A26888:273
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls…
The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadducees and infidels, by Richard Baxter.The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter.
London: printed for T. Parkhurst, 1691
Treatise › Chapter 6 › Letter: Mr. Davis's Letter, concerning the Corps-Candles in Wales.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Some thirty three, or thirty four years ago, upon a Tuesday coming towards home from Cardigan, where I had been enjoined to Preach the Session Sermon: Incipient adhuc crepusculo, and as Light as Noon, and having as yet, nine long Miles to Ride, there seemed twice or thrice from behind me, on my Right side, and between my Shoulder and my Hat, to fly a little whitish thing, about the bigness of a Walnut, and that per intervalla, once in seventy or eighty Paces: At first I took no notice of it, thinking it had been but the glimpsing of my ⟨p. 142⟩little Ruff; for such then I wore, by Degrees it waxed reddish, and as the Night drew on, redder and redder, at last not ignis fatuus, (for that I partly knew) but purus putus ignis, both for Light and Colour. At length I turned my Horse twice or thrice, to see from whence it came, and whether it would flash into my Face, then nothing I could see; but when I turned homewards, it flashed as before, until I came to a Village called Llanrislid, where as yet I did not intend to Lodge, though there were four Lodgings, and one of them (save one) the next House in my way, which, when I passed by close, being just against the Door, my Fire did flash again upon, or very near the Threshold, and there I think it lodged; for I saw it no more. Home still I would go, but bethinking my self, that so I might tempt God, and meet a worse Companion than my former: I turned to the furthest Lodging in the Town, and there after a little Rest, in a brown Study (because mine Host was an understanding Man, and Literate, and such as could, and had but lately read his Neck-Verse in pure Roman Language) I could not contain, but needs must tell him of the Vision, he the next day to some going to the Sessions, they to others there, at last it came to the Judges Ears, insomuch, that the greatest News, and wonder ⟨p. 143⟩at the then Assizes was the Preachers Vision. To come at length unto the Pitch, or Kernel, (for I have been too long about the Husk and Shell) at that very Sessions, one John William Lloyd, a Gentleman, who dwelt, and whose Son yet dwells within a Mile of Glasterig, fell Sick, and in his coming homewards, was taken with such a violent Paroxysm, that he could Ride no further than the House, where I left my Fire to entertain him, and there he lighted and Lodged, died about four Days after.
Some thirty three, or thirty four years ago, upon a Tuesday coming towards home from Cardigan, where I had been injoyn'd to Preach the Session Sermon: Incipiente adhuc crepusculo, and as Light as Noon, and having as yet, nine long Miles to Ride, there seemd twice or thrice from behind me, on my Right side, and between my Shoulder and my Hat, to fly a little whitish thing, about the bigness of a Walnut, and that per intervalla, once in seventy or eighty Paces: At first I took no notice of it, thinking it had been but the glimpsing of my