flesh, and the Faith and Prayer of the Prophet together, it begot Life in the Child again; so that the Soul that was dead it became Life in the Child again; and that Life that was quickened, it run through the Veins of the Childs Body, and so the Child's Soul did come into him again.

For this I say, if the Soul of the Child had been gone out of the Body, then Elijah did not raise the dead Child to Life again; for how can a Man be said to be dead, when as Life doth not die, but slips out of the Body, as most People do vainly imagine; but it may be clear to those whose Understandings are enlightened, that Elijah did raise the Child from Death to Life, and that the Child's Soul was dead in its Body, and that the Soul of the Child was revived in the Child's Body again by the Power of Faith in Elijah.

And the very same thing was done by the Prophet Elisha, as in 2 Kings iv. 34. the Prophet Elisha did the same thing to the Sunamite Woman's Son, he went up, and lay upon the Child, and put his Mouth upon his Mouth, and his Eyes upon his Eyes, and his Hands upon his Hands, and he stretch himself upon the Child; and the Flesh of the Child waxed warm, and Elisha stretched himself upon the Child a second time: Here the Reader may see, that the Child was dead, and by the Faith and Prayer, and by the Warmness of the Prophet Elisha his Flesh, the Child revived to Life again both Body and Soul. And Elisha did use the same Means and Way as Elijah did? for he went in and shut the Door, and prayed unto the Lord as Elijah did, and stretched himself upon the Child as Elijah did, and raise the Child to Life again by the Power of Faith.

Yet Elisha maketh no mention of the Soul coming into the Child again, but he delivered the Body and Soul of the Child, that were both dead together, he delivered them both alive together to the Child's Mother. It was the same thing done by Elijah, only some difference in the Words, but the Sense and Meaning is all one.

So that the Reader may understand, if any true Light of Life be in him, that the Soul of the Child went not out of its Body, but died in the Body; and by the Power of Faith in the Prophet, it quickened alive out of Death in the Child's Body again; for the Soul or Life of the Child never went out of the Body as is vainly imagin'd; but the Soul, Life, and Spirit of the Child was absolutely dead in the Body, and by the Power of Faith in the Prophet, the dead Soul or Life of the Child was quickened alive again, and caused the Body to live also. For if the Woman should have had the Soul of the Child given unto her without the Body, she would have given the Prophet no Thanks for raising her Child's Soul without a Body; but the Body and Soul being one Person, they were both dead together, and the Prophet raised them both together alive, and the Woman received them both together, and rejoyced greatly in God, and gave Honour to the Prophet.

Thus in short, I have given the true Interpretation of all those Scriptures that most seem, or most commonly are objected against the Mortality of the Soul, or to prove that Spirits do go out of the Body at the time of Death, or that Spirits may be raised without Bodies, or have any Being without Bodies, or that a Spirit may appear in a Shape without a Body, or that a Spirit can assume what Shape it please, yet have no Body or Substance.

These things the vain Imagination of Reason in Man hath created in it self, to fright it self with, for their is no such thing as Spirits walking without Bodies, neither doth any Spirit go out of the Body when Men die, as is imagined by most People; but these are Fictions of Mens Brains, created by the Imagination in the dark Minds of Men and Women, for God never created any such thing, as I have shewed before.

And as for that saying of Solomon, Eccl. xii. 7. Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was, and the Spirit shall return to God who gave it. His Meaning (I suppose) in these Words is, as is generally conceived by all People, the Body to the Dust, and the Spirit returns to God that gave it when Men die: But these Sayings of Solomon are no Scripture, for Solomon was no Scripture Writer, for his Writings were not written by the Revelation of Faith, but by the Revelation of Reason; yet it was the purest of Reason, and he had the greatest Measure of the Wisdom of Reason, and the Knowledge of Nature, of any that was before him since Adam, or any that shall come after him.

Therefore God chose him King, and gave him the purest Wisdom of Reason, according to his Desire in his Prayer to God, that his Wisdom might resemble Heaven for Glory, as it did; for what Glory could a King have upon Earth greater than he had? Which was a true Resemblance of the Glory of Heaven; and this Glory was procured by that Power and great Wisdom of Reason in him; yet for all this he was ignorant of the Revelation of Faith, and of spiritual and heavenly Things, ignorant of the true God, and of the right Devil, and of some things in Nature.

As that the Spirit of a Man should return to God that gave it without a Body; when as God never gave any Spirit to Man without a Body, nor to no other Creature: But Solomon being ignorant, that the Spirit or Soul of Man is generated and begotten by the Law of Generation as well as the Body; this was in the Creation when God made Man in his own Image, the Ignorance of this caused him to speak thus; for he knew not where the Spirit went when the Body is laid in the Earth, no more than the learned Philosophers do, who say, A Spirit cannot die; as if the Spirit and Life of every Creature were the Spirit or Life of God, else they think no Creature could move and have a Being.

And though Solomon was a wise Man, as the Heathen Philosophers were wise Men in Nature; yet they were all ignorant in this one thing, of the Law of Generation or Procreation, to increase and multiply, as God hath placed in Nature, when he created the World in the beginning; for every Creature as well as Man, were to increase and multiply by the Law of Generation; and this I am sure, they begot Spirit, Life, and Soul by Generation, as well as Bodies.

But if it be objected, that God breathed into Man the Breath of Life, and he became a living Soul; and so Man's Spirit is of a more noble divine Life or Spirit than any other Creature.

To this I say, the Law of Generation to increase and multiply, was placed in Man's Seed and Nature by God the Creator, as in other Creatures: For this is to be observed, that Adam did not come to be a living Soul by Generation, as we do ever since; but he and Eve were first made as a Foundation for Generation; so that God made or created but one Man and one Woman, all Men and Women that have been generated and begotten ever since, cannot properly be said to be made nor created, but begotten by Generation; for God never made and created but one Man and one Woman, all others are generated and begotten.

Therefore when Man begets a Son or Daughter in the way of Generation, he begets the Soul or Spirit of the Child as well as the Body; and the Soul or Spirit came out of the Man's Loin well as the Body: As it was said by Jacob, Seventy Souls came out of his Loins; if so then that Spirit or Soul that is begotten by Generation, it must and doth die: For this I say, God never breathed the Breath of Life into no Man, but into Adam: The Spirit of Life in all Men and Women else or since have been generated and begotten, and what Spirit and Soul of Man that is generated, it doth die and turn to Dust, till the Regeneration, when God shall raise it again, which will not be a Minute of an Hour to the dead Spirit, as I said before. So it may be clear to those that have the true Light of Faith in them, that the Soul or Spirit of Man doth die as well as the Body: They both came into the World together alive, and they shall both go out of the World again dead, as I have shewed before. Also the Reader may see, that those Scriptures have been misunderstood through the Ignorance and Darkness of Mens Minds, to think that the Soul or Spirit of Man doth not die, but slips out of the Body; but to imagine that Spirits may walk without Bodies, or that any Witch can raise any Spirit without a Body; and many other Conceits that do arise out of the dark Mind of Man; which have been grounded upon those Scripture Words; therefore I have given the Interpretation of all those Places of Scripture that are of most Concernment, and seem to bear such a Sense, as is generally conceived among Professors of the Scriptures: So that whoever understands the Interpretation, may receive great Satisfaction in their Minds in this Point; so much for Satisfaction of the Understanding in Heart, and for the Discontent of the Ignorant and Dark-minded People, who believe by Tradition that their Spirits do not die, but slide out of the Body at the time of Death; and if they have been evil and wicked Livers, their Spirits do walk afterwards, and cannot be at rest. These Conceits have been exceeding brief in the World heretofore, when People were in Darkness, and so is still where the Darkness of Mind ruleth.

CHAP. XVI.

There is one thing more that would be necessary for the wise in Heart to know, which the Scriptures speak of in several Places; but I never heard any of the Ministry tell what that Satan is the Scriptures speak of, therefore I shall speak a Word or two to shew what Satan is, and so conclude. 1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan stood up against Israel; and Job i. 6. And Satan came also among them; and Chap. xxi. 22. And the Lord said to Sathan, From whence comest thou? And God said to Satan, Hast thou considered my Servant Job? Ezek. iii. 1. And Satan standing at his right Hand. Mat. xvi. 23. Get the behind me, Satan. Luke x. 18. I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven.

1 Chron. xxi. 1. And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. This Satan that provoked David, it was the Motions of Reason in himself, being lifted up in his own Mind, in that he had overcome the Children of Ammon, he thought to make nothing of the Philistines; therefore the Thoughts of his Heart moved him to number the People, to know his Strength. And this Motion that did arise in his Heart, it was Satan, it is called Satan, because those Motions proceed from the Spirit or Seed of Reason in him. In 2 Sam. xxiv. 1. it is said, The Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel: that is, the Lord suffered the Motions of Reason in David to be powerful and strong in him, that no Arguments should disswade him from it, but the People must be numbred; and this was that Satan in David, and no Spirit without him.

So Job i. 6. The Sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. To this I say, the Book of Job is no Scripture, neither are Men to build their Faith upon it, because the Book of Job was written before Moses, therefore no Scripture; for Moses his Writing is the first Foundation of Scripture. Yet this I do confess, that Job was a good and faithful Man; and because he was afflicted by Satan, and Satan is spoken of in several Places of Scripture, yet none of them did declare what this Satan is, therefore I shall declare now what that Satan was, that came among the Sons of God.

I declare, the Sons of God they were the Sons of Job, who feasted their three Sisters, as you may read. They were called the Sons of God, because they were that good and faithful Man Job's Sons; as the Sons of Seth were called the Sons of God, and they looked upon the Daughters of Men, and saw that they were fair, &c. as you may read in Genesis. Now that Satan came amongst them when they presented themselves before the Lord, it was the Spirit of Reason in Job's seven Sons, when they feasted their three Sisters, they were moved in their Minds to Voluptuousness, Drunkenness and Lust, as the rest of the Heathen were where they lived; so that they did Wickedness in the Absence of Job their Father: And Job fearing in their Wickedness his Sons had cursed God in their Hearts, as you may see in the Verse before. So Job caused his Sons to present themselves before the Lord, and to worship the Lord, as it was the Manner for Job to do in those times, and Satan came with them, that is, the Spirit of Reason in his Sons came with them, reasoning in themselves; why should their Father Job reprove them for their Wickedness in their Feasts; this was that Satan that came amongst them, for he was in them, and no other Satan but what was within them.

And this is that Satan that goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and destroy those that are faithful: So that this Spirit of Reason, this Satan, it goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and destroy the faithful.

It was that Satan that did motion the Sabeans and Chaldaeans to take away Job's Oxen, and slay his servants as they were plowing; and fired the Sheep, and burnt up Job's Servants; and the Chaldaeans came with a Band of Men, seeing Job smitten and destroyed by the Sabeans; and they came with three Bands of Men, and destroyed the Camels and the rest of his Servants.

For this must be minded, that in those Times there was no Law to deliver or help the Innocent, but he that had the strongest Sword carried the Day. And the Lord for Trial of Job's Faith and Patience, and for a Pattern for the Ages to come, he suffered the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Sabeans and Chaldaeans to go to and fro in the Earth, to stir up their People to destroy Job and all his House and Cattle.

Also God suffered the natural Wind to blow down the House where Job's Sons were feasting, and destroyed them according to the Desire of the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Sabeans and Chaldaeans. For the Sons of Job were wicked Children, though called the Sons of God.

And last of all the Spirit of unclean Reason in Job's Wife was that Satan that tempted Job to curse God and die: So that there is no other Spirit or Satan without Man: But that Satan spoken of in Job, it was the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Minds of the Sabeans, Chaldaeans, and in Job's Wife and Sons; that was the Satan, and no other.

And as for those Disputes; God had with Satan, and Satan with God; it was nothing else but the Motions of Job's Heart passing through his troubled Soul, the Seed of Faith disputed in him for God, persuading him to be patient, and let that have its perfect Work, and so Hope did increase in him; and the Seed of Reason, which was Satan in him as well as in others, it pleaded against God, Reasoning in him as if God did not do well or justly by him, that had been so righteous in his Life, one who never did no Wrong to his Neighbour, but always feared God; yet that God should suffer the wicked to destroy his Cattle and Servants, and suffer the Wind to blow down his House, and destroy his Children; and not only so, but suffer his Body to break out with Boils and Botches most loathsome, as if he had been the greatest Sinner in the World; so that he thought that God dealt more cruelly with him then with any other Creature. And further, he thought God dealt hardly with him, that he would neither take away his Life, that he might die out of this troubled Mind and Pains of Body, nor restore him to Health. These and such like Reasonings and thoughts passed through Job's troubled Soul even from the Spirit or Seed of Reason in him, which is the Dispute of Satan: For as the Seed of Faith in Job disputed for God so did the Seed of Reason in Job dispute for Satan; for there is no other Satan but what is in Man, as I said before.

So in Zach. iii. 1. here Zachariah the Prophet saw in a Vision the Redemption of the Seed of Faith by Christ under the Type of Joshua the High-Priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. This High-Priest was Christ clothed with filthy Garments, when he became Flesh, when on Earth he appeared unto Men, to be clothed in filthy Garments, being so mean, and had not a Place to lay his Head yet professed himself to be the Son of God, the High-Priest that should offer up himself for to save his People; for High-Priests in former Times did appear to the People with rich and glorious Garments; but this High-Priest doth appear to the Seed of Reason, to be clothed in filthy Garments, not fit (as Reason thinks) to stand before the Angel of the Lord.

And this Satan that stands as his right Hand to resist him, it was the Spirit of unclean Reason in those People of the Jews when Christ was upon Earth, and when that Devil that tempted Christ, spoken of in Matthew, disputed with Christ, he resisted the High-Priest, and stood at Christ's right Hand at that time; and this Devil that tempted Christ, it was a Man endued with an high Pitch of Reason, and that Spirit of Reason, or Wisdom of Reason, in that Man that tempted Christ the High-Priest, it was Satan that strove to resist Christ in dispute, whereupon Christ said, Get thee hence Satan.