For, First of all, Though he was never fo fenfibly fmit at the firft; yet after a little Time, the infinite Love he bears to that Course of Life, which this Vision came to teftify againft, would put him upon Inventions for the rendring the Credit of his very Senfes doubtful and fufpected. Many Reasons would be fuggefted to him from his bribed Underftanding, why he fhould not in this Cafe believe his own Eyes. For why might not all this be a mere Delusion, the Effects of a melancholy diftempered Fancy, a Bufinefs wholly tranf acted on the Stage of his Imagination?

That he had fuch an Apparition, and that he was horribly frighted with it, he cannot doubt: But whether this Apparition was really presented to his outward Senses, and was not only the Fiction of his own heated and disturbed Brain, he thinks he hath Reafon to doubt.

For he remembers, that even in Dreams, Things have been as lively represented to him, and made as great Impreffions on him, as the fame Things could have been or done if he had been awake. And he knows very well, that Fancy hath a strange Power over a Man's Judgment, even when his Eyes are wide open; especially if the Circumftances of being alone, of Melancholy and Pensiveness, and fome particular Accidents,do concur to the railing of it.

How many People meet with Goblins in their Night-walks, and fee Armies fighting in the Air, and affuredly perfuade themselves and

and others that they do fo? When as, in Truth, the one is nothing elfe but Trees; and the other but Clouds formed into fuch Shapes by the Power of their Imagination. How many Persons in Feverish Distempers fee plainly Fiends and Devils ftanding at their Bed's-feet, ready to take them away, and hear dreadful Noifes? But yet none is fo fimple as to believe these to be Realities, but only the Effects of their prefent Frenzy. And why may not this Bug-bear of a Vision, that did at first fo fright the Man, be a Thing of the fame kind, a mere Creature of his own difordered Fancy?

It is certainly not impoffible for a Man, whofe Concernment it is not to believe any thing of this Nature, at laft to bring himself to fuch an Opinion.

Efpecially when he is helped forward by the concurrent Votes of all his Jolly Companions, whom he tells the Thing to; who, to be fure, will not fail to laugh heartily, and make very merry with his Story; and, if it be poffible, to droll it out of his Head, by perfuading him, that the whole Matter was but the Result of Melancholy and a crazed Brain; and that if he ftill continues to believe it, he is fitter for Bedlam than their Company.

But, Secondly, Suppofing he cannot thus eafily baffle the Credit of his Senfes; but is forced to believe, that what he faw and heard was more than a Fancy or Imagination: Yet that inveterate Principle of Vice VOL I. Q with

within him, will put him upon other Ways and Contrivances for the hindring that Effect, which the Vision ought in reafon to have upon him. Though he cannot queftion the Truth of the Matter of Fact; yet it is likely he may question the Force of the Argument drawn from thence for his Conviction.

Here is one pretends to come to him from the Dead; but how fhall he be certain that he did really come from thence? For any thing he knows, it may be fome Trick put upon him. Some knavish Fellow had a mind to fright him, or fome bigotted Religionist, affuming the Perfon of a Ghoft, thought by this Pious Fraud to convert him to his Perfuafion; as he hath read in Story, fuch Pranks have been plaid to ferve a Turn, or promote a good Cause. And whereas his Reafon might tell him, that this could not be fo, feeing the Perfon, that appeared to him, had both the Countenance and the Voice of his Friend, yet That he would get over; the Imposture was cunningly carried on, and the Surprize and Fright it put him into, did fo diforder his Judgment, that he was not able to diftinguish between the True and the Counterfeit.

But fuppofing he be convinced, that here was no Juggle in the Matter, but what appeared was a true Spirit or a Ghost, if there be any fuch: Yet how fhall he know that it was the Ghost of his Friend? If he was fure it was he, he would give Credit to what he reported, because of the former Experience

he

he had had of his Integrity: But this he cannot any way be certain of. For any thing he knows to the contrary, it may be one of thofe ill-natur'd Inhabitants of the Air, that are fo much talked of, that make it their Bufinefs to disturb the Reft and Quiet of Mankind; and take a pleasure in filling their Heads with Fears and Scruples, and drawing them to all kind of Superftition.

He hath heard and read of fuch: And there is no Man of any Perfuafion or Religion, Few, Turk, or Heathen; nay, all the feveral Sorts of Heathens at this Day, which are to be found either in the Eaft or Western Indies, and Chriftians too, of all Communions; there is none of thefe but have Stories to tell, of Apparitions and Vifions, for the Confirmation of their feveral Doctrines and Tenents. Now that all these Apparitions are to have Credit given to them, is abfurd; because they contradict one another in their Difcoveries. How, therefore, can he tell whether this particular Apparition that is made to him, ought to be credited or no, as to what it declares concerning Religion, and the State of the other World? In plain English, rather than fuch a Man as we are fpeaking of, will be prevailed upon to quit his dearly-beloved Lufts and Vices, he will find Excufes and Reafons a great many, why he ought not to believe any thing that is conveyed to him in fuch a Manner, as we now fuppofe.

Efpecially, if we confider, in the Third Place, What Advantages he will make for

0 2

his

his purpose, from that very Way, that we now think, would be most effectual to convert him; that is, One coming from the Dead. Here is an Apparition pretends to be fent upon a particular Meffage to him from the other World, to perfuade him to embrace fuch a Religion, and change his way of Living; and threatens him with horrible. Punishments if he doth not: The very unusualness of the thing will put fome Apprehenfions into him, (efpecially confidering his Concernment to find out all the Ways that can be, to elude the Force of the Argument) that it is not fo convincing, doth not carry in it fo great Evidence, as at first fight there feemed to appear. For what imaginable Reafon can be given why he should be dealt with in a way fo different from that, that the reft of Mankind are? The Particularity of the Miracle will give occafion to him to suspect the Truth of what it discovers. If his Neighbours and Friends were thus haunted, he might think he had Reason to be alarmed, and to apprehend fome Danger in that Course of Life he is fo much diffuaded from: But fince none in the Place where he lives, is thus exercifed befides himself, he cannot fatisfie his Reason, as to this way of proceeding with him. If this Means of Conviction was Rational and Strong, without doubt others would have it afforded them; and be convinced by it as well as he. But fince no fuch Thing appears, as the Apparition itself is unaccountable, fo are the Argu

ments