_Hermolaus Barbarus_ was scarce in his wits, when, upon conference with a Spirit, he would demand no other question than the explication of _Aristotle's Entelecheia_. _Appion_ the Grammarian, that would raise the Ghost of _Homer_ to decide the Controversie of his Country, made a frivolous and pedantick use of Necromancy. _Philostratus_ did as little, that call'd up the Ghost of _Achilles_ for a particular of the Story of _Troy_. Smarter curiosities would have been at the great Elixir, the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, with other noble obscurities in Nature; but probably all in vain: in matters cognoscible and framed for our disquisition, our Industry must be our Oracle, and Reason our _Apollo_. Not to know things without the Arch of our intellectuals, or what Spirits apprehend, is the imperfection of our nature not our knowledge, and rather inscience than ignorance in man. Revelation might render a great part of the Creation easie which now seems beyond the stretch of humane indagation, and welcome no doubt from good hands might be a true _Almagest_, and great celestial construction: a clear Systeme of the planetical Bodies of the invisible and seeming useless Stars unto us, of the many Suns in the eighth Sphere, what they are, what they contain and to what more immediately those Stupendous Bodies are serviceable. But being not hinted in the authentick Revelation of God, nor known how far their discoveries are stinted; if they should come unto us from the mouth of evil Spirits, the belief thereof might be as unsafe as the enquiry. * * * * * This is a copious Subject; but, having exceeded the bounds of a letter, I will not, now, pursue it farther. I am _Yours_, etc. A PROPHECY Concerning the future state of several Nations, In a Letter written upon occasion of an old Prophecy sent to the Authour from a Friend, with a Request that he would consider it. TRACT XII SIR, I take no pleasure in Prophecies so hardly intelligible, and pointing at future things from a pretended spirit of Divination; of which sort this seems to be which came unto your hand, and you were pleased to send unto me. And therefore, for your easier apprehension, divertisement and consideration, I present you with a very different kind of prediction: not positively or peremptorily telling you what shall come to pass; yet pointing at things not without all reason or probability of their events; not built upon fatal decrees, or inevitable designations, but upon conjectural foundations, whereby things wished may be promoted, and such as are feared, may more probably be prevented. THE PROPHECY