There is no Occafion, fays CRITO, for further Evidence, till we have better confider'd what you have brought already, and which appears I believe to us both to have fo much Weight with it, as to intitle you at least to a Pardon for interrupting us, and may for ought I know in the End to something more.

He feems indeed, fays THEOPHILUS, to bid very fair for it, and it must be own'd has hitherto come off with Honour.But it is Time for us now to break off the Conference.

DIALOGUE

VII.

S it was concerted between them at Supper to meet the next Day at Philander's, they affembled as ufual in Philander's Arbour, when CRITO began with obferving, that it was but needlesfly wafting their Time to let Philander proceed with his Evidence any farther, that he was very well fatisfied more might be easily brought of it, but thought it rather adviseable now to confider their own, and to try the Strength of what could be urged on that Side.

I was just thinking, fays THEOPHILUS, the very fame and therefore now PhilanF

der

der ftand on your Defence. What think you firft of the Affair at Endor?

Let me fee, fays PHILANDER, pulling out a Pocket Bible, which he had purpofely brought along with him, let me first, if you pleafe, read the Story as here related. [1. Sam. xxviii. 3, &c.] Now Samuel was dead, and all Ifrael bad lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own City. Saul had put away those that had familiar Spirits, and the Wizards, out of the Land. And the Philiftine's gathered themfelves together and came and pitched in Shunen: and Saul gather'd all Ifrael together, and they pitched in Gilboa : And when Saul faw the Hoft of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his Heart greatly trembled. And when Saul enquired of the Lord, the Lord anfwered him not, neither by Dreams, nor by Urim, hor by Prophets. Then faid Saul unto his Servant, feck me a Woman that hath a familiar Spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his Servants faid to him, Behold, there is a Woman that hath a familiar Spirit, at Endor. And Saul disguised himJelf, and put on other Rayment, and he went, and two Men with him, and they came to the Woman by Night. And be faid, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar Spirit, and bring me up whom I shall name unto thee. And the Woman faid unto him, Behold, thou knoweft

knoweft what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off thofe that have familiar Spirits, and the Wizards out of the Land: Wherefore then layeft thou a Snare for my Life, to cause me to die? And Saul fware to her by the Lord, faying, as the Lord liveth, there fhall no Punishment happen to thee for this Thing. Then faid the Woman, whom shall I bring up unto thee? And be faid, Bring me up Samuel. And when the Woman faw Samuel, fhe cried with a loud Voice: and the Woman Spake to Saul, Saying, Why haft thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the King faid unto her, Be not afraid: for what faweft thou? And the Woman faid unto Saul, (who all this Time faw nothing.) I faw Gods afcending out of the Earth. And be (who ftill faw nothing) faid unto her, What Form is be of? And she faid, an Old Man cometh up; and he is cover'd with a Mantle. And Saul perceiv'd, (that is by the Woman's Report,) that it was Samuel, and he flooped with his Face to the Ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel (or fomething or other) faid to Saul, Why haft thou difquieted me to bring me up ? -Here PHILANDER, after paufing a little on the Contents of what he had read, went on as follows.---As it does not appear from hence, as I have juft remark'd, that Saul himself faw any thing at Endor, if I should here infift that

this was all a Juggle, it would I believe be difficult for you to prove the Contrary; nor am I under any Obligation, I apprehend, to confider it otherwife, or indeed to concern myself at all about it, till you have not only prov'd a real Appearance, but likewife that this Appearance was really Samuel: for till this is done, fhould I grant you the former, I cannot fee it could do you much Service, as there will still remain feveral Objections against the latter, and fuch as feem to have no fmall Weight in them. For however fome of thefe illegal Artists might be weak enough to think they could raife the Dead, as I dare fay there are none of us here weak enough to believe that they could do it, it muft therefore be own'd, that if Samuel then appear'd, it was not owing to the Witch's Magick, but to fome fpecial Appointment of God. And yet who can believe, that God, who, as here related, would not answer him, either by Dreams, or Urim, or by living Prophets, fhould fend him a dead one to give him an Answer at Endor? Or that Samuel, if really fent by God's Command to him, would have complain'd, as the Samuel here does of his being difquieted? as if on Purpose to magnify the Woman's Power, and the Truth of an Art, which the Law of God had expresfly condem'd, and made

it

it even Capital to practice. It indeed proves, if you will, the Antiquity of this Opinion, that the Souls the Dead furviv'd, and might be fpoke with: but if we either confider the Law of God in this Cafe, or the Tenets of fuch as adher'd to its better Instructions, they are fo far, as I have fhewn, from favouring this Opinion, that they are on the contrary ftrongly against it.

It must be confefs'd, fays THIOPHILUS, that there is room to difpute this Appearance: but what will you fay to that of Mofes, and Elias, at the Time of the Tranffiguration.

I have to fay, fays PHILANDER, as to one of these, that it is nothing at all to your Purpose. For how can the Appearance of one that never died, [ii. Kings ii. 11.] be allow'd as a Proof of what the State of Death is? The other of thefe it is granted indeed did die; but unless you can prove it was only his Soul that then appear'd, and that he was not rais'd from the Dead, as the Jews think he was quickly after; and as many Chriflians feem to think highly propable, both from what is faid here, and in the Epiftle of Jude concerning him, this Appearance can poffibly do you but little Service. I do not pretend to pofitive Proof in this Cafe, but if there is but any thing

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that