A True Interpretation of the Witch of Endor

by Lodowick Muggleton

I declare, the Sons of God they were the Sons of Job, who feasted their three Sisters, as you may read. They were called the Sons of God, because they were that good and faithful Man Job's Sons; as the Sons of Seth were called the Sons of God, and they looked upon the Daughters of Men, and saw that they were fair, &c. as you may read in Genesis. Now that Satan came amongst them when they presented themselves before the Lord, it was the Spirit of Reason in Job's seven Sons, when they feasted their three Sisters, they were moved in their Minds to Voluptuousness, Drunkenness and Lust, as the rest of the Heathen were where they lived; so that they did Wickedness in the Absence of Job their Father: And Job fearing in their Wickedness his Sons had cursed God in their Hearts, as you may see in the Verse before. So Job caused his Sons to present themselves before the Lord, and to worship the Lord, as it was the Manner for Job to do in those times, and Satan came with them, that is, the Spirit of Reason in his Sons came with them, reasoning in themselves; why should their Father Job reprove them for their Wickedness in their Feasts; this was that Satan that came amongst them, for he was in them, and no other Satan but what was within them.

And this is that Satan that goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and destroy those that are faithful: So that this Spirit of Reason, this Satan, it goeth to and fro in the Earth, to tempt and destroy the faithful.

It was that Satan that did motion the Sabeans and Chaldaeans to take away Job's Oxen, and slay his servants as they were plowing; and fired the Sheep, and burnt up Job's Servants; and the Chaldaeans came with a Band of Men, seeing Job smitten and destroyed by the Sabeans; and they came with three Bands of Men, and destroyed the Camels and the rest of his Servants.

For this must be minded, that in those Times there was no Law to deliver or help the Innocent, but he that had the strongest Sword carried the Day. And the Lord for Trial of Job's Faith and Patience, and for a Pattern for the Ages to come, he suffered the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Sabeans and Chaldaeans to go to and fro in the Earth, to stir up their People to destroy Job and all his House and Cattle.

Also God suffered the natural Wind to blow down the House where Job's Sons were feasting, and destroyed them according to the Desire of the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Sabeans and Chaldaeans. For the Sons of Job were wicked Children, though called the Sons of God.

And last of all the Spirit of unclean Reason in Job's Wife was that Satan that tempted Job to curse God and die: So that there is no other Spirit or Satan without Man: But that Satan spoken of in Job, it was the Spirit of unclean Reason in the Minds of the Sabeans, Chaldaeans, and in Job's Wife and Sons; that was the Satan, and no other.

And as for those Disputes; God had with Satan, and Satan with God; it was nothing else but the Motions of Job's Heart passing through his troubled Soul, the Seed of Faith disputed in him for God, persuading him to be patient, and let that have its perfect Work, and so Hope did increase in him; and the Seed of Reason, which was Satan in him as well as in others, it pleaded against God, Reasoning in him as if God did not do well or justly by him, that had been so righteous in his Life, one who never did no Wrong to his Neighbour, but always feared God; yet that God should suffer the wicked to destroy his Cattle and Servants, and suffer the Wind to blow down his House, and destroy his Children; and not only so, but suffer his Body to break out with Boils and Botches most loathsome, as if he had been the greatest Sinner in the World; so that he thought that God dealt more cruelly with him then with any other Creature. And further, he thought God dealt hardly with him, that he would neither take away his Life, that he might die out of this troubled Mind and Pains of Body, nor restore him to Health. These and such like Reasonings and thoughts passed through Job's troubled Soul even from the Spirit or Seed of Reason in him, which is the Dispute of Satan: For as the Seed of Faith in Job disputed for God so did the Seed of Reason in Job dispute for Satan; for there is no other Satan but what is in Man, as I said before.

So in Zach. iii. 1. here Zachariah the Prophet saw in a Vision the Redemption of the Seed of Faith by Christ under the Type of Joshua the High-Priest, standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. This High-Priest was Christ clothed with filthy Garments, when he became Flesh, when on Earth he appeared unto Men, to be clothed in filthy Garments, being so mean, and had not a Place to lay his Head yet professed himself to be the Son of God, the High-Priest that should offer up himself for to save his People; for High-Priests in former Times did appear to the People with rich and glorious Garments; but this High-Priest doth appear to the Seed of Reason, to be clothed in filthy Garments, not fit (as Reason thinks) to stand before the Angel of the Lord.

And this Satan that stands as his right Hand to resist him, it was the Spirit of unclean Reason in those People of the Jews when Christ was upon Earth, and when that Devil that tempted Christ, spoken of in Matthew, disputed with Christ, he resisted the High-Priest, and stood at Christ's right Hand at that time; and this Devil that tempted Christ, it was a Man endued with an high Pitch of Reason, and that Spirit of Reason, or Wisdom of Reason, in that Man that tempted Christ the High-Priest, it was Satan that strove to resist Christ in dispute, whereupon Christ said, Get thee hence Satan.

This Satan was a Man, and the Spirit of Reason in this Man is that Satan that always resisteth the Wisdom of Faith, which is the Wisdom of God. But this hath been more largely treated upon in our other Writings, so I shall speak no more of that Devil and his Temptations here.