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man the better Chriftian, by much, who doth not regard it or defire it: For my part, although I muit acknowledge that fome fcruples of my minde,did induce me to lock into many Book, unt II was fatisfied, which otherwife I had never done; yet I profefs to believe,that it is fo little that can be known by man in this fubject, and fubject to fo much illufion, as that I think no fludy is more vain and foolish; and that I would not go three flep out of my doors (more then what I did to fatisfic my minde in fome matters of Faith, if any fuch fcruple did arife) to know as much as the profoundell Platonick, or Phylofopher yea, or Magician of them all ever knew. Certainly he is but a weak Chriftian, when fo many high Myfteries are propofed unto us in Chrift by his Gofpel, and of fo much confequence, that cannot below his time better: They that have any hopes, through Faith in Chrift, and a godly life, to be admitted one day into the prefenceof God, and to fee face to face, as God hath promifed; will they hazard fo glorious a hope, by prving through unfeafonable, unprofitable curiofity, into the nature of thefe vaffal Spirits, which God hath forbidden: But becaufe it doth concern Religion in general, that we belie e Spirits; and when Objections are made that cannot be answered, many are fcandalized, and Atheifts ready to take the advantage of it; I fay, that it fhould be no wonder to any, fober and rational, if we cannot refolve all doubts, fince it is fo little that we know, or can know, beyond the bare 8 in this matter: Moft Chriftians are bred in and to this opinion, that all Spirits, (fo commonly called) are either Angels of Heaven, or Divels of Hell: I know no Scripture for it, or determina tion of any general Councel, that I remember, at this time at leaft, and fo long I do not think my felf bound againft apparent reafon: For the conceit of all evil Spirits or Divels being in Hell, I think learned Mr. Meade hath taken that to task in fome of bis Works, and fufficiently confuted it: The very word Spirit, is a term of great Ambiguity; We underſtand by it, commonly, fubftances, that are altogether immaterial. Many of the ancient Fathers, it is well known, did not allow of any fuch at all, befides God: But we think that to have no vifible Body, and to be purely immaterial, is all one: God knows how many degrees there may be between thefe but we cannot know it, neither doth it concern our falvation, for which we have reafon to praife God: But if it were fo, that all Spirits are either Divels or Angels, what fhall we make of thefe that are found in mines, of which learned Agricola hath written; of thofe that have been time out of minde called xuño, (from whence probably, as we have faid elſewhere, Gobelin in English is derived) who live in private Houfes, about old Walls, and ftalks of Wood, harmlefs otherwife, but very thievich, fo frequent and fo known in fume Countreys, that a man may as well doubt whether there be any Horfes in England, becauſe there are none in fome parts of the World; not found in all America, I think, till fome were carried thither: Neither can I believe, that thofe Spirits that pleafe themfelves in nothing clfe but harmless fports and wantonneffe, fuch as have been known in all Ages; fuch as did ufe to fhave the hairs of Plinius Secundus his Servants in the Night, as himfelf relates (a very creditable man, I am fure) in his Epiftles, and the like; that fuch Spirits, I fay, have any relation either to Heaven or to Hell: We might infift in more particulars, but we do not defire to dwell upon it at this time; and there is yet fomewhat clfe to be faid: Andwhat