Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

¹If some rare instance should be alleged of some Atheistical Persons, who having been intimate Companions in wickedness; had agreed that when either of them should depart this World, and find a joyful Heaven, or dreadful Hell; he would, if possible, acquaint the Survivor with it: And thereupon some Spectre or Voice hath been heard or seen (or fancied to be so) upon such a Discovery there hath been an inclination to return to God, and an amendment of Life.

¹If some rare instance should be alledg'd of some Atheisttical Persons, who having been intimate Companions in wickedness; had agreed that when either of them should depart this World, and find a joyful Heaven, or dreadful Hell; he would, if possible, acquaint the Survivor with it: And thereupon some Spectre or Voice hath been heard or seen (or fancied to be so) upon such a Discovery there hath been an inclination to return to God, and an amendment of Life.

1. 1Except.

Answ. I fear such an inclination and amendment have been but some temporary emotions upon such a prodigious occurrence, and have soon evanished like a blush; or have occasioned only some fainter Essays towards amendment of Life, which have not come to a thorough change, only to be an Almost Christian, as Agrippa; and not such an Altogether Christian, as Paul himself was, when Converted¹⁰ upon the Call of Christ by whom God spake to him¹¹, having ordained to reveal himself by the Word; but we do not now find the revelation by Angels, or the Spirits of those who are departed this Life, to be any stated Ordinance of God for man's Conversion, as the Scriptures be. For should we suppose Bad Angels to come to us, they are Enemies to man's Conversion: Good ones, as God's Ministers, would confirm his Word; should we suppose wandering Spirits or Spectres from the Dead (according to Dives his Conceit) to be Monitors of the living, we must reckon them to be either the Souls of Believers or Unbelievers: If of Believers, they will after the example of Christ their Head, send us to the Holy Scriptures, as Agustin thought he heard a voice saying, Take and Read, Take and Read. They will say with God the Father concerning his Son and our Saviour, Hear ye him